One Pot Peanut Thai - 21 Day Fix Approved!

This is so easy.  Prep first by cutting up veggies and smashing garlic.  Slice up some fresh ginger and get some tofu cubes baking in the oven or use some diced up chicken from leftovers!  This makes 3 servings.  One Green One Yellow One Red and 2 Tsp

3 Green containers of veggies

4 Garlic cloves smashed

1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2" piece of ginger, sliced up

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp brown sugar

3 Yellows of rice noodles (eyeball this)
3-4 Cups water or veggie broth

3 Reds of tofu or chicken or a combo of both 

Juice of 1 lime

Cilantro

Throw everything listed above (except the last three items) and let simmer until the noodles and veg are soft.  Toss with the bottom three ingredients and you're done!

I simply typed this recipe out so I could find it easily.  It was originally posted on this wonderful blog found here:  http://www.hendersonfitness.com/julies-blog

Thanks Julie!!

Best Cornbread Ever

You'll bookmark this one...

1 Cup cornmeal
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 Cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt

2/3 Cup vegetable oil
1/3 Cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons honey (tip: put a smear of vegetable oil in the tablespoon first so the honey all comes out)
4 eggs beaten
2 1/2 Cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Use your largest mixing bowl and mix the dry (top half) of the ingredients.  Then pour in the wet (bottom half) of the ingredients.  Pour it all in your baking dish and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  It should be golden brown on top and just starting to crack a bit.

All I can say is you're welcome.

We found the original recipe here.

Red Curry Lentils and Veg

I love lentils.  I love curry.  I love veggies.  I love cheap dinners.

When I saw the recipe that inspired us to make the following recipe, I thought, "I love ginger, I love garlic, I love coconut milk, I love rice, I love lentils, I love that I can add anything I want to this recipe - Let's make it!"

We made it as follows, but you can do whatever you like to it to make it something special.
The recipe that inspired us can be found by clicking here.

Photo from the original recipe found on apinchofyum.com.

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
1/2 large onion diced (we used vidalia)
1 yellow zucchini cut into bite size pieces
bamboo shoots (this was something we added and LOVED - used just 1/2 can of them)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar (I would have liked a teeny bit more of this)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (we used one clove)
1 tablespoon of minced ginger (Whenever we buy ginger, we shave the peel off and cut into inch size chunks and freeze them in a freezer bag.  It keeps well and is much easier to grate when frozen!)
1 14 oz can tomato puree
1/4 cup coconut milk or cream (we used coconut milk and I would definitely not be scared to use more than 1/4 cup next time)
Cilantro for garnishing
rice for serving

So you will want to prepare your lentils first and drain them and set to the side.
Get all of the rest of the ingredients lined up and begin to melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add the onions and allow them to saute for a while until they just start to turn golden.
Add all the spices.  (red curry paste, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, sugar, garlic, minced ginger)  Stir fry this together for a few minutes and then add tomato puree and coconut milk or cream.  Stir and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or more if you'd like.  I stuck to 15 minutes because I like it a little soupy so it will soak into my rice a little.
Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

A few other veggies that would be great in this would be peas or roasted red peppers. Even sauteed carrots!  Fun to experiment.  I will continue to update this entry as we make the recipe again and again.

Avocado Sorbet

A wedding gift from one of my very best friends was a beautiful cookbook that she created by asking all of the women in my life to contribute recipes to it.  It is filled with so very much love, photos, and yummy recipes.  Jack and I decided that we are now on a mission to make every single recipe in that book.  This is one of those recipes. 

Thank you Jennifer Dixon!

You will need a blender, and either a microplane or a tiny grater for zesting a lemon.

Ingredients:

1 ripe large avocado (I used 2 small ones)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 cup almond milk or soy milk (original recipe called for 1/2 and 1/2 - but it's too fatty)

2 tsp lemon zest 

1/3 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice (which is roughly two lemons)

Throw it all in a blender and mix until smooth consistency.  You can either pour into an ice cube tray, a plastic tupperware or even popsicle molds!  

Great served with fresh raspberries, strawberries or any fruit of your choice!

This also makes a great smoothie as you can use yogurt instead of milk and drink without freezing.

Love it!

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a GREAT soup that makes a large portion that can be warmed up for a few days.  It's even better on day #2!  You can make your own egg noodles or simply buy them at the store.

*Gluten Free Option:  Use rice noodles and use gluten free soy sauce.

 Do you have both of these?

If you DO - then you can make the egg noodles for the soup yourself!  I love making my noodles fresh. I think it makes a big difference.  If you're looking for a great pasta roller that easily attaches to your counter-top when you need it CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ONE.

Follow the recipe for making your egg noodles by CLICKING HERE.

If you DO NOT, you could also purchase your favorite egg noodles from your local grocery store and use them in the following recipe: (original recipe was found in the White Grass Flavor Cookbook)

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion diced (about 2 cups)

1/2 medium cabbage, sliced very thin

2 stalks celery, diced  (or more because it's yummy)

3 carrots, diced (we used more than 3 because we love carrots)

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin (we used the whole thing)

1 tsp salt

2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless) rinsed

8 cups water (we did 10-12 cups for more broth)

1/2 lb fresh greens:  Kale, swiss chard, spinach or collards, cut into strips (we use spinach - so great!)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp sesame oil

8 oz. egg noodles (we used about 1 lb)

hot chili sauce, optional (Sriracha is the best)

Chop all vegetables and keep separate.

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add oil.

Cook onions 2 minutes then add cabbage.  Cook additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then add celery, carrots, garlic and peppers, cook 5 minutes.

Add water, salt and chicken thighs.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer 30 minutes on low. 

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.  Separate fatty parts of the chicken so you don't get any icky bites while eating your soup.  Break meat into bite size pieces and return to the soup.

Add greens to broth.  Then season soup with soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.  

If you're using store-bought noodles, add them now and simmer until they are cooked, about ten minutes.

If you're using homemade noodles, boil them separately and strain.  Put noodles in your bowl and top with soup.

This is where you add the sriracha - to your bowl.  I also add a little salt to my bowl too.  

Basic Egg Pasta Dough - KitchenAid Mixer style

This recipe is from The Complete KitchenAid Stand Mixer Cookbook and makes about a pound of pasta.

You will need a KitchenAid Mixer for the following instructions:

3 eggs
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Tablespoon EVOO
2 1/4 Cups all purpose flour

Attach flat beater to stand mixer; beat eggs, water and oil in mixer bowl at low speed to combine.  In three separate additions, add flour to make dough that clumps together.  Stop mixer and press a few tablespoons of dough into small ball; dough should feel tacky, moist and pliable.  If too wet, beat in flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.  If too dry, beat in water, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Gather dough into a ball.

Replace beater with dough hook.  Knead on low 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.  Shape dough into ball and wrap in plastic wrap; let rest at room temperature 20 minutes or refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut dough into quarters.  Flatten one piece of dough; dust with flour.  Re-wrap remaining pieces to prevent drying out while you flatten the dough.

Using your pasta roller flatten out the dough to desired thickness and then roll through desired dough cutter to create your noodles!

If you don't have a pasta roller you can roll the dough our very thinly and cut desired strips.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

This literally takes about 15 minutes to put together and less than 30 minutes to "set". 

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 bag large marshmallows (10 ounces)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons, divided
• 6 cups crisped rice cereal
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or if you're like me, you'll just use the whole bag)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter

Lightly grease (I just rub butter all over the inside) a 9-inch x 13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until melted. Remove from the heat, add the peanut butter and stir well. Add the cereal and stir until well combined. Carefully press into the pan with wax paper or buttered fingers.

Mix together the chocolate chips and 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter and melt (easiest in one of those glass measuring cups in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted). Pour the chocolate over the crisped rice treats and spread evenly. Let sit until the chocolate is set (I place the dish in the refrigerator - it's faster!). Cut and serve.