Mini Healthy Hash Quiche For Kids

This week the contents of our fridge consisted of leftover frozen pie crust, Trader Joe's bacon ends and pieces,  kale, and A LOT of eggs.  What's a mom to do with these ingredients and lunch soon approaching?  Make mini quiches for the kids and a few paleo-ish quiche cups for a healthy lunch option for mom.

More Than a Sandwich...Treat Dad to a MANWICH

My mom sent me a forwarded email this morning titled MANWICH.  The name alone peaked interest so I checked it out.  What followed were photos of a SERIOUS sandwich that the likes of Guy Fieri would drool over.  I decided I would give it a try as we're trying to show added appreciation this week for my sweetheart and Dad to our kiddos.  How could we go wrong with sourdough bread, steak, bacon, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, onion and BBQ sauce?

My Brother Visits

The saying that time flies when you're having fun is so true.  I can't believe we've lived in southern California for almost three years!  In these three years we've had some friends and family visit, but in May we had some extra special visitors.  I think we had my mother-in-law, my Grandma and most recently my brother, sister-in-law and niece came for a one week visit.  As expected, the seven days FLEW by!

Thai Cuisine Lemon Grass Cookbook: Red Curry Chicken

When planning the dinner menu for this month, I had a different cookbook in mind for this week, but sometimes well-made plans need to be changed.

Moosewood Cookbook: Sweet Potato Pancakes

I love sweet potatoes!  I love them grilled, roasted, boiled, etc.  When I discovered this recipe in the Moosewood Cookbook, I thought, "How could I go wrong?"

Vegetable Frittata with Potato Crust

This recipe is inspired from a great hometown favorite cookbook, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre.  The recipes in this book are all made with healthy, fresh, often gluten-free ingredients.  They do introduce some ingredients I don't commonly have on hand, but it's a great opportunity to learn about something new.

This Vegetable Frittata is a great breakfast/brunch option and we almost always have a variety of fresh vegetables on hand.  I just use what I have available.

Vegetable Frittata with Potato Crust
Serves 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 cups peeled, grated potato (I usually go up to 3 cups of peeled, grated potato)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

Combine potato and sea salt and set aside for 10 minutes.  After 10  minutes time squeeze out excess water and pressed grated potato into buttered 9-inch pie plate.

Potato pressed into greased pie plate

2 teaspoons organic butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
1 1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, plus a little more for topping

In a medium skillet heat the 2 teaspoons butter.  add diced onion and garlic.  Saute over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Onion and garlic sauteing

Place cooked onion and garlic into a bowl with diced roasted bell pepper and zucchini, dried thyme, black pepper and sea salt.  Mix well.

Roasted red bell peppers

Spices added to vegetables

Add eggs and cheese.  Mix well then pour egg and vegetable mixture over potatoes.  Sprinkle with a little more cheese, if desired.  Place into preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.

Eggs added to vegetable mixture

Top with additional cheese, if desired.  Ready for the oven.

Beauty!

This one disappears quickly!

Try it with other vegetable options like broccoli and bell peppers.  It would also be great with a little ham or bacon!  Yum!

Homemade Hummus & Pita Sandwich

I tend to be of the belief that everything homemade tastes better than store bought.  I think it's because I know exactly what is going into the food and can practice our own quality control.  Fresh is usually better than canned, but sometimes canned is just more convenient.  This is the case in today's easy lunch idea.

Fresh Hummus & Pita Sandwich

1 can (15 oz. size) garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas), drained, but reserve liquid.  Do not rinse beans.
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons reserved garbanzo bean liquid
1-2 cloves garlic (if the clove is small, go with two)
1 tablespoon almond butter
lemon juice from wedge of a lemon (maybe 1/8-1/4 of a lemon)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

pitas
cucumber slices
tomato slices
alfalfa sprouts
mint leave, optional

If there's time and I'm planning ahead, I prefer to buy dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and soak them overnight and then boil them the following day until done.  I honestly think they have a better flavor, but I'm rarely that organized for a lunch meal option, so I stock canned garbanzo beans.

Drain garbanzo beans, reserving the liquid.

Garbanzo bean liquid

Place garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil, garbanzo bean liquid, and almond butter in the food processor.  Traditionally hummus is made with tahini.  We don't use a lot of tahini, but we almost always have almond butter on hand.  I think the taste of the almond butter is great in the hummus.

Blend until smooth.  You may need to add another tablespoon, or so, of olive oil or reserved liquid. 

Hummus makes a great veggie and/or chip dip too.

Hummus should look about like this.

Take pitas and lightly warm/toast.  I just throw mine on the gas cooktop and heat for a couple seconds.  Careful not to burn them.

Pita over the flame.

Transfer pita to a plate and spread hummus over entire pita.  Top with sliced cucumber, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, and mint, if desired.  You could definitely add some grilled chicken to your pita too for added protein.

Ready to eat!  Enjoy!

Beef with Barley Soup

If you have leftovers from the Italian Pot Roast this easy slow cooker soup recipe with delight your family and leave them asking for more.

Beef with Barley Soup

Ingredients:

Leftover juices from Italian Pot Roast
1 quart beef broth
1/2 cup sherry or red wine
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce (or more- I opt for more)
1/2 cup pearl barley
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2-3 cups leftover roast from Italian Pot Roast, chopped
Frozen peas & carrots
2-3 red potatoes, diced

Method:


Place above ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

There's some serious meat in here!  I doubled my Pot Roast recipe to have extra meat for our semi-paleo family.

Lunch is served.

Lunch outside!  Can you tell I love this soup.  I took many photos of this Yum!  Enjoy!

Lunch is Served: French Dip Sandwiches Cafeteria Style

I have to be honest, there are some life experiences kids miss out on when homeschooling. 

Years ago, when our kids were "wishing" they could go to public school I asked them why they would want to make to that decision.  I soon found out their curiosity concerning public school had nothing to do with academics or education.  It didn't even have anything to do with meeting or hanging out with other kids.  The response I received when questioning why they would want to do a short stint at public school was, "I wish we had recess and could ride a bus." 

Hmmm...Not what I expected, but thankfully we could easily solve this dilemma. 

They didn't realize the play time they had regularly accounted for a "recess."  When I would whisk them outside to run around to get the energy out, or take them for a bike ride, that was our recess.  And when we were walking down the road on our way to pick blackberries, that was our recess.  One day while on our way to town, we drove slowly past the local elementary school.  We viewed kids hanging on the chain link fence  forlornly watching us drive by.  I think that solved our recess issue. 

Next, we had to tackle the bus ride.  We went downtown and caught the transit bus.  We rode around the town watching people get on and off.  We were thoroughly soaking in the bus ride experience.  On another stimulating occasion, we had the opportunity to ride the bus while on the field trip to Disney World.  After these exciting adventures, I think the mystery and fascination of bus riding was a thing of the past. 

One additional experience I think homeschool kids miss out on is waiting for lunch in the cafeteria line.  I'm not referring to the cafeteria experience of today, but the lunch line from days gone by.  I was not a "buyer" growing up.  My mom made lunches for us daily and we were known as "bringers."  Even before we had all this research, I'm sure my mom knew making a homemade lunch was the best, most nutritious option for us.  On the rarest of occasions my mom would give us money for lunch.  I remember getting the tray (in 5th grade) and waiting for the lunch ladies to put a dollop of this and a dollop of that in each space.  Like I said, I may have bought lunch a handful of times in my whole public school lifetime, but I remember watching other kids with their trays.

So, to ensure there are no missed life experiences, we have the lunch trays here at home.  Some days we pull them out and go "Cafeteria Style."  I like them because I think they look incredibly cool and they remind me to provide a balanced meal for the kids.  With the multiple spaces to fill, I make sure we have protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit, drink and of course a little treat.  If you're looking for trays, you can find the old Texas Ware style on ebay or Pottery Barn has offered some cute ones too.  I'm sure there are many options available.

I have to share this fabulous, easy, time-saving recipe for French Dip Sandwiches.  I found this recipe in Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly by Phyllis Pellman Good.  The recipe was from Loretta Weisz of Auburn, Washington.

If you're eating gluten-free or paleo, just enjoy the meat without the bread.  It is delicious!

French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2-3 pound top round roast, trimmed
3 cups water
1 cup soy sauce (you can go with the wheat free soy sauce)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 bay leaf
5 whole peppercorns

Sandwich rolls

Place roast in slow cooker/crock pot.  Add water, soy sauce, and seasonings.

Cover.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours.

Remove meat from broth.  Thinly slice or shred.  Keep warm.

Strain broth and skim off fat.  Pour broth into small cups for dipping.

Butter rolls and brown slightly.

Serve beef on rolls.

Sandwich Ready

Side of homemade potato salad

Lunch ready to be served

Enjoy!  Cafeteria Style