Most Delicious Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

I've been obsessed with pumpkin lately!!! I just crave it, so now I have a healthy way to eat it, cause eating a billion pumpkin pies was probably not a good idea :)

1/2 can coconut milk or about 1 cup, can use lite but I like the regular

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 - 1 (depending on size) frozen banana

1/4 cup pecans

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp vanilla

about 2 Tbsp natural maple syrup (could use honey) or more, sweeten to taste.

1-2 cups ice

put it all in a blender and blend till smooth.

Roasted Pepper and Quinoa Chili

So I found this recipe on another site, but since I pretty much changed it completely, I'll just call it mine:)


1 Red Pepper
1 Yellow or Orange Pepper
1 jalapeno pepper (cut out all seeds and veins)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
olive oil to coat pan
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 4oz can green chili's
1 diced canned chipotle chili (can use less, it's pretty spicy!)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced
2  14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth (could use veggie or chicken too)
1 can pinto beans or black beans
1 can kidney beans
salt to taste

cheddar cheese
corn chips
sour cream

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut bell peppers and jalapeno in half and clean out then put on cookie sheet skin up and flatten with hand. Broil for about 10 mins until blackened.  Then cover with another sheet of foil and seal edges together. Let sit and sweat for another 10 mins.

While peppers are sweating, cook onion in olive oil until translucent, then add garlic and spices (make sure the heat isn't too hot or it'll burn the garlic). Then add green chili's, chipotle pepper, celery, and carrots; cook for about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes, beef broth, beans, and quinoa. While simmering take roasted peppers and peel off skins, then roughly chop and add into chili.  Cook until carrots are just barely cooked.

Serve with cheese, chips, and sour cream if so desired!

Almond Flour Pancakes

So I've finally found a dairy-free/gluten-free pancake recipe that I like! They really are very yummy,  so that's why I'm putting it on here! Also, if you're wondering, I got the almond flour at winco where it was definitely the cheaper than anywhere else I've seen it. This is from Elana's Pantry:

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• grapeseed oil for sauteing

1. In a blend, combine eggs, agave and vanilla and blend on high until smooth
2. Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and blend again to incorporate dry ingredients into batter
3. Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken up (this is a must!)
4. Warm grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. These take a little longer to cook so don't turn up the heat too high or they'll get overdone.
5. Ladle pancake batter onto skillet
6. Pancakes will form little bubbles, when bubbles open, flip pancakes over and cook other side
7. Remove from heat to a plate
8. Repeat process with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed

Yields 12 pancakes
editor's note: I use a cast iron skillet to make these pancakes

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

from Mel's

Very Yummy, and I love the dipping sauce! This is a very light meal....I served it with rice. Ohh, and it's gluten free!

For the Rolls:

2 pounds chicken breasts or boneless pork chops
about 30 10-inch diameter spring roll wrappers (rice, tapioca, etc.)
1 pound fresh bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin
1 large English cucumber, cut into thin strips
large bunch of fresh herbs, washed (I used basil and cilantro)
large bunch of fresh lettuce leaves, washed
warm water in a large shallow bowl or pie plate (large enough to accommodate a spring roll wrapper)

Meat Marinade:
juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chile-garlic paste to taste

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce:
8 oz hoisin sauce (the Y&Y brand is gluten-free)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I usually add more vinegar)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed through a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon chile-garlic paste

Whisk together all the marinade ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a ziploc bag. Place the meat in the bag and marinate, refrigerated, for an hour or two. Grill or broil the meat until it is cooked through. Set aside to cool. When cool, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices.

For the sauce, mix all of the sauce ingredients together until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add hot water and mix in until you achieve a desired consistency. Set aside.

Assemble the spring rolls by dipping one spring roll sheet into a shallow bowl of warm water for a second or two and setting it flat on your plate. Layer lettuce, herbs, vegetables, and meat in a small strip about 1/3 of the way from the edge nearest you. Roll from the edge nearest you and tuck in the sides as you go if you wish. Roll tightly, but not so tightly that you tear the wrapper. Serve the rolls with the dipping sauce on the side.

For step-by-step instuctions go here

Red Coconut Curry Noodles

Love this recipe because it's yummy, gluten free, and low cal (if you use the light coconut milk). Just make sure that you add the noodles carefully because the easily stick together!!!

Also from Mels Kitchen Cafe

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips (last time I made this I used pre-cooked shrimp and added them at the end to warm them up.....yummy)
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans light or regular coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cups sweet Thai chili sauce
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 (13.5 ounce) package rice noodles (about ¼-inch wide)
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin half moons
2 red peppers, cored and sliced thinly
1 cup broccoli slaw or thinly sliced matchstick carrots
1 teaspoon salt to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, scoop the cream off the top of each can of coconut and put it in the pot. (If using light coconut milk, there won’t be cream to use, so use the 1 tablespoon oil called for in the recipe). The cream will be used as the “fat” instead of oil or butter. Along with the cream, add the curry paste and ginger. Let this simmer, stirring constantly, for about one minute.

Add the chicken and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. Add the coconut milk, sweet Thai chili sauce, cilantro, and chicken broth. Bring this to a simmer.

Add the red pepper, broccoli slaw (or carrots) and rice noodles and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom, for about 5-8 minutes. The noodles will thicken and plump up as they absorb the liquid. The mixture will be slightly soupy when the noodles are finished cooking.

Take the pot off the heat and let the noodles sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture will continue to thicken. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Squash Bake

This is the best way, in my opinion, to eat squash. I love this recipe because it takes boring squash that you can serve during the week and makes it yummy & special without making it super fattening.

This is actually a Jillian Michaels recipe, so it is pretty healthy...well depending on how much yummy buttery cinnamon pecan topping you add. I usually double the recipe for the topping because Jared always wants seconds when I serve this and he adds more topping than it calls for.

FYI: If you use the recommended amounts than the total calories per serving are 190

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash (cut into 4 servings)
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Instructions

Squash:
Cut squash into 4 equal servings. Remove seeds & fiber. Place cut side down in baking pan with small amount of water in bottom. Bake in a 350 degree oven 45-50 minutes or until squash is tender and can be pierced with a fork. (Or place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe container. Add a little water. Microwave on High 5-7 minutes, turning dish once. Continue cooking, if necessary, until squash is tender.)

Topping:
Meanwhile, combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Heat on top of stove or in microwave oven until butter melts. fill center of each squash half with one-quarter of the pecan mixture. Mix some of the cooked squash with the pecan filling. Serve immediately.

I serve mine directly out of the oven without removing the skin. Just place on plate add the topping and eat with a spoon.

Shaved Brussel Sprouts w/ Garlic & Lemon

I'm always looking for healthy ways to make vegetables taste better. This one is my new favorite. I never really thought I liked brussel spouts until I tried this recipe, now I really do. So give it a try.

Remember: this is really more of a method than a recipe so change it up to suit your family.

Ingredients

3 cups Brussels Sprouts
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Clean brussel sprouts by tearing off outer wilted layers & chopping off bottom end. Shave brussels very fine with a sharp knife. Then rinse to wash of dirt.

Place a pan over the burner on med-high heat. Let it get REALLY hot. (I let mine preheat for about 5 minutes). Add the oil, let heat another 30 seconds.
(Note: the goal is to let your pan get really hot and to sear the sprouts; not to steam them. If the sprouts don't brown quickly then your pan isn't hot enough. When the sprouts are done they should still have a bite to them.)

Add Brussel spouts and salt & pepper to taste. Once you have some good color (about a minutes) add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and squeeze in lemon juice. Mix well and serve immediately.

Autumn Glazed Pork Chops

This is another healthy recipe from Jillian Michaels (The Biggest Loser).

This is a pretty yummy healthy pork chop. However, I added my own step to the process, which is to brine the meat. Awhile back I tried the brine on pork chops (a different recipe) and the difference in the quality of the meat was night & day. So now whenever I make pork chops I brine them first (unless cooking in the crock-pot).

I've had this recipe without using the brine & it is still good but if you have a little extra time I would try the brine.

Ingredients

4 Pork Chops
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup Apple Cider, or Juice
1 can Whole Cranberry Sauce
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven 400

Spray a large nonstick skilled with nonstick coating. Heat over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle both sides of chops with Salt & Pepper. Brown chops on each side in hot skilled, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to 9X13" baking dish.

In a small bowl combine cranberry sauce, honey, orange juice, ginger, and nutmeg. Pour into pan chicken was in; warm through. Pour over pork chops, making sure each chop is completely covered.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until pork chops are done.

Brine

Ingredients

1 gallon Water
1 cup Sea Salt or Kosher Salt(not table salt)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed (I used apple juice & it's fine)
1 1/2 tsp. Whole Black Peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. Thyme
6 Pork Loin Chops
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine the water, brown sugar, sea salt, apple juice, peppercorns, and thyme. Give it a good stir to dissolve the sugar & salt. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours to tenderize the meat. Do not brine longer than that or the meat will break down too much and get mushy.

Remove the pork chops from the brine & pat them dry with paper towels.

Field Greens with Blood Oranges, Pistachios and Pomegranates

This salad is very tasty. Blood oranges are a seasonal fruit mostly found around Christmas. They can be purchased at the Real Foods Store when they are available. However, when not avaibable regular oranges work but they don't have the rich color and flavor of the Blood oranges. If you use regular oranges, you may want to use some red food coloring to enhance the color.

Dressing: ( would probably recommend doubling or tripling this recipe and have a little extra on hand)

3 Tbs. fresh blood orange juice
1 Tbs. unseasoned rice vinegar ( used seasoned rice vinegar and it was fine)
1 Tbs. agave or honey
3 Tbs. hazelnut oil (This is hard to find, but they sell it at the REAL FOODS STORE. Macadamia nut oil or walnut oil could be substituted)

Mix well.

Salad:

2 blood oranges, sectioned and/ or cut up (or you can use clementines)
field greens ( I used Spring Mix)
pistachios
1/3 Cup fresh pomegranate kernals and/or dried cranberries ( can use other fruit as well. I halved some red grapes and added them)

Serves 4

Jade Pearl Rice with Vegetables

I really love the taste of this rice dish. The Rice is a specialty rice and can be purchased at REAL FOODS.

1 Cup Jade Pearl Rice (Lotus Foods)
1/3 Cup finely cut carrots
1/3 Cup finely cut celery
1/4 Cup fresh parsely, chopped
1/4 Cup grapeseed oil (also available at the health food store)
Herbes de Provence
Real Salt
Beau Monde
Pepper

Cook rice in rice cooker according to directions on package. Meanwhile, using a large sautee pan, sautee carrots and celery in grapeseed oil until slightly tender. Add parsley and 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence - cook a few minutes longer. Once rice is done, add rice to the vegetables and mix well. Season to taste with a little Beau Monde and/or Real Salt and pepper. (If it seems too dry, add a little more oil)

Serves 4

Marinated Flank Steak

These are the recipes from my healthy friend, Sue. This flank steak recipe is very easy and very tasty. The meat is very low in fat so it is healthy too!

Put 1 large flank steak in a gallon ziplock bag or container; cover in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, turning the bag over after 2 hours.

Broil or barbeque the steak for about 10 minutes on each side or until done to your preference. I would be careful of overcooking as the meat could be dry and tough. Slice in very thin slices cross grain. Serve immediately.

Teriyaki Marinade:

1 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. maple syrup (Sue says this has to be the real stuff-I got it at REAL FOODS)
1/2 C. olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. minced ginger or 1 1/2 T. ground giner
1 tsp. Real Salt
1 tsp. pepper

Or, you can use Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce instead

( This marinade is delicious on chicken, too!)

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette

A very healthy easy meal from Giada.

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces ( I just used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was great)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls

A healthy every day type meal.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large red pepper, diced small
1 10-ounce package baby portebello mushrooms, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 average-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained, diced small
2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 cups of hot cooked rice
romaine lettuce leaves
sesame seeds
scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Add red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 5 - 6 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute.

Add chicken to pan and cook for 6 - 8 minutes or until cooked through. Stir chicken and red pepper mixture occasionally while it cooks. Add water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables. Continue cooking until heated through.

To serve, line a single serving size bowl with romaine leaves. Top with a large scoop of rice, some of the hoisin chicken, and a sprinkle of the sesame seeds and scallions.Alternately, you can serve the hoisin chicken mixture wrapped in lettuce leaves or omit the lettuce leaves completely and serve the chicken over rice.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

If you can't tell, I've been in the mood to cook lately. I'm also trying to eat healthily as well. I got this one off the the eatbetteramerica.com site. But I did change it quite a bit. I will list what I did.

8oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 T. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1small onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 -3 bunches broccoli florets
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 TB cornstarch
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (2 medium)

1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package; cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add beef; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes until beef is no longer pink; remove from pan.

3. Add bell pepper and onion to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute. Add broccoli; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in water and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

4. In small cup, mix teriyaki sauce and cornstarch. Stir teriyaki sauce and beef into broccoli mixture in skillet. Cook and stir over high heat until sauce is thickened and heated through. (I added extra water because the sauce was to thick for my liking.) Toss broccoli mixture with spaghetti. Garnish with green onions.

You could omit the noodles and serve over rice too.

Beach Street Chicken Pasta

This is another light and healthy meal. Great for everyday! I did cut the oil in half so if you want more oil feel free to double what you see.

**This recipe requires marinating the chicken for 3-12 hours so plan ahead!**

1 lb. linguine
1 tablespoons olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (smashed with the back of a large knife or saucepan)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (cut this down to 1 1/2 teaspoons if you want less heat but don't omit entirely or you will lose great flavor)
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a ziploc plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.

Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm

Garlic chicken pasta with spinach.

This recipe was light, healthy and yummy. I used the Barilla plus penne for extra health. If you are serving this to kiddies you might not want to use the red pepper or use very little, just a suggestion.

6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound penne pasta1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
6 tablespoons juice from 2 lemons
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, combine garlic, pepper flakes and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the garlic/red pepper oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is rippling. Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water and cook until tender but still slightly firm (al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Stir in chicken, spinach, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and remaining garlic mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Anything and Everything Granola

Well I've been looking for snacks that are sweet but good for you too. So I came upon a granola recipe and tried it out. I've added and taken things out, but no matter how I've made it, it's been really yummy! We actually really like to have it as cereal, since it isn't like a gooey granola. Also it's very helpful for the digestive system:) Any way, you can add or take out stuff, but I'll just tell you what I've been doing.

4 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts would taste good too)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/3 sunflower seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (the recipe called for cooking oil, coconut is healthier, but a lot more expensive. I'm sure it would taste great with regular)
1/8 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup honey (if you don't have agave nectar just use all honey)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. molasses (sometimes I don't add this)
1 1/2 cup craisins or raisins or both

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl mix oats, nuts, wheat germ, coconut, seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

In a saucepan combine oil, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, and molasses. Heat until warmed. Carefully pour over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish by hand.

Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then add dried fruit.

Classic Bran Muffins

This is a very yummy recipe!!!


INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/3 c. pumpkin to make healthier....so good!)
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Molasses (optional - I added it)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.
Beat together oil, egg, sugar, molasses and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
( I also squeezed a tiny bit of honey on the tops before baking, it was really good because these aren't super sweet! It kind of tastes like a Mimi's muffin...kinda)
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy! Makes 12

Oven-Barbecued Pork Chops and Sautéed Kale

I got these recipes from Good Things Utah. This is a really easy, inexpensive, and healthy meal.

When I saw the recipe for Kale I wasn't so sure about it, but I thought I'd give it a try. It is a dark leafy green that when cooked doesn't loose it's bite. I want to say it tastes smiliar to spinach. Also like spinach, it has lots of good vitamins it it. Jared and I both liked the way it tasted. It's a great alternative if you're getting sick of the usual veggies you cook.

I also made some brown rice to go along with this meal.

OVEN-BARBECUED PORK CHOPS

Ingredients
6 Pork loin chops

Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
1 lg onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup orange juice
1 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Head a large ovenrproof skillet over high heat. Drizzle both sides of pork chops with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Add the pork chops and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add about 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add orange juice and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in barbecue sauce. Return the pork chops to the pan, turning several times to coat with the sauce.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Serve the sauce over the pork chops.

SAUTEED KALE

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch Kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)

½ cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 teaspoons balsamic, sherry, or red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons bacon bits (make your own or store bought)

Salt and Pepper

Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add water, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Push kale to one side, pour out any remaining water. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Toss with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste and top with bacon bits.

Tips
When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Tomato Basil Soup with Tortellini

I know I just barely posted a tomato soup but this one was too good not to post. Plus this one is totally different.

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-size onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 can (15 oz) tomato puree (or sauce)
1 lg can stewed tomatoes
3 Tblsp dry basil leaves or 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 tsp sugar (this is to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder or salt to taste (or you could add garlic)
1 pkg. cheese tortellini (I like the fresh tortellini you find by the cheese)
Shredded parmesan cheese

In a 3 to 4 quart pan, melt butter and heat oil over medium low heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender. Stir stock, tomato puree, stewed tomatoes, basil, sugar, and pepper into pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer to blend flavors and soften carrots, about 15 minutes. (At this point you can puree the soup if you want it smooth. I like it chuncky so I skip this step.) Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring soup to a boil and add tortellini. Boil until tortellini is tender. Serve with parmesan cheese.