Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 -1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (I used closer to a cup, making it a pretty stick dough)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
egg wash (1 egg & 1 tbs water)
Sugar In The Raw for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400.

Line baking sheet with Silpat or parchment.

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a few pulses.

Add butter and pulse until coarse sand texture.

In small bowl combine buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla. Add buttermilk mix through feed tube while pulsing. Do not over mix.

Transfer dough to floured surface and pat out to about 1 inch thick. With square cutter, cut out scones then divide the square in half to be a triangle. Place scones on baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle sugar on tops and bake 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack.

Maximus walked around Target eating one after school and showed it to each person we passed. They're not very sweet (you can add more sugar if you'd like), but they're tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken & Whole Wheat Dumplings

• 1 lb - 1.5lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts
  
• 2-3 ribs celery, diced
• large handful shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 1-1.5 cups carrots, diced
• 1 (8oz) package dried organic leek soup mix
• 4-6 cups water
• 3-4 Not Chick-N bouillon cubes (my favorite- vegan with the best chicken taste)
• salt
• pepper
• thyme (palms measurement, about 1.5 tbsp)
  
• paprika (about 1 tbsp)
  
• garlic (about 1 tbsp)
  
• onion powder (about 2 tsp)
  
• whole wheat biscuits (recipe below)
  

I used this recipe for the whole wheat biscuits. She uses all purpose flour, but I won't ever buy that and I always use whole wheat. They turned out great! Also, I used buttermilk instead of heavy cream. Here's the link:

Cream Biscuits
Okay, I HATE making biscuits. Hate. However, this recipe I will be using over and over. It was simple. I was going for small biscuits, so I used a champagne sample cup we had- you can use a large shot glass or small juice cup, I guess? They were about 2 inches across. Oh, and I double sifted the whole wheat flour.


Cute, eh? Invest in a baking mat. I use mine in countless ways.


Done! Lovely!


Heat a tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat until hot. Add chicken, cook and stir until just browned.

In a slow cooker, combine the chicken, celery, carrots, mushrooms, soup mix, all seasonings and water. Mix well.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

When you're about an hour from serving, shred the chicken and tear the biscuits into thirds or quarters. Place the pieces on top of the liquid in the slow cooker and turn to low and cover for about an hour.

Serve and enjoy! I noticed online that almost all recipes called for the use of those Pillsbury Grands refrigerated biscuits. They added them, uncooked, about 45 minutes before serving. Google it and if that's what you want to use, go for it. (Jesse LOVED the whole wheat biscuits used as "dumplings" in this recipe, so that's what I'll continue to use.)

I sat outside on the deck and ate a bowl in the cold, crisp fall air. It was so good that my eyes rolled in the back of my head. SO GOOD.

Chunky Vegetable Soup & Roasted Butternut Squash

Chunky Vegetable Soup

• Couple tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 medium/large carrots, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
• few pinches thyme
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes (I puree mine for the tomato hater in my house)
• few cups chicken stock
• handful pasta (whatever you want. I used spinach spaghetti, broken into small pieces)

In a stock pot over medium heat, add oil and heat. Add and cook the onion, celery and carrots until soft. Add garlic and thyme. After 3 minutes, add tomatoes and water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until done. I let mine sit on low, covered, for a half hour prior to serving. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.


Roasted Butternut Squash

I LOVE THIS. I am not a fan of squash cooked with sugar or anything sweet- I am a hater of sweet when it should be savory. I never, ever let my syrup touch my eggs or bacon. Ack! But this side is amazing. It's not my recipe. I found one and tweaked it until it was just right, so it's sort of mine?

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (please buy good paprika. Paprika rules the spice rack.)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion salt
• Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil (the amount will vary. Use until you have a runny paste)

Preheat oven to 375. Peel the squash and cube into 1 inch pieces. (Google how to peel and cut a butternut if you don't know how)

Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt and balsamic in a small bowl. Slowly stream in olive oil and whisk quickly until you have a runny paste. Don't add too much, it's not salad dressing.

Dump mixture over squash pieces in a large bowl and mix until it's evenly coated. Arrange on a baking sheet covered by Silpat (or parchment or some kind of protective layer. Silicone is best) and bake until done, about 30-40 minutes. You'll want to check and turn about halfway through cooking time.

Greek Hummus & Pesto Pizza

From the bottom to the top:

• whole wheat pita
• hummus
• pesto
  
• low fat feta
• roasted red peppers
• red onions, thinly sliced
• rotisserie chicken
• olives
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• chopped romaine lettuce, tossed in homemade (or whatever you want) Greek dressing
  

Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes. Top with the cold romaine lettuce before serving. I served it last night with a side of pesto parmesan quinoa. Easy and nutritious.

Leftovers?

Best use of leftovers. Ever.

• Leftover grilled chicken and "arrachera". (Mexican market marinated flank steak)
• Brown and wild rice mixture
• Sauteed spinach
• Dijon
• Onion
• Vegan sour cream, or whatever you have
  

Cook the rice first, since it takes the longest. Saute spinach in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. (I used an entire bag of spinach and it shrinks down into 3 tiny servings)

Cook chicken and beef over medium until done. Make a pan sauce with butter (I used vegan), a bit of dijon, a splash of stock and vegan sour cream (it doesn't have to be vegan. I also added a finely chopped white onion.

Serve rice on bottom, top with spinach and finish with the meat and sauce. Dee-lish.

Kid Cuisine Bug Hunt Fun Nuggets

Well...doesn't the name say it all? Bug? Fun? Nuggets? Seriously?!

Here's the ingredient list:
Chicken Patties (Chicken, Breading [Wheat Flour, Salt, Dextrose, Soybean(s) Oil, Whey, Oleoresin Paprika], Water, Soy Protein Textured [Soy Protein, Soy Carbohydrate], Batter [Corn Flour Yellow, Corn Starch, Spice(s), Salt Sugar, Yeast Extract Autolyzed, Guar Gum, Leavening, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Garlic Powder, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate], Chicken Broth Powder [Maltodextrin, Chicken Broth, Salt Flavor(s)], Salt Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Flavor(s) BHT, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Spice(s) [Mono and Diglycerides, Spice(s) Extractive, Lactic Acid]), Macaroni and Cheese (Pasta [Semolina Durum, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB), Egg(s) Whites], Water Cheese Cheddar [Milk Pasteurized Cultured, Salt Enzyme(s), Annatto], Whey Sweet Dried, Cream Sweet Dried [Cream Sweet, Milk Non-Fat, Sodium Caseinate], Food Starch Modified, Wheat Flour Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Beta Carotene [Corn Oil, Beta Carotene], Butter [Cream Sweet Salt], Citric Acid, Datem, Disodium Phosphate, Salt Mono and Diglycerides Cheese Blend [Cheese Cheddar Blend, Cheese Cheddar Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt Enzyme(s) Annatto Cream, Sodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid Yellow 5, Yellow 6]), Chocolate Pudding (Water Sugar Food Starch Modified Milk Non-Fat Dry, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Cream Sweet Dried [Cream Sweet Milk Non-Fat Sodium Caseinate] Cocoa Powder [Potassium Carbonate], Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Salt Soy Lecithin), Corn (Corn Water Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Sugar Salt Emulsifier(s) [Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids], Flavor(s) Butter [Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated Butter Oil, Butter Fat Enzyme Modified, Whey Powder Sweet, Milk Non-Fat Dry Powder], Soy Lecithin Beta Carotene [Corn Oil Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene]), Ketchup (Water Tomato(es) Paste, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Sucrose, Salt Flavor(s) Natural, Onion(s) Powder, Spice(s) Spice(s) Extractive), Cookies (Sugar Flour Enriched [Wheat, Niacin Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)], Vegetable(s) Oil [Soybean(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Hydrogenated], Cocoa Processed With Alkali Corn Syrup High Fructose Corn Flour, Salt Dextrose Sodium Bicarbonate Maltodextrin Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Red 40 Lake, Soy Lecithin Sugar Magnesium Stearate, Flavor(s) Natural)

I personally, would feel like a failure of a parent if I bought, microwave heated, served and watched my child eat this shit. Get a clue people- cook. Chicken, whole wheat bread crumbs and an oven. It doesn't take long, it's inexpensive and it works. My child as nugget and fast food free. And he hates fries! Stuff like this is beyond freaky. And sad.

Aurgh...the ingredient list won't copy and paste successfully, I'm sorry. But here's a link to what's inside: gross

Grilled Flank Steak over Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Veg

Lately I've been queen of the 30 minute recipes (Rachael Ray can suck it, mine are better) but tonight I felt like spending more time in the kitchen. This one ended up taking 45 minutes! And many thanks to my dear Sarah Dunbar, who informed me of pesto quinoa. Another 'oh duh!' moment for me...

Flank steak (I buy arrachera at my carniceria)
Assorted veg cut into inch pieces
Quinoa
Pesto (I made basil pesto this time, not spinach)

Quinoa is made just like rice. I used 1.5 cups of quinoa with stock and brought it to a boil. I covered it and lowered the heat and let it finish cooking- about 18 minutes. I roasted the assorted veg (red onion, green bell pepper, mushrooms and broccoli) at 425 for somewhere around 15-18 minutes. Then I stepped outside and grilled the steak until nearly done. Let sit a good 10 minutes before slicing- don't ruin it by hacking into it too soon. The longer it sits, the better. When the quinoa is finished, mix in pesto and a bit of Parmesan cheese. Serve the quinoa on the bottom, top it with the roasted vegetables and finish it with the sliced steak on top. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and pesto over the steak. Attack with fork and knife.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado and Spicy Beans

Here's another no brainer, nutritious and quick meal. I seasoned chicken breasts with this chicken seasoning I buy at our local carniceria. It's like $1 and I use it all the time. Get some. So, I seasoned the chicken and then grilled it. It came out perfect.

I placed the chicken on a bed of brown rice and peas. (I was lame and used the quick microwavable brown rice you find in the freezer section- I was pinched on time)

Then I topped it with Pace picante sauce and fresh avocado.

I served it alongside my wonderful bean creation- vegetarian beans mixed with pureed Rotel, warm it up. Jesse is ridiculous about tomatoes, so I have to puree all tomatoes for him. (He's a baby, I know.) Try this mixture, it's freaking terrific.

Done. Another "duh" dinner. It was awesome. I think Jesse licked his plate. I should seriously have a tv show.

'Tis the Season for Summer Salads!

We got a new grill last weekend and I have grilled every night for dinner since then. I think fresh vegetables pair perfectly with something hot off the grill. Today I threw together this simple salad that tastes better the longer it sits.

1 English cucumber, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 jar black olives (I prefer kalamata, but Maximus was sleeping so I couldn't get to the store)
1/3 red onion sliced thin on a mandolin slicer

I made a quick dressing-
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
less than 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (or more) dijon mustard
tiny bit agave nectar
pinch of oregano
pinch of sesame seeds

Blend that all up, pour over the vegetables and let sit. Done.

Screw You, Rheumatoid Arthritis

I've been living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for most of my life. It hurts, some days I can't button a shirt and my toes cramp up and freeze. That's why, a couple years ago, I chose to eliminate most dairy from my diet and work my ass off. I feel better. I feel great.

Today I went to my doctor for a "wellness screening" for insurance purposes. I was excited. I already knew my cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and resting heart rate were low and that's proof of a healthy lifestyle. I even laughed when the nurse measured my waist and rolled her eyes. The doctor was pleased with everything and told me he wished more people took care of themselves like we do.

He looked at my hands for a long time. My hands aren't pretty. They someday, will resemble my father's. He is 71 and has lived with RA for a long, long time. He is a marathoner, an avid fitness freak and nutritious person whom I admire. He won't take medication for his RA and uses diet and nutrition instead. We agree on the fact that too many people don't take actions for themselves and decide to lazily medicate for a condition that can be fixed with a lifestyle change.

I was reminded today that I am living with a disease. When you put "auto immune" in front of a disease, I personally, take it less seriously. My doctor noticed my pinky finger and the way my fingers don't fold in naturally, they protrude upward. I just thought that's how my hands were. My pinky finger sticks out far to the side. The reason why shocked me: my RA pain has been handled by diet and exercise, but the disease itself has had a party inside my body. My ulnar bones on both arms have deteriorated thus pulling my pinkies to the sides. He asked me many more questions that had obvious "oh duh!" answers to them.

I'm NOT seeking sympathy. I am to the point where I need medication to keep this stupid "disease" at bay so I don't have mangled hands by age 40. I will not slow down. I live an active life, I'm training for marathons, we eat great, we are happily raising a healthy and active son and dammit, I look great in a bikini. I am frustrated because I do all this and thought my RA was under control and it's not. My pain is managed by my lifestyle, but the damage this disease causes, isn't. My question is, to anyone out there, how can I do this without medication? I don't want IV treatments or a once a week pill to keep my hands functioning, I want to do it without that crutch! I've had goddamn cancer and will not go through harsh treatments again! I'm pissed because this isn't a preventable disease like so many out there. If I had diabetes, a heart condition, high blood pressure...I wouldn't ask for help because my lifestyle called for it. I just want my hands to work so I call pull up my zipper on my jacket at age 71 and go out for a run.

Elite Gourmet Protein

This stuff is the business. I am super picky about proteins and this is by far the best tasting I've had. No sugar and aspartame free. 21 grams of protein per serving. Since I don't drink cow's milk, I mix it with unsweetened soy milk. My 3 year old even loves to drink it before preschool.

Good Fuel

Tonight after dinner, Jesse will train by riding his bike and I will run. We obviously need some good fuel for our bodies to perform their best. What I'm making for dinner is delicious, easy, inexpensive (it's not expensive to eat healthy, quit with your excuses) super fast and most importantly, nutritious.

Sorry there isn't a picture of the finished product- we will eat and run.

Quinoa pilaf, baked chicken and green salad. I'll explain the pilaf since the rest is self explanatory:

Red onion, finely chopped
Mushrooms, sliced (whatever kind you have)
Carrots, finely chopped
Chopped spinach (I only had to frozen kind)
Quinoa
Chicken bouillon (I always use "Not Chick'N" because it tastes so damn good)

Slowly caramelize the onions in extra virgin olive oil. Now, I don't mean saute, I mean caramelize. Cook on medium and it could take up to 45 minutes- the key is low and slow. Add the mushrooms and carrots about halfway through and cook until everything is super soft and lovely.

As that's cooking, make your quinoa: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water with a couple bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the water is absorbed. I live at 9,000 feet and it takes me about 20 minutes.

Defrost spinach. Combine the onion mixture, spinach, quinoa and combine and cover. Serve with a small green salad (don't screw it up by dumping Ranch all over it) and the baked chicken and you're set.

My Addiction

Okay, this is one of my biggest addictions: carne asada street tacos. So simple and delicious. I could literally live on these, dark chocolate, wine, running and asparagus for the rest of my life. We have a carniceria near our house and I've been hitting it up a few times a week for meat and seasonings. I love that place. I speak very little spanish and they speak very little english, so I never really know exactly what the butcher is giving me. These tacos are made from the skirt steak cut, as they traditionally are. I chopped them myself from the long pieces the guy gave me.

So, here is the EASIEST recipe ever:

skirt steak, chopped

a few sprinkles of "condimento de la carne de vaca" (this was a little bag of beef seasoning I found for $1.25 in their seasonings section- they all hang in baggies on the wall. I think it's chile powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, onion powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.)

corn tortillas (I got some they made in house without yucky oils or lard)

pico de gallo (I bought theirs since it's off the freaking hook)

Cook the meat over almost high heat so it's done quickly and the juices are sealed inside. I added the seasoning about halfway through. Put the meat on the tortillas, add pico and shove in your face.

Whole Wheat French Toast Casserole

Want comfort food on a cold snowy morning without the guilt? Whamo!

• 1 small loaf of hearty crusty whole wheat bread (the kind from the bakery, not the soft stuff)
  
• 10 eggs
• 3 cups unsweetened soy milk (most recipes call for 3 cups of half & half. Seriously?!)
  
• 1 tablespoon Sugar in the Raw
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I know it seems like a lot, but it was good)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I did way more)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• real maple syrup
  

Cut the bread up into 1 inch cubes and dump into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour over bread.

Bake at 350 for 45 or so minutes (I'm at 9,000 feet so I did about an hour), until the egg is cooked and the bread is browned. I took it out, lightly drizzled grade B organic maple syrup over it and returned it to the oven and turned the oven off. I did this because I wanted the syrup flavor there, without adding additional syrup to our portions. (I'm terrified of sugars and hate adding them, can't you tell?)

It was delicious. We didn't add butter or syrup to our servings because the flavors were balanced. Perfect for a cold, snowy morning where you end up sitting around in sweats and drinking coffee until 1pm. Next time I'll add orange zest and maybe a few raisins. You really can't mess this up.

Chicken and Whole Wheat Dumplings

This picture sucks, I know.

Jesse was really sick this weekend and requested chicken and dumplings. I got the recipe from his mom (she's the queen of this dish) and made it with the things we had. (ex: whole wheat flour instead of enriched white)

I was actually nervous in my own kitchen making this! Normally I'm the confident boss over all things culinary in my home, but I was keeping my fingers crossed that my chicken and dumplings would pass the test. I'm not kidding, his mom's is awesome.

• 3 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
• large onion, diced
• 2-3 ribs celery, diced
• Tony Chacheres seasoning
• Chicken stock (I had and used "Not-Chick'n" cubes because I swear, they taste better)
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato
• Frozen peas
• can of corn
• handful of fresh green beans, about an inch long
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, double sifted
• 4-8 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Bay leaves
• Sage
• Marjoram

Saute onion and celery in extra virgin olive oil and 1.5 tbsp butter until done. Add chicken and 1/2 stock and 1/2 water and boil. I added Tony Chacheres for flavor as well as salt and pepper.

When chicken is done, remove it and set aside. Add more broth if needed. Add the carrots, potatoes and cook until almost done. Add peas, corn and green beans. Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, sage and marjoram. I measured each with my palm, so season to your taste.

Dumplings: Add eggs one at a time to the flour and mix with a fork until a consistency you prefer. (I think I ended up using 6 eggs?) Drop the dumpling dough into the boiling soup with a tablespoon- I ended up with about 12-15 large dumplings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Jesse's mother wrote: "your dumplings should look like heavenly clouds of goodness".

Add cut up chicken and cook for another 20 minutes or more for the soup to thicken.

I was impressed. It turned out great and I'll definitely be making it again.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Prune Decadence Cake

Maximus' 3rd birthday was a couple days ago and you all know I'm incapable of feeding him even a birthday cake that isn't somewhat healthy. Each morning as he waits for his oatmeal to cook, he gets a prune in his mouth and one in each hand. The kid loves his morning prunes and it would be impossible for him to leave the house without eating 3. With that in mind, I set off to make a cake that incorporated prunes.

I asked what he wanted on top of his cake and he (in his adorable little language) said: blueberries, strawberries, bananas, cold pineapple, prunes and raisins. Alrighty then.

I used an old recipe that I worked with when I was a sous chef and made some substitutions and additions. Keep in mind that I live at 9,000 feet, so decrease the flour by 1/4 cup and lessen the boiling water if you live anywhere else.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used half whole wheat and half quinoa flour and sifted together twice)
2/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened (Earth Balance works great)
1 cup Sugar in the Raw
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 vegan sour cream
handful of pureed prunes (they break down better with water or simple syrup)
1/2 cup boiling water

Convection ovens work best, but use what you have- preheat to 375. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan. Sift the flours, baking soda, salt and cocoa together and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat again.

Gradually stir in the sifted flour mixture in approximate thirds, alternating each time with 1/4 cup of the vegan sour cream. (It doesn't have to be vegan- it's what we had and I prefer)

Stir in the boiling water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 23 minutes. Don't wreck this by over baking! Allow to cool and frost with whatever you want. I used a traditional chocolate frosting made with soy milk, vanilla, butter and 1/4 of the powdered sugar a typical recipe calls for.

Accidental 8-Minute Masterpiece

Maximus did 8 runs on his snowboard down the bunny hill at Keystone Resort today, so when we got home he was STARVING. So hungry he was asking for "mac en tease en bean en wice en nolk (milk)". We didn't have any boxed Annie's mac and cheese, so I whipped some up myself.

No joke, this took less than 8 minutes. (The power-boil feature on my stove made it speedy)

I'm a weirdo about dairy and I hate using a lot of it. It makes me sick, but not the others that live here, so they get to taste my experiments...I don't know if that's a good or bad thing? I had a half bag of some weird spinach and beet pasta spirals, so I boiled that and then added the following after I drained it:

1 tbsp Light Earth Balance spread
1 crushed up vegan chicken bouillon cube (used as "cheese" powder)

a tiny splash of unsweetened soy milk

a pinch of sharp white cheddar (maybe a tbsp total, or less)
a heavy pinch of Daiya (this stuff is epic)
Mix it all together and it gets all stringy and gooey like mac and cheese. Maximus devoured it saying, "Mama make mac en tease scwatch...me wuv taste!" Maximus approved.