Sweet Saturday #28: Turkey Loaf

I've been sick the past few days, so apologies for this link party being a day late!...Today's post isn't exactly sweet, but I wanted to share this recipe for those of you who don't have to/want to go all out for Thanksgiving this year. If I wasn't traveling to North Carolina to be with my extended family, I'd be home making this simple and tasty turkey loaf for Paul, Lily, and myself. I found the recipe in a book called 100 Best Slow Cooked Dishes and really enjoyed it when I made it a few weeks ago. Although the recipe was for making in a slow cooker, I made it in my oven instead.

Turkey Loaf
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb ground lean turkey meat
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp fresh chopped sage
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ground turkey, onion, oats, sage, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a greased 9" loaf pan and smooth the top out with a spatula. Place loaf into oven on center rack and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until loaf registers at 170 degrees in center. Slice up and serve after allowing to cool for a few minutes. See? Easy!

We had this with corn on the cob and asparagus baked eggs and it was all very good. The turkey loaf had a savory flavor from the sage and onion, and was just the right texture, didn't even need gravy! It's the perfect recipe for a small family, or for the mom who doesn't want go crazy making a huge turkey that just ends up being leftovers for weeks. The oats contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients that provide you with a natural burst of energy, and support for a healthy heart and immune system. They are high in fiber and can help lower cholesterol, and even lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Had it all again as leftovers the very next day

Lily ate every bite

She LOVES corn on the cob

 Now for our awesome fall-themed most-clicked features!

 
These scrumptious-looking maple brown sugar granola cookies were our most visited sweet treat. A healthier cookie that will still satisfy your sweet tooth ;) Thanks, Tammy, at Our Neck of the Woods! 

Diane at Simple Living and Eating shared this mouth-watering recipe for apple sage chicken that I cannot wait to try. Truly a unique and cozy recipe. Thanks, Diane!

Mary from Back to the Basics shared a post about gifting eco-friendly seeds that is not exactly fall-related, but with the holidays right around the corner, it's no wonder so many decided to click it! Take a look at her array of heirloom seed offerings if you missed it last week!

And the most clicked-on honorable mentions are:

What Can Grow in Your Heart? from Saved by Grace Bible Study

Creamy Dill Chickpea Salad from Determined Darling

Please Help Victims of Sandy from A Writer Weaves a Tale

Thanks to everyone who linked up, and welcome new linkers! Grab a button below if you were featured!

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Now on to the party!

Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me if you are not already. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Don't forget to hop around and say hi!

4. Share my button to get more people to join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

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Thanks for stopping by, this little get together really makes the weekend even more enjoyable for me, and gives me the encouragement to keep my little blog going :) 

Meatless Monday: Lemony Spinach and White Bean Soup

During the time my family and I were stuck at home without power due to Hurricane Sandy, I was somewhat limited with what I could make for dinner. The oven wouldn't work because it has an electric starter, and I tried to use up what I already had at home as to not waste gas going to the store. I did, however, have to pick up a lemon and some fresh Parmesan cheese for this soup, but it was well worth it.

Lemony Spinach and White Bean Soup
(serves 6-10 depending on serving size)

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth (you can also use chicken)
2-4 cups water (depending on how brothy you like it)
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 cup small-shaped pasta, such as ditalini
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup small white beans (cooked)
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for topping
1 tsp lemon zest + extra for topping 
Salt and pepper to taste + extra for topping
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta separately, then set aside tossed with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick together. Heat the 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in large pot, then add the garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Stir in the white beans then bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. Serve in bowls or mugs topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of lemon zest, and as much grated Parmesan as you like.

This is a very simple to make soup that is full of lots of fragrant ingredients. The garlic and lemon go together wonderfully, and are balanced nicely with the subtle flavor of the white beans and crisp green spinach. The garnishes really make this soup, so don't forget to add those or it's just not the same!

