Having it your way.... Eggplant

Life is a never ending spin cycle. Sometimes there is a slight pause to ensure a properly balanced load, but the rest is brief and soon life is spinning again.  

We try to have lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and other wholesome staples on hand to make dinner decisions easy and healthful. This year, we enrolled in a produce delivery service. The suppliers are all local farms; hence the deliveries are seasonal and local.  It differs from a CSA whereas we select from several pre-bundled choices each weekend with delivery following in a few days.  It's a great education for the entire family.  I've learned about effects the extremely rainy spring and summer has had on various crops.  The kid was enlightened and amazed to find that an ear of corn hid beneath a mysterious green husk.  It may sound like a luxury but it has saved us time and money.  Plus, we are supporting our local economy.  

We received another eggplant in our selection last week.  After reading about them many times over the years, I decided to try a variation of an eggplant round/pizza recipe. My challenge was to make it appealing to the entire family while using up existing ingredients. I ended up with three versions: kid-friendly, vegan and mainstream.   

The results....delicious....and so simple a detailed recipe isn't needed

W

Set the oven to preheat at 375.

To prepare the eggplant, slice (about 1/2 inch), single layer on a metal pan and salt lightly. After about 5-10 minutes, place a paper towel over the eggplant and apply pressure to absorb some of the water. Flip and repeat.  

After the oven preheats and then some,bake the naked eggplant rounds for 15 minutes.  

Remove the eggplant and top the rounds with your favorite flavors.

As a base for all three versions, I used organic canned tomato sauce topped with fresh basil leaves, fresh oregano and minced garlic.  




The kid friendly rounds received a simple topping of shredded mozzarella.  

For the vegan crowd, the rounds offered Daiya (mozzarella style.)

The third version was topped with mozzarella and a generous helping of ricotta.  

After applying toppings, bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Until cheese is melted.....

Eggplant Rounds

Summer has only just begun; yet the end is already in sight.  

Go ahead and partake in some summer fun. 

We have already planned dinner for you.  

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds

8 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

2 tortilla wraps

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz package of baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

½ tomato, seeded and diced

¼ cup of your favorite cheese I used an Italian blend.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet, topping with mushrooms.  On another baking sheet, align the tortilla so they are not touching. Bake both pans for 15 minutes; rotating oven positions once. 

While eggplant and mushrooms are baking, combine garlic and tomato in a small bowl. 

Remove both baking sheets.  Divide the eggplant between tortillas and top with tomato and spinach.  Finish with a layer of cheese. 

Bake in the oven until tortilla is crispy and cheese is melted; approximately 10 minutes. 

Chicken and Quinoa

Dinner in a flash.....of a skillet.

After a busy weekend, Monday arrived way too early.  That night I struggled to find an easy dinner that didn't involve microwaving a bag of popcorn.  After a search through the pantry, fridge and freezer, here's what happened:










Season a couple of uncooked chicken breasts with smoked paprika and a pinch of salt. 
Add a couple tablespoons coconut oil to a warm skillet.  When the coconut oil becomes liquid, add 3 cloves of minced garlic.  
When garlic becomes fragrant, add chicken.  Cook until completely done (165 F); turning once half way through.
When done, remove chicken and cut into 1 inch cubes. 


Place a ladle sized scoop of cooked quinoa on a plate.  Top with diced chicken.  Garnish with avocado, tortilla chips and hot sauce. 

And this is why one should always have cooked quinoa on hand and leftover chips from the burrito joint.  

Meatballs

I made one mistake with this recipe last time.... making only one batch.  

I was hoping to have leftovers for lunch the next day, but I was robbed.  My kids asked for seconds; a rarity. I am pretty sure they didn’t touch the accompanying spaghetti on their plates.   

1/3 cup onion, diced

1 clove garlic,  minced

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/8 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp oregano

Saute above in 2 tbsp olive oil, water or vegetable stock for about 7 minutes.

8 oz spinach

1 ½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce

Add to onion mixture and saute for 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted

Remove mixture from stove and allow to cool

1 lbs of ground beef/turkey

1 egg

¼ cup bread crumbs

Combine in a medium bowl until fully incorporated.  (I find mixing with my hands is easiest.)

Combine onion mixture to beef mixture.

Form balls and place on pan covered with aluminum foil

Bake 400 degrees about 10 min (depending on how big you make the meatballs)

Remove from oven and enjoy.

The best part of meatballs is their versatility.  Place on a sub roll and top with cheese and marinara for a meatball sandwich, serve alongside spaghetti, serve alone as a party appetizer or save them all for yourself.

Don’t forget to make a double batch, you can always freeze any leftovers.

Beans and Ginger Rice

Beans and rice.....Together they are economical, easy, plentiful and delicious.  Did I mention versatile? Sprinkle a little cheese on top and kids eat it up.  Foresee a busy week; cook up a batch to pack for weekday lunches.

Before the recipe, let's talk about the beans.  This recipe calls for black beans. I typically buy organic, dried black beans in a 16 ounce / 1 pound bag.  If you have never worked with dried beans, they are really simple.  After dinner, pour the entire bag into a glass bowl, cover with cold water (about an inch or so above the beans) and let soak.  The next morning, rinse and drain the beans. Place the beans along with 6 cups of cold water in a pot on the stove and bring to a nice simmer.  Let the beans simmer for about 45 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.  When fully cooked, the beans will be soft but not mushy.  When the beans have this consistency, drain and let cool.  At this time, I divide 1 cup portions into freezer bags and place extra in the freezer for future use.  

For this recipe you will need:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups of black beans, fresh, frozen or canned (If using canned, drain and rinse.)

1 cup brown rice

1/4 inch fresh ginger root - peeled and grated

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander
3 cups water (to start)

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.  

Add 2 cloves garlic and let saute until fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes.  Then add the ginger. After a minute or two, add the rice; stirring to coat. Pour in 2 cups of water. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is fully cooked.  During cooking, add water as needed.  

In a separate pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Add 2 cloves of garlic; after another 3-4 minutes add the cumin and coriander and beans (in that order.)  Add one cup of water, simmer for 10 minutes.  

When rice is fully cooked, fluff with a fork.  Place one serving of rice in a bowl, spooning bean mixture on top.  Add garnishments of your choice, such as avocado, cilantro, cheese and/or Greek yogurt. 

Haystacks

Happy Fourth of July!

Looking for a quick, easy dessert to take along to that cookout?  Well, we've got just the one...

Haystacks!
















This recipe is so easy and will satisfy even the most finicky sweet tooth.  It was born out of a desire to satisfy the family's sweet tooth in a sweet but wholesome chocolaty manner.  

When I was a teenager, I always reached for sugary candies.  During my first pregnancy, my sweet tooth evolved and became all about chocolate.  On a mission to sate my craving evolution, this recipe was born. 

Here's what you need...

2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder

½ cup 100% pure maple syrup

¼ cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups shredded coconut

Blend cacao powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Place shredded coconut in a mixing bowl, add chocolate mixture and combine until coconut is covered.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Using a spoon, scoop individual haystacks onto the wax paper.  

Freeze until ready to serve (at least 30 minutes.)