Thursday, November 1, 2012

Oven Roasted Tater Crunch

While I was excited about trying this vegetarian version of a bacon potato recipe I didn't really know what we were in for. My son will not eat anything on his plate once he catches a sight of this. Everything else goes by the wayside as he downs this and asks for more and more and more. My husband ignored the other items I had cooked and ate as many potatoes as he could without getting eyes from me to slow down. They both ate them for lunch the next day and the day after. I think we can call this a success since both my son and husband are big bacon fans and normally turn their nose up at veggie bacon.


  • evoo
  • veggie bacon
  • yukon gold small potatoes
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1/2 cup parmigiana-romana cheese
  • salt
  • pepper
  1. Peel  potatoes
  2. Boil in water until fork tender (8-13 mins)
  3. Slice veggie bacon into small pieces
  4. Preheat oven to 425
  5. Cook bacon in pan in evoo until color changes but not crunchy yet (will cook more in oven)
  6. Prepare glass baking dish with evoo
  7. Once taters are cooled off cube and place on baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  8. Bake for 35 minutes (turning halfway through to evenly brown
  9. Reduce temp to 375 and sprinkle with parm, garlic, and bacon
  10. Bake an additional 10-20 minutes until parm is melted and bacon is crunchy
  11. Serve and ENJOY!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Crunchy Bean Tacos


Looking for a healthier version of mexican for my husband I came across this recipe and figured I would give it a try. Not only did the man and the boy scarf these down but they scarfed down any leftovers immediately for the next lunch both days I made them this week.

  • corn tortillas
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1/2 red onion chopped
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
  • shredded mexican cheese
  • 1 avocado
  • hot sauce
  • salsa
  • sour cream

  1. Mix beans, onions, spices, cilantro a dash of evoo and any other seasoning you would like in a bowl
  2. Heat some evoo in pan
  3. Place 1 or 2 tortillas at a time in the pan to heat for a moment then put mixture, and cheese on half the tortilla, use a spatula to fold
  4. Heat on each side until browned
  5. Remove from heat and serve with avocado, hot sauce, salsa and sour cream

Monday, October 22, 2012

Vegetarian Mexican Stuffed Shells



I found this recipe for a meat version on Pinterest a long time ago and finally got around to cooking it tonight. With the taste still in my mouth and trying to keep up the willpower to leave the leftovers in the fridge... I will hereby record this amazing mouthwatering, cheese flowing, flavor popping recipe below... as my husband said "you made both your boys happy tonight".


  • 1 package veggie crumbles (can be replaced with ground beef)
  • 1 T taco seasoning
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 oz creamcheese
  • 16 jumpo pasta shells
  • 1 jar salsa
  • taco sauce
  • 2 cups mexican cheese
  • 2 green onions
  • sour cream
  • black olives
  1. preheat to 350
  2. cook crumbles in a pan with taco seasoning and water
  3. once it is cooked well, add creamcheese and simmer until it melts
  4. set meat aside to cool
  5. cook pasta and drain
  6. coat bottom of glass baking dish with salsa
  7. take each shell in your hand, fill with meat mixture and line up in baking dish
  8. pour taco sauce over shells
  9. cover dish with aluminum foil
  10. bake for 30 minutes
  11. remove from oven
  12. fill shells with cheese
  13. return to oven uncovered and bake for 10-15 more minutes
  14. remove from oven and cover with green onions and black olives
  15. place a few on a plate with some sour cream and shredded cheese
  16. enjoy and try not to eat the whole pan

Taco Seasoning (without MSG)


I am making a mexican meal tonight and wanted to premake the taco seasoning. While I have some packets in the fridge I  have a slight sensitivity to msg and really would prefer to not put any of it in my son's body if I can avoid it. I didn't have the same ingredients as the recipe called for so this is my version...

Oh I should mention - in the future I will not leave my son alone with his lunch (tadiq leftovers) while I make taco seasoning - lest I return to the table and find my dog with a tadiq fur coat, my son covered in tadiq and a new dining room carpet of tadiq.... apparently my son and my dog had a food fight.


  • 4T chili powder
  • 3T + 1t paprika
  • 3T turmeric
  • 1T + 1t ground chives
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 1/4 t ground cayenne pepper


  1. Mix ingredients
  2. Add 2 heaping T of seasoning + 1 C water to 1 lb meat

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Coconut Crusted Tofu in Thai Mango Sauce



I have seen a couple versions of this around the net lately and my sister made an attempt at this last week with chicken and said it was great. Here is my go - around.


Marinade

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 t sliced fresh ginger
  • 1 t sliced fresh garlic
  • 1 dash of salt

Tofu
  • 1 package extra firm tofu
  • 1/2 cup soy flour
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup shredded coconut
  • vegetable oil for frying

Sauce
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1/4 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt
  • 4 T thai chili sauce
  • 1 dash of salt

  1. Dice tofu into cubes and pat dry
  2. Soak in marinade for at least 1 hour
  3. Combine items for sauce in blender until well mixed
  4. Prepare first bowl with 1/4 cup flour
  5. Prepare second bowl with 1/4 cup flour and enough water to make a thin paste
  6. Prepare third bowl with coconut and breadcrumbs
  7. Dip tofu piece from one bowl to the next until it is crumbed and set on plate to dry
  8. When all pieces have been coated fill the bottom of a pan with oil and heat
  9. Once water sparks out of it you can start frying the tofu
  10. Turn over until all sides are browned and then place on paper towels to dry
  11. Serve with a side of sauce (we served it over couscous and it was fantastic)

Cider Soda

yummmmm


  • apple cider
  • diet ginger ale
  1. pour glass with 3/4 apple cider
  2. complete glass with 1/4 ginger ale
  3. enjoy :)

Cheesy Biscuit Bombs


I have seen some variations of this on Pinterest and just had to try it. Being that I love cheese - I figured we couldn't go wrong. It was fantastic. I gave my son one for lunch with some salami and he was crying for more.



  • biscuit dough
  • shredded mozarella
  • evoo
  • italian seasoning
  • parmesan
  1. Preheat to 350
  2. Take your dough slice and flatten it out in a glass baking dish
  3. Generously top with cheese
  4. Wrap dough back around cheese and close it firmly
  5. Carefully spray the pan with evoo spray and replace the doughballs spaced evenly
  6. Brush with evoo
  7. Top with parmesan
  8. Top with italian seasoning
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes
  10. Cool and enjoy!
  

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Persian Tadiq - aka almost burnt rice




A close friend of our family is from Iran and he and his family are the most gracious generous people we know. He always cooks these yummy meals when he comes to visit from his main home in Canada and has been making us tadiq since I was a young girl. There were many things he cooked but this is what we all remember and would drool over. My sister recently found a recipe for it and I had to give it a whirl. Here is my modification of it. My only problem was the crust stuck to the bottom of the pot, so maybe more oil next time? We shall see - it still tasted awesome!

  • 2 cups dry basmati rice (has to be basmati)
  • a smidge of turmeric
  • frozen vegetables (whatever you like i used a stirfry mix)
  • ground crumbles (or ground beef for you carnivores)
  • 2 T butter
  • 4 T oil
  • 2 T salt



  1. Cook ground crumbles and frozen vegetables in a pan and set it aside
  2. Bring water in pot to a boil
  3. Add salt to water
  4. Put rice into bowl and pour water in until the water overflows to rinse the rice. keep rinsing until water runs clear
  5. Add rice to boiling water
  6. Boil for 5 minutes
  7. Put pot into sink and let cold water in it to flow out the starchy foamy water
  8. Pour rice into colander
  9. Put rice into a bowl and mix in meat and veggies
  10. Put pot back onto stove on medium heat
  11. Cover bottom of pot with oil - make sure it is sufficient to allow easy removal
  12. Melt butter and add turmeric in small bowl
  13. Add rice to pot
  14. Poke four holes in rice mound and pour butter mixture into it
  15. Place a clean dish towel over the pot (careful so it doesnt touch burner) and cover tightly with pot cover
  16. Cook for 8 minutes on medium
  17. Turn stove as low as it will go and cook for 35 more minutes
  18. When it is done scoop out all the top rice
  19. Put plate over pot and flip over pot tapping top to make the crust slide out onto plate unbroken
  20. Place crust over rice and serve
 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Best Pumpkin Smoothie


OK. My husband tells me tonight "I want a smoothie, but I want to make it because youll put green crap in it."  HA Then I said ok - I won' put spinach in it. And he said "but you won't make it sweet enough, I need peanut butter and sugar and good stuff." So I convinced him to let me make him one and promised him it would be good and not green. Well I not only impressed him but myself as well. This is the best pumpkin smoothie I have made thus far.


  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 C ice
  • 1 C coconut milk
  • 3 t pureed pumpkin
  • 1 C frozen peaches
  • 1 t pumpkin spice
  • 1 t raw agave nectar
  1. Blend
  2. Enjoy

BLT Burrito - A twist on a bacon lettuce tomato sandwich


So this morning my handsome son ate 1 bowl of oatmeal, 1 banana, 3 pieces of bacon, half an apple and was still hungry. So, I decided to get creative. I wanted to make sure this last meal filled him up but wanted also to do something different for him. He was in his seat asking for a sandwich or more bacon. So instantly I thought BLT - but this boy is not crazy about sandwiches with lettuce or tomatoes. However, he does love cheese roll ups, so I decided to get a little fun and make him a BLT burrito. He is in his seat slurping away and licking his fingers so I think I was successful. And I think if I ate bacon I would probably be loving it as well.


  • whole wheat tortilla
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 slices bacon
  • a handful of baby spinach
  • hot sauce - or tomato sauce if you will if your kid can't handle the spice :)

  1. First I microwaves the bacon for two minutes, though I probably could have gone a little lower since I was cooking it again anyhow
  2. I filled a row of cheese on the bottom of the tortilla
  3. covered it with spinach
  4. place the two pieces of bacon on top
  5. added a little more cheese to hold it all in
  6. rolled up the tortilla (i usually put a tiny smidge of cheese in the last bit of the roll to "glue" it together
  7. Microwave for 45 seconds
  8. watch your son inhale it
Good stuff - I hope you bacon lovers enjoy :)

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Cholesterol Killer Peach & Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie




So I decided to try and perfect a cholesterol killer breakfast smoothie so I can get my key cholesterol fighting ingredients in it. It actually turned out pretty well but I am bound to redux it at some point. :)

  • 1 C ice
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1/2 C lite coconut milk
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 C frozen peaches
  • 1 C rolled oatmeal flakes
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 2 t low fat greek yogurt
  1. blend
  2. enjoy and share with your favorite 2 year old
 

Friday, September 7, 2012

Blueberry Kale Purple Smoothie


 Oh man - am I having fun with these colors. If I knew I could be drinking purple smoothies this week I would have been perfecting the color purple long before. Not only did this look beautiful, but tasted yummy - so yummy my 2 year old treasure decided to steal some and then needed his own glass which he slurped down and asked for more saying "mhmmm mhmmm mhmm"


  • 1 C lite soymilk
  • 1 C kale
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 C carrots
  • 1/2 C pineapple
  • 1/2 C frozen blueberries
  1. Blend
  2. Enjoy

The Kiwi Carrot Orange Smoothie

I am not going to lie - this has definitely been the best one thus far. I am dying for another one right about now...


  • 1/2 C ice
  • 1/2 C carrots
  • 1 frozen kiwi sliced
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 C lite coconut milk
  1. Blend
  2. Enjoy

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hoisined Tofu

One of my recipes that is an old standby of mine is Hoisined Tofu. Very very simple but something so wonderful about it.


  • tofu
  • evoo
  • hoisin sauce
  1. Sautee tofu slices in a few tablespoons of evoo
  2. Once tofu is browned serve with hoisin sauce lightly braised over the top
  3. Enjoy

Peach Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie


Today I put a peach twist on the pk smoothie and man was it a good choice. Enjoy my friends, enjoy!



  • 1/2 C cut pineapple
  • 1/2 C frozen peaches
  • 1C kale
  • 1/4 t raw agave nectar
  • 1/2 C ice
  • 1 C lite coconut milk

  1. Blend
  2. Enjoy

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie


 So, day two of smoothies and here we go. My sister had told me her favorite smoothies / juices were the pineapple kale ones, so I figured that I would give it a try today.


  • 1C cut pineapple
  • 2C kale (as much as you can fit in the top)
  • 1 cut and peeled kiwi
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 2C ice
  • 1C coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon peanut butter
  • 1t raw agave nectar
  1. Blend all
  2. Enjoy all

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie




OK. I found this recipe on Pinterest and was most excited to try it based on what everyone was saying about it. For the second smoothie meal on my smoothie diet I figured I would give it a try for lunch today. It was not as good as the blueberry oatmeal smoothie but it was pretty good and full of nutrients. I will surely be eating it again. I will say that I am so full I can't imagine eating for anytime soon.


  • frozen sliced bananas
  • 1T peanut butter
  • 1/2C greek lowfat yogurt
  • 1Cup sugarfree coconut milk
  • 4C baby spinach
  1. blend it
  2. eat it

Curried Beef Thai Crockpot Bowl






So, my sweet boys love their meat. But their mommy/wifey is a vegetarian. To be honest I have been trying to get off the veggies this past year, but I have really struggled with that. The most I can force myself on is Tilapia and only if my husband blackens it and I eat it really fast without thinking. I cook meat for my family on occasion but they are sadly getting most of their protein from beans, tofu, and eating out. What I will often do is cook a version of something for me without me and one for them with meat, but honestly I am not doing this enough. So I figured that tonight (when I am drinking my meals) would be a good time to try something new and fun for them. So here goes...


  • 1/2 bag egg noodles
  • 1 lb ground round 
  • 1/2 bag frozen japanese vegetables
  • 1/2 vidalia onion sliced
  • foo curry sauce
and then for the sauce


  • 1T Hoisin Sauce
  • 1/2t tumeric
  • 1t Raw Agave Nectar
  • 1t lemon juice
  • 2T peanut butter
  • 1T panang curry
  • 1/2t coriander
  • 1t curry
  • 2C water

  1. Pour noodles in crockpot
  2. Pour 2C water over them
  3. Place onions over noodles
  4. Place Vegetables over onions
  5. Place Meat over veggies
  6. Make Sauce
    1. put everything except for the water into a small bowl and blend until homogeneous
    2. slowly mix in the water until it is a saucey/soupy consistency
  7. Pour sauce over all in crockpot
  8. Pour 2C more of water over mixture allowing sauce to creep down
  9. Set on HIGH for 3-5 hours or until hot

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie


So, I am in a competitive weight loss competition with my bestie, and yes I need it can't you tell from my recipes? hehe. So if you are on a diet and that is why you are reading this - make sure when you are off the diet you come take a look at my yummy yummy nondiet recipes hehe.

This smoothie is an adaption on some recipes that I found online. Having cholesterol problems I am always looking for ways to get more oatmeal in to my diet. I was skeptical on what a smoothie with oatmeal would taste like, but let me tell you - this was awesome. I can't wait to try it again!


  • 1 C ice
  • 1/2 C frozen blueberries
  • 3T lowfat greek yogurt
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 C old fashion rolled oats
  • 1t raw agave nectar
  • 1C water
  1. Insert into fancy blender
  2. Blend
  3. Pour and enjoy

Makes 1 big serving

Saturday, September 1, 2012

The Non-Cookie Dough Balls



So, when I saw this on Pinterest I was not sure what to expect. I didn't exactly have all the same items so I had to modify it a bit of course. But I was so happy with the end result I can't wait to make it again. Now let me make a disclaimer - this doesn't exactly taste like cookie dough. It tastes quite a bit like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. But when I said nanacream tastes exactly like ice cream i meant it. This doesn't taste exactly like cookie dough, but pretty darn close. Enough that it was yummy enough to try again.


  • 1 cup oatmeal flakes
  • 2/3 cup raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup raw pistachios 
  • .25 t cinnamin
  • quick shake of salt
  • .25 cup raw agave nectar
  • 2t vanilla
  • 3T dark chocolate chips

  1. add the nuts, flakes, spices to a food processor and grind until it is a powder
  2. combine the nectar and vanilla and continue to process to mix well
  3. fold in the chips
  4. roll little balls of dough and place in a glass baking dish into the freezer for 1 hour
  5. take out and serve

Indian Quinoa Delight

My sister had thrown me some recipes and I modified this one to our taste and what we had in the cabinet. It actually turned out tasting pretty good, considering - and super duper healthy and flavorful. Enjoy!


  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cans vegetable broth
  • 3 chopped plum tomatoes
  • 1 package frozen spinach defrosted and drained
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2T lemon juice
  • 1t sweetener (whatever you like, sugar/splenda/raw agave nectar/honey/?)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1T curry spice
  • 1t mustard seed
  • .5 t cumin
  • .5 t coriander
  • any other spicy yummy spices you have (i threw in some berbere)
  1. throw everything in a slow cooker
  2. cook on high 3/4 hours (lentils should be soft and it should become creamier)
  3. enjoy - i found it made way too much even though we had leftovers for days we still ended up throwing some out

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...