Potato Parsnip Mash

Potatoes and parsnips mashed together with a little garlic, sour cream and butter make a surprisingly tasty side dish. The parsnips add a slightly sweet and spicy taste to the potatoes that I really enjoyed.

Hurricane Sandy is keeping most of us New Yorkers indoors today. So far I haven't lost power so I figured I would share this recipe in case I do later (crossing fingers I won't).

I had bought these parsnips the other day with no real plans for them, and decided I would try them mixed into my mashed potatoes. Parsnips, quite honestly are not a vegetable I grew up eating, so I never really know what to do with them. In the past, I've added them to stews and soups but I was pleasantly surprised how well they tasted mixed in with potatoes. My husband agreed, and they made a wonderful side dish to the roast beef I prepared in the oven.

Do you have a favorite way you enjoy parsnips? Would love to hear how you prepare them!

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Bewitching Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes

Head on over to Dash Recipes where I share with you a super easy recipe for Halloween cupcakes. All you need are some small and large cupcake liners to make these cute little witch hat toppers.

And the cupcakes? Just a few ingredients transform a box mix into a virtually guiltless treat – Greek yogurt, water and egg whites – no oil or butter added.

Click here for the full recipe:  Bewitching Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooters

When you need a "little" treat, these delicious pumpkin cheesecake shooters are the perfect sweet fix. Perfect to serve at Halloween party or to add to your Thanksgiving table!

I love the idea of serving bite sized desserts at a party, it's perfectly portioned, and if there are other desserts on the table, it's just the right amount. You can buy inexpensive shot glasses at the dollar store and if you are bringing a dessert to a party, you can even give the shot glasses to the host as a gift.

These can be made ahead and kept chilled until ready to serve. Of course, if you rather use larger glasses, you can make 8 servings and double the filling.

My whipped topping of choice is Truwhip, and I'm excited they just came out with a light version! I love that it contains all natural ingredients, no HFCS, hydrogenated oils, transfats or GMOs. 

Enjoy!

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Roasted Pumpkin Sage Soup

Pumpkin season is in full swing, and this pumpkin soup is the perfect first course for any meal. Use a hollowed out pumpkin as a bowl for a beautiful presentation.

The aroma of roasted pumpkins and sage smells like everything I love about Thanksgiving – warmth, comfort, family and friends. 

If you can't find sugar or pumpkin pie pumpkins, acorn squash or butternut would work fine it it's place. This soup can be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.

I went pumpkin picking a few weeks ago and and had so many sugar pumpkins, I knew I was going to use some as bowls. Wouldn't this be beautiful on your Thanksgiving table! Completely optional, but if you want to do this, look for small pumpkins, about 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 lbs, otherwise your bowls will hold too much soup.  To make the bowls, I followed this method only I roasted them 15 minutes longer. You can do this a day ahead, then heat in the oven before serving to keep your soup warm. I actually washed mine after using and they still look good.


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Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce

Something magical happens to pasta when you combine it with a creamy butternut squash puree, a little Parmigiano Reggiano, leeks, garlic and sage.

I found this out by accident.

This started from a mistake, a butternut squash puree that was far too thin and liquidy.  A very HAPPY mistake!

This is an awesome blender!!

Sauteed leeks and a good quality cheese make this simple savory pasta dish a HUGE success, even if you're not a fan of butternut squash. You'll swear this is full of cream and butter... but it's not. This is perfect for Meatless Mondays, or any night of the week.

It's super easy to make with only a few ingredients, and is very filling. To speed this up, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash. I was craving a thick spaghetti, but any pasta shape would work. Whole wheat of gluten-free pasta would also be great! My family isn't a fan of whole wheat, so I use Ronzoni Smart Taste or Dreamfield's low carb pasta.

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Spooky Spider Cupcakes

Spooked at the thought of all the Halloween temptations we are about to experience at the scariest season of the year?

Well you need not fear – these Spooky Spider Cupcakes are lighter on the waistline, and are sure to be all the fright at your next Halloween party.

The cupcakes themselves are made with just THREE ingredients: boxed cake mix, canned pumpkin and WATER! The topping is a chocolate glaze, just a smear - just enough to help the sprinkles and eyeballs adhere to the cupcake.

And the verdict in my house, everyone thought they were SPOOK-tacular!

If you follow my Facebook Fan Page and suddenly stopped seeing my posts, here's why: Facebook made changes to get people to pay to promote their posts.

Easy fix, to continue seeing my recipes on Facebook, go to the top of my fan page and under "Liked" click "Add to Interest List" and you will continue to see all my posts. Please share that info!

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Kale and Potato Soup with Turkey Sausage

A hearty soup made with kale, potatoes, carrots, and sausage.

