Busy Mommy!

After ten fun months of blogging and sharing REAL food recipes, it's time for me to take an indefinite break.  Motherhood continues to keep me more and more busy (which I love!)!  A HUGE thank you to all who have shown interest in my blog!  I hope to get back to sharing recipes in the future, but until then, please continue to strive to eat clean and  REAL food...I believe it is one of the best things you can do for your body!  It sure has been life changing for my family and me!
Blessings to each of you!
~Davis

October 15, 2013

Sweet Potato Pie

Notes:

-I made several changes to this recipe.....

two large sweet potatoes and cooked the potatoes in the oven the day before

added a splash of vanilla

used 3 whole eggs

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup maple syrup (replaced the brown sugar)

I didn't toast or chop the pecans and I didn't use the extra maple syrup for the pecans

Italian Sausage Spice Blend

Notes:

I used this spice blend with ground beef and it was delicious!

(picture below: cheesy pasta, topped with the ground beef and chopped tomatoes)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Notes:

-I used homemade chicken stock

-I used whole milk

-I used whole wheat flour

African Chicken Peanut Stew

Notes:

-I used breast meat

-I used olive oil

September 7, 2013

Easy Beef Casserole

Notes: 

-I omitted the Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce

-I replaced the sugar with honey

-I used more cheese than what the recipe called for

Chicken & Rice Casserole (from scratch)

Notes:

-I replaced the sour cream with plain greek yogurt

-I used whole milk instead of cream

-I used brown rice instead of white

-I added steamed broccoli to the finished product

Bacon-Broccoli Quiche

Notes:

-I used whole milk instead of the cream, which meant it had to cook a little longer

-The bacon is not listed in the ingredient list, so don't forget to add it to the grocery list

Homemade Lasagna

Notes:

-I used Walnut Acres Organic Zesty Basil Pasta Sauce

-I used Farmer Cheese instead of the ricotta cheese

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Notes:

-I baked the sweet potatoes in the oven a day before I made this dish

-I used beef instead of pork

-I seasoned the beef mixture with salt

-I used 1 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

-I added 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

-I added a few tablespoons of pure maple syrup to the mashed sweet potatoes 

Quinoa, Roasted Vegetables, Raisins & Walnuts

Notes:

-I basically used  this Roasted Vegetable Loaded Potato recipe and adjusted it 

-I used quinoa instead of a potato (quinoa was cooked in homemade chicken stock)

-black raisins were used instead of golden raisins

-raw walnuts were used, I didn't toast them

-omitted the vinaigrette

September 24. 2013

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella & Garlic Oil

Apple Nachos
Note: This is the recipe I used for the chocolate - Homemade Chocolate

Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Notes:
-I used honey in place of the brown sugar
-I did not use the barbecue sauce

Paleo Banana Bread Muffins 
(A friend passed this recipe along to me.  She couldn't remember where she found this recipe, but it's wonderful!)

-2 cups almond flour
-1/4 cup flax seed meal
-2 tsp. cinnamon
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. baking powder
-2/3 cup chopped pecans
-4 really ripe bananas
-2 Tbsp honey
-4 eggs
-1 tsp. vanilla

*sift the dry ingredients together
*in a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas, eggs, honey and vanilla
*slowly stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
*add the pecans
*bake muffins at 375 for 17-25 minutes

Overnight Oats
Notes:
-I didn't add the salt
-I added the mashed banana right before eating the oats, not the night before

Morning Glory Muffins

Swiss Chard Lasagna
Notes:
-I did not use the red pepper flakes
-I used Farmer Cheese in place of the ricotta

September 12, 2013

Cucumber Salsa
Notes:
-I used plain greek yogurt in place of the sour cream
-I ate the salsa on top of some broiled hamburger patties (see recipe below) and baked salmon
-I think feta would be good with this salsa!

Saltimbocca Burger

Notes:

-I just made the patties (picture above), not the full burger recipe

-I used ground beef and dried sage leaves 

-I cooked the patties in the oven

Paleo Dinner Muffins

Notes:

-I may make these next time as cupcakes and throw some icing on them!

Butternut Squash, Spinach and Cheese Pizza

Notes:

-I used a homemade whole wheat pizza crust

-I used feta in place of the goat cheese

-I didn't use the cornmeal or the all-purpose flour

September 4, 2013

Cinnamon Quinoa Bake
Note:
-I used organic whole milk, instead of the soy milk
-I did use the pure maple syrup
-I topped the bars with all natural peanut butter (one ingredient)

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

Notes:

-I used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour

-I omitted the crushed red pepper flakes

-I used whole wheat bread crumbs (from my homemade bread)

Maple Butternut Squash Casserole

Notes:

-I omitted the pecans and brown sugar

-I added a little organic whole milk to the casserole

-I stirred raisins into the casserole

-I topped the casserole with unsweetened shredded coconut and raw walnuts

(picture below: roasted green beans, yellow squash casserole and the maple butternut squash casserole)

Pumpkin Zucchini Chia Bread (Vegan and Whole Grain)

Notes:

-I used organic whole milk in place of the almond milk

-I used honey, not the agave

-I used 1 c cooked butternut squash in place of the pumpkin

catching up.....

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I've blogged!!  I never realized how little free time you get as a mom and especially with a busy toddler!  Anyway, I have lots of yummy REAL food recipes that we've enjoyed over the last month or so.  Let's see if I can catch up a little.....

Vegetable Pancakes

Dairy Free Chocolate Mousse

I used organic whole milk instead of coconut milk.  

Also, I garnished my mousse with unsweetened shredded coconut and sliced almonds. 

Turkey Sloppy Janes

Mexican Layered Casserole (Paleo)
(I would suggest using 1 or 2 cloves of garlic instead of 6)

Salmon Patties, Squash Casserole, Zucchini Fritters, Baked Fried Chicken

I love these salmon patties!  They are so easy and take hardly any time to throw together!

Salmon Patties (Best of Grain Free Meal Plans Volume 1 By: Cara Faus)
12 oz. of wild caught salmon (canned with no bones or skin)
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

I baked the patties on 375 for 10-15 minutes on each side or until done.

Baked Salmon Patties

I got this squash recipe from a friend of mine.  She said it  has been passed down in her family for several generations.  I made a couple of changes to it and it turned out great!  My husband doesn't like squash or casseroles, but liked this!  We will definitely be making this again!

Confetti Squash Casserole
1-2 cups grated cheese
8-10 yellow squash, diced, cooked and drained (I roasted the squash to cook it - olive oil, sea salt and pepper)
1 cup (or more) soft bread crumbs (I used homemade wheat bread)
3-4 small sweet red mini peppers, diced (seeds removed)
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup hot whole milk (microwave for 1 minute)
2 tsp. dried parsley (or 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley)

Mix all the ingredients together.  Pour into a greased dish.  Bake for 1 hour at 375.

Confetti Squash Casserole

Greek Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini
sea salt
eggs
herbs (for example: dill, mint, parsley)
ground cumin
fresh breadcrumbs (I used homemade wheat bread)
black pepper
feta
I baked mine, so I didn't use any flour or oil.  I baked them at 400 for 15 minutes, them I flipped them and baked them another 20  minutes.
Once the fritters where on the plate, I topped them with plain greek yogurt, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, chopped green onions and chopped cucumber...YUM!!!

Greek Zucchini Fritters with Confetti Squash Casserole

Baked Fried Chicken (Best of Grain Free Meal Plans, Volume 1 By: Cara Faus)
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp (or less) cayenne pepper

Mix together the flour, salt, peppers. and seasoning.  Dampen the chicken and dip into the flour mixture.  Once the entire breast is covered with the "batter", then place in a greased 9X13 dish.  Bake the chicken at 375 for 35 minutes or until done.

