Meatless Monday: Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots over Quinoa and Spinach

The storm's-a-comin' as I write this: the winds outside are picking up and the rain is just starting to come down. We are all ready with a stocked kitchen, extra filtered water, and plenty of candles at hand. We don't know just how bad Sandy's going to be, but we will be cozy :)

I was craving fresh vegetables after 3 days in a row of eating a less than stellar intake. Turkey loaf with Rice-a-Roni one night, carnival fare at the pumpkin patch for lunch on Saturday, then lasagna with tiramisu for dessert- I needed vegetarian pronto! And beets were on my mind...I picked up a bunch at my last trip to the supermarket, and roasted them along with some carrots in a sweet and slightly sour marinade...

Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots
(serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

3-4 beets
4-6 carrots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest + extra
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Set oven to broil. Slice off tops and bottoms of beets, then peel with a peeler. Wrap in tin foil, and place on baking sheet, then into oven like in picture below. Broil for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until they are easily pierce-able by a fork.

Meanwhile, trim and peel carrots then cut into thirds and quarters, or however you'd like. Reserve them for the last 20 minutes of roasting; at the appropriate time, arrange them on tray beside beets.

Once ready, remove beets and carrots from oven and allow to cool. While they're cooling, heat balsamic vinegar and orange juice over low heat in small saucepan. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Slice beets up like an orange into sections, or however you prefer. Toss veggies in bowl and some salt and pepper to taste if desired.

We ate this served over quinoa and fresh baby spinach, along with some orange slices and extra orange juice squirted right onto it all. It was delicious and refreshing, just what I was craving. Paul and Lily enjoyed it as well. This is a great way to introduce these kinds of healthy foods to your family. The veggies are extra sweet with this marinade, and it all mixes well with the spinach and quinoa. I cooked 1 cup of quinoa according to the package, along with a tsp of olive oil. 

she likes her beets!

Balsamic vinegar is my most often-used salad dressing. I like to mix it with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper. Did you know this low-fat, low-cal condiment also contains some health benefits? It is high in antioxidants, aids the digestive system in breaking down proteins, and also helps to regulate blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for those with diabetes.

If you have little ones under a year old, serve some of the carrots and beets mashed up plain, or with a little orange juice if desired. This is truly a meal the entire family can enjoy, whether you partake in Meatless Mondays or not.   

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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Sweet Saturday #5: Puckered Papaya Smoothie

First of all, I just wanted to share this picture of my perfect breakfast that I took this morning:

I thought it just looked too pretty not to share :) 

Now, enjoy this:

 
Puckered Papaya Smoothie
serves 2-4

1 cup chopped papaya
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup orange-pineapple juice
1/2 cup almond coconut milk
1 tsp honey
Juice of half a lime
Lime wedges for garnish

Put all ingredients except for the lime wedges into blender. Blend or puree until smooth. Serve in glasses with lime wedges. Tip: rub the lime wedge along the rim of the glass to get that puckered lime taste each sip!

Boosts you can add:

• aloe vera juice
• hemp seed powder
• coconut oil
• protein powder
• super greens powder
• ginger

Add about 1 tsp each per serving for maximum benefit!

The whole fam will love it! Make a big batch and share it at a party or gathering. This would be a hit at your Memorial Day weekend BBQ!  


I just love papaya, and I certainly don't eat it enough. They are technically in season June-September, but Paul came across this yummy smoothie recipe and I just couldn't wait! Besides being positively delicious, papayas are full of so much healthy goodness. They have high amounts of vitamin c, vitamin a, folate and potassium. They protect against heart disease and aid in immune support and digestion. 
They have also been found to prevent macular degeneration (primary cause of vision loss in older adults) and when combined with green tea, papaya can protect against prostate cancer! Papaya is considered by many to be a super food.

Now it's your turn to share something sweet with the return of Sweet Saturday Link Party! Link up a sweet treat, a sweet post, a sweet photo, a sweet Etsy shop or Facebook page- whatever you want! Just remember to follow your hostess and, if you'd like to, share the link on your page or blog with the button below. Whoever's link gets the most visits will be offered to co-host next week!
 

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Have fun and share as much as you'd like! Have a great weekend!


Oooohhh, I almost forgot- I FINALLY joined Pinterest, so be sure to follow me and/or pin this sweet little recipe. I'm new to it, so feel free to "show me the ropes" ;)

 

Sesame-Orange Chicken or Tofu/be-lated Meatless monday post

So I missed my Meatless Monday post this week…can I blame it on too much Mother’s Day fun and excitement?

It’s kind of the truth, honestly. I had a very busy and tiring weekend, then on Monday I was still recuperating since Lily woke up twice Sunday night then got up at 7:30 am (an hour earlier than usual) when Mommy wasn’t quite ready to greet the sun yet. I basically took it easy yesterday and dealt with her teething crankiness (hence the waking up at night) as it came, but luckily I got a better-than-good night’s sleep last night.

And, I made this really tasty, low-fat Asian-inspired dish last night that could be easily made with or without meat. It contains vitamin-infused sesame, a variety of yummy vegetables, and a tangy sauce loaded with vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin C, manganese, amino acids and raw soybeans which I explained the benefits of in my last post. So, read on and try it out!

Orange-Sesame Chicken or Tofu

(adapted from Prevention magazine)

Ingredients:

¾ cup OJ

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce (reduced-sodium suggested)

1 tbsp honey or brown sugar or 1/2 tbsp agave syrup

2 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 lb thinly sliced boneless and skinless chicken breast or 1 14 oz pack of tofu, drained and cut into strips or triangles (or cubes if you prefer)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger or 1 ½ tbsp powdered ginger

1 tsp red pepper flake

3-4 ribs celery thinly sliced

3-4 carrots thinly sliced

1 cup peas or soybeans

1 cup sugar snap peas

Approximately 2 tbsp sesame seeds, preferably toasted

Whisk the OJ, cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey (or sugar or agave) and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth, then set aside. Heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat then add the chicken or tofu, garlic, ginger and pepper flake until chicken is slightly browned. Once chicken is browned, add peas (or soybeans) and snap peas to the pan.

Meanwhile, cook the carrots and celery in about 1 inch of water on medium-low heat in a separate pan until they are tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Once they’re ready, drain and add to the pan with chicken plus remaining sesame oil. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring a little, then add the sauce and cook for about 2-3 minutes more, stirring every so often to keep the sauce from settling. Serve with sesame seed sprinkled on top.

I had it the other night with a fresh green salad with mesculin from my garden (!), but it would also be really good over brown rice or noodles.

For baby:

2-3 tbsp pureed carrots or peas

For tots:

¼-½ cup steamed peas, carrots and/or soybeans

¼ cup brown rice or chopped noodles

Sauce to top with, if desired:

1 tbsp OJ

¼ tsp cider vineger

¼ tsp sesame oil

¼ tsp honey

Warm in microwave for about 15 seconds then allow to cool for a minute before serving over the veggies and rice or noodles. 

If your tot is a picky eater, they may not like this sweet sauce with a tangy edge, but if they have more developed taste buds that they got from Mommy’s eclectic diet while they were in the womb, then this sauce should give their normally bland veggies a sweet and tangy kick.

Also, I must admit, this sauce did not get Lily to eat her broccoli. It worked for the carrots and peas, but not the broccoli. The only way she’ll eat that vitamin-packed superfood is if it’s covered in cheese! So, if your child is still a picky eater after trying a few different variations of this sauce, don’t fret, and remember to keep in mind that their taste buds are still developing as well as changing all the time, so if they throw it on the floor one day, they might be more willing to try it next week or in a few weeks.

 I’m no baby-diet expert, but Lily is a very good eater and actually prefers things with a stronger flavor opposed to bland, but she still manages to surprise me with what she will and won’t eat.

I will blog about my Mother’s Day adventures in my other blog, Garden of Jessica  soon, so check there if you want to know what kept me so blahhhh post-M Day.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are enjoying all the recipes I post! I promise to stay on top of things next week and post a Meatless Monday recipe before Monday, but remember, Monday doesn’t have to be the only day you go meat-free!