Guacamole

A few years ago (now that I think about it, it may have been more than a few years.  Man, I'm getting old.), my family took a trip to New York City.  Confession time:  I LOVE this city.  I love the hustle, the people, the sites, the sounds...all of it.  I've never been bothered by the "rudeness" of New Yorkers or the mass amounts of people everywhere.  Its such a change from my every day life that I actually enjoy it.  I could visit this lovely city every year and still find new place and sites to enjoy.

Anyway, back to the story....

My dad decided to take us to dinner at a restaurant on the west side of Central Park called Rosa Mexicano.  I honestly can't remember what I had for dinner than night, but I do remember the guacamole.  This was truly the best guacamole I've ever had.  They bring all the ingredients out and fix it for you, table side.  The flavors were incredibly fresh and bright and wonderful and simple.  Simple was the best part.  I like being able to taste the avocado in my guac and not have it be overpowered by other flavors and spices.

Over the years, we have worked on re-creating the creamy deliciousness of this guacamole.  I think we've finally done it.  I could eat the entire bowl-full, with a spoon...forget about the chips!

The great thing about this guacamole is that it is SUPER easy!  Quite often, I don't measure any of the ingredients and just throw things in the bowl until it "tastes" right.  Just be careful to not "taste" it all!

GUACAMOLE

2 ripe avocados

1/2 tomato, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons yellow onion, diced finely (I don't like big chunks of onion flavor)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 jalapeno, chopped (deveined and seeded, depending on the level of heat you want)

Juice from 1/2 of a lime

1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt, to taste

Optional: a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce in addition to or instead of the jalapeno

Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and mash lightly.  Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together until well combined and avocado is as chunky or smooth as you prefer it.  Taste and adjust as necessary.

Southwest Veggie Frittata

To me, eggs are one of the greatest "blank canvases" when it comes to cooking.  You can spice and flavor them in tons of way.  I'm always a sucker for Southwest flavors and find them sneaking their way into a lot of my meals.  I find that eggs and Southwest flavors blend very well together.

This meal works well for breakfast or dinner or warmed up for lunch the next day.  It is also a great make-a-head meal.  I made ours the night before and put it in the refrigerator.  I pulled it out of the frig about 20 minutes prior to cooking so the eggs could come up to room temperature before baking.

SOUTHWEST VEGGIE FRITTATA

2 cups sweet potatoes, diced 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, diced (remove seeds and veins if you don't want too much heat)

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, diced

1/2 cup black beans

1/4 cup roasted green chilies, diced (canned ones work just fine)

8 eggs (or 16 egg whites)

2 tsp cumin

zest of 1 lime

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Toss sweet potatoes with oil and place on baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until nice and soft.  (You could always just boil the sweet potatoes, but I love the flavor they provide when roasted.)

In a bowl, whisk together egg whites, cumin, lime zest, salt and pepper until well combined.  Add in onion, garlic, jalapeno, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, black beans and chilies.

Put roasted sweet potatoes into the bottom of a greased baking dish.  Pour egg mixture on top.  (The capacity of mine was 2 quarts.  An 9 x 13 would work as well, but you may need to adjust the baking time.)  Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until the eggs are set and the edges are slightly browned.

Slice and serving with sour cream and avocado.

 

My Favorite Green Smoothie

I am in LOVE with this smoothie! There have been days when I've had one for breakfast and dinner (yes, I've been slacking in bit in the cooking dinner department).  Not only is it creamy and smooth and wonderfully delicious, it's packed with both fruits and veggies.  It's a great way to get excellent nutrition to start (or end) my day. 

Don't let the combo of veggies freak you out.  I had never thought about adding avocado to my smoothies until I read a recipe using them to create a creamy chocolate shake.  I decided to give it a try and man, I'm so glad I did!!

Yes, avocados are a little on the high side when it comes to calories, but the nutritional benefits definitely outweigh the addition of the calories. Avocados contain folate, potassium, monosaturated fats (the good fats) and are very high in fiber.  They have also been shown to help lower LDL and raise HDL.

My second favorite addition to this smoothie....the kiwi!  I'm addicted to them right now.  While not technically a superfood, this little green gem is packed full of vitamins A, E and C, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes.  It's also a great source of fiber, packing almost twice as much as spinach.  Take that, Popeye!

And those little chia seeds...great source of both protein and fiber.  If you don't like the feeling of the seeds whole in your smoothie, you can always grind them into a powder prior to adding them in.

It's easy to add in a little extra protein when I drink these after a workout, too!  Add a little vanilla protein powder or Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla) and you've got a great post-workout smoothie!

MY FAVORITE GREEN SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup diced pineapple, frozen
1/2 banana, sliced and frozen
1 kiwi, peeled, sliced and frozen
1/4 avocado
1 cup spinach
2 inch chunk of cucumber
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp chia seeds
1/4-1/2 cup water
optional add ins: 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder or 2-3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Place almond milk in the blender first, then add remaining ingredients, only adding 1/4 cup water.  Blend on high until everything is blended well and smooth.

Depending on your fruits and blender, you may need to add an additional 1/4 cup water to get and keep everything moving.  Add it slowly and in small amounts so your smoothie isn't too runny.

NOTE: To make things easier, I put the pineapple, banana and kiwi in food saver bags and freeze them together.  That way I can just grab one bag from the freezer and I'm ready to go!

Linked to: Allergy Free Wednesdays, Mix It Up Monday

Italian Chicken Roll-Ups

The other day I had a craving for Italian food. Normally, that isn't something I crave. Since the majority of it contains pasta and I'm not a huge fan of gf pasta, I don't eat much of it. However, thoughts of tomato sauce and cheese sat in the back of my head all day while I was working.

In honor of my hubby's Italian heritage (which means I really should work on creating more Italian recipes for him) and what I found in my refrigerator, I came up with these Italian Chicken Roll-Ups. The hubby has raved about them and asked for them for dinner repeatedly.

I served our roll-ups over sauteed spiraled zucchini noodles, but they would also be delicious over any regular pasta, gluten free pasta or quinoa. 

ITALIAN CHICKEN ROLL-UPS

2 chicken breasts
4 wedges Laughing Cow Light Swiss* (see note)
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 - 2/3 cup chopped spinach
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Trim chicken breasts and cut in half, width-wise.  One at a time, place each piece inside a gallon size baggie and pound flat to about 1/4th of an inch.  You want it as thin as you can get it without creating holes or ripping your chicken.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, Italian Seasoning, spinach, salt and pepper.   Spread a fourth of the mixture onto each piece of chicken.  Roll each piece up and place seam side down in the baking dish. 


In a separate bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.  Sprinkle mixture over the tops of the roll-ups.  


Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and pour sauce over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top and return the pan to the oven.  Bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.


NOTE: each wedge is just about an ounce.  You could substitute in 4 ounces of any soft, spreadable cheese i.e. ricotta, cream cheese, etc.


Linked to: Heart & Soul Hop, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Spinach Artichoke Dip

A couple years back, I made a spinach artichoke dip for a party the hubby and I went to. The hubby loved it and so did everyone else. Unfortunately, the only thing I could remember about it was that it wasn't healthy at all!

When the hubby asked me to make it again for our Superbowl party, I was stumped. I knew I couldn't make it the same way (I had no idea what recipe I had used). We've been working hard to change up the way we eat lately. Not that we are dieting; we are just trying to be more healthy all around. As I was researching recipes on the Internet, I couldn't find one I like or felt wasn't too unhealthy.

Unfortunately, time was running away from me that Sunday. We had people showing up in 30 minutes and other than buying some cream cheese, I hadn't given the dip a second thought. Luckily, we always have spinach and cheese in the drawer. I threw a bunch of things together and this is what we ended up with. I didn't pre-cook my spinach. No one seemed to notice. If you would prefer to use frozen spinach, make sure it is very well drained. Squeeze out as much water as you can before using!!

I'm assuming it was delicious as I had to quickly snap a picture of the hubby's plate in order to get something to put on the blog. I apologize for the quality of the picture!

SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Swiss, softened
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan
8 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4-1/3 cup skim milk
1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped **see note at end
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, laughing cow cheese, grated Parmesan, garlic and Italian Seasoning. Add in 1/4 cup milk. Stir in spinach and artichoke hearts. If the mixture feels too thick, add the remaining milk, a tablespoon at a time.

Pour mixture into a 1.25 quart ceramic baking dish (I used the small one in this set). Sprinkle grated mozzarella on the top. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with fresh veggies or gf crackers for the gluten-free; sliced baguette or pita for the non-gf.

**NOTE:
If using frozen artichoke hearts; thaw, drain and chop. If using canned artichoke hearts, rinse some of the oil off first, before draining and chopping.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Roast with Mango Salsa

It has been quite some time since I have posted anything here. Working two jobs and a hubby in law school keeps us pretty busy around here. I have found that I rely more and more on my crock-pot to make dinner happen. The majority of my upcoming posts will be focusing on crock-pot and/or make a-head meals...for breakfast and dinner! I really struggle with breakfast at times :)

However, last night I found myself with a night off and a generous amount of time to make dinner. That doesn't mean this meal took a generous amount of time. It was actually very easy! I threw the roast in the oven, put the rice on half way through and it turned out wonderfully. The only secret....making the salsa AT LEAST one day in advance. It needs time to sit and "marinate" in the fridge. I had originally planned to make this meal last weekend, so my salsa sat for a few days. It was still delicious, probably more so than it would have been the same day.

We love Asian flavors at our house. This is a great way to bring a new sweetly spiced flavor to a traditional pork roast. The honey allows for a slight crystallization on the outside, sealing in the moisture and flavor. The sweet chili sauce and siracha add a slight heat to the roast, which is easily modifiable to your individual taste!

SWEET AND SPICY PORK ROAST

2-3 pound pork roast (mine was a top sirloin roast from Costco)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tsp honey
2-3 tsp siracha (adjustable to your personal heat level)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Trim fat off pork roast, as personally desired. Rub ginger and garlic powder mixture on all sides of the roast. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sweet chili sauce, honey and siracha. Set aside.
When the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees (pork is safely done about 145 degrees), turn on broiler to low. Brush the outsides of the roast with the chili sauce mixture and place back underneath the broiler to allow the sauce to crystallize on the outside. I ended up brushing the sauce on 3 or 4 times. I did have a little sauce left over that I put on the table with the roast.
Remove the roast from the oven and tent with foil for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve with mango salsa. We ate ours with coconut rice and steamed broccoli. I will post the rice recipe tomorrow! :)

*I didn't have a roasting pan so I just line a baking sheet with tin foil and placed my roast on that. If you have a roasting pan, that would probably be a better option.


MANGO SALSA
1 mango, peeled and diced small
1/3 onion, diced small
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced small
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I love Fall. I'm fairly certain I could start every post for the next few months that way. I don't think there is one specific thing that makes Fall my favorite. I love the smells, the changing temperature, the changing leaves and the food....the warmth and depth that cinnamon and ginger give to soup, muffins, etc.

We went to our local farmer's market last weekend and it was full of Fall. Pumpkins, squash, rich maple syrup flavored with cinnamon and vanilla and apples. I was in heaven. As we wandered through the stalls, my mind raced with thoughts of soups, muffins and breads. There were so many options, but I knew that I couldn't take it all home. My kitchen is pretty little :)

As we wandered toward the end, my eye was caught by this beautiful butternut squash. Now, I've never really been a squash fan. I like zucchini, but the rest...no thanks. But this squash looked beautiful. Maybe I should broaden my horizons and try it. But how? I'd never cooked it before. I knew I didn't want it plain. They only thing I could think of was soup. The temperature has dropped into the 50's quite regularly. Soup would be perfect.

This was totally new for me; something I've never tried before. And I have to say...it was SO good!!!!! Its a little more sweet than savory, but its thick, creamy and extremely filling.

