Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

*From Our Best Bites

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes *I just use sun dried tomatoes from the Costco
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
3-4 T EVOO
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces whole wheat farfalle or bowtie pasta (a little more than 3 cups)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup pesto
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese *optional

If using fresh tomatoes, preheat oven to 425. Bring large pot of water to boil.

Place tomatoes and mushrooms on foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your fingers, making sure everything is coated with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 12-15 mins or until tomatoes look plump and some of the skins start to split.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, place pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently until the nuts turn golden brown and look slightly glossy, about 7-9 mins.

To assemble, toss the hot drained pasta with pesto and parmesan cheese. Top with tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Wild Rice Soup

*adapted from Our Best Bites

1 T butter

1 onion, chopped

4 cloved garlic, minced or pressed

1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium)

2 cups roughly chopped portabella or baby bella mushrooms

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 t poultry seasoning

1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

10 cups chicken broth

1 cup wild rice (or brown rice)

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cashews or peanuts for thickening.

Melt butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, muchsrooms, celery, and poultry seasoning and saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add rice and reduce heat, cover and simmer 50-60 minutes or until rice is tender. When rice is tender, remove from heat and add salt and pepper.

When soup has about 10 mins left, scoop out about 2 cups of liquid from stockpot and put in high powered blender. Add about 1/2 cup of nuts and puree. Pour puree into stockpot and mix. If the soup is too runny for your taste, repeat until desired thickness has been reached.

7 Magic Tricks to Making Healthier Baked Goods

From Desi at  Unconvetional Kitchen

Here are seven easy “magic tricks” to give your baked goods a healthy makeover. You will love knowing that not only are your treats healthier, but they are tasty too.

1. When a recipe calls for white flour replace it with the equal amount of soft white wheat flour. Soft white wheat has a milder flavor than the traditional red wheat flour that you buy in the grocery store, but it is every bit as nutritious. You can also replace white flour with kamut or spelt, but I prefer soft white wheat because it is the easiest and most inexpensive to find.

2. When your recipe calls for white sugar replace it with an equal amount of sucanat, coconut sugar, or turbinado. You can even make your own powdered sugar by blending any of those sweeteners mentioned above until finely powdered. If you add a little bit of cornstarch, it will work the same as powdered sugar in your recipe. If you use a liquid sweetner like honey, maples syrup, or agave, you will add an extra ¼-1/3 cup of flour to the recipe to compensate for the extra liquid. Or you can substitute 2-3 tablespoons of chia and flax as well. The chia or flax helps to soak up some of the excess moisture form the liquid sweetener, and the baked goods turn out really yummy with the bonus of added nutrition.

3. When your recipe calls for vegetable oil, margarine, shortening, or canola oil, replace it with butter or coconut oil. Coconut oil is the best option because it has the same consistency as shortening and butter so it is very easy to substitute. If a recipe calls for a cup, add ¾ cup. Adding just a little bit less coconut oil than what the recipe calls for works the best in baked goods. If you don’t want the coconut oil flavor in your baked goods, you can use a more processed version of it that doesn’t have any flavor. This is still a better option than many other oils because coconut oil doesn’t create trans-fats when processed with high heat. If you choose to substitute with liquid oils, just make sure you melt it first so you are measuring it correctly when substituting.

4. Keep aluminum-free baking powder on hand. Aluminum has been linked with causing Alzheimer’s along with many other problems. Aluminum is commonly found in commercial baking powder, so I recommend Rumford brand. It is aluminum free and can be found in most grocery stores.

5. Use only organic, free-range eggs for a good balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Have you ever noticed that fresh eggs have a golden yolk instead of a pale, yellow yolk? The reason why is because the chicken was allowed to eat plants. The rich golden color comes from beta-carotene, which comes from plants. A chicken’s diet that is natural and includes grazing on plants produces eggs that have higher omega-3’s and less omega-6’s. Our diet today has WAY too many omega-6’s from processed foods and causes a lot of health problems because of it.

6. Use sea salt (which is FULL of minerals) rather than processed salt (which is stripped of ALL nutrition). Did you know salt is essential to your body? Salt acts as a conductor for the electric impulses between our nerves and our brain. It also keeps our blood volume at proper levels and balances the water levels around cells and tissue. It prevents dehydration and improves the body’s absorption of potassium as well. Replace white processed salt with sea salt, it’s a simple switch with HUGE benefits.

7. Replace some of the oil or butter in a recipe for applesauce or yogurt. This works really well with quick breads, muffins, waffles, cakes, and even brownies. This doesn’t work as well for cookies, unless they are pumpkin cookies or a more cake-like cookie. I usually do half applesauce/half coconut oil or butter when I am substituting.

Making these simple changes to your favorite recipes GREATLY improves the nutrition and makes it so you can feel good about the treats you are eating!

Tortilla Soup

Super quick and easy dinner. No cooking required!!!

2 roma tomatoes or 1 beef steak tomato, quartered

1/2 half lg.carrot

1 inch slice red pepper

1/4-1/2 avocado

2 T. onion- a good chunk

2 sprigs cilantro...but I add more than that. We love cilantro!

1 t. taco seasoning or any other seasoning you prefer

3/4 t. salt

3/4 t. garlic powder. I use fresh.

2 cups HOT water

Blend in blender until creamy and then you can add a black beans and corn if desired. I do put a sprinkle of pepper jack cheese on it and it's sooo good. 

I eat mine with the "Because Food Should Taste Good" chips I buy in a big bag at Costco. What do you guys think of those? Have you tired them? 

Broccoli Quinoa Bake

This is a Pinterest recipe makeover I came up with to reduce the diary and ramp up the quinoa and broccoli. You could probably omit the cheese but I think it tastes good with a little bit.

2 cups steamed broccoli

3 cups  COOKED quinoa (see note)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

condensed soup substitute *see below

shredded mozzarella cheese to your liking

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible.  Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the soup, shredded cheese, salt and pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.

Spoon mixture into a 9x13 dish.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden.  Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

You don't have to cook it that long. I usually do about 20 minutes because I'm usually running late and we're hungry. :)

*Condensed Cream of whatever substitute:

1 cup cold milk (I use almond milk)

2 Tbsp wonder flour (I just add enough to make it thick)

1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt ( I use Real Salt or Himalayan Salt) 

dash of pepper

Instructions

In a small saucepan, whisk milk and flour till well blended.

Stir in butter, salt and pepper.

Heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer on low for one minute more to thicken.

Use in recipes to replace one can of cream of anything soup.

Thai Peanut Sauce

This is from the Blendtec Recipe Book, one of my favorites!!! 

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. honey

1 clove garlic

1 T. ginger root, peeled

1 t. hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup peanut butter

Blend in blender until very smooth. Put over whole wheat noodles ( I prefer Angel Hair) and veggies of choice. I like to stir fry broccoli slaw, carrots, and broccoli.