Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed Cauliflower

a staple side dish in our family

prepared much the same as mashed potatoes but with loads of nutrients!

Ingredients
- 2-3 heads of cauliflower (or 2 frozen family-size bags)
- 1/8 c. half and half
- 3 TB butter
- 2 TB Adobo seasoning (or garlic powder)
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions
(1) Place cauliflower in a stockpot and cover with water. If using fresh heads, cut off florets into stockpot and cover with water.
(2) Bring pot to a boil, and cook until cauliflower is very tender and very easily pierced with a fork.
(3) Drain cauliflower and return to pot.
(4) Add remaining ingredients and mash together with a potato masher.
(5) Serve and enjoy!!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Inspired by {this recipe} that I found via Pinterest

Serves: 4 (as a side dish) or 1 1/2 (as a main dish)

Recipe is easily doubled, tripled, etc. 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 of a medium pepper finely chopped
1/2 of a medium cucumber finely chopped
2-3 stalks of green onion diced
2 small tomatoes diced

Cook quinoa according to directions. Generally it's 1 part quinoa, 2 parts water- cooked just like rice, but prewash the quinoa to remove any sediment. Let quinoa cool slightly (I usually turn off the heat and start chopping my veggies while the quinoa cools!). Chop vegetables and add to quinoa, mix, and serve warm or chilled.



Tzatziki Sauce

2/3c plain greek yogurt
1 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 of a medium cucumber, finely grated
1 TB olive oil
dash freshly ground pepper
dash freshly ground sea salt

Mix in a small dish. Adjust spices to taste. We like a heavy garlic influence :) Top your salad with a dollop of sauce and enjoy! This goes great on gyros, a regular lettuce salad, a dip for potato wedges... the possibilities are endless ;)

Brown Sugar Ginger Carrots

Brown sugar ginger carrots are a bit of a staple in our home! They pair well with most any other veggie or meat dish. We've also used maple syrup, sucanat, you could probably even use honey in place of the brown sugar! Feel free to experiment as you wish :)

Brown Sugar Ginger Carrots

Ingredients
1 lb. carrots
2 TB brown sugar
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
2 TB of butter
1/2 cup of water (or more)

*NOTE: this recipe easily doubles, triples, etc. So adjust to your family size and tastes!

Directions
(1) Cut carrots into smaller pieces, peeling the carrots if you wish. I usually cut the carrots in half lengthwise and then into thirds (and we leave the peels on for extra nutrients!).
(2) Add carrots to a medium saucepan. Add enough water to generously cover the carrots. In effect you'll be steaming the carrots, so you don't want them all completely submerged. You can always add more water later in the cooking process if they're getting low on liquid!
(3) Add butter, sugar, and ginger to saucepan.
(4) Cook over medium heat for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are easily pierced with a fork. Cook less if you prefer an al dente finish and/or for even more added nutrients!

Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting

Ingredients

• FOR THE SPICE CAKE:
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• FOR THE PENUCHE FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1¾ – 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. For the spice cake:
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Grease two 8-inch cake pans. Sift first 7 ingredients into a small bowl; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating will after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with the sour cream in 2 additions, beating well after each addition.
4. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Set cake pans on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeters and turn cakes onto rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
5. For the penuche frosting:
6. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, stirring continuously for 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Return to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool to lukewarm temperature, then gradually stir in confectioners’ sugar until frosting has reached your desired consistency. For a thicker frosting, add more sugar; to thin it out, you can always add a bit of milk. Fill and frost the cooled cake. Enjoy!

Recipe from Dramatic Pancake

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Inspired by: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/05/strawberry-rhubarb-crisp.html

Heat oven to 375º F.

Mix together in medium bowl:

• 1.5 cups washed and hulled strawberries
• 1.5 cups washed and sliced rhubarb
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 TB baking powder
• 1/4 cup honey

Mix together in a second bowl:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TB butter, melted

Lightly coat 4 1-serving ramekins with olive oil spray. Divide strawberry rhubarb mixture between each dish. Top with oatmeal mixture. Place ramekins on baking sheet. Cook for 25 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and fruit is bubbling. 

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Cheesy Quinoa Bake

I found this recipe via Pinterest and gave it a try last week. The site from which the recipe came likened it to Mac n Cheese. I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but it was tasty, easy, and much healthier than a traditional pasta + cheese bake. Here's the recipe as I made it:

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh broccoli

1/4 tsp salt*

ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggs

1 cup milk (I used 1%)

1 1/2 cups grated cheese - we used Muenster with a little cheddar and monterey jack

1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs

1. Lightly saute the broccoli or any veggies you want to add to this dish. Add garlic for the last minute or so to cook it.

2. Cook quinoa according to package instructions until fully cooked (about 15-20 min.)

3. Preheat oven to 350º F. Coat 9" x 13" dish lightly with olive oil/cooking spray. 

4. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in cooked veggies, quinoa, and cheese. Let the cheese melt a little as you stir thoroughly. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle Panko crumbs over top. 

5. Bake uncovered 30-35 min., or until the top starts to lightly brown. 

*After trying it, I'd consider adding a bit more salt and pepper next time, and if you like garlic, possibly another clove of garlic. I didn't have seasoning salt (called for in the recipe I somewhat followed), but that or some similar spice combo might be a nice touch.

Lentil Soup with Lemon Yogurt Cream

Makes about 8 cups of soup

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped, or 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 large or 2 small carrots, diced small
3 celery stalks, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup green or brown lentils
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup yogurt
zest and juice from 1 lemon
Minced parsley to serve

Set a 6-quart or larger pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook slowly until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. If using olive oil, simply heat the oil and continue to the next step.

Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the onion until it softens and starts becoming translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt, and cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the lentils, broth, and bay leaf to the pan and stir. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes until the lentils are soft (exact cooking time will depend on your lentils). Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Stir the reserved bacon into the soup, or sprinkle it right on top of each bowl.

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add a dollop of this yogurt sauce to each bowl as you serve and sprinkle the tops with parsley.

Lentil soup will keep refrigerated for up to a week or freeze in individual portions for up to three months.

From www.thekitchn.com