Curried Lentils

Jana here with a delicious way to cook lentils! We like to include lentils in our diet, because they are an inexpensive, healthy way to add fiber and protein!  I typically make these Curried Lentils as a side dish, along with a vegetable and chicken, but you could easily double the recipe and eat it as a soup as well. I was using green lentils for this recipe, but also buy red split lentils sometimes too. Either would work well with this.

Curried Lentils

1 cup dried lentils
2.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1.5 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Combine the dried lentils and chicken broth in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil, then cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes.

2. Stir in the coconut milk, and spices until well combined. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

{Instant Pot} Black-Eyed Peas

Jana here with another Instant Pot recipe!  I have been trying to buy more dried beans, rather than canned. Like many other things, they are a better value, and can be healthier.  Once I have cooked the dry beans, I like to portion them into glass jars, and freeze them for future meals. I use mason jars for this, or other glass jars that I save from foods like salsa or pickles. Using a funnel will make pouring the beans into the jars a much easier process. Also, make sure to leave plenty of empty space at the top of your jar to allow for expansion once the beans are frozen.  I also like to put a label on the lid of the jar so I remember what exactly is in the jar. While soaking beans ahead of time is optimal, I typically forget to do that. So my recipe below will be for unsoaked beans. This is a base recipe, but you could easily add in some chopped ham, or chopped onion!

{Instant Pot} Black-Eyed Peas

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
6.5 cups water  (or chicken broth)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1. Rinse the dried beans, and place in the Instant Pot. Add enough water to cover, plus 1-2 inches.
Season with salt and pepper.

2. Put the lid in place, and make sure the top knob is turned to "sealing". Set on Manual mode for 20 minutes.* Once they have cooked, use Natural Release before opening.

3. At this point, I like to taste the beans, and add seasonings from there. Sometimes, I add in a packet of real bacon pieces, or 1/2 cup cooked/crumbled bacon. I also like to add spices such as paprika, thyme, garlic and onion powder. If you are unsure about amounts of each seasoning, start with 1/2 teaspoon, and go from there.

*I find that people's preferred softness for beans can vary quite a bit. The suggested 20 minutes cook time is a middle of the road approach. If you know you prefer a very soft bean, I would suggest going to 25 minutes. Likewise, if you prefer a firmer bean, I would decrease to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Printable Version

{Instant Pot} Spaghetti Squash

Jana here with another easy, healthy Instant Pot recipe!  If you aren't familiar with what an Instant Pot is, we have a basic tutorial here. I was SO happy with how the spaghetti squash turned out. The one I cooked was about 4 pounds, and the cook time may vary a few minutes if the squash you are cooking is larger or smaller. The squash easily came out in these 'noodles' with a fork once it was done. We prefer to eat spaghetti squash slightly al dente (with a small amount of crunch), so if you want yours to be completely soft, you might increase the cook time by a few minutes. There are many options for what to eat with this. You can do spaghetti sauce, or pesto. I made a homemade pesto (recipe coming soon!), and we added mushrooms and smoked brisket. A healthy, delicious dinner that we all enjoyed!


{Instant Pot} Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (3.5 to 4 pounds*)
1 cup water or broth

1. Pour 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot, then place the trivet in.

2. If the spaghetti squash you have will fit whole, you can poke a few holes in one side of the squash, and place the whole squash on the trivet to cook. If it is too big (or just as another option), you can cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds/inside, and place both halves on the trivet.

3. Close the lid, and cook on Manual mode for 15 minutes. Use QR (quick release - release the steam and open) once it has finished cooking. Check the squash to make sure it easily flakes out with a fork. If you aren't satisfied with this, you can let it cook for another 2-3 minutes on Manual mode.
Enjoy!

*If your squash is smaller than 3.5-4 pounds, I would suggest decreasing the cook time to 10 minutes. Squash can become watery and mushy if it is overcooked.

Zoodles

Jana here with a recipe for zoodles!  Zoodles are zucchini noodles, if you aren't familiar with the term. We had never made them at our house, but after this meal, we will definitely be making them again!  They were kid approved, and parents approved too!  I used a spiralizer to make the noodles. My four year old son helped me, and it was super fast. We used 3 medium sized zucchini, and had them done in less than 5 minutes!  If you don't own a spiralizer, they are fairly inexpensive, and something that I think is really handy to own. We don't use it weekly, but when we do need it it's really nice to have!  We have used it on potatoes, apples, and sweet potatoes before.

Zoodles

3-4 medium sized zucchini
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Spiralize the zucchini. You can do this ahead of time, and put in a covered dish in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Approximately 1 tablespoon. Once it is heated, add the zoodles in. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. If you notice the zoodles sticking at all, add in a little more oil.

3. Remove the zoodles from the pan so they won't continue to cook. You don't want them to cook too long, or they will get mushy.  Season with salt and pepper.

There are endless options for toppings, but we went with a traditional route this time. Marinara type sauce from a jar (recipe here for homemade), along with ground meat and mushrooms. It was really delicious, easy, and a meal we will make again!

Leave a comment if you have made zoodles, and what toppings you enjoy!

{Instant Pot} "Baked" Sweet Potatoes

Becca here, with a quick "Instant Pot" pressure cooker recipe/tutorial.  I have been an avid Instant Pot user for seven years now, and am actually on my second Instant Pot, after an unfortunate incident with the lid being left too close to our gas stove, and melting.  When we had a major water leak at our home, requiring my family of myself, my husband, and our five kids, to live in a hotel for exactly sixty nights, my Instant Pot is the one kitchen thing I brought with me, and enabled us to eat somewhat normally some of the time, while living in a hotel!  I'm super excited that they have become really popular lately, and recipes are showing up all over, so I thought I would add some of my favorites to the mix now that it's something many more people have in their kitchens!

One thing that I commonly use mine for is to make perfect "baked" sweet potatoes.  To get great results, with non-mushy sweet potatoes, you'll want to get out the steam rack that came with your instant pot.  It looks like this, once placed into the bottom of the stainless steel pot insert (which I have two of, and often use each of them every day!).  You want to make sure that it is feet side down.  Pour in 1 cup of water.  The water will not be touching the bottom of the steam rack.

Insert sweet potatoes.  It is okay to stack them up, as long as the lid will fit on without touching them.  I can generally fit about five pounds of sweet potatoes in mine at one time.   I have a larger than typical family, so this is two meals worth for us.  We usually eat them 'baked' the first meal, and then I put the leftover ones into a square casserole dish with a bit of maple syrup, cinnamon, and sprinkled with pecans and coconut oil on top, for an oven-ready side dish for another meal.

You want to cook the potatoes for 30 minutes at high pressure.  You may do that by pushing either one of two buttons.  Either the Bean/Chili button I'm pointing to here, OR

the "Soup" button I'm pointing to here.  You could also manually set the pot to high pressure for 30 minutes, but I'm not sure when you would go to the extra trouble when either of these buttons work perfectly with preset settings!

The Instant Pot will pause for a moment, and then switch to the screen reading "On".  This means that it is heating up, and building up pressure.  This will take several minutes.

When the Instant Pot has reached the correct temperature and pressure settings, it will start counting down the remaining time "at pressure".  I think this is confusing to people sometimes, because a 30 minute setting actually takes quite a bit longer, allowing for the Instant Pot to heat up and reach pressure, and then naturally release pressure, unless you're in a hurry, and to a quick pressure release.  These are often abbreviated in Instant Pot Recipes/Groups as NRP (natural release pressure) and QPR (quick pressure release).  Natural pressure release simply means that you don't do anything at the end of the cooking time, and let the Instant Pot automatically switch to the "warm" setting, and open the pot to eat when you're ready.  Quick pressure release means that you move the valve on the top of the pot, to "open" to let the big burst of heat and pressure out, so that you can then safely remove the lid and eat, before the pot has naturally and slowly let the steam and pressure out itself.

At the end of the cooking time, the Instant Pot automatically switches to a "warm" setting, where the screen looks like this, and it counts up the warming minutes, or hours, if applicable, and slowly starts lowering the pressure.  Because it is an airtight and sealed environment, I have found that even something like rice can stay on the warm function for several hours without any loss of quality at all.

What are your Instant Pot questions or recipe requests?  Or favorite tips?  Let us know in the comments here, or on our Facebook Page!!

Olive Spread

Becca here, with one of my favorite recipes from growing up.  Our Mom would make this Olive Spread just a time or two a year, but it has always been one I looked forward to, so I was excited when she brought it to my last birthday party!  The green olives give it a lot of flavor, the pecans add crunch, and the mayonnaise and cream cheese smooth, creaminess.  We normally have it with wheat thin type crackers, but I ate the leftovers with veggies, and it was just as good!

Olive Spread

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup green olives with pimientos, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive juice, reserved from the green olives
Dash of black pepper

Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise, and mix well.  Stir in remaining ingredients (pecans, olives, olive juice, and black pepper) until combined.  The filling will be slightly mushy at first.  Refrigerate for a few hours to reach spreading consistency.  Keeps well for a week or two in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!!

German Lentils with Sausage

Becca here with a recipe (no photo, sorry, we ate it before I got a picture!) that my family really enjoyed.  I recently did a big freezer cooking session, and adapted this recipe to be both freezer and Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) ready.  I have used an Instant Pot for many years; I'm actually on my second one, after the first had had an unfortunate incident with the plastic part of the lid coming in contact with the hot stove-top and melting.  When we had to leave our home last year and stay in a hotel for 60 nights, because of a water leak, my Instant Pot was the one thing from our kitchen I took with me to the hotel.  I love the popularity they have gained in the past few years; my newer model Instant Pot has several great features that my original one did not, one of them being the "saute" button.  This was my first time using saute, and I'm wondering why I haven't before.  I was able to brown the sausage, and then cook the meal all quickly, and in the same stainless steel (no toxic chemical non-stick finishes!) pot.  My family all really enjoyed this recipe, and our youngest son that is a new eater even had seconds, as did most of the kids!  The seasonings were delicious, and had just enough of a distinctly different taste, to make the recipe unique.

The recipe makes a generous portion; my family of seven, with several large appetites in the bunch, ate it for a meal once, and had enough to accompany lunch the next day, with the five kids and I each having a small portion.  I will include the directions for making up a double batch to keep in the freezer, as I did, below the recipe.


German Lentils with Sausage

1 pound dried brown lentils
Orrington Farms Chicken Base or 'Better Than Bouillon' (use package instructions, see amount needed for 10 cups of water)
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

10 cups water

4 cups grated carrots
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
21 ounces Kielbasa Sausage or Ham, diced

Place diced Kielbasa Sausage (or Ham) into the instant pot.  Stir on 'saute' setting until browned.

Add remaining ingredients, stir, and cook on meat/stew setting.

Enjoy! -Becca


To make ahead and freeze:
Multiply all ingredients times the number of meals you want to freeze.
Put top ingredient section (lentils, chicken base, and spices) into a quart bag, and label with recipe name.
In order, place the grated carrots, worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and then diced sausage into a gallon bag, and label with recipe name.
To prepare the dish, follow the recipe above (the sausage needs to be on top of the freezer bag, so it can be browned first, before adding the other ingredients!)

Crustless Spinach Quiche + Redmond "Real Salt" Giveaway!

Becca here with one of my 'staple' recipes to share today!  After my apologies for the 'technical difficulties' on the blog this week, that were, technically, all because of my human error.  A migraine that had me out for a full 24 hours, combined with a day trip out of state to a theme park with my family plus several other family friends, theater costume measurements, horseback riding lessons, nursing home visits, Bible Studies, and regular homeschooling, chicken, garden, and household managing of a 6-person household meant that the blog fell through the cracks this week, so I'm sorry!

I DO have one of my "go do" recipes to share on the blog today, AND a giveaway for products my house is never without!  In fact, I searched twice to double check that I hadn't shared this recipe already, I couldn't believe I hadn't already posted it!  This crustless spinach quiche is a great recipe that I've served at any meal, for any occasion.  I've served it to a large crowd at birthday parties, taken it to friends that needed a meal, and fixed it at home when I needed to go to the store and we just needed a quick and filling dinner with what was left in the fridge.  My notes on the original from allrecipes date back to April 2007, so I've been making for at least 6 years.

