Tomato-Basil Soup, by Cheryl

Poor Jon got his wisdom teeth out yesterday so I've taken a break from my country theme in order to make some soups and other liquid/soft food for him. Aside from making some of the soups from our blog I tried my hand at making some good ole tomato soup. When I went to the store I bought all of the ingredients except for the heavy cream (not on purpose) so I had to find this recipe from Cooking Light that uses milk instead. The result was still good, but I think the heavy cream would have made it a lot creamier and richer. Nonetheless, it was so delicious with some grilled cheese dipped into it and it really hit the spot on a cold day like today! Yum!

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped, peeled, seeded
4 cups low-sodium tomato juice
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
basil leaves, sliced (optional)
french baguette (optional)

Directions:

1) Bring tomatoes and juice to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

2) Put the 1/3 cup basil leaves in with the tomato mixture. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Stir in milk, salt, and pepper.

3) Add cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes).

4) Ladle soup into individual bowls, garnish with sliced basil leaves, and serve with bread.

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rica), by Cheryl

Next up is Costa Rica! I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do for a Costa Rican recipe. I had thought of fried plantains which are really popular there, but Diane already posted a plantain recipe here, which is pretty hard to beat. So I went with a traditional rice and beans dish called Gallo Pinto meaning "spotted rooster", which is pretty much on every breakfast plate in Costa Rica. I didn't include the optional eggs or sausage which would accompany it since I was using it as a side dish. It's a very easy and pretty simple side that can be eaten on its own as a side or as a main dish when you put some protein in it. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice
1 cup cooked red or black beans
3 tablespoons red bell peppers, chopped
3 tablespoons onion, chopped
2 tablespoons celery, chopped
1 teaspoon oil

Optional: minced pork sausage, 3 slices of ham chopped into small pieces, scrambled eggs

Directions:

1) Lightly fry the onion, pepper, and celery with the oil

2) When they are crispy add your choice of the extra ingredients (except eggs)

3) Add the rice and fry all of the ingredients togethers; allow flavors to mix

4) Add the beans

5) Cover and let them rest for a while so the flavors mix and the rice becomes somewhat liquid (this didn't happen with mine). Add scrambled eggs if desired. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Mole Chicken Pumpkin Chili with Hominy, by Diane

I've stumbled across another delicious use of pumpkin this week! This recipe could not have been easier or less time consuming. It has layers of different flavors thanks to the spices in the mole, and the pumpkin adds a richness to the chili that makes it even more warm and filing. The hominy in here is a fantastic idea, and is my favorite ingredient in here! I switched to ground chicken because that was what I had on hand, but I would like to try it with the shredded chicken as used in original recipe because I think that would be great too! One note: I would recommend tasting the sauce before adding it to the slow cooker as mine definitely needed more salt.

Recipe from: http://fooddonelight.com/slow-cooker-mole-chicken-hominy-and-pumpkin-chili-giveaway/

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil, divided
4 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
⅛ tsp. fresh ground black pepper.
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. pureed chipotle in adobe sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup natural peanut butter
1 (15.5 oz.) can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp. oil.
2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with ½ tsp. salt and pepper.
3. Brown chicken in the skillet for 4 minutes per side, and place into the slow cooker.
4. Add remaining 2 tsp. oil to the skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
5. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, place on top of chicken in slow cooker
6. To the hot skillet, add chili powder, cocoa powder, garlic, chipotle, cumin, cinnamon and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
7. Add chicken broth and stir together.
8. Carefully pour into a blender and add the pumpkin puree, tomatoes and peanut butter. Puree.
9. Pour over the chicken. Pour the hominy and red pepper on top.
10. Cook on low for 4 hours.
11. Take chicken out, and place on a cutting board.
12. Remove from the bone and cut into bite sized pieces.
13. Top with cilantro.

Buffalo Burgers (Canada), by Cheryl

I'm really having a lot of fun with this theme and am coming up with so many ideas! Next up, Canada! There were so many different directions that I could have gone with this since Canada is huge and has so many different regional foods. I decided on some nice hearty burgers and went down to our local butcher to look at what kinds of specialty meat they had - I ended up buying ground elk, bison, and buffalo and decided to go with the buffalo, which I've had before and was oh so good! The meat was so tender! I sometimes put blue cheese on my burgers, but I left it off this time so I could taste the buffalo. I think I'll be buying some more buffalo meat in the future. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground buffalo
bread crumbs
1 egg
salt/pepper
hamburger buns
optional toppings: avocado, tomato, lettuce, grilled onion, grilled mushrooms, cheese, etc.

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler.

2) With your hands mix the meat, some breadcrumbs, the egg, some salt, and pepper. Form wide patties and make a slight indent in the middle.

3) Broil for about 4 minutes on each side for medium.

4) Add to some toasty hamburger buns, add your toppings, and enjoy!

Belgian Ale-Braised Mussels (Belgium), by Cheryl

Not the best picture! 

Next up on the list, Belgium! So there are five foods I could have chosen from that are the essence of eating food in Belgium: waffles, fries, chocolate, beer, and mussels. Mussels are pretty fast and easy (unless you're outside of the US and then you have the long task of cleaning and debearding them) and are always delicious so I went with that! In Italy I made the classic white wine mussels often, which you can find here, so I went with a different recipe that includes braising them in a Belgian beer. I didn't follow the recipe to a tee and made adjustments as needed, but below is the original recipe. Yum!

Ingredients:

Mussels
4 strips thick cut bacon, diced (didn't use this)
olive oil
2 medium shallots, very finely chopped (substituted onions)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle of Belgian ale
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh tarragon (didn't use this)
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 baguette, sliced and lightly toasted - for dipping

Directions:

1) Rinse the mussels under cool water to remove any grit. Scrub the shells and debeard if necessary.

2) Fry the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel. Leave a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.

3) Add the olive oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme leaves, and saute until the mixture is nice and fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the mussels and toss gently to coat. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the ale, cover, and bring mixture to a simmer. Continue cooking until all of the mussels have opened. About 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and discard any that haven't opened.

4) Add the butter, tarragon, parsley, and lemon juice to the broth in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the butter melts. Pour the broth over the bowl of mussels and serve immediately with crusty bread.

What I did: I just put everything in the pot and steamed the mussels like that.

Tuna Steaks with Salsa (Bahamas), by Cheryl

Next country alphabetically on the list - The Bahamas! There are a lot of recipes from the Bahamas involving conch, but it's not that readily available in our area :) So I went with something I haven't made in a while - tuna steaks! Light and refreshing, these steaks with the salsa brought me right back to island living. Just need a rum drink to go with it :) Yum!

Recipe from here

Ingredients:

Tuna steaks
Olive oil mixed with 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1 lime
4 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese (I didn't use this)

To mix for salsa:
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
salt/pepper

Directions:

Brush steaks with oil mixture and broil 2-4 minutes on the first side, and 1-2 minutes on the second side. Sprinkle cheese and salsa on top of steaks and complete cooking. Serve with lime wedges (I squeezed them into the salsa instead).

Apple Cinnamon Strudel (Austria), by Cheryl

I was recently reading a travel magazine's list of their 30 best countries for food, and it got me thinking about how I love to try the local cuisine when I travel (who doesn't?) The article gave me ideas about food for the blog and how I needed new inspiration for recipes. Lo and behold my countries around the world theme! I'll be making dishes starting with the countries that I've been to (alphabetically), and then after that I'll move on to countries that I want to visit, and then random countries around the world that I may or may not visit (or in some cases, definitely won't visit!) These won't be the only posts I write and I'll put some random other posts in between them, but this has definitely got me motivated to make some new and different recipes! I should note that the recipes I'll choose are also easy to make and not full of a million ingredients that will take me hours to prepare and cook.

So to start the recipes, Austria is alphabetically first. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of their food. I decided to make a dessert that is ultra tasty and not heavy on the meat (I'll save the wiener schnitzels for Germany!) This apple cinnamon strudel is easy to make and is great for dessert and is a classic Austrian dish. It was my first time using phyllo dough too, which is very delicate by the way. I think I wasted a few sheets trying to get one that I didn't tear. Serve this warm with a side of ice cream. Yum!

Recipe from food network

Ingredients:

6 layers phyllo dough
1/4 brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Stack layers of dough brushing each layer with butter before topping each layer. Brush top layer with butter.

3) In a bowl combine apples, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon. Spoon filling down the left long side of phyllo rectangle.

4) Fold top edge down and bottom edge up by about 2 inches to cover filling. Roll dough up along long side to enclose filling.

5) Brush log with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and puffed. 

Crispy Chard and Sausage Quiche with a Sweet Potato Crust, by Diane

This week I came across a recipe that I could use as a variation with my delicious new find, sweet potato crust (for original recipe, see here). This quiche was so good that I literally cursed when it hit my tongue, and the rest of it was devoured soon after. It is filling, warming, and did I mention SO GOOD??? The truffle oil in the crust absolutely knocked it out of the park, the spiciness of the sausage combined with the greens and sweet potato perfectly, and the amount of eggs was perfect (I initally got scared because it didn't cover the top of the ingredients). This dish is definitely a winner!!

I tweaked a couple things, but the recipe was inspired by: http://bydawnnicole.com/2014/07/crispy-kale-sausage-quiche-with-sweet-potato-crust-paleo-whole30-compliant.html

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded (I used a cuisinart to chop them finely)
2 tbsp truffle oil
5 links hot italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 bunch chard, leaves trimmed from stems and cut into bite-size pieces
10 eggs
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Grease a 9x13" glass pan with 1 tbsp of EVOO or cooking spray. Toss shredded sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp truffle oil. Press evenly into pan bottom and sides to form a crust. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked through and somewhat dried. Remove from oven. Reduce heat to 350.
3. While crusts cooks, brown the sausage in a large pan over medium high heat and remove with a slotted spoon. In the leftover liquid, brown the onions and garlic until translucent. Add in the chicken broth if necessary. Add in the chard until wilted and mix through.
4. Place a layer of sausage over the sweet potato crust. Top with chard mixture.
5. Combine eggs, salt, and pepper to taste and pour over chard.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until quiche is cooked through and top of chard is crispy. Check quiche around 25-30 minutes and cover loosely with foil if it's already beginning to brown.
7. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Baked Berry Oatcakes, by Diane

In my neverending quest to find a quick and healthy warm breakfast for the colder months, I came across this recipe and got pretty excited about it. Superfood Soaked Oats is my regular breakfast, but I'm not a great fan of it warm. This recipe is basically my soaked oats recipe but baked into a cake (who doesn't love that?!). And, it has no flour or sugar added into it, which make these little babies healthy! This was a great, versatile recipe that you can customize however you'd like. Definitely a winner!

Recipe inspired by:http://curlsnchard.com/2014/11/17/quick-bake-berry-oatcakes/

Ingredients (makes 12 cakes):

1 1/2 cups oats 
2 tbsp chia seeds 
3 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
ginger
cinnamon (part in the dish and then a sprinkle on top!)
cardamom (I skipped this one)
a pinch of salt
rice milk (I subbed vanilla almond milk)
handful mixed berries (frozen or fresh)
several pecans (I omitted these and opted for flax seeds instead!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Put the oats and chia into a blender or food processor and blend until the oats a more flour than oats (my nutribullet has a milling blade and this works great!).
3. Put oat-chia mixture, baking soda, coconut, spices and coconut oil in a small bowl and mix with as much rice milk that it looks like a liquidy oatmeal (should be pretty liquidy!).
4. Let sit for a few minutes, so the chia seeds can slightly gel up.
5. Grease the pan or ramekins with cooking spray or more coconut oil and put a spoon full of batter in on the bottom.
6. Add some berries to the center.
7. Add another spoon full of batter to cover the fruit – the ramekins should not be more than 3/4 full, otherwise the batter will spill over as the oatcakes rise.
8. Top off with some more fruit and a pecan nut.
9. Place muffin tin on top of a large cookie sheet to catch any spills, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothppick inserted into the center comes out clean.

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Tarts, by Diane

These gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free heavenly bites of deliciousness were a definite hit at a recent Thanksgiving-themed gathering, and I will definitely be making them again! They are a fantastic alternative to regular pumpkin pie, and are quick and easy to prepare. They don't even require precious oven space during holiday prep! And the best part is that they are both healthy and bite-sized, so you don't really overdo it like you would on normal pumpkin pie (or you can feel free to have 5 and still feel relatively ok with yourself!). Bonus- the crust recipe is extremely versatile and will be on heavy rotation for lots of fun future recipes!

Recipe from: http://detoxinista.com/2013/10/no-bake-pumpkin-tarts-vegan-paleo/


Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water for at least 30 minutes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


Directions:

1. Line a standard muffin tin with 8 parchment cups, and set aside.
2. To prepare the crust: pulse the walnuts and shredded coconut in a small food processor until ground into a fine meal. (Be careful not to over-process, or you’ll wind up with nut butter instead!) Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and salt and process again until just mixed, and the dough sticks together when pinched between your fingers. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons into the 8 parchment cups and use your fingers to press down and form a crust for each cup. Place the pan in the fridge to set while you prepare the filling.
3. To prepare the filling: simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Remove the pan of crusts from the fridge, and pour/spread the batter evenly into the 8 cups. Smooth the top, then return to the fridge to set completely, about 4-6 hours.
4. When the center of the filling is firm to the touch, the tarts are ready to serve. Top with whipped cream, if you like!

Creamed Spinach, by Cheryl

I had a ton of spinach that needed to be used, but not in the mood to eat it plain or plainly cooked. I noticed the heavy cream on the side of my door and viola... a different side dish for dinner the other night! Very simple recipe and delicious. I might not make it all the time since the heavy cream is pretty heavy, but it's a nice treat to add some pizzaz to a meal. The original recipe calls for shallots, but I used yellow onions. It also calls for nutmeg which I didn't have on hand so I used cinnamon and the result was great! Yum!

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh spinach (I used a 16oz container for mine)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for two minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a large spoon to release as much water as you can. Finely chop and set aside.

2) Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring well, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until the liquid is released. Add the cream salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until cream is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Chicken Fingers, by Cheryl

I can't believe I never put this recipe on the blog before! I used to make this all the time in Norfolk because it was such an easy and healthy meal. I didn't make it once in Italy - maybe because I was trying my hand at Italian cooking and a variety of other cuisines. Anyway, I just thought of it again a few months ago. It's a Cheryl original and it's now a staple in our house. Yum!

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into long slices
Panko crumbs
Dijon mustard
Honey
Salt/pepper
1 egg

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400.

2) Beat the egg in a bowl. Add a couple squirts of mustard and a couple squirts of honey. Mix with the egg. On a plate spread out the panko.

3) Take each slice of chicken and dip it into the egg bowl to cover completely. Take the slice and immediately put it into the panko crumbs to cover. Place slice on greased pan. Continue with all of the chicken slices.

4) Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with a variety of dipping sauces.

Butternut Squash, Turnip, & Apple Soup, by Cheryl

So good! 

This soup was so easy to make - it doesn't have many ingredients and there was basically no hands-on time. It turned out better than I thought it would and it's so healthy! I changed a couple of things from the original recipe. Instead of cooking the vegetables/fruit on the stove, I roasted them in the oven. I also doubled the amount of broth since it was way too thick with the original recipe amount. So delicious, so healthy, and so easy! Yum!

Ingredients (original recipe):

1 medium butternut squash, cubed
3 medium turnips, peeled and chopped
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups broth
salt/pepper
fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2) Add chopped butternut squash, turnips, apples, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook on medium for 5-10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for about 45 minutes until everything has softened (again, I roasted them all for 45 minutes at 400).

3) Once ingredients are softened add broth and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes on medium heat until soup is warm.

4) Using an immersion blender, blend the soup.

5) Garnish with fresh or dried cilantro and serve.

Eggplant and Mushroom Polenta Bake, by Cheryl

On my quest to find easy and healthy weeknight meals I came across this recipe. This was anything but easy! Let me rephrase that. It was technically easy, meaning that all of the steps were easy to accomplish, but it just took an effing long time! Between the chopping, all of the steps, and ingredients it took two hours to prepare. If I'm going to prepare something that takes two hours of my time (especially on a weeknight) the main ingredient better have had parents when it was alive. To boot, the dish was just so-so. I thought it was a little flat tasting and could use some more zing to it. It was reasonably good, but in my opinion it wasn't worth the effort. The recipe is from here. Yum?

Ingredients (filling):

olive oil
1.5 pounds Japanese eggplant, largely diced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and mushrooms quartered
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
ground pepper

Polenta ingredients:

3 cups water, plus more as needed,
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups polenta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1.5 cups shredded fontina cheese

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 and arrange a rack in the middle. Place a large, well seasoned or enameled cast iron skillet in the oven while it's heating.

2) Once the oven is heated, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil in the hot skillet and let it heat up for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggplant to the skillet and arrange it in an even layer. Roast until tender and starting to brown, stirring halfway through, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place on the stovetop. Using a spoon, transfer the eggplant to a bowl and set aside.

3) Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and place over high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the wine, stir to combine, and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium low and using a spoon, transfer the mushrooms to the eggplant bowl.

4) Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and heat. Add the onion, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, about 1 minute.

5) Add the olives and reserved eggplant and mushrooms, along with any accumulated juices in the bowl and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes and water, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, being making the polenta. (Remove mixture from heat when done, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm until polenta is ready).

6) POLENTA: Place the measured water, milk, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and whisking constantly, slowly pour the polenta in a thin, steady stream until all of it is incorporated and there are no lumps.

7) Cook, whisking or stirring with a spoon every few minutes, until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan and the grains have softened, about 20 minutes. Add water if it gets too thick. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and set aside. Heat the oven to broil.

8) Pour the polenta over the eggplant and mushroom mixture and spread it into a smooth even layer. Evenly sprinkle the fontina onto the polenta. Place the skillet in the oven and broil until the cheese is browned and bubbling, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and let sit for 5 minutes.

Moroccan Chicken Bastilla with a Sweet Potato Crust, by Diane

 

Bastilla is my all-time favorite Moroccan dish. It is a flavorful savory-sweet combo of chicken, eggs, cinnamon, saffron, almonds, and powdered sugar all baked in a phyllo dough package. This week for lunches I thought I could remake this dish to make it both healthier (it involves a lot of butter and oil!) as well as gluten-free (I don't like phyllo dough anyway!). I've never attempted to make it as it is quite time-consuming and looked intimidating, but the method I used here was easier and less hands-on time than the traditional recipe.

Simultaneously, I came across a recipe for a sweet potato crust that involves only shredded sweet potato, egg, and seasoning but bakes into a shell you can fill and bake with. I thought this would be a great way to add some veggies into my bastilla and a cool recipe to try.

The result was definitely delicious and had all the flavors of the restaurant version. It was a great idea for lunches, and I'll definitely make it again! It was a bit time consuming but easy to put together- the sweet potato crust definitely added to the workload!

Originial bastilla recipe from: http://www.cookingwithalia.com/poultry/moroccan-chicken-bastilla.html

Sweet Potato Crust recipe from: http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2013/03/goat-cheese-quiche-with-sweet-potato.html

**Note: I used the leftover chicken bones to make my Immunity Boosting Chicken Stock, so I'll be all set for flu season- I even used the same pot for flavor!**

The sweet potato crust!

The filling process- layers of goodness!

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 large eggs, divided
2 tbsp EVOO
1 whole chicken of approximately 2 pounds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
A large pinch of saffron
2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of water
1 large bag slivered almonds
4 oz of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of orange blossom water (or rose water)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Cut parchment paper in a circle the diameter of the bottom and another to fit the sides of the pan (one circle and one long rectangle). Line the pan with the parchment, pressing into the butter to adhere. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the side and bottom parchment layers. Set aside.
3. Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks and process into small pieces in a food processor. You will have to do this in batches, likely one batch per potato. Next, place sweet potato pieces in batches into a large piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel, gather corners together and squeeze out excess water over the sink.
4. Add the squeezed potatoes to a large bowl. In another small bowl whisk together 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Pour over sweet potatoes and toss lightly to coat. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. While the crust bakes, heat the EVOO in a large pot. Add the onions, parsley, and spices and mix well.  Add the whole chicken, cover and let the chicken cook for 10 minutes. 
6. Add water to the chicken and stir. Cover and let the chicken cook for 30 minutes (note- check your chicken before moving on from this step! Mine was not done inside and had to be cooked a bit longer). 
7. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the sauce, let it cool down then separate the meat from the bone. Shred the meat into small pieces and set aside (I used a food processor here!).
8. Lower heat, and add the 6 eggs to the sauce where the chicken was cooked uncovered. Stir often until the mixture is dry, about 15-20 minutes, and blend the chicken back in. Set aside.
9. While the egg mixture cooks, toast the almonds until browned, and blend in a food processor with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and orange blossom water until the almonds are crushed.
10. Layer the ingredients into the sweet potato crust in this order: chicken and egg, almond, chicken and egg, almond. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. You may need to put foil or parchment paper over the top if the almonds start to burn in the oven.
11. Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes. Gently remove the parchment paper from the sides as well as the pan. 

Pumpkin Poblano Turkey Chili, by Diane

This weekend was extremely cold, and with outdoor events each day, we had a lot of trouble warming up! I decided to make a batch of chili, but wanted to try something new. I came across this recipe and tweaked it a bit, and it came out amazing!! The pumpkin blended into the chili in a very unexpected way that made it more savory and delicious! I will definitely be making this again!!

Original inspiration from: http://www.threebeansonastring.com/pumpkin-poblano-turkey-chili/

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 tbsp EVOO
1 large white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz can sweet corn
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes and liquid
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
Salt and pepper (I LOVE Tony Chachere's, it is the absolute best chili spicy salty seasoning!!)


Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, brown the turkey, crumbling into small pieces, and drain. Set aside.

2. Add EVOO to the soup pot, then add in onion, peppers, garlic, and corn. Cook until the onions are translucent and the veggies are slightly charred.

3. Add in the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Surprise "Eggnog" Smoothie, by Diane

I have stumbled upon something tonight in my kitchen that is unreal. I was originally intending to make a gingerbread smoothie, and just guessed at what ingredients might go into that. When I tried the end result, it tasted nothing like gingerbread. But I was okay with that, because to my surprise it tasted EXACTLY like a glass of one of my favorite holiday drinks- eggnog!!

I'm honestly not sure how this is possible, given there is no eggs or dairy in this smoothie and that there are flavors like molasses and banana in here! But this version is insanely healthier than the real version because there is no cream or sugar and instead there is a healthy banana plus the protein of almond milk and the anti-inflammatory spices.

Either way, this is delicious and a fantastic kitchen surprise that I'm already heading back to make a second glass of!!!

*Note: Had I not just run out of pumpkin for another recipe, I would have included it into this recipe. Having tasted this smoothie, I am even more sure that the end product would have been amazing!!

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana, chilled or frozen
1 cup vanilla sweetened almond milk
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1/8 tsp each cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg
Sprinkle nutmeg

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients except the last until creamy and frothy, spinkle some extra nutmeg on top and sip!

Smoky Chorizo, Kale, and Sweet Potato Pumpkin Shepherd's Pie, by Diane

Yes, I have been on a shepherd's pie kick. It's been getting cold, and the simplicity of lightly cooking something and shoving it in the oven and having it feed me nutritiously and with the seasons all week long is just too good to resist. Here's my latest creation- a hearty wintery version.

Allow me to describe this dish in two words: DEAR GOD. This is one of my best creations to date. Words cannot express how well the spicy chorizo, smoky paprika, kale sauteed with onions and garlic, and cinnamon-y sweet pumpkin and sweet potato mash go together. And the gravy kicks it into umami territory- savory and damn good. This was so good that I made the fatal mistake of tasting it before packing it into containers for lunches and now I only have 2 days worth of lunches for the week... So...yeah, you should go ahead and make this recipe STAT. I'm already going to have to make another one :)


Ingredients:
Water
4 yams, peeled and cubed
1 lb. chorizo, casings removed
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz large bag of pre-chopped kale (the entire bag will fit in here I promise!)
1.5 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp red chili flakes
Salt/pepper (I used Goya with pepper for extra flavor!)
2 tbsp flour
1 can pumpkin puree (not the pie mix!)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add yams and cook until fork tender.

2. Preheat the oven to 350.

3. While the yams cook, heat a large saucepan to medium high and add chorizo, crumbling with the back of a spatula until it breaks down into small pieces. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onions become translucent and chorizo is browned.

4. Add in the kale in bunches, covering in between for 2 minutes, until it all cooks down and is wilted. Uncover and add seasonings to taste. You're going to want to oversalt this mixture as it tends to become more bland when mixed with the sweet potato-pumpkin mixture.

5. Turn heat to low, and spoon pan liquid into a small bowl. In another small bowl, add the flour. Whisk the pan liquid into the flour slowly until a gravy forms. Add gravy back into the pan, mix through, and layer evenly into the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish.

6. Drain the yams and add them back into the pot along with the pumpkin, cinnamon, and honey. Use an immersion blender (or a masher) to make the mixture fairly smooth. Layer over the top of the chorizo mixture.

7. Place the baking dish onto a cookie sheet to avoid spills and bake for 40 minutes or until the top has browned slightly and the chorizo mixture is bubbling. Let cool if you can stand it! :)

Moroccan Shepherd's Pie, by Diane

This twist on a fave comfort dish is inspired by the fall season, and it is so good!! Fairly easy to make, and all healthy ingredients with lots of good spices for you! It is incredibly comforting and warm which is good since it's full on winter out this weekend. Definitely a hit all around and will be in heavy rotation in the next few months! For more authenticity swap the turkey out for lamb.


Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 small yams, peeled and cubed
Water
1 lb. ground turkey
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2-1 cup cilantro, rough chopped (depends on how strong you like this taste!)
1 small bag frozen peas and carrots
1/2 tbsp tumeric, cumin, cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper
4 oz tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth (I used low sodium)
1/2 can pureed pumpkin
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp almond milk (or whatever type of milk you prefer)
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil, adding in the squash and yams. Cook until fork tender, drain, return to pot and set aside off the stove.

3. While the squash and yams cook, brown turkey in a large pan and drain, set aside.

4. Add EVOO to the large pan, then add in onions through salt and pepper, stirring until onions are browned and translucent. Add in tomato sauce and broth, return turkey to the pan, and cook until the liquid begins to thicken. You may need to add in more tomato sauce and broth if the mixture dries out (ideally there should be a small amount of liquid leftover, but you don't want it to be saucy).

5. Transfer the turkey mixture to a 9x13 baking dish, and spread in an even layer across the bottom.

6. Add the remaining ingredients to the squash and yams, and mash or use and immersion blender until you reach a smoother consistency with some pieces remaining. Spread squash mixture evenly over turkey.

7. Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet in case of spills, and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. The turkey mixture should be bubbling on the sides.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Meatballs, by Cheryl

I made this while still living in Norfolk at least four years ago, but never posted it. I forgot all about it until I was at a loss for dinner and saw that we had ground beef and blue cheese, so I put two and two together! I hadn't made it it years! I think this original recipe idea comes from Rachel Ray, but I definitely modified it to make it my own. It's an easy weeknight meal and paired with some great sauce and some veggies it makes a great dinner. And since we've been buying all of our meats from a local farm it tasted even better. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
bread crumbs
blue cheese
1 egg
garlic powder
salt
onion powder
oregano
whatever other spices you want to drop in there

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Mix all of the ingredients except blue cheese in a bowl. Form meatballs with your hands. With your thumb or other finger press a hole in the middle without going through. You may have to press the other sides to keep it together. Fill the hole with the blue cheese crumbles.

3) Bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Slow-Cooker Potato Soup, by Cheryl

Mmm, this is an easy and delicious dish! We had it as a side soup, but this could easily be a weeknight dinner or lunch. We added green onions and some crisp bacon from a local farm, which added a fantastic taste to the soup. Yum!

Ingredients:

3-4 large potatoes or 9 small potatoes, unskinned, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced onion
4 cups chicken stock or broth
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

Optional toppings:
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon pieces, sliced green onions

Directions:

1) Add the potatoes, onion, stock, garlic, and salt to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

2) Add the butter and puree the soup using a handheld immersion blender. Stir in the cream.

3) Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the toppings of your choice, and serve immediately.

Figs, with Goat Cheese, Balsamic Vinegar, and Brown Sugar, Oh My!, by Cheryl

I remember my first real experience with figs. It was three years ago when we had just moved to Italy and we had taken a long weekend in Tuscany, more specifically San Gimignano. We ordered figs and prosciutto as an appetizer and my life was never the same! It was the end of the fig season there so we were lucky to have had a taste and that we also didn't have to wait until the next summer (which is what happened after that weekend... no more figs until at least June the next year!) When shopping at Metro, Italy's equivalent of Costco, we stumbled upon cases of figs and knew that it was time again! Our neighbors were eager to give us an easy recipe and we were once again in fig heaven. I miss those huge cases of figs :( I saw a pack of six at the grocery store and knew I had to recreate this snack (though I think that pack cost just as much as an entire case in Italy). This is a great appetizer or snack. Yum!

Ingredients:

Figs
Goat cheese
balsamic vinegar
brown sugar

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Slice the figs into quarters without cutting all the way through.

3) Top with goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, and a touch of brown sugar. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

Overnight Oats, by Cheryl

This is great for a quick morning breakfast and it doesn't take that long to prepare! The original recipe comes from here, but I changed it slightly. All you have to do is spend five minutes preparing it the night before and viola! A yummy, filling, and healthy breakfast that can be taken on the go. Yum!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon honey (I used real maple syrup)
1-2 teaspoons raisins (I used dried cranberries)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 pinches cinnamon

Directions:

1) Mix together all of the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours before eating. You can eat it cold or heat it up. Top with fruit and/or nuts if desired.

Bluberry Banana Fig Green Smoothie, by Diane

I have quite possibly made the most delish green smoothie EVER this morning. I normally don't make creamier smoothies using almond milk, both for calories and because they are very filling, but this one is a definite exception. This smoothie tastes like candy and a milkshake combined! And it is filled with awesome superfood nutrients to boot, that happen to be wonderful for reproductive issues. YUM.


Ingredients:

1 banana
2 figs (I used mission figs here because they are sweeter!)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen zucchini
1 cup greens (I used a mix of spinach, chard, and kale)
Sprinkle of cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger
1 tbsp raw organic maca cacao powder (I love Terramazon!!)
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk


Directions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

Fall Baked Brie, by Diane

Our bookclub this month is devoted to fall, and the majority of what we are making contains pumpkin and squash. But I wanted to create an appetizer that used other fall goodies such as apples and cranberries. This recipe was a huge hit and it will definitely be on rotation for the fall holidays, especially thanksgiving!

The inside- pre-wrap!

Original recipe from: http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/baked-brie-with-apples--cranberries-recipe


Ingredients:

1 medium gala apple, chopped and peeled
1/2 cup pecan pieces, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter, melted 1 round (8 ounces) brie cheese 
2 puff pastry sheets, thawed

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Combine the apple, pecans, cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and mix gently. Stir in butter just until ingredients are moistened.

3. Spread puff pastry on an ungreased cookie sheet. You will need 1 1/3 to cover the brie as it's quite tall, so gently press the seams together on one edge.

4. Cut brie in half horizontally. Place one half of brie, rind side down, in the center of the pastry. Spoon half of the apple mixture onto bottom half of brie, spreading evenly. Top with remaining half of brie, rind side up. Spoon remaining apple mixture over top. Begin to wrap the brie with the pastry, one corner at a time, until it is completely covered with pastry. Squeeze the ends together and press down. You can use any remaining pastry to make a fall shape and decorate the top if you want! The above photo is just hand carved leaves I did with a knife.

5. Bake 25 minutes, or until cheese is soft and just begins to melt and pastry is a golden brown.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds, by Diane

Every year my family and I strive to find a new and amazing pumpkin seed flavor on Halloween. This year, I created one that was so amazing it was worth posting on the blog. Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. I have spent so many years trying to make these seeds taste spicy, salty, sweet, or garlicy, but never did I think to make them taste like the actual delicious thing they came from- PUMPKIN! Brilliant!! The seeds are coated in the same spices you would use if you were making a pie or a latte that is pumpkin flavored, and they didn't last long after I took this photo because they were AMAZING. And GREAT for the immune system and inflammation. Halloween success!!!

Ingredients:

Pumpkin seeds, raw
Cooking spray
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Cloves
Ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 1-2 baking trays with cooking spray (you want the seeds to be spread out in an even layer or they will not cook properly, so depending on the amount of seeds you have you can use multiple trays).

2. If you are using the seeds directly from the pumpkin, rinse them well and strain in a colander to get all the pumpkin gook off them. Then pour them onto a double layer of paper towels, sprinkle with a teeny bit of salt, and cover with another double layer of paper towels to let dry (soggy seeds don't roast as well).

3. Take the dried seeds and place them into a bowl. Coat with a bit of cooking spray (or butter), then sprinkle seasonings on and mix well (hands work best, and in this delicious recipe, liking your fingers is half the fun!). Remember that pumpkin seeds tend to taste very flavorless, so you will need to over-season them to make them taste how you want. I usually use triple of what I would use if they were say, popcorn, and I was seasoning them to eat at the moment.

4. Spread the seeds onto the greased baking tray(s) in an even layer, make sure none are on top of the other. Lightly sprinkle with a final layer of spices (most will actually be uncoated once you spread them out and you want to ensure that the flavor gets baked in!). Bake for 20 minutes, or until seeds are completely crunchy on the inside and the sugar has caramelized. If a taste test shows that the seeds are not ready to eat, flip them over as best you can and cook on the other side until they are done.

Cakeballs, by Diane

And...we're back to photos of delicious things that look unappetizing! :)

It's my birthday week, and I have no less than 3 half-eaten cakes in my kitchen. I felt bad throwing them out, since other people so kindly bought them for me. But I was eating WAY too much of them, like- for breakfast, so I had to find a way to get them out of my grasp for now. A few years back, a friend made me cakeballs for my cross country trip to California as a going away present. And that is what I decided to recreate this evening...

This is not a fancy recipe or a healthy one, but I'm posting because I think we all run into this problem at one time or another. Or, they are fantastic gifts/desserts to bring to a party.

Basically, you take a flavor cake, a flavor icing, and a flavor coating that you like. Then you can decorate them any way you want! Tonight, I am taking my 5 Belgian chocolate cake and my tres leches cake with chocolate icing and coating them both in chocolate. They are undecorated as this was a last minute decision and I don't have sprinkles on hand, but that is what I would have done. The icing keeps the cake really moist and gooey, and the coating locks in the moisture so they stay fresh for a long time in the freezer! They are good frozen, or only slightly defrosted, as the coating will start to melt at room temp.

Ingredients:

Cake of your choice
Icing of your choice

For a chocolate coating: 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 tbsp sweetener of your choice. Mix well until all ingredients are combined and dissolved.

For a peanut butter coating: 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, 2-3 tbsp creamy peanut butter.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix the cake and frosting together until combined. The mixture will be gooey! This keeps the cake balls moist!

2. Make the coating in another bowl and set aside.

3. Form the cake mixture into 1.5 inch balls, then dip in the coating and coat on all sides. Let the coating all drip off, then place on a large plate spaced 1 inch apart. They will not be perfect spheres at this point- that's ok! Sprinkle decorations on at this point if using, and freeze.

4. About 1 hour later, remove balls from the plate and form into spheres- they will still be pliable at this point as the coconut oil softens with the heat of your hands. Store in an airtight container or freezer ziplock baggie in the freezer until ready to eat!

Green Trekker Smoothie, by Diane

At long last, I've finally found a way to make these green smoothies look as appetizing as they taste!

The problem with having a favorite smoothie from your local Whole Foods within walking distance (2 blocks away!) is that you wind up spending lots of money at Whole Foods for something you could easily make at home (and for way cheaper!). This smoothie is my latest in a long line of green smoothie obsessions. It's packed with greens, antioxidant-rich blueberries, potassium-rich bananas, electrolyte-balancing coconut water, and superfood energizers/anti-inflammatories maca and cacao powder. Because of these ingredient properties, this smoothie is great for managing dehydration, low energy, and inflammation. And the flavor is that banana chocolate combo that I crave all day long, naturally sweetened without any sugar. YUM.


Ingredients:

2 large handfuls of greens (spinach/kale/chard blend is my vote- or just spinach for beginners!)
1 large frozen ripe banana (for a milkshake consistency) or 1 large fresh ripe banana plus 1 cup ice
1/2 cup blueberries (I love Wyman's wild blueberries in the freezer section!)
3 dates (sometimes I skip these as they make the smoothie very sweet!)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder and 1/2 tbsp maca powder OR 2 tbsp of TerrAmazon Organic Raw Cacao Powder with Maca (this stuff is seriously delicious and tastes like dark cocoa!)
1 cup coconut water (or less/more for consistency)


Blend all ingredients until smooth- if using dates blend for longer!

*Note- to make this smoothie more energizing and anti-inflammatory, I usually add in a small amount of the following: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and chia. You can't taste any of these except hints of cinnamon!*

*Girly Note- if it's that time of the month, definitely add the dates and consider upping the cacao for more chocolatey sweetness, also include 1/4 of an avocado for cramps and bloating. This should take care of any cravings/symptoms! :)*

Sweet Spinach Salad with Homemade Dressing, by Cheryl

I wanted to make a sweet salad to accompany dinner the other night. My typical quick go-to salad consists of lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, and whatever else I have on hand. I wanted something different and had all of the ingredients on hand that I wanted to use. I used this recipe as my guide and it came out wonderfully! I changed a few things from the original recipe. I marinated sliced portabello mushrooms in a truffle balsamic vinegar (a yummy souvenir from France) and put them in there which added a wonderful flavor. I didn't use the bacon, mainly because I just didn't have it on hand, but I think it would be a great with it. The homemade dressing was so delicious and really complemented the salad. I would definitely make this again, especially if I'm hosting dinner. Yum!

Ingredients (Original recipe):

pecans
baby spinach
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
dried cranberries
bacon slices, roughly chopped
blue cheese

For the dressing:

1/2 cup Danish blue cheese
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Fry chopped bacon until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towel to drain.

3) Toast pecans in the oven until lightly golden and fragrant, about 6 minutes.

4) In a medium bowl mash the blue cheese with a fork. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

5) Combine everything in a large bowl. Toss with dressing immediately before serving.

Fish Cakes, by Cheryl

This is another recipe from 100 Days of Real Food and it is delicious and easy! I went to the store and bought some tilapia to use in this recipe, although any mild white fish will work. Very tasty, very easy, and very healthy! Yum!

Ingredients:

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

Fish Cakes:

1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 pound white fish, such as tilapia or cod or flounder, cooked and shredded
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon minced fresh onion
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of cayenne pepper
olive oil, for cooking

Directions:

1) To make the dipping sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

2) To make the fish cakes. spread 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs on a plate and set out another empty plate.

3) In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the fish, eggs, onion, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and the remaining 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs.

4) To form the cakes, grab a golf-ball size handful of the fish mixture and squeeze it together with your hands just enough for it to come together (discard excess liquid). Slightly flatten the ball, coat the outside with a light later of breadcrumbs, and place it on the empty plate. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

5) Set a large saute pan over medium-low heat and add a thin layer of olive oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, cook the fish cakes until golden brown, 3-5 minutes per side. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

Homemade Teriyaki Marinade, by Cheryl

I've been doing a lot of research about eating "real food" and I've really been trying to eat things in their whole natural state and stay away from a lot of heavily processed stuff out there. While I have always eaten pretty healthily I have a whole new definition of healthy and it doesn't have to do with low fat, low this, low that, and instead deals with things in their whole state (using whole wheat flour instead of white or refined, no artificial crap, etc). I've been using 100 Days of Real Food as my guide and am excited to see the new documentary, "Fed Up". While I'm pretty sure I won't ever go into it 100% replacing some everyday items can be doable. So this recipe comes from 100 Days of Real Food's new cookbook, which I preordered. I marinated salmon in this yummy marinade. This is not a sauce that you would dip things into as it's pretty liquidy and you can taste the soy sauce pretty heavily, but as a marinade it was great! And it's very easy to make, which I like :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1) Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to three days.

