Spinach and Zucchini Soup

This winter I have to admit I haven't found myself making much soup. Maybe it's been the mild       weather the Midwest has had. Now that the weather is becoming more winter like. I tried a recipe off 101 Cookbooks.

Spinach and Zucchini Soup Recipe 


3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
big pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped
one lemon
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In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so. Now stir in the cilantro. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Serves about 6.


~Enjoy D

Mud Pie Dip

Another Peanut Butter Recipe! What can I say... I love peanut butter! And given the fact that it is so good for you.....why not?

Mud Pie Dip

2 1/2 Tbls Peanut Butter
8 oz Plain Non Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 Tbls Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tbls Maple Syrup or 1 Packet of Stevia
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2nd Option: Use Chocolate Peanut Butter and omit the and Cocoa Powder. Add 1/4 tsp of maple syrup

Mix all the ingredients together and serve with fresh fruit like banana's or strawberries!

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins

This recipe is simple, but the cooking time takes awhile. All the flavors combine very well. I love cauliflower because it's great throughout all seasons along with kale. Now get to cooking!:)

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins

2 Tablespoon Raisins
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups diced tomatoes
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Dash of Salt and Pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1 juice of lemon

Pre-Heat Oven 350F. In small bowl cover raisins with water. Soften for 10 minutes. Drain
Meanwhile, in a oven proof skillet heat olive oil. Add cauliflower florets and honey and cook on moderately low heat for 10 minutes. Raise heat to moderate when the cauliflower florets have soften for an extra 5 minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes and crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes have soften.
Add the raisins to the cauliflower along with 1/4 cup water and chopped garlic. Transfer oven proof skillet to oven for 30 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Serve the cauliflower warm.

10 More Ways with Oatmeal....Mock Oatmeal Recipes

I am having so much fun making different flavors of oatmeals. I am on a roll!

Here is another list of some  recipes I have conjured up. I call these my mock oatmeals and I have to say they are all very good.

Most of my oatmeal recipes don't have measurements. I have done this so you can add as much as your heart desires. You can add more or less of an ingredient depending on how hungry you are. If you are just unsure as to how much to use, start with a teaspoon of the spices and syrups, tablespoon of nuts, and 1/2 cup of the fruits and then work up from there. Enjoy my friends! ~K

Chocolate Amaretto Strawberries

Amaretto- 1/2 to 1 tsp (don't want to start the morning with too much!!)

Cocoa

Strawberries

Milk

Cook Amaretto and Strawberries with oatmeal

Mix in cocoa

Pour in Milk

Pecan Pie

Pecans

Maple Syrup

Butter

Stir in Maple Syrup and Butter to Oatmeal

Top with chopped Pecans

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin Pie Spice 

Stevia

Optional--Peanut Butter

Stir in Pumpkin and Spices to oatmeal

If adding peanut butter--try heating peanut butter in microwave for 10 -15 seconds till warm and soft and pour over pumpkin pie

Vanilla Latte'

Instant Coffee

Vanilla Extract

Stevia

Milk

Vanilla Yogurt or Whipped Cream--Optional

Stir in instant coffee and vanilla extract to oatmeal

Pour milk over oatmeal

Optional topping--Vanilla Yogurt or Whipped Cream

Fruit Cake

Any Dried Fruits: Dates, Raisins, Prunes, Apricots, Cherries, Cranberries

Butter

Rum Extract or Brandy

Walnuts

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Milk

Cook dried fruits, butter, rum, cinnamon, nutmeg with oatmeal.

Stir in Walnuts and top with milk

Rum Cake

Rum Extract

Butter

Vanilla

Stevia

Milk

Cook all the ingredients with oatmeal.

Top with milk

Blueberry Muffin

Butter

Blueberries

Vanilla Extract

Stevia

Cook all ingredients with oatmeal.

Top with milk

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Cinnamon

Raisins

Vanilla

Maple Syrup/Stevia

Milk

Stir in cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, syrup/stevia to oatmeal.

Top with Milk

Gingerbread Oatmeal

Butter

Molasses

Cinnamon

Ginger

Cloves

Milk

Stir all ingredients into oatmeal

Top with Milk

Sugar Cookie

Stevia

Butter

Vanilla Extract

Milk

Cook Stevia, Butter, and Vanilla in oatmeal

Top with Milk

Chocolate Cake

Milk

Cocoa Powder

Stevia

Substitute the water for milk when cooking the oatmeal

Stir in cocoa powder and stevia and cook oatmeal

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Once you make homemade vanilla extract you will never go back to buying high priced store bought vanilla. It is so easy to make and very inexpensive.


Ingredients:

1 Pint Vodka
3-4 Vanilla Beans
A clear bottle to store vanilla or use the Vodka bottle

Directions:

Slice your vanilla beans down the center and scrape out the seeds.
Add the seeds and beans to vodka.
Screw cap on the bottle tight and shake well.
Shake the bottle every day for a week and then once a week for 3 weeks.

The vanilla will take 30 days to cure.
After 30 days strain and use.

You can add more vodka to the beans 2x before the beans begin to loose their potency.

Vanilla is a great way to add flavor to many recipes.

Try
~Adding to Plain Yogurt, Oatmeal, Smoothies, or Warm Plain Milk
~Great in almost any baked good recipe


Enjoy!

Hot Peanut Butter and Banana 2 Ways

This is one of my favorite super simple things to make. It puts a nice twist on a boring peanut butter sandwich.

It makes a perfect lunch or if you need to nosh quickly, it whips up in minutes! This happens to me a lot and if I don't eat fast I will pick at everything in the refrigerator, resulting in a lot of extra calories. This is why my life consists of quick and easy meals!

Peanut Butter and Banana Panini

Ingredients:
2 Tbls Peanut Butter
1 Banana-sliced long ways
2 Slices Whole Grain Bread
1 Tbls Butter

Prepare as you would a grilled cheese sandwich
Butter on the outside
Peanut Butter on both the inside slices
Banana's in the middle

                                                                                    Lay the sandwich in a hot griddle or panini press
                                                                                    Grill to your brown liking

Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap

Ingredients:
2 Tbls Peanut Butter
1 Whole Banana
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla

Directions:
Spread peanut butter on tortilla
Lay whole banana down center
Wrap and lay in a buttered griddle or panini press
Grill to your brown liking

Serve with some carrots and hummus and you have a quick and easy meal that is sure to fill you up!


~K

Lentil Burgers

 

Lentil Burger Recipe

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Cups cooked lentils 

2 Tablespoon ground flax seed 

1/2 teaspoon water

1/2 teaspoon cilantro 

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Dash salt and pepper

Warm olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Mash lentils in a big bowl. In a small bowl mix ground flax seed with water (this is a substitute for egg). Add flax seed mixture, cilantro cumin, and salt and pepper to lentils. Form into patties and add to headed skillet. Cook 7 minutes on each side.

Serving 4-5 patties

(Note: I found cooked lentils at Trader Joe's) 

Enjoy

~D