A peek Into My Kitchen: Sweet Potato, Corn and Wild Rice Chowder

I had some dental work done this afternoon, so I made a big pot of this soup this morning. With a whole grain loaf of bread, some good cheese and a side of roasted asparagus, it made a nice dinner for a gloomy day.

Sweet Potato, Corn and Wild Rice Chowder

1 tbsp vegetable oil

I large or 2 small onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 cups water

1 cup wild rice

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

generous pinch salt

4 cups diced sweet potatoes (about 3)

2 1/2-3 cups corn kernels–fresh, frozen or really good canned ones (if using canned, rinse well)

Read more...

A peek Into My Kitchen:Spelt Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Spelt is full of energy and good stuff stuff (in fact, it’s one of Dr. Oz’s recommended energy foods.) dont be scared of making it–if you know how to make rice, you can make spelt.

Spelt Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

1 cup uncooked spelt, soaked overight

1/4 cup dried currants or raisins

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup shelled edamame

1/4 cup minced onion or shallot

1 Tbsp orange zest

2-3 Tbsp orange juice

2 tsp rice wine vinegar, champagne or white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Place soaked spelt with one cup of water in a pot. Bring to a boil.

Read more...

A peek Into My Kitchen: Homemade Pizza Dough

Half Mexican Pizza/ Half Grilled Eggplant and Grated Mozzarella

Roasted Portabello Mushrooms, Fresh Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

 

I don’t know why so many people buy those ready-made pizza crusts…while they look like pizza, they generally neither taste nor feel like pizza.  Add to that the fact that they are usually overpriced, and they become even less exciting.

You know what?  Pizza dough is actually absurdly easy, cheap and fun to make.

Though there are a lot of variations, this partly whole wheat dough is a family favorite for pizza night–the whole wheat flour adds a slightly nutty flavor and a nice nutritional boost (yay fiber!)  If you really hate whole wheat, or don’t have any whole wheat flour in the pantry, you can use any other alternative flour or just use all white.

Read more...

A peek Into My Kitchen: Baked French Toast

 

20111031-000736.jpg

French toast is definitely a favorite family breakfast, but there are few mornings (even Sundays) when I want to stand over the stove making piece by piece and worrying about keeping them warm in the oven so that we can all eat together.

With this recipe, I slice the bread, stir the ingredients together…stick it all in the oven at one time and we can all sit down to eat french toast together 🙂

 

 

Baked French Toast

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3 Tbsp maple syrup/honey/agave nectar

2/3 c apple juice/apple cider/orange juice

4 large eggs

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

6-8 slices of challah or other bread

Read more...

A peek Into My Kitchen: Slow Cooker Alphabet Soup

180894_10150105693067899_760072898_6295936_6799417_s

Now that my little one is old enough to require her own activities, balancing her busy schedule with my preschooler's often makes getting dinner made seem virtually impossible. 

Difficult as it is, however, I refuse to rely on convenience foods to make up the bulk of my family's diet…

Enter the cheap slow cooker that I bought for $15 or so in some drugstore about 10 years ago and just recently rediscovered in my cabinet.  There are few things more satisfying than chopping up a bunch of vegetables in the morning, pouring in some broth and having a decent dinner cook itself by dinner time.

🙂

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

4 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

Read more...