Simply Healthy Family

Cottage Cheese Pancakes {gluten free}

2013-05-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

I think these pancakes could fall under the paleo diet guidelines. Wait, did cavemen eat cottage cheese? Oh well, I'm pretty sure that cave men ate pancakes. After all they apparently ate muffins, cookies and pie why not pancakes. O.k. so I haven't read up on this new fad. I know it's a pretty basic concept of eating whole foods but as far as trying to figure out exactly what cavemen ate, I'm not sure I really get it. Like coconut for instance? Did cave men eat coconut? Maybe if there were cave men in Hawaii. Coconut is good for you but if cave men didn't eat it then are Paleoians not allowed to eat it either? Why?

These are the random things I think about when I am stalling cleaning the house. I'll bet cave men didn't have to clean their houses errr caves. The closest to living like a cave man that I get is living with 4 crazy kids running around the house like little neanderthals.

Honestly. Not sure what got me on this subject. Just seeing an awful lot of Paleo recipes out there in the blogosphere. Paleo must be the new gluten free. I'm sure there's some great science behind it.

At any rate, in an effort to reduce our intake of processed carbs/sugars and limit GMO foods in our bodies I have been trying to remake some of our favorite foods without white or wheat flour.

These pancakes turned out to be super easy and tasted great without the wheat flour. Score! Dare I say,

"So easy a caveman can do it!"

Sorry. Had to.

My mom used to make cottage cheese pancakes for us when we were little. We all loved them. Substituting almond and coconut flour for regular flour adds protein and vitamins.

Bye Bye wheat belly!

If your thinking cottage cheese sounds really weird in pancakes let me tell you, it's amazing! The pancakes turn out moist and the cottage cheese somehow gets sweet when cooked and tastes very similar to a cream cheese crepe IMO.

Topped with strawberries for extra sweetness and these pancakes will be your new

favorite healthy breakfast I promise!

*NOTES I also have used 1 cup spelt flour in place of the almond and coconut flour. Spelt flour is not certified GF but it is a nutritious ancient grain with a deep nut like flavor. Spelt dates back long before many wheat hybrids. Many of its benefits come from the fact that it offers a broader spectrum of nutrients compared to many of its more inbred cousins in the wheat family. It can be used in many of the same ways as wheat including bread and pasta making. Spelt does not seem to cause sensitivities in many people who are intolerant of wheat.

adapted from my mom's recipe

TIME 15 MINUTES YIELDS 8-10 SMALL PANCAKES

Cottage Cheese Pancakes {Gluten Free}

Ingredients

4 eggs
1/2 cup plain, fat free yogurt
1 1/2 cups large curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
real butter to coat pan

toppings
chopped strawberries
honey
or real maple syrup

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, add yogurt and cottage cheese. Sift in flours, baking powder and salt.
Using a 1/4 measuring cup, slowly pour batter into hot skillet. The batter will be thin and spread quickly so pour slowly.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on first side until bubbles cover the top. Flip pancakes over and cook 1-2 minutes more. Lower heat if necessary.

Smokey Baba Ganoush {roasted eggplant dip}

2013-05-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

Teenagers. sighhhh. Why didn't anyone ever warn me about how exhausting, annoying and all around taxing teenagers are? I'm pretty sure that had someone warned me I would have planned better. Prepared myself in some way, maybe gone to pre-conditioning therapy, meditated more or sent him to boarding school at age 13. That would have been smart, best for everyone. Had someone only warned me.

I'm trying really hard to look on the bright side of the situation, see the positive. There are a couple I think. He never did drugs, drank (that I know of anyway) is a well mannered and mostly happy go lucky kid. He is healthy (well until I get through with him after this latest shenanigan anyway) and has potential..... I hope.

Hope. Pray. Wait. That's really all a mother can do when your teenager goes off to college for his freshman year, all expenses paid for by dear old mom and dad and comes home with a big, FAT 1.0 GPA. Yup.

My son. The boy we raised and taught to be responsible, trustworthy and work hard in life. The boy who was in Honors, AP and IB courses throughout high school. The boy who may or may not be cut out of our WIll. Not that we have any money left after throwing it away on what turned out to basically be a one year, $12,000 all expenses paid vacation in Eastern Arizona, middle of nowhere USA.

Hope. Pray. Wait.

Time for the boy to take responsibility for his own actions. Self accountability. Figure out things for himself. Hopefully not crash and burn and when he inevitably does, I pray he will man up and make things right. Finish school and be a strong, smart independent young man who comes groveling back to his poor defeated mom and dad and begs for our forgiveness and tells us how incredibly smart we really were.

What? O.K. so maybe that last part is a bit of a stretch.

Which brings me to baba ganoush. Of course.

BRAIN FOOD, Cardiovascular Health and Free Radical Protection

In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals like fiber, magnesium and potassium, eggplant also contains important phytonutrients, many which have antioxidant activity.

Research on eggplant has focused on an anthocyanin phytonutrient found in eggplant skin called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage.

photo source

For more information on how to choose and store eggplant visit World's Healthiest Foods

Smokey Baba Ganoush {Roasted Eggplant Dip}

recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Small Plates by Joanne Wier, published 1998

TIME 45 MINUTES SERVES 4

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed

3-5 garlic cloves, roasted

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt, to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill 4 to 5 inches from the fire.

Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.

Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl.

Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste.

Add the 1/4 cup tahini, roasted garlic,1/4 cup lemon juice, paprika and cumin and mix well.

Season with salt, then taste and add more lemon juice, if needed.

Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well.

Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley. Place the olives around the sides.

Bon Apetite!

Preparing for Food Revolution Day with Jamie Oliver: Healthy Snacking

2013-05-15T16:41:00.001-07:00

Let's get straight to it shall we? I am under the impression that most of you are busy peeps and don't have time to read about another "The importance of eating healthy" post. So am I, I totally get it! We live in a time where if it can't be done NOW, made NOW or instantly downloaded onto one of our many electronic devices which will tell us how to do it while we drive, change a diaper or get ready for work than forget about it!

Case and point, wait.

A picture is worth a thousand words.........

Totally me on some days. We all have them.

Moving on.

So how do you teach people who are reluctant for various reasons to eat more healthy foods?

I hear it wherever I go. From strangers, friends and co-workers alike.

"I just don't have time to make home made meals and snacks!"

"I have no idea how to cook, so why try?"

and when I give them some of my simplest (IMHO) recipes I often get:

"I've never heard of half of that stuff."

"My family would never eat that!"

and my favorite...... wait for it......

"But, where's the chocolate?"

While I honestly and truly do understand that the majority of us don't have the means or know how about eating healthy, home made foods it's the complete lack of interest in trying that tends to irk me. I am a work in progress, big time! I am by NO means the epitome of total health. I will always be learning and striving to better myself and teach my kids the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. I can only hope that more people will continue to try as well.

For years I've mentioned these points and tips to friends, family and co-workers with mixed reactions. Mostly I get the for mentioned comments. Many of these people eat fairly healthy given their circumstances, the economy etc. but can do much better!

I aim to teach people how to radically cut down in processed, packaged and sugary foods/snacks and help them gain an appreciation for healthy home made ones. At the very, very least remove the stigma that making things home made is such an unbearable chore.

I was contacted by a representative of Jamie Oliver's last week about getting involved in

another one of his challenges & fundraisers. School will be coming to an end for my children but I thought this would be a perfect chance to bring some of my simple snacks into work along with the

recipes for my busy co-workers.

Cross your fingers for me!

Meanwhile here are a few of my families favorite healthy snacks. I make them in advance, freeze them and pop them out for school snacks, hiking, camping etc.

Gold Fish Crackers made w Cheddar and Sweet Potatoes

Banana Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars

Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Seed Pudding

Peanut Butter Craisen Millet Crispies

Lobster Fettuccine in a light Béchamel Sauce

2013-05-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

Instead of talking about how much today sucked big time, I'm going to harness my inner Chi and focus on Lobster Fettuccine. It's my happy place.

HuummmmMmmmmmmm...................

Tomorrow will be a better day. I know it. Period. No big deal, don't worry friends just another day working in surgery with a few surprises and challenges. Nothing a pair of comfy jamies, a glass of wine and a bowl of creamy lobster pasta won't fix. Tomorrow I have the day off and can hopefully spend time with my children and remember what the important things in my life are. Snuggling babies is God's way of gifting you free therapy.

This was supposed to be a Mother's day post, about a wonderful and perfect lobster fettuccine. Perhaps it still is. Food can be a comfort. That does not necessarily mean the usual heavy foods but for me, in finding healthier versions of my favorite dishes. I also find true comfort and peace in times of true struggle when holding my children (unless they're screaming and fighting in which case their dad finds comfort in them). The snuggles and kissed along my arm that my 3 year old gives me for no reason, the way my 6 year old runs up to the front door every time I come home, how my independent, 'non affectionate' 8 year old son every once and a while really needs a secret hug and kiss before bed. I focus on the fact that my teenage son just finished his first year of college and is on his way home, God bless safely and that although he is strong willed and somewhat stubborn and naive I have faith that he will become a good man.

It is not like me to be so...... I don't know what. Spiritual? Emotional? Goofy? But after a day like today I find blessed peace in focusing on the things that are truly important to me and letting GO of the rest of the junk. I've learned that stressing out about things that are in the past and that I have no control of are poison to my well being. That is definitely not to say that I have mastered this concept but that I am getting much better at letting these things go.

Kind of.

Maybe.

It's a work in progress.

Let's just focus on pasta shall we?

1 package fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 cups cooked lobster pieces ~ 2 tails or if you're lucky enough you can find them in the frozen department from Costco or Trader Joe's like I do.

1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth or water

1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk from a can

1 shallot ~ substitute w 1/4 cup scallion (white part of green onion)

small handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

freshly cracked pepper to taste

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat sauté shallot 2-3 minutes. Add tarragon, thyme and salt. Stir.

Pour in wine and deglaze pan using flat spoon. Turn down heat to low and cook 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced. Add cooked lobster pieces, pour in coconut milk and add parsley and pepper.

I am submitting this post to Tasty Tuesday's

The Best Grilled Fish Tacos on Home Made Blue Corn Tortillas with Mango Salsa, Cumin & Garlic Black Beans and a Healthy and Simple Cinco de Mayo Roundup.

2013-05-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've lived in the Southwest most of my 30 errrr something years. Mexico has a big influence here in the Valley of the Sun. Mexican food, style, culture and architecture are all prevalent here in the Phoenix area.

One thing I've never really understood is where the celebration of Cinco de Mayo comes from and why we celebrate it here in the States. I have many friends from Mexico or with strong Mexican roots and not a one of them have ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo. "Sure" they say, "We will hang out and have a cervesa but it's not a holiday in our book." Part of this was said in Spanish so I'm guessing that's what they said.

Nevertheless, it is a very good excuse to make some really good food (my favorite cuisine!) and sit out on the patio with an ice cold beverage with friends and family.

Tonight I'm making grilled fish tacos with fresh mango-jalapeno salsa on top of home made sweet blue corn tortillas and a side of cumin and garlic black beans (not from a can) tonight for dinner. Well, my husband is doing the grilling because I've been officially banned from with in 10 feet of the ol' BBQ since the unfortunate fire the other day. See the end result on Instagram if you're there. It's not pretty.

Fine by me. It's in the triple digits out there!

Fish:

2-3 pieces fresh Tilapia fillets

2 juicy limes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin (eye it)

1 teaspoon chili powder (eye it)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (eye it)

Heat your outdoor grill on medium-high.

In a large zip lock bag place fish and all ingredients. Zip bag closed, toss to coat fish. Let sit on counter for 15 minutes.

Place fish in a fish grill basket, discard remaining juice and bag. Grill on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes. Flip the basket over or, using tongs, flip fish. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove from heat.

Blue Corn Tortillas:

1 1/2 cups blue corn flour

1 cup spelt flour (can sub w regular, unbleached flour)

1 cup hot water

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon salt

Mix flours and salt. Add water and oil, stir to combine. Let sit aside for 20 minutes to let the ingredients incorporate. Then you will be able to tell if it need more flour or water, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be thick and not too sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, take small hand fulls of dough and make into a ball. Using a tortilla press, place a small square of parchment paper on the bottom side and ball of dough on top of paper. Place another small square of parchment paper on top of dough. Press firmly down on tortilla press. I like to roll out my tortillas even thinner with a rolling pin. The tortilla press helps ensure even, uncracked tortillas.

Place tortillas one at a time onto pre-heated cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. NO OIL!

Cook for 1 minute on first side and 30-60 seconds on other side. If your tortillas are thick you may need to cook a bit longer.

Remove from heat and place on a towel covered plate. Place tortillas in a tortilla keeper or keep them covered with another towel until ready to eat.

Blue cornmeal has 20% more protein and a lower glycemic index than regular cornmeal.

Spelt Flour

Spelt (Triticum Aestivum Spelt) is a shiny, dark rice shaped grain related to wheat. Spelt flour contains less gluten than normal wheat flour but it is not gluten-free.

Substituting Spelt Flour for All-purpose Flour:Many recipes will tolerate a cup for cup substitute. As with most substitutes the end result will not be the same and you may need to experiment with quantities to get a product you are happy with.

Spelt has a nice flavor, rather sweet, and is worth trying. I've only ever tried whole grain spelt. It is less springy than wheat (less strong gluten). In a yeasted bread, spelt uses less water than wheat,

Mango Salsa

This salsa is a huge favorite of ours. It is best when made the day before and chilled overnight

or at least 6 hours.

4 ripe mango's
1 large jalapeño
4 small sweet peppers
1/2 red onion, minced
small handful cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Peel mango's and cut flesh away from pit. Dice into small cubes. Place in large bowl.
Carefully cut jalapeño down center and using a knife cut out seeds and white veins taking care not to touch them.
Turn jalapeño over cut side down and mince into small pieces. Throw into bowl with mango.
Add minced onion, cilantro, salt, vinegar and spices. Toss to combine.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

2 cups dry black beans

3-5 cups water depending on your cooking method

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

Soak beans overnight.

I typically use my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker to cook all of my beans, it's my favorite kitchen toy! I brown my onion over medium-high heat, add soaked and drained beans and 3 cups water. Turn the heat up to high and bring pressure to second ring. Lower heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes (YUP THAT'S it!) and remove from heat letting pressure drop naturally.

Slow cooker method: Brown onions in pan add beans, 5 cups water and remaining ingredients. Cook on lowest setting for 8 hours.

Mexican Food Roundup

all from Simply Healthy Family

Typically, tamales, tostadas, tacos, nachos and enchiladas all smothered with cheeses and sour cream are served up the Mexican-American way. It's how we ruin a good thing. It kills me a little each time I see canned cheese served in a Mexican/American restaurant. Gag!

For a lighter and more authentic Cinco Celebration try one or all

{lot's and lot's of good, home made food is how it's done in the Latin tradition}

of these simple recipes instead of the usual carb and cheese laden ones.

Shrimp, Jicama and Negro Frijole Tosatadas

Simple Turkey Pozole

Last but not least, and I hate to pick favorites {unless you ask my teenager} is...............

Puerto Penasco Ceviche

Puerto Penasco Ceviche

Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo???

If so I'd love to know how or what your traditions are!

Over Night Tart Cherry and Pear Crisp Breakfast

2013-04-30T11:08:00.001-07:00

I am not a morning person. Everyone who knows me knows that it's best not to ask me anything serious, important or annoying in any way shape or form before I've had a cup of coffee. You would think that I would be used to being up and at em' at the crack of dawn since I've been doing it pretty much my entire life. I have to be up around 5 a.m. for work with my head screwed on tightly by 6:30 and ready to focus in surgery. Also, after having 4 kids, my first one at age 19 I've known many a early mornings in my day.

Not happening. I've tried, honestly. I've gotten up early to go hiking which I l.o.v.e. I've committed to boxing classes that started at 5:00 a.m. and actually felt totally amazing and pumped for the day afterwards but dragging my zombie butt out of bed was shear torture.

So making a decent breakfast for myself and the kiddos while trying to get ready for the day is out of the question. I have however committed to not buying any more boxed cereal whatsoever so I've been forced to come up with some other healthy and most importantly simple options.

Over night breakfast to the rescue!

keep reading........

You simply throw all the ingredients, which are minimal into your slow cooker and walk away.

I love non-committal recipes like that.

Unless your lucky enough to have a slow cooker with an automatic shut of button (most newer ones do) than you might have to make this during the day and reheat in the morning. Unless you stay up late like me and start it around 10p.m. and are up super early like me *sigh to shut it off than it may burn a bit. I'm actually o.k. with that, tastes like a cookie!

So I have an automatic shut off option on my slow cooker but I have made thrown this together before making dinner, around 4p.m. on the 6 hour option instead of the 10 hours and turned it off before going to bed making sure not to lift the lid for a peak and a sniff. It was just as good the next morning.

Just a few options for ya.

You will need:

1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups almond milk or milk of your choice
2 pears of the firmer variety
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon real vanilla (optional)
2 tablespoons local Organic honey
1/2 teaspoon salt

Throw all ingredients into your slow cooker. Turn on the lowest setting if making before you go to bed or follow instructions above for other options. Wake up in the morning to the smell of cinnamon, honey pear crisp and enjoy a fuss free morning.

Now that's the way to start your day!

What do you usually have for breakfast?

Healthy Almond-Coconut Chocolate Thumbprint cookies ~ gluten free

2013-04-22T12:11:00.001-07:00

Some days things just don't pan out the way I planned them to. Actually, that seems to be the norm rather than the exception lately. And by lately I mean since I had my first child 18 years ago. Holy crap! I have an 18 year old?!! Anyway, this weekend I had to work on Saturday and was supposed to be off at 3p.m. and then planned on doing a little shopping at my favorite adds and ends Home store for kitchen props, plates, bowls, napkins etc. then go to Sprouts and then go home make a yummy dinner and possibly get some decent shots to put on the blog.

At 2:35 p.m. however we get a call that we need to do an emergency tracheotomy on a patient. How rude. What's more, the Dr. didn't have an assistant so I got to double as a first assist and it was a difficult case, couldn't get the trach tube in because the patient had a mushy trachea. So now I'm tired and a bit cranky and it's 4:45p.m. So much for my nice afternoon. So much for making dinner. Pei Wei saves the day!

Fast forward to Sunday...... I was excited to try and recreate one of my favorite childhood breakfasts, cottage cheese pancakes. If you've never had them, don't wrinkle your nose till you've tried them. They are so good! The cottage cheese actually adds a bit of sweet creaminess to the pancakes, almost like a cream cheese crepe. I wanted to try to make them healthier by omitting the flour and tried using almond meal instead. Epic fail! The first batch crashed and burned, literally. The second batch was oily and burned.

Back to the drawing boards.

Enter these cookies. Every problem or catastrophe can be solve with a good cookie and these are even fairly healthy! Bonus!

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES BAKE 15 MINUTES YIELDS 18-20 SMALL COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 cups almond meal (almond flour w the skins un-removed)

1 tablespoon flax meal (ground flax seed)

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup local honey

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chips or bar)

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl mix together the coconut oil, honey, vanilla and almond extract.

Gradually stir in the almond flour, flax meal and sea salt, and mix well until a uniform dough is formed.

Scoop the dough by tablespoons and use your hands to roll into smooth balls. Roll the balls in the coconut flakes to coat. Place the balls onto the lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, and use your thumb to press into the center of each cookie, creating a well for the chocolate.

Bake for 10-12 minutes till lightly browned. Remove from oven, let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small ceramic or microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips or chopped up bar. Microwave on medium power for 90 seconds. Stir. Microwave another 90 seconds or until melted.

Spoon chocolate into the center of the cookies and let cool.

These cookies are also wonderful with a bit of fruit preserves in the middle, my favorite is apricot!

I am submitting this post to Tasty Tuesday's

Roasted Chickpea, Heirloom tomato, Avocado, Lemon Tarragon and Basil Salad.

2013-04-12T09:23:00.001-07:00

My mom is in the background reminiscing about how she always used to win the spelling bee. Every year she says, and there was a big stage and real prizes, that's how they did it in my day. All because I asked her how to spell extraordinaire. I should have known better. She's still going on and on (can't blame a gal for reminiscing) so of course I ask her how to spell reminiscing and she pauses with a bit of doubt..... HA! I totally know how to spell doubt! So I promptly turn to my handy dandy, new age spelling check thingy on my state of the art MAC computer and it shuts my poor mom down and tells me how to spell reminiscing before she can spout it out. Pooooor mommy.

I can't really feel all that proud about my somewhat limited technological (spell check told me how to spell that, I'm not ashamed) abilities because right after I was congratulating myself on my ability to spell a couple of 5th grade words and patting myself on the back for navigating through Photo shop to produce a half way reasonable food pic I found myself cursing my wireless mouse. You see, when I moved right, the arrow would go left. When I move up, the arrow would go down. Gahhhh! Why can't technology be simple?!!

Because idiots like me can't figure out when a mouse is turned upside down. In my defense it is wireless and is completely anatomical.

Yeah. I know.

It's a good thing I know how to cook without burning the house down. I love uncomplicated summer dinners. I'm declaring it summer here in Phoenix. It's in the 90's, good enough reason for me to turn off the stove and focus on quick and simple meals with fresh ingredients.

Simple, fresh ingredients. Heirloom tomatoes, chick peas drizzled with a good quality olive oil and sprinkled with some Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Roasted to crispy perfection. Don't feel like turning on your oven? No problem, neither do I come May. This salad tastes equally amazing with out roasting the chick peas. I happen to loooove the crispy texture and flavor that roasting brings to them but in a pinch, plain ol' cooked chick peas will do.

You can use canned chick peas or dry ones. If using canned, drain and rinse thoroughly. Put into a small bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a salt. Spread onto a baking pan, I love my stone one which absorbs flavor and allows you to use less oil and is super easy to clean. During the hot summer months I can see myself skipping the oven all together but I do love the crispiness and flavor that roasting the beans adds.

Roast in the oven at 375F for 20-25 minutes to desired crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a baking stone. I use mine to roast veggies, bake cookies and pizza crust. You use a minimal amount of oil with a baking stone and it roasts more evenly that a metal one. Check out this Rada Cutlery Stoneware

When I can find them, I love these pretty little Heirloom tomatoes. They are naturally sweet and so good for you, think no GMO's. Real tomatoes not genetically modified. Don't want to spend the money or can't find them in your hood. Use cherry or grape tomatoes instead.

Slice a semi-ripe avocado into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with a generous amount of dried tarragon. Tarragon goes amazing with avocado! Squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon over the avocado and gently toss to coat. Lemon not only adds fresh flavor but helps the avocado not to brown quickly. Set aside.

Avocado tossed with tarragon and lemon.

This one was an instant keeper! Usually I make recipes several time before posting them on my blog. But I am sitting here writing this with a bowl full of this yummy salad sitting in front of me.

It's that good.

Light, lemony, healthy and fresh. What more do you want in a summer salad?

Perfect to bring on a picnic! Enjoy with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio and an herbed salad mix.

TIME 20 MINUTES SERVES 4-6

Ingredients:

2 cans (or 3 cups cooked) chick peas/garbanzo beans1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half ~ can sub cherry or grape tomatoes2 avocados, dicedsmall handful fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly1 teaspoon dried tarragon2 teaspoons divided extra virgin olive oiljuice from one lemonsalt ~ I love my pink Himalayan sea salt

Preheat oven to 375F.

Drain and rinse chick peas if using canned. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat. Spread evenly onto a baking pan, I love my stone baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 20-30 minutes to desired crispiness.

Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half and dice up your semi-firm avocado. Put avocado into a large bowl first and sprinkle with tarragon. Drizzle lemon juice over avocado and toss gently to coat. Add tomatoes to the bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and sliced basil. Add chickpeas and gently toss to combine salad.

Serve with a green salad to make it a meal. Don't forget the Pinot Grigio!

Grain Free PB&J Bread

2013-04-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

My 6 year old has 4 cavities. FOUR! If ever I felt like a failure as a mom, this is it. Epic fail. The fact that the dentist is my sisters husband may or may not have made me feel even punier. Not that I ever claimed to be World's Best Mom but I DO however like to think of myself as a fairly healthy eater and especially when it comes to feeding my kids healthy foods and snacks. I mean that's the entire premise of my blog!

So how is it that my baby has 4 cavities? The dentist a.k.a. my brother-in-law asked me what his weakness was when it came to snacking. "Errr, weakness?" "Yeah, like does he love gold fish crackers and pretzels or candy?" Me, "NO! Well, I mean he does, actually have a big time sweet tooth but I SWEAR I can't even remember the last time I've bought gold fish crackers, or any crackers other that our GF quinoa and seed ones or any fruit snacks, candy or cookies or doughnuts....... (my mind is working over time trying to figure out where I went wrong). So I say, "I mean sometimes I buy Popsicles, and there was Halloween where he gorged himself with candy Oh! all of those birthday parties at school with the cup cakes, that's got to be it right?

Dentist/brother-in-law concerned for my mental health, "Ummm, no. You usually don't get cavities at this age from occasional snacking. Me, hanging my head in shame: "oh". B-I-L, "What about your pregnancy? Was anything out of the ordinary there?"

Me:.......................... wrapping my mind around this question.

"Um. No. I mean I had to have surgery for appendicitis when I was 20 weeks along."

"No, I mean were you sick a lot? Did you have a poor diet?"

Inner me trying to remember what the hell I ate 7 years ago while I was pregnant with my 3rd child that would have caused him to have 4 cavities at the age of 6: "Um no. I mean maybe a little. I mean I think I might have eaten more french fries than usual, and maybe a few second helpings of pasta..... at 2 a.m.

And then I very jokingly and lovingly because he is family after all say "Why is it always the mothers fault?!!"

I'm sure he knew I was joking. Kind of. Oh crap! I haven't been helping him brush his teeth in months. Should I mention that?

Nah.

Sighhh.

Which brings me to bread.

obviously.

I've played around with making gluten free bread a few times and have made a decent enough loaf or two but nothing that screams out "Mmmmm, home made bread!" Usually it's pretty dense and very dry.

This bread was unbelievably good! It was heavier than your store bought, gluten laden variety because it is made with nut butter (ground nuts). I was however, expecting it to be much denser than it was. In fact, it was fairly light and airy and had just a mild hint of nut flavor.

Cashews are my favorite nut after all.

The small list of healthy ingredients, no yeast involved was a big bonus for me. Making home made bread was never so easy. You can use jarred Organic cashew butter or save some money and make your own if you have a good quality blender or food processor. See my post here on how to easily make your own nut butters.

Elana, from Elana's Pantry recommended using Parrish Magic Line Loaf Pans
to bake gluten free breads which will help with the thin, dense bread that comes from using a regular size loaf pan. So I bought one. And it worked! Yay Elana! P.S. she has another wonderful recipe for a grain free bread that I have tried and we all loved. It was however, slightly more involved than this recipe and I try to be as non-involved as possible these days. I blame the children. Which is only fair since somebody is going to turn around and blame me for all of their ailments and shenanigans anyway? I kid!

Recipe from Danielle at Against All Grain

Yields 1 8.4x4.5 loaf
1 cup smooth raw cashew butter at room temperature.
4 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon local honey
2.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup almond milk (cow milk, coconut, hemp milk or rice milk will work as well)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8.5×4.5 glass loaf pan with parchment paper, then spread a very thin coating of coconut oil on the sides of the pan.

Beat the cashew butter with the egg yolks, then add the honey, vinegar, and milk.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until peaks form. Combine the dry ingredients in another small bowl. Make sure your oven is completely preheated before adding the egg whites and the dry ingredients to the cashew butter mixture. You don’t want your whites to fall, and the baking soda will activate once it hits the eggs and vinegar.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and beat until combined. This will result in more of a wet batter than a dough.

Gently fold in the beaten egg whites into the cashew butter mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then immediately put it into the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, then let cool for 15-20 minutes. Use a knife to free the sides from the loaf pan, then flip it upside down and release the loaf onto a cooling rack. Cool right-side up for an hour before serving.

Rosemary Grilled Vegetables with Lemon-Honey Tahini Sauce

2013-02-20T19:19:00.001-08:00

It's raining here in The Valley of the Sun. It's been raining and cold ALL DAY LONG. In fact we have had a crazy unusual rainy 'season' all last month. We desert rats don't know how to cope with that here in Phoenix, it's almost as if people are staring up at the sky in disbelief {from inside their stucco homes and under the protection of their clay tiled roofs} and just waiting for it to fall on their freshly manicured heads.

Where the heck is that umbrella anyway?.............

Craziness I tell you. The kids are like caged animals. A day without being able to ride their bikes to the park is a day where mommy needs a glass of wine by 5 p.m. in a bad way. How the heck do people live in places where this is the norm?

On a truly positive note, I am giddy with anticipation at all of the wild flowers we will have around here in a month or so. We may not have green leafy trees, we may not have the changing of the seasons and snow covered hills for Christmas but by God we have the most beautiful wild flowers here in the desert that will blanket the once dry and desolate Arizona landscape with colors unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Giddy.

Another wonderful thing about it being cold and wet outside is being able to enjoy hot soups and roasted vegetables for dinner. Once the temperature hits 90F my oven goes into hibernation until October.

I was looking for a recipe similar to the lemon, fire grilled veggies that Pita Jungle serves.
I saw this recipe on Liz's site, The Lemon Bowl and knew I had to have it immediately. Her version seemed more like a side dish to me or a light snack so I added more veggies which I tend to do and some chickpeas which pair well with tahini and for more protein. The first time I made it the tahini sauce was a bit bland and thick for us so I added a drizzle of honey and thinned it out with more water, ended up being about 1:1 parts tahini and water to get it thin enough to 'drizzle'.

Organic Tahini
is made of roasted, dried sesame seeds and has a very mild but distinctive flavor. It is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine and most famously, in hummus. For such a tiny little seed they pack a huge punch nutritionally speaking. They are packed with good for you nutrients and dietary fiber. Sesame seeds may help prevent colon cancer, supports respitory health, reduces inflammation such as in PMS, migraines and osteoporosis and helps prevent many other chronic health conditions.
In fact, just 1/4 cup of sesame seeds provide 73% of your dv in copper which is known for reducing the pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

source: Whole Foods

PREP: 15 MIN BAKE: 25 MIN SERVES: 6

You Will Need:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 sweet potato, cut into 1inch cubes

2 large carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 small purple or yellow onion sliced into wedges

2 cups cooked or 1 can of chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed

1 head of garlic (yup a whole head)

2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons Organic Tahini

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup hot water

2 tablespoons Organic, local honey

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 400.

Remove loose skin from garlic. Cut the top 1/4 inch off to expose the cloves a bit. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

In a large bowl, toss cauliflower, broccoli, onion, carrots and sweet potato with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper then spread out in an even layer on a 9 x 13 Inch, Stoneware Baking Pan
, I use a stone baking pan which I adore. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until browned.

In the bowl of a small food processor, mix together tahini, lemon juice/zest, a few of the roasted garlic cloves and salt. Slowly add in the hot water until desired consistency is reached then drizzle in honey.

When vegetables are done roasting, serve on a platter and drizzle with tahini honey-lemon sauce parsley. Serve warm.

recipe adapted from The Lemon Bowl

Throw your veggies, chick peas and herbs into a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice and zest, a good quality olive oil and toss to coat. Spread evenly onto a 9 x 13 Inch, Stoneware Baking Pan
and bake. That's it!

Baked Parmesan Eggplant Dippers with Marinara

2013-02-06T18:24:00.005-08:00

Did I have you at marinara or at Parmesan? I could sprinkle Parmesan on a bowl of warm, freshly made marinara and eat it with a spoon. Not weird at all. I do have a glass of red wine, preferably a good Malbec from Argentina or Chile (is there any other kind) as an accompaniment if it makes you feel any better. A perfectly well rounded meal after a long day of saving lives (both at the hospital and on my days off at home with the kids) if I might say so myself.

I'm not trying to delude from the fact that eggplant is one of my favorite foods in the world, because it is. But give me some cheese and a nice sauce (say that in your best New Jersey accent if you please) and I'm perfectly smitten. Who has time for a real dinner on a Tuesday night anyway?

In my ongoing ~~experiment~~ quest to get the sweet darlings to eat their vegetables I noticed that anything in the form of a french fry is easier to ~~shove down their throats~~ coax them lovingly to eat than the same vegetable is when say steamed, boiled, baked or sautéed. Desperate times my friends. I'm not proud.

So if your in the mood for some good Italian snackin' then this is your lucky day. I'm telling you, easy as pie. Ooooooooo, pyyyyyeeeeee. Focus Gwen, focus.

So we will bake our cute little french fried eggplants instead of frying them because we are being good and health conscience and want to fit back into our 'skinny' jeans that we've been trying to fit back into since child numero tres was born 6 or so odd years ago. Figuratively speaking.

Cheesy yet satisfying kind of like the Twilight series.

PREP TIME 20 COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

You Will Need:

2 medium sized eggplant

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons corn starch

3 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

olive oil or spray for baking pan

Your favorite (preferably Organic or home made) Marinara for dipping

Preheat oven to 400F

Gather 3 small bowls. In one place flour and corn starch. In the second the eggs, lightly whisked with a fork. In the third the bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, 1/2 of the salt and pepper.

Peel eggplant leaving a few narrow strips of the skin in tact. Cut the top and bottom of each. Cut a thin strip of the eggplant lengthwise so you can easily lay it on its side to cut into strips.

Lay the eggplant on a cutting board on it's cut side and cut lengthwise into even, long strips about 1 inch wide. Stack the slices 2 at a time on top of each other and cut again, lengthwise into even pieces 1 inch thick. Now, cut into strips about 3 inches thick.
Place cut eggplant into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining salt.

Place eggplant pieces 1 or 2 at a time into flour mixture. Next into eggs, then into breadcrumbs. Place evenly onto a lightly greased baking pan. Leaving a bit of space between each piece.

Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and your mouth is watering.

Serve with really warm marinara. My favorite brands are Pomi, Muir Glen and Trader Joe's.

Apple Cider-Squash Penne with Swiss Chard, Toasted Walnuts and White Balsamic Cranberry Grilled Chicken.

2013-01-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's been unusually cold and rainy here in Phoenix. Enough so that we had to dig through our closets and find our thick, cozy sweaters and dust them off accordingly. Even thought it has been in the low 40's when I wake up and head to work around 6 a.m. I still feel a bit silly piling on my mismatched layers of sweaters and jackets. It doesn't help that the only pair of mittens I own are both left handed. Odd. and the only scarf I own is way dated and thread bear. I have to wrap it tightly around my neck several times to keep warm, which isn't easy to do wearing 2 left handed mittens.

So needless to say, I have been on a bit of a soup binge for the last couple of weeks. I love soup and have to get my fill before the temperatures jump to 80 next week. True story. Love Phoenix.

I have the only kids in the Universe who aren't fans of spaghetti and meatballs. Maybe if I used a sugary pasta sauce instead of a home made marinara?

They did love this pasta that I whipped up using one of the many boxes of healthy pasta that Barilla was kind enough to send me. This one is a "White Fiber" pasta and I dolled it up by roasting an squash and then blending it up with some apple cider.

Just sweet enough to be a yummy dinner that everyone liked.

image source

Prep time 20 minutes Cook time 50 minutes Serves 6

Ingredients:1 package Barilla White Fiber Penne Pasta1 small acorn or butternut squash2 chicken breasts1 small bunch Swiss or rainbow chard (preferably Organic)1 handful walnuts, chopped1 apple (Fuji, Macintosh, gala) diced1 cup apple cider or juice1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar divided. (I used a white balsamic-cranberry)1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided1 teaspoon saltfreshly cracked pepper to taste (I used white pepper)

Putting it all together:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Using a sharp paring knife, cut skin off of squash. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and strings. Cut into 1 inch pieces and place on grill pan Bake at 400F for 30 minutes until a fork pierces flesh easily and squash is browned. Remove from oven, set aside to let cool slightly.

Cut chicken into thin strips. Place in small bowl and add 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon oil and a dash of cracked pepper. Grill for 5-7 minutes on a hot grill pan, turning once. Remove, set aside.

Meanwhile, wash chard and remove stems. Chop stems into 1/2 inch pieces, set aside. Chop leaves of chard into small pieces. In a hot skillet add 1 tablespoon oil. Add chard stems, cook 2 minutes. Add leaves, cook 5 more minutes stirring occasionally. Add chopped apples. Cook 3-5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, toss to coat. Cover and remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place half of the cooked squash in a blender. Add apple cider, broth and salt. Blend till smooth and creamy adjusting liquid to desired consistency. Drain pasta. Return to pot, turn off heat. Add squash mixture, toss to coat. Add chard, apple and squash pieces to pasta, toss to combine.

Top with chicken. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta can be a great source of good carbohydrates to fuel your body for exercise. When I make pasta I like to add lots of veggies, fruits and healthy toppings like nuts and good cheeses such as

Romano and Parmesan.

Barilla sent me a nice variety of their healthy pastas. I've cooked with Barilla Plus a few times before in my Pasta with White Clam Sauce. They are offering to send a box full of a variety of their healthy pastas and an apron to TWO lucky Simply Healthy Family readers.

Barilla Pasta is a nutrient-rich, complex carbohydrate that is a good source of thiamin, folic acid, iron, riboflavin and niacin. It’s low in sodium and naturally cholesterol free.
Barilla PLUS offers a taste, color and texture as good as traditional Barilla pastas, and is a good source of protein, ALA omega-3 and fiber. It delivers 44 percent more protein and almost twice as much fiber than traditional pasta.

This time around I used the White Fiber pasta which they claim tastes just like regular pasta but with 3 X's the fiber and provides 30% of the DRV for whole grains all from natural ingredients. Our family loved it!

With Barilla White Fiber, eating well can be fun for the whole family. Available in
three varieties, Mini Rotini, Mini Shells and Mini Penne, Barilla White Fiber looks
and tastes just like regular pasta, letting your whole family enjoy their favorite pasta
meals, while also providing them with a hidden boost of the fiber and whole grains
they need.

In order to win:

Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite healthy pasta dish is.

Not required to win, but greatly appreciated:
Follow Simply Healthy Family by signing up to recieving healthy recipes by email or adding Simply Healthy Family to your favorite reader or following me on GooglePlus.

TWO winners will be chosen at random on Thursday, January 31st. Winners will be notified by email so make sure you leave a valid email address in your comment.

One extra entry by Pinning an image from this post. Leave me a link so I can follow you!

No resolutions this year, just letting go of "Mommy Guilt" and making a doable "Bucket List".

2013-01-16T09:00:00.002-08:00

I never was one for New Year's Resolutions, which is good because word on the street is that they aren't in style at the moment. I did try a detox of sorts last year but that was only half hearted and lasted around 5 days..... sort of. Of course that doesn't mean that this isn't a great opportunity to get back into healthy habits and make more of a commitment to working out. I also decided last night around 2 a.m. to make a "bucket list" of a few realistic things I have really been wanting to do but never get around to and also to let go of a couple of things that have been unnecessarily stressing me out and bogging be down.

I tend to worry about "the small stuff" in the middle of the night and feel guilty over things that many mom's do like not spending enough time with the kids, getting mad at them to often or for not doing enough monumental or extravagant stuff as a mom.

So, like I was saying, around 2 a.m (1:37 a.m. to be exact - that's how crazy I am) I had an epiphany of sorts: Cut it out. Let it go. Start living in the moment. Jot it down so it feels real and you can stop worrying about it.

simple enough.

Except that while harnessing my inner chi and jotting down these ground breaking revelations on a new me, I snapped at my 3 year old for crying and made a smart ass comment to my husband who was trying to help me find a picture on this newfangled computer.

Onward and upward..... sighhh.

2 lists, One: my Bucket List which will not include anything monumental like reorganizing the attic or taking a trip..... anywhere. Keeping it simple.

Two: my Toss it and forget it list which will include any and every silly thing that has been

bogging me down lately.

Basically, I really need to appreciate all of the many blessings that are in my life

focus on the good things and toss the rest.

Gwen's Bucket List:

1. Sign Mona up for a mommy and me dance class and be grateful that my job is flexible enough that I can go with her.

2. Take the kids to a different park every week. There are a ton of parks around here and if I work it at the right angle it will be a huge treat for them. Leave cell phone in car and PLAY with them.

3. Spend more 1 on 1 quality time with each of my children i.e.. a simple "Date Night", fun lunch or craft project, including the one who thinks he knows everything because he is 18 and doesn't have time for quality time with his mom unless he is being financially compensated for said quality time.

4. {remember to add to Toss it and Forget it list to stop being so mean to for mentioned teenager}

5. Resume learning Spanish. I already have the complete Rosetta Stone program.... somewhere. It was important to me at one time. It still is. It will be a major accomplishment even if I only learn a little.

6. Resume tennis lessons or at least going to the park to play tennis with my husband.

7. Take ~~secretive~~ private tennis lessons from a ~~cute~~ tennis instructor so you can finally beat your ~~smug~~ dear husband in tennis even though taking couples tennis lessons last year was your idea.

8. Hike more often!!! I live on the base of a mountain and it's one of my favorite ways to excersise and feel good. Make time to do it.

Snuggle my little snug bugs more! Sit on the floor and play with them. Draw with them, read to them, sing with them, dance with them and most importantly, listen to them. Every single silly little word that is mispronounced and every story that is so excitingly told. Cherish them and try to toss out the thought that they will soon be grown up and gone because it keeps you up at night and wastes valuable energy.

Gwen's Toss it and Forget it List:

1. Don't worry about taking that big trip to Lego Land right this second. Take the kids to a different park this week, they'll have just as much time spending the day with you. Feed the ducks, throw a frisbee, climb on the jungle gym with them. Oh, bring a picnic and some change for the ice cream man.

2. Stop feeling guilty about spending a little bit of time on the computer writing on your blog! Remember that it's therapeutic, just a fun hobby not a career and having a few minutes to yourself each week isn't really that much to ask for.

3. Continue to enjoy Pinterest but only if I can stop feeling guilty about not being able to do every single {awesome} project, DIY or decorating shenanigan on there.

4. Stop worrying that my closet isn't color/type/seasonally organized....... scratch that one. Who can live with an unorganized closet for God's sake?

5. Something about being nice to your teenager....... ehhh.

Snug Bug #1 a.k.a. annoying teenager. When I'm not frustrated at him for doing something goofy and teenager-ish, I miss him because he's not here. Go figure. I'm proud of him. Very proud of the young man he's become, nervous about the choices and mistakes he will make and the future that is ever so swiftly upon him.

Snug Bug #2 My ever energetic, always happy, quick witted, very loud and boisterous son who loves to build things, take apart things, annoy his little brother and sister, help mom vacuum and wants to be a scientist/artist when he grows up.

Snug Bug #3 My snuggle of all snug bugs. My shy, sensitive, intuitive, thoughtful little guy. As quiet and sweet in your best as you are inconsolable and stubborn in your worst. I hope your crazy love for video games turns out to have some sort of benefit as a surgeon or fighter pilot. When I look at you, even while you are in one of your inexplicable tantrums I see my tiny newborn baby who every time I held melted into my arms and chest and calmed me to the very center of my being.

Snug Bug #4 My baby girl. The princess of the house and knows it. At 3 years old I can already tell you have a very strong and confident personality {with 3 older brothers I guess you'd have to). After 3 boys and hundreds of baseball games I'm having the time of my life doing girly things like dance classes, playing with dolls and making bows for your hair.

10 Healthy Soups to Keep You Warm and Happy and Well.

2013-01-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

We're knee deep into winter (o.k. I'm not because I live in Phoenix, but the rest of you look pretty cold and miserable ;) and we are all exhausted from the Holiday's and need some time to rest and relax. I know I ate more than my fair share of Holiday ham, mashed potatoes, cookies and pie and oh yeah, there was that surprise dinner at my dear sister in laws home of Prime Rib, caramelized onion and green beans with home made Au jus and horse radish, Mmmmmmmm.

Totally worth the calories (I have to tell myself that to avoid overwhelming guilt). But now that it's all over I'm ready for simple meals that take very little time and yet offer a fulfilling and healthy end to a cold and exhausting day.

How about you?

I have been sick for almost TWO whole stinking weeks. That's two week of my life completely wasted away and gone. I h.a.t.e. admitting I'm sick which is why I think this cold got the best of me and turned into the world's worst bronchitis with a side of pneumonia and a dash of a sinus infection. If I were a smart girl I would have rested and taken better care of myself while it was a mild cold and not pushed myself through the Holiday celebrations and gluttony with feverish joy........

Denial does nothing for warding off the flu, or in my case coal miners lung.

On a positive note,

I work in the medical profession and know a good lung transplant doctor and also have a good friend on the transplant team. Maybe I could talk them into doing me a solid and performing quadruple lung transplant on me. If that doesn't work out I have another friend in the Pharmacy who might be able to score me a hard core sedative so I can just sleep through the rest of this thing.

On a less positive note,

Being sick and having to call in to work 4 days in a row whether you're dying or not is a sin not easily forgiven when you work in a hospital.... full of sick people. Try getting sympathy from a group of nurses and doctors who are patching up holes in peoples spleens before breakfast.

No dice.

Back on a positive note:

Here is my list of our families favorite soups. We can not get enough of these during the 2 months of winter we have here in Phoenix and not feeling guilty after 'indulging' is an added bonus. I hope you try some of these 'lightened' up soups, bisque's and stews. I know you'll love them too.

Potato Leek Soup with Crumbled Bacon

Try this healthier version of a classic creamy soup with Potato Leek Soup Make Over. It's healthier but definitely not lacking in flavor, you'll be surprised at one of the ingredients used to add depth and flavor.

Sauerkraut and Sausage Soup

Want to try something new and incredibly delicious? Of course you do! This sauerkraut soup was a huge hit with my family and is one of our new favorite go to 'comfort foods'. Cooking the sauerkraut actually makes it taste a bit sweet! Trust me, even your picky eaters will love this one.

Harvest Turkey Soup with Jamaican Spices

This Harvest Turkey Soup is super simple to make with whatever veggies you have on hand. Use any variety of squash, sweet potato and fresh or frozen veggie you like. If you don't hoard frozen turkey like I do then chicken breast will do.

Simple Pozole in Broth

Pozole is one of my most cherished meals. I've only made it a couple of times from scratch because to make it authentically requires a lot of prep work and an attention span that I seem to have temporarily traded in for breaking up major LEGO disputes, tending to owie after owie and wiping noses. Basically just keeping 4 kids alive all day is my full time job right now.

Almond Chicken Soup

Sweet potato and almond butter give this soup a creamy, decadent texture.

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana is probably the only thing other than salad that I've had at Olive Garden.

There's just something so comforting in the slight spiciness of the Italian sausage and the perfectly thin cut potatoes with the skin still hanging on. The bits of kale floating around in the soup add just enough hardy green veggie to the soup without going over the top.

Potato-Blu Cheese and Broccoli Soup

The blu cheese was a fabulously unexpected addition to this classic comfort soup. The fresh thyme really brought out all the flavors of the vegetables. Crispy bacon sprinkled on top of the potato soup had everyone scraping their bowls for the very, last drop.

Sopa de Almejas {Mexican Clam Soup}

Traditionally, a good Mexican meal starts with a nice bowl of soup as a first course, just after the appetizers. It can be a simple broth, accompanied with lemon or lime to be squeezed into it, some radish, onion, chili peppers and cilantro leaves for flavour. Or a more elaborated recipe, using seafood, meat, pasta, legumes and vegetables.

Cauliflower Yam Bisque

I make this quick and hearty bisque by using two of my favorite kitchen tools:

My Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker and my handy immersion blender.

Thai Chicken Lemongrass-Coconut Soup
{Tom Kha Gai}

Nothing makes me feel instantly warm and happy like this classic Thai soup. It gets it's zing from classic Thai ingredients like: Coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, lime juice, chile paste, basil and cilantro.

Last but not Least!.......

Gazpacho {Chilled tomato based soup}

This is a powerhouse of vitamins and protein!

So many good things for you in this zesty little glass of juice.

Perfect Miso Soup

Miso is an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals including, zinc, copper, vitamin K, magnesium and B-12.

Honestly, I couldn't spend enough time telling you about all of the health benefits of this delicious and naturally salty soup.
Best of all, it's probably the simplest to make!

Brussels Stew

This is in all respects a 'peasant stew'. Peasant stew can be defined by using just a few simple ingredients that are already in your cupboard or ice box. That's what happened here. I had purchased a big stock of Brussels and needed to use up the last bit. Poooor Brussels.

What are your favorite soups that get you through these cold winter months and help you recover from sickness?

New Years Day Traditions: Potato Collard Cakes with Simple Rouille and Black Eyed Peas with Collards and Sweet Potatoes

2012-12-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

Do you believe in the importance of traditions? How about folklore and superstition? Even if you don't I think it's fun to celebrate Holiday's and special occasions by making special memories and creating lasting traditions that will comfort and make your family and friends feel special.

This is actually a post I did last year but honestly, it was so good I just can't imagine making anything else to celebrate the New Year.

We all know that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity.

Black-eyed peas are a common Southern dish, and the practice of eating them for luck is generally believed to have begun during the Civil War. When Union soldiers moved through Mississippi, they burned all the crops except the peas because it was believed that only farm animals ate them. When Southerners found that black-eyed peas were the only food left, they considered the legumes a sign of good fortune.

Other legends say that the practice dates to ancient Egypt when it was believed that eating a meager food like black-eyed peas showed humility before the gods and you would receive blessings of prosperity in return.

Whatever you believe this recipe is fancy enough to celebrate with family or friends on New Years Day and simple and healthy to start your year off to a healthy new way of living.

Potato Collard Cakes with Simple Rouille and Black Eyed Peas with Collards and Sweet Potatoes.

click for recipe

Do you have any special traditions or foods you celebrate with on

New Years Day?

Have a wonderful New Year!

Simply Healthy Family

Reliving Old Holiday Traditions and Starting a Few New Ones: Peppermint Hot Cocoa

2012-12-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Traditions are what makes the Holidays so special and coming up with new traditions to celebrate with your family is even better. Every year when we were little we would have a cup of ~~hot~~ warm cocoa with mini marsh mellows while we decorated the tree. I remember feeling so special while holding that cup of creamy sweet chocolate and watching with my brother and sisters as the tree slowly came to life. We were always in our footsy jamies, the red "Annie" ones were my favorite and we always put out a small plate of cookies for Santa by our fire place, a rarity in Phoenix to be enjoyed only once a year on Christmas Eve.

The expectations and anticipations of Christmas come flooding back to me now that I have 4 children of my own. I relish in living vicariously through their utter thrill of all of the magic of the Holidays. Keeping up with most of the traditions that mine and my husbands families enjoyed so much and cherishing the new ones our own little family have started.

Going to Cost Plus World Market every year and letting all of the kids and ourselves pick out one special ornament to hang on the tree is a tradition that we started many years ago with our children. This has proven to be such a treat as the kids bounce out of their slippers every year as we drag out the Christmas boxes and let them rifle through the ornaments finding the ones with their initials and the year marked on them that they chose them and then hanging them perfectly on the tree. I know that we will cherish those ornaments forever and ever.

Making the hot cocoa that literally defines Christmas in my humble opinion is another tradition we have stuck with. I however prefer to make it with a good quality cocoa powder and sucanat or turbinado (organic) sugar instead of the boxed/packaged/overly processed variety and then adding a bit of pure peppermint extract and using a peppermint candy stick to stir up the chocolate that settles at the bottom of the cup. Mini marsh mellow are of course Absolutely, Positively still Required. After all a little bit of marsh mellowy goodness never hurt anybody.

Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to start a very recent tradition and go sit out in our new bubbly hot jacuzzi. I love living here in the Arizona desert, 58F is the perfect temperature.

What are your Holiday traditions?

Peace, love and peppermint wishes from Simply Healthy Family.

Baked Cauliflower with Buffalo Sauce and Home Made Blu Cheese Dressing

2012-11-05T11:04:00.002-08:00

I work in an place that is predominantly employed with women. It is a fast paced, usually high stress work environment that doesn't allow for mistakes or some one could die. This makes for a large group of women who are mostly type A personality. A group of women who get up every day ready to save lives, treat people who are sick or injured and give a lot of attention to detail for 8-12 hours straight. We do this while working along side other strong minded women and surgeons who expect nothing less than perfection and efficiency in as short of a time as safely possible.

I love my job.

I am lucky to work part time right now and with a flexible schedule so I can spend a lot of time with my 3 young children. So when I go to work it's a little like spending time with a group of friends and catching up on each others lives. I think my favorite part of working in an surgery is that every day I get to work with several different people and do many different types of surgeries from total joint replacements and spinal fusions to urology and fertility.

What's strange to me, working in a place with mostly women is that almost ALL of them are into football. Big time. More so in fact than most men I've ever known. Picture 7 nurses in the lounge Monday morning all fighting for the sports page and talking stats and irate over the referee's bad call the night before. Picture news paper clipings of football articles taped up in the women's locker room. These women can carry on a conversation with the male surgeons about football as easily as my friends and I do about recipes and everyday happenings. Weird.

I learned early on when I started working at my current hospital 3 years ago not to mention the fact that I wasn't a football fan. That is an unforgiveable sin as far as my co-workers are concerned.

While I'm not a big football fan ( shhhhhhhhhhh.......) I do like football food. Hot wings, chips and dip, 7 layer bean dips and brats with saurkraut. Mmmmmm.

Love the food, hate the calories and more importantly the way I feel after indulging. Hot wings are my weakness. I could eat a big pile of them covered in chunky blue cheese and lick the sauce of the plate afterwards with out a bat of the eye.

When I discovered this much healthier version of hot wings, minus the wings I nearly jumped out of my chair. Now I didn't have to feel guilty about eating my beloved hot wings and could eat them when ever I craved them which is often. Sometimes before noon. Im not ashamed.

recipe source: Curvy Carrot

Servings: enough for at least 3-4 people

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 cup buffalo sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, flour, and garlic salt, whisking until mostly smooth (it’s ok if there are a few lumps left).

3. Very gently (cauliflower can be pretty delicate), place the cauliflower in the bowl and lightly toss to completely coat with the buttermilk mixture.

4. Place the cauliflower in a shallow baking dish and bake for about 15-18 minutes or so (watch it, it may start to brown up quickly on you.)

5. Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce and the melted butter in a small bowl.

6. Carefully remove the hot cauliflower from the oven and pour the buffalo sauce mixture over it, stirring gently to coat it as best you can.

7. Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes or so. Let cool slightly and serve immediately.

Recipe originally from PETA. {Who knew Peta had vegetarian recipes?}

*see home made healthier blue cheese dressing below {my own recipe}

Enjoy!

Home made healthier Blue Cheese dressing:

TIME 5 MINUTES YIELDS 1 /12 CUPS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash 1/2 cup blue cheese and yogurt together with a fork. Stir in lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder and salt and pepper until well blended. Top with more crumbled blue cheese. Makes a little more than 1 cup.

Pumpkin Applesauce Belgian Waffles with Orange Cranberry Chutney

2012-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

My 6 year olds chin is on my shoulder staring past me on the computer screen at these waffles. As I wipe the drool off my arm he says " Mom why can't we have these for dinner every night, then I would never ever say Ewwww, I don't like that?" Gotta Love the logic and common sense of a 6 year old boy. I suppose I wouldn't mind having these for dinner more often either I mean why give breakfast all the fun?

These are perfectly suited for a Fall dinner especially with this tangy sweet cranberry chutney but they are also extremely simple to make and healthy enough for a weekend breakfast or brunch. It's still in the

TRIPLE

freaking

digits

here in Phoenix and I really neeeeed these pumpkin waffles and cranberry sauce in my life right now to remind me that there is such a thing as 4 seasons....... somewhere.

I start hoarding cans of pumpkin as soon as they hit the shelves in late September. Around the end of October I think they start hiding them from me at my local Trader Joe's. Something about saving a few for other customers blah blah blah.....

Use fresh cranberries, which I also keep well stocked year round in my freezer instead of canned. You won't believe the difference in taste, no comparison. As soon as these babies start simmering and slowly popping open and infusing with the orange juice and zest I am bouncing on my toes in anticipation of the blissfully tangyness that is about to happen in my mouth.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raiseHDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, are at their peak from October through December, just in time to add their festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals. When cranberries' short fresh season is past, rely on cranberry juice and dried or frozen cranberriesto help make every day throughout the year a holiday from disease.

Spoon the still hot cranberry chutney over your piping hot pumpkin waffles and skip the syrup.

PREP TIME 10 MINUTES COOK TIME 15 MINUTES YIELDS about 10 waffles

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups white, whole wheat flour1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax) - put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins, cookies etc.1/2 cup wheat germ - {you can also put it on oatmeal, yogurt, muffins and cookies}1/3 cup turbinado (raw) sugar2 TBSP baking powder2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or (1/2 t cinnamon + 1/4 t ground ginger + 1/8 t nutmeg + 1/8 t ground cloves)1 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp fine salt1 cup low fat milk1 - 14 oz. can pumpkin puree1/4 cup unsalted, melted butter2 large eggs1 egg whitechopped pecans or walnuts for topping

Beat together the milk, pumpkin, melted butter, agave and eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together flour, wheat germ, flax meal, baking powder, spices and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined.

Pour into a preheated waffle maker.

*If you have settings on yours, set it to med. otherwise, you might have to remove them before the light goes off so as not to burn. They will be moist and delicious!!!

