Rosemary Grilled Vegetables with Lemon-Honey Tahini Sauce

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

1. Pre-heat oven to 400.

1. 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. 

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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!

Read more ...

Nutty Greek Quinoa Toss

It's amazing how easily one can gain a few pounds when your metabolism takes a nose dive in your late thirties. I mean honestly, can't a girl go on a nice relaxing cruise and sit around all day long on the back of a ship's deck looking out at the cold, serene Alaskan waters with her feet up on a wicker chair and be surrounded constantly with pastries, cheeses and berry filled crepes at all hours of the day without gaining 8 stupid pounds?

Apparently not. *Sigh.






Well, if that weren't a bad enough set back on my never ending fight against belly bulge then the 12 hour road trip we took this last weekend to Utah with 4 kids certainly put the nail on the diet coffin. While we did bring along apples and healthy trail mix, they went so well with Twizzlers and chocolate covered raisins that we decided to buy some cookies to top it off. Perfectly reasonable right?


Now, how to lose those 10 pounds gained in 2 short weeks after I've been fighting to lose 20 since who the hell knows when?    *Double sigh, big fat pout.

Here's the back of the ship where my sweetie and I  loved to sit and relax..... and snack.... a lot.

Can you blame us? I mean really. Look at the view. And the weather was just so unbelievably cool and perfect compared to the miserable heat we are used to here in Phoenix.

We didn't spend  ALL  of our time on our butts stuffing our mouths.
We had some pretty amazing adventures too.
Here we are zip lining through the 200 foot tall trees in Ketchikan, AK.  

Me and my baby sister Rachel.

Did I mention that due to the glaciers that swept over the land many years ago, the soil is only 4-6" deep?
Did you catch that? That's INCHES, not feet.


We were swinging from super tall trees that are hanging on for their dear lives in soil that is too shallow to plant carrots in!


Smart.

And we took one frieking amazing, hold onto your hats fast bike ride 32 mies from Canada back to Skagway, AK. This was by far the highlight of my trip! The scenery was breath taking. 

So, how to fit back into my pants?


It's a good thing I discovered quinoa some time ago and shortly after figured out how to make it unbelievable delicious.

It's the feta. No, it's the toasted pine nuts. NO! It's the white balsamic vinaigrette.

O.K., all of these things plus the squeeze of lemon, freshness of the parsley and zip of the sweet peppers make this quinoa toss very addictive and satisfyng. My tummy thanks me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 big handful grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 big handful sweet peppers minced
1 big handful parsley, minced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinaigrette
freshly cracked white pepper
squeeze fresh lemon juice



Put quinoa into a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly to remove natural 'soapy' film.  Cook according to package directions, usually 1:1 parts quinoa-water, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
If you please, toast pine nuts on a dry cast iron skillet until golden brown to bring out flavor.
Using a small food processor or knife, finely dice sweet peppers, garlic and parsley.
In a large bowl, toss together still warm quinoa, feta, peppers, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes.
Drizzle in oil and vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Add lemon and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or chilled.

For dinner, we prefer the warm version where the feta is just slightly creamy and the flavors melt together.

Read more ...

Skinny Jeans Mediterranean Baked Lemon Chicken with Artichoke Hearts,Olives and Grape Tomatoes

Raise your hand if your sick and tired of chicken for dinner. Or is it just me? We hardly ever eat chicken anymore because of the humanitarian thing which correlates with the whole added hormones and who knows what else not good for you factor (yeah, I'm one of those sorts of weirdos). Sufficed to say, When I buy chicken it's the Organic, free range sort and I make sure I make a flavorful meal out of it like these Red Chile Shredded Chicken Tacos.





This Mediterranean inspired chicken dish is nowhere near boring with flavors of lemon, olives and herbs. Artichoke hearts pair beautifully with the lemony chicken and makes this simple dinner into a special weekday meal.

Make sure you either use frozen artichoke hearts or check the label on the jarred sort for the sodium levels. Usually the jarred variety are super high in sodium and since olives are used in this dish you want to steer clear of extra salt. 

Mediterranean Baked Lemon Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Olives and Grape Tomatoes.

You Will Need
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts {Organic, free range if possible}
1 large lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts (or 1 jar, low sodium)
2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 cup green olives, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Mediterranean spice rub {or equal parts: garlic powder, dried basil, Greek oregano, dried parsley, dried rosemary, dried dill weed, dried marjoram, ground thyme}
Garnish with fresh parsley, chopped



Drizzle olive oil over bottom of baking dish. Place chicken breasts in dish and coat each side. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and herbs. Top with thawed artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives and cover with lemon slices.
Bake at 400F for 40-60 minutes until juices in chicken run clear (cooking time depends on the size of your chicken breasts. I suggest cutting large breasts in half to make them thinner or pounding them out a bit.)
Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately with a garden salad or sautéed garlicky Swiss Chard.

Read more ...

Greek Summer Orzo Salad

Is it a Summer, Greek Orzo Salad or a Greek Summer Orzo Salad? It's all about your interpretation on the matter and how well your imagination is in working order. I like to think this is a  Greek Summer Salad because in my  imagination  spur of the moment whim to jump into my leer jet and fly to my summer home in Greece (have I mentioned that before?) this is what all the locals are eating on their white-washed balconies overlooking the pristine blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 




Ahhhhh, this is the perfect mix of flavors for tickling your taste buds without  over indulging yourself. I just love all of the wonderful flavors that are involved in Greek and Mediterranean foods:  Lemon, olives, oregano, feta, grapes, apricots, tomato, spinach, fish and olive oil. All on my Top 10 favorite ingredient list. Oh, that is 10! Exactly.

This pasta salad is pretty enough to take to a back yard barbecue or party.

feta cheese

It's no wonder that Mediterranean food is considered to be one of the healthiest out there. People who live in this region tend to eat a diet high in fat, but they also have a much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer than people in other parts of the world. Contrary to popular belief, eating certain types of fats with every meal is not only good for you but essential to a healthy, whole diet. For instance, the use of olive oil rather than other fats such as margarine or vegetable oil is good for your cardiovascular system and brain function. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that keeps your arteries healthy and your body lean and healthy.

photo and more info on healthy monounsaturated fats found here at Salut Wine

The whole Mediterranean diet, not just the olive oil is contributed to the healthy and happy lives of the people who live in this area. Typical Mediterranean foods are also very high in fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, legumes and nuts,  much higher than the typical Western diet and very low in saturated {bad} fat. Very little red meat is eaten in this region and milk consumption is limited as well, except for some cheese and yogurt.



I found this wonderful pasta salad at AJ's many years ago and set out to make it at home, for a fraction of the cost I might add. While orzo may look like a rice, it's actually a tiny pasta. It's simple to throw together and the tangy flavors of the dressing and feta are addicting. You'll find yourself craving this healthy salad and maybe even having a little late night snack so make sure to make enough for leftovers.

SERVES   6-8      TIME   20 minutes

Ingredients:

1, 16 oz package of Orzo

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half length wise

1/2 cup red onion, diced

2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup Kalmata olives sliced in half lengthwise

1 cup feta, crumbled

1-2 tablespoons dried Greek Oregano

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped plus more for garnish

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2-4 tablespoons white wine vinegar or juice from Kalmata olive jar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Putting it all together:

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt. Set aside.

Drain Pasta and let cool. When cool, add tomatoes, olives, spinach, parsley and onion, toss to combine. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to coat. Add feta last so it doesn't completely break apart and toss gently to mix together. The dressing will wilt the spinach a little which is what you want.

Serve warm or cold.

This post is linked to

Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tasty Tuesday's

Read more ...

Smokey Baba Ganoush {roasted eggplant dip}

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!

Read more ...

Fasolia Gigantes with Herbs and Crumbled Feta: Original and Slow Cooker version

This is such a wonderful variation from the normal way we eat beans which is either Cuban style black beans or Mexican/Southwestern style pinto beans. I just can't tell you how wonderful these taste, especially with the freshly made sauce and then baked to perfection. I must thank Don from SortaChef for turning me on to this amazing dish. His site is wonderful and you must check it out right now! Wait!  Read my post first, then go read through his amazing collection of recipes using a wood fire oven.  Also, thanks to Pomi for sending me a variety of their boxed tomatoes to check out. I immediately thought of this dish to make using their fresh, boxed tomatoes straight from Italy.

A note on the safety of canned tomatoes

Most canned tomatoes {I've only found that Trader Joe's brand does not contain BPA or additives in their canned goods} are synonymous with high sodium and chemicals. They contain  preservatives, citric acid, toxic BPA and other additives, we all know canned tomatoes are not a good alternative to fresh tomatoes. A great way to “kick the can” is to bring safe, healthy tomatoes to the table like Pomì!

Pomì is a brand of 100% all natural, BPA-free boxed tomatoes straight from Italy. It is packaged in a SIG Combibloc without preservatives, additives, water or citric acid and the tomatoes are never grown with pesticides or through the use of genetically modified seeds. Pomì is also rich in Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which can help decrease a person’s risk for certain types of cancers, such as prostate and lung cancer. The Pomi tom's made my sauce taste oh-so fresh and wonderful.

I ended up with a very fresh and rustic tasting dish. I love when you can actually taste the realness of something. Yes, fresh tomatoes are best of course but with produce inflation this is a good alternative.

This last time I made the gigantes, I didn't have any feta :(    I decided Feta is a must with these
but alas, they are not pictured here. Sorry. Mommy brain disclaimer should be stamped on my blog.

I have made Fasolia Gigantes before, once with this original method and twice in the slow cooker. I should say that these are the original and the lazy versions, but maybe that's redundant  ;)
The slow cooker method is still wonderful but maybe not quite as flavorful since skipping the final baked in goodness. If you make them in the slow cooker, still saute the onion, carrot and garlic for 5-7 minutes then add everything to the cooker. Cook on the lowest setting for 8-10 hours.

Traditionally, in Greece these are baked in a big wood fire oven which is on my 'Must Have Immediately' list. A girl can dream can't she?


recipe from SortaChef

SERVES  6-8     COOKING TIME  90-120 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups Greek giant beans (if you can't find them, use Great Northern beans)
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons Greek oregano
1½ teaspoons thyme
2 ounces of Greek olive oil, divided
1-28 ounce can plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons salt (preferably grey sea salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar


Crumbled feta and flat leaf parsley or fresh thyme for garnish






MAKING THE FASOLIA GIGANTES


*Soak beans overnight in cold water to cover by an inch or more. Minimum soaking time: 8 hours.
Note: There is no absolute cooking time for these beans, so your teeth will have to tell you when they are cooked through without becoming mushy. Once they have attained the right texture, they will hold that throughout baking in the red sauce.


If you follow directions below and bring pre-soaked gigantes to a soft boil in about 15 minutes, the shortest cooking time from that point will be 50 minutes. After that, you’ll want to bite-test a bean every ten minutes; when the bean’s flesh gives all the way down with no hard bit in the middle, your beans are cooked to perfection.


Cook the gigantes: Drain the soaking water and replace with cold water to cover by at least an inch. Over medium heat, with a lid half cocked over the pan, bring the water slowly to a boil. This should take 15 minutes.
Boil gently with the lid partly covering for 50 minutes, at which point you want to test the beans every 10 minutes for doneness.  Beans are cooked when you can bite through a bean without encountering resistance in the middle. The varying cooking time depends on how old the beans are among other things.


Once beans are tender, pour into colander to drain the water. Put beans into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and set aside.


Make the sauce: While the beans are cooking, simmer the onion, carrot and garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or skillet. Sprinkle with some of the oregano and thyme.


After about 5-7 minutes, when the onions are translucent and slightly brown at the edges, add the juice from the tomatoes while scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Add tomato paste, whisk to combine. Chop the tomatoes (I do this with kitchen scissors in the can) and add to the veggies. Add the sugar, the salt and pepper and let simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring as necessary to keep from sticking. Add ½ cup water and continue at a bare simmer until ready for the next step.


Preheat oven to 375°


Pour the sauce evenly over the beans.  Drizzle on any remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the beans.


Serve warm with a bit of crumbled feta and herbs sprinkled on top and with pita bread and Kalmata olives.

I like to eat this Greek dish while sitting on the patio of my summer home in Greece. {I call it dreaming, not denial}

picture credit

Read more ...

Moroccon Cous Cous with Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

 What to make for dinner when you don't feel like making dinner.

I decided that I wasn't going to talk about how amazingly delicious this cous cous was. I'm also not going to tell you how simple it is even though it looks all fancy and exotic and some what like an elaborate, artistic masterpiece. I'm also not going to even mention the fact that besides being sweet and tart and complex and lovely, it is light and healthy and nutritionally perfect. No meat necessary. Mum's the word.

Instead, I decided that I was going to talk about balloons. And motherhood. But mostly about balloons.

Every kid loves balloons right? Begs for them at the store. Plays with them at birthday parties and happily marches around the house with one tied to their wrist, squealing in delight.

Not. In. This. House. We have a balloon hater in this house. No, that does not even begin to describe the chaos, turmoil and complete madness that consumes our home when a balloon enters it.

Is there a certain word for severe balloon phobia? There must be, there's a phobia for everything. Does anyone know what the word for fear of balloons is?

My sweet little 4 year old, Nolan, is utterly and completely terrified of balloons for some reason. I thought he'd have gotten over it by now, hopefully he will someday I mean he's only 4... and 1/2. In the beginning I didn't think much of it, 'eh, he's just a little kid, he'll get over it. I mean how often do you run into balloons in every day life? Well let me tell you.

Birthday's, obviously. So a year has gone by since the last birthday party balloon fiasco I didn't think anything of getting some balloons for Jack's 6th birthday a few weeks ago. Bad idea. BAD. Good grief, you can not imagine the torture this poor 4 year old boy went through because of a couple of regular ol' balloons! I spent All morning trying to sympathize, coax, reassure and rationalize with an insanely out of control 4 year old that there was no reason to be afraid of a balloon.

Why is he afraid?

It starts at the store. He's afraid the string is going to come loose and it's going to blow away. You should see his poor little face, genuine fear I tell you. Then, in the car {good Lord, the car ride home!} he completely stiffens up and stresses and cries out in panic the entire time that they are going to blow out of the (closed) windows. Jack, his 6 year old brother who's birthday is causing all the ruckus, is of course perfectly intent on further torturing his little brother; what are brothers for? Jack holds onto his balloon string with one hand while tapping it with his other so that it bops Nolan in the back of the head (3rd row seating) just to aggravate the situation.

Then baby Mona happens to get her hands on Nolan's balloon and with her chubby baby hands begins squeezing the balloon which makes that squeaky balloon sound (which kind of irks me too) and that really sets off poor Nolie. I mean at this point I'm a little unnerved. I don't like seeing my baby this upset. I'm thinking o.k. we're in the drive way, things will get better. No. We get inside and the ceiling fan is on...............................

Have you ever seen a 4 year old have a nervous breakdown? Come completely unglued.  Not pretty. Of course I had to take away the balloons, right? There was no rationalizing with him at this point. This of course upset the birthday boy, Jack.  So,

Give Jack back his balloon.

Take away Jack's balloon after further torture treatment ensues in hallway.

Put both boys to bed to give it a rest (my sanity, not the boys).

Listen to Nolan cry for 20 minutes about how he needs his balloon.

Put the balloon back in Nolan's room and tell him to take a nap and the balloon will be just fine.

Listen to Nolan cry for another 45 minutes about how the balloon is going to pop.

Finally, I pop. I take the balloon out of the room and well, pop it. No more balloons in this house ever!

So today, we stop by Sonic for a treat and what does the car hop/waitress bring to our car window?

A stinking balloon!

Go back up to the beginning of this story and this is what I dealt with all stinking over again today.

I don't get it. He is scared to death of them but is equally upset if I let it fly away or pop it.

The morale of my story is:  Sometimes you just don't have the energy or give a crap to make dinner.

Unfortunately, I hate take-out and boxed meals even more than making dinner when I'm exhausted. So, I come up with a fuss-free, throw together dinner that is still healthy and delicios-O. Cuz that's how I roll. Makes mamma happy.

This is one of those meals. I promise.

So, super simple and you just won't believe how tasty.

Keep things like slivered or sliced almonds, currants or raisins, mixed dried fruit, kalmata or green olives, a variety of canned or dried beans, cous cous, quinoa and millet in your pantry and you will always, always have

the makings of a last minute, throw together dinner.



I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to vote for me to be

one of babble.com's Top 100 Mommy Bloggers of 2011

here

Adapt this recipe how you like it! Here's what I used this time.

Ingredients:

1 cup cous cous

1 cup chicken broth (or water, I like the vitamins in home-made chicken broth)

1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1-14 oz. can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup slivered almonds, Raw

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup flat parsley , chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

*1/2 tsp. Mediterranean seasoning

sea salt to taste

Kalmata olives

I found this Orange Muscat Champage vinegar at Trader Joe's. No perservatives, all natural. You could also use: 1/4 cup O.J. 1/4 cup Muscat grape juice (white grape juice), 1 tbsp. champagne vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar

* use garlic powder, onion flakes, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes etc. I'm loving Braggs Organic 21 seasoning and Sea Kelp delight seasoning.  

Throwing it all Together:

Bring broth to a boil. Add olive oil and cous cous, stir, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for at least 5 minutes while you get everything else in order.

In a large bowl throw all other ingredients together and toss to combine.

Add cous cous. Toss.

That's it! Bam! Dinner in 10 minutes.

Serve with grilled fish if your really hungry. Serve with a glass of wine if you deserve one. I know I do!

This post is linked to:

La Bella Vita's  Seasonal Saturday's
E Kat's Kitchen  Friday Potluck
Fun with Food Friday

Read more ...

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kabobs with Mint Quinoa

You are going to love me for this one! It's my new favorite for sure. It is a combination of a couple of different recipes I've found from Cooking Light and Sunset magazine. I altered it a bit using herbs from my garden and a few extra veggies... of corse.

