crispy cheese and egg burritos

before we roast us some veggies, i just have to share this recipe. i eat it often. okay, more than often. my bff's husband makes these for them and from the minute i made it its my go-to lunch or dinner when there's no other plan (remember, my hubby works out of town sometimes... we often run on no dinner plan these days). this is my bff who i remember frying just cheese in a pan in a pan in college. ha. love her. and her crispy cheese. wowsers!

make sure to follow the directions closely - the cheese all crisped to the bottom of the egg rocks my world. enjoy!!

crispy cheese and egg burritos
ala mark and bek

1 egg
salt and pepper
a handful of cheese (cheddar or cheddar jack)
tortilla
salsa

1. heat a frying pan over medium heat. spray with non-stick spray. crack egg into small frying pan. break yolk and spread around. lightly season with salt and pepper.
2. let the egg cook until 1/2 way done. spread a generous handful of cheese over the egg and let it cook another minute while the cheese oozes into the gooey side of the egg.
3. flip the egg so the cheese side is now down. finish cooking egg and make sure cheese gets brown and crispy.
4. when egg is almost done, put the tortilla on top of the egg in the pan and let it get warm.
5. wrap egg in warm tortilla, crispy cheese side down (otherwise the salsa will soak in and make the cheese not crispy), and top with salsa.


that's my dad's new salsa on the burrito. i'll share that recipe soon!

comfort food makeover

the season for comfort food is quickly coming to a close. we were at 80 degrees yesterday!

while that is wonderful i find myself a little sad this year, not having made as much comfort food as i would have liked with hubby eating dinner at work most of the winter.

so we're trying to squeeze a few more in.

i love that creamy casserole thing with chicken and broccoli and lots of cheese. i recently figured out it's called broccoli chicken divan.

the problem with it is the problem with most comfort food - the veggies are an afterthought and the main show is the butter and cheese. same with this dish - it's mostly cheese and butter, negating all the good of the broccoli and chicken.

so i fixed it. lots more broccoli. lots less cheese and butter. delicious result and much better for you. just ask my little monsters who both pounded through their huge servings of it last night. :) (for those of you who know my little guy - don't tell him there was cheese in it! ahhh! bad mom award!)

and it uses my new favorite seasoning - kirkland's no salt seasoning, available at costco. it's a little pricey so ask for it for easter or something! :) it's great on everything i've put it on.

healthier broccoli chicken divan
6 main dish servings

3-4+ cups steamed broccoli florets (i filled 1/2 of my 13x9 with broccoli, adjust on if your family is iffy on broccoli; less if they are, more if they aren't)
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt, pepper, no salt seasoning
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (adjust to your liking)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon coriander (adjust to your liking)
2 cups (approximately) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 heaping cup crushed reduced fat ritz crackers
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. cook chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and no salt seasoning. set aside.
2. combine soup, milk, garlic powder, coriander and a few dashes of no salt seasoning. stir well.
3. place broccoli into a 13x9 glass baking dish. top with chicken. pour soup mixture evenly over the top. top with cheddar cheese to your liking.
4. combine crushed crackers and melted butter in a bowl. sprinkle evenly over casserole in baking dish.
5. bake at 350 for 12 minutes, the turn up oven to 450 and continue baking until browned on top to your liking. watch it carefully so you don't burn the crackers!
6. serve over brown rice or mashed potatoes, or eat it plain and let the crackers on top be your carb for the meal! (i ate mine plain and it was awesome.)

bbq pulled pork and magic coleslaw sandwiches

okay.... here it is! the magic cole slaw. this stuff has changed my life.

let me start from the beginning. back in may when we moved a friend from my church offered to bring us dinner one night while we were getting settled in. she showed up with bbq pulled pork (yum), trader joe's ciabatta buns (yum), sun chips (yum), fruit salad (yum) and cole slaw (yikes!)... to put on the sandwiches (double yikes!).

since it would be rude not to try it, i decided i'd better.and wow! am i glad i did!

so i asked her what she put on the magical cole slaw (that's a direct quote). "girard's apple poppyseed dressing," she said.
problem: my budget doesn't do salad dressings that cost $4.99 (on my budget i have $7 total per day to feed my family. $5 for salad dressing doesn't work.)

