Meatless Monday Stew

This is adapted from the stew going all over Pinterest, Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

I have made the original recipe and loved it, but need a quick idea for dinner Monday.
Monday's we are meatless and I changed it up on what we use more often, like Sweet Potato instead of the Squash.  It turned out great and Draven inhaled it for lunch today.  It is extremely satisfying feeding you child a healthy meal!  This will definitely be in the rotation.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato cooked and cubed. 
• 1 1/2 c.ish cooked quinoa- Andy added even more into his bowl
• 3 1/2 cupsish chicken broth-totally didn't measure, just added as much juice as I wanted
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 c.ish frozed peas
• 1/2 c.ish frozed shelled edamame(soy beans)
• 2 tomatoes diced
• Cilantro diced
• 1 large kale leaf diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• kosher salt, to tast

Instructions

1. Cut ends of Sweet Potato, cook @400 for an hour, cool and dice
2. Cook quinoa as directed. (We buy the pre-rinsed/soaked, takes 15 min to cook)
3. In large pot, heat Olive oil on medium. -if you were to add onion this would be the step, we didn't have any on hand. (Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.)
4. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
5. Pour in most of the Chicken broth, add tomatoes, peas, soy beans, black beans, kale, and cilantro.  Stir to combine.
6.  Bring to a boil. Boil for 6-8 minutes , you want the peas and soy beans to soften. 
7. When beans and peas are cooked, add in quinoa and sweet potato. Add more chicken broth as needed 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste- I like to add a little then most to your own bowl, so the baby doesn't get much salt.

It was super easy and relatively fast because I cooked the sweet potato earlier that day. 

Meatless Monday Pizza

My dear friend Stephanie, has a famous pizza.  Many of our friends have used this recipe and I finally made it a couple weeks ago.  My husband doesn't like corn, so we had to revise and add our own twist, and we love the end result!

Meatless Monday Pizza

Ingredients:

1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c.ish Shredded Carrots

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1/4 c (4oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4c (4oz) Provel Cheese-best pizza cheese!

Couple Garlic Cloves pressed

Basil paste 

Garlic Salt/Powder

Crust:

1 c. warm water

1 Tbsp white sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 c wheat flour

1 c. all purpose flour (I use a bit more)

Procedure:

Stir water, sugar, and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rise for 10 min. Pat dough into pan using fingers dipped in olive oil. Spread Basil paste on dough and sprinkle garlic salt or powder all over, especially on the edges. Add beans, the I like to combine the carrots, garlic, jalapeno. Then add tomato and cheeses.  Bake for about 15 min. (until cheese is melted and lighly browned) at 425.

Stephanie's Buster Bars

Next time I will half the fudge!  But it was amazing the way it was,  It got rave reviews!


1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 1/2 cups roasted Spanish peanuts
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, chocolate chips, and confectioners' sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool thoroughly.
In a large bowl, mix together crushed chocolate sandwich cookies and 1/2 cup melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan; freeze until firm. Spread softened ice cream over crust, then freeze until firm. Spread top with cooled fudge sauce, and sprinkle with peanuts; freeze until firm. Spread with whipped topping, and freeze until firm, or overnight.

Sea Salt Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• This version is Less Butter and Sugar...  I love the original recipe for parties but if it's just Andy and I eating them, I like to lighten them up a bit :)
• 
  
• 3/4 cup Butter-room temperature
• 1/2 cup  brown sugar- not packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Flour (half white/half wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl cream shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs and mix thoroughly.
3. Combine the baking soda, salt and flour and stir into creamed mixture
4. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until well blended.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. ***Grind salt on top of each cookie before baking***Bake for 11-13 minutes.                            

Original Recipe