this one requires a little bit of prep work, but none of it is too complicated, so dont worry! and if you're willing to do the small amount of extra work, it can be completely free with your WIC benefits!
ingredients:
bread crumbs*
tomato sauce*
mozarella cheese*
eggplant*
italian herbs such as oregano, thyme, or an all purpose blend
this recipe requires 1. bread crumbs and 2. sauce. make your own breadcrumbs with your WIC bread and it will have the added benefits of being whole grain, AND FREE :) make your own breadcrumbs by allowing the bread to become COMPLETELY STALE....leave it out overnight if you have to. the harder it is, the better. then either hand-crumble or if you have access to a food processor, that makes it super easy - just put the bread in and crumble it by pulsing the blade. you can store extra crumbs in the freezer.
make your own sauce by boiling veggies such as tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, squash, and bell pepper, or steaming them until they're soft. then puree them in your blender or food processor, add in some green onions, garlic or garlic powder, oregano, thyme, parsley, or an all purpose blend. just season to taste. it's easy :)
i make my eggplant parmesan by baking it, so that's the instructions i will give, but you can also pan fry.
slice your eggplant by preference - i like thicker slices, but some people like thinner, and thats okay. bread it in the breadcrumbs just by laying it in a plate of crumbs and coating both sides fairly thoroughly, then lay them on a pan, sprinkle with a bit of oregano, parsley, and thyme and bake at 400F for about 30 min or until they are starting to crisp, flipping each slice about halfway through.
after your eggplant is cooked, you can layer it in a casserole dish with your sauce and some shredded mozarella and pop it back into the oven until the cheese melts - or, you can just serve it with sauce and cheese and let your diners do the rest.
this recipe is pretty easy to do, and hard to mess up (as long as you dont burn the eggplant!)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
using milk
a friend of mine sent me this link for ideas on how to use your WIC milk
How to Use Up Three Gallons of Milk...
How to Use Up Three Gallons of Milk...
avocado and hummus panini!
This has been my sandwich of the week!
2 slices of bread*
3-4 slices of avocado*
1-2 slices of cheese (we like colby jack)*
hummus (i've been eating plain, and roasted red pepper)
mustard
layer ingredients onto your bread and dribble mustard on top - i use a pretty thick layer of hummus and a good amount of cheese, but i like a hearty sandwich. i've been nuking it in the microwave but you could also put on a sandwich press or in a skillet. this is a great meat-free sandwich loaded with protein and good fats for pregnant and nursing moms!
2 slices of bread*
3-4 slices of avocado*
1-2 slices of cheese (we like colby jack)*
hummus (i've been eating plain, and roasted red pepper)
mustard
layer ingredients onto your bread and dribble mustard on top - i use a pretty thick layer of hummus and a good amount of cheese, but i like a hearty sandwich. i've been nuking it in the microwave but you could also put on a sandwich press or in a skillet. this is a great meat-free sandwich loaded with protein and good fats for pregnant and nursing moms!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Chunky Monkey Smoothies
got this one from Heather R.
Chunky Monkey Smoothies
*3 cups milk
*3 frozen bananas
*1/4 cup creamy peanut butter(approx)
1/4 to 1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt
chocolate syrup
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth!
Chunky Monkey Smoothies
*3 cups milk
*3 frozen bananas
*1/4 cup creamy peanut butter(approx)
1/4 to 1/2 cup light vanilla yogurt
chocolate syrup
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth!
baby food jars
ever find yourself wondering what to do with all the baby food jars after they've been emptied by your baby (or you)? here's some ideas i came up with...
1. make your own butter
- put a bit of heavy cream into the jar and start shaking. the process will go along faster if your cream is at room temperature, but it doesn't have to be. first your cream will be bubbly, then it will turn to whipped cream. from whipped cream it will begin to break down and separate into the fat and the liquid - sorry, my terminology isn't too precise! this is a really fun trick and a good way to keep little ones busy. you can add salt or cinnamon to the cream before shaking to add flavor to your butter. be sure to eat your butter right away (if you want to save it, it has to be washed. for more info try googling make your own butter)
2. plant a garden
- use the seeds from all your free and fresh WIC fruits and veggies and plant them in the baby food jars. once your seedlings reach a good height, plant them in a planter or outside in the yard for your own fresh fruits and veggies - again, absolutely free!
3. paint pots
- if your kids love to paint, but waste a ton of paint, try putting it in a baby food jar so that it can be re-closed for storage!
any other ideas? LET ME KNOW!! if i like it, i'll post it!!
1. make your own butter
- put a bit of heavy cream into the jar and start shaking. the process will go along faster if your cream is at room temperature, but it doesn't have to be. first your cream will be bubbly, then it will turn to whipped cream. from whipped cream it will begin to break down and separate into the fat and the liquid - sorry, my terminology isn't too precise! this is a really fun trick and a good way to keep little ones busy. you can add salt or cinnamon to the cream before shaking to add flavor to your butter. be sure to eat your butter right away (if you want to save it, it has to be washed. for more info try googling make your own butter)
2. plant a garden
- use the seeds from all your free and fresh WIC fruits and veggies and plant them in the baby food jars. once your seedlings reach a good height, plant them in a planter or outside in the yard for your own fresh fruits and veggies - again, absolutely free!
3. paint pots
- if your kids love to paint, but waste a ton of paint, try putting it in a baby food jar so that it can be re-closed for storage!
any other ideas? LET ME KNOW!! if i like it, i'll post it!!
Super Smoothies
smoothies are a favorite in my house! my 1 year old thinks its the best treat!
the basic components of a smoothie are going to be-
yogurt
*fruit (and veggies)
*juice
ice
you can experiment with different kinds of fruits, which you can get fresh or frozen with your WIC benefits. here's our basic recipe
1 carton of frozen strawberries with sugar (not available on WIC, however, plain frozen strawberries are)
1-2 bananas
a carton of vanilla yogurt
a dribble of juice (apple or orange)
some ice
there's nothing too exact here - just throw it in the blender and hit go! experiment with different types of fruits, veggies, plain yogurt, maybe even some of the jars of baby foods that some people get each month (baby bananas are my fav!). if you use plain yogurt and unsweetened fruits, you can experiment with other sweeteners as well - i've used sugar, but you can also use honey or agave nectar. just be sure not to give honey to babies under 1 year of age!
the basic components of a smoothie are going to be-
yogurt
*fruit (and veggies)
*juice
ice
you can experiment with different kinds of fruits, which you can get fresh or frozen with your WIC benefits. here's our basic recipe
1 carton of frozen strawberries with sugar (not available on WIC, however, plain frozen strawberries are)
1-2 bananas
a carton of vanilla yogurt
a dribble of juice (apple or orange)
some ice
there's nothing too exact here - just throw it in the blender and hit go! experiment with different types of fruits, veggies, plain yogurt, maybe even some of the jars of baby foods that some people get each month (baby bananas are my fav!). if you use plain yogurt and unsweetened fruits, you can experiment with other sweeteners as well - i've used sugar, but you can also use honey or agave nectar. just be sure not to give honey to babies under 1 year of age!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Quickie Quesadilla
my son gets this for lunch on a regular basis!
*2 corn tortillas
*WIC-approved cheese of your choice (we use cheddar or colby jack)
*spinach leaves
*bell peppers
layer slices of cheese, raw spinach leaves, and diced bell pepper pieces between 2 tortillas. microwave for about 30 seconds or until cheese melts. cut into appropriately sized pieces and serve!
*2 corn tortillas
*WIC-approved cheese of your choice (we use cheddar or colby jack)
*spinach leaves
*bell peppers
layer slices of cheese, raw spinach leaves, and diced bell pepper pieces between 2 tortillas. microwave for about 30 seconds or until cheese melts. cut into appropriately sized pieces and serve!
Crockpot Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
*a handful of grape tomatoes (or any tomatoes will do)
*3 carrots
*black beans
*brown rice
*cheese - your choice - i used colby jack and cheddar
*1 clove of garlic
*1 green onion
*1.5 bell peppers
chicken broth or vegetable broth - or bouillon cubes - or water!
*frozen corn or fresh corn cut off the cob
*corn tortillas
all amounts are approximate, depending on your preference and how much soup you need to make!
seasonings:
parsley
cumin
chili powder
black pepper
paprika
***if you dont want to invest in a full bottle of cumin or chili powder, a packet of taco seasoning makes a great inexpensive substitute! (but really, you will save money in the long run just buying the seasonings themselves - and also save on strange chemicals - ha - i swear, check the ingredients!)
1. if you are using WIC approved dried beans, you will need to make those ahead of time. do it overnight in your crock pot and they will be ready to go the next day!
2. dice carrots, bell pepper, and green onion - add to beans or broth in the crockpot
3. if you or someone you are cooking for is squeamish about garlic, drop in the whole, peeled clove. otherwise feel free to crush it first.
4. add seasonings - i wasn't too precise here. just season to taste - a sprinkle of parsley, a dash of paprika, a good bit of black pepper. for the chili powder and cumin i used one of my son's baby spoons to measure - two spoonfuls of cumin, four of chili powder
5. cook on high for 2-3 hours
6. add in tomatoes, beans (if not already in), frozen corn, and cooked rice (optional). cook on high for another 2-3 hours.
7. just before serving the soup, cut corn tortillas into strips and lay out on a cookie sheet. bake at 450 for 5-7 minutes making sure not to over-cook.
8. serve this soup topped with shredded cheese and tortilla strips. if you dropped in a whole clove of garlic, remember to fish it out first and hide the evidence ;)
warning about this recipe - if you use regular tomatoes, dice them (obviously). if you use cherry/grape tomatoes, you might want to half them - i left mine whole and got a nice burst of scalding hot tomato seeds/juice on my tongue when i took a bite! oops! what will also work is if you have a can of diced or whole tomatoes or halves. add them a little later on though as they are already cooked, you dont want them to dissolve completely. also i dont think canned produce is covered on WIC?
*3 carrots
*black beans
*brown rice
*cheese - your choice - i used colby jack and cheddar
*1 clove of garlic
*1 green onion
*1.5 bell peppers
chicken broth or vegetable broth - or bouillon cubes - or water!
*frozen corn or fresh corn cut off the cob
*corn tortillas
all amounts are approximate, depending on your preference and how much soup you need to make!
seasonings:
parsley
cumin
chili powder
black pepper
paprika
***if you dont want to invest in a full bottle of cumin or chili powder, a packet of taco seasoning makes a great inexpensive substitute! (but really, you will save money in the long run just buying the seasonings themselves - and also save on strange chemicals - ha - i swear, check the ingredients!)
1. if you are using WIC approved dried beans, you will need to make those ahead of time. do it overnight in your crock pot and they will be ready to go the next day!
2. dice carrots, bell pepper, and green onion - add to beans or broth in the crockpot
3. if you or someone you are cooking for is squeamish about garlic, drop in the whole, peeled clove. otherwise feel free to crush it first.
4. add seasonings - i wasn't too precise here. just season to taste - a sprinkle of parsley, a dash of paprika, a good bit of black pepper. for the chili powder and cumin i used one of my son's baby spoons to measure - two spoonfuls of cumin, four of chili powder
5. cook on high for 2-3 hours
6. add in tomatoes, beans (if not already in), frozen corn, and cooked rice (optional). cook on high for another 2-3 hours.
7. just before serving the soup, cut corn tortillas into strips and lay out on a cookie sheet. bake at 450 for 5-7 minutes making sure not to over-cook.
8. serve this soup topped with shredded cheese and tortilla strips. if you dropped in a whole clove of garlic, remember to fish it out first and hide the evidence ;)
warning about this recipe - if you use regular tomatoes, dice them (obviously). if you use cherry/grape tomatoes, you might want to half them - i left mine whole and got a nice burst of scalding hot tomato seeds/juice on my tongue when i took a bite! oops! what will also work is if you have a can of diced or whole tomatoes or halves. add them a little later on though as they are already cooked, you dont want them to dissolve completely. also i dont think canned produce is covered on WIC?
Tomato Mozzarella "Panini" Sandwiches
artisan bread - or english muffins (we used whole wheat)
*mozzarella cheese
*tomatoes
*loose leaf spinach
sun-dried tomato pesto
**if you want to make your own pesto spread, it can be done using some home-sun-dried (or oven-dried) tomatoes and a bit of olive oil. the tomatoes, of course, can be purchased with WIC! but you can also just use store-bought :)
1. if you want your bread toasted, do that while slicing tomatoes and mozarella
2. spread pesto sauce onto bread, then layer it with mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, spinach leaves, and more cheese! if desired...hahaha
3. at this point, you can either grill it in a skillet with a bit of butter (or without), pop it into a toaster oven, put it on a sandwich press, etc. - its up to you - but since this is my quick and easy lunch, i just nuke it for 30 sec in the microwave!! divine!
to make this even faster, keep your tomato slices on a plate in the fridge ready to go at sandwich time! (my tummy is soooo growling now!)
*mozzarella cheese
*tomatoes
*loose leaf spinach
sun-dried tomato pesto
**if you want to make your own pesto spread, it can be done using some home-sun-dried (or oven-dried) tomatoes and a bit of olive oil. the tomatoes, of course, can be purchased with WIC! but you can also just use store-bought :)
1. if you want your bread toasted, do that while slicing tomatoes and mozarella
2. spread pesto sauce onto bread, then layer it with mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, spinach leaves, and more cheese! if desired...hahaha
3. at this point, you can either grill it in a skillet with a bit of butter (or without), pop it into a toaster oven, put it on a sandwich press, etc. - its up to you - but since this is my quick and easy lunch, i just nuke it for 30 sec in the microwave!! divine!
to make this even faster, keep your tomato slices on a plate in the fridge ready to go at sandwich time! (my tummy is soooo growling now!)
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