solution: replicate the dressing. done! it's close enough to give the same effect on the sandwiches and hubby likes it better than girard's. so ha!

this really is a great, tasty, well-balanced meal when you add the coleslaw. cabbage is amazing for you.

bbq pulled pork and magic coleslaw sandwiches
enough coleslaw for 6 sandwiches

pulled pork:
a lean pork roast (size of your choosing)
your favorite bbq sauce (we love sweet baby rays - you can find it at walmart)

trim pork roast of excess fat and place in crock pot. smother with tons of bbq sauce (if you're not sure about how much to add, just make sure to check it a couple of times throughout the day and add more if it's looking dry). cook 8-10 hours on low. shred at the end and add more bbq sauce if it needs more.

magic coleslaw:
1 bag of prepared coleslaw
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup apple poppyseed dressing (recipe below)

mix coleslaw and dressing together in a bowl.

the bovine's apple poppyseed dressing:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon molasses (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
4 to 6 dashes salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon poppyseeds

combine all ingredients but poppyseeds in a blender. mix well until blended. add poppyseeds. mix well. refrigerate 4+ hours to let onions rehydrate and flavors meld.

put the sandwich together:

toast ciabatta buns (we like walmart's). top with pulled pork and more coleslaw than you think you'll want. serve with lots of napkins. :)

freeze leftover bbq pulled pork for [the following week] when you crave the sandwiches again. thaw in fridge over night. heat and serve.

------------------

you'll have extra dressing. what should you do with it? an apple poppy seed spinach salad up next to use it up! stay tuned!

10-minute chicken tortilla soup

with all of the fun holiday activities going on i'm finding myself needing quick meals. this is one of the quickest, yummiest meals, and it won't hurt your wallet too bad, either! and it will take you 10 minutes including opening cans. can't beat that.

it's compliments of trader joe's. i love that place. i wish i could afford to buy more things there.

trader joe's 10-minute chicken tortilla soup
suggested bovine modifications in parentheses
5-6 servings

1 box chicken broth (or 32oz or 4 cups)
1 can chunk chicken (or 1 chicken breast cooked and shredded)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 12 oz container pico de gallo (the tjs one is good!)

toppings - crushed chips, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro

1. put broth, chicken, beans, corn and pico de gallo in large pot. cook 5-7 minutes until heated through. serve with toppings of choice.

five ingredient fridays: chicken tacos

chicken tacos have got to be one of my all-time favorite meals. and i just realized they qualify for 5-ingredient fridays. pretty sure that makes them yummier.

chicken tacos
8-10 tacos

2 chicken breasts, butterflied
marinate most of the day in: enough lime juice to douse them, a few dashes of olive oil and a few cloves of garlic
grill to perfection seasoned generously with salt and pepper

double wrap in corn tortillas (2 tortillas per taco)

top with lots of cilantro and other toppings of your choice (cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, etc!)

this is delicious with mexican rice on the side. enjoy!

five ingredient fridays: creamy avocado pasta salad

i whipped this up the other night for a church function and it was a hit! just thought i'd share it since pasta salad is such a great warm weather food!

i know it's a few over 5 ingredients, but it's super simple. promise.

creamy avocado pasta salad
8 servings (main course, lots more as a side dish)

1 lb pasta of choice, i used macaroni
1 chicken breast, butterflied and heavily covered on both sides in taco seasoning, then pan-grilled and chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained.
1 green peppers, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, minced

kroger brand (from smith's) lite creamy avocado ranch with lime dressing, to taste
chopped fresh cilantro to taste
salt and pepper to taste

next time i'd also add sliced black olives. yum.

1. cook pasta according to directions and cook chicken.
2. combine pasta, chicken, beans, peppers, tomatoes and onion. start with 1/2 cup of salad dressing and stir to combine. continue to add 1/4 cup at a time until you are happy with the taste/consistency. stir in cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. chill in fridge until ready to eat.

enjoy!

five ingredient fridays: pesto bowties with feta and tomatoes

the heat doesn't seem to be subsiding at all where we are. except for last night when it rained - for 5 minutes. wow. i'm heading to utah next month for 10 days where it does start to cool off this time of year.

wherever you are and whatever the temperature, pasta salad is such a great thing to eat (especially when it's hot). it's even better with only 5 ingredients!

this one is fun since it combines two of my favorite ingredients - pesto and feta cheese. i can't live without either of them - money and health aside. i love them. what ingredients can you not live without?

pesto bowties with feta and tomatoes
from the pioneer woman here

6 servings

1 lb pasta (i used rotini)
1 cup basil pesto (i used more like 3/4 cup) - try the classico brand - $2.08 at my wal-mart. not bad!
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (got mine at the 99cents only store - more on this later)
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled (did you know they make low fat feta? not quite as good, but if your really trying to watch what you eat try it!)
salt and freshly ground pepper

cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it cools slightly. drain the pasta well.

transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. stir in the pesto and gently mix until the pasta is coated. season with salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon each). add the halved tomatoes and feta cheese. toss to combine.

cover the pasta and refrigerate up to an hour before serving. if the pasta seems at all dry before serving, you can stir in additional olive oil to moisten the pasta (i didn't!).

five ingredient fridays: traditional taco salad

there are those traditional meals that just always taste good. taco salad is one of those for me. i like it just the way we've all always made it. and it's a great summer meal - fast and cool!

traditional taco salad

romaine lettuce
1/2 to 1 lb lean ground beef - cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning (or garlic, cumin and chili powder)
tomatoes
black olives
light ranch dressing (i love kroger brand at Smith's -super cheap too!)

other delicious, but optional ingredients: cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, hearts of palm, anything else that sounds good to you!!

top shredded lettuce with taco meat, tomatoes, olives, dressing and any other topping of your choice. easy as that!

five ingredient fridays: make-ahead lunch wraps

happy friday! and happy blogging. summer is too much fun to find time to blog much. i'm sorry for abandoning you so much!

i've recently ventured into the land of crisped wraps. they are great for summer since they require minimal cooking. the thing i like best about these, though, is that i can freeze them and they make a perfect lunch to-go for my hubby for work.

here is a 5-ingredient variation first and then another that we liked. the possibilities are endless with these. combine some of your favorite ingredients and i'm sure they'll be a winner at your house too!

make-ahead lunch wraps
from allrecipes.com

4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
cooked brown rice (amount suggested - 2 cups rice cooked in 5 cups water for 45 minutes)

cheese and tortillas

1. combine beans, corn tomatoes, rice and desired amount of cheese. may season with chili powder, cumin or garlic if desired. roll up in tortillas and crisp on both sides in pan on stove to seal ingredients inside.
2. let cool. wrap in plastic wrap and then tin foil. store in freezer. reheat in microwave. serve with salsa, sour cream.... or ketchup if you're ridiculous like my husband.
here's another recipe we love at our house. these freeze pretty well, too, but they are extra yummy fresh!! i made them for while i was gone this last week and my husband was in heaven every day for lunch!

crispy southwest chicken wraps
see recipe at mel's kitchen cafe

five ingredient fridays: strawberry poppyseed salad

this is all i ate for a week straight at the beach with my best friend in december. i love it. my husband loves it equally as much - dubbed his new favorite salad! and it's a super quick and easy meal. my 2 year old had a few bites of mine and then needed her own plateful. i'm not sure there's anything cuter than a 2 year old eating a salad. adorable.

and try to go easy on the dressing. it's the only unhealthy part of this, but if you take it easy it isn't too bad!!

strawberry poppyseed salad

lettuce of choice (spinach is best, but romaine was good, too!)
sliced strawberries (wait until they're $1 a lb)
a hard boiled egg, sliced
shredded/chunked cooked chicken
poppyseed dressing (i used kroger brand that i got for $1!!!!!!)

five ingredient fridays: sweet and spicy slow cooker chicken

welcome to the 1st edition of five ingredient fridays! thanks again for the suggestion, katja. it will be a good challenge for me!

this is so yummy and so easy it's almost ridiculous. i make it to put in all kinds of things now - burritos, tacos, enchiladas, salads - the sky is the limit. the 2 year old loves it too!

sweet and spicy slow cooker chicken
from mel's kitchen cafe (here)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (i use 1/4 teaspoon)

coat the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. place all ingredients in the crockpot. cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. season to taste with salt and pepper. (chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) serve in tacos or however your little heart desires.

another note from mel:

*freezable meal: i freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. i reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

fresh ginger: a lesson learned

so, i'm too cheap to buy fresh herbs (except garlic of course, oh and i grew my own basil). there, i said it. sad, i know. but when you've got two kids and your hubby isn't quite done with school it's a mentality you must embrace. well, hubby's done with school and i keep hearing people rave about fresh ginger and what a difference it makes in your food. so i decided to give it a go now that i'm among the working, adult class (not that my food budget is different, but i gladly spend the entire thing every month instead of trying to scrimp every last penny... you should see my food storage!). good news is, it really isn't that expensive either! WOW!!! i can't believe what i've been missing out on all this time. fresh ginger really does make a huge flavor difference in my food. lesson learned.

this is one of my favorite fresh ginger dishes we've eaten lately. my bff made it for us when we visited them (and disneyland!) in california last month. she got it from her friend. it's pretty high ranking on the favorite food list right now. soooo good, easy and quick!

thai peanut chicken wraps
6-8 big wraps

sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons olive oil (next time i'll try no oil here, i don't think it needs it)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

6-8 eight to ten inch flour tortillas (yummy on wheat!)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (or a bit more fresh garlic instead and add some salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast meat, in chunks or slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups packaged broccoli slaw ($1.68 at my wal-mart, my bff gets it at trader joes)
3/4 medium raw red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1. for peanut sauce: combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. set aside.
2. wrap tortillas in foil. bake in 350 degree oven about 10 minutes ot until heated and softened. meanwhile, combine garlic salt, pepper and chicken.
3. in a large skillet, heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil. cook and stir seasoned chicken in hot oil over medium-hight heat until cooked through. remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. add broccoli, onion and ginger to skillet. cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. remove from heat.
4. to assemble, top tortilla with chicken and vegetable mixture. spread each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon + peanut sauce. roll up each tortilla, securing with a wooden toothpick. serve immediately with remaining sauce.

flashback to lentils: curried coconut lentil bisque

i love lentils. so does my husband. so does my daughter. remember when i 1st started this blog and wrote about why lentils are amazing? remember when i made taco meat out of lentils? yum. remember when i posted lentil meatloaf? it's still fabulous. it sounds scary - it's not. i promise. (and yes, i have a label for lentils - i realize that is scary.)

i recently fell in love with lentils all over again when i made this fabulous meal last week.

i like ANYTHING made with coconut milk... coconut meets lentil and curry? has to be even better. this is one of those ultra-complete meals - it was dirt cheap, pretty, it felt good on its way down, it is super healthy and balanced and it tasted fabulous. and don't let the peas scare you - the sweetness of the peas is the perfect balance to the curry.

curried coconut lentil bisque
mildly inspired by recipe here
6 servings

a dash of olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder (another teaspoon if you want it hotter)
1 1/2 cups dry lentils, rinsed
6 cups chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk (always 99c at trader joe's!)
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch ginger
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup white rice, cooked in 2 cups water for 2 minutes
1 12 oz bag green peas, cooked according to directions

1. heat oil in large pot. add onions and carrots. cook 5-6 minutes. add garlic and curry. cook 1-2 more minutes or until curry is fragrant.
2. add chicken broth, lentils and coconut milk. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 35-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
3. add other spices. use immersion blender to blend soup into a bisque (a thick soup). salt and pepper to taste.
4. put rice and peas in a bowl. pour bisque over the top. enjoy!

spicy pasta with broccoli

here's a quick and easy meal i made a few weeks ago. it was delicious - and even without the parmesan!

spicy pasta with broccoli
adapted from culinary in the country
4 servings

12-15 ounces dry short pasta (i used penne)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 head broccoli (roughly 1.5 pounds), florets sliced into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup water + a little more (i used 1/2 lb more broccoli than the original recipe...)
salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) fresh grated Parmesan, divided (optional)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, seasoned and cooked according to your liking

in a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain and place back into the pot off heat.

meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. stir in garlic and crushed red pepper - cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. add broccoli and 1/3+ cup water - season with salt and pepper. cover skillet and cook until broccoli just begins to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. uncover and continue to cook until the excess water has evaporated and the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 additional minutes.

scoop broccoli mixture into the pot with the pasta and add 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) parmesan and enough of the reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce. serve with the remaining parmesan scattered on top. serve with chicken on top.

recipe of the week: coriander chicken with mango salsa and coconut rice

i promised avocados, so here's a fun one i whipped up a few weeks ago with an avocado option! feel free to leave it out if avocados aren't as cheap where you are as they are where i am (2 non-walmart grocery stores have 25c avocados this week for me! yahoo!). don't leave the mango out, but watch for sales. i found mine 3 for $1. :)

this barely sweet coconut rice is a perfect compliment to the sweet and spicy salsa on your chicken. and i'm a believer that there's no exact recipe for salsa, so below is just what i used in mine.

and sorry no pics. use your imagination!!

coriander chicken with mango salsa and coconut rice
4 servings

chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and split (you'll have 4 pieces total)
coriander salt and pepper

1. grill chicken by method of choice sprinkled on both sides with coriander, salt and pepper.

mango salsa:
1 mango, peeled, cored and diced
1-2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small/medium jalapeno, seeded, deveined and diced
a bit of diced red onion (go easy on the onion or it will overpower the other flavors)
1 avocado, diced (optional)
chopped cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper to taste

1. combine all ingredients. let marinate 30 at least 30 minutes before serving.

coconut rice:
1 cup long grain white rice
1 14 oz can lite coconut milk (always 99c at trader joe's if you're lucky enough to have one!)
1/4 cup water
dash salt
a few teaspoons sugar, to taste
a handful of chopped cilantro

1. boil water, coconut milk and salt. add rice, reduce heat. simmer covered for 20-30 minutes until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed.
2. stir in sugar and cilantro.

serve salsa over chicken with the coconut rice on the side. enjoy!!

rainy day vegetable soup

happy national soup month (my only excuse for so many soup posts, i guess)! the skinny bovine's kitchen is a part of a new website/parenting forum called babble. i'm honored to be a part of it such a great group of bloggers (food and otherwise) and it really is a great resource for parents.

the folks at babble reminded me today that it's national soup month which fit perfectly with this soup i made last night for dinner. it's been so rainy all week here and i think i'm in good company with the rest of your westerners who are experiencing similar conditions. make this simple soup with a great loaf of homemade bread (i'll post the one i made soon) and you'll feel warm, toasty and satisfied in no time - for a ridiculously low-cal and low-budget dinner.

babble posted an article on soups for kids. here was my commenter's input on getting kids to like soup:
"a trick i used to get my 2 year old to like soup was to strain out the soupy part. then all that's left is the beans, noodles, mushy veggies, etc - all kid friendly and coated in a delicious broth that sooner or later they'll want to try too. i think soup can be intimidating for kids because it's hard to eat - so make it easy!"

and forgive me for no pictures - they turned out terrible for some reason!

rainy day vegetable soup
6 large servings

a dash of olive oil
1/3 of a medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can french style sliced green beans
1 large or 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 large pinch rosemary
1 large pinch thyme
a dash of black pepper
salt to taste

1. heat olive oil in large pot. add onions, garlic and carrots. cook until onions are soft - about 5 minutes.
2. add remaining ingredients, except zucchini. bring to a boil. reduce heat and cover, simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. add zucchini 5 minutes before serving.

i'm back -- dairy-free and fabulous

it's been a slightly busy 2 months around our house. want to know what we've been up to? visit our family blog - here. thanksgiving, beach vacation, moving to las vegas, sick, three weeks in orem, utah for christmas, hubby's 1st real job... it's been crazy, but wonderful and we're thrilled to be back and be getting settled.

right before all of the excitement began, i realized that my cranky baby boy was only cranky because he is dairy intolerant. so this nursing mommy is officially off cheese, butter, milk, etc, etc, etc. considering i spend just over 10% of our yearly food budget on cheese (and it's my favorite food) this has been quite a challenge, but let me tell you - WAY worth it to have my little boy so happy! he's like a different kid. a really cute one. look at this face. do you love him? i do.

i'm starting to overcome the challenges of cooking dairy-free and have made some pretty delicious dairy-free dishes lately. stay tuned.

we'll start with this one. it was delicious!

quick and easy black bean soup
modified from allrecipes.com
4 servings

• 1/2 to 3/4 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (the right way - remember?)
  
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste

1. heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. stir in the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. mix in 1 can black beans and chicken broth.
2. in a blender, puree remaining can of beans until smooth. mix into the pot. bring soup to a boil. reduce heat to low. mix in chicken, cumin, salt, and pepper. simmer at least 30 minutes.
   

top with nothing at all (dairy-free style) or with cheese and sour cream!

stay tuned for more dairy-free deliciousness,including some more fun with avocados. my wal-mart has them for 25c a piece a lot right now so i'm basically inhaling them.

delicious pitas ala mom and a baby

i'm back. i have a beautiful baby boy and i'm feeling great. here he is. i love him.


my mom was here all week spoiling us and playing with my daughter while we were at the hospital. she was amazing. she spoiled me with feta cheese the other night with the most delicious pitas. they were fabulous, so here's the [approximate] recipe. they are a little on the pricey side, so have a splurge night! i should have taken a picture, but i ate them too fast.

sun dried tomato pesto and veggie pitas

whole wheat pita breads
sun dried tomato pesto (the classico brand at my wal-mart is $1.96)
fresh spinach
portabello mushrooms, sliced
roma tomatoes, sliced
sliced black olives
feta cheese
parmesan cheese

spread the pesto on the pitas. cover with spinach and then the other veggies. top with the cheeses. heat in the oven at 350 until veggies cook flat, cheese melts and pita is slightly crispy.

i definitely loved my return to eating feta after being pregnant. thanks for the treat mom!!

recipe of the week: fusilli alla caprese

okay, this was ridiculously good and ridiculously easy. i made a few changes to make it cheaper and less greasy and it was still fabulous. i used whole wheat pasta, too (since i got it for $0.20 a box last week, thank you coupons). try it soon!

fusilli alla caprese
4 servings

modified from giada de laurentiis (found on my kitchen cafe)

i used mozzarella like the original recipe the night i made it, but when i ate it for lunch the next day i used parmesan and liked it lots better!

1 pound fusilli pasta (i used a little less than a pound of rotini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves (grow your own!), chopped (or about 5 tablespoons dried basil - this seems like a lot, so maybe add it a little bit at a time)
fresh parmesan cheese, for topping

cook pasta as directed.

in a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. as the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them. continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. toss to combine. add the basil leaves (if you're using dry, i'd add them to the tomatoes in the skillet) and stir to combine. serve topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

recipe of the week: steph's asian beef and broccoli

this dinner was awesome. my friend steph passed along her super easy and delicious recipe and i made some very minor adjustments... and viola! soooooo good and soooo simple. and i love it because it is adjustable to however much you want to make!

steph's asian beef and broccoli

about equal portions:
broccoli florets, steamed to crisp tender
very thinly sliced beef (i used london broil - it's the leanest!)

equal amounts of:
soy sauce
sugar
water

cornstarch

optional:
green onions
red pepper flakes

combine enough soy sauce, sugar and water (equal amounts of each) to just cover the meat in a bowl. marinate at least 1/2 an hour (i marinated mine for a few hours). mix in a few large spoonfuls of cornstarch to thicken the sauce a bit.

heat your wok or large frying pan on low and add the meat in the sauce with a dash of red pepper flakes if you'd like. when the meat looks 70% cooked and the sauce is gelling to the meat, toss in the already steamed (crisp tender, not soggy) broccoli (with a bit of water if you feel like your sauce is getting too thick) and a few chopped green onions (optional) and mix around so the broccoli absorbs the sauce too. cover with the lid and let it simmer until meat is completely done.

serve over white rice.