Leftover Nachos

Nachos are one of our quick, easy meals. Here's an example of a recent nacho night that incorporated leftovers and fresh veggies.

Possible Ingredients
Tortilla chips
Meat and/or beans
Cheese
Assorted Vegetables
Salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add a layer of tortilla chips to a shallow dish or cookie sheet.

3. Prepare your toppings and layer on top of the chips.
*Chop veggies. (We have an abundance of tomatoes, so they're a must at every meal right now! Also included spinach greens, small green pepper and medium onion. I'll save half of this onion, pre-chopped, for another meal. Trimmings and tops go into the food scrap bucket for compost/chickens/pigs.)

*Re-heat and prepare leftover chicken and beans. (Since the chicken was put away with its broth after a crock-pot meal last week, we heated it so we could pull the meat out without too much juice. Chopped the chicken roughly. Also re-heated the last of the leftover butter beans.)

*Grate cheese. (We usually have cheddar in the fridge, but you could use any kind!)

4. Heat in oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese melts.

5. Top with salsa and enjoy! (Guacamole and sour cream would also be delicious to add.)

For Rennie- weekly menu

I was chatting with my friend Reenie today about menu plans. I often find myself looking for inspiration and enjoy seeing what others were eating.  I threw my ideas for the next few days out there and she seemed interested. So, here they are in all of their I have four kids but like to eat glory....

Sushi salad- make susshi rice according to directions, add rice wine vinegar, seasame seeds, sometimes olive oil sometimes not, chop up some cucumber, pickled ginger, shred some carrots, and toss in some capers. 
    If i have one and am feeling fancy i add avocados on the side so they don't get mushy.
     If we have visitors or need something more hearty we add tuna mixed with mayo and sirachi.
     If we are really fancy and costco has seaweed salad that is a nice accompaniment.
     And lastly if it is cold, some quick miso soup is nice alongside.

Nachos- I bake the chips with beans cheese and onions. (The beans are usually seasoned with chili powder, salt, garlic, and cumin. This seems silly, but makes a difference.)  This week we have blue corn chips and it is these little things that makes it exciting.  As with any meal like this your toppings are endless.  We like shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, salsa, yogurt(sour cream), and avocado.

and last

Chard crust-less quiche with red potato salad
   For the quiche I found I could never make a good enough crust so I just leave them off and enjoy my carbs some other way.
   throw in about 6 eggs, 1 cup milk, sauteed chard onions with what ever cheese and herbs you have on hand. toss on a few ripe tomatoes and bake at 350 for about 45 min until just set in the middle.
   While that is baking boil up your potatoes and then prepare a dressing of olive oil, grainy mustard, salt, pepper,  chives (FYI Reenie i have chard and chives you can come cut). mix together while they are warm and enjoy hot or cold.

If you are still reading I have some ideas...
the once a month cooking mom has some awesome ideas and recipes and we could get together and prep some of them.  A month is too overwhelming for me, but i have done four or five at a time and it was great. (just finishing them up) Or i have a few other friends we could talk into doing a swap where we all prepare vegan dishes and then get together and swap them.... This is also very fun and you get lots of new recipes.  The two I am thinking of are both vegan and i may have one other who eats a lot of veg/ vegan.

Hummus Parm Waffle

Ok so I am terrible at pictures, but I have the most delicious recipe to share with you. Inspired from this blog, the actors diet, who was inspired from another blog.  I kind of un-veganized this recipe 1) because that is how we roll and 2) because Waylon loves Parmesan.  I ended up mixing some garlic powder from Seattle spice company and some grass fed butter to smear on type.  Yum. The author on the actors used creamy garlic, and while it looked great, this recipe was a last minute one to use up languishing hummus and to pair with roasted Brussels sprouts.

Hummus Parmesan Waffles (adapted from the Actors diet)

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup parmesan
2 T flax seeds
1 T olive oil
2/3 cup hummus
1/2 tsp mustard powder
dash of cayenne pepper

Mix the first four ingredients in a bowl. Add the remaining and stir until well combined. Let sit for a few minutes.  Pour 1/3 cup of batter into each well of waffle iron. Cook until well browned. Serve with garlicky butter.

Oh just you wait.  The gooey cheese on the inside and crunchy brown bits on the outside will have you calling my name and coming back for just one more bite.  And maybe then I will have some pictures for you.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

I have a sweet tooth and my husband Colby has several. This weekend's cookies were based on a traditional recipe with a few healthy additions to add nutrients to our sweet treats...

1 stick of butter (loving the new pastured organic butter available at La Montanita Co-op!)
1 cup of Sucanat (whole cane sugar)
2 eggs (cover with hot water for a few minutes before using)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup flour (had and used all purpose, but could do whole wheat or a mix of the two)
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chocolate chips (could also use raisins or other dried fruit)
3/4 cup pecans (almonds also yummy!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream softened butter and sugar for a couple minutes.
Mix in the eggs, vanilla and salt.
Add the flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon.
Add the chips/fruit and nuts.
Plop onto cookie sheets (Use parchment paper makes for easier clean-up!)
Bake for about 11 minutes.
After a few minutes, move to a cooling rack.

Enjoy with a nice glass of milk!

***

I often bake just a few cookies the first round and add more flour to the dough if they spread too thin.

With a mind for easy clean-up, I used only my mixer bowl to make these. Although I didn't pre-mix the dry ingredients, I did sprinkle them in slowly to ensure even distribution.

What do i do with this?

This has been the question of the week. Most of the questions occurred at the farmers market yesterday. I love vegetables and love to talk about them. I think some people are intimidated by fall vegetables.  I owe my friend Maggie some zucchini recipes in exchange for some lovely green beasts she gave me a few weeks ago.  This is just one for any remaining zucchini you have hanging out in your kitchen.  Pair it with a salad for a complete meal.

Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

4 c.shredded zucchini
3 c. pre-shredded hash browns
2 c pinto beans
1 c. chopped tomato
1-5 roasted green chile depending on how how you like it.
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese

white sauce
         2 T. flour
         2 T butter
         1 square vegetable boullion
         2 c. milk

Directions

1. In medium saucepan combine butter and bullion. Stir until butter is melted and bullion is evenly distributed. Add flour, and stir until lightly browned. Whisk milk in very slowly. Stir constantly until the boiling point and then turn down. This should thicken slightly.
2. Combine all ingredients except cheese in greased 9x13 pan. Pour white sauce over and stir again.
3. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 350 for 30 or until bubbly.

Now it is your turn. What do you have that you need inspiration for? Spaghetti squash? Turnips?

Pumpkin for all

I love pumpkin.
It cannot be added to enough dishes.
It was on the menu this week for lots of things. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin risotto, but I also found myself trying to add it into "pasta with veggies".  I think it turned out pretty well. though the veggies turned in to a side of sauteed Zucchini with tomatoes and basil. You could also serve it with a salad or any other green vegetable. The Hubby came in and said " ohh mac and cheese, I thought you were making something else."

Pumpkin Pasta
1T butter
1 onion sliced or chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 cups pureed pumpkin or one can
1 cup of whole milk
1 tsp of rubbed sage
1/3 cup of shredded parmesan
1/4 cup of pine nuts.
salt and pepper to taste (quite a bit of salt)
1 lb of short patsa ( i used gemelli)
crumbled Blue cheese
chopped toasted walnuts

1. start water to boil the pasta.
2.In a medium skillet melt butter and sautee onions until caramlized about 10 min. Add in garlic and autee another 2 min.  Add pumpkin to this mixture.
3. When pasta is done add it along with the milk, sage, Parmesan, pine nuts and salt and pepper. Stir. Let warm in pan until combined and flavors marry, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve warm with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts on top.

Baby serving- try some pureed pumpkin

How is it going?

Check back in with October Unprocessed headquarters for inspiration and ideas. I am loving their kids lunch ideas from yesterday.