Feel free to substitute with a similar veggie or cheese; in fact, this time, in the quiche pictured here, I used Pokeweed instead of spinach!  I had precooked it, after two friends' mothers, separately, helped the kids and I identify it, and I had thorough cooking instructions from one of them, plus read a lot online, and then followed the normal recipe from there.  A tip on all quiches, is to let them sit for about ten minutes after you remove them from the oven, to allow the eggs to set, so then you can cleanly and neatly slice it!  My kids all 4 love this quiche, I hope you'll give it a try!  Recipe follows giveaway info!

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you've probably noticed that I usually, in the ingredients list, mention that I use "Real Salt" for our household salt.  So when I was placing an order recently, and for Earthpaste also, which my daughter had been begging for again, since we'd been out for a few weeks with the recent move we had, I contacted Redmond and asked if they would be willing to do a giveaway, and they said yes!  So I'm super excited to be giving away the price package above!

In a one line explanation, I like to tell people that Redmond Real Salt is like using whole grains instead of white flour.  And it tastes SO much better I think; like to the point where white table salt at a restaurant or something has a funny after taste to me now even!  They have a super informative website here with a great video  and online brochure explaining the health benefits of a real salt.  As they say,

"Real Salt comes from an ancient sea bed in Central Utah, where for more than 30 years we've delivered completely natural sea salt -- nothing added, nothing taken away. That means you get more than 60 trace minerals in a delicious, healthy salt that is never chemically treated, bleached, or kiln dried."

So the winner will receive a 10 ounce container of Real Salt, as well as 4.75 ounce each containers of Organic Garlic Salt and Organic Onion Salt, both made with Real Salt!  They also have a seasoning salt, and a 26 ounce 'refill bag' size of Real Salt that I usually purchase (at amazon, vitacost, directly from Redmonds, or at my local health food store, depending on what is more convenient for me at the time!)

Redmonds also has a line of "Redmond Clay" products that I also use regularly and love.  The winner will receive a 10 ounce jar of the powdered clay also!  Their Earthpaste toothpaste is made with the Redmond Clay, xylitol, Real Salt, menthol, and essential oils, and is the only toothpaste 3/4 of my kids even like!  It doesn't have any foaming agents, and is safe to swallow also.  We've tried all of the flavors, and they like them all, although spearmint is their very favorite.  I like the convenience of the clay already hydrated in a tube for a first aid cream, and it really does seem to draw the toxins out of burns, bites, and stings, which we've had plenty of since moving to the 'farm' especially!

"Redmond Clay is a completely natural bentonite clay, extracted from the earth and brought to you in its pure, natural state. Redmond Clay is available as a fine powder, pre-hydrated gel, or in easy-to-swallow capsules.  Redmond Clay™ remains as pure today as it was when the Fremont indians discovered its uses long ago. As our world returns to more natural lifestyles, more and more people keep Redmond Clay in their medicine cabinets, first aid kits, and purses. Discover for yourself the healing benefits of Redmond Clay."

I've included lots of links above, and their websites are full of informative videos, graphs, and articles I'd encourage you to check out if you're interested; they really are products we use everyday at our house, and I'm excited for one of you to get to try them!  To enter, just use the rafflecopter below!  Notice one of the entries you can do once per day!  Contest ends 5/30/14.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crustless Spinach Quiche

5 eggs

1 Tablespoon butter (or oil)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (10 ounces) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained well

1-2 cups shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar, amount is your preference!)

1/2 teaspoon salt (I use Real Salt)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium skillet over medium high heat, heat butter (or oil) and onion for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.

Add (cooked and well drained) spinach, and stir continuously and cook an additional couple of minutes until the water has all evaporated out of the spinach.  Remove from heat. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs until well blended.  Stir in salt, pepper, cheese, and  spinach mixture.

Pour into a lightly greased 9" pie plate, an cook at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until center has set. 

For best results in slicing, let quiche sit for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven.  Enjoy!

Big Vegan Bowl (even if you're not vegan)

 Last week I made the most delicious meal I just knew I had to pass it along.   I want you to know there are ways to eat delicious (like really, really good) foods that are also healthy!  We try a LOT of different healthy foods at our house.  The really good ones stick and stay around.  The ones that taste "healthy" (a.k.a. like cardboard) don't get invited back.  Food should taste good, don't you think?

But today I want to pass on a SUPER delicious meal that is from Oh She Glows!  You can find her recipe and instructions here!

A few differences between her recipe and mine are that I used a brown rice/quinoa mix (that you can purchase on the rice aisle) instead of plain quinoa.  The rice was a bit cheaper and we already had it on hand!

I also made my own hummus to act as a dressing for this bowl of goodness.

For the hummus I combined one can chickpeas (with liquid), some EVOO, lemon pepper seasoning, a bit of salt, garlic, and lemon juice in the food processor. 

I don't have actual amounts of each because one gal was being ornery and the other one was hanging off my leg and crying while I cooked (true story). BUT, the end result was fabulous :) Everyone, even the little girls, liked this meal! 

Enjoy! 

Sara 

Falafel aka: chick pea patties

Becca here with a recipe that is a great quick and easy weeknight recipe that my kids love.  I know that chick pea patties sound a bit strange, but I don't think you would ever, ever guess that a bean is the main ingredient.  They have a great light, almost fluffy texture, with a savory flavor.  We love them with guacamole or diced avocado on the side, or just plain.  My child that can be slightly particular lately likes them with ketchup.  But all four of my kids really like these "bean patties" as they call them, and I feel great about the protein and other nutrients they're getting in a super quick and easy meal.  I grind chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans, of hummus fame!) in my mill, but you can buy garbanzo bean flour also.  Bob's Red Mill sells it nationwide; this (admittedly nontraditional) falafel recipe adaption that I've made is based on one on their website. 

2 cups garbanzo bean flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda 
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup hot water


Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Add the lemon juice and hot water to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.


Meanwhile, on a large frying pan or griddle, heat a small amount of oil on medium-high heat until hot (I use about a Tablespoon of butter or coconut oil). Add the falafel batter by the tablespoon and flatten slightly. Cook on both sides until golden brown.  Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Fettucine Alfredo, lightened up

Brett and I love pasta. So when we ran across this lightened up version of Fettucine Alfredo it was an instant hit in our house. You can choose to add chicken (as pictured), or it's great on its own. Personally we really like the sundried tomatoes on top too. We've also eaten it without, but it's just not quite as much of a bold flavor. This is quick and easy to make, especially if you make it as often as we have

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk 
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided 
• 2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Cracked black pepper 

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Happy Eating! Sara :)

Pesto Egg Wrap

Becca here with a super quick, super delicious meal.  In fact, we've had these Pesto Eggs several times a week the past few weeks, and no one has complained a bit.  My two year old affectionately refers to these as green eggs, and can eat as many (or more) as I do!  A great combo also is to combine the pesto from this recipe with the kale from the recipe I posted here to go along with Dr. Seuss' classic Green Eggs & Ham!  The picture above is a 'serving suggestion' for the eggs, feel free to adapt to your family's favorites; we like them on a homemade whole wheat tortilla with a bit of avocado on top, or a bit of cheese.  Just the eggs by themselves are really flavorful, and paired with fruit make a great meal for any time of day.  I originally got the idea for mixing pesto and eggs from the Weelicious Lunches cookbook I checked out from the library.  I think eggs are a great, inexpensive, healthy protein that can be cooked in just a matter of a few minutes, making them perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Feel free to experiment your favorite store bought or homemade pesto!

Pesto Egg Wrap

*Recipe is per person, so you can easily multiply to serve your family!

2 large eggs
1 heaping Tablespoon pesto (your favorite, homemade or from the store)

Additional ingredients to make wrap pictured above:
1/4 avocado
1 whole wheat tortilla

Heat a skillet over medium high heat (I use cast iron on my gas stove).  Crack eggs into the skillet.  Break the yokes and move bottom cooked part to the top and let the liquid flow to the bottom of the skillet, carefully stirring to scramble the eggs as you go.

