All or nothing.

That tends to me my approach to… well… everything.

It’s no surprise that my approach to food can be this way as well.

About two years ago I watched the documentary Forks Over Knives and quickly began to adopt a plant based diet. If you haven’t seen it yet (it is available on Netflix), I can’t recommend it enough. Every American needs to watch it and educated themselves on the food we eat! (That’s the all or nothing side of me talking… can you tell?)

We spent the past year and a half or so eating a mostly plant – based diet and we loved it. I, who am not much of a reader, poured over books and blogs learned everything there was to know about eating a plant-based (vegan) diet. I even told myself “I will do this forever!”

My much more balanced husband encouraged me away from putting a label on how we eat and to still have freedom to enjoy other foods ever so often. Wise man I’ve got!

At first I felt pretty good and was loving a whole new world of plants and grains and tastes I had never experienced before. God is such a creative God and has created so much to be enjoyed!

However for about a year I have just felt “off”. I thought it was the addition of a new baby and the lack of sleep that comes along with that but the older she got the worse I felt so I finally went to the doctor to get the bottom of it.

Several doctors and tests later, I have been diagnosed with something called SIBO which is an overgrowth of bacteria in my small intestines which is giving me all sorts of crazy symptoms and making me sick. It is totally treatable and could potentionally clear up years and years of stomach issues and food sensitivities.

Halleluiah!

However… it requires a crazy restrictive diet for an extended period of time. Let’s just say it makes the Paleo diet look like a cakewalk.

(I’m 10 days in… cake sounds really good right now)

Why am I telling you all of this?

A couple of reasons…

#1: There will be a few changes around The Kitchen when it comes to the new recipes that are posted.  Mostly because they will be based of what I am currently cooking in my home on this crazy SIBO diet!

I will be posting more recipes that contain meat, fish and eggs and lots of veggies. I have some friends who will continue to contribute to The Kitchen with plant-based recipes as well so there will be a wider range of recipes coming your way!

#2: I am learning the importance of educating ourselves about the food we eat AND avoiding too many all or nothing extremes when it comes to food.

Once my treatment is over I’m not sure where I will land with the whole world of food but I do know this; God created all foods for our nourishment and for our pleasure. He is a creative God and I want to enjoy His creations this side of Heaven. If we stick to the foods He created (not the man made stuff we have altered quite a bit), we really can’t go wrong.

I am on this journey of learning with you all and I have so much more to learn. My heart and my goal is to inspire you to love real, whole foods and to learn a bit about what you eat in the process.

Today’s recipe was inspired by my sister-in-law, Tammy, who created the tilapia rub and I added the salsa for an extra kick of flavor.

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

PS: I always love to hear what you are enjoying making and what you are learning! I’m inspired by your comments and love it when we start conversations about food!

What have you been cooking lately? Anything you’d like to see posted here on the The Kitchen?

CUMIN TILAPIA + PINEAPPLE + JALAPENO SALSA

Serves 4

Gluten, dairy, grain free

INGREDIENTS:

Cumin Tilapia:

4 tilapia fillets  (5-6 oz each)

4 T cumin

1 t smoked paprika (or regular)

¼ t cayenne pepper

¾ t sea salt

Juice from two limes

2 T coconut oil for cooking

Pineapple Salsa:

1 ½ C fresh pineapple

1 jalapeño

¼ C chopped cilantro

Juice from two limes

Sea salt

*If you can, make the salsa a few hours before you plan to eat so the juices can combine and create more flavor.

TO MAKE:

Salsa:

Chop the pineapple into small, bit-sized chunks. Here is a quick tutorial on how to cut a pineapple.

Cut jalapeño long ways and remove the seeds and insides. Finely chop.

Finley chop cilantro.

Combine pineapple, jalapeño and cilantro in a bowl and squeeze the juice from the two limes into the bowl.

Add a pinch of salt and refrigerate for a few hours. You can serve it immediately as well if you don’t have time to prep it early.

Fish:

Combine cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt in a bowl and stir well.

Cut the limes in half and squeeze the juice on both sides of each fillet. ½ a lime for each fillet of tilapia.

Use your hands to rub the cumin mixture on each side of the fillets. Make sure each side is completely coated.

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the coconut oil.

Add fillets to the hot oil and cook on medium heat for about 6-7 minutes on each side.

When it is finished, it should have a nice brown, crispy layer on each side.

TO SERVE:

Spread a few spoonfuls of the pineapple salsa over the top and enjoy!

You could also add the fish and salsa to a good corn tortilla, top with avocado and turn it into fish tacos!

ENJOY!

Summer is almost here!

Colorful fruits and veggies are filling the fruit stands.

Pasty white skin and unbrellas are on their way out.

I’m ready for both.

This weeks recipe is about as simple as they come but oh – so – good!

Not to mention quite versitle.

Here are three ways to make it a meal:

Lunch:

Toss with steamed brown lentils for some added protien. Trader Joe’s sells pre-made steamed lentils with sea salt in their refridgerated produce section. We eat them with just about everything.

Dinner:

Serve with salmon made with this smoked paprika rub and some good, hearty bread.

Side:

Serve on the side with veggie burgers, salmon burgers or your favorite BBQ fair.

Happy almost summer!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

PS: What are some of your favorite summer meals? I’d love to hear what you are looking forward to creating this summer!

SIMPLE SUMMER SALAD WITH BALSAMIC POPPY SEED DRESSING

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

HONEY BALSAMIC DRESSING

1/4 C olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T honey

1 T poppy seeds

pinch of salt

SALAD:

1 bag of organic baby spinach (roughly 10 cups)

2 C organic strawberries (roughly 12 medium strawberries) – cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 of a red onion – thinly sliced

1/4 C pistachios or nuts of choice

1/4 C feta or crumbled goat cheese

TO MAKE:

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. I use a jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake too.

Prep salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Drizzle with dressing and toss well.

Depending on how much dressing you like, you may have leftover dressing. If you do, store in an air tight container at room temperature and make it again tomorrow!

It’s funny how food is connected to memories.

I remember sitting on my grandpa Comer’s lap, leaning against is big grandpa belly and eating a pralines and cream ice cream cone as a little girl.

I remember summer’s spent at my grandparent’s cabin and starting every morning with my grandma’s banana bread.

I remember family movie nights and my mom’s warm tapioca pudding.

Nostalgia is kind of how today’s recipe came about.

For a number of my growing up years my dad traveled quite a bit and the routine changed a little when he was gone.

Without the whole family home to eat dinner every night, my mom would often rent us girls a good chick flick and make a big oven pancake for dinner.

Somehow good food and cheesy chick flicks create lasting memories… deep I know.

Now, I know that most of our comfort foods we know and love are foods we limit our intake of because we know they aren’t good everyday menu items.

But what if we began creating and building memories around meals and foods that nourish our bodies and fuel our active children? What if those comfort foods could actually be good for us?

I’m not talking about eating raw carrots and celery and telling yourself they taste like candy. They don’t and never will.

Healthy, whole foods can be just as (I argue way more) delicious as the comfort foods we try to avoid!

Today’s recipe is a new take on one of my favorite meals and fun memory growing up.

ENJOY!

APPLE + CINNAMON + OVEN PANCAKE

serves 4-5

(vanilla not pictured)

INGREDIENTS:

1 C almond milk or organic whole milk

4 eggs

1 T maple syrup

¾ C oat flour or whole-wheat flour*

¾ tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 T earth balance butter or coconut oil (or organic butter)

3 apples

1/8 C brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

*If you use oat flour, it won’t puff up as much as a traditional oven pancake. But I promise it still tastes great!

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 500F.

Melt the butter or coconut oil in a cast iron skillet or or 8×8 baking pan.

While the butter it melting in the oven, peal and slice the apples.

Add the sliced apples, cinnamon and sugar to the pan and stir until they are well coated.

Bake for 10 – 15 min or until the apples soften and begin to brown.

While the apples are baking, stir together the flour and salt. Set aside.

Wisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and maple syrup.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well or blend.

Once the apples are done, pour the batter over the apples and then reduce the oven temperature to 425F.

Bake for about 10 min. You just want to check and make sure it has cooked through in the middle but remove it before the edges get too crispy. 10-12 minutes should do the trick.

TO SERVE:

Let it cool for a few minutes and then lightly dust with powdered sugar for some extra pizzazz.

You can eat it as is or drizzle with a little maple syrup.

I’m pretty sure pasta is my husband’s love language.

Duke would eat “clean noodles”, as he calls them, (pasta with nothing on it) for every meal of the day if I let him.

So, naturally, any meal that consists of pasta in any form makes my boys happy!

Whether you have been cooking your whole life or just learning to find your way around the kitchen, spaghetti is a pretty simple meal to make. However, it is often filled with sausage or ground beef and packed with Parmesan cheese to create more flavor.

Sometimes these additions can turn it into a meal that slows you down instead of one that fuels your body… and if you are anything like me, you need all the energy you can’t get!

I’m not a fan of fake meat substitutes due to the fact that they are usually full of ingredients that don’t add a whole lot of nutritional value.

And they often taste, well…fake.

That’s why tempeh (pronounced tem-PAY) is a great product to use in dishes that could really use a “meat like” flavor and texture if you are trying to eat a plant based diet . And it is great for added protein.

So what is tempeh?

• Tempeh is a nutritional superhero. Tempeh’s fermentation process and it’s retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor.

• Tempeh is a great choice for people who have difficulty digesting plant-based high-protein foods like beans and legumes or soy foods such as tofu. Because tempeh is a fermented soy product, its enzymes are partially broken down, making it easier to metabolize.

• Tempeh has a bit of a nutty flavor and easily takes on the flavors of whatever you are cooking it with. It works great in tacos, stir fries, salads and just about anything else you can think of. It can be crumbled or cut into strips.

• Most grocery stores carry tempeh, you just might have to ask where to find it.

This recipe is my take on healthier, “meaty” spaghetti and a warm comfort food on a cold rainy day.

I’m still working on convincing Duke to eat more then just “clean noodles” and that vegetables will give him strong muscles like his dad… but this spaghetti is a start!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

TEMPEH AND VEGGIE SPAGHETTI

dairy free

serves 6

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 bell pepper
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 small onion
• 4-5 mushrooms
• *1 package of tempeh
• *3 cups marinara sauce
• 3 T (or more) nutritional yeast (this can be found in bulk at Winco, Whole Foods or New Seasons. It adds a cheese – like flavor and is packed with vitamin B12)
• 2 t garlic powder or minced garlic
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t sea salt
• A few dashes of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 package of whole wheat or brown rice noodles

*I used the Organic Three Grain Tempeh from Trader Joe’s for $1.39. It does contain barley which contains gulten but original tempeh is gluten free and only contains soy.

*I keep it super simple and use the jarred sauce but you can make your own too.   I use the Organic Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce from Trader Joe’s.

*Anything goes with the veggies! Add whatever you think sounds good.

TO MAKE:

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add chopped onion and crumbled tempeh.

To crumble the tempeh, simply break it up with your hands until it is all crumbled into bit sized pieces.

After the mixture begins to brown, add chopped bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms. Stir well and let the veggies begin to cook up.

After a few minutes, add nutritional yeast, garlic, pepper, salt and cayenne pepper.

Let the veggies cook up until they are just beginning to soften and brown and then add the marinara sauce.

Let the sauce mixture simmer for 10 – 15 minutes on low so that all the flavors can combine and do their magic.

While your sauce is simmering, cook up some noodles in salted water.

TO SERVE:

Serve over noodles of your choice and top with fresh basil.

ENJOY!

This truly is the most wonderful time of year!

Some of my greatest memories come from Christmas morning and all of the traditions surrounding it.

As I got older there was a lingering question in the back of my mind… “what if my husband-to-be doesn’t share the same all out love of Christmas that we do? Whatever would we do?!”

My fears were put rest when I met my husband, Brook, and learned that his family does Christmas just as big (if not bigger) then my family!

Duke asked me this year why we don’t have 6 Christmas trees like Grammy does.

(Sorry Duke, we might need a bigger house for that)

Like some of you, many of our traditions involve food. Really good food. 

For the past few years I have been trying to reinvent some of those same recipes we all drool over and swap out some the ingredients to make them a bit healthier.

I make these cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning for my little family and then again a few days later when we celebrate with my extended family. Feel free to play with the recipe and use different flours or frostings… anything goes when it comes to cinnamon rolls!

I hope you all have a memory filled Christmas!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

MAPLE PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS

dairy free

makes: 7-8 rolls

DOUGH:

2 1/2 t yeast (one packet)
1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice) + t sugar*
1/2 C puréed organic pumpkin
1 t real vanilla
1/4 organic cane sugar
2 C whole wheat flour + more for kneading
1/2 C  oat flour or unbleached all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T pumpkin pie spice
2 t cinnamon

*after many failed attempts to activate the yeast, I finally discovered that yeast needs a little sugar to activate and unsweetened vanilla almond milk doesn’t have any sugar. Adding a little sugar to the mixture does the trick!

FILLING:

1/4 c + 2 T melted earth balance butter (or butter)
1/2 organic brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
1 T cinnamon

ICING:

1 1/2 C organic powdered sugar
1 T maple syrup
1 T earth balance butter (or butter)
2 T almond milk ( or milk of choice)
1/2 t cinnamon

TO MAKE:

Heat almond milk to warm and stir in yeast and sugar. Set aside for about ten minutes or until there is a thick layer of foam on top.

Sift together flours, sugar, spices, baking powder and salt.

Mix together pumpkin, vanilla and yeast mixture.

Slowly combine wet and dry ingredients until dough forms.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two adding more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a large rectangle.

Spread melted butter and syrup over the rolled out dough and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the dough into a log and cut into 7-8 rolls.

Place the rolls into a greased baking pan and allow them to rise in a warm spot for about an hour.

Bake at 375F for 22 – 24 minutes. I like to keep them a bit doughy because they tend to cook a little more after coming out of the oven.

* If you aren’t baking them right away you can cover them and place them in the fridge overnight or until you want to bake them. Allow them to rise and then bake.

While the rolls are baking, mix together the icing ingredients.

Drizzle icing over the cinnamon rolls when they come out of the oven and serve.

* you can make the icing ahead of time. Just allow it to reach room temperature for easier spreading.

Enjoy!

I love butternut squash.

So much so that I just had my husband pick up 20 (yes 20) of them on this way home from work a few days ago.

(They are $1.39 at Trader Joe’s for few more days and they last in the cupboard for 3 months.)

I’m either smart or a horder.

Today’s soup recipe is one of my favorite meals to make this time of year. This recipe was passed on to me from a friend a few years ago and I’m not even sure where it came from originally but I promise it won’t dissapoint… even if you aren’t as into butternut squash as I am.

It is an easy soup to make ahead of time, freeze or take to a family in need of a meal.

For as long as I can remember my family has been having soup for dinner on Christmas Eve and this one will be added to the menu this year!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

3 T olive oil

2 C chopped onions

2 T fresh Italian Parsley – chopped

2 t fresh sage – chopped

4 – 5 C butternut squash – peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 in cubes

1 1/2 t course sea salt

1 garlic clove – minced

5 C organic vegetable broth

TO MAKE:

Add onions, parsley and sage and saute until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add squash and coarse salt and saute until squash softens and onions are golden, about 6 minutes.

Add garlic, stir for 1 minute.

Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very soft, about 25 minutes.

Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender, allowing some texture to remain. Return soup to pot and thin with stock if desired.

Here is the secret: add a few dashes of cayenne pepper for a little kick. Only add a few dashes at a time and then taste. It heats up quickly!

Season with black pepper and salt if desired.

TO SERVE:

I like to serve it with some homemade croutons on top.

You can make them any way you like. I usually cut a whole wheat, crusty bread into cubes, drizzle, with olive oil and season with garlic powder and sea salt. Bake at 350F for about 20min or until golden brown and crispy.

ENJOY!

(source)

THANKSGIVING MENU WEEK THREE:

I have been feeling a little uninspired this week.

Not sure what to cook.

Not sure what to write about.

I’ve tried everything I could think of to make a stuffing recipe sound interesting and worth reading about…

I still can’t think of a single thing to say.

The Thanksgiving holiday is all about giving thanks and yet we focus way more on the food then anything else… but is that really so bad?

Taking the time to write up some new recipes for this Thanksgiving series (along with some writers block) has really brought to mind the amazing people in my life who enjoy these dishes every year. It has made me realize how thankful I truly am for them and has made me want to serve them and show them my gratitude though food.

This year, why don’t we think through every dish that goes into the meal and make each dish with a purpose? 

Not just because your grandma made it.

Not just because your mom made it.

Think outside the box and plan your menu with the purpose to delight every member of your family. Even the pickiest of eaters (insert my son’s name here).

When you spend hours in the kitchen and have endless dishes to wash, pray for them and serve them in that moment.

You just might feel inspired and filled with joy in the process.

I’m off to add “clean noodles” (noodles with butter and salt) to my menu for my dearest little Duke.

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

SIMPLE STUFFING

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 celery stocks – chopped
• 1 carrot – peeled and chopped
• 1 onion – chopped
• 1 leek – ends trimmed and chopped
• 2 chicken sausage or veggie sausages

*I recommend the ground chicken sausage from Whole Foods or New Seasons in the meat department or the Trader Joe’s Italian Veggie  Sausage

• 2 T fresh sage
• 1 T fresh rosemary
• 2 T fresh basil
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• ¼  tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 3 T earth balance butter or regular butter
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 loaf sprouted grain bread – I used Dave’s Killer Bread: Sprouted Wheat

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cut the whole loaf of bread into cubes and place on two making sheets. Bake for about 20min, stirring a few times. They should dry out and get a little crispy.

While the bread cubes are baking, melt butter in a large pot and add celery, carrots, leeks, and onions.

Cook for a few minutes until everything begins to soften

Then crumble the sausage into the pan and stir. Then add sage, rosemary, basil, garlic and cook until sausage begins to brown.

Add vegetable broth and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Remove the bread cubes from the oven and transfer them to a large bowl. Pour the broth mixture over the bread cubes and stir well.

Transfer the mixture to a 9×11 baking pan and bake for about 35 – 40 minutes.