Mexican Quinoa

My friend Rachel made this quinoa dish for our Book Club last month.  It was a huge hit!  

We read Kelly Minter's new book, Wherever the River Runs.  I highly recommend the book - favorite I've read this year - and I've read a lot of good books!  

enjoy both-

leanne

ONE PAN MEXICAN QUINOA

Prep Time  10 minutes

Cook Time  25 minutes

Total Time  35 minutes

Yield  4 servings

INGREDIENTS

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 jalapenos, minced

·         1 cup quinoa

·         1 cup vegetable broth

·         1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

·         1 cup corn kernels

·         1 teaspoon chili powder

·         1/2 teaspoon cumin

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·         1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

·         Juice of 1 lime

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

·         Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.

·         Serve immediately.

I'm Overwhelmed...

Sometimes I hear lyrics to a song while driving down the road and I can't seem to get to a stoplight fast enough to look them up on my phone.  The latest song that I downloaded immediately, then played at least 10x that day, was "Overwhelmed" by Big Daddy Weave.

The lyrics to "Overwhelmed" are powerful which is what initially caught my attention!  Even if you have heard the song, go play it again before reading on and listen to the lyrics.  (Here is a link to the official music video).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiGb14tTaH4

My favorite line - "God I run into your arms, unashamed because of mercy" - praise Jesus!  My girls have heard it played one to many times for their liking, but I just can't seem to get enough of it.  Sure the tune is catchy and the words are beautiful, but no doubt God knew I would need to hear it 100x before I actually applied the thing & started living it out.  So often I believe truth, but living out that truth is hard.  Plain and simple.  Knowing and applying are two totally different verbs.       

My BJ's Shopping List

I've been wanting to put this post together for some time and was reminded of it when I recently read 100 Days of Real Food's, My Go-To Costco Shopping List.

We used to be members of Costco until having kids and it began to be unpractical to drive 25 minutes to our closest store in Raleigh.  Costco ROCKS and I have been wishing for years that they would bring one to the suburbs where we live!  There have been rumors for the last few years, and I recently saw our wish looks like it is coming true, less than 5 miles from home!  
http://www.apexchamber.com/sections/whatsnew/documents/DecemberNews.pdf



We purchased a BJ's membership a year ago when we really started flying through food like crazy around here with 5 people to feed.  Especially fresh produce.  I am super happy with my BJ's membership and can get many things there in bulk at much better savings overall than my other grocery stores.  We go through produce so fast, that I typically hit BJ's once a week before it is time to pick up my kids from school, since it is in that general vicinity.  You can use BJ's coupons, manufacturer's coupons and can stack them as well.

I'll be honest, I don't have time to write down prices, though I know approximates for many items by memory and I will share those with you.    Just know that the prices are generally fabulous compared to buying the same things in smaller quantities in your regular stores.  Also note that this list is not completely "clean".  This is real life, friends, and we DO eat processed food.  We just try to keep it to a minimum and for the processed items we do buy, we try to make "better for you" choices.   The following are things that I regularly purchase at my local BJ's:

PRODUCE
5 lb bag of ORGANIC gala apples for ~$10 (I buy this every week; we fly through it!)
3 lbs bananas ~$1.35 (seriously, you can't beat that!)
4 count bag avocados ~$4.99
1 lb grape tomatoes ~$5
3 lb bag sweet potatoes ~$2.50
Nature's Greens 2 lb.  bag chopped kale $1.99
Nature's Greens 2 lb. bag chopped collard greens $3
organic salad mixes
Love Cooked Beets (4 pack, $6.99)
baby carrots
bell peppers (4 count bag of red for ~$5, 4 count bag of green for ~$4)
Fresh Express Romaine Hearts (3 count, $2.79)
brussels sprouts
mushrooms
berries (in season)

REFRIGERATED
salsas
cheeses
chickpea salad
Wholly Guacamole box of individual guac containers
Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs 12 ct, $3.99
Naked juices (huge bottles for ~$5)
Stonyfield Farm Organic squeeze yogurt tubes 
Applegate Farm Organics (wide variety of products!)

