Easy Fruit (Your Choice!) Muffins

It's the last week before school resumes. While my boys finished the last few pages of their Summer Bridge workbooks, I thought I'd whip up a tasty snack.  It felt like a muffin day.  I knew I had some frozen fruit and wanted a healthy recipe to compliment it, so I Googled 'berry muffins' and zeroed in on the Berry Rich Muffins recipe from Eating Well.   It's a super recipe on its own, but I modified it to suit our tastes and produced this new recipe (below).

The recipe accommodates a range of choices of ingredients.   It's also not too sweet and is very fluffy.  My kids loved these muffins (below) right out of the oven, sliced open, with a touch of butter.

In these muffins, I used cherries.

Ingredients
1/4 cup grapeseed oil* or canola oil
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk - or - 1 cup regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed in*
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons ground flax seed 
2 cups flour (white, wheat or a combination*, depending on how healthy you want them to be)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (defrosted) (blueberries, halved raspberries, pitted/quartered cherries, mashed bananas and chopped strawberries all would work well individually or in your favorite combination)

*my preferences

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a stand mixer on medium speed, combine:
oil, brown sugar, egg, egg white, vanilla & buttermilk or milk/lemon juice combo
3. Add: salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground flax seed.  Mix thoroughly. (Though it's not commonly done, I add these to the "wet" mixture before adding flour so I'm sure they're evenly distributed.)
4. Add: flour.  Mix thoroughly.
5. Reduce speed and gently add: fruit. 
6. Pour the mixture into 12 lined cupcake cups.  Sprinkle tops with sugar.
7. Bake until springy (don't overcook!) - probably about 15 minutes, but cook times vary depending on the oven used.
8. Enjoy.

As an aside: Have you ever wondered what purposes baking soda and baking powder serve in cooking?  Read here for a great explanation.

Spring Themed Sugar Cookies

Have I mentioned how happy I am to be back East?  It's glorious to see the explosion of life and color here in Arlington, Virginia.  Tulips and daffodils are everywhere and I was so envious of folks who'd planted bulbs last fall, I decided to buy a few dozen daffodil bulbs that were 50% off at a local garden center and planted them a few weeks ago as an experiment.  I did not have high hopes they'd bloom this spring, but lo and behold, I am beginning to see daffodils!

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see this.  I celebrated by pulling out my cookie and cake decorating box, selecting some pastel colored decorating sugars and mixing up a batch of sugar cookie dough.  (This made my boys happy about spring, too.)  Here is the recipe I remember from childhood, modified to suit my tastes. 

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup organic lightly salted butter, softened (don't melt it in the microwave - just let it sit out until it's soft)
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or maybe a touch more depending on your taste)
1 organic egg
2 3/4 cups of organic all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
colored decorating sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and blend until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla and blend until incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

3. While the stand mixer is running, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend until fully mixed.
4. Roll the dough into balls roughly 1 inch in diameter.  Dip the top of each ball in some colored sugar and place the ball sugar-side up on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake approximately 8 minutes until the bottom of the cookie turns golden brown. (If you wait until the top is golden brown, the bottom will be dark brown and the cookie will taste burned.)

Makes about 48 sugar cookies.  If you want to use a cookie cutter rather than dough balls, chill the dough first for 30 minutes, then roll out.  The dough also freezes well, so you can make a few cookies at a time, fresh for dessert.

Enjoy!

Kefir Chick Pea Tahini Dressing

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Lifeway Kefir to create a new kefir-based recipe for their website.  They'd seen my Apple Pie Kefir Ice Cream recipe and thought that was inventive, so asked if I might try my hand at another one.

Lifeway provided me with coupons for free kefir.  (As the store I visited did not have the organic version at the time, I created the recipe using the non-organic - but in future, I will always use the organic.)  I mulled the idea for a while.  I wanted the recipe to be cold or room temperature, since cooking kefir kills all of those helpful probiotics.  And let's face it, one of the main reasons we drink kefir is to reap the benefit of all of that good-for-you bacteria.  It also had to be a recipe that complements it's particular taste and texture.  Kefir's texture is like drinkable yogurt.  It has more "bite" than regular yogurt and almost has an effervescent quality.  I find it very tasty and love how healthy it is.  It's great in smoothies, dips and dressings - and as I found out last year, it's also great in frozen desserts.

