Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Saturday, November 18, 2017

German Pancakes

We've had German pancakes just a handful of times at family breakfasts when we used to live in Utah, and thought they were fantastic. Jeff's sister-in-law raved about how simple they were to make and how much her kids loved them. For some reason we didn't try making them ourselves until just a few weeks ago...and we are hooked! They literally take 3 minutes to put together and 20 minutes to bake in the oven. And there's no butter or sugar...so its a basic foundation that you can serve with whatever fits your fancy. We like to top ours with blueberries, strawberries, sautéed apples with cinnamon, sliced almonds, maple syrup or applesauce. This recipe makes one 9x13 pan and if we must confess...the four of us can eat it all in one sitting. We'll give the kids most of the credit for that one. 


Ingredients:
  • 6 large eggs 
  • 1 cup [whole wheat or white] flour 
  • 1 cup low-fat milk (we use 1%) 
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • non-stick cooking spray or oil to coat pan 
  • Toppings: blueberries, strawberries, sautéed apples with cinnamon, sliced almonds, maple syrup or applesauce

Directions:



  • Preheat oven to 400°. Place first four ingredients in a blender; process just until smooth.
  • Pour batter into greased 9x13 baking dish 
  • Bake uncovered until puffy and golden brown, about 20 minutes 
  • Remove from oven, serve hot with toppings of choice

    • Friday, November 10, 2017

      Pumpkin Baked French Toast

      If you're a fan of pumpkin, then you need to make this French toast bake before the season is over! Or just make it year round because it's that good. I found this recipe from the minimalist baker, who is one of my favorite resources for simple, wholesome recipes. This is our fun weekend brunch dish and is super easy to prepare. You put it together the night before, pop it in the oven in the morning and wait for your house to fill with the aroma of pumpkin goodness. 


      Ingredients
      • 5 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups (~225 g) 1-inch bread cubes (depending on type of bread)*
      • 7 large eggs
      • 2 cups (480 ml) milk (any kind)*
      • 1 tsp vanilla extract
      • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
      • 1/4 cup (87 g) pumpkin butter (or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree)*
      • 3-4 Tbsp (41-55 g) brown sugar for topping
      • optional: Nuts, like pecan or walnuts
      Instructions
      1. Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes - I recommend a crusty, whole grain variety, but sandwich bread will work, too. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish quite full.
      2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin butter and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it's all soaked and mostly covered. Cover with saran wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight.
      3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C), uncover and top with brown sugar, additional pumpkin pie spice and nuts (optional). Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.
      4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for up to a couple days.
      Notes
      *For the bread cubes, just use as much bread as it takes to fill the bottom of your dish generously, plus up about 1 to 1.5 inches. If you've added too much to soak up the liquid, just remove some. And if it looks too wet, add some more bread.
      *I used 2%, but use skim or low-fat for a lighter recipe. Alternatively, use non-dairy such as soy or almond.
      *I HIGHLY recommend using pumpkin butter, as it has a concentrated pumpkin flavor and is much sweeter than puree. But if using puree instead of butter, it's important to compensate the flavor by adding a bit more puree, pumpkin pie spice, and a little agave nectar, brown sugar or maple syrup to the batter. Otherwise, it will lack that delicious fall, pumpkin flavor you're going for.

      Quinoa Vegetable Soup

      I love the colder months just because it means I can make soup. This is one of my favorites, can be modified to include whatever vegetables you like most, or whatever you have on hand (this is a nice way to use up some produce you have left in your fridge). This recipe calls for white or garbanzo beans, but when I didn't have those on hand I used chicken and it was a great substitute. To make this dish even easier, pour everything into your crockpot, let it cook for a few hours and then enjoy! Just make sure to sauté the vegetables before putting them into the crockpot so they are thoroughly cooked.


         
      Ingredients

      3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      1 medium onion, chopped
      3 carrots, peeled and chopped
      1-2 cups seasonal vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, sweet potatoes, butternut squash)
      6 garlic cloves
      1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, drained
      1 cup quinoa
      4 cups vegetable broth
      2 cups water
      1 can
      1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
      pepper (to taste) great northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
      1 cup or more fresh kale or spinach with tough ribs removed

      Instructions


      Monday, October 23, 2017

      Chicken Skillet with Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Brussels Sprouts

      This has turned into one of my favorite dishes. It is such a good mesh of flavors and is filling without making you feel heavy.  A big batch makes a great dinner and [possibly] even better leftovers. 



