Greek Meatball Pitas

Yummy and kid friendly! Aldi carries inexpensive whole wheat pitas, which we use for this. Mel has shredded cucumber in her sauce, but we changed it to use sliced cucumbers and plain sauce. You could freeze the meatballs for a make-ahead meal.

(Adapted from Mel) 

Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt (greek or otherwise)

1 clove garlic, finely minced (one time I used dried…)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Meatballs: 

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

Pitas + Toppings: 

4 whole wheat pita breads

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

2 large tomatoes, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Sauce: Mix together all ingredients. You can make this days in advance.

Meatballs: 

1.Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil (or use Silpat)

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and milk and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to let the crumbs soften. Add the parsley, egg, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the turkey and mix until well combined.

3. Portion the meatballs into tablespoon-sized balls (or 1 inch cookie scoop) and place ½-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake for 15 minutes until the meatballs are no longer pink (or check for 165 degrees on a meat thermometer).

To serve, slice the pita breads in half. Dollop a spoonful of tzatziki sauce on the bottom of each pita. Add a layer of tomatoes cucumbers. Stuff meatballs inside and serve.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

A lot of people say that if they are going to eat a desert, they're not looking looking for a healthy one. But if you can have a great-tasting cc cookie that has more fiber and fewer simple carbs than usual, why not??  If you want to feel even better, follow the recipe and use coconut oil instead of butter like we usually end up doing….

(From “Two Peas in a Pod”)

Makes: 2 Dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened (we usually just use butter)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies (we never do this)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

5. Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden around the edges and soft in the center. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Note-cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days. The cookies also freeze well. If you want to cut back on the chocolate chips, you can.

Judy Campbell's Lentil Soup

I love this soup and all but one of my children scarf it down (thanks to the kielbasa, I think). You could easily adjust this for the InstantPot, using the time listed for brown lentils and adding the kielbasa afterwards.

Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Enough for a family of four for dinner plus two bowls leftover :)

3/4 lb kielbasa, cut lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 in. pieces (half-moon shape)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 stalks celery, chopped small

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans tomato pureé (14 oz) or diced tomatoes (whatever texture you prefer. We do puree)

2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and examined for little rocks

1 bay leaf

1 t basil

1 t oregano (or more)

a dash sugar (we haven't done this)

salt, pepper, sage and thyme if desired/to taste

1) fry the kielbasa in a teaspoon or two of canola oil in a soup kettle until brown. Set aside. (you wouldn't have to do this, but I think it tastes better).

2) Sauté onions and celery until soft, add garlic and sauté for 15 seconds or until fragrant

3) Add tomatoes and lentils, spices, and a cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer until lentils are soft, about 25 minutes.

4) Add the kielbasa and salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Chickpeas (for kids!)

I was happy to find out that you can roast canned chickpeas! My kids happily pop these in their mouths. The lady who introduced to this concept calls chickpeas a "little legume with a mission" because of their many health benefits. 

From Cuisinicity (the wife of the head of Yale's Center for Preventative Medicine)

• 1 large can (1 lb-13 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and well drained

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp herbes de Provence

• ½ tsp coarse sea salt.

• fresh rosemary (optional)
• 
  

1. Preheat the oven 375 and place a baking sheet inside so it heats up as well.
2. Place drained chickpeas in a bowl and gently pat with a clean towel to dry as much as possible.
3. Add olive oil, spices, salt and fresh rosemary if using, and gently stir to coat the chickpeas well.
4. When the oven and baking sheet are ready, transfer the chickpeas directly onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes
5. Let cool on the baking sheet, sprinkle with fresh rosemary, if using, and serve.

The Best Cranberry Orange Muffins (or bread)

I like it when blender recipes really NEED the blender (and wouldn't work otherwise). This is a great blender recipe because chopping cranberries is usually such a pain and the whole orange and giant chunk of zest add terrific flavor. We love these muffins!
(source: Vitamix Blender Cookbook)

Yield: 12 muffins (or 1 loaf)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (100 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 orange, peeled, seeded, quartered
• 1 - 2 inch (2.5 cm-5 cm) strip orange peel
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) light olive oil (we use canola)
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar (we do 2/3-3/4 cups)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (240 g) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup (46 g) chopped walnuts (we often skip the nuts)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly coat an 8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch (22 cm x 11 cm) loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray or shortening (except we always make these as muffins!)
2. Place Vitamix Container on blender base and select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 3. Remove the lid plug and drop cranberries through lid plug opening just until chopped. Stop; scrape sides and remove chopped cranberries.
4. Place orange quarters, peel, olive oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla into the Vitamix Container and secure lid.
5. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
6. Blend for 30 seconds, using the tamper as necessary to press the ingredients into the blades.
7. In a large-size mixing bowl, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whole wheat flour; stir well.
8. Pour orange mixture into bowl containing dry ingredients. Mix by hand JUST until dry ingredients are moistened.
9. Stir chopped nuts into the batter; do not over mix.
10. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (For muffins: bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean) 
11. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes, then carefully remove from loaf pan and allow to cool completely before slicing. (except that we always eat these hot)

