Meat & Veggie Spaghetti Sauce

You can use this recipe for any Italian dish... very easy, very yummy!

Meat & Veggie Spaghetti Sauce (can be used for lasagna or any Italian Dish)

1 lb ground turkey or beef

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (I love to use portabella)

--you can add chopped zucchini or celery and it tastes good too... just make sure they cook well enough to soften them

1 Tb Olive Oil

1 tsp Lemon Juice

Seasonings:

1 Tb Oregano

1 Tb Basil

1 Tb Marjoram

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic

(If you want the meat to taste more sausage like - add 1 tsp fennel seed, but only on the meat)

1/2 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp pepper, to taste

     1. You'll add seasonings twice... once on the meat and once in the sauce

     2. Brown Meat... near the end, add onion, pepper, mushrooms, other veggies and first round of seasonings. Cook until veggies are slightly tender

     3. Add canned tomatoes and second round of seasonings. Simmer 20 minutes or more

     4. Serve over pasta (my favorite brand is Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta)

Variations:

~you can add the pasta shortly after adding the tomatoes, and cook the pasta in the tomato sauce rather than in a separate pot on the stove. Add just a little extra water (maybe 1/4 cup).

~Try different kinds of pasta... spaghetti, shells, elbow noodles, penne, lasagna, whatever you'd like!

~Add your favorite cheese on top (sharp cheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack, ricotta, parmesan, etc.)

~If you want to bake it, after browning the meat and cooking the veggies, mix together with tomatoes, second round of seasonings, cheese, and pasta OR layer in a casserole dish for lasagna (place uncooked pasta near the tomatoes... tomatoes, pasta, tomatoes, meat, cheese, pasta, tomatoes, meat, cheese, etc.). Place in 350˚ oven for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is a little bubbly and the pasta is cooked.

Fresh Fruit Salad

Lovely fresh fruit, great for any meal!

Fresh Fruit Salad

Choose three or four of your favorite fruits, chopped

1/2 tsp Lemon Juice to prevent browning (if you use pineapple, then you don't need the lemon juice)

Favorite combinations:

banana, strawberry, blueberry, 

banana, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple

banana, strawberry, apple, orange, 

banana, strawberry, apple, grape

apple, orange, grape

apple, orange, blueberry

... also try adding peaches or pears or other berries when in season

     1. Combine chopped fruit and lemon juice

     2. Eat! (Let sit for 10-20 minutes to let the flavors soak in together)

Freezer Meals

In today's busy world, there's not always time to make a scrumptious meal for yourself or family. Instead of always turning to pre-packaged, processed food, make a plan to stock your freezer with precooked meals. Some ladies I know spend an entire day making freezer meals, but I've never had that kind of time or energy. Here's a few ideas I've found manageable:

~Pull out an extra pound of meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, whatever) when preparing a meal... cook and season all the meat, setting aside half to cool and freeze. With hardly any extra effort, you now have a pound of already cooked meat ready for a future meal. Tip: Write what seasoning you used and the date cooked so you'll remember!


~Making meat loaf or a casserole? Why not make two?! This may take an extra 10-20 minutes, depending upon the meal, but you can eat one and freeze the other. Tip: You can either bake both meals that day or put the uncooked meal directly into


~Don't like left overs? Place them in single serving sized plastic freezer bags or containers and store them in the freezer for a rainy day!

Chicken Curry Stir Fry

Colorful and beyond yummy! The trick with this meal is a fairly hot pan, stirring often, and having all chicken and veggies chopped before beginning to cook. I lay out my veggies on a cookie tray in the order I'll be cooking them. Be careful not to overcook veggies or they'll become too soft... they should have a little crunch to them.

Chicken Curry Stir Fry

1 lb chopped Chicken (I usually use breast, but thighs or tenders are great too) - keep chicken chunks fairly small

2-3 Tb oil (grapeseed, sesame seed, coconut, or peanut oil - whatever I'm in the mood for... just not olive oil!)

2-3 Tb liquid aminos (you can use soy sauce for your own meal, but I use a gluten-free soy sauce which is Bragg's Liquid Aminos)

1/2 cup or so Chicken Broth (I usually use organic) - depends on how much sauce you want

Seasonings:

2 tsp Curry Powder

(sometimes I'll add about 1 tsp paprika and/or cumin for a change in flavor)

1 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp minced Garlic 

1/2 tsp Ginger, powder or fresh ginger juice

1/2 tsp Salt

Veggie Order:

Chop veggies fairly thin and small for faster cooking... truly, you can use whatever veggies you have! Try different ones each time for different flavors and colors... here's the basic veggies plus additional ones you can try in parenthesis:

Carrots

Celery

(Zucchini or squash)

(Asparagus)

Red Pepper

Onion

(Water chestnuts)

Snow peas or snap peas

Leafy veggies:

small amounts of Cabbage or Spinach

Bok Choy (type of cabbage - really adds to the Asian flavor) - keep leafy part here, but place thicker stem near celery

     1. Heat wok or stir fry pan until hot (be careful, oil may pop), add enough oil to cover bottom - about 1 Tb or so

     2. Add chopped Chicken, stirring frequently

     3. Once outside of chicken is cooked, add 1-2 Tb liquid aminos and first round of seasonings - keep the chicken fairly moist

     4. When chicken is barely done (takes only 5-7 minutes or so), place on a separate plate and cover with tin foil to keep warm

     5. Heat pan once again, adding another 1-2 Tb of oil

     6. Begin adding veggies, one type of veggie at a time... Constantly stir, adding the next veggie after about 30 seconds... keep it moist by adding liquid aminos or a little chicken broth as you add in veggies

     7. Once all veggies but the leafy ones are added, add remaining chicken broth and seasonings... continue to stir for another 30-40 seconds

     8. Add cooked chicken and leafy veggies, cover, and turn off heat but keep pan on the stove... let sit for a minute or two while placing cooked rice on the table

     9. Serve over your favorite rice (jasmine, basmati, brown, wild, etc), spooning sauce over rice. 

Guacamole

Fresh, yummy, eat-the-whole-bowl-full, guacamole. Try both mashed and diced avocados for different effects.

Guacamole

2 avocados, mashed or diced (leave pit in bowl if not eating right away or storing some in the fridge for later)

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cucumber (sounds strange, but we like it)

1/2 red pepper (I always try to add in more veggies if I have them)

1/2 Sonora Pepper, diced, or Anaheim Pepper or canned green chilies or  1 tsp Chili Powder

Fresh Cilantro, chopped (optional... can also use oregano for a different flavor)

Lime Juice - about 1/4 of a lime squeezed or 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced Garlic

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, to taste

     1. Mash or dice, then mix together... avocados, onion, tomato, cucumber, red pepper, sonora pepper, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and salt.

     2. Eat! (Let sit for 10-20 minutes to let the flavors soak in together... you can make while cooking dinner or earlier in the afternoon)

Mexi Dish

Yummy Chili, or use the seasoning combination for tacos, enchiladas, or fajitas. James and I don't like things really hot, so feel free to add additional Chili Powder or actual hot peppers to increase the kick!

Mexi Dish

1 lb ground turkey or beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

--sometimes I add other veggies if I have them or I'll use frozen veggies (I've even used canned green beans or corn too)

1 large can crushed tomatoes (use only diced tomatoes when you want less sauce and more chunkiness!)

1 large can diced tomatoes (Furmano's has a yummy cilantro and lime diced canned tomato)

Seasonings:

2 tsp Chili Powder

1 Tb Cumin

1 tsp Mustard Powder

1 Tb Oregano

1 tsp Garlic

1/2 tsp Salt

Fresh Cilantro (optional)

Lime Juice - about 1/4 of a lime squeezed or 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Additional items for toppings:

8 oz cheese, shredded (we like sharp cheddar or monterey jack)

1 tsp sour cream per person

freshly made guacamole

fresh chopped veggies: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers

open a can of salsa if you'd rather not make your own!

     1. Brown meat, add diced veggies, cooking until tender

     2. Add tomatoes and seasonings, letting them boil, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally

     3. Eat with rice, tortilla chips, over tacos, in corn tortillas, etc.

     4. Top with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh chopped veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers

Oven-Baked Pork Chop Casserole

This makes some tasty, tender pork! Tastes great with rice (or pasta), especially if you spoon the drippings over the rice.

