Tasty Tuesday: Rainbow Bowls

Second Tuesday of the year, and we're getting back into Tasty Tuesday! Today, I'm posting about something I've been doing, and craving more and more through this pregnancy. Rainbow bowls, or Rainbow ingredients. We all have a lot going on, we have things that are begging for our time, so dinners that are nutritious tend to go out the window. Ease is key. Are you ready for this? Our dinner last night was  ready in less than 30 minutes, contained a rainbow of colors (meaning a diverse cross section of nutrients as well), and filled us all up.

Easy. Here are the ingredients:

4 tbsp coconut oil
1 large red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 crown broccoli, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 pinches chili powder
3 tsp liquid aminos (or coconut aminos)

1 can diced tomatoes
1 1/1 cup peas
pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups rice noodles (use the stuff you have)
3 cups hot water

Here's the secret. Add things in the order that they're listed. Peppers, onions, garlic, and carrots needs more time to cook, so put them in first. Then add the broccoli. Then cabbage. The time it takes to cut these things is all it takes to cook the previous items. No timing, no worrying, no pre-chopping. Add the noodles after you've mixed everything together, then cover with the water, bring to a boil and cook until the noodles are tender. Done.

You can add quinoa, rice, or even make biscuits to eat this with. These rainbow ingredients really go well with anything and keep your family healthier.

Have questions about the recipes I post? Send me a note or leave a comment. I'll get back to you as soon as possible. :)

Tasty Tuesday pt. 2: Potato Chowder

Usually I call this potato soup, but I realized it's more of a potato chowder. Either way it's filling and delicious. Hardy for winter nights and even satisfying in the summer.

I have a #lifehack that makes it even easier to do. :) Find it in the ingredients below.

Ingredients:
3 medium golden potatoes, cubed
3 to 5 cups oat milk, you can use cow milk here as well.
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cups Roasted Veggies, see previous recipe. I usually cook extra to make meals quicker. :)

Directions:
1. In large pot, heat coconut oil and add cubed potatoes over medium heat. Add nutritional yeast, stir well.
2. Bring mixture to temperature and cover, cooking for approximately 15 minutes.
3. Add Roasted Veggies, heat thoroughly. Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add milk slowly to prevent curdling. Stir well.
5. Place on heat again and bring to just boiling.

You're done! Serve and eat! Most people like it with a little cheese, which takes it from Vegan to Vegetarian.  Whichever does it for you, I hope you enjoy this family favorite. :) 

Tasty Tuesday - Mac & Veggies

The recipe you've all been waiting for! I'll be posting the ingredients a little differently so you can make it Vegetarian or Vegan! :) Everyone I've ever fed this to has LOVED it. It's tasty and really good for you. :) My toddler devours it, my husband eats two bowls, my friends never leave left overs. You can play with the veggies you put into it, this is what works for our family and for the color we like. :)

Let's get into it shall we?

Ingredients:
Set 1:
1 Red Bell pepper, large dice
1/2 Zucchini or Yellow Squash, large dice
2 cloves Garlic
1 handful Spinach
1 medium Carrot, large dice
1 Orange Bell pepper, large dice
1/4 Red Onion
1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

2 to 3 cups milk or oat milk or water

Set 2:
3 tablespoons wheat flour
3 tablespoons butter OR coconut oil
1 dash Chili Powder

Set 3:
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese OR 3 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
Salt and pepper to taste


6oz Whole Wheat Pasta, cooked and set aside

Directions:

1. Place all  ingredients in Set 1 into a blender and blend until smooth. Start at a low setting and work your way up to make sure you get rid of chunks. Set aside.
2. In saucepan, melt coconut oil or butter. Whisk in flour one tablespoon at a time, until completely absorbed. Simmer 10 to 15 seconds. This will get rid of the flour taste so many sauces end up having. At this point, I like to add the chili powder on this step. Don't be afraid, it won't add spice.
3. Slowly, add mixture from the blender to the saucepan. Whisk into flour mixture completely before adding more. It will clump up a little at first. Adding slowly will help avoid lumps.
4. Once you've worked in as much of the vegetable mixture as you'd like for the consistency of sauce you prefer, start adding in the cheese or Nutritional Yeast and mix until combined.
5. Pour this sauce over your noodles.

Congratulations! You're done! Enjoy your masterpiece!

Next week may be a twofer! I want to share my Potato Soup AND Oat Milk recipes. We shall see! 

Food Calendar Planning: A fight between hardwire and weather.

I want to put soups and hot foods on my calendar. My hardwiring says it is time. Fall is coming.

The weather says, "No soup for you!" Seriously, Nazi Heat may be gone, but there is no way I can enjoy a bowl of loaded potato soup with the temperature in the 90s.

Though, let's be honest, I really want to!

So, I need to hold off for a month or so and THEN I can add them all back to the rotation. *sigh* I could really go for some potato soup.

Cookbook: Fruit Bars

These are so simple, it might be criminal. You can customize them endlessly as well. The trick is to keep equal portions, one third of it needs to be some sort of nut.

Here's the recipe.

1/3 Mission Figs
1/3 Raw Almond
1/3 Raisins

1. In food processor, finely chop all ingredients together.
2. Press out into cookie sheet lined with wax paper to desired thickness.
3. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
4. Cut into bars, store in sealed container with wax paper between bars.

Now, I don't note an amount, just 1/3. I used 4.5oz the first time because that's the amount of fig I had. You can also use dates, crasins, dried cherries, pineapple, mango, pecans, walnuts...the combinations are endless!

These are great snacks that contain a lot of good fat, fiber and (depending on the fruit) tons of minerals and vitamins. :)

Cookbook - Oatmeal Bites

Hello amazing followers! Coming to you live from my living room floor where my munchkin has decided that sleeping during tummy time is acceptable...*sigh*

So, here I am, posting a delicious energy rush for you. The original recipe came from Pinterest, you know me, I have to mess with things.

Here you go:

1 cup uncooked oatmeal
1/2 cup dried fruit or dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (almond butter is also nice)
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/3 cup raw honey
1 or 2 dashes of cinnamon

1.Combine dry ingredients
2. Add peanut butter and honey
3. Mix well
4. Place in fridge for one hour
5. Form into bite sized rounds.

Store in a cool place, I prefer the fridge. Enjoy!

Next up? Fruit bars!

Cookbook: Comfort Mac and Cheese

This is a favorite of mine. I'm fairly lactose intolerant, so I REALLY have to want it. There are ways to change it up to make it with fewer calories. This is a take off of the recipe my grandmother makes, which happens to be from my great grandmother. If there's one thing these ladies know, it's comfort :)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp fat (I like to use butter here, you can use margarine, or olive oil if you like)
3 tbsp flour
3 cups milk (I've used soy milk and almond milk, they do just fine)
3-4 cups shredded cheese (many people cube their cheese, I shred. I also use Colby/Jack like grandma, feel free to use straight cheddar)
2 cups uncooked macaroni
6 cups water
1 tsp chili powder (don't be scared, it's not hot)
Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil, add uncooked noodles, cook 8 to 10 minutes. (this is a good time to shred your cheese if you didn't buy it shredded :) )
2. Drain pasta, return pot to stove over medium heat. Add butter (or your fat option), melt/heat.
3. Once the butter is melted, start whisking in flour one tablespoon at a time. It will get crumbly, make sure you cook it a little while whisking to cook out the "flour taste"
4.Once you have the flour totally absorbed into the butter, start adding milk, slowly. Your butter and flour mixture will absorb the milk fairly quickly to begin with. Add slowly, this will help keep lumps down. You want to add milk to a point that gives you a liquid consistency for the cheese.
5. Add pepper and chili powder.
6. Start adding the cheese one small handful at a time. Still using the whisk mix the cheese into the pot. You want to make sure it has melted all the way before adding more. You may need to add more milk or some olive oil if you see that the cheese is not mixing is evenly.
7. Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. You can bake the mixture at this point if you like. I don't. I usually need to add more pepper at this point. I'm not quite sure why, but it's just part of what makes it taste like Grandma's .
8. Remove from heat and let stand to thicken slightly. You can add more shredded cheese to garnish or for that stringy texture some people like.

Enjoy! :)

Cookbook: Cinnamon Rolls

Here we are again :) I DID make these and they were AMAZING!

I even took series pics to help you out :)

Plated and Pretty!

 Ingredients

1 container of Grands biscuits (I think there are 8 in the grands container

4 tbsp melted butter

Cinnamon

Brown sugar

Icing:

Maple syrup

Powdered sugar

Preheat your oven according to the packaging for the biscuits. Lightly flour your counter.

Roll out your biscuits. For me, this looked a little funny being the first time. I'd recommend rolling them together a little bit first.

Brush melted butter over the surface of rolled out biscuits. Sprinkle brown sugar and then cinnamon.

Roll dough toward you in a straight line. Make sure to keep it all even as you go.

Once it's rolled, make sure you've pinched the seam together, then start cutting. I used a serrated knife to help make the cuts smooth, cutting about every inch. Place the pieces in a pie plate. Bake the amount of time noted on the package for the biscuits.

Mix maple syrup and powdered sugar until you reach a consistency you like for your icing.

All done! Let them cool before you eat them :)

 I'll grab nutrition information for you sometime soon :)

Cookbook: Easy Personal Apple Pies

Long time coming, but here it is!

 

These pies were amazingly delicious. I was a little worried because I honestly didn't know what I was going to get. 

Ingredients:

1 Container 6 biscuits

1 Med Green Apple (cut into slices, then cut in half lengthwise)

Cinnamon

Brown sugar

1. Preheat over according to biscuit directions

2. Press biscuit out with your fingers and into cupcake pan

3. Sprinkle cinnamon and brown suger

4. Nestle up to 6 pieces of apple into the middle of the biscuit

5. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon and brown sugar

6. Bake according to the biscuit directions.

Left cool on a wire rack and then enjoy! 

