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Roasted Veggie Rice

January 26, 2016 //
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One of my go to ways to cook veggies is to roast them. There is something perfectly yummy about a nice roasted vegetable, am I right? No? Just me?!? Ha! I am sure if you are reading this then perhaps, you too are a veggie fan. This is a recipe I have been perfecting over time. It started out a bit different. A hit, but different. Most recently I created this version and it was bananas good! My nearly 5 year old (9 more days!!) said it was the best thing I ever made. Let me repeat that so it can sink in, my 5 year old said something that consisted of ROASTED vegetables and brown rice, was the best thing I have ever cooked! When a 5 year old tells you that, you just quit right then and there. You cannot create anything as delicious as that ever again. Your work here is done. You may retire. Without further ado, I present to you the best recipe I have ever made, according to Jackson.

(If you hate it, don’t worry, the toddler (16months) wouldn’t even let me put one scoop in his mouth. You can join his team.)

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Roasted Veggie Rice

For the roasted veggies:

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 orange pepper
  • 2-3 zucchini
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1 container grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

For the rice:

  • 2 cups (or one bag) of Volcano Rice. You can use brown rice as well, 2 cups. Cook per directions
  • 1 small package basil, chopped
  • handful chives, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • fresh black pepper to taste
  • feta cheese to taste and optional

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the roasted veggie ingredients in a large bowl, mix/toss well. Lay evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until the veggies are cooked through and are slightly brown.

Meanwhile, prepare rice to package directions. The Volcano Rice takes about 30 minutes to simmer. Adjust your prep according to the rice you use, brown rice takes longer.

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk well. When the rice is done, transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the rice and mix well. Add the basil, chives, and pine nuts, again, mix well. When the veggies are done add them to the rice mixture. Combine well. Serve with feta. I keep that on the side because Jackson is not a big feta fan.

It is a simple recipe and was a big hit. I was very happy with how it turned out. Jackson said the zucchini felt good on his teeth. haha He is a veggie lover though. Tonight he has requested broccoli because and I quote “I just love the way you cook it mommy.” I hope you enjoy this roasted veggie rice as much as he does.

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Fattoush Salad

January 11, 2016 //
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I love salads. I have a knack for making tasty ones. I really need to be better about posting them. This is one of my current favorite salads. I have been making it quite frequently. A few people have asked for the recipe, so why not get some motivation to sit down and post it. One kid is having his afternoon snack and the other is cleaning up (playing with?) his play doh mess from earlier today. The dishes are done. I vacuumed and washed the kitchen floor this morning. And if I don’t glance over to my left I can pretend the family room isn’t covered in toys and wipes that the toddler took out of the package. Oh what was I doing? That’s right, sharing my Fattoush recipe!

I kind of wing some of the ingredients. A salad by nature can be created that way. I don’t always use the exact measurements for the veggies I include. I am always always always generous with my leafy greens.

fattoush

  • 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves pressed or finely minced
  • sprinkle of salt and fresh black pepper
  • 1 to 1 1/2 packages of Baby Romaine, finely chopped
  • 2-4 vine ripe tomatoes, depending on size. Diced
  • 1-2 cucumbers. Diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 container of feta cheese

Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt/pepper in a large bowl. Add all of the greens and veggies. Sprinkle with the sumac and mix well. Top with feta cheese and mix well again. I really mix it a lot to get the dressing covering all of the veggies. I know there is no feta in the photo, I added it at the party. Recently I added it before we left for a party and it was just as tasty.

You can also serve this with pita and chicken. I have served it with chicken shawarma. Very tasty. It is a stand alone dish or a beautiful and delicious side dish.

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Baba Ghanouj

January 4, 2016 //
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A few months ago we started sponsoring a little girl from Lebanon. After I received her information I looked into the school she attends. I came across one of the ways they raise money for the school. They sell an Irish and Lebanese cookbook! All the proceeds go directly to the school.

One of my favorite things in the whole world is Baba Ghanouj. You can imagine my excitement to find a recipe for it in the cookbook I purchased. I adapted it a little bit. I have since made it twice, both times to rave reviews.

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  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons tahini
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • sweet paprika
  • olive oil
  • fresh finely chopped parsley.

Preheat oven to 400

Clean off the green leaves of the eggplant, but leave the stem on. Once the oven is heated, place the whole eggplant on a parchment paper lined baking pan. Also place the whole peeled garlic on the pan. Cook the eggplant until it is tender. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the eggplant. Keep an eye on the garlic pieces. When they are roasted and started turning brown, remove and set aside.

Once the eggplant is tender, remove from the oven. Carefully peel the skin off the eggplant. You can allow it to cool for a few minutes first, it may be easier to work with that way. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant. Add it to your Vitamix or food processor along with the garlic. Blend. Slowly and alternately add the lemon juice, tahini, and sea salt. Blend until it becomes thick and creamy.

Pour/scoop the Baba Ghanouj into a bowl. Use an olive oil sprayer to spray some olive oil on the top. You can have fun with it and make a pretty design if you want. Then sprinkle a bit of sweet paprika to taste/aesthetic. Top that off with a sprinkle of parsley.

Serve with pita or pita chips. You could also serve with baby carrots. I have tried it all three ways. With the carrots is tasty but the pita bread/chips are even tastier! Such is life 😉

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Categories Side Dishes

Fresh Salsa

August 12, 2015 //
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It has been some time since my last recipe post. Sometimes, something has to give. These two sweet boys of mine keep me very very busy! They have so much energy! We are always on the go or in action.

This is one of my favorite recipes. It is adapted from my mother in law. It is always a hit wherever we bring it. People love it. My family has grown to expect that I will be preparing some salsa for get togethers. Ha! What I love about it is how laid back it is. The ingredients do not have to be exactly to a science. You don’t have to eat it with chips either! It is super simple to make.

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Fresh salsa served over spinach, shrimp, and brown rice.

Fresh Salsa

  • 2-4 tomatoes, depending on the size.
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Cilantro, to taste. (I like to be generous!)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 lemon juiced (this is usually a little over 2 Tbsp)
  • Jalapeno, 1, 1/2, 1/4, depending on how spicy you want it. The more jalapeno, the spicier!

Combine all ingredients into a good quality blender or food processor. I use my Vitamix. Use the pulse setting to keep it from being totally liquified. You can make it as chunky or as smooth as you want.

It can be served with tortilla chips as a yummy snack or appetizer. It can also be for a meal. I used some leftovers for my dinner. I boiled some shrimp and chopped up some spinach. I served those over some brown rice and topped it off with this yummy healthy salsa. It was a delicious and health dinner!

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Categories Side Dishes

Pasta Primavera

June 26, 2015 //
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Here is my take on pasta primavera. I do love veggies oh so much. There is something particularly delicious about roasted or grilled veggies. I could just eat those every single day of my life.

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Pasta Primavera

  • 1 lb whole wheat pasta
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 sweet onion
  • 1 carrot (you could add two. I only had one left!)
  • 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
  • Olive oil spray, to taste (I use a sprayer that I fill myself)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 vine ripe tomatoes
  • Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut the zucchini, pepper, onion, and carrots into pieces. Arrange neatly on the baking pan. Spray with olive oil until all pieces are coated. Shake the Herbes and sea salt over the veggies. Set in oven. Keep an eye on them. Roast until they begin to brown and the veggies are tender. I even added another coat of olive oil and flipped them around while they cooked.

Meanwhile prepare the pasta. Chop the tomatoes into chunks. When veggies are done add everything to a large bowl and mix to combine. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over and mix again. This is to taste. I prefer to be generous because the sweetness of the vinegar really pulls this dish together!

They made yummy leftovers. I just reheated it all in a pan adding a touch more balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

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Babies, Amiright?

June 26, 2015 //
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I have still been cooking. I have even been coming up with a few new recipes. I even revamped previous recipes to make it seem different and new. I have gotten zero posts up lately! I have an almost 9 month old (two more days!) Who just popped his first tooth through. Simultaneously he began a very intense case of separation anxiety from me and me alone. My time to get things done has decreased. I get more sleep. But my days are filled chasing around two little boys, both of whom are often literally clinging to my body. Ha!

As a mom you cannot do it all. Something has to give. Taking time to photograph and write down every night’s dinner has been that thing. I am usually trying to feed two children and myself at the same time. I am trying to keep dinner as tear free as humanly possible. Being a momma to two very attached momma’s boys is a delicate balancing act! I actually have a couple photographed and recorded recipes that I just never got around to posting. But my kitchen is vacuumed. A TON of laundry is folded and put away! My sink isn’t over flowing with dishes. There is room to add more. Kids have been exploring outside. Kids have been taken to their various activities. Kids have gone on a day trip out of state. Forts have been built. I have been getting in my runs and Pilates. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners have been prepared for all every day. Sitting down to blog, eh, not so much. Babies, amiright?

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Every season is different. There will come a time where Alexander will sit around without demanding my undivided attention every moment of the day. His big brother has those moments. He will get there too. This first year of infancy is all about survival. Things tend to even out after they turn 1. Or so I have learned in my parenting experience. I should end this small update and try to get one of those backlogged recipes up. Then I should go and throw some of those dishes in the dishwasher to make room for the future ones that are just itching to make their way into my never ending pile!

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Lemony Parm Chicken and Asparagus

May 30, 2015 //
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I made this recipe on Wednesday night. I was going to post it on Thursday. However, I had my very first migraine! It was debilitating! I was down for the count from 1am until about 7pm. I was able to muster up the strength to take the boys outside so they could get their wiggles out. But the thought of sitting in front of a computer screen was even more nauseating. Yesterday I was just busy with the kiddos. Here were are on Saturday morning. Recently I have been getting cravings for asparagus. It must be what happens when you get into your 30’s! HA! I have been incorporating it into dishes here and there. Thankfully my family is enjoying it as well.

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Lemony Parm Chicken and Asparagus 

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • drizzle of olive oil to taste
  • 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • sea salt to taste
  • fresh black pepper to taste
  • 1 bunch of asparagus
  • handfuls of spinach, chopped
  • 3/4 oz container of chives
  • parmesan cheese, to taste.
  • Brown/red rice, to serve over, optional

Heat the garlic in the pan with the olive oil. Once fragrant, add the chicken. Begin to cook chicken through. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook until you no longer see pink. Meanwhile, cut the asparagus into smaller pieces. Once the chicken is no longer pink, add the asparagus. Cook uncovered for a few minutes. Cover, and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is tender. Remove cover, add the chopped spinach and chives. Turn heat down. Let spinach wilt. Turn off heat and serve over rice.

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Categories Chicken

Ginger Curry Turkey with Brown Rice Noodles

May 20, 2015 //
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This recipe is being posted out of sheer luck. Well, maybe some skill was involved, but there was luck there too. Getting dinner to the table last night was hectic to say the least. It was very busy and loud in my kitchen. I was hoping it would be yummy. I wasn’t convinced though as I scooped it into bowls. My cooking had been a touch distracted. I had two boys who equally wanted attention. One wanted to help me cook and CHOP food. The other had bumped his head as I started prepping and so he wasn’t in the mood to be left in the pack and play for an extended period of time. (He hit his head because he is a 7 month old baby who is already cruising along furniture and he has no fear!)

I learned to trust myself a little more. Or at least give myself some credit. This dish was so yummy! We were all raving about it.

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Ginger Curry Turkey with Brown Rice Noodles

  • 1lb ground turkey breast
  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Ginger Rice Vinegar
  • 1/2 Tbsp Malaysian Ginger Curry
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 head broccoli
  • 4 small carrots, chopped
  • a couple handfuls of spinach, chopped
  • Brown rice noodles, cooked according to package
  • Sambal Oelek, optional.

Combine the onion and garlic in a large pan or stir fry pan. Pour olive oil over to coat pan. Cook until onions begin to get tender. Add the turkey meat and begin to brown. Add the vinegar, curry powder, and sea salt.

Meanwhile cook the noodles according to package.

Once the meat is browned through add the red pepper flakes, carrots, and broccoli. Once veggies are tender add the spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Add the cooked noodles, breaking them apart into smaller pieces. Mix all together well. Serve in bowls with a scoop of Sambal Oelek if desired. It gives it a nice spiciness!

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Grilled Chicken and Veggies with Greek Seasoning Sauce

May 18, 2015 //
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I finally have a new recipe to share! I have made a few new dishes since my last recipe post. Some have flopped. Some have just been eh, ok. Nothing to write home about. Some have been in a mad rush to get dinner on the table. I didn’t pay attention to what measurements I was using nor did I take the time to write down anything I threw together. Last night I did take the time.

It is that time of year where we use our grill multiple times a week. I love the smell of food on the grill. My mouth waters at the aromas.

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Grilled Chicken and Veggies with a Greek Seasoning Sauce

For the chicken:

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • sea salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Slice the chicken thinly. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper on both sides. Cook through on grill. This will vary depending on your grill. I have to always keep my burner on low and it still cooks things rather quickly, so I have to watch the food.

For the veggies:

Assorted veggies of your choice. For this dinner I used

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1/2 sweet onion
  • 1 container white mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar

Cut up the veggies and add to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well. Pour onto a grill pan on your grill. Flip frequently. Until veggies are tender and some pieces start to brown.

Greek Seasoning Sauce

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • drizzle olive oil
  • 1/2 Tbsp Greek Seasoning
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the garlic and olive oil in a pan. Add the lemon juice, Greek seasoning, and balsamic vinegar. Simmer the sauce until the chicken is ready. Keep it on a low heat.

Once chicken and veggies are done put the veggies in a bowl or on a plate. Place the chicken on a separate plate. Coarsely chop the chicken into pieces. Add to a bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix well. Serve the chicken and veggies over a whole wheat pita.

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Categories Chicken

Pilates Nerd

May 9, 2015 //
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I am still here being a mom, eating clean, working out, and doing the other million things I have to do each day. It has been a little hectic. I haven’t gotten a new recipe up because my computer was not working. Well, it was working, but storage was totally full so it couldn’t even load Facebook. My husband had to transfer a ton of photos over for me. I have a little habit of taking thousands of photos! Then there is something up with our cable/internet. It has been going in and out randomly all week. We have a technician coming by today. Here’s to hoping I can finish this post. I started it a couple days and ago and then bam, connection lost.

Last week I made a shrimp dish that I meant to share on here. This was before I knew about my computer. I sat down to get it all typed up only to realize that I never wrote down what I came up with. I must have planned on remembering it for the following day. I do not remember it now a week and 5 days later. Whoops!

My 30th birthday is mixed into this time slot. As well as two sick kids (really, again? I know, I feel the same way!) I have just been making tried and true recipes. Sometimes that is simpler.

I have been making strides in my post baby core recovery.

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I have been working on this plank into pike since Alexander was born 7 months ago. I have been able to do it but not with the form, grace, control, and strength I knew I was capable of. Yesterday that all changed. I felt incredibly confident when I went through this move. I am not sure if I get more excited when my old clothing fits after baby or when I start being as physically strong as I used to be. I have my spring load on 1R 1B. My goal is to continue to build up my strength and let my abdominals and core continue their healing process. I will work on dropping the spring load to get deeper into those muscles. With this particular move, the lighter the spring the more challenging it is.

That is one thing I love about Pilates. It does take a knowledge of the work and the equipment. There is no general rule for every move. Sometimes a lighter spring assists you and is a modification. Sometimes a lighter spring challenges you and is a variation. The same goes for heavier springs. Bicep curls with 1R 1B? Yowza! Plank into pike with 1 R 1B? Thanks for the love, Reformer! It all depends on what you are doing. It is a fluid process. It exercises your mind as well as your entire body.

I will hop off my long box now! (Ha, Pilates nerd over here!) It is the day before Mother’s Day. My house is quiet, my coffee is hot, and my internet is working! That is almost a trifecta of a mother’s morning. How rare is that? I am going to either run or play with my new toy the Motr. It was a birthday gift from my husband and kiddos. I haven’t tried it yet because it just arrived the other day. I also ran two days in a row but I have been digging running the past few days. I may hop on the treadmill again. I have not committed 100% to either decision yet. These are tough decisions to be made on a foggy Saturday morning.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommas out there reading this. I hope your weekend and your day tomorrow is filled with sleep, peace, and quiet (it is what we all REALLY want, anyway!)

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