Recipes

We have to eat

Isaiah’s Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

School’s out. So what do you do when your mom thinks she’s a home-ec teacher circa 1991 and you have a hankering for a chocolatey treat? You get out the measuring cups and mixing bowls so you can make yourself something awesome! I’m so proud of him, I’m beaming. And I’m eating some outstanding deliciousness. Chocolate and peanut butter are such a great combination. But don’t take it just from me, let’s hear Isaiah tell us about it: “They’re made with peanut butter, and they’re cookies.” (Cue the crickets)


Adapted from William-Sonoma’s The Cookbook for Kids

As organic as possible:

For Cookies

1/2 cup Butter

3/4 cup Brown sugar

1/4 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Chunky peanut butter

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 1/4 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

 

For Chocolate Dip

1 1/4 cup Semisweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp Vegetable shortening

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Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until blended. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed until blended.

Shape the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, placing 12 balls at least 2 inches apart on each baking sheet. Using a fork, press twice into each cookie to make a crisscross pattern. Bake the cookies until golden, 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Add the shortening. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir. Then microwave for 30 seconds longer or until melted.

One at a time, dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When all the cookies are dipped, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator just until the chocolate is set, about 5 minutes. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Warning! This may attract on lookers.

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Another Warning! This is messy.

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But they’re worth it.

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Blueberry Muffins

Is there anything more beautiful than a blueberry muffin? Not if you’re into baked goods with crumbled topping and bursts of fruit- which I am. And it just so happens that I am in Michigan where we have the best blueberries in the world (and cranberries, and cherries, and apples…). We are fortunate enough to have two blueberry seasons, and by-golly we can freeze them in-between. So eat up buttercup, life is good.

Adapted from Muffins by Williams-Sonoma

As organic as possible:

For the Topping:

1/4 cup Flour

2 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp Brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon

2 Tbsp cold unsalted Butter

 

For the Muffins:

7 Tbsp unsalted Butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

2 1/4 cups Flour

4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 cup Milk

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla

1 pint Fresh Blueberries

 

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

To make the topping, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients just until coarse crumbs form.

For the muffins, using an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until blended into the butter.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Reserve a tablespoon of the dry ingredients and set aside. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Gently toss the blueberries in the reserved tablespoon of flour. Carefully fold the blueberries into the batter, just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Take care not to break up the fruit. Do no over mix.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup. Sprinkle each muffin with some topping.

Bake until golden, dry, and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes (until an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Let cool for about 5-10 minutes. Unmold the muffins and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

 

Easy Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki for Two

I love Teriyaki. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like the flavor of Teriyaki. But for all my appreciation, I can’t get my kids to eat anything with the taste of Teriyaki. Which means there is no point in making a full meal that’s going to go to waste, hence my rare and personal-sized batch of this yummy chicken dinner (or lunch) for two. Of course if your family knows what’s good, feel free to double, triple or quadruple etc.

As organic as possible:

4 boneless skinless tenderloins
2 scallions, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 small or 1 large garlic clove, minced or grated
1 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (optional)

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 broccoli steamed

Place the tenderloins, scallions, ginger, garlic, Teriyaki sauce and orange juice in a small crockpot. Give a little stir to incorporate all ingredients and set on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. (My little crockpot runs hot even on low, so six hours is plenty.)

Top with extra scallions and serve with rice and broccoli. You’re so healthy.

Sidenote: If you want to roll like we do, about 20 minutes before dinner place the frozen organic chicken tenders for the kids in a preheated oven.
(And if you really want to know how this is going to play out, it’s going to go something like this: my children are going to be really glad I made them chicken that doesn’t have sauce. And they’re going to like their rice. One of my children is going to eat all of his steamed broccoli, and probably ask for some of mine. Another child will eat her mandatory broccoli floret because she is sensible and has reasoning, but she won’t like it. The next child will have passed up every opportunity to eat his broccoli and it will be the last thing left on his plate. And it will have turned into a battle of the wills to take a bite of that broccoli (which is what it has been reduced to). And before it touches his lips, he will already be gagging. Because he has a ridiculous self-imposed gagging reflex. All threats will have been made, and he knows that he will be going to bed straight after dinner without watching any TV with the family. And he will finally take a nibble followed quickly by a drink of milk. And then he will ask for a treat, as if his effort deserves a reward. And the baby will have little green pieces of broccoli all over his chin and covering his tray. Because he has an amazing ability to sort and separate with his tongue the pieces of broccoli that you have tried to shovel in with the spoonfuls of rice. And you will just be satisfied that he at least has tasted the broccoli. After you clear the table you will spend 20 minutes picking and wiping up sticky pieces of rice from the chairs and floor, because not one of your children can get all of their rice in their mouth. And you might murmur to yourself something like “I should just wait until the morning when this is dry and sweep it up.” But you know that in your heart of hearts, if you made a decision like that, that this would be the night they would pretend the kitchen table was a rocketship and they’d all be under there playing and mashing rice with the knees of their pajamas and socks… Whew! Blogging, it’s better than therapy.)

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Bites

I love zucchini. It’s a green vegetable with a creamy, almost buttery, texture when baked. Top it with a little pepper and salty Parmesan, and well you’ve got yourself a tasty treat. But let’s take this one step further and serve it with a side of marinara dipping sauce. Oh my goodness! Guiltless indulgence is like an oxymoron when it comes to healthy eating… but it does exist!

As organic as possible:

Snack serves 2 (or a hungry 1) 

Olive oil cooking spray

2 Medium Zucchini, washed, dried and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

3 oz. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Coarse Kosher salt

Freshly ground Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lightly sprayed with olive oil. Place zucchini rounds on the oil-misted parchment paper, not touching eachother. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pinch a tiny mound of Parmesan cheese to top each slice of zucchini. Place baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until Parmesan turns golden brown. Serve warm with a side of marinara. (And maybe an iced glass of S.Pellegrino?) Indulge.

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Turkey Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes were kind of a staple growing up in my house. It’s game night and the cheerleaders are coming over for dinner, what are we going to have? Sloppy Joes! We had a big test in school today, and I could sure go for some comfort food, what’s for dinner? Sloppy Joes! Or it’s been a particularly busy day, mom hasn’t had time to prepare a huge meal for dinner, what should we have? Sloppy Joes! To be fair to my mom, maybe we had them 2 times a month at most, but it always felt like the best answer to me. Yummy comfort food, great for a crowd and easy to pull together. That just so happens to be my favorite kind of food to feed my family today. Here’s just a delicious and healthier twist, because eating healthy should be comforting too!

As organic as possible:

Olive oil cooking spray
1 medium Green bell pepper, finely diced
2 lbs ground Turkey
1 1/2 T granulated Onion
1 1/2 T granulated Garlic
1 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground Black pepper
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1 14.5 oz can Tomato sauce
1/4 cup Ketchup (I use organic with a cane sugar, and I think it gives the mixture a little depth of color and flavor, but for die-hard clean eaters feel free to omit)

Whole grain Hamburger buns

Coat a large frying pan with olive oil spray over medium heat and add the green pepper and turkey. Start to separate the turkey with a wooden spoon (or utensil of your choice) and add the granulated onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Continue to incorporate spices into meat mixture as it browns.

(Side note: For Sloppy Joe’s made with beef, I prefer to use freshly diced onion and minced garlic. However, I like the concentrated flavor of granulated onion and garlic for ground turkey. Also, I like to flavor the meat as it is browning- I think it tastes better. Could you add the spices to the turkey after it has been strained -so you don’t lose any- along with the tomato sauce and ketchup? Yes… but I wouldn’t.)

When turkey is mostly cooked through (because turkey has a tendency to dry out, and it will continue to cook in the sauce) strain the majority of the excess fat- a little keeps some flavor… (Who knew Turkey Sloppy Joe’s were so technical?) Add the tomato sauce and ketchup. Stir until combined and saucy. Allow to simmer on low for at least 15-20 minutes.

Serve on whole grain buns, because there is no reason to cut corners on our healthy meal. And if I may, I suggest a side of baked sweet potato fries because they are awesome.

Brenda’s Cheesy Dip

It’s the weekend, hurray! Time to cut loose, invite some friends over, and eat some corn chips!  Well, for some of you anyway. I thought it would be fun to post an easy and oh-so-tasty little dip. Hey, not everybody is clean eating these days, and for those who take occasional days off… Here’s to having a little fun! My friend Brenda brought this retro-style deliciousness to a party not so long ago. She called it “Bean dip”, and she was like “I don’t know why, there’s no beans in it.” Lol. Stuff like that cracks me up! Regardless, it was yummy and I had to have the bean-less recipe to share with you! (Call it what you want.)

Now the original calls for Velveeta, which even my favorite celebrity home cook Ree Drummond herself condones at times. However, I’ve listed a more “natural” option that I’ve come to appreciate- for all of you purists out there. (I can see both sides.)

4 – 15 oz. cans Hormel chili (no beans)

8 oz. Sour Cream

1 – 16 oz. block of Velveeta (or 2 – 8 oz. jars of Trader Joe’s Chipotle Queso)

2 – 10 oz. cans original Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

2 bags of your favorite corn chips

Family and/or friends (optional)

 

Place all of the ingredients into a crock pot and turn on low, stirring occasionally. When all ingredients are well incorporated and warm, bust out those corn chips and dip on. Whoot Whoot!

 

Erica’s Apple Baked Brie

A friend of mine made this, so I feel at ease to boast and say, “Look at this gorgeous presentation!” I am a long-time fan of baked brie. If you are not familiar with the cheese, it is a soft French cow’s milk cheese, most often encased in an edible covering of white mold. Depending on the process it can range from very mild to a strong musky flavor. (I am not one to shy away from a pungent cheese). Usually I do mine wrapped in a puff pastry, but I love that Erica used a croissant pastry dough! It made for such a lovely crust! Of course the rustically sliced apples were beautiful too… and then the taste! Sweet apples and brown sugar with warm creamy brie on slices of fresh bread, grainy crackers, and ripe fruit. La vie en rose!

1 – 16 oz round Brie

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 apple (plus 1/2 for decoration, optional)

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Butter

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Egg

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Thinly slice or dice (your preference) the apple and sauté it in the butter. Add the brown sugar to the butter and apple mixture, and gently stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture has slightly thickened. Place the beautiful apple syrup on top of the Brie and wrap it in the crescent rolls. Whisk the egg and brush it top of the dough. Optionally, cut a few slices of apple for decoration and position them on top in a circular pattern. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is warmed through. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving. You want the cheese to be warm and spreadable, but not to ooze. Serve with slice rounds of bread, apple slices, and or crackers.

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Dorito Taco Salad

This is like in a food group all of its own… or it should be. We should be required to have one serving every day. It definitely is a mandatory staple at all potlucks. It’s colorful and textural and down right appetizing. If you’ve tasted Dorito Taco Salad before then you know what I’m talking about. If by chance you haven’t, well then today is your lucky day! And may I suggest that you change all other dinner plans?

 

1 lb Hamburger

1 pkg Taco seasoning

l bag Nacho Cheese Doritos (10 oz.)

16 oz.  Catalina salad dressing

8 oz. (2 cups) Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 head Ice Burg Lettuce

 

(Side note: I know that saying “as organic as possible” seems odd in this case… but every bit is worth doing! Even the hamburger, lettuce and cheese!)

Brown hamburger and add taco seasoning according to package directions. Set aside to cool. Break lettuce into bite size pieces. Crush chips to bite size. After meat cools add to lettuce and cheese mixed together. When ready to serve add chips and dressing. It’s best to mix every thing just before serving if possible (otherwise the Doritos begin to lose their crunchy texture).

Other optional toppings include sliced scallions, salsa, olives, diced green pepper, etc., but you will never be disappointed with the basic. Furthermore, you might want to have another bottle of Catalina dressing and bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos on hand and add to taste, because sometimes as a party goes on I like to add more Doritos and Catalina, and toss.

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Lollipop Sugar Cookies

Kids love sugar cookies… Adults love sugar cookies… And I have no idea why, but let me just tell you that if you put them on a stick and call them “lollipop” cookies it increases the awesome factor by 100%. Because everyone loves Lollipop Sugar Cookies! They holler “Look at me, I’m so fun! I taste like candy!” As far as great baking projects to do with the kids go, these are at the top. Just put out the toppings and let their imaginations soar! It really doesn’t get much easier. (And you can even refrigerate the dough ahead of time until you’re ready to let the amusement begin! Bonus!)

As organic as possible:

1 1/4 cups Sugar

1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening

1/2 cup Butter

2 eggs

1/4 light Corn Syrup

2 tsp Vanilla

3 cups Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

24-26 Popsicle Sticks

Variety of Toppings (Sprinkles, colored Sugars, nonpareils, miniature candies, etc.)

 

Cream the sugar, shortening and butter in a large bowl by mixer or hand until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, continuing to mix, followed by vanilla and corn syrup. Mixture should be light and creamy.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir together with a whisk until incorporated. Add to creamy egg mixture about a third at a time, mixing until all is combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to a couple days. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 – 2 inch balls. Place a popsicle stick into the center and place on a baking sheet. With the palm of your hand press to slightly flatten the dough (about an inch high), to create a surface to decorate. Top the lollipop sugar cookies however you’d like! (Decorations may need a gentle pat to stay on.) Then bake for 8 1/2 – 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to sit about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. When completely cool serve your Lollipop Sugar Cookies and watch the kid come out in all!

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Berry-Banana Smoothie Bowl

Now that I’m a raging health nut… I buy healthy recipe magazines. And according to my Clean Eating periodical, “Smoothie Bowls” are all the rage. They’re smoothies you can chuck so full of nutritional goodness and frozen fruits/veggies that you can’t suck them through a straw- hence the bowl and spoon. Of course if you know me, you know I am all about cutting edge (and regularly sarcastic). But I thought, why not? I like smoothies and I certainly know how to freeze a banana. However, for all my strides in stocking my pantry with chia seeds, coconut milk, almond flour, and avocado oil; I still came up short on my chlorella, maqui berry and maca powders. So I came up with my own, and I must say that it does feel indulgent. Like eating berry ice cream for breakfast! 😉

 

Serves 2 (or a hungry 1)

As organic as possible:

9 frozen Strawberries

1 frozen Banana, sliced into 2″ pieces

1/2 cup Almond Milk (Soy or non-fat milk)

5 Ice cubes

2 cups mixed frozen Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries

1/3 cup granola (preferably with some source of protein: nuts or seeds), plus more for topping (optional)

1 Tbsp Honey (buzzword “raw” optional)

 

Make sure to freeze your fruit the night before or at least several hours in advance (or you might end up with a regular old smoothie). Place all the ingredients in a blender and flip the switch! (Or push the button…)

Spoon the ingredients into a bowl and top with granola or slivered almonds if you’d like, and eat up butter cup. You’re so healthy!