Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad

Remember my insane beet purchase? I have finally cooked through ALL of the beets I bought! My last beet-filled meal was this Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts, and boy, did I end my beet week on a high note. I had made a larger version (this recipe multiplied by 3) for my godson’s baptism and got rave reviews so I wanted to share it here as well, and luckily it finished off my remaining beet supply!

Roasting the beets takes a bit of time, but past that, this comes together really quickly. You can certainly buy pre-cooked beets to make this a quick recipe, I won’t tell.

 

Ingredients:

Salad (serves 4):

  • 4 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • salt, to taste
  • 4 cups baby kale
  • 1/2 cup microgreens
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (omit to make dairy-free/vegan)

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link) or grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

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Roasted Beets and Sweets

I recently bought a ridiculous number of beets. I honestly can’t even tell you what moved me to do so, but I was staring down a good dozen plus beets for a household of two.

We were able to use some up in this awesome recipe for Gemelli with Brown Butter Beet Sauce, and I used a lot up in a salad recipe I will post later, but I was still left with about half a dozen beets!

This recipe for Roasted Beets and Sweets is fairly straightforward, used up all my remaining beets, and works as a good Sunday afternoon recipe so you have an easy side ready for later in the week (or to eat immediately with Sunday dinner).

Ingredients (serves 6):

  • 6 beets, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

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Coconut Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I have been trying to get back in the habit of making a few make-ahead meals on weekends to make weekdays a bit more manageable. While looking through old recipes, I came across a recipe I made nearly a decade ago for Coconut Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I decided to revisit the recipe, adding a bit more lemon flavor through the addition of lemon extract (paid link). These yummy little guys are the result!

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcake-sized muffins or 6 large muffins):

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and allowed to cool slightly
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce to make vegan
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 cup whole milk, or coconut milk to make dairy free/vegan
  • the zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

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Pressure Cooker Persian Lamb and Herb Stew

Note: I was sent a copy of The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook, 100 Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It is most certainly Instant Pot season! Work (at least for me) is busy this time of year, and yet, I crave meals that take a while to cook! Using an Instant Pot saves me a ton of time, so I tend to use it a lot this time of year.

I was recently sent a copy of The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook by Paula Shoyer, which is filled with so many delicious sounding Kosher-friendly dishes! With The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook (paid link) (paid link), Shoyer has curated 100 irresistible recipes for every table that even a novice cook can prepare in minutes. It is filled with modern takes on classic Jewish recipes, with all recipes offering options to adapt for special diets and allergies.

As I was paging through, I kept going back to a recipe for Persian Lamb and Herb Stew. I love a good lamb recipe, so I was excited to try this out! I adapted the below recipe ever so slightly from the original in the cookbook.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds lamb cubes
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 green onions, sliced, divided
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups boiled water
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threats
  • 1 yellow apple, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • the zest of one lime
  • cooked rice, if desired

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Persian Lamb and Herb Stew

Wild Boar Tenderloin with Mushrooms

Note: I received free cow cash from Crowd Cow to try some of their products in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

If you’ve seen my prior post on Boneless Leg of Lamb with Roasted Vegetables, you know I am working my way through a box of awesome protein from Crowd Cow. (Right now, new Members Get $100 of Free Meat + Free Shipping. Hurry up, offer ends soon!)

This recipe for Wild Boar Tenderloin with Mushrooms is my first time using wild boar! According to the Crowd Cow website, “Wild Boar meat is similar to domestic pork, but the flavor has a slightly sweet and nutty taste to it, derived from their wild foraging diet. Our Wild Boar Tenderloins are lean with low fat content. Searing, roasting and grilling work well, but be careful not to overcook and dry out these lean cuts of meat.”

To enhance the flavor of the wild boar, I sautéed mushrooms in the same pan that I cooked the meat in with some onions and garlic.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 (1 lb) wild boar tenderloin
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 (8 oz) packages sliced mushrooms
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine

Continue reading Wild Boar Tenderloin with Mushrooms

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

A good pot roast recipe has everything I love in a meal – a comforting protein-heavy dish with veggies that can all be made in one pot. Traditional pot roast recipes aren’t difficult to make, but they can take quite a bit of time to prepare, so it’s nice to have a pressure cooker version that can be made in about half the time!

This Pressure Cooker Pot Roast is a one-pot wonder, a fall-apart tender beef, chock full of vegetables, and cooked in a flavorful gravy. This recipe takes about 2 hours to make in your Instant Pot (paid link).

Ingredients:

  • 1 (3 to 4 pound) chuck roast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
  • 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 24 oz baby red potatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish, if desired
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

Reindeer Fuel Tea Latte

Note: I was sent a Holiday Tea Package from Adagio Teas in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

The holidays are fast approaching, so hopefully you’re ok with me doing a Christmas-themed post. I couldn’t wait to show off this yummy recipe for a Reindeer Fuel Tea Latte, and highlight some awesome holiday offerings from Adagio Teas!

Lattes are typically made with espresso and hot steamed milk, but this uses a stronger blended tea from Adagio Teas calls Reindeer Fuel, topped with steamed froth milk.

Reindeer Fuel is a Limited Edition blend of black tea, toasted mate, cocoa nibs, peppermint and ginger that is “specially formulated to give Santa’s team the caffeine boost they need to keep dashing through the snow.” It is only available as a gift with a purchase starting today, November 15th, so if this sounds yummy to you, make sure to stock up ASAP!

There are plenty of awesome gifts for others (or yourself!) at adagio.com, including a tea Advent Calendar to help you count down the 24 days before Christmas and a 12 Days of Christmas Gift Set is intended to be enjoyed during the 12 days after Christmas.

The advent calendar includes 24 individual servings (enough tea for an 8oz cup of tea) for each day between December 1 and Christmas Day. Adagio sent me one of the calendars so if you purchase one, you can enjoy it along with me on my Instagram stories in December!

The 12 Days of Christmas Gift Set includes 12 different teas that line up with the “gifts” listed in the 12 Days of Christmas song. Each single serving of loose tea comes in its own little tin, which line up to create a fun scene. Even better, they can be hung as ornaments until ready to be brewed!

Adagio Teas have a bunch of other Christmas-themed gifts on their website, along with an impressive number of teas, teaware, and other gifts that are worth checking out too.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients (serves 1, multiply as needed):

Continue reading Reindeer Fuel Tea Latte

Boneless Leg of Lamb with Roasted Vegetables

Note: I received free cow cash from Crowd Cow to try some of their products in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

As much as I love a nice, quick weeknight meal option, I really enjoy when I have a free Saturday or Sunday to slow it down and make an oven-roasted dish, like this recipe for Boneless Leg of Lamb with Roasted Vegetables.

We’ve had some sporadic fall-like days in Philadelphia recently, so I made the most of a cooler weekend day and tapped into one of the proteins I received in my Crowd Cow box! Crowd Cow is a frozen protein delivery service that partners with ethical farms, fisheries and producers globally. They hand select independent farms to deliver the best craft meat from the farm to your table.

I was super impressed with the selection on Crowd Cow. They have staples like free-range chicken, pasture-raised beef, and sustainable seafood, but they also have some options that caught my eye, including wild boar, elk, bison, and, of course, boneless leg of lamb.

source: crowdcow.com

My order arrived in just two days, and came in recyclable packaging. They even offset carbon emissions from every order. Crowd Cow offers a membership where you can choose what is sent to you and at what frequency. And now’s the perfect time to become a Crowd Cow member! New Members Get $100 of Free Meat + Free Shipping. Hurry up, offer ends soon!

I will have future posts highlighting some of my other purchases, but today, it’s all about the boneless leg of lamb. Boneless leg of lamb is surprisingly easy to make, and doesn’t require a bunch of ingredients to make a great meal. This one-pot recipe cooks the leg of lamb, then tosses some vegetables in the drippings and roasts them to perfection!

Ingredients (serves 6):

Boneless Leg of Lamb

  • 4 to 5 lb boneless leg of lamb
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Roasted Vegetables:

  • 2 lbs potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 medium-sized carrots
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 (8 oz) container sliced mushrooms
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Boneless Leg of Lamb with Roasted Vegetables

Caramel Apple Coffee Jam

I’m really in canning mode recently! I’m still a relative novice to canning, so I stick to sources I trust so I can preserve safely.

Freshpreserving.com is the ultimate source, so when I saw this recipe for Caramel Apple Coffee Jam, I knew I had to try it!

Using coffee in a jam intrigued me; I was interested to see what the flavor of this jam was like!

This is the first time I’ve worked with pectin in a recipe, which is basically a gelling agent that gives jams and jellies their texture. It is a starch found naturally in fruits and vegetables, so a lot of recipes for canning use a bit of acid to create the thickening needed. (I’ve also used chia seeds to create this texture in the past too.)

Ingredients (makes about 6 half pint jars):

  • 5 apples, peeled and diced (about 7.5 cups) – I used honeycrisp apples
  • 3 cups extra strong brewed coffee
  • 6 tablespoons pectin
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3 cups brown sugar, lightly packed

Continue reading Caramel Apple Coffee Jam

Bratwurst and White Beans with Sage

As we transition into fall, I start craving comfort food-type dishes, especially ones that don’t take all day to make, because despite still working from home, I find that I have even less time to cook!

This recipe for Bratwurst and White Beans with Sage is a quick and easy dinner that also only uses one pan, so it has quickly become a favorite of mine.

The recipe has under 10 ingredients too, so it’s an easy one to add to your grocery list.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 bratwurst, sliced into coins
  • 3 whole garlic cloves
  • 4 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • day old bread, for serving (optional)

Continue reading Bratwurst and White Beans with Sage

Spiced Fig and Pear Jam

Early fall is my favorite time of year. I love that it’s still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, the selection of produce available is awesome, and the back-to-school vibe fuels me to get things done.

It’s also an awesome time of year to can some jellies and jams, like this delicious Spiced Fig and Pear Jam!

Figs and pears are in season at the moment, two of my favorite fruits, so what better time to make (and can) this Spiced Fig and Pear Jam?

Ingredients (makes about 6 8oz cans):

  • 1 1/2 pounds Bartlett pears, peeled, deseeded, and cut into small bite sized pieces
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh mission figs, cut into eighths
  • 3 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • the juice and zest of 1 navel orange

Continue reading Spiced Fig and Pear Jam

Slow Cooker Spiced Blueberry Plum Butter

This may sound silly, but I woke up a few days ago and realized that summer is nearly over, and I had not canned anything! Blueberries have been particularly lovely this year, so I wanted to make a fruit butter using them as the main ingredient. I added in some plums I had and then spiced them with some autumnal flavors to mark the impending change of seasons.

The result is this Slow Cooker Spiced Blueberry Plum Butter!

Fruit butter is a jam-like product that doesn’t use any pectin, so it spreads easier than a normal jam or jelly. Fruit butters are best made by cooking the fruit low and slow, so a slow cooker is the perfect tool to make them! Although you are using a slow cooker, this recipe does require you to stir it every now and then, so you still have to stay close by.

I adapted this recipe from Food in Jar’s recipe for Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter. There are a few tools I find super helpful when canning, so I will link to those throughout this recipe, in case you wanted to know what I use.

Ingredients (makes about 5 pints, or 10 half pint jars):

  • 6 pints blueberries
  • 8 plums, quartered, pits removed
  • 3 cups sugar
  • the juice and zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Continue reading Slow Cooker Spiced Blueberry Plum Butter

Lamb Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t love stuffed peppers when I was younger. However, as I realize that there are multiple ways to make them, like these Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers and this recipe for Lamb Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers I’m about to share, I’ve come around on how awesome they can really be!

