Curried Butternut Squash Soup

For those who like a little spice in their lives as I do, you will love this recipe. It is creamy, yet there is no milk in it! I got this recipe from Ellie on the Cooking Channel. Love that show. So healthy, yet tasty. I forgot to take a picture of all the ingredients together, but I listed them below. Hope you like it and let me know what you think.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey

Method:

1) Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart stockpot.
2) Add onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown, about 6-7 minutes.

3) Add the butternut squash, broth, curry powder and salt and bring to a boil. *

 Curry

McKays Chicken Seasoning

4) Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 12-15 minutes.

5) Remove from heat, stir in honey, and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth.

6) Season with salt.

* Note- For those doing gluten free, please be sure to check your broths to make sure they are gluten free. Also, I used McKays Chicken seasoning (Vegetarian) and that is NOT low sodium, so I omitted the salt.

Mediterranean Sandwich

Mike and I started making this sandwich back when we were newlyweds. I was looking for a recipe one day and pulled out an old cookbook written in 1997 by Betty Crocker. I wanted something that was tasty and that I could convert fairly easy into a vegetarian dish. So, this is my own rendition of the Mediterranean sandwich. Feel free to add meat if you are a meat eater or dairy cheese. My recipe is made without cow's milk products. Sorry, I only have one photo, as I decided to post this one at the last minute.

Mediterranean Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Fri-Chik (Found at Ingles, this is the vegetarian option for chicken)
1/2 cup chopped Red pepper
1/2 cup Green pepper
1/2 cup Veggie soy mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Mayo or salad dressing
1/2 cup dried Oregano leaves
handful of chopped Green olives
Feta cheese/goat cheese - enough to sprinkle on top
Hoagie buns

Method:
1)  Set oven to broil.
2)  Mix all ingredients except hoagie buns.
3) Spread a layer of Mayo or salad dressing on each half of the hoagie buns.
4) Spoon mixture on each hoagie bun half.
5) Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
6) Broil with tops 4-6 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes or until hot.
7) Cut each hoagie bun in half again and serve.

Serves 2-3 people

Breakfast Cookies

As I attend to my girls every morning I often don't have any time to get breakfast for myself. By lunch time I am starving and who knows what I will eat. So, I saw this recipe for breakfast cookies off of the cooking channel. I thought that is exactly what I needed to make sure that I get some kind of nutrition in the morning while rushing around the house. I hope you enjoy them. I think they are super yummy.

BREAKFAST COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
• 1/3 cup craisins
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces

METHOD

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1) Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. 

2) Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. 

3) Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. 

4) Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough.

5) Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. 

6) Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. 

7) Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Some friends of ours invited us over tonight for some homemade mac and cheese and hot dogs. Being that the girls and I are not eating dairy right now, I decided that I would bring a dish that I found from Runner's World for a more healthy mac and cheese. Now I have altered this recipe to fit our needs and it worked out wonderfully. I think I will be making this more often.

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 Bay leaves
1 Cauliflower, cored and cut into large pieces
1 1/2 cups of elbow pasta
1/2 cup grated cheese ( I used soy veggie cheese)
2 Tbs. Olive oil
1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Method:

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Boil a pot of salted water.

2) In a saucepan, warm stock and bay leaves on medium-low heat for five minutes; turn off heat.

3) Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 25 minutes. Put cauliflower in a food processor.

4) Cook pasta in boiling water for five minutes. Drain and rinse to cool; put pasta in greased, nine-inch square baking dish. ( I used the same water that I boiled the cauliflower in.)

5) Process the cauliflower with stock (discard bay leaves), cheese, oil, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, working in batches.

6) Pour sauce over pasta, toss, and spread evenly in dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake 20 minutes.

NOTE: Taste the sauce before adding to pasta. I didn't and it was not salty enough. It tastes really creamy and makes me feel better that it doesn't have a large amount of fat.

Chocolate Chewy Brownies

I was looking around for some brownie recipes that didn't have any milk. Recently, I have been struggling with anything that has milk in it, even baked products. For myself, my joints ache and I don't feel like moving much not to mention all the digestive issues that occur with it. Fun Fun. So, I found this recipe on grouprecipes.com. It seems like a nice site. The following is the recipe. It turned out amazing! I was so surprised and it was super easy that my girls were able to help me.

Chocolate Chewy Brownies

My guest chef Olivia Colburn

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease 13x9 inch baking pan.
• Mix flour, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, salt & cinnamon in large bowl.

Sifting the cocoa powder

Adding the baking powder and salt

 My second guest chef Juliana Colburn mixing the dry ingredients

• In a small bowl, mix soy milk, oil & vanilla.

This was before I added the oil.

Pour into the flour/sugar mixture and stir until evenly blended.

Pour into greased 13x9 baking pan.

• 
  
• Bake for 30-35 minutes.

NOTE: I baked them for 30 minutes, but if you want them more crispy and less gooey the bake them longer.  

Berry Vinaigrette

Alright. I have to share this with everyone as this was my first attempt ever to make something from scratch that is 100% my own. I saw some ingredients on the back of a dressing that I liked so much and decided to see if I could remake it in my own way. Guess what....it turned out better! So I would like to share it with you.

Berry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Strawberries
1/2 c. Pineapple
2 TBS Raspberry Preserves
3 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 oz. Pineapple juice
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard


Method:

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.


NOTE: It is so easy to make and so tasty. Hope you enjoy. Would love to hear what you think.

Chocolate and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

I have decided that one evening out of the week we are going to have breakfast for supper. This is usually a hit with both the girls and Mike. I have recently discovered a show on The Cooking Channel called Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. She is a nutritionist that has her own cooking show. So far I have loved everything she has made. Of course I have to alter some of it as I am vegetarian, but I am so excited that I am able to try new recipes. This recipe was great and easy to make, but the girls were not a fan. I think their lack of enthusiasm was due to the ricotta. It was their first time trying this and since they are not good with milk, it probably did not settle well with them. So unfortunately, this one is out for my babies. I hope you enjoy.

Chocolate and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups nonfat milk (I used lactose free milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 8 slices of whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 1 (8-ounce) container strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 4 teaspoons bittersweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

Method:

1) In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Set aside.

2) Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta in the center of 4 of the pieces of bread and spread around slightly. 

3) Top with about 6 slices of strawberries and a teaspoon of chocolate chips. Cover each with another piece of bread to make a "sandwich".

4) Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and preheat. 

5) Carefully dip each of the "sandwiches" into the egg mixture until completely moistened. Then place on the skillet and cook over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown and the center is warm and chocolate is melted.

6) Transfer to serving places. Top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Note: I cut the crust off of the bread before making these up. 

 My girls playing with their pots and pans as I make this recipe.

 Olivia frying up some crackers!

 Juliana stirring a pot of cracker stew...lol