Every Monday I'm going to post our family's menu for the current week. It's simply to spark some ideas. If you'd like to see a recipe for something I've mentioned, please leave a comment and I'll post it as soon as I can.
Monday
Pasta with ham and broccoli in a butternut squash Alfredo sauce
Tuesday (Happy New Year!)
Collard greens
Pinto Beans
Corn bread
Sausage patties
Wednesday
Taco chili (meatless)
Thursday
Whole wheat gnocchi in a butternut squash cheddar sauce with sausage balls
Roasted cabbage
Friday
Kale and Edamame Bistro salad
December 31, 2012
December 27, 2012
S.P.A.C.L.E. Soup
We got this soup recipe from allrecipes.com, but we have altered it a little. Originally, Sean named it "spackle" soup:
Sweet Potato, Apple, Carrot, LEntil
but I don't know that we've ever used the lentils. The first time I made it, I didn't know what lentils looked like, and I grabbed our barley by mistake. It tasted great.
(the original name of the soup is Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup...so despite our nickname, it really is a delicious fall/winter soup)
1/2 stick of butter
4 cups vegetable broth
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup lentils, barley or cooked white beans
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Place chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, spices and lentils/barley/beans. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes (until vegetables are soft).
Puree with a hand blender.*
Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, yogurt, croutons, crackers
* if you don't have a hand blender, use a regular blender which will have to be done in batches, or something else that can puree.
Sweet Potato, Apple, Carrot, LEntil
but I don't know that we've ever used the lentils. The first time I made it, I didn't know what lentils looked like, and I grabbed our barley by mistake. It tasted great.
(the original name of the soup is Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup...so despite our nickname, it really is a delicious fall/winter soup)
S.P.A.C.L.E. Soup
1/2 stick of butter
4 cups vegetable broth
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup lentils, barley or cooked white beans
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Place chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, spices and lentils/barley/beans. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes (until vegetables are soft).
Puree with a hand blender.*
Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, yogurt, croutons, crackers
* if you don't have a hand blender, use a regular blender which will have to be done in batches, or something else that can puree.
December 20, 2012
Hot Cholcolate
This morning, Erin, Noah and I were the only ones at the park in this 50 degree weather (it wasn't that bad with heavy coats on). Oh, and don't worry, Sean was home with the sleeping little one.
When I noticed that their fingers were turning pink, I decided to lure them home with the promise of hot chocolate.
Once home, I looked in the pantry for my very old box of Swiss Miss. As they were downing the chocolatey goodness, I took a look at the ingredient list:
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Modified Whey, Cocoa (processed with Alkali), Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Nonfat Milk, Calcium Carbonate, Less than 2% of: Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Artificial Flavor, Carrageenan.
Not good. Not good at all.
(I looked up Carrageenan. It's a thickening agent obtained from seaweed. Large amounts of it have harmed the colons of animals, according to foodfacts.com)
So from now on, I'll be making my own.
for one serving:
1 cup milk (skim, 2% or whole)
1 tbsp baking cocoa
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
(maybe try adding cinnamon or nutmeg)
Heat milk in a saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Stir often to not scorch. When hot (but not boiling), dissolve cocoa and sugar. Mix in vanilla.
to make it extra creamy, add a splash of half and half.
When I noticed that their fingers were turning pink, I decided to lure them home with the promise of hot chocolate.
Once home, I looked in the pantry for my very old box of Swiss Miss. As they were downing the chocolatey goodness, I took a look at the ingredient list:
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Modified Whey, Cocoa (processed with Alkali), Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Nonfat Milk, Calcium Carbonate, Less than 2% of: Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Artificial Flavor, Carrageenan.
Not good. Not good at all.
(I looked up Carrageenan. It's a thickening agent obtained from seaweed. Large amounts of it have harmed the colons of animals, according to foodfacts.com)
So from now on, I'll be making my own.
Hot Chocolate
for one serving:
1 cup milk (skim, 2% or whole)
1 tbsp baking cocoa
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
(maybe try adding cinnamon or nutmeg)
Heat milk in a saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Stir often to not scorch. When hot (but not boiling), dissolve cocoa and sugar. Mix in vanilla.
to make it extra creamy, add a splash of half and half.
Make your own Pizza Crust
We've done our own homemade pizza for a long time now, but only recently started making our own crust. Sean found a recipe that truly is fast and easy. No kneading, no waiting.
The original recipe comes from allrecipes.com, but I'll repost it here in my own words.
1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup hot water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 cups bread flour*
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
optional spices: garlic, basil, onion powder
* we use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 450.
In a medium bowl, combine yeast, sugar and hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add flour, salt, olive oil and spices. Mix together and let sit for 5 minutes.
Ball up the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface to roll it out. Transfer to a greased baking sheet (if using a pizza stone, spread out some cornmeal and roll out dough directly on stone).
Add your sauce, toppings and cheese, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
The original recipe comes from allrecipes.com, but I'll repost it here in my own words.
 |
| Kale, white beans and caramelized onions |
Quick and Easy Pizza Crust
1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup hot water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 cups bread flour*
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
optional spices: garlic, basil, onion powder
* we use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 450.
