Blueberry Scones

Scones-
1 c sour cream
1 large egg
1t vanilla or almond extract
1 t baking soda
4 c flour
1 c sugar
2 1/2t baking powder
1/4t cream of tartar
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon (optional)
1 c cut butter
1 c fresh berries

Vanilla glaze-
2 c powdered sugar
1/4c heavy cream
1 1/2t vanilla

Preheat oven 350. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a small bowl blend sour cream, egg, vanilla, and baking soda. In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon. Then cut in the cold butter cubes. Add the sour cream mixture, mix till moistened, don't over mix. Fold in the blueberries. Roll and pat the dough into 1 1/2inch thick rounds. Then cut the dough into wedges. Place the wedges onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 min or until bottoms are tan. Drizzle the top of each warm scone the glaze.

Whisk all glaze ingredients in a bowl. Dont make too thin b/c it wont stick to the scones.

Clean Eating Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Lauren Made these for me after the baby was born, they were so delicious and totally hit the spot.  Pretty healthy I think and I bet a good amount of fiber, which is great for after birth.

2 large eggs whisked, 

3/4 c applesauce ( Can use yogurt instead)

1/3 c raw honey or maple syrup, 

1 tsp vanilla extract, 

1 tsp cinnamon, 

1/2 tsp nutmeg, 

2 tsp baking powder, 

3/4 tsp baking soda, 

1/2 tsp salt, 

1 1/2 c grated carrots packed, 

1 c quick oats or oat bran, 

1 c whole wheat flour, 

1/3 c raisins or chopped dates, 

1/3 c nuts

could add protein powder

Preheat 350. Spray muffin tin or use liners. Mix all ingredients eggs--salt. Add carrots and mix, add oats and flour, raisins and nuts. Do not overmix. Bake 12 muffins for 25 minutes. Storage: refrigerator in airtight container

Cake mix additions

from lauren hedin

Add to any cake mix

some people have said use 4 eggs instead of 3
3 oz of dry pudding mix (vanilla or chocolate)
1 c sour cream, any type of milk substitute(almond, coconut), buttermilk or one time I used plain yogurt
Few tablespoons of mayonnaise

3 T flour

substitute some melted butter in place of oil (more flavor)

Add to the powder cake mix.

OTHER IDEAS-

If its a citrus cake- add lemon/lime zest, OJ instead of water

Others have said add some type of cola or carbonated soda

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin against the grain
3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
1 pound broccoli florets
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup oyster sauce (or fish sauce)
Salt as needed (use sparingly)
Chow Mein, for serving 

In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with your hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add the broccoli and stir for a minute. Remove to a plate.
Allow the skillet to get very hot again. With tongs, add the meat in a single layer. Spread out the meat as you add it to skillet, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn the meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.
Pour the reserved sauce into the skillet along with the beef broth and oyster sauce. Cook over high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the beef and broccoli back into the skillet and toss to coat. Season with salt if needed
Serve over Chow Mein or  Goes really well with Fried Rice

Our Best Bites Fried Rice

Fried Rice
Recipe by Our Best Bites, 

adapted from Disneyworld’s Ohana Restaurant

2 c. white rice + 4 c. water (OR 4 c. cold, leftover rice, which is actually better)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms (optional)
8 oz. (1/2 bag) of coleslaw mix
3-4 generous Tbsp. soy sauce

SEASONING:
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. celery salt
1 ½ tsp. sugar

Boil water and add rice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. This step can be done even up to 2-3 days in advance (and for some reason, fried rice tastes better when the rice is cold). Heat butter over medium heat and saute onions, carrots, and cabbage until carrots are tender. Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and seasoning to taste (you won’t even come close to using all of it; save the rest for future fried rice or use as you would seasoning salt.)

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

–Peas, snap peas, or pea pods
–Ham
–Shrimp
–Leftover Fauxtisserie Chicken

Serves well with Beef and Broccoli Stirfry

Lauren's Minestrone

1 lb bulk italian sausage
1 large onion chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 pieces
1/4 fresh green beans, cut into 1/2 pieces
6 c broth
2 can diced tomatoes, with basil, oregano and garlic
2 c shredded cabbage
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1/2t pepper
2 T parsley
1 can garbonzo beans drained
1/3c parmesan
1/2 c uncooked small pasts shells



Option #1 cooking- quicker, cooking with in 30min
Cook sausage and onions. Stir in carrots, celery, leek, garlic cook 3 min. 

Add Everything else except pasta shells till 20 min before serving.

Option #2 cooking- longer term crockpot cooking
In the morning- Brown sausage, garlic, and onions put in crockpot or large soup pot on low. Add diced tomatoes, broth,  garlic, cabbage, basil, oregano, pepper, parsley. Let cook in crockpot for a couple of hours.  

Cook pasta shells separately and store in fridge till soup is ready.

20 min before you serve- add: 

carrots, celery, leek, zucchini, green beans.

add  noodles and parmesan right when you eat 

Best Bites Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori, Turmeric rice and Flatbread

IT's from Lauren Hedin's our best bites cook book.

2 c plain/greek yogurt
3 T lemon juice (or a juice from 1 lemon)
1t garlic powder
1 chopped onion
1/2c oil
3 t salt
1/2t black pepper
2T paprika
1T cumin and ginger
1T turmeric
1t red pepper or splash of cayenne
Chicken drumsticks and/or thighs

This can be assembled a few days b4 and let the raw chicken sit in the liquid mixture to marinade.
I did make extra of the sauce and froze it so I could have it for dinner a couple weeks down the road.

Can grill the chicken or bake in oven 350 for 20 min, then slather more marinade on, bake 10 more min slather more marinade, 10 more min bake and spray with oil, increase oven to 450 bake 10 more min until you get some nice charred spots.

Serve with Turmeric Rice

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup Jasmine rice
kosher salt

Heat medium-sized pot with lid on stove top.  Add oil and onion and cook until onion is tender, about 3 minutes.  Add turmeric and curry powder and stir to heat and distribute for 15-30 seconds.  Add broth and bring to a boil, add rice.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover pot and cook for 20 minutes, covered the entire time.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and add salt to taste before serving.  

Lauren's Spinach and Bacon Quiche

Food Network

1 onion sauteed
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or plain yogurt)
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (all I had was cheddar)
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate


Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Lauren and I made this and it was delicious

We doubled it to make two pie pans, but probably only needed 1lb of bacon.  We had it for a sunday dinner.

Served with Roasted Potatoes