Story:
This recipe I'm putting on here so I don't have to google and scroll "how to cook quinoa" every time I make it. This is for my quick reference and convenience. These specific instructions I found from cookieandkate.com so I give thanks to them for making quinoa different ways to be able to teach me their favorite way! Here's the link to their quinoa recipe that I'm referencing.
Ingredients:
quinoa (1 part)
water (to 2 parts)
salt (about 1/4 t per cup of dry quinoa)
Directions:
1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for at least 30 seconds and then drain well.
2. Put the one part quinoa to two parts of water into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat a bit to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water (small amounts: 10ish minutes, larger amounts: 15-20 minutes). Reduce the heat as time goes on to maintain that gentle simmer.
3. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and then let the quinoa steam for another 5 minutes. (This part gets it nice and fluffy!) Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Season it with salt... or proceed to the recipe you're using the quinoa in.
Note: 1 C of dry quinoa will yield about 3 C of cooked quinoa.
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Chana's Cinnamon Rolls
Story:
This one is technically not from me. This one is from my dear Ben. His family grew up making cinnamon rolls on Christmas Day. This is that beloved recipe that he and the kids look forward to every year! Please note that Ben is in charge of the cinnamon rolls--start to finish--which makes it one of my favorite traditions as well.
Ingredients
Dough
2 packs (or 4.5 tsp) active dry yeast
½ C warm water
2 C lukewarm milk
⅓ C sugar
⅓ C vegetable oil
1 egg
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
5-6 C flour
Cinnamon Filling
4 tsp softened butter
1 C sugar
2 tsp & 2 T cinnamon
Powdered Sugar Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
1 T milk
½ t vanilla
Directions
Add 2 packs of yeast and a pinch of sugar to warm water. Let the yeast do its thing while you scald 2 C of milk. (Ben is careful to keep stirring the milk and takes it off the heat as soon as he notices steam, so as to not burn it). Let it cool while the yeast continues to grow and you gather the remaining ingredients. (Ben prefers to put the pot of milk in the fridge on a hot pad to chill it faster.)
Mix the warm milk, yeast and water, ⅓ C sugar, ⅓ C oil, egg, 3 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp salt, and 3 C of the flour until smooth. Gradually add the remaining 2 to 3 C of flour until able to handle—you may not need all of the flour.
Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then place in a greased bowl. Turn it over, cover with a thin, damp dish towel, and let it rise until doubled (~1.5 hours).
Mix the ingredients for the cinnamon filling, and grease two 9x13” pans. Punch the dough down, divide in half, and roll out to a consistent thinness on a floured surface with your grandma’s rolling pin.
Sprinkle the cinnamon filling evenly across the dough, and then roll it up. Slice into 12 pieces, and place in the greased pans.
Let rise until doubled (30-45 min) and bake at 325° for 22-25 minutes. Mix the powdered sugar glaze and drizzle across the rolls while yet warm.
Makes 24 rolls that will best your local bakery’s!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Oven-cooked Bacon
Story:
Whenever my family travels to San Diego County, we get to stay with my amazing parents. They are wonderful and generous. Over the years, the tradition has evolved that my dad often makes breakfast for all of us. He is quite the chef when it comes to blueberry pancakes and smoothies. He knows how to cook the eggs just right so that the yolk is perfect for toast dipping. It's the best.
We also all always love his bacon. He cooks it in the oven on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. It always turns out perfectly. However, as we all know, ovens cook differently. And even though he told me how he makes it, and I wrote down the instructions, and I followed them exactly, and I even bought the same bacon at Costco... my bacon in my oven did not taste like Grandpa's bacon. It came out overcooked and sandy-textured every time. So I hopped on Pinterest and I tried a few different options and I came across the recipe that works perfectly in my oven! Yay! Hooray for amazing bacon!
Ingredients:
Bacon :)
Instructions:
Line a sheet pan with foil.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Put the sheet in the oven for 20 minutes.
(Check it sooner if you like the bacon a little on the not-crispy side.)
Use tongs to move the bacon onto a paper towel lined plate.
Drain the grease from the foil to save for cooking in other recipes.
