Polynesian Skillet over Red Quinoa brown rice

What do you love about fall?

I love the colors of fall. The bright oranges, reds, yellows and browns. This dish displays the stunning colors of that color pallet. Isn't food so much more fun to eat when it's full of color? I love how the red quinoa just adds to that color (along with adding nutrition of course). The other thing that I LOVE about this recipe is how fast it comes together (30 minutes or less from start to finish). As busy people, we need these kinds of recipes around. Quick, beautiful meals that are good for us and taste delicious. Enjoy!

Polynesian Skillet over Red Quinoa Brown Rice
Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups brown rice
1 Cup red quinoa
1 tsp. salt
5-1/2 Cups Water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks
1 Cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup vinegar, any type
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a pressure cooker, combine brown rice, red quinoa, salt and water. Lock lid in place and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. When red quinoa brown rice has finished cooking, release pressure using quick release or natural release.

While the rice is cooking, in a large skillet, sauté chicken in oil until chicken is lightly browned. If you prefer not to use oil, just spray some cooking spray on the skillet and use the chicken's natural juices to cook.

Add onion and green pepper. Stir fry until vegetables are tender. Add 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks, chicken broth, vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet and stir.

In a small bowl, off to the side, combine soy sauce and cornstarch. Mix well to smooth out any clumps. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the chicken, vegetables and sauce in the skillet. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes, and the mixture will turn more transparent as it thickens. Add pineapple and mandarin oranges just before serving. Add salt to taste. Serve over cooked red quinoa brown rice.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Polynesian Skillet over Red Quinoa brown rice

Posted by admin

What do you love about fall?

I love the colors of fall. The bright oranges, reds, yellows and browns. This dish displays the stunning colors of that color pallet. Isn't food so much more fun to eat when it's full of color? I love how the red quinoa just adds to that color (along with adding nutrition of course). The other thing that I LOVE about this recipe is how fast it comes together (30 minutes or less from start to finish). As busy people, we need these kinds of recipes around. Quick, beautiful meals that are good for us and taste delicious. Enjoy!

Polynesian Skillet over Red Quinoa Brown Rice
Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups brown rice
1 Cup red quinoa
1 tsp. salt
5-1/2 Cups Water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks
1 Cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup vinegar, any type
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a pressure cooker, combine brown rice, red quinoa, salt and water. Lock lid in place and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. When red quinoa brown rice has finished cooking, release pressure using quick release or natural release.

While the rice is cooking, in a large skillet, sauté chicken in oil until chicken is lightly browned. If you prefer not to use oil, just spray some cooking spray on the skillet and use the chicken's natural juices to cook.

Add onion and green pepper. Stir fry until vegetables are tender. Add 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks, chicken broth, vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet and stir.

In a small bowl, off to the side, combine soy sauce and cornstarch. Mix well to smooth out any clumps. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the chicken, vegetables and sauce in the skillet. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes, and the mixture will turn more transparent as it thickens. Add pineapple and mandarin oranges just before serving. Add salt to taste. Serve over cooked red quinoa brown rice.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Seasoned Whole Chicken

There's something wonderful about fall. The smells, the crispness in the air, the sound of crunching leaves under your feet.  I love it all. 

And I love the tastes of fall. Juicy crisp apples, pumpkin-flavored muffins, cookies, or breads, warm soups, and savory comfort foods. Here's a recipe that I love that just shouts "I'M A COMFORT FOOD" whenever I eat it. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, seasoned chicken that is perfect accompanied by squashy or potato-y side dishes. Of course (you may know this by now) I love this dish made in the pressure cooker. Talk about wonderful. Truly. But don't worry if you don't have one. You can make it in the crock pot and it is also amazing. I've included both recipes for your enjoyment and delight. 

I hope you're enjoying the season. Happy Harvest.

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Heat oil in pressure cooker until hot. Then brown chicken on all sides in hot oil. It is kind of tricky to turn a large raw chicken in the pressure cooker, but do the best you can. When chicken is browned on the outside, remove it from pressure cooker and set it aside. Add rack to the bottom and 1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on rack. Place lid on pressure cooker, seal and cook on high pressure for 20-30 minutes (20-25 minutes for a 2 to 3 lb. chicken, 30 for a 4 to 5 lb. chicken). When time is up, naturally release the pressure. Naturally releasing the pressure for a whole chicken is important because it keeps the meat from bursting open and helps the juices stay within the meat, making it more tender and juicy.  If you're in a time crunch, you can always release it for part of the time using the quick release method, but you won't get quite as good of results. Once the pressure is down, open immediately and use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. A cooking thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast should read at least 165 F. If the chicken is not quite done, reheat to and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove carefully from the pressure cooker (it probably will be so tender that it will want to fall off the bone) and serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and rice or mashed potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Crock Pot Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs. Make sure you get a size that will fit in your crock pot)
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
5-6 foil balls or foil covered potatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible and any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Add foil balls or foil covered potatoes to the bottom of crock pot. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on foil balls. No added liquid is necessary for this recipe. Place lid on crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-8 hours or HIGH for 3-6 hours. Time depends on the size of your chicken and your crock pot. To test for doneness, use a meat thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast. It should read at least 165 F. Once chicken is done, remove carefully from the crock pot. To brown the chicken further, you can place it in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Or skip the broiling and serve immediately. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and cooked potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Seasoned Whole Chicken

Posted by admin

There's something wonderful about fall. The smells, the crispness in the air, the sound of crunching leaves under your feet.  I love it all. 

And I love the tastes of fall. Juicy crisp apples, pumpkin-flavored muffins, cookies, or breads, warm soups, and savory comfort foods. Here's a recipe that I love that just shouts "I'M A COMFORT FOOD" whenever I eat it. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, seasoned chicken that is perfect accompanied by squashy or potato-y side dishes. Of course (you may know this by now) I love this dish made in the pressure cooker. Talk about wonderful. Truly. But don't worry if you don't have one. You can make it in the crock pot and it is also amazing. I've included both recipes for your enjoyment and delight. 

I hope you're enjoying the season. Happy Harvest.

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Heat oil in pressure cooker until hot. Then brown chicken on all sides in hot oil. It is kind of tricky to turn a large raw chicken in the pressure cooker, but do the best you can. When chicken is browned on the outside, remove it from pressure cooker and set it aside. Add rack to the bottom and 1-1/2 Cups water or chicken broth. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on rack. Place lid on pressure cooker, seal and cook on high pressure for 20-30 minutes (20-25 minutes for a 2 to 3 lb. chicken, 30 for a 4 to 5 lb. chicken). When time is up, naturally release the pressure. Naturally releasing the pressure for a whole chicken is important because it keeps the meat from bursting open and helps the juices stay within the meat, making it more tender and juicy.  If you're in a time crunch, you can always release it for part of the time using the quick release method, but you won't get quite as good of results. Once the pressure is down, open immediately and use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. A cooking thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast should read at least 165 F. If the chicken is not quite done, reheat to and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove carefully from the pressure cooker (it probably will be so tender that it will want to fall off the bone) and serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and rice or mashed potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Seasoned Whole Chicken {Crock Pot Method}
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-8, depending on the size

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken (2-5 lbs. Make sure you get a size that will fit in your crock pot)
Seasonings of your choice: Use plain salt & pepper, Seasoning Salt, Lawry's Perfect Blend Chicken and Poultry Rub, or other seasoning of your choice
5-6 foil balls or foil covered potatoes

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse raw whole chicken and remove as much outer skin as possible and any giblets in the neck cavity. Pat dry. Then sprinkle chicken all around with your choice of seasonings. Add foil balls or foil covered potatoes to the bottom of crock pot. Place browned chicken, breast side up, on foil balls. No added liquid is necessary for this recipe. Place lid on crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-8 hours or HIGH for 3-6 hours. Time depends on the size of your chicken and your crock pot. To test for doneness, use a meat thermometer placed in meaty part of the breast. It should read at least 165 F. Once chicken is done, remove carefully from the crock pot. To brown the chicken further, you can place it in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Or skip the broiling and serve immediately. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables and cooked potatoes. This chicken also is great leftover in a sandwich or salad the next day.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Chile Verde {Pressure Cooker Recipe}

This is the first year we've grown tomatillos in the garden. And I've wondered how we've survived all these years without these delightful vegetables. They are so fun to grow (and really quite easy). The main thing you have to remember when growing them is that you can't just grow one plant; you need at least two to pollinate. I love watching them form. They start out as hanging Chinese lanterns with the papery shell and then the vegetable forms inside. It's amazing.

It's been fun this harvest season to find recipes to put these cute little guys in. I've loved adding them to my fresh salsa recipe. It sends it over the top!  Last week after the first light frost I was surprised to go out to the garden and even though the tomato plants were all dead, the tomatillos had survived. They seem a little more frost tolerant than tomatoes, which is awesome. I picked a bunch of tomatillos and some peppers from our garden and made this yummy chile verde. 

