Fresh Food Perspectives

Quick Bean Burgers

This quick and easy vegan burger is made from pantry staples. While it is simple to prepare, it tastes restaurant quality. 

Special thanks to the Canned Food Alliance for sponsoring this post and compensating my time and ingredients for the recipe below. 

  

Hi everyone! I’m sorry for the lack of posts over the past week. It’s been a wonderful holiday for Team Braddock. Since Brian and I are both off work, we have enjoyed a lot of family time and I’ve barely looked at my computer. It’s been a really nice break and I’ve purposely tried to give my family my full attention. Plus, I’ve been on TV a couple of times, which means I was cooking A LOT!

So with the holiday season almost behind us, it’s time to move our attention to 2015. Perhaps you’ve begun to think about your goals for the new year, and hopefully your health. While I’m not a big believer in “New Year Resolutions”, I am a fan of goals and purposeful intentions. 

The New Year is a great time to think about what you want to get out of the next 365 days. Instead of making very lofty, mega-goals, I like to think about what small decisions in my daily life do I want to make differently this year. A series of small decisions over time can lead to big changes! So let me ask you, what’s a different small decision you’d like to make this year? Leave me a comment and let me know. 

I’ll tell you one of my new decisions for 2015 - I’m going to write down my weekly goals. What I mean is, I have so much swirling around in my head on what I want/need to accomplish on a daily basis. Rarely do those things make it out of my head in an orderly fashion which means rarely do they get done in a timely fashion. So I am going to make the decision to write down my goals for the week, probably just 2-3. Does anyone else do this? Is it helping them?

If nothing else, I hope you make a goal to treat your body well and improve your health this year. This happens by making small decisions in the minutia of your daily grind to eat well and move your body. 

Even with the best of intentions, life can get really busy. Eating healthy can be a challenge on long days of work or parenting. Trust me — I KNOW!! I’m here to help today with an EASY, QUICK, TASTY, and HEALTHY recipe. 

Canned foods make it so easy to whip up a quick, healthy meal especially for produce that is out of season, time consuming to prepare, or just plain expensive. And if you think canned food is less nutritious, think again. Research has shown that some canned products, like pumpkin and tomatoes, have excellent nutrient preservation. 

High amounts of sodium can be a concern with canned goods but it’s easy to find low or no sodium added options now. And, by simply draining and rinsing canned veggies, you reduce the sodium content by 41%. 

These are the canned items that I typically ALWAYS have in my pantry: beans (all types), tomato products (all types), whole kernel corn, roasted bell peppers, and olives. I’ve recently added some of the new pouches of vegetables, like carrots, to my pantry too, just in case I feel the need to add some to a recipe. 

Today I’m sharing with you a recipe for veggie burgers that is perfect for these kind of day — The I’m so tired from this day but I really want to eat healthy but it must be fast kind of day. I created this recipe to be filling, full of protein, and able to be frozen for a quick meal later. The secret weapon for this recipe is some of my favorite canned foods, many of which can be interchanged with whatever options you may have in your pantry. 

I’ve made this recipe with both black and pinto beans, but any bean that is mash-able will work. You can also substitute almost any canned veggie for the corn or carrots, as long as you chop them up if they are larger in size. 

The only item that requires some true cooking is the quinoa. I consider this an easy grain though because it only takes 15 minutes to cook. I will make a big batch ahead of time and freeze 1 cup portions to pull out for a recipe like this. Or, I’ll make it in the morning while I am getting ready and pull it out for dinner that night. It’s just so easy. You could also substitute some types of rice for the quinoa if needed. 

There are so many ways you can enjoy this burger that I doubt it will get old. Eat it with or without a bun, add cheese, top with avocado or tomato, dip in catchup, or tuck in a pita like falafel. So put this veggie burger on your meal plan for this week and make a double batch to freeze for later. On those crazy days that are coming quick, you will be so happy you did. 

For more recipes using healthy canned foods, visit this link. 

 

Quick Bean Burgers

1 can reduced sodium black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup whole kernel fire roasted corn, drained (do not rinse)

1/2 cup finely chopped sliced, carrots (from can or pouch; drain before chopping)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon fresh, ground pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Cooking spray

 

Directions

Heat a large, non stick skillet over medium heat. 

Dump beans in to a large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher, roughly mash up beans. 

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir to combine well. (I found using my hands to mix together was very effective.)

Spray skillet with cooking spray. Using either a 1/3 or 1/2 measuring cup, loosley scoop out bean mixture and form into a patty. Place patty on skillet and gently flatten further with back of a spatula. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes, spraying skillet with cooking spray in between if needed. Finish with all the bean mixture. Serve immediately or let cool completely for freezing (see notes).

Makes 4-5 large patties with 1/2 measuring cup.

Makes 5-6 medium patties with 1/3 measuring cup. 

 

Notes

After patties have cooled, wrap individually in stretch wrap and store in freezer. Allow to defrost slightly then reheat in microwave, toaster oven, or skillet.

Gluten Free Sweet Potato, Egg & Kale Stacks

 

I am lucky enough to have some friends that I have known my whole life. Do you have any of those kind of friends? These girls have been with me through so much.  It doesn't matter how long we are apart; it always feel like home to be together.

One of those people is my friend Michelle of Michelle VanTine Photography. We met in preschool and her 
mom was my teacher. Her parents were missionaries in Quebec and they came back to the states every several years. We went to preschool, one year in elementary school, 7th grade and 12th grade together in addition to keeping in touch in between.

There are so many things that I love about Michelle. She is naturally artistic and sees the world in an amazingly fun way. This therefore pushes me out of my comfort zone a lot, but in a good a way. We shared a love of volleyball and played together our senior year of high school. She speaks fluent French and I sort of love it when she starts rambling off (particularly when she's mad). But the coolest thing about Michelle is that we share the same birthday! I mean, come on, we were destined to be forever friends.

I could go on and on about the fun times and sweet moments of life we have shared, but it would take a really long time. Instead, I want to share with you about a special food-photography time we had together over the Thanksgiving holiday. She is a professional photographer and I wanted to learn some food photography tips and tricks from her. {Exciting news is she helped me find a DSLR used camera in my budget!!!}

Since we both have 2 kids now and are working, entrepreneurial women, finding time to just cook and shoot together is not easy.

We spent an afternoon together catching up, cooking and photographing our food. It was so much fun. She shared a few of her favorite go-to gluten free recipes with me and I am really excited to share them with you. Today is the first and I think my favorite.

They are easy and really delicious. Michelle has been eating gluten free for a year and has found that she just feels better when she does. 

Michelle prefers foods that are naturally gluten free instead of "gluten free products". She and I both regularly cook with such foods like kale, sweet potatoes, quinoa, eggs, and peppers. I discovered that we share a love for Cabot cheddar cheese too. =)

We both hope that you enjoy todays' recipe of Sweet Potato, Egg and Kale Stacks. I'm not joking when I say it so stinkin delicious. It's loaded with superfoods too so it's a WIN for both your body and well-being. 

Thank you Michelle for taking the time to cook with me and teach me some of your best tricks! Please check out her website and if you are looking for an incredibly talented photographer, she's your girl. 

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Sweet Potato, Egg & Kale Stacks 

4 small (or 2 large) Sweet Potatoes
½ White Onion, diced
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
5 cups fresh Spinach or Kale, chopped
Eggs (1 person)
1 cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp White Cheddar

Directions

Wash, peel, and chop sweet potatoes.  Place in microwave safe bowl and precook in microwave with a little water on high for 5 minutes. Drain. Toss with chopped white onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler and move rack to middle of oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dump on to baking sheet. Place under broiler for 10 minutes, watching carefully and stirring once.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook kale until charred. When edges are crispy (5 -10 minutes) remove, sprinkle with pepper, and set aside

Reduce heat in skillet and fry eggs to preferred doneness. (I love them over easy.)

Remove all items from cooking source. Stack food on serving plate with roasted sweet potatoes on the bottom, then the egg, next Cabot cheese, and the kale on top. 

Serves 4

 

Quick Chickpea Curry

I have to confess, I don't eat as much Indian food as I wish I did. My hubs just isn't a big fan, sadly. Really, the only way I know I like Indian food has come from some girls-night-outs at some delicious restaurants over the years. 

Secretly, between you and me, I am hoping to cultivate an Indian food-loving son (or two) so that I have a reason to eat it more frequently in the future. But shhhhhh, don't tell, ok?

I dream of an exotic Indian-themed family dinner at home, but that just may not be a reality for me, for now. In the meantime, I've figured out a recipe for a super quick curry that I can make for dinner when it's just me and the boys. 

I actually came up with this last spring and posted the pic on Instagram. It got lots of love (thank you so much) but when the time came to type it up for the 'ol blog, I couldn't find my recipe notes anywhere! Super stink! So this week I had a hankerin for curry and whipped this recipe up again for lunch with the boys. 

When I say "whipped up" I mean it literally. This recipe took under 25 minutes to make since I already had cooked rice in the fridge. Keeping the shelf stable ingredients of this recipe around will make it easy for you to whip this us any 'ol day too. And you can throw in pretty much any mix of veggies that you have in the produce drawer. Win!

Since I've made this recipe and photographed it this recipe twice, I have 2 different views to show you. My first attempt was chock-full of veggies. The second attempt was more simple with just leeks and celery but it shows you just how versatile this recipe can be. 

This is the perfect recipe for fall as it's comforting, warm and so nutritious. I also added extra turmeric to boost the antioxidant power. (You can read more about the wonders of turmeric in this post.) Check out the bottom of the recipe for the substitution notes because there's a lot of ways to change this up.

I hope you enjoy trying this really simple, exotic (at least for Team Braddock) recipe that I enjoy and it looks like my boys migh like it too. 

 

Quick Chickpea Curry

1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil

1-2 tablespoons green curry paste (to preference)

1/2 large yellow onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 cup chopped celery (in half moons)

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can light coconut milk (14 oz) 

1 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil once heated. 
2. Add curry paste to oil and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and all vegetables. Stir to combine with curry and cook until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent any burning. 
3. Pour in coconut milk and add turmeric and chickpeas. Stir to combine and allow to come to a low boil. Reduce temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat. Serve over rice, quinoa or noodles. Sprinkle with basil as a garnish. 

Serves about 4 people. 

Substitution Ideas: Leeks can be substituted for onions. You do not have to use all the vegetables listed and you can use less quantities if you are making this dish for less people. Use more or less curry paste depending on your preference for the flavor and heat. Curry powder can be substituted for curry paste but be careful to not burn it in step 2. Less coconut milk can be used if making a smaller portion.

How to Dehydrate Fruit in the Oven - Dried Vanilla Pears

Dehydrating is easy to do in the oven. These oven dried vanilla pears take some time in the oven but it's totally worth it. You'll be surprised by their intense vanilla flavor.

 

It's Recipe Redux time! If you're not familiar with this monthly post let me quickly explain. The Redux, as we like to call it, is a group of healthy food bloggers who unite once a month to bring you a healthy recipe based on a theme. Last weekend, at Blog Brûlée, I had the chance to meet many of my fellow Reduxers and they are amazing. I hope you will check out all of their phenomenal recipe links at the bottom of this post.

This month our challenge was to create a dehydrated food recipe.

Interesting, I thought.

And then, I don't have a dehydrator so what am I going to do?

But this is one of the reasons I love being a part of The Redux; it forces me to think outside of my box and get creative. Fortunately, I quickly learned that the oven can be used as a dehydrator when on the lowest heat setting.  

As I've mentioned here before, grocery shopping is not happening as regularly as I would like, BUT I did actually make it to the store this week and noticed some beautiful looking pears. Perfect! I snagged several with this challenge in mind. I also got some delicious star fruit in my farm delivery this week so that seemed like a fun fruit to experiment with as well. And since I now have a meyer lemon tree, and I need to figure out how to use all the fruit when it starts mass producing, I thought I'd try dehydrating a lemon as well.

I am happy to report that dehydrating was a success, but I learned few things that will help make it much more successful if you choose to try this method.

• Cut your fruit very thin. This will reduce the amount of baking time significantly.
• A mandolin worked the best for slicing the pears and starfruit. It would also work great for apples. I love my mandolin because it has a hand guard. I can't find the exact one anymore but I did put this mandolin in my a-Store. 
• Hand cutting, with a very sharp knife, is the best method for slicing citrus.

The dried pears and starfruit are great to eat on their own as a snack but they could also be tossed into hot oatmeal or used to jazz up a salad. I brought them to my hubby's game on Friday night and shared them with another coach's wife. They were so delicious and I was amazed by how well the vanilla flavor came through.  I think these would be a great Christmas gift too, especially for my neighbors (I'm thinking like an oatmeal mix with the dried fruit). 

I've used the dried lemon slices to infuse my water with delightful lemon flavor. I can also see myself using these to flavor sauces, like my Garlic Lemon Chicken, when fresh lemon juice is not available. 

 

 I think after this experience I will be putting a dehydrator on my Christmas list. I can just see endless possibilities! 

Don't miss your chance to enter my #MakeHealthyEasy Blogiversary Giveaway. It's ending soon.

 

Oven Dried Vanilla Pears

 

4+ Bartlett pears

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to the lowest bake setting. (This was 170 degrees on my oven.)
2. Slice pears very thinly, using the lowest or second to lowest setting on a mandolin. Alternatively, slice pears with a very sharp knife.
3. Layer pears in a single layer on a lined (parchment, foil or Silpat) baking sheet. 
4. Brush eat pear slice with a dab of vanilla extract. You only need to brush one side of the pear.                   
   
5. Bake for 3-4 hours until most of the moisture is gone and edges have curled. Flip fruit regularly to better promote drying out. Remove from heat, let cool and enjoy.

Makes 2-4 servings

Other fruit: Slice starfruit on mandolin and follow directions for baking. Slice citrus with a sharp knife in very thin rounds and follow directions for baking.

An InLinkz Link-up

Cheddar & Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini

Happy Friday! 

I'm very excited to share a recipe with you today that my family has been loving, cheddar and quinoa stuffed zucchini. See, I love quinoa, and my boys will sort of eat it too. But the hubs, he just doesn't care for it. (sniff sniff) So we have a conversation from time to time that involves me going through a list of quinoa options with him to see if he's interested. "Would you eat it like this? What about with this?" etc. etc.

So far, this is THE recipe that has him saying, "now, I'll eat quinoa like that." SCORE! 

When I create recipes for my family (i.e. we actually eat it on a regular basis), I try to bring in an ingredient that everyone likes, all while sneaking in as many veggies as possible. This dish brings together bold flavor by using Cabot Legacy Cheddar, sundried tomatoes, and lean sausage. (We've been blessed with a good friend who hunts and provides us with an ample stash of venison sausage.)  It's then all stuffed into a vegetable, upping the nutrition factor.

The filling for this recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen, making it quick to assemble for a week night dinner. It's also delicious enough to be the highlight of your Sunday supper. 

Since I am on the Cabot Cheeseboard, Cabot cheese was a natural choice for me. If you haven't tried their Legacy Cheddars, you are missing out. They are seriously such delicious cheeses. 

For my vegetarian friends, it's easy to adapt this recipe by omitting the sausauge. For vegan friends, also omit the cheese (and maybe add nutritional yeast). It will still be delicious. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please pin it or  leave me a comment about what you think and if you plan to try it.

And do NOT miss my giveaway running all month long. I've got some great prizes. Click HERE to enter on my Facebook page. 

Have a great weekend!

