Crockpot Fiesta

This dish is quite possibly the easiest meal to make.  If you buy pre-chopped vegetables the labor is little to none.  This idea was given to me by my very busy sister in-law and mother of 4.  I spiced up her version, and it has now made the rotation of easy meals.  I made this during my first trimester often.  Especially when I was feeling guilty that Ben was defrosting his 3rd premade Paleo meal in a row because I was content with crackers and didn't want to eat.  Make this meal the night before, set it, and forget it.  Come home from work, whip up some guacamole, and enjoy the easy clean up!

Need

4 chicken breasts
1 onion sliced
1 green pepper sliced
1 red pepper sliced
1 yellow/orange pepper sliced
1 small can of green chilis
1/2 container fresh salsa
1 tbspn cumin + more to sprinkle over veggies
1 tbspn chili powder + more to sprinkle over veggies
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
Pepper

Prepare

1. Liberally salt & pepper both sides of the chicken.  Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of cumin and chili powder over both sides of the chicken breasts.

2. Layer the bottom of the crockpot with the sliced onions, and add the seasoned chicken on top.

3. Toss the peppers over the chicken.  I sprinkle a bit more cumin and chili powder just for extra taste.

4.  Pour the green chilis, lime juice, and fresh salsa on top. 

5. Set on high for 4-6 hours.
Honestly, you can layer this however you want!  You cannot mess this up, promise.

Serve in a lettuce wrap or tortilla with cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.  

Back to Blogging

After a long break from blogging, I'm coming back!  We found out that we were expecting our first sweet baby Thoele May 15th, 2012.  A day I will of course never forget.  I am now 21 weeks pregnant.  I have many reasons as to why I took a blogging break, but exhaustion and time are probably the best ones.  So far I have been blessed to have had an easy and risk-free pregnancy.  However, during the months of May through July I did not have an appetite or desire for food.  I have not done very much cooking or baking these past few months.  My time has been filled with naps, names, low energy, and oh yah teaching started up again.

Now that things have settled down a bit (for now) and I'm feeling the perks of the 2nd trimester (energy), I want to go back to something that relaxes me and makes me happy.  Cooking makes me happy.  I'm going to continue to post healthy meals, some might be paleo and some not paleo.  Right now I'm focusing on practical meals for a healthy baby, momma, and husband. 

 Hopefully you find some new recipes on this blog that make you happy and healthy. 

19 weeks

Almost forgot- It's a boy!!

 

Strawberry Shortcake

This shortcake is deceiving.  It is made with almond flour, and it a cross between a biscuit and shortbread.  They are not very sweet and the consistency reminds me of shortbread.  Make these shortcakes as thick or thin as you want them.  Add homemade cream and fresh strawberries to have a delicious strawberry shortcake dessert!  If paleo style is what you crave, make a coconut whipped cream to top it.  I borrowed the recipe from Elana's Pantry.  She is a gluten-free guru, and I have one of her books that is filled with great recipes.  I changed a few things about this recipe including changing the name from biscuits to shortcake.  Try this recipe with your favorite biscuit fixings (butter, jam, honey) or with the berries and whipped cream.  Let me know what you think. Are they better as biscuits or shortcake?

Need

2 1/2 c. almond flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 c. ghee
2 eggs
1 T. raw organic honey
1 t. vanilla extract

Prepare

 Preheat oven to 350

1. In a medium sized bowl combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda.

2. In a larger bowl whisk together the ghee, eggs, honey, and vanilla.  The ghee should not be melted and may be hard to whisk.  Try using a spatula first to break down the mixture.  It will be chunky.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients, and mix until a dough ball forms.

4.  Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper.  Toss in a few palm-fulls of extra almond flour to prevent sticking while rolling.

5. Roll the dough to desired thickness.  

6. Using a biscuit cutter or top of mason jar, cut the dough into circles and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  You may need to repeat steps 4-6 in order to use all of the dough.  In addition, the dough does not rise.  If you want the shortcakes thick, you will have to cut them thick.

I cut mine with a mason jar.

Ready for the oven

7. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.  If your biscuits are not the same thickness, check on them after about 10 minutes.  The thinner ones might need to be removed in order to avoid being burnt at the bottom.  

The biscuits should turn slightly brown at the top.

Finished product

Strawberry Shortcake Dessert

Fish Tacos with Tangy Slaw and Tomatillo Salsa

Fish Tacos

The other day I asked Ben what he wanted me to make for dinner.  I made it clear that I wanted to make something quick and easy.  His response, "fish tacos."  Well I'm glad he has the confidence in my culinary skills to think that I can whip up fresh fish tacos in no time, and that we would have all the available ingredients.  That night we ate dinner out.  However, I did make fish tacos for him this week.  It was not a hard task by any means, but it takes a bit longer than 30 minutes to prepare.  Next time I make these I'm going to make the slaw and salsa in the afternoon.  That way all I have to do is marinate the fish and cook when we are ready to eat. These tacos were a light and refreshing spring meal.

Tomatillo Salsa

 Need 

1lb. tomatillos washed and husked
1 large shallot or 1 small onion quartered
3 gloves garlic
1 T. Olive oil
1 small can organic green chillies
juice of 1 lime
2 t. chili powder
Salt & Pepper
Cilantro

Prepare

Preheat oven to 400.

Spread the tomatillos, garlic, and shallot on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a small amount of olive oil and pinch of salt.  Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the tomatillos are extremely soft.

Once the main ingredients are roasted, place them into a food processor (juices and all).  Combine all ingredients and pulse until the salsa is mixed, but still chunky.  Since I'm not a huge cilantro fan, I added a small amount.  If cilantro is your vice, go crazy and add as much as you would like.  This recipe will make more salsa than you need, but it is a great salsa to enjoy with tortilla chips.

 Salsa in the food processor

 Tangy Slaw 

Need

1/2 bag of premade coleslaw (or you can shred you own)
3 T. sour cream
1 t. celery salt
2 T. Olive Oil
juice of 1/2 lime
1 capful vinegar
1 scallion chopped
2 T. juice from pickled jalapenos 
Sea Salt
Pepper

Prepare

Combine above ingredients and mix.  Add salt and pepper according to your taste.  Personally, I think a peppery coleslaw is best.

Finished coleslaw

 Fish Marinade

Need

1 lb. cod (or other white fish)
2 T. taco seasoning (I had some already made: chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper)
4 T. olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 t. fresh cilantro chopped

Prepare

Prepare marinade in a bowl by whisking together ingredients above.  Cut the fish filets into small pieces appropriate for taco shells.  I cut mine into  1-2 inch long strips.  Place the fish into the bowl, cover, and refrigerate.  Marinate no longer than 30 minutes.  Fish is a very delicate protein.  If it marinates longer, the acid breaks down the protein too much and you could end up with mush.

Using a flat top pan, heat a small amount of olive oil on medium heat.  Add the fish to the pan and cook roughly 3 minutes a side.  Fish does not need to cook very long.  To make sure the fish is cooked, take a fork and peel away the layers.  You will know it is cooked through when the fish flakes away.  Using a tong, place the fish to a platter.  

Cook 3 minutes a side

Ready for the tortilla

We assembled our tacos: fish, slaw, salsa, and topped with a few pickled jalapenos.  Instead of chips and salsa I sauteed fresh corn and green peppers in a small amount of ghee. 

 You can cut out more carbs by omitting the flour shell and replacing it with a lettuce wrap. 

Pork Loin and Mango Salsa

If you read the last post, you know that I have been grilling a lot lately. Today I marinated a pork loin and topped it with a mango salsa. Making your own salsa is ingenuous. It taste better, and it is half the price. If you don't have time for all the chopping, buy the ingredients ready to go. A lot of supermarkets are making it easy to prepare a quick meal. I know Publix and Trader Joes both sell pre chopped veggies. All you have to do is add the seasoning.


Now you have no excuse. The markets are begging you to cook! Try it out and impress yourself.

Need for Pork Loin

1 1-2 lb. pork loin
1/4 c. olive oil
1 capful vinegar
2 t. raw honey
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
1/2 shallot chopped
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic chopped
1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
Salt & Pepper

Need for Mango Salsa

1 red pepper chopped
1 mango chopped
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
1 large tomato
1 scallion chopped
1/4 t. cumin powder
1/4 t. chili powder
1 T. cilantro (I used parsley)
juice of 1 lime
Salt & Pepper

Prepare

Salt and pepper the pork loin. Combine the paprika, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl. Smother the pork loin in this dry rub.


Whisk together all of the liquids of the marinade. Fold in the chopped ingredient, salt and pepper, and mix. Place the pork loin in the marinade. Allow to marinate up to 24 hours.


Preheat the grill. Grill each side of the tenderloin approximately 7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 140 degrees F.


While the tenderloin is cooking prepare the salsa. Combine all of the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and let the flavors marry together at room temperature.

I served this tenderloin with some fresh spring vegetables.

Grilled Chicken and Bulgarian Salad

Some friends of ours invited us over for dinner last weekend. They are from Bulgaria and there was a lot of food talk at the dinner table. I picked their brains about some traditional Bulgarian food. That same night we ate a traditional Bulgarian salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, scallions, feta, olive oil, and salt. We liked it so much that we have had this salad twice since then. It is simple and delicious.

If you haven't made your own meat marinade, I suggest you start. You can control what goes into the marinade and the flavors are savory and fresh. I may not buy a bottled marinade again. Because of this warm weather, we have been using the grill frequently. Using the grill makes it easy to eat healthy. Marinade your favorite meat (veggies too), grill, and serve it with a fresh salad. More marinade recipes to come!

Chicken Marinade

3 T. fresh finely chopped dill
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 shallot chopped
juice of 1 Meyer lemon
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

In a large bowl whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Add chicken, cover, and put in the refrigerator. Marinate anywhere from 2 to 8 hours.


Preheat the grill. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the grill rack with olive oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Grill the chicken 4-5 minutes each side on medium heat or until the internal temperature reaches 165.















Salad

3 vine ripen tomatoes chopped
1/2 cucumber peeled and quartered
1 scallions
1/2 c. green pitted olives
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Olive Oil
Salt

Combine these ingredients in a medium sized serving bowl. I would add more scallions, but Ben is not convinced. Also, buy feta cheese that is fresh and still reserved in the liquid. The flavor is loads better and the cheese is moist. Be liberal with the salt and olive oil. This is a great salad to add more of what you do like and omit what you don't. Ben eats olives, and I eat onions. We compromised by having a little bit of both, but still picked out what we didn't eat.

Thank you Veny and Lozan for a delicious meal!

Spring Brunch

Spring is here!! Enjoying brunch on the patio outside is great way to spend time with your family. My brother from out of town and his wife were visiting for the weekend, so we had my other brother and his family over for a Saturday morning brunch. We had egg frittatas, sausage, berry cobbler, fruit, coffee, and of course mimosas! I prepped a lot of the food the night before to make it an easy morning. I cut and cooked the egg fixings the night before and had the berries washed and ready to go for the cobbler. This is also a great brunch for any vegetarians. You can make eggs with any vegetables you want and serve the meat as a side. I hope you enjoy this simple brunch that makes both kids and adults happy.

Egg Frittatas

10 eggs
3 T. cream
1 green pepper chopped and sauteed
1 shallot chopped and sauteed
2 tomatoes chopped
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt & Pepper
Leaves of 12 sprigs of Thyme
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375

Prepare

Liberally spray one cupcake tin with the cooking spray. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs together and then add in the cream, salt, pepper, and thyme. Using a cupcake tin, fill the tin 1/4 the way full with your favorite veggies. Fill each tin 1/2 way with the egg mixture. The eggs will rise in the oven. Sprinkle your favorite cheese into each tin. For pickier eaters, reserves a few tins for just eggs and cheese.
















Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the eggs are just about set in the center. Use a knife to loosen the edges around the tin and serve on a platter.



Berry Cobbler

3 c. almond flour
2 ripe banana
3 eggs
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 t. apple pie spice
1 T. melted coconut oil
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans
Ghee to coat the muffin tin cups
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (fresh is always better)
2 T. honey

Prepare

Coat a medium sized casserole dish with cooking spray, ghee, or butter. Layer the berries at the bottom of the dish. Pour two tablespoons of honey over the berries and toss together.


Combine the almond flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Add in the mashed ripe banana, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup to the same bowl. Mix in the pumpkin pie spice. Spread this mixture of the berries evenly. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over top.

Cook for 30-40 minutes at 350.

I cooked the cobbler first so it could cool while I cooked the eggs right before my guest arrived. While the eggs cooked, I used a large pan to heat up some precooked chicken apple sausage.

Have a favorite frittata ingredient? What do you like best about brunch? Please share!