Now, the squash we bought was huge! I only roasted half of it and that was about 4 pounds. This soup is very easy to cut in half, or double, depending on the size of your squash. It would also be pretty easy to make it savory rather than sweet...just change up your spices a bit. Use some thyme, sage, ginger, maybe curry powder or a little cayenne pepper. Modify until your heart's content! :)

An item of note: I don't tend to measure my spices when I cook. These measurements are approximate. When you're cooking, always start with less and add until it tastes the way you want it to.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

4 pounds squash
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small apples, chopped
1 cup coconut milk (can use half and half)
5 cups homemade chicken broth (can use veggie broth for vegan soup)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 scant tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (sea salt is different than table salt..its less salty)
1/4 cup agave (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds. Using a fork, poke the skin side of the squash 6-12 times. Drizzle the cut side with a little olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired. Roast until squash is soft to the touch. A fork should easily pierce through the flesh. You want it super soft. It will take around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your squash. Remove from the oven and cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot over med to med-hi heat, depending on your stove. Add carrots and celery; saute for 7-8 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Continue to saute until all the veggies become very soft, adding the apples last. The carrots will take the longest to cook. Don't add the onion and garlic too soon or they will burn.

Scrape the flesh out of the squash skin. I actually found it easier to turn the squash flesh side down and peel the skin away instead of trying to scoop the flesh out.

Add veggies and squash to the food processor. (Due to the quantity, I ended up doing this in two batches.) Add about 3 cups of broth. Puree everything until smooth. You may need more broth in order for everything to move well in your food processor.

Before you return the mixture to the soup pot, make sure that you wipe out any remaining veggie bits that didn't make it to the food processor. You don't want those little bits in your soup.

Return the soup to the pot. Add coconut milk and additional broth until you achieve desired consistency. I used 1 cup coconut milk and 5 cups broth. Our soup was still plenty thick and creamy. Add spices and salt. Stir to combine. Simmer until warmed all the way through.

If your food processor didn't puree everything the way you wanted, you can always use an immersion blender in the soup pot to break down any additional chunks.

Serve with creme frachie or sour cream.

You'll Never Believe These Are Good For You

A couple weeks ago, I went home for a friend's wedding. While hanging out at my parent's house, I decided I wanted some muffins to eat for breakfast. I had seen a recipe on the Food Network for some muffins made with carrots and zucchini. Lately, I've been trying to incorporate more veggies into each meal and these muffins peeked my interest.

Now, when I made these back home the first time, I wasn't sure what to expect; but let me tell you...the taste surpassed anything I could have imagined. The were dense, moist, soft and the cinnamon gave a wonderful warmth and depth to the flavor. If you have kids and want them to eat more veggies...they'll never know they are in here. You can't even taste the carrots or zucchini. They melt right into the muffin.

The only problem was, they didn't rise at all. In fact, they sunk a bit in the middle. I tried again when I returned back to Saint Paul, making a couple changes. I substituted for the brown rice flour to make them grain free and added a reactant for the soda to help them rise. These ones were still wonderfully delicious, but a little more fluffy than the first ones.

They are both delicious, grain free, sugar free and can be made egg free. If you want a denser muffin, leave the apple cider vinegar out. If you want them fluffier, leave it in. Its a recipe that adapts well to change! I personally prefer them more dense and sunken...without the vinegar.

Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Muffins

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour (can sub brown rice flour but they won't be grain-free)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
1/3 cup good maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (leave this out if you want a denser muffin - I choose to leave it out) **see NOTE at the end
1 egg ( or 1 chia egg...1 TBSP ground chia mixed with 3 TBSP warm water, let sit for 5 min to gel)
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Line muffin tin with liners.
Combine together almond flour, sorghum flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, syrup, vinegar (if using) and egg. Stir in carrots and zucchini. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Fold together to combine but don't over mix. Fold in cranberries or raisins.
Fill tines 3/4 way full. (If leaving out vinegar, you can fill them almost all the way.) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

I frosted a couple of mine with a mixture of 2 TBSP cream cheese and 1 tsp honey.

They keep well for a couple days in an air tight container on the counter. Then freeze the rest. (We didn't have any left to freeze!)

**NOTE
The muffins with the vinegar were great the first day, but they were fairly dry the next day. If you are going to eat them all the morning you make them, they work well with the vinegar to keep them fluffy. If you are making them as a week-long breakfast item, I suggest leaving the vinegar out. They stay moist much longer that way.

