Easy Fried Rice - Kid's Favorite

Easy Fried Rice - Kid's Favorite

This is one of my fall back recipes, it is not incredibly authentic, but it has been incredibly successful in my house- particularly when my children were younger- it was one of my favorite recipes accepted by the kids that I felt good about because it got them to eat their vegies! It was easy to make and always a success. I even loved it for the ability to use up leftovers- like the meat or vegies- making my meals spread further and happily stretching my budget! A frugal favorite!

Easy Fried Rice (Takes about 30 minutes to prepare if using old fashioned rice )

To cook, I start with the rice-

2 cups rice
1 tbsp olive oil

a dash salt
4 cups water
To cook, I prepared old fashioned rice, (you can also use instant rice if you prefer, or as time saver. Prepare 2 cups as instructed on the box.). For old fashioned rice:
In large sauce pan, with excellent fitting lid:
I added olive oil and 2 cups old fashioned long grain rice. Over med high heat, I fried the rice grains until they turn puffier white and start to brown. Takes about 5 minutes, stir frequently- but, doing this trick helps to insure the grains won't stick together in finished product. Once rice begins to brown, add 4 cups hot water and bring to boil. When boil starts, reduce heat to low simmer and cover tight. Set timer for 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, I steam the vegies or prepare the frozen vegetables, as directed, in a sauce pan. ( Or heat up your left over vegies at this time.) You'll need about 2 cups vegies - For the pictured fried rice, I used a frozen vegetable mix; however, I have a lot of success with just frozen peas, or just broccoli.

Last step is the meat:

1 lb. cooked shredded meat- (perfect for left overs! Use anything you have - pork chops, chicken breast, steak, ground beef, etc.)
olive oil
1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 c green onion diced tiny,  salt and pepper. 
1 tbsp. soy sauce
 2 eggs (scrambled in a bowl and set aside for last step)

Shred  or dice the meat into small chunks. In fry pan, add olive oil and garlic and cook until the garlic is tender - just a minute or two (this infuses the flavor of the garlic into the oil.) Add the diced meat. Lightly fry until the meat is heated through. Add the green onions and seasonings. Stir thoroughly and cook only until the green onions are to your liking- they get soft very fast.  Turn off heat.

Your sauce pan of vegies should be done at this point- Drain your vegies. set aside.
By now the rice should be done. Yay! Stir to fluff, and check to make sure it's completely cooked.

In the meat fry pan, bring back to heat until all is sizzling, add in rice, and soy sauce. Stir together until all is combined well. Add vegies and stir again. Once combined well, move all ingredients to the side -so as to give yourself a pocket space to work in of fresh fry pan- pour in the scrambled egg and fry until completely done. Takes only a quick minute- do not worry about the remaining rice- at this point- it's just gaining the extra  fried flavor as you focus on the egg. I scramble it with the edge of my spatula. Once the egg is done stir into the rice mixture.  (Note: I do not add personally add extra salt to this as the soy sauce is already mainly salt. Taste test to decide for yourself.)
Yay! You are done! Use as a main dish or a side dish, depending on how adventurous you are. I served a salad first, and at times I will serve with a spring roll.

Real Food snacks: Fruit Leathers

Real Food Snacks: Fruit Leathers

When talking with my husband and boys about the real food challenge, and writing about it; they jumped in with a request I post my fruit leathers. According to them, this is the biggest of all the changes. These have been a fantastic snack alternative to candy bars, etc.  Along with simple dried fruit for snacks(banana chips apple chips, dried pineapple), I always keep something of this on the counter readily available for anytime they need it. 

Apple Fruit Leather

1 jelly jar of apple butter (Homemade and canned, gala apples simmered with honey and cinnamon for 10 hours in crock pot until fully reduced, and canned in jelly jars) or 8oz applesauce!

1 7 oz jar homemade plain yogurt

1/4 cup honey

mix well and dehydrated in dehydrator on 135 degrees for 6-8 hours until leathered

pulled off and cut warm, wrapped in wax paper rolls. sent easily in lunches for snack.

Pina-Coco Leather

1/2 pineapple cored, skinned, and cut into chunks

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup organic honey

Combined all in food processor  and pulse until smooth,  (this one will always appear slightly chunky- get it as smooth as possible). Spread flat on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for 6-8 hours at 135 degrees. this one comes out a bit stickier, thicker- remove from sheets and wrap in strips on wax paper while warm. Delicious pina colada flavor.

Pina-coco leathers are not as pretty but just explode in taste:

If you do not have a dehydrator:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Pour out the mixture into the lined baking sheet to about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Place the baking sheet in the oven. Heat the oven to lowest setting below 140f. Perfect range: 135-140°F. If you have a convection setting, use it, it will speed up the process and help dry out the fruit in half the time.  Let dry in the oven like this for as long as it takes for the fruit mixture to dry out and form fruit leather. We usually keep it in the oven overnight, so about 8-12 hours for the thicker leathers, check at 6 hours for thin leathers like apple. The fruit leather is ready when it is no longer sticky, but has a smooth surface.

My experience with the last 7-Day Real Food Challenge

What!??? You want fresh vegetables always now??

With a new challenge coming up in barely over a week, I wanted to share my personal experience with the last one.

You see, due to health problems in 2012, I had started looking for natural ways to help our family. I just knew there had to be answers out there! And I started searching! I ran across an blog post on Holistic Mama. 
 The blog was about a challenge I'd never heard of before- a 7 Day "Real Food" challenge-  to eat wholesome, real food for 7 days.
hmmm? Isn't all food REAL!?

The challenge even included a free basic guide to what Roxanne King, an accredited health and nutrition professional, considered  to be Real Food. Can't go wrong with free, nor professional advice!
And it wasn't a diet! Not a fad! Not expensive! Just a change!

I read it, it seemed pretty easy! I understood what was meant by real food in a matter of minutes.
I loved cooking, and this concept presented me with possibilities I considered feasible! It made sense!
As an added bonus at the time, I could join for free, and be included in an enormous list of giveaways!
Sold! 

Now, truthfully, I didn't take the giveaways seriously at the time. But the challenge- I considered!
I asked questions, and was surprised to find answers immediately provided.  
The support system alone sold me. 

So I planned, I bought food for it accordingly- nothing too far off my normal grocery list to really make a difference... and I tried it! The deal, at our house, is that I am the only female in an all male testosterone filled house (Dad and 2 Teenage boys! and me.) My boys do not take well to announced changes- so, at first, I planned to this for myself- like a test run. The problem was- I couldn't afford 2 dinners a night, so each night's meal I made actually followed the plan. After the first night of the challenge- and the positive reaction I got from everyone on how good dinner was...I decided to cook for everyone the rest of the week following the challenge, and just not "announce" it. (My boys -all 3 of them- do not like changes, let alone announced declarations of favorite foods being changed! LOL...) So I kept it to myself and we finished 7 days in full, without whimper or sigh- (one exception of a whine over no available hot pockets, but it was minor).

After the challenge, what occurred amazed me!!! Floored me actually!
I heard requests!
 Yes! Mom, can you make some more of that homemade bread?
Mom, when can we have that steak strip beef stroganoff again- that was good! 
Mom! Those bacon wrapped green beans were awesome, etc, etc.
One night, a while later I didn't have time to run to the store so I threw together a meal with what I had- which included canned green beans... and the reaction was instantaneous! Eww! These aren't fresh! I was floored! What?! You WANT fresh vegies only? From all 3 males in my house came a resounding YES!!!!!!!!!
So I finally took the time to explain the challenge to them, in detail. And now they are all for it! I even have help in the kitchen with cooking! If it means they can get to that real food faster -They are willing to move!

That actually was the best part! Success all around for the entire family- and we are all learning as we go! Wonderful for all!
The bonus I got??? I was notified by Roxanne King at the Holistic Mama, that I'd actually won one of the giveaways!  It was awesome!!!!!!!! A week later, I received Yogurt starter from Cultures for Health! I have never bought store bought yogurt again! We love it!

I'd won!

... not just a giveaway...
                                             I'd won a challenge---
                                                                                                for my whole family! 

                                                And we all are still winning!

Now the challenge is back! Bigger and better than ever! April 21-27!
One week! a huge 7-Day Real Food Challenge!
You can win too!!! It's all there!
There are 2 ways to join!
The bonuses for joining fully are valued above $237.00!!!!!with that value of the free bonuses ($237+) you are almost getting paid to purchase this product!!!!
The giveaways are valued at $600.00!!!!!!!

Give it a try! 
 Every small step in trying is a WIN!!!!!!

Sweet Potatoes!!!

Sweet Potatoes!!!    A surprisingly Awesome adventure!

Sweet Potato Wedges

1-2 pounds Sweet Potatoes (about 4-5 med. Potatoes)

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 450 f.  Grease baking sheet. Cut potatoes into ½” wedges. Toss into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss gently until all are covered. Place potatoes on pan in single layer. Bake uncovered, turning at least once half way, until potatoes are tender – (easily pierced with fork) about 25-30 minutes. 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1-2 pounds Sweet Potatoes (about 4-5 med. Potatoes)

½ c Plain or vanilla yogurt (I use plain homemade)

1 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp real butter

 Pinch of salt

2 tbsp. chopped pecans or walnuts to sprinkle on top before serving.

Wash and Place sweet potatoes into med- large pan and cover with water. Bring to boil on high heat, then cover with lid, reduce heat to med low, and cook until tender- about 30-35 minutes.

Drain, slip off skins (skins come off very easily at this point. Replace back into pan and mash until smooth and the consistency you like. Stir in remaining ingredients except pecans. Heat over med heat- stirring frequently -until all is heated thoroughly. Serve with sprinkled chopped nuts.

Sweet Potato and Squash Hash Cakes

1 tsp. olive oil or coconut oil

2 cups unpeeled sweet potato, shredded (abt. 1 large)

2 cups summer squash unpeeled, shredded (abt. 2 med)

¼ c shredded onion

2 eggs

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 tbsp. whole wheat flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

In bowl, mix all ingredients, except oil .  In nonstick fry pan, heat oil on med heat. Place about 1/3 c pile of the mixture into stacks on the fry pan. Flatten slightly with spatula and cook about 5 minutes on each side until  golden brown. (resembles small, round hash brown) .

 

Never fear the Squash!

Spaghetti Squash! Yum!

I was not raised with Spaghetti squash! It was just not a staple in my house as a kid. Had to grow up before I found this fantastic vegetable! But now that I have discovered it,  it is a little slice of heaven to eat!

Don’t be afraid to try it! It is simply one of the easiest and most tasty squashes to fix!   Great for variety, and awesome side dish!
You can bake it or boil it. Either one, you do whole! So super super easy!

To bake spaghetti squash, wash it, Place on to baking sheet, and bake in oven at 350 F for about an hour. To tell if it is done, you want a knife to pierce the side easily! 

To boil spaghetti squash, wash it, and place in large pan of water, bring to boil, cover, and cook for about a half an hour. Again-  when done, you want it to be able to pierce the side completely with a knife.

 When you are done cooking it: cut in half length wise. With a spoon (I do this over trash can) scrape out the seeds and center mush. Just takes a few swipes.
Take a fork and scrape out the strands. Top with either pesto sauce, or a melted butter & garlic blend.  Ahhh so good! So easy!

Butter Garlic Blend:   1/2cup real butter, 1 clove garlic chopped finely, a pinch of Parsley or basil to taste.    In small sauce pan heat butter on low and add garlic, simmer gently for about 2 minutes to infuse flavor and soften garlic. Add basil if desired. Pour over vegetable- top with sprinkle of parmesan and parsley. 

Simple Pesto Sauce:  in food processor combine 1 1/2cup fresh basil leaves, and 1 clove garlic fine chopped.  Chop until basil leaves become fine. Add ¼ cup olive oil, 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp. flax seeds. Chop until comes together as a thick paste.