This rice recipe will not make you any skinnier BUT is a delicious crowd (and child) pleaser! It is super fast to throw together on a weeknight, and a great side to any protein. My kids would eat the whole bowl of it if I let them!
What you do: (corresponding pictures in slides below)
1 Comment
Chili is a perfect winter meal. It is warm, comforting, and simple to make. It is a great dish to throw together on a weeknight since the ingredients can vary and exact measurements are not required. About two weeks ago I was craving chili and made this up with what I had on hand. It was a hit with my husband and kids so I decided to write it up to remember what I did for next time. This recipe was enough to serve our family of 5 for dinner, and provide leftovers for lunch. It can be doubled to serve a crowd or made at the beginning of the week and portioned out for daily lunches at the office or school. One may not initially think of chili as being healthy, but it contains a lot of nutrients such as; protein, fiber, iron, and vitamin C. I like to add as many vegetables to my meals as possible for their vitamins and flavor. This recipe can be made vegetarian, but I prefer to add ground beef. I am calling it my Hidden Veggie Chili because our kids claim they do not like mushrooms, but they had no idea they were even in there! I also added carrots and corn for color and a touch of natural sweetness. What you need: (categorized)
It is entirely up to you if you want to prep everything before you begin cooking. I often do when I am entertaining because I want to be able to throw everything together quickly once our guests have arrived. That way my kitchen counters stay clear, and I can enjoy more time with our guests. For weeknights like this, I usually do the washing, draining, peeling, and chopping of vegetables as I go. I dirty fewer dishes this way, and it creates a natural cooking pace for me. I season as I cook too, so these measurements are entirely flexible and can be altered to your preference. For the sake of taking photos to write up this recipe, I prepped everything ahead of time. However, I wrote my instructions in the order I would typically do things. What you do - instructions on each slide For dinner I serve this with either corn or garlic bread and a salad.
Enjoy!! My family has become increasingly obsessed with guacamole. I now have a consistent supply of avocados in the fridge, at various stages of ripeness, because I make it at least once a week. In my fondness for fresh food, I prefer to make it myself and would always use fresh cilantro, shallots, and garlic. Considering that all of those items needed to be chopped first, it was not the quickest snack to put together for the kids after school, nor did I always have fresh cilantro on hand. I have recently found some products that have provided me shortcuts without sacrificing flavor or freshness. The only thing faster than this guacamole is buying it pre-made and it is easy enough for my kids to make! It can be thrown together in a couple of minutes, and the best part is that there is minimal cleanup afterward! What you need:
The products that make this so easy are the Gourmet Garden stir in pastes and the Dorot frozen crushed garlic cubes. I bought these a few months ago for the first time, and now they have become staples in my kitchen. I use them regularly when I need to save time. I used the cilantro paste, but I prefer the Dorot garlic cubes over the Gourmet Garden garlic paste because it is an exact measurement, one cube = one clove. I like to add shallots to my guacamole but these dried onions are a great substitute that I always have in my pantry. What you do: ~Cut the avocados lengthwise around the pit and twist to separate. The pit will be in one of the halves. To remove it, carefully score it with the knife and twist. The pit will come right out and can be thrown away. ~Scoop out the avocado with a spoon into a mixing bowl. ~Roll the lime on the counter/cutting board with your palm to soften before cutting. This will yeild more juice from it. Squeeze all of the juice over the avocado. ~Add a sprinkle of the cayenne pepper (about 1/8tsp) A squeeze of the cilantro paste (about 1tsp, or a handful of fresh cilantro chopped) One garlic cube (or one clove garlic finely chopped) A good shake of the dried onion(about 1 tsp, or one small shallot chopped) 5 turns of the salt grinder ~Mash it all together!! ~Sample the guacamole to see if there is a need to add more or less of any of the ingredients to your taste, but I have found this ratio to be spot on every time!
~Get your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy! Tag @itallbeganinfrance if you like to post your food like I do, and I will be sure to give it a like :) This is a recipe I made up one day when I had a few random things left in my fridge and needed to use them before they spoiled. This can be made vegetarian or with any protein you choose. I originally made it with some spicy Italian sausage that I removed from the casing. If you choose not to use that, be sure to add more of the sauces and herbs to give it more flavor, as the glass noodles are bland on their own. I love to use fresh herbs, but once winter arrives and I no longer have my garden, I use Gourmet Garden herb & spice tubes. All the ingredients are optional and you can use as much or as little of each one as you desire. When I make this I'm sure to use peppers, onions, garlic, scallions and mushrooms, but the other ingredients tend to be whatever else I have on hand. This particular time I added kale because it was left over from a different meal I had made earlier in the week. Feel free to add whatever you want and make it your own! Tag @itallbeganinfrance if you like to post your food like I do, and I will be sure to give it a like :) What you need:
2-4 links spicy Italian sausage (omit for vegetarians) 2-3 bell peppers (any color besides green) 8-10 large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed 2-3 garlic cloves 5-6 scallions 1 onion kale or spinach (optional) 100g (10.5oz) glass noodles (found in the asian section of the grocery store) 2.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2.5 tbsp liquid aminos (soy sauce substitute) 1 tsp Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning 1 tsp Gourmet Garden cilantro or a handful of fresh cilantro (Gourmet Garden herb tubes can be found in the produce area) salt & pepper What you do: ~If you are using meat, cook that first. I like to use 2-4 links of spicy Italian sausage removed from the casing and broken up. Try it with tofu, chicken or shrimp! ~Julienne the bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms (stems removed) ~Once the meat is mostly cooked, add the vegetables ~Salt the vegetables but only add pepper if not using the spicy sausage ~Remove stem from kale leaves and chop into 1 inch pieces ~Chop the garlic and scallions ~Add the garlic, kale and half the scallions to the vegetables ~Mix together the liquid aminos, sesame oil, cilantro and Thai seasoning in a separate bowl. The liquids should total 1/3c or so, depending on the amount of noodles and vegetables you decide to use. ~Cook the noodles according to the package. Drain and then pour the liquid mixture on top of the noodles and toss. ~Pour noodles over the vegetable mix and toss together ~You can add more of any of the liquid ingredients to taste. ~Garnish with chopped scallions (and fresh cilantro if using). Enjoy!! Yields 4-6 servings |
La cuisineI love to cook. My kitchen is one of my happy places because I get to be creative there. Although I own many cookbooks, I most often throw meals together based on what I have on hand - so it is rare that I make a meal the same way every single time. I may follow a recipe initially, but tend to use them more as guideline and do my own thing. Most of what I make is based on classic home cooked meals that I had while living in France, and my love of market fresh produce. Although we are able to buy many items year round, I base meals on what is currently in season. My philosophy on food is to keep it fresh, colorful, and flavorful. I will be sharing various recipes that my family and I love on this page. In the meantime check out my Instagram stories for regular food posts! Archives
April 2022
Favorite Cookbooks
|