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The Instant Pot Miracle: One-Pan Pasta & Meat Sauce

Confession: I’ve had more fails than successes with my Instant Pot. The fails are always surprising, the recipes I’m sure are going to be home runs, those calling for a million delicious ingredients all thrown into the pot at once, the ones smelling heavenly from start to finish. The math doesn’t always compute, and the result, at times, has been poor-textured meat, watery sauce, lackluster flavor.

But when there’s an Instant Pot win, it’s big, miraculous even.

Take this one-pot spaghetti and meat sauce. It comes from Skinny Taste’s One and Done cookbook, and, as the title suggests, it will leave you with one — one! — pan to clean. I have made and loved Martha Stewart’s famous one-pot pasta, which is cooked stovetop, but somehow I doubted the idea would transfer to a pressure cooker: in such a short period of time, could good flavor develop?

In turns out yes. Here’s the process: Using the sauté function, cook the onion and brown the meat. Switch to manual pressure, add tomato sauce, water, and pasta. Seal and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes. Uncover to find cooked pasta and a meaty, flavorful sauce. Dinner: one and done.

You may notice I am not using spaghetti, but a short pasta, Campanelle, instead. My children have trouble with spaghetti … can’t win ’em all.

PS: Should I Buy an Instant Pot? Yes, if you like Perfectly Cooked Brown Rice and Eggs that Peel Like a Dream.

A few notes:

It may take a bit of trial and error on your part to get the timing down. The recipe calls for 9 minutes at high pressure, and I’ve reduced it to 6 minutes with success. Depending on the size of your Instant Pot, it may take more or less time.

The flavor of the final dish in part relies on the tomato sauce you use. I’ve found a local brand, It’s a Utica Thing, at my co-op, and I love it. I’ve been using their Maa-Da-Nad Marinara for this.

The flavor of the final dish also relies, of course, on the meat. I’ve been using grass-fed ground beef from a local farm, Sweet Tree Farm, which I find at the Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany.

Final Thought: ButcherBox’s Free Ground Beef for Life

I am lucky to have access to shops such as the above-mentioned Honest Weight, which sell a variety of humanely raised meats, many of which come from local farms. If you are not so lucky but have been wanting to purchase humanely raised meat, ButcherBox may be a good option for you.

If you are unfamiliar, ButcherBox is a high-quality meat delivery service. You can sign up for deliveries every month or two months. The meat arrives frozen on dry ice in individual portions. You can select from a wide variety of cuts, anything from boneless skinless chicken breasts to St. Louis style ribs. Here is some more information about ButcherBox, and what you can expect when it arrives at your door.

If you are interested, now is great time to give it a go, because if you sign up anytime this month, you’ll receive 2 lbs. of ground beef in every order for the lifetime of your subscription. Grass-fed ground beef typically costs $9 to $10 (or more) per pound. This is an incredible deal.

Get your Free Ground Beef for Life here. (Affiliate link.)

Here’s the Instant Pot one-pan pasta play-by-play:  Gather your ingredients.

Finely chop an onion; mince some garlic.

Sauté the onion; brown the meat; add the garlic.

Add the pasta, water, and sauce all at once. Seal lid. Set the IP for high pressure, 6 minutes. Quick release.

Ta-da! One-pot pasta and meat sauce.

Shave parmesan over top and serve immediately.

Print

Description

Adapted from Skinny Taste’s One and Done Cookbook, this Instant Pot one-pan pasta with meat sauce comes together very quickly. It has been a huge hit with the kids and a godsend on busy weeknights.

For video guidance, see this Instagram story.

Notes:

I have the 6-qt Instant Pot IP Duo. The timing may differ for you depending on the size/model of your Instant Pot. The recipe calls for high pressure for 9 minutes. I’ve been doing 6 minutes. It may take some trial and error to get right given your model/pasta shape. The recipe calls for spaghetti, broken in half. My children have trouble with spaghetti, so I use a short pasta.

Marinara Sauce: I’ve been liking a local-ish brand called It’s a Utica Thing. I’ve been using their Maa-Da-Nad marinara sauce.

1 pound of ground meat makes for a very meaty sauce. You can use 3/4 a pound of meat with success. Recipe calls for 93% lean ground turkey; I use 85% lean ground beef.

Finally, the recipe does not call for any olive oil. I prefer sautéeing the onion (in the Instant Pot) in a little bit of olive oil first, then adding the ground meat, but know that you can skip the olive oil, brown the meat first, then add the onion and garlic.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, minced to yield about 1/2 cup

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 to 1 pound ground beef, see notes above

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

1 (25.25-ounce) jar marinara sauce, see notes above

8 ounces dried short pasta, such as Campanelle or rotini, see notes above

Freshly grated Pamigiano Reggiano, for serving

Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving

Instructions

Press the sauté button on an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Add the oil, onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the ground beef and salt and brown the meat, using a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces as it cooks, about 3 minutes.

