Category: Uncategorized

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Headed to a get together or hosting a get together and need a dish to share? Have I got one for you! This one comes together in less than 10 minutes and is so fresh with really intriguing flavors. The tartness of the cranberries. A hint of sweet from the onion and sugar. A bit of kick from the jalapeño. And it’s flexible too! Serve this Cranberry Jalapeño Dip with scoop tortilla chips or spread it on top of some cream cheese with a side of Wheat Thins. Or…you can even do it as a relish on its own. Possibilities are always endless! This quick little blog post leaves you with the recipe next:

Your ingredients

  • 12 ounces whole cranberries, rinsed, drained, and then chopped in a food processor (I dig this one from Kitchen Aid)
  • 1 jalapeño, diced finely (about 1/3 of a cup)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (I like red for the hint of color, but whatever you have on hand works)
  • 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • juice from 1/2 of a lime (1-2 tablespoons)
  • pinch of salt

Your quick steps to Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

In a medium sized bowl, mix cranberries, onion, and jalapeño. Top with cilantro, sugar, juice, and salt. Stir. Allow the flavors to mingle for at least 30 minutes before serving (or as long as you can wait…I never listen to those directions 🙂 ). Serve it on its own, with tortilla chips, or perhaps with wheat thin crackers and cream cheese. There are so many options and it’s sure to please anyone you’re entertaining!

A few simple ingredients to make one delicious side!
Roughly chopped cranberries
A sprinkle of sugar.
Serve with cream cheese or on its own!
All the colors make me happy!

Check out some other side dishes and great main dishes by heading over to my cooking page!

Tools of the Trade

I always thought that a small food processor was all I needed. I mean, it’s what my mom had and she did just fine. Then I was gifted a 7 cup Kitchen Aid food processor for Christmas one year and my world was changed! If you don’t have one yet, consider investing!

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Sweet, tart, and spice combine in this quick and easy dip that's sure to please all the guests you entertain!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces whole cranberries rinsed, drained, and then chopped in a food processor
  • 1 jalapeño diced finely (about 1/3 of a cup)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • juice from 1/2 of a lime 1-2 tablespoons
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sized bowl, mix cranberries, onion, and jalapeño.
  • Top with cilantro, sugar, juice, and salt. Stir.
  • Allow the flavors to mingle for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Serve it on its own, with tortilla chips, or perhaps with wheat thin crackers and cream cheese.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other fun recipes?

Check out the ones below!

Jess1 Comment

Maple Syrup Season

My Story…An Adventure…

Cooking Sap: A new family tradition

(You can totally skip this part if you aren’t into hearing the back story, but I do have some big hints and tips that I learned in my first adventure into maple syrup 🙂 ) Click here to skip my story!

How I roll

I have to begin this post by saying I’m the type of person who gets approximately 75% of the information needed for a grand plan and then I go all in, and my husband has to strap in for a wild ride. This is true with my food blog, fitness activities, you name it. But our favorite example of me doing this is maple syrup. Being from the Northwoods of Wisconsin, we know a number of people who tap trees every spring and cook down their own maple syrup. My new found obsession with foraging and all things homesteading meant I became interested over the last few years.

Gathering

Last March, I was doing some shopping at the local (ish) Fleet Farm and saw the tree tapping supplies. I had done MINIMAL research, but I quickly texted two different friends who tap and got some quick info. Yes, it was late in the season. But I had made my mind up and picked up the materials to tap four (yes, just four) trees. I figured it would be an adventure for my family and worst case scenario, we were out a few hours of work and about $35.

I brought it home, read a little more about gathering maple syrup online, and we began the quick process of hanging the sap bags. Little did I realize just how much sap we would get! After just 48 hours, we had multiple gallons of sap and no real place to store it (again, 75% of the information is all I ever have and then I fake it till I make it).

Cooking

So begins the process of cooking maple sap down, in the middle of the week, after my husband and I had both worked a full day. We got home, ate dinner, and put together a fire outside, setting some 2 inch metal fencing from our garden on top of a few cinder blocks for the old kettles we had to sit on top. The sap got poured into the kettles and we boiled away, keeping the fire stoked.

Because we were using an old canning kettle (something taller than it was wide, so less surface area for the heat to reach), it took longer to boil down than either of us anticipated (75% of the information…maybe more like 50% 🙂 ), and we were so tired. The first time we cooked, we went to bed at 10:30-11 pm, but set an alarm for every 30 minutes so we could stoke the fire. I can’t help but laugh now as I remember that. I think I blocked that from my memory!

By 1 am, the sap had cooked down to about 1-1 1/2 quarts of maple syrup and we were able to bring it inside to finish it on the stove. From here, we boiled away until we had a hard boil, checking the temperature every few minutes. You have maple syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water (which varies based on your elevation). We hit that point, filtered it through cheese cloth twice, tasted the delicious syrup we had just made and worked SO hard to finish, and immediately collapsed back in our bed.

A sane person may quit after that experience 🙂 It wasn’t hard by any means, but it sure took a lot out of us. However, I got more excited (so did our kids), and although he would never admit it, my husband loved it. He got to spend hours around a fire with a beverage of his choice, watching the sap boil. It’s calming and healing, believe me. We learned crazy amounts after that first experience.

A few hints Before you start

  • Start the fire AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME.
  • Try to use wider pans to cook in to increase the surface area.
  • It’s best if you cook on the weekends so you can cook in the daylight.
  • Don’t chop your wood too close to the fire or hitting the kettle and losing all your sap may occur. Super sad!
  • You don’t need to fill the kettle to the top with sap to begin. Get a boil going and slowly add the rest of your sap.
  • Anyone can do this! It is rewarding and fun to learn.
A perk for the littles: tasting the sap right out of the tree!

Now It’s your Turn!

This year, we tapped just two trees with four taps at my in-laws after our spring break trip fell apart. We figured we would be around and my husband’s family had never experienced it before. It wasn’t the plan, so we began by picking up a kit (simply because then we knew we had everything we needed. You will need:

  • Taps (four is plenty for your first go!)
  • Sap collecting bags (one bag per tap)
  • Hangers for the bags
  • A drill and drill bit to match the size of the tap as well as a hammer
  • Large cooking vessels that you are okay getting covered in carbon as they sit over the fire (think, the soup kettle you never liked anyway)
  • Lots of dry wood, cut smaller
  • Cinder blocks and some form of metal to set the cooking vessel on (wire, an old grill grate, metal posts, etc)
  • Cheese cloth to filter syrup when your finished cooking it down
  • Cooking thermometer, preferably digital

Tapping happens in the spring, when the nights are still below freezing but the days are warmer. The sap should run clear out of the tree. If it is cloudy, it is time to be done collecting. One trick sappers use is to watch for the tree leaves to bud out.  Once the leaves bud out you know that sapping season has come to a close. You can tap any maple tree, but sugar maple are going to be the highest sugar content. You will want to have the bags facing the south to keep them warmest during the day. I am going to write these directions assuming you have the same quantity sap we did with about 4 taps. I want the directions short and sweet so feel free to read around the Internet for more information!

1. Drill a hole into the tree at about chest height, initially going straight in but angling up just slightly to encourage sap flow. The depth of your hole should be about 2 – 2 1/2 inches. (How many taps can a tree hold? Check the diameter: 10-20 inches = 1 tap, 20-25 inches = 2 taps, over 25 inches = 3 taps)

2. Insert the tap into the tree and gently use a hammer to get it inserted the rest of the way. Depending on the temperature outside, the tree may begin dripping sap immediately (if it is warmer). It dripped immediately at my in-laws, but took a while to drip at our own home. Don’t fret.

3. Wrap your bags around the metal ring and insert back into the hanger. Hang bags on the tap, making sure that the spout is dripping inside the bag.

4. Walk around and check on them because you’re just so happy you tapped your first trees.

5. As your bags fill, know that you can truly cook at any time, but be mindful of the size of your cooking vessel. The ratio of sap to syrup is approximately 40:1, that is for every 40 gallons (cups, whatever) of sap you collect, you will get 1 gallon (cup, whatever) of syrup. Whenever you are ready, pour the sap into a kettle and place the bags back on the hangers to continue to collect.

6. We like to build a fire, but protect it with cinder blocks on each side. The first year, we use blocks that had holes in them. This year, we bought solid blocks from Fleet Farm, and they held up to the heat much better. Place the metal grate, wire, etc. on top of the blocks and put the kettle on top.

7. Boil. And boil some more. Keep the fire hot. Sit around with a beverage of your choice (coffee til cocktails, anyone?) and reconnect with nature and your friends. Boil until you’ve reached the point that you have approximately 1-2 quarts left of your sap. That is, once it has begun to turn that glorious syrup color and you have a kettle small enough to finish it off on the stove.

8. CAREFULLY pour your “almost syrup” into the smaller kettle, and bring to a boil on your stove. I told my husband the boil changes when it’s getting closer and he agreed, but I don’t quite know how to describe it. You will notice it too though, I am certain. Stir the “almost syrup” often, and check the temperature every few minutes. It will take longer than you think it should.

9. You have syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water at your elevation. If you are under 1000 ft above sea level, that will be 219 degrees, but you may want to do an Internet search on the boiling point for your own town. (There are other ways to check for syrup beyond temperature…fancy: hydrometer that measures sugar content, not fancy: spoon test and seeing how it falls off a metal spoon. I recommend just using a digital thermometer)

10. Once you reach the right temperature, you will want to filter the syrup through cheese cloth. We like to put the cheese cloth over a small mesh colander and pour it into a larger measuring cup (see picture). Then we filter it once more from the measuring cup into a mason jar (or whatever you want to store your syrup in). Allow to cool, and then store in your refrigerator.

That’s it! In just 10 steps, you have made your very own maple syrup. It’s great with all of your breakfast goodies like waffles (I have a great recipe here!), as a refined sugar replacement (check out the energy balls here!), or even as your sweetener in your coffee. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we do and start a family tradition like we have 💗

  • Bags getting full in the sunshine.
  • I feel fancy with this photo! See the drip from the the tap!
  • Our set up, if only it was in the sun.
  • Boiling away!
  • Finishing off on the stove. About 1-2 quarts which will turn to a pint or so.
  • Still boiling, watching the temperature every few minutes.
  • It’s done! Time to filter.
  • One more filtering to go.
  • Sweet goodness. Amazing how clear liquid boils down to this golden liquid.

Looking to find more treats that the Earth has to offer? Check out some of the links below:

Foraging
Homesteading
Canning and Preserving

Jess3 Comments

Forget the Meat Italian Vegetarian Pasta Bake

I love me a good Italian dish. Then you put it in bake form and I am essentially in heaven. I hope you enjoy this Italian vegetarian pasta bake as much as my family did!

True confession: This recipe wasn’t supposed to be vegetarian. I browned this fantastic ground Italian venison that my family makes and had it all set on the table. It smelled amazing and I was excited. You see, I had this delightful combination of vegetables simmering and well…I think I got too excited. After I finished layering the vegetables, pasta, and cheese, sprinkling some last bit of mozzarella and some basil and oregano. I marveled at the layers and their beauty. Then I saw it. The bowl of browned venison! How could I forget?! Oh, I forget a lot, so I don’t know why I am so surprised 😀 I looked at my husband and he said, “I don’t need a protein with my Italian and you don’t want to take that apart!” So in the oven it went, and by golly, it was amazing, meatless and all.

It oozes with cheese and has tons of fresh vegetables. My son doesn’t love zucchini, so I knew if I did zoodles or shaved them to replace lasagna noodles, I would have a complainer on my hands. He would eat it, but it wouldn’t be a fun dinner at our house, and I am not a short order cook (no special meals for kids around these parts!). However, I thought I could sneak them in by dicing them up, and he didn’t say a word as he gobbled it up! Give it a try!

Your ingredients for your Italian Pasta Bake

  • 12 ounces tri-color rotini (or other noodle of your choice!)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped yellow zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 15 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, salt free
  • 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
  • 15 ounces ricotta
  • 3 cups mozzarella, divided
  • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Your Steps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil and cook rotini to al dentè. Drain and set aside. Cook Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan (I actually just used my pasta kettle!) over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, green pepper, and onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until just tender. Add salt, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, allowing to simmer while you mix the cheese mixture.

Speaking of the cheese mixture, is it even Italian if it doesn’t have cheese?! This recipe is creamy and cheesy in all the right ways, but if cheese doesn’t speak to your soul like it does to a Wisconsinite, feel free to cut this down just a touch. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and pepper.

Now to build your Italian Vegetarian Pasta bake!

Layer approximately 2 cups of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of a pyrex pan. Add approximately 1/3 of the noodles and then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Continue layering until two more times, but end with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Add a little basil and oregano if you’re feeling fancy. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through. I love my cheese browned on top, so I turn on the broiler at 500 degrees and cook for 1-3 minutes more, watching VERY closely. The broiler is AMAZING, but you can go from perfection to burned in a snap!

I loved that this bake stays saucy. Sometimes a pasta bake can become dry over a day or two as the noodles absorb the extra liquid. Serve with some crusty bread and maybe a salad because you know you need ALL the vegetables 😉 A perfect prep on the weekend to enjoy on those crazy weekday nights! Enjoy! —Jess

A small layer of vegetables on the bottom.
Ricotta and mozzarella for the win!
Later it up!
A minute or two of broiler love gets the cheese perfect!

Looking for other great bakes and dishes for dinner prep? Check out my cooking page for more ideas or click one of the links below!

