Search Results for: zucchini

Breads, Quick Breads and Rolls Breakfast Desserts Snacks

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

blueberryzucchini

It is that time of year again!

I love this time of year because I love to bake, and I have many friends who love to garden. Which I don’t. Love to garden that is. I tried it one year. It was the most depressing experience ever. Nothing I did seemed to work and the only vegetables that succeeded, were the ones that against all rules of nature, seemed to pop out a few pieces of produce. It was an experience that I don’t have a lot of desire to repeat, unless I have a pro gardener to hold my hand through the entire process.

That is why I am super lucky to know some people that not only garden, but super garden! The zucchini that they bring me are the largest and the greenest around. I love deciding what to make each year! These cupcakes are one of my favorites, but this coconut chocolate version of zucchini bread made me want to bake it again and again. Although, I seriously love any recipes including zucchini, so you are not going to catch me being picky there!

This year, I decided to try a blueberry, breakfast-y version of my favorite zucchini bread. It turned out delicious, extra moist, with ripe juicy blueberries bursting forth in every bite. Well worth grinding up that zucchini for, and a great bread to slice, freeze and pull out for a quick breakfast!

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Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Author: Heather

Recipe type: Breads

Cuisine: Breakfast

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 1 loaf

A delicious moist bread with juicy blueberries and a lightly sweet taste!

Ingredients

1 egg
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup coconut oil
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vanilla greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup coarsely grated zucchini, water squeezed out
1 cup fresh blueberries
¼ cup flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour well a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the first six ingredients (through vanilla) and beat on low with a mixer.
Add 1 cup flour, baking powder and soda, and stir with a spoon to combine
Fold in zucchini until incorporated
In a small bowl, toss blueberries with ¼ cup flour until coated
Gently fold them into the batter including all flour bits in the bowl.
Pour into prepared pan
Add a few blueberries to the top and press in gently
Bake 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and baked through (Test with a toothpick in the middle)
Allow bread to cool for 20 minutes, and then turn out onto wire rack to continue cooling for one hour
Slice and serve.

Side Dishes Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Zucchini Tots

So just last week I started exercising at a new gym that opened up in town. It is super convenient, which is good for me because any obstacle that gets in the way of working out (like it being ten minutes out of my way) always seems to be the perfect excuse to immediately stop working out.

Who feels me on that one?

So, I started these classes there, that are like a sort of circuit training type of thing and the people who teach it are really awesome, but each time I am there, I am reminded how much older I am than the last time I belonged to a gym. I feel surrounded by people who seem to be way younger than me, which sort of makes me feel like an old lady trying to keep up with the exercises. No one seems to have children and I am met with a lot of blank stares when I mention anything that has to do with my kids. Not that I talk that much while exercising. I am one of those people that likes to be anything BUT social while working out. These people seem to enjoy talking though, so I try to make nice. Today, in the middle of the thousandth lunge that I was instructed to do, the trainer yelled, “Come on ladies! Let’s get those Victoria Secret bods ready for the summer!”

I seriously almost died laughing.

Where am I going with this you might ask? Well, although I have no plans to get a Victoria Secret bod (or anything even close to that), I am excited to welcome the summer with lots of fresh air and exercise and eating lots of in season veggies and fruits. Although I absolutely love fruits and vegetables, sometimes eating them plain gets seriously boring. I love them grilled, roasted and steamed, but sometimes it’s fun to add them to recipes that normally don’t even include veggies. The more the merrier, right?

These zucchini tots are the perfect replacement for a starchy side dish and are seriously so good! My kids didn’t even ask about the ingredients as they were shoveling them down their throats and asking for more. The spicy ketchup? A perfect accompaniment, but regular ketchup will do just fine too.

These are easy to make and go great with anything, but the one thing that I will stress is to make sure you squeeze all of the water out of the zucchini or you will have mushy tots!

These are super kid friendly and will sure to be a hit with your family, and you will love them too!

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Zucchini Tots

Author: Heather

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: Side Dish Veggies

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 40

These are irresistible and a perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken or steak. Delicious and filled with veggies, these are a healthy replacement for tater tots!

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
2 cups packed shredded zucchini (see NOTE below)
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup onion, finely minced
¼ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
⅔ cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
SPICY KETCHUP:
½ cup ketchup
¼ tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp sriracha sauce (or more if you like it spicy!)

Instructions

NOTE: Once you shred the zucchini, make sure to drain all the water out. Squeeze handfuls between thick paper towels to make sure to get all of the water out. If the zucchini is still wet, they won't cook up well.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil
With a basting brush, spread a thin layer of olive oil on the parchment
Mix zucchini with eggs and onion
Add cheese and stir gently
Add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Mix until completely combined
With clean hands, form into small "tots"
Set on baking sheet spaced evenly apart
Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through until cooked through and golden
Mix spicy ketchup ingredients together and serve with zucchini tots

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Side Dishes Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Zucchini “Parmesan”

Zucchini…I love love love it. Did you see how many “loves” I wrote there?

It is my favorite vegetable. I love it grilled, oven roasted, sautéed…well you get the picture.

Growing up, my mom mostly cooked Italian food, or Italian inspired food. This was because she was Italian and she learned from my grandfather. My grandfather was a wonderful cook, and in turn, so was my mother. This was one of my mom’s recipes…but you never know. It could have been my grandfather’s that she adapted to her own! Either way, it is one of my favorites.

She called it Zucchini Parmesan, but it does not resemble what most would consider zucchini parmesan. This is a great recipe that can be served as a main dish ( I would double it if it is the main dish) or as a side dish with some delicious grilled steak, chicken or fish. Over the years my mother experimented with different versions of this recipe. Some were successful, and others…not so much.

If you love eggplant, give that a try instead of zucchini. If you want to do without the breadcrumbs, just dredging the zucchini (or eggplant) in just flour and then sauteing also works well. I have to say though, the bread crumbs bring it over the top though. This is a simple dish that gives you a lot in return.

Play with it a little, try other veggies, or make it as is! Enjoy!

Zucchini Parmesan
1 1/2 lbs of zucchini
1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1-2 eggs beaten
2 -3 plum tomatoes sliced
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp of dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 8 x 8 inch square baking dish. Cut zucchini into rounds. Dip zucchini into egg and then the breadcrumbs. Repeat with all zucchini. Next heat oil in a skillet. Sauté zucchini in skillet until golden brown. Cover bottom of baking dish with zucchini. Next top with tomato slices. In a bowl, combine sour cream, salt, oregano and pepper. Spread evenly over the tomato slices. Then sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted. and zucchini is tender.

Breakfast Muffins & Scones

Zucchini Banana Muffins

School breakfast madness preparation is here!

You know, the time of year where you may have some awesome ideas to fill your kids with healthy, nourishing, balanced breakfasts each and every morning before they head off to school? You probably planned to set their outfits out the night before and pack a creative lunch. That morning, you had decided to get up early, get showered, (maybe even work out before that??), prepare breakfast, set the IPod to some relaxing, brain stimulating music, set the table and then sit with the kids for some meaningful conversation before you send them off.

And then reality sets in. For me, it started on the first day when my alarm didn’t go off.

I tried my best not to swear, since that was the opposite of what I was trying to do as this fresh, good mom. But as I looked at the time on my clock, I began to panic. Racing to the kids rooms to wake them up, I found them dressed and playing legos with each other on the floor.

Oh, okay.

Well, thank goodness THEY woke up. This could have been a total disaster! I threw on some clothes that I hoped were clean, forgoing my shower for a quick teeth brushing and face washing and raced down the stairs to get their first day of school breakfast ready.

Chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and strawberries was not too hard, or at least I thought. Isn’t it funny that food you might make often with no problems, always seems to NOT work when you REALLY, REALLY need it to work? That was the case this morning as pancakes were coming out slightly over-brown and bacon was splattering everywhere. Strawberries were rotten (crap! I just bought them!), but I subbed some sliced peaches instead.

Kids barely noticed, except to take time to say how good everything was.

Oh, okay.

Off to school with their creative lunches, that gosh darn it would not fit in their lunch bags. Seriously, why didn’t I test this before one. minute. to. leave.

Okay, sideways they will go, slightly shoved in. Kids were excited to go and kissed me goodbye, happily off to their first day.

Oh, okay.

Ahhhh….I see now. This is all ME. I am the one trying to go overboard here, and my kids can dress themselves, enjoy a little overcooked breakfast, and shake it off when their lunch doesn’t fit perfectly in their lunch bags.

Basically what I am learning here is the mornings do not need to be crazy. Keeping easy things on hand for breakfast, packing healthy lunches and encouraging the kids to be independent is the best thing I can do for them to have a good morning before they are off to school.

The kids love muffins and so do I. These are easy to make, packed with some healthy ingredients and absolutely delicious. Making a few huge batches and freezing these are a must to ensure easy breakfasts and little stress this day forward.

Happy Beginning of School!

Zucchini Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (canola oil may be subbed)
2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups shredded zucchini, measured loosely

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and adjust baking rack to middle position. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non stick baking spray and set aside. Do not use liners. These muffins are so moist, they will stick to the liners. In a large bowl, mix together sugars and oil with a handheld mixer on low. Add in milk, extract and cinnamon. Mash banana in a separate bowl and add to the sugar mixture. Mix on medium until blended together. With mixer on low, slowly add in flour and baking powder and mix just until combined and no dry ingredients remain. Squeeze water out of zucchini with paper towels. Fold in zucchini with a spoon and stir until all incorporated. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for about 15 minutes or until set and not overcooked. Depending on the moisture level of your zucchini, this time could vary. Check at 10 minutes and every five minutes after that until set. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and carefully remove from muffin pan. Enjoy warm or let cool completely and freeze for another time.

What is your best secret for quick, on the go breakfasts? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Breads, Quick Breads and Rolls Breakfast

Coconut Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Or cake.

Because these “breads” we speak of, are really just cakes baked in a loaf pan, right?

This one, in particular, really got me. It is so good. I mean, really, really good. So good I wish I could come over and bake it for you. Besides you being totally creeped out that I was in your house using your oven, you would definitely thank me.

At some point.

I love the traditional zucchini bread recipe and will share a friend’s recipe that I love soon, but I am always trying to find new and exciting ways to use zucchini. I was super happy when a friend gave me one of their gigantic garden zucchinis that I happily spent an afternoon baking as much as I possibly could using it. I used the entire thing and made four different recipes.

Yum.

This one was definitely my favorite. A thick, moist slice of this cake bread was so delicious right out of the oven full of coconut flavor with dark chocolate chips oozing out. If you have zucchini and can make one recipe, this one is it.

If you don’t, you are basically inviting me in to your house to bake it for you!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

1 3/4 cup zucchini, grated, squeezed with a paper towel to remove excess moisture
1 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coconut or almond milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (if you do not have this, feel free to use canola oil)
1/2 -3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (depending on how chocolate-y you want it!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Squeeze out moisture from zucchini using paper towels. Set to the side. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan with coconut oil or baking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, coconut, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla and coconut extract. Slowly drizzle in coconut oil whisking vigorously until smooth and creamy. Add zucchini until coated. Add wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until wet. Pour into loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until golden brown on the top and the top middle is not jiggly anymore.

What is your favorite thing to make with zucchini this time of year? Let me know in the comments below! I would LOVE to hear your ideas!

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Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I think I might love cupcakes almost as much as I love muffins.
Almost.
As you know from my millions of muffin posts (more to come, I assure you)…that is an awful lot.
Enter in, Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.
I know. The name of these is a mouthful. Both figuratively, and literally.
These are probably one of the more riskier cupcake adventures I have taken, but it was very worth it. A healthy cupcake? I mean, seriously, you can probably leave off the ganache and call it a muffin.
Either way, I am a happy girl.
These are healthy and delicious. With ingredients like shredded zucchini, mashed banana and whole wheat pastry flour, who could go wrong? These also sport only one third cup of brown sugar in the WHOLE recipe, but somehow end up sweet and perfect. They are pretty darn guilt free, so when you top them with some of the ganache (definitely not guilt free) you don’t have to feel so bad! I mean, we are entitled to a little bit of indulgence right? If you can’t make that sacrifice, leave off the frosting, and you will still have a really tasty dessert (or breakfast. Hey! Did you hear me when I said ONLY 1/3 cup of sugar? It is okay!) to enjoy.
These cupcakes were made in the “other girl and her kitchen” ‘s kitchen. We had a blast cooking together, laughing and experimenting with our recipes. That is really what cooking is all about to me. I put my heart into everything I make, and usually am making whatever “it” is for someone I love and care about.
I hope these recipes give you the same feeling. If you are a pro in the kitchen, or just starting out, I hope that we can enjoy these recipes together…one cupcake (or muffin) at a time! 🙂

Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 low fat buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/3 cups shredded zucchini
1 large banana, mashed
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 recipe Chocolate Satin Ganache

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside. In a small bowl, combine whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and powder, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and no lumps remain. Add in vanilla, butter and buttermilk. Mix until well combined. Add in zucchini and mashed banana.

Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Using an ice cream scoop, evenly divide batter among the 12 muffin cups about 2/3 cup per muffin cup.

Bake for 15-17 minutes until slightly golden and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely. Dip top of cupcake into a bowl of the chocolate satin ganache, turn right side up and let it set, about 20 minutes. Store cupcakes in a tightly sealed container for up to two days.

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Zucchini Salad

This post goes out to all those gardener friends of mine who I just know will soon, if not already, have tons of delicious zucchini to enjoy. If you are wondering what to make-this post is for you!
I love zucchini. I would probably even call it my favorite vegetable. I just love it in soups, pasta and even raw in salads (although my favorite way to prepare it is sauteed in a little olive oil until brown and crispy-yum!). I came across this salad recipe recently and made a few changes. The result? A new and different salad that is sure to please the palate and the need for new and different zucchini recipes! And….if anyone is looking for a way to get a few zucchini off of their hands, I would be more than happy to take them…
just sayin’!

Zucchini Salad

4 medium zucchini sliced 1/4 inch thick
olive oil for drizzling
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tblsp dijon mustard
1 tblsp maple syrup
2 tbslp red wine vinegar
salt
pepper
4 tbslp olive oil
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tblsp chopped fresh basil

Slice zucchini and place on one layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees or until cooked through, slightly browned, but still firm and tender. Let cool. Meanwhile, mix next 7 ingredients together and whisk until well blended. Pour over salad until dressed to your preference (I dont use all of the dressing-it refrigerates well for up to 2 weeks. Just let it come to room temperature before serving). Sprinkle salad with parmesan, pine nuts and basil. Serve at room temperature.

Place

Chicken & Turkey Pasta

Chicken and Orzo

orzodinner

I posted a picture of this dish on Instagram, and my good friend texted me and said, “Oh really? You just “whipped” this up?”

She was giving me a hard time, with love of course. She always laughs that I say I made something and it was easy. I understand that. I love to cook. Some things that seem easy for me, may not really seem that easy for others who don’t love to cook as much. That being said, this dish is actually really easy! I mean it. It is almost a one pot dish, but you have to cook the pasta separately. Does it sound as easy and convenient saying it is a “2 pot dish”? Yeah. That doesn’t sound as good.

Anyways, this is a really good dinner, something the whole family would love, and is really easy! The best part is that it is pretty versatile. Switch out the chicken for some shrimp if you think you would like that better. Try asparagus or broccoli instead of the veggies I chose to use. It is really easy to make several different dinners out of this one recipe!

Like I said, easy.

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Chicken and Orzo

Author: Heather

Recipe type: Pasta and Chicken

Cuisine: Dinner

This is an easy, versatile dinner that will please the whole family.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup red onion, diced
2 zucchini, sliced and quartered
2 yellow squash, sliced and quarted
4 carrots, sliced and halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb box of orzo pasta, cooked and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh shaved parmigiano reggiano, optional
Fresh basil, sliced, optional

Instructions

In a large pan, heat butter.
Salt and pepper cubed chicken and add to melted butter in pan.
Saute about 5-7 minutes or until completely cooked through and lightly browned.
Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Drizzle olive oil to pan
Add garlic and onions and saute until golden.
Add zucchini, squash, and carrots.
Cook for about 7-10 minutes until lightly browned and soft, but still slightly crisp.
Add chicken back to pan.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Add cooked orzo and toss
Sprinkle with basil and parmesan cheese.

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Weekly Menu

Menu for March 4th-March 8th

Monday: Pesto Mozzarella Chicken, Oven Roasted Broccoli, Salad, Whole Wheat rolls, Fresh Fruit

Tuesday: Turkey Chili, Cornbread, Yogurt

Wednesday: Teriyaki Chicken, Grilled Pineapple, Steamed Peapods, Brown Rice

Thursday: Baked Potato Bar (leftover chili, bacon, sour cream, cheddar cheese, broccoli, chopped onions)

Friday: Crockpot Tamale Casserole, Crunchy Red and Yellow Pepper Strips, Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Menu for October 7th-October 13th

Sunday: Braciole, Pasta with Sunday Gravy, Green Beans with Buttery Breadcrumbs, Frozen Yogurt sundaes with homemade fudge sauce

Monday: Tacos with lots of toppings, Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Chili, Cornbread, Yogurt

Wednesday: Grilled chicken, butternut squash risotto, sauteed zucchini, baked apples with golden raisins

Thursday: Quick and Healthy Rice and Beans, Berry Salad

Friday: Leftovers! 🙂

Saturday: Dinner out!

Menu for May 21st-May 25th

Monday: Mini Barbecue Chicken Calzones, Creamy Yogurt Dip, Vegetables for dipping

Tuesday: Tomatillo Shrimp Enchiladas, Salad, Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Teriyaki Meatballs, Pineapple Rice, Yogurt

Thursday: Mom’s Stuffed Peppers, Pasta with Broccoli, Fresh Rolls

Friday: Dinner with Friends!

Menu for May 7-May 11

Monday: Grilled Lemon Chicken, Zucchini Fries, Carrot Raisin Salad, Yogurt Pops

Tuesday: Green Chicken Chile Burgers, Fresh Pepper Strips, Chunky Apple Bread

Wednesday: Tacos with all the fixings, Corn Salad, Mango Slices

Thursday: Pasta with Easy Weeknight Bolognese, Mixed Greens with Homemade Shallot Dijon Dressing

Friday: Honey Dijon Glazed Salmon, Quinoa Salad, Fresh Apple Slices

Menu for April 30-May 4

Monday: Slow cooker sesame chicken, brown rice, steamed pea pods, Fresh Pineapple

Tuesday: Grilled chicken, Avocado, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad, Garlic Cheese Biscuits, Yogurt

Wednesday: Tacos, Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Thursday: Three Pepper Turkey Chili, Blue Chips, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread

Friday: Mozzarella Chicken Bake, Pasta, Sauteed Zucchini, Mixed Berry Salad

Menu for April 23-April 27

Monday: Scott’s Favorite Meatloaf, Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Full of Veggies Chopped Salad, Smores Brownies

