Oh Boy Sghetti Squash

Today, I had my fair share of "Oh Boy" moments. Like during track practice when the boys' soccer team walks by and I say how attractive soccer boys are. Oh don't worry. They all heard me. Or better yet. When I have to do a back-walk-over in the front of Spanish class. Nailed it! Not... Most . Ungraceful . Thing . Ever ! That's all that needs to be said. But don't worry, at the end of the day, I can say that I had an amazing day and I get to eat Sghetti Squash. And no! I like spelling it that way thank you very much. So, for all of you who aren't awkward like me, I hope you have an amazing rest of your day. And for those of you who are awkward like me, well I guess we can just say, "Oh boy," and walk away. That's all....


Ingredients
*Serves about 3 people*

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
• 8-9 white mushrooms
• 4 medium garlic cloves
• dash of parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• parmesan (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut the squash down the middle
3. Clean out the "guts" of the squash (the seeds and excess stuff in the middle)
4. Place the squash, rind side up, on the middle oven rack
5. Cook for 40 minutes 
6. When it comes out, take a fork and scrape from the top to the bottom. (You should easily have separation of the spaghetti like strings)
7. Heat your olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat
8. Once oil is heated, throw in you mushrooms and seasonings
9. Let sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently
10. After 4 minutes, throw in garlic and let cook for an additional 3 minutes
11. Turn off the heat and stir in the spaghetti squash into the pan.
12. Top with parmesan (optional)
13. Serve & Enjoy!!

"Morning Lazy!" Smoothie

Yesterday, because the Juniors were taking the ACT, we got the day off. It was very nice, I am not going to lie. I slept in a little, and then decided a smoothie sounded nice. So upstairs I went to make one. I had some frozen fruit in my freezer which worked great. I had frozen blueberries and oranges. Throw in a fresh banana into the mix, and you got yourself one fruity breakfast. The rest of the day, I was fairly lazy. (Even though let's face it. Did I really need to say that? No. You already knew! I mean c'mon! I had a Tuesday off!) Well, if you ever feel like a fruity pick-me-up in the morning, and you don't feel like something too heavy, then this is your kind of solution!








*Serves roughly 2 people*

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 2 frozen oranges
• 2 large handfuls of frozen blueberries
• 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
• 3 Tb. agave
• 1 Tb. ground flax seed
• 1/4 C of rice, almond, or dairy milk (only if it needs to be thinned out)

1. Mix in a blender and serve.

Smoothies

• "Morning Lazy!" Smoothie

Medallion Vegetable Soup

I recently received my medallion for personal progress. For those of you who don't know what personal progress is, it is a program through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that the young woman work on. You study (through scriptures, and other resources) eight personal values. The eight values include faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity, and virtue. For each value, you study about it, apply it to your life by completing three experiences related to that value, and then complete a ten hour project. The idea is that you work on it continually from the age of 12-18. Its something good to keep young woman grounded with good values and their beliefs through their teenage years. It was really special to me and completing it helped me grow personally in my faith. At the end, you receive a recognition award and a really pretty medallion on a necklace. I wear it everyday and it honestly brings me such joy and confidence because I remember that I am a daughter of God who loves me, and I love him. So in honor of this monumental time for me, I made my favorite soup. I found the recipe in a health magazine once upon a time and I have lost it ever since. So I just tried to remember it from the top of my head and I think I got pretty close.


Ingredients

• 2 medium parsnips peeled, chopped
• 2 medium carrots peeled, chopped
• 5-6 leaves of collard greens
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 Tb. olive oil
• 15 oz. of black eyed peas
• 32 oz. low sodium natural vegetable broth
• 2 Tb. apple cider vinegar
• sea salt and pepper

1. In a deep soup pan, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Sauté the parsnips, carrots, onions together until all are softened (about 8 minutes)
3. Cut off the stems of the collard greens and cut up the leaves
4. Throw the greens in with the sautéed parsnips and carrots
5. Let sauté for 5 additional minutes
6. Pour in vegetable broth and vinegar
7. Stir
8. Let sit for 10 minutes
9. Stir in the black eyed peas
10. Let simmer for an additional 30-60 minutes or until beans are softened and flavors are mixed.
11. Serve warm and delicious! OH! But don't burn your tongue! That is always sad because then you can't taste anything else delicious for a week! Let's not do that because I have a lot of delicious recipes to share this week! Enjoy your soup!

Soups

• Medallion Vegetable Soup

Born to Be Mexican "Tostones"

So I think I was born to be Mexican or South American or Latin or something. I guess somehow it just didn't work out. First of all I was born with dark skin and black hair, not even a joke. You see, we're talking about really dark skin and a head full of jet black hair. Yeah, okay that in and of itself just proves my point. But then! Oh yes...there is more. I have taken four years of Spanish and I think it comes fairly easy. And I simply love the language. I feel a special connection with it. Whenever I see Spanish translations in public, or whenever I hear Spanish recordings or what not, it just feels so special. That and I go around speaking little Spanish phrases in my house (which I would not suggest if you want to avoid annoying your family). And lastly, the food is pretty good. But were talking the authentic stuff. Not Taco Bell. I can't be hypocritical and say that I only eat authentic Mexican food when in all actuality I don't, but still. When I say Mexican food is good, I'm talking about legitimate corn arepas or something like fresh beans and rice. Hmm. Well, I guess that's all I have to say about that. I was born to be Mexican (or South American or Latin, whatever would have worked). But that's all good. I like my nationality too. :)

Well for Spanish class, I had to look into a food dish from "el Caribe" (the Caribbean) and I found these. Tostones. So you have probably seen these funky looking fruit lying around your local grocery store and can't decide if its just a non-riping banana or a rotten banana. Well my friends, these would be plantains. I would not suggest eating them plain. You will feel like you are eating chalk. But! If you go the South American route and cook them in oil, they are delicious little snacks that serve as a good replacement for chips if you are dying for Lay's or whatnot.


Ingredients

• plantains
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• ice water

(amounts vary depending on how much you are making. Usually for every one plantain, you will need about 2 tablespoons of oil)

1. First, you slice the plantain's peel down the middle in order to peel it more easily.
2. Once you have the main part out of the peel (looks like a banana), chop it into little 1/2" thick circles.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Toss your chopped plantains in and let each side cook for about 3-4 minutes.

 

5. Take the chips out and flatten them with a fork.

6. Throw the flattened circles into ice water for about ten seconds.

7. Heat up some more oil in the pan again.

8. Refry them the way you did before. They should be slightly crispy.

9. Dash with sea salt and enjoy.

 

 

 

Weekend Garlic Roasted Radishes

It is the end of the week. I think we all deserve a high five and a pat on the back. And maybe even a good's night rest. That would be nice too. I have decided I am going to use this weekend to catch up and rest. I am going to sleep, run (hopefully, maybe, kinda), go grocery shopping, clean, read scriptures, clean some more, do homework, finish projects, sleep, eat. Doesn't that sound like a good weekend? It will be good. And I just have a feeling that Sunday will be great. They always are. Church is amazing and a good day to rest. Well I heard about how good radishes are for you and I had a craving for something garlicy. So put them together and you get Garlic Roasted Radishes. A good way to end the weekend.









Ingredients:

• 4 bunches of radishes
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 4-6 medium cloves of garlic
• dash of sea salt
• dash of black ground pepper
• dash of thyme

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees and place your baking sheet on the middle rack.
2. Let the sheet get really hot while you rinse off you radishes
3. Cut off the ends of the radishes
4. Mix the oil, garlic, and seasonings in a medium bowl
5. Throw the radishes in the bowl and coat each radish with the oil/seasoning mixture
6. Pull out the rack and pour out the radishes onto it
7. Throw it back in the oven and let it cook for 4-6 minutes
8. Stir around and flip over the radishes
9. Allow to cook for about another 3 -5 minutes or until golden brown
10. Enjoy! They're super yummy, juicy, and flavorful!