One of my recipes in the Non-GMO Cookbook

I am so excited to have one of my recipes in the Non-GMO cookbook!  If anyone wants to order one the proceeds go to the Non-GMO project :)

You can order here:

http://www.nongmoproject.org/take-action/cookbook/

Lavender Tea Martini

This martini is cool, refreshing and on the sweet side...enjoy!

3 parts vodka

1 part Blue J Syrup Lavender Tea Syrup

1 part lime club soda (for a little sparkle ;)

lime for garnish

Shake it up and pour in a chilled martini glass - you're welcome.

Please Watch

foodmatters

Please watch this eye-opening and just plain sickening video on food production.  What can we do to stop this?

Organic Watermelon Strawberry Popsicles

This is a super-easy, really fun and totally healthy snack for kids and one that can easily be turned into an adult beverage for mom with a little vodka or tequila ;)

You will need popsicle molds - try to find ones that are BPA free, I got mine at Chef Central in Paramus.  

INGREDIENTS

1 mini organic watermelon

1/2 cup sliced organic strawberries

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons organic lemonade (Trader Joe's has some good ones)

DIRECTIONS

I do this with my immersion blender but a food processor or blender will work just as well.  

Cut open watermelon, roughly chop into about 1 inch cubes and remove any seeds.  

Blend watermelon, honey and lemonade until completely puréed.  

Pour into popsicle molds (depending on size of molds it should make 5-6) then add in strawberry slices and freeze until frozen.

That's it - these taste awesome - I know you will love them as much as your kids will!!!

Now, if you want to make some extra you can pour it over ice in a rocks glass,  add in a shot of vodka or Patron Silver and garnish with a few strawberry slices.  OR you can throw all that in the blender with a bunch of ice and have a frozen cocktail that is also pretty healthy ;)

Jersey Ice Box Cake

This cake is the most delicious, wonderful, fluffy piece of heaven that you will ever have.  It starts with home made chocolate chip cookies and it ends with a decadent chocolate icing.

Ok, so start out by following the Freaking Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, except instead of making small cookies make four BIG cookies.  Take the cookie dough and form 4 discs on a greased cookie sheets each 6 inches across and about 3/4 of an inch high.  It will take a little longer to cook these, approx 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.  Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes so they set.  Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack making sure to use a large enough spatula so they do not break.  Let them cool completely.  You can make the icing while they are cooling and also use the remaining cookie dough to make more chocolate chip cookies :)

ICING INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream

8 oz container mascarpone

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons baileys

1 tablespoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients on med-high until you reach a whipped cream consistency - approximately 2-3 minutes.

In a circle cake pan lined with parchment paper place one of the large cookies.  Spread icing over top of cookie.  Then continue stacking cookie and icing until the 4th cookie.  Spread icing over top and sides so it looks like a cake.  

Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.  Remove from pan, remove parchment paper from underneath, plate it and serve cold.  Excellent for Spring and Summer events and soooooooooo damn good :)

Blogging Against Hunger - Veggie Pasta Garbanzo

April 8 is Food Bloggers Against Hunger Day and I am participating by posting a healthy and affordable organic meal that is easy to prepare.  Hunger is a serious issue in America with one in six Americans not being sure where their next meal is coming form.  This issue is important to me as I have struggled myself at certain times in my life to afford food.  Now I volunteer to help run the farmers' market in my town and promote affordable healthy alternatives to junk as much as possible.  Many parents want to give their children healthy meals but do not think they can afford it - I am here to tell you you can :)

A great trick in buying organic foods is to make sure that you have use for the leftovers to make a second or third meal so plan out what you will make that week in advance so you know exactly what to buy.  Also buy fruits and veggies that are in season as they are the cheapest.

Things like dried beans, quinoa, sunflower seeds, chicken drumsticks, frozen veggies, pasta and brown rice are not expensive - even the organic kind.  Bananas, apples, carrots and sweet potatoes are often among the cheapest fresh produce and are all packed with a ton of vitamins and minerals.

Use spices to add flavor and keep fats to a minimum - and don't go crazy trying to buy every spice at once.  Buy one a week, especially if money is an issue.  The ones you will probably use most are salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and cinnamon - that should cover most areas.  I started cooking a lot after I had my son and at first I thought I needed every spice there was at my fingertips but soon found out I only needed a handful of them.

Not having enough money for food is stressful and terrifying - especially when children are involved.  When I was pregnant with my son I was single and had to stop working because of pregnancy complications.  I was forced to go on government assistance in the form of food stamps.  Going on food stamps was a humiliating and frustrating experience.  In no way does it cover the cost of what a person actually needs to eat and anyone who thinks that being on food stamps is in some way getting a "free ride" is an ass.  I was lucky enough to be able to go and eat at my parents' house fairly often or I have no idea how I would have had enough to eat, especially since I was pregnant.

Now, that being said, I know from experience that when you are in that situation and you go to the grocery store and see 4 for a dollar mac and cheese you think that is all you can afford.  But you can actually make it work with healthier food.  Become familiar with the produce section and look for deals.  Become creative in cooking - I know time is a luxury but try to take a few minutes and figure out some staple, cheap and healthy recipes - it is worth it to you and your family.  I understand that all organic is unreachable for many people but try to buy as much organic and non-GMO foods as possible - the benefit to yourself and the planet is invaluable.  

The following recipe costs about $4 and should feed 5 people

Veggie Pasta Garbanzo

1 1/2 cups organic garbanzo beans (soaked and cooked from dried beans - not canned!)
1 cup organic frozen spinach
3 shredded organic carrots
1 clove garlic chopped
1 package organic whole wheat pasta
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 tablespoon butter
grated cheese
salt and pepper

Prepare pasta as instructed on box.

While that is going on heat olive oil in a pan and throw in garlic.  After a minute throw in carrots and beans and cook for about 3 minutes then add in spinach, butter, salt and pepper.  (Not too much salt)  Cook for about 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and mix in pan with beans and veggies.  Serve with a little grated cheese.

The ingredients left after you make this meal should leave you with plenty to partially or mostly 3 or 4 other meals.  You can do more than you think with beans, carrots and spinach ;)

Here are some other low-cost meals:

Veggie Quinoa Deliciousness

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza - awesome leftover idea :)

Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca


Pancakes from Scratch - you can freeze homemade pancakes in freezer bags and they are soooooooo much better for you than store-bought frozen pancakes.


Sunflower Seed Pesto



HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

Let your elected officials know that federal nutrition programs are needed!!!

secure.strength.org

Check out some facts about hunger and obesity problems in the U.S. Food Facts

A Place at the Table is an awesome, shocking and inspiring documentary on hunger in America and is available on Amazon and itunes

If your in NJ you can donate food here - Community FoodBank of NJ

"Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each one of us individually." - Dalai Lama

One Dish Chicken Veggie Quinoa Deliciousness

This is probably the most nutrient dense dish I have come up with.  It has vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, calcium, protein, iron, the list goes on.  It is so packed with a huge variety of vitamins and minerals that I don't think I can top it.  It has quinoa in it - an ancient grain (I love saying ancient grain and I always imagine some eerie Druid-type music playing in my head when I say it).  And of course it is totally delicious.  Even my picky eater eats this.  :)

As usual I am using all organic ingredients including the Chia seeds which are ridiculously expensive but go a long way and any way I can add something good into my family's food I will do it.  It can also easily be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth and chick peas or any bean for the chicken.

Here it is...

INGREDIENTS

1 lb chicken breasts, chopped into chunks equally approx a 1 inch cube

1 cup quinoa (rinsed)

1 cup sliced white mushrooms

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach (frozen is fine but use less)

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

1/2 cup kalamata olives chopped in half

3 cloves garlic chopped

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon Chia seeds

3 tablespoons butter

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 cup grated cheese

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pan with olive oil and toss in garlic and onions for about 1 minute then add in chicken and salt and pepper to taste.

While that is happening bring rinsed quinoa and 2 cups chicken broth to a boil with salt and pepper to taste.  Once it comes to a boil cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

You're doing 2 things at once here so while quinoa is cooking check the chicken and brown lightly on all sides.

When the chicken is almost done add in 1/4 cup wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth and 2 tablespoons of butter.  (A little fat once in a while never hurt anyone but a complete lack of healthy nutrients has - besides I read your body needs some fat to absorb vitamins A and K) Add in tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms - cover and cook on low heat. 

Don't forget to keep your eye on the quinoa, when that is almost done add in 1 tablespoon of butter.  It should finish up a couple minutes before the chicken and veggies.

Now, you can keep them separate if you want but I throw it all together.  So, if there is a lot of liquid left in the chicken and veg pan drain some of it out.  Toss in the quinoa and cook together for about 3 minutes uncovered.

At the end add in the grated cheese, olives and chia seeds and mix together.  Serve and enjoy.  

This dish is so healthy that after it's over you should probably feel great about yourself because you have done something wonderful for your family and you.  So go and make yourself a dirty Bombay Sapphire martini with blue cheese stuffed olives to celebrate.  That's how I am ending my day :)

Peace.

Chick Pea Salad Sandwich

I am a big fan of chick peas, I love hummus, I love them thrown in with pasta, I put them in my chili, I use them a lot.  I used to be a vegetarian and I came up with this recipe as an alternative to chicken salad, which is one of my favorite sandwiches.  I am contemplating going vegetarian again so I have been pulling out all my old veg recipes.  So, in honor of meatless Mondays, I present to you my chick pea salad sandwich :)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chick peas (after being soaked for a day and cooked for an hour and cooled)

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 chopped celery stalk

1 tablespoons mayo 

1 teaspoon white vinegar

salt and pepper

Put the chick peas in a bowl and smush them like you would mashed potatoes.  They don't have to be complete mush, just half mush ;)

Then combine all other ingredients, stir and put in the fridge overnight or for at least a couple hours to let the flavors combine.

Serve on a nice baguette or on whole grain bread with your favorite green - today I used baby kale.  

You can also make this the same way without smushing the chick peas and serve it as a side salad with greens.  Enjoy and be healthy :)

Chicken Pot Pie Pizza

One thing that everyone can use is a new recipe for what the hell to do with leftover chicken and here it is - Chicken Pot Pie Pizza!  My own amazing invention!  It is incredibly delicious and the perfect way to use up the previous night's leftovers of baked potatoes, roast broccoli and roast chicken.

I usually make my own pizza dough because I want to stay organic but you can go down to your local pizza place and ask for some uncooked dough.  The toppings are what I was going to use to make chicken pot pie before I decided to make it into a pizza but you can change up the veggies and meat to your liking.  I use a pizza stone to cook this but you can also use a cookie sheet. 

INGREDIENTS:

Dough

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal plus extra to spread on pizza stone (make sure it's organic! Don't use GMO corn!!)
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt 

Pour yeast and sugar into warm water and let sit 5 minutes.

In the meantime sift the rest of the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  After 5 minutes is up add water and oil to dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until combined then start kneading.  Add more flour as needed (1 tablespoon at a time) if the dough is too sticky.  Knead until smooth, about 5 - 10 minutes, form into a ball and then place in an oiled dish and cover with a dish towel.  Let sit 1 to 1 1/2 hours until it until doubled in size.

After the hour is up knead again for a minute or two and form back into a ball.  Let rise again for about another hour.  This is enough to make 2 pizzas - so divide in half.  You can also shape one half into a bread loaf and make bread with it if you don't want 2 pizzas.

Ingredients for Topping:

(per pizza)

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken

1 cup chopped roasted broccoli

1 chopped baked potato

1 cup homemade gravy

grated cheese to taste

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

1/2 cup shredded fresh fontina

(a little cream cheese is also amazing on this but you can leave it off to keep calories down)

Heat oven to 425 degrees with pizza stone inside.

Place dough onto a well-floured pizza tray and shape into a pizza shape but be careful not to go too thin.  Don't forget to also spread some cornmeal on your pizza stone to prevent sticking.

Use the gravy like you would use tomato sauce and spread out over pizza.  Then quickly add on and spread out all other ingredients.  You can add salt and pepper if you like but everything should be pretty seasoned since it is made from leftovers.

Don't let it sit at all after this or the dough will get soggy and it will be impossible to get off of the tray.  Quickly transfer pizza from tray onto pizza stone by shimmying it off - this is difficult so I let my husband do it since he used to work in a pizzeria :)  Just be careful to make sure the pizza does not come off the sides of the stone. 

Bake 12-16 minutes and serve hot :)

Enjoy!!!

Jersey Roasted Chicken

I have said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE the Fall and Winter in New Jersey because I get to use the oven and BAKE, which is my favorite way of cooking!  After the huge snowstorm this weekend all I want is the warmth and comfort of something delicious baking in my oven.


Roast chicken is almost my favorite thing to make during this time of year and there are usually leftovers for chicken quesadillas, wontons, chicken pot pie or burritos the next day.  Plus, you can use the bones to make chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS

1 whole organic roaster chicken (fresh - do not freeze it!)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium onion roughly chopped
1 stick celery roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 cups chicken broth
salt, pepper, sage, thyme, parsley, celery salt
(approx 1/2 teaspoon of each - adjust to your own taste)
olive oil
1/2 cup white wine


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat bottom of glass roaster dish with olive oil.  Place chicken in dish - make sure you have taken the bag of giblets out.  Most chefs truss their chicken but I don't bother and I never had the legs come out overdone but truss if you like.  Pour in wine, broth and add veggies - add a few veggies to the chicken cavity.  Coat chicken with olive oil and cover with spices.

Put in oven and bake at 400 for 20 minutes then bring it down to 375.  Depending on the size of your chicken (and the quirkiness of your oven) it will take another hour to 2 hours to finish.  It is done when a meat thermometer stuck in the breast reaches 165-170 degrees.  Make sure the thermometer is not hitting any bones when you take the temp. 

Let rest for 15 minutes and start carving - make sure there is no pink and the juices run clear.

You can use the liquid and dripping to make gravy if you like - I don't have my own gravy recipe, I use Ina Garten's.

This will make your house smell like HEAVEN!  I LOVE the smell of roasted chicken.  Serve with veggies and baked potato or whatever side you want.  

A nice big California chardonnay is perfect with this meal.

Enjoy :)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Yesterday my little aspiring chefs (my daughters and my niece) and I went to Chef Central in Paramus to watch a cooking competition and to spend some Christmas money on kitchen stuff.  Among many other items, we bought a heart-shaped cupcake tray so today, of course, we had to make cupcakes.

My favorite cupcakes are from my own recipe for chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing.  I have said this before and I will say it again - I only make stuff like this once in a while, I know it has a lot of sugar and butter in it and it is for special occasions not for every day.  On the other hand - when you make stuff like this from scratch it is less unhealthy than if you buy it in a store because you can cut out pesticides, chemicals and preservatives :)

I use all organic ingredients when making these little pieces of heaven...

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:

12 tablespoons of unsalted butter ( I KNOW but I swear I only make these once or twice a year!)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup whole milk

1 egg at room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup chocolate chips

Frosting:

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

8 oz. heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour your cupcake pan if you are not using any liners - REALLY grease it - these suckers like to stick.

Take butter, cocoa powder and 1/4 cup milk and melt together in a saucepan. Stir in the sugars until everything is combined and then set aside to cool a little.

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Add in cooled cocoa mixture and stir together.  Then add in 1/3 cup milk, egg and vanilla.  Stir until combined and fold in chocolate chips.

Fill cupcake tins 3/4 of the way and bake for 20-25 minutes (maybe more, my oven is severely off)  Use the toothpick test to make sure they are done.

Let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

In the meantime.....

Combine all frosting ingredients in a bowl and beat on high for approximately 4 minutes until light and fluffy.  Then refrigerate for about an hour so the icing firms up. 

After the icing has been chilled, frost the cupcakes and serve immediately.

Yuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm :)

Next time I will throw up a low-cal veggie meal to make up for this - I know I will only be eating carrots and celery for the next two days after this calorie fest :)