Mini Meatloaf Muffins

I used a simple meatloaf recipe and packed it into mini muffin cups. I spiced the meat up with sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms and fresh parsley so I could add less salt, and also used a GLUTEN-FREE "bread" crumb to bind it. Then I piped a dollop of mashed potatoes on top of each mini muffin and added a sprinkle of parsley. Tyler poured a little BBQ sauce on each one of his, and we paired it with a little avocado, tomato and cucumber salad.

Prep. time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground turkey
2 eggs
2/3 cup of gluten free panko or GF bread crumb
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 8 oz. pkg. of mushrooms chopped
1/3 cup onions chopped
1 Tbs. garlic minced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried parsley
3 cups of mashed potatoes
cooking spray
salt
lemon pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel, dice and boil your potatoes. Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms, in olive oil. Set that aside to let it cool down and grab a large mixing bowl. Combine the meat, eggs, about a 1/2 tsp(approx.) of lemon pepper, and when the onion mushroom mixture is cooled add that the parsley and bread crumbs. Mix by hand lighting incorporating all the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix or the meat will become tough when it's cooked.

Spray your muffin tin and roll approx. a Tbs. worth of the meat mixture and plop one into each mini muffin spot. You can lightly pressed down to create the "muffin shape." Once your oven is done preheating place the muffin tin in, uncovered, and set the timer for 20 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and whip them until they're creamy. Add a little salt and pepper. I used a sandwich bag to pipe the potatoes onto the finished mini muffins. Fill a sandwich bag to the tip of one side and cut the tip off, about the size of a dime. Set the potatoes to the side until the meat loaf muffins are finished.

When the muffins are done they should slide out pretty easy, arrange them on a tray or large plate, take your mashed potatoes and slowly in a circular motion pipe them into a little mound on top. I garnished each one with a sprinkle of dried parsley, but you could also spoon a glaze of BBQ sauce like my boyfriend did!

These are a fun little idea to mix up dinner night, for a party, or BBQ.

Looking for some great RAW Vegan recipes?

Christine, The Hunebee, and I used to work in a Raw, Vegan restaurant. I have previously mentioned this in past posts, but never specified where. Cilantro Live was a small Vegan eatery that opened up on 3rd Avenue down in the middle of Chula Vista, Ca. It was at the time one of the first restaurants of it's kind. I have to admit it was also one of the most fun jobs I have had. We learned so much and got to play around with food all day besides getting to eat it! They have since closed the doors to all of their locations which is a bummer because it was a great idea. In the end it was a lack of consistency in the ownership department. On a better note there were so many awesome recipes that Christine and I got to learn. If anyone reading this isn't familiar with a "Raw, Vegan" diet here is an excerpt from Wikipedia.com,  and since they said it so well why not let them do the work!

I am excited to say that The Hunebee and I will be feverishly working in the kitchen for the next couple weeks trying to re-create the dishes we favored like the "Lemon Coconut Dream Bar" which is a Vegan cheesecake made from baby coconut meat, vanilla bean and fresh lemon. The "pie crust" for this raw dessert consists of assorted specialty nuts, agave and a handful of our favorite baking spices. The texture of the "crust" is the best part aside from the great nutty flavor with a hint of sweet. Next to tackle will be something called "Raw-violis" which are delectable little roma tomato sandwiches stuffed with fresh pesto. These are dehydrated and are also a great reason for me to go buy the dehydrator I have been neglecting to purchase for some time now. Cilantro used to offer some great drinks and one of our favorites was a "Raw-Margarita." It's definitely not what you're thinking there is no alcohol, rather tart green apple juice, spicy ginger, fresh lime and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but a medley of perfect flavors that compliment each other perfectly. There are many other really unique items and recipes we learned, and as we go we will be sure to share!

Subscribe to this blog to receive a special "Member Only" recipe for something you would never think you could do with Cashews!

Thank you everyone for stopping by, we are still working hard at bringing you the video portion of some of my best dishes!





Cilantro Live "Sample Platter," Raw-violis, mini Pizzazas, Nori roll, Spring Roll, Pate', and small house salad.



(picture from Potatomato Blog)

Mini menu for the Sissie, Gluten-Free Chicken Stew!