For older babies and toddlers, you can serve this soup up to them with a slotted ladle so they don't make a mess of or get burnt by the broth. The soup is full of yummy goodness to help a little one grow. Kids should like this soup too as it doesn't have too many spicy flavors, maybe just go easy on the pepper and add extra cheese ;)

Black pepper is normally taken for granted as a standard table top condiment that doesn't get much thought other than whether you're going to use it to spice up your food a bit or not. It may surprise to find out, then, that it's also full of lots of vitamins and minerals such as manganese, vitamin K, and iron. It can also aid in disgestion and has anioxidants and antibacterial properties. Using freshly ground will give you the most benefits!

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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Meatless Monday: Pan-seared Asparagus

Today I'm keeping it simple with this easy, yet dinner crowd-pleasing, side dish. Sometimes you just want something that tastes gourmet, even though it only took you a few minutes to prepare it. Search no further- this is it, and it can be done with other vegetables too.

Pan-seared Asparagus
(serves 6-8)

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and rinsed
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once heated sprinkle some of the salt and pepper over the oil, then place the asparagus spears on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the salt and pepper and thyme, then cover, cooking for about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir the spears around, allowing to cook on each side for a period of time until slightly blackened. During the last minute of cooking, toss the lemon juice in and stir the spears around once more. The object is to cook them well enough so that they are crisp, yet soft in the middle. Serve hot with extra seasoning if desired, with some rice and eggplant or other main course. Although this is Meatless Monday, I must add that this side dish goes excellent alongside steak.

Thyme is quite lovely with asparagus, and even better with the added lemon juice. It really brings out its flavor while subduing some of its sharpness. Thyme is full of vitamin K, antioxidants, and iron, as well as antimicrobials that have been used for years to help preserve foods. Fir this dish, you can use it fresh or dried, it will taste good either way. Although, its beneficial properties will be more preserved if used fresh.

Over the weekend we attended a young relative's birthday party, and I was pleased to see Lily pass over her pizza for raw veggies and ranch dip. This was especially good for her since- as you may have read in a previous post -she's been fighting a nasty cold for the past nearly week and a half. We even considered not taking her to the party, but she was having fun with the rest of the group bouncing around at Bounce U! All that's left of the cold now is a cough.

Choosing veggies over pizza

Affirming the values of healthy eating habits for children is a lesson that can last far into adulthood. It is so important for kids to eat healthy and balanced, and including fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily diet is a must. Variety is best, but sometimes there will be types of veggies that they just don't like, or won't even try, such as brussel sprouts. I believe it's important to never give up, and just keep trying new ways to serve it, and even when that doesn't seem to be working, give it a break then try again some other time. Taste buds grow and develop along with your child, and one day they may hate broccoli, then the next thing you know they're asking for seconds!

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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Whole Wheat Mango-Honey Pancakes

I made these the other day when Paul requested pancakes, and they came out so good I couldn't wait to post! Lily gobbled them up, too. These are perfect for the whole family!

Whole Wheat Mango-Honey Pancakes
(makes 6 large pancakes or 12 small, depending on thickness)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1 1/4 cup milk of your choice
1 large egg
3 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil + 1 tbsp extra
1 mango, diced
Extra honey and/or maple syrup for topping

Combine all dry ingredients together in one bowl, then all the wet (except for mango) in another. Next, combine together in one big bowl.  Heat butter or coconut oil over medium-low heat in large pan. Spoon pancake mixture onto pan to form a circle shape to your desired size. Place a few hunks of the mango onto pancake batter in pan, and drizzle extra honey over it if desired, like in the picture below.

Heat for about 5 minutes, or until the batter starts to bubble, and then flip over and heat for 3-5 minutes longer on other side. Serve with mango and syrup and/or honey on top. 

YUM!!!

These were so good! I was super pleased, and so was Lily who gobbled a whole coaster-sized one up with extra mango. Lily loves mango! What kid doesn't? It's always been one of her favorite fruits, ever since she was a babe. It is also very good for her, in that it provides high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, calcium and so much more!

If you are better at being creative than I am, you can make cute shapes and faces with the mango pieces in the pancakes as you fry them. I think I'll try to make a Mickey Mouse-shaped one for Lily next time :)

Sweet Saturday #20: Quinoa Smoothie

I got this idea for a protein-packed, super thick smoothie from the aptly-named, Green Thickies blog. I had heard about it being possible to make a smoothie using cooked quinoa, but after Katherine Natalia linked up her version onto Meatless Monday earlier this week, I decided it was high time I tried it!

I happened to have some recently purchased quinoa in my cupboard, along with other things that could easily be used to make a good-tasting and super healthy smoothie. No green stuff left (I had just made a big batch of kale pesto!), so this was all fruit, protein and omegas! The quinoa gave it a slightly nutty taste, but other than that, it tasted just fine!

Banana-Mango Quinoa Smoothie

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 banana
1 mango
1 cup coconut-almond milk, or milk or your choice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp shelled hemp seeds
Ice cubes (optional)

Cook the quinoa ahead of time according to package instructions; it is just like cooking rice. Toss all ingredients into blender and hit "Blend" or "Puree", depending on how smooth you want it. Pureeing will make it less "chunky", as the quinoa will create some minor lumps in the smoothie. I kind of liked that! Serve with ice is desired.

The smoothie came out so thick that the ice cubes rested right on top of it! I thought this helped to make it easier to drink, but if you like it extra thick, then this is the recipe for you! You can even blend the ice cubes right into it.

Other ingredients you can add:

• vanilla extract
• ground flax seed (this will give it an extra nutty taste)
• soaked raw almonds and/or cashews
• peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• pineapple
• peach
• melon
• spinach
• just about anything that goes well in a smoothie!

Quinoa is considered a super food, and contains such a high amount of protein, it is called a "complete protein" since it contains all the amino acids needed to meet our nutritional needs. It is also high in other important nutrients, such as iron, calcium, copper, and manganese, to name a few. It is gluten-free and incredibly versatile to cook with, making it a great addition to soups, salads, breads, and even cookies!

This is a great smoothie for the whole family, perfect for enjoying with breakfast. It can easily replace your coffee with the amount of healthy carbs it contains to jump-start your day. Simply add whatever fruit you and your family enjoy most to make it work for you.

OK- now it's time for the hop! No guest-hostess today- sorry! I just didn't have time to organize that aspect this week. Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me if you are not already. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Hop around and say hi. 

4. Share my button to get more people to join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

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Thanks so much for linking up, I really do love Fridays even more because of this :)

Meatless Monday: Frozen Tahini-Banana Bites

Every so often I stumble across a recipe that gets me really excited. The requirements for such excitement usually are:

• unusual prepartation or ingredients
• uses ingredients in a way I never thought of
• is not only delicious, but also healthy!  

And I get especially excited when it's an easy-to-make dessert that is sugar-free and I just so happen to have all the ingredients readily available! 

I came across the recipe for Frozen Yogurt Tahini Banana Cups (what a mouthful!) via Simple Living with Diane Balch (currently my favorite food blog, I might add!) when Fox in the Kitchen linked it up onto the Foodie Friday blog hop. Fox in the Kitchen has a wealth of awesome recipes on her blog, so do check her out, and she based the recipe off of the vegan version from The Veggie Nook (lots of good stuff there, too!). And she got the recipe from Sketch-Free Eating, a blog that has many amazing raw-based recipes, and they got it from...somewhere. I couldn't find the original recipe on their blog, they have way too much amazingness on there that easily distracts me...

SO, with all that being said, you know this recipe has to be awesome if so many people felt the need to keep passing it on! I made a batch for a Sunday afternoon gathering, and I'm sorry to say they did not go over as well as I'd hoped, although I found them to be so yummy and delicious that I ate half the batch myself. They are lightly sweetened and just melt in your mouth! Not everyone is as enthusiatic about healthy-eating as I am. That's why I am so grateful for my blogging community that can appreciate recipes like these, at least I hope so...

I had the cute Disney cupcake liners left over from Lily's 2nd birthday party :)

Frozen Tahini-Banana Bites
(this is the exact recipe from Fox in the Kitchen, but I just think that title is less of a mouthful!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of cold-pressed coconut oil
1/2 cup tahini
1-2 ripe banana
1/2 cup plain regular or Greek yogurt 
4 tbsp honey or agave (you can use less, but I thought this was the perfect amount)
1 tbsp raw sesame seeds
Pinch of sea salt
24 blueberries+ for topping (optional)
24 cupcake liners 

Note: the recipe from Fox in the Kitchen says this makes 2 dozen, but I was only able to make half of that with this amount. Perhaps I used too much batter per cupcake cup, or perhaps I just used larger-sized cupcake cups than she did, but if you want to make the full 24, I suggest not to be too generous with filling each cup with the mix.

What I used

Combine the coconut oil, salt, honey or agave, and tahini in a small bowl; it will work better if the tahini and coconut oil are softened or melted. Next, add the yogurt until well-combined. Slice the banana(s) into 24 slices. Spoon some of the mixture into each cupcake liner, then place a piece of sliced banana on top, sprinkled with some of the sesame seeds. Place cupcake cups on tray in freezer and freeze until batter is set, for about 5 or so minutes.

The batter

After first freezing phase

Take the tray out of the freezer then spoon the rest of the batter on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and then place tray back into freezer. Allow treats to freeze for at least one hour before serving.

Now, to "add a little something", I placed a single, fat blueberry on top of each treat to make it look a little more appealing. I think they came out cuter-looking that way, and you can of course get even more creative with whatever you choose.  

Another thing I did to make things more fun was to put blueberries in the middle of one of the treats for one of the kids to find. Whoever got the treat with the blueberries in the middle won a prize! (In this case, my friend's daughter found them and she won a word card game. She was very pleased with this:). 

After taking my first bite, I thought of so many other creative ways you can mix this recipe up. Here are some suggestions:

• use peanut or almond butter in place of tahini
• add raw carob or chocolate shavings as topping
• add extra fruit to the middle or top
• mix chocolate, vanilla, almond, etc. flavoring into batter
• put jelly in the middle

I am going to try and make them with peanut butter and chocolate next time! They may go over better with the pickier eaters in my life that way. Plus, how can such a flavor combination go wrong?

The general consensus of this recipe among my family and guests was:

Friend 1: "Good, but weird."
Friend 2: "Tastes like halvah; could use more banana."
Daughter of friend 1: "No thanks." (she's vegan)
Daughter of friend 2: "Yum." (she found the blueberries)
Lily: peeled off the banana and left the rest
Paul: "Yuck!"
Me: "Yum, yum, yum, I'll eat the rest!"

I hope the mixed response does not deter you from trying this if you're curious and especially if you're passionate about raw food and healthy eating. This is super-easy and cheap to make and definitely a much better alternative to store-brought popsicles and ice cream. 

Tahini is an incredibly tasty and versatile ingredient that I don't think is used much at all in the western world. It is a very popular condiment and ingredient in parts of Africa and the Middle East, used as a sauce in many yummy dishes. Tahini is essentially sesame paste; when mixed with water and a little salt, if makes a salty, nutty sauce that can be used as a topping on things like tofu, chicken and vegetables, or as a great salad dressing. This is the first time I've seen it used in a dessert other than Halvah. If you don't know what Halvah is, it is like a Turkish candy bar (pictured below). 

Halvah can also refer to any sweet, dense sesame seed treat, but this is the most recognized and commercial version in the West

Sesame seeds contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals such as copper, manganese, calcium, iron and vitamin B1, plus much more! That's a lot for such a small seed. These nutrients can help heal and prevent ailments such as arthritis, colon cancer, and osteoperosis. They also help to lower cholesterol and support bone health.

Have a happy Meatless Monday and do let me know if you try this unique recipe, and also if you decide to pass it on as well :)

Meatless Monday on Tuesday: Layered Veggie Casserole

I was all set to make this amazing and cozy-sounding dish yesterday after the Bookcase Foodie linked it up over the weekend. But, then I started getting some weird stomach cramps and figured I should stay away from all the dairy...for now, anyway. I will DEFINITELY be making those Yukons in the near future, I already have a bag ready to go!

So then I remembered this other yummy recipe from My Sweet and Savory and realized I had most of the ingredients already in my kitchen. And my dear neighbors were kind enough to share some fresh, homegrown string beans, grape tomatoes, and zucchini from their garden that I was vying to use. My mind was made up.

A great gift from my neighbors :)

All the veggies I used to make this, except for the string beans which I may use tonight

What I came up with is not exactly the same as Sweet and Savory's but it's pretty close and uses the same seasonings. I used Yukon potatoes, onions, garlic, tomato, cauliflower, and zucchini and it was AMAZING! Read on!

Drooling yet?

Layered Veggie Casserole

Ingredients:
(serves 4-6)

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
6 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium Vidalia onion, quartered and sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped and thinly sliced
1/2 cup garlic rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled feta for topping

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8x8" square pan or dish with part of the olive oil. Layer the bottom of the pan with the potatoes, then top with some of the garlic, onion, vinegar, salt and pepper. Next, layer the sliced tomatoes, then the zucchini plus more of the onion, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper. Next, the cauliflower and anymore onion and garlic you might have left, plus the rest of the olive oil and more salt, pepper, and vinegar if desired. Follow the picture below.

Place dish into oven uncovered for 20 minutes. Next, put the dish in the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until roasted to desired blackness. Lastly, top this casserole with as much crumbled feta as you'd like and place back in the turned off oven for 3 minutes until feta is slightly melted. Serve immediately. This would be a great side dish with just about anything or as a main course for a small family or couple. We had it with some steamed broccoli that was about to turn, and it would've been really good with some warm, crusty bread. 

The final product...

The flavors of this dish are so delicious! The tangy vinegar with the hearty garlic, and all those fresh veggies...this is a new favorite recipe of mine, for sure! The saltiness of the feta was an incredible addition, too. You could replace it with mozzarella or goat cheese if you'd like, I think either of those would work well too, but definitely use feta if you got it! I can't wait to serve this at a dinner party!

I am sorry to say my husband was not too into it due to his "delicate" palate (meaning he is not a big fan of onion, zucchini, or tomato, how unfortunate!), but Lily asked for seconds! If you are trying to get your young toddler or child to get into a variety of veggies, this is the way to go. You could also add to or replace the ingredients with any of the following:

• yellow squash
• bell peppers
• other type of potato
• other type of tomato
• eggplant
• carrot
• mild greens

I'm sure just about anything that is not too bitter tasting would be great in this. I was even thinking about adding some sliced string beans, but opted not to. Perhaps next time...

Lily-approved!

To be honest, I am not a big squash eater. I think I may have mentioned that before, and zucchini is one in particular that I never really got into. But this one fresh from the garden with only a few seeds was so good! Nice and green and crisp-tasting like a cucumber.

Zucchini contains lots of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C and K, all the B vitamins, potassium and manganese.  Zucchini also contains large doses of fiber and healthy omegas, and can assist in lowering cholesterol. It is a great diet food!

I hope you give this one a try, you won't regret it! What did you have for Meatless Monday yesterday?

Don't forget I am still looking for the perfect BBQ recipes for my upcoming family cook-out, share yours in the comments! Also, please stop by tomorrow for this month's Up-and-Coming Blog of the Month, which is also a goodbye to a great blog I recently got introduced to. Unfortunately, the writer is not able to keep up with it after this week, but I felt I should honor her blog anyway since it will still be up, just no longer active. 

Enjoy the rest of your day!