Sausage Balls with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce ~ Great Game Day Appetizer!

I look forward to the Super Bowl every year...not to watch the game, not necessarily for the ads (although I do pay attention during commercial breaks haha), but to make appetizers! You already know how much I love to cook easy, healthier recipes, but on game day? Healthy recipes? I think it's okay to let go every once in awhile, especially if you want to please a crowd of hungry football fans in the mood for 7-layer dips, chicken wings, pizza, and beer.

Au contrair, friends!!! You don't have to completely let go because opting for organic ingredients and making recipe from scratch makes a recipe healthier that easily!  And the munching, yelling football fans won't know the difference.

That's why I'm making made-from-scratch and organic Sausage Balls for this Sunday's game.  My husband and his family are HUGE sausage ball fans, and you can always count on a batch of sausage balls being set out on the table during family reunions.  Instead of making the sausage balls from premade mix, I made my own little mix and used organic organic hot sausage.  So easy. So quick. SO GOOD.  Just don't count on keeping your hands clean.  This recipe involves full on hand-kneading.

But what's a good sausage ball without a good dip? That's where my Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce comes into play.  Perfection.

Organic Sausage Balls with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Sausage Balls 

The recipe below makes about 24-30 1" diameter sausage balls.

Ingredients:
*choose organic and local where possible
- 2 cups unbleached, organic flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- dash of cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbs cold organic, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 pound ground sausage, preferably hot sausage (hot sausage ads great flavor...doesn't make the sausage balls spicy, but mild sausage may make them bland!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter, sausage and cheese. Knead with your hands until mixed all the way through.  This may take a little time (5 minutes max) and some work, but well worth it.

3. Shape the mixture into about 1" balls and place them on an ungreased stainless steel cookie sheet. 

4. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are a little brown.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

This makes about 3/4 cup sauce.

Ingredients:

*choose organic and local where possible

- 1/2 cup mayo
- 4 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbs Dijon mustard
- 2 tbs honey
- 2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Place in fridge over night to let flavors combine.

2. Dip!

What are you making for game day?

If you're looking for a couple more ideas, here are a few snacks you can bring to a gathering:

• Broccoli-Cheddar Bites
• Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
• Fruited Curry Chicken Salad (with pita chips on the side!)
• Homemade Chips
• Kale Chips
• Baked Sweet Potato Bites

~ Hannah

Pan Roasted Salmon with Soy-Ginger Glaze

Per usual, I'm always looking for easy, healthy, and tasty meals to make during the week.  And when they look as good as they taste, it's even better!  Almost as satisfying as a smile when someone tastes your dish is a smile when someone sees the picture and starts getting hungry.  This pan roasted salmon did just that.  I paired the salmon with steamed broccoli and oven-baked Japanese sweet potatoes seasoned with smoked paprika, a little nutmeg, and a dash of salt and pepper. A great weeknight meal going on the repeat list!

Below is the recipe for 2 servings.

Ingredients: 
*choose organic and local if you can!

• 1/8 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (I used ground ginger I had on hand)
• 1/2 tsp organic/local honey
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Two 6-ounce wild-caught salmon fillets (mine had skins on the bottom since they were fresh from the market when I bought them)
• freshly ground pepper
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional but good!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce and ginger. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Stir in honey and dijon mustard.
3. Season salmon with freshly ground pepper.
4. Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet. When the skillet is hot, add salmon, skin side up and cook over a medium/high heat until golden and crusty (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, turn the salmon over, and spoon the ginger-soy glaze on top.
5. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
6. Transfer finished salmon to a plate and garnish with cilantro!

How do you like to cook salmon? Do you have any glazes you enjoy?

~ Hannah

Date Syrup & Raisin Muffins

After making a pretty decent amount of Medjool date syrup, I went on the hunt to find uses for it! I stumbled across a Date Syrup & Raisin Muffins recipe that I tweaked to make it my own. This was the first time I had ever baked something that was sweetened naturally with fruit!  And for a no-sugar-added muffin, I say they were pretty darn good.  Definitely not the dessert-type muffin but more like a breakfast muffin that will hit the spot on your way out the door in the morning.

When making these muffins, I used vegetable oil in this first batch, but I think next time I will try applesauce for a healthier version.  Also, I used my stand-alone paper cupcake cups (I had a bunch leftover from the snowman ones I had over the holidays) that are free from PTFE, PFCs and made from natural, eco-friendly paper! They are grease proof, have no silicone or coating of any kind, use food-safe inks, and are chemical free.  All I had to do was fill them with muffin batter and set them right on top of my stainless steel cookie sheet.

And twenty or so minutes later, they came out perfect! The cupcake cups held so well, and the muffins came out like they were baked in a muffin tin.  Pretty neat.

