Cooking
Avocado Zucchini Bread
A few weeks ago on a Saturday, my husband and I went to our local farmer’s market and we had a blast picking out the fruits and vegetables we needed for the upcoming week. He decided he needed a snack and although his go-to favorite snack from the farmer’s market is kettle-corn he took me up on a challenge to try a chocolate chip cookie made with avocado (instead of oil). You have to understand that there are only a few things in the entire world that my hubby will NOT eat and avocado is one of them. To his great surprise, he actually liked the cookie and was quite impressed!!!! So I came home excited and inspired to try some baking using avocado instead of oil. So here is my first try….Avocado Zucchini Bread.
Ingredients
1 ¾ cups flour (you can use an oat flour and almond flour combo for gluten free)
¼ cup flax seed ground
2 teaspoons cinnamon (I used fancy vietnamese cinnamon)
1 teaspoon nutmeg (I used fresh ground nutmeg)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup sugar or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup mashed avocado (1 whole avocado)
1 ½ cups grated zucchini
Optional add-ins: ½-1 cup mini chocolate chips, ½-1 cup chopped walnuts
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Grate the zucchini and let it weep on paper towels so that moisture wicks away. In a mixer, combine the avocado and sugar and beat until smooth. (You can mix by hand if you like) Add eggs one at a time and mix until blended. Add vanilla and mix. Pour avocado mixture and grated zucchini into large bowl with the flour mixture and stir gently until combined. Do not over mix. …
Sneaky Applesauce Muffins
Our February theme is RECOMMIT. I have decided to recommit to making healthy muffins for my kids. They are SO picky and I get discouraged when they don’t eat the food I make. However, I know it is important to not get into a rut (a.k.a. quesadillas every meal) AND muffins are an excellent way to sneak healthy extras into my kid’s food. These muffins have applesauce AND butternut squash puree.
I am once again grateful for the new “Deceptively Delicious” cookbooks I received for Christmas that incorporate hidden vegetable purees in the meals.
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Read MoreStuffed Peppers with a Twist
I have always wanted to find a good stuffed peppers recipe! And, I think I finally did! I took the Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers from “The Recipe Critic” and made a few swaps and changes and created a healthy, tasty meal! Full of protein, very colorful, yummy spices, and a new product from Grain & Simple that can be found at Costco! “2 Minute Grains” is full of red spring wheat berries, quinoa, farrow and barley with tomato, onions, and peppers- It is a perfect side for a night of BBQ turkey burgers or, as I discovered with this recipe, the perfect add-in for stuffed peppers! You will love this recipe!
INGREDIENTS
6 large bell peppers
Ground Turkey, 1 pound
1 medium onion
2-4 garlic cloves
2 TBS tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 packs of Grain & Simple 2 Minute Grains (from Costco)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Colby Jack cheese, shredded…
Read MoreW.O.W. Enchilada Casserole RENEWED
As a busy mom trying to make healthier meals for my family I’ve decided to revisit some of our family favorites and spruce them up a bit, rather than trying to find completely new recipes. I received a new cookbook for Christmas called, “Deceptively Delicious,” by Jessica Seinfeld that is all about incorporating vegetable purees into your foods.
I love the idea of putting more veggies in my meals because 1) I love veggies, and 2) I’d rather do anything else in the world (even go to the dentist) than struggle to get my kids to eat their veggies every night.
So I combined some principles from Jessica’s Chicken Enchilada recipe to one of our family favorite recipes from Trader Joe’s: W.O.W. Enchilada Casserole.
So here’s my version of W.O.W. Enchilada Casserole (with lots of hidden veggies!)
Ingredients
-
TJ’s Olive Oil (for pan)
-
1 bottle TJ’s Enchilada Sauce
-
1 pound cooked ground beef or ground turkey
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6 TJ’s Green Onions, sliced, green tops preserved for garnish
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1 package TJ’s Corn Tortillas, cut into strips
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1 package TJ’s Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend
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1/2 cup sweet potato puree (made ahead of time!!)
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2 zucchinis grated and pressed to remove moisture
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1 can TJ’s Black Beans, rinsed
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2 TJ’s Avocados, sliced
Tortilla Stack – REVISED
Tortilla Stack is one of our favorite crockpot dinners. However, this weekend, I wanted to make it when hosting dinner for a friend, but I did not have the 2 hours prior to start the crockpot. I decided to turn it into a Tortilla Stack Bake instead of making it in the crockpot! It was delicious!! We even found that baking the stack makes for better consistency for the tortillas! So, here is an oldie and a goodie, REVISED!
1 teaspoon Canola Oil or Olive Oil
1 small-medium yellow Onion, chopped
4-5 Garlic Cloves, pressed (or mince if you do not own a garlic press)
1-2 teaspoons of Fajita Seasoning
1 can Diced Tomatoes, Drained (14.5-ounce)
1 can Tomato Sauce (14.5-ounce)
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cut into small pieces
1-2 tsp Turmeric
1 can Corn, drained (14.5-ounce)
1 can Black Beans, drained (14.5-ounce)
7-10 Whole Wheat Tortillas (This number is for small tortillas; May need to be ripped in some places to cover the sauce areas)
2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded (Add more if desired)…
Re-invent the Roti
Extending our commitment for RENEWAL to creativity in the kitchen can result in delicious healthy meals for your family. My husband and I have a new passion for Indian food so I have been experimenting with some recipes. Last year I hit a home run (in my husband’s opinion) when I created a Bombay Bowl , so I had a bit of confidence that he would be up for trying another Indian surprise. Last week we enjoyed an Indian style wrap called a Roti. Roti is the flat bread made form stoneground whole wheat flour. In contrast to Naan bread, Roti is unleavened and therefore is perfect for a wrap style Indian meal. If you do not have the interest or time to make your own Roti flat bread, you can use Trader Joe’s whole wheat tortillas for a perfect Roti wrap. I had read about an eggplant curry from East India called Vindaloo. This curry is a popular dish from the region of Goa and is also found in the cuisine of Mumbai. Knowing that eggplant is not my husband’s favorite vegetable, I added equal amounts of roasted zucchini and roasted eggplant and the results was perfection. I also made a potato, carrot, pea and chicken filling as well.
Ingredients for Eggplant Zucchini Vindaloo Curry Roti Filling
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion sliced thin
4 Indian eggplants or 1 medium regular eggplant cubed (1 1/2 cups needed)
2 zucchini cubed
3 cloves garlic smashed
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon Garam Masala spice
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 plum tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup water…
Healthy Cinnamon Oat Pancakes
A great way to start each day RENEWED is to eat a healthy breakfast! I found this recipe through a database of Biggest Loser Recipes. I have changed it slightly but it is still healthy and delicious and easy to make!
Healthy Cinnamon Oat Pancakes
6 Egg Whites
1 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Cup Cottage Cheese
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Vanilla
What to Do:
1. Place all ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth.
2. Heat and grease a griddle or large pan at medium heat
3. Use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup to scoop out batter and place on the hot griddle. Flip when that side begins to bubble.
4. Repeat and Eat!
These pancakes are really delicious! They are also very moist so they are pretty tasty without syrup for a healthier option – Add extra cinnamon on top for more flavor!
Go here to see the Nutritional System Per Serving (The numbers will be slightly different with the modified recipe, but they will still be close)
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Xmas Tree Bread Recipe-Winner Announced-Shopify
And the winner is…
Laura Payne!!
You will be receiving an email soon to claim your prize!! 😀
As promised, here is the Xmas Tree Bread recipe….
Ingredients
1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup flour
3/4 cup additional flour for kneading
½ cup melted butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup powdered sugar
⅛ cup milk
colorful sprinkles
green and red candied cherries
Make Hot Roll Mix according to directions on box adding ¼ cup sugar, ⅓ cup flour and 1 egg. Mix until smooth dough forms kneading in the extra ¾ cups flour as needed to form a soft but NOT sticky ball of dough.…
Read MoreBaking Day with Baby Bear Stew Cookbook
Today was a day set aside for baking, and baking day it was!!! I made 6 loaves of Armenian Bread/Choreg (on page 152 in the Baby Bear Stew Cookbook) and 5 Xmas Tree Breads (on page 159 in the Baby Bear Stew Cookbook). We began a tradition in our family long long ago to have Xmas Tree Bread on Christmas morning while we open our stocking gifts. We have passed this tradition on for 4 almost 5 generations now. I did realize, with all my girls living away from our town in their own homes that I would be making the Xmas Tree Breads by myself this year. I actually want to have a hands on baking day with them and any interested grandchildren to make sure they know the special secrets of making Choreg and Xmas Tree Bread, so I need to schedule that someday soon. In the meantime-get yourself a copy of the Baby Bear Stew; Family Heritage Cookbook and if you want me to set up a baking day with you give me a call or send me an email. Hands on baking lessons are the BEST!!!
You may have a family traditional recipe that you like to make during the holidays. Why not get together with your kids or grandkids or friends and have a baking day. It is a great time for food fun and fellowship.…
Read MoreBaby Bear Stew Cookbook Inspired Christmas Traditions
The inspiration for the Baby Bear Stew: A Family Heritage Cookbook was built on a long standing family tradition of gourmet food made by all the great cooks in our family and shared with others during the holidays; and when you have a BIG family…that means any time of year. During the Christmas season, my mom, Roz (aka Grammie Rozzie to my kids) gathered her 30-40 favorite girl friends for her annual Cookie Exchange. I understand that the idea of a cookie party around the holidays is a common festive tradition and may no longer seem like the politically correct thing to do (all that SUGAR!!!!!) but my mom began her tradition in the 60s and it was a wonderful yearly highly anticipated event. My mom’s friends LOVED to cook and LOVED to share their recipes. Rozzie’s Cookie Exchange party was such a fantastic event and such a long standing tradition in our town that an article about it was written up in Sunset Magazine. Not only did we feature many of the cookie recipes in the original Baby Bear Stew; Family Heritage Cookbook that my mom, my aunt Nancy and my Gram created back in the day, I am the proud recipient of ALL of those incredible cookie recipes from over 50 years of Cookie Exchange Parties. That priceless box of vintage cookie recipes is just waiting to be shared, soooooo….another project on my bucket list is to write a Cookie Exchange Cookbook- 50 Years of Family Tradition. Today I am going to share a recipe with you that my mom created years ago. The original name of the recipe (on page 212 of the Baby Bear Stew Cookbook) is Oriental Brittle Cookies (not sure how politically correct that name is in today’s world). It is a crisp …
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