New babies, new ideas! This week has been crazy busy with cooking, my own family, getting ready for Easter and time for me to take a breath...I love it though. I have never been this busy before and I can only imagine it picking up. Since last week, the 11th to be exact, we have had an addition to our family his name is Luke and he is a perfect little nephew! I offered to cook for our Sissie, since not only having a new baby at home, she has two other little step-boys that we ADORE and not a lot of energy for cooking. Last night the Hunebee came for her weekly visit and I started my cooking and when she jumped up on the counter I thought was just trying to find a spot in the kitchen to sit and be silly. I was wrong, she was making a video that you can find on her Facebook via Instagram and here's a link https://www.facebook.com/theboxgirl?fref=ts I wasn't able to paste it here so hopefully you'll get to see the beginning of my stew and later on today when I'm finished I'll show you the quick, easy healthy menu I have planned for her!

It's GLUTEN FREE! yay!

More pictures coming!

3 ways to use Ground Beef, GLUTEN FREE to-go!

Most of the time we use or see ground beef being used it's for something you wouldn't label as "healthy." The thing I have grown to love about making great things with not much is the meals I have to invent for changing my families health. When I was growing up ground beef was used for burgers, meat loaf, and pasta sauces. A lot of friends houses showcased ground beef in "Hamburger Helper." < --- Something that never graced my table as a kid. Secretly I will admit as an adult I have consumed said "Helper," and secretly enjoyed it.

About two months ago, when The Hunebee and KATvonVAPURE started their diets, we had to adjust meal plans for both girls. With The Hunebee's Tryptophan allergy, and need for low-fat meat proteins, we put our heads together and used low-fat high quality ground beef to spice up her week. Using an Organic, Certified, 15% fat Ground Beef I was able to make a few variations to her weekly menu as to not cook the typical beef stews, sautees, or roasts.

For all three dishes I used a spiced ground beef. It was easiest for all three to use the same beef and add other vegetable components.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minnutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients: (for the Ground Beef)

1 lb. Organic 15% (fat) ground beef
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1/3 cup of green bell pepper, diced small
salt and pepper
sprinkle:
garlic powder
ginger powder
SMALL dash of cumin

Set the beef aside. For the rest you can use any vegetables you prefer. Below are a couple ways we chose.

(for The Hunebee)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup slightly steamed broccoli
1/3 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup "Spiced" ground beef

A dash of Soy and Oyster sauce made this a kind of "Beef and Broccoli."

Price: $2.25

Ground Beef and Broccoli with Sprouts

(for Kuizzy)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup of "Spiced" ground beef

1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts

top with fresh cilantro

Price: $3.00

Spinach, Ground Beef bowl with Sprouts and Cilantro

(for The Hunebee)
Ingredients:

1/3 cup green beans, sauteed with grape tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced zucchini, pan fried
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup spinach, sauteed
1/2 cup "Spiced" ground beef

Price: $4.00

Spiced Ground Beef with Green Beans, Zucchini and Spinach

It really is that easy to prepare lunch or dinner on a budget to go. These are low calorie, GLUTEN FREE, filling, EASY and healthy choices.

ENJOY!

You say Chickpea, I say Garbanzo bean.

Same thing. I have always called them Garbanzo beans, that is the term I heard being used when I was a little kid. But to be clear they are the same.

The name Chickpea comes from the Latin word "Cicer." Which evolved into "Chiche" and then to the English "Chich. From "Chich" it became "Chich peas" to it's modern form "Chickpea." The common names for them are Ceci bean, India pea, Bengal gram, or Egyptian pea. They are one of world's earliest crops.

“Garbanzo,” on the other hand, is Spanish in origin. The term is derived form the Old Spanish “Garroba” or “Algarroba” and of Old Spanish “Arvanço.” So there is the difference.

Garbanzo beans are a frequent star guest in Monday Menu Madness. I use them in everything from sautees, to soups, to salads to fillings for stuffed mushrooms or peppers. The Hunebee will eat them every which way. KATvonVAPURE didn't know how much she liked them until she had my 2 Bean salad. Kuizzy would prefer his beans sweet like red bean desserts, but also enjoys the Adventures in Garbanzo. Oddly Angelo, who has OAS(oral allergy syndrome) and can't eat raw fruits, vegetables, or nuts, and even if he could prefers not to, also loves the bean salads and sautees. That is as long as they don't have tomatoes, or olives, or fruit.

Below is two ways that are similar yet different like their name.

1. Spicy Garbanzo and Greek yogurt

Ingredients:
1 15oz. can of organic garbanzo beans
2 Tbs. greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
4 pickled jalapeno slices, minced
salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill or serve.

2. Garbanzo, Tomato, Artichoke saute

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans
1 whole roma tomato, large dice
1/8 cup of green olives with pimentos, chopped
1 tps. of minced garlic
1/8 cup of chopped artichoke hearts
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Saute garbanzos' in olive oil, add all other ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes.
*Chop olives after you measure and measure artichokes' after you chop them.

