On a Casser-roll!

Admittedly, this photograph looks unappetizing, but it tastes good! I swear! 

SO I used to think casseroles were the epitome of bad mom food. Tuna Noodle Casserole. Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole. Everything all mashed together, usually smothered in gray cream of mushroom soup, and burnt around the edges. Mushy, bland, and pretty much inedible. But I've been thinking more about cooking one big dish that will feed a small family throughout the week, and casseroles keep popping up in the search. It also helps that my husband loves to mix everything together on his plate into one big heap, so casseroles are perfect for that. This particular recipe comes from the Cooking Light catalog, though I have changed it a bit for ease and included more protein to make it a nice square meal. It's great because it actually has texture (!) with the crunchy walnuts and crispy cheese alongside the mushier rice/vegetable mix. Serve with a light salad if you like, though it does include TWO vegetables, so you're totally covered in that department too. 

• Sausage Eggplant Zucchini Parmesan Rice Casserole
• [modified from cookinglight.com]
• 
  
• 12 oz package of chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated and divided (1 cup)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 
  
• Cook rice according to package directions, but without oil or salt. If you've got a rice cooker, all the better! [Sidenote: This recipe works great with leftover rice from last night's dinner too. As long as you've got enough.] Preheat oven to 400° then combine eggplant and zucchini on a large baking sheet, spraying liberally with olive oil cooking spray, toss to coat, and bake for 15 minutes. While that's cooking, saute chicken sausage in large skillet over medium high heat until browned. Once both the eggplant/zucchini mixture and the sausage are done, set them aside in a large bowl and reduce oven temperature to 375°. Then, using the same large skillet from the sausage, cook 2 teaspoons olive oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat until softened. When cooked, add onion/garlic mixture to the rest in the big bowl, as well as rice, 3 ounces of the cheese, milk, eggs, and salt/pepper, mixing thoroughly to combine. Spread mixture into a greased 11 x 7" glass or ceramic baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. While that's baking, add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to the same large skillet from before over medium high heat, swirl to coat, then add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently. When the crumbs achieve a nice golden brown color, remove from heat and allow to cool before stirring in walnuts, remaining 1 ounce of parmesan cheese, and parsley. When your timer goes off, remove foil from casserole and spread breadcrumb mix evenly over top. Put back in the oven uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes, until topping is brown and vegetables are fork tender. Try not to eat it all in one go.

• - Cathleen

Taking It to the Next Level

I told you I couldn't stop. I wouldn't normally post another recipe so soon after the last, but I can't help myself. I've taken lunch to the next level over here. Poached IN THE MICROWAVE eggs ON TOP of the magnificent kale you cooked last week. Here's how it's done: 

Microwaved Poached Eggs

2 eggs
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp vinegar

Crack both eggs into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the water into the bowl and then add the vinegar. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe plate then place it into the microwave and heat at 80% power for 1 minute and 40 seconds. Once it beeps, check to see if the whites have solidified. If not, then cook in 10 second rounds until it looks ready. But remember: eggs continue to cook even after you remove them from the heat, so be careful you don't over do it! Remove eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and serve over your Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Sweet Potatoes. Add a side of toast for dipping into those sweet, sweet runny yolks. Decaf Earl Grey tea is optional.

[Modified from www.thekitchn.com]


- Cathleen

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

I know kale is like, a super popular superfood and all, but you guys, it's really super tasty too. I know everyone raves about kale chips, and I've tried, but I just can't get behind them. Kale salads? Sure, they're ok. But Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Sweet Potatoes? Now that's my JAM. Seriously. I've eaten this three times in the last week. It might just be my new favorite lunch. Get into it. 

Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Sweet Potatoes

2 T olive oil

1 large sweet potato, cubed with skin on

a sprinkle of sea salt

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bag of kale, 16 oz

1/4 cup of vegetable or chicken stock

juice of 1/2 a lemon

black pepper to taste

1/4 cup of roasted, salted sunflower seeds (shelled!)

In a large skillet set over medium heat add olive oil, cubed sweet potatoes, and a sprinkle of sea salt and cook for 5 minutes—uncovered, without stirring. Then toss potatoes once, cover skillet with lid, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove lid, toss potatoes again then add garlic, cooking all until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the kale. Just dump the whole bag in there. Using tongs, toss everything together so it gets evenly heated. Add the chicken (or veggie) stock to the bottom of the pan, pour lemon juice over the top, sprinkle some pepper on top of that if you're into it, and toss everything once more. Cover with lid and allow to saute/steam for 1-2 minutes more until kale has wilted and turned bright green. Be careful that you don't overcook it. When ready, remove pan from heat and serve with sunflower seeds sprinkled on top. Feeds 2 people generously (I usually go back for seconds), but could easily fill 4 bowls as a nice big side to whatever else you're serving up.

[Modified from wholeliving.com]


- Cathleen

Totally Baked: Eggs

Eggs may be the single most perfect food. Scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, fried with bright runny yellows, as far as I'm concerned, it's aaaaall good. When I was in Paris six years ago (cough-yeah, I'm name dropping PARIS-cough cough), I had the most amazing eggs in this cafe my dad and I blearily stumbled into after spending our entire first day sleeping off jet lag. And despite my exhaustion, I still think about those eggs SIX years later. Their version came baked with buttery mushrooms folded into a soft eggy embrace. My version is a simple variation that will fancy up breakfast-for-dinner anytime you're feelin it. 

Warning: You will need ramekins!! Or some other 1-cup capacity oven-proof vessels to cook these things in. But trust me, it will be worth the (small) investment. 

Baked Eggs

4 large eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
4 Tbsp milk
butter for greasing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease four 1-cup ramekins with butter. Pluck thyme leaves from thyme branches, discard naked thyme sticks. Mince thyme leaves and sprinkle inside greased ramekins. Divide minced garlic among the ramekins while you're at it. Gently crack 1 egg into each ramekin, keeping yolk intact. Drizzle 1 Tbsp milk over each egg. Season with salt and pepper. Bake eggs in oven (or toaster oven! if you don't want to heat up your whole kitchen) until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 14-16 minutes. And remember! Eggs continue to cook once you take them off the heat, so be careful you don't overcook these bad boys.

Serve with toast for dipping in those sweet hot yolks! 
Also consider adding cooked crumbled bacon or buttery sauteed mushrooms or wilted spinach to the eggs pre-bake. The possibilities are almost endless!


- Cathleen 

Gee, These Balls Taste Terrific

Since I found the recipe for these tasty balls on Pinterest by way of gimmesomeoven.com a few weeks ago I have made probably seven or eight batches and have no plans to slow down anytime soon. I have even whipped up different versions with varying degrees of success—one particularly solid attempt involved almond butter, lemon zest, and copious amounts of vanilla extract—but good ol' peanut butter-chocolate chip always wins out in the end. And rightly so!

No baking. No butter. No sugar. No eggs. No milk. These things are super easy to make and even easier to put away, and you don't feel guilty eating them for breakfast. They're full of protein! And fiber! And omega-3s! You would practically be doing your body a disservice by NOT eating at least 4 of them a day.

Energy Balls

[modified from gimmesomeoven.com]

1 cup dry oatmeal (instant or old-fashioned)
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Toast coconut for a few minutes on a small cookie sheet in your toaster oven if you've got one, though a regular-sized oven would work just as well. Once toasted to a golden brown and smelling sweet, dump coconut and the rest of the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Then pop the dough bowl into the fridge for an hour or two so the mash can solidify a bit. When ready, scoop up and roll the dough into balls with your hands. The recipe produces approximately 27 small balls, but you can make them any size you please. Store them in the fridge. Or your belly.


- Cathleen

Totally Baked: Coconut Banana Bread

After weeks of pining for some hot cooking action, I popped an agreeable Graham in his swing, set him up in the kitchen, and totally baked Coconut Banana Bread last week. I found this recipe on Popsugar by way of Pinterest and modified it somewhat, cutting back on the brown sugar, nixing the milk altogether, and replacing all-purpose flour with whole wheat. What resulted was a pretty dense, delicious, and even healthier version of this healthy recipe. One slice'll satisfy you all morning. Guaranteed. 

Coconut Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 egg whites

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sweetened flaked coconut

spray of non-stick cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small mixing bowl. In another large mixing bowl, mash bananas, then mix in brown sugar, vanilla, egg whites, and oil until smooth. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until thoroughly combined. Then mix in yogurt, orange juice, and 1/2 cup coconut. Pour batter into oil-sprayed loaf pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut. Bake for 60 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Makes 16 slices at approx. 115 calories each. 

- Cathleen