Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Milk

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add oats and mix well. Stir in molasses and oil. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir into the egg mixture. If batter becomes too thick, thin with a little milk. Pour about 3/4 cup batter onto a greased preheated waffle maker. Bake according to manufacturer's directions. To make pancakes: Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle. Turn when bubbles begin to form on top of pancake.

I made these this morning in my new waffle iron and they were excellent! And, relatively healthy and filling. The cinnamon and vanilla were additions to the original recipe, as suggested by other reviewers.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

With all this record-breaking heat, I have been trying to do my part to avoid rolling blackouts by cooking everything I possibly can outside on the gas grill. (It was 112 in Austin on Sunday!) This was one of those super easy, very tasty weeknight dinners. Served with grilled asparagus, squash, zucchini, and purple onion. Yum!

I just used whole breasts rather than mess with cutting up the chicken. I cut the oil in half and added some extra ranch (made my own from a packet of Hidden Valley seasoning, plus milk and replaced the mayo with plain yogurt, worked fine.) I mostly tried this recipe because I was thrilled to have a use for all that rosemary I'm growing. Marinated for an hour and cooked the veggies in the leftover marinade. Throw it all on the grill for around 15 minutes, and you're done!

I really need to invest in a grill basket or pan of some sort. And maybe a bandana to catch the sweat. Happy Tuesday!

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

I needed to make a gluten-free meal today for a friend with a new baby, so I asked Megan Eidson for some recipes. She gave me this one from the Pink Parsley blog.

Adapted from Tide and Thyme, orginally from America's Test Kitchen
•1 medium onion, chopped fine
•2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
•1 teaspoon canola oil
•3 medim cloves garlic, minced
•3 Tablespoons chili powder
•2 teaspoons ground cumin
•3 teaspoons sugar
•1 15-oz can tomato sauce
•1 cup water
•1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
•1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
•1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
•1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
•1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
•12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
•cooking spray
•salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onin mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).

Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

Other than not knowing what a beefsteak tomato is, this turned out great. A little less jalapeno next time for me, but I'm sure Jeremy will love them when he gets home. :)

Quinoa Avocado Salad

This was absolutely amazing. Make this; you won't be sorry! Thank you, Megan Eidson!

Prepare 1 cup quinoa according to package directions. Place in bowl in refriegerator to cool. While it's chilling, cut up your veggies:

2 avocados
2-3 roma tomatoes (or other variety)
1 - 1 1/2 cups of corn (thawed frozen corn works fine)
1/2 large red onion, (I like mine chopped really fine!)

All ingredients for the vinaigrette are to taste, this is kind of a base recipe. but to round out the flavors, all ingredients are somewhat necessary. If you don't like cumin, add only a 1/2 tsp.. etc. taste as you go, and add in ingredients in smaller portions until it appeals to your taste buds!

Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.

1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
Juice from one lime
1 tsp each: cumin and oregano (I used powdered, dry of each of these)
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp of water
red pepper to taste
cilantro to taste
salt to taste

When the quinoa is chilled, add in the veggies. Add in the dressing according to your taste. Warning: if you use as many spices as I did in as little liquid, it's a really potent dressing.. you may not need very much! Stir well.

This recipe is vegan, GF, Casein free, soy free, and can be made corn free too if you leave out the corn.

Totally awesome! Next time, I will add black beans or edamame and call it a meal! I used a tsp of salt in the dressing and a little extra sugar. You know I like it sweet. :)

The Sneaky Chef: Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

Wow! She's back! I have still been experimenting with new recipes but not having the time to post any! I especially love my Sneaky Chef cookbook. Buy it if you can. for me, it's not just that you are sneaking vegetables into your child's (or other adult's!) diet, but you are taking generally popular dishes and making them healthy...for everyone!

The Flour Blend
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. unsweetened wheat germ
Mix well.

Orange Puree
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and rougly chopped
3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
3-4 tbsp. water
Steam or boil carrots and sweet potatoes until very tender. Puree until very smooth.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

Ingredients:

1 c. Flour Blend
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
3/4 Orange Puree
3/4 c. smooth peanut butter
8 heaping tsp. jam*

*Note: jelly does not work as well; it disappears into the muffins.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Flour Blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined, then whisk in oil, Orange Puree, and peanut butter. Fold in dry ingredients and mix until just moistened (don't over mix or batter will be dense.)