Add the marinara sauce, 2 cups water — I pour some of the water into the empty marinara jar and shake it to get every drop of sauce out — and the pasta to the Instant Pot. Give it a stir.

Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes (see notes above). Quick release, then open when the pressure subsides. Stir. Serve right away, topped with Parmesan and pepper, if desired.

Keywords: pasta, Instant Pot, one-pan, meat sauce, weeknight

Posted By: alexandra · In: Beef, Pork, Duck & Lamb, Dinner, Entrees, Fall, Pasta, Weeknight Dinners, Weeknight Pasta, winter

Source: https://alexandracooks.com/2019/03/01/the-instant-pot-miracle-one-pan-pasta-meat-sauce/

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String Bean Salad

5 Freestyle Points 176 Calories

One of my favorite ways to enjoy green beans–in a chilled green bean salad recipe! The delicious flavors of these balsamic green beans made with black olives, scallions and eggs complement any meal or holiday potluck.

This easy green bean salad is so good, and tastes even better the next day which would make this a great lunch option too! A few other green bean recipes I love, Skillet Chicken with Bacon and Green Beans, Roasted Parmesan Green Beans and Potato and Green Bean Salad.

Wow, I actually first posted this recipes ten years ago today! It’s hard to believe I’ve been blogging this long. I have so many recipes in my archives I just love, that aren’t getting the attention they deserve so I am slowly making my way through them and giving them the make-overs they deserve. I have also gotten so much better at writing recipes through the years thanks to all the cookbooks I’ve written, and working with editors. Of course, I don’t work with an editor or proof reader on my website, so excuse the typos.

The ingredients in this salad are very clean and simple. Green beans are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. The hard boiled eggs add protein and the flavors combined with the vinaigrette are delicious!

Tips

Trimming the beans yourself will save money, to do this quickly gather the beans in a small pile, lining up the tips on one side then cut the tips off with a single slice using a large chef’s knife. Flip the pile over and do the same on the other side.

To save time, you can buy pre-cut, pre-washed green beans.

To make easy-to-peal hard boiled eggs, I always use my Instant Pot.

Since the ingredients are simple, using a great tasting extra virgin olive oil and a good quality balsamic vinegar makes the salad!

Green Bean Salad

One of my favorite ways to enjoy green beans–in a chilled green bean salad recipe! The delicious flavors of these balsamic green beans made with black olives, scallions and eggs complement any meal or holiday potluck.

Ingredients:

24 oz (6 cups) string beans beans, ends trimmed

2.25 ounce can sliced black olives, drained (check labels for Whole30)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 medium scallions, chopped

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh black pepper, to taste

5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

Directions:

Place green beans in a large pot and cover with water, about 6 cups. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook until tender crisp, about 6 minutes (don’t overcook or they will get mushy).

Drain and rinse under cold water when done to prevent them from overcooking, drain.

In a large bowl, combine balsamic, oil, salt and pepper. Toss in the green beans, scallions and olives. Mix well and top with sliced eggs. Refrigerate and serve chilled or room temperature.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 cup

Amount Per Serving:

Freestyle Points: 5

Points +: 3

Calories: 176 calories

Total Fat: 12g

Saturated Fat: 2.5g

Cholesterol: 155mg

Sodium: 308mg

Carbohydrates: 11g

Fiber: 4.5g

Sugar: 4g

Protein: 7.5g

All images and text ©Gina Homolka for Skinnytaste

posted March 20, 2019 by Gina

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Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/string-bean-salad-2-pts/

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Your cutting board could be making you sick

Of all the things in the kitchen that could be contaminated, your cutting board probably isn’t the first to come to mind. After all, you wash it after you use it! And it’s a flat surface — so wouldn’t you see any food that stuck behind? But if you don’t know what you’re doing, your cutting board could be exposing you and your family to harmful bacteria.

Tips for Avoiding Food Poisoning

There are a few ways this could happen. The first is simple: You cut raw meat on the same surface as other foods without washing the cutting board thoroughly between each use. Raw meat carries germs that can cause food poisoning. You’re making sure to cook the meat thoroughly enough to kill the bacteria after you cut it — but what about the other items you chop up? This can also be avoided by having separate dedicated cutting boards for raw meat and for other ingredients. 

Additionally, cutting boards get worn out and used over time. When you use sharp knives to cut your food, they also cut tiny grooves in the wood or plastic you use. According to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service, it’s important to discard your cutting board before it gets too worn. These crevices in the surface can trap foodborne bacteria and become much harder to effectively clean. The result? You may increase your exposure to pathogens such as E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria that cause food poisoning.

