Looking back: meals this week

Here is what I have been cooking this week. I must say, every meal has been absolutely delicious with minimal prep work. What more can a girl ask for?

• The easy weeknight roast was something of my own creation after realizing there was a little, forgotten roast still in the fridge that I needed to cook up. Here is my method:
• 1-3 or 4lb roast 
• 1 jar of your favorite salsa
• spice blend: salt, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cayenne 
• Rub the roast all over with your spices 
• heat a few Tbs oil in a heavy pan and brown the meat on all sides
• Place in crock pot and pour salsa on top
• cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4
• serve with lots of avocado, salsa, sour cream over lettuce or in a taco/burrito!

• I just made Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic last night. yum. If you aren't a huge fan of roasted garlic don't be turned off by this dish. The garlic isn't overwhelming but gives the chicken some incredible flavor. My biggest issue was cutting the raw chicken into 8 parts. I think I need a sharper knife...I kept the chicken...carcass...and threw it in the crock pot with some of the leftover garlic cloves (I didn't feel good about eating all 40 cloves lol), juices from the cooked chicken, leftover herbs, a carrot, 1/2 of an onion, about 8/10 cups of water, and 1/2 a cup of apple cider vinegar. Apparently the vinegar helps to leech the minerals from the chicken bones, giving you an extremely healthy and hearty chicken stock.

• Monday night I made the Stuffed portabella mushrooms and roasted rosemary beets. Both were fantastic. Jeff raved about the meal and even baby Lewis loved it! Both were super simple to assemble and cook. Definitely adding this one to our weekly rotation

I'm excited to make burgers tonight. Partially because when we use the grill there is minimal cleanup in the kitchen for me. But mostly because I love bacon

Whats on your menu for the week?

Meals for this week + Everything but the kitchen sink soup

Meals last week were delicious! I haven't really been cooking from recipes for the past...8 months or so and I forgot how time consuming and tiring it can be. Everything I made tasted delicious which was a good reminder of why it is sometimes nice to follow a recipe instead of just winging it.

Meals for this week are simple

Stuffed acorn squash  + veggies
Spaghetti Squash with marinara + sweet potato
Lentils and ground turkey with broccoli & zucchini
Burgers
Steak & Potatoes

Last night I was trying to figure out how to use up our produce/leftovers in the fridge before going grocery shopping today. What resulted was a hearty soup. I can't say it was the most delicious soup that I have made but it was pretty tasty and filling. I would classify it as "dirty fresh"

Everything but the kitchen sink soup - mine had chicken stock, zucchini, onion, garlic, carrots, garbanzo beans, lentils, quinoa, swiss chard, red bell pepper, potato, and some leftover chicken. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, oregano, basil, sriracha, and braggs (soy sauce). 

My favorite monster

We spent yesterday afternoon lounging by the pool in the sun. This little man makes everything more fun!

so bright!

one of my favorite things to have for lunch is a warm salad. I create salad "monsters" on a daily basis. I love heating up turkey meat and veggies to put on top of salad greens. Somehow heating makes the flavors even more pronounced. Yesterday I warmed up some zucchini and turkey in a skillet and put it on top of spinach along with hummus, soft goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts, and avocado. So delicious and so easy. Try making your own today!

Blackberries for Lew

Saturday was a beautiful summer day so we decided to head outside to pick some blackberries! The title of this post is somewhat misleading as Lewis didn't actually get to eat any of the berries...more for us!

They were so delicious: sweet and juicy, very unlike blackberries from the store. Lewis was in the Ergo on my back for the first time and seemed to enjoy it.

It is still amazing to me that fruit like this grows so abundantly here in Washington. Such a blessing to have access to such yummy food. 

I cooked up our bounty on Sunday along with some fresh rhubarb and plums. Thank you Karin for inspiring me to bake! I whipped up these delicious tarts Sunday afternoon, they were amazing. 

Rhubarb blackberry

Rhubarb plum

Blackberry Rhubarb tart
preheat oven to 400

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rhubarb
• 1.5 cups blackberries
• 7 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs meyer lemon juice
• zest of lemon ( I used meyer but any kind will work)
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
• Pastry puff dough / pie dough - I didn't have the time or desire to make my own so I used pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets

Cut your rhubarb length wise down each stalk and then into 1/2 inch cubes. Combine rhubarb, blackberries, sugar, and vanilla bean + seeds in a heavy bottomed pot. Cover and heat on low for 15 minutes until the rhubarb has released some of its juices. 

Prepare crust by either unfolding (puff pastry sheet) or rolling out and setting in a lightly greased pie dish

Uncover mixture, add lemon juice + zest, and increase heat to medium and cook for 15 more minutes until the mixture has thickened. 

Discard vanilla bean pod and pour into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 400 for 30 -35 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown on top 

Variation: Rhubarb plum tart

• 1.5 cups Rhubarb
• 1.5 cups plums
• 7 Tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
• Pastry puff dough

Follow directions from above!

These would be delicious served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or whipped coconut milk!

To whip coconut milk: place a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Drain liquid from the top and whip all the yummy leftovers just like you would cream! It has such a great flavor. Here is an awesome tutorial if you need pictures!

Mexican hot chocolate green smoothie

light and chocolatey with a hint of cinnamon and spicy cayenne pepper, this green smoothie is the perfect refreshing treat for a lazy September day. 

Mexican hot chocolate green smoothie

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 cup chocolate almond milk (or chocolate milk)
• 4 ice cubes
• 1/4th tsp cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Throw it all in a blender and blend away! Add more milk or water if needed

Crustless quiche

Here is a yummy recipe for a crustless quiche that I made last week. The awesome thing about quiches is that they are infinitely adaptable. Add whatever veggies / meats / cheeses you want and bake. So easy to prepare and it makes a great meal paired with salad or fruit or bacon and pancakes :)

Crustless quiche
 Bake @ 350 for 45-55 minutes

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 leek, sliced thin
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 oz soft goat cheese ( or 2-4 oz cream cheese)
• 1/4-1/2 cup goat gouda ( you can use cheddar, mozzerella, pepper jack, etc.)
• 1.5 Tbsp flour
• fresh or dried basil, oregano, and / or thyme
• salt + pepper to taste

saute the onion and garlic on medium heat until almost soft. Add in the rest of the veggies + the salt, pepper, and herbs. Saute for 3-4 more minutes and remove from heat

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, flour, and cheese. Stir in veggies and pour mixture into a greased pie pan or into a cast iron skillet. Bake puffy and a little golden brown around the edges (45-55 min)

Thai chicken lettuce wraps

Im not a fan of shrimp so I used chicken for this recipe but either will work. The sauce makes the dish, really its more like a spread, you can find the recipe here. Its a little nutty, a little sweet, a little salty, delicious. If you prefer a saucier consistency just add more coconut milk!
Prep for this meal is quick and easy. I made it last night and layered quinoa, chicken (cut into strips or chunks and cooked in a skillet), and sauce and just had salad on the side.

Spicy avocado marinade

Hi friends! I hope you all had a relaxing memorial day and weekend. We had fun just hanging around town, taking walks, eating with friends, and cuddling with Lewis.

I made this cilantro avocado buttermilk dressing last Friday to go with our dinner salads. Jeff loved it on his but I didn't think it was anything very special. Partially because I put in an entire jalapeno and the spiciness overwhelmed all of the other flavors. Anyway, I had a bunch leftover and decided to use it as a marinade on some chicken breasts a few nights later. It was amazing! Here is the recipe with a few slight changes or you can follow the link for the original

Ingredients:

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 small jalapeno

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro

1 medium avocado

1-2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp chopped scallion or onion ( I didn't have any onion or scallion and it turned out fine)

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt and more to taste

Method:


Throw everything into a blender and blend until smooth
Pour over chicken/turkey/ salmon and let sit refrigerated for a few hours
grill/bake and enjoy!

Banana bars

These banana bars are out of control good! The original recipe calls them "one a day banana bars" but I find that I typically eat more than one a day. Definitely make these soon, they won't disappoint

Banana Bars

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 cups butter (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flower
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 a package of chocolate chips

Method:

• Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar
• add egg and vanilla, beat well
• stir in mashed bananas
• stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to banana mixture and beat until combined
• stir in chocolate pieces and spread the batter into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish
• bake @ 350 for 25 minutes or until the top is golden and a knife/toothpick comes out clean

Best-Ever Meat Loaf

I first had this delicious meat loaf at Nate and Sharon's house. Lets just say it really is the best-ever meat loaf. Thanks Shay! I have adapted it in a few places but it has stayed true to its name

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup siracha or chili garlic sauce
• 1/8 cup ketchup (alternatively you can just use 1/4 cup ketchup if you don't like or don't have siracha)
• 1 Tbs worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 lb ground Turkey
• 3/4 cup rolled oats 

Method:

• In a large skillet heat oil and add onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened (about 3 min)
• In a bowl beat egg and stir in onion mixture, chili sauce + ketchup,  and worcestershire.
• Add in ground turkey and sprinkle with oats. Mix until combined
• Press mixture into a loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and let stand 5 minutes
• Enjoy!

Chili Blanco with Chicken

This is one of my go to white chili recipes. My mom would make this a lot when I was at home and I always loved it. Now I love making it for my own family! You can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. I'll put some notes to the side regarding things that I have changed

Ingredients ( chicken marinade):

• 1 lb chicken breasts, diced
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbs oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 medium jalapeno, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Ingredients (soup):

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (I use 3 or 4)
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped ( I use a red and an orange pepper instead)
• 1 pablano pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbs oregano
• 1 Tbs chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
• 1 bottle light beer ( I use corona)
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 1 16 oz can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ( I use 2)
• juice of one lime
• plain yogurt

Method:

• Make the marinade - combine marinade ingredients in a bowl and add cubed chicken. Let sit for a few minutes or longer in the refrigerator 
• Heat oil in a large pot and add chicken. Saute for a few minutes until the chicken becomes opaque
• Add additional oil and saute onion, celery, leek, bell peppers, cumin, oregano, pablano and chilies
• Add beer, stock, and beans. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes
• Add lime juice and salt
• Serve with a spoonful of plain yogurt (or sour cream) on top!

Lemon Pepper Pappardele with chicken and deconstructed kale pesto

Long name for a recipe...I really don't even think deconstructed kale pesto exists but it kind of sounds like it falls into the modern cooking trends so there ya go. I adapted it from this recipe for lemon mushroom Pappardele.

Lemon pepper Pappardele with chicken and deconstructed kale pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 package Lemon pepper Pappardele from Trader Joe's ( can substitute any other noodle)
• 1 lb chicken breasts cubed
• 1 bunch kale, washed, stemmed, and ripped into pieces
• 1/2 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1/2 small red onion sliced thinly
• 1/4-1/3 cup pine nuts
• juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• cook cubed chicken in a skillet over medium high heat with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice
• remove chicken from skillet, turn heat to low and saute the onions and mushrooms until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid and the onions are soft
• cook noodles per package instructions. Add the kale at the very end, blanching for 30 seconds or so. drain and set aside
• Combine noodles, kale, chicken, and the onion + mushroom mixture in a large bowl or pot. Add remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Pork Green Chili Stew

This amazing recipe is from my sweet sister-in-law Jess. I think of her every time I make it, which is often because it is so delicious! Definitely one of my favorite meals (it also happens to be extremely easy to throw together which is an added bonus!)

