Lime Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients-
•    1 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
•    4 tbsp. olive oil
•    1 tsp. cumin
•    1 tsp. paprika
•    ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    1 small yellow onion, diced
•    1 clove garlic, minced
•    1, 14.5 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
•    1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
•    3 tbsp. honey
•    3 tbsp. lime juice
•    2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
•    Tortillas
•    Any toppings you would like; we use lettuce, cheese, avocado, and some salsa

Instructions-
•    Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
•    Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the sweet potatoes and coat with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and toss to coat the potatoes.  Bake for 12-20 minutes and let cool.
•    While the potatoes are baking, heat the 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and sauté until caramelized.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, black beans, corn, honey, and lime juice.  Heat in skillet until everything is warmed.  Remove from heat and add the potatoes and cilantro, toss and serve in the tortillas with your toppings of choice.  Enjoy your yummy and quick tacos!


I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like a quick and easy Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Ingredients-
•    8 oz. dry pasta
•    3 tbsp. butter
•    3 tbsp. flour
•    1 ¼ cup fat-free milk, heated
•    1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
•    Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions-
•    In a large pot bring water to boil and cook pasta accordingly.  As the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then add flour and whisk into the butter for about 5 minutes.  Add ½ cup of the heated milk into the saucepan and continue to whisk thoroughly mixing together.  Add the rest of the milk and continue to stir to the constancy of your liking.

•    Reduce the heat and mix in the cheese and cook until melted and smooth.  Pour over cooked noodles and stir together.  Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Caprese Pasta

Ingredients-
•    ½ cup white onion, diced
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    2 ½ cup dry pasta
•    1 package grape tomatoes, halved
•    5 fresh basil leaves
•    2 ½ cup water
•    ½ tsp. slat
•    ½ tsp. black pepper
•    1 ½ cup fresh mozzarella
•    2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
•    Chopped basil to garnish

Instructions-
•    In a large skillet sauté the olive oil and onions until soft. Add the pasta, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, water, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.  Bring to boil and cook until pasta is done and water is reduced.  Top with the mozzarella and over the pan so the cheese melts.  Top with balsamic vinegar and basil.  Enjoy! 

Go green and stay keen,

Julie

As much as I love October, November has so much to offer and so many delicious vegetables and fruits in season.  Root vegetables are some of my favorite vegetables to prepare and are in their prime.  They make for great rich and flavorful soups and stews.  I still get to use pumpkin in my recipes but I also love using other root veggies to create rich fall flavors. 

Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables that are in season…varying depending on where you are: apples, artichokes, arugula, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, cranberries, dates, endive, garlic, kale, leeks, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, rutabaga, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, and watercress just to name a few.

Chili is one of my favorite fall meals and it is so easy when you make it in the slow cooker.  Here is my recipe for

Slow Cooker Chili

 Ingredients-

•    ½ tbsp. olive oil
•    1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
•    4 cloves garlic, minced
•    1  chipotle chili, chopped
•    2, 15 oz. cans of dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
•    2, 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
•    2, 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
•    1, 15 oz. can of light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
•    1, 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
•    1 cup of beer
•    2 tbsp. chili powder
•    1 tbsp. ground cumin
•    1 tsp. salt
•    1 tsp. sugar
•    ½ tsp. black pepper
•    Toppings if you want, I like to use shredded cheddar cheese, sometimes tortilla strips, or sour cream

Instructions- 

•    Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with desired toppings and enjoy your perfect November fall chili!

I love roasting squash this time of the year.  It has such a unique taste that is prefect for fall and November!  Here is a wonderful way to roast a squash:

Spicy Roasted Herbed Squash 

Ingredients-

•    1 large acorn squash, seeded and sliced
•    3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
•    3 tbsp. brown sugar
•    1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
•    ¼ tsp. salt
•    ¼ tsp. pepper
•    4 oz. crumbled feta
•    1 tbsp. chopped basil
•    1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
•    1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

Instructions-

•    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place the sliced squash on a lined baking pan.
•    Mix the coconut oil, brown sugar, and chili garlic sauce together in a small bowl.  Pour over the squash slices and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top.  Roast for about 20 minutes, move the slices around and roast for another 20 minutes. 
•    Remove from oven and sprinkle the feta, basil, cilantro, and oregano over the top.  If there is any extra sauce over flowed on the baking pan, put it on the squash.  Let cool a bit and serve your wonderful roasted squash.