Cooking

Tools of the trade

Whenever I am creating casseroles and baked dishes in my kitchen, I have a couple go to tools I need: flexible cutting boards, Pyrex dishes, and good parring knives. I don’t know if I really can live without them, what can I say?

Italian Vegetarian Pasta Bake

No ground protein on hand? No problem! Throw this Italian vegetarian pasta bake together for dinner tonight! Bonus leftovers for smaller families!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces tri-color rotini or other noodle of your choice!
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped yellow zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil and cook rotini to al dentè. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, green pepper, and onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until just tender.
  • Add salt, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, allowing to simmer while you mix the cheese mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and pepper.
  • Layer approximately 2 cups of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of a pyrex pan.
  • Add approximately 1/3 of the noodles and then 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
  • Continue layering until two more times, but end with the vegetable mixture.
  • Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Add a little basil and oregano if you’re feeling fancy.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through. If you loved browned cheese, urn on the broiler at 500 degrees and cook for 1-3 minutes more, watching VERY closely.
Keyword pasta, pasta bake, vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great dinner ideas?

Check out the recipes below or head right to my Cooking page!

JessLeave a comment

Stick to Your Ribs Venison and Barley Stew

Living in Wisconsin, it is chilly from mid-October through April. But don’t get me wrong, I love everything about Wisconsin, even the chilly season. I embrace and enjoy it all, from the -30 windchills to the humidity and mosquitoes. Perhaps I love the winter months because it gives me five solid months where it is 100% acceptable to eat soup every week. It’s my go to meal prep option and this venison and barley stew is a great one! Reasons why soup is the best (in no particular order):

  1. It’s comforting, they way it just warms your belly and soul.
  2. It makes fantastic left overs and reheats in no time.
  3. You can get all the color and vegetables you could ask for.
  4. I get to chop all those said vegetables, which is one of my favorite parts of cooking.
  5. Soup making is SO versatile. You don’t like a certain veggie? Cut it. You have extra of something else? Throw it in the pot.

We are just beginning the crazy life of kids having after school activities and sitting down together for meals is a big priority for my husband and me. I want to know about my kids and their days and I want them to know about ours too. Because of this, I try to put together a kettle of soup to feed an army every other week or so. (okay, not an army, but maybe enough for 2-3 meals for our little family) I also like to make food with what I have on hand. Yes, I keep a stocked pantry, but there aren’t any crazy “one time use” ingredients here, I promise. This is filling and wonderful and does everything a good soup should do: warm your heart and belly, leaving you feeling full and satisfied. Give it a try!

Your ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 cups celery
  • 1 cup diced onion, divided
  • 1 pound ground venison (We grind our own and do not mix anything with it. Feel free to use any version of ground meat that your family loves)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, ground sage (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour (If you are gluten free or like a soup rather than a stew, you can totally leave out the butter and flour)
  • 9-10 cups low sodium beef stock (I always make my own base using Orrington Farms base. You can easily control how much sodium you add this way)
  • 1 cup pearled barley, uncooked

Your Steps to Venison and Barley Stew

Heat a large dutch oven on the stove. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add 1/2 cup diced onion and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add ground venison. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking into larger pieces, taking about 7 minutes or so. Remove from the kettle, but keep it warm. Add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add remaining onion, carrots, and celery. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender, stirring often.

Remove the vegetables from pan. Put the meat and onions back into the pan with the butter. Once the butter has fully melted, stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. The SLOWLY stir in the beef stock, 1/2 cup-1 cup at a time, allowing to thicken as you go. (I suck at this game. I am not patient when it comes to maintaining a rue, but when you are able to, it’s magic, so try your best. You can always grow here, right?! Or maybe I just need to…maybe you rock. Go you!).

Stir the vegetables back in, along with the peas and corn. Bring up to a low boil and stir in the barley. Allow to simmer for 40-50 minutes, until the barley is cooked through. This stew becomes so creamy over the next few days as you allow the barley to settle in. Sometimes soup and stew need another side to make a meal, but believe me, this wonderful venison and barley stew is a meal in and of itself. Yum!

Note: You can watch the stock and allow the thickness to suit your needs. It will thicken over time, so you may want to hold onto a cup or two of stock and add it later if you are serving this over a few days like I like to do.

Seasoned and sautéed
Slowly stirring in the beef broth…patience is key!
Finished product!
And thickened after a few days, get it just the way you want it!

Looking for other recipe inspiration?

Check out my cooking or my baking pages or click the links below!

Stick to Your Ribs Venison and Barley Stew

Ground venison and barley combine for a comforting soup perfect for those cool winter nights.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic divided
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 cups celery
  • 1 cup diced onion divided
  • 1 pound ground venison
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 9-10 cups low sodium beef stock
  • 1 cup pearled barley uncooked

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large dutch oven on the stove. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add 1/2 cup diced onion and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  • Add ground venison. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking into larger pieces, taking about 7 minutes or so.
  • Remove from the kettle, but keep it warm. Add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add remaining onion, carrots, and celery. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender, stirring often.
  • Remove the vegetables from pan. Put the meat and onions back into the pan with the butter.
  • Once the butter has fully melted, stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
  • The SLOWLY stir in the beef stock, 1/2 cup-1 cup at a time, allowing to thicken as you go.
  • Stir the vegetables back in, along with the peas and corn.
  • Bring up to a low boil and stir in the barley. Allow to simmer for 40-50 minutes, until the barley is cooked through. This stew becomes so creamy over the next few days as you allow the barley to settle in.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I have this awesome friend. We will call her Britt, which makes sense since that’s her name 🙂 She and I tend to bring out the best in each other and challenge one another at all the appropriate times, namely when it comes to taking chances and embracing the space outside our comfort zone. We also seek each other out when we need to hear, “It’s okay to rest…slow down and enjoy the ride.” If you don’t have a Britt in your life, I hope you find one soon. She’s a real keeper. And she’s the reason for these Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.

How you ask?

Recently, Britt said, “I want you to develop a 4 ingredient baked good for me that’s good and I can make because I suck at baking.” Well, she’s generally healthy, avoiding extra sugar and wheat. Gluten free with less sugar? Challenge accepted. Well, sort of. I definitely missed the mark on 4 ingredients and I think this guy is still a work in progress, but aren’t we all?

And because I LOVE to embrace the work in progress life, I thought I would share this out to the world. Give me all the feedback. I am not gluten free, so there is a definite learning curve there. I wanted this to be a recipe you could make without purchasing a whole bunch of crazy ingredients, and I had all of these in my pantry. Give them a try. I personally think they go great with a late morning coffee, but that’s just me!

Your ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Your Steps to Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place oats in a food processor and blend them until an oat flour is formed. (I am obsessed with creating my own oat flour. It adds such awesome texture to baked goods. If you haven’t done it yet, you’re welcome 🙂 ). Add coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. pulse until well mixed. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, cream butter, coconut oil, and sugars until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Then add coconut, pecans, and chocolate. Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and roll into a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake for 7-8 minutes. They will not spread anymore than you flattened them. They should just become browned underneath. I think they are the best the next day, but any cookie right out of the oven is a good cookie, right?

NOTE: I toasted my coconut and pecans (and I just slightly salted the pecans). My favorite way to do this is by heating a small frying pan that is sprayed with some olive oil cooking spray. Add coconut (or pecans) and heat over medium heat for 4-7 minutes. You have to watch it carefully, but it is a snap to do. Make some extra. You’ll tastebuds will thank me later.

Butter and sugar make the world go ’round.
Toasted coconut flakes. Watch them carefully!
All mixed together…
Almost forgot the pecans!
All photogenic and the like. Ready to pop into my mouth!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

A gluten free cookie full of flavor: pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 2.5 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place oats in a food processor and blend them until an oat flour is formed. Add coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. pulse until well mixed. Set aside.
  • In a medium sized bowl, cream butter, coconut oil, and sugars until well blended.
  • Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
  • Stir in flour mixture until just moistened.
  • Add coconut, pecans, and chocolate.
  • Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and roll into a ball.
  • Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with the palm of your hand. They will not spread anymore than you flattened them.
  • Bake for 7-8 minutes. They should just become browned underneath.

Notes

NOTE: I toasted my coconut and pecans (and I just slightly salted the pecans). My favorite way to do this is by heating a small frying pan that is sprayed with some olive oil cooking spray. Add coconut (or pecans) and heat over medium heat for 4-7 minutes.
Keyword chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookies, coconut, Gluten Free, gluten free cookies, pecans
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Pork Burrito Bowl

Our family is entering the life of crazy evenings due to kiddo commitments. I am not ready for that season of life, but it’s coming whether I like it or not. Sitting down to a family dinner that is healthy and wholesome is important to my family and me. We plan on holding tight onto those meals around the table as long as we possibly can and is just the reason I put together this Mexican Pork Burrito Bowl.

