High Protein Granola

I have been working on my own granola recipe.  Most granola you find in the store is high carb and almost no protein.  If I eat carbs, I make sure to have enough protein first.  However, I like a little something with my yogurt now that I eat so much.  I have two recipes for now.  I will add more as I create and play around with the recipe.  This is a good base and easy to change up to your own tastes... Don't like pistachios? Use another type of nut.  Don't like nuts much?  Take some of the nuts out and add more oats and rice cereal.  Just remember, if you add more of those, you add more carbs back into the granola.

Vanilla Cinnamon Granola
Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup rice cereal
1 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (you could use any seed but I prefer sunflower)
1/2 cup pistachios
1-2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Handful dried cranberries (optional)
2-3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. maple syrup (optional, you can change up sources of sweetness)
1 Tbsp. sugar substitute (I use in the raw stevia if possible, or sometimes I leave out.  You could use more of this and less syrup if you would like.)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oats, cereal, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, protein powder, cinnamon, sweetener, cranberries, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add wet ingredients to the well: butter, applesauce, eggs, and syrup.
Fold over until well combined. 
Spread the mixture on the parchment lined baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for approximately 24 minutes.  I turn the tray halfway to make sure it bakes evenly.  If you have a thicker batch, you may want to flip the granola before you turn.  I haven't noticed that flipping makes much difference.
Let the granola cool completely. 
I go ahead and cut this into bars and dip them in the yogurt.  I have not been able to get it crunchy enough to pour into yogurt but I love it dipped in or just as a bar. 
I keep this on the cabinet in a glass jar for a few days to about a week.  You can put it in the fridge but this definitely changes the texture and adds moisture.

Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup rice cereal
1 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (you could use any seed but I prefer sunflower)
1/2 cup pistachios
1-2 scoops unflavored protein powder
4 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. maple syrup (optional, you can change up sources of sweetness)
1 Tbsp. sugar substitute (I use in the raw stevia if possible, or sometimes I leave out.  You could use more of this and less syrup if you would like.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oats, cereal, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, protein powder, peanut butter powder, sweetener, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add wet ingredients to the well: butter, applesauce, eggs, and syrup.
Fold over until well combined. 
Spread the mixture on the parchment lined baking sheet and place in the preheated oven for approximately 24 minutes.  I turn the tray halfway to make sure it bakes evenly.  If you have a thicker batch, you may want to flip the granola before you turn.  I haven't noticed that flipping makes much difference.
Let the granola cool completely. 
I go ahead and cut this into bars and dip them in the yogurt.  I have not been able to get it crunchy enough to pour into yogurt but I love it dipped in or just as a bar. 
I keep this on the cabinet in a glass jar for a few days to about a week.  You can put it in the fridge but this definitely changes the texture and adds moisture.

Teriyaki Burgers

Well, things in our world are very crazy right now.  Big changes have happened for our little family at the same time and things have not gone as planned at all.  My husband and I have both found ourselves without our regular jobs during this COVID-19 craziness.  I really don't have another word for the current situation. I am still working but inconsistently.  My husband is not working at all.  Tough times...

However, I am lucky enough to have a decently stocked kitchen since I am normally a bit of a "prepper" when it comes to the freezer and pantry.  With the changes I have had since surgery, I am still working hard to be healthy and continue to lose some weight.  I have now lost 97 pounds, over 50 inches, and 5-6 sizes depending on the fit of the clothes.  I am no longer on the obesity charts, no longer prediabetic, no longer have high blood pressure, and no longer in plus size clothing.  Some think that surgery is the easy way out, but it is not.  I have still had to do a lot of work and after years of medical issues, it was truly a life saver.

I made this burgers with ground turkey.  However, in the future, I believe I will use other meat such as pork or bison.  I just don't care for the texture of ground turkey.  You could also put these on a bun like a burger but we did not.  I am very careful with carbs and usually prefer to get better carbs from other sources. 