In a medium bowl, combine yeast, sugar and hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add flour, salt, olive oil and spices. Mix together and let sit for 5 minutes.
Ball up the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface to roll it out. Transfer to a greased baking sheet (if using a pizza stone, spread out some cornmeal and roll out dough directly on stone).
Add your sauce, toppings and cheese, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
December 18, 2012
Make your own Popcorn
As usual, there are two reasons why making your own popcorn is better than buying microwave popcorn: it's cheaper and healthier.
Sean and I have been making our own for a while now. A post on Facebook prompted us to try it. We will never again go back.
Here is a basic cost comparison between the two.
Examples of Microwave popcorn bought from Walmart (prices given on their website):
Orville Reddenbacher's "Movie Theater Butter" 10 pack - $5.18
Act II "Butter Lovers" 12 pack - $3.98
$.52 - .33 per bag
Homemade Popcorn Ingredients (per bag):
Popcorn - $.05
Brown Bag - $.02
Butter - $.13
Salt - $virtually_nothing
$.20 per bag
So not an earth-shattering difference, but cheaper none the less.
When I went to foodfacts.com to get an ingredient list on microwave popcorn, I was surprised at how few ingredients they actually contain. Here's one example:
Act II "Butter Lover's"
Corn Popping, Palm Oil, Salt, Contains less than 2% of Flavors Natural & Artificial, Colors Added, TBHQ, Citric Acid
The obvious: It contains artificial flavors and colors that you won't get if you make it yourself. And I can almost guarantee you won't put as much salt and butter (well, oil in their case) on it as they do. So right there you're making yours a lot healthier.
The less obvious: What is TBHQ? On the foodfacts website, it's marked as a "controversial" ingredient. I did some minor research and quickly realized this is a preservative that I personally want to stay away from (even though the FDA says it's okay for me to have it in small doses...btw, a large does will kill you).
Article from naturalnews.com:
1/4 cup kernels
small amount of vegetable oil
1 brown lunch bag
2 tbsp melted butter
sprinkle of salt
In a small bowl, coat kernels in oil. Put kernels into brown bag and fold top over. Microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (until pops are 2 seconds apart...you know the drill).
Melt butter and pour over popcorn. Salt. Enjoy!
Sean and I have been making our own for a while now. A post on Facebook prompted us to try it. We will never again go back.
The cost.
Here is a basic cost comparison between the two.
Examples of Microwave popcorn bought from Walmart (prices given on their website):
Orville Reddenbacher's "Movie Theater Butter" 10 pack - $5.18
Act II "Butter Lovers" 12 pack - $3.98
$.52 - .33 per bag
Homemade Popcorn Ingredients (per bag):
Popcorn - $.05
Brown Bag - $.02
Butter - $.13
Salt - $virtually_nothing
$.20 per bag
So not an earth-shattering difference, but cheaper none the less.
The ingredients.
When I went to foodfacts.com to get an ingredient list on microwave popcorn, I was surprised at how few ingredients they actually contain. Here's one example:
Act II "Butter Lover's"
Corn Popping, Palm Oil, Salt, Contains less than 2% of Flavors Natural & Artificial, Colors Added, TBHQ, Citric Acid
The obvious: It contains artificial flavors and colors that you won't get if you make it yourself. And I can almost guarantee you won't put as much salt and butter (well, oil in their case) on it as they do. So right there you're making yours a lot healthier.
The less obvious: What is TBHQ? On the foodfacts website, it's marked as a "controversial" ingredient. I did some minor research and quickly realized this is a preservative that I personally want to stay away from (even though the FDA says it's okay for me to have it in small doses...btw, a large does will kill you).
Article from naturalnews.com:
TBHQ - Why this preservative should be avoided
TBHQ is used in many foods...as well as in cosmetic and baby skincare products, varnish, lacquers and resins. It is used in the stabilization process of explosive compounds. The risks and side-effects of this preservative product far outweigh the benefit of it being used as a highly unsafe preservative ingredient.A form of BUTANE...no thanks, I'll save that for my lighter fluid.
Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ...is in fact a chemical preservative which is a form of butane. It is used in foodstuffs to delay the onset of rancidness and greatly extends the storage life of foods.
Homemade Popcorn
1/4 cup kernels
small amount of vegetable oil
1 brown lunch bag
2 tbsp melted butter
sprinkle of salt
In a small bowl, coat kernels in oil. Put kernels into brown bag and fold top over. Microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (until pops are 2 seconds apart...you know the drill).
Melt butter and pour over popcorn. Salt. Enjoy!
December 17, 2012
Menu Monday
Every Monday I'm going to post our family's menu for the current
week. It's simply to spark some ideas. If you'd like to see a recipe for
something I've mentioned, please leave a comment and I'll post it as
soon as I can.
