Kale Salad with Miso-Maple Dressing

Ok, so kale is so yummy, but my very favorite salad EVER, is this kale salad with this dressing. This recipe comes from Eat Your Greens. It is perfect. I had something very similar in Sun Valley while travelling for work and this is how I found her site, because I was trying to copy what I had up there.

Everyone must have this! But, because the salad featured is super time consuming, I make it a quick week-night side dish by only using the kale, dressing, some dried cranberries, and chow mein noodles. My kids especially love it and I am happy they are having their greens.

Rye Berry, Roasted Pumpkin, and Kale Salad with Miso-Maple Dressing

1 cup rye berries
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow miso paste
1 teaspoon Grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoons walnut oil
3 cups kale (about 1/2 bunch), stems removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped

Combine the rye berries, salt and 3 1/2 cups water in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and let simmer for 1 hour, or until tender. (I make a larger batch and then toss them in dishes throughout the week. They are amazing.)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pumpkin on a sheet pan and toss with the grapeseed oil. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through baking.

In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, miso paste and maple syrup until smooth. Slowly whisk in the walnut oil. Place the kale in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Massage the dressing into the kale, until the leaves are soft and pliable. Add the cooked rye berries, the pumpkin and the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle the almonds over the top and serve warm or at room temperature.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

I adapted this recipe because I couldn't find some of the ingredients here. It turned out wonderful. I especially liked it with Ritz crackers dipped into it. Super easy to make.

Crock Pot Taco Soup:

1 lb. shredded chicken (I used the leftover chicken from the double batch I made for the enchiladas)
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn
1 can tomato and chilies
2 can diced tomatoes (or one large can)
1 TBSP green chili paste
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1/2 bottle of your favorite Ranch dressing (I used Delightfully Light)

1) Add all ingredients to Crock Pot (for the cans of beans and corn I drained the liquid and then filled them back up with water, but you can just dump them in). Stir to combine well.
2) Cook on low for 4 hours.

Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or drain some of the liquid off and eat it inside of a tortilla.

Enjoy!

Sydney's Bruschetta

We just got back from Italy last week and while we were there, we fell absolutely in love with the bruschetta. In the UAE, we cannot compare with the quality and freshness of the ingredients we found in Rome's food, but I wanted an easy and still tasty way to make this appetizer. What I came up with was definitely good. Using as many fresh ingredients as possible is the key to making this dish perfect.



Sydney's Bruschetta:



3 vine-ripe tomatoes (the fresher, the better)
Good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon good Balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper, and basil to taste
fresh, crusty bread, thickly sliced


Seed and chop tomatoes. In a bowl, combine tomatoes with vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add basil to taste. Do not go overboard on the spices, let the tomatoes be the star.

Toast bread and then drizzle with plenty of GOOD olive oil. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the bread and heat under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

White Chicken Chili

Ok, so I am not normally a chili fan, but my husband is, so I feel bad if I don't cater meals to him sometimes. Luckily, I found (and changed, of course) this recipe so that it is now a family favorite. It is a Crock Pot recipe (so I love it), it has shredded chicken (so Kaden loves it) and it is spicy and beany enough that Stu loves it too. We all ate the leftovers for lunches and cleaned our bowls every time. Give it a try!

White Chicken Chili:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans of Great Northern Beans (white beans)

2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium works)

1 cup chopped white onion

2 cans chopped green chilies (I couldn't find any here so I just used a few teaspoons of the paste)

red pepper flakes to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Place the chicken and chicken broth in the Crock Pot and cook for 5 hours on low.

2) Shred the chicken with two forks in the Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2 more hours or until the onions are softened.

3)Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. We also got out the tortilla chips the next day for lunches and they were awesome too!

Enjoy!

Pita Pizzas

Pita Pizzas:

As soon as we made these they became a new family favorite! I just spread a pita with a mixture of fat-free cream cheese and light Ranch dressing and then we topped it with our favorite ingredients (Mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, onions, turkey, etc.).

Bake in a 400 degree oven until the pita is crisp, about 10 minutes. So yummy!

Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Linguini

As I mentioned, Stu has been wanting us to eat healthier again, so this week I made my weekly menu with only vegetarian main courses. We will see if we stick to it or not, but last night's dinner was a HUGE hit! Kaden and Stu both had it for lunch today too.

Spinach, Tomato, and Feta Linguini:

6 ounces of Linguini
2 cups seeded and chopped cherry tomatoes
1 package of Organic frozen spinach (10 oz.) (thawed and squeezed)
1 cup chopped green onions (white and green parts)
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (you can use your favorite of the flavored variety if you'd like)

1) Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until done.
2) Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, tomatoes and green onions and saute until soft.
3) Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder, stir in the feta cheese.
4) Heat, stirring until warmed and cheese is melting.
5) Toss with the pasta and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Muffins

In the ongoing search to find healthy snacks for my 18-month-old, I stumbled across this recipe. It has been adapted to be healthier and ended up pretty good. Great option for kids and it is sweet enough to feel like a treat, but healthy enough to keep Mom happy! :) Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Muffins:

3/4 cup chopped mandarin oranges (we buy fresh by the case at a local market, so I used fresh. Canned would work fine too though)

1-1/2 cups flour (use whole wheat to make it healthier)

1-3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup applesauce (this was instead of the shortening the recipe called for)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup fat free milk

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.

2) In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them together. Add applesauce and whisk until little balls form.

3) In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Pour into middle of flour and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

4) Fold in oranges. Pour into muffin pan, filled about 3/4 full in each cup.

5) Bake 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Freezes well.

Soy Balsamic Chicken

The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make! We had this last night and it was a HUGE hit! It is super low in calories and fat and was sooo tasty. We ate it with baked potatoes and fresh green beans from the market. YUM!

Soy Balsamic Chicken:

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1) Mix together the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until the sugar is dissolved.
2) Put cleaned and dry chicken in a large sealable plastic bag, add the soy mixture, force out excess air and leave to marinate for up to 24 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer chicken and marinade to a large shallow baking pan (do not crowd chicken) then roast in middle of oven until chicken is cooked through for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
4) Skim the pan juices and reduce on the stove until about 1/4 cup is left (about 4 minutes). Spoon over the chicken and serve.