Zucchini Spaghetti

I have a spiralizer!!! I'm so excited to create new stuff with it! I've been wanting to get one for months but kept putting it off for money's sake (even though it's not expensive). But my mom and I both decided to order one so we'd get free shipping on Amazon.

I should explain the slicer. I forget that not everyone spends ridiculous amounts of time checking Pinterest and reading food blogs, so this might be new to some. The spiralizer is a tool that takes different veggies (and fruits) and cuts them into noodles. You can spiralize zucchini, carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, apples and more. There are three blades with this one but there is a version that includes a 4th blade. 

Hope that helps!

The timing of its delivery was great because I was able to pick it up right when I came back from the Des Moines Farmer's Market with zucchini. I had made my spaghetti sauce the day before so I was set to start spiralizing right away. I think it's great that "spiralizing" is a word. Was it a word before there was a veggie spiral slicer? What else would the word apply to? It's like how "Googled" is a word too. Anyway...

I began reading through Psalm 119 this week. It is quite long but is broken up by sections titled by a Hebrew letter I believe. The whole chapter is about God's law and seeking its instruction. The first verses express how happy we can be when we seek to obey God's commands. We don't have reason for regret when we choose to love God by submitting to His will. The writer treasures the scriptures; spends time in them so he knows them well and can keep from sin.

Spaghetti has been one of my favorite dishes for a long time! I think I learned to cook it back in high school or middle school. Its so easy when using a pre-made sauce. 

As I've tried to eat healthier, I avoid and almost stopped eating pasta altogether. But for some reason, I've always wanted to make my own spaghetti sauce so I bought regular pasta to try out an old favorite. I'm pretty happy with it and with how easy it was to make!

So because I made lots of sauce and everyone knows how to boil pasta, I wanted to show you the zucchini version! And because I'm still excited about the spiralizer!

Zucchini with homemade Spaghetti Sauce

-Makes lots of sauce, around 2 quarts-

3 minced garlic cloves

2 Tbs olive oil

1 lb ground beef (I used Fareway's own)

1 24oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

8 oz water

1+ Tbs dried oregano

3 fresh basil leaves chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

a couple dashes of salt and pepper

1. Put olive oil and minced garlic in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Let the garlic sweat and become transparent. 

2. Add the ground beef and let it brown.

3. Pour in the cans of tomatoes and water.

4. Add the spices and herbs and bring to a boil. 

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

For the zucchini:

Spiralize 2 medium or large zucchini with the smallest size blade. This will easily serve 3 people. I used half a zucchini for myself.

Sprinkle the noodles with salt and let sit in a strainer for 30 minutes so the excess water can drain. Rinse the noodles to remove the extra salt. The noodles can be eaten raw for a bit of crunch or you can saute them for a couple of minutes to soften them. 

Serve the noodles with the spaghetti meat sauce and enjoy guilt free!

Kale Chips

It's healthy post time! Aren't you excited!? I really do love kale chips though. I actually found myself trying to munch on Lay's but just wasn't enjoying them. Maybe it was the fried/oily taste that just didn't attract me, I don't know but I'm okay with it.

The foodie bullies out there like to poke fun at healthy things like kale chips and quinoa. But, we foodies can take confidence in our heart healthy choices, knowing we feel better for it. (And it means we don't have much guilt when we cheat;)

There are a few popular types of kale and this one is my favorite! It's called dinosaur kale! Well, its real name is Lacianto kale but it is also known as dinosaur kale which is awesome. It's a sweeter version that works wonderfully for chips. Other kinds are curly and red russian. Curly is the easiest to find but I think is the most bitter. Red russian I've only found at the Farmer's Market and I like best for salad because of its taste and softer texture. You can probably find all kinds at Whole Foods but it's not my usual grocery store. 

The end of James 5 is focused on prayer. "The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect." Elijah was just like us and he was able to ask God to stop the rain and He did. I don't see that kind of request being applicable for me but I really do need to be more fervent in prayer and faith. I was really excited to read this passage because I saw God answer a really simple request yesterday. It challenged me to not be wimpy in my prayer. Prayer does need to be guided by chapter five and James 4:3 "You ask and don't receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires." So, no asking for random, large sums of money for myself...

So, those four leaves of kale that take up an entire baking sheet...yeah I ate all of them. In one sitting. They're a little addicting. Enjoy!

Kale Chips

Lacianto (dinosaur) kale with main rib removed

olive oil

salt

Preheat oven to 325° F. Cut center ribs away from kale leaves. Place parchment paper on baking sheet. Lay out kale leaves and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and put in the oven. Make chips for 10-11 minutes but keep an eye on them so make sure they aren't turning brown. When they are done, then you can easily cut them or break them into smaller chips. 

