Curried vegetable polenta kebabs

These curried vegetable kebabs from Naturally Ella were a big hit for dinner last week!  We grilled the vegetables on skewers then plated them for eating. This recipe calls for prepared polenta (the kind that comes in a tube, found in the oragnic/health section at my grocery store), and I'll have a recipe later this week for polenta fries to use the leftovers!

Blueberry coffee cake

Sometimes I watch the Food Network when I'm hungry, which makes me want to make ALL the recipes.  This blueberry coffee cake from the Pioneer Woman caught my eye and got priority baking status last week.  I halved the recipe and made a 9x9 pan, which made a delicious, easy breakfast for a few days- yum!  Anything you top with a sprinkle of sugar and a pat of butter is a winner in my book!!

Peanut butter cup caramelitas

I made these peanut butter cup caramelitas from Domestic Rebel for our Bachelorette watch party this week, and they were a HUGE hit.  Peanut butter, chocolate and caramel is a pretty good trio if you ask me!! Sweet tooth = satisfied.

Massaged kale salad with dried cranberries, pistachios and kumquats

This salad from the Yummy Supper cookbook surprised us - we knew we would like it, but we LOVED IT! I'm already planning to make it again...

MASSAGED KALE SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES, PISTACHIOS 

AND KUMQUATS

serves 6-8

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/4 - 1/2 tsp sea salt

2 large bunches kale (8-9 packed cups), fully dried after washing

8 - 10 kumquats, thinly sliced into rounds, leave the peel on but discard any seeds (widely          available, I got ours at our regular grocery store, after googling what to look for :))

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios

In a very large salad bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and 1/4 tsp of the sea salt. 

Discard the rough stems of your kale. Lay the leaves on top of each other, roll them up like a cigar, and chop widthwise into thin strips, a rough chiffonade.  Add the leaves to the salad bowl, then use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale.  after 3-5 minutes of massaging, the fibers will break down and the leaves will feel like silky seaweed. 

Toss the massaged kale leaves with the kumquat slices, dried cranberries and pistachios.  Add additional lemon juice and salt to taste if desired.

Stuffed sweet potatoes

Eating your vegetables doesn't mean resigning to a lifetime of salads.  You can take those same salad themes- Greek, Southwestern, anything really- and transform it into toppings for roasted sweet potatoes, or zucchini nachos, for example.  These stuffed sweet potatoes adapted from Averie Cooks are a delicious- and healthier way- to get our Mexican food fix.  Ole!

STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

kernels from 2 ears of corn
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese

Scallions, sliced

1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced

Cilantro, chopped

Avocado Crema:
1 large ripe avocado

1/2 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
pinch of salt, to taste

Instructions

Sweet Potato and Filling - Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce potato with fork a few times so steam can escape, and cook until fork tender (45 minutes - 1 hour).

Slice roasted sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, and hollow out a center column of each half with a spoon. Don't remove any flesh, just redistribute it so the center column is a bit shallower to make room for the filling, and there's more flesh built up around the edges.

Place the halves on a non-stick baking sheet. Top each potato half with black beans, corn, salt and pepper, and shredded cheese.

Set oven to Broil and cook potatoes for about 3 minutes, or just until cheese begins to melt and is bubbly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

While the potatoes cool, make the avocado crema.

Avocado Crema - In a food processor or blender, combine the avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and salt to taste- blend until smooth and creamy. If mixture is thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached. Garnish potatoes with scallions, jalapeno, avocado crema and cilantro- and enjoy!!

Black-eyed pea & collard tacos

You may (or may not) have noticed that Robert and I are eating healthier than we used to.  Our goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat as least-processed as we can.  That means I am looking to new sources for recipes, and this vegan one from the Isa Does It cookbook fit the bill.   On paper this looks like an unusual combination - black-eyed peas, collard greens, and apple salsa??- but trust me, it works.  We loved it and will be making it again very soon!

BLACK-EYED PEA AND COLLARD TACOS

Yield: 8 tacos

Ingredients:

For the black-eyed peas-

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

2 (15oz.) cans black-eyed peas, drained

1 cup vegetable broth

3 tbsp. of hot sauce (I used Sriacha)

For the greens-

1 tsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 lb. collard greens, washed, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 tsp. salt

For the salsa-

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

1 large ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Tortillas (soft-taco size)

Instructions

For the black-eyed peas-

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pan. Cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes, until it softens. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin and salt, and cook for about a minute to toast the spices.

Add the black-eyed peas and stir to combine. Partially mash the black-eyed peas so there are still whole beans but not a puree. Stir in the broth and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes- they should be creamy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or hot sauce if needed. Cover and keep warm.

For the greens-
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan and sauté the garlic for about 15 seconds. Add the greens, broth and salt, and stir to combine. Cover the pan and let the greens cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the salsa-
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve.

To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas so they are soft and pliable.
Spoon some of the beans onto the tortilla, top with some of the greens, and a scoop of the salsa.

Peanut butter cookie pie

I made this little beauty from Averie Cooks for our Bachelor watch party last week and it was a BIG hit!  Such yummy peanut butter and chocolaty goodness- I can't wait to make it again!!

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE PIE

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
heaping 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
12 to 14 mini Reeses peanut butter cups (whole or halved)
2/3 cup M&Ms

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with floured cooking spray; set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.

Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don't scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined; don't overmix.

Turn batter out into prepared pie dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.

Evenly insert the peanut butter cups into the batter, pushing them down so the top is almost flush with the surface of the dough.  Evenly insert the M&Ms into the batter, pushing them down to anchor.

Bake for about 28 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.  If your pie has risen in the center, it will deflate as it cools. Allow pie to cool in pan for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Whole wheat olive oil pumpkin bread

I don't veer from my favorite pumpkin bread recipe very often, but I wanted to give this whole wheat flour and olive oil combo from Recipe Girl a try.  This bread is delicious, and using whole wheat flour takes away the guilt when my kids eat it for breakfast.  Win-win!!

WHOLE WHEAT OLIVE OIL PUMPKIN BREAD

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and spices into a medium bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs and water. Stir in dry ingredients and mix just until combined (don't over mix).

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove loaf to a rack to cool completely.

White bean, tomato and kale soup

We've had our share of freezing temperatures, wintry mix, and occasional snowflakes falling here in Arkansas, and in this house that means soup, soup, soup!  We made this one from Ezra Pound Cake last week and LOVED it- so hearty and such great flavor.  I can't wait to make it again!!

WHITE BEAN, TOMATO AND KALE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Garlic:

1 head of garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

For the Soup:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1 tsp thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 Tbsp roasted garlic

32 ounces vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 15-ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves lightly chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

To Roast the Garlic: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Turn your garlic bulb on its side, and cut in half. Place the garlic, cut side up, on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil, and put them back together.  Wrap the garlic in the foil, and roast until tender, about 50 minutes. When the garlic cools, squeeze it out of the skin. You’ll be using 1 tablespoon for the soup, so you can store the rest in the refrigerator for several days.

For the Soup: 

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the celery, thyme, chili flakes and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato and roasted garlic, and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the broth and basil, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the beans, and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes more. (Check the pot every once in a while to make sure the soup isn’t boiling and breaking apart your beans.)

Gently add the kale. Bring the pot back to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Brussels sprout salad with creamy shallot dressing

In our quest to eat healthier, Robert and I are eating a lot of salad.  A lot.  We have a few simple favorites that we go to time and time again - such as a Greek salad or a Mexican salad- but there are lots of variations you can do to keep salad interesting.  One of our new favorites is this brussels sprout salad from Pinch of Yum.  We have added shaved brussels sprouts as a topping to other salads before, but this is the first time we've used them as the base (no lettuce?!).  It is a very flavorful and colorful salad, and the creamy shallot dressing sends it over the top- so delicious!!

BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD WITH CREAMY SHALLOT DRESSING
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the salad:

30-40 brussels sprouts
6 slices bacon

1 cup pomegranate arils (our arils had an odd taste, so we ditched them and subbed dried cranberries)

⅓ cup almonds

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

For the dressing:

1 shallot, chopped

juice of one orange

juice of one lemon

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

⅓ cup olive oil

up to 2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Cook the bacon over low heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels; crumble and set aside.

Shred or slice the brussels sprouts. (Slice them super thin and then break the layers apart with your hands. Fluff it up a little and you’ll get a delicate shredded texture).

Toss the brussels sprouts, bacon crumbles, pomegranate arils, almonds, and cheese together.

Place all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor and pulse until creamy. Add the water as needed for consistency. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.

Sweet potato autumn salad

In November, we had ZaZa's salad of the month and it blew. us. away.  It was perfection, and we immediately set out to recreate it at home.  This is a hearty, delicious entree salad- perfect for kicking off a healthy new year!  The specifics depend on your desired serving size, so portion and measure what suits you.  Enjoy!

Sweet potato autumn salad (ZaZa's copycat)

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

Olive oil

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Romaine and baby spinach

Dried cranberries

Brussel sprouts, shaved (we eat them raw, or you could blanch them if you prefer)

Goat cheese

Candied pecans

Carrots, thinly sliced

Maple-cider vinaigrette dressing:

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 
  
• Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook until fork tender (approximately 1 hour). 
• 
  
• For the vinaigrette, whisk together the cider vinegar and next 4 ingredients.  Gradually whisk in olive oil until well blended.
• 
  
• When sweet potatoes have cooled to room temperature, assemble with the remaining salad ingredients- bon appetit!

Creamy tomato-balsamic soup

I LOVE tomato soup.  If it's on the menu, chances are I'm ordering it.  I get it to-go from Panera at least once a week, I've made several delicious versions at home (here, here and here for example), and now I'm adding this creamy tomato-balsamic soup from Cooking Light to the list.  The preparation of this recipe is pretty unique- you pour a broth mixture over the vegetables and then roast them in a very hot oven to get all that browned caramelly goodness.  This one is a keeper!

CREAMY TOMATO-BALSAMIC SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided 

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup coarsely chopped onion 

5 garlic cloves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained

Cooking spray 

1/2 cup half-and-half

Cracked black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500° for 40 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.

Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Garnish with cracked black pepper.