Curried Squash Soup with Mung Beans

Curried Squash Soup
with Mung Beans

This time of year, everything is about pumpkin and squash. But instead of reaching for some packaged, spiced confection, that doesn't even have an ounce of real pumpkin in it, why not try something simple, homemade and warm, that will make your house smell great and your body strong?  Last year I made a Curried Pumpkin Soup with fresh kale from my garden and it was amazing.  So I changed it up a little this time around, added a little more richness with organic coconut milk, plain soy milk and a can of organic squash, and experimented with sprouted mung beans, that are quick cooking and extremely high in protein.  For some extra texture, I also added in four cups of cubed butternut squash. Besides opening all of the cans and keeping an eye on the stove, this meal was a snap, and made enough for three dinners for my husband and I.  I put a large portion in the freezer a few weeks ago, and am so thankful that dinner on this cold and rainy night will be as simple as heating this up on the stove.

Homemade Pop Tarts

Homemade Pop Tarts

Who doesn't love a pop tart? I remember begging my mom to buy them back in the 80s, and my kids now bug me every time we go to the grocery store to buy them as well.  Luckily there are organic, slightly healthier versions available in the store these days, but in my opinion, if it comes in a box, with an expiration date months in the future, it can't really be that good for you.  And plus, these are so much fun to make at home! I like to use my organic whole wheat, coconut oil crust as the base for these, but the choice of fillings is endless!  At this time of year, I'm thinking that a pumpkin spice filling would be perfect and I now want to try that out, so please check back for the update!  In the meantime, your favorite jam or jelly, Nutella, or another nut butter, or a combination of some sort will work perfectly. Even some chocolate chips and fresh fruit could work. Perfect option for a Sunday morning!

Peanut Butter and Nutella Bites

Peanut Butter and Nutella Bites

These delicious little bites of heaven were a creation of mine last Spring in anticipation of a bunch of outdoor parties to which I had been invited.  Basically a layered version of my Inside Out Peanut Butter Cups, these tasty treats were a huge success and my poor friends who were lucky enough to try these have been waiting for 4 months for the recipe. Sorry for the delay, but it's been a crazy summer.  And now that Fall is here, I have actually been in my kitchen baking again, and too busy to sit and write a whole lot.  Hopefully I can get my act together soon, and once all the weekend events fade into snow days, I will have time to post all the delicious recipes I have been saving up.  I know I need to make these again soon, since I enjoy packing my kids' lunch boxes with homemade goodies and these definitely fit the bill.  As I mention in my ingredient list below, you can sub out the Nutella with a healthier chocolate alternative as there are numerous ones to chose from.  I actually bought an organic soynut butter at the store yesterday and used it to make an organic chocolate crisped rice treat.  But if you love peanut butter and chocolate as much as I do, and like simple recipes with a limited amount of ingredients, this dessert is a no brainer. And so so good.

Vegetable Lo Mein

Vegetable Lo Mein

I made this meal back in the Spring before I had fresh veggies from my garden, but now that my garden is in full bloom (although not doing as well as past years), I figured I should post this recipe for all my fellow gardeners. I actually do have peas, peppers, kale, carrots, green onions, and basil all growing so this recipe is perfect, and I'll have to make it again soon.  Of course you can always use whatever veggies you happen to have growing, or at your farmer's market, or even in your freezer, and could definitely add some cooked chicken, steak or tofu to the final dish to increase the protein content.  I just like how quick and simple this recipe is because if you are like me and love carbs, Chinese noodles can sometimes be a diet nemesis. With this recipe you can control how much oil and sugar goes into the pot, so you end up doing your body a favor.  I used whole grain organic soba noodles as the base, but you could also use your favorite type of spaghetti in this recipe as well.  So forget the take out and get cooking with all the bounty growing right out your back door!

