Fall Favorites

 First of all, I would like to show you all the crazy phenomenon that is my yard right now. We have had some nasty, rainy, gloomy weather for about a week straight and my yard is now a field of mushrooms. I've never seen anything like it. At first I thought our house was sitting on something really weird and gross but then I heard on the radio that the mushrooms are everywhere. I took the time to look around and they are - in fact - everywhere; so now I don't feel so bad. 

I've never seen mushrooms grow like this before! But they spring up within a day or two and so I'm out pulling them by hand (yuck!) three times a week so the dogs don't eat them. Luckily the dogs only seem to like things they can actually play with like sticks or squirrels , so the mushrooms don't seem to interest them but I'm not going to take chances. 

This is the neighbor's yard and they have just as many so I don't feel like I'm the only one with a rotting yard. I did find out that my mushrooms are growing off the roots of a dead tree stump so until we get that removed, the yard dries up or it freezes, we have a mushroom farm. 

Now to the fun fall things. First up: Butternut squash. It comes around every fall and you either love it, hate it, or don't know what to do with it. 

It's pretty easy, inexpensive and makes a unique side dish. If you're unfamiliar with it, butternut squash is firm until cooked (think: potato) and has a slightly sweet but mild taste.

All you have to do is cut in in half, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Once it's cool enough to touch, peel it and gut it out (the round part has seeds like a pumpkin). 

You can serve it in slices, or mashed up. It's really good with a little butter and cinnamon and a few roasted nuts if you're feeling adventurous. Pureed it makes a great thick soup for a chilly day. 

I have a second food culprit for today. It is the signature of fall for many people: the pumpkin spice latte, "pumpkin pie in a cup".  A Starbucks 12 oz Pumpkin Spice Latte has 300 calories, and 38 grams of sugar. Not to mention the artificial flavorings and modified food products used for the pumpkin sauce, it all just seemed a little less appetizing (ingredients listed here; pumpkin, ironically, is not an ingredient). Not to mention the $4+ it costs for a single drink when you can make it at home for about $.90 or about $.60 if you don't use organic. (Yes, I did the math!)

There are a ton of recipes for similar drinks out there and it really comes down to taste. Some people like it sweeter, some people like it spicier, some people like it more pumpkin-y. Here's one I've used for the past few days so modify it to your heart's content!

What You Need:

• Canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Milk product of choice 
• Sweetener of choice (sugar, agave nectar, stevia, honey)
• Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Nutmeg, Allspice (or any combination of similar spices)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz espresso or 4 oz strong regular coffee

What To Do:

1. In a saucepan heat 6 oz of water if you're using espresso or 4 oz water if you're using coffee. Bring to a boil.
2. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and stir until dissolved. 
3. Add 1-2 tbsp of sweetener to taste (obviously less if you're using stevia, use your judgement).
4. Add vanilla and your spices to taste. I don't measure anything but it's probably 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg and just a sprinkle of allspice. Clove would probably be good here too, I'd just keep adding them and tasting it until it's where you want it. 
5. Once the spices are dissolved, add 1 cup of your favorite milk product. I like unsweetened organic soy. 
6. Reduce the heat and add your coffee/espresso. 
7. Here is where I finish but it does not yield a frothy latte. You can toss the whole thing in a blender to froth it up, or give it a few stirs with a handheld milk frother. Top with whipped cream and spices if you like and enjoy!

Put the extra pumpkin in a container and store it in the fridge to use the rest of the week. Or use it for yummy pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread!

(Sausage) Rotini with Lentils

This recipe is quick (20 mins!) and delicious so get ready for happy bellies.

Sausage Rotini with lentils

You will need:

• Rotini Pasta
• Your choice of Sausage
• Dried Lentils
• Onions
• Garlic
• Black Pepper
• Basil
• Chopped Mint

Optional:

• Basil Pesto
• Capers

What to do:

1. Boil 2 pots of water: one for lentils and one for pasta.
2. Add the lentils and reduce heat to simmer. While you're waiting you can chop up some fresh onion.
3. About 10 minutes later, add pasta to the other pot of boiling water.
4. Slice up the sausage and cook in a skillet with the onions and garlic for a few minutes each side. There is no need for oil here because the sausage has so much.
5. As soon as the pasta is done (or 20 minutes after you've added the lentils), you're set to serve.
6. Sprinkle with Black pepper, basil, and mint. If you'd like, a tablespoon each of pesto and capers make a tasty addition.