The smoky char flavor that the chicken, onion and peppers get from the grill pair wonderfully with the tangy yogurt-feta sauce. I am in love with garam masala right now! It is a very popular spice used in India in all kinds of dishes. It is a mix of cumin, coriander, cardamom,  black peppercorns,  cinnamon, whole cloves,nutmeg and saffron. It isn't as pungeant as a curry. The cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg make it very mouth watering, especially as a rub on chicken.

 

SERVES 6  TIME 45 minutes 
Ingredients:


10-12 metal or wooden scewers
2 cups plain fat free yogurt, divided

3 tsp garam masala

1 tsp Madras curry pwdr

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup crumbled low-fat feta

3 TBSP minced red onion
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBSP chopped mint leaves, divided

1 cup quinoa

Directions:

1. If using wooden scewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup yogurt, garam masala, curry and garlic in a zip lock bag. Add chicken, seal bag and shake to coat. Let sit at room temp for 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, stir together remaining yogurt, feta, onion, lemon zest and 1 TBSP mint. set aside.

3. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a pot. Rinse quinoa very thouroughly in a seive to rinse off the naturally "soapy" coating it has. Bring quinoa to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove lid, stir, cook for about another 5 minutes. Cover when done and remove from heat.

4. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken, onion & bell peppers onto scewers. discard marinade. Grill kabobs, turning only once ( it's easier to pick them up with a large tong in the middle, not by the stick.) cook till juiced run clear, 10-15 minutes.

Pile quinoa on platter, sprinkle with mint ( I used parsley too) serve with kabobs and sauce.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

This is a very flavorful, mouthwatering dish! Enjoy!

Read more ...

White Bean and Brown Rice Greek Falafel Pitas #RecipeRedux #sponsored

I think I've got this veggie burger, ball, croquette, falafel thing down. It's a science I tell you. That doesn't mean it's difficult just that practice makes perfect. I'm going to go ahead and share my little secrets with you seeing as how awesome I think you are and all. Now we can both have an amazingly delicious and super healthy meal in minutes, yup, minutes. 

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by USA Rice Federation and am eligible to win  prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

I've long been a fan of veggie burgers, bean croquettes and of course falafel. I'm so over boring sandwiches and iffy burgers. Once you know how to throw together a simple falafel or veggie burger, the possibilities are virtually endless! Use what ingredients and flavors you like and have on hand to whip up a lunch or dinner in minutes.


One of our families favorites are these Black Bean and Cranberry Burgers with Chipotle Hummus.

Also, these South Western flavored Chickpea Burgers on Grilled Portobellos with Creamy Adobe Sauce really hit the spot!

Because brown rice is an excellent source of concentrated fiber and several vitamins and minerals it is a good for colon health, controlling diabetes and weight loss. If you haven't read my last two posts whole grain rice has also been proven to help prevent cancer and even Alzheimer's as well as increase metabolism, provide instant energy and promote skin health!

Fun Fact: 

Did you know that in some parts of the world, the word "to eat" literally means "to eat rice."

Did you know that when you pair beans and rice together they make a 'complete' protein?

I have to say, my favorite part about this dinner was that I got to pack up the left overs for lunch. You can say that I had a few jealous co workers with there PB&J and sandwiches and canned soup giving me the stink eye.

TIME        30 MINUTES            SERVES      4

YOU WILL NEED



3,  halved Whole Grain Pita Pockets

1 1/2 cups cooked U.S. grown, brown rice  (a great use for left overs!)

2 cans white beans (garbanzo, Cannellini or Great Northern)

1 small carrot

6 small sweet peppers (or 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper)

1/2 cup diced red onion

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

*1 Flax egg (2 tablespoons flax meal + 2 tablespoons room temp water, mixed)

6 Kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning (1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp marjoram, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon dill)

Sea salt and Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
(you shouldn't need much salt because the olives are very salty)

1/2 tablespoon good quality olive oil


Garnishes

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Tzaziki sauce
lettuce leaves
tomatoes
Kalamata olives







Pre heat oven to 450F. In a large bowl combine beans and rice. Mash up with a potato masher till partly smooth. Finely chop carrots, onion and peppers by hand or in a small chopper. Add them to the beans and rice. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Brush a stone baking sheet with olive oil. Form the bean and rice mixture into golf ball size balls. Place on the oiled baking sheet and gently press down a bit to form medallions. Bake at 450F for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and crispy. 

*Veggie burgers can be a bit crumbly but adding a flax egg really helps form them together, add a bit of moisture and of course nutrients.


Using a stone baking pan with just a bit of oil really makes a big difference in getting that perfectly crispy brown coating on these falafels.















More recipes starring rice!

An InLinkz Link-up

Read more ...