Spinach Cake Muffins

I've been trying to be more inspired and creative with what I am feeding T these days.  Breakfast in particular has been in a rut.  These muffins seemed interesting, especially given the color.  I liked they incorporated some spinach, although I am not looking to dupe him.  They are easy to make, given the use of the Cuise.  I made regular sized muffins instead of minis, and think I would try minis next time. I will also try using some (or all) whole wheat flour.  They really are a vibrant green color.  T really enjoyed it.

Crock Pot Mexican Bean and Corn Soup

That's right.  I said Crock Pot.

Maiden voyage on the nine year old crock pot today.  Hard to believe.  I guess my (admittedly dumb) reasons for not using it: 1) it would make too much food 2) I'd burn the house down, have been proven unfounded.  This soup is incredibly easy to make and tastes very good.  Since it's from a kids' recipe site, it's not spicy, but there is good flavor.  I added a little ghost pepper salt and it was even better.  T even ate some for dinner, mostly focusing on the beans and corn.  Will make this again.

Pumpkin Waffles

It's pumpkin baked good time!  The best time of the year (well, one of them anyway).  I made these waffles a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday.  They are delicious and this recipe makes a ton.  I froze some and they reheat well, just toasted lightly in the toaster oven.

Alas, no picture as T got sick just as I sat down with my plate of waffles. Sigh.

Baked Tomatoes with Quinoa, Corn and Green Chilis

Ah, the end of summer is near.  I am trying to enjoy as many tomatoes, peaches and ears of corn as possible before they are gone for the season.  This recipe is a great way to feature corn and tomatoes.

I should have heeded the comments on the Cooking Light site. All confirmed that this takes time and is not a great recipe for a weeknight dinner.  Alas, I made it on a Wednesday.  It does take time, but I found the results worthwhile.

I really liked the results of cooking the quinoa with the tomato juices.  I will aim to make the "stuffing" again sometime as it's a great quinoa recipe.

Kale Pesto

I love me some kale these days. 

I've mostly been enjoying kale in salad form.  I was in the mood for pesto, but the basil at the farmer's market wasn't looking so good this week.  So I bought kale instead, in hopes of making this recipe.  As with most pestos, it's is very easy to make with the assistance of the cuisinart.  The washing and blanching of the kale are the most time consuming parts.  I did toast the nuts which helps I think.  I only used about 2/3 of a large clove of garlic and found it to be plenty.  I served it over mini-cheese ravioli and froze some for later. 

Crunchy Chickpeas

These are a good snack and easy to make.  They take a little time in the oven, but they are worth it.  They are a good alternative to snacking on nuts.  They satisfy the crunchy, salty cravings.

Yotam Ottolenghi's Sweet Corn Polenta

Jenny sent this recipe and I wanted to try the corn part. I love eggplant but lately I feel like it is only good when fried. I served the corn next to a salad and it was delicious. You could do a lot with this...next time I want to saute tomatoes and garlic and add basil. It was very good with the butter and feta but it would probably be just as good if you make it vegan.