Okay, so this is not really a healthy dinner idea, it's a fun treat idea. It's our turn to bring snack to Preschool this Thursday, which happens to be Saint Patrick's Day so I decided to try this fun idea I got from my friend G. I think they turned out pretty cute. Stay tuned tomorrow for a super healthful St. Patrick's themed snack perfect for kids and adults alike, I'll give you a hint, it's very colorful.
Pretzel Shamrocks:
- 1 large bag mini pretzels (get a good brand like Snyder's so they don't fall apart)
- 1-2 bags Candy melt chocolate (you can find this at most craft stores)
- sprinkles!
Directions:
1. Melt your candy melts in a double boiler (small glass bowl over a pot of gently simmering water).
2. Dip small end of pretzels in melted candy chocolate
place three pretzels end to end together to make a cute little shamrock! Save the broken pretzel pieces for stems. Attached your stems with a dab of melted chocolate.
3. Once the candy has set on the pretzels, place the remaining melted candy melts in a zipper top plastic bag, squeeze out all the air and snip a very tiny (I mean VERY tiny) corner off the bag. Use this as a piping bag to pipe your candy melts all around the edges of the pretzels. Then sprinkle lots of sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.
4. Once completely hardened (~1 hour), store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
...click here for the recipe!
A fun Saint Patrick's Day recipe made green without using food coloring. This is a tasty hummas dip perfect for dipping.
Edamame are young soy beans that are bright green, tender and have a mild flavor they are also high in protein and fiber. Serve this up with a variety of fresh veggies and some whole wheat pita bread wedges. This recipe makes a lot so cut it in half if you aren't looking to feed a crowd.
Spinach and Edamame Hummas Dip Recipe (serves 10-12)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen chopped spinach
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame (you can buy frozen shelled edamame, defrost before using)
- 2 (12 oz.) cans chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and liquid reserved
- 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 Tablespoon salt
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4-1/2 cup reserved chickpea liquid (as needed)
Directions:
1. Thaw the spinach and drain it fairly well. It doesn't need to be bone dry, but it shouldn't be TOO liquidy.
2. Place spinach, edamame beans, chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon, salt, and red pepper in the bowl of your food processor. Process until creamy, thick, and well combined.
3. With processor running, add the reserved chickpea liquid slowly until your hummus reaches your desired consistency.
4. Add the black pepper. Pulse the processor to incorporate it.
5. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Better 4 hours or overnight.
*Recipe adapted from www.divinedinnerparty.com
Whole Wheat Pita Wedges
-several pita bread rounds (4 pita rounds make about 50 chips)
-olive oil spray
-garlic powder
-Italian Seasoning herb blend
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350'F. Cut pita bread into wedges and pull apart to a single layer (~16 wedges per pita)
2. Spread pita wedges cut side (bumpy inside side) up on a large baking sheet. Lightly spray pita triangles with olive oil spray and sprinkle lightly with seasonings.
3. Bake in 350'F oven for 7-10 minutes, flipping once halfway through until crispy and golden and perfect for dipping!
...click here for the recipe!
This is a fun St. Patrick's Day inspired side dish I tried for fun. It was different but really quite tasty and everyone {including both kiddos ages 1 and 3} gobbled it up. We served it up with our
Crispy Gluten free breaded chicken with a twist, instead of Rice Chex cereal I used gluten free corn flakes this time. It turned out great! My hubby said the chicken reminded him of the flavor of a corndog and we dipped them in mustard, which was delicious.
Mashed Potatoes with Broccoli Recipe: (serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes, cut into cubes
4 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup frozen spinach leaves, thawed and drained well (squeeze water out)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Steam potatoes in a large pot over an inch or two of water, covered for about 10 minutes. Add broccoli on top of the potatoes, cover and steam another 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the broccoli with tongs to a large bowl, mash with a potato masher then add the potatoes and other ingredients and mash until smooth, there will still be some lumps. Serve hot topped with a sprinkle of cheese. *Note: the spinach is optional, I added it because I had extra left over from my Spinach and Edamame Hummas recipe.
Modifications for the Crispy Gluten Free Breaded chicken:
Substitute 2 cups of gluten free cornflakes, crushed (instead of the Rice Chex cereal)
garlic powder and Italian seasoning
try dipping in yellow mustard
...click here for the recipe!
This is a delicious pasta dish, one I first enjoyed when my husband brought it to a summer barbecue back in college when we were "just friends". I must say he impressed me by bringing such a tasty homemade dish. I love the combination of zippy lemon {fresh from our lemon tree} and creamy Parmesan cheese in this and it really is a great potluck dish as it tastes great served at room temperature or even chilled! We had it tonight with our
Cilantro-Lime Chicken and some sautéed Haricot Vert (aka skinny green beans). Try this with whole wheat pasta or even rice flour pasta if you are eating gluten free. Enjoy!
Lemon Linguini Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 lb linguini pasta, cooked per package instructions to al dente
1/2 cup olive oil
the zest of 1 lemon
the juice of two lemons
1/2 cup green onion, diced
1/4 cup parsley (optional)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss with pasta until coated.
2. Add in green onions, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and Parmesan cheese. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled, top with more Parmesan as desired.
...click here for the recipe!
These are some deliciously sweet carrot cake mini cupcakes my hubby made {a.k.a. cakelettes}. They have a surprise of crunchy coconut and walnuts. We just love our
mini muffin tin, which we use for baked goods like our
mini scones and savory items like our
mini turkey meatballs, so fun and a great portion size {I can eat 3 or 4 instead of just one}. This recipe is gluten free but you can always substitute half and half, all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, and leave out the xanthum gum if you don't need gluten free. Don't forget a dollop of J's tasty, lemony {less fat since there's no butter} cream cheese frosting to top them off. Enjoy!
Gluten Free Carrot Cakelette Recipe (makes two 8-inch rounds, 18-24 muffins or ~48-52 mini muffins)
Ingredients:
3 cups gluten free flour mix (recipe follows) [can substitute all purpose flour or whole wheat if you aren't eating gluten free]
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup organic apple sauce
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup egg beaters
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups grated carrots ~2 good sized carrots, peeled before you grate them
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray two mini muffin trays with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer (or stand mixer) beat sugar, oil, apple sauce, eggs, Egg Beater's and vanilla until well combined, ~ 1 minute.
4. With the mixer set to low speed add the dry mixture to the wet one cup at a time, mix for 1 minute. Turn off mixer and gently add carrots, nuts and coconut, mixing by hand.
5. Scoop into muffin trays {we like to use our mini kitchen scoop #20} and bake for 15-17 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean and internal temperature is 190-200'F
And because cream cheese frosting goes perfectly with carrot cake...
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Ingredients:
8 oz whipped cream cheese
1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
the juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth, chill in the fridge until firm then you're ready to frost your cakelettes.
and because our 3 year old asked and we thought it would be fun...
we put a candle in one
and sang,"Happy Friday to you!"
Gluten Free Flour Mix Recipe {or you can use a premade gluten free flour mix found on the health food isle of the market}
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup Quinoa flour
1 tsp coconut flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
Mix well. If you want to make extra to have on hand for future baking store in a sealed container in the fridge.
...click here for the recipe!
These stuffed peppers were quite tasty. Stuffed with a mix of nutty brown rice, well seasoned-ground turkey, vegetables and black beans they are hearty and delicious. Similar to our
Stuffed Peppers, it's always fun to be able to eat the bowl {the pepper}. Serve these up with some fresh green salad for dinner tonight. This recipe makes a lot so you'll have some for lunch tomorrow. Enjoy!
Turkey Stuffed Peppers Recipe (serves 6)
* 1 lb lean ground turkey
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup onion, chopped
* 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon cumin powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 large carrot diced, about 1/2 cup
* 1 large handful fresh spinach leaves, about 1 cup
* 4 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
* 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 2 cups cooked brown rice
* 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
* shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Cook the rice as per package directions, I like to cook my rice in chicken broth rather than water to add more flavor. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté ground turkey until cooked through and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots and cilantro to the pan, sauté about 2 minutes more. Season with salt, garlic powder and cumin for about 2 minutes to toast spices. Add spinach leaves and 1 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Add rice and black beans, remove from heat and stir to combine. Season to taste.
3. Slice the bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove all seeds and place in a large, shallow baking dish. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the meat mixture into each pepper half into heaping mounds. Once all your peppers are stuffed, pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the bottom of the pan or enough that it's about 1/4-1/2 inch deep. {if you run out of peppers and still have filling left over try what I did and fill a couple small ramekins with the stuffing and add to the baking dish} Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and serve hot along with some fresh green salad.
...click here for the recipe!
My hubby made some awesome pad thai for us tonight! Talk about a fabulous MYOTO meal {make your own take out}. It was delicious and I think it was on par with our favorite thai restaurant, maybe even better because we enjoyed it at home and we know exactly what was in it. Interested in his recipe? Here is what he did
J's Pad Thai recipe {Gluten Free} (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) box of pad thai rice noodles [straight cut]
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (or 3 chicken breasts cut into strips)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
2 eggs beaten with a wisk
1 lime for wedges
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (and some for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped shallots (green onions)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
~1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup shredded carrot (long shreds if possible)
1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)
Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (~3 limes) [in place of 1/2 cup of hard to find tamarind paste]
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce (optional)
General tips:
Make everything ahead and put into little prep bowls. Then stir-fry one serving at a time in a hot wok. This will give you the best results with the texture of the noodles.
Directions:
1. Prepare noodles according to package directions (ie: soak noodles in very hot water for 25 minutes then drain).
2. To make the sauce, in a small pot over low-medium heat, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, tamari and red pepper flakes or Sriracha if using. Let simmer and stir occasionally for about 5-10 min. Then remove from heat and cover.
3. Heat wok over medium-high heat or if using an electric wok set temperature to 300-350'F. Add a tsp of peanut oil and peanuts and stir fry for 3 minutes until toasted. Remove and set aside.
4. Add 2 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok. Salt the chicken lightly and add it to the wok. Cook until slightly browned on both sides and the internal temperature is 155-160'F. Remove and set aside. After the chicken has rested about 5 minutes, cut into bite-sized chunks.
5. Now you are ready to prepare each portion, divide all ingredients into 4 equal parts to prepare 4 servings...
Add 1/4 of the beaten egg to your hot wok, scramble for about 20 sec. Add 1/4 of the rice noodles and about a tbsp of peanut oil. Sauté for about 1 minute stir gently to keep the noodles intact. Then add 1/4 of the chicken, 1/4 of the toasted chopped peanuts, 1/4 of the chopped green onions, 1/4 of the chopped cilantro, 1/4 of the shredded carrots and 1/4 of the bean sprouts (optional). Finally, add 1/4 of the prepared sauce and stir often but gently.
Pad Thai is done when everything is coated with sauce and is nice and hot (~2 min). There should be no watery sauce left - it should all be evaporated, soaked up, or coating the noodles. Remove from wok and serve immediately with a garnish of cilantro and lime wedges. Can sprinkle more peanuts on top if desired.
...click here for the recipe!
This gluten-free breaded chicken is incredibly crispy and delicious to dip! Even those who don't eat gluten free are sure to love it. Try your own variations by tweaking the seasoning, try Parmesan, spicy or peppery, just adjust the breading to whatever you like. We served ours with some
wild rice and fresh green salad and some tasty dipping sauces. Try barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, honey mustard or even ranch for dipping. Enjoy!
Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders (or 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour mix (use your favorite mix)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups crushed gluten-free rice chex cereal or GF corn flake cereal
Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, mix the gluten free flour, salt, pepper and seasonings.
2. In another dish, whisk together the egg and olive oil. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
3. In a last dish, spread out the smashed cereal (here's where you'd mix in any additional flavorings such as Parmesan cheese, black pepper, cayenne, etc)
4. Dip each chicken strip in flour mixture, then in the egg mixture and lastly, dredge with the cereal and place on a baking sheet.
5. Bake in a 450'F oven for 10-12 minutes, flipping once half way through, or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165'F. Serve hot with your favorite dip.
...click here for the recipe!
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