Breakfast Shakshuka

Good morning!  We had some inspiration for this from a Whole 30 recipe pintere still post.  Downshiftology...we thank you for our light bulb for a quick and easy breakfast!

I didn't take many pictures because my little man who just turned one is extremely excited to help in the kitchen.  Today, he was helping stir the veggies on the stove and I just couldn't take my hands or eyes off him to take photos, so the final shot was taken before he and I shared it.  This is perfect for 3-4 adults or 3 adults and 1 toddler.  He eats and I both shared what was on the plate and didn't even finish because it was so incredibly filling!

Print Recipe
1 pound Shaved Brussels sprouts
4-5 cups Spinach (loose pack)
1 bunch Kale
1-2 Tblsp Coconut Oil
4 Eggs
20 Mini Tomatoes (I use San Marzano  or Heirloom)
1 Avocado
Salt & Pepper

Turn on oven to 375°F and begin to heat an ovenproof pan (I use a cast iron).

Once pan is hot melt oil.  Add in Brussels and Kale until tender.  Then mix in Spinach until wilted.  I salt and pepper this mixture before adding on the eggs. 

Oven should be preheated by now.  Crack eggs right on top of mixture, spaced pretty evenly.  Sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper.  Place in oven.

While cooking, slice tomatoes and Avocado.  Place on plates...pull dish out of oven (about 5-7 minutes*) and plate the breakfast evenly on 4 plates.

Eat with peace and quiet!  Not in my house though, lol.  Thanks for stopping by!  As always, I love to hear from you!

*Cook eggs longer if you like the yolk to be more solid.

What's For Dinner?

Got caught in two storms today.  No kidding, Killian and I sheltered in the back of a van at the Farmer's Market for about 45 minutes.  Then back in the storm by the time we got home...so was I going to the market today? Nope.  Never even got a chance to shop at the Farmer's Market; definitely not making it to Randalls or HEB.

First thought was to order in.  I've been craving Indian food but there's nothing like that here.  So my next choice was Thai.  Sadly, after ordering my Massaman I was informed there was a minimum of $25 for delivery.  Not happening with just me and the little man.  So...to the fridge and pantry I went with Little Man in tow.  And boy, what a great dish I happened to come up with!  I pulled everything out I thought I was gonna use, middle of the way swapped a few ingredients, and me and Little Man were happy!

Started with chicken, spinach, Capers, asparagus, red onion, garlic, leftover pastini, lemon, butter, garlic EVOO, and cannelini beans.

First up, add butter and EVOO to hot pan.  On Med heat.

Okay, not a great photo...but I threw in the onion and garlic over the heat .  Sautéed for about a minute, then took off the heat.  Why?  Cause I don't like burned garlic and I still needed to cut up the chicken.  Remember, this was not thoroughly thought through tonight?

At this point (chicken was browned on one side just enough...Baby was starting to get hungry...so was I, lol) and I decided that the cooked asparagus was too mushy.  At the same time, I realized I had grilled and marinated artichoke hearts.  So those went in with the beans.  But if you know me, you'll know that the color of this was...well, everything was just Beige...and I don't like to eat food that looks like the walls of the DMV. So, back to the fridge I went.

Before I tell you what I traded the Capers out for, I have to explain this picture.  This is 2/3 of what I made left in the pan.  I forgot to take a pic before plating...so I took it after.

Fresh Marzano Tomatoes!  After everything was cooked, I topped it with fresh tomatoes, dried parsley (I didn't have fresh), and a sprinkle of parmesan.

I I includes this photo just because I love sharing my dinner with #LittlePenner and he couldn't stop eating it!

Print Recipe:

1 Chicken Breast (cut into chunks)

3-4 cups Spinach (2 large handfuls for me)

2 Cloves garlic roughly minced 

1/4 Small Red Onion roughly minced

1 Can Cannelini Beans

Artichoke Hearts (I used about 6 slices and roughly chopped them)

8 Marzano Tomatoes (or whatever you have...these are about cherry size)

1/4 C Fresh grated Parmesan

Leftover pasta (about 1 Cup...optional)

1-2 Tbsp Butter (optional)

1-2 Tbsp EVOO (I used Garlic)

Zest of 1 lemon (juice of half the lemon)

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Parsley (or dried if you don't have on hand)

Melt butter and EVOO over medium heat (pan should already be hot).  Sweat the garlic and onion stirring for about 1 minute.  Salt and pepper the chicken, then add to pan. Let cook until browned on one side.  After flipping chicken, add a #Chew size pinch of salt and a couple turns of fresh cracked pepper.  Add the beans and artichokes while cooking for another 2-3 minutes.  At this point, add in the parmesan and stir.  Top with the spinach and wilt it down.  Add in leftover pastina to warm up, the zest of a lemon, and half the lemon squeezed over the dish.  This will really brighten it up and add a dimension to it!  Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Pull off the heat and plate with some of the sliced tomatoes, pinch of parsley, and a bit more parmesan.  

Eat with your favorite person.  As always, I live to hear what you did, how you liked it, any suggestions , or any questions.  Buon Appétit! 

Cafe Latte Protein Shake

Daily healthy breakfast is important in our lives.  And sometimes I just need to make up a change in shakes.  I will post several different shake ideas throughout our time together.  Just blend it up and enjoy!

Ingredients...love my Herbalife!  I also use decaf instant because I really don't do much coffee at all, but this is awesome!

·         2 scoops café latte

·         2 scoops vanilla PPP

·         1-2 tsp cinnamon

·         1 tsp instant coffee (I use decaf)

·         12-16 oz Water

·         5 ice cubes

Blend away and drink!

Tripp Dipp

Who all likes ranch dip?  I know that I'm happy with it sitting around a pool with some veggies and chips!  However, those calories start to add up fairly quickly and it's not very substantial.  An old friend of mine, who absolutley LOVES ranch, introduced me to this recipe years ago.  She and her dad would make it for all sorts of gatherings.

Over the years, I have tweaked it here and there to make it a bit healthier and with much more protein.  No matter what...the flavor is there and so is the satiation of my hunger!  Here's to Dr. Tripp, always thinking of you while you look down on us!

Ranch Mix, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Cayenne Pepper, Celery & Green Onions

Finished product

Honestly, I need to get a picture of it all plated or a better picture in general.  It can be a bit difficult sometimes when Little Penner is constantly needing my attention...and I gladly will give it to him.  These days are flying by!  I will also blame my beautiful mother for the lack of photos, she had hand surgery over the weekend and I was helping her out by prepping food for her household as well as mine this week.  That's rather difficult with a 14 week old too!  No matter, it got me in a serious mood to cook and bake as you can see with all of these posts, LOL.

Print Recipe:

1 cup of Cottage Cheese
1 cup of Greek Yogurt
3 Green Onions (green and white bulb included)
2 Celery Sticks (sliced/diced and optional...I like the crunch)
Fiesta Ranch Mix (Click HERE for my personal recipe, or use store bought if you prefer)

Mix everything in a bowl.  Cover and chill.  Enjoy with a veggie platter and/or chips.

Golden Milk

Fall is upon us and that brings out all flavors and spices of warmth.  Oddly, I can smell warmth through specific foods and drinks.  I have heard of "golden milk" for some time and have wanted to try it for the Ayurvedic benefits.  Turmeric, ginger & cinnamon all have excellent health benefits and the fact that this is a dairy-free soothing beverage tops the list for me!

After finally getting to sit down and enjoy my tea, which was a whole journey in itself, I will say that I could drink this daily!  I think I'll try to do so in the evening twice a week after putting Little Penner to bed.  So calming and perfect as the cool nights begin to show themselves here in Austin.  Here are the photos and such a simple recipe.

Spice "Paste"

Such a cool swirl while on the stove.

Add in some local honey to sweeten...I use local to help with allergies.

Final product.  The golden yellow and smell of spice is perfect for the Fall season!

Print Recipe:

1.5 tsp Turmeric

.5 tsp Ginger

1/8 tsp Black Pepper (for full effects of turmeric)

Pinch of cinnamon, saffron & nutmeg (optional)

2 tsp Coconut Oil (or Ghee)

1 cup Coconut Milk (or other full fat milk)

1 cup Coconut Water (or water)

1 Tbsp Honey (optional...and to taste)

Make a paste with spices and coconut oil in a small pot on the stovetop.  Add in Coconut milk & Coconut water, then turn heat on to medium-high.  Let the tea boil until it starts to curl away from edges of pot, then turn off and steep for 3-5 minutes.  Add honey to tea and let melt.  

