Yum In My Tum

2010-04-03T22:29:00.000-04:00

Black Bean Hummus

Who says hummus has to be made with chickpeas?? This is great! I enjoyed it for lunch with some warm pita bread and a tomato.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and reserve liquid
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
10 black olives

Directions:

1. Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add black beans, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.

2010-04-03T22:23:00.001-04:00

Asparagus Citrus Salad

It's the season for asparagus! YUM! Can't wait to add it to EVERYTHING!
This salad is perfect for this time of year when both oranges and asparagus are readily available. Quite tasty. Next time I might try adding a little bit of chopped red onion for a bit of an extra zing.

INGREDIENTS
Asparagus:
1 bunch fresh asparagus spears, ends trimmed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I don't think it needs this much oil...)
sea salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese (I used grated percano romano cheese)

Vinaigrette:
3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
zest of half a lemon
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
extra virgin olive oil (not sure how much I used - maybe 1/4 cup??)
sea salt
pepper
1 blood orange, peeled and segmented (couldn't find - I used Cara Cara)
1 orange, peeled and segmented (navel)

PREPERATIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup), and cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until bright green and tender-crisp.

2. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, honey, lemon zest and mustard in a bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Plate asparagus and drizzle liberally with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Top with orange segments and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, to taste. Garnish with thin ribbons of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

2010-03-20T13:34:00.001-04:00

Warm Broccoli and Quinoa Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

I was surprised that the kids actually liked this (or they were just hungry that day!). It is quite gingery. Great idea to make a dressing from pureed raw carrots and ginger. Quite tasty.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups quinoa
3 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons water
Salt
1 bag (10 ounces) broccoli florets
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup chopped carrot (about 1 large)
3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

PREPARATION

1. In sieve, rinse quinoa with cold running water. In 3-quart saucepan, combine quinoa, 3 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Transfer quinoa to large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, steam broccoli until tender-crisp. Add to quinoa in bowl.

3. In blender, combine carrot, ginger, vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 3 tablespoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; blend until pureed. Add to quinoa, broccoli, and tomatoes and toss to combine. Serve salad warm or at room temperature.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(based on individual servings)
Calories: 265
Total Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 605 mg
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 7 g

2010-03-20T13:19:00.001-04:00

Thai-Style Chicken Thighs

I bought some local free-range chicken thighs at our local market. $10 for 10 LARGE thighs (skin and bone-in). A tiny bit of prep work and these were ready to pop in the crockpot.
They turned out WONDERFUL! Even the hubby ate them (minus the sauce). And, I have leftover sauce that I'll toss on some noodles and vegetables for a yummy lunch.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2-1/4 pounds), skin removed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup canned coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation:
Slow Cooker Directions
1.Combine ginger, salt and red pepper; sprinkle over meaty sides of chicken. Place onion and garlic in slow cooker; top with chicken. Whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter and soy sauce; pour over chicken. Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is tender.

2.With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to serving bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. Turn slow cooker to high. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into slow cooker; cover and cook 15 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve chicken over brown rice; top with cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges.

2010-03-17T00:33:00.001-04:00

Apple Buttermilk Muffins

I bought a bag of Gala apples at the market last weekend so it's time to do some baking.
Tasty.

Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil (I used organic virgin coconut oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 medium apples (I used Gala)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl, mix first 6 ingredients.
In a small bowl, with wire whisk or fork, beat buttermilk, vegetable (coconut) oil,vanilla, and egg until blended; stir into flour mixture just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in apples and walnuts.

Spoon batter into muffin cups. Mix some cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on the muffins. Bake muffins 20-25 minutes or until they test done.

Immediately remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Nutritional Info:
Approx. Per Muffin:

300 cal
25g fat
22 cholesterol
136 sodium
18g carbs
1g fiber
14g sugar
3g protein

2010-03-11T00:34:00.001-05:00

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soupy Pilaf

This was a surprise hit. Apparently my kids REALLY like mushrooms! The wild rice has almost a sweetness to it which is really nice.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil (I used butter)
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup wild rice
2 cups veggie stock
4 cups water (for soup) or 2 cups (for pilaf), plus more if needed

Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add mushrooms and saute until tender, and then stir in carrot and garlic and saute for another minute. Add basil, thyme, and salt and pepper, and stir well. Finally, add rice, stock, and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer until rice is tender (about 45 min), stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on it and add more water if necessary. If making pilaf, wait until the rice is done and most of the water is absorbed, then remove from heat and let sit for 5 min. Serves 3-4.

Notes:
I covered the pot while simmering and it stayed VERY soupy. After the 45 min., I took the lid off and let it simmer for another 20 min. and the soup thickened up quite a bit. Next time I'd simmer with the lid off.

2010-03-10T00:51:00.001-05:00

Sour Cream and Cumin Pork Tenderloin

This was real easy and real tasty. I made a lot of sauce and served it over egg noodles. Next time I would also add some mushrooms with the onion and garlic step. I used good quality bacon from the deli and it wasn't so overpoweringly baconish the way bacon can be - just added a nice bacony touch. Plus, it is a sure guarentee that my kids will eat anything flavoured with bacon. And apparently my husband too - he actually tried and ate some!!! Wow! Unbelievable. Of course, with meat, bacon and noodles I'm hitting three of his four food groups (just missing processed!).

Ingredients:
3 slices bacon, diced (I used 5 slices. It's bacon!)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds lean pork (I used a pork tenderloin cut into cubes)
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour + 3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (forgot. too bad - bet that would have been good!)

Directions:
1. Saute bacon in Dutch oven. Remove. Fry onions and garlic in bacon grease until soft. Remove and reserve.
2. Cut pork into bite-sized pieces and brown over medium-high heat. Do this in two batches so the pan isn’t overcrowded. After you put pieces in the pan, don’t turn until well browned on first side. Turn and saute on the other side. You may need to add additional oil for second batch.

3. Add bacon, onion and garlic back to pork along with cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
4. Whisk flour and water until smooth. Combine with pork and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Serve with chopped cilantro.

This tasted great over egg noodles. I had lots of sauce so it was like a creamy gravy sauce for the noodles with a bit of meat.

Whole Wheat Mango-Blueberry-Coconut-Walnut Bread

2010-03-09T10:50:00.001-05:00

Adapted from this Mango Bread recipe.

This bread turned out amazing. It was moist and dense and healthy and delicious. Kids and I loved it.
I didn't use very much sugar because the fruit is naturally sweet and because sugar is just not good for us and I'm trying to teach my kids to enjoy foods with natural sugars instead.

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil (organic virgin) + 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (OR 3/4 cups oil)
2 cups whole wheat flour + 1 cup white all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 to 1 1/4 cup diced mangos (I have a big bag of frozen mango from Costco)
1 cup blueberries (thaw if frozen)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on tow regular baking sheets stacked on on top of the other. This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.
Whisk the eggs and the oil (and applesauce) together.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, switch to a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix until blended- the batter will be very thick (really more like a dough than a batter) and not easily mixed, but persevere, it will soon come together. Stir in the mango, blueberries, coconut and walnuts. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake the bread for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the bread looks as if it's getting too brown as it bakes, cover loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

2010-03-09T00:28:00.002-05:00

Mexican Bean Salad

I took this simple salad to a work potluck and I got soooo many compliments on it. It was certainly one of the favorites. It's cheap, quick and easy to make and tastes wonderful. Even my kids enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels (maybe 1 cup?)
1 red onion, chopped (seems like a lot but it really mellows and gives the salad some bite)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
1.In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.

2.In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.

3.Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

2010-03-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

This is amazing. I wish I had a picture (but we ate it up too fast!) - it is a beautiful looking salad. The bright red beets and crunchy walnuts and tart goat cheese on a bed of spinach - wowzers. I found this to be a pretty easy way to eat beets.

Why eat beets? Well, for one, they are gorgeous and make whatever they are paired with look gorgeous. They are also insanely healthy.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnut halves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 medium beets, trimmed and washed
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lb fresh spinach leaves, de-stemmed and washed (I used bagged baby spinach)

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Combine the walnuts with the olive oil, salt and pepper, mixing well to coat the nuts. (I just dry-roasted them in the oven for 8-10 minutes - turned out fine)
3. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 7-10 minutes.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. Wrap the beets individually in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
7. Let cool for 20 minutes, then peel the beets by holding them under cold running water and rubbing off the skins.
8. Cut into 1/2-inch wedges, and place in a large mixing bowl with the walnuts and onion.
9. Combine all the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust the seasonings.
10. Pour over the beets and toss well.
11. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour.
12. Just before serving, arrange the spinach leaves in individual bowls or on a large platter.
13. Arrange the beets on top and crumble the goat cheese over.

2010-02-24T22:14:00.000-05:00

Beef Stew

This was delicious and perfect for a snowy evening. Very easy to make and tastes wonderful. The meat was very tender and the spices combined nicely. I have a feeling I'll make this on a regular basis.

Ingredients:

2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water or beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
potatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
Brown meat in hot oil.

Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, celery (and potatoes). Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer.

To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

2010-02-19T13:29:00.001-05:00

Banana Cocoa Nib Muffins

Time for more muffins! It seems like I make a LOT of muffins but they are just the perfect food. Easier than bread and healthier than cookies. Plus, just like pancakes, you can always find a way to sneak super healthy bits into them and still get the little people (and occasionally the husband) to still eat them.

As for the cocao nibs, I bought them awhile ago but can't stand to eat them raw (bitter!) but they are ok in many baked things. They are supposably a superfood, however, as always, there is a bit of debate about that. Anyway, they taste ok in this recipe. Add a bit of crunch and an teeny tiny bit of bitter chocolate flavor. However, I wouldn't run out to the health food store and by a $10 bag just to make this recipe.... Regular dark chocolate chips would taste just fine. Quite fine indeed I think.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 cup mashed overripe banana (I used 3 bananas)
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup light brown sugar (I used 1/2 c.)
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature (I used Activia Plain yogurt)
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons cocoa nibs
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

optional: one sliced banana (I opted out of this...)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease, spray with baking spray or line 18 wells in a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together the spices, baking powder, cocoa nibs, baking soda, flour and oatmeal. Set aside.

In another large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the yogurt then add the dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Fold in the mashed banana. Divide evenly into wells. Top each with a slice of banana, if desired.

Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the center muffin (but not through a banana slice, go in through an angle) comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

My Thoughts:
I made 12 LARGE muffins and it took closer to 30 minutes to cook.

2010-02-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sweet Potato Fries
My kids love these. We have them at least once a week - usually with black beans and cottage cheese. It's a favorite lunch around here.

Ingredients:
Sweet potato – 2, cut into 1/3 inch matchsticks
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss sweet potato pieces in oil. You can also transfer fries to the baking sheet and then spray oil, instead of tossing ‘em. It is important to arrange the fries in a single layer for even cooking.

Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400F. Turn the fries over gently using a spatula without mashing them. Bake for additional 20 minutes, until the fries are toasty and slightly crispy. Take ‘em out of the oven and immediately season with salt and pepper. You can also season the fries with garlic powder or any other seasoning mix of your choice. Let the fries rest for 5 minutes before serving.

2010-02-14T22:47:00.002-05:00

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberries have been on sale lately, so I've been buying multiple containers and adding these "brain-berries" to everything I can - hot and cold cereal, muffins, snack bowls, yogurt and now pancakes.

I actually really love the addition of the sunflower seeds and wheat germ. Great way to sneak in some extra nutrition.

I served these pancakes with a dollop of vanilla yogurt - they were a HUGE hit with the kiddos.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. wheat germ
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 1/2-3 c. milk
2 tbsp. coconut oil
Fresh or frozen blueberries to taste
Sunflower seeds

Directions:
Stir together all dry ingredients. Beat eggs slightly in a separate bowl and add milk; then add to dry ingredients and stir briefly. Stir in oil with a few strokes.

Heat griddle, grease slightly. After pouring batter into griddle, add desired amounts of blueberries and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Turn when edges are slightly dry.

Vegetable (ok, fungus) of the Week....

2010-02-14T21:56:00.001-05:00

.... Cremini Mushrooms

So, I've been teaching myself to like (or at least tolerate) mushrooms. If I tell my kids that they can learn to like (or at least eat) anything, then I guess I'd better do it too. Also, apparently they are insanely healthy. Plus, as it turns out, my kids LOVE them. Raw. Ummmm... ok?

1. Tortelli with Cremini Mushrooms.
I made a very yummy and very simple pasta dish. I used a package of fresh porchini stuffed tortellini. I then sauted in butter some green onions, cremini mushrooms, grape tomatoes and fresh basil. I tossed it all together and topped it with a bit of crumbled blue cheese (I would have used goat cheese if I had any on hand). It was wonderful. For the second time round (yes, I made it twice), I used shallots instead of green onions, added spinach and omitted the basil. WOW! I will do this again. Like, weekly! Toddlers love pasta so why not make the pasta worthwhile!

2. Omlette with Cremini Mushrooms, Shallots and Spinach.
I made a wonderful omlette. Wonderful. I sauted in butter some shallots and cremini mushrooms. Once softened, I added a big handful of chopped spinach (gotta get the greens into the kids!). Once the spinach was softened, I then added 4 eggs (beaten) and cooked until set. Then I topped it with some grated cheddar cheese and folded it in half. We enjoyed it with veggies sticks and homemade blue cheese dip (can you guess what my "cheese of the week" is?!).

3. Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms and Kale.
Stay tuned for this recipe!

All in all, I am quite proud of my new mushroom-eating self. I still can't bring myself to eat a "button mushroom" (just the thought makes me quiver with disgust), but these creminis are pretty darn good. So good I think I'll keep some on hand to throw into all kinds of things. Eventually I'll experiment with their giant cousins - Portabellos.

Yay me.

Nut of the Week...

2010-02-12T21:45:00.001-05:00

... CASHEWS.

I bought a big container of raw, unsalted cashews last week and they are pretty much all gone. They are super healthy and the kids and I have been eating them daily! Here's a few of the ways we've been enjoying them this week:

I've been tossing a few on our morning cereal (along with yogurt and blueberries).
I added cashews instead of peanuts in my granola bars.
I've been making a snack bowl for the kids with raisins, cashews and sliced apple or orange segments. They love it.
I tossed a few in a smoothy - banana, pineapple, coconut milk, plain yogurt and a few cashews. YUM.
I made an interesting and delicious dessert. I blended a small handful of soaked cashews with a TBSP or so of coconut milk and poured it over sliced grapes. WOW. So So So Yummy. Very rich.

Next week's nut? We'll have to see what's on sale - maybe pistacios? or walnuts? or almonds?

2010-02-10T22:29:00.001-05:00

Egg Nests

These are delicious. Kids LOVED them.

Ingredients:
(to make 4 egg nests)
4 slices of white bread
2 cubes of chopped frozen spinach (squeeze the moisture out)
butter
4 eggs
grated cheese (I used cheddar)
crumbled cooked bacon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a muffin tin.
Cut the crust off the bread. Gently push each slice into a muffin tin making a little bread bowl.
Put a bit of spinach in the bottom of each bread bowl. Top with a little bit of butter. Slowly top with a raw egg. (My egg spilled over the edge, and one yolk broke - still worked fine). Top with salt and pepper if you wish.

(Fresh out of the oven)

Bake for 15-20 min. or until the egg is cooked and the bread is lightly toasted. Top with a bit of cheese and the crumbled bacon.

I served these with a simple green salad and my kids LOVED it. I thought they turned out really well too. One of the easiest and best lunches we've had in a long time.

2010-02-10T20:01:00.000-05:00

Homemade Granola Bars

The great things with granola bars is that you can adapt the "recipe" a million different ways and it still tastes good. For these ones I used what I had on hand: pumpkin seeds, cashews, cranberries, goji berries, a few cacao nibs and prunes. A great "clean-out-the-pantry" recipe.

However, I do have two small issues with this recipe:
#1. They are way too sweet for me. WAY too sweet. The sugar and the honey and the dried fruit is just a bit too much for me. I've ended up treating it like candy and just giving the kids little squares of it here and there.
#2. They stuck to the wax paper BIG TIME and this nearly drove me batty. Picking off teeny tiny strips of wax paper with a paring knife was not fun. Not fun at all.

All in all, I am enjoying these granola bars as a nice treat however I think I'll have to really reduce the sugar in order to make these again!

Ingredients:
2 cups oats
3/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup sunflower seeds (I used pumpkin seeds)
1 cup peanuts, crushed (I used cashews)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
approximately 8 oz. dried fruit (cranberries, goji berries and prunes)

Directions:
1. Crush the nuts. (I put them in a ziploc bag and smooshed them with a dish)
2. Mix the nut, oats, wheat germ, and seeds in a baking dish with sides. Toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that they don’t get burned.
3. Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish (about 11 x 13 inches) for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray. (I missed this step. Do NOT miss this step! )
4. Put the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
5. Mix the toasted oats, nuts & seeds with the liquid in a large bowl. The grains, the liquid “glue,” and the dried fruit.
6. Mix everything REALLY WELL because you want to make sure the “glue” gets all over everything. Dump your granola mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula.
7. Fold over the sides of the waxed paper or add a sheet on top, and PRESS HARD all over the granola. You want to compact it together so that your bars won’t fall apart when you cut them.
8. Wait 2-3 hours or until the granola has totally cooled.
9. Then, open the waxed paper and carefully turn the granola onto a large cutting board, peeling away the rest of the paper.
10. Firmly press down with a big knife (not sawing), cut your granola into whatever size bars you’d like.

2010-02-06T20:17:00.000-05:00

Spicy Orange Beef Broccoli Stir-Fry

I LOVED this. The kids tolerated it. Scott ate spagetti.

Ingredients:

12 oz flank or sirloin steak (pound to tenderize and cut across grain into thin strips)

(I just used a package of stir-fry cut beef from the meat area of the supermarket)

grated peel of 1 orange (about 2 tsp)

1 Tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
5 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Tbsp orange juice
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp beef bouillon granules (I used 1 small packet of beef OXO low-sodium)
2 Tbsp sugar (I used 3 Tbsp by accident - worked fine....)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I used a few shakes of Tobasco sauce)
1 cup water
2 tbsp oil (I use only organic virgin coconut oil for frying)
broccoli
peppers (I used red and orange and yellow peppers*)

Directions:
Toss steak with orange peel, ginger and 1 Tbsp corn starch in a medium bowl to coat; set aside. Stir orange juice, soy sauce, bouillon, sugar, crushed red pepper, water and 4 Tbsp corn starch in a small bowl until blended. Heat oil in a skillet. Add beef and stir-fry until nearly cooked. Add broccoli and peppers and continue cooking until tender. Stir soy sauce mixture until blended and pout into skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve over rice (or with tortillas).

* (Stock up on colored peppers when they are in season and you can get them fresh. Cut them into strips and freeze them on a cookie tray. Transfer them into a freezer bag and you have colored peppers year-round. I add them into all kinds of recipes!)

Quick Chickpea Curry

2010-02-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

- from Everyday Food Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010, pg. 62

The kids and I both liked this simple vegan curry. We enjoyed it with brown basmati rice.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil (I used coconut oil)
1 large onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 cinnamon stick
ground cloves
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 c. water
salt and pepper
chopped cilantro (to garnish)

Directions:
1. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown around edges, about 6 minutes.
2. Add garlic, curry, cinnamon, and pinch of cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3. Add chickpeas, ketchup, salt, pepper and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes.
4. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Serve with cilantro.

2010-02-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner. We enjoyed it with boiled white potatoes and brussel sprouts.

Ingredients:

•12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

•1/4 cup (50 mL) soy sauce
•2 tbsp (30 mL) liquid honey

•3 large garlic cloves or 2 tsp (10 mL) bottled chopped garlic

•2 inch (5 cm) piece fresh peeled ginger or 2 tsp (10 mL) bottled chopped ginger

•2 tsp (10 mL) Tabasco sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Place chicken in an ovenproof dish, just large enough to snugly hold it, such as an 8-inch (2-L) square baking dish. In a small bowl, stir soy sauce with honey. Mince fresh garlic and finely grate ginger. You should have about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly grated ginger. Stir into soy sauce mixture along with Tabasco. Pour over chicken. Turn pieces to coat.

2.Bake, uncovered, in centre of 425F (220C) oven until chicken is springy when pressed and sauce is bubbly, from 30 to 35 minutes. Turn chicken halfway through cooking and baste with pan juices. To serve, skim fat from pan juices and pour over chicken or use as a dipping sauce. Great with new potatoes or rice.

The kids LOVED this meal! Even Scott ate it.

2010-02-01T13:31:00.004-05:00

Mango Muffins

These muffins turned out to be some of the best I've ever made! LOVE the mango. Big and moist and fruity without being sugary. Next time mangos are in season, I'll stock up and freeze them so I can make these muffins year round. YUM.

I modified this recipe quite a bit. I like moist muffins so I added 1/2 cup of plain yogurt to the recipe. I also cut the sugar in half, added some blueberries and used all whole wheat flour.
The recipe is for 18 muffins but I didn't want to do a double batch so I made 12 HUGE muffins instead.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used all whole wheat flour)
1 cup sugar (1/2 c. sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used half melted butter and half applesauce)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cups diced ripe mango (I only had 1 1/2 cups so I added some blueberries)
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil (& applesauce), (yogurt) and lime juice; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the mango, (blueberries), banana, raisins and nuts.

2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

How the kids spent the time while I made muffins....

2010-01-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

Honey Roasted Sweet Potato

This is delicious!! FINALLY, my kids ate sweet potato!

Ingredients:

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (I don't generally weigh my sweet potatoes.... I used 3 large ones)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and put in a 9 by 13 baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt, and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.

We enjoyed the sweet potatoes with black beans and cottage cheese. Seems like a strange combination but it is super duper delicious. Honestly. Try it.

Fruit Loop Craft

2010-01-28T21:13:00.000-05:00

Adrianna loves this craft. So far she hasn't figured out that it's made out of Fruit Loops....

Ingredients:
Fruit Loops cereal - crushed into crumbs
Glue (white Elmer's type glue rather than a glue stick)
Colored construction paper

Directions:
Drizzle glue onto the paper in whatever design you want.
Sprinke the crushed Fruit Loops onto the paper (it will stick to the glue).
Shake off the excess cereal to reveal a multi-colored design.

2010-01-26T20:57:00.001-05:00

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Nate and I are spending the mornings when Anna is in preschool baking! He's quite happy about it!

I used the basic recipe from this wonderful blog but adapted it a bit for my family. My adaptations are in italics.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour (I used 1 c. whole wheat flour and 3/4 c. white flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar (I only used 1/4 c. as I don't like sweet muffins)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of vegetable oil (I used 1/4 c. applesauce and 1/4 c. canola oil)
1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt ( I used buttermilk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large, very ripe bananas
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, white sugar and brown sugar until well combined.

In another bowl, mix the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla and mushed bananas until mixed thoroughly. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without over mixing. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Sesame Lime Soba Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas,

2010-01-24T21:38:00.001-05:00

Sesame Lime Soba Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas,

I thought this turned out really good. A bit labor-intensive but that may have been due more to the fact that I kept hauling my 1 yr old off the kitchen table than because of the recipe. Kids liked the mushrooms but not the noodles so much. I liked it all.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb (225 g) soba noodles
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
5 to 6 oz (140 to 170 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cut in halves or thirds
1/4 lb (125 g) snow peas, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise in thirds
1 tsp (5 mL) tamari
1 cup (250 mL) green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp (30 mL) black sesame seeds, or toasted or raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Lime wedges and toasted sesame oil (for finishing)

Sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) hoisin sauce
3 1/2 Tbsp (50 mL) tamari
1 1/2 Tbsp (20 mL) fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp (45 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp (35 mL) toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp (45 mL) agave nectar (I don't know what this is.... I used 1 TBSP honey)

Directions:
In blender, purée sauce ingredients until smooth.

Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in deep frying pan or large pot, heat oil on high. Add mushrooms; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly sear; add snow peas and tamari; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to lightly sear vegetables. Remove from heat and toss in green onions.

Drain noodles (don’t rinse) and add to mushrooms and snow peas. Add sauce and toss to distribute through hot noodles. Add sesame seeds and cilantro; toss again and serve with lime wedge and drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Source: Alive magazine#323, September 2009

2010-01-22T22:12:00.003-05:00

Homemade Bath Paints!

Ingredients:

Liquid baby soap
Cornstarch
Food coloring

Mix baby soap and cornstach together to a thick-ish consistency.
Add food coloring to make the color(s) you want.

Kids LOVED it!

Spicy Beef Ravioli with Kale

2010-01-22T21:27:00.003-05:00

A yummy way to eat some greens. Although, chop them pretty small if you want the kiddos to eat them!

My kids loved this soup - especially the tortellini! Nate ate the greens (surprise, surprise) and Anna spit them out (surprise, surprise!). Quick and easy and satisfying. Felt a bit healthier than just plain old pasta and sauce.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14.5 oz) (I used most of a 28oz can)
1 2/3 cups beef broth (I used veg. broth - and more like 2.5 cups)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (I used Tabasco sauce)
4 cups thinly sliced fresh kale
1 package (9oz) refrigerated beef ravioli (I used beef and cheese tortellini)
1 tsp oregano
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook about 3 min., or until tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, broth and red pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in kale, ravioli (tortellini) and oregano. Return to boiling; reduce heat.
3. Cover and let simmer 7 min. or until kale and ravioli (tortellini) are tender. Ladle into 4 shallow bowls and serve immediately. Garnish with cheese.

- from First magazine 12/28/09

2010-01-21T15:34:00.003-05:00

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

These turned out GREAT! I think I'll use this oatmeal base recipe for many other flavors as well - cranberries; raisins & spice; nuts; apple and cinnamin; orange zest; dates and walnuts.

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla or plain yogurt (I used buttermilk)

1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil (I used butter)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

1. Heat oven to 400F. Lightly grease 12 muffin tins.

2. In small bowl, mix yogurt (buttermilk) and oats. In large bowl, mix egg, oil and brown sugar. Stir in flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and yogurt mixture (batter will be lumpy) - and my batter needed a bit more buttermilk as it was pretty dry. Gently stir in blueberries. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups.

3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan.

2009-12-03T20:50:00.003-05:00

Carrot Pineapple Bran Muffins

For a low-fat, low-calorie and high fiber muffin, these are quite good. They stay quite moist. They're filling. Sweet enough. I added some raisins which I think sweetened them up a bit. My daughter loved them. Next time I'll try them with some cranberries or dates or even prunes and maybe some nuts or seeds.

Ingredients:

Liquid ingredients:

2 Egg white, lightly beaten
2 TBSP. Applesauce, unsweetened
2 TBSP. Honey
3/4 cup Buttermilk, low fat

Dry ingredients:

1/3 cup white flour
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour,
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, unpacked
1 1/2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran Cereal
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon, ground

1/2 cup carrots, grated
1/4 cup Pineapple, canned, crushed with juice

Directions:
In a small bowl combine liquid ingredients. In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, stir until just blended. Stir in carrots and pineapple.
Spoon into a 12 count sprayed or lined muffin pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Number of Servings: 12

Approx 80 calories each

2009-10-03T20:18:00.002-04:00

Eggplant Dip

Mmmmm..... eggplant..... I LOVE eggplant. My favorite veggie EVER! This is yummy, yummy, yummy.

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium eggplant
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup chopped parsley (used dried instead - it would be better with fresh)
Paprika

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick eggplant all over with a fork. Place in oven for 45-50 minutes until very soft. Remove from oven, plunge in cold water to cool or simply wait for the eggplant to cool.

Peel and chop cooked eggplant. Place in a blender with the garlic, tahini, scallions, lemon juice and parsley. Blend until almost smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, sprinkle a little paprika on top. Enjoy with whole wheat pita bread wedges or cut vegetables.

Soup of the Day - Chicken Vegetable Noodle

2009-10-03T19:57:00.003-04:00

Kids and I are sick with colds. Perfect remedy is home-made chicken noodle soup. This recipe tasted amazing - just right for us.

Ingredients:
3 chicken thighs; bone-in
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, cut into small pieces
2 celery ribs, thinly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
fresh ginger, grated - maybe 1/2 - 1 tsp.
4 c. chicken stock
2 carrots, thick cut
handful of uncooked egg noodles

Directions:
Fry the whole chicken thighs in some olive oil - enough to brown it (don't cook all the way through). Remove chicken from pot. Add onion, celery, garlic and ginger. Cook until onion is translucent. Return the chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock and carrots. Simmer covered for 20 min. Add the egg noodles and cook until tender - approx. 10 min.

Remove the chicken thighs and cut the meat off the bone. Chop the chicken into smaller pieces and return to the pot.

Serves 4.

Thoughts:
This is not a very soupy soup, so if you want more liquid, add more chicken stock or some water. Also, the noodles puff up quite a bit so don't add too many or it will be a very noodley soup. I think that cooking the chicken on the bone gives the soup more flavour. It is also cheaper to buy chicken with the bone and I think it's easier to cut the chicken off the bone after it is cooked rather than while it is raw.

Honey Garlic Sausage & Cabbage Soup

2009-09-25T21:36:00.003-04:00

My kids love this. The local farmer's market has amazing honey garlic sausage. Sweet and spicy. The flavor permeates the whole soup and eliminates the need for any other spices. Great way to get the kids to eat veggies they otherwise wouldn't (ie: cabbage!).

Ingredients:
2-3 honey garlic sausage, cut into rounds
onion, cut into eights
1/4- 1/2 cabbage, sliced thinly
celery, sliced thinly
carrots, cut into chunks
veggie or chicken broth; enough to cover the veggies
lima beans, canned; rinsed

Directions:
Fry the onion and sausage together (the fat from the sausage will fry the onion). Add the celery and cabbage with a little broth to soften. Add the carrots and the rest of the broth. Cover and simmer for 20 min. or until carrots are tender. Add the lima beans and heat through. Serve with crusty bread and cheese.

2009-09-25T21:11:00.003-04:00

Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Muffins

The kids loved these muffins. Stuffed full of dried fruits and almonds. Very little sugar - the fruit is sweet enough. I reduced the flour to 1 cup and added 1/4 cup of flax meal - worked great.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour (I used 1 c. flour and 1/4 c. flax meal)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup mixed dried fruit (I used apricots, prunes and cranberries)
1/3 cup quartered, skin-on almonds
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves (didn't have any. pity)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour one 12 well muffin tin. In a medium bowl, whisk together the spices, flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder and oats. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the egg, oil and buttermilk. After it is thoroughly mixed, pour in the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Fold in the fruit and nuts. Divide evenly among 12 muffin wells. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, serve.

My Gourmet Toddlers

2009-09-24T20:26:00.004-04:00

The kids and I just enjoyed a super delicious dinner of roasted beets with goat cheese, brown and wild rice and a salmon burger! Anna especially loved the beets with goat cheese (this kid will eat ANY kind of cheese) and Nate gobbled up the salmon (this kid will eat ANY kind of fish). I highly recommend roasting beets - it's the only way I'll eat them!

Roasted Beets
Peel and chop beets into small squares. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 425 for 45ish minutes. Crumble some goats cheese on top.

2009-09-04T21:43:00.003-04:00

Beef and Broccoli

Yum Yum. Love the ginger.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound sirloin steak, sliced into 3/4-inch strips against the grain
4 cups broccoli florets
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I used 2 garlic cloves - I like garlic)
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

Directions:
1. Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, chicken broth and brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat; add steak and stir-fry, turning to brown on both sides. Remove steak from skillet; set aside in a warm pan; cover loosely. Leave any oil remaining after cooking in skillet.
3. Return skillet to medium heat; stir-fry broccoli, garlic powder and ginger until tender-crisp. Add reserved cornstarch mixture; bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Return steak; heat thoroughly. Serve with rice or noodles.

2009-09-02T21:26:00.003-04:00

Pasta with Eggplant, Pine Nuts and Basil

I modified this recipe quite a bit and it turned into a delicious pasta sauce that the kids gobbled up. The original recipe calls for fettuccine but I didn't have any so I used whole wheat spaghetti instead - worked fine.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes (I also peeled it and tossed it with salt, let stand 30 min and rinse and squeeze out excess water - takes out the bitter taste eggplant can have)
2 x 415g cans chopped tomatoes (I used a jar of plain Ragu spaghetti sauce)
400g fresh fettuccine pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (toast on a baking sheet at 200 for 5 min.)
1/2 cup small basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden. 2. Add garlic and eggplant. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Stir in tomatoes (sauce). Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
4. Add nuts and basil.
Serve over pasta.

Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

2009-09-02T20:45:00.005-04:00

I modified this recipe from one I found online a few days ago and for the life of me, I CANNOT find the recipe again!! grrr... I hope I remember it all because it was GOOD!

Ingredients:
1 onion
3 large honey garlic sausage, cut into rounds
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
4 cups of water
1/2 tsp veg. or beef stock powder
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Directions:
1. Fry onion and sausage together until onion is translucent and sausage is browned.
2. Add sweet potato, water, stock, thyme and oregano. Simmer for 25-30 min. or until sweet potato is tender.
3. Add the beans and spinach and heat through.

Ham and Potato Puffs

2009-09-02T20:38:00.006-04:00

I made this simple recipe for lunch - everyone loved it. Not the healthiest.... but it got rid of the last of the never ending leftover ham!

1 tube refrigerated biscuits (I used Pillsbury)
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1. Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin cup. In a large bowl, combine the ham, potatoes, 1/2 c. cheese, parsley and garlic powder.

2. Spoon 1/4 c. of ham mixture into each prepared cup. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25min. or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

** From Taste of Home magazine**

2009-08-12T18:30:00.002-04:00

Ham and Lentil Soup

Gotta use up that leftover ham!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup lentils
2 cups ham (diced)
1 ham bone (optional)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
pepper to taste
1 bunch spinach (rinsed and trimmed)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan.
2. Add the onions, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, a few minutes.
4. Add the stock, lentils, ham, ham bone, oregano, bay leaf and thyme and simmer, covered on low heat for an hour.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach.

2009-08-12T15:49:00.001-04:00

Ham and Lentil Soup

Gotta use up that leftover ham!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup lentils
2 cups ham (diced)
1 ham bone (optional)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
pepper to taste
1 bunch spinach (rinsed and trimmed)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan.
2. Add the onions, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, a few minutes.
4. Add the stock, lentils, ham, ham bone, oregano, bay leaf and thyme and simmer, covered on low heat for an hour.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach.

Cabbage

2009-08-12T07:13:00.004-04:00

"The Poor Man's Vegetable"!

One head of cabbage and three meals. Can't beat that.

1. Cabbage Sausage Supper

Ingredients:
2 lbs sausage (I used honey garlic from the local farmer's market)
1 large onion, cut into eighths
1 medium head of cabbage, chopped (I only used half of it)
1/2 c. water
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (I used red potatoes and kept the skin on)

Directions:
In a dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is lightly browned and onion is tender; drain. Add the cabbage and water. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

In my opinion, it is the sausage that makes the recipe so go for a flavorful variety and the rest of the soup and the bit of broth will take on that flavor. I loved the honey garlic as it gave the soup a bit of a sweet taste.

2. Stir Fried Cabbage
Simple, simple, simple.

Shred the cabbage. Put a bit of oil in a large skillet or wok. Stir fry the cabbage until it is tender crispy. Add a splash of vinegar and whatever spices you want.
I served it alongside ham and potatoes.

3. Ham, Potato and Cabbage skillet
Leftover mash (as my husband calls it).

Fry up some leftover, cooked potatoes. Add some chopped ham. Serve over heated, leftover stir-fried cabbage. My kids loved it.

2009-07-15T20:57:00.002-04:00

Garlic Crusted Fish

The recipe called for codfish but I had an assortment of white fish that I used (Sole, Haddock and Cod). They all turned out quite tasty. The kids loved this fish.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus a little more to oil roasting pan
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped (I only used four)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 lbs boneless cod fish fillets, 1 inch thick and cut into 4 pieces
4 lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat butter and oil in a saucepan over low heat and add the garlic for one minute to soften, not brown.
3. Remove pan from heat and add the bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper.
4. Mix to moisten the crumbs and seasonings.
5. Dredge each fish fillet in the beaten egg first.
6. Then dredge each fish fillet into the crumb mixture.
7. Place the coated fish fillets in an oiled roasting pan for the oven.
8. Bake the fillets in the preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. The fish inside should be flaky. Use a fork to make sure the fish flakes and is done.
9. Serve with lemon wedges.

2009-07-11T23:29:00.002-04:00

Cherry Ricotta Muffins

Oh Yum. What a great way to use up too-ripe cherries left over from the farmer's market.

Directions:
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cup cherries (fresh or frozen), pitted and sliced (If you frozen cherries do not defrost before using). When fresh cherries are out of season use dried cherries.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
Place rack in the middle of the oven.
Line 12 muffin pans with paper liners or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cooled melted butter, mixing well. Set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined and then fold in the chopped cherries. Do not over mix this mixture or the muffins will be tough when baked.

Divide the batter amongst the 12 muffin cups using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.

Place in the oven and bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. (The baking time will be a little longer is using frozen cherries.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

2009-07-11T09:31:00.002-04:00

Stuffed Red Peppers

Time to try something new.

Ingredients:
4 red bell peppers
3 tablespoons butter
4 scallions, thinly sliced, including the darker greens
4 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, finely diced
4 tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter a baking dish that is just large enough to hold the peppers.

Remove the stems and seeds, and cut off the tops of peppers.

Place the peppers in a microwavable dish with just enough water to cover the bottom. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until peppers are slightly softened. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the corn, scallions, and tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.

Turn off the heat, then stir in the cheese, basil, and half of the bread crumbs. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Fill the peppers with the mixture, then top with the remaining bread crumbs.

Put the peppers in the prepared dish, add enough water to cover the bottom of the dish, then cover and bake until the corn is hot and the peppers are cooked (about 25 minutes).

Remove the cover, and brown the tops under the broiler – 1-2 minutes.

Sprinkle paprika over the tops and serve.

2009-04-14T14:42:00.002-04:00

Ham with Lima Beans

I still have some leftover ham from Easter and a half bag of dried lima beans - perfect.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried lima beans (5 cups)
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
3 cups diced cooked ham
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots

Directions:
Combine dried lima beans with cold water in a large saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Cook lima beans for 2 minutes; remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.
Stir salt and onion into lima beans; cover and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, seasoned salt, basil and thyme; bring to a boil.
Mix ham, celery and carrots in a 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish; stir in lima bean mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours, or until liquid is absorbed and vegetables are tender.
Ham and lima beans recipe serves 8.

2009-04-05T19:34:00.000-04:00

Baked Basa

Ingredients:
1. Fish Fillets
2. 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
3. 1 table spoon of mayonnaise
4. Onion powder
5. Black Pepper
6. 1/4 cups Breadcrumbs
7. 1/2 Tbsp Butter - Melted

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 200 C or 395 F
Mix fresh lemon juice, mayonnaise, onion powder and black pepper in a bowl and spread over fillets. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle with butter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

2009-04-03T19:55:00.001-04:00

Orange Ginger Broth with Soba Noodles

Yum Yum Yum.

Ingredients:
1 x small package soba noodles
2 cups orange juice
2 cups chicken stock (or veg. stock)
2 inch piece of ginger, frozen
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 cup sliced green onions
2 cups baby bok choy, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
1 x carrot, grated
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Season with salt and then add soba noodles.
Boil just until they have softened, about 3-5 minutes.
Drain and rinse.
Bring orange juice and chicken stock to a simmer.
Grate in frozen ginger, reserving some for garnish and add soya sauce, green onions, bok choy, sprouts and carrot.
Stir until bok choy is wilted.
Place some soba noodles into soup bowls.
Ladle in some broth and vegetables and garnish with sesame seeds and grated ginger.

2009-04-02T14:05:00.002-04:00

Cauliflower and Potato Soup

This was surprisingly tasty. I'll make this again.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegan margarine (I used coconut oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
dash nutmeg

Preparation:
In a large soup or stock pot, sautee the onion and garlic in the vegan margarine for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onions are soft.
Add the potato and cauliflower and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the vegetable broth and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 25 - 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves, then transfer soup to a blender and puree. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and re-heat if needed.

2009-03-31T20:30:00.001-04:00

Tilapia with Sweet Peppers

This was really tasty and very low calorie. I served it on quinoa.

Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper (I used orange)
2 tbs garlic
14 1/2 ounce stewed tomatoes
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
16 ounces tilapia

Directions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onion, peppers, garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes with their juice, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, basil, salt and bring to boil.
Add fish, cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

2009-03-28T20:00:00.002-04:00

Gillian McKeith Chickpea Burgers

These weren't bad. I made them a bit too thin I think - they kinda fell apart. I think they need some egg or something to keep them together a bit. Taste is pretty bland - Adrianna ate them. Easy to make and healthy and Adrianna would eat them with some encouragement - may make them again.

Ingredients:
Makes 20

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 carrot, trimmed, peeled and finely grated
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
50g sunflower seeds (small handful?)
2 tbsp tahini, drained of any excess oil before measuring
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 handful chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp wheat-free vegetable bouillon powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C/Gas 7. (425F)
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 5-10 seconds, until the mixture is fairly coarse (you can use a hand-held blender). Push the mixture down with a spatula and blend for a further 10 seconds.
Remove the blades from the processor, wet your hands under the cold water tap and shape the mixture into 20 small balls.
Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place the balls on the tray and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon.
Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

2009-03-26T16:28:00.002-04:00

My Rice and Beans.

An old standby favorite.

Ingredients:
cooked rice
spinach
kidney beans
onion
oil
cheese

Directions:
Fry the onions in a bit of oil until translucent. Add the spinach and wilt it down. Add the kidney beans and cooked rice (and a bit of water if it's sticking). Warm. Add some grated cheese to hold it all together.
Good with a touch of hot sauce.

2009-03-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

Eggplant with Sweet Onions and Tomatoes

I made this a while ago and forgot to post it. It was really yummy. A bit too much work though and I couldn't figure out how to fry the eggplant without it sticking and without using a ton of oil. But fried eggplant is soooo yummy so I didn't mind.

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, sliced in 1/4-inch thick rounds
olive oil
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 medium sweet onion, cut in thin slices
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch dried leaf basil
salt and pepper, to taste
3 slices Mozzarella cheese or about 1 cup shredded

Directions:
Layer eggplant slices in a colander, salting each layer generously. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add eggplant to the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Repeat until all eggplant slices are cooked, using as little oil as needed to brown the slices. Transfer to a plate. Add more oil to the skillet if needed; add onions and garlic. Cook until tender. Combine tomatoes with onion mixture, basil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Layer eggplant slices with the onion and tomato mixture in a shallow casserole.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350°. Top with sliced or shredded Mozzarella cheese and cook for 8 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.
Serves 4.

2009-03-09T11:34:00.003-04:00

Beans and Rice

Tasty and cheap. Would be good in a wrap like a burrito.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed (didn't have any)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can (19-ounce size) tomatoes
2 cups cooked red kidney beans (1 can)
1 cup cooked brown (or white) long-grain rice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 green sweet pepper, chopped (half green and half red)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Stir in chili powder, cumin, celery seed and pepper, cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, beans, rice and Worcestershire sauce; stir well.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.

Stir in green pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until heated through. Season to taste with salt. Garnish each serving with cheese and cilantro.

2009-03-02T19:40:00.002-05:00

Cranberry Apple Muffins

meh. I won't bother with these again. They turned out a bit hard and not so flavourful. Adrianna liked them - although - she likes anything bread-based!

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. diced cranberries
3/4 c. diced apples
1/2 c. walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour muffin pans.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add oil and vanilla. Stir in fruits and 1/2 cup walnuts, if desired. Fold in dry ingredients mixing until just moistened. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake large muffins 25 to 30 minutes or miniature muffins about 20 minutes.

2009-03-02T07:34:00.003-05:00

Crockpot Ribs

I used this recipe more as a guideline and modified it quite a bit. These were really really tasty. I LOVE ribs. I used a good quality rib and chicken bbq sauce. Served with rice and peas.

3 lbs. spareribs (I used back ribs and I doubt it was 3 lbs.)
Salt and pepper
1 sliced onion
1 (16 oz.) bottle barbecue sauce (I didn't use a full bottle)

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Place ribs in broiler pan under broiler for 30 minutes to brown and remove excess fat. (I only used the broiler for 10 min. - I was scared it would burn)

Put sliced onion in crock pot. Slice ribs into serving pieces and put in crock pot. (I put them in whole). Pour in barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours.

2009-02-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

Broccoli Leek Soup

This turned out a bit thin and not too flavourful but Adrianna liked it. Healthy.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium leeks , white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 medium baking potato , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic , thinly sliced
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup half-and-half (optional)
1/4 cup snipped chives

Directions:
Separate broccoli stems from florets. Using a vegetable peeler, peel stems to remove tough outer layer, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick "coins." Break or cut the florets into small pieces. Reserve stems and florets separately.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli stems, potato, and garlic, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups water, broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover partially and simmer until broccoli and potato are tender, about 12 minutes.
Add florets; bring to a boil and then simmer 5 minutes. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add half-and-half (if using) and chives, and reheat briefly.

