Update on Life & Why I have been MIA + Kale & Feta Egg Bake

     Maybe you have noticed that I haven't been posting as often as I used to around here.  Maybe you haven't noticed!  My life has changed over the past 4 1/2 months.  My younger brother got engaged and I decided that it was time to get serious about getting healthy because I wanted to feel great at his wedding and enjoy having my picture taken.  I joined Wow! Boot Camp, which is an awesome workout that  combines cardio, strength training, intervals, etc. and starting training for a half marathon with other Boot Campers. I became a part of a great support system.  I also got serious about my nutrition.  I started keeping a food diary and writing down every single thing that I ate.  Every little bite.  Now I use Lose It! as a way to track my calories and exercise. 

  It hasn't been easy.  I have had to change my lifestyle.  I thought I was eating healthy before, but keeping a food diary has helped me realize exactly what I was consuming and also helped me realize that I was consuming too much.  I have reduced the refined sugar and flour that I eat.  I have increased the lean protein that I consume.  I have changed my ways.

  I'm not here to preach about what you should eat or how you should exercise, but I am here to tell you that in the past four months I have lost 20.5 pounds.  I have shed 16.5 inches off my body.  I have reduced my BMI  and reduced my body fat % by 5.6 %    I have worked hard and I feel happier than I have in years.  I have more energy.  I don't need naps during the day and I wake up excited about exercising and starting my day off right.  I am proof that if you want to accomplish something bad enough and you combine hard work and determination- it is possible.

  Through this process, I haven't felt like blogging much.  I haven't been baking very often and if I have been baking, I haven't been eating the things I bake.  When I started this blog, it filled a void in my life and I feel like I don't need to blog anymore.  I feel excited about other things.  I still love to cook and bake, but for some reason, documenting it just isn't the same for me.  I don't know what that means exactly.  Maybe I will get back to blogging often.  Maybe not. 

   My husband and I ran the half marathon on our 11th anniversary and had a great time.  I missed my goal time (1:48)by a couple of minutes (1:54:31), but considering the pouring rain and tornado sirens, I will have to get over it.  I can't believe I am saying this, but it was fun!

My brother got married last weekend and I couldn't have enjoyed myself more.  I fit into a lovely dress and felt great about being in a million pictures.  I am truly happy and loved our time with family.  I was able to cook and bake for my family while we were in Utah visiting and will share some of the recipes below.

 I made this Kale and Feta Egg Bake before we went to Utah in 2 single servings, but also made it in Utah to serve 15 people.  It will take longer to bake if you make it in a 9*13-inch dish, but it still works.  I reduced the amount of cheese and oil, just to keep the calories in check.  When I made it for myself, I used 1 egg and 1 egg white, instead of 2 eggs.  I love this dish and plan to keep in rotation for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  You can reduce the feta even more and just do a little sprinkle on the top for a hit of flavor.  You can follow me on Pinterest, if you are interested in the recipes and things that have caught my eye.

Here is the original recipe for Kale and Feta Egg Bake
* I doubled the amount of marinara and kale
* I used half the amount of oil and feta
* I used 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites
* I served Sweet Potato Biscuits on the side


Other recipes I made and shared with a crowd last week in Utah-
Greek Salad with Orzo and Black-Eyed Peas

Savory Cornmeal and Chive Waffles with salsa and eggs 
* I used half whole wheat flour
* I did not use melted butter in these waffles.  I used 1/4 cup of canola oil and a couple extra Tablespoons of low fat buttermilk.
* I also used this recipe as a base for a sweet waffle- omitted the herbs and added 2 tsps of sugar.


Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans
* I didn't puree the dressing, I just added the jalapenos, lime juice and other ingredients
the the roasted veggies & beans
* I used less olive oil than called for, both when roasted the sweet potatoes and when dressing the salad
Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders and Salad with Tangy Maple Dressing
* I have made this multiple times and never fry the tenders in as much oil as it calls for.  I use about 2 Tablespoons of canola oil and cooking spray.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Blackberry, Lemon and Thyme Muffins
* I used half whole wheat flour in this recipe

Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Curried Lentils and Butternut Squash with Kale

I recently went through the 3-ring binders I have been collecting for 8 or 9 years, that are full of recipes. I would go through magazines and tear out recipes I wanted to try or recipes that I printed off the internet. I won't mention how many of these binders I have collected over the years, but needless to say, when I saw them all together, I was more than embarrassed!

I decided to take a few recipes that I had forgotten about and try them. I found this in Parents magazine and it was supposed to be a side dish for Thanksgiving. The link below has the original recipe, which I didn't really follow. The butternut squash was supposed to be cooked along with the lentils, but I like it better roasted in the oven. And I had some kale that needed to be used, so I sauteed that and made it a bed for the lentils and butternut squash!

Here is the inspiration for this recipe, but I did my own thing

Baked Quinoa Patties

I saw this recipe for Baked Quinoa Patties on 101 Cookbooks and wrote it into my meal plan as soon as possible. Our family loves quinoa and this was a fun way to eat it. These patties have kale in them and some herbs which give the nice flecks of green. I love that these are baked in the oven and they still get nice and crispy.

I roasted some broccolini, asparagus, and green beans in the oven also and we had a delicious dinner.

Here is the recipe for Baked Quinoa Patties

Red Lentils, Eggplant and Chickpeas

My eggplant plant is still producing quite a few eggplants. A few weeks ago, I harvested 12 or so in one week and the next week I had about 10. That is a lot of eggplant. Even for someone who really likes it! I had to share some of it with friends, but I used most of it.

This recipe is something similar to what we eat on a regular basis. More often than not, I take a a look at what veggies I have on hand and pick a protein/whole grain to compliment it and then I make up something for dinner. I did kinda use a recipe as a base for this, but, like usual, I didn't really follow it. The result was delicious and very comforting.

Here is the recipe which I use mostly used as an idea to go from, I didn't really follow it
* I didn't use barley- I added bulger when I added the lentils
* I added chopped green peppers with the onion
* I added chopped kale
* I added curry powder
* I added more tomato paste
* I didn't puree it or cook it as long

Hearty Vegetable Stew

It has cooled down a little bit around here the past week or so, and that means it is okay for me to make soup and/or stew more often. My husband doesn't really enjoy either of these, but he really doesn't like them in the heat of summer. Now that it is September, it is officially soup/stew season. Even though it will probably warm back up soon. (Fine with me!) The calendar says September and Fall, so soup and stews are on the menu.

As soon as I saw this stew in Everyday Food Magazine, I knew I would make it. It is easy. It is quick. And it is full of veggies. I loved this even though it was so simple. It had great flavor and my family really liked it too.

Hearty Vegetable Stew
Everyday Food Magazine September 2011

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced medium
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs thyme

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add carrots, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, kale, beans, thyme and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes.

Garbanzo Beans and Greens & Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins

Wow- what a crazy busy couple of days I have had. And tomorrow is my son's b-day, so it is going to continue.

I wanted to share these 2 recipes, even though both of the pictures are horrid. That's what happens sometimes when there is no natural light and you put things in the fridge until the next morning and then try to get a picture! Oh, well. Just trust me when I say that these were both fabulous.

I served the garbanzo bean dish on a weeknight it was delicious. Really easy too.

I served the pork tenderloin a few days after Christmas, when we had company over. Pork loin is an easy one to serve to a crowd and this Barefoot Contessa recipe was wonderfully easy and tasty.

Sorry this is a just a quick post, but I have b-day stuff to organize!



Garbanzo Beans and Greens from Cooking Light Magazine

2 center-cut bacon slices
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
4 lemon wedges (optional)

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon, and crumble. Add 1 cup carrot and chopped onion to drippings in pan, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add 4 cups kale to bean mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occasionally. Ladle about 1 1/4 cups bean mixture into each of 4 bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired

Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins from Ina Garten- The Barefoot Contessa

• 1 lemon, zest grated
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
• Good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  
• Kosher salt
  
• 3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown.

Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.

Fried-Egg-Topped Turkey Burgers with Kale Salad

Sometimes I see a recipe that looks a little bit wierd and interesting at the same time, so I have to try it. This was one of those. I couldn't get over the idea of a fried egg on top of a burger.
The more I think about it, I guess it isn't that strange. Kind of the same idea as a breakfast sandwich with egg and some sort of meat, just switched around a bit.