Rotini sans sausage

No, it doesn't have to be rotini pasta but thats what we had and it looks so pretty. The sausage we used was from TJ's... Eric said it was "very good" and that actually says a lot.

I know pesto was used in the artichokes but we have a jar in the fridge so it might be in everything for a while. I can't think of anyone who would complain about that, though...

Rotini with sausage, lentils, capers, and... taco meat. 

I usually only make enough for 1-1.5 "helpings" per person but Hubby's been working out twice a day for the past couple weeks and apparently one helping wasn't gonna cut it - so he improvised with leftover taco chicken from the other night. Not my first choice but I guess I'm lucky he'll eat just about anything.

Roast, Potatoes and Artichoke

While grocery shopping last week, my husband picked out a pre-seasoned, pre-marinated roast (grass-fed, no antibiotics, minimally processed... all the good stuff) and I decided to put it in the crock pot yesterday with some potatoes. 

When most people have roast and potatoes... that's the meal: roast and potatoes. What happens when you don't want roast? Just potatoes for dinner? That doesn't sound right! So began my search for something I could throw in the crock pot that would be just as delicious and veggie friendly. Lo and behold: artichokes. 


Artichokes have become one of my favorite foods; they're versatile, nutritious, and (as I found out yesterday) can cook all day and not turn into a giant pile of mush. 


Since the roast was already seasoned I didn't do a thing to it I just tossed it in the crock pot with about a cup of water. I washed and quartered about 6 red potatoes and threw them in with it. 


This recipe is mostly about the artichokes, and if you've never had them: I suggest you try this tonight.


You will need:

• a few whole artichokes (2-4)
• olive oil
• pesto
• minced garlic
• salt
• pepper

Roast, potatoes, and artichoke

What to do:

1. Wash the artichokes and cut off most of the stem, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch.
2. Cut off the top inch of the leafy part.
3. Take a kitchen scissors, clean regular scissors or small knife and cut of the prickly tips of the remaining leaves. I wish I would have taken a picture of this part. It's just prettier and more pleasant to eat if you're not getting stabbed by your food. 
4. Pull the leaves outward to spread them apart.
5. Between the leaves, spread a little pesto and/or minced garlic.
6. Place them stem-side down in the crock pot.
7. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Cook entire contents on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Artichoke, potatoes, and hummus

To eat:
How in the world to you eat artichoke?

1. Pull the leaves off one at a time and bite down. 
2. Use your teeth to drag the "meaty" flesh off the inside and discard the tough leaf. 
3. Since these are seasoned they're great plain but I like to dip them in some tzatziki sauce or hummus.

Tzatziki is a greek sauce commonly served on gyros and sometimes better known in America as cucumber-dill sauce. I might have to do a post on that all on its own - it's amazing.

I don't know why I haven't posted any pictures of the babies (dogs) on here! My camera is full of them. I thought this was too funny not to share.

While I was cutting the potatoes yesterday, one piece fell on the floor. The puppy who will eat anything ran in and snatched it up. 10 minutes later I hear her playing in the other room. I hear her throwing things and jumping all over: she frequently plays fetch by herself with her toys. 

I go check on her and she's playing with the potato! She'd throw it and tackle it, and toss it in the air and try to catch it. I had to take a picture to share. 

Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Yesterday at the grocery store, my husband bought a pound of ground beef. I asked him if he wanted burgers for dinner tonight and he said, "You don't eat hamburgers so why would you make them for dinner?"

Hamburgers for him, black bean quinoa burgers for me.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a seed that can be cooked up and eaten like rice. It is a complete protein, something rarely found in the plant world. It is a good source of fiber and other nutrients, too, so it makes a filling side (or staple) to any meal.

You will need:

• 1 cup prepared black beans
• 1 cup prepared quinoa
• 5-6 saltine crackers

1 teaspoon each:

• garlic powder
• season salt
• black pepper
• cumin
• chili powder

What to do:

1. Put the beans, quinoa, and crackers in a blender or food processor. Blend until well mixed and fairly smooth, you don't want big cracker chunks in your burgers.
2. Add seasonings and pulse until mixed.
3. Form the mixture into four patties and either cook them on the stovetop or grill for about 2 minutes each side, or bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until firm. 