Scoop about 2 tbsp. of batter into the muffin cups until half full. Place heaping tsp. of jam in the center. Cover the the jam with another 2 tbsp. of batter, filling cups just over top. Bake for 25 to 30 min, until tops are golden brown. Yields 8 large muffins.

Delish! And so filling! Today was the second time I made this recipe and I made a couple of adjustments that made them more yummy. I added a little individual serving cup of organic cinnamon applesauce and cut back on the oil a bit, so they were more moist. I used a peanut butter/honey combo for half of the peanut butter (made a double recipe this time). As written, these muffins are not very sweet. One of these is enough to fill me up, really. Serve with a glass of cold milk! :)

And...if you are short on time, or don't want to puree veggies, just buy some baby food!

The Sneaky Chef: Bonus Burgers

Even though Noah refused to eat these, I still thought they turned out deliciously! We hardly ever eat hamburgers, so it could just be that this is something unfamiliar, which is a no-no in Noah's world.

Bonus Burgers
Ingredients:
1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree*
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
8 to 10 cheese slices (optional)
8 to 10 whole wheat hamburger buns or English muffins
Garnish with pickles, mustard, ketchup, etc.

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix egg, Purple Puree, ketchup, salt, and bread crumbs. Add meat, mixing with hands until well combined. If too sticky, add a few more bread crumbs. Using damp hands, shape mixture into 8 to 10 patties that are fairly thin. Spray skillet with non-stick spray and set over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the burgers on each side for 3 minutes, then flip to add and melt cheese. Serve with buns and condiments of your choice. You can find whole wheat bread crumbs in natural or organic food stores but can make your own by pulsing whole wheat bread in the food processor. 3 slices yield about 1 cup.

Purple Puree
Ingredients:
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves (or 2 cups frozen chopped spinach or collard greens)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
3-4 tbsp. water

Directions:
Bring spinach or collards and water to a boil in a medium pot. turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. If using frozen blueberries, quickly rinse under cold water to thaw a little, then drain. Fill the bowl of your food processor with blueberries and cooked spinach (or collards), along with lemon juice and 2 tbsp of water, then puree on high until as smooth as possible. stop occasionally to push top contents to bottom. This makes 1 cup of puree.

I will admit that of the 3 "Sneaky" recipes I have made in the last week, Noah has liked none of them. But this could just be because he's been especially resistant to eating anything other than snacks all week in general. Jeremy and I both thought all the recipes tasted well. So I'm not giving up! I used fresh spinach and blueberries for this one and froze the leftovers. Make sure you immediately empty your blender and do not allow the purple puree to rest there! It was a challenge to get the blender clean. I am finding that these recipes are all pretty quick and easy to do, provided that you already have the "make ahead" recipes, such as the purple puree, already made. I would suggest making double or triple recipes all at once, when you have the time to devote to cooking, and freezing the leftovers. That should make for some easy, nutritious dinners. I should also add that the author states that a pureed form of a fruit or vegetable is highly concentrated so the small amount you add to your recipe should pack a punch! Oh, and the 8-10 meat patties made by this recipe are Happy Meal sized burgers, so you may need to double the recipe to fill up your crowd. Adding 2 tbsp. of pureed chickpeas is also suggested. My meat patties fell apart somewhat easily so maybe extra egg and bread crumbs would be helpful. Happy Sneaking!

The Sneaky Chef: Incognito Burritos

My mother-n-law gave me The Sneaky Chef cookbook for Christmas and I finally got a chance to look at it the other day! I decided to give it a shot and made this recipe last night. The burritos were very good and the veggies are practically undetectable. I'll try to post recipes from this book as I make them. Parents can use some help with this stuff!

Incognito Burritos
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canned low-fat refried beans
1/4 cup White Puree (see below)
4 6-inch flour tortillas (whole wheat preferred)
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Directions:
Combine beans and white puree in skillet and mix while heating through on low heat. (Or, combine in bowl and microwave.) Place tortillas between moise paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon about 2 tbsp. of bean mixture onto the bottom 1/3 of each tortilla, top with 1 to 2 tsp. of cheese, and any additonal toppings. Fold the end of the tortilla closest to you over the ingredients and then fold the right side over the ingredients and roll up.