Ingredients:

• 2lb pork
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flower
• 2-3 cups roasted green chilies ( I use pablano)
• 1- 7oz can diced green chilies or 2 -4oz cans 
• 1-14oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 fresh jalapeno, diced (seed for a less spicy soup)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• cumin (to taste, probably a few teaspoons)
• salt and pepper
• 3-4 cups chicken broth

method:

• Heat 2Tbs oil in large soup pot
• Add and brown cubed pork
• Add and saute chopped yellow onion and minced garlic
• Sprinkle flour over the top and stir for 2 minutes
• Add: roasted and chopped green chilies, diced green chilies, diced tomatoes, jalapeno, sugar salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir and add the chicken broth
• Let simmer for about an hour
• Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired

Jess suggests serving with warm tortillas and fruit, yum!

We usually eat it with seeded sourdough which is also delicious!

Meals for this week

Little late on this post but oh well! I had the HARDEST time planning meals for this week. I had high hopes of cooking a ton of food to freeze for meals after the baby but the thought of actually making that much food was just too much. I still have a few soups and some biscuits/scones frozen but I probably won't be making double of anything else.
The triple lentil recover soup and Jalapeno cheddar scones from last week were amazing. Make them now, at least the scones. I wasn't a big fan of the chicken and artichoke dish. The flavors were just not that great. Some of the recipes for this week are recipes that I didn't find online and that I have been making for a while so if you would like the recipes let me know!

This week:

Monday - Meatloaf with twice baked sweet potatoes and veggies
Tuesday - Chili blanco with chicken, jalapeno cheddar scones, and for dessert chocolate dipped cheesecake stuffed strawberries
Wednesday - Pesto noodles with ground turkey and veggies
Thursday - Slow cooker chicken tikki masala with brown rice and veggies
Friday - Rice noodle bowls with crispy tofu and veggies

I also made a double batch of granola bars this week. They are so easy and delicious. They make a great healthy and quick snack! Here is the recipe

granola bars:

• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 T sugar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter/almond butter
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup oat bran (blend oats in the blender and add 1/8th - 1/4th cup flax as its blending)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or carob chips
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup nut mix (e.g - walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds, sunflower, pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (e.g - cherries, raisins, cranberries, dates, apples, apricots)

Combine honey, vanilla, salt, sugar, and peanut butter in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally

In a large bowl combine all other ingredients except chocolate chips

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and toss well. Allow to cool for a few minutes

Add chocolate chips and fold together

Press mixture into a greased 9 inch pan and pat down. Chill for 1 hour or until firm

store in the freezer or the refrigerator 

Chimichangas

Here is the chimichanga recipe that I used for dinner the other night. They reheat really well so we ended up having them for dinner two nights in a row!

Chimichangas
oven - 375
makes - 10

Ingredients:

• Tortillas
• Sharp cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 1 medium new potato, diced and boiled
• 1 pablano pepper, roasted (skin removed) and diced
• 1/2 red or yellow onion, diced and sauteed
• 1 chicken breast
• 1/4 lb ground turkey 
• 1 can black beans
• avocado, salsa/hot sauce, and sour cream

Assembly:

• simply place the desired combination of ingredients in the middle of each tortilla and top with cheese
• fold the sides and ends of tortillas in, forming a secure pocket
• place each tortilla pocket face down on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops and sides with melted butter
• bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tortillas begin to brown and become a little crunchy at the edges
• serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream

Spicy Chicken and Rice bake

I made this for dinner the other night and it was de-lish.
Adapted from Sugar Crafter's recipe:

Spicy Chicken and Rice bake
preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded ( I baked mine with a little seasoning and olive oil)
• 4 cups cooked rice (about 2 cups uncooked)
• 2 cups black beans (about 1 can)
• 1 can sweet corn, drained
• 2 cans green chilies
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 small jalapeno, minced
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used a combination of goat gouda, white cheddar, and gruyere)

saute the onion and the jalapeno until soft. In a medium sized bowl mix together chicken, rice, beans, corn, yogurt, cheese, and jalapeno onion mixture until well combined. pour into a greased 9x13 pan and sprinkle more cheese on top if desired. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the dish is heated through. Serve with salsa, hot sauce, or siracha on top!

* When I make this again I will probably omit the corn, I just didn't prefer it

* If making for two people cut recipe in half and use a smaller dish to bake!

Cocoa Chewies

These cookies are delicious. First known to me as cocoa chewies made at Whole Foods, I found this recipe for chocolate puddle cookies the other day and knew I had to try them. I will call them cocoa chewies because I don't think the word "puddle" does them justice.
I made one slight modification and they turned out so yummy. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Cocoa Chewies

• 3 cups walnuts
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup semi - sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 Tbs vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Toast walnuts for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and chop
• Stir together sugar, cocoa, salt, and chocolate chips. Add the nuts. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla until thoroughly combined (the dough will be very thick).
• Drop batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, 2 Tbs per cookie, leaving a few inches between each. 
• Bake for 10-13 minutes until the tops are cracked and are no longer shiny. 

The healthy breakfast "cookie"

I made these delicious oat cookies today and I think you all should make them too. I found the recipe on Blueberry Girl's Blog and modified the recipe a little because I didn't have some of the ingredients on hand. I had one of these before working out this morning and I felt awesome! It has been especially difficult while pregnant to find food with enough substance to sustain me during my workouts in the morning. This did the trick. I've dubbed them Banana Oaties


Banana Oaties
1 1/2 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup almond meal (or normal flour)
1 cup dried fruit (I used golden raisins, dried cherries, and dried unsweetened cranberries)


2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 TBS Almond butter (peanut butter would taste good too)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla ( i didn't have any vanilla on hand but I think it would definitely add a little something special)


*Heat oven to 350
*Whisk dry ingredients. Add the dried fruit 
*In another bowl mash bananas. Add oil, almond butter, and vanilla if using. Mix until well combined
*Pour wet into dry and mix well
*Drop batter in large spoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and gently pat down each mound 
*Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are brown and a little crispy

• The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of nuts but I did not put any in. After making them I think walnuts would taste the best but these taste great without them too

Almond Butter Biscuits

These are some of our favorite biscuits. They go well with pretty much everything and as an added bonus, they are healthy (and even gluten free if desired). Gina over at The Fitnessista highlighted these a few months ago on her blog, very exciting!
I just use one bowl and a two cup measuring cup to avoid dirtying too many dishes.

Almond Butter Biscuits

*2 1/2 C. Almond flour / meal               

*1/4 C. Oat flour (or spelt)

*1/2 tsp salt

*1/2 tsp baking soda

*1/8 C. grapeseed oil

*1/8 C. almond butter

*1/4 C. agave

*2 large eggs

*1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350.

1) Combine dry ingredients

2) Whisk wet ingredients and pour into dry

3) Drop batter by the spoon full onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

4) Bake for 10-11 min until a little golden on top and a toothpick comes out mainly clean

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Several weeks ago we went to a pumpkin patch with some friends

We didn't end up carving our pumpkin so a few nights ago Jeff cut it up for me and I  made a bunch of pumpkin puree. I love cooking with pumpkin because it adds great flavor and moisture to baked goods. These muffins are delicious with a taste similar to Zucchini nut muffins. They are good for breakfast or a snack. I modified the original recipe which I found at Elana's Pantry . The original recipe is gluten free which I am totally fine with but she mentions in her recipe that the muffins are extremely moist in the center. I wanted mine to have a fluffier quality so I substituted 1/2 cup of the almond flour for spelt flour. I also used turbinado sugar instead of agave (only because I didn't have half of a cup). Here is my attempt at artistic cell phone photography.

 Pumpkin Pie Muffins 
adapted from Elana's Pantry

1 cup almond flour (can also make your own with raw almonds and a food processor / blender)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or canola)
½ cup agave nectar or granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree

• In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients
• In another bowl beat oil, eggs, and pumpkin until smooth (if using pumpkin chunks puree ingredients in food processor)
• Pour wet into dry and mix until combined
• Pour batter into paper lined muffin tins
• Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
• Enjoy!