Cuban Style Black Beans

Cuban Style Back Beans

This was really good just served in a bowl with rice and your favorite toppings!

Baked Potato Soup

This was really filling and tasty.

Baked Potato Soup

I used 1/3 of the sour cream that it called for and it was still really good.

Split Pea Soup with Barley and Ham

Who doesn't love an easy crock pot recipe?
Split Pea Soup with Barley and Ham

I used deli lunch meat ham in mine cause I couldn't find any other ham in the grocery store!

egg salad

NOT YOUR AVERAGE EGG SALAD

• 2-4 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 c cooked quinoa
• 2 eggs
• sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• salt & pepper

1. Set a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. Carefully crack both eggs into the skillet. Let cook for about a minute.
3. Add about a tablespoon of water to the pan and cover. [The water and the lid will help the eggs cook by gently steaming them.]
4. Let cook a few minutes more until the tops are white. For very runny yolks (i.e. over easy), cook for 1-2 minutes; for slightly cooked/slightly runny yolks (i.e. over medium), cook for 2-3 minutes; for gross yolks (i.e. over hard), cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and remove lid.
5. Place greens and quinoa on a plate, slide the eggs on top, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and season to taste.
6. Split egg yolk open and devour.

For Emily-baby food

I saw these baby websites and thought of you, Em. I think you will like these :)

http://www.nurturebaby.com/index.php/recipes

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/index.htm

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/6-to-9-month-baby.html

http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/first-foods

eating more veggies

Devin has a hard time eating veggies (surprise)! So lately i've been pureeing my veggies and adding them into things. Like spinach, carrots, cauliflower, squash ect... and adding it into any and every recipe! pancakes, cottage cheese, eggs, shakes...

It's a great way to get kids AND Devin to eat veggies, because he doesn't even know it's in there. mwahahahaha

Another fun idea I saw:

Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks. One great idea comes Lynsey. She only gives her kiddos healthy options and then lets them choose. She does this by filling each hole of a muffin tin with only healthy choices such as - carrots, string cheese, yogurt, grapes, turkey slices, broccoli, edamame, orange slices, sliced banana, etc.... Look how happy these two look!

*Is it creepy that I just put a picture of kids we don't even know on our

blog? Oh well, now you get the idea!

another good blog with GF recipes!

http://www.flourchildblog.com/p/recipes.html

Candy Chex

5 cups each: corn chex, rice chex, honey chex

1-2 Cups roasted almonds

2 Cup shaved coconuts (if you like coconut-yuck)

Combine and bring the following to a boil in large sauce pan:

1 stick butter, 1 Cup corn syrup, 1 Cup sugar

Boil for 1 minute. Remove f rom heat and add 1 Tsp. Vanilla

Pour over the cereal and almond mix.

Push it onto a large sprayed or waxed paper cookie sheet sit it can be broken up easily when cooled.

City Deals

Have you guys heard about city deals? It's so amazing! Before you go out to eat or do anything really, check city deals to see if you can get a coupon. I needed a gift to give someone, and so I went on there and bought a gift card for a sushi place... I spent $10.00 but the gift card value was 20 bucks! I just printed it out right then.

http://www.citydeals.com/location/search/index?q=&customer_location=&zip_miles=50&category=&filter=popularity&customer_location=All&zip_miles=25&per_page=50

Another Gluten Free Food Blog

http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/01/recipe-index-cakes-flourless-chocolate.html

sweet potato black bean enchiladas

Quickie Green Chili Sauce:

1 cup light vegetable broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch dissolved in a little cold water
1 generous cup chopped roasted green chiles- hot or mild
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder, hot or mild, to taste

(Honestly, if you're feeling lazy, just grab a can of green chili sauce from the shelf, making sure that it'sGF, of course.)

For the filling:

1 15-oz can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 big juicy lime
2 heaping cups cooked sweet potatoes, smashed a bit, but still chunky [I cube mine, then soften just a little]
1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or curry, mild or spicy, as you prefer
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro


To Assemble:

2-4 tablespoons light olive oil or vegetable oil, as needed
8 white corn tortillas (I used Mission gluten-free tortillas)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or vegan cheese, if desired
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Choose a baking dish that would hold 8 enchiladas.

Make your Quickie Green Chile Sauce by combining the broth, dissolved arrowroot, green chiles, garlic and spices in a sauce pan and heating over medium-high heat. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer until thickened. Taste test. Set aside.

In the meantime, using a mixing bowl, combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat the beans and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine the lightly smashed sweet potatoes with the chopped green chiles; add the spices. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Quickie Green Chile Sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

Grab a skillet and heat a dash of oil. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften them - one at a time - as you stuff each one. (Corn tortillas are amazing if you spray them lightly with olive oil and heat them up first. Otherwise they are super dry.)

How do I stuff thee?

Lay the first hot tortilla in the sauced baking dish; wet it with the sauce. Spoon 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/8 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. If you like, top with a sprinkle of shreddedMonterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the enchiladas are piping hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Serve with a crisp salad of baby greens and herbs spiked with oranges, strawberries, watermelon or halved grapes.

Sweet Potato cornbread

Sweet Potato Cornbread

3 large organic free-range eggs

1/2 cup extra light olive oil or vegetable oil

3/4 cup sweet potato puree (We have used as much as 2 cups. You can use this brand, but we ususally end up cooking and mashing our own.)

3/4 cup organic light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract

1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free stone ground cornmeal

1 cup Pamela's Ultimate Baking Mix

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice blend

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 8-inch cake pan and dust it with cornmeal.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy; add the oil; whisk again to combine. Add in the sweet potato puree and mix well. Add the light brown sugar, and bourbon vanilla extract, and mix to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, gluten-free flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie Spice blend, and sea salt.

