Baked Doughnuts - Need I Say More?

So I found this cute little doughnut pan at the store and I just had to try it out.  I had a great friend bring some healthy doughnuts to a play date one time and they were delicious. So I called her up and tested our her recipe.

These little things were a hit right out of the oven. Elli helped me bake them up and both kids helped me eat them.  No  questions asked.  We made chocolate chip baked doughnuts but you could add fruit or cinnamon or anything your heart desired (but you know my heart desired chocolate).

Peanut Butter Granola - Only 4 Ingredients

Granola is something I love. Seriously.  I probably love it too much.  I love the satisfying crunch and the sweetness.  I have seen countless recipes for making my own granola but it always seemed "out of my league."  I'm not a great baker or chef so trying something like granola just seemed like too much. Until I stumbled across the recipe for 4 ingredient peanut butter granola. Well this got my attention because:

1.  it involved peanut butter

2:  it had less than 5 ingredients.

I decided to give it a try and man am I glad I did. So if you are like me and scared to check this out - DON'T BE. I promise you can make this. If I can bake it, you certainly can too.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls - Yep

So I am kinda obsessed with pumpkin right now. I can prove it. I have pumpkin waffles, pumpkin butter, pumpkin coffee, and pumpkin creamer in my house at this very minute.  Needless to say, when I heard about making pumpkin cinnamon rolls, I had to try it.  This recipe was a lot of fun to create with my 4 year old. It is really easy to make and only bakes for 20 minutes. Try this out. You will NOT be disappointed.

Breakfast Waffle Kabobs and Cinnamon Dip

This had to be written up today, now, asap. Why? Because most mornings getting Jackson to eat breakfast is a struggle. I have to turn on the iPad to distract him (please don't judge) and then I have to basically feed it to him. If left to feed himself, it just sits on his tray, gets cold, and life goes on. The boy isn't a breakfast person.

Enter waffle kabobs. 

I put one on his plate this morning, turned around and it was gone!  Gone!

Once I showed him how to take the fruit and waffle off, dip in the bowl of cinnamon yogurt dip, the boy went to town.

Single Serving Vegan Brownie

A quick post to share something so delightful with you.  

I just discovered this amazing single serving brownie tonight and immediately came to the computer to share it with you guys.  

So easy to make.

So fun to make.

A healthy twist on a brownie.

And...no huge pan of left overs to trip you up all week.

Vegan Quinoa Chili

I simply love this dish and we eat year round - even in the hot summer time!  Why? Because it is fairly simple to make and makes a ton! I always have plenty left over for lunches the next day and then can freeze a good portion for a later dinner. So it saves me time in the long run. My kids eat it too.  They like theirs topped with cheese and I'm definitely ok with that.

Here is What You Need:

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (I forgot this in the pictures but it does add a nice bit to the chili)

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

2-3 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste (we used 1 because I can't tolerate it!)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional:  1 jalapeno pepper, diced

Here's What You Do:

1.  Prep your quinoa by combining with the water in a medium sauce pan and cooking over medium heat until the water is absorbed. This takes about 12-15 minutes. Set aside.

2.  In a large pot (very large), heat your olive oil over high heat. Then add in your onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).  Stir in your garlic, jalapenos (if using), carrots, celery, peppers and zucchini.  Cook all of these until the veggies are nice and tender which takes about 10 minutes or so.

3.  Now add in your black beans, your kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomatoes sauce.  Stir in the quinoa you cooked previously. 

4.  Add in your seasonings and then simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

Cauliflower "Fried" Rice

This is an awesome recipe a challenger shared with me in one of my recent Clean Eating Challenges.  I was skeptical at first - very skeptical.  Would this be worth having to go through getting the cauliflower in the right format. And would it really tasted like "fried" rice?  But I love trying new recipes so I went for it and the answers to those two questions are yes and no.

YES this recipe is totally worth it and not difficult at all.  

No it isn't like a big bad bowl of fried rice from your favorite Chinese restaurant but it is an awesome substitute for a fried rice dish if you are working towards a clean healthy life style.  

(There isn't anything wrong with the occasional bowl of fried rice from the restaurant but definitely not something we can do all the time so enter cauliflower!)

If you have a food processor this recipe is a piece of cake. If you don't have one - GET ONE. I resisted having a food processor for a while but I finally picked up a $30 at Target and it has opened up a world of recipes to me.  So get a little one today, come home, make this recipe.

Frozen Peanut Butter Treat (aka smudgies)

I have been using this recipe for months now and many of my challengers LOVE it. Kids love it, adults love it, and all the while we are eating something clean and healthy. I decided it was time for me to write it up and get it archived on my own personal little recipe book.  I only put my favorites on this blog so that I can find them easily and share them easily with you guys.  So here you go!  An awesome little treat for summer.

Sweet Potato Paradise Casserole

I have been wanting to try this for a while and finally decided this week was the time to jump in and give it a whirl.  You know, it is one of those recipes I found online but kept putting it off. Well put it off no more! This thing was amazing.

Let me preface - it takes some work up front but it is one of those dishes that you can prep while your kiddos eat lunch (and watch cartoons - am I the only one who does that?). Then you can just pop it in the oven at 5:00 and be ready for dinner.  So it does take some prepping but the outcome is delicious.

Roasted Veggie Enchiladas

This is seriously one of my favorite meals.  However, it takes a little more prep than I like to do so I don't cook it as frequently as I would like.  But when I am done eating it, I remind myself that it was worth every second of work I put into it. I believe there are probably tons of ways to make this dish work for you so be creative.

I am including the link to the original recipe. You will see their creation is much more intricate than mine - I tend to simplify so I can use what I have in the pantry and minimize time in the kitchen. But do glance at the original because I am sure it is delicious!

Here's What You Need for the Simple Version:

-2 red bell peppers chopped up

-1 cauliflower chopped up

-1 small sweet potato chopped

-1 cup frozen corn kernels

-1 onion diced

-olive oil or coconut oil

-1.5 tsp cumin (I even use more because I love that flavor!)

-2 garlic cloves minced (I buy mine already minced!)

-2 cups salsa

-spinach leaves

-approximately 9 or 10 tortillas (I use whole wheat flour but the original recipes calls for corn)

Optional:  shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions

Here's What You Do:

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 and lightly grease a cookie sheet (I put aluminum foil down for less clean up).

2.  Put all of your veggies on the sheet and drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil on top and sprinkle with cumin.  Put a pinch of salt and pepper on if you'd like and then use your hands to mix it all together.  

3.  Be sure the vegetables are in a single layer and then place in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the veggies are nice and tender. Some will have brown spots - even better!

The recipe says stir the veggies every 10 minutes for even roasting but I always forget!

Egg and Cheese Muffins

I have recently been on the hunt for more protein for the kids at breakfast.  A great friend told me how to make these little egg muffins and I love them. They are easy to fix, versatile, and I have left overs for at least another day or two of breakfasts.  I guess this isn't really a recipe but I'm recording it here so I don't forget about these little gems.

As you can see I made mini and regular versions this time so the pictures show the prep for both sizes!

Here's What You Need:

-eggs (One egg per muffin you plan to make. I usually make only 6 muffins at a time)

-shredded cheese

-spinach

-any other veggie you want to throw in

Here's What You Do:

1.  Preheat the move at 360 and spray the muffin pan with Pam for easy removal

2.  Fill the bottom with the veggies you are using.

3.  Fill the rest of the way up with shredded cheese and pat it down a bit.

4.  Whisk eggs together and put into a measuring cup (for easy of pouring).

5.  Pour the eggs over each muffin.

6.  Bake at 360 for 20-23 minutes.

So this time I made 4 regular sized muffins and 4 mini muffins to see if the kids would like them better. Elli loves these things and Jackson did fairly well with the mini ones (I still have to feed them to him) but he got it down.  He isn't a huge egg person so this is a victory for me.  My mini ones were done at 20 minutes and I let the larger ones cook for 23 minutes.  These are delicious straight from the oven but go ahead and put your left overs in the fridge. You can pop them in the microwave for 1 minute the following morning for an easy breakfast on the go.

Versatile? Yes!  Make these with spinach, bell peppers, chopped broccoli - the list goes on and on and on.

Hope this gives you a quick breakfast to get you out of the oatmeal rut.  Oh wait?  Was that just me stuck in the oatmeal rut? Well maybe you'll enjoy it anyway!!

Peanut Butter Cookies

I pack my hubby's lunch for work every night. It is an easy way for us to use dinner left overs and save a few bucks (plus I figure if I have to eat at home - he can't be going out every day too right?) I digress.  I usually pack him a couple of cookies as an after lunch treat and we were out of his favorite kind this week, Fig Newtons. In a scramble, I looked up easy cookie recipes and found this gem. They are super easy to make, dairy free, grain free, and delicious.

Pizza Puffs

As you know, I'm continually on a quest for fun kid lunch ideas. I just hate giving them the same old peanut butter and jelly everyday. Now don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong with a good old fashioned pb&j, but we were eating A LOT of them.  The kids were bored, I was bored, our kitchen was bored. So off hunting I went for new quick and easy lunch ideas.  I've already written up the quesadilla craze we had and we love anything wrapped up in a tortilla but I wanted something that didn't require a tortilla this time. Enter - pizza puffs.

These took me very little time to prep and they only needed to bake for about 20 minutes.  Plus, these little guys provide a great opportunity to sneak in veggies. Today I got spinach in them and my kids never knew the difference.  SCORE!

Here's What You Need:

 -3/4 C flour (I used whole wheat)

-3/4 tsp baking powder

-1 cup shredded cheese

-couple pinches of spinach

-3/4 C milk (I used 2%)

-1 egg lightly beaten

-Pizza sauce for dipping

Here's What You Do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a mini muffin tin pan.

2.  Whisk together flour and baking powder.

3.  Whisk in milk and egg. Then add cheese and spinach and stir together. Let this sit for about 10 minutes.

4.  Pour into individual muffin tins.  This was supposed to make 24 but mine only made about 20 so maybe I filled mine too much.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and puffy.

Serve these with a side of warmed pizza sauce for dipping.  

Now the original recipe called for one cup pepperoni as well. We didn't have that so I just left it out but I'm sure it would be delicious in there too. I think you could really chop up any veggies and add them in - red bell peppers, tiny bits of broccoli, green peppers and the list goes on and on.

I had about 20 of these little pizza puffs. My oldest ate two and my son only ate one but he is sick so not much of an appetite.  I kept out about 6 or 7 more for the rest of the week. Then I stuck the other ones in the freezer. I will update you later as to how that turns out. Seems like they would freeze well and be something you can grab at a moment's notice.  

Try it and let me know what veggies you sneak in your kids' lunch today!

original recipe here:  http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/pepperoni-pizza-puffs

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are a big hit in my clean eating challenge groups. They are filling, delicious, and kid friendly.  Not only that but these cookies are completely clean and vegan so you know what you are eating and you know it is good for you.  I give these to my kids without any concerns.  I do need to admit - we don't actually eat them for breakfast - we eat them all day long!  I think they would make a great breakfast warmed up with a dab of peanut butter on top but we haven't tried it yet. We usually have these as an afternoon snack or a treat after lunch.  They really are a versatile cookie and you can use whatever you have in the pantry to make it work for you. I am going to include the original recipe but I'm writing up how I make them personally (and you know it is going to include some chocolate).

Crock Pot Indian Spiced Chickpea Stew

That is quite a long title for quite an easy dish. This isn't the easiest crock pot thing I make because it requires (wait for it) the chopping of TWO vegetables.  So seriously, it is pretty easy in the scheme of things. I like to make this while my kids eat breakfast and let it simmer on low all day long. By lunch my house smells like our favorite Indian Restaurant downtown.  I will definitely include the link to the original recipe. I had to modify a bit yesterday because I didn't have all ingredients on hand, but that is the beauty of this recipe - you can really make it to fit your style.

Here's What You Need:

• 2 cups water and 2 cups veggie broth (or really just 4-5 cups of liquid)
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
• 1-2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• (Ok I messed around with these because they are my favorite spices - check the original recipe for other alternatives)
• salt, to taste
• 

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats

Well hello there!

Team ACT has been holding down the fort here at OurGreeneHome while I finished baking the bun in the oven.  That's right, Little Two was born about 2 weeks ago!  This pregnancy was a little tougher than the last, but the adjustment period afterwards has been a TON better!  We are so in love with our newest addition!

That being said, it's now time to break out all of the freezer meals I prepped before Little Two's arrival... way back in December.  This morning it was some steel cut oatmeal I made in the crockpot.  Not last night.  Not this morning.  But waaaay back in December.  And all I had to do this morning was reheat my serving in the microwave and add my favorite topping!  Super easy - super delicious and nutritious!  

Make these beauties one afternoon, freeze, and have a hearty oatmeal breakfast any day of the week!

Vegan Crockpot Quinoa Chili

I made this chili the other night as part of my Crockpot Tuesdays.  I really liked HOW EASY it was - I mean super simple. The only problem for me was it was too spicy. I have zero tolerance for spice (my hubby said it wasn't spicy at all).  Either way, I cut the spice down to half from the original recipe and I still had to add a lot of ranch to get it down.  So I will do this again but will let hubby spice his own afterwards. The recipe made a ton so we have had it for left overs for several days (love it when that happens!)

The original recipe called for chicken but I turned this into a vegan style dish.

Freezer Friendly: Homemade Crockpot Chili

Hi there :) Missed you guys! But, do tell.  How much are you loving the easy and delicious recipes from Team ACT?  I tell you what... I am SO glad she is a part of my team! In honor of Fall being Just . Around. The. Corner - let's get some chili cooking!  Set it - forget it - and enjoy it after a long day. I've tried many crockpot recipes for chili.  Some have been better than others, but this one has been my favorite so far.  And it makes a LOT.   I had plenty to serve for dinner to 4 adults and have enough to freeze for later.  We LOVE LOVE LOVED it served over baked potatoes with some cheese sprinkled on top.  This recipe was also the first in which I made my own homemade chili seasoning.  The recipe I found and used was delicious and had a little kick.  The best part about making your own is being able to control the amount and type of ingredients - I used less salt and more hot peppers for the kick.  YUM.

Cheap Crock Pot Beans and Rice

People have commented to me that we eat a lot of beans and rice...they would be right.  We eat beans and rice a ton around our home because they are healthy, filling, versatile, easy, and CHEAP. That's right - we are penny pinchers and beans help us with our budgeting.  So here is yet another of our favorite beans and rice recipes.  I can prep this meal in less than 5 minutes (literally).  No chopping is involved. The most you will do is open a few cans.  

Here is what you need:

1 15 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 15 oz can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

1 C of rice (I use brown rice - not the quick cook kind)

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 tbls olive oil

1/4 tsp salt (depends on your tastes - we use this or less but you can definitely do more!)

1 tsp Italian seasons (I was out last night so I used 1 tsp of thyme but any Italian seasoning will be good)

1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder

2 C vegetable broth

If you compare my ingredients to the original you'll see some differences. Those are there because I didn't have what she used and decided I liked my substitutions. You can definitely play around with this and see how you like it. My ingredients picture doesn't include the veggie broth and tomatoes because I forgot them!  Sorry!!!

Slow and Steady - Black Bean Burger

So here is the deal with plant based eating (I like to say that instead of vegan - the word vegan scares people!), I think easing in is best.  You know, kind of a "slow and steady" mentality?  Now some people can dive right in, throw everything away that isn't plant based and be just fine, but the idea of committing to something like that scared me. So, my husband and I approached it as more of a "slow and steady" thing.  For instance, we started with just replacing one night a week with a plant based menu.  Then it became two and it grew from there but it was just dinner.  Then I started working on snacks for us that would healthy (which is when I discovered Vegan Shakeology - AMAZING, gave me tons of energy).  Then I finally started working on our lunches. Our commitment to plant based eating evolved and that was a great way to do it for us. When we were just looking for an easy week night meal, I discovered Black Bean Burgers.  Now if you are trying to convince your very carnivorous husband to start eating a plant based diet, I wouldn't start with these little beauties.  They are delicious but if a person is thinking that is going to taste like the Burger King burger, we have troubles. However, if you are a plant based fan already - try these puppies out.  We love them and eat them at least once a week at our house.  I timed it tonight - took me exactly 5 minutes prep time. You read right - FIVE MINUTES.  Then they cook for 15 minutes.  We serve them with sweet potatoes or frozen sweet potato fries and fruit. So let me tell you how easy this is. You will need: 1 15 ounce can black beans 1/3 cup quick cook oats 1 tablespoon of mustard 2 tablespoons of ketchup sprinkle in some garlic or onion powder Here is what ya do! Rinse and drain the beans and then mash them in a bowl (you don't want them pureed, still should be able to see pieces). Add in oats, ketchup, mustard, and spices Stir together and form into four patties. Bake at 400 for 7 minutes on a greased or lined cookie sheet.  Then flip and bake 7 more minutes until crispy. We find that we really like this when we pile the bun high with pickles, spinach or kale, ketchup, mustard, and anything else can find (avocado slices, even salsa!) They are so versatile and easy. Now, bare with me because I need to work on learning to take pictures while cooking and actually take a nice picture after cooking, but here is my burger ready to go!  What a sad little picture of a great meal.  I burnt the buns - whoops!  But seriously, I will take better pictures. Try this for yourself.  Its good!  I promise!! Recipe taken from http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/quick-black-bean-burger/