Friends often ask if they can leave something out...  Of course you can.  Some things need a substitution but some don't.  If you don't like onions, leave them out and add flavor with something else... more garlic and ginger perhaps.  If you don't like ginger, leave it out. If you don't like ground turkey, use pork, chicken, bison, or whatever is your favorite ground meat.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey (or any lean meat)
1/4 cup scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup coconut aminos (you can use soy sauce but I don't do soy)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 small chopped onion
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
salt and pepper
olive oil spray

Directions:
Combine turkey, scallions, garlic, ginger, and pepper in a bowl.  Divide mixture into patties.  If you are putting this on a bun, make 4 patties.  If not, you can make the patties smaller if you like.  Spray the bottom of a skillet with the olive oil. Cook the burgers until cooked through on medium/medium-high heat.  Remove burgers from pan.  You can keep the burgers in the oven to stay warm or tent with foil.  Pour chicken stock, coconut aminos, vinegar, and onions to the hot pan.  Simmer until onions are soft.  Stir in sesame oil and serve over the burger patties.

Pecan Crusted Tilapia

I will start by saying, I am not a fan of fish.  I am not a fan of any seafood for that matter.  However, I do experiment now and then with certain fish.  Tilapia is one I like when it is done right.  Most recipes though, include things like bread crumbs, flour, corn meal, etc.  All of these add a lot of carbs.  I remembered that I used to order pecan-crusted chicken salad at a restaurant which we no longer have locally.  So, I thought I would try it myself.  This went over very well with me and J.  I would like to play around a bit more with the crust to make it stick a little better, but it was good whether I perfect that part or not.

Ingredients:
2-3 tilapia fillets (if you need more, double the recipe)
2 large eggs (If you would like to cut down on some fat, you can use egg whites)
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup ground pecans (I used a spice grinder)
1/2 cup chopped/crushed pecans (I used a mallet and a plastic zip bag)
salt and pepper
season salt
lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
lemon wedges (optional)
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat the broiler to high.  In a shallow dish, mix the eggs or add egg whites.  In another shallow dish, combine pecans, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle each fillet with season salt, then dip each in egg, and cover with the pecan mixture.  Then place them on a broiler pan coated with olive oil spray.  Broil each side for 5-6 minutes, or until done. 
Mix together the mayo and lemon juice.  Feel free to sprinkle some lemon juice on top of the fish fillets as well.  If you like, you could add some dill or pickle juice to the mayo sauce.  We don't like dill or pickle juice but many people like that taste with fish.

Chicken Burrito Salad

It is more important than ever for my family to eat healthy.  I have been working almost daily to find winning dishes that satisfy all of the needs and picky taste buds.

Ingredients:
Chicken Burrito Salad:
3-4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Taco Seasoning (I use my own you can find here.)
Green Leaf Lettuce (You can use your favorite lettuce.)
Roma Tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Favorite Salsa

Dressing:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
Juice of One Lime
2 Tbsp. Favorite Salsa


Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and toss into a pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat.  After the chicken starts to cook, add in the taco seasoning.  I don't measure the taco seasoning.  I season to taste.  Stir around the chicken regularly until almost done.  Add in some of your favorite salsa. Cook until chicken is done and most of the water has cooked out of the salsa.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the salad bed.  I used green leaf lettuce because that is my favorite.  Tear it into bite sized pieces and dice up a tomato.  Add the chicken on top.

For the dressing, stir together all ingredients and pour the desired amount over the chicken and salad.

Protein Pancakes

There are so many versions of protein pancakes out there.  So as usual, I combined a few and made it my own. 

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 scoop of protein powder**
1 tsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. milk***
oil/spray for the pan

Directions:
Prepare skillet on medium heat.  Mix eggs, protein powder, baking powder, and milk in a bowl.  Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop out the batter onto the skillet.  When the pancake bubbles, flip it.  You can also add other ingredients to the mix, such as fruit or cinnamon.  I made some with blueberries.  You can serve with butter, syrup, jam, or my favorite... cream cheese.

Using this recipe, I get about 5-6 pancakes. 

** The amount of protein powder depends on the type of protein powder you use.  I use Jay Robb.  It is one of the few that do not hurt my stomach, tastes decent, and has the best ingredients.  One serving is one scoop in this kind.  Some protein powders require two scoops.  Use the amount for one serving.

*** You can use water or any type of milk for this.  I use Fairlife Skim Milk.  It is lactose free, high protein, and does not bother my sensitive to milk stomach.  I also use almond milk at times but it is not as high in protein.

