Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin

Spaghetti Squash and Kale Gratin  Rating: 8

Very filling and yummier than I thought it would be.  Great way to use up the kale thriving in the garden. Loved the sliced almonds.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Sweet and Tangy Meatballs on Brown Rice with Grated Raw Beet Salad

Sweet and Tangy Meatballs  Rating: 8

This was a freezer/slow cooker meal I prepared with several other options one super woman day.  It is not a particularly healthy option because even if you use all fruit spread and sauce free of high fructose corn syrup, it is still loaded in sugars.  But sometimes bad feels oh so good.  And it did.

The meatballs I used were homemade and turkey.  I use this recipe when I want to make a big batch for a few freezer meals or just to keep a stash in the freezer.  I always seem to get more than the 20 meatballs.  I use a cookie dough scooper to help me make them and they are pretty wet and loose but come out just fine. They are perfect for a quick add in to spaghetti, soups, or pastas.

Turkey Meatballs  Rating: 8

We served it all over brown rice and with this salad on the side.  Add yes, this is the last of the beets from the farmer's market.  I'm sure some of you are quite relieved.

Grated Raw Beet Salad  Rating: 8

I tweaked it a bit.  First off, I just give the beets a good scrubbing and keep the peel on if I'm grating.  I used OJ from concentrate and added 1 tsp. orange zest.  I also added a good pinch of ground cumin.  Didn't bother to serve it on a lettuce leaf because, although I had them and it would have been pretty, I was feeling lazy.