Author Archives: ebchr

Bacon wrapped dates

1 Reply

Looking for a delicious hot appetizer that is super easy to make? Bacon wrapped dates are amazing – a combination of sweet hot date wrapped in salty crispy bacon – yum! This is lovely as an appetizer or pairs well with Velvety Squash Soup for a warm lunch on a chilly September day.DatesOriginal

Ingredients

  • Dates, pits removed
  • Bacon, cut in half, cross-wise
  • Garnish: fresh thyme (optional)

Directions

  • Wrap dates in bacon slices
  • Bake @ 365 degrees for 25 minutes
  • That’s it! :-)

Super mom tip: getting ready for a dinner party? Make these a day ahead by wrapping dates in bacon slices, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake them!dit-elle-Esther

Buckwheat pancakes

Leave a reply

Buckwheat pancakes for a rainy Sunday morning in Seattle, topped with butter and maple syrup makes for a cozy and delicious breakfast! buckwheatPancakes

Buckwheat is an interesting ‘non grain’ (yes, it’s gluten free!). It’s a plant cultivated for its grain-like seeds, and also used as a cover crop. Per Wikipedia, despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat, as it is not a grass; instead, buckwheat is related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb.

Ingredients

  • 1 c buckwheat flour
  • 1 c buttermilk or Greek yogurt (+ water to thin it out)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter
  • Butter or other fat for cooking

Directions

  • Mix flour, baking soda and baking powder together
  • Whisk egg with buttermilk and butter
  • Mix dry ingredients with liquid and mix well
  • Ladle batter onto hot griddle
  • Serve with butter & maple syrup

Super mom tip: Unused batter can be refrigerated for several days if you don’t want to make it all into pancakes at once. Better yet – make it all into pancakes and then store those in the fridge or freezer for an easy snack – toast or microwave until hot, add butter and your favorite toppings and go!

dit-elle-Esther

South of the border turkey loaf

1 Reply

I wanted a turkey loaf that was reminiscent of south of the border flavors – this turned out to be excellent, juicy and flavorful. It is delicious topped with sour cream and sliced avocado! This is another dish that you can easily double or triple and freeze in smaller portions. Minus the dairy, it’s a wonderful paleo dish.Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • can of chopped mild (or hot) green chiles
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • salt & pepper
  • 1-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
  • Garnish with: sour cream, sliced avocado, cilantro

Directions

  • Heat oven to 375*
  • Prepare all the veggies
  • Beat eggs, add spices and veggies and mix
  • Add ground turkey and mix well
  • Top with shredded cheese
  • Shape into greased loaf pan or 9×13 pyrex baking dish for double batches and bake for ~50 minutes

Super mom tip: run all your veggies through the food processor to quickly chop! Grater blade works great for carrots and use the chopper blade (pulse 10-12 times) for onion and peppers.dit-elle-Esther

Tomato salad

Leave a reply

It’s tomato season in Seattle.. the late summer sun is warm and ripening the tomatoes on the vine. Fresh, warm tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.. the taste and smell is reminiscent of an Indian summer. I used heirloom tomatoes in this salad, but any good ripe tomato variety would work. Love tomato season!IMG_6073

A most delicious tomato salad is perhaps  the simplest one..

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • Basil for garnish

Directions

  • Arrange tomato slices on a plate
  • Drizzle with olive oil
  • Sprinkle with salt & pepper
  • Serve at room temperaturetomatosdit-elle-Esther

Baked garlic-lemon cauliflower

1 Reply

Tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and topped with grated parmesan, cauliflower florets are baked to the point of being juicy yet still have a little crunch. The flavors meld together to make this a tasty side dish! I picked a yellow cauliflower (hence the bright color), you could also use a traditional white head or they even come in purple!Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, washed and cut into 1″ florets
  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • juice from one squeezed lemon
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and toss with cauliflower florets
  • Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes, stirring to turn once or twice
  • Top with parmesan cheese and broil for a couple minutes to melt and toast the cheese

Paleo tip: omit the cheese for a truly delicious paleo dish!dit-elle-Esther

Chicken parmesan with pesto

Leave a reply

IMG_6106This is a super easy-to-make chicken parmesan. Pesto is a delicious addition to this classic dish.

Ingredients

  • Coconut or olive oil
  • Crushed fresh garlic or garlic powder
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • Marinara or tomato sauce, enough to cover chicken
  • Pesto
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Put olive oil or coconut oil in large baking dish (e.g. pyrex glass dish) and heat up in oven till it melts or warms slightly
  • Add red pepper flakes and freshly minced garlic or garlic powder, the heat will start to release the aromas of the spices
  • Place chicken breasts side by side in dish
  • Sprinkle on some mozzarella and parmesan
  • Cover with marinara sauce and a dollop of pesto
  • Sprinkle on rest of cheese
  • Cover dish with tinfoil and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, then remove tinfoil and bake for another 10 minutes at 375 or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Serve with ceasar salad and broccoli for an almost-paleo dinner (omit cheese to make it strict paleo).

Super mom tip: Double, triple or quadruple this recipe and freeze in smaller batches. Those nights when you don’t want to cook – whip out of the freezer, thaw on the defrost setting on the microwave, steam some veggies and voila, dinner is served!dit-elle-Esther

Caprese salad

Leave a reply

BlogCapreseSaladNothing says summer like a Caprese salad. Tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella cheese – so simple, yet so delicious!

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese (look for it in a container with liquid, usually comes as a ball, in various sizes)
  • Basil
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

  • Wash & dry basil leaves
  • Slice tomatoes and mozzarella
  • Arrange everything on plate and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar
  • Top with salt & pepper

Super mom tip: make ahead of time by arranging cheese/tomato/basil on plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Then drizzle dit-elle-Estherw/olive oil and balsamic and voila!

 

 

 

Basil Pesto

3 Replies

Basil pesto – excellent with fresh cut vegetables, cooked chicken, as a marinade, and so much more!GreenYumminess-2GreenYumminess-1

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • salt to taste

Directions

  • put garlic and salt in food processor and pulse
  • add basil leaves and blend
  • add olive oil in stream while it’s blending
  • add nuts or seeds and blend well
  • add more olive oil if needed for consistency

Paleo tip: omit cheese, it’s still super yummy!

Super mom tip: make a big batch, fill small containers or an ice-cube tray, and freeze.dit-elle-Esther