Creamy Parmesan Rosemary Polenta with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Mushrooms and Brussel Sprouts

Creamy Polenta
2 c water
1 tsp salt
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 c milk
1/2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 c parmesan cheese

1. Bring water to a boil, add salt and cornmeal
2. Reduce to medium-low heat and stir with a whisk almost constantly for about 10 minutes (to prevent sticking).
3. Add milk and continue to whisk every few minutes until liquid is absorbed and polenta begins to thicken.
4. Add butter and rosemary, stir with a wooden spoon
5. Add parmesan cheese, stir.

Roasted Mushrooms and Brussel Sprouts
1/2 lb brussel sprouts, halved
6 oz mushrooms, quartered
olive oil
salt

1. Combine brussel sprouts and mushrooms in a baking dish and toss in olive oil and salt.
2. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Caramelized Onions
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 Tbs unsalted butter

1. Heat butter over medium heat.
2. Add onions and let caramelize for about 20 minutes adding water if onions begin sticking to pan.

Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

Love using my slow cooker! The food always comes out yummy and makes the house smell awesome!

12 oz jar salsa verde

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ lb chicken (about 8 chicken tenders)

8 tortillas

avocado, sliced

red onion, sliced

lime

1. Put salsa, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and salt in slow cooker. Stir to combine
2. Put chicken in slow cooker making sure that each piece is covered by salsa.
3. Cook on low for 4 hours.
4. After 4 hours, shred chicken and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Makes 8 tacos

Balsamic Roasted Veggies over Brown Rice

Roasting is my favorite way to cook most vegetables. You can substitute just about any other veggie in this recipe. Some good additions to this dish would be brussel sprouts, butternut squash, and cauliflower.

Rice:

1 c brown rice

2 c water

1 clove garlic

salt to taste

Veggies:

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

4 ½ Tbs olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

6 carrots, sliced on the bias

½ red onion, cut into 1” pieces

1 ½ c broccoli

1 zucchini, sliced and quartered

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

6 oz mushrooms, halved

1 sweet potato, diced

1 ½ c potatoes, diced

5 clove garlic, chopped

1. Bring water to a boil and add rice and clove of garlic. Salt to taste.
2. Turn heat down to simmer and simmer for 40 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, add vinegar, oil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and whisk together.
4. In a large bowl, add all veggies, chopped garlic, and vinegar mixture and toss with a large spoon so that all veggies are are coated.
5. Spread veggies out on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

Banana Oat Pancakes

Yummy Breakfast! These pancakes are not your normal fluffy Bisquick pancakes, but they are still so good. They can easily be made with just three ingredients (banana, oats, egg), but I have jazzed them up a bit. I like to keep a supply of ground oats on hand to cut out the step of grinding the oats, but I just do this in the food processor.

1 egg

1 banana

¼ c quick cooking oats, ground

1 tsp coconut flakes

¼ tsp vanilla extract

½ Tbs coconut oil

2 Tbs peanut butter

¼ c blackberries

1. In a bowl, beat egg.
2. Add banana and mash
3. Add oats, coconut flakes, and vanilla and thoroughly mix.
4. Heat oil in a griddle over medium heat.
5. Pour batter onto griddle to make three pancakes.
6. Cook for 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
7. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.
8. While pancakes are cooking, microwave peanut butter in a small dish for about 20 seconds so it is pourable.
9. Put pancakes on plate and pour peanut butter on top.
10. Top with blackberries.

Turkey Quinoa Meatballs & Spaghetti Squash

This recipe uses the slow cooker to cook marinara sauce and turkey meatballs together. My spaghetti squash obsession continues...

2 Tbs olive oil

½ white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 lb lean ground turkey

⅓ c cooked quinoa

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small white onion, sliced

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 Tbs canola oil

1 spaghetti squash

additional shredded parmesan cheese for topping, optional

1. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat.
2. Add chopped onions, cook for 7 minutes
3. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
4. Add sliced onions to bottom of slow cooker
5. Pour crushed tomatoes into slow cooker.
6. Add sauteed onions and garlic.
7. Add pepper, salt, parsley, oregano, and bay leaf.
8. Turn slow cooker on low.
9. In a large bowl, add ground turkey, quinoa, garlic, egg, olive oil, parmesan, basil, oregano, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
10. Using your hands, combine turkey with all ingredients.
11. Form into small balls.
12. In a large pan, heat canola oil over medium heat.
13. Put meatballs in pan and sear for about a minute while covered.
14. Turn meatballs to sear on other side for about a minute while covered.
15. Add meatballs to crockpot and cover with sauce.
16. Cook on low for 6 hours.
17. Pierce the spaghetti squash several times with a knife and microwave on a plate for 8 minutes.
18. Remove from microwave, place on cutting board, and cut in half lengthwise.
19. Remove seeds and pulp.
20. If “spaghetti” can be easily separated with a fork, separate and put in a bowl. If not, microwave halves for 2 more minutes each.

Chewy Dark Chocolate & Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

½ c butter, room temperature

½ c sugar

½ c brown sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ c flour

½ c whole wheat flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 ½ c quick cooking oats

¼ c dark chocolate, chopped

¼ c chopped pecans

1. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
2. Add egg and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, combine, flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
5. Once completely combined, add oats, chocolate, and pecans.
6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
7. Form cookie dough into one inch balls and place on cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about two dozen.

Spaghetti Squash Primavera

I have sort of been obsessed with spaghetti squash lately. I love pasta so I love that this can pretend to be pasta without all the refined carbs!

1 spaghetti squash

1 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 eggplant, diced

3 small carrots, sliced

1 head broccoli, chopped

5 oz mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

Marinara sauce (recipe below)

8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

1. Pierce the spaghetti squash several times with a knife and microwave on a plate for 8 minutes.
2. Remove from microwave, place on cutting board, and cut in half lengthwise.
3. Remove seeds and pulp.
4. If “spaghetti” can be easily separated with a fork, separate and put in a bowl. If not, microwave halfs for 2 more minutes each.
5. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.
6. Add garlic, eggplant, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste
7. Once veggies are soft, add to spaghetti squash.
8. Add marinara sauce to veggies and toss so that all veggies are covered in sauce.
9. Put veggies and marinara in a large baking dish.
10. Top with sliced mozzarella.
11. Cover with tin foil and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
12. Remove tin foil, and broil for 1-2 minutes, just until cheese begins to brown.

Marinara Sauce

2 Tbs olive oil

½ white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1. Heat olive oil in large pot.
2. Add onion, cook for 7 minutes.
3. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in tomatoes, pepper, salt, parsley, oregano, and bay leaf.
5. Bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

Enjoy!