Cauliflower Garlic Bites

Cauliflower Garlic Bites

Serves 2-4

1 Head of Cauliflower cut into florets

Garlic Powder

Butter it up Spray

Preheat oven to 450. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl lightly spritz with butter it up spray then sprinkle with garlic powder.

Spread cauliflower onto baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Pull out cookie sheet and stir, return to oven another 10-15 minutes until brown and crispy.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

This was one of our recipes that we served during our Gluten Free cooking class. It's a great way to use up those heels of bread you usually toss! It's also great if you are not Gltien Free, you can sub wheat bread in place of the Gluten Free!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan Dippers

Serves 2

1 Eggplant cut into 1/3” slices

1 Egg

2 Slices of Gluten Free Bread (or whole wheat bread if you are not GF)

1 Tbs Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tbs Parmesan

2-4 oz Shredded Mozzarella or Jack Cheese

Sea Salt

Grapeseed Oil Spray

Pasta Sauce to Serve

Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheet with silpat  baking mat or parchment paper. Place sliced eggplant onto paper towel and salt each side then top with another couple of pieces of paper towel to pull moisture out of eggplant.

Meanwhile, place bread, italian seasoning, garlic powder and parmesan cheese into food processor and process into crumbs.  Beat egg in a cereal bowl. Pour bread crumbs onto plate or another cereal bowl.

Take eggplant and pat off excess salt. Dip each slice of eggplant into egg then bread crumbs. Repeat with each slice then lay on prepared cookie sheet. Lightly spray each piece of eggplant with grapeseed oil spray. Bake eggplant for 10 minutes, flip each slice and then top with a little cheese. Bake another 10 minutes.

Serve with heated Pasta Sauce.

Spring Pasta with Fresh Peas

What's for dinner is an easy question this time of year. So many great items are in season right now! If you have never eaten fresh peas you have to try them! It's really not hard to shell them, and you can get the kids to help. The flavor is so different from frozen or (shudder) caned peas. 

Also only available this time of year are spring onions and garlic. They are the immature bulbs of onion and garlic. They are sweeter and not as pungent as their grown up counterparts. They add wonderful flavor to this super simple pasta. I have also used them for a spring onion soup, in salads and on sandwiches. I could go on and on about how wonderful these are, and part of their charm is they are only in season for a short time.

1-1 1/2 lbs Fresh English Peas in shell

1 bulb Spring Garlic

1 bulb Red Spring Onion

8-10 Crimini Mushrooms

4 Tbs Unsalted Butter

8 oz Organic Valley Cream Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

6 oz dry Pasta cooked according to package directions

In a large bowl shell remove peas from shell, set aside. Slice onion and garlic lengthwise and cut lengths into half moon shape and set aside in small bowl. Slice mushrooms. In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter then add in onions and peas. Cook until peas start to turn bright green. Next add in mushrooms, cook until softened. 

Add in cream cheese that has been cut into cubes. Stir until melted and combined. Add in cooked pasta to coat in sauce. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Serve with garlic bread!

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

I've been trying to come up with some healthy portable snacks for the toddler lately. He loves fruit and string cheese but I don't want to give him the same thing all the time. I've noticed that the "healthy" packaged snacks fill him up but don't provide much in the way of nutrition or calories. Since he is a little underweight for his age (His Doctor said he doesn't have a "Doritos Belly" like most kids his age, I see that as a good thing) I wanted to make a portable snack that had some veggies and fats but wasn't full of sugar. Maybe I can at least give the toddler a healthy American muffin top! ;)

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Makes 18 Muffins

3 small Zucchinis 

1 large Carrot

1/2 C Plain Whole a Milk Yogurt

1/2 C Maple Syrup

2 Eggs

1/3 C Sunflower Oil (Almond or Walnut would work well too if there are no allergies)

1 2/3 C Whole Wheat Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 heaping tsp Cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 350. Shred Zucchini and Carrot on a grater. In a large bowl beat together Yogurt, Maple Syrup, Eggs and Oil. Mix Zucchini and Carrot into wet mixture. In a small bowl mix together Whole Wheat Flour, Baking Soda and Cinnamon. Mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined. 

Spray two muffin trays with Spectrum Grapeseed Oil Spray. 

Fill 18 cups nearly to the top with muffin batter. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes.