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?

Cool poem!

I found this poem on the lds website. It's a fun poem!

Recipe

by Emma Dibble

Take several sleeping fields,

One silken lake

And gently add a few

Shimmering hills.

Toss in a handful of fresh stars and

Cover with a quilted sky.

Then pour a generous amount of

Fresh-cream moonlight

Over mixture and

Let rise.

Healthy no-bake cookies!!

Imagine! No-bake cookies that are healthy! These were inspired by my mother-in-law who made no-bakes with honey once. I decided to try to take the idea further. My husband even liked them! And they were soft and chewy when cool. So here's what I did:

Healthy No-Bake Cookies

1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 t. vanilla
3 c. quick oats
1/4 c. ground flaxseed (optional)

Heat the milk, butter and honey on medium heat until bubbly. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and cool (I like to put them into the freezer to speed up the process.).

Best way to cook salmon

As I have mentioned before, I don't like fish very much. It's expensive, tastes strong and has a funny texture. But it happens to be a great health food and one of the best ways to get omega-3 fatty acids. It's an excellent source of protein.

So I'd been looking around for a fish recipe that I would actually like. I finally found one that I really loved a few months ago. I found the original recipe to the one below in American Baby or Babytalk or something like that. But this is my own version. I use almonds instead of cashews because they're more lactogenic and they're cheaper.

Nutty Salmon

2 T. almonds
1 T. parmesan cheese
2 t. fresh basil
1 t. olive oil or butter
1 4-oz salmon filet
pepper

In a blender, pulse the first four ingredients until finely ground. Place salmon, skin-side down on a baking sheet covered with foil (shiny side up). Rub with nut mixture to form a crust. Sprinkle with pepper. Seal with foil. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes. Unseal foil and bake 2-3 more minutes or until crust is browned and fish is cooked.

Makes: 1 serving

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

Rhubarb pie

A little while ago my mom sent me a bag of rhubarb. I love rhubarb, especially when it's in pie. When I was a teenager I found this recipe in some family cookbook that made the most stupendous rhubarb pie. I made it every year for my family. When I took it to a community potluck, it was a hit.

Later the cookbook was lost, and I didn't have the recipe anymore. But I really wanted to make it again this year. Then it dawned on me. Someone probably had a recipe just like it on the internet. You can find almost anything on the internet, right?

Well, the recipe I found at Let It Shine isn't exactly like the one from my family cookbook, but that was easily remedied by adding cinnamon and butter. Then I'm pretty sure it was identical!

Here it is oozing it's goodness all over ...

Rhubarb Pie

9" pie crust for a double crust pie
4 c. chopped rhubarb
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1-2 t. cinnamon
2 T. butter

Put the rhubarb in the bottom crust. Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon together and sprinkle over rhubarb. Cut the butter into 4-6 bits and put in pie. Cover with top crust, seal, and cut vent holes. Then bake at 450 degrees F, then turn it down 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Chicken and asparagus over rice

This is a tasty dish that was inspired by a picture that I saw on the internet. Of course, I took to a whole new level! I liked to eat it with soy sauce.

Chicken and Asparagus Over Rice

2 chicken breasts, cut in pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped very fine
5-6 fresh mushrooms, sliced thin
1-2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 2-3 in. pieces
1-2 T. water
3 c. cooked rice or millet

Cook the first four ingredients together in a frying pan with the oil. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Put the asparagus and water in the pan with the meat. Cover and cook for a few minutes until the asparagus is tender-crisp. Serve over warm rice or millet.

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. :)

My version of chicken penne

Here is a recipe that I came up with a couple of nights ago. Necessity is the mother of invention. I needed to make a dinner before my husband came home, but I had no meal plan and few ingredients. But luckily, I had some good basics.

Garden pasta is so colorful!

I made the white sauce in this with wheat flour. I've started using wheat flour to thicken things lately, and it seems to work just fine. In fact, I've stopped buying white flour and sugar. It's hard sometimes because then I have to borrow my mother-in-law's grinder and grind all my flour, and honey is rather expensive, but it's worth it.

This may not be the most original recipe, but I sure liked it, so I thought I would share. :)

Chicken Penne

Dinner is served!

1 13-oz box of garden penne pasta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
olive oil
salt
pepper
oregano
garlic powder
2 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
approx. 3 c. milk

Cook the penne pasta in a large pot according to directions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cut the chicken into small cubes. Cook the chicken in the olive oil until cooked through. While it is cooking, season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder.

Add the butter to the chicken, and then stir the flour in with a whisk until smooth. Add the milk, and whisk and cook on medium heat until thickened.

Drain the noodles, and pour the sauce over them. Stir just enough to get the noodles coated.

Makes: 4-5 servings

Broccoli is always tasty with pasta.

Book review: Naturally Healthy First Foods For Baby

This is another book that my mom lent me. I do recommend it because it is full of useful information, but I would like to note that the author seems overly cautious. This may be due to the fact that her children had allergies (she mentions her daughter had a nut allergy), so if your family has a history of severe allergies, her suggestions might be just perfect.

This book is great because she details all the nutrients that babies need and where you can get them naturally from food. The main focus of the book is how to make your own baby food from the most natural ingredients. But she does when and how to introduce new foods to your baby.

