Prep.Cook.Eat.

Food is life. Eat well, live well. Find recipes and helpful food prep ideas from a holistic nutritionist and wellness expert to help you eat better to live better.

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

Experimenting With Raw Spice Bar’s Flavor Packets - Take One

This weekend was filled with friends, family, and food, lots and lots of food! Although we wait all year to gorge ourselves with the wonderful flavors of fall, after a few or ten rounds of the same meal, it gets a bit tired. Maybe you get a little creative and enjoy making a turkey sandwich like my parents do, maybe you make a soup, or maybe you make a hash like I love to do.  Don’t get me wrong, I also made a soup because I am big on soups in the cold season but I love a good hash of leftovers. 

In addition to the savory hash I was creating for a weekend breakfast with friends, incorporated the spices and recipe that I had received from Raw Spice Bar. If this is the first time hearing their name, Raw Spice Bar is a monthly subscription program that delivers flavor packets of varying spice combinations alongside tasty recipes to use them in. Its super inexpensive and if you like monthly delivery services like I do (I LOVE THEM), this is a cool one to try!

I had received a napa cabbage from my Sweet Georgia P’s CSA delivery this week and one of the recipes from Raw Spice Bar was for cabbage flavored with their Horseradish and Mustard spice packet which would serve as the perfect base layer for my meal. The middle would be my hash and on the top, I placed a sunnyside up egg and breakfast was served! (Those dogs are always waiting for me to drop something!!)

For the prep it was all pretty easy and quick. The recipe from Raw Spice Bar was simple. It had called for an onion as well but I was too lazy to grab one and since there was onion in the hash, I only used the napa cabbage. 

The cabbage was sauteed in a pan with olive oil and the horseradish and mustard spice packet from Raw Spice Bar. I cooked it until softened which was 5-7 minutes and set it aside.

In the same pan as before I cooked the hash, mixing it together as it got golden brown and fragrant.

In the hash I combined leftover roasted potatoes, shredded turkey, onion, and delicata squash spiced with garlic, salt, pepper and a little bit of the horseradish mustard spices from the packet. The smell was amazing!

To top it off is a farm fresh egg and when I say fresh I mean I walked outside to the front porch to the corner where a chicken was nesting. She got pretty ruffled that I came over so she moved and there were the eggs for breakfast! I thanked her for not attacking me and went back inside; it was chilly hanging out at Blue Tin Farm in Maine this weekend!

And once again, the final product! 

The meal was delicious and I really enjoyed experimenting with Raw Spice Bar flavor packet. I have to say it did make things easier knowing that I don’t have to figure out what spices to use. I am usually a turmeric, onion, and garlic powder person so being able to try new combos works for me!  I love the idea for people looking to try new flavors and expand their palate. Not to mention, it does come with a recipe for each packet so the planning is all done.  Just get the groceries and whip it up! I love when things are simplified.

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Contributing to the day’s chores by collecting eggs from the henhouse, washing them and packaging them for the market. #eggcollectors #farmlife #wellness #sweetgeorgiaps #vermontlife #fresheggs #healthy #chickens #farmtotable #wholefoods #fresh #eggsyolkshouldbeorange #wanderforwellness

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

A recent trip to Vermont to led me to some delicious fresh veggies that made the 2+ hour drive home to Boston with me. Starving when I got home I cooked up the corn, sautéed some kale with red onion and garlic I had in the fridge. Paired with a couple of turkey meatballs, it was a delicious lunch. In the works right now I've got the fresh corn, kale and cucumber, basil and tomato from my garden, and beans. One of my favorite things to do is chop up whatever veggies I have in my house, mix them with either beans or quinoa, toss with some homemade dressing and chill. It's a great summer salad. For my dressing this week I am excited to use the raw fresh honey I picked up at the farm. It's so delicious and nothing like what you get in the stores. This is going to make a ridiculously good dressing!

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Spaghetti squash with red quinoa, tomatoes, spring onions and guacamole.

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This is a delicious little self containing meal. Amazing served right away but also great as leftovers and easy to bring to work.  This little bowl is full of protein, vegetables and healthy fats from the avocado. Yum!

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

Quinoa & Butternut Squash Salad

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS 3 cups butternut squash, chopped 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup quinoa (uncooked) 1½ cups water ⅓ cup dried cranberries ⅓ cup red onion, fine!y chopped 3 Tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette ½ cup olive oil 1 tsp. honey 1 garlic clove, minced salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Toss the butternut squash with olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned. While the squash is roasting, rinse and cook the quinoa. 

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the salad, combined the cooked quinoa, roasted squash, cranberries, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill in the refrigerator for couple hours and serve.

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 c broccoli heads

1 c cauliflower heads

1/2 c peeled & diced cucumber

1/2 c sunflower seeds

1/2 c red onion

1/2 c dried cranberries

2 tbsp lite poppyseed dressing

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the dressing and mix thoroughly. Chill and serve.

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Serves 12

Ingredients: 2 1/2 c oats 1 c vanilla nonfat greek yogurt 1/2 c honey 1 1/2 t baking powder 1/2 t baking soda 1 t pumpkin pie spice 1 c canned pumpkin 1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional) Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray tin with non-stick cooking spray.   Place all of the liquid ingredients in the blender (including pumpkin), and then blend adding oats in 1/2 c at a time until smooth. Stir in chopped walnuts if desired after blending is complete. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

[prep-cook-eat-blog]

Week of October 18th

Fall brings lots of delicious flavors to experiment with. This week Butternut Squash and Pumpkin are mixed into the rotation. These beautiful root vegetables match well with flavors like Cinnamon, which is a powerful healing spice that can help to control blood sugar levels.

This week’s meals include:

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins (Flour and egg free!)

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Quinoa with butternut squash, red onion, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin is an essential fall flavor.  Paired with oatmeal, honey, and spices it is the perfect on the go essential in the morning with your coffee. Hearty and filling, one or two of these tasty treats will keep you satisfied for longer than you think.

Broccoli and Cauliflower are part of the cruciferous family and are some of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Helping to protect your body against diseases like cancer, they are an important part of a healthy diet. 

Quinoa is a complete protein, contains fiber, and a number of vitamins and minerals essential to your diet.  Pair that with the flavors of squash, cranberry, and salty roasted pumpkin seeds and you will have yourself a tasty little meal. Separate it into travel containers and take it with you to work for a meal you can eat warm or cold.