Just in case that recipe didn’t satisfy your roasted squash fix, here is a delicious recipe for

Parmesan Roasted Squash

Ingredients-

•    2 small acorn squashes, sliced in large chucks and seeded
•    ½ cup heavy cream
•    8 sprigs of dried oregano
•    ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
•    Extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and drizzle

Instructions

•    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place the sliced squash on a lined baking pan and season with salt and pepper.  Spread the heavy cream and herbs evenly on the slices.
•    Bake for about 40 minutes until the squash is tender.  Remove from the oven and top with the parmesan cheese and place back into the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
•    Remove from oven, drizzle with olive oil and enjoy another wonderful roasted squash!

November is such a great time to bake and make some delicious fall food.  I consider October and the beginning of November the preparation for Thanksgiving!
 
Hope you are having a great November!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

It is about that time when we are going to pick right back up into our busy schedules with the kids back in school, a busy season in the restaurant and my husband has a few business travel trips coming up.

There is nothing worse than having boring and repetitive meals.  Being busy is nothing new to our family’s life so I have figured out how to make meals that only take a few minutes to prepare.

My answer to busy schedules, cooking ahead of time and freezing.

Cooking up a big batch of something and freezing the leftovers make great weeknight meals.  There are so many things that freeze well and can even save a few dollars when you double or triple the batch.  Not to mention, freezing perishable items means you waste less!

Freezer Friendly Meals

Today I made two batches of soup for this week and an easy breakfast, it is going to be a busy week for sure!  Here are some great recipes that freeze well and work great as weekday meals!

Chickpea and Coconut Tomato Soup

Ingredients-
• 1, 400g can of chickpeas
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 250ml coconut milk
• 1 red chili, chopped
• 1 small piece of ginger, grated
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 3-4 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley to garnish if desired

Instructions-
• In a large pan heat the olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper.  When the onion is beginning to brown add the chili and sauté for a couple minutes.  Add the rest of the spices and zest and stir together thoroughly.
• Add the tomatoes, cook for about 3-4 minutes then add the coconut milk and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Finally, add the chickpeas and cook for about 3 minutes.  Divide and store in freezer containers and either freeze or enjoy right away or both!

Cheese and Veggie Egg Muffins

Ingredients-
• About 1 ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup diced orange bell peppers
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ½ cup frozen corn
• 8 large eggs
• About 12 tbsp. shredded cheese of your choice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Spray cooking spray on a non-stick 12 cup muffin pan making sure it is all thoroughly covered.
• In a large bowl mix the carrots, peppers, peas, and corn.  Divide the mixture in the muffin pan filling them up about 2/3 of the way full.
• In another bowl crack the eggs and whisk them adding salt and pepper to taste.  Divide the egg mixture in the muffin pan as well.  Top each muffin section with a generous amount of cheese.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes and let cool before removing.  Divide and eat or freeze and save for a delicious and healthy breakfast.

Do you freeze meals to have during a busy week? I would love to know what you freeze, I am always looking for new recipes to try with my family!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Last night we hosted Hannah’s movie party.  We often plan a party on any date, for her group of friends and urprisingly she wasn’t as high strung as she usually is about food and décor.  She just wanted to have a few of her friends over for a sleepover and watch some new movies that just came out.  I was very surprised when she told me this, so unlike her, but easier for me.

We did decorate a little bit with big paper movie reels and old fashioned popcorn containers.  We also found some really great big bean bags and pillows that were on sale so we agreed they would be part of the decoration of ther room.  She picked out so many movies that she wanted to get for that night but we realistically narrowed it down to 3 movies. 

She didn’t want a cake for this party because it was not her birthday party but, she just wanted an assortment of ice cream and fun popcorn for when they were watching movie.  I let her go crazy in the ice cream isle at our co-op.  She picked out lots of fruity flavors and of course chocolate.  She found fun recipes for popcorn on Pinterest and we made them our own.  I had to laugh at her and her friends, they ended up putting some of the popcorn on their ice cream…crazy girls! :)

The popcorn recipes she found were actually really delicious, my husband and I were munching on them too.  Here are the three fun flavors of popcorn we made.

Cookies and Cream Popcorn 🍿

Ingredients-
•    4 ½ cups popped popcorn
•    10 Oreos, pulverized
•    12 oz. vanilla almond bark

Instructions-
•    In a microwave safe bowl melt the almond bark until smooth.  Pour over popped popcorn and immediately pour the pulverized Oreos on the mixture.  Mix with a wooden spoon so the almond bark and Oreos are distributed.  Let the bark cool and harden, enjoy!

In case the cookies and cream popcorn wasn’t enough,

S’mores Popcorn 🍿

Ingredients-
•    About 5 cups of popped popcorn
•    2 cups chocolate chip melts
•    1 package of Duncan Hines Chocolate marshmallow frosting creations mix
•    1 cup mini marshmallows
•    12 graham crackers, crushed

Instructions-
•    Combine the popcorn and marshmallows in a large bowl.  Melt the chocolate chips and mix in the frosting packet.  Drizzle over the popcorn mixture and immediately pour the graham cracker crumbs over the mixture.  Let the chocolate cool and harden, enjoy!

And to get the savory with the sweet popcorn,

Parmesan Basil Popcorn 🍿

Ingredients-
•    4 cups popped popcorn
•    2 tbsp. coconut oil
•    ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
•    ¼ tsp. salt
•    4 tbsp. chopped basil

Instructions-
•    Melt the coconut oil and pour over the popcorn.  Add the cheese, salt and basil immediately and toss so it coats the popcorn.  Serve and enjoy you savory popcorn!

I was so surprised how much fun the girls had just watching movies and being girls.  The popcorn and ice cream bar turned out great.  The girls loved it and were getting really creative combining the flavors.  It was nice to see them have fun without doing something big or expensive.  Hannah had a great birthday, she said it was the best one yet.  Luckily for me, I don’t have much cleaning to do today since they were so calm.  It has been such a great weekend!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

I feel like everyone goes through phases with foods, whether it is loving it or hating it.  The good news is Liam has lost is last obsession…thank goodness, but my husband and I have been in quick the granola kick.

There is nothing wrong with a little granola obsession for a while but making sure that it is in moderation.  My husband comes up with some great ideas when it comes to mixing up flavors in food.  He wanted us to make our own granola and he came up with little variations to avoid getting bored with the same kinds of granola.  He came up with some delicious concoctions I have to share these great granola ideas with.

With fall in sight Low Fat Apple Raisin Granola


Ingredients-
• 3 cups dehydrated buckwheat chunks
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsps. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup agave
• 1 apple, chopped and diced
• 1 tbsp. almond butter

Instructions-
• Preheat oven to 250 degree Fahrenheit
• In a large bowl mix the buckwheat chunks, raisins, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger powder, and salt.
• In another bowl mix the agave, apple, and almond butter together.  I have used a blender to thoroughly mix together.  Pour over the dry mixture and toss to coat and combine.
• Spread on a lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Cool and store in an air tight container.  This is my favorite granola we have made :)

Vanilla Almond Goji Berry Granola

Ingredients-
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup grape-seed oil
• 1/3 cup agave
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup goji berries

Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
• Mix the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl then pour on a lined baking sheet.
• In a saucepan mix the grape-seed oil, agave, vanilla extract, and light brown sugar on low heat until a simmer then remove from the heat.  Pour over the oat mixture and toss to coat.
• Bake for 20 minutes until it is golden brown, cool and break into chunks and mix with the goji berries.  Enjoy over yogurt, milk, or even ice cream if you are feeling ambitions.

When you don’t feel like a sweet granola, my husband loves his new creation: Salty Olive Granola-


Ingredients-
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 ½ cup pecan halves, pulverized
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cardamom
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins

Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
• In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, pecans, coconut, and pumpkin seeds.  Add the maple syrup, sugar, olive oil, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon and mix until everything is coated.
• Spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stir and bake for another 15 minutes.  Let cool and add the raisins and mix together.  Enjoy your salty granola with a twist.

If you have any unique and tasty granola recipes I am sure my husband would be excited to give them a try! :)

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie