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Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto and Cheesy Croutons (aka BEST Tomato Soup)

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roasted tomato soup with pesto and cheesy croutons-1

My bestest friend gave me a wonderful gift for my birthday a couple years ago – Kelsey Nixon’s cookbook, “Kitchen Confidence” (and not just because she’s related to Kelsey… because it really is a fantastic cookbook. Unsponsored). We spied this recipe immediately and made it almost as quickly. This is THE best tomato soup recipe we’ve made, hands-down. The tomato flavor is deep and the sweet, peppery pesto lends something truly special. These cheesy croutons are the equivalent of dipping a grilled cheese sammich into your soup, but – if you’re careful – you can achieve the same effect with fewer calories via croutons than you’d consume with an entire sammich. With only 10 minutes prep time and no meat, this soup is like the “golden child” of soups.

Tips (unsponsored): Pesto doesn’t have a very long shelf-life, so if you don’t use much pesto at a time, we found a tiny container in the produce section of our Walmart:

IMG_2863

Also, we plead with you to use the San Marzano tomatoes that the recipe calls for, and please use Kitchen Basics chicken stock as opposed to a weak broth. It truly makes all the difference in soups (and everything else). We find that Walmart has the best price on both items.

roasted tomato soup with pesto and cheesy croutons ingredients-1

Have your kids help you dump ingredients into the pot and sprinkle the croutons with cheese. As you prepare and enjoy this soup with those you love, teach them about some of the health benefits they are feeding their bodies:

  • Garlic helps your body have healthy blood flow.
  • The basil in pesto gives your body vitamin K, which help your blood clot correctly so you don’t bleed too much.
  • Canned tomatoes are great for your skin.

Fun fact about tomato soup: As a chemist for Campbell’s Soup, Dr. John T. Dorrance invented tomato soup in 1897, resulting in much success for Campbell’s.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto collage

 

Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto and Cheesy Croutons
 
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Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • Soup:
  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, mined
  • 1 28 oz can San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
  • 2½ C low sodium chicken STOCK
  • 2 T pesto
  • 2 T sugar
  • ½ C heavy cream
  • kosher salt and cracked black pepper
  • Croutons:
  • 1 (15-inch) loaf day old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 T unsalted butter, melted
  • kosher salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. For the soup: In a large sauce pan or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, chicken stock, pesto, and sugar. Use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes (or crush them by hand). Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth (alternatively, blend the soup in batches in a standard blender). Stir in the cream, bring the soup just to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  2. For the croutons: preheat the oven to three 25°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread the cubes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until they are just starting to crisp and turn golden brown, 10 minutes. Top the croutons with the cheese and bake until the cheese has melted, about five minutes.
  3. To serve, pour the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the croutons. Drizzle with pesto.

 

Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Mango Salsa

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slow-cooker pork tacos plated-1

Tacos can be boring. OR they can have PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS, like these (name the Disney reference!). We love recipes where you can experiment with upgraded toppings, and these tacos are like the haut monde (or, high society) of the taco family. The pork itself is the best we’ve had, and the toppings are such a refreshingly different change from the norm: trade in your shredded cheese for queso fresco, which enhances the other flavors in your taco rather than overpowers, your tomato salsa for sweet mango (we are all aware of the heavenly marriage of pork and fruit, yes?), and your onions for the unique bite of the radish. You’re going to love this fresh, weekend meal.

slow-cooker pork tacos-1

Here’s what vitamins on a plate look like:

mango salsa ingredients for slow-cooker pork tacos-1

And here they are in a bowl:

mango salsa for slow-cooker pork tacos-1

Tips (unsponsored): Chiles confuse us. This recipe calls for ancho chiles (dried poblanos) and pasilla chiles (dried chilacas). Out of sheer frustration mid-grocery store trip (dried and fresh chiles are often mislabeled), we started out just using 2 anaheims and 3 poblanos (both fresh chiles). The result was awesome so we’ve just stuck with that. The third chile called for are chipotles in adobo sauce, which are easy to find in the isle with the other canned chiles. We have picked up our pork (two of them) from Walmart, labeled “pork sirloin roasts.”

