Zucchini Fritters

Spring is in the air, fresh veggies are becoming more abundant (and will be even more abundant once my freshly planted garden takes off!) And in general I'm craving fresher meals packed full of as many veggies as I can get. This week I bought a bunch of beautiful baby zucchini. After stir-frying, sauteing, and grilling, I decided to try something different. For some reason I was craving my dad's delicious and utterly unhealthy hashbrowns...so I thought to myself, "self, you can do something healthier to hit the spot, right?" and I set off to make zucchini/potato fritters. 

I added the potato because I wasn't sure how the zucchini would hold up both in the flavor and texture department. They turned out fantastic and I really enjoyed the little nuttiness the potato added, but they would be good straight zuch as well.  Here are the deets for a new spin on zucchini. 

The Deets
2 Zucchini Shredded
1 Potato Shredded
2 Eggs Beaten
1/2 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1 Shallot finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 TBS Olive Oil

The How To
Add Beaten Eggs into Shredded Zucchini, Potato and Shallot

Mix until coated well with egg
Add Panko Breadcrumbs and Salt and Pepper

Once fully incorporated form into small patties

Add Olive Oil to a pan over medium heat

Cook patties until brown {about 7 minutes}
Flip-over and cook on other side for another 7 minutes or so

Plate, Pray & Enjoy

Veggi Up!

Here's a Quick and Delicious way to add an extra serving of vegetables to your plate. Flash Seared Veggies!


The Deets
1 Cup Baby Carrots (I cut mine in quarters)
1 Cup Snap Peas
1 Zucchini (Cut in Half & quartered)
1 Cup Mushrooms (Quartered)
1 TBS Olive Oil (I used Pesto Infused Olive Oil)


The How To
Cut and Clean Veggies

Heat Pan over Medium Heat
Add Olive Oil
Cook Mushrooms for about 4 minutes

Add Zucchini cook for another 4-5 minutes
I like to get a good sear on my Zucchini & Mushrooms

Add Carrots & Snap Peas

Cook for about 4 minutes


Plate, Pray & Enjoy!

New Food Resolutions

It's that time again! Time to renounce all things on the not-so-healthy food list and vow to eat only dark greens, lean proteins, and drink gallons of water a day. All kidding aside, I hope that you are making a least a small goal to eat a little healthier. I also hope that you aren't trying any crazy fad diets or going on a hunger strike.

Here are a few of my Food Resolutions for this year:

1. Juice more. I've been letting work and all the business of life make me "too busy to juice". Really? Too busy to juice? it takes a total of 20 minutes from start to clean up. No more excuses. Juicing more means more vitamins and veggies in my diet and less wasted fruits and veggies in my fridge.

2. Cook more veggies. I'm great at eating salad, but when it comes to cooking up an extra serving of veggies I've really been slacking.

3. Get more creative with whole grains. I have about a dozen standard recipes and I have been really bad at spicing things up lately.

Those are my 3 Food Resolutions. What are yours?

For a little more food-inspiration here are a few great tips I found on my new favorite website pintrest
First a little truth in humor.

I LOVE this one!

Such simple advice.

If you buy good food, you will eat good food. If you buy junk, you'll eat junk. Simple enough.
Happy Healthy New Year!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

When I was a kid I loved Brussel Sprouts, then one day, all of the sudden they were "out". I couldn't even look at brussel sprouts anymore, let alone muster up the courage to eat one.  But now that I'm on my quest for a healthier lifestyle and a more diverse diet I decided it was time to give the old "Texas Cabbages" a try again.  So here we have Brussel Sprouts My Way
The Deets (for 4)
16-20 Brussel Sprouts
1/2 Yellow Onion
4 Cloves Garlic
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Course Sea Salt
The How To
Trim Brussel Sprouts
Slice Onion into thick slices
Toss Brussel Sprouts, Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil
Heat Oven to 350 and Bake for 30 minutes

Be sure that you get a nice crisp on the outside and that the Brussel Sprouts bake all the way through. Once cooked to the desired crispness sprinkle with Sea Salt. Discard onion and garlic and serve Brussel Sprouts.  

I have to say these were the best Brussel Sprouts I've ever eaten, but they are still Brussel Sprouts.  I was only able to eat 3 and then I was done, but they were good and I will be making them again. Even if you aren't a big fan of "texas cabbages" you should try this recipe - you might just start liking brussel sprouts.

Meatless Monday: Vegetable Fried Rice

Monday, Monday you're here again. Time to start the week off right with a meatless monday meal. Today's meatless meal is vegetable fried rice. This is a great way to start the week, because you can do all the prep the night before & once you get home from work all you have to do is throw it together. Even those of us who love to cook have days (usually Mondays) where we just don't want to cook.  That's why I've made a habit of prepping my Monday meals while making Sunday dinner. Last night while making a delicious Sunday dinner, I prepped my veggies & rice.  Because I took the time to prep last night while I had time, tonight's dinner only took about 15 minutes (including phone time).  
Here's How I like my Vegetable Stir Fry - Lots & Lots of Veggies - whatever veggies I've got on hand (which is usually a lot) & as close to a 50/50 ratio of veggies to rice as I can get.
The Deets
1/2 Cup Mushrooms chopped
2 Cups finely chopped Carrots
1 Yellow Squash 
1 Large Broccoli Floret 
1/2 Bell Pepper 
5 Sweet Peppers (red, yellow, orange) 
1 Jalapeno
1 1/2 Cup Brown Rice cooked according to directions
3 Eggs
Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 TBS Olive Oil 
2 TBS Soy Sauce
1 TBS Tempura Sauce

The How To
Chop all vegetables to desired size (for stir fry I like mine chopped very fine)
Add oil to pan and heat to medium high
Begin with mushrooms and squash, once seared nicely add peppers, next add remaining vegetables, add 1 TBS Soy sauce and cook on medium high for 5 minutes.

  (this version from a few weeks ago has Purple Cabbage)

In separate pan scramble eggs

Add cooked rice and eggs to vegetables, add soy sauce and tempura sauce. Mix well and continue over medium high for another 5 minutes.  Add Sesame seeds.

Plate, Pray & Enjoy!

It's Sandwich Time! Grilled Edition.

Short, Sweet and to the Point:

I Love Sandwiches.

I especially Love Grilled Sandwiches.

Here is my idea of A Perfect Sandwich:
2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread (I Love Big Sky Bakery & Alpine Valley Organic)
2 Slices of Uncured Hard Salami
Extra Sharp Vintage White Cheddar (Tillamook)
1/2 Avocado
1/2 Tomato
1 handful Spinach
1 handful Sprouts
Butter

The Construction
Butter Bread, layout cheese & cook over medium low until golden brown
Once bread is golden brown & cheese is melted add Salami & Veggies
Add a Pickle & you're good to go!

Meatless Mondays - Veggie StirFry

       Did you know that the average American eats 200 lbs of meat a year? Did you know that going meatless one day per week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity?  Did you know it can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save natural resources like fresh water and fossil fuel?  Did you know it can also save time in the kitchen?
       I am by no means a non-meat eater, in fact when I eat a meal and realize it is {Shudder} Vegan, I must eat some type of animal to make up for it.  However, sometimes, I just need a lighter meal & as I'm sure you know by know I love veggies! So I've decided to join the Meatless Monday Movement. You can learn more about Meatless Mondays here.
      For our First Meatless Monday I decided to revamp an old favorite: StirFry.  I love stirfry! It's quick, it's healthy, and it's a kitchen sink recipe - add what you've got & it will still be tasty. 
The Deets
Whatever You've got!
5 Large Mushrooms
1 Large Carrot
1 Stalk Broccoli 
1 Zucchini
1 Cup Snow Peas
1 TBS Oil (Olive or Canola)
1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
1 Package Flat Rice Noodles (I used 5mm)
Soy Sauce
Tempura Sauce
Garlic Salt
Other great add-ins
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Bean Sprouts
Celery
Onion
Nappa Cabbage
Peppers
If it's a veggie it's in!

The How To
In a large pan place rice noodles in warm water over low heat (cook until soft usually about 15 minutes)

Chop Veggies to desired size - I mix up the sizes & cuts to keep it fun

In a Large Skillet heat Oil on High
Add Mushrooms, sprinkle with Garlic Salt and Sear mushrooms to desired texture
(Note the order depends on your desired crunch factor - I like my mushrooms & Zucchini cooked well & my other veggies crunchy, hence the order)
Next Add Zucchini & Broccoli
Sprinkle with Tempura Sauce
Add Carrots & Snow Peas
Once veggies are seared, sauteed or cooked to your version of perfection add the noodles
Sprinkle with Soy and Tempura Sauce to Taste
Mix and cook on Med-High for 5 minutes

Plate, Pray & Enjoy!

Happy Meatless Monday!

The Bounty of the Food Co-Op

Recently I joined a Food Co-Op.  The premise is simple - for $50 a month, you receive 2 mystery baskets of produce, each weighing in around 25 lbs!

Week One arrived the Tuesday before Thanksgiving & Oh my was I ever shocked when I saw the bounty! The contents went something like this: apples, asparagus, bananas, carrots, celery, green beans, kiwis, limes, napa cabbage, onions, oranges, potatoes, pomegranate, pineapple, pears, romaine lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes...

Week Two I was a little more prepared when I received this:

20+ pounds of apples (3 kinds), bananas, bell peppers, carrots, clementines, cucumbers, grapes, kiwi, leaks, limes, jalapenos, mushrooms, mandrin oranges, oranges, potatoes (2 kinds), pears, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini & fresh herbs

Week Three contained 3 kinds of apples (including my favorite HoneyCrisp), Avocados, Bananas, Broccoli, Carrots, Clementines, Cucumbers, Celery, Green Onions, Garlic, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lemons, Mandrin Oranges, Oranges, 3 kinds of Potatoes, Asian Pears, Romaine Lettuce, Sprouts,  Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Tomatoes & Fresh Herbs

Getting my share is like getting a present - I never know what I'm going to get & I get to pick it up from my friend Jen - Double Bonus.

All this extra produce has not only saved me time running all over town to find good produce, but it has also caused us to break out the juicer on a more regular basis.
This week we've had Apple, Carrot, Kiwi, Pear, Grape, Celery Juice.

 Apple, Carrot, Lemon, Orange, Kiwi Juice

And Apple, Carrot, Pear, Lemon, Orange, Juice

We Love having Fresh Produce Year Round!