Lentil Soup with Kale

I just made this tonight and it was yummy. We ate it with grilled cheese sandwiches. I found this recipe in a parenting magazine.

2 tsp. canola oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 lg. carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. green or brown lentils
12 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
8 cups chopped kale
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (I skipped this one)

Heat the oil in a 6-qt. pot over med/high heat. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir, cooking for another minute or so. Add the broth, lentils, basil, thyme, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add kale, and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and zest and serve.

Chicken Piccata

This recipe is from a book called: Not Your Mother's Weeknight Cooking. I made this for Saba and Nana and they asked me to post the recipe, so here it is:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded out to 1/4" thickness)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour or oat flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. shallot, minced (or 1/4 cup finely diced onion)
1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
2 tbsp. chopped, drained capers
2 tbsp. chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in flour on both sides.

In large skillet, over med/high heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Saute chicken until golden brown, 2 to 3 min. per side. Remove chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add shallot to skillet and cook until translucent, 1 min., stirring constantly. Add broth/wine, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a low boil and stir for a few minutes until reduced and thickened slightly. Return chicken to skillet and partially cover. Spoon sauce over chicken as you lift the lid every few minutes. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes, but be careful to not overcook.

Add parsley to sauce, and plate it up.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

This is a somewhat specialized recipe because it requires sourdough starter. What I really like about it though is that it is a recipe for "discarded" starter, not active starter. A great way to keep from drowning in starter and not let it go to waste! I've adapted the recipe to include soaking of the whole wheat flour in order to eliminate phytates and make it more nourishing. I've also subbed out the oil and sugar for healthier alternatives. (I've been making it with a white flour starter, but a whole wheat starter would surely work just as well.)

Adapted from a recipe by Mike Avery.

Ingredients:

1 C sourdough starter (discarded/refrigerated starter)

1 C whole wheat flour (sift flour prior to measuring)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1/4 melted coconut oil or melted butter

1/2 C honey

1 tsp baking soda

~1/2 C blueberries

Method:

In a stand mixer, combine sourdough starter and whole wheat flour. Once the two are thoroughly combined, cover the dough with plastic wrap ensuring that none of it is exposed to the air. Let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours.

The dough will rise some while it sits. If any of it has gotten exposed to the air and gotten dry, just remove those bits so you don't have little dough nuggets in your final product.

12-24 hours later, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with papers or grease the cups.

In a separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients except for blueberries and baking soda. Then add those to the dough in the mixer's bowl and mix together. Once all the ingredients are mixed and have come together as a batter, sprinkle the baking soda in the bowl and mix batter again briefly to incorporate. Fold in blueberries and scoop into prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 20 min. Makes 8-12 muffins.

I have also made this recipe as pumpkin muffins. Instead of blueberries, mix in 1/2 C pumpkin puree (I add it to the same bowl in which I'm mixing the egg, honey, oil etc.). In addition to the cinnamon, I also added about 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground coriander and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Adjust spices to your liking,

Whole Grain Blender Pancakes/Waffles

This Sue Gregg recipe is one of our regular breakfasts. It's a great way to incorporate a variety of whole grains in your diet. There is no flour in these pancakes! I always do the two stage process and start my batter the day or night before. This will get more nutrients from the grains if they soak in an acidic medium (the yogurt or buttermilk) for several hours. (Oats should soak 24 hours). Complete explanation below. Check out the link to her webpage for more details about this recipe including FAQs and troubleshooting... although I've never had any problems with it.

This is copied and pasted from her webpage (with extra info left out):

AMOUNT: 3 - 4 Servings ( 8--6" pancakes or 3 to 4--7" waffles )

1. Place in blender; blend at highest speed 3 minutes (less in a Vita-Mix or Bosch), while adding enough liquid to maintain a vortex:

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt [or kefir] thinned with water to same consistency or 1 1/4+ cups for waffles--a thinner batter is best
(Non-dairy allergy alternatives: rice, coconut, almond milk, apple juice or apple sauce + 1 Tbsp. vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, but recommended)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional for flavor, omit with buckwheat)
1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats or whole oats or other grain
1/2 cup buckwheat, brown rice, corn, millet, or other grain

These are raw whole uncooked grains, not flour! We urge you to experiment with millet, barley, spelt, and Kamut® grain for varied tastes and textures. Avoid bothersome allergies. For those who are gluten intolerant try the gluten free grains: brown rice, corn, and millet.

