Okay, this salad was made by default. We had just bought fresh cucumbers, green beans, and tomatoes at the farmer's market so I thought that a fresh salad would be perfect with our grilled chicken. Well, it turned out we actually did not have lettuce, so instead I made the simple salad without it, and I really enjoyed it!
3 medium tomatoes diced
2 cucumbers diced
Large handful for green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Toss in a large bowl and serve. Mmmm, it was cool and refreshing and full of good, raw nutrients!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Chicken Marsala
I got this recipe from another cookbook, but I change it up every time to make it how we like it. It is quick and perfect for a busy night when you still want a home cooked meal!
2-3 tbsp coconut oil (or organic butter)
1 pound hormone-free chicken (I usually either buy chicken breast and slice them into smaller pieces or buy the already cut chicken tenders)
1 pound mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus (break off ends and cut the rest into bite size pieces)
*Optional-green beans, shredded carrots, or any other vegetable you enjoy
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Garlic (diced/garlic salt works if you don't have fresh)
1/4 cup marsala wine (or another good cooking wine of your choice)
2 tbsp water
1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet and add garlic, sliced chicken, and asparagus. Saute' for about 10 minutes or until starting to cook well.
2. Add sea salt and pepper (any other seasonings you like would work also) and continue sauteing.
3. Add mushrooms and finish cooking.
4. Once the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is softening a bit, add the water and wine. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken a bit. The sauce will be a bit runny but it has great flavor! My husband likes it served over jasmine rice or brown rice pasta, but I prefer it plain. You could also add difference vegetable if you would like. Enjoy!
2-3 tbsp coconut oil (or organic butter)
1 pound hormone-free chicken (I usually either buy chicken breast and slice them into smaller pieces or buy the already cut chicken tenders)
1 pound mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus (break off ends and cut the rest into bite size pieces)
*Optional-green beans, shredded carrots, or any other vegetable you enjoy
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Garlic (diced/garlic salt works if you don't have fresh)
1/4 cup marsala wine (or another good cooking wine of your choice)
2 tbsp water
1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet and add garlic, sliced chicken, and asparagus. Saute' for about 10 minutes or until starting to cook well.
2. Add sea salt and pepper (any other seasonings you like would work also) and continue sauteing.
3. Add mushrooms and finish cooking.
4. Once the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is softening a bit, add the water and wine. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken a bit. The sauce will be a bit runny but it has great flavor! My husband likes it served over jasmine rice or brown rice pasta, but I prefer it plain. You could also add difference vegetable if you would like. Enjoy!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
My daughter LOVES this soup! It's a great meal, and it makes a big batch so there are lots of leftovers. It is also a great soup to make in large batches and freeze for easy meal preparations later.
1 whole free-range, hormone-free Chicken (Organic would be great if you can find it)
6-7 cups of chicken stock (homemade is best, see recipe on next post)
Diced Organic Mushrooms (any types)
Diced or shredded Organic Carrots
Diced Organic Celery
Diced Organic Zucchini
1-2 cups of Organic Wild Rice (uncooked)
Any other vegetables you would like to add (great way to 'hide' veggies if you have picky eaters)
1. I roast the chicken according to the package directions (usually at 350 degrees for about 1.5 hours). We usually eat half of the chicken with some green beans or sweet potatoes for dinner one night, and then I save the other half of the meat for putting in the soup (if you like more chicken in your soup, you could use all the meat). I then use my chicken bones to make a yummy stock (see recipe on next post).
2. Place diced chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and zucchini into a large pot. Add the chicken stock gel to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add the wild rice and bring back to a boil.
4. After the soup is boiling, drop heat to low and simmer covered for at least 1 hour. Feel free to stir occasionally and add sea salt or pepper to taste.
Feel free to add more meat or veggies so that your family enjoys this meal. My daughter has actually asked for it for breakfast because she thinks it's so yummy!
1 whole free-range, hormone-free Chicken (Organic would be great if you can find it)
6-7 cups of chicken stock (homemade is best, see recipe on next post)
Diced Organic Mushrooms (any types)
Diced or shredded Organic Carrots
Diced Organic Celery
Diced Organic Zucchini
1-2 cups of Organic Wild Rice (uncooked)
Any other vegetables you would like to add (great way to 'hide' veggies if you have picky eaters)
1. I roast the chicken according to the package directions (usually at 350 degrees for about 1.5 hours). We usually eat half of the chicken with some green beans or sweet potatoes for dinner one night, and then I save the other half of the meat for putting in the soup (if you like more chicken in your soup, you could use all the meat). I then use my chicken bones to make a yummy stock (see recipe on next post).
2. Place diced chicken, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and zucchini into a large pot. Add the chicken stock gel to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add the wild rice and bring back to a boil.
4. After the soup is boiling, drop heat to low and simmer covered for at least 1 hour. Feel free to stir occasionally and add sea salt or pepper to taste.
Feel free to add more meat or veggies so that your family enjoys this meal. My daughter has actually asked for it for breakfast because she thinks it's so yummy!
Organic Chicken Broth
The key to delicious and nutritious chicken broth is to get a good gel. When you have a gel, the broth contains the most nutrients.
Bones from a whole free-range chicken (cut into small pieces-cutting the bones allows the nutrients from the marrow to get into your stock)
1/2 organic onion coarsely chopped
1/2 organic pepper coarsely chopped
1/2 cup organic carrots coarsely chopped
1/2 cup organic celery coarsely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves diced
Lots of Ground Sea Salt
Lots of Ground Chicken Seasoning (which contains pepper, oregano, and basil)
6-7 cups of water
Bring everything to a boil, then simmer on low for at least 3 hours. After 3 hours, strain the broth into a large glass bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day the broth should be a gel-like form and ready to add to your favorite soup!
Bones from a whole free-range chicken (cut into small pieces-cutting the bones allows the nutrients from the marrow to get into your stock)
1/2 organic onion coarsely chopped
1/2 organic pepper coarsely chopped
1/2 cup organic carrots coarsely chopped
1/2 cup organic celery coarsely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves diced
Lots of Ground Sea Salt
Lots of Ground Chicken Seasoning (which contains pepper, oregano, and basil)
6-7 cups of water
Bring everything to a boil, then simmer on low for at least 3 hours. After 3 hours, strain the broth into a large glass bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day the broth should be a gel-like form and ready to add to your favorite soup!
Homemade Tomato Soup
This is sometimes a 'treat' meal for us...homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Normally, we don't eat much bread so once in a while we treat ourselves to this yummy meal. If you are making grilled cheese, choose organic whole wheat or seed bread (whole foods bakery makes some good ones) or ezekiel bread (found in the freezer section) and use organic raw cheese or goat cheese (instead of processed cheese slices). Either way, it is a warm and very simple meal that will please the whole family.
3 large tomatoes (diced coarsely and seeded)
1-2 cloves garlic (peeled and diced)
1/2 avocado (coarsely diced)
2-3 tbsp diced basil (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
Sea Salt to taste
Ground Pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and process until fairly smooth. You can place it in the fridge for later or heat up on the stove and enjoy immediately. If you want leftovers or have a large family, you may want to double this recipe (we can usually eat it all in one meal and there's only three of us). The avocado makes it creamier so if you like it thicker you may add more or less for thinner soup. Enjoy experimenting with different things!
3 large tomatoes (diced coarsely and seeded)
1-2 cloves garlic (peeled and diced)
1/2 avocado (coarsely diced)
2-3 tbsp diced basil (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
Sea Salt to taste
Ground Pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and process until fairly smooth. You can place it in the fridge for later or heat up on the stove and enjoy immediately. If you want leftovers or have a large family, you may want to double this recipe (we can usually eat it all in one meal and there's only three of us). The avocado makes it creamier so if you like it thicker you may add more or less for thinner soup. Enjoy experimenting with different things!
Eggplant Lasagna
This is one of my hubby's favorite meals! It is fairly simple to make and it also tastes great left over! I usually buy two or three eggplants so that we have leftovers. I am working on creating a yummy homemade spaghetti sauce, but until then I use a jar! I have also seen similar variations with zucchini added as well, so be creative and have fun with it.
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Bertolli's Organic-you can find it almost anywhere)
1 lb ground beef or bison (make sure it is grass-fed and good quality)
Several mushrooms diced
2-3 eggplants
Raw Mozzarella Cheese (I use organic valley brand or any other organic, raw brand)
1. Peel the eggplant and cut off both ends. Slice the eggplant the long way into this pieces (mine are usually about 1/4 inch thick but you can choose how you want it). Lay out a paper towel on the counter and cover with fresh ground sea salt. Spread the eggplant slices on the towel and cover with more sea salt. Cover with another paper towel and place a plate or dish on top to add weight. Leave this sit for about 30 minutes while you make the sauce. This softens the eggplant and makes it more 'noodle-like.'
2. Brown the beef or bison with the dices mushrooms. Add sauces and simmer so sauce can thicken. Add sea salt or any other Italian spices you prefer (we love basil added to our sauce).
3. Shred the raw mozzarella to prepare to build your mini-lasagna.
4. After eggplant has soaked in sea salt for at least 30 minutes, layer the lasagna. I usually make several mini-lasagnas that are each three layers thick. Start with eggplant, then add I large scoop meat sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella (you don't need much cheese since the raw mozzarella has such a nice flavor), eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, eggplant, sauce, mozzarella. When I made it this week, I had 3 small eggplants and it made four mini-lasagnas (perfect for dinner one night and lunch the next day).
5. Bake the lasagna at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!!!!
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Bertolli's Organic-you can find it almost anywhere)
1 lb ground beef or bison (make sure it is grass-fed and good quality)
Several mushrooms diced
2-3 eggplants
Raw Mozzarella Cheese (I use organic valley brand or any other organic, raw brand)
1. Peel the eggplant and cut off both ends. Slice the eggplant the long way into this pieces (mine are usually about 1/4 inch thick but you can choose how you want it). Lay out a paper towel on the counter and cover with fresh ground sea salt. Spread the eggplant slices on the towel and cover with more sea salt. Cover with another paper towel and place a plate or dish on top to add weight. Leave this sit for about 30 minutes while you make the sauce. This softens the eggplant and makes it more 'noodle-like.'
2. Brown the beef or bison with the dices mushrooms. Add sauces and simmer so sauce can thicken. Add sea salt or any other Italian spices you prefer (we love basil added to our sauce).
3. Shred the raw mozzarella to prepare to build your mini-lasagna.
4. After eggplant has soaked in sea salt for at least 30 minutes, layer the lasagna. I usually make several mini-lasagnas that are each three layers thick. Start with eggplant, then add I large scoop meat sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella (you don't need much cheese since the raw mozzarella has such a nice flavor), eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, eggplant, sauce, mozzarella. When I made it this week, I had 3 small eggplants and it made four mini-lasagnas (perfect for dinner one night and lunch the next day).
5. Bake the lasagna at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!!!!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Back to School Snacks
A friend of mine posted some of these on her blog, and I thought it was a great idea for back to school lunchbox meals and after school or anytime snacks!
- Organic, nitrate-free deli meat on Ezekiel bread (or plain as my daughter loves to eat it)
- Almond butter and banana sandwich on Ezekiel bread
- Apples slices with almond butter
- Salads (if kids help make them, they seem to enjoy them even more)
- Ants on a log (celery with almond or cashew butter and raisins)
- Lara-Bar (fruit & nut bar)
- Hummus with carrot sticks, sliced peppers, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.
- Fruit (Apples, Oranges, Peaches, Grapes, Avocados, Bananas)
- Black Beans & Brown Rice
- Hard-boiled Eggs
- Gluten-Free Crackers (Mary’s Gone Crackers)
- Coconut Milk Yogurt
- Organic Applesauce
- “Back to School Brownies” (Made with Coconut Flour)
- Homemade Lemonade (lemon juice, water, & stevia)
- Trail Mix (Almonds or Cashews, Dried Cranberries or Raisins, Carob Chips, Coconut Flakes - Mix & Match for Many Variations!)
- Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups ( If using store bought, check ingredients carefully!)
- Homemade “Granola” or “Energy” Bars
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Getting Started!
The purpose of this blog is to provide people with great tasting and easy recipes for the whole family. As a Chiropractor's wife, I am often asked what we eat and what we feed our daughter, so here are some ideas! We love trying new things and finding healthy alternatives to the typical 'junk food.' Our family tries to buy the best ingredients to cook with. Some great places that we shop on a weekly basis are Target, Whole Foods Market, and in the summer we love Farmer's Markets! Of course, there are many other great places to find quality food. You can find good food almost anywhere, so keep your eyes open. I will try to include many different recipes that your family will enjoy. I do not claim to have created these recipes...I just take bits and pieces from other recipes and experiment with them to fit our lifestyle. So far, I am happy with many of my creations!
I hope you enjoy!!!!!!
I hope you enjoy!!!!!!
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