      Ingredients: 

      1 tablespoon olive oil
      1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
      4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
      3 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (about 3/4 pound)
      2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 8 ounces)
      1 medium onion, chopped
      2 apples (I've used Granny Smith and Gala), peeled, cored and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
      salt and pepper to taste
      1/2 teaspoon black pepper

          Directions:





          1. Cook the bacon in large nonstick pan to desire crispness, set aside. Drain excess oil from pan
          2. Add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes (make sure internal heat reaches 165 degrees). Transfer to cutting board, dice into 1/2 inch cubes. 
          3. Reduce skillet heat to medium high. Add Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and the onions are beginning to look translucent, about 10 minutes.
          4. Stir in the apples. Cook until apples tender (about 1-2 minutes). Stir in reserved chicken and bacon. 
          5. Serve warm and enjoy!

          *Notes: 
          1. It is heartier to use chicken, but I have made it without and it is still a great dish. You can use either chicken or bacon for a heartier meal, or omit both to make this dish a side. 
          2. For a Whole30 breakfast, just make this dish and add a fried egg!

          • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (the bacon will soften somewhat, but the meal is still yummy). Reheat gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock to keep it from drying out.

          Original recipe found here.

          Saturday, October 14, 2017

          Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

          This is a lighter version of a traditional lasagna dish, and everyone in our family loves it. Spaghetti squash replaces the usual lasagna noodles, and is layered with ricotta cheese, mozzarella and marinara sauce.


          Ingredients:

          2 cups marinara sauce
          3 cups roasted spaghetti squash*
          1 cup part-skim ricotta
          6 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded

          *For directions on how to roast spaghetti squash, click here 

          Directions:

          1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
          2. Ladle 1 cup marinara sauce on bottom of dish
          3. Top with 2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash, spreading evenly
          4. Top with 1 cup ricotta, remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese
          5. Cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes (until cheese is melted and edges begin to bubble).
          6. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!


          Original recipe found here 

          Notes:
          1. I usually double this recipe to make a large batch. Everyone gobbles the dish up (especially our toddler) so it's nice to have a lot, and then some for leftovers. I will usually just use an entire spaghetti squash to fill a 9x13 pan (and if the squash is big enough, I'll have enough for an 8x8 pan in addition). I eyeball the amount of sauce and cheese as I layer the ingredients in the pan. That's the beauty of this recipe; it is not exact at all, so it's flexible with amounts used. Pretty hard to mess up, which is a big perk of this meal. Delicious, yet easy. 
          2. This dish makes great leftovers, and freezes well for a meal to use on busy days. 



          Friday, October 6, 2017

          Curried Coconut Chicken

          My mom sent me this recipe while I was in college years ago, and I've made a few modifications to the original recipe that has made it one of our favorites, especially during the cold weather months. And best of all, it is the perfect dish to make in the crockpot so it takes hardly any work to make!



          Ingredients:

          About 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (can be fresh or frozen)
           1 (14.5 oz) can stewed, diced tomatoes
          1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
          1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
          3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 chunks
          1/2 onion, diced
          2 cloves garlic, minced
          2 TBS curry powder
          1 teaspoon salt + pepper, or to taste
          1-2 cups dry rice (I love using jasmine rice since it adds richness and really lovely aroma to the dish, but you can also use brown or white rice)


          Directions:

          1. Saute the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until onions translucent and garlic is fragrant
          2. Put all other ingredients into crockpot, stir together so everything is well incorporated
          3. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours.
          4. Toward the end of cooking time, prepare your rice in whatever quantity needed to match the amount of curry you made
          5. When chicken is tender, shred with two forks and mix. Add additional curry powder or salt/pepper as desired.

          *Note: I usually double this recipe so I can have leftovers and/or freeze a few servings for a quick meal! I like the "cook once, eat twice" philosophy when I make meals. It's always nice to make a little more for a ready-to-go homemade meal when you're in a pinch (or when you just don't feel like cooking)

          Original recipe found here 

          Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower

          Roasted veggies make a great side for meals and are super easy. Two of my favorites are sweet potatoes and cauliflower. The kids are huge fans and eat them up so fast. Other yummy choices are broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots and other root vegetables. 


          Ingredients:

          1 head cauliflower
          4-5 large sweet potatoes
          2 TBS melted coconut oil
          2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)

          Directions:

          1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
          2. Scrub potatoes with veggies brush (or peel if you don't have one)
          3. Chop into large chunks or quarters
          4. Wash and cut cauliflower into florets
          5. Toss each in 1 TBS melted coconut oil until lightly coated
          6. Spread onto baking sheets
          7. Sprinkle with sea salt
          8. Bake for 20-50 minutes or until slightly browned and tender, flipping halfway through



          BBQ Chicken Sandwich

          When you need a really simple, easy meal this is a nice go-to. I turn to the trusty slow cooker for some BBQ chicken that comes together without any work and put it into a sandwich (or a salad if you want something lighter). Literally two ingredients for the chicken, and you can put whatever toppings with it that fit your fancy.



          Ingredients:

          About 2 lbs fresh or frozen chicken breasts
          1 18 oz [ish] bottle of BBQ sauce
          Bun
          Toppings: cabbage, cilantro, pickles, banana peppers, cheese, etc.


          Directions:
          1. Put chicken into slow cooker.
          2. Cover with BBQ
          3. Cook on high 3-4 hours, low 4-6 hours (may need to adjust depending on if chicken is fresh or frozen)
          4. Shred with fork after cooking time (should be tender and come apart really easily), let sit on low setting or keep warm to soak up the juices until ready to serve.

          *If chicken was fresh to begin with, you can put cooked BBQ chicken in a freezer bag and save for a quick meal for later! Super convenient and nice to do since this makes a large amount all at once.

          Chicken Tortilla Soup

          This is a lightened version of the traditional tortilla soup from a reliable source, the whole30recipes instagram account. I love following them; they have a guest blogger each week who share tons of awesome recipes that give me a needed boost in meal planning and ideas to mix things up. The original recipe can be found at https://therealfoodrds.com/chicken-tortilla-less-soup/


          Serves about 8

          Ingredients:

          2.5 lbs chicken breasts
          2 TBS butter or ghee
          1 medium onion, diced 
          1 red bell pepper, diced 
          8 cloves garlic (I use the minced from a jar to save time)
          1-2 jalapeños (optional! Remove seeds for less heat)
          1 TBS + 1 tsp taco seasoning (or to your taste)
          1/2 tsp cumin
          1 tsp sea salt
          3-4 cups chicken broth 
          1 28-oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
          1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
          Juice of 1 lime

          Toppings: diced avocado, lime wedges, tortilla strips, sliced radishes or jicama, sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a lighter option) 

          Directions: 

          1. Place large pot over medium heat. Add butter.
          2. When butter is melted, place chicken on top in single layer. Cook 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
          3. Move chicken breasts to side (can stack them) and add onions, red bell pepper, jalapeños, taco seasoning, cumin and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes until onion and peppers start to soften. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. 
          4. Add 3 cups chicken broth [not the full 4 cups!] and crushed tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil, cover and reduce heat.
          5. Cook 20 minutes until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked all the way through (I used a cooking thermometer to make sure chicken reaches 165 degrees for food safety)
          6. Remove chicken to cutting board and shred/cut into small pieces. Return to pot, and add additional chicken broth until you get desired consistency. 
          7. Add cilantro and lime juice. 
          8 Serve with additional toppings 



          Quinoa Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

          I've tried a lot of "healthy" cookies but these are by far the best I've had. A sweet friend made them for us when we moved here to Pennsylvania and I needed the recipe! The original can be found here. These are the perfect soft, fluffy and satisfying cookie that doesn't leave you feeling heavy like a traditional cookie will. Best warm out of the oven, but they freeze really well too! Makes for the perfect on-the-go treat. 


          Yields 3-4 dozen cookies

          Ingredients:
          1 cup solid coconut oil, melted
          3/4 cup honey
          2 large eggs
          1 teaspoon vanilla extract
          2 cups white whole wheat flour
          1 teaspoon salt
          1 teaspoon baking soda
          2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
          1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (cooked only in water, not broth) – see note
          2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
          2 tablespoons chia seeds
          1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
          1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
          1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

          Directions: 
          1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, silpat liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
          2. In a large bowl, beat together the oil and honey with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the flour, salt and baking soda until just combined and a few streaks of dry flour remain. Add the oats, quinoa, flax, chia seeds, almonds, cherries or cranberries and chocolate chips and mix by hand gently (so the dough stays nice and fluffy) until the ingredients are pretty evenly mixed.
          3. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop the dough into 2-3 tablespoon-sized portions. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are browned but the insides are still nice and soft. If you want a thinner cookie (instead of puffy), flatten slightly before baking.

          Note: When measuring the cooked and cooled quinoa, don’t mash and compress it into the measuring cup. Spoon it into the cup and lightly press so it stays fluffy.

          Saturday, March 18, 2017

          Snack Ideas

          This is a list of my most used go-to snacks. They are all easy to prep (especially if you do all of your cutting/chopping in large quantities ahead of time) so you don't have to spend a lot of time to choose and make a wholesome snack on the go or at home.

          Go-to snacks + easy to prep:

          Lara Bars
          Chia Seed Pudding (recipe here)
          Energy bites (recipe here)
          Hard boiled eggs
          "Fresh" trail mix: nuts, dried fruit, grapes
          Apples + bananas and almond butter
          Terra vegetable chips
          Carrots + bell peppers and hummus
          Grapefruit
          Blueberry/Mango smoothie blended with almond milk
          Applesauce with walnuts, shredded unsweetened coconut and berries
          Dried mango (no sugar/not sweetened) with raw almonds and cashews
          Plain Greek yogurt (watch for added sugars) with berries + granola
          Cottage cheese + cantaloupe
          Sweet potato crackers

          Basically I try to stay away from as much processed packaged foods as possible because it is expensive, oftentimes not totally real food and you just feel so much better when you're putting real whole foods into your body during the day. Food is fuel and your body deserves the good stuff!

          Sunday, March 12, 2017

          Favorite Whole30 Staples

          This list includes a few of the items we used a lot during our Whole30. Some things were favorites that helped us more fully enjoy such a strict eating regime, others we just ate a ton of and found it easier + more affordable to buy in large quantities.

          From Costco:
          Almond Butter
          Aidell's Chicken + Apple Sausage
          Almond Milk- Kirkland Signature unsweetened vanilla
          Eggs (5 dozen)
          Sweet Potatoes (depending on whether or not they were on sale at Sprouts)
          Russet potatoes
          Chia Seeds
          Frozen berries
          Mixed greens/spinach

          Wednesday, March 1, 2017

          Smoothie Bowls

          There is no one way to make a smoothie bowl, so get creative. Try different combinations of frozen fruits combined with almond milk, coconut milk, orange juice, etc and top with fresh fruits, cocao nibs (make sure it is truly pure cacao nibs without any sweetener to be whole30 compliant), unsweetened coconut, walnuts/almonds and anything else that fits your fancy. Pictured below is my go-to combination for smoothies. I happened to have raspberries on hand, but you can use kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries...you get the idea.



          Ingredients:

          Smoothie
          Handful of frozen mixed berries
          Handful of frozen banana chunks (I just buy a bunch of bananas and break them into chunks to freeze for smoothies)
          Unsweetened almond milk

          Toppings
          Raw almonds
          Banana slices
          Cocao nibs
          Raspberries
          Unsweetened shredded coconut
          Chia seeds

          I usually blend up my smoothie, pour it into a bowl and let it set up in the freezer for a few minutes so it's thick enough to eat with a spoon. Then top it with whatever you have on hand. Have fun experimenting with different combinations for the smoothie and toppings. It's a refreshing treat or a fun breakfast. 


          Southwestern Breakfast Bowl

          I rediscovered sweet potatoes (and potatoes in general) during our Whole30 last year and was reminded of how much I love them! They are super versatile and so delicious. To mix up breakfast dishes, I tried this southwestern breakfast bowl  and have incorporated it into our regular meal lineup. It's a great breakfast, but also makes a super easy and nutritious dinner as well. As with all recipes, I usually get the general idea of what ingredients to use but will swap things around or leave things out that I don't have or prefer. Think of it as a basic outline that you can tweak to make your own.



