I am exhausted. We move a month from tomorrow, and our house looks like a labyrinth of boxes and totes and Legos. In addition to tossing and packing and sorting, I'm trying to use up the food in my pantry so we have less to pack and take with us. It makes for much smaller grocery bills, but takes a lot of patience to find recipes that work for what you already have without buying much more.
I've had this recipe for years, and we all love falafel. However, I was astonished to find that I had never made these falafel. I ripped this recipe out of a copy of Kiwi magazine years ago, and with the exception of the fresh parsley and cilantro, I had everything else in the fridge or pantry already. The recipe is fast and easy to prepare. I served a few corn chips and a fresh tomato salad on the side. Easy. Fast. Kids loved it.
You need:
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
1 garlic clove
1/4 c. onion
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
olive oil
pita bread
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp. lemon
In a food processor, combine the first eight ingredients. Mold into patties. Heat the oil on a large griddle. Fry until crispy. Flip. Fry until crispy on side two. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt and lemon. Serve the patties on pita bread with a dollop of the yogurt sauce. Top with lettuce, tomato, and/or cucumber if desired.
Monday, December 29, 2014
"Spaghetti" and Meatballs, Veggied up!
Over the last few weeks, I've kept a close eye on my diet. I've always wondered if wheat was troublesome, but I was truly unwilling to give up bread of any kind. However, I made the conscious (and painful) decision to give up all forms of gluten for three weeks to see if there really was a difference in how I felt.
Was. There. Ever.
I don't have celiac disease. And I'm not going whole-hog, gluten free. However, I'm going to spend 2015 eliminating unnecessary gluten - pasta as a special occasion, not a weekly staple; bread when it's truly worth it, and not as a daily treat. However, that means I need to get creative, specifically when it's just me eliminating the wheat. Sure, I can keep the bun off of my burger, but what about spaghetti and meatballs?!
I'm also looking to double up our veggie load at each meal, especially during the winter months when we get lazy about veggies. This recipe, found in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine, was just what I needed to get started. I was able to cook a small spaghetti squash for me and still boil a little spaghetti for the rest of the pack. And both the meatballs and sauce were jam-packed with vegetables. I doubled the recipe below and froze the meatballs nestled in the sauce in an aluminum, freezer-safe pan for another day.
You need:
2 medium spaghetti squash (for a family of four eliminating the wheat)
1 lb. ground turkey
2 small zucchini, grated and squeezed dry with paper towels
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with a press
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (24oz) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (or balsamic, if you don't have sherry)
1 bag baby arugula
With a sharp knife, pierce the squash all over. Place on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 5 min per pound (about 20 min total). Let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the turkey, zucchini, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Form into meatballs and place on a large platter. In a deep, large skillet, heat the oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes or until browned on both sides. Gently transfer all of the meatballs back to the platter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the eggplant and onions to the skillet. Cook 3-5 minute or until softened. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar and 1/8 tsp. salt. Nestle meatballs in the sauce and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. While the meatballs are cooking, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and the use a fork to scrape the pulp into spaghetti-like strands. Toss the squash with the arugula and serve the meatballs and sauce on top.
Was. There. Ever.
I don't have celiac disease. And I'm not going whole-hog, gluten free. However, I'm going to spend 2015 eliminating unnecessary gluten - pasta as a special occasion, not a weekly staple; bread when it's truly worth it, and not as a daily treat. However, that means I need to get creative, specifically when it's just me eliminating the wheat. Sure, I can keep the bun off of my burger, but what about spaghetti and meatballs?!
I'm also looking to double up our veggie load at each meal, especially during the winter months when we get lazy about veggies. This recipe, found in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine, was just what I needed to get started. I was able to cook a small spaghetti squash for me and still boil a little spaghetti for the rest of the pack. And both the meatballs and sauce were jam-packed with vegetables. I doubled the recipe below and froze the meatballs nestled in the sauce in an aluminum, freezer-safe pan for another day.
You need:
2 medium spaghetti squash (for a family of four eliminating the wheat)
1 lb. ground turkey
2 small zucchini, grated and squeezed dry with paper towels
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with a press
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (24oz) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (or balsamic, if you don't have sherry)
1 bag baby arugula
With a sharp knife, pierce the squash all over. Place on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 5 min per pound (about 20 min total). Let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the turkey, zucchini, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Form into meatballs and place on a large platter. In a deep, large skillet, heat the oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes or until browned on both sides. Gently transfer all of the meatballs back to the platter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the eggplant and onions to the skillet. Cook 3-5 minute or until softened. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar and 1/8 tsp. salt. Nestle meatballs in the sauce and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. While the meatballs are cooking, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and the use a fork to scrape the pulp into spaghetti-like strands. Toss the squash with the arugula and serve the meatballs and sauce on top.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Fudgy One-Pot Brownies
This is no joke.
YUM.
As we approach the end of the year, I realize that I've done a relatively good job of sticking with this year's "from scratch" resolutions, which I do plan to continue into next year. I made all of our birthday cakes and frostings from scratch, and our popsicles and ice creams, too. I never got around to homemade pasta or bread, but there's always next year.
However, I will never, ever, ever buy a box of brownie mix again. Ever.
I was picking up something at Kohls for my dad the other day, and there was a sale on the "Kohls Cares" table - you know, those $5 children's books and cookbooks and stuffed animals that donate a portion of the sales to a charity somewhere? Well, this cookbook, The Mom 100, was discounted to $2.50. Had. to. get. it. Because I love cookbooks. The way some women love purses and shoes.
I've really had a lot of fun trying out some of the recipes, but this takes the cake. Or the brownie?
You need:
2 sticks unsalted butter (save the wrappers to grease the pan)
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium sized saucepan over low hear and let melt together, stirring until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Blend in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs once at a time, rapidly, so that they don't cook. Blend in the flower. Pour into a greased baking pan. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
YUM.
As we approach the end of the year, I realize that I've done a relatively good job of sticking with this year's "from scratch" resolutions, which I do plan to continue into next year. I made all of our birthday cakes and frostings from scratch, and our popsicles and ice creams, too. I never got around to homemade pasta or bread, but there's always next year.
However, I will never, ever, ever buy a box of brownie mix again. Ever.
I was picking up something at Kohls for my dad the other day, and there was a sale on the "Kohls Cares" table - you know, those $5 children's books and cookbooks and stuffed animals that donate a portion of the sales to a charity somewhere? Well, this cookbook, The Mom 100, was discounted to $2.50. Had. to. get. it. Because I love cookbooks. The way some women love purses and shoes.
I've really had a lot of fun trying out some of the recipes, but this takes the cake. Or the brownie?
You need:
2 sticks unsalted butter (save the wrappers to grease the pan)
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium sized saucepan over low hear and let melt together, stirring until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Blend in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs once at a time, rapidly, so that they don't cook. Blend in the flower. Pour into a greased baking pan. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Giada's Turkey Meatballs
I've been making meatballs forever. And nothing will ever take the place of my mother's meatballs. They are amazing. They are great plain, slapped in between a honking slice of fresh bread or as a side to a pasta dish.
However, I came across this recipe when watching an episode of Giada at Home which focused specifically on great little meals for little mouths. Not only were these really tasty little meatballs, but they froze beautifully in the sauce. And I had so many leftover that I had a ton of "oh snap! We got home way too late from shopping and the children are shouting for lunch with angry zombie eyes" mini lunches in the freezer. I popped them in the microwave to defrost and served them up with a slice of toast. And all wee ones instantly returned to normal....ish.
You need:
for the meatballs:
1 c. plain breadcrumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh basil
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1/4 c. whole milk, room temperature
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. ground dark turkey meat
1 lb. spicy turkey sausage, casings removed
olive oil
for the sauce:
1/4 c. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp. ground fennel
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. chicken broth, optional
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredient. Mix well with your hands. Form into small balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
While they are cooking, heat the 1/4 c. olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the garlic, onions, salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes on medium-high. Add the basil, spices, and tomatoes. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs and simmer about 10 minutes more. Thin with chicken stock, if needed.
Top with grated Parmesan and crusty bread. Freeze leftovers in wee beastie lunch portions.
Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry with "Peanut Sauce"
I know I've mentioned before that I love my vegetable and fruit share. I look forward to the e-mail the night before pick up, listing this week's selections with recipes attached. Each week, my menu looks less like syndicated episodes of How I Met Your Mother, and more like the much anticipated season of Downton Abbey.
But there is a downside to a CSA in the Northeast.
Autumn. By the time November strikes, the variation declines and the vegetable guest who would not leave just. keeps. appearing.
My friend. My enemy.
The cabbage.
I just do not know what to do with all of this cabbage.
It doesn't freeze well, nor do our digestive tracts enjoy its constant presence. However, I was delighted to find a recipe where it could work and work well. This was one that the kids wanted to eat.
Of course, we made this with sunflower butter, which we buy by the caseload from Amazon.com. You really can't tell the difference. Other than how much more awesome this is than other meals.
You need:
1/4 c. smooth peanut or sunflower butter
1/3 c. orange juice
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
4 tsp. coconut oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 # sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 small head of savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
2-5 tbsp. water
2 medium carrots, grated
Whisk the peanut butter, orange juice, soy cause, vinegar, and sugar in a medium bowl (or process in your blender). Heat 2 tsp. oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the steak and cook for 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil. Add cabbage and 2 tbsp. water. Cook until wilting. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Add steak and juices and peanut butter sauce. Toss to combine. Serve hot.
But there is a downside to a CSA in the Northeast.
Autumn. By the time November strikes, the variation declines and the vegetable guest who would not leave just. keeps. appearing.
My friend. My enemy.
The cabbage.
I just do not know what to do with all of this cabbage.
It doesn't freeze well, nor do our digestive tracts enjoy its constant presence. However, I was delighted to find a recipe where it could work and work well. This was one that the kids wanted to eat.
Of course, we made this with sunflower butter, which we buy by the caseload from Amazon.com. You really can't tell the difference. Other than how much more awesome this is than other meals.
You need:
1/4 c. smooth peanut or sunflower butter
1/3 c. orange juice
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
4 tsp. coconut oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 # sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 small head of savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
2-5 tbsp. water
2 medium carrots, grated
Whisk the peanut butter, orange juice, soy cause, vinegar, and sugar in a medium bowl (or process in your blender). Heat 2 tsp. oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the steak and cook for 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil. Add cabbage and 2 tbsp. water. Cook until wilting. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Add steak and juices and peanut butter sauce. Toss to combine. Serve hot.
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