Blackberries!

Blackberries! 

(credit: Jackie Garvin)

They're popping up all over the place now and so prices are kind to your wallet, plus they are so, so good for you. Did you know that blackberries are an excellent source of vitamin-C, which is a powerful antioxidant? Blackberries are low in calories, carbohydrates and have no fat, which makes them popular in low carb and low calorie diets. They also have good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium are in blackberries too. That's a lot of good stuff. 

Cobblers are a delicious Southern tradition, no doubt, but consider a healthier dessert like a Blackberry Crisp instead.  You may have heard this recipe this morning on The Tennessee Farm Table in WDVX...  You can listen any time on demand by accessing the show in the audio archives. (The Tennessee Farm Table airs every Saturday at 9 a.m. If you live in East Tennessee be sure to give it a listen... Host Amy Campbell features lots of great info on the people who grow, prepare, and preserve our regional foods.)  

Here’s what you’ll need:

About 5-6 cups of fresh blackberries, washed

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder (use arrowroot powder if you have concerns about GMOs and can't locate GMO-free cornstarch)

2/3 cup brown sugar (you can use less depending on your desired sweetness)

about ¼ cup of cold butter, diced

¾  cup rolled oats

½   cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts, we like pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt

(Use organic ingredients when possible)

Toss blackberries with lemon juice, honey and cornstarch/arrowroot powder and spread in a greased 8-or-9-inch pan.

Combine brown sugar, butter, rolled oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and a dash of salt in a food processor; pulse a few times.

Crumble over fruit and bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes.

This will keep in the fridge for a few days and also freezes really well.

Enjoy! 

Do you have a favorite healthy blackberry recipe?  I'd love to hear about it.  Please feel free to post in the comments! 

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Zucchini Bread

 

I detest the notion of sneaking veggies into food. Y’know, hiding mushed up, over-cooked veggies in pasta casseroles and such in order to force those no-veggie-eatin’ kids to get some green stuff in their gullets. I’ve heard the arguments in favor of it and I don’t agree for a WIDE variety of reasons.  

Except when it comes to zucchini bread. 

Lovely, somehow-all-at-the-same-time savory-sweet, tender, yummy, healthy zucchini bread.

The recipe listed below produces a dark brown treat (see above) that my children were convinced was "full of chocolate" and a big, ol’ “fluffed up” brownie. It was gobbled in no time. They freaked out (in a good way) when I revealed that zucchini was one of the main ingredients. (NO WAY. Way!) 

This recipe was inspired by one that I spied on Skinny Ms.’s blog. I tweaked it to make the bread less sweet and give it a smoother texture. It keeps for about 5 days in the fridge and also freezes well.

Quick note: This recipe uses coconut oil but don’t let that scare you into thinking that you’re about to bake something that’ll smell like suntan lotion. Surprisingly, coconut oil neither tastes nor smells like coconut.  I use coconut oil for cooking because it creates great baked goods and is one of the healthiest oils on the planet. I also use it on my body, face and hands!  A wonderful moisturizer that costs pennies on the dollar compared to other organic, store-bought lotions... But that's another blog post...)

Here's what you'll need:

                       

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini (Use the smallest grater setting to get really fine/small pieces)

½ cup Greek Yogurt, plain (low-fat or no-fat – both work great)

1.5 cups Whole Wheat bread flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

(Tip: For a bread with an added kick, consider adding 1 cup of unsweetened, dried cranberries.  Or, if you want to boost the Omega-3 quotient, add a cup of walnuts.)

                       

Here's how you make it:

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees

-In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil and honey. (I use a hand mixer since room–temp coconut oil can be a bear to mix by hand.)

-Add egg, yogurt, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix on low until combined.

-Stir in grated zucchini by hand.

-In a small bowl, whisk together soda, salt, and flour.

-Add flour mixture to batter and stir just until combined. (DO NOT over-stir.)

-Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

-Pour batter into loaf pan and jiggle until level.

-Bake 50-55 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

-Allow to cool 15 minutes in pan before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Cut into slices. ENJOY!

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Cranberry Chutney

I love making:

1) holiday gifts

2) food that has many uses

A few pantry staples and stand-bys, like salsa, fit some of the criteria (condiment, sauce, topping, spread) but cranberry sauce (or in my case, chutney) tops them all. Perfect as a condiment with your Christmas ham, a sweet and tart topping for vanilla ice cream, a spread on your post-holiday turkey sandwich or a sauce alongside a lovely savory dish.

As for making holiday gifts, my love language is FOOD so (naturally) that’s what I love to make and give. Enter (again): Cranberry Chutney. Now, the reason why I call my cranberry concoction a chutney (rather than a sauce) is because my recipe calls for additional fruit and less sugar than jams or traditional cranberry sauce. It’s perfectly tart and sweet. (Besides, chutney sounds fancier.)

And here’s another thing: If you’re on a budget this is a fantastically inexpensive gift to create. For about $1 (or less) for a ½ pint Ball jar and less than $2. for ingredients per jar you can create a yummy, thoughtful, (and frugal) holiday gift. 

You can make this recipe on the stovetop or in a crock pot, depending on how much time you've got on your hands. The crock pot method will take 8 hours but here is very little hands-on work; the stovetop will take less than an hour but you'll have to be more involved with stirring, etc. 

 (all ready for givin'!)

Cranberry Chutney

 ***Triple this recipe to yield enough for five ½ pint jars.***

1 twelve oz. bag of fresh cranberries

1 Gala or Fuji apple (peeled, cored and diced)

1 orange (zested, peeled, tough membrane removed, chopped. Reserve zest, orange sections, and extra juice)

1 cup of orange juice

½ - 1 cup of sugar (start with smallest amount and sweeten to taste)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Tip for breaking down the orange:  Zest first, use a mini-grater or microplane for best results. Slice off both ends, and slice off peel while standing orange on end. Cut in quarters; remove pulp from white membrane with hands. 

Crock Pot instructions:

Combine all ingredients in pot.

Stir to mix.

Set to low for 8 hours, stirring about every 1 ½ - 2 hours. 

For the last hour, cover halfway (this will help it thicken a bit) and continue to cook until done.

Stovetop instructions:

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan.

Stir to mix.

Bring to boil. 

Immediately reduce heat to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until cranberries are bursting. (DO NOT let it come to a rolling boil or the sugar will burn the bottom of the pan and your chutney will be ruined.) 

Canning:

Spoon hot chutney into hot, sterilized glass jars. Wipe edges, place canning lids and tightly screw on bands. Boil in water bath for 20 minutes. (Water must be at least one inch above jars.) Cool on wire racks. Be sure to test jars by pushing down on center of lid to make sure it’s stable, not popping up and down. You should also hear the telltale “ping” from each jar as they cool. If your jars are not sealed properly, refrigerate and consume within one week.


Organically yours,


Minde


What is your fave homemade food gift? Share below...  :) 

Whatch Cookin' Wednesday - Applesauce

You've heard me preach it, folks:

Buy seasonal food in bulk.  

It's a smart way to get real food at the best prices while at it's peak flavor. I'm over the moon that apples are in season right now. (Seriously, this morning I woke up thinking about rustic apple tarts. No joke.) That means those delicious red/gold/yellow/green/pink fruits are in abundance. And inexpensive.

In my area (East TN), organic apples are about $1.10/lb., which is down from about $2.25/lb in the off-season, and maybe even less expensive if a local farmer has a surplus they want to unload.  What does this mean for my family?  Copious amounts of applesauce!  And yes, rustic apple tarts.

A 25 oz. jar of organic applesauce at my local market costs about $3.60 - 4.00. Ouch. If I ration it carefully (or mix it with yogurt to make it last longer), I might get a jar to last about a week.  I use it in baked goods, we pack it in school lunches, it makes a great ice cream topping... We typically go through about 2-4 jars a month. That's approximately $14.50.

A month...

For applesauce.

Per year? About $175 buckaroos. Super ouch. 

Now, when I make homemade applesauce the cost goes down to about $1.35 for same-sized jar. Sweeeet. And yummy. That's about $3.50 for about 64 oz. of organic, delicious, good-for-you, proud-to-serve, tunny-pleasing, HEALTHY, applesauce.

Another bonus: It's easy! You can make a humongous batch of applesauce in your Crock Pot with very little effort. (Save for the peeling part but it's not too bad if you've got some tunes goin'. I found that Lily Allen is darn near perfect apple peeling music.) Get the kids in on the act. Let your munchkins measure the spices, how many cups of apples needed, and more. A great math lesson, plus they get the eat the fruits of their labor.

Store your sauce in Mason jars in the freezer (be sure to leave at least 1/2" of headspace) or use the super-easy water bath canning method for long-term preserving.

Crock Pot Applesauce
(Yields about 64 oz. For you bad-at-math canners, that's two quarts or four pints or a quart and two pints.)

-3 lbs. or about 12-15 medium-sized apples - peeled, cored, and chopped. (I use a mix of tart and sweet varieties such as a Gala and Granny Smith)
-4 tsp. lemon juice
-cinnamon
-sweetener - sugar, honey, agave - to taste (we skip the sweetener since most apples are sweet enough on their own)
-water

Tip: Use non-stick spray on inside of Crock Pot before adding apples.  Makes clean-up a breeze... 

Add lemon juice and apples to Crock Pot. (UPDATED 5.1.13 - please note that I no longer add lemon juice! We didn't see any notable difference when we omitted it so now we just leave it out.)

Stir to combine.

Sprinkle cinnamon on mixture, just to cover lightly.

Set on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

and...

THAT'S IT.  (Told ya it was easy.) We eat as-is -- a little on the chunky side. If you prefer a smooth sauce, blend to desired consistency in blender or Cuisinart. A hand blender used directly in the Crock Pot works great too. (Use water as needed to get the right texture.)

By the way, this applesauce makes great a Christmas gift.  Can it in a lovely Mason jar, add a fun tag and you're good to go.

Organically yours,

Minde

Do you have a fave seasonal Crock Pot recipe?  I'd love to hear about it.  Please post in comments!

Be a Fan of the Meal Plan - Week 4 of 10 Easy Ways to Living Affordably Organic

Happy Monday, everyone!  This is the week when you learn about meal planning, which is integral to living Affordably Organic. I touched on this topic back in December but it merits a little revisit so we can drill a little deeper.

For some folks the words "meal plan" conjure up images of boring, predictable dishes that make the kids cringe and call for casserole after casserole, filled with cream of something soup and other cheap ingredients…  Isn’t that what popped into your head? 

How about this for a shopping list:

Um, this is not what I had in mind...

Nope, this ain’t your mama’s meal plan.  This is about sourcing out fresh, multi-use ingredients, some savvy shopping and creating tasty, healthy foods.

I’m a fan of the meal plan for a couple reasons (not necessarily in this order):

1 - It takes the guesswork and stress out of “what’s for dinner, mom??”

2- It enables me to shop wisely and avoid impulse buys.

Grocery store truths:

Grocery stores are designed for impulse shoppers.  They want you to be captivated by the pretty colors, SALE prices (which sometimes aren’t such a great deal, they only seem like it) and bank on the fact that you are unorganized and in a hurry.

Grocery stores strategically place certain (most) items in order to get you to spend money.  Those yummy-looking “natural” potato chips at the end of the aisle?  Yeah, those might be a good snack…PUT ‘EM DOWN.  You don’t need them.

Grocery stores are designed to get you to spend money, NOT save money.  Be a savvy shopper and turn the tables by saving instead of spending money.

This is more like it...

Meal planning truths:

Planning meals will help you save money. You plan in other areas of life so you can stay on target and achieve your goals.  (You make time for fitness so you can stay healthy.  You spend quality time with your kids to create loving relationships.  You get the idea...) Why treat saving money any differently?  

Sticking to your grocery list will help you stay on budget. If it's not on the list, it doesn't go in your cart.  Easy peasy. STICK TO THE LIST.

Create a plan BEFORE you step inside the store and you will be less likely to buy impulse items.  This doesn’t mean scribbling out your list in the parking lot. This means taking a good look at your pantry and your weekly meal plans and then creating a smart list of items you need. (Note I wrote NEED, not WANT.)

NEVER, ever, ever, ever, ever shop hungry. This is a universal truth.  Don’t. Do. It.  You will end up with items that you don’t want, don’t need and will most likely add to your waistline, not wallet.  (Side note: I broke this rule over the weekend.  I came home with ready-made Mandarin Orange Chicken. What??)

Next up:  HOW to meal plan.  What will work best for your family?  Where do you start?  Come on back...  We’ll cover all that stuff later this week. 

Organically yours,

Minde

photos courtesy of Jerry Kirkhard and Emily Carlin - thank you!

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "Pancakes"

If you don’t know who Mark Bittman is you should. If I ever see him in person I’m going to kiss him on the mouth and thank him for vastly improving my life. Mark Bittman is the author of “How To Cook Everything.” Think of it as a much hipper “Joy of Cooking.” Every single recipe I’ve ever tried from that book has been pure gold. And easy.

Thanks to Mr. Bittman I will never buy boxed pancake or waffle mix again. The recipe listed below took less time to make than boxed and was way, way tastier. Sometimes we add raisins or dried cranberries. Mushed up, super-ripe bananas are an awesome addition too.

Pancakes (Bittman-style)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar (you can substitute with honey or maple syrup)
2 eggs
1 ½ -2 cups milk
2 tbsp. melted and cooled butter (optional), plus unmelted butter for cooking (I use non-stick spray)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the egg(s) into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter and vanilla (if you are using them).

Gently stir this into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. If the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

If your skillet or griddle is nonstick, you can cook the pancakes without any butter. Otherwise, use a teaspoon or two of butter or oil (or non-stick spray) each time you add batter. When the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. Flip when the pancakes are cooked on the bottom; they won’t hold together well until they’re ready.

Cook until the second side is lightly browned and serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degrees oven for up to 15 minutes.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate Cake" (and icing)

Today is Danger Dad's birthday! So, cake is in order...

When I married Danger Dad I inherited The Cake Recipe. This was handed down to me by his mother and handed down to her by her mother-in-law and not sure where it came from before that but it’s been in his family a very long time. This Cake was made for every birthday. This Cake was legend. And revered.

And AWFUL.

It tasted like chocolate-flavored dry wall and had to be smothered in tons of frosting and ice cream just to make it edible. After Year Two of marriage I’d had enough. I couldn’t bear to make the cake and had no intention of passing the recipe along to anyone else. A new recipe needed to be found. Enter the “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake. I found this life-saving/marriage-saving recipe on the Hershey’s site. Who knew? It’s easy and absolutely scrumptious. The icing recipe is included below too. I usually double it. We're crazy like that.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (I use the darkest I can find… Ghiradelli makes a good one...)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. (I use a bundt pan with a hole in the middle since Danger Dad likes icing on all FOUR sides of his cake. Weirdo.)

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. Eat. Go into sugar coma.

(If you use a bundt pan bake for 50-55 minutes.)

No-fail Chocolate Frosting
(Note: I double this recipe for a two layer cake.. And sometimes I even triple it…)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Yields about 2 cups frosting.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "Easiest Baked Ziti Ever"

I have twins. I have no time. I love this recipe. 'nuf said.

Easiest Baked Ziti Ever

16 oz. ziti pasta
15 oz. ricotta
1 cup parmesan
2 cups mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
2 - 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (I'm partial to Muir Glen organic)
1 medium onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
***(you may also use 2 bottles of prepared tomato sauces instead of making your own "quickie sauce" with onion, garlic, diced tomatoes and spices)

***(optional - 2 cups of browned ground turkey or beef)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease (I use non-stick spray) 9 x 13 pan.

Boil pasta until "al dente", about 12 minutes. While pasta is boiling, sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add diced tomatoes and spices and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put in large bowl. Add ricotta, tomato sauce, 1 cup of mozz and mix well. (Add meat here if desired.) Pour into greased dish. Top with remaining mozz, then parm. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "Fiery Beef Satay Skewers"

Let's start out the new year with BEEF. Easy, quick, yummy. A great appetizer OR dinner.

Fiery Beef Satay Skewers

1-1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak -- cut 1/4" thick
5 green onions -- white part only-- cut into 1-inch pieces

***marinade***
1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons bottle minced or fresh crushed garlic
1 tablespoon ground red pepper

In large shallow bowl, combine marinade ingredients; whisk until blended. Remove and reserve 1/2 cup for basting. Trim fat from beef steak; cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes. Add beef to remaining marinade in bowl; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Alternately thread an equal amount of beef and green onion pieces onto each of four 12-inch metal skewers. Place skewers on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, basting frequently with reserved 1/2 cup marinade and turning occasionally. Serve immediately.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - "Night Before" Blueberry French Toast

Those of you that know me well may fall out of your chairs when you discover this recipe has sugar in it. Not honey or molasses or maple syrup but honest-to-goodness sugar. (Albeit BROWN sugar.) Sometimes you just need the sugar. Especially after a long night of New Year's Eve hi-jinks... (This is awesome hangover food.)

"NIGHT BEFORE" BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST
(yields about 8 servings)
6 eggs
3 cups of milk
1 t. vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts or pecans
2 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Sliced French bread (about 1" thick)

Lightly spray 13 x 9 pan with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with French bread. Combine eggs, milk and vanilla and pour on top of bread slices. Cover and put in fridge overnight. In the morning top bread slices with sugar, nuts and blueberries. Bake at 350 for about 45-60 minutes or until bread is puffed up and golden.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Hot Spiced Cider

The weather here in Miami is awesome but I know that most of my Atlanta peeps are a little chilly these days.. Wouldn't a cup of hot cider hit the spot right about now? A little Christmas Eve treat?

This recipe uses an automatic coffee maker to brew the cider. If you don't own one, heat it in a slow cooker or a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop. (Be sure to clean your coffee maker according to the manufacturer's instructions before using for coffee again. Apple cider + coffee = bad.)

HOT SPICED CIDER

1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less... season to taste...)
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 large orange, quartered with peel
2 quarts apple cider

Place filter in coffee basket, and fill with honey, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt, nutmeg, and orange wedges.

Pour apple cider into coffee pot where the water usually goes.

Brew, and serve hot.

(Think of me on the beach in Miami... Hee!~)

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Crock-Pot “Rotisserie” Chicken

Who loves those rotisserie chickens you can buy at the market, all salty and juicy and yummy... Perfect for flaking on salads or making chicken tacos.. WE DO! And who needs an EASY meal around this time of year? WE DO! Who knew you could make one in a CROCK POT?!?!? WE DO! I totally ripped this recipe off from this wonderful gal but switched up some of the spices to better suit our tastes.

Crock-Pot “Rotisserie” Chicken

--1 whole chicken, skinned (4-5 pounds)
--2 tsp kosher salt (if you'd like it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp.)
--1 tsp. garlic powder
--1 tsp onion powder
--1 tsp Italian seasoning (or poultry seasoning)
--1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
--1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
--pinch of chili pepper (probably not necessary)
--2 whole garlic cloves
--1 onion, quartered

Spray 6-quart crock-pot with non-stick spray.

THIS IS IMPORTANT.

Skin the chicken and get rid of the neck and other stuff from the cavity.

In a bowl, combine all of dried spices. Rub the spice mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Plop the bird breast-side down into the crockpot.If desired, put 4 whole garlic cloves and a quartered onion inside the bird.Do not add water. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8.

The longer you cook it, the tenderer the meat!

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Turkey Tetrazzini

All of us were felled by a terrible 36-hour or so stomach bug on Thanksgiving Day but wonderful Danger Dad managed to get a brined turkey perfectly cooked as soon as we were on the upswing of recovery. Needless to say we didn't have our usual appetites but we were thankful that we had lots of leftovers. Especially after I discovered this recipe, which I modified from Family Circle Magazine. This one is a real keeper. I made two large pans. I might make another one tomorrow. I am officially addicited. It's GOOD.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

1 Tsp. olive oil
10 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. *each* of salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp. flour (I use unbleached organic white)
6 oz. of egg noodles
14-15 oz. of low-sodium turkey stock (you can also use low-sodium chicken stock or broth)
3/4 cup of milk (I use whole milk, you can also use light cream for a heavier casserole)
10 oz. of turkey, chopped (white, dark, whatever)
10 oz. (1 package) of frozen peas
2 cups of water
1 cup of swiss cheese, small cubes
1 cup of parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion to pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every 7 minutes or until tender.

Stir in flour and cook one minute. Remove mushroom mixture from pot and set aside.

Return pot to stove on medium-high heat and add noodles, broth and milk and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes or until tender.

Stir in mushroom mixture, turkey and peas. Stir in swiss cheese. Add remaining 1/4 salt and pepper to taste. (You may not need it...)

Pour entire mixture into lightly greased 9 x 11 pan and sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly over top.

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and parmesan cheese is browned.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Veggie Burgers

With Thanksgiving under our belt (literally) and Christmas gluttony right around the corner I figure it's the perfect time for a vegetarian option. These burgers are easy to make and keep well.

Yummy Veggie Burgers
Modified from www.101cookbooks.com

I recommend using sprouted garbanzos but if you can't find them, canned or cooked garbanzos (chickpeas) will work great.

2 1/2 cups sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) OR canned garbanzos, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped (you can substitute cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
Grated zest of one large lemon
1 cup micro sprouts, chopped (try broccoli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts - optional)
1 cup toasted (whole-grain) bread crumbs (my fave is Ezekiel, a sprouted bread you can find at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's))
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or clarified butter)

Combine garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor. (If you are using sprouted garbanzos, steam them until just tender, about 10 minutes.) Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the parsley, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. Form into twelve 1 1/2-inch-thick patties. (If the patties are too moist to form a patty, add breadcrumbs. Too firm, add water or more egg.)

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium low, add patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties.

Whatcha' Cookin' Wednesday - Pumpkin Bread

In honor of Thanksgiving, and in honor of keeping things SIMPLE at Thanksgiving (don't we get a little wacky with the food, people?), posted below is the yummiest, easiest and healthiest Pumpkin Bread recipe around. Most pumpkin breads are no more than glorified cakes with cup and cups of sugar to each loaf. Not this one. Only ONE cup of honey for two loaves.

Lovely.



The kiddos LOVE it. And we do too. And it freezes well. (And did I mention it's really, really good?)

Enjoy. :)

Pumpkin Bread
(yields two loaves)

1 cup honey
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
16 oz. of fresh, roasted pumpkin (or one can of solid-pack pumpkin) [ed. note: Roast fresh pumpkin by halving and removing seeds then place flesh-side down on cookie sheet lined with foil coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour or until soft and mushy.)
4 eggs
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In Cusinart or blender mix honey, eggs and butter. Add pumpkin. Blend well. Transfer mixture to big bowl. In seperate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Divide batter equally between two well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert pans to remove loaves and allow to finish cooling on racks.

"Whatcha Cookin' Wednesday" Debuts

I am a food LOVER.


I'm often asked to share my recipes and such so I'm dedicating my blog a day each week to food (my favorite thing next to my kiddos and Danger Dad and maybe warm, sandy beaches) and share some of the stuff that goes on in my very busy kitchen.

I plan to call it "Whatcha Cookin' Wednesday."

(If you have a better name PLEASE let me know. The current title beat out "Sustinence Saturday", "Tuesday's Table" and "Friday's Fare." Yeah. My brain is on vacation.)

I think featuring this sort of thing in the middle of the week makes sense since that will give you time to get all the ingredients and such and perhaps make this a weekend meal.

Moving forward... Today I need comfort. LOTS of comfort.

And comfort = Crock Pot. As soon as the leaves turn I find that I use the Crock Pot about once a week, maybe more.

Here's one of my fave recipes. It's so easy it's crazy. (Crazy GOOD.)

Chicken a la Herbert

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (I use Wolfgang Puck organic.)

4 medium-sized chicken breast (frozen or thawed - I usually use frozen)

1 jar of roasted red bell peppers (julienned, I get mine from Trader Joe's)

one medium onion (chopped)

2 cloves of fresh garlic (chopped)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until clear then add to crock pot. Add soup and peppers and give a light stir. Layer chicken breasts in the soup mixture, spoon some on top.

Cook on low for about 8 hours. Enjoy over rice or noodles.

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And for more inspiration check out these awesome food blogs:
Bread and Honey & Crockpot 365