Easy homemade:: Sweet & savory brekky topped flatbread

This easy brekky snack is inspired by Jaime Oliver's Quick and Easy 5 ingredient meal Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread. After seeing the show I wanted to make this tasty treat but I didn't have the exact ingredients on hand so I substituted the closest items I had on hand and it was a delightful alternative! 

For the full original recipe, check out the link above. My subs are below.

Ingredients::

2 eggs
3 tbsp Self-rising flour
3 tbsp Brown Cow plain yogurt
A few tbsp marmalade
3-4 Shishito peppers

How to make it::

1. Put 2 eggs in warm water and bring to a boil for 5 1/2 minutes.
2. Mix flour, yogurt and pinch of salt. Kneed lightly, cut in half, roll 1/4 in thick and place in warm pan (no oil necessary). Ligjtly brown on each side.
3. Remove eggs and peel. Remove flatbread to plate.
4. Spread marmalade on flatbreads and a dollop of yogurt. Cut aoft boiled egg on top and sprinkle with rounds of peppers.

Enjoy!

Good Eats // Spinach Quiche

We love breakfast. We feel it's not just reserved for morning and often partake in a regular Brinner (that's Breakfast for Dinner for those that don't know...if there is possibly anyone who doesn't know about this delicious idea!). I especially enjoy a breakfast that is ready and waiting for me when I wake up. Sometimes that is a Saturday morning and my husband's infamous eggs. But most mornings, that means I have to prepare breakfast the night before. A little muesli and yogurt is a great go-to for me and my little one, but most days I just want eggs. Scrambled and fried you have to make fresh, and hard boiled aren't my favorite for a breakfast meal - I want them hot. That's why this quiche is perfect! I can make it ahead, it's super easy, and I just pop out a slice and warm it in the oven. My husband can take it to go and the little one craves it. It's a win all around! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:: 

One piecrust

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 eggs

1 cup spinach, thin cut

1 Anaheim chili, diced no seeds

1/2 cup baked and crumbled bacon (about 5 pieces)

1/2 cup cheddar, Monterey Jack or 4 cheese Mexican cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

How to make it::

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2. Roll out your pie dough and form in pie plate. When forming the crust, don't bring it up over the edge of the plate, make a squared off edge around the top edge, or as close to the edge as it will go - it doesn't have to come up all the way. It is okay if your egg mixture fills the plate over the crust edge.

3. Stab your crust all over with a fork so the hot air escapes while it pre-bakes. Place the piecrust in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the crust to cook. The crust should be light brown on the edges when removing from the oven. 

4. Cook bacon in the oven for 20 minutes at 350. Crumble.

5. While the crust/bacon cooks, whisk together the milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and eggs in a bowl. 

6. In a second bowl, mix together the spinach, bacon, cheese and parsley. 

7. Add half of the wet egg mixture to coat the dry ingredients, again mixing well. Add this mixture to the cooked crust.

8. Add the remaining egg mixture. Some of the egg may pour out over the edge of the crust. That's okay, it will bake up with a nice edge of egg/crust. 

9. Bake in the oven until the middle of the quiche is set, about 40 minutes. Sometimes it puffs up a bit but I just stab the egg with a fork to let the steam out and it settles quickly. You can tell if the eggs aren't cooked if they look runny or shinny still. If they look the texture of scrambled they are done. You don't want to over cook them and loose the fluffy lightness of your quiche.

10. Remove and serve warm. This keeps very well for several days in the refrigerator. I like to make this on a weekend and eat throughout the week for breakfast.

Good Eats:: No Lettuce Beet Salad

I pretty much avoid lettuce in all of my salads. The closest I think I get to lettuce in a salad is mixed greens (well, and the occasional red leaf lettuce from our CSA box). I really prefer dark greens in a salad since they actually have flavor. This is a simple salad where the flavors and textures come together nicely for a fresh, crisp and easy lunch.

The thing that makes this salad special is you have to eat every bite with a bit of hummus on your fork first. It mixes with the dressing and puts a slight tang in each bite and helps contrast the earthy beets. If you really like, you could just mix the few tablespoons of hummus in with your dressing before mixing with the salad. I like to savor a little in each bite making it more fun to eat.

I paired this light lunch salad with a rustic russet from our most recent CSA box with some butter and sour cream. It made for a filling lunch and complimented the cold brightly flavored crunch of the salad with a warm, creamy buttery goodness. Enjoy!

Ingredients::
1 roasted beet (great for leftover beets)
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
handful or so of fresh spinach
salt/pepper
1 Tbsp greek dressing (I use this one, which I first wrote about here)
2 Tbsp hummus (I used plain but garlic or roasted pine nut might be good as well)

How I made it::
1. If you don't know how to roast a beet, check out this previous post.
2. Dice your roasted beet and veggies.
3. Toss in spinach and season and dress.
4. Optionally, mix the hummus into the salad. Or serve on the side and enjoy bite by bite. Mmmm.

Good Eats:: Savory Sage Breakfast Scramble

I love experimenting with flavors in eggs. I've shared before that my husband makes the most amazing eggs. I mean, better than the best hotel breakfast in bed you've ever tried. But, I like to change up the flavor of the classic scramble from time to time. It's something you eat often enough and are familiar enough with that sometimes you can just switch up your game.

Here's a switch I enjoy when I want to keep it healthy (as in no cheese/add veggies). I first shared these eggs with you on Day 1 of our Healthy Start 7 eating challenge this January where we gave up certain ingredients, including dairy. I enjoy these most when I'm into the fall/winter flavor pallet because of the savory sage that compliments the onion and peppers. I remember the first time I ever used Sage in my scramble and thinking I'm totally feeling this flavor but fingers crossed it turns out. Check out my original Sage Scramble recipe.

The true secret flavor ingredient to this recipe is something most of you won't know. I grew up eating this salad dressing from a little Greek restaurant that got so popular it ended up in many major grocery stores. It is amazing on salads in general but I fondly remember my mom marinating every pork tenderloin she ever made us in it overnight. It was succulent! As a young, single lady I discovered it worked really well when you accidentally ran out of olive oil as a little bit of seasoned oil for your pan, for things like cooking eggs. And it's just stuck around.

Fortunately, you can get the most amazing Greek dressing you've ever tasted online these days. The regular Greek is still our family's favorite (although the light holds up in taste if you want a lower fat option) and we always keep these on hand by the box full. In all seriousness, we even buy these as gifts for people for housewarming or dinner parties. They're so good I'd consider it just as acceptable of a gift as bringing a bottle of wine - in my opinion, and that's coming from a wine lover.

Ingredients::
2 large eggs
1/4 small red onion
1/4 cup mixed colors bell peppers
salt/pepper
sage
2 Tbsp Gazebo Room Greek Dressing

How I make them::
1. Heat your pan. Add dressing and allow to heat.
2. Add onion and peppers, saute until slightly cooked (I like my veggies a little al dente in my omelet  and not mushy).
3. Add whisked eggs, salt/pepper and a generous amount of sage.
4. Scramble away and enjoy this new savory taste to your morning routine.

Good Eats // Superfoods Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

I love this salad! I enjoy making salads because they are a great way to incorporate healthy items with bursts of delicious flavors despite the healthy factor. I also find them to be forgiving in taste even while getting experimental with the ingredients. While flavoring other foods can be a delicate thing (not too little, not too much), giving salad a kick or twist of flavor usually lends to it becoming a delicious favorite. Plus it's fun to find new ways to combine flavors within a salad that you can then use in other dishes too!

I came up with this salad while taking the Healthy Start 7 challenge earlier this month and I promised the recipe would follow. So here it is packed with the following superfoods:

Spinach:: packed with antioxidants and vitamins, it is anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and a source of Omega-3

Quinoa:: high in protein, contains all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein, rich in fiber and minerals, and it's gluten-free

Beets:: fights disease, strengthens neural tubes, regulates digestion with fiber, high in immune boosting vitamins A, B & C, and they are packed with potassium

Pomegranate:: filled with B & C vitamins, potassium, and folic acid, anti-inflammatory, improves blood flow, anti-cancer, heart healthy, antioxidant packed, and contains folate which helps repair DNA

Sunflower Seeds:: aid digestion, improves memory, increases energy, provides protein, fiber and complex carbs

Cherry Tomatoes:: a powerhouse of vitamins A, C & K, potassium, fiber, and most importantly beta-carotene and lycopene (a powerful antioxidant when paired with a healthy oil), all while being low calorie

Celery:: Vitamin C, fiber, minerals (potassium, calcium, molybdenum, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron, as well as the B vitamins thiamine, niacin, folate, and B6), anti-cancer/Alzheimer’s, eliminates toxins from the kidneys, anti-inflammatory, low calorie and boosts metabolism

Carrots:: high in beta-carotene, anti-cancer, low calorie, immune support

Red Onion:: antioxidents, banishes free radicals, anti-cancer, helps fight the virus of the common cold, reduce high blood pressure, and can help control glucose levels

Citrus Vinaigrette:: more vitamin C and healthy fat to make those vitamins work at max capacity

Ingredients::

Several hand fulls of spinach and mixed greens

1 C cooked quinoa

1 medium red beet, cooked and diced

1-2 stalks celery, chopped

1-2 carrots, shredded

1/4 red onion

handful of cherry tomatoes, whole or sliced

2-3 Tbsp sunflower seeds

1/2 the seeds from 1 pomegranate 

-----

1 orange, juiced

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 tsp brown mustard

Salt/pepper

How to make it::
1. Cook your quinoa ahead of time (I usually use leftover quinoa in a salad or it's great for breakfast). Check out some great tips on how to cook your quinoa.
2. Cook beet ahead as well. I roast mine in the oven with skins on covered in EVOO for roughly 40 min at 350, or until fork tender. Then I peel them (while wearing gloves since they stain) once they've cooled.
3. Prep your veggies/fruits. Fill bowl with greens and top with veggies.
4. Make dressing and toss over salad. 
Enjoy!

Check out our other recent recipe creations from out Healthy Start 7 journey:  Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes and Fruity Brussel Sprouts. 

Good Eats // A Fruity Way to Enjoy Brussel Sprouts

I did it! During our recent Healthy Start 7 eating challenge, I conquered brussel sprouts for our family. I made them, well, de-licious. Yay! (I wanted to do a cartwheel after cooking these, I was that excited.) And, as always with my favorite recipes, they were super simple to make.