Curl up with your favorite book & blanket with the cool air blowing on you.  Then settle in to a calming evening with a fantastic beverage.

Dry Seasonings

How many times do you read in recipes...Italian mix, Ranch mix, etc.  Not everyone has those on hand and to be honest, have you actually read the ingredients in pre-packaged versions?  Not exactly the healthiest choice (but hey...sometimes we are in a hurry!)

I purchased these little jars a few years ago...I'm not even sure from where to be honest with you.  I don't even think they were made to keep spices, but the lids are airtight and I can use my chalk pen to write on the glass bottom.  So, I have fallen in love with these little containers.

Back to the whole purpose of this lesson in spices.  Here is a list of some spices I have collected over the years and that I tend to use throughout my time in the kitchen.  Put them together, use them and then be creative and make some up yourself!

Ranch Mix:

2 Tbsp. Parsley

1.5 tsp Dill Weed

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Onion flakes

1 tsp Chives

~ 1 tsp each Salt & Pepper

Mix together dry seasonings.  You can also grind up in a food processor or coffee grinder to make a finer grain of mix.  Add 1 Tbsp to 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt and 1/4 cup Milk to make dressing.  

**For Fiesta Ranch Mix...add .5-2 tsp Cayenne or other suitable red pepper...it's all up to your own tastebuds!

Mediterranean Mix:

*borrowed from 21 Day Fix*

4 Tbsp Parsley

4 tsp Onion Flake

2 tsp Basil

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Sea Salt & Pinch of Pepper

Smokey Southwestern Mix

*borrowed from 21 Day Fix*

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Coriander

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

12 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp Sea Salt

Penner just absolutely LOVES his taco seasoning.  I'm not opposed...however, I prefer less ingredients.  You know, like ones I can actually say without having to sound them out.  It's always nice to actually know what the ingredient is as well without having to Google that ish, LOL.  We love using this recipe instead.

All Purpose:

*borrowed from 21 Day Fix*

4 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Mustard Powder

1/4 tsp Thyme

1/4 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Sea Salt

Pumpkin Pie:

1 tsp Ground ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Clove

1/4 tsp Cardamom

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

Herbs de Provence:

2 Tbsp Each

Savory, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Basil, Marjoram, Fennel

Mix together dry seasonings.  You can also grind down into a finer grain, but this can be used as a wonderful rub,  You can also add tarragon or sage while removing other ingredients...this is a very flexible seasoning.

Grab 'N' Go Egg Muffins

Breakfast is always important to me, but I usually roll with a protein shake in the morning.  It's fast, easy and I can chug it down within an hour of me waking up which is very important for my metabolism.  But Sundays...things slow down and awful lot for me.  I sleep in and I like to have a good breakfast.  And by good breakfast, I mean something with eggs and bacon...ooooh and pancakes some days too!

Egg muffins are one of my go-to breakfasts.  It's like having 4 mini frittatas on a plate.  Super delicious and you can even freeze them for a quick breakfast in the morning for the kids and hubby!  (Just warm up in the oven or microwave or eat them cold too),  

Starting out with eggs, bacon, spinach and feta (if you like cheese)

Slice bacon raw as it will cook quicker and easier for you.  Sautee up over the stove in a pan, then remove from heat.  Forgot to take the next photo....while bacon is cooking, mix up the spinach, eggs and cheese in a small bowl or large 

Pour mixture into mini muffin tin.  I made 12 eggs for 12 muffins (if using egg whites, double this).

The final presentation for breakfast.  Served with 1 1/2 Ataúlfo Mango each.  If you don't know what these are...delicious small mangos (click on the link to learn more about them).

Print Recipe:

12 eggs
6 pieces of bacon (roughly chopped)
2 Handfuls of Baby Spinach (okay, I know this isn't precise...but it's about 1 cup for my small hands)
1/4 c Feta (optional)

How To Do:

Pre-heat oven to 375F.  Roughly chop and then fry up the bacon.  While that's cooking, chop up the spinach if you'd like (roughly).  Then mix up the the final 3 ingredients in a bowl.  Add bacon, then pour into muffin tins (use cooking spray to prevent sticky egg residue...or just use the bacon grease, you won't need much and it adds flavor).  Cook at 375F for about 15 minutes (or nice golden brown on top).  Remove and eat!