When the eggs are nearly set, gently stir in the pesto until thoroughly mixed and eggs are done. 

Add to warmed tortilla and top with avocado, if desired.  Enjoy! 

Sweet Potato Patties

My mouth is watering with this post today!  This was a new recipe I tried and tweaked a lot to fit our own tastes and interests.  It was originally supposed to be a sweet potato burger.  We love bread and eat it often but to me, it wouldn't have added anything to this patty at all.  In fact, I think it would have taken away from the taste!  So we just ate our patties with chopped onion and sliced avocado on top, drizzled it with olive oil, and sprinkled coarse sea salt and pepper on top of that.  Delicious!

These are also very filling and healthy and could be made even healthier by using whole-wheat flour.  For the real life record-my two year old did not want to try this at all.  But it was so delicious I plan on making them again and making her try again. :) She rarely turns down a food so I'm not sure what it was this time.

Sweet Potato Patties

Ingredients:
1 and one half cans chick peas, drained (You could do a full two cans if you'd like also)
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1/4 cup flour (I used white, but whole-wheat would be best!)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder

Panko (poured into a bowl to coat the patties with)
Olive oil for cooking

Toppings: Chopped white onion, avocado, sea salt, pepper, olive oil

Directions:
1.) Bake sweet potatoes in either your oven or microwave.  Peel and place in a large mixing bowl.
2.)  Drain the chickpeas and pour into the bowl with the sweet potatoes.  Mash, using a potato masher.
3.)  Heat olive oil in a large pan.  Use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
4.)  Pour panko into a bowl.
5.)  Form patties out of the sweet potato mixture and coat with panko bread crumbs.  Be generous!
6.) Place the patties in the pan and cook until brown on one side.  Flip over and cook the other side.
7.)  When all patties are cooked, top with your favorite ingredients and eat!  We liked onion, olive oil (just a drizzle), avocado, sea salt, and pepper.

Enjoy!
Sara :)

Summer Pasta Salad

Hi friends!  Summer is upon us and isn't it exciting to eat some local foods?  This pasta salad is great for using what you have in your garden, or for making after a trip to the local farmer's market.  My two-year old liked this salad also, especially the sliced zucchini pieces!  It includes a homemade dressing which was delicious.  To add even more flavor the next day I drizzled some lemon juice on top of my serving and it still tasted great as left-overs! I think this would be a crowd-pleaser at a party or summer barbecue.

Summer Pasta Salad 
*Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:
2 cups, halved baby tomatoes
1 zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 8oz. package whole-wheat penne pasta
1/2 cup fresh torn cilantro

Parmesan Vinaigrette Dressing
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice (add more, according to your tastes!)
1 TB balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper

*Blend dressing ingredients!  Stop and taste every minute or so.  You can easily add more lemon, salt, or pepper if you wish.  This would also be good with cilantro in the mix as well.

Directions:
Toss all salad ingredients together and then mix well with the vinaigrette.  You can add more lemon juice to the top of the salad if you wish!

Happy Eating!
Sara

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Jana here with a slow cooker recipe for a delicious soup! Although some of you may think of soup as a fall or winter meal, I think there are several great reasons to make soup in the spring and summer months!  (especially when it's made in the slow cooker)  Spring in the south has many rainy days, and cloudy rainy weather always puts me in the mood for soup!  Also, your slow cooker won't heat up the kitchen like making a meal in the oven meal, so that helps when it begins to warm up outside!  I also like knowing that dinner is ready in the slow cooker, and my kids and I can play outside and enjoy the beautiful afternoon sun without having to come in early to make dinner.  Having said all of that, this soup is rich, flavorful, and so tasty!  We paired ours with a grilled cheese sandwich, and everyone was happy!  I found the recipe at 365 Days of Slow Cooking.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half, warmed (or any type of milk to lower the calories)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, and basil to a large slow cooker. 