Turkey Chili

One of my favorite meals that I have made since weight loss surgery is turkey chili.  I say "I" but really "we" made the chili.  My husband and I both worked on this pot.  I mixed a recipe I found on Baritastic, the weight loss app for people who have had bariatric surgery, and my husband's recipe.  I am going to give you the recipe I used and a note at the end about which things could be switched out if you have different preferences or needs.  Some of my measurements are not exact and can be changed to taste.  I use base measurements and then add as I see fit to work for us.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. ground turkey
3- 5 oz. cans V8
1/2-1 poblano pepper*
1/2-1 onion
4-6 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 heaping Tbsp. chili powder
1 box chopped tomatoes*
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the ground turkey in a skillet.  Mince the onions, garlic, and peppers and add them to the turkey as it is cooking.  Then stir in the cumin and chili powder as well as salt and pepper.  In a pot, pour in the chopped tomatoes.  When the turkey is cooked, pour it into the pot with tomatoes. Then add the V8.  Bring to a simmer for at least 15-30 minutes.  Honestly, the taste was better the next day so let it simmer and sit for as long as possible.  You can even cook an extra batch to freeze for easy lunches.  You can, of course, garnish the chili as you like.  I like a little dollop of sour cream and/or and bit of shredded cheese in mine.  My husband likes crackers and cheese in his.  This chili is the first chili I can eat without any garnish.  That is how good this is.

*Notes: We use poblano peppers because we prefer the taste and spice level.  The original recipes called for bell peppers, but my husband cannot eat them.  You can use the peppers that work for your needs.  We use the boxed "Pomi" brand of tomatoes.  We cannot use canned unless they are canned by me because of my daughter's corn intolerance.  Pomi is corn free.

Homemade Ranch

Hello!  It has been well over a year since I last posted on my blog.  I always have good intentions but my plans just rarely work out properly. I do intend (again) to start posting more, even if it isn't always recipes.  Today however, it is a recipe.  At one time, I had a recipe for homemade dry ranch mix and ranch... After a few years of messing with the recipe, it was all messed up.  So I started over and I am pretty happy with my ranch routine now.  My main concern was that my daughter could try the ranch if she ever wanted.  She still doesn't have the varied diet I would like but she is healthy and now and then I can get her to try something.  So most things in our house are made corn free and safe for her.  Many recipes for homemade ranch include ingredients such as mayonnaise or pre-bottled/bagged mixes. My daughter can have none of these.  So I looked through many recipes and came up with a mix that worked for us and I actually enjoy.  There are options and I will list them in the ingredients.  As I have said before, I don't measure exactly so measurements are approximate and easy to change to taste.  Also, many people will complain about the use of powders such as garlic powder and onion powder... If this doesn't suit you, by all means, use fresh.  However, we have to do a LOT of cooking from scratch so we do take short cuts when we can safely.  Not all powders are safe, but there are a few manufacturers who have made many great changes in the ingredients they use. 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
squeeze of lemon juice
1 Tbsp. onion powder/dried chives or small bunch fresh chives
1 Tbsp. dried parsley or small bunch fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1 fresh clove garlic
1/4 tsp. paprika (a little goes a long way)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
extra sour cream and milk to adjust thickness

Directions:
Start by pouring the milk, sour cream, and lemon juice in a mason jar.  I usually use pint size and make fresh regularly.  This doesn't last more than a week or so and this is really easy and quick to make. Add in the rest of the dry/fresh ingredients, secure the lid, and shake up the mix.  When the ranch is all mixed, add more sour cream and/or milk to adjust thickness to your preference.  I know that I like the ranch thicker or thinner depending on what I am eating or dipping.  Keep shaking to mix when ingredients are adjusted or added. 

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

I tried a new recipe this week.  It was a win after a few modifications.  I made slow cooker garlic chicken and paired it with couscous and green beans.  Green beans are our favorite vegetable around here.  This was the first time I tried couscous.  It wasn't too bad but a little goes a long way.  I also cooked it a little differently than the package directed.  I don't like my pasta or rice to bite back.  I found this recipe here, but I modified it quite a bit for our family needs and personal tastes.  I am including two recipes.  One is for the garlic chicken and one is for the couscous.

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken 

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 Tbsp. favorite cooking oil
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup flour
salt and pepper

Directions:
-In the bottom of the slow cooker, add oil, thyme, onion and garlic.  Take the chicken breasts and roll in the mixture at the bottom of the cooker.  Add salt and pepper.  Lay chicken in a layer in the bottom of the cooker.
-In a bowl, whisk/blend together chicken stock and flour.  Make sure to mix until smooth with no clumps.  Pour the mixture on top of the chicken in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  We always shred our chicken up when it is done but you can keep it whole if you would like.