So, this is pretty straightforward and nothing too amazing, but I had to write down somewhere:
375 for 20 minutes
so I could remember what works for my oven. :)
Whenever my family travels to San Diego County, we get to stay with my amazing parents. They are wonderful and generous. Over the years, the tradition has evolved that my dad often makes breakfast for all of us. He is quite the chef when it comes to blueberry pancakes and smoothies. He knows how to cook the eggs just right so that the yolk is perfect for toast dipping. It's the best.
We also all always love his bacon. He cooks it in the oven on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. It always turns out perfectly. However, as we all know, ovens cook differently. And even though he told me how he makes it, and I wrote down the instructions, and I followed them exactly, and I even bought the same bacon at Costco... my bacon in my oven did not taste like Grandpa's bacon. It came out overcooked and sandy-textured every time. So I hopped on Pinterest and I tried a few different options and I came across the recipe that works perfectly in my oven! Yay! Hooray for amazing bacon!
Ingredients:
Bacon :)
Instructions:
Line a sheet pan with foil.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Put the sheet in the oven for 20 minutes.
(Check it sooner if you like the bacon a little on the not-crispy side.)
Use tongs to move the bacon onto a paper towel lined plate.
Drain the grease from the foil to save for cooking in other recipes.
So, this is pretty straightforward and nothing too amazing, but I had to write down somewhere:
375 for 20 minutes
so I could remember what works for my oven. :)
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Korean Beef & Rice Bowls
Story:
I totally just stumbled upon this stranger's recipe last week while I was doing an online search for a totally unrelated recipe. (Here's the link to Alyssa's post, on the Recipe Critic.) The almost-5-star reviews from the almost-300 people caught my attention and I gave it a try this week! I was blown away by how quick and easy it was. Most of my family loved it! (Gretchen wouldn't try it... but mostly because she was just in a mood. And Ethan thought it was fine, but just "really weird.")
It's certainly not the most nutritious dinner, but I don't know that it's any worse than a frozen pizza or something that takes about the same amount time. That said, I did spruce it up by eating it with Korean kimchi (yum!!!) and seaweed. The green onions and sesame seeds on top give it the perfect flair and added color, texture, and flavor.
I'll certainly make it again... which is why I'm posting it here... for my own easy-reference.
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 T minced garlic
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
2 t sesame oil
1/4 t ground ginger
a couple dashes crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t pepper
Hot cooked rice (or brown rice or whatever you like)
Green onions, sliced
Sesame seeds
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook up the ground beef with the garlic over medium heat, crumbling it into small pieces, until it is cooked through. Drain the fat.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Once the ground beef is cooked, pour the sauce over the meat for a couple of minutes.
Serve over hot rice, with the green onions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
As I said above, I also served it with kimchi and seaweed squares and it was perfect. :)
Notes:
If you click on the link of the original recipe, I varied a couple things just slightly... just for my convenience, When I made this, I did up 2 pounds of ground beef, and then I roughly "one and a half timed" the sauce ingredients--just to avoid it being too sweet or something. It turned out well!
I like using Calrose rice for dishes like this. It kind of has more of a sticky rice texture.
I totally just stumbled upon this stranger's recipe last week while I was doing an online search for a totally unrelated recipe. (Here's the link to Alyssa's post, on the Recipe Critic.) The almost-5-star reviews from the almost-300 people caught my attention and I gave it a try this week! I was blown away by how quick and easy it was. Most of my family loved it! (Gretchen wouldn't try it... but mostly because she was just in a mood. And Ethan thought it was fine, but just "really weird.")
It's certainly not the most nutritious dinner, but I don't know that it's any worse than a frozen pizza or something that takes about the same amount time. That said, I did spruce it up by eating it with Korean kimchi (yum!!!) and seaweed. The green onions and sesame seeds on top give it the perfect flair and added color, texture, and flavor.
I'll certainly make it again... which is why I'm posting it here... for my own easy-reference.
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 T minced garlic
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
2 t sesame oil
1/4 t ground ginger
a couple dashes crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t pepper
Hot cooked rice (or brown rice or whatever you like)
Green onions, sliced
Sesame seeds
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook up the ground beef with the garlic over medium heat, crumbling it into small pieces, until it is cooked through. Drain the fat.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Once the ground beef is cooked, pour the sauce over the meat for a couple of minutes.