I'm feeling a bit under the weather this week. It seems I caught a cold from my toddler who just entered Pre-K. Along with her projects, crafts, and books, she's been taking home a new cold each week (lucky me!)

Right now hot tea and soup are on the menu. I thought I would make something from the archives that I haven't made in a while, something with lots of vitamins and antioxidants to help me kick this cold.

So I made this soup, which really hit the spot. It's a meal in a bowl and kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around, high in vitamins K, A and C with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

This soup will taste as good as the sausage you purchase, so be sure to find an Italian turkey or chicken sausage that you like, either would work. If you want this a little spicy, you can certainly use a hot sausage instead. Vegetarians could swap the sausage for soyrizo and vegetable broth.

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Garlic Sweet Potato Mash

Sweet potatoes are often smothered in sugar and topped with more sugar, but this savory version will surprise you and your loved ones and keep them coming back for more!

Need a few good reasons to pass on plain old potatoes and get sweet on sweet potatoes instead? These orange tubers are one of the top food sources of vitamin A, which helps protect your peepers. It also contains vitamins C and B-6, fiber, copper and potassium.

Pair this with chicken, Salisbury Steak, Pork Chops, or Turkey Meatloaf. Double or triple this recipe and add it to your Thanksgiving menu.

Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place and they’ll stay fresh for several weeks. Sweet indeed!

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Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal

A warm, creamy bowl of pumpkin spiced oatmeal is a great way to start your morning! High in fiber and heart healthy whole grains, this breakfast will fill you up and keep you satisfied until lunch.

I love the convenience of overnight oats in a jar, but today I was craving a warm bowl of oatmeal just like Mom used to make. She made the best oatmeal when I was a kid, it was so creamy (made with whole milk) and she always cooked it with cinnamon sticks.

I tried to replicate the creaminess using a blend of almond milk and water to keep it light and the results were wonderful. Topped it with homemade pumpkin butter, skinny pumpkin granola and a pinch more cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice... heavenly!

If you've made pumpkin granola, it's the perfect topping to add a little crunch. If not, you can top it with a few dried cranberries and chopped pecans or pepitas. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Applesauce Belgian Waffles with Orange Cranberry Chutney

My 6 year olds chin is on my shoulder staring past me on the computer screen at these waffles. As I wipe the drool off my arm he says  " Mom why can't we have these for dinner every night, then I would never ever say Ewwww, I don't like that?"   Gotta Love the logic and common sense of a 6 year old boy. I suppose I wouldn't mind having these for dinner more often either I mean why give breakfast all the fun?

These are perfectly suited for a Fall dinner especially with this tangy sweet cranberry chutney but they are also extremely simple to make and healthy enough for a weekend breakfast or brunch. It's still in the

TRIPLE

       freaking

     digits

here in Phoenix and I really  neeeeed  these pumpkin waffles and cranberry sauce in my life right now to remind me that there is such a thing as 4 seasons....... somewhere.

 I start hoarding cans of pumpkin as soon as they hit the shelves in late September. Around the end of October I think they start hiding them from me at my local Trader Joe's.  Something about saving a few for other customers  blah blah blah.....

Use fresh cranberries, which I also keep well stocked year round in my freezer instead of canned. You won't believe the difference in taste, no comparison. As soon as these babies start simmering and slowly popping open and infusing with the orange juice and zest I am bouncing on my toes in anticipation of the blissfully tangyness  that is about to happen in my mouth.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raiseHDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, are at their peak from October through December, just in time to add their festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals. When cranberries' short fresh season is past, rely on cranberry juice and dried or frozen cranberriesto help make every day throughout the year a holiday from disease.

Spoon the still hot cranberry chutney over your piping hot pumpkin waffles and skip the syrup. 

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES        COOK TIME 15 MINUTES          YIELDS about 10 waffles 

INGREDIENTS:  

2 cups unbleached whole wheat flour 

1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax) - put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins, cookies etc. 

1/2 cup wheat germ - {you can also put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins and cookies} 

1/3 cup turbinado (raw) sugar 

2 TBSP baking powder 

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or (1/2 t cinnamon + 1/4 t ground ginger + 1/8 t nutmeg + 1/8 t ground cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg 

1/2 tsp fine salt 

1 cup almond milk or low fat milk 

1 - 14 oz. can pumpkin puree 

1/4 cup unsalted, melted butter 

2 large eggs 

1 egg white 

chopped pecans or walnuts for topping

Beat together the milk, pumpkin, melted butter, agave and eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together flour, wheat germ, flax meal, baking powder, spices and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined. 

Pour into a preheated waffle maker. 

*If you have settings on yours, set it to med. otherwise, you might have to remove them before the light goes off so as not to burn. They will be moist and delicious!!!

Cranberry Compote  makes about 4 cups 

1 - 12 oz. bag whole, fresh cranberries (found in the produce isle)
1/4 cup O.J.
1 TBSP orange zest
2 TBSP Agave nectar (or raw turbinado sugar)
1 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp real vanilla extract

Mix cornstarch in a measuring cup with about 1/4 cup of the water. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture. Lower heat. Cook about 8 minutes. You can use this as a topping on yogurt too. My 9 month old loves this!

Nutrition Info
Calories 208
Calories from Fat 78 (37%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 8.8g 13%

Saturated Fat 3.0g 14%

Monounsaturated Fat 3.0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.1g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 40mg 13%

Sodium 290mg 12%
Potassium 320mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 28.1g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4.8g 19%
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 6.8g 13%

This post was created for the Monthly Mingle October edition featuring "squash" hosted this month by 

Dara over at Cookin' Canuck.

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower with Toasted Asiago Bread Crumbs

Cauliflower, tossed with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper then roasted in the oven transforms this powerful cruciferous vegetable into a nutty, delicious side dish, especially when topped with toasted bread crumbs.

You can even add a little color to your plate by choosing a hue other than white—cauliflower now comes in a variety of colors from orange to green to purple. Not only does it contain disease-fighting antioxidants, but it also offers a healthy helping of vitamin C, folate and fiber.

Makeup!

A few weeks ago, I traded in my apron for some heels and slimming jeans as part of a photo shoot for Jones New York.

I was transformed from by the magic of Gregg @greggmakeupnyc who's celebrity list is quite extensive, I knew I was in good hands.

I've been on sets of photo shoots before because pre-skinnytaste I worked as a graphic designer, but Getting to sit in the hair and makeup chair, and having a stylist dress me was a whole lot more fun!

You can see the final image below, I am wearing their slimming denim jeans with a pretty blouse. This was part of an online campaign where they photographed three other bloggers; a chef, a decorator and a stylist.

The ads are currently live on Self.com, Bon Appetit, Glamour and Condé Nast Traveler.

This was so much fun, and quite different than spending the day in my kitchen. And what's a girl to do in NYC when all dressed up, with their hair and makeup done? Go shopping of course! I stopped for lunch, and did some prop shopping before heading to the Union Square Greenmarket where I picked up a beautiful head of cauliflower.

After a day in the city, I was happy to get home to my family and make them a delicious meal – Garlic Lover's Roast Beef with this roasted cauliflower, the perfect ending to a great day.
 

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Seed Pudding

I'm usually not hungry at all first thing in the morning, especially when I have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. for work. You'd think I'd be used to it after 15 years of waking up at the crack of dawn to get to work and getting up with the kids, but my body, more specifically my brain are still in snooze mode until around 10:00 a.m. 

So the last thing I want to do is add to my fragile state by trying to make breakfast for myself and 4 children.

In an effort to stay away from boxed cereal I have come up with a few breakfasts that require little or no effort.

This pudding falls into the zero effort category. It has just 3 ingredients and you simply chill it over night (or for at least 4 hours) and wake up to a chocolate pudding for breakfast! Nice huh? 

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. 

Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds.  And, unlike flax,  they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body.  Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, niacin, and zinc just to name a few.

When added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar.

You can use any liquid you like for this pudding, some suggestions are:  almond milk, rice milk,  coconut milk and hemp milk. I have been staying away from soy milk because it is a GMO and some research suggests it may have harmful effects on your body and your hormones.

To make the pudding: 

Mix together 2 cups chocolate hazelnut milk with 1/2 cup chia seeds. Drizzle in about 3 tablespoons honey, preferably local, Organic honey. 

Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes then refrigerate over night. 

You could probably eat this in as little as 1 hour after mixing buy I find that I like the consistency better after at least 6 hours.

You could definitely have this chocolate hazelnut pudding as a dessert but I suggest adding a bit more honey. Also, since chia seed is so high in protein I like this for a breakfast treat. The consistancy of this pudding is very similar to tapioca but without all the sugar.

Please head over to Mom on Time Out and vote for my recipe!

This post is linked to:

Iron Chef Mom: Chocolate Edition
Tasty Tuesdays
Just another Meatless Monday







sources:

Dr. Weil dot com

Delightful Apple Spiced Scones with Spiced Glaze

When the weather gets cool, turn your oven on and warm up the house with the sweet smell of apples and cinnamon. The temperature dropped like 20 degrees since last week, and these homemade buttermilk scones with small bits of apples and a cinnamon spice glaze were the perfect excuse to bake.

Chocolate chip scones are usually my favorite scone variety, but these apple scones may have taken their place! The scones aren't too sweet, so the glaze gives it the perfect balance of sweetness in every bite. If you want to cut back on your sugar, you can make half the glaze, then drizzle it on instead.

Perfect for an afternoon tea or a lazy Sunday brunch. Enjoy!

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Skinny Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

What's football without the appetizers. These potato skins are stuffed with shredded buffalo chicken breast made in the crock pot, then topped with melted cheese, blue cheese dressing, carrots and celery – they are seriously delicious!

Remember these crock pot buffalo chicken lettuce wraps? Same chicken, only this time I stuffed them in potato skins and topped them with cheese. So good!

You can make the chicken, blue cheese dressing and potatoes ahead, then when you're ready to serve your guests assemble them and pop them in the oven! Double or triple it for more servings.

They even make a great meal, I had 3 for lunch and it totaled 7 points plus and I was a happy camper. Enjoy!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Making and Storing Herbed Butter and Italian Stuffed Portobello Pizzas

Fresh herbs aren't easy to find or grow year round, even here in  the desert. It gets so hot here during the
summer that even the cactus start to look like they are going to give up and melt away by the end of August. It's difficult for me and my lack of a green thumb to keep plants alive indoors for any extended period of time, even ones as hardy as most herbs are. Right now is the time to plant many herbs and greens here in the Arizona desert even though the gardening season is coming to an end in most other regions.  Just one more reason I love the Fall.







So since I adore cooking with my  fresh  herbs I needed to find a way to preserve them a bit longer. One way is by simply dropping a small handful of fresh herbs into a small bottle of olive oil and using as a salad dressing. Another way to keep fresh herbs around for cooking is by chopping them up and mixing them into softened butter and refrigerating or freezing for future use.


So make a big batch of fresh and  creamy  herbed butter and freeze in ice cube trays and you will have little herb balls of joy to throw into your saute pan whenever you want a fresh pop to your dish.

Make this herbed butter now and it would be perfect for a quick baste on your 

Thanksgiving turkey, potatoes and other side dishes.

Start with fresh, creamy salted Organic butter. The salt will help preserve your herbs.

 Let it sit on the counter for an hour or so until it softens.

Choose any selection of your favorite herbs. I went with an Italian theme this time.

In the bowl of your small food processor, combine softened butter and herbs. You can mix them up or just add one herb to each small batch of butter.

Pulse the butter until its smooth and creamy.

Using a small spoon, fill an ice cube tray with your herbed butter.  I used small ice cube trays which hold about 1 teaspoon of butter. Then larger ice cube trays hold about a tablespoon. Cover with wax paper and freeze. If you are not going to use the butter within a short period of time I suggest taking the butter out of the freezer after a few hours and popping the frozen butter cubes into a freezer safe bag. They should keep in the freezer for months and in the fridge for several weeks.

When you are ready to use your butter simply add one of the cubes to your pan or baking dish and watch as the aromatic butter turns golden brown.

Fresh herbs really made this thinly sliced squash so aromatic and delicious. 

For a different and healthy version of Friday Pizza night I made these stuffed baby portobello pizzas. Even the kids loved them since the were stuffed with Italian sausage two kinds of cheeses and fresh pizza sauce.

Use a wet cloth to clean your mushrooms. Don't rinse under the sink since mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb all of the water and become soggy while baking.

Using your fingers, pop out the stems.

I used a sweet Italian sausage for the kids but we prefer spicy Italian sausage. Simply brown the sausage in a skilled and spoon into your carved out mushrooms. Spoon on pizza sauce and sprinkle Italian cheeses such as mozzarella and Parmesan.

I use my baking stone which I looveee! It keeps oil locked in the pours of the stone so I don't need to brush my mushrooms with any additional oil. If you don't have one brush the tops of your mushrooms with a bit of oil. Put into a pre-heated oven at 400F. and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve these healthy little pizzas with your sauteed  Italian squash and enjoy your weekend!

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesdays

Low Fat Creamy Mushroom Soup

A velvety mushroom soup that is low in fat, yet rich in flavor. Perfect for lunch with a sandwich on the side, or makes a lovely first course for dinner.

I first posted this recipe December 2010, back when I was still working a full time job and running home to cook and take photos. Most of those photos are pretty bad, so I am slowly re-shooting them. The photo just didn't do this soup justice - it's so flavorful and light at the same time, even my teen who could care less about eating "light" often requests this.

And, it's so simple to make, the shitake mushrooms give this soup incredible flavor, I wouldn't substitute them. If you are watching your sodium, you can certainly use less bouillon or replace it with chicken broth.

Enjoy!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...