Want real meat? Substitute the black beans/quinoa for ground beef, chicken or turkey; everyone's happy. You could also combine the meat and the bean mixture to stretch the recipe out for a larger crowd and add some extra fiber and nutrients to the table. 

I made four patties each of these to freeze so we have something quick to fix up on lazy days. My lazy self will thank my proactive self later. 

Back to Cooking!

So our roadtrip eating adventure was not as exciting as I had planned. We snacked during the day and usually ate a sub sandwich late in the afternoon. It was all delicious but not very noteworthy.

This, however, was an awesome trail mix I picked up at a truck stop in California and thought it was worth mentioning. It was a house mix of raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins, peanuts, and I don't remember what else. I was impressed with it and had to share. 

Back to reality! We are home, unpacked and ready to start cooking again (YAY) so I am posting our first home cooked meal in the new house.

I did something simple since we don't have a ton of staples that one acquires over time. Here I present: Kung Pao chicken stir fry over noodles.

 You will need:

• Oil
• Noodles
• Stir-fry vegetables
• Chicken
• Eggs (optional)
• Seasoning packet (Kung Pao)

What to do:

1. Boil water in a pot for the noodles.
2. Heat skillet or grill and add fresh chicken breast, season to taste. 
3. In a skillet, heat oil (I used sesame for the first time). Once hot, crack eggs one a a time and scramble briefly. 
4. Add noodles to boiling water. 
5. Add fresh or frozen veggies, cook until heated through and egg is completely cooked. 
6. Mix sauce according to directions.
7. Serve noodles topped with veggies, chicken, and sauce.

 We now live 2 minutes from a Trader Joe's and I am in love with that place! The vegetables I used were a fresh mix from there and fresh trumps frozen any day of the week.

It's late in the season for starting a garden but hopefully next year many of these veggies will be home-grown. Until then, it will probably be TJ's veggies and meat.

We also do not have a microwave at the moment (I would like to postpone it for as long as I can) so some recipes might involve doing things the "long way" so if you want to zap stuff go for it, I will make note of shortcuts if I catch them.

Hope you all enjoyed your summer! Thanks for reading!

Appetizers For Any Crowd

What do you do when you want to eat healthy but your friends and family don't share your enthusiasm? You can persuade them that healthy doesn't mean boring by bringing some tasty treats!

First off: Stuffed Mushrooms

You Will Need:

• Medium sized portabella mushrooms
• Salsa
• Diced olives, bell pepper, and onion
• Black beans
• Cheese

What To Do: 

1. Wash and hollow out the mushrooms and place on a baking sheet
2. Fill with salsa, olives, bell pepper, onions and beans
3. Sprinkle with cheese
4. Place under a medium broiler for about 5 minutes

If you look closely you'll see the mushrooms on the right are vegan (made with Daiya mozzarella style shreds) and the mushrooms on the left are made with regular cheese. You can stuff these with any combination of things that would taste amazing. Feta, tomato and spinach is good with seasoning or you could do them like mini pizzas with tomato sauce and toppings. The possibilities are endless!

Second: Spinach Rolls 

My mom used to make a variation of these for gatherings and everyone loved them. They're still one of my favorite snacks.

You Will Need:

• Tortillas 
• Hummus 
• Spinach
• Toothpicks
• Lunch meat (optional)

What To Do:

1. Spread a tablespoon or two of hummus over the tortilla in an even layer; not too thick or it will get messy. I used tomato basil tortillas and roasted red pepper hummus for extra flavor.
2. Layer the tortilla with spinach, again: not too much.
3. If you'd like, place a few pieces of lunch meat on top. If you're skipping the meat, double up on spinach.
4. Carefully roll the tortilla away from you, making it as tight as possible. It helps if you only put the toppings on 3/4 the tortilla so they don't fall out when you roll it up.
5. Insert toothpicks to hold the roll together, about 1 inch apart.
6. Carefully cut between the toothpicks, and serve.

