EVERYTHING GREEN! Asparagus and Eggs

EVERYTHING GREEN! Asparagus and Eggs

The month of March is known for everything green! St. Patrick's Day, spring time and sometimes Easter falls in March. It's a time for new beginnings, sprouting flowers, buds and seeds, and in some cases the peak of certain fruits and vegetables. Asparagus is one of the those vegetables that are "in season" with April being the peak of Asparagus season. To add to our everything green theme, I added an interesting and delicious oil that I found on the west coast, Avocado Oil. I have not seen Avocado Oil in most markets and when I saw this I about flipped! The benefits of avocado are many, and I assure you will love the taste. 

Asparagus and eggs was a dish my father made when we were growing up. It was a treat and something we all devoured when he made them.  Last week I found asparagus for .97 cents a pound and I knew then that I had to stock up and freeze this delicacy and make this favorite childhood dish. 

Recipe 

Asparagus

Purple onion

Salt/Pepper

Garlic or garlic powder

Squeeze of lemon

Avocado oil

eggs

Directions

Since my asparagus was frozen I decided to roast it to prevent it from becoming mushy while sauteing. First I drizzled avocado oil onto a sheet pan, and added the asparagus and purple onion. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and bake at 375 degrees until tender, when finished add to frying pan. Next whisk 8 eggs and add the eggs to the asparagus and cook until eggs are at desired consistency. 

EVERYTHING GREEN! Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

 ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATOES

This side dish is one of my favorites and I typically make this when asparagus goes on sale. Asparagus is in season and at its peak from February to June with April being its peak season, and you will more than likely find the best sales during this time. Take advantage of the incredible nutritional health benefits that asparagus has to offer in addition to is peak flavor and sale prices during these months. 

The asparagus may be the star of the show in this recipe, however there are other important ingredients in this dish that make this dish a powerhouse of nutrients, such as the tomatoes, lemon and garlic, all equally serving our immune systems and over health and well-being. 

Recipe

Asparagus

Cherry or grape tomatoes

Lemon

Minced garlic

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Directions

Place asparagus into a baking sheet. Place tomatoes into pan. I like to place them on top of the stems to  keep them moist and to prevent them from burning. Next place minced garlic over vegetables. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 of lemon (more or less if you like) and drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until tender.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES

HEALTH BENEFITS AND ASPARAGUS

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO STORE FLOUR?

Do you know how to store your flour?

What do you do when you open your flour? Do you simply roll the top of the bag and put it in the pantry? If so you might want to think twice about how you are storing your flour. Flour is one of those staples that you may not use every day, but it is one of those staples that you never know when you are going to need it so having it on hand is essential. Flour is used in so many recipes, however if you are not an avid baker who uses up your flour right away you may not be storing your flour for long term use and freshness, not to mention the prevention of grain weevils.

What is a grain weevil?

Grain weevils are type of tiny beetle found in grains like wheat and even refined flour, like all purpose flour. The weevil and larvae can survive the refining process. Grain weevil larvae are found in the bag of flour when you buy it and the larvae will hatch under certain conditions, such as a warm and humid environments.    

Storing Flour          

It is recommended that by freezing your flour for up to a week will kill any weevil and larvae. If you do use your flour often it is recommended that you store it in the refrigerator for up to one year, or in the freezer for longer than a year. If you use your flour often, then storing it in the pantry in an airtight container is perfectly fine, however it is recommended that all flour be stored in the freezer for about a week in order to kill any weevil and larvae. After freezing, proceed to putting your flour into a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid for storing in your pantry. 

Why an airtight container?

If your flour has been hanging around awhile in the original paper bag, or even plastic bag, the weevil will eventually hatch. The weevil can chew its way out, or crawl out of the folded bag. Weevils also like to eat other foods such as cereal and pasta and the weevil will eventually find its way into these products. In order to prevent infestations, it is wise to freeze your flour first, and to store according to your needs (pantry, refrigerator, or freezer) after freezing your flour for one week to kill any weevil and larvae.                                        

Oh and make sure that the police don't mistake your frozen baggie of flour for something else! Just kidding.

EVERYTHING GREEN Spinach Tortilla BLT Wrap

SPINACH TORTILLA BLT WRAP WITH ORGANIC BROCCOLI BEAN SPOUTS AND TURKEY BACON

This delicious wrap is both nutritious and easy to make! When I saw these spinach tortilla's from Trader Joe's I knew I had to have them. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to make with them, but I had a few ideas in mind. After a wonderful Sunday breakfast I noticed that we had a lot of turkey bacon left over so I put it in the refrigerator for future use. As you know the beginning of any work/school week can become hectic, and this Monday was no different. After a long day and no ideas of what I was going to make for dinner I opened the refrigerator to see the perfectly cooked turkey bacon cooked the day before. The first thing I thought, BLT. It all came together from there. I pulled out the spinach to replace the L-lettuce, grabbed the tomatoes, turkey and noticed I had fresh, crunchy broccoli sprouts that I also bought on my trip to Trader Joe's over the weekend. Instead of grabbing for regular bread to toast, I grabbed for the healthy, tasty spinach tortillas, and BAM! in less than ten minutes I had beautiful BLT wraps! I thought about creating a masterpiece dressing, however I decided to make things simple and I decided to top off my perfect sandwich wrap with ranch dressing.

Recipe

Spinach tortillas

Turkey bacon

Spinach

Tomatoes

Organic Broccoli Sprouts

Ranch (Or dressing of your choice)

Directions

This recipe is so simple all I have to write in the directions is to ASSEMBLE! Haha! Healthy and Easy. 

Best Chicken You'll Ever Eat!

The Best Chicken you'll ever eat!                                               Parmesan Herb Roasted Chicken.  

Recipe  

2 Split Chicken Breasts with skin removed
Salt/Pepper
Garlic Powder
Mayo (1 Tsp for each breast)
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Italian herb seasoning
Thyme
Rosemary
1/2 Lemon
1 Large Onions

Directions

First take the skin off of the split bone in chicken breast. This will reduce the amount of fat in the drippings and is much healthier! Next salt and pepper each breast and sprinkle garlic powder onto the breasts. I covered the entire breast in garlic powder. Garlic powder not only enhances flavor but garlic is a known anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, so use generously. Next spread mayo, either light or regular onto the breast so that the may covers the entire top of the breast. Sprinkle the Italian herb seasoning onto the mayo and then add shredded Parmesan cheese. Next squeeze 1/2 lemon or more onto breasts and top off with a sprinkle of Thyme and Rosemary. Finally add the sliced onion for a sweet yet savory finish!

I baked the chicken on 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Once the top of the breasts began to golden I turned the oven down to 350 degrees for another 45 minutes. The aroma and flavor of this chicken is unbelievable. The Parmesan cheese and mayo give the chicken a crust just like the skin would have, but much healthier and tastier! Top off the chicken with the sweet slow roasted onions.

Enjoy!!!

Quinoa Tabouli

Quinoa Tabouli with Veggie Flaxseed Tortilla Chips!

 Tabouli is a refreshing dish that leaves your mouth feeling fresh after you eat it. Maybe because it is loaded with mint and parsley, two herbs that actually do freshen breath! Along with the lemon and fresh ingredients makes this dish a great dish to grab when you are hungry. Make it ahead and store it in the fridge for daily snacking, if it lasts that long!

Recipe

Tricolor quinoa (I had left over quinoa from the night before. Cook quinoa as directed. I like to use 50/50 chicken or veggie stock and water.)
Tomatoes (I used heirloom tomatoes because that is what I had in the fridge.)
Cucumber
Red onion
green onions
2 Lemon (For zest and juice)
1 Splash of vinegar
3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Bunch of fresh parsley
Fresh or dry mint
Salt/pepper

Directions

Cook quinoa as directed. Chop veggies and add to the quinoa. Chop parsley, and mint. You can also use dry mint. Add the zest and juice of two small lemons. Add a splash of vinegar. I used white wine vinegar. Add enough olive oil to toss. I don't like to add too much oil because it can make it heavy. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

HEALTHY BENEFITS OF QUINOA

EVERYTHING GREEN! Spinach Tortilla Veggie Pizza!

Spinach Tortilla Veggie Pizza!

I have to say this last minute late night snack was just what we needed to satisfy that late night craving. This recipe is a light but satisfying dish for your next snack or meal. I bought these organic spinach tortillas at Trader Joe's and just loved them. When I saw them I immediately thought I would make either a mini pizza or a delicious wrap. I remembered I had a half jar of marinara sauce in the refrigerator that I used for another dish earlier in the week, and a half bag of shredded pizza cheese. The pizza cheese was a mixture of mozzarella, Swiss, provolone, and Romano, so pizza it is! 

This dish was as simple as it was delicious! So try these for lunch, after school snack, dinner, or snack! Since these were a late night snack I used the cheese lightly, If you make them as a main dish you could use more cheese, or other protein like meat or beans to make your pizza he way you like it. 

Recipe

Spinach tortillas

Shredded pizza cheese

Marinara sauce

Spinach

Tomatoes

Purple onion

Mushrooms

Fresh basil

Fresh Parsley

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Powder

Directions

Turn your broiler on lo. Brush both sides of your tortilla with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add marina sauce to tortilla and spread around. Add baby spinach, then the shredded cheese. Top with veggies of your choice. I made some with mushrooms and some without. So easy to personalize your pizza! Add salt and pepper. Put into broiler on lo for about 7 minutes. Every oven is different so be sure to monitor so yo do not burn them. You could also bake them at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and veggies cooked through.