Author: cmgift

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, Meyer Lemon Spicy Pecans and Massaged Kale Salad

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I rarely have unexpected spare time on my hands.  It’s always fun to see what activities I turn to when I do.  More often than not, I end up in the kitchen.  This day, my youngest took a nap, which never happens.  She never really napped which pretty much reduced my spare time in the past few years to little to none.  I had some amazing Meyer lemons and pecans that my brother and sister-in-law brought with them from Texas when they visited in January.  A huge perk of them visiting in the dead of winter!!  Fresh Meyer lemons from her parents trees…in their yard.  They are so good!  And the pecans…don’t even get me started.  They are the best pecans I’ve ever had.  So I went to work on some recipes to incorporate both.  I made the Meyer lemon spicy pecans and Meyer lemon vinaigrette to top a yummy kale salad.

MEYER LEMON SPICY PECANS

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Ingredients:

2.5 cups whole pecans

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp curry powder

zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon

2 tbsp Meyer lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all of the ingredients (except the pecans) in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Heat the ingredients until melted and stir to incorporate.  Add the pecans and stir until they are coated.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (with sides) and spread out in a single layer.  Bake in the oven for 10 min, stir and bake another 10 minutes.  Let cool completely.

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MEYER LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon

zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

pinch of salt

Place all of the ingredients in a glass jar and shake!

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Next a make a massaged kale salad.  Rip the desired amount of kale into bite sized pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and massage and knead with your hands until it’s bright green and soft in texture.  For your salad, use pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, the spicy pecans and the vinaigrette.  You can also use orange slices, blueberries or avacado and add feta or goat cheese if desired!!  The variations are endless!

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Pumpkin Pecan Protein Smoothie

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A cold smoothie is not the first thing you think of for breakfast on these cold winter days, but I still have pumpkins and winter squash stored and decided to roast one this week for some pumpkin puree.  I’ve been making these smoothies all week, and they are really good!! If you don’t have a pumpkin or real puree to use, use the canned stuff.  It’s still packed with nutrients and this is so easy to make.  The added healthy fat from the pecans make this a satisfying treat for breakfast.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of whole pecans

1/2 cup of pumpkin puree

1 scoop of protein powder (I use plant based)

1 frozen ripe banana

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup almond milk

Blend the almonds in a high powered blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.  Add the almond milk to desired consistency.  Serve is a glass jar, sit in a sunny spot and enjoy!

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Peppermint Almond Milk Hot Chocolate

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It’s snowing out and the first thing the kids want is always hot chocolate!  Actually, me too.  It’s just so warm and soothing on a cold snowy day.  I love this hot chocolate because it’s not totally indulgent, but it’s so good. I am not eating sugar right now, but I allowed myself this teaspoon of maple syrup, which of course is sugar! It’s snowing, what can I do?  I make it with regular milk for the kids and almond milk for me.  I do not make mine very sweet, so adjust the maple syrup as you need to.  This is one serving, so it’s really easy to make a cup for yourself or adjust for more servings.

Ingredients

1 tsp real maple syrup

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp water

1 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

dash of peppermint extract

In a small saucepan, add the water, maple syrup and cocoa powder and bring to a boil and mix together to make a chocolate sauce.  Add the milk and heat to desired temperature, add the dash of peppermint extract.  You can also make in the microwave in a glass mug, add the water, maple syrup and cocoa powder and heat for 30 seconds.  Stir in the milk and heat.  Add the peppermint extract.  Add crushed candy candy cane bits and marshmallows if you desire! Enjoy!

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Chicken Vegetable Soup

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This weekend was bitterly cold, and I didn’t feel bad at all about staying inside and doing some “chopping therapy” as I like to call it.  The house feels so warm, the kids are playing (kind of), the sun is shining bright through the windows and football is on…this is what January is all about to me.  The first week in January is stressful because we are all getting back to “normal” after the holidays and I feel pressured to make some kind of New Years resolution or list of goals for the year, but honestly I am just not much for New Years resolutions. I make resolutions throughout the year…many times…and break them…many times and sometimes I keep them and make goals and I keep them and I accomplish things.  I just like to do these things as they come up in life and as I am inspired, not just at the start of a new year.  But I do usually get back to eating healthy after holiday indulgence and start training for something (sometimes reluctently)…usually a half marathon. I need this discipline in life to live a healthy lifestyle and stay accountable.

So this weekend, I took some time to go to Central Market.  I got some root vegetables and a fresh roaster chicken and used it to feed us the entire weekend.  I cooked the chicken on Saturday and we ate that for dinner.  I made chicken stock that night and used it and the leftover chicken to make this chicken vegetable soup the next day. I used the rest of the leftover chicken to make curry chicken salad for lunches.  I LOVE going through this process and using the whole chicken for several meals.  I do this a couple of times a month, especially in the winter.   And this soup is the perfect soup for chopping winter root vegetables and taking your time in the kitchen. Let the “chopping therapy” commence!

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Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 turnip, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

4-6 cups of chicken stock

3-4 cups of cooked chicken, chopped in bite sized pieces

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup of fresh or frozen green beans, chopped in 1 in. pieces

salt and peper

dash of red pepper flakes

In a dutch oven, sauté the onions, carrots and celery for a few minutes.  Add the turnip and parsnip and cumin, salt and pepper and sauté until tender.  Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, more salt and pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the peas and green beans and simmer until tender.  Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!!

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Cranberry and Orange Relish with Meyer Lemon

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I spotted these lovely cranberries and Meyer lemons at the market this week. And my mother-in-law brought some citrus for us, and I instantly thought of cranberry relish. Meyer lemons are one of my favorite foods- a cross between a lemon and an orange and smells heavenly!  I don’t make many jams and jellies, but I do really like cranberry relish.  I wanted to make something simple and found this recipe on the Ocean Spray website that was simply cranberries, a whole orange and sugar. No cooking involved. That is my kind of recipe!  I added the Meyer lemon and that’s it.  I didn’t know how much sugar to add because I only had one cup of cranberries.  I added a full 1/2 cup and it’s a tad too sweet for my taste, so I would reccomend adding less sugar and then add to your taste or use more cranberries. If I had time to “test” recipes, I would have tweaked this a little, but I had one cup of cranberries and one shot at it! I’ve been eating this relish with plain yogurt and walnuts! Very yummy and festive! And I’ll be adding this to baked brie for a simple New Years Eve appetizer!

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Ingredients:

1-2 cups of whole cranberries

1 orange, whole and quartered

1 Meyer lemon

1/4-1/2 cup of raw sugar

Add the cranberries, 1 whole orange (peel on) quartered and zest and juice of one Meyer lemon to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency.  Stir in the sugar to desired sweetness. Store in the refrigerator.  Eat by itself, use as a garnish on a turkey sandwich, add to baked brie or eat with plain yogurt and walnuts as a snack. I love all of the ways this relish can be used! Enjoy!

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Healthy Lentil Soup

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I love to make this soup when I need something healthy to have on hand to balance out all of the holiday treats!  It makes a great lunch and leftovers for days.  This is the season that is all about balance.  Balancing out the to-do lists and busy schedules with quality family time and taking time to enjoy the little moments.  Balancing out the christmas cookies and hot chocolate with healthy, slow cooked rich flavors of the season.  This soup is so good drizzled with some olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar and it takes this simple soup to a new level of flavors. Yum!

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Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

Olive oil

1 tablespoon cumin

salt and pepper

2 cups of lentils, rinsed

2 quarts of chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of thyme

Olive oil and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar (optional to serve)

Cook onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add garlic and stir a few minutes.  Add carrots, celery, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 7 min.  Add rinsed lentils, broth, bay leaf and thyme.  Simmer for 30 minutes until the lentil are tender.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.  I like red wine vinegar, but balsamic would work too.  Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

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I make a variation of these cookies to have on hand all the time.  They are great to grab on the go for breakfast.  A much better option then a packaged granola bar.  These “cookies” have no added sugar, contain fiber and a little fat so you are not hungry right away.  The original recipe I got from the book “Bread and Wine” by Shauna Niequist.  I vary the ingredients, but keep the same basic recipe.  I added pumpkin to these (tis the season!) and made some with blueberries, some with dark chocolate chips and some plain.  My three year old insisted on adding the blueberries as she was snacking on them when we were making these and loves to add anything to the bowl!

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Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup of pumpkin puree

1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup ground flax (or almond meal)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup shredded coconut (non sweetened)

1/2 chopped walnuts

dark chocolate chips (optional)

blueberries (optional)

Mix the banana, pumpkin, vanilla and coconut oil in a bowl.  Mix the dry ingredients together and incorporate all of the ingredients. Add the blueberries at the end if you are using them. Sometimes I just throw everything together in one bowl and mix it up and it turns out just fine!  I use an ice cream scooper to scoop them out in even cookies.  Add the chocolate chips to the top or mix them in the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Let cook and enjoy!  I freeze these for an easy breakfast or snack anytime.

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Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

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This is a quintessential fall soup, perfect for Thanksgiving or lunch the next day when you crave something “lighter” and more nutrient dense than the traditional Thanksgiving dinner we all love and enjoy.  Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  It’s a time when we can relax and enjoy visiting with family without the extra pressure of Christmas presents and parties and things that tend to take us away from the real meaning of the season.  And there are still little gems of local cold weather produce available until most of our markets close this week.  In this recipe, I used pumpkin that I roasted, pureed and froze. You can also cook fresh pumpkin or winter squash in the soup or use canned pumpkin puree.  I love to top off this soup with plain greek yogurt for a little tangly flavor, or use sour cream or drizzle some cream.  You can make this soup ahead, it gets better as the flavors combine.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves or garlic, minced

2 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup of pumpkin puree or cubed fresh pumpkin

1 apple, cored, peeled and cubed

4 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons of fresh sage, rough chopped

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

plain greek yogurt, sour cream or cream (optional)

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In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute the onions in olive oil for a few minutes with salt and pepper then add the garlic until tender.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and yogurt) and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.  Simmer the soup a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the Parmesan cheese.  Serve with plain greek yogurt, sour cream or a drizzle of cream.  Enjoy!

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Crockpot White Bean Chicken Chili

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I am really into soups right now.  With a polar vortex coming our way, I only see more in our future!  I made this last weekend and have been enjoying it for lunches all week.  I can’t tell you how much I love the crock pot and I can’t tell you how easy this recipe is.  I got everything ready and we were able to enjoy the last of these beautiful fall days.  To my kids dismay, I can’t get enough hiking in this time of year.  I want to enjoy every last minute until we are forced inside with the cold weather.  But here’s how to get this soup going!

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs of boneless chicken breasts

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups of chicken stock

1 small can of green chilies

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tablespoon of dried cilantro, or fresh if you have it

1 jalapeno (optional)

3 cans of white beans, drained and rinced

salt and peper

Plain Greek yogurt (optional)

fresh lime (optional)

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, except the beans.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Put in the white beans for the last hour. Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a squeeze of fresh lime.  I love to add fresh lime to soups and dishes, it really freshens it up.  And put some in your water too. It makes it feel like you are eating something special 🙂 Enjoy!

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Sausage, White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

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This soup is so hearty and warming on these brisk fall days.  We are getting down to the last of the fall harvest vegetables, the roadside farm markets are closing soon and the CSA is finished.  I have some kale and swiss chard still in the garden, but that’s it.  I dried some herbs and hoping some others will withstand the colder temps for a while longer.  I morn a little each time the window for the fresh, local produce closes.  But now is the season for slow cooked, warm and nourishing dishes.  This is a great basic soup to switch up the ingredients for what you have on hand.  Use kidney beans and spinach or add veggies like peas or broccoli or omit the sausage and make a meatless soup. You can also eat this over a bed of whole wheat noodles or pasta. If you don’t have the fresh herbs, just use more dried.  It’s a small batch, so feel free to increase the amounts to have leftovers or some to freeze.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage, loose sausage or remove from casings

olive oil for browning

2 cloves or garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

4 cups of swiss chard, roughly chopped

4 cups of chicken stock

1/4 c fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

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Brown the sausage in olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Set the browned sausage aside. Leaving the browned bits and fat in the bottom of the pan, saute the onion a few minutes then add the garlic and then add the carrots and celery. Add salt while sauteing and cook until tender.  Add the canned tomatoes with juice, beans (drained), chicken stock, sausage, swiss chard and herbs, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese rind salt and pepper and simmer for 20-30 min.  Take out the Parmesan cheese rind and serve with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  If you don’t have a Parmesan cheese rind, just add a 1-2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the simmer or omit.  This soup is great as leftovers too!

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