8.29.2016

Instant Pot: Pot Roast


Dinner in an instant. Even a pot roast! 

After picking up the kids from school we went to the grocery store at 3:30 and bought some groceries for dinner. Next, homework from 4-5pm. Finally, at 5:10pm I started prepping dinner and the roast went in the IP at 5:20. By 6:30pm dinner was served. 

The Fish Fam loved it!

Sounds to good to be true right? Well, you can only see for yourself!

I highly recommend this Instant Pot pressure cooker. You won't be sorry!

Love my Incredible pot :)

6.15.2016

Simple Sesame Noodles


The Fish Fam said these noodles were pretty good. One of my kids tried a tasted and said, "Yum, this tastes just like seaweed salad!"

Yes, they liked it, but the husband said maybe next time don't do spaghetti noodles.

I was thinking the same thing. I'll have to try flat rice noodles or some other Chinese noodle. But this recipe was quick and simple. I also added leftover shredded chicken.

By Pioneer Women
  • 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil
  • 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin
Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and toss.
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks. Yummy!

6.07.2016

Coconut Blueberry Chia Muffins


These gluten/dairy free Coconut Blueberry Chia Muffins are filled with lots of fiber and are very yummy!

My husband said, "These are definitely muffins to have around all the time!"

I love the taste of anything coconut and Nutiva has the best organic coconut flour...


Here's the recipe...

by Nutiva
Gluten and Dairy Free
Makes 12 Muffins

1 cup Nutiva Organic Coconut Flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. raw honey (I subbed maple syrup)
1 cup coconut milk
6 eggs
4 Tbsp. Nutiva organic coconut oil, melted
4 tsp. vanilla extract
4 Tbsp. Nutiva organic chia seeds
1 cup organic blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Sift the coconut flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl or blender, whisk honey, coconut milk, eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla. Gently stir wet mixture into dry ingredients and mis in chia seeds. Fold in the blueberries and pour batter into greased or lined muffin tins, until 3/4 full. Bake for 25 mins until muffins begin to turn golden brown and are cooked through. Immediately remove from tins and cool on rack.

*When baking with coconut flour you'll notice that it requires lots of eggs and that's because coconut flour recipes don't call for xantham gum like most other gluten free recipes. The eggs do the binding. 


Preheat your oven and mix it all together in a big bowl and drop them into the baking cups.

Which I love using large unbleached baking cups by If You Care and my Vollrath 1-1/3oz stainless steel disher. Click on the links. 


Pop them in the oven for 25mins.


Let them cool down.


And enjoy!

6.05.2016

Fresh Basil Pesto Bacon Pasta



We have tons of noodles to use up before we move overseas, hence all the pasta dishes we've been making!

This night I had basil and pine nuts in the fridge to use up so Basil Pesto it was!!

My husband love, love, loved it and of course anything with bacon makes it even better. 
At least for my kids!


Basil Pesto is super easy to through together and make, 
but here is a recipe to follow:

2 cups Basil
1/2cup Parmasean Cheese
1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste

Put it all in a food processor and blend.

I aslo fried up some bacon, onions with chopped up mini bell peppers.

I'm convinced that this olive oil... 


 Was a huge factor in the taste. My husband picked it up in Greece, on his way home from his deployment, as a gift for me. I was SO HAPPY! And it is so so good.

5.26.2016

Tomato Cream Sauce


The Fish Fam LOVED this Tomato Cream Sauce.

It's from the Pioneer Women, which I love pretty much all of her recipes!

I changed this one up a bit though because we limit cows milk as much as possible, so instead of using the heavy cream I made a white sauce with butter, flour, and coconut milk. Very easy. Directions here.

I've also got lots of help in the kitchen! My little one opens the cans of organic tomato sauce and while another grates the parmesan cheese. Very helpful!

Mine didn't turn out so orange, but the family said it's super super good and we've had it quite a few times these last few weeks with organic pasta.

The Pioneer Women

Ingredients:
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 cans (15 Oz. Size) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
  •  Salt And Pepper, to taste
  •  Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  •  Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
  •  Fresh Basil, Chopped
  • 1-1/2 pound Fettuccine
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

*Switch out the wheat noodles for gluten-free to make it gluten-free!

5.22.2016

So Good Chicken Salad Wraps



These Organic Chicken Salad Wraps were so so good!

This is one of my fast and easy meals to put together because I always have plenty of quart size ziplock bags filled with organic shredded dark chicken meat ready to use. I regularly buy two whole organic chickens that I cook, separate the white and dark meat, and then use the bones to make broth. It's much less expensive buying organic whole chickens and using EVERYTHING, than it is to buy organic meat and broth separately. It can be a bit of a process, but it's easy and so worth it!

Ingredients:

Organic Sir Kensington's Mayonnaise
Organic Dark Chicken Meat
Organic Green Grapes
Organic Celery
Lemon
S&P

So after adding everything in a big bowl you know what to do...

Mix it all together.
Add extra sea salt, pepper, or lemon to taste.
Top it onto your favorite lettuce.

I love butter lettuce for its softness or iceberg for its crispness.

Add some veggie sides...


And enjoy!

Just one word on the Sir Kensington's Mayonnaise...


DELICIOUS

Good ingredients and so tasty.....


My hubby loves this Siracha Mayonnaise.

There are plenty of great ones right HERE that include Avocado Oil Mayo, Organic Mayo, their Classic Mayo, Chipotle Mayo, their Special Sauce, Dijonnaise, they also have "Fabanaise"a vegan mayor and from what I hear awesome ketchups and mustards. I bought this Siracha Mayo at my local Albertson's that costed $8. Yeah, expensive. However, thankfully I found it at my favorite online food/supplement company Vitacost. Yes!!! Check out their super good prices HERE!

: )

4.27.2016

Chocolate Avocado Cookies


These cookies may be one of the healthiest cookies you ever have!

They are fill with some of the best super foods! 

Like...

Avocados, Raw Honey, Almond Flour, Dark Chocolate, Almond Butter, Eggs, and Cacao Powder. 

That's it!

The Y.S. ECO Bee Farms Raw Honey is the best and certainly is "Liquid Gold!" It's very important to get good, clean, healthy, unrefined honey. Raw honey is unheated, unpasteurized, and unprocessed...which leaves the honey filled with is incredible vitamins, minerals, living enzymes, amino acids, and fatty acids!  Have you ever heard of honey being called natures anti-viral and antibiotic medicine?  My kids really like this raw honey, which I buy at any health food store like Wholefoods, Good Earth, Sprouts, Natural Grocer, Amazon, and Vitacost. Here it is at Amazon.

Blanched Almond Flour is great too. This brand is specifically great because I have found it works great for baking. Way way better than Bob Mills or other almond flours. Blanched means the nuts were soaked and the skins were taken off. Soaking or blanching nuts is the best way to get the most nutrients out of them. The skins contains phytates and for some people, especially with sensitive guts can be hard to digest and irritate the digestive tract. I buy this blanched almond flour at most costco's. It's a bit pricey. But such a great option.

A lot of people know dark chocolate is a superfood! Milk chocolate tastes a lot sweeter, but has lots and lots of sugar and ingredients that cancel out all the good stuff. Dark chocolate is filled with awesome minerals and antioxidants that do great things for your body like lower cholesterol, improve brain function, make skin healthy, and make you feel better! What more could you ask for?! So go for that healthy dark chocolate.

As for the Avocados did you know they contain more potassium than a banana?! They are filled with INCREDIBLY good healthy fats and they help rebuild the nervous system. Healthy fats are VITAL during pregnancy. The baby fetus NEEDS healthy fats to develop their central nervous system and brain. So important! And avocados are the best around! So enjoy them in these cookies and fresh on salads, in your guacamole, and so much more!! I love love avocados.

As for the almond butter and eggs...find and almond butter with one ingredient ALMONDS! You can make your own almond butter in your own food processor at home. You can also get fresh almond butter at most health food stores where you push a button and it is ground up and put into the container in your hand. 

For the eggs, I always buy organic eggs. I would recommend ALWAYS buying organic and/or pastured eggs from your local farmer. They know what's up when it comes to producing healthy and happy chickens to make the best eggs. 


So after blending everything up in your food processor scoop them up and drop them on a baking sheet and enjoy the smell of chocolate! 


By Family Life Goals


Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces raw organic unsweetened chocolate melted in 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil
  • 1/2 organic avocado
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted organic almond butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 organic egg and one organic egg white
  • 2 tablespoons organic cocoa or cacao powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons organic almond flour
Directions
1. Puree the avocado until it is very smooth.

2. Add all of the other ingredients one at a time and blend together until the batter is smooth.
3. Let the batter chill in the fridge for one hour.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
5. Place the batter on a cooking sheet in the shape of your cookies. Place in the oven.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes
7. Let cool for 5 minutes.
*The darker the chocolate like the one I used makes the cookies very rich. Also, I will add less cacao powder because it added to its richness. You can use any chocolate you prefer. Dark chocolate blend with some fruits or peppermint would be pretty awesome! You can also do another healthy sugar like maple syrup, coconut sugar, and unrefined molasses, even dates. 
Enjoy!

4.20.2016

Coconut Mango Ginger Granola


If you want some awesome roasted and toasted granola then this recipe is pretty awesome! 

Friends really like my Roasted and Toasted Kine.

Granola sure fills your house with a wonderful aroma.

This time I switched out the maple syrup for Ginger Syrup (from The Ginger People), and added toasted coconut flakes, and chopped up dried mangoes after it was done baking. Just watch it to make sure it doesn't get too roasted and toasted like this one came out today. Still yummy though!



Enjoy :)

3.15.2016

St. Patrick's Day Nom Nom Green Chicken


This Phenomenonal Green Chicken by Nom Nom Paleo is amazing and has become a family favorite, especially on St. Patrick's Day. 

Check it out here and/or here on my blog! 

So incredibly Nom Nom

Enjoy!

2.10.2016

包子 Baozi Chinese Steamed Meat Buns :)


新年快乐!!!

For Chinese New Years I made some Chinese food and we got together with some friends and family to celebrate!

My cousin, little chef, and I made 包子 Baozi (Stuffed Steamed Buns) from scratch. Baozi are definitely a Fish Fam favorite! When we lived in China you could find Baozi on every corner at any time of the day, which they are a breakfast food, nonetheless we ate them all the time morning, day, and night! Our little guy had a baozi dance, he'd get so happy :)

For the celebration we made a lot of food...Baozi, Jiaozo (potstickers), Lemon Chicken, Long Bean Stir-fry, and a Lychee smoothie. Grateful I had lots of help too or else it would have taken all night to cook because I didn't get started soon enough!

In the end, all I heard was how yummy it all was!

I followed this recipe from Yi Reservation. I need to work on the buns, but for a first they turned out pretty good, just need to get them more round and soft. The recipe is in grams, so I had to convert everything and was probably a little off of the measurements, but the clock was ticking!

Here is Mr. Yi's recipe....
But going to his website and following the step by step photo process is important.

CHINESE STEAMED MEAT BUNS (BAOZI) 包子

YIELD: 21-24 BUNS

PREP TIME: 180

COOK TIME: 30
TOTAL TIME: 210
Make these homemade Chinese Steamed Meat Buns following this MAN-PROOF step-by-step recipe at www.yireservation.com.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH

  • 500g all-purpose flour, more as needed
  • 1.5tsp instant yeast
  • 50ml lukewarm water
  • 230ml milk or water +/- 10ml, at room temperature
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 50g sugar
  • 3g salt
  • 2tbsp cooking oil
  • 1/10tsp baking soda (optional)

FOR STUFFING

  • 1.5lb ground pork (can use chicken, beef, or lamb)
  • ¼ cabbage
  • 5 scallions
  • 2inch fresh ginger root

STUFFING MARINADE

  • 2tbsp soy sauce
  • 2tbsp cooking oil
  • 1tbsp sugar
  • 1.5tbsp Chinese rice wine
  • 1tsp five-spice powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 2tsp ground white pepper
  • Additional salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:


  1. Follow my basic steamed bun (Mantou) recipe to make the basic dough. You’ll need about 2 – 3 hours to prepare the dough
  2. While waiting for the dough to rise, start making the stuffing by chopping the scallions and ginger
  3. Chop the cabbage to the size of ½ of your pinky nail. Move the chopped cabbage to a mixing bowl
  4. Mix 1 tbsp of salt into the cabbage. Let sit for about 20 minutes or until cabbage has released some moisture
  5. Remove the cabbage liquid. Combine with the ground pork (or your meat of choice) in the same bowl. Add the chopped scallions and ginger to the pork and cabbage
  6. Mix in all the stuffing marinade ingredients to the pork except the cooking oil. Whisk the stuffing using a spoon until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Add additional salt to taste if needed
  7. Drip the cooking oil in the meat mixture and whisk to mix. Seal the stuffing with plastic wrapper and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This can be done in advance
  8. Once the dough is ready, transfer the dough to a flour-dusted workstation. Divide into 4 portions. Roll each portion into a log that’s about 1.5 inch in diameter
  9. Cut the log into 6 parts and shape each port into a ball. Make sure you coat the dough balls with a layer of flour. Press down the ball with your palm. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a round thin wrapper with 4 inch diameter. When rolling, make sure the center of the wrapper is thicker than the edge of the wrapper. Repeat this step to make a batch of 6 wrappers at a time
  10. To fold the bun. Place 1 to 2 tbsp of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Try to stack up the filling so it’s at least 1 inch from the edge of the wrapper. Wrap the bun by folding the edge counterclockwise until the bun is completely sealed. Repeat these two steps to assemble the rest of the buns
  11. Place the buns on a bamboo steamer with parchment in between to prevent sticking. Don’t steam your buns right away but instead let them sit for another 30 – 45 minutes. This is an important step in making the buns soft and fluffy. The buns will increase in size
  12. Steam the buns for 15 minutes over high heat. Turn off the heat but do not open the steamer cover. Let them sit in the steamer for another 5 minutes before you take them out. Let them cool a little and serve hot as breakfast, snack, or appetizers

Being that Chinese New Years is 15 days long stay tuned for more yummy 中国菜 Chinese food!

新年快乐!!!