#2,683: Applesauce Carrot Muffins

As I've mentioned before, I'm always looking for healthier, make ahead, breakfast ideas for my kids.  One thing I love about them being a bit older now, is that they can take care of breakfast all on their own.  But I especially love when they want/ask for something that's more healthy for them in the mornings.  They've been asking for the roasted carrot-orange muffins I made a few weeks ago, and I just wasn't in the mood to roast and puree more carrots.  So I decided to try this recipe out on them instead.  To make it even more appealing, I had one of the kids help me make these too. 

One of my kids wouldn't try these at all, but the other 2 thought they were good.  They were excited to eat them for breakfast, and I was excited they got some fruit AND vegetable in it.  

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce.

Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.

Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don’t overmix or the muffins will be dense).

Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

#2,682: Crispy Garlic-Sage Potatoes

I had some fresh sage in my fridge and some baby yellow potatoes on my counter needing to be used up, so I found this recipe to use them with!  The original recipe used sliced Yukon gold potatoes, but I just used my baby gold potatoes instead and was able to skip the step of slicing them up.  I'm not sure why this recipe says to bake these on the bottom rack.  My gut was telling me this was a bad idea so I kept them on the top rack until the last 10 minutes.  As you can see from the very dark specks in this photo, the sage and garlic pretty much burned.  Keep this on the top rack!  It was still good though and yes I'd make this again.  

4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes cut into wedges
1/2 c olive oil
6 chopped sage leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 garlic cloves, smashed

Original directions: Put a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 375 degrees F. Peel 4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes and cut into wedges. Toss with 1/2 cup olive oil, 6 chopped sage leaves, 2 sprigs sage, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread on the hot baking sheet and roast 30 minutes. Stir, then add 8 smashed garlic cloves; continue roasting until golden, about 30 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and cook until crisp, 15 more minutes. Season with salt.

What I did: I cooked mine at 400 degrees on the TOP rack for 20 minutes.  Then I added a few more chopped sprigs of sage and about 1 tbsp minced garlic and moved it to the BOTTOM rack for 10 minutes until they were done cooking.  Next time I'll keep them on the top rack and only add the garlic at the very end.  Although I loved the crispy sage, my family thought it was a bit too overdone.  

#2,681: Quinoa Veggie Chili

With it being Lent this time of year, I'm looking for vegetarian dishes I can make to eat during the week, but primarily on Fridays.  I liked that this recipe had everything I already had in the house except for the zucchini, so it was a clean-out-the-pantry kind of a meal too! 

I felt like the flavors of this were a bit dark and strong, but I'm assuming that's partially because I only used one can of the diced tomatoes.  Next time I would add a bit more water to dilute the flavors a bit.  I also added about 4 oz of plain greek yogurt right to the dish when it was done cooking to help mild the flavors out a bit and I did definitely enjoy that addition.  I loved eating this topped with some cilantro, a little bit of avocado, and some crushed tortilla chips!  

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 zucchini, sliced and quartered

1 green pepper, diced (I used and orange bell pepper)

1 red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (I only used 1 can)

14 oz water 

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup medium salsa (I used picante sauce)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup cooked quinoa

Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, sour cream (or greek yogurt), cilantro

In large pot, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute yellow onion until translucent. Add in chopped green and red peppers and zucchini, and saute for another 5-6 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Stir in 2 tbsp of tomato paste.

Add two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, beans, cooked quinoa and spices. Fill one of the empty cans with water and add that to the pot. Last, stir in ½ cup of medium salsa and bring the whole pot to a simmer. Let the chili cook for at least 20 minutes on medium-low heat.

Top with desired toppings.  

#2,680: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

I was looking for a recipe that I could make to take to a friend for lunch and definitely wanted something I could use as a way to try in my new favorite cooking vessel, my Instant Pot.  I loved that this recipe required me to throw everything into the Instant Pot at once and I had almost all of the ingredients already on hand. 

Once this recipe was done, I pulled the chicken out and shredded it in my stand mixer.  Personally this recipe calls for WAY too much chicken!  I only had .6 lb of chicken thighs and only used about 2/3rds of it in the chili.  But I'm not a huge chicken fan so maybe if you love chicken thighs you'll want to add it all it.  I thought it seemed like a crazy amount. 

I stole a bowl of this for myself (sorry Heather!) and topped mine with some chopped cilantro, a little bit of sour cream, and some crushed up tortilla chips.  I enjoyed this a lot!  I would definitely make this recipe again! 

