Super Veggie Sauce

When I first introduced solid food to Molly, I was obsessed with getting enough vegetables into her diet. Along the way I discovered a recipe for a veggie sauce which was packed full of healthy foods. Over the years, Molly has stopped eating it but I crave it and have continued making it for myself. I realized that I've never shared this amazing sauce and am rectifying that today. I usually serve this with pasta but it is also tasty over chicken or in a lasagna dish instead of the traditional bolognese sauce. If making this for a toddler palate, I'd leave out the salt. Adults will need more salt. Also this sauce cook be mixed with a more traditional spaghetti sauce to "sneak" vegetables into your family's diet if you so desire. The sauce on its own isn't very red so mixing with a tomato sauce will give you a richer red color. And lastly, this sauce is can be easily adjusted to most vegetables.

Super Veggie Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup chopped white mushrooms
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 tbsp. torn fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste
3-4 tbsp. mascarpone cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms  and kale. Saute for 2 more minutes. 
2. Add in fresh tomatoes and butter. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in the can of tomatoes with about half of the juice along with vegetable stock and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 more minutes. 
3. Once the vegetables are all tender, puree in a blender until smooth. Stir in mascarpone cheese if desired for a slightly creamier sauce. 

Kale Leek Quiche

I'm a huge quiche fan. It's an easy dish that uses up all the eggs my backyard chickens lay and is easily made ahead of time so I can enjoy it for lunch throughout the week. While I do enjoy a handmade quiche crust, I also love the time-saving measure of using a pre-made pie crust. I created this particular quiche after receiving some beautiful leeks and kale in my organic produce box. I knew they would be delicious together in an egg dish. Enjoy this quiche at your Mother's Day celebration. Mom will thank you! 

Kale Leek Quiche



by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes






Ingredients (8 servings)

1 Pre-Made Crust
5 oz lardons bacon, chopped
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup sliced kale
1/2 cup grated parmesan
4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper




Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place pre-made pie crust in quiche pan.

Fry up bacon and add leeks and kale. Cook until wilted.

Sprinkle bacon, leeks and kale over crust. Spread parmesan cheese on top.

Lightly beat eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl with heavy cream, salt and pepper. Pour over bacon, leeks, kale and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until filling is golden brown. Allow it sit for 10 minutes before serving.


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Take Back Our Lunch Apples! Apple Granola Peanut Butter Wraps and Opal Apples

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Opal® apples 

but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

While Molly has been at preschool, I've been lucky enough to have her lunches and snacks covered but with kindergarten starting in the fall, my thoughts have been turning to school lunches. I do my best to provide my kids with healthy, whole food and thinking about packing lunches has slightly stressed me out. I worry about food getting squished and apples turning brown. 

I was excited to learn about Opal® Apples which are Non-GMO Project verified.  These naturally non-browning apples are perfect for the school lunchbox. This means I can cut apples for Molly's lunch without worrying about them browning by lunchtime. Another exciting feature about Opal® Apples is that they are grown in Washington State exclusively by Broetje and Congdon Orchards.

Opal® apples have a beautiful appearance with a crunchy texture and sweet, tangy flavor which pairs well with peanut butter and sweet, crunchy granola! I created these delicious wraps that we've been eating with gusto at lunch and breakfast. I'm definitely adding these to my school lunch recipe file though I'll probably substitute the peanut butter for sun butter and make sure the granola is nut-free. Until then, we'll consume the apples and peanut butter with glee! 

I picked up nearly a case of these apples on my monthly Costco run and we've been eating them like mad. I've been putting the apples, thinly sliced, in our snack bags when we leave the house in the morning. I love that they are still nice and fresh without a tinge of brown when we finally dig into them hours later. 

I'll stop going on about these awesome apples and leave you with an equally awesome lunch wrap. Add dried fruit or chia seeds for extra flavor or mix up the nut butters and granolas but never leave off the Opal® apples. 