Brian took one to work and one to his boss the evening I made these. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how simple and yummy these will be!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 184.9
• Total Fat: 1.6 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 549.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 39.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
• Protein: 5.1 g

 

Cookbook: Pasta Bake!

This is one of the good old comfort food recipes I make. It's flexible, I've made it without meat and substituted a few things, but this is the original iteration of my family favorite :)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground meat (beef, sausage...whatever you like :) )
2 cups pasta sauce (your favorite, I'll be posting a couple different red sauces I make.)
1 tbs olive oil
2 garlic gloves, pressed
2 stalks of green onions, finely chopped
3 cups cooked rotelle pasta
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, hold over 1/2 cup for top
4 tbs cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tbs dried basil
1 tbs dried oregano

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Warm olive oil over medium-hi heat.
3. Saute garlic and onion, 2 - 3 minutes
4. Add meat and brown
5. Add pasta sauce, simmer 5 minutes
6. In large mixing bowl combine mozzarella, cottage cheese, parmesan, eggs and spices, mix thoroughly
7. Combine pasta, meat and cheese mixtures in bowl.
8. Pour in to oiled cooking dish, sprinkle with held over mozzarella.
9. Place in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly brown.

Serve! I'll put this in to Spark People and grab the nutrition for you. I'll also put up the alternative Veggie Pasta Bake :)

Cookbook: Home Baked Bread

Before we get in to what I made with this recipe, let's talk basic measurements and mixing:

3 Cups Flour (any kind - wheat, rice, spelt, etc.)
4 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Liquid (I use this term because it can literally be any liquid you want - milk, juice, tomato juice, rice milk, twc.)
1/4 Cup Liquid Fat (Ok, this one sounds icky, but again, it's preference - melted butter, olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.)

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees
2. Combine dry ingredients (do not sift flower)
3. In separate container, combine wet ingredients
4. Mix in half of the liquid mixture, allowing flower mixture to absorb. It can look too dry or wet at first, give it time.
5. Add more liquid as needed. Depends on time of year and moisture in the air. Dough should be moist but definitely not sticky.
6. With oiled hands, form dough in to a round or divide in to two and place in oil loaf pans. (Be careful not to over work the dough)
7. Cook in oven 40 minutes. (If you have divided the dough, your cook time will need to be adjusted)

This recipe will make one 2 lb round loaf. This bread is a little more dense than loaf from the store, but hearty and delicious.

There are SO many different options though. So, let's get to what I've done so far.

Tomato Basil - I used tomato juice, and fresh basil from my plant. I chopped the basil and combined in with the dry ingredients. It's a savory loaf and goes well with soup.

Breakfast rolls - I used orange/mango juice as the liquid and added 2 tsp of sugar. I rolled small pieces of dough and placed in an oiled muffin sheet.

I will be trying a couple different options, and as always, if you try your own variations, please comment and let me know how it went! I will be experimenting with some sparkling water and juices as the liquid and also baking soda and vinegar to create a lighter loaf or bread. I'll keep you posted! 

Edit: Almost forgot to put the nutrition information! I'll do one for each recipe I try ;) I do think that it seems like a calorie dense bread and a little salty, working on all that as well ;)

Plain Recipe with Soy Milk

Nutrition Facts Home Made Bread
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		250.3
Total Fat		7.9 g
	Saturated Fat	1.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	5.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		553.2 mg
Potassium		103.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate		38.1 g
	Dietary Fiber	1.5 g
	Sugars	1.4 g
Protein		6.2 g

Vitamin A	1.9 %
Vitamin B-12	9.4 %
Vitamin B-6	1.0 %
Vitamin C	0.0 %
Vitamin D	5.6 %
Vitamin E	4.3 %
Calcium	18.9 %
Copper	3.4 %
Folate	21.4 %
Iron	15.1 %
Magnesium	2.7 %
Manganese	16.0 %
Niacin	13.8 %
Pantothenic Acid	2.1 %
Phosphorus	10.1 %
Riboflavin	19.2 %
Selenium	22.7 %
Thiamin	24.5 %
Zinc	2.2 %

Tomato Basil

Nutrition Facts Tomato Basil Bread
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		287.2
Total Fat		7.6 g
	Saturated Fat	1.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.8 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	5.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		662.0 mg
Potassium		127.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate		50.0 g
	Dietary Fiber	1.8 g
	Sugars	1.4 g
Protein		3.9 g

Vitamin A	2.2 %
Vitamin B-12	0.0 %
Vitamin B-6	12.9 %
Vitamin C	18.8 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	4.6 %
Calcium	14.5 %
Copper	3.9 %
Folate	0.6 %
Iron	3.1 %
Magnesium	5.4 %
Manganese	35.8 %
Niacin	7.7 %
Pantothenic Acid	4.9 %
Phosphorus	10.9 %
Riboflavin	0.7 %
Selenium	12.8 %
Thiamin	5.5 %
Zinc	3.2 %