Meatless Meal of the Week {no.9}

As I've said before, I don't particularly care for lentils--I cook with them because they are an affordable and healthy source of protein, but I am always looking for ways to improve on their flavor. This portobello and basil lentil soup is very good. The flavor of the mushrooms, fresh basil, and sherry wine are excellent compliments to the lentils. I originally found the recipe here, but I have modified it a few ways.

Portobello and Basil Lentil Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced portabella mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups stock
6 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 cups green lentils
1 cup bunch fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup sherry cooking wine

Directions
Heat olive oil in large soup pot and saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, and pepper for about five minutes until mushrooms and onions are tender. Add stock and tomato paste and stir until well mixed. Stir in lentils and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add basil and simmer with pot covered for 15 more minutes. Stir in sherry cooking wine and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remaining basil leaves.

Quinoa for Breakfast

{Photo from 101cookbooks.com}

I’ve previously posted about the benefits of quinoa and shared some yummy quinoa dinner recipes (see here and here for examples), but have you considered eating quinoa for breakfast? I was inspired by this recipe for Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa. The recipe calls for fresh blackberries, which taste really yummy. But I have also adjusted it, using an assortment of frozen strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. You can eat the leftovers the following morning. I recommend mixing the leftover quinoa with yogurt and topping it with slivered almonds and granola.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no.8}

Oh dear. I haven’t posted since last Monday! Well, for now I’m simply checking in to share one of this week’s meatless meals. One of my favorite meals is thai peanut chicken with rice and steamed vegetables. I’ve decided I should try this meal without the chicken.

Thai Peanut Stir Fry
Ingredients
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup snow peas, cut in half diagonally
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
1 cup thin carrot sticks, cut into 1-inch segments
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

1. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, flour, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. In small saucepan, whisk together peanut butter with 1/2 cup hot water. Stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Reserve.
2. Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil to a big skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir for about two minutes. Stir in the vegetables, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam--just long enough for the veggies to brighten and start to soften.
3. Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetables. Serve with rice.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 7}

{Photo from 101cookbooks.com}

For one of this week’s meatless meals, I am compelled to share another recipe by Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com (see two previous recommendations here and here). This tasty asparagus and brown rice is really good. It uses tahini and lemon, so the flavor has a tangy kick. Also, I love the crunch added by the almonds.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 6}

There is a family-owned grocery store only a mile from our house (it’s not a chain!), and they carry homemade breads from a nearby bakery. A package of whole wheat pita bread was on sale for $0.99!

So, one of this week’s meatless meals will be pitas, filled with a black beans and corn. This combination of ingredients is so easy (no cooking!), and it is really good. Also, it allows for lots of variations--you could try serving it in tortillas, over spanish rice, or with tostito chips.

Black Bean and Corn Pitas
Ingredients
2 cups black beans, soaked and rinsed (or a 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup  thawed frozen corn kernels
2 tomatoes on the vine, diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 avocado, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar
Whole wheat pita bread

Directions
In a microwave safe bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cumin, chili powder, avocado, salt, and black pepper. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is slightly warm. Stir in cheese. Serve this dish family style with pita bread. Everyone can fill their own pita pocket.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 5}

Inspired by some delicious quinoa dishes, I created my own. It's healthy and delicious, and it's meatless.

Moroccan Quinoa with Peas and Zucchini
Ingredients 
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
2 small zucchini
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, curry powder, and chili powder.
1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat the quinoa, water, and the can of diced tomatoes until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when tender and when you can see the curlique in each grain. When the quinoa is done, set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, cut zucchini into 1/2 inch thick coins. Then cut each zucchini coin into quarters.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and zucchini. Cook until onions are translucent and zuchinni is tender, five minutes. Add chickpeas and peas. Cook two minutes. Turn heat to low, and stir in peanut butter. Add ginger, cumin, curry, and chili powder. Toss the quinoa with the vegetable mixture. Add salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 4}

I haven’t done any menu planning for the week ahead. We traveled for Memorial Day weekend, and we’re getting home late tonight. I am sure we’ll be eating some meatless meals, I just don’t know what they will be! If you’d like some meatless inspiration, check out these posts...

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 1}

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 2}

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 3}

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 2}

{Photo from here.}

Right now I am really into Heidi Swanson of www.101cookbooks.com. This week one of our meatless meals will be Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter. It's from her cookbook, and it looks amazing. The recipe is featured here.

I try to cook with lentils regularly, but I don't particularly care for their texture or flavor. I think this recipe has lots of potential because the ingredients are pureed. Also, it calls for ingredients such as curry powder and coconut milk, which should hide that distinctly lentil flavor.

I plan to serve this soup with fresh corn on the cob. For last week's meatless meal, check out this post.

Meatless Meal of the Week {no. 1}

I usually cook a few meatless meals during the week (see some good ones here and here), and when I do include meat, it's never the main focus of the meal.  I want to begin a series featuring one meatless meal every week. For dinner tonight, we will be eating...

Brown Rice and Spinach Casserole
This surprisingly good recipe is from a A Continual Feast: A cookbook to celebrate the joys of family and faith throughout the Christian year. I love its title. It draws from 1 Corinthians 5:8, but liturgical Christians will also recognize that it draws from the Eucharistic prayer (“Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast.”).

Carrot Ginger Soup
Once I had a delicious carrot and ginger soup at a local restaurant, and I was inspired to create my own. To make this soup, puree several cooked carrots with a few cups vegetable broth. Then add salt, pepper, onion powder, and ginger to taste. Serve the soup hot and enjoy the lovely orange color!

Homemade Wheat and Flaxseed Bread
The good thing about this recipe is that it makes two loaves!

Homemade Bread for Mother’s Day

I haven’t baked very much since giving birth to our twins in January, and I am starting to miss it! This bread recipe was passed on to me by a friend, and it is delicious. It will make the perfect little something to give my mom on Mother’s Day.

Wheat and Flaxseed Bread
Ingredients 
4 1/2 tsp yeast (2 packets)

2 cups warm water (around 110 degrees)

2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil

2 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 cup freshly ground flax seeds
2 1/2 to 3 cups white flour

Directions
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add the rest of the ingredients. Start kneading as you add the ingredients. Stop adding the last cup of white flour when the dough pulls away cleanly from the side of the bowl. Total kneading time should be 5-7 minutes. Let rise in bowl until about double or for about 45 minutes. Punch down and place in two greased medium bread pans. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Our Easter Menu

I’m getting excited already! We’ll be having...

• Martha’s marmalade glazed ham
• Asparagus
• Sweet potatoes
• Ina Garten’s popovers
• Martha’s chocolate eggs dessert
• A lamb cake

Vegetarian Recipe: Rockin Moroccan Stew

{Photo from here.}

Our vegetarian-friend introduced this stew to us a few months ago. I made it this week and was reminded of how delicious it is! Even my husband, who is usually picky about sweet potatoes, loves this meal. It’s a great Lenten recipe to try during these last days of Lent...

Rockin Moroccan Stew
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup each diced celery and chipped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
1 can (14-½ oz) tomatoes, drained and cut up
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp light peanut butter
2 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. 

Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 

Stir in raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Mix well. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

I omitted the raisins because I didn’t have them. Also, I doubled the amount of peanut butter and cilantro, and if you like these flavors, then I recommend doing this! This stew tastes wonderful served over brown rice.

Whipped Banana Oatmeal

[image from katheats]

Are you like me in that you peel and freeze the overripe bananas that weren't eaten by your household?  Then the bananas are waiting conveniently in the freezer for smoothies and for baking.  Maybe some of you are also like me in that your stock of frozen bananas grows a lot faster than you use them!

Well here is another wonderful way to use those bananas, and it doesn’t require baking, which can sometimes to daunting! Whipped banana oatmeal. Doesn’t even the name make your mouth water? Previously I made it on the stovetop, like she suggests, but making it in the microwave works well too. I add ground flax seeds to the recipe. She offers many variations, but my favorite is to top it with almonds and a little brown sugar.

I’ve realized that adding a ripe banana is also a great way to sweeten oatmeal for my little son. I just pull one from the freezer, and I plop it in the bowl before microwaving.

While on the subject of bananas...when I do bake (something I’ve yet to do since giving birth to my twins in January!), this is my favorite healthy banana muffin recipe, and this banana cake is delicious.