Couscous 

Ingredients:
1 cup dry couscous
2 cups water
salt

Directions:
Bring water and salt to a boil.  Add couscous to boiling water while constantly stirring.  This process will only take a couple of minutes and the couscous is done.  As soon as the water is soaked up, remove from heat.  Stir and fluff with a fork (much like rice) right before serving.


We made this into 4 meals but it was WAY too much and there was a lot of waste.  None of us could eat an entire serving.  Next time, I will be dividing it into 6-8 meals.  It is great leftover!

Banana Pancakes and Blueberry Mash

I made this recipe for breakfast hoping that my daughter would try something different.  She is still very afraid of different foods and has latched onto about 4 foods she will eat.  She is also a child who will starve herself until she is very sick.  We've been there, done that.  She obviously takes after me because she is INCREDIBLY stubborn.  I, being her worrisome mom, am very worried about her health at this point.  She is almost seven and is still very afraid of expanding her food choices.  I still get very angry at her previous doctors when I think about it.  She did not eat this either though, despite my pleading, manipulating, and yummy noises.

My husband, however, did eat some.  He normally hates pancakes but loves waffles.  He says, next time, I should pour it into the waffle iron. I will consider that a win!

I did not pull this recipe from anywhere in particular.  I looked through a lot of recipes, posts, and blogs and this recipe, and small variations thereof, is fairly popular.

Pancakes:

Ingredients:
3 bananas
4 eggs
cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
Mash or blend bananas.  (I used my Ninja blender.  It's awesome!  If you don't have one, you should check them out.)  Then, mix in the eggs.  It should be looking a bit like a batter now.  Sprinkle in cinnamon to taste or personal preference. Spoon into heated pan or griddle and flip as needed.  My griddle was otherwise occupied so I used a pan on my stove.  Cook low and slow...

HINT: Make the pancakes smaller.  I learned very quickly that this type of pancake cooks much easier and more even if you make them smaller.

Blueberry Mash

Ingredients:
Blueberries
Sugar (optional)

Directions:
In blender, blend up the blueberries.  Add sugar to taste, if desired.  Spoon over pancakes.  I prefer something like this instead of syrup.

Italian Chicken and Tomatoes (Reprise)

I have already posted this recipe once.  However, it is very popular and many have asked for the recipe.  I have also changed a few things to make it easier.  You can see the previous post HERE. The old recipe was using fresh diced tomatoes.  This is still great, but let's face it... We just can't always do that.  Tomatoes aren't great fresh all year round. This post will hopefully make this recipe easier but it is still completely healthy and safe for my daughter.  It also looks the same so you can see a picture of the recipe in the above link.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes*** (see note)
1 Tbsp. Italian herbs and seasonings (I use McCormicks Italian Herb Mix.  You can see it HERE.)
Salt to taste


***Note: You can still use fresh diced tomatoes.  You can also use my diced tomato canning recipe to can your own during high season.  You can find that post HERE.  OR, we have found one brand which we can buy at the local natural foods store which doesn't taste horrible or come in a metal can.  You can see it HERE.  I can as many as I can but it never seems to be enough.


Directions:

In a slow cooker, poor in about a quarter of the diced tomatoes.  Next, place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Then, pour the rest of the diced tomatoes and seasonings in the cooker.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

I typically serve this with rice (Rice Recipe Here) and green beans.  It is amazing leftover as well.

Green Bean Fries

During the summer, we spend a lot of time getting produce from the farmer's market.  We would love to grow our own but it just hasn't happened yet.  I have tried herbs and tomatoes but there are too many animals in my neighborhood that like to steal my good garden plants at night.  I am working on a way to put a cover on some garden beds.  One day, we will grow at least some of our own.  For now though, we buy and preserve during the summer.  I have posted before about canning green beans.  They are one of our favorite veggies.  We canned again this summer but my husband wanted to try some fried green beans.  His favorite Chinese restaurant has them.  We did and they turned out really good!  So I'll share.  We tried to convince the 5 year old to eat them by calling them green bean fries.  She didn't go for it.  One of these days...

Green Bean Fries

Ingredients: 
Fresh Green Beans (with the ends snapped off and rinsed)
Eggs
Flour Mix (we used the same one we use for our Fried Chicken)

Directions: 
Heat up oil for frying.  We use grapeseed oil and have a fryer.  Boil some water to blanch the beans.  Boil the beans for 2-3 minutes and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.  Coat the beans in egg, then the flour mix.  Then repeat the coating process.  Double coating is key.  We did one coat first and it was okay, but two coats definitely made them crispier.  Then toss the beans in the fryer.  If you are able, you also get a crispier bean if you double fry by pulling the beans out and letting the oil heat back up and dipping them in for a second round of frying.  However, this must be done quick with the beans so you don't overcook them.  They cook much faster than potatoes or chicken.  When they are done, we always spread them out on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
We paired these with baked chicken and rice.  It was a really good meal.

Homemade Lemonade and Lemonade Syrup

Two posts in one day! What?!  Well, it's rainy and yucky outside.  I haven't even been able to open my pool yet.  It's criminal!  Already four days into June and I can't open my pool!  So, I'm on my computer pulling new recipes and watching L play with her toys.  The house is a wreck because she is bored.  She has pulled out toys from the deepest corners of her toy boxes.  This is a child who does not enjoy just sitting and playing video games like other kids.  She is always on the go go go...  She did mention wanting to try lemonade though.  L?  Wants to try something new?  No way!  So I went and bought some lemons.  She, of course, cannot just have the lemonade at the store.  I have to make it from scratch.  But I already learned how to do this long ago.  So, this morning we squeezed lemons.  She thought that was really cool.  She only wanted to juice one though.  She didn't want to touch the "dirty seeds."  My sensory child...  They were slimy from the juice and pulp.  But she did sit and watch.  It was a good experience for her.  So now I will share the experience with you.  :)

And guess what... I remembered pictures this time!!!

Lemonade Syrup

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I squeezed about 6 medium lemons for this this morning)
1/2 cup water
1 cup raw organic sugar

Directions:
In a small/medium saucepan, bring lemon juice and water to a boil.  Whisk in sugar.  Make sure you are using non reactive cookware.  I used a silicon coated whisk. Pour into a jar and let cool.  Refrigerate syrup in jar for up to one month.

To make this into lemonade, stir 1 Tablespoon (per 8 oz.) of syrup into a cold glass of water.  Adjust to taste of course.  I find that two tablespoons of syrup in one of my larger glasses of ice water is perfect.

This is what my jar of syrup looks like:

Canned Green Beans

As my previous post mentioned, I've been canning and freezing several fresh vegetables this summer.  The last post was instructions for canning diced tomatoes.  This one is for canning green beans.  My picky family will almost always eat green beans.  There are so many ways you can season green beans to make them work with your meal flavors.  We like to experiment with them.

Just a note:  You will need a pressure canner for green beans.  I have a pressure canner which doubles and does water bath as well.  If you are truly interested in canning and preserving at home, then it is worth buying one.  They aren't very expensive anymore but they are big so you have to have a decent place to store them.  Now, on to the good stuff.

Ingredients:
Green beans
Water
Salt

Directions:
Break the ends off of the green beans and snap the beans into 1-2 inch pieces.  Rinse the beans.  I have a wonderful large, wire strainer that sits on the sink top.  I set it on the counter and snapped the bean pieces directly into it so it would be easier to rinse them after.
Now it is time to sanitize the jars and lids.  Boil water in a pot to sanitize the bottles and boil water in the canner to sanitize the lids.  Just pour the boiling water into the jars to sanitize and pour it back out when you are ready to put green beans in the jars.  Toss the lids into the canner when the water is boiling to sanitize them.  Remove them after they are in for a few minutes.
In the large pot, boil water to add to the jars after the green beans have been added.
Use the directions for your pressure canner to add the correct amount of water to the canner.  Mine calls for 3 quarts and has a fill line inside the pot.  Bring the water to a boil.
Add green beans to the sanitized jars.  Be sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch of head space.  I usually just fill them up to the threaded part at the top of the jar.  Add 1 tsp. of salt to each jar.  Add boiling water to each jar.  Again, only filling up to the threads.
Use a small rubber spatula to remove the air bubbles from the jars.
Wipe the jar rim of any water and salt.  Any of this left on the rim could prevent a proper seal.  Place a lid on each jar and tighten.  Do not tighten too much at this point but tighten enough so that no water can seep through.
Place the jars into the pressure canner.  Place the lid on the pressure canner and lock down.  Use the 10 pound pressure weight for canning green beans unless you live in a high altitude.  Once the weight starts to jiggle, cook for 25 minutes.
I won't give you complete directions on what to do for pressure canning because it is easier and safer to use the directions from your canner.  The time and pressure weight is the information you need for green beans.  For pressure canning, use the instructions from your canner.

When the timer goes off, your green beans are done.  Let the pressure vent and take your jars out of the canner.  I let them cool for at least 12 hours hours without moving them anywhere and tighten the lids down every few hours until they are cool and won't tighten any further.

My green beans turned out really well.  My mom and I worked together to can diced tomatoes and green beans.  It is much more fun and much easier with a buddy.

Canned Diced Tomatoes

The farmer's markets are swinging around here.  With all of the unseasonable rain we have had this spring and summer, the crops are huge this year.  It is pretty crazy.  We have never had so much rain here all the way into July.  Usually by this time in July, we are seeing 100* weather and our grass is so dry it has turned brown.  We haven't even been under burn bans this year.  Usually, we are under burn bans through most of June and July.  One day, I will be able to have my own, very large vegetable garden.  Until that day, I will be satisfied with locally grown farmer's market and organic produce.  Last weekend we went to the farmer's market and bought fresh tomatoes, green beans, yellow squash and zucchini.  I will write posts about how I processed/preserved each of them.  For this post, I will give directions for canning diced tomatoes.  This was my first time canning tomatoes.  I am slowly learning to can different things.  The tomatoes turned out really yummy.  I plan on canning many more and making some other flavors of diced tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Fresh ripe tomatoes

Fresh lemons

Directions:

Core the tomatoes and gently score a small X, cutting just through the skin, on the bottom of each tomato.  In a large pot, bring some water to boil.  When the water is boiling, put the tomatoes in until the peel starts to peel up at the edges.  Put the tomatoes in an ice bath to stop the cooking.  

In your canner, start water boiling to sanitize the lids and jars.  I sometimes use a tea kettle to boil water to sanitize the jars.  In order to can, you must plan and multi-task or it will take you FOREVER.  

While water is boiling and pieces are sanitizing, you can peel and dice the tomatoes.  Put the cutting board inside a baking sheet with walls so you don't lose any of the juice while dicing tomatoes.  You need the juice for your cans.  This also makes clean up much easier.  Discard the peels.  I used a hand chopper to help with dicing the tomatoes.  But you have to be careful with a hand chopper.  If you chop too many times, you'll end up with mashed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes.  Put your diced tomatoes with their juice in a large pot and bring to a low simmer.  The directions I had said to boil for 30 minutes but I didn't cook it for quite so long.  You can tell when to stop the boiling.  The tomatoes start to foam and get very mushy.  They will cook more during canning so you don't want to overcook them now.  

While the tomatoes are simmering, juice the lemons.  All of the instructions I have said to use citric acid or bottled lemon juice.  But, citric acid that you just buy from the store, is usually made with corn ingredients.  And I don't trust bottled lemon juice anymore either unless I know the source for sure.  So I juiced the lemons myself.  Juice several.  It is better to have too much than not enough.  You can always freeze the leftover lemon juice in ice cube trays to use later for marinades and juices.  

Now, ladle the diced tomatoes into the sanitized jars leaving plenty of head space at the top of the jar.  Add 1 Tbsp. of the fresh squeezed lemon juice to every jar of dice tomatoes.  Use a small rubber spatula or chopstick to clear out the air bubbles and mix in the lemon juice.  Tighten the lids and follow the directions for water bath canning in your canner.  They should be in the canner for around 35 minutes.  

After they are out of the canner, I usually tighten the lids every couple of hours for the rest of the day.  