Monday
Stir fry with egg rolls
Tuesday
Homemade pizza: white sauce, kale, white beans, onions
Wednesday
Pasta with Alfredo sauce, asparagus and roasted tomato
Thursday
Mexican-style rice and beans
Friday
S.P.A.C.L.E. Soup
Monday
Stir fry with egg rolls
Tuesday
Homemade pizza: white sauce, kale, white beans, onions
Wednesday
Pasta with Alfredo sauce, asparagus and roasted tomato
Thursday
Mexican-style rice and beans
Friday
S.P.A.C.L.E. Soup
December 16, 2012
Fluffy Pancakes
On the weekends, we often enjoy a brunch of eggs, pancakes and bacon (sometimes grits). Our go-to recipe for pancakes comes from our Taste of Home cookbook. We've never been disappointed with anything that came out of there.
This basic recipe makes light and delicious pancakes. It's easy to throw together and there are many ways to dress them up.
1 cup all-purpose flour (we always use whole wheat)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (or use flaxseed)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a greased griddle. Flip when bubbles form on top of pancake.
Makes 8 pancakes
***
Additions to batter:
Toppings:
How to make a fruity topping
In a saucepan on medium heat, combine equal parts sugar and water. Bring to a boil and add fruit (apples, cranberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.).
In a separate bowl, dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in cold water. Add to saucepan and stir. Remove from heat.
This basic recipe makes light and delicious pancakes. It's easy to throw together and there are many ways to dress them up.
 |
| Whole wheat pancakes with apple cranberry topping |
Fluffy Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour (we always use whole wheat)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (or use flaxseed)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a greased griddle. Flip when bubbles form on top of pancake.
Makes 8 pancakes
***
Additions to batter:
- 1 mashed banana
- 1 mashed or pureed cooked sweet potato (makes a heavier pancake)
- Chocolate chips
- Blueberries
- Cut up apples
- Pecans or walnuts
Toppings:
- Honey
- Powdered sugar
- Jelly/jam
- Apple butter
- Peanut butter
- Peaches or Strawberries (chopped and sprinkled with sugar...let sit until juicy)
How to make a fruity topping
In a saucepan on medium heat, combine equal parts sugar and water. Bring to a boil and add fruit (apples, cranberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.).
In a separate bowl, dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in cold water. Add to saucepan and stir. Remove from heat.
December 15, 2012
"Pimento Cheese" Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Well, pimento cheese minus the pimento.
I have always thought myself to be skilled at making grilled cheese sandwiches. If we're having them for dinner, it's my job to make them. 95% of the time I can get them perfectly toasted and gooey.
I know the art of making grilled cheese sandwiches can get quite elaborate (like at this site, which I might steel some ideas from). But for the sake of keeping it simple, here is one extra step that will make the cheese-melting step go a little smoother. Nobody wants to bite into their g-c sandwich with half-way melted cheese.
(but don't be afraid to add some other ingredients besides cheese, like leafy greens, tomato, ham, bacon, whatever you want...)
These quantities are for making about 4 sandwiches, so adjust the amounts accordingly.
8oz block of cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Bread (one piece buttered on both sides, one piece buttered on one side)
Shred the cheese and place in a food processor with the mayonnaise. Blend briefly until mixed, but still chunky (if you don't have a food processor, just mix it up in a bowl).
Spray pan or griddle and set to medium heat. Put down the double-buttered piece of bread and wait until golden brown. Flip over, pile up the cheese mixture and any other ingredients (greens, tomato, meat, etc.) and put on top piece of bread.
Flip when golden brown and do the other side (the obvious steps...).
(Keep the heat low enough so that the bread doesn't get too dark, but that the cheese melts. Shredding the cheese helps it to melt faster)
I have always thought myself to be skilled at making grilled cheese sandwiches. If we're having them for dinner, it's my job to make them. 95% of the time I can get them perfectly toasted and gooey.
I know the art of making grilled cheese sandwiches can get quite elaborate (like at this site, which I might steel some ideas from). But for the sake of keeping it simple, here is one extra step that will make the cheese-melting step go a little smoother. Nobody wants to bite into their g-c sandwich with half-way melted cheese.
(but don't be afraid to add some other ingredients besides cheese, like leafy greens, tomato, ham, bacon, whatever you want...)
 |
| Whole wheat bread, shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce |
"Pimento Cheese" Grilled Cheese Sandwich
These quantities are for making about 4 sandwiches, so adjust the amounts accordingly.
8oz block of cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Bread (one piece buttered on both sides, one piece buttered on one side)
Shred the cheese and place in a food processor with the mayonnaise. Blend briefly until mixed, but still chunky (if you don't have a food processor, just mix it up in a bowl).
Spray pan or griddle and set to medium heat. Put down the double-buttered piece of bread and wait until golden brown. Flip over, pile up the cheese mixture and any other ingredients (greens, tomato, meat, etc.) and put on top piece of bread.
Flip when golden brown and do the other side (the obvious steps...).
(Keep the heat low enough so that the bread doesn't get too dark, but that the cheese melts. Shredding the cheese helps it to melt faster)
December 14, 2012
Update to Oatmeal Muffins
I made a batch of these yesterday and I think this version turned out the best so far.