FROZEN
organic chopped  spinach 3.5 lbs $6.99
organic broccoli florets 4 lbs. $7.69
Alexia sweet potato fries 
Wild caught Sockeye salmon filets
frozen fruit

PAPER PRODUCTS
paper plates (cause I'm lazy a lot)
toilet paper (BJ's brand is usually cheapest, but Charmin Basic with coupons)
paper towels (BJ's brand unless another brand is cheaper with coupons)

LAUNDRY/PERSONAL CARE
laundry detergent
dish detergent
Method cleaning supplies
shampoo/conditioner
shave gel

PANTRY
ground flaxseed
chia seeds
quinoa
organic maple syrup
organic extra-virgin coconut oil 36oz. $11.49
pure vanilla extract 16oz. $7
raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc.)
Organic peanut butter (just peanuts, salt) 26oz. $5.99
dried apricots
dried mango
raisin boxes
kcups
Annie's Mac & Cheese (12 boxes for $12!)
Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna (4 cans for $12)

SNACKS
Pirate's Booty (huge bag OR individual snack size bags)
Food Should Taste Good Sea Salt Brown Rice Crackers
Organic Corn Tortilla Chips
Various brand applesauce pouches
Kind Bars (box of 18 bars for ~$22)
Clif Kid Organic ZBars (box of 24)
Nature's Path Organic Dark Chocolate Macaroon Crunch Granola Bars (box of 48)
Veggie Sticks
Skinny Pop popcorn (individual snack size bags, non GMO!)
Popcorn Indiana White Cheddar Popcorn (non GMO)
Popcorn Indiana Kettle Corn (non GMO)


dawn

Orange & Pepita Granola

This granola recipe is delicious and super easy to make!

Mellow Lentil Soup

Don't let the longer list of ingredients fool you - most are dried herbs!  This soup has such a yummy flavor and is nicknamed the "Sniffle Soup."

Avocado Kale Salad

Mmmmmm, I found my new favorite kale salad!  There is an Avocado Kale Salad at Whole Foods that seems to be a favorite amongst my food nerd friends.  However, it seems every time I am in the store, they never have it.  So, I have absolutely no idea what it tastes like.  If it tastes like this one, I am a fan!  This is so easy to throw together, you'll love it!

Avocado Kale Salad

1 bunch kale, stemmed & finely chopped

1/2 avocado

2 T lemon juice

1/2 t. soy sauce

1/4 t. minced garlic

pinch of salt

Toss ingredients together in a large bowl.  Use your hands to mash the avocado and other ingredients into the kale. Set aside for 10-20 minutes to allow kale to soften.  I pull my avocados out of the fridge as I store them there once ripe, so my salad is already cold.  If you are using a room temperature avocado, you may want to refrigerate the salad before enjoying.  Leftovers are good the next day, too!  Melts in your mouth, yummmm...

Dawn

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Hi friends,

Don't you just LOVE 3 day weekends!  I think it should always be a 3 day weekend and 4 day work/school week!  

This is a great post I came upon.  I told LeAnne I didn't know whether to laugh, because it was so spot on between the 70's and now, or to cry because life was so much simpler back then.

http://www.scarymommy.com/back-to-school-the-70s-vs-today/

On other random topics, I read The Husband's Secret over the long weekend.  I flew through it in 24 hours.  Super awesome book!  Brilliant writing and plot.  If you were a fan of Gone Girl or On The Island, this would probably be your "type" of book, though it was not strange like Gone Girl in case you were not a fan.  I will say, the husband's secret...SHOCKING!  I did not see that coming.  It is not the only secret in the book, though.  I love how the author brings it all together in the Epilogue at the end to show the power of secrets and how wildly different the characters lives would be if secrets were revealed.

Too Busy To Listen

We have been in the midst of this great sermon series at church, entitled Too Busy To Listen.  I also just finished reading Lysa TerKeurst’s new book, The Best Yes.  The two have spoken to me so deeply, especially with this being the start of a new school year for my kids, and my return to my second year at my part-time job at preschool.  While I love both of these things (my children’s school and my job/ministry), I lovingly refer to the school year as the “rat race”.  With fast paced early mornings getting three kids out the door, carpooling to school 15-20 minutes from home pending traffic, the homework/dinner/shower/bedtime hours, and adding 14 very cute 4 year old preschoolers three mornings a week to that mix, it does not fail to keep me busy and my schedule full.  And we refuse to pack our evenings with extracurriculars like many do! 

Creamy Tahini & Broccoli Pasta

Honestly just going off the name of this recipe, I probably would have never tried it!  However, my friend Ashley gave me the recipe, and we usually like very similar foods.  We made it on one of our cooking nights and it was delicious.  My kids thought so too which is always a plus!  The chickpea & tahini mixture give it the creamy texture.  There are three  ingredients in the recipe that you might not use frequently.  They are tahini (ground sesame seeds), kelp granules (found in a seasoning mix at Whole Foods) & liquid aminos (a soy sauce alternative).  You could leave the kelp granules out if you don't frequent WF or want to spend the money.  The dish is creamy, yet light!  Let us know if you give it a try!

Creamy Tahini & Broccoli Pasta

1 (15-ounce) garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), drained & rinsed
1/2 cup tahini
2 Tbs. liquid aminos (or soy sauce - shoyu is a healthier brand)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon kelp granules (found in seasoning mix @ WF - or leave out)
1 (16-ounce) package whole wheat linguine
1 small onion, diced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli (I double this because my family loves broccoli)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat you like)

Baked Peach Oatmeal

A friend passed this recipe on to me and I tweaked it just a bit to my liking.  It is delicious!  You can save the leftovers and eat from it for several days after.   It is great reheated or eaten cold straight from the fridge.  Add an extra splash of almond milk for extra creaminess.

Summer Squash Soup

I made this soup last night for book club.  The soup is creamy, yet light because of the fresh summer vegetables.  I prefer it served warm.  I also will try it with cauliflower next time in place of half the potatoes.

Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil (or vegetable broth)

2 spring onions with tops, chopped

2 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes 

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 lb yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 lb zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 lb white potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup unsweetened soy milk (or almond)

Almond Butter Chocolate Overnight Oats

I've been hearing about "overnight oats" for some time, and have been wanting to try them out.  No better time than summer, when life is a bit (okay, A LOT) less rat-race than the school year.  This recipe is from My Whole Food Life, a blog that my friend Kim turned me on to.  It is such an easy breakfast, especially for busy mornings, and you could easily make several days or a week's worth at a time in individual jars for easy eating.  This is an awesome nutritious breakfast, filled with many superfoods. 

Cacao powder comes from the bean of the cacao plant.  It contains a rich supply of antioxidants and is a good source of dietary fiber.  It is also known to be one of the highest dietary sources of magnesium, flavanols, and polyphenols. 

Chia seeds are also a nutritional powerhouse with a lengthy list of health benefits.  It is a source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), and Omega-3 essential fatty acid that helps support normal cardiovascular function and fiber which helps support normal functioning of the digestive tract and healthy lipids.  Chia seeds are easily digestible and do not need to be ground.  They absorb liquid and are ideal for hydration and feeling full.  

I use steel cut oats and eat mine cold straight out of the fridge in the morning.  If you are not a fan of cold or chewy, you can use rolled oats for a creamier texture and could certainly heat it up in the morning if you prefer.  I add a splash of unsweet almond milk on the top of mine in the morning, to moisten it just a bit.  Ahhh, perfection. 

You could play around with this recipe and make all kinds of yummy morning creations. Check out these 10 Overnight Oats Recipes from My Whole Food Life or create your own!

1/2 c. steel cut oats (or rolled oats if you prefer creamier texture)

1 t. chia seeds

1 t. ground flaxseed

2 t. cacao powder

1 T. almond butter

1 T. maple syrup (or 1 chopped, pitted date)

1/2 c. unsweet almond milk (add more if you prefer yours less firm)

pinch of salt

Put everything in a jar, stir well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  

Dawn

(recipe adapted from My Whole Food Life)

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

I made this recipe with friends several weeks ago.  It takes some time to chop the vegetables, but otherwise is a simple recipe to make.  A great summer dish to serve your family and eat the leftovers for lunch!

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-snapped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3/4 pound good feta (optional)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

*Note - I use less olive oil than the recipe calls for - only what I need to coat the vegetables.  Also, I sprinkle the feta lightly over the dish.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan.  Roast for 20 minutes, until browned, turing once with spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.  Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.  Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables.  Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pine nuts, feta, and basil.  Check the seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Parties, foodnetwork.com.

enjoy -
leanne

3 ,2 ,1 Salad Dressing

People ask me often, "What do you use for salad dressing?"  This dressing is our favorite, takes less than 5 minutes to make, and we always have the ingredients on hand.  It goes well with most any salad combination, but our favorite is spinach, strawberries, and walnuts.  We also love to eat it over raw kale! 

