Two-Bean Soup with Greens, Rosemary, and Thyme

My husband laughs at me every time I take photos of my food, which is often, because I never actually take the time to share with you all of my delectable discoveries. Well, I'm trying to change that. This soup inspired me to change that. It's delicious!

Tasked to make soup for a school function, I found inspiration on none other than Pinterest, and took a liking to a "Creamy Two-Bean Soup with Spinach, Rosemary, and Thyme" {yes, yes, and yes, please!} by All Four Burners, a fun blog all about yummy food.

I made a few tweaks, as I do often, and then discovered a go-to soup that I foresee pleasing many o' belly in the near future...

First you chop up a bunch of shallots {I did eight large ones} and an onion, and saute them in olive oil in a medium-sized pot for about 15-20 minutes, until they are gorgeously golden. Then you add in some fresh rosemary and thyme {about 1 1/2 Tbsp each} that you've chopped nice and fine.

 
After all those flavors have been blended together for a minute or two, you add two cans of rinsed garbanzo beans, two cans of rinsed white beans, and five cups of low-sodium broth.

 
Bring that to a boil and then simmer it for at least 30 minutes, if not an hour or three. Pull out half the soup and puree it, then dump it back in with the rest of the soup. {The original recipe suggested pureeing the whole soup - thus the "creamy" soup - but mine had a hummus consistency and I liked the idea of seeing the whole beans and shallots/onions, so I only did half. If serving to my kids, I might puree the whole thing. They aren't bean fans, yet.}

Just before serving, add in 6 to 12 ounces of chopped baby spinach {organic if you can - it's on the FDA's Top 10} or any other wiltable {not a word, but it should be} green. Season with a good pinchful {am I just making up words right and left?!} or two of sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and a long drizzle of olive oil.
 

 
This picture makes it look like it has turmeric in it or something - not sure what happened there - but it doesn't. You could serve it with shaved Parmesan though.

So good. So. Good. Here are the specifics...

Two-Bean Soup with Greens, Rosemary, and Thyme
Servings: 6-8 

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons + 4 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped shallots 

1 large white onion, chopped

1 1/2-2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 1/2-2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

5 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken broth

2 15.5 ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed

2 15.5 ounce cans garbanzo beans {chickpeas}, drained and rinsed

6 to 12 ounce {6-8 large handfuls} baby spinach leaves, beet green, chard, kale, etc.

Sea salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots and onion and sauté until golden, about 15-20 minutes. Add rosemary and thyme; stir 1-2 minutes. Add broth and beans. Bring soup to boil; reduce and simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes, but up to 3 hours.

Pull out half the soup and puree until smooth. Return puree to the pot and stir in spinach/greens until wilted, about 1 minute. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining olive oil over each individual serving.

Adapted from All Four Burners, who adapted it from Bon Appetit

enjoy.

molly

The Mighty Beet Smoothie

I've recently gotten "into" beets. My kids? Not so much. There's no way to "hide" beets, due to their vibrantly beautiful coloring, but there are ways to dress them up so they're irresistible.

Today we made a smoothie using beets. My son was resistant at first, but when he saw his little sister scarfing down her smoothie and asking for more, he couldn't help but be curious. Result: two happy kiddos with bellies full of mommy-pleasing foods.

Mighty Beet Smoothie
4-6 servings, depending on the belly size

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup non-fat milk, more if needed to make smoothie smooooth
1/4 cup flaxmeal {or Chia seeds}
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1-2 whole beets*

and then any combination of fruits you'd like. Today we did:

juice from 3 fresh oranges from our yard
2 cups mixed berries/fruit, frozen

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend away until you've reached your desired consistency. Then, drink up!

*How are the beets prepared? Cut off their root and tips {save the greens for sauteing as a side, putting in a pasta sauce, or mixed in with roasted vegetables}, cut in half, and place in Pyrex with a little water. Cover with foil and roast in oven for 25-30 minutes around 350F, until soft when tested with a fork. Keep covered but let cool slightly. Peel the skin off and quarter. At this point you can put them in the shake, freeze them for later, or warm up some oil and garlic in a pan and saute them for utter yumminess! 

My friend, Jessica, has a fantastic beet salad recipe using fresh orange juice and avocados. I'll have to get that for you.

How do you enjoy beets??

.molly

Crock Pot Beef & Yam Stew

Mmmm... Isn't the chill in the air nice? It's about time! So how about a recipe for a beef stew to warm your tummy as the day ends...

My son's school asks us to contribute 15 hours of volunteer work every trimester, and since I don't have a lot of extra time to be at school, I've chosen to fulfill some hours at home. Every two weeks the staff has a meeting and parents bring them a home-cooked meal to go with the theme of what they are teaching the kids at that time. The other week, I was tasked with making beef stew for 12. Had a made beef stew before? No. And this excited me.

After scanning Pinterest for simple, tasty beef stew recipes I noticed they were all kind of the same with little twists here and there. This is my rendition, and it's delicious, if I'm allowed to say that. {No pics... See the note at the bottom.}

Beef & Yam Stew
Serves: 6-8 for dinner; 10-12 for a side

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1.5-2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed

all-purpose flour

salt & pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 large yams, peeled and cubed

4 Tbsp tomato paste

28 oz diced tomatoes, with juices

Bay leaf

1-2 tsp cinnamon to taste

1/2 tsp all-spice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce {optional}

Beef broth, as needed

1. Heat slow-cooker to "brown" setting, or heat large soup pan to medium-high heat, and melt butter.

2. Place meat in brown paper bag with flour, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

3. Brown meat on both sides, then set aside in a bowl.

4. Cook onions in slow-cooker {or the same pan} with some olive oil for 2 minutes, then add yams and continue to cook until onions are translucent.

{You can add other veggies here, like peeled/cubed carrots, celery, etc. After onions are translucent, you can also add sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so.}

5. Stir in tomato paste and stir to cover veggies.

6. Add beef back in.

7. Add in diced tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, all-spice, garlic cloves, Worcestershire sauce {optional} and beef broth {if needed for moisture or to make more soupy}.

8. Cover and simmer on low for up to 2 hours, adding broth if necessary. Consider making a day ahead to allow flavors to really mix together.

I was really quite pleased with myself for making up a stew and showering all before 11am, and that the kids were all still intact, although I didn't think to take any pics of the final product. As I dashed to the school I ran my fingers through my hair and realized I never washed the conditioner out of my hair! Oh well. Can't do it all. :)

enjoy.

molly

Balsamic Cremini Mushroom Side Dish

We had some extra cremini mushrooms in the fridge tonight so I turned to my new favorite oracle - Pinterest - for recipes and asked what I should make. What came up was simply delicious!

The original recipe was from "Dinners & Dreams" {"A Moroccan Recipe Journal"; a blog I hadn't seen before but I am definitely intrigued by it now} and suggested portobella mushrooms marinated in harissa, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and dried oregano, then skewered and barbequed. 

My version was cremini mushrooms marinated at room temperature for about 30 minutes in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and dried oregano {no harissa in the house} and then sauteed in more olive oil on medium for the first bit, then lowered to low to allow the juices to cook out a bit. The result... yum!

Paired it with flank steak and roasted broccoli with whole wheat pasta. The mushrooms added a fantastic sweetness such that I found myself rationing them out so that I could have some with each bit.

I can definitely see these in sandwiches, mixed in with some carb side {quinoa, cracked wheat}, and on top of cottage cheese with a bunch of other veggies. Next time, I'll make extra, and try not to eat it all that night!

What's your favorite mushroom side dish?

enjoy.

.molly

Incredibly Delicious, Super Easy Apricot Oatmeal Bars

I ran across Six Sisters' Stuff when searching Pinterest for ideas on how to organize all the craft and home-school goodies that line pretty much every area of our home. {More on that later.} The blog is six sisters who have moved away from each other, but use the blog to stay in touch. They are all very talented ladies, each with their own specialties - hair, craftiness, FOOD, etc. Great blog - Check it out.

Well, upon my searching I ran across these incredibly delicious, super easy apricot bars that looked amazing, and now, as I munch on them, I can confirm that they are indeed superb! I'd advise having a sweet little helper to make sure everything turns out perfectly...

I didn't change up their recipe too much - I don't usually do that on the first trial just to make sure it actually works as written. The only thing I did with this one is use 1/4c less all-purpose flour and added in 1/4c+ ground flax {my fav.} and I used Trader Joe's Low-Sugar Apricot Preserves. The result was a fantastically moist, perfectly textured oatmeal/apricot bar that took about 5 minutes prep {25-30 min to bake}. It's at the top of my list of go-to ideas for a quick dessert to share with others.  

Action shots:

The dough

Packed into the pan

The Final Product - Delish!

All the while, she slept... Thank you!

