Love At First Bite....Eating for a healthier life

Chocolate Banana Brownie Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:02:00 +0000

Chocolate.. My mouth starts watering just at the word. No seriously. I can honestly say I love chocolate. Chocolate cake, chocolate pie, chocolate ice cream, and just a small square of dove chocolate. But this year we have decided to make our best attempts at living and eating a life that is fulfilling and life giving, so needless to say chocolate is not on that list (at least not every night). I have done A LOT of researching of recipes that are gluten/grain and refined sugar free, and it is not easy to find food, especially desserts that meet these standards. Luckily there are a few blogs I follow (like Roostblog) who cook according to these guidelines. Baking is a challenge. I have been experimenting with almond flour desserts for about 7 months now, and have come to really love baked goods made with it. Toby however has been harder to convince. But, and this is a big but, these brownie bites are the first dessert I have made that he loves! Yes! Huge victory for me, his wife, who tries very hard to cook the healthiest foods but keep them exciting and tasty, and I finally did it.

These brownie bites could not be easier to make, and are made with ingredients that digest well in your body, and keep you thriving (aka no sugar rush). Me and Emory have a little brownie bite every afternoon with my coffee break. He loves them, and as his mom I could not be more happy to see him eating foods that are going to help fuel him for his day. I would encourage you to try them out, even if you think you would not like sweets made without refined sugars and flours. They are quite delicious!

Chocolate Banana Brownie Bites

Gluten/Grain/Refined Sugar Free

I adapted this recipe from This blog

2 ripe bananas
5 eggs (preferrably cage free and brown)
3/4 cup coconut oil, liquified ( I like to use unrefined)
1/2 cup Pure maple syrup (I like to use grade B)
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat all wet ingredients on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. You can make mini muffins, big muffins, mini loafs, or a large loaf. I made 4 dozen mini muffins and baked them for ten minutes. Make sure to spray pan, or use muffin liners, and bake until they feel set when touched. For mini muffins it was 10 minutes.

Pistachio & Herb Falafels

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:29:00 +0000

I realize this post is a little "bright" of a dish compared to most of the hearty soups and desserts that you are eating right now, but I meant to post this a month ago, and, well now it's late. But, this is the perfect light and delicious recipe to balance out all the richness going around. This just so happens to be a (sort of new) family favorite. I originally found this recipe on Green Kitchen Stories blog, and completely changed it up to adapt to my taste buds, and ended up making it with a greek twist. It is a really simple vegetarian dinner, but I promise you will not miss the meat, not even for a second.

The falafels are baked to perfection and burst with flavor from the nuts and herbs. Keeping ours gluten free, we wrapped it up in some delicious and crisp butter lettuce, but if you want a more hearty meal you could certainly wrap it all up in a good pita or flatbread. My mouth is actually watering as I write this because these are that tasty! It may seem like a strange dinner, and you may have doubts that your kids will eat this, but Emory absolutely loves them although he is a bit confused and call them waffles, but who cares, I was just glad he loved them so much. I hope you are having a great Holiday season, and enjoy this yummy meal!

Pistachio and Herb Falafels

This makes enough to feed 4-6 people. I used melon scooper, or a small cookie scoop to make them all an even size. You can make the dough mixture up ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a few hours before you start dinner. Enjoy!

For the Falafels:

1/3 cup fresh parsley (a handful)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro (a handful)

2 cups shelled pistachios, lightly toasted

1 can white (navy) beans , drained and rinsed well

2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well

2 cloves garlic, peeled

3 Tbsp, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of cumin

Salt and Pepper

Toppings:

Feta cheese, crumbles

Cucumber Dressing (Recipe Below)

Caramelized Red Onions (Recipe Below)

Fresh Herbs

Cucumber Salsa (Recipe Below)

Diced Tomatoes

Sauteed Zucchini (cut as much zucchini as you want into small dices, heat pan, toss with evoo, salt and pepper, and saute until browned, a few minutes)

Butter lettuce or pitas for wrapping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse the garlic and herbs together for a few seconds. Add in nuts and pulse a few times to break nuts down a bit. Add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until mixture is almost smooth, leaving a few chunks for texture. Roll into balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, turning them every ten or so, until they are browned and warmed through. Wrap up in lettuce or pitas, and enjoy!

Cucumber Dressing

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 small cloves garlic

1/2 large cucumber, or 1 small, peeled

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/8 tsp dried oregano

pinch of cumin

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

pinch of salt and pepper

In a small pan, over medium to high heat, add in the 2 Tbsp of olive oil and saute (whole) cloves of garlic for a few minutes until fragrant and the bite is taken off.

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Add more seasonings to taste.

Caramelized Red Onions

1 red onion , thinly sliced

2 Tsp olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

In a skillet over medium-low heat, saute onions , low and slow, until they turn a caramel color, anywhere from 25-35 minutes.

Cucumber Tomato Salsa

1/2 cucumber diced small

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Pinch of salt and pepper

Pinch of cumin and oregano

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl toss all ingredients to combine. For best taste, let sit for at least 30 minutes for flavors to combine

Pumpkin Pecan Cakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:15:00 +0000

This is my favorite time of year. And this year is especially great because we get to enjoy it with not one but two amazing sons. Emory is old enough this year to really get excited about the holiday season, and it has been a blast watching him get excited about the festivities. It is also such a great time to share with him the story of Jesus. My mother-in-law bought him this adorable little tykes nativity set, and every night he makes sure baby Jesus is in his "home". It brings me so much joy seeing him learn about Jesus! I just can't believe how much joy my children and husband bring me, and how thankful I am for our health and well being. I honestly have everything I could ever want, and I am truly blessed.

On a complete side not, I LOVE PUMPKIN. I mean I really love it. Pumpkin desserts, soups, and we even tested out pumpkin risotto this year for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! In efforts to do our best at eating gluten/grain free I decided to make a pumpkin dessert for our first (of two) family Thanksgiving dinners. I was hesitant for everyone to taste them as almond flour desserts do have a special taste and texture, one which I just so happen to love. They were super easy to make, gave the house an amazing aroma of fall baking in the air, and tasted a million times better than I had hoped. Emory loved them, I loved them, and pretty much everyone else (dad and Toby decided they did not want to eat my pumpkin creation that night) who ate them thought the same. That is all that mattered. And the best part of it all is there was no guilt in enjoying this dessert, and no sugar crash. They were so rustic and beautiful, and I really can't wait to make them again! The frosting is not dairy free, so if you prefer you could make a cashew cream, or make some whipped coconut cream which I am definitely trying next time.

Pumpkin Pecan Cakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Gluten/Grain/Refined Sugar Free

The texture was very moist, and I found they tasted better when fresh from the fridge. Next time I think I will use one less egg for a better consistency. Also, special thanks to my Brother-in-law for taking some of these pictures!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For Cupcakes:
3 cups blanched Almond Flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or any oil of choice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. real vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or cut pieces of parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. Whisk in wet to dry, and mix until combined. Divide evenly between cupcake tin, filling each almost completely full. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 25-35 minutes (more or less depending on oven or amount of eggs used). Let cool and then frost. Refrigerate for best consistency.

For Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened at room temp
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
3-6 tablespoons pure maple syrup (more or less to taste)
pinch of salt

Beat cream cheese and butter with a paddle attachment for a minute or so until light and fluffy. Add in maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, and beat until desired consistency. Add more maple syrup to taste.

Honey Caramel Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:24:00 +0000

I absolutely love this time of year. Although we don't really get four season here in Phoenix, the weather is definitely changing. And while some of you are enjoying freezing snowstorms, we are fully enjoying are near 60 degree weather here. To me that is the perfect temperature to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte, and bust out those tall boots I love so much but rarely get to wear. Usually that also means an abundance of sweet treats constantly being placed in my oven, warming the house and creating aromas that words can't describe. But, this year is a bit different.

We now have Emory on a completely gluten and sugar free diet, and eat a mostly grain free diet as well, which means there is not a whole lot of baking going on, and what little I do mostly consists on honey and almond flour. Don't get me wrong, I love the way we eat, but I am not super confident in baking with these ingredients and always having great results. It is hard to mimic flour and sugar in the same way. But this recipe for Honey Caramel tastes exactly like it was made with sugar, but with a deeper flavor. It still uses heavy cream so it is delightfully indulgent, and perfect when slathered all over a nice tangy apple.

Honey Caramel Apples

I used 101 cookbooks recipe for her honey caramel and loved it, but I think I will try sprinkling my caramel with some extra sea salt next time around.

6-8 small apples, cold, unwaxed (I accidently had waxed apples I think, hence the caramel not sticking to the apples)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup honey

*Candy Thermometer & Lollipop sticks*

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Push a lollipop or popsicle stick deep into each apple- in through the stem. Fill a large bowl 1/2 full with ice and water and set aside.

In a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan heat the cream and salt until tiny bubbles start forming where the milk touches the pan- just before a simmer. Stir in the honey. Bring the mixture to a boil. Now reduce the heat to an active simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15-20 minutes or until the mixture reaches about 255-260 degrees F. To stop the caramel from cooking. Very, very carefully set the bottom of the saucepan in the bowl of cold water you prepared earlier - taking special care not to get any of the water in the caramel mixture.

Stir until the caramel begins to thicken up - you want the caramel to be thin enough that it will easily coat your apples, but not so thin that it will run right off. If the caramel thicken too much simply put the pot back over the burner for 10 seconds or so to heat it up a bit. Twirl your apples in the caramel and set on the parchment lined baking sheets. Allow the caramel to cool and set.

Vanilla Bean Nut-ola

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:58:00 +0000

This recipe is not much of a recipe in the fact that you can really go any direction with it. I used to make granola, but since going (mostly) grain & gluten free, oats were out of the question which is why I called this Nut-ola. It is a delicious mixture of nuts and dried fruits and more similar to nut clusters, but perfect on top of yogurt, fruit, or with a splash of unsweetened almond milk. I eat it pretty much every morning for breakfast with fruit and a splash of almond milk, and can't get enough of it! You can use any nuts, fruits or spices that suit the season or your taste buds. You can't go wrong with this recipe. I should note that it will seem very runny/watery, but the moisture will dry up as it bakes, and it will harden and crisp up as it sits out and cools.

Vanilla Bean Nut-ola

Don't overcook the nut mixture. Take it out when it seems to be close to browning, but not browned. It will harden and stiffen up as it cools.

1/4 cup honey
5-6 dates soaked in very hot water for 5 minutes or so, 3-4 Tbsp of water reserved for sauce
1 vanilla bean, soaked in the water with the dates for a few minutes, the seeds scraped out
1-2 tsp cinnamon or any other spice of choice, like pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups roughly chopped nuts ( I used 1 cup walnuts, and 2 cups almonds, but any nut would work great)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup craisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a blender, blend dates (pitted) vanilla bean seeds, water, honey, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a large bowl mix the rest of the ingredients with the wet, and spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. You may need two cookie sheets. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so. Let cool, and break into pieces and keep in a sealed container for up to two weeks.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:23:00 +0000

Let me preface this post by telling you about how amazing this sauce (pictured above) is. I got the recipe from Heidi of the 101cookbooks blog. I originally planned on making it to drizzle on some grilled vegetables (which I did and it was delicious), but the boys were being super cooperative one afternoon and took a long nap at the same time (Has not happened since), and I was able to make this sauce, and a roasted butternut squash soup the same day and accidentally stumbled upon a mix of flavors that made me a proud cook. If you know me you know it takes a lot for me to say what I made is really worthy of being delicious. Instead, I always have some form of critique and am never fully satisfied with the way something turned out. It is the perfectionist side of cooking that I have sometimes.

But this my friends left me speechless. I don't know if I was just happy to have created my own recipe and finally be in the kitchen cooking something new, but this soup is restaurant worthy in my opinion. Not a paradise bakery style soup, but the kind you would find at a little urban joint, the bowl of soup that feels as good for your body as it tastes. The soup itself is extremely health conscience as it contains no butters or creams. Instead a nice dose of coconut milk that gives it a delicious creamy flavor as well as an extra nutritional boost. How could you go wring with that? So please step out of the box here and try this soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This makes about 8 small servings. The roasting of the squash intensifies and sweetens the flavor making is O so delicious!

1 large butternut squash, cut in half, seeds scraped out

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, roughly minced

1 tsp honey

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1-2 cups chicken stock (depending on preferred thickness and size of squash)

1 cup coconut milk, fat skimmed off

Slivered almonds for topping

Magic Sauce for drizzling on top

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put squash skin side down, flesh side up, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with thyme. Roast for about an hour until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool 5-10 minutes and then scrape into a high speed blender. It should come right out of the peel.

In a medium sized skillet heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, and saute onion for about 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in honey and apple cider vinegar. Saute about 1-2 more minutes to take the bite out of the vinegar. Add into blender.

To the blender add 1 cup chicken stock, coconut milk, and blend until smooth. Add more chicken stock as needed, and salt and pepper to taste.

Top with slivered almonds and Magic Sauce. Enjoy!

Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:00:00 +0000

One of the best smells in the world to me is the smell of bread baking. The smell of yeast bread especially. It is comforting, inviting, and literally makes my mouth water. Honestly, I love anything carb related. It is a terrible and most annoying desire, especially when we do our best to eat gluten/grain free. Yeast breads just aren't on the menu (but then again neither are these biscuits).

The week before Addie was born I took Emory to the library to have some alone time before life got just a bit more busy. We played and read books, and picked out 5 books for him to take home. Then, as usual, I go to the cookbook section and look around to see if there are any books to give me a burst of inspiration. There were not a whole lot of books on the shelf but the one that stuck out to me was by Emeril Lagasse, a book called "Farm to Fork", that features recipes made seasonally and with local farmers market ingredients. Normally Emeril would never interest me, but this book is amazing. I made a roasted beet salad last week with dandelion greens and rainbow chard with a walnut dressing that was AMAZING! These biscuits were also in the book, and I am always looking for ways to use up fresh rosemary since we have insane amounts in our garden and never seem to make a dent to it. They are technically scones, but mine turned out more biscuits like and were out of this world! I can honestly say they were the best biscuits I have ever tasted. The orange zest and Rosemary just perfectly perfume the biscuits and give them a light and sophisticated flavor. Although they are not the healthiest recipe to make it on this blog, it is sure one of the best!

Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits
These are very easy to make and require few ingredients, and are perfect for a dinner party or simply perfect for your mouth...p.s they are delicious fresh from the oven!
Makes 12-14 biscuits depending on size

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

in a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Add the orange zest and rosemary, and combine with a fork. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers , a pastry blender, or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the 1 cup buttermilk and stir with a fork until the ingredients are just moistened. Gather the dough together and press it gently into a rough ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it together. The dough may still be a crumbly mass. Knead the dough gently six to seven times; then use your hands to shape it into a rectangle measuring about 7 by 4 inches. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 1/2 x 7-inch rectangle, 3/4 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter (or round cutter) cut out biscuits and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Serve warm.

Blueberry Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:36:00 +0000

What a crazy and amazing last month! As most of you know me and Toby welcomed our new baby boy Adlai Lee Farmer on August second. He weighed 6 lbs 7 oz and measured 20 inches long! We have been loving every second of having a second boy, but time has been...well actually I don't know where time has gone, in fact time is irrelevant at the moment. Between Emory and Aldai, our time is fully devoted to our kids, and I wouldn't have it any other way. They are the greatest boys on the planet, and I love them more than I thought possible. Emory is a great older brother, and very gentle with the baby. He loves kissing his head, which makes my heart melt. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family!

Before Adlai was born I was wanting a dessert that was healthy and comforting, and this crisp hit the pot perfectly. Not only is it delicious (especially if you top it off with some honey whipped cream), but it is Gluten/Grain/Dairy/Sugar free which makes it all the better. If you don't have almond flour you can substitute any nut flour in it's place. Same goes with the fruit.

Blueberry Apple Crisp

Makes enough for an 8x8 inch pan

For the Filling:
3 cups blueberries
1 large apple, cored and cut into bite sized pieces
juice and zest of 1/2 an orange
Drizzle of honey

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 Tbsp honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl carefully toss all ingredients for the filling. Pour into an 8x8 inch pan (the small pyrex size). In a medium bowl mix all ingredients for the topping, and sprinkle on top of fruit. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:50:00 +0000

One part of eating a diet free of grains, gluten and processed sugar, is that it makes baking really challenging. I can't tell you how many cookie recipes I tried to make before I finally found one that actually tasted great. These cookies are as simple as they come, and are surprisingly sweet, and simply irrisistable, especially when they are eaten straight from the oven and warm. Since I have been pregnant I have not craved many sweet things, but when we were being very strict with our diet for that short while, these cookies were a life saver for Toby who loves something sweet after dinner. I would make the cookies into balls and stick them in the freezer, and pull them out every time we wanted some so that they were fresh and hot each time. I always made a few extra "just in case", and every time they were all eaten! So before you are super skeptical of a "healthier" cookie, give these a try, and you will be surprised at how delicious they are!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/4 cup butter or ghee

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

3/4 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup almond flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth, then add each ingredient in the order listed, mixing about 15 seconds after each addition. The final dough will be fairly soft.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Drop tablespoon size cookies onto cookie sheet, with a cookie scoop or spoon. You can flatten them slightly with a fork. If the dough is too soft, stick in the fridge for a 1/2 hour to harden dough and then press gently with a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes, until the bottoms are just browned. Do not over-bake because they will get very dry. Transfer to cooling racks, and enjoy!

Peach and Feta Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:41:00 +0000

Let's just be honest here, I have been in a huge rut the past couple of months of cooking. I try my best to make dinner every night, and most nights I do (although take-out seems so tempting right now), but my creativity in the kitchen has been lacking...BIG TIME. I am mostly sorry for my husband and child who get the brunt of it, and have to eat the same boring things over and over. In my attempt to try and mix things up, while also trying to potty train and get ready for baby, I have been testing out new salsa and sauce recipes to switch up our grilled meats we eat. This recipe is SCD friendly, and really good piled right on top of grilled chicken, fish, or pork. It is super easy to make, and peaches are perfectly ripe right now! I hope you enjoy, and there should be a DIY post coming soon!

Peach Salsa

This makes about 2 cups of salsa. You could throw in some fresh nectarines as well if you wanted to mix it up some.

2 Peaches (make sure they are not too ripe, or they will mush)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2-3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (more or less depending on how much you want)

1 tsp chopped scallions

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp honey

salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl whisk vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Cut peaches in half, twist apart and remove seed. Cut each half into 1/4 inch or so bite sized pieces. Toss everything together in the bowl and serve.

Homemade Yogurt

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:01:00 +0000

Wow, where has time gone? As I sit here and finally give this blog some much needed attention I realize how behind I am in the blog world. Pregnancy has really got the best of me lately, and I have not taken any time to journal my cooking adventures, let alone post a new blog entry, my apologies for being so lazy.. I now have only 5 weeks left in my pregnancy (can you believe it?!) and am sure as Adlai enters the world, my time will be even that much more limited. Guess I need to do so much needed time management organizing.

I have started doing a lot of little DIY projects, and am thinking about doing a new section of the blog featuring some of these..What do you think?

In my last post I mentioned the SCD diet we were going to start, and I am sad to say that with lots of traveling and lack of dedication, we have not stuck to the diet perfectly, although we try to do our best. The good news is toby did notice a difference for the 2 weeks we followed it rigidly, but we decided not to stick to it perfectly because it required a LOT of time and effort into preparing meals, and honestly I did not have the energy or time to follow it perfectly. We do try to stick to eating Gluten-Free, and I eat a diet with no refined sugar (Someone can't seem to get rid of his soda..ahmm). All in all, the diet is amazing, works great, and is well worth the effort if you are willing to be dedicated. I hope in the near future (once I can stand on my feet for a few hours without feeling like crying) we will get back on track, but until then we do our best to eat as close to it as we can, and as healthy as we possibly can. This recipe for homemade yogurt is SCD friendly, and really easy to make. I still make a batch every week, and love having homemade yogurt to snack on. The major benefit with this yogurt is that you are eliminating all refined sugars, as well as getting rid of all harmful bacteria, making it easier to digest. Definitely something worth trying!

Homemade Yogurt

I used this specific recipe because after trying a few methods, this seemed to give me the best results, and is still SCD friendly. I did not use a yogurt starter, instead used the best organic plain yogurt I could find. Just make sure it has Live & Active cultures...

Recipe can be found HERE

Roasted Tomato and Brie Tartlets

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:27:00 +0000

Wow what a week it has been! My little sister gets married in 2 days, and wedding bells have been ringing all around this house! The past month has really been a blur, but as the day gets closer, bridal party comes into town, and clothes are being ironed, the reality of wedding day is here! I am so excited for her, and so excited to celebrate the day with everyone. The next month is pretty busy for me and Toby. We have all the wedding festivities this weekend, and then have a few days to rest (did I mention my incredible husband is doing the videography for the wedding?) before we leave for 10 days in Texas with Toby's family. I am so excited, and that only means we will then be one month closer to the birthdate of our little boy!

I absolutely love the summer, and all that it brings. Just to mention a few, I love BBQ's, watermelon, pooltime, summer dresses, early mornings, my sweet Emory's awesome tan lines, and the smell of baby sunscreen! I honestly could not love summer more right now! It means vacation time, and lots of fun in the sun. It also means a lot of chances to eat really bad BBQ foods. In an attempt to stick as closely to the SCD diet as we can ( I will admit there have been a few slip-ups) I made these tarts a few weeks back, and they were delicious! I am going to do something I rarely do on this blog, and as my laziness has got the best of all 30 weeks pregnant of me, I am going to just leave the link for where I used the recipe from. It was very delicious, and my only complaint was that my tart dough was just a bit more crumbly than Coco's pictures looked. Could be something I did wrong, but either way I will definitely be making them again and trying some new fill-ins! So I hope you all enjoy a beautiful summer week!

The Roasted Tomato and Brie Tartlets recipe can be found here thanks to Coco at Roostblog

Quinoa and Bean Salad, and a new direction for our lives...

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Sun, 22 May 2011 19:29:00 +0000

Despite some of my heavier, sugary posts, I created this blog to encourage people to "Eat for a healthier life".... My goal was that I could show people that eating healthy is not only easy and affordable, but fun and enjoyable for your whole family. I have done my best to post recipes that use whole foods, and healthy ingredients, and I feel I have done a decent job at keeping things healthy. BUT, for us (Me, Toby, and Emory) eating "healthy" is just not enough anymore. I have talked about Toby's disease a little but before, but for a refresher, Toby has Ulcerative Colitis, a debilitating and terrible auto-immune disease that affects his colon. For the past 6 years he has suffered this disease everyday, and although he is on medication that helps his symptoms, he suffers extreme diarrhea (not trying to be graphic, but that is the terrible reality of the disease, something he is not embarrassed to talk about because he is very passionate about spreading the word of this disease) daily, and is always having to plan his life around the disease. He has started a non-profit organization (Live Beyond Boundaries) in hopes that he can inspire kids and adults who suffer IBD diseases (or any other illness) that life can go beyond the disease. Despite his best efforts to eat gluten-free and taking his medicine, his colitis is not better, and to be quite honest he/we are sick and tired of him having to suffer the symptoms of the disease. There is nothing worse than watching your husband suffer something like this daily.

SO..We have decided to take a new approach to his disease. After doing some research, and reading some great success stories, we are going to be starting the SCD (Specific Carb Diet) diet. It is a diet designed specifically for people who suffer from Colitis, Crohns, and other IBD diseases. It eliminates all foods that are potentially harmful to the gut/intestines, as well as focusing on foods that help heal the body naturally. It is a pretty intense diet in the fact that it is an entire new way of eating (at least for us). It will be gluten and grain free, as well as partially dairy free. It is a very specific diet, but we have done our research, and we're so excited to start it in a few weeks. We have taken a few weeks to prepare ourselves with recipes, plans, and some new kitchen appliances to help us along the way. All that being said, from here on out (well in the next few weeks) the recipes posted on here will be following this new diet. We plan on eating this way for the rest of our lives, and really believe it is going to help reduce Toby's symptoms. I am really excited to get going on this, and to share these recipes with all of you!

Since Quinoa is a starch, it is an "illegal" food for us, but I made this salad last week that I wanted to share with you before we start over. Don't get me wrong, quinoa is in no way bad for you, in fact I couldn't encourage you more to try it out, but for people with IBD diseases, it is not a food that they should eat. This salad is very light and perfect alongside some lean grilled meat.

Quinoa and Bean Salad
This recipe is versatile and can be changed up depending on what bean you have on hand, or preferences on herbs/spices.

2 cups cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa), cooled

1/2 red onion, chopped very finely

large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 1/2- 2 cups red kidney beans, or any other bean (you can use a can, or dried and cooked beans..If using a can, make sure to drain and rinse well)

1/4 cup good quality olive oil

juice of 1/2-1 whole lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine

Summer Chopped Salad with a creamy Avocado Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:37:00 +0000

We are in full fledge summer here. The heat is on, and the fresh produce is certainly showing signs of summer delights. I am sort of a salad lover, in fact we have salad at least once a day, which means it can get a little boring from time to time. In order to keep the love alive, I like to try new ideas and ingredients in my salads. Usually I have spinach, but the crunch of a nice head of romaine lettuce sounded much more enticing last night. With everything chopped into nice little bite sized chunks, it stays crisp and light. The dressing could not be easier or healthier. It is creamy from the avocado, and there is good fats in both the olive oil and the avocado, not to mention great skin boosting vitamins! Again, this salad could not be easier, so I hope you get to try it out soon!

Summer Chopped Salad & Creamy Avocado Dressing

For the dressing:
1 avocado, seed and skin removed
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoon olive oil (depending on preferred thickness of dressing)
1 scant tablespoon honey
slash of hot sauce
salt and freshly cracked pepper

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix until creamy. Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
3-4 radishes
1 large cucumber
1 1/2-2 cups cooked and drained black beans (you can use canned, just make sure to rinse well first)
1 mango
i head romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Slice radishes very thinly, and then quarter. Peel and cut cucumber in half. Scoop out seeds, and then cut into thin slices (half moons). Peel mango and cut around the seed. Cut up into small cubes. Wash lettuce, and chop on a cutting board into small bite sized pieces. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together and toss with dressing.

Raw Summer Lettuce Wraps

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 22:18:00 +0000

I don't know about all of you out there living in those cold states, but here is Phoenix we have hit some record highs (98 degrees!) this week, which means a lot of fresh, light, and cold foods! I can't really take any credit at all for this recipe besides the fact that despite my best efforts to find rice paper, the stores had none, and I was left to make "lettuce" wraps instead of the typical spring rolls. Otherwise, one of my favorite blogs is where I got this recipe from. Quick. easy, affordable, and delicious dinner! We had ours with a fresh "green" smoothie with our new blender!

Raw Summer Lettuce Wraps

If you can find rice paper, you could try them like that, or if you want to omit the rice, lettuce worked just fine in it's place!

1 head of iceburg lettuce (Carefully remove pieces to make lettuce boats with)
1 mango, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 avocado, seed and skin removed, cut into thin slices
1-2 large carrots cut into thin strips
1 cup sugar snap peas, cut into strips
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
Handful of toasted peanuts

For the dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons water
juice of 1 lime
1/2 fresh chili, seeds removed and diced fine
1 clove garlic, finely minced
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, set aside to pour over lettuce wraps.
In each boat of lettuce pile on as much and as many of the toppings as you wish, and drizzle with dipping sauce.

Flank Steak Tacos with an Avocado Dressing...Recipe Featured from my Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:41:00 +0000

What a week it has been. For the past 6 days I have had a terrible stomach bug (which I thought was the return of morning sickness) that completely kept me on the couch (and kept all the helpers in the house busy) and left me no time or energy to cook, thus leaving my blog one very lonely place.