Salted Caramel Walnut Butter

Salted Caramel Walnut Butter

Just found this old draft in my folder and thought I would share it, seeing as I have been too busy recently to get a new post up.  Definitely not one of the most healthy things I have created, but way too yummy not to share.  The caramel sauce itself is just a pure indulgence, but the nut butter as a whole is actually a great high protein sandwich or toast spread. Unless you are a total health nut and never let yourself indulge in sweets, ever (which sounds rather unpleasant to me), I am sure you have found yourself topping a bowl of vanilla ice cream with a large melting spoonful of caramel sauce straight from a jar.  Some specialty brands may have simple ingredient lists like this recipe, but most of them are full of corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors.  So at least with this, you know what you are getting and can even use local, organic sources of butter and cream.  I apologize in advance for not having a proper photo of the finished nut butter, and will add one as soon as I make this again, but from what I remember, my family and I ate it up so fast, I actually forgot to get a good photo. Sometimes when something is that tasty it's hard to pause for a picture. And if you want to make the caramel sauce healthier, why not use it as a dip for sliced apples? :)

Strawberry Coconut Banana Pie

Strawberry Coconut Banana Pie

This recipe is about a year old, but by the time I put the post together, strawberry season was long over.  But it's June again, and my backyard strawberry patch is beginning to bloom, so what better time to share this delicious, out of the ordinary, pie recipe.  I can't even remember where I saw my inspiration for this, using fresh bananas in a pie that you bake, which I had never heard of before.  My mom, who is an amazing baker, even thought it sounded weird, but I was convinced it would add a layer of creamy sweetness to the dish.  I must say, I was right.  One of the ingredients, the sweetened coconut flakes, were new to me, something that my sister in law in Canada, where I baked this pie, had bought at Costco.  Hopefully you can find them as well, or just substitute regular coconut flakes and add some sugar.  The pie tastes like a tropical delight and is perfect for a warm summer day, either for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. Happy strawberry picking!!

Eggplant Caponata

Eggplant Caponata

This is a dish I cooked back when it was still warm outside and I wasn't eating every meal on my back deck, or on the way to a Spring sporting event.  But now that my garden is beginning to bloom, I thought it was time to share a recipe that I would be happy to make again when I have my own fresh eggplant, tomatoes and herbs to work with.  I like to think of this dish as an Italian version of  a Mexican mole because of the use of cocoa powder.  And of course anything made with chocolate is a favorite of mine!  I also like how versatile it is because not only can it be served hot over pasta, like I did here, but it is also great room temperature and would make a fantastic appetizer on crusty bread while sitting out on my deck this summer as well.  It doesn't take very long to cook, is full of intense flavor, nutritious vegetables, herbs and spices. So try something a little adventurous the next time you are entertaining and incorporate cocoa into the main meal as well as dessert!

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Bake

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Bake

In keeping with the Italian theme (I have a couple others up my sleeve still too), I thought I would share this version of my chicken baked in foil recipe.  Since my son loves everything lemon, and enjoyed the orange and fennel chicken I cooked a few days prior, I decided to try this. It seems like there are lemon chicken recipes popping up all over social media as well, so I know it is a popular combination, and I remember a delicious version my mom made as a kid, so I was hoping to recreate that flavor.  If you slice the lemon thin enough, the pieces become so tender you can eat them whole like I did, and the garlic just soaks up the lemon juice (and oils) as well.  I served this dish over mung beans (a Dr. Oz favorite), cooked with bell peppers, capers and sun dried tomatoes.  It was like a flavor explosion in my mouth, and one of my favorite dinners I have had in awhile.  So grab some lemons and go!

Buon Appetito!

One week ago today I was in Sorrento, Italy, celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary with the love of my life.  It was the vacation of a lifetime, a dream of ours since we first got married and couldn't afford a honeymoon.  Not a moment went by during our trip when we didn't acknowledge and appreciate how incredibly lucky we were to be able to visit such an amazing country, experience their culture, and do it all while knowing that our children where being lovingly taken care of by my parents.  It was an unforgettable experience, and although I had already been to Italy three times (my husband had not, and the last time I went was in 2003), I had never gone with someone I loved, and had the freedom to see, taste and experience so much.

As expected, the most striking thing about Italy, along with the incredible ancient architecture, is the food. I don't know if it is something in the water, the soil or the air, but everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, tastes so much better.  It's honestly on a different level than anything I could ever imagine cooking myself or ordering in a fancy restaurant on this side of the Atlantic.  From the indescribable bread, the creamy and pungent cheeses, to the cured meats (which I actually did try this time), everything is better.  The pasta is perfect, usually freshly made and perfectly al dente, the wine tastes like magic, and if you have never tried Italian canned tuna in extra virgin olive oil you have never lived (in my humble opinion).  Even their ice cream (gelato) is beyond comparison and having been in Sorrento, my love affair with lemons (and Lemoncello) was thoroughly satisfied.

Luckily for my husband and I we did a tremendous amount of walking during our eight day visit so we kept working up an appetite for another meal, and I was able to try a lot more foods than I have ever before.  I ate mussels for the first time (not bad), a whole fish (which was thankfully "cleaned" for me shortly after it was served), enjoyed numerous desserts, more bread than I usually eat in a year, and only one not so great experience when I ordered "pesce fritto" and literally was served a plate of about 20 small, whole, fried fish, which my husband and I aptly named "the plate of death." It was hard to look at, but my husband lovingly took my plate, put it out of view and worked through it well enough to provide me with a decent meal.  Now if that isn't love, I don't know what is.

To be sure, we had a few extravagant meals, most notably for our anniversary night dinner, where the plates where small and artistically decorated with such offerings as grilled octopus, gluten free arugula (which they comically translate to "rocket") risotto, roasted quail (another first!), and more desserts and Prosecco than my husband and I could even finish.  But the most memorable meals, to be honest, were the simplest. Dishes I have made myself, and love, but something about being in Italy made them so much better. A few of these almost brought tears to my eyes after the first bite.  It was literally like tasting a bit of heaven.  Here are a sampling of my favorites:

Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce*
From a winery on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius.
The volcanic ash soil in which they grow the grapes for the wine and the tomatoes
for the sauce is so rich in nutrients that they are literally some of the best in the world.
This is not your "grandma's spaghetti" unless
she too lives on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius ;)

Cacio e Pepe (a traditional Roman dish)
simply "cheese and pepper", made with fresh pasta, a little pasta
cooking water, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese and freshly ground
black pepper... often served in a bowl made of Parmesan cheese

Gnocchi with Tuna
Fresh gnocchi, fresh cherry tomatoes, tuna canned in olive oil, capers, basil
and more extra virgin olive oil. (I literally licked this plate clean, with bread of course!)

I am sure that eating it on a beach with my feet in volcanic ash sand made it taste even better. 

Vegetable and Cheese plates, with bread
a "light snack" while touring Rome

Pizza with Vegetables

in Sorrento Italy, one hour from Naples
(where I guess the pizza is even better!)

* I have to thank one person in particular for this meal, and for a very personal, informative, amazing tour to Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii while I was visiting Sorrento.... he runs a private tour company that is worth every penny.  If you are ever in the Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi region you need to book at least one day with Rosato tours.

http://rosatoprivatetour.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rosato-Private-Tour/175958529161353?fref=ts

Orange and Fennel Chicken Bake

Orange and Fennel Chicken Bake

After returning from Sorrento Italy, this meal seems appropriate to share. Amongst all the rows of lemon trees, which the region is famous for, there is always a spattering of orange trees and the few oranges we did try while there, definitely rivaled the best that Florida might have to offer. In addition to oranges, it seemed as if fennel was a local specialty since every vegetable plate we ordered had fennel on it and they even make a liquor out of fennel, which unfortunately I never got around to trying.  Needless to say, when I came home and was going through old recipe drafts that I haven't yet posted, this combination of ingredients caught my eye.  It was the first chicken foil packet I ever attempted, and the inspiration for a lot of other varieties to follow because it came out so well.  The chicken is moist and tender, and the oranges and fennel cook down and become a delicious sauce that is perfect to drizzle over rice, couscous, or pasta (al dente, of course!)

Thai Sweet Potato Stew

Thai Sweet Potato Stew

It is definitely early Spring here in Pennsylvania, in the sense that it is pouring rain and cold outside. So although the birds are chirping and the sun (when it's showing) is higher in the sky, there is still snow on the ground and a chill in the air.  So why not warm up the house, and your soul, with this incredible sweet potato stew.  I saw a recipe like this in a magazine at my mom's house a few months ago, so I cut it out, rewrote it, changed a few things, and came up with this amazing masterpiece.  I honestly think it is one of my favorite dinners ever and I am so glad that I still have a large container of it waiting in the freezer for me to heat up later today. The ingredient list literally reads like a "top ten best foods" compilation and although the stew is relatively high in fat with both the coconut milk and peanut butter, it is the type that your body and your brain crave, so it leaves you satisfied, fulfilled and content with the knowledge that you just refueled your most precious resource with something delicious.

