Tropical Brown Rice Bowl

On May 4, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, Gluten-Free, healthy eating, healthy living, kid friendly, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, Recipe of the month, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, toddlers, uncategorized, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice, cooked and cooled

1/2 mango, peeled and diced and/or 2 spears of pineapple, diced (fresh, not canned)

1/2 cup edamame, cooked and cooled

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (we prefer Eden Organic brand, their cans are BPA-free)

1/2 tomato, seeded and diced

Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons raw organic honey

juice of 1/2 lime

sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the brown rice, mango, pineapple, edamame, tomato.

In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.

Pour the dressing over the brown rice mixture and toss to coat.

Garnish with cilantro.
ENJOY!!!

Lemony Ricotta Pancakes

On April 18, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, healthy eating, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Make it healthy, Nutrition, Organic, Recipe of the month, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, sweet treats, toddlers, uncategorized, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup Quinoa Flour (or you can substitute whole wheat or other flour of your choice)

4 tablespoons coconut sugar (or sugar of your choice)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup milk (or milk alternative)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Butter, olive oil or cooking spray for coating pan

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs with sugar until lightly dissolved. Stir in remaining wet ingredients: ricotta, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice.

In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients: flours, salt, and baking powder. Fold in the lemon zest.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix until just combine – do not over mix the batter.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and use butter, olive oil or cooking spray to lightly coat your pan. Cook in batches.

lemon zest

lemon ricotta pancakes w/ fresh strawberry sauce

Baked Mini Taco Meatballs

On April 13, 2012 / cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, party food, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, toddlers / Leave a comment

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken (or turkey, or beef) - be sure to choose organic, antibiotic/hormone free meats!

1 green onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon of each: chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin (you could substitute a pre-made taco seasoning blend, if so do not add any additional salt as these blends are usually high in sodium – be sure to check your labels!)

Pinch of sea salt & pepper

1/2 block sharp cheddar, cut into cubes (optional – this will be stuffed inside the meatball, you can easily leave it out)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the ground chicken, scallion, garlic, egg yolk and seasonings together. Mix until just combined.

Using your hands, mold one heaping tablespoon of the mixture into a meatball, stuff a piece of the cheddar cheese inside and mold the meat around it. Repeat.

Place meatballs on a lightly sprayed, foil lined cookie sheet for about 10 minutes to 15 minutes or until meat is cooked all the way through.

Enjoy

Nut-Free “Carrot Cake” Pancakes

On April 6, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, party food, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, sweet treats, toddlers, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Ingredients:

For the pancakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons golden raisins, soaked and drained

1 large egg

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 cup buttermilk (you can substitute regular milk or milk alternative)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots (about 3/4 pound of carrots)

Olive oil for spraying pan (we love using the olive oil mister from Prepara)

*** Optional: 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts

For the cream cheese topping:

4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons of milk (or milk alternative)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dash of cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and if using nuts and raisins. Whisk together to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: egg, brown sugar, buttermilk or milk and vanilla. Stir in the carrots.

Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. Set aside and let rest for 5-7 minutes before cooking.

While the batter is resting, begin working on the cream cheese topping.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and lump free. Whisk in powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the milk 1 teaspoon on a time, how much you add will depend on how thick or thin you want the topping.

Spray skillet with olive oil and over medium heat, spoon 2 tablespoons batter into a hot pan, flip after about 2-3 minutes. Cook until both sides are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked.

Tip: You can keep pancakes warm on a cookie sheet in the oven, on a low temp of about 200 degrees.

Serve warm with cream cheese topping and fresh fruit (we used bananas, golden delicious apples and strawberries)

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Souvlaki

On April 3, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, kids parties, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, party food, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, toddlers / Leave a comment

CHICKEN SOUVLAKI

Ingredients:

4 pieces of whole grain flat bread or pita

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges or about 10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 large cucumber, cut into half moons

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

about 3/4 cup Feta, crumbled

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces (we prefer Murray’s or Bell & Evans brand)

For the vinaigrette:

2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

dried oregano

dried thyme

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

For the yogurt dip (tzatziki):

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cucumber, shredded on a box grater

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Wrap the bread in foil and place it in the oven to warm.

Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and olives in a bowl and set aside.

tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, feta

In a separate bowl or in a mason jar, combine the oregano, thyme, a pinch of sea salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and the lemon juice. If using a jar, add in the olive oil and shake. If making in a bowl, slowly stream in the olive oil and whisk until incorporated. Pour half of the dressing over the chicken and set aside. Pour the other half over the tomato/cucumber salad, toss. Add the feta and toss lightly. Set aside.

shake! shake! shake!

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, lemon juice, cucumber, and a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.

tzatziki

Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the chicken to a hot skillet, but not the liquid. Cook thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes.

To assemble:

On a plate, place a warm piece of pita. Spread it with the cucumber yogurt dip. Top with the tomato/cucumber salad. Top with chicken. Fold and take a bite

chicken souvlaki

Use leftover yogurt dip as a healthy dip for veggies or spread for sandwiches.

Use remaining feta in an omelet with spinach and tomatoes.

The vinaigrette would be great over any salad or roasted/grilled veggies.

Baked Veggie Omelet Rollup

On April 2, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, Gluten-Free, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, toddlers, uncategorized, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Baked Veggie Omelet Rollup

Ingredients:

6 organic eggs

1/4 cup of dairy-free milk (almond, rice, hemp, etc)

Your choice of veggies (we used scallions, grilled mushrooms and fresh spinach). It is important to use fresh, organic ingredients.

Sea salt, pepper to taste

1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (we like Annie’s Naturals)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a jelly roll or similar pan (like this one from Calphalon) with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the two shorter side as you will need this to help you roll up the omelet after it has cooked.

Lightly spray the parchment with olive oil or coconut oil (we love using this mister by Prepara)

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk alternative, sea salt, pepper, dijon. Pour into pan and sprinkle in your diced veggies of your choice.

Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Starting from one end, begin to roll up the omelet into a log shape, using the parchment paper to help you fold and roll the omelet. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Serves about 4 people.

This is a great make ahead dish to have ready for breakfast on busy mornings! You can make this with any fresh veggies you have on hand, you can also add in your favorite fresh herbs!

ENJOY!

xoxo

Cara

Let us know what you think

Sweet or Savory Popcorn

On March 27, 2012 / Clean Eating, cooking classes, cooking projects, cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, Gluten-Free, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, kids parties, Make it healthy, non-GMO, Nutrition, Organic, party food, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, sweet treats, uncategorized, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

If you turned on the news at some point in the last day or so you might have caught a piece on how popcorn is now considered a perfect healthy snack…IF you are eating the right kind of popcorn and making it the right way!

Popcorn CAN BE a healthy snack, BUT it depends on how it is made!

Any popcorn just won’t do – let’s take movie theater popcorn and microwave popcorn for example – they definitely DO NOT fall into the healthy popcorn category!

Movie theater popcorn is not only worth almost an entire days worth of calories (a medium sized popcorn weighs in at about 1200 calories), it is packed with saturated fat and whopping amounts of sodium. And with corn being one of the top genetically modified crops, you can almost guarantee that your movie theater popcorn is genetically modified, as is the canola oil being used to pop it, sprayed with numerous pesticides, and the “butter” – well that is just a “butter flavored” oil. This all sounds delicious doesn’t it!

Microwave popcorn unfortunately is no better. There has been lots of controversy surrounding the toxicity of the chemicals it leaches into the air, our homes and our lungs. A report from the FDA indicates that a chemical coating used in the microwave popcorn bags breaks down when heated into a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA). The EPA has identified PFOA as a “likely carcinogen”. Another study found that there is an acid that can be extracted from the chemical, which causes cancer in animals and is “likely to cause cancer in humans”. And yet another potential danger is microwave popcorn is diacetyl, an FDA-approved chemical found in the fake butter flavoring (also in the movie theater popcorn).

Popcorn is a 100% whole grain that provides a good amount of dietary fiber and the mineral phosphorus. Read more about the nutrition of popcorn

So, how do we enjoy this amazing snack safely and healthfully?

1. Pop your own – make it fresh, it’s super easy to do!

2. Choose organic popcorn kernels. Non-organic popcorn is on the FDA’s list of top ten foods for toxic pesticides and chemicals.

3. Use a healthy oil like unrefined, organic extra virgin olive oil or an unrefined, organic coconut oil.

4. Add fresh herbs, healthy seasonings, etc.

In a large heavy bottom pot with a lid, heat about 3-4 tablespoons of oil over medium to high heat.

Place 3 kernels into the pot and when they begin to pop add in one cup of kernels. Cover the pot, leaving it cracked open slightly to allow steam to escape from the pot.

When the corn begins to pop, shake the pot every minute or so until the popping stops.

Pour into a large bowl and season.

A few of our favorite add-ins:

Sea Salt & Pepper

Nutritional Yeast (gives it a nice cheesy flavor)

Sea Vegetable Seasoning

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Herbs (fresh or dried) like Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, etc.

Cinnamon

Truffle Oil

Curry Powder

Melted Dark Chocolate (drizzled on top, sprinkled with sea salt)

Experiment with your own! We’d love to hear your creations – post them on ourFacebook page!

ENJOY!!!

xoxo

Cara

ABC News: Popcorn Packs Antioxidants, Study Finds

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Ravioli!

On December 16, 2011 / cooking with kids, family recipes, finger foods, healthy eating, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Organic, Recipe of the month, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, Seasonal Eating, toddlers, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl toss butternut squash, onion, apple, thyme, dash of cinnamon, oil, salt and pepper. Empty onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until soft, but not mushy.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine squash and apple mixture with cheese and purée until smooth.

Take one wonton wrapper and add the purée in the center, avoid overfilling. With your finger line the edge of the wrapper with water and fold into a triangle, press to seal. Set onto baking sheet and repeat with remaining wrappers and purée.

Bring lightly salted water to boil in large pot, drop in several ravioli at a time, avoid overcrowding pot. Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Drain and add to sauté pan with a pat of melted butter, toss. Empty onto serving plate and sprinkle with a little cheese and serve immediately.

Notes:

We like to make a big batch and freeze the ravioli (uncooked). Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, when frozen put in a freezer safe bag.

The purée is wonderful on its own as a healthy replacement for mashed potatoes.

You can also bake the ravioli in the oven (skip boiling them). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, lightly mist ravioli oil, dust it with a little cinnamon and brown sugar and bake for a tasty crunchy snack.

Use organic ingredients whenever possible!!!

Vegetable “Fried Rice”

On August 26, 2011 / cooking projects, cooking with kids, Dairy Free, family recipes, healthy eating, healthy living, healthy snacks, kid friendly, Make it healthy, Organic, recipe-no-homepage, recipes, toddlers, uncategorized, Vegetarian Friendly / Leave a comment

Sometimes you need to eat quickly but you don’t want to eat unhealthy. Sometimes you just want a little Chinese fried rice, No? Well…this is certainly not your neighborhood’s Chinese fried rice – it’s actually healthy…and it’s damn good! Give it a try, we like it! And it’s super easy and super fast to make (all in about the time it takes for you to order and wait for delivery ) – so make it FRESH and make it HEALTHY!

Ingredients: 1 head organic cauliflower (grated on a box grater), 1 medium sized onion (diced), 1/2 package organic mushrooms (chopped), 2-3 organic carrots (diced), 1/2 cup shelled organic edamame, 1-inch piece of fresh ginger (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), about 1 tablespoon tamari (or to taste), drizzle of sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions, sea salt and pepper (to taste)

In a large pan, add enough coconut oil (or other) to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (about 1 tablespoon), add onions and saute for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and saute for 4-5 minutes, until all water is released from mushrooms and has evaporated. Add carrots and saute for 2 minutes. Move veggies to the side of the pan and add eggs, when scrambled add cauliflower, edamame, ginger, garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring everything together. Add tamari and a drizzle of sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. I prefer a bite to my veggies so I only sauteed for another minute or so to let everything come together. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

* Try with diced zucchini, celery, peas, bean sprouts or experiment with different types of mushrooms. You can also add some freshly diced pineapple or maybe even baby shrimp or chicken!

Let us know what you create, if you try it and let us know if you like it – www.facebook.com/freshmadenyc

Enjoy

xoxo

Cara

recipe-no-homepage

Tropical Brown Rice Bowl

Lemony Ricotta Pancakes

Baked Mini Taco Meatballs

Nut-Free “Carrot Cake” Pancakes

Chicken Souvlaki

CHICKEN SOUVLAKI

Baked Veggie Omelet Rollup

Sweet or Savory Popcorn

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Ravioli!

Instructions

Notes:

Vegetable “Fried Rice”

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