Cooking
Super Simple Sweet Potato Ground Chicken Burgers
My cooking style is simple. I check a recipe before I put it on my meal planning list. If it has too many ingredients or steps, it does not make the cut. No matter how good it might be. Because chances are, I’m doing 10 other things while making dinner. That’s just the life of a mom, right?!!
So these simple and delicious Sweet Potato Ground Chicken Burgers definitely make the cut!
Gather your ingredients and prepare to wow your family’s taste buds.
Sweet Potato Ground Chicken Burgers
adapted from Dashing Dish
Ingredients:
- 1 package (about 1.25 lbs) Ground chicken or Lean ground turkey (Ground chicken is much more moist which allowed the burgers to stick together better)
- 1 Medium sweet potato (*see below for simple directions for steaming your sweet potato)
- 1 cup Chopped fresh spinach
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1 TBS coconut aminos
- Whole grain buns (or lettuce wraps) for serving
*Simple directions to cook sweet potato: Peel and cut off ends. Cube into 1/2in cubes. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring water to boil and continue to boil until you can easily pierce with a fork. You want the potatoes tender, not mushy. 8-12 minutes depending on the size of your sweet potato.
Instructions:
- Precook the sweet potato using method above. Mash with a potato masher. Let cool.
- Combine the ground chicken, cooled sweet potato, spinach, coconut aminos and seasonings into a large bowl.
- Turn on your pans. Lightly coat with a non stick spray or coconut oil if needed.
- Form into patties. I can usually make enough for 8 patties.
- Cook about 5-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
- Serve with a whole grain bun, lettuce wrapped, or bun-less with a side
Pumpkin Ginger Scones
The sights, sounds and smells of Fall are in the air and the mornings are cooler. School has been in session for weeks now and hopefully the kids have settled into a routine that allows for a healthy breakfast.
But if you still find yourself running around in the morning with many days that they need a grab-n-go breakfast or a pick-me-up-snack midmorning, these Pumpkin Ginger Spice Scones are packed full of nutritious deliciousness. Make up a batch and they will be gobbled up in a day or two. You can easily double the batch and freeze some.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour (plus additional ½ cup flour when kneading dough)
1 cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup hemp seed
¼ cup oat bran
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
2 Tablespoons ground flax meal (I leave this out because Flax seed bothers my stomach)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup crystallized ginger chopped fine
½ cup cold butter
¼ cup undenatured whey pumpkin protein powder (you can substitute vanilla)
5 Tablespoons honey
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup plain greek yogurt
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped crystallized ginger to dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients with ginger until resembles small meal. In a small bowl, mix honey, pumpkin puree and yogurt. Fold wet ingredients into dry in the large bowl. Only stir until dry ingredients are moist so scones stay light and fluffy. Roll dough out into a large rectangle 1 inch thick on a floured board and cut into scone sized squares, triangles or circles. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Yields 25 small scones or 12 large …
Pumpkin Harvest Hummus
This Pumpkin Harvest Hummus is absolutely the perfect snack to have on hand to take to a “Fall Festival-Harvest Party” or to have on hand when friends stop by. Serve with carrots, cucumber slices or any other of your favorite raw vegetables. We also love to steam broccoli and cauliflower for dipping. Put out a bowlful and serve with pita chips when friends come by. I made some for a party last week and it received rave reviews so I thought I would share it with you.
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons water (if needed to thin as you blend)
Put all ingredients into a Vitamix or blender and mix until pureed to the consistency of hummus. Use a bit of water to thin it out if you think it is too thick. Pour into an airtight container and chill until ready to use. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, pita chips or pita bread. It also makes a great spread for your pita pocket veggie or turkey sandwich (with a bit of cranberry sauce, lettuce and tomato).
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 2 Tablespoons Tahini
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon cayenne (ground
Turkey Zucchini Burgers
It’s not too late to do some more bbqing before summer is over! Here is a fun new recipe to try! Spice it up with different toppings, flavors, cheese, sauces. And Enjoy! We enjoyed these with sweet potato fries, and roasted vegetables. We wrapped the burgers in lettuce, with tomato, cheese, and avocado.
