Our Fabulous Bites

 I haven't tried this yet but want to.  I'm putting the recipe here to remind me.  I like beans for breakfast so I was excited to see this recipe under a breakfast section.  Serves 2-4 Ingredients : 2 large naans or pita bread 2 15 oz cans of white beans (navy beans work. So do canned baked beans) 4 tsp harissa A handful of baby spinach 4 eggs 4 green onions, chopped Directions: 1. Preheat the oven broiler to medium.  Place naan bread on baking sheet and set aside. 2.  Add the beans, harissa, and spinach to a sauce pan.  Heat gently over medium heat. 3. Spoon the bean mixture on top of the naan.  Create a dip in the beans so there is a little cup for each egg.  Crack 2 eggs on each naan. Sprinkle green onions onto the eggs and beans.  Don't worry if eggs run a bit. 4. Cook under the broiler for 5 minutes.  This will just set the egg whites and leave the yolk running.  Cook longer if you don't want running eggs.  Serve hot....

This is a hit in our family.  I make chicken for the meat eaters and chickpeas for the non-meat eaters and everyone is happy.  I serve this along side a slaw, sliced tomatoes, basmati rice or naan, and Tzatziki.  Serves 4  Ingredients: For the Chicken Shawarma 2 T cornstarch 1/2 T salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 T cayenne 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T vegetable oil 1 lb 10 oz boneless chicken thighs, halved For the Garbanzo Beans  2 cans Garbanzo beans, drained 2 T cornstarch 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 T cayenne 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T vegetable oil Directions : 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan 2. For the chicken, mix together the cornstarch, salt, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon. 3. Put the oil into a bowl, then add the chicken and stir it around.  Add the dry spice mix and stir to coat all the chicken pieces well.  Layer the pi...

 Ingredients 1 tsp each of dried basil, parsley, and oregano 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 tsp pepper 1 pound fake italian sausage 2 T butter 1 small yellow onion, diced 3/4 cup carrots, diced 2 ribs celery, diced 1-2 small potatoes, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 T flour 1-2 tsp hot sauce 1 tsp worcestershire sauce 6 cups broth 2 cans pinto beans (or you can use dried beans that you have soaked and cooked, which I prefer) 3 cups chopped spinach Instructions 1. Cook the sausage, breaking apart as it cooks. Once cooked, moved to another dish. 2. In the pot that you cooked the sausage, add the butter, cooking on medium until it melts.  Add the all the veggies (not the garlic) and cook until they have softened.  Then add the garlic and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. 3. Add the hot suace, worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder and pepper and the beans. 4. Add the broth and use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to get the flavor stuc...

 Yield: 4-6 servings Takes about an hour to make INGREDIENTS: 4 medium bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup arborio rice 1 cup chicken or veggie stock, maybe a little bit more 1/2 diced sweet onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1-2 cups corn 1 medium zucchini, diced 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 1.5 - 2 cups marinara sauce 1/2 cup panic breadcrumbs (seasoned preferable to breadcrumbs) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and brush or spray them with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast peppers for 15 minutes in preheated oven.  Reduce heat to 350. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan.  Add in the onions and sprinkle with salt, and sauté until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and rice and cook for about 1 minute.  Stir in corn and zucchini.  Pour in broth and a pinch of salt and bring to boil.  Reduce to simme...

  Recipe I saw and want to try Butter-Free Lemon Pasta Ingredients Cooked spaghetti (1 box) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cups mixed mushrooms 2 tbsp shallots, chopped 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped Cooked oatmeal (1 cup of steel-cut oats, 4 1/2 cups of water, and 1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube) 1 cup grated parmesan 1/2 tbsp lemon zest 2 tbsp chives, chopped 1 tbsp basil, chopped 1/2 cup of peas, cooked 4 tbsp lemon juice Salt and pepper Directions In a large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Then add 1 cup of oatmeal and one cube of chicken (or vegetable) bouillon. Cook for 15 minutes. In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, strain about 1/2 cup of liquid from the cooked oatmeal. Add this liquid to the pan after step 3 is complete. In a large pan over medium heat, add about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Add grated Parmesan and a dash of lemon zest to the pan. Stir until cheese is melted. Add chives, basil, and peas. St...

 I was surprised when most of the kids really enjoyed this.  I was afraid of the awesome sauce, but when I tried it with the squash, I thought it paired well.  By itself, I thought the sauce strange.  Isla loved the sauce, with or without the squash.  I like that you don't have to peel this squash, the skin was tender enough to eat.  I did peel off some of the bumps.   Ingredients : 3-4 medium delicata squash (2 pounds) 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper For the awesome sauce / dip 1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraîche 2 tablespoons hot sauce (we used a Mexican hot sauce) 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/4 garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon dried dill Instructions: Preheat the oven to 450. Wash the squash.  Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Slice into half-moons, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  Place slices in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake squash on a baking sheet ...

 Rees made this recently based on a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe.  The following is what Rees made.  We want to try Yotam's recipe more closely but we were using what we had on hand.  Yotam called for butter, and we omitted that, and I think we will continue to leave it out.  Maybe it would be better with, but it was still good without the extra fat.  The tomato salsa was really good on top. Avocado Butter on toast with Tomato Salsa  Serves 2-4 Ingredients : 2-3 very ripe avocados (about 9 oz of flesh) 3 limes (want about 2 tsp zest & 2 Tbsp juice) salt 1 tsp fennel (this wasn't in the recipe but what we included since we didn't have tarragon) 1/2 cup fresh tarragon, roughly chopped (we didn't have this but would like to try it) 1/2 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (I noticed Rees didn't use all of the half cup) 7 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 Tbsp olive oil black pepper 4 slices of bread 1 small garlic clove, peeled and halved 1/4 tsp cumin Directions...

This is an easy recipe and comes in handy when I just want to throw something together.  It isn't a show stopper but gets dinner on the table and zucchini into my kids.  I don't usually peel my zucchini, but my kids don't notice the zucchini (or yellow squash) when I peel it. Ingredients: 8 oz uncooked linguine  4 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 medium) 4 tsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup plain yogurt  3/4 cup cheddar cheese 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Directions: Cook linguine according to package directions.  Pat zucchini dry and sauce in oil until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.  Transfer to serving bowl.  Add yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper and mix.  Add cooked linguine to serving bowl with zucchini mixture. Toss to coat and serve.

 This was a hit with the family, except for Hazel (she didn't try it).  It serves 4-6.  You can make this with or without meat and feel free to change up the veggies.  You could easily add mushrooms, or edamame, or leave out the carrots...use what you enjoy.  The recipe suggested serving with soft-boiled eggs, which I did, but I didn't think it added much flavor wise, but it could help the meal be more filling.  This cooks on high heat and fast.  I think it is easiest to have everything prepped and organized so you can quickly go from one step to the next.   Ingredients : Stir-Fry Sauce 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 T honey 1 T miso paste / miso concentrate broth 3/4-1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2  T sriracha sauce (this depends on your interest in heat. adjust as you like) Juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Stir-Fry 10 ounce ramen noodles  2 T vegetable oil 1 head broccoli, chopped in florets 1 red b...

Ingredients 1/2 cup quinoa 1 cup water 1/3 cup craisins 8 ounces washed kale, chopped into bite-size pieces 2 -3 ribs of celery chopped 1/2 cup sliced almond 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or parmesan cheese Dressing (use the following, or I like it with a French vinaigrette also) 1/4 cup olive oil 2 T lemon juice 2 tsp dijon mustard 2 teaspoon honey or agave syrup 1 minced garlic clove 1/2 tsp fine salt (like sea salt) ground black pepper to taste Directions 1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.  Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and add the craisins and cover the pot.  Let it stand for 10 minutes and then fluff with fork and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. 3.  Assemble the salad:  Place the kale in a large bowl.  Sprinkle it with salt and massage t...

Makes about 3 cups Blend all the following ingredients together & enjoy. 2 cups frozen spinach (it doesn't have to be frozen, but that is what we do) 1 frozen banana 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks 4 -5 T shredded coconut (sweetened or not) 2-3 T chia seeds or flax seed (optional) 1-2 cups of water Juice of 2 limes 1 cup of ice cubes

My kids love these. Potato Enchiladas Ingredients 2 potatoes, cubed & sautéed (I bake them in the oven) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 jalapeno or Anaheim pepper, finely chopped (leave seeds out if you don’t want the heat) 1 carrot finely chopped  2-3 cans of Green enchilada sauce  2 cups Grated cheese (we prefer jack or colby/jack) 12 or more tortillas, corn or flour (flour is easier to roll without cracking)   Salt & Pepper, to taste Instructions First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Secondly, pour one can of enchilada sauce into a 9x13 pan and set it aside.   Thirdly, cook the onions, carrots, garlic & peppers until softened. Next, add in the cooked potatoes and mix together. Then season the vegetable filling with salt & pepper to taste. After you have the filling seasoned the way you like it, heat up the tortillas either in the microwave, or on the stovetop.  Next, spoon the f...

My title might be off, but I think that is what my friend said when she made these for us.  These are easy and simple and pretty yummy.  Rees & I both really enjoy the combination of corn and poblanos together. Ingredients : Corn tortillas, heated 4 oz of cream cheese, in cubes 3-4 Poblanos 1 zuchinni, diced (optional) 1 cup Frozen or fresh corn Salt & pepper to taste Directions : Roast the peppers or char on the stove top then peal the skin.  There should be some black spots around the pepper before you take them out of the oven.  (i really prefer to do this in advance so the peppers can really cool down before I try to peel the skin off)  Slice the peppers. Saute peppers, corn in a pan with a little bit of oil.  Add cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese has melted and mixed with veggies.  Add salt & pepper to taste. Spoon mixture inside a tortilla and eat like a taco. *note: sometimes I like to add a small amount o...

photo cred: www.diethood.com Though a bit rich and slightly on the heavy side, this was good. I think I'd serve it as a side, however, and not a main dish, simply because of the comments above. Oh, I also added mushrooms just do give it something more. Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta 1 c dry orzo 1 lb fresh asparagus, cut into inch pieces (or longer, but my girls eat it better if it's cut) mushrooms, sliced (I never measure these, but just throw a bunch in) 4 tbsp butter 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 c parmesan 2 tbsp milk 1 tbsp fresh parsley s&p, to taste shredded parm for garnish Prepare orzo according to the directions on the package. Add the asparagus tips to the orzo the last 2 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat and drain. Add butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in garlic and mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring frequently, careful not to burn or the garlic will become bitter. Add o...

photo cred: www.jocooks.com  We had this last month some time and we all enjoyed it. Unfortunately since I didn't post this right away I can't remember if there was anything we wished different. It was really easy to quick to make . Brazilian Shrimp Soup 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c long grain rice pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tsp salt 1 15oz can crushed tomatoes 4 c water 1 c canned unsweetened coconut milk 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and cut into inch pieces 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 c chopped fresh parsley In a large pot heat the olive oil over low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook stirring occasionally until the onion and pepper are soft. Add the rice, red pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes and water to the pot and bring to boil. Cook until the rice is almost done, about 10 minutes. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring to a sim...

photo cred: greenvalleykitchen.com   Made this last week. I enjoyed it, and Josh ate the rest of the bowl full, so the girls never got to try it...so it's safe to say he liked it as well. It's a quick, yummy and fresh salad. Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado Salad 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded then cubed 1 avocado, cubed 4 oz feta cheese 2 tbsp minced red onion 2 tbsp minced parsley 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar s&p to taste Throw together the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, red onion, and parsley in a bowl and mix.  Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar and black pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently. Bon Appetite!

photo cred: http://damndelicious.net/ We had this last week, and while I felt it could have used something extra to give it zing, we all enjoyed it. I think I would add extra cilantro and lime, and more heat. Quinoa Enchilada Casserole 1 cup quinoa 10 oz Enchilada Sauce (recipe below) 1 can diced green chiles corn, I used frozen 1/2 c black beans, drained and rinsed (feel free to use more) 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro  1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder s&p, to taste 3/4 c cheddar 3/4 c mozzarella 1 avocado, diced 1 roma, diced In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish.  In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with s&p, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spread mixture into prepared baking ...

We had this tonight, and I'm not the biggest mac & cheese person, but I really liked this stuff. It was nice and cheesy, and I liked the addition of veggies. Plus, it was wicked quick and easy. Abigail wasn't sure she would like it because of the asparagus, but ended up downing her bowl. So it was a win for all. One Pot Veggie Mac & Cheese Baby bella mushrooms (however much you'd like) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp evoo 1 1/2 c pasta (I used cavatappi, and next time I would use more) Cherry tomatoes, quartered (how ever many you'd like) 1 handful asparagus, chopped 1 c whole milk 1 c chicken stock 4 oz shredded triple cheddar (white, sharp, and mild cheddar) 1/2 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp paprika freshly cracked black pepper 2 tbsp flour Slice mushrooms, mince garlic, and put them together in a large saute pan or pot on the stove with olive oil. Cook over med-high heat until mushrooms ...

photocred: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com We had this tonight, and we found it both delicious, simple, quick, and filling. You can really just load up any vegetables your heart desires, but I'll put what we used.   Pasta Smothered with Roasted Vegetables Your choice of pasta, I used cavatappi Broccoli, cut into pieces Yellow squash, cut into half-moons Carrots, chopped Grape tomatoes, halved Onion, chopped (not too small) Red pepper, chopped 6 cloves garlic, chopped Dried herbs - I used sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano. s&p evoo Place veggies in a large bowl, cover with evoo, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Mix it together and then transfer to baking pan. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are charred a bit and caramelized. Cook your pasta. I got crazy and tossed the pasta in some butter, and enjoyed those calories. Place roasted veggies on top of pasta, sprinkle some fresh parm on top, an...

photocred: lemonsforlulu.com We made this for "Brinner"tonight, and everyone enjoyed it. I got the recipe from the site listed above, though we omitted the meat addition, and loaded it with more tomatoes, avocado, and some green onion. It was really simple to make, and quite filling.   Hashbrown Skillet (I will list the measurements given, but to be honest, I never measure these out.) 1/2 c chopped onion 1/2 c diced red bell pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 tsp olive oil 2 1/2 c shredded hashbrowns 4 eggs 1 tomato, diced 1 avocado, diced green onion, chopped 2 tbsp cilantro salsa, optional Heat up oil in a pan on medium heat. Saute your vegetables until softened, about 3 minutes. Pour in your hashbrowns, s&p, and mix, then cook for about 8 minutes until the bottom starts to crisp up.  Then make wells for your eggs, crack them into the wells, place a lid on top, and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the whit...