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The Most Popular Recipes in October

10/31/2019

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The Most Popular Recipes in October
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The Most Popular Recipes in October

Welcome to our new feature celebrating the most popular recipes for the month! You know the ones: the recipes you've all been cooking, sharing, and talking about nonstop. Let's see which ones made the cut for October!

Happy November, everyone! While we’re always sad to see warmer temperatures go, fall cooking is just the best kind of cooking.

Our team has been busy testing holiday recipes, but in our downtime we’ve been cooking from the site just like you, discovering new favorites and revisiting classics (we’re looking at you, shepherd’s pie and banana bread).

From the looks of the top five recipes in October, it’s clear what’s going on in your kitchens! There’s a definite shift towards game day foods, comforting soups, and an amazing roast chicken that we can’t stop talking about.

Did you miss any of these? If so, it’s not too late to join in the fun.

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.





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October 31, 2019 at 03:40PM
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10 Weekend Baking Projects For a Lazy Afternoon

10/31/2019

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10 Weekend Baking Projects For a Lazy Afternoon
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10 Weekend Baking Projects For a Lazy Afternoon

Are you a weekend baker? Do you want to be?! Here are 10 projects for a low-key afternoon of baking, from loaves of whole wheat bread to the best-ever homemade cinnamon rolls.

When planning my dinner menu for the week, the recipes I choose for must meet a few requirements. I ask myself these questions:

1. Can this dinner be ready in under 40 minutes?

2. Is it simple with minimal ingredients?

3. Will cleaning up afterward be fairly quick and easy?

If the answers are YES! to all of those, then I have a WINNER! Clearly, I have a recipe that fits all my requirements and it passes the Weeknight Dinner Litmus Test and I’ll put it on the menu.

However… on weekends, requirements go out the window. I’m ready to tackle a few baking projects that are a little more involved and could possibly use up every kitchen gadget I own. I put on my trusty apron, strap my baking boots, turn up the tunes, and I’m ready to go to work. #bringiton

Here are some of my favorite baking projects that were made for the weekend!





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October 31, 2019 at 09:05AM
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Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli

10/31/2019

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Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli
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Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli is comfort food at it’s best! It’s a classic mac turned into and kid-friendly bowl of soup.

Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli
Macaroni and Cheese Soup

Now that the weather is getting colder, we are having soup for dinner quite often. We love this easy mac and cheese soup made with sharp cheddar cheese, broccoli, vegetables and elbow macaroni. The kids love it too, a great way to get kids to get more veggies in their diet. More soup recipes we also love this time of year are Minestrone Soup and Cheeseburger Soup if you want to have some meat in your dish.

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October 31, 2019 at 09:03AM
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Butternut Squash Enchiladas

10/30/2019

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Butternut Squash Enchiladas
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Butternut squash is to fall as zucchini is to summer: There’s always a lot of it, and a lot to do with it.

This recipe for enchiladas—made with corn tortillas, bathed in a spicy red sauce, and filled with roasted squash—just made my autumn meal plan more exciting! In fact, anything to do with tortillas makes the world go round in my house, so this meal is a guaranteed winner.

Calabaza is the generic name in Spanish for hard squashes that grow south of the border, which are akin to butternut and acorn squash. Though it may not be exactly Mexican (in the same way a butternut squash is not exactly the same as a pumpkin) the use of squash in Mexican cuisine is very common.

DO YOU NEED TO PEEL BUTTERNUT SQUASH?

Stop right there. I discovered that peeling butternut squash is a matter of taste. If you are pureeing it, I concede that you could peel it. But if you are roasting it? That’s your call. The skins are not unpleasant. They are not even as tough as apple skins. Whether you peel or not, you still have to remove the seeds.

Casserole dish filled with easy vegetarian enchiladas fillled iwth butternut squash and topped with cheese

HOW TO CUT A BUTTERNUT SQUASH

  1. The best way to tackle a squash is to separate the “neck” from the bulbous end, and deal with it in two parts with a large chef’s knife.
  2. Once you have cut the neck from the round end, you will have two pieces. Work with one piece at a time. We have a tutorial on how to do that here.
  3. Take the round end and halve it, then scoop out the seeds with a sharp-edged spoon. Place the flat side down on the cutting board, slice it into wedges, and slice the wedges into chunks.
  4. The “neck” is a cylinder. Trim off the stem end, and then trim a thin strip along one side of the cylinder so you have a flat edge of squash. Set the squash so the flat side is down. From there, you can safely cut it into slabs and cut the slabs into cubes.

