Halloween Dinner

 This is a fun Halloween dinner idea :)

Ingredients:

Rotini Noodles

Pesto

Black Olives

Mozzarella Cheese

Cucumber

Halloween treats for school parties

Every year I scramble trying to find a good Halloween treat to bring to boys class, so thought I would start collecting my ideas in one post :)

Fun Halloween drinks :)

Little swiss roll Bats!!

Mummy cheese and crackers!!

Little Debbie Spiders!!

Little Debbie Pumpkins

Cheetos Balls Pumpkins!!

Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta

 Needed a quick week night meal and looking for something different!!  This was great :)

Ingredients

• ▢1 ½ pounds (900g) zucchini or summer squash (about 4 small-medium)
• ▢2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
• ▢Kosher salt to taste
• ▢7 garlic cloves, divided
• ▢1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• ▢12 ounces (340g) pasta of choice (use gluten-free pasta as needed)
• ▢1/3 cup (45g) pine nuts or pistachios
• ▢1/2 of a medium or large lemon, zested
• ▢1 cup fresh basil leaves, divided
• ▢1/2 cup (80-100g) cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters
• ▢1 can (15-ounce/440g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables. Cut each zucchini lengthwise into quarters, then crosswise into chunks (not too thinly; see the photos in the blog post for reference). Slice 6 of the 7 garlic cloves thinly (but not paper thin). Leave the remaining garlic clove whole.
• Caramelize the zucchini. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the zucchini or summer squash and season with kosher salt to taste (I used a heaping 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt). Cook the zucchini, tossing occasionally, until browned in spots, 4-6 minutes.

  NOTE: for pan alternatives, see the “Tips” section in the blog post.
• Add the 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves to the zucchini. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the zucchini just starts to break down, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until zucchini is soft and jammy, 15-20 minutes, stirring just occasionally. Stir in red pepper flakes at the end, if using.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve a few ladles of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, make the basil-garlic topping. Finely mince the 1 remaining garlic clove. Chiffonade 1/2 cup of the basil and toss with the minced garlic to combine. Set aside.
• Make the Zucchini Pesto. Meanwhile, add the pine nuts or pistachios to a food processor and blitz until you have a very fine crumb. Transfer about 2/3 of the caramelized zucchini to the food processor (reserve the remaining zucchini for finishing the pasta). Add the lemon zest and the remaining 1/2 cup of the basil and blend until the pesto is pureed but still a little chunky. Taste for seasonings, adding a pinch of salt as needed.
• Assemble the Pasta. Transfer the hot cooked pasta to a serving bowl. Top with the zucchini pesto, and toss to combine, adding a few spoons of pasta water as needed to emulsify the mixture until the pesto coats the pasta. Add the reserved caramelized zucchini, sliced cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas and toss again. Sprinkle with the basil-garlic topping and toss again. If desired, drizzle with a final splash of extra virgin olive oil. Taste for seasonings, adding additional salt as needed. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Avocado Chicken Salad

 Needed a dairy and gluten free lunch packed with protein - this was it!!  YUMYY!!!

Ingredients

• 4 oz /100g chicken breast, cooked
• 1/2 avocado, large
• 1 egg, hard-boiled
• 1/3 cup tomatoes
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1-2 scallions, thinly chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped olives

Dressing & Additions

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Arranging the bowl: Start with a bed of spinach, then arrange tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, olives, chicken, egg, sprinkle chopped scallions, add freshly ground black pepper.
2. Prepare the dressing: Mix olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice and toasted sesame oil (optional) and add to the salad, combining everything together. When you've mixed everything add salt to taste.

Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Baseball got cancelled and I made up this yummy egg bake for breakfasts all week!!!  Dairy and gluten free!!!  DO IT UP :)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 4 sausages casing removed
• 2 cups sweet potatoes shredded
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 8 button mushrooms sliced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 green onion sliced
• Cooking fat
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Melt cooking fat in a skillet over medium heat.
  Cooking fat
• Cook the onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes.
  1 onion,2 garlic cloves
• Add in the sausages and break them apart while cooking for 5 to 6 minutes.
  4 sausages
• Place the shredded potatoes at the bottom of a slow cooker and top with the onion-sausage mixture.
  2 cups sweet potatoes
• Add in the bell pepper and mushrooms.
  1 bell pepper,8 button mushrooms
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and coconut milk; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  1 cup full-fat coconut milk,Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pour in the eggs on top of the sausage mixture.
  12 eggs
• Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours; serve topped with green onions.
  1 green onion

PESTO STEAK KABOBS WITH BLISTERED TOMATOES & PEPPERS

 Yummy!!!  I just used store bought pesto to keep this simple and it was great!!!  So yummy!!!

Kabobs

• 1½ - 2 lbs top sirloin steak
• 3 green bell peppers
• grape or cherry tomatoes
• salt & pepper

Marinade

• ¼ cup coconut aminos, can use soy sauce
• ¼ cup olive oil

Pistachio Lemon Pesto

• 3 cups packed fresh basil
• ¼ cup pistachios, shelled
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, or 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup olive oil, extra virgin

Instructions

• Cut your steak into large pieces (around 1¼ - 1½ inches). Try to keep them uniform in size so they'll cook in the same amount of time.
• Add your steak and marinade ingredients to a gallon ziploc bag. Squeeze out excess air and zip closed. Use your fingers to massage the marinade evenly around the steak. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, flipping the bag over occasionally.
• Cut the top off your green bell pepper. Scoop out the inside and discard along with the top. Slice pepper into evenly sized chunks.
• Thread your marinaded steak, bell pepper, and tomatoes onto skewers.
• Place on a baking sheet and drizzle excess marinade from the bag over the kabobs so that your veggies also have a nice coat. (The olive oil in the marinade will help the veggies get a beautiful char.) Salt & pepper.
• Place on grill so they're not touching. You'll want the grill on medium-high heat. Grill for 3-5 minutes. Flip. Grill for another 3-5 minutes. Remove when you've achieved your desired doneness.
• Let the kabobs rest for a few minutes.
• In a blender combine pesto ingredients and blend. Brush over steak & serve!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (dairy free)

 Needed a soup for fall that was gluten and dairy free -- and here you go!!!  This has a yummy kick of spice!!!  Evan was NOT a fan but it was great and flavorful :)

Ingredients

• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 1 Tablespoon light olive oil
• 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cup diced onion or shallot
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 13.6 ounce can light coconut milk
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (adjust to desired thickness)
• 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 cup crushed canned tomatoes, drained
• Optional Bisque topping (from original recipe) – 6 to 8 ounces medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off (see notes)
• Garnish – fresh chopped parsley or cilantro. Grated Parmesan, optional. Omit to keep dairy free.

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Instructions

ROASTED PEPPERS

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Place bell pepper(s) on a baking sheet and place in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway. Note – Use tongs to rotate the peppers so each side is browned. If needed, broil for 2-3 minutes for extra charring.
3. Remove peppers from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, remove skin from peppers and slice off the stem and remove core. Dice roasted bell peppers into small pieces for blending. Set aside.

SOUP

1. Add olive oil to a large pot. Turn to medium heat and add the onion and garlic sauteing 3 minutes or until fragrant.
2. In the same pot, combine the coconut milk, broth, tapioca starch, red pepper flakes, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Bring the ingredients to a light boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the roasted red bell peppers and crushed tomatoes. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend until smooth. (See notes for blender option.)
4. Bring soup, uncovered, to a light boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 to 20 minutes or until soup has reduced and thickened. Stirring occasionally. (See notes if adding shrimp).
5. Serve and garnish with fresh herbs and extra seasoning, if desired.
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.