Mama’s Rhubarb Pie

Let me start by saying I have the best mum in the whole world. Let me say next that she makes the best rhubarb pie in the whole world. And let me say NEXT that she surprised me by sending me a package Halloween day with fresh-cut rhubarb from her garden two states away along with goodies like a movie and candy. She sent it that morning and it came that afternoon. I couldn’t believe it. Totally surprised me. She’s always sending me pictures and telling me she’s baking a rhubarb pie or crumble and I’m always unhappily drooling in Colorado (she lives in California). SO, I have rhubarb (a lot of people curiously don’t even know what this tart food is) and it really doesn’t require many more ingredients. It’s an easy recipe, but I called my mum a few times to make sure I was doing it right.

My mum and I trying not to laugh

Finished product. Yes I did make shapes on it

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups rhubarb (roughly)
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 piece pie crust

Directions

Thaw out the pie crusts (if you’re doing frozen) by leaving out for at least 15 minutes
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F
Chop up the rhubarb into 3/4 inch pieces (roughly) and toss them in a large bowl

Rhubarb from California! Straight from the garden

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and flour together
Now, toss the sugar/flour mixture with the chopped up rhubarb in the big bowl. Mix it around so that the sugar is evenly distributed among the rhubarb

This is the part where I always snack

Put that sugar-coated rhubarb in the first pie tin

Drooling…

Now, this is probably the trickiest part: getting the other crust to come down evenly on the bottom crust. So the rhubarb should be a little heaping in the bottom pie tin. Thus, you want to flip that second pie crust so that its bottom is on top.
Press upon the bottom crust and rhubarb. Use a fork to press and bind the two crust together all away around the edges. You will get some extra dough so get a sharp knife and slice around the edge to get the rest. Use the extra dough to make shapes or faces!

Looks weird, but I promise it turns out well!

Make three small slits in the pie to let it breathe
Now this next step is to ensure that the pie crust doesn’t burn: get some tin foil, fold it in half and just cover the edge of the crust. It may take a few pieces of foil. Nobody likes a burnt crust!

Put it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake it for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F. Then turn it down to 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes. It should be golden brown on top and you should be able to go through those slits cleanly

Just waiting for me to dig in

And that is it! This pie isn’t as fun to make without my mum because I have nobody to tell me not to eat the sugar-laden rhubarb and smack my hand. But it still turned out pretty well. Actually, it turned out to be delicious. The rhubarb was still tart but balanced off with the sugar, and the crust didn’t get burned at all! Maybe it’s in the blood. I’m glad I didn’t botch this one! Thanks, mum! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Nommmmmmmmmmmm

BONUS KITTY PIC

Cuddles, obviously.

Oct302013

Powell’s Vegetarian Chili

It has been cold in Boulder. I know Chris likes it, but I’m not a huge fan of 30 or 40 degree weather. However, there are remedies to this! Such as hot chocolate…tea…oh and, VEGETARIAN CHILI! We would eat this a lot at home when I lived with my parents and it was always so tasty and gave that perfect sense of warmth and comfort. And I never realized how easy it was to make until I started cooking for my own. This chili lasted us a few nights and for a few lunches, keeping us warm against the turning seasons. This recipe comes from my family. It’s easy, healthy, and vegetarian-friendly.

Prep Time: 15-20 min
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves
1 large green or red pepper
1 package of mushrooms
1/2 onion
2 tbsp oil
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp paprika or chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 15 oz. can red kidney beans
1.5 cups zucchini
1 10 oz. package frozen corn
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Okay long list of ingredients, but it is super simple. First let’s chop up all the mushrooms, garlic, pepper, onion, and zucchini

Chopped veggieeees

Stir the garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and onions in a deep pot with oil until veggies are tender
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, paprika, and cumin. Stir it and heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Then add the beans, corn, and zucchini. Simmer those until the veggies are tender

Add however much cheese you want into the chili and stir until it melts. Serve hot with sprinkled cheese on top!

🙂

We usually have it alongside some cornbread. It always fills me up with a sense of home and happiness. I know I will be making it more as the days get colder. The second day we had it, Chris added some ground turkey into it and it was also delicious! This recipe is incredibly easy, delicious, and healthy. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Cuddle buddies forever

Oct212013

Baileys Brownies!

Okay I know it’s not close to St. Patrick’s Day, but we still have Baileys left-over from that event and I’ve always wanted to give that a try. We aren’t super big into alcohol (although I do like my red wine), but we both can agree on some Baileys when it comes up. So these are normal, darker brownies with some Baileys in it for a kick! I got the recipe here. It was kind of rushed on my part because I made them right before we went to a friend’s, but they still turned out alright!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp butter
1/2 bar dark chocolate
2 eggs
1/3 cup Baileys
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
First of all, chop up that dark chocolate into little bits
Then, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda
Melt the butter and dark chocolate over low heat in a pot
Now into the pot (once the dark chocolate is melted), whisk in the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and Baileys

Add the flour mixture and whisk until it’s all combined
Pour the mixture into a foil-lined plan (go for a 8×8, I wasn’t so lucky) and bake for 20 minutes!
When they are all ready, go ahead and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top

It’s pretty simple and doesn’t take much time at all. Mine were a little dry for my liking (although, Chris liked them), so I would make them a bit thicker next time. You can definitely taste the Baileys in it, so be prepared! Suitable for all ages though…the 5-year-old I made them for loved them! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Oct152013

Easy Cheesy Whole-Wheat Vegetarian Lasagna

The weather is getting colder (I actually saw little baby snowflakes today!) and the body wants warm food. What better to have on a cold night than a steaming plate of lasagna. Great comfort food with plenty of nutrients. This one has less fat than the average lasagna because you aren’t using ricotta. AND it’s whole-wheat! Can’t beat that. I got the recipe from here and then adapted it. Alright, let’s get to it.

Proved to be a wonderful dinner

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-70 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz box whole-wheat lasagna
9 oz frozen spinach
3 eggs
1/2 cup powdered Parmesan
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
a few fistfuls shredded mozzarella
2 cups red sauce of your choosing

Directions

Cook your whole-wheat lasagna until it is just al dente
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Grease up a glass baking dish
In a bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheese

Cheeeeeesayyyyy

Alright, now it’s time to layer this puppy up! Start by laying down the foundation: the first few pieces of lasagna so it covers the bottom of the baking dish
Next comes the spinach. Lay about half the spinach that you have on top of the noodles, somewhat evenly.

Place another layer of lasagna noodle. Then pour all of the cheese mixture on top of that

Then put a little bit more spinach on top of the cheese mixture. And then another layer of lasagna noodle!
We’re almost there, guys! Now spread the top of the noodles with your tomato sauce and then sprinkle the mozzarella on top.

Now it’s ready to bake! Put it in the oven for between 50 to 70 minutes. Mine took around 60. A good way to tell if it’s done is when the cheese on top is slightly browned. Another way to tell if it’s cooked all the way through is to stick a knife through the bottom and count to ten. If the knife is hot, then you’re good to go!

Chris’ protein shake behind it…

This was a wonderful dinner. Perfect with salad or some kind of greenery–and don’t forget the red wine! It doesn’t leave you feeling too heavy since it’s a bit less fat than the normal lasagna. And we had leftovers for like 2-3 days! I’m always happy because it means packing lunches are easy! Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

Bon appetite!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Oct072013

Chocolate Chip “Cookie Dough” Dip

I have been wanting to try this one for a while since my friend from college, Mary Kate, made a batch and I got to try it. Oh, it is heavenly. I’m not sure if this is the recipe she used, but it’s what I based mine off of. Now this isn’t actually cookie dough, it kind of is more like cannoli cream. Chris isn’t all into sweets, so I knew I had to make this where I could bring it with others to share (bad news bears if I left it all for myself–helloooo tummy ache). So my cousin’s birthday get-together was last night and I decided to trial it then. I made it after we FINALLY caught up with our new obsession, Castle.

^_^

Prep Time: 15 minutes tops
Cooking Time: …none

Ingredients

almost 1/2 cup whipped butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
7/8 cup powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese

Directions

Alright. Real simple. Let’s start by heating up a pot and throwing the butter in and then the brown sugar. Whisk it up until it bubbles, then put in the vanilla extract. Take off heat.