My girls like to take salads & dressing in their lunch boxes .  I found these cute mini dressing bottles at Target they will use this fall when school resumes.  

Jane's 3, 2, 1 Salad Dressing

Makes about 1/3 cup.

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. mustard of choice (we use stone ground) 

1 Tbs. maple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk until smooth.  Store in refrigerator. 

eat more salad-

leanne

Recipe from "Forks Over Knives."

Brown Crispy Rice Treats

I met my friend Joelle at the pool last week and she brought these to share!  A great snack for summers at the pool.  This is a great recipe to make with your kids too!

Brown Crispy Rice Treats

6 cups brown crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup peanut butter (or combinations of almond / cashew)
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or combinations of flax / chia)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Spray mixing bowl lightly with non-stick cooking spray.  Measure crispy rice & seeds into bowl.  Mix nut butters and honey in a pot on the stove.  Heat until bubbly.  When bubbly, remove from heat, add vanilla & cinnamon.  Slowly stir nut butter mixture into crispy rice mix.  Pour and press into sprayed 9X13 pan.  Let cool and serve.

enjoy-
leanne

Summer Enchiladas

This is one of my families favorite meals!  It's easy, healthy, and you can use fresh summer vegetables!  

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth

1 tbs chili powder

1 tbs honey

1 tbs ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1 (28 oz) can or jar of crushed tomatoes (undrained)

Saute onion & garlic in a nonstick skillet for 5 minutes until tender.  Stir in broth and remaining ingredients.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  

Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 cups diced zucchini

1 (10 oz) package frozen whole kernel corn (or you can use fresh)

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups Enchilada Sauce (see above)

8 tortillas 

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute zucchini and corn in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in beans.

Spread 1 cup Enchilada Sauce in the bottom of a 13X9 inch baking dish.  Spoon 1/2 cup zucchini mixture into each tortilla and roll up.  Place tortillas seam-side down in baking dish.  Spread remaining 2 cups of Enchilada Sauce evenly over the tortillas.  

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover & sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 10 more minutes uncovered until the cheese melts.

Hope you are enjoying slower summer days!

-leanne

GYG Gals

My friend Becki has been asking me to teach her how to cook and eat more plant based for many months.  With her prompting, I decided to issue a food challenge to a few friends in February to eat more clean and get rid of some of the unhealthier addictions (like soda).  Becki took the challenge and not only kicked some bad food habits, but was eager to learn as much as I had time to teach her.  Instead of sending her recipes and things to read, I decided to just invite her over one Monday morning and meal prep for the week with her.  I sent Becki a list to buy and the recipes we would be making and she showed up with half the groceries and we got busy.  We had SO MUCH FUN catching up and cooking!

Cookie Dough Bites

I made these a few weeks ago and texted Dawn that she had to try this recipe soon!  So, she made them that day because that's how we roll with cookie dough :)!  I've made them several times since and brought them today along with the Macadamia Nut Cookies to a PTF luncheon.  My friends told me they loved them and wanted the recipe - I am trusting they were honest :)!
Chew slowly because every bite is so good!

Cookie Dough Bites

1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)

Chocolate Chip & Macadamia Nut Cookies

Chocolate Chip & Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 1/3 cup oat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp sugar (I use a combination of coconut sugar and white cane sugar but brown sugar or sucanat will also work)
1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts (or walnuts)
3 tbsp chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
3-5 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (use enough to get a dough like consistency)

Cauliflower Taco Salad

I saw this recipe for Cauliflower Taco Salad show up on a few of my Facebook friends' feeds recently and knew I wanted to try it.  It was awesome - a keeper!  The ground cauliflower and lentils together are so similar to ground taco meat, my oldest didn't even know it wasn't until I told her!  This recipe makes quite a bit, so you will likely have extra for leftovers or to freeze for another quick taco night.  I did have to put the cauliflower in my food processor in several small batches (as opposed to stuffing it all in at once) in order to get all of the cauliflower ground up into rice size.  

I used this Sprouted Lentil Trio by truRoots brand, which I found at Harris Teeter.  I was so excited to discover these sprouted lentils cook in only 6 minutes!  Sprouting is known to boost vitamins and minerals and increase accessibility of nutrients, while cutting cooking time.  Pretty cool, huh.

Enjoy!
dawn  

Banana-Date Muffins

These are some of the best muffins I have made in a while!  They are featured in Gwyneth Paltrow's book It's All Good.  These muffins are great for breakfast or a snack.  They contain a G-BOMB food - pumpkin seeds - (my kids are really into all meals having at least one G-BOMB).  Oh and my kids and husband thought they were delicious which means they are a keeper!

2 cups flour (I used a combination of oat & whole wheat pastry flour.  You can also use gluten-free flour.)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

A pinch of sea salt

2 overripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used coconut oil.)

2/3 cup good-quality maple syrup (I used a little less than this.)

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 pitted and chopped cup dried dates (about 6 large dates) (I used chopped dates coated in flour you find at Whole Foods.)

1/4 cup roughly chopped pumpkin seeds, plus 3 tablespoons for the tops of the muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.  I use silicon muffin tins which don't need liners.

Whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the bananas, oil, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.  Thoroughly combine the dry and wet ingredients.  Toss the dates and pumpkin seeds with a little flour before folding them into the mixture to keep them from sinking to the bottom.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of the extra pumpkin seeds.

Bake until the muffins are browned and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

enjoy!

leanne

Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

I know, it's another quinoa salad.  I hope you are not bored with quinoa yet.  It is such a nutritious complete protein, that I find myself using it often.  With our busy lives and the need for quick, healthy lunches for my husband and I, I have taken to fixing a large batch of a cold bean, quinoa, or orzo salad on the weekends, that we are able to use all week.  This is a new favorite.  Sorry...no picture.  

Blondie Brownies

One of the most common questions we get when eating "clean" is, "What do you eat for dessert?"  
I do love to bake (more than cooking actually).  The trick is finding recipes that use "secret ingredients" as my 8 year old likes to say!  

You can't find healthy baked treats on a shelf at the grocery store because they are overly processed to last on the self for a VERY long time.  

sweet eating-
leanne


Blondie Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup all natural almond butter or peanut butter

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 tbs chocolate chips - dark is preferred

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray 8×8 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.  I use a Pampered Chef baking dish that is non-stick.
2. In a food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth.  Batter will be thick and yummy - my girls love to lick the bowl!
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top. (The batter may stick to your spatula, so I like to spray my spatula with nonstick cooking spray first.) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and edges are a tiny bit brown. The batter may look underdone, but you don’t want them to dry out!
4. Cool pan for 20 minutes.  Makes 16 blondies.

Black Eyed Pea Salad with Spicy Sriracha Vinaigrette

2.5 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. olive oil
1 T. sriracha sauce
1 T. melted honey (mixes better than honey straight from container)
2 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 carrots, grated
1 diced red or green bell pepper
1/4 c. chopped parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, honey, and sriracha.  Add peas, carrots, bell pepper, and parsley and toss to combine.  Season with salt to taste.  Chill several hours before serving.

dawn

Adapted from Whole Foods recipe

Granola

My friend Ashley has recently been researching recipes & "cleaning up" existing ones!  She was very gracious to share a seven page document of really good recipes with a few of her friends last week!  It's always SO much more fun when you have friends sharing recipes and eating healthy foods too!  Not only does it hold you accountable, but it increases your palette for trying new things!

I made this granola recipe on Wednesday and my kids loved it!  You can enjoy it with fruit, almond milk, yogurt (try coconut if you haven't - it's good), or just by itself!

Did You Know?

Did you know almost all store-bought jars of pickles, relish, peppers, etc. contain yellow food dye!  I was shocked when I discovered this when I began reading labels several years ago.  I now buy all pickled products at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, as none of theirs contain food dye.

And, did you know about these awesome Unreal candies that contain no food dyes, no corn syrup, no partially hydrogenated oils, are made with less sugar than their competitors, and can be purchased at Target!  Whenever one of my kids needs m&m's for school (or Mom gets a sweet tooth!), these are my go-to.