1.3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (I only used about half a pound or less and shredded it after it cooked)

5 cups chicken stock homemade or store-bought

2 cloves garlic finely minced

1 medium onion diced

2 (15 oz) cans can white northern beans drained and rinsed

4 oz diced green chilies, undrained

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot, and place the lid on and lock it.  Use the manual keys to set the Instant Pot to 13 minutes manual.

After the cooking has completed, use the quick release lever to release the pressure.  Carefully remove the chicken thighs, and use two forks to shred the chicken.  Return chicken to the pot, and serve immediately.

#2,679: Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this recipe, but I liked the idea of making it in my Instant Pot so I wanted to give it a try.  Here is the major downfall to this recipe: you FIRST steam the broccoli and THEN cook the rice and when done, mix it all together.  I know could have made this faster on the stove with 2 pots going.  BUT I made it anyways.  I liked this recipe, and I would certainly make it again ,but it needs way more flavor.  I think I'm going to try cooking the rice in chicken or veggie broth instead of water and I would use a more flavorful cheese (I had mild cheddar on hand...it needs at least sharp cheddar).  I also wanted to eat this as a main dish, so I would need to add some grilled chicken sausage too.

1/2 lb broccoli, cut into small/medium florets

1 C. uncooked white rice

1 1/2 C. water

1/4 C. milk, or more as needed

1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste

Steam your broccoli: In your clean, empty Instant Pot, place your steamer basket atop your trivet, and pour in 1 C. of water.  Place your broccoli on the steamer basket. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Push STEAM and bring down the timer to 1 minute.

Once the pot beeps done, immediately release the pressure .  Carefully remove the steamer basket and set that broccoli to the side. Dump any remaining water out of the Instant Pot and place it back in the appliance.

To the newly emptied pot, add your rice and water. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Push manual (high pressure) and reduce the timer to 7 minutes.  At the end of the 7 minutes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 3 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure that is left and carefully open the lid.

Add the milk, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, and salt and give it a good stir. Gently fold in the broccoli. Serve with extra cheese, if desired. 

#2,678: Stir-fry Mushrooms and Bell Peppers

I had a whole lot of mushrooms leftover from another recipe and I wanted a quick and healthy side dish I could make to use some of them up.  I did a quick google search and came up with this recipe.  Obviously no one else in my family ate this except for me, but I was ok with that.  I was happy not to share.  I don't love cooked bell peppers, but I really did like these.  I'd definitely make this again!

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 green onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers, de-seeded and diced 

1 cup champignon mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 -3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Heat oil until it is really hot.  Stir fry onions (1 minute), then garlic (20 seconds).

Then add peppers and mushrooms. Stir-fry until it becomes a bit soft, (about 2 minutes).

Add the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce and continue to stir for 2 minutes.

When done, remove from heat and add the sesame oil mixing it all together, and serve.

#2,677: Instant Pot Asian Chicken

This recipe was SO easy to throw in the Instant Pot and then walk away from.  What was that infomercial that probably coined the term "set it and forget it?!"  This recipe would definitely be one of those types of meals.  My cousin-in-law suggested getting different plastic rings for your instant pot and this recipe showed me exactly why you might want/need to do this.  Long after I made this recipe, I could still smell the sauce on the ring when I opened the lid.  I even tried doing a vinegar soak I found online, but it didn't seem to have made a difference.  SO if you are going to make this recipe in your Instant Pot and then follow up with making a dessert in your Instant Pot, I'd get more plastic rings! 

Regardless, our family enjoyed this meal.  I thought I'd have to set out rolls for my kids to make this chicken into mini sandwiches (which they often prefer to do with shredded chicken) but they didn't ask for it and all ate it, so that's a huge win in my book! 

1-2 lbs of chicken thighs (1lb for 4-5 servings)

1/4 cup of honey

1/3 cup of coconut aminos

1 T tomato paste

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

a dash of crushed red pepper

2 tsp rice flour (optional) (I used cornstarch instead)

Place chicken in a 6 quart Instant Pot.  

In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients together, except flour.  Pour over chicken and place the top on the pressure cooker.  Turn to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.  After the timer is up, switch to quick release.

To thicken sauce, remove chicken and set to saute. Whisk in two teaspoons of flour, if desired, and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  (You can leave the chicken whole or chop into pieces...I decided to shred ours) Then add chicken back in and stir.  