Oven-Baked Pork Chop Casserole
4 pork chops
marinade
1 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1 red bell pepper, sliced


     1. In a casserole pan, drizzle some marinade on the bottom of the pan
     2. Arrange pork chops in the casserole pan and brush on marinade
     3. Pour chicken broth or water into pan for moisture
     4. Spread onions and peppers on top
     5. Cover and bake 350˚ for 45 minutes or until the pork is done (170˚)

Mustard Marinade or Dressing

This is my favorite marinade! I use it on chicken, pork, or beef. It can also be used for a great-tasting salad dressing on pasta or fresh greens.

When I couldn't have any more pre-made marinades and sauces, I discovered a love for mustard... something I didn't have before. It's amazing how your taste buds change over time, especially when you no longer saturate everything you eat with mixes. You learn what food actually tastes like and you learn to love the taste of food! ;)

1 Tbl dijion mustard (yellow mustard works well, watch ingredients - some brands are better than others)
½ Tbl vinegar, balsamic or any other flavored vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbl olive oil (double for dressing)
2 tsp oregano or Herbs de Provence or parsley (they all taste great)
½ tsp sea salt
A little garlic


     1. Mix together and brush on meat of your choice or use as a salad dressing

Egg Muffins

There are two ways you can make this yummy breakfast meal, and since breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, I thought I'd share more of my favorites!

My SIL, Jill, does this in bulk and then freezes the extras for her children to eat during the week. Here's her recipe:

Sausage Egg Muffin
Night before mix together:
     12 eggs
     1 lb cooked breakfast meat
     2 cup cottage cheese
Refrigerate over night


Next morning, mix together:
     ½ cup flour
     1 tsp baking powder
     Stir in ¼ cup butter


Bake in muffin tin that are well greased or use silicone muffin cups
Bake 350˚ for 20 min or until a knife comes out clean

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's my recipe I make in the morning when I'm low on time:

6 eggs
1/8 cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup almond flour
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup cheese - shredded, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese...
1 Tbl oregano or dill seasonings (either seasoning is yummy)


     1. Mix together eggs and grapeseed oil
     2. Carefully combine flour, salt, and soda before mixing the dry ingredients to the wet
     3. Stir in the cheese and seasonings
     4. Spoon into mini muffin pan (silicone is the best - otherwise the egg mixture sticks really bad)
     5. Bake 350˚ for 10-12 minutes

Mini Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Recipe comes from elanaspantry.com


I love these for breakfast or any snack time! They take only minutes to whip up and are ready in just over ten minutes! Make sure you turn on your oven before you begin mixing the batter. ;)


Gluten Free Blueberry Mini Muffins
½ cup almond flour (or ¼ cup almond and ¼ cup coconut flours)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup honey (or agave nectar)
3 eggs
½ cup frozen blueberries (we like to also use frozen raspberries)


     1. In a medium bowl, combine grapeseed oil, honey, and eggs.
     2. In same bowl, place flour, salt, and soda, carefully combining the dry ingredients before stirring dry and wet together. Then fold in the blueberries.
     3. Grease a mini muffin tin with grapeseed oil (I like to use mini silicone muffin pan instead or you can use mini muffin papers).
     4. Spoon the batter 1 tablespoon at a time into the mini muffin pan.
     5. Bake at 350˚ for 10-12 minutes, or until firm (until lightly golden)
     6. Cool and serve.

A few side notes:
~I use only one bowl for both wet and dry ingredients because I don't like doing more dishes than absolutely necessary.
~I have stopped using agave nectar due to it's special "birth control" properties that can also cause early miscarriages. If you'd like to learn more about this subject, drop me a line. Instead, I use darker honeys with more robust flavors. I don't like the light, highly sweet flavor of honey, but that's my own preference.
~I LOVE using grapeseed oil because it doesn't change the flavor of the food and it's quite healthy, similar to Olive Oil. I use it most often in cooking, especially stovetop cooking because it has a high flash point. Grapeseed oil is extremely expensive, so I buy it online in bulk at http://www.bulknaturaloils.com/
~The best Almond Flour around is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour. I also buy this online at http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/blanchedalmondflour5lb.aspx. Other brands of almond flour just can't compare. It's also expensive, but with a husband that doesn't handle gluten, you find a way to make the budget work! Besides, it has a higher protein content, which is great for me and my "reactive hypoglycemic" diet.
~Sea Salt is a little more coarse than traditional salt and seems to work better in gluten-free recipes. Not sure why, but I've tried both and I like the flavor better with sea salt. I buy mine from the local grocery store. A hint... it needs to be ground sea salt, not the coarse kind, otherwise its too large, like kosher salt.

Reactive Hypoglycemia

Shortly after Christmas, my energy levels decreased rapidly. Yes, pregnancy causes you to become more tired, but this was a bit ridiculous! I literally slept all day and all night for weeks. Not normal.

Having the previous history I do with fatigue, I knew something wasn't right.

Thankfully, James began a rotation that month with Dr. Similario, a diabetic. James shared with him some of the sugar issues I've had and that I was struggling with food and my energy levels. He referred me to one of the best diabeties clinics in the US located at Penn University Hospital. Although I don't have diabeties, no where close to it, they know their sugars and how to deal with imbalances.

It was truly a blessing from heaven to be sent there! I met with a wonderful doctor, Dr. Cardillo, who just had her own baby this month, and was diagnosed with "reactive hypoglycemia," which just means that my blood sugar drops below 70 when I eat simple sugars. The treatment, stay away from too many simple sugars and combine every starch I eat with a protein & fiber. Truthfully, it's the same diet I've had for years, but now I have a name for it! ;)

Dr. Cardillo sent me to see the clinic's nutritionist, Linda, to help me expand my food intake and make sure my pregnant self was getting all the calories it needed... which I wasn't, and still struggle with eating as much as I need to eat. Living on a tight budget and having to actually make almost everything I eat can be a bit of a deterrent.

I love Linda! She was most helpful and gave me so much liberty!! ;)

Here's what my eating life consists of now:

Breakfast: no more cereal without eating extra protein with it. I can have eggs and toast, peanut butter and pancakes, cereal with greek yogurt (with some extra protein from nuts or such)... Usually I have a couple of eggs with toast or cereal/milk and save the peanut butter and greek yogurt combos for snacks.

Lunch: left overs, usually. But I have to make sure I eat 3-4 oz of protein combined with some kind of carb (bread, pasta, rice, fruit, etc.), plus eat plenty of veggies!

Dinner: Again, 3-4 oz of protein combined with a serving of carbs, plus veggies.

Snacks: I eat snacks at 10am, 2pm, 4pm, 8pm ...ish. Basically, you eat every two hours! Especially being pregnant, I can't eat a whole lot at one time, so I eat smaller snacks throughout the day. This is what Linda helped me with the most. Here's my snack ideas:
     ~peanut butter with fruit (best with apples and pears - they have less sugar than oranges and bananas)
     ~greek yogurt - love it! Chobani is my favorite. Carb to protein ratio is almost equal. Add a few nuts and you're set!
     ~Blueberries have hardly any sugar, so I can eat them by the handfuls and not have much of a reaction! ;)
     ~Protein bars, mainly Luna or Purebar. Chocolate's not good for me or the baby so I stick with nuts & berries. And these actually taste good, amazingly.
     ~Cheese (cottage or ricotta or any type of block cheese) with crackers, bread, cereal, fruit, etc.
     ~more leftovers is always good

I try to rotate so I don't get too sick of any one thing, but these snack ideas have been a life saver for me! Much of my energy has return, although I still have the normal tiredness that comes from pregnancy... but it's not over-the-top exhaustion... most of the time. ;)

One great thing I learned from Linda is that I don't have to completely avoid sugar! As long as I eat it with protein I do alright. I still feel a bit of an affect from actual sugar, but it's getting better.

I also learned that eating a protein source all by itself (like just an egg or a handful of nuts) also causes a drop in the blood sugar. They must be combined... when you eat sugar, the body absorbs it quickly into the blood stream; when you eat protein, the body takes time to absorb it so your body doesn't get the sugar it needs quick enough. When you combine the two, the body doesn't absorb the sugar too quickly to spike your blood sugar, but it sustains the level of blood sugar over the course of two hours or so, hence why you must eat small meals all day long. ;)

Summary: Combine protein with every starch you eat! Eat small meals every two hours or so to maintain energy levels. Be creative with meal combinations to add variety and try new flavors!

Back to blogging

Sorry about my hiatus from blogging so shortly after I began. Pregnancy and other things took over my life, but I'm back... at least until the baby comes! ;) We'll see what life is like after that.

For now, I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes... cookies, breads, muffins, one-pot meals, and the like.

My goal is to fill this blog with several recipes before my baby is born so all of you can enjoy the yummy goodness! :)