Why do we try really hard to avoid artificial coloring in our foods?  Vibrantly colored food has become the norm, but studies show they carry profound risks.  Artificial coloring (also found in medicines and cosmetics!) has been linked to hyperactivity in children, ADHD, cancer, allergies, etc.

dawn

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 packet taco seasoning (Whole Foods has a great "clean" packet without added funky chemicals.  Warning:  Trader Joe's taco seasoning is SPICY)
1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
olive oil
3 large bell peppers, seeds removed & sliced
1 container sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced

Nutrition Night at GRACE Christian School

As part of this year's initiative at our school, to offer several parent education evenings, we were asked to host a Nutrition Night.  Grab Your Greens joined forces with our local Whole Foods, to educate our parents and staff of GRACE on the importance of eating a whole foods diet.   Our friend, Joelle, who also happens to be the Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods in Cary, talked about the Four Pillars of Healthy Eating, the Whole Foods Health Starts Here program, and had a Q&A session.  Everyone in attendance sampled Garlicky Kale (on the WF salad bar), Romero's Lentil Salad, and California Quinoa (both found at the WF prepared salads counter), an abundance of beautiful fresh fruit, and Black Bean Brownies .  Joelle brought along her Vitamix and prepared green smoothies.  There were fun Whole Foods door prizes and everyone left with an awesome Whole Foods Healthy Eating Handbook.

I'm Hungry / Potato Chips

We laugh at my five year old who says with a very southern drawl, "I am hun-gar-ee."  We've corrected her, but honestly we think it's cute and she's growing up WAY to fast as it is these days!

Lately I have been really hungry!  Clearly my body is used to having too many "false fillers & substitutes" for whole foods.  Replacing it with only vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, etc. leaves you wanting more goodness more often!  AND whole foods go right through you to keep your body fueled and your systems functioning ;)!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A yummy chocolate chip cookie recipe that's very easy to make and tastes good too!
I add raisins in half the batter and chocolate chips in the other half.

The Gracious Pantry Chocolate Chip Cookies

<3,
leanne

26.2 Done!

Until about 3 years ago, I had never run more than about 3 miles.  Seriously.  In 2010 I signed up for a 10K with Bentley (who does run btw) and literally smiled the entire race :).  Just to be out there alive and able made me giddy!  I proved to myself that I was capable of more than I thought.  

Food Challenge Tips

GYG Food Challenge Reminders & Tips

We are not food experts, but we have done a lot of research!  These challenges are only meant to educate yourselves on the many benefits of eating primarily plant based!  We've done all 3 Challenges in the past 3 years and have found the following tips below to be good reminders!  We live very closely to the food challenge rules most of the time, but have found that our bodies need a challenge once or twice a year for us to re-evalutate where we are with food!  We will be committing to the challenge this February and invite you to join us!

E2 Challenge (Fire Cadet & Fire Fighter)

THE E2 CHALLENGE

Based on Rip Esselstyn’s Book, The Engine 2 Diet

If you have already done a clean food challenge or want to just dive right in, then the E2 Challenge is for you!  You will be eating 100% plant based!  

Cleaning Eating Challenge

CLEAN EATING CHALLENGE

We are issuing 3 Food Challenges this month.  The first is to eat CLEAN for a month.  Basically you will eat whole foods - foods that only contain ONE ingredient, the food itself.  Think vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, & water! 

What is Clean Eating?   Clean Eating is eating foods closest to the state in which they are found in nature. The majority of “clean” foods can typically be found in the outer aisles of the supermarket where fruit, vegetables, unprocessed nuts, organic eggs, etc. are located.  Clean food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.  Most processed foods have been chemically altered through additives such as flavor enhancers, binders, colors, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.   To summarize:  Read ingredient lists, NOT the nutritional label.  If there is an ingredient that is not a whole food, or that you cannot pronounce, put it back!

Asparagus Soup

A green soup that is sure to warm you up this winter!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 1/2 lbs. asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil (or use vegetable broth)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped shallots (or a combination of shallots and onions)
1/2 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
Salt & Pepper

In medium saucepan heat oil (or vegetable broth) over medium heat.  Add shallots/onions & cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 8 - 10 minutes.

Add potatoes, cut up asparagus and 4 cups of water.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add bouillon and 1 tsp. salt.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

In food processor or blender, process soup in small batches until smooth and creamy.  Return to pot and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.  Enjoy!

Time in the Kitchen

Sunday I spent about 2 1/2 hours preparing foods for the week and prepping for dinner that evening.  As I was noticing the clock ticking by, I felt a tad bit of guilt creeping in that I was not engaged with my girls playing or spending time with my husband.  Mind you the girls were happy and content and did not need me.  My husband was preparing for a business trip and did not need me.  Then why would I feel guilty for prepping nutrient dense, healthy food for my family?

Black Bean Brownies

These decadent brownies are from Chocolate Covered Katie.  Their secret ingredient - black beans!  And, if no one told me, I would never know they were in there!  These are yummiest right out of the oven, gooey and warm.  My kids think these are the best 'Happy Friday' after school treat.  

1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained very well

3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. quick cook oats

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. coconut oil (melt before combining with other ingredients)

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2-2/3 c. dark chocolate chips

optional:  more chips for presentation

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, in food processor.  Blend really well until smooth.  Stir in the chips, then pour into an 8x8 pan sprayed with olive oil.  Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top for presentation.  Cook brownies 15-18 minutes.  Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.  

Enjoy!

Dawn

Magic Kale Salad

This is a recipe from Sarah Matheny at what used to be her Peas & Thank You blog.  Sadly for us, she posted a 'farewell' several months ago, and the website is no longer online.   She said goodbye to her successful blog, Peas & Thank You, to give more time to her kids and adopt a child from Guatemala.    Can't imagine how hard that decision was, but how rewarding it will be.  The following is her recipe.  If you are like me and like lots of dressing (original recipe is just enough for a thin coating), double the dressing ingredients.       

1 bunch dinosaur or lacinto kale (or really any kind of kale works fine), chopped

          (I like to use a bag of  Organic Tuscan Kale from Trader Joe's) 

2 T. lemon juice (~1 large lemon juiced)

1 t. sesame oil

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 t. dijon mustard

1.5 t. honey

1/4 t. salt

1 apple

1/4 c. pistachio kernels or chopped walnuts

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, oils, mustard, honey, and salt.  Pour over kale in a large salad bowl.  Massage dressing into kale with your hands.  Add diced apples and nuts.  I also like to add 1/4 c. feta cheese to ours.  This tastes best if you make it ahead and give it time to chill in the fridge.  It is also great leftover the following day.  Stir before serving.

Dawn

Up for a Challenge?

I know most of you to come to this blog looking for recipes, and I promise we will have more recipes SOON!  But sometimes we like to share other stuff too :).

I called Dawn yesterday on my drive to my hometown for my grandmother's funeral (amazing woman in my life who I miss dearly but rejoice she is at home with Jesus now) to share three things.  I think a lot when I drive and when I run.  (more on running in a blog that's turned into a novel)

G-BOMBS

I am not quite sure how in all our reading about food, LeAnne and I have never heard this term before, but our friend Joelle (who happens to be the Whole Foods Cary Healthy Eating Specialist!) dropped this on us at a meeting today.  G-BOMBS.

G-BOMBS:  Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds - the most nutrient dense, health promoting, cancer preventative foods on the planet.  Cool, right!  We should be eating these foods every day and they should make up a large portion of our diet.

Read more from Dr Fuhrman at:
http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/gbombs.aspx

dawn

Orzo Salad with Feta, Olives and Peppers

16 oz. whole wheat orzo

1/4 c. olive oil

6 oz. crumbled basil & tomato flavored feta cheese

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

3 T capers, drained

3 T fresh lemon juice

1 T white vinegar

1 T minced garlic

1.5 t. oregano

1 t. dijon mustard

1 t. cumin

3 T. pine nuts, toasted

Cook orzo in water as directed.  Whole wheat orzo is hard to find, at least in my experience.  I have only been able to find it at Whole Foods.  Drain, rinse with cold water.  Drain well.  Transfer to large bowl.  Toss with a very small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.  Add feta, peppers, olives, green onions and capers.  

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, dijon mustard and cumin in a small bowl.  Gradually whisk in 1/4 c. olive oil.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.  

Add dressing mixture to orzo salad and toss.  Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours.  Garnish before serving with toasted pine nuts.  Yumm!

This is adapted from an epicurious recipe. 

Happy 2014 - May it be full of fresh food and fitness!

dawn