Cranberry Compote makes about 4 cups

1 - 12 oz. bag whole, fresh cranberries (found in the produce isle)
1/4 cup O.J.
1 TBSP orange zest
2 TBSP Agave nectar (or raw turbinado sugar)
1 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp real vanilla extract

Mix cornstarch in a measuring cup with about 1/4 cup of the water. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture. Lower heat. Cook about 8 minutes. You can use this as a topping on yogurt too. My 9 month old loves this!

Nutrition Info
Calories 208
Calories from Fat 78 (37%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 8.8g 13%

Saturated Fat 3.0g 14%

Monounsaturated Fat 3.0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.1g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 40mg 13%

Sodium 290mg 12%
Potassium 320mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 28.1g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4.8g 19%
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 6.8g 13%

This post was created for the Monthly Mingle October edition featuring "squash" hosted this month by

Dara over at Cookin' Canuck.

Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Seed Pudding

2012-10-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

I'm usually not hungry at all first thing in the morning, especially when I have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. for work. You'd think I'd be used to it after 15 years of waking up at the crack of dawn to get to work and getting up with the kids, but my body, more specifically my brain are still in snooze mode until around 10:00 a.m.

So the last thing I want to do is add to my fragile state by trying to make breakfast for myself and 4 children.

In an effort to stay away from boxed cereal I have come up with a few breakfasts that require little or no effort.

This pudding falls into the zero effort category. It has just 3 ingredients and you simply chill it over night (or for at least 4 hours) and wake up to a chocolate pudding for breakfast! Nice huh?

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico.

Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, niacin, and zinc just to name a few.

When added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar.

You can use any liquid you like for this pudding, some suggestions are: almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk and hemp milk. I have been staying away from soy milk because it is a GMO and some research suggests it may have harmful effects on your body and your hormones.

To make the pudding:

Mix together 2 cups chocolate hazelnut milk with 1/2 cup chia seeds. Drizzle in about 3 tablespoons honey, preferably local, Organic honey.

Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes then refrigerate over night.

You could probably eat this in as little as 1 hour after mixing buy I find that I like the consistency better after at least 6 hours.

You could definitely have this chocolate hazelnut pudding as a dessert but I suggest adding a bit more honey. Also, since chia seed is so high in protein I like this for a breakfast treat. The consistancy of this pudding is very similar to tapioca but without all the sugar.

Please head over to Mom on Time Out and vote for my recipe!

This post is linked to:

Iron Chef Mom: Chocolate Edition
Tasty Tuesdays
Just another Meatless Monday

sources:

Dr. Weil dot com

Making and Storing Herbed Butter and Italian Stuffed Portobello Pizzas

2012-10-03T10:35:00.003-07:00

Fresh herbs aren't easy to find or grow year round, even here in the desert. It gets so hot here during the
summer that even the cactus start to look like they are going to give up and melt away by the end of August. It's difficult for me and my lack of a green thumb to keep plants alive indoors for any extended period of time, even ones as hardy as most herbs are. Right now is the time to plant many herbs and greens here in the Arizona desert even though the gardening season is coming to an end in most other regions. Just one more reason I love the Fall.

So since I adore cooking with my fresh herbs I needed to find a way to preserve them a bit longer. One way is by simply dropping a small handful of fresh herbs into a small bottle of olive oil and using as a salad dressing. Another way to keep fresh herbs around for cooking is by chopping them up and mixing them into softened butter and refrigerating or freezing for future use.

So make a big batch of fresh and creamy herbed butter and freeze in ice cube trays and you will have little herb balls of joy to throw into your saute pan whenever you want a fresh pop to your dish.

Make this herbed butter now and it would be perfect for a quick baste on your

Thanksgiving turkey, potatoes and other side dishes.

Start with fresh, creamy salted Organic butter. The salt will help preserve your herbs.

Let it sit on the counter for an hour or so until it softens.

Choose any selection of your favorite herbs. I went with an Italian theme this time.

In the bowl of your small food processor, combine softened butter and herbs. You can mix them up or just add one herb to each small batch of butter.

Pulse the butter until its smooth and creamy.

Using a small spoon, fill an ice cube tray with your herbed butter. I used small ice cube trays which hold about 1 teaspoon of butter. Then larger ice cube trays hold about a tablespoon. Cover with wax paper and freeze. If you are not going to use the butter within a short period of time I suggest taking the butter out of the freezer after a few hours and popping the frozen butter cubes into a freezer safe bag. They should keep in the freezer for months and in the fridge for several weeks.

When you are ready to use your butter simply add one of the cubes to your pan or baking dish and watch as the aromatic butter turns golden brown.

Fresh herbs really made this thinly sliced squash so aromatic and delicious.

For a different and healthy version of Friday Pizza night I made these stuffed baby portobello pizzas. Even the kids loved them since the were stuffed with Italian sausage two kinds of cheeses and fresh pizza sauce.

Use a wet cloth to clean your mushrooms. Don't rinse under the sink since mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb all of the water and become soggy while baking.

Using your fingers, pop out the stems.

I used a sweet Italian sausage for the kids but we prefer spicy Italian sausage. Simply brown the sausage in a skilled and spoon into your carved out mushrooms. Spoon on pizza sauce and sprinkle Italian cheeses such as mozzarella and Parmesan.

I use my baking stone which I looveee! It keeps oil locked in the pours of the stone so I don't need to brush my mushrooms with any additional oil. If you don't have one brush the tops of your mushrooms with a bit of oil. Put into a pre-heated oven at 400F. and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve these healthy little pizzas with your sauteed Italian squash and enjoy your weekend!

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesdays

Guest Post from Dish by Trish: Grape Ambrosia Salad with Toasted Almonds

2012-09-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

My long time blogging friend Trish, from Dish by Trish was kind enough to help me out with a guest post while we are getting all moved into our new home across the valley. This has proven to be quite the challenge with 4 kids and all of the junk we have accumulated over the years, and I'm not one to keep or collect anything so it confounds me how much crap we have! Time to simplify things! Nothing like moving to make yourself get ultra organized, super fast!

Welcome Trish who is a holistic health coach, dietitian and cooking instructor. Her site features meatless meals that are out of this world. She was recently featured on Dr. Oz and won the calorie cutting contest! Congrats Trish!

Ever year, my family would gather at my godparents' house on Christmas Eve. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, the whole gang. I distinctly remember cracking walnuts and opening roasted chestnuts in their dim living room next to the warm, decorated fireplace. My sisters and I would congregate in my godmother's walk-in closet and try on her furs, jewelry and high heels in secret, and then walk around her bedroom impersonating older female family members.

And I'll never forget that fluffy, heavenly bowl of sweetness sitting on the kitchen table that my godmother prepared every year. This marshmallowy gooey mess (aka ambrosia) always put on a smile on my face.

This recipe is a tribute to my dear godmother, Marie.

It's a modern, healthier rendition of ambrosia. It's not gooey or as fluffy as the traditional ambrosia but it's no less delicious. Hope you like it.

A couple of notes:

If you're using frozen pineapples, be sure to defrost them in advance. Also, chop the pineapple chunks into smaller pieces. I don't recommend pulsing them in a food processor (like I did) because it draws too much water out of them.
I added both red and green grapes for optimal color because the dish can lack color. I recommend adding 3/4 cup green grapes and 1/4 cup red grapes. The red grapes can be a bit astringent which is why I added less.
If you'd like, you can use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, but I don't recommend using just plain yogurt due to its higher water content.
I tried using honey and the taste was just not the same. Feel free to use other sweeteners but if you prefer using honey I recommend halving it with another sweetener because the honey flavor can be overpowering.

Grape Ambrosia with Toasted Almonds

16 ounces frozen (unsweetened) pineapple chunks, thawed and chopped

3/4 cup flaked coconut, unsweetened

1 cup fresh seedless grapes, halved or quartered

2/3 cup Greek yogurt, nonfat

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ounce sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

In a large bowl, combine pineapples, coconut and grapes. Add yogurt and sugar and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Top with toasted almonds and drizzle with honey, if needed.

Serves 5-6.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 261; Fat 5g; Sat Fat 5g; Chol 0mg; Sodium 57mg; Carb 54g; Fiber 2g; Protein 3g.

Chunky Monkey {Raw} Honey Almond Butter

2012-09-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

No matter how long you've been cooking or baking I'll bet you have a kitchen disaster or two to tell. Now I'm not necessarily talking about kitchen fires, floppy souffles or sliced fingers but the minor yet equally embarrassing flops that you will remember always and share with friends when ever the topic arises.

Mine happens to be the time several years ago I tried to make almond bars for a Christmas party.
You see, and keep in mind I was young and didn't bake much, I thought that when the recipe called for 1 cup of "Almond Butter" that meant to take a cup of butter and add almond extract to it and mix...........

There. I've told you, now you too know my shameful secret. No biggie. You've done something like that too right? Humor me.

Fast forward several years and many cookbooks and blog reading later, I not only know what almond butter is but I've discovered how easy and especially economical making your own is! Good almond butter is apparently worth it's weight in gold and I feel a twinge of guilt every time I buy it. My kids love peanut butter but I'm just not a fan and find it too in your face roasted pea nutty.

Almond butter however is in my opinion mild, creamy and a perfect addition to apples or on a sandwich with bananas and honey. Yum!

So I've seen my blog friends like The Fit House Wife and Naturally Ella posting creamy and beautiful recipes for home made almond butter and I new I had to make it part of my life.

Turns out that not everything goes according to plan on your first try. Ever in my case. While this almond butter was a really delicious and a hit with the whole fam, it wasn't as creamy as I wanted it to be. I think maybe I tried adding too much almonds into my Vita Mix at one time. The tips I've heard from around the web discouraged using a Vita Mix at all to make almond butter but I was an eager new owner of a shiny new Vita Mix and the guy at Costco told me it could do absolutely anything, so I went for it!

I'm going to take Jen's advice over at The Fit House Wife and try adding less at a time and maybe freezing the almonds to avoid them heating up so much like they did this time.

First, you need to soak your raw, unsalted almonds for 4-6 hours in purified water. This makes them easier to digest by removing the tannic acid, an enzyme inhibitor in the skin.

If you have a food processor use it, otherwise give it a go in your quality blender like a Vita Mix or Blendtec. Again, use less almonds than I did, start with 1 cup of frozen almonds.

Starting on low speed and quickly going up to high speed blend for 2-3 minutes. DO NOT ADD WATER!

This will be scary. It won't look like it will blend into a butter, but it will. First it will look like almond meal, then a paste, then butter.

After about 3 minutes on high speed.

Add honey and salt AFTER it's to the consistency you want.

Since it wasn't as creamy as I dreamed of I'm just going to call it "Chunky Almond Butter" lookin' at the glass half full my friends. It was still delicious and the bit-O-honey made this a perfect afternoon, post-work out/after school treat.

Spread it on toast, spoon it on your green apples or just dip your spoon in the jar and enjoy!

To make it official Chunky Monkey Honey Almond Butter, slice some bananas and drizzle a bit more honey over the top.

You Will Need:

1 cup frozen Raw, Unsalted almonds (preferably Organic)2 teaspoons salt (I use Pink Himalayan)1/4 cup Raw Local honey (buying local helps fight common allergies!)Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon

What kitchen disasters have you had?

Baked 3 Cheese Mac with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

2012-08-20T18:23:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you need comfort food, but in a grown up sort of fashion. Maybe it's because I have 4 kids and my food choices are all I really have control over most of the time when it comes to gourmet or fancy but every so often, I like to indulge in comfort food gone swanky.

Don't hate me, but I hate boxed Mac & Cheese. Yes, there have been more times than I would like to admit that in a pinch I have made a pot of the boxed stuff but only when I added a can of tuna and a lot of hot sauce (is that strange?) to make it a bit more palatable. Maybe I'm an alien... 'Roswell' ........ Get it?.. Hot sauce. Yeah, o.k. I watch lame t.v. series 10 years after they were (or weren't) in. Again, 4 kids people.

So, how do you turn mac n' cheese into gourmet? Well, I'll tell you. You turn to your ridiculously large stack of Cooking Light magazines! Plant yourself on your favorite comfy arm chair on a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee, expertly tuning out the kids, or better yet commission your loving husband to take them swimming for an hour so you can flip through old issues of your trusty menu planner and Voila! Mac and Cheese Gourmet!

I actually found this recipe for Baked 3 Cheese Macaroni in a Cooking Light magazine several years ago and have made it several times. Most recently for my 3 year old daughter, Mona Claire's birthday. I love the fontina, white cheddar and Parmesan Cheeses in here and the slow roasted tomatoes are just the tangy, sweet punch of flavor that I need to make me drool and feel a teensy bit gourmet if only for a moment.

Slow roasting your tomatoes are a perfect way to celebrate the end of tomato season. If you don't have the time, or extra tomatoes on hand, use a package of sun dried tomatoes instead. But trust me, slow roasting them brings out a flavor that you just can't replicate in a package.

adapted from a Cooking Light Magazine issue many many years ago.....

Will Need:

8 plum tomatoes (cut into 1/4" thick slices - ~ 2 lb)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

3/4 t salt (divided)

4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

1 lb uncooked multi grain whole grain elbow macaroni (such as Barilla Plus) (or non-gluten macaroni, such as spelt or quinoa)

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 c flour

5 c milk

1-1/2 c (6 oz) shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1 c (4 oz) shredded fontina cheese

1/2 cup (2 oz) grated fresh Parmesean cheese

1/2 t butter

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

fresh cracked pepper

1/2 t paprika

Putting it All Together:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet w/cooking spray (or spread oil on). Arrange tomato slices in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle w/thyme, 1/4 t salt and garlic. Bake 35 min or til tomatoes start to dry out.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

Place butter in large Dutch oven. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until combined and just golden brown. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 min or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Add cheddar, fontina and remaining 1/2 t salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts.

Remove from heat. Stir in roasted tomatoes and pasta. Spoon into a 13x9" baking dish coated w/oil. Combine grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and paprika; sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake 400°F., 25 min. or until bubbly.

Have a wonderful and Gourmet sort of day!!

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesday's

Simple Home Made Easel and Painting with Celery

2012-08-16T19:40:00.001-07:00

I have a few little budding artists at my house which is a thrill to me because my oldest son wanted nothing to do with anything artsy at all. He drew stick figures in art class through the 8th grade. My 7 year old Jack in particular loooveeees art and wants to be an Artist/Scientist when he grows up.

Of course I'm biased being mom and all but I think that all 3 of my little ones are pretty talented little artists and am more than happy to indulge them in their hobby. I prefer to find as many unique ways of turning every day items into art which is and of itself artful in my opinion. We experiment with different textures such as flour, rice and cornstarch and for an occasional change from paint brushes we use cotton balls, our fingers and celery instead. Fun!

So, I was trying to think of a cheap way to make an easel for the kids and thought first of finding some scrap wood at Lowe's but never was industrious enough to follow through on that plan. So I hit up Pinterest for some ideas and found a simple and FREE (my 2 favorite words) tutorial on an easel made out of a cardboard box.

Basically, you find an old box and cut off the top and bottom flaps, one side and fold it into a triangle turning it into a perfect prop to paint on.

Make sure you choose a box big enough for your paper to fit on. Any size paper and box will do, I chose extra large and thick paper to soak up the paint.

Cut off the top and bottom flaps and one of the 4 sides of the box.

Fold the box into a triangle and tape together with box tape.

Secure your drawing paper onto the box with 2 pieces of scotch tape.

Note: We were out of our usual paints and so I grabbed this paint at the grocery store today. It would be much more economical to buy your paint in larger tubes at Walmart or a craft store. Use an old plastic yogurt or cottage cheese top or a plastic egg carton to put small dabs of paint on.

Mona Claire had so much fun at our pre-school art session today while the boys were at school. She loved her new easel and thought using the end of a stalk of celery to paint roses was such a cool trick!

Save those scrap pieces of cardboard for other fun crafts! Busy hands are happy hands! ;)

Here are some amazing blogs with some really fun crafts using cardboard.

Tip Junkie: 32 Things to Make using Card Board

Family Fun Go! Card Board Marble Racer and other crafts

Crafts by Amanda: Card Board Tube Snakes and other fun animals

Serenity Now: Cardboard Christmas Characters

Celery Painting!

What fun craft/pre-school ideas do you do with your kids?

Beyond Broccoli! Swiss Chard and Herbed Feta Omelet with Sunflower Seeds

2012-07-30T20:59:00.002-07:00

Today I felt very, very glamorous. Like a movie star even. I scrounged through my closet, dusting off slinky pieces of silken camisoles and scarves that haven't seen the light of day in more than a decade. I carefully picked through my single drawer full of make up for a shade of eye shadow and a tint of lip gloss that would make me look glamorous without making me look desperately like I was grasping on to my twenties for dear life.

Why do you ask would I put myself through such torture? Because I, Gwen Wilson had been generously offered to do an official photo shoot with a real, live, professional photographer who is used to shooting twenty-something models from L.A. California.

My neighbor and friend, Ron Brewer who recently moved here from L.A. very graciously offered to take my son's senior pictures a few months ago at NO cost. They turned out so, so amazing and it is a gift that we will cherish forever. At the same time he offered to do a photo shoot of me which I had mixed feelings about. Mostly it sounded like a lot of fun and a great opportunity but really, who was I kidding? What was I going to do with a bunch of pictures of myself looking like a tired mom-of-four?

Deep breaths..... Nice.. Calm.. Deeeeeeep breaths.......

Say's Me to myself and I:

I am not too fat.

I am not too old.

I AM a confidant, fun, happy-go-lucky sort of girl who can and WILL embrace all of life's adventures and opportunities at the drop of a hat and GO WITH IT!

Here are a few shot's of Britton that Ron took.

Pretty cool huh?

I haven't even seen the final photos from my shoot yet but it turns out I had a lot of fun. I felt pretty. I felt glamorous. It was a far, far cry from the every day routine of mommy-hood.

What does this have to do with Swiss Chard Omelets?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Other than the fact that today was a good day followed by an even better dinner. A dinner that took about 10 minutes to prepare and cook and one that all 4 kids ate willingly and happily. A dinner that I could feel very good about serving to my family and eating myself. One that I know YOU will love too.

Without further ado,

Swiss Chard and Herbed Feta Omelet with Sunflower Seeds:

Swiss Chard and Herbed Feta Omelet with Sunflower Seeds:
SERVES 4 PREP TIME 10 MINUTES COOK TIME 5 MINUTES

Ingredients:
8 eggs (figure about 2 eggs per person)
1 small bunch swiss chard
1 small green zucchini
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup Raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup herbed feta cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
Optional:
Diced avocado

Putting it all together:
Roughly chop swiss chard and rinse thoroughly. Chop zucchini into small pieces. Smash garlic and mince, set aside. Finely chop green onion, set aside.
Whisk together eggs, salt and pepper.
In a large cast iron or caphalon skillet, over medium-high heat, add oil. When hot, toss in swiss chard, let sit for a minute. Toss with a spoon. Add zucchini and toss to coat, let sit so for a minute so it will brown. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Do Not let garlic burn!
Pour eggs into skillet. Let sit for 1 minute without stirring!
Push eggs towards center of skillet with flat spoon working your way around the pan.
Add feta. slowly keep pushing eggs towards center of skillet until just set.
Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions and avocado.

Don't forget the sunflower seeds! They are a strong source of Vitamin E, Magnesium and detoxifier.