Grilled Corn Tacos with Zucchini Radish Pico

If I had to choose one type of food that I had to eat for the rest of my life, I'm pretty sure it would be Mexican food. You just can't go wrong with tortillas and the countless ways to fill or fry them. My girls and I spent a week with summer with my mom and my sister at her house in Oregon. While we were there, we tried some new delicious recipes . . . ones that wouldn't necessarily fly as "dinner" at my house since my husband doesn't prefer dinner dishes that don't have any beef, chicken, or fish in them. Now, I know this isn't necessarily an "authentic" Mexican dish, but I'd still classify it as Mexican-inspired dinner. And a quick and healthy one at that!

Pico Ingredients:

1 bunch red radishes

1 small zucchini

2 limes

salt and pepper

cumin

Filler Ingredients:

4 ears corn on the cob

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro (or more if you like)

1/2 cup queso cotija (crumbled)

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

12 small corn tortillas

Begin by preparing the pico. Slice the zucchini and radishes into small pieces. Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Add juice from one lime and mix. Set aside and let flavors soak.

For the filling: Grill 4 ears corn on the cob. When ears cool enough to handle, slice corn from the cob and set aside. Salute onion in butter and olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and let onions caramelize. Add corn on the cob and heat through. Remove from heat and add the juice of one lime, chipotle powder and cilantro. 

Heat tortillas in frying pan until they bubble. Keep in aluminum foil or tortilla warmer wrapped in a towel until ready to serve tacos. 

Fill each tortilla with a couple of small spoonfuls of the filling and pico. Top with crumbled cheese and more cilantro, if desired. Garnish with anything you like (i.e. sour cream, avocado, spicy salsa). Eat and repeat until satisfied. 

Harvest Quinoa Salad

1 small acorn squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy center
1-2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for drizzling) 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped uncooked kale (or greens of your choice)
splash of balsamic vinegar
1 cup cooked quinoa
drizzle of honey
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (plus extra, for garnish on top)
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
a few pinches of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes until it starts to become translucent. Add garlic, cumin & cinnamon and cook, stirring, until it’s fragrant but not burning. Mix in kale and cook for a few minutes until it wilts down. Turn off the heat, add a splash of balsamic vinegar, the cooked quinoa, and a good drizzle of honey and toss. Next, mix in scallions, cilantro, currants, feta and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Scoop filling into the cooked acorn squashes, and top with toasted pumpkin seeds, more feta (if you wish), and a drizzle of olive oil and another good drizzle of honey.

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

One of the best things about this time of year is the tomato harvest and all of the delicious things you can do with fresh tomatoes. Two of my favorites are homemade tomato sauce and homemade tomato basil soup. I've tried lots of recipes and I think I've finally fine-tuned the one I like the best. It's got the perfect balance of tomato and basil, with a hint of other veggies and spices that give it a great depth of flavor along with a bit of creaminess without the dairy. 

Here's what you'll need:

16 tomatoes

olive oil

salt

pepper

1 tsp. thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 celery stalks, sliced 

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup fresh basil

a little brown sugar

1 cup almond milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and place cut-side-up on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and thyme. Roast in oven for 45 minutes. 

While tomatoes are roasting, saute onion in olive oil until translucent, add garlic and saute (do not let the garlic blacken). Add celery and carrots and saute saute until softened. Blend sauteed veggies with vegetable broth until smooth. Set aside.

When tomatoes are finished, let them cool slightly blend them with basil in the blender until smooth. Combined blended ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a slight boil. Add a little brown sugar to balance the tartness of the tomatoes and stir in the almond milk (or other milk of your choice). 

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.  

Quinoa & Veggie Stuffed Zucchini

In mid-July when we were at the height of having house guests and traveling to visit family in Wyoming, my garden started producing zucchini like crazy. I know, this is not a strange phenomenon. I didn't really have time to shred it all and freeze it and granted I could have just left them in the fridge and they would have been just fine for another week, but I had my mind set on trying out this delicious vegetarian recipe so I threw it all in a bag and hauled it to Wyoming with me and decided I could help my mom out and make a simple summer meal for the whole family. The 6 zucchinis that this recipe is for was not enough to feed my whole family so I doubled it and it turned out just perfect. And of course, I got so caught up on meeting my newest nephew that I never took a final product photo, so the process will have to do for now:

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil (or coconut oil if you prefer)

1 medium onion, diced

1 red or yellow pepper, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced

1 Tbsp thyme or 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

salt and pepper

6 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise

1 cup spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup cooked quinoa

3-4 large basil leaves

1 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 c. Mozzarella, grated

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet, saute onion and pepper in oil over medium high heat. While onions and peppers are sauteing, scoop the inside flesh of the 6 zucchinis out and dice into small pieces. When onions are translucent, add tomatoes and diced zucchini cook until soft. Add thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add spinach leaves - cook until wilted. Remove from heat and add the cooked quinoa, fresh basil, and mozzarella to sauteed ingredients and mix.

