Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs

This week in class is all about slow cookers also known as crock pots! Slow cookers are great because you can prepare everything the night before or the morning of, plug it in, go to work, and come home to a delicious dinner! Slow cookers get their name because that is exactly what they do, cook your foods very slowly for a long period of time. You can cook most meals in a slow cooker with a little bit of tweaking. Check out THIS post to find out 7 tips to convert your recipes to slow cooker recipes.

This recipe serves 8 - 10 people.

Chicken leg and thighs fresh out of the oven.

Enjoy a honey & chili chicken leg!

What you'll need:

• Knife 
• Cutting board
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Mixing spoon
• Baking dish/pan
• Peeler 

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Talbespoon chili powder
• 1/3 Cup apple cider
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Roughly chopped cilantro for garnish
• 3 Sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped into 1 inch strips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the honey, chili powder, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. 
3. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and stir until the thighs are evenly coated. At this point you can either bake the thighs immediately or refrigerate them for up to three hours to let them merinade. 





4. Arrange the chicken thighs in the baking dish and pour the remaining sauce over the top of them. Now mix in the chopped sweet potatoes. 





5. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until cooked through and the thickest part of the thighs register 165F with an instant read thermometer. 
6. Serve the chicken thigh and sweet potatoes immediately after roasting. Spoon any extra glaze from the pan over the hot chicken and garnish with roughly chopped cilantro. 

This week we only made one slow cooker recipe with a salad, then prepared a slow cooker recipe to be cooked the next day, and then one more slow cooker recipe as a take home challenge recipe. Curious about them? Click on any of them below and you can see their recipes!

• Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs
• Green Goddess Salad
• Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas
• Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic 

And as always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below!

Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic

This week in class is all about slow cookers also known as crock pots! Slow cookers are great because you can prepare everything the night before or the morning of, plug it in, go to work, and come home to a delicious dinner! Slow cookers get their name because that is exactly what they do, cook your foods very slowly for a long period of time. You can cook most meals in a slow cooker with a little bit of tweaking. Check out THIS post to find out 7 tips to convert your recipes to slow cooker recipes. This is a great quick and easy salad to serve with your slow cooked meal! This recipe is also our challenge recipe. We want you to go home and try this on your own!

Serves 4 people

What you'll need:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Medium saucepan
• Slow cooker
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

• 1/2 Pound stew meat (or you can use sausage)
• 1 Pound collard greens (one big bunch)
• 2 15 ounce cans of beans your choice - If using dry beans, soak overnight and discard the water before using
• 2-3 Carrots, diced
• 2 Medium yellow onions, about 1/2 pound, peeled and diced
• 6 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 4 Cups chicken broth
• 1/2 Cup cooking wine
• 1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar 

Directions

1. Brown the meat in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the meat is browned.
2. Meanwhile cut the collards into ribbons. Fold each leaf in half and slit the large center rib away and discard it. Stack the halved leaves on top of each other, roll up from the short end into a cigar shape and cut lengthwise down the center. Then cut crosswise into short ribbons about 1/2 inch wide.
3. Add the onions and garlic ,along with the paprika and salt as well as the red pepper flakes if desired, Cook for another 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the collard green ribbons slowly, handful by handful, stirring them in so that they wilt down and make room for more.
4. Transfer to a slow cooker and pour in the chicken broth, sherry, and cider vinegar and cook for 3 to 4 hours on LOW or until the collards are quite tender. 

This week we only made one slow cooker recipe with a salad, then prepared a slow cooker recipe to be cooked the next day, and then one more slow cooker recipe as a take home challenge recipe. Curious about them? Click on any of them below and you can see their recipes!

• Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs
• Green Goddess Salad
• Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas
• Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic 

And as always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below!

Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas

This week in class is all about slow cookers also known as crock pots! Slow cookers are great because you can prepare everything the night before or the morning of, plug it in, go to work, and come home to a delicious dinner! Slow cookers get their name because that is exactly what they do, cook your foods very slowly for a long period of time. You can cook most meals in a slow cooker with a little bit of tweaking. Check out THIS post to find out 7 tips to convert your recipes to slow cooker recipes. This is a great quick and easy salad to serve with your slow cooked meal!

The recipe serves 6 - 8 people.

What you'll need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Large saucepan
• Slow cooker
• Mixing spoon
• Foil

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Pounds chicken legs and thighs (about 4 each)
• 1 Yellow onion, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 Teaspoon coriander
• 1 Teaspoon cumin
• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Cup chicken stock
• 1 Cup dried couscous
• 1/2 Cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/4 Cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 2 Cups (1 15 ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, optional, for serving 

Directions

1. Warm one tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan or tagine over medium high heat until the oil flows easily and you can see it shimmering. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and place as many as will fit into the pan without crowding. 
2. Sear the chicken for 5 to 8 minutes, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown. This will help trap in some of the juiciness even after it's been in the slow cooker. 
3. Transfer the seared chicken directly to a slow cooker and continue searing the rest of the chicken pieces. If necessary add more oil to keep a thin film on the bottom of the pan. If the oil starts smoking, turn down the heat.







































4. Pour off all but a teaspoon of oil and return the pan to medium heat. Sauté the onions and carrots with a half teaspoon of salt until softened and beginning to brown. This will take about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant which will be about 30 seconds. Then sprinkle the ginger and spices over top and cook until fragrant which will take about 1 minutes.





5. Pour the onion mixture over the chicken and cover.
6. Stir the chicken stock and apricots into the pan, scraping up any seared bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan.
7. Cook for 4-6 hours on HIGH or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
8. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover with foil. Add the honey, almonds, and chickpeas to the pan with the apricots and onions, and increase the heat to medium-high. 
9. Bring the stew to a rapid simmer and cook until it has thickened slightly. Taste the sauce and add salt if necessary. 

This week we only made one slow cooker recipe with a salad, then prepared a slow cooker recipe to be cooked the next day, and then one more slow cooker recipe as a take home challenge recipe. Curious about them? Click on any of them below and you can see their recipes!

• Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs
• Green Goddess Salad
• Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas
• Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic 

And as always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below!

Green Goddess Salad

This week in class is all about slow cookers also known as crock pots! Slow cookers are great because you can prepare everything the night before or the morning of, plug it in, go to work, and come home to a delicious dinner! Slow cookers get their name because that is exactly what they do, cook your foods very slowly for a long period of time. You can cook most meals in a slow cooker with a little bit of tweaking. Check out THIS post to find out 7 tips to convert your recipes to slow cooker recipes. This is a great quick and easy salad to serve with your slow cooked meal!

Delicious looking salad!

Salad with dressing!

Close up of salad

What you'll need:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Food processor or blender
• Large serving bowl

Ingredients

For the salad

• 4 Cups spinach 
• 1 -2 Cups pea shoots
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup feta cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup almonds, crushed or chopped
• 1 Avocado, cut into chunks 

For the Dressing

• 1/2 Jalapeño pepper (you can leave ribs and seeds if you prefer it spicy)
• 2/3 Cup Greek yogurt
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon maple
• 1/2 Teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 Cup packed cilantro

Directions

1. Puree all the dressing ingredients together, adding the cilantro last until you reach a texture/consistency you like.
2. Toss together all of the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
3. Either toss the dressing into the salad or serve the dressing on the side.

This week we only made one slow cooker recipe with a salad, then prepared a slow cooker recipe to be cooked the next day, and then one more slow cooker recipe as a take home challenge recipe. Curious about them? Click on any of them below and you can see their recipes!

• Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs
• Green Goddess Salad
• Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas
• Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic 

Honey chili chicken with green goddess salad!

And as always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below!

Tips For Converting a Recipe to a Slow Cooker Recipe

This week in class is all about slow cookers also known as crock pots! Slow cookers are great because you can prepare everything the night before or the morning of, plug it in, go to work, and come home to a delicious dinner! Slow cookers get their name because that is exactly what they do, cook your foods very slowly for a long period of time. You can cook most meals in a slow cooker with a little bit of tweaking so below are 7 tips to help you change your recipe to a slow cooker recipe.

1. Ingredients you should add at the beginning

Some ingredients stand up to and even benefit from having longer cooking times, while others not so much. All of these can be added at the very start of cooking:

• Vegetables - Onions, root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, winter squashes, tomatoes (they will break down and add depth to stews and soups), celery, cauliflower and broccoli (these last two depend on the recipe and cooking time. I like mine a little more crisp so I don't add them to the bottom, but if you want them to be soft adding them at the beginning is the perfect time!)

• Meats - Lean cuts from the shoulder and rump of beef, lamb, goat, pork, whole chickens, chicken thighs, and chicken legs.

• Spices - Most spices can and should be added at the beginning of cooking. The only exception may be rosemary that can become bitter over the longest cooking times so may be best when added at the end.

2. Ingredients to add at the end

These are quicker-cooking ingredients that wouldn't hold up over hours of cooking and add some fresh flavor to a slow-cooked dish. Add all of the following ingredients in the last 30-45 minutes of cooking:

• Vegetables - Softer vegetables like peas, corn, bell peppers, and spinach.

• Meat - Chicken breast, fish, and other seafood. Check the chicken breast for doneness at the end of cooking and give it a little more time if it's still pink in the middle.

• Pantry Items - Rice, noodles, and other grains. You can add these already cooked, though uncooked grains are helpful for soaking up excess liquid and it makes them more flavorful. Beans can cause some debate; personally, I like to add them at the end of cooking so they retain some firmness, though they can be added at the beginning if that's easier for you.

• Dairy products - Milk, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese. Coconut milk is also best added at the end.

3. Cut all ingredients to be the same size

This ensures that all the ingredients will cook basically at the same time.

Image taken from this blog.

4. Take the time to brown your ingredients

With our busy schedules it's tempting and sometimes necessary to just dump all of our ingredients into the slow cooker and press go. This is a-ok and will give you a nice warm dinner to come home to however if you have a few extra minutes and really want to bring your meal up to the next level browning and searing your meat and vegetables before will trap in some of their flavors. This means your meal will have richer and more intense flavors!

5. Use less liquid

There is very little evaporation when using a slow cooker. If you're adapting a regular soup recipe it's likely you won't need to use all the liquid called for. So how do you know how much liquid to use? Put all of your ingredients in the slow cooker and then pour the broth over the top. It should cover the vegetables by about 1/2 inch. If you have excess liquid at the end of cooking try removing the lid for the last 30 minutes to let some of it evaporate. Or maybe you could use the extra liquid as a sauce if you are cooking meats.

6. Place longer-cooking ingredients on the bottom

Meats and root vegetables will take longer to become tender than say cauliflower. For the items that will take more time, nestle them around the bottom and sides of the slow cooker where they will have more direct contact with the slow cooker's heating element.

7. Choosing a cooking time

Recipes with meat like chili and pork shoulder are best when cooked for six hours minimum or up to ten hours. Vegetarian recipes are best cooked for around four hours, but can do a minimum of two hours or maximum of six hours (after six hours the vegetables will start to get unpleasantly mushy). 

This week we only made one slow cooker recipe with a salad, then prepared a slow cooker recipe to be cooked the next day, and then one more slow cooker recipe as a take home challenge recipe. Curious about them? Click on any of them below and you can see their recipes!

• Honey and Chili Chicken Thighs
• Green Goddess Salad
• Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Almonds & Chickpeas
• Collard Greens Stew with Meat and Garlic 

And as always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below!

Eggplant Parmesan

This week is all about redoing comfort foods and providing some healthier alternatives. When trying to make a recipe healthier than it's original version try to find a way to sneak in some vegetables. This recipe is a delicious way to enjoy eggplant and will serve between 4 and 6 people!

What you'll need:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 9x13 inch baking dish
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk 
• Ladle or large spoon

How to make a béchamel (white sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups 1% reduced fat milk (or 2% milk)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Combine milk and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium high heat; bring to a simmer. Then remove from heat and cover. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then strain the milk mixture through a sieve over a bowl and discard the solids (This step is optional)
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour to pan and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Do not let the butter/flour mixture brown! Gradually add strained milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper.

Never done this before? Check out this video on how to!

Ingredients

• 1 whole egg
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 6 cups homemade red sauce or spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 recipe Béchamel (as follows)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded, shaved or both)
• Cooking spray 
• Chives, diced (Optional to be used as a garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Beat together the egg, egg whites, and water in a shallow bowl. 
3. Then dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture fully coating them in the mixture and then dip them in the bread crumbs, again fully coating the eggplant. 
4. Place coated eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and the centers are tender when poked with a fork. This will take about 15 minutes or 7 - 10 minutes on each side.
5. Spread enough of the spaghetti sauce or red sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Then place a layer of the eggplant slices in the sauce.
6. Using a ladle drizzle a thin layer of white sauce (Béchamel) over the eggplant slices.
7. Repeat with remaining ingredients until they are gone. Then sprinkle the top with parmesan.
8. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Garnish with the diced chives and enjoy.

For this weeks theme of healthier comfort food we made three different recipes!

• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Mashed Cauliflower

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This week is all about taking comfort foods and changing them to be healthier! When trying to make a recipe healthier than it's original version try to find a way to sneak in some vegetables. Todays recipe looks just like regular Mac and Cheese because the squash keeps the orange cheesy look to it. This recipe was adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com.

What you'll need

• Pot
• 2 Sauce pans
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing spoon
• Baking dish
• Food processor or blender 

Ingredients 

• 1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni (try a gluten-free rice noodle)
• 1 1/4 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cup low fat milk
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1 cup aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs 

Directions 

1. Preheat your oven to 375F
2. Combine the squash, broth, milk, garlic, rosemary and nutmeg ina medium saucepan and bring it to a to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling reduce heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. This will take about 25 minutes. Then remove from heat and throw away the rosemary sprig.
   
3. While the squash mixture is being prepped, cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Make sure when the noodles are prepared to drain away the water.
4. Add the butternut squash mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Then add in the Greek yogurt and puree again.
5. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl and add the cheeses; stir until combined and the cheeses have mostly melted.
6. Combine pasta and squash mixture in a baking dish.
7. In a large skillet over medium heat add the butter and melt it. After it's melted add the breadcrumbs and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
8. Remove the breadcrumbs from the heat and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. 

For this weeks theme of healthier comfort food we made three different recipes! 

• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Mashed Cauliflower

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Mashed Cauliflower

This week is all about changing comfort foods to be healthier! When trying to make a recipe healthier an easy method is to find a way to sneak in vegetables. Todays recipe looks just like mashed potatoes when done, but if you want to have some fun try using purple cauliflower to create a purple mash! This recipe will serve between 4 and 6 people and was adapted from the food network.

What you'll need:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Sauce pan
• Potato masher, food processor, or blender
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces - about 2 pounds (for fun and color try purple cauliflower)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (may need more)
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic or finely chopped regular garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives 

Directions

1. Add the cauliflower and stock to a medium sized saucepan.  
2. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until tender. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the roasted garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in the milk and puree with an immersion blender or food processor or potato masher until smooth.
5. Mix in the cheese and sour cream for seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and then garnish with the shopped chives. 

For this weeks theme of healthier comfort food we made three different recipes! 

• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Mashed Cauliflower

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Gluten Free Double Corn Muffins

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will make 12 muffins and was adapted from food52.

What you'll need

• Muffin tin
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal
• 1/2 cup of any gluten free flour you like. (Regular wheat flour if you don't want them gluten free)
• 2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ounces butter, melted
• 1 cup corn kernels, roasted
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup scallions, dice the green part only

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fill the muffin tin with cupcake papers or spray with pam. 
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread a cup of thawed frozen corn kernels on it. Roast them in the oven until nicely browned. This will take about 15 minutes. 
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while mixing the batter. Otherwise you could take an ear of corn and roast it on the grill and use those kernels.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl and then add the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. With a mixing spoon stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Add the corn, cheese, and scallions and stir to blend.
6. Use an ice cream scoop, measuring cup, or spoon to fill each muffin cup to the top. Bake until perfectly risen and golden brown. This will take about 12 - 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes. They will firm as they dry so if they are crumbly do not worry.

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Colorful Fruit Salad

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will serve between 20 - 30 people depending upon personal serving size. The best part about fruit salads are you can create them however you like. Experiment and try adding new fruits to yours.

Look at all the color!

What you'll need

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

• 1 Cantaloup 
• 2 Mangos
• 2 - 3 1 pound cartons of strawberries
• 1 - 2 pounds of green grapes

Remember that you can take away and/or add which ever fruits you like! 

Directions

1. Wash all of the fruit prior to using in the salad.
2. Cut the stems off of the strawberries and then slice into halves.
3. Peel the mango and cube.
4. Pull the grapes from the stem.
5. Cut the cantaloup into cubes.
6. Mix together in a large serving bowl and enjoy!

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with an Avocado Dressing

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will serve 10-15 people and was adapted from foodiecrush.com.

Salad covered with dressing!

Large bowl of salad!

Look at the colors!

What you'll need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Blender
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowl 
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 head of bibb lettuce -- Feel free to substitute any heavier lettuce such as romaine
• 3 cups butternut squash chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 strawberries, sliced (When strawberries are not in season use dried fruit such as cranberries)
• 1/4 cup feta cheese (If you don't like feta try goat cheese)
• 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds

For the dressing

• 1 medium very ripe avocado 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 serrano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 green onions roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro (Optional)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 limes juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place your butternut squash in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Peel and chop the butternut squash and place the cubes back on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with the olive oil and toss to coat. Then season with the salt. Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. While your squash is in the oven put all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. The more buttermilk you add the thinner your dressing will be. 
6. Place the salad leaves in the bottom of a large bowl and layer with the butternut squash, fruit, cheese, cilantro (optional). Then top with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Feel free to toss the salad coat the salad more evenly with the dressing. 

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Vegetable Soup With Buffalo

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will make 25-30 servings and was taken from the Dream of Wild Health Cookbook.

Whole pot of soup!

Yummy bowl of soup!

Look at that buffalo!

What you'll need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Large pot
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

• 1 small buffalo roast (approximately 6 pounds) cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 head garlic (about 8 cloves), minced
• 8 cups low sodium beef broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds potatoes, diced 
• 2 cups white corn hominy, drain and rinse if canned
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 3 teaspoons oregano powder

Directions

1. In a large pot heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the meat and cook until brown.
3. Add the seasonings and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Cover meat with the beef stock and cook on low heat for an hour or until the meat is tender.
5. Then add the potatoes and hominy and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes. 

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Mushroom Casserole Recipe

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will serve about 8 people and was adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Mushroom Casserole right out of the oven!

Spoonful of casserole ready to eat!

What you'll need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Medium - large baking dish (9x9)
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Skillet
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
• 1 large onion, well chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 3 cups cooked wild rice, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat sauté the mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit.
3. Then add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute and remove from heat.
4. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.
5. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.
6. Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Then pout the mixture into your prepared baking dish.
7. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or until the casserole is hot throughout and golden along the edges. 
9. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon and the remaining parmesan cheese. 

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Salmon Dry Rub Recipe

This week is all about menu planning in action! Be sure to check out the post about it HERE. Todays recipe will season 1/2 pound of salmon.

Piece of seasoned and cooked salmon!

Plate of seasoned and cooked salmon!

What you'll need

• Baking sheet
• Small bowl
• Spoon or fork for mixing

Ingredients 

• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon or more of paprika 
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Place the salmon scale side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
3. Combined all the ingredients minus the salmon in a small bowl and mixed together with a fork.
4. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly across the entire fish. 
5. Place in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until fully cooked. 
6. Remove from the oven and enjoy.

Since this weeks recipe was menu planning in action we made these 6 different recipes together and have NO left over ingredients!

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Menu Planning In Action!

This week was feast week and also our last class for the next two weeks so people can enjoy their spring breaks! For our feast class we are applying what we learned last week about meal planning. Don't remember meal planning? Check it out here!

This week we made 6 different recipes (salmon is not pictured below).

Since this week is menu planning in action we wanted to show how you can plan your meals to use all of the left over ingredients from one meal to create another meal. We were able to create six different recipes to feed 25 people all with $150. The best part is we had no left over ingredients! Everything was used in the other recipes.

This week we made:

• Gluten Free Corn Muffins
• Colorful Fruit Salad
• Butternut Squash Bibb Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Vegetable Soup with Buffalo
• Mushroom Casserole
• Salmon with a Dry Rub

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to ask questions or leave comments below!

Home-made Mac and Cheese

Week 5 is all about snacks! This weeks lesson was on meal planning. Be sure to check it out HERE. This recipe utilizes a béchamel also known as a white sauce. You can use this sauce to make lasagna, mac and cheese, alfredo sauce and so much more! Todays recipe will make about 10 servings and was adapted from the Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Looks a bit browner because I used whole wheat noodles

How to make a béchamel (white sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups 1% reduced fat milk (or 2% milk)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Combine milk and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium high heat; bring to a simmer. Then remove from heat and cover. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then strain the milk mixture through a sieve over a bowl and discard the solids (This step is optional)
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour to pan and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Do not let the butter/flour mixture brown! Gradually add strained milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper.

Never done this before? Check out this video on how to!

What you'll need for mac and cheese

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pot
• Mixing spoon
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried macaroni
• 1 whole egg beaten
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard (or more to taste)
• 1 pound of grated cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Directions

1. Cook the macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Then drain the water.
2. In a small bowl beat the egg.
3. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk this together over medium low heat. We don't want to brown the mixture. Cook this for about 5 minutes whisking constantly. 
4. Pour in milk, and add the mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five more minutes until very thick. Reduce to low heat. (We are making the béchamel here).
5. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pout it into beaten egg. Whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk this together until smooth (This is called tempering).
6. Pout the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
7. Add in cheese and stir to melt.
8. Add salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings to what you like.
9. Pout in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
10. Serve immediately (very creamy) OR pour into a buttered baking dish and top with extra cheese. Bake this for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. (This is also called baked macaroni and cheese).

Since this weeks recipes were snacks we made 5 different recipes!

• Cauli-tots (Cauliflower tots)
• Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde 
• Home-made Mac and Cheese
• Healthy Granola Bars

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to ask questions or leave comments below!

Healthy Granola Bars

Week 5 is all about snacks! This weeks lesson was on meal planning. Be sure to check it out HERE. These bars are highly adaptable so feel free to change ingredients to customize it! Examples of other things you could add are dried fruits like dried cranberries, or add in some seeds. Todays recipe will make about 10 bars.

Close up of 1 bar

A plate of bars

What you'll need

• Knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Food processor
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon
• 8x8 pan or other small pan
• Medium sized sauce pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped and pitted dates
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey or agave)
• 1/4 cup almond, peanut, or cashew butter
• 1 cup nuts of any of the following (roughly chopped your choice, chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut flakes)
• 1-1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Directions

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). You can also chop them until they are very fine.
2. Optional step: Toast your oats in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise you can leave them raw.
3. Place the oats, almonds, and dates in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a medium sized pan, warm honey and peanut butter over low heat. 
5. Remove from heat and add oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates. 
6. Once throughly mixed, transfer the mixture to an 8x8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic warp or parchment paper so they easily lift out. 
7. Press down on the bars until they are uniformly flattened. Then cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap and let them sit in a fridge or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to harden.
8. Remove the bars from the pan and chop them into even sizes. Store in an airtight container for a few days.

Since this weeks recipes were snacks we made 5 different recipes!

• Cauli-tots (Cauliflower tots)
• Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde 
• Home-made Mac and Cheese
• Healthy Granola Bars

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to ask questions or leave comments below!