ENJOY!

Blue Mac 'n' Cheese...NOT from the Box

I asked for requests on Facebook and this one came from Grampa Brian Bigler. I posted this picture in my 2014 update, but it wasn't accompanied by a recipe. 

Tyler hates blue cheese, and my sister Amanda as well. They both loved this. Amanda makes her own version now:)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. of Macaroni "mini" shells

1 8oz. pkg. of mushrooms, sliced

12 oz. of sausage (I used breakfast Sausage links)

1 cup Boar's Head blue cheese crumbles

3 oz. or about 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2-2 cups of milk

2 tsp. dried parsley

salt and pepper

Directions:

Saute mushrooms and set aside. Do the same with the sausage, although it wasn't ground so you have to do that yourself, drain the excess oil and set aside. Cook your pasta in salted water, drain and then begin your sauce. Turn the heat to medium on the low side and add your milk and the mozzarella. You'll need a wire whisk for this part. Whisk the cheese until it fully melts into the Milk and no longer sticks to the whisk. Once it's fully incorporated add the blue cheese, and again whisk until its blended. At the end I add a little parsley, salt and pepper.(to taste) Mix in all the other ingredients and you're done! I have found this is a dish that should be eaten right after preparation. It still tastes great later or tomorrow, but the sauce thickens and loses it's creamy texture. 

ENJOY!

Marinara (Sunday Sauce)

So typically Italian families do big Sunday dinners....mine wasn't the exception....and as kids going to our 'Nena's was like Disneyland. She is now past, but will live on as legendary for the amazing things she could do as a "COOK." 

I remember as a little girl pulling up in the driveway with my dad and sister after a long drive from San Diego to Palm Springs. The garage door was open, waiting for us =), and we ran in to be hit with the most amazing smell. A smell my Dad now says he remembers before he even got out of the car. But I think at 5-10 years old we were just excited to be in her company so the smell was secondary to being with the worlds "Poster Child" of Grandmothers. My father no longer had any rights, we could break things, drink all the soda we wanted....eat BEFORE dinner, and all he could do was watch...haa...sorry Dad....she was AMAZING! She was more excited to see us than anything in the world at those moments and I don't think I'll ever feel that loved again, but at least I did at one time, by her. The love she felt for all of us was what we tasted in her food, and it's indescribable. 

As her family I think we will all spend the rest of our lives trying to recreate those meals and memories saying to ourselves AND others, "Ugh...you just have no idea..." especially when they tell you how good it is. People are always saying how their "Italian" Grandmother is the best, blah blah blah...and I'm sorry guys....you will never have any idea. It was everything she ever made...EVERYTHING...The woman could take a Pot of water and a low grade piece of meat, 2 carrots, a potato, an onion and salt...and you'd be blown away...all and all she was a Pro. Self-taught, and I thank her everyday because I feel it was a gene, and I hope I got it. Below is a "Sunday Sauce" that will never be the same. but I hope she'd be proud.


So to start I used pork and beef and use cuts like chuck and shoulder with or without the bone. I used boneless which cooks down faster, and makes for a sauce that is done in 4 hours instead of 8.

Ingredients:
1.5 lb. of pork shoulder
1.3 lb. of beef chuck
2-3 Tbs. of olive oil (to fry the meat on both sides)
1/3 cup of yellow onion chopped small
1/4 of a carrot sliced thin
2-3 Tbs. minced Garlic
1 28 oz. can of tomato puree
another 3 Tbs. of olive oil for the carrots, onion and garlic
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. Sugar

Brown the pork and beef on both sides in olive oil, and don't forget to season the meat on both sides as well. Don't cook all the way through, and don't crowd the pan take your time and then set them aside to rest.

Once the meat has been set aside put remaining olive oil in the pot to saute the onions(I used scallions but this is usually done with yellow), carrots and garlic. Make sure to saute on MED as to not burn your garlic. 

Once the onions turn translucent turn down the heat and add the can of tomato puree. You can swish a little water in the can to get the sludgy left overs;) Here my Grandmother uses wine, but I've found it's just as good without wine when I have none. At this point add salt, pepper, sugar and the meat. Turn it up to a high simmer and then put the Lid on and turn it back down to low for 3-4 hours.

Cook your desired cut of pasta Al Dente (to the tooth) in salted water when your sauce is done.

Ladle only the sauce onto the pasta, serve the meat on the side. The consistency should be like gravy with layers of deep red oil on top:) Also there is no need to over sauce the pasta it should lightly coat not drowned it. 

 ENJOY!

Not my Gramma's Aglio e Olio!

I just noticed I used "Not" in my last posts' title also...oh well, this time it was more of a play on that show title, "My Grandmother's Ravioli," with Mo Rocca. Yesterday for Monday Menu Madness I made two different kinds of pasta for the boys. I'm only sharing one today and it's Kuizzy's. He doesn't have any real food allergies, but we take it easy on the dairy and since the other sauce I made was a cream on cream on cheese I chose a Kui version of something I grew up with. A traditional "Aglio e Olio" is a very basic sauce but jammmm packed with flavors and very easily modified...which I love since my cooking is a-my-take-on-your-food approach. The sauce is basically olive oil, garlic, and parsley. Kuizzy loves, LOVES, LLOOVVEESSS cilantro, so if you see a reoccuring theme of cilantro being where you might not think it should go BLAME him;)

This is for 1/2 pound of pasta, I used linguine. Again this recipe is modified for Kui since I have 4 bushelllllls of cilantro and love to improvise. Don't judge me Terracciano's!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic

1/3 cup cilantro

salt and pepper

Directions:

In a saucepan "quick" fry the fine chopped garlic and parsley add salt and pepper. AND quick cause garlic burns fast. Have your pasta drained and waiting for the sauce. And thats it, quick easy healthy and you can use Gluten Free, quinoa, or rice noodles if you can't have the regular. ENJOY!

Thank you Nena<3

BEST Top 10 GLUTEN FREE recipes!

I will be working my little hands to the bone for the rest of this week compiling the BEST GF recipes EVER! Well 10 of them anyway...Like you know from reading past posts The HUNEBEE and KATvonVapure are GLUTEN FREE foodies! So there are many new and exciting dishes I have to come up with each week to keep them interested that don't consist of your typical quinoa, and GF Pasta. Leave your address when you stop by for an AMAZING easy, Gluten Free list you'll fall in love with over and over!

Could've lost "a" Lb.

I grabbed a small head of cauliflower when I was grocery shopping recently. I was in a little rush so I didn't pay as much attention to the actual size of the "head" I chose. When I was about to cut it open I realized that there was almost more foliage around it than the actual part most of us use. I was irritated and thought, "Geez, I just payed for double the amount I actually got, lame..." Then I started thinking that obviously the whole thing is edible, and I should experiment. I planned on roasting it anyway so I separated the green leafy exterior from the actual cauliflower and trimmed it down to the healthiest looking pieces. Then chopped them into bite size pieces and tossed them into my baking dish, which also moonlights as a cake pan:) I did the same with the white part. I mixed them with a "marinade" of Caesar dressing, small amount of tomato paste, lemon pepper, black pepper, parsley and salt. I included pictures from every stage. The foliage made it that much better. I have done this cauliflower bake many times, but this was the first time with the "WHOLE" thing. The green pieces taste like cauliflower (obviously) but as if it were mixed with celery. I can only image that there's added fiber and vitamins, along with a texture different from the Cauliflower florets. It was a great balance. I bake this at 350° for about 20-25 minutes, or until desired consistency. I like it firm. 

ENJOY!

Follow Along

I feel as though I'm begining this new endeavor with dedication, inspiration and excitement, but I can't help to feel a little ill prepared. I mean I can write about the food I cook, and I can take all the pictures I want, but how do I reach people for the intention that drives the purpose of my plight? I've created an Instagram, and shared it's activity through both my account and Facebook. I don't think that it's just about getting followers. There's no need for me to add kids in high school posting "selfies" and pictures of burgers or hello kitty bracelets. While "All press is good press," as we've all heard, how can I find an audience interested in learning from me and sharing with me? People who are either into what I'm giving out, or intrigued by the idea of learning about the little bit i've turned into my own. Maybe I'm just excited and impatient. I guess in time everything will happen the way it is supposed to.

Anyway off topic but Blog related, my brother came to stay this weekend and I utilized my "Lucky Pot." We had shredded beef and shredded chicken for burritos. I took the potatoes sliced them and fried them up. Then used the onion, carrot and garlic to shred up with the beef. I have also found a great way to cut down on fat but not sacrafice completely by substituting "Plain Greek Yogurt" for Sour cream. The only thing I had to actually take the time to cook was Spanish rice on the side. It left me with a super rich broth that I used tonight to braise some mushrooms for the baby. That is why I love this so much. I get a couple nights worth of meals from one days hard work.