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!

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

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese and Soup

This amazing combo has a pepperoni pizza flavor...by adding pepperoni to the timeless grilled cheese and tomato soup combo.

sourdough bread
mozzarella cheese
turkey pepperoni slices
tomato soup

While heating the tomato soup, make a grilled cheese sandwich with the cheese, bread and turkey pepperoni slices. Dip the sandwich in the tomato soup (the sauce on the pizza) for the complete taste of pepperoni pizza.

Warning- kids are inclined to like this

Tuna Melts

Growing up my mom always made tuna melts for us. In an effort to get some fish down our family I tried making them again the other day. I love tuna melts! One of our kids wouldn't have anything to do with the tuna though so we made a few Chicken Melts for him.

1 package of tuna (I buy the white packed in water)
mayo
2 chopped pickles or 4 tbsp relish
1/4 c grated cheese
sliced cheese
3 whole wheat english muffins
dash salt
dash pepper

Split the english muffins in halves. Mix the tuna, mayo, pickle, and grated cheese together. Use as much mayo as desired to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture on English muffins. Top with sliced or grated cheese. Bake at 435 degrees for about 15 or until heated through and cheese is melted.

~variation
use canned chicken instead of tuna.

Egg Sandwich

I love an egg sandwich. My mom and dad used to make these for breakfast a lot when we were growing up. It reminds me of garage sale days. Dad was the garage sale king...and I always loved putting on a garage sale with him. Mom would usually come out with these for us while we were negotiating deals on our junk. =0) Good memories. And THAT is why I always think of garage sales when I have one of these. Life is funny!

While bread is toasting, fry an egg and break the yoke. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put between toast and layer with a slice of cheese.

Egg Pita

This is my new breakfast on the go and no mess eggs for kids. It's a great on the go breakfast for adults running out the door in the morning but it's a less mess meal for toddlers too...or in our case, a messy 7 year old eater.

Put scrambled eggs mixed with grated cheese into a warmed pita pocket. My kids aren't thrilled with pita pockets but they love these pita pocket egg breakfast sandwiches. I use whole wheat pitas. The one in the picture is actually a package that came already sliced and propped open, ready to be filled and not only was it whole wheat but it had flax seed and a bunch of other good stuff in it. You never know what you'll find. =0)

Crock-pot Meatballs

This isn't something I would normally make but since I'm married to a meat-loving man, I make meatballs. And I keep looking for ways to make my cooking life even easier so yet again I find a way to make it in the crock-pot. And this TWO step process is just about as easy as it gets!

1. Put your frozen meatballs (homemade ahead of time or store bought) into the crock-pot.
2. Dump a jar of your favorite pasta sauce on top (or for those of you that have made your own, go ahead and dump a jar of your homemade and canned sauce).

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

This works well for a spaghetti dinner or for meatball subs. My husband REALLY likes the meatball subs with a slice of provolone cheese.

I even got away with serving these as an appetizer. I cut each meatball in half and served it with slices of bread on the side.

Kale Sandwich???

Since I get asked for more and more sandwich ideas..here's a crazy one for you...ya, kale. You know I'm on this kale kick and well, I stuck it in a grilled sandwich...I grilled the chopped kale first a bit (removes the bitterness) and then stuck it in the sandwich. Yep, I liked it.

Strata Loaf

I found this idea on the web and I loved it! It's perfect for bringing to a brunch or breakfast potluck. It's a sausage strata in a french loaf. It was pretty yummy too!

1 large french bread loaf (white)
olive oil
4 eggs
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c cheddar cheese (you can substitute jack)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c milk or half and half
2 c chopped (precooked) sausage (I used turkey sausage) or bacon/ham....
1 tbsp minced dried onion (or 1/4 diced onion or 3 chopped green onions)
(I used the dried onion so that my kids couldn't find the onion but it gave it a great flavor)

optional- throw in everything but the kitchen sink....diced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, diced tomatoes, whatever you like.

Cut the top off the loaf and hollow it out with your fingers being careful not to break through the crust. Leave enough bread to have a good layer as your base. Tear the removed bread into 1 inch chunks and place in a bowl. Spray or brush the loaf halves with olive oil and place in oven on a cookie sheet lined with foil at 350 degrees. Let the loaves get toasted while you continue to prepare the rest.

Add to the cubed bread the chopped sausage and minced onion. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk and add the remaining ingredients until mixed well. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and sausage and combine well with a spoon.

Take the loaves out of the oven and evenly divide the egg/bread mixture between the two loaves. Spread the mixture out evenly in each loaf. Top with a little more grated cheese and bake for about 35-45 min. at 350 or until the egg is cooked through.

Slice in about 2 in wide slices with a serrated bread knife. Cover with foil and take to your brunch or potluck. Oh and it freezes really well too!

Grilled Turkey, Onion, and Cheese

I've had requests for more sandwiches to be posted on here. When I used to work at a deli sandwich shop in the LA area the owner's dad would come in and ask me to make him this sandwich. It wasn't on the menu but he tried to convince me that no one made it better than I did.....that's probably cause I added extra grilled onions and lots of cheese....

diced onion

olive oil

sliced deli turkey

provolone cheese

sourdough bread or sub roll

Grill the onions in a little olive oil till lightly browned, add turkey and grill. Shape turkey into the shape of your bread while still in the pan and then lay slices of cheese of over top. Turn off burner and let sit till cheese is melted. Using a spatula, transfer the turkey and cheese to the sandwich bread/roll.

Optional- serve with tomato, spinach, avocado, mayo...etc.

Sub Sandwich For A Crowd

It's sandwich season still so here's another sandwich for you. When serving a crowd or going to a large picnic or summer potluck, I like to make this style sandwich. Most grocery stores carry a fresh french bread loaf in their bakery areas and they are ideal for making large sub sandwiches.

french loaf

mayo

Newman's Own Family Recipe Italian

lunch meat

sliced sandwich cheeses

sliced tomatoes

lettuce

Slice bread loaf in half long ways with a bread knife. Spread on mayo and dressing (one on each side). Layer meat and cheese. Top with tomatoes and lettuce and any other items listed below under "optional". Close with top of bread and slice in about 2 in. thick slices. Long sandwich picks can be used in each sandwich slice to hold sandwich together if desired. Stack on platter and cover with cling wrap and refrigerate till ready to serve.

One sandwich serves about 6-8 adults. For a potluck, I make three of these. For our family and one other family coming over, I make 2 of these. For potlucks I use only turkey and cheese and none of the "optionals".... Sometimes I set out some mustard, sliced onion and pepperoncinis on the side.

optional: sliced red onion, pepperoncinis, mustard, spinach, avocado, and olives

In the pictures I used: mayo, Italian dressing, honey roasted turkey, roast beef, salami, Havarti, provolone, tomatoes, romaine, and baby spinach.

You can also use wheat french bread (below) which is found in some stores OR make your own fresh french bread loaves.

Roast Beef Sandwich

To continue with more sandwich ideas for your summer cooking, here's a yummy leftover sandwich that our family enjoys....but first know, you must be a meat eater! =0)

Slice leftover roast beef and saute in a skillet till heated through. If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you've come to realize that we put cheese and avocado with everything....

Variations-

add a sauce like BBQ, steak sauce, your favorite salad dressing (try ranch or thousand island).

add grilled veggies to go with it...like bell peppers and grilled onions....or some lightly sauteed spinach

Grilled Tomato Cheese

A friend mentioned quite awhile back if I'd post more sandwiches on here.....well, for me, it's sandwich season and I often crave a good sandwich. I'll try to post more sandwiches on here throughout the summer just to remind you of some good sandwich ideas or maybe even some new ones. If you haven't already, check out my previous posts on sandwiches by going to my lunch link. I've done a hot pastrami, the goodwich, the BBQ beef, the panini, the brochette, and maybe a few more....=0)

Who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich!?!?! I once heard of a story of a girl immigrating to the US in the early 1900s and speaking no English she had learned how to say "cheese sandwich" in English so that she could at least order something she knew she liked as she traveled the US to her final destination. She recorded in her journal the many different sandwiches she was served even though every time all she said was "cheese sandwich". She got grilled cheese, cold cheese, cheese tomato, turkey and cheese, cheese on sour dough, cheese on wheat, cheese on white, cheese sandwich deep fried (probably a Monte Cristo), anyway, I always thought it a fun idea to just order a cheese sandwich every where you go and see what ya get. =0)



Okay, story hour is over, so here ya have a tomato grilled cheese....my favorite way to have grilled cheese is with a tomato! Yum.

Go easy on the butter, slice tomato thin, layer with your favorite cheese (I like colby jack or munster). Grill on low till heated through and melted.

Goodwich Sandwich

I know this is going to totally gross some of you out but I have to post this funny recipe. I grew up with my mom making these when I was a kid and I still love it. Mom found it in a healthy eating book (Fit For Life).


And, as crazy as it sounds, it taste really good. You wouldn't think it would but it's surprising....so try it. =0)

1/2 c BBQ Sauce

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

mayo

whole wheat pita pocket

Saute broccoli and cauliflower in the BBQ sauce in a skillet until veggies are tender. Serve on a pita spread with mayo.

(in the pictures I only had broccoli on hand)

Hot Pastrami

I know I'm not posting the healthiest things on here lately but every once in awhile we detour from our normal healthy stuff or I have to make food for church potlucks which is my time to make desserts that I don't want to keep around the house! I actually have been cooking some healthy things lately, they just aren't entered as drafts yet....so before the weather gets too warm for this sandwich.....here is a hot pastrami Matt and Tony's style.

I worked in an old style deli in Mission Hills (N. LA County) while I was in high school and then again when I was first married. If you are familiar with the area, it's called Matt and Tony's* (established in 1959) and it's a total hole in the wall place....probably not bigger than about 500 square feet at the most. Some friends of ours from church bought the place when I was in high school. I loved working there and I love sandwiches....this was before Subway had gotten as popular as it is today.

*their website leaves a lot to be desired but their reviews and their sandwiches are great. You can at least see where their locations are. They use fresh baked bread that's delivered by an Italian bakery every morning. Their meats are all hand sliced and prepared. All the toppings (there are only three, diced onion, diced tomatoes, and diced pickles) are all hand chopped in the back. Try the pepper steak, Philly cheese steak, the Italian cold cut, or the meatball! They are all great really. Just lock your doors and keep your purse close to your side. ;0)

The Hot Pastrami~
So, for a hot pastrami, you boil some water in a pot with a lot of deli mustard squirt into it. Your basic American yellow mustard does the trick beautifully.


Add your thinly sliced pastrami and cook it for just a few minutes. It's actually already cooked, you're just heating it up and giving it a mustard flavor.

Take the meat out of the pot and let it drain for a moment. Then place it on a sub bun with mustard on it. I use whole wheat hoagie rolls.

If you like, you can melt some cheese in the water as well to put on your sandwich. Use provolone cheese and dip it with the tongs for

just a few seconds in the water then lay it across your sandwich. If you leave it in the water too

long it will melt into the pot and you won't be able to hang on to it with the tongs. I guess there is an art to this! =0)

It's very common to serve these with Kosher dill pickles. At Matt and Tony's they serve them diced and pile them on top of the sandwich. At home I just lay some slices on the bread.

Enjoy your sandwich and try to eat low sodium the rest of the day!

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

This is a very simple dinner to make.

Put a roast in the crock pot on low before going to bed. Let it cook all night and all day the next day. By dinner time it will be so tender that if you prick it with a fork it will shred with ease. Shred all the meat and then add BBQ sauce (don't drain the meat juices, the beef will absorb it when it's shredded). Serve it on dinner rolls with mayo and sliced provolone.

Your basic grocery store roast will make about 8 generous sized dinner roll sandwiches. Keep in mind when figuring out portion sizes that a roast will shrink to about half it's size when cooked that long.

For an added kick, serve it with saurkraut on the sandwhich or with a side of my homemade coleslaw. You can cut my coleslaw recipe in half and to make it simpler, use bagged shredded coleslaw from the store and just mix up the dressing recipe (half the recipe for 1 bag of slaw).

Eggplant Sandwich

Slice about 1 inch thick piece of eggplant and peel off skin

Saute it in a skillet with olive oil, one clove of garlic minced and a dash of Italian herb seasoning

Once it's cooked through, make a sandwich out of it.

In the picture I used whole grain bread, sliced tomatoes, and avocados. It was wonderful.

I forgot to mention that I sprinkled it with salt as well. =0)