Veggie Walnut Tacos/Tostadas

I know what you’re thinking, walnuts? Walnuts can make an excellent substitute in the meat free taco.

This mixture will make 8 tacos

Ingredients

Corn tortillas, I like to corn tortillas per taco

2 Anaheim chiles, seeded and diced

1/2 white onion diced

One large ear of corn cut off the cob

3/4 walnut pieces

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 teaspoon each, sea salt, and show chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin

In a skillet add grapeseed oil and turn to medium heat. Add onions, Chili’s, corn and sauté for about 20 minutes. You want the vegetables to look caramelized. At the walnuts and the spices and cook for two more minutes. Remove from heat.

You can use this mixture in a taco or a tostada using black beans or refried beans as the base. Top with sour cream, cilantro, green onions and a dash of Sirracha.

Vegetable and Turkey Tomato Soup

This recipe is a great weeknight meal! It’s quick and kid approved! Just remember to take out the turkey in the morning.
I like to substitute turkey instead of beef but either is a yummy choice.

Ravioli with Pesto, Shrimp and Arugula

Ingredients:

Shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pesto sauce 

Ravioli

Arugula

Parmesan cheese

Lemon

Himalayan salt

Procciouto

Cook the ravioli per package instructions. Meanwhile please arugula that you have tossed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per serving sprinkled with Himalayan salt and fresh Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the plate. When the ravioli have finished cooking toss them lightly in a tablespoon of pesto and place on top of the arugula. Cook the shrimp on the stove with 1 tablespoon of pesto and a dash of olive oil until cooked through and then place the shrimp on top of the ravioli ( as many as you like) finally top with prosciutto, I like to crisp it in the oven on 375 for 10 minutes, and then sprinkle the dish with more Parmesan cheese.

Christmas Morning Monkey Bread

Christmas morning is full of excitement! Having a warm and sweet breakfast starts the morning off right. Here is my no fuss recipe! Enjoy:)

Ingredients:

2 cans Grands Butter biscuits

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter

2 cups light brown sugar

1TBS cinnamon

In a large ziplock bag add white sugar and cinnamon. Next, add biscuits. (I put them on a cutting board and cut them into 4,s. shake the bag and coat the dough. 

Next, combine the brown sugar and melted butter.

Place dough In greased bunt pan. Pour butter and brown sugar mix over the top. 

Bake for 4o min at 350 degrees

Let it sit for 5 min before turning over into a plate. 

Goes great with a side of bacon!

Rainy Day Macaroni and Cheese

It is rainy and stormy today in Newport Beach. The house is cozy and I am craving something warm and tasty. I usually do not eat pasta. I usually substitute carrot or zucchini noodles instead. But today called for the real deal. 

Makes a 13×9 dish

Ingredients:

I box lg macaroni noodles (cook in boiling water that is heavily salted for eight minutes only and then drain. Remove to a large bowl and wait for other ingredients)

1 stick butter

8 TBSP flour

4 cups whole milk

2 TBSP ground mustard

1 egg

1 TBSP salt

1 TBSP black pepper

1 pinch nutmeg

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs lightly toasted in 2 TBSP butter.

2 cups of cheese + 1 cup to sprinkle on top (I like cheddar and jack)

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat add one stick of butter and 8 tablespoons of flour. Using a whisk melt the butter into the flour.  Add the mustard powder and whisk. Slowly add in the milk and continue to whisk. 

Crack one egg into a small bowl and mix. Set aside . When the mixture is hot add some of the hot liquid into The bowl with cracked egg and mix. This will temper the egg so when you add it to the mixture it does not make scrambled eggs. 

Add the egg in with the white sauce. Add salt and pepper and nutmeg and continue to whisk as the sauce thickens. When the sauce resembles a thick gravy ,add in 2 cups of cheese and continue to whisk until melted. When he cheese is melted add the cheese sauce into the bowl with the macaroni and toss to coat evenly.

Place the macaroni with the cheese sauce in a 13 x 9 casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese and toasted breadcrumbs and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Bon appétit!

   
    
 

Pizza made with quinoa crust

I admit it I love pizza I really love anything that has to do with carbohydrates! I also know that I don’t feel very well when I eat too many carbs made with white flour so I’m always looking for fun alternatives for my favorite comfort foods. I posted earlier I recipe with cauliflower pizza crust.  It was super tasty but not to durable. Tonight I tried quinoa pizza crust. It was totally easy to make and could withstand all the junk I wanted to place on the pizza. Bon appétit!
3/4 cup quinoa

1/2 tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

1/4 cup salt
Soak three force cup quinoa in 2 cups of water for at least 8 to 10 hours. Drain the water and rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Place the quinoa in a food processor with all other ingredients and blend about three minutes. 

Put the dough onto parchment paper and bake in the oven at 425° for 15 min. Flipped over onto baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray remove parchment paper and return to the oven for 10 minutes. 

Put all of your yummy toppings on and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly and looking yummy!

This week I topped it with Trader Joe’s blend of Parmesan, asiago, fontina, provolone, and mozzarella cheeses as well as fresh mushrooms, black olives, and Trader Joe’s gourmet pepperoni. Don’t judge, it’s been one of those weeks!

   
    
    
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Banh Mi Pizza

A favorite treat of my husbands and I used to eat bánh mì sandwiches. We always choose the pork belly version and it is delicious! This pizza is inspired by one of my favorite sandwiches. Enjoy!
Ingredients

Marinade for thick cut bacon

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons pure grade B maple syrup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Two cloves of garlic finely minced

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

One green onion chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cut one package of Applewood smoked bacon into 2 inch pieces. Place the bacon and the marinade in a large Ziploc bag and let sit in the refrigerator at least two hours or overnight.
Pickling liquid for vegetables
1/2 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Bring top three ingredients to a boil on the stove top. Let cool.

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup shredded jicama or radish

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber

Add pickling liquid to the vegetables place in a large Ziploc bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise

One large tablespoon hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Make sure to taste this and add more ingredients as desired.
After the bacon and the vegetables have been marinating at least two hours, in separate containers, place the bacon pieces individually on top of a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 375° for about 15 or 20 minutes. The marinade will caramelize as it cooks so be careful not to burn the bacon.

In the meantime prepare your pizza crust and brush with garlic butter. You can easily make garlic butter by combining better and minced garlic in a pan and simmering it on the stovetop. Add desired amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese . Bake in the oven at 500° until the pizza is done
Make sure the liquid is drained from the vegetables and top the pizza with the vegetable mixture, cooked bacon, one cup of chopped cilantro, 4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, Cold sliced jalapenos with the seeds removed and the aioli drizzled on top,

Turmeric Oven Roasted Chickpeas

I don’t know about you, but I love a crunchy, nutty and a bit salty snack. I love nuts but dislike the fat content. I also love to add different textures to dishes such as mixed roasted root vegetables over quinoa. These tasty little morsels are a yummy snack on the go, packed full of protein! Also, try it sprinkled on salads or mixed in your buddha bowl. I personally like to munch mine for a quick energy bite in the middle of the day!

Ingredients:

1 bag of dried chickpeas

(Soak in warm water, covered, overnight. Drain, then add fresh water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook another 2 hours. The chickpeas can be stored in the fridge for about 4 days so I like to cook them over the weekend and then get them ready Sunday afternoon as I prepare ingredients for the week’s menu)

Drain the chickpeas (I use about half a bag for each batch of roasted chickpeas)

Dry the chickpeas (just place on a town and lightly pat dry to try and get most of the water off)

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil (4 TBS…or more, see what you think)

Sprinkle with salt (1 TBS) onion powder (1/2 TBSP) garlic powder (1/2 TBSP) turmeric powder (1/2 TBSP) and toss.

Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Every 15  min, go in and shake the pan around.

You will notice the chickpeas becoming darker and even looking dark brown in some spots. You do not want them to burn but the more roasted they are the crunchier they are which makes for such a delicious snack!

Serve warm or wait until they are cooled and store in a container. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days if sealed in a container.

 

 

Praline Bacon

I know, I know….this is not considered a healthy eating recipe. BUT, it is amazing so I am posting it.  Remember, healthy eating is about making good choices. Once in a while if you indulge in a treat, enjoy! Just get back on the horse the next day. Happy eating!

Praline Bacon Recipe

1 lb. Good quality thick cut Bacon
4 Tbsp Steen’s Cane Syrup
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a wire rack on a sheet tray. Combine the Pecans and brown sugar. Lay the bacon side by side on the rack, place in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is sizzling and starting to brown around the edges. The object is for the bacon to cook about 3/4 of the way through before adding the topping.

Push the partially cooked bacon as close together as possible on the rack and brush with the cane syrup, this will give the topping something to grab on to. Cover generously with the Pecan/brown sugar topping. Place back in the oven for about 10 minutes more or until the topping is bubbly and the bacon is good and brown. Let cool.

As the Praline Bacon cools it will set up and have a nice chewy bite to it.

Serves 4 as a side.

Praline Bacon Recipe