Summer Fish Tacos

Summer and fish tacos are two of my favorites and they go hand in hand! They are also one of those rare meals I can get everyone to eat (disclaimer, Ella gets grilled chicken to put on hers). It is so easy to swap ideas for this recipe and my girls love building their own tacos. I serve this with a cold mexican quinoa salad (recipe is on blog) for a simple, healthy and delicious summer dinner.

I am sharing our favorite but I will also mention some substitutions and additions as well!

Fish Tacos:

1 lb fresh halibut (can also use mahi mahi, cod, any flaky white fish will do)

2 avocados diced

2 mangos diced

cole slaw (recipe shared below)

creme fraiche or sour cream

lemon or lime wedges for serving

flour tortillas or hard taco shells (whichever you prefer)

olive oil

seasoning (I keep a jar of this homemade seasoning handy):

1 tsp salt

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 stp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

All the fixings!

1. Brush fish with a thin layer of olive oil and season to liking, you can also do a simple salt and pepper, especially if you have fresh fish

2. Prepare cole slaw (see my recipe below)

3. Arrange toppings in separate bowls

4. Grill or sauté fish until it flakes, white fish cooks quickly. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime over fish before serving

5. Warm tortillas or taco shells in oven for a few minutes before serving

6. Serve, assemble, and enjoy!

Quick and Easy Cole Slaw:

1 small head red cabbage finely shredded

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 carrots shredded

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbs dijon mustard

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

Juice from half of a lemon

1 tsp celery seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine parsley, cabbage and carrot in a bowl and top with dressing. Give it a good stir and refrigerate a few hours before serving. You can also make this a day in advance. I find cole slaw to always bet better the second day once all the flavors soak in.

Short on time?

I love this coleslaw kit from Trader Joe’s©. My daughter likes my dressing better so I usually just end up using the mix, adding parsley and whipping up my homemade dressing.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad is one of my absolute favorite summer salads. It is super versatile and can fit with any meal. I always make extra for lunch during the week since it holds up so well. I alternate between a Mediterranean and Mexican. You can pretty much add anything you like and you can’t go wrong.

You will need:

1 cup organic quinoa (rinsed)

1 cup liquid (I use water then making salad but if you want more flavor you can use chicken or veggie stock)

Cook Quinoa according to directions. I add both quinoa and liquid to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, lower to simmer and cover for about 15 minutes. I always set the timer or I forget and timing is key with quinoa. Overcooking will leave you with a mushy mess. I take a quick peak when the timer goes off and make sure all the water is absorbed. Once it looks done, remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for a few hours.

Prepare toppings and dressing according to version below. Mix quinoa, toppings and dressing until thoroughly combined. I wait to add avocado to the very end or serve on the side if you are planning to have leftovers. Avocado is the one ingredient that doesn’t keep well. The best part of both of these recipes is how easy it is to substitute if there is something you don’t like. Enjoy!

Mexican:

one can black beans

two avocados diced

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn

one cup grape tomatoes halved

one small red onion chopped

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lime (juiced)

1/4 cup cilantro or parsley

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

Mediterranean:

one can garbanzo beans

two avocados diced

1 cup grape tomatos halved

one cucumber peeled and chopped

one small red onion chopped

one red pepper chopped

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/2 cup fresh feta cheese

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

one lemon juiced plus 1 tsp of zest

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

2 cloves fresh minced garlic

1/4 tsp chopped parsley

* I love to garnish with fresh scallions and/or chives.

My favorite Hillary’s© veggie burger makes the perfect addition to leftover quinoa salad for a quick and easy lunch!

Overnight Oats

I absolutely love Overnight Oats. I make about 10 jars on Sunday evening that get my husband and I through the week. They are the perfect quick, easy and healthy breakfast to take on the go. It also makes a great mid-day or late night snack. There are various combinations and an endless list of ingredients you can add. I make in leftover mason or jam jars.

Here is my favorite recipe combo:

Ingredients for one jar:

1/4 c old fashioned organic oats

1/4 c milk -I prefer unsweetened vanilla almond milk or oat milk (any kind of milk will work)

1/3 c yogurt -My favorite is plain Bulgarian which may be hard to find, Greek works great too!

Drizzle of maple syrup or honey depending on your sweetness level-you don’t have to add any!

2 tsp chia seeds

2 tsp hemp seeds

handful of blueberries

To assemble:

1. Start with adding oats to jar

2. Add milk to cover oats

3. Add yogurt

4. Drizzle with syrup or sweetener

5. Add chia and hemp seeds

6. Top with blueberries

7. Shake jar to mix it all up (make sure to close lid!)

8. You can top with more blueberries after shaking

9. Store in fridge up to 5 days

The BEST Roasted Chicken

I love recipes that are a huge hit with my entire family AND are super easy to make- win, win! I based this recipe off of a recipe for a whole roasted chicken and added a few more ingredients (like garlic) to boost the flavor. Did you know garlic has many health benefits including the fight against the common cold? Whenever a recipe calls for garlic, I usually double it for the added health boost.

You will need:

1 yellow onion

4-5 carrot (I used multicolor)

1lb bag new potatoes (I used golden)

whole chicken cut up into pieces or 2 breasts, 2-3 legs/thighs with skin on

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

2 lemons

4 cloves garlic

1/4 c olive oil + 2 TBS

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Chop onions, carrots, and potatoes and add to a cast iron skillet (you can also use a baking dish)

3. Drizzle with 2 TBS of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder, toss to combine.

4. For marinade: combine 1/4 C olive oil, juice from one lemon, and minced garlic in a bowl

5. Assemble chicken on top of veggies and brush marinade on to both sides

6. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle juice from second lemon as well as remaining 1/2 tsp of oregano on top

7. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, remove and toss veggies, place back in over for about 10 minutes or until chicken reaches 162 degrees.

8. Remove from oven and put chicken pieces on a separate plate, cover with foil for about 10 minutes

9. Toss veggies and put back in oven while chicken rests- this allows veggies to get extra roasted

10. Once veggies are done place chicken back on top and serve

Favorite Kid Snacks

I did a blog post awhile back about favorite toddler snacks and now that I am officially no longer the mama of a toddler I thought I would share a few of our favorite snacks.  As much as I would love to say we don't consume processed snacks; that would be a lie.  However, I do try and limit the girls to one processed snack each day which usually consists of a granola bar, crackers, graham crackers, rice cakes, etc. I will list a few of our go to processed snacks (gluten free too!) at the end of this post. 

My two biggest tips for getting your kiddos to eat a healthy snack are, first, give them a choice of a few options so they still feel empowered in their decision making.  Second, prep, prep, prep!! It is so much easier to offer a healthy snack when they are already prepared and ready to go.  I am guilty of opening the fridge and looking at an entire cucumber or block of cheese and not offering it to my kids since I would have to take the time in that moment to cut it up. When you have choices prepped and ready to go, I promise it will be a whole lot easier on everyone. 

Here is my list of whole food snacks that are prepped and ready to go eat in the fridge/pantry:

1. Cucumber Sticks

2. Sliced Peppers and Carrot

3. Homemade Popcorn (we love our Whirly Pop popper)

4. Cheese (sliced from a block of local cheddar)

5. Berries (washed and ready to snack on)

6. Melon Cubes (when in season)

7. Yogurt and Homemade Granola (see recipe on blog) 

8. Hummus (with veggies). There are so many great homemade recipes!

9. Nut mix (I purchase nuts in bulk at our local grocery store and make my own mix) I use raw almonds, raw cashews, unsalted pistachios, and lightly salted peanuts.  You can add whatever you'd like but be conscious of sugar and salt consumption.  You can also create a trail mix "bar" and kids can make their own mixes. 

10. Bananas or Apples with Peanut Butter 

A few of our favorite GLUTEN FREE grab and go snacks are:

1. Made Good Granola Bars and Bites- these are completely allergen friendly 

2. HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs (so good!)

3. Roasted Chickpeas 

4. Pretzel Sticks (Quinn)

5. Dried Fruit (be careful of sugar intake!) My kids favorites are raisins, craisins, mango,  apricots, and goji berries 

Salmon for Days

I absolutely love recipes that I can make get two meals out of and I recently discovered a new family favorite while serving an old family fav.  I have been making a New York Times roasted salmon recipe for quite some time that we absolutely love.  It is simple, requires no prep, and is family favorite! My two year old asks for it every night.  We had leftover salmon and roasted potatoes from that meal, so I turned it into salmon cakes that we had two nights later and were another big hit! 

Here is how to make meal numero uno:

You will need:

1.5-2lb wild salmon (this will feed about 3-4 people for both meals)

2-3 Tbs butter

1/4 cup fresh herbs (I use dill and parsley)

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Once oven is heated, in a roasting or baking dish, melt butter and about half of the herb mixture for about 5 minutes or until it starts to sizzle.

3. Salt and pepper your salmon

4. Once butter is melted, place salmon skin side up in the dish and roast for about 4 minutes. Take salmon out of the oven and using a fork, remove the skin (which should peel right off).  Turn salmon over roast for another 3 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.

5. Once salmon is done top with remaining fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice.

I serve this dish with roasted new potatoes when I want to make salmon cakes (just toss with salt and pepper, garlic, and any other seasoning you like)  I also like to add fresh Parmigiana.  When I am not making salmon cakes I serve with rice. Add a tossed salad, or roasted green veggie (asparagus, broccoli, green beans) and dinner is done! 

Dinner numero dos!

Using your leftover salmon and roasted potatoes, mash together and add leftover butter and herbs from roasting pan.  This mixture can stay in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.  Once you are ready to use you will need:

salmon, potato mixture

1/2 chopped onion

1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place salmon, potato mixture into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add chopped onion and mix well.

3. Stir in herbs and lemon juice.

4. Mix in beaten egg, salt and pepper and stir until combined.

5. Form patties and saute about 3-4 minutes a side over medium heat until golden brown.

You can serve with fresh squeezed lemon juice and I also like to make a dijon mustard sauce with just 1 Tbs mayonnaise and 1 Tbs dijon mustard mixed together.  Salmon cakes are delicious served over a bed of fresh arugula. Enjoy! 

Black Raspberry Oat Crumble Squares

I try to be good about keeping homemade snacks in the house and avoiding processed food as much as possible. But let's be serious, prepackaged snacks are God's gift to parents (and kids!).  I recently saw an Oh She Glows recipe for Raspberry Oat Crumble Squares made with homemade chia seed jam.  At first glance, I thought it sounded like way too much work but I was wrong! Not only are these pretty simple to make, but are by far the best bar my entire family has ever tasted.  These versatile bars are perfect for on the go, breakfast or dessert AND they are healthy!  

You can make these with store bought jam and save yourself some time, however we had a fridge full of fresh picked black raspberries that I thought would be perfect.  And the jam was so easy to make. I made it a couple days before making the bars since you need to let it cool completely. I have never made homemade jam before, but it is simple as can be:

Just place 3 cups berries in a medium saucepan. Add 3 Tbs maple syrup, one Tbs chia seeds and bring to low boil.  Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes stirring frequently.  I used a potato masher at the end to break apart any whole berries.  This recipe calls for adding 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract once the jam is cooled.  It is delicious either way! 

Okay now on to the bars! I had my sous-chef with me for this part.  

You will need:

-1 Tbs chia seeds

-1/4 c water

-1/3 c melted coconut oil

-1/4 c pure maple syrup

-2 Tbs brown rice syrup (could sub honey)

-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c oat flour 

1 c almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.  Allow for overhang since you will be lifting entire slab out once bars are cooled.

3. In a small cup mix together water and chia seeds to make a chia egg. Let sit a few minutes so seeds can expand.

4. In a large bowl mix melted oil, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, vanilla and chia egg.  Stir until combined. I found that a whisk works well for this.

5. One by one, add the rolled oats, oat flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir after adding each ingredient and make sure mixture is well combined.  The dough will come together as you continue mixing. 

6. Set aside 1 cup of dough to use for topping.

7. Spoon the remaining dough onto the parchment lined pan and press down to spread evenly.  It should cover the entire base of the pan. 

8. Pour your jam (about 1 cup) on top of the oat mixture and spread evenly. 

9. Crumble the remaining dough over the jam.

10. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is firm to touch.

11. Cool for at least 30 minutes and then place in refrigerator for at least an hour.

12. Once cooled you can lift parchment paper and slice into squares.  You should have about 12 bars. 

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for about one week.  You can also freeze for up to 6 weeks. 

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are AMAZING! This is another of my favorite Oh She Glows recipes.  The girls love them and they are my husbands favorite.  They are super simple to make and a healthier alternative to traditional peanut butter cookies.  The original recipe is vegan so it calls for vegan chocolate chips, I use regular chocolate chips. I love that this recipe uses ground flaxseed as an egg substitute.  This is common in many vegan baking recipes, but you don't have to be vegan to appreciate it.  

