KID FRIENDLY CLEAN GRILLED CHEESE (w/ spinach)

INGREDIENTS;

Jack cheese slices  (colby, monterrey, or mix)
1 cup of raw spinach
wheat bread

DIRECTIONS: 

In a shallow pan over medium heat, add a little water...about  2 tbsp or so.  Toss in raw spinach and cook until tender.  Puree in a food processor.

Lightly butter (or use EVOO) your sliced bread.  Put on the cheese slices and spread spinach on it.  (spinach has a mild taste and the kids won't even be able to taste it!)

Cook on med-low heat until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Garden Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta OR Spinach Salad

                                           INGREDIENTS:

Fresh corn, tomato, red onion, basil, a little parmesan cheese, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, whole wheat pasta, spinach, sea salt/pepper









DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta (if using) according to directions.  Set aside (still in hot water) until ready to use.

Dice the tomatoes and drain on a paper towel.

Cut the basil chiffanade. (stack the leaves, roll the leaves, slice the leaves.  Basil should be in strips)

Stack leaves

Roll leaves

Slice leaves

Chiffanade strips of basil

Scrape corn off cob and dice red onion.  Toss all your garden goodies into a bowl.  Splash with a little Balsamic Vinegar and a little EVOO.

Look at those colors!

Simply toss w/ the pasta noodles OR toss with fresh spinach.  Season with a little sea salt/pepper and parm cheese.

My husbands and kids meal

My meal

Easy Clean Creamy Chicken Burrito

Have you ever looked in your frig and thought, "What do I do w/ these leftovers?"  I had that same thought tonight as I saw 2 cooked (boiled) chicken breasts just begging to be used.

***FREEZE FRIENDLY***

TIME SAVER TIP:  Whenever you cook meat, cook a LOT.  Whether it be ground beef or chicken breasts, cook way more than you need and then put in the freezer.  That way, when you get home from work or a crazy busy day, you have meat all ready to toss into a quick dinner, such as this one. 

What to do w/ these 2 boiled chicken breasts?  Here's what you do:

(Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp EVOO
1 garlic clove
2-3 oz neufchatel cheese
1/3 cup FAGE
3/4 cup (or more) salsa  (for my favorite recipe, click here)
1 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon
1/2 can black beans (or you could use a whole can if you want)
1/3 cup Yellow corn (could be scraped off fresh cob or frozen)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh Cilantro (*optional)
2 Chicken Breasts, shreeded
Some shredded cheese (please, buy blocked and shred yourself!)
Flour Tortilla's (I like Costco's raw tortilla's that you have to cook...easy, fast, wheat, yummy)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat EVOO in large skillet over med heat.  Add garlic and cook just a minute.  Turn down heat to simmer and add salsa, Fage, Neufchatel cheese, lemon, beans, corn, and chicken, salt and pepper and simmer just until heated through.  If it's too thin (runny) just turn up the heat a tad and let it simmer a little longer to evaporate some of the juices.  If it's too thick, just splash in a little chicken broth or water. 

2.  Fill flour tortillas w/ chicken mixture and sprinkle on some cheese and cilantro.  Wrap it up, and TWAH-LAH!  A really REALLY tasty burrito.

Delicious Grilled Portabello...Passed the "Hubby Test"

My husband THOUGHT he was going to get a CHICKEN and portabello grilled sandwich.

The man is 100% carnivore.

But when I realized we were out of chicken, he had no choice but to trust me..."Honey, you will LOVE this and it will fill you up...I promise!"  :)  (famous last words, right?)

Which makes me ponder...why is it that men think just because it's vegetarian it won't "fill them up"?  But I digress...

After just 1 bite, my husbands first words were, "This is amazing!"  He loved it...and then ate 2 sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 large whole portabello mushrooms
Balsamic Vinaigrette (cut the recipe in 1/2 and add 1/2 cup oil)

TOPPING IDEAS:

1 slice of colby jack or monterrey jack cheese
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 homegrown tomato, sliced
spinach
1/4 cup of ranch (try and find one w/ clean ingredients, such as Newmans) + 1/2 tsp of cajun spices

DIRECTIONS:

Get the grill ready.