So enter this week where we have engagement after engagement after school. We have some go to “quick” meals, but I wanted to switch it up. After an early morning wake up, I starting researching pork loin Mexican-inspired recipes, and couldn’t find anything I loved so I developed this little guy that has tons of flexibility! Love a stew? Maybe add a little more broth and top with some fun tortilla chips. Need more substance? Make a few cups of rice or couscous, put a 1/2 cup in a bowl and top with the pork. And what makes it even better? It all goes in a slow cooker so you’ll walk into a house that just smells marvelous and dinner will be totally ready in 10 minutes flat! Doesn’t get much better than that!

Your ingredients

1 pound pork loin
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, dried minced garlic, and cumin to season pork
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used unsalted)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (this had added salt)
16 oz (2 cups) chicken stock, low sodium
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced onion, diced (about 1 small)
1 jalapeño, diced (I am not a lover of spicy food, and this was perfect. Don’t let the whole jalapeño scare you)
1 cup diced pepper (I used yellow)
1 cup frozen corn
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic (feel free to do fresh!)

Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, it’s endless!

Optional sides: brown rice or couscous. Awesome to serve under or mix in as a stew.

Your Steps to Pork Burrito Bowl

Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Then mix the 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, cumin, and dried minced garlic in a small bowl. Massage seasoning into the pork loin and place into the slow cooker.

Stir in the remaining ingredients into the crockpot. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours (I did 10, and the pork just fell apart). Remove the pork loin from the slow cooker and shred. Stir back into crockpot. You’re ready to serve!

I made some quick brown rice to serve underneath the pork burrito stew and we topped it with cheese, but I wished for some cilantro and tortilla strips. A few days later, I found some left over couscous in the fridge and it needed to get used up. I put some pork burrito stew on top of it and brought it for lunch. I actually think the couscous was better than the rice. Either way, they make it hearty enough to be a solid meal while still being healthy and wholesome.

  • Massage that pork loin.
  • Chopping makes me happy.
  • Almost set to turn it on.
  • It’s falling apart after 10 hours.
  • Shredding is a snap!
  • Mix it all back in.
  • Mmmmmm. Serve alone or over rice!

Pork Burrito Bowl

Craving some Mexican-inspired food? This Pork Burrito Bowl comes preps together quickly and goes right in the crockpot for an easy meal!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound pork loin
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: salt pepper, dried minced garlic, and cumin to season pork
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes unsalted
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 16 oz 2 cups chicken stock, low sodium
  • 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup diced onion diced (about 1 small)
  • 1 jalapeño diced
  • 1 cup diced pepper yellow or orange
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic

Instructions
 

  • Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Then mix the 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, cumin, and dried minced garlic in a small bowl. Massage seasoning into the pork loin and place into the slow cooker.
  • Stir in the remaining ingredients into the crockpot. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours (I did 10, and the pork just fell apart). Remove the pork loin from the slow cooker and shred. Stir back into crockpot. You’re ready to serve!

Notes

Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips
Optional sides: brown rice or couscous. Awesome to serve under or mix in as a stew.
Keyword crockpot, pork, slow cooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Dandelion Jelly

Yup. You read that right. Dandelion jelly. I know it sounds crazy, but it is so tasty! Light and sweet, like honey. And you know what, it’s the time of year where I get the itch to can and work in my garden. Yes, I know there is still loads of winter left, but a girl can start dreaming, right?

I began having a fascination with foraging nature around me to make food in my kitchen about a year ago. Last year, my sister bought me the book Midwest Foraging by Lisa M. Rose, and my interest got stronger. I flipped through that book like a coffee table book and took mental notes on things I would like to try.

Fast forward to May last year. The dandelions were all over my yard, and I decided I had to try it. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I would be out a few hours of work, some sugar, and pectin. My daughter, mother in law, and I walked the yard, harvested dandelions, and I set to work. As I was pouring the last of the jelly into jars to go in the water bath canner, I said, “Well, here’s goes nothing…let’s try it,” and we stuck a spoon in the remains on the kettle. My daughter immediately asked for a second try and declared, “I want that on toast in the morning!” So give it a try. You will be pleasantly surprised with how good it actually is. You may even begin to be like me, looking over fields of dandelions, seeing all sorts of potential 🙂

Your ingredients:

  • 4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms (see my notes about harvesting these)
  • 1 box of powder pectin
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4.5 cups of sugar
  • two quarts of water
  • jelly canning jars, lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Your steps to dANDELION JELLY:

First, harvesting the dandelion greens. I did this over a few days and I learned a lot. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I found it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then I would peel the remaining green off. I would put the yellow/white part into my measuring cup and compost the green portion. Find a friend or two, it takes a little time to complete this, but it makes for great time for conversation.