Cheddar-Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini

 4 large zucchini

1 cup cooked ground mild sausage, crumbled

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 cup julienned sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups shredded Cabot Legacy Collection White Oak Cheddar (about ¾ of a bar)

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Directions

1. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, cut zucchini in half length-wise from stem to end. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out center flesh of zucchini leaving it hollow. Reserve ½ cup of the flesh and chop it into small pieces. (The rest of it is great for stir fries, juicing or smoothies.)
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet, then add the onion and chopped zucchini. Sautee for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and chopped sundried tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and pour contents into a heat safe bowl.
4. Add the cooked sausage crumbles and cooked quinoa to the bowl of cooked veggies. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and the chopped parsley. Gently fold in all ingredients until combined. Once mixture has cooled slightly, fold in 1 cup shredded Cabot cheese.
5. Coat a baking pan (9 x 13 or two 9 x 9) with cooking oil or spray. Arrange hollowed zucchinis in a single layer. Generously scoop quinoa mixture into each zucchini filling till almost overflowing.
6. Bake, in the center of oven, for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn on broiler. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of shredded Cabot cheese on top of zucchinis. Broil for 2 minutes, watching carefully to not burn (it may take you slightly less than 2 minutes). Remove from oven and serve.

Serves 4-6 

Adapted from Eating Well

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes with Whipped Honey Ricotta

{Disclosure: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was notcompensated for my time.}

So it seems I've been on a bit of a recipe hiatus lately. It's not intentional at all. I thought this summer would be full of time to develop all kinds of recipes. I have been creating some new things here and there but honestly, I've been soaking up every second with my family. Many of our dinners have just been normal stuff: spaghetti, tacos, homemade pizza, and grilled chicken. Tasty, but very normal. 

After getting home from our Boston trip, I started to get some inspiration to try new ideas. Slowly but surely, my FFP creativity has been coming back. This month The Recipe Redux is hosting a recipe contest sponsored by Quaker Oats and the National Dairy Council. The challenge is to create a dish incorporating both whole grains and dairy that provides at least a 1/2 serving of each per serving. 

I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a creative idea for this contest because I love this challenge. Oats and dairy are foods we eat all the time and I was inspired by the idea of putting them together in a new way.

Well, this morning my idea finally hit me: Oatmeal Griddle Cakes with Whipped Ricotta.

I'm super excited about this recipe for so many reasons. First, they taste SO GOOD! Second, it's an all-in-one breakfast with high fiber whole grain oats, Greek yogurt and ricotta cheese for protein and some fruit for added nutrients. I always say that a balanced breakfast contains at least 3 nutrient groups and this definitely fits the bill. Third, this recipe is gluten free. Just make sure you use certified gluten free oats. Lastly, it can be made ahead and kept in the freezer for quick breakfasts or even be taken on-the-go. Win, win win. 

You gotta try these oatmeal griddle cakes for breakfast, and soon! They are easy to make, very filling and full of tasty, healthy ingredients. I  included the nutrition facts for these too so don't miss that at the bottom of the recipe. 

{For the record, this recipe is husband, toddler, and baby approved. Everybody loved them!}

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes with Whipped Honey Ricotta

Griddle Cake ingredients

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats, divided

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup lowfat vanilla Greek Yogurt (I used Cabot)

1 egg

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup finely chopped peaches (apples or blueberries can be substituted for peaches)

Whipped Ricotta ingredients

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon honey

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat an electric skillet or a griddle pan over medium heat (about 350 degrees on the electric skillet).
2. In a food processor or blender, pulse 1 cup of oats until finely ground, resembling flour. In a mixing bowl, add oat flour, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, almonds, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix vigorously until well combined. 
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Fold in the chopped peaches. 
4. Spray cooking surface with nonstick spray. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop batter onto pre-heated skillet to make 5 large cakes. Use a spatula to gently flatten the batter to resemble patties.* Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip cakes and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Cakes are done when both sides are golden brown and center is set. You may need to cover skillet when cooking. Remove cakes from heat and keep warm (an oven preheated to 200 degrees works well.)
5. To make the ricotta topping, add the ricotta, honey and cinnamon to the food processor or blender. Pulse until ricotta is creamy and smooth. Serve each cake with about 3 heaping tablespoons of ricotta on top. Sprinkle with whole oats as a garnish. 

