It's almost [GREEN] GUMBO weather! YES I said G-R-E-E-N not R-O-U-X!

So years ago I had a cajun friend of mine make me and my sister a green gumbo and ever since we have not been the same! She made this incredibly healthy version of a gumbo and it has since changed my life because in south Louisiana it is sinful to not be making gumbos and/or eating them when the weather gets cold and holidays draw near. It just doesn't feel right or NORMAL at the least! 

So....when my friend introduced this new version of a gumbo, it was heaven sake because I could finally make something that had A LOT less guilt, loads of gumbo-like flavor, and was perfect for cold weather nights and Thanksgiving + Christmas holidays. I know you may be thinking 'I have to taste it to believe it, then just TASTE it' but go ahead, I dare you - you will thank me!


If you want to add a little more to it, bake a  JALAPENO CORNBREAD  to go with it if your kids and/or hubby desires! If jalapeno seems to hot well toughen up, you're in Louisiana and need to build your tolerance - jk jk. Anyway, green gumbo is something kids and hubbies LOVE and how proud will you be mom when you know their eating something loaded with green veggie nutrients!



Ingredients :
I bundle of all chopped and stems off...

• 3 cups of chopped kale

• 3 cups of chopped spinach

• 3 cups of chopped turnip greens

• 3 cups of chopped mustard greens

• 3 cups of chopped okra

• 1 cup of chopped green onions

• 1 cup of chopped parsley

• 2 yellow onions chopped

• 3 celery stalks chopped

• 5 garlic cloves minced

• 1 bell pepper chopped

• 4 cups chicken broth 

• 6 cups water

• 1 ham hock

• 1 whole chicken

• 1 package turkey sausage thinly sliced (can do 1 lbs. of shrimp if prefer)

Seasoning mix :1 teaspoon off...

• Paprika

• Garlic salt

• Pepper

• Cayenne

• Celery salt

• Thyme

• 4 bay leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Sautéed onion , celery and bell pepper in olive oil 

1. Brown and soften veggies and collect brown bits and pour in some water to get darker color

1. Add a little butter during this about 1 tablespoon

1. After this is done, add in garlic, broth, water and all your veggies chopped, stir for 1 minute

1. Add in your meat

1. Cover and cook low heat 4 hours. Mid way I add in about 1/4 cup of half Worcestershire sauce and half Tabasco or hot sauce and mix.

Serve w brown long grain rice.

The easiest high fiber breakfast in the world! YES WORLD!

Some mornings you feel like this right? If not kuddos to you and maybe I need to start meeting with you once a week over coffee to gain some tips on just how you are doing it!

So back to the occasional crazy life:  I have a backup plan for a good breakfast on these kind of mornings....one thing I keep in my pantry at all times is instant blueberry muffin mix, steel cut oats, and flax seeds. In my freezer I keep frozen bananas. Why? Because it will serve you the easiest and quickest high fiber breakfast for guests or kids. I find that my in-laws love these muffins too but even better Caden is obsessed with them!

I accidentally made these one time when my in-laws came in. I had a pack of instant blueberry muffin mix and I was seriously thinking who eats the muffin mix just like this? So I whipped up some add-ins such as steel cut oats, sprinkled cinnamon, bunch of flax seeds, 3 sugar in the raw packets, and I even threw a frozen banana in the microwave for 15 seconds and mashed that right on in. THEY WERE GREAT! I am now into the habit of making these on Thursday afternoons when my in-laws come in to town because I put them under the cake plate dish if someone wants a snack or wakes earlier than others and wants a breakfast item to go with their coffee. Best part is this....they are LOADED with fiber and oats!

Kids and even adults can have a hard enough time getting enough fiber if they don't eat their required servings of veggies a day so this is a great way to start the day and they are so good you won't be able to keep your hands off either! They also keep you full for a long time and they are under 200 calories a muffin!

Quick Fix Fiber Muffins

1 pack of instant blueberry mix (add water)
1 banana mashed (I throw a frozen banana in microwave for 10 seconds)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup steel cut raw oats
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chia or flax seeds

Mix all ingredients

Bake 425 for 12-15 min

* You can freeze your bananas and pull them out for these quick fixes, just pop in microwave for 10-15 seconds and mash into mix

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I can make your kid eat brussels sprouts!

First, thanks for the CONGRATS on our adoption news! We are so excited and no a sweet little waiting orphan in China will not be 'fatherless' for much longer and come into a loving family!!! I am really trying to be patient! LOL.... http://themcneiljourney.blogspot.com/

One of my favorite things to make is my chunky spaghetti! Do you know how many kids react negatively to roasted beets and brussels sprouts? Most everyone. If your kid doesn't count yourself lucky! So I found the perfect way to disguise them...a way that you will smile while they take bite for bite thinking 'ha I gotcha'! If they like spaghetti they will like this!

Why beets? See below!

Beets are high in many vitamins and mineralsPotassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid. Beets cleanse the body. They are a wonderful tonic for the liver, works as a purifier for the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer. Nuff said, right? Tastes good and prevents cancer? No brainer.