Serve over hot rice, with the green onions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
As I said above, I also served it with kimchi and seaweed squares and it was perfect. :)
Notes:
If you click on the link of the original recipe, I varied a couple things just slightly... just for my convenience, When I made this, I did up 2 pounds of ground beef, and then I roughly "one and a half timed" the sauce ingredients--just to avoid it being too sweet or something. It turned out well!
I like using Calrose rice for dishes like this. It kind of has more of a sticky rice texture.
Friday, August 9, 2019
Sweet Potato Hash
Story:
A few summers ago, the stars aligned and I found the courage to try the Whole 30 program. (It is what it sounds like... whole foods for 30 days. Veggies, fruit, meat, nuts, seeds and healthy oils.) I loved it! It took a lot of time and energy when you're trying to feed a big family, but I liked how I felt while eating like that.
One reason I did it, was to see how it would help my psoriasis. Spoiler alert: it didn't help. I was surprised! Since then, however, I've read more that many people with psoriasis should avoid "nightshade vegetables" (tomatoes, tomatillos, white potatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, and all spices made with peppers). Sweet potatoes are not a nightshade, and are ok. Thus, this recipe. Those were my go-to vegetables! And I was eating a lot of them on Whole 30, so maybe that's why my psoriasis did not improve. I'd like to try it again, but also omitting nightshades this time around.
Anyway, this is a recipe that I found somewhere on Pinterest, but this is an adjusted version. It can be tweaked a lot! It's just a breakfast hash, but I honestly love it for lunch or dinner too. It's amazing. Here's a general outline of ingredients, but it's fun to change things and add more or less of whatever you like in a hash!
Ingredients:
3 Aidell's (brand) chicken and apple sausages, diced
2-3 yams and/or sweet potatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
Coconut or Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Eggs, soft-cooked
Also good: (But nightshades, so I don't add them in)
White potatoes
Bell peppers
Hatch green chilies
Directions:
Dice all the foods. Heat a generous amount of coconut or olive oil in a large skillet. Add the potatoes and onions and get them cooking. (If you are using potatoes, peppers, or chilies, add them too. Ben loves hatch green chilies and adds them to a lot of dishes and he especially likes them in this.) Then add the diced sausages. I add a generous amount of kosher salt and some pepper.
When they are getting close to being done, I throw some eggs into my egg cooker and set it for a soft boil. When the hash is done, I serve it in a bowl with one or two eggs on top. The yolk drips all over and you stir it all up and it is one of my favorite meals in the world! I almost always keep these ingredients on hand for a go-to dinner. Some of the kids don't love it, but that's just because they're crazy. Ben and Ethan and I adore it. I believe last time we had it, Ethan said something like, "I don't even know why this is so good. I could eat it every day!"
A few summers ago, the stars aligned and I found the courage to try the Whole 30 program. (It is what it sounds like... whole foods for 30 days. Veggies, fruit, meat, nuts, seeds and healthy oils.) I loved it! It took a lot of time and energy when you're trying to feed a big family, but I liked how I felt while eating like that.
One reason I did it, was to see how it would help my psoriasis. Spoiler alert: it didn't help. I was surprised! Since then, however, I've read more that many people with psoriasis should avoid "nightshade vegetables" (tomatoes, tomatillos, white potatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, and all spices made with peppers). Sweet potatoes are not a nightshade, and are ok. Thus, this recipe. Those were my go-to vegetables! And I was eating a lot of them on Whole 30, so maybe that's why my psoriasis did not improve. I'd like to try it again, but also omitting nightshades this time around.
Anyway, this is a recipe that I found somewhere on Pinterest, but this is an adjusted version. It can be tweaked a lot! It's just a breakfast hash, but I honestly love it for lunch or dinner too. It's amazing. Here's a general outline of ingredients, but it's fun to change things and add more or less of whatever you like in a hash!