Ingredients::
1/2 pound brussel sprouts (fresh)
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black ground pepper
1/4 C chopped pecans
About 12 grapes, halved or quartered

How to make it::
1. Core your brussel sprouts. This is not the easiest part, but once you get the hang of it, it does go rather quickly.  First, it helps to slice off the hard stem. It also helps to think of these as baby cabbages for me. Then take a look at the hard white center inside. What you want to do is carve that out. It's bitter and the main reason, I believe, people don't eat this tasty veggie more often. The leaves of the brussel sprout (baby cabbage) are awesome and good for you. So give it a shot. Core those suckers.
2. Once cored, peel the leaves. You don't have to be gentle here and do them one by one...that would take too long. Just peel off the outer leaves however they come off is fine, ripped, whole, whatever. Toss them in a bowl. When you get down to leaves that have no green and are only hard and white. Discard them. If it isn't green, it's most likely bitter. If it's some green, it's probably good. Use your own judgement.
3. Take all your baby cabbage leaves (I mean brussel sprouts) and toss them in the olive oil and generous sea salt and black pepper to your taste (the measurements above are suggestions).
4. Add tossed leaves to a pan on medium heat. You don't want to burn them, just sauté them so don't get it too hot. Cook until they just before they wilt a bit.
5. Add pecans and grapes and cook until the grapes are warmed, 1-2 minutes more. Serve.

Enjoy these with a Chili Lime Sweet Potato as a vegetarian meal or alongside your favorite chicken, beef, or other protein.

Good Eats // Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes

As promised a few days ago, here is the recipe for Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes. I got inspired for this Chili Lime sauce while on our Healthy Start 7 eating challenge earlier this month. If you missed out on our journey you can read all bout how we jumped off the New Year with a solid week of healthy eating here (just make sure you start at the beginning).

Ingredients::
4 sweet potatoes
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chili-garlic sauce (found in the international food aisle)
1 Tbsp raw honey
Generous squeeze of fresh lime juice (about 1 lime worth - I like it limey)

How to make it::
1. Bake your sweet potatoes. I do 425 for about 20 minutes, until a fork goes in easily. Tip: I use a BBQ skewer through them long way to make sure the centers cook all the way. And they cook faster too.
2. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Slice your sweet potato and cover with a spoonful of the sauce on each side.

These go great with my tasty (even-my-husband-likes-them) brussel sprouts I'll be sharing tomorrow. We ate these taters and brussel sprouts alongside my moms delicious and not quite as healthy meatloaf after our healthy eating challenge was over. It went really well together.

Enjoy!

What would you serve this tasty spud with?  We enjoyed this with a fruity twist on an unlikely vegetable. Check out the post tomorrow.

Healthy Start 7 // Day 6

Today was a special day for our eating adventure and the day I got bold enough to make my own quinoa recipe totally from scratch. I was so excited I already posted it before I even shared Day 1 here on the blog (also see days 2, 3, 4, & 5). I won't go into all the exciting details again but check out the link to my tasty quinoa pancakes below.

::Breakfast::

So Day 6 fell on Saturday for us leaving me some extra time in the kitchen in the morning to get adventurous and come up with these tasty Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes. Delicious! I really went out on a limb making these having no idea if they would be good or not and I could NOT believe how good they were. Go check out the recipe and try them yourself, you'll be amazed!

::Dinner::

Dinner today was a tasty spinach salad. After a hearty quinoa breakfast a light salad for dinner was great. Stay tuned for my own spinach salad recipe from Day 1 coming up on the blog.

Healthy Start 7 // Day 5

I'm not going to lie, I've probably never eaten this much quinoa before this week...like in total ever. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. But by day 5, it has truly earned a huge boost in my pantry - as in it has made it's way to regular staple now right up there with rice. If you knew me better, you'd understand I could feed my husband tacos and rice (pretty much any kind of rice and any way you want to make it - but mainly sticky white Japanese rice) and his stomach would be incredibly satisfied.

If you've been following for the past few days (1, 2, 3 & 4), roughly 7 or 8 meals have involved quinoa for us so far this week. The reason in quinoa is such a powerful source of food for Healthy Start 7 eating plan is because quinoa sort of imitates a grain the way it is cooked, it's texture and how it is used in dishes. But nutritionally it is a complete protein containing all the 9 essential amino acids our bodies need, it is a high source of fiber, calcium and it is gluten-free and easy to digest. It makes a great basic food and eating it at this intensity for one week really opened my eyes at how to adopt this wonderful food into our regular eating habits.

::Breakfast::

Wonderful world of leftovers and embracing a new way of eating dinner for breakfast (instead of our favorite breakfast for dinner). Just simply put eggs in it. Today I had the leftover Quinoa Stir-Fry with scrambled eggs and a healthy pick-me up dose of Siracha to top it off. That'll wake you up in the morning! If I were eating this without restrictions, I'd throw it in a tasty wrap and make a morning burrito out of it.

::Dinner::

Dinner today was Healthy Start 7 Veggie Stir-Fry. This recipe brought back garlic-chile sauce to my kitchen in a fierce way. It's such an easy way to season veggies and make a quick and healthy meal packed with flavor without any sugar or other icky ingredients we've been trying to avoid. Yum!

Healthy Start 7 // Day 4

Half way through our Healthy Start 7 eating plan, Day 4 was an easy day. Lots of leftovers to choose from and an easy and delicious dinner that took no effort to enhance flavors to our preference. We loved it! Check out Days 1, 2 and 3 while you're here.

::Breakfast::

Leftover quinoa chili with a twist...scrambled eggs. This was soooo good. Like so good I want to eat it now talking about it good. The light and fluffy, no frills scramblers added such a great texture to this already tasty dish. I say no frills because my husband usually cooks eggs around here...(side note: he makes the best eggs I've ever eaten. In. My. Life.  Including every amazing hotel breakfast bar with super pro chef omelets and stuff. Yep, his are the best, ev-ah...ever? ever? Yes!) However, his have cheese, which we weren't eating so hence, no frills. Being married to the best egg maker ever has it's perks, like he taught me his light and fluffy secrets. So maybe, one day, I'll divulge them here. To you. And then you can impress your other halves too.

PS: Little one was into this dish the first time, but put some of dad's fluffy eggs in it. No stopping him. He tried to eat half my breakfast at the park this day. He's so a future foodie like his mama.

::Dinner::

Tonight we tried the Healthy Start 7 Lentil Bean Soup recipe. Spot on! This recipe is perfectly delicious and is going to have a long life in our home. We both already want to eat it again soon. It makes a good amount too. Not so much that you get tired of eating the leftovers, but enough that you get to enjoy it a few times. Little one's verdict here? He was obsessed with this soup. Which was great for me because it was packed with healthy food and getting him to eat veggies these days isn't always the easiest. Win all around!

Note: I tried this recipe both as is and partially blended as it suggested and we preferred it partially blended.

Aren't beans bright and beautiful before they're cooked? What are your favorite lentil dishes?

Healthy Start 7 // Day 3

Day three really felt like I was in the swing of things. After two days of quinoa as our main protein source I was still missing some things in my diet (taste-wise) that I was used to - yogurt for breakfast, tossing chicken in a salad at lunch, and of course...my whey protein after the gym. *sad face* The plus side was I found myself at the place mentally where I knew I was really committed to making it through the rest of the week.

A struggle I still found at this point was that I was still hungry at the end of the day. One of the habits I was hoping to abandon from doing this health fast was snacking late at night. I tend to eat healthy most of the day and then reward myself at night if I still feel hungry by eating something cheat-y. Not good! The reason is because I don't always get the calories (good ones) in that I need during the day.

Fortunately, I discovered two new recipes on this day that I wanted to eat lots of and I could because they were two healthy veggie recipes. Upping my intake of calories with an extra snack (a double dose of hummus with my carrots, or an extra handful of nuts) or just eating a portion and a half at meal times really helped this week work well for me and cut the late night cravings.

Lesson:: It's okay to feed your body when you're feeding it something good. Giving into the bad calories at night means you've got to up your healthy calories in the day time so you aren't left fighting off an icky craving for junk later!

::Breakfast::
Our meal plan suggested a smoothie, so we tried out the delicious Healthy Start 7 mango smoothie recipe. It was a hit. I almost always make my smoothies with berries for antioxidants so this was a nice change of pace for me. I added a drop of pineapple and extra coconut. It was tropical heaven goodness!

::Lunch::
Lunch was leftovers for me since we are only a family of two and many of these recipes are to feed at least four. Everything was awesome left over that we made, which is always a good thing in my opinion. Check out Day 1 and Day 2 to see some of the recipes we've made already.

::Dinner::

I opted to skip to Day 4's dinner...Sweet Potato with chili sauce and brussel sprouts. #1) because tonight called for salad with avocado and the avocados I had delivered were not good...so sad :( Avocados are such delicious yumminess unless you get a hard, watery one that isn't really ripe yet. Ick! What can I say? We are so spoiled with them year round here. My skin is so thankful.

Reason #2) because I was excited to make two veggies that I want to incorporate more in our diet:  Sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts.  I've always liked them they just weren't something I craved (unless of course you're talking sweet potato fries!). Plus I know how good they can be for you, so I want to eat them in a healthy way that tastes good. But what I was really excited for was to find a way to make them good to my husband. These were two veggies that were like dirty words to him. Not that brussel sprouts are everyone's favorite or anything...they definitely have a bad rap. But really, when done right, they are soooo good. And I'm happy to say I now have a way that I absolutely crave both of these Good Eats!!  Aaaannndd my husband actually said he "LIKED" these brussel sprouts and wants to eat them again. Victory.

You can view the Healthy Start 7 recipe for this tasty meal. And stay tuned for my yummy versions after our week of healthy eating posts! It's worth the wait.

Healthy Start 7 // Day 1

As promised, today starts our journey with Healthy Start 7, which I introduced as part of my New Year's Resolution series. Actually, we already did the challenge with pretty flying colors if I must say so myself. But today we start sharing it with you. Well, actually, I shared my first recipe to come out of this healthy eating challenge yesterday with some yummy Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes (that are GF & SF to boot!). You're going to want to try that one...and many of the other recipes that I created while on this cooking journey, PLUS all the recipes from the plan were excellent too!