HOW TO MAKE ENCHILADA SAUCE

The long way to make enchilada sauce is to roast tomatoes and re-hydrate dried ancho chiles, but the enchilada sauce in this recipe is easy and straightforward.

I took the liberty of using canned tomatoes and pure ancho chili powder (not the generic chili powder which usually has dried onion or garlic and sometimes cumin or other spices) to make it quick and easy. Although I prefer ancho chili powder, if you can’t find it, feel free to use whatever chili powder you have available to you.

Puree all the sauce ingredients in a blender and then cook the sauce in a skillet, which will be convenient when it comes time to dip the tortillas in the sauce. Just a few minutes of cooking brings all the flavors together.

Corn tortilla dipped in enchilada sauce and filled with butternut squash and black beans.

WHAT IS THE BEST CHEESE FOR ENCHILADAS?

Monterey Jack is a good, melty cheese to go on top of the enchiladas, but you can use a ‘Mexican’ blend, or cheddar if you like. I like the mildness of Monterey Jack, because it lets the sauce shine.

WHAT ARE THE BEST TORTILLAS FOR ENCHILADAS?

Corn tortillas hold their shape better than flour tortillas when dipped in sauce, and they’re gluten-free as well, with lots of corny flavor! They are readily available at most grocery stories, but you can also make corn tortillas from scratch. Here’s our favorite recipe for homemade corn tortillas.

HOW TO PREP TORTILLAS FOR ROLLING ENCHILADAS

Lightly frying tortillas in oil before dipping them in sauce is the traditional method of making enchiladas. The oil adds flavor and helps create a barrier between the tortilla and the sauce, so the tortilla doesn’t disintegrate. It also softens them, so you can roll them easily.

Since frying is tedious and messy, I worked out a way to use the microwave, which takes a fraction of the time of pan frying:

  1. Brush the tortillas with oil and stack them on a plate.
  2. Cover with waxed paper and microwave at 30-second intervals, until they are hot and pliable, usually for about one minute total.

I like to do six tortillas at a time, fill them, and repeat with a second stack.

Casserole dish filled with easy vegetarian enchiladas fillled iwth butternut squash and topped with cheese

THE BEST WAYS TO TOP ENCHILADAS

Choose as many or as few garnishes as you like: Radishes, cilantro, avocados, and chopped onion or scallions are all good. I especially like diluted sour cream, which mimics Mexican crema, to add a touch of creaminess to the enchiladas.

Make-Ahead Tips for Enchiladas

It’s best to make all the components ahead (the sauce, the filling, even the ‘fried’ tortillas), store them separately for up to three days, and then assemble just before baking and serving. The tortillas will need to be reheated if they become stiff.

To freeze the assembled and uncooked pan of enchiladas (including the grated cheese topping), wrap the pan in plastic and then in foil, and freeze for up to two months for optimal freshness.

Remove the plastic, cover loosely with foil, and bake straight from the freezer for 30 minutes; then remove the foil and continue baking until hot all the way through, 20 to 30 minutes longer.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about three days and can be reheated in the microwave.

LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT VEGETARIAN RECIPES?





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October 30, 2019 at 09:04AM
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Healthy Cookie Dough Bites

10/30/2019

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Healthy Cookie Dough Bites
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Make healthy cookie dough bites with chickpea based cookie dough and melted dark chocolate. You’ll love having these on hand for a sweet treat.

I don’t know if this happens to all pregnant women, but I have been craving sweet treats like crazy! As you know, I take a balanced approach to health so definitely indulge from time to time but I also like to enjoy upgraded versions of classic treats! For example, I love cookie dough, but why not improve a few ingredients and make healthy chocolate chip cookie dough bites?!

Bowl full of chocolate covered healthy cookie dough bites.

HEALTHY COOKIE DOUGH BITES VIDEO

Rather than eating raw cookie dough (which I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing while pregnant!) that’s loaded with sugar and raw eggs, I whipped up these cookie dough bites with a base of chickpeas and protein powder. We’re basically making a delicious and dessert-inspired treat, but turning it into a filling and delicious snack you can feel good about enjoying.

Ingredients in These Healthy Cookie Dough Bites

  • chickpeas
  • vanilla vegan protein powder
  • almond butter or cashew butter
  • coconut sugar
  • vanilla extract
  • sea salt
  • chocolate chips
Two chocolate covered cookies dough bites. One has a bite out of it.

How to Make Healthy Cookie Dough Bites

This recipe is so simple and comes together in a matter of minutes! The only kitchen tool you need is a large food processor.

The base of these balls started with my protein cookie dough recipe. To start, add the chickpeas to the food processor and process until they start to smooth out. If needed, you can use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides to make sure all of the chickpeas are blended! Add the rest of the ingredients and process until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Use your spatula to separate the dough a bit, add in the chocolate chips and then pulse a few times so the chocolate chips get dispersed throughout the dough. Once the dough is mixed, remove from the processor.

Food processor with the ingredients for healthy chickpea cookies dough.
Food processor with healthy chickpea chocolate chip cookie dough blended together.

Roll the dough into bite sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up.

Chickpea cookie dough rolled into balls on parchment paper.
In the meantime, melt the chocolate using a double boiler or by placing the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave for 30 second increments until the chocolate is fully melted. Use a fork to dip each chilled cookie dough bite into the melted chocolate.
Let the excess chocolate drip off before putting the balls back on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for a delicious snack!
Bowl full of chocolate covered healthy cookie dough bites. Cookie dough bites are around the bowl as well and some have bites taken out of them.

More Healthy Dessert Recipes You Might Enjoy:

  • Protein Balls
  • Protein Cookie Dough
  • Coconut Protein Balls
  • Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
  • Healthy No Bake Cookies

If you make these cookie dough bites be sure to leave a comment and star rating letting me know how they turned out for you! You reviews are so helpful for the EBF team and other readers.

Print

Cookie Dough Protein Bites


  • Author: Brittany Mullins
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 22 minutes
  • Yield: 28
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Make healthy cookie dough bites with chickpea based cookie dough and melted dark chocolate. You’ll love having these on hand for a sweet treat.


Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup vanilla vegan protein powder
  • 2 Tablespoons almond butter or cashew butter
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips

Chocolate Coating

  • ¾ cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free, if needed)
  • 3 teaspoons coconut oil 

Instructions

  1. Add chickpeas to a large food processor and process until they start to smooth out. You may need to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.
  2. Add remaining ingredients protein powder, nut butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, sea salt and process until a ball of dough forms.
  3. Use a rubber spatula to separate the dough a bit, add chocolate chips and pulse 2-3 times or until chocolate chips get dispersed in the dough.
  4. Remove dough from the processor.
  5. Roll the dough (using a heaping ½ Tablespoon) into balls and place on a small parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge to cool for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Melt chocolate using a double boiler or by placing chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, stir and heat in 30 second increments until chocolate is fully melted. Use a fork to dip each cookie dough bite into the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off before placing back on parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge or freezer to set chocolate before enjoying. 
  7. Store leftover protein bites in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 ball
  • Calories: 111
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 16mg
  • Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 5g

Keywords: cookie dough protein bites

Did you make this recipe?

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October 30, 2019 at 07:19AM
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Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage

10/29/2019

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Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage
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Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage is the perfect one-pot fall dish made with cider-marinated chicken, red cabbage and apples.

Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage is the perfect one-pot fall dish made with cider-marinated chicken, red cabbage and apples.
Baked Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage

This one-pot dish is great for an easy weeknight meal. On a busy school night, I like to keep dinners simple. Since everything bakes in one dish, cleanup won’t take long. Plus, with the cooler temps, this cozy chicken and apple dish is ideal for fall. Some other one-pot chicken dinners you may like are Turmeric Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes and Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime.

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October 29, 2019 at 01:56PM
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Valerie Brunmeiers Cheesy Taco Pasta Skillet

10/29/2019

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Valerie Brunmeier’s Cheesy Taco Pasta Skillet
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When I came across this cookbook The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker by Valerie Brunmeier of Valerie’s Kitchen, I thought, yes! We can all use more slow cooker recipes, right? They’re time savers!

But the book is more than that–it’s slow cooker recipes and OTHER one-pot solutions, such as those you can make in a skillet. They, too, are dinnertime heroes.

Brunmeier knows a few things about getting good food on the table fast, as she’s got experience as a working mom of now mostly grown men. (I’ve only got two boys and they’re not grown yet, so, props to you, Valerie, cause dang, they can eat!)

WHAT ONE-POT MEALS ARE IN THIS COOKBOOK?

I’ve got my eye on the Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs, which can simmer away while you’re working. The slow-cooked Short Rib Ragu looks ideal for a cold night, and the Sausage and Sweet Potato Breakfast Burrito Bowls (say that three times fast!) will make an appearance at the table, too.

The book includes 75 recipes altogether, with sides, dinner rolls (yes!), desserts, chilis, soups, pasta, rice, and more.

Taco Pasta Skillet Recipe

WHAT IS CHEESY TACO PASTA SKILLET?

This Cheesy Taco Pasta Skillet combines the flavors of tacos with the delivery system of pasta, in just one dish. It uses ground beef, a special seasoning mix with cumin, chile powder, paprika, and others—it’s Brunmeier’s own recipe that she makes up ahead of time.

And because pasta takes well to many flavors, we get a marriage of two foods that just works—along with two cheeses, cheddar and Monterey jack, that play well together, too.

A DINNER MADE FROM PANTRY STAPLES

A well-stocked pantry makes this meal a snap, too—it requires a lot of staples such as canned beans, tomatoes, stock, and pasta. The recipe includes her own Flavor Fiesta Taco Seasoning mix, which you can put together in a jiffy if you’ve got a well-stocked spice rack. You can substitute this for another taco seasoning of your choice, but if you put hers together it will yield more than you need so you’ll have some for future meals. Score!

Taco Pasta Skillet

Q&A WITH AUTHOR VALERIE BRUNMEIER

Tell me why you wrote this book—how’s your book different from other slow cooker and one-pot cookbooks?

Slow cooker and one-pot meals were my solution to having a home cooked meal on nights when we got home very late after water polo games and other after-school activities. They are the most requested recipes I get from my readers on Valerie’s Kitchen and I wanted to write a cookbook that would be a resource for busy home cooks. I think this book contains recipes that will appeal to all tastes and ages, from the kiddos all the way up to Grandma and Grandpa. 

Tacos and pasta are both great dinner templates—it’s a wonder you don’t see more Tex-Mex flavors in pasta! Tell me about how this one came about?

Mexican-inspired dishes are BIG in our house. I can always fall back on tacos or burrito bowls any night of the week and make everyone very happy. So I’ve experimented over time incorporating these ingredients into all kinds of dishes and this one-pot, easy-peasy pasta dish is a great one when you have zero time for prep in the morning. It’s hearty, satisfying, and a fun twist on pasta.

What recipe challenged you the most to get it to work, and you’re so proud that you did?

Most of the recipes in this cookbook are based on decades of experience and I felt confident of the result even before the recipe testing began. But, I really challenged myself with desserts. I adapted an old, beloved recipe for Lemon-Blueberry Bread for the slow cooker and after a long bout of recipe testing, I was so happy with the result that I ended up including three quick bread recipes in the book.

The Sweet Spiced Cocktail Nuts were also a revelation. These are the kind of recipes that really showcase the versatility of a slow cooker.

Do you have any tips on how to prepare staples such as beans, rice, and so forth in the slow cooker?

I could talk about beans all day! (I’m weird that way.) Timing is crucial. Canned beans are already cooked and have no business being in a slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours. They should be added during the last 30 to 60 minutes of the cook time so that they will retain their flavor and texture. This is the same for other items like softer veggies and fresh herbs.

I feel like every cookbook author has that one recipe in their cookbook that they know isn’t going to be super popular, but they loved it so much that they just couldn’t bear to cut it. What is that recipe for you?

Oh, good question! That’s going to be the Chicken Tikka Masala with Cauliflower and Red Bell Pepper. My boys love curries so I’ve developed a bunch of different curry-based recipes over the years and we absolutely love them. Although this recipe may seem unfamiliar or exotic to some, it’s actually such a down-home, comforting family meal.

What do you think would surprise people the most about these recipes?

I think a lot of people have the misconception that slow cooker meals are flavorless. I am on a mission to prove that with the proper ingredients and a variety of spices you can create incredibly flavorful dishes with your slow cooker! I’ve included the recipes for four of my favorite spice mixes that are incorporated throughout the book in some of the slow cooker and one-pot recipes.

What became the most-washed kitchen tool or utensil while testing the recipes for this cookbook?

 Can I say my slow cooker? Actually, any of my six slow cookers. Yes, I own six slow cookers and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

What recipes do you still have on regular rotation in your kitchen, even now that the book is done?

So many! Just two months ago we moved from California to Oregon and almost immediately upon arrival in our new house I started cooking from the cookbook. I did the Big Batch Bolognese, used half for a big pasta meal that night, and froze the other half for a super quick and easy future meal. Many of the recipes in the book are great freezer meals.

For Super Bowl last year I did the Meaty Queso Dip and the Asian Sesame Party Meatballs – both are huge family favorites. Other recipes on regular rotation are the Veggie Packed Meatloaf with BBQ Glaze, 20-Minute Egg Roll Lettuce Wraps, Game Day Beer Chili, Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Subs, and the Loaded Chicken and Veggie Fajitas. 

What top secrets can you share about using slow cookers?

Using the right ingredients and adding them at the right time is what I stress the most. I give specific brand recommendations in the ingredient lists [in the cookbook] and detailed instructions so that your result will be as close as possible to mine. Dealing properly with condensation in recipes for baked goods and other items like cocktail nuts and snack mixes is also key to the success of a recipe.

FIVE MORE SKILLET RECIPES TO LOVE





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October 29, 2019 at 09:10AM
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Dutch Apple Pie

10/28/2019

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Dutch Apple Pie
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I can’t tell you the best part about a Dutch Apple Pie.

It might be the simplicity of a bottom crust only pie — no need to make a lattice top or fear shrinking apples and a crust gap. It could be the perfection of fall apples baked until tender and juicy, or the buttery crumble top flecked with the barely sweet flesh of pecans.

Maybe it’s the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove wafting through the air making my home smell like how a warm blanket feels on a cold day – inviting and cozy.

I think, perhaps, it’s all of the above. Apple pies are the comfort food of the dessert world and there’s no denying it.

WHAT IS DUTCH APPLE PIE?

A Dutch Apple Pie also goes by the name crumble pie, or streusel pie, which gives you a little more insight into what you’re about to bake than the Dutch title.

The pie has a pastry crust bottom with cinnamon scented apples piled onto it, and then it’s topped with a crumble or streusel topping. The buttery flaky crust, followed by the just tender warm and spicy apples, and the crumbly sweet topping give the pie layers of flavor and texture that I just love.

It’s one of my all-time favorite pies.

Whole dutch apple pie.

WHAT IS THE TOPPING ON DUTCH APPLE PIE?

The topping or crumble is a combination of flour, sugar, pecans, and spices. I’m partial to cinnamon. It’s then tossed together with melted butter and crumbled over the pie. It doesn’t get much easier.

CAN I OMIT THE NUTS IN THE CRUMBLE TOPPING?

I put chopped pecans in my crumble topping but you can skip them or swap them out. Almonds would be delicious too.

A woman uses a spatula to spoon sliced apples for an easy homemade dutch apple pie into a pie plate. Two apples are on a cutting board nearby.

WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES FOR PIE?

If you’re forcing me to choose, my first choice for a pie apple is Braeburn followed by Gala.

When I was developing this recipe, I actually made four pies. I tried Braeburn, gala, pink lady, respectively, and in one version, a combination of the three. Each apple held its shape but became tender when baked.

I would only really caution against baking pies with red or yellow delicious apples or Jonagold. They tend to break down quickly and end up a little mushy.

That being said, I’ve never had an apple pie I didn’t like. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve made pies out of granny smiths, jazz apples, honeycrisp (though they are pretty pricey to put in a pie and taste so good eaten out of hand, I’d probably save those for snacking), and pretty much any apple that was on sale at the store.

So, I guess what I’m saying is if you have apples, then bake a pie. You’ll be fine, and so will your pie.

Woman lifting a slice of pie out of a pie plate.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SLICE AN APPLE FOR PIE?

When I was a kid, I remember eating apple pies with thick cut, chunky apples. I don’t make pie that way. I prefer thin slices of apple. Doing so provides more apples for the pie and they layer nicely so you get a slice that holds together when you cut it.

I like to cut my apples into slices about an 1/8 of an inch thick.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH APPLE PIE?

A slice of just warm apple pie with scoop of vanilla ice cream is close to heaven in my book. Drizzle some caramel sauce over the thing and heaven just got better.

If that’s too rich for your blood, I get it. Some lightly whipped cream is always a delicious addition. If you don’t do dairy you can certainly use a butter alternative in the crumble topping, and use this coconut whipped cream on top.

HOW TO STORE DUTCH APPLE PIE

Apple pie doesn’t last long in my house. If I think we will eat it up within 3 days I usually store it covered in foil on the counter. If I think it might take a week or better, I’ll keep it covered in the fridge. Apple pie tastes great any way you eat it, but it’s best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

CAN YOU FREEZE APPLE PIE?

It’s best to freeze an unbaked pie. Freezing a baked pie usually results in overcooked crust edges and a soggy bottom crust when you go to reheat or thaw it.

Pie will keep frozen, unbaked wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 4 months. Remove the foil and plastic and bake it at 375°F for about an hour.

NEED MORE PIE?





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October 28, 2019 at 09:10AM
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How Im Meal Prepping Before Baby

10/28/2019

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How I’m Meal Prepping Before Baby
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Getting ready for your baby’s arrival? Here are some healthy meals and snacks that you can prep and freeze in advance to make those first few weeks a bit easier!

Holy cannoli, I felt like baby girl was going to be here any minute back in August, but now it’s really here! I’m 39 weeks so she might make her arrival at any second. Besides working my buns off to get ahead on blog content so you all won’t miss me while I’m on maternity leave, I’m also prepping my freezer so Isaac and I have plenty of meals and snacks when we get home from the hospital.

This is similar to my meal prep philosophy, but for my baby prep I am focusing on breakfast, dinner and snacks. In general, I can throw together a healthy lunch pretty quickly or eat leftovers, but if I don’t have breakfast or snacks ready to go, I tend to reach for less healthy choices. Same goes for dinner… I know that if we don’t have something planned, we’ll end up ordering takeout or swinging by one of our local go-to spots for a prepared meal, so I’m getting ahead of the game!

Pregnant woman holding homemade frozen meal prep meals.

Since we don’t know exactly when baby girl will arrive and because I don’t want to head to the kitchen to meal prep when I feel the first contraction (LOL can you imagine? I’m not that much of a meal prep lover…) I am mainly focusing on making things that I can prep in advance and freeze. We don’t have a huge freezer so I’m also just planning out ideas of items that I want to keep on hand for easy meals and snacks.

Luckily, we live in an area where we can get groceries delivered so I know we will continue doing that as well. I already place an order each week for recipe testing, but I feel like online grocery shopping is going to be my BFF once the babe arrives.

Here’s my Pre-Baby Meal Prep Plan

Since I was already writing ideas and figuring out my meal prep strategy for when the baby arrives, I figured it would be helpful to share it here for those of you who are expecting as well. I could also see these ideas being helpful for someone who is planning to have a surgery or knows that they have an extremely busy time coming up in their life. Meal prep like this can be a game-changer!

Oatmeal cups in a freezer bag.

Breakfast Meal Prep

  • Baked Oatmeal Cups – I love all my baked oatmeal recipes so I’ve made one full baked oatmeal recipe to freeze, but want to know what is even more convenient? Baked oatmeal cups. That’s right, you can prep baked oatmeal in muffin cups and then freeze them! I’ve already made a couple different flavors to freeze — the blueberry oatmeal cups and the apple oatmeal cups. When I want to enjoy one for breakfast or a snack all I have to do is take it out of the freezer the night before (or thaw in the microwave). I love these toasted in the toaster oven and topped with a little nut butter.
  • Egg Cups – Like baked oatmeal cups, these are made in a muffin tin so they’re already portioned out and easy to freeze.
  • Granola – Storing granola in the freezer will allow it to stay fresh and extra crisp for a few months. I made a batch of hemp granola and have it frozen in 1 cup servings so I can take it out as needed and pair it with yogurt or chia pudding for a quick breakfast.
  • Freezer Breakfast Burritos – I haven’t tried this yet, but my plan is to make a variation of these breakfast wraps and freeze them. I might also try to make some freezer-friendly breakfast sandwiches.

A plastic storage container with energy bites and three bags of frozen meal prep meals on a kitchen counter.

Other Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

In addition to the freezer meals, I’ve been brainstorming other breakfast ideas that are quick and easy to prep, but don’t require freezing. These are things that I can easily throw together and eat with one hand (apparently this is really handy when you have a newborn). Some ideas include:

  • Overnight Oats – I’ve made these so many times, I can basically make them in my sleep! I love these as a quick breakfast option because they’re so easy to prep the night before, but you can also double/triple the recipe to make a big batch that will last all week.
  • Chia Pudding – With such simple ingredients and minimal prep work, I know that chia pudding is something I’ll easily be able to prep for breakfast (and snacks) once the baby arrives.
  • Smoothies – I’m going to make sure that I have all my typical smoothie items on hand, including frozen fruit (and veggies), protein powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, etc. I’m sure I’ll have this health nut smoothie on repeat. I didn’t plan this far in advance, but you could also make and freeze smoothie packs that you can simply dump into the blender with liquid!

Different flavor protein balls.

Snack Meal Prep

  • Protein Balls – Did you know that protein balls and energy balls can be frozen? That’s right, those protein packed snacks can be prepped ahead of time and put in the freezer to last for months. I am going to make a bunch of these protein balls before baby comes so I have a good variety of snacks for the first few weeks.
  • Lactation Cookies and Lactation Bites – Earlier this fall I developed recipes for healthy lactation cookies and lactation bites to help with milk supply for breastfeeding. We tested around five batches so I have two freezer bags of these ready to go. The recipes are coming soon!
  • Trail Mix – If you know me you know that I love to snack on trail mix, so I’ll be sure to make a few batches of homemade trail mix ahead of time. Trail mix lasts a long time in the pantry so I can easily make a couple big batches in advance. Lately I’ve been loving dried mango so I think I’ll make this mango curry trail mix and my pizza trail mix.
  • Granola – Luckily granola can easily work for breakfast or a snack so I’ll have granola on hand for snacking as well.

Pregnant woman labeling freezer bag for frozen meals prepped before the baby arrives.

Fresh Snacks to Have on Hand

In terms of perishable snacks that I plan to keep on hand, here’s what I’m thinking:

  • apples or bananas and nut butter
  • hummus and veggies (buy them pre-chopped for ease)
  • hummus and almond flour crackers (I love Simple Mills almond flour crackers too)
  • hard-boiled eggs

Freezer crockpot meals in bags.

Healthy Dinner Meal Prep

For dinners, I want to make a variety of meals that we can easily heat up without any extra prep or thought. Isaac actually knows his way around the kitchen, but I know we’ll both have to adjust to taking care of a new human in our home, so I’m doing my best to keep meal prep simple for both of us!

There are two types of freezer meals when it comes to dinner: you can prep the entire meal, bake it, let it cool and then freeze it OR you can meal prep the meal, freeze it and then bake it for the first time when you’re ready to enjoy it. I personally prefer the second option – the textures and flavors are usually better – but there are some cases where it makes sense to prep and freeze the full meal.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

  • Vegetarian Slow Cooker Freezer Meal Prep – In this post I have four different vegetarian recipes that are easily prepped in freezer bags, so all you have to do is throw the ingredients into your slow cooker. They’re all awesome, but I especially love the red lentil stew with butternut squash, cheesy Mexican quinoa and sweet potato chili. I’m definitely prepping the cheesy Mexican quinoa!
  • Black Bean Soup – Soups are such a great option and this black bean soup is delicious and freezes well. I already have a bag of it in the freezer.
  • Falafel – These baked falafels are super easy to whip up and can easily be frozen.
  • Black Bean Burgers – Of course you can buy packaged frozen veggie burgers, but I love making my own and freezing them. For these black bean burgers I would recommend cooking them, letting them cool and then freezing. For reheating, let them thaw in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop or in a toaster oven.
  • Teriyaki Chicken – I’m going to prep all the ingredients (raw chicken + the marinade) in a freezer bag so I can thaw and toss this in the slow cooker for an easy meal.
  • Sweet Potato and Black Bean Freezer Burritos – I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but they seem delicious and like a great option to prep and freeze.
  • Freezer Friendly Chicken Marinades – I haven’t decided which of these I want to try, but I’m going to pick two and make them!
  • Egg Casserole – Egg casseroles and frittatas can be frozen for 2-3 months. I might freeze these in individual servings so they’re easy to thaw and reheat when we need them.

Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas

  • Pasta with Sauce – This is a pantry staple recipe that we fall back on when we’re in need of a quick and easy meal. I like to keep the pantry stocked with a couple packs of dry pasta and a couple jars of sauce. I really like using legume-based pastas for extra protein and that way I don’t feel the need to add an additional protein source. Lots of times I’ll just roast broccoli to pair with the pasta and we’ll top it with a little cheese.
  • Cauliflower Fried Rice – I always have a couple bags of cauliflower rice and stir-fry veggies in the freezer so whipping up cauliflower fried rice is a breeze. The only other things needed are eggs and ingredients to make the sauce, like tamari and sriracha.
  • Breakfast for Dinner – Whenever I have no idea what to make for dinner I know I can fall back on breakfast for dinner. Usually I’ll just cook up 2 eggs and make a batch of roasted sweet potatoes to have on the side or make a slice of avocado toast with 2 eggs.
  • Stir-Fry – Sometimes I’ll follow a recipe for this, but it’s essentially just veggies, protein of choice and teriyaki sauce (homemade or store-bought) stir-fried. Serve over whatever rice you like.
  • Grain Bowl – Farro, quinoa or rice, mixed veggies (these roasted root veggies are great) and protein of choice (I love my apple cider vinegar chicken). I like to keep frozen quinoa and rice on hand for easy bowl meals like this.
  • Meal Sized Salad – Greens topped with chopped veggies (whatever you have in the fridge), protein of choice, 1-2 Tablespoons of cheese, avocado and dressing of choice. If there’s no time to make a homemade dressing, I’ll purchase one of my favorite healthy store-bought salad dressings to have on hand.
  • Sheet Pan Meals – I have a ton of sheet pan meals that are super easy to whip up and don’t require much in the way of clean up. This chicken sausage sheet pan meal, these sheet pan shrimp fajitas and this vegetarian sheet pan meal with butternut squash and tofu are my favorite sheet pan meals at the moment.

What More Baby Meal Prep Ideas? Check Out These Posts:

  • 12 Healthy Freezer Meals
  • How I Stocked My Freezer Before Baby
  • 20 Freezer Meals to Make Before Baby

The post How I’m Meal Prepping Before Baby appeared first on Eating Bird Food.





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October 28, 2019 at 08:07AM
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Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

10/27/2019

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Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
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Meatballs should be two things: juicy and flavorful. This recipe meets both criteria, and the best part is, you make them in the slow cooker.

You can expect to get about 35 to 40 golf ball-sized meatballs. This is the perfect size to serve over pasta for a weeknight dinner (and freeze some for later), set out for a party snack (football season anyone?), or feed an army for Sunday supper.

The sauce is made from pantry staples liked canned crushed tomatoes, with a little crushed red pepper to add just a bit of heat. My kids are 8 and 10 years old and it wasn’t too spicy for them. Of course, if you don’t want to live life on the spicy side you can always leave it out.

Meatballs in a slow cooker filled with tomato sauce with a spoon lifting a meatball out of the sauce.

THE BEST MEAT BLEND FOR SLOW COOKER MEATBALLS

I opted to use lean meat for this recipe – 90/10 beef and turkey sausage. The meatballs stay juicy even after the long simmer in the sauce without the extra fat. The lower fat content still makes tender, flavorful meatballs because the fat that is there doesn’t really cook off.

I can easily find 1 pound packages of ground Italian turkey sausage at my local supermarket. If that’s not available try Italian turkey sausage in the casings, and just remove the casings by cutting them open with a knife.

If you can’t find either, just grab some Italian pork sausage. If it’s in the casings, just remove them and mix the ground sausage in with the beef.

If you use a higher fat beef or pork you may have some fat floating on top of the sauce. This is totally fine, just stir it into the sauce before serving. It adds flavor, and that little bit of fat shouldn’t make the sauce greasy.

WHAT’S THE BEST CHEESE FOR MEATBALLS?

I honestly just grabbed pre-shredded Romano cheese from the deli, but you can also go for the real deal and buy a wedge of Pecorino Romano cheese, and grate it yourself. Make sure you use the small holes on your grater.

If you can’t find Romano (or you don’t like it) feel free to substitute mozzarella, Parmesan or asiago cheese.

A bowl of meatballs with a platter of meatballs behind it.

TIPS FOR SHAPING MEATBALLS

These meatballs be quite sticky. Here are two tips to make the meatballs easier to shape:

  • If you keep your hands wet with water, it is much easier to roll the meat into balls.
  • Alternatively, you can use a small #40 cookie scoop. I like to make meatballs that are smaller than a golf ball.

HOW LONG SHOULD I COOK MEATBALLS IN A SLOW COOKER?

You can cook them on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours.

Best Slow cooker italian meatballs in tomato sauce piled onto a white serving platter with a spoon.

STORING AND FREEZING MEATBALLS 

The cooked meatballs can be kept in the tomato sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

To freeze, put the cooked meatballs in a dish, sauce and all, and pop them in the freezer. You’ll be happy to have some for later. When you’re planning dinner, just take them out and let them thaw for 48 hours in your refrigerator. Then reheat them in a sauce pan or skillet over medium heat.

I’ve also been known to dump a frozen block of meatballs and sauce in a pan and heat them up that way. What can I say? I’m human and sometimes I don’t remember to take food out of the freezer until hungry people are staring at me and asking for food.

MORE MEATBALL RECIPES

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October 27, 2019 at 09:10AM
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