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the dry ingredients into the wet; and stir by hand just enough to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake on a center rack in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or so, until the cornbread is firm to the touch and golden. Check with a wooden pick, if necessary; if it emerges clean, the cornbread is done. Serve slightly warm with a dab of your favorite butter or buttery spread. (We personally love honey on top, that is if we're not dipping it in the chili.)

White chili

White Chili

Sautée:

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

In Crock-pot, combine:

Sautéed onions

48 oz. can Great Northern Beans

1 4 oz. can chopped or diced mild green chilies

2 tsp ground cumin

1 ½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken broth (We use Pacific Organic Free Range Chicken Broth)

5 large chicken breasts

3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Cook for three hours on low heat, remove chicken, shred into small pieces and return to crock-pot. Cook for one more hour. Add cheese the last half hour for thicker chili.

To serve:

Lay corn tortilla chips in bowl, and then chili over chips. Top with Monterey Jack cheese, avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. If you don't care if the chili stays white, use your favorite salsa too.

Note: To make this dish in a hurry, use 2-3 cans of chicken breast meat. Do not drain. Break up the meat before adding to the pan. Heat the chili on the stove top on medium heat. It can be ready in an hour since all of the ingredients are cooked already.

Black bean nachos

Black Bean Nachos
by www.trainermomma.com

10 Beanitos Black Bean chips
1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup monterey jack cheese, reduced fat
1/2 cup pico de gallo (I bought mine in bulk from Costco)
2 Tb Greek yogurt, fat free
1 tsp lime juice

In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt with lime juice and set aside.

Lay the chips on a microwavable dish. Sprinkle the black beans and cheese over chips. Microwave for 50-60 seconds until cheese is melted.

After the cheese is melted, top with pico de gallo and yogurt mixture.

Eat immediately.

Serves 1. 325 calories per serving.

Gluten Dairy Sugar Free Granola

I haven't tried this one yet but I had to put it up here so I don't forget! Looks like a winner!
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2010/11/gluten-dairy-sugar-free-homemade-granola/

Fighting sweet cravings

take fresh blueberries and blackberries, drizzling a little bit of honey on top...adding some raw pecans or almonds or walnuts (whatever you have/want) and shaving a tiny bit of dark chocolate on top. HEAVEN.

Another salad

Dressing-

Garlic clove

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons of olive oil

5 tablespoons of canola oil

4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Smash the garlic clove with the back of your knife, remove skin and toss it into a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Measure out and pour in the oils and finally add the vinegar. With a small whisk or a fork, whisk the dressing together until it seems to be mixed well and then set aside. The layers will separate, but just give it a quick whisk again before you pour it over the salad.

Salad -

1 head of red leaf lettuce, torn apart, washed.

1/2 a white onion, sliced

1/2 to a whole avocado, pitted, cubed and scooped out

cherry tomatoes

All of these ingredients (plus whatever else you like) go into a big salad bowl. Toss well, and serve immediately. Any leftover dressing can be covered in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for a few days.

Green monster

The Green Monster


Ingredients:
2 Cups Raw Baby Spinach
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1 Cup Almond Milk (I prefer Unsweetened Vanilla)
1 Banana
Ice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients into blender in the following order: flax seeds, spinach, banana, milk, and ice. Blend well. Drink up!

Sweet treat-strawberries

You'll need:

Strawberries - washed and dried.

Greek Yogurt - I prefer Fage 0%

Brown Sugar

3 Bowls

In one bowl place washed and dried strawberries. In another bowl spoon in greek yogurt. In the third bowl spoon in some brown sugar. Here's where it gets tricky. Step 1: select strawberry. Step 2: dip into yogurt. Step 3: roll lightly in brown sugar. Step 4: take a bite. Step 5: Smile. :)

“If only we understood who we are and what is in store for us, our hearts would overflow with such gratitude and happiness that it would enlighten even the darkest sorrows with the light and love of God, our Heavenly Father. It is my prayer and blessing that when you look at your reflection, you will be able to see beyond imperfections and self-doubts and recognize who you truly are: glorious sons and daughters of the Almighty God." Elder Uchtdorf

Giving all my secrets away

I know you guys thought I was the princess of creativity (mom being the queen), but I have a confession... I get all my ideas from the internet! So, I decided to give you all my secrets :0

Now if you ever need an idea or whatever, you can thank me :)

www.onecharmingparty.com

www.trainermomma.com

http://www.birthdaygirlblog.com/

http://www.whipperberry.com/

http://www.nobiggie.net/

http://www.havyourcake.com/

http://afoodiestaysfit.com/

Cake pops

These are fun because you can make them whatever color you want and then use them for bday parties, valentines treats, christmas treats ect...

*1 box Gluten free cake mix (whichever flavor)-Betty crocker or Pamela's is probably the best

*1 tub Frosting (make sure it's gluten free!)

*your choice of chocolate (dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or the chocolate made for melting and dipping works too!)

*Sucker sticks or wooden sticks the size of suckers (can get at craft store)

*Wax paper and cookie sheet

Make GF cake like usual. Once it has cooled, put it in a large bowl and crumble it up. Add 1/2 tub of frosting and mix it together with the cake until moist. Add more frosting if needed.

Get waxing paper and place on top of cookie sheet. Make about 2 inch balls with cake mixture. Stick sucker sticks in the cake balls. Melt chocolate and then dip each ball until covered. Place in freezer until chocolate hardens. Now you have a cake pop!

*If you want to do different colors, use the white chocolate chips and food coloring.