Rolling these up is really difficult so it might take a few tries. Once you get the hang of it they're actually pretty - and of course delicious!

Almond Joy Muffins

Everyone knows (or should know) that muffins are not an innocent breakfast food. It is exactly the same as eating cake for breakfast and about as nutritiously sound. Hidden underneath that fruit and nut "healthy" appearance is usually tons of empty carbs and fat. Sometimes we just want cake for breakfast so here's a quick easy out-of-the-ordinary and more nutritious muffin.

What You Need:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup steel cut oats ("Old fashioned")
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or substitute)
• 1 egg (or: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup egg beaters, 1 tablespoon powdered egg replacement)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup organic milk (or soy, rice, almond)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (or 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds (or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
• 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a separate bowl mix applesauce, egg, milk, vanilla, and other extracts if you're using them. 
4. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry mixture.
5. Add chocolate chips and coconut/almonds if you're using them.
6. Either grease the pan or use muffin liners and spoon mixture evenly into muffin tin. 
7. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Please note that these will not rise up to be gigantic topped muffins you're used to. The whole wheat flour and oatmeal make them less fluffy and more dense. If you need fluffy muffins you can use half white flour, half wheat and use quick cooking oats instead of steel cut.

These muffins are way better than your average muffin because they are not only tasty but using whole grains and skipping the oil helps pack in a good amount of protein, fiber, and nutrients so you won't be hungry or tired an hour after you eat. 

Vegetarian Beef Stew

Is that an oxymoron? Why yes it is! After the vegetarian experiment, I decided to continue with it and my husband decided he couldn't give up all meat all the time. So what happens now? A lot of creative recipes.

Beef stew was a favorite of mine growing up bust mostly because I LOVE cooked carrots and despised anything with ground beef. This week, hubby requested beef stew because he had picked up some nice meat at the farmer's market - free range, grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free - and we needed to use it even if it was 100 degrees outside.

What does a new vegetarian who loves beef stew do?? She finds a replacement!

What You Need:

• Packaged stew meat or chuck roast cut into pieces
• Vegetables of choice (carrots, peas, potatoes, radishes, eggplant, etc.)
• Edamame (soybeans)
• Low-sodium broth
• Package beef stew seasoning

What You Do:

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot with 1-2 cups low sodium broth
2. Mix the packet of beef stew seasoning with water according to package directions and add to crock pot, saving about 1/4 cup for edamame, if desired
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
4. Heat a small amount of stew seasoning mix (or broth) in a separate pan and add shelled edamame. Cook on low for about 20 minutes to heat through and infuse flavor. 
5. When serving: for regular beef stew, dish up from the slow cooker. When serving for non-beef stew, avoid the meat and add 1/4 cup cooked edamame instead. 

Note: You could use any veggie-friendly protein in lieu of meat but the edamame worked well with the vegetable medley we already had going. The beef stew seasoning mix we used also contained beef fat but I was OK with it since it tasted like the stew I loved growing up.

Bed Snack

This recipe was one my parents used to make when I was growing up. It's so simple and tasty I just had to share it.


When I was little, my parents would read a book to my brother, my sister and me while we ate a snack before bed. This snack we admirably named "Bed Snack" was made for us once in a while and was always our favorite.

All you'll need:

• Regular sized marshmallows
• Crackers

My parents made them with plain old saltines but I wouldn't pass up the chance to incorporate a few more whole grains so I used kashi 7 grain crackers. The whole grains help to lower the glycemic index since marshmallows have an alarming amount of sugar in them. The package I bought listed a serving as 4 mallows with each serving having 19 grams of sugar! Topping a carby cracker with a gooey mound of sugar probably isn't the best idea before bed so this might make a better mid-afternoon snack... especially if you're feeding it to your children.

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to about 300
2. Lay out the crackers on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and top each cracker with a marshmallow. Be sure to center the mallow because they puff up in the oven and if it slides off you'll have a gooey mess.
3. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed up and light golden brown on top - about 5 minutes.
4. Remove and allow to cool before eating.

This is an easy one for the kids to help with (not putting them in or taking them out of the oven, of course) and they will love watching the marshmallows grow as they cook. People of all ages love a good sweet, salty, crunchy, melty treat once in a while!