Fall Recipe Round Up

Happy Monday, all!  Seeing as the cooler temps are here to stay and, dare I say it?  Snow is just around the corner, I thought I'd compile a few of my fall-ish recipes that I've made over the past few years.  Enjoy!!

 Vegetable Ragu 

-1 medium carrot, sliced
-1 garlic clove
-1/2 cup sliced zucchini
-1/4 cup onion
-a few mushrooms, sliced
-a small tomato, chopped
-1/3 cup of Hunt's fire roasted tomato's
-2 Tbsp chopped roasted red pepper strips
-1 Tbsp fresh basil/parsley
-S & P

Pour a quarter cup of water in the frying pan. Add carrot, garlic, zucchini, onion, mushrooms and tomato and S & P. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add fire roasted tomato, red pepper strips & herbs. Cook another 5 minutes. Serves 2.

Sweet Potato Barley Risotto

-1 tsp olive oil
-1 small onion, diced
-1 cup pearl barley
-3 cups broth or water
-1 sweet potato, cubed
-1 tsp each coriander & cumin
-1/2 tsp each chili powder & cinnamon
-salt & pepper to taste
-2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

*cube sweet potato and microwave in a bowl with a touch of water for 6ish minutes or until fork tender. Side aside
*heat oil in saucepan and cook onion about 5 minutes
*add barley and spices and cook 1 more minute
*Add broth/water, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until thick, checking every so often that the liquid hasn't dried up. Add more fluid if needed.
*Once barley is cooked through, stir in sweet potato and cheese. Remove from heat and serve.

Smoked Turkey, Lentil & Kale Soup

·                     2 carrots, peeled and chopped

·                     1 onion, chopped

·                     3 ribs of celery, chopped

·                     2 crushed garlic cloves

·                     2 tbsp avocado oil

·                     4 cup stock

·                     2 cups water

·                     2 cup green lentils

·                     2 bay leaves

·                     1 smoked turkey leg

·                     1 packed cup of chopped kale

·                     salt & pepper to taste

1.             Heat oil in a large pot and add all chopped veggies.  Cook until soft 5-8 minutes

2.             Add garlic, bay leaves, salt & pepper.  Cook 1 minute more

3.             Add smoked turkey leg, stock and water.  Bring to a boil

4.             Add lentils, bring back to boil then turn temp down to a simmer

5.             Partially cover and let simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

6.             With approx 45 minutes of cooking time left add chopped kale

7.             Remove turkey leg and set aside too cool slightly.  Puree soup with an immersion blender.  **If you  like your soup a bit thinner, add water accordingly.  I added an extra 2 cups**

8.             Keep soup on low heat while you remove and chopped all the meat from the bone.  Add turkey back to the pot and cook just a few more minutes to heat

Lentil & Rice Pilaf Stuffed Peppers

-1 onion
-1/2 cup shredded carrots
-1 cup lentils
-3 + 1/2 cups water
-1 can fire roasted tomatoes with juice
-2 minced garlic cloves
-1 cup brown rice
-1/2 cup pepper pieces (I used the tops of the peppers to be stuffed) 
-1 Tbsp basil
-salt & pepper
-6 peppers, tops cut off and inside cleaned out
-grated asiago cheese

*Pre-heat oven to 350*

*saute onion & carrots for about 5 minutes. Add water and lentils. Bring to a boil & then turn down heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

*add can of tomatoes, garlic, rice, 1/2 cup water, pepper pieces, S & P and basil. Cover & cook for another 15 minutes. Check to make sure mixture doesn't dry out. Add more water if needed.

*Put peppers in a casserole dish trimming bottom as needed so they stand straight. Fill with about 1/2 a cup of lentil/rice mixture. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of grated asiago on top.

*Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Nut Muffins

·                     1 cup WW flour

·                     2.5 tsp baking powder

·                     1/2 tsp salt

·                     1/2 tsp baking soda

·                     3/4 cup oats

·                     1/4 cup agave

·                     1/4 cup Egg Beaters (or 1 egg)

·                     3 tbsp melted butter

·                     1/2 cup vanilla flavoured “milk” (I used USVAB)

·                     1 cup pure pumpkin puree

·                     1/4 cup chopped walnuts

·                     1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

1.             Heat oven to 400*

2.             Combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt

3.             Add oats

4.             Add remaining ingredients

5.             Stir to combine

6.             Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 way and bake for 20 minutes

You can check out all my recipes by clicking on the Recipe Tab at the top of the blog.  And don't forget to visit my Krista's Kravings Facebook page!!  I'd love to see some love over there, too.  :)

What is your favourite fall recipe??

Bye for now!!

Valentine’s Day, Recipes and a Cat Video

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!  Did anyone do anything special over the weekend to celebrate?  My hubby, parents and I go to a dance each year that is put on by the kid’s school as a fundraiser.  It’s always a fun night with a dinner, dancing a silent auction as well as a live one.  This year I bid on a custom made blanket box and won it!  I did take a picture, but it’s too dark out so it didn’t do it justice.  For now it will go into our computer room, but once we get our new furniture in the living room it will move there.  Here are some  photos from the night:  
Other than that the week seemed really low key.  I was still out of the house each evening, but didn’t feel nearly as rushed as I usually do.  Hey!  I’m not gonna question it!  This week coming DS is on the ice 3 times, I’m at Pilate’s Tuesday, DD has dance tonight and Friday I’m going to visit friends of mine who just had their second baby.  Looking forward to baby snuggles!!  Yesterday was blissfully free so I made a few meals to carry us through the week.  Whenever I make bone in chicken I save the bones in a bag in the freezer.  Once it’s full, like yesterday, I put them in the crock pot, cover them with water and set it to low for the day.  This gives us a few meals worth of homemade chicken soup to work with.  Next I made 2 batches of muffins; Blueberry Corn Muffins and Banana Dark Chocolate Walnut.   Recipes!!  Recipes!!
Blueberry Corn Muffins

• 1.5 cups WW flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter milk*
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 egg or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters or 1 flax egg*
• 1/5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400*C, lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan
2. Whisk first 6 ingredients in a large bowl
3. Whisk buttermilk, oil and egg until combined well
4. Add wet to dry just until mixture is moist
5. Gently stir in blueberries
6. Fill muffin tin and bake 20 minutes
7. Let cool completely before storing

*I never buy buttermilk.  The easiest thing to do is add 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to your milk of choice and letting it sit for a few minutes.  Voila….buttermilk.  I always use Almond Breeze in my baking.  To make a flax egg combine 1 tbsp ground flax and 3 tbsp of water.  Stir then let sit for a few minutes.
Banana Dark Chocolate Walnut Muffins

• 1 cup WW flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup Quaker oats
• 1 egg, beaten or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters or 1 flax egg
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup well mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400*C and grease a 12 cup muffin tin
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl
3. Stir in oats
4. Add the next 4 ingredients and combine
5. Stir in walnuts and dark chocolate chips
6. Bake for 20 minutes

I also made Averie’s Sweet and Sour Honey Lemon Tofu and Chipotle Salsa Lentils with Mixed Vegetables.  That’s what my hubby and I ate for dinner last night:
And today’s lunch was more lentils with some chicken from the broth I made!
My hubby made breakfast for me this weekend; oats with blueberries and dark chocolate chips:
And waffles which I choose the same oats toppings for.  LOL
I enjoyed some fabulous sandwiches over the weekend, too.  It’s nice to have the time to devote to my meals!
One night I made “pizza rolls”. 
I simply divided the dough in half, rolled it out and filled it with tomato sauce, ham, roasted red peppers, goat cheese and marble cheese.  Then I baked it for 20 minutes at 475*C.
I let the rolls cooled for a few minutes then sliced and served! The kids thought this meal was especially cool.  Hehe! Another night I made Mu Shu Chicken, but subbed sliced pork chops in for the chicken.  It turned out really good!
I think I’ll leave the food at that for today, but I will leave you with a quick video of Pepper.  He begs to go out on the deck and usually wants back in within a few minutes.  This is what he does when we “ignore” him!

Bye for now!!

Smoked Turkey, Lentil and Kale Soup

My sweetheart of a Mom brought me a smoked turkey leg the other day and I knew right away that I wanted to make split pea soup with it.  Only I didn’t have split peas, just loads of green lentils.  Never to let something so minor stop me, I forged ahead and was rewarded with a terrific pot of flavourful, thick, hearty soup!  Check it out!
Smoked Turkey, Lentil and Kale Soup

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 4 cup stock
• 2 cups water
• 2 cup green lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 smoked turkey leg
• 1 packed cup of chopped kale
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large pot and add all chopped veggies.  Cook until soft 5-8 minutes
2. Add garlic, bay leaves, salt & pepper.  Cook 1 minute more
3. Add smoked turkey leg, stock and water.  Bring to a boil
4. Add lentils, bring back to boil then turn temp down to a simmer
5. Partially cover and let simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. With approx 45 minutes of cooking time left add chopped kale
7. Remove turkey leg and set aside too cool slightly.  Puree soup with an immersion blender.  **If you  like your soup a bit thinner, add water accordingly.  I added an extra 2 cups**
8. Keep soup on low heat while you remove and chopped all the meat from the bone.  Add turkey back to the pot and cook just a few more minutes to heat
9. Serve and enjoy! I’ve been eating this all week like it’s my job.  And boy have I ever been loving this job!  Haha!  Surprisingly, DS also loved this soup.  I think it was the smoked turkey that really reigned in his taste buds. I went home for lunch on Tuesday and while there decided to throw some wild rice in the crock pot to see how it would cook versus the stove top.   I had approx 1.5 cups of rice to which I added 5 cups of water.  It cooked on low for 3.5-ish hours.  Here are the results: It turned out fabulous!  There was some water still at the bottom so I had to strain it, but the rice itself didn’t get mushy at all.  I now have four 1 cup servings hanging out in the freezer and have been eating the rest over the course of a few days.  YUM!  Do you like wild rice??
   So we’re a little more than halfway through November and I think it’s about high time I showed you what my hubby’s Movember stash is looking like! I think it’s coming along awesome!  DD absolutely HATES it.  She can’t wait until he shaves it off.  LOL  This is what he looked like on November 1:
   If you’ve been following along you’ll remember that he’s growing said stash to help raise money to fight prostate cancer.  You can click on the link ^above^ if you’d like to donate!
   FOOD! The above is wild rice, kale and dried cranberries.
   This was a great meal!  Buffalo chicken shake & bake, sautéed kale and wild rice.  
   Would it surprise you that I ate this bag in 5 days?  Probably not!  Hehe!
   Wanna see something cute?  Here are my niblets in their school photos from last year: And here they are in their photos from this year! Isn’t it amazing how much change can happen in a year?  I see it loud and clear in my daughter.  And yes, she is only 11.  DS is 8.  YIKES!
   Bye for now!!