Thursday -- dinner

Stuffed Tomato
4 large ripe tomatoes with stems
2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked (6-8 hours) and drained
1/4 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup ripe red, yellow, orange, or green bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp paprika
sea salt to taste

cut of tops of tomatoes, leaving the stem in place and set aside. scoop out the pulp and seeds leaving 1/4 inch around the outside edge and bottom. blend the sunflower seeds with 1/2 of the tomato pulp and paprika until smooth. mix remaining pulp, green onions, bell pepper, basil, and garlic into the blended mixture.
stuff tomatoes to the top, heaping over a bit. Replace tops.

options: add fresh corn kernels, shredded carros, chopped celery, or chopped nuts (in place of sunflower seeds)



Banana Pudding
4-5 bananas
1-2 avocados
1 tbsp flax seed

put everything together in the food processor except for one banana. blend until smooth and thick. set aside. cut extra banana at an angle to create long ovals. set aside. pour pudding into bowl and decorate with banana ovals. sprinkle chocolate powder over top.



I doubled the stuffed tomato recipe because there are people coming over tonight. The recipe above will feed 3-4 people easily. Last time, I accidentally put too much paprika. This time I didn't put enough. I think its better to have too much. Tonight's stuffing tastes a little bit bland.
The banana pudding goes quick. Everybody loves it! Small portions are the key. This pudding is a lot more filling than the pudding we're used to out of a box so you only need about half the portion. The more flax seed, the thicker it will be. You can vary this recipe by putting raw cocoa or agave nectar or honey. The avocado gives it quite a bit of body. Leaving it out is not the best idea, in my humble opinion. The recipe above should feed about 4 people for dessert.