December 16, 2024

Pickled Okra

September 11, 2015 by

 

Pickled Okra

When we moved to Texas last year, I wanted to find some plants to grow in the flower bed.  I put in some basil, which I have to water nearly every day to keep alive and healthy, and the rosemary is pretty hardy.  The other edible that does well here in the sun is okra, but I hadn’t eaten enough of it last year to really decide if it was something I wanted to grow.  Then I had a Bloody Mary at a Cajun restaurant – and instead of olives on my toothpick, I found Pickled Okra!  It was love at first bite.

This is really my first time doing anything with these little guys, and I still have a  lot to learn.  They turned out tangy, crunchy, and delicious…and make me want to experiment more with them.  So, if you like a good cheese plate, add some of these offbeat pickles and keep everyone on their toes!

Pickled Okra

Ingredients:

  • 1 large clamshell small fresh okra (between 1 and 2 pounds)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup salt – use Kosher if you have it
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 chopped hot peppers, or 1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Prepare the okra:  wash them and trim the tops.  You still want a little stem left, but not too much – I think between 1/4 – 1/2″ inch is good.
  2. Make the brine:  Add the rest of the ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil.
  3. Pack the cleaned and trimmed okra into pint jars for canning.  First make a layer that point up, with the stems on the bottom.  Fill the jar with more okra, pointing down with the stems facing up, and jam them in there.  Depending on the size of the okra and how tight you pack them in, this will fill 2 or 3 pint jars.
  4. When the brine is boiling, pour the brine over the okra.  Make sure to spoon in the garlic cloves and spices – don’t waste that flavor!  If you don’t have enough brine to cover your okra, add boiling water to the jar so all your jars are filled to the top.
  5. At this point you can either hot water process them so they are shelf-stable, or just put the lids on tight and store in the fridge.  They’ll be good for a couple weeks in there if the brine goes to the top of the container.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

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Quinoa-Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

September 8, 2015 by

{hu·mon·gous}
(h)yo͞oˈmäNGɡəs,-ˈməNG-/
huge; enormous; extraordinarily large

Yup…that describes the two zucchini that have been (literally)  hanging out on our kitchen counter for a while now.  What to do…what to do…what to do with them; I think I have asked myself this almost every day for a week.  So, this is what I did.

2015-09-05 20.14.08

Quinoa-Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

And they were sooo yummy!  They made a complete meal.  I think that this ‘stuffing’ mixture would work equally well in any number of ways: in portobello mushroom caps, in stuffed peppers, in acorn squash.  Anything else you can think of?  (I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!)

Here’s the other thing about this recipe (besides fitting perfectly into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV!) — really quick and so easy!   Enjoy!

ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 humongous (or 2 medium) zucchini
1/4 teaspoon (each) sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12-16 ounces italian seasoned chicken sausage (sweet or hot)
1 small red onion, diced
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons (or more) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese

directions:

  • get the quinoa going right away (cook according to package directions)
  • cut the humongous zucchini in half lengthwise (if needed, cut a thin slice off the bottom to get them to sit firmly);  scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/4″ shell
  • put the zucchini boats on a microwave safe plate, season with s&p, and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, ’til just tender.  place the zucchini onto a broiler-safe pan
  • chop the scooped out zucchini into 1/2″-sized chunks; set aside
  • heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
  • add the sausage, onion, and zucchini chunks; cook for about 5-6 minutes (’til there’s no pink left), breaking the sausage into bits as it cooks
  • reduce heat to low; add the garlic stirring constantly for 1 minute
  • toss in the tomatoes and marjoram; stir to combine and turn the heat off
  • preheat the broiler of your oven and place a rack in the top position
  • (when quinoa is done) combine with the sausage-veggie mixture
  • scoop into the zucchini boats and sprinkle with the mozz or monterey jack
  • place under broiler ’til the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes
  • plate and sprinkle the grated Asiago or Parm over top

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Baked Salmon with Pesto Sauce

September 4, 2015 by

 

Baked Salmon with Pesto Sauce

Salmon is my favorite fish to make at  home.  It seems more substantial than fish like sole or trout, and its strong, meaty texture and flavor give it a lot of flexibility.  Make this Baked Salmon with Pesto Sauce and find out for yourself!

You can of course use store-bought pesto, but if you have basil growing in your garden, the rest is easy to rustle up at home.  This is how I like pesto – you can alter this to suit your tastes.  If you have any leftover pesto, try it on scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables, chicken, and of course over pasta!  (Or, want a different spin on pesto?  Try Coleen’s version!)

