Minestrone Soup

After a very long hiatus, I've decided to start blogging my food adventures again. It may not be every week but at least when I make something that stands out to me, I'll post it here. Yesterday I made minestrone soup for our community group with church. People asked for the recipe which inspired me to just post it. Enjoy! (PS, it was even better the next day!)

Minestrone Soup, serves 6 as a main dish (with some good sourdough bread on the side!)

1½ cups dried great northern beans, soaked at least 4 hours
2 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
6 carrots, sliced or diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch chard, leaves separated from stems and chopped 
3 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
½ tsp dried rosemary
5 cups chicken broth
5 cups water
1 oz piece of parmesan rind
 kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place soaked beans in large soup pot, cover well with water and boil until tender, about 1 hour. Drain beans and set aside. Rinse soup pot and return to stove. Add oil and heat through. Saute onion, carrots, celery and chard stems only about 10 mins or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add tomatoes with juice, rosemary, broth and water. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender, about 30 mins. Add parmesan rind, chard leaves, reserved beans and salt and pepper to taste and cook another 10 minutes or until chard is soft. Mash up some of the beans on the bottom with a potato masher or immersion blender. Stir well, taste for seasoning, and serve with some crusty sourdough bread.

(You can add bacon, potatoes and/or zucchini to this soup as well. Add bacon first, then use a slotted spoon to take it out after it's crispy and reserve until the end. Add potatoes w/the carrots and onion and add zucchini with the chard leaves).

Week 52!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and was able to spend some time reflecting on the amazing, miraculously true story that we celebrate in Christmas.

One whole year done!! Even though each week has not been a full meal plan, I feel pretty great about completing a whole year of blogging. Here is the last week of the year!

Moroccan Winter Squash Quinoa (from Epicurious.com)
Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Pinch of saffron (I did not use this)
• 1 cup water
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 butternut squash (or similar), peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, scrubbed well and sliced thick

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

Rinse quinoa well in fine mesh colander or sieve and drain. Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Sauté until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir half of cilantro and half of mint into stew. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over. 

Braised Maple-Bourbon Pork with Beans (in the slow cooker, adapted from Williams-Sonoma), this makes enough for a crowd, 8-10 servings. Feel free to half the recipe if that is more appropriate for you :)

2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 pieces

kosher salt and cracked pepper

1 Tbs grapeseed or olive oil

2 lb keilbasa (2 large links), each cut into 3 pieces

3 yellow onions, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 Tbs minced garlic

3 Tbs tomato paste

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup bourbon

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 lbs dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 cups chicken broth

4 oz bacon, diced

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1 tsp chopped fresh sage

2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Season pork lightly with salt and pepper. Warm oil in dutch oven over med-high heat and brown pork. Transfer to slow cooker and in same dutch oven brown sausages. Transfer to slow cooker and cook onions and celery in same dutch oven over med heat. Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. Cook one minute. Add bourbon and cook another min. Add all to slow cooker.

Into slow cooker, add tomatoes, beans, maple syrup and broth. Nestle pork into bean mixture and arrange sausages around pork. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, upto 10 hours. Skim off fat and discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. 

In large saute pan or cast iron skillet over med-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Pour off all but 1 Tbs fat (reserve rendered bacon fat for another use) and add bread crumbs and sage to pan. Cook 4 mins, stirring. Stir in parsley and bacon. Sprinkle over pork mixture. If your slow cooker insert allows, you can finish the dish in a 400 F oven for about 5 mins.

Spice Roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables, serves 4
2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
2 lbs mixed root veggies of choice (carrots, parsnips, etc), cut into 3" pieces
2 Tbs EVOO
Kosher salt and cracked pepper
4 small chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks, so 8 total)
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 425F. Toss veggies with oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper on large sheet pan or baking sheet.

Season chicken with paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Place chicken on sheet pan and roast about 30 mins, until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Peppermint Crunch Bark (adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour) Need to do something with those Christmas candy canes? Try this!

16 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 tsp peppermint extract

12 oz white chocolate (with cocoa butter), chopped

1/4 to 1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy (or candy canes)

Melt dark chocolate over double boiler (I jut use a large glass bowl set over a pot with about an inch of simmering water in the bottom). Stir in the peppermint extract. Spread into an 8 x 12" oval/rectangle on parchment paper (should be about 1/8" thick). Allow to set but not harden completely (I ended up putting the parchment paper in the fridge for about 3-4 mins to set up better. Move it on the backside of a sheet pan).

Melt white chocolate in same manner (in a clean bowl). Mix with half of the crushed peppermint candy. Spread this over the dark chocolate and then sprinkle the rest of the peppermint candy on top, pressing in lightly with your fingers to adhere. Allow to cool until hardened (again I put in the fridge for this). Cut with large, sharp chef's knife into shards or chunks.

Week 29

This week I've basically not meal planned at all. At least I made it this far before totally slacking! So, we've eaten a lot of things that were just thrown together and it was sort of good because I got the fridge and the pantry cleaned out a little. We had some really good fava bean tacos (just boiled the fresh beans, then put in sprouted grain tortillas and topped w/all the normal taco fixings like tomato, onion, cilantro, sour cream). I also made spaghetti and meatballs which lasted two nights. Tonight we're doing burgers and another raw beet/carrot salad. I have no idea yet for tomorrow and then on the weekend I'm finally making that middle eastern inspired grilled chicken that I posted a couple weeks ago. Summer just seems crazy around here and I've been flying by the seat of my pants a lot lately. Which isn't really good but we're still eating healthfully and I'm happy with that :)

Week 20

Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. We got a new camera and I haven't figured out the best setting for food yet.

Salmon and Couscous Salad with Snap Peas and Mint (adapted from Women's Day magazine) serves 2-3 adults plus 2 small kids

EVOO for sauteeing
1 lb skinless wild-caught salmon fillet
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup couscous
1 small orange, juice and zest
1 orange, peeled and chopped
1 cup snap peas, sliced crosswise
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 Tbs EVOO

Season salmon w/salt and pepper and saute in skillet until opaque throughout, a few mins per side. Transfer to plate and refrigerate. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff with fork and add orange juice, zest, chopped orange, snap peas, onion, parsley, mint and 1 Tbs EVOO. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Flake cooled salmon and gently toss with couscous mixture and serve.


Slow Cooker Chicken Marbella (from Women's Day magazine) serves 4
1/3 cup white wine
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 Tbs red wine vinegar, divided
kosher salt and pepper
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 Tbs capers
1/2 cup prunes
1/3 cup pitted green olives
2 1/2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and legs, skin removed
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
cooked rice, couscous or quinoa for serving

Whisk wine, brown sugar, oregano, 2 Tbs of the vinegar, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in large slow cooker. Add garlic, capers, prunes and olives and mix. Add chicken, cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until done. Gently stir in remaining Tbs of vinegar and parsley. Serve over rice, couscous or quinoa.

I'm serving this with a side of sauteed green beans (saute green beans in EVOO until tender-crisp, season w/salt and pepper and squeeze 1/2 lemon over. Super easy and yummy!)


Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad with Egg (adapted from Delicious Living magazine) serves 6
12 cups lettuce, washed and torn or chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, washed and diced
4 Tbs plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbs mayo
2 tsp mango chutney
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

In small bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, chutney, rice vinegar and curry and whisk. Season w/salt and pepper and thin with water to desired taste and consistency. Toss over salad ingredients and top with egg and bacon.

Black Bean Enchiladas (adapted from Delicious Living magazine) serves 4-5

2 Tbs EVOO
1 med onion, finely chopped, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (25 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount cooked dried beans)
1 tsp ground ancho chile powder
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 lb cooked ground beef
8 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
avocado, tomato, salsa, sour cream and/or pico de gallo for topping

Saute 1/2 cup onion. Stir in garlic. Add beans, ground chile and broth. Mash w/potato masher until smooth. Season to taste. Spread some of the bean mixture into bottom of 9x13" baking dish. Combine cooked beef with 1/2 of the cilantro. Spoon some bean mixture down warmed tortilla, place meat on top, and roll up. Place into baking dish, seam side down. Fill all tortillas but keep some bean sauce reserved. Pour remaining bean sauce over top. Sprinkle cheese over. Heat in 325 F oven for 5-10 mins or until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings. (You could easily make this vegetarian by omitting the beef).

I'm serving with a side of broccoli.

Coconut Shrimp with Black Bean and Mango Salad
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount cooked dried beans - make a big batch for the enchiladas and this recipe)
1 med mango, peeled and diced
3 scallions, sliced
3 Tbs chopped cilantro
3 Tbs bottled poppyseed dressing
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
20 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbs coconut oil
lime wedges for garnish

Mix together beans, mango, scallions, cilantro and salad dressing. Set aside. In small bowl mix bread crumbs, coconut and salt. Beat egg whites in separate small bowl. Dip each shrimp in egg white then dredge in bread crumbs. Heat large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add shrimp in single layer, cook 3 mins then turn shrimp and cook 2-3 mins more or until opaque in center. Remove to clean plate. Spoon bean salad onto serving plates and top with shrimp. Serve with lime wedges

Low Glycemic Cooking Class

I held my first ever cooking class last night. It was fun and I hope to make it a regular occurrence, possibly quarterly or every other month. Last night we did low-glycemic shrimp and goat cheese enchiladas with broccoli and black beans on the side. If you are following Dr Ray Strand's Healthy For Life program, this would be a Phase 2 meal (which means great for weight maintenance, but you wouldn't want the whole grain tortillas for Phase 1 if you are trying to lose weight).  I don't know how I completely forgot to take pictures as we went along! But here are the recipes at least.

Shrimp and Chipotle Enchiladas (6 servings)
3 leaks, white and light green parts, halved the long ways and then sliced into thin half-moons (about 2 cups total)
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz goat chese (chevre)
salt and pepper
EVOO for sauteeing
24 shrimp (26-30 per lb size), peeled and deveined
4-5 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 burrito sized tortillas (preferably whole grain or sprouted grain)

Blanch leaks in boiling water for one minute, immediately drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Wipe pan dry and return leaks to saucepan. Add 1 cup heavy cream and goat cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring, to melt cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Meanwhile, in large skillet, saute shrimp in EVOO about 30 seconds per side, just until pink. When cool enough to handle, remove tails and cut in half lengthwise along back. Set aside. Meanwhile, very finely chop chipotle chilies and strain into small saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups cream and heat over med-low heat, stirring, until slightly reduced. Assemble enchiladas by spooning a few tablespoons of leek/goat cheese mixture along center of tortilla. Add four shrimp halves. Roll up and place in greased baking dish. Top all enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350F for 10-15 mins or until heated through.

Broccoli with Onions and Olives (about 4 servings)
1 head broccoli, chopped into florets, stalks reserved for another use (broccoli soup or save for veggie stock)
1/2 onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can chopped or sliced olives
EVOO for sauteeing

Heat EVOO in skillet over med heat. Add onion and cook a few minutes to soften. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring. Add broccoli and the juice from the olives. Cover and simmer to tender-crisp. Remove cover, add olives, and saute until liquid is absorbed and broccoli is cooked to desired tenderness. Add salt and pepper to taste (probably not much salt is needed since the olive juice is salty).

Black Beans with Smoked Paprika (about 4 servings, these were a serious hit w/my two kids!)
1 cup dried black beans, rinsed and soaked 6-8 hours (or 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained)
small amount of finely chopped onions (maybe a few Tbs)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
EVOO
Salt and pepper
water if using dried beans

Heat a few Tbs EVOO in sauce pan or pressure cooker. Add onions and garlic and saute about a minute. Add cumin and smoked paprika and sautee, stirring, until fragrant, about another minute. Add soaked beans and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer until tender (probably an hour if using regular pot and about 5 mins if using a pressure cooker). If using canned beans, just add after sauteeing spices and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Rhubarb Fool (adapted from Bon Appetit) about 4 servings
1 lb fresh rhubarb, washed and ends trimmed
1/3 to 1/2 cup agave nectar
6 Tbs orange juice or lemon juice
2-3 Tbs Triple Sec or Grand Marnier or other orange liquor
1 pint Plain Greek yogurt sweetened w/several drops vanilla flavored liquid stevia

Combine rhubarb, agave, juice, and liquor in small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is very soft and has broken down. Remove from heat and let cool or chill in fridge until cool. In wine or martini glasses (or small clear dessert bowls), layer yogurt, rhubarb mixture, and top w/more yogurt. Serve immediately.

Week 14

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini and Chickpeas (Vegetarian)
From Epicurious.com


Slow Cooker Jambalaya (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook)
1 large onion, chopped
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
2 med celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped, cooked Andouille sausage
1 Tbs parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper sauce
hot cooked rice, for serving

Mix all ingredients except rice in 4 qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cool on low 7-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook)
2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1" pices
1 large onion, sliced
15 oz beef broth
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp caraway seed (or more, to taste. I like 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp pepper
-------------
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbs flour
1 med bell pepper, cut into strips
8 cups hot cooked wide noodles
butter and poppy seeds, optional

Mix all ingredients above line in 4 qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours until beef is very tender.

Mix water and flour and gradually stir into slow cooker. Stir in bell pepper. Cover and cook on high 30 mins longer. Serve over hot buttered noodles tossed w/poppy seeds.

Zesty Beef (salad one night, soup another)
From Recipe.com

Myka's Mac N Cheese (this recipe comes from my neighbor Myka who so graciously brought this dish to me after my daughter was born 4 years ago. We didn't know each other at all but that meal was the start of a wonderful friendship!)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (1 lb) package rigatoni pasta
24 oz shredded cheese (any mix you like, I like sharp cheddar), divided
5 Tbs A-1 or other steak sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F. Saute onion in large skillet with butter until translucent. Add diced tomatoes w/their juice. Bring to boil. Add steak sauce and simmer about 10 mins. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package, draining when al dente. Combine pasta, tomato mixture, and 2/3 of cheese. Pour into 9x13" baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 10 mins, reduce oven to 375 and continue baking about 20 mins or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Week 7

Cold Sesame Noodle Salad (This may end up being a lunch - serves 4)
For the sauce, mix the following ingredients:
3 Tbs toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs grated ginger
1 large clove garlic, pressed
Sriracha sauce (or similar) to taste - I put about a 1/4 teaspoon

Toss the following in large bowl with the sauce:
8 oz soba noodles (if you can't find soba noodles in the Asian section, you could use whole-wheat spaghetti), cooked according to package, drained and rinsed in cold water
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
4 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced
2 med carrots, grated
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped

Waiting for their crusts

Chicken Pot Pie (This pie only has a top crust which keeps the glycemic index lower)
3 lbs bone-in chicken (parts or whole)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
3 Tbs olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts, sliced into 1/2 moons. After slicing, place in bowl of water and swish to remove dirt, then drain in colander)
1 cup coarsely chopped cauliflower 
4 med carrots, thickly sliced
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
 1 homemade pie crust

Topped and ready to bake

Place chicken in large pot and add enough broth to cover (add water if the broth doesn't cover). Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 mins. Transfer to bowl and when cool, discard bones and shred meat. Reserve 2 1/2 cups broth and freeze the remaining broth for another use. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat oil in large pot over med-high heat. Add leeks, cauliflower, carrots, and 1/2 tsp salt and cook about 10 mins, until veggies begin to soften. Stir in flour and cook 1 min. Gradually stir in wine and the 2 1/2 cups reserved chicken broth; bring to boil. Add peas, parsley, tarragon, chicken, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Transfer mix to 2 qt baking dish (9" round or 8" square). Place the pie crust on top and cut vents in the top of crust. Or, place filling into individual serving bowls and top with individual pie crusts. Place dish or bowls on rimmed baking sheet and bake until top is golden brown, about 35-40 mins. If needed, protect the edge of the crust from over-browning w/a pie shield. Let rest about 15 mins before serving.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef (Serves 6)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar OR succanat OR coconut sugar
1 Tbs chopped chipotles in adobo plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 lb beef brisket
6 whole grain rolls for serving
coleslaw and pickles for serving (see below for coleslaw recipe)

In large slow cooker, combine all ingredients through pepper. Stir in onions and garlic. Cut beef crosswise into 3 pieces and add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours or until meat easily pulls apart. Shred beef w/two forks and stir back into the cooking liquid. Serve on rolls and top w/coleslaw and pickles.

Coleslaw:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup plain yogurt (I prefer full-fat)
1 Tbs agave nectar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbs white vinegar
1/2 Tbs dijon mustard
1/4 tsp either celery seed OR caraway seeds
1/4 tsp salt
a few turns of the pepper mill
2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
1 cup grated carrots

In large bowl mix everything through pepper. Add cabbage and carrots and stir well to combine. Chill well before serving (make this in the morning when you put your meat in the crock and you'll have homemade coleslaw to top your bbq beef sandwiches when you get home from work!)

Roasted Cipollini Onions and Tomatoes with White Beans (Vegetarian)
I'm getting some Cipollini onions in my produce box this week so I had to Google them to find out what they are. Sounds like they are delicious when roasted so I'm going to make this recipe I found from the Smitten Kitchen. It looks amazing!

Garlicky Shrimp and Spinach w/Ciabatta  (This fed 2 adults and 2 small children. If you want to feed 4 adults or bigger kids, I'd double. You will be able to use the loaf of ciabatta in both the cipollini recipe and this one.)
EVOO for sauteing + extra for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 red chile, thinly sliced (you can seed this for less heat or use red pepper flakes)
kosher salt and pepper
1 lb raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use wild-caught shrimp b/c farmed shrimp is usually fed an unnatural diet)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed, washed and drained
4 thick slices ciabatta bread

Heat EVOO in large skillet and saute the garlic, chile and 1/4 tsp salt and a few turns of cracked pepper. Add shrimp and cook 1 min. Flip shrimp, add wine and bring to boil. Add spinach and cook, tossing, until just beginning to wilt, about 1 min. Toast your ciabatta bread, drizzle w/EVOO and top w/shrimp and spinach.

Salmon w/Pineapple Rice (serves 4)
1 cup brown rice
8 oz pineapple chunks, drained
1-2 jalapenos, seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 pre-marinated salmon fillets (I like the wild Alaskan marinated salmon from Costco)

Cook rice according to package, fluff w/fork and fold in the pineapple, jalapeno and cilantro. Meanwhile, cook salmon in skillet or on grill according to package and serve atop rice and serve with a side salad or grilled veggies of choice.


Slow Cooker Pork & Black Bean Soup (serves 6)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs chopped chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 Tbs sauce
2 tsp ground cumin
1 lb dried black beans, sorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight
2 lb pork shoulder (you'll have to fish out the bones later or if you go w/boneless you only need 1 1/2 lbs)

Combine all ingredients in large (6 qt) slow cooker and cook on high about 8 hours or until beans are tender and pork pulls apart easily. Shred pork w/forks if needed, and use a potato masher or immersion blender to puree the soup to desired consistency (I like some beans still whole but a thick sauce). Season to taste w/salt and pepper and serve topped w/salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Week 6

Alfredo tossed w/Linguine

Chicken, Broccoli, and Bell Pepper Alfredo, serves 4
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or other chicken parts to equal the same amount
1 small/med bunch broccoli, chopped into florets and stalks peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
S & P to taste
EVOO for sauteeing chicken
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
pasta of choice

Sauce:
3 Tbs real butter (preferably from grass-fed cows or organic)
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
5 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/8 tsp sweet paprika

Cook pasta according to package, being sure not to over cook. During the last 5 mins of cooking, add the broccoli. Drain pasta and broccoli and keep warm.

Meanwhile, season chicken w/S & P and saute in EVOO and lemon juice until done but don't overcook. Remove chicken, chop into bite-sized chunks and set aside. In same skillet, saute the bell pepper and garlic to desired tenderness (I like my peppers still firm) and set aside.

Meanwhile, make sauce: melt butter in med saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth and then gradually whisk in milk until hot and smooth. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, stirring. Mix in salt, mustard powder and paprika.

Mix everything together, top with additional cracked pepper and grated parmesan and enjoy. Edit to add: this one is definitely another keeper! The whole family enjoyed it, including both kids :)

Buffalo Vegetable Soup, serves 4-6
(Adapted from a recipe by Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers; seems easy enough to do in a slow-cooker, too, if you wanted to - I would just brown the meat and then throw everything in the cooker)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 lb ground bison (I'm sure you could use ground grass-fed beef, too)
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 celery stalks, sliced
1 med onion, diced
1 Tbs black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cardamom
2 cups homemade bison (or beef) stock
2 cups water
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups chopped spinach

Heat half the oil in heavy stock pot over med-high heat. Add ground bison and brown. When mostly browned, add remaining oil and carrot, celery and onion. Saute until veggies are starting to soften. Add seasonings, stir and saute a minute or two longer. Add stock, water and tomatoes, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 mins. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Season to taste. Serve with a side salad and a hearty, crusty homemade bread if desired.

Now that I've made this, I must say that it is so, so delicious! The mix of spices and seasonings is different and really good. I did have to add more water towards the end because a lot had evaporated out. I presume this would not be needed if you made this in a slow cooker. Definitely make this one!!

Lasagna (Vegetarian, frozen from the last time I made lasagna, you can find the recipe in Week 2)

Red Beans and Rice (serves 4, adapted from The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook)
1 Tbs grapeseed or olive oil
2 stalks celery with leaves, diced
1 med red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 cup chicken stock + enough water to cover beans
6 oz Canadian bacon, cut into strips (be sure to use Canadian bacon, which is similar to ham, and preferably a natural, nitrate-free version. Alternatively, you can use ham hocks or shanks and boil them w/the beans then shave off the meat at the end)
5 Tbs chopped fresh parsley, some reserved for garnishing at the end
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce (I usually do 1/4 in the pot so it's not too spicy for the kids and then add more to mine when I serve it)
S & P to taste
cooked brown rice for serving

In 4-qt or larger saucepan, heat oil over med heat. Add celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 mins. Stir in beans, add stock and enough water to cover beans completely. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until beans are tender, probably about an hour. Once beans are tender, stir in Canadian bacon, most of the parsley, Worcestershire, and hot pepper sauce. Heat through and discard bay leaf. Serve over hot rice in shallow bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Week 3

I have a very good friend from high school coming to visit me this week! I am so excited to spend some time with her and show her around the Denver area. I am planning two slow cooker meals for the days I'm working, and a couple meals for while my friend is here, but I am not sure if we will end up eating out some, so we may not get to all these meals this week. The great thing is that I can buy frozen veggies and either buy my meat frozen or freeze it myself and if we don't end up making one of the meals this week, we can have it next week.

The other thing I am planning on doing is getting a dedicated freezer for the garage so we can purchase a side of 100% grass-fed beef. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while, and it's just finding a source that is taking so long! Really, there should be boundless sources out here in the west since I see cattle grazing all over. It's just figuring out how to get some and get it processed for a reasonable fee.

Okay, on to the recipes :)


Ginger-glazed Mahi Mahi (from Allrecipes.com) Serve with veggie(s) of choice and brown rice or quinoa

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
3. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings 
This is another recipe I'm going to try from A Year of Slow Cooking. Read through the ingredients and directions. I am ashamed to say that I have two cans of "cream of something" soup in my pantry, that have been there a very long time (ever since I've decided to cook w/less processed ingredients.) I just don't have it in me to throw them out, so I will use them for this recipe and then happily never buy them again! I love how Steph put a recipe to make your own "cream of something" right on her blog, so I can just do it that way next time :) I checked out Pamela's Baking Mix like she mentioned for the dumplings, but I ended up buying Bob's Red Mill Wheat-Free Biscuit and Baking Mix and will use the instructions for dumplings on their website.


Slow Cooker Burgundy Stew (from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), 8 servings

2 lbs boneless beef bottom or top round, cut into 1" pieces (or you can do what I did and get pre-cut stew meat from 100% grass-fed cows)
4 med carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (or 2 cups baby-cut carrots)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 med onions, sliced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz sliced mushrooms (the recipe calls for canned, but you can use fresh, and I like to quarter them)
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground mustard (dry)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
3 Tbs flour (the recipe calls for all-purpose, but I'm going to use whole wheat)

Mix all ingredients except water and flour in a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs or until veggies and beef are tender. Mix water and flour together and gradually stir into slow cooker, turn to high and cook about 10-15 mins or until slightly thickened.


Pasta with Swiss Chard and Cannelini Beans (vegetarian)

1 bunch swiss chard, washed thoroughly, leaves cut into 1" strips and stalks chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste (for me, about 4 cloves)
crushed red pepper flakes, again to taste
S & P to taste
1 can cannelini beans, drained (or you can cook up some dried ones)
Cooked pasta of choice

This is super easy. Heat the EVOO in a skillet, add the chard stalks, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft. Add the chard leaves and add a bit of the pasta cooking liquid, add beans, cover and cook about 1 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.


Indian Food Night (vegetarian)
I love Indian food. This meal will consist of two vegetarian Indian recipes, and you can serve with basmati rice or naan flatbread. I think I'm going to try this naan recipe and make it with whole wheat flour. It looks authentic at least :)

Curried Cauliflower with Potatoes and Peas Recipe
1 Tbs grapeseed or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbs minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 med head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In large skillet, heat oil and saute onions about 5 mins. Add potatoes, ginger, garlic, curry, and cumin. Saute about 2 mins until fragrant. Add water and salt. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to med, cover and cook 10 mins. Stir in cauliflower, cover and cook until tender, about 10 mins longer. Stir in frozen peas and cook uncovered until most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Lentil Dahl Recipe
Saute one sliced onion in about 4 Tbs butter. Add 1 Tbs curry powder and 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Saute until seeds start popping. Mix with cooked lentils (you can alternatively do this with canned garbanzo beans). Stir in a fresh chopped tomato. Add some lemon juice, fresh chopped cilantro and salt to taste.

Week 1

Happy New Year everyone! I will try to keep the "chit-chat" to a minimum each week and just post the menu and the recipes :) Enjoy!

Slow-cooker Herbed Turkey (or Chicken) Casserole (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook) 6 Servings

30 oz chicken stock (if I don't have any homemade on hand, I like to use the organic "Better than Bouillon")
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I really should just make this from scratch, too)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp pepper (or several good turns of the pepper mill)
1 lb turkey breast tenderloins, cut into 1" pieces (I'm using chicken since I have it on hand)
1 med onion, chopped
1 med carrot, sliced
1 med celery stalk, sliced
1 1/4 cups uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained.

In 3 1/2-6 qt slow cooker, combine stock, cream of chicken soup, marjoram and pepper, stir or whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on high for 30 mins. Turn to low and cook 6-7 hrs or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.


Slow-cooker Lentil and Canadian Bacon Soup (adapted from Betty Crocker's book, again) 8 Servings

16 oz dried lentils (2 1/4 cups) sorted and rinsed
30 oz vegetable or chicken stock
6 oz sliced Canadian bacon, coarsely chopped
3 med carrots, sliced to 1/2" pieces
1 med onion, chopped
1 med stalk celery, sliced to 1/2" pieces
4 cups water
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in large slow cooker, cover and cook on low 8-9 hrs. Stir well before serving.


Great Grandma's Squash and Beans (4-6 servings), vegetarian

EVOO (you'll see this a lot: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) for Sauteeing 
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 med onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans pinto beans, undrained
elbow macaroni, cooked to package directions
S & P (salt and pepper) to taste
Parmesan cheese

In large stock pot, saute the squash and onion in EVOO until beginning to soften. Add garlic and saute a min more. Add the beans w/their liquid. Simmer, covered, until squash is tender, usually about 20 mins, depending on how big you cut the pieces. Salt to taste. Ladel over hot cooked elbow macaroni, grate fresh Parmesan over the top and add cracked pepper to taste.


Chicken Enchiladas

1 recipe enchilada sauce from the Knitting Siren
Cooked chicken (breast or thighs are nice), shredded
large whole-grain flour tortillas (watch out for hydrogenated veg. oils)
grated cheese (I like pepper jack but cheddar or plain jack are fine, too, or you can go more authentic and use Mexican cheeses like queso blanco or asadero). 
Veggie like brocolli or cauliflower for serving, and/or a green side salad

This is not so much a recipe as a "just put it together". Make the enchilada sauce from my friend, Melanie's, site. It's the best. Really. Except I don't always add the sour cream. It's good both ways. Ladel some of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. I usually use a 9x12 and it makes enough for leftovers for our family of two adults, one preschooler and one baby. Heat the tortillas a bit to make them easier to manipulate (if they're cold they will usually tear as you try to fold or roll them). I do one at a time - heat tortilla, fill w/chicken, roll up, place in baking dish. Repeat until you have as many enchiladas as you want. Pour more enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle w/cheese, and bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, about 1/2 hr.


Stuffed Acorn Squash 8 servings (I'm halving this one), vegetarian

1 onion, diced finely
3 garlic cloves, diced finely
3 celery stalks, chopped
EVOO for sauteeing
3 cups cooked brown rice
12 oz extra firm tofu, cubed (be sure to buy tofu and other soy products organic to stay away from GMO soy)
S & P to taste
4 medium acorn squash

Saute onion and celery in EVOO. Add garlic. Add tofu and cooked rice. Season w/S & P. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and stuff w/rice mixture. Bake at 350 in covered glass dish about 45 mins or until squash is tender. To make it a bit easier to stand squash in dish, you can cut a little off the pointy end.