Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Strawberries, rhubarb and honey are simmered over gentle heat to create this simple compote.

I love the combination of strawberry and rhubarb, it's one of my favorite pie fillings but it's also wonderful as a compote to eat for breakfast over Greek yogurt or crepes, or for dessert I love it warm with a little frozen yogurt. What do you like to do with fruit compote?

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Fiesta Lime Rice

 

Rice, black beans, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice, every bite of this colorful side dish will feel like one big fiesta in your mouth! Use leftover rice and this side dish comes together in minutes.

I think my love of rice is innate having a Hispanic mother. This dish started as the filling for a vegetarian stuffed pepper recipe I dreamed up in my head, but when I put all the stuffing ingredients together all I kept thinking was... Wow this would be wonderful as is, or with some Chicken Ropa Vieja and melted cheese on top, or as a big burrito bowl topped with Sweet Barbacoa Pork or Barbacoa Beef or Pork Carnitas! You see excited a bowl of rice can make me!

So I decided to make this a two part recipe. Today I will post this as a side dish and let you decide how you want to eat it. Tomorrow stuffed peppers!!

There is always leftover rice in my house, my kids love it and leftovers make great lunches mixed with whatever we had for dinner the night before. If you don't have any cooked rice you can cook about 1 cup rice with salt and 2 cups of water to make enough rice for this. I heated the corn and the beans in the microwave a few seconds to make sure everything was hot before I served it. My family fights me on brown rice so I always make white, but brown rice would be wonderful as well.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Salsa Picante Roja

This spicy red salsa is made with fresh tomatoes, roasted jalapeño, garlic and cilantro, pureed in a blender then simmered until the tomatoes deepen in color. Serve with your favorite baked chips and Sinless Margaritas!

There are so many varieties of Mexican salsas with different levels of heat, some chunky, some smooth, some raw and others cooked. This one is smooth and cooked, perfect for topping a burrito bowl or simply enjoying with some tortilla chips. I love the smoky flavor of roasting jalapeños, which I did right over my stove. I let it sit for a few minutes over a medium flame, turning a few times. When the skin started to char I removed it from the flame and peeled off some of the charred parts. You can do this on the grill as well.

If you want a milder sauce remove the seeds before putting it in the blender. This is so easy to make, put all the ingredients in the blender, then simmer for 25 minutes. That's it!!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Fasolia Gigantes with Herbs and Crumbled Feta: Original and Slow Cooker version

This is such a wonderful variation from the normal way we eat beans which is either Cuban style black beans or Mexican/Southwestern style pinto beans. I just can't tell you how wonderful these taste, especially with the freshly made sauce and then baked to perfection. I must thank Don from SortaChef for turning me on to this amazing dish. His site is wonderful and you must check it out right now! Wait!  Read my post first, then go read through his amazing collection of recipes using a wood fire oven.  Also, thanks to Pomi for sending me a variety of their boxed tomatoes to check out. I immediately thought of this dish to make using their fresh, boxed tomatoes straight from Italy.

 

A note on the safety of canned tomatoes

Most canned tomatoes {I've only found that Trader Joe's brand does not contain BPA or additives in their canned goods} are synonymous with high sodium and chemicals. They contain  preservatives, citric acid, toxic BPA and other additives, we all know canned tomatoes are not a good alternative to fresh tomatoes. A great way to “kick the can” is to bring safe, healthy tomatoes to the table like Pomì!

Pomì is a brand of 100% all natural, BPA-free boxed tomatoes straight from Italy. It is packaged in a SIG Combibloc without preservatives, additives, water or citric acid and the tomatoes are never grown with pesticides or through the use of genetically modified seeds. Pomì is also rich in Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which can help decrease a person’s risk for certain types of cancers, such as prostate and lung cancer. The Pomi tom's made my sauce taste oh-so fresh and wonderful.

I ended up with a very fresh and rustic tasting dish. I love when you can actually taste the realness of something. Yes, fresh tomatoes are best of course but with produce inflation this is a good alternative.

This last time I made the gigantes, I didn't have any feta :(    I decided Feta is a must with these
but alas, they are not pictured here. Sorry. Mommy brain disclaimer should be stamped on my blog.

I have made Fasolia Gigantes before, once with this original method and twice in the slow cooker. I should say that these are the original and the lazy versions, but maybe that's redundant  ;)
The slow cooker method is still wonderful but maybe not quite as flavorful since skipping the final baked in goodness. If you make them in the slow cooker, still saute the onion, carrot and garlic for 5-7 minutes then add everything to the cooker. Cook on the lowest setting for 8-10 hours.

Traditionally, in Greece these are baked in a big wood fire oven which is on my 'Must Have Immediately' list. A girl can dream can't she?


recipe from SortaChef

SERVES  6-8     COOKING TIME  90-120 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups Greek giant beans (if you can't find them, use Great Northern beans)
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons Greek oregano
1½ teaspoons thyme
2 ounces of Greek olive oil, divided
1-28 ounce can plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons salt (preferably grey sea salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar


Crumbled feta and flat leaf parsley or fresh thyme for garnish






MAKING THE FASOLIA GIGANTES


*Soak beans overnight in cold water to cover by an inch or more. Minimum soaking time: 8 hours.
Note: There is no absolute cooking time for these beans, so your teeth will have to tell you when they are cooked through without becoming mushy. Once they have attained the right texture, they will hold that throughout baking in the red sauce.


If you follow directions below and bring pre-soaked gigantes to a soft boil in about 15 minutes, the shortest cooking time from that point will be 50 minutes. After that, you’ll want to bite-test a bean every ten minutes; when the bean’s flesh gives all the way down with no hard bit in the middle, your beans are cooked to perfection.


Cook the gigantes: Drain the soaking water and replace with cold water to cover by at least an inch. Over medium heat, with a lid half cocked over the pan, bring the water slowly to a boil. This should take 15 minutes.
Boil gently with the lid partly covering for 50 minutes, at which point you want to test the beans every 10 minutes for doneness.  Beans are cooked when you can bite through a bean without encountering resistance in the middle. The varying cooking time depends on how old the beans are among other things.


Once beans are tender, pour into colander to drain the water. Put beans into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and set aside.


Make the sauce: While the beans are cooking, simmer the onion, carrot and garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or skillet. Sprinkle with some of the oregano and thyme.


After about 5-7 minutes, when the onions are translucent and slightly brown at the edges, add the juice from the tomatoes while scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Add tomato paste, whisk to combine. Chop the tomatoes (I do this with kitchen scissors in the can) and add to the veggies. Add the sugar, the salt and pepper and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring as necessary to keep from sticking. Add ½ cup water and continue at a bare simmer until ready for the next step.


Preheat oven to 375°


Pour the sauce evenly over the beans.  Drizzle on any remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the beans.


Serve warm with a bit of crumbled feta and herbs sprinkled on top and with pita bread and Kalmata olives.

I like to eat this Greek dish while sitting on the patio of my summer home in Greece. {I call it dreaming, not denial}

picture credit

Only a few days left to enter to win a set of drapes of your choice from CurtainWorks!

Just a reminder to enter below to win a pair of drapes for your home. Just in time for Spring re-decorating! Remember, they are eco-friendly made from 100% recycled materials. Check out my previous post to enter and for details!

Also, if you have an extra minute I would really appreciate your vote at babble.com to be on their list of

Top Mommy Bloggers. Wouldn't it be nice to see some new faces on these lists? ;)  The link is on the right hand side of my blog just under my smiling face. ;)

Thanks everyone!

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

Baked chicken breasts rolled with spinach and ricotta topped with pomodoro sauce and melted mozzarella. A dish the whole family will love!

Since making chicken rollatini stuffed with prosciutto and cheese a few weeks back my husband has been craving chicken rollatini the way he grew up eating it, stuffed with cheese and topped with sauce and more cheese. I had to sneak some spinach in them against his will, but he was very pleased with the final results. I guess you can say this is a cross between my Chicken Parmigiana and Spinach Lasagna Rolls. 

Perfect for a large crowd, or to feed a hungry family. These are very filling, I served this with a big salad and I was very content with just one piece. These re-heated beautifully the next day and we were happy to enjoy them again for leftovers. Enjoy!!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Red Wine Tomato Vinaigrette

Lightening up vinaigrettes have been one of my biggest challenges because you typically need to keep the ratio of oil to vinegar 3 to 1, if you try to use less oil you'll wind up with a very tart tasting dressing.

Adding a sweet, juicy, vine ripe tomato to my vinaigrette allows me to keep my ratio of oil to vinegar 3 to 1 and compliments all the flavors without the need to have to add more oil. I pulse the tomato in my food processor first, then combine all my other ingredients I would normally add, and let it rest a few hours to let the flavors combine.


You can come up with different variations by using different vinegars, adding fresh herbs, honey, and so on. The best way to test if your dressing is good is to test it by dipping a piece of lettuce into it.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Give Away in Honor of Earth Day: A set of your choice of curtains made from 100% recycled products!

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, I've been doing some Spring cleaning, organizing and re-decorating. It's definitely time to update my heavy, dark curtains in my front room. It's been on my 'To Do List' for quite some time now but I've always hesitated to purchase a second set of curtains. Partly because they are expensive and partly in an effort to be more conscience of the impact all this 'stuff' around the house has on the environment.

Have you seen the movie WALL-E? The little futuristic robot that is left behind on a barren and depleted Earth collecting piles and piles of trash and junk left behind by humans who have now escaped into space. Who knows if that could happen someday, but the thought of all the stuff we collect and waste pokes at me when buying new things that aren't of necessity.

So needless to say I was very excited to find this Eco-conscience company that sells curtains made from 100% recycled products. Very cool. I received a set of these Caress Voile Sheer panels and they are just a beautiful breath of fresh air for my front room.

In honor of Earth Day,

Curtainworks is generously offering to send a set of 

curtains of your choice to one lucky winner!
Make sure you visit their site to see more beautiful choices.

 

CURTAINWORKS INTRODUCES NEW WINDOW COVERING MADE WITH

REPREVE® RECYCLED FIBERS

 Consumers interested in decorating their homes in ways that reduce environmental impact now have a stylish alternative in window treatments.  This spring, Curtainworks is introducing the Caress Voile Sheer, a fashionable and affordable new window treatment featuring REPREVE® fibers made from 100% recycled materials, including used plastic beverage bottles.

“The Caress Voile Sheer is both beautiful and versatile, providing numerous design options from casual to dramatic, and is suitable for use in many rooms.”

The Caress Voile Sheer offers many benefits, including:

·         Rod pocket construction

·         Semi-sheer look that maintains privacy while still letting light in

·         Color assortment includes gold, ivory and white for a wide array of design possibilities

·         Offered in five lengths ranging from 63 – 120 inches; with a width of 59 inches

·         Made from 55% REPREVE® Polyester/45% polyester; on average, one panel saves seven 16 oz. plastic bottles from a landfill

To Enter: You must be a follower of Simply Healthy Family. The follow button is on the right hand side of this blog. If you're already a follower leave a comment saying hi. If your a new follower leave a comment and a link to your blog if you'd like so I can stop by and say hi! Please make sure your comments link back to an email address or provide one so that I can notify you if you win!

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry telling!

+1 more comment:  by subscribing via RSS or e-mail to Simply Healthy Family's feeds. and leave a comment telling me you did.

+1 more comment: Follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment telling me you did.

+1 more comment: Share this giveaway! Sharing buttons are right below this post. Just leave a comment telling me how you shared.

Giveaway closes:  Friday, May 6th. The winner will be contacted via e-mail and announced the following day.



Good Luck!

Bananas Fosters Topped Overnight French Toast

Dessert for breakfast? This make-ahead baked French toast casserole topped with Bananas Fosters will wow your guests this Easter! Put out some bowls of fresh berries and fruit and your guests wont even know this is a lightened up French Toast.

This was inspired by my Lightened Up Crème Brûlée French Toast. I had brought it to my cousins Kat's for New Years morning and she being the dessert queen that she is decided to make Bananas Fosters to top it off. It was heavenly so I wanted to recreate that day with a lighter version of it.

I tested this out on all my family members and everyone loved it. It's almost like a bread pudding, you could probably even enjoy this for dessert. Hope you enjoy! You can easily double this recipe for a bigger crowd.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Low-Yolk Egg Salad

What to do with all your leftover Easter eggs? Make this easy guiltless egg salad made with mostly egg whites and scallions. Serve this on your favorite whole grain bread or enjoy on lettuce cups.

I like to keep my egg salad simple, that is just my preference but you can add chopped celery, bell pepper or even pickles to yours. Have fun with it and adapt it to your taste! This recipe easily doubles or triples. Hate mayo? Use fat free Greek yogurt instead. Add some paprika, curry powder... the ideas or endless.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Orange and Honey Roasted Carrots with Candied Pecans: Healthy Easter Sides

One of these days I'm gonna get the hang of this whole food blogging thing. I'll be able to throw together simple meals and snacks without completely devastating my kitchen or taking ten times longer than it should. I'm also in high hopes that my food photography will, in the words of FoodGawker be 'Better Composed' and have 'Better Lighting'. It's true, cant' say I blame em', there are some pretty amazing foodie sites out there who really seem to have it all together. (Do they have a kid-free home? A team of professional food stylist following them around? A Master's degree in Food-ology? That's gotta be it! ;)

What I have going for me:

I know the foods I make are actually really delicious and usually super simple. I take basic, healthy recipes and give them more flavor. Mamma likes flavor. I take common 'kid friendly' and 'comfort' foods and make them healthier without sacrificing flavor.

The dishes and snacks on Simply Healthy Family are do-able. Real Food for Real People. There may be some foods or ingredients you haven't tried before but everything's found at your neighborhood grocery store, nothing fancy. Not that I don't like gourmet, I'm just not in a gourmet point in my life at the moment. *sigh

The foods I end up posting on Simply Healthy Family are all Kid Friendly and Busy Mommy/Person Friendly. I have 4 kids and so I know all to well the 'Dinner Time Show Down' with getting kids to eat veggies, beans, grains ect. That's why I created this blog. To help people with these issues. Give you new and simple ideas, ones that actually taste good.

So sometimes, regardless of how simple my recipes are, the finished picture doesn't turn out as planned. Poor lighting and composition is usually to blame (according to FoodGawker), but I like to also blame my kids for this. What loving mother wouldn't?  ;) 

Let me explain. I'm losing my mind you see. Plain and simple. The with-it-ness is being sucked out of me little by little. I used to be a with it girl, spunky and smart. Never used to forget anything. Those days have sailed, approximately 2 or 3 kids ago to be exact.




We are lucky in that we have very big families on both mine and my husbands side. So holidays are always busy and fun and with tons of good food. This means I usually have to cook very little or not at all. More importantly, there's less to clean up! We celebrated yesterday because my dad and step-mom are going to be at their house in Mexico on Easter weekend. I thought I'd bring a healthier veggie dish to share. I didn't want to freak any one out by bringing steamed spinach or kale chips however, baby steps.

I decided to bring these Orange and Honey Glazed Carrots with Candied Pecans. Besides, they'd look good in my beautiful new ceramic pot from Italy. ;)  All day Sunday we were busy doing some much needed Spring cleaning and I didn't get started on my dish until about an hour before we had to leave. So in the rush to throw things together and take a picture to share I forgot to sprinkle on my beautiful candied pecans. Dangit! I also discovered that the carrots shrunk a bit while roasting and didn't come near enough to feed 15 people or to fill my pretty pot. Oops.

Imagine how good the candied pecans taste with these Honey-Orange Carrots!

Soooo, at the last minute while Jim was throwing kids in the car, I'm pressure cooking some more carrots and throwing them into the pot and drizzling some honey over them and a bit more orange zest. Voila! Disaster averted, sort of. There are still no pecans in my picture so now they just look like plain ol' carrots,
The Shame! Oh well, I gave you my disclaimer so you understand right? Right?


They tasted really fabulous and got rave reviews and so you must try them. I recreated this recipe from some very basic ones around the Internet. Steaming them for a couple of minutes before roasting them quickens the cooking time and helps them not to dry out I think. I used my pressure cooker at the 1st red ring for just ONE minute then released the pressure by running cool water over the lid.

What are your favorite healthy side dishes?

 

SERVES  6-8 as a side dish      TIME 40 MINUTES

Ingredients:

4 lbs baby carrots (pretty heirloom carrots with little stems still attached would be lovely but I used mini-carrots to save money)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP Organic honey

zest from 1 orange

2 TBSP orange juice

small handful of fresh curly parsley

1 TBSP fresh chives, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400F

In a large pot (I used my pressure cooker, see above note if you have one)  add lemon juice to 2 cups water. Steam carrots for just 2 minutes. Drain. Add carrots to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, honey, orange juice and zest. Spread onto a shallow baking dish lined with foil. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 20-30 minutes till fork tender. Remove from heat and toss with chopped parsley and chives just before serving.

Top With Pecans! ;)

FOR THE CANDIED PECANS: Make these ahead of time (unlike me ;)

1 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup turbinado (Raw) sugar (use white if you must ;)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg white

Pre-heat oven to 300F. Line a shallow baking pan with wax paper.

In a small sauce pot, combine water, sugar and vanilla. Over medium high heat bring to gentle boil, whisk occasionally. Bring to simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes whisking occasionally. Remove from heat, whisk in cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg white. Add pecans, toss to coat. Pour sugar mixture over pecans, toss to coat.

Spread pecans on prepared baking dish trying not to let them touch if possible. Bake at 300F for 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them being careful not to let burn. Turn with spatula if necessary. (I didn't have to)

Remove from oven, break apart any pecans stuck together. Set aside.

So, I guess I didn't make the cut to be on babble's Top 100 Mom bloggers of 2011.

That's o.k. *sniff sniff    I'm totally o.k. with that and congrats to those who did, I look forward

to visiting each and every one of your sites!

Now onto my next Goal/Wishful Thinking favor.

Maybe I can at least get on the list to be voted for on Saveur's Best Food Blogger Award.

Ya think? Maybe....

If you do, please 'nominate' me

HERE

Nominations end April 22

Voting for the finalist *crossing fingers  starts April 26

Much Thanks!

This post is linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesday's

Mouthwatering Monday's

Meatless Monday's

Tasty Tuesday's

Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe and Italian chicken sausage are tossed with orecchiette (otherwise know as little ears because of their shape) and a whole lot of garlic! This lightened up version will not disappoint!!

Pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe is one of my favorite Italian pasta dishes. The combination of the broccoli rabe with the garlic, red pepper flakes, Parmigiano Reggiano and sausage makes my taste buds do the happy dance!! If you've never had it, step out of your comfort zone and give it a try.



Broccoli rabe otherwise known as rapini has a slightly bitter taste, but the bitterness mellows when you blanch it for just under two minutes. The photos really didn't do this dish justice, we were so hungry and the lighting was poor, that I rushed through the photos and we had no leftovers. Even my picky kids, one year old and teenager both loved this. You can use any pasta shape you like, low carb or whole wheat would also be great.

They key to this dish is finding a great tasting chicken or turkey sausage. I recommend trying a few brands, not all are equal in taste and the lean factor. I found an incredibly delicious chicken sausage with broccoli rabe at my local organic market, Wild By Nature. The flavor is outstanding, but I have had great results from Italian markets as well.


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Moroccon Cous Cous with Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

 What to make for dinner when you don't feel like making dinner.

I decided that I wasn't going to talk about how amazingly delicious this cous cous was. I'm also not going to tell you how simple it is even though it looks all fancy and exotic and some what like an elaborate, artistic masterpiece. I'm also not going to even mention the fact that besides being sweet and tart and complex and lovely, it is light and healthy and nutritionally perfect. No meat necessary. Mum's the word.

Instead, I decided that I was going to talk about balloons. And motherhood. But mostly about balloons.

Every kid loves balloons right? Begs for them at the store. Plays with them at birthday parties and happily marches around the house with one tied to their wrist, squealing in delight.

Not. In. This. House. We have a balloon hater in this house. No, that does not even begin to describe the chaos, turmoil and complete madness that consumes our home when a balloon enters it.

Is there a certain word for severe balloon phobia? There must be, there's a phobia for everything. Does anyone know what the word for fear of balloons is?

My sweet little 4 year old, Nolan, is utterly and completely terrified of balloons for some reason. I thought he'd have gotten over it by now, hopefully he will someday I mean he's only 4... and 1/2. In the beginning I didn't think much of it, 'eh, he's just a little kid, he'll get over it. I mean how often do you run into balloons in every day life? Well let me tell you.

Birthday's, obviously. So a year has gone by since the last birthday party balloon fiasco I didn't think anything of getting some balloons for Jack's 6th birthday a few weeks ago. Bad idea. BAD. Good grief, you can not imagine the torture this poor 4 year old boy went through because of a couple of regular ol' balloons! I spent All morning trying to sympathize, coax, reassure and rationalize with an insanely out of control 4 year old that there was no reason to be afraid of a balloon.

Why is he afraid?

It starts at the store. He's afraid the string is going to come loose and it's going to blow away. You should see his poor little face, genuine fear I tell you. Then, in the car {good Lord, the car ride home!} he completely stiffens up and stresses and cries out in panic the entire time that they are going to blow out of the (closed) windows. Jack, his 6 year old brother who's birthday is causing all the ruckus, is of course perfectly intent on further torturing his little brother; what are brothers for? Jack holds onto his balloon string with one hand while tapping it with his other so that it bops Nolan in the back of the head (3rd row seating) just to aggravate the situation.

Then baby Mona happens to get her hands on Nolan's balloon and with her chubby baby hands begins squeezing the balloon which makes that squeaky balloon sound (which kind of irks me too) and that really sets off poor Nolie. I mean at this point I'm a little unnerved. I don't like seeing my baby this upset. I'm thinking o.k. we're in the drive way, things will get better. No. We get inside and the ceiling fan is on...............................

Have you ever seen a 4 year old have a nervous breakdown? Come completely unglued.  Not pretty. Of course I had to take away the balloons, right? There was no rationalizing with him at this point. This of course upset the birthday boy, Jack.  So,

Give Jack back his balloon.

Take away Jack's balloon after further torture treatment ensues in hallway.

Put both boys to bed to give it a rest (my sanity, not the boys).

Listen to Nolan cry for 20 minutes about how he needs his balloon.

Put the balloon back in Nolan's room and tell him to take a nap and the balloon will be just fine.

Listen to Nolan cry for another 45 minutes about how the balloon is going to pop.

Finally, I pop. I take the balloon out of the room and well, pop it. No more balloons in this house ever!

So today, we stop by Sonic for a treat and what does the car hop/waitress bring to our car window?

A stinking balloon!

Go back up to the beginning of this story and this is what I dealt with all stinking over again today.

I don't get it. He is scared to death of them but is equally upset if I let it fly away or pop it.

The morale of my story is:  Sometimes you just don't have the energy or give a crap to make dinner.

Unfortunately, I hate take-out and boxed meals even more than making dinner when I'm exhausted. So, I come up with a fuss-free, throw together dinner that is still healthy and delicios-O. Cuz that's how I roll. Makes mamma happy.

This is one of those meals. I promise.

So, super simple and you just won't believe how tasty.

Keep things like slivered or sliced almonds, currants or raisins, mixed dried fruit, kalmata or green olives, a variety of canned or dried beans, cous cous, quinoa and millet in your pantry and you will always, always have

the makings of a last minute, throw together dinner.



I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to vote for me to be

one of babble.com's Top 100 Mommy Bloggers of 2011

here

Adapt this recipe how you like it! Here's what I used this time.

Ingredients:

1 cup cous cous

1 cup chicken broth (or water, I like the vitamins in home-made chicken broth)

1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1-14 oz. can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup slivered almonds, Raw

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup flat parsley , chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

*1/2 tsp. Mediterranean seasoning

sea salt to taste

Kalmata olives

I found this Orange Muscat Champage vinegar at Trader Joe's. No perservatives, all natural. You could also use: 1/4 cup O.J. 1/4 cup Muscat grape juice (white grape juice), 1 tbsp. champagne vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar

* use garlic powder, onion flakes, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes etc. I'm loving Braggs Organic 21 seasoning and Sea Kelp delight seasoning.  

Throwing it all Together:

Bring broth to a boil. Add olive oil and cous cous, stir, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for at least 5 minutes while you get everything else in order.

In a large bowl throw all other ingredients together and toss to combine.

Add cous cous. Toss.

That's it! Bam! Dinner in 10 minutes.

Serve with grilled fish if your really hungry. Serve with a glass of wine if you deserve one. I know I do!

This post is linked to:

La Bella Vita's  Seasonal Saturday's
E Kat's Kitchen  Friday Potluck
Fun with Food Friday

Piña Colada Cupcakes

Pineapple and coconut top these light pineapple cupcakes, what a perfect Spring dessert! For the coconut lover out there, these are super easy, low fat, moist and delicious! A variation of my pineapple bliss cupcakes, using a box of yellow cake mix and a can of crushed pineapple; no eggs, no oil or butter needed!!

This is great for lazy bakers like me, takes less than 10 minutes to prep! You can make the cupcakes a day ahead and the topping as well which should be stored in the refrigerator. Once you top them with the frosting they should be eaten within a few hours.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Moist and delicious low fat whole wheat muffins loaded with blueberries in every bite.

Isn't it dissatisfying when you buy a blueberry muffin thinking it's a healthy breakfast option and it's basically a sweet piece of cake with blueberries and lots of fat disguised as a muffin?

These muffins are low in calories and fat, high in fiber and good for you! Most of the fat has been replaced by applesauce which gives you a very moist muffin without all the added fat. You can make a half batch just as easily as making a whole batch if 12 muffins are too much for your household. I love them best fresh out of the oven, but I usually reheat them a few seconds in the micro the next day and tightly wrap any remaining with plastic wrap.
 

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese

Chicken cutlets dipped in lemon and olive oil, gently coated in a combination of bread crumbs and romano cheese then rolled with prosciutto, cheese and red onion and baked until golden. Serve this with a simple arugula salad or tomato salad for a complete dinner.

I try to make a dish from my friend Julia's blog a few times a month to get show her some love, but also because she's a wonderful cook and I know her recipes won't fail me. I've had my eye on this one for a while, a perfect way to make chicken breasts if you're tired of the same old thing. I loved using olive oil and lemon juice to dip the chicken in before the breadcrumbs, it really added to the dish.

There is no need to season the chicken with salt, the prosciutto gives you all the salt you need. If you are watching your sodium, use low sodium ham in place of the prosciutto and use unseasoned breadcrumbs or make your own instead. I used Sargento reduced fat provolone cheese which was wonderful and really complimented the prosciutto!

A few other chicken breast recipes you may like: Lighter Chicken Saltimbocca, Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken and Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Chunks of all white meat chicken breasts coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese then baked until golden. An easy chicken recipe your whole family will love. What can be more kid friendly than chicken nuggets, even the pickiest kids like them. Serve them with ketchup, bbq sauce or whatever you like to dip your nuggets into. Adults can serve them over your favorite salad for a satisfying lunch.

Kids love finger foods or anything you can eat with toothpicks so when my daughter was young I would make her a dish of bite sized goodies she liked such as tomatoes, olives, pasta, etc. and served them with toothpicks and she always cleaned her plate! Give it a try, your kids will be so excited!

Once I'm in breading mode I usually make breaded zucchini sticks as well and bake them all at the same time along with some pasta and a salad for a complete meal. 

Double these for more or make half for less servings.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Bistro Sunday Brunch: Tarragon and Chive Roasted Potatoes and Garden Scrambled Eggs with Crema con Queso

Welcome Spring and all things light, lovely and green.

Good-bye mittens, blankets, soups and casseroles, thanks for keeping me warm and cozy. 

I'll see you next Winter it's been grand.

The End.

In all fairness and honesty, I should mention that I live in Glendale, Az. The valley of the Sun so we don't have a true Winter to speak of. I did have to use my 'tushy' warmer in my car a couple of times and it was cold enough to make soup once or twice. Hey we're talking in the 30's people! That's freezing to us native desert rat's! 

Really, I do sometimes wish for truer seasons. To experience big Autumn trees and snow on Christmas. But then I get over it and throw on my shorts and flip flops and head out to my backyard and pick some veggies in the warm, early March weather. What can I say? I love this place. Until June when it will be 120+ degrees  in the shade and life will suck big time and you can stop being jealous of us desert dwellers.

Right now however it is absolutely perfect outdoors and we are just soaking up every minute here in the valley. Windows open, cool breezes, baseball games, patio lunches and flip flops. My favorite thing about the coming of Spring is the lighter, fresher meals. More veggies, more salads, lemon aide and no-cook dinners.

Here is a wonderful Spring brunch to start of the season.

Add some lightly grilled asparagus and have this beautiful dish for Easter Day brunch.

Tarragon and Chive Roasted Potatoes and Garden Scrambled Eggs

with Crema con Queso

You know why. Just do it.



TIME  20 MINUTES      SERVES  4
Ingredients:

6-8 Free Range, Organic eggs
1 tablespoon half and half
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon French Grey Sea salt
2 medium russet potatoes, cubed
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Tarragon, divided
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
Queso Cojita {Mexican crumbly cheese}
Mexicana Crema (can also use creme fraiche)
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced

To Make:

Pre heat oven to 400F. Line a roasting pan with foil.

In a large bowl toss cubed potatoes with olive oil (just a teensie bit will do!) Spread Potatoes onto pan and sprinkle with salt and 1-2 teaspoons of the tarragon. Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes till golden brown and fork tender.

In a medium saucepan over high heat bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add chopped broccoli. Cook just 2 minutes, no more. Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add small bit of butter. In a large mixing bowl whisk eggs and half and half. The half and half makes them oh-so-fluffy. Add a pinch of salt, pour into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, fold eggs over and over again till just set, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli, toss to combine.

Immediately remove from heat and serve with potatoes while still piping hot. Sprinkle with a bit more tarragon, the fresh chives, French Grey Sea Salt and freshly cracked pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon per serving of Crema Mexican over top of eggs. Crumble Queso Cojita over top of eggs. Serve peppers on the side.

French Grey Sea Salt.

Besides the amazing taste that you'll notice,

it's loaded with super minerals.

I save this for sprinkling on at the end so the minerals aren't destroyed during baking and to retain the flavour.

Pineapple Bliss Cupcakes

These low fat cupcakes are moist and delicious and you won't believe how easy they are to make. All it takes is a box of yellow cake mix and a can of crushed pineapple; no eggs, no oil or butter needed!!

You can simply eat them with Cool Whip or make them blissful as I did here with my pineapple fluff cream cheese frosting!

I always laugh when I have to come up with names for recipes. I could havce simply called them Pineapple cupcakes, but I think they are so much more with this topping. You can make the cupcakes a day ahead and the topping as well which should be stored in the refrigerator. Once you top them with the frosting they should be eaten within a few hours.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Ready. Set. Sprout! Sprouting beans and seeds is fun, simple and delicious.

How To Grow

Many of you have probably eaten sprouts and come across tutorials on growing your own.

How many of you have ever actually grown sprouts?

Did you know that it's really, really ridiculously easy to do?

My 4 and 6 year old's made their own jars of sprouts. 

Did you know that sprouts are a fabulous source of vitamins and minerals? They are a true super food.

They taste wonderful and you can put them on sandwhiches, salads, seafood, hummus, stir fry's and soups.

So what are you waiting for? First, here are a few things you need to know about sprouting.

 

First, find yourself some beans, seeds or legumes. Most any will do, however seeds for sprouting differ from the seeds you normally plant in your garden since garden seeds may be pre-treated with chemicals.

The most common seeds used for sprouting are alfalfa, mung {beans} radish, sunflower, cabbage and broccoli seeds.

I used mung beans for this tutorial that I purchased at Sprouts no less. ;)

• Rinse and sort your beans/seeds. Remove any rotten or damaged looking ones so they don't spoil the bunch.
• Using a sieve, rinse again under cool water.

Some smaller seeds can be sprouted on a moist paper towel but it's usually best to use a wide mouth jar like this one.

• Sprouts will grow up to 8 times in size so start with a tablespoon if you're using larger beans like these. I totally over did it and ended up with 4 jars jam packed with sprouts! Oops.
• Cover well with purified water and let sit in a cool, dark place for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Do not use a lid. Cover with cheese cloth or a new/un-used, cloth diaper. Wrap a rubber band tightly around the cheescloth to hold in place.

• Drain the water, rinse again with cool water. You can leave them in the jar to rinse.
• Tip the jar so any remaining water can drip out.
• Let sit in a cool, dark place
• Rinse with purified water 2 times a day.
• Do Not let them sit in water, they will rot!

This is after just ONE day! Aren't they cute?

After just 2 days.

The kids thought this was cool.

 On the third day we had edible sprouts for munching.

We let them continue to grow another day or two and plucked off the bean part. It is edible but I didn't like it much.

These were really good on top of my tuna salad!

Put sprouts on your tuna salad, you'll love them!

Try sprouts in a veggie stir fry!