No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Bites Recipe #EatA2ZRecipeChallenge

March 18, 2013 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 4 Comments

Can you believe it’s already the middle of March? That means it’s time for another Eating the Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge! I’m a few days late because I was out of town on vacation for Spring Break. If you’re new here, this blog hop features fruits, vegetables, grains or legumes to help us discover delicious new ways to enjoy these healthy foods. And hopefully make some of them a little more interesting by choosing a different letter each month. For more details on how it all works, see the end of this post (and if you’re a blogger, find out how you can join us!)

A Healthier Natural Sweetener (and Vegan!)

This month I chose dates. I have been seeing all sorts of things on the web about how to use these vitamin and fiber-filled powerhouses as natural sweeteners in tasty treats so I knew I wanted to give them a try. Plus, I needed a reason to use some of that big bag of dates I bought at Costco a few months ago! It seems like there have also been a lot of recipes popping up about how to make homemade energy bars like Clif or Lara bars. I knew I wanted to try something like that but in a bite-size form. So the other day I had a craving for something with peanut butter and chocolate. I couldn’t find a recipe that had just the right combination of ingredients so I came up with my own based on a compilation of some of those I had seen. Did you know that dates are an excellent source of iron and also potassium? They are also rich in lots of minerals like calcium and manganese and many other anti-oxidants. They are also full of fiber!

Delicious Peanut Butter & Chocolate-A Great Combination

These little bites were SO delicious that I could not stop eating them! They kind of reminded me of some no-bake cookies I used to make growing up. But what’s great about these is that they are a guilt-free treat because they are all natural and vegan too (for those who follow that diet). The reviews from my family were a little more mixed. My son LOVED them and has had one for a snack nearly every day for a couple of weeks. He thinks he is getting a real treat just like a cookie or brownie but I feel much better giving him one of these! My daughter liked them too but thought the bites were a bit too rich so my second batch was just a one-bite version. My husband didn’t care for them but I realized later it’s probably because he does not like anything fudgy—which these are very similar to. I shared some with my neighbor and she had similar results—she loved them and her family liked them too.

I am so glad to have found this delicious way to enjoy dates and satisfy my sweets craving at the same time in a healthy way. They make up so quickly, I bet you’ll always want to have some of these on hand! And an extra bonus? They are vegan too (for those of you who watch that kind of thing!)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Bites

Ingredients

1 ½ cup dried dates, chopped
1/2-¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½-2/3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (start with 1/2 cup and add more if it's still too sticky)

Instructions

Place dates and peanut butter in food processor. Cover and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add coconut, cocoa powder and oatmeal until fully blended. The mixture will form a ball and be very sticky. Using a 1-inch scoop, form balls and place on baking sheet lined with silicone mat or parchment paper. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. May be kept in refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.

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Just a few simple, natural ingredients is all it takes to whip up these delicious, nutritious sweet bites.

Dates and peanut butter ready to be blended!

Blend the dates and peanut butter first until a creamy mixture forms.

After you’ve blended the dates and peanut butter, add the rest of the ingredients. Just a few quick pulses is all it takes!

Use a scooper to help make rolling into balls a bit easier.

All the balls are ready to be chilled then enjoyed!

Bloggers, Join the Eating The Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge!

For all the details check out my post from earlier this year (or if you are a blogger and want to join in, there is a sign-up form to complete which you can find here).

Don’t forget to check out the Eating the Alphabet Pinterest board. There you can keep track of all the recipes that are added month-to-month but also find new recipes from last year too. What’s your favorite fruit, vegetable, grain or legume that starts with the letter C or D? Be sure to check out all the other blogs shown below to discover new recipes and ideas!

Filed Under: Letter C or D, recipe ideas, Recipe-Eating the Alphabet, Recipe-Snacks, Recipe-Sweet Treats

Eating the Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge–New for 2013!

January 15, 2013 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 11 Comments

Last year I started the Eating the Alphabet Challenge as a way to encourage myself and others to make foods that featured fruits, vegetables, grains or legumes (beans!) I was inspired by the book by Lois Ehlert by the same name, but mainly I was inspired because I feel like these foods are often one of the last things thought about when it comes to making meals for our families. Sure, it’s easy to cut up some fruit or veggies to serve raw along with your meal but how about recipes that FEATURE those ingredients? Since my repertoire was somewhat limited I thought others’ might be too.

I had a group of dedicated bloggers that joined me each month by sharing their recipes. Many of which have pinned their recipes to the Eating the Alphabet Pinterest board (and we have nearly 1,000 followers as of today with new followers weekly!) I’m reading for a new round in 2013 to start again in February. Read on for more details!

Here’s a round up of the recipes I featured on my blog in 2012:

Love the caramelization on these sprouts!

Letter A or B- Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Letter C or D-Balsamic Parmesan Cauliflower

Letter E or F-Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Some of it got a little overcooked–shh, don’t tell! Just look at the prettier green florets!

Letter G or H–Ginger Garlic Broccoli

Letter I or J–Jicama, Avocado and Crab Salad

Letter K or L—Fruity Kiwi Salsa

Letter M, N or O–Mango Quesadillas

Letter P, Q, R–Peach Pecan Muffins

Letter S or T–Tomatillo Salsa with Sweet Potato Chips

Letter U, V or W—Watermelon Lemonade Slush

Letter X, Y, Z—MIA (did anyone notice—I just never got to it—doh!)

Who’s ready for the 2013 Challenge? If you’re a blogger, read on for more details on how you can share your recipes each month. If you’re not a blogger, that’s ok! You can still follow along by checking out the posts on the 15th of each month for new recipes and ideas for eating more fruits and vegetables! We’re kicking thing off in February so be on the lookout!

*************************************************************************************
Join the Eating the Alphabet Challenge!
Every month I will post a recipe for the letter that we’re on. Since it’s a monthly challenge, I’ve paired up most letters and for some of the more difficult letters, made groups of three. If you’re a blogger, you can prepare and post about your own recipe. If you’re a reader, then add your own ideas in the comments each month.
It’s easy to join! Just complete the form below. After it’s received you will be added and receive a monthly email with more details on what to do. Please allow a couple of days to receive the email as I will do them in batches rather than each individual entry. There are a few simple rules to follow so that we can all benefit from what this linkup is intended to be all about!
< strong>Who:
Bloggers who want to try out and share via a post on their own blog featuring a vegetable, fruit, grain or legume that corresponds to different letters of the alphabet each month.

What:
Choose a recipe from any source. It could be from another blog (credit, please, if so!), one you found in a favorite magazine, cookbook or online, or even a recipe you’ve prepared for years. Just be sure to include the recipe in your post!

When: *Change from 2012*
I will be approving the link-ups on the 15th of each month but you can link up any time within the month if you have the code in your blog. You do not need to post on this day but I just ask that your post be no more than a month old. I will be posting mine on the 15th of each month so if you want to be linked up at the same time and receive maximum exposure, plan to have yours linked on or before that day!

Why:
The main reason is so that we can develop a resource that makes eating fruits and vegetables fun and interesting for our families. Another benefit is to increase traffic to your blog and because it’s fun!

Commitment Level:
Once you’ve entered your info. into the form below I will have it forever. I will be touching base with you via email each month to see who’s in and who’s not so you can participate some months and other months maybe not. Think of it as a personal challenge as well as a blogging challenge to try new recipes!

The Fine Print—Keeping With the Theme & Keeping it Timely:
I will be checking each of the linkup entries to see if it fits with that month’s criteria. PLEASE do not link up any old random blog post. It must be from THAT month’s challenge theme letters. If you try to link up anything that does not meet the criteria, it will not be approved. I just want to make sure all of our readers are getting what they hoped for. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has clicked on a link thinking I’m getting more ideas to a specific theme and realize that it’s not at all related. No one likes to waste their time, right?

Here’s the form…be sure to include your Social Media links as well so I can follow you and add you to the group Pinterest board so you can pin your posts each month. As of today, there are nearly 1,000 followers!

Any questions, please use the contact form to send me a message. Happy cooking and recipe sharing!

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, recipe ideas

Peach Pecan Muffins {Eating the Alphabet Series} #eatingatozchallenge

September 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 3 Comments

I’ve been a little busy lately updating my MyRecipes account of saved recipes. I love it because one of my favorite magazines, Southern Living, has all their recipes in their database so I can read the magazine (and get lots of other home decorating, entertaining, and travel ideas), save my recipes into my virtual inbox and then pass the magazine along to a friend. They have SO many recipes there, I love that I can create a custom cookbook of sorts.

So when it came to this month’s Eating the Alphabet Challenge, I turned to MyRecipes for some recipe inspiration. For months, I knew I wanted to try making parsnips. I had never had them much less made anything using them but after a friend told me last year that she made them and mashed them AND that her whole family liked them (four boys and her husband!) I knew this is what I wanted to make when P came around. Well, unfortunately I didn’t have such great success. I chose to roast ours since we love roasted vegetables so much these days. I don’t know what the deal was but after nearly 40 minutes of roasting they just never got tender. I was bummed.

My first pick: roasted parsnips. Didn’t turn out so well.

Look at all these foods I had on hand that start with the letter P! Coincidence? I’m not sure!

So I went to Plan B and that was to choose one of the many P fruits I had on hand. Yes, I had pears, plums, pluots, peaches and even canned pumpkin (which I love to have just about any time of year). I even had some pecans on hand! Frankly, there are so many wonderful options that start with the letters P, Q & R, it was hard to choose at all! do love cooking with pears, like these Pear Walnut Power Muffins but this time I decided to do something with some peaches. Mine were getting pretty ripe so it was perfect (the recipe actually calls for frozen peaches so you can have these muffins any time of year!) Peaches are rich in Vitamin A and a good source of dietary fiber. I wanted to use the pecans too so after a quick search online, I found these Peach Pecan Muffins. Pecans are a great source of lots of antioxidants including Vitamin E and they are also low in sodium.

Now, let me tell you, these muffins are not low-cal. There’s a fair amount of butter and sugar in these but they sure are delicious. The streusel made probably three times as much as I needed so I put the leftover in a container to store in the freezer for another time. I’ve left the recipe as is so keep that in mind. I’m hoping to modify these at some point to make them a little healthier—using less butter and maybe whole wheat flour. Until then, think of these as a treat and if you’re serving them for breakfast or brunch, pair them with a good protein and variety of fresh fruits. With a subtle peach flavor, we all loved these and they freeze well too.

I hope you enjoy them too!

Peach Pecan Muffins

Ingredients

PECAN STREUSEL
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup frozen sliced peaches, thawed and diced
12 paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray

Instructions

1. Prepare Streusel: Stir together pecans and next 4 ingredients until crumbly.
2. Prepare Muffins: Preheat oven to 400º. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Stir together butter, milk, and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Gently stir in peaches.
3. Place paper baking cups in 1 (12-cup) muffin pan, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle with Pecan Streusel.
4. Bake at 400º for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and serve warm or at room temperature.

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All the muffin ingredients ready to go!

All ready for baking! I didn’t use much of the struesel (although it was still plenty!) so had a lot leftover.

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter P, Q or R? Please share with us in the comments below!

Bloggers, I’d love for you to join our Eating the Alphabet Challenge. Follow us on Twitter too using the hashtag #EatingAtoZChallenge. Click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter M. N or O—fruit, veggie or grain-style–this month by visiting the blogs below! I know I’m planning to try a few.

And be sure to check out my posts from previous months:

Letter A or B-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Letter C or D-Balsamic Parmesan Cauliflower
Letter E or F-Easy Eggplan Parmesan
Letter G or H–Ginger Garlic Broccoli
Letter I or J–Jicama, Avocado & Crab Salad
Letter K or L-Kiwi Salsa
Letter M, N or O-Mango Quesadillas

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet

Fruity Kiwi Salsa {Eating the Alphabet Series} #eatingatozchallenge

July 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 3 Comments

Ok, so as you’ll see this fruit salsa recipe has a lot more than just kiwi in it but since this IS the Eating the Alphabet Challenge, I had to feature it in the title since this month’s challenge is for the letters K & L. But as you’ll see, it takes advantage of many different fruits including one of our summer favorites like kiwi.

Kiwis are one fruit my whole family has loved for as long as I can remember. It’s packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants and has more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange! We love to eat them plain—just peeled and sliced. Or chopped on top of a granola yogurt parfait. So for this month’s theme, it only seemed natural that we chose kiwi.

When choosing a kiwi it should be soft and yield to gentle pressure but a mushy kiwi is overripe. It can be left to ripen on the kitchen counter but once it’s ripe, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Kiwis from New Zealand are available in the spring and summer months while kiwis from California are available the remaining months of the year, making this fruit available in most grocery stores year round.
While we love fresh fruit in just about any form, I have discovered that my family gobbles up a whole lot more of the fruit rainbow when I have it combined in a fruity salad or salsa. My family had a discussion about the different and I decided it was really just a matter of how small you chop the fruit and how you serve it—with a fork, spoon or edible vehicle like a baked tortilla chip. I think this would even be delicious as healthy vanilla ice cream topping.

This was SO easy to put together—I just chopped up the fruits in less than ten minutes before lunchtime. Then I added the lemon juice and cinnamon to jazz it up a bit. Here’s the recipe so you can try it too!

Fruity Kiwi Salsa {Eating the Alphabet Series} #eatingatozchallenge

Ingredients

2 Kiwis, peeled and diced
1 cup strawberries, diced
2 bananas, peeled and diced
1 peach, peeled and diced
1 Gala apple, peeled and diced (although I don’t mind the peels so usually skip the peeling step)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix together all fruits. Add lemon juice and cinnamon and stir to combine. Ready to serve!

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Aren’t all the colors just gorgeous? Talk about eating a rainbow!

Everything’s chopped and cinnamon & lemon juice is added–just ready to stir and serve!

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter K or L? Please share with us in the comments below!

Bloggers, I’d love for you to join our Eating the Alphabet Challenge. Follow us on Twitter too using the hashtag #EatingAtoZChallenge. Click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter K & L—fruit, veggie or grain-style–this month by visiting the blogs below! I know I’m planning to try a few.

And be sure to check out my posts from previous months:

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Letter K

Jicama, Avocado, Crab & Rice Salad {Eating the Alphabet Series}

June 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 14 Comments

I’ve known since I started the Eating the Alphabet Challenge back in January exactly what I was going to choose for the letters I or J! It’s an ingredient that has intrigued me for a long time, yet I’ve been unsuccessful in actually trying it (note to self: it does not store well on the kitchen counter nor does it like to be abandoned altogether in the back of the fridge—it will get wrinkly and weird).

The vegetable I’m talking about is Jicama (pronounced HEE-ka-mah)! No input from the family this time, I was going to try it no matter what. So I went in search of a recipe that used jicama and most websites I found mentioned eating it just like a carrot stick—on it’s own or with a dip. When I went to the store, they only had giant jicamas so I bought the smallest one I could find. This underground tuber originated Mexico and South America (two different varieties). They are generally available year round in most major supermarkets. It’s a very low calorie root vegetable but loaded with lots of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants and is high in Vitamin C (providing 34% of daily recommendations per 100 g!)

I used some of it in the recipe I’m featuring here today but I also peeled and sliced up the rest of it into sticks, put in a container and filled with water to keep in the refrigerator. The reviews from my family were mixed: my son described it as the texture of a pear with the taste of an onion (?!?). My daughter, I think, really wanted to like it but was just not quite sure where to place the flavor. It is sweet but not like a fruit so I think that threw her off–her jury is still out! For me, I just couldn’t stop munching on the sticks—just plain!

I sliced up the extra into sticks, put into a container and added a little water to keep it fresh and ready for quick and easy muching!

Wondering what Eating the Alphabet Challenge is all about. The idea is that each month I and other bloggers choose a fruit, vegetable or legume/grain to cook with that starts with a different letter of the alphabet. Each month is a different set of letters and this month it was I or J. If you’re a blogger and want to join us in future months, click here to fill out the form so I can send you the details!

Now on to the recipe—this one includes a lot of ingredients that we already love so that’s what appealed to me. And it was a snap to put together so even better! My whole family loved it and we decided minus the cucumber and subbing the jicama, it is like a Califrnia roll without the roll! Next time I’m going to try it with brown rice instead.

This recipe is originally from Star Chefs (adapted from Lynn Fredericks)

Jicama, Avocado, Crab and Rice Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup rice (Japanese sushi rice or regular medium-grain rice)
1/2 very ripe avocado
4-6 artificial crab sticks
8 ounces jicama (about 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

Cook the rice until the water is absorbed.
Peel the avocado and chop into small pieces. Place in a medium salad bowl.
Cut up each crab stick into 5-6 small pieces (I cut them smaller b/c I wanted more chunks). Add to the bowl. Peel and cut up the jicama into small matchstick shapes or tiny dice.
When the rice is cooked, turn it into a bowl to cool. When just slightly warm, add the mirin and vinegar and mix. Then add rice to the bowl with crab and vegetables. Just before serving, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the salad. It's a great side dish for Asian marinated meats or as a salad on it’s own!

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Who'd think that this unassuming looking root vegetable would have a hidden sweet taste?

As usual, just a few simple ingredients is all you need! Next time I may try real lump crab instead of the imitation stuff!

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter I or J? Share in the comments below.

And be sure to check out my posts from previous months:
Letter B: Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Letter C: Roasted Balsamic Parmesan Cauliflower
Letter E: Easy Eggplant Parmesan
Letter G: Ginger Garlic Broccoli

Bloggers, I’d love for you to join our Eating the Alphabet Challenge. Follow us on Twitter too using the hashtag #EatingAtoZChallenge. Click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter I & J, fruit and veggie style this month by visiting the blogs link below. I know I’m planning to try a few!

Filed Under: Letter J, recipe ideas, Recipe-Sides

Ginger Garlic Broccoli {Eating the Alphabet Series}

May 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 7 Comments

Some of it got a little overcooked–shh, don’t tell! Just look at the prettier green florets!

We’ve been having so much fun with the Eating the Alphabet Challenge. If you’re new here, the idea is that each month I and other bloggers choose a fruit, vegetable or legume/grain to cook with that starts with a different letter of the alphabet. Each month is a different set of letters and this month it was G or H. It took me awhile to figure out what to choose this month. My family turned up their noses at my first choice: garbanzos. And although I do love to cook with Garlic, I wanted to branch out a bit.

Then I had my lightbulb moment! Ginger! That’s it. I make a lot of things with ginger and know my family likes it so this month’s challenge was just to try something new with ginger. We also love Asian food, like the Chicken and Cabbage Potstickers. And since there is a lot of ginger in Asian food it was a natural fit.

A quick search online and I found Garlic Ginger Broccoli (originally from Eating Well). Now Broccoli is a somewhat recent addition to my family’s plates but ever since we started growing it in our garden, it has been a welcome addition (yay!)

I served the Garlic Ginger Broccoli along with the Pork Tenderloin with Apple-Ginger Sauce (recipe to come later in a future post!) and it was a hit! Wow! My family LOVED it. And what I loved about it is that it was SO easy to prepare. Seriously, it took me longer to chop up the broccoli than it did to actually cook it. Another plus for easy! Don’t let the fish sauce scare you…it’s got just a little and adds some unique flavor along with the ginger. You can find it in the Asian aisle of most large supermarkets these days.

Gigner has been used for centuries for relief with gastrointestinal issues as well as an anti-inflmatory. And, packed with cancer-fighting photo nutrients, broccoli is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A, not to mention fiber. I totally recommend you give it a try!

Ginger Garlic Broccoli

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fish sauce, (see Note)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broccoli and cook, stirring, until the broccoli is bright green, 2 minutes. Drizzle water and fish sauce over the broccoli; reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

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Just a few simple ingredients is all it takes to get this whipped up!

I love to use my food chopped to mince the ginger easily.

Isn't that bright green beautiful?

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter G or H? Share in the comments below. Bloggers, I’d love for you to join our Eating the Alphabet Challenge. Follow us on Twitter too using the hashtag #EatTheAlphabetChallenge. Just click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter G & H, fruit and veggie style this month by visiting the blogs below! I know I’m planning to try a few.

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Letter G, recipe ideas

Easy Eggplant Parmesan {Eating the Alphabet Series}

April 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 8 Comments

Here we are at the third installment of the Eating the Alphabet series! It’s the blog hop where I and other bloggers share our creations using fruits, vegetables or grains/beans starting with a different letter of the alphabet. Each month we’ll be sharing recipes that highlight fruits and vegetables that start with different letters of the alphabet. This month it is E or F.

The first month I chose Brussels Sprouts and last month I chose Cauliflower. This month I went out on a limb again and chose Eggplant. Actually, my daughter suggested it when we were in the store one day but she later said she didn’t think I would REALL make it! Silly girl, doesn’t she know me better by now? I probably would have chosen figs but like to eat those when they are fresh in the summertime. So, since it’s still only April I deferred to eggplant.

Full of antioxidants and important phytonutrients and fiber, it is a great vegetable (although actually a fruit) to add to any diet. Sliced thick and sautéed, it is really filling with out being too heavy.
I’ve never actually cooked eggplant. I’ve had it in restaurants but frankly, it seemed intimidating. So I went with a safe recipe of Eggplant Parmesan. I found several recipes online and developed my own.
Here’s my recipe:

EGGPLANT PARMESAN
2 8 oz. eggplants
2 T coarse salt
2 eggs
2 T water
¾ cup flour
1 ½ T Italian seasoning blend
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 C plain Panko style breadcrumbs
1-2 T olive oil
2 ½ C prepared spaghetti sauce (or use 28 oz. canned petite diced tomatoes with about 1 T Italian spice blend and cook for about 30 minutes)
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice eggplant into about ½” slices.

Salt slices on both sides and put into colander to drain about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix flour and Italian seasoning together in shallow dish. In a separate dish, whisk eggs and water together.

In last dish, combine Panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

After about 30 minutes, take eggplant slices and pat dry using a towel (or paper towels).

Dredge slices first in flour mixture, then egg mixture and finally breadcrumb mixture.

Saute breaded eggplant in olive oil over medium heat until crispy and golden on both sides about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to greased 9×13 baking dish. Layer eggplant and top with half spaghetti sauce and half shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese.

Bake uncovered in oven for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and eggplant is cooked. Enjoy!

Just a few simple ingredients are all you need. I made the sauce from scratch with the canned tomatoes and Italian seasoning blend.

Sliced eggplant!

Let the salted eggplant drain in a colander in the sink for about 30 minutes.

Can you see the glistening of the water droplets after the eggplant has "sweated"?

Layer the salted eggplant on a towel (or you can use paper towels) to soak up the moisture.

Line up all the dipping mixtures into shallow dishes for easy and quick dipping!

Dredge eggplant in flour mixture.

Dip the floured eggplant quickly into the egg water mixture.

Dredge eggplant in breadcrumb mixture.

Saute' the breaded eggplant in olive oil until crispy.

Layer the sauteed eggplant and sauce and cheese in a baking dish.

We had mixed results. My husband and I really enjoyed it, the kids, not so much. I will say I don’t think I baked it quite long enough because the skin on some of the slices was a bit tough. But still ok! I must say I really enjoyed the leftovers though!

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter E or F? Share in the comments below.

And if you’re a blogger and want to join us in the coming months for the Eating the Alphabet series link up, click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter E or F fruit, veggie or grain-style this month with the links below. I know I’m planning to try a few!

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Letter E, recipe ideas

Roasted Balsamic & Parmesan Cauliflower #EatingA2ZChallenge

March 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 6 Comments

This is the second installment of the Eating the Alphabet series and I’m seriously thinking we should be doing this more often! Once a month is just not enough.

This month I chose another savory option and went with Cauliflower. Now, I will admit that my family is not normally too fond of cauliflower. As a matter of fact, my husband says “even if it was the last thing on earth I probably wouldn’t eat it.” I, on the other hand, love cooked cauliflower (raw, not as much). So much so that I actually remember craving it when I was pregnant! Coincidentally, it’s a good source of folate which is an important nutrient for pregnant women. It’s also a great source of Vitamin C.

I was up for the challenge despite my husband’s opinion since I found a recipe that had fantastic reviews even from those former “cauliflower-haters”.

And, since I’ve discovered the beauty of roasting, I went with another roasted vegetable preparation. Why hadn’t I figured this out before now?

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Serves 4 (about 1 cup each)

Ingredients
8 cups 1-inch-thick slices cauliflower florets, (about 1 large head; see Tip)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I substituted oregano)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss cauliflower, oil, marjoram, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until starting to soften and brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the cauliflower with vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Nutrition
Per serving: 149 calories; 10 g fat ( 3 g sat , 6 g mono ); 7 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 364 mg sodium; 490 mg potassium.

Chopped cauliflower ready for oil and roasting!

Once again, the reviews were split down the middle. My daughter and I loved it and my son was so-so. My husband, did not love it at all (but I’m not even really sure he actually tried it!)

Next month is the letter E or F and I’ve already put the call out to my family to choose their favorite fruit or vegetable starting with either of these letters. Maybe the positive reviews will be unanimous next time!

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter C or D? Share in the comments below.

And if you’re a blogger and want to join us in the coming months for the Eating the Alphabet series link up, click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter C& D, fruit, veggie or grain style this month! I know I’m planning to try a few.

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Letter C, recipe ideas

Roasted Brussels Sprouts {Eating the Alphabet Series}

February 15, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 16 Comments

Love the caramelization on these sprouts!

I’m excited that the 2012 version of Eating the Alphabet is finally here! The twist this time is that I’ve created a link-up for other bloggers to share their creations too as they cook up fruits and vegetables in their own kitchens. Each month we’ll be sharing recipes that highlight fruits and vegetables that start with different letters of the alphabet. This month it is A or B. I hope you enjoy this new series as much as I’m looking forward to it!

When I first started the Eating the Alphabet series a couple of years ago, I generally chose “safe” fruits and vegetables to prepare. You know, the things I knew my family would eat. Or be more open to try at least.

But this go ‘round I’ve decided I’m going to try and branch out with new and seemingly exotic selections. So for this month, I chose Brussels Sprouts for the Letter B. Filled with tons of Vitamin K and Vitamin C, plus lots of fiber I’ve heard they pack a real punch nutrition-wise in those tiny little globes.

And because of my addiction to Pinterest, I’ve discovered lots of new ways to prepare vegetables. I’ve also read that roasting seems to be the key for many home cooks to getting their family to love previously unloved vegetables.

The thing I discovered is that roasting is also super easy. I mean REALLY EASY. Wash your veggie, cut them up and peel if necessary (not so with Brussels sprouts though), toss with some olive oil, salt and sometimes seasoning salt and that’s usually about it. And, since we replaced our oven a couple of years ago with a convection oven, I needed to take advantage of the roasting feature it came with, right?

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Recipe from Cooking with Trader Joe’s blog
1 lb Brussels sprouts (sold in bags at TJ’s)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp 21 Seasoning Salute (or Lemon Pepper) *I didn’t use this—maybe this was the “zip” that was missing that would have made the reviews unanimous!

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts if necessary, taking off any yellowed outer leaves, and cut sprouts in half.
3) Place the sprouts on a baking sheet (a heavy gauge restaurant-style half sheet pan works great) and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning, tossing again. Spread sprouts evenly on baking sheet.
4) Put in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing a few times as they cook. They should be soft and very well browned when done, with some of the outer leaves crisping. Larger or whole sprouts will require an extra 10 minutes to cook.
Optional: Sprinkle roasted sprouts with a little Parmesan or balsamic vinegar.

Brussels Sprouts can be purchased on the stem or like this, in a clamshell container. They're like cute little cabbages!

Look at that bright green color as they roast in the oven. Mouthwatering!

The reviews were split down the middle in our household. My daughter and I did enjoy them (me so much so that I was genuinely looking forward to the leftovers the next day—even if they were a little mushier). My husband and son, gave them a lukewarm review. Ah, well, you win some you lose some.

I’ve not given up all hope though—I recently found a couple of new recipes to try that include Brussels sprouts. I heard bacon is the key but we’ll see. The good news is that my kids, even though they are getting a little older, still love to come up with ideas for the letter of the month. When we are out and about at the grocery store or even during mealtimes, one of them will occasionally say “Hey Mom! This starts with the Letter of the Month—cool!”

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter A or B? Share in the comments below.

And if you’re a blogger and want to join us in the coming months for the Eating the Alphabet series link up, click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter A & B, fruit and veggie style this month with the links below. I know I’m planning to try a few!

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Letter B, recipe ideas

Eating the Alphabet-A New Year for YOU to be a part of it!

January 11, 2012 By Meal Plan Mom (Brenda) 12 Comments

A couple of years ago I started the Eating the Alphabet series. Inspired by the picture book of the same name by Lois Elhert, our family has had a great time coming up with ideas to eat more fruits and vegetables and my kids really enjoy it. I’ve been hit or miss, though, on following through so this year I’m creating an opportunity for YOU to share in the fun and we can exchange even MORE ideas to help our families add more fruits and vegetables to their meals! I’m hoping that if we join together we can be inspired and discover yummy new ways to enjoy our produce.

Every month I will post a recipe for the letter that we’re on. Because it can be a little intense to try and keep up with a new recipe EVERY week (or even every other week), I’ve paired up most letters and for some of the more difficult letters, grouped even more. If you’re a blogger, you can prepare and post about your own recipe. If you’re a reader, then add your own ideas in the comments each month.

I hope you’ll join me! Read on for more details and be on the lookout for our unveiling in February!

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Join the Eating the Alphabet Challenge!

This linky party is open to everyone! If you’re a blogger, then prepare and post about your own fruit or vegetable recipe. If you’re not a blogger, then make a note to check back each month for new recipes and ideas for eating more fruits and vegetables!

It’s easy to join! Just complete the form below. After it’s received you will be added and receive an email with more details on what to do. Please allow a couple of days to receive the email as I will do them in batches rather than each individual entry. There are a few simple rules to follow so that we can all benefit from what this linkup is intended to be all about!

Who:

Bloggers who want to try out and share via a post on their own blog a fruit or vegetable recipe (or grains and beans/legumes) that corresponds to different letters of the alphabet.

What:

Choose a recipe from any source. It could be from another blog (credit, please, if so!), one you found in a favorite magazine, cookbook or online, or even a recipe you’ve prepared for years. Just be sure to include the recipe in your post!

When:

This Eating the Alphabet challenge is once a month and everyone will post on the 15^th of the month. I’m a little flexible on this but I will be posting mine on the 15^th of each month so if you want to be linked up at the same time and receive maximum exposure, plan to do it on that day!

Why:

The main reason is so that we can develop a resource that makes eating fruits and vegetables fun and interesting for our families. Another benefit is to increase traffic to your blog and because it’s fun!

Commitment Level:

Once you’ve entered your info. into the form below I will have it forever. I will be touching base with you via email each month to see who’s in and who’s not so you can participate some months and other months maybe not. Think of it as a personal challenge as well as a blogging challenge to try new recipes!

The Fine Print—Keeping With the Theme & Keeping it Timely:

I will be checking each of the linkup entries to see if it fits with that month’s criteria. PLEASE do not link up any old random blog post. It must be from THAT month’s challenge theme. If you try to link up anything that does not meet the criteria, it will not be approved. I just want to make sure all of our readers are getting what they hoped for. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has clicked on a link thinking I’m getting more ideas to a specific theme and realize that it’s not at all related. No one likes to waste their time. Ok, that’s all.

Filed Under: Eating The Alphabet, Join Us!