Lunches and Dinners

Kale, Pear, Gorgonzola Salad: Fall is in the Air.

Well Hello, and Happy September!

September is so great because it is the lead-in to autumn. Fall!

And fall…whether real, or (in my case) only imaginary, is the best!!

If you’ve been around a while you know that I am a big fan of fall. I always have been. In my dream life I spend every September through November somewhere with crisp autumn air and falling leaves… (it’s only fair that the tables are turned and I get to be jealous of some of you for a few months a year, right?…)

Instead, every year I do what I can to create a micro climate of fall in my home: I turn on the A/C and pull out my fake pumpkins. I light candles which fill my home with cinnamon, apple, and pumpkin scents (this has been my favorite for years: Yankee Candle Large Jar Candle, Home Sweet Home) And I play jazz or big band music to boost the mood. (I call it the Starbucks effect.)

And eventually I will get to all of the cozy, comfort foods of fall as well: My Perfect Pumpkin scones….Carrot ginger soup …my personal favorite (healthy (Mexican) squash casserole (<–that thing is SO good!) and of course the very best layered pumpkin dessert...

But not yet.

I mean it may be September, but for Heaven’s sake — it’s not November. We need to slow down a little. It’s still warm outside (ok really hot!) here. So let’s ease our way into the season. There will be plenty of months ahead for comfort food.

Instead, I suggest we kick of the season the right way, with FALL SALADS! Seriously, there are so many wonderful fall flavors we can use to transform a boring green salad into a wonderful autumn masterpiece. I am a huge fan of fall salads!

Today I am sharing one of my favorite salads because it’s pretty much foundational to your fall salad repertoire. (or it should be if it isn’t!) This is great for weeknights or a party. You can pair it with salmon, or a burger (we did that last night.) You might already make something like this, though the apple cider vinaigrette is pretty special and worth checking out.

In the coming weeks I hope to share a few other salads which celebrate the colors, textures and flavors of fall. (thinking: butternut squash, beets, nuts and seeds, and more cheese…. 🙂 ) I’m so excited!

So…say it with me, would you? Salad is the new (early) fall.
(no offense mashed potatoes. We’ll get to you soon enough. 🙂 )

Find the printable recipe below. This is enough for a regular size family (which mine isn’t, so I usually add a little more –especially of the fun toppings!) Also, notice there are plenty of options for switching out ingredients as you like!

Kale, Pear, Gorgonzola Salad

Course lunch or dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 6

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

6 cups crunchy kale leaves chopped into bite-size pieces. (I like baby kale pre-washed in a bag for this)
1 crisp pear or apple
1/2- 3/4 pumpkin seeds Walnuts are a great option here too.
1/3 - 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola bleu cheese is great here, too.
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
3/4 cup apple juice or cider
4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Whisk together all dressing ingredients. Refrigerate (can be made ahead and chilled!)
Peel and core pear and slice into small pieces.
Combine kale, pear, pumpkin seeds (or walnuts), gorgonzola, and cranberries.
Toss salad with dressing and top with an extra sprinkle of cranberries, gorgonzola and seeds. Serve.
ENJOY!

Side note on serving bowls: My new favorite thing is to serve side salad in individual bowls! Last summer we had dinner at our friends’ home in California and that’s how they served salad. I wondered then – where had I been all these years!? It’s brilliant! It’s easier to eat salad in a bowl than on a plate, we all eat more salad when we use a bowl, and it’s way more fun. (Cheers to the Koelsch family for the friendly dinner tip!)

Enjoy September my friends! But remember: There’s no rush. Enjoy some salad and take a few final after dinner strolls…

If you, too, love a fall salad, leave a comment and tell me about it! And I truly appreciate it when you share recipe posts by pinning or using the social media buttons below! Thank you so much.

See you back here soon!

Aloha,
Monica

Poisson Cru: The National Dish of Tahiti

by Monica 1 Comment

Though the friendly people were the highlight of my recent trip to Tahiti, in close 2nd was my new love for the dish that seemed to pop up almost everywhere we went: Poisson Cru. Don’t let the name fool you (Poisson looks awfully similar to a word you don’t want in a recipe.) This dish is not only delicious, but also HEALTHY, and…as it turns out– very easy to make!

Poisson Cru (pronounced Poi-sahn-crew) is similar in many ways to a Hawaiian Poke (pronounced Poh-kay). (By the way, I totally make up those pronunciation things, and I have no idea the right way to do it!) Poisson Cru is made up of fresh, raw sushi-grade fish, crunchy raw vegetables, lime juice and coconut milk. Served with rice, this is an incredibly refreshing lunch, dinner, or snack.

If you don’t think you like raw fish, I urge you to have an open mind. Though it is not “cooked” in the traditional sense, marinating the fish in lime juice causes a chemical process that effectively rearranges or “denatures” the fish’s proteins, (much like the application of heat.) You can actually read more about how that works in this article I found about how ceviche works. 😉

My point is: I think you’ll like this!

All of the ingredients listed below are approximate because it is that kind of recipe. (play with it!) I got this recipe from Marianne, the sweet woman I mentioned in my last post who had us over for dinner. It is suggested you use fresh ahi for this, but any mild white fish would be great too. I’ve heard that people also make it with crab, eel, or salmon as well!

Here’s the printable recipe:

Poisson Cru: The National Dish of Tahiti

Course lunch or dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 5 -6

Author Monica Swanson

Ingredients

1.5 pounds fresh ahi or other fish (sushi-grade, free of bacteria) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 a cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped into bite size chunks
1 firm tomato chopped into bite-site pieces
1 bell pepper or 2 halves of different colors chopped into small pieces.
1 medium size onion chopped into small pieces
Any other crunchy veggies as you like.
juice from 4-5 limes
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse the fresh fish in cool water. Chop into bite-size pieces, and place in a bowl.
Squeeze the lime juice over the fish, stir and place bowl in refrigerator to marinate for 15-20 minutes.
While it marinates, chop up all of the vegetables.
Add veggies to the fish, and pour the can of coconut milk over the top. Combine well.
Serve over rice if you like.
ENJOY!

I’d love to hear if you have tried Poisson Cru before. Also, I think you’ll want to PIN this to return to for a warm summer evening meal! 🙂 And I always appreciate it when you share with your friends using social media buttons below!

With Aloha,
Monica

Champion (Vegetable) Chili

by Monica 7 Comments

I’m sharing a delicious recipe for Champion Chili (Vegetarian) from the How Not to Die Cookbook.

Thank you guys so much for all of the great comments over at my last post. It’s so interesting to read about all of the food journeys in this community–A lot of you have either been vegetarian in the past, or are moving that direction now. I loved hearing that the post was timely for many of you! (I recently read somewhere that there are 60% more vegetarians in America now than just a few years ago. Fascinating!)

Well, as promised, I am back with one of our family’s favorite recipes (so far) from my new “How Not to Die” cookbook. I thought this was a good recipe to share because it is quite family friendly. I know how hard it is to please everyone, and most of us have at least one veggie-skeptic in the mix who is happy to ruin a good dinner with a bad attitude.

But Champion Chili? Well, it’s subtly vegan. It is quietly healthy. It’s not in-your-face nutrition, but Instead just a chunky, beany, tasty, CHILI! (who doesn’t love chili?)

One thing I just have to mention that I appreciate about the How Not to Die cookbook: When I make these recipes I don’t just feel like I am avoiding bad things, but like I’m doing something good for myself. This chili has a purposeful combination of beans, vegetables, and spices that all serve our body in some important way. We are literally combatting disease with each bite, and THAT is pretty cool.

**A couple more quick notes —
*I doubled this recipe and we ate it all week-long. (It’s great for lunch or heat up for a quick week-night dinner.)
*As usual, I switched out a few vegetables to use up what we had on hand. I added carrots and left out mushrooms (what’s up with kids and mushrooms anyway?)
*You’ll see the “Savory Spice blend” listed as an ingredient: This blend is one of the mini-recipes in the front of the How not to Die cookbook that is used in many recipes throughout the book. I went ahead and included the full Savory Spice blend recipe below, though this will be much more than you’ll need for this chili! (it’s a nice seasoning, so you’ll probably be glad to have it to use with other meals!) Or just skip it because the chili will still taste great without it!
*Finally, in case you’re wondering, the crackers shown in the photos are from a health-food store (they’re actually called “Flackers”). They are very healthy but not at all tasty.
(One of my boys may or may not have ended up making some quesadillas to serve with this chili… 🙂 Baby steps.)

5 from 2 votes

Champion Chili (Vegetarian)

Course lunch/dinner

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1.5 cups vegetable broth
1 red onion
1/2 cup minced celery
2-3 cups chopped mushrooms any kind
1 bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 small hot chili pepper seeded and finely minced (optional-- I did not use this.)
2 garlic cloves
3 Tablespoons jarred tomato paste
2 Tablespoons chili powder or to taste
1 1/4 inch piece fresh turmeric grated (or 1/4 tsp. ground, which is what I used.)
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
3 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 15.5 ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed.
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Savory Spice Blend 2 T. nutritional yeast, 1 T onion powder, 1 T dried parsley, 1 T dried basil, 2 tsp. dried thyme, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp. celery seeds

Instructions

In a large pot, heat 1 cup of the broth over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, chili (if using), and garlic and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. (about 10 minutes.) Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, and turmeric; then add the tomatoes, pinto beans, and remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 5minutes. Add a little water if the chili gets too thick to your liking. Stir in the corn, Savory Spice Blend, and paprika. Serve hot.

I do hope you love it! (and it’d be great if you would Pin and Share with friends using social media buttons below! Thank you!)

Here are links (affiliate) to order the books:
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
The How Not to Die Cookbook: 100+ Recipes to Help Prevent and Reverse Disease

With Aloha,

Monica

PS: IF YOU HAVEN’T YET, HOP BACK TO MY LAST POST TO ENTER TO WIN THE HOW NOT TO DIE BOOK OR COOKBOOK! Giveaway ends next Wednesday night, the 14th of March.

PPS: Luke and I are going to Tahiti tomorrow!! I know, right!? Luke has a WSL Pro Jr. Surf contest there, and being the loving, sacrificial mom that I am, I am going along to support him. (SO excited!!) Be sure to join us on the adventure through Facebook and Instagram! 🙂

Easy Roasted Vegetables

by Monica 3 Comments

I’ve been slightly obsessed with roasting vegetables lately. And since my promise to you has always been to share what our family is actually eating, I figured I ought to share. We’ve been eating roasted veggies along with all kinds of things: With fish, steak, garden burgers, or just on their own as leftovers for lunch. (Mmmmm)

Roasted veggies are so easy, and so, so good.

I think most kids appreciate roasted veggies, especially if you nail the whole slightly-crispy, plenty-of- salt thing. Roasting can turn a boring piece of broccoli into irresistible finger-food, and I’m not even exaggerating (I had to bat my boys hands away just so I could take these pictures.)

All you need are veggies, (almost any veggie can roast up nicely) a mild oil, (I use olive oil but I think avocado or coconut oil would be great, too) and salt and pepper. I love a bit of rosemary and thyme, so I give a generous sprinkling of each of those as well.

The only minorly-tricky thing about roasted veggies is how long to cook them if you want to roast a variety of veggies at the same time. I found this article over at The Kitchn site to be super helpful on many levels, but as for cooking times, they had two suggestions: Either roast two separate sheets of vegetables — one for harder vegetables that require longer cooking times, and one for those that don’t need as much time. OR, roast your veggies in stages…As in, begin with the harder veggies, and fifteen minutes in, add the carrots and broccoli, and then near the end toss on the thinner veggies that will cook quickly.

The other great reminder from the article is to use a big enough baking sheet to leave some space between the veggies. (Another option is to divide them onto two sheets to bake more evenly.) As you can see from my pics, my baking sheet was pretty fully-loaded…almost too packed. Keeping some space in there allows the veggies to really get crisp and “roasted” as opposed to more of a steaming-effect if they are close together.

The best tips I have are to cut the vegetables into fairly uniform size, and then to toss them in the oil and seasonings before placing them on a baking sheet. This coats them evenly, and will help you avoid them swimming in too much oil, or being too dry. Also, check them about every 10-15 minutes. They’re done when a fork goes into them easily, but for best flavor — keep cooking until you see crispy edges on the vegetables. 🙂 Also: Don’t be afraid to douse ’em with more S & P before you serve them!

Hope you love them, and please share with your friends using social media share buttons, below! (thanks!)

Also, just a reminder: I love to hear from you in comments! 🙂

Aloha, and see you soon!
Monica

PS more veggie ideas? These quinoa quinoa veggie bites are so yummy (and a great way to use up leftover quinoa.) Also, these burrito bowls these burrito bowls are delicious with roasted veggies!

Grandma’s Quick and Easy “Pantry Soup.”

by Monica 8 Comments

As I mentioned in last week’s post, my son Josiah and I took off last week for a quick visit with my family in Gig Harbor, Washington. We made the visit to attend my Uncle’s funeral, so we knew the visit would be a combination of happy and sad. The weather was supposed to be cold and rainy, but we were pleasantly surprised by quite a bit of sun. If you’ve been to Gig Harbor then you know that it’s hard to beat the beauty there on a clear day. Here’s the view from my parents’ front porch:

As usual, Mom and I exchanged a bunch of text messages before we travelled, and also as usual, she included the question: “So what do you guys want to eat while you are here?”