Apple Granola Peanut Butter Wraps



by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 5 minutes




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Ingredients (2 wraps)

Two 10-inch Whole Wheat Tortillas
¼ cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
⅓ cup thinly sliced Opal apples
2 tablespoons granola




Instructions

Take your tortillas and spread each evenly with peanut butter.

Lay thinly sliced Opal apples  evenly, lengthwise, down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with granola.

Beginning at one long side, roll the tortillas up.

Cut in half and serve. If serving later, wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator until serving or packing in lunch boxes.


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Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Opal® apples 
but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Drumsticks

Sports season is here! OK for some people, sports season started in September but at my house, we're not big sports people, except when our local home team (Go Hawks!) starts looking like they might be headed to the Super Bowl. Then my husband starts watching parts of a football game and soon, he's watching the entire game and shushing the kids. After awhile, I begin to wonder what the fuss is and there you go, Sports Season is here! What I never forget about is sports food which I dearly love. I, especially love chicken drumsticks so when I was at Target last week with Maggie, using my Cartwheel app which I'm seriously addicted to and noticed that I could get 5% off Jif and Smucker's products, a lightbulb went off in my head. 

Maggie and I spent a lot of time last week getting the family back into the groove after the holidays and she was more than happy to accompany me to Target while her sister was at school. 

We loaded up the cart with Jif and Smucker's products along with some other essentials. We may have headed to Target twice last week which thrilled Molly since she got to accompany me on our second trip. 

I don't shop in many stores in person but Target is my one true love and now that I've discovered the Cartwheel app, it's almost as if they recognized our mutual affection for each other. But I digress, I was in the peanut butter and jelly aisle where I believe most of our family's food budget goes when my handy app let me know that I could save 5% on Jif and Smucker's products. I may have swooped a few right into my basket while Maggie was grabbing for some bread. Then I remembered sports season and its entry into my home and my love of sports food. I decided right then and there to attempt combining some of my family's favorite flavors with sports food and I came up with the best sports food ever. 

Oh yes, I made Peanut Butter and Jelly Drumsticks and oh they are so good! The kids swear they taste just like a PB&J while I think they taste better. 

PB&J Drumsticks from Rebecca Burgess on Vimeo.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Drumsticks

by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 1 hour +

Cook Time: 50 minutes




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Ingredients (12 drumsticks)


10 ounces  Smucker's Squeeze Grape Jelly
1/2 cup Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 chicken drumsticks
Cilantro for garnish




Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the Smucker's Squeeze Grape Jelly, Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, red wine vinegar, hot pepper sauce and salt to make the marinade.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade and set aside.

Place the chicken drumsticks in a ziplock bag along with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the drumsticks on a greased broiler pan or a greased rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn over each piece and baste with more sauce from the marinade bag (not the reserved sauce). Bake for another 20 minutes or until browned.

Once the chicken is finished baking, baste with the reserved sauce. Serve with cilantro as a garnish.



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Don't forget to visit the Target Cartwheel landing page to save when purchasing your Smucker’s and Jif products.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This past weekend, I picked up a 40 lb box of winter squash. I started dreaming of all the dishes I could make with the squash. I have squash bread, squash soup and squash muffins on the list but I knew I wanted to start with my favorite way to serve squash, Stuffed Squash. I am a true squash lover even if the rest of my family is not.

Last night I decided to make something to convince them that squash is the best food. I took two acorn squash and stuffed them with sausage, onions, apples, mushrooms and dried tart cherries. The filling reminded me of a good stuffing without the bread which means this is a great dish for those who are gluten-free or doing a Whole30 (leave out the cheese if you are Whole30ing). 

I wish I could report back that the family gobbled up the squash and said I had convinced them but their distain for squash runs deep. They did however love the stuffing and asked for more. The chickens loved the left-over squash and I loved the entire package. If you have a deep love for squash, this is the dish for you! 

Stuffed Acorn Squash



by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes




6080030



Ingredients (4 servings)

2 large acorn squash
1 large onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
14 oz sweet Italian chicken sausage
4 oz chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
6 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste




Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray the cut sides of the squash with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place face down on a large baking sheet. Bake until tender and browned on the edges, about 40 minutes.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil before adding onion and cooking over medium heat until brown, about 10-15 minutes. Remove onion and place aside.

Place sausage in saute pan and brown before adding cooked onion, apple, mushrooms and dried cherries and cooking over medium low heat for about 10 minutes.

Once the squash is cooked, fill them with the sausage mixture. Make cure to pack the filling in tight. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10 additional minutes until the cheese is melted and the squash are golden.


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Overnight Oats

I'm always on the look out for an easy but protein packed breakfast that can keep me full for hours. A few weeks ago, a Twitter friend introduced me to her version of Overnight Oats and they are amazing! 

The best part is you can make a batch on Sunday for most of the week and feel virtuous as you eat your healthy, protein-packed breakfast! Also, you don't really have a good Lifestyle blog until you share an Overnight Oats recipe! 

OvernightOats from Rebecca Burgess on Vimeo.

I made a short video of the process of making overnight oats because I love the simplicity of it. 

I like to sub the chai seeds for the Super Seed and Ancient Grain Blend Trader Joe's and have found that while whole rolled oats are delicious, the Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Muesli is also delicious. 

Overnight Oats

by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 minutes

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Ingredients (1 jar of Oats)

• 1/4 cup oats
• 2 Tablespoons PB2 or Jif Peanut Powder
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 teaspoons chia seeds
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk (almond, cow or rice work well)
• 1 Tablespoon jam

Instructions

Layer ingredients into a nice sized jar and stir before leaving in the fridge overnight. You can make up these up to three days before you eat them.

You can eat these cold or hot. Just pop them in the microwave for a minute or two to consume warm.

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One Sheet Chicken Roasted Vegetable Fall Dinner

Fall is definitely in the air as we continue to find our new routine. The girls started ballet class tonight and it was a whirlwind of energy at the studio. Molly's class is a comfortable size while Maggie's is insanely full. After walking back from class (which always takes forever even though it is 6 blocks), I put together a One Sheet Chicken Roasted Vegetable Fall Dinner that I have to share with you. I have been refocusing on the family meal and this one brought us right back to The New Comfort Food using Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken thighs and delicious roasted veggies. I may have especially liked that this dish used one pan to cook. My definition of The New Comfort Food - A modern interpretation of a classic comfort food dish, implying “comfort,” but with a modern, healthy twist. It’s about balance rather than indulgence.

I also love that I can serve my family Foster Farms Simply Raised fresh chicken which is locally grown in California and the Pacific Northwest with no antibiotics ever. It’s fresh, all natural chicken that is American Humane Certified and fed a 100% vegetarian diet, without any added hormones or steroids. Foster Farms has been family-owned since its founding 1939, Foster Farms has been committed to producing only the highest-quality poultry for you and your family.

It’s also local, partnering with local family farms in the Pacific Northwest (depending on consumer location) so you can be rest assured the chicken you’re buying is delivered fresh within 48 hours or less.

I'm excited to get back to making healthy comfort food for my family and sharing it with all of you. This Foster Farms chicken recipe is so good and I'm positive I'll see many of you making it later this week. Remember to check out The New Comfort Food and find some other great recipes on Foster Farm's site. Foster Farms is also offering a $1.00 off coupon to ReeBeckiSupergirl Readers! 

One Sheet Chicken Roasted Vegetable Fall Dinner

by Rebecca Mongrain

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes




6079651



Ingredients (4-5 servings)

4  (6 - 7 oz) bone-in, skin on Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken thighs
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp each minced fresh thyme, sage and rosemary, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 lb new potatoes, cut into halves
1 lb Brussels sprouts, sliced into halves
2 apples, cored and sliced into half moons about 3/4-inch thick
2 parsnips
6 carrots, cut into half-moon shapes
5 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces




Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine  2 Tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and herbs into a gallon size resealable bag, add chicken, season with salt and pepper before sealing the bag and massaging the oil mixture over the chicken. Set aside to rest.

Prepare vegetables. Then place sweet potato, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, apples, parsnips and carrots large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the vegetables and evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place chicken into the vegetable mixture and pour the liquid from the bag onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle bacon evenly over mixture.

Roast in preheated oven until chicken and veggies are golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with more herbs and serve immediately.


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Back to the Routine

 

Summer was a blast! We had a great summer, jam packed full of sun, fun and lots of trips. Last week when the weather abruptly changed to fall, I got excited. Not because the rains started or because the sun went away but because the start of school was near!



Molly has been going to school all summer but it had a different feel, a camp-like feel. And Maggie has been home with me all summer except for a few hours on Thursday mornings when she went to daycare.



But tomorrow morning, both girls will be in school! Maggie will be going three mornings a week while Molly will go two long days and two short days. I'm excited for their year of preschool and all the growth that will come with it BUT I'm really excited about having three mornings a week to myself. I'll hopefully fill them with paid work but I'm also looking forward to getting a few long neglected things taken care of around the house and maybe doing a few things for myself.

I started getting back into the routine last week. I finalized my monthly meal plan which had fallen by the wayside. I marked my planner with house deep cleaning plans. I finalized all the things the girls needed to start school from new rain boots to coats and their first day of school outfits.



Tonight as we slid back into our school routine, we refocused on the family meal and getting back to The New Comfort Food. I made one of our favorite dishes inspired by Family Fresh Meals - Cool Ranch Chicken Tostadas. Molly loves what she calls, Pass Meals where I set all the ingredients on the table and we pass the food around. It doesn't always work to do meals this way so when I do, she gets super excited. Taco Tuesday is always a "Pass Meal".



I love this recipe because it is so easy. You literally take 4 chicken breasts (or thighs as I prefer), 1 packet of taco seasoning, 1 packet of ranch dressing mix and 20 oz of chicken broth. Toss them in the slow cooker and walk away for 5 hours. If you want to make this quicker, bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan. Coat the chicken in the taco seasoning and the ranch dressing mix. Add to the broth and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred before serving with all the taco fixins'. My family loves the taste and I love that I can sneak extra veggies onto their plates under the guise of chicken tacos.

This is my definition of The New Comfort Food - A modern interpretation of a classic comfort food dish, implying “comfort,” but with a modern, healthy twist. It’s about balance rather than indulgence.

I also love that I can serve my family Foster Farms Simply Raised fresh chicken which is locally grown in California and the Pacific Northwest with no antibiotics ever. It’s fresh, all natural chicken that is American Humane Certified and fed a 100% vegetarian diet, without any added hormones or steroids. Foster Farms has been family-owned since its founding 1939, Foster Farms has been committed to producing only the highest-quality poultry for you and your family.

It’s also local, partnering with local family farms in the Pacific Northwest (depending on consumer location) so you can be rest assured the chicken you’re buying is delivered fresh within 48 hours or less.

I'm excited to get back to making healthy comfort food for my family and sharing it with all of you. I'll have a delicious and original Foster Farms chicken recipe for you early next week. Let me know if you have any requests! Until then, check out The New Comfort Food and some great recipes on Foster Farm's site.

Foster Farms is offering a $1.00 off coupon to ReeBeckiSupergirl Readers! I hope you can use it for some delicious chicken.

Tasteful Selections Mexican Potato Nachos

Nachos are a family favorite around here. We tend to use the classic tortilla chip but when I decided to try them with potatoes, there was happiness at the dinner table. Molly who has lately been telling me that all my cooking is terrible, told me that I had made the best dinner in a long time. If that ain't high praise, then I don't know what is. I found the Mexican Potato Nachos to be quite filling and so good! 

The Tasteful Selections potatoes are perfect for this dish since they are all the same size. I used the sunrise medley potatoes which come in purple, white and red potato varieties. I loved the extra boost of color they provided to the dish. I've previously showcased Tasteful Selection potatoes in my Pesto Potato Salad recipe and my Potato Quinoa Chickpea Patties recipe. 

Mexican Potato Nachos

Serves 6 - 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

24 ounces of Tasteful Selections Potatoes, 1-bite potatoes

1 Tablespoon cumin

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

1 can (12 oz) black beans

1 can (2.25 oz) sliced olives

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup corn

12 oz Chorizo

2 cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

½ cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

½ cup sour cream

1 avocado, sliced

Directions

1. Cut each Tasteful Selections Potato in half, sprinkle with cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Place in a cast iron fry pan or on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are roasting, cook the chorizo in a fry pan on the stove over medium heat.
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and begin assembling your nachos. Top the roasted potatoes with chorizo, black beans, olives, tomatoes, corn, Monterey Jack cheese and queso fresco cheese.
4. Turn the broiler on to high and place the nachos under the broiler until the cheese melts and starts to bubble.
5. Finish the nachos by topping with sour cream and sliced avocados.

You can find Tasteful Selection potatoes at your local grocery store. Use the store locator to find a store near you. Also follow Tasteful Selections on Facebook for even more fantastic recipes and tips.

With all the amazing time saving tips and recipes that Tasteful Selections has to offer, there may just be one thing that will really save you time–an updated kitchen! Enter to win the #RescuedMoments Sweepstakes for your chance to win a kitchen makeover that is sure to Rescue your Moments. http://www.tastefulselections.com/rescuedmoments/

Disclosure: This is post is proudly sponsored by Tasteful Selections. I have been paid for this post and given free product in exchange for my recipe and thoughts. All opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!

Tasteful Selections Potato Quinoa Chickpea Patties

We recently went on vacation and I had the most amazing veggie patties for lunch, two days in a row at Pelican Brewery. This recipe is my attempt to recreate that meal while packing it full of nutritional goodness. The Tasteful Selections potatoes provide a great creamy base for this versatile, vegetarian patty. I've previously showcased Tasteful Selection potatoes in my Pesto Potato Salad recipe. 

Potato Quinoa Chickpea Patties



by Rebecca Mongrain






Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes





Ingredients (6 servings)


Potato Patty Ingredients


24 ounces of Tasteful Selections Potatoes, 1-bite potatoes 
½ cup dry quinoa 
1 cup water 
1 16-oz can of Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed 
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped 
2 garlic cloves, pressed 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
2 eggs 
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated 
¾ cup flour 
Salt and Pepper to taste 
Salad mix




Dressing ingredients

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 
3 Tbsp. champagne vinegar 
½ tsp. fine sea salt 
5 Tbsp. olive oil







Instructions


Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, until fork tender. Let cool.
Prepare the quinoa: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan before adding the quinoa and reducing the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
Combine the potatoes, garbanzo beans, rosemary, garlic, cumin, eggs and parmesan cheese in the food processor. Process until smooth.
Fold in the cooked quinoa and flour. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Heat up a griddle or a fry pan.
Using a cookie batter scoop, scoop out the potato batter and cook for approximately 4 minutes each side, until golden brown.
Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking.
Assemble the salad mix and top with the potato patties. Drizzle dressing over the top and serve warm.






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You can find Tasteful Selection potatoes at your local grocery store. Use the store locator to find a store near you. Also follow Tasteful Selections on Facebook for even more fantastic recipes and tips.

With all the amazing time saving tips and recipes that Tasteful Selections has to offer, there may just be one thing that will really save you time–an updated kitchen! Enter to win the #RescuedMoments Sweepstakes for your chance to win a kitchen makeover that is sure to Rescue your Moments. http://www.tastefulselections.com/rescuedmoments/

Disclosure: This is post is proudly sponsored by Tasteful Selections. I have been paid for this post and given free product in exchange for my recipe and thoughts. All opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!