2. Cover blender and let stand at room temperature several hours or overnight for improved nutrition. Optional but recommended: See The Two Stage Process.(below)

3. Preheat griddle on medium-high (until water drops sizzle on surface), or waffle iron at highest temperature.

4. Just before baking, add and reblend for 1 to 3 or more minutes until smooth:

1 egg (or alternative)
1 tablespoon flax seed (Optional for added nutritional value)
additional liquid (as needed to keep batter churning)

5. Blend in thoroughly, but briefly, "sifting" these through a small strainer (assist with rubber spatula, if needed):
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1 teaspoon baking powder*
(*Optional: With the Two Stage Process the baking powder can be omitted and the baking soda increased to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon as needed).

Technique tip: If you can successfully drop the soda & salt into the spinning blades at the bottom of the vortex, you can omit sifting.

6. Bake on hot griddle or in waffle iron (3 to 5 minutes until crisp), lightly sprayed with non-stick olive oil spray as needed.

* * *
The Two Stage Process Optional for enhanced nutrition and smoother batter. After blending let the batter rest for 6 or 7 hours or overnight at room temperature. Remember you will add the egg later. However, if you've already added the egg, be sure to refrigerate the batter. Soaking the batter gives enzymes time to release nutrients (especially calcium, magnesium, and iron) bound up by phytates in the grains. In addition to maximizing nutritional value the two stage process allows the batter to soak up liquid, consequently, producing an even smoother batter.

Preheat the waffle iron on highesttemperature or griddle on medium high (until drops of water sizzle)
Add egg and reblend on highest speed 1 to 3 minutes or until smooth

About Whole Grains:
Try them all.
brown rice (waffles are light, crispy--our favorite)
oats (rolled or whole) May need to cook a little longer. Blend well to produce a smoother batter with coarser grains.)
buckwheat (raw, sprouting or toasted, very flavorful) Reduce to 1/2 - 1 cup--this grain expands. Omit vanilla.
millet (waffles are especially light)
barley (hulled, not pearled--reduce to 1/2 - 1 cup)
corn (dry whole, not meal)
Kamut®grain, spelt (allergy alternatives to wheat)
triticale, rye (tend to be heavy. blend with lighter grains)

Sweet Potato Dollars

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best! This is from Nourishing Traditions.

Serves 4

3-4 sweet potatoes
3 T melted butter
3 T extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Peel potatoes andslice crosswice at 1/4 inch intervals into "dollars." Brush two cookie sheets* wth mixture of butter and olive oil. Arrange the dollars in one layer and brush with the remaining butter and oil. Season lightly with sea salt. Bake about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

*Forgive me for not understanding the physics of baking, but I used one silpat lined cookie sheet and one glass baking pan. I highly recommend the glass baking pan!! The dollars which baked on the glass browned nicely on the bottom and were even crispy! (watch them closely near the end, some were almost burnt at 45 min). The ones on the cookie sheet, while tasty, were rather soft and soggy. This is probably why my baked sweet potato "fries" never came out very good in the past.

Sugar Free, Microwave Hot Cocoa

Yes, I drink hot cocoa in the summer. Sometimes I need the extra chocolate in my system.

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. Splenda
dash salt
8 oz. very hot, but not boiling milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Microwave the milk. While that's heating, combine cocoa powder, Splenda, and salt in a mug with a small whisk. (If you don't have a small whisk, you could combine these in a bowl and use a regular whisk.) Add a small amount of the hot milk to this mixture and whisk vigorously, tilting the cup or bowl so as to get every last bit of cocoa powder moistened. This makes a kind of slurry. Slowly add the rest of the hot milk, whisking constantly. Then whisk in the vanilla and enjoy. You may have a bit of sludge at the bottom of your cup. I eat this with a spoon.

Tuna and White Bean Pitas

This recipe is similar to the Tuscan Tuna and Beans recipe I posted recently, but we actually like it better. We also think this one works best in pitas, not over lettuce. It was so flavorful.

2 cans tuna, packed in water, drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 finely diced red onion
1 med. tomato, diced
8 -10 olives, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano

Combine the tuna, beans, onion, tomato, and olives in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, salt, black pepper and oregano, then vigorously whisk in the olive oil, which you should slowly drizzle into the small bowl. Add to tuna mixture and toss to coat all ingredients. Stuff into pita pockets.

Spelt Pancakes

This recipe was a regular pancake recipe and I just replaced ingredients.

These were so delicious, and not for healthy pancakes. They were delicious for pancakes. Colin said they tasted a little tangy - like they were buttermilk pancakes but without any buttermilk. I don't know what he's talking about, but we both really liked them.

Normally I would use apple sauce instead of oil, but Ben got me all hyped up on monounsaturated fat, so I used oil. If I had apple sauce handy, I would do half and half.

I read somewhere that spelt is one of the healthiest grains there is. I love making pancakes every weekend because it's an easy way to get a dose of some good grains. I usually do whole wheat pastry flour, but decided to go for a nutrition upgrade!


* 1 1/2 whole wheat spelt flour
* 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon sucanat (white sugar is fine)
* 1 1/4 cups milk
* 1 egg
* 3 tablespoons canola oil

I used powdered non-fat milk, mixed right in with the dry ingredients, and then added the right amount of water to the whole mix.

Quiche Lorraine

This recipe is from my sister Jaime, who makes the most wonderful quiche. She adds carmelized Vidalia onion to this recipe, but I did not.

1 9-in pie shell
4 large eggs
1/2 pint heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of salt
approx. half Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound diced ham
1/2 pound shredded Swiss, Gruyere, or Cheddar (I used Cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350. In a blender, combine the eggs, cream, pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Arrange diced ham in bottom of pie shell. Sprinkle on the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over these. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

It's decadent, but so good!

Baked Oatmeal

Oats are such a healthful food and it is nice to take a break from "porridge" style oatmeal. This recipe for baked oatmeal is delicious! I got it from a blog, Kelly the Kitchen Kop. (I've made some minor adjustments from the original recipe.) Please plan ahead, you need to soak the oats for 24 hours!*

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C oats
1 3/4 C buttermilk/kefir/yogurt
1/2 C coconut oil (you can probably substitute butter or another oil if you don't have c.o. If you are using c.o. melt it first so that it is liquid.)
4 eggs
1/2 C maple syrup or honey
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
~1.5 C raisins or craisins (I used one 8 oz package of dried cranberries, or 4-5 handfuls from a bulk bag)
2 chopped apples or pears (I leave the skins on.)
optional: 2 C chopped nuts (or sprinkle on each individual serving after baking.)

Hardware:
9x13 glass baking dish
large stainless steel bowl
hand mixer
"spoonula" or wooden spoon and rubber spatula

Soak oats and buttermilk covered on kitchen counter 24 hours. I mix them up and let them soak in the same dish I will bake them in. The next day in a large bowl, beat oil, sweetener and eggs until glossy. I use a stainless steel bowl and place it in a sink of hot water so that the coconut oil stays liquid. Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon and vanilla; beat. Stir in oats until they are mixed well with the wet ingredients, then add in (c)raisins and chopped apples. Pour into 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30-35 min.

*Soaking the grains makes them easier to digest and their nutrients easier for our bodies to absorb. One website with some more info about that here if you care to read more.


Update 2012:  I made a tasty vegan version of this recipe using coconut milk instead of dairy milk.   You could also use nut milks or other alternatives which I have also done in the past to make it dairy free.  I substituted the eggs with flax seed meal + water in the typical ratios suggested for replacing eggs.

Christal's Nachos

Three shakes of salsa
Two spoonfuls of sour cream
Two handfuls of shredded cheese

Stir it in a bowl and eat with corn chips. We also dipped carrots in it.

Homemade Yogurt

Here is the recipe/method I use for making homemade yogurt. I have never tried any variations (such as a different type of milk), so I don't know how changing it would affect the outcome.

I also always thought that making yogurt at home sounded so complicated when I read others' descriptions of it. However, it is actually a pretty simple process and I hope that I don't make it seem complicated!

Ingredients:

• Raw whole milk (i.e. unpasteurized, nonhomogenized)*
• approx 4 oz of plain yogurt**

Equipment:

• Stainless Steel pot
• clip-on thermometer
• glass jars
• whisk

1. Pour desired amount of milk into stainless steel pot. (quart, 1/2 gal, gal...)
2. Heat milk to 185 degrees F.
3. Cool milk to 110 degrees F - While milk is heating, I fill my sink with cold water and ice. Then once the milk gets to 185, I put it in the ice water to cool it down faster, all the while stirring it and closely monitoring the temperature.
4. Once the milk is at 110 degrees, remove it from the ice water. Add the plain yogurt to the milk and whisk it to make sure it is well incorporated. (I first add warm milk to my starter and shake or stir it up to help liquefy it, then add it to the warm milk and whisk.)
5. Pour milk-yogurt mixture into glass jars. Have one small glass jar in which you pour about 4 oz to be your starter for the next batch. Place the lids on the jars to cover them, but do not seal them shut. You want some air to be able to circulate.
6. Place your covered glass jars in your oven with the oven light on. Leave for about 7 hours and then transfer to the refrigerator. (Close the lids on the jars.)

*Raw milk is not available in all areas. I am comfortable with raw milk since it will be pasteurized on my stove top. Furthermore, the cows are grass fed, so the milk has much more nutrients than conventional or even commercial organic milk. If raw milk is not available, try to find nonhomogenized whole milk.

**For your first batch of yogurt, use any store bought plain yogurt that you like. (preferably organic.) You can use your own starter for subsequent batches.

This recipe/method is borrowed from Nourishing Traditions.

Tuscan Tuna and Beans

Ben and I had this for supper a few nights ago and it was delicious and very satisfying. I reduced the original recipe (below) by 1/3 and we still had leftovers. I also used chickpeas instead of cannellini beans. I got this out of "Not Your Mother's Weeknight Cooking."

Three 15oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Three 6oz. cans tuna, packed in olive oil, drained well and flaked
2/3 cup finely diced red onion
3 tbsp. minced fresh flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, crushed
pinch of salt
2/3 cup olive oil (I used less)
1 to 2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated

Combine beans, tuna, onion, parsley in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, and salt; drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Pour dressing over beans and tuna; toss to combine. Place butter lettuce leaves on 4 plates and top with salad. Serve immediately.

Chickpea Cutlets

I haven't made these but I want to.


1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a Microplane grater
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
Olive oil for pan frying (can be baked instead, 375, 20 min, flip half way)

In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no chickpeas are left. Add the remaining ingredients and knead together for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed.
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, divide the cutlet dough into 4 equal pieces. To form cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape. The easiest way to do this is to form a rectangle shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.
Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They’re ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Here is our version of pumpkin oatmeal:

1 cup milk
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 to 1 cup pureed, canned pumpkin
dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 tsp. Splenda (optional - if it's not sweet enough for you)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the milk, brown sugar, pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add Splenda if you think you will want it in there. When it begins to boil, add the oats and lower the heat. Stir over low heat for a few minutes. It will thicken up as it cools. Off the heat, add the vanilla if you are using it.

Oil Crust

I got this one from All Recipes and was really pleased with it! The best part is that there is no hydrogenated oils as in most store-bought crusts, and much lower in saturated fat than the usual alternatives too. Also, I don't think I have ever made crust from scratch in my life, and I did it! I used the crust for chicken pot pie, but also read reviewers who had used it for dessert pies. Some added sugar to the dough or sprinkled it on top in that case.

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

Mix flour and salt together. Pour milk and oil into one measuring cup, do not stir, and add all at once to flour. Stir until just mixed, and shape into 2 flat balls. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or more.

Per reader suggestions, I rolled out the crust between the plastic wrap it was wrapped in and a sheet of wax paper (or another piece of plastic wrap) so that you do not have to add more flour and can handle it as little as possible.

White Chili

I thought I had posted this one already, but apparently not. Michael says it is one of the best dishes that I make, so I guess I would be remiss not to share it with you! It calls for chicken, but you could leave it out and add in more beans and/or other veggies for all you non-meat eaters out there!

1 lb chicken breast cubed or approx 2 C cooked and chopped chicken meat
1 med-large onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T butter
1 can / 2 C chicken broth
2-3 cans or about 4 C cooked white beans (great northern or cannelini beans)
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 can corn
1 fresh jalapeno chopped or from jar (about 1-2 T)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 C sour cream

If you like things super spicy add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. (I omit this, as I think it is plenty spicy without it, especially when serving to kids.)

