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.

Beans 'n Greens Burritos

Beans 'n Greens Burritos  Rating: 9

So it's not a burrito but that is because I didn't want to run to the store to get tortillas and Neal was going to be home a touch late so he was not going to make them.  That said, I piled the burrito filling on leftover brown rice and topped it with crumbled feta (not pictured). I think Mark Bittman would have approved.  It is his recipe from The Food Matters Cookbook.

I did add one scant tsp. of ground cumin to the seasoning.  And I used both chard and kale from our garden.  We loved this.  Although our kids had their own opinions, we ignored them.  I would so slam this into a burrito with some fresh avocado or salsa. 

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.

Heidi's "Quesadillas" with Spiced Coconut Spinach

We actually had this for Father's Day dinner after a morning of bacon and lemon bars on the way for dessert. 

Heidi's "Quesadillas"  Rating: 5

We liked the yogurt and capers but the rest of these were nothing special.  I would be equally happy with a fried egg.  Although, Neal did pitch in to make Rick Bayless' Corn Tortillas for this and they are great on their own.

Spiced Coconut Spinach  Rating: 9

This side thoroughly rocked!  It sounded quite weird but we like trying new flavors and ideas to stretch our culinary boundaries so we gave it a go.  It was so wonderfully flavorful.  Warm spices with a bit of warm heat, a zing of lemon, and the delicate sweetness of the coconut made us want to go out and buy a huge bag again.  The linked post for this recipe provides other ideas on how to use this versatile side.

Cucumber Peanut Salad

Cucumber Peanut Salad  Rating: 7

Our garden is generating a healthy supply of cucumbers so we made this Indian salad tonight and served it up with garlic naan (a type of flat bread) and a lemony yogurt sauce.  We substituted one seeded jalapeno in place of the serano peppers, olive oil instead of ghee. and regular yellow mustard seed in place of black.. It was refreshing and the warm heat was nice.  The peanuts gave it a nice crunch but would go soggy in leftovers.

Waste Not, Want Not - Freezing Ginger

I like ginger and it has great benefits so I am so bummed when it rots in my fridge.  In the past I tried to buy just what I needed but small pieces can be hard to peel and grate without injury.  Large pieces just end up rotting in my fridge as I forget about them. 

I read it somewhere on the web and now buy a good chunk of ginger, peel it, and toss the unused portion in my freezer.  Then I just take it out and grate it frozen and although my fingers feel the bite of the cold, it grates like a dream!  Easier than when raw.  You can use it in your recipe immediately.  Then I just toss the rest back in the freezer until I need it again.  Hope this saves you a bit of money and frustration some day.

I also use up ginger by slicing it thin and simmering it in filtered water.  Fish out the slices and pour it into a pitcher to stay cool in the fridge.  It's a nice way to enjoy water and you get the anti-inflammatory benefits of ginger.

Juevos Rancheros

Juevos Rancheros  Rating: 9

Juevos Rancheros is Mexican comfort food at its best.  This is just a layering of Not Refried Beans (below), Rick Bayless' Corn Tortillas, grated cheese, a fried egg, and salsa (store bought).  Using two corn tortillas is too much food but his recipe is so good we can't help ourselves.  We were able to use yet more of our home canned pinto beans in this simple recipe.

Not Refried Beans  Rating: 9

You can use store bought or home canned beans for this.  Reserve 1/3 of the beans and place the other 2/3 in a food processor with blade attachment.  Toss in any combination of salt, onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, or taco seasoning until it is seasoned as you like and puree it until smooth.  Add a bit of water or vegetable stock as you go until you get the consistency you prefer.  Remove to a bowl and stir in the whole beans for a chunkier texture.

Tofu Breakfast Sandwich

Tofu Breakfast Sandwich  Rating: 9

After making the Lemony Chickpea Stir Fry we had leftover Savory Baked Tofu and threw this together in the a.m. before going in our different directions.

Toasted pumpernickel, smashed avocado with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of lemon juice, savory baked tofu, and fresh spinach.

What really makes this sandwich is, of course, the avocado.  It took the savory baked tofu on its own from a 7 to a solid 9.  It makes this tofu sandwich seem decadent.  Hooray for healthy fats!  And look a protein to start your day and 3 veggies!--if you count tofu (soy bean) and avocado (a fruit) as veggies.  And today I do.

I can also imagine the tofu being a nice replacement for the egg in the Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich.

Savory Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

Savory Pumpkin and Feta Muffins  Rating: 6

I made Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal for breakfast earlier in the week and had left over pumpkin puree that needed to be used up.  I was inspired by Heidi Swanson's Pumpkin and Feta Muffins at 101 Cookbooks but used a puree friendly recipe I found at The Little Foodie.

I substituted yogurt for the sour cream, omitted the honey, and used whole wheat flour.  I added a slight 1/2 cup of feta for the cheese and a large, overflowing handful of fresh spinach that I then chopped fine.  I did use some black pepper.

The muffins were a bit dry and I feel that they were a touch too salty when I came upon the bits of feta. I won't make these again but they are okay.  Maybe I'll get gutsy come autumn and try Heidi's recipe.

Lemony Chickpea Stir Fry

Lemony Chickpea Stir Fry  Rating: 8

This came together quick as stir frys do.  It was a good melding of flavors.  I like it lemony.  Neal less so.  He would have liked some heat.  So next time he'll add red pepper flakes to his and I'll be generous with a lemon wedge to mine.  We did sub a red onion for the shallots and spinach for the kale.  We served it on quinoa that we threw in the rice cooker with vegetable broth.  We'd make this again.
I used savory baked tofu in the recipe and as I was preparing it earlier, my 4-year-old daughter walked into the dining room and declared, "What is that wooonderful smell, Mommy?"  Well, it's savory baked tofu, my pleasant one.  It did smell good but certainly was not fancy.

Savory Baked Tofu  Rating: 7

I included the optional worcestershire sauce, marinated it for less than an hour and baked it for 30 minutes or so.  I omitted the balsamic sauce because I was not going in that direction.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal  Rating: 8

This is a quick breakfast with lots of fall flavor.  I add about a 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree to a 1/2 cup (dried) serving of oatmeal.  Sometimes I get crazy and add more.  I usually use water to cook the oatmeal but enjoy almond milk too. I toss in ground ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vanilla extract.  I also add about a Tbsp. or more of freshly ground flax seeds.  Once is in the bowl I top it with pure maple syrup and give it a stir.  It is a very filling breakfast.

I've made this repeatedly and enjoy the kicks I get out of slipping a veggie into breakfast.