Massaged Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries

Most of my friends know how much I love massaged kale salads.  We have it at least once a week, often twice.  So last week my friend Melanie forwarded me this massaged kale salad recipe that includes roasted butternut squash and dried cranberries.  Looked delish!  I read through it once, but then promptly forgot everything except butternut squash and dried cranberries.  So when I went to make it for dinner tonight, I had the butternut squash and dried cranberries, but of course I didn't have any poppy seeds.  Or shallots.  Or lemons, even!  So I had to improvise and combined the two recipes together, and used a lime.  It was really good!  Thanks for the recipe, Melanie!

Massaged Kale Salad with Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries
Inspired by this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 small-ish butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1 large bunch of kale
• juice of 1 large lime
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries 
• several turns of the black pepper grinder

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Peel the butternut and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.  Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and some TSSS to taste.  Spread the squash out onto a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, wash and spin-dry the kale, remove the thick middle stem, and chop or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.
• Place kale, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice and salt into a large bowl.  Massage the kale with your hands for a few minutes until it becomes soft.
• Add the cranberries, roasted butternut squash, and black pepper and toss.

Random Veggie Soup

Cleaning out the fridge.  The soup was a hit, even with the 19-month-old.

Random Veggie Soup


Ingredients:

• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt, to taste
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 lb. brown rice noodles
• freshly cracked black pepper and grated parmesan for garnish

Directions:

• Place the first 8 ingredients (up to the water) into a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Add the brown rice noodles.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer again and cook until the noodles are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes (check the instructions on your rice noodle package).  Add more water if necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and top with pepper and grated parmesan right before serving.

Ranch Shrimp Tacos

I made some homemade 100% whole wheat tortillas for the first time today.  They were soooo good.  And soooo easy.  Just a little time consuming.  But soooo worth it.  Both kids each ate TWO.  EACH.  Straight off the pan.  This is the recipe I used for the tortillas.  If you have neither the time nor the urge to make your own tortillas, by all means buy them.  Whatever floats your boat.  :-)

Jumbo shrimp (wild caught!) are on sale at Sprouts this week.  So I decided to make shrimp tacos.  But I'd spent so much time making the tortillas that I had to do something quick with the shrimp.  So I grabbed the bottle of ranch dressing in the fridge.  Weird?  Maybe.  But they were GOOD!

Ranch Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 (4 oz.) packages of beech mushrooms
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
• a pinch of cumin
• a couple tablespoons of ranch dressing (or more)
• 6 small whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Directions:

• Sauté the mushrooms in coconut oil over medium-high heat until soft.  Add the shrimp, TSSS and TSGG to taste, and a pinch of cumin.  Continue to sauté until the shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and let sit to cool for a few minutes.  Then add the ranch dressing and spoon into the warm tortillas.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

I was craving buffalo wings this weekend.  There's something so delicious about crispy, juicy, spicy wings dipped into cool ranch dressing.  DROOL!

I thought I'd throw something together that was a little healthier.  I bought a bottle of Frank's Original Hot Sauce, heated it up with a little Smart Balance, tossed in some cooked shredded chicken breast, and threw it over a green salad.  YUM!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 2-ish tablespoons Smart Balance
• 1/2-ish cup Frank's Original Hot Sauce
• 3-ish cups cooked shredded chicken breast

Directions:

• Melt the Smart Balance in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Once it's melted, add the hot sauce and bring to a simmer.
• Add in the chicken, toss well, and heat through.

I spooned it over a green salad and drizzled with reduced-fat ranch dressing.  I'll be using the leftovers tomorrow for buffalo chicken sandwiches with whole wheat rolls.  I'm a happy camper.

Mushrooms with Sake Gravy

I was going to make the usual mushroom cream sauce today, but then saw hubby's opened bottle of sake in the fridge.  Pre-kids I used to cook a fair amount with wine.  And the kids had already asked for, and eaten, popcorn chicken from Sonic, so dinner was just for the two adults.  Hmmm...

The sake gravy was a tad bitter (probably had to do with the type of sake we had) so I added a teaspoon of honey.  And then at the last minute I tossed in some arugula for color.  I served it over Himalayan red rice, but brown rice would be just fine.

