Spinach-Fruit Smoothies

Here’s another invented recipe that we’ve been enjoying.  I wanted to make a smoothie that had spinach.  I had heard it was surprisingly good!  But I didn’t want to have to add any sugars… not even honey, or other less traditional sugar substitutes.  I think you’re going to like this one!

Preheat: --
Category: Smoothie, Spinach, Fruit

2 cups Frozen, chopped fruit (you can buy some yummy fruit mixes, or you can pre-chop and freeze in batches—customizing is half the fun!)
2-4 cups Milk (we used skim milk)
1-2 Apples, chopped (we used a Gala apple, and NO, you don’t have to peel.  Heck, I didn’t even CORE the apple!!)
1 cup Yogurt (we used strawberry yogurt)
1 Orange, chopped, optional
2-3 cups Spinach leaves

1. In a blender, pour in 2 cups of milk to start, then add the chopped apple(s) and orange.  Blend until smooth.

2.  Add the frozen, chopped fruit.  Blend until smooth.  Add milk as needed for texture and blending purposes.  Obviously, your concoction is going to be thicker or thinner for your taste, based on how much milk you end up using.  We like the texture of a thicker shake, so I will push the frozen, difficult-to-blend fruit, guiding it to the blade.  Caution: The blade can rip through many things, including a wooden spoon!  Just ask my husband!!  :)

3. Add the cup of yogurt, and through the open lid, start adding the spinach.  Blend until smooth and green.  Mmmm, nom, nom, nom, this sounds so good.  The green color is off-putting, I’ll admit, but my kids LOVED it, and so did my very skeptical husband.  And for the record, there were no wooden spoon bits in my smoothie!!

4.  Serve cold.  And if you’re like us, all smoothies taste better when consumed through a straw.  And a chilled mug.  :)

Classic Pancakes–Revisited!

I have long had a favorite pancakes recipe.  But since we are changing up our eating lifestyle at our house I thought that if we were going to have pancakes, maybe I could do something to make them have more UMPH!  We’re kicking it up a notch!!  (And by the way, these tasted no different to my kids than regular pancakes, BOO-YAH.)

This is a double batch, but since I haven’t tested it with a halved batch, this is what you get!  Half at your own risk.  ;)

Preheat: --
Category: Breakfast, pancakes, oatmeal

12 Eggs
3 cup Milk
2 1/4 cup Oatmeal, finely ground (I used my little food processor, but you can also use a blender)
4 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 Table. Oil
4 Table. Baking powder
1 Table. Salt
1 Table. Sugar

1.  In a large bowl, mix together the ground oatmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

2. In a second large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil.

3. Pour the whisked liquids into the mixed dry ingredients and whisk well.

4. Heat up the griddle until water sizzles.  Turn the heat down to about an 8, or the higher side of medium-high.  Prepare pan surface with non-stick spray.

5. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure out a serving of batter onto the hot griddle.  Cook until bubbles form, and the middle bubbles do not refill.  If your pancake is burnt at this point, turn the heat down!

6. Serve hot with your choice of syrups, jams, powdered sugar, or just plain.

Pan-Seared Sirloin Steak

MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Yummy.  I know it’s simple, but it’s a delicious classic.

Category: Beef, steak

Ingredients:
1 lb. Beef sirloin steak, 1” thick
1/4 teas. Lemon pepper seasoning
1 teas. Grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Directions:
1. Sprinkle beef with lemon pepper
2. Mix in other ingredients + 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
3. Brush on beef.
4. In a 10” skillet, heat up the other tablespoon of olive oil  at a hot medium heat.
5. Add beef for 10-12 minutes—browned on both sides.

Black Bean Soup

This is a recipe from Mrs. John W. Fox, who knew we’d want the recipe!

Category: Beans, Soup
Preheat: --


Ingredients:
1 can of Black black beans (Or you can use my yummy, no-soak crockpot beans recipe)
1/2 cup Vegetable broth
2 Carrots, chopped
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Corn (frozen or canned)


Directions:
1. Cook carrots, onion, and garlic in the vegetable broth.
2. Add in black beans
3. Add corn, olive oil, salt and pepper
4. Cook until corn is tender or crisp, your preference.

Teriyaki Chicken

Over the last few months, I’ve had a family member, Phyllis, languishing from the effects of cancer.  She passed away last Sunday and I am putting a few recipes onto this blog in her honor. This recipe is from Phyllis’ niece, who sent the recipe up in Phyllis’ early days of convalescence.


Category: Chicken


Preheat: --


Ingredients:
12 Chicken thighs, skins removed
1 Tbsp. Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Ground ginger
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Sesame seeds


Directions:
1.  In 1 Tbsp oil, Brown thighs in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Season with Salt and Pepper.
2.  In a large pot, stir in ginger, sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic powder, and sesame seeds.
3.  Transfer the browned thighs into the pot and cover.  Simmer on a low heat for about two hours, rotating thighs every 30 minutes.  The meat should be tender and ready to fall off of the bone. 
4.  Serve hot with steamed rice, using the extra sauce over the rice.  You can use my yummy rice recipe to complete this recipe!  This sounds amazing with broccoli, mmmm!  And it sounds SOOOO EASY!