2009-02-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

Crockpot Lima Beans with Sausage

I served this over rice. I totally forgot the garlic powder - too bad - it would have added the needed extra.

Ingredients:
1 lb. dry limas
1 lb. smoked sausage
1 bunch green onions
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 beef bouillon cubes
3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
6 c. water

Preparation:
Wash limas and put them in a slow cooker. Add 6 cups water. Slice smoked sausage into round pieces and add to limas. Chop green onions and add to mixture. Now add remaining ingredients and mix. Cover and cook in slow cooker on high for 8 to 10 hours.

2009-02-06T10:07:00.004-05:00

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

Ingredients:
4-6 uncooked manicotti shells
1 small jar of spagehetti sauce
1 c. ricotta or cottage cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. italian seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach (thawed)

Direction:
1. Thaw frozen spinach in refrigerator or in microwave on defrost setting.
2. Chop spinach using a food chopper or utility knife on a cutting board. Set aside.
3. Cook manicotti according to package directions. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine ricotta or cottage cheese, 1/4 c. of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pepper and spinach.
5. Stuff mixture evenly into cooked manicotti shells. (I use a freezer bag with the corner cut out)
6. Place shells in a greased 11x7 inch baking dish and top with spaghetti sauce.
7. Bake uncovered in oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
8. Remove dish from oven and add remaining mozzarella cheese to the top.
9. Put the dish back in the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and serve to your family!

2009-02-04T13:31:00.001-05:00

Black Bean and Tahini Dip

Good with tortilla chips and cheese. Needs a bit of spice in my opinion.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (about 2 cups), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves garlic, roughly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup water
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine black beans, tahini, garlic, lemon or lime juice, and water in a food processor or a strong blender and puree until smooth. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.

2009-02-03T05:28:00.001-05:00

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Hearty and tasty. Easy to make. $12 worth of meat but it makes about 4-5 good sized bowls so that is reasonable.

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

Directions:
Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

2009-01-30T10:16:00.001-05:00

Tuna with Peas and Hard-Boiled Eggs

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen peas (10 ounce package), cooked
1 can (7 ounces) tuna, drained and flaked
buttered toast
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

Preparation:
In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter; blend in flour and salt. Remove from heat; gradually add milk. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Reduce heat and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add drained cooked peas and tuna to the sauce; heat to serving temperature. To serve, spoon tuna over toast and garnish with hard cooked egg slices.

2009-01-29T16:43:00.000-05:00

Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:
12 carrots
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.
Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve.

2009-01-27T09:53:00.004-05:00

Black-Eyed Peas with Rice

I'm now searching for recipes that fall into three categories - cheap, healthy and easy. This one fits all three criteria. (Bacon is expensive but we have it on hand because my husband eats it so much so I might as well use some of it as well).

Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon
1 small onion, chopped
One 16 ounce can of black eye peas, drained
1 can of stewed tomatoes, undrained & chopped
1 1/2 cup of cooked rice
1/4 teaspoon of hot sauce or to taste
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder (i used chopped garlic)
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside.
Sauté onion (and garlic) in drippings until tender. Drain onion and discard drippings. Return onion to skillet. Add peas and last 6 ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over top.

2009-01-15T20:45:00.003-05:00

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

This is a really weird soup and yet it works. Tasty. Reasonably easy. But weird. I think if I was to try to get Adrianna to eat, I would call it "peanut butter soup" and she might try it.

Soup:
2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup fresh or canned diced pineapple (drain canned pineapple)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy salted peanut butter
1/2 jalapeno (the more the seeds the hotter the flavor)
1 (15 oz) can light coconut milk
salt, to taste

Garnish:
4 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh cilantro

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with tinfoil (for easy clean up). Brush the flesh of the sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons olive oil; roast flesh side down for 40-45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins.

In a deep pot over medium heat, saute onions and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add cooked potatoes, pineapple, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to low, and add brown sugar, peanut butter, and jalapeno; cook 7-8 minutes. Turn off heat; allow to cool 5-10 minutes before pureeing.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth; return to the pot over low heat. Add the coconut milk and salt, and stir occasionally until the soup is thoroughly combined and heated, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. If you prefer a thinner soup, simply add a bit more water or broth until desired consistency is reached.

Garnish individual bowls with thinly sliced fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts.

2009-01-12T17:14:00.002-05:00

Crustless Spinach Onion and Feta Quiche

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
6-oz fresh baby spinach
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/3 cups milk (low fat is fine)
1/2 cup feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly grease a 10-inch quiche/tart pan (or a pie plate).
In a medium frying pan, cook diced onion with a bit of vegetable oil (or cooking spray) over medium-high heat until translucent and tender. Add in fresh spinach and cook until just wilted. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, then stir in spinach-onion mixture.
Pour quiche base into prepared pan. Top with feta cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until center is set and the outside edge is golden brown.
Let set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

2009-01-10T18:37:00.002-05:00

Black Bean Burritos

These are sooo yummy! Cheap and easy too. Loved them

INGREDIENTS:
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
3. Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
4. Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

2009-01-02T06:17:00.002-05:00

Salmon Chowder

Quick, inexpensive and easy. Tasty too. Adrianna loves this - it's a great way to get salmon into her without a fuss. Most of the ingredients should be on hand as well which makes this recipe super practical.

Ingredients:
1 (7 1/2-ounce) can salmon (I used a larger can)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1 (13-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
Minced parsley

Directions:
Drain and flake salmon, reserving liquid.
Saute onions, celery and garlic in margarine. Add potatoes, carrots, reserved salmon liquid, chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until vegetables are nearly tender.
Add broccoli and cook 5 minutes. Add flaked salmon, evaporated milk and corn; heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with minced parsley to serve.
Makes 6 servings.

2008-12-16T15:54:00.001-05:00

I was quite "active" as a child. My parent's solution to even me out a bit was protein. I'm trying the same thing with my active toddler - and it seems to make a difference.
Here's a tasty way to get some protein.

Peanut Butter Balls
½ cup peanut butter
2 ½ Tbsp. dry milk powder (I used closer to 4 Tbsp)
½ cup raisins
2 Tbsp honey

Blend peanut butter and honey, then work in as much dry milk powder as you need to make it easy to handle and fairly stiff. Kneed in the raisins (I think I used to chop them a bit so they’d mix in more evenly; could also use dates).Then you can both make this into a log and slice it, or into balls. You can roll it in coconut or chopped nuts, or leave it plain. Just play around with it and see what you like best.

2008-12-16T06:40:00.000-05:00

Rustic Italian Minestrone

This makes a nice huge pot of soup. I've had company in and out for the last few days and this has served me well. Easy to make and tasty. Nice with crusty bread and cheese.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes (I used a full large can)
5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 pound fresh green beans, stemmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 16-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium zucchini, quartered and chopped
1 cup raw, small, shell pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more.
2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable or chicken broth and herbs, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.
3. Add beans and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender and the pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the soup in large bowls with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

2008-12-11T21:53:00.002-05:00

Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini

I didn't exactly follow this recipe - just used it for a guide. I cut up all my leftover eggplant and zucchini that was threatening to go bad. Tossed in a cup up onion. Tossed it all with some olive oil, sea salt, cumin and paprika and put it in at 450 for 30 min. When it was done, I added a bit more olive oil and salt and a bit of goat cheese and ate it for lunch. Yum! There is something about eggplant that I adore. I think it's my favorite vegetable.

Ingredients:
1 lb. eggplant
3/4 lb. zucchini
olive oil
ground coriander, cumin, and smoked paprika
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the zucchini into half-inch thick rounds. (I used small, relatively thin zucchini - if you're using big ones, you might want to cut the rounds into half moons.)
Cut the eggplant into pieces roughly the same size as the zucchini rounds.
Put the eggplant and zucchini pieces into a roasting pan or baking dish. Sprinkle fairly liberally with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Dust with coriander, cumin, and paprika, tossing to coat.
Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the vegetables are tender and just a little bit browned on the edges.
Put the vegetables into a bowl, toss with lemon juice and additional olive oil to taste, and season with salt and pepper.

2008-12-09T09:28:00.002-05:00

Cranberry Sauce Muffins
(recipe by Rachel Rappaport at Coconut & Lime)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (I used leftovers from the cheesecake squares)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon zest of a lemon, lime, orange or tangerine (I used lemon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour one 12 well muffin tin. In a large bowl, mix together the egg, oil, buttermilk, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oatmeal, salt, ginger, zest, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir into the wet ingredients.

Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter in 12 muffin wells. Top with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce. Evenly divide the remaining batter among the wells, making sure the cranberry sauce is fully covered. Bake 15-20 minutes (20 min for me) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center muffin comes out clean or with just a hint of cranberry sauce. Cool on a wire rack, serve.

Notes: These make a pretty presentation. I didn't have quite enough batter for the toppings but I suppose I didn't measure it out quite right! It's a very moist batter and makes a moist muffin. Next time I would leave them in longer - maybe 23 min?

2008-12-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

Cranberry Banana Smoothie

I have leftover cranberries from making squares yesterday, so I made them into a smoothie this morning. Super healthy. YUM! Adrianna ate hers in a bowl mixed with some home-made granola.

Ingredients:
cranberries - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
banana
honey (to taste)
plain yogurt
milk to thin it out to the right consistency

Directions:
Blend it all together and enjoy!

2008-12-08T16:58:00.004-05:00

Vegetarian Chili

The weather outside is frightful, so some warm chili is just the antidote. This is hearty and delicious. The bulgar makes it taste meaty. Yum!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I left this out hoping that Adrianna would eat it if it wasn't spicy)
2 peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large can, undrained, of tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup bulgur
salt and pepper
cilantro

Directions:
In a large pan, saute the onions and spices. Add peppers and garlic for 1 min. Add cocoa, tomatoes, and water; bring to a boil. Add kidney and black beans, corn and bulgur. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 min. or until bulgur is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, sprinkle with cilantro.

2008-12-06T19:38:00.002-05:00

Cranberry-Cheesecake Squares
(recipe by Rachel Rappaport at Coconut & Lime)

I made these squares for my father to take to a gathering. I haven't tasted them yet. They look pretty good although I think they would look better with some sort of topping (not sure what though...). If they get a good review, I'll try making them for Christmas.

Ingredients:
crust:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt

filling:
1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 large eggs
juice of one tangerine
zest of one tangerine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or spray with baking spray an 8x8 inch pan.

In a small bowl, add the butter, sugar, flour, oats and salt, mix thoroughly with a fork. Press into bottom of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten and press firmly. Bake 15 minutes or until just golden.

Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg, zest, juice and flour, beat until smooth. Pour over the crust. Dot with cranberry sauce and swirl with the tip of a knife. Bake 25 minutes or until set (it took a LOT longer than 25 min - more like 40 and I still think it could have been in longer). Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

(Edit) - The Review is in: and the general consensus is that there is something missing. I still think it would have benefited from a topping of some sort - maybe cranberry sauce? I tasted one and it was good but a bit bland.

2008-12-06T16:49:00.001-05:00

Cranberry-Tangerine Sauce

(recipe by Rachel Rappaport at Coconut & Lime)

I will use this sauce in some cranberry cheesecake squares and some muffins. The sauce itself is very tasty. I think I'll make it for Christmas dinner. Easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup tangerine juice (I couldn't find just tangerine juice so I used Tropicana's orange and tangerine juice blend)
2 tablespoons Aperol (not sold in Canada as far as I can tell - I used Campari instead)
1/2 inch knob ginger, minced
zest of 1 tangerine

Directions:
Place the cranberries, water, juice, sugar, ginger and zest in a medium saucepan and, stirring occasionally, cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat to reduce and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Aperol (or campari). Serve hot or cold.

2008-12-03T19:56:00.001-05:00

Coconut Curry Vegetable Stew

YUM! Full of flavor. Healthy. Vegan. Perfect!
I went a bit easy on the spices and it was fine. The raisins and coconut are really nice and give the stew a great flavor.

Ingredients:

2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 potatoes (any variety will do), chopped
1 sweet potato, chopped
1 small eggplant, chopped
3 peppers - any combination of colors - chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Small handful of raisins (optional)
Small handful of grated coconut (optional)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons ground cumin (I only used approx. 1 Tbsp)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons curry powder (I only used 1-2 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt

Directions:
1. Combine onions, carrots, and half a cup of vegetable broth in a large pot and cook over medium heat until onions soften - about 3 minutes.
2. Add spices (cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne pepper) and coconut milk. Cook for another minute over medium heat while stirring.
3. Add potatoes (including sweet potatoes) and the remaining vegetable broth. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Excluding the sea salt, add all remaining ingredients (eggplant, peppers, zucchini, chickpeas, garlic, raisins, grated coconut). Give stew a good stir, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
5. Give it a taste and add sea salt to suit your palate.

Leftovers

2008-12-03T07:40:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to use everything in the fridge and not waste food.

1. Leftover ricotta cheese.
Mix with a scoop or two of peanut butter. Add some honey. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Makes a tasty spread for toast.

2. Leftover swiss chard.
I made a frittata out of my leftover swiss chard. Fry up some onion and garlic. Add the swiss chard and wilt it down.
Whisk 6 eggs. Add some Parmesan cheese and basil. Pour over the swiss chard mixture and mix it up. Cook over low heat until set. Flip (good luck!) and cook the other side. Simple, tasty and nutritious light dinner.

Grocery Goodies

2008-12-02T12:11:00.007-05:00

As I am still recovering from Adrianna's all-nighter, I needed a quick and easy lunch that was still somewhat healthy. Off to the supermarket for some soup and frozen pizza.

Knorr Color Soups

We tried "Green" - made with spinach, peas and chives. It tasted like pureed peas to me. It wasn't bad, nor was it delicious but I was impressed with the lack of preservatives in a boxed soup. Adrianna loved it.

2. The other half of lunch was a Toscano gourmet frozen pizza. We tried the Roasted Vegetable one. Again I was impressed with the lack of ingredients with weird names (especially for a boxed frozen pizza) and felt like I was eating something healthy. It was tasty except the crust went a little too crispy for my liking.

2008-12-02T07:22:00.003-05:00

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

I made the cookie dough at 3am while my daughter refused to sleep. I find these cookies a little bit bland and definitely don't leave them in for the recommended 16-18 minutes - the final batch that I made at 12 minutes turned out the best.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla, milk, and eggs. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, gradually add milk mixture, and beat well. Add the flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Remove bowl from the electric mixer, and stir in the oats and cranberries. Place dough in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. (I didn't bother to use an electric mixer - just arm strength!)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. Shape 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball; place on one of the prepared sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing 3 inches apart. Press with the bottom of a glass to flatten dough into 2-inch-diameter rounds. (I just used my fingers to make circle-ish shapes)

3. Bake until golden but still soft in center, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove from oven; transfer with parchment to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. (16 to 18 minutes was WAY too long. The first couple of batches were over done and crunchy and dry. Near the end I had it down to 12 minutes and that seems a bit better but I think I would have had to leave them in even less to obtain a soft and chewy cookie.)

2008-11-30T09:17:00.002-05:00

Spinach Cheese Swirls

YUM! This is my first attempt with puff pastry (fun!) and my first attempt at making appetizers. These are so tasty I could sit and eat them all.

Ingredients:
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet) (I used Tenderflake frozen puff pastry instead)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese OR Monterey Jack cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Directions:
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Top with the cheese mixture and spinach. Starting at the short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 20 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices cut-side down on the baking sheets. Brush with the egg mixture. (oops - forgot to do this). Bake for 15 minutes or until the swirls are golden.
(I used Tenderflake frozen puff pastry and rolled it out into a rectangle-ish shape.)

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Make sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry. If it's too wet, it may make the pastry soggy.

2008-11-29T17:59:00.001-05:00

Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti

Complicated and a bit pricey (all the cheese!), but tasty and a clever way to sneak leafy greens into a toddler. Ada ate an entire manicotti and Scott even ate one. I halved the recipe as 12 manicotti seemed like a lot for my little family. They are quite filling and satisfying.

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing the pan
12 manicotti or cannelloni pasta shells
Filling
1 head (about 12 ounces) red or white Swiss chard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese (I used light ricotta)
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Fontina Fonduta Sauce:
3/4 cup whole milk (I used 2% milk)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used 5% light cream)
3 cups (6 ounces) fontina cheese, grated (I used Emmental)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) mozzarella, shredded

Special Equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (I used a ziploc bag with a hole cut in the corner - worked fine)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish liberally with butter.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside. (mix with a bit of oil so they don't stick together)

For the Filling:
Using kitchen scissors or a knife, remove the leaves from the stems of the chard. Discard the stems. Chop the leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the chard and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Place the ricotta cheese, peas, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooled chard mixture and blend until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pastry bag and fill each manicotti shell with the filling. Place the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish.

For the Fontina Fonduta Sauce:
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk and cream to a simmer, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add the fontina cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil.

Pour the sauce over the stuffed manicotti and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with a fresh garden salad with balsamic vinigrette.

2008-11-28T14:18:00.001-05:00

Carrot Pineapple Muffins

Sweet, moist and healthy. A great muffin.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup oil (I used butter)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine the honey, oil and beaten eggs in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon in a separate bowl and mix together well. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and stir just until blended. Add vanilla, grated carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Stir until just blended.
Line muffin cups with paper liners and fill 2/3 full.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen fairly large muffins.

I learned a new trick while making these muffins - how to clean egg off the floor . Juggling 16lbs of infant in one arm while making muffins at the same time is a skill I am learning but not mastering!

2008-11-28T10:21:00.002-05:00

Left-over Potatoes?

My simple way to use up left-over potatoes:

Fry up some onion and garlic.
Add the potatoes and fry till crispy-ish.
Add a can of salmon and heat through.

Adrianna loves this lunch. I add some hot sauce to mine for a bit more flavour.

2008-11-25T16:31:00.002-05:00

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

The ginger was a nice touch but made it a bit spicy. It was nice with the toasted nuts.

