Butternut Squash Carrot Soup

Butternut Squash Carrot Soup 8

Another wonderful fall soup!  We ordered 25 pounds of carrots from our grocery co-op not long ago so we are making use of them.  Even with all our efforts, I am sure we will end up pickling quite a few--not a bad thing.

I played with this soup a bit.  I added an apple and cinnamon and nutmeg because I wanted my taste buds to shout, "Welcome Glorious Autumn!"  It worked.  You could easily use a pear in place of the apple. 

Just look at all the wonderful produce that goes into the pot!  Squash, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, sage, and apple!  I felt so good eating this!  My kids liked our "Halloween Soup" as well.  We were able to provide this as a meal to a friend doing her part to kick cancer's hiney, and we could feel good about it!  Served it garnished with freshly roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), a side of our go-to cornbread, and peach slices--a bit monochromatic but still yummy.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup  9

I've made this for a few years and really enjoy it around this time of year.  It is a hearty, healthy, and perfectly seasonal. 

I omit the shallot and just add a 1/2 cup more of chopped onion.  I used vegetable stock and wasn't disappointed.  You can omit the sherry if you choose not to cook with wines. I used white wine vinegar to taste in place of the Sherry vinegar.  It's pretty forgiving. Garnished with freshly roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds).

This does make a lot so we eat it for a few days.

Carol's Finnish Pea Soup with Apples

Carol's Finnish Pea Soup with Apples  Rating: 8

Another recipe from Anna Thomas' Love Soup.  This was simple tasting but not bland.  It had just the right amount of acidity to counter the natural sweetness of the peas and apple.  Feel free to use the full amount of cayenne, maybe more. Neal, historically is not a fan of peas but did fine with this recipe and it has two varieties!  It was a good soup and made for good leftovers during the week. 

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Whole Wheat English Muffins  Rating: 8

These were pretty good and filling. Neal made them and we'd do it again. Still, we continue to search for a recipe that will provide that sine qua non characteristic of nooks and crannies.


 

 

Fried Egg, Roasted Red Pepper, and Spinach Breakfast Sandwich  Rating: 8

 



This sandwich was a nice start for the day and and easy way to get veggies in before you even leave the house.  Initially, Keri sauteed the spinach with some minced garlic and that was really nice too. 

Alton Brown's Oatiest Oatmeal Cookies Ever

Alton Brown's Oatiest Oatmeal Cookies Ever  Rating: 7

There is something magical about the butter in this cookie.  This cookie has a perfectly light, crisp texture.  The taste is solid!  I used to be disappointed when I bit into a cookie and found raisins rather than chocolately goodness but I'm not like that anymore.  These were great.  Neal made them and he liked them the best but I ate them the most! 

Do not over bake these or the flavor is off and the raisins are too hard.  These are gluten-free if you are sure to buy oats that are not processed in a gluten contaminated facility.

Coconut Corn Salad

Coconut Corn Salad  Rating: 9

This was a slightly warmed, sweet concoction that made our taste buds sing!  Go ahead and give that lime a good squeeze as it adds a bright, wonderful, and welcomed contrast to the sweet ingredients.

Please do NOT substitute canned or frozen corn.  You deserve better. We used shredded coconut instead of flaked or shaved because that is what we had.  And though it is not mentioned, the coconut is UNsweetened and sometimes difficult to find in regular grocery stores.  They only seem to carry the sweetened version in the baking aisle.  We buy ours at an Indian market in large bags (use it in our Go-To Granola all the time).

It came together rather quickly and was best when served immediately.  Certainly enjoyed it as leftovers too but it was not the same.

Mama T's Puttanesca Sauce

Mama T's Puttanesca Sauce  Rating: 8

A lovely friend of ours, Cindy, follows our blogs and is such a gem, that she provided us with one of her favorite recipes.  Although puttanesca has a dirty meaning in Italian, the sauce really is delicious.  She even gave us one of her coveted cans of tomatoes as they are a special variety of canned tomatoes from a particular place in Italy.  She got them at World Market and noted they must have the D.O.P. on the label.  Well, we were intrigued and soon developed the courage to try her recipe which contained an ingredient we have hitherto shied away from--anchovies. 

We found anchovies for a decent price at Walmart Neighborhood Market of all places.  And Neal made the dish.  We used regular canned olives in place of the oil cured ones and also whole wheat pasta.

First of all, let me put your nerves at rest.  The anchovies disintegrated into the sauce quite quickly and did NOT taste fishy but lent a nice salty note to the sauce.  If you still think anchovies are nasty, then just know you've already eaten them if you've ever had the common Caesar's salad.  The tomatoes really were very good.  They are a step up from your average tomatoes in my book and I'm not just saying that because Cindy reads my blog (Hi Cindy!).

Mama T's Puttanesca Sauce

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 28-oz can San Marzano Tomatoes (Cento D.O.P. brand)
1/4 cup oil-cured black olives (chopped, but not too fine)
2 tablespoons brined capers
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 2-oz can (flat) anchovies (packed in oil and blotted with paper towels)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1 lb. spaghetti (cooked according to package directions)

Method:
In a bowl, squish the tomatoes with your hands, breaking them up as much as possible.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, butter, and 2 oz can of anchovies; break them up as they cook.  Add the garlic, and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, but do not allow to brown.

Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, and freshly ground black pepper.

Simmer the ingredients, and break up the tomatoes more as it cooks.

As the sauce comes together, about 20-25 minutes of simmering, finish with a handful of flat leaf parsley. 

Add in the cooked spaghetti and combine.  Serve.

Carmelized Squash Salad with Pistachios

Caramelized Squash Salad with Pistachios and Goat Cheese  Rating: 7

We had several baby butternut squash from our garden and after enjoying their cuteness for some time, it was time to massacre them and ingest them.  Look how cute and little!

I chose this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens October 2012 issue.  They have several squash recipes but this one looked easy and fresh.  I omitted the optional goat cheese only because I am trying to cut down on dairy and animal based foods in general. 

It was still a good salad.  Very mellow but not bland. I bought radicchio for the first time and was wary when I tasted this bitter lettuce on its own.  But when mixed in the salad, it was just right--a good contrast to the sweetness of the squash and the citrus of the dressing.  Still, we did not feel this salad was anything special.  Served it with cornbread because, well, I am admittedly on a cornbread kick.

I LOVE squash so you will probably see more recipes as the season progresses and even beyond since it stores so well.

Velvety Broccoli and Feta Pasta

Velvety Broccoli and Feta Pasta  Rating: 6

So this was okay but nothing special.  My kids are okay with broccoli but the whole wheat noodles were a great vehicle to get more broccoli than usual in them.  It wasn't overly "velvety" but I could have used a bit more olive oil to help achieve that, I think.  We love feta but this was "ho-hum" so thus the 6.  Won't make it again but it was fun to try.

Sausage and Peppers

Sausage and Peppers  Rating: 7

This was a decent slow cooker recipe for a hectic day.  I threw this together and froze two dinners worth for such a time. 

We served it over whole wheat pasta since I hadn't made rolls.. It would have gotten a higher score, but as with most slow cooker recipes, the meat was cooked to oblivion and a senior citizen withOUT their dentures could have easily masticated this.  Flavor was good.

Green Soup with Mushrooms

Green Soup with Mushrooms  Rating: 6

I got this recipe from Anna Thomas' Love Soup, when I checked it out of our local library.  I am always looking for different ways to get those leafy greens into my family and I.  Provided is an online version I hunted down. 

We substituted kale for chard, a medium potato for the rice, and omitted the cayenne.  We drizzled it with olive oil as suggested and served it along with corn bread and honey. 

I thought it was a hideous color and my husband concurred when he compared it to a baby's diaper.  That said, it was okay to good.  Neal had texture issues with it but I did not.  My kids called it "Alien Soup" and took it in for dinner and lunch at school the next day.  I felt happy to get all those nutrients in and I do mean WOW with the amount of greens it packed in.  I'm always giddy when I get to use my immersion blender but was not in love with this "Love Soup."

Make Your Own Baking Powder

So, we ran out of baking powder and I promised myself I would not buy more until I made the trip to a particular Walmart that carries Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder.  Some people prefer not to use baking powder with aluminum because they believe it gives food a vaguely metallic taste, and because of speculations on the connection between aluminum intake and diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.  I just don't want it in there because, as far as I know, I don't need aluminum to function (i.e., copper). 

I needed more baking powder before I was going to make that trip out to that store so I looked it up and guess what?!  Yep, you can easily make an aluminum-free baking powder at home with items I have in my pantry.  There are suggested ratios on the Internet but they all contain cream of tartar (which I have on hand for making play dough) and baking soda.  That's all you need if you plan to use it right away.  If you want some in the pantry, and I do, then most add corn starch or arrowroot powder.

Homemade Baking Powder

Happy baking!

Curried Tofu Salad

Curried Tofu Salad  Rating: 7

This could so be an 8 but I didn't add any mango chutney or walnuts this go around.  Did add a light drizzle of honey to the sauce in place of the chutney, black instead of red grapes, and full fat mayo in place of low fat mayo.  Quick and easy.  Served it on whole grain toast with a side of kale chips.  Fairly well received by my kids. I actually liked this better than some chicken versions of the same salad.

Falafel Waffles

Falafel Waffles  Rating: 8

This is fun and healthier spin on falafel, a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas that is typically deep fried.  Now mine looks a bit intimidating because, for the life of me, I cannot limit myself to the called for amount of herbs and I double if not triple it.

 I go ahead and soak dried chickpeas because I feel the canned would be mush.  But in a pinch, I may go there.  Just haven't yet.  It's fun to use the waffle iron and I think a regular iron rather than a Belgium waffle iron would likely give the best results.

We served it with a big Greek salad and a dollop of homemade tzatziki or raita sauce (Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and herbs).  Pictured above is leftovers.  A quarter of a waffle is filling enough if accompanied by the salad or fresh cut veggies but we usually use 1/2 a waffle for dinner.  Have fun.

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells  Rating: 8

Here's another easy vegetarian meal.  We used panko bread crumbs with Italian seasoning mixed in and the sauce is Neal's veggie packed spaghetti sauce.  Filling meal.  We've had this at least 3 times and like it.  My mother-in-law left some on her plate and did not comment on the meal so I don't think it is as well received by steak and potato people.  I would be interested to see what variations there are out there for this meal.  Pictured are leftovers.  Served this for dinner with a big green salad.

Tofu Peanut Butter Pie

Tofu Peanut Butter Pie  Rating: 10

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

This was great!  thick, creamy, sweet, smooth, crunchy--it was great.  I served this up with only a couple of hours of chilling and it didn't hold together.  But the next day it was set just right. 

Topped it with crushed pretzels and a dark chocolate drizzle and served it in a chocolate graham cracker crust--a total cheat and worth it.  I used a 14 oz. block of soft tofu instead of a 16 oz. one because that is what I had and I reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup of demerara sugar.  I'd even reduce it more next time if I used the same brand of natural peanut butter because it runs sweet for my taste.  No body knew there was tofu in it, not that I hid that fact from them.

UPDATE (9/13/12): We've made this once again.  We used a touch less PB, maybe 3/4 cup and still about 2/3 cup demerara sugar and it was still sweet and creamy enough for us.  And this is what it looked like before we ate it!

Fresh Cranberry Orange Scones

Fresh Cranberry Orange Scones  Rating:7

What's an English Tea without freshly baked scones?  Well, I wouldn't have a clue, honestly.  But these made a nice meal with spinach scrambled eggs on the side.  They were fine plain and best out of the oven.  Not amazing but okay to good.  I think I'll keep looking for a similar recipe.  They were sweet but needed a bolder cranberry orange pop in my opinion.

Golden Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Golden Veggie Shepherd's Pie  Rating: 8

This was another nod to the London Games but meatless.  And it's approved by Britons.  I got it off the BBC for goodness sake!  We liked it and it was well received by kids.  Good flavor, quite comforting. It freezes well which is great because it makes gobs!  We got two meals out of this dish and froze another 3 meals worth.  If you are in the United States like us, you'll need to convert.

Oven-Fried Fish and Chips

Oven-Fried Fish and Chips  Rating: 8

It is a rarity for us to cook fish.  This may be the third time in 10 years of marriage.  We actually liked it this time.  We did this during the Olympic games in honor of the host country, Great Britain.  It was good and I even served it up with malt vinegar. 

It's made with corn flakes which we don't consider a "real" food, but it gave it that texture we were hoping for without frying.  We used frozen cod. Served it up with Blue Cheese Cole Slaw.