2. Cover, and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or until vegetables are soft.

3. About 30 minutes before serving, prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet, and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5 minutes.  Slowly stir in one cup hot soup.  Add 3 more cups, and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker.

4. Stir and add the parmesan cheese, half and half, and salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kale Fruit Salad

Becca here with another recipe using kale, commonly regarded as the healthiest vegetable of them all!  Kale Chips have been one of my family's favorites for quite a while now, as well as several soups and smoothies using kale, but it was just recently that we tried it in salad form, and it was a hit!  I know it sounds a bit strange to 'massage' your food before eating it, but don't skip that step!  It's a great one for kids to help with, and really helps not only spread the marinade throughout, but also to tenderize the kale quite a bit.  I actually enjoy the salad a bit more the second day, so feel free to make it ahead of time.  My inspiration recipe was from Parents magazine.  I hope you'll give this recipe a try, you can't beat the nutritional benefits, and it would make a great side dish for grilling this spring & summer!  Enjoy!

Kale Fruit Salad

1 bunch of kale (about 8 oz. if you're buying it pre-chopped)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 small or 2 large lemons (organic preferably, since you will be using the peel for zest also)
4 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cans, 15 oz. each, mandarin oranges
1 pound strawberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Wash kale and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2"), removing the tough center stalk.  Dry, and place into large mixing bowl.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine red onion, zest from lemons (about 2 teaspoons), juice from lemons, dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil.  Use a wire whisk to combine well.  (If you or your children have a strong aversion to raw onions, you may do this step in the blender instead!)

Pour dressing over kale and use our hands to 'massage' the kale for a couple of minutes, until it is coated evenly in marinade, and kale has begun to wilt.  (Remember, don't skip this step, it tenderizes the kale!!)

Add drained mandarin oranges, strawberries cut into quarters, and walnuts and toss to combine.  Enjoy!

Veggie 'Burgers' {freezer friendly, makes 20}

Becca here with recipe I really hope you'll try!  I know "Veggie 'Burger'" probably isn't the first thing on your mind when it comes to a tasty meal, but I really think these are delicious, as do all of my kids, and they are a powerhouse nutritionally as well.  I saw this recipe in a library book, and used it as my inspiration. I'd gladly eat them for lunch any day.  You can, of course, serve them like a traditional burger, on a bun with your favorite burger toppings, but our favorite way to eat them is with a side of 5 minute guacamole to dip them in.  Bulgur is the grain used in these patties, something you may not be familiar with, but is easy to find for me locally at Harps or the natural foods store, both in the bulk bins and packaged.  Compared to rice, "bulgur has more fiber and protein, a lower glycemic index, and higher levels of most vitamins and minerals" and has a very neutral taste.  The burgers stick together well enough to pick up and eat if you desire to do so, and are an inexpensive (the 'healthier' veggie burgers I like to buy pre-frozen are over $1 each, and not even as nutrient-packed as these are!!) meal to keep in the freezer for a quick meal or snack.  Let me know what your family thinks of them, and your favorite way to serve them!  Cheese on top?  Dipped in ketchup?  Lots of possibilities!  Enjoy!

Veggie 'Burgers'
(makes about 20 patties, we usually eat 2 each)

1 cup bulgur
2 cups water
3 cups pinto beans (ones you've cooked from dry, or 2 cans, 15 oz. each, drained & rinsed)
1 cup shredded cheese (we like sharp cheddar)
1 cup grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons oil, divided (I use coconut oil, butter, or olive oil)

Place bulgur and water in small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

In a large bowl, combine bulgur, beans, cheese, carrots, salt, granulated garlic, and onion powder and stir to combine.

Put half of mixture into food processor or blender, and pulse until pureed.  Add back into remaining ingredients in large bowl, and stir to combine thoroughly.

Heat a portion of the oil in a large skillet or griddle (I cook half of the mixture at a time on my large cast iron griddle on the stove top, using 1 Tablespoon of oil for each batch).  Make patties out of the mixture, using about 1/4 cup of mixture for each (The mixture will be sticky, just work quickly and lightly with your hands, or scoop onto griddle with a 1/4 cup measuring cup and then gently pat with spatula to flatten), and place onto griddle to cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side.  When done, remove and let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!