So here is the newest way to trick your kid into eating these beets in a tasty dinner while you make hubby happy too!

1 cup finely chop brussels sprouts
1 cup chop/diced canned beets or you can roast fresh beets
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup (small cubes) chopped eggplant
¼ cup of bell peppers chopped
1 lb. of ground turkey or lean ground beef
1 tablespoon of minced garlic,
1/2 cup or green onion
1/2 cup of onions chopped
1/4 cup of celery chopped fine
1 jar of Ragu
1 can of stewed tomatoes


Toss Brussels sprouts eggplant, beets, bell peppers and zucchini in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, little white balsamic vinegar and put onto a pan with foil and roast at 400 for 15-20 minutes. Take out and set aside.

In a skillet sauté with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, green onions, onions, celery until all are soft. Stir often and add a little water or broth if needed so garlic doesn't burn.

Add in ground round or turkey and sauté with the veggies until meat is cooked.

Drain fat and then combine roasted veggies, meat mix, stewed tomatoes and 1 jar of Ragu into a large pot. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour and stir occasionally so bottom does not burn.


* Cheat Day Pasta Option - boil pasta and when its done add a teaspoon of truffle oil, 1/4 cup parmesan and a little butter!


CROCKPOT OPTION: Sautee veggies and cook meat night before and put in fridge. Next morning dump in a crock pot with all ingredients and put on low/warm and let it warm and mix flavors all day so ready by dinner time!

My 2 favorite healthy go to dressings!

Okay so let me begin with, why am I doing this? Well several reasons! I decided to write this to share the recipes I have come up with or found that make life as a mom and wife easier at times! We try to juggle so much and prepare good healthy meals for our families that don't take all day long!

I also have another journey to share if you get a moment of interest that I am documenting as way to remember each particular piece along the way. Ryan and I have a mission dear to our hearts, adopting a waiting child (orphan) from China! We have begun the process for this newest family member and you can read more on our adoption here http://theway2hisheartrecipes.blogspot.com/

BUT BACK TO RECIPES and WHY....

1) I love to write. I graduated in journalism and as you may know I have a father who started a magazine. It's in our blood and DNA and I cannot run from it. If I don't write I feel abnormal!

2) I love to cook! Ryan (hubby) just opened a healthy meals to go concept so you would think I would be screaming from the rooftops 'YAY I DON'T EVER HAVE TO COOK AGAIN' but oddly enough it sparked some sort of contagious cooking spree in me. I love creating recipes. I have a tendency to make things up as I go which can work for AND AGAINST me! I like to be artsy with food! It's fun!

3) We moved into the home that I grew up in for 34 years and the place where I received many home cooked meals around the breakfast or dinner table. I think that too was contagious because I find myself following the footsteps and loving the feeling of creating a meal for my family but also having enough to bring to neighbors. The very thing my mom did for our family and neighbors! As my grandmother always says more lessons are caught than taught...kids are always watching and some things just stick!

4) I have a friend who may be reading this and has been pushing me to do a cookbook (Candace)! Well instead I figured the easier way to go is the convenient way to go...internet/social media/online! It's where we get our recipes anyway in an instant second!I like to find healthy easy meals to prepare and I figure that helps other moms out at times too who are looking for the same!

I am passionate about sharing things I like! I get so overly enthused and some times it is the trend of the moment and some times it's a legit long term one. Well I have had fun creating some amazing healthy recipes I want to share. This first I have made has been for a few friends who have all raved over it and it's so easy!!!! HERE IS MY FIRST! All made with LOVE!

My recent passion.....

This salad is a perfect one to make on Sunday night to gear up and get back on track for the week. The greens are tough and won't wilt like romaine and iceberg. This salad will stay fresh for up to 4 days and you can pull out your desired serving each day and add in your dressing of choice!

1 cup shredded brussel sprouts (available at Trader Joe's)
1 cup kale (chop into small shreds) * optional (Trader Joe's bagged Kale is not bitter)
1 cup spinach (chop into small shreds)
1 cup arugula  (chop into small shreds) - this is key in the salad!

Add in:
1 cup chopped yellow or red tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped purple onion
1/2 cup of green onions chopped
As much crumbled goat cheese desired
1/2 cup toasted almonds
Desired salt
Desired pepper

Dressing #1:
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 lemons squeezed
3-5 fresh basil leaves
* blend these three in a food processor or herb blender
Add in 1/4 cup of WHITE balsamic vinegar. "White" is the key!!! Desired salt and pepper.

Dressing #2:
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 lemon squeezed
1 soft avocado chopped
* blend these three in a food processor or herb blender
* add in the 1/4 cup of white balsamic vinegar to help puree the avocado some more in the food processors. If you wish for the dressing to thin out some more add a little water.
Dash of desired salt and pepper.

Mix all greens and veggies in a tupperware. You can make more than one serving and eat on it for a couple days because greens are tougher they will not wilt like iceberg or spring mix.

Add in option: can add chopped strawberries OR cherries.