I let them cool for ohhhh about 30 seconds because I couldn't wait to taste them!  The raisins and date syrup were a perfect combination.  My husband had two, and liked the muffin a little more with a small piece of butter, hence the photo below.

So if you have a bunch of date syrup that you want to use, bake with it! I'm sure it will go well with many recipes, but if you want to try these muffins, here's my recipe for 12 muffins:

Ingredients:
*choose organic and local where possible

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup mild vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/3 cups Medjool Date Syrup
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1-3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
2. Line a 12-muffin tin with paper liners (or use the stand-up paper cups like me!)
3. In a large bowl, mix eggs, oil, vanilla extract, date syrup, and raisins.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. 
5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Remove from rack and cool.

Do you have any recipes where you use date syrup as a sweetener? Please send them my way! I'd love to try them.

Enjoy!

Hannah

Eco-Sips ~ Valentine's Day Cocktail

I hate to get too punny (okay, I lied, I love puns!) but if you're looking for a great "date"-night cocktail, this "Be My Clementine" Martini is for you!  It's sweetened naturally with organic and homemade date syrup and bit of agave. It's a refreshing cocktail that will definitely sweeten up your Valentine's day date!  Of course, I served them to me and the hubby in our awesome stainless steel martini glasses from ESP. They kept the martinis nice and chilled :)

"Be My Clementine" Martini

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 oz tequila (we used silver)
• 1-1/2 oz medjool date syrup
• 2 oz clementine juice
• 1 oz fresh squeeze red grapefruit juice
• 1/2 tsp agave
• drop of lemon juice plus slice for garnish

Directions:  Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake, pour over ice, enjoy!

Cheers,

Hannah 

Medjool Date Syrup ~ An All Natural Sweetener

I had never had dates up until a few months ago when my aunt made a date cake that I fell in love with.    Since then, I've been trying to find a way to use dates in a recipe; and because I had never used dates before, I wanted to make sure it was a VERY SIMPLE recipe. That's when I found out about Date Syrup.  Just 3 main ingredients: medjool dates, filtered water, and lemon juice.  That's it, but I had to put my own twist on it--cinnamon!  Pretty easy for a first-time date recipe, and I can't wait to see what I can do with the date syrup.  Recipe below...

Ingredients:
*makes about 1-1/3 cups of syrup

• 8-9 whole, organic medjool dates
• 1-1/4 cups filtered water
• 1-1/2 tsp lemon juice (this helps the syrup last longer)
• a pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place the whole dates in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let them sit for about 30 minutes. Once the have soaked, drain the water and remove the pits.
2. Add the soaked dates to a high-speed blender (we use a Vitamix).  Add filtered water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Blend on high for 45-60 seconds, or until smooth.
3. Transfer mixture to an airtight container. 

Lasts for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

As a plain syrup, I have used it as a sweetener for my plain greek yogurt and granola in the mornings, but I have heard it would be great as a pancake syrup!

What to make, what to make!?
Hannah

Extreme Makeover: Leftovers Edition ~ Pork Medallions into Pork Fried Rice

Earlier this week we had oven baked pork medallions and black beans and rice for dinner.  The pork medallions were simply seasoned with a little salt and pepper and baked in the oven till cooked through--a much healthier way to cook pork and it still came out juicy!  We had one pork medallion leftover (cut up into chunks it came out to 1 cup), so two days later I decided to make pork fried rice instead of re-heating the pork for dinner.  The best thing about fried rice is you can really put into it anything you have leftover and on-hand, just make sure you have soy sauce, ground ginger, and brown rice (leftover brown rice would be great too).

In the picture below, you'll notice the sushi rolls, which were leftover from going out to dinner the night before! Talk about a serious leftover meal! And, of course, our reusable bamboo chopsticks...part of the To-Go Ware bamboo utensil set.

Below is the very adaptable recipe for pork fried rice. Makes about 2 servings.

Ingredients:
*use organic and local where possible

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (1 cup uncooked if you don't have leftovers)
• 1 cup leftover pork medallions, cut into chunks
• 1-1/2 cup leftover veggies (I had onions, celery, and mushrooms on hand)
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 tbs green onion, chopped (optional, but I had a little frozen)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbs + 1 tsp soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook rice if you don't have any leftover.
2. While rice is cooking, saute minced garlic and veggies on a skillet with olive oil. Once the veggies are cooked through, set them aside in a bowl.
3. In the same skillet, coat the pan with a little olive oil.  Whisk your egg, add it to the heated pan, and scramble. Once cooked, add to the bowl of veggies.
4. When the rice is ready, add veggies, egg, green onion, ginger, and soy sauce to the pot of rice. Stir to combine.  For extra moisture, add a little more olive oil to the rice!