Comfort Food

Everyone has their favorite comfort food; that one thing you want to eat when you're sad, depressed, having a bad day, or often when its just ugly and cold outside. For some, its a warm bowl of soup and a nice, doughy roll. For others, its a steaming serving of mashed potatoes.

For a long time, I never really had one dish that just seemed to make everything better...until I started eating gluten free. I realized how much I loved tomato sauce and sausage. It doesn't matter how hot it is outside, or inside, when I crave comfort food, I want spaghetti sauce and sausage. The problem was, this is a dish usually eaten over pasta.

In the beginning, I didn't like any of the gluten-free pastas. I found one made from quinoa that I enjoy the most, but I still don't love anything out there on the market. Then, when we moved further towards a grain free and starch free diet, I just started eating the sauce plain. Plain just didn't seem to be quite as comforting as I remembered.

Enter cannellini beans. I first fell in love with these beans making soup. I love the warm, creamy texture they give and since I'm not a huge meat-eater, the protein the provide was a wonderful addition to my then lack-luster diet. I had these beans in a greek-style tomato dish once and I began to wonder if they would be a decent supplement for pasta. Man, was I surprised. The creaminess of the beans mixed with the spiciness of the sausage was absolutely fantastic. Comfort food or not, this dish has become a menu staple at our house.

PS - it stores very well in the frig and reheats wonderfully in the microwave or on the stove top. I often take leftovers to work for lunch.

Sausage and White Beans

4 Italian sausages, hot or mild
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 3/4 cup chicken broth (I make my own. If using store bought, use low-sodium.)
2 cups (1 14-oz can) diced tomatoes
4 cups (2 cans) cannellini beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
2 handfuls fresh spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

In a tall sided pan or a larger pot, brown and cook sausages. Remove and allow to cool enough to slice.

Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the same pan and caramelize onions for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Use either chicken broth or 1/4 cup red wine to deglaze the pan. When deglazed, add remaining chicken stock to pan. Add in tomatoes, beans, basil, parsley and sliced sausage (remember to add the juice from the sausage on the plate). Let this simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste...season with salt and pepper.

Right before you're ready to serve, stir in spinach just so it wilts. Serve.

You can serve this over rice, pasta or quinoa if you want. We eat it plain.

Socca Pizza

Do you ever fall into a food rut? You find yourself making the same thing for dinner every week? I found myself in that rut a couple months ago. We were in desperate need of something new for dinner. Unfortunately, I was really struggling in coming up with new ideas.

In a recent research endeavor, I came across a recipe for socca. - a french flat bread/cracker made from chick pea flour. I originally wanted to use this to create something grain and gluten free to eat with hummus. However, it was closing in on dinner time and I still didn't have anything planned. I wondered what would happen if I made these crackers thicker, to be more of a pita type sandwich wrap. The first try was a giant fail. It crackled and crumbled all over the place.

I was so disappointed! I had this great idea and picture in my head and it totally bombed. But, sometimes out of our greatest frustrations come our greatest triumphs. A sandwich wrap fail became an amazing crust for a pizza!! Its delicious, believe me! Ok, even if you don't, you really should try this.

SOCCA PIZZA

1/2 cup chick pea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
1/2 cup water
pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
optional: seasonings of your choice (basil, oregano, garlic)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Pour oil in a heavy bottom, oven proof skillet. Heat pan and oil in the oven until HOT.
(My skillet is about 10 inches in diameter. If you are using a larger skillet, you will want to up the amounts of flour and water to accommodate the change. Just keep the measurements equal.)

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together and let them sit for about 10 minutes, while the pan heats.

When the pan is hot, pour the batter into the pan and return in to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes. You'll know its ready to flip when the batter has completely set and is no longer runny in the middle. Flip the socca and return it to the oven for about 5-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler. Top the pizza as desired and place under the broiler to melt the cheese and heat toppings.

*Note: We found we didn't like this with traditional pizza toppings. The chick pea flour gave it just a bit of an odd taste.

Topping Suggestions:
Pesto, provolone cheese, chicken sausage and spinach
Thai peanut sauce, chicken, thinly sliced cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, thinly sliced red bell pepper, cilantro and jack cheese
BBQ sauce, chicken, sliced red onion, corn and jack cheese