Pickled Summer Squash

Getting Spring Fever already!! Can't wait to dig in the dirt to plant those first tiny seeds in the ground. There is something magical about watching things grow and appreciating all that God has supplied us with.

I had lots of summer squash last year. Apart from giving some away, I froze some for the winter. I have to say, they were packed down at the bottom of the freezer and not too many have surfaced until now. While I was rummaging around the other day, mostly to see what was left we need to eat before I can thaw out the freezer this year, I ran across these neglected gems. Even though the snow will still be on the ground for another 15 days or so, I have a plan for these right now. Hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me have one of your favorites, please?

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED:

10 cups thinly sliced summer squash (or zucchini)

2 cups thinly sliced onion rings

2 cups thinly sliced green pepper

1 large jar diced pimento

2/3 cup salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak sliced squash, onions, and green pepper in 2 quarts salted water for 2 hours. (2/3 cup salt to 2 quarts of water) Then after 2 hours, Drain.

CANNING SYRUP INGREDIENTS:

3 cups sugar

2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 tsp celery seed

2 tsp mustard seed

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine syrup ingredients and bring to a boil. Drop drained vegetables and pimento into the syrup but don’t cook. Mix well. Put mix into hot sterilized jars and cover with syrup. Process in water bath for 15 minutes.

Just a side note, pickled foods are good for us in small amounts. Rule of thumb: Not too much to start out, because the salt/vinegars can raise your blood pressure by retaining water in your body. I would recommend 3-4 slices until you see how you feel tomorrow. If you get swollen hands, feet or legs, don't eat that many next time. That is pretty much my rule for everything food related. See how it affects your body. Especially if you don't grow your own food. Best of Luck, reach out if you have questions.

Sweet Potatoe Brownies

One Potatoe
   Two Potatoe
      Sweet Potatoe...More!!

Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 C cooked sweet potato puree
½ C Applesauce
¼ C honey
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 eggs
1/4 C Coconut flour
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
½ C cacao powder
½ tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
¼ C honey
½ C almond butter
¼ C cacao powder
½ C coconut milk
pinch Sea Salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a bowl, combine avocado, sweet potato, applesauce, honey and vanilla.
3. When creamy, add in cacao powder
4. Add in eggs one at a time
5. In a separate bowl, combine coconut flour, arrowroot flour, salt and baking soda.
6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
7. Grease 8x8 pan with coconut oil and line it with parchment paper
8. Bake for 25-35 minutes
9. Let cool, then enjoy!

OH SO...CHEESY ORGANIC CAULIFLOWER BREADSTICKS!

INGREDIENTS

·  4 cups of riced cauliflower (about 1 large head of organic cauliflower)

·  4 eggs

·  2 cups of your favorite cheese

·  3 tsp oregano

·  4 cloves garlic, tsp of minced

·  salt and pepper to taste

·  1 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese (for topping)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Prepare 2 pizza dishes or a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

      2.  Make sure your cauliflower is roughly chopped in florets. Add the florets to your food processor and pulse until cauliflower resembles rice or hand chop or grind.

      3.  Place the cauliflower in a pot with a little water and bring to a quick boil for about 2 minutes. Place the cooled cauliflower in a large bowl and add the 4 eggs, 2 cups of cheese, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

      4.  Separate the mixture in half and place each half onto the prepared baking sheets and shape into either a pizza crust, or a rectangular shape for the breadsticks.

      5.  Bake the crust (no topping yet) for about 25 minutes or until nice and golden. Don't be afraid the crust is not soggy at all. Once golden, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

      6.  Slice and serve with your favorite organic marinara sauce

NOTES

I don’t recommend a microwave, it kills so many of the good enzymes in our food. If you have no other method, use it for just long enough to make the riced cauliflower soft.

Butternut Squash Soup is the Nuts!!

Any Season Soup!

Served HOT or COLD it's delish!

Save the seeds that you carve out of the squash and let them dry on a paper plate for a few days, put them in a paper envelope until next years planting. Be sure to write what it is on the front, or get a surprise in your garden:) 

This can be frozen in small amounts and thawed quickly when that unexpected company is coming to town.

Ingredients: 

·         1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 carrot, diced

·         1 celery stalk, diced

·         1 onion, diced

·         4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen

·         1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or crushed thyme

·         4 cups water (to cover squash)

·         low-sodium chicken broth( powder, cube or paste) to taste

·         1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: 

    Place in a large pot: all ingredients (because I love to do it quick and easy). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. You can use an immersion blender, blender, bullet, ninja to purée the squash for creamy smooth soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in an upright blender. 

Three Twists

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme. 

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

Enjoy this winter squash any time of the year!!

Stay Healthy,

Simply Easy Group Breakfast or Brunch!

Casserole in the crock ! 

Ingredients:
1 bag 26 oz. frozen organic hash browns
12 organic eggs
1 cup organic milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. turkey sausage
Sea Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Spray with organic cooking spray the crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I've come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add salt.......and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. 
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.

Some fun variations of this recipe. Before cooking (during prep) you can add:

diced chiles
salsa
diced green onions

Old Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

Old Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cubed
2 small cans organic chicken broth
1 onion, finely diced

4 med cut carrots cut on a diagonal

2 stalks of cut celery

Directions

Place the chicken,broth, onion,carrots and celery in a pot on the stovetop, and cover.
Cook about 30 minutes, drain off the broth into another pan to thicken for gravy.

Mix up 1/3 cup flour and water in a shaker container until runny then wait until the broth
is boiling and pour in the flour and water mixture while whisking .
Return gravy back into the original pot and bring back to a slow bubble.

Mix up the Dumplings:  recipe makes 6 dumplings

1cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS margarine

Directions

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Stir in milk to make a soft dough. Drop by spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cover and simmer 

without lifting lid. Dumplings will look wet on the outside but will be dry on the inside when 

cooked. So test the insides for doneness. 

You will love these once you make them. 

So will everyone at the table.

Simply Zesty!!

Zesty Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
• 4 large diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1 15-ounce can black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt ( or lemon juice)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup prepared salsa
• 2 cups shredded or chopped lettuce
• 1 cup shredded taco cheese blend
• 2 1/2 cups thin tortilla chips

·       

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn; cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop 1 tomato. Add it to the pan along with rice, beans, chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato cooks down, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Coarsely chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Combine with cilantro, salsa and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a medium bowl.
3. Toss lettuce in a large bowl with the bean mixture, half the fresh salsa and 2/3 cup cheese. Serve sprinkled with tortilla chips underneath or around the edge for dipping.

Simply Healthy Cooking 4U: Simply Tasty!!

Simply Healthy Cooking 4U: Simply Tasty!!: Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients 8 cups 1-inch-thick slices cauliflower florets, (about 1 large head)...

Simply Sizzlin'!!

Grilled Mahi Mahi

Ingredients:

6 (6 oz.) mahi mahi fish fillets, 1/2" thick

Dressing:

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. honey

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt (you can omit)

1/8 tsp. white pepper

 Preparation:

• Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. For dressing, in a small bowl combine cilantro, lemon peel and juice, oil, honey, garlic, and salt. Mix well.
•  Place fish fillets into glass baking pan and pour dressing over; turn fish to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly grease indoor electric grill and preheat or fire up the outside grill.  Drain fish, discarding marinade. Place fish on the grill rack, tucking under any thin edges. If using a covered grill, close lid.
• Grill until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, about 2 to 3 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish on a two sided grill. On uncovered grill, cook for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish, turning once halfway through grilling. Makes 6 servings. 

Grilling fish can be tricky. I cheat and use foil on the grill with poked holes because I tend to flip the fish and it gracefully slides between the grates of the grill. 

Tell us your grilling secrets and enter to win a surprise! 

Write in your secrets below and we promise to tell!! (so sign your name:)

 

Simply Creamy!!

 

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow macaroni (2 cups)
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk (or unsweetened milk substitute)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons of margarine
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

 

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender.
2. Melt margarine and add flour until it's smooth.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in another large pot over medium-high heat until just simmering.
4. Add warm milk a little at a time into the flour mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in Cheddar cheese until  melted and creamy. You can return to stove to melt on very low heat and stir continuously until melted.

What do you add to your mac and cheese?? 

****Tell me in the comment section below,
                     and enter to win something healthy this week!!

Simple and Fun!!

 Cooking can be a chore if you make it one.

Keep it simple. 

Fix meals that only use 4 ingredients.

Take two days a week (usually Sunday & Thursday) and cut up veggies and fruits

Now here is your first recipe and it's healthy too!!

                                  BEEF STROGANOFF

 

1 lb Beef Round Steak, cut into small strips or chunks

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Package Egg Noodles or Favorite Pasta

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Brown the beef and drain

2.) Cook the pasta according to package directions.

3.) Stir into the Beef>Mushroom Soup,1/2 cup sour cream,1/4 cup of water, stir and heat until hot.   Add cooked noodles, Mix and serve immediately.

You can feel free to make substitutions and then add  your comment in the comment section. I will choose a winner every week to get a healthy surprise!! So add those comments !!

Think Healthy!!

Sandra