Baked eggnog French toast should be prepared the night before allowing the eggnog to absorb into the bread. The topping of apples and apricots can also be made in advance. (Photo by Betty Rosbottom)

By BETTY ROSBOTTOM

One of the challenges for many cooks is figuring out what to serve overnight company for New Year’s Day breakfast or brunch. A dish that is simple to prepare, that can be assembled in advance, and that delivers a bit of dazzle would be perfect. Baked Eggnog French Toast with Apples and Apricots is such an all-in-one morning entree.

A friend who loves to entertain sent me the recipe, which I tweaked slightly. Slices from a crusty peasant loaf are arranged in a baking dish, covered with eggnog, then refrigerated overnight. For the topping, sliced apples and diced dried apricots are quickly sauteed in a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
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By LISA ODEGARD

Mushrooms are a super food for the brain, and all the different mushrooms in this recipe might be overwhelming.
Look in Asian specialty markets for these particular ’shrooms.

This vegan and gluten-free spread is great on pizzas, in sandwiches or on crostini for appetizers!

Enjoy these mushrooms as a side, or add them on top of a pizza or on bruschetta with goat cheese for a wonderful appetizer.

Wild Mushroom Mix

3⁄4 pound chanterelle mushrooms, chopped coarsely
1 pound cremini mushrooms, chopped coarsely
1⁄2 pound maitake mushrooms (aka “hen of the woods”), chopped coarsely
1⁄4 pound lobster mushrooms, chopped coarsely
1⁄4 pound oyster mushrooms, chopped coarsely
1⁄3 cup olive oil, divided
11⁄2 tablespoon garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press
2 teaspoon oregano, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄3 teaspoon pepper

Coarsely chop each set of mushrooms and cook separately on low-medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, each for about 5 minutes. After all the mushrooms are done cooking, set them aside.

To a large (3- to 4-quart) saute pan, add the garlic, oregano and a tablespoon of olive oil. Let the mixture cook together for 1 minute, then add all of the mushrooms together, along with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.

This mixture could also make a base for a great mushroom soup. Start with onions, carrots and celery sauteed in olive oil, adding all your mushrooms.
Allow to cook until softened. Add chicken or vegetable broth, simmer and then puree with 1/2 cup cream.

The combination of green, red and orange makes this salad a spectacularly inviting side dish that will dress up your holiday table.

The striking red seeds of the pomegranate are especially beautiful amid the vivid greens, and their sourness blend well with sweet clementines to make a wonderful taste sensation.

This salad is low in calories and packed with a plethora of nutrients and fiber.

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This mild-tasting flourless bread takes seconds to throw together and minutes to bake, so it is perfect for busy days.

This bread is perfect for French toast and sandwiches. Grill it, toast it or eat it plain. It is also great with a pat of butter and drizzle of honey.

The aroma of cooked apples and cinnamon make this a perfect start to your day.

Excellent for cool mornings, when you need a hearty “stick to your ribs” cereal, this recipe is filled with dietary fiber, potassium and essential B vitamins to fill you up and give you an energy boost.

Apple-Spice Oats

2 cups water
1/2 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large organic apple shredded
2 teaspoons dried raisins
1 teaspoon chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup (more or less according to taste)

Put water, steel cut oats, salt, cinnamon and apples in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer for about 35-45 minutes, or until oats are tender and water is mostly absorbed.

Sprinkle with raisins, chopped walnuts and a little freshly grated nutmeg on top. Serve with either honey or pure maple syrup.

I like to make enough for two breakfasts and save half for another day. Simply warm up leftover oats by placing it in a pot with a little water or milk (dairy, soy, almond or rice) and heat slowly on low.

By FRANCINE SEGAN

Most of us think of chocolate as something just for dessert, but the Italians have been adding it to pasta, risotto, polenta and meat dishes for centuries.

“Chocolate, the ‘food of the gods,’ conquered not just the candy shop but also the kitchen,” says Riccardo Magni of ICAM, one of Italy’s premier chocolate makers, based in the city of Lecco in the northern region of Lombardy.

This is not so surprising if you reflect that the cacao bean, from which chocolate is made, is not itself sweet. In fact, the ancient dwellers of Mesoamerica mixed ground roasted cacao seeds, chile peppers, cornmeal, spices and water into a spicy, sacred brew.

As G.B. Mantelli, marketing director at Venchi, an artisanal chocolate company based in Turin, defines it, “Like so many other seeds — pepper, fennel, cardamom and caraway — cacao beans are a spice.”

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By LISA ODEGARD

This salad is full of nuts and seeds to keep you full of energy all day.

It is vegetarian, vegan and egg free.

Winter Greens Salad

1 bunch rainbow chard, finely chopped
1/2 bunch escarole, finely chopped
1 bunch kale, finely chopped
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, roasted
2 avocados, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 cup currants
2 apples, julienned
1/2 cup roasted almonds, sliced
1 cup cooked and cooled bulgur wheat

Toss all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and add your favorite tahini vinaigrette.

Lisa Odegard is a regular contributor to www.NaturallySavvy.com, a Web site dedicated to educating people on the benefits of living a natural, organic and green lifestyle.

This is a favorite roasted fall vegetable combination.

Served as a side dish to meat, fish or poultry or mixed into salads and cooked grains, roasted root vegetables add distinctive harvest flair to any meal.

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Beets are a rich source of fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C. And recent research has shown them to be a source of anti-oxidants.

Because of their sugar content, beets are ideal for roasting, a preparation method that appeals to even to those who shun vegetables.

So kick off the cooler weather with a foot forward to a healthier lifestyle. This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, egg and gluten free.

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Looking for a tasty source of fiber? If you eat the whole cup of bulgur without anything else, it contains a whopping 33 percent of your daily value of fiber! And it’s hard to imagine a tastier way to eat bulgur than in tabbouleh salad, one of the mainstays of Middle Eastern cuisine.

This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, egg free, dairy free and raw.

Tabbouleh Salad

1 cup cracked/bulgur wheat2 bunch Italian parsley, small coarse chop
5 medium lemons, juiced, 1 zested
1/2 cup water
1 large cucumber, sliced
2 large tomatoes, medium dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pour bulgur into at least a 4-quart bowl and top with 1/2 cup of water, salt and pepper. Stir the water into the wheat.

Then zest one lemon (a microplane works best) right into the bowl then cut the all the lemons in half and juice with a reamer or a fork straight on top of the wheat. Be careful of the lemon seeds — you might want to place a fine mesh strainer about the bowl of wheat when you juice the lemons to catch the seeds.

Once juicing is done, incorporate the juice all over the wheat and let soak for 15 minutes.

Stir again and let soak for 10 more minutes. Then add the chopped parsley, cucumber and tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.