This time, I decided to make a dip/dressing.  This morning, I perused my vegetable garden and then visited the organic section of my local Kroger to pick up some additional ingredients.  My plan was to put in front of myself a variety of tasty ingredients and just combine and taste, combine and taste, until I found the right combination.  Here's what my kitchen counter looked like before I started:

After much taste testing (and a huge mess), I hit upon a fantastic dip/dressing.  It's got a middle-eastern flavor as it includes chick peas (garbanzo beans) and tahini (pureed sesame seeds).  You can put this in a pita with lettuce and stuffed grape leaves.  You can put it on a spinach salad with crumbled walnuts.  Or you can just use it as a dip for vegetables and toast/crackers/chips.

Kefir Chick Pea Tahini Dip/Dressing
makes roughly one cup

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons organic lowfat plain Lifeway Kefir
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons avocado
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons chick peas (the canned variety works well - rinse and drain them first)
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and course ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until use.  Use or freeze within a day.

(this recipe is also posted on Lifeway's website, here)

Enjoy!

Halloween and Dry Ice

My kids' Montessori class held their annual Halloween luncheon today.  On the menu:

• cheese sandwiches cut into ghost and jack-o-lantern shapes with red pepper pieces for accents
• frozen banana "ghost" pops
• carrot "fingers" using ranch dressing to attach pepper "nails"
• cupcakes with skeletons on the top (the skull made out of marshmallows)
• cupcakes with candy corn decorations
• apples made into creatures using olives for eyes, strawberry slices for mouths (attached with toothpicks) and pretzels for arms
• apple slices made into the shape of mouths
• little pizzas made to look like mummies

and...

• a witch's cauldron of fruit punch (ginger ale, cranberry juice, orange juice and lime sherbet - a recipe from my childhood) with gummy eyeballs floating in it, sitting atop a block of dry ice to get that "spooky" effect.

All of them were fantastic and the kids loved them!

The last one (the cauldron) was my assignment.  I had never worked with dry ice before.  My first encounter with it included a superficial burn on my fingertips as I tried to haul it from the freezer case at the grocery store several days ago.  Good grief, that was painful!  I had totally overlooked the sign on the top of the freezer case: Do not directly touch!

So I got it home and popped it safely into my deep freezer.  "All set," or so I thought.  This morning, as I packed up my supplies for the party, I pulled the bag of dry ice from the freezer.  Empty!  It was totally empty!  $15.60 worth of dry ice totally evaporated in my deep freezer!  Turns out, at temperatures above −69.5 °F (which I'm pretty sure is beyond my deep freezer's capability), CO₂ changes from a solid to a gas with no intervening liquid form, through a process called sublimation.  Just as regular ice evaporates in heat, dry ice disappears when exposed to air, even in a very cold environment.  Excellent.

So, already late to school, I paraded into the grocery store with my two kids, dressed as a bumble bee no less, to get more dry ice at 8:30am this morning.  But the result?  Spectacular.  The kids loved it!

Please note: if you're planning on doing a similar project, do not forget that the dry ice does NOT go into the drink.  Place it in a tub with some hot water to get the "smoke" going, then place a separate tub of punch on top of the dry ice.  Keep adding hot water to the outer tub to keep the smokey effect going.

Happy Halloween!

Homemade Organic Chocolate Cream Pie Ice Cream

Love chocolate cream pie?  Check.
Love vanilla ice cream?  Check.
So why not combine them?  My kids would eat this every day if they could.

Ingredients

• 1 organic 9" frozen pie shell, cooked  at 400 degrees F until golden brown, then cooled to room temperature
• 1 package Dr. Oetker's organic chocolate pudding mix, cooked and chilled (requires 2 cups of organic milk)
• 1-1/4 cups organic granulated sugar
• 3 cups organic heavy cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a stand mixer (that's what I use), combine sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract.  Mix for about five minutes. 
2. Pour the combination into the ice cream maker's freezer bowl.  Add the chilled pudding. Turn the machine on and mix until the ice cream has thickened, about 25 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.  Line the bottom of a dish with 1 inch pieces of pie shell.  Spoon the ice cream on top and serve. 
3. If you want it to be a little firmer, line the bottom of a Pyrex bowl with 1 inch pieces of pie shell and spoon the ice cream on top of it.  Cover it with a lid and put it in the freezer for about two hours. Remove it from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Yum!