There are ways to clean your cutting board to reduce the risk of exposure. For instance, you could use bleach to sanitize the surface after each use. Soaking the cutting board in a bleach solution will give you a more thorough clean than simply using soap and a sponge.

Your cutting board isn’t the only household item that could put you at risk. Aside from not replacing your cutting board, here are other common household mistakes that could be making you sick.

Source: https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy-eating/cutting-board-bacteria

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Watch Ina Garten and Seth Meyers Day Drink at NYC’s Corner Bistro

In a delightful segment from the most recent episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers, the show’s host spends an afternoon drinking and snacking at NYC’s famed Corner Bistro with Food Network legend Ina Garten.

From the beginning of their midday meeting, Seth proves to be a must faster drinker than Ina. And while you never really know if the hosts are actually boozing it up during segments like this, Meyers does seem convincingly buzzed throughout most of the clip — particularly in one part where he has to transition between the drink-making portion of the afternoon to the snack-eating part — while Ina remains cool as a cucumber. At one point, when Ina says she likes the cocktail Seth made for her, he replies with, “You know, you have a face you make that’s a liar’s face?” That’s definitely the type of thing you might hear in a barroom between two friends when one has been imbibing more than the other.

Perhaps the funniest part of this segment is when Seth and Ina sample various dips from fast-food restaurants alongside the Barefoot Contessa’s versions. During the barbecue sauce showdown, where the McDonald’s recipe is up against the made-from-scratch dip, Seth teases Ina by saying, “That tastes like a million McNuggets I’ve had in my life... and the other one’s okay.” And after sampling KFC’s signature sauce, Ina remarks that it “tastes like gravy,” to which Meyers replies, “What high praise!”

Their afternoon at Corner Bistro ends with a “match the celebrity to their bare feet” challenge, and Seth presenting Ina with a lopsided pink cake he made as an early birthday present. Watch their boozy lost afternoon in the clip above.

• Seth and Ina Garten Go Day Drinking [YouTube]

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Source: https://www.eater.com/2019/2/7/18215352/seth-meyers-ina-garten-barefoot-contessa-corner-bistro

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$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

posted by Jaden

Big thanks to our sponsors for $100 Visa Gift Card!

Super simple….all you have to do is enter the giveaway to win.

Yup….that easy. BUT….if you want to say “I love Visa!” out loud….I think that might help your chances 🙂

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DISCLAIMER & OFFICIAL RULES: The giveaway product is provided by the sponsor of the giveaway and will be shipped from the sponsor directly. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Giveaway is open to people who are 18 years of age at time of entry and open to people worldwide. Steamy Kitchen and its sponsors only ship physical prizes to United States addresses. However, Steamy Kitchen reserves the right to provide an Amazon.com or Amazon.ca gift card for the value of the prize (at time of publishing) in lieu of shipping physical product due to shipping costs and logistics, especially for our international winners. Steamy Kitchen assumes no responsibility for late or misdirected entries due to SPAM, technological, or e-mail filtering issues or for prizes lost in transit. Winner will be notified by email, and must respond within 5 business days, otherwise winner will forfeit the prize and another winner may be drawn. For this giveaway, entrants can enter the designated number of times per e-mail address per day. The use of any system, robot, agent, or software to automatically submit entries in connection with this Giveaway is prohibited. Winners of giveaways are published on Steamy Kitchen, and winner's name and city/state/country are announced in Steamy Kitchen email newsletters.  See rest of the Official Giveaway Rules.

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Source: https://steamykitchen.com/47391-100-visa-gift-card-giveaway.html

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The Ultimate Summer Hummus Board

This simple hummus board is the perfect summer appetizer. Takes 10 minutes to make, requires no cooking, has something for everyone and serves a crowd!

This past weekend, I celebrated the end of summer in Maine. I've been going to Maine every summer since I was a baby and it's by far one of my favorite places on earth. We have a cottage that was built in the late 1800s that has the most stunning view of the Atlantic.

One of my favorite parts of the whole house? Our giant porch.

This house is a place my family has gathered for four generations and the porch is probably where we spend most of our time. A standing tradition we have is to have wine and appetizers on the porch, as we watch have a few epic games of cornhole and watch the sun go down.

As we say goodbye to summer, I wanted to share one of my absolute favorite “appetizers” that I always make when I'm up in Maine. A summer hummus board, filled with loads of fresh, summer produce, some crackers/pretzels and hummus.

How to Make a Hummus Board

I'm excited to be partnering up with Sabra to share this hummus board recipe with you because I think it's the ultimate party dish. Not only does it take about 10 minutes to make, can be made with pretty much any combination of ingredients you want, looks pretty and it's healthy!

Just like a meat and cheese board, hummus boards consist of a few different things that come together into one fabulous spread. When I'm making my boards, I want to be sure I have a balance of ingredients: some healthy veggies, some crunchy/carby cracker type thing and of course hummus.

For this board, I went to the farmer's market and picked up a few different raw veggies, then used some of my favorite gluten-free crackers and pretzels and finished it off with a tub of Sabra's Roasted Pine Nut Hummus.

Just arrange them on a cutting board or cheese plate (I used a slate board) and fill in the gaps with your ingredients. If you want a full tutorial on creating the ultimate snack board, check out my Snack Board 3 Ways post!

Ingredients for our Summer Hummus Board

What I love about summer is how much produce is available! But as our season changes, the bounty at the farmer's market definitely starts to dwindle.

Here's what I was able to pick up last week and used for my hummus board:

Carrots

Radishes

Baby peppers

Heirloom cherry tomatoes

Striped tiger zucchini

And then, of course, we also added on pretzels, crackers and our pine nut hummus!

The Ultimate Summer Appetizer

This is by far my favorite thing to serve during the summer. I love that it doesn't involve any cooking on my part, there's something for everyone on the plate and it's totally customized to what I can find at the store.

You really can't go wrong when you make a hummus board – just find some veggies, pick up some crackers and pick out your favorite Sabra hummus flavor!

Summer Hummus Board

This simple hummus board is the perfect summer appetizer. Takes 10 minutes to make, requires no cooking and serves a crowd!

1 bunch carrots

1 bunch radishes

5 - 6 baby sweet peppers

1 zucchini

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Pretzels

Crackers

1 container of Sabra Hummus

Wash and cut your veggies into desired sizes. I like to keep most of mine whole for easy dipping.

Place the hummus on the board, then arrange the veggies, pretzels and crackers around it. Use the smaller veggies (like tomatoes) to fill in any gaps.

Serve immediately!

Source: https://www.simplyquinoa.com/summer-hummus-board/

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Chicken and waffles are coming to Dairy Queen

Days after KFC announced the return of its coveted chicken and waffles sandwich, Dairy Queen has unveiled its own version of the brunch dish. For a limited time starting April 1, the chain will serve a basket-sized portion featuring all-white-meat chicken strips, authentic Belgian waffles, syrup and fries at all DQ and DQ Grill and Chill locations nationwide.

How Fast Food Has Changed Since You Were in High School

“We’re thrilled to offer the best of both worlds with our delicious take on a classic,” executive vice president of marketing Maria Hokanson said in a release. “Fans love our chicken strip basket, and now they can really indulge with the addition of decadent Belgian waffles.”

To celebrate the launch, fans can make a reservation for free through Yelp for a “DQ Date” at 10 select outposts across the U.S. At each restaurant, one table will be decorated with vibrant décor, special place settings, interactive elements and a designated waiter or waitress for sit-down service — but you still have to pay for your own food and drink. Available time slots include 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 12; and noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14.

Only these locations are now accepting reservations via Yelp:

Phoenix, Arizona – 4751 E. Warner Rd.

Brighton, Colorado – 2564 E. Bridge St.

Dale City, Virginia – 4381 Dale Blvd.

Edina, Minnesota – 7700 Normandale Blvd.

Ellenwood, Georgia – 340 Fairview Rd.

Levittown, New York – 3095 Hempstead Turnpike

Middletown, Delaware – 802 Kohl Ave.

Milford, Massachusetts – 190 West St.

Seminole, Florida – 10820 Park Blvd.

Yorkville, Illinois – 704 E Veterans Parkway

Are chicken and waffles taking over 2019? Apart from DQ and KFC, we’ve also recently seen chicken and waffles cereal at Walmart, and Papa John’s is supposedly releasing a hot honey chicken and waffles pizza sometime this year. Personally, we’re fans of the flavor combination, but we’d rather have the real deal (along with some never-ending mimosas) at the best bottomless brunch in every state.

Source: https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/dairy-queen-chicken-waffles/032619

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To Market: The Carriageworks Summer Night Markets

Twice a year the Carriageworks precinct hosts a night market with stands curated by chef Kylie Kwong. This last week saw the summer version of the Carriageworks market. Come and take a peek at what went on!

I have to admit for the first five to ten minutes after Ivy and I arrived at the Carriageworks night markets, I wanted to flee. There were just so many people and it was just so large and I got a bit of situational anxiety. But once Ivy and I did a lay of the land I calmed down.

The night market is enormous-there's an outdoor undercover section as well as an indoor section and an art installation by artist Nick Cave (not the musician). The event sold out the day before it was held and tickets were $10 plus booking fee which gets you entry. All food and drinks are paid for and there aren't any samples but food prices are reasonable. Vendors take either cash or card.

Unlike the day market, the night market is not dog friendly, mainly because they serve alcohol (you know how dogs love to drink ;) ).

We've arrived during prime dinner time and we've walked around a few places. There's a long list of Sydney's restaurants but there are a small handful I haven't been to so we hone in on those.

We start off with a drink. Ivy really likes Seedlip, a non alcoholic distilled beverage and she goes for a Tarragon and Okra spritz made with the Seedlip garden (there are three kinds and that's the only one she likes), seasonal shrub and soda. I take a sip and I have to admit I wasn't a fan at first but when it gets to the end it's quite nice. I ask her what the difference would be and she guesses that they weren't very generous with the pour.

The next stop is for a Bretzel with Pepe Saya butter. We chose this because it would be a good walking snack while we queued up for other things. The queueing is a bit confusing at the stand but we aren't waiting long.

The pretzel and butter is absolutely delicious. The pretzel is soft and fresh and the cultured butter so creamy with a hint of tang.

Pretzel in hand we walk outside where it's a bit cooler and join the queue for Four Brave Women. It's a group of four refugees from Russian, The Ukraine, Iraq and Syria who have an eatery in Summer Hill. You can order a plate from each country or a Festival Feast platter for $15 that has a bit of everything which we try. The food is pleasant but quite mild in flavour.

Festival Feast platter $15

We eat this food while joining what has to be the longest queue of the whole festival. Ivy darts away for a few minutes to buy some bugs from the Edible Bug Shop. She comes back with a small box of mixed bugs for $15. I try one and they're inoffensive and like a dry chip and very lightly seasoned.

But back to our queue. Mirritya Mundya serves indigenous cuisine with a twist. And they've got beef brisket, pork and kangaroo smoking away.

By the time we reach near the front of the queue the brisket and pork have sold out and by the time we get to the front of the queue we're one of the lucky last to get the cinnamon myrtle spiced kangaroo.

Cinnamon myrtle spiced kangaroo, myrtle coleslaw and warrigal green potato salad $15

Ivy is a fan of kangaroo and this one is nicely smoky and quite tender for kangaroo that has been cooked through. The smokiness also takes away that gamey aroma. There's also a lemon myrtle coleslaw and Warrigal green potato salad as well as a spicy barbecue sauce.

We go back to the undercover area to join the Lillah Express queue that has the longest queue (my motto: have longest queue, will join). There are three types of hummus bowls and we go for the one with oxtail and bone marrow. It takes a while but it's worth the wait.

Hummus bowl with oxtail and bone marrow $15

The bone marrow and beef is meltingly soft and the hummus creamy and strong with a hint of bitterness. There are also pickles, herbs and chickpeas. We love that the soft flatbread is served warm and brushed with oil.

Food demo...I think ;)

During the market there are demonstrations and these are popular. You just need to queue early or be tall ;) Another tip for the market is to bring your own water bottle. There are water filling stations for you to use and they use a lot of recyclable packaging and serving plates.

Pina Colada $15

I got a bit thirsty towards the end so we stop by Jacoby's Tiki Bar for a pina colada which hits the spot and watch the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation gospel choir singing.

One good thing about this market is that there is a good amount of tables and chairs so eating is easy and you don't have to fight for a table or stand to eat which can happen at some markets.

There isn't a lot of dessert available-two gelato places are about it and by that time everyone seems to have joined these queues so we take a peek at the art exhibition.

His exhibition is called "Until" and was sparked by the question "Is there racism in heaven?" and the Rodney King beating and subsequent riots. We climb one of three sets of stairs up the "Crystal Cloudscape" and take a peek at the oddments. It's like a slightly odd Santa sleigh crossed with a chandelier. I whisper to the security person, "What are we looking at?". She explains that some of the items up there are tokens of racism. Then we go on to walk through the Kinetic Spinner Forest made up of 1,800 of spinning metallic ornaments before calling it a night.

So tell me Dear Reader, do you like night markets? Do you have a favourite night market? Or find events with lots of people overwhelming?

All food and drink in this post were independently paid for

245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015 carriageworks.com.au/events/carriageworks-farmers-market/

Source: https://www.notquitenigella.com/2019/02/24/carriageworks-night-summer-market/

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What Are The Healthiest Non-Dairy Milks To Drink?

The other day I was ordering an organic smoothie at a local shop and as I watched her put the kale into the blender and grab a carton of almond milk, I stopped her just in time…

Right before she poured the milk into the blender I asked, “Would you mind if I read the ingredients on that?”

She handed me the carton, and, wouldn’t ya know it… The almond milk was filled with all kinds of crazy ingredients that I’d never use in my smoothies at home…

So I simply asked, “Can you use water instead?”

I personally eat very little dairy and usually opt for nut milks to make smoothies and recipes. Almond, coconut, and cashew milks are great alternatives to dairy �� but I don’t buy the majority of popular brands at the store, like Silk, So Delicious, or Almond Breeze. Here’s why…

Common ingredients to avoid in dairy-free milk:

Added sugars: Eating too much sugar (which is easy to do, because it’s in almost every processed food) leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer (1) – but its detrimental effects can take years to surface. There is no reason to add sugar to milk and we all could use a little less sugar in our life! Some brands have sweetened and unsweetened versions – so always choose the latter. Guilty brands: Silk Original, Almond Breeze, Califia Farms (non-organic), Ripple Original, Milkadamia Original, Pearl Organic Soymilk.

Natural flavors: Natural Flavor is practically the exact same thing as Artificial Flavor, but it’s derived from substances found in nature (plants, animals, etc). Chemists create these complex formulations in a lab, isolating and blending specific flavors extracted from upwards of hundreds of compounds, some of which may be GMOs. These compounds can come from substances that are nowhere close to the actual thing. For example, they might take some castoreum from a beaver (2) to make a flavoring that resembles vanilla – without ever using any vanilla beans. But, hey, it’s “natural” because it’s from a beaver! Common additives in flavors include: sodium benzoate, glycerin, potassium sorbate, and propylene glycol (none are required to be labeled by the FDA). Natural flavors are a complete mystery ingredient and completely unnecessary (3). Guilty brands: Silk, Almond Breeze Vanilla, Califia Farms (non-organic), Ripple, So Delicious, Milkadamia, Pacific Foods Almond, Simple Truth Coconut Milk, Westsoy Vanilla Soymilk, Pearl Organic Soymilk. 

Carrageenan & Gums: Carrageenan is linked to intestinal inflammation and cancer (4). Since so much awareness has been raised about the risks of consuming carrageenan, a lot of brands have removed it (yay!) but – they often end up replacing it with gums to thicken the milk, like gellan gum and guar gum. In my opinion, these are safer than carrageenan, but not really something I want to consume often – as they’re linked to bloating and gas (and again, simply unnecessary) (5). Guilty brands: Pacific Rice Milk Original, Simple Truth Coconut Milk, Pearl Organic Soymilk. 

Soy milk… rice milk… almond milk… coconut milk… which one is healthiest?

I get this question a lot. I personally don’t drink soy and rice milks. Here’s why –

Soy can cause hormonal disruptions because it has estrogen-mimicking properties. Soy also has an abundance of phytic acid that leaches calcium and other vital minerals from your body (6). And, if soy milk is not organic it is almost surely made from GMO soybeans. GMO soybeans have been shown to be contaminated with Roundup herbicide, which might end up in your glass of soy milk (7). 

As for rice, it is notoriously contaminated with arsenic (a carcinogen) – even organic rice – (8) and tests by Consumer Reports have found arsenic residues in rice milk (9). Unless a brand says that they test their rice milks for arsenic, I don’t feel confident that it is safe. Rice milk is also higher in sugar than most non-dairy milks.

I typically stick with organic coconut and almond milks. Organic store-bought hemp milk or oat milk is hard to find, but is a good choice too. 

Oat milk and weedkiller contamination – What you need to know… 

Oat milk is gaining in popularity right now and you’ll probably start seeing a lot more of it popping up in coffee shops and stores. Recently the Environmental Working Group (EWG) did some testing (10) and found many popular oat-based cereals, oatmeals, granolas and snack bars contaminated with glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller). Oat milk wasn’t specifically included in their testing, but it’s good to be aware that conventional oats (non-organic) oats are commonly sprayed with Roundup as a drying agent before harvest, which makes them more likely to be contaminated. Organic oats are not sprayed directly, but are sometimes cross-contaminated. Thankfully, what the EWG found was that organic products were less likely to be contaminated and had far fewer residues than conventional products. The cancer arm of the World Health Organization considers glyphosate to be a probable carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) – so you don’t want that in your food! That’s why it is safest to look for oat products that are certified organic, and ideally, that have been certified by a third-party to be free of glyphosate. 

Oatly is one brand that isn’t organic, but carries the Glyphosate Residue Free certification by The Detox Project. If you buy the Oatly brand, just make sure to pick up what they call the “low fat” version, because Oatly’s regular oat milk contains added rapeseed (canola) oil and other unnecessary additives. I normally wouldn’t recommend a product labeled as “low fat”, but in this case it simply means they didn’t add unhealthy oil to it. And, check out my recipe for homemade organic oat milk below – it’s soooo simple to make.

What about pea protein milks, like Ripple Milk?

Ripple Milk and some other brands like Silk’s Protein Nut Milk and Milkadamia are made with pea protein. I’m now very cautious about consuming pea protein as I learned something very shocking about this ingredient while developing protein powder for my company Truvani...

Our protein powder is made primarily with organic pea protein. We have strict ingredient standards that not all brands have – all ingredients need to be organic, non-GMO, and pass heavy metal testing. We reached out to dozens of ingredient suppliers and every single sample of pea protein failed the heavy metals test and was coming back contaminated with LEAD. I couldn’t believe it. We had such a hard time finding a clean source of pea protein that I thought we would need to scratch the recipe altogether and completely reformulate it without pea protein. We eventually found a pea protein source that passed testing, but it was an exhaustive process that I know most food brands don’t bother doing. 

I’m not saying Ripple Milk, Milkadamia, or Silk’s Protein Nut Milk is contaminated with lead. I can’t say that because I haven’t tested them for lead – and I don’t know anyone who has. That being said, given how common lead is in our pea protein supplies, it is a risk and it’s not one that I’m personally willing to take – especially after my personal experience with pea protein! My team has reached out to these companies and we haven’t heard back yet – but we’ll update this blog post when we do. 

Ripple Milk is not certified organic, contains added flavors, and contains added refined (white) sugar (unless you buy their unsweetened version). Especially watch out for Vanilla Ripple Milk with 15 grams of sugar per serving. I try to avoid added sugar in foods that I’m eating regularly (that are supposed to be healthy!) Think about it: We get bombarded with added sugar all over the place… do we really want it in our daily drinks? I sure don’t.

How to find the healthiest dairy-free milk brands…

Of course, making homemade dairy-free milk is the best option… but I realize we all don’t have time to soak, blend, strain, and bottle it up every few days! When shopping for almond, coconut, oat and other dairy-free milks follow these two tips: 

Look for a certified organic version to avoid crops treated with synthetic pesticides.

Don’t assume that all organic milks are healthy. Many dairy-free milks and nut milks are filled with the unnecessary ingredients discussed in this post. So make sure you still check the ingredient list! Choose brands without added sugar, natural flavors, or carrageenan. Also try to find brands that don’t include thickeners like gellan gum, if possible. 

Some better brands are MALK Organic Almond and Cashew Milks, Oatly (low fat version), Three Trees Organic Almondmilk, New Barn Organic Almondmilk, Whole Foods 365 Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk, Thrive Market Organic Almond Milk and Organic Oat Milk, Simple Truth Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk, Califia Organic Almond Homestyle Nutmilk, and Native Forest or Natural Value Coconut Milk (canned). Be careful, because these brands may have some other versions with added sugar and flavors.

If you’ve got a few minutes… here are the quickest dairy-free milks you can make at home:

Food Babe's Homemade Organic Cashew Milk (no straining necessary!)

1 cup raw organic cashews

6 cups water

Optional: 2 dates, pitted (for added sweetness)

Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or seeds of one vanilla bean

Soak the cashews overnight (at least 6 hours) in 2 cups of water.

Rinse and drain the soaked cashews.

Place the cashews, 4 cups of water, and optional ingredients, if using, in a blender and blend on high for about 1 minute.

Pour the milk into an airtight container and store refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Food Babe's Homemade Organic Oat Milk

1 cup organic rolled oats

4 cups filtered water

Optional: 1 date, pitted (for added sweetness)

Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or seeds of one vanilla bean

Soak rolled oats in a bowl of filtered water for about one hour.

Drain the water from the oats and discard this water. Rinse the oats well.

Place soaked oats in a blender along with 4 cups filtered water. You can use only 3 cups of water if you'd like a thicker milk. Add the vanilla and date, if using. Blend for one minute.

Using a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer, strain the blended milk into a glass bowl or container.

Store in an airtight glass container refrigerated for up to 4 days.

This is how I make homemade coconut milk from a can in less than 5 minutes. And if you’ve got a little bit more time…here is a recipe for fresh pistachio milk that is out of this world.

If you know anyone who likes to use dairy-free milk, but might be buying the wrong brands, please share this post with them!

Xo,

Vani

P.S. Are you confused about what to eat? Are you tired of getting conflicting information from health experts? In my new book, Feeding You Lies, I expose the shameless lies we are being fed about our food by the very people we should be able to trust for health information… lies about its nutrient value, effects on our health, label information, and even the very science on which we make our food choices. It’s investigative, hard-hitting, and scandalous. Order a copy today here!

Source: https://foodbabe.com/what-are-the-healthiest-non-dairy-milks-to-drink/

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Lemon Glaze Doughnuts Return to Krispy Kreme

Posted August 24th, 2018 | 7:01pm by Ryan

From Monday, August 27th through Sunday, September 2nd, Krispy Kreme will once again be offering Lemon Glaze Doughnuts.  The doughnut is described as a balance between the “freshness of real lemon, the brightest of citrus and the sweetness of Krispy Kreme’s iconic Original Glazed Doughnut.”  The Lemon Glaze Doughnut will be available at participating Krispy Kreme locations.