Back to the recipe! Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight. You are essentially creating a dandelion tea. (Mine is always this weird dingy greenish-yellow when I when I am done. Initially, I was worried about the color the jam would have, but it turned out just perfect!)

Jelly time!

The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water. Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.

Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving. My kids love this dandelion jelly. We eat it on toast, on PBJ, you name it! My daughter even requests it on her waffles from time to time!

  • The tedious process of getting the flower separated
  • Sunshine in a bowl.
  • Let that tea steep.
  • Let’s get our jelly on!
  • And you must stir like crazy!
  • Golden jars of sweet goodness!

Dandelion Jelly

Sweet and simple jelly created from the balls of sunshine found in any yard in the spring!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rest Time 1 day
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms see my notes about harvesting these
  • 1 box of powder pectin
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4.5 cups of sugar
  • two quarts of water
  • jelly canning jars lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Instructions
 

  • First, harvesting the dandelion greens. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I find it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then peel the remaining green off. Measure 4 cups worth of blossoms.
  • Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight.
  • The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water.
  • Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
  • Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
  • Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Aren’t they pretty, all in a row? Albeit it crooked?

As an avid runner and overall fitness nut, I am always looking for healthy ways to fuel my body quickly and easily. I also enjoy snacking….a lot. My sister and I were just talking about how there has to be a snack break between breakfast and lunch. We can’t make it otherwise–and these are perfect for that!

When I am cooking and meal prepping, I can tell I have a winning clean eating recipe when my husband approves; With this recipe, he has been known to say, “You know what we are almost out of? Your yummy energy balls. You need to make more!” Guys, that’s a big deal. He is generally the biggest critic of my “overly-healthy” recipes so when he said that, you can bet I got into the kitchen and made another batch! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! (The original recipe came from Rachel from Clean Food Crush, but has been modified by me to meet our needs at home)

Here are your ingredients

  • 2 cups ground old-fashioned oatmeal (see details in the recipe)
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour ( It smells so delightful!)
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup (honey would work too!)
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/4 t kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted (I accidentally forgot this once, and we didn’t even notice, so if you don’t have it, it won’t make or break the recipe)
  • 1/3 semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (I LOVE the flavor this brings in)

First, grind the oats to make a sort of oatmeal flour. To do this, place the old fashioned oats into a food processor and pulse them until you have a very coarse flour like texture. I like to be able to cook with what I have on hand so rather than buy oat flour, I did this and it worked great.

Then, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them with a wooden spoon (or by hand!) until well mixed. Form them into 1-2 inch balls (whatever suits your family. We like 1 inch energy balls around here.). Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the cookie in the fridge for approximately an hour to harden. Remove from the pan, place in an airtight container, and store them back in the fridge. I have read that you can freeze these for up to 3 months as well so if you are a food prep kind of person, I would whip up a few batches and put them in the freezer for a grab and go snack that can thaw over a few hours. (I’m thinking they would be great packed in a lunch and used for that sweet treat at the end to finish up your meal. As for me, I like to pack a few for my morning and afternoon snacks at work (See, I love all the snacks. My husband calls me a squirrel because I always have some food on hand…). As for my kids, they eat them like an after dinner treat, so I think I am winning. I hope you enjoy! –Jess

  • All the ingredients
  • Mix, mix, mix it up!
  • Finished product! Pop one in and enjoy!

JessLeave a comment

Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

When my husband cooks, our plates look like this: protein, carb/starch, veggie. Separate piles. I am totally okay with that. He cooks some mean wild game and I dig a roasted potato. But when I cook, I’m a girl who loves all things that can go in a casserole dish. Case in point: Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf.

I cook for leftovers so that we can enjoy my favorite meals a few times a week or at least I can meal prep my lunches so they are thought out and healthy. (Who am I joking…as these kiddos of mine get older, I hardly get a second meal sometimes!) Enter rice pilaf. It’s flexible. It goes GREAT with chicken or a pork chop. I love that I can have it as a side and then toss my left over protein with it and it becomes a sort of rice bowl. I don’t know why, but it feels like a different meal to me when the protein is mixed in. And that’s okay 🙂

Here’s what we put together tonight to go with some chicken breasts that I did up super simple (searing hot cast iron with some rosemary olive oil, salt and pepper. Seared them on both sides and into the oven at 450 for 20 minutes.) I love a cast iron, but that’s a different blog post. Back to my simple rice pilaf…

Your ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
  • 3 1/2 cup chicken stock (regular or low sodium to suit your taste)–I actually use 3 1/2 cups water and use 1 tablespoon Orrington Farms Broth Base. It’s my go to!
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (I like coarse kosher salt)
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli, smaller, bite size pieces
  • 1 cup diced carrots (about 1 large)
  • 3/4-1 cup diced onion (about 1/2 large onion)
  • 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)

Your Steps to Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add sage, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 tablespoon garlic and both rices. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water. You want your rice to just be tender. Test it at 40 minutes. If it gets over cooked, it will be mush once you bake it.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables have just become tender. Stir in cooked rice. I would test it here and see if you are happy with your salt and pepper levels (and heck, check the garlic while you’re at it). Pour rice/vegetable mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the rice just begins to crisp up on the top (That’s my favorite…I also like the corner brownie, it seems to be a trend).

Serve it up!

At our house, we serve rice pilaf most often with grilled or pan “fried” chicken breasts or boneless pork chops with a salad. I like to “sneak” extra veggies in wherever we can, so this pilaf does the trick! It reheats well and has all the colors, which is also a theme I go for. Let me know what you think! (PS…Sage not your thing? I also love to mix this up with rosemary and/or thyme. Like mushrooms, throw a 1/2 cup of those in too! That’s the beauty of this recipe, you can pick a seasoning mixture that you love.) I hope this recipe finds you cooking for those you love–Jess

Cook up those veggies, crisp tender.
We can’t wait for you to join us perfectly cooked rice!
Let me get in that oven!
All baked and ready to serve

Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

Wild rice, brown rice, and your choice of vegetables combine in this wild rice and vegetable pilaf that fit for a side for any protein: chicken, pork, or wild game!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup brown rice uncooked
  • 1/2 cup wild rice uncooked
  • 3 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon pepper divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli smaller, bite size pieces
  • 1 cup diced carrots about 1 large
  • 3/4-1 cup diced onion about 1/2 large onion
  • 1 cup diced celery about 2 stalks

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add sage, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 tablespoon garlic and both rices. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water.
  • You want your rice to just be tender. Test it at 40 minutes. If it gets over cooked, it will be mush once you bake it.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  • Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add broccoli and cook an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables have just become tender.
  • Stir in cooked rice. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Pour rice/vegetable mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the rice just begins to crisp up on the top. Serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other dinner inspiration?

Check out some of the recipes below!

Jess1 Comment

Brussel Sprout and Berry Salad with PoppySeed Dressing

As spring comes into full bloom, I get slightly obsessed with a spinach salad with strawberries and poppyseed dressing. I recently went grocery shopping and picked up some berries, but no spinach. However I did get some Brussel sprouts and I got to thinking, “I like my greens to provide some resistance anyway, and spinach just doesn’t do that for me.” I threw this Brussel sprout and berry salad together and I was pleasantly surprised! It’s better than its spinach counterpart, and major perk, Brussel sprouts keep better in the refrigerator than spinach, if you can let them last that long. I don’t know about you, but once I have a salad I love, I eat it every day until I am out. But enough chat, let’s get creating!

Your Ingredients

For each Brussel Sprout and Berry Salad, you’ll need:

  • 10 Brussel sprouts, chopped (I tried grating them first; chopping is the way to go!)
  • 1/4 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • A handful of walnuts (Try toasting them in a pan over medium heat for extra crunch!)

For the dressing, whisk together:

  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon poppyseeds

(This was enough dressing for six salads)

Put together your salad: Brussel sprouts, berries, and then the walnuts; Top with dressing and enjoy! If the Brussel sprouts are a bit too tough for you (I like the texture and “work” they provide), you can also sear them in a sauté pan over a high heat until they just soften. Allow to cool before creating your salad.

Be sure to store the leftover dressing in the fridge and shake or stir prior to using for future salads.

Simple, colorful, delicious!

Chop up the sprouts!
Whisk the dressing!
Serve it up! So quick and easy!

Looking for another summer time salad? Check out my Roasted Corn Tomato Basil Salad!

Brussel Sprout and Berry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients
  

For each Brussel Sprout and Berry Salad:

  • 10 Brussel sprouts chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • handful of walnuts

Dressing (6 servings):

  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon poppyseeds

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together dressing. Store in an airtight container like a mason jar.
  • Put together your salad: Brussel sprouts, berries, and then the walnuts.
  • Top with dressing and enjoy.

Notes

If the Brussel sprouts are a bit too tough for you (I like the texture and “work” they provide), you can also sear them in a sauté pan over a high heat until they just soften. Allow to cool before creating your salad.
Be sure to store the leftover dressing in the fridge and shake or stir prior to using for future salads.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment