by bringmebliss | Nov 17, 2015 | Fun Food
Coyote Caviar is a Southwest appetizer that is a big hit at parties! There is nothing like this side dish! If you like Southwest and Spicy, give this a try.
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (4 oz) can chopped black olives, drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (4 oz0 can chopped green chiles
1 clove garlic, shopped (I might do 2 here.)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cumin (I always go for a little more cumin.)
1 teaspoon black pepper (Yes, a whole teaspoon…it’s awesome!)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, sliced
Mix all ingredients up to the cream cheese. Let marinate for 4 hours or more in the refrigerator. Spread cream cheese on a plate; top with the mixture and top the mixture with the sliced green onions. (optional)
Serve with tortilla chips. OMG! This is my absolute favorite appetizer of all time.
Reference: “Reflections Under the Sun – The Brightest Collection of Recipes from the Junior League of Phoenix” 1999
by bringmebliss | Sep 1, 2015 | Fun Food
I used to make this pasta sauce years ago and then laziness got hold of me. To make life easier, I would buy store brand pasta sauces and add ingredients if I had time. I never really liked the end result. It was like, “What’s it going to taste like this time?” Homemade food is always better and I have re-ignited my passion for making a pasta sauce to be remembered. It’s a very simple recipe.
Ingredients
1 pound hot Italian sausage
Extra Virgin Olive Oil as needed to saute veggies
1 green bell pepper
1 onion – white or yellow
1 8 oz. package mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 large cans of tomato sauce (I’m not into using fresh tomatoes yet!)
1 drop Oregano essential oil
1 drop Basil essential oil
1 drop Thyme essential oil
1 drop Black Pepper essential oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Directions
Cut up the Italian sausage if you bought it in casing. Cook in a pan, drain, place in a big pot.
Saute mushrooms separately. Mushrooms need to be cooked on high heat to move the water out quickly. Place mushrooms in big pot with sausage, then saute green peppers and onions together. Add all ingredients into the big pot, including the oils and the tomato sauce. Use up any tomatoes in your fridge – cherry, grape or other and throw those in the pot! Be careful not to add more than 1 drop of each oil. They are very potent and can ruin a recipe if over poured. Use a toothpick if you aren’t sure to dab a little oil from the bottle into the recipe.
Simmer all ingredients together for an hour or more.
by bringmebliss | Aug 26, 2015 | Fun Food
Home made delicious Greed Salad
I started buying this Greek Orzo pasta salad at Whole Foods several years ago. It is now over $9 per pound. I can now make it for a lot less and have so much more! This is an easy recipe.
Ingredients
1/2 pound Orzo pasta, cooked by directions
Chopped veggies and cheese to taste (I rarely measure for salads, so put in however much you want.)
- red onion
- cucumber (peeled, seeds removed)
- red bell pepper
- spinach
- pitted kalamata olives
- feta cheese crumbles
- olive oil (a couple of Tablespoons)
- apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs – just a splash)
- juice of half a lemon (or mix 1 drop lemon essential oil to 2 Tablespoons water)
- salt & pepper to taste
Mix and place in fridge for about an hour before serving. You can always double the recipe for a party. This makes a great side dish and keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
by bringmebliss | Aug 18, 2015 | Fun Food
Super Easy Egg Muffins
There’s nothing like being able to grab a quick and tasty protein meal on the go and these muffins provide the perfect, convenient mini-meal.
Ingredients
6 eggs
Chopped, sauteed veggies
(I used mushrooms, zucchini, red onion and spinach. I added a tiny bit of fresh basil leaves.)
Salt, pepper or any seasoning of your choice.
Shredded cheese (optional – I did half with cheese.)
See below for Mexican variation!
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 325; grease a 24 count mini muffin pan or two 12-count pans.
Sautee veggies, whisk eggs separately. Add veggies to eggs and mix. Add seasoning.
Spoon in mixture to muffin pan to just under the top edge of the pan. The egg mixture will puff up a little. Place in oven for 15 minutes. Remove quickly from pan and place on a cool plate to keep the muffins from cooking further in the hot pan.
Here’s a twist on the above recipe…cook up some chorizo (spicy Mexican sausage), throw in some green chiles, chopped sauteed onions and shredded cheddar/jack cheese. Serve with cubed avocado – yum! These are so good!
Put your muffins in a baggie and store in the freezer or refrigerator for use all week long. Simply microwave for 20-25 seconds to heat and pop in your mouth for a quick and yummy protein breakfast. Add some fresh fruit like blueberries or raspberries and a greens drink to round out your nutrition for the day!
by bringmebliss | Aug 2, 2015 | Fun Food
I like my beans spicy and these are best with sesame-ginger glazed salmon or chicken. If you want a vegetable packed with flavor, spicy green beans will accompany your main dish with pizazz and good nutrition!
Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K. They are a very good source of manganese, vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin B2. In addition, green beans are a good source of copper, vitamin B1, chromium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, choline, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), niacin, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Green beans have also been shown to contain valuable amounts of the mineral silicon, and in a form that makes it easier for us to absorb this bone-supportive and connective tissue-supportive nutrient. Green beans have also been shown to contain valuable amounts of the mineral silicon, and in a form that makes it easier for us to absorb this bone-supportive and connective tissue-supportive nutrient.t makes it easier for us to absorb this bone-supportive and connective tissue-supportive nutrient. (source: whfoods.org)
Ingredients for this recipe
Bunch of green beans (depends on how many servings)
1 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 drop Ginger Essential Oil (or grated ginger if you don’t have the oil)
Spash of Soy Sauce
Dash of Curry Powder
Dash or 2 of Red Pepper Flakes (depends on how hot you like it) or Mongollian Fire Oil
Toasted Almonds (optional)
Directions
Blanche green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes (or steam); drain.
Heat non-stick cooking pan and pour in oils (Sesame, Olive and Essential oils).
Toss the beans in and start frying.
Drop a splash of soy sauce, curry powder and red pepper flakes and continue to toss in the pan while it’s cooking. Don’t cook too long. Just enough to have that charred look on your beans and for all the flavors to mix.
Add toasted almonds and toss once more. Keep warm until serving time. Enjoy clean eating and cooking with Spicy and Delicious Green Beans!
by bringmebliss | Jun 30, 2015 | Fun Food
Don't throw out the beet greens!
Have you ever bought beets, trimmed them up and then threw the greens away? It may feel a bit daunting as to what to do with them, but it's really a piece of cake. Just trim the leaves, wash them and add them to a salad. They are nice and crunchy and pretty with their red veins. This is a very healthy food and a step towards clean eating.
Beet greens are high in nutritional value! They provide good amounts of protein, phosphorus and zinc. In addition, they are packed with anti-oxidants. They are high in vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese, and low in fat and cholesterol. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, daily values of beet greens contain: 220% of vitamin A, 60% of vitamin C, 16% of calcium and 15% or iron. *Source: Food facts by Mercola
Sometimes, I will place them in a skillet, add some chopped onion, garlic and shredded carrots with olive or avocado oil and sautee them until they are nice and wilted. This time I added some grape tomatoes. This blend makes a nice bed for the beets I'm going to place on top as a side dish to our dinner entree. I call this my beet greens medley.
I was a late bloomer in trying beets. It wasn't until my 20th wedding anniversary that I discovered the sweet taste of beets drizzled with a little olive oil and salt and topped with blue cheese! But I fell in love at first bite!
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