Ingredients:
3 Aidell's (brand) chicken and apple sausages, diced
2-3 yams and/or sweet potatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
Coconut or Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Eggs, soft-cooked
Also good: (But nightshades, so I don't add them in)
White potatoes
Bell peppers
Hatch green chilies
Directions:
Dice all the foods. Heat a generous amount of coconut or olive oil in a large skillet. Add the potatoes and onions and get them cooking. (If you are using potatoes, peppers, or chilies, add them too. Ben loves hatch green chilies and adds them to a lot of dishes and he especially likes them in this.) Then add the diced sausages. I add a generous amount of kosher salt and some pepper.
When they are getting close to being done, I throw some eggs into my egg cooker and set it for a soft boil. When the hash is done, I serve it in a bowl with one or two eggs on top. The yolk drips all over and you stir it all up and it is one of my favorite meals in the world! I almost always keep these ingredients on hand for a go-to dinner. Some of the kids don't love it, but that's just because they're crazy. Ben and Ethan and I adore it. I believe last time we had it, Ethan said something like, "I don't even know why this is so good. I could eat it every day!"
Friday, August 2, 2019
Jane's Chicken Bowl
Story:
A couple of summers ago, Ben and I tried doing the Whole 30 eating plan thing. It was insightful and I felt great! My Simon had a good friend (Ryan) in his class and I got to know Ryan's mom, Jane J, who is one amazing woman! I love her so much and she was kind of like a Whole 30 pro! This is one of Jane's recipes that I snagged from her.
I don't think it is like an amazingly awesome meal or anything, but it is SO EASY and it fills the tummy, and I feel good after eating it. Jane, if I remember correctly, says that she "loves it with her whole soul." So it's worth keeping on hand!
Ingredients:
Zucchini and/or Cauliflower Rice
Chicken, cooked and chopped
Avocados, cubed
Salt & Pepper
Balsamic Reduction/Glaze
Directions:
Saute the zucchini and/or prep the cauliflower rice. (When I made this for my family last night, I did up the zucchini in olive oil. I also use frozen cauli-rice--so easy!--and just heat it on the stove in a non-stick pan. I ate it with the zucchini, the kids had the cauli-rice, Ben had both.)
Cook and chop the chicken. (I actually only make this dinner when I already have cooked and chopped chicken that is ready to be eaten! It makes for a super easy lunch too... when you already have leftover chicken.)
Cube the avocados. (Plan on almost a half an avocado per person.)
So in each person's bowl, they just put in desired amount of veggies, chicken, and avocado. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Then drizzle some Balsamic Reduction/Glaze on top. Start with not too much salt and pepper and balsamic, but plan on adding more. Not enough, and the dish isn't very flavorful, too much and... ew.
Note:
I believe the Whole 30 book has a recipe to make your own balsamic reduction... which I did once. And it was sad to see my balsamic vinegar boil down to nada. So I just buy it at Trader Joe's. :)
A couple of summers ago, Ben and I tried doing the Whole 30 eating plan thing. It was insightful and I felt great! My Simon had a good friend (Ryan) in his class and I got to know Ryan's mom, Jane J, who is one amazing woman! I love her so much and she was kind of like a Whole 30 pro! This is one of Jane's recipes that I snagged from her.
I don't think it is like an amazingly awesome meal or anything, but it is SO EASY and it fills the tummy, and I feel good after eating it. Jane, if I remember correctly, says that she "loves it with her whole soul." So it's worth keeping on hand!
Ingredients:
Zucchini and/or Cauliflower Rice
Chicken, cooked and chopped
Avocados, cubed
Salt & Pepper
Balsamic Reduction/Glaze
Directions:
Saute the zucchini and/or prep the cauliflower rice. (When I made this for my family last night, I did up the zucchini in olive oil. I also use frozen cauli-rice--so easy!--and just heat it on the stove in a non-stick pan. I ate it with the zucchini, the kids had the cauli-rice, Ben had both.)
Cook and chop the chicken. (I actually only make this dinner when I already have cooked and chopped chicken that is ready to be eaten! It makes for a super easy lunch too... when you already have leftover chicken.)
Cube the avocados. (Plan on almost a half an avocado per person.)
So in each person's bowl, they just put in desired amount of veggies, chicken, and avocado. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Then drizzle some Balsamic Reduction/Glaze on top. Start with not too much salt and pepper and balsamic, but plan on adding more. Not enough, and the dish isn't very flavorful, too much and... ew.
Note:
I believe the Whole 30 book has a recipe to make your own balsamic reduction... which I did once. And it was sad to see my balsamic vinegar boil down to nada. So I just buy it at Trader Joe's. :)
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Refried beans
Story:
The young women (youth group) in our congregation have done a fundraiser for their summer camp two years in a row. They do a Mexican Fiesta-themed bean burrito dinner. They include homemade salsa, tortilla chips, and bean and cheese burritos. This year they included a dessert option of Rice Krispie treats or brownies! I heard this was their biggest fundraiser last year. I'm curious to hear how they did this year. There was a long line-up of cars in front of the Santiago's house at 5:30 last night waiting to pick up their food at the "drive-up" table the girls had set up.
They asked the girls (or their parents) to help provide some of the food this year, and they sent home a recipe for homemade refried beans. I had never made homemade refried beans before! It was super easy and I found it surprisingly satisfying when they actually turned out! So I'm including the recipe here.
As a side note, when Megan (now a senior in high school who recently found out she was accepted to BYU-Hawaii for college!) came home from school and was starving and walked in the kitchen while I was finishing up some Rice Krispie treats and the refried beans, said, "Mom, I think the food plan in the dorms is gonna suck." I said, "No, there will be lots of options and there will always be something you'll like." She said, "Yeah, but you're over here making homemade refried beans and Rice Krispie treats." I think she might have been saying that she might miss me a little bit. ;)
Ingredients:
3 C dry pinto beans
1 cube butter
1 T salt
10 C water
Directions:
Put the beans in a crock pot with the 10 cups of water and cook for about 8-9 hours on HIGH. Make sure the beans are always covered with water. You may need to add more water during the cooking process.
Once cooked, save 1 1/2 C of water from the beans and drain off the rest. Mix the beans, the 1 1/2 cups of bean-water, salt, and butter with an immersion blender--or in a regular blender. I used my immersion blender right in the crockpot.
Return to the crockpot to keep warm or refrigerate until you are ready to eat.
Delicioso!
The young women (youth group) in our congregation have done a fundraiser for their summer camp two years in a row. They do a Mexican Fiesta-themed bean burrito dinner. They include homemade salsa, tortilla chips, and bean and cheese burritos. This year they included a dessert option of Rice Krispie treats or brownies! I heard this was their biggest fundraiser last year. I'm curious to hear how they did this year. There was a long line-up of cars in front of the Santiago's house at 5:30 last night waiting to pick up their food at the "drive-up" table the girls had set up.
They asked the girls (or their parents) to help provide some of the food this year, and they sent home a recipe for homemade refried beans. I had never made homemade refried beans before! It was super easy and I found it surprisingly satisfying when they actually turned out! So I'm including the recipe here.
As a side note, when Megan (now a senior in high school who recently found out she was accepted to BYU-Hawaii for college!) came home from school and was starving and walked in the kitchen while I was finishing up some Rice Krispie treats and the refried beans, said, "Mom, I think the food plan in the dorms is gonna suck." I said, "No, there will be lots of options and there will always be something you'll like." She said, "Yeah, but you're over here making homemade refried beans and Rice Krispie treats." I think she might have been saying that she might miss me a little bit. ;)
Ingredients:
3 C dry pinto beans
1 cube butter
1 T salt
10 C water
Directions:
Put the beans in a crock pot with the 10 cups of water and cook for about 8-9 hours on HIGH. Make sure the beans are always covered with water. You may need to add more water during the cooking process.
Once cooked, save 1 1/2 C of water from the beans and drain off the rest. Mix the beans, the 1 1/2 cups of bean-water, salt, and butter with an immersion blender--or in a regular blender. I used my immersion blender right in the crockpot.
Return to the crockpot to keep warm or refrigerate until you are ready to eat.
Delicioso!
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Chia Seed Pudding
Chia Seed Pudding
Story:
I am not very good at making healthy breakfasts. I mean, I'm getting better at making a protein + avocado + lemon smoothie that my nutritionist recommended to me. And there's always scrambled eggs. But what about those mornings that I want something, like, yummy?? haha!