Flaxseeds are an amazing nutrional additive to your diet. I like to sprinkle flax over granola or oatmeal and have added it to smoothies and muffin recipes.  This is another great way to use this superfood.  Flaxseed has been linked to many types of cancer prevention (specifically breast and prostate) as well as cardiovascular diseases.   Flax is also a great source of fiber and those healthy omega03's!

 I make these cookies once a week, enjoy! 

Here is what you need:

1 Tbs ground flax

3 Tbs water

1/2 c shredded, unsweetened coconut 

1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c chocolate chips

1/2 c smooth peanut butter (I love our local grocery stores own honey roasted grind)

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbs maple syrup (I have been using Runamok' Maple cinnamon and vanilla infused for baking and it unreal!)

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water, set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips. 

4. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and maple syrup to the flax mixture and stir to combine.  The mixture will be thick.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir.  I like to use my hands to mix the batter.  The dough will be sticky.

6. Using slightly wet hands roll the dough into 12 balls, about the size of golf balls.  If any chocolate chips fall out you can just lightly push them back in.  Once you have the balls on your cookie sheet, press each ball down to flatten slightly.  

7. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly browned.  Let cool about 10 minutes.

Quinoa Fried Rice

This is one of those recipes that I have had "pinned' for years and finally tried.  It is such a simple, healthy and delicious recipe.  The kids love it and is now a weekly dinner staple.  I have taken a few different recipes and adapted them to make this version.  And you can definitely add more of your favorite veggies, I am thinking mushrooms, broccoli and snap peas would also make a great addition. 

You will need:

1 c quinoa

2 c water or chicken broth

2 eggs, lightly scrambled 

2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 tsp fresh (minced) ginger

4 scallions, chopped

1 c frozen peas

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 Tbs Soy sauce

1 Tbs Terryaki sauce

1 tsp Sesame oil

*can add frozen mixed vegetables or your favorite fresh.  I have done broccoli and green beans. If you are crunched for time, frozen mixed work really well! 

1. Cook the quinoa: Place 1 cup rinsed quinoa in a pot with 2 cups liquid (either chicken broth or water).  Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

2. Heat a skillet or wok with 1/2 Tbs olive oil and cook eggs until scrambled, about one minute.  Remove eggs and set aside. 

3. Add rest of olive oil to the pan and sauté onions for about 2 minutes or until tender.

4. Add  garlic, veggies, 2 scallions and ginger and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. 

5. Add quinoa and cook for another minute.

6. Add soy sauce, teriyaki, and sesame oil and stir well to blend.

7. Add scrambled eggs and stir.

8. Sprinkle with remaining scallions.

Oh She Glows Morning Detox Smoothie

I am in love with my two new cookbooks.  If you don't follow Oh She Glows, you must!  My friend, Gina first told me about Oh She Glows and I tried a couple of her recipes at Gina's that were delicious!  Then my neighbor lent me two Oh She Glows cookbooks and I ordered my own the next day.  They truly are a must-have! 

Angela Liddon is the author and her cookbooks were developed from her blog, Oh She Glows.  Angela started Oh She Glows in 2008 to write about her recovery from an eating disorder.  She focused her energy on creating healthy and absolutely incredible plant-based recipes.  I am not vegan, but I love eating and cooking vegan and have been trying to implement a couple recipes into our dinner menu each week.  I will absolutely be sharing a few of my favorites, but this post is all about smoothies!  I couldn't wait to try some of her smoothie recipes in my Vitamix.  This is in my top 2 so far! 

This Morning Detox smoothie left me speechless.  It's healthy, sweet and contains white tea which gives you some natural energy to start your day.   Both of my girls love it! The only advance prep is that you need to steep the tea ahead of time since it needs to refrigerate overnight. 

You will need:

-1 white tea bag (I used white tea leaves since I couldn't find white tea bags)

-1 cup boiling water

-1 cup frozen mango chunks 

-1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

-1 tsp grated fresh ginger

-dash of cayenne pepper (optional but I recommend)

To make:

1. Make tea using 1 cup boiling water and once cools, refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

2. Poor tea into blender add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  

Chickpea Cookie Dough Bites

First, I need to thank my beautiful friend Rachelle for sharing this amazing recipe with me.  She got it from her friend, Emily who has an amazing blog I highly recommend following: emilylevenson.com

I have been pretty obsessed with my new Vitamix blender.  I have been using it daily for smoothies or "mmmmooothies" as my one and a half year old calls them. I will share my two favorite smoothie recipes soon! 

Okay, back to the cookie dough! Like I mentioned, my friend sent me this recipe and it sounded so amazing I had to try ASAP. I am so glad I did.  After getting the kids to bed last night I was craving something sweet. Considering I had already indulged in a cookie AND cupcake yesterday (it's that magical time of the month, don't judge) I needed an alternative.  This recipe took 15 minutes to whip up with ingredients you most likely already have in the house, a win-win! This recipe made about 20 balls. 

Here is what you need:

-1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-2/3 cup almond butter (PB can be substituted if you don't have almond butter)

-1/2 cup honey (I used raw honey)

-2 cups rolled oat, ground into flour (I obviously used my Vitamix)

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

-pinch of salt

-1 tsp vanilla

-1/3 cup chocolate chips 

Here is what you do:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place chickpeas, almond butter, and honey into a blender or Vitamix and pulse until smooth.

3. Add in oat flour, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract and blend until the mixture forms a ball.

4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and fold in chocolate chips.

5. Scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture and form into a ball.  Place on parchment paper and repeat until mixture is gone. (If mixture is sticky, wet hands a bit).  My friend mentioned this happens to her but I didn't have this issue.  I am thinking possibly since I used raw honey but I am not sure.  

6. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes (if you can wait that long) and then transfer to an airtight to container.  Keep refrigerated. 

Easy as Apple Pie Sauce

Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the smell, the food, Halloween, pumpkins, leaves, I could go on and on!  One of our favorite fall activities is apple picking.  We are fortunate to live in walking distance from an awesome apple orchard.   

There are so many great ways to use apples this time of year, but my favorite and most ridiculously easy way is crockpot applesauce.  You can throw all the ingredients into the pot and leave it for a few hours and come home to the best smell imaginable.  I used to make applesauce in my classroom every year to celebrate Johnny Appleseed and the kids always loved it.  

Ella loves helping with this recipe since she can pretty much do everything on her own, aside from peeling the apples.  I have a really great kid-friendly chopping knife that we use in the girls Waldorf class for chopping apples.  Ella started using it before she turned 2.

For this recipe all you will need is:

- 1 dozen apples (you can use more and freeze the applesauce)

- cinnamon to taste (I let Ella use as much as she wants)

- 1 c water

-1/4 c maple syrup (optional)

1.  Peel apples and chop in to large chunks

2. Put apples, cinnamon, and water in crockpot and stir

3. High 3-4 hours Low 5- hours

4. Mash any large chunks once applesauce is done and viola! 

Joie Fruit And Vegetable Wavy Chopper Knife Stainless Steel Blade (Colors may vary)

Jo!e

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan

I wish I had an extra hour in the day just to blog! Sorry it has been a few weeks.

Fall is my favorite season.  I love the cool, crisp weather and apple picking, pumpkins, sweaters, coffee,  the list goes on and on.  I also really love fall cooking.  The warmth it brings to the house makes it my favorite cooking season!   I love the versatility of squash, for years I was not ambitious enough to try spaghetti squash. For whatever odd reason it intimated me.  Guess what?  It is so easy and delicious! 

I saw this recipe on one of those Facebook videos and decided I had to try it.  It is AMAZING.  I stopped eating meat for about 10 years, but started eating chicken again when I was pregnant with my second child.  My entire pregnancy I craved chicken salad, so I gave in and this recipe just solidifies my decision.  It's not the quickest recipe to whip up, but well worth it.  Also a recipe that the entire family loves!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips 

2 spaghetti squash

2 eggs

1 c panko crumbs

1 c flour

1 Tbs dried basil

1 Tbs dried oregano

1/2 Tbs garlic powder (or more if you like)

salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

8 oz shredded mozzarella 

1/2 c fresh, grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 

2. Slice squash in half length-wise and scrape out seeds.  Brush each half with olive oil and sprinkles with salt and pepper.  Lay face down on a cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes.

3. While the squash is baking, salt and pepper your chicken strips.  

4.  Pour flour in a shallow bowl, scramble 2 eggs in another,  and in a third bowl add panko crumbs, basil, oregano, and garlic powder.

5. Dip each piece of chicken into flour, egg and then panko mixture.  

6. Next you are going to sauté the chicken. I love using cast iron, it is a great investment.  Sauté the chicken in olive oil about 4 minutes aside or until cooked through. 

7.  Once the spaghetti squash is done and cooled a bit, use a fork to scrape out the flesh.  Put the "spaghetti" into a bowl lined with either a kitchen towel or cheese cloth. You are definitely going to want to get some of the excess water out.  I learned this the hard way so don't skip this step. 

8. Place the drained squash back into the shells evenly.  Add a layer of sauce and then arrange chicken strips on top.  Add another layer of sauce and top with mozzarella cheese and fresh parmesan.  

9.  Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.  

10.  Top with fresh parsley and enjoy! 

Summer Gazpacho

I love seasonal cooking, my two favorites are summer and fall.  In the summer, I love the abundance of fresh fruits and veggies.  Simplicity truly is key.  One of my favorite summer recipes is classic Gazpacho.  It is refreshing on a hot summer day and is packed full of nutrients.  Both of my girls love it and Ella usually eats at least 3 bowls at a time.  

This is another great recipe for kids to help with.  It's perfect because they can munch on fresh veggies while helping! Ella even went out to the garden on her own to pick the chives and parsley.  We used tomatoes and cucumbers that we picked earlier from our generous neighbor's abundant garden.  Fresh and local, perfection.

Classic Summer Gazpacho

4 c organic vegetable juice

5 or 6 large tomatos 

1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and diced

1 red pepper chopped 

1 purple onion chopped

6 chives chopped

3 Tbs parsley

6 drops hot sauce (I usually use a little more since we like spice!)

1/4 c olive oil 

1/4 c red wine vinegar

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce 

1/2 lemon

1. Start by boiling a large pot of water.  With a knife slice a small x in the bottom of each tomato.  Boil tomatoes for 1 minute and remove from water.  Once tomatoes are cool, the skin will peel right off.   This is the easiest way to remove tomato skin and retain flavor! 

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Using an immersion blender (one of my absolute favorite tools for soup!) or food processor, blend ingredients until desired consistency. 

3.  Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld.

Conair Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-75BC 200 Watt 2 Speed Hand Blender (Brushed Chrome)

Cuisinart

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Summer Farro Salad

Farro is an ancient grain that is slowly gaining popularity here in the U.S.  I first tried farro about 10 years ago on a trip to Italy with my mom.  We attended a week-long cooking school in Tuscany and one of my favorite recipes I learned to make was a farro salad.  I made it a lot when we first got back from our trip,  but over the years it faded from my repertoire.  The other day I was on the phone with my aunt and she was making a recipe with farro and it completely jogged my memory and inspired me to make farro salad.  I couldn't find the recipe from Italy so I created my own.  However, I did remember the one key ingredient that made the farro salad really stand out,  homemade basil oil.  This is something great to make and have on hand in the summer for a variety of recipes.  Really anything you would add basil and olive oil to, think mozzarella and tomato salad or pasta salad.  

I love farro because it is high in fiber, protein and other nutrients.  It also has a bit of a nutty flavor which is a nice alternative to quinoa, which I also make a lot of.  You can add farro to soups, salads, and chilis.  The recipe I am going to share with you is my favorite way to cook farro, as a chilled salad. 

Ingredients

2 c dry farro

1/2 c basil oil (recipe below)

1 c cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half

1 medium cucumber chopped

3 scallions chopped

2 Tbs fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste 

1. Cook farro according to directions. Usually the ratio is 3:1.  3 cups water for every 1 cup of farro.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stir and reduce to medium heat for about 12 minutes.  Drain excess water and chill. 

2. Prepare veggies and herbs

3. Combine cooled farro and all other ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir to combine and chill in fridge until ready to serve. 

*For basil oil:  You will need to first blanch the basil leaves so they keep their bright green color.  I usually just dip leaves in boiling water for about 10 seconds and then shock them in a bowl of ice water.  Combine about 1 c of basil leaves with 1/3 c olive oil in a food processor and grind.  Basil oil can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days or frozen. 

I absolutely love my mini prep Cuisinart food processor for recipes like this.  It is compact and super easy to use and clean.  I also love using it to make pesto.  I find it a lot easier than lugging out my large food processor. 

Conair Cuisinart DLC-2ABC Mini Prep Plus Food Processor Brushed Chrome and Nickel

Cuisinart

Blueberry Season!

One of our favorite summer activities is berry picking and today was the first day we went blueberry picking.  It was also the first time for Anna and she had a blast!  I am pretty sure her poop is going to blue for the next week.  There is a small local farm in our town that I absolutely adore.  They are family owned and operated and the current farmer is the fifth-generation.  One reason I love this farm so much is that although they are not certified organic, they don't spray with pesticides.  Instead, they have about a dozen or so chickens roaming the blueberry fields to keep pests away.  The kids love it and so do I!  

When we got home, Anna took a long nap and Ella and I got cooking!  I love cooking with Ella using food she picked herself.  There is something a little more gratifying in it and kids love to see the fruits of their labor (no pun intended).  Today we made two new recipes that I found in a local magazine.  We made super easy blueberry popsicles and we also made blueberry scones that were absolutely delicious!  I tweaked the scone recipe a bit thanks to a friend who shared with me how amazing whole wheat pastry flour is to work with.  The scones were so delicious and I can't wait to have another tomorrow morning with my coffee.  

Blueberry Popsicles:

2 c blueberries

1/4 c sugar

1 c water

1 tsp lemon juice

1. Boil all ingredients together and let cool.

2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze 6-8 hours before serving. 

Blueberry Scones:

1 1/2 c whole wheat pasty flour

2 c organic old fashioned oats

1/4 c sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 c melted butter

1/3 c milk

1/2 c blueberries 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients

3. In a smaller bowl, beat 1 egg until frothy and add 1/2 c melted butter and 1/3 c milk.  

4. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until combined.

5. Gently fold in blueberries.  Use a 1/4 c measuring cup to drop mix onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. 

6. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 10-12 scones

Spiralize Me!

If you don't own a spiralizer, you are lacking an essential kitchen tool.  I feel like I have wasted many years in the kitchen, missing out on some pretty awesome recipes.  This is a life changing kitchen gadget! And the best part is I ordered mine on Amazon for less than $30, what a steal!   I love how there are three different blade attachments, and the spiralizer suctions to your counter so it won't slide as your are working.  

Every summer I get a ton of zucchini and get tired of the same old recipes.  I just tried this zucchini salad recipe and it was absolutely delicious!  And I am now convinced that kids will eat anything shaped like spaghetti, since Ella has never liked zucchini before.  Both girls wolfed this down and asked for seconds.

Ingredients:

*1 large zucchini

*1 pint cherry tomatoes (roasted)

*4 scallions,  sliced

*1 garlic scape, chopped

*1 Tbs olive oil

*1/4 c grapeseed oil

*juice from 1/2 lemon

*1 garlic glove, minced

*1/4 c toasted pine nuts

*salt and pepper to taste

1. Use spiralizer to make zucchini noodles and place in large bowl

2. Roast tomatoes tossed in olive oil in oven at 250 for about an hour

3. For dressing whisk together grapeseed oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper 

4. Add dressing, roasted tomatoes, scallions and garlic scapes to zucchini noodles

5.  Top with toasted pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste 

Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiral Slicer, Strongest-Heaviest, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free Meals

Spiralizer

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"More Kale Salad, Please"

Kale is definitely one of my favorite vegetables.  I love that it is hearty and easy to cook with.  It's impossible to mess up!  Kale also has many great health benefits.  Kale is chalk full of vitamins and minerals and is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can add to your diet.  Kale is also packed with antioxidants and vitamin C.

I went through a stage of making kale chips on a regular basis which is still one of our family favorites, but this simple kale salad takes the cake!  Ella eats at least 3 helpings of this salad and has coined the phrase "more kale salad, please".  

This salad is so easy to make and can even be assembled ahead of time with the dressing!  It is perfect to take to a gathering because it serves a lot of people and contains simple ingredients.  I even made this for a neighbor after surgery and she said her 4 year old son loved it! 