I love the freshness of this recipe. It uses natural ingredients, most of which we had in our garden. Our family doesn't enjoy a lot of heat in our dishes so I left out the jalapeños and the spiciness was just perfect for us; very mild. I love how the pressure cooker cooks the meat to melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can still make this delicious dish on the stove. Just follow the instructions, but let it simmer for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.

We've been enjoying the leftovers now for several meals, in various forms. Yum. This would also be a great dish to make and freeze half of for another quick meal later. 

Chili Verde {Pressure Cooker Recipe}

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 lbs. tomatillos

5 garlic cloves, not peeled

2 Anaheim Chile peppers

2 Jalapeños, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped

3-1/2 to 4 lbs. boneless sirloin pork roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Olive oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2-1/2 Cups chicken stock

Pinch of ground cloves

Grated cheddar cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat broiler. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves on a foil-lined baking sheet. Wearing gloves, slice Anaheim chile peppers in half and remove seeds and ribs. Place cut side down on the baking sheet along with the tomatillos and garlic cloves. Place baking sheet under a broiler for 5-10 minutes or until skin is lightly blackened. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Place roasted tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add them to the blender. Remove blackened skin from Anaheimpeppers and place in the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers and cilantro. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

Heat olive oil in pressure cooker on "brown" or "simmer" setting (if you are using a stove-top cooker, heat it on medium to medium-high heat). Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded and can brown well, adding more olive oil as needed. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pressure cooker and place in bowl, set aside. Repeat until all pork chunks are browned.

Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place chopped onions and garlic in the pressure cooker and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Then add the pork back to the pan along with the oregano, and the tomatillo Chile Verde sauce. Add the chicken stock and a pinch of ground cloves. Add a little salt and pepper (not too much as more can be added later to taste). Lock lid of pressure cooker and pressure on high pressure for 30 minutes. Release pressure naturally and remove the lid. Then reheat Chile Verde to a simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. This dish can be served in a bowl topped with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips or warm tortillas on the side. We also love to use the leftover meat in burritos, enchiladas, or in a taco salad. This cilantro lime brown rice and these refried beans work great for side dishes. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com, made it into a pressure cooker recipe, changed a few ingredients and directions.

Chile Verde {Pressure Cooker Recipe}

Posted by admin

This is the first year we've grown tomatillos in the garden. And I've wondered how we've survived all these years without these delightful vegetables. They are so fun to grow (and really quite easy). The main thing you have to remember when growing them is that you can't just grow one plant; you need at least two to pollinate. I love watching them form. They start out as hanging Chinese lanterns with the papery shell and then the vegetable forms inside. It's amazing.

It's been fun this harvest season to find recipes to put these cute little guys in. I've loved adding them to my fresh salsa recipe. It sends it over the top!  Last week after the first light frost I was surprised to go out to the garden and even though the tomato plants were all dead, the tomatillos had survived. They seem a little more frost tolerant than tomatoes, which is awesome. I picked a bunch of tomatillos and some peppers from our garden and made this yummy chile verde. 

I love the freshness of this recipe. It uses natural ingredients, most of which we had in our garden. Our family doesn't enjoy a lot of heat in our dishes so I left out the jalapeños and the spiciness was just perfect for us; very mild. I love how the pressure cooker cooks the meat to melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can still make this delicious dish on the stove. Just follow the instructions, but let it simmer for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.

We've been enjoying the leftovers now for several meals, in various forms. Yum. This would also be a great dish to make and freeze half of for another quick meal later. 

Chili Verde {Pressure Cooker Recipe}

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 lbs. tomatillos

5 garlic cloves, not peeled

2 Anaheim Chile peppers

2 Jalapeños, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped

3-1/2 to 4 lbs. boneless sirloin pork roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Olive oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2-1/2 Cups chicken stock

Pinch of ground cloves

Grated cheddar cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat broiler. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves on a foil-lined baking sheet. Wearing gloves, slice Anaheim chile peppers in half and remove seeds and ribs. Place cut side down on the baking sheet along with the tomatillos and garlic cloves. Place baking sheet under a broiler for 5-10 minutes or until skin is lightly blackened. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Place roasted tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add them to the blender. Remove blackened skin from Anaheimpeppers and place in the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers and cilantro. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

Heat olive oil in pressure cooker on "brown" or "simmer" setting (if you are using a stove-top cooker, heat it on medium to medium-high heat). Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded and can brown well, adding more olive oil as needed. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pressure cooker and place in bowl, set aside. Repeat until all pork chunks are browned.

Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place chopped onions and garlic in the pressure cooker and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Then add the pork back to the pan along with the oregano, and the tomatillo Chile Verde sauce. Add the chicken stock and a pinch of ground cloves. Add a little salt and pepper (not too much as more can be added later to taste). Lock lid of pressure cooker and pressure on high pressure for 30 minutes. Release pressure naturally and remove the lid. Then reheat Chile Verde to a simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. This dish can be served in a bowl topped with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips or warm tortillas on the side. We also love to use the leftover meat in burritos, enchiladas, or in a taco salad. This cilantro lime brown rice and these refried beans work great for side dishes. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com, made it into a pressure cooker recipe, changed a few ingredients and directions.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

The bulk of our harvest came in a few days ago so I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We had a light frost and decided just to go ahead and harvest everything. It was actually a pretty meager harvest this year. We had a lot of rain in August that shortened our growing season a bit. But, thankfully, we'll still be eating plenty of squash this winter.

Funny enough...I still have one squash that we grew last year that has lasted this entire time (amazing, huh?). I love growing and storing winter squash. They have amazing storage capacities.

And speaking of winter squash, one of the winter squash that we love growing is spaghetti squash. I love using spaghetti squash as a healthy (and gluten free) substitute for spaghetti noodles. This is another delicious dish that I discovered last year to add to our spaghetti squash dish repertoire. It is so yummy and satisfying and the colors are beautiful. The perfect fall dish.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
3-lb. Spaghetti Squash
6 slices Bacon, Optional*See Note Below
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1-1/2 Cups Frozen Peas (or alternately I've also made this with 1 red bell pepper, chopped)
2 Cups Winter Squash, peeled and cubed, optional (I like to use Sunshine or Hubbard Squash)
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
1-1/2 Cups Milk
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the Spaghetti Squash using your favorite method. Here are a few that I use a lot because they're quick:

Pressure Cooker Method: I first learned of this method on Pressure Cooking Today. It works great and I love it because it's so fast and easy. Place the spaghetti squash and 1-1/2 Cups water in the pressure cooking pot. Cook 10 minutes on high pressure. Use a quick pressure release and carefully open cooker. If squash is still firm, replace the lid and cook another minute or two until the squash is tender. Then remove squash carefully from the pressure cooker. When cool enough to handle, cut squash in half. 

Microwave Method: Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half lengthwise. Place cut sides up on a microwave safe plate and cover with cling wrap. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool enough to handle before unwrapping.

While spaghetti squash is cooking, prepare sauce. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. If you're concerned about this, see the note below. Then remove bacon from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Pour off bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan and sauté for about 1 minute until clear. Add winter squash cubes and sauté until almost tender (to speed up the process you can steam or microwave the squash cubes for a few minutes first). Add milk, cream cheese cubes and frozen peas (or chopped red bell pepper); simmer over medium low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended and heated through. Add more milk, if too thick.

Once spaghetti squash is cooked and cooled slightly, scoop out seeds and discard. Use a fork to scrape the strands of “spaghetti” from the skin of the spaghetti squash. Add spaghetti squash to skillet. Chop the bacon and add to the skillet; then toss the spaghetti strands until coated with sauce and mixed in. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Note: I realize that some may criticize me for including this recipe on a healthy cooking blog because of the (*gasp*) bacon. Before you jump into a tizzy fit, let me just explain myself a minute. I've included the bacon in this recipe for a good reason. In the words of Mary Poppins, "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." That trick also works when you're trying to change your family's diet. Sometimes before our tastes change completely we need a little "bad stuff" to get the good stuff down. This recipe is packed with healthy vegetables and whole foods and yes, a little bit of bacon. So here's what I'd say. If you're making it for the first time, throw in the bacon. And then each time after that, put less and less and then trying eliminating it completely and see if anyone complains (just use a little olive oil to saute the garlic instead).

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Posted by admin

The bulk of our harvest came in a few days ago so I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We had a light frost and decided just to go ahead and harvest everything. It was actually a pretty meager harvest this year. We had a lot of rain in August that shortened our growing season a bit. But, thankfully, we'll still be eating plenty of squash this winter.

Funny enough...I still have one squash that we grew last year that has lasted this entire time (amazing, huh?). I love growing and storing winter squash. They have amazing storage capacities.

