Roast Chicken (in a crock-pot)

I like to make roast chicken but in the crock-pot. This way if I'm gone all day I don't have to worry about cooking the meal, it's ready for me when I get home. For the roast chicken in the pictures I actually did two small chickens in the crock-pot. One was for dinner and one was to use the meat for other meals throughout the week.

Put chicken whole (innards removed), skin on, in the crock-pot. Give a good sprinkling of seasonings like:
rosemary
Italian seasoning mix or oregano, basil, etc...whatever Italian seasonings you have on hand
salt and pepper
and a swirl of olive oil
(I'm always asked if you need water. NOPE, it will make it's own juices, no water needed.)


Then throw in a few whole or minced garlic cloves. Cook on low from morning till dinner. If you are having company and want a fancier presentation, you can remove the chicken (carefully) and place under your broiler for just a few minutes to brown the skin on top giving it that oven roasted texture and look.

You can cook veggies either with it in the crock-pot or you can cook them on the stove top till crisp tender.

The basic veggies I do with roast chicken are
carrots
potatoes
celery
onion
but sometimes we throw something extra in too like broccoli.

Don't throw the carcass or leftovers out! You can make quite a few things with what is left over in your pot.

chick broth (instructions coming next post)
chicken noodle soup
chicken rice soup
chicken and dumplings
and more

Easy Apple Sauce/Butter

I got this applesauce recipe from my friend, Katey but made changes. I try to simplify things as much as possible. I also love apple butter so my version is more like apple butter. Yum. When I was making it I felt like Diane Keaton in Baby Boom making Gourmet Baby Apple Sauce.

1. I core my apples and cut them in half.
2. I fill my crock-pot with them till it's full to the top.
3. I turn on the crock-pot on low for about 8 hours.
(I often do this before bed and let them cook all night.)
4. Then I sprinkle a heavy amount of cinnamon. (you can add as much as you like to your own taste.)

5. Once cooked, I puree the apples and then ladle it into jars.

That's it. I leave the skin on for extra fiber. I use gala apples which are a dessert apple and so sweet I don't need sugar. I don't add water because I want it to be thick like apple butter. I don't add lemon because I'm happy with my apple butter color (and the skins make it a dark apple sauce.

You can by all means peel the apples first.

Here is Katey's original recipe. Thank you for sharing it Katey!

4 lbs tart apples, cored and sliced thin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1.       Mix apples (about 12 cups) with cinnamon and sugar and put into crock pot.

2.       Pour water and lemon juice over apples. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.(I cook them overnight and we have it for breakfast, yum!)

3.       Dump apples and juices into food processor and puree well.

Fried Rice

This is so easy to make and pretty darn healthy. I use brown rice which makes it even better for you. I can see why this is a staple in so many other countries. It's also a great way to use up leftovers.

4 cups leftover refrigerated rice
1 diced onion
oil (olive oil or coconut oil)
2 eggs
2-4 tbsp soy sauce to taste
1 tsp paprika
salt
pepper
garlic (1 minced clove or a dash of powder)
leftover veggies (peas, corn, chopped spinach, bell peppers, green beans, mushrooms, etc.)

Saute the cold rice, onion, and veggies in oil. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic. Push rice mixture to the side and crack eggs into the skillet, blending them as they cook. Serve.

Notes-
In the pictures I used spinach and green beans. This was not a big hit with the kids. They liked it better the next time I made it with carrots and corn. Use whatever sounds good to you. My husband and I really like this new dish.

Chow Mein

I wanted to attempt to make a Panda Express Chow Mein Noodles copycat and although I didn't have all the right ingredients on hand, this turned out so good. My husband was loving it and begged for all the leftovers. My kids loved it and I loved it. Yum. Here's what I came up with.
(Oh, and the pictures are from a few different times that I've made it until I had perfected it.)


1 package soba noodles (these are found in the Asian cooking isle)
1 can mung bean sprouts or 1 1/2 cups fresh mung sprouts
1 cup fresh snow peas
2 cups chopped cabbage (either Napa Cabbage or Bok Choy)
1/2 a diced onion
2 minced garlic cloves

(optional to add sliced mushrooms, diced bell pepper, etc.)

salt, pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp soy sauce (we prefer 2 tbsp)
olive oil

Directions: Saute all the veggies and beans in the oil. Cook the soba noodles in a pot of boiling water according to package directions. Once noodles are done cooking, drain and add to the sauteing veggies. Add seasonings and soy sauce. (Don't add too much salt because the soy sauce will be salty.) Pour more olive oil over the sauteing noodles and veggies. Saute the noodles with the veggies for a few minutes and serve.

Notes:
Not very healthy when it comes to the noodles since I'm yet to find whole grain soba noodles. But with the olive oil, organic high quality soy sauce, and all the veggies, this is pretty good for you! Of course, I haven't been able to find all of these ingredients organic so this is one of those "not eating the way we should be meals" that happens from time to time. You could easily substitute coconut oil for the olive oil which I plan to do next time, making this an even healthier dish. This is going to be one of our new vegetarian meals because it was such a big hit.

I've been making fried rice too and I'll share that recipe soon.


Anyone know where to get whole grain soba noodles or a healthier alternative? I'd love to know!

Some ideas for using Kale

Here's a good post about some ways to use Kale as a pesto. Check it out.

Gourmet Veggie Wrap

My good friend (who needs to start a cooking blog) made me lunch one day this summer and it was so good! She's a health nut like me and she always finds and makes the most amazing food! This recipe was from a magazine (one that I'd like to start getting a subscription to EatingWell) and one day I tried to make a copy-cat version using what I had on hand. Here is my take on it but below you can link to the original recipe. Now I love using the bean/avocado spread for just about any sandwich or wrap.

1 can or 1 1/2 cups cooked white northern beans
1 avocado mashed
1/4 tsp taco seasoning
dash of salt
dash of pepper
sprinkle of garlic powder
pinch of dried minced onion
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp poppyseed dressing
2 tbsp italian dressing

Mash the beans and avocado together. Spread the bean/avocado mixture on the tortilla/wrap. Mix the remaining ingredients together. Make it into a wrap using any of the following...

tomatoes, spinach, red bell pepper, olives optional.....
whole wheat tortilla or other wrap

This is SO GOOD!


link to original recipe

You must see it....

I finally went and saw this! Oh my goodness, where do I start. It's a must! I got so upset during the film that I could hardly sit still in my chair. I didn't expect it to make me mad but it did. The film was great....although I think I could have added at least another hours worth of content myself but who am I? I just wish they would have explained a little more for those that are ignorant about the health effects. They touched on it but didn't go into it enough. I don't think the general public is educated as to the health effects of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and hydrogenated oils, etc. If you want to know why our family eats organic, watch this film! And then start supporting your local farms if you can!

Vegetarian Rice and Bean Burritos

I try to keep cooked beans and brown rice in the fridge all week so that I can make many things with them. They are both healthy food items that are filling and versatile. One of my favorite ways to eat them is wrapped up. Here they are wrapped as a burrito with no meat....just the beans and rice seasoned with garlic and salt and topped with sour cream, salsa and avocado. YUM!

Sprouting

I've wanted to try sprouting for several years now ever since I learned of the incredible nutritional value in sprouts. I can tell you that when I'm eating them, I have a huge amount of energy. It's really amazing. So, I researched and researched some more. Then I got brave and decided to try my hand at it. So far my favorite is lentils. I'm eager to try mung beans and broccoli seeds.

My method:
I use wide mouth mason jars and a sprouting screen but you can use cheese cloth if you want to. These pictures were taken before I switched over to the screen. The sprouting screen just makes it so easy to rinse them.

Put about 1/4 cup of beans/legumes or about 1 tbsp seeds of your choice in the mason jar, rinse and then fill about halfway with water and soak over night. In the morning drain the water and rinse.

For the next couple of days rinse several times a day, at least 2 times but preferable more often than that. I tend to rinse mine every time I come into the kitchen and think of it so about 7-10 times a day. The less often the more chance of them tasting bitter.

After you see sprouts that are your desired length then you can rinse them one last time and put the lid on them and store them in the fridge. When you are ready to use them you can steam them first if you want to (advised to do so for beans and legumes even when serving cold on salad). They will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.

I like my sprouts to be at least a 1/4 of an inch long if not longer but the desired length is up to your own preference.

Sprouts can go on about anything. You can puree them to make a spread (recommended for chick peas that you are turning into hummus dip), you can cook them and use them like you would in your established recipes, put them on sandwiches, or you can serve them cold with dressing or even on a salad. I love sprouted lentils on my green salads.

Tips:
Research is coming out that alfalfa isn't the safest seed to sprout due to the canavanine in them. I have not studied this at length but have read this a few places. If you like small sprouted seeds for sandwiches, I would suggest looking for broccoli seeds to sprout. Seeds for sprouting can be found in health food stores.

I also suggest purchasing a book about sprouting if you are wanting to learn more. I'm sure your library has some books on this as well. I like this one.

I would also suggest purchasing a sprouting screen for your mason jar. It's an inexpensive and super useful tool for sprouting. This one would do perfect.

I know a few of you have tried sprouting and I'd be interested to know your favorite sprouts to grow at home. Please share in the comments!

Amazingly Creamy (and Healthy) Mac N Cheese

I've been searching for a very long time for a healthy mac and cheese recipe that doesn't taste awful. Seems like only the unhealthy ones taste good until now. Thanks to one of my favorite blogs, Heavenly Homemaker, I can now make healthy mac and cheese. Click here for her recipes.

Only difference for me is that I use brown rice pasta and it takes longer to cook, so I cook it in water till it's about half way cooked and then I drain it and finish cooking it in the milk.

Disclaimer- when I say "healthy", some people might be thinking HUH? because of the whole milk and cheese. As I continue to research whole food nutrition and learn more about eating naturally derived foods, I consider organic whole milk healthier than lowfat milk and I use raw organic cheese instead of processed and pasteurized cheese. To learn more, read Nourishing Traditions.

Corn Tortillas

My sister taught me how to make corn tortillas and now we are hooked. They taste incredible compared to store bought tortillas. It's pretty shocking. I don't even make them fully from scratch and yet the taste is so much better. So, come on into my kitchen and I'll teach you how to make them today.

I buy masa dough that is already prepared. You can buy it this way but if you can't find it, you can purchase the corn masa in a box but be sure it's the kind for making corn tortillas. It will either say so on the box or it will have recipe instructions on the back of it for making corn tortillas. You should only need to add water but some tell you to add lime. My dough comes already mixed and in a bag. I freeze it until I'm ready to use it and then I set it out on the counter all day to defrost for making tortillas right before dinner.

You'll need a tortilla press....mine is cast iron which is what I recommend. I got mine on Amazon and it's the largest size which I also recommend.

Roll the dough into golf ball sized balls numbering the amount of tortillas you want to make.



Cut two squares out of a Walmart bag and wash them with soap and water. Trust me the Walmart bag will work the best.





Place one piece of plastic on your press.

Put one dough ball on the plastic and cover it with the second piece of plastic.




Close the press, pull the arm over and press hard. You may need to turn the tortilla around to get it pressed really even.

Peel the top layer of plastic off.










Carefully peel the tortilla off of the bottom layer of plastic. You want to be sure not to tear the tortilla off of the plastic. Do this by laying the tortilla in your hand and pulling the plastic off of it.

Once in your hand you can then lay it on the griddle.

Don't flip the tortilla over onto the griddle because it will possibly stick to your hand and tear a hole. Instead, lay the edge on the griddle and slowly lay it while you sort of roll your hand out from under it.









You will know the tortilla is ready to flip when the edge of the tortilla gets a little dry. You don't want to let the whole top get dry though because it will turn white and be ruined. Flip it while the dough is still sticky. Don't worry about your tortillas being perfectly round, that's what makes them homemade, right!?

Once you have a whole stack made, make yourself some killer tacos. It will be difficult to go back to storebought after this.

You can freeze these easily!

These are super fun to make with kids. In fact, my kids make them themselves now. It takes some time to get the whole technique down but I assure you that with practice you'll get the hang of it.

Sweet Potato Fries

My kids and husband WILL eat sweet potatoes this way and no other way....I love them like this too.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Steam till crisp tender. Toss with olive oil, garlic, and salt. Put under broiler till browned. Serve with fry sauce.

Fry Sauce:
mayo and ketchup mixed together.

Salad Bar Wrap

When my salad bar gets low and there isn't much left, I dump it all in a skillet and grill it......throw in some spinach and then lay it on a tortilla with some cheese if you want, sprinkle with some garlic and salt and you've got yourself a salad bar wrap.

Some items that might be in my salad bar leftovers:
diced red, yellow, and orange bell pepper
diced radish
sliced olives
chopped tomatoes
chopped avocado
diced onion
sauteed in olive oil
hand full of spinach

pictured with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper

BBQ Kabobs

It's BBQ season and one of my favorite things to BBQ is kabobs. They are easier than they look. I used to make them more complicated than they had to be but with a simplified version I can whip these up for dinner in about an hour start to table and the reward is great.

For these chicken kabobs I used:
1 can chunks of pineapple
1 container baby bell mushrooms (washed and halved)
2 large bell peppers or 7 minis cut into large chunks
3 chicken breasts cut in large cubes
onion (if desired)
Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce (original or pineapple)

Skewer the meat, veggies, and pineapple randomly. Brush with teriyaki sauce. BBQ for a few minutes just until meat is cooked through but still tender (be careful not to over cook the small pieces of meat). Brush again after cooking or serve with individual dipping teriyaki sauce.

Serve with coconut rice.

Corn Dog Muffins

I saw this recipe idea on Heavenly Homemaker and had to try it. Corn dogs are one of my son's favorite food items and well, as you know they aren't the healthiest thing in the world so making them from scratch is a step in the right direction.

Couple of things:

-I use 100% beef, no nitrate hot dogs....the healthiest ones I can find minus the organic factor.

-I cut the hot dogs into small pieces and stirred them into the batter which we were really happy with.

Double this corn muffin recipe:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)

Stir together dry ingredients. Add eggs, honey, butter and buttermilk. Stir until just mixed.

Cut up 5-6 hot dogs and add to the batter.

Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 15 min.)....dough may be a little greasy around the hot dogs but as long as it's cooked you are good to go.

These are great because you can make a bunch of them and freeze them and they are a great quick lunch for hungry kids!