Ingredients:

*Chopped bunch of Kale (you can use any kind) I love using either Green Curly Kale or Lacianto 

*1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

*1/2 lemon

*Fresh grated parmesan (you can add as much as you desire)

*salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop kale and add to a large bowl

2. Pour olive oil over kale and using hands, massage olive oil onto kale until even 

3. Add juice form half a lemon and mix

4. Finish by adding parmesan cheese and salt and pepper 

5. Enjoy! 

Homemade Pancake Mix

For the longest time I was making pancakes using a boxed mix, many of them just add eggs, oil and/or water.  As I started paying more attention to what I was putting in my body, I began reading the labels on many of these mixes.  I couldn't pronounce half of the ingredients, even in the mixes I thought were better options.  Once I had kids I decided it was time to make the switch to homemade pancakes...SO EASY!! I don't know why I never realized how simple pancakes are to make and the best part is you can make the dry mix ahead of time and store it so all you have to do is add the eggs, butter and buttermilk.  I love making pancakes weekend mornings with my daughter.  She loves to help with the pouring and stirring (and licking the batter!).  

Here is my favorite buttermilk pancake recipe:

2 c organic flour (or whole wheat flour/pastry flour)

1.4 c granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 c buttermilk

Organic canola oil spray for griddle

1. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk and melted butter.

3.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mis until blended.  Your batter may have a few lumps which is fine.  

4.  Heat an oiled griddle to medium heat. 

5. Add about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle.  Once pancake starts to lightly bubble (about 2 minutes) flip.  Cook second side for about a minute.

6.  I keep pancakes on my oven on warm until they are all ready. 

7.  Serve with Vermont maple syrup.

2 eggs

2 Tbs melted butter

Snacks on the Go

I try really hard to get my girls to eat healthy foods.  It is of course more of a challenge with my 3 year old as I am trying to teach her to make healthy choices.  Overall both girls are awesome eaters.  I find snack time to be a challenge and often redundant. I am always looking for new ideas, especially for on the go!  It is really easy to choose processed snacks filled with added sugars and little health benefits.  I am always grabbing granola bars and cheddar bunnies to stick in my bag because it is effortless.  And just because it says organic doesn't mean it is good for you.  The best thing you can do is avoid processed foods as much as possible.  I am trying really hard to instead choose real, nutritious food.  I have created a list of some of our easy favorites as well as some that take a little time and planning, but it's worth it.  Cutting up fruits and veggies on Sunday night to have for the week is a great way stock your fridge with healthy snacks for the on the go.  Homemade granola bars are easy to make and kids love to help make them! I will include a recipe for those at the end of the post. Please comment with any other ideas! 

Snack Ideas:

*Organic string cheese or better yet, cut up cheese squares

*Apples

*Bananas

*Orange slices 

*Grapes

*Mixed berries

* Cubed melon (especially this time of year)

*Cucumber slices

*Red pepper sticks

*Carrot sticks

*Hummus

*Yogurt pouches (be careful of sugar!)

*Applesauce pouches

*Chia Pouches, by Mama Chia (Ella loves these!)

*Mixed nuts, I always have a jar of a homemade mix (peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc)

*Homemade muffins

*Homemade granola bars (see recipe below)

*Raisins, Craisins, or our new favorite Golden Berries

*Dried mango slices 

*Chickpeas

Flexible Granola Bar Recipe:

I found this recipe on Pinterest and have adapted it.  The base of the recipe is oats, butter, honey (or maple syrup) and brown sugar.  After that, you can really add whatever you like. The key to these granola bars is waiting about 2 hours before cutting so the bars can firm up.  You can add chocolate chips, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds or nuts.  I always like to add chia seeds or flax seeds as well. 

You will need:

* 2 1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats (I like to use organic that I buy in bulk for our local market)

*1/2 c chopped almonds

*1/3 c honey or maple syrup

1/4 c butter cut into small cubes

1/4 c brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (why not?)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a small baking sheet with foil.  Lightly spray or coat with melted butter.
2. Add oats and nuts to small baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes to lightly toast (stir about halfway) then add to a large bowl.
3. Combine butter, honey or maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook on medium-low until butter melts and sugar dissolves. .
4. Add mixture to bowl with oats and almonds.  Mix well and let cool about 5 minutes.  Once mixture is cool add cranberries or raisins and chocolate chips.  Stir to combine.  The chocolate chips will melt a little which is fine. 
5. Transfer mixture to your lined pan and use rubber spatula to press down mixture.  Press hard so bars will stay together once cooled and cut.
6. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips over mixture and press firmly again.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 
7. Once mixture is set, remove from foil and cut into 12 bars.

These bars will store in an airtight container for about a week.  You can leave out or refrigerate.