The sisters suggest having them for breakfast! They are a little high in sugar for my liking for a breakfast item, but they're so sweet with the apricot preserves that I bet you could omit some of the brown sugar and pair them cottage cheese, eggs, or whatever protein you prefer to balance out the meal. I'll probably add them in the lunchbox for a treat snack at school from time to time.

BTW, apparently they have a "Healthy Meals Monday" tradition so check out their blog for some more suggestions on family-fun recipes!

enjoy!

.molly

One Yummy Kale Salad

Up until about three years ago, I always considered kale to be that super stiff, dark green plant that comes as a decoration or space-filler on your plate - it was definitely not to be eaten. And then I discovered kale chips. Oh, yum.

And now I *look* for recipes with kale in them so that I can enjoy kale in yet another amazing way. My most recent discovery was served to our family up at our cabin this winter. Delicious. I have to share.

And, if you're in my boat from years ago, thinking kale is way to green and nutritious-looking to actually taste good, try this {or kale chips} before you completely cross it off your list.

Super Yummy Kale Salad

Salad:

1 bunch kale of choice

Craisins - chopped

Sunflower seeds - toasted {optional: with vegetable-based "butter" & lightly salted}

Dressing:

Lemon zest

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

You'll notice there are no real quantities listed out. That's where YOU come in. Play around with what tastes best to you. If you're new to kale, you may enjoy more craisins &/or seeds in your salad. I love lemon so I prefer more lemon than olive oil, but you could be different.

If kale is not new to you, how do you enjoy it best? I'd love to try it your way!

.enjoy

molly

P.S. Kale is an incredible source of vitamins A, C & K, as well as fiber, magnesium, and a boat load of antioxidants. It's worth getting to know.

Scrumptious Granola Packed with Goodness

So... Yes, I haven't been blogging. Sorry.

Being pregnant, having two kids already and wanting to be a hands-on, creative mom, running a business, trying to keep a clean house, and attempting to stay physically active... Oh yeah, and being a wife :) has made me re-set my priorities a bit and sadly Cookie+Curly's blog has been set a little lower than I had hoped. 7 weeks now until Baby#3 so we'll see how I do. I'm hoping to be better, and I'm starting now...

This post includes one of my favorite recent recipes: 

A Scrumptious Granola Packed with Goodness

My friend, Jessica, is an amazing go-getter in the kitchen and she loves trying new things, as do I. She forwarded along her delicious granola recipe, which I completely LOVED, but I couldn't help but doing a little experimenting. I think I have my version dialed in and here it is:

Ingredients:

4 c oats

1 c raw sunflower seeds
1 c raw pumpkin seeds

1 c wheat germ *

1/2 c shredded coconut

1 c blanched almonds

1/2 c canola oil

1/2 c honey

1/3 c brown sugar

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla pinch of salt

* OR 1/2 c wheat germ + 1/2 c ground flax
* OR 1/2 c wheat germ + 1/2 c ground flax + 1/2 c chia seeds

* OR 1 c wheat germ + 1/2 c chia seeds

Directions:

1} Mix spices and liquids together in a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes.

Two things to note here:

a} If adding chia seeds, add them into the liquid mixture once in a syrup state. This keeps them sticky and minimizes "loose" chia seeds in the mixture once it's done. I like it all clumpy together.
b} You can mix in any seeds/nuts in the dry ingredients. The more you add though, the more canola oil/honey you will need. 

2} Then mix with dry ingredients and bake on parchment paper. 325 F for 15 minutes, stir, then another 15 minutes. It will look slightly underdone when you take it out, but that is fine - it will burn if you leave it in any longer! It will finish crisping up while it cools.

We recently had the pleasure of delivering a huge jar of this granola to the local firehouse and were told they really appreciated getting healthy food from people.

Deliver some to your local firehouse and tell them Cookie+Curly sent ya! :)

enjoy.

molly

Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken - in 30 Minutes!

We had a scrumptious dinner tonight, thanks in large part to Bree over at "Baked Bree".

Her newsletter arrived in my Inbox just at the right time today and I couldn't resist her picture of her Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken.

Source: BakedBree.com

I mean, how great does that look?!

We enjoyed it with roasted broccoli (400F; toss broccoli florets with olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper; roast until golden brown appears) and orzo with fresh pesto. Yum!

Super simple. Like she says, "Everyone needs a meal that they can have on the table in 30 minutes that is healthy, easy, and delicious." Try it out. You'll love it.

.molly

Lean and Mean Lasagna

We just had this tonight and I feel the need to immediately share such a yummy recipe with you. 

I've never made lasagna before but my kidlets wanted to have "lasagna with Daddy" so... Mommy got to learn! There are a ton of tasty-looking recipes out there but I couldn't pick one so I put my own together. 

In our household we eat lean proteins, whole grains, little cheese {upon my husband's tummy's request} and as many veggies at dinner as possible. This recipe fits the bill.

Try it out and let me know what you think. Honestly, delicious!

Lean and Mean Lasagna

2 Tbsp olive oil, separated

6 oz mushrooms, chopped

1 large bunch red chard, chopped {did Spring cleaning of our veggie garden - more on that later}

3 large zucchini, shredded

1 bottle low-sodium marinara sauce {if you're not in a rush, homemade sauce is best!}

2 Tbsp Tbsp fresh thyme {from our herb garden - so fun to use home-grown!}

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

1 Tbsp raw sugar {agave nectar could be an option here - we are out}

8-12 whole wheat lasagna noodles

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sauted {olive oil, salt, pepper} and chopped

8 oz firm tofu

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 egg

1/3  cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bring large pot of water to a boil.

2. Heat olive oil on medium in saute pan. Saute mushrooms until golden.

3. Add chard to mushroom mix and heat until soft.

4. Stir in spaghetti sauce, thyme, parsley, and sugar. Heat through and transfer to a bold. Cover.

5. Cook pasta according to directions. {8-10 minutes}

6. Add olive oil into same saucepan and saute zucchini, pouring off liquid, until softened. Combine with other vegetables and cover.

7. In a food processor, combine tofu, cottage cheese, and egg. Process until smooth.

8. Spray or line bottom of 9x11 inch Pyrex pan with olive oil and a light layer of plain marinara sauce.

9. Start layering the ingredients with pasta, tofu mixture, marinara/veggie mix, and chopped chicken. 

10. Finish with a pasta layer and a light layer of plain marinara. Top with a very light layer of Parmesan cheese.

11. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until starts to bubble and cheese melts.

 

I have no idea how to cut lasagna so it actually looks nice, but man does this taste good! {Season with salt and pepper, if desired.}

eat up!

molly

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

In a previous post about a year ago {Have I been blogging that long?! Well, it's long for me.} I talked about "Making Friends for Your Veggies", sharing some fun ways we enjoy veggies, including Sweet P. Cookies.

Well, this week we added a simple twist to one of our oldies but goodies... Meet "Parmesan Sweet P. Cookies":

We just added grated Parmesan cheese into our usual sweet potato/olive oil/salt/pepper mix before roasting them. Adding just the right amount of yumminess to them. I love them "plain", but this was a really good addition too.

How do you prepare yams? {Remember, all yams are sweet potatoes but not all sweet potatoes are yams.} :)

happy eats. molly

Avo Makes it All Better

A few months back I discovered "Joy the Baker", and my world changed. Not only are her recipes amazing and usually quite good for you, but her blog writing is witty and entertaining, always prompting a smile on my face.

Deep into food cravings, I ran across this blog post on The Simple Lunch. She took a baguette, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, avocado, and fresh ground pepper, and turned it into what is now my favorite lunch {or snack}!

Of course, the Registered Dietitian in me kicks in and I need to balance it out a little bit, so I usually pair it with some fruit and some more protein {in addition to the ever-so-amazing-when-pregnant horseradish cheddar}. 

Today, my sweet son asked for "Mimi zucchini" {thank goodness his Mimi's - my mom's - nickname rhymes with something healthy and she cooks it so well!} so we had that on the side as well.

It went so well with today's chilly air. You gotta try it!

Happy eats.

I'm hungry.

.molly

Cheers!

I am not big on Valentine's Day. I mean, I love telling those I love that I love them, but to force a holiday upon people that puts unnecessary pressure on men and women to do something above and beyond - and spend lots of dollars - is just not fun in my book. That said, we still "celebrate" Valentine's Day, but on ground level.

Usually my husband and I give cards to each other expressing love, appreciation, and devotion. Occasionally some flowers show up from one of us. Tonight, we celebrated a little early as work calls my husband out tomorrow night.

Today, the kids and I made homemade cards for my hubby: Little dude listed out 20+ things he loved about Daddy while "Sunshine" wrote "DADDY" out for the first time and mastered her name after learning to write a "D" today. {So proud of my writers!}

I'm not sure a boy could adore his father more.

Did I mention she's just 2?? {Insert proud Mama smile.} THREE this Monday!

Daddy loves fresh fettucini with a hearty, vegetable-heavy Bolognese sauce, finished off with homemade chocolate chip cookies, so that was the menu tonight.

Eager to try out a new, but basic, chocolate chip cookie recipe, the kids and I made these cookies from Allrecipes.com earlier in the day. I tried Yummy Mummy's Kitchen first, but realized I could get lost on blogs quickly if I searched so I settled for AllRecipes's "Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies", with a few alterations {agave nectar in place of white sugar, egg whites in place of eggs, whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour, dark chocolate chunks, and reduced amounts of "Smart Balance" - I resisted the urge to add ground flax or chia seeds}.

Dinner was delicious. Conversation was sweet. Then we started a new tradition: "cheersing" with our cookies in front of the fire, eating slowly, and taking turns singing whatever song comes to our head. We had some great laughs.

-----

I *did* find this great recipe for Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies from Yummy Mummy's Kitchen that I look forward to making some time in the very near future. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Wishing you much love in your life.

.molly

Dinner in 20 Minutes

While visiting some friends in Denver, Colorado a few years ago, we were introduced to a recipe I can't believe I haven't passed along to you already. It's my favorite kind: 

- fabulous

- super easy

- nutritious

So what is it? Fresh Fettuccini with Roasted Chicken and Broccoli Rabe, courtesy of the Food Network's lovely Giada de Laurentiis. 

We use broccoli rabe when it's available and affordable, but often times we just saute or roast any yummy, green veggie, chop it up, and stick it in the pasta. 

Enjoy!!

Fresh Fettuccine with Roasted Chicken & Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
• 1 (9-ounce) container fresh fettuccine pasta
• 1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups shredded roasted chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water. Once cooled, drain broccoli rabe and set aside. Add the fettuccine to the same pot of boiling water and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. 

Meanwhile, bring the broth and lemon juice to a boil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Boil until the broth reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe to the chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the pasta, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, pine nuts, parsley, oil, and lemon zest. Toss to coat, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

Squishy Squashy Spaghetti

I'm not sure why it's taken me this long to introduce it, but tonight was the night the kids had spaghetti squash for the first time. It was a huge success!

I told them what we were having, but I masked it a bit in presentation by serving it in a bowl with lean sausage and marinara sauce. {Sidenote: Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara rocks in taste but watch it as there's 540mg of sodium per 1/2c servings - Yikes!!}

Once it was a proven success, I brought out the actual squash and showed them where their "spaghetti" came from. They were more intrigued by the squash and actually asked to eat it plain, out of the squash, instead of with the sauce in their bowl. Who knew?!

Actually, I confess that very often I serve veggies with marinara sauce. It's my "ketchup" in that I often use it as a dip to aid in getting the kids to eat more. I've realized lately, and I did it again tonight, that I need to stop immediately doing that and instead, let the kids try the veggie raw or cooked the way my husband and I would eat it.

We enjoyed our spaghetti squash with flank steak and sauteed spinach tonight. Hit the spot! What'd you have for dinner?

.molly

MIA

I'm sorry I've been missing in action (MIA). That thing called "life" has caught up with me and free-time isn't quite what it used to be. That, and I've been sick for a few weeks now. I'll bore you with the details later.

In the meantime, enjoy these Double Dipped Apple Doughnuts, courtesy of "Joy the Baker". Ridiculously yummy looking!!

I hope to be in better touch now. Maybe a batch of these Apple Doughnuts will help. :)

.molly

You Want Me to Drink What?!

Okay, so this doesn't LOOK terribly appealing {although the orange gives it a little appeal, doesn't it?!}, but it tastes soooo good. And, it's a great way to get your kidlets {or hubby!} to eat some greens.

Ingredients:

* 6 oz light blackberry yogurt

* 1 medium banana

* 1/2 c watermelon

* 1 c frozen spinach {thawed and squeezed to get rid of water}

* 1/4 c ground flax

* 1/2 c non-fat milk

* Splash of OJ

* 3 ice cubes

Really, add anything you want. Cocoa powder would up the antioxidants and totally change the flavor {and turn it into a dessert!}. Blend it all in a blender. Drink up!

I promise: It's good!

P.S. I couldn't resist throwing this picture in. Already posing at 2.5. And yes, she picked out her outfit for a walk downtown. Ah, my little princess...

.molly

Sauteed Avocado. Can you say, "Heaven"?!

I don't know how I got this bee in my bonnet, but I've had it stuck in my head lately to saute avocado and have it on a salad. Have you had that before?

Well, today was the lucky day. I combined grated Parmesan cheese with herbed breadcrumbs in a bowl:

Then heated olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauteed the avocado slice for a few minutes on either side, until browned.

I served in on top cottage cheese, pinto beans {I'm working on adding variety and iron-rich foods in my diet}, Trader Joe's bruschetta, and the leftover breadcrumbs/Parmesan crumbs. {I also had a side of green peas, which the kids actually gobbled up too! Helps that I topped theirs with low-fat cheddar.}

Minimal work. Total satisfaction.

Have you had sauteed avocado any other way? I think it will be my new favorite topper for anything - burger, salad, grains... Ah, the options.

Happy eating.

.molly

Brownies, With a Little Kick

First... No, not THAT kind of "kick". These brownies are juiced up with low-sugar jam and ground flax {yes, I had to try it with flax}. Check them out. Super simple. From scratch. Loved by all.

Another goodie from Cooking Light - Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies:

I sprinkled in probably about 1/4 cup of ground flax seed, and used Trader Joe's low-sugar raspberry jam one time, and my mom's homemade plum jam another time, instead of the cherry preserves. Both were delicious - I think you could use any jam you'd like.

Soooo delicious. And the dark chocolate chips are a super yummy addition to every bite. Enjoy!

.molly

Enhanced Rice Krispie Bars

Every year our church, Grace Church, has the privilege of hosting the Women's Overflow Shelter in the Fall. This means, we get to designate a portion of our campus to temporarily housing women who find themselves without a home. 

My friend Susan and I get to spend time with the ladies tonight before they retire to their beds - helping with their kids, lending an ear, sharing about our Provider {of comfort, rest, joy, love, peace...} should they desire to hear about Him, and just chatting.

We want to bring them some goodies they could enjoy so I've made them so scrumptious Green Pumpkinseed and Cranberry Crispy Bars that I found in Cooking Light's 2007 Annual Recipe Book. The recipe adds a list twist on the average Rice Krispie bar which is already super yummy. I'm not sure I'll be able to go back to it though after tasting these!

I *did* use EarthBalance butter spread instead of butter. I wonder if you can add ground flax to them?? Let me know if you try it.

A bonus: they don't really go bad for a while so they pack well in lunches, or they'll be great for the ladies tonight should they decide to save them for later.

Please place these particular ladies in your prayers tonight - that they may be blessed during their time at Grace Church, and that they experience His grace while they are there.

Fruit Crisp, Any Time

I looooove this Fruit Crisp recipe. {It's another one I did for Arts in the Kitchen}. It's super versatile and can be used with any fruit - fresh or frozen. And the topping can be frozen too, so now you can bust out an awesome dessert when last-minute guests show up for a fun evening together, or any time you'd like!

The recipe also uses a butter substitute (Earth Balance) to avoid saturated fat, whole wheat flour & multigrain oats to help you get in your whole grain goodness, ground flax for omega-3 fatty acid love, and agave nectar to lessen the sugar content. Not to mention all the great things that come in fruit.

With this particular crisp my kids and I picked fresh blackberries {"moras" en espanol} from an over-flowing bush on our usual walk. It's our favorite time of year!

Hard to keep some for the crisp!

Enough about us. The recipe...

Filling:

3-5 cups of seasonal fruit cut into 1-inch pieces

¼ cup agave nectar (optional: depends on sweetness of fruit)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional: use your judgement with which fruit you choose)

¼ tsp kosher salt

(if using apples: 1 ½ ground cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg)

Topping:

½ cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread (more if needed to get “sticky”)

¾ cup light brown sugar

¼ tsp kosher salt

2/3 cup whole wheat flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour)

1 cup multigrain oats (rye, barley, oats, wheat) or rolled oats

¼ cup ground flax (store out of light, air-tight, in freezer)

Directions:

1) Preheat over to 350 F.

2) Combine the filling ingredients in a baking dish and mix well. Set aside.

3) Bring Buttery Spread to room temp and mix in brown sugar and salt.

4) Add the flour, oats, and ground flax just until incorporated.

5) Crumble over the fruit filling. It should resemble floury cookie dough. If not, add more Buttery Spread. Don’t overwork.

6) Bake until golden brown on top: 40-45min.

Notes:

Topping can be made earlier and stored in the fridge (3 days) or freezer. Bring to room temp and crumble when ready to bake. Do not store filling and topping together.

Buon Appetito!