Spicy Slow Cooked Peppers


This time of year the homegrown peppers are bountiful. We are lucky enough to have neighbor’s with a beautiful thriving garden. They are very generous and always share their harvest. This recipe is a good way to use up some of those peppers from the garden. Bonus is this recipe freezes really well which allows you to enjoy the harvest more than one time a year.

I made this recipe for our monthly RD meeting. I try and feed the team a home cooked meal to show my appreciation. This recipe makes a lot of peppers so it is good for a meeting or potluck.

The picture below is a half buchel of Hungarian Hot Peppers we canned which  are also good for stuffing.



Prep time:30 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours on low

Ingredients:

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1 pound 93% lean ground beef

1/2 cup cooked red quinoa

1 tablespoon sriracha

1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 green onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 large banana peppers, tops cut off and seeded

8 large bianca sweet long peppers, tops cut off and seeded

64 ounce low sodium spicy V8 (you might not use all of this)

Tools for the job:

6 quart slow cooker

Pepper seeder

Directions:

1. Caution wear food safe rubber gloves. Remove pepper stems. Carefully remove seeds and membranes; set peppers aside. Combine the tomato sauce, sausage, beef, quinoa, cheese, onions, garlic, sriracha, salt and pepper; stuff into peppers.

2. Stack peppers longways in slow cooker. Pour V8 over peppers and place cooker on low heat for 8 hours.

Enjoy!

 

Special Tip: The banana peppers can be very tricky sometimes they are hot and sometimes they are not. So if you want to be on the safe side I would recommend using the bianca peppers which are a more sweet pepper. 

Macadamia Nut Blondies


Today is Macadamia Nut Day. Instead of adding walnuts into your oatmeal or your favorite trail mix try giving the macadamia nut a try. Macadamia nuts contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and plant substances that might lower cholesterol.

My husband and I went to Hawaii this past May and Hawaii is famous for their native Macadamia Nuts. One thing we noticed while we stayed on the various islands of Hawaii, these nuts are added to just about every baked good from cookies to quick breads. Today I thought I’d add them to a blondie bar. 

Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 25- 30 mintues



This recipe yields: 24 Blondies 

Essential Tools for the job & pre work:

  • 9 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper (optional but will make life easier)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line baking dish with parchment paper; enough to get sides to pull the Blondies out to make for easier cutting.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups whole wheat pastry  flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup chopped finely macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer attacjed bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add applesauce and mix. Beat in eggs one at a time & add vanilla. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, spices and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Lastly fold in the macadamia nuts. Spread into a prepared 9 inch square baking pan (I did use a dark pan). The type of pan will effect the cooking time). If your pan is lighter you might need to bake it longer. 

3. Bake in the center rack of oven for 25-30 minutes or until set and golden brown & toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using parchment “handle” pull bars out and place on cutting board & cut into 24 bars. Store in a airtight container, whole wheat products don’t last as long as AP baked goods.



Kick’n Chive Ham & Cheddar Scones

 

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My husband and I were lucky enough to travel to Hawaii this past May. One of the things we enjoyed most was drinking coffee on Kona, the Island of coffee. We drank so much coffee on Kona one night, I could not even fall asleep. There were so many coffee shops and coffee farms on Kona, I think at one point I got “coffeed out” if that is even such a thing. Ask my family they will vouch for me on that. This sign in this picture below somes it up.


 IMG_7748 There was one special spot we liked to go in Kona called Daylight Mind. It was a hidden gem the locals loved. Our tour guide, Katie, from Hawaiian Outdoor Guides for the National Volcano Park told us that you can almost guarantee to see Dolphins in the morning while you are enjoying your coffee. And of course we did :)

IMG_7750This restaurant/coffee shop is a true coffee cafe! We adored this place! The location is perfect! Right on the water with beautiful views of the ocean (picture below). I love the top deck seating area. 
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The coffee is so good and the service is stellar. Honestly we wish we could have went there every day. They even offer yoga in the mornings which I wish I would have had time to attend class.

They offer coffee classes and also have beautiful baked goods from mango macadamia nut sourdough bread to sweet blueberry scones and savory cheddar and chive scones.

IMG_7745This place made me want to go home and open a coffee shop. I love the vibes of this place and it truly is the perfect place to start your day! Especially when you are on vacation. 

These scones pictured above inspired me to make these scones in the recipe below. It was one of the bucket list of recipes I wanted to make after our trip to Hawaii. I must say posting this recipe makes me want to plan another trip to Hawaii.

Yields: 16 mini scones    Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 Tablespoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 Tablespoon of honey

1/2 teaspoon of roasted garlic powder (from Penzey’s one of my new favorite spices)

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, cubed

3/4 cup of Non Fat Buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce

1/3 heaping cup of diced finely lean ham

1 cup shredded 2% mild cheddar cheese

1/4 cup of fresh chives, chopped

Essential tools for the job & prework:

  • Mini Scone Pan; sprayed with cooking spray
  • Oven preheated to 425 degrees

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour,  baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Add cold butter, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand appearance.
  2. Stir in hot sauce, buttermilk, cheese, ham and chives until all ingredients appear wet.
  3. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared mini scone pan. Place the scone dish into the center rack of oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and lightly browned.
  4. Allow the pan to cool on wire rack for 5 minutes and remove the scones on the pan and allow to cool on wire rack or serve right way.
  5. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Fresh Greek Pasta Salad



A gentleman I work with gave me a “Greek”cucumber. I couldn’t wait to try it. To be honest I did not know there was such a thing. Lo and behold there is and it  is actually called Armenian Cucumber. 

These cucumbers are more mild and perfect for salads once seeded and peeled. 

I made this pasta salad using all my garden finds. Having a garden can be very rewarding. 

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups of uncooked rotini whole wheat pasta

1/2 cup kalamata olives (cut in half)

1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 cup Greek cucumber, (peeled and seeded), diced

1/4 cup balsamic dressing 

1/2 cup crumbled fat free feta

3-4 fresh leaves of basil

Directions:

1. Cook the rotini according to the package but one minute less. Strain & Rinse with cold water.

2. In a small bowl mix together olives, tomatoes,cucumber,feta& dressing. 

3.Fold in the rotini and garnish with the basil. 

4. Enjoy! 

P.S. If you are letting this salad sit overnight than you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of dressing before serving.

Whole Grain Oat and Raisin Cookies

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I was getting ready for our Topsail Trip this summer and made a batch of these cookies for our road trip down. The journey usually takes 12 hours on average for us. I always look forward to the road trip. My mom always says it is not always the destination but the journey it takes to reach the destination. I love this piece of advice,  and I learn the older I get the more I find truth to the quote.

We make a lot of memories on our drive down and back to Topsail. We put on various xm stations (90 on 9, The Blend, Highway, Y2K Country) and hit the cruise control. We usually get lost along the way but we always find new markets, cars for sale, or antique stores along the way. We laugh about getting lost later.

To fuel our journey,  we pack our car with a lot of snacks so we don’t have to stop as much.  Plus it saves us some money to spend later ….. on another vacation (hehe). My husband always says more than half of what I pack is food. Which is true and I guess because that is the dietitian in me.

I did make one healthy swap on these cookies and it was to incorporate more whole grain by using whole wheat flour. Next time I will try and decrease the saturated fat and sugar content by using unsweetened applesauce.

This recipe yields: 36 rather large cookies (when you use a number 40 cookie scoop)

Ingredients:

2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 egg

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp (soften)

3 cups Old fashioned Oats

1 1/2 cups of raisins or your favorite dried fruit

Tools for the job: 

2 half sheet cookie sheets: Line with Parchment paper

#40 cookie scoop

Oven : Preheat to 350 degrees.

Directions:

  1. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a bowl attached to a stand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy, add the sugar and cream the two together. Add in the eggs one at a time and lastly add in the vanilla.
  3. Gently add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until incorporated. Caution not to over mix.
  4. Lastly fold in the oats and raisins.
  5. Use a number 40 cookie scoop to portion out the goodies on the parchment lined pan.
  6. Make sure to keep the cookies about 2 inches apart from one another.
  7. Bake for 11-12 minutes on 350 degrees.
  8. Remove from pan right away and allow to cool on wire rack.

Peach Kuchen

My husband and I just returned from Topsail Island. One of our favorite places to go is Sugar Island Bakery. They have beautiful pastries and adorable local crafty gifts and jelwery.   

This bakery makes fresh goodies daily. One of the pastries that has intrigued me the last few years is a Kuchen. The baker had a blueberry kuchen in the shop showcase when we went on Friday. 

On our way home from Topsail we always stop at Mountain Man Orchard and pick up 2 bushels of freshly picked Virgina grown peaches. 


Funny story my husband and I found this gem of a farmer’s market, Mountain Man Orchard, when we got lost about 4 years ago. At the time he was not happy we got lost but now we cherish the moment. This pit stop is now an anticipated tradition to stop at the market our way home from the beach. The destination is actually halfway from Topsail to our home. 

Every year we buy more and more goodies. This year they even had muscadine grapes! A new found love! They also have my sisters favorite honey.

 


This recipe yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 

4 TB cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup fat free half and half

1 egg

1 3/4 cup sliced fresh peaches 

For the Custard Cream topping 

1/2 cup fat free half and half

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek Yogurt

2 teaspoon whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch kosher salt

Necessary tools:

9″ Springform pan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray, set aside. 
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cardamon in a mixing bowl and stir well with a whisk.
3. Cut the cold butter into the flour to incorporate to blend well until it becomes a sandlike texture. 

4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk fat free half and half and egg.  Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture. Mix with a fork just until it becomes wet. Spread the batter on the bottom of the pan greased springform pan.

5. Arrange the peach slices on top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

6. While the bottom part of the dish bake, make the custard topping. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup of half & half with flour and whisk together to remove flour particles. Add the rest of the half and half, sugar, Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla, and salt. Whisk well to thoroughly mix.

7. Take the cake out of the oven and pour the custard mixture on top. Place the cake back in the oven and reduce the heat to 350˚F. Continue to bake for 35-40 minutes.

8. When the cake edges are deep golden and starting to separate from the pan, the cake is done. Remove from oven.  Cool in the pan for 15 minutes on wire rack, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely.

Bold Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

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We had my husband’s colleagues over for a picnic yesterday. I had intentions of making my vibrant blackeyed pea salad; however, I cooked the beans too long in the pressure cooker. It was my first time cooking the black eyed peas in the pressure cooker.  Apparently they don’t take as long to cook as black beans. Well, I learned my lesson for the day. There seems to always be a lesson to be learned. Anyway, there is a positive to this food story,  the unintended outcome was this spicy black-eyed pea hummus. I was able to showcase some crispy fresh garden vegetables from my grandfather’s garden and also my favorite local markets as well.

Hummus goes well with so many foods, I like to add it on top of a pizza instead of marinara sauce. I also add it to my vegetarian BLTs, and I love it on my soft tortilla shells. My frequent go to with hummus is with fresh vegetables. I suggesting skipping the ranch and giving this creamy dip a try.  My favorite pairs are cherry heirloom tomatoes, kohlrabi, red bell peppers, and snap peas.

This recipe makes 30 ounces of hummus (plenty to share; even for us non-sharers )

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Water

2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

3 1/4 cup cooked black eye peas, (if canned make sure to buy low sodium and rinse well)

4 Tablespoons fresh chives

4-5  large of cloves of garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons of ground cumin, plus more for garnish (optional)

1 teaspoon of fajita seasoning

Tools: Vitamix Blender  (I have the Professional Series 750)

2 (2 cup capacity sealalbe containers to store the goods)

Directions:

  1. In the order of the ingredient list, place all the ingredient items in the vitamix or blender. Place the lid on the attachment to secure.
  2. Select variable number one and gradually increase to number seven.
  3. Allow for all the ingredients to marry in the vessel for at least 1 minute. Use the vitamix wand to press the ingredients to the blades if necessary.
  4. Portion out the hummus in two separate containers. Sprinkle with fresh chives.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Caramel Banana Protein Shake

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Today was my long run day! I am training for a half marathon in Asheville, NC. The race is right before my sister’s wedding at the end of August. I am getting very excited!  Both of the events are less than a month away.

My husband and I had one of our good friends over this morning. She is also training for a half marathon and we did a very hilly workout in our neighborhood.  After the run I felt like I needed a good cool off and protein boost. This protein shake did the trick. I added a frozen banana and some fresh baby spinach for extra fiber and nutrients for the recovery period. It was delicious!! I cannot wait to go for a run again and make another.

This recipe yields two large shakes: (serving size 2 cups per shake)

Recommended tools for the job: Vitamix, Small rubber spatula.

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3/4 cup of water

1/4 teaspoon of caramel extract

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (look for one with about 100 calories per scoop)

1/3 cup of packed fresh baby spinach

 

1 small frozen banana

1 & 1/2 cups of ice

Directions:

  1. Place the first 5 ingredients into the blender. Place the blender on smoothie mode.
  2. Once the first cycle has elapsed, remove lid and add frozen banana and ice.  Secure the lid.
  3. Place the blender on smoothie mode again this time use the blender wand to move the ice around to create a smooth texture. Continue stirring until the cycle has elapsed.
  4. Pour the shake into two large mason jars and enjoy. I like to use a spoon to savor the flavor and my hubby enjoys his with a straw.  

 

Baked Barbecue Zucchini Chips

We have so much Zucchini in the garden! We could not even fit two more in the refrigerator.  I have been wanting to try baked zucchini chips for a while now so no better time than now. 

This recipe is very easy especially if you have a mandolin. These chips take a little extra time and patience; however, they are worth the wait.  I ate the entire first batch… oops and then had to make another. 

Ingredients: 

One small-medium zucchini

Add half a teaspoon a barbecue 3001 seasoning 

Canola Oil Cooking Spray

2 Half sheet pans with parchment paper

Pre-directions preheat the oven to 230 degrees and line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.

Directions

1. Using a mandolin safely cut up one zucchini. 

2. Blot the cut zucchini slices with paper towels to remove the excess moisture.

3. Line the zucchini slices on parchment paper lined pan. 

4. Spray the zucchini with cooking spray & sprinkle with the BBQ powder. The trick to even distribution is using a powder sugar metal shaker (all purpose shaker). 

5. Place the pans in the oven. Bake for an hour at 230 degrees. Rotate out the pans and bake for another hour, at same temperature, or until golden in color. 

Enjoy !

Cinn-licious Chia Overnight Oats

I am pretty routine when it comes to breakfast staples.  If it is not oats & eggs it is probably Greek yogurt and eggs. That said I like to spice up the different variations or combine the two. 

This recipe I usually heat up but since today there is a heat advisory for our county. I decided to keep this breakfast cool.

Serving size: one just for me

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon of old fashioned oats 

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

1 1/2 cup water 

1 teaspoon of Ground Vietnesmeese Cinnamon 

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

2 packets of truvia 

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of frozen blueberries

24 oz mason jar
Directions:

1. Place the first 7 ingredients in a mason jar. 

2. Add blueberries place the lif and seal on the jar. Give the jar a good shake. Place in the refrigerator overnight and allow the ingredients to marry. 

3. In the morning give the jar a good shake and enjoy. These oats are very liquidy. You can almost drink them so they would be a good for a long morning commute.