Source: http://www.grubgrade.com/2018/08/lemon-glaze-doughnuts-return-to-krispy-kreme/

[seederturnip4-blog]

Best Ever Copycat Red Robin Pickle Nickels AKA Fried Pickles

Red Robin Pickle Nickels are fried pickles that you simply must try. Red Robin’s version of fried pickles goes oh so well with the Red Robin Campfire Sauce.

If you are lucky you live near a Red Robin, home of the bottomless french fries! If not, you may need to take a journey to this amazing burger place. Red Robin makes lots of creative and fun food. This place is fun and festive and it has something for the whole family.

Who started making fried pickles first?

It is believed that fried pickles originated in the South. In the South fried foods were very common because fried foods cook quickly, and there is no need to heat up ovens, or spending a lot of time at a hot stove cooking. Until the widespread use of air conditioning, many people in the South looked for quick cooking methods like deep frying to quickly cook their food. The first recorded recipe for fried pickles was in 1960, and it was for sweet pickles fried in pancake batter. This recipe was found in the Oakland Tribune. A few years later, fried pickles showed up in Atkins, Arkansas at the Duchess Drive-Inn. Ever since then, the recipe has continued to evolve and now fried pickles are served at many different restaurants.

What Makes the Fried Pickles at Red Robin so special?

Many places use just seasoned flour or cracker meal for their recipe. If you have never tried these fried pickles before, you will notice that they use cornmeal as part of the breading. The cornmeal really changes the texture and keeps fried pickles from becoming soggy like some can.

Love Red Robin? Check out more of these great flavors

Red Robin Campfire Sauce Red Robin Screaming Zombie Drink Red Robin Freckled Lemonade

Red Robin Pickle Nickels

Love Red Robin Pickle Nickels? Make your own copycat Red Robin Pickle Nickels at home with this copycat recipe.

Ingredients

16 ounces dill pickles

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1 package Lousianna Fish Fry 8 ounces

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Set up a breading station. To the first container, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients together. In the second container, add the buttermilk. In the third container add the fish fry mix.

Preheat oil to 350 degrees.  You will need to add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot or cooking vessel to a depth of 3 inches.

First bread the drained pickle chips with flour, then, shake off excess flour and lay on a wire rack. Then dip the pickles in buttermilk, and finally dip them into the fish fry mix. After they have been coated with the fish fry mix, shake off the excess fish fry mix, place them on a wire rack for 2 minutes before cooking. This will help keep the coating on the pickle. 

Cook for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes in the hot oil. Remove when they start to turn a darker color. Drain on a wire rack. 

Nutrition Facts

Red Robin Pickle Nickels

Amount Per Serving

Calories 630 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 33g 51%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 6mg 2%

Sodium 1348mg 56%

Potassium 401mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 71g 24%

Dietary Fiber 7g 28%

Sugars 5g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 6.1%

Vitamin C 1.1%

Calcium 12.5%

Iron 19.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://copykat.com/red-robin-pickle-nickels/

[seederturnip4-blog]

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe – Thick and Chewy

About this post: Recipe for a Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies that uses zero refined flour, zero sugar and only 3 tbsp butter for the entire batch.

Why a recipe for a healthier chocolate chip cookies? Why mess with an insanely popular ‘food’, right? I do get that.

Even I’m all for indulging in a buttery croissant or a scoop of real ice cream. The word ‘indulge’ has the word ‘occasional’ attached to it by default, at least for me. So while I don’t mind the true blue American chocochip cookie recipe which starts with ‘2 sticks butter’ -given my slow metabolism and my quest to get fitter this year, it is not an option I can rely on often.

We already eat way too much processed food containing refined flours and sugars in our day to day life. This holds true for our kids too. So if I can successfully revamp a popular cookie into a healthyish one like these healthier chocolate chip cookies, why not? It is easy to find acceptance of the new flavours and textures of the healthier version, when you know that it is good for you 🙂

I have a standard recipe when I try out healthyish cookie recipes. 3 tablespoons butter rubbed into 1 cup of a whole grain flour or a nutritious flour mix + baking soda is often the starting point. The recipe yields 12 cookies so around 1/4 tbsp or less than a teaspoon of butter per cookie and I can live with that – whether it’s me eating or my family.

Why butter you may ask? Because butter is infinitely better than the transfat used by neighbourhood bakeries or any other nondescript variety of fat used by mega brands. Butter is a single ingredient, without any additives, closest to its natural form as compared to any other fats. This is a good indicator to judge if any ingredient is healthy. Feel