Baked Salmon with Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 large salmon filet, about 1/2 pound or more
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons – 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Place the salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet, and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until firm in the thickest part of the filet.
  3. While the salmon is in the oven, put the basil and garlic cloves in the bowl of a small food processor.  Pulse to combine.
  4. Add the lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts, and blend again.  Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and blend.  Taste for seasoning – more lemon?  More Parmesan?  More garlic?  You can add more olive oil for a thinner texture – as much as half a cup if you like your pesto really thin.
  5. Serve the salmon hot from the oven with a healthy pour of pesto over the top.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

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Pesto Chicken Broccoli

September 1, 2015 by

Look what someone who loves me gave me today…oh! happy me!

2014-08-07 17.34.47

My daughter, Kassia, lovingly gifted me with a jar of her healthy but-oh-so-yummy pesto (and luscious balsamic reduction)!  This is precious stuff…what to make, what to make?  Eventually, I just decided to keep it simple: I took a couple of tablespoons to marinate one pound of chicken tenderloins, which we then grilled. Then cooked up some gluten free pasta, steamed a head of broccoli, and sauteed some mushrooms and onions.  And combined it all together with an additional few tablespoons of pesto.  So yummy!

Kassia graciously is sharing her pesto recipe with us today…. This recipe is vegan and dairy-free (along with being intrinsically gluten free, soy free). Her secret ingredient?  Nutritional yeast.  Yup! Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! (Oh, speaking of trying it…dust your freshly popped popcorn with it!) Here’s a fun link loaded with lots of good info about nutritional yeast, or noosh, and some ideas where to purchase it.  As is, this recipe is dairy-free and vegan.  We topped off the finished dish with some freshly grated Asaiago cheese.  Enjoy!

Pesto

2015-08-27 19.15.32

 

ingredients:
1/4 cup pignoli (also called pine nuts)2014-08-10 17.47.41
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (she uses jarred garlic, like her momma!)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil (leaves only)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
juice of 1/2 small lemon
1/4 cup+/- extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese, optional

 

directions:

  • in a food processor, process the pignoli  and garlic until minced
  • add the spinach, basil, nutritional yeast and lemon juice; process by pulsing until spinach is finely ground
  • with food processor running, s-l-o-w-l-y pour the oil down the food chute ‘til all is well incorporated
  • season with salt and pepper, to taste
  • this will make approximately 3/4 cup (about 12 tablespoons) of pesto. I only used 5 tablespoons in the entire dish pictured above which made 4 generous servings!

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Sausage Mushroom Frittata

August 28, 2015 by

Sausage Mushroom Frittata

When I was a kid, my Mom made two quiches as part of her dinner menu rotation:  a spinach quiche, and a sausage mushroom version.  I loved them both.  And I was going to make one for this week’s Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour blog post and then I realized:  I don’t need a crust!  I can turn my Mom’s quiche recipe into this Sausage Mushroom Frittata, which is just as tasty, saves calories when you don’t include a crust, and cooks up quicker to boot!

You can use any kind of cheese you like.  I think my Mom used Swiss, but my girls don’t like it, so I used Monterey Jack.  You can also mix some cheese into the egg mixture for a richer taste, but I wanted mine to be a lower-calorie meal.  I used bulk breakfast sausage (the kind you get in a tube, by the bacon), but you can use any kind of sausage.  Serve a slice of this frittata hot, with maybe a side salad and a piece of nice bread.  You can also have this for breakfast, of course, with some fruit or toast.  Get crazy – get cooking!

Sausage Mushroom Frittata

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces bulk sausage
  • 8 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/3 cup whole milk (or use half and half for a richer taste)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 or more slices of Swiss or Jack Cheese

Directions:

  1. In an oven-proof skillet, cook the sausage, crumbling it with your spoon as it cooks.  After 3 minutes, add the mushrooms.  Season them with a little salt – this helps draw the water out of the mushrooms.  Cover and simmer on medium for five minutes.
  2. Lift the lid and let all the water in the pan cook off.  If the pan looks dry, you can add a tiny bit of olive oil or butter and mix that in.  If it looks like the sausage left enough fat to lubricate the pan, go to Step 3.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk.  Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Turn on the broiler in your oven.
  5. Pour the eggs over the sausage mixture and stir a few times.  When the edges look set, put the cheese on top of the eggs and place the pan in the oven.   Make sure it’s not too close to the broiler!
  6. Broil for about 3-5 minutes.  Keep an eye on this!  Take it out when things look golden and bubbly.  Slice and serve hot!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

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Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

August 25, 2015 by

It has been quite some time since a packet of that kind of famous ‘Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix’ has been in my pantry!  We have been pursuing this healthy but oh-so-yummy POV for about 3 years now.  But it took a little while ’til I realized that there were quite a few additives in that little packet.  (Have you looked at the list of ingredients?  I suggest you do.)  Nowadays I read the ingredient list as well as the nutrition label on every food item I purchase.

However, there is one person in our little household of 2 who simply loves Ranch Dressing.  He enjoys it on salad, of course, but also as a dip…and as a baked potato topping and as a spread on deli sandwiches.  So I continued to try to find (and purchase!) bottles of prepared dressing that were “better.”  But I have only found 2 that are on the ‘healthier’ end…and they are so expensive!  So I did a tiny bit of research…really less than an hour or so…and found that, for less $ and hardly any time, I could mix up a batch that IS healthy but oh-so-yummy!  happy me…happy hubby!

I suggest you give this a try!  Three tablespoons of this mix = 1 packet of store-bought “ranch dressing” seasoning mix.   Also, click here for a great list of ideas/recipes using Ranch Dressing/Dip!

Down below is a recipe using this mix to make Avocado Ranch dressing…really, really delicious!  And made with only two tablespoons of mayo (or, as I make it, with NO mayo)! Enjoy!

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing/Dip Mix

2015-08-24 17.23.03

ingredients:

1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley + 1 teaspoon extra
1 teaspoon dried dill + 1/2 teaspoon extra
2 teaspoons garlic powder or ground garlic flakes
2 teaspoons onion powder2015-08-24 17.08.11
2 teaspoons dried onion bits
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoons cayenne (optional)

 

directions:

  • for a finely-ground mix, pulse the mixture in a food processor until it is a uniform consistency
  • stir in the extra parsley and dill for texture (or simply whisk all ingredients together until blended)
  • store in a small airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months

Avocado Ranch Dressing

2015-08-24 17.56.07

ingredients:

3 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing mix
1 ripe avocado (peeled and pitted) *KEEP the pit*
1/4 cup 0% fat Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup milk or buttermilk (add milk to adjust consistency)

directions:

  • in a blender or food processor, combine first 6 ingredients; blend until semi-smooth
  • then, in a slow stream, pour in olive oil continuing to blend together
  • then add 1/4 cup of milk or buttermilk (adding more if needed) ‘til desired consistency is reached
  • store in an airtight container in fridge ‘til ready to serve **place the pit into the container, too**
  • stays fresh about 4-5 days in an airtight container
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Moo-less Chocolate Pie

August 21, 2015 by

moo-less chocolate pie

If you’ve never had tofu before, this Moo-less Chocolate Pie may be the dish to break you in softly.  Soft tofu is a master of disguise, and here it takes the place of dairy and eggs to form a soft custard base.  Serve this to anyone who swears they hate tofu, and see if you can change their mind!

There are dozens of ways you can customize this.  Use a graham cracker crust like I did, or a regular pie crust instead of the chocolate pie crust.  Drizzle with homemade caramel, or serve with strawberries.  Walnuts or pecans would be delicious too, with a light pour of hot fudge.  Or go classic and just serve with whipped cream.

Moo-less Chocolate Pie
(Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup coffee liqueur (or use black coffee)
  • 1 block silken tofu
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 prepared chocolate wafer crust

Directions:

  1. Place a small metal bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water.  Melt the chocolate chips and the coffee liqueur together in the bowl.  Stir in the vanilla.
  2. Pour the chocolate mixture into the jar of a blender or food processor.  Add the tofu and honey and mix until liquified and smooth.
  3. Pour the chocolate-tofu mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate for two hours, or until set.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

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Broccoli Salad

August 18, 2015 by

Summertime get-togethers…how many have you gone to or hosted this summer?  This past weekend we celebrated the 80th birthday of my dad, Jack McElroy—{4 great-grandchildren, 10 grandchildren, 4 daughters, 3 sons-in-law, our stepmom, and a few others who love him}.  Our family loves to pitch in and all contribute to the meal.  But this Broccoli-Craisin Salad always seems to be requested.

Recently, I have tweaked the recipe to include (or NOT include) about half of the mayonnaise I originally have made this with and I <shhhh! not everyone knows!> substituted plain Greek yogurt.  It worked amazingly well…and lowered the calories/fat grams by approximately 650 calories (yes, you read that correctly) and 80 grams of fat.  And added a significant hit (about 10-11 grams) of healthy protein.  And, honestly, you could even further reduce the mayo/increase the yogurt because of all the flavor variations in this salad.