What is Healthy Start 7? The main focus of this challenge was to eat healthy consuming mainly fruits/vegetables, the protein-packed grain alternative - quinoa, eggs, and beans/legumes, while completely removing all dairy, meats, grains, and junk/sugar/alcohol. There is also a spiritual degree to this process and it is encouraged to focus on scripture, prayer and worship during this time.

Why do this? This way of eating closely aligns with the Daniel Fast. (There are several variations of the plan out there.) The benefits of eating this way for a time are tremendous, in my opinion. Body, soul and spirit and all effected while on this plan. It is certainly healthy for bodies in obvious ways, it clears out the toxins and other unhealthy things we put into ourselves that effect our emotional/mental lives, and in we are surrendering our will and choices about food over to God, eating for health and not for indulgence.

In my final resolution this year I shared that eating healthier is a huge goal of mine. Starting the year off with the Healthy Start 7 way of eating was a great jump start to this goal getting to the next level. Here on the blog I'll share my recipes that came out of this journey as well as photos of many of the yummy and delicious recipes we made developed by the talented nutritionist - Jessica - over at Health + Happy blog.

While today is a Tuesday, you can start your Healthy Start 7 any day of the week. Just do it for 7 days. It helped me to look over everything, decide what I wanted to make and then put a grocery list together. That way I had everything I was going to cook for the week and it really helped me to keep from sticking to it.

So here's Day 1::

::Breakfast::

Healthy Start 7 was an omelet with peppers, onions and tomatoes (no recipe was provided).

If I was going to get my husband to eat this, I had to opt out of the tomatoes, although I love them. I added some of my own flavor and secret seasonings to this very similar to my Sage Scramble. Stay tuned for the official recipe...

::Lunch::

Lunch every day was a salad so I won't share all of my adventures with lunch. There were a few salad recipes included with the Healthy Start 7 recipes. I opted for my own since I really enjoy making beautiful salads. It's one of my things in the kitchen. One of my best girl friends begs me to make her salads...haha. I'll be sharing this *beaut* with you soon...

::Dinner::

Okay, our first Healthy Start 7 recipe. This was ah-mazing. I couldn't believe it didn't have any meat in it. And while my husband's first reaction was: "It'd be really great with some cheese or sour cream on it", which totally made me laugh because, if you recall, we were avoiding dairy. And if you knew my husband, he'd put cheese and/or sour cream on pretty much any stew-ish dish out there. However, he would've settled for my healthy version of sour cream - a mashed avocado - however, ours were not ripe yet. Hubby opted for this recipe to be a "keeper" even without the meat. This recipe was a major win in our house! Go make it!

Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes // Gluten & Sugar Free!

I am so excited to share our first recipe that I developed out of our Healthy Start 7 challenge (which I first introduced to you yesterday in my New Year's Resolution #3 (Part 2) post). While a pancake recipe was not included in the Healthy Start 7 meal plan for breakfast, quinoa was a huge staple of the challenge. When first preparing for this challenge I remember thinking, What are we going to eat for breakfast? While I enjoy smoothies, I don't want one every day. And eggs are great (which was the only dairy included for extra protein), but I often enjoy warm grains in the morning - oatmeal, whole wheat pancakes or toast. When quinoa pancakes were suggested as an alternative to my normal whole wheat, I was up for a new cooking challenge.

I scoured Pinterest and my other go-to sites for a start on a good recipe. Many of the quinoa recipes I found still include all-purpose flour...not allowed on our plan. Or there was the other extreme (one of which I attempted), which included no flour and was super wet and watery, and lets just say it ended up in the trash. Quinoa alone didn't work out for me. Many recipes also called for traditional sugars, which we were also avoiding during this challenge. (To get super technical, we weren't supposed to be using any flours, baking soda, etc., but at the end of the day, this is still the healthiest pancake I've ever eaten!)

So what's a girl to do? I wanted a truly healthy pancake that met our challenge requirements and still tasted good...not some I'll-choke-it-down-because-I-know-it's-good-for-me experiment. I took the tips I found from the all-quinoa recipes and what I know from making my own whole wheat versions and *boom* this recipe was born. It was a major hit with both the hubby and our little one who regularly begs for "cakes" (aka, pancakes)...my true motivation for making a healthier version.

NOTE:: I have made this recipe with and without a sugar substitute. It is just as yummy without. I'd encourage you to try it without and opt for your sweetness to come from a small amount of maple syrup, raw honey or sugar-free jam on top! However, if you so choose, I recommend a dry sugar substitute, such as stevia. I originally used coconut sugar (shown in the photos below) in this recipe but I didn't feel it made a huge difference in the taste. If you want to try a wet sugar substitute, try using less lemon juice and more lemon zest to keep the lemon flavor while reducing your liquid. Try 2 Tbsp lemon juice and 2 Tbsp raw honey, molasses, or fresh (not from concentrate) apple juice.

((Stay tuned:: I'll be sharing my research on sugar substitutes soon and will post the link here when it's published. What I found may surprise you.))

Ingredients::
1 C uncooked quinoa
3/4 C almond milk
2 Tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp ground flax
1/4 tsp sea salt
(optional: alternative sugar*)
2/3 C coconut flour
1tsp baking soda
1 C wild blueberries

How I made it::

1. Thoroughly rinse your quinoa (this is good to do anytime you make it as it helps remove the bitterness). Soak in filtered water overnight, or for several hours. Drain and rinse.

2. Add rinsed quinoa to blender with almond milk, coconut shreds, coconut oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, flax, and salt. Also add sugar substitute at this point, if using. Blend thoroughly. You can't over blend it so make sure the quinoa is really ground.

3. Whisk baking soda and flour in separate bowl, stir into wet ingredients until incorporated. Batter will be fluffy and slightly thick.

4. Stir in blueberries and set griddle/pan to medium heat.

5. Use a small bit of coconut oil to coat pan so the batter doesn't stick. Then follow this timer flow I use to cook each pancake evenly and without burning them. Plus, I only have to set my timer for one time, which is helpful. But do whatever works for you!

• Set timer to 2 minutes.
• Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan, shimmy pan so batter spreads out. 
• At 2 minutes, flip cake. 
• *Reset 2 minute timer.*
• At 1 minute, remove pancake from heat, add more coconut oil to grease pan, pour batter to make next cake. 
• Allow 20-30 seconds of timer to run out, reset timer and continue cooking first side of pancake for 2 minutes. 
• Flip and repeat from ** until out of batter.

6. Serve with maple syrup and butter, or honey and/or sugar-free jam (on pretty paper plates for easy clean up...because, hey this mama has plenty of other dishes to do already with all the cooking that goes on around here!).

Enjoy!

**Baby and husband approved**

Good Eats:: Pickled Eggs with Fresh Beets (sugar-free)

A new trend has been developing in my kitchen...taking even the most modest, ordinary recipes and making them free of anything I find unnecessarily unhealthy and replacing those ingredients with a healthy alternative. For example, sugar in my house now equals honey, applesauce, brown rice syrup, and truvia when I really need a sugar flavor and not just sweetness. For this specific recipe, I traded out the forbidden white powder for my faithful raw honey. Raw honey is sooo good for you and plenty sweet!

The inspiration for making this recipe healthy...I grew up eating pickled eggs as a kid. And if you didn't know, it's a culinary tradition of the Pennsylvania dutch - they know their food - but most of it is loaded with unhealthy ingredients by my standards. But there's just no way I'd live without a pickled egg ever again because it had sugar in it. I like most anything pickled, really, and even have my own pickle recipe - sans the sugar of course - which I will share soon.  For now, try this tasty recipe and enjoy your beautiful pickled eggs!

Ingredients::
3 large beets or 5 medium (I like a lot of beets!)
6 eggs
2 Tbsp raw honey
1/2 C apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground cloves (or 3 whole)
1 tsp cinnamon (or 1 stick)
Generous pinch of sea salt

*read all instructions on this before you begin - there is more than one method noted in the instructions*

How to::
1. Roast beets with skin covered in EVOO for 30-45 minutes until soft and skin is beginning to separate from beet or wrinkle. Cool and peal skins. Slice and place in glass jar. Cover with water and place in fridge overnight.
Note: I roast my beets instead of boiling. I just like them this way and I'm usually roasting many of them for more than just this recipe. They are a staple in salads and other yummy veggie recipes for me. Plus, when I'm pickling I'm never in a hurry, it's a process. If you're in a hurry, boil them to get your beet liquid fast!
2. Hard boil your eggs. A few days old eggs are best for hard boiling so they peel easy. My method is to submerge in warm water, bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let sit for about 20 minutes. Then submerge in an ice bath. If peeling right away, place back in very hot water for a few minutes. (Or do this when you are ready to peel.)
3. Pour your beet juice that is now a dark, dark purple water (whether they sat overnight or you just boiled them and let them cool) into a larger container that will hold your beets, liquids, and 6 peeled eggs.
4. Add the honey, apple cider vinegar, and spices to beat juice and mix well.
5. Add eggs and beets. Place in fridge overnight.

Serve when entertaining in a buffet of pickled veggies and olives. Or just keep on hand as a quick, yummy protein snack.

Good Eats:: Homemade Almond Milk

I am so excited to be making my own almond milk. It's one of those things where I found myself thinking, "Why haven't I been doing this all along?" Well, when I realized how easy it is with a little foresight and a great blender (If I haven't shared before, I ♥ my Ninja blender!), I had to try it. 

I learned how to master this little task by following these instructions at The Kitchn (by apartment therepy). Voila! My very first bottle of homemade almond milk.

So far, I've used it in my morning oatmeal, my tea latte (I make a heavenly, frothy and delicious tea latte - possibly a recipe share in the future), smoothies, and I'm sure something else I can't remember right now. 

Ingredients::
1 C almonds
water
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tbsp honey (optional)

How to::
1. Place almonds in a glass jar, cover with water and soak overnight or all day (roughly 12 hours).  Drain and rinse thoroughly. Add to blender with 3 cups of water. Add cinnamon and honey to taste. Blend until almonds are finely ground.  Strain with a fine mesh strainer over a wide bowl (you can also use cheese cloth, but I never seem to have it around when I need it). Let sit until most of the liquid drips out.  

2. Next, get a metal cookie sheet for your almond meal. Oh yeah, this lovely little recipe also yields you the bonus of some healthy almond meal for baking. The almond meal will be left over in the strainer still sopping wet with milk. I just squeeze out the milk with my hands and crumble over my cookie tray. Then set the oven to 400 degrees and toast the almond meal, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. (This will make your house smell all warm and toasty like a fresh bakery. Do this before having company over instead of lighting candles.) Pulse the almond meal quickly in the blender to break it up and make sure it is a fine meal for baking. Store in an airtight container.

