Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad

This is a really easy, quick recipe that is perfect for summer.  It requires no heating up of your kitchen by cooking and would be easy to take along for a picnic.  We ate it with some whole-grain crackers but it would be equally delicious on croissants, crusty rolls, pita bread, or wrapped in lettuce.  I served it with steamed sugar snap peas (I will figure out how to attach a link to that recipe soon - still trying to figure out this whole blogging thing!) 

Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine, April 2012 issue

1 c. plain fat free Greek yogurt
1 c. mayonnaise
2 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, removed of skin and bones and shredded
1/4 c. thinly sliced red onion
1 c. red grapes, cut in halves or quarters
1/2 c. walnut chunks
whole-grain crackers

Combine first 5 ingredients, whisk until well blended.  Add chicken, onion, walnuts, and grapes.  Toss to combine.  If dry, add additional yogurt and mayonnaise.  Serve on crackers.

Husband Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Food for Thought: I don't have any other thoughts on this... it was delicious!  Everyone in the family agreed.  It's quick, easy, and something that you can have most of the ingredients on hand for.  You should definitely try this recipe!  :) 

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Everyone in the house liked this meal - even my 2 year old, who likes very little.  It is so refreshing to have a meal where there is little whining about what we are eating.  And the best part is that this is a meatless meal.  I have had a hard time finding ones that everyone in the house can agree upon!  The pepper jack cheese adds just enough spice that it isn't bland but isn't to hot for the kids to eat. 

Vegetarian Enchiladas

2 Tbsp. + olive oil
2 tsp. cumin

1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. tomato paste

1 can veggie broth + 3/4 c. water

salt/pepper to taste

3 c. grated pepper jack cheese

1 can black beans

2 c. fresh spinach chopped

10 oz. frozen corn, thawed

6 scallions

8 whole wheat tortillas (burrito size)

 

Instructions:

 

Make the enchilada sauce - over medium heat, heat oil and then cumin, flour, and tomato paste, whisking 1 min. Whisk in broth and water and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook until thickened (5-8 minutes). Season with salt/pepper and set aside.

Combine 2 c. cheese with beans, spinach, corn, and scallions in a bowl.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.

Warm tortillas for 1 min. in microwave wrapped in damp paper towel.

Fill each tortilla with 1/3 c. filling, roll and place in pan seam down.

Top with sauce and remaining 1 c. cheese.

(If freezer cooking, freeze at this point covered with foil.  Add additional 30-40 minutes onto baking time if baking from frozen).  Bake at 400 degrees uncovered for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Food for Thought:  I do like to try to incorporate at least one meatless meal a week if possible and this is a great one for that.  My husband didn't even realize this was vegetarian until I told him.  However, if you feel like a meal is only complete when it has some meat in it, it would be easy to adapt this recipe.  Simply cook up 1/2 lb. of ground beef or cook and shred 2 chicken breasts (season both with garlic, cumin, salt, pepper) and add that to the corn and bean mixture before rolling into burritos.  I am also thinking that maybe next time I make this I would add some chopped red pepper to it as well.  I think that might add a nice flavor.

Maple Cinnamon Granola

Maple Cinnamon Granola

7 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

4 c. multi-grain cereal mix (I got it at Trader Joe's; it has rye, barley, oats, and wheat)

1 c. raw sunflower seeds

1 1/2 c. sliced almonds

1 1/2 c. pecan pieces

1 1/2 c. walnut pieces

1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1 c. unsulfured dried apricots, cut up

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. pure maple syrup

1/2 c. honey

1 c. coconut oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 c. dried cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, multi-grain cereal, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, walnuts, coconuts, and apricots.

In a medium sauce pan, combine salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Heat over medium heat until boiling.  Pour over oats mixture and stir until all is evenly coated.

Spread mixture over two baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until mixture is golden and crunchy.

Allow to cool.  Add dried cranberries and store in an airtight container or ziploc baggie.

Food for Thought: This is great served with Greek yogurt or with milk.  My guys like it even just plain in a bowl to crunch on for snack.  To add a little variety, any dried fruit would work instead of the craisins - I personally love dried cherries and blueberries in this as well. 

Garlicky Meatballs and Linquine

This is my kind of comfort food - a good meatball with sauce and pasta.  I know my kids are going to eat it and unknowingly get a few good veggies in there too! 

Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2012

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. Panko
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large jar tomato basil sauce
1/2 c. finely chopped spinach (see hint below for spinach)
1/2 c. finely chopped carrot
16 oz. spinach linguine

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1/3 c. pasta water when draining.

Combine beef and next 6 ingredients (through egg) and shape into 1 inch meatballs.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meatballs and cook 5-7 minutes browning on all sides.

Reduce heat to medium low, add tomato basil sauce and reserved pasta water.  Cover and cook additional 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. 

Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.

Food for Thought:  This is an easy freezer meal.  Simply assemble the meatballs and brown them.  Let them cool before freezing them.  When you are ready to eat, place meatballs in a skillet and add the sauce ingredients and cooked until hot all the way through. 

For the spinach, a good friend recently told me that she buys the large containers of fresh organic spinach at a store like Costco and finely chop it in her food processor.  Then, she freezes the chopped spinach in ice cube trays and pops the spinach cubes out into freezer bags so that she can easily add spinach to any of her meals.  I did this and it was so easy!  I like to toss spinach in just about anything but don't always need the large 10 oz. package worth.  This way I can pick and choose how much I add and I know that it is something the boys will unknowingly consume!  Yay! I plan to keep up my stock of chopped spinach in the freezer now that I know this trick.  (I haven't tried this for carrot yet but may do so.  It seems like it should work the same way and again, carrot is an easy veggie to add to many meals without impacting flavor greatly.)

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

That's right, veggies for breakfast.  Pumpkin has to be the friendliest vegetable to put in anything.  It tastes good and a testimony to that is my 2 1/2 year old eating six pancakes for breakfast today.  (This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen pancakes because I like to freeze them for future use.  However the recipe is easy to half if you don't want that many.)

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. allspice
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. flaxseed meal in 3/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. cooking oil

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, pumpkin, vanilla, flaxseed meal, and cooking oil. 

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. 

Heat a griddle over medium heat or to when water just sizzles when dripped on it.  Scoop 1/4 c. pancake batter onto the griddle.  Flip pancake when bubbles rise and pop in the middle of the batter.  Cook until batter is no longer doughy. 

Serve with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, toasted pecans, fresh fruit, or whatever is to you liking.


Food for Thought: To freeze these, simply allow pancakes to cool completely and then stack them with wax paper in between each pancake.  Put stack into freezer bags (I use quart sized bags and stack about 6 pancakes in each).  To reheat, simply pop into the toaster or microwave for about 30 seconds until hot.

Greek Style Quinoa Burgers

I like to occasionally try to do meatless meals and this is one we tried.  I liked the flavor but for the mess and time, I think I would rather just buy a veggie burger rather than make one.  It was worth a shot though!  (Oh, and of course, the kids loved them even if my husband and I weren't quite as enamored with them.)

Greek Style Quinoa Burgers

Recipe adapted from: http://www.onceamonthmom.com/

1/2 c. quinoa
1 medium carrot, cut into small chunks
3 scallions, sliced thinly
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
salt/pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Cucumber Sauce

1 container plain greek yogurt

2 baby cucumbers sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

dash lemon juice

salt pepper to taste

1 tsp dried dill

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil; add quiona, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes; set aside.

In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, scallions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin,salt and pepper; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.

Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick paties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cucumber sauce ingredients.  Serve burgers in pita topped with cucumber sauce.

Husband Rating: 2 out of 10

Food for Thought:  This recipe is freezer friendly.  Simply freeze patties after assembling and stack with wax paper in between in a freezer bag.  However, as I said before, there are so many delicious options out there for veggie burgers that I don't think I would make these again.

Healthy Cookies

Yes, the title is quite contradictory but these are very healthy cookies packed full of omega-3's, fiber, protein, and antioxidants.  I think they are a great "special treat" for the boys for after dinner. 

Healthy Cookies

Recipe adapted from: Quinoa 365 by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming

2/3 c. water
1/3 c. quinoa
1 c. butter
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. rolled oats
1/3 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/3 c. flaxseed meal
1/3 c. sesame seeds
1/2 - 1 c. dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds (we bought them at Costco but it would be easy to just sub in dark chocolate chips and dried cherries or something like that if you can't find them)

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave covered for an additional 6 minutes.  Remove lid and fluff with a fork.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. 

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the oats, cooked quinoa, coconut, sunflower seeds, flaxseed meal and sesame seeds to the flour mixture and stir until well blended.  Combine with the butter mixture and stir until well mixed. 

Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottom is just golden brown.  Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before moving.

Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

Food for Thought: If you don't want 5 dozen cookies just sitting around begging to be eaten, simply roll out the dough into balls and flash freeze for approx. 2-3 hours on a plate or baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag.  Then, when baking, place frozen dough on cookie sheet and bake for about 2-4 minutes longer than regular cooking time.