Eggplant Pizza Rounds

Jana here with a delicious and healthier way to get the flavor of pizza for your dinner!  We love pizza, and I think I could eat it at least once or twice a week, but that would be a little overboard, I'm sure!  When I saw this recipe that showed how to use eggplant for the 'crust' of the pizza, I was curious!  I have cooked eggplant before, and have eaten Eggplant Parmesan at restaurants, but still haven't cooked it enough to feel like I knew a whole lot about it.  I have peeled the eggplants before when cooking them, but read that the peel is definitely edible, and highest in nutrition.  I was using two eggplants for this recipe, so I peeled one and left the other as is.  My husband and I preferred the pizza rounds with the peel. We thought it added a lot to the flavor and texture of the dish. My kids really enjoyed this also!  To me, eggplant doesn't have a super strong flavor. It was so yummy with the pizza toppings right on top!

Eggplant Pizza Rounds

1 large eggplant
Olive Oil
Pizza Sauce
Pizza Toppings

1. Slice eggplant into circles, 1/4"- 1/2" thick.  Lay the rounds on a piece of wax paper lined with paper towels.  Pierce both sides with a fork, and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit for 30 minutes to draw out any bitterness and water.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lined baking sheet, lay out the eggplant rounds, and brush with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip. Brush the other side with olive oil, and cook an additional 10 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven, add toppings, and bake for a final 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato

I am so excited to share this delicious recipe with you today!  This has seriously been one of the best meatless meals I've prepared lately.  My dear husband even thought so!  I fixed these with roasted zucchini and chickpeas on the side.  Really though, I don't even think the side was necessary!  These were so filling my husband wasn't even able to finish his potato.  The best part-these are bursting with flavor!  I hope you'll give them a try.  The black bean mixture on the top also tastes great as a nacho topping, which I discovered the next day with the leftovers.
*I modified this recipe!

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato-Serves 2, or cut in half to serve 4 as a side dish
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt (fat-free)
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers (I used the jarred kind, found on the olive aisle!)
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can green chilies

Toppings: (use amount you prefer!)
Green onions
Cheese
Verde salsa (green salsa)
Sea Salt

Directions:
1.) Bake sweet potatoes in your microwave.
2.) Heat oil in large saucepan.  Add red bell peppers, onion, spices, black beans, and green chilies.  Cook until heated through and onions begin to soften.
3.)  Mix Greek Yogurt with taco seasoning and stir well!
4.)  Assemble sweet potatoes.  Cut open baked sweet potatoes and top with bean mixture.  Then add cheese, green onions, Greek Yogurt topping, salsa, and a light sprinkle of sea salt on top.

Happy Eating!
Sara

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

Jana here with one of my favorite recipes that I've made in a long time!  I had some ricotta that I needed to use, and I wanted a recipe that was different from an Italian pasta dish.  I went to All Recipes, where you can do a specific search.  I told the website that I wanted to include ricotta in my recipe, and didn't want pasta.  (this search is great to use up ingredients you have on hand, especially since you can have it exclude things you don't want!)  Frittata recipes started showing up, and they looked delicious!  I chose one, and made modifications to it.  This is a definite 10 on our rating scale!  (Does any one else rate their food?)  My two kids who are old enough to eat the same thing we do (ages 2 and 4) don't always get excited about cooked spinach in recipes.  After the first bite of this frittata, they both started raving about how much they loved it! 

Spinach & Mushroom Frittata

2 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped (or 1 teaspoon minced onion)
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
8-10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and all liquid squeezed out
5 eggs
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional...the original recipe was meatless.  I also think ham or chicken would be a good addition)
1 cup part skim ricotta (or cottage cheese)
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (or romano)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet, and add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and spinach.  Saute for 5 minutes. 

2. Combine the eggs, bacon, ricotta, parmesan, and spices.  Add the sauteed mixture, and stir to combine everything.

3. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan, and pour mixture in.  Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until it appears to be set up.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!