Looking forward to the next makeover,

Hannah

Extreme Makeover: Leftovers Edition ~ Steamed Broccoli turned Broccoli Cheddar Bites

Another great leftover steamed broccoli recipe! The same day I made my Broccoli Parmesan Fritters, I made another batch of these Broccoli Cheddar Bites.  We had A LOT of leftover broccoli at my parent's house from the previous week. And by giving leftover steamed broccoli a makeover, all the broccoli was gone in one meal (it was a little over a pound of broccoli).  It would have likely gone to waste had I not come to the rescue!  These bites look almost the same as the fritters, but they are baked in the oven and taste completely different.  Again, ingredients are most likely in your pantry already--except for the cheddar cheese.

Fresh out of the oven!

Ready to devour...

As mentioned with previous Makeover recipes, the ingredients can be adjusted and changed based on how many leftovers you have and what you have on hand!

Ingredients:
*choose organic and local where possible

• 2 cups steamed leftover steamed broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used a mild white cheddar)
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs (I didn't have Italian breadcrumbs on hand, but I had a little bit of plain breadcrumbs available. I did a slight mixture of breadcrumbs and unbleached all-purpose flour to reach 1/3 cup...the bites came out more than fine.  I also added Italian seasoning for the "Italian" part)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. 
4. With your hand, form small patties and line them on the parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes in the oven (depending on how crispy you want these bites). After 15 minutes of baking, flip the bites and continue baking.

Looking forward to the next leftovers makeover,

Hannah

Extreme Makeover: Leftovers Edition ~ Cooked Chicken Breast turned Fruity Curry Chicken Salad

Growing up, weeknight dinners usually consisted of some sort of chicken variation, so leftover chicken was always sitting in the fridge. The great thing about chicken leftovers is that it makes for great chicken salads! Below is my recipe for Fruity Curry Chicken Salad. My mom drools over a great chicken salad, and this is by far her favorite!  It's easy to modify based on the ingredients you have on hand...and yes, you will likely have almost all the ingredients this recipe calls for.  The key is to at least have leftover chicken and curry powder.  I've also made this so many times and used all types of seasoned leftover chicken. It's all good :)

The quantities below can be modified, of course!

Ingredients:
*choose organic and local where possible

• About a pound of leftover chicken, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored, and diced (I've used other varieties and it's just as good)
• 1/2 cup raisins or craisins (or both! I used both in my last batch)
• 1/2 cup seedless grames, halved (didn't have them last time and it was still delicious)
• black pepper and salt to taste (this depends on the chicken...if it's already salty enough, definitely skip this step)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder (I always guesstimate on this amount and just taste as I go)
• 3/4 cup light mayo or less depending on the consistency you like (I've never tried plain yogurt, but I can imagine it's great!)
• handful of swiss cheese (optional, but added it this last go around and it was a hit)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. For best flavor, let the chicken salad sit over night, but if you're hungry, DIG IN!

Looking forward to the next makeover,

Hannah

Extreme Makeover: Leftovers Edition ~ Steamed Broccoli turned Broccoli Parmesan Fritters

Leftover steamed broccoli always brings about the makeover maniac in me! The first time you cook broccoli it's great, but steaming it again is a makeover-faux-pas in my book.  Tends to overcook and smell up the house, right?

Instead, broccoli can be made into so many great new recipes, and simple ones at that (I like to keep it simple, ALWAYS).  Today, I am sharing with you  my Broccoli Parmesan Fritters recipe.  It calls for ingredients found in everyone's kitchen....all the time!  All you need is leftover broccoli, but I'm assuming that's why you stopped by this post.

Ingredients:
*choose organic and local where possible of course!

• 3 cups leftover steamed broccoli, chopped
• 1 large organic egg
• 1/2 cup un-bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small onion, chopped (this may be the one ingredient you need to go out and get, but if you don't have an onion on hand, it won't ruin the fritters!)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
• A pinch of red pepper flakes (I like it spicy, so my pinch is usually a mini-grab)
• Black pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Place chopped broccoli in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg. Then add all the rest of the ingredients and combine.
3. Add the mixture in #2 to the big bowl of broccoli.  Stir to combine and mash the broccoli, but not too much! You still want some chunks of broccoli in there, but the mashing allows the fritters to stick a little better.
4. Heat a stainless steel skillet over low/medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add heaping tablespoons of the broccoli mixture to the pan and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Fry fritters on 2-3 minutes on each side (or at least until browned and a tad bit crispy). Repeat with the rest of the mixture!

These were so delicious, and if you have fussy-broccoli eaters, I think these may do the trick!

Looking forward to the next makeover,

Hannah

Guest Post: Reusable Bamboo Utensils Review

I'm really excited to share this next guest post with you! Thank you to Sonja who reviewed the ToGo Ware bamboo utensils and Bambu sporks for us!  Her review along with some great photos is below. Have you used reusable bamboo utensils before? If not, I think Sonja will convert you!

Bamboo Utensils Review from Sonja

            Like many people, I’ve used plastic utensils for years at fast food restaurants and never thought much about it. However, the more I learn about plastic and its detrimental effects on human health and on the health of the planet, I am hit with a twinge of guilt each time I use plastic ware. I am very much a creature of convenience, but because I also value using products that won’t harm me, my family, or the environment, I was thrilled to be asked to review two kinds of bamboo cutlery that were designed to be used by people on the go. 

The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils fit nicely into an attractive carrying case with a small carabiner that easily attaches to the handle of my purse to make taking the utensils everywhere with me a no-brainer.  My carrying case is agave, but the cases, made with recycled PET, also come in a variety of other understated colors.  While the Bambu Sporks did not come with their own holder, I kept them in a LunchSkins bag and was able to pack them in my preschooler’s lunch box.  We have each used the utensils almost daily for three weeks in a variety of foods, including green chili burritos, sushi with soy sauce and wasabi, and numerous tomato-based dishes, and the bamboo did not stain nor did it absorb the strong flavors of the foods.  The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensil Set and Bambu Sporks are easy to clean with warm water and dish soap and have held up beautifully after repeated washings. 

At first, I thought I would use the utensils only for lunches while at work, but having them in them in my purse made it convenient to use them in a variety of other circumstances, as well.  For example, when my family was on the road to visit family for Thanksgiving, we didn’t have time to stop so that I could nurse our infant daughter, so I had to make a bottle of formula in the car to calm her cries. I give her formula so infrequently that although I remembered the bottle, the formula, and the water, I completely forgot about bringing something to stir the formula. Shaking it would cause too many air bubbles, so I was in bind until I remembered the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo chopsticks.  Perfect!  I pulled one out, stirred the formula, wiped the chopstick with a baby wipe, and put it back in the carrying case to be fully washed later.  Additionally, I found myself using them at the Costco food court, at restaurants when I forgot a spoon for the baby’s food, at work when we had special treats, and in the car after grocery shopping when my daughter just had to have her yogurt. I felt comfortable using both the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils and the Bambu Sporks with my young children because the bamboo comes from safe sources and is finished with natural, vegan, food-grade oils.

The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils and Bambu Sporks were a hit with me and with my preschooler, but I was curious to see what my pre-teen students thought of them.  Reviewing the utensils came at a perfect time in my 6th grade lesson planning as we were in the middle of a unit on writing about natural resources and how people use them. My students were impressed with the strength of both the Bambu Sporks and the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils.  Although bamboo is technically a grass, products made from it are incredibly durable, which makes bamboo products a great alternative to easily-broken plastic ware.  One 12-year-old boy even tested the strength of the Bambu Spork by attempting (unsuccessfully) to snap it in half.  Additionally, the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils and Bambu Sporks have an even, smooth texture. We’ve become a culture that is so accustomed to plastic ware on the go that using any other material seemed strange to my students when I first told them about bamboo.  They were concerned that bamboo would cause splinters, making it an unreasonable choice as an eating utensil, but they were shocked to feel just how smooth each piece was.    Given the choice between the two different sets, however, most of my students said they liked how “cute” the Bambu Sporks were.

While I prefered the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensil set for myself, the Bambu Sporks were definitely the more popular choice for the children.  With the holidays upon us, I can’t help but think that these useful, environmentally friendly utensils would make a great stocking stuffer for just about anyone.  

~ Sonja

Cranberries ~ Holiday Eco-Sips & Granola Tarts

How many of you have leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving taking up room in your freezer? I know we did! We 1-1/2 cups of frozen organic cranberries (I know that doesn't seem like a lot but, every square inch in our freezer counts, and it IS FULL haha) leftover from making cranberry sauce and a cranberry-apple pie from Thanksgiving to be exact, and I was determined to incorporate them into December recipes because:

(A) December and cranberries just make sense to me,

(B) I needed to make room in our freezer...and I just wanted to make something fun with cranberries,

(C) I love the color of cranberries and they make any dish/drink look gorgeous (see below), and

(D) I really wanted to make festive eco-sips for a potential Christmas Cocktail hour!

So for those of you also looking for a way to use your leftover cranberries, I think you'll like what this post has in store, especially because I made sure not to waste any of the cranberries. You'll see what I mean below.

Part 1 ~ Making Cranberry Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a common ingredient in a lot of cocktails, but make a cranberry simple syrup and you have a glorified simple syrup that adds a little bit of sweetness and tart and a lot a bit of color!  As I mentioned above, I have 1-1/2 cups of frozen organic cranberries, perfect for making a decent amount of simple syrup for holiday cocktails.  Here is what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup organic cranberries
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to a low simmer until the cranberries start to fall apart (about 15 minutes).
3. Strain cranberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Once you've strained the cranberry mixture, let the strainer sit over the bowl and cool for about an hour to make sure you get all the delicious juice!
4. After the cranberry syrup has cooled, store it in a mason jar.