Saute chicken, garlic and onion in oil.
Add beans, broth, chilies, jalapeno and seasonings
Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 mins.
Serve in bowls and place a dollop of sour cream in each bowl.
Serve with tortilla chips or crusty bread (possibly a bread bowl).

*Chef's notes: I usually use cooked and chopped chicken left over from roasting chicken. I only saute the onions and then throw everything in the pot which makes it super easy to put together. I hate dealing with raw chicken meat anyways. Who doesn't?

Vegan Update 2012:  I made a vegan version of this chili using vegetable stock and extra "white vegetables" such as cauliflower and potatoes to keep with the "white" theme of the chili.  Alternatively, if you cook your own beans, you could simply keep the liquid they are cooked in or combine that liquid with vegetable stock if desired.

I usually double this recipe and freeze it for future meals.  However, I do not put any of the dairy in before I freeze it and I typically just add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl instead of adding it to the pot.

Chocolate Pudding (with Avocado)

Ben absolutely loves this pudding. He told Jonathan that if wasn't already married to me, he would marry this pudding. I have altered the recipe, so I'll put my alterations in parentheses.

1/4 cup trans-fat free soft margarine (we use Smart Balance)
1 cup pureed avocado
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup confectioners sugar (I use 1/2 cup confectioners + 2 tbsp. Splenda)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup cornstarch

Melt the margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. Add avocado, sugar, and vanilla. Stir over low heat until thickened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the cornstarch. Serve warm. Makes 3 to 4 servings. Yum!

Apple Bread

This makes two loaves, so I halved this recipe and used 1 extra large egg. I mixed the apples with wet ingredients in the beginning so they could macerate a little (sugar is considered a wet ingredient). It turned out fine, though they had sunk to the bottom a little.

• 1 cup applesauce
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups sucanat
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups peeled, cored and cubed apples
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix wet ingredients, add mixed dry ingredients. Add apples and nuts last. Pour into two greased bread pans and bake for roughly 1 hour (give or take 15 minutes) at 350.

Superhero French Toast

So I have gotten into the habit of making quick bread on a regular basis because it's a good vessel for all sort of nutritious hippie junk. I figured I could make it just as healthy as a Clif bar and for a fraction of the price. I have it on hand during the week to take as snacks or as something ready to go for Colin to eat.

If there is any left by the weekend, I make french toast out of it. So I have this 100% whole grain and fruit and flax and nuts and all this other healthy stuff packed into the bread which is then infused with milk and eggs for extra nutrients. That's why I call it superhero french toast.

1 loaf quick bread, (banana, apple, pumpkin, etc.)
3 eggs
3/4 milk

You can adjust the recipe for how much bread you have left. I think the toast tastes good straight, but Colin eats it with syrup.

Two slices is very filling.

Eggplant Casserole

We make this on pasta night. So far the kids choose to not eat this. They have meatballs with their pasta.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. eggplant, in 1-inch cubes
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup capers (optional)
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. each dried oregano and thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add eggplant and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Remove from heat; add all ingredients except cheese. Transfer mixture to shallow casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Peas

This is a great new recipe I am adding to my repertoire. It is fast, easy, cheap, delicious and a one-dish dinner! What more could you ask for?? It comes from Good Housekeeping Vegetarian Meals, although I did not make it exactly as directed.

2 packages (9oz each) fresh (refrigerated) fettucine (I used a box of penne; I think any shape would do)
1 can (14.5 oz) seasoned chunky tomatoes for pasta (I used a can of diced tomatoes)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I used half a jar of leftover pasta sauce)
1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream (I used half 'n half)
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) (We topped it with some shredded mozzarella.)

*(I also added about 3/4 lb of ground turkey to the recipe. Any other add-ins such as sausage or onions or herbs could spice up this recipe.)

1. In large saucepot, cook pasta as label directs.
2. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
3. Place frozen peas in colander. Drain pasta over peas. In large warm serving bowl (I used the pot!), toss pasta and peas with tomato mixture. Serve with Parmesan if you like.

______

I think you can see the flexibility to tweak this recipe how you like it. Using a premade marinara sauce added extra flavor without any effort on my part! I usually have all these ingredients in my house, so it's also perfect for those days where it's 4:30 (or later) and I still don't know what's for dinner! I think this is also incredibly affordable, especially since pasta can be had for free with coupons, a bag of peas is less than $1 and canned tomato products are also cheap and can be bought with coupon discounts as well.

Enjoy!

Bran Muffins

These are about the best Bran muffins you can ever have. They are 100% health, and will keep you nice and regular. Thanks to the Barbees (Hunter)

PREHEAT OVEN: 350

STIR
1 25 oz. box raisin bran
1 qt buttermilk
5 eggs
1/4 c. canola oil

ADD EACH OF THE FOLLOWING, STIRRING GENTLY AFTER EACH:
4 c. whole wheat flour
5 tsp soda (ADD WITH LAST CUP OF FLOUR)
2 tsp cinnamon
20 oz honey
2 c. oats
1 zucchini grated OR 1 can pumpkin, sweet potato, or applesauce
1/2 c. raw bran + 1/2 c. wheat germ or grapenuts
1/2 lb. chopped dates + 1 c. chopped nuts

BAKE FOR 20 MIN. OR SO

Makes at least thirty muffins, freezable and still good.

Baked Oats

This isn't really so much a recipe as a technique. I think granola is kind of expensive given that its just oatmeal and some other grains. I thought about making it myself but this recipe I found had something like 400 calories per serving.

So, I took some whole oats and baked them for a few minutes - plain and dry. I've stirred them into my vanilla yogurt and it's good.

I got the oatmeal to make cookies and then I tried eating it at oatmeal and it was too gross and slimy - those big oat chunks. However, Sarah made oatmeal with pumpkin and raisins and whatnot in it and I thought it was tasty.

Rebecca's Ridiculous Banana Bread

I made banana bread today with all healthy ingredients; I call it ridiculous because substituted everything except the bananas, baking soda, and salt and was convinced it wouldn't come out well. It all started because while I like the idea of Clif bars, I feel like they're so expensive and they give me heart burn. Dried fruit can also be expensive, but bananas and apple sauce are not. So, this is my banana bread with 1/2 serving of fruit and whole grains per muffin (I got 16 muffins). You can add chocolate chips and/or walnuts. When I made this for Katie & Matt, I used ganache chunks - so it was like have pieces of truffle baked into them.

I have listed the recipe with the substitutions I made and the real recipe in parentheses.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (all purpose flour)
3/4 c sucanat (brown sugar)
2 extra large eggs minus one egg yolk (2 eggs)
1/2 cup apple sauce (butter)
4 medium overripe bananas (2.33 cups mashed bananas)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Optional:
1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
1/4-1/2 cup whole dry oats

Mix everything except flour and soda, then add those two. If you're adding flax and oats, stir those in after the batter is all mixed. Pour into greased/sprayed loaf pan or muffin pan. Bake at 350 until knife comes out mostly clean (the banana might leave a smudge and the chocolate definitely will). This was about 25 minutes for muffins and I think 45 for a loaf.

I thought they would be too healthy tasting and that they would need to be buttered but I thought they were good. Katie asked for the recipe.

Cheddar (Bacon) Drop Biscuits

I think the bacon is optional. Normally, my homemade biscuits are like rocks. These came out perfectly. Just be careful with the buttermilk - you may not need the entire amount. I never have buttermilk around, so I do the substitution: 1 tbsp. lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 3/4 cup, then let it sit for 5 minutes.

2 cups flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour) spooned lightly in cup and levelled with knife
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (optional)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir with whisk. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese and bacon. Add buttermilk and water, stirring until just moist. Drop dough (approximately 2 level tablespoons) 1 inch apart on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Kale with Bacon and Onions

I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light and I've only changed it a little. It is SO GOOD. Ben likes it, too. The bacon doesn't add that much, for me, but Ben probably wouldn't eat it so readily if it did not feature bacon.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 bunch of kale, chopped, about 10 cups, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, divided
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or big pasta pot over med/high heat. Add onion to pot and saute for 5 minutes or until onion is tender and begins to brown. Add 5 cups kale, 1/4 cup chicken broth, half the salt, and half the peppers to pot. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add remaining kale, broth, salt and peppers to pot. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon.