I made this delicious slow cooker side dish - Orange Butternut Squash last night and had to share it because it was so easy and so tasty! I even pureed some and fed it to my 8-month old daughter and she gobbled it right up!
Orange Butternut Squash
Ingredients
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 granny smith apples, peeled, if desired, and chopped
1/3 c. raisins
1/3 c. orange juice
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
Lightly coat your slow cooker with butter or cooking spray. Place squash, apples, and raisins in the cooker.
In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Drizzle over squash mixture in cooker (I stirred everything together at this point as well).
Cover and cook on low-heat for 4 hours. *Cooking time may vary by slow cooker. I turned my cooker off after about 3 hours and the squash was very tender.
I mashed everything together with a masher before serving to make it a little easier for my 3-year old daughter to eat. You could also dot it with a little butter if you like.
Enjoy!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Delicious, EASY and Healthy Chocolate Fruit Dip
I just whipped up a delicious, healthy and incredibly easy Chocolate Fruit Dip for snack this afternoon! The best part is, you probably have all the ingredients you need on hand!
Chocolate Fruit Dip
1 1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt (I used a mixture of plain, low-fat and plain, whole milk yogurt)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. honey
Mix ingredients together with a whisk and serve with your choice of fresh fruit!
Enjoy chocolate lovers!
Chocolate Fruit Dip
1 1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt (I used a mixture of plain, low-fat and plain, whole milk yogurt)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. honey
Mix ingredients together with a whisk and serve with your choice of fresh fruit!
Enjoy chocolate lovers!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Amazing Slow Cooker Pot Roast!
Okay, here is the amazing slow cooker pot roast recipe as promised! It is incredibly easy and delicious. I served it with whipped potatoes and green beans, but there are a unlimited number of sides you could choose to serve. I even pureed a little bit of everything together for Charlotte! It was her first from-the-table meal (a.k.a. not a puree I had made specifically for her)!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
1 beef roast, 2-3 lbs.
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, halved
1 c. green olives, halved
1/4 c. dark raisins
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 c. beef broth
1Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. cumin
Directions
Put all ingredients, except beef, into the slow cooker and mix well. Add meat, turning around in pot, coating sides. Pour some of the mixture on top of the roast. Turn heat to low and cook for 8-10 hours.
Sadly, I can't remember where I found this recipe to give proper credit. It is AMAZING though!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
1 beef roast, 2-3 lbs.
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, halved
1 c. green olives, halved
1/4 c. dark raisins
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 c. beef broth
1Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. cumin
Directions
Put all ingredients, except beef, into the slow cooker and mix well. Add meat, turning around in pot, coating sides. Pour some of the mixture on top of the roast. Turn heat to low and cook for 8-10 hours.
Sadly, I can't remember where I found this recipe to give proper credit. It is AMAZING though!
Friday, August 24, 2012
End of the Summer Slump
I have been feeling really unmotivated lately. After talking to several of my mom friends, it turns out that I am not the only one feeling this way. We all agreed that it must have something to do with the time of year...we are all in an end-of-the-summer slump.
Despite being absent from my blog, I have been cooking and today when I pulled out my grandma's cookbook to find a quick and easy 'treat' recipe, I was suddenly inspired to get back on the saddle so to speak. Somehow my grandma's recipes inspire me. Below is one of her cookie recipes that I vividly remember my mom and dad making when I was a kid. They may not be the healthiest cookies in the world, but they are DELICIOUS and super easy to make!
Unbaked Chocolate Cookie Drops
2 c. white sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. milk
3 c. oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. shredded coconut
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add milk, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from stove and stir in oatmeal and coconut. Drop by spoonful onto a tray covered with parchment paper. Cool in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Despite being absent from my blog, I have been cooking and today when I pulled out my grandma's cookbook to find a quick and easy 'treat' recipe, I was suddenly inspired to get back on the saddle so to speak. Somehow my grandma's recipes inspire me. Below is one of her cookie recipes that I vividly remember my mom and dad making when I was a kid. They may not be the healthiest cookies in the world, but they are DELICIOUS and super easy to make!
Unbaked Chocolate Cookie Drops
2 c. white sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. milk
3 c. oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. shredded coconut
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add milk, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from stove and stir in oatmeal and coconut. Drop by spoonful onto a tray covered with parchment paper. Cool in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
July Recipes - Week 3
This week was a combination of some family favorites (Black Bean Quesadillas), some dishes I have made before that were filed into the "I should remember to make this again sometime." recipe pile (Chana Masala, Creamy Meatballs and Noodles), a new salad that was good, but I am not sure I will make again (Summertime Barley Salad) and another recipe passed on from my Grandmother (Peach Cake). Enjoy!
Black Bean Quesadillas
Preparation Tip: These quesadillas take only a few minutes to make and only a few more to cook and are delicious! This recipe is slightly different than the Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas recipe I posted previously. I prefer this one and it is the one that I tend to use more often. If you have never made quesadillas in a frying pan before, be sure to give it a try. It is quicker than the oven (which means better for hot days) and they come out so much crispier. I will never go back to doing them in the oven again!
Lilah's Take: Lilah loves quesadillas! They are a great kid-friendly finger food.
Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels
1/3 c. green pepper, diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 large tortillas
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. salsa (for serving)
1/2 c. sour cream (for serving)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine beans, tomato, corn, green pepper, green onions, and salt. Divide among halves of each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese; fold.
Brush large skillet with half of the oil; heat over medium heat. Cook 2 quesadillas, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Chana Masala
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/chana_masala.php
Preparation Tip: Don't be afraid of this Indian dish. It is actually very mild and sweet tasting. Serve it over rice and with naan bread.
Lilah's Take: Lilah is a bean lover (and a bread lover) so this dish goes over quite well with her. She tends to just pick the chickpeas out of the dish and leave the onions behind, but that is fine with me because at least she is eating the protein packed part of the meal.
Creamy Meatballs and Noodles
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/creamy_meatballs_and_noodles.php
Preparation Tip: If you have time, make the meatballs ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. It makes cooking this dish SO much faster! Bonus: They will also hold their shape better when you do cook them.
Lilah's Take: This dish always goes over well with Lilah because 1) it is pasta; 2) it is creamy; and 3) there are peas in it. As long as the meatballs are cut up, they make their way into her mouth too though.
Peach Cake
This peach cake is another one of my grandmother's recipes. Delicious!
Preparation Tip: To peel peaches, soak them in boiling water for about 5 minutes. The peel should come off very easily.
Ingredients
Cake:
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
4 large or 6 small peaches, peeled and sliced
Topping:
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. cold butter
Directions
Mix all dry cake ingredients, add egg, milk and butter. Pour into greased 9 X 9 square pan. Layer sliced peaches on top. Using fingers, mix butter with topping ingredients. Sprinkle on top of cake. Bake in 350 degree oven for about and hour.
Summertime Barely Salad
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/summertime_barley_salad.php
Preparation Tip: I mentioned that I didn't think I would make this recipe again. That isn't because it wasn't good, it was. It is because it made such a large portion that we were eating it for days and I am sick of it. It was my first time using Pearled Barley and I would love to find more recipes that use it!
Lilah's Take: Of course, Lilah picked the chunks of cheese out of the salad, but that was about it. I guess I would also avoid making it again because she wasn't really a big fan.
Black Bean Quesadillas
Preparation Tip: These quesadillas take only a few minutes to make and only a few more to cook and are delicious! This recipe is slightly different than the Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas recipe I posted previously. I prefer this one and it is the one that I tend to use more often. If you have never made quesadillas in a frying pan before, be sure to give it a try. It is quicker than the oven (which means better for hot days) and they come out so much crispier. I will never go back to doing them in the oven again!
Lilah's Take: Lilah loves quesadillas! They are a great kid-friendly finger food.
Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 c. frozen corn kernels
1/3 c. green pepper, diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 large tortillas
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. salsa (for serving)
1/2 c. sour cream (for serving)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine beans, tomato, corn, green pepper, green onions, and salt. Divide among halves of each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese; fold.
Brush large skillet with half of the oil; heat over medium heat. Cook 2 quesadillas, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Chana Masala
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/chana_masala.php
Preparation Tip: Don't be afraid of this Indian dish. It is actually very mild and sweet tasting. Serve it over rice and with naan bread.
Lilah's Take: Lilah is a bean lover (and a bread lover) so this dish goes over quite well with her. She tends to just pick the chickpeas out of the dish and leave the onions behind, but that is fine with me because at least she is eating the protein packed part of the meal.
Creamy Meatballs and Noodles
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/creamy_meatballs_and_noodles.php
Preparation Tip: If you have time, make the meatballs ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. It makes cooking this dish SO much faster! Bonus: They will also hold their shape better when you do cook them.
Lilah's Take: This dish always goes over well with Lilah because 1) it is pasta; 2) it is creamy; and 3) there are peas in it. As long as the meatballs are cut up, they make their way into her mouth too though.
Peach Cake
This peach cake is another one of my grandmother's recipes. Delicious!
Preparation Tip: To peel peaches, soak them in boiling water for about 5 minutes. The peel should come off very easily.
Ingredients
Cake:
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
4 large or 6 small peaches, peeled and sliced
Topping:
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. cold butter
Directions
Mix all dry cake ingredients, add egg, milk and butter. Pour into greased 9 X 9 square pan. Layer sliced peaches on top. Using fingers, mix butter with topping ingredients. Sprinkle on top of cake. Bake in 350 degree oven for about and hour.
Summertime Barely Salad
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/summertime_barley_salad.php
Preparation Tip: I mentioned that I didn't think I would make this recipe again. That isn't because it wasn't good, it was. It is because it made such a large portion that we were eating it for days and I am sick of it. It was my first time using Pearled Barley and I would love to find more recipes that use it!
Lilah's Take: Of course, Lilah picked the chunks of cheese out of the salad, but that was about it. I guess I would also avoid making it again because she wasn't really a big fan.
Healthy Snacks
Looking for some new and healthy snack options for your kids? Below are a few that we tried this week (including an amazing one that will have your kids (and husbands) eating tofu without even knowing it! Be sure to give the Chocolate Mousse recipe a try! It is DELICIOUS and I PROMISE they will never know what it is made out of!
Oatmeal Snack Squares
Yogurt Bran Muffins
Chocolate Mousse (made with tofu)
Ingredients
1 pkg silken tofu
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Directions
Blend tofu in food processor until smooth. Blend in melted chocolate chips (see below), maple syrup, vanilla and almond extracts. Portion into serving bowls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Note: Melt chocolate in a double broiler, stirring constantly to prevent burning, or in microwave, on the defrost setting for approximately 3 minutes, stopping to stir at least once.
Ingredients
1 pkg silken tofu
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Directions
Blend tofu in food processor until smooth. Blend in melted chocolate chips (see below), maple syrup, vanilla and almond extracts. Portion into serving bowls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Note: Melt chocolate in a double broiler, stirring constantly to prevent burning, or in microwave, on the defrost setting for approximately 3 minutes, stopping to stir at least once.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
July Recipes - Week 2
It finally cooled off this week and we were all craving some cooked meals so I decided to make some of our family favorites, Crunchy Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon (posted previously) and Salsa Stuffed Muffin Meat Loves (posted previously). I did try out some new recipes though including a new dessert incorporating rhubarb! Yummy!
Chickpea and Black Bean Salad
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/chickpea_and_black_bean_salad.php
Preparation Tip: The green beans are the only thing that needs to be cooked for this dish so it is great for a hot day! I added about 1 c. of cubed, firm tofu to give the salad a protein boost, but you could also add a can or two of tuna. You can prepare the entire dish in advance, but store the green beans in a separate bowl until you are ready to serve.
Lilah's Take: Lilah tried the green beans as she always does, but spit them out as she always does. She particularly liked the cubed tofu (we call it tofu cheese because it seems to get her to eat it) and the corn.
Corn Bread Muffins
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/recipe-of-the-day-cornbread/
Preparation Tip:
I used a slightly modified version of this recipe (from Mark Bittman's cookbook) using only enough butter to coat the muffin tin, 1 Tbsp of sugar, 1 egg, and sour milk (1 1/4 cup milk and 1 Tbsp white vinegar). I made these to serve with the Creamy Ham Salad, but ended up incorporating them into some of the other meals we had this week as well.
Creamy Ham Salad
http://www.recipe.com/creamy-ham-salad-with-corn-muffins/
Preparation Tip: This dish was incredibly easy to make and doesn't require any cooking. It can be made in advance and scoped into the red peppers when you are ready to eat.
Lilah's Take: Even though she won't eat raw pepper, Lilah thought it was fun to eat her dinner out of a "red pepper boat".
Rhubarb Banana Crumble
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/rhubarb_banana_crumble.php
Preparation Tip:
This crumble takes a little longer than your average crumble because the rhubarb needs to be baked in the oven for 25 minutes before the crumble can be assembled and baked, but it is worth it if you are a rhubarb fan!
Sweet Chili Chicken
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/sweet_chili_chicken.php
Preparation Tip:
I wasn't able to find sweet chili sauce so I used a couple of tablespoons of mild curry paste instead. If you want to save a couple of dollars, use chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. It takes a little more work to prep them, but it can be done ahead of time.
Chickpea and Black Bean Salad
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/chickpea_and_black_bean_salad.php
Preparation Tip: The green beans are the only thing that needs to be cooked for this dish so it is great for a hot day! I added about 1 c. of cubed, firm tofu to give the salad a protein boost, but you could also add a can or two of tuna. You can prepare the entire dish in advance, but store the green beans in a separate bowl until you are ready to serve.
Lilah's Take: Lilah tried the green beans as she always does, but spit them out as she always does. She particularly liked the cubed tofu (we call it tofu cheese because it seems to get her to eat it) and the corn.
Corn Bread Muffins
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/recipe-of-the-day-cornbread/
Preparation Tip:
I used a slightly modified version of this recipe (from Mark Bittman's cookbook) using only enough butter to coat the muffin tin, 1 Tbsp of sugar, 1 egg, and sour milk (1 1/4 cup milk and 1 Tbsp white vinegar). I made these to serve with the Creamy Ham Salad, but ended up incorporating them into some of the other meals we had this week as well.
Creamy Ham Salad
http://www.recipe.com/creamy-ham-salad-with-corn-muffins/
Preparation Tip: This dish was incredibly easy to make and doesn't require any cooking. It can be made in advance and scoped into the red peppers when you are ready to eat.
Lilah's Take: Even though she won't eat raw pepper, Lilah thought it was fun to eat her dinner out of a "red pepper boat".
Rhubarb Banana Crumble
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/rhubarb_banana_crumble.php
Preparation Tip:
This crumble takes a little longer than your average crumble because the rhubarb needs to be baked in the oven for 25 minutes before the crumble can be assembled and baked, but it is worth it if you are a rhubarb fan!
Sweet Chili Chicken
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/sweet_chili_chicken.php
Preparation Tip:
I wasn't able to find sweet chili sauce so I used a couple of tablespoons of mild curry paste instead. If you want to save a couple of dollars, use chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. It takes a little more work to prep them, but it can be done ahead of time.
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