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!

Sauteed Green Beans with Feta

This is a great, healthy side dish prepared in just a few minutes. You don't even have to measure anything!

I love to use Costco's frozen petite whole green beans.

Just imagine...crisp-tender green beans with creamy feta on top...

Olive oil

Small onion, chopped (or 1/2 of a medium; I like to use red onions)

A few handfuls of fresh or frozen green beans

Salt & Pepper, to taste (I've also used different garlic/herb seasoning blends)

Feta cheese (small handful, depending on how many green beans you're using)

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Throw in chopped onion and cook until onions begin to soften.  Throw in green beans & saute until crisp-tender. Add in your favorite seasonings and crumble a small handful of feta cheese over beans; stir until melted (it only takes a few seconds). Remove from heat, place in a serving dish, and sprinkle a little extra feta cheese on top.

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!

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!

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.

Mini Vegetable Quiches

Never judge a book by its cover.

...Or a mini vegetable quiche by its top.

Sometimes things aren't picture-perfect for your eyes, 

but are perfectly yummy for our insides (ha).

I made these for a special occasion a couple weeks ago when we got together with some friends for brunch.
Because it was a special occasion, I added bacon.

However, these can easily be vegetarian-ized by omitting the bacon.

When I mixed 'em up, I got on one of my veggie-lovin' kicks and added a few too many veggies, 

which caused my muffin tins to overflow, leaving me with not-so-pretty mini quiches.

Although the mini quiches were fun, next time I make them, I may just throw the batter in a small casserole dish.

Then I can make them without any suppression of my veggie love. :)

*Two side notes: 

1.  I finally just fixed my blog feed!  Become a follower if you'd like to receive updates!

2.  I just added pictures to my Whole Wheat Yogurt Pancakes post, in case you were wanting a visual.

Mini Vegetable Quiches

12 servings

Adapted from Costco Magazine

12 foil baking cups

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup skim milk

1/2-1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella are yummy)

1/2-3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup frozen, diced hash brown potatoes (or pre-baked red potatoes)

1 large handful raw baby spinach, chopped

1/2 lb bacon or sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Saute onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms until tender.  Add hash browns and spinach and cook until hash browns are heated through and spinach is wilted.  Remove from heat and stir in meat, if desired.  Place baking cups in a muffin pan and distribute batter evenly among baking cups.  

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Summer Squash Bake

*Side note:  I just made crispy yam & black bean burritos the other day and served them with plain yogurt and mango salsa...and...let me tell you, it was divine!



Anyway,
you may have noticed that most of what I make is meatless.

However,
 this squash-bacon-cheese dish is a MUST-HAVE for me every summer.
At least once.

Lucky enough for me, my mom made it when we visited this summer (thanks, Mom!)

I told her I could live on this stuff.

That is, until I die of overconsumption of bacon.

A diagnosis I didn't learn in nursing school,

but,

what a way to go.

I literally buy bacon once or twice...maybe three times a year...and this recipe indubitably makes it onto the reasons-to-buy-bacon list.

I've loved that word, indubitably, ever since I learned it from Schoolhouse Grammar Rock (watch it and it'll be the best three minutes of your life).

Lolly, lolly, lolly get your adverbs here...

Anybody with me?

Summer Squash Bake

From my mother
6 side dish servings

8 cups sliced yellow summer squash

6 slices bacon

1 onion, chopped

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp chicken bouillon

Cook sliced squash in large pot until fork-tender; drain.  Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon from pan, add chopped onion to bacon drippings, and cook onion until soft.  Roughly chop or crumble bacon into pieces (about 1/2-inch pieces).

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add rest of ingredients, including the bacon pieces and cooked onion.  Add the cooked & drained squash.

Bake in a casserole dish (2-quart size) at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Baked Zucchini Quesadillas + VICTORY

I.  Made.  It.
Through a whole summer in a mini kitchen using a mini oven, mini baking sheet, pseudo-freezer, yadda yadda yadda.

We arrived back home a couple days ago.
I walked in the house and kissed my Kitchenaid.

Just kidding.
Kind of.

Just wait till you see what will be coming out of of that Kitchenaid this fall and you'll see how much you missed it too!

Ahem.

Back to business.

This is a simple recipe for those who have garden zucchini growing out of their ears!

It's super versatile; switch up the veggies or cheese for whatever you have in your fridge and you're bound to be as pleased as punch.

I mean, pleased as quesadillas...?
Whatever, I'm just glad to have my Kitchenaid back.

Baked Zucchini Quesadillas

6 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2-1 tsp salt (to taste)

1 tsp ground cumin

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 small zucchini (about 1 lb), halved lengthwise & thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2 big handfuls fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

4 (8-in) 100% whole wheat flour tortillas

2 cups grated pepper jack

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion, salt, & cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (5 minutes). Add garlic & cook for another minute.

Add zucchini, corn, and spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini & corn are soft and spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

Brush one side of each tortillas with olive oil. Lay two of them, oil side down, on a baking sheet. Divide zucchini mixture & cheese between both. Place remaining two tortillas on top with oil side up. Gently press down with a spatula to seal.

Bake for 5 minutes, flip them over, and bake for another 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream & salsa, if desired.

Vegetable Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce

As summer's end fast approaches, garden vegetables are plentiful!

...and bountiful,

and beautiful...

wonderful,

even delightful.

And this dish is

chock-full

of 'em!

(I know, the clever-est thoughts come into my head while I sit here and feed baby boy.)

This is one of my very favorite dinners (my husband agrees)!

Feel free to switch up the veggies in here if you want, according to whatever pleases your veggie-loving self. 

The feta cheese in these enchiladas adds a fun, tangy twist.

(Please notice our 100-year-old lamp in the background.)

This recipe does require some chopping & prep, but the filling and sauce can easily be made ahead.

(Or you could use a store-bought enchilada sauce if you're tight on time, although I highly recommend this homemade version. :)

P.S. I just added a recipe index tab at the top to make recipes easier to find!

Vegetable Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

6 servings

Ingredients & Directions:

For the Filling:

1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1/2 cup red enchilada sauce (recipe below)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1/4 cup canned diced green chiles, drained

salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 & lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Transfer half of the drained beans to a small bowl & mash with a fork until mostly smooth; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion & bell pepper and cook til softened (5-7 minutes). Stir in zucchini & mushrooms and cook til tender (3-5 minutes). Stir in garlic and corn, cook for about 30 seconds, then add mashed beans and whole beans. Heat through.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce, the feta cheese, cilantro, and green chiles. Season with salt & pepper.

For the Sauce:

1 tsp canola oil

1 small yellow onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp sugar

1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

salt & pepper, to taste (about 1/4-1/2 tsp each)

Heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion & cook until softened (5 min). Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook until fragrant (30 sec). Stir in tomato sauce & water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened (5 min). Season with salt & pepper.

For the Assembly:

12 (6-in) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

additional cilantro & feta for garnish

Briefly microwave tortillas until warm and pliable (30-60 sec). Place a heaping 1/3 cup of filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly & place seam-side down in prepared baking dish. Bake (at 450) for about 5-7 minutes in preheated oven. Take enchiladas out, pour remaining sauce over top, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with extra feta & cilantro for garnish, if desired.

Crispy Yam (or sweet potato) & Black Bean Burritos

*Update:  My favorite way to serve these is with plain yogurt & mango salsa...you have to try it!

Beautiful sweet, roasted yams and savory black beans in a crispy, baked tortilla.

Topped with cheese and sour cream, of course.

(Please excuse my picture. I'll get a better one next time I make it...)

Make these and eat 'em outside while you bask in the sun.

I love summer...

This makes 4 large adult-size serving burritos. If you want smaller, kid-sized burritos, just ration out the filling between 6 tortillas (you may want to add more cheese, though!).

Crispy Yam & Black Bean Burritos

By Kristin
4 servings

2 medium-sized yams, peeled & chopped into large chunks (sweet potatoes will be yummy too)

Olive oil, salt & pepper

1 small, white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained

1 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

garlic powder, to taste

1/4 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro

1-2 tsp lime juice (optional)

1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 flour tortillas (we splurged this time and used white flour tortillas)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chopped yams on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss with hands to thoroughly coat yams. Place in oven and roast, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until soft & lightly browned.

Meanwhile, saute onion & garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add beans and spices to taste. Stir in cilantro and lime juice, if desired.

Lay out tortillas and layer with cheese, black beans, and yams. Roll tortillas up burrito-style with all ends enclosed and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush tops with olive oil, broil in oven for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Zucchini Pesto Pizza

Remember how I'm temporarily living in an apartment with a closet-sized kitchen without several essential cooking appliances?

Well, last weekend I have this delicious pizza idea. So I chop up the toppings, mix up the dough, pour the dough onto the counter...and have a heartbreaking realization.

My rolling pin is roughly 1200 miles away in the drawer in my kitchen...

my dear, dear kitchen that I didn't know how much I loved until I moved.

So what do you do without a rolling pin?

You use your hands.

Yes, I painstakingly used my palms and fingers to "roll out" (squish out) the pizza dough.

But trust me, friends.

It was worth every single squish.

It's worth it for the basil-y garlic-y pesto, tender veggies, fresh mozzarella, and crispy whole-wheat crust.

You have to try it.

(This is one of those recipes where you don't have to measure the toppings exactly. Use however much you want!)

Zucchini Pesto Pizza

8 servings

1 recipe whole-wheat pizza dough (I love this one)

6-8 oz basil pesto

1-2 cups fresh, roughly-chopped spinach

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

8 oz buffalo mozzarella, sliced

grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Roll (or squish) out pizza dough, bake at 450 degrees for 3-4 minutes, then slather on the pesto and layer the rest of the toppings, sprinkling parmesan cheese on top. Bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

I am still living in jacket-weather.

And we're nearing the end of June.

Seriously.

So, to combat the grossness outside, I made something yummy:

The perfect summer pasta salad.

(Take that, yucky-cold-rainy-44-degree-weather!)

And this one's good, trust me. It's not covered in a bunch of globby mayo or sugar-infested dressing.

Simply fresh and lovely.

I slightly adapted the dressing recipe from allrecipes.com.

As for the pasta and veggies, I used whole wheat rotini and whatever vegetables I had in the fridge and added some creamy feta. This could easily be your clean-out-the-produce-drawer go-to recipe! :)

(I didn't exactly measure the veggies...just throw in whatever looks good.)

Makes about 8 servings

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Salad:

8 oz. whole wheat rotini pasta

1 small cucumber, thinly sliced

1 handful cherry tomatoes, quartered

3-4 carrots, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Place all dressing ingredients into a closed container and shake to combine (this can be made ahead and refrigerated; I think refrigerating also gives it more flavor).

Cook pasta according to directions, let cool, and mix in prepared veggies & cheese. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before serving.

...I think I can smell summer coming...

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...

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!

Roasted Asparagus

Simple, healthy, and delicious. A perfect spring meal addition!

A bunch of asparagus

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt & Pepper and/or your favorite seasonings

Cover a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Place asparagus on foil, drizzle with olive oil (I love the word drizzle), and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on top. I like to use Costco's no-salt seasoning (is that cheating?). Even just a little salt & pepper is delicious. Toss asparagus around a little to distribute oil & seasonings, then roast at 450 for about 12 minutes, turning half-way through. How can you not love the perfect "crunch" of roasted asparagus?

Craisin Salad

I say yes to anything with cashews and feta cheese in it! The recipe for the dressing comes from an old neighborhood cookbook I have. Other than the dressing ingredients, I don't really measure anything else. Just use your best judgement--and enjoy!

Salad:

Leafy greens--Fill a large bowl with your favorites (I usually use almost a whole head of romaine and some baby spinach)

2 crisp apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (or more) dried cranberries (craisins)

1/2 cup (or more) cashews

Feta cheese (however much looks good!)

Dressing:

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbs onions, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Toss the salad ingredients together, then mix dressing ingredients together in a blender. Drizzle dressing over the salad, toss it, and serve immediately.