 Distribute filling evenly into halved zucchinis.

 Top with parmesan and give another generous shake of salt and pepper on top and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes until cheese on top is golden

Remove from oven and serve.

Corn on the Cob - Mexican Style

My college friend, Christine, introduced me to a lot of delicious Latin-American cuisine that has stuck with me over the years. Among them were pupusas from El Salvador and Mexican-style fruit with chile, lime and salt. She's a spontaneous person, always looking for a little adventure. One night, we decided we'd kidnap our roommates and take them on a camping trip with whatever they had on their person at the time. I'm not sure if my memory serves me correctly, but I'm pretty sure we didn't get enough blankets and all we had for breakfast were some cans of corn . . . and mayo, chile, lime, and salt. I had never been introduced to Mexican-style corn and this was my first experience . . . unheated canned corn (drained) with all of these ingredients dumped on top and eaten straight from the can. Honestly, I don't even think we had any utensils. That was my first experience with this style of corn. Some time later I had a more authentic version of this corn, this time on-the-cob and grilled. (Not that yours wasn't yummy, Christine) but the grilled on-the-cob version was awesome!

Ingredients:

Corn on the cob, grilled or steamed
Mayo (I've also experimented with butter or sour cream and they work great)
Fresh Lime
Chili Powder
Salt

Spread mayo or butter on the hot corn. Sprinkle with salt, chili powder and squeeze lime juice on top. I don't always have queso seco (dry cheese like queso cotija) on hand, but the Mexican-style crumbled and tossed on top adds an extra depth of flavor to this yummy side-dish.

You'll want to have several napkins on hand.

Rustic Tomato Tart

I remember when I happened upon this recipe, I was chatting on the phone about food with my hungry, expectant sister and described this recipe to her. She was so excited that she had all of the ingredients on hand as I read it to her. While she made it, I was left salivating and dreaming about this delectable tart. On my next trip to the grocery store, I picked up everything I needed and my friend, Lisa, and I whipped a couple of these up along with my peach basil pizza one evening after a long day at work. Today, my tomato plants in my garden are heavy with tomatoes that I hope will ripen soon and I've been daydreaming about this delicious tart so I can make this again soon. 

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe red and yellow tomatoes cored and cut into slices 1/8 in thick

salt

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

8 by 10 inch rectangle of frozen puff pastry, cut in half and thawed (in the fridge)

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

4 Tbsp grated hard cheese

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Olive oil for drizzling

Position rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400F. Place the tomato slices on paper towels, season with salt, and let drain 30-60 min. Do NOT skip this step, it is vital as you don't want the juices from the tomatoes to make the crust soggy.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic and butter. Place the puff pastry rectangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with the garlic butter and season with salt, leaving a 1/4 inch border.

Sprinkle crust with mozzarella and 2 Tbsp Parmesan. 

Arrange tomato slices on top. 

Sprinkle remaining Parmesan. 

Bake until golden  25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil. Serve right away.

Zipzicles - Homemade Ice Pops

Last June was quite a bit warmer than the 46 degree cold fronts we've been experiencing this June and when I saw these Zipzicle bags somewhere on Pinterest, I had to get some and try them out. Ice Pops or Popsicles are the perfect summer treat but they're usually so full of artificial everything that I hate to buy them. These were the perfect opportunity to have the yummy treats, but make sure I knew what was going into them.

 The girls had a great time helping me make them and were so excited to try them out after their hard work. We tried three different flavor combinations: Pinapple; Coconut Key-Lime; and Watermelon. 

Pineapple: 

For the pineapple, I just made my normal pineapple juice blend and poured it into the bag. Since the sweetness of each fruit is different, the sugar amount and water will vary for each recipe. The trick is to start with a little and add a little at a time, until it's just right for your liking. 

 Watermelon:

For the watermelon, I made my fresco de sandía (watermelon juice) and at the end, I just added a few chia seeds for the look of tiny watermelon seeds - chia is a super food that can be added to just about anything and is great for hydration, endurance, digestion, omega 3's, etc. 

Finally, I made a coconut key-lime with banana:

Coconut Key Lime:

1 can coconut milk - refrigerated

1/4 c key lime juice

1 banana

agave nectar or sugar to sweeten

Remember, do not over-fill them - there is a fill line on them. Make sure to stick to it so that when they freeze, they don't burst. 