And here is a picture of my lovely canned diced tomatoes:

Chicken and Broccoli Penne

	Ingredients: Grapeseed or Olive Oil 1 bunch fresh broccoli or a few cups frozen broccoli 1 (12-16 oz.) bag penne 1 medium onion, minced 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2-1 cup all-purpose flour 3-4 cups coconut milk (This made this dairy free until I added the mozzarella.  This recipe is flavorful enough without the cheese added if you need dairy free.  We added the cheese to ours but left one bowl without for our daughter who needs dairy free.  I tried it both ways and loved it both ways.) Salt Pepper 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces Mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used a small block but you can add or omit cheese according to taste and need.) Tomatoes (I used a couple of handfuls of grape tomatoes and chopped them up but you can use any tomato chopped up.)
	Directions: Use some of the oil to grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta and broccoli to a boil.  Stir in some salt and the broccoli.  This part is going to be up to personal taste but we like our broccoli very soft so I cooked until the broccoli was tender.  If you want a little bite in your broccoli, you will want to pull it back out of the water pretty quickly.  Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon, tossing it into the greased baking dish and add the pasta and a little more salt to the boiling water.  Drain the pasta and toss it with the broccoli in the baking dish. While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet, add some oil and start browning the chicken.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper or any other seasoning you prefer.  We like the herb and garlic Mrs. Dash.  When the chicken is done, toss it in with the penne and broccoli.  During this time is also when you should chop the tomatoes. Rinse and wipe out the large pot to make the sauce.  Add some more oil to the pot and add the onion and garlic until it starts to brown.  Add a few tablespoons of the flour and whisk.  Add the coconut milk (or other milk if you prefer) stirring constantly.  Add in the thyme and salt and pepper.  Add the flour a little at a time until the sauce is thick and creamy.  Taste regularly to add more salt and pepper.
	Toss all ingredients together in the baking dish. Put the dish in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. If you don't need dairy free, feel free to add the cheese before putting the dish in the oven. I divided the cheese into bowls so I could store it all in separate bowls for leftovers so we had some dairy free and some cheesy. This dish and it's leftovers went fast so I didn't get a picture. But we will definitely be making this again so I will add a picture later.

Roasted Coconut Sweet Potatoes

This is a yummy veggie side dish and it warms up well when left over.  If you like sweet potato, you will love this.  I am always looking for some healthy vegetable side dishes.  My family is very picky when it comes to vegetables, although they are getting better.  I have also improved in my tastes for vegetables in the recent few years.  This is a dish I could eat regularly.  I hope it is one that my daughter will eventually like to eat as well.  L still doesn't eat a variety of foods since she got so sick two years ago but she seems to be interested again.  She actually touches the food and asks what it is rather than screaming and running away.  We are making progress in very small baby steps.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 lbs. (approximately) sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp.  fresh squeezed lime juice or grated lime zest (optional but adds a nice zing)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*F.  After the sweet potatoes are cut into chunks, put them in a large bowl.  Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Pour the melted coconut oil over the sweet potatoes in the bowl.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper.  Toss the contents of the bowl to evenly coat potatoes in coconut oil.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Roast, stirring every 10-15 minutes for a total of 40 minutes or until tender all the way through the sweet potato chunks.  Toss with lime juice or zest, then serve.

I will come back and add pictures later.  I have many pictures but I am gradually catching up for now.

This recipe came from HERE.  I didn't alter it at all but I have cooked it different ways in different pans without any problems.  Sometimes you don't have enough pans to cook everything at the same time.

Italian Diced Tomatoes (So much better than the canned from the store)

I have used the canned version of this in past posts.  That is, until I found out citric acid (which is in all canned tomatoes I've found so far) is often derived from corn.  So, I decided that when tomatoes were in season, I would buy up as much as possible and make my own Italian diced tomatoes and can them.  Well, so far I haven't found enough tomatoes to can any but I have made some for meals as I make them.  Eventually, I will add canned notes to this blog.  Until then, I will go ahead and give a recipe.  Now there are not exact amounts on most of this.  I just add ingredients a little at a time until it tastes excellent.  I had taste testers who agreed, this sauce is amazing.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
salt
pepper
garlic
onion (I prefer sweet onion)
olive or coconut oil (I've used both and both are good)
basil
oregano

(Note:  This can be made with fresh or dried garlic, onion, basil and oregano.)

Directions:
Mince an onion and a clove or two of garlic (depending on your taste for garlic).  Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive or coconut oil.  While this is sauteing, dice up the tomatoes.  I roughly chopped into chunks, then put them in my hand chopper to dice them really small.  I have a Pampered Chef hand chopper.  I use it to mince the garlic and onion too.  It's wonderful for this type of stuff.  When the garlic and onion is soft and transparent, add in the tomatoes.  Now add salt and pepper and stir around on low/medium heat until warmed through.  Add basil and oregano a little at a time until it suits your taste.  You might want to add salt and pepper here too.

Trust me, this is amazing.  Here is a picture of it used to top some chicken.

Another way to use this, get out your slow cooker.

Ingredients:
Italian Diced Tomatoes
4 Chicken Breasts

Directions:
In a slow cooker, add your chicken breasts. Top with plenty of Italian diced tomatoes.  It should pretty much cover all chicken.  Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 8 hours.  Serve over rice.

Hot Chocolate Mix

NOTE:  I don't think this is corn free as is.  I may look for a different recipe this winter.

This stuff is better than Swiss Miss ever thought of being!  I made this recipe and it made four pint jars.  I gave some away for Christmas gifts.  Bonus points...  No crazy ingredients!

Ingredients:
3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1½ cups cocoa powder
1½ cups white chocolate chips
¼ tsp. salt

Directions:  Whisk together all ingredients and put through the food processor in batches.  I used my smaller processor and it took three batches to get it all processed.  It will depend on the size and capabilities of your food processor.  The dry mix can be stored in an airtight container for up to three months.

To make hot chocolate, pour 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix in one cup of hot milk or water.  Top with your preferred toppings.  I usually don't top it with anything and it's really good.

Note:  This is not my recipe.  I found it at melskitchencafe.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

It has been awhile since I have been very active on my blog.  Life has been hectic.  Every week I think I will have time to blog but something comes up.  I started a long term substitute position in a library in August.  It has been so much fun and I get to stay until Christmas Break.  Hopefully it will help me to get a full time position in my own classroom.  At the same time I have been busy at home spending time with my three year old.  Yes, I said THREE.  I can't believe she is growing so fast.  Also, the husband finally got to start working first shift, so he is actually home with us.  We've been soaking up the family time.  I have still been cooking and experimenting but it will take me awhile to catch up here.  I will work on it but it may be during breaks that I have a surge in blog posts.  For now, I have also discovered why people like coffee!  I stopped drinking pop a few months ago.  So I never get any caffeine unless I get a tea or coffee.  At home, our tea is decaf and I never drink more than one coffee at a time.  But, since I get up at 4 AM now in order to get to work (it's quite a commute for me at this point), I have a little trouble getting myself going.  Especially now that the weather has gotten colder.

Anyway, I love the pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, but I hate the ingredients and price.  I found several recipes online to make your own pumpkin spice creamer.  I wasn't completely satisfied with any of them.  I already make my own plain sweet creamer and I have already posted the recipe for that.  I easily turned that into a pumpkin spice creamer.  Here is how:

Ingredients:

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

In a saucepan, heat 1/2 the can of evaporated milk, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to a low simmer.  Whisk together until this comes to a simmer, then take it off of the heat.  Let this cool completely.  When it is cool, whisk in the rest of the evaporated milk and the sweetened condensed milk.  Pour into two mason jars.  This will stay good in the refrigerator for a week.  I put one in the fridge to use and one in the freezer to save.  You could also give one away for gifts OR you could keep one at home and one at work if you drink both places.  It is very good.  I believe I outdid Starbucks with this one.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

I have been busy with my new temporary job and I have been trying to make meals that can be made quickly and easily.  They also have to be good warmed up for lunches at work.  We prefer to eat homemade foods rather than eating out or buying pre-made boxed foods.  The easiest way for easy, quick, healthy, homemade meals is to use marinades.  I have started making up bags with marinades and putting meat in them and freezing them.  Then I can take it out of the freezer the night before, and it's ready the next night for cooking. This is one of the marinades we have been using for pork chops.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp. oil (I usually use grapeseed or olive)

3 Tbsp. coconut aminos (This is what we use to replace soy sauce.)

6 garlic cloves, minced

4 pork chops (I use boneless.  I hate eating around bones.)

Directions:

In a ziploc bag, add all ingredients and close and mix around.  Let marinade for at least 2 hours.  Once marinated, grill or bake.  We grilled and loved them.  But if you can't grill, bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

I got this recipe from Pinterest and just replaced the soy sauce.  To see the original post, look here.