Makes 5 griddle cakes. 

Nutrition Facts (per cake): 351 calories, 17g fat, 6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 195 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar, 17 g protein, 10% vitamin A, 6% vitamin C, 34% calcium, 13% iron

* Here's what they look like in the skillet while cooking:

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Roasted Veggie Pasta in Garlic Wine Sauce

It's the 21st of the month today which means it's Recipe Redux time! This month our challenge was to share a healthy recipe that uses wine, beer or spirits to enhance flavor.

In my kitchen, I mostly cook with wine and beer. I really like using these ingredients, one because I don't mind drinking it while I'm cooking, and two because it brings great flavor to a dish without needing to add extra fat or sodium.

I think of wine or beer as pretty interchangeable with broth or stock in recipes. It's not always and exact 1:1 exchange, but you can usually sub it in for broth in some quantity. I think it adds a real richness and depth of flavor. Some of my favorite recipes that I use a little alcohol in are my Simple Sweet Marinara sauce, Cuban Black Beans and the recipe I'm sharing today, Roasted Veggie Pasta in Garlic Wine Sauce. 

I've been making versions of this dish throughout our married life and it's always a hit even as a vegetarian dish. (I say this only because I'm married to a meat-loving man.) Why? I think because the wine makes such a delicious sauce mixed with the roasted garlic. 

If you're not comfortable buying wine, don't worry. Check out my pinterest boards for white wine and red wine recommendations. 

Keep in mind that really, any mix of roasted vegetables will work for this pasta. Summer offers so many great choices for produce to use here. I've also added frozen veggies to the sauce (skipping the roasted part) to make a quicker meal. You can also make this meal vegan by omitting the cheese or easily add any type of meat, like grilled chicken. 

So enjoy a snazzy, summer dinner with this simple recipe this week. Make sure you pour yourself a glass of chardonnay to enjoy alongside. Cheers!

 

Roasted Veggie Pasta in Garlic Wine Sauce

Garlic cloves, still attached - at least 3 and up to a whole head (per your preference)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 large tomato, cut into 1/2" chunks

6 asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup large-chopped bell pepper (any color)

3/4 cup large-chopped eggplant (1" pieces)

3/4 cup chopped green beans (1" pieces)

1 cup chopped summer squash, yellow and/or zucchini (1" pieces)

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

1 cup chardonnay white wine

salt and pepper

4 servings dry multi-grain pasta, shape of choice (I like Barilla Plus)

4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut in to small cubes

1/4 cup chopped, fresh basil

Directions:

1. Roast the garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice off the tips of the garlic cloves, being careful to keep them connected at the bottom. Place cloves on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Wrap up foil into a packet around the garlic and roast directly on oven rack for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, open packet and allow garlic to cool slightly. {This step can be done ahead of time or can go in the oven at the same time as the roasted veggetables in step 2. If roasting with vegetables at higher temperature, reduce cook time to 25 minutes.} 
2. Roast the veggies: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil spray. Place all veggetables (except onion and garlic) on baking sheet, keeping each type separate from each other. Drizzle each section with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and gently toss to coat, keeping the veggies separate. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until all veggies are tender, but not mushy. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to instructions on box. Drain, reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, and set pasta aside.
4. Meanwhile, make the garlic wine sauce by heating a high-sided sautee pan over meadium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow to warm up for 30 seconds. Add chopped onion and cook for about 4 minutes, untill translucent. Squeeze garlic cloves and add the soft centers to the onions. Stir to combine, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up large clumps. Pour in chardonnay and allow to come to a boil. Lower temperature to a simmer and allow wine to reduce in half, about 8 minutes. 
5. Combine roasted vegetables and any juices to the garlic wine reduction. Add salt and pepper to taste, fresh basil and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Stir to combine and warm basil. 
6. Plate a portion of pasta and use a ladel to top with roasted veggies and sauce. Top with 2 tablespoons of fresh mozzarella cubes per plate.

Serves 4. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Easy Baby Puree Recipes

So Ben just turned 10 months in June. 10 months!! What in the world is going on? Time is flying by. 

He has been eating for 4 months now, but it seems like its been way longer than that. The boy is ready to eat big people food. He lunges at our plates trying to grab whatever it is that we are eating. He has 6 teeth now so it seems like he thinks that is enough is to chew in to some food. 

I've continued to make Ben baby food but have supplemented with store bought food. (Read about my new favorite brand here.) He's proving to be more particular with his flavor preference than Jackson ever was. I have had some utter failures with some of the concoctions I've tried to feed him. 

These days, Ben is not too interested in any purees and would prefer to feed himself exclusively. This is keeping me on my toes and referring back to my baby food books a lot. Some of his favorite finger foods are avocado pieces (and I just started rolling it in ground flax seed for extra nutrition and easier picking up), cooked egg yolk, roasted butternut squash and sweet potato pieces (dusted in cinnamon), steamed squash, mozzarella cheese, and watermelon. 

I have found a few puree combos that seem to still be well accepted and I'm sharing them with you today. This time around, I've tried to introduce Ben to new herbs and spices. This may be one of the reasons he doesn't always like what I've made, but I still think it's important to expose him to new flavors. 

Here's a few of my most successful baby food recipes. Give them a try and let me know if your little one likes them. 

{PS - For more on my baby food making tips, recipes and tools read this, this and this post.}

 

Garlicky Greens Baby Puree

2 cloves garlic

2 cups fresh green beans, thoroughly washed

1 cup chopped parsnips, thoroughly washed and peeled

Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. 
2. Peel the garlic cloves, place on top of a square of aluminum foil, and drizzle with a very small amount of olive oil (about 1/2 teaspoon). Wrap up the square around the garlic into a pouch and twist the top to close. Place in oven (even if it's still cold). 
3. Trim ends of green beans and cut in to about 1" pieces. Trim ends of parsnips and cut into about 1/4" rounds. Place all veggies on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread vegetables out evenly in one layer. Place in oven and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove veggies and garlic from oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes. 
5. Toss veggies, garlic, and 1/4 cup water into blender and puree until very smooth. Keep top of blender slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Pour in to baby food containers. Let cool till luke warm temperature before freezing.

Makes about 10 oz or five, 2 oz jars.

Super Sage Squash Baby Puree

1 butternut squash

1 ripe, Hass avocado

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh sage

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Cut the top end off the squash, then cut off the bottom bell shaped section. Cut the kneck portion and the bell portion in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out the bell portion and discard. Place the four pieces of squash, cut side down, in to a 9x13 pan. Add water to cover the bottom of the pan by 1/2". Roast for 30 minutes.
3. Remove squash from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Then scoop out flesh of squash and dump into blender. Add the flesh of fresh avocado, 1/4 cup water and the fresh sage leaves to the blender as well. Puree until very smooth. 
4. Pour in to baby food containers.  Let cool till luke warm temperature before freezing.

Makes about 12 oz or six, 2 oz jars. 

How to Make a Healthy Smoothie Formula & Giveaway

It is no secret here on FFP that I love smoothies. If you are new to my site, welcome, and know that I love smoothies. On more than one occasion, I've referred to myself as the Smoothie Mad Scientist because I'm always looking for new combinations for a daily dose of super nutrition. Sometimes I may go a little too far, if you think a smoothie should taste like dessert, which I don't.

Why do I Iove smoothies so much? It's because it is a simple and easy way to get a lot of fruits and veggies in with one shot. Sometimes I can get as much as 6 or 7 different fruits and vegetables in my smoothie! Now, I still certainly support the actual eating of those vegetables too. But in my humble opinion, this is the only way I'm ever going to get close to eating 7-11 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Today I'm giving you my formula for making a super smoothie at home, or when choosing what to order at a smoothie joint. These are all foods and techniques that I use almost daily at home.

{Stick around to the bottom of this post for a giveaway! There's a lot of info to share to day.}

First, here's my segment on News4Jax from today where I share about this very topic.

 And now, here's the formula, albeit, there are many great ways to make a healthy smoothie. This is just my approach.

 

Now let's break it down a little further. 

Juice

I do use juice in my smoothies, but I make sure I use a juice that has strong health benefits. (No stupid juices!) These days I use Welch's 100% Grape Juice made with Concord Grapes*. Now, I've worked with Welch's before and I continue to do so because of 2 great reasons. First, they have over a decade worth of research showing 100% grape juice with Concord Grapes supports a healthy heart. Second, when making their juice, they crush the skins (similar to wine making) and the seeds, releasing all the helpful polyphenols (natural plant compounds) that research keeps proving have a plethora of health benefits. If you're not a red wine drinker, grape juice can provide many of those same benefits. 

Another juice I often use is 100% carrot juice. I do this espeically if I don't have whole carrots on hand.

Fruit

It's easy to go overboard on fruit. Sticking to about a 1/2 cup per person helps keeps the calories in check on your smoothie. My favorite fruits to use are berries, watermelon, and peaches because they have a low glycemic index. However, I love all fruit and will use mango and apples when I have them too. There is no such thing as a "bad" fruit so enjoy what you like. 

You can use more than a 1/2 cup fruit. Just be mindful of your total volume and calories. You can also think of it as a 1:2 ratio of fruit to veggies. 

Veggies

I push the envelope on how many veggies I put in a smoothie. This will impact the flavor so start at the 1 cup portion and work yourself up. Starting with kale or spinach is easy and accessible. Then start adding some of the suggestions I list in my TV segment - celery, carrots, cucumber, and beets. The sky is the limit!

{FYI, I've experimented with putting tomatoes in my smoothies and it did create a very weird gel-like texture. I did not care for it. Fortunately, I love to eat tomatoes so I'm sticking to that route.}

Protein

There are a lot of protein options out there. I'm not going to dive in to why you should choose one over the other in this post. Sorry. That's for another day. But, if you like your smoothie to be more of a meal, consider adding one of the protein sources mentioned. 

Add-Ins

This is one of my favorite parts of my daily smoothie. What obscure ingredients can I throw in my smoothie to make it super energizing and healthful? (insert mad scientist laugh here) I listed a few of my favorites in the infographic but other options could be actual turmeric root, cinnamon, fresh basil or dill, lemon slices, maca powder, chlorella, spirulina, or fiber powder. 

Lastly, before the giveaway, let's talk equipment. I use this Vitamix blender. I paid the money and have never regretted it. There are a lot of super blenders out there that are similar. This is what I went with and I love it. I do encourage you to buy a high powered blender of some sort for daily blending of veggies. A cheap blender just won't get the job done. 

And now for the giveaway. Welch's is providing coupons for a free bottle of Welch's 100% Grape Juice for 5 FFP readers! Enter below and share the love with friends. Thank you Welch's!

So what is your favorite way to make a smoothie? Leave me a comment and let me know.

*Disclosure: The TV segment above and this blog post were sponsored by Welch's. I was compensated for my time and for this blog post. 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gluten Free Summer Recipes

On Memorial Day, I had a blast sharing some fun, summer recipes on my local news station. I really enjoyed putting together these recipes because they seem so normal and were really tasty. I'm glad that I now have options to serve to my friends who are eating gluten free.

Tell me what you think and certainly give them a try. Here are the links to the recipes:

White Corn Quiche

Refried Bean and Greens Dip

Crunchy Coated Green Beans with Jalapeno Yogurt Dip

Gluten Free Peach Cobbler

 

Disclosure: This segment was sponsored by Frito-Lay. I was compensated for my time and reimbursed for ingredients.