Whip together the marinade (balsamic viniagrette + 1/2 cup EVOO).  Place mushrooms in shallow dish or bowl and pour marinade over mushrooms.  Cover and let sit in frig for an hour or so.

On a covered grill over medium coals, grill the portobello mushrooms stem-side down for about 8 minutes. Turn and grill the tops of the portobello mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes longer. The grilled portobello mushrooms should be tender and nicely browned.

For an added touch of yumminess, brush some olive oil on the buns and lightly toast them on the grill.

Put your favorite toppings on

Simple yet so delicious! 

4th of July Fruit Wands

This is what MY kids will be enjoying as we celebrate 4TH OF JULY!



Idea taken from:   http://weelicious.com/2012/06/29/magical-fruits-wands-for-your-fourth-of-july-celebration/

NO VELVEETA NACHO CHEESE DIP (you can thank me later)

INGREDIENTS:

4 tbsp of butter
4 tbsp of White Rice Flour (I use Bobs Red Mill)  NOTE: you may need a tad more to thicken at end.
1 clove fresh garlic
2 cups of raw milk, Organic Valley milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 cup of shredded cheese (do NOT buy already shredded...and have fun...I use raw MILD cheddar, goat, organic mozzarella and sometimes organic colbyjack.)
1 cup of Organic Salsa
1 tbsp of dried parsley

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
**Optional fresh jalepeno pepper or organic jalepeno pepper juice
**Optional fresh cilantro
**Chopped green onion (about 1/4 cup)



DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a large sauce pan over LOW HEAT, melt butter.  Add minced garlic and let saute for about 1 minute.  Add the flour and whisk for about 1 minute.

2.  Add milk and whisk.   Turn up to MED-LOW HEAT (around 4) and WHISK CONTINUOUSLY FOR ABOUT 4-6 MINUTES or until the sauce begins to thicken.

3.  Toss in cheese.  (personally, I would avoid using too much sharp cheddar for this recipe.)  Stir until it melts.  It should still be thick.  If its too thin, add more white rice flour, 1 tbsp at a time, until desired thickness is reached.

6.  Add salsa.   (and if you are tossing in any fresh jalapeño pepper, now's a good time to  add it)  Give it a good stir and then grab a chip and taste it.  Adjust to your liking.

7.  Taste again!  (use a chip to taste test.  The chip has salt so you don't want to over salt your dip.)

8.  Last step:  make any adjustments you need to make it "just right."  Too thick?  Add a splash of milk.  Too thin?  Add another handful of shredded cheese.  Too bland?  Add more salsa and possibly salt/pepper.  Put on plate and if you have some fresh cilantro, sprinkle on top.  Be still my heart. 

I have 1 thing to say to you Old-Friend-From-My-Past-Velveeta-that-Can-Barely-Count-as-Food:

"DON'T THE LET THE TRASH CAN LID HIT YA ON YOUR WAY OUT!"

NOTE:  Although the ingredients in this are fresher and less processed, it IS high in fat, so make this a "Sometimes Food"...as in a few times a year.  Not a few times a WEEK.  :)

MAGIC SHELL! 2 ingredients? Yes. 1 minute? YES!

I just stumbled upon the most wonderful thing EVER!!!  HOMEMADE MAGIC SHELL...2 INGREDIENTS...1 MINUTE TO MAKE!

Making your own “Magic Shell” is unbelievably easy— and it tastes pretty close to the real thing! My family even thought it tasted like the dipped cones at Dairy Queen.

How to make Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping

Magic Shell Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (measured when solid)

Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave about 1 minute (depending on your microwave). Allow to sit a few minutes to allow the heat of the oil to melt the chocolate chips and then stir until smooth. It will be runny.

Pour into a bottle. We used a GLASS bottle, especially since it will be heated in the microwave.  (don't even get me started on the toxins used in plastic!)

Store in the refrigerator. 

To serve, heat bottle in microwave (open cap/lid) for 30 seconds until liquid. Slightly shake and continue heating at 15 second intervals if not liquid after the first 30 seconds. Pour over your favorite ice cream and in a few seconds you will see magic!

NOTE:  for a small 4-serving recipe, use 4 tbsp of choc chips and a little less than  tbsp of coconut oil.  

Original recipe found here.