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ c shredded zucchini (squeeze out moisture, measured after squeezed)
- ¼ c oats (grind into flour)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2tsp oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- Tomato, avocado, lettuce (and/or bun), sauces
- Grind oats into a flour with a food processor or bullet blender. Shred zucchini with a cheese grader and wrap in a paper towel and squeeze. Combine ingredients in a bowl and form into 5 patties.
- Cook in a pan on medium heat about 6 minutes on each side.
- Serve in a lettuce wrap with desired toppings.
Sweet potato fries recipe from Ravienomnoms.com
Turkey Zucchini Burgers
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 c shredded zucchini (squeeze out moisture, measured after squeezed)
1/4 c oats (grind into flour)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Tomato, avocado, lettuce (and/or bun), sauces
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Grind oats into a flour with a food processor or bullet blender. Shred zucchini with a cheese grader and wrap in a paper towel and squeeze. Combine ingredients in a bowl and form into 5 patties.
- Cook in a pan on medium heat about 6 minutes on each side. You can also grill on the bbq.
- Serve
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies
We are rejoicing today because after a 9 month and 1 week wait….our KITCHEN IS FINALLY FINISHED!!! I spent the entire afternoon baking in preparation for a baby shower for our 10th grandchild. My heart is bursting with joy to be the blessed Gammie that I am. Children are a gift from the Lord and grandchildren are a double blessing. Watching my girls be moms to their children is one of the most amazing aspects of my life. I am so proud of the job they are doing. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world but it has the biggest payback when you see your own children passionately focusing on passing on many of the intentional things you taught them about love and servant leadership. We love to celebrate new birth and this weekend we will be celebrating Baby Boy Banihashemi due to arrive at the end of October. His mom and big sister Sophie will be here for the weekend along with cousin Garrett and his mommy.
Here is the finished kitchen……
So today I tried out my new ovens by baking a new recipe called Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups old fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary)
¾ cups flour (gluten free if necessary)
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅓ teaspoon cloves
12 teaspoon ginger
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 egg (make flax egg out of 1 TBS flax meal and 2 ½ TBS water, mix well and let sit a few min)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Combine wet …
Hatch Green Chili Enchilada Casserole
As summer winds down and you find yourself a bit stressed about getting back into the routine of school schedules, regular commitments starting up again or just a busier life ahead…this is a great recipe to have on hand. It is easy and nutritious. You can make it ahead of time and bake it later. It serves a large family and is great for parties. I made this a few weeks ago when we had a crowd of people stay for dinner after Garrett’s first birthday. If you can’t find Hatch Green Chili Salsa you can use salsa verde.
10-12 medium sized flour tortillas (I used the homemade style ones from Trader Joe’s)
4 large chicken breast cooked and chopped into chunks (cook in 2 cups chicken broth for 4-6 hours in crockpot)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cups yellow onions chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 cups greek plain yogurt
2 bottles Hatch Green Chili Salsa (Trader Joe’s brand)
2-3 cups Colby Jack cheese grated (you can use Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar mixed)
- 10-12 medium sized flour tortillas (I used the homemade style ones from Trader Joe's)
- 4 large chicken breast cooked and chopped into chunks (cook in 2 cups chicken broth for 4-6 hours in crockpot)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 cups yellow onions chopped fine
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 cups greek plain yogurt
- 2 bottles Hatch Green Chili Salsa (Trader Joe's brand)
Birthday Boy on a Budget
A week ago my little boy turned 1! I can’t believe it. A year ago I was blessed beyond measure with my little baby boy, who we named Garrett and has brought an enormous amount of joy into my life. And of course, in normal mom fashion, the one year old birthday party became a thing. I set out to not make it a big deal… but I was just having way too much fun! But one thing I did stick to was my budget. I was able to throw a fairly large birthday party and not spend too much money. It took lots of lists, preparation, help, delegation, and lots of time. But I loved it!
My best advice in planning a party: Simplify. Say no to things. Do little touches of pop. You don’t need every decoration or every DIY you see. Choose a few things that you can have fun with. Don’t break the budget or break your sanity! Within reason you can have a cute, fun, creative birthday party!
A couple tips:
- Pick a theme or color
- Make a general budget
- Sale shop a little bit online
- See if family wants to contribute to the party
- Use a food favor or something people can use
- Wait to buy your baby presents until after the party and you see what they get
Decor:
- Bought plates, utensils, and napkins at the dollar store in my color
- Chose a few things on etsy that I could print out myself and make
- Got some ideas on pinterest and etsy and made them myself
- Used amazon prime for puff balls, bean bags, and bubble machine
Activity:
- Choose a few activities for kids
- Lawn games
- Music
- Food
Snacks:
- Buy kid snacks and juice boxes at Costco
- Otter pops or popsicles in the
Fresh Harvest Vegetable Marinara Sauce
This is the FIRST OFFICIAL recipe I have cooked in my new kitchen!!!!
We still have a few little repairs that need to be finished before it is completely done, but I can start creating new recipes and get back into my love of cooking now that I don’t have to cook in my laundry room anymore. It has been a LONG 8 months.
One of my distractions while waiting on the kitchen to be finished has been tending my vegetable garden…..Having a vegetable garden is fun and rewarding. The challenge is to use up the produce as it fills up the kitchen. So I decided to be creative and see how many of the vegetables from our garden I could use up in one recipe. I combined our garden veggies with a few things added from our local farmer’s market and cooked up a batch of vegetarian pasta sauce.
Ingredients
2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions
5 cloves garlic
6 carrots
5 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh parsley
3 cups spinach
10 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbs sugar
2 (28 oz) cans organic crushed tomatoes
I washed all the vegetables and starting with the onions, I cut them each into chunks and used my Cuisinart to finely chop each vegetable one type at a time. I put a large pot on medium heat and added 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and saute until vegetables are soft, 5-10 minutes. Stir regularly so vegetables do not stick. Chop the basil, parsley and spinach and add to the large pot and stir another 5 minutes. Add 2 cans of organic crushed tomatoes and fresh tomatoes that have been chopped into chunks in the cuisinart. …
Read MoreMaking Summer Meals Fun
I LOVE to cook and during the summer months I like to try new recipes and use the barbecue. I LOVE to eat outside and to have friends over for homemade ice cream and spend long summer afternoons and evenings hanging out by the pool. BUT, this summer has been a different story……You may be wondering what these pictures have to do with making fun summer meals……well, the reality is that this summer, I am attempting to make fun summer meals from my 60 square ft. laundry room. My creativity and patience have been put to a test for the past 7 1.2 months as we have waited and watched our kitchen restoration/floor repair/remodel take place after a refrigerator leak last November. Since Thanksgiving, I have been cooking out of my laundry room. With much anticipation and hope, I thought my situation would be different than it is today. With most of our family coming for the 4th of July holiday, I was certain I would finally be able to entertain and cook for my family out of my new kitchen, but alas…….it does not look like that will be a reality for us this holiday season. So this past weekend, my sweet husband and a few dear friends and my brother worked tirelessly to get the rest of the house as ready as possible for the arrival of our long awaited visitors.
This is the result of being able to at least unpack some of my bins full of kitchen items.
This is where most of the contents of our home have been stored during this process. We are frantically trying to get this room ready for the grandchildren coming in a few days.
Here is a number of boxes that still need to be sorted through.
Here is …
Creating Excitement Around the Table
Meals with little ones can be a struggle. Trying to get the kids to eat, teaching manners, trying again to get them to eat…it is exhausting.
I have found that cooking meals together creates more excitement around the table.
It might seem simple, but thinking of the cooking as a learning and bonding experience brings that attitude to the meal. Rather than seeing the frustrating and annoying things happening at the table, you see the meal you worked on as a family AND chances to teach and learn and grow together as a family!
I find that cooking together also creates an excitement to EAT the meal. PRAISE THE LORD! A meal the kids actually want to eat!!
Cooking together is also a great time to practice counting, measuring, taking turns, sharing, listening, and all sorts of fun learning experiences!
How do you create excitement around meals for your family?
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