This recipe is based off one a friend gave me years ago that I used to make Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers. The recipe was so darn good, I figured it was about time I shared a main-meal version!

Ingredients:

  • 6 bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1  teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2  tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1 cup cooked farro (substitute rice to make gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup Feta, crumbled (omit to make dairy free)

Continue reading Lamb Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers

Homemade Baked Beans

Barbecue season is upon us, and many of us are hoping to enjoy some socially distant outdoor time with friends and family. So I wanted to share the perfect recipe to bring along to a barbecue: homemade baked beans!

This recipe takes about an hour and a half to make but can be made ahead of time. The beans can be served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings):

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow pepper)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Tobasco Chipotle)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons stone ground mustard (or any mustard you prefer)
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper

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Salmon Bean Salad

Note: I was sent affiliate boxes from Sitka Salmon Share in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m excited to share this recipe for a yummy Salmon Bean Salad, but I’m even more excited to tell you about Sitka Salmon Share! This responsible caught seafood company is one you can feel good about purchasing their high quality products. (You can check out my other Sitka Seafood posts here as I post them, because there will be plenty more!)

What are Sitka Salmon Shares?

Sitka Salmon Share is a community supported fishery (CSF) seafood delivery that allows you to get great quality seafood delivered right to your door. You can choose from four different options (Premium Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Seafood Share, Sitka Salmon Share, and Sitka White Fish Share), which range from 3 to 9-month intervals. Each share includes a specific selection of the species that Sitka harvests, such as wild Alaskan king salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, keta salmon, lingcod, black bass, sablefish (black cod), Pacific cod, yelloweye, rockfish, spot shrimp, Dungeness crab, albacore tuna, and halibut.

You can either pay for your share in full at the beginning of the season or spread out your payments through monthly installments. Prices range from $18 to $28 per pound, depending on the species you choose and the quantity you buy (with free shipping).

How Sitka Salmon Shares Works:

One of Sitka’s 20 fishermen-owners or partner fishermen then catch your fish. The fishermen meticulously catch and handle each fish with care virtually unheard of in the world of large factory boats and corporate-owned fish farms. The seafood is filleted and cut into portions of about half a pound to a little over a pound. Each fillet is then blast-frozen to -60 degrees Fahrenheit before being shipped to the Midwest where it is individually vacuum-sealed.
source: https://sitkasalmonshares.com/
Every month during fishing season, you will get a box of wild Alaskan seafood hand-delivered right to your door! In keeping with the company’s guiding principles, Sitka Salmon Shares returns 1 percent of all CSF-related revenue back to fisheries conservation and habitat protection efforts, and they pay to offset all carbon that is released in our Alaska-to-Midwest distribution system. The fishermen-owners receive a fairer wage for a day’s work, and the company works to make the entire system more transparent and accountable, from the moment your fish is caught to the moment you sit down with your friends and family to enjoy the best fish you’ve ever tasted. Also, the packaging is almost entirely recyclable, including the insulation!
https://sitkasalmonshares.com/

Discount code to receive $25 off your first Sitka Salmon Share Box:

To get the word out, I received two affiliate boxes to check out their products. Even better, Sitka has given  me a discount code to share with everyone so you can try out their delicious seafood as well! Use ICCTFish when registering for a Premium share and receive $25 off!
This recipe for Salmon Bean Salad is made with Sitka’s Coho salmon, which has such a wonderful flavor that it needs very little other components to make a delicious meal! It is a simple meal that delivers on flavor, and it is perfect for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients (serves 2):

Salad:
  • 1 lb coho salmon, like Sitka Coho Salmon, defrosted overnight in your fridge
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups lettuce (I used Boston Bibb), washed and torn
  • 1 (14 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 dozen cherry or grape tomatoes
  • optional additional items: artichoke hearts, feta cheese, cucumbers, red onion, avocado

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Greek seasoning blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Continue reading Salmon Bean Salad

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