          Ingredients:
          1 medium potato
          1/2 a medium onion
          1 red pepper
          2 slices of bacon (sugar free for whole30) or 2 links Aidells apple + chicken sausage
          2 tbsp olive oil
          1 egg
          spices (below is a list of ideas to combine)1 tsp salt
          1 tsp paprika
          1 pinch of cayenne pepper
          1/2 tsp garlic powder
          1/2 tsp onion powder
          1/2 tsp chili powder
          1/2 tsp cumin

          freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
          optional: hot sauce
          Directions:
          1. Peel and chop your potato into bite size pieces. Saute in prepared pan for 15-20 on low-medium heat 
          2. While your potato cooking, chop up your onion, red pepper and sausage. 
          3. Add olive oil, onion, red pepper, and bacon into pan with potatoes. Fry until onions are golden and bacon is cooked (not crispy)
          4. Add spices/seasoning
          5. Mix everything in the pan well until potatoes begin to get golden, crispy edges.
          6. Put potatoes/veggies/meat into your bowl and set aside.
          7. In the same pan, crack your egg and let egg whites cook before flipping it to other side for a nice fried egg. Pierce the yolk if you like it firm, keep it intact if you like it runny. 
          8. Remove from pan and place on top of your breakfast bowl.
          9. Top with fresh cracked pepper (and hot sauce if you wish!)

          *I usually substitute bacon with Aidell's Apple and Chicken sausages. We would buy the big pack from Costco and loved adding them into dishes for a little more substance. They are really delicious in this dish, and just about anything else too. 

          Egg Bake

          I made this every week during our Whole30 and have continued to make one regularly. I buy the five dozen carton of eggs from Costco which is a crazy good deal and helps you feel less guilty for using up a lot of eggs at one time. This is a great way to mix up breakfast and get in some veggies (and use up whatever you have left in your fridge at the end of the week). It's perfect for a quick breakfast on the go. Just bake it at the beginning of the week (or whenever you want...) and cut it up into portions, stick it in the fridge and reheat whenever you need a healthy, filling breakfast. Check out the original post for more photos and tips on making this egg bake. 




          Ingredients:
          • Five generous servings of vegetables -- diced (I like onion, pepper, spinach, zucchini and broccoli)
          • Two links of Aidells Chicken Apple Sausage* -- cut into thin, round slices
          • Ten large eggs
          • 4 tablespoons of ghee/butter or olive oil
          • salt and pepper to taste

          **Directions:
          1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
          2. Dice all vegetables into small pieces -- thoroughly thaw and strain all frozen vegetables
          3. Coat the bottom of a 9×12 clear glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon ghee/butter or olive oil 
          4. Prepare pan with ghee/butter or olive oil
          5. Sautee vegetables for 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste
          6. Add chicken apple sausage and sauté for 5 minutes

          7. In a large bowl, crack and beat the 10 eggs.
          8. Add sautéed vegetables to raw eggs and stir to combine.
          9. Pour egg/vegetable mixture into greased baking dish.
          10. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until casserole turns golden on the edges.
          *Make sure you use the big links of Aidells chicken apple sausage -- the smaller ones are not Whole30 compliant!
          ** I would just sauté all of the vegetables in a pan until they were tender, mix them with the eggs and pour into the 9x13 pan. Also, I diced the sausage into smaller quarters so there was a better chance of getting more in each little egg bake square ;) 

          Original recipe found here. 

          Zesty Chicken Bites

          I love these Zesty Chicken Bites from Lexi's Clean Kitchen. I would make a big batch (double or even triple) to save time. If I'm going to make something, I like making a lot of it and having some for a meal that same day, having some for leftovers throughout the week and freezing some for a quick meal when I need it.

          These are like a fancy, much tastier and wholesome version of a chicken nugget. They go with everything. I had them with sweet potato wedges, tossed in a salad, or on their own with a yummy dipping sauce. 




          Ingredients:


          Instructions:



        • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil- spray the foil (or grease with oil of choice)
        • In a bowl, combine almond meal and all spices
        • In a separate bowl crack 1 egg and add 1/4 tsp water- whisk together well
        • Cut chicken into bite size pieces
        • Drop the chicken pieces into the egg and mix until fully covered
        • Transfer chicken pieces to the spice mixture, coat evenly and place on baking sheet; repeat until all are coated
        • Bake for 12-15 minutes then flip chicken bites over and cook for another 10-12 minutes until golden and crispy
        • Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce (I like homemade tomato sauce)
        • Recipe Notes



        • -Depending on how many chicken pieces you use, you may need to double the spice mixture.
        • -Serving depends on how small or large you make the bites. Mine made about 25-30 chicken bites.
        • *Leave out parmesan cheese for fully dairy-free


        • Original recipe found here.