Flying Iguana Guacamole

We went to the Flying Iguana restaurant where they prepped fresh guacamole tableside.  This is my re-creation / copycat recipe!  So good! 

1.5 TBS chopped cilantro
2 TBS chopped roma tomatoes
2 TBS chopped red onions
1 TBS chopped jalapeno 
2 Ripe avocados (stem pulls out easily)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 lime, juiced  

Put chopped veggies in a bowl.   Add the smashed avocado.  Then sprinkle with salt & pepper and lime juice.  Mix with a fork till combined!  Use a rubber spatula to scoop out the mixture into a clean bowl for serving, or just dig in!  

Red Sauce Cheese Enchiladas 

4 TBS oil or butter 
4 TBS cornstarch (or flour if not GF)
3-4 TBS Chili powder 
1 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp oregano 
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp cumin 
4 cups chicken broth
12-16 Corn tortillas 
1-2 cups shredded mexican cheese 

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Add oil or butter to frying pan.  Heat on medium until warm/melted.   Add cornstarch and whisk together.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.   

Add all the seasonings and whisk them in.  Pour in the chicken broth while whisking.   Let sauce simmer 10-15 minutes. 

Grease a 9x13 pan.   Dip each corn tortilla in the sauce, using tongs to cover completely in the sauce.   

Put it into the pan.   Add about 1/8 to 1/4 cup cheese and roll up the tortilla and line tortillas up in the pan. 

Keep going until the pan is full.   Save about 1/2 cup of sauce to pour on top of enchiladas.   Sprinkle the top with more cheese.   

Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Cinnamon Apples

Peel and cube an apple into 1/2" cubes 
Put in a pot, and cover with water.
Simmer about 5 minutes on medium until tender. 
Drain apple. 
Add 1/2 TBS butter and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.  

Serve warm or cold.  Can add granola for an apple crisp!  

Fresh Salsa / Pico de Gallo

 Delicious with homegrown tomatoes, but store bought tomatoes in the winter will do... 

4 red tomatoes on the vine 
1/2 red onion 
1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
1/2 lime 
1/2 to 1 tsp salt (to taste) 

Slice tomatoes and onion.  You can then dice them with a knife, but having a chopper makes this SO easy!  Drain liquid from tomatoes.  Put in bowl and add chopped cilantro and salt.  Hand squeeze 1/2 lime into the mixture.  Stir and sample.  Add more lime or salt to taste.  

Chopped Caprese Salad

Yum!  Especially with garden fresh tomatoes.  Measurements are approximate, because it's really just a throw-together kind of thing and it depends on what you like.
1 to 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3/4 to 1 cup cubed fresh mozzarella
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (15-25 leaves)
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
salt, to taste

Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar on top and toss together.  Salt as desired. 

Crunchy Coleslaw

Fun for a potluck! Make this gluten free by omitting the ramen noodles.  

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp better than bouillon - beef
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
2 green onions, sliced
package of ramen noodles, crushed (optional for GF)

Blend together oil, bouillon and garlic salt.  Mix together cabbage, almonds, onions and then mix in dressing.  Add ramen noodles right before serving.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce on Thai Chicken Wraps

Our Costco carried an amazing bottle of Thai sweet chili sauce over the winter.  It cost about $5 for a huge bottle.  During the summer, however, I haven't been able to find it there.  I looked around town, but the best I found was a tiny bottle at the health foods store for $4 and it was like 6 oz.  As if that would be enough for my family.  And it just wasn't the same.  I finally called Costco and they tell me that it's a seasonal thing.  Whaaa??  Alright, then, let's make our own!  I combined a few recipes to get this: 

1 cup water
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup white sugar (evaporated cane juice)
2 tsp fresh minced ginger
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes, depending on how hot you like it
2 tsp ketchup
1 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS water

Bring the water and vinegar to a boil.  Add the sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper and ketchup and let boil for 5 minutes.  Mix cornstarch and water, then drizzle into boiling mixture while whisking until thickened.  

Now, you may ask, what would I eat this with?  

THIS:   Thai Chicken Wraps

"Mom, it's like a burst of flavors mingling in my mouth" --- 14 year old son upon tasting this recipe

Trust me, you will love these.  Rave reviews all around.  We do serve these buffet style so picky eaters can choose what they like.  We also add cilantro and thai sweet chili sauce to everything already include in the recipe, and they are delicious!  

Alternatively, you can make these GF by simply skipping the wrap (or using a GF or lettuce wrap) and eating the filling or putting it on a salad.  You can also skip the chicken and go vegetarian easily, it's super flavorful.  

Super Simple Coleslaw

Super tasty with shredded pork! 

1/4 head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 c mayo
3 TBS apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 TBS sugar or evaporated cane juice.
1 T minced onion (optional)
Salt/Pepper

Shred cabbage and carrot, put in bowl big enough to toss.  Mix mayo, vinegar, sugar and onion to make dressing.  Add to cabbage mix and toss.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Kale Chips the Lazy Way

Yeah, kale chips are are actually really tasty.  They smell disgusting while cooking, but they taste terrific and are quite addicting.  All the kids like them (or at least those that have tried them.)  I found my four year old walking upstairs with a handful of them - after I'd put him to bed!  My 10 year old had been begging me to make them but I'd dreaded it because the recipe I had used previously was a bit work-intensive.  This is the simple way to make them.  

1 bunch kale
olive oil, sprayer or liquid
sea salt
1/8 cup shredded parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  Wash and thoroughly dry the kale.  Prep a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper (or tin foil.)   Rip the kale from the thick stem into 2" pieces (or so, obviously this won't come out perfect, but as you rip it from the thick stem, you'll see what I mean. Put those pieces on the cookie sheet. When done ripping, spread out the kale evenly.  Spray with olive oil or drizzle thin stream of olive oil onto the kale, then sprinkle with salt.  Toss with your hands and spread out evenly again.  Repeat 1 or 2 more times until it is to your liking.  The last time, sprinkle parmesan and toss.  Don't worry if some of the parmesan falls to the bottom of the pan, it'll still stick to the kale.

Bake for 10 minutes, then keep checking it every minute until kale is crispy, but not brown and burnt!  Every oven is different, so this is the hardest part about it.

Store in a bowl or plastic bag, but it might all get eaten first.

Pad Thai Noodles

The whole family LOVES this.  That's saying something. Plus it's super quick and an easy way to get lots of veggies into a meal.   

12 oz pad thai (flat rice) noodles
2 T butter
1 lb chicken
4 TBS oil, divided
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch green onions
4 eggs
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T fish sauce
3 T Sweetener - agave, apple juice concentrate, etc
1/2 T soy sauce
1 T lime juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less, depending on how spicy you like it)
2 c. bean sprouts

1 c. matchstick carrots
1/2 head cabbage, shredded (or chopped in thin slices)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 c. crushed peanuts

Get all the ingredients ready first so you can make this smoothly.  This part takes about 10 minutes:

1 - Put large pot of water on stove, turn on high
2 - cut up chicken
3 - Slice green onions and get garlic ready to press
4 - Mix sauce:   Combine vinegar, fish sauce, sweetener, lime juice and red pepper flakes.
5 - Wash/chop or shred any veggies you want
6 - Chop peanuts

Now begin the assembly.  This will take another 10-15 minutes

1 - Take your boiling pot of water off the burner.  Add the package of noodles.  Put the lid on the pot and let it sit for 8-10 minutes (set timer.)
2 - While noodles are sitting, heat butter in electric skillet (or wok).   Toss in chicken and fry until no longer pink inside (5-6 min)
3 - Remove chicken to a bowl.  Heat up 2 TBS oil and press the garlic into the oil.  Add sliced green onions.  Stir for about 30 sec - 1 min until fragrant and softened.  Add bean sprouts, carrots & cabbage and stir for 1-2 min.
4 - Remove veggies to the bowl with chicken.  Add 2 TBS oil to skillet and then crack the four eggs into the hot oil.  Use a spatula to chop the eggs up as they cook.  Cook until no longer runny (3 min or so)
5 - Drain the noodles.  Add noodles, chicken/veggies, sauce, peanuts and cilantro to the skillet  Stir it all together and heat another 3-4 minutes.

Could easily make this vegetarian without the chicken.  

Quinoa Salad for Beginners

I HATE the smell of quinoa when it's cooking.  It smells terrible.  I can rarely ever eat something made of quinoa right after cooking.  That's why I usually cook it, then refrigerate it, then make something out of it.  

Anyway, this is one delicious salad!  My 1, 3, 11 &16 year old kids all love it.  The 6, 8 & 18 yo didn't dare try it.  This recipe is very forgiving, you can pretty much just throw in what you have. 


4 cups cooked, refrigerated quinoa
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup chopped celery, carrots, cucumbers, sprouts, peppers, cilantro, parsley (all or any combination)
1/4 c. chopped green onions (or other onions)
1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken (or omit, it's good either way)

Dressing:
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. olive or sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt

Mix dressing.  Mix quinoa & veggies.   Pour dressing over salad and stir.  Add extra salt if needed. 

Canning With Kids: Applesauce

My kind neighbor let us pick their apples so we ended up with about 2.5 bushel, yeah!  Currently, a 1/2 bushel of apples is about $17-$20 from the nearby fruit stands, so I was very grateful.  I added the neighbor's apples to the 1.5 bushels I already purchased.  We canned for 5 hours and ended up with 30 quarts of applesauce and about a 1/2 bushel left for eating. 

Here's how to do it. Read all directions before beginning to ensure you've got everything!

An hour or so before you start - wash the lids & jars in the dishwasher.

Step 1. Fill one side of the sink with water.  Add apples to wash them. 

Step 2. Set the kids to chopping.  Give them a cutting board & knife.  Cut the apples in fourths, cutting out any bad parts like worm holes.  Leave skin, stems, core, etc on.  Send younger kids out to play with the 6 year old watching them. 

Step 3. In a large pot (mine is 12 quarts), put about 1-1/2" of water on the bottom.  Add apple pieces to this.  When it's really full, put the lid on and set it on the stove on med-high heat.  Bring to boil, and boil about 40 minutes until apples are soft. 

Step 4. Keep on washing & chopping apples while boiling apples.  Set up a food strainer (victorio strainer is the kind I have.) 

Step 5.  When apples are soft, drain the water out.  Put soft apples in the top of the food strainer and set the kids to work pushing the apples in on top and turning the handle. 

Step 6.  I keep washing & chopping apples while the kids are making the applesauce. I get the water bath canner ready to go by adding water to the bottom and putting it on the stove to start boiling.


Step 7. Get a small pot and put an inch or two of water in it. Add the lids and start it boiling.

Step 8.  Hopefully by now, the kids have 6-7 quarts of applesauce made.  Get a towel out and set a couple hot jars from the dishwasher on it.  Put a canning funnel in the first jar.  Scoop the applesauce in the jar, leaving a 1/2" head space.  Tap the jars on the towel to help them settle.  You can use a table knife to help the applesauce settle and avoid air bubbles.  

Step 9. Wipe the top of the jar with a paper towel so no residue remains. Get a lid from the pot of boiling water (use a magnetic canning wand or if the kids stole yours like they did mine, you can use tongs.) Put on top of the jar and put a ring on. Tighten, but not too much.

Step 10.  Continue to fill your jars until you have enough to fill your canner.  If you have extra jars that won't fit, put them in hot water in the sink so that they stay hot. 


Step 11. If your jars from the dishwasher are no longer hot, you can put them in clean hot water in
the sink. You want the jars hot when you put the hot applesauce in. 

Step 12. Put the jars in the canner and process for the recommended time (see your instructions.) My quart jars had to be processed for 30 minutes in a steam canner because I live at a high altitude.


Step 13. Call all the kids back to continue making applesauce, since they all ran away when your back was turned filling the jars with applesauce Repeat until you've got them all done!

Brussels Sprouts - no, really!

No one in their right might likes Brussels sprouts, or so I thought... Mushy overcooked disgusting mini cabbages, haven't had one since I was a kid! Well, my 8 year old son saw Brussels sprouts at the store and really wanted me to buy some. Since it was his birthday and they were on sale, I indulged and bought 6. 6 whole sprouts! ha! Anyway, I searched for a way to cook 'em up, and this is what we came up with:

butter
olive oil
Brussels sprouts
real salt
pepper

Wash sprouts, then cut in half lengthwise. Heat some butter & olive oil in non stick frying pan. Put sprouts cut-side down and let cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until cut side is browned. Don't stir them until that is accomplished. Then sprinkle with real salt and ground pepper while stirring to coat. Chopped or sliced almonds would be yummy to add too.

I usually only post recipes that everyone (or nearly everyone) likes. This recipe was one that both mom and dad liked, as well as 2 of 6 kids. Only 3 kids actually tried them, and of course the baby can't eat them yet. One child like them so much that they are now one of her new favorite veggies. I thought that 50% (higher if I don't count the baby) enjoying this was an impressive statistic for Brussels sprouts.

Veggie Mac 'N Cheese

Even though the kids all complained when they saw this, they all ate their portions until nothing remained!

16 oz package of pasta (about 3-1/2 cups dry)
1-1/2 c. finely chopped carrots
3/4 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. finely chopped broccoli
1/2 c. peas (optional)
2 1/2 TBS butter
3 TBS Whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 c. milk and/or cream
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestshire sauce
dash to 1/4 tsp tabasco sauce
1/2 c to 1 c. shredded mozzarella
1 to 2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan.

Cook pasta in pot of boiling water for 4 minutes (for macaroni). Stir in carrots & celery and cook 2 minutes more. Add broccoli and cook 2 more minutes. Drain through small sieve then return to the pot. Add peas.

While pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt butter in pan. Add flour and mix in, then pour in milk. Whisk periodically over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add dijon, worcestshire sauce, tabasco and mix well. Add mozzarella and cheddar and stir until melted.

Pour sauce over pasta and stir. Pour the whole mess into the 9x13 pan, sprinkle with parmesan on top. Toss it in the oven and back till thick and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.

Notes: You can vary the veggies and the amounts - adjust to your family's tastes. You can add quite a few veggies, provided they are finely chopped without totally scaring the kids.

Gluten Free option: Use Tinkyada brown rice pasta, but cook for about 10-12 minutes before adding veggies. Use arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) to thicken your sauce rather than flour. May need to use a little more than it says. (If the sauce needs to be thicker and it's boiling, then mix some more arrowroot powder in a little cold water, then pour it gradually into the pot while stirring.)

Creamy Corn Soup

This one is loaded with veggies but the kids have no idea. Unless of course they help you make it... It's adapted from a recipe my nephew's wife shared with us. A food processor and a stick blender make this soup a snap.

2 T butter
1/2 onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 small red potatoes, diced (can use regular potatoes but red are creamier)
1 lb baby carrots or regular carrots, diced
4 cups chicken broth (or more, enough to cover veggies)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1/2 to 3/4 c. heavy cream or milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Saute onions in butter. Process the rest of the veggies in food processor to chop up and add to the pot. Add chicken broth to cover veggies. Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender (if you've chopped the veggies up small, then this will only take 10-15 min.) Use a stick blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add corn and cook for a few minutes until it's heated through. Remove from heat and add cream, salt and pepper and cheese if desired (or serve cheese as a side topping.)

This is a very versatile recipe, because you can use pretty much whatever veggies you have on hand, and make the pot of soup as big as you want. I've thrown in broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, etc and no one is the wiser.

Teriyaki Sauce

Quick and easy! Really good on stirfry veggies, rice, etc.

1/4 c. tamari soy sauce
1-1/4 c. water
1/4 c. pineapple juice
1/2 tsp ginger (or 1/2 tbs freshly grated ginger)
4-5 TBS sucanat
1 minced garlic clove
2-1/2 TBS arrowroot powder
1/4 c. cold water

In a medium pot, combine tamari, water, pineapple juice, ginger, 3 TBS of sucanat and minced garlic. Heat to boiling while stirring. Mix arrowroot in cold water, add to sauce while stirring. Stir until sauce is thickened. Add more sucanat as sweetener to taste. Add more water if too thick.

Green Noodles aka Pesto Pasta

My friend Cheree shared this with me, and my kids loved it. Pesto is also delicious in panini.

2/3 cup packed coarsely chopped basil leaves or 2 T crushed dried basil leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive
2 tablespoons walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic
10 oz cooked spaghetti or noodles (for GF, use Tinkyada brown rice noodles)
2 tablespoons butter

Place all ingredients except pasta and butter in blender container. Cover and blend on high speed until mixture is of uniform consistency. Cook spaghetti as directed on package; drain. Toss spaghetti with basil mixture and the margarine. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Old Fashioned Popcorn

About a year ago, we lost a main part to our air popper. We tried out old-fashioned popcorn in a pot instead and boy is it good. We still don't have an air popper!

Large pot
Hot pads
Coconut oil
Popcorn kernels
Sea salt
Butter

In the bottom of a large pot, pour in about 1/4" to 1/2" coconut oil (of course you may not know how much you've got in there until it's melted.) Melt the oil on med-high. Once the oil is melted, add enough popcorn kernels to the oil is filled up with kernels (so most of the kernels are covered with oil.) Put the lid on, and let it warm up. Meanwhile, heat up some butter in a small pot on med-low. Amount of butter depends on your desire. When the first few kernels start popping, put your hot pads on and start shaking that pot over the heat. Keep shaking until popping has slowed way down.

Pour into a popcorn bowl, leaving unpopped kernels at the bottom (and there may be a few burned ones.) Drizzle melted butter and sprinkle sea salt in batches on top of the popcorn and stir as you go.

VARIATION: Make kettle corn by adding some agave syrup to taste to the butter mixture.

Bircher Muesli

I often had muesli as a child, except we just ate commercial muesli with milk like a cold cereal. While that was good, it was hard to digest. A few months ago while on a cruise, I found that they had "real" soaked muesli in the breakfast buffet. How delicious it was! I've been meaning to give it a try since then, so here it is...

3 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. orange juice
1-1/2 c. raw milk
4 TBS sweetener (honey, agave or mixture)
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. raisins (golden raisins are typical for muesli, but you can use any kind, or you can substitute any other dried fruit such as dried apricots)
1/2 c. whip cream or milk
1 grated apple
chopped almonds or hazelnuts (soaked/dehydrated)
cinnamon and/or nutmeg
fresh fruit (berries, pineapple, grapes, bananas, etc)

In a bowl, mix oats, orange juice, milk, sweetener, yogurt, vanilla and raisins. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, whip the cream & grate the apple and fold into oat mixture. (If using milk instead of cream skip the whipping.) Scoop into individual bowls. Top with chopped almonds, dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg and lots of fresh fruits. Serves 6-8.

Fudgsicles

I had fudgsicles on my mind, so I googled for a healthy chocolate pudding recipe and I tried this out.

First make the pudding following these directions:
Chocolate Pudding

I used milk, but I'm sure coconut milk would be delicious too. I used 1/3 cup sweetener - 1/2 of it was agave syrup and 1/2 was sucanat. I also added in 1 TBS butter with the vanilla at the end to make it extra flavorful and rich. The pudding was delicious as is, but I still wanted fudgsicles! After cooling slightly, I poured it into popsicle molds and put it in the freezer. The next day the fudgsicles were done and delicious!