Quail Eggs Benedict

Yes, quail eggs! I know, it's bizarre to see someone using quail eggs. Aren't they only in kitchens of Food network stars?!

 I was so surprised/excited to see that someone in my home church raises quail and had taken the time to make deviled quail eggs! These guys are tiny. They should just be called bite-size deviled eggs. I'm pretty sure it would take 3 of them to equal one chicken egg. 

(poor photo quality blamed on basic smartphone)

So cute! 

My mom asked Angie, the quail raiser, if she had any eggs to sell. We got lucky and Angie had 8 for us! Now, you should know that Angie raises so much more than quail. They call their farm a zoo which kinda makes sense when you realize all they do out there. They raise and sell fancy chickens (silkies), quail, groom dogs, have many cats and more importantly, have 11 blonde hair/blue eyed children! I don't know how she and her husband do it but they do it well. 

Little perspective on their tiny-ness!

James 4:14-15 "You don't even know what tomorrow will bring - what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that".

I'm a mental planner. I keep my plans for the day in my mental calendar. I try to stay on time and organized with what I do. Now, this is not reflected in my cleanliness. My bedroom and office are organized messes. I know where most things are and I'm okay with that. 

I think it's good to be organized and have plans for how to spend time but that also causes me to be controlling of my time. I also somehow expect the rest of the world to function on my timetable. I get frustrated with slow traffic or delayed events. Yet I'm often 2 minutes late for church...

Anyway, James encourages us to live day by day. I don't need to cling to my weekly or even daily plans. I need to stay flexible to what God brings into my day and not mutter under my breath when He changes my "plans". 

Back to these guys! I was so excited about them, I told mom I'd make breakfast for us with them. There's no way I was going to scramble these cuties. Sunny-side up is the only way to go.

Quail eggs don't taste different to me but their shell is a bit tougher than chicken eggs. The membrane is strong too. 

Eggs benedict made sense because you'd have to eat so many of these to really fill up on eggs alone. I used bacon rather than ham because it's what mom had in the fridge. Ham would taste great too!

Quail Eggs Benedict

makes 2 sandwiches

4 quail eggs (or 2 chicken eggs)

2 strips of bacon

2 English muffins

For the hollandaise:

3 egg yolks (chicken eggs)

1/4 cup melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp dried parsley

Cook the bacon and toast the muffin so they are ready for assembly as soon as the eggs are cooked. 

To make the hollandaise, separate the egg yolks in a bowl or pan to be used as a double boiler. Put about an inch of water in another pan and let it boil. Hold the bowl with the yolks over the steam from the water and stir constantly. This allows the yolks to slowly cook without becoming scrambled. 

After about 2 minutes, pour in the melted butter. The butter should not be hot when you pour it in, we don't want it over cooking the eggs. Continue to stir and let thicken. After another 2 minutes or so remove from heat and stir in the seasonings. Most recipes mix lemon juice in with the yolks but we didn't have any and it tastes fine still. 

Have another pan on the stove on a med-low heat. Lightly spray the pan or use a good non-stick pan for cooking the eggs. Crack the eggs into the pan with care to avoid breaking the yolk. Let cook for 2-3 minutes and then the eggs should be ready to assemble on your sandwich!

Pour on the hollandaise and top muffin and enjoy!

Dark Chocolate/Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

A lot of my friends and colleagues see me as a healthy eater and I am for the most part. But I have lots of weak moments too. Making these was a chance to cheat and not feel too guilty. Yes, there is sugar in these guys but they're small, so as long as I only have one a day, I don't feel too bad. 

What inspired them was my favorite scone from the Des Moines Farmer's Market that I periodically grab on Saturday mornings (my favorite weekend event in Des Moines). La Mie is a wonderful French bakery in Des Moines that brings a selection of their amazing baked goods to the Farmer's Market. They have a huge cinnamon chocolate chip scone that I have a weakness for. It's really too big but I seem to have no problem finishing it with my coffee.

The majority of the recipe is from this gal's blog over at Crumb, but I modified it slightly.  

James 3 begins with a challenge that is pretty personal to me. "Not many should become teachers...knowing that we will receive a stricter judgement." Then the chapter continues with warnings about the power of the tongue. James was probably addressing spiritual teachers but I kind of fit that role, being at a Christian school. I am held accountable for my speech, as we all are. I interact with a large age group each day and I set an example in everything I do. "Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way." Pretty sure I'll be working on this forever.

No, that one mug of coffee would not be enough for all the biscotti. Perfect for 2 though!

I didn't bake these on their sides very long so mine were not as crisp as most biscotti. I don't have dental coverage so I wanted to play it safe;)

Dark Chocolate/Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

Makes 16-18

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup cinnamon chips

2 tbsp strong brewed coffee

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp milk)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture is fine and crumbly.
3. Stir in chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, eggs, and coffee until the dough is just barely moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 times.
4. Flour hands and divide the dough in half. Place each half on a cookie sheet and shape into a foot-long roll, then gently flattening each one into a 2"-3" wide slab. Brush the top and sides of each slab with egg wash.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top of the slabs feels firm and dry. Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat. Set the slabs on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
6. Once the slabs are cool enough to handle, cut crosswise into into 1" thick slices. Place slices upright, ¼ inch apart, on cookie sheets.
7. Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut sides down, and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and continue baking for another 10 minutes (the cookies should be just a bit soft in the center – don’t worry, they’ll harden up once they cool). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then store in airtight containers.

-Just a note. I only did step 7 for 5 minutes on each side so they wouldn't be crazy hard. Do what you like!

Breakfast Sausage Stuffed Pepper

So, I know it says breakfast but I'm guilty of having breakfast whenever I feel like it. Pretty sure I ate these around 1:30 today. It's summer, I have no structure. 

Stuffed peppers. Really fun and versatile. Toss some ingredients together and fill the pepper with them, throw it in the oven then enjoy! That's where I struggle. I've seen many many recipes for them on Pinterest. I tried one and it was tasty but hard to eat. As soon as I cut into it, everything falls out. Am I alone on this? 

I then saw a brilliant solution. Bake a stuffed half-pepper. It's a bowl rather than a mug. Makes a much better vehicle for the insides.

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." 

Js. 2:26

Do I act in faith or just based on what I trust to work? I am a very practical person so I don't do many risky or daring things. I'm guilty of this in my faith at times. I don't take the risk in discussing Jesus with others often. I don't sign up for mission trips unless I see where the money is coming from. I'll be praying for faith like Abraham to do what's tough for me and easy for God.

These are pretty great. I love the runny yolk, fresh pepper, and savory pork! I'm in the wonderful state of Iowa (zero sarcasm, I love this place) and sadly, we've had issue with the bird flu on a lot of chicken farms. I didn't think much of it at first but then went grocery shopping. A dozen eggs is usually like 1.99. Today they were 2.89! 

Get well chickens!

Breakfast Sausage Stuffed Pepper

serving one hungry gal, could easily serve two people with a normal appetite

1 bell pepper

1/4 lbs ground breakfast sausage

shredded Mexican cheese

1/4 cup refried beans or black beans

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice bell pepper in half and remove seeds and membrane. Brown sausage in a skillet. Place a layer of beans in the pepper halves, then the sausage, and cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or so. The time really depends on how soft you want the pepper to become. Then turn broiler on high and crack eggs on top of each pepper half. Bake under broiler for another 4-5 minutes. Adjust time according to how runny you like your eggs.  

Berry Sparkling Ice and Berry Lemonade

Summer is here! At least for me it is because school's out! I've been contemplating ideas for my summer blog all year long. I've written down potential ideas and browsed Pinterest almost everyday. This idea came because because of kind people from my school who kept giving us flavored sodas or sparkling waters in the teacher's lounge. I'm not sure why that was the beverage of choice but I grabbed one almost every time. 

I actually don't like San Pellegrino and other flavored sparkling waters very much. As much as I try to be healthy, I just don't like them without sugar or more flavor. So as I drank the ones offered at school, I was brainstorming how I could modify it in a semi-healthy way. I'll share my creations with you in a moment.

Last summer, I designated a paragraph to my Bible reading and learning. I'll do a similar thing this summer but I think I'll be more concise. As I read other blogs, I tend to prefer the ones that are to the point and don't have long sections of reading. So, I believe it only makes sense for me to do the same. I've begun reading in James lately. I was challenged today to double check how I'm treating and thinking about others in all situation. "My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ...Love your neighbor as yourself." Js. 2:1, 8

What do I think is lacking in sparkling waters? Flavor! and a hit of sweetness:) 

I love the bubbles; I think that's why I'm drawn to them.

Frozen berries are great to have on hand, I put them in yogurt and smoothies and now pureed into lemonade and sparkling water. My Ninja works pretty well for this but does leave a lot of seeds. I poured the mix through a metal strainer to get a nice smooth texture.

I love my porch! I have a great view and beautiful morning light! It's a perfect spot for sipping anything!

Berry Puree

makes about 2 cups of puree

2 cups of frozen mixed berries

1/2 cup water

Puree in blender until all berries have become liquid-like. Pour mix through strainer to filter out seeds. Store in a jar or small pitcher and refrigerate. 

Berry Sparkling Ice

Measured per glass

Sparkling Ice Kiwi Strawberry beverage (or any sparkling water)

3-4 Tbs of berry puree

ice as desired

Berry Lemonade

Yes, I'm a bit ashamed this lemonade is from a mix...

2 quarts Lemonade (from Lemonade base mix)

1 cup of berry puree

ice as desired