This month has been a really busy and fun month (besides the illness). Me, Toby, and Emory had the house to ourselves for a few days and had a lot of fun family time. We went to Scottsdale to hear Toby speak at a CCFA Team Challenge meeting a couple of times, went to the Phoenix Zoo, went out on some fun lunch dates, had a really fun playdate at the house with lots of kiddos, and watched some movies together. All in all it was a great month so far, and will be even better in a few days. On Wednesday we find out the sex of the baby! We are so excited! And then Thursday we leave for Disneyland to take Emory for the first time. What a great month! Due to my lack of planning and time for a new recipe, I decided to do a feature recipe from my cookbook. The tacos are delicious and quite simple served with some black beans (topped with some finely diced onions and feta cheese). I hope you enjoy!

Flank Steak Tacos

I like to serve the tacos with a side of black beans topped with some finely dived red onion and feta cheese. If you don't like red meat, you could certainly substitute chicken.

Serves 4

1 lb. Flank Steak (you could also use skirt steak)
For the Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 jalapeno (seeds and all), chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or olive oil
For Avocado Dressing:
2 avocados, seeds and skin removed
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small clove garlic
pinch of salt and pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed
1/4 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Serve with:
Corn tortillas, feta cheese, shredded cabbage, cilantro, and lime wedges

In a ziplock bag, add all ingredients for the marinade, plus the steak. Marinate the meat at least 30 minutes, and up to 6 hours. In the meantime make the dressing.

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients for the dressing and pulse until smooth and creamy. Put in a sealed container or jar, and place in fridge to let the flavors mix.

Heat a grill, or grill pan to high heat. Grill the steak for a couple of minutes on each side, until steak is seared on the outside and pink in the middle. It will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your steak. Take off the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before you slice it (make sure to slice against the grain).

Serve the meat in a corn tortilla (for gluten-free, or whole wheat if you prefer), and top with crumbled feta cheese, lettuce or cabbage, lime juice, cilantro, and avocado dressing.

Chickpea Curry.. A Family Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:20:00 +0000

Before I begin with this recipe I wanted to update everyone on what has been going on for the past month. I had every good intention to update the blog, but instead, life in the past month has not allowed even a second of time for anything of the sort. I will start with my wonderful husband. As you all know, he left two weeks ago for his trip to Africa to do the Kiliman Challenge for Live Beyond Boundaries. He put so much work into this trip. I mean SO much work. He was as prepared as he could be, and felt very confident about the whole thing. He made it to Africa safely, and then made it 4 days up the mountain when sickness hit him hard. He had to make the choice to come down the mountain and go straight to the hospital in Tanzania where they were not of much help, so he booked the first flight home and we went straight to the hospital where he received 2 liters of fluids, some blood work, and some medicine to help bring his potassium up. Later we found out it was parasitical Typhoid, probably from something he ate. He came home a few days early, and feeling defeated about the outcome of the trip. But, being the strong man he is, he looked at the situation and knew there was nothing he could do to change it, and has been working hard trying to come up with the extra funding, and dealing with all of the junk work from coming home early. He is amazing, and I am so proud of him! I am more proud of him that he is able to handle this situation with courage and humbleness, more so than if he was able to complete the entire challenge. I think we learn a lot about ourselves through hard times, and more than ever he has shown me how a Man of God has strength, courage, and perseverance through it all, and I could not be more proud!

While Toby was dealing with all of this in Africa, we received a phone call from my aunt in California saying that my cousin Candice had a few strokes and was in a coma. My dad decided to fly me, my mom, my sisters, and Emory out to California to see her for what we thought would probably be the last time. It was a really hard trip. Emory got really sick, and we were all emotionally drained. She was able to come off life support before us girls had to fly back home, but it appeared as if she would be brain dead for the rest of her life. We were so devastated. BUT, the day after we came home she started show signs of life, and after ONE week she is now talking, eating, and walking with assistance! All of these things she will be working on for the rest of her life, but she has LIFE back, and nothing but the miracle of God is more apparent here! It is such am amazing story of how God can work miracles in the hardest times of your life, and I am still in awe of what is happening!

Due to all of these events, I did not have a moment to cook anything, let alone take pictures and post it on here. But we are all getting over our sickness's and rested up, and enjoyed this amazing Chickpea Curry last night for dinner. I grew up eating Curry, but my grandma was almost always the one cooking it, so I was very happy to make such a good curry without her help...well, minus the fact that it is her recipe. We also made a chicken curry, basmati rice, and enjoyed it with some Naan. You could use brown rice, but nothing tastes more authentic that traditional Basmati Indian rice!

Chickpea Curry

This recipe makes about 4 cups, and serves 6 as a side dish, or 4 as a main. We ate ours as a side with the chicken curry, rice, and naan.

1 small onion, diced
1-2 large tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups diced)
2 cans chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons indian spice curry powder (we got this from india, and it is a mix of curry spices)
2 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup or so of chicken stock
evoo and salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sized saucepan heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onions, and saute until onions are completely browned, and almost a black color. Don't burn, but get them to a really caramel color. Add in Garlic, and saute 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in spices, 1/2 the cilantro, and tomatoes. Add back to heat, and stir in chickpeas and chicken stock (or water). Simmer over low heat for 10-20 minutes. Stir in the rest of the cilantro and season to taste. Enjoy!

Mango & Avocado Salad with a Walnut Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:35:00 +0000

Today was an amazing and exhausting day. Me and Toby took Emory to Flagstaff to go to the snow for the first time. I was worried he would be cold, and hate it, but instead he loved it, even without his gloves on. It was a long day of driving, but worth every minute to make that memory with him. That all has nothing to do with this salad, and this salad is my new favorite. It is so unbelievable, light and refreshing, and although we are not into spring quite yet, we fully welcomed a refreshing salad.

Mango & Avocado Salad with a Walnut Dressing

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, and could not really change anything because it was so dang delicious! Next time I will try adding some freshly shaved parmesan, or some feta cheese..

Only slightly adapted from Green Kitchen Stories

Serves 4

1 mango, peeled and cut into strips

1 avocado, seed and skin removed, cut into slices

1/2 cup to 1 cup sprouts (I used alfalfa)

4 cups spinach or arugula

a handful of walnuts, dry roasted

For the Dressing:

2 tablespoons walnuts, dry roasted

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sea salt

Lemon pepper

Mash the walnuts, and mix with the rest of the dressing ingredients.

Bake-Dried Apple Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:08:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but it is about this time of year where my body starts to crave everything healthy. Spring is approaching, and a new round of fruits and veggies are coming into season. I think From here until summer is my favorite batch of goods. But, before I move on to mangoes, and avocados (post soon to come...) I thought I would share this recipe for apple chips. They are literally the easiest and most delicious snack ever.

You take an apple, slice it paper thin, bake it low and slow with a touch of cinnamon, and voila! A very low-cal (which is great for a pregnant mama who likes to snack), crunchy and slightly sweet. I used Pinova apples, which were not as sweet as I would have liked, but they were still good nonetheless. The best part about these is I don't feel guilty eating these chips late at night with Emory!

Apple Chips

I used 2 large apples that covered 2 full cookie sheets.

2 large sweeter apples, sliced paper thin on a mandoline, or with a sharp knife (you can use the core and all, the seeds fall out when you slice it)
juice of 1/2 lemon
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice and some ground cinnamon. Lay on a baking sheet on a silpat mat, or parchment paper. Place in oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, flipping over once. You will know they are done when they feel dry, and are just starting to brown. They will crisp as they cool.

Dried Apricot Oatcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 23:12:00 +0000

This recipe is actually adapted from a baby food cookbook that I have. I made these for Emory, but we all loved them so much I decided to do a post on them. They are so simple to make, and most of the ingredients are things you have on hand. It is a really healthy snack, and a great alternative to a morning muffin or donut. They are just barely sweet, and my little one devoured them. I felt great knowing he was eating a healthy snack that would fill his little belly up with lots of fiber and vitamins. So for all of you moms who run to that box of graham crackers, try this recipe out and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Dried Apricot Oatcakes
Although they look like cookies they are more like a breakfast bar.
Makes 15-18 two-inch rounds

Vegetable oil spray

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons finely chopped dried apricots

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet (you may need two) with aluminum foil and spray with oil (or you can you a silpat mat like I did).

In a mixing bowl combine oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the butter and honey. Combine with a rubber spatula until all oats are coated. Mix in apricots and coconut. Heat 1 cup of water in a saucepan until very hot but not boiling. Add water 2 tablespoons at a time to oats, stirring after each addition with a rubber spatula until oats become wet and sticky. You may not need all the water. With wet hands m ix dough mixture one last time. Dough will be sticky and loose.

Using a cookie scoop (or two large spoons) scoop dough onto cookie sheet and slightly pat into flat oatcakes. Bake oatcakes until edges turn golden brown and centers are firm and not sticky, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.

Broiled Tilapia & a Butternut Squash & Carrot Puree

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:50:00 +0000

I have been lucky enough to have the morning sickness almost completely at bay now. i don't really know why, but one day I just started feeling a whole lot better, and I could not be more thankful for that. Because I spent the last 10 weeks eating whatever I could stomach, my diet definitely was not at it's best, and now that I feel better I have been trying my best to eat as healthy and natural as I can. This recipe is definitely light and healthy. It is packed full of protein and essential vitamins your body needs, not to mention it is really delicious. I saw Giada make it a few days ago, and decided I had to too. I changed a few things up, but it was such a simple recipe I didn't want to add more to take away from the simplicity of this dish. It is a quick dinner to make, and so good for you. The tilapia cooks in minutes, so you want to make your puree first, and then cook the tilapia last.

Broiled Tilapia

Serves 4

4 Tilapia Filets

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to broil. Lightly toss fish in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 6-10 minutes until the fish is white and flaky. Top with yogurt sauce.

Dijon Yogurt Sauce

This sauce is really easy to make, and adds so much flavor to the fish without adding a ton of calories.

1/4 cup plain full-fat Greek Yogurt

2 teaspoons Agave Nectar or Honey (I used honey)

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup Lemon Juice (the juice of 1 large lemon)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Green Onions

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

In a medium sized bowl whisk yogurt, honey, and dijon. Whisk in lemon juice, onions, and salt & pepper.

Butternut Squash & Carrot Puree

The original recipe called for yams and carrots, but I had butternut squash on hand, and loved the way it turned out. Plus, the next day we added extra vegetable stock to the puree and warmed it up for a delicious butternut squash soup!

Serves 8

1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1 inch pieces.

4 large carrots, peeled, and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3-4 cups chicken stock

Salt & Pepper

In a saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and a pinch of salt, and saute until onions are translucent and soft. Add in garlic and saute 2 more minutes. Add in veggies and saute 5 minutes more. Add in the chicken stock (just enough to barely cover the veggies). Simmer on medium for 20-30 minutes until the veggies are tender. Use a ladle to reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid and reserve. Using and Immersion Blender or Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency. Add in more liquid as needed, and season to taste.

Beef Stew and Baking Powder Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:15:00 +0000

Ok so I know I have left you all hanging for quite some time now (actually its been well over a month), but I have some exciting news! I am PREGNANT! We found out a few weeks ago, and I am now 10 weeks, which puts us at a due date around August 4th. Unfortunately I have been really sick this time around, and eating has been a struggle, and cooking has been nearly impossible. I am lucky to have an amazing mom and husband who have been taking over that side of things for the past few weeks. Anyways, the reason for not posting is that the thought/sight of food makes me sick to my stomach, so I have had to avoid the blog for a while, and I am really hoping (not just for my sake) that this whole sick thing ends soon. Last week I felt up to making dinner, and I made Beef Stew and Martha Stewart's Baking Powder Biscuits. The weather has been so cold here the past month, and this stew was very welcomed. Even Emory loved it! So for those of you needing a warm comfort meal (one that is decently healthy) here is the perfect treat!

Beef Stew
This stew is easy to make, and you can let it simmer in a heavy stockpot, or put it into the crockpot on low all day.
Serves 6

1 leek, white and light green parts only, well rinsed and thinly sliced

4-5 large carrots, peeled, and diced into large bite sized pieces

2 large potatoes rinsed and diced into large bite sized pieces

1 large sweet potato rinsed, peeled, and diced into large bite sized pieces

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 lbs. organic, hormone free, stew meat, cubed (you can usually find it already cut for stews)

2-4 tablespoons olive oil (or canola oil)

4 tablespoons flour

4 cups beef broth

1-2 cups water

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste

Heat a heavy bottomed stew or soup pot on medium high heat and add the oil. Dust stew meat with flour, salt, pepper. Quickly sear the meat, a few pieces at a time, until all the meat has been lightly browned. Add all the meat into the pan, and add onions, and garlic, and saute a few minutes. Add in the carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, broth, water, and worcestershire sauce, and bring to a simmer. If using a crockpot, add to your crockpot and put on low for 6-8 hours, or high for a couple of hours. If using stew pot, keep in pan and simmer 15-20 minutes until veggies are tender. Season to taste.

Martha Stewart's Baking Powder Biscuits
These are so easy to make, and really buttery and flaky.
Makes 1 dozen

4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for brushing

2 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender/cutter (or you could also use two knives), cut in butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.

Pour in the heavy cream; using a rubber spatula, fold the cream into the dough, working in all directions, and incorporating the crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, until the dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured fingers, gently pat the dough into a round about 1 inch thick, pressing in any loose bits. Do not overwork the dough. Use a 2 1/4 inch biscuit cutter and cut biscuits out as close together as possible.

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Generously brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream, or melted butter. I used melted butter. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the biscuits are golden, about 20-25 minutes.

Chicken with a Fig and Shallot Pan Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 +0000

This recipe is really good. The sweetness in the figs really balances out the subtle garlic and onion flavor of the Shallot sauce. It is really easy to make, and a really elegant dinner party meal. We have an abundance of dried figs here in Phoenix, but if you can find fresh that would be even better. I searched high and low and could only find dried, which still worked beautifully. This would be a really delicious Christmas even dinner, and an extremely healthy one. If you are not into meat, you can completely omit it, and make the sauce to pour over the quinoa. Enjoy!

Chicken with a Fig and Shallot Pan Sauce

I grilled my chicken, but if you don't have a grill or don't feel like grilling, you can bake it or saute it.

Serves 4

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

8 dried figs, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1-2 large shallots, minced

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

2 cups quinoa

Preheat grill, or grill pan to medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and season the chicken with salt and pepper, then place on grill. In a saucepan, add quinoa, a dash of pepper, 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, and 1-1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. While quinoa is cooking, flip chicken, and start pan sauce. Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil, and saute shallots. Once they start to soften, add in the thyme. Cook until fragrant and onions are tender. Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and vinegar. Cook stirring until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the figs and butter. Place quinoa on a plate, and top with chicken and sauce.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding and Pumpkin Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:54:00 +0000

Fist off let me say that these two recipes do not encourage "eating for a healthier life", but it's the holidays, give me a break here...I could not decide if I wanted to put both of these recipes into one post or not, but due to lack of time (and internet connection) these past two weeks with the in-laws, I decided to just put them together since it has been so long since the last post. Some people associate pumpkin with Thanksgiving, and therefore do not use it after that day, but my friends, I am here to tell you that, in fact, pumpkin is perfect for even December. Both of these recipes are delicious. I am a little obsessed with pumpkin recipes, but these are two of my favorites.

The pumpkin cheesecake recipe is from food network, and I came up with the bread pudding. The bread pudding is not like your typical soggy pudding. In fact, if you like it soggy then you will not like this recipe. The top layer gets nice and crispy almost french toast like. Delicious! I made a few changes to the food network recipe, and for the pictures I used a mini cheesecake pan, but the link below is for a normal springform pan. So go ahead and enjoy you some pumpkin this December!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This recipe is super easy, and good way to use up some left over bread.

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie pice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 cups of day old bread slices or cubes (I used day old baguette)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl toss bread with melted butter. In another bowl, whisk the rest of the ingredients together. Toss into the bread bowl until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a greased casserole dish, and let sit 15-30 minutes. Toss the bread again right before you put it into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

For this recipe I used about 1/2 of the butter they called for the crust, and also used a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of crushed gingersnaps & graham crackers.

Recipe can be found HERE

Autumn Minestrone Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Missy) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 03:15:00 +0000

Sorry it has been so long. Me, Toby, and Emory are in Texas for the next two weeks for thanksgiving with his family, so my posts will be short and limited, but this recipe is a must try for these cold autumn nights. It is easy, healthy, and delicious. Enjoy!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

1 onion, skin removed and diced
2 carrots, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 can white beans, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 cup diced green beans
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can tomatoes, with juice
1/2 lb. cooked, small elbow pasta (whole wheat or gluten free)
2 cups spinach
32 oz. vegetable broth (low sodium)
handful of fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups water

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Saute onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add in green beans and zucchini, and saute about 3 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach. Heat over medium heat until it simmers. Simmer about 20 minutes until veggies are tender. Add in spinach and let warm for 10 minutes. Serve.