Baked Fried Chicken with Confetti Squash Casserole

Roasted Chickpeas

Not only did I enjoy these roasted chickpeas, but my toddler did too!  They are great on a salad, on a wrap or just by themselves!
~Davis


Simple Roasted Chickpea Snack
olive oil
ground cumin
garlic powder
chili powder
sea salt
black pepper
crushed red pepper (I omitted this ingredient)
cooked chickpeas

Here are some other roasted chickpea recipes that I haven't tried yet, but hope to try out soon:

Spicy Oven-Roasted Chickpeas
cooked chickpeas
olive oil
ground cumin
chili powder
cayenne pepper
sea salt



The Roasted Chickpea Three-Way:

Maple-Coconut Roasted Chickpeas
chickpeas
olive oil
maple syrup
unsweetened shredded coconut
sea salt

Sriracha-Lime Roasted Chickpeas
chickpeas
olive oil
Sriracha
lime juice
sweet paprika
sea salt

Honey-Cinnamon-Ginger Roasted Chickpeas
chickpeas
olive oil
honey
cinnamon
ground ginger
nutmeg
sea salt

Salmon Tacos, Refried Beans, Quinoa Salad Burritos, Beef Sausage, Roasted Green Beans

Gosh, this busy mom seems to get more and more busy each month, so I am behind on sharing the delicious REAL food recipes we've been  enjoying!  So, let's play catch-up.....


Chili Lime Salmon Tacos
Salmon
fresh lime
taco seasoning (I used a homemade mix)
tortillas (made from sprouted grains and in the frozen section of the grocery store)
cabbage
fresh cilantro
salsa

Homemade Refried Beans
pinto beans
butter
onion
garlic
cumin
paprika
sea salt
chili powder
black pepper
milk

Chili Lime Salmon Tacos with Homemade Refried Beans

South of the Border Quinoa Salad Burritos
olive oil
fresh garlic
fresh cilantro
lime juice
sea salt
zucchini
mushrooms
quinoa
black beans
tomatoes
avocados
cheese (not in original recipe)
tortillas (made from sprouted grains and in the frozen section of the grocery store)-in place of the chips

South of the Border Quinoa Salad Burritos

Beef Sausage (recipe from Best of Grain Free Meal Plans Volume 1 by: Cara Faus)
3 pounds ground beef
1 finely diced onion
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp basil
2 eggs

Mix ingredients and form into patties.  I broiled the patties at 500 degrees, 8 minutes on each side.

Roasted Green Beans and Feta
green beans
olive oil
kosher sale
pepper
garlic powder
crumbled feta (sprinkled on green beans after roasted)-didn't use Parmesan cheese

Beef Sausage with Roasted Green Beans

Carrot Raisin Walnut Cookies

So, I am in love with this recipe.  The "cookies" turned out delicious and my toddler loves them too!  I will be making these on a regular basis.

Enjoy!
Davis


Carrot Raisin Walnut Cookies
(Choosing Raw)
Ingredients:
-rolled oats
-sea salt
-cinnamon
-flax meal
-carrots
-pitted dates
-water (I omitted this ingredient)
-walnuts
-raisins

Sweet Potato Hash

Ok, so these were better than ANY hash browns I have ever had!   I loved the mix of spices/herbs!  Hope you enjoy this easy recipe too!
~Davis


Sweet Potato Hash
(Nom Nom Paleo)
Ingredients:
-sweet potato
-kosher salt
-pepper
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-dried herbs (I used chives, dill, basil, & tarragon)
-coconut oil

Vegetable Fried Rice

This was an easy dish to prepare and yummy!
Enjoy!
Davis


Vegetable Fried Rice
(100 Days of Real Food)
Ingredients:
-brown rice
-coconut oil
-onion
-fresh ginger
-fresh garlic
-frozen mixed vegetables
-eggs
-sea salt
-pepper
-soy sauce
-sesame oil

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

This meal was AWESOME!!!!  I assembled my dish slightly different than what the recipe says to do.  I simply baked the potatoes (I did  regular white baking potatoes for my husband who won't eat sweet potatoes).  Once the potatoes were cooked, I split them open and topped the potatoes with the  black bean salad.  We will definitely be making this meal again...YUM!

Enjoy!
Davis


Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad
(Karista's Kitchen)
Ingredients:
-sweet potaotes
-coconut oil
-limes
-sea salt
-pepper
-honey
-olive oil
-chili powder
-green onions
-corn
-black beans
-fresh cilantro

Baked Custard

I love custard and this recipe turned out great!  What I loved most about this recipe is that it only calls for six ingredients!  It's super easy to made and I love that it's REAL food!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Baked Custard
(The Nourishing Cook)
Ingredients:
-organic whole milk
-organic heavy cream
-honey
-egg yolks
-vanilla extract
-sea salt
(I topped the custard with unsweetened shredded coconut and fresh blueberries)

Tuna Bacon Cakes

When I read the ingredients for this recipe, I knew it was going to taste good.....and I was right!  These tuna cakes were pretty easy to make and had a wonderful taste!  I served the cakes over swiss chard with tomatoes and avocado.  We will definitely be making this again!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Tuna Bacon Cakes
(Multiply Delicious)
Ingredients:
-sweet potato
-green onions
-wild albacore tuna
-bacon
-cilantro
-fresh garlic
-lemon zest
-eggs
-coconut flour
-sea salt
-pepper
-coconut oil

Apple Pie Paleo Granola

This grain-free granola was delicious!  It's different than your typical granola, but equally as good.  It was easy to make and smells like gingerbread cookies!  I enjoyed eating the granola on plain greek yogurt that I sweetened with pure maple syrup.

Enjoy!
~Davis


Apple Pie Paleo Granola
(Multiply Delicious)
Ingredients:
-almonds
-pecans
-walnuts
-pumpkin seeds
-pitted dates
-unsweetened shredded coconut
-cinnamon
-nutmeg
-allspice
-ground cloves
-ground ginger
-sea salt
-unsweetened apple sauce
-coconut oil
-maple syrup
-vanilla extract

Homemade Crackers

These were delicious and it was really neat to make my own crackers!  My toddler loved them too!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Homemade Crackers
(My Delicious Life/Consider It Joy Baking)
Ingredients:
-almond flour
-Parmesan cheese
-onion powder
-egg
-butter
-sea salt

Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

The other night we had Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with fresh watermelon for dessert.  It was all delicious, but I especially liked the crunchy vegetables and fresh herbs in the Tabbouleh salad!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs
(from Daphne Oz in the 6/3/13 People magazine)
serves 4
-3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
-1/4 tsp. dried oregano
-2 lbs. organic, skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red pepper, and oregano.  Add chicken, and marinate the meat for an hour in the refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 425.  Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet.  Discard the remaining marinade.  Bake about 20 minutes.


Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
(Closet Cooking)
Ingredients:
-water (or homemade chicken stock, which is what I used)
-quinoa
-tomatoes
-cucumber
-fresh parsley
-fresh mint
-green onions
-100% pure lemon juice
-olive oil
-ground cumin
-sea salt
-pepper

Rosemary Roasted Chicken

I made this chicken to use as sandwich meat.  Much better for you than those highly processed luncheon meats!  Oh, and it makes the house smell amazing while it cooks!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Rosemary Roasted Chicken
(100 Days of Real Food)
Ingredients:
-fresh rosemary
-fresh garlic
-fresh lemons
-olive oil
-sea salt
-pepper
-chicken

Spicy Thai Noodles

We had this for dinner tonight and it was out of this world good!!!  Also, it was super easy to make!  I will definitely will be making this again!

Enjoy!
~Davis


Spicy Thai Noodles
(A Small Snippet)
Ingredients:
-100% whole wheat pasta (one ingredient)
-crushed red pepper (I used 1 Tbsp., but I think next time I will use 1/2-3/4 Tbsp.)
-Sesame seed oil (1/2 cup) - note that all of the vegetable oil was omitted from the recipe per the "update", which was a good move!
-honey
-soy sauce
-green onions
-carrots (I used 1/2 of a 16 oz. bag of baby carrots and shredded them)
-fresh cilantro
-toasted sesame seed (I omitted this ingredient)
-peanuts (I used 5 Tbsp. of homemade peanut butter instead of whole peanuts.  I just whisked it in the sauce before combining the sauce with the noodles)

Walnut Butter

Raw walnuts are one of my favorite nuts!  I had never even heard of walnut butter, until recently, and when I ran across this recipe, I was eager to try it!  This walnut butter recipe did not disappoint!  I've enjoyed it on bananas and organic apple slices.  It's even tasty right out of the jar!  Next time, I will probably double the recipe, but other than that, no other adjustments need to be made!

Enjoy!
~Davis

Walnut Butter
(Walnuts.org)
Ingredients:
-raw walnuts
-sea salt
-coconut oil (or walnut oil)
-honey (I used 2 tsp.)
-cinnamon (I used 1/2 tsp, but could have maybe added more)