{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!

Sauteed Bacon & Fresh Spinach

Becca here with one of my family's favorite side dishes.  In fact, when I made this again a few nights ago, I had almost everyone asking for seconds, and it was all gone, even though I had used a full pound of fresh spinach!  I really think even two pounds of fresh spinach wouldn't have had any leftovers either!  This is a super quick and simple recipe, with just two ingredients, bacon and spinach.  It really is delicious though, and a great way to get a lot of veggies in really easily.  Don't let the two full packs of bacon in the photo scare you away, I just use half of one pack, but wanted to picture my two favorite bacons.  I always use either the Oscar Mayer "Natural" one without nitrates, or Farmland Naturally Hickory Smoked "Double Smoked" (my very favorite, but it does have nitrates, etc., and the Oscar Mayer is almost as good, though more expensive).  I like to go ahead and cut up, and then freeze, the other half of the package of bacon, so that it's ready to go next time I have a full tub of spinach to use!

Sauteed Bacon & Fresh Spinach

1/2 of a 12-16 ounce package of your favorite bacon
16 ounce package of spinach (I always use this Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spinach from Sam's Club)

I use kitchen shears to quickly cut several slices of bacon at once into small, bite sized pieces.  Add them to a large pot.

Stirring occasionally, cook the bacon on medium-high (I usually do 6.0 on my stovetop that has a range from 1-10) until it is browned and crispy.

Immediately start adding big handfuls of the spinach, until all 16 ounces have been added.  It will seem like a ton of spinach, but will quickly cook down.

Cook for an additional five minutes, gently stirring occasionally, until the spinach is bright green, and wilted.  Serve immediately.

Be careful not to overcook, you don't want it to be dark green and mushy!!

{Instant Pot} Baby Food

Hello!  Jana here with a tutorial for how to easily make baby food in the Instant Pot!  My fourth child is 6 months old, so we are in the early stages of eating table food. Making your own baby food is beneficial for so many reasons!  First of all, it is the most inexpensive way to feed your baby. An entire bag of organic baby carrots (32 ounces) costs $3.48 in my area. From my research, non organic jarred carrots would cost about $1 for two 2.5 ounce containers. As you can see, you can get a higher quality food for much cheaper when you make it yourself!  Some of you might be thinking that the time it takes to make the food isn't worth the cost savings. I can assure you, that it only takes minutes to prepare the food.  Below, I am going to show you an example of making carrots using the Instant Pot. There are many other foods that could be prepared in a similar way, including the following:

Green Beans (using a steamer basket instead of a trivet)
Peas (using a steamer basket instead of the trivet)
Apples
Pears
Squash (peeled first)

From my experience, homemade baby food is much more flavorful, which makes it more fun for baby to learn to eat!  I like that you can add more or less water, depending on what stage of eating your baby is in. You can also begin to mash instead of blend once your baby gets older. I also like to start adding spices (cinnamon, garlic, etc) to foods once my baby gets older. (typically closer to 8 or 9 months) 

I will also discuss below how to store the baby food that you make.

To make the carrot baby food, I placed about 20 carrots on the trivet in the IP. I could have stacked them and done more, but I wasn't making a huge amount of baby food this time. Pour 1 cup of water or broth in the bottom of the IP. Close the lid, push Manual, and choose 4 minutes. You can do quick release or natural release once it is finished.

 

Add some of the water back in if needed (depending on how thick or thin you want the consistency for your baby), and puree. I used an immersion blender for this step, but you could also use a normal blender. I have found that if I make more baby food than what I will need for a few days (and can refrigerate), then freezing in some sort of ice cube tray works great!  I prefer silicone trays, because the food comes out much easier when frozen.  The trays I used above are a little bigger than the size I wanted, so I filled about halfway.

Once they are frozen, you can remove from the tray, and store in a Ziploc bag or other container in the freezer. Then, just remove the amount you are needing for the day, microwave, and you're ready to go!

{Instant Pot} Cauliflower Rice

 *This is a great recipe to have children help you make!