And speaking of winter squash, one of the winter squash that we love growing is spaghetti squash. I love using spaghetti squash as a healthy (and gluten free) substitute for spaghetti noodles. This is another delicious dish that I discovered last year to add to our spaghetti squash dish repertoire. It is so yummy and satisfying and the colors are beautiful. The perfect fall dish.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
3-lb. Spaghetti Squash
6 slices Bacon, Optional*See Note Below
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1-1/2 Cups Frozen Peas (or alternately I've also made this with 1 red bell pepper, chopped)
2 Cups Winter Squash, peeled and cubed, optional (I like to use Sunshine or Hubbard Squash)
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
1-1/2 Cups Milk
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the Spaghetti Squash using your favorite method. Here are a few that I use a lot because they're quick:

Pressure Cooker Method: I first learned of this method on Pressure Cooking Today. It works great and I love it because it's so fast and easy. Place the spaghetti squash and 1-1/2 Cups water in the pressure cooking pot. Cook 10 minutes on high pressure. Use a quick pressure release and carefully open cooker. If squash is still firm, replace the lid and cook another minute or two until the squash is tender. Then remove squash carefully from the pressure cooker. When cool enough to handle, cut squash in half. 

Microwave Method: Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half lengthwise. Place cut sides up on a microwave safe plate and cover with cling wrap. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool enough to handle before unwrapping.

While spaghetti squash is cooking, prepare sauce. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. If you're concerned about this, see the note below. Then remove bacon from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Pour off bacon drippings. Add garlic to pan and sauté for about 1 minute until clear. Add winter squash cubes and sauté until almost tender (to speed up the process you can steam or microwave the squash cubes for a few minutes first). Add milk, cream cheese cubes and frozen peas (or chopped red bell pepper); simmer over medium low heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended and heated through. Add more milk, if too thick.

Once spaghetti squash is cooked and cooled slightly, scoop out seeds and discard. Use a fork to scrape the strands of “spaghetti” from the skin of the spaghetti squash. Add spaghetti squash to skillet. Chop the bacon and add to the skillet; then toss the spaghetti strands until coated with sauce and mixed in. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Note: I realize that some may criticize me for including this recipe on a healthy cooking blog because of the (*gasp*) bacon. Before you jump into a tizzy fit, let me just explain myself a minute. I've included the bacon in this recipe for a good reason. In the words of Mary Poppins, "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." That trick also works when you're trying to change your family's diet. Sometimes before our tastes change completely we need a little "bad stuff" to get the good stuff down. This recipe is packed with healthy vegetables and whole foods and yes, a little bit of bacon. So here's what I'd say. If you're making it for the first time, throw in the bacon. And then each time after that, put less and less and then trying eliminating it completely and see if anyone complains (just use a little olive oil to saute the garlic instead).

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Pressure Cooker Sweet Pork

You know every now and again you find some food that's like the hallelujah chorus for food. It just sings with your soul and you could eat it every day. This recipe is one of those for me. We love to eat this served over brown rice and topped with fresh salsa. Mmmmh. I've adapted the original recipe (given to me by my sister-in-law) quite a bit to make it pressure cooker friendly and sugar free.

Pressure Cooker Sweet Pork
Printable Recipe

*The original recipe was actually made in a crockpot. You can still make it that way if you want. I haven't tried it since my sugar-free adaptations, but I'm sure it would work just fine. Brown in a separate frying pan and then cook it in the crock until meat is fall off the bone tender - about 6-8 hours.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Canola or Olive oil
4 lb. Pork Butt Roast, bone-in
1/2 Cup Wonder Flour (or other whole-grain flour)
1 Cup Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 Cups honey
10-oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
pepper
Cooked brown rice, for serving
Fresh Salsa, for serving

DIRECTIONS:
In electric pressure cooker pot, heat oil on brown setting. Dredge pork roast in flour and place in pressure cooker, browning on all sides. Add Worcestershire sauce, honey, enchilada sauce, salt, chili powder and a sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Pressure on high pressure for 30 minutes, then release the pressure naturally. Remove the roast, discard the fat, and shred the meat. Return meat to the cooker and heat on brown setting with the lid removed for 15-20 minutes until sauce has thickened up *See Note. Serve over cooked brown rice topped with fresh salsa, if desired. This is also good served with black beans.

*Note: Alternatively you can heat the mixture on medium heat in a large pan on the stove until it thickens (about 15-20 minutes) while you are cooking brown rice in the pressure cooker to serve it over. This is what I usually do so that it all gets done at roughly the same time.

Recipe Source: Adapted significantly from a recipe given to my by my sister-in-law Lisa (she may not recognize it anymore...) 

Pressure Cooker Sweet Pork

Posted by admin

You know every now and again you find some food that's like the hallelujah chorus for food. It just sings with your soul and you could eat it every day. This recipe is one of those for me. We love to eat this served over brown rice and topped with fresh salsa. Mmmmh. I've adapted the original recipe (given to me by my sister-in-law) quite a bit to make it pressure cooker friendly and sugar free.

Pressure Cooker Sweet Pork
Printable Recipe

*The original recipe was actually made in a crockpot. You can still make it that way if you want. I haven't tried it since my sugar-free adaptations, but I'm sure it would work just fine. Brown in a separate frying pan and then cook it in the crock until meat is fall off the bone tender - about 6-8 hours.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Canola or Olive oil
4 lb. Pork Butt Roast, bone-in
1/2 Cup Wonder Flour (or other whole-grain flour)
1 Cup Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 Cups honey
10-oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
pepper
Cooked brown rice, for serving
Fresh Salsa, for serving

DIRECTIONS:
In electric pressure cooker pot, heat oil on brown setting. Dredge pork roast in flour and place in pressure cooker, browning on all sides. Add Worcestershire sauce, honey, enchilada sauce, salt, chili powder and a sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Pressure on high pressure for 30 minutes, then release the pressure naturally. Remove the roast, discard the fat, and shred the meat. Return meat to the cooker and heat on brown setting with the lid removed for 15-20 minutes until sauce has thickened up *See Note. Serve over cooked brown rice topped with fresh salsa, if desired. This is also good served with black beans.

*Note: Alternatively you can heat the mixture on medium heat in a large pan on the stove until it thickens (about 15-20 minutes) while you are cooking brown rice in the pressure cooker to serve it over. This is what I usually do so that it all gets done at roughly the same time.

Recipe Source: Adapted significantly from a recipe given to my by my sister-in-law Lisa (she may not recognize it anymore...) 

Upside Down Pizza (with garden fresh produce)

I realize I've posted a lot of pizza recipes recently. But I had to squeak this one in there with the others because of how much I love it this time of year. It uses so many wonderful garden vegetables and fresh herbs from the garden. Of course you can make it any time of the year and switch around the veggies and meats to your heart's content.

Our picky ones often have a hard time with casseroles so I must admit that I was a little nervous about making this the first time. I decided to change the name to "Upside Down Pizza" because I knew that our kids love pizza. To my great delight, after just a few bites this dish was given a thumbs up by all. And even the leftovers that I reheated in the oven two days later were gobbled up and very much enjoyed.

Upside Down Pizza
Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. uncooked Italian Sausage links, sliced
1 Medium onion, chopped fine
1 bell pepper (any color), diced finely
2 medium zucchini, chopped rough
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Cups diced tomatoes, drained or 2 cans (14.5-oz. each) diced tomatoes, drained
16 oz. tomato sauce
a bunch of chopped fresh basil *(see note below) or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
some fresh chopped fresh oregano *(see note below) or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
some fresh chopped thyme *(see note below) or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 recipe homemade breadstick dough

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the sausage links and cook, stirring occasionally until meat is almost fully cooked. Add the onion and diced pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the chopped zucchini and minced garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the drained tomatoes (fresh or canned), tomato sauce,basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid is somewhat reduced. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and stir into the mixture. Spoon half of the sauce mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top. Spoon the other half of the sauce over the top of the cheese and sprinkle another 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top. Arrange breadstick dough in a lattice pattern over the sauce, trimming to fit, if necessary. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top of breadstick dough. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the breadsticks are golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

*Note: I don't measure the fresh herbs. Just pick some, chop them up and throw them in to taste.

Recipe Source: adapted from melskitchencafe.com to use fresh tomatoes and herbs

Upside Down Pizza (with garden fresh produce)

Posted by admin

I realize I've posted a lot of pizza recipes recently. But I had to squeak this one in there with the others because of how much I love it this time of year. It uses so many wonderful garden vegetables and fresh herbs from the garden. Of course you can make it any time of the year and switch around the veggies and meats to your heart's content.

Our picky ones often have a hard time with casseroles so I must admit that I was a little nervous about making this the first time. I decided to change the name to "Upside Down Pizza" because I knew that our kids love pizza. To my great delight, after just a few bites this dish was given a thumbs up by all. And even the leftovers that I reheated in the oven two days later were gobbled up and very much enjoyed.

