Spinach Pesto {or aka Spinach Basil Pesto Nut-Free}

I'm not overly fond of spinach. Especially if it is cooked! (Like my dad in this way, hehe) I do like baby spinach in salads, covertly in berry smoothies, Subway sandwiches, and QuicheSquares, and ummm, that's about it! Yeah, not my very favorite. ;) But don't I know how good green leafy veggies like spinach are for us! :D 

So I had this crazy idea the other day of using up some spinach I was afraid would go bad before the kids could eat it all up in Berry n Spinach smoothies. Was there such a thing as spinach pesto???

Wait a minute?! What am I thinking??? I'm not even sure I like pesto, and spinach pesto??? But hubby was home and he's trying hard to eat more whole foods, greens and such; I really needed to use some of that spinach, and for some unexplainable reason, pesto sounded kind of good and intriguing. ;) 

But, when I looked for recipes, all pesto need at least one very important ingredient. Yep. You know what it is: basil. In fact it seemed a quick Google search didn't even produce many spinach pesto recipes. 

And yes, my kitchen did not have any fresh basil! (I needed to make dinner in 30 minutes so no running to the store! I doubt our small city grocery stores had reasonably priced and decent basil this time of year anyways :) lol) 

So, crazy girl I am, I said, "Ah well! I can be brave and weird and make spinach pesto without the basil. Right???" 

I chose this recipe over at Two Peas and Their Pod blog. It called for a lot of spinach and not that much basil, and so I went for it! Guess what?! It was DELICIOUS! Very different, unique, super healthy, and good! Win, win! :) 

Here's what I made below. By the way, I used a blender stick and although I had to go a bit slow through the four cups of spinach, it did a great job! 

Aren't all the colors so pretty?! :D 

Pesto, a little colored spiral noodles, some yummy Win-co sausage links, and the tiniest bit of Alfredo sauce (that's what the kids had with their pasta and sausage, but they couldn't eat the whole jar right?! Lol) 

Here is the link to Two Peas and Their Pod blog post. They have such a wonderful blog; I'm looking forward to exploring it more! 

And yes. You MUST get some spinach and maybe basil too (wink wink) and make this pesto this week!!!! Seth raved about it for days. I guess I know what I need to fix on his next weekend off ;) 

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/spinach-basil-pesto/

Do you like pesto? Ever had pesto made with spinach and basil? I'd love to know how else we should try the pesto! Would love to hear from you so leave a comment when you can :) 

                          ~enjoy~ 

{hello again}

Hello! It has been over a year since I've been able to blog. My family had some trying circumstances last year and we had to make several moves around the country and for 9 months I barely had cell service and only Internet when I could get to town or stood in a half window! Lol. So needless to say, blogging was really hard to do, and near impossible! 

We finally have moved (again!) to a lovely new rental house and we have constant internet! And I can blog again! Yay!!!! :) 

And.... My love for cooking and baking has grown again in my heart. Truthfully, this past year has been the hardest, I think, of my life, and it felt like so many things that normally bring me joy lacked luster, spice, and love, including cooking and blogging. However, little seeds fell from those plants and are sprouting again ;) 

So! 

First up are a few things I've discovered and enjoyed this past week..... Check out their separate posts on the main page :) And always...  Enjoy your kitchens, enjoy cooking for your family! Because when you cook and bake with love it doesn't have to gourmet or fancy to be right! <3 

{delicious, to die for, melt-in-your-mouth, taste of spring in a Lemon Yogurt Muffin}

I have no idea why I tend to only sit down and post about desserts here.... Okay, so since I gave up on Paleo/low carb because it was extremely difficult to eat enough and proper food with such a small budget for food, and then we added another boy (get my meaning? ;) ), and I haven't taken up THM/Paleo since... I guess I'm just posting about the lovely sugary, AMAZING treats I have made..... Because one day maybe I will be a full time, nazi THMer and never post another tempting foodie blog post again!!! :P 

Lol. 

So.... I picked up a big bag of lemons a week or so ago. Mercy and I were going to make lemonade and then didn't get to it. I've been worried they'll start going bad if I don't do something with them! Last night I posted on facebook a plea for favorite lemon recipes! So many fabulous ideas! I cannot wait to try them. (And maybe I will post all about the suggestions in a second post) 

One friend posted the following recipe, and wrote 'They're on the healthier side, but taste like donuts.' 

Yes. Yes they do. And they're so light and and scrumptious and heavy with flavor and really taste like a donut in a muffin! 

Happy sigh. 

It's a beautiful spring day too... Absolutely gorgeous out and so, these lemony muffins are perfect. I think I could just sit back, gaze out into the big blue sky, and be blissful all the rest of the day! :) 

Boy, and are we glad I made a double batch ;) 

http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/lemon-yogurt-sugar-muffins/

See ..... That's all that was left WHEN I TOOK THE PICTURE... They were YUMMY! 

In the recipe, make sure you zest your lemon before juicing :) And frozen lemon peels work great for seating, so if you have left over lemon peels not used for the zest, freeze and use later :) 

He was Sooo excited! :) 

Laughing at himself :D 

And a Lilla Rose hair selfie ;) It may not be the prettiest updo , but it does the job and is so comfortable, and since my Flexi is so pretty I can pretend my hair is too! ;) 

Now... Off to get kidlet laid down for a nap.... Make phone calls.... Clean the kitchen.... And maybe have some coffee and that last lemon muffin (of first batch)! :) 

Fluffiest Pancakes! {a Tuesday tip from Second Violin}

Today I made pancakes. One of those, "oh boy! Pantry and fridge are mostly out of food.... What do I cook?!?!" kind of day! :P

So pancakes it was :) And guess what I finally nailed down??? FLUFFY PANCAKES!!! :)  As a kid I loved going to restaurants and ordering their special pancakes (so often buttermilk!) especially because they were so fluffy and amazing :) Today I confirmed my suspicions.....

..... For fluffy pancakes use both baking powder and baking soda! Yep, that's it! :) 

Here is the batch I whipped up today: 

3 eggs

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 cup almond milk (or so)

Vanilla (1 or more tsp)

Butter extract (1/2 tsp) 

2 cups flour (give or take)

1 Tbsp. Brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Mix all and cook in pan with some coconut oil or butter, to desired doneness! 

Mmm, is that a word "doneness"??? Lol. :) 

Anyways, these pancakes were fluffy and yummy, and seriously the plate was GONE in minutes! 

Of course maybe that was because of my homemade Strawberry & Peach Sauce! ;) Or because breakfast turned into lunch... We was all starvin'! :) 

{cappuccino chocolate chip cupcakes}

I have been experimenting with some cappuccino chocolate chip cupcakes in hopes I can get it right and deliver them to our downstairs neighbors (who we need to desperately apologize to for little running feet above their heads all day long!) and for the apartment office staff.... Because I am sure those ladies would love something a little decadent for their long days here! Right?! 

Well, not sure if these are decadent yet, but they are pretty good, so I am sharing tonight. :) 

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Cupcakes 

{cake} 

2/3 cup Butter, very soft

1-3/4 cups Sugar

    ^^ Cream together very well! 

2 Eggs, at room tempature (about 30 minutes resting on counter) 

     >> beat into sugar/butter mixture, one at a time 

2 tsp. Vanilla, add to the above ^^ 

In separate bowl combine:

2-1/2 cups Flour 

2-1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1-1/4 cups Milk

1-3 Tbsp. Instant Coffee granules 

     ^^ Mix together until coffee granules dissolve 

     ^^Alternating between the Milk/Coffee and the Flour mixture >> Add to the Butter/Sugar/Eggs mixture; beating well. 

      >>Add to batter chopped Semi-Sweet/Unsweetened Chocolate and/or Chocolate Chips. 

Optional: 1 tsp. Cinnamon, chopped Pecans, whole chocolate chips

Fill cupcake pans with liners and fill each liner about 3/4's full of cake batter. 

Bake at 350* for approx. 12-15 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted into the middle comes clean. 

Cool, frost.  Then.............  << EAT!!! >> 

{Chocolate Ganache}

4 Tbsp. Butter >> melt in microwave (30 sec or less!) 

3 Tbsp. Milk

2 Tbsp. Baking Cocoa 

     ^^ add milk and cocoa, microwave 20-30 seconds more

1-1/2 cups Confectioners Sugar

Vanilla extract 

Coffee Flavor Extract

     ^^ mix all together. 

Frost cupcakes with the Chocolate Ganache. 

When the ganache has set frost the tops with Buttercream Frosting. (Which I have not been able to try yet! :)

Enjoy! 

{Buttercream Frosting}

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter

     ^^In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
     >> Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Recipe courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-recipe.html

{Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting}

6 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. Butter, softened

3/4-1 cup Confectioners Sugar 

1/2 tsp. Instant Coffee granules 

1/4 tsp. Almond or Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup miniature semisweet Chocolate Chips 

     ^^ Mix altogether and frost! Optional, leave out the choc chips and garnish cupcakes with the mini chips ;) http://www.thebettermom.com/2014/08/29/cinnamon-cappuccino-muffins-might-help-change-world/#comment-117374. (These muffins are really yummy and are the original inspiration for my cupcakes :) ) 

I cannot wait to try both of these latter frostings!!! If you try them, let me know please :) ~enjoy~ 

P.S. If curious.... These cupcakes are topped with the chocolate ganache, and then have a topsy turvy cream cheese frosting (called such because it didn't turn out like my favorite cream cheese frosting, but it still tasted yummy, lol!) 

{bunless}

I once thought I may not be able to give up hamburger and hotdog buns.... But lo and behold I am realizing I can and that I enjoy my hamburgers and hotdogs as much (or nearly so!) 

This is what I did with mine tonight....

..... I pan "fried"/cooked a hamburger and sprinkled a bit of mozzarella cheese then some sriracha sauce and then a thin slice of cheddar cheese to hide the mozzarella and let it all melt. I had a pile of chopped romaine lettuce ready on my plate and topped it with the hamburger, avocado, tomato slices, salt and pepper, a smidgen of spicy mustard and then some leftover homemade Barbeque sauce! Wow.... It sounded so weird, looked it too, but it was so scrumptious! And it was loads less of calories and carbs and so much healthier!!! :) 

So if you are struggling to eat bun-less .... Just put the thinking cap on try something new and you may just be surprised and delighted by your new creation! ;) 

Sorry for no pictures.... I quickly made it and scarfed it down as I had a very upset baby hanging on one leg, and two older kidlets fighting with each other, and another mess to clean up from my newly mopped floor! Lol. Just the way it is over here with this mommy and her 3 Musketeers! :) 

Summer Staples1: Salads

There are some essential staples to summer that make it... Well, summer!!! ;) 

First up (besides alternately between waking up with the dawn, going out to sit in the cool morning, birdsong filling the air, and maybe working in the garden, and going to bed real late after singing around the campfire and stargazing and finishing a long love letter or a good historical novel....) 

Yes, first is SALADS! 

Here a few pictures of some that I have made this summer ;) 

This is just a simple Romaine Lettuce salad topped with bits of shredded cooked and salted chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, and a bit of ranch. I can't believe how much cilantro does to make a normal salad one notch more! ;) 

Finely diced cilantro, celery, white onion, sliced tomato.... All perfect add-ins to shredded chicken salads (mayo, salt, pepper, oregano, and anything else you like in the herbs dept!)....and then....

Take your chicken salad mixture and fill romaine lettuce, top with tomato, and you have a great (and THM "S") healthy lunch, fast and on-the-go too! ...I was easily able to scarf these down while I juggled three kidlets who all apparently had their own needs and wants at the very same time! 

Another "regular" romaine lettuce salad dressed up with scrumptiously sautéed chicken breast, salted and seasoned, cilantro, tomato, Avacado, and for dressing fresh lemon juice and srircha sauce! 

This is definitely one of my new favorites! 

I don't have a picture of this one, but it is actually quite delicious and similar to one that Serene and Pearl have in their book, Trim Healthy Mama. 

And I I have two versions, one is plain cottage cheese topped with Avacado, cilantro, and tomato, salted and peppered! The other is to take romaine lettuce, then cottage cheese, with green onions, cilantro, Avacado, tomato, a bit of salsa, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper. 

It sounds really weird, but it amazingly refreshing and delicious! Plus it is also packed full of orotein with all the cottage cheese, ;) 

One of my all time favorites is a family favorite on my side and one of Seth's all time faves too! Definitely a win-win! :) 

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

4 cups of Brocooli and Cauliflower (or whichever you have on had or prefer)

1/2 -1cup Raisins

1 cup finely diced Onions

1/2 Sunflower Seeds 

Bacon, cooked, crispy and crumbled

Mix all, then toss with dressing: 

1 cup Mayo

2 Tbs or so, White Viegar (or use a mixture of Rice Vinegar, White Vinegar, or Apple Cider Vinegar) 

Salt

Pepper

1-3 tsp. Sugar, or healthier sugar substitute like Truvia. ;) 

Mix the dressing to taste, and then mix into the salad ingredients! :) 

Even picky eaters usually love this salad, and it is sooo healthy for you! If you are following THM this should be a "S".... Although I am not sure about the mayo, maybe use a light mayo?! Guess that part is up to you because obviously I can't be an authority in it. :/ 

We have lots of other favorites, but I will have to save them for a later day! 

I'd love to know what some of YOUR favorite summer salads are?!?! ;). Another of my favorites is Nikki's Hot Mexican Salad! I will have to make it and get pictures so I can share with you.... Yum yum! ;)