I served our chicken over rice and added some chopped green onion on top.  

**If you are using an 8 quart pot, add 2/3 cup of water to the sauce mixture.**

#2,676: Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup

In honor of Lent starting today (Happy Valentine's Day too!), I decided to make a vegetarian meal in my Instant Pot.  Let's be real, I just wanted another excuse to try it out!  I made this recipe last night after the kids went to bed and it was done in no time.  Normally I'd throw my lentils on the stove for close to an hour or in my crockpot for 8 hours.  This way I was able to sit and watch some TV and relax while I waited for it to finish.  

This is really, really good.  Although I love lentils and tortilla soup, so combining the two makes it even better.  This is such a comforting, filling meal.  I'm a huge fan!!  And definitely add the greek yogurt or sour cream on top...that was good!  I wish I had some cilantro on hand right now too, because I'd love that added on top! 

1 cup diced onion

1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

2.5 cups vegetable broth 

1 can (14-15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, extra to taste (I used petite diced)

1/2 cup salsa verde (I used picante sauce)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained + rinsed

1 (15 oz) can pinto  beans, drained + rinsed

1 cup corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)

3/4 cup dried red lentils

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream (I used a tbsp of cream cheese and a big splash of skim milk)

salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings for Serving: 

crushed tortilla chips

shredded cheddar or mexi-blend cheese

sliced or diced jalapeños

chopped red onion

fresh pico de gallo or salsa

sliced avocado

fresh cilantro

sour cream or greek yogurt

Add the onion, olive oil, jalapeno, bell pepper, corn, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, broth, tomato sauce, tomato pate, salsa, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper into the Instant Pot. 

Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 15 minutes. When done, manually release the pressure. 

Stir in the cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add your favorite toppings and enjoy. 

Feel free to adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking.

#2,675: Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Mmmmm.....look at how good that sandwich looks!  The only thing missing from this sandwich was more cheese.  LOL  You probably should put cheese on both sides of the bread AND maybe some on top of the meat too.  But I only put cheese on half of the bread to make it just a tiny bit healthier.  This recipe was super, super easy.  The hardest part (which wasn't hard at all) was cutting the meat into small strips.  After that, I threw this into my Instant Pot in 5 minutes!  

My family (including my mom and sister) loved this recipe!  The meat was so tender and I wasn't sure I was going to like the peppers but as soft as they were, they were still so good.  Everyone but Matthew was a big fan, and even he at least ate the meat (who doesn't want/like the bread part of a sandwich!?).

This is a huge keeper recipe and I will definitely be making this again...soon.

The original recipe I found said to put this in the instant pot for 40 minutes...yeah I knew that was too long for the steak to cook, so I decided to take a chance and cook it for 23 minutes.  After the 23 minutes I did a natural release for 10 minutes.  It was perfect!  

2 sliced green peppers

1 sliced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

2 - 2½ lbs. thinly sliced steak (I used sirloin steak cut into thin strips against the grain)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix

1 cup beef broth

6 slices of provolone cheese, sliced in half

6 hoagie rolls

Add the vegetables, steak, seasonings and beef broth to the instant pot.  

Seal and cook on high pressure for 23 minutes.  Allow the instant pot to depressurize naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the steam manually the rest of the way.

In the meantime, slice the hoagie rolls open and place on a baking sheet. Top each with with two slice cheese halves.

Broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.

Top each roll with the meat and veggies. You can also used the juices in the pot with the meat to dip the sandwiches in if desired. 

#2,674: Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

Ok...here's the first real recipe I decided to try using my new Instant Pot!  Eeek!  I had super low expectations for this recipe mainly because I have no idea what I'm doing!  As I've mentioned the last several months, I'm trying to use different cuts of meat besides boneless skinless chicken breasts, and ground beef/turkey.  So when I found this recipe which used chicken thighs, I knew I needed to give it a try, rather than sub in some ground beef instead (as I normally would do).

I also knew that serving my family burrito bowls would not go over very well, so although I ate mine this way, I gave the rest of them a tortilla and they filled it with some of the chicken, rice, and cheese.  

This was really good!  There was a little too much rice, but personally I liked it that way.  I added some chopped cilantro and avocado to mine, and topped it with a little sour cream.  I also scooped some of it up with mini tortilla chips.  Yum!  Yes, I would definitely make this again! 

1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added it in at the end)

1 cup frozen corn kernels (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added in canned corn at the end)

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa (I used mild picante sauce)

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Add the oil to the Instant Pot, turn on sauté setting, and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and cook, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck-on bits, and simmer for 1 minute.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, beans, corn, salsa, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the rice on top of the chicken and beans mixture and pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth on top of the rice, but do not stir. Using the pressure cooker's manual setting, set the pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. Close and lock the lid. It should take the pressure cooker about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure and begin the 10 minute countdown. When cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.

Gently stir everything together. Divide between bowls and top with the cheese and cilantro.

#2,673: Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

This is another recipe that I made this recipe right after I had my gallbladder surgery because it took such little time to throw together in the crockpot.  You basically cook the veggies and broth (and chicken if you're using it) and then add in the tortellini at the very end.  As you can see in the original recipe below, you are supposed to cook (and shred) chicken into this soup.  That had no appeal to me whatsoever, so I decided to omit it and use chicken tortellini instead.  I still got the chicken flavor, but didn't have chicken pieces floating throughout my soup.  Although I really enjoyed this healthy, easy soup, next time I will make one change.  I'll cook the tortellini in a pot on the stove, let it cool, and then add it to my soup so it stops cooking and soaking up so much liquid. 

If you are making this an plan to serve/eat it all in one sitting, you definitely don't have to do that.  But since I was the only one eating this, and eating it as leftovers, the tortellini got a little soft (still good, but not as good as it could have been). 

3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cups shredded chicken 

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

salt and pepper, to taste

16 ounces three-cheese tortellini (I used refrigerated chicken flavored tortellini)

fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Place the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, chicken, chicken stock, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary into a 6-quart slow cooker. Mix until combined.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Place the three-cheese tortellini into the soup and mix. Cook on high for another 15 minutes.

Serve and garnish with parsley.

#2,672: Oatmeal Apple Banana Muffins

Right after I had my gallbladder surgery, I couldn't sit and just rest, so I decided to make something low-fat, healthy, and that I could easily grab if/when I was hungry.  Thankfully, I had all of the ingredients on hand for this recipe (including overripe bananas!), so I decided to give these a try.

Although I liked these muffins, I liked them best the day or two after I made these.  The longer these sat in the fridge, the denser they seemed to become.  I wonder if I should have froze these the next morning instead of putting them in the fridge.  Since it had apples in it, I figured these probably wouldn't last long if I left them sitting out on the counter.

My kids enjoyed these too, but they only wanted them the first day for their breakfast.  When I offered them to them a second time, only one kid wanted them again.  That's not a great sign for my kiddos.  BUT I love that there is so little sugar in this recipe (which is probably why they weren't gaga over these).  They are healthy though, and they are good...I'd make them again, but just not on a super regular basis. 

1½ cups large rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used all-purpose flour)

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

2 eggs

4 tbsp vegetable oil

6 tbsp sugar

⅔ cup milk

1 cup mashed ripe banana

1 cup grated unpeeled apple (approximately one large apple)

Mix together the oatmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt,cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat together the eggs. oil and sugar until fluffy.  Blend in the milk.  Fold in the dry ingredients and when the flour is almost incorporated fold in the mashed banana and grated apple.  Do not over mix. Fold in only until the fruit is mixed through the batter.

Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Best served warm.

#2,671: Coconut Rice and Peas

Ok, I'll admit, this recipe is just a tiny bit weird.  I was definitely intrigued by it when I came across it in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine.  It combines 3 of my favorite things, coconuts, peas, and rice.  So I couldn't help but give it a try.

Although it IS a slightly bit weird, I actually really enjoyed it.  I felt like it needed something, more so I added in some sliced green onions.  I also wanted to make this more of a meal, so I added some chopped up cooked chicken sausage as well.  I really liked this.  It's not my favorite thing that I've ever eaten, but it was good.  And I think this would make a great side dish to something like jerk or Thai chicken, or maybe some grilled shrimp.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 c sweetened shredded coconut (I used raw, unsweetened)
salt, pinch

red pepper flakes (to taste) 

3 cups frozen brown rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup coconut water (NOT coconut milk)

Cilantro, chopped (to taste)

I also added some sliced green onion

Heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shredded coconut and a pinch each of red pepper flakes and salt; toast, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in frozen brown rice, frozen peas and coconut water. Cover, reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Stir in some chopped cilantro (and green onion).

