We had a really busy night last night trying to get our ring toss game finished for the Purim Carnival. We had to drink A LOT of sparkling water!!! Needless to say, I lost track of time and suddenly EVERYONE was starving, so, I had to whip something up quick. The boys had cheese quesadilla with sour cream...Daddy had spice beef quesadilla, but I had some truly delicious quesadilla...try 'em out...
Delicately Divine Veggie Quesadillas
about 1T butter
1/4 onion, sliced thinly
1-2T chopped red pepper
4 stalks of asparagus
1/3 can black beans, smashed
1/4c Peach mango salsa
2 Tortillas
Saute the onions down until translucent, then add in the chopped red pepper and asparagus. (You can cook the red pepper with the onions, but I wanted them a little more firm which is why I waited to toss them in). Allow to cook down over Med-Low heat..giggling the pan every now and again.
Drain your beans and rinse. Then, put about 1/3 of the can on a plate and get a little frustration out smashing your beans. I used a potato masher, but a spoon would work. Just smash, don't puree...some whole beans are fine! Then, add to the onion mix in the pan along with the salsa. Stir it up and allow to simmer for a minute or two. Once all the flavors meld together...wrap it up. You can wrap in a tortilla or make it quesadilla style with a little shredded cheese.
These quesadillas were awesome the asparagus makes them a little salty and crunchy while the peach salsa adds a dab of sweetness. I will DEF. make these again. You can use any type of salsa you have, but if you can find a peach salsa...it is worth trying out!!!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Tofu Stir Fry
My husband came up while I was making dinner and said...
"Is that what I think it is? "
"Uh, dinner...yes" I said.
"No, you know what I mean..is that tofu?"
"Yep" I smile (really wide).
"Have you lost your mind? That isn't going anywhere near my dinner right?"
"I know better. Even using a different spatula."
(He did come back a minute later to give me a kiss and say he was glad I was being so healthy. He hope I live well beond him!)
See what I am up against. This is the same man that had a tiny 5 minute hissy fit because I used pasta that was red, green and white pasta for dinner the other night. Right away he inspects..."why is it green? Tell me it is not Spinach!!!" Ok, it is not spinach...what did he really want the truth. Nope. Instead, he refused to eat and made little quips about how good it looked...it only I hadn't ruined it! Who knows what else I put in there... ARG!!! He got over it and picked out the green pasta. Stinker.
So, needless to say when he saw they tofu his radar went up. I was nice enough not to taint his dinner. Instead I separate pans and utensils. He had stir fry chicken with 3 colors of bell pepper and snow peas over Soba Noodles. Tonight was all about me....
Tofu Stir Fry
8 slices of firm Organic Tofu
1T EVOO
Stir Fry Veggies: I used Broccoli, Asparagus, Snow Peas, Red Pepper, Onion,
Sauce:
1/4 c Tamari (Gluten Free Soy Sauce...I love this bc it is GF and low in sodium).
2T brown sugar
2t Rice Vinegar
1t Sambal oelek (chili paste)
1-2 small cloves garlic, minced
Soba Noodles, cooked
1. Saute onions and peppers in less than a T of oil. In a separate pan, saute the slices of tofu 4 at a time for 4 minutes per side.
2. Once the onions have become translucent, then add the remaining veggies. Allow to cook down slowly while the tofu cooks. Then, add the sauce into the pan.
3. When the tofu is done, drain on a paper towel and cut into bite sized strips. Add to the veggies along with the soba noodles and mix. Saute for 2 minutes to allow the sauce to meld with the soba and tofu. Serve.
The sauce is awesome. I made extra...it is an awesome combination.
"Is that what I think it is? "
"Uh, dinner...yes" I said.
"No, you know what I mean..is that tofu?"
"Yep" I smile (really wide).
"Have you lost your mind? That isn't going anywhere near my dinner right?"
"I know better. Even using a different spatula."
(He did come back a minute later to give me a kiss and say he was glad I was being so healthy. He hope I live well beond him!)
See what I am up against. This is the same man that had a tiny 5 minute hissy fit because I used pasta that was red, green and white pasta for dinner the other night. Right away he inspects..."why is it green? Tell me it is not Spinach!!!" Ok, it is not spinach...what did he really want the truth. Nope. Instead, he refused to eat and made little quips about how good it looked...it only I hadn't ruined it! Who knows what else I put in there... ARG!!! He got over it and picked out the green pasta. Stinker.
So, needless to say when he saw they tofu his radar went up. I was nice enough not to taint his dinner. Instead I separate pans and utensils. He had stir fry chicken with 3 colors of bell pepper and snow peas over Soba Noodles. Tonight was all about me....
Tofu Stir Fry
8 slices of firm Organic Tofu
1T EVOO
Stir Fry Veggies: I used Broccoli, Asparagus, Snow Peas, Red Pepper, Onion,
Sauce:
1/4 c Tamari (Gluten Free Soy Sauce...I love this bc it is GF and low in sodium).
2T brown sugar
2t Rice Vinegar
1t Sambal oelek (chili paste)
1-2 small cloves garlic, minced
Soba Noodles, cooked
1. Saute onions and peppers in less than a T of oil. In a separate pan, saute the slices of tofu 4 at a time for 4 minutes per side.
2. Once the onions have become translucent, then add the remaining veggies. Allow to cook down slowly while the tofu cooks. Then, add the sauce into the pan.
3. When the tofu is done, drain on a paper towel and cut into bite sized strips. Add to the veggies along with the soba noodles and mix. Saute for 2 minutes to allow the sauce to meld with the soba and tofu. Serve.
The sauce is awesome. I made extra...it is an awesome combination.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The BEST NEW LUNCH IDEA...
One of my boys is super picky and so finding new Kosher, peanut free lunch ideas that he will ACTUALLY eat is difficult. We have branched out from organic pizza rolls to the Organic Nacho bean and Cheese rolls...totally stoked about that. We have even added banana mini chip waffles to the rotation...but this...this is totally Stupendous! A must try...EVERYONE in the family is gorging!....Are you ready?... wait for it...WAIT for it...
WAFFLED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Yep, you heard me right! Ever had those cheese mac & cheese balls...these are like those times ten! One hint...Spritz your waffle maker with olive oil after every waffle! Check them out! We even froze a bunch for quick lunch and snack ideas.
***AND if you wanna be healthy...add some baby spinach or broccolli. The possibilities are endless!
WAFFLED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Yep, you heard me right! Ever had those cheese mac & cheese balls...these are like those times ten! One hint...Spritz your waffle maker with olive oil after every waffle! Check them out! We even froze a bunch for quick lunch and snack ideas.
***AND if you wanna be healthy...add some baby spinach or broccolli. The possibilities are endless!
2 Meals in One...Meal 2: Roast beef Sliders with a Zippy Lentil Soup
Now that you have dined on this superb roast...Are you ready for sliders?
Zippy Beef Sliders
Break up the remaining beef and warm up. you can warm in a micro or on low on the stove. I prefer to steam it so it retains its moisture. No matter how you do it, warm up your meat. Then, spoon onto your buns (you can toast if you prefer). Top with a thick slice of Swiss cheese. Please all in a cake pan, cover in foil and warm in a 300 degree oven until cheese is melted.
**Don't have left over roast, use cooked chipped beef or chop up Roast beef lunch meat.
I served with Lentil soup
Zippy Red Lentil Soup
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t hot paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaves
2 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth
2 14½ ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
1 pound (2½ cups) dried red lentils (I bought bulk organic red lentils)
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
Kosher Salt
1. Add all ingredients to your stock pot and bring to a boil. Stir frequently so the lentils do not stick. Remove any foam that forms while cooking. reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Lentils should be tender but not dissolving! :) Serve with a dolup of sour cream or my favorite a dollop of plain greek yogurt!
Zippy Beef Sliders
Break up the remaining beef and warm up. you can warm in a micro or on low on the stove. I prefer to steam it so it retains its moisture. No matter how you do it, warm up your meat. Then, spoon onto your buns (you can toast if you prefer). Top with a thick slice of Swiss cheese. Please all in a cake pan, cover in foil and warm in a 300 degree oven until cheese is melted.
**Don't have left over roast, use cooked chipped beef or chop up Roast beef lunch meat.
I served with Lentil soup
Zippy Red Lentil Soup
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t hot paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaves
2 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth
2 14½ ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
1 pound (2½ cups) dried red lentils (I bought bulk organic red lentils)
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
Kosher Salt
1. Add all ingredients to your stock pot and bring to a boil. Stir frequently so the lentils do not stick. Remove any foam that forms while cooking. reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Lentils should be tender but not dissolving! :) Serve with a dolup of sour cream or my favorite a dollop of plain greek yogurt!
2 Meals in One...Meal 1: Zippy Beef Roast
Wegmans had Organic, Grass-fed beef onslae today, so, I picked up 3 lb chuck roasts for about $14.00 a peice. I found a recipe online that I thought I would spin to create 2 nights worth of meals. The orginal recipe uses basically 3 seaoning envelops from the store to create the flavor, but those things are chuck full of all kinds of sodium and chemicals. So, simplified it a bit and it turned out deiciously! Here is my 2-4-1 special!
Crockpot Zippy Beef Roast
2-3lb chuck roast
1 cup Brown gravy with onion
Italian seasoning: 1t garlic powder, 1t oregano, 1 1/2t parsley, 1/2 t basil. 1/4t thyme, 1/4t celery
Salt and Pepper
12 oz jar of Hot Organic Salsa
1. Brown the roast in a skillet (I used cast iron). Remove the roast and place in the crockpot. Saute 1/2 onion until carmelized (Shh! Don't tell my hubbie!), then I removed and pureed (so the big guy wouldn't fuss). In the pan I then, whisked together 1cup beef broth with 2T corn starch. Stired the onion puree back in and let it simmer until it was adequately thick. While thickening, I added my Italian seasoning (instead of the junky dry envelop). Finally I poured it over my beef in the crockpot follwed by the jar of salsa.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours. It should fall apart. I served with potato (and other veggie rounds). Save leftover beef for Meal 2: Zippy Sliders
***This can all be made ahead and frozen also.
Potato (and other Veggie) Rounds: Cut baking potatoes into 1/4" slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in single layer cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. After 10-15 minutes, add a second pan of sliced zucchini and yellow squash. Again, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake and additional 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until melted. *you can also add bacon peices her also if you so choose.
Crockpot Zippy Beef Roast
2-3lb chuck roast
1 cup Brown gravy with onion
Italian seasoning: 1t garlic powder, 1t oregano, 1 1/2t parsley, 1/2 t basil. 1/4t thyme, 1/4t celery
Salt and Pepper
12 oz jar of Hot Organic Salsa
1. Brown the roast in a skillet (I used cast iron). Remove the roast and place in the crockpot. Saute 1/2 onion until carmelized (Shh! Don't tell my hubbie!), then I removed and pureed (so the big guy wouldn't fuss). In the pan I then, whisked together 1cup beef broth with 2T corn starch. Stired the onion puree back in and let it simmer until it was adequately thick. While thickening, I added my Italian seasoning (instead of the junky dry envelop). Finally I poured it over my beef in the crockpot follwed by the jar of salsa.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours. It should fall apart. I served with potato (and other veggie rounds). Save leftover beef for Meal 2: Zippy Sliders
***This can all be made ahead and frozen also.
Potato (and other Veggie) Rounds: Cut baking potatoes into 1/4" slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in single layer cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. After 10-15 minutes, add a second pan of sliced zucchini and yellow squash. Again, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake and additional 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until melted. *you can also add bacon peices her also if you so choose.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Dinner Ideas for the week
Baked Penne with Italian Sausage (2days)
**I am craving pene and italian sausage...I don't care if my hubbies doesn't really care for italian sausage. He can have chops that night!
Beef Stew with challah poppers (2 days)
Veggie stir fry with soba noodles
***with sugar snapped peas
Eggplants Croquettes
Crunchy Chicken and Pasta- something along these lines
A healthy version of These yummy Taquitos
**I am craving pene and italian sausage...I don't care if my hubbies doesn't really care for italian sausage. He can have chops that night!
Beef Stew with challah poppers (2 days)
Veggie stir fry with soba noodles
***with sugar snapped peas
Eggplants Croquettes
Crunchy Chicken and Pasta- something along these lines
A healthy version of These yummy Taquitos
Butternut Squash Risotta
After cooking everyone a different meal, I finally got around to me...Leftovers it is...but not in the traditional way. We gorged on a 2lb. Organic free range chicken last night. I roasted it in the oven slowly...mouthwatering. If you haven't tried organic, free-ranged chicken, you just don't know what you are missing. No dinky, shrinky cooked chicken over here. Anywho, I had some left over chicken and half a baked butternut squash, but I was craving risotto...so...
Butternut Squash Risotto++
1T butter (I used Earthy balance)
1TOlive Oil
3/4 c arborio rice
1/4 c dry white wine
2-3 c veggie stock
1/2 medium butternut squash
4 stalks asparagus, sauteed
sliced chicken
Heat oven to 425˚. Cut butternut squash in half, brush both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a baking tray and roast for 45-55 minutes until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled slightly, scoop out the squash into a large bowl and mash until smooth or place in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Microwave stock in a measure cup for 2 minutes until hot. Then, in a pan melt butter with olive oil and saute the asparagus. When, al dente, add in one additional tablespoon of butter. Once melted add in rice again. Allow the butter and rice to meld for a minute or 2, then add in the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, laddle in 2 spoonfuls of warm stock.Again, allow to evaporate before adding in more stock. This will allow the rissotto to soften without being soup or mushy.
While you are working on the risotto, mash up the left over squash (or process it). As the rice softens, stir in the squash. Once finished, serve topped with the warm asparagus and plated with leftover chicken!
Butternut Squash Risotto++
1T butter (I used Earthy balance)
1TOlive Oil
3/4 c arborio rice
1/4 c dry white wine
2-3 c veggie stock
1/2 medium butternut squash
4 stalks asparagus, sauteed
sliced chicken
Heat oven to 425˚. Cut butternut squash in half, brush both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a baking tray and roast for 45-55 minutes until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled slightly, scoop out the squash into a large bowl and mash until smooth or place in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Microwave stock in a measure cup for 2 minutes until hot. Then, in a pan melt butter with olive oil and saute the asparagus. When, al dente, add in one additional tablespoon of butter. Once melted add in rice again. Allow the butter and rice to meld for a minute or 2, then add in the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, laddle in 2 spoonfuls of warm stock.Again, allow to evaporate before adding in more stock. This will allow the rissotto to soften without being soup or mushy.
While you are working on the risotto, mash up the left over squash (or process it). As the rice softens, stir in the squash. Once finished, serve topped with the warm asparagus and plated with leftover chicken!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
