B-b-b-b-b-b... Blueberry Muffins

So this may be hard to believe, even for us here in Chicago as we are now sweating in our post-Memorial day 90 weather, but just a few short days ago it was only 40. Yes, that's right, we had a 50 degree swing this week. I guess it shouldn't be a shock for those of Chicago natives, but it never seems to sit just right with me. 

On Friday when I was walking around shivering in my house (now reread the title of this blog), I decided I needed to find something to bake to warm up the kitchen. And the idea came out of nowhere... what about blueberry muffins??? Everyone loves them and if done right, can be somewhat nutritious. Yes, they are a little high in sugar, but they do also include whole grain flour and those little bitty antioxidant powerhouses... aka blueberries. 

I posted the recipe here since no matter the weather, these delicious treats are always a hit!

Blueberry Muffins (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Use organic ingredients if possible:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash... really is just too fun to say. In my book, that alone is a perfectly good reason to have it for dinner.

Sunday night we decided to enjoy a little of this tasty German combination. Our meal consisted of small bratwurst (made in Germany, but bought at Trader Joes), mashed potatoes (skin on), sauerkraut, big soft pretzels, and spicy mustard. It was a lot of fun and more nutritious than you may think.

For starters, we only had 1 serving of the meat, 3 oz each for Oscar and me, 1-2 oz for the kids.

The potatoes were mashed with chicken stock and a little butter. By leaving the skin on they had much more Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium, Copper and Iron.

Sauerkraut is also very nutritious. It is a good source of Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Plus, it's a fermented food and like yogurt, is excellent for gut health. To reduce the sodium content, I'd recommend rinsing it before serving.

The pretzels are just plain yummy. You can make your own... Check out my pretzel blog here. 

Theme meals are great for the whole family. Explore and be creative with something new this week, perhaps your very own bangers and mash dinner. You know it will be a ton of fun to answer when the kids ask you what's for dinner!

Mad About Miso

I'm gonna take a guess and say that the vast majority of you readers out there have never tried miso at home. In all honesty, I hadn't until a few weeks ago. Sure, we've all had the occasional miso soup, but probably really never stopped to think much beyond that, let alone even ask the question... "what the heck is miso anyway?"

So here it is, miso is fermented soybean paste. OK, I admit that probably doesn't get you jumping in the car and heading to Whole Foods to buy some, but I'm hoping you find your adventurous side and pick up a container next time you shop. I'll tell you this, it adds an awesome flavor to dressings and marinades. Sort of like soy sauce on steroids. I mixed up the dressing recipe below and tossed with the Trader Joe's broccoli slaw the other day, and no joke, Max was following me around the kitchen trying to get more. Literally mouth open pointing to the bowl I was eating out of. It was hilarious. 

One of the very cool things about miso is it satisfies your 5th sense of taste, namely umami. You've all heard of your other 4 tastes... sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Umami is the less commonly referenced taste and it gives you the sensation of savoriness. I think umami is what can make a salad made with miso much more satisfying than one made with just your everyday vinaigrette. 

Here's a web site with a ton of miso recipes. And below is my dressing recipe that works well on most salads. I really like it on chopped raw kale and/ or chard. It can also work as a great veggie dip for the kids!

Creamy Miso Dressing

4 T Miso paste (white)

1/2 C Organic Mayo

2 T apple cider or white wine vinegar

4 T Honey (I use raw honey)

Whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. If dressing is too thick you can add a little water or Canola oil. 

Enjoy!

Easter Bread Fun

Happy Easter friends! Today I thought I'd share a special family recipe for our Greek celebration bread. We make this bread every year for both New Year's Day and Easter. 



On New Year's, a tin foil wrapped dime is placed in the bread before baking. Luck for the year is promised to the happy recipient of the slice with the dime. For Easter, red eggs are placed in the bread symbolizing the blood shed by Christ on the cross. 


We made this bread on Friday and I will say it does take a significant amount of time to do, it's fairly easy work and fun for the kids to help with. Plus, it's DELICIOUS! you can make this anytime and freeze extra loaves for later. We eat this bread with holiday dinners, but it also makes a tasty breakfast treat when toasted and topped with butter and honey.


Greek Sweet Bread

Makes 3-4 Loaves

Organic Ingredients

5 lbs Flour

3 Packs of Yeast

½ T Salt

1 ½ Cups Sugar

3 Cups warm milk…  about 125°

1 Cup warm Water… about 110°

1 ¼ (5 sticks) Butter- melted

4 Eggs

1 T Almond Extract

In a large bowl melt the yeast and water.  Add the warm milk and salt.  Stir in 6 cups of the flour (batter will be lumpy).  Cover and set aside in a warm spot for about 1- 2 hours until doubled in size.

Before

After

Stir with a wooden spoon and add sugar, the eggs, & the butter (mix almond flavoring in butter first).  Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Place the dough on a floured surface and knead thoroughly (your arms will be tired!).  Return to bowl and brush surface with butter.  Cover and let rise again.

Lightly knead again and let rest for 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 3 or 4 parts (depending on the size of your loaves).  Divide each of those in three and roll each section into long strips.  Braid and make into a circle to fit into the greased pan (approx 8- 10 inches round).  Let rise again in pan until double in size. 

Braided Dough

In Pan

Before

After Rising Again

Red Eggs

Ready to Bake!

Brush the tops with a mixture of egg yolk and water ( 1 yolk to 1 T water).  You call also sprinkle with sesame seeds, almonds or add a few walnuts to the top. Bake at 350° for about 40-60 minutes or until done.

Baked to Perfection

Enjoy!

Friday Night Kale Pizza, Wait, What?!?

Yep, that's right. I fed my kids pizza with kale in it last Friday. And they ate it (evidence below). 

Its super easy and actually really delicious!

I use the wheat Trader Joe's pizza dough (in the refrigerator case) and their pizza sauce (right next to the dough). Follow the dough directions for rolling and baking. Mix about 1 cup of kale (frozen... from whole Foods) right into the sauce and spread on the dough. Top with organic mozzarella and parmesan and bake to perfection! 

Its delicious, healthy and easy!

The "secret" ingredient

Red Beans and Rice

I have to admit, I love beans and rice. I'm always looking for new combos to enjoy this delicious duo. Not only are they easy to prepare, they are really good for you. Beans are FULL of antioxidants, fiber and protein. Plus, they keep you feeling full longer. Who doesn't need that??

Here's a fairly simple recipe I made the other night... the kids liked it (notice I didn't say loved it). I believe it's important to keep exposing them to a variety of heathy options and new foods.

Red Beans and Rice with Chorizo and Apples

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 apples peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 links of chorizo sausage (pork or turkey like in picture below)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 quarts water
• 1 pound red kidney beans, rinsed and picked of debris
• Cooked brown rice (follow package directions)

Directions: 
Place the vegetable oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, apples, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and are semi-translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the sausage, thyme, water and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high (mixture will be very soupy, see picture below). Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher. 


Serve the beans over the rice.

Max enjoying the meal. 

Annie's plate... she ate about half!

Why We LOVE Trader Joe's Broccoli Slaw!

1. It's fun to eat right out of the bag!

2. It's organic.

3. It's broccoli and carrots. Period. 

4. It's great in hot recipes, like sauteed with a little olive oil, garlic, white wine and tossed with whole wheat pasta.

5. It also makes a great slaw! I mix up mayo (1/4 cup), buttermilk (1/4 cup), a splash of white wine vinegar, 2 tsp of honey, salt and pepper.  Toss with broccoli slaw, dried cranberries, diced apples and walnuts. Its awesome!!!