Now in a medium-sized bowl, cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar.

Then add in the butter mixture. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Finished product with some chocolate-covered pretzel thins

Yeah. It’s really simple. I would suggest serving it with something like pretzels. I tried using graham crackers but it was too sweet. I think the sweet and salty provides a nice balance. It is a sweet treat to enjoy with friends and family. Refrigerate if not using right away. And as always…stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Nymeria loves Castle marathons because she gets great cuddle spots

Oct022013

Whole-Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

So one of my clients gave me a RIDICULOUSLY big zucchini. Enormous. Like an elephant trunk. I wish I took a picture of it. So what to do with this unholy piece of vegetable? At first I would cut it up and roast or fry it…but then I was still left with half of the zucchini (I would probably measure it at 2 feet). So I say to myself…why not bake something you’ve tried before? Whole-wheat chocolate chip zucchini bread, of course! I got the recipe from here and tweaked it. And I may have added a few dashes of things to make it more Fall–like. This is one delicious and healthy recipe! Let’s get to it.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup mini-chocolate chips
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a bread pan
First off, let’s peel and shred that darn zucchini. Remember you only need 2 cups worth, so don’t get too crazy

Mix all the wet stuff (honey, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs) until nice and smooth

Whisk away

Now add the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg! Mix it well
Now stir in the zucchini, nuts, and chocolate chips!

Could eat this batter allllll day

Now scoop this batter into that greased up bread pan and make even

Now let’s put it in the oven for 55-60 minutes. Test it by sticking a fork or toothpick in it.

Nom nom nom

And that’s really it! The zucchini adds a wonderful texture to the bread. This is one great way of tricking your kids into eating zucchini by hiding it in this beautiful bread! Make sure to let cool for a little bit before serving, I know, it’s hard. Pretty simple recipe and instructions, perfect for leftover zucchini. After the first day, put in the fridge to keep the zucchini from going bad. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Sep292013

Easy Peasy Oat Bars

This has been on my recipe to-do list for a while now. An easy, healthy snack to bring on the go if I needed to. And to share with friends, of course. I also love recipes that are very customizable, you can add anything to this…within reason. Chris also really liked these, so I know they’re a good hit. Try this recipe out and play around with it, have fun! I got it from here, a famous blogger, but tweaked it for my own needs.

Square of happiness

Serves: 9
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

2 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (I will probably play around with this one too–using honey or trying without!)
3/8 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cherries

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease up a baking pan that’s a few inches deep
Mix up the wet ingredients first and then mix in the dry. Stir it up until smooth

Scoop the smooth mixture into the baking pan and make even

Get ready to bake

Pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Mine was ready in about 23 minutes. Let it cool for a bit and then cut into squares

Cut it up!

Yes, that’s how easy it is. I’m already planning to bake another batch tonight for the upcoming week. They are the perfect snack, below 250 calories and full of fiber and healthy fats. They’ll keep you satisfied for those busy hours when you don’t have time to put together a good snack or meal. And like I said, feel free to play around with it! I’m going to try chocolate chips, maybe throw some nuts in there, use honey instead of sugar, etc. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Nymeria watching Spongebob…obviously has good taste like me ^.^

Sep272013

The Most Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

So we ran out of salad dressing. I had collected a bunch of sungold tomatoes from our farm (the Longmont YMCA where I work) so I wanted to put a nice salad together with the fresh goodies. All my life growing up, my mum made a delicious dressing. It wasn’t balsamic, I think it was more red wine. But her work inspired me. Why go buy salad dressing when I could just easily make one right here in my kitchen for half the cost? I looked up a recipe from here to steer myself in the right direction and then let the ingredients flow! This recipe is incredibly easy, quick, and tasty.

My gorgeous salad

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
a bunch of twists of black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Prepping

Directions

Beat everything together except the oil. I used a fork to do this

Oops, blurry

Then, slowly pour the oil in, mixing furiously the whole time

Un-mixed

Don’t forget to shake it up before serving!!

Shaken, not stirred

And, ummm, that’s it. Really tough, huh? I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I made this dressing along with the salad, listening to some La Vie En Rose (Louis Armstrong version) alongside a glass of red wine. It turned out delicious. Simple flavors bringing the salad to life, with that extra kick of vinegar and garlic to give that lingering taste. YUM. I say don’t refrigerate because the oil may get hard. I keep it in the pantry where it gets used very often. Must make a new batch soon. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

End result of the salad. Couldn’t resist going for more

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BONUS KITTY PIC

CHIN RUBBBBBBBBBB

Sep112013

Chocolate Protein Rounds [No Baking Required]

My friend made me a batch of these for my birthday last week and I devoured way too many. Like wayyyy too many. But who cares, you only have a birthday once a year, right? Luckily, these things are pretty healthy and help me get my daily protein intake, so I wasn’t too worried. She had given me the recipe a long time ago, but I just never got around to making them. The original recipe doesn’t necessarily call for chocolate protein powder, but it’s all we have so I decided to give it a go. Really glad I did–super easy. And it’s nice not to bake when it’s 80 degrees out! I altered it somewhat and it turned out well!

My own version of a Hershey’s Kiss…without the slave labor!

Ingredients

1 cup oats
1 cup chunky peanut butter
2 cups chocolate protein powder (you could do vanilla, though)
1 tbsp honey
2/3 cup Silk Vanilla Unsweetened Almondmilk (you can use regular)
1 tbsp dried cherries (you can use any dried fruit)
1 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl

Dry ingredients mixed together

Mix the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. It’s tough at first because of the peanut butter, but I just whisked it down until it was well-mixed and of one mixture
Slowly mix the wet into the dry ingredient bowl. First I used a whisk, but in the end I had to use a wooden spoon to really mix it well.

Take out a cookie sheet and place wax paper on top. Then scoop out bite-sized pieces of the mixture and line it up on the wax paper.

Put into the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and then wrap them individually with wax paper, otherwise it’s a sticky mess. Place in fridge until ready to eat!

Ready to go in the fridge

I am so glad the chocolate protein powder worked out. This is such a good snack before or after a workout. Gives you a bit of energy, but doesn’t weigh you down and has a good amount of protein to keep your muscles happy. It’s an unbelievably easy recipe and a great way to stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Sajah caught sleeping on the job

Aug282013

Sweetie-Pie Peach Cobbler

Sweetie-Pie? Huh? I say that because this recipe is sweet. Very sweet. So much so that I’m not a huge fan of it, but those who I made it for loved it (and that’s what matters, right?). At first, I thought I had done something wrong, and I was ready to angrily toss it in the bin, but I left it in the fridge overnight and it turned out great! Anyhow, this is a peach cobbler from this blog. I didn’t change much out of the recipe because I’m kind of new to cobblers. Alright, let’s take a look.

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Baking TIme: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
4 peaches
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup oats
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar (yes, it’s on the ingredient list twice)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the stick of butter in a few-inch-deep pan, like a casserole dish and let it melt in the oven.
Let’s start with the batter. I’m not a huge fan of the batter–it’s very typical white cake type stuff. But again, other people liked this! Combine the flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the milk and vanilla to that dry mix and stir. Set it aside
Get out a pot and put in the peaches (they should be chopped up in little chunks), brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then let it boil for 5 minutes.

Pretty peaches

Cinnamon added

Gettin’ juicy!

Pour the white batter into the casserole with the butter in it, but do not stir! Make a nice layer and then pour the hot peach mixture on top too, for a delicious, beautiful layer

Ready to bake!

Bake for 10 minutes.
While it’s baking, combine the oats, the (other) brown sugar, and nutmeg in a small bowl
Take the cobbler out and sprinkle the oat mixture on top. Put back in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it’s nice and brown on top and cooked through

Hot from the oven

You can serve hot with ice cream or chill it in the fridge for a nice cool cobbler. I would go for the latter. The more I kept trying it over time, the better it became. And it was perfect by the time I brought it to work. Two people had birthdays within the next two days so we decided to do a little birthday bash for them. One of them is picky about desserts (doesn’t like sweets), but mentioned that she loves peach cobbler so I gave it a go! I also made these muffins. And as always… stay hungry and fit!

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