Good recipes we've tried lately

Here is a list of some fantastic recipes that we've tried and liked lately:

Beef stir fry with leftover roast
My favorite part of this recipe is that it uses leftovers! I just used a yellow onion instead of a red, and I also added some broccoli.

Honey spicy glazed chicken
This was a definite, "Yes, let's make this again." It was a little too spicy for Little Pink Girl, but the hubby loved it! The chicken I used had bones, but that was just fine.

Crockpot tostadas
I love these crockpot tostadas. It just so happens that you can make them on the stove, too. It doesn't take very long, and sometimes it's been better for me to do it that way instead.

Slow cooker black bean, corn and spinach enchiladas
Brian was a little bummed that it didn't have meat in it, but I couldn't get enough. I didn't make her sauce. Instead, I used some I bought at the store. But it was still fantastic!

Cheesy meximac
I often look for pasta recipes that are fairly healthy since Brian is a real fan of pasta. In this one I substituted whole grain pasta so it's not so starchy. I also used regular whole kernel corn and cheddar cheese. I just increased the amount of chili powder in it and added cumin and red bell pepper. Yum!

Crock pot cheeseburgers
These aren't the healthiest, but at least I didn't use Velveeta cheese. Just use plain cheddar. It's better. I also added onions. It was pretty good.

Crock pot hamburger n' potato casserole
This is really similar to something my Mom made when I was growing up. I added a lot more veggies than it called for. You can really do just about anything with this casserole.

Slow cooker turkey meatballs
These are really good and easy. I used just regular bread crumbs and added my own Italian spices.

Overnight apple oatmeal
It's not the same as using steel-cut oats in your crock pot, but it was really good anyway. My husband liked it. But if you don't like oatmeal being a little slimy, don't try it.

Country breakfast potatoes
I think my favorite part of these potatoes is the colors. I used yellow onion instead of red, and it was great.

Garden hash browns
I didn't poach the eggs since my husband won't eat anything but scrambled, and we skipped out on the bacon, but I did make the hash browns. I didn't let the zucchini drain which might have made difference. But I sure liked them anyway. Who says you can't have veggies for breakfast?

Mango-orange lassi

Ayurvedic lassis are so good and simple, and are very healthy. I found a recipe for one that was particularly for women's health in a yoga book. It had two mangos, 2 cups of plain yogurt, honey and 1/2 cup of water. I loved it! I thought it tasted like nectar. Unfortunately, my husband didn't agree. He thought it was too bland, and suggested that I put an orange in it. So I did. And it's still really good!

Mango-orange Lassi

2 mangos, peeled and sliced
1 orange, peeled and sectioned, OR
1/4 c. orange juice concentrate
2 c. plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt
1 t. vanilla (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Note: Homemade plain yogurt is a lot sweeter than store-bought!

Makes: 3-4 servings

Banana oatmeal smoothie

Here is a link to a really good banana oatmeal smoothie:

http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/banana-oatmeal-smoothie/

We tried it this morning and really enjoyed it. It's really healthy, too. It has almonds, oatmeal and bananas, so it is a good smoothie for those who are breastfeeding. I used regular plain yogurt that I'd made, and it worked fine.

Recipes from other blogs that I've tried

These are some great recipes that I've tried in the last few months and that we've really liked:

Berry almond oatmeal smoothie
This was really tasty and healthy! I decided I liked it best with plain yogurt and a tablespoon of honey, instead of vanilla yogurt and maple syrup.

Apple spice steel-cut oatmeal
This recipe is great! I love the taste and texture. It reminds of rice pudding in a way. The only thing I do differently is to omit the applesauce, use honey instead of maple syrup, and double the cinnamon.

Cheesy bacon pull-aparts
I made these using homemade, whole wheat biscuit dough. They are a favorite with my husband! :)

Jack-o-lantern pumpkin pancakes
I really liked these. I found that you could make them using all wheat flour (no white), and omitting the wheat germ.

Crockpot oatmeal
This recipe makes a big batch, so I had to half it, and we still had leftovers. This is a great recipe for a family.

Apple celery salad
This another good recipe for a family. It makes a pretty big salad. I made the dressing without the Dijon mustard.

Crockpot lasagna
I used chicken instead of sausage and hamburger, and I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta. It was another hubby favorite, and it was very easy.

Crockpot tostadas
I've made these with and without the crockpot. They're super easy.

Reduced-fat mac
Easy and healthy!

Crockpot white chicken chili
I loved this easy dish. You use chicken thighs for the meat, which are super cheap to buy. I did omit the tabasco sauce.

Nummy toppings for cereal

I made my 3-grain cereal, and these are the toppings that I put on it: one tablespoon of ground flaxseed, some 63% cacao chocolate chips, and fresh strawberries. I didn't even need sweetener! It was so good I just had to share. :)

3-grain cereal

So, I've discovered a new favorite hot cereal! My old favorite cereal was a 9-grain cereal that my mom got from Honeyville in Utah. But I can't get that very easily, and this 3-grain cereal I can make myself. It also tastes just as good, and I like the texture better. AND as an added bonus, it has millet, a lactogenic grain.

3-Grain Cereal

1 c. whole wheat kernels
1 c. millet
1 c. brown rice

Mix all three grains together and store in an airtight container. To prepare the cereal:

1/2 c. cereal
2 c. water
1/2 t. salt

Crack cereal in blender for 30-45 seconds. Boil water and salt, and add cereal, using whisk to stir it and prevent lumps from forming. Turn on low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with milk and honey or brown sugar.

Makes: 2 servings

Millet cereal

I just discovered a new grain: millet! Well, I had heard about it, but I finally have eaten it. Since it's a good lactogenic food, I decided to try it. It is supposed to be high in calcium. I found this recipe in my favorite cookbook, Set for Life. The recipe notes that you can soak the millet overnight to make a fluffier cereal. It works great without soaking, too, though.

Millet Cereal

2 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. millet

Put ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Serve with milk and honey or brown sugar.

Makes: 2 servings