Carrot & Nut Muffins

It's been a while.

I have a lot of excuses...

but instead of typing them up, I'll share something delectably healthy with you.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

...and Exhibit C:

Are we still friends?

Good.

Here's that recipe...

Carrot & Nut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Slightly adapted from my mother

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp wheat germ

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch (or two) salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups grated carrot

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350.  Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir together wet ingredients and combine.  Spoon into greased muffin tin and bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.  Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

I love how spring gives me that new beginning/fresh start feeling!

Among my efforts to spring-clean around the house, I'm also going through my computer and deleting any unneeded items.

Happily, I came upon these pictures of the cranberry sauce I made for Thanksgiving last year...

It was delicious and went perfectly with our stuffing and turkey.

So I thought I'd post it before I forgot again--better late than never!

I love cooking the fresh cranberries and listening to them "pop" on the stove.

(Note:  This was taken near the beginning; it looks mushier when it's done cooking)

(Not sure where the recipe came from...one of those I wrote down years ago without a source.)

*Can be made two days ahead and stored in refrigerator*

New Cranberry Sauce

Makes 12 servings (1/4-cup each)

Source Unknown

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 12-oz bag fresh cranberries

1 cup 100% pomegranate or cranberry juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 medium apple (or persimmon), peeled/cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

rosemary sprig

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.  Add cranberries, pomegranate juice, sugar, and ginger.  Bring to boil; then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 16-17 minutes, or until mixture is just thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in apple.  May serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled (cover and refrigerate up to 48 hours).  Top sauce with a rosemary sprig.  

Barley and Wild Rice Pilaf

I failed when I made this...

but only because I neglected to grab a picture of it before it was DEVOURED.  Ha.

Everything else about this recipe is an epic win.

Just imagine a nutty bite of chewy wild rice with barley

among wholesome and colorful bits of vegetables.

It's invigorating, I tell you.

This will be my side-dish-contribution to barbeques this summer!

*Note:  feel free to switch up the vegetables using whatever you have on hand

Wild Rice and Barley Pilaf

From my mother

Serves 8

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice (rinsed, if needed)

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)

2 large bell peppers, chopped (red and yellow make it colorful)

4 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped (I like baby portobello)

1 cup peas (thawed if frozen)

1 cup shredded carrot

2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 Tbsp fresh, added at end)

salt, pepper, & garlic powder, to taste

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until tender (8-10 minutes).  Add barley, rice, and garlic.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in broth.  Turn up heat and bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 1 hour or until barley and rice are tender.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, carrot, and oregano.  Cook and stir 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  

Combine vegetable mixture with rice mixture; season with salt/pepper/garlic powder.  May serve warm or cold!

How to Cook Tofu

Today is unique.

February 29th won't come again for four whole years, 

so I thought I should post something unique today...

like how to cook tofu!

Tofu Vegetable Stir-Fry

Tofu used to give me the heebie-jeebies (kinda like shrimp).  Just hearing the word raised my eyebrows.

I think the first time I tried tofu was at PF Chang's...in their coconut curry vegetable dish (amazing!),

and I knew I had been missing out.

Made from soybeans, tofu is low-fat, high protein, vegetarian, versatile (soft or firm; can be used in sweet & savory dishes), and has a subtle flavor (will pretty much take on whatever flavor you want it to).

So here's how I cook tofu--specifically for stir-fry--

and it's super easy and only takes 15 minutes!

Ingredients:  

1 package 14-oz extra firm tofu

heat-safe oil for sauteing

garlic powder for flavor

sauce for stir-fry

We really like Nasoya's organic extra firm tofu for this (I find it at Costco).

(I did use this before the expiration date, by the way...)

Open the package and drain the liquid.  Wrap the tofu block in paper towels or a dish towel, place on a cutting board, and gently pat/squeeze out the water (you want the tofu dry in order to absorb flavor/sauce).

Cut into bite-sized cubes.

(After cutting you may want to dab up some more water.)

Drizzle heat-safe oil (I like grapeseed) into a medium-sized pan over medium heat and add tofu pieces.  

Stir the tofu around with a spatula to coat with oil.

At this point, I like to add a good sprinkle of garlic powder for some flavor.

(About halfway done)

 After a few minutes, turn pieces over, using a spatula, to cook the other sides.

Continue sauteing and stirring/turning until all (or most of) the sides are lightly browned.

After about 15 minutes, the tofu should be browned like this.

When the tofu is done cooking, pour in just enough stir-fry sauce to coat the pieces, let them absorb the sauce for a minute or so, and then add tofu to the cooked vegetables for the stir-fry.

Serve warm over brown rice.  Super easy, right?
How do you cook tofu?
If you've never cooked it, try it and let me know what you think!

Goodbye, February 29th...see you in four years!

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

This sweet and tangy,

protein and antioxidant-packed

side dish 

is the perfect pick-me-up in the middle of winter!

I made a batch for the sole purpose of having "grab-ready" in the fridge for a quick, healthy snack.

I even eat it right out of the bowl...(please tell me you do this too!).

And my one-year-old loved it too!

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

From my mother-in-law

Makes about 6 servings

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked

1 can black beans, drained/rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries (or raisins--white raisins are yummy too!)

1 diced red bell pepper

dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander*

1/4 tsp salt

Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together.  Pour dressing over salad and stir well.  Chill for a few hours before eating.  Enjoy!

*If you don't have ground coriander, don't stress.  It'll taste great without it too!

Vegetarian Taco Soup

The holidays were wonderful...including, of course, all the holiday food!

Yes, all the

sugary,

heavy,

sugary,

meaty,

suuuugary

food.

And now begins the meat and sugar de-tox.

For me, at least.  

Maybe (hopefully) you were more self-controlled than I was this year.

Either way, you'll love this soup.

It's simple and meatless, yet satisfying.

Sooo simple.

Your feet will thank you--you won't be standing in the kitchen for hours on end.  :)

Vegetarian Taco Soup

Adapted from my mom
4-6 servings

olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 Tbsp (one packet) taco seasoning (I recommend this homemade version!)

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can corn, undrained

Saute onion in olive oil until tender.  Add taco seasoning, stir for 30 seconds, then add rest of ingredients.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream (or plain yogurt), cheese, and avocado.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice, 

for me,

is probably a once or twice a year necessity.

So it's not something I always keep on hand or like to spend precious dollars on,

and just for a measly little container of it too.

But recently, finding myself in need of it, and finding my little container smelling
not-so-pumpkin-y anymore, 

(it had been expired for over a year...or two),

I decided to make my own.

It was a tad overwhelming with how many different versions google dug up, 

but this one looked the best to me

mostly because I loooove cinnamon

and the ratio just kinda seemed right.

I guess there's no way to really know if it's good unless you bake somethin' up with it

and taste it.

Which is exactly what I did.

And it passed with flying colors.

And that will be my next post.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

From Joy the Baker

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground is best)

big pinch of cardamom (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.  Use in any recipe calling for pumpkin pie spice.

Hearty Chickpea Soup

I know Fall is not officially over yet, 

but because today is a beautiful fall day and

because my weather-man is forecasting snow for tomorrow,

I feel the need for a "Farewell to Fall" post.

It's impossible for me even think of the word "Fall" without thinking of my mother-in-law.

She is the Queen of Fall.

As soon as leaves begin to redden and crisp up,

you can walk into her house, and, without fail, be greeted by

a home-y cinnamon or pumpkin aroma.

You can walk out onto her deck and smile at

homegrown pumpkins and bright, beautiful mums.

After a crisp fall walk, she'll make you

a delicious, warm fall soup.

I've never met anyone who loved fall more.

On a recent, particularly crispy fall day,

I made one of her soups.

It's vegetarian, yet hearty and comforting.

The combination of cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger in this soup =

absolute genius.

And although it makes me think of fall, I guarantee it will grace our table this winter too!

...catchya later, Fall...

Hearty Chickpea Soup

From my mother-in-law

4 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 rib celery, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 can (14.5-oz) diced or tomatoes (no salt added)

2 cups baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

lemon wedges, for garnish

In medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat.  Saute celery, carrot, onion, and garlic 3-5 minutes.  Add cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger.  Cook 1-2 minutes longer.  Add broth, chickpeas, and tomatoes and simmer until vegetables are soft.  Add chopped spinach leaves and lemon wedges on top just before serving.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

After finding myself out of taco seasoning the other day,

with a half-made pot of taco soup on the stove,

I hastily googled, "homemade taco seasoning."

After browsing several, I knew this would be the one.

This recipe comes from Perry's Plate, one of my favorite food blogs.

So, I made it, AND...

The soup tasted better than with the usual store-bought packets.
Natalie's taco seasoning has all the expected ingredients...plus a few secrets...
namely cocoa powder & oregano,
bringing your hum-drum taco seasoning up a few notches.  :)

Moral of the story:  next time you're in a pinch for taco seasoning (or in a pinch to pay a dollar-plus on one measly sodium-loaded packet), this is your answer.

I'm planning on making this in bulk to use in place of store-bought packets from now on...

Perrys' Plate Taco Seasoning

From Perrys' Plate

For one packet's worth of taco seasoning (3-4 Tbsp):

1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cocoa

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I would personally leave this out if young children were eating it)

1/8 tsp ground coriander

For about 4-5 packets worth of seasoning, quadruple the above recipe.  

Combine all spices together and store in an airtight container.  Use in place of store-bought taco seasoning!

No-Yeast Pizza Dough with Whole Wheat

Long name for a simple recipe.

Amidst my awkward we're-moving-so-use-up-what-we-have-in-our-cupboards stage a couple weeks ago, I found myself with all of the essential pizza ingredients...except for yeast.
My favorite whole-wheat pizza crust recipe calls for yeast, but I didn't have time to run to the store.

So, after googling around a bit, I found a recipe on cooks.com and adapted it to my liking.
This recipe provides more of a soft, bread-y crust, rather than a thinner, crispier crust.

Given the choice, I would choose my yeast recipe over this, BUT, if I find myself in another
pizza-craving, hopeless, yeast-less circumstance,
this will be my go-to!

Make this crust for a yummy Zucchini Pesto Pizza!

(If you're more of a soft-crust fan, this may end up being your favorite.  To each his own.:)
*This is my most popular recipe!  Let me know how you like it!

No Yeast Pizza Dough with Whole Wheat

Makes 1 pizza crust

Inspired by Cooks.com

1 1/2 cups regular whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and knead by hand in bowl for about 2 minutes. Place onto baking sheet and press out into desired shape (thinner crust works better for this recipe). Bake for 5-10 minutes (depending on how thick it is). Take it out, add sauce and toppings, then bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until toppings are cooked and edges of crust are lightly browned.

Whole-Wheat Couscous & Fruit Salad

Just imagine biting into crisp, juicy berries, crunchy, sliced almonds, and nutty--almost tangy--couscous.

Wow.

Well your dreams just became a reality.

This is another winner from Better Homes and Gardens. It was my first time cooking couscous, and I'll be honest--I was a little skeptical--but pleasantly surprised. :)

Super easy to make, too! Yumm-o summer side dish.

The only change I made was substituting green onion for the shallots...that's what I had in my fridge.

Whole-Wheat Couscous & Fruit Salad

4 servings

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 tsp finely chopped shallots

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cups cooked whole-wheat couscous

1 cup chopped nectarine

1 cup mixed fresh berries (I used blueberries & raspberries)

2 Tbsp toasted, sliced almonds*

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, vinegar, shallots, salt, & pepper. Add cooked couscous and fruit; gently toss to combine.

*Toasting almonds is easy! Just heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat, add almonds and cook while stirring, for about 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly browned and fragrant.

Grapes & Almonds

That's it.

Grapes & almonds.

Crunchy, crispy, creamy.

Sometimes you just need a snack to sit out on the table all day that you can grab every time you walk by.

Grapes & Almonds

1 handful large red grapes, washed

1 handful raw almonds, on sale

Place ingredients on a plate. Toss (yes, you must toss) one grape into your mouth, closely followed by one almond. Simultaneously chew both almond & grape to appropriately enjoy the crispness & juiciness of the grape mixed with the crunchiness, yet creaminess, of the almond. Enjoy heaven in your mouth.

Note: The only variation to this recipe would be if your grapes are small. The ratio would then change to 2:1 grapes to almonds instead of the original 1:1. :)

Happiness is in grapes & almonds.

Red Bean & Rice Patties

Red beans, brown rice, and seasonings married together,

topped with fresh veggies,

all snuggled in between a toasted whole wheat bun.

Yum in my tum.

(...tum almost rhymes with bun...nevermind...)

This was my first experience making meatless patties...I thought it might be a total mess with the patties falling apart, but I was pleasantly surprised how well it all stuck together.

Try this lighter, much healthier version of this popular summer cuisine!

Red Bean and Rice Patties

slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

1 15-oz can no-salt-added red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

2 large (or three small) cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup cooked brown rice

4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

In a medium bowl, coarsely mash beans with a fork. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice. When thoroughly mixed, add in rice. Divide mixture into four equal portions and roll into balls. Smash down and shape into 1/2-inch thick patties. Place onto preheated, lightly greased skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until heated through, turning over once. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.

Our favorite toppings are olive oil mayo, fresh spinach leaves, avacado slices, tomato slices, and red onion slices.

Veggie & Black Bean Burritos

These unique burritos can be described in two words:

bursting-with-tangy-vegetables-cuminy-black-bean

goodness.

Pretty, aren't they?

Makes about 8-10 servings

Julienne the following vegetables: (I love whoever made up that word, julienne.)

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 red onion

3 carrots

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 stalk broccoli

Simmer for 45 minutes in the following mixture, in a large frying pan:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup wine vinegar (I like red)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

salt & pepper to taste

Add 3 cups of rinsed/drained black beans and heat through. Serve on warm tortillas with sour cream & salsa.

*The original recipe (from my mom) calls for 1/2 cup wine vinegar, but over here we use a little less. So if you're feelin' tangy, add some more...

Quinoa & Black Bean Burritos

Quinoa (say it with me: "KEEN-WA") quickly became one of my favorite grains when I first tried it. Let me tell you why.

First of all, it's the coolest word ever, don't you think? It makes me want to do a little dance around my kitchen, chanting, "Quinoa, quinoa, quinoa!"

Second, when you cook it, the seeds magically turn into little curli-cues.

Third, it's light, fluffy, and nutty. Who doesn't love nutty?

Lastly, it's the most nutritional grain! High in protein, amino acids, dietary fiber, magnesium...

Need I say more?

This recipe is definitely a winner. My neighbor, Alicia, brought these over just hours after we returned home from the hospital with our new baby and she was kind enough to share the recipe with me.

Quinoa & Black Bean Burritos
6-8 servings

1 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules (I use "Better Than Bouillon" chicken base; they also make a vegan option)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (opt.--I used 1/8 and could hardly tell)

2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

6-8 burrito-size tortillas (use corn tortillas for gluten-free diets)

Our favorite toppings:

Sour cream or plain yogurt

Avocado or guacamole

Salsa

Raw spinach

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions & garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add corn, quinoa, water, bouillon, cumin, and cayenne pepper to saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the beans & cilantro and heat through. Serve in warm tortillas with favorite toppings.

Minestrone

A hearty, delicious soup like this should be made to warm you up on a cold, January wintry day, right?

...or I guess it works in April when it snows, too. (Like today.)

*sigh*

Winter or not, this recipe makes a ton of soup--and tastes even better on day two!

1-2 Tbs olive oil

1 med onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

4 cups water

3-4 carrots, sliced

3-4 potatoes, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)

1 can light red kidney beans, with liquid

1 can dark red kidney beans, with liquid

1 can corn, with liquid

1 T. dried basil

1-2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes

5 beef bouillon cubes (use veg broth substitute to make this vegan/vegetarian)

1-2 T. dried parsley

1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach

Salt & Pepper, to taste

In a large pot, saute onions & garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add in water, carrots, potatoes, and celery; cook until tender. Add rest of ingredients and simmer at least 30 minutes before serving (the longer the better). (No need to thaw spinach; just throw it in frozen and break it up as the soup simmers.) Finally, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top, slice up your favorite crusty bread and feel free to dunk and slurp!