Have your kids help you dump ingredients in the slow-cooker or dutch oven. Let them choose their own toppings as well so they feel in charge of their own plates. As you prepare and enjoy these with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of the ingredients they are using:

  • Red onions help your heart stay strong by keeping your blood vessels healthy.
  • The beta-carotene in mangos can help prevent diabetes.
  • Radishes can help clean out your digestive system and get rid of viruses.

Let’s learn a few things about Mexico and it’s people:

  • Many kids in Mexico can either go to school in the morning hours or in the afternoon.
  • Many families all live in one house together, including grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.
  • A common savory sauce called mole can have a super long ingredients list, including chocolate.

slow-cooker pork tacos with mango salsa collage

Adapted slightly from: Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos

Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Mango Salsa
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $16 (not including toppings)
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • For the tacos:
  • 3 whole ancho chiles (or 2 fresh anaheim peppers)
  • 3 whole pasilla chiles (or 3 fresh poblano peppers)
  • 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 to 3 chipotles in adobo sauce
  • ½ medium white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  • 3¾ cups low-sodium chicken STOCK
  • 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (untrimmed. OR pork sirloin roast), cut into chunks
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
  • Assorted taco toppings, such as avocado, queso fresco, radishes, mango salsa
  • For the Mango Salsa:
  • 1 mango, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 T. chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Put the ancho and pasilla chiles and the garlic in a bowl; add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Microwave on high until pliable, about 3 minutes. Stem and seed the chiles; peel the garlic. Transfer the chiles and garlic to a blender.
  2. Add the chipotles, onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt and the oregano to the blender; puree until smooth. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Pour in the broth and reduce until slightly thickened. about 5 minutes.
  3. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a large slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, then pour in the sauce. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours. (Or cook the meat in a large Dutch oven, covered, for 1 hour 45 minutes at 350 degrees; uncover and cook 30 more minutes.)
  4. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Shred the pork with 2 forks; season with salt and pepper. Serve the shredded pork in the tortillas, along with toppings.
  5. To make the Mango Salsa: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

 

 

 

Chicken Veracruz

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chicken veracruz-1

People rank their recipes in different ways – some use stars, some use numbers. We use words, ranging anywhere from “Lame” to “Good” to “Great”… you get the idea. “Freakin’ Awesome” is how we ranked this recipe on the top of the page, and it is. Rustic chicken dishes should make you happy for a couple reasons: 1) they are usually cheaper, due to the “bone-in, skin-on” cuts of meat that usually show up on the ingredients list, and 2) all of that bone and skin lends much more flavor that boring ole’ boneless, skinless chicken breast (and without many access calories – this recipe touts 421 per serving, not including rice if you choose it). The oregano, poblano, white onion, tomatoes, garlic, jarred jalapenos, and green olives make for a ridiculous amount of tangy, savory flavor, and the white wine means you’ll achieve a beautiful, fruity depth in the sauce. This one-pot meal is on the table in no time. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill Mexican dish, so ditch the tacos this week for this exotic Chicken Veracruz.

Tips (unsponsored): We have found that it isn’t easy to find small skin-on, bone-in breasts, so two large ones will work fine. You can also use a smaller cut of chicken if you like, such as skin-on, bone-in thighs. If you don’t drink alcohol but use small amounts to cook with (like us), check your local grocery store for mini chardonnay bottles. Our local Walmart carries a six-pack of mini, plastic chardonnay bottles that are perfect for cooking.

chicken veracruz ingredients-1

Everyone wants to “help” Dad cook. Even Spiderman.

kids helping cook chicken veracruz - 1

Have your kids help you measure out the dried oregano, taking note of it’s fragrance. If you serve this dish over rice, let them run their fingers through the dry rice – this is a fun, sensory experience for them. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with your family, teach them about the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Onions provide your body with a flavonoid that can help prevent cancer.
  • Olives are super high in antioxidants, which help keep your body “clean” from harmful toxins.
  • Poblano peppers contain fiber, which helps you feel more full and keeps you from overeating.

Let’s learn a few things about Mexico and it’s people:

  • Indigenous Mexicans don’t grow wisdom teeth.
  • Chocolate was discovered in Mexico (bless you, Mexico!)
  • Mexico City was built on a lake and it is slowly sinking.

chicken veracruz collage

Adapted slightly from: Chicken Veracruz

Chicken Veracruz
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $13
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
  • (Paper towels, for patting chicken dry)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 poblano chile pepper, stemmed and seeded
  • ½ white onion
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ to ½ cup chopped mild pickled jalapeno peppers
  • ½ cup green olives with pimientos, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle with the oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Sear the chicken until well browned, about 7 minutes per side.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the poblano into strips and thinly slice the onion. Cut the tomato into 8 wedges and smash the garlic.
  3. Once the chicken is browned, scatter the poblano, onion, tomato, garlic, jalapenos and olives over and around the chicken. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Add the wine and bring to a boil; cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Serve the chicken with the vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 421 Fat: 22 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 9 g Sodium: 1,304 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 36 g Cholesterol: 109 mg

 

Best Three-Ingredient Smoothie (and Green Smoothie)

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strawberry smoothie -1

Aren’t smoothies beautiful? The vibrant greens, purples and pinks are amazing, and can mean that they are amazing for your body.

Most people eat about a third of the government recommendations of fruits and vegetables; most Americans are eating just over a cup of vegetables and half a cup of fruit every day. What we need is 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day and 2 cups of fruit. At least half of our plates at each meal should be fruits and vegetables. We should aim to eat 5 cups and five colors each day for a wide variety of the nutrients and phytochemicals we need. Phytochemicals are pigments that create the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables. They protect the plant itself and they protect our bodies too. The colors are: red, yellow/orange, white, green, blue/purple. Each have unique antioxidants, vitamins and minerals we need to fight the signs of aging and disease.

green smoothie-1

Have your kids help you fill your shopping cart with all the colors and then to eat each color every day. Drinking a green smoothie is a great way to get many of your recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Your health is an investment: eat well now or repair it later… if you can.
We mainly make 2 smoothies around here: a green smoothie and a yogurt smoothie. The great thing about a green smoothie is that you can toss in (pretty much) whatever fruits or vegetables you have laying around that are on the brink of death, like bananas that won’t be good tomorrow, that half bag of kale that’s been in the crisper for a while but is still good… you get the idea. You can also buy up a bunch of berries when they are dirt cheap and freeze them for smoothies. The great thing about a yogurt smoothie is that… it’s SUPER delicious. Oh, and it’s three ingredients: plain yogurt, honey and whatever frozen berry you’d like to use. It is sweet but a great way to get some calcium into your diet… and maybe some raw local honey if you’re trying to lessen the misery of seasonal allergies, if you subscribe to that theory. Side note: frozen berries are every bit as good for you as fresh, as they are picked at the peak of freshness when their nutrient content is usually at their highest. We love Costco for their huge bags of berries and frozen mixed fruit, which are priced relatively well.
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 Very Basic Green Smoothie:
(Inspired by Green Smoothie Girl – makes 8 cups/2 quarts)
18 – 20 oz. water
***Optional if you are a beginner:
1 – 2 packets Emergen-C, Stevia, or other sweetener
4 c spinach and/or other greens
Blend until smooth.
1 gala apple cut into chunks
1 fresh/frozen banana cut into chunks
2 cups fresh/frozen purple grapes
Blend until smooth.
3 c Costco’s “Festival Blend” frozen fruit
Blend until smooth.

Yogurt & Berry Smoothie:

(As seen on the “Mountain High Yogurt container)
Pulse 2 c. plain yogurt with ¼ c. honey in a blender till smooth.
Add 4 c. frozen blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or mixed berries, and mix with a spoon so they don’t form a big frozen clump.
Blend until smooth.
smoothie collage

Bacon and Spinach Spuds

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bacon and spinach spuds -1

Newsflash: potatoes are extremely delicious. They’re filling and healthful. Baked with all the toppings might be the best way to eat these tubers. Making this version is an awesome way to switch up some of your normal toppings for more… sophisticated ones. We start with a large red potato, just for a change and a bit more delicacy. We then drizzle it with olive oil (upgrade from butter) and top it with gruyere or gouda cheese (another upgrade there, from cheddar) and a creamy mixture of spinach, bacon, milk, a little flour, cayenne, and fresh nutmeg. These are rich but not heavy, if you can imagine such an oxymoron existing in a single dish. You only use about 3 ounces of bacon here, landing this meal in the “nearly meatless” category, which usually equates to cheaper and, many times, more healthy. The next time you have a hankering for a baked potato, give this upgrade a try and tell us what you think.

Tip (unsponsored): Both Sprouts and Walmart tend to carry large red potatoes. You can absolutely use russets if you wish. We advice not cutting corners and using fresh nutmeg (as opposed to the pre-grated version). There’s just nothing like freshly grated nutmeg. Gruyere is a FANTASTIC swiss cheese. It isn’t extremely cheap but truly is worth every penny, so please don’t skimp on that. It is a little soft which can make it a little challenging to grate. Putting it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before grating will firm it up enough to make the job easier.

bacon and spinach spuds ingredients-1

Have your kids help you pierce the potatoes with a fork (if they can do it safely). Be sure to let them smell the nutmeg. They can also help you fill the potatoes with the spinach mixture. As you prepare and enjoy these with your loved ones, teach them about a few of the nutrients they are providing their bodies:

  • Red potatoes’ skins are full of iron, which helps your blood to oxygenate your body.
  • Spinach is high in vitamin K, which helps your bones stay healthy.
  • Nutmeg is found in some toothpastes because it helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath.

Since California produces the vast majority of vegetables, let’s learn a few things about this magnificent state:

  • Surprisingly (because of California’s “health-nut”-y reputation), The world’s first McDonald’s ever was built in San Bernadino.
  • More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state.
  • California is called “the Golden State” because a builder found a lump of gold in a river, sparking a rush of people (the “Gold Rush”) hoping to find gold.

Adapted from: Ham-And-Spinach Spuds

Bacon and Spinach Spuds
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $12
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 7 or 8 large red potatoes (or 4 large russet potatoes)
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 bunch spinach (or a 10 oz bag), roughly chopped
  • About 6 slices uncooked bacon
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 ounces gruyere or gouda cheese, finely shredded (about 1¼ cups)
Instructions
  1. Cook the bacon by laying on a foil-lined cookie sheet and baking at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat drippings.
  2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork; microwave for 15 minutes. Remove and brush with olive oil; transfer to the oven rack and bake at 400 degrees until fully tender, about 15 minutes (more if your potatoes are on the larger side).
  3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil plus the reserved bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 6 minutes. Stir in the spinach and bacon and cook until the greens wilt and the mixture is about as thick as sour cream, 3 to 4 more minutes. Season with the cayenne and nutmeg and add salt to taste.
  4. Slice the cooked potatoes lengthwise down the middle (but not all the way through); press in on the ends to open the slit. Drizzle ½ tablespoon oil into each potato; fluff the flesh with a fork and season with salt. Divide the spinach mixture among the potatoes and top with the shredded cheese while still hot.

bacon and spinach spuds collage

Perfect M&M Cookies

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M&M cookies -1

Anyone else out there adore M&M cookies? When I was little, my family enjoyed ice cream (among many, many other things) in large quantities. We lived in Massachusetts and would go to a farm called Kimball’s and get ice cream. Wait no, that sentence doesn’t convey what I’m trying to say… This wasn’t just any “really good” ice cream, this was THE most heavenly, creamy cup of fat you can imagine, and it would be surrendered to you measuring about three times the height of the actual container in which it was served. My request was the same every time: M&M. This was sort of odd because I almost exclusively eat 2 things in my ice cream: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and cookie dough. I love the chewiness that comes with that. And while M&M’s aren’t extremely tempting on their own, there is something about M&M’s inside of things that is super great. I just loved how they would freeze and become crunchy, as well as all those beautiful colors that would “bleed” like watercolor onto the pure white ice cream as it melted ever so slightly. I love M&M cookies for that same reason (the colors bleed), but their crunchy shells soften a bit when baked in a cookie – also an enjoyable textural experience.

Juel making M&M cookie dough kids help bake-1

This batter smelled really good.

M&M cookie dough balls - 1

GiGi M&M cookie dough balls-1

If you make cookie dough, she will come.

M&M cookies 1-1

This particular recipe is awesome. You can achieve some decent height thanks to the butter/crisco combo and they are super soft. You can make these festive according to any holiday for which the makers of M&M’s manufacture different colors (think Christmas and Easter). Grab a glass of milk and prepare to be amazed.

Our neighbor brought us some of these (the chocolate chip variety) and we ooooh’d and ahhhh’d over them every second of their 12-second lifespan (hers were even MORE beautiful, btw. They were even taller and yet she had achieved perfect “doneness.” I think we need more practice in this higher elevation with much more moisture than we are used to). She referred me to this blog, where the authors, Ashley and Sierra, provide you with precise, step-by-step instruction on how to accomplished the perfect cookie, including variations. We will refer you there for this fantastic recipe: The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

perfect m&m cookies collage

A Word on Recipe Fails…

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If your kitchen is anything like ours, it’s not all success all the time. We’d say 90% of the time, things turn out well. Some things we might love more than others due to personal preference, but the dishes themselves turn out the way the creator intended (we believe). We attribute the majority of that high percentage to a couple of factors:

1) We follow the directions.

We try to make at least 3 new recipes a week – recipes we’ve never, ever made before. We always follow the directions to the “T” the first time. No one knows how a dish is supposed to turn out like the creator of that recipe, so follow his or her directions. There have been many times when we have been asked for a recipe only to hear afterwards, “yeah, it didn’t really turn out.” Upon further inquiry, we discover that he or she didn’t even follow the recipe… they skimped here, substituted there and tried to cut corners. Well shoot, no wonder it didn’t turn out as intended. So, we highly recommend following the directions the first time, and then making adjustments as needed for next time. Be sure to make notes as to what you want to do differently next time, because you will forget.

2) We use trusted recipe sources.

As you may have learned by reading our about page , we almost exclusively use Food Network recipes, usually from Food Network Magazine. There is no reason for this other than we first started cooking because of Food Network and it quickly became where we turned for every recipe need because of it’s great track record of yielding awesome dishes for us. When the magazine was announced, we were ecstatic because we knew it would be a jackpot of reliable and (mostly) healthful recipes. Our tactic: when it arrives in the mail, we mark the ones we want to make asap. After we’ve made those, we file the magazine away with the others and return to them when we need more ideas. Things that may not have seemed super desirable at first glance stand out more and we make those. Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration, but it seems that many times they are a let-down. We read about a couple gals who test Pinterest recipes and report how good they are in real life. Finding their blog may save you some disappointment, because there is nothing more disheartening to a budding cook (or anyone, for that matter) than to put your precious money, time and effort into a meal that turns out to be a disaster, which usually ends ann overall discouragement to try new recipes in the future.

Speaking of recipes that turned out horribly, check out these recipe fails:

recipe fail roasted halibut with saffron fennel butter-1

This Roasted Halibut with Saffron-Fennel Butter looks pretty good, right? It was a TOTAL recipe fail, not because it was gross or didn’t “turn out,” but because it was far too much money and effort… and no one really cared for it. The price tag on this dish was a whopping $45 and was sort of a fussy recipe. We realized that we don’t love the firm texture of halibut and Blake felt the saffron was a little overpowering. FAIL.

recipe fail roasted halibut with saffron fennel butter - 1

Shrimp Sumer Rolls are gorgeous, fresh, and hard to mess-up, right? WRONG. These took a ton of time and a ton of ingredients (/money) and were utterly bland. Oh, and the sauce was reminiscent of vomit. No joke. FAIL.

recipe fail spring rolls-1

recipe fail spring roll ingredients-1

These Peanut Butter Cookie Bars seemed to have a no-fail ingredients list. They were super oily and salty (we followed the recipe exactly). FAIL. But the little ankle-biters sure enjoyed pressing their fat little fingers into that dough.

kids helping bake cookie bars, recipe fail - 1

So, the moral of the story is that there are few people, if any, who manage to avoid a recipe fail once in a while. As Blake says, it is all “part of the process” and offer good experiences to learn a thing or two. But let’s have as few as possible when we have mouths to feed, shall we?

 

 

Perfect Salmon Burgers

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perfect salmon burgers-1

Honestly, we don’t know where to start here… these salmon burgers are INSANE. They are the creme de la creme in every possible way. Firstly, they are gorgeous. Secondly, the texture of the salmon is absolute perfection because of the way you prep the patty – you cut most of the raw salmon into pieces and puree the rest with a few other ingredients, resulting in this amazingly moist and flavorful binding while still keeping the integrity of the salmon because it retains it’s delightful, flaky texture. Too often, burgers (and especially fish burgers) end up dry. You won’t believe how moist these are. You won’t find a better salmon burger in any restaurant. We know that’s a pretty bold statement, but just try us.

Tips (unsponsored): You need a really soft bun or roll for this burger because a hard one will smash the texture of the delicate patty. We ran through the drive-through of Kneader’s for some petit pain rolls and they were just too rough as-was. We sliced the hard tops and bottoms off (see below), grilled them, and they were perfect.

perfect salmon burgers with split bun-1

We used the jalapeno dill tartar sauce from Trader Joe’s and it was delicious on these. We like to buy our salmon (wild, skin-on) at our local Asian market, as the prices are usually good. Costco is a good place to buy salmon as well.

perfect salmon burgers ingredients-1

Have your kids help you juice the lemons and top each burger with arugula. As you prepare and enjoy these perfect burgers with your family, teach them about a few of the benefits some of the ingredients will provide their bodies:

  • Arugula is high in vitamin K, which makes your bones strong and your brain healthy.
  • Arugula also provides your body with folic acid, which helps it make healthy new cells.
  • Salmon contain a lot of marvelous nutrients, but are most well-known for their omega-3 fats, which are great for your brain and which your body can’t make on it’s own so you must supply it through the food you eat.

Since salmon burgers don’t scream any particular ethnicity to us, let’s just review a few facts about Cambodia and it’s people:

  • In larger cities, less than half of Cambodian children finish elementary school, and it’s much less in the country. Don’t you feel grateful to be able to go to school and the things you learn there?
  • Cambodians eat rice with every meal (even dessert) and a ton of fish.
  • Thousands of people each year visit ancient temples in Cambodia.

Adapted slightly from: Perfect Salmon Burgers

Perfect Salmon Burgers
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $18
Serves: 4 burgers
Ingredients
  • 1¼ pounds center-cut salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 4 brioche buns (or other soft bun), split
  • Tartar sauce and arugula, for topping
Instructions
  1. Cut three-quarters of the salmon into ¼-inch pieces. Put in a large bowl. Cut the rest of the salmon into chunks; transfer the chunks to a food processor along with the mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest and cayenne. Pulse to make a paste.
  2. Add the pureed salmon mixture to the bowl with the diced salmon. Add the scallions, 2 tablespoons panko, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Gently mix until just combined.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Divide the salmon mixture into 4 mounds on the parchment paper. With damp hands, pat into 4-inch-wide, ¾-inch-thick patties. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
  4. Preheat the broiler. Spread the remaining 1 cup panko on a plate. Press Panko into both sides of the salmon patties. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties (in batches if necessary) and cook until golden on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary and rotating the patties half-way through on each side for even cooking. Turn and cook until the other side is browned and the patties feel springy in the center, 3 to 4 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; season with salt.
  5. Meanwhile, arrange the buns, cut-side up, on a broiler pan and broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the patties on the buns; top with tartar sauce and arugula.

Perfect Salmon Burgers collage

 

 

 

Spice-Rubbed Pork with Quinoa

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spice-rubbed pork with quinoa - 1

Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for any dinner due to it’s versatility, accessibility and affordability. You can make it Asian, Italian, French or, as in this case, Southwestern. The cumin, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes ensure that your meat will be well-seasoned and truly mouthwatering. Forget the normal instant mashed potatoes as your side because the quinoa, corn and green onions make for really cool texture contrast and a sweet kind of nuttiness. Your prep time here is only about 15 minutes so you can reap the benefits of a spicy and unique “meat and grain” type supper without much ado. And what little ado there is will be about something… something scrumptious.

spice-rubbed pork with quinoa ingredients - 1

Tip (unsponsored): Buy your quinoa in the bulk section of Sprouts if you don’t think you’ll use a whole pre-packaged bag before it expires. Same goes for spices – you can buy just what you need instead of investing in a whole bottle that you may only use a fraction of before they dwindle in freshness.

Point out the rich colors of the smoked paprika and cumin to your kids and let them enjoy their fragrance. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them about a few of the health benefits they will receive from this healthful dinner:

  • Salsa verde is usually made with tomatillos, which have tons of vitamin C, helping your skin look youthful.
  • Scallions help your blood vessels stay healthy.
  • Corn has a lot of lutein, which is great for your eyes.

Speaking of Southwest flavor, let’s learn a few things about Arizona: home of some great Southwestern flavors:

  • Arizona has the largest percent of Native American-designated land.
  • The Havasupai Indians still live in the Grand Canyon today.
  • Roadrunners run amok in the summer, even in parking lots!

Adapted slightly from: Spice-Rubbed Pork with Quinoa

Spice-Rubbed Pork with Quinoa
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $17
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 pork tenderloins (1¾ pounds total), halved crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1½ cups canned corn, drained
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Jarred salsa verde, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt in a shallow dish. Rub the pork all over with the olive oil, then roll in the spice mixture to coat. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and fluff with a fork. Toss with the corn, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Slice the pork and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the quinoa and salsa verde.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 512 Fat: 17 g Saturated fat: 4 g Carbohydrates: 42 g Sodium: 1,060 mg Fiber: 5 g Protein: 47 g Cholesterol: 111 mg

 

Spice-rubbed pork with Quinoa collage

Cajun Stuffed Peppers

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Cajun stuffed peppers-1

These Cajun Stuffed Peppers are ridiculously delicious. They are so hearty and just jam-packed with good things, such as quinoa, brown rice, kale, tomatoes, onions, and (of course) green peppers. It almost sounds like there might be too many healthy ingredients assigned to one dish and that flavor might be a little lacking, but we assure you that this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is only 1/4 pound of andouille sausage in these for that cajun flare, so you can feel good about feeding your family only a small amount of meat here. Oh, and the prep time is only like 5 minutes! Give these a try the next time you’re up for serving the ones you love something fabulously different, but oh, so satisfying.

Cajun stuffed peppers ingredients - 1

Tips (unsponsored): If you don’t eat much quinoa or brown rice, you can buy just the amount you need for this recipe in the bulk section of Sprouts. This will eliminate bags of half-used grains going stale and wasting in your pantry. This is also true for spices.

Let your kids tear some kale and run their (clean) fingers through the grains – this is such a fun sensory experience for them! As you prepare and enjoy these stuffed peppers with your loved ones, teach them a few things about the nutrients they are feeding their bodies:

  • Quinoa provides you with more and better protein than other grains.
  • Kale contains lots of fiber, which is important for a healthy liver.
  • Green peppers offer important vitamins that help to keep you from getting sick, like vitamins C and E.

Let’s learn a few things about the Cajuns:

  • The word “Cajuns” is probably just the mispronunciation of the word “Acadiens” (migrants from Canada to Louisiana).
  • So much of the Cajun lifestyle did and continues to revolve around the Roman Catholic religion.
  • Cajun food is largely influenced by the crops available close to home, such as rice, peppers, shrimp and crawfish.

Adapted slightly from: Cajun Stuffed Peppers

Cajun Stuffed Peppers collage

Cajun Stuffed Peppers
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $13
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice
  • ⅓ cup quinoa
  • 2 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • ¼ pound andouille sausage, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Large pinch of allspice (optional)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 14 -ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes
  • 1 c chicken STOCK
  • 1 small bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped small
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil; add the brown rice and boil 10 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cook until both grains are tender, about 15 more minutes. Drain well and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, drizzle the bell peppers with 1 tablespoon water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave 10-11 minutes.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic, thyme, allspice and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the sausage is brown and crisp, about 3 more minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes and STOCK to the pan. Pile the kale on top, cover and cook until the kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir the kale into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange the bell peppers on top, cover and simmer until the kale is just tender, about 8 minutes.
  5. Divide the peppers among plates. Stir the grains into the kale mixture and season with salt. Spoon into the peppers. Top with parsley.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 475 Fat: 16 g Saturated fat: 4 g Carbohydrates: 68 g Sodium: 773 mg Fiber: 9 g Protein: 18 g Cholesterol: 19 mg

 

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