What about the leftover cranberry skins and solids? Keep them! I put mine in a glass food storage container and used them in a granola tart recipe at the end of this post.

Part 2 ~ Holiday Eco-Sips with Cranberry Simple Syrup

"Scrooge"-Driver

No, I didn't make a spelling mistake! This is a cranberry twist to the classic Screw Driver, and because it's the holidays, I thought the name Scrooge-Driver fit :).  The recipe below makes one beverage.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce organic vodka
• 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup (or more to taste)
• Fresh squeezed orange juice
• Fresh cranberries for garnish.

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice. Add vodka and cranberry simple syrup.
2. Top with orange juice. (About 6 ounces or more depending on your tastes)
3. Garnish with fresh cranberries.

Cran-"Merry" Mojito

Of course, another set of play-on-words I couldn't help but use!  When I think of winter, Mojitos are not the first thing that comes to mind, but when you add cranberries, I think it changes everything.  From a cool summer cocktail to a refreshing winter drink!  The recipe below makes one Mojito.

Ingredients:

• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (from an organic lime)
• 2 ounces white rum
• 2 ounces cranberry simple syrup
• soda water
• fresh cranberries for garnish

Directions:

1. Put mint leaves and lime juice into a glass. Mash the mint leaves with a wooden spoon.
2. Fill each glass with ice and add rum and syrup.
3. Top glass with soda water and add fresh cranberries for garnish.

Part 3 ~ Granola Tarts with Cranberry Centers

Not sure what to call the cranberry leftover filling, so if you have a good name, let me know!  The recipe below is amazing (just the right amount of sweet and tart) and perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Ingredients:

• leftover cranberry solids from simple syrup
• 2 cups old-fashioned organic rolled oats
• 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons Kelapo organic coconut oil (or whatever brand you like to use)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Combine everything but the cranberry solids in a large bowl.  Spread the mixture evenly on a baking dish (or tart pan, whatever you like to use to make granola).
3. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
4. Allow granola to cool.  Here I tried lifting the granola in even squares but it broke...which is fine! Because I was able to mold the granola and make my cranberry tarts.
5. Place one layer (or spoonful as shown in the picture) of granola in a glass storage container. Spread a cranberry solids over granola. Top with a second layer of granola and store in the fridge.
6. Top with organic greek yogurt and enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

~ Hannah

Jar of Smiles ~ Simple New Year's Craft!

I'm not the craftiest person out there, so when I do a craft, I like it simple. And this Jar of Smiles IS SIMPLE...if I can do it, I promise anyone can!

This past year, my husband and I have been writing little notes of things that make us smile and placing the notes in a 2012 mason jar.  On New Year's day 2013 we are going to open the jar and reading all of those little things that have made us smile throughout the past year! I can't wait to read everything and re-live each happy moment.  Definitely going to do this again in 2013.

If you decide to make a jar for next year, send me a picture! I'd love to see how you decorate it.  For our 2012 jar, I decorated the mason jar with a ribbon of lace and chalkboard stickers that I got from Williams-Sonoma for $10 (come in a pack of 12 and they are reusable).

~ Hannah

Guest Post: Totally Bamboo Cutting Board Review + Loaded Vegetable Soup Recipe

When Hannah asked me to review a cutting board from Totally Bamboo, I was super excited to use the cutting board in my Loaded Vegetable Soup recipe that requires quite a bit of chopping! First, I will tell you about my experience with the cutting board, and then I will share the recipe with you.

About Totally Bamboo

Bamboo is a great choice for cutting boards, for a number of reasons. Bamboo is a 100% renewable (and abundant!) resource that is naturally grown.  It is a naturally hard and dense wood, making it a perfect choice for cutting boards and other utensils.

Totally Bamboo decided to capitalize on bamboo as the new “green” choice for cutting boards, utensils, and a variety of kitchen supplies.  After harvest, bamboo does not need to be replanted due to its extensive root system. Instead, it multiplies “as is,” which is one of the reasons it qualifies as a superior “green” product!

In addition to harvesting the bamboo, Totally Bamboo developed a top notch, non-toxic glue to be used on the cutting boards. They also do not use any artificial dyes or stains to color their boards, so what you see is an all-natural bamboo cutting board! With all the precautions I take in sourcing my food (local, organic, sustainable), it is a relief to know that the board that I prepare my food on is also toxin free!

Caring for Totally Bamboo products is simple. Hand wash only to preserve the natural wood (although some Totally Bamboo products are dishwasher safe, I always hand wash my cutting boards).  No oiling or other special chemicals required!

Using the Cutting Board

I have to confess that I have actually been using a Totally Bamboo brand cutting board for almost two years! I received one as a wedding shower gift and have been using it daily (sometimes multiple times per day) ever since. I love its thin size, easy care, and stability.

In the recipe below, I chopped many, many vegetables. I never had a problem with my knife slipping or the board moving (something I used to experience with plastic cutting boards), and the vegetables were easily pushed into the stockpot for soup. I really can’t say enough good things about this cutting board - it is truly a staple in my real food kitchen!

Loaded Vegetable Soup

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate more vegetables into my family’s diet. This Loaded Vegetable Soup does just that! Be warned: this makes a lot of soup. About 8-10 servings (at least)! It would be perfect for a potluck, family dinner, or to take to a new mom who just had a baby. It freezes beautifully and is perfect for a chilly winter day.

1 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced thin

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 pints of beef or chicken stock

1 medium head broccoli

24 oz. strained tomatoes

2 medium zucchinis, sliced

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

½ c. frozen corn

1 c. cooked brown rice (or barley or quinoa)

1-2 tsp. salt

1 T. Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Raw Parmesan cheese, optional

In a large stockpot, add olive oil, onion, garlic, leeks, and carrots over medium heat.  Sauté for approximately 4-5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add stock and broccoli. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes more. Serve warm, garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Jill Marks is the editor of Modern Alternative Kitchen.  Jill has been on a real food journey for the last year and am passionate about food.  She is a Jesus-loving, Bible-reading, kombucha-brewing, raw milk–drinking, real food–eating gal.  For more information about a real food diet and way of life, head over to the website, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.  

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Top on my husband's list of comfort foods is chicken noodle soup! (Accompanied with a grilled cheese sandwich haha).  A few years ago, we used to always buy the canned "home style" version of chicken noodle soup from Progresso (they often had BOGO deals), but as I have mentioned in previous posts, we've changed our habits and stopped buying canned soups.  So as you would expect, this year I've made chicken noodle soup from scratch a lot, and it is so easy to make and tastes much better than the canned version!  Below is my basic recipe for classic chicken noodle soup.  The thing I love about this recipe is that you can really add any type of veggies you want to the soup or substitute the noodles for rice. Peas and corn have been a great addition in the past!

Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

Choose organic ingredients where possible, and if you have fresh herbs, use those! I just use what I have on hand, which is usually dried.

• 8-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 pound chicken breast (if you have one with skin and bones, it gives the broth the most flavor!)
• 2 whole carrots, peeled
• 3 celery stalks (if you have the little leaves on top, they add good flavor to the broth so keep them!)
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 1 clove garlic, mashed (or use minced if you don't have fresh garlic on hand)
• 1 cup uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme (separate into 1/2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Broth

1. Slice 1/2 of a carrot stick, 1/2 of a celery stalk, and 1/2 medium onion.
2. Place 8-1/2 cups of fresh water in a large pot. Add the chicken breast, and the veggies you sliced in step 1. Add garlic, bay leaf, basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, parsley, and 1/2 tsp sea salt to the large pot of water.
3. Bring large pot of water to a boil then simmer for about 40 minutes (making sure the chicken cooks fully!). 
4. When broth is ready, carefully remove the chicken breast and place it in a bowl to cool.
5. Strain the broth into a large bowl and discard the veggies and bay leaf.
6. Return the broth to the large pot and skim off any fat on top.

Soup

1. While chicken is cooling, cook the noodles.
2. While pasta is cooking, dice remaining carrots, celery and onion and place in a medium sized pot.  Cover with some of the broth you made and simmer veggies until they are tender (about 15 minutes or so). 
3. When noodles are ready, drain water and place noodles in large pot of chicken broth.
4. When veggies are ready, pour cooked veggies and broth they were cooking in into the large pot of broth.
5. When the chicken is cool, shred the meat and add to the large pot.
6. Stir ingredients in large pot and add 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp oregano and sea salt and pepper to taste.
7. Heat up soup and serve!

~ Hannah

Tuna Salad from Scratch

I hate to admit it but after making our New Year's Resolution of no-canned foods, our one fault was canned tuna.  When I decided to start the No-can-ber challenge this November, I knew I had to stop our canned tuna habit.  Below is a picture of a fresh tuna salad I made. It was so easy! I couldn't believe how I had never thought to make it from scratch. The salad was so fresh. I don't have a specific recipe for tuna salad becuase I always make it different, but I welcome all recipes! Below, however, I do give instruction on how to make the main ingredient ...TUNA! 

I took a 10 ounce fresh, organic tuna steak, brushed it with olive oil, and seasoned it with salt and pepper.  I placed the seasoned tuna steak on a lightly oiled stainless steel pan and put it in a preheated over at 375F.  The 10 ounce tuna took about 20 minutes to cook.  Check on the tuna while it's cooking to make sure it doesn't overcook (not a fan of dry tuna!).  Once the tuna is fully cooked, remove it from the oven. While it is still hot, break it with a fork into small tuna flakes. Let the tuna cool completely before adding your tuna salad ingredients!

