My kids are off to AWANAS so I have a few minutes to
A. Clean my dirty house
B. Lesson plan
C. Menu plan
D. Take a nap
or
E. Blog
So, I choose E. The house is all quiet, I am listening to Glenn Beck, and catching up on my posting.
Green Smoothie Recipe1-2 cups water
1/2 of the blender I fill with baby spinach, kale, avocado, or any greens
I blend this and then add more until I get the blender to be 1/ 2 full of green goodness
1 cup Stoneyfield Yogurt (Whole or Lowfat)
1- carrot
1 banana
6-10 strawberries
1 cup blueberries/ raspberries
1 cup peaches
1/2 - 1 apple
( I also throw in grapes, cantaloupe, or any other fruit I have lying around)
the color of the smoothie depends on how much blueberries/raspberries/strawberries
Mine have been real green if I have little reds in it, or purple or brown with lots of red fruits.
* I also add
5 tbsp flax seed oil or 5 tbsp hemp seed oil or raw coconut oil
hemp seed protein
To get Ethan excited about smoothies, he gets to help make them every morning. He even gets the spinach out of the fridge and puts them in the blender. He loves to push the buttons!
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Tortellini Vegetable SoupThis is Tiffany's recipe and my family loves it. I double or triple my soup recipes to freeze for lunches. I freeze portions in quart freezer bags.
Tortellini Vegetable Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
8-9 oz. tortellini--cheese or meat filled
Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the onion, zucchini, and carrot. Saute over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft. Add the broth, basil, bay leaf, tomatoes, and salt to the pot. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tortellini and bring back to a boil, cook for two minutes and then reduce the hear and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes longer.
Makes about 5 servings.
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Carrot SoupMy kids are still unsure about this soup, but it was double YUM! This is Tiffany's recipe.
4 Tbsp. butter, 1 onion chopped
4 carrots sliced
2 medium potatoes, diced
5 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. sherry
1 cup cream (or milk)
Melt butter into a pot. Add onion and carrots. Cook for 15 minutes. Stir in potato dices. Pour in chicken broth and sherry. Cook, partially covered until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Puree the mixture. Pour the soup back into the pot and stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste. Heat without boiling.
I served this with crusty bread!
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Cuban Congri
2 cans black beans
2 cups Minute Rice
1/2 cup water
2 yellow onions
1 med. bell pepper
3 tsp. garlic powder or fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste
Chop onions and bell pepper and saute in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and saute for 2 to 3 more minutes. Pour the water in a med. size pot and bring to a boil, add the rice, beans, and sauteed onions and peppers and salt to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
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White Chicken Chili (I would recommend doubling this because you will want more )
Steph C's recipe
16 oz. can white beans
1 bag frozen corn
2 onions, chopped
1 stick of butter (that's why it's so good)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half (I didn't say it was lowfat)
1 tsp. tabasco (I omitted this)
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 4-oz. cans of chopped green chilies
about 2 lbs. of chicken, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
Melt the butter and saute the onions in the butter until soft. Add the flour and whisk to mix. Slowly add the chicken broth and half and half while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the sour cream and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add the sour cream and serve.
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Tostadas-
Tiffany's recipe
3-4 cups of dried pinto beans
corn tortillas
toppings--cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, and anything else you like on a taco
Cook your beans until soft. I do this in a crock pot but you can do it over the stove. You can soak the beans overnight but it isn't necessary. Let them cook on low all day or all night or all day and all night--beans cannot be overcooked. Add plenty of salt.
First thing you'll do to start dinner is fry the tortillas. I put a stone or just a pan in the oven at about 180 degrees to keep the tortillas hot after you fry them and before you serve them. Fry the corn tortillas in about a 1/2 inch of oil until brown and crisp--not overly brown. That would be almost burnt. Yuck! Fry as many as you think your family will eat. I usually fry 12-15 at a time. After you are done frying the tortillas and they are in the oven staying warm. Add some more oil to the pan and drain your beans and put them into the oil. Use a potato masher to mash them while they are in the hot oil. Mash until they are the consistency of refried beans. Check for saltiness and add more if needed. When the whole mass moves in the pan as a whole (when you pick up the skillet and shake it) they are done. After making refried beans from scratch you will never go back to canned--they do not even compare.
Get out your hot tortillas. To serve--spread a tortilla with beans, add cheese and whatever other toppings you like.
*If your family can't imagine a meal without meat you can always top the beans and cheese with any shredded meat or ground beef.
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White PizzaFavorite Pizza dough recipe * I have not found one yet that I love. I wish we had a Trader Joes near us. They have an awesome herb dough!
Top pizza with thin sliced tomatoes, and red onion. Top with mozzarella and fresh parmesan.
Cook for 20 minutes at 400
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ENJOY!
