Super Seeded Soda Bread

No, not soda from a can, baking soda! This recipe contains six different seeds, poppy, sunflower, seasame, pumpkin, and flax! Though, next time instead of using whole flax seeds I'll use ground flax seeds since those are easier to digest and you'll get full nutritional value.

Stuffed Shells*

These stuffed shells are out of this world exquisite. They were so good my folks requested I make them a second night in a row. The ricotta cheese filling was so divine, and really could be adapted with anything else you have in your fridge or pantry. The originial recipe called for chives as an add in, but since I didn't have any chives I started looking around for a good substitute. I added in a few thin slices of leeks, some fresh basil, and some parsley. There really is a lot of room for exploration. The sauce was super simple, just some crushed tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

It is best, I think, to make a few things ahead of time or to really start making the dish an hour and a half before you're wanting to eat. It does take 45 mintes to cook and you'll need to wait for the shells to cool before you stuff them. But they are so worth the wait! I had so much fun making the shells I really wasn't paying attention to the time at all. If you're pressed for time I'm sure you could just put a glove on and stuff away.

This recipe is originally from Heidi Swanson, one of my favorite women right now. She keeps things healthy and simple, just the way I like it! She also has a ton of great recipes at http://www.101cookbooks.com/.

This recipe also makes a huge serving of food. I prepared just enough pasta for the night and made all of the sauce and ricotta filling so I could store the leftovers in the fridge.

Homemade Naan

Naan is an Indian flatbread and it's becoming increasingly more popular here in the United States. It's also super easy to make! I followed this recipe and didn't have to make any modifications! I loved it, my folks loved it, and it's definitely on the list of something I'll need to make again. I put a few in the freezer just so they would keep a little bit longer. This naan went wonderfully with the feta dip I made yesterday.


Homemade Naan
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour Or Wheat Flour
• ¾ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Warm Milk
• ½ cups Yogurt
• ½ Tablespoons Oil, As Needed
• Garlic and Rosemary to season (or herbs or butter of choice)

Feta Dip with a kick

 Looking for a nice party pleaser or a cheese dip to eat throughout the week? I really wasn't, but I stumbled across this recipe and immediately wanted to try it. I knew my folks would like it since the jalepenos gave it a little bit of a kick, perhaps more than just your average cheese dip. The crumbled feta gives it a nice texture in your mouth and the garlic and lemon zest really gives it a nice flavor.

"Crazy Feta"
Recipe from How Sweet It Is
Yields 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 bricks of feta cheese, 8 ounces each
3 whole jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon
1 bulb garlic
the juice of half a lemon
the zest of half a lemon
salt and pepper

Strawberries and dumplings

Strawberries and dumplings? At first it sounds like an odd combination, but then you start to really think about it and it's brilliant! Especially when strawberries are in season.

And if you're like me, you have a weakness for all things made out of flour.

Brussels Sprouts

Who doesn't like brussel sprouts? Okay, my Dad doesn't, but who else? Well, probably a lot of people, but they really shouldn't.

Here's a handful of facts about brussels sprouts from health diaries:

Like broccoli and some other members of the Brassica family, Brussels sprouts contain something called sinigrin, a glucosinate that may prevent colon cancer, according to research.

One cup of Brussels sprouts contains 1,122 IU of Vitamin A.

That same cup also contains 669 IU of beta carotene.

A cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains about 60 calories.

1/2 cup contains 80% of the RDA of Vitamin C.

And well, they are just plain cute. Vegetables can be cute, right? Brussels sprouts definitely win my vote.