Kale Cranberry Salad

The funny thing about this salad is that we usually make it without the topping (unless we are trying to impress guests). The salad + dressing is nice on its own. It was such a revelation to find out about the kale massaging thing.
From Mel.

Salad

12-14 ounces kale (about 2 bunches), stemmed and finely shredded or chopped

Pinch of sea salt or coarse kosher salt

1/4-1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries

3-4 slices cooked, crumbled bacon (optional)

Dressing: 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pinch coarse black pepper

Pinch of coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey

Pecan Parmesan Topping: 

1/2 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

2 For the salad, place the chopped kale in a bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Rub the salt into the kale for 2-3 minutes. You'll notice the kale starting to soften and darken in color.

3 For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients until well-combined. Pour over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour (you can serve it right away but I think it tastes best if the kale and dressing have time to sit for an hour).

4 For the pecan parmesan topping, pulse the pecans in a blender or food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the Parmesan, olive oil and salt and continue to pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs. The size is up to you but I like the pieces fairly small (but not turning to mush, if that makes sense).

5 Add the craisins and bacon to the salad and toss.

6 Sprinkle the pecan topping over the salad. Serve immediately

Quick Smokey Creamy Sausage & Penne Skillet

This did come from a recipe somewhere on line, but I changed it so much that it doesn't really matter now. This isn't the healthiest meal, but it's not too terrible either, and it is VERY fast and a true comfort food. We didn't have any fire-roasted diced tomatoes (called for by the original recipe) so I used regular tomatoes + a dash of liquid smoke that we happened to have in our cupboard.

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced (I forgot this and added garlic powder later on and it was fine)

1/2 to 1 lb bulk sausage (I used sage sausage)

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted or otherwise)

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 t or so liquid smoke (optional...see note :-)

8-ish oz. whole wheat penne (or whatever small chunky pasta you have)

6 oz. cream cheese, cubed

In a large skillet, brown the sausage with the onion over medium heat, breaking up the meat as you go. When the sausage is brown and the onions are clear, add garlic and stir until fragrant (15 seconds). Drain onion/sausage mixture in a strainer over a bowl to remove excess fat. 

Add tomatoes, broth, and liquid smoke to empty skillet and bring to a boil. Add pasta and onion/sausage mixture and allow to simmer on medium heat for 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Scatter cream cheese cubes thorough the mixture. Wait 30 seconds or so for the cream cheese to soften, then stir to incorporate.

This made enough for our family of 2 adults/3 little kids + leftovers.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

You wouldn't have to do this, but if we don't eat these on the day we make them we throw them in the freezer and reheat when ready.

Makes 12 muffins (or one loaf)

from 100 Days of Real Food

• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (white whole-wheat is nice)
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup oil (OR ¼ cup oil, ¼ cup applesauce)
• ½ cup sugar 
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt). In a separate bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in wet ingredients. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix.
4. Generously grease a large loaf pan or put muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter.
5. For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 - 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Sister Lathan's Chocolate Sauce

This sauce is, uh, not healthy. When I was little we made it often to eat on ice cream for Sunday dessert. I could drink it (and have).

1 1/4 cube butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter into a medium bowl. Add all other ingredients and stir. Microwave for 45 seconds, stir, and repeat several times until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fairy smooth and thick. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. You could also use an immersion blender. Come to think of it, if you have a high-performance blender with a soup setting, you could throw all of these ingredients in and let 'er rip. Best served warm, although you can refrigerate and warm it when ready.

This makes a lot of sauce--enough for a crowd. 

Oat Blender Pancakes

We usually have blender pancakes for dinner on Sunday evenings. One night we were out of wheat berries so we did steel-cut oats instead, and it became a thing. These are super fast and healthy to boot. If you hope for a thick buttermilk pancake these are not for you...the structure is somewhere between a crepe and a regular pancake, and because they have no gluten, they are incredibly tender. Our kids love them, both with butter and syrup and with fruit puree.

yield: 12 pancakes

1.5   cups milk

1   cup steel cut oats

2   tbsp canola oil 

2   lg eggs

2   tbsp granulated sugar

1   tbsp baking powder

.5   tsp salt 

Blend steel cut oats and milk for a minute or so, or until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and pluse 5-10 times. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup portions onto a greased, hot griddle, and cook about 1 minute. Flip and cook 30 seconds. Serve immediately or keep in 200-degree oven loosely tented in foil.

[Adapted from the Blendtec cook book]

Red Lentil Curry

A friend asked for this recipe, and when I went to the American Test Kitchen cookbook to get it for her, I realized that I had changed almost every ingredient. So I claim some credit for this.

total time: 45 min (includes 20 min simmering time)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons curry powder (or 1 t garam masala, but who has that?)

3 cups water

1 1/4 cups red lentils, picked over and minced

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon sugar (I know, I know...but it makes it taste a lot better)

Saute onion in oil until softened, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (15 seconds). Stir in all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until lentils break down to form a thick puree, 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste.

Serve over rice (we do brown rice). 

Test Kitchen Pancakes

We make these when we are looking for a more traditional pancake (i.e. when we have company). Our go-to pancake is actually blender oat pancakes that are much thinner. Someday I will need to get Dad's be all/end all hotcake recipe, although his commitment to whipping the egg whites has scared me off in the past...

2 cups flour (you can do half or all whole wheat, but expect heavier/drier)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk (we usually put 2 T vinegar in the 2-cup measure, fill the rest with milk, & let sit a few min)

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl. In separate bowl, whisk egg, butter, and buttermilk. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, pour buttermilk mixture into well, and whisk gently until just combined (a few lumps will remain). Take care not to overmix.

Heat up a pan or griddle, and make the pancakes!

yield: 16 (4-inch) pancakes

*Pumpkin pancake variation: I have added up to 1 cup pumpkin puree + cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger for an autumn twist. It turned out much tastier than the dedicated pumpkin pancake recipes we have tried.

One-Hour Whole Wheat French Bread

This recipe is originally from The Food Nanny (she uses white flour). I love it because it is ready in under an hour, even with rising time. This bread might not have the most sophisticated flavor, but I have found that it is hard to go wrong with hot bread that can be started at 5PM for a 6PM dinner.

• 
  
• 1½ cups warm water
• 1½ tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup gluten flour (Bob's Mill or other)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Melted butter, for brushing on loaves (optional)
• 
  

1. In a small bow, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir just to combine and cover with Let the mixture stand while you mix everything else.
2. Blend the flour and salt in a mixer with dough hook (or in a food processor). Gradually add water. You will probably need to add a half a cup or more of additional flour, but add slowly and watch for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Once it forms a ball that you can handle, stop adding flour. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Cut the dough in half and shape the halves into baguettes. Place in baguette pan (or just on a cookie sheet), cover with a dish towel, and let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes, or until doubled..
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven to create stream. Bake 15 minutes or until they have a hollow sound when tapped with a knife. If desired, brush the tops of the loaves with butter halfway through baking. For a softer crust, brush with butter when they have finished baking.

Grandma's Apple Pie & Crust

I got this recipe from Karine when I was in college and trying to impress a boy. It is Grandma's recipe. One time I watched Alton Brown make an insanely complicated pie crust to fit the description of "tender" and "flaky". That's all fine and good, but I grew up with this kind of pie crust, so it's what I crave. Fortunately, hubby likes it too.

5-7 apples (I know that most people say golden delicious, but we have tried it with lots of varieties)

1/2 cup sugar 

2 T flour

1/8 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1 T lemon juice

Peel, slice, and core apples. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Crust (enough for a double crust)

2 c flour

1 t salt

1/2 c oil (canola or very mild olive)

3 T cold water

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well and add oil. Mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle water over top to help the mixture stick together. Divide in half and roll out between pieces of saran wrap. Pie it up, crimp edges, cut a few slits to let the steam out, brush top with milk & sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 on a cookie sheet to prevent spills. Cover pie edge with foil to prevent burning, remove foil after 20 minutes and bake 20 minutes more (or so). Remove when golden brown.

Frangos

Fringes are hard to describe...soft, fluffy balls of chocolate deliciousness. Grandma Harris made these at Christmas, and we often use them on our Christmas goodie plate.

1.5 lbs milk chocolate (we have used semisweet and even bittersweet chocolate chips)

1 large 12-oz cool whip (actually...we whip 1.5 cups of cream instead)

1 t peppermint

Graham cracker crumbs

Melt chocolate, fold gently into whipped cream, then add peppermint. Refrigerate for several hours. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to make into 1-inch balls, roll in graham cracker crumbs