Jana here with another really simple, and very versatile recipe you can make in your Instant Pot!  Many people are trying to cut carbs in their diet, and this recipe is an easy way to do just that. Using a head of cauliflower, you can make a rice substitute!  My family ate it this time as a type of 'rice bowl', along with mexican seasoned (DIY taco seasoning here) shredded pork, beans, lettuce, salsa, Greek yogurt (we substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream), etc.  Instead of shredded pork, you could also use shredded chicken, or ground beef. When the cauliflower rice is mixed in with all of these other ingredients, it truly was just as good (or better!) as rice would have been!  My children all enjoyed it a lot!

There are many other uses for cauliflower rice, as well. Most recipes where you would typically reach for rice, give the cauliflower rice a try!  Some ideas include: chicken curry, red beans and rice, or creamy chicken over rice.

{Instant Pot} Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower
1 cup broth or water
salt and pepper

1. Place the trivet in the bottom of the IP, and pour the 1 cup of liquid into the bottom.

2. Cut the head of cauliflower into small florets, and set those on top of the trivet.

3. Secure the lid of the IP (making sure the valve is pointed towards the back- Sealing), and push Manual, Set the timer for 4 minutes.

4. Once it has reached pressure, and cooked the 4 minutes, most the pressure valve to Venting, to do a quick pressure release.

5. When the pressure is released, carefully open the lid, and remove the florets. Put them in a bowl, and use a fork to cut them into rice like pellets. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy! If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let us know!

Kale Chips

Jana here with a super easy recipe!  We are probably the last ones to jump on the kale bandwagon...I've heard a lot about it in the last few years, and know that it is really healthy. It is loaded with antioxidants, and a great source of vitamin C, A, and K.

When my son picked this much kale from our garden recently, I knew it was the time to try kale chips!

The prep is so easy, and a great recipe for kids to help with!

The finished kale chips! These are SO light and crispy...it's hard to just eat a few!

Kale Chips

1 head of kale, or kale leaves from your garden
olive oil
salt

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Remove the leaves from the thick stems, and tear the leaves into bite size pieces.

3. Lightly brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Enjoy!

Pea Salad

Becca here with a recipe that both my husband, Samuel, and I grew up eating!  I remember my mom making this as a side dish that my dad particularly enjoyed.  Samuel's paternal grandmother also makes a very similar salad, and often served it as a main dish for a quick meal when we lived right down the street from them and I was home alone a lot because my husband was traveling for work.  I am going to give a 'recipe' because I actually measured out what I used last time I made it, and I'm sure you can find a similar recipe written out somewhere, but I have never seen it in print; it's definitely a "little bit of this, little bit of that" type recipe that you can be creative with, depending on what is in your fridge, in season, or what your family's tastes prefer.  I like to make a double batch, and serve it as a quick main dish once, and then use the leftovers as a side dish, or for my husband's lunch to take to work, depending on how much is left!  I love that I can make it when I can find a few minutes of time during the day, and have dinner mostly finished when that time rolls around.  Enjoy!

I also wanted to mention that in case you missed it, I used rafflecopter to select a winner of the Redmond Real Salt giveaway and it was announced via our Thrice the Spice Facebook Page, Emily Marsh was the winner.

Pea Salad

16 ounces frozen peas (Mimaw, Samuel's grandmother only uses Le Sueur canned peas, and that saves a step of cooking the peas, so use what you prefer!  You will need two cans of peas.)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (I use purple onion normally)
1 cup cheese, in small cubes, or grated (I use sharp normally, and prefer cubed, but grated is quicker)
2-3 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
2-3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled (optional, but definitely delicious!)
2/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise or olive oil mayo)
Salt & Pepper to taste (I use Real Salt, amount will depend on what kind of peas you used, if you used bacon, etc. :)


If using frozen peas, cook according to package instructions.  Drain cooking water off, and rinse peas in cool water.

In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients (cooked peas, onion, cheese, boiled eggs, bacon, mayonnaise).  Gently stir to combine.  Taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Serve immediately, or, for best taste, let chill in the refrigerator, covered, a few hours or overnight to let flavors mingle.

How to Cook Garden Greens

I'd like to share an easy way to prepare garden greens with you today!  Before I met my husband Brett I had definitely eaten my fair share of garden food.  Then he started mentioning "greens".  These were something we'd have on a regular basis at his mom's house and they become a topic of discussion as we began to plan our garden this year.

When I say "greens" I mean like mustard greens or collard greens.  Kale could also be prepared the same way.  We eat greens as a side.  They're simple to prepare, fabulously nutritious, and taste great.  My girls have even eaten them!

These cook down, way down!  So when I say you'll need 2 cups of greens that is a bare minimum.  It will look like so much in the pan until you start to cook them and they wilt down.  You'll be surprised how your large pan of greens suddenly looks like such a small quantity. So don't be afraid to really fill the pan up, adding more even after they've cooked some.

Greens
Ingredients:
At least 2 cups greens of any kind (mustard, collard, kale)
EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
Salt
Vinegar (balsamic or red wine)

Directions:
You can either steam the greens in a bit of water (with the lid off) or cook them in EVOO.  I prefer the EVOO because it gives it a bit more flavor.  You will cook the greens until wilted and then sprinkle salt and a bit of vinegar over the top.  And that's it-you're done!

If you don't have a garden you can always purchase these at the Farmer's Market or buy them in bulk at the grocery store in the produce section!

Happy greens!
Sara

Cream Corn with Dill

Jana here with a recipe that was inspired by my sister-in-law, Bekah!  She is a consultant with Pampered Chef, and I recently hosted a party at my house. We needed fresh dill for one of the recipes, so she and I were talking about other ways to use dill. She mentioned that it was good with corn, so I found an inspiration recipe, and made this Cream Corn with Dill!  We had this with a BBQ meal, but it would go great with a Mexican themed meal too!

Cream Corn with Dill

2 cans of corn (14.5 ounce), or 4 cups frozen corn
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Add the fresh dill, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the milk, and cubed cream cheese.  Allow to melt, stirring frequently.

3. Add the corn, and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.

Enjoy!

Carrot Souffle

Jana here with a recipe that is so yummy, I didn't take the time to get a picture! :)  My Mom recently made this for our family's Easter lunch. We had a potluck of sorts, and this was one of the dishes she brought. Between my sisters and I, we have 9 children. (under the age of 9) So needless to say, when it is time to eat at a family lunch, there is a lot going on!  (Example: "I'm making plates for Caleb and Lainey, can you get Silas' food?"  "Where are the forks?"  "Does anyone know where Malachi went?"  and lots more!)  This dish is very versatile, and would be a great side dish for any meal! (breakfast, lunch, or dinner)  It is very light and fluffy in texture, and the flavor is sweet and delicious!  I hope you'll give this Carrot Souffle a try!  Just for fun, here is a picture of the 9 Thrice the Spice kids!  (Kierstin, the baby in the middle is usually super happy...she just didn't like the idea of a picture at that time!)

Carrot Souffle

1 pound carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2. Boil carrots until tender, 15-20 minutes.  Drain, and mash. (or blend in a blender or food processor for a smoother texture)  Stir in butter, vanilla extract, and eggs until mixed well.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir into the carrot mixture until combined and smooth.

4. Pour into prepared baking dish, and bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Veggie and Bacon Quinoa Bowls!

Hi everyone!  Are you on Instagram?  I am and love it!  I follow several ladies who always post the tastiest looking food.  The good news is it's always real food!  Not something processed that will taste good for a minute and then give you a tummy ache.  One of the sweet ladies I follow has six boys! Can you imagine?  I cannot.  She posted a recipe one night that she had made up herself and I decided to make my own version for our family.  I wish I could properly tell you how good this bowl of food is.  I mean, it's really good.  I could go for one right now!  It's also very easy to throw together and I like that.  

This bowl of goodness is a mixture of quinoa, roasted vegetables, cheese, and crumbled bacon.  All drizzled with balsamic vinegar!  If you are really big on watching calories you could always leave the bacon and cheese out and I still think it would taste delicious! (but seriously, you should try it with the bacon and cheese)

For the quinoa I used this box which was a mixture of quinoa and brown rice and also came with a seasoning packet.  A bit more processed than we usually do here so next time I think I'll just buy plain quinoa and season it myself! 

Roasted Veggie and Bacon Quinoa Bowls

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

2 or 3 sweet potatoes

EVOO

Grated parmesan cheese (the real kind, not the shaker processed kind)

Bacon

Balsamic Vinegar

Quinoa

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.  Chop or dice the asparagus and sweet potato and roast 'till slightly crispy.  

Cook bacon and quinoa while the vegetables roast. 

After vegetables are done, assemble the bowls.  Put quinoa, sweet potato, and asparagus in bowls first, then top with crumbled bacon, cheese, and as much balsamic vinegar as you like! 

I hope you enjoy this! My little girls and husband really liked this meal too! 

Sara 

Roasted mushroom, red onion, and chickpeas

I love it when a dish is "born" or created out of necessity and then it actually tastes good (like really good) too!  That is exactly how this little side dish came to be.  One weekend recently we had gorgeous weather and all decided to spend the afternoon together in the garden.  It was glorious and fun, but meant I got a late start on dinner.  I quickly looked to see what vegetables we had that I could make a side with.  I ended up combining mushrooms, red onion, and chickpeas together with some spices and roasted them.  The result was a delicious, very quick and easy, side dish!  My girls really liked this one too!  An extra bonus.

Roasted mushroom, red onion, and chickpeas

Ingredients: 

8 oz. pack sliced mushroom

1 can chickpeas

1 red onion, diced

1-2 TB EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

spices of your choice (I prefer garlic powder, and an italian seasoning mix)

Directions:

1.) Combine the mushrooms, rinsed chickpeas, red onion, and spices in a bowl.  Add 1 or 2 TB of EVOO and mix well.  

2.)  Pour mixture into a glass cooking pan and roast until slightly crispy, around 20-25 minutes.

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.

Simple Savory Quinoa

Jana here with a new quinoa recipe!  I love how versatile quinoa is. You can make so many different flavors work with it, and it can even be used in baking. Not only is it versatile, but it's so healthy!  It's a win win!  I found this side dish on All Recipes, and made some modifications.  Everyone in the family loved it, and it will definitely be added to our list of favorite quinoa dishes!

Simple Savory Quinoa

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1-2 carrot sticks, diced
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup stock (I used homemade chicken stock we had on hand)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery are turning clear. (about 5 minutes)

2. Stir in the stock, quinoa, basil, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. (until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid)

3. Once done, stir in the lemon juice, and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Golden Potatoes Casserole

 

 

Becca here with a family recipe that we girls grew up eating, cooked by our Mom, and our Grandma also.  In fact, it's still a family favorite, and makes its' appearance at holiday gatherings and dinner tables.  The steamed, shredded carrots give a nice color to the potatoes, and make them look even cheesier than they already are.  I don't know a kid that doesn't like them!  Thanks to Momma for sharing the recipe with us today.  Enjoy! 

 

Golden Potatoes Casserole

6-8 Servings

 

4 medium potatoes

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded

2 Tablespoons margarine

 

Wash, peel and boil potatoes until tender. Beat until fluffy.

 

Stir in egg, sour cream, salt, pepper and 1/2 cheese.

 

Steam carrots in 1/4 c water.( I use the microwave) Drain.

 

Fold carrots into potato mixture: place in a greased casserole dish and dot with margarine.

 

Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.

Roasted Zucchini and Chickpeas

Hi everyone, a day late!  I'm hoping that you're staying warm and eating some good food while you're at it.  Todays recipe is a quick and easy one, but a very tasty one!  My girls both really like chickpeas.  I think they look more like a snack food to them.  Add in some zucchini, salt, and EVOO, and you have a tasty treat! 

Roasted Zucchini and Chickpeas 

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

2 TB EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

Lemon juice

Salt/pepper

Directions:

Combine the sliced zucchini, chickpeas, and EVOO in a bowl and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper (I usually sprinkle a generous amount on), and with the lemon juice.   I don't generally measure the lemon juice beforehand but use about 2 tablespoons.  Mix together well. 

Roast for about 20 minutes in the oven at 425 degrees.  After removing from the oven you may drizzle an additional TB of EVOO and a dash of lemon juice on top, or eat it without for a more crunchy taste. 

Enjoy! 

Baked Zucchini Fries

Jana here with a new way to eat zucchini!  I bought some zucchini recently, and was searching for a different way to cook it. In the summer, I like to saute it with some tomatoes, peppers, and okra. I quickly found a recipe on the website, Our Best Bites, that looked like a great alternative to what I had been making. These were so delicious, and definitely something I will be making again!

Baked Zucchini Fries 

2 medium zucchini
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray, or use a silicone mat.

2. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper on a plate.

3. Whisk the two eggs together on another plate.

4. Cut the ends off the zucchini, and cut the zucchini in half. (so you have two short pieces)  Cut into strips from there.  Thinner fries will get crispier, and taste less like zucchini.  Thicker fries will have a stronger zucchini flavor.

5. Working with a small amount at a time, dip the zucchini fries in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, pat them in the bread crumb mixture, to coat them.  Place them on your prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and flip, and bake 10-12 additional minutes.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Bites

Jana here with a healthy, delicious recipe for Sweet Potato Bites.  Although many of us may have eaten sweet potato dishes in recent months, not all of those were of the healthy variety. As we begin the New Year, here is a healthy way to make sure of those sweet potatoes that are likely a very good deal at your grocery store right now!  (I paid 25 cents a pound for these!)  I found inspiration for this recipe at The Paleo Mom.  Although we do not follow a Paleo diet, this is a wonderful recipe that anyone can enjoy as a side dish! 

Sweet Potato Bites

3-4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch slices
2 tablespoons coconut oil
nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt coconut oil in a small bowl in the microwave or on the stovetop.

2. Place sweet potatoes in a big bowl, or a large ziploc bag. Toss sweet potatoes in the coconut oil.

3. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Lightly sprinkle spices on the sweet potato bites.

4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn each slice over. Cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes reach desired tenderness.

Enjoy!

Sesame Green Beans

Jana here with a delicious side dish that would be a great accompaniment to many different meals.  My Mom made this to go along with our Thanksgiving meal, and everyone loved it!  It was a simple, healthy, tasty dish that I wanted to document because I know we will be wanting this recipe again soon!  She found the recipe on All Recipes.

Sesame Green Beans

1 pound green beans (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon sesame seed
black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds. When seeds start to darken, add in green beans.  Cook until the green beans start to turn a bright green color.

2. Pour in chicken broth, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook, until beans are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.  Uncover, and cook until liquid evaporates.

Enjoy!

Delicious Roasted Vegetables!

Today's recipe is delicious, easy, and so healthy!  A winning combination in my book.  This time of year always stumps me because our days of endless garden produce are just about over.  We like to serve a meat of some sort several nights a week, along with a vegetable.  But let's be honest, frozen vegetables just get really old after a while! 

I was thrilled to find this recipe and change it up to meet our family's needs.  This was a favorite!  My husband even asked me to make it again.   I hope you'll enjoy! 

Delicious Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large sweet onion, chopped

4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped

3 medium-sized turnips, peeled and chopped

Parmesan Cheese

Seasoning:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp Cavender's 

Topping:

Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  (I use Olive Oil cooking spray).  Spread vegetables out evenly on the baking sheet.  Mix the seasonings together in a separate bowl and then sprinkle evenly over the vegetables.  Roast for 40-45 minutes. 

2.)  Take pan out of the oven and sprinkle balsamic vinegar on top.  Next, sprinkle parmesan cheese (the real kind found in the dairy section, not the grated fake kind!)  on the top and place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes.