Author Archives: ebchr

Spicy Cilantro Pineapple Margarita

A variation of the Perfect Margarita – with spicy jalapenos, sweet pineapple juice and chopped cilantro!

Ingredients

1 oz. Lime juice
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Pineapple juice (fresh or from a can)
2 oz. Tequila (something good like Patron)
Cilantro, chopped
Jalapeno pepper, a couple of slices, chopped

Turkey Spinach Zucchini Casserole

This is similar to the South of the Boarder Turkey Loaf. Stuffed with veggies, this is a “one dish meal” and great for large groups! Anders (who just turned ONE!) has been eating so much, I can barely keep up with lunches and dinners for him (oh and not to mention the rest of us). Starting to realize why my Grandma was an expert at making casseroles.. she had a big family to cook for! 🙂

Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1 onion, finely chopped
2 zucchinis, finely sliced (use the slicer blade on your food processor)
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (you can use fresh, but keep in mind that frozen spinach is denser)
1 carrot, shredded (grater blade on your food processor)
Cheese, grated (Mexican blend works well) (omit for dairy free and paleo)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients (except cheese) and mix well
Fill large 9×13 greased casserole dish
Top with cheese
Bake at 350* for 1 hr or until center is hot and bubbling and cheese is melted and golden brown

Super Mom Tip: This casserole freezes well! Freeze in serving size portions for reheating when there’s no time to make dinner. 🙂

Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes with (not so paleo) Mocha Frosting

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Need some sweet inspiration? We think a four day week is reason enough to celebrate!

Totally awesome paleo and nut-free cupcakes! Add some mocha frosting (not quite paleo) but so yummy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
Dash of sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup agave syrup

Directions

Pulse together dry ingredients in a food processor
Pulse in wet ingredients
Line a muffin pan (12) with paper liners and scoop batter into each
Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes
Cool and serve

Thanks Elana’s Pantry for the cupcake inspiration!

For the Frosting

1/3 stick melted butter
1/4 cup strong drip coffee
1 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar (1-2 cups)

Directions

Mix melted butter, coffee, cocoa and vanilla
Start adding powdered sugar while stirring constantly
When desired consistency has been reached, frost the cooled cupcakes
Top with sprinkles or M&Ms immediately if desired

Perfect Margarita

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So simple, so perfect.. Forget heavy margarita mixes with dye and sugars, this is a basic and made from scratch recipe. This is the best margarita recipe we’ve tried and shared with friends. So far, it’s a winner! Tequila, tart lime juice and sweet triple sec are shaken and chilled to perfection! Paleo? Umm… not really. But some claims tequila as the purest alcohol (it’s made from agave) and if you have to drink something, then go with tequila. Call it paleo’ish and say cheers! 🙂

Great with tortilla chips and guacamole!

Ingredients

2 oz. Tequila (like Patron. It’s worth it!)
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
Ice
Salt for glass (optional)

Directions

Salt the rims of glasses if desired. To do so, pour salt onto a small plate, rub the rims of the glasses with lime and press them into the salt.
Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice
Shake up and strain into a glass

Moroccan Milkshake

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This is a fabulous smoothie to start the day with! Five simple ingredients: avocado, milk, walnuts, honey and cinnamon!

Ingredients

1/2 avocado
2 cups chilled milk (you can use cow’s milk, almond, rice, or soy – whatever you’re into!)
handful of walnuts
honey to taste
cinnamon

Directions

Add first four ingredients to tall glass
Use hand blender to mix until smooth
Serve immediately with sprinkle of cinnamon

Roast Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

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The days are longer, dinners outside – I love this time of year and can’t wait for it to get warmer!

Dressing

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 Tbsp plain yogurt (or coconut milk for dairy free and paleo)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups baby arugula
2 cups chicken from a roast chicken
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup toasted, chopped cashews
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (optional)

Ham and Asparagus Fritatta

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This is a a super easy frittata. Get creative with whatever meats or vegetables (and cheese!) you want to throw in there! Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow! 🙂

Ingredients

olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup of fresh vegetables finely chopped, I like asparagus and zucchini
1 cup diced meat, such as ham
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, like chives or dill (optional)
6-8 large eggs lightly beaten
Shredded cheese (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

preheat oven to 350
heat oil in oven proof skillet over medium saute onion until translucent and then stir in herbs, veggies, meat and toss and saute for a few minutes
beat eggs with a little water and pour batter into pan
once bottom is firm use spatula to lift the frittata edge and tilt skillet so uncooked egg runs underneath
continue until mostly cooked
transfer skillet to oven and bake for ~5 minutes until toasted and bubbly on top

Zucchini Almond Cake

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This cake is lovely AND delicious! Zucchini makes it moist and almond flour makes it high in protein and gluten free. The tartness of cream cheese frosting balances out this coconut sugar sweetened cake.

Who knew kale plants had such pretty AND edible flowers! Great for cake decoration. 🙂

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus 5 tablespoons, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups almond flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons potato starch (or corn starch is fine)
1 1/4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
dash sea salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or other sugar, white/brown)
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
1 cup finely grated zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini), squeezed of excess liquid
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
Edible flowers like Kale flowers (shown) or mint for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 or 9 inch round. Whisk together almond flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt
Set a large heatproof bowl over (not in) a pot with 1 inch barely simmering water. Add eggs and whisk until foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in brown sugar and continue to whisk until mixture is fluffy and sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove bowl from pot and, using a mixer, whisk on high until mixture is thick and pale, 7 to 10 minutes (I did this in my food processor with the standard chopper blade)
With a rubber spatula, gently fold in melted butter, flour mixture, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and zucchini. Pour into pan and bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Invert onto a cake platter
With mixer (or again I used the food processor here) beat together room-temperature butter, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Spread on top of cake.

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/907427/zucchini-almond-cake

Easter Egg Tree

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A beautiful, inexpensive, and FUN activity with kids! Only about a few weeks late, but figured I’d post it as inspiration for next year! 🙂

What you need

Eggs
Dye
Toothpicks
Thread
Fresh tree branches (Forsythia, dogwood or other work well)

How to make your Easter Tree

Select fresh white eggs and blow them out. Here’s how: 1) make a small hole in each end by tapping/chiseling with the tip of a sharp knife, 2) poke a toothpick inside one of the holes to break yolk, 3) then blow the egg white/yolk out into a bowl, 4) wash off egg and let try. This is a tricky process and not recommended for kids – you should do this first and then you can have the kids help with dyeing the eggs. More tips here.
Dye eggs and decorate as you wish – some metallic paint brushed on dyed eggs is a fun way to add some sparkle or shine!
Hang by tying some sewing thread to a 1/2 toothpick inserted into the egg to create a stopper.

Ava quickly became a pro egg dyer!

My Easter Tree via Instagram!

No cut hemmed jeans

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I may be the only person still wearing boot-cut jeans these days.. but I had to retire some pairs of jeans recently and in a pinch one day (it was a classic day in our house where laundry was back-logged, I didn’t have time to go on a hunt for the perfect pair of jeans, and didn’t want to spend a fortune either..) so I dusted off this pair of Silver jeans which were too long and had been sitting in my closet for a few years..

I hemmed them using a quick and easy, no-cut, technique – this is not the “fold under and sew” way, which removes the bottom edge!

Here’s how!

First put jeans on and measure exactly how much you need to shorten them by. For example if you want to take an inch off, you’ll fold up a big cuff and then pin the 1″ into the bottom portion of the cuff (1/2″ front/back). Once you’ve pinned it, turn the cuff down, try the jeans back on to make sure the seam is going to hit where you want it and the length is good.

Fold up jeans as shown – your seam will be where the legs get shortened – so determine first how much you are needing to hem them by. I took an inch off these.