Walnut Brownie Cookies

Walnut Brownie Cookies

I have definitely found my favorite dessert.  If you are like me and love dark chocolate, and like it to be extra dense, rich and fudgy, then these treats are for you.  And if you look at the ingredient list, you can easily see another reason why they are my favorite: they are a big bite of health disguised as a cookie.  The main ingredient is raw walnuts, sweetened with raw honey, coconut oil and cocoa powder.  Walnuts are honestly one of the healthiest foods on the planet and an everyday staple in my kitchen.  They are full of "rare and powerful antioxidants" and are proven to promote heart health and reduce cancer risk.* You do need a food processor to make these from scratch, but I am sure you could use a store bought walnut butter if you had to. I promise that if you try these cookies just once, you will be hooked and want to share the recipe with everyone you meet.

* http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx

Blueberry Beer Biscuits

Blueberry Beer Biscuits

"We're eating beer?!"  My kids always think it's hilarious when I bake with beer.  I just think it's delicious.  Beer biscuits have become a weekend morning staple in my house because they are quick, easy, delicious and full of healthy fiber.  They taste great plain, with butter, jelly or as a base for a magnificent breakfast sandwich. But with all the choices of flavored beers available these days, I couldn't just stick to my basic recipe. I am not sure if the beer flavor actually adds a whole lot of difference to the recipe, but it is fun to use as inspiration. These would be even better in the summer with freshly picked blueberries, but frozen ones work just as well.  So pick up your favorite beer and get baking! (you should also try my Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits for an even sweeter treat!)

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

I couldn't stop with just one variation on my Beer Biscuits, so the weekend after I first made my Blueberry Beer Biscuits, I changed the recipe a little more and made these. They are so moist, and delicate, with a rich chocolate flavor, that I almost felt guilty eating them for breakfast, but not for long.  You could easily substitute the butter in any of these recipes for coconut oil for a different flavor and nutrient content, and as I stated with the blueberry ones, any type of beer and mix in would work as well.  My favorite part is that from start to finish, it only takes about 30 minutes and my family can enjoy a healthy, slightly indulgent, home baked breakfast.  And if you have left overs, they freeze great and are perfect to pack into a kids lunch for a treat all their friends, and teachers, will want to try!

Strawberry Decadence Bars

Strawberry Decadence Bars

Feel the need for something sweet today?  This recipe uses 100% healthy, natural, powerhouse foods and doesn't even require any baking.  And unlike a lot of "raw", "vegan", "paleo" posts I see circulating around social media, this doesn't have any weird ingredients that you have never heard of before.  Just simple, healthy fruits, nuts, cocoa, maple syrup and coconut.  It only took me about 20 minutes to assemble and they lasted in the freezer for over a week, and after a few minutes thawing on the counter, tasted just as good each time I served them.  Both of my kids loved them and I love the bright pink, all natural, color of the middle layer.  A slightly thicker chocolate layer, might be nice next time so if you want a little more chocolate I would recommend doubling up on the final three ingredients. And you could always use a different fruit or nut depending on what you have in your kitchen or what your family prefers.  And then serve this treat knowing that you are providing a healthy snack disguised as a dessert!

Orange Blondie Brownies

Orange Blondie Brownies

This past Christmas, my family was fortunate to spend a week in Florida.  While I was there I picked up a jar of fruit sweetened tangerine marmalade that has since been sitting in the back of my fridge waiting to be enjoyed.  I am not one to often eat toast and jam and for some reason most of my family doesn't like orange marmalade, despite loving orange juice, so I decided to use it to bake with before it got forgotten behind the cartons of milk and became a science experiment. Since it is March 1st, and although it is snowing, I feel glad that the coldest, stormiest month of the season is (hopefully) behind us, and what better way to celebrate than by baking a little sunshine into my kitchen.  These treats are made with organic whole wheat flour, almond flour,coconut oil and Greek yogurt, so there are plenty of nutrients your body needs and a sweetness your taste buds want. Now if it would only stop snowing!  

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

It's another snowy day here in PA, and what better way to warm up than to bake a loaf of bread!  OK, I know it might be more fun to sit under a blanket with a good book or watch a movie while snuggling someone you love, but honestly, I don't think there is any better smell in the world than bread baking in the oven.  And when it only takes a couple of minutes to mix a dough from scratch, I swear the aroma is even sweeter.  This recipe is a simple twist on my original Beer Bread, with a few extra flavor enhancers added in.  The result is a bread with just enough sweetness to serve as a dessert, but not so much that you think it's a cake. I like using different flavors of beer as the inspiration and with all the varieties available today, the options are honestly endless.  So experiment with your favorite and get baking!

*I know I usually take a photo of the bread after cutting a few slices, but this bread was so delicious that as soon as I cut it and tried a piece, my kids and I devoured it. Sorry!

Exotic Bean and Barley Soup

Exotic Bean and Barley Soup

As I get ready to take the left overs from this meal out of the freezer for dinner tonight, I figure now is as good a time as any to share the recipe for a delicious soup that highlights two ingredients I have honestly never cooked with before.  The only reason I added both mung beans and barley into this dish is that I had bought them after hearing Dr. Oz talk about their numerous health benefits on a couple of different shows and I was tired of seeing them in my pantry staring at me. So I figured, why not cook with them together?  The result is a rich and hearty soup, that although I did add a little chicken sausage to at the end, is a fabulous vegan meal all on it's own.  And since we are having such a ridiculously snowy and cold winter here in PA and I have barely gotten to the gym at all, this high protein dish is a perfect comfort food without extra calories.  And the recipe makes a lot so you will have plenty left over for another cold evening.

Snickers Birthday Cake

Snickers Birthday Cake

I can honestly say that this recipe is probably the most unhealthy post I have made to date, but it is so delicious that I had to share it regardless.  It is a birthday cake, so obviously it is not something you should eat on a regular basis, but if the love of your life is turning 39 and you happen to have a one pound Snickers bar left over from Christmas, this cake is perfect. Because on your birthday you should be able to eat whatever you want and turning 39 is worth celebrating, as is every age (because the alternative to getting older is... well, not worth celebrating, obviously).  So go ahead, make yourself happy, and indulge in this amazing dessert with the people who you love!!

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Ever have left over oatmeal that you don't want to throw away, but definitely don't want to eat as a bowl of mush again?  I know I sometimes do, so when that happens and I know I will have time within the next couple of days to do some baking, I turn to a recipe like this one. I actually made this on request from my sister in law in Canada who loved my recipe for Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal Scones last year.  I had planned to just make the same thing again, but to be honest, I didn't feel like grating up a stick of butter. I usually get my husband to do that task, but he was busy helping his dad on a construction job, so I made up a muffin recipe instead.  I totally made this one up out of my head using left over steel cut oats from breakfast, adding a little of this and a little of that until the batter looked right, and they turned out fantastic.  To be honest, when they first came out of the oven and then fell apart when I tried to take them out of the pan too soon, I got worried.  But once they cooled completely, they came out of the papers just fine and were extremely moist, sweet and amazingly popular with my four year old nephew.  They honestly taste like a mini bowl of oatmeal in portable cupcake form, so they were an easy way to get my kids and my nephew to eat a healthy breakfast while running around dressed in superhero costumes.  I am sure you could easily substitute regular oats and could definitely use canola oil instead of butter, and the end result would be just as good. And the best part is that it uses frozen berries so there is no excuse as to why you can't make them in the middle of the winter as well!

Gingerbread Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes

What do you get when you combine the recipes for Gingerbread Muffins and Buttermilk Pancakes? Gingerbread Pancakes!!  And the perfect Christmas (or any) morning breakfast.  The best part of this recipe is that the batter can be made the night before and then all you have to do in the morning is (get your husband) to cook the pancakes!  And you honestly don't even need syrup or anything else on them.  They are high in fiber and whole grains and all of the spices make them especially good for you, and tasty!!  You can easily make them vegan by using the soaked chia seeds instead of eggs, oil instead of butter and soy milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk.  Either way, they are super simple, and absolutely unforgettable. I am so glad I took the time to figure out this recipe and that they turned out so perfectly on the first try.  Considering this was the first Christmas morning my family and I didn't travel to visit any extended relatives, it was important to me to have a memorable morning meal for my family of four. And the left overs are great heated up in the toaster as well!!