Mushrooms with Sake Gravy

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Smart Balance
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I used trumpets and criminis)
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 cup sake
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 2 large handfuls of arugula, washed and dried
• freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

• In a large skillet, melt the Smart Balance and sauté the mushrooms until soft, about 7 minutes.  Sprinkle with TSSS, thyme and whole wheat flour. Stir for about a minute for the flour to lose its raw taste.  Add the sake and water and more TSSS to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for a minute until the gravy thickens.  Depending on how much liquid the mushrooms let off, you may need to add a little more water.
• Taste the gravy, and if it's too bitter, add a little bit of honey.  Toss in the arugula and stir until wilted.  Add some freshly cracked black pepper.
• Serve hot over cooked rice.

Veggie Soup with Quinoa

This is just another random soup I threw together, but Veggie Soup with Quinoa sounds like a more appetizing title.  ;-)  It's still hot outside (I had the a/c running all day, set at 77 degrees), but I wanted soup.  Again.  I'm crazy, I know.  A big hearty bowl of veggie soup sounded so appetizing this afternoon, so that's what I made.

Veggie Soup with Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups water
• 8 oz. sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 (15 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 (15 oz.) can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus some for garnish
• 1 small bunch of kale, washed, rinsed and chopped

Directions:

• In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and sweat the onions.  Add the quinoa and stir for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the parmesan and kale.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
• Add the parmesan and chopped kale.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the kale softens.  Adjust salt & pepper as necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and top with a sprinkle of grated parm.

I would have loved some crusty bread to go with this, but I didn't have any.  So I used some warm naan.  Yum.

Baked Eggs and Rice

Another Meatless Monday here.  I was going to make some stratas but discovered last minute that I didn't have any bread.  But I had leftover cooked rice.  Ok, let's give it a try.

It came out very good.  Kinda reminds me of a steamed Vietnamese dish made of eggs, mung bean threads and black fungus.  You can obviously use any combo of veggies and even ground meat in here, but this was tonight's version.

Baked Eggs and Rice


Ingredients:

• Smart Balance
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1/2 a container of mushrooms (approx. 2.5 oz.), chopped
• 1 large handful of kale, washed, dried and chopped
• about 1/2 cup cooked rice
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 6 eggs

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two large (I used 12-oz) ramekins with Smart Balance.  Set aside.
• In a sauté pan, sweat the onion with 1 tablespoon Smart Balance over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, kale, and TSSS, then cook, stirring often, until everything is soft.  Add rice and combine.  Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs with a fork in a separate mixing bowl.  Add the rice and veggie mixture to the eggs and combine.  Divide between the two greased ramekins.
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until eggs are set.

Squash and Chicken Stew

So it's a gazillion degrees outside and I'm feeling stewey.  (Mom...Mom...Mom...Mummy...Mum...Mummy...)  At least it's a one pot deal.

Butternut squash was on sale at the grocery store.  I love the creamy sweetness of butternut squash.  I also got a nice bunch of cherry tomatoes and two beautiful yellow squashes from my tiny garden. Into the pot!

Squash and Chicken Stew
Inspired by this recipe.


Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 medium yellow squashes, sliced
• 1 (5 oz.) container of sliced button mushrooms
• 1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• large pinch of dried oregano
• large pinch of dried basil
• large pinch of dried thyme
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• grated parmesan for garnish (optional)

Directions:

• Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Sauté the onion until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute until fragrant.
• Add in the butternut squash, tomatoes, chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, covered, until the butternut squash is almost tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients (except the parmesan).  Bring back to a boil, reduce to simmer, and continue to cook, covered, until the veggies are all tender, about 15 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan.

Off Topic - Decorated Cookies - Ferrari Farms Ladybugs

July - cookies for Todd's work department potluck at Ferrari Farms; monogram and ladybug cookies
6 dozen 100% whole wheat vanilla sugar cookies with rainbow jimmies thrown in just for fun.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Sprouts has beautiful vine-ripened tomatoes on sale.  And I have a ton of roasted red peppers from their sale a couple weeks ago.  Pair that with some fresh homemade bread and you've got a yummy Meatless Monday meal.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 large tomatoes
• 2 red peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• salt & pepper
• 1 can evaporated nonfat milk

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring some water to a boil.  Put the whole tomatoes in and boil for a few minutes.  Transfer the tomatoes to an ice bath.  This will help you to peel them.  Peel and chop the tomatoes, remove seeds.
• Place the chopped tomatoes into a clean pot.  Add the roasted red peppers, onion, water, dried basil and some salt to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.  Cook for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are tender/soft.  (Cook longer if you want a really smooth soup.  I like mine with texture so the tomatoes are soft but do not disintegrate.)  Puree with a stick blender.
• Add the evaporated nonfat milk and continue to simmer until the soup is heated through again.  Add salt and pepper to taste.