INGREDIENTS:
2 acorn squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (optional)
4 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional) (I used walnuts)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Slice a thin piece off both ends of the squash, including the stem. Cut the squash in half crosswise (perpendicular to the ribs). Scoop out the seeds with a sturdy spoon.

2. Line a pan in which the squash can fit snugly with foil or parchment paper. If you use foil, rub with butter to prevent squash from sticking.

3. Set the squash halves in the prepared baking pan and smear the flesh with the softened butter. Sprinkle with the salt. Drizzle maple syrup over the cut edge of the squash and into the cavity (most of the liquid will pool there) and sprinkle with the ginger, if using.

4. Roast the squash halves until nicely browned and very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour and 15 minutes for a small to medium squash (larger squash may take longer); add the pecans, if using, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Do not undercook. Serve warm with a spoon.

2008-11-25T12:19:00.003-05:00

Apple Cider Vinegar and Flax Oil Salad Dressing

This was too vinegar-y for me, but I liked that it was somewhat creamy from the yogurt.

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. organic flax oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 Tbsp. organic yogurt
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. honey
Freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)Mix ingredients well and enjoy!

Grocery Goodies

2008-11-24T13:27:00.005-05:00

Terra Chips

These are yummy (and pricey) and make me feel less guilty about eating chips. They are also a clever way to get beets and other "weird" veggies into Adrianna. So far I've tried (and loved):

1. Original

2. Sweets and Beets

3. Mediterranean

2008-11-23T14:46:00.004-05:00

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

I've wanted to start making my own salad dressings for a long time. I figure it would be both cheaper and healthier to make them as I need them rather than to buy the bottled dressings.
This recipe is as easy as they get and super tasty too.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar (I just used 1 tsp and it turned out lovely)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (one big clove pressed through a garlic press)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves. Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.) Taste and adjust the seasonings.

2008-11-21T18:24:00.002-05:00

Oven-baked Sweet Potato Fries

Too much olive oil. I suggest putting the fries on the baking sheet and drizzling with oil and hand-mixing and then adding the spices on top.

Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind).
Peal the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide on each side.
Place the sweet potatoes into a sealable plastic bag. Add oil, salt, paprika and cinnamon. Seal the bag and shake well to thoroughly coat the fries. Spread the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
Cook for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

2008-11-21T18:20:00.002-05:00

Lemon Coconut Fish

Edible but pretty bland. Adrianna ate it but I'd likely not bother making it again.

Ingredients:
4 pieces fresh white fish, about 150 g each (I used tilapia)
1 onion, sliced in strips lengthwise
1 T coconut oil or other healthy frying oil
Several slices of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, or grind whole seeds (my fennel seeds were whole)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tin coconut cream
2 Tbsp soy sauce (oops - I forgot - maybe that's why it was bland?)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Saute the onion in the oil Add the sliced ginger. Turn down to a moderate heat and saute for several minutes.
Add the spices. After 1 minute add the rest of the ingredients, except fish.
Lay the fish in the pan, and put the lid on.
Gently simmer until tender right through. This usually takes less than 5 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
Serve with a salad and perhaps a whole grain, like rice or quinoa

2008-11-21T09:22:00.002-05:00

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium)
1/3 cup oil or melted butter (I used butter)
½ cup honey or brown sugar (sucanat) (I used honey)
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup hot water
½ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Directions:
Beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, mix well. Stir in bananas. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with hot water; mix until smooth.

Bake in greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for ½ hour before slicing. Freezes well.

2008-11-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

Bev's Ratatouille
(Courtesy of chetday.com free Healthy Crockpot Recipes Newsletter)

This was really tasty but it turned a bit mushy in the crockpot. Maybe I left it too long?

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (about 3 medium)
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 large red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper, cut into1/2 inch squares
3 medium zucchini, sliced
3 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 (5.50 ounces) can pitted ripe olives, drained and chopped coarsely
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Sprinkle the eggplant with salt; let stand in a colander 1/2 to 1 hour to drain. Press out excess moisture. Rinse the eggplant with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the eggplant in crockpot. Add onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, olive oil, basil, garlic, pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well. Cover and cook on high setting about 3 hours or until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. Stir in the tomato paste, olives, and the fresh basil. Serve hot, room temperature or chilled.

Make a whole meal out of the French vegetarian classic while it is warm or offer it chilled as a salad course. Serve with a crusty bread and top with feta cheese, if desired.

2008-11-20T06:52:00.001-05:00

Oven Roasted Potatoes

These were very tasty.

Ingredients:
6 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup butter, melted (I used olive oil instead)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced (I used 2 garlic cloves)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place potatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
3. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
4. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss well.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until crisp, lightly browned and tender.
6. Stir twice during baking.

2008-11-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

Raspberry Sour Cream Muffins

These are really nice "treat" muffins. They are too fancy for everyday but nice for a brunch or having company over for tea. I think they would make great Valentine's Day breakfast-in-bed muffins.

Ingredients:
Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Muffins:
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon almond extract (next time I would omit or use less - it was too almond-y)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
3 ounces Cream Cheese, cut into 16 pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen (dry pack) raspberries, divided

Cooking Directions:
Streusel Topping:
Combine pecans, brown sugar, flour and butter with a fork until crumbly; set aside.

Muffins:
Beat eggs in large bowl with electric mixer; gradually add sugar. With mixer running pour in vegetable oil and almond extract, blending until smooth.

In separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda..
Add flour mixture to egg mixture, alternating with the sour cream; blend until smooth. Set aside.
Pat each cream cheese piece into a disk the size of a quarter.

Spoon one generous tablespoon batter into bottom of muffin tins. Divide half of raspberries equally among muffin cups. Top each muffin cup with a cream cheese disk. Divide remaining batter among muffin cups, spooning over the cream cheese. Top with remaining equally-divided raspberries. Sprinkle each muffin with streusel topping.

Bake at 375° F for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in tins on cooling rack. Remove from tins to rack to cool completely.

2008-11-18T16:24:00.000-05:00

I've been doing it wrong all along. How to properly hard boil an egg.

2008-11-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

Apple-Walnut Buttermilk Pancakes

These were a hit. Not sweet at all but very nice with Apple Syrup. Light and fluffy even though I used whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 peeled and sliced firm apple (such as Granny Smith)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, milk, egg, and butter in a separate bowl; add to flour mixture, and whisk just until blended. Add apple, walnuts, and cinnamon to batter, and fold in gently. Transfer to a large measuring cup, and let stand 10 minutes.
2. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or nonstick pan. Cook until pancakes are covered with bubbles and edges turn brown. Turn and cook other side 2 minutes or until golden brown.

2008-11-18T08:02:00.000-05:00

Red Lentil Soup

This made a nice vegetable soup with a mild curry-ish flavor. I had it over rice and added some hot sauce for flavor. Adrianna didn't like the spices (next time steam some of the veggies separately and give her a bit of the broth on the side).

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red lentils
1 cup tomatoes, diced (fresh or canned, include juice)
1 large onion, finely diced
3 medium size carrots, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
1 cup zucchini, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 green onions, sliced
Fresh lime juice (1 lime)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Water (or stock - I used half water, half stock)

Directions:
1. Cook onion in extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat in a big soup pot - stir occasionally.
2. After cooking onion for about 2-3 minutes, add carrots, celery, and zucchini. Add 1.5 teaspoons sea salt, turmeric, and cumin - cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes (plus tomato juices, if any), and 5.5 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow everything to simmer with the lid partially on - about 20 to 25 minutes, or until lentils have softened.
4. Add lime juice, stir. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste - you may not need to add any more salt, so be sure to taste first.
5. Just before serving, add sliced green onions to hot lentil soup - about a tablespoon of green onions per bowl.
This red lentil and vegetable soup is delicious on its own, or with some whole grain bread or a bowl of rice. Enjoy.

2008-11-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

Gingery Carrot Salad

I enjoyed over a bed of quinoa - made a nice, light lunch.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into thin slices
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Splenda (I used honey instead)
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
1/2 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add carrots, and continue to boil until just tender, about 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, Splenda (honey), and garlic. Season with cumin, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir in carrots and raisins, and toss with dressing. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

2008-11-15T19:09:00.003-05:00

Chicken Fingers

So delicious and easy to make. Made a whole meal of chicken fingers, mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes in 15min. Both Scott and Adrianna liked them.

Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken tenders
2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. In 1 gal plastic resealable food-storage bag, mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika.

2. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture.

3. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat using remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

4. Bake 12-14, turning halfway through bake time with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

Grocery Store Goodies

2008-11-14T20:31:00.006-05:00

1. Camel brand Halvah Pistachio Bar. It's a natural sesame bar made primarily from sesame seeds and pistachio nuts. Unique texture. Filling. It's too rich tasting for me to eat an entire bar.

2. I love ShaSha Co. cookies and just discovered this delicious gem. Organic Spelt Lemon Snaps. Pricey but oh so worth it. Healthy ingredients and oh so very very tasty. Worth the money.

3. Suttons of London Premium Ceylon Tea - loose leaf. I've been looking for a good loose leaf tea for my new bodum teapot. Lovely.