recipe Archives

Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies

2014/10 By Lauren B. Stevens 7 Comments

Fall is my absolute favorite season. The colors, the smell of leaves, the crisp, damp air; everything about the fall ignites my senses and makes me want to spend as much time as possible outside. And…one of my favorite things about fall are pumpkins. I don’t go for those overly sugary pumpkin coffee drinks, but I do get excited about cooking with pumpkin.

A longstanding joke in our household is my incessant need for canned pumpkin each fall (I’m too impatient to prepare pumpkin myself). Years ago, a pumpkin shortage made canned pumpkin difficult (and expensive) to find. The following year, concerned that I’d miss my window of pumpkin opportunity, I had my husband pick up canned pumpkin as soon as he saw it in the store. He came home with no fewer than SIX cans (that’s love, isn’t it?)! So, each year, when a chill overtakes the warm, summer breeze, my husband asks if I need any canned pumpkin. Not long after, my culinary pumpkin creations commence.

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Oil-free Flax & Walnut Zucchini Bread

2014/07 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

My garden is really starting to produce, which means I’m having to get creative with the zucchini my SIX plants are producing. I tend to make zucchini bread each summer, so I’ve been using my abundant crop to perfect my recipe. I don’t like overly greasy breads (carrot, banana, zucchini), so I try to cut the oil by substituting applesauce, and had a couple of bags of flax meal and flaxseed in my pantry that needed to be used. If you’ve not yet gotten on the flaxseed bandwagon, here’s the perfect recipe to get you started! Flaxseed is rich in antioxidants (moreso than blueberries or olives), and is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. If you substitute whole wheat flour in this recipe (my husband can only take so much…), you have an amazing whole grain bread recipe! [Read more…]

Tasty Ham Frittata w/ Asparagus, Grape Tomatoes, Chives & Brie

2014/04 By Lauren B. Stevens 3 Comments

Despite buying the smallest ham I could find, we were left with leftovers from our Easter dinner this past Sunday. To spice up our leftovers, I decided to make a frittata on Monday for dinner. I love making frittatas because they’re incredibly quick, easy, and utilize ingredients that are readily available in a well-stocked pantry/larder. I like to keep holiday dinners simple because a.) I’m the one doing all of the cooking, and b.) I’d rather spend quality time with family than be a slave to the kitchen, fussing over elaborate meal preparations. Our Easter dinner was a simple spread of a ham, asparagus, red fingerling potatoes with fresh chives, sautéed carrots with dill, and the obligatory deviled eggs. On Monday, I diced leftover ham, thinly sliced the potatoes, and chopped the asparagus & chives. I happened to have some grape tomatoes on hand and had served a nice brie cheese before Easter dinner — both of which were wonderful compliments to my frittata.

Heat oven to 375

Ingredients:

2 c. sliced red potatoes

1 1/2 c. diced ham

1 c. chopped asparagus

1 c. grape tomatoes

1/4 c. chopped fresh chives

6-8 slices brie cheese

6-8 large eggs, scrambled (can sub. 4 whole eggs & 4 egg whites)

Frittata – bottom layer of potatoes

I sautéed my diced ham in one pan while I began sautéing my potatoes, in a tablespoon of olive oil, in another. Once my ham was browned and my potatoes had created a crisp bottom layer in the pan (approximately 10 minutes), I added the ham, asparagus, grape tomatoes and 8 eggs, scrambled (I used 4 whole eggs & 4 whites only — you can just use 6 eggs if you wish to bypass using whites) to the pan with the potatoes. I cooked over medium heat, constantly moving the pan and using my spatula to pull the cooked egg from the side of the pan, tilting to allow raw egg to fill the space (approximately 5-8 minutes). Once most of the raw egg on top of your frittata is cooked (by continually pulling up the edge of the frittata and tilting the pan to allow raw egg to fill in), top your frittata with sliced brie & chives, and place into a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until egg is cooked and brie is melted. Serve with a lightly dressed micro-greens salad and you have the perfect meal (it’s child-friendly too)!

WWE – Rigatoni with Kale Pesto

2013/11 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

*This post contains affiliate links.

I am still going strong with the eMeals.com plan, loving how simple it makes my meal planning, shopping, and cooking. This week’s plan made it difficult to choose only 4 or 5 meals (I don’t cook every night), so I chose 6! Check out this week’s amazing menu:

Slow-Simmered Bolognese Rago with Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Whole Wheat Couscous
Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers with Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Rigatoni with Kale Pesto and Balsamic Sliced Tomatoes
Shrimp Pad Thai with Steamed Edamame

The pesto was absolutely delicious, as Declan can attest (he LOVES pesto sauce!):

This kid (and adult) approved recipe is so good that I have to share:

Rigatoni with Kale Pesto

16oz. package whole wheat rigatoni
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
16oz. bag chopped fresh kale
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic
1oz. package fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon sale, 3/4 teaspoon pepper

Prepare rigatoni according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add kale and cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Place pine nuts in a food processor; with lid on and food processor running, drop garlic through food chute and pulse until minced. Remove lid and add kale, basil, Parmesan cheese, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, salt, and pepper; process until smooth. Add pesto to cooked pasta; cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly warmed.

Take advantage of this AMAZING offer from eMeals! 15% Off Your Order plus a Free Comfort Foods PDF when you use code Dinner15

Citrus-Grilled Chicken å la Zaycon Foods

2013/10 By Lauren B. Stevens 3 Comments

In June, I had an informative post about the Farm to Truck [to YOU] company, Zaycon Foods. On October 7th, I had the fortune to participate in Zaycon’s Chicken event, free of charge, so that I could share my experience here with all of you. (Thank you US Family Guide & Zaycon!)

What is Zaycon Foods? Zaycon Foods is a company founded on the Farm-to-Table philosophy, providing all-natural, hormone-free meats (and some produce & dairy) from the farm, to their truck, to you. Fresh, not frozen. How does it work?

Zaycon has what it call ‘events’ for different products. You register on their site (referral link HERE) and look for events in your area (i.e. chicken, beef, milk, honey, berries, etc.). Once you find a local event, you place your pre-order, at a set price, and wait for that particular event’s date. The location and pickup time of each event is listed when you go to place your order, so you are able to fit the time and location that best fits your schedule. These pickup windows are small (mine was 30 minutes), but it literally takes only 2-3 minutes for you to drive through and pick up your order.

I took part in my local event for boneless, skinless, hormone & antibiotic free chicken breasts. The price per pound was INSANE ($1.84/pound) because you are buying in bulk (40lbs.). Picking up my order was extremely easy (and convenient with a baby in the car).

Q: So, how is Zaycon able to provide high-quality, natural meats and produce at such low prices?

A: Zaycon Foods can sell its products at bulk rate prices to individual consumers and families because our unique sales event business model brings lots of people together, adding all their purchasing power into a combined bulk food purchase. And when you buy as part of a group that’s committing to such a large purchase, the power is in the hands of the purchaser! It’s the ultimate group buy in terms of both price and consumer empowerment.

I literally spent more time taking photos of the event than I did picking up my chicken! When I got home, I unpacked my box of delicious chicken and went to work trimming, splitting and individually portioning my chicken breasts. The packaging was great – no mess or yucky chicken juice leaks. Zaycon goes out of its way to ensure that you have a mess-free experience. My box of chicken was placed on top of a garbage bag [that they laid down] in my truck. The box itself is a type of laminated cardboard, coated to protect against moisture. The chicken inside was double bagged – not a single drip of chicken juice was to be found on the inside of the box.

From the handpicked natural meats, to the care in packaging and the wonderful customer service, I will definitely be ordering from Zaycon’s next local event (my husband has his fingers-crossed for pork). Sign up today and start enjoying Zaycon’s quality natural products at budget-friendly prices. I would appreciate it if you used my referral link to sign up HERE.

Our first meal with Zaycon’s delicious natural chicken breasts was another winner from our eMeals meal plan: Citrus-Grilled Chicken w/ Cilantro Brown Rice. ENJOY!

Citrus-Grilled Chicken
2 oranges
1 lemon
1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Grate rind from oranges, lemon, and lime into a large bowl; squeeze juice from oranges and add to bowl. Add oil, garlic, and chicken, tossing to coat; cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Prepare grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done. Bring marinade to a boil in a medium saucepan; boil 5 minutes. Drizzle evenly over chicken before serving.

Cilantro Brown Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onion. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Add water according to rice package directions; stir in salt and pepper. Cook according to package directions. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Now that I have a TON of chicken breasts, I need ideas: What’s your favorite chicken recipe?

