Classic Ratatouille

We belong to our local CSA, Fresh Fork Market and just LOVE IT. Wednesdays are my favorite day of the week when we get to head to the neighborhood truck and pick up our weekly share. The bags are overflowing with the most gorgeous fruits, veggies, and since we get the Omnivore Share, meats too. It's such a fun way to not only support local farms and small businesses, but also try things you may never have picked up at the grocery store on your own. It keeps meal time exciting for sure! 

But sometimes I gotta admit on weeks when we are particularly busy (like last week!) I have to play a game of catch up to use my veggies before 1) they go bad 2) we are hit with next week's share doubling our fresh food and loosing space to store it all in my fridge! In these situations soups, stews and stir-fry's are kings in our house! And Friday was one of those days. In my crisper was zucchini, patty pan squash, eggplant, a variety of peppers and my counter tops were full of tomatoes (just to name a few!!). What was the best way to use this all up? Ratatouille of course! 

Ratatouille is a delicious vegetarian stew from the Provence region France using the best of summers bounty. It can be eaten as a side dish, spooned onto nice crusty bread, served over rice, stirred into pasta, we love it over roasted chicken and as a base instead of sauce for homemade pizza; its uses are endless! I won't lie, it is a bit of a labor of love due to lots of vegetable chopping and sauteing in batches, but its a super easy dish to throw together and can be made in advance and reheated throughout the week.  I actually think Ratatouille tastes even better the next day because then all the flavors have had a chance to meld together. It also freezes wonderfully! This recipe has become a favorite and I hope you love it as much as we do. 

Ratatouille

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 onions halved and then sliced into wedges
2 peppers, deseeded and chopped into 2" chunks
2 eggplants quartered and then chopped into 2" chunks
2 zucchini or yellow squash halved and sliced
5-6 tomatoes roughly chopped, juices and seeds included
1 can whole plum tomatoes or stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 bunch fresh basil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil. Once oil is hot add your chopped peppers, zucchini, and eggplant and sauté until they begin to soften and brown a bit. Do not cook through. Work in batches if needed and transfer cooked veggies to a bowl. Set aside.

Add a teaspoon of oil to the stockpot along with the garlic and onions. Sauté for 15 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the cooked vegetables, tomatoes- fresh and canned, whole sprigs of thyme and Balsamic Vinegar to the pot. Stir well to combine, gently scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate the wonderful brown bits into the stew. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add a good pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and stir well. Simmer for an additional 15-30 minutes allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken. The longer the veggies simmer, the softer and silkier they will become. Taste and adjust seasoning.  Remove the stems of the thyme and discard. Now you want to chiffonade the basil. You do this by stacking the basil leaves on top of one another and then roll up. Thinly slice the basil creating long thin strips. Sprinkle the basil into the ratatouille, reserving a bit for garnish. Stir to combine.

Serve alongside crusty bread, trust me you'll want it to sop up all the delicious sauce. Enjoy!

Insalata Caprese, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

While studying abroad in London during college I took a holiday to Paris for the weekend. I got in late and was STARVING. After checking into my hotel I decided to go wander around and find a place to get a bite to eat. Paris seems to never sleep and there were so many amazing sites and smells all around me, but a cozy little pizza place called my name. After traveling in a foreign country, here I felt at home. This restaurant, of all places, was where I had Insalata Caprese, or Tomato Mozzarella Salad, for the first time. A classic Italian salad while in Paris, France! No better place really, it created a special memory that I'll never forget. What's even better is that it is SO EASY to recreate, and has become a summertime staple in our home.

Insalata Caprese

3-4 large Tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 large balls of Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, thickly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, leaves stripped from the stems
Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Glaze

Alternate thick slices of fresh Tomato (look for nice big ones!), Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil leaves around a large platter. Season generously with coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Balsamic Glaze. And then dig in!


This salad goes with just about anything. We equally love it alongside a juicy steak as with nice dippy eggs at breakfast. Sooooo good. While the tomatoes are still showing up in your CSA bag and at roadside stands, be sure to give this recipe a try! You'll see it's the perfect kiss of summer.

And here's a little tip.  Instead of buying the expensive basil in the plastic clam shell packs in the produce department (that seem to go bad way before you have time to use them all!) buy the fresh cut stems.  Then when you get home, place them in a glass or mason jar of water on your windowsill. You can pinch off the leaves as you need it when cooking and after time, your basil will start to take root! Eventually you can plant them in a pot for a kitchen cutting garden or in your back yard!

Creamy Salsa Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Hi friends!  Here is another great crock pot recipe to add to your weekly rotation.  It is awesomely delicious and, just what makes crock pot recipes so popular, it comes together in under 10 minutes.  It will make your kids crazy happy to eat dinner and if you serve it at a party, I can guarantee it a huge hit.   What I love most about it is how versatile it is.   We love it tossed in a salad with rice for homemade burrito bowls, wrap the chicken in tortillas for a delicious taco, or when served alongside tortilla chips it  makes a great dip for parties.

When I was making Creamy Salsa Chicken this last time I found an awesome product, Greek Cream Cheese. It is 1/2 the fat of regular cream cheese, 2x the protein and full of all those wonderful live active cultures.  I gave it a whirl and loved it!  I hope it wasn't a fluke finding it in the store because it was so great.  Definitely right up our alley.  I'm not being paid to promote this stuff- i just love it and wanted to share!  Using the greek cream cheese even made this a healthy dish, total bonus.  But everything in moderation is really the key, right?!

On a side note, guess who is invited to be on television again! New Day Cleveland invited me to share my recipe for Tortellini Soup on January 22nd at 10:00am on channel Fox 8! What a cool way to start my new year :)  Time to go dress shopping!

Creamy Salsa Chicken in the Slow Cooker

3-lbs boneless skinless Chicken (either breasts or thighs is fine)

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) jar chunky salsa 

1 medium onion chopped

1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese 

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with the drained corn, black beans and chopped onions.  Pour the salsa on top.  Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6.  One hour before it is finished cooking, carefully pull the chicken out of the slow cooker and shred.  Put the chicken back into the slow cooker and gently stir to combine.  Place the block of cream cheese on top of the mixture and replace the lid.  After 30 minutes stir the cream cheese into the chicken mixture until fully combined.   

This recipe is so versatile! It is delicious served over rice, wrapped in a tortilla, topped onto a salad or even as a dip with chips.  Enjoy! 

Fall Harvest Recipe Round-Up!

Are you on a hunt for some wonderful Autumn treats for this Hauntingly Fun Halloween Weekend?!  I have assembled for you some of my most favorites, that will definitely be a hit at any party- and especially at your own dinner table!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Both a Savory and a Sweet Version!

Traditional Garlic and Worcestershire Pumpkin Seeds and also  Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Cider Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Favorites

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie
Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Yum Yum Brownie Muffins
Caramelized Onion Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Apple Treats 

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Apple Cream Cheese Quick Bread
Apple Dapple Cake
Traditional Apple Crisp
Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

And just incase you are looking for some fun ways to decorate your cupcakes for the Halloween Party, these are always a huge party hit!

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

Cinnamon Bun Muffins (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

I have been getting lots of requests for more Special Diet recipes (low carb, gluten free, vegan, etc.)  So this one is for you!  This recipe is low carb and gluten free due to the use of the almond meal.  The use of honey or maple syrup makes it low on the glycemic index as well, meaning that your body will break it down faster instead of storing the sugars like when using granulated white sugar does. 

But most importantly, they are SO, SO yummy!  These muffins have tons of cinnamon, making your home smell like heaven while baking.  The almond meal gives a nice nutty flavor that blends everything together beautifully.  Even if you aren't concerned about any special diets, you would still fully enjoy these muffins. Our whole family just loved them.  Thank you Comfy Belly for introducing us to this great recipe!

Cinnamon Bun Muffins (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
recipe courtesy Comfy Belly

1/2 cup of yogurt
1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup)
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups of blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Cinnamon Topping Ingredients 
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup)
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted (ghee or coconut butter will work too)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional; or other nut)

Preheat oven to 310 degrees F.

Combine all the wet muffin ingredients into a bowl and blend well with a spoon. Add the dry muffin ingredients and blend well with a spoon. Place cupcake liners in a baking pan, and fill the liners halfway with batter.

Blend all the topping ingredients well. Add about a tablespoon of topping to the center of each muffin. Now put another scoop of batter on top of each muffin until the batter just about reaches the top. Add nuts now if your adding them to the top of the muffin. Evenly distribute the remaining topping over the top of each muffin. Optionally, use a toothpick to poke at the top of each muffin to allow some topping to drip into the batter.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are starting to brown. Cool and enjoy!

Store for a few days covered, or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Don't forget to enter my 

Giveaway for (6) packs of See-Through Sticky Notes 

by Avery Office Supplies for one lucky winner!  

click on the link to make your entry and to read all the details for this great prize!

I linked up on Sweets For a Saturday #43. Come find some other delicious sweet things :)

Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread

I know I have been MIA for a little while. I really am sorry about that. But if you follow me on facebook you know that I have been trying to loose that last bit of pregnancy weight by following the South Beach Diet.  I am super happy to say that it is working awesome, the last few pounds are falling off and I am having a blast "shopping" in my attic for clothing I haven't been able to wear in a long time.  The only downside, is that I have not been very creative in the kitchen.  My mom leant me a few South Beach cookbooks and the blog Kalyn's Kitchen have both been wonderful with keeping the diet exciting, food wise (as much as you can be without eating very many-if any carbs).  But since I was trying to follow the diet as perfectly as possible in Phase One, I didn't feel confidant creating my own recipes.

Now that I am in Phase Two, I am allowed to start incorporating "good carbs" back into my diet.  Knowing my love of sweets and bakery, you can't be all that surprised to hear I was dying to find some "acceptable" baked goods.  Combine that with the wonderful cooler weather we have been having here in Ohio- beautifully sunny and breezy mid 70's. Heaven.  So of course pumpkin comes to mind.  It is super high on the healthy scale and so, so delicious.  I just knew that I could find a low carb pumpkin bread recipe to satisfy my cravings.  This recipe from the online low carb magazine, The Low Carb Luxury is so, so wonderful!!!!  I have found that sometimes low carb bread can have a strange, rubbery consistency that I find rather off-putting.  This recipe isn't like that AT ALL.  If you weren't told this quick bread was low carb you would have no idea.  The whole family loves it, and I will be making it again and again.  I mean, for only 3.8 grams of carbs per slice, you can't beat it!  Oh how I love guilt-free bakery.  This recipe was 100% worth sharing.

Now this recipe uses some unique flours, which is what makes it low carb.  Almond Flour/Meal is simply just very, very finely ground almonds!  You can make it yourself by grinding raw or blanched almonds in your food processor at home, but I decided to save some time and just buy it premade.  I found Bob's Red Mill brand and really loved it.  I found it at Marc's (if you are local to Cleveland, OH area) and I also have seen it at our Super Wal-Mart.  If you have been making those yummy Sandwich Thin Buns, then you are familiar with the Vital Wheat Gluten Flour and the Wheat Bran.  Yay for another place to use them!  Go on out, stock your pantry and most importantly- have fun playing with some new ingredients!

Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups Splenda
1 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten flour
1/4 cup whey protein powder (I used vanilla flavored because that is what I had on hand)
3/4 cup almond flour
1 cup oat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Wheat Bran (or whole wheat flour) for dusting pan

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray bread pans with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle wheat bran into the pans and tap around to "flour" the pans. This will prevent sticking. Whole wheat or all purpose flour can also be used, but the wheat bran packs in extra healthy goodness.

Using a wire wisk or a hand mixer beat eggs. Add the water, oil, and pumpkin and beat until well combined. Sift together all flours, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl. Add Splenda to pumpkin mixture and mix very well. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and blend until wet and fully combined.

Pour into greased and wheat bran (or whole wheat) floured pans and bake for about 40-50 minutes. If you bake in the small loaf pans, be sure to keep an eye on them.  They will bake faster then the large loaves.  Breads are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes (2) 8.5" loaves or (4) 5.75x3" loaves- slice into 12 slices per loaf.
Each large loaf contains 46 grams of carbs — 3.8 carbs per slice. (or you can have two small slices for the same amount)

Egg Muffins

So I am tired of the last few pregnancy pounds hanging onto my body for dear life.  Enough is enough already! I lost so much of the weight so quickly and it was awesome.  But now I am hovering at a plateau for the last few months and it is time to shake it!  I need something to boost up my metabolism and get everything moving so we have decided to start up South Beach Diet.  Not really all that thrilled about "dieting" but I have done low-carb a few times before and it really works quickly.  The nice thing with South Beach is that you don't need to stay altogether low carb past the first two weeks.  *phew*  I know many people that have had a lot of success with the diet, including my parents, so I am excited to see some positive changes in myself as well.  Wish me luck and I will share some of our favorites recipes along the way too.

There is an awesome blog, Kalyn's Kitchen, that is primarily all South Beach Friendly recipes.  You don't need to be on the diet to be able to appreciate her recipes.  Seriously, everyone could pretty much benefit by reduced carbs and increasing vegetables, whole grains and lean meats!  

After sleeping for 6-10 hours a night your body needs a serious recharge.  You need to break the fast that your body was doing while your were snoring away.  Hence the name breakfast.  These Egg Muffins are a wonderful start to your day.  Once you make a full batch you then have a quick breakfast for the rest of the week.  They have no flour, making pretty much carb free but also gluten free and high in protein.  Oh, and did I mention yummy?!

print this recipe

Egg Muffins
recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

12 Eggs
1/2 cup low fat 2% cottage cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chili's
3 green onions, chopped
1-2 cups grated low-fat cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but any of your favorites will work great!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout.  Add the cottage cheese, salt and pepper, and beat well. Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.