Upside Down Pizza
Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. uncooked Italian Sausage links, sliced
1 Medium onion, chopped fine
1 bell pepper (any color), diced finely
2 medium zucchini, chopped rough
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Cups diced tomatoes, drained or 2 cans (14.5-oz. each) diced tomatoes, drained
16 oz. tomato sauce
a bunch of chopped fresh basil *(see note below) or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
some fresh chopped fresh oregano *(see note below) or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
some fresh chopped thyme *(see note below) or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 recipe homemade breadstick dough

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the sausage links and cook, stirring occasionally until meat is almost fully cooked. Add the onion and diced pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the chopped zucchini and minced garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the drained tomatoes (fresh or canned), tomato sauce,basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid is somewhat reduced. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and stir into the mixture. Spoon half of the sauce mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top. Spoon the other half of the sauce over the top of the cheese and sprinkle another 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top. Arrange breadstick dough in a lattice pattern over the sauce, trimming to fit, if necessary. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top of breadstick dough. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the breadsticks are golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

*Note: I don't measure the fresh herbs. Just pick some, chop them up and throw them in to taste.

Recipe Source: adapted from melskitchencafe.com to use fresh tomatoes and herbs

Pizza Sauce (with dried Tomato Powder)

A few years ago I posted about this wonderful discovery that I found how to preserve tomatoes quick and easily by dehydrating them into tomato powder. This has been a very useful method of preserving tomatoes that has saved me a TON of time.

But what do you do with tomato powder?

That's a great question and today I'm going to share one of my favorite uses: Homemade pizza sauce. This is the recipe for pizza sauce that I use all the time now. We love it! And we love that we can use the tomatoes from our garden all year long.

Now don't worry if you don't have a garden or don't want to spend the time making dried tomato powder, you can still make this delicious pizza sauce. I've included an equivalent recipe that uses only cans of tomato sauce at the bottom.

Pizza Sauce (from Dried Tomato Powder)
Printable Recipe

*Makes enough sauce for 2-3 large pizzas

INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 Cup dried tomato powder
1/2 Cup water
2 tsp. Italian or Pizza seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (be sure it's a good quality, it will make all the difference)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and whisk well. Heat on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through and flavors combined.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Pizza Sauce 
Printable Recipe

*Makes enough sauce for 2-3 large pizzas

INGREDIENTS:
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 tsp. Pizza or Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (be sure it's a good quality, it will make all the difference)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and whisk well. Heat on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through and flavors combined.

Recipe Source; healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Pizza Sauce (with dried Tomato Powder)

Posted by admin

A few years ago I posted about this wonderful discovery that I found how to preserve tomatoes quick and easily by dehydrating them into tomato powder. This has been a very useful method of preserving tomatoes that has saved me a TON of time.

But what do you do with tomato powder?

That's a great question and today I'm going to share one of my favorite uses: Homemade pizza sauce. This is the recipe for pizza sauce that I use all the time now. We love it! And we love that we can use the tomatoes from our garden all year long.

Now don't worry if you don't have a garden or don't want to spend the time making dried tomato powder, you can still make this delicious pizza sauce. I've included an equivalent recipe that uses only cans of tomato sauce at the bottom.

Pizza Sauce (from Dried Tomato Powder)
Printable Recipe

*Makes enough sauce for 2-3 large pizzas

INGREDIENTS:
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 Cup dried tomato powder
1/2 Cup water
2 tsp. Italian or Pizza seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (be sure it's a good quality, it will make all the difference)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and whisk well. Heat on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through and flavors combined.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Pizza Sauce 
Printable Recipe

*Makes enough sauce for 2-3 large pizzas

INGREDIENTS:
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 tsp. Pizza or Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (be sure it's a good quality, it will make all the difference)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and whisk well. Heat on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce is heated through and flavors combined.

Recipe Source; healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Grilled Pizza

Family food traditions are fun. I've mentioned before that one of our family food traditions is pizza every Friday night. In the summertime it gets hard to want to heat the oven up to a million degrees even for pizza. That's why I'm excited to share this recipe with you for grilled pizza. It's perfect for those hot summer days when you want to keep the house cool. This time I actually used a Panini grill, but we've also used an outdoor barbecue grill using this same method with great results as well. Just keep in mind that you may have to adapt the cooking time and temperature according to the grill you use.

Grilled Pizza
Printable Recipe

* Makes the equivalent of 2 large pizzas, but I usually make several smaller pizzas using this method.

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe Pizza Crust
Pizza Sauce (Here's my favorite 
Olive oil
Grated Mozzarella or other Cheese Blend (I was out of mozzarella so we used cheddar)
Your toppings of choice

DIRECTIONS:
Mix pizza dough and allow to sit for a few minutes. Turn on the grill onto high heat (you'll have to experiment with the temperature depending on your grill). For the Panini grill I turned it all the way up. Then I used a few canning lids stacked on top of each other to hold the top lid up about an inch to keep from smashing my pizza into a Panini. Prepare your sauce, and all your toppings. Once you start grilling you've got to be ready with your toppings because they cook fast.

Spray counter with olive oil and roll out pizza dough into size that you desire. Smaller pizzas are a bit easier to work with on the grill. If you have a large grill you can cook several smaller pizzas at a time. It's also fun to have smaller pizzas so everyone can pick whatever toppings they like. Place dough on the heated grill, put lid down (resting on the canning lids for the Panini grill) and cook one side until golden brown. Mine only took about 3 or 4 minutes.

Flip dough (I used a fork) and quickly brush with olive oil, sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. This is where speed counts. :)

Then put the lid down again and cook until cheese is bubbly and pizza is done. Only about 5 minutes or so. 

Remove the pizza carefully. Then repeat this process with remaining dough until all the pizzas are cooked. 

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

YUM!

Have you tried grilling pizza? What did you think? For me it's another great way to enjoy cooking in the summer.

Grilled Pizza

Posted by admin

Family food traditions are fun. I've mentioned before that one of our family food traditions is pizza every Friday night. In the summertime it gets hard to want to heat the oven up to a million degrees even for pizza. That's why I'm excited to share this recipe with you for grilled pizza. It's perfect for those hot summer days when you want to keep the house cool. This time I actually used a Panini grill, but we've also used an outdoor barbecue grill using this same method with great results as well. Just keep in mind that you may have to adapt the cooking time and temperature according to the grill you use.

Grilled Pizza
Printable Recipe

* Makes the equivalent of 2 large pizzas, but I usually make several smaller pizzas using this method.

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe Pizza Crust
Pizza Sauce (Here's my favorite 
Olive oil
Grated Mozzarella or other Cheese Blend (I was out of mozzarella so we used cheddar)
Your toppings of choice

DIRECTIONS:
Mix pizza dough and allow to sit for a few minutes. Turn on the grill onto high heat (you'll have to experiment with the temperature depending on your grill). For the Panini grill I turned it all the way up. Then I used a few canning lids stacked on top of each other to hold the top lid up about an inch to keep from smashing my pizza into a Panini. Prepare your sauce, and all your toppings. Once you start grilling you've got to be ready with your toppings because they cook fast.

Spray counter with olive oil and roll out pizza dough into size that you desire. Smaller pizzas are a bit easier to work with on the grill. If you have a large grill you can cook several smaller pizzas at a time. It's also fun to have smaller pizzas so everyone can pick whatever toppings they like. Place dough on the heated grill, put lid down (resting on the canning lids for the Panini grill) and cook one side until golden brown. Mine only took about 3 or 4 minutes.

Flip dough (I used a fork) and quickly brush with olive oil, sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. This is where speed counts. :)

Then put the lid down again and cook until cheese is bubbly and pizza is done. Only about 5 minutes or so. 

Remove the pizza carefully. Then repeat this process with remaining dough until all the pizzas are cooked. 

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

YUM!

Have you tried grilling pizza? What did you think? For me it's another great way to enjoy cooking in the summer.

Red Quinoa Beef Stroganoff

Red Quinoa is an amazing grain. For those of you not familiar with it's amazing-ness yet, be sure to check out the meet whole foods post all about it. I had someone ask me the other day how it's pronounced because it's spelled so funny. She said she was confused and had been saying it "kin-NO-ah" or something. The real way to pronounce it is "KEEN-wah". So there you go; now you'll know how to read this post. :)

One of the things I love about the red quinoa is it's beautiful color. It's just the perfect color to add to dishes with ground beef. I usually adapt recipes that call for ground beef by cutting the meat in at least half and substituting about 1/2 cup of uncooked red quinoa, cooked for every pound of ground beef. I've found that my family still likes the beefy flavor so we do best when I substitute part of the meat in these kinds of dishes rather than omitting it entirely.

Here's one of our favorite dishes with red quinoa that we make a lot. I usually serve it over mashed potatoes. Actually in this picture I served it over a potato/turnip mash (I had just harvested a lot of turnips at the time...). Healthy and delicious.

Red Quinoa Beef Stroganoff

Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup red quinoa 

1-1/4 Cups water

6 Tbsp. butter

1 med. yellow onion

1 lb. ground beef

2 Cups beef broth

1 tsp. nutmeg

1-1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried basil (or 1/8 Cup fresh basil, chopped)

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 Cup milk

1/4 Cup flour 

1 Cup Sour Cream

Serve over cooked egg noodles, mashed or baked potatoes

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup red quinoa with 1-1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer about 10-15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked and tender. A good way to tell if the quinoa is cooked is if it starts to produce a little white curlicue. That usually means the quinoa is tender enough. Quinoa can also be cooked in a pressure cooker using instructions found in this previous post.

While the quinoa is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and stir until soft. Add the ground beef and cook and stir until browned. Once the quinoa is cooked it can also be added to the skillet at this point (or later if it still needs a bit more time to cook). Add the broth, salt, nutmeg, basil, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil and immediately decrease the heat to low. Simmer until all but 1/4 Cup liquid remains, about 30-40 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook this a little faster on medium heat, just watch it close and stir often. In a small bowl whisk together the milk and flour until mostly smooth. Then add to the skillet and whisk well until smooth. Then stir in the sour cream. Heat for another minute or two until mixture has thickened and heated through. Serve immediately over cooked egg noodles or mashed or baked potatoes. 

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Red Quinoa Beef Stroganoff

Posted by admin

Red Quinoa is an amazing grain. For those of you not familiar with it's amazing-ness yet, be sure to check out the meet whole foods post all about it. I had someone ask me the other day how it's pronounced because it's spelled so funny. She said she was confused and had been saying it "kin-NO-ah" or something. The real way to pronounce it is "KEEN-wah". So there you go; now you'll know how to read this post. :)

One of the things I love about the red quinoa is it's beautiful color. It's just the perfect color to add to dishes with ground beef. I usually adapt recipes that call for ground beef by cutting the meat in at least half and substituting about 1/2 cup of uncooked red quinoa, cooked for every pound of ground beef. I've found that my family still likes the beefy flavor so we do best when I substitute part of the meat in these kinds of dishes rather than omitting it entirely.

Here's one of our favorite dishes with red quinoa that we make a lot. I usually serve it over mashed potatoes. Actually in this picture I served it over a potato/turnip mash (I had just harvested a lot of turnips at the time...). Healthy and delicious.

Red Quinoa Beef Stroganoff

Printable Recipe

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup red quinoa 

1-1/4 Cups water

6 Tbsp. butter

1 med. yellow onion

1 lb. ground beef

2 Cups beef broth

1 tsp. nutmeg

1-1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried basil (or 1/8 Cup fresh basil, chopped)

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 Cup milk

1/4 Cup flour 

1 Cup Sour Cream

Serve over cooked egg noodles, mashed or baked potatoes

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup red quinoa with 1-1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer about 10-15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked and tender. A good way to tell if the quinoa is cooked is if it starts to produce a little white curlicue. That usually means the quinoa is tender enough. Quinoa can also be cooked in a pressure cooker using instructions found in this previous post.

While the quinoa is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and stir until soft. Add the ground beef and cook and stir until browned. Once the quinoa is cooked it can also be added to the skillet at this point (or later if it still needs a bit more time to cook). Add the broth, salt, nutmeg, basil, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil and immediately decrease the heat to low. Simmer until all but 1/4 Cup liquid remains, about 30-40 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook this a little faster on medium heat, just watch it close and stir often. In a small bowl whisk together the milk and flour until mostly smooth. Then add to the skillet and whisk well until smooth. Then stir in the sour cream. Heat for another minute or two until mixture has thickened and heated through. Serve immediately over cooked egg noodles or mashed or baked potatoes. 

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Veggie Deluxe Pizza

We've been making pizza as a tradition every Friday night for years. Our family loves it. It's a quick and easy meal that no one complains about. If it's just our family of four, we usually make two medium to large pizzas. One for the kids that's always the same (pepperoni) and one for the adults. We like to experiment with the adult pizza and come up with a variety of amazing toppings. I've realized that I haven't shared too many of these amazing creations on this blog and I really should. It's been just recently that we've discovered that fresh finely minced garlic is one of the secrets to an amazing vegetarian pizza. We often make vegetarian pizzas for the adult pizza. Especially in the summertime when we have lots of veggies coming out of the garden. I love vegetarian pizzas, but I have loved them even more since we discovered the secret of the fresh garlic. We don't miss the meat when we use it. Try it! It's delicious.

Here's one of our favorite vegetarian pizzas ever: Enjoy!

Veggie Deluxe Pizza

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Recipe Pizza Crust

Olive oil or whole wheat flour

About 1 Cup pizza sauce (Here's my favorite pizza sauce recipe)
1-2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese blend (or cheese of your choice)
sliced olives
thinly sliced zucchini
chopped Roma or other plum tomatoes (non-juicy tomatoes work the best)
thinly sliced young turnips, optional
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. roasted slivered almonds
dried oregano
Garlic Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Place pizza stone*(See Note below) on lower middle rack in the oven and preheat to 475 F. Sprinkle counter with olive oil or whole wheat flour. The oil will make for a little moister crust, but I also like pizza with the flour coating. Try both and see what you prefer. Coat rolling pin in the oil or flour on the counter. Roll out dough into a large circle (10 - 12” diameter) and place on parchment paper. Let raise for 5-10 min. While dough is rising, mix the sliced olives, sliced zucchini, chopped tomatoes, turnips, other veggies of your choice, and fresh minced garlic together in a medium bowl. Set aside. When dough has risen slightly on parchment paper, poke it all over with your fingers. Then brush dough with a generous amount of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Add pizza sauce and cheese as desired. Then add combined toppings. Sprinkle roasted slivered almonds on top and sprinkle a light coating of dried oregano over the toppings. Bake on preheated 475 F pizza stone, for 6-10 min or until crispy and cheese is bubbly.

Note: If you do not have a pizza stone, I've had success making yummy pizza using this method.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Veggie Deluxe Pizza

Posted by admin

We've been making pizza as a tradition every Friday night for years. Our family loves it. It's a quick and easy meal that no one complains about. If it's just our family of four, we usually make two medium to large pizzas. One for the kids that's always the same (pepperoni) and one for the adults. We like to experiment with the adult pizza and come up with a variety of amazing toppings. I've realized that I haven't shared too many of these amazing creations on this blog and I really should. It's been just recently that we've discovered that fresh finely minced garlic is one of the secrets to an amazing vegetarian pizza. We often make vegetarian pizzas for the adult pizza. Especially in the summertime when we have lots of veggies coming out of the garden. I love vegetarian pizzas, but I have loved them even more since we discovered the secret of the fresh garlic. We don't miss the meat when we use it. Try it! It's delicious.

Here's one of our favorite vegetarian pizzas ever: Enjoy!

Veggie Deluxe Pizza

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Recipe Pizza Crust

Olive oil or whole wheat flour

About 1 Cup pizza sauce (Here's my favorite pizza sauce recipe)
1-2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese blend (or cheese of your choice)
sliced olives
thinly sliced zucchini
chopped Roma or other plum tomatoes (non-juicy tomatoes work the best)
thinly sliced young turnips, optional
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. roasted slivered almonds
dried oregano
Garlic Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Place pizza stone*(See Note below) on lower middle rack in the oven and preheat to 475 F. Sprinkle counter with olive oil or whole wheat flour. The oil will make for a little moister crust, but I also like pizza with the flour coating. Try both and see what you prefer. Coat rolling pin in the oil or flour on the counter. Roll out dough into a large circle (10 - 12” diameter) and place on parchment paper. Let raise for 5-10 min. While dough is rising, mix the sliced olives, sliced zucchini, chopped tomatoes, turnips, other veggies of your choice, and fresh minced garlic together in a medium bowl. Set aside. When dough has risen slightly on parchment paper, poke it all over with your fingers. Then brush dough with a generous amount of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Add pizza sauce and cheese as desired. Then add combined toppings. Sprinkle roasted slivered almonds on top and sprinkle a light coating of dried oregano over the toppings. Bake on preheated 475 F pizza stone, for 6-10 min or until crispy and cheese is bubbly.

Note: If you do not have a pizza stone, I've had success making yummy pizza using this method.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Crunchy Baked Tacos

It's taken me several years and several attempts to find a recipe for tacos that my whole family will eat. I told you they are picky. Well so am I. I'm picky about them eating healthy. My husband an I love these vegetarian tacos, but it was a battle every time I made them with my kids.

Since I discovered this recipe for crunchy baked tacos a few months ago, we've had it for dinner four times. The kids went from not liking tacos before to now cheering when I make these. Each time I've adapted them to be slightly healthier until this is what I came up with. Yes, I've had to compromise a little - they are not vegetarian, but they are still healthy. And the kids love them. It's a win-win.

That beautiful lettuce is homegrown from our garden....mmmh! :)

Crunchy Baked Tacos
Printable Recipe

*Makes 20 tacos

*Note: This makes too much for my family so I usually freeze half of the filling for a quick meal later on. It freezes great.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup red quinoa*See Note Below
1 Cup water
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef*
20 corn tortillas
2 Cups homemade refried beans or 1 16-oz. can refried beans
15 oz. tomato sauce (again you can use homemade if you want)
3 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning
1-2 Cups shredded cheese (my choice would be a cheddar or jack blend)
Toppings (my choice would be chopped lettuce, tomato, salsa and sour cream)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small saucepan add the red quinoa and water and cook on medium until boiling, then turn down to medium-low and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender and has a little white curly cue protruding (about 10-15 minutes). While quinoa is cooking, brown ground beef in a large skillet. While beef is browning, place 5 corn tortillas at a time in a damp cloth and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Lay the tortillas on a clean surface and spray or brush both sides with a light coating of canola oil. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Carefully drape the tortillas in preheated oven directly over two bars of the oven rack. Bake 375 F for about 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Corn tortillas will droop and harden to the shape of taco shells. Remove tortillas from the oven and place standing up into two greased 9"x13" casserole dishes, then turn up the oven heat to 400 F. Once meat is browned drain off any fat and add cooked quinoa, refried beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir mixture well and heat just until simmering. Spoon the taco filling mixture into standing taco shells. Then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 F for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*Note: If you're unsure about the red quinoa, you can use 2 lbs. of ground beef instead of 1-1/2 lbs. of ground beef and 1/2 cup red quinoa, which is what the original recipe called for. Each time you make it you can increase the nutrition by substituting red quinoa. Red quinoa is a great meat substitute for kids because it's color disguises it so well.

Recipe Source: Recipe adapted from Eating Well and Mommy I'm Hungry

Crunchy Baked Tacos

Posted by admin

It's taken me several years and several attempts to find a recipe for tacos that my whole family will eat. I told you they are picky. Well so am I. I'm picky about them eating healthy. My husband an I love these vegetarian tacos, but it was a battle every time I made them with my kids.

Since I discovered this recipe for crunchy baked tacos a few months ago, we've had it for dinner four times. The kids went from not liking tacos before to now cheering when I make these. Each time I've adapted them to be slightly healthier until this is what I came up with. Yes, I've had to compromise a little - they are not vegetarian, but they are still healthy. And the kids love them. It's a win-win.

That beautiful lettuce is homegrown from our garden....mmmh! :)

Crunchy Baked Tacos
Printable Recipe

*Makes 20 tacos

*Note: This makes too much for my family so I usually freeze half of the filling for a quick meal later on. It freezes great.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup red quinoa*See Note Below
1 Cup water
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef*
20 corn tortillas
2 Cups homemade refried beans or 1 16-oz. can refried beans
15 oz. tomato sauce (again you can use homemade if you want)
3 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning
1-2 Cups shredded cheese (my choice would be a cheddar or jack blend)
Toppings (my choice would be chopped lettuce, tomato, salsa and sour cream)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small saucepan add the red quinoa and water and cook on medium until boiling, then turn down to medium-low and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender and has a little white curly cue protruding (about 10-15 minutes). While quinoa is cooking, brown ground beef in a large skillet. While beef is browning, place 5 corn tortillas at a time in a damp cloth and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Lay the tortillas on a clean surface and spray or brush both sides with a light coating of canola oil. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Carefully drape the tortillas in preheated oven directly over two bars of the oven rack. Bake 375 F for about 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Corn tortillas will droop and harden to the shape of taco shells. Remove tortillas from the oven and place standing up into two greased 9"x13" casserole dishes, then turn up the oven heat to 400 F. Once meat is browned drain off any fat and add cooked quinoa, refried beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir mixture well and heat just until simmering. Spoon the taco filling mixture into standing taco shells. Then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 F for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*Note: If you're unsure about the red quinoa, you can use 2 lbs. of ground beef instead of 1-1/2 lbs. of ground beef and 1/2 cup red quinoa, which is what the original recipe called for. Each time you make it you can increase the nutrition by substituting red quinoa. Red quinoa is a great meat substitute for kids because it's color disguises it so well.

Recipe Source: Recipe adapted from Eating Well and Mommy I'm Hungry

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

One of my favorite uses for the pressure cooker is making beans from scratch. I hardly even look at recipes that use canned beans anymore because dry beans are such a cinch in the pressure cooker. Dry beans are so amazing because of their storage properties - they can store forever! Well not forever, but for a long time (10 years or more if you store them right). I love to buy them in bulk and keep them in my pantry so that I always have them when I want to cook with them. Beans have a lot of protein and are very good for you. Plus they are a lot cheaper than meat. Our family loves black beans and we make this recipe for Mexican black beans a lot.

Today I want to share another amazing recipe that you can make with dry pinto beans from your storage. These are so yummy and you will never want to go back to canned refried beans again. I found the original recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen and adapted it slightly when I made it. I love this recipe because it uses simple ingredients that you can keep on hand and turns out totally, amazingly delicious.

These green onions are from my garden :)

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Printable Recipe

*6-8 Servings

2 Cups dried pinto beans
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 Cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. minced garlic (no, this is not a typo...)
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
1 tsp. salt

sour cream, for serving
sliced green onions, for serving

Sort dry beans by removing rocks and impurities. Then put them in a colander and rinse well to remove all the dirt.  Put beans in pressure cooker with enough water to cover by 1 to 1-1/2 inches. The exact amount of water is not important but too much is better than too little. Add 1 T olive oil to cooker, then lock lid, bring to high pressure, and cook 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and use a quick pressure release.

When pressure has released, add chopped onion, minced garlic, canned green chiles, and salt to pressure cooker. Lock lid again and pressure cook 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how old the beans are. For newly purchased beans start with 10 minutes. Older beans will take longer to cook, so start with 15 minutes. You want the beans to be fairly soft and starting to crack open. If you get open the pressure cooker and the beans are not quite soft, just re-lock the lid, bring up to pressure and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.

When pressure has released the second time, remove lid and without draining, mash or puree beans to desired consistency. You can use an immersion blender, a potato masher or a regular blender. The trick is to get the consistency right and it kind of depends on how your tastes. If you like whole beans in your refried beans, make sure you don't blend or mash all the beans. If you like them really smooth, blend more. Personally, I like my refried beans somewhere in the middle, some parts chunky, some parts smooth. I put about half of the bean mixture in the blender and pulse a couple of times - so it's still chunky. Then I put the other half in a pulse it until it's a little smoother. Then I combine the two parts and that's how I like it. The mixture may still be runnier than you like. That's fine. Don't worry about draining any liquid off, it will thicken up in the next step.

When beans are as smooth or chunky as you prefer, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy, nonstick pan. Add beans and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until beans have thickened to desired consistency. It should take only about 10-15 minutes. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and thinly sliced green onions, if desired. Other serving ideas include: over Navajo tacos, with chips, in a bean burrito, in taco salad, in tacos, or in tostadas; the possibilities are endless.

Recipe Source: Recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Posted by admin

One of my favorite uses for the pressure cooker is making beans from scratch. I hardly even look at recipes that use canned beans anymore because dry beans are such a cinch in the pressure cooker. Dry beans are so amazing because of their storage properties - they can store forever! Well not forever, but for a long time (10 years or more if you store them right). I love to buy them in bulk and keep them in my pantry so that I always have them when I want to cook with them. Beans have a lot of protein and are very good for you. Plus they are a lot cheaper than meat. Our family loves black beans and we make this recipe for Mexican black beans a lot.

Today I want to share another amazing recipe that you can make with dry pinto beans from your storage. These are so yummy and you will never want to go back to canned refried beans again. I found the original recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen and adapted it slightly when I made it. I love this recipe because it uses simple ingredients that you can keep on hand and turns out totally, amazingly delicious.

These green onions are from my garden :)

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Printable Recipe

*6-8 Servings

2 Cups dried pinto beans
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 Cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. minced garlic (no, this is not a typo...)
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
1 tsp. salt

sour cream, for serving
sliced green onions, for serving

Sort dry beans by removing rocks and impurities. Then put them in a colander and rinse well to remove all the dirt.  Put beans in pressure cooker with enough water to cover by 1 to 1-1/2 inches. The exact amount of water is not important but too much is better than too little. Add 1 T olive oil to cooker, then lock lid, bring to high pressure, and cook 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and use a quick pressure release.

When pressure has released, add chopped onion, minced garlic, canned green chiles, and salt to pressure cooker. Lock lid again and pressure cook 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how old the beans are. For newly purchased beans start with 10 minutes. Older beans will take longer to cook, so start with 15 minutes. You want the beans to be fairly soft and starting to crack open. If you get open the pressure cooker and the beans are not quite soft, just re-lock the lid, bring up to pressure and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.

When pressure has released the second time, remove lid and without draining, mash or puree beans to desired consistency. You can use an immersion blender, a potato masher or a regular blender. The trick is to get the consistency right and it kind of depends on how your tastes. If you like whole beans in your refried beans, make sure you don't blend or mash all the beans. If you like them really smooth, blend more. Personally, I like my refried beans somewhere in the middle, some parts chunky, some parts smooth. I put about half of the bean mixture in the blender and pulse a couple of times - so it's still chunky. Then I put the other half in a pulse it until it's a little smoother. Then I combine the two parts and that's how I like it. The mixture may still be runnier than you like. That's fine. Don't worry about draining any liquid off, it will thicken up in the next step.

When beans are as smooth or chunky as you prefer, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy, nonstick pan. Add beans and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until beans have thickened to desired consistency. It should take only about 10-15 minutes. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and thinly sliced green onions, if desired. Other serving ideas include: over Navajo tacos, with chips, in a bean burrito, in taco salad, in tacos, or in tostadas; the possibilities are endless.

Recipe Source: Recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Sausage

You might have seen a sneak picture of this recipe on another post....This really is a versatile recipe and it's taken me a while to figure out how to post it because we've made so many variations of this since we first started making it. So here's kind of a formula type recipe for you so you can make it however you would like.

Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Sausage
Printable Recipe

*You can leave out the sausage and this becomes a wonderful side dish or a vegetarian meal. We make it that way too and it is also delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. uncooked sausage links (I like mild Italian - Johnsonville's brand), optional
10 Cups of chopped vegetables (approximately) - use veggies that you like. Make sure you chop the vegetables to about the same size - that way they will cook evenly. *Note: Below I'll list a couple of examples that we've done
3 Tbsp. olive oil (add an additional Tablespoon of olive oil if you are omitting the sausage)
2 cloves garlic, chopped, optional
1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. rosemary, optional
1 tsp. Italian seasoning, optional
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 F. Chop uncooked sausage links into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl combine your choice of chopped vegetables and chopped sausage links. Then add olive oil, chopped garlic, Parmesan cheese and seasonings (see *Note below). Mix well then place mixture on a cookie sheet with sides or I like to use a large flat stone roasting pan that I have. Something large and flat - you don't want to use a casserole dish here. Spread out the mixture evenly on the pan. Bake 450 F for about 30-40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so to roast the veggies evenly. This dish is done when the sausage is fully cooked and the veggies are tender (and even a little brown if you like them the way I do...).

*Note: The seasonings I list in this recipe are only one version that we've made (albeit a favorite). You can season however you would like. In the summer we like to use fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme) from the garden to season this recipe - it is amazing.

Here are some examples of vegetable combinations that we've used and enjoyed:

WINTER VEGETABLES:

• 3-1/2 Cups chopped butternut squash
• 4-1/2 Cups chopped potatoes (red, yukon gold, or plain russets)
• 1/2 Cup chopped sweet yellow peppers
• 1/2 Cup chopped carrots
• 1 C. chopped onion

SUMMER VEGETABLES:

• 4-1/2 Cups chopped potatoes (red, yukon gold, or plain russets)
• 1-1/2 Cups chopped yellow squash
• 1-1/2 Cups chopped zucchini squash
• 1 Cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 Cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 Cup chopped onion

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Sausage

Posted by admin

You might have seen a sneak picture of this recipe on another post....This really is a versatile recipe and it's taken me a while to figure out how to post it because we've made so many variations of this since we first started making it. So here's kind of a formula type recipe for you so you can make it however you would like.

Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Sausage
Printable Recipe

*You can leave out the sausage and this becomes a wonderful side dish or a vegetarian meal. We make it that way too and it is also delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. uncooked sausage links (I like mild Italian - Johnsonville's brand), optional
10 Cups of chopped vegetables (approximately) - use veggies that you like. Make sure you chop the vegetables to about the same size - that way they will cook evenly. *Note: Below I'll list a couple of examples that we've done
3 Tbsp. olive oil (add an additional Tablespoon of olive oil if you are omitting the sausage)
2 cloves garlic, chopped, optional
1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. rosemary, optional
1 tsp. Italian seasoning, optional
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 F. Chop uncooked sausage links into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl combine your choice of chopped vegetables and chopped sausage links. Then add olive oil, chopped garlic, Parmesan cheese and seasonings (see *Note below). Mix well then place mixture on a cookie sheet with sides or I like to use a large flat stone roasting pan that I have. Something large and flat - you don't want to use a casserole dish here. Spread out the mixture evenly on the pan. Bake 450 F for about 30-40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so to roast the veggies evenly. This dish is done when the sausage is fully cooked and the veggies are tender (and even a little brown if you like them the way I do...).

*Note: The seasonings I list in this recipe are only one version that we've made (albeit a favorite). You can season however you would like. In the summer we like to use fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme) from the garden to season this recipe - it is amazing.

Here are some examples of vegetable combinations that we've used and enjoyed:

WINTER VEGETABLES:

• 3-1/2 Cups chopped butternut squash
• 4-1/2 Cups chopped potatoes (red, yukon gold, or plain russets)
• 1/2 Cup chopped sweet yellow peppers
• 1/2 Cup chopped carrots
• 1 C. chopped onion

SUMMER VEGETABLES:

• 4-1/2 Cups chopped potatoes (red, yukon gold, or plain russets)
• 1-1/2 Cups chopped yellow squash
• 1-1/2 Cups chopped zucchini squash
• 1 Cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 Cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 Cup chopped onion

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Hawaiian Haystacks From Scratch

Does your family like Hawaiian Haystacks? You know rice, topped with creamy chicken sauce, and all kinds of other colorful goodies (veggies, fruits, nuts, crunchy things, etc) that each person gets to choose. They are one of our favorites. My kid's love the fact that they get to pick what to put on their Hawaiian haystack. We've had phases where all they would choose was plain rice, but I think we're moving past that one finally. Phew!

Anyway, I like my sauce creamy and I've traditionally used cream of chicken soup in the recipe. But today I went to the cupboard and it was bare (actually I admit that I haven't bought cream of chicken on purpose to force myself into creating a healthier substitute for it) and guess what? I'll never go back...this recipe only uses a few more ingredients and couple of more minutes of time. But it tastes even better and it much better for you. So without further ado, I present to you my very own recipe for:

Hawaiian Haystacks from Scratch

Printable Recipe

*Serves 6+

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 Cups brown rice

4 Cups water

Hawaiian Haystack Sauce (see recipe below)

Hawaiin Haystack Toppings (see options below)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the brown rice. I like to use a pressure cooker because it cooks fast and the rice puffs up soft and yummy. If you don't have a pressure cooker you can use the stove top and use the same water to rice ratio that you normally would. To cook brown rice in the pressure cooker add the 2-1/2 Cups brown rice and the 4 Cups water, close and lock the lid in place. Heat to high pressure and cook for 23 minutes. You can either do natural or quick release to release the steam. While rice is cooking, prepare the sauce using the directions below. Then prepare desired toppings in serving bowls so everyone can assemble their own haystack. There's no right or wrong way to assemble these guys, but here's what I usually do: Rice on the bottom, then sauce, then cheese (so it melts...mmmh!), then other toppings in any order with crushed pineapple and chow mein noodles on the very top!

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup Flour

1-1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon or better than bouillon soup base

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Cups milk

2 Cups cooked, chopped chicken

3/4 Cups sour cream or plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

SAUCE DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, bouillon, and pepper, and stir with a whisk to combine. Heat for a few minutes stirring constantly to remove starches from the flour and develop the sauce's flavor. Then add milk and stir to combine. Heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Add the chopped chicken and stir to combine. Then add the plain yogurt or sour cream and heat until sauce is bubbly, stirring often. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm until everything else is ready.

TOPPINGS:

*Here's some ideas for toppings, but let your imagination run wild. Use some or all of the ideas below and be sure to let every person choose their own (remember, that's the beauty of this recipe!)

Shredded cheese

Frozen Peas, heated

Crushed pineapple (or tidbits)

Chow Mein noodles

Coconut

Chopped green onions

Chopped bell peppers (any color - I like red cause it's perty...)

Mandarin Oranges

Chopped spinach leaves

Chopped tomatoes

Slivered almonds (roasted is good!)

Chopped celery

Chopped olives

Love this meal. It's quick, easy, and everybody comes away happy. Those are the best kind, aren't they?

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Hawaiian Haystacks From Scratch

Posted by admin

Does your family like Hawaiian Haystacks? You know rice, topped with creamy chicken sauce, and all kinds of other colorful goodies (veggies, fruits, nuts, crunchy things, etc) that each person gets to choose. They are one of our favorites. My kid's love the fact that they get to pick what to put on their Hawaiian haystack. We've had phases where all they would choose was plain rice, but I think we're moving past that one finally. Phew!

Anyway, I like my sauce creamy and I've traditionally used cream of chicken soup in the recipe. But today I went to the cupboard and it was bare (actually I admit that I haven't bought cream of chicken on purpose to force myself into creating a healthier substitute for it) and guess what? I'll never go back...this recipe only uses a few more ingredients and couple of more minutes of time. But it tastes even better and it much better for you. So without further ado, I present to you my very own recipe for:

Hawaiian Haystacks from Scratch

Printable Recipe

*Serves 6+

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 Cups brown rice

4 Cups water

Hawaiian Haystack Sauce (see recipe below)

Hawaiin Haystack Toppings (see options below)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the brown rice. I like to use a pressure cooker because it cooks fast and the rice puffs up soft and yummy. If you don't have a pressure cooker you can use the stove top and use the same water to rice ratio that you normally would. To cook brown rice in the pressure cooker add the 2-1/2 Cups brown rice and the 4 Cups water, close and lock the lid in place. Heat to high pressure and cook for 23 minutes. You can either do natural or quick release to release the steam. While rice is cooking, prepare the sauce using the directions below. Then prepare desired toppings in serving bowls so everyone can assemble their own haystack. There's no right or wrong way to assemble these guys, but here's what I usually do: Rice on the bottom, then sauce, then cheese (so it melts...mmmh!), then other toppings in any order with crushed pineapple and chow mein noodles on the very top!

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup Flour

1-1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon or better than bouillon soup base

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Cups milk

2 Cups cooked, chopped chicken

3/4 Cups sour cream or plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

SAUCE DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, bouillon, and pepper, and stir with a whisk to combine. Heat for a few minutes stirring constantly to remove starches from the flour and develop the sauce's flavor. Then add milk and stir to combine. Heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Add the chopped chicken and stir to combine. Then add the plain yogurt or sour cream and heat until sauce is bubbly, stirring often. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm until everything else is ready.

TOPPINGS:

*Here's some ideas for toppings, but let your imagination run wild. Use some or all of the ideas below and be sure to let every person choose their own (remember, that's the beauty of this recipe!)

Shredded cheese

Frozen Peas, heated

Crushed pineapple (or tidbits)

Chow Mein noodles

Coconut

Chopped green onions

Chopped bell peppers (any color - I like red cause it's perty...)

Mandarin Oranges

Chopped spinach leaves

Chopped tomatoes

Slivered almonds (roasted is good!)

Chopped celery

Chopped olives

Love this meal. It's quick, easy, and everybody comes away happy. Those are the best kind, aren't they?

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash

Tuesday night our family dinner theme is fish/meatless. This is one of my favorite dishes to make on Tuesday nights when squash abounds during the fall. I actually adapted the recipe from this Betty Crocker Recipe for Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin that we love. I converted it from a side dish to being a full meal. This is a great no-hassle recipe that is both healthy and delicious!


Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 lb. Butternut Squash
1/4 Cup butter
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 Cup bread crumbs *See Note
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets
1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

*Note: We like panko bread crumbs because they are extra crispy. If you are trying to make this gluten free, I've also done this recipe with chopped up pistachios and it is delicious.

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400 F. Spray a stone or glass baking or casserole dish with cooking spray. Peel squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut squash into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices in the bottom of baking dish, slightly overlapping.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add the chopped garlic. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until garlic softens and you smell a strong garlic aroma, being careful not to let the butter brown.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of the butter-garlic mixture. Brush the squash slices with about half of the remaining butter-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with about half of the bread crumb mixture. Bake uncovered in the preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes.

Remove dish and increase oven temperature to 425 F. Rearrange squash slices to the sides to leave room in the center of the casserole pan. Lay the tilapia in the center of the baking dish, being careful not to overlap. Brush remaining garlic-butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake in the preheated 425 F oven for 20 minutes or until squash is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Before serving, sprinkle parsley over the top if desired.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin by Betty Crocker

Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash

Posted by admin

Tuesday night our family dinner theme is fish/meatless. This is one of my favorite dishes to make on Tuesday nights when squash abounds during the fall. I actually adapted the recipe from this Betty Crocker Recipe for Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin that we love. I converted it from a side dish to being a full meal. This is a great no-hassle recipe that is both healthy and delicious!


Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 lb. Butternut Squash
1/4 Cup butter
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 Cup bread crumbs *See Note
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets
1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

*Note: We like panko bread crumbs because they are extra crispy. If you are trying to make this gluten free, I've also done this recipe with chopped up pistachios and it is delicious.

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400 F. Spray a stone or glass baking or casserole dish with cooking spray. Peel squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut squash into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices in the bottom of baking dish, slightly overlapping.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add the chopped garlic. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until garlic softens and you smell a strong garlic aroma, being careful not to let the butter brown.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of the butter-garlic mixture. Brush the squash slices with about half of the remaining butter-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with about half of the bread crumb mixture. Bake uncovered in the preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes.

Remove dish and increase oven temperature to 425 F. Rearrange squash slices to the sides to leave room in the center of the casserole pan. Lay the tilapia in the center of the baking dish, being careful not to overlap. Brush remaining garlic-butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake in the preheated 425 F oven for 20 minutes or until squash is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Before serving, sprinkle parsley over the top if desired.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin by Betty Crocker

Navy Bean Soup

What tastes better on a cool day then a warm, savory soup? Here's a family favorite recipe that you can make in the pressure cooker or crock pot and is sure to be a hit with old and young alike. How about serving it for dinner tonight along with a loaf of fresh homemade bread?

Navy Bean Soup {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*This is my preferred method to make this soup. It's faster and everything seems to come out more tender and savory!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks
2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
7-1/2 Cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker, being careful not to fill water over the fill line. If necessary, use less water. I use a 6-quart cuisnart electric pressure cooker and it fills the pressure cooker just barely at the fill line. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Pressure release using quick or natural release method. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Add 6-8 cups of hot water or until soup reaches a good consistency. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Love the pressure cooker? Check out more pressure cooker recipes here or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest!

Navy Bean Soup {Crock pot Method}

Printable Recipe (Crock Pot Method)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups dried navy beans

12 Cups water

1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat 4-6 hours until beans are tender. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Navy Bean Soup

Posted by admin

What tastes better on a cool day then a warm, savory soup? Here's a family favorite recipe that you can make in the pressure cooker or crock pot and is sure to be a hit with old and young alike. How about serving it for dinner tonight along with a loaf of fresh homemade bread?

Navy Bean Soup {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*This is my preferred method to make this soup. It's faster and everything seems to come out more tender and savory!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks
2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
7-1/2 Cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker, being careful not to fill water over the fill line. If necessary, use less water. I use a 6-quart cuisnart electric pressure cooker and it fills the pressure cooker just barely at the fill line. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Pressure release using quick or natural release method. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Add 6-8 cups of hot water or until soup reaches a good consistency. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Love the pressure cooker? Check out more pressure cooker recipes here or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest!

Navy Bean Soup {Crock pot Method}

Printable Recipe (Crock Pot Method)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups dried navy beans

12 Cups water

1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat 4-6 hours until beans are tender. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Our kids LOVE pasta! They could eat it every day I bet and still love it. Although we don't have pasta EVERY day, we do have it quite often. And the dish that I'm sharing today is one that we have been making for quite a few years that our whole family loves. It has a wonderful flavor with the sage and sausage. The sauce is beautiful, toasty orange and yellow. The pumpkin blends in perfectly, a smooth creamy flavor. It's perfect for fall, but we make it ALL year round.

We hope you enjoy it too!

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

*Note: For this recipe you can use canned pumpkin or any kind of winter squash, cooked and pureed in the blender.

1 lb. penne pasta

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

1 lb. bulk sausage

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 med. Onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 Cups Chicken broth, divided

2 tsp. ground sage

1 Cup cooked, pureed pumpkin

½ Cup heavy cream*

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

In a large pan, cook pasta according to package directions until still firm, but not hard (al dente). While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to hot pan & brown sausage. When sausage is cooked, transfer it to paper towel-lined plate and drain off fat. Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté garlic and onion until transparent. Next add bay leaf, sage, and 1 Cup chicken broth. Heat mixture until liquid is reduced to half. Then add remaining stock and pumpkin. Stir and heat to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt & pepper. Simmer sauce 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf from sauce. Combine sauce and pasta & top with cheese. Serve immediately with a salad and loaf of freshly made bread.

*Note: Instead of cream you can use milk, half & half or evaporated milk

This dish makes great leftovers!

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from a recipe given to me by a good friend Linda

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Posted by admin

Our kids LOVE pasta! They could eat it every day I bet and still love it. Although we don't have pasta EVERY day, we do have it quite often. And the dish that I'm sharing today is one that we have been making for quite a few years that our whole family loves. It has a wonderful flavor with the sage and sausage. The sauce is beautiful, toasty orange and yellow. The pumpkin blends in perfectly, a smooth creamy flavor. It's perfect for fall, but we make it ALL year round.

We hope you enjoy it too!

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

*Note: For this recipe you can use canned pumpkin or any kind of winter squash, cooked and pureed in the blender.

1 lb. penne pasta

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

1 lb. bulk sausage

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 med. Onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 Cups Chicken broth, divided

2 tsp. ground sage

1 Cup cooked, pureed pumpkin

½ Cup heavy cream*

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

In a large pan, cook pasta according to package directions until still firm, but not hard (al dente). While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to hot pan & brown sausage. When sausage is cooked, transfer it to paper towel-lined plate and drain off fat. Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté garlic and onion until transparent. Next add bay leaf, sage, and 1 Cup chicken broth. Heat mixture until liquid is reduced to half. Then add remaining stock and pumpkin. Stir and heat to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt & pepper. Simmer sauce 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf from sauce. Combine sauce and pasta & top with cheese. Serve immediately with a salad and loaf of freshly made bread.

*Note: Instead of cream you can use milk, half & half or evaporated milk

This dish makes great leftovers!

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from a recipe given to me by a good friend Linda