~ Hannah

Roasted Tomato and Red Bell Pepper Soup

Tomatoes are interesting. They are one of those "acquired taste" type of foods, but isn't it funny how even if someone doesn't like tomatoes, they may like ketchup, tomato soup, or salsa? That was me!

It took me 21 years before I started liking tomatoes.  I grew my liking for vine ripe tomatoes eventually, thanks to my husband's parents introducing me to tomatoes from their garden with a bit of cottage cheese and black pepper (yum yum!). 

Because it is No-can-ber month, I wanted to share a no-can recipe for tomato soup. Not just any tomato soup though. This will probably be your new favorite! Below is my recipe for Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Soup. You will love it, I promise! I even used some of the soup as a salad dressing :). 

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 pound ripe organic tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 large organic red bell peppers, quartered and seeded (or a variety of green, red, and yellow which is what I do)
• 1 shallot, chopped (I like using shallots, but a yellow or sweet onion will work perfectly)
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbs chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Place tomatoes, cut side up, bell peppers, onion, and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.  Roast veggies until brown and tender (about 40 minutes).  Turn peppers and onion occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. Once veggies are cool, place them and their juices into a food processor (used our Vitamix!). Add basil and thyme.  Puree the soup while gradually adding enough stock to thin the soup to your desired consistency.  The 2 cups is just an estimate...you may want more!
4. Once pureed, put the soup into a pan, heat through, and serve hot.

~ Hannah

Cinnamon Kissed Cranberry Sauce - Homemade and Can-Free!

Cranberry sauce is on the list of my dad's must-haves at Thanksgiving table.  When I was younger, the only "cranberry sauce" I ever had was the kind in a can, which I now realize is why I never used to like it.  A few years ago, I started making it from scratch for Thanksgiving, and that's when I joined my dad on team cranberry sauce.  Using fresh whole cranberries gives cranberry sauce such a great texture (unlike the jellied roll) and strong, sweet flavor with just the right amount of tart.  Below is my cranberry sauce recipe with a slight twist...adding cinnamon and a dash of cloves!  What do you add to your homemade cranberry sauce?

Makes about 2 cups of cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh organic cranberries (can use frozen too)
• 1 cup organic orange juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil, stirring often.
2. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until many of the cranberries have burst.  Stir every once in a while...this should take between 12 and 15 minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from stove and allow cranberry sauce to cool in the pan. Once cool, transfer to another container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve!

*While the sauce may be soupy in texture at first, it will thicken while it's in the fridge.

~ Hannah

Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Canned pumpkin is an unnecessary Fall staple since making fresh pumpkin is easy, BPA free, preservative free, fun, and you get to roast the seeds!  (Unlike my husband, I love love love scooping out the seeds from a pumpkin haha!).  Especially in November, pumpkin is used in so many recipes from pumpkin pies to bread and pasta dishes, which is why this no-can pumpkin puree recipe is perfect for our No-Can-Ber month!  Do you have any recipes for using your pumpkin puree? Please share!

Choose your organic pumpkin:

For a pie, look for sweet pumpkin varieties like Sugar Pie, Long Pie, or Cinderella pumpkins.  Or, your local grocery store may have pumpkins labeled "Pie Pumpkins."  If you use a regular carving pumpkin, the flesh will be too watery and flavorless.  As for size, choose a pumpkin no more than 3-4 pounds. Smaller pumpkins tend to be a little sweeter.

Roast your pumpkin:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut pumpkin in half vertically.
3. Scoop out the seeds (save them for roasting!).
4. Place pumpkin halves cut side down on an oiled or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
5. Bake pumpkin in the oven until it is tender throughout.  This may take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.  I had a 7" diameter pumpkin which took exactly 45 minutes.
6. Remove pumpkin from oven and let cool so you can easily scoop out the flesh from the peel.
7. If you want to make pumpkin puree (which I did below), simply puree the flesh in a blender or food processor or mash it with a spoon or potato masher.  If you want chunks of pumpkin, you can cut it instead of blending.
8. Store pumpkin puree (or pieces) in glass mason jars. My pumpkin made about 3 cups of pumpkin puree. I divided them into two mason jars and froze one.  The other I put in the fridge (going to make a pie soon!), where it will keep for 5 days.

Roasting pumpkin seeds:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Rinse seeds in water and remove any of the flesh sticking to the seeds.
3. Toss seeds with a little salt if you wish.
4. Lay seeds in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven.  After 15 minutes, stir seeds.