As always, let me know if you have questions or additional ideas!  

Watermelon Mint Popsicles

Sometimes I help out at my mom's fabulous store...if you don't know it, you NEED to know it!  We Olive is an awesome place to get certified EVOO, boutique wines, hand crafted items and killer gourmet foods.  Don't forget about the wine bar with tapas!!  Go check out their website for more info!

But back to the main reason I'm blogging today...they do these fabulous wine pairings to include wine makers coming out!  I like to help out with the pairing and plating during these dinners...hey, I get a full wine pairing dinner for free out of it!

The most recent one was a 5 course pairing with Don Suhr, the wine maker over at Suhr Luchtel Cellars.  We decided to do a palate cleanser on the 3rd course...little did I know I would be eating these tasty little morsels for the next month!  Even the hubby loved them! 

I don't have pictures of the process, but I do have a picture of the final product.  Don't worry...it's super easy to do.  I love my food processor, but you can easily do this project with a blender.  

Print Recipe:

1/2 Medium Seedless Watermelon

1/2 Lime

About 6 Mint Leaves

1/4 tsp Honey (optional)

Need:

30 1 oz plastic cups (or other item to create popsicles...can make bigger if you'd like)

30 "Popsicle sticks"

How:

Puree all ingredients together.  Taste them...add more of any ingredient to make the flavor to your tastebuds.  Pour into your popsicle containers...put in freezer.

When about 1/2 frozen, add your popsicle sticks to the center of your containers, then leave in freezer to finish.  You can keep your popsicles in a plastic container or baggie after fully frozen and removed from containers.

Lightbulb! I just thought of adding in some jalapeno/habanero to this watermelon popsicle.  Now, that would be interesting!

Alright all...keep on trying new things and let me know how it works out!

Savory Healthy Cookies...Say What????

Seriously craving a dessert last night, so I stared into my pantry and refrigerator.  Yes, this is typically how I cook.  Even when I have plans to make something I will normally these days (thank you pregnancy brain...if you can call it a brain...more like mush) forget something at the market and have to improvise.

I have had bananas in my fridge waiting for me to make banana bread...but that hasn't happened yet.  However, they do act as a wonderful binder and I was out of eggs.  I have a huge quantity of dry oats and for some reason have an excess of dark chocolate from making these no bake oreo pies for a wine tasting last week.  Yes, those were delicious and yes, you can have the recipe!

So...with 4 ingredients (due to the fact that I love cinnamon on/in everything these days) I made these cookies.  And Eric liked them!  Although he said they were more savory and richer than expected, he wanted something sweeter.  But DAAAANNNNNGGGG!!!! These were good!

2 Overripe bananas, 1 cup quick oats, 1/4 cup dark chocolate morsels and some cinnamon.  I just sprinkled it in there, but it was probably about 1.5tsp.  Threw this in my food processor and pressed blend for about 2 minutes.

Heat up the oven to 350F, then I used a tablespoon to scoop out the cookies.  No, they weren't all the same perfect size...but hey, I was doing this quick status!  

This honestly made 9 cookies, but I ate one to taste test before taking a picture.  Went in the oven for about 13 minutes and they come out crispy on the bottom and pretty soft on the top.  I think I may add in some nuts and maybe coconut next time!  A little extra crunch would be nice for me.

Printer Friendly Recipe:

2 Ripe Bananas

1 c. Quick Oats

1/4 c. Dark Chocolate Morsels

Cinnamon (optional)

Other options: nuts, coconut flakes, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, anything your little heart desires!

Process/mix all ingredients together.  Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350F.  From start to finish, this should take you a whole 25 minutes to make (including clean up).  Yummy, healthy and quick!

Islander Snack

·         ½ cup cottage cheese

·         ¼ cup pineapple

·         2 Tbsp Sliced Raw Almond

·         Cinnamon to taste

Throw it all together in a bowl and enjoy!

Almost Paleo Fish Tacos!

I asked Eric what he wanted for dinner tonight and his response was fish & broccoli.  Not sure of that combination, I started to think what I would want with fish.  Came to the conclusion of fish tacos with a side salad.  Thank goodness I did!

Now, for the fish.  I don't like to just decide on fish before I see it as I'm really picky.  So, I went to the market, found some wild sockeye and wild swordfish.  I went with the swordfish...I really enjoy King Salmon over Sockeye.  Picked up some weekly shopping items and saved over $45!  But, that's totally off topic, I'm just super stoked on it.

The entire dinner probably took me 15 minutes from prep to finish.  I did have Eric cut and season the fish.  Oh, the almost paleo thing, you may ask.  Well, sometimes I just get a craving for something and I eat it.  Last night, I really really wanted fresh corn tortillas for my tacos, so I had them.  That's where the almost comes in.  As this is my first blog on here, I'm not sure what else to say.  Here's the grocery list, recipe and a great photo finish.  This is for 2-3 adults (and I never made the salad to go with it).

Oh and one last thing, I'm really bad at measuring...so if you want to add more seasoning, than go for it.  I would say taste as you go because I usually start with less, then add a little more of this and a little more of that.  I know having this blog and you coming here for recipes I will have to get better at that.  But for now, use your palate...I'm just showing you the layout.  Cooking is an art, you gotta learn from trial & error.

At the Market (or around the house):
Around a pound of fish (something meaty like swordfish or shark)
2 Limes
1 Bunch Cilantro
Tomatoes (1-2 roma, 1 hothouse, 9 cherry or 1 on the vine)
EVOO
1 Jalapeno
1 Avocado
1 small Greek Yogurt (if you want)
Cumin
Cayenne
1 Bell Pepper (you pick the color)
1 Small Red Onion (or green, or white or yellow...what do you like?)
1 Clove Garlic
1 2oz can olives (already diced, chopped or sliced..whatever is easier for you)
Tortillas (flour, corn, coconut, gluten free or just lettuce wraps)
Red Cabbage, lettuce or other veggies (whatever else you'd like to put on your taco)
1 T Rice Vinegar

For the fish:
About 10oz Swordfish
3/4 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Cayenne
About 1T Olive Oil (I always use extra virgin)

Cut the fish into chunks, about 1/2 inch or so.  Throw in a bowl with the seasonings and mix.  Let sit in the fridge to marinate a bit.  Wrap your tortillas (corn, flour, coconut, gluten free etc.) in foil and put in oven.  Turn on oven to 300.  Let tortillas warm up as oven is pre-heating.  If you use a lettuce wrap, don't worry about this part.

For the Salsa:
1 2oz can Olives (dice em or buy them that way)
9 Cherry Tomatoes (or 1-2 romas, or 1 on the vine, or 1/2 hothouse)...more if you like, but dice em
About 1/8 of red onion, shaved and diced...more if you like
2 slices of Jalapeno...mince it with the seeds...I will add more next time
1 clove Garlic (minced or crushed)
1 lime squeezed (or about 3T)...more if you like
Zest of that same lime...I suggest zesting it first, then squeezing it
About 2T Olive Oil
1-2 Handfuls Cilantro, chopped...more if you like
1/2 - 1 T of Rice Vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put it all in a bowl, mix and put in fridge.  Turn oven up to 400 (gotta do this even if you are lettuce wrapping it!).  Continue to let tortillas warm.

For the Crema:
1/2 Avocado
1 Lime squeezed (or about 3T)
1/2 Jalapeno...with or without seeds, that's your decision
1.5T Greek Yogurt
1/2 Bell Pepper (I used yellow, you can use what you want)...you can also roast this very easily for another flavor profile
1 Handful of Cilantro
A little more than a pinch of cumin & cayenne...so about 1/2t each
Salt to taste

Throw everything in a food processor, blender or one of those bullet things.  Blend.  Put in fridge to keep cool.

By now, oven should be at 400...remove tortillas but keep them wrapped so they maintain warmth.  Toss the fish again and throw on a sheet pan (I wrapped mine in foil for easy cleanup)...make sure all pieces are visible and they aren't on top of one another.  Put fish in oven for 5-10 minutes. Fish should be opaque and fleshy when done.

While fish is cooking, you can chop red cabbage (my preference), lettuce, more onion, more cilantro or any other wonderful veggie you'd like on your little taco.  You can also clean up so there isn't a lot to do after you eat these Fab Tacos!

When fish is done:
Take one of your warm tortillas (or a lettuce wrap, but probably cold).
About one tablespoon of "Salsa" on the bottom
Throw on the fish...I did a "pulled pork" method cause I didn't want the chunks
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of "Crema"
Add your veggies

Mangia!!