Which is just one of a million reasons to love my mom.

And look at the view from her kitchen. A chunk of my heart lives right exactly there.

Anticipating freezing my buns off while also thinking of comfort food, I suggested perhaps soup would be good. Then, knowing how busy the week would be I suggested a recipe that was first passed down from my mom’s Aunt, which we’ve finally decided to call: “Pantry soup.” As you can guess, most of the ingredients in this recipe are things you already have in the pantry.

Pantry Soup has all of the goodness of home-cooked comfort food, with the sneaky fact that it is quick and easy.

The only real “cooking” part is browning some ground beef (or turkey, which I most often use) at the beginning. If you are in a rush or want to do something different, you can always cut up a fully cooked sausage, or use leftover meat from another meal.

My mom began by browning ground beef with some onions, celery, and peppers. My mom cannot (read: cannot) brown ground beef without adding onions, and oftentimes also celery, and peppers. She’s old-fashioned like that, and I fully appreciate it. {Don’t tell my mom, but I often just brown the meat and forget the other stuff. Life’s busy, man. }

Once the meat is browned it’s all about opening some cans and dumping. If you choose to add noodles, they should go in near the end with just time enough to get cooked. (because we used gluten-free noodles, it is extra important they don’t stay in too long…GF noodles tend to turn gummy pretty quick.)

^^Hi Dad! (He made the gluten-free cornbread to go with the soup. He’s pretty great, that guy. ;))

^^If you close your eyes you might just smell my mom’s kitchen right about there…

My favorite thing about this soup is that you can vary it all kinds of ways depending on what cans you have on hand. I always add beans (kidney, great northern, garbanzo…whatever I’ve got), and I love something tomato-y: We added a can of diced tomatoes, but real tomato soup is a great addition to this soup as well. Besides that we dumped in a can of Progresso Vegetable soup, and a can of tomato sauce.

It’s all about cleaning out the pantry.

The other thing I love is that you really don’t need to add any seasonings to this soup. All of the canned soups provide more than enough flavor.

Top that soup with some shredded parmesan, and you’d think you just sat down at an Italian restaurant. Or at my mom’s house (which is even better.)

**Note: My mom added some mushrooms in there as well, which I love, though I don’t usually include them, because: Picky kids. Again, no rules–add what you like!

Your family is guaranteed to love this, so I hope you’ll give it a try soon.

Here’s the printable recipe: (note: For a big group — like my own family — I double this!)

Grandma's Quick and Easy "Pantry Soup."

Course lunch/dinner

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef turkey, sausage
1/2 onion diced
1/4 cup peppers diced
1/4 cup celery diced
2 cups broth or stock
1 can beans of choice
1 can tomato soup vegetable soup, or your choice of soup
1 can diced tomatoes or tomato soup
Any other cans you like or leftover veggies, or frozen veggies....
1 cup uncooked pasta of choice or a handful or 2 as my mom would say...See where I get it from?
parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

Place 1 Tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery, and peppers to the pot. Add ground beef and combine well. Cook until crumbly and browned, about five minutes.
Add the broth and all of the cans. Stir well and allow to heat through, about 10 minutes.
Add noodles and bring to a low boil, just until done, about 5-7 minutes.
Turn heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.
Top with Parmesan cheese and ENJOY!

Share in comments!? If you make a version of Pantry Soup, I’d love to hear what you put in it. ALSO: What’s your favorite comfort food? (Especially if it’s something your mom makes!)

Now, who wants to sit out on that porch ^^ with me and stare out at the harbor? (Hard to believe I’m already back in Hawaii…but the trip was truly wonderful, and I’m so thankful for the time we had there.)

With Aloha,
Monica

PS Love soup? One of the most loved is my Thai Peanut Chicken Coconut Soup . If you like ginger, coconut milk, and carrots, this one if for you! For a little more fancy style minestrone, Monica’s Mini-Meatball Minestrone is hard to beat! 🙂

3 Burrito Bowls Your Family Will Love

by Monica 12 Comments

When you serve a meal that makes your kids say (and I quote) “I could eat this every single night!” you know you did something right.

But when that meal happens to be filled with:
healthy protein,
a rainbow variety of veggies,
wholesome (gluten-free) grains,
and it is served in one simple bowl (hello easy cleanup) then you’re basically high-fiving your own bad self.

So let’s talk burrito bowls.

Rice bowls?

I don’t know, call them what you like, but they are our family’s latest dinner obsession.

Bowls are the new burrito. Bowls are pretty much all of the ingredients inside a burrito, piled on top of a bed of rice (or other grain).

Here’s the base ingredients to make a killer bowl:

RICE (quinoa, or any mix grain you like)
PROTEIN (chicken, steak, shrimp, beans, tofu…you choose.)
CHEESE (if you like – and any you like. Cheddar, goat cheese, pepper jack… or skip it. No biggie.)
VEGGIES (May I recommend: tomatoes, corn, sweet peppers, onion, baked sweet potato, roasted broccoli, and then of course fresh romaine, kale or any leafy lettuce chopped up well.)
DRESSING (Up to you. Ranch, balsamic vinaigrette, your choice. Or forget the dressing.)
AVOCADO. (Not required, but highly recommended.)
FRESH CILANTRO (and/or any herbs/toppings you like.)

The key with burrito bowls (as with life,) is to have a few things prepped ahead of time. A rotisserie chicken can save you a lot of time, but I often just grill extra chicken breasts (or steak) to have on hand for such a time as this. I try to put rice in the rice cooker ahead of time so it’s ready and waiting. (though the packets of pre-cooked rice are nothing short of genius.) Also (for the veggie bowl) I baked sweet potatoes the day before, and refrigerated them to cube up and toss on the bowls. (and then kissed my self the next day.) Most of the other veggies are raw, but there are no rules: I added roasted broccoli on the veggie bowl, and you could also toss on any other cooked veggies that you happened to have on hand. (the creative use of leftovers is a worthy mom-goal.) Even if you’re smack out of fresh anything–a can of beans, salsa, and some cheese will do the job. Bowls are boss, I’m telling you.

Today I’m sharing three of our favorite bowl combos, but the possibilities are endless. In fact, my favorite idea is having a burrito-bowl-bar, where everyone loads up with what they want to make a custom burrito bowl. Who wouldn’t want to come to that party?

BARBECUE CHICEKN BURRITO BOWL (Our family favorite)

My bbq chicken bowl begins with brown rice, which is topped with rotisserie chicken slathered with bbq sauce, a spoonful of black beans, 1/4 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese, a few colorful tomatoes and sweet peppers, kale, romaine, onions, fresh cilantro, avocado, (optional: drizzle with a bit of ranch dressing.)

CHICKEN TACO BURRITO BOWL:

This chicken taco bowl starts with brown rice, and is topped with taco-seasoned shredded chicken breast, shredded cheddar cheese, corn (thawed from frozen,) sweet onion, tomatoes, kidney beans, romaine lettuce, cilantro, a drizzle of ranch dressing, and a lime wedge to squeeze on top. Mmmm.

ALL VEGGIE BURRITO BOWL: (A personal favorite!)

My veggie bowl begins with a delicious blend of whole grain, chia seeds, barley, and flax (I discovered the packets at Costco recently and my quality of life went up immediately.) On top of the rice blend is broccoli — roasted with olive oil and sea salt (YUM!), sweet peppers, colorful tomatoes, Okinawa sweet potato cubes (you can use basic sweet potatoes, too!) and kale. I drizzled a bit of balsamic vinaigrette on top as well as some fresh cilantro. So good! (Side note: Some garbanzo or any other bean would be a great addition to this one–adding more protein as well.)

My boys love these. Even Levi, who is ridiculous about veggies, devoured his taco bowl without more than three or four picky moments. (that’s really good, trust me.)

You know what else I love? These things are so beautiful to look at.

I thought about framing some of these pictures because: that color! Healthy food is so pretty.

Ok now. I’m done.
Go make some bowls and make your family happy!

If you are already a burrito bowl boss, I hope you’ll comment and tell us what you like to put on yours. If not then just talk to me about your weekend: Doing anything fun? Whatcha cooking?

As always, thank you for pinning and sharing! 🙂

Have a great one!

XO
Monica

(Easy) homemade ranch dressing. {Getting kids to eat their veggies}

by Monica 17 Comments

Somehow we raised three (out of four) little boys who ate their vegetables willingly. I mean, they ate their vegetables gladly. Like: no battles. Sure, they avoided a few specific varieties: mushrooms and beets I believe, but from asparagus, to steamed broccoli, to spinach and kale salads, they were all in. In fact, raw onions were a favorite to those first three.

Of course those first three were born during my husband’s medical school and residency years, when Dave was especially aware of the link between diet and disease. He’s always fallen into the “eat to live” rather than “live to eat” category anyways, but he wanted to raise boys who also saw food as fuel. I have memories of him opening the fridge, grabbing a pinch of raw spinach, turning to one of the young boys and saying “open”. They opened their mouth, he inserted the spinach and they ate it. Just like that. No tears. No arguments.

Crazy, right?

Well I had no idea just how crazy that was until son #4 arrived and was innately determined to never, ever, ever join the “open mouth and insert spinach” club.

Son #4 resisted veggies from the start. He didn’t want to eat them on his own and he most certainly didn’t want anyone shoving them into his mouth.

In fact, to this day watching him eat a miniature serving of salad (because we do require that much) is a sight to behold: He pushes the salad around his plate, studies each baby spinach leaf, and cuts it in half. And then again. He dips it in dressing, then wipes a bit of dressing off…all the while hoping that the family might all fall into a deep sleep from the exhaustion of watching him so he can quietly dump it all in the trash and be done. When he realizes we will not quit watching, he slowly, ever-so-carefully inserts his barely loaded fork into his barely open mouth. Starting always with a dramatic gag, he then begins to slowly chew, contorting his face fifteen ways until four or five minutes later the entire family is leaned over the table screaming “JUST SWALLOW IT!” and in a painful moment…he does. I don’t know if it’s more a battle of wills, or a dislike for vegetables, but either way, trust me when I say: you don’t want to have dinner with us when there is salad on Levi’s plate.

Perhaps you also have had a kid or two who entered the world at odds with vegetables. If so then I’m sure you have stories, too. (Talk to me in comments, would you? Misery loves company)

Thankfully we discovered the fruit/veggie packets that come in little squeezable containers (found in baby food section of the grocery store), and Levi still uses those to supplement his diet. (We tease him that one day I’ll send care packages to college filled with Gerber squeezable fruit and veggie mixes.) He also eats Juice Plus gummies every day, which are a whole food supplement containing 17 raw fruits and veggies. (quick note on that at the bottom of this post.) And because of those two things, at least I can sleep at night.

And yes, I have learned all of the sneaky techniques of packing mixed or blended vegetables into meatballs, smoothies, muffins, and anywhere else I possibly can.

But the truth is: I want my kids to LIKE vegetables. I want Levi to eat them willingly. (a mom can dream…)

So onward I march.

We have made some progress: In the last year Levi announced that he likes raw carrots, and cucumbers “sometimes.” He likes them, he says, IF he can dip them in ranch dressing.

Whatever, kid. Here’s your ranch, now show me your stuff.

I have bought my share of ranch dressings at the grocery store, and I let him dip and double dip his carrots, celery, and cucumbers. But knowing that most ranch dressings off the shelf are full of preservatives and ingredients I cannot pronounce, I wanted to nail a recipe he would like that I could make at home. It was way easier than I thought, and in case a few of you could use it too, I thought I would share my homemade ranch dressing recipe here.

This recipe is simple — simple is usually the best when it comes to kids’ preferences. If I put in too many herbs (or as Levi calls them “what are those GREEN THINGS!!!??”) then he won’t like it. So I keep the “green things” to a minimum. As always, I suggest you vary the herbs as fits your family’s tastes.

Also, most ranch dressing recipes call for buttermilk, but mine does not. This is because I rarely have buttermilk on hand, and honestly, I like using fresh milk and fresh lemon juice (which combined is also a short-cut for making buttermilk.) I add whatever herbs I have on hand, but pretty much always use dill, garlic salt, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Also, you’ll see I list mayonnaise as “optional”. I usually leave it out, but it does add that nice mayonnaise zing, so sometimes I add it. Totally up to you.

The first time Levi tried this (with a raw carrot stick) he announced, “This tastes like CANDY!” hahaha… Then he said it was ten times better than the store-bought kind. OK then. I’ll keep making it.

Here’s the printable recipe:

(Easy) homemade ranch dressing.

Prep Time 12 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

3/4 cup sour cream to make it thicker for just dipping, you might want a full cup.
1/2 cup 2% or whole milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise --optional. I use the olive oil based kind
1 Tablespoon lemon juice to mix with milk to make buttermilk + 1-2tsp. lemon juice for dressing/dip
1-2 tsp tsp. dried parsley or if fresh chopped, you can use up to 2 Tablespoons
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/2-1 tsp. sea salt I use a full teaspoon
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

Combine the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and let sit for ten minutes (this is the cheater version of buttermilk)
Combine the sour cream, milk/lemon juice mixture, mayonnaise, and all herbs with a whisk until smooth
Put into a sealed container and refrigerate.
Use to dip veggies or toss on a salad.
ENJOY!
Keep container in fridge for up to a couple of weeks

Hope your family likes this too. And if you have any genius ways to get your kids to eat vegetables, please share in comments. Or…feel free to tell your own stories about kids and vegetables. They put us through this stuff, we should at least get to laugh about it.

Aloha and see you soon!

Monica

PS: ABOUT JUICE PLUS: Our family has been taking Juice Plus for around 18 years (since before my first son was born.) I spent some years working as a distributor supporting Doctors who offered it to their patients, and though I do not do it so much as a business now, I have kept my distributorship and we all take it faithfully. (CLICK HERE to check it out.) If you or your children could use more fruits and veggies in your diet, I do believe Juice Plus is an excellent product, and would love for you to use my link to order. (My hubby has read the medical research behind it and also believes it is a great supplement!) Also should note: When I make smoothies I also use the Juice Plus complete powder. Let me know if you have questions or need help figuring out what to order! 😉

Monica’s Mini Meatball Minestrone

by Monica 12 Comments

Monica’s mini meatball minestrone. Go ahead, I know you want to: Say it five times fast.

Well done.

But really, this is serious business: You see, if you haven’t decided what to make for Christmas Eve dinner yet, then I’m pretty sure this post was written especially for you.

Like really.

You see, I started obsessing about this soup weeks ago. I pondered the hearty minestrone base (minestrone is like one of my favorite things in the world). Then I couldn’t quit thinking about meatballs. Little…itty, bitty, meatballs.

You see, I just had this nagging feeling that someone out there is trying to decide what to make for dinner on Christmas Eve. (I do that pretty much every year.) And I knew I wouldn’t rest until I nailed this recipe and shared it with you.

(Of course–this recipe would be great for Christmas — or any other day — too, but I always think of Christmas Eve as a busy one–with church and parties and so on. Soup is just perfect for that.)

Well now that I created this delicious-yet-simple, holiday soup recipe, I am so happy. I think you’re going to love it, and I’ll definitely sleep better at night now knowing that ~~millions~~, ~~thousands~~, my family if no one else, will have a wonderful meal on Christmas Eve.

Side note on teenagers and meatballs: In my opinion, meatballs are about the very best thing to make if you have teenage boys in the house. But you can’t just make one batch; you should always make three batches. One entire batch will be eaten literally as you pull them out of the oven. (I’m also guilty there.) These are like the best pop-in-your-mouth, protein-packed, salty snacks a teenage boy or stressed out mom can imagine. (Side-note to the side note: A generous sprinkling of salt and pepper is the key to great meatballs.) Anyways, obviously you use the second batch for the soup. Then the third batch? Either you can toss them on some spaghetti a day or two later, OR…Freeze them in a ziplock bag! You will thank your own sweet self on some busy day when you remember that those delicious meatballs are ready and waiting in the freezer.

I know, sometimes I think I might be a genius.

(Final) side note: You CAN buy frozen meatballs. In fact, as part of the experimenting/recipe prep for this soup I bought frozen turkey meatballs at Costco, and they were actually quite good. But they were large, and honestly, they just weren’t as good as homemade. So bottom line: in a pinch, it’s ok to use store-bought frozen meatballs. (But only in a pinch. K?)

And yes we’re officially done with the side-notes now, I promise.

I’ll leave you with the printable recipe now and let you get back to the holidays. 🙂

I hope you’ll share this with your friends using the social media buttons on this page. You never know if someone else is trying to decide what to make for their holiday meals… #thestruggleisreal. So spread the love and share the recipe!

Also: if you decide to make this for a holiday meal, please let me know. It will make me oh-so-happy. Clearly.

Here’s the printable recipe:

5 from 2 votes

Monica's Mini Meatball Minestrone

Course lunch/dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 6 -8

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

For meatballs:
20 oz 1.3 lb ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup breadcrumbs itallian seasoned if you like
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
For Soup:
32 oz chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced
1 cup carrots diced
1/2- 1 cup zucchini diced
1/2 cup celery diced
2-3 minced garlic cloves I used minced garlic from a jar-
2 cans great northern beans kidney or garbanzo or any combination of beans would be great too.
1-2 cans diced tomatoes 14.5 oz. cans(depends on how tomato-y you like it. ;))
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. itallian seasonings or your choice of seasonings. (or your choice of seasonings.
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
1-2 cups fresh kale or spinach chopped.
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and cheese. Combine well (use hands to combine best.) Roll into small meatballs (the smaller the better!) and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, turning them to cover well.
Bake for 10-12 minutes checking for them to be browned.
Soup:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and state until soft and fragrant. Add carrots and celery and continue to salute for about fifteen minutes.
Add the broth, canned tomatoes, beans, and seasonings, and cook over low-medium heat for 30-45 minutes. Add zucchini and meatballs and simmer about 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add spinach or kale for just the last five minutes. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with fresh parmesan cheese and a piece of crusty bread!
ENJOY!

PS About meatballs (see, I promised no more side-notes but I just had to add…) I shared a recipe for some really wonderful, nutrition-packed meatballs a while back. They had quinoa and super-chopped veggies in them. If that sounds good to you, check out the recipe HERE.

PPS More good things to make for teenage boys? A breakfast my boys are crazy about is my baked crunchy french toast. And this thai coconut curry is (still) their all-time favorite dinner. (and still super easy to make!) 🙂 Enjoy!

Grilling Fish with Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce

by Monica 101 Comments

Spring and summer are upon us, and there is nothing better than barbecuing with family and friends this time of the year. Fish is one of our favorite things to cook on the barbecue. I think grilling fish is the easiest, tastiest, and best way to cook fish without smelling it in the house for the next two days. 😉

A lot of people say they are intimidated by cooking fish, but I have found a way to make it quite simple. Whether you’re preparing it with a seasoning or marinade, I find that using a sheet of aluminum foil under the fish, then wrapping it loosely and pinching it together over the top (we call it an aluminum foil “boat”) keeps the fish moist, and guarantees you don’t lose any fish down into the barbecue.

Kikkoman asked if we’d like to try out their Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce for our summer fish barbecues. That was an easy yes. Kikkoman is a staple in our fridge so we are happy to share our simple grilling secret!

A go-to-recipe for our family is Mahi Mahi marinated in Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce, grilled in the foil “boat”, then topped with my favorite homemade mango salsa. This meal is so easy and so delicious. It is an impressive dish to serve, but it is honestly easier to make than a pot of spaghetti or grilled burgers!

I simply marinate the Mahi Mahi in a nice layer (about 2 tsbp per piece of fish) of Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Then preheat the grill to medium-high, and place the fish on aluminum foil. Folding the foil over and gently pinching it together on top allows the juices to stay in and the fish to cook through, without overcooking! This Mahi Mahi only took about 15 minutes on medium-high heat on the grill and it was done. It should flake with a fork easily when it is done.

Teriyaki marinade goes great on almost any fish: Halibut, Tilapia, Cod…and Salmon!

If you’ve been afraid to try cooking fish yourself, I encourage you to try it. Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce makes this recipe so easy, and the taste is as close as you’ll find to a true Asian teriyaki.

Let me know how it goes, and here’s to summer…and
HAPPY GRILLING!

With Aloha,

Monica

Tell me your favorite way to cook fish in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 gift card!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the [email protected] email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 6/10/2016 – 9/04/2016

Be sure to visit the Kikkoman Sauces brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Connect with Kikkoman on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Tropical Mango Salsa.

by Monica 3 Comments

Isn’t this such a great time of year? The sun has been popping out all over the place, (I mean, besides just in Hawaii) and everyone seems to be a little extra happy. Plus, Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and despite the fact that my five-year old accused me of making up the holiday (“Mother’s Day isn’t a real holiday MOM!”) indeed it is a real holiday and it’s an important one, and I’m not gonna let any smarty-pants five year old take that away from me. (amen?)

Well, spring and summer put me in the mood to grill, and one thing I love to grill is FRESH FISH. If you love fish, (or even if you don’t) then I’m so excited for you to try this delicious tropical mango salsa.

But first:

Here’s an example of what happens when your teenage son is your photographer. You ask the kid to send you over a photo file of mango salsa, and he does. Along with a little bonus shot:

This critter’s been hanging around our backyard for the last week or so…just chilling on the branches..showing off with that whole color-change thing (which for all of the science classes in the world I’ll still never understand) and being carried around by a bunch of #homeschooled boys who have a bad case of “I’ll do anything to avoid one more algebra lesson.”

But I’m really not here to talk backyard creatures or homeschooling or even how veryburntout we all currently are. (because we are.)

I’m here to tell you about this yummy, refreshing, and very versatile mango salsa.

This mango salsa is really perfect paired with fish. Of course it’s great with chicken, or just a big bowl of chips for that matter, but I just have to say that it pairs especially well with fish. And I’m trusting you to trust me on this one.

I serve it with fresh ahi or mahi mahi, but I know it would be great on halibut, tilapia, or salmon. Served with a little rice pilaf and a fresh veggie, this will not disappoint.

The flavor combination here is pretty perfect: A little spice from jalapeno peppers with a hint of ginger, cilantro, a sweet touch of honey, and a zest of lime…Add the crunch of red pepper, plenty of firm and juicy mango (the star of the show), and (in today’s batch–) banana and pineapple. I always say the banana and pineapple are optional, but if you’ve got them on hand, go for it. (We happen to have a few {hundred} extra bananas that I’m trying to use up at the moment.)
Print and Pin this recipe for your summertime barbecues. (and so your friends will find it too!)(thanks! )

Tropical Mango Salsa

Course snack or dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 2 cups

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1 cup chopped mango
1/2-1 cup diced pineapple
1/2-1 cup diced banana
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2-3 green onions finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons minced jalepeno pepper
1-2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to taste
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

Combine everything but the banana in a medium bowl and mix well.
Refrigerate for thirty minutes.
Just before serving add the diced bananas.
Use on top of fresh fish, or in heaping spoonfuls on top of tortilla chips
ENJOY! 🙂

Hope you love it and let me know how it goes, k?

And I’d love to hear from you: Do you cook fish at home? If so, how do you prepare it? What kind of fish do you get where you live?
ALOHA!
Monica

PS Coconut macadamia nut crusted Mahi Mahi? Right here!
Are you a ginger lover? Try homemade ginger Juice here. Gingerbread baked oatmeal here! And Carrot ginger coconut soup, here!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with Kale

by Monica 5 Comments

I love soup.

Maybe you get tired of me saying that, but it’s true.

I have some funny dreams for my life, and one of them is to write an entire recipe book full of soup recipes. Of course people would be like “Soup? Who eats SOUP in Hawaii?” and I’d just shrug my shoulders because I can’t explain everything.

Soup is just great. And split pea soup has always been a family favorite. My boys love it when Grandma makes it old-fashioned style– ham-bone and all.

I like to make it vegetarian style. It is so hearty and healthy, (and really cheap to make!) Another nice thing about split peas is, you really don’t have to do all of that overnight-soaking routine like some beans require. I buy dry split peas in a bag at the grocery store and the bag says No soaking required. So I don’t soak. (Why would the bag lie to me?) Brilliant, right? If you’re someone like me that plans what you’re cooking for dinner about zero minutes in advance, you too should always have a bag of split peas in your panty.

Easy-peasy. (hehe 😉 )

Note on photos: After I put these photos up here, I realized that this doesn’t look anything like a typical split pea soup. It’s not all soupy and mushy like usual. I think I just used a bit less liquid than usual in this batch, and also didn’t cook it for as long. (My camera-man might maybe have been rushing me so that he could go surf some epic waves or something...teenagers these days.) You can really make it any way you like: Soupy, beany, or somewhere in the middle. (Another thing some people do is take half of the cooked split peas and blend them up in a blender to make it smooth. I don’t usually do that, but if you like it creamy, that is a great option!)

I keep my ingredients so simple, you can make it by memory after the second batch.
(Kale is my favorite little addition.) (Also: parmesan cheese on top. Obviously!)

Potatoes are always optional in split pea soup, but I love to add them. It gives it a little more of that comforting earthy taste and makes it more filling. Which is always good when you’re feeding teenage boys, ifyaknowwhatImean…

May I suggest making a double batch of this on the weekend and then saving what is left for lunches or an easy dinner during the week? Because leftover split pea soup has even more flavor than the first serving. (win-win.)

As always, let me know how you like it! (Also: pin and share if you would be so kind!)

Here’s the printable recipe:

5 from 2 votes

Split Pea Soup with Kale

Course lunch or dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 5 -6

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dried split peas sorted and rinsed.
6-8 cups water vegetable or chicken broth
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced.
2 medium stalks celery finely chopped
1- 11/2 cups carrots cut into small pieces
1-2 cups small red potatoes cut into small pieces
2 heaping cups of fresh leafy kale (cleaned and cut up if large leaves)
1/4 tsp. pepper
salt to taste 1-2 tsp. is my preference

Instructions

Rinse peas and sort.
Heat olive oil over medium-high and cook onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
Add broth/water and split peas and potatoes.
Cook over medium heat until gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Add carrots and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Cook until peas, carrots and potatoes are tender, and soup is desired consistency. In the last minutes add two heaping cups of fresh kale. Stir until just beginning to get soft, then scoop into bowls and serve.
Top with parmesan, and serve with crusty bread!
ENJOY!

Have an awesome weekend!!

ALOHA!
Monica

PS You love soup too? Our family favorite: White-bean-chicken chili. A recent addition to the list: Thai peanut chicken soup. Also a simple and healthy soup: Carrot ginger coconut.

Thai Peanut Chicken Coconut Soup

by Monica 21 Comments

You guys know by now that I love soup. Like, I could eat it every day. Even here in Hawaii, and even all year-long. No shame. All kinds of soup. love love love.

Well, now I have a confession: I have been making this delicious coconuty, peanut-buttery, hint-of-ginger-and-lime, chicken and vegetable-packed soup for a long time now. And somehow it just occurred to me that I’ve never stopped to get photos and share it with you here.

Shame on me. I feel like I’ve been keeping something from you.

The truth is, as soon as I make this soup, my family eats it up so fast there is not time for photos.
Josiah (my in-house photographer) and I pretty much had to sneak this batch before anyone figured out what we were up to…

It always goes fast.

The flavors in this soup are just perfect; And as always: the more veggies the merrier.

My family gets a little weak in the knees at the smell of this soup: Sweet coconut milk combined with a salty broth base, the red curry paste and a hint of brown sugar…and then just enough peanut butter, and that kick of ginger…Seriously, did you just drool a little too?

Served over steamy brown rice, this soup is a filling meal.

I just promise that your family will love it.

If there is any left over (good luck with that) the flavors only get better the next day. If you have big family, I suggest doubling the recipe. And as always–play with things. You might like it spicier (add more curry paste) or sweeter, (hello extra brown sugar–) There are no rules.

Here’s the printable recipe! Note: I originally followed a similar recipe from FoodieCrush for a Thai Chicken Soup in the slow cooker. As always I have made changes to the original recipe, and I tend to prefer this one on the stove top.

5 from 2 votes

Thai Chicken Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 5 -6

Author monicaswanson.com, adapted from foodiecrush

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons red curry paste
2 12 ounce cans coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion finely chopped
1 red or any color, or a combination bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
1-2 cups frozen mixed veggies I used corn, green beans, peas, and carrots
2 tsp. fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
cilantro for garnish
--Cooked brown rice for serving
--

Instructions

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, combine coconut milk, chicken stock, brown sugar, peanut butter, and fish sauce over medium heat. Combine well. Add chicken breast pieces, onion, peppers, and mixed veggies. Cook over low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and serve over hot rice. top with cilantro. ENJOY!!!

As always, I am honored when you pin and share! Also, come back to give me feedback! XO

And just for fun, share in comments: Do you love soup as much as I do? If so, what’s your favorite kind of soup? What is your family’s favorite?

Much Aloha,

Monica

Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup

by Monica 6 Comments

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.

Soup is my love language.

Soup makes me happy and comfy, and just the thought of it gives me all of the feels. I could eat soup every day for the rest of my life. Yep, even here in tropical Hawaii.

So you know how loved I felt on my birthday when, after an early-morning beach walk with my good friend Jules, she sent me home with a care package of food for both breakfast and lunch. In the package was gluten-free blueberry muffins, Thai Veggie Summer rolls, and….carrot ginger coconut soup.

Before I even tasted anything, I posted this photo on Instagram and Facebook…

And immediately people were saying. ~~“Happy Birthday!”~~ (no, but – ) “Can we get that soup recipe!?” haha.
(I’m totally lying, many people totally wished me happy birthday, and I love you all to death.)

But let’s be honest: The people wanted that soup.

And for good reason.

It was delicious. I ate the whole jar and loved every second of it.

Two weeks later I finally gathered all of the ingredients to replicate Jules’ soup in my own kitchen.

Twice.

And my family loved it.
Like: gulped-it-down-out-of-a-mug loved it. And then they asked for more.

And this makes me ponder: How often do you make a really healthy soup and have a bunch of teenagers suck it down and ask for more?

#not #often

Which is why I am here to share this recipe with you!

So print, pin, and share, my friends, because this might just become your new family favorite too —

Here’s the recipe: (as usual, I double this for a family dinner + leftovers)

Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup

Course lunch/dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 -6

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small sprig of ginger 1 inch, peeled and diced (or more if you like ginger!)
1 can coconut milk
4 cups broth chicken or veggie
8 large carrots peeled and chopped
Garnish options: chopped basil kale, chives, salt and pepper, and cheese of choice (sheep's feta or parmesan both good!)

Instructions

Saute onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil on medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until tender.
Add coconut milk, broth, and carrots and bring just to boil
turn heat to medium and leave for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Put mixture into Vitamix machine (or good blender) and puree until smooth.
Pour soup into serving bowls and top with chopped basil, kale, chives, green onion, salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese if you like!
ENJOY!

Hope you love it. And a big thank you to Jules for being such a good friend, encourager, prayer warrior, and for knowing how to speak my soup-love-language.

Now…because it’s a lot more fun around here when you join the conversation, would you share in comments!?
If food were your love language, what food would yours be? (and if it’s soup, what is your favorite kind?)

Thanks for playing!

Before I go, may I invite you to also follow my new instagram feed over at healthyhappyandfree? This is where I share a little of what I’m eating, and inspiration for living a healthy, balanced life! It will also offer encouragement and support for anyone who reads my new book, The Secret of Your Naturally Skinny Friends! 🙂

ALOHA!!
See you soon!

Mon

**All photos by my son, Josiah (<–click there to see his very cool website, full of photos, and now a few pieces of his writing as well. ;))

PS More soup love? You might like to try my favorite white bean chicken chili. Or my yummy vegan sweet potato soup. XO

Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies.

by Monica 3 Comments

Have I ever mentioned that we don’t have a dining room table in our house? Well, there’s your little bit of Swanson-trivia for the day. No dining room. No dining tables inside the house.
(We do have a large kitchen counter with seven stools, but that’s it for indoor seating.)

Fortunately, we have a plenty of places to eat under covered lanais on both the front and the back of the house, which we use year-round.

We most often have dinner on our front lanai, where we can look out at the sunset over the ocean. (And the skate bowl.)

But this time of year, when the sun sets bright and hot directly onto the front side of our house, we find ourselves on our back lanai for a lot of meals.

And I’ve been enjoying the change of scenery. And the cool shade.

(Then we take dessert out to the front lanai as the sun turns orange over the horizon. And the kids skate into the night. See, it all works out just fine. )

But of course I’m not here to talk about where we eat our meals or where the sun sets.
(sorry, that just kind of happened.)

I’m here to talk SALAD!

Specifically, another summer salad that ends up on our table quite often.
(Whichever side of the house we may be sitting at.)

I want to share this salad because it’s one of my favorite ways to get extra mileage out of leftovers, and in case you don’t already make it, I figure you probably should start.

Here’s how this salad happens:
One night, I make a big pasta dinner with some kind of tortellini, or any small pasta. (Bowtie, or fun- shaped pasta work great, but I prefer tortellini filled with spinach and cheese.) I plan ahead and make extra pasta to save for this salad the next day.

If I have leftover grilled chicken in the fridge, I’m double happy, but this salad can be served with or without meat. (I’ve also been known to toss in some rotisserie chicken if I happen to have one on hand.)

The rest of the salad is literally a mix of any vegetable, cooked or raw, that I might have on hand. A typical mix will be a crunchy salad of kale, arugula, or other greens, with carrots, tomatoes, and often a cup or two of leftover cooked green beans, asparagus, or mixed veggies from the pasta served previously (like you see here.) Sometimes I cube up some sharp cheddar cheese, or sprinkle in some parmesan, and then I toss it with a vinaigrette.

The family loves it. I have packed up a huge container of this salad to bring to the beach for surf contests, and passed out paper plates and forks at lunch time. It is super refreshing, filling, and once again, the flavor just gets better as it sits for a few hours or a day.

Print out the recipe, then play with it to make it your own.
(As usual, I usually double this recipe for our family + guests/leftovers. The amounts listed are all approximate as this is a toss-as-you-like salad.)

Summer Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies.

Course Salad

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

2 cups cooked tortellini pasta or other small, filled pasta
1 cup cooked chicken breast cut up
2-3 cups greens of choice kale, spinach, arugula, leafy greens.
1/4 cup cubed cheddar cheese and/or shaved parmesan.
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1-2 cups veggies of choice cooked green beans or asparagus, chopped carrots, corn, etc.
1/2 cup Italian Vinaigrette
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine cold, cooked pasta with greens.
Add veggies, chicken, and cheese.
Toss with vinaigrette,
Serve on a shady lanai or porch with crusty bread and ice tea!
ENJOY!

Stay cool and enjoy the last days of summer! XOXO
(Don’t forget the peach ice tea.)

With Aloha,

Monica

PS Speaking of….A little tour of our house from a while back, here.

PPS Don’t forget to PIN and share to pass this along to your friends! 🙂

Quinoa Fiesta Salad with Black Beans, Kale, and Corn

by Monica 9 Comments

Summer, and salad. They’re just a match made in hot, lazy, summertime heaven.
amiright?

Well, we’re back from California, and one thing is for sure: After five weeks of traveling, I am so ready to dive back in the kitchen and create some great meals for our family!!

Except…
Except yes–it’s hot.
And a bit sticky–at least here on the island.

And let’s face it, no one feels like standing over a steamy stove when it’s hot and sticky. No, when it’s hot and sticky you just want to jump in the ocean.
(But the ocean is even so warm this summer that Luke is complaining about sweating while he is surfing. hahahaha.)

Back to summer and salad:
I don’t know about you, but I tend to lose my appetite in the heat. I snack my way through the day on things like watermelon and mangoes and then suddenly I look at the clock and it is 6:00 and I’m like, “Ummm….Popsicles for dinner?”

(Little Levi is ALL IN.)
But my teenagers? They are like no way.
They want all of the food. All of the time.

So, my solution is to create some delicious salads that are totally refreshing, yet substantial enough to call a meal. Complete with all of the food groups: Protein, carbs, veggies, and some healthy fats. I serve them with some crusty bread, or just chips and salsa (it’s summertime!)
Then let them eat ice cream.

This salad is one of our favorites. Quinoa is packed with protein, but I still added grilled chicken breast to this one. ^ Because there are a lot of muscles being built in this house right now.

Lime and olive oil, paired with black beans with the crunch of corn and kale…Mmm. I love a bit of garlic, and a good dash of salt and pepper…The flavors are just perfectly summer.
Print this baby out, and make it tonight!

5 from 1 vote

Quinoa Salad with Kale, Corn, and Black Beans

Course Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

I double this for our family
3 cups cooked quinoa 1 1/2 cups uncooked
1 cup fresh kale torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup corn frozen, or fresh
1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
optional 1-2 cooked chicken breasts, diced.
optional 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or your choice) cut into small cubes or shredded.
2 medium tomatoes chopped.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or according to taste--add a little at a time and check texture and flavor
2 T. cup lime or lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp salt or to taste--usually takes a bit more for mine.
1/2 tsp. pepper or to taste--
*optional add chopped veggies like onion, red or green pepper.

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions (I sometimes cook it in chicken or veggie broth)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, combining well.
Add the salt, pepper, and olive oil according to taste. I like a lot of lime juice so I add a bit extra of that as well.
ENJOY!!

Side note: I always make extra so we can have it for lunch the next day! Quinoa seems to soak up the flavors really nicely. (But from experience: I toss anything leftover on day three. Quinoa has an official 3 day limit. :))

Let me know if you try it! And just a warning, I might be coming back with a few more salads this summer!
(Even if I’m mostly eating these all day.)

*remember to PIN to save for later, and “share” so your friends can see it too! 🙂

What do YOU crave most in the summer? Or if it isn’t summer where you are–(hello Down Under, :)) What are you craving these days!?

XO
Mon

White Bean Chicken Chili. For Cowboys and the rest of us.

by Monica 8 Comments

I started playing with a recipe for White Bean Chicken Chili last fall. I love all of the spices and flavors in chili, and wanted to master my own chicken-version. With just enough spice, diced green chilis, and corn.

Then last December Bryan Jennings was on island filming the latest Walking on Water movie called “Surfers and Cowboys,” and Dave and I invited the whole crew to our place for dinner. The whole crew, including the surfers, and the cowboys. And when I say cowboys I mean the PBR kind–(Professional Bull Riders, in case you don’t speak cowboy)–with big shiny belt buckles, deep southern drawls, and scars to prove that they’ve been to a rodeo or two. They were a hoot! (One of them, Thad, had the best mullet I’ve seen since eight grade.)

Well, since I was on a white bean chicken chili kick at the time, without so much as a second thought, I decided that I’d whip up a batch of my chili for the dinner party.

You already guessed it I’m sure, but I tend to get myself in trouble when I do the whole “without a second thought” thing.

I was making chili for a bunch of cowboys from Oklahoma. What WAS I thinking?

It wasn’t until I was literally ladling the chili into the cowboys bowls that it occurred to me that I was serving these guys a meal that their mommas probably won blue ribbons for at the country fair. I bet cowboys eat chili from birth.

Fortunately, these were true gentlemen. And either they really did like the chili, or their skills went beyond bull riding into the charm department, because they raved about my chili. (Really!) One of them even said (and I quote) “This is better than my Grandma’s, and my grandma makes the best chili in the world.”

My day? Made.

Since I had also made a huge batch of cornbread, the cowboys demonstrated for us all the right way to eat chili and cornbread:

First, you cut a piece of cornbread in half, then lay it in the bottom of a bowl. Scoop the chili right on top of the cornbread, then top with sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

Since I don’t believe in arguing with bull riders, I followed suit. Yum!

I’ve made this chili about twenty more times since that night, and each time we laugh remembering those sweet and funny cowboys and all the fun we had eating chili and cornbread together. Those cowboys know how to tell a story.

This is a crowd pleaser, a family favorite, and something that absolutely belongs on your weekly meal rotation. Plus, it’s easy! If you’ve got a rotisserie chicken, or can cook up some chicken breasts in advance, it’s as easy as opening a few cans of beans, tossing in some spices, and your’e there. Cornbread, optional. (In the photos I baked up a batch of cornmeal biscuits, and those worked out really well too.)

PS I always double this recipe. Mostly because it seems every time I cook it, we end up with unexpected guests (the smell must travel! :)) but also because leftovers are pretty perfect too.

5 from 1 vote

Family Favorite: White Bean Chicken Chili

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

4 cooked chicken breasts shredded or cut into small pieces. OR one rotisserie chicken, cut up.
4 cups chicken stock. I go light on the stock, and if I double the recipe, I do not add more stock. we like our chili thick. 🙂
1 Tbsp. olive oil.
1 medium onion diced.
2 cloves garlic minced.
2-3 15 ounce cans of white beans. (Great Northern, or Cannelini) Choose how beany you like your chili. 🙂 You can leave the juice in it.
1 4 ounce can mild diced green chilis, with liquid.
1 cup frozen corn or one can (15 ounce) canned corn. Drain liquid.
2 tsp. dried oregano.
2 tsp. ground cumin.
1-2 tsp. chili powder. to taste
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
Toppings: sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Pour olive oil into a large Dutch or pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender.
Add chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients, combining well. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheese. Goes great with chips or corn bread and salad!
ENJOY!

**side note: Corn is optional. The batch in these photos has a lot of corn, (and my boys like it that way,) but you can add as much or little as you like. Flavor is great either way.

Let me know how you do!

Aloha,
Monica

PS Here’s a little trailer from the Surfers and Cowboys movie. Coming soon to a rodeo near you. 😉
(I’ll let ya know when it’s available!)

Surfers and Cowboys Trailer from WalkingOnWater on Vimeo.

Basil Almond Pesto.

by Monica 6 Comments

I love pesto.

I have always loved pesto, but somehow the idea of making my own has always intimidated me.

Is that weird?

I figure we all have those things that we just assume are too hard, or too fancy, or like somehow we’d just never get them right.
That’s me with pie crust. Double boilers. Shell fish.
And pesto.

Until recently.

The basil in my Tower Garden really began to take off, and I just had to do something.
And suddenly I felt like this might be my time. Time to face some fears, and get risky. Time to bust through some mental roadblocks.

Like pesto.

So I grabbed a few handfuls of basil, pulled out my garlic and some olive oil, and lemons fresh off our tree. I got really excited, like you feel right before a breakthrough.

I was about to make pesto!

Until I realized: Pine nuts. I did not have any pine nuts. I knew I needed pine nuts for pesto. And I wasn’t nearly motivated enough to actually leave my hill to go fetch that one ingredient.

But I’m no quitter.
When I’ve got my mind on something, there is no stopping me.
Certainly not some lousy pine nuts.

Which is when it occurred to me: Almonds.
Somewhere along the road of life I remember hearing someone mention that you can actually make pesto using almonds.
(Is that old news?)

Well, it’s good news because I did just that and it was amazing. I did a couple batches playing around with ingredients, and found fresh lemon juice and sea salt to seal the deal.

And now I’m just trying to figure out why pesto isn’t always made from almonds.
Almonds are much less expensive than pine nuts, and I don’t know a whole lot about the nutritional value of pine nuts, but it’s hard to beat an almond when it comes to healthy foods. I’m telling you–this pesto is as good as any I’ve ever had.

Addictingly good.

So, if you want a little treat for your pasta this weekend…Or maybe a nice spread on some fresh bread with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to settle into a relaxing Friday night…I really think you ought to try this!

(This Hawaiian Sea Salt is my obsession. It was a gift to me that night I stayed at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and thought I died and went to heaven.)

Here’s the recipe.
And by the way–What was I so afraid of?
Pesto is SO EASY to make!

5 from 1 vote

Basil Almond Pesto.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3-4 cloves garlic. to taste, minced or chopped
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 to 2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine the basil leaves, garlic, and almonds and parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
With the food processor running on low-medium, add the lemon juice and the olive oil until it forms a smooth consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss with pasta, spread on warm bread, or eat by the spoonful. 🙂 ENJOY!

Have an amazing weekend.
Would you share in comments? What are your mental roadblocks in cooking? Are there things that you’ve never tried just because you’re intimidated? I can’t wait to see the list…

With Aloha,
monica

PS I’m posting this sometime very early Friday morning, and I’ll soon be headed downtown to cheer on Luke in his STATE surf contest! I mentioned it on my Facebook page and opened it up for anyone to share advice/wisdom or encouragement for me to pass on to Luke…And I just have to say that I nearly cried a hundred times. I LOVE (like really LOVE) my Facebook community. And if you’re not on it, I hope you’ll come join us! Anyways, Facebook and Instagram are both great places to keep up on the daily things. Like surf contests. 🙂

Weeknight Ricotta Pasta Bake

by Monica 18 Comments

There is one little thing about kids and food that I am 99% sure of. But first, I should ask your opinion.

WHAT IS THE ONE DINNER FOOD THAT ALL KIDS LOVE?

Did you say spaghetti?
Yes! I knew it!
If you said hot dogs or hamburgers you might be right too, but I think spaghetti is the true Universal food of kids. And love. And all of the warm and cozy feelings.
(amiright?)

But this isn’t a post about spaghetti, so what am I even talking about?

One day I will post a spaghetti recipe, but first I need to get it from my mom. Because my mom makes the best spaghetti in the world. (If you’re all Italian and proud, sorry. My Swedish mom is a great cook. And spaghetti really is just one of her many specialties. Just sayin’.)

And I do make spaghetti too. I have to because…My kids are normal (well, that’s stretching it but–) they love spaghetti. Even Levi, who doesn’t really like food, (unless you count gum?)… will lick a plate of spaghetti clean.

So, indeed I make spaghetti. Quite a bit.

But here’s the problem: I get bored of it. Bored of the noodles, bored of the flavor. Bored of the whole thing.

What I personally like more than spaghetti is baked pasta dishes. I don’t know what it is…the way the flavors come out in the oven, the creamy cheese I like to mix in there, or the simplicity of a one-pot dish.

I like that you can cook up the noodles and the sauce ahead of time, craft a nice big baking dish of all of the goods, and then it’s ready to bake when you are.

Another bonus is that the majority of the cleanup can be done in advance. I enjoy a meal so much more when there is NOT a pile of dishes waiting for me (or let’s be honest, my kids) in the sink.
For this reason, a baked pasta is a splendid choice to make for company. The pasta can be in the oven when the guests arrive, and I can actually join the party.
(Who wants to have their head over a hot stove while everyone else visits? Not this extrovert!)

As with everything, you can personalize this meal in many ways. You can go with or without the meat. You can substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta. And add whatever herbs and spices you like! I am using my Tower Garden fresh basil like crazy right now…because I’m pretty sure I have grown enough for the whole island of Oahu.

I titled this a weeknight meal, because I tend to imagine it on a rainy Wednesday night or something, but that is just me missing my childhood, and the Pacific Northwest, and being a weirdo.
But obviously: This recipe is entirely acceptable for a weekend. In fact, this might be an ideal Sunday dinner. 🙂

Here’s the printable recipe!

5 from 1 vote

Weeknight Pasta Bake

Course dinner

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
1 package 16 ounces uncooked rigatoni or penne pasta
1 pound ground turkey or beef. optional.
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 container 15 ounces ricotta cheese (can substitute small curd cottage cheese, blended well.)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup for topping
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 jars marinara sauce of choice 26 oz. each.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tbsp. dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely.
2-3 cups 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
fresh basil
Optional, chopped vegetables, and your favorite seasonings

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray 13X9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a large skillet coated with cooking spray or oil, cooked onion until soft.
Add meat and cook well.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper, and basil.
Add marinara sauce to your ground meat, and spread 1/2 of mixture over bottom of prepared pan; spoon half of cooked pasta over sauce. Top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers of marinara sauce, pasta and ricotta mixture.
Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella.
Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Uncover and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is completely melted. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parmesan cheese.

ENJOY! And let me know if you try it. (tagging @thegrommom on instagram is always a fun way to see what you’re making! :))

Quick note: Today the boys and I are headed to Arizona for a fun week in the desert with my parents! (Dave has to work, boo.)
I have a post with a fun little post I hope to publish by the end of the week, so check back. ***Also, you can follow all of our desert adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Sending you Aloha!

Monica

PS What is your kid’s favorite food? #curious

Easy Crockpot Burrito Bar

by Monica 11 Comments

I used to try to think of creative, lovely, or unique recipes to make and share here on the blog. Like this dinner and this dessert…(and those are both really great recipes.)

But somewhere along the way, I decided that maybe you’d benefit more from my showing what we really eat.

Like: All of the time.

So, I decided that I would go ahead and share anything that we eat a lot around here…
Even if it isn’t the healthiest in the world. Or the most unique.
Or the prettiest…

Because let’s face it: Some of the most delicious food isn’t that pretty. (example A ^^^)

When I’ve made something around 8346 times, and everyone is still excited when I tell them I’m making it again? It’s got to be good.

And that is exactly the case with these crockpot chicken burritos.
I make ’em a lot.
And we like ’em a lot.

Did I mention how EASY they are!?
SOOOOOO EASY!?

These are as easy as throwing a bunch of chicken breasts (frozen is fine!) into the crockpot with a jar of salsa, and walking out the door. Like All day long.
Eventually you add a can of black beans, and if you’re feeling really fancy, some corn (frozen is fine!) and you’re done. Give it thirty to sixty minutes to get hot…and serve!
(quick note: You absolutely CAN add the corn and black beans from the start–I have done that many times! I just add them later if I happen to be around.)

This is the meal I make if I know we’re all headed to the beach for the afternoon.

Or if I’m just feeling lazy.

Because when we walk in the door, (or I get up off the couch,) I can toss the condiments all into little bowls. And slap some tortillas on the table, and I say “Pray and eat!”

And we do.

The boys love that it’s a “make your own” kind of meal.
I love that it’s easy.

These really do belong on everyone’s weekly rotation.
Great for guests, sleepovers, and rainy Monday nights. Just announce it is a burrito bar night and they’ll come running!

**One more note: As always, there are countless variations in this recipe. In this particular batch I got really fancy and tossed diced green peppers into the pot, as well as chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper. But that was seriously the first time I have added anything except salsa and black beans. (and no–no one noticed. haha.)

Here’s the printable recipe:
(Note: The amount of each ingredient can vary a lot. This isn’t the most exact recipe. 🙂 I always plan extra for leftovers! You’ll have to figure out what works for your family.)

5 from 1 vote

Easy Weeknight Crockpot Chicken Burritos

Course dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

CROCKPOT RECIPE:
4-5 medium chicken breasts
1 12-16 ounce jar of your favorite salsa
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can of corn or 1-2 cups frozen corn, by taste
optional: 1 small can diced green peppers and seasonings (per your personal taste:) 1-2 tsp chili pepper, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. cumin,
Tortillas flour, whole wheat, corn--your choice
CONDIMENTS:
shredded lettuce
sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Diced tomatoes
Tortilla chips

Instructions

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. (optional to cut them into smaller pieces before cooking, or at the end.)
Pour salsa to cover chicken.
Cook on low 6-8 hours, or on high 3-4 hours. (All crock pots cook a bit differently, so go by your cookers settings.) Make sure chicken is cooked through.
About an hour before serving, add a can of corn, (or frozen) and a can of black beans, drained. (you can add corn and beans from the beginning as well. Either way turns out fine!)
If chicken is still in large pieces, use a knife or kitchen scissors to chop or shred into bite-size pieces.
Place crock pot and all condiments out and let everyone make their own burrito.
**Use slotted spoon to serve as the crockpot ingredients get really juicy. This is both delicious and messy! 🙂
ENJOY!

Hope you love them!
And have a great start to your week!

ALOHA!
Monica

PS Need dessert? Try these low-fat oatmeal, banana chocolate chip cookies (they’ve been one of my biggest recipe hits! :))

Family Favorite Coconut Curry

by Monica 16 Comments

If you were to come to my house for dinner this week, there’s a good chance this is what I’d be serving.

We would gather around the big round table on the front deck, and watch the sunset while we dunked crusty bread into the sweet and spicy curry in our bowls…
The boys would slurp down their food with some delighted groans, and then ask to be excused so that they could skate the new bowl in front while there was still a bit of light.

Nights on the porch with warm food and friends? One of my favorite things in the world.

And this curry is one of my favorite things to share with friends…

I have a short list of recipes I turn to when friends are coming over…The ones I know everyone loves, and I’ve made them so much that I can pretty much make them in my sleep. The ones guests pretty much always want the recipe for…

This list varies somewhat over time, but I have a few that have simply stuck around for years…

My Barbecue chicken salad is one of those.
And our favorite Fish tacos .
But my kids would all agree that their very favorite recipe is this Coconut Chicken Curry.

I really like to make this for guests because you can do everything ahead, and then toss it all into a crock pot and keep it on warm until you’re ready to sit down at the dinner table. That is huge for me, because when I have guests…I like to hang out. Relax. Enjoy their company and not fuss over the stove or be stressed that I might burn something while I chat.

Anyone else like that?

If so, then this curry should be on your go-to list as well.

The smell of this curry will greet you long before you get to my kitchen. When my boys come in from an evening surf and smell this, they love me more than ever. In fact, if I could put smells in a blog post, you would all be running out to get these ingredients like now.

The key ingredient of course is Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste. I’ve never tried another brand of curry paste, but I don’t want to. Be sure to find this stuff.
(You can order it on Amazon, here: Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, 4-Ounce Jars (Pack of 12) (affiliate link))

You can add just about anything to this recipe. I almost always use chicken (a rotisserie style chicken is pretty perfect,) but I vary the veggies depending on what I have on hand. You can make it with shrimp, or go vegetarian style.

Served over hot rice this becomes a most simple, one pot meal. (which gives it big bonus points in my book.)

I have also added extra chicken broth to turn it into a lovely soup. See? You can’t get much more versatile than this…

5 from 2 votes

Family Favorite Thai Coconut Curry Recipe

Course dinner

Cuisine thai

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

2 cans coconut milk
4 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 Tablespoons brown sugar or to taste
2 tsp. fish sauce
one whole rotisserie chicken or 3-4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or cut into small pieces
1 medium size onion chopped.
2 cups potatoes chopped to bite size pieces
2 cups frozen mixed veggies or veggies of choice (carrots, green beans, sweet pepper, squash...)
1/4 cup cashews for topping optional
4 cups of cooked rice.

Instructions

Heat large skillet over medium, and add two cans coconut milk
Add red curry paste, and brown sugar and combine well over heat
Add onions, potatoes, frozen veggies, and any vegetables that need longer cooking time.
Once potatoes are soft, turn heat to medium low, and add any final veggies, and chicken.
Stir in the fish sauce and let simmer until veggies are cooked through. Ten to fifteen minutes.
Serve curry over rice and top with cashews.

What is your go-to meal when company is coming over?
Hope this gives you one more to add to your favorites list! 🙂

With Aloha,
Monica

Healthy Butternut Squash Mexican Casserole

by Monica 6 Comments

It’s Thanksgiving week. And here I am posting a Mexican casserole.

What IS wrong with me?

I’m really not trying to throw the Universe out of order, but I figure that there’s a few more days left before Thanksgiving. And you might just want this for a warm, sweet and savory weeknight meal.
And if nothing else, you can always just Pin it for later!

The truth is, I’ve been wanting to share this recipe for two weeks, and it keeps getting pushed aside. And after my last post, which was a little heavier, (and brought on more colorful commentary than usual) I am just in the mood to post something safe and neutral to start a new week.
So if you hate squash or casseroles, please go easy on me. (Or at least don’t blame it on homeschooling; I promise there is no relationship between this recipe and my kids being homeschooled. 🙂 )

Moving right along: Do you love Mexican flavors as much as I do? And Mexican dishes seem to make for the best family dinners! Everyone loves Mexican food.

And squash? Who doesn’t love squash?
(Ok, two of my kids don’t, that’s who—but they will by the time I’m done with them.)

So when I bought a big butternut squash a few weeks ago, I knew I had to find a creative use for it.
I had Mexican on my mind…
And we all know how much I love one-pot meals, right?

As soon as I put this together, I knew it would be joining the Family Favorite Dinner Rotation Club. (“FFDRC.” And yes, I did just name that.)
Please give a warm welcome to the newest member.

Of course I’ve made it two more times since, tweaking this and that…and I feel 100% confident that anyone who tries this will absolutely love it.
Whether you’re a squash-lover or not.

The key to this dish’s fabulous flavors is roasting the squash, onion, and seasonings first.

As always, I encourage you to try tossing any ingredients into this recipe that you might have on hand. Extra veggies? Yes! (I’m looking at some carrots and leftover green beans in my fridge…) Maybe a jalepeno jack cheese in place of cheddar? Try with or without the chicken….You just can’t go wrong!

The only rule is: There are no rules.

Print this baby, and carry it around until you make it.

Healthy Squash Enchilada Casserole

Course Healthy Mexican Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1 Medium-sized butternut squash peeled and diced (OR buy the pre-peeled and cubed squash at Costco! :))
1 yellow onion
1 poblano pepper cored and sliced
1 jalapeno cored and sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 chicken breasts cooked and diced, OR 1 cup shredded chicken. (optional)
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup corn frozen, fresh, or canned--drained.
1/4 cup cilantro chopped finely
1 cup fresh kale or baby spinach cut into small pieces
1- 11/2 cups salsa
1 small can mild green enchilada sauce
2-4 to rtillas depending on pan used. *Use corn tortillas to make this gluten-free.
1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place diced butternut squash, sliced onoin, jalapeño, and poblano pepper in a baking dish and toss with olive oil, cumin and salt and pepper. Combine well. Roast veggies in the one for 40-45 minutes, until it smells wonderful and squash is tender.
Lower oven temp. to 350 degrees
Transfer roasted vegetables to a large bowl and add the chicken, 1 cup salsa, beans, corn, and cilantro.
Prepare baking dish by spreading half of the can of enchilada sauce on the bottom. (I like to use a round dish that fits a tortilla perfectly, but you can use any size and simply cut tortillas into smaller pieces for layering.)
Cover the enchilada sauce with one layer of tortillas. Top tortillas with 1/2 of the vegetable mixture, then 1/2 cup cheese, and chicken, if using chicken.
Add one more layer of tortillas, the rest of the vegetables, and then the kale or spinach.
Top with 1/2 cup cheese, and then drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top to keep moist.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through and a little bubbly.
Let sit for 5 minutes and then serve.

Recipe Notes

I have made this in two layers as my recipe suggests, or in three layers. Either way is good. I personally do not like my casserole to be very tortilla-heavy, so I prefer the two layer version.

Let me know how you like it, and as always pin and share to spread the Aloha! 🙂

XO,

Monica

One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta w/ Grilled Chicken

by Monica 29 Comments

This post falls under the category of: I had no intention of blogging about this but it’s too good not to.
And you’ve got to hear the story of how this all came to be, because that falls under the category of: Life changing.

You see, though Hurricane Ana (or was it Anna?) just missed us, it did come close enough to give us a Sunday full of heavy rains, wind, and a dark sky– very atypical of Hawaii in October. Or Hawaii anytime.

And you might know me well enough by now to imagine that I was completely thrilled. We all were. Luke got out the board games, I made a big pot of hot apple cider, and (don’t be judging,) we blasted Christmas jazz all day long.

Pure bliss.

So, when it was nearing dinner time, I was naturally in the mood to cook up something along the lines of comfort food: Warm and buttery was on my mind. And when I found a “one pot garlic parmesan” pasta on Pinterest, I was curious. Maybe more like suspicious. This recipe talked about cooking your pasta in the same dish as your sauce…I mean, I live for one-pot meals. And I guess I thought everyone knew that…And yet no one had told me…

And then I had to stop and consider the possibility: Have people been COOKING THEIR NOODLES IN THEIR SAUCE for years and years and no one thought to even tell me you can do that!?

I’m trying to believe that this is news to more than just me. I’m trying not to have hurt feelings…

Still believing I’m not the only one, let me tell you how this works:

After cooking some crushed garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, you simply add chicken stock, milk, a little bitta buttah, and….go ahead and toss in the UNCOOKED noodles. Yes! Uncooked! (it’s gonna be ok.)

Stir it all up a bit, toss in some S&P, and bring it to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let those uncooked noodles COOK, soaking in all of the deliciousness of the butter, garlic, chicken stock, and milk. Stir the pot every four or five minutes, and it’s ok if you’re wondering if this could ever possibly work, (because it will!) and about ten minutes through, toss in about two cups of mixed frozen veggies. (You can’t go wrong with kids and frozen veggies.)

Sure enough, about eighteen minutes into this, you’ll find yourself staring into a pot of thick, tender noodles, which fill your home and your heart with the most wonderful aroma (that would be garlic.). Next, add a fourth cup of grated parmesan cheese, and stir in a few more drops of milk to keep it all moist, and then plate that pasta, and top it all with the grilled chicken breast, and a sprinkle more parmesan.
(this was all adapted from Yellow Bliss Road’s recipe.)

And might I say? 10/10

So, that is how we ended up with this memorable dinner on that stormy Sunday night.

We all gathered to say a quick blessing, and then everyone grabbed a plate. Soon there were sounds of slurping, and big and little boy “Mmm”‘s all over the place.

And that is when I jumped up, in true blogger form, and yelled, “WAIT! STOP EVERYTHING!” The family all looked at me like the crazy woman that I am, and I continued “Hurry! Get the camera!”

(Thankfully, they’re used to me by now.) This was just too good not to tell you lovely people about…
That is, assuming you don’t already know…

And there ends the story of how I ended up blogging about the meal that I did not intend to blog about.

And now, for the sake of my pride: Please do not tell me that you’ve been making this pasta for like, years and years.

Love you forever,

Monica
**Pin and Share using buttons below. Enlightenment is meant to be shared! 🙂

PS: You CAN, however, tell me that this recipe just changed your life. Or that you love pasta, or garlic, or stormy days, or just about anything nice.

And print this:

5 from 2 votes

One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta w/ Grilled Chicken

adapted from YellowBlissRoad

Course dinner

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk a little more as needed
2 T. unsalted butter
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti or fettucine noodles
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1-2 cups frozen mixed veggies
Optional grilled chicken breast, seasoned and cut into bite-size pieces

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes
Stir in chicken stock, milk, butter, frozen vegetables, and noodles: Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes
Stir in Parmesan cheese, and add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time if mixture needs more moisture.
Top with grilled chicken, and garnish with more parmesan, and parsley if desired.

Barbecue Chicken Salad

by Monica 12 Comments

This salad is so much a staple in our diet, I’ve never even thought to post it.

It’s my go-to, family-favorite, crowd-pleasing dinner.

I mean, I’m pretty sure I’ve made it more than any other meal in our family’s history (unless you count PBJ’s, obviously.)

But when I serve it to guests, they often ask me for a recipe.
And I’m like “A recipe!? There isn’t one…” as if everyone out there makes barbecue chicken salads. Off the top of their heads.
But maybe not?

I do clearly remember the first time I discovered it. I was in high school and my mom and I went to lunch at Red Robin. (btw–we don’t have Red Robin in Hawaii, isn’t that sad?) Anyways, we ordered their Barbecue Chicken Salad and we loved it so much that we just sat there and stared at it and then began discussing how EASY it would be to make it at home.

So a day or two later, we did just that. And then we did it again. And again. And again. And we never stopped.

Anyways, if you do not already make a barbecue chicken salad on a regular basis, may I suggest that you begin? It’s not hard at all…And if you are able to chop a few ingredients ahead of time, then it’s really easy. I like this salad best with chicken hot off the grill, but honestly, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken (heated up just before serving,) or cold cubed chicken. Or leave out the chicken and let the beans be boss. Its the mixture of barbecue flavor, and cold veggies that make this salad special. Or maybe it’s the avocado and corn. Or the black beans, cheese, and chips. Oh, I don’t know what makes it so good.

But one thing I do know: When I make this–my boys eat salad like a girl on a diet. (shh, do not tell them I just said that.)

You can, of course, throw in extra chopped veggies (I often use colorful sweet peppers, cucumbers, or carrots.)

I usually serve this with a side of dressing made of half barbecue sauce, half fresh ranch dressing. Tossing it in the dressing is pretty incredible (just make sure everyone looks at the pretty salad before you toss!) (and crunch up the chips and toss those in too!) Personally, I think that if you slather the chicken real good with barbecue sauce, you don’t even need dressing. All of those flavors mix up and give it plenty of flavor and texture. But I’ll let you decide.

As for the salad underneath all of the goodies…you can really use whatever you like. I love a chopped salad, combining kale, romaine, cabbage, spinach, and this particular salad also had some arugala. Yum!

Even if you now have fall weather, (and quit bragging, I’m sweating over here!) you’ll still love this salad. Served with hot chicken and a warm loaf of bread, it is great year-round!

Hope you try it! And Pin it! 🙂

5 from 5 votes

Barbecue Chicken Salad

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

4-5 cups mixed greens of choice
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1 medium ripe avocado
1 cup corn frozen or fresh
2 large chicken breasts cooked and slathered with barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1/4 cup extra barbecue sauce
1/4 cup fresh ranch dressing
tortilla chips to garnish

Instructions

Clean and dry salad greens of choice, and place in the bottom of serving bowl
decorate as you like with each of the ingredients.
Optional to use chicken breast hot off the grill, reheated, or cold.
garnish with tortilla chips
Combine barebecue sauce and ranch dressing and serve it on the side, or toss if you prefer.
ENJOY

With lots of Aloha,
Monica

Family Favorite Fish Tacos

by Monica 10 Comments

Does your family have some favorite meal or food traditions? Like pizza on Fridays, pancakes on Sundays, or maybe something like breakfast in bed on birthdays?…

Well, somewhere along the way, Taco Tuesdays started happening in our family.

And that is kind of a big deal, because we haven’t had a lot of food traditions in our home up until now. It’s not that I don’t like the idea–I do. It’s more that I’m inconsistent and lack organizational skills, haha. But somehow, most Tuesdays over the past few months, I seem to find myself making some sort of taco.

And our family’s favorite? FISH TACOS, by a long shot.

I have always LOVED fish tacos, especially at our favorite local Mexican Seafood Restaurant, Luibuenos. But I never used to have the confidence to make them myself.

All of that changed after my sister-in-law, Janelle, made fish tacos for us while they were visiting. They were SO good, I made sure she left me with the recipe. Over time I have tweaked that recipe a little here and there, and ended up with our family’s absolute favorite taco dinner.

Our kids’ prefer these to any other taco. They ask for them a lot, and there is never a morsel of fish left after the meal. We wipe it out no matter how much I make!

The combination of flavors in these tacos is really perfect. Hot fish with cool sauce…a bit of spice mixed with the zest of lime…crunchy cabbage with soft avocado…I’m not kidding, my taste buds get worked up just describing these tacos. I give you my word: You, and your whole family will love them.

Oh, did I mention–they’re also really easy to make!

I serve these a little different every time: This week I had a batch of red and white quinoa which I turned into a fiesta salad (adding corn, black beans, shredded cheddar, as well as olive oil, garlic, lots of fresh lime, and good dash of salt and pepper.)
Sometimes I serve the tacos with vegetarian refried beans from a can, or spanish rice. Sometimes fruit.
Sometimes just tacos. Because tacos alone are pretty awesome.

I recommend using fresh fish when you can, but if frozen fish is your best option–go for it.

I also personally prefer a stone-ground corn tortilla, or even a whole wheat version, but these really work on anything. Using corn tortillas turns them into a completely gluten-free meal.

That crema–it is SO GOOD! It is one of the rare occasions that I actually use mayonnaise. 😉 (Note: I have tried making it with plain greek yogurt and it was quite good that way as well. Just not exactly the same, haha.)

I hope you’ll PIN this, PRINT it up, and then dish it up–for the love of your family.

5 from 1 vote

Family Favorite Fish Tacos

Favorite Fish Tacos, with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Course lunch/dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes

Total Time 24 minutes

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS: recipe to serve four---Our family needs about one and a half of this :.)
TACOS:
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 pound fresh fish fillets. We usually use Ahi, or Mahi Mahi, but red snapper or other flakey white fish would be great.
cooking spray
8 to rtillas of choice
*toppings:
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 to matoes finely chopped
1 avocado finely chopped
INGREDIENTS:
CREMA: recipe makes plenty, no need to double.
1/4 cup mayonnaise can substitute with plain or greek yogurt.
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or 1 tablespoon dried cilantro.
1/2 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground chili pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
Juice of one medium lime or lemon.
1 tsp grated lime or lemon rind.

Instructions

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
To prepare crema, combine all ingredients well in a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To prepare tacos, cut fish fillets into bite-sized pieces. Place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking oil.
Combine cumin and next four ingredients in a small bowl. Then sprinkle fish with spice mixture and use a spatula to spread it evenly around all sides of fish pieces.
Bake fish at 425 degrees for 9 minutes, or until fish flakes easily, but is not tough. (check it early.) Stir fish to spread the spices even more evenly.
(Heat tortillas as desired.)
Divide fish evenly among tortillas. Top each with cabbage, cheese, avocado, and creme.
ENJOY!

Do you do Taco Tuesdays? Or, do you have any consistent food traditions in your family?
Inspire me, I dare you!

XOXO
Grommom

Another favorite fish recipe: Mac-nut crusted Mahi Mahi.

Quinoa, Chickpea, Avocado Salad…

by Monica 4 Comments

I’ve confessed before that I am not a good lunch mom. Lunches stump me. Bore me. I have very little interest or enthusiasm for most lunch options, at least as far as eating in my own home goes. (Take me out to lunch and I’ll love you forever. But then again take me out anywhere, and….well, you know.)

However, *Newsflash*. I have begun to keep a regular supply of cooked, and chilled quinoa in my fridge which, when tossed with all kinds of flavorful and healthy ingredients, make my midday meal something to look forward to. My boys love it, and we don’t get tired of it.

My most recent combination has been a recurring lunch favorite for us all. And I think you’re going to love it.

I’m not sure what the rest of the world thinks of quinoa, but I’m pretty much one hundred and ten percent positive that it’s no passing fad…it won’t be leaving my kitchen anytime soon, that is for sure.

And when you toss it with avocado, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and nice squeeze of lemon…hello taste buds. That is some GOOD EATING. Wait, don’t forget the chickpeas–they give the perfect crunch. Or is it punch? They add something special. Then the rest is really up to you. Finely chopped kale about always goes in my quinoa…Some fresh cilantro…Tomatoes are lovely. (Remember my rule about salads: There are no rules.)

But if you want to follow a great recipe, then you can try this one. It’s really good.

Quinoa, Chickpea, Avocado Salad...

Course Salad

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

QUINOA CHICKPEA, AVOCADO SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water or I prefer to use organic chicken broth for flavor.
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas drained, and rinsed.
1 large avocado ripe, but still firm, cut into bite-size pieces.
Approximately 1/4 cup olive oil. I honestly just pour it on and add as I think it needs more...go by your preference!
1 diced tomato
1 cup kale or leafy greens of choice chopped well.
1 garlic clove minced, or a teaspoon of minced garlic. (more to taste.)
salt and pepper to taste.
Juice of one large lemon.
Fresh cilantro or any herbs that you like for flavor.

Instructions

Follow directions on your quinoa, but usually it requires 2 cups dry quinoa with four cups water. I like to use organic chicken broth for a bit more flavor, but water is fine, too.
Bring to boil, then simmer for about fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Once the quinoa is cool, toss all other ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Combine well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Goes great with grilled fish, chicken, or as a lunch all on it's own! YUM! Enjoy!

Let me know how it goes!

With Aloha,

Grommom
PS Another amazing quinoa (main dish) salad.
PPS Whatever you do, don’t miss yesterday’s post with a $100 UVSkinz giveaway!

Easy Coconut Rice with Papaya and Pistachios

by Monica 6 Comments

I have a theory about people…

Most people fall into one of two categories:
They are either of the PASTA-persuasion, or more RICE-oriented.

Which one are you?

I like both, but I’m definitely more of a rice girl. I LOVE rice! I prefer it mixed up with flavors and textures…Fried rice being an absolute favorite, and coconut rice being one of our family’s favorite treats! We always order it at Thai restaurants.

I decided it was time to make my own coconut rice, and add some tropical mix-ins as well. I started with Jasmine rice, then mixed in a little brown rice to try to healthy-it-up a bit. (jasmine alone would probably be more authentically coconut-rice like.) But this turned out amazing! I love love love this recipe! It will be a new go-to for our family meals! It is coconuty sweet, with just enough crunch…Oh, you have try it!

Easy Coconut Rice with Papaya and Pistachios

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Author monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
1/2 tsp. salt.
2 cups rice. Jasmine or white (I mixed brown rice in, and it was fine!)
1 cup chopped papaya or mango, chopped into bite-size pieces.
1/2 cup pistachio nuts shelled.

Instructions

DIRECTIONS:
Combine chicken broth, coconut milk, salt, and rice in a medium size saucepan.
Bring to boil. Lower heat, and simmer until the moisture has been absorbed.
(cooking time will depend on type of rice. Jasmine will cook in about fifteen minutes, brown rice may take up to forty minutes.)
Remove from heat, and let cool just enough to handle.
Stir in papaya, and pistachios.
Serve warm as a side dish with fish, chicken, or just about anything!
(*also good served as a cool rice salad.)

So, let’s take an Unofficial poll–are you a pasta person, or do you prefer rice? Let us know in comments! (*you can also share how you like your rice or pasta? Plain? with soy sauce? Marinara or plain with some butter…? Mmm, I’m getting hungry just talking about all of it!)

Papaya lovers: Check out my papaya coconut cake, papaya pie, and also some yummy papaya-berry tropical crisp! Mmmm!

**As always, don’t forget to pin this baby!

Much aloha…Until next time,
Grommom

If you’d like to receive email notifications of EACH POST, or a WEEKLY UPDATE of posts, fill in your email below! Aloha-

Lightened-Up Turkey Veggie Meatballs!

by Monica 4 Comments

I’m not sure what started it, but lately I’ve been craving meatballs. Spaghetti and meatballs, Swedish meatballs, you name it…
No, I’m not pregnant.

Meatballs.

I don’t remember ever making meatballs before, however my family tells me I did once. (That’s always a little scary to me.)
Regardless, I set out to use ground turkey, and anything else remotely healthy to LIGHTEN UP SOME MEATBALLS.
Because: WHY NOT.

It took a few tries. The first batch I tried serving with noodles and a light turkey gravy. (That was the Swedish meatball craving.) The family liked it. But it didn’t receive rave reviews. I need to get in touch with our Swedish relatives for a Swanson-family-recipe! (Stay tuned for that.)

The next time I went for the Italian style, with a simple (store-bought,) sauce and whole wheat noodles.

RAVE REVIEWS this time.

I had a bunch of the meatballs out in a bowl for kids to “sample” before I added them to the sauce. The kids literally emptied the bowl when I turned my back. Actually one kid alone emptied the bowl. (I won’t name names, but that Josiah is really in the midst of a growth spurt.)

They had no idea that they were eating VEGETABLES, QUINOA, OATS, and ground turkey.

The flavors came together pretty perfectly.

These are extra-fabulous because I blended in finely chopped (minced) vegetables. The first batch I used only spinach. The next time, I combined carrots, and bell peppers–VERY finely chopped. (I was out of spinach or you bet I would have snuck that in too.) You can play around with the veggies.
Also note: When I make meatloaf, I always add uncooked oats. For these meatballs I decided to combine cooked quinoa (I had some in my fridge,) AND oats. I am pretty sure you could use all of one OR the other as well. Or neither if you are so inclined. As always–I recommend you play around with food, and don’t be afraid to switch things up! My momma taught me that. 😉

Here’s the printable recipe:

Lightened-Up Turkey Meatballs
www.monicaswanson.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 lbs. lean ground turkey
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (w/ Italian seasoning.)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese. (+ extra for topping.)
1/2 cup 2% milk. (or your choice of milk.)
2 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped (minced.) vegetable (choose from carrots, spinach, bell peppers–
Or your choice of veggie. Mix them all if you like.)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup uncooked oats.
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper.
35 ounces spaghetti sauce of choice.
16 ounces uncooked spaghetti.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine ground turkey, milk, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs well.
Gently beat eggs, then add to mixture.
Finely chop your veggies–(*I recommend using a food processor so they are so tiny,
small children will not recognize. :))
Add veggies to the rest.
Add the rest of the ingredients: Cooked quinoa, oats, salt and pepper.
Use hands to combine well.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray>
Roll meatballs into bite-sized balls, and place on baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes

While baking, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
Heat spaghetti sauce in a pan over medium heat.
When meatballs are done, add them to the sauce and cover well. (you can leave a few out for snacking.)
Combine noodles with the sauce/meatball mixture, OR serve noodles topped with the meatballs and sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

MMmmmmmeatballs!

Much Aloha! See you this weekend!
Grommom

Sweet Hot Thai Style Grilled Chicken Thighs {Guest post from Pineapple and Coconut}

by Monica 4 Comments

Aloha Friends!

Today I am super excited to feature my super talented, creative, lovely, and FUNNY friend Shanna, from Pineapple and Coconut blog. Though we’ve never met in person–I have no doubt we will meet one day. And when we do, I have a good feeling that it will feel like we’ve known each other forever. And considering the fact that we’ve discussed moving her family into a yurt on my property–I’m hoping that I like her as much in person as I do on-line! haha.

I’ll let her tell you a little more about herself…Enjoy this awesome post!

*********************************

Aloha!! I am Shanna and I run the blog Pineapple and Coconut. I am thrilled to be guest posting for Monica today with one of my favorite recipes, Sweet Hot Thai Style Grilled Chicken Thighs. Easy to prepare with a marinade and sauce that would work great on pork, shrimp or fish too.

Monica and I “met” via blogging and social media. I believe it was through a mutual blogging friend. We hit it off immediately having lots in common to chat about. We both have crazy 3 year olds (whom we joke about arranging their marriage between her boy and my girl) we both love health foods, fitness, long walks on the beach and sunsets. Ha ha!!! Monica grew up in the town where my husband and I were engaged. Crazy small world, right? Plus my deep love for Hawaii is another connection. I live in (or is it on, I can never remember) Hawaii vicariously through Monica.

My love for Hawaii started as a young kid. My dad was a commercial airline pilot and was based on the North Shore of Oahu when I was really young. I have faint memories of taking hula lessons as a kid, riding the sugar cane train, eating shave ice and playing on Waikiki beach. Every time we had to pack up to leave I remember crying and not wanting to go home. I still do that. Can’t really blame me, Hawaii is truly paradise. My husband and I were married on a private beach on Kauai a little over 6 years ago, our daughters have Hawaiian names. Hawaii is and always will be my home away from home. Until I move there, one day…

So today for my guest post for Monica I bring you this really flavorful easy to make chicken thigh recipe. We are big chicken eaters in my house. Meaning we eat chicken often, not eat GIANT chickens. That is kind of scary sounding. Ha ha!! I love cooking with chicken thighs because they tend to hold on to marinade flavor better than chicken breast and aren’t as apt to dry out when grilling.

We make this recipe often at my house with two scoop sticky rice, plate lunch style. I personally am not a big fan of mac salad, but I am sure that would go well with this dish too. And maybe a mai tai or pina colada to complete the meal!

Thank you so much Monica, for having me guest post today on your awesome blog. I hope your readers enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Mahalo!!

Here is the printable recipe!

Sweet Hot Thai Chicken Thighs

Marinade and sauce

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 1” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp lemongrass paste (I used Gourmet Garden Organic)

Zest and juice of one medium lime

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 cup tamari (or shoyu)

1-3 tsp sriracha

2 Tsbp Thai sweet chili sauce

½ c pineapple simple syrup**

1/2 c coconut water

1 cup of fresh pineapple diced

1/2 c pineapple juice

2-3 lbs organic boneless chicken thighs

Green onions or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. Place in a glass container or resealable baggie, set aside.

Combine all of the marinade in a bowl and whisk until well mixed. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the marinade for

brushing on the chicken while it is grilling, and for extra sauce. Pour the remaining marinade over the

chicken mixing well to make sure the chicken is coated. Marinade in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

After the 4 hours, bring the chicken to room temperature. About 30 min. Preheat your grill to medium-

low.

Place the chicken thighs on the grill, giving each piece an inch or so of space between each. Baste with

the sauce and grill about 4 min. Flip and baste again and grill another 4 min. Flip a third time, baste again

and finish grilling, about 2-3 more minutes. Remove from grill and add a little more sauce. Serve hot

and garnish with sliced green onion or cilantro, sticky rice and more sauce.

Notes: If you can’t find the lemon grass paste you can always use fresh lemongrass. Using 2-3 stalks, slice

the bottoms off and peel off the outer layer of leaves and dice fine. Puree until smooth in a food

processor with 1 TBSP each organic cane sugar, Hawaiian sea salt and grape seed oil.
Keep refrigerated.

** Pineapple Simple Syrup

Makes 2 ½ cups of syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup organic cane sugar
1 cup water
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup diced pineapple

Instructions:

Place all in a saucepan on the stove and turn heat to medium, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat and bring to a boil, once boiling lower the heat and simmer 20-40 min mashing the diced pineapple occasionally. Once the syrup is thickened strain into a jar and keep refrigerated. Keeps well about 2 weeks well chilled in a covered container such as a mason jar. This is excellent in cocktails in place of regular simple syrups, in other marinades or even on top of pancakes or waffles.

Mahalo to Shanna for this amazing recipe! I know you’ll all want to follow her, so here’s her lovely links…

Pineapple and Coconut BLOG.

Pineapple and Coconut on FACEBOOK.

PinaCoco on TWITTER.

Instagram.

Now let’s all get busy in the kitchen–this recipe made me HUNGRY!
With Aloha,
Grommom

Coconut Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi {Gluten Free or regular}

by Monica 8 Comments

From the ocean…to our table….Now THAT’S what we’re talking about.

Remember THIS 40 pound Mahi Mahi catch?

Well, besides being the highlight of my boys’ summer—That catch turned into approximately 32 fabulous meals! {Four meals, each serving eight people (my family and my parents!)}
We loved every one of them, and I plan to share at least one more recipe here, but today–I just have to share this Coconut Macadamia Crusted fish recipe. It is SO good, and soooo Hawaii!

If you don’t have Mahi Mahi nearby, don’t fret–You can use any flakey white fish. I think halibut would be great–but feel free to try something else.

My Mom and I were playing around with an old recipe she had, and we tried it two ways: One we dipped in flour and egg, then a panko/coconut/macadamia crust before cooking, and the other we substituted a Gluten free flour combination, eggs, and then Gluten free bread crumbs in place of Panko (my dad has Celiac Disease so we do a lot of GF when they are here!)

The recipe is really simple, though there are a few steps, so being organized in advance is the key. Also, we cooked some in olive oil stove top, and broiled some. Honestly–both were great. I like to broil because it is less messy, but there may be a tad more crunch when you fry it.

Marinating the fish in either pineapple juice or our local Huli Huli sauce for at least an hour was the first step. **We love Huli Huli, but I am guessing you can’t get Huli Huli sauce everywhere. (Does anyone from outside Hawaii get Huli Huli sauce at your local grocery store?) If you’re not familiar with it, Huli Huli is similar to a teriyaki sauce, but has a very liquid consistency…it’s used a lot here for marinating chicken, etc. Both marinades worked out just fine!

Then the fish goes on to the dipping assembly line: FLOUR, eggs, then the panko/coconut/mac nut/seasoning mix.

Finally, it is either fried in hot oil, or broiled on high for about 10-14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. (Ours was pretty thick.)
This fish has such a great flavor, and texture–you’ll love it!!

The first time, we served it simply with brown rice, and salad. (We were so focused on getting the fish right we didn’t want to complicate our lives with the details…)
The next time, we went with stir-fried vegetables, and—Mmmmmashed potatoes. Hello yumminess:

A pretty perfect tropical dinner if you ask me.

Can’t you almost just taste that sweet/salty/crunchy/nutty crust?

I hope you’ll try this! You can always play with the crust–switch it up depending on what your family likes and what you have available. If you don’t have mac nuts, you could try another crushed nut as well.

Coconut Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi {Gluten Free or regular}

Cuisine Dinner

Author www.monicaswanson.com

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 filets of Mahi Mahi
Pineapple juice or Huli Huli sauce for marinade.
1 cup flour for coating fish
3 eggs beaten
1/4 cup Japanese style Panko or GF bread crumbs
1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
2 T olive oil for pan-frying

Instructions

Place fish in a baggie or container with either Pineapple juice or Huli Huli sauce to fully cover it. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to marinade.
Prepare three bowls for coating fish:
ONE with flour (or for gluten free version--use your choice of gluten free flour substitutes--we used coconut flour.)
ONE with three beaten eggs
ONE with combination of panko (or GF bread crumbs,) chopped mac nuts, shredded coconut, as well as Salt and Pepper and Paprika.
Turn on broiler to high, or put oil in pan and place over medium-high.
Coat each piece of fish in flour on all sides. Then dip in eggs so that it is well coated. Next dip in the coconut/macadamia nut mixture and make sure that all sides are thoroughly covered.
Place fish on broiler pan, or in hot oil on stove top. If broiling, watch it closely, but it should be done in close to ten minutes. IF frying, cook two-three minutes per side and check to see when it is flakey. *Don't over cook!
ENJOY!!!

This fish would also be excellent topped with a mango salsa.

I’m thinking that THIS summer dessert would go pretty perfectly with this fish too!

With MUCH ALOHA to you all!

Monica

Lighter Manicotti–Two Ways

by Monica 5 Comments

First of all–sorry if you tried to visit this place Sunday and found the blog MIA! I have no idea what happened. I tried not to panic, but it did last most of the day. By the time I checked back, it was all here again (thank God!) but that left me no time to finish the post that I had planned for Monday. So, I am quickly editing the recipe I thought I would share on Tuesday.

But now that I think about it–Manicotti Monday? It does have a nice ring to it! 🙂

Since our relatively cool temps are quickly fading away and the hot, stickier days are starting to bust in–I want to hurry and share a couple recipes that I’ve made recently that are all about warmth and comfort. Manicotti, being a recent favorite.

I made it twice in one week, and here’s why:
I wanted to find out if I could cheat on the noodles.
Like I do with lasagna.
Which makes me now wonder if other people cheat on their lasagna noodles?

You see, my mom is the best cook I know, so I follow her ways long before I’ll follow a cookbook. That would explain why I still call her at least twice a week with cooking questions. Anyways, my mom taught me to make lasagna with hard noodles. Like, noodles that have not been boiled. Is this normal?

Well, I’ve always made my lasagna my mom’s way, and it has always worked out perfectly. I have always felt a little sneaky though, like I had the secret of the century and maybe I shouldn’t tell anyone. But I never questioned it. Until I started to make this manicotti, which brings us back to…

The manicotti: I figured if lasagna turns out just fine without pre-boiling, then surely manicotti would too.
So, I called Mom, who said YES, she was pretty sure that you could get by with that. Just be sure to add a little extra sauce, and cook a little longer and at a lower temp.
So I did!

I took these here hard shells, and I stuffed them with a ground turkey, parmesan cheese, bread crumb, egg, and oat mixture. Oh yeah, and kale. Because I stick that stuff into almost everything.
It’s good for you, ya know.

Stuffing them in was easy. Then I baked them, with plenty of sauce under and over the noodles.

They turned out very tasty, but if I’m honest…I think the noodles were too tough. Chewy. And because I kept trying to leave them in just a little longer….they even were burned in a few places. Oops.

Thus the need to make another batch a few days later.

Sorry family, eating one meal for four straight days may just be your lot in life. Now go count your blessings.

The second time around, I boiled the noodles, but followed the same recipe otherwise. Stuffing the noodles was a bit more challenging, but you know—it wasn’t THAT big of a deal.
Typical of me: Looking for a short cut and I end up having to re-do the entire meal. The second time around, I did feel compelled to add some variety. While experimenting and all. So, this time I made one batch of turkey-filled manicotti, and one of a cheesy variety. However, I substituted half of the ricotta cheese with low fat cottage cheese. And I still snuck the kale in. Because it’s good for you.

I’m not gonna lie: I liked the cheesy version best. In fact, I FELL IN LOVE with it. Creamy, but light. Seriously, it will be a new regular feature in my kitchen!

My family voted right down the middle. They loved both manicottis. And they agreed the pre-boiled noodles had a better texture.

So, the moral of the story? Lasagna is in it’s own category. Cheat all you want with lasagna noodles.
Manicotti however? Unless you’re my mom, who has magical talents, don’t risk it! Take the eight extra minutes to gently boil the noodles before stuffing.

Yes, stuffing those suckers is a labor of love, but so is potty training, and teaching long division, and honestly, stuffing noodles might be the easier of the three. If I had to choose.

LIGHTER MANICOTTI–TWO WAYS from www.thegrommom.com

Ground Turkey filled Manicotti (w/ kale, shhhh.)

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Manicotti noodles, cooked.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb Ground turkey
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 – 1 cup finely chopped kale. (as much as you like.)
salt and pepper to taste

1 recipe tomato sauce. (or do like me and use 2 fancy jars.)

Directions: Saute ground turkey in olive oil until brown. Mix with the egg, cheese, bread crumbs, oats, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour half of the sauce in to a baking dish. Stuff the cooked manicotti with filing. Arrange in dish and top with remaining sauce. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese as you like.
Light-Cheese filled Manicotti. (w/ kale.)

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Manicotti noodles, cooked.
8 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped kale
parmesan cheese for topping

1 recipe tomato sauce.

Directions: Combine all ingredients except tomato sauce. Pour half of the sauce into a baking dish. Stuff the cooked manicotti with filling. Arrange in dish nd top with remaining sauce. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes then sprinkle with parmesan cheese to serve.

Hope you try both and love them. And if you cheat on your noodles–You better speak up so I know that I’m not alone.
What’s your favorite short-cut in the kitchen?

ALOHA!
Grommom.