STOP! Don’t Throw Out Those Food Scraps…

2013/10 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

…turn them into something tasty, like this Cream of Asparagus Soup! I’ve previously written about saving your vegetable trimmings to turn them into a tasty stock, but asparagus stalks I save in another bag by themselves. We’ve eaten a lot of asparagus in the past few months, so I had well over a pound of trimmings saved in the freezer. At the first burst of chilly fall weather, I decided to turn those asparagus stalks into a hearty Cream of Asparagus Soup.

This was a two day process for me because…you guessed it: I decided to make my own chicken stock for the soup base. I save chicken bones like I do vegetables, adding to gallon freezer bags as I go. When I have carrots or celery, on their way out or not, I’ll stick a few in my vegetable or chicken stock bags so that I really only have to empty the bag into a pot and add water. I also cook with fresh herbs weekly, but still seem to have some left over. Before those herbs go bad, I pop some in those bags of veggie trimmings and chicken bones – anything goes: parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary – whatever you have on hand will lend itself to the flavor of your stock.

This particular time, I made chicken stock the day before I was going to make my asparagus soup. I let the chicken stock chill overnight so that I could easily skim the hardened excess fat from the top before I cooked with it.

Once skimmed, I added my asparagus trimmings and let them simmer to create this recipe (tweaked from epicurious), adding two 12oz. packages of frozen asparagus spears for more flavor:

2 pounds green asparagus

1 large onion, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

Add asparagus pieces and onion to chicken broth and simmer for approximately an hour (the longer it cooks, the more robust the flavor will be). Add salt and pepper to taste. Use an immersion blender or purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in heavy cream. If you are using asparagus stalks as I did, be sure to strain your soup before serving to remove any leftover strings/twiggy pieces.

What’s your go-to fall soup?

WWE – Stuffed and Baked Tomatoes

2013/10 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I’ve been playing catch-up since we returned from vacation, especially since the entire family came home with a cold. So, I just got back into the eMeals swing of things this past week. One of our favorite meals on the menu was the Stuffed and Baked Avocados, for which I substituted tomatoes. We love avocados, but I just couldn’t find enough nicely ripened avocados at the store to complete the recipe. If you decide to substitute tomatoes as I did, be sure to sprinkle some salt in them (after hollowing them out) and place them upside-down on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. I didn’t take the time to do this, so our stuffed tomatoes were a little watery – no biggie.

Here’s a look at our menu from last week:

South of the Border Stuffed & Baked Avocados w/ Corn & Black Bean Saute´ (our 14MO LOVED this one)
Pork Chops & Pears w/ Parslied Parsnip Mash
Stovetop Lasagna w/ Creamy Green Salad
Herbed Chicken Legs w/ Tomatoes & White Beans and Steamed Asparagus
Bistro Steak Salad

South of the Border Stuffed and Baked Avocados

3 large avocados, cut in half and pitted
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
3 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup fresh salsa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop about 2 tablespoons avocado from each avocado half (as you would a baked potato).Combine chicken, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, salt, and pepper; spoon into avocado halves. Place avocados on a foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and avocados are tender.

Corn and Black Bean Saute´

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ears fresh corn, cleaned, shucked, and kernels cut off cobs
2 (15 oz) cans no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add garlic and corn kernels. Saute´4 minutes or until corn is tender. Add black beans, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Cook 3 minutes longer or until thoroughly warmed.

What’s On The Menu? Coconut Fish w/ Citrus Salsa

2013/09 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

We’re on vacation this week, so I’m veering from the meal plan for a few days (even I need a vacation from cooking!). However, I still want to share one of my favorite recipes from this past week: Coconut Fish w/ Citrus Salsa & Roasted Garlic Sesame Broccoli. I have to say that this was my favorite recipe yet — the fish tasted like a restaurant quality dish — amazing!

So, what do you think so far? Have I convinced you to give eMeals a go yet? You can sign up for a month at a time and choose from any of the 12 different dinner plans:

Classic Meals
Clean Eating
Paleo
Mediterranean
Slow Cooker
Low Carb
Low Fat
Portion Control
Natural & Organic
Simple Gourmet
Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Add on lunch and dinner plans to further simplify your meal planning needs. Want more information, or are ready to try it for yourself? Just click the eMeals box on the right side of the page, or simply click the link at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

Coconut Fish with Citrus Salsa

6 tilapia fillets

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large egg whites

8oz package frozen organic shredded unsweetened coconut, thawed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 large jalapeno, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

Dredge tilapia in cornstarch; sprinkle evenly with salt. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; dredge fish in egg whites and then in coconut, pressing to coat. Heat half of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook half of fish 4 minutes per side or until fish flakes with a fork. Repeat with remaining fish and oil. Combine oranges, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl; serve over fish.

Roasted Garlic-Sesame Broccoli

6 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
** I added 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to this recipe for a little ‘heat’

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together broccoli, sesame oil, olive oil, garlic, and sy sauce on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally.

What’s On The Menu? Loaded Pork Nachos

2013/09 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I look forward to Wednesdays when eMeals sends my meal plan for the next week. I take a day or two to make my selections (5 of the 7 meals on the plan), shop and begin cooking for that week on Friday. Here’s what’s on the menu this week:

Grilled Sirloin Steak w/ Warm Bean Salad

Vietnamese Pork Tenderloin Medallions w/ Honey Roasted Carrots

Bread Loaf Pizza & Romaine Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette

Coq au Vin w/ Smashed Garlic Potatoes

Penne w/ Shrimp & Olives and Steamed Asparagus w/ Lemon

One of our favorites (it’s tough to pick one as they’re all great) from this past week was the Loaded Pork Nachos. I previously mentioned how the meal plans utilize ingredients amongst the week’s meals, but the Nachos used leftovers from the Pulled Pork Sandwiches we had earlier in the week — the first time we had used the main for another dish. I really like how the eMeals plan has eliminated our produce waste and reduced clutter in our fridge! I’m happy to share the Loaded Pork Nacho recipe with you here:

Loaded Pork Nachos

6 cups multigrain tortilla chips

3 cups Pulled Pork (from Meal 1)

8oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 cups shredded lettuce

1 cup fresh salsa

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 avocados, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread chips evenly on a large oven-safe platter or rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Top with pork and cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and pork is warm. Top evenly with lettuce, salsa, sour cream, avocado, cilantro and green onions.

Corn and Black Bean Saute

3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cleaned

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 (15oz) cans no-salt-added black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Cut corn off cobs. Saute corn and garlic in oil in a medium saucepan 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in beans, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Cook 4 minutes or until hot.

What’s On The Menu? Linguine w/ Clam Sauce

2013/08 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I am absolutely LOVING my eMeals Clean Eating Plan! I’m whipping up gourmet meals, sauces and all, in 45 minutes or less. Cooking dinner’s not as daunting as it’s been, and grocery shopping? Grocery shopping is breeze with a list made up and organized for me, I need only drive to the store and put the items in my cart!

I thought I’d share what’s on the dinner menu for this week. Again, I only choose 5 of the 7 meals on the plan to cook each week (the other two days are leftovers and maybe eating out). I start the meal plan each week on Friday, so we’re almost through this week’s menu (and the family is loving it so far). Without further adieu:

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork w/ Broccoli Salad
Margarita Chicken Thighs w/ Citrus-Cilantro Brown Rice
Loaded Pork Nachos w/ Corn & Black Bean Saute
Grilled Chicken Sausages w/ Sweet & Sour Slaw
Coconut Fish w/ Citrus Salsa and Roasted Garlic-Sesame Broccoli

As you can see, there are some repeats of ingredients on this week’s menu. I really like the fact that the meal plan makes great use of all of the fresh ingredients purchased each week. Gone are the days where I buy beautiful vegetables…only to have to toss them because they’ve gone bad. With eMeals, most, if not all, of the fresh ingredients are used throughout the meals planned for the week — no waste!

Here’s the recipe for a dinner that was a hit with the family our first week. We’ll likely be eating it again in a couple of weeks when we head to the beach…this time with fresh clams that we’ve gathered!

Linguine w/ Clams

8 oz. whole-wheat linguine
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
3 (6.5 oz) can chopped clams, drained w/ juice reserved
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
6 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package directions; keep warm. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute 1 minute or until tender; add wine and 1 cup reserved clam juice. Cook 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Add clams, parsley, basil, and pasta, tossing to coat. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.