This is a beautiful raw salad, a very healthy but oh-so-yummy addition to the array of delicious salads on the picnic table.  It has a slightly smoky (from the bacon), slightly sweet (from the Craisins and honey), slightly tart (from the vinegar), very mellow taste.  I have had MANY supposed broccoli haters be prompted to try just one tiny taste…only to find they enjoy it and come back for more!  We enjoy this salad all year long!  Hoping that your family enjoys it, too!

Broccoli Salad

ingredients:

2 heads broccoli crowns, cut into tiny florets
1/2 pkg Craisins (dried cranberries)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2  cup plain Greek yogurt
3-4 tablespoons honey, warmed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup roasted/salted sunflower seeds
freshly ground pepper

directions:

  • in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, and vinegar; set aside
  • in a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. take liquid mixture and pour over broccoli mixture, tossing gently <go ahead!  use your hands!> to thoroughly coat and massage that  broccoli
  • pour the dressed mixture into a large zip-top bag to go into the fridge.  every once in a while, give the bag a flip-over and a couple of squeezes to spread the yumminess all around
  • when ready to go onto the table, pour the salad out into a serving bowl and top with sunflower seeds and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
  • easy-peasy!

notes:

–  definitely prepare this at least 4 hours beforehand…up to 24 hours or so

–   the biggest hint I can offer to you for this salad is to cut the broccoli florets as small as you possibly can.  consider this a ‘labor of love’ and, oh, so worth it!  this will make it  MUCH more palatable to have little florets in your mouth as you munch on this salad rather than a big chunk of broccoli!  and the chopping can be done ahead of time, even a day or so, and simply stored in the fridge.  honestly, i have been known to sit in front of the television while doing it!  😉

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Wheat Berry Salad

August 14, 2015 by

Wheat Berry Salad

If you’ve never had wheat berries, you’re in for a treat!  These grains have a delightful chewiness and enough fiber to fill you up.  Combine them with a mild vinaigrette, some fresh vibrant herbs, and a little tangy fruit, and you have the perfect salad.

You may need to search around to find wheat berries, also known as hard winter wheat.  Whole Foods and other health food stores will have them in the bulk section.  They cook up just like any other grain (barley or rice); I actually cooked mine in my rice cooker.  This salad keeps in the fridge for a few days…so have some with dinner, or breakfast, or whenever you like.  Also try subbing out the dried blueberries with raisins, dried cherries, minced dried apricots, dried cranberries – you get the idea.

Wheat Berry Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup wheat berries
  • 1/2 cup dried blueberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 green onions, diced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • salt and pepper
  • optional:  a few tablespoons of crumbled feta or goat cheese

Directions:

  1. In a heavy pot with a lid, or in a rice cooker, pour in the wheat berries, as well as two cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
  2. The wheat berries should absorb all the water from the pot.  If not, drain them.  Pour them into a large bowl.  Add the blueberries, parsley, and green onions.  Toss to mix.
  3. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Taste for seasoning.  Keep  in the fridge until ready to eat.  When serving, you can sprinkle some crumbled feta or goat cheese over the top.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet

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Mango Lassi

August 11, 2015 by

This past weekend, my sister and niece were visiting from Minnesota <happy me!>.  On Sunday, rather than cooking another meal together, we decided to treat ourselves to some yummy Indian take-out…yup!  (Actually, Amy “treated” us all!)

So I wanted to add a couple of special beverages and decided on these lovely shakes and a big pitcher of iced sweet&spicy chai tea.  They turned out to add just that extra touch to our smorgasbord (I know, I know…crossing cultures here!) of delightful Indian curries, chickpea salad, lovely appetizers…and, of course, a pile of naan to scoop it all together!  According to Wikipedia, a lassi is a traditional, yogurt-based drink and is popular in India.

Whether you enjoy this beverage to cool yourself on a hot summer’s day or, as we did, to accompany some hot & spicy Indian food—this is refreshing and delicious.  And it fits perfectly into our POV—healthy but oh-so-yummy!  I used a few ripe mangoes as the base for ours, but this would be equally delightful prepared with strawberries, or papaya, or bananas!  Enjoy!

2015-08-10 16.29.24

Mango Lassi

(this makes enough for (4) four tall glassfuls)

ingredients:

2 large mangoes, pitted&peeled – cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sweetened almond milk (or regular milk)
2 tablespoons honey
dash or two of ground cardamom
1 cup ice cubes

directions:

  • place mango and milk into blender; puree
  • add balance of ingredients; blend thoroughly ’til ice is crushed and all is frothy

♥     ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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