Category Archives: Recipes for the Whole Family

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Roasted with Vegetables: Two Meals in One Dish

Posted on November 23, 2012 | 4 comments

Did you not get enough turkey yesterday? Or do you have too many leftovers and are looking for tasty ways to use them? This recipe features many of the flavors of Thanksgiving in a one dish meal. And part two of the recipe is a hash — a perfect way to make a second night’s meal, or to use extra Thanksgiving leftovers.

We didn’t cook the whole feast ourselves yesterday but joined a large, extended family gathering. I brought pies. The hosts are great cooks and so gracious that they actually send every guest home with a large to go container of leftovers. Still, I couldn’t wait for the tastes of Thanksgiving last weekend. I also make this recipe with chicken, but the chicken just didn’t look as good in the store as the half split turkey breast. Normally I wrap chicken breast in prosciutto or stuff the turkey with a mix of pancetta and fresh herbs, but this time I had bacon at home. To be perfectly honest, we preferred the taste of the prosciutto over the bacon. Any of them will work for adding moisture and flavor, so use what you like! Similarly, any number of vegetables will work. Use whatever you have on hand. Winter root vegetables are particular well suited to the dish and mushrooms add a lot umami.

Meal One: Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon Roasted with Vegetables

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Vegetables (Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, Fennel, Onion, Garlic, Parsnips, Potato, Bell Pepper, Butternut Squash, Leeks, Carrots etc.)
  • Black Pepper, Cayenne
  • 1 Split Half Turkey Breast, Bone-In (can also use Chicken)
  • Prosciutto or Bacon
  • Fresh Herbs (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup of Sherry, Marsala or White Wine

Preheat oven to 400° F. Add oil to a large oven proof skillet, pan, dutch oven or baking dish. Chop the vegetables into chunks (slightly larger than bite-sized as they will shrink down) and add them to the pan. Sprinkle with pepper and cayenne (salt is optional since the bacon/prosciutto is salty). Stir so that all are coated with a little bit of oil, and add a little more oil if needed.

Sprinkle pepper and fresh herbs on the turkey breast. Wrap with slices of prosciutto and bacon so that just the top is covered. Place on top of the vegetables. Toss any extra herbs in with the vegetables. Roast in the oven until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. (I remove it just before then as I find the temperature continues to rise slightly.) Move the meat to a serving dish. If the veggies need more time, throw them back into the oven. If they are near done, add the sherry, marsala or wine, and stir. Place back in the oven for 3-5 minutes. (This can also be done on top of the stove, if using a skillet or dutch oven.) Using a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape up the caramelized bits, stir and serve.

Notes:

  • If you are using chicken it will be definitely be done before the vegetables. So either cook them alone a little before adding the meat, after, or both.
  • For a nice variation, stuff the turkey with pancetta and herbs instead of wrapping. Make a slice length-wise down the breast and stuff.
  • For a true taste of Thanksgiving, use sage, among other herbs. I try to avoid eating sage while breastfeeding, however, since it can reduce milk production.
  • This is easily a one dish meal, but this time I served it with my favorite green salad of late: baby kale, citrus, fennel and feta.

Meal Two: Turkey, Roast Veggie and Bacon Hash

  • Leftovers from the above dish, or any combination of leftover meat, potatoes and/or veggies
  • 6 or so eggs, beaten

In a large pan heat any fat that has congealed in the leftovers. If needed, add a little oil. Remove the bacon (if any) from the meat and chop finely. Add to the pan. Remove the meat from the bone and cut into bite-sized chunks. Add the meat and vegetables to the pan. Add the eggs. Stir occasionally, like scrambled eggs, until the eggs are done and the other ingredients are heated though. No seasoning is usually needed since the leftovers are seasoned. Can be served with hot sauce and/or ketchup.

What is your favorite way to use leftover turkey?

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Posted in Food, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Seasonal Recipes

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Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash

Posted on November 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

Quinoa is an all around great for you food. It is an ancient grain, originally the primary nutrition source of the Incas, and has been popular the last 10-15 years–with good reason. It is naturally high protein. Unlike other vegetarian sources of protein, like lentils and other beans, which must be combined with something like rice in order to provide a complete protein, quinoa is one of the few grains that is a complete protein on its own. Although we are not vegetarian, there are many reasons why I try to reduce how often we eat meat, including environmental, economic and health concerns.

Quinoa is also a great source of fiber, iron, magnesium, essential amino acids and other nutrients. It is naturally low fat, low calorie and gluten free. I serve quinoa as I would rice, along side fish, chicken or vegetable mains. It is also great mixed into salads. I love it most, however, mixed into stuffings and veggie burgers. Whenever making it (which I usually do simply, with just water in a rice cooker) I make extra so as to have leftovers.

This recipe is a twice baked butternut squash with quinoa and parmesan cheese mixed in. I made it super simple as I was juggling a squirmy little one. I would normally sauté an onion, at least, and maybe a carrot, some celery, garlic, etc. and mix it in. But it tasted surprisingly flavorful as is!

Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

  • 1 large Butternut Squash (any winter squash will do)
  • 1 cup cooked Quinoa
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt, pepper, paprika and/or a seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Reserve the seeds and toast them for snacking (click here to read how.) Salt and pepper the squash and place on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat. Bake until soft, or when a fork is easily inserted, about 35-50 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

Remove the squash from the oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop out most of the flesh into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, mix, and then refill the shells. Bake another 20-30 minutes, or until the stuffing is heated through.

Tips for Feeding Baby:

This is a great dish for babies. Even the earliest eaters (6-7 months) will enjoy the baked squash mixed with quinoa (reserve some for baby before mixing in the egg.) Quinoa on its own is impossibly messy, but mixed with squash it sticks together much better (and tastes better), especially for the independent babes who want to feed themselves. My daughter enjoyed this both with her hands and practicing her growing spoon and fork skills. We served her just the stuffing, while the presentation in the half shell of a squash is pretty enough for company!

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Pumpkin French Toast Bread Pudding

Posted on October 28, 2012 | 3 comments

Happy Halloween! Yesterday was fun, but full, after taking baby to two different costume parties. We were lazy this morning and the house was chilly, so I offered to make my version of french toast, which is actually baked and sort of a cross between french toast and bread pudding. I like it because you let the oven do the work without needing to stand at the stove to flip. As I beat the fresh eggs, I got out the spices. We were out of cinnamon so I pulled out a bottle of Pumpkin Pie Spices. That got me craving the seasonal favorite, so I added a cup of pumpkin to the custard.

This pumpkin bread pudding is not to be confused with a bread pudding made with pumpkin bread, similar to this Zucchini Bread Pudding, although that would be yum if you happened to have extra pumpkin bread lying around. In this case the pumpkin is added to the batter making it like the custard filling for a Pumpkin Pie.

Pumpkin French Toast Bread Pudding Recipe

  • 6 thick slices of challah or similar bread, at least one day old
  • 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup milk (any kind of milk: cow, coconut, goat, soy, rice, etc)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place the butter or coconut oil in an oven safe baking dish and put it in the oven while it is heating up, just until the butter/oil has melted. Take it out and swish the pan to completely to cover the bottom with grease.

Slice the day old bread. If it isn’t dry enough, toast it briefly. Line the pan with the bread slices and poke them several times with a fork.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the bread in the dish. Bake until the custard is set, approximately 30 minutes. I find it is usually done when the kitchen starts smelling delicious.

Serve warm with maple or cajeta syrup.

Notes:

Our baby loves this and seemed to like it even more with the pumpkin.

For a truly decadent french toast and morning, soak the bread in the batter the night before.

Whenever I have extra bread, whether challah or baguette, I pre-slice it and freeze it, wrapped twice in plastic. I very briefly microwave it to defrost, covered in a damp paper towel.

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Baby Bird’s Banana Smash Cake: A Healthier Option for a First Birthday

Posted on October 25, 2012 | 3 comments

The idea of a “smash cake” is getting more and more popular these days. It is generally a small cake given to a one-year-old at his or her party. Babies can dive into it and make a mess, while a larger cake is reserved for the rest of the party. Some parents also find this an opportunity to make baby’s cake more healthy. Since I attempted a tres leches cake for our baby’s first birthday party, I saw exactly how much sugar went into it and wanted to give her something a little healthier and developed this healthy banana smash cake.

banana smash cake: a healthy smash cake recipe for baby's first birthday

This banana smash cake will not be winning any beauty contests. If you would like to find a tutorial on decorating a gorgeous smash cake, try this one. However, I couldn’t find any decent, healthy recipes for cake for a one-year-old that looked like they tasted good. Our baby has had wheat and now whole eggs, so my main concern was reducing the sugar. Since she loves bananas, I decided to make something up, based on my banana bread and a basic banana cake. Feel free to substitute a gluten-free flour mix. You can also try using flax or chia seeds in place of the eggs.

It was also important to me to avoid any artificial dyes or coloring, as well as artificial ingredients in general. A lot of “frosting” is partially hydrogenated shortening plus sugar and food coloring. I tried whipping up a can of coconut milk, which was popular on pinterest, but frankly, it tasted like a can. I decided there was nothing wrong with a little bit of organic cream, especially since whole fat yogurt is one of her staples.




The most challenging part of making a mini cake is simply finding mini pans. Before you go out and buy something, look and see what you might have at home. I had oven safe ramekins that looked about the right size. I also had 4″ tart pans that I thought could make little “layers” for a two layer cake. After filling up the ramekin and pans, I had enough batter to fill up a pan of one dozen mini muffins. I figured Baby would be able to share the healthy treats with her baby friends. And with the mini muffins the three of us were able to sample the cake straight from the oven (it really was best warm).

banana smash cake: a healthy smash cake recipe for baby's first birthday

Baby Bird’s Banana Smash Cake Recipe

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Baby Bird's Banana Smash Cake: A Healthier Option for a First Birthday
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Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
A healthy banana cake, low in sugar and free of artificial ingredients or coloring, ideal for a baby's first birthday.
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cup flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter)
  • ½ cup date sugar or sweetener of your choice
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
  • ⅓ cup kefir, baby yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar or agave (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line bottom of ramekin with a cut out circle of parchment paper. Grease pans (4" ramekin or mini tart pans plus mini muffin pan.)
  2. Sift dry ingredients (the first four ingredients) together.
  3. In a mixer, cream the oil and sugar until fluffy. (Note: coconut oil does not get as fluffy as butter.) Add the egg and vanilla and beat until light. Gently stir in the bananas, alternating with the dry ingredients and the kefir or yogurt.
  4. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Mini muffins and mini tart pans: 12 minutes. Ramekin: 35-40 minutes.
  5. Let cool completely before frosting.
  6. To make the frosting: Whip cream, vanilla and sugar in a mixer with a wire attachment until stiff peaks form. Let baby taste from the bowl.
  7. Decorate the cake rustic style or smooth out and decorate with piping. Top with a candle and baby's favorite fruit.

 

Variation: One of Baby’s friends turned one this past weekend and her mom made an adorable caterpillar cake for her Very Hungry Caterpillar themed party. The head was the baby’s smash cake and the body was cupcakes for the rest of the party.

Update: Try Baby Bird’s Pumpkin Smash Cake for a gluten-free option!


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Posted in Dessert, Entertaining, Food, Healthy Recipes, Homemade Baby Food, Recipes for the Whole Family

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Roast Butternut Squash and Vegetable Soup

Posted on October 21, 2012 | 3 comments

The weather is definitely changing, even here in Southern California. I’m craving hot herbal tea, which I haven’t made in forever, and soups. I made this roast vegetable soup last night. It was perfect for lazy cooking on a chilly day. Most of the work is done by a hot oven and time. High heat converts the starches in the vegetables to sugar and the browning in the oven adds a complexity to the overall flavor.

I used a butternut squash in this recipe, along with other autumnal vegetables and fruit. But feel free to substitute anything you have on hand. I didn’t have parsnips, but they would also be great. This recipe is based on “orange soup”, what we called a curried squash soup my mom used to make when we were young.

Roast Butternut Squash and Vegetable Soup Recipe

  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 1 yam or sweet potato
  • 1-2 large carrots
  • 1 onion
  • 3-4 large cloves of garlic
  • 2 apples
  • 1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock or broth
  • salt, pepper
  • cumin, curry powder, ginger powder, coriander, garam masala, etc.
  • a tiny touch of cinnamon (don’t use too much or it will taste like pumpkin pie)

Optional garnishes:

  • cilantro, basil, or other fresh herb
  • toasted squash seeds (recipe follows)
  • coconut yogurt, kefir, coconut milk, or creme fraiche
  • black lava salt or truffle salt

Preheat oven to 400-425° F. Prep the vegetables: cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Reserve the seeds for toasting. Roughly chop the carrots and onion. Cut and core the apple. Skins can be left on everything. Leave the yam or sweet potato whole. Don’t peel the garlic.

Roast in the oven until tender, approximately 40-45 minutes. (I usually put the garlic in a little later as it cooks faster.)

When cool enough to handle, peel the skins off and transfer to a large pot. Add the quart of stock or broth, plus any water as needed to cover the vegetables. Bring up to a boil and then down to a simmer. Add the salt, pepper and spices to taste. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very soft. Using a stick blender, puree until somewhat smooth.

Serving suggestions: Top with coconut yogurt or something else creamy. Sprinkle on the toasted squash seeds. I paired the soup with toast spread with avocado. A green salad would also be nice.

 

Toasted Butternut Squash Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are the most famous squash seeds for toasting. Perhaps because pumpkins are so big the yield is “worth it.” But really any squash’s seeds can be toasted and eaten. We found the butternut squash seeds to be delicious!

Preheat a toaster oven or an oven to 325-300° F. Since I was roasting the veggies at high heat I used the toaster oven for the seeds. My toaster oven is also easier to see into, which is important for keeping an eye on the seeds.

Separate the seeds from the strings and flesh. Let them sit in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to help rinse them off. Dry with a clean dish towel. Spread the seeds on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a good amount of salt. I also used cayenne and black pepper.

The seeds will be done when they are done. Sorry. It could be 5 minutes, or it could be 20. Check them and give them a stir periodically. The should be turning darker and getting crispy.

Serve over the squash soup, salads or (our favorite) just snacked on!

 

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