Crock Pot Asian Pork with Mushrooms

This is so so so delicious! It makes a ton so this is great for left overs or if you're feeding a crowd.

2 lbs lean boneless pork sirloin roast
salt and pepper
1 cup fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp agave or sugar
1 tsp sesame oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice(McCormick makes it but I have a bottle if you don't want to buy it)
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger root ( I just dump a little ginger in and it still tastes great)
8 oz sliced mushrooms

For Topping:
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray, and brown pork on all sides.

In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce, balsamic, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, Chinese five spice, garlic, and ginger; add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.

Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the pork. When the mushrooms are tender, remove about 1 cup of broth and reserve if needed. Add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well. If adding baby spinach, add at the end and cover a few minutes until it wilts. Serve over rice and top with scallions and cilantro-these toppings really add to the flavor so I recommend not skipping them.

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

1/2 Onion
1 C. carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 150z can of white beans, rinsed (cannellini or navy)
3 c. fat free chicken broth or vegetable broth(I use vegetable)
1 oz chunk of good parmesan cheese rind(I left this out and still tasted great)
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/4 chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
salt and pepper
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen(thawed) spinach
2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows
Extra parmesan cheese to top

Rinse and drain the beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of broth in a blender(I actually prefer my beans whole so I skip the puree step)

Ina crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, parmesan rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 min. more. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with extra parmesan cheese.

Very hearty and the whole family(Avery excepted) loves it.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

This recipe is taken from my new favorite website skinnytaste.com What I especially love about this recipe is the portion control. Each roll is one serving so there's no guessing or blatantly ignoring the serving size and over eating. Also, the whole family loved them so that is a huge plus too!

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper
32 oz tomato sauce
9Tbsp part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine spinach, ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on bottom of a 9 by 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3c. of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle Sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

*Because the recipe calls for fat free ricotta and part skim mozzarella, I would add chopped basil or other Italian herbs to the spinach mixture to give the flavor a little more kick.

Winter Veggie Bisque

Fall. Time to round up the squash and start eating soup again (try to ignore the few hot days we're going to get at the end of the week). This is the soup I made last spring for Stephanie's birthday lunch. It is so easy and delicious. The recipe is from Family Circle magazine.

Fall Veggie Bisque

1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 granny smith apple, peeled and cored
3 carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 TBS unsalted butter
2 packages frozen cooked squash, thawed
3 cups vegetable broth
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 heavy cream (this is really optional- or at least substitutable)

Shred veggies. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add shredded veggies and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

Stir in squash, broth and spices. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender. Return to pot and add cream (or not). Gently heat though and serve.

Follow up with some good bread, some hot cider and a sweater. Welcome back fall!

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Disclaimer: I haven't made these myself. But I had the ones my sister-in-law made for dinner tonight and they were fantastic. I asked her for the recipe and I thought I'd just post it directly here.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
3 slices bacon
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 c. salsa or picante sauce
1 can (16 oz.) black beans (the recipe says not to drain them, but I would drain them and then add some water)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sliced green onions
12 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
1 1/2 c. shredded monterey jack or mexican blend cheese

Toppings:
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and avocado slices

Cut chicken into short, thin strips. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel, crumble. Pour off all but a couple tablespoons bacon drippings, cook and stir chicken and garlic in drippings until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in 1/2 c. salsa, black beans, red pepper, cumin, and salt. Simmer until thickened, 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in green onions and reserved bacon. Spoon heaping 1/4 c. bean mixture down center of each tortilla, top with about a tablespoon of cheese. Roll up, place seam side down on lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Spoon remaining 1 c. salsa evenly over enchiladas. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, return to oven for about 3 minutes. Top as desired.

Mushroom and Edamame Risotto

Risotto used to intimidate me because they make it on one of those TV shows with the very angry chef who yells at the contestants when they (almost always) ruin the risotto. But, turns out, it is not so hard. The edamame provides some nice protein to this yummy vegetarian recipe.

2 TBS olive oil
8 oz sliced white mushrooms (or baby portabella)
1 pound frozen edamame
3 cups vegetable broth mixed with 11/2 cups water
1 small onion, finely chopped
11/3 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine (I think I used more stock)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Cook edamame, cool, shell (if necessary), and add to mushrooms.

Place broth and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

In a large saucepan, heat remaining oil over medien heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until rice is coated in oil. Cook for one minute, stirring. Add wine (or whatever) and cook until absorbed (about 1 minute).

Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring until broth is absorbed. Repeat 1/2 cup at a time until the broth is gone.

Gently reheat the mushroom and edamame. Stir into the rice and remove from heat. Stir in the pepper and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Divide among four bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Golden Rice Cakes with Sweet Potato-Ginger Sauce

I'm not gonna lie. This is labor intensive. But it's SOOOOOO good!! It comes from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons.

Rice:
3 tablespoons canola or corn oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Sweet Potato-Ginger Sauce
1 medium sweet potato (about 3/4 pound)
14 ounces coconut milk
1/2 cup water or orange juice (I used OJ and it was noticeable)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 scallions, both green and white parts, coarsely chopped, and 2 scallions, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten

1. In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola or corn oil with the garlic over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the jasmine rice, and stir constantly for 1 minute more. Add the water and salt. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook the rice for 15 minutes. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, and let it cool for 15 minutes.

2. While the rice cooks, cut the sweet potato into thirds. Place the pieces in a pot, and cover them with cold water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, and cook them until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them, and let them cool.

3. In a saucepan, bring the coconut milk, the water or orange juice, and the minced ginger almost to a boil, then turn the heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Slip the skin off the cooled sweet potato, and puree the flesh with the coconut-ginger liquid in a blender or food processor. Pour the sweet potato puree back into the saucepan, and add salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm.

5. Mince the carrot, the red pepper, and and the coarsely chopped scallions in a food processor. Add half of the jasmine rice and the 2 beaten eggs, and run the machine in spurts until the mixture has a mealy consistency. Put this mixture back into the bowl with the rest of the jasmine rice, and mix well. Put half of this mixture into a clean bowl.

6. Heat two skillets or a large griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the remaining canola or corn oil between the skillets, or spread it all on the griddle. Divide the rice mixture in each bowl into thirds. Form each of the six parts into a ball, then place each ball in a skillet or on the griddle, and pat the ball down to form a cake about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fry the cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown.

7. Reheat the sauce, and ladle it onto plates. Place a rice cake on each plate, and top with the finely chopped scallions.

Variations: To make this entree heartier, embellish it with some pan-fried tofu. Or rest the rice cake on some spinach that has been pan-fried in olive oil and formed into a round slightly larger than the rice cake, and ladle the sauce around the spinach.

Spicey Mango Sweet Potato Chicken

2 cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 clove garlic
6 Tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup warm water
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp hot sauce or to taste (we use about 1 tbsp)
1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp warm water

Place the sweet potatoes into a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover; simmer over medium-high heat until tender about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes, set aside. Stir garlic into the skillet, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Pour in the soy sauce, 3/4 cup water, honey, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the sweet potato, chicken, mango, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until hot. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 Tbsp of water, and stir into the simmering mixture. Stir until thickened.

Summer Tortellini Salad

20 oz. Cheese Tortellini
1 red sweet pepper cored, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 red onion, peeled, thinly cut (about 3/4 cup)
1 small bunch (about 1/2 lb) asparagus, trimmed, cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces(I didn't use thicker middle-bottom parts of the stem)
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Oil, divided
1 zucchini, diced to 1/4 in pieces
3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
7 oz of pesto sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
15 basil leaves, finely sliced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cook pasta per pkg directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Season pepper, onions, and asparagus with salt and pepper; toss with 1 Tbsp oil. Transfer to baking sheet; arange in single layer. Roast 10-12 min; turn half way thru cooking time. Remove mixture from baking sheet; set aside.

Season zucchini with salt and pepper; toss with remaining 1Tbsp basting oil. Transfer to baking sheet; arrange in single layer. Roast 5-7 min, until tender but not browned. Remove from oven. Add to pepper mix; chill 1 hour.

Toast pine nuts in small pan on Medium, 3 min, stirringuntil theyare slightly toasted (watch carefully). Remove from pan; set aside.

Add tomatoes, pesto, Tabasco saue, basil pine nuts, and veggie mix to tortellini in a large bowl; gently mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chilled.

*I left out the pine nuts and served warm and it tasted great.

Caribbean Black Bean Soup

Really yummy with a little zing to it! I made it for the ward Linger Longer yesterday,and received a lot of compliments on it.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 8 0z pkgs pre diced onions ( I chopped a large onion)
2 sweet red peppers, 1/4 inch dice
2 jalapeno peppers, 1/4 inch dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander (I finely chopped about 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro instead)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cayenne pepper ( I only used 1 tsp)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
8 cans (15.5 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cartons vegetable stock 32 oz. each (I used 8 cups veg. stock that I made from bouillon)


Heat olive oil on Medium-High in large stockpot, 1 min, until oil is hot. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, 3-4 min, until translucent. Stir in red pepper, jalapeno, and garlic, cook 2-3 min.

Add cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne, and vinegar to onions and peppers; cook stirring 1 min.

Add black beans and vegetable stock; stir. Bring to a boil on High. Reduce heat to Medium. Simmer 20 min; stir occasionally.

Reduce heat to Low. Transfer half of bean mixture to a separate bowl; set aside.

Puree remaining bean mixture in pot with hand held blender (I used regular blender). Return reserved beans to pot. Stir, season to taste with salt and pepper( I didn't use any)

Beef and Vegetable Barley Soup

It's very kid friendly and a complete "dump it all in one pot" recipe. I forgot to take a picture the night we ate it, but I'll post one soon.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. stew meat
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano
2 beef bouillon Cubes
4 c. water
1 bay leaf
* 1 can (14.9 oz) mixed vegetables, undrained
*1/2c. barley

Heat oil in large saucepan and brown beef. Stir in onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Stir in oregano, bouillon cubes, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour. Add vegetables and barley. Cook over medium heat 30 minutes. Serves 4.

*My variations: I used 1 cup of frozen vegetables and 1 1/2 c. barley that was already cooked(left over from another recipe.) Instead of cooking for an additional 30 min, I cooked until the vegetables thawed and warmed. I also added salt and pepper.

Greek Spinach-Pasta Salad with Feta and Beans

I pulled this recipe from the February issue of Better Homes & Gardens. (I "borrowed" their photo, too.) It is fantastic! I had it for lunch today and came away feeling super nourished and taste-bud-satisfied.

1 5-to-6 oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach
1 15 oz. can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), snipped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (or crushed)
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed is especially good)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. dried cavatappi (also called cellentani) or farfalle pasta
Shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

1. In a large serving bowl combine spinach, beans, cheese, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lemon peel and juice, oil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover, let stand at room temperature while cooking pasta or up to 2 hours; stir occasionally.

2. Shortly before serving, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Toss cooked pasta and pasta water with spinach salad mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese. makes 6 (2-cup) main-dish servings.

*My modifications:

I mixed the garlic, lemon peel and juice, oil, herbs, salt and pepper together as a vinaigrette. Once the pasta was cooked, I rinsed it with cold water and omitted the cooking water, then combined the remaining ingredients and tossed it all together with the vinaigrette. It looks like this recipe was intended to be a warm salad but the way I did it, it was a cold salad. I may try it as written sometime, it looks great that way too.

Oh, and I skipped the shaved Parmesan. It was fine without it.

Blender Pancakes

This is probably one of the most common recipes for using whole wheat berries in real cooking. It is a stand by in our house. It takes practically no time, dirties as few dishes as pancakes possibly can and keeps us full until lunch time. How could you ask for more? This recipe feeds our family of two grown pancake-eaters and two small pancake-eaters just about perfectly.

Blender Pancakes

3/4-1 cup whole wheat berries
1 cup milk
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 TBS honey
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
dash salt

Combine milk and wheat in the blender. Mix on low for a minute or so, then on high for two or three minutes. We like it a little grainier and not perfectly smooth, but it makes no difference. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high for a minutes. Cook on griddle.

NOTE: Karene has a gingerbread pancake variation. Add 1/4 cup molasses, and 1/8 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves and ginger. So good!

West African Fruit Salad

I found this recipe one Thanksgiving when I was assigned to bring fruit salad to the family celebration. I didn't want to make the same old thing or pay for super out of season produce. This salad was the perfect remedy. It's great as a side or dessert. The recipe came from allrecipes.com

West African Fruit Salad

4 cups cubed pineapple, canned or fresh
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
2 bananas, peeled and sliced

2 TBS dark brown sugar
2 TBS lime juice

1 cup toasted coconut

Combine fruit in large bowl. Mix brown sugar with lime juice and stir into fruit. Chill for 1 hour or more. Add toasted coconut before serving.

Goat Cheese Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash

1 pkg (20 oz) pre cut Butter Nut Squash, cut into 1/2 in cubes
2 Tablespoons Sage, thinly sliced, divided
1 Tablespoon basting oil (I use olive oil instead)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, chopped
3 cups butternut squash soup( you can buy prepared or see below for recipe)
18 oz of goat cheese tortellini, cooked 4 min, drained

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, 1 Tbsp of sage, oil, salt, pepper, and butter in mixing bowl. Spread mixture in even layer on baking sheet. Roast 15-18 minutes until golden-brown. Add squash, soup, and remaining Tbsp sage to skillet on medium; bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta. Cook 1 min.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Soup
1 pkg of pre cut butternut squash(20 oz)
1/3 c. of chopped onion
1/3 c. of chopped celery
1/3 c. of chopped carrot
1 Tbsp of oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 c chicken stock

Cut larger squash pieces into smaller uniform pieces: place in 2- qt microwave-safe dish with 1 Tbsp water, cover. Microwave on High 10 min until soft. Set aside. Add onions, carrots, celery, and oil to stock pot on medium-low. Cook, stirring, 10 min, until soft but not browned. Add squash; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add stock, simmer 10 min. Remove from heat; let cool 10 min. Ladle small batches (about 2 cups at a time) into blender; puree until smooth. Return soup to pot; reheat on LOW. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sweet Potato Muffins

I had an extra sweet potato lying around so I used it to make these muffins. I made mini muffins so that I can send them to school with my son in his lunch, but they'll work as regular size muffins as well. What I love about these is that sweet potato really is the main ingredient! The batter looks like grated sweet potato coated with muffin batter. And they're super yummy, of course.

This recipe comes from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup canola or corn oil (I used canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used soft white wheat flour, but I think others would work just as well. The original recipe calls for unbleached white flour, which would also be fine.)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (if you use white flour, use only 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or use a heaping teaspoon of nutmeg from a spice jar)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/3 pounds), peeled and finely grated, to make 4 cups
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Coat with cooking spray a tin or tins to hold twelve regular muffins, or 48 mini muffins. (I often do half regular and half mini, so six regular muffins and 24 mini muffins.)

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar oil, vanilla and eggs.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and grated sweet potatoes. Make a well in the center, and pour in the egg mixture. Stir in the egg mixture, gradually incorporating it with the flour mixture. (Note: This batter is very stiff and will require some work to incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Don't give up!) Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Spoon the batter into the tins. Here's what the batter looks like in the tins:

I like to fill each tin to the rim to make a large cap (no, the batter doesn't overflow). Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes (regular muffins) or 13-15 minutes (mini muffins) or until a wooden toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

4. Take the muffin tin(s) out of the oven. Run a knife carefully around each muffin, then invert the pan, and knock one edge against your work surface to release the muffins. Serve right away, or place on a rack to cool.

Pumpkin and Barley Stew with Sausage

This originally came from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. We made some modifications to better suit what we like to buy. Husband and I thought it was delicious. Our five-year-old ate it hesitantly but without argument. Our nearly three-year-old fought it for all of dinnertime, but under the threat of no ice cream, accepted a bite, said "this is really good, mommy," and finished her bowl.

A note, make sure that you season well with salt and black pepper at the end. It makes a big difference. The pepper is especially delish with the pumpkin and keeps it from being too pumpkin-y.

Pumpkin and Barley Stew with Sausage

8oz sausage (or precooked andouille or sausage links)
1 small onion, chopped
1 TBS snipped fresh sage
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cups (or more) cooked barley
1 tsp chicken base or bouillon
1 15 oz canned pumpkin
2 TBS maple syrup
1 TBS cider vinegar

If you are using regular sausage, cook and either slice or crumble. When sausage is nearly done, add onion and sage (use the 1 TBS oil as needed). Add about 4 cups water and the chicken base. Stir in pumpkin, maple syrup and vinegar. Stir in cooked barley. Heat through. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
3 T. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 or 3 beaten egg yolks
1 1/4 c. milk
3 T. oil or melted shortening
2 or 3 stiffly beaten egg whites(beaten to peaks)


Combine dry ingredients. Beat in egg yolks, milk, and oil. Fold the beaten egg whites into mixture. Bake on griddle until golden brown and bubbles form on top, then turn.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

2 c. blueberries washed, stems removed
3 c. whole wheat flour (2 T. of it will be used to coat blueberries)
1 1/4 c sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. milk
1 c. butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten(although this morning, I whipped the egg whites to peaks, and I think it made the muffins lighter)



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with papers. Toss blueberries with 2 T. of flour(from your 3 c.) and set aside. Sift the remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Add the milk, butter and eggs and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries and spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins (I usually do about 1/3 c. worth). Bake for 20-25 min until tops are browned. Makes about 18 regular muffins.

Fiesta Salad

This bean and brown rice based salad is great for a main dish or as a side. My kids eat it happily and we love it too. Vary the number and types of beans as well as the amount of jalapeno to suit different tastes.

Fiesta Salad

Mix the following in a large bowl:
2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice
1 can of corn (frozen corn would work too)
2-3 cans of beans-black, pinto, garbanzo, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup minced onion
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 TBS cilantro, chopped

Mix and add dressing:
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

Stir, mix and serve. This salad is even better after it sits in the fridge for a couple of hours so all of the flavors can combine.

Edamame Garden Salad with Citrus Soy Vinaigrette

Steph requested this one, so here it is...

This comes from the book Simply Salads by Jennifer Chandler. Highly recommended.

Salad:
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup halved and sliced radishes
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
1 bag (5 ounces) Sweet Baby Greens

*Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame, return to a boil, and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Drain the edamame and rinse with cold water until cooled. Place in a large salad bowl.

*Add the carrot, radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, and Sweet Baby Greens. Add the vinaigrette to taste and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Citrus-Soy Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

*In a small bowl whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, and oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: You can just use orange juice and lemon juice from a bottle, and it's still really good. However, I have noticed that the flavor is noticeably better if you squeeze it fresh.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

This pizza got rave reviews from my husband and kids alike. I picked up the recipe at Blog Chef, then made a few modifications.

Ingredients:
4 pieces of naan bread (can be bought already prepared, or see recipe below to make at home)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 (6 ounce) jar artichoke hearts (drained)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Basil Pesto Sauce-
1 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)
1 garlic cloves
1/8 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1: To make basil pesto- Combine basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/3 cup of oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and set aside.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Divide the pesto four ways, and spread over each piece of naan. Arrange chicken and artichoke hearts over the sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Step 3: Bake for 5-10 minutes (on a pizza stone, if you have one, or on a baking sheet if you don't) or until the cheese has melted.

I made this recipe pretty much exactly as above, but as we were eating we thought of several additional toppings that would be delicious:

Sun dried tomatoes (either packed in oil, or soaked from dry)
Mushrooms (fresh, marinated, or canned)
Kalamata olives

You could easily add these toppings, omit the chicken, and have a fantastic vegetarian meal.

If you want to make your own naan bread, here's a great recipe for it:

Naan Bread

2 3/4 cups flour, (either white or whole wheat) plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 egg
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl by hand), stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and yeast. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, yogurt, and milk. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir for about 1 minute, until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into the wet ingredients.

Increase machine speed to 2 (or by hand) and knead the dough until it is smooth and shiny. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles in size, about an hour.

Put a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on the lowest rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees for at least 30 minutes prior to baking.

Divide the dough into eight pieces and form into oval shapes with your hands, about 6 to 8 inches across.

Cook two or three pieces at a time. Drop the dough onto the hot stone and shut the oven door, watching until they are just starting to turn brown in places, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the naan, then follow instructions as above.

In the Kitchen With Friends

FOOD. We like it healthy. We like it simple. We like it delicious. Sometimes we like it to be all of these things at once. We want to eat wholesome food, as free from artificial ingredients and preservatives as is reasonable. We will try to use meat sparingly and use the flavors of fruits, vegetables, alternate proteins and grains to enhance our meals. We want to respect the earth as we decide what ingredients to buy and to stay somewhat connected to where our food comes from. We don't want to spend a fortune. This site will be a place for us to share recipes and tips as we attempt to accomplish these goals and feed our families well.