Easter eggs you can eat without worries.

These eggs are colored using dry red onion peels, without any artificial coloring, making them safe to eat even if the skin breaks while coloring. (Scroll down for pictures.)

You'll need:
- eggs
- red onion peels
- vinegar
- water
- olive oil
- clean cloth

Optional if you want them decorated:
- leaves or petals
- a panty hose - cut into squares so each can fit an egg
- thread
or
- small sharp carving knife

Directions
- Wash your hands and the eggs thoroughly under running water.
- Place the onion peels in a pot.
- If you want to use leaves or petals for decorations, this is the time to do it:
Step 1. - wet the eggs
Step 2. - arrange the leaves on the surface of the egg

Step 3. - put the egg inside a piece of the panty hose making a small sack around it, then tie the end very tightly

- Arrange eggs inside the pot.
- Cover eggs with cold water and add vinegar to prevent egg whites from running in case the eggs get cracked.
- Place on stove top, on medium heat.

- Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and let eggs boil and soak until they are colored. (The longer they are soaking, the deeper the color will be.)

If you decide to carve the decoration into the skin, color the eggs first, and then use a small, sharp carving knife to carve into the peel of the egg.

- When finished, poor a little olive oil onto a cloth and thoroughly coat each egg. This will protect the egg from any bacteria getting to the peel, plus it will make the eggs a lot shinier.

Finished product:

(Please be advised that color may vary depending on whether you use white or brown eggs, as well as on the type of onion peel you choose. Mine are a tad browner than what you see in the picture, but the flash made them more red.)

Eggplant Dip

This is a healthy variation on of my favorite dish when I was a kid. Even when I was so ill, I didn't have an appetite, I would always eat eggplant dip on bread with tomatoes.

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
1/2 medium onion - minced or ground in the food processor
2-3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs Greek yogurt
salt
pepper

Directions
- Bake or char the eggplants so you can peel the skin off, while thoroughly cooking the eggplants. This can be done two ways:
   1. Char the skin of the eggplants on an open fire by turning them to each side every few minutes ensuring all sides are cooked properly.
   2.Preheat oven to 425 F, poke a few holes with a knife into the eggplants, and wrap them in aluminum foil, then bake them for roughly 45 minutes, turning the eggplants every 15 minutes.
- Peel the eggplants (Careful!!! They will be hot. Let them cool. Alternatively, you can run them under cold water, or soak them in a bowl of cold water until you can handle them.)
- Finely chop the eggplants or run them through a food processor.
- In a bowl, mix the eggplants, onions salt and pepper.
- Gradually add the oil, about 1/4 to 1/2 tbs at a time, and mix vigorously. The oil will be soaked up by the eggplant, and the mixture will turn kind of..."fluffy".
- After you finished adding all the oil, add the Greek yogurt and mix well.

Serve on whole wheat bread, chips or veggies.

French toast - two ways of making them

I am going to present how to make French toast on the stove top and in the oven. Pictures of both can be found next to each preparation mode.
Serves 6.

Ingredients
- 6 slices of whole wheat bread
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbs agave nectar
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
- tiny bit of sea salt (about 1/8th of a tsp)

Directions

For stove top 

- You will need about 1/4 cup oil, enough to cover the bottom and not allow the bread to stick. I used safflower oil.  
(Tip: the smaller the circumference of the pan, the less oil you need to cover the bottom.)
- Heat up the oil in a pan.
- Dip bread slices in the mixture, thoroughly coating all sides.
- Place the slices in the oil. When done on one side, turn to the other side. 
(I like to cover mine, but make sure to be careful when you remove the cover, as vapors will fall in the hot oil and might spray you.)



For oven

- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place a baking sheet on the bottom of a baking pan or cover with nonstick spray..
(If you're not worried about calories, you can grease the pan with butter.)
- Dip bread slices in the mixture, thoroughly coating all sides.
- Arrange bread slices and let bake for about 45-50 minutes or until brown.
(I like to turn them in the middle of the cycle.)


Serve with fresh fruit, jelly, whipped cream or whatever topping you'd like.

Note: the ones on the stove top will be fluffier, while the ones in the oven will be dryer due to the lack of oil saturation. They are both very tasty, and the one in the oven is healthier for those who count their calorie intake.

Egg white omelet with feta, mushrooms, kale and tomatoes.

Serves 1

Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup onions
1/2 stalk of green onion (just the green part)
1 small garlic clove
1 oz vegetarian feta cheese
2-3 thin slices of tomato
cooking spray (NO hydrogenated fats)
sea salt
black pepper
paprika
parsley flakes

Directions
- Separate the egg whites and put them in a bowl.
- Add a bit of salt, pepper and paprika, and beat the whites until they turn bubbly/foamy.
- In a pan, saute the onions, garlic, mushrooms and kale. Add spices and the parsley flakes.
- Cover the bottom of another pan with cooking spray.
- When pan is hot, add the egg whites. Wait until it starts hardening, then add the cheese to one side of the whites, and cover them with a lid.
- Once the egg whites are hard enough that you can lift them, add the tomato slices and the sauted veggies to the same side you sprinkled the cheese on, and fold the remaining side of the whites over.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, then carefully turn the omelet to its other side.

Serve with a side salad or toast.

Stuffed mushroom caps with quinoa, almonds and dried fruit

Here is another great recipe for stuffed mushrooms.

Serves 2.

Ingredients
2 portobello caps
1/2 cup quinoa - cooked
1 stalk green onion - thinly chopped
1/4 of a tomato - seeded and chopped into small cubes
2 tbsp dried fruit (dried apricots, cranberries, raisins etc.)
about 6 almonds - quartered
olive oil cooking spray (without hydrogenated oils)
1/2 tbs olive oil
parsley
oregano
dill
Italian seasoning (optional, especially if you have oregano)
paprika
sea salt
pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Clean the mushroom caps.

- In a saute pan, add the almonds and toast them for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add a couple pumps of non-stick spray and the green onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes until onions start to become translucent.
- Add the fruit, tomatoes, quinoa, herbs and spices. Stir for a couple minutes until thoroughly heated.

- Spray non-stick spray on the bottom of a baking pan.
- With a brush, cover the mushroom caps all around with olive oil.
- Fill the caps with the above mixture.
- Place in oven and bake until done. (About 30 minutes, but check it every 10 minutes to make sure the mushrooms don't dehydrate and over-cook.)

Serve alone, with a side-salad or steamed veggies.

High protein, antioxidant smoothie - meal.

This smoothie is full of antioxidants as well as vitamins, minerals and protein for an after-workout snack or even a complete meal.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

1 packet of acai smoothie puree
1 banana
about 6 strawberries
4 red kale leaves
2 tbs ground flax
protein powder (full serving for men, 1/2 serving for women)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk




Directions

Mix above ingredients in a blender.
You may add ice to thicken consistency.

They say we "eat" with our eyes, therefore, you may serve it with a slice of orange.

Curried veggies with Greek yogurt.

If you run out of milk, and only have yogurt at home, don't fret! You can still make a delicious vegetable curry to satisfy your hunger and your taste buds.

Ingredients
1/3 lb raw Brussels sprouts - halved
1/2 cup onions - chopped
2 stalks of celery - chopped
1 cup frozen vegetable mix - cauliflower, broccoli, carrots
1/2 cup red cabbage - chopped
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbs green curry paste
kaffir lime leaves to taste
cilantro to taste
dill leaves to taste
paprika
pepper
sea salt
non-stick olive oil spray (without hydrogenated oils)

Directions
Spray a couple pumps of non stick spray in a saute pan.
When pan is heated, add the curry paste, vegetables, herbs and spices, and saute until Brussels sprouts are bright green.
Add the Greek yogurt, bring down the heat and keep mixing until thoroughly heated and vegetables are done.

Serve alone or with a side of quinoa, couscous or brown rice.