String Beans Rustica

About 2 pounds fresh string beans 1 cup olive oil 2 medium yellow onions 1 clove garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped (yes, you can used canned) 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tsp. oregano 2 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener

Remove ends of string beans. Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add salt & pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, parsley, oregano and SweetLeaf Stevia^® Natural Sweetener. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1/2 hour. Check and adjust seasoning prior to serving if needed. Serves eight.

Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing

1 lb. fresh spinach, rinsed and with stems removed 1/2 lb. bacon 1/4 cup salad oil 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia®Sweetener 1/4 tsp. ground pepper 1/4 to 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1 hardboiled egg, diced

Remove stems from spinach and rinse to remove any sand or soil. Set aside. In heavy skillet, fry bacon until crispy. Remove and drain bacon. Save two tablespoons of the drippings. Crumble bacon into small bits. Set aside. Combine reserved bacon drippings, salad oil, red wine vinegar, salt, SweetLeaf Stevia^® Sweetener and pepper in a small saucepan. Heat and stir. Remove from heat.

Pile a handful of spinach onto each serving plate. Sprinkle with the bacon bits, onions slices and hardboiled egg. Drizzle with warm dressing and serve immediately. Sliced fresh mushrooms may also be added. Serves four.

Five-Minute Bean Salad

4 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup cooking oil 1 can white corn, drained 1 can black beans, rinsed 3 Roma tomatoes, diced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, coarsely chopped Salt and pepper to taste

In a large salad bowl, combine sweetener and vinegar. Stir until sweetener is dissolved. Add oil. Fold all of the other ingredients into the bowl and gently mix. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. Chill for 2-3 hours (it can be served immediately, but tastes delicious cold). Grilled shrimp or chicken can also be added for a tasty, one-dish summer meal. Serves four.

Tangy, Tantalizing Cranberry Sauce

4 cups (1 pkg.) fresh or frozen cranberries 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup dried cranberries 10 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener Zest of 1 orange 5-6 drops SweetLeaf® Liquid Stevia, Valencia Orange flavor

Add all the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Simmer and stir every few minutes until the berries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Add more orange juice if necessary to desired consistency. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove from heat and transfer to a shallow dish to cool.

Yummy Holiday Yams

6 cups peeled yams cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes 4 Tbsp. cooking oil (saffron oil is great) 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste) 1/8 tsp. pepper (optional) 3 Tbsp. maple syrup 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Toss the cubed yams and oil together and spread the coated cubes onto a parchment-lined cookie or baking sheet. Season with the salt and optional pepper. Bake to desired softness (you can test with a fork after about 20 minutes or so). While yams bake, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When yams are done, toss the yams with the syrup mixture and serve. For an extra treat, top with toasted sliced almonds.

Baked Red Cabbage with Apples

1 cup thinly-sliced yellow onion 3 Tbsp. cooking oil 6 cups red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/4-inch slices 2 pkt. SweetLeaf Stevia® Sweetener 4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350^oF. Sauté the onions in the oil until soft, but do NOT brown. Add the cabbage and continue to sauté until the cabbage softens. In a separate bowl, toss the apples with the vinegar and the SweetLeaf Stevia^® Sweetener. Gently stir the apples into the cabbage mixture. Season with salt and pepper and bake in a covered dish for 30 minutes (less if you like your veggies crispy, more if you like them soft).

NOTE: to keep the wildly bright color of the red cabbage, use ONLY stainless steel or glass cookware.