Using Coupons to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

When I stumbled upon this recipe, my mouth began to water. It looked delicious! It also seemed to be really convenient. However, it appeared to be very pricey – it calls for a box of brownie mix, pouch of cookie mix, and a container of frosting. If I paid full price for these items at my grocery store, the total would be $7.07! However, these products frequently go on sale, and coupons are nearly always available here.

Here is what I paid to make this recipe:

2 boxes Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix – Buy 1 for $2.99, get 1 free sale
(Used one “$.50 off two boxes” coupon)
Paid $.99 per box

2 pouches Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix – Buy 1 for $2.19, get 1 free sale
(Used two “$.50 off one pouch” coupons)
Paid $.09 per pouch

1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting – On sale for $.99 cents
(Used one “$.55 off one container” coupon)
Paid $.44 per container

So, I paid $1.52 to make one batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies. (The rest of the ingredients I already had on hand.) That might not be as cheap as baking from scratch, but it is a lot cheaper that $7.07!

Frugal Side Dish: Sautéed Corn, Bacon, and Scallions

I strongly recommend keeping this recipe on hand. This side dish is a perfect option for mealtime, and it is a great dish to bring to a party or event. It is easy to make and very tasty. And best of all? It is inexpensive! The ingredients are corn, bacon, scallions, and red pepper flakes. I slightly modify the recipe because I use frozen corn.

{Photo from Martha}

Budgeting For Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving meal can put a strain on one’s weekly budget. I’ve been preparing for Thanksgiving by stocking up on sale items; however, many ingredients must be bought fresh. In order to not go over budget, I’ve decided that all our dinners leading up to Thanksgiving will be cooked with only the food that we already have on-hand. Our meals will utilize the frozen chicken in our freezer, frozen vegetables, and applesauce. So my grocery list this weekend will primarily consist of groceries for Thanksgiving. By cutting out some of the things I usually buy on a weekly basis, I can make room in our weekly budget for the special occasion food.

Here are some of the recipes I’ve had my eyes on: Roasted Turkey with Sage, Hard Cider Gravy, Thanksgiving Stuffing, and Favorite Apple Pie.

{Photo from Martha}

Spinach and Pears Dinner Salad

This dinner salad is currently one of our favorite meals. Not only is it attractive, but it’s also healthy, tasty, easy, and affordable! I use spinach leaves, broccoli, almond slices (or walnuts), diced pears, and chopped chicken. You can serve it with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Yum!

Meatless Meal: Twice-Baked Tex-Mex Potato

I’ve heard some people recommend that the best way to lower your grocery bill is to eat at least one meatless meal a week. This is a great recipe from Whole Foods that I tried last night – it is healthy, frugal, and tasty!

{Photo from Whole Foods}

Cheddar Corn Chowder

If you are looking for a good fall recipe, you must try Barefoot Contessa’s Cheddar Corn Chowder. It is so delicious! My mom often made this soup for my family growing up, and now my husband and I frequently enjoy it. I was surprised to find the recipe available online. The recipe makes an enormous amount of soup, so unless you have a big stock-pot, you might want to cut it in half. The soup can be frozen and saved for last-minute occasions. More on that idea here.

Cooking a Chicken in the Crock-Pot

After reading this post, a reader asked me to describe how I cook a whole chicken in my crock-pot. Here is my recipe:

Crock-Pot Whole Chicken
Ingredients
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder

Additional Items
½ cup water
Tinfoil (optional)

1. Sprinkle the spices on the chicken. [I am quite liberal with them, and I probably use more of each ingredient than this recipe officially calls for. I peel back some of the skin so that the spices get underneath it, then I fold the skin back into place.]
2. Pour ½ cup water into the bottom of the crock-pot.
3. Place the chicken in the crock-pot, making sure it is slightly elevated. [The chicken needs to be elevated on something inside the crock-pot, or else it becomes too greasy. I have a small, metal cooking rack that fits inside my crock-pot. So I place the rack on the bottom of the crock-pot and place the chicken on top of it. An alternate option is to create three balls (2-3 inches in diameter) from tinfoil. You can put these balls on the bottom of the crock-pot and place the chicken upon them.]
4. Cook the chicken on low for 8-9 hours, depending on the size of the chicken.
5. Serve the chicken as is, or make a gravy from the juices in the crock-pot.