October Skillet Hash

October Skillet Hash with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Right up there with Christmas in December is my other favorite, ALL THINGS PUMPKIN in October!

As a foodie, I get pretty excited about ways to enjoy the little plump squash. From sweet to savory to seeds to spice, I think it's tasty, healthy and the color is pretty nice! Today's recipe is a spin on a previous recipe, Veggie Skillet Hash, originally posted in October, 2013.

So, how did I change it up? Three ways: I added diced pumpkin and sweet potatoes in my little cast iron skillet while my hubby's skillet had chicken. The third way is by listening to a reader of my blog (and sister kitchen-ninja) when she suggested I add Fire Roasted Tomatoes for that "extra juiciness." Sorry, it took me so long to get there!

October Skillet Hash

1 large, Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground Sage
3-4 Red Skin Potatoes (or whatever ya got), diced
1 cup Pumpkin, diced (or substitute butternut squash)
1 small Sweet Potato, peeled & diced
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini or White Navy Beans (whatever ya got), drained & rinsed
1-2 cups Kale, large stems removed & leaves coarse chopped
1-2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes
S&P, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil
(optional: 1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly)

...and before Fire Roasted Toms were added.

Because my hubby doesn't care for pumpkin nor sweet potatoes, but wants meat, I divided some of the ingredients between the two cast iron skillets.

• Sauté onion and red bell pepper over medium heat in olive oil or splash(es) of water until just getting soft.
• Add garlic, herbs, diced potatoes, pumpkin and rinsed beans. Cook slowly --don't rush-- until taters and pumpkin are fork-tender, approx 20 minutes.
• Add kale, seasonings and fire roasted tomatoes and continue cooking until kale wilts and skillet is bubbly!

Serve with a good bread or cornbread or crackers, even! Enjoy!

Tip: If you have left-overs, the taters and pumpkin may soak up the "extra juiciness." Re-saucy with a little bit of water or veggie broth.

Go Play with Your Food!

"Sam"

2-on-Tuesday: Kale Chips

My mom's recent interest in kale gave way to us sharing the kitchen over Christmas and a quick session on the uses of the leafy green! I asked her to be the hand model for this blog post, which helped her to have a hands-on lesson to prepare these for herself, later!

When making Kale Chips, don't purchase the big bag of chopped kale. Instead opt for a big bunch of kale. The bunch will have long stems with long leaves usually "bunched" together! Save the big bag for your green smoothies and soups. By the way, you can freeze kale in zippie bags for your soups and smoothies, later, which is really great on the budget!

Kale Chips

1-2 bunches Kale (again, not the bag of chopped kale)
Olive Oil
Sea Salt/Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
optional: Red Pepper Flakes, Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Prepare the kale by carefully cutting the stem out of the leaf. Mom did this by folding the leaf over and running the blade beside the stem.
• Wash the leaves. You won't think they're dirty or sandy, but they are! Let dry.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• When the leaves are dry, place in large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
• Sprinkle and toss with salt and pepper. We prefer the a kick of red pepper flakes, too!
• Place kale leaves on sheet pan (I line mine with either parchment paper or my Silpat for easier clean-up) leaving space between leaves. If you put too much kale on the pan, they will steam instead of get crispy...and that's gross.
• Roast for 12-15 minutes.
• If you want to add shredded parm to your kale, sprinkle the leaves halfway (or 6-7
  
  minutes) into roasting time.

So easy! OK, #goplaywithyourfood!

2-on-Tuesday: Veggie Skillet Hash

Do you have those bins of potatoes and onions if not used, today, they'll need to be tossed

by the weekend? Veggies that have gone past their peak of freshness, but are still good to cook with, can be used in stews, soups or roasted.

I poured over my Forks Over Knives cookbook to find anything to include my softening veggies and found Vegetable White Bean Hash on page 182! Don't have all the ingredients? No problem! Improvise...and rename so #FOK knows you tried, but were being budget-conscious!

Veggie Skillet Hash

1 large Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 (or more) cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme leaves
5-6 Red Skin Potatoes, diced
1 medium Sweet Potato, diced
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini Beans (a.k.a. White Kidney Beans), drained & rinsed
2 cups Kale, coarse chopped
S&P, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes

• I used my big, black, cast-iron skillet to slowly sauté the onion and red bell pepper over medium heat adding a splash of water to keep veggies from sticking. Confession: I used a splash of olive oil, too, for fear the taters would stick and scorch, later.
• Add the garlic, herbs, diced potatoes and rinsed beans to cook nice a slowly until taters are fork-tender, apprx 15-20 minutes. Don't rush this!
• Add kale and seasonings. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the kale wilts. 

There ya have it - a skillet full of protein & carbs! Serve as a side or a main dish. I'm a Southern Girl, so this went nicely with a slice of yellow cornbread! This would absolutely be incredible substituting pumpkin or butternut squash in the place of either of the potatoes for an AUTUMNAL SKILLET HASH! (See how I cleverly renamed the recipe, again? Very kitchen-ninja-esque, wouldn't you agree?)

Note...my hubby felt it was a little dry. He prefers beans to have juice, especially if he can't have the meat. I added a can of diced tomatoes and let it simmer. If using a cast-iron skillet, the acid in the tomatoes absorbs the iron giving you a nutritional bump.

#BACKonTrACT: Week 3

I need a weekend from my weekend! How about you? With so much going on and celebrating, we can get off track with our fitness and nutrition. Don't feel guilty or starve yourself! Just get up, lace up your tennies and determine to get #BACKonTrACT! 

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#BACKonTrACT – Week 3

**Nothing changes until you ACT!**

ReCap Monday

Nutrition: ACTivate Smart Food Choices

(To keep yourself ACTive, you're gonna need a good balance)

•    5 small "meals" a day will help keep your energy level up!

•    Eat smart carbs and healthy proteins that will keep you powered!

•    Empty calories will leave you empty, later, when you need to tap into something!

Fitness: ACTivate Smart Fitness

(Zumba was my ACTion of the day...after running all over the house while cleaning. But here's the deal, because I ate small "meals" earlier throughout the day, I had a smart reserve of energy to tap into at 6pm to carry me through an hour of sweaty, hot Zumba with friends.)

Tuesday

Nutrition: Listen to Your Body!

(Since I've been ACTively participating in plant-based nutrition, my body adjusts and lets me know when it's really hungry AND what I'm hungry for. Occasionally, I want a Five Guys Burger. What's my body really telling me? I need protein! 

Fitness: Listen to Your Body!

(There are days I feel I could run/walk/both for 5 miles. Then, there are days, one mile is a struggle. Try to forget what your fitness schedule calls for, today. Be smart. Forget the timer that demands you go easy for 20 minutes when you know you have one hour in your bones, today!)

Wednesday

Nutrition: Go GREEN!

(How about a green smoothie for one of your meals? Kale is a protein green! Toss half of a banana into the blender with the kale and maybe half of a tart apple. Add 8-12 ozs. of water or a sugar-free juice, like apple. Be brave...add a tablespoon of a nut butter or a couple of chopped, pitted dates!)

Fitness: Go GREEN!

(With the world obsessed about going green and reducing the "footprint" we leave behind, what can we do to lend a hand and, in the process, be fit? Walking to the stores at the other end of the strip mall or shopping village, instead of driving! Are you within biking distance of a park?

Thursday

Nutrition: Use the Buddy System

(Having an accountability partner will make it easier to make good choices!)

•    If you're in a carpool, offer to bring fruit and nuts instead of donuts for the commute.

•    Pack your lunch and someone else's, too!

•    Be an encourager! 

Fitness: Use the Buddy System 

(Having an accountability partner will make it easier to keep motivated!

•    Agree to check-in with each other during the day.

•    Perhaps your Buddy can meet you for a brisk walk during lunch.

Friday

Nutrition: ReTHINK

(Is it possible to eat 3 servings of veggies before noon? YES!

•    Americans tend to eat more sweet options for breakfast. CHANGE YOUR PALATE!

•    Add carrot juice to a morning smoothie instead of water.

•    How about water-sauteed veggies in a breakfast bowl or wrap with egg whites?

•    Pack fresh broccoli and cauliflower for a mid-morning meal.

•    Edamame is a yummy treat!

Fitness: ReTHINK

(ReTHINK when you workout or ReTHINK a workout that's stale)

•    Set the clock to an earlier time for you to be ACTive before you start your day!

•    If mornings are to difficult, schedule yourself into an evening exercise class.

•    Attempt a new workout you've never-ever considered in the past. (Spinning, Intervals, Zumba, Weights)

Use Saturday and/or Sunday to prep for the week!

•    Preparation helps save you valuable time, later, in the week.

•    Fix more time-consuming foods and set in the fridge to access for recipes...

•    Or, portion in smaller containers and set in the freezer to access, later!

~"Sam"

2-on-Tuesday: Minestrone

You know that feeling when you just know? Sure you do! After a first and maybe a second cup of strong caffeine, you get the hankering for...something... veggie... something... savory... something fresh ...Minestrone!

A quick look over the recipe... Perfect! I have most of the necessary ingredients for a plant-based recipe. Let's do this!

My quest since December 1, 2012, has been to reduce my intake of animal protein as we pursue a healthy lifestyle of fitness and nutrition. We've tested many recipes. While this choice has taken our family on a culinary journey, we find most recipes are keepers, but some have been, well, a couple of wrong turns. But, not this fresh stop in Rome!

I adapted a recipe from the now famous documentary-turned-cookbook, Forks Over Knives, from what was already on-hand, not unlike countless Romans from centuries past. So, while the weather is chilly, open your fridge and let your inner-Italiano make a grand presentation with the "Big Soup" (the rough translation of minestrone).

Minestrone (min-eh-strOH-neh)

1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
2 large Carrots (or about 12 Baby Carrots), sliced like nickels
2 Celery Stalks, washed and chopped with leaves
4-5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
8 cups (or 64-ish ozs) Vegetable Stock
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (optional, but I've recently been cooking with it!)
2 cans (15.5 ozs) Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Greek Spices (Oops. No Oregano. But my #FoodiePenPals box had a tin of Greek Spices!)
2-3 medium New Potatoes (red skin), scrubbed and diced
4-5 handfuls Chopped Kale (little to no ribs - I buy a big bag to last a week)
1-2 cups of Multigrain Pasta
1 can (15.5 oz) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
S&P (salt and pepper - to taste) and Red Pepper Flakes

• Saute the onion, carrots and celery with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil or try a Water Saute (without any oil) in a large pot over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic - don't let it burn.
• Add vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, tomatoes, spices, potatoes, kale, pasta and beans.
• Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

I'm headed out of town, but this big pot of "Big Soup" will be a big hug for my family until I return! Hope there's some left.