Don't forget to also store your almond milk in a sealable container you can keep in the fridge. Don't make too much at once as it only lasts a few days.

Banana Nut Muffins: Gluten Free (GF) & Sugar Free

Seriously?! GF and SF?  Yes, it's possible for something so healthy and tasty to exist. With a little research and finesse, it can be done.

This recipe is based on one from my trusty Joy of Cooking cookbook. For me, it's that cookbook I've owned forever, because my mom, and her mom, and her mom before her had one just like it - it's been a staple in our kitchens. It has everything in it.  While I rarely make a recipe straight from the Joy book anymore, it's a great starting place for deciding what ingredients should be in most basic recipes. It has a lot of cooking and food storage tips as well...I learn a lot here.

- a glimpse of the original recipe -

The next step was to research an all-purpose (AP) gluten-free (GF) flour mixture. I have a coconut AP flour mix that I found online, but have yet to create anything successful with it. Fortunately, I came across this amazing GF site Gluten Free Girl and their trusty advice on how to make your own gluten-free all-purpose flour mix.  I discovered that using the Coconut flour mix on it's own wasn't sufficient. It needed to be anchored with a wheat flour. Coincidentally, the original Banana Nut Muffin recipe also called for wheat flour. I was in business.

Ingredients::
1 C coconut flour blend (I like Mama's Coconut Blend by Gluten Free Mama)
1/2 C whole wheat flour (Bob's)
1/4 C ground flax seed
1/4 C Almond meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 C coarsely chopped walnuts
----
1 large egg
1/2 C applesauce
1/4 C brown rice syrup (or honey)
3 very ripe bananas
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C almond butter

Servings:: Makes 12 standard-size muffins

How to::
1. Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.
2. In stand mixer (or in a large bowl for a hand mixer), beat wet ingredients until mixed.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients a third at a time making sure to incorporate. Since you are using GF flours you don't have to worry about over mixing since there is no gluten to break down! You want to make sure all the flour is mixed in so you don't end up with white lumpy patches in your muffins - ew, gross.  If you so choose, add in some walnuts for added healthiness and yummy texture.

4. Divide the batter among muffin cups. You can line your muffin tin with liners or I used a little coconut oil to grease them up.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for the following times::
mini - 10-12 minutes
standard size - 20-25 minutes
jumbo - 22-25 minutes

6. Insert a toothpick in 1 or 2 muffins to be sure they are done. Let cool 2-3 minutes before removing from pan, which makes them easier to remove. Preferably serve the day they are baked, but I store mine in the refrigerator to enjoy all week for breakfast and snacks.

**Baby and husband approved** I love giving these to my little guy because it's an easy finger food when cut up and his favorite food is currently bananas.

Good Eats:: Arugula Salad with Strawberry Rhubarb Vinaigrette

 

This salad is sooo good! When you want something summery, light, fresh and seasonal this salad is perfect.  I've been inspired to start eating more seasonally and to get braver with my food choices lately. Mainly for health reasons - my nutritionist had me make some changes that had me exploring my fruits and veggies in a whole new light, and I've been a part of a cooking group recently that has motivated me to try new things (more on that later...).  This salad incorporates several foods that are in season now:  arugula, radish, rhubarb and strawberries. 

If you want to explore eating more fun and seasonal foods, I suggest using the site Eat The Seasons. I bookmarked the site on my phone and pull it up at the grocery store to use it as my fruits and veggie list. The more unique foods have the useful feature of linking to info on how to make the best selection of your produce, how to prepare it, and links to unique recipes featuring the item. 

While I had several seasonal foods incorporated in this dish, my main focus was rhubarb. And I was seeking something light and fresh (i.e., probably a salad). I found this recipe at The Rhubarb Compendium (who knew?) and adapted it to my own tastes here for you. I love that this dressing is a thick, beautiful pink shade and covers the salad ingredients very well so use sparingly.

Make and enjoy! 

Pairs nicely with::
I think this would be a good entertaining salad and would go nicely alongside roasted chicken for dinner or a delicious deli sandwich for lunch.

**This recipe is husband approved**
(For those that don't know...my husband, as many others like him, likes the foods he is used to but since I started my dinner club he's opened up to trying a lot more things. Arugula would've had him running in the past!)

Ingredients::

1 C chopped fresh rhubarb (1 stalk)
1 C chopped fresh strawberries
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 T honey
1/3 C red wine vinegar
3/4 c EVOO
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
-----
1 bunch arugula (and spinach)
8-10 sliced strawberries
4-6 thinly julienned radishes
sliced raw almonds
1 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese

How you make it::
1. Simmer rhubarb and shallot in saucepan until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add strawberries and red wine vinegar. Cook with lid on until strawberries wilt a bit. Set aside until cool enough to add to a blender.
4. Puree. Pulse in EVOO and mustard.
5. Serve at room temp or chill.  Use on a salad of mainly arugula, some spinach, julienned radishes, sliced raw almonds and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. You could top with some black pepper for added spice but I preferred it without.

Good Eats:: Panko Shrimp and Broccoli Pilaf

We love to eat brown rice since it's healthy and very versatile but rice gets boring after a while even if you pair it with yummy foods. So, I finally learned how to make a simple pilaf and with the right yummy (not quite as healthy) foods like breaded shrimp, it was a delicious dish!

Shrimp Breading Station

Panko Shrimp
Ingredients::
Any size uncooked shrimp
Lemon
Salt/Pepper
Flour
Egg
Almond Milk

Panko Bread Crumbs

Extra virgin olive oil

*amounts are based on how many shrimp you make

How I made them::

1. Soak your uncooked shrimp in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

2. Dredge in flour.

3. Dip in a 1 to 1 mixture of egg and almond milk beat together.

4. Cover in panko crumbs.

5. Fry in a few table spoons of olive oil on medium-low heat. You want the pan warm enough to cook the shrimp as the breading fries but not so hot that the oil is spitting out at you. Keep it safe, they will cook best on a lower temp so they don't burn on the outside without the shrimp cooking on the inside.

Broccoli Rice Pilaf

Ingredients::

2 cups Brown Rice

3 TBSP butter

4 cups of water (or 2 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth)

1/2 cup toasted almond pieces

2 cups cooked chopped broccoli

How I made it::

1. Melt 2 TBSP butter to coat a saute pan. Add rice and brown for 3 minutes.

2. Slowly add your liquid and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Rice should be moist and sticky.

4. While rice is cooking, saute almond slices or chopped almonds in a pan in 1 TBSP of butter. If you use sliced almonds you may want to chop them up before or after cooking before adding to your rice.

5. Cook broccoli. You can buy a frozen bag of chopped broccoli or cook a head in boiling water, cool and chop yourself.

6. When the rice is done cooking, add your almonds and broccoli and any salt/pepper to taste.

Serve the Broccoli Rice Pilaf with Panko Shrimp on top. I drizzled it with a mixture of a light greek dressing and light soy sauce. These shrimp would also be fantastic with a mango chili sauce - something sweet to compliment their slightly salty taste. Enjoy!

Good Eats:: Warm Asian-Style Quinoa

Photo from One Perfect Bite

I'm always exploring new and healthy, but delicious, foods to incorporate into our staple diet and quinoa is something I've been wanting to try for so long but was somewhat intimidated by because I know nothing about it! Is it like rice? Is it more like couscous? I didn't know. Plus, the few recipes I had seen used it in cold salads and for some reason that just wasn't working for me. I wanted something hot I could eat for dinner. When I discovered this great warm recipe that even my hubby's particular taste buds would enjoy, I was thrilled! (Thanks to One Perfect Bite for the original recipe! My slightly altered version is below.)

This recipe includes one of our fave veggies, edamame, often found in Asian dishes and with it's unique flavor I decided to pair it with another Asian dish we love, delicious Pork Potstickers, in case this new food introduction didn't quite work out. The combo was ideal. And the quinoa was awesome! I would even recommend the unique tarragon and lemon dressing on a fresh summer salad. 

We rounded out the meal with a sweet, bold and fruity Shiraz (Postcode Collection 09 Shiraz) to compliment the tart lemon and salty soy flavors from the two dishes. Bon Appetite!

What other warm quinoa dishes do you love? Share in the comments and we will feature our fave new recipe in a future Good Eats post.

Ingredients:

2.5 cups quinoa

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups shelled edamame

2 TBSP lemon zest

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 TBSP tarragon, chopped

salt and pepper

1 small roasted red pepper, chopped 

1/2 cup toasted walnuts (coat pan in 1/2 tablespoon butter and toast walnuts on med-low heat for a few minutes - until you can smell them)

How I made it:

1. Follow package instructions to cook quinoa. Place in a serving bowl when cooked.

2. Cook edamame per package instructions (usually a few minutes boiling them or heating in microwave)

3. If you have a gas stove you can roast your red peppers fresh, or used jarred. Roast on open flame, watching carefully and turning as each side chars black on the outside, let cool and chop. Add to quinoa mix.

4. Mix lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon and salt and pepper. Toss over quinoa and stir to blend ingredients. Serve warm.

Good Eats:: Kale Chips

I recently saw this new idea for Kale and I'm so glad I tried it! Kale is one of those veggies that's super good for you but I'm still learning how to eat it. It's easy to use it in many of the same ways you use spinach, but this is by far the best way I've eaten Kale yet. And it was really easy to do.

Here's how I made them:

1. Trim your kale from the center rib using a sharp knife. I used two large leaves to get this snack size bowl full. Perfect for two.

2. Cut into about 2 inch size pieces since they will curl up and get a little smaller after baking. Ripping the pieces doesn't work well with Kale since it's pretty durable. 

3. Spread pieces on baking sheet and drizzle about 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil. Stir them around well to make sure both sides are covered. Generously salt with coarse sea salt.

4. Bake for 15 minutes at 300. Remove from oven, let cool, serve and enjoy!

Kale chips definitely have a unique flavor so your non-veggie lovers may be skeptical at first but the crunchiness and saltiness sort of melt in your mouth and grow on you. They are such a healthy alternative that if the Kale flavor is still too strong I'd encourage you to try them with additional seasoning such as crushed red pepper to spice them up.