Enter Chia Seed Pudding.
I heard about this a couple of years ago and I tried it. I think I did something wrong because I thought it was nasty. It just tasted way too... I don't remember how... but I just wasn't a fan.
I tried again last week, though, with a recipe I found on Pinterest, and I loved it! Granted, a lot of the Pinterest recipes seem to have the same proportions... and there are a hundred different ways of changing it up. But I'll just post a basic way here. And how I have tweaked it a little to fit our needs. The other morning I woke up and wanted some chia seed pudding... and I hadn't prepped any the night before... and I was just a little bit sad.
Ingredients:
2 C coconut milk*
2 C almond milk (unsweetened)
2 T pure maple syrup
3 t vanilla
1 C chia seeds
(Plus any toppings)
Instructions:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then stir (or whisk) again to try to break up any clumps of seeds. Pour into individual little mason jars, screw on the lids, and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, just open it up, give it a stir, then add whatever toppings you'd like! I like to put in slivered almonds and/or cut-up strawberries and/or blueberries and/or little diced bananas... whatever I have on hand! I really like the almonds, though, for the crunch! that it gives.
Notes:
*I found some delicious with-fat coconut milk from Costco that I really liked. It's called Real Coco, by Life Refreshed.
The first time I made it, one cup of the pudding seemed a little too much (quantity-wise) for me, so when I made it this way, I split it into five containers.
It's good the next morning. And the morning after that. I ate one this week three days after preparing it, and it was great! I probably wouldn't recommend (from what I've read) eating it more than four days after preparing it.
The nice thing about this too, is it doesn't have to just be for breakfast! It was pretty satisfying, and those chia seeds are supposedly chock-full of good-for-you stuff! I could totally see myself eating one of these (maybe a smaller portion?) for a refreshing afternoon snack, or even for a sweet treat when I'm craving something! I like it that much.
Enjoy!
Story:
I am not very good at making healthy breakfasts. I mean, I'm getting better at making a protein + avocado + lemon smoothie that my nutritionist recommended to me. And there's always scrambled eggs. But what about those mornings that I want something, like, yummy?? haha!
Enter Chia Seed Pudding.
I heard about this a couple of years ago and I tried it. I think I did something wrong because I thought it was nasty. It just tasted way too... I don't remember how... but I just wasn't a fan.
I tried again last week, though, with a recipe I found on Pinterest, and I loved it! Granted, a lot of the Pinterest recipes seem to have the same proportions... and there are a hundred different ways of changing it up. But I'll just post a basic way here. And how I have tweaked it a little to fit our needs. The other morning I woke up and wanted some chia seed pudding... and I hadn't prepped any the night before... and I was just a little bit sad.
Ingredients:
2 C coconut milk*
2 C almond milk (unsweetened)
2 T pure maple syrup
3 t vanilla
1 C chia seeds
(Plus any toppings)
Instructions:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then stir (or whisk) again to try to break up any clumps of seeds. Pour into individual little mason jars, screw on the lids, and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, just open it up, give it a stir, then add whatever toppings you'd like! I like to put in slivered almonds and/or cut-up strawberries and/or blueberries and/or little diced bananas... whatever I have on hand! I really like the almonds, though, for the crunch! that it gives.
Notes:
*I found some delicious with-fat coconut milk from Costco that I really liked. It's called Real Coco, by Life Refreshed.
The first time I made it, one cup of the pudding seemed a little too much (quantity-wise) for me, so when I made it this way, I split it into five containers.
It's good the next morning. And the morning after that. I ate one this week three days after preparing it, and it was great! I probably wouldn't recommend (from what I've read) eating it more than four days after preparing it.
The nice thing about this too, is it doesn't have to just be for breakfast! It was pretty satisfying, and those chia seeds are supposedly chock-full of good-for-you stuff! I could totally see myself eating one of these (maybe a smaller portion?) for a refreshing afternoon snack, or even for a sweet treat when I'm craving something! I like it that much.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Parmesan Pesto Chicken & Veggies (Sheet Pan)
STORY:
In my journey towards better health and away from my (beloved) bad habits, I keep looking for easy and healthy family dinners. Enter the new popular Sheet Pan Dinners. I've only tried a couple different versions, but I've made this one twice and I'm making it again tomorrow. My kids all love it. Even the picky 7 year old boy. The 15 year old boy says it's one of his favorite dinners. So yay!
I found an amazing food blog that every single picture looks like something I want to try! Like seriously incredible. I'm not sure I'm ever going to need to go to a different website for meal ideas. It's called Carlsbad Cravings and that's where I came across this tasty dish that I'm adding to my little family blog tonight. Here is the link to the recipe on their site. I'm just adding it here for easy reference because, like I said, delicious and easy... and I almost always have every ingredient on hand.
Besides, my oldest child is almost a senior in high school (!) which means she may be living on her own soon which means she might want access to recipes that she already knows and loves which means I need to make sure I am adding more here for her easy reference...
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken & Veggies
2 C red potatoes, cut up no bigger than 1/2" to 1" pieces
1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into 1 1/2" chunks; breasts or thighs
3 C broccoli, medium sized florets
1 C thinly sliced carrots
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Pesto Mix/Sauce:
1/3 C basil pesto (I always keep a jar of the Costco jar in my fridge... it's good on a dozen things!)
1 T olive oil
2 t ranch dry seasoning mix
3-4 minced garlic cloves (Some people may not like it as much as fresh, but for convenience, I always have a big bottle of minced garlic in my fridge)
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk together all the pesto mix ingredients in a large bowl.
Line a large jelly roll pan/oversized cookie sheet (10x15) with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Put 2 tablespoons of the pesto mix and the potatoes in a bowl. Toss to evenly coat. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop up the chicken, broccoli, and carrots. Toss them in the bowl with the remaining pesto mix and really get in there and coat everything really well.
Remove the baking sheet with the potatoes from the oven and scoot all the potatoes to one side, while keeping in a single layer. Then spread the chopped and coated chicken and veggies on the pan, again, in a single layer.
Return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove again and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, checking for doneness.
While it's good to go just like this, Ben usually likes some sort of a grain with it. So with this kind of meal, I'd usually just do up some rice or quinoa to go with it.
In my journey towards better health and away from my (beloved) bad habits, I keep looking for easy and healthy family dinners. Enter the new popular Sheet Pan Dinners. I've only tried a couple different versions, but I've made this one twice and I'm making it again tomorrow. My kids all love it. Even the picky 7 year old boy. The 15 year old boy says it's one of his favorite dinners. So yay!
I found an amazing food blog that every single picture looks like something I want to try! Like seriously incredible. I'm not sure I'm ever going to need to go to a different website for meal ideas. It's called Carlsbad Cravings and that's where I came across this tasty dish that I'm adding to my little family blog tonight. Here is the link to the recipe on their site. I'm just adding it here for easy reference because, like I said, delicious and easy... and I almost always have every ingredient on hand.
Besides, my oldest child is almost a senior in high school (!) which means she may be living on her own soon which means she might want access to recipes that she already knows and loves which means I need to make sure I am adding more here for her easy reference...
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken & Veggies
2 C red potatoes, cut up no bigger than 1/2" to 1" pieces
1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into 1 1/2" chunks; breasts or thighs
3 C broccoli, medium sized florets
1 C thinly sliced carrots
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Pesto Mix/Sauce:
1/3 C basil pesto (I always keep a jar of the Costco jar in my fridge... it's good on a dozen things!)
1 T olive oil
2 t ranch dry seasoning mix
3-4 minced garlic cloves (Some people may not like it as much as fresh, but for convenience, I always have a big bottle of minced garlic in my fridge)
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk together all the pesto mix ingredients in a large bowl.
Line a large jelly roll pan/oversized cookie sheet (10x15) with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Put 2 tablespoons of the pesto mix and the potatoes in a bowl. Toss to evenly coat. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop up the chicken, broccoli, and carrots. Toss them in the bowl with the remaining pesto mix and really get in there and coat everything really well.
Remove the baking sheet with the potatoes from the oven and scoot all the potatoes to one side, while keeping in a single layer. Then spread the chopped and coated chicken and veggies on the pan, again, in a single layer.
Return to the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove again and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.
Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, checking for doneness.
While it's good to go just like this, Ben usually likes some sort of a grain with it. So with this kind of meal, I'd usually just do up some rice or quinoa to go with it.
Monday, April 2, 2018
Roasted Green Beans
Story:
You know it's bad when your teenagers say they don't think we are eating enough vegetables. Oops. I go through stages with a lot of my cooking, and apparently, veggies have taken a back seat to convenience lately. I was humbled enough to know they spoke truth and I am now trying to feed my family (including myself) more veggies! I tend to be a fan of fresh veggies. Never canned, occasionally frozen. But sometimes I feel stumped on what to do besides steaming broccoli again, ya feel? So I've been perusing the internet and the bottomless pit of ideas called Pinterest for new ideas on preparing vegetables. I know I can pin the good ones (and I do), but I hate all the ads... so I'm back here on the blog to post some of my favorite finds in order to remember and access the real "keepers" in one safe place.
So that is why I am bringing to you today this recipe for Roasted Green Beans. YUM! The first time I made them, Ethan (now 15), went over to the leftovers on the pan and asked, as he was picking them up and eating them right there over the counter, "Why are these so good??" Yes, green beans. I found the recipe here. I didn't do much to tweak it or anything. It's good just as it is.
I've served them with a tangy pork roast. I've served them with chicken. Tonight I'll be doing up a batch to go with leftover Easter ham. They are always good! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh green beans
1-2 T olive oil (enough to lightly coat the beans)
1 or 1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground pepper (8-10 turns of the grinder)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ยบ.
I like to put down parchment paper on my roasting pan (large cookie sheet).
Wash the beans, trim, and pat dry.
Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Get in there with your hands and make sure the beans are all coated nicely.
Spread in a single layer on the roasting pan.
Roast for about 15 minutes, and turn.
Roast for another 10, to your desired doneness.
They should be a little bit shriveled and have some brown spots.
That's it! I hope you like them as much as Ethan did.
Note:
I saw that some people liked to cook them a little less.
I saw that some people like them with a squeeze of lemon.
I saw that some people like them with parmesan cheese.
All of these options sound great!
You know it's bad when your teenagers say they don't think we are eating enough vegetables. Oops. I go through stages with a lot of my cooking, and apparently, veggies have taken a back seat to convenience lately. I was humbled enough to know they spoke truth and I am now trying to feed my family (including myself) more veggies! I tend to be a fan of fresh veggies. Never canned, occasionally frozen. But sometimes I feel stumped on what to do besides steaming broccoli again, ya feel? So I've been perusing the internet and the bottomless pit of ideas called Pinterest for new ideas on preparing vegetables. I know I can pin the good ones (and I do), but I hate all the ads... so I'm back here on the blog to post some of my favorite finds in order to remember and access the real "keepers" in one safe place.
So that is why I am bringing to you today this recipe for Roasted Green Beans. YUM! The first time I made them, Ethan (now 15), went over to the leftovers on the pan and asked, as he was picking them up and eating them right there over the counter, "Why are these so good??" Yes, green beans. I found the recipe here. I didn't do much to tweak it or anything. It's good just as it is.
I've served them with a tangy pork roast. I've served them with chicken. Tonight I'll be doing up a batch to go with leftover Easter ham. They are always good! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh green beans
1-2 T olive oil (enough to lightly coat the beans)
1 or 1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground pepper (8-10 turns of the grinder)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ยบ.
I like to put down parchment paper on my roasting pan (large cookie sheet).
Wash the beans, trim, and pat dry.
Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Get in there with your hands and make sure the beans are all coated nicely.
Spread in a single layer on the roasting pan.
Roast for about 15 minutes, and turn.
Roast for another 10, to your desired doneness.
They should be a little bit shriveled and have some brown spots.
That's it! I hope you like them as much as Ethan did.
Note:
I saw that some people liked to cook them a little less.
I saw that some people like them with a squeeze of lemon.
I saw that some people like them with parmesan cheese.
All of these options sound great!
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