~ Hannah

How to Cook Dried Beans from Scratch

Canned beans line our grocery store isles.  Refried, black, pinto, red, kidney, and the list goes on.  Beans are a great addition to so many dishes, and taste amazing plain too!  When we made our New Year's Resolution to give up canned goods, beans was one of the first things I wanted to tackle. I was always intimidated by the thought of cooking dried beans from scratch for one main reason: TIME. I always find that to be the reason why people go for the canned version, and for good reason, it does take time! But if you plan ahead, it really doesn't take that much involvement..and in the end, too much of your time.  Making beans ahead is great because you can make a bunch and freeze!  Also, once you eat homemade beans, you'll see how much better and fresher (obviously haha) they taste than the canned version.  And, of course, you'll avoid BPA in the canned versions.  Below is a recipe I used to make kidney beans, and aside from the time of cooking, you can apply this recipe to most varieties of dried beans.  The most important thing is to make sure you cook the beans thoroughly. Undercooked beans can cause discomfort in your stomach!

Thanks to Alice Waters, I've found this rule of thumb to be useful:

1 pound dried beans = 2 cups dried beans = 6 cups cooked beans

Steps to cook dried beans from scratch (looks like a lot, but I put a bunch of tips throughout here!):

1. Dried beans should be soaked for several of hours. The easy part about this step is that you can simply soak them over night!  Just place the dried beans in a pot with plenty of water and leave them on a counter. Because the because absorb the water and swell, you want to make sure you have enough water to keep them from poking up above the surface.  If some poke up above the water over night, the beans will cook at a different rate.  A good tip to follow is to cover the beans up with at least three times as much water as beans.  If you don't want to soak the beans over night, 6 hours is a good amount of time to soak the beans (they can be soaked up to 24 hours).
2. Drain beans after soaking and rinse with water. 
3. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with fresh water.  The wider the pot the better because the layer of beans shouldn't be too deep.  If the beans are too deep, it will be hard to stir and the beans at the bottom may get mashed.  The water level for cooking the beans should always been an inch or two above the level of beans.
4. Bring the beans to a boil.  Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer. Skim off any foam that accumulates at the top of the pot.  If you noticed you need more water, you can add more. Simmer gently for about 2 hours (this is what I did for the kidney beans).
5. You can start testing the beans after an hour. Depending on the type of bean it can take anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours. The nice part about cooking the beans is you really don't have to do much except wait for the water to boil, put it to a simmer, and check on them after an hour!  The beans will be done when they are tender but do not fall apart.  It is better, however, to overcook the beans than to under cookthem!
6. When the beans are fully cooked, let them cool in their liquid before you drain.  Draining the beans right away will cause the skins to crack and look rugged.  I actually save a good amount of the cooking liquid, because there is lots of flavor here!
7. Add your cooked beans to your favorite recipe and season them the way you like!

~ Hannah

Making a Simple Tomato Sauce from Scratch

Canned tomato sauce or canned tomatoes for a quick and easy weeknight pasta dish is something we are all familiar with.  Whether we use canned tomatoes or not, we know someone who does or we once did (I'm a culprit of both!). In addition to being a simple way to spice up noodles, canned tomatoes or sauce often pops up in a lot of recipes. But what about the BPA liner in the canned tomatoes or canned sauce?  Because tomatoes are acidic, the BPA in cans is more likely to leach into the contents of the can, which is why I think this post is so important.  Making tomato sauce for pasta is really so easy!  Whether you like it chunky or smooth, all you need is about 20 minutes and a few easy to find ingredients.  Below is a recipe I make for chunky tomato sauce that tastes SO MUCH BETTER than the canned or jarred version.  The best part about this recipe is you really can add whatever spices you love, and just taste as you go (reminds me of those Rom Com movie scenes with the wooden spoon, pasta sauce, and the nice touch spooning feeding a taste haha).  Enjoy!

Recipe makes about one cup of tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound vine ripe organic tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and diced...see instructions #1)
• 1 TBS of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium sized organic yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, mashed and chopped (I had minced on hand so used that)
• Fresh basil
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of chile flakes if you like spicey (we do!)

Directions:

1. Peel, seed, and dice tomatoes (saving juices).  To peel the tomatoes, simply core the tomatoes and plunge them into boiling water until their skins loosen (usually about 15 seconds in water till they are peelable).  Remove tomatoes from water and put them in a bowl of ice cold water to keep them from cooking.  Drain the water and peel. Cut tomatoes in half horizontaly and remove the seeds into a bowl.  Strain the seeds and save the juice!  The juice is important here for a great sauce in my opinion.
2. Heat up a pot on medium heat.  Once heated, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Then add onion and saute until cooked thoroughly (onions should be translucent looking).
3. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.
4. Add tomatoes and juices to pot with a pinch of salt.  Stir and reduce heat to a simmer.
5. Cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.  When you have 5 minutes left, add fresh basil (or any other spice you love! Oregano is good too.)

~ Hannah