White Puree

Ingredients:
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice 3-4 tablespoons water, if necessary

Directions:
Steam cauliflower in vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water, for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until very tender. Or, place cauliflower in bowl, cover with water, and microwave 8-10 minutes, or until very tender. While waiting on cauliflower to steam, pulse raw zucchini with lemon juice only in food processor or blender. Drain the cooked caulifower and add slowly to the zucchini puree, adding water as necessary. Puree until smooth. Makes about 2 cups. Store leftovers in fridge up to 3 days or freeze in small portions.

I used fat-free organic refried beans and frozen cauliflower and they turned out great. I also added a can of tomatoes but don't recommend that because it made the beans a little runnier than I wanted. Mrs. Lapine is right: they are very similar to Taco Bell's bean and cheese burritos, which I happen to love! Hope somebody finds this useful! Noah will only occasionally eat sweet potatoes, no other veggies. (Except for his babysitter. He has eaten corn, mushrooms, and peas for her.) So I feel compelled to make things where he won't notice that he is eating them.

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

Directions
1. Mix together lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder, dill weed together in a small bowl.
2. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice. Season chicken with the seasoning mixture, turning to cover both sides. Allow to marinate while making other preparations.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place breasts in skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken frequently, until brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken to a warm serving platter, and cover with foil.
4. Deglaze the skillet with the wine. Return skillet to stove, and increase heat to high. Whisk in whipping cream, whisking continuously until reduced to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in capers. Pour sauce over chicken, and serve.

Yum! I made a healthier version by using olive oil instead of butter, and using some fat-free half-in-half because I had it. I used about a pound of tenderloins instead of breasts that I had on hand and served over brown rice with a side of steamed broccoli. The rice is great because it absorbs the sauce. The sauce looked a little curdish and weird (maybe because of the half-in-half?) but it still tasted great. The original recipe did not call for wine and I cut back on the salt since capers are salty anyway. I had extra seasoning mixture leftover.

Slow Cooker Rosemary and Red Pepper Chicken

Valentine's Dinner 2011! Good slow cooker recipes are hard to come by, right? Here is my most recent creation, including the multitude of changes I made as suggested by various reviewers.

Ingredients
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces turkey Italian sausages, casings removed
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken tenderloins
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup broth
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup marinara sauce
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons cold water
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
1.In a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker, combine onion, bell pepper, garlic, rosemary, and oregano. Brown, drain, and crumble sausages over onion mixture. Rinse chicken and pat dry; arrange in a single layer over sausage. Sprinkle with pepper. Cover with tomatoes. Pour in wine, broth, and marinara. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 5 to 7 hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through when pierced.
2.Transfer chicken to a warm, deep platter, and cover to keep warm.
3.In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water. Stir into cooking liquid in slow cooker. Increase heat to High, and cover. Cook, stirring 2 to 3 times, until sauce is thickened (about 10 more minutes). Season to taste with salt. Spoon sauce over chicken, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over pasta.

We really liked this. The main thing I would suggest is more of the cornstarch mixture. I did not drain my tomatoes, and the sauce was really more liquid than I would have liked. Maybe eliminate the broth? I used vegetable broth because I had some open but I'm sure chicken would be good as well. I have to say, it looks a little fancy when you serve it up! ;)

Lasagna Soup

I finally cooked again tonight! In our new house. I looked at a couple recipes online, and then invented my own. Noah is scarfing it down :)

Ingredients:
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 onion
1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
About 3 cups water
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2 cups mafalda or rotini pasta
1/4 cup shredded/parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzerella cheese

Directions:
Brown beef and onion. Drain grease. In a pot, mix beef, onion, tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, and seasonings. Add pasta. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer about 30 minutes. Mix in parm cheese just before serving. Top with mozzerella.

Thought this was tasty, quick, and simple. Next time, I'll probably try sneaking in extra veggies! You just have to be careful not to simmer too long, as your pasta gets larger and more slippery the longer it cooks!