Try Something New!

The end of summer always comes with changes, including weather and schedules.

This week, we will provide a few recipes to also change up your meal plan!

Some change is good!

Potato and Zucchini Frittata

Level: Easy

Total: 50 min.

Prep: 20 min.

Cook: 30 min.

Servings: 4

1 sm. russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 lg. eggs

2 egg whites

2 T. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. hot sauce

1 T. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 sm. onion, finely chopped

1 sm. zucchini (about 6 ounces), grated and squeezed dry in clean kitchen towel

1/2 C. queso fresco

2 strips cooked crumbled turkey bacon, optional

Bring the potatoes with enough cold water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, over medium-high heat, until the potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes; drain and pat dry.

Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, cilantro, salt, and hot sauce in a large bowl.

Preheat the oven broiler to medium-high.

Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 2 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until tender, about 6 minutes more. Add the cooked potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown slightly, about 4 minutes more.

Evenly pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture. Cook, over medium heat, tilting the pan and lifting the edges with a rubber spatula to let the uncooked egg flow underneath. Sprinkle with the cheese and the bacon, if using. Broil, 5 to 7 inches from the heat, until the eggs puff and are just set and the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove carefully to a plate, or serve in wedges directly from the skillet.

Healthy Carrot Muffins

Servings: 12

1-3/4 C. white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 C. peeled and grated carrots

1/2 C. roughly chopped walnuts

1/2 C. golden raisins, tossed in 1 tsp. flour

1/3 C. melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 C. maple syrup or honey

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 C. plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 T. turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 425° F. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon/cardamom, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well with a whisk. In a separate, small bowl, toss the raisins with 1 tsp. flour so they don’t stick together. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and floured raisins to the other ingredients and stir to combine.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup/honey and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.  

Chicken and Asian Slaw

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Servings: 4

2 C. cubed fresh pineapple

2 C. sliced bok choy

2 C. shredded red cabbage

1/3 C. plus 1/4 C. sesame ginger salad dressing, divided

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)

Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, combine pineapple, bok choy, cabbage and 1/3 C. salad dressing; toss to coat.

Place chicken in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Brush both sides of chicken with remaining salad dressing. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°.

Divide slaw among four bowls. Slice chicken; arrange over slaw. Serve immediately.

Green Beans with Tomatoes

Total Time; 1 hr. 5 min.

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cook Time: 45 min.

Servings: 10

5 slices bacon

1 whole onion (medium)

4 cans (14.5 oz.) whole green beans (or 1 to 2 lbs. fresh)

2 cans (14.5 oz.) whole tomatoes

cayenne pepper to taste

Slice the bacon up into 1 inch pieces and start cooking them in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Keep cooking until bacon turns brown. Meanwhile, dice 1 medium onion. When the bacon is beginning to brown, drain some of the fat and then add the onions. Cook, stirring now and then, until bacon and onions are both turning a nice golden.

Drain the green beans and add them right into the pan with the bacon and the onions. Next, throw in the two cans of whole tomatoes with their juice. Stir around gently and then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 45 minutes.

When they are finished cooking add cayenne pepper to taste up to about 1/4 of a teaspoon for a hotter dish. Stir gently and serve!

Shoestring Carrot Fries

Level: Intermediate

Total: 20 min.

Active: 20 min.

Servings: 2-4

2 C. canola oil

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

One (10-oz.) bag shredded carrots 

Kosher salt 

2 T. finely chopped fresh mint 

2 tsp. orange zest 

Put the oil in a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 325°F. Line a plate with paper towels and put it next to the pot. Add the vinegar to a 3-oz. travel spray bottle and set aside.

Line another plate with paper towels, put the carrots on the plate and pat with additional paper towels to dry thoroughly. This will prevent the oil from splattering when the carrots are added.

Working in batches, fry the carrots until light brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate.

Season the carrot fries with salt, sprinkle over the mint and orange zest and spray with a couple of spritzes of cider vinegar.

Spicy Creamed Corn Crumble

Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr. 15 min. 

(includes resting time)

Active: 25 min

Servings: 6

3 T. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish

6 to 8 ears of corn, kernels removed (about 4 C.) and juices scraped from the cobs and reserved 

1-1/2 C. heavy cream

1/4 C. chopped pickled jalapenos

1 T. sauce from canned chipotle in adobo

1/2 C. roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Kosher salt

1 C. crushed tortilla chips

1/3 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 C. crumbled Cotija cheese (about 2 1/4 oz.)

Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Toss the corn kernels with their juices and heavy cream together in a large bowl and mix to combine. Transfer 1 cup of the corn mixture to a food processor and puree until very smooth, then add back to the bowl. Fold in the jalapenos, chipotle sauce, 1/4 C. cilantro, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Spread the corn mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Mix the crushed tortilla chips, flour, sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and toss together with a fork until clumps start to form. Sprinkle evenly over the corn filling.

Bake until the top is light golden brown and the corn filling is bubbling up the sides, 35 to 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the Cotija and remaining 1/4 C.  cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Apple Dumpling Bake

Prep: 15 min. 

Bake: 35 min.

Servings: 8

2 med. Granny Smith apples

2 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 C. sugar

1/3 C. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 C. Mountain Dew soda

Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Peel, core and cut each apple into 8 wedges. Unroll both tubes of crescent dough; separate each into 8 triangles. Wrap a triangle around each wedge. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish.

In a bowl, mix sugar, butter and cinnamon until blended; sprinkle over dumplings. Slowly pour soda around the rolls (do not stir).

Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and apples are tender, 35-40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookie

Servings: 24

1 pouch (17.5 oz) sugar cookie mix

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 egg

1 C. finely crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

1-1/2 C. coarsely crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Combine the sugar cookie mix and finely crushed cereal in a large mixing bowl.

Be sure to mix well! 

Add in butter and egg and mix them together to form a cookie dough.

Using a 2 T. portion cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into cookie balls. Roll each cookie ball in the coarsely crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and place it onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake your Cinnamon Toast Crunch cookies for 12 minutes. Remove them from oven and let them stand for 2 minutes on a baking sheet.

Then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. 

Quote of the Week:

“Courage is found in unlikely places.”

~ J. R. R. Tolkien