2) To use, pour over meat or seafood, and let marinate for as little as 20 minutes or (for meat) up to 24 hours. The longer it marinates the stronger the flavor.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts, by Cheryl

This is my first new recipe in the new house! We are still very much digging our way out of boxes, but the one room that always has to get completely done first in our house is the kitchen. I can't get anything else done unless the kitchen is done. Anyway, I rarely make boneless chicken breasts because I find that no matter what I do they come out very dry. But I came across this recipe and decided to try it out. It's very easy and very good! The original recipe is from here and also calls for it to be wrapped in bacon which I didn't do. I also marinated the chicken breasts in buttermilk for a few hours. Next time I might add in some sun-dried tomatoes as I think they'd add a nice punch to it. Yum!

Ingredients:

chicken breasts, pounded out to 1/4 inch thickness
spinach
garlic cloves
shredded parmesan cheese
some kind of rub or seasoning
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar)

Directions:

1) Marinate the chicken breasts in the buttermilk for a few hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 375.

3) Cook the spinach and garlic.

4) Lay the chicken breasts out on a clean surface. Spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of each piece. Roll up the chicken to enclose the spinach and secure with toothpicks.

5) Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Then increase the heat to 500 for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Thai Chicken Patties 2.0, by Diane

I made the original Thai Chicken Patties last week, and they were amazing in flavor but I didn't like the cooking process which made them crumbly and unevenly browned. I also was toting my sweet chili sauce to and from work, then dipping the patties in the sauce which made them crumble even more.

So, I created an alternate cooking style for these patties. They are baked instead of pan fried (i.e. healthier and less work) and they are coated with sweet chili sauce like a meatloaf would be. This way, they stayed solid and evenly browned and were coated with a thick glaze of the chili sauce. In short, I didn't think these little heavenly patties could get any better- but they just did. Boom.


Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken breast
1 small zucchini, peeled and finely grated (makes about 1/2 cup, packed)
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1 egg
1 tbsp packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp lime rinds, finely minced (about 1/4 medium lime)
the juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp fish sauce
2 scallions stalks, green and white, finely chopped
Salt
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the sweet chili sauce.
3. Form 3-4-inch wide patties (you'll get about 4). The mixture will be very liquidy but it will not crumble. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray evenly spaced out.
4. Bake the patties for 20 minutes. Flip, coat with sweet chili sauce, and cook for another 20 minutes or until they are done in the center.

Zucchini Banana "Ice Cream", by Diane

I am always looking for dairy-free desserts, and have been making banana cream (blended bananas) as a great option for years. The sweetness of the bananas can sometimes overpower the other ingredients I add in though, usually some form of chocolate and/or peanut butter. So when I read about zucchini cream, I got excited to create a less sweet option. And- what a healthy way to get your greens in! This version is a cinnamon chocolate chocolate chip, but you can tailor it to any flavor you like because the zucchini has no real flavor of it's own. It isn't sweet though, so to avoid adding in a sweetener I added in a ripe banana and that worked great! I also added in some almond milk to make it easier to blend and creamier, but you could blend it without and create a thicker texture.


Ingredients:

1 small zucchini, cubed and frozen
1/2 ripe banana, sliced and frozen
2 tbsp chocolate protein powder
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
1/4-1/2 cup almond milk

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together until creamy. You will need a strong motor (I use a nutribullet!), and will have to stop and scrape the sides down multiple times before it becomes blended and creamy. Resist the urge to add more liquid, however, because at the end if you don't add any extra in you will have a custard-like consistency that is insanely good!

Thai Chicken Patties, by Diane

This week I found a recipe for Thai Chicken Patties, which incorporates chicken and thai flavors without any bread. Overall, these made a good filling lunch that was packed with flavor. I would definitely make these again!

The recipe stated that the patties would hold together despite the lack of bread crumbs and being very runny. My first batch (on the right) fell apart when flipped, so on my second batch (left) I squeezed out all the liquid forming a tight patty and they turned out much better. I also found it hard to brown the patties as shown on the blog photo, but I think they turned out nicely anyway. I incorporated grated ginger into these and it was really good, so I'm including that in the ingredients. Finally, the recipe also shows a link to homemade chili sauce. This was a disaster for me- so luckily I had the store bought version on hand!


Recipe from: http://notenoughcinnamon.com/2014/08/06/thai-chicken-patties-with-sweet-chili-sauce/


Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken breast
1 small zucchini, peeled and finely grated (makes about 1/2 cup, packed)
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1 egg
1 tbsp packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp lime rinds, finely minced (about 1/4 medium lime)
the juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp fish sauce
2 scallions stalks, green and white, finely chopped
Salt
2 tsp olive oil (more if needed)
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, grated zucchini, egg, cilantro, lime rind and juice, fish sauce and scallion. Season lightly with salt.
2. Form 2 to 2.5 inch wide patties (you'll get about 8). The mixture will be quite runny so you will need to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the patties so they do not crumble!
3. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over high heat. When hot, add about 4 patties, making sure you don't overcrowd the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. Flip patties and cook for another 5 minutes. You want to cook them gently, so they are brown on the outside and cooked all the way through inside. Repeat with remaining patties, adding olive oil if needed. Serve them warm or cold with sweet chili sauce.