#2,670: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

 

I finally did it...I got an Instant Pot!  Everyone around me is not only getting an Instant Pot, but raving about how much they love it.  It's not that I'm opposed to getting one, but a few years ago I got a pressure cooker and have only used it twice.  Both times I was scared to death that I was going to send myself to the hospital or blow up my kitchen, and both times, I wasn't impressed with our meal.  So I was equally as nervous about trying an Instant Pot too.  I had to watch a Youtube video THREE times to see how to test it with only water, and was still afraid/convinced I wasn't going to do it correctly.  So, I knew I'd have to start with something easy (and not our dinner!) for my first real recipe trial.  I decided to use it to hard boil eggs.  

Let's be honest, I don't even really like eggs, but for less than $1, I could try it and see how it turned out.  I knew before I even opened it up that at least one must have cracked open because I could smell the eggs, and sadly I was correct.  Of the 12 eggs I tried to hard boil, only SIX of them came out without cracks.  I took all 12 eggs (cracked ones and all) and put them into an ice water bath for 5 minutes before drying them off and trying to peel them. 

I have tried twice in my life to make deviled eggs, and I will never ever offer to make them again because peeling the shells off the eggs is pure torture to me!  BUT....after trying to make them in the Instant Pot, I WOULD try it one more time.  The peels really did peel off quite easily AND every egg that I've cut open so far is perfectly hard boiled.  (Usually mine are just slightly under cooked or already getting that over-cooked green color to the yolk). 

I'm going to give this another try to see if I get a better success rate out of them not cracking, because this would be fabulous to use at Easter time.  I hard boil at least 7 dozen eggs for us to dye, and this would be much easier (not necessarily faster, but easier for sure!).  

Here's the recipe I used/followed to make these hard boiled eggs. 

1 dozen eggs

1 cup of water

Place rack inside of an Instant Pot. Place eggs on wire rack. Add 1 cup of water. Seal the Instant Pot. Set pressure cooker on high for seven minutes. When the cooking time is done, you can release the pot with an instant release. Carefully remove the eggs from the pot (they will be very hot), and place in an ice water bath (I kept mine in the ice water for 5 minutes).

#2,069: Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

I have to admit this is close to the original recipe but not exactly....but that's because I am NOT taking the time to broil a poblano pepper!  I don't love heat in my salsa that much, and I'm just too lazy for that.  So I omitted the poblano but made it with the rest of the ingredients as listed below.  I loved this.  I ate this on top of a salad, with tacos, and as a filling for a quesadilla.  I'm a fan!  But I love pretty much all corn salsas so it's not hard to impress me with this.  Maybe someday I'll try this with a roasted poblano...but this just wasn't the day/time for it.  :)

16 ounces white sweet corn, fresh or frozen and defrosted (I used canned)

1 large poblano pepper + 1 teaspoon high heat oil (I omitted)

1 small red onion (approx. 3/4 cup)

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

juice of 2 limes + 1 lemon (approx. 1/2 cup)

large pinch sea salt

Start by lining a cookie sheet with tinfoil and then set the oven to broil. Using your hands, coat the poblano pepper with the oil and place on the cookie sheet. Broil the pepper in the oven for 5-7 minutes on each side, while keeping a close eye to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once both sides are brown, remove from the oven and set aside in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and allow the pepper to sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the salsa by finely chopping the red onion, jalapeno pepper (core and seeds removed), and fresh cilantro. Place into a large bowl and set aside.

Once the pepper has cooled, put on dish gloves and use your hands to peel the outer layer of skin off. Next cut off the top and slice the flesh away from the core. Finely chop the pepper and place it in the bowl with the corn.

Pour the citrus juices into the bowl along with a large pinch of sea salt and stir until well combined. Taste test and add more salt if needed.

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up 4 days.

#2,068: Chamomile Lavender Latte

I've never had a tea latte, but I am a huge tea drinker lately.  So when I came up with an advertisement for it in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, I wanted to give it a try.  So this recipe is close to/inspired from that ad. 

I didn't love this at first, but found that I kept going back and trying it again and again.  Next thing I knew, I had drank the entire thing.  I guess that's a pretty good sign.  Since then I've made this a few times.  I've tried different types of milk and there are definitely differences to it (the less healthy milk choices make a much better froth!).  Heavy cream definitely froths the best, and unsweetened almond or cashew milk don't froth at all.  Skim milk didn't froth too much either, so I've settled on 2% milk which is definitely much healthier than cream but still gives it a bit of a froth.  I'm sure if my blender was more powerful that might help too! 

I've tried making this with different essential oil flavors and/or teas and this one seems to be the best one I've had and continue to make. It's great before bedtime because it's got both chamomile and lavender, which are both calming.  Although I enjoy this first thing in the morning too! 

2 bags of chamomile tea
1 c boiling water
1/4 c creamer of choice
1 tbsp honey (sometimes I use stevia too, but honey is better)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I don't measure, just do a splash)
1 drop of Young Living Lavender Vitality essential oil (only use one drop, or dip a toothpick into the oil and the swish around in the liquid to get a hint of it)

Boil water and pour over teabags.  Let steep for 10 minutes or so.  Pour hot tea into a blender and add remaining ingredients.  Blend until froth begins to form.  Pour into a cup/mug/teacup. 

#2,067: Pumpkin Banana Bread (Eggless)

I had 2 very, very ripe bananas on my counter needing to be used up.  I'm on a healthier bread/muffin kick lately so I knew I wanted to sneak a veggie in as well, and I had a can of pumpkin puree in my pantry that would totally fit the bill for that!  I've seen this recipe many times so I actually had to go back and search my blog to see if I've made this before.  I was quite surprised that I had not!

I let the kids try this after they got home from school and they were all excited to try it.  I think the chocolate chips on top were their main motivator.  But they all ate it and said they enjoyed it.  And when I offered up a second small piece, they all ran over to get another one.  I'd say that's a very good sign.

As you can see from the photo this is a little over done.  I kind of forgot it was still in the oven.  Because I over cooked it, it's a bit dense but it is still good.  I would definitely make this again.  And I love loaf recipes because it's less mess to clean up!  I hate cleaning out muffin tins!

2 cups flour 

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger 

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cup mashed, overripe banana 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree 

1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave

2 tbsp sweetener of choice (I used 1 tbsp sugar)

1/3 cup oil OR milk of choice

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional (I used minis)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. 

Whisk all liquid ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour wet into dry and stir to form a batter.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Smooth into the prepared pan. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the top.

Bake on the center rack 30 minutes, then do not open the oven door but turn off the heat and leave in the closed oven for 10 additional minutes. Because ovens may vary, if it’s still under cooked after this time then just turn the heat back on and cook–checking every 5 minutes–until firm. (I definitely had to let mine cook longer, but I forgot about it so that's why it looks a little too brown!)

Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Taste and texture will be much better the second day (and even better the third day as it will get sweeter). Leftovers can be sliced and frozen if desired.

#2,066: Roasted Carrot-Orange Muffins

I had quite a bit of leftover roasted carrots and couldn't eat them all myself, so I wanted to find a way to get my kids to eat them too!  I pureed the leftover roasted carrots and set out to find a recipe that would be easy and that my kids would enjoy.  My kids LOVED these muffins.  Personally I did too.  :)  I only used some of the carrot puree I made, so I have another batch ready to go in my freezer.  My kids had no idea there was pureed roasted carrots in these!  My 11 year old even told her younger sister, "Don't pretend like you don't like these!  You loved them until she told you there was carrots in it."  Preach sister!  This recipe only made 10 large muffins, so I probably would double the batch next time...at least for my family.  These will be great to bake and then put in the freezer for a quick breakfast.

I did not include the directions on how to make the roasted carrots, so if you need those instructions, I'd definitely check out the original website for this recipe.  

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup skim/low-fat milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons coconut oil, liquid-state (I only had 5 tbsp left, so I added 1 tbsp of olive oil)

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (I only used 1 cup)

1 teaspoon orange zest (I actually added 3 drops of Young Living Vitality Orange oil to the milk/vanilla mixture)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup roasted carrot puree, packed 

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit degrees. Line standard muffin pan with liners or grease with butter/baking spray.

In medium sized bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In measuring cup, whisk together milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

(I skipped this step) In small bowl, combine sugar and zest. Using fingertips, rub zest into sugar until fragrant.

In stand mixer bowl, combine oil and sugar. Using whisk attachment, mix together until fluffy and light in color. Turn down speed to low and beat in eggs one at a time, until incorporated.

Turn mixer to low speed and add carrot puree until just blended.

Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with 2 additions of the milk/vanilla mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.

Using spoon or muffin scoop, divide batter evenly among muffin pan—it should fill each up about 7/8 full.

Bake at 350 degrees (on center rack) for 24-27minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Place muffin tin on cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan, place on cooling rack, and allow to come to room temperature. Enjoy.