Recipe Redux: Falafel made from leftover Hummus

I made 3 batches of homemade hummus for a BBQ this past weekend. Needless to say, I had quite a bit leftover. Don't get me wrong, I love hummus. But I can only eat so much of the stuff. I figured there had to be a way to re-purpose the leftovers without too much fuss.

FALAFEL!!

Mushroom Fries with Creamy Horseradish Dip

I really love mushrooms. They're fat free, low in carbs and calories, and high in a lot of vitamins and minerals

(www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=97)

Even though they're super delicious on their own, I can't help but love them even more when they're battered and fried and served with a creamy horseradish dipping sauce. 

I mean, why not take a healthy, natural food and make it terrible... 'Murica

I knew there had to be a way to make a similar but healthier dish. 

Here it goes... 

Grain-free, Dairy-free Portobello Fries with 

Creamy Horseradish Dipping Sauce!!

Stuffed Zucchini

I has some leftover quinoa and lentils from other recipes I had made today, so I decided to throw them together as a stuffing for some baked zucchini boats. I have to say, it turned out even better than I expected!

This recipe was quick and easy, inexpensive and super healthy. 

Better Eggs Benedict

I was in the mood for a hearty, eggy breakfast. I wanted to keep the vegetables in there, but I didn't want to do another vegetable pancake today. I scavenged my refrigerator and inspiration hit... Eggs Benedict!

A breakfast of Eggs Benedict was always a treat growing up. It has everything going for it: salty, chewy, crunchy, creamy and slightly tart. The version I was accustomed to also had a lot of processed ingredients, nitrates and preservatives. I knew I could do better.

I had leftover grain-free buns from the other day, eggs (of course), a bunch of random vegetables and condiments. So I hit up ol' Chef Google for help...

 I may have dislocated my shoulder while patting myself on the back this morning, but it was totally worth it!
This version starts with a toasted grain-free bun, chewy/salty kale strips, and a poached egg topped with a super easy Hollandaise sauce...

Not sure if I'm more proud of the meal or of the photo. I actually took that pic with my phone! Yay me!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I LOVE potato pancakes, but I was looking for a way to amp up the nutrition and flavor today. 

So, I give you...

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

with Maple Cinnamon Dipping Sauce

Grain Free Focaccia-Style Bread

This bread recipe is super easy, and can be made in about 20 minutes (give or take oven pre-heat time). It's grain free, dairy free and it has a great texture and flavor. It's high in protein and fiber and low in carbohydrates.

You can make it as a single loaf (like focaccia) or divide it up as pictured for sandwiches...

My take on an classic Indian dish (Aloo Gobi)

Sometimes inspiration hits at the strangest times. Case in point, I was watching "An Idiot Abroad", the Ricky Gervais series (you MUST watch it!!). I made it to the second episode where Karl visits India. Suddenly, I couldn't stop thinking about how badly I wanted Indian food for dinner. I did a quick google search and compared the recipes to my pantry items. After a few ingredient adjustments, I settled on this version of Aloo Gobi. It was exactly what I was looking for: healthy, hearty, and easy to prepare. Plus, it's vegetarian/vegan and grain free (if you're interested)

(Confession: This photo was from a google search because my cooking skills are MUCH better than my photography skills. However, this photo looks just like my dish did... minus the fancy garnish)

Recipe: Side Dishes part deux

If you've been following along with my ramblings, you now have some leftover crock-pot chicken, homemade chicken broth, Spanish rice and some Latin style black beans. Sounds like the makings of a delicious soup to me!!

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup

Easy Recipes: 2 side dishes for 2 meals

Made a Mexican themed dinner the other night and decided to make everything (mostly) from scratch...

I served the following recipes as side dishes to pan grilled burritos stuffed with seasoned ground beef, black olives and cheddar cheese, topped with a little sour cream and Tapatio hot sauce. 

The BF isn't a fan of Mexican food (he HATES cumin), but he asked me to write these recipes down so that I'd be able to make them again.

Note: A bad side effect of making up recipes on the fly is not being able to reproduce them... Oops. 

Good thing I have a blog to save all my recipes now!

Latin-Style Black Beans

1 c Dry black beans, soaked per package directions

1/2 onion, chopped

3-4 strips bacon, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 Tbls cilantro (fresh, if available)

pinch Cayenne pepper

salt to taste

Rinse and drain beans

Return beans to pot, add 3 c hot, salted water

Bring to boil. Cover halfway. Reduce to simmer for 90-120 minutes (until beans are tender and remaining liquid is thickened)

Fry bacon until crispy. Add onions to bacon pan and saute until soft. Season mixture with cumin, chili powder and pinch of cayenne. Stir over heat for another minute or two to release the flavors of the dried spices. Add onion/bacon/spice mixture and cilantro to cooked beans. Stir to combine.

Spanish Rice

1 Tbls Olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

garlic, minced

1 c rice (brown is most nutrient dense)

1/3 c tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (I had some roasted, pureed and frozen from last season)

1 2/3 c chicken broth (home-made if you have it)

1/2 c diced tomatoes (also frozen after last season)

salt and pepper

Add olive oil to pot, heated over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender.

Add dry rice and continue to cook over medium heat until golden and slightly puffed (about 5 minutes)

Add tomato sauce and chicken broth and salt (to taste)... homemade broth may need more salt

Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes (until all water is absorbed)

Stir in diced tomatoes

Each recipe makes about 6 servings. Save 2 servings of each if you can. Posting a soup recipe tomorrow :)

Homemade Beef Stock

I just posted a similar entry on last Friday about making chicken stock. Beef stock is even easier. Plus, there are a lot of benefits you get from homemade stocks and broths that you won't get from store bought...

"When you ingest bone broth, it feeds the body with collagen, which is the building block of cells to bones, ligaments, cartilage and the brain.  Gelatin, a form of collagen used in food, is used (among other benefits) to help digestion because the liquid gets absorbed into the body quickly and without much effort. Making bone broth excellent for people with food sensitivities and gastrointestinal disorders because it is usually very safe and tolerable for the body." (http://doctorauer.com/benefits-of-bone-broth/)

Button Soup (AKA: Stone Soup)

One of my favorite stories growing up was "Button Soup" ( sometimes called Stone Soup... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Soup). In a nutshell, it's about a community coming together to make a meal for everyone when they all thought they had nothing... probably thinly veiled Communist propaganda, but I digress. The story is really sweet, and I think of it whenever I make this soup. The basic recipe is the same each time, but the outcome varies depending on what I have on hand.

Why I make my own Chicken stock...

I make a lot of homemade soups. I mean, like, A LOT. Soups are easy. They're filling. They're inexpensive. And, they're a good way to use up leftovers. Plus, they freeze well, so it's a great way to make meals in advance. Because I make a lot of soup, I use a lot of broth.

Don't misunderstand. Store bought broth is quick, easy, and inexpensive. There are even a bunch of brands now that are are "all-natural" and "organic". But, as I've mentioned before, I am a super cheapskate and I hate buying things just to throw them away. Hypothetically, if I were to buy some all-natural chicken broth, it would be a healthy option, but I'm spending about $5 for a quart (or about $10 just for the broth in my homemade soup), and I now have 2 containers I need to dispose of.

On the other hand, an entire chicken is also about $5. This one little chicken will give you enough meat for more than a few different recipes, as well as a few GALLONS of all natural broth. Plus, you can control the amount of fat and sodium... Plus, it couldn't be simpler.

LIFEHACK: "Bullet-proof" Coffee Creamer Drop-ins

Have you heard of "Bullet-proof Coffee"? I first heard about it here: http://wellnessmama.com/5673/the-only-way-i-drink-coffee/ . However, the idea has been around forever (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter_tea)

 OK, so the first time I read about putting butter and oil in my coffee, I though it sounded gross and weird. However, I had all the ingredients and my curiosity got the better of me.

LIFE. CHANGING. COFFEE.

Honey Nut Cookies (Grain Free)

I try to eat fairly healthy, but I don't subscribe to any specific diet. I'm not vegan or Paleo. I eat wheat and drink alcohol. I like to eat foods that make me happy. That being said, I'm also not opposed to trying a new recipe, be it vegan or Paleo or whatever, so long as it's delicious.

Here is a grain free cookie recipe that I found and then modified to my liking...

New Year's Resolution: Pursuit of the Perfect Pizza

I don't make New Year's resolutions. Why resolve to make a MAJOR change ONCE a year? That's way too much pressure for this lazy hippie. Instead, I like to set up frequent, attainable goals for myself. My latest goal was to learn how to make the perfect homemade pizza. I vowed that I would accomplish this by the end of winter. 
I started my journey in mid-December and was able to accomplish it by New Year's Eve. Looks like I can relax until Spring