Added to the base of the Oatmeal Muffin recipe:
2 carrots, shredded
1 medium granny smith apple, diced into small pieces (do not peel)
1/2 cup raisins
(walnuts would be great in this, but I couldn't add them because of my son's allergy)
I guess what probably made these even more delicious was the icing I added to them (we had some leftover cream cheese to use up):
Blend together with a hand mixer:
4oz of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Added to the base of the Oatmeal Muffin recipe:
2 carrots, shredded
1 medium granny smith apple, diced into small pieces (do not peel)
1/2 cup raisins
(walnuts would be great in this, but I couldn't add them because of my son's allergy)
I guess what probably made these even more delicious was the icing I added to them (we had some leftover cream cheese to use up):
Blend together with a hand mixer:
4oz of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
December 12, 2012
How to cook delicious roasted veggies
A couple years ago, Sean and I watched a "how to" video on roasting vegetables (we were doing it wrong). It has vastly improved our veggie side dishes and some of our main dishes that have veggies in them. When they're roasted (correctly) they have such a great flavor. And it's super easy.
(the ones we roast on a regular basis are: broccoli, cauliflower, onion, red or green pepper, zucchini, and sometimes turnips and beets)
Chop everything into medium size chunks (not tiny, not huge) and all roughly the same size. Combine everything in a bowl and coat with oil and salt.
Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray. Spread the veggies out in one single layer. Do not overcrowd or they will just steam instead of roast.
Bake at 500 for about 10 minutes. Wait until you see some edges getting blackened.
(just salt is fine, but other spices can certainly be added)
***
This adds a great side dish to almost any meal, but don't forget about roasting your veggies in some of your main dishes as well to add some flavor.
One of our favorites is to do some pasta in Alfredo sauce with roasted broccoli and red pepper. And sometimes we'll add some cut up sausages or small pieces of bacon.
How to Roast Veggies
(the ones we roast on a regular basis are: broccoli, cauliflower, onion, red or green pepper, zucchini, and sometimes turnips and beets)
Chop everything into medium size chunks (not tiny, not huge) and all roughly the same size. Combine everything in a bowl and coat with oil and salt.
Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray. Spread the veggies out in one single layer. Do not overcrowd or they will just steam instead of roast.
Bake at 500 for about 10 minutes. Wait until you see some edges getting blackened.
(just salt is fine, but other spices can certainly be added)
***
This adds a great side dish to almost any meal, but don't forget about roasting your veggies in some of your main dishes as well to add some flavor.
One of our favorites is to do some pasta in Alfredo sauce with roasted broccoli and red pepper. And sometimes we'll add some cut up sausages or small pieces of bacon.
December 10, 2012
Menu Monday
Every Monday I'm going to post our family's menu for the current week. It's simply to spark some ideas. If you'd like to see a recipe for something I've mentioned, please leave a comment and I'll post it as soon as I can.
Monday
Butternut Squash Grits
Roasted Turnips
Tuesday
Out for an office Christmas party
Wednesday
Pasta (red sauce) with spinach added
Thursday
Broccoli cheddar soup
Friday
Grilled cheese sandwiches
with homemade pickles
Monday
Butternut Squash Grits
Roasted Turnips
Tuesday
Out for an office Christmas party
Wednesday
Pasta (red sauce) with spinach added
Thursday
Broccoli cheddar soup
Friday
Grilled cheese sandwiches
with homemade pickles
Oatmeal
If I had been asked 10 or 15 years ago to explain to someone how to make oatmeal for breakfast, I would have told them to get a packet of Quaker Oats Maple and Brown Sugar (my favorite) instant oatmeal, put it in a bowl with water and microwave it for however long.
I have since been shown how easy and much more nutritious it is (and cheaper) to buy the big container of oatmeal and cook it in water on the stove. Let’s compare ingredients between the two:
Maple & Brown Sugar (Instant): Oat(s) Whole Grain Rolled, Sugar, Flavor(s) Natural, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Oat(s) Flour, Caramel Color, Iron Reduced, Vitamin A Palmitate (ingredient list came from here)
Old Fashioned Oats: 100% Whole Grain Oats
I think I'll take the one with a single ingredient....
***
In the colder months, oatmeal is what the kids and I eat every morning for breakfast (our other option is our homemade granola…our kids don’t even know that Lucky Charms exist). I usually just sweeten it with brown sugar or occasionally honey and top it with skim milk. Sometimes I add other things to make it more interesting.
Ideas of things to mix in to “spice it up” a little:
Strawberry jelly (or whatever flavor you have)
Apple butter or pumpkin butter
Fresh or frozen berries – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Fresh cut up apples or peaches
Dried fruit – raisins, Craisins, apples, apricots, dates
Chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
Oatmeal doesn't have to be boring. You can dress it up and have a warm, yummy, nutritious breakfast...so much healthier than boxed cereal.
I have since been shown how easy and much more nutritious it is (and cheaper) to buy the big container of oatmeal and cook it in water on the stove. Let’s compare ingredients between the two:Maple & Brown Sugar (Instant): Oat(s) Whole Grain Rolled, Sugar, Flavor(s) Natural, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Oat(s) Flour, Caramel Color, Iron Reduced, Vitamin A Palmitate (ingredient list came from here)
Old Fashioned Oats: 100% Whole Grain Oats
I think I'll take the one with a single ingredient....
***
In the colder months, oatmeal is what the kids and I eat every morning for breakfast (our other option is our homemade granola…our kids don’t even know that Lucky Charms exist). I usually just sweeten it with brown sugar or occasionally honey and top it with skim milk. Sometimes I add other things to make it more interesting.
Ideas of things to mix in to “spice it up” a little:
Strawberry jelly (or whatever flavor you have)
Apple butter or pumpkin butter
Fresh or frozen berries – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Fresh cut up apples or peaches
Dried fruit – raisins, Craisins, apples, apricots, dates
Chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
Oatmeal doesn't have to be boring. You can dress it up and have a warm, yummy, nutritious breakfast...so much healthier than boxed cereal.
December 9, 2012
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Enchiladas
We had some left over tortillas, so Sean brainstormed a delicious dinner for us. I’m not sure if this concoction exists anywhere out there in recipe world, but here is our version:
Layer these ingredients into 8 rolled-up flour tortillas:
A generous spread of cream cheese
A few spoonfuls of pureed sweet potato
A bit of cooked leafy greens (spinach, kale or collard greens)
A sprinkle of sautéed, roasted or caramelized onions
Line them up in a glass 9x13 baking dish and top them with a salsa of your choice and a shredded cheese of your choice (we used extra sharp cheddar).
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes (until it’s heated through).
Other additions:
1. sour cream on top
2. chicken or pulled pork on the inside
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Enchiladas
Layer these ingredients into 8 rolled-up flour tortillas:
A generous spread of cream cheese
A few spoonfuls of pureed sweet potato
A bit of cooked leafy greens (spinach, kale or collard greens)
A sprinkle of sautéed, roasted or caramelized onions
Line them up in a glass 9x13 baking dish and top them with a salsa of your choice and a shredded cheese of your choice (we used extra sharp cheddar).
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes (until it’s heated through).
Other additions:
1. sour cream on top
2. chicken or pulled pork on the inside
December 7, 2012
DIY: An alternative to Ranch dressing
I've been thinking the past several days that I need to find an easy make-at-home recipe for dipping sauce. Erin and Noah love cut-up carrots, but they will only eat them with Ranch dressing. And that's also the case with cut-up pieces of chicken, cut-up bean burger patties...basically anything that can be dipped.
So to have something on hand that's less expensive (and probably healthier...I counted 19 ingredients in our Ranch), I did a quick Google search for a creamy dipping sauce. Here's one I found, which I modified slightly:
1/2 cup Mayo
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. White Vinegar
***
I tasted it with a carrot, and it's delicious. I could also see this being yummy on a salad. I'm not sure if it's drastically healthier than Ranch - since it still has fat and sugar in it - but at least I've cut back on the number of ingredients (my mayo has 7 and my dijon mustard has 6) and I made it fresh myself!
So to have something on hand that's less expensive (and probably healthier...I counted 19 ingredients in our Ranch), I did a quick Google search for a creamy dipping sauce. Here's one I found, which I modified slightly:
Creamy Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup Mayo
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. White Vinegar
***
I tasted it with a carrot, and it's delicious. I could also see this being yummy on a salad. I'm not sure if it's drastically healthier than Ranch - since it still has fat and sugar in it - but at least I've cut back on the number of ingredients (my mayo has 7 and my dijon mustard has 6) and I made it fresh myself!
December 6, 2012
Lunch Today: Butternut Squash Grits
I didn't have any lunch for the kids today, so Sean suggested baking the butternut squash we had and making squash grits (which we've made in the past as a side dish for dinner). So that's what we had...and they loved it - all 3 of them. The older two had 3 bowls each.
(recipe below)
***
Lately, butternut squash has gotten to be one of my favorite vegetables. It's so sweet and delicious. I often cook one to puree as baby food for Luke, and I find myself sneaking bites in between his.
In addition to making baby food out it or having it as a side dish with butter & brown sugar, we also make the above mentioned squash grits, butternut squash soup (I'll post the recipe next time we make it), and another one our kids love: Smack N' Cheese (basically noodles and cheese sauce with butternut squash mixed in...will also post that recipe at a later date).
As a side note, the raw inside of a butternut squash can cause a skin reaction - it does for me and I've read this can happen. I am careful not to touch it, using a fork to hold it if I need to peel it.
On the Stovetop:
In the Oven:
3/4 cup quick grits
*try pureed sweet potato or pumpkin
(recipe below)
***
Lately, butternut squash has gotten to be one of my favorite vegetables. It's so sweet and delicious. I often cook one to puree as baby food for Luke, and I find myself sneaking bites in between his.
In addition to making baby food out it or having it as a side dish with butter & brown sugar, we also make the above mentioned squash grits, butternut squash soup (I'll post the recipe next time we make it), and another one our kids love: Smack N' Cheese (basically noodles and cheese sauce with butternut squash mixed in...will also post that recipe at a later date).
As a side note, the raw inside of a butternut squash can cause a skin reaction - it does for me and I've read this can happen. I am careful not to touch it, using a fork to hold it if I need to peel it.
2 ways I cook a butternut squash
On the Stovetop:
- Peel and chop the squash into large chunks (remove the seeds on the inside)
- Boil in a large pot of water until squash becomes tender (about 20 to 30 minutes)
- Drain water
In the Oven:
- Cut the ends off and cut in half lengthwise, remove the seeds
- Place face down in a glass baking dish
- Add about a quarter inch of water
- Bake at 400 for about an hour (give or take depending on size)
Butternut Squash Grits
3/4 cup quick grits
1 cup pureed butternut squash*
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 to 2 tablespoons of butter
salt to taste
Cook and puree one small-to-medium butternut squash. Set aside.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup quick grits. Reduce heat to medium-high and let cook 3 to 5 minutes, uncovered.
Stir butter, squash and parmesan cheese into the grits. Salt. Eat. Enjoy.
*try pureed sweet potato or pumpkin
Buy beans dry...not from a can
Since our family only eats meat occasionally throughout the week, we make sure we get our protein elsewhere. Mostly from black, white or pinto beans.We seem to cook with them often: bean burgers, rice & beans, added to a soup, etc. We've even done them as pizza toppings. And since our picky daughter doesn't like them, sometimes we have to blend them up to hide them in our dinner (like in our potato & gnocchi soup last night..it simply thickened up the broth).
Okay, so I have no idea - by my guess would be that most people buy their beans in a can instead of dry beans in a bag. I could be wrong about that...but I do know that dry beans are a much cheaper way to go, and healthier since canned beans probably have added sodium and other preservatives (again, I could be wrong since I haven't checked their labels).
So here is all you need to do to make your beans on the stove:
The Super Easy Way
- Boil water
- Add beans and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half
The Slightly More Elaborate Way
- Soak beans for 2 to 6 hours
- Saute some onions in olive oil (this is optional, depending on what you're using the beans for)
- Add the beans using the same water they were soaked in. Make sure they are covered with about 2 inches of water
- Bring to a boil and leave on high heat for 10 minutes
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour to an hour and a half (keep an eye on the water level and add water as needed)
- Add the salt when it's almost done cooking
Another way to add some flavor is to cook them in chicken broth instead of water.
December 5, 2012
Oatmeal Muffins
I love making quick breads: banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread (from a real pumpkin, not from a can), apple/carrot bread, etc. I have found a recipe that makes excellent bread - either as muffins or a loaf. I now use this as my base and then add whichever fruit/vegetable that I have on hand. And I love the texture that the oatmeal adds.
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Old Fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 mashed bananas OR 1 cup shredded zucchini OR 1 cup pureed pumpkin
optional: chocolate chips (raisins maybe?)
Preheat oven to 350.
With mixer, combine butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add to the wet ingredients.
Stir in bananas/zucchini/pumpkin (and chocolate chips if you're adding them).
For muffins: grease muffin tin, should make 12 muffins. Bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
For a loaf: grease loaf pan. Fill 2/3 full. Bake for an hour or until knife comes out clean. I usually have some left over batter and am able to make an additional 6 or 7 muffins.
***
see my Update on Oatmeal Muffins
 |
| Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin |
Oatmeal Muffins
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Old Fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 mashed bananas OR 1 cup shredded zucchini OR 1 cup pureed pumpkin
optional: chocolate chips (raisins maybe?)
Preheat oven to 350.
With mixer, combine butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add to the wet ingredients.
Stir in bananas/zucchini/pumpkin (and chocolate chips if you're adding them).
For muffins: grease muffin tin, should make 12 muffins. Bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
For a loaf: grease loaf pan. Fill 2/3 full. Bake for an hour or until knife comes out clean. I usually have some left over batter and am able to make an additional 6 or 7 muffins.
***
see my Update on Oatmeal Muffins
Tip: Use flaxseed
***
When my son Noah turned a year old, we discovered that he had some food allergies: cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and coconut. He outgrew the milk and egg allergies by 18 months.
But during that time, we had to get creative with some of our cooking. For example, for pancakes, we used oil instead of butter, soy milk instead of cow's milk and flaxseed instead of eggs. You would never know the difference. They tasted great.
Whenever we could, we used flaxseed instead of eggs. And even when he outgrew the allergy, we still continued to use it. It's much cheaper! And very easy to use.
Following the packaging directions for quantities, you just spoon out some flaxseed, mix it with some water and let it sit for a minute. I use it with baking all the time and it's just as good as using real eggs.
And if the batter has no egg in it, you can eat it...well, if it's something yummy like cookie dough :)
December 3, 2012
Granola
Every day for 2 years, my husband ate the same breakfast every morning: 1 over-easy egg, 2 strips of turkey bacon, a bowl of granola with frozen blueberries and a glass of orange juice.
Well, I would have gotten sick of the same breakfast over and over again way before 2 years, but out of that, we have held on to our precious granola recipe.
I want this to be my first posted recipe because it dates back to when our relationship started. I have modified it slightly since then, but I guess we all get "modified" over time.
On the stove over medium heat until sugar is dissolved:
1 cup of water
1 to 2 cups of brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl:
8 cups of Old Fashioned Oats (not quick oats)
A few shakes of cinnamon
2 cups chopped walnuts (and/or almonds, pecans)
1 cup Craisins (or raisins or other dried fruit)
optional: 1/2 cup coconut
Pour sugar mixture over dry ingredients and mix until well coated.
Pre-heat oven to 275. Spread granola out onto two greased baking sheets and bake for about an hour, stirring half way through (you can put wax paper or parchment paper down first, but be sure to use cooking spray).
Let cool completely before storing. Add dried fruit after granola comes out of the oven.
*in the above photo, this batch doesn't have any nuts because of my son's allergy to them, and I was out of Craisins. But still just as tasty.
Well, I would have gotten sick of the same breakfast over and over again way before 2 years, but out of that, we have held on to our precious granola recipe.
I want this to be my first posted recipe because it dates back to when our relationship started. I have modified it slightly since then, but I guess we all get "modified" over time.
Granola
On the stove over medium heat until sugar is dissolved:
1 cup of water
1 to 2 cups of brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl:
8 cups of Old Fashioned Oats (not quick oats)
A few shakes of cinnamon
2 cups chopped walnuts (and/or almonds, pecans)
1 cup Craisins (or raisins or other dried fruit)
optional: 1/2 cup coconut
Pour sugar mixture over dry ingredients and mix until well coated.
Pre-heat oven to 275. Spread granola out onto two greased baking sheets and bake for about an hour, stirring half way through (you can put wax paper or parchment paper down first, but be sure to use cooking spray).
Let cool completely before storing. Add dried fruit after granola comes out of the oven.
*in the above photo, this batch doesn't have any nuts because of my son's allergy to them, and I was out of Craisins. But still just as tasty.
Rules to live by
Before I start in on any recipes, I want to say a little about our family's general guidelines for how we eat. We certainly don't always follow this. My husband, Sean, and I have a weakness for ice cream (and brownies, and cookies...) and those wonderfully delicious crunchy kettle chips...barbeque flavor. Yum. But overall, we try to stick to these "rules."
Eat at home.
For budget reasons, as well as health reasons, we avoid restaurants (especially fast food). They always give you enough to feed two or even three people, and it's packed with way too much sodium, sugar, fat and calories.
Early in our dating and marriage life, restaurants were our weakness. But since being forced to back off from them for money reasons, we now only go when traveling, or on the occasion when we don't have anything prepared to cook, dinner was ruined or we're stressed out and/or tired and we say screw it, let's go out to eat. But that's not very often.
Eat as few highly processed foods as possible.
In this country, it's nearly impossible to cut ALL processed foods out of your diet, even with home-cooking. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, pretty much everything has some level of being "processed" simply because it's produced and/or handled in such large quantities.
But I'm talking about things that are boxed up with a list of 25 ingredients in them: some natural, some genetically made/modified, some you don't even know what they are, and packed with too much salt, sugar and preservatives. You know what I'm talking about.
Can we just make it ourselves?
There are some things you just don't need to buy. Like chicken broth. Buy a rotisserie chicken from the store, have chicken salad sandwiches, put some chicken in your home-made soup, and then boil the bones in a bunch of water for a half hour...then freeze it for later. It's not that hard, people.
We also make our own popcorn, granola, oil & vinegar salad dressing, pizza crust, red pasta sauce, soup, sweet tea, sunbutter, pickles, frosting (on the rare occasion we need it), and who knows what else. The point is, if we can, we try to do it ourselves. You know what's in it, when it was made, and it will probably taste better.
Try to buy local.
During the warmer months, we buy all (except bananas) of our produce from the farmer's market. We have actually gotten to know pretty well the lady we usually go to. We know where her farm is and that she's pesticide free. And she'll often throw in an extra something-or-another for free for us.
We are also trying to vamp up our own garden. We've done a few things so far, but this Spring we're really going to step it up. And that, my friend, is local.
Avoid the white.
We cut out white bread, white rice, white pasta, and white flour. We go for the 100% whole wheat (well, brown rice...not whole wheat rice :)
Water. Milk. Sometimes Sweet Tea.
Oh, and sometimes beer, too.
That's all we drink. And as I said before, we make our own tea...a huge pot of water on the stove...sugar and a few tea bags. No store-bought tea jugs for us.
On average, I'd say I have 1 to 3 sodas a month. And usually that's when we're at a restaurant. Here's a link to a story on what one soda does to your body.
Our meals at home.
Breakfast is either our home-made granola or oatmeal cooked on the stove. One morning meal per weekend we like to have a little brunch of eggs, pancakes and either grits or bacon.
Lunch is usually leftover dinners. If nothing's available, then some scrambled eggs or a sandwich or something.
Dinner is almost always home cooked - with the rare exception of the store bought pizza or jarred pasta sauce.
Snacks are fresh fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt, whole wheat crackers, nuts (except for Noah who has a nut allergy), raisins, or other dried fruit. We try to avoid all pre-packaged snacks for the kids.
***
Wow, I think that covers it. I had more to say on that than I thought. But it comes down to eating real food and avoiding the over-processed stuff. Cook for yourself. And for your family.
Eat at home.
For budget reasons, as well as health reasons, we avoid restaurants (especially fast food). They always give you enough to feed two or even three people, and it's packed with way too much sodium, sugar, fat and calories.
Early in our dating and marriage life, restaurants were our weakness. But since being forced to back off from them for money reasons, we now only go when traveling, or on the occasion when we don't have anything prepared to cook, dinner was ruined or we're stressed out and/or tired and we say screw it, let's go out to eat. But that's not very often.
Eat as few highly processed foods as possible.
In this country, it's nearly impossible to cut ALL processed foods out of your diet, even with home-cooking. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, pretty much everything has some level of being "processed" simply because it's produced and/or handled in such large quantities.
But I'm talking about things that are boxed up with a list of 25 ingredients in them: some natural, some genetically made/modified, some you don't even know what they are, and packed with too much salt, sugar and preservatives. You know what I'm talking about.
Can we just make it ourselves?
There are some things you just don't need to buy. Like chicken broth. Buy a rotisserie chicken from the store, have chicken salad sandwiches, put some chicken in your home-made soup, and then boil the bones in a bunch of water for a half hour...then freeze it for later. It's not that hard, people.
We also make our own popcorn, granola, oil & vinegar salad dressing, pizza crust, red pasta sauce, soup, sweet tea, sunbutter, pickles, frosting (on the rare occasion we need it), and who knows what else. The point is, if we can, we try to do it ourselves. You know what's in it, when it was made, and it will probably taste better.
Try to buy local.
During the warmer months, we buy all (except bananas) of our produce from the farmer's market. We have actually gotten to know pretty well the lady we usually go to. We know where her farm is and that she's pesticide free. And she'll often throw in an extra something-or-another for free for us.
We are also trying to vamp up our own garden. We've done a few things so far, but this Spring we're really going to step it up. And that, my friend, is local.
Avoid the white.
We cut out white bread, white rice, white pasta, and white flour. We go for the 100% whole wheat (well, brown rice...not whole wheat rice :)
Water. Milk. Sometimes Sweet Tea.
Oh, and sometimes beer, too.
That's all we drink. And as I said before, we make our own tea...a huge pot of water on the stove...sugar and a few tea bags. No store-bought tea jugs for us.
On average, I'd say I have 1 to 3 sodas a month. And usually that's when we're at a restaurant. Here's a link to a story on what one soda does to your body.
Our meals at home.
Breakfast is either our home-made granola or oatmeal cooked on the stove. One morning meal per weekend we like to have a little brunch of eggs, pancakes and either grits or bacon.
Lunch is usually leftover dinners. If nothing's available, then some scrambled eggs or a sandwich or something.
Dinner is almost always home cooked - with the rare exception of the store bought pizza or jarred pasta sauce.
Snacks are fresh fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt, whole wheat crackers, nuts (except for Noah who has a nut allergy), raisins, or other dried fruit. We try to avoid all pre-packaged snacks for the kids.
***
Wow, I think that covers it. I had more to say on that than I thought. But it comes down to eating real food and avoiding the over-processed stuff. Cook for yourself. And for your family.
Welcome!
Welcome to my new blog. I have been a blogger for almost 5 years. I keep a personal blog - mostly about my kids - at www.babybarn.blogspot.com. I'm hopefully going to continue with that one for a long time, but I felt the need to take a step over and start a new one based on healthy eating.
Before I met my husband of 5 1/2 years, I didn't think too much of what I ate. As a bachelorette, I had my fair share of frozen dinners and canned soup. And when I "cooked" it was noodles and sauce or baked chicken. Nothing exciting or tremendously nutritious. And growing up I was much worse about the junk food - oatmeal cream pies, chips, soda, cookies, etc.
Slowly, he has shown me the error of my ways. It's been a process (and certainly not a finished one), but I would say that in general, we cook pretty well for our 3 little ones. Even Luke, who just turned a year, NEVER had baby food out of a store-bought jar. We make everything for him (okay, we can't say that about out first two kids, but we made progress!).
I felt inspired to start a blog that would share some of our family recipes. I also want to share some of the cooking tips that I've learned from various places, including from my husband who is a WONDERFUL cook. If he had the time (and energy) at the end of his work day, he would cook for us every night. But that hasn't been possible, so we share in the cooking.
I hope you find my posts useful and feel free to comment after you've tried something. Happy eating!
Before I met my husband of 5 1/2 years, I didn't think too much of what I ate. As a bachelorette, I had my fair share of frozen dinners and canned soup. And when I "cooked" it was noodles and sauce or baked chicken. Nothing exciting or tremendously nutritious. And growing up I was much worse about the junk food - oatmeal cream pies, chips, soda, cookies, etc.
Slowly, he has shown me the error of my ways. It's been a process (and certainly not a finished one), but I would say that in general, we cook pretty well for our 3 little ones. Even Luke, who just turned a year, NEVER had baby food out of a store-bought jar. We make everything for him (okay, we can't say that about out first two kids, but we made progress!).
I felt inspired to start a blog that would share some of our family recipes. I also want to share some of the cooking tips that I've learned from various places, including from my husband who is a WONDERFUL cook. If he had the time (and energy) at the end of his work day, he would cook for us every night. But that hasn't been possible, so we share in the cooking.
I hope you find my posts useful and feel free to comment after you've tried something. Happy eating!
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