Mac & No Cheese

Notes: We both thought this was pretty good. Pictured it has red, yellow, green onion and diced tomatoes with green chiles and no red peppers.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
16 ounces whole grain elbow pasta, cooked

Instructions:
Sauté onion on medium heat in non-stick skillet with a little water or low sodium vegetable broth for 5 minutes, until translucent.
In a food processor, combine the onions, cashews, lemon juice, water, and salt.
Gradually blend in roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Thoroughly toss the sauce with the pasta.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Source: Engine 2

Small Book Shelf Re-Do

I was recently given this little bookshelf that was made by a family member in the early 50s in High School shop class. It had since been painted gold.

I gave the exterior a coat each of 2 shades of green chalk paint that I mixed up. The interior received chalkboard paint as that was the only black I had on hand. I then sanded the exterior down to distress it.
Next using Modpodge I decoupaged a map that I cut out of The Bugle (a publication by the Brooks bicycle saddle company).
I painted a black border around the map and sanded it slightly. Finally I covered the exterior with several coats of Minwax Polycrylic.

Taco Salad

Notes:

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 recipe Fresh Tomato Salsa Dressing (recipe follows) OR your choice fresh salsa
4 ounces low-fat baked tortilla chips (regular or gluten-free)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
4 servings Guacamame (about 1 cup, recipe follows) OR a packaged guacamole hummus

Tomato salad dressing

1 pound tomatoes (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt

Chop the tomatoes finely, and place them in a mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients, and use your hands to mush everything up really well. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Chill in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 5 days.

Guacamame

4 ounces sliced avocado
1 cup frozen edamame, completely thawed
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)
Pinch of cayenne, for spiciness (optional)

Place the avocado and edamame in a food processor. Pulse until everything is well chopped.
Add the water, salt, and lime juice, and puree until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula.
Add the tomato, red onion, cilantro, and cayenne (if using), and pulse to combine.
Transfer to a bowl, taste, and adjust flavors, if necessary. Serve ASAP.

Directions:
Divide the salad among four big bowls.
First, place the lettuce in each bowl, then layer on the black beans and salsa.
Crumble on the tortilla chips, and top with cilantro, if using. Serve with Guacamame on the side.

Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:
4 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp raw sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk substitute
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix. Add more applesauce if needed to achieve cake-like batter. Pour/spoon into mug.
Microwave 3 minutes.

Dining Out – Kosta The Greek

Kosta The Greek.

Our intention was to get the Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) but they were out. So we opted for the Spanakopita (contains cheese), the Greek salad and pita bread with tzatziki sauce (more dairy). So we strayed a little. Got it to go and brought it home. It was all good. We’ll have to try again for the Domaldes.
Edit: I’ve since had the Domaldes and they were really good.

Impromptu Dinner

Leftovers for lunch from last nights impromptu dinner. Broiled brussel sprouts mixed with faux kielbasa, mushroom, onion and red pepper tossed around in the skillet. Served along side gnocchi w/marinara and kalmata olives

Parmesan Quinoa Bites

Notes:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa (instead of preparing quinoa with water like the package suggests, use chicken broth. so much tastier!)
3 large eggs
3 stalks of green onion, sliced thin
1 cup grated carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra to sprinkle on top
3 Tbsp rice flour (or regular flour if you’re not GF)
1/4 tsp salt (more if you use water to make your quinoa. otherwise, the chicken broth adds enough salt.)
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 (fahrenheit).

Combine all of your ingredients in a large bowl (except for the extra parmesan for the top of each bite) and mix well. Spray your muffin tins entirely with cooking spray (don’t skimp on the spray or your bites will stick). Scoop out enough mixture to fill your standard muffin tins 3/4 full. Press down firmly with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top of each muffin tin portion. Bake in over for 20-30 minutes. Ready when slightly browned on top and a fairly browned crust on bottom and sides has formed. (The charm of these bites is the nice and crispy, almost chewy, crust around all the edges. The cheese melts and bakes into the sides….and oh my, it’s heavenly. So don’t remove too early…..but you don’t want them burnt and dried out either. So watch them carefully!)

Pop out of muffin tins and allow to cool slightly. Dip bites into your favorite dressing and enjoy

Blake’s 11th Birthday


We celebrated Blake’s 11th birthday at our house yesterday. Great-Grandma took him shopping for his birthday present prior to the party. One of the things he picked out to buy was the clothes he’s wearing. He received more clothes, a beta fish and some wrestling stuff at the party.


Stuffed Peppers with Veggie Sausage, Rice and Tomatoes

Notes: We both thought these were pretty good. Pictured is sans breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage (use half a stick or more depending on how hungry you are)
1/2 Zucchini diced small
Onion, diced small (use as much onion as you want. I used about 1/4 an onion)
1 garlic clove minced
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
2 cups, cooked whole grain rice
1/4 cup of whole wheat breadcrumbs
2-3 large bell peppers halved length wise, remove seeds (pick 3 different colors to make it fun!)
Cherry tomatoes halved (however many you want! It’s your dinner!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan heat oil over medium high. Ad the veggie sausage and cook breaking up the “meat” with a spoon until cooked, about 5 minutes. Transfer the “meat” to a plate or bowl.
Add a little more oil to the skillet along with the zucchini, onion, garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until veggies are tender. About 7 minutes.
Add zucchini mix to the bowl with the veggie sausage, along with the Parmesan, tomatoes, rice and a tiny bit of oil to combine.
In a small bowl, add some breadcrumbs, pepper and a little bit of olive oil. Stir together.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, arrange the peppers cut side up. Divide rice mixture among the peppers and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned. About 30 minutes.

This is a recipe you could make the night before and just pop in the oven when you get home from work. Try the veggie sausage, but if that is weird to you, feel free to use a meat of your choice.

Source: SK Fitness.