Pancake Edges

My three year old only likes the crispy, buttery edges of pancakes.  He eats the edges and leaves the middle.  The little boy can go through three pancakes this way and then ask for more, leaving a little pile of "pancake holes."

My solution to all of this waste?

PANCAKE EDGES

They're just like regular pancakes but instead of making them round, you make them skinny and long.  I asked my son if we should call them "pancake fingers" and he said nope, pancake edges.  So there you go.  And what do you know, he polished off his whole plate this morning, not a scrap left, and then asked for more.  Mission accomplished!

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop (2 tablespoons) organic cold milled golden flax seed (I buy mine at Costco)
• 1/2 cup Arrowhead Mills Multigrain pancake & waffle mix (70% organic)
• 1 organic egg
• 1/2 cup organic milk
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• organic butter (not in the batter - just for melting in the pan) 

Directions:

stand mixer :)

1. Mix ingredients together thoroughly.  I use a "stand mixer" (see photo).
2. Put your cast iron griddle on medium and melt butter.
3. Dribble pancake batter in a thin line.
4. Flip them when they bubble a bit.  They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them!  They're done when they're golden brown.

Yum!

Chocolate Brownies

My boys love brownies.  I don't love all of the nonsense that's typically found in brownie mixes (but I have one organic favorite: Arrowhead Mills Brownie Mix.) 

I enjoy making my own.  Here is my recipe.  It's quick and easy and goes great with my homemade vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) organic butter, melted

6 tablespoons powdered cocoa

1 cup organic sugar

2 organic eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup organic flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

note: 1/2 cup halved walnuts optional. (If you only want them on part of the brownie batch - as my family does -  just sprinkle them on when the batter is in the pan.)

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer, combine melted butter, cocoa and sugar (I melt the butter in a Pyrex dish in the microwave).  Blend well.
2. With mixer on low, add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
3. Add flour and mix until blended. 
4. Add walnuts (if you wish) and chocolate morsels. 
5. Pour into greased 9 x 9 inch baking dish. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Vanilla Ice Cream

We love ice cream, but we don't love high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and artificial flavors.  And we don't like to pay up for organic brands.  So I make my own with my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.  Here is my recipe for vanilla ice cream.  It goes great with my chocolate brownies!  

  

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups organic whole milk

1-1/4 cups organic granulated sugar
3 cups organic heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a stand mixer (that's what I use), combine all ingredients.  Mix for about five minutes.
2. Pour into the combination into the ice cream maker's freezer bowl.  Turn the machine on and let mix until thickened, about 25 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. 
3. If you want it to be a little firmer, transfer it to a Pyrex bowl with a lid and put it in the freezer for about two hours. Remove it from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Serve this alone or with some homemade brownies and you will wow your friends and family!

Also, check out my recipe for chocolate ice cream, here.

Healthy, Quick Steak Marinade

A good New York strip steak on the right night and I'm a very happy person.  I like to pair mine with a spinach salad with walnuts and a light dijon vinaigrette (or lemon vinaigrette - or even a favorite organic brand, Annie's Shitake & Sesame Vinaigrette).

I insist on making my own marinade to avoid the high fructose corn syrup found in most store-bought marinades.

Here's what I do.  It's quick, easy, tasty and healthy.  And best of all: I don't have to stock special ingredients to whip it up in seconds.

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

(note: you can also add ketchup or soy sauce for interesting variations on the taste)

Whisk it together and coat the steaks before cooking.

Quick, Delicious Asian Stir-Fry

I recently added a few dishes to my repertoire that are low-carb - that just focus on vegetables and protein.  This is one of them.  It's quick, easy and incredibly tasty.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegi & Protein
1/2 medium red pepper, cut in narrow strips
1/2 medium yellow pepper, cut in narrow strips
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced carrots
8 cups chopped bok choy
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced pork, chicken, beef, seafood or tofu (we enjoy thinly sliced center cut pork chop or boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

Stir-Fry Sauce - whisk together:
1/2 cup sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Put 2 tbsp sesame oil into a wok or (10"-12") saute pan at high heat.  Season with a touch of salt and pepper and quickly cook your protein to 165F (no higher or it may dry out - use a thermometer).  Should only take a few minutes if it is thinly sliced and you stir frequently.  Remove protein and set aside.  Drain oil from wok or pan.