Check out zipzicles.com for products and other recipe ideas!

Quinoa Enchilada Bake

This year, I've been trying to eat healthier and find healthy things that my family will eat. This is a recipe that I came across that I thought everyone would fall in love with  . . . I fell in love with it . . . as did my friend Lisa and her family, so it was a success. The next time I make it for my family, I'll leave out the jalapeño--or at least put less in. 

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2-1 jalapeño, seeds removed, diced

1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced

1 yellow or orange pepper, seeds removed, diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups enchilada sauce (red or red/green mix)

2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded

For serving and garnishing:

Corn chips or tostadas

chopped cilantro

green onions

sliced avocados

1) Cook Quinoa

Cook quinoa according to package directions - which are usually to bring water to boil with quinoa. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until  water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Set aside.

2) Saute Veggies

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeño. Saute until onions are clear. Add garlic and peppers and saute until fragrant - make sure not to let garlic blacken. Add corn and cook for about 3 minutes. Add lime juice, cumin, chili powder and cilantro. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.

3) Mix Ingredients

In a large bowl, add the quinoa, rinsed black beans and sauteed veggies. Stir to combine. Pour in enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup of cheese and stir to combine.

4) Bake

Pour ingredients into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven. Let casserole stand for about 10 minutes.

5) Serve

Serve casserole warm with fresh garnishings. I enjoyed it both with tostadas / chips and with avocado and cilantro on top. 

Original recipe found at Two Peas and their Pod.

Peach Basil Pizza

I made this delicious pizza last fall when the peaches were perfectly ripe and I was still harvesting basil from my garden. The recipe fell in my lap and I thought it was the perfect opporutnity to use some of the fresh ingredients that I had around. It turned out absolutely delicious and when I received a bag full of basil in my bountiful basket this week, I longed for some juicy ripe peaches. It must be spring time, cause I'm already looking forward to the yumminess that comes from fresh summertime fruits. I'll share today and you can pin or bookmark for future reference. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 loaf french bread, sliced in half length-wise
2 tsp olive oil
1 dash sea salt
4 ounces, sliced Brie or Mozzarella cheese
3 whole ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh basil

Instructions:
Place bread on a baking sheet and brush olive oil over each half. Sprinkle with a dash fo sea salt. Top each half with cheese and peaches.

Place panin the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven to broil and let broil for 30 seconds or until the cheese gets a tiny bit brown and bubbly.

While pizzas are baking, place vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes or so).

Drizzle balsamic reduction evenly over pizza and top with basil. Cut pizza into slices and serve.

Kale Chips

Kale is one of the most nutritious foods available to us and I usually toss a leaf or two into my green smoothies (which is probably the best way to get all of the good nutrients out of it since it is blended and raw), but I thought this would be a fun and different way to prepare it and my girls agreed. They are always asking for these now.

You'll need:
1 bunch of Kale
1 tsp coconut oil
sea salt

Wash leaves and dry. Toss with oil, lemon juice and salt. Place in single layers on cookie sheet(s).

Bake at 300F for 20-30 minutes or until crispy and no moisture is left in the leaves. Watch closely toward the end of the baking time so as not to burn them. 



Butternut Squash with Garlic and Agave

Labor Day. The end of summer and the official beginning of all things fall. Even though it still feels like summer, school begins, harvests are waxing and there's all kinds of wonderful produce to use this time of year. This is another I came across on Pinterest and made the same day. It's simple, delicious, and perfect for a late weekend lunch.  The original recipe came from doorsixteen.

You'll need:

• 1 butternut squash
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp agave nectar (or maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. 

Peel and dice into 1 inch cubes.

Drizzle with oil, agave, salt, and pepper. Peel garlic cloves and add to cubed squash. Toss to coat.

Bake @400°F for 50-55 minutes (turning half way through cooking) or until squash is tender. I served it with Kale Chips and it was delicious.

*Recipe for Kale Chips coming soon.



Fresh Mex Quinoa Salad

I'm finding quinoa popping up more and more on restaurant menus and recipe posts in the blogosphere, which just gets me more excited about using it. (Want to know what quinoa is? See this post.) This summer I came up with a salad that I really have enjoyed because it's filling and fresh. And it keeps for a few days in the refrigerator which makes it nice to make ahead of time and put in portions to take to work for lunch or on a picnic.

I must say I've never measured exact quantities . . . it's a little different each time, but delicious the same.

Ahead of time cook your quinoa and black beans and cool. (I usually do this the day before and then let them cool completely and store in the refrigerator overnight). For quinoa: rinse and add 2 times amount of water to quinoa. Reduce heat and cover for 15 minutes).
Prepare the following:
roma tomatoes
green pepper
cilantro
fresh corn from the cob (or frozen corn)

Mix the chopped ingredients with the quinoa and drained and rinsed black beans.

Then squeeze generous amounts of lime juice along wtih plenty of salt, pepper, and cumin to desired taste. I do quite a bit of cumin and salt and a little black pepper. Mix thoroughly and serve with avocado and cilantro on top.

Does anyone else out there use quinoa? I'd be excited to hear how you use it. I've tried it as a side at restaurants with a bit of mint in place of rice and it was absolutely delicious. Share your ideas in the comments section!

Green Spaghetti

It was a regular weeknight and I couldn't decide what to make. My girls aren't fans of regular red-sauce spaghetti (or at least the oldest claims so now). I recalled a time I was at a social gathering and tasted the most delicious green spaghetti. So I decided to invent my own. This is what I came up with:

In a frying pan, saute in coconut oil:
1/2 sliced onion
2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

In a blender
Let above ingredients cool slight and add to the blender. Then add:
3 tomatillos, rinsed and sliced
1 large bunch of cilantro, rinsed
1/2 cup sour cream
milk to desired consistency (I used rice milk)

Blend until smooth.

Prepare noodles and pour green mixture over the top. Heat through. Serve warm and garnish with queso cotija (Mexican crumbly cheese) or parmesean or a cheese of your desire.

Delicious and healthy. And another green dish just in time for St. Patty's Day.

Going Green, Smoothie Style

The whole world is going green. And so am I . . . in my own way. In an effort to increase our daily greens and hopefully our daughter's ability to absorb nutrients, we've been starting our day off with a [green] smoothie. I have felt so good every day that I drink it that I thought I'd share the goodness. So, here's what you'll need if you decide you'd like to try it too:

2ish cups of almond milk (I prefer vanilla - but we accidentally grabbed "original" either works, but if you prefer sweet, vanilla is what you'll want)
2-3 kale leaves (remove the center)
1 handful of spinach
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (or nut of your choice)
2 cups frozen fruit (I buy the mixed non-sweetened strawberries, mangoes, pineapple and peaches)
1/2 banana (I add this for my girls cause it really sweetens it, but if you're wanting to keep your sugars down and not have a sugar crash after drinking it, leave the banana out).

*Coconut milk is not necessary as pictured. I just happened to buy it and try it. And . . . it's not my favorite (although I do like coconut milk - it just doesn't seem to have the same effect as the almond). I have been adding a small amount to our smoothies every morning just to not waste the whole container. So, here's what you do:

Pour milk into blender and add greens and nuts. Blend thoroughly so as to diminish the "leafy texture."

2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add fruits and blend again until smooth.
Serve. My mother suggests drinking up to a quart for nutrients and says that will get her through with plenty of physical and mental energy until early to mid-afternoon. I drink two cups and a little more each morning and I'm not hungry at all and feel a little emotional boost to confront my challenges daily. The chlorophyll is just what I've needed on blue winter days when I don't see the sun.
And my girls? Well, they love it too. Shhhh, don't tell them that it's weird to drink green. They are totally into being Popeye girls and love all the talk about being strong and smart.

And my favorite, their green mustaches.
Please share if you try it or have other healthy blending concoctions I could try. If you're not as daring, start with baby steps. Make the fruit smoothie and add only 1 kale leaf or half the spinach. These greens really don't have much flavor when mixed with fruit. And if you're even more daring, you can do what I do when the girls aren't drinking with me, I throw in a handful of parsley too and I love the flavor burst that comes with that. Call me weird, but I've always loved parsley.

Happy Blending!

Quick Veggie Skillet

My version of a more healthy mac-n-cheese. Is there such a thing? Well, this one has veggies and my girls devour it, so it's a bit healthier than regular packaged mac-n-cheese.


This is a recipe I found in one of my mom's quick 20-minute meals books I copied down years ago and I love it. So do my girls. When I'm in a rush for dinner, this is an easy go-to meal instead of something like mac-n-cheese.

Ingredients:

6 ounces (2 1/2 cups) uncooked dried pasta (the original recipe calls for bowtie, I use whatever I have on hand and my girls love the colorful veggie pasta so that's usually what I use).
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic (a clove or two)
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
4 ounces (1 cup) cheddar cheese (cubed 1/2 inch)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, melt butter until sizzling; stir in garlic. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (4 to 6 minutes).

Stir in pasta. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (2 to 3 minutes). Stir in cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.