7-Layer Burrito

As a former fast food junkie, there are certainly times I miss some of those foods.  One of them in particular is the 7-layer burrito from Taco Bell.  It's got everything you would want all wrapped up in a tortilla.  But...it's also filled with GMO's and conventional produce.  By making it at home, you can use all organic ingredients as well as fresh, homemade salsa and guacamole.  Not to mention it tastes a MILLION times better!  I didn't list quantities of the ingredients below as you can customize it to your tastes.  So the next time you are craving a drive thru burrito, make this version instead.  You won't be disappointed!

Ingredients

flour tortillas

refried beans (make your own!)

rice (any kind, though we use brown)

finely grated cheddar cheese

romaine, thinly sliced

pico de gallo

guacamole

sour cream

Directions

1. Warm the tortillas and load them up to your liking.  Enjoy!

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday everyone!  We had a wonderful and busy weekend!  My daughter had her first dance recital on Saturday and we spent Father's Day at Disneyland.  Many fun memories made in the past 2 days.  :)  We had a great trip to the farm as summer is in full swing!  We loaded up on romaine, chard, kale, beets, plums, peaches, bell peppers (I picked them from the vine myself!), carrots, corn (tons!), sweet Maui onion, green beans, strawberries, and blueberries.  What a great selection, huh?  With this great variety, we will be enjoying the following this week:

• BBQ Tofu Sandwiches with Basil Butter Corn on the Cob
• using the sweet Maui onion, romaine, bell pepper, and corn

• Pot Pie Pizza and Classic Caprese Salad
• using the green beans, corn, carrots, tomatoes, and backyard basil

• 7-Layer Burrito Supreme
• using the sweet Maui onion, romaine, and tomatoes

• I will be making a modified Rainbow Smoothie (without spinach) for lunches
• using the kale, chard, beets, and carrots

• We will be enjoying the plums, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries for snack and dessert

Mexican Skillet Cabbage

I love finding new vegetable based side dishes for Mexican food.  In the past, I have always gone for Spanish rice, which is delicious but not very healthy.  This Mexican Skillet Cabbage gives you the same flavors as Spanish rice, but with no carbs!  It is another super easy dish that has about 5 minutes of hands on time (including slicing and mincing!) and the rest of the time is spent in the skillet with very little attention needed.  It was a tad spicy for my 4 year old because of the diced green chiles, but it was absolutely fine for my hubby and me.  We loved it!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 15oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles

salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage and tomatoes and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the cabbage is soft.

Adapted from Food.com

Strawberry Salad with Feta and Raspberry Balsamic Dressing

I enjoy fresh strawberries almost every single day they are available locally grown.  It's one of my favorite times of year.  :)  I usually just enjoy them plain for dessert, but every now and then I like to mix it up.  This salad has such an amazing combination of flavors and textures with the strawberries, feta, toasted almond slivers, and raspberry balsamic dressing.  This is a delicious salad to compliment any meal!  I highly recommend getting a brick of feta in brine and crumbling it yourself instead of using pre-crumbled feta.  I was amazed at how much better it tasted!  

Ingredients (makes enough for 2 large salads or 4 small side salads)

1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C canola oil
1 large head of lettuce, torn or chopped
1 C fresh strawberries, sliced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Toast the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden.  Set aside.
2. Make the dressing by whisking together the honey, Dijon mustard, raspberry and balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, olive oil, and canola oil in a medium bowl.
3. Serve the salad by placing the lettuce in a large bowl.  Top with the strawberries, toasted almonds, and feta.  Pour dressing to your liking.  Toss and enjoy!

Adapted from MSChef

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday everyone!  I'm back after a much needed week off.  It was nice to slow down and recharge before the summer season.  Speaking of summer, the produce is slowly changing!  I just missed the first selection of corn and tomatoes, but they will be there next week and I can't wait!  I did pick up my first basil of the season (YAY!) along with romaine, cilantro, kale, garlic, celery, baby sweet Maui onions, cherries, blueberries, strawberries and plums.  There was also a head of cabbage and some summer squash that I totally forgot to put in the picture because I left the bag in the car, whoops!  With this wonderful selection, we will be enjoying the following this week:

• Crispy Pesto Gnocchi and a Strawberry Salad with Feta and Raspberry Vinaigrette
• using the garlic, basil, romaine, and some of the strawberries

• Hearty Vegetable Spaghetti with a Summer Squash Saute
• using the celery, summer squash, and garlic

• Make Your Own Quesadilla with Restaurant Style Salsa and Mexican Skillet Cabbage
• using the baby sweet Maui onions, some left over sweet Maui onions from last week, cilantro, garlic, and cabbage

• I will be having the Massaged Kale Salad for lunches 
• using the kale

• We will be enjoying the plums, strawberries, and blueberries for dessert

• We will be freezing the cherries for a wonderful summer snack.  There is nothing better than frozen cherries on a hot day!

Portobello Cheese "Steak" Sandwich

Oh man!  This Portobello Cheese "Steak" Sandwich is SO GOOD!  Just writing this post and looking at the pictures is making me crave it again.  I can't wait for the next time we enjoy this for dinner.  This is a wonderful alternative to a meat-based sandwich.  Even my non-vegetarian husband loved it.  The biggest amount of time is spent slicing the veggies, but the actual cooking and assembly is quite easy.  I love the colors, the cheesy deliciousness, the garlic mayo, and the addition of Sriracha puts this over the top for those of you who like spice.  My 4 year old actually downed the entire sandwich and the 20 month old gobbled down the filling.  This is a new house staple for sure!

Ingredients

1/2 C mayonaise

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 large portobello mushrooms, gills removed and cut on an angle

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 large onion, cut into strips

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp soy sauce

4 hoagie rolls

4 provolone slices

Sriracha (optional, but recommended!)

 Directions

1. Combine the mayo and garlic in a small bowl.  Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions.  Allow to cook until the mushrooms release their moisture, about 10-15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper and stir.  Mix in flour.  Then add soy sauce and stir to combine.  
3. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
4. Prepare the sandwiches but first putting a layer of the garlic mayo inside the roll.  The fill it up with the mushrooms and veggies.  Top with provolone.  Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted and the buns just begin to brown on the edges.  Enjoy hot and topped with Sriracha if desired. 

This is an original recipe

Weekly Menu

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you are able to enjoy some extra time with your family as we remember  those who sacrificed everything to serve our country.  The holiday weekend has been beautiful and I have spent it enjoying the outside with my family.  Sunday was wonderful because we didn't have a single place we had to be all day.  Those of you with kids can understand how exciting that was.  No birthday parties, no activities, nothing!  We got to completely relax and just let the day unfold.  We won't have another day like that for about 2 months, so we certainly enjoyed it!  We also brought home a wonderful selection of produce from the farm including kale, white and purple cauliflower, zucchini, summer squash, beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green beans, strawberries, and blueberries (brought in from an organic farm less than 30 minutes away).  With this colorful assortment, we will be enjoying the following:

• Portobello Cheese "Steak" Sandwich with Baked Zucchini Rounds and Lemon Garlic Aioli
• using the zucchini, summer squash, and some left over sweet Maui onions and garlic from last week

• Hawaiian Plate Lunch of Chicken Katsu, Hawaiian-Style Mac Salad, and rice
• using the carrots and celery

• My Famous Macaroni and Cheese (slightly altered by using only cauliflower)  with Easy Italian Green Beans
• using the white and purple cauliflower and green beans

• I will be making deli-style cheese sandwiches for some lunches
• using the cucumbers

• We will be having the Rainbow Smoothie for other lunches
• using the kale, beets, and carrots

• We will be enjoying the strawberries and blueberries for dessert