Immediately proceed with the vegetables.  Add 3 tbsp sesame oil to the wok or pan at high heat.  Add all vegetables except the bok choy (you add this toward the end so it doesn't brown).  Stir-fry 1-3 minutes, then add the bok choy and stir fry another minute or so, tossing frequently.  Pour in the stir-fry sauce and toss for another minute.  Remove from heat.  Add the protein and toss again.  Serve.

We've eaten this alone and it's quite filling, but you could also serve it over rice or as a side dish.

This recipe makes about five servings.

It is absolutely delicious.

Make Your Own Pasta Night

At one point or another, both of my children have rejected tomato sauce on their pasta. I really enjoy pasta, so rather than endure endless complaining at the dinner table - or empty "tummies with crummies" at bedtime - I decided to take another approach. I combined a few of our favorite things and came up with this recipe, which makes everyone happy.

There are several components and I let my children decide which they want - it's nice to give them a bit of control over their dinner plate.

Another big plus: you can make this entire dish in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb (12 oz) of organic fusilli pasta (or any shape of pasta you like)
1 bunch of fresh Asparation, rinsed and ends trimmed
2 mild all-natural Italian pork sausages, casings removed
1/2 of a ball of fresh mozzarella (optional), cubed
1 can of organic navy beans, drained and rinsed
organic extra virgin olive oil (you can find it at Costco!)
salt
pepper
dried oregano
garlic powder

Directions:

1. Put the pasta water on to boil. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano -- since you're not putting a sauce on the pasta, these elements help to season it.
2. Remove the sausages from their casings. In a small skillet, cook the sausages, crumbling them as you go. Set aside.
3. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta.
4. Rinse, trim and place the Asparation in a Pyrex dish, add about an inch of water, cover with a damp chlorine-free paper towel. Cook in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. You'll want it to be al dente. Drain, chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
5. Dice the mozzarella.
6. Once the pasta is done, drain it. You are now ready to assemble each person's dish.
7. Use a medium-sized mixing bowl and start by adding about 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Add 1 portion of pasta, plus 1/4 cup scoops of every other ingredient. Toss, transfer to a plate or bowl and serve.

I estimate that this recipe makes about 6 servings, maybe more. The estimated cost per serving (pretax): $2.07 (see the comments section for more details)

Postscript: I also sometimes add sauteed shrimp (remove the shell, de-vein, rinse and sautee over medium heat with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder until no longer translucent - careful not to overcook!)

Delicious Homemade Pizza for MUCH Less

The other day, I decided to make some homemade pizza. My husband loves pepperoni, so I went to the deli counter of my local gourmet grocery (think Whole Foods, but not) and bought some sliced pepperoni. As I was walking away, the woman who sliced the pepperoni for me mentioned that she planned to make pizza that night, too, and was going to ask the pizza chef there in the store for some dough. She thought I might want to do that, too. That thought had never occurred to me!

So I selected a few incredibly fresh balls of mozzarella, a lovely green pepper, and a can of pizza sauce from my favorite organic canned food company, Eden Organic. Then I approached the chef. I said quietly, "I've heard you sell your pizza dough - can I buy some?" (In retrospect, I must have sounded like a Dead Head hanging out on Sheep Meadow in Central Park, asking the "sandwich guy" for something illicit!) He chuckled and said "of course," then wrapped up three plump balls of dough for me.

Once home, I rolled out the dough with a bit of flour, spread the sauce, sliced the mozzarella and green pepper, decorated my three pizzas and popped them into a 400 degree oven until the cheese bubbled and the crust was golden brown.

All in, the at-home prep plus cook time was maybe 20 minutes. Unbelievably easy. The result? Some of the best pizza we've ever had, at a price that beats even the cheapest of pizzerias and rivals the frozen variety. (The figures below are pre-tax.)

INGREDIENTS PURCHASED FOR THREE MEDIUM-SIZED PIZZAS:
3 PIZZA DOUGH		$3.00
PEPPERONI 0.5 LB SLICED		$2.94
EDEN ORGANIC PIZZA SAUCE		$2.54
2 FRESH MOZZARELLA		$10.87
GREEN BELL PEPPER		$1.19
		$20.54
PRICE PER PIZZA MADE:		$6.85

Build Your Own Burrito Night

Once every week or two we have "build your own burrito night". The kids love having a "say" in their dinner and these burritos are really tasty. I like that I can get them on the table in 30 minutes (if I multitask).

I consider the rice and beans to be the "core" - the other components (cheese, chicken, chorizo, spinach, tomato, avocado) are toppings that you could add or not, as you like.

This recipe makes about 10 burritos. My husband typically eats three. We usually have some rice and beans left over for my lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

2 organic chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
1 cup of organic white jasmine rice (the 20-minute variety)
1 can of organic navy beans, thoroughly rinsed
2 cups water (1 1/2 cups for the rice, 1/2 cup for the beans mixture)
1 tbsp organic butter
1 thick slice of white onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 cup of organic tomato sauce
dried oregano
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt
pepper
olive oil
10 fresh whole wheat tortillas (medium-sized)
1 all natural chorizo sausage (optional) - casing removed
1 bag of organic shredded mexican cheese (I like Horizon Organic)
2 medium sized organic tomatoes, diced
2 small organic avocados, diced
2 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
   
2. Get the chicken going. Rinse the two chicken breasts and place them in a shallow baking pan. Rub them with olive oil, then season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and put them in the oven. (You will leave the foil on until they are almost done, then remove to let crisp; cook to no higher than 165 degrees to ensure they are juicy but safe.)
   
3. Get the rice going once the chicken is in the oven. Put the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot. Add 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Bring to a boil, stir, then cover and reduce to low. Let simmer until cooked (about 20 min).
   
4. Get the beans mixture going once you've put the rice on to cook. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet on medium-heat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook, stirred frequently, until soft (about 10 minutes). Watch the heat so they don't burn.
   
5. Cook the chorizo (casing removed, crumbled) in a small skillet while the onion and green pepper are softening. Set aside.
   
6. Finish the beans mixture once the chorizo is done. To the onion and green pepper, add the beans, water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano to taste (the key "burrito" flavor here is the cumin). Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the rice is ready, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove the rice from heat when it is done. Fluff and mix it into the beans.
8. Use a thermometer to see if the chicken has reached 165 degrees F. If it's not there yet, remove the aluminum foil from the chicken to let the skin brown. Dice the tomatoes and avocado.
   
9. Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F. Immediately remove the skin and bones, then shred the chicken with a fork.
10. Put all of your components (rice and beans, tomato, avocado, cheese, spinach, chorizo, shredded chicken, tortillas) in separate dishes, to facilitate the "build your own" format.

Enjoy!

Postscript: A reader asked how much these burritos cost per burrito based on ten burritos -- a good question. You can see the more thorough breakdown in the comments section, but my estimate based on ten overstuffed burritos (with leftovers) is $3.42/burrito. Using 15 tortillas to minimize leftovers, the cost would drop to $2.41/burrito, including the cost of the extra tortillas. Neither figure includes the cost of oil or spices.

Dinner Tonight - Lasagna (Sort Of), Mixed Veg, Olive Bread, Fresh Fruit (1 hr)

This morning, I peered inside my refrigerator and realized that unless I were a bit creative with tonight's dinner, I would have to go to the grocery store. I wasn't keen on making the trip, so here is what I did with what I had. Let's just say that I'm grateful for my freezer and that I take the time to store leftovers.


My "shopping list" from my refrigerator (for a family of four):

• 1/2 lb organic ground beef, unused from last night's burgers
• 1 frozen all-natural, mild Italian pork sausage, an unused ingredient from dinner last week
• 1/4 of an organic onion (I use a little bit of an onion at a time - I've always got one "working" in the fridge)
• 1 jar of Newman's Own Organic Marinara sauce (bought it at Wal-Mart!)
• 8 oz of ricotta
• 1 bag of shredded organic mozzarella
• 1 box of organic fusilli pasta (the corkscrew shaped pasta)
• organic extra virgin olive oil (bought it at Costco!)
• organic spices - oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 1 bag of frozen organic mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
• some frozen all natural olive bread
• organic butter
• fresh fruit

I'm guessing you know where I'm going with this. Not lasagna. Lasagna - sort of.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Put the ground beef and sausage (casing removed) into a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil, cooling on medium. Season with oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Dice one slice of onion and throw that in, too.
3. Once this mixture is cooked, take a lasagna pan (I have a PYREX one I love) and coat the bottom with some marinara. Sprinkle fusilli all over. Sprinkle small bits of ricotta on top of the fusilli. Sprinkle the meat mixture on top of the ricotta layer. Start again with the marinara, then the fusilli, then the ricotta, then the meat. Three layers of this is enough and you should have exhausted your supplies. Sprinkle mozzarella generously on top. Add water to the corner until it comes up to the top layer (don't submerge the top layer). Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
4. Go do something fun for a while.
   
5. If your bread is frozen, cover it with aluminum foil and place in the oven now to defrost (check periodically and remove once fully defrosted and warm on the inside). If it isn't frozen, wrap it and put it in the last ten minutes.
6. After 45 minutes, check the pasta to see if it is cooked. If so, remove the aluminum foil and allow to brown, maybe 5 minutes. Remove the bread, slice it and drizzle some melted butter.
7. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. While that is resting, put the frozen vegetables in a PYREX dish with about a half inch of water, cover with a damp chlorine-free paper towel, and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Prepare the fruit.
8. Plate the meal, pour drinks.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Cheeseburger, Spud Puppies, Spinach Salad, Strawberries (20 min)

Something I've learned since "going organic" is that you can make pretty much anything you made before, but with healthier ingredients. And the ingredients are not hard to find. Organic food is finally really accessible. Wal-Mart! Costco! Kroger! You name it!

We do enjoy a good burger every now and then. They are quick, easy and tasty. Sometimes we'll make these for dinner on the weekend and put some leftover bacon from brunch on top. Why is everything better with bacon??

Shopping List for A Family of Four:

• 1 lb organic ground sirloin
• 1 package fresh organic strawberries
• 1 package frozen Cascadian Farm Organic Spud Puppies
• 1 package fresh organic baby spinach
• salad dressing (my favorite is Annie's Organic Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette)
  
• fresh organic carrots for the kids
• 1 package Oroweat Whole Grain Wheat buns (look ma, no high fructose corn syrup!)
• 1 slice of organic onion (if you like onion on top of your burger)
• organic ketchup, mustard and/or mayonnaise (whatever you like on it)
• 4 sandwich-sized slices of Tillamook medium cheddar cheese (use the cheese of your choosing, but I think the best cheeses for burgers are cheddar, muenster and swiss -- make sure it's all natural, if not organic!)
• organic spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. put Spud Puppies on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven
3. slice the cheese and onion
4. make four patties of equal size - I like to make them thin so they cook faster and fully cover the bun; put them on the flat side of the griddle, medium heat; season with salt, pepper, garlic powder
   
5. wash the strawberries (I wash all fruit and vegetables in all-natural Veggie Wash, which you can get at your supermarket) and slice off the greenery
6. turn the patties when they begin to brown around the sides, put the cheese on top to melt
7. put the spinach in bowls, set the table, pour drinks
8. check the burgers - they are ready when they reach 160 degrees F (use a thermometer)
9. put the burgers on the buns, pull the Spud Puppies out of the oven
10. plate the meal (we serve our kids' meals on these stainless steel mess trays)

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Steak with Quinoa Pilaf, Fresh Fruit (30 min)

Tonight I served New York Strip steak with quinoa pilaf.

As you've probably gathered from my last post, we like steak. This is a little funny since I was a vegetarian for 10 years before I met my husband. I married a meat and potatoes man (he hates when I say that, but it's true) - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, I guess.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah"), it is the seed of a leafy plant related to spinach. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein - 12% to 18%. It is considered a complete protein, supporting muscle growth. It has been called a "superfood," a "wonder food," and it is easy on the stomach. You can read more about it here.

Enough said. Sounds like something my family should be eating. Quinoa is really flexible - it can be treated much like rice or couscous.

Quinoa pilaf is the recipe featured on the back of the box of quinoa that I bought today from Ancient Harvest (look for it in the "organic" section of your local supermarket).

I won't repeat it here, but you can read it on the box or on their website, here.


Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 box of Ancient Harvest's Traditional Quinoa (you'll only need 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup diced organic red pepper (probably 1/2 of a medium-sized red pepper)
• 1/4 cup diced organic green pepper (probably 1/2 of a medium-sized green pepper)
• 1 slice of organic onion, diced (or green onion)
• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• organic butter
• dried organic spices: garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano
• 2 lbs New York Strip steak, sliced thin (each steak is sliced to make two thinner steaks)
• orange juice
• organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Start the quinoa to boil (1 cup of quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 tbs butter, salt). Dice the onion and peppers. Once the quinoa is boiling, reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, put 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Wisk with a fork until mixed. Rinse the steaks and place in the bowl, making sure they are all well dipped in the marinade. (You could actually do this 1/2 hour beforehand and let them soak, but I never remember to do this and they turn out great anyway.)
3. Put the diced vegetables in a pan on medium heat with 2 tbs butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano. Stir regularly until onion is translucent and vegetables are cooked but not mushy. When the quinoa is done simmering, fluff, recover and set it aside. Check the diced vegetables - when they are done, mix the quinoa into them, cover and and set aside.








4. Heat your range-top grill to medium and put the steaks on to cook. Turn them after about 5 minutes.
After another five minutes, take their temperature at the thickest points. When they reach 145 degrees F, they are safe to eat. After that, it's personal preference. I like to let them get to 165 degrees but my husband likes them on the rare side. Pull them off once they've reached the temp you desire.

5. Plate the meal, prepare the fruit and drinks.

Done!

Beef: It's What's for Dinner

This morning, after dropping my older child off for camp, the younger one and I went to the grocery store to buy ingredients for dinner.

It's Thursday, which is one of the days when the fishmonger receives a fresh shipment, so I was thinking salmon or tilapia. But as soon as I arrived I saw a big sign announcing "(all natural) New York Strip Steaks, $8.99/lb!". That's a savings of $8/lb at this store. I love days like this. So I bought enough for two dinners and put half of it in the freezer. We're having steak tonight.

My husband later asked me what I'm making for dinner, so I told him about the special. That's when he mentioned this article that I'd overlooked in the Wall Street Journal. Turns out, due to a drop off in restaurant demand caused by the economic downturn, you can find prime beef many places at compelling prices, including at Costco - I'll have to check it out.

Dinner Tonight - Pasta with Shrimp And Zucchini in Garlic & Oil, Fresh Fruit, Cookies (40 min)

Ok, we do love pasta. This dish I served tonight is one of my older child's favorites. He cleans his plate every time. Tonight I served pasta with shrimp and zucchini in oil and vinegar, fresh fruit and the remaining whole grain rolls from last night.

As an added treat, I baked some sugar cookies. My kids LOVE fresh baked cookies. Typically, whenever I make them from scratch I make two batches and freeze whatever I don't bake that first time. I roll the dough into a tube shape, wrap it in wax paper and freeze it. Then I just slice the dough and cook as needed. Cooking only what you need for dessert (not a whole batch) leads to less waste (or that overwhelming need to "finish the cookies before they go bad" - I know you know what I mean!). This time, I bought an all-natural prepared dough from Immaculate Baking that my kids love. The image on the right is what they look like baked. Yum!



Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 lb of ez-peel shrimp (i.e., tail on but split so it's easy to remove), defrosted (add 5 minutes of soaking in lukewarm water if frozen). I usually buy a frozen 2 lb bag and make two meals out of it.
  
• 4 portions of dry pasta of your choice
  
• 3 medium-sized organic zucchinis
  
• organic spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder
• organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 whole grain rolls
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Start the water for the pasta to boil. Set the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Peel the shrimp and ensure it is deveined. See this YouTube video if you're unsure how to do this. I also like to remove the "vein" on the other side of the shrimp. ( For me, cleaning the shrimp thoroughly is the most time-consuming aspect of this meal but I think it makes it taste better and look more appealing.) Rinse in cold water and set aside.
3. Put the pasta in to boil.
4. Peel each zuccini then cut it lengthwise twice (so you have 4 long pieces), then chopped into pieces (see photo for size of pieces). Place all pieces in a microwave-friendly dish (I prefer PYREX), add 1/2 inch water. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Cover with an eco-friendly wet paper towel to hold in the steam while it's cooking. Set aside.


5. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and put it in the warm oven. Put the zucchini in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, then continue in 30 second increments until it has reached your desired firmness. I don't like mushy zucchini.
6. Put the shrimp in a medium-hot skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Continue turning and cooking until it is opaque - no longer translucent. Usually takes about 5 minutes.
7. In a large serving bowl, mix about 1/8 cup of olive oil with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the pasta and zucchini and turn until coated. If this amount doesn't coat it, mix more of this combination in a separate dish and pour over the pasta, then turn until coated.
8. Serve the pasta/zucchini in a bowl with the shrimp on top. Prepare the fruit and bread.
9. Before you sit down, put the frozen dough on a cookie sheet and into the 375 oven you used to warm the bread. Check in 5 minutes, then periodically thereafter until they are done.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Rice and Garbanzo Beans, Fresh Fruit (30 min)

Tonight I served rice with garbanzo beans with green pepper, fresh fruit and crusty whole grain rolls. Husband said it was "awesome."

Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 can of organic garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), drained and rinsed.
• 1 thick slice of organic onion, minced
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into narrow strips and then chopped
• organic spices: ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder
• organic white rice (the 20-minute cook time variety)
  
• 1 small can organic tomato sauce
• 2 cups organic chicken stock
  
• 2 all natural mild Italian pork sausages, casings removed (or all natural chorizo, if your family likes a bit of spice)
  
• organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 whole grain rolls
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook the minced onion and chopped bell pepper in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil until soft.
3. Add the tomato sauce, rinsed garbanzo beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and a sprinkle or two of ground cumin - to taste. Reduce to simmer.
4. Start the rice. I typically cook 1 1/2 cups of dry rice with 2 1/4 cups of water, olive oil, salt and some oregano.
5. Put the bread in a warm oven.
6. Cook the sausages in a separate pan with a touch of olive oil. Crumble them as you cook.
7. Add the cooked sausage to the garbanzos. Now you can add some leftovers, if you have any. Tonight I added a leftover pork chop, cut into small pieces. You could also add steak or baked chicken, cut into small pieces. (note the cast iron skillet)










8. Let the garbanzos simmer until the rice is done.
9. Prepare the fruit. Pour drinks. Serve.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Pasta Bolognese, Mixed Vegetables, Fresh Fruit, Olive Bread (30 min)

Tonight I served pasta bolognese with mixed vegetables, fresh fruit and warm olive bread. Everyone enjoyed it except the toddler, who is just learning to swim and exhausted himself in the pool today - he couldn't enjoy much of anything after 4pm. But he should enjoy sleeping tonight - hopefully I will too!

If you know how to boil water, you can prepare Pasta Bolognese. Here's how I do it for my family.

Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 lb package of lean organic ground beef - if it's frozen, add 10 minutes to prep time
• 1 small package frozen organic mixed vegetables
• dried pasta of your choice, for four people
• 1 small can organic tomato sauce
• 1 regular can organic whole tomatoes, pureed in the food processor
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded organic cheese (cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, whatever you like)
• 1 slice organic onion, finely chopped
• dried organic spices: oregano, basil, garlic, salt, pepper
• organic extra virgin olive oil - yes, it exists - at Costco!
• loaf (or 4 rolls) all natural olive bread (mastering the bread maker is on my to-do list)
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Start the water to boil for the pasta.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Cook the ground beef in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion. Sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano and basil as it is cooking (if the meat is frozen, you can defrost it in the skillet as it cooks - just add a bit of water and keep flipping it and scraping it with a stainless steel spatula until it's all cooked - add ten minutes to do that).
4. Once the water is boiling, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and place it in the oven to warm. Add the pasta to the water.
5. Put the frozen vegetables in a microwave safe dish (e.g., PYREX) with an inch of water. Cover with an eco-friendly wet paper towel. Microwave on high for two-three minutes or until done. Drain.
6. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the meat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season again with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Reduce to low heat. (note the cast iron skillet)

7. When the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside. Remove the bread from the oven. Add a bit of organic butter to the bread (I usually melt it in the microwave, then drizzle on - you use less butter and don't wreck the bread).
8. Prepare the fruit. Pour drinks. Put the pasta on plates and add the sauce. Note the child's meal tray!


Done!