We don't eat burgers often, but every once in awhile we have some version of a burger and this time they just happened to be topped with a fried egg.
Maybe this is some sort of food fad, but if it is, I have never seen it before.

I changed a few things- like getting rid of the mayo that was on the bread, and switching out the Italian bread for a bun, but mostly we stuck to the recipe. We added romaine to the burgers and my kids even had some ketchup. Eggs and ketchup can go together, right?

The kale salad was the perfect thing to have on the side. Crunchy, raw and slightly tart. Letting the kale marinate in the lemon juice/olive oil softens it a little, but it still keeps lots of crunch.

If you make burgers at home often, this would be a fun way to change it up a little bit and even if you don't, it still makes a great dinner.

Recipe for Fried-Egg-Topped Turkey Burgers with Kale Salad
* I didn't use the mayo to top the burgers
*Instead of Italian bread, we used old-fashioned hamburger buns
* I used 93% lean ground turkey
*I made sure my egg yolks were cooked through, by flipping my eggs over

Midwinter Minestrone

I can't believe that we are snowed in! I really thought when I moved from Utah back to Georgia we were leaving the snow behind, which was just fine with me.
But, the snow started to fall last night and when we woke up this morning, there was a nice blanket of snow on the ground. Luckily, they had already cancelled school, so we got to sleep in.

I have the perfect thing for a cold, snowy day like today-Rachael Ray's Midwinter Minestrone.

This recipe comes from Rachael Ray's new cookbook, Look + Cook. This cookbook contains more photos than her normal cookbooks and showcases some of the steps of the recipe, so you can look and see if you are proceeding with a certain recipe correctly. This particular recipe is also posted on many of Rachael Ray's websites. And it is one that she has made on at least one of her shows.

This was the first recipe I wanted to try from the book because I absolutely love minestrone and love to try different takes on it. It starts out with some cubed pancetta, which I found out a couple weeks ago really gives soup a great flavor. I used about 1/2 of the pancetta called for in the recipe to start off the soup. I used roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes, simply because I had the roasted red peppers in the fridge. I really loved that this soup contains kale, one of my favorite dark greens.

The best thing about minestrone is that it is full of vegetables, but it is also hearty enough to be a complete dinner. We didn't need to have biscuits or breadsticks or anything else with this soup because it contained all the makings of a great dinner in one delicious bowl.


Recipe for Midwinter Minestrone
* I omitted the olive oil since pancetta lends enough oil to start off the soup, in my opinion
* I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes
* I omitted the mushrooms
* I used only 2 oz of chopped pancetta
* I used whole wheat shell pasta

Savory Oats and Kale

Have you ever tried oats in a savory recipe? The first time I tried oats in this way was when I made this Steel-Cut Oat Risotto
and it was amazing.

I made this recipe for Savory Oats and Kale a couple of months ago and I can't remember quite how I came upon the recipe but we absolutely loved it. It has dark greens, which are always a hit- in this case kale and was just a really comforting dish.

I also noticed just a couple days ago in a food magazine that there were a bunch of recipes that used oats in savory ways, so I think the idea must be catching on.

Take a break from your usual morning oatmeal and try oats this way- it is a fun way to mix up your whole grains!

Recipe for Savory Oats and Kale
* this recipe called for oat groats, but I used steel-cut oats since that is what I had on hand
* I didn't have a leek, so doubled the amount of onion called for

Mahi-Mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust & Braised Kale with Cherry Tomatoes

A couple of weeks ago when we were grocery shopping, my daughter wanted to try the "rainbow" fish. She said that because the package that contained the mahi-mahi had a pretty, colorful picture on it. It was on sale, so I decided we could try it.
I love nut-crusted fish andI had already marked this recipe to try in my Mayo Clinic Cookbook. I decided to pair it with the kale because that is what the cookbook suggested.

The fish was delicious and really easy to prepare. My whole family really loved it.
The cooking method for the kale was nothing new to me since I cook dark greens this way all the time. I removed some of the kale from the pan before I added the tomatoes though, since my husband doesn't like tomatoes at all.

Another great healthy dinner. I love the Mayo Clinic cookbook and the great thing is that you can find most of the recipes online at mayoclinic.com.


Recipe for Mahi-mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust


Recipe for Braised Kale with Cherry Tomatoes

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens

When my parents and siblings were here visiting from Utah, we all went to the Georgia Aquarium one day. My sister and her family were also down here, visiting from Washington, D.C., so it was quite a bunch of us checking out all the aquatic life.
It was really fun, but after a long day in Atlanta, we came home and were all a little tired.
I had planned on making this soup when my family was visiting anyway, so this night seemed like the perfect night to make a easy soup that would be ready fairly quickly.

I found green lentils at Earthfare,
(which is where I get all my bulk items like quinoa, lentils, steel-cut oats, bulgur, millet, couscous, specialty flours, dried fruits, nuts, nut butters and also some of my dairy and produce) so, I decided to use them in this soup since that is what Ellie calls for.

We all thought that green lentils tasted about the same as brown lentils, but they held their shape better, which gave them a little bit better texture.
I didn't have enough chicken broth in my pantry, so we also used about 6 cups of water, but it worked out fine. I also added the zest of an entire lemon since I believe that more zest is always a good thing. We probably used more kale than called for too. We just kept on tearing it up and dumping it in the pot without measuring it.

The fresh lemon juice and lemon zest really brightened up this soup and added a little extra something to it.

This soup was the perfect way to finish a long day. We had Kale Chips and Cheese Toast on the side.

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens from So Easy by Ellie Krieger
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
16 ounces green lentils
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups kale leaves, chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 12 cups of broth, lentils, basil, thyme and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale (spinach) and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, and serve.

Kale Chips

I know that everyone gets different cravings.
Some people crave chocolate, some crave sweets. Then there are people who crave salty or spicy.
I have never been one who craves salty foods, but my younger sister would take french fries or potato chips over a chocolate bar, any day.
Not that she eats french fries or potato chips everyday, but Santa used to bring her a big bag of Lays Potato Chips on Christmas day, while my older sister and I would get chocolate covered donuts or something.

The point is, we all crave certain things and there is a solution to solving your salty craving.
If you don't have a salty craving, here is a healthy snack that you will love anyway.

I first tried Kale Chips after reading the Dinner Dairies-Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World. One woman's story about how she tried to change the way her family ate by making their meals more healthy, local, humane, etc.
It is a great book and Betsy Block, the author, includes recipes along with her story. You can see a couple of the other recipes I tried HERE, the same post where I talked about Kale Chips before.

I am telling you right now, there is no way that any one could not like this Kale. It absolutely transforms into something crispy and delicious.
My family plows through it and we have been eating these frequently, from the day I first tried them.
I love kale in lots of other ways, but if you are going to try it for the first time, try it this way.
I pretty much guarantee success.

Kale Chips from The Dinner Diaries, adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven
1 head curly kale
canola oil cooking spray
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (I sometimes preheat to 400 degrees)

Wash and dry the kale and then chop or tear it into medium-size pieces. Spread it out onto a nonstick baking sheet. Spray the kale lightly with oil, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until light and crunchy (check every few minutes and give the pan a little shake to avoid burning.

Craving Ellie in my Belly- Chicken with Mango BBQ Sauce

Today's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe, Chicken with Mango BBQ Sauce, was chosen by Aggie over at Aggie's Kitchen. If you haven't already been to Aggie's blog, you really should go and check it out. She always serves healthy, family friendly meals and her pictures are gorgeous. I am hoping that once we relocate to Georgia, I will get a chance to meet her- she will only be a few hours drive away!
The chicken dish sounded easy enough, but I have to say, I was a little skeptical about the sauce. I love mangoes and BBQ sauce is good too, but together? I wasn't sure.
Then I started sauteing the onion, garlic, and red peppers, with some of the spices, and I knew that we were going to love the sauce.
When I pureed it and added the mango, the smell reminded me of a delicious soup.
Once you get the sauce made, you marinate the chicken for a bit and then pop it under the broiler for a short time. Luckily there is enough sauce that you get to pour more of the delicious stuff on top and you are ready to go.
I had cooked quinoa and rice in the fridge, so I gave the kids their choice and served it over the top. We also had corn on the cob and sauteed kale on the side. It made for a very pretty plate and a delicious dinner. Thanks Aggie for a great pick! I am definitely going to be making this one again.
Go check out the Craving Ellie Blogroll to see what everyone else thought!

Chicken with Mango Barbeque Sauce 2006 Ellie Krieger
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 red pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium tomato sauce
1 mango, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 to 3 jalapenos, minced (I omitted these)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound each)

Directions
Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the red peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and allspice and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice and tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer the mixture into a bender and add the mango and jalapeno. Blend until smooth.
Put 1 cup of the barbeque sauce into a sealable plastic bag with the chicken and marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat the broiler. Put the chicken on a broiler pan and discard the marinade. Broil the chicken on high for about 12 minutes, turning once. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Spoon about 1/2 cup of barbeque sauce over the meat slices and serve.


Up Next- Pan Seared Oatmeal with Warm Fruit Compote

Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

We have a winner! I went to random.org and used their random number generator to chose a number between 1 and 65. The winner was #4-Anna. she said "I truly love all seasons but down in the southern hemisphere we have had a bit of wild hot weather so I am looking forward to Winter this year - slow cooked roasts, steamy soupy laksas on Sunday afternoons, homemade baked beans and pork sausages and Mum's bottled Summer fruits are always beautiful in the winter, warmed and served with hot custard." Congrats Anna and thanks everyone who entered the giveaway!
Now on to the food.
This dinner caught my eye when I was flipping through a magazine at the grocery store. I usually skip to the back of any magazine that I know features recipes and try to see if there is anything worth making. This issue of Family Circle had quite a few healthy meals that looked really great. I have never made a blueberry sauce to accompany meat, so I thought this would be a great recipe to try out on my family.
I was a little suspicious of the blueberry sauce, because it smelled so much like vinegar, but everyone agreed that the sauce and the pork really complimented each other and it tasted delicious.
It called for green beans to roast alongside the pork, but I couldn't find any good looking fresh green beans, so I just substituted Kale and turned it into Kale Chips. I also served sauteed Kale with Bell Peppers on the side, because we just really love Kale around here. Does your family love Kale?
Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce from Family Circle Magazine
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 8 minutes Roast: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1/4 pounds)
2 teaspoons sodium-free chicken grilling blend (such as Mrs. Dash) (I used McCormick grill seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces green beans, ends trimmed (I used kale instead)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Rub pork with chicken seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Roast at 400°F for 25 minutes, until internal temperature registers 155°F.
2. When 10 minutes of cooking time remain, remove pan and spread green beans around pork; drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Stir beans and return pan to oven.
3. Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion 3 minutes. Add blueberries, vinegar, sugar, thyme and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to saucepan; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve pork with sauce.

Up Tomorrow-Barefoot Bloggers- Meringues with Pomegranate Gelato

Curried Lentil Soup

There is absolutely nothing beautiful about this soup, except the way it tastes. I was disappointed by the actual color after I pureed it, but everyone agreed that it tasted fabulous, so it didn't really matter. Plus, it has tons of kale and is super healthy. We love, love kale at our house. I made Kale Chips too, because they are delightful. My kids crunch them up like crazy. I used them as a garnish and also on the side. Perfect for a cold night, which we are still having quite a few of, around here.

Curried Lentil Soup from Family Circle
4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 55 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dried lentils, picked over
4-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bunch (about 3/4 pound) fresh kale, rinsed, tough stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion and carrot, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add tomatoes, lentils, broth, water and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to pot. Bring to a boil, then partially cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. In batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth; return to pot and gently reheat. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, salt and kale. Cook 5 minutes or until kale is wilted and tender. Dollop each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt.

Up Next- Craving Ellie Nutty Granola

Walnut-Crusted Tilapia and Barley Pilaf

My family loves fish, especially tilapia. I saw this healthy recipe in Family Circle magazine and wanted to try it. I love recipes where the fish is coated in nuts and this one topped it off by adding one of my favorite foods-dark greens. The recipe called for Swiss Chard, but it was too expensive, so I substituted Kale. Funny side note- My hubby guessed what greens we were having! I couldn't believe that he correctly identified kale!
This fish was amazing. I was surprise at how much flavor the quick brushing of dijon mustard/fat-free mayo gave this fish, along with the dried basil and walnuts. It was really delicious. We used Tilapia loin filets from Costco, which are thicker then the typical fish filet. I think that added to the tastiness of the fish. I am so glad my kids love fish.
The barley pilaf is a recipe I remember my mom making when I was growing up. I reduced the amount of butter and it brought back some fun memories of being a kid. You can also add cooked chicken to the barley pilaf and turn it into a main dish.
You have got to try this fish- it was really, really good!

Walnut-Crusted Tilapia adapted from Family Circle Magazine
4 servings
Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 15 minutes Cook: 11 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tilapia filets (about 6 ounces each) (I used Tilapia Loin, from Costco)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 bunches kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Stir together mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of the mustard. Finely chop walnuts. Brush tilapia with mustard mixture, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon basil and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Press 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts onto one side of each fillet.
3. Place tilapia, walnut-side up, on baking sheet; bake at 425°F for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes. Stir kale and season with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes and then cover and cook, until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Barley Pilaf
1 1/3 cup regular barley
1 cup shredded carrot
4 oz. sliced mushroom
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbls unsalted butter

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add barley, mushrooms, and shredded carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and Cover. Cook for 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Coming Tomorrow- Cheesecake Bars, 2 ways

Bacon Barley Risotto with Kale

I am sure this happens to everyone. You see a picture or read a recipe and think to yourself " I have to make this right now, today." That is what happened when I saw this ARTICLE in the local newspaper. I am in love with risotto, and also happen to love barley (you might be asking yourself, is there anything I don't love?), plus if you add dark greens and red peppers, man- I am in.

I was going grocery shopping that morning, so I just added a couple of things to my list and made this for lunch.

Have I mentioned how much I love dark greens? They might be my favorite thing, well, besides everything else that is my favorite.

I used real bacon, but reduced it to one piece with the fat removed, because I don't really think you need all that extra grease- a little goes a long way for me.

I also used a little less goat cheese than it called for and 2 bunches of kale. You can always use extra dark, leafy greens, right?

If you don't love the flavor of goat cheese, you might want to reduce it a little more or omit it.

We loved it. The leftovers were delicious too.

And I am so excited for tomorrow's Tuesday's with Dorie post - I got to choose the recipe!

BACON BARLEY RISOTTO WITH KALE from the Associated Press by J.M. Hirsch
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
5 strips bacon, finely chopped (I used 1 strip)
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
11-ounce box quick barley
4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth, divided (I used chicken stock)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 bunch kale, tough stalks discarded, coarsely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4-ounce log goat cheese, crumbled (I used 2-3 ozs)
Arrange several layers of paper towels in a plate, then set near the stove.
In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 6 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the paper towels. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until the onion just begins to soften, about 4 minutes.
Add the barley and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes.
Repeat this process with the remaining 3 cups of broth, adding 1 cup at a time and cooking, stirring often, until absorbed. When the final cup is nearly absorbed, remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside.
In a second large skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the bell peppers and saute until just soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the kale and bacon, then saute until the kale just wilts, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the kale mixture to a serving platter, or divide it between 6 serving plates.
Uncover the barley and stir in the goat cheese. If needed, season with salt and pepper. Mound the barley risotto over the kale mixture. Serve immediately.

Coming Tomorrow- MY Pick for Tuesday's With Dorie- Fresh Berry Cake!

Chicken N Dumplings, Fried Okra, Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms, and Kale Chips

The other night we had some dinner guests. One was from Georgia and the other was from Texas. My husband who is also from Georgia, decided we should have Chicken N Dumplings and Fried Okra. He wanted to treat these boys to some southern food and from the way they devoured it and from what they said- it had been awhile. I already posted the super easy Chicken N Dumplings recipe that my very good friend Miss Betsy showed me how to make, about a month before we moved from Georgia. They are my husband's favorite and so, I have been making them every couple of months. The recipe can be found HERE. I also decided to make Kale Chips, which I blogged about a couple months ago. I could eat those all day, salty and crispy- HERE is the recipe. We also had fried okra (It disappeared quickly) and I served up some Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms -HEREand HERE are a couple of variations of this recipe that I have previously posted. The Chicken N Dumplings don't really take a good picture, but if you are familiar with them, you will appreciate their appearance. I know my hubby does! We finished the whole meal with Banana Pudding Pie, a twist on a Southern favorite. Check it out, above! Did I mention we had some very happy dinner guests??!!

Fried Okra from Emeril

1 pound okra

Buttermilk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

Essence, recipe follows

Oil, for frying

Salt and pepper
With a sharp knife, slice the okra into 1-inch slices. Season the okra with salt and pepper. Marinate the okra in buttermilk. Marinate for 30 minutes and drain. Place 1 quart of oil in a saucepan. Heat the oil. In a shallow dish, mix the flour and cornmeal together. Season the flour with Essence. Dredge the okra in the seasoned flour/cornmeal mixture, coating the okra completely. Fry the okra in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Fry the okra in batches. Remove the okra from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper.
Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly

Tilapia Fish Sticks, Millet Pilaf, and Kale Chips

I have been reading lots of books about how to make your kids healthy lunches, how to feed your family better dinners, and books on eating locally and learning more about where our food comes from. All 3 of these recipes came from The Dinner Diaries: Raising Whole Wheat Kids in a White Bread World by Besty Block, check out here website HERE. She wrote about her experiences of trying to feed her family more healthily. Luckily, for me, my kids and husband love fish, so this was just a fun way to serve it. I finally used the last of that huge box of tilapia from the freezer, so the next fish recipe will be a different kind of fish. The kids loved these fish sticks and I felt good about serving them.
The millet was delicious as well. I had to drive 40 minutes to find it at a health food store, but it as cheap. I thought I had died and gone to heaven in that store. I was surrounded by quinoa, red lentils, couscous, blue cornmeal, etc. Keep an eye out for a fabulous red lentil soup coming up soon. I threw some fresh green beans into the pilaf just because I had them and they needed to be used.
Now, the Kale. This might just be the most delicious veggie ever. Spraying the kale with cooking spray and sprinkling it with salt and pepper and then letting it get crispy in the oven. I let it get really crispy and lucky I had bought 2 bunches of kale, because this was gone in a flash! I don't really like potato chips, but that is how crunchy it was and kinda salty, yum! I am going to make it once a week, just because that is how much I like it!




Crunchy Oven Baked Fish Sticks from The Dinner Dairies by Betsy Block, adapted from a KidSafe Seafood website recipe by Sara Moulton
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup low-fat milk
dipping sauce (recipe follows)


Preheat oven to 425 F.
Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow bowl and mix well. Put milk in a second shallow bowl, and panko crumbs in a third.

Cut the fillets into strips or fingers, then rinse them under cold water. Dry with a paper towel and dip each piece in the flour mixture to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Next, dip the pieces in the milk, and then in the breadcrumbs, coating well.
Arrange fish on cooking sheet in a single layer. Bake on the middle shelf of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them halfway through. Season with salt and serve with dipping sauce.


Dipping Sauce
Makes about ½ cup
¼ cup fat free mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbs finely chopped dill pickle
1 tsp pickle juice
½ tsp fresh lemon juice


Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add salt to taste



Millet Pilaf taken from The Dinner Diaries, adapted from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

1 Tbls olive oil

1 cup minced onions

1 cup hulled millet

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed

kernels from 2 ears of corn or 1 1/3 cup frozen

1 cup fresh green beans

1 tsp grated orange rind

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

2 Tbls chopped chives or scallions



In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the millet, coriander, and cardamom, and saute for another minute or two, stirring constantly. Add the salt, pepper, and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat; then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the corn, green beans, and orange rind. Stir well, cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Stir the tomatoes into the millet. Taste for seasoning and then spoon onto plates. Garnish with chives or scallions.



Kale Chips from The Dinner Diaries, adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven

1 head curly kale

canola oil cooking spray

salt and pepper



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and dry the kale and then chop or tear it into medium-size pieces. Spread it out onto a nonstick baking sheet. Spray the kale lightly with oil, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until light and crunchy (check every few minutes and give the pan a little shake to avoid burning.