Tuesday: Baked Ziti with Mini Meatballs, Steamed Broccoli, Fresh Fruit

Wednesday: Teriyaki Salmon, Steamed Pea Pods, Brown rice, Fresh Pineapple Spears

Thursday: Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken, Sauteed Garlic Spinach, Whole Wheat Couscous, Yogurt

Friday: Breakfast for Dinner! Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes, Homemade Turkey Sausage, Warm Maple Syrup, Fresh Berry Salad

Menu for April 16-April 20

Monday: Homemade Pizza, Mixed Greens Salad, Tropical Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Christina Salad with Coconut Chicken, Hunger Games Bread, yogurt

Wednesday: Bagel Egg Strata, Green Smoothies

Thursday: Mushroom Smothered Chicken, Couscous, Steamed Broccoli, Fresh sliced oranges

Friday: Grilled Salmon, Milano Salad, Banana Bread

Menu for April 8-April 13th

I think I have a TEX-MEX thing going this week! 🙂

Sunday: EASTER MENU: Ham, Beer Can Herb Roasted Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli, Homemade Rolls (District 11 Bread!), Dessert: Lamb Cake, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie, Fruit Dip with Strawberries and Bananas

Monday: Crockpot Tamale Pie, Crunchy Red and Yellow Peppers

Tuesday: Stuffed Pepper Soup, Crusty Bread, Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Cowboy Quesadillas, Mexican Chopped Salad, Fresh Mango

Thursday: Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart, Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken, Steamed Broccoli

Friday: Three Pepper Turkey Chili, Blue Chips and Salsa, Cookies

Menu for April 2nd-April 6th

Monday: Buttermilk Rosemary Chicken, Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Milano Salad, Yogurt Parfaits

Wednesday: Pineapple Fried Rice, Teriyaki Meatballs, Steamed Peapods, Fresh Orange Slices

Thursday: Pan Seared Chicken with Herbed Pan Sauce, Smashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli, Cookies

Friday: Scrambled Eggs, Pumpkin Muffins, Green Smoothie

Menu for March 11th-March 16th

Sunday: Dinner with Friends-again! Wow we are lucky this week!

Monday: Thai Coconut Chicken, Asian Salad

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Focaccia with Pesto and Creme Fraiche, Roasted Asparagus, Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Individual Baked Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, Salad

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta, Yogurt Parfaits

Menu for March 4th-March 10th

Sunday: Leftovers ! We are having my daughter’s bday party the day before so I am sure there will be lots of food leftover! 🙂

Monday: Grilled Lemon and Herb Chicken, Panzanella Salad

Tuesday: Tacos, Salad, Tropical Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Crunchy baked chicken nuggets, Honey Mustard Dipping sauce, Fries, Salad with homemade italian vinagrette

Thursday: Quinoa Vegetable Soup, Sliced oranges, Corn bread

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Dinner with friends at their house!

Menu for Feb 26th-March 3rd

Sunday: Sausage and Pepper Pasta, Mixed Greens with “homemade” roasted garlic caesar dressing, crusty bread

Monday: Family Favorite Egg Casserole, Pumpkin Muffins, Green Smoothie

Tuesday: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas (frozen from a few weeks ago–yay! easy dinner night!), Sliced Crunchy Red Peppers, Pineapple

Wednesday: Lemon Dill Roasted Salmon, Whole Wheat Couscous with golden raisins, Steamed Broccoli, Sliced fresh oranges

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Happy Meals for the kids on the way to the Winter Carnival

Menu for Feb 19th-Feb25th

Sunday: Barbecue Chicken, Corn Fritter Casserole, Tri Color Cole Slaw

Monday: Greek Marinated Chicken on warm pitas with cucumber dill yogurt sauce, baked zucchini fries

Tuesday: Quick Rice and Beans, Sliced Oranges

Wednesday: Cheeseburger Soup, Mixed greens with buttermilk dressing, mini Chocolate Brownie Trifles

Thursday: Roasted Tomato Soup, Baked Cheese Toast Points, Fruit Salad

Friday/Saturday: Weekend away with my girls! We are eating out! 🙂

Menu for Feb 12-Feb 18th

Monday: Grilled Chicken~Steamed Veggies~Roasted yellow and sweet potatoes~Yogurt Smoothie

Tuesday: VALENTINES DAY! Filet Mignon, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Green beans with Cherry tomatoes and Vinagrette, Sauteed Mushrooms, Mixed Greens with Creamy Buttermilk dressing. Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries and Bananas for dessert–YUM!

Wednesday: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas, Crunchy red, yellow and orange peppers, Sliced Mango

Thursday: Beef and Broccoli, Fruit Salad

Friday: Leftovers–It has been a long week! 🙂

Saturday: Pasta a la Olivia, Frozen Vanilla Yogurt with Dark Chocolate sauce and bananas

Breakfast Muffins & Scones

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Muffins {Easiest Muffins Ever!}

These muffins are like little bites of chocolate heaven! This is coming from someone who really does not like mini muffins.

I know? Weird right? I LOVE muffins. The real kind. Big, fluffy, hearty muffins.

I just really cannot stand mini muffins though. They are just so small!

One bite. Done. That is just not gonna do it for me. I need more.

I desperately need more than one bite.

But these muffins! These muffins are different. That one (maybe two) bite(s) are so rich and delicious that it is more than enough when you are done. I really did not need more than one muffin.

That is not to say I didn’t want another muffin. I always want another muffin.

The best part? These taste like the most decadent dessert, but actually have no flour or refined sugar. You may be a convert to mini muffins after trying these too. You may never have to bake a full sized muffin again.

Basically what I am telling you is that if you want that second mini muffin, go for it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Muffins

1 large over ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, add banana, egg, peanut butter and cocoa powder. Pulse. Add honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. Take out blade. Fold in chocolate chips. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop into mini muffin pan lined with liners or lightly sprayed. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Let cool completely, at least 30 minutes before removing from pan. These are very delicate! Enjoy immediately, or place in a tightly sealed container for 1 day on the counter, 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to one month. Makes 15 muffins.

Take a bite!

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Dark Chocolate Brownies ~ {Good For You}

So, I had a sick kid at home today who was super content just sitting and watching television all day while I periodically shoved liquids down his throat. I think the idea of sitting around all day and watching television sounds simply divine, and I would have joined him, say, if he was watching Revenge or Vampire Diaries or even some ~~fun to watch~~ ridiculous show on MTV.
Needless to say, I don’t let my little guy watch those things.
So…the option was watch the CARS movie three times in a row, OR, bake an obscene amount of goodies.
I chose the latter.
Now, I had to experiment with some healthy recipes. I mean it would be bad for everyone involved when I they eat it all if it was all ~~super delicious~~ fattening. So….I found this really delicious brownie recipe online, but one problem. It was filled with white flour, butter and lots and lots of sugar. I decided to try to remake it with some healthier ingredients.
The result?
Delicious, chocolatey, perfect brownies.
Now, I am a chewy brownie type of girl, and these were a little more cake-y, but I noticed that the longer I let them cool, they became a little more chewy. Still definitely on the cake-y side, but simply delicious so it did not bother me at all.
Give them a try-with all these healthy ingredients, you could probably have a brownie for breakfast.
Why not?

Looking for other better for you chocolate treats? Try our Healthier Brownie recipe or our Skinny Chocolate Cake. Not in the mood to bake? These no bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Clusters are super easy and good for you too. Win Win! 🙂

Dark Chocolate Brownies

1 cup coconut sugar (you can find this on Amazon, Whole Foods, Trader Joes or any health food store)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light olive oil
3 tblsp unsweetened applesauce
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking pan with baking spray. In a large bowl, mix sugar, honey, olive oil, applesauce and flour until the consistency is like wet sand. Add cocoa, vanilla and baking soda and stir until well blended with other ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Spread in prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until middle is set. Cool. Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

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Chicken & Turkey

Italian Roasted Chicken

My husband and I were watching a Food Network show the other day called, “The Best Thing I Ever Made”. I asked him, “What’s the best thing I ever made? You know, what’s my go-to dish?” We thought about it for a moment and realized I rarely make the same thing twice. That’s because I love trying new recipes. I’m always on the lookout for a different twist, a new dish or, something I might never have thought of making before. I’m a gypsy in the kitchen, always moving on to the next thing.

Ok, not always. I must admit, I do have one or two go-to recipes. I usually fall back on them when I have unexpected guests. And, since my attitude is to always make guests feel welcome in my home, inviting them to stay for dinner is an unwritten rule in our house.

Here’s a recipe I get rave reviews on whenever I make it. You’ll likely look at it and think, “Big deal”. True, it’s not fancy, but it can be stretched to accommodate any number of guests and—depending on what you serve it with it—this entrée fits all tastes and seasonal surplus. Not to mention fitting your checkbook. And, because this recipe is so simple and very quick, it’s something you can whip up on a moments notice. But, most of all, it’s delicious!

I call it Italian Roast Chicken, and as soon as the smell of the spices begin to get warm the oven, your guests will begin to feel the comfort and welcome you’re hoping to convey. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Italian, but I love the smell of garlic dancing through my kitchen. This recipe is an “any day of the week” dish, or an “I’m too tired to cook” dish, or even an “I just like chicken” dish. Try it and it will soon become a go-to recipe for you as well.

Italian Roasted Chicken

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. chicken drumsticks (skin on/bone in)
1 1/2 lb chicken thighs (skin on/bone in)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces in a roasting pan. Mix together first 4 ingredients.

Sprinkle generously over all the chicken.

Place in preheated oven and cook for 75-85 minutes. (The longer roasting time of the chicken gives you a beautiful golden brown skin and a beautifully burnished, almost caramelized bottom on the pieces. You will be digging at anything that sticks to the pan so you can savor every morsel.)

After chicken is removed from oven to platter, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

In the winter, I serve this chicken over a bed of silky mashed potatoes. In the summer, a beautiful fresh and colorful salad is just the ticket. Leftover chicken makes a succulent chicken salad if removed from skin and bone and mixed with your favorite chicken salad ingredients.

Some Recipes that would go well with this:
Zucchini Salad
Summer Corn Salad

Uncategorized

Perfect Roasted Asparagus

I always look forward to grilling season. I love that you know summer is coming soon when you can smell what your neighbors are having for dinner because they decided to fire up the grill for the first time of the season. Of course, we are different in the fact that we grill all year round. My husband has been known to shovel the snow off of the grill to place a marinated flank steak inside. I love grilled food, but the meat comes in second to the stars of my grill-the vegetables! I just love that smoky flavor the grill gives peppers and onions, the crispness of the zucchini, the sweetness of the corn. We were on a kick of grilling asparagus last summer and we would skewer it, drizzle it with olive oil, salt and pepper and let it grill until it was browned and crispy. YUM.

During the times of the year where the grill is not as easily accessible, I still craved that delicious asparagus. I kept trying different cooking methods indoors, but never quite got the same results. One day, I was complaining to my friend Vickie and she confessed her love of the browned, crispy asparagus as well. I told her I couldn’t get it right and she shared her method. I tried it and success was found (cue “Hallelujah!”). It is a foolproof technique for getting the perfect asparagus every time! Thanks Vickie! 🙂

Perfect Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch of thick asparagus
2-3 tblsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

The bottoms of asparagus are tough to eat and not flavorful. Take one of your stalks, and bend it. They say it will break right where the good flavor starts. Discard bottom. Break or cut remainder of stalks and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Place on parchment covered or lightly sprayed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until asparagus is crisp tender and browned and crispy at the edges. Do not overcook!

*Note: If asparagus is especially thin, decrease cooking time to 15-20 minutes and watch carefully.

Salads and Dressings

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

There is something about orzo that I love. I honestly do not know why…I just do. Little bits of pasta that taste good with everything! I think my first experience with orzo was when I was a kid and my mom made it with some butter, salt, pepper and parmesan. Simple. Comforting. Delicious.
I remember it being in soups, side dishes and salads since then. It was so versatile and seemed to go well with whatever veggies, cheese, or protein I added to it. Last summer I remember tossing it with grilled red onions, zucchini, red peppers and shrimp. Sprinkled with a little parmesan and it was a perfect summer supper.

This orzo dish is mediterranean inspired. Perfect as a side dish, or toss in some shrimp or chicken and make it a meal. It is full of hearty ingredients and topped with a zesty vinagrette. Another great orzo dish to add to my (seemingly) obsession with this pasta!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

2 cups cooked orzo, drained and rinsed under cold water
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat parsley

Dressing:

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tblsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake well. Mix pasta, artichokes, olives , tomatoes, and scallions together. Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat. Top with feta, pine nuts and parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Side Dishes Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Oven Roasted Broccoli

It always seems as if I am in shortage of side dish recipes. I find this amazing chicken recipe and then hmm….what to make with it? I feel like I stick with the same old, same old sometimes and quite frankly, it gets a little boring! My goal as of late is to find and create some great, memorable side dish recipes. I got used to making steamed broccoli so much that I literally changed my kids from liking it to not liking it so much! When I made this recipe, my girls whole heartedly agreed that if I made the broccoli like this each time, they would have no problem eating it all! (Which they did!) I love vegetables myself, although I prefer cooked over raw unless the raw veggies are in a salad with a really good dressing. I especially like crisp cooked vegetables. There is nothing better than pan fried zucchini, or asparagus roasted in the oven until it is crispy on the edges and slightly browned. Yum. This recipe is like that. You are going to slightly steam the broccoli and then oven roast it with a little olive oil until it is crisp and tender. The pine nuts are definitely my favorite part of the whole thing so don’t leave them out! This recipe would go great with a grilled fish or chicken. I served it with salmon and it was perfect!
Oven Roasted Broccoli

8 cups of fresh broccoli florets, lightly steamed*
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
3 tblsp pine nuts, toasted*
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 tblsp thinly sliced basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the florets in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or parchment paper. Toss the garlic onto the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender and slightly browned and crisp at the edges. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and basil.

*I use fresh broccoli from the store and cut it into florets, then lightly steam in my vegetable steamer. It is really the best option, but if you are crunched for time you can also use a package of steam fresh broccoli that you microwaved (just microwave it about 2-3 minutes less than the package says). I cannot promise you the same delicious results as fresh broccoli, but it will still be good. If you still want to use fresh, but do not have a vegetable steamer-I highly recommend you purchase one, they are the best! No really, you can also steam the broccoli by placing the vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl, add2 tblsp water and cover the bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner open to vent. Steam for about 3 minutes.

