All posts in category Recipes

Seared Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash over Swiss Chard – “A Salad For Each Week” #48

Yes, I am still alive. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Thanksgiving, Christmas events, updating our youth room at church, and our active involvement in the local (and super spectacular!) production of The Nutcracker have kept me away from the keyboard except for quick check-ins here and there. However, these activities did not keep me from fueling our bodies with nutritious, clean foods. I made sure to have an assortment of fruits and veggies always on hand. And before it got crazy, my freezer was stocked with nutrient-packed snacks for school days. Today was our first Saturday together at home since September. After a “no-schedule” morning and afternoon,we grilled out and I made this salad with my leftover roasted butternut squash.

Brussel sprouts and pumpkin seeds are both high in protein and butternut squash and swiss chard are great sources of vitamins A and C. AND swiss chard contains over 600% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K (think bone support).

Seared Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash over Swiss Chard

4 large leaves swiss chard,
1 cup brussel sprouts
1 cup butternut squash, roasted and cut
1/8 cup thinly sliced onion
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
1-2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons pumpkin oil (or other clean oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute about 3-4 minutes. Add brussel sprouts and sear until tender and charred. Add in butternut squash and allow to brown. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Place veggies over swiss chard and top with pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with a touch of balsamic vinegar. Serves 2.

Other recipes you will enjoy:

“A Salad For Each Week” Recipes:

4 Comments

by M. Terry on December 13, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Salads

Tagged clean eating simple salad, clean-eating-healthy butternut squash and brussel sprout-salad, healthy clean grab and go salad

Posted by M. Terry on December 13, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/12/13/seared-brussels-sprouts-and-butternut-squash-over-swiss-chard-a-salad-for-each-week-48/

Chocolate Nut Bars (No Bake!)

I made these yummy bars this morning, and my kids and mother-in-law ate them up after our lunch of homemade pizza, Caesar salad , and seared chicken. A small handful of ingredients, a food processor, and a wax paper-lined pan is all you need!

Chocolate Nut Bars

-1 cup of nuts (I used almonds and cashews)
-2 cups of dates
-1/2 cup organic Cocoa powder
-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place nuts into a jar. Add just enough water to cover nuts. Allow them to soak for at least 30 min. Line an 8×8 pan with waxed paper, allowing paper to hang over edges. Place nuts (and soaking water) into a food processor. Process until thoroughly chopped and paste like. Remove into the lined pan. Place dates into processor and process until dates are also thoroughly chopped. Add in cocoa, vanilla, and nut mixture. Once again, process until mixed. Add in chocolate chips and pulse until evenly distributed. Press mixture into lined pan until smooth on top. Place in fridge for about 30 min. Slice into desired size bars and serve. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

1 Comment

by M. Terry on November 25, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Family, Food, Nutrition, Recipes

Tagged healthy nut chocolate bars no sugar added

Posted by M. Terry on November 25, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/25/chocolate-nut-bars-no-bake/

Joel’s Thanksgiving Recipes – How a 5 Year Old Would Cook Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Cooking 101: Meal prep through the eyes of my son. I love how he watches me and incorporates what he knows into the recipes. Thanks to his wonderful preschool teacher, Mrs. Sink, for putting this together.

Grilled Smoky Spanish Salad – “A Salad For Each Week” #47

On cool days, a warm meal is a welcomed treat that keeps Jack Frost from nipping at your nose. While salads are often associated with a way to cool down, there are ways to keep your favorite greens going strong in your diet even when the days grow cold. Taking hearty leaves, like romaine, and grilling them still gives you that traditional crispiness of a salad while adding that warmth your body craves. I opted for a Spanish flavor for this salad, and their dishes often feature peppers and olives. To add to the grilled taste and in keeping with the Spanish flair, I also added a bit of smoky paprika. Rich carbs, healthy fats, and nutrients from every ingredient keep your immune system in full gear during the flu and cold season!

Grilled Smoky Spanish Salad

1 head romaine, outer leaves removed
1/2 cup roasted peppers, sliced*
1/4 cup green olives, sliced
1/4 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1-2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Generously spray or rub romaine (all sides) with the olive oil. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Place on grill and grill for about 3-4 minutes a side, allowing grill marks to appear on leaves and for the head to heat through. In a small bowl, mix together peppers, olives, garlic, and paprika. Stir. Place romaine head onto dish, top with olive and pepper mixture, and then add on chopped almonds (marcona almonds are a Spanish variety, but raw almonds work too). Drizzle with a touch of olive oil if desired.

*Roast your own! Lightly coat with olive oil and place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for about 20-30 depending on size of peppers.

Other recipes you will enjoy:

“A Salad For Each Week” Recipes:

2 Comments

by M. Terry on November 20, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Salads

Tagged clean eating simple salad, clean-eating-healthy-spanish olive and pepper salad, healthy clean grab and go salad

Posted by M. Terry on November 20, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/20/grilled-smoky-spanish-salad-a-salad-for-each-week-47/

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Butternut Squash in disguise!)

I made a lot of butternut squash the other day and had some leftover. What does one do with the rest? Make some yummy oatmeal raisin cookies of course! Think of the squash as a banana – moist, sweet, and a great binder in baked goods. 2 of my 3 kids loved them (the middle child is a little more picky when it comes to food 😛 ) Now you can bake up extra squash and use some in a savory dish like my succotash, and then you can make dessert!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup cooked butternut squash
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole oats
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place flour, oats, flax, baking soda, baking powder, spice, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir. Add in squash, syrup, and vanilla. Stir until all ingredients are combined and moist and then fold in raisins. Place batter by large spoonfuls (about 2″ in diameter) onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for 2 days on counter or in fridge for up to a week.

1 Comment

by M. Terry on November 18, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Food, Recipes

Tagged healthy clean eating cookies, leftover butternut squash oatmeal raisin cookies

Posted by M. Terry on November 18, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/18/oatmeal-raisin-cookies-butternut-squash-in-disguise/

Butternut Squash and Green Bean Succotash – “A Salad For Each Week” #46

Last Saturday, I was at Whole Foods with a friend, and we grabbed an early lunch after a race to benefit Give Kids the World. As I was strolling along the salad bar, I came across their autumn version of succotash. I piled a heap on my plate, and when I sat down and tried a bite, I knew I had to recreate it! Butternut squash is high in vitamins A and C boosting eye health, anti-inflammatory benefits, and immune support, so eat away! 🙂

Butternut Squash and Green Bean Succotash

1 butternut squash, cooked and cubed
3 cups fresh green beans, cut in half
1 cup lima beans (frozen or home cooked)
1 cup organic corn (fresh off cob or frozen)
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Fresh parsley
Pepper to taste

Place all vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper, drizzle with vinegar, and add in fresh parsley. Carefully stir to combine and coat thoroughly. Allow to chill at least 2 hours, preferably longer, if possible, for the flavors to marry. Makes about 8 – 10 servings. Serve alone or on top of your favorite greens.

*Slice in half, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place flesh side down onto an oiled cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake at 350 for about 30 min or until slightly soft when squeezed. Cool and then cube.

Other recipes you will enjoy:

“A Salad For Each Week” Recipes:

8 Comments

by M. Terry on November 15, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Salads

Tagged clean eating simple salad, clean-eating-healthy-butternut squash succotash salad, healthy clean grab and go salad

Posted by M. Terry on November 15, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/15/butternut-squash-and-green-bean-succotash-a-salad-for-each-week-46/

Homemade Raisinets (A.K.A. Chocolate-covered Raisins)

I love raisins and chocolate together! But buying chocolate-covered raisins in the store means modified ingredients are added to make those sweet little guys last on the shelf.

Here are the ingredients in Raisinets:

Milk chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, nonfat milk, milkfat, lactose, soy lecithin, vanilla — an artificial flavor, natural flavor), raisins, sugar, tapioca dextrin, cocoa processed with alkali, confectioner’s glaze.

Here are the ingredients in SunMaid Chocolate Covered Raisins:

Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Whole Milk, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Lecithin, Vanillin-An Artificial Flavor), Raisins, Cocoa, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Gum Arabic, and Confectioner’s Glaze

Here are the ingredients that I used:

1 cup Raisins
2 oz. of organic dark chocolate bar
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and lightly coat with oil. Place dark chocolate and coconut oil in a glass or ceramic bowl. Place in microwave for 30 sec. Stir and heat for an additional 30 sec. Once again, stir. Repeat process until the chocolate is just melted. (It took just two, 30 sec. cycles for mine to melt.) Add in raisins. Stir to coat. Pour raisins onto wax paper and separate any big clusters. (If you would like to add a touch of sea salt for a “sweet and salty” treat, now is the time.) Place in fridge to chill. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

1 Comment

by M. Terry on November 8, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Food, Recipes

Tagged clean eating chocolate covered raisins, homemade raisnettes

Posted by M. Terry on November 8, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/08/homemade-raisinets-a-k-a-chocolate-covered-raisins/

Leftover Oatmeal Pancakes

The other morning when it dipped down into the 40’s here in FL, I made an oatmeal bar for the kids’ breakfast. I cooked up a large pot of whole oats and added a bit of vanilla and ground flax. The center of the table was set with a large cutting board filled with raisins, chopped dates, chopped almonds, unsweetened coconut, and honey. With all those goodies to add to the oats, there was about 2 cups of oatmeal left. I am not one to waste, so I knew I could make pancakes from them and my first shot was a success! Here is what I added…

Leftover Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups leftover oatmeal
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2-3/4 cup almond milk (depending on consistency of your oatmeal)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together. Add in oatmeal, egg, and 1/2 cup almond milk. Stir. If too dry, add more milk a little at a time until you achieve a consistency that is think enough too pour, but not too runny. Scoop about 1/3 cup of better onto a well-oiled skillet (I used coconut oil). Cook over medium heat and flip when edges begin to dry. Turn only once and allow the other side to brown. Serve with your favorite nut butter and pure maple syrup.

1 Comment

by M. Terry on November 6, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Breakfast

Tagged clean eating breakfast pancakes, what to do with leftover oatmeal pancakes

Posted by M. Terry on November 6, 2014

https://wholetothecore.com/2014/11/06/leftover-oatmeal-pancakes/

Hummingbird Waffles

This recipe uses the three staple ingredients of a hummingbird cake – bananas, pineapple, and pecans. That wonderful pineapple sweetness really came through in these. Enjoy them!

Hummingbird Waffles

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill High Fiber Pancake and Waffle Mix
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup pineapple, puréed
3/4 cup cashew milk
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Place mix into a medium bowl. Add in banana, pineapple, milk, water, vanilla and flax. Stir until just mixed. Fold in pecans. Grease waffle maker generously with coconut oil. (I learned the hard way that the caramelization of the pineapple causes more sticking than with ordinary waffles 🙂 ) Garnish with pecans and a drizzle of pure maple syrup or spread on some almond butter. Makes 4 Belgian-sized waffles.

You may also like:

Crispy Sweet Carrot Pancakes

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Tres Leches French Toast

Anna’s “Summer Meets Fall” Dessert

Today, on the way home from school, Anna said she had been thinking and wanted to make a dessert for us. Since Central Florida is sopping wet, football practices and games have been canceled for week #2, so we had the whole evening at home together as a family! After backyard playing, showers, and dinner, Anna joined me in the kitchen to make this “Summer (Cherries) Meets Fall (Apples)” Dessert.

2 cups organic whipped cream (about 1 cup organic cream and 1 Tablespoon honey whipped together until soft peaks form)
1 organic apple, chopped
Cherry sauce (We had this leftover already in the fridge – click here for the recipe – just substitute the cherries for the berries)
Mini Chocolate chips

Place a dollop of whipped cream on the bottom of a bowl. Add a large spoonful of cherry sauce, followed by chopped apples, more whipped cream and then the chocolate chips. This made 3 kid-sized servings and 1 adult serving.

All posts in category Recipes

Brussel sprouts and pumpkin seeds are both high in protein and butternut squash and swiss chard are great sources of vitamins A and C. AND swiss chard contains over 600% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K (think bone support).

Seared Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash over Swiss Chard

4 large leaves swiss chard,

1 cup brussel sprouts

1 cup butternut squash, roasted and cut

1/8 cup thinly sliced onion

2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted

1-2 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons pumpkin oil (or other clean oil)

Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic vinegar

Other recipes you will enjoy:

“A Salad For Each Week” Recipes:

Broccoli and “Bacon” Salad

I made these yummy bars this morning, and my kids and mother-in-law ate them up after our lunch of homemade pizza, Caesar salad , and seared chicken. A small handful of ingredients, a food processor, and a wax paper-lined pan is all you need!

Chocolate Nut Bars

-1 cup of nuts (I used almonds and cashews) -2 cups of dates -1/2 cup organic Cocoa powder -1/3 cup mini chocolate chips -1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Grilled Smoky Spanish Salad

1 head romaine, outer leaves removed

1/2 cup roasted peppers, sliced*

1/4 cup green olives, sliced

1/4 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

1-2 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Other recipes you will enjoy:

“A Salad For Each Week” Recipes:

Broccoli and “Bacon” Salad

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Butternut Squash and Green Bean Succotash

1 butternut squash, cooked and cubed

3 cups fresh green beans, cut in half

1 cup lima beans (frozen or home cooked)

1 cup organic corn (fresh off cob or frozen)

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

-1 cup of nuts (I used almonds and cashews)
-2 cups of dates
-1/2 cup organic Cocoa powder
-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla