I’ve mentioned before that my smoke alarms in my house are… sensitive. If I roast anything in the oven, they tend to go off. So when possible, I try to find alternate means to cook my food. In the summer, that means a ton of grilling. And as the weather cools off, my slow cooker becomes my best friend!
My latest Hungry Harvest (note: this is a referral link) included 2 pounds of red potatoes, so I wanted to try cooking the potatoes in my slow cooker.
This recipe for Slow Cooker Garlic Red Potatoes works well as a side to a recipe that already is using up your oven, like a roast turkey or chicken. It’s also a good option for a night that you can set the slow cooker in the early afternoon, and let it do its thing while you go about your day. When it’s dinner time, your side is all set, and you can quickly whip up a seafood dish, or sautéed chicken in no time!
I’ve mentioned before that my husband is an avid runner. He’s currently training for a marathon, so I’ve been trying to support his training with more food geared toward fueling him both before and after his runs. It’s important to fuel up with something protein rich after working out to help promote muscle recovery.
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies are a yummy choice after a long run, while still satisfying my husband’s sweet tooth.
The cookies are made with peanut butter, protein powder and almond flour, so they are surprisingly filling too.
Note: I was sent a Cosori Premium 6qt multicooker in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m not going to lie, pressure cookers have always kind of intimidated me. I was under the impression that they were difficult to use, and easy to mess up.
Well, after trying out the Cosori Premium 6qt pressure cooker over the past couple of weeks, I’m here to tell you they are actually quite easy to use!
source: cosori.com
Pressure cookers are definitely having a moment right now, but they’ve actually been around since the 1600’s in some form or another. Pressure cookers use steam pressure to help cook food faster. When cooking tough meat, pressure cookers help tenderize the meat and cook it surprisingly quickly in the process.
source: cosori.com
The Cosori Premium 6qt pressure cooker is actually a multicooker – it’s a pressure cooker, hot pot, steamer, slow cooker, food warmer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, and rice cooker – all in one! The unit has 17 smart cooking programs, but you can also adjust the cooking time, temperature, and pressure cooking levels to customize your cooking.
source: cosori.com
I couldn’t wait to test the pressure cooker out! I immediately thought of barbacoa – super tender and shredded meat (typically lamb or beef) with seasonings, so it’s time to try making Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos!
We eat a lot of tacos in my house, so I knew this would be a perfect test of the pressure cooker’s ability. This recipe actually uses two of the features available -” sauté/brown” and “meat/stew” pressure cooking. The Cosori premium pressure cooker is quite large (6 quarts!), so I decided to make a huge batch for future dinners. (It’s always helpful to have a full freezer for busy fall weeknights.)
Note: If you’ve been considering purchasing the Cosori Premium 6qt pressure cooker, click on this link and use code UCS9PK3K to receive 10% off! (The code is only good through October 31, 2018, so be sure to purchase before then!)
Ingredients: (makes 12 servings)
6 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 chipotle in adobo, plus 3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups beef broth, plus a tablespoon or two, divided
Romanesco is an intriguing little veggie. I don’t come across it terribly often, but when I do, I love using it in recipes like this recipe for Pasta with Roasted Romanesco and Capers.
Romanesco is similar to normal broccoli and cauliflower, and can be prepared the same ways. However, the flavor of Romanesco is much more muted. I personally love it roasted and tossed with pasta. The below recipe is heavily inspired by Bon Appetit’s Pasta with Roasted Romanesco and Capers recipe.
I received Romanesco in my latest Hungry Harvest (note: this is a referral link) and couldn’t wait to make this recipe!
Ingredients:
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil; plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons drained capers, divided
Salt, to taste
1 medium Romanesco, cored, cut into small florets
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
½ cup dry white wine (or chicken/vegetable broth, if preferred)
I’ve been trying to think up more bring-to-work lunch ideas recently. We tend to just eat leftovers or traditional salads for lunch, which can get boring quickly.
So when my Hungry Harvest (note: this is a referral link) came with absolutely huge cucumbers, I figured I could make a slightly different lunch (or a make ahead side for dinner) with it!
This dish has chickpeas to make it a bit more hearty, red onions for flavor (and color), and of course, cucumbers. I tossed all of those in a lemony, zesty ranch Greek yogurt mixture.
Ingredients:
1 large (or two medium) cucumber(s), cut into bite sized pieces
Because I usually have a recipe in mind when I go food shopping, it’s pretty rare that I come home with a rogue ingredient. But recently, while picking up ground beef and sausage for my Meatballs and Tomato Sauce at Primal Supply, I noticed that they had ground lamb, and felt compelled to buy it.
I didn’t exactly have a goal for the ground lamb, but decided to work with ingredients that I know work well with the flavors of lamb: cumin, saffron, mint, and cinnamon.
The result was Spiced Lamb with Saffron Couscous: saffron couscous, topped with flavorful ground lamb, pistachios, feta, dried apricots, and fresh mint!
Ingredients:
Couscous:
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed between your fingers
I’m not sure what took me so long, but I’ve just started using Hungry Harvest. Hungry Harvest rescues produce that would normally go to waste, packages them up in different box options, and delivers it to your doorstep. Each box is customizable, so if you don’t like something in it, you can opt for another product through their website before delivery. There are also add-ons, like eggs, crushed tomatoes, or other fruits/vegetables.
To be honest, I don’t really see an issue with any of the produce I received. Apparently, reasons include that the produce is too big, too small, has some discoloring, are oddly shaped, or there were just too many in the crop. For example, the carrots I used for this post were “randomly sized and have some curve to them.” They still taste the same to me!
Anyways, I am loving having veggies delivered to my house and am experimenting with some new sides to add to my rotation. These carrots are inspired by a dish at a local Italian restaurant in South Philly: Ristorante Pesto. After ordering, they bring out a nice bruschetta plate as well as these awesome balsamic marinated carrots that I couldn’t get enough of! They serve theirs cold as an appetizer, but the below recipe for Balsamic Honey Roasted Carrots can be served either hot or cold.
Note: This is not a sponsored post, but if you’d like to try Hungry Harvest, feel free to use my referral link to sign up. You’ll receive $5 off your first order. I will also receive a credit when you receive your first delivery.
The school year has begun. I don’t have kids, but I am married to a teacher, so this time of year gets pretty hectic. Which means it’s about time I started stocking my fridge and freezer on weekends so weeknight dinners are a bit more manageable.
These Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers are a super tasty (and easy) make-ahead meal. You can cook these over the weekend and reheat during the week, or freeze before cooking, thaw, and cook when ready to eat!
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
4 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 cup jarred salsa (mild or medium)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz) box of yellow rice, cooked according to package directions
As much as I wish that I could meal plan and cook every night of the week, I have times where my job is too busy and I just don’t have time. During these busy periods, I usually order Blue Apron meals so that at least the meal planning and grocery shopping is done for me.
One of the meals a few months back had a side of black lentils with sauteed kale and onions that was absolutely fantastic. Since then, a version inspired by the original recipe has become a staple in my house.
Lentils in general are an awesome source of protein, and black lentils are no different. Sometimes called beluga lentils, they are named for their likeness to caviar. Black lentils hold their shape better than some other types of lentils, so they add great texture to meals.
The spice used in this recipe, ras el hanout, is a Moroccan spice blend that differs depending on the shop, so your version may come out slightly different than mine. The name, which means “head of the shop” (which is similar to the English expression “top-shelf”) is a mixture of the best spices the seller has to offer. As such, there is no definitive ras el hanout recipe. Common ingredients include cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, coriander, paprika, and turmeric. I’m a huge fan of this spice blend, mainly because it takes a lot of the guess work out of seasoning — plus it tastes amazing! You may remember me using it in my One Pot Moroccan Chicken recipe earlier this year.
I’m not going to lie. I’m a bit of a margarita wimp. I prefer my margaritas as fruity as possible. I do have a Grilled Margarita recipe, but my other margarita recipes have pomegranates and blood oranges in them. Yum.
Anywho, I came across this recipe for Blackberry Orange Margaritas in Cooking Light and knew I’d like this one! The original recipe adds spicy serrano tequila, but I decided to keep this one spice-free.
Ingredients:
6 ounces tequila
12 ounces fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar
Add the blackberries, 1 cup orange juice. 1/2 cup lime juice, and 2 tablespoons agave to a blender and process until smooth.
Strain through a sieve, discarding the solids. Use a spoon to press down on the sieve to strain the liquid.
Stir in the tequila. Divided mixture among 4 ice-filled glasses and serve.
Tangy, slightly sweet, and super refreshing. Exactly what I want in a cocktail!
I love the color of this too. The photos don’t really do it justice. Definitely a statement drink that would be perfect for the next time you’re entertaining. You can also make this ahead of time and pour when ready to serve.
One of my favorite new-ish shows is PBS’s No Passport Required with Marcus Samuelsson. Each episode explores the immigrant communities and food within different U.S. cities. There have only been 6 shows, but I’m hooked. Each episode includes Chef Samuelsson meeting, hanging out, and eating with members of the different immigrant communities in Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Queens, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
Not only is the show really interesting and informative, it’s difficult to not get hungry while watching,! PBS luckily includes some recipes on their website. But there was one I was hoping they’d post and at least as of this post, it’s not there: Ful Medames from the Washington, D.C. episode which highlighted the Ethiopian community in our nation’s capital.
Ful Medames is a breakfast dish of mashed fava beans, topped with hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, tomato, and jalapeno. I’ve had a bag of dried fava beans sent to me from Bob’s Red Mill in my pantry for a while now, and I knew they were destined for this recipe. Not only does Ful Medames sound fantastic, but my husband is currently training for a marathon, and this sounded like the perfect fuel after a long training run.
Ful Medames gets a lot of its flavor from a spice blend called berbere. Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mixture that usually includes chilies, garlic, ginger, basil, fenugreek, coriander, and cardamom. It is spicy, but I adjusted so this version doesn’t have too much heat. Feel free to add more for spiciness. For my local Philadelphians, I found berbere in The Head Nut in Reading Terminal, but there are recipes online to make your own at home if you don’t live near a spice shop. Penzey’s also has a version of berbere.
My version isn’t terribly authentic, but the general idea is there. I used soft boiled eggs instead, solely because I don’t love hard boiled eggs. Feel free to substitute in hard-boiled.
Note: Before cooking with the fava beans, be sure to soak them overnight.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried fava beans, soaked overnight
5 cups water, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons berbere, divided
3/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 eggs (omit for vegan)
1 tomato (or ~4 oz cherry tomatoes), finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
I think I’m pretty sure I’m late to the Kefir game here, but at least I’ve finally arrived! Kefir is a culture milk drink that is high in nutrients and probiotics which helps aid in digestion. A 6 ounce serving of Kefir has 6 grams of protein and 20% of your recommended daily calcium, and is actually a more potent source of probiotics than yogurt.
Its tangy flavor works really well in smoothies. So when I saw Cooking Light’s recipe for a Mango Rum Kefir Lassi, I knew I had to try it out. (You can omit the rum to have a really awesome lassi for breakfast as well. But hey, who doesn’t love a cocktail that has some health benefits to it?) A lassi is typically yogurt-based, so Kefir is a really simple substitute.
This Cooking Light recipe is most certainly not a traditional lassi, but it’s really tasty and is packed with good-for-you ingredients: kefir, coconut water, honey, turmeric, cinnamon, mango, and bananas. Yum!
Ingredients (makes 3 servings):
1 cup plain low-fat kefir
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup spiced rum (I used a coconut-spiced rum), if desired
I come from a fairly large family. Growing up, my cousins and I would see each other nearly every Sunday for dinner at our grandparents. As we’ve gotten older, we clearly don’t have as many opportunities to see each other. So we decided to have a cousin barbecue for those of us that still live in the Philadelphia area.
Whenever I think of outdoor cooking, I naturally think of S’mores for dessert.
Because I was hosting, I wanted to pre-make as much of the food as I could, so I decided to make Smores Bars for us to enjoy!
These are super easy, and absolutely addicting!
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Note: I was sent Northwest Cherries in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone.
When it comes to summer get togethers, there tend to be plenty of mouths to feed. So I’m a big fan of crowd recipes that feed multiple people, or allow you to make ahead and portion out as you like!
With cherries in season, there is no better time to make a simple Cherry Slab Pie. Slab pie is just pie made in a sheet pan with sides, which is a great option for making dessert for a bunch of people. It’s a bit more rustic, so you don’t really have to worry about perfecting your pie crust skills (it will still taste awesome!)
Ingredients:
Slab pie (serves 12):
8 cups fresh cherries, destemmed and pitted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
the juice and zest of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 store bought refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts (2 packages)
I don’t think you can ever have too many side dishes to rotate for different dinner combinations, including ones you can make on the grill, like this Grilled Fennel with Parmesan recipe.
One of my favorite ingredients is fennel. When raw, it has a nice anise (licorice) flavor with great crunch. When cooked, fennel becomes sweeter and the licorice flavor more subtle. Typically, you’d roast fennel. But hey, it’s summer. Let’s bring it outdoors!
This recipe is based off a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, and is a tasty side with any grilled protein. I particularly love it with a lemony grilled salmon!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 fennel bulbs, tops removed, cut into thick slices, leaving the core intact