*I like to keep a batch of toasted pine nuts on hand for recipes just like this one. If you don’t do that, you can lightly toast pine nuts, and any nut for that matter in the oven on a cookie sheet or on the stove top in a fry pan. Whateve the method, nuts toast really fast! Check on them after 5 minutes and then every minute after that. When they are slightly browned and aromatic, remove them from the oven and put them on a cooled plate or bowl to cool. If you leave them on the pan, they will continue toasting, and sometimes burn! A quickie method for this recipe is to throw them on top of the roasting broccoli in the oven for the last 5-6 minutes of baking. They will toast right up without the hassle of toasting separately.

Recipe adapted by Girl and her Kitchen from Barefoot Contessa

Soups & Stews

Chicken Vegetable Stew with Quinoa

Ok–soup and stew season is quickly coming to a close, I can feel it! With temperatures in the high 60’s yesterday and today bringing us back to reality with a cold 40 or so…I know the good weather is on its way! Possible wishful thinking…I know, but I have faith! Soup or stew is just not doable in the warm weather to me. Really, it just makes me hot thinking about it. I do love a hot bowl of soup on a cold day though. I found this recipe on a cooking blog that I frequent and decided to give it a spin. I want to warn you, it is VERY time consuming. Plan this on a day that you have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen (a glass of wine in hand, perhaps?) or when you can prep ingredients earlier in the day so you are not chopping pounds of vegetables with one child clamoring at your legs, and another melting down in the other room…oh wait, sorry, is that just my life?

Well, the stew is completely worth the work. Lots of great vegetables, a really flavorful broth and the nuttiness of the quinoa (can you say “keen-wa”?) make for a really great, wholesome, hearty dinner. My kids ate it up and my husband really liked it too. This recipe made so much too I was able to throw it in the freezer, for another time. I paired this dinner with some buttery cornbread and a fruit salad and we all left the table happy. Well, I was dead tired after making the soup, but indeed happy. 🙂

Chicken Vegetable Stew with Quinoa

2 tblsp olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
2 cups red bell pepper, diced
1 cup zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
64 oz chicken broth
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tblsp Italian Seasoning
3 cups quinoa, cooked
4 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed
Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
2 tblsp dijon mustard

Heat olive oil in large stock pot. Add onion, pepper, zucchini, carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, potatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Add quinoa, chicken, seasonings and mustard. Heat through. Serve warm.

*Note: My hint is to cook the quinoa, cook and chop the chicken and cut all the veggies except for the potatoes ahead of time. Then, when it is time to assemble, the work is minimal.

*Note2: I know the dijon mustard ingredient sounds strange…do not skip it. It is really worth it! It gives the soup a rich, unique taste. I was wary at first so tested a little in a small bowl. Delicious! 🙂

Main Dishes Soups & Stews Vegetarian

Minestrone Soup

This is one of those recipes that has been in my family for a long time. I can remember my mom making a pot of this for Sunday dinner, and our mouths would be watering just smelling it simmering on the stove all afternoon. It was all we could do but wait for it to be ready, only to scoop up a big bowl, pile it with freshly grated romano cheese, and savor every bite. My family loves this soup too. I love it because besides all the chopping of the veggies, it is really easy to make, and filling since it is filled with all those veggies you had to chop. It is really flavorful, and the leftovers are even better! Sometimes I even change it up and add some crumbled Italian sausage or some delicious homemade meatballs. Keep it veggie friendly if you like, but if you are craving a little more protein, add your favorite to the soup and enjoy!

You will want to make a big batch and freeze some for another time. It takes a little while to prep and cook, but every bite is so worth it. Don’t leave out the thyme or the leek. They may seem insignificant, but their flavor seriously makes the soup.

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Minestrone Soup

Author: Heather

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Dinner

This flavorful soup is filled with fresh veggies and is perfect for family dinner, and leftover lunches.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1 onion, minced
1 leek, washed and sliced thin
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. dried thyme
6 oz tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained
3 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 zucchini, diced
6 cups chicken broth
salt pepper to taste
1¼ cup white beans
Fresh, hot cooked pasta
Pecorino Romano cheese for sprinkling

Instructions

Heat olive oil oil in large pot.
Add garlic, onion, leek, parsley and thyme and cook until soft.
Add tomato paste with two cans of water and cook for 5 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients except beans.
Simmer, covered for 1 hour.
Add beans and heat.
Serve over hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese.
Note : Cutting a leek can be challenging if you have never done it before. First, cut of the rough green stem. then slice the white part in half. Rinse WELL. Place flat part down on cutting board. Slice the long way twice and then slice across all the way down the leek. Repeat with other half.
Note: Do not mix soup with pasta when storing. The pasta will soak up all of the liquid in the soup which will leave with more of a pasta dish when you come back to it the next day. This is also very tasty, but if you were hoping for soup, it can be a bit unexpected. Store soup and pasta separately.