Peanut Thai Noodle Salad- My Signature Salad

18. May 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

This salad is labor intensive but it is worth the labor of love you commit.  The best part is it can be made hours before your event or dinner party giving you time with your guest (see tips below). This is a spicy, tangy, sweet and crunchy salad.  There are so many flavors your palate will certainly be entertained and you will look like a rock star!  The fresher the ingredients, the more flavor of the salad.  This salad gets better with the summer harvest.

The recipe below is the recipe I always make for 6-8 people.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1 cucumber diced
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped basil
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup diced scallions
  • 1 cup fresh snow peas
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 jalapeño diced (optional)
  • 2 packet (8 oz) of lo main wide noodles
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 2 ripe avocados sliced
Dressing:
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup peanut oil
  • 1/2 lime freshly squeezed by hand
  • 1-2 tsp sugar or too taste
Directions:
  • Minced garlic and soak in vinegar to take the “bite” off garlic for 10 minutes.
  • Mix in oil, lime juice and sugar.
  • Refrigerate in a mason jar.
  • Prepare veggies and add to large mixing bowl.
  • Boil noodles and cool with cold running water.
  • Reserve 1/4 of the noodles for when the salad is running low.  You will run out of noodles first and it is always good to have some to add when people are asking for more.  You should have enough small diced and chopped veggies left to make it work.
  • Toss noodles and veggies in dressing.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Garnish with roasted peanuts and sliced avocado.

Tips:

  • Top with marinated grilled chicken.  We marinate chicken for 24 hours in a Thai peanut sauce.
  • Boil noodles and store in a large zip lock bag coated with peanut oil the day before.
  • Dice veggies the day before or morning of dinner party to save time.  When it is time for the party just toss and serve.  All you have to do is cook the chicken if you opt to use a meat addition to this dish.
  • Make the dressing the day prior to the party.

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Rhubarb Bread- A Recipe from a Local Farmer!

18. May 2012 · 5 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: ,

Last week, I visited a local farmer who had asparagus and rhubarb.  When I bought the rhubarb, I told them I never cooked with it before and needed some tips.  The farmer’s wife, gave me this recipe.  It is absolutely amazing.  I did add the chia and flax seed to it but everything else is from their family.  This recipe combines the perfect combination of sweet and tart.  It is officially my favorite vegetable or fruit bread.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 2 cup diced fresh rhubarb
  • 1.5 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup flax seeds
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
Topping:
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp cold butter

Directions:

  • Mix sugar and oil until smooth.
  • Add egg, milk and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.
  • Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
  • Add flour mixture to sugar, milk, oil mixture.
  • Fold in rhubarb, chia and flaxseeds.
  • Pour batter into greased bread pans.
  • Mix bread topping until crumbly and put on top of bread mixture.
  • Cook on 350 for 60 minutes or until the a tooth pick comes out of the bread clean.
  • Cool on racks.

If I was going to change this, I would decrease the sugar to 1 cup or leave off the topping.  However, I am not a sweet person.  I would also try this with pastured butter instead of the oil.

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Frozen Peanut Butter Pretzels

17. May 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags:

 

Ingredients:

  • Natural peanut butter (peanuts only ingredient)
  • Pretzels

Directions:

  • Mix natural peanut butter well.  If it is thick, you may need to melt it.
  • Dip pretzels in peanut butter.
  • Freeze on parchment paper for 2 hours.
  • Enjoy!

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Baby Communication- Eat, Love, Drink

16. May 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized

Does your baby get frustrated because he or she cannot communicate their fundamental needs to you?  I taught my oldest child sign language to help her communicate with me.  I did not have to teach her every word.  However, I did concentrated on about 10 common needs (sleep, eat, milk, water, help, mama, daddy, thank you, toilet, etc).  It was so much easier than I originally anticipated.  I am now teaching my 15 month old sign language and having a blast.

According to ThePsychologist.org, infants who learn baby sign language have higher confidence and self-esteem levels.  I personally feel signing is rewarding and increases the bonding between me and my son.  My son is less stressed, happier and calmer.  He uses the sign for help instead of screaming for something which is a huge stress reliever to me.

 

I recently found Baby Signing Time and love the DVD.  The DVDs have great music and demonstrations.  Your child can actually watch the video with you to learn the signs.  Not only is it educational but the music will make you dance and have a great time with your child.  If you are considering teaching your child sign language, I would definitely recommend this product.  It is easy, simple and fun!

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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White Bean and Kale Bruschetta

15. May 2012 · 3 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Great Northern Beans
  • 2 cups raw kale salad
  • 1 cup fresh chopped basil
  • 3 Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
  • 1/4 cup diced purple onion

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Mince garlic and soak in vinegar (this takes the bite out of the garlic).
  • Prepare veggies for bruschetta and place in a mixing bowl.
  • Add remaining ingredients to the dressing.  Whisk until well blended.
  • Mix dressing with veggies and beans.
  • Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
  • Mix and serve with fresh sliced baguette bread slices.

Serving Size: 2 heaping spoonfuls and 2 thin slices of baguette bread

Nutrition: 155 calories, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber, 28 g fiber, 2.6 g fat (only .4 g saturated fat)

If you like this post, please vote for Healthy Baby Beans by clicking the link below. I am nominated for the Top 25 Foodie/Mom Blog Award. Thanks so much and I appreciate your time.

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