Barley, Corn and Haricot Vert Salad

Barley, Corn and Haricot Vert Salad  Rating: 6

Don't be intimidated. Haricot Vert is just skinny green beans.  Although we enjoyed the freshness of the veggies it was pretty disappointing.  This combination did little to tantalize.

Ratatouille Tart

Ratatouille Tart  Rating: 5

I know a used mozzarella cheese in place of feta but this tart was sadly underwhelming.  Yawn.  The kids like pizza and this was very close to that idea and they barely touched it.  Thank goodness for the grapes.  Still, used up the puff pastry in the freezer.

Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins

Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins  Rating: 8

These were good and also did good in the freezer.  I really enjoy the crunch the millet offers.  The batter is really thick but the muffins come out fine.  Enjoy!

Peanut Stew

Peanut Stew  Rating: 7

This was one of my freezer/slow cooker meals I made along with 11 others on a marathon meal making day.  It was good.  Kids ate it up. Lots of nutritious things in there but then there's the debate that long exposure to high temperatures thwarts that.  Still the convenience of the slow cooker wins out some days.

She doesn't give measurements for the spices so I'll definitely be a little more heavy handed with the cayenne next time.  Just to warn you, the house will smell strong while the cabbage cooks down but the taste doesn't overwhelm the dish at all. We were just shy of a cup of peanut butter and it was plenty for us. 

You will have leftovers for sure because it makes a ton.  We have two adults and two toddlers and we could probably feed ourselves 3 times on this one pot alone.  Guess what's for lunch tomorrow?!

Brown Rice Breakfast

Brown Rice Breakfast  Rating: 8

No picture because every time I make this it is morning, the kids want to be fed, and I am looking at this bowl of yumminess thinking, "that looks so comforting" and the picture idea flies out the window.  Having said that, this recipe is easy, delicious, a great way to use up leftover brown rice, and a terrific whole grain option for breakfast besides our usual oatmeal.  If you don't like oatmeal because it's too gloppy for you, then this is a good place to start.

I use less than half of the sweetener called for and am happy.  I use almond milk rather than soy. I have used both almonds and walnuts with great results but prefer the harder crunch of the almonds.  Very filling, so stick with the portions suggested for the most part.

Purple Fantastic Tofu Pops

Purple Fantastic Tofu Pops  Rating: 8

This recipe came from Anni Daulter's Ice Pop Joy and we could not find a like recipe online to link to so see if your local library has her book.  Ours did!

It is a blend of fresh and dried fruit, soft or silken tofu, and natural sweetener.  I used canned pears instead of steaming fresh ones and I used honey in place of the other called for sweetener and reduced it by a tablespoon.  It was still plenty sweet and made beautiful purple pops.  They were sort of icy and sort of creamy and it didn't taste odd at all.  Kids and adults ate these up happily.  I will certainly try silken/soft tofu in pops again and am looking forward to using soft tofu in other recipes.

I have talked about practicing nutritional stealth before to get goodness into kids but I really like what Anni Daulter had to say about that.  She suggests getting kids involved with the cooking/creating process and telling them exactly what is in the food that is being made. 

I feel she is right on this point.  When the kids know that nutrition is important to the family and have good and tasty experiences with different foods it is more likely to have a better, or long term impact on healthier eating.  I still will slip a variety of healthy foods into my kids food (that isn't easy to pick apart) to get them used to different tastes but we will talk about what is in there.  I've actually seen my 5-year-old become more open to onions as we use them often and tell her they are in there, so I know it will work on other food as well.

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesidillas

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas  Rating: 8

These were pretty good and easy to make.  We used fresh mango, diced.  We also used full fat cheddar and whole wheat tortillas.  For the spices we used salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder, as we omitted the onion.  I used fire roasted poblano from earlier this week so it did not need to be cooked down.  I just heated them through with the beans and spices.  Our kids ate these up.  Served them with plain Greek yogurt (our typical sour cream substitute) and salsa.

Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Whole Wheat Jalapeno Focaccia

Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds  Rating: 10

This recipe was one we got from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday when we checked it out from our local library.  His recipes are unique and he often gives variations. 

We would just like to start by saying, God bless Rick Bayless.  We loved this recipe!  There was A LOT happening in our mouths--sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, crispy.  Just delicious.  Those roasted pepitas rocked! 

We went with blue cheese because we like that punch but it can be made with a Mexican cheese.  We added the jalapeno in the dressing, but only half and with seeds and membranes removed.  Also, it calls for Bibb lettuce and that would truly be best as it is tender and would meld well with all the taste bud love going on.  We used our sturdy romaine because that is what we had on hand and we were still very happy.

Whole Wheat Jalapeno Focaccia  Rating: 8

We served it up with this bread.  It was just the right amount of spiciness and with the warmth and the whole wheat, it felt very comforting. 

We've used this focaccia recipe before but with some changes for Orange Rosemary Focaccia.

Summer Squash and Swiss Chard Quiche with Brown Rice Crust

Zucchini and Swiss Chard Quiche with Brown Rice Crust Rating: 8

The quiche was inspired by this tart but I used another recipe and added most of her fillers in. I also opted for a brown rice crust that I saw used at Closet Cooking.

Brown Rice Crust  Rating: 8

First we made the crust. It is super easy--three ingredients. Just switch up the 1/4 cup grated cheese to whatever type you are using in the quiche.  It is a nice whole grain option that is quick and provides a nice base.  Great way to use up leftover rice.

Basic Quiche  Rating: 8

I used this recipe but altered it to 3 eggs and 1 1/2 cups half and half to accommodate approximately 3 cups of yummy add-ins as one commenter suggested.  I used 3 oz. each of cheddar and mozzarella cheese.  In a bit of olive oil I sauteed up two medium Mexican gray squash, very thinly sliced, and a bunch of Swiss chard, chopped, with 3 large cloves of garlic, minced, and approximately 2 tsp. each of fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped.  I baked it 5 minutes longer than recommended with great results.

It was really good and I think a nice splash of lemon or a spoonful of salsa on top would be nice too.  It did well for leftovers the next day for lunch.  Served it up with hummus and veggies.

Winter Squash Enchiladas with Homemade Green Sauce

Winter Squash Enchiladas  Rating: 8

Yes, I am aware it is the middle of summer but can I help it when our garden and even our co-op produce basket produce winter squash in June and July?  Be flexible.  We were and made these. Look at that picture.  See how one of the enchiladas exploded?  It is revealing the yumminess that was inside.  Butternut squash, poblano pepper, corn, cilantro, onion, bell pepper--yum!  This was pretty labor/time intensive with the roasting of the peppers, baking the squash, and making my own green enchilada sauce.  The result was good but I feel I spent too much time in the kitchen on this one.

Look at those colors we got to eat.  I used red onion instead of a sweet, and orange, green, and yellow bell peppers instead of red because I was using what we had in the fridge.  I went with canned corn and store bought corn tortillas for ease, otherwise I may have done myself harm or at least shed tears.

Green Enchilada Sauce  Rating: 8

I was tempted to just go buy some canned sauce but I had all the ingredients just sitting in my fridge so I thought I'd give it a shot.  This sauce was simple and gave good flavor.  I halved the recipe and it was the perfect amount for the enchiladas. I poured the hot concoction into the food processor and pulsed it a few times to get is smoother.

Neal said he noticed not heat (spiciness).  I said it was near borderline for me.  The kids said, "ouch."

Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Dried Fruit Casserole

Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Dried Fruit Casserole  Rating: 8

The house smelled like Thanksgiving this morning.  I put this together last night, turned on the oven before I left on my run, and when I got back I just slipped it into the hot oven.  The most involved part of this was dicing the ingredients and it wasn't too time consuming.  Besides, my compost will love all those peelings.

It tasted really good with that nice, not-too-sweet syrup of OJ, honey, and spices.  It makes 8 servings and I would just like to remind myself and anyone else that just because it tastes good and is healthy does not mean you should have more than a serving.  It has apples, dried plums, and dried apricots.  It will likely blow out your colon if you do not respect the recommended portion.  So have breakfast for a week or share.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Gazpacho  Rating: 9

After several days of watermelon it is hard not to bemoan the 21 lb. purchase.  I was glad, though, to try a savory twist on this sweet fruit when I saw this recipe.  It used 8 cups!

It was refreshing and the flavors worked.  I used cilantro instead of basil because that's what I had on hand.

Tuna Salad with Raisins

Tuna Salad with Raisins  Rating: 9

Thought this would be perfect on some dried out sprouted bread we had sitting in the fridge.  Just toasted the slices and loaded them with this yummy recipe. 

The salad had a good mix of flavors and textures--creamy, crunchy, slightly sweet, fresh.  The dill was amazing in this.  Besides the crunch of the celery, the walnuts added a different layer of crunch and offered a slight, well, nuttiness.  This is way better than your average tuna salad.  Would be good on just a bed of lettuce as well. 

I did use 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt and healthy tablespoons full of fresh dill.  It was great!

Chilled Watermelon Soup

Chilled Watermelon Soup  Rating: 8

This was quick and easy, yet I still managed to ignore the directions.  I added the yogurt and the blended rather than adding as a dollop at the end.  I did try to garnish it with yogurt after the fact but it mostly sank.

Besides all that drama, it was a yummy, fresh, slightly sweet soup.  We liked it.  Surprisingly, our kids did not care for it but it was competing with the strawberry jello and kale chips our daughter requested at her birthday lunch.

Cherry Almond Meal Muffins

Cherry Almond Meal Muffins  Rating: 7

We decided to welcome summer with these muffins since the cherries are of perfect ripeness right now. 

This was my first time with almond meal and I heard I could make my own so I did.  It was not too hard and done with a blender.  I did have a few little nuggets of almond here and there and decided that I was fine with that.  It would a nice little crunch. 

This recipe is so simple and the flavors of the muffin are too.  Although I used the lowest recommended time, my muffins came out slightly overbaked.  Surprisingly, they were not dry but still moist and tender.  It made 7 nice standard muffins.


This recipe made a nice, simple muffin.  I'm glad I had the new experience with almond meal and will likely use it again in baking some day.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette  Rating: 9

This was something that was easy to put together in the a.m. for a healthy, fresh lunch.  I only used 3 Tbsp. of oil and I'm glad I did.  I may cut down slightly on the salt and sugar next time.  Served it up with slices of watermelon.

Multi-Grain Waffles

This week is Watermelon Seed Spitting Week so we had fun with the theme.  When I was planning on celebrating this week, I found this cute idea at Random Thoughts of a Supermom and knew I'd be making them--for dinner, no less!

Multi-Grain Waffles  Rating: 9

For a waffle that is made with whole wheat flour, amoung other grains, and not loaded in butter, this is top notch.  I use corn meal instead of wheat germ.  On this occasion I used food coloring a chocolate chips to mimic seeds.  You don't have to.  But with the latter, why wouldn't you?! 

Anyway, I've doubled this recipe before and freezed them as they suggested for a quick breakfast option and they did great, an 8 maybe.

Greek Watermelon Pizza

Greek Watermelon Pizza  Rating: 7

We brought home a 21 pound watermelon for Watermelon Seed Spitting Week so you know we were going to have it in at least one of our meals.

Ingredients:
whole wheat pitas
herbed cheese spread
cucumber, sliced
yellow tomato, sliced in wedges
kalmata olives, halved
watermelon, diced and patted dry with a paper towel
cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Warmed the pitas, spread them with cheese and piled on the rest of the goodness.  Sliced it and served it up.  The flavors worked.  It was fresh, yummy, and way too messy.  I'd make this again but serve it up as a salad with a bit of spinach or romaine and keep the warmed pita wedges and cheese spread on the side.

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Bake

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Bake Rating: 9

We buy a load of fresh cranberries when they are in season and freeze them to enjoy throughout the year. This smells like Christmas while it's baking with all that apple and warm cinnamon. If you don't care for traditioanlly prepared oatmeal, baked oatmeal is a different take that may bet you eating this healthy grain. The texture is different and there is a bunch of other yumminess mixed in. Give it a go.

We also enjoy Blackberries and Coconut Oatmeal Bake and blackberries season is nearly over so get them while you can.  So now you have an Oatmeal bake for summer and winter to enjoy.

Carrot and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Carrot and Roasted Red Pepper Soup  Rating: 7

This was a snap and good.  Another plus is I got to use my immersion blender.  I served this up in cups for the kids to drink as a fun way to get lunch in them.  We had it with Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread.  Great lunch!

Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread

Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread  Rating: 8

This was a scrumptious way to use up some zucchini.  It wasn't complicated at all.  I usually grumble about the heel of the bread with this recipe warm from the oven, I'd shove aside my dear grandmother to get to it first.

We ate this with Carrot and Roasted Red Pepper Soup for lunch.