She has some great recipes for baby food, and there seems to be no end to her creativity. it's fun to read. I'm definitely going to use those recipes when I start Little Pink Girl on solids in a couple of months.

In the back is helpful chart of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and what foods are good sources of them.

Here is a link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Healthy-First-Foods-Baby/dp/1402211244

Chili cornbread

Chili and cornbread warm you up like nothing else on a cold day. They fill your stomach with warm goodness. They're a wonderful combination ... especially when combined!

My mom came up with this recipe because it's quick and filling. My family is active and busy, and they are always hungry. So this is a perfect recipe for them.

Chili Cornbread

4 c. homemade leftover chili, or 2 15-oz cans chili
you favorite cornbread recipe

Put the chili in a 9x9 pan. Pour the cornbread batter over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 min., or until the chili is bubbly and the cornbread is cooked.

Book review: Mother Food

If I could use only one word to describe this book, I would use "fantastic." Although it is a little technical, it is a great read and I enjoyed every minute. It would be a great read for anyone, not just breastfeeding mothers. It's all about how to eat while breastfeeding, which really just boils down to eating healthy!

It's jam-packed with health and nutrition information. I learned so much from reading it ... I learned all about what fats are healthy and what aren't, lifestyles that contribute to insulin resistance, and digestive problems such as fungal overgrowth. She also stresses the importance of a whole-foods diet, which I totally agree with.

Besides nutrition info, Hilary Jacobson (the author) also has a great section full of recipes. The recipes are simple recipes so that busy new moms will have time to cook and eat. My personal favorite is the snacks section. I think the ideas in there are brilliant!

There is also a section in the back, kind of like an herbal, on lactogenic herbs. It details what each herb does, any cautions, where to find it, and different ways to prepare it.

This book has really inspired me to eat more healthy. I've been trying out the recipes all ready. The copy I have is one that my mom lent to me, but I have to get one for myself! I highly recommend it to anyone else!

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

Thanksgiving dinner casserole

This recipe is great for using Thanksgiving dinner leftovers. I'm not sure where we got it, but my Mom has used it for years now. We like it so much that we eat it year-round with chicken instead of turkey.

I meant to post this sooner, since most people have probably eaten most of their Thanksgiving leftovers by now. I guess you can save this recipe for next year, or use it as your last desperate effort to use up your turkey. You can modify the amounts of the ingredients to use up more or less of the leftovers you have.

Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole

2 c. cooked cubed turkey
1 can or 2 c. green beans
1 1/2 c. turkey gravy
3 c. stuffing
4-5 c. mashed potatoes
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Put the turkey and green beans in the bottom of an 9x9 pan. Pour the gravy over the top. Sprinkle the stuffing over that, and spread mashed potatoes over it all. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes.

Makes: 6-9 servings

Carrot salad

A month ago I bought a big bag of carrots on sale. Since then it has been an adventure trying to find recipes that use carrots. I have found a few that I liked. One is a great low fat, low sugar salad. The recipe said to chill it for one hour, but I liked it best when it had chilled overnight.

Carrot Salad

4-6 carrots
1 c. crushed pineapple
1/4 c. raisins
3 T. orange juice concentrate

Peel and grate the carrots. Then combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until flavors have mixed together.

Makes: 4 servings

Tuna sandwich filling

Sometimes I get bored with plain old tuna sandwiches. I like to add lots and lots of veggies, onions, pickles, etc. So when I saw this recipe, I was pretty interested. I found this recipe in the Set for Life cookbook, and I modified it to meet my tastes. I also used plain yogurt instead of Miracle Whip or mayonnaise. This is the first time I've tried using yogurt for something like this. It tastes great! I don't like Miracle Whip, and mayonnaise can be so fattening, so it's nice to have found a good alternative.

I ate this sandwich filling in some of my whole wheat homemade pita bread. It was so good! :)

Tuna Sandwich Filling

1 5-oz can tuna
2 c. lettuce, chopped
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped fine
1 tomato, diced
2 dill pickle spears, diced
1/4-1/3 c. nonfat yogurt

Mix ingredients together and serve on whole wheat bread, tortillas or pitas. Yum!

Simple chili con carne

Cold weather is around the corner. Actually, here in Idaho it's already here. My garden is frozen, and leaves are falling everywhere. It's good time for thick soups, stews, chilis, etc.

This is a chili I've made for years. It's really simple and healthy. I like to serve it with shredded cheese, lettuce, green onions, tomatoes and olives on top. Mmmm!

Simple Chili Con Carne

1/2 lb lean hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 c. canned tomatoes
2 15-oz cans kidney, pinto or black beans
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1/4 c. water
1 T. chili powder
1 bay leaf

Brown hamburger, onion and pepper. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Makes: 6 servings

Savory Goulash

I've only made this a couple of times, but I find that it's pretty well liked. I found an article about goulash on Wikipedia. Apparently it originated in Hungary. This is probably an American version.

Savory Goulash

2 c. uncooked noodles
1/2 lb lean hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 c. chopped celery
2 c. cooked tomatoes
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 t. salt
dash of pepper

Cook noodles in boiling water. Be sure to undercook them a little. Meanwhile, brown the meat, onion and celery together. Drain noodles and meat well. Add noodles and remaining ingredients to the meat. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.