Friday, January 4, 2013

Last minute changes and substitutions

With 4 kids a week's menu is more like these are the recipes that sometime in the 2 week time span I will use.  We made Ragu Stuffed Peppers on Wednesday and Thursday was Winter Squash Soup.  Neither recipe was a hit with the kids so they won't be repeaters.  I will, however, share the recipes with you so that you can try them with your families.



Ragu Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
·         4 large peppers
·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
·         1/2 cup couscous
·         1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
·         1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
·         2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
·         1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
·         2 tablespoons tomato paste
·         2 cloves garlic
·         1 medium onion, chopped
·         1/4 cup chopped celery
·         1/4 cup chopped carrot
·         28 ounces can of crushed tomatoes
·         1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
·         3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
·         1 package beef-less crumbles (like the kind from Trader Joe’s or Tempeh)
Directions
1.     In a food processor, pulse together the garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and rosemary.
2.     Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables from the food processor and cook, stirring, until softened about 5 minutes.
3.     Add the crumbles, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes & 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4.     This is your ragu, set aside for later and begin to prep the peppers
5.     Cut tops off peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Rinse peppers under cold water. Place peppers in a large pot; cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly soft. Drain peppers and set aside.
6.     Whisk together 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. vinegar, the tomato paste and 3/4 cup water. Pour into the bottom of a glass baking dish.
7.     In a large saute pan, add the couscous and 1/2 cup water. Stir and let cook for 3 minutes until al dente.
8.     Add the ragu, parsley, basil, remaining red wine vinegar & cheese.
9.     Place the peppers into a baking dish, cut side up. Stuff the couscous mixture into the bell peppers.
10.  Cover the dish with foil and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Drizzle with remaining cooking liquid.




Mixed Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients
·         1 large onion, diced
·         1 large celery rib, diced
·         1/2 medium kabocha squash, peeled and diced
·         1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
·         1 large carrots, diced
·         2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
·         1 pinch of salt
Directions
1.     Lightly coat the bottom of a medium-sized pot in olive oil
2.     Heat the oil, then throw in the onion, celery, ginger and carrots
3.     Saute until the juices are released, then add the butternut and kabocha squash
4.     Add approximately 5 cups of water or just enough water so it is about an inch above the vegetables in the pot
5.     Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
6.     Simmer for 20 minutes.
7.     Transfer the mixture to a blender in batches.
8.     Blend until smooth.
9.     Return the blended mixture to the pot, and season to taste with salt
10.  Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve!

Tonight we are having Autumn Chili.  My mother in law and brother in law will also be here.  Fingers crossed everyone likes this one.

xoxox
Alesha



Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Dinner Helpers

While cooking dinner tonight I had 3 extra helpers.  We made Zucchini and Black Bean Balls.  






We had a blast listening to music and cooking.  Totally worth all the extra clean up effort.

The Zucchini and Black Bean Balls recipe:
(http://thekindlife.com/recipes/view/2124017/zucchini-and-beanballs)

Ingredients
·         1 Zucchini
·         1/2 can Black beans, drained and rinsed
·         1/4 cup Oats
·         2 tablespoons Soy Sauce, divided
·         1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (may not need that much)
·         1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
·         1 cup Marinara Sauce
Directions
1.     Slice zucchini into strips and heat in pan with 1 Tbsp soy sauce.
2.     Mash black beans in a bowl and mix in rest of soy sauce and oats.
3.     Roll bean mixture into balls and coat with bread crumbs.
4.     Heat oil in pan.
5.     Cook beanballs until crispy (about 5 minutes)
6.     Microwave marinara sauce for about 1 minute.
7.     Top marinara sauce on beanballs on zucchini and enjoy!

Grocery Shopping with Kids

Grocery shopping is difficult enough, but throw 4 kids (10 and under) in the mix and it's like wrangling a zoo.  Mind you things weren't terrible, but 2.5 hours walking around a grocery store with 4 kids and I'm ready for a drink.  Pass the Rum Please!  

I should have been more prepared and had my list organized, but I have been sick and was not even remotely ready to tackle this job.  We get to the store, I load the littlest monster in the cart, I captured a not so sweet picture of the 5 year old (who doesn't want to be here) before handing her a mini cart and we set off.  I think this won't be difficult.....WRONG!

She ends up taking a billion pictures on my phone of random stuff around the store and complaining she is starving.  The older 2 complain they are tired.  I just want to go to bed.  It was wonderful.  I did however manage to get everything on my list and a few extras and am pretty proud of the meals I am going to make.  

Hope everyone has a Happy and Safe New Year!

xox
Alesha

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Menu for January 1st through the 6th


TUESDAY
Zucchini and Bean balls
Ingredients
·         1 Zucchini
·         1/2 can Black beans, drained and rinsed
·         1/4 cup Oats
·         2 tablespoons Soy Sauce, divided
·         1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (may not need that much)
·         1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
·         1 cup Marinara Sauce
Directions
1.        Slice zucchini into strips and heat in pan with 1 Tbsp. soy sauce.
2.       Mash black beans in a bowl and mix in rest of soy sauce and oats.
3.        Roll bean mixture into balls and coat with bread crumbs.
4.       Heat oil in pan.
5.        Cook bean balls until crispy (about 5 minutes)
6.       Microwave marinara sauce for about 1 minute.
7.        Top marinara sauce on bean balls on zucchini and enjoy!

WEDNESDAY
Spicy Tomato and Bean Soup
Ingredients
·         1 cup mixed beans - kidney, black, pinto, soya
·         1/2 pint pack of tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
·         1/2 pint tomato soup pack
·         1 teaspoon paprika, cayenne, parsley, basil and black pepper
·         1 ounce peas
·         1 ounce spinach
·         1 ounce red lentils
·         1 dash chili
Directions
1.        Soak pinto, kidney, soya, and black beans overnight and cook or buy a mixed bean salad.
2.       Place tomato soup and one pack of plum tomatoes in the pot.
3.        Add spinach, peas, cooked beans, red lentils, one chili, paprika/cayenne, black pepper, basil and parsley.
4.       Add your favorite pasta shapes.
5.        Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

THURSDAY
Yum Yummy Wild Rice Salad (with Salmon on the side for hubby)
Ingredients
·         1 cup wild rice
·         1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel
·         1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
·         3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
·         3 tablespoons oil of choice(I used flax and olive)
Directions
1.        get the rice cooking
2.       slice up the fennel
3.        toast the nuts in a frying pan with a little oil(and a little salt if you like)on medium-high
4.       mix oil and lemon in a medium sized bowl
5.        when rice is cooked, rinse under cold water, or chill in fridge
6.       when cool, put rice in bowl with lemon and oil, add nuts and fennel, and sprinkle arame on
7.        Toss it then eat it!

FRIDAY
Black Bean and Corn Tacos
Ingredients
·         1 pkg of your fave taco shells
·         1 cup black beans (I prefer non-canned)
·         1 cup yellow sweet corn
·         1 cup white corn
·         1 tomato
·         1 small onion
·         1 cilantro
·         1/2 cup organic taco sauce
·         1/2 head of lettuce
·         2 kale branches
·         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
·         1 tablespoon lemon juice
·         1 tablespoon lime juice
Directions
1.        Begin to cook black beans according to directions.
2.       Begin making corn salsa: chop tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Add corn and chopped veggies together and mix. Place in fridge.
3.        Shred lettuce and kale in food processor.
4.       Create your taco!

SATURDAY
Left over night. 8-)
SUNDAY
Autumn Chili
Ingredients
·         30 ounces black beans
·         30 ounces chili beans
·         1 green zucchini
·         1 butternut squash
·         15 ounces diced tomatoes
·         1 red onion
·         5 jalapeno peppers
·         3 cups whole grain rice
·         1 1/2 ounces chili seasoning
·         2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
·         1 tablespoon ground red pepper
·         2 tablespoons garlic powder
·         4 cups water
·         4 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
1.        Wash and dice your onion, zucchini, squash and jalapeno peppers.
2.       Open your tins of beans and tomatoes and pour into a crockpot with your rice
3.        Pour enough olive oil into the bottom of a separate pan, ( I used my trusty Dutch oven for this but a skillet might work just as well) and heat
4.       When it has a nice heat going pour your vegetables in and sauté for a few minutes with a bit of garlic powder, I used about 2 tablespoons, but everyone has different tastes.
5.        As they cooked I put about another tablespoon of olive oil on the vegetables themselves and continued to sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes and then poured them into the crockpot.
6.       Then roughly 4 cups of water, enough to fill to the top of the crock pot and turned it on high to get it cooking.
7.        As it begins to boil turn it down to a simmer and allow to finish cooking for about 3 to 4 hours at a simmer.
8.       You may have to give it a bit of water from time to time but so far it hasn’t needed it and has been coming out quite good. I started mine about 1330 today and it appears as to be on track to be finished by 1830.
9.       Serve with tortillas, chips, crackers or by itself (personally I love making a vegan jalapeno cornbread, but that’s a different recipe for a different time)
10.    ). Also if you need to use cheese, and who doesn’t love cheese help yourself. There are also some great Vegan cheeses in the market these days so it is something to keep in mind.
11.     Hope this made sense and you enjoy it!

This is my tentative menu for the upcoming week. I will be grocery shopping on Tuesday for meals to last through Sunday and will tweak my menu if need be.  
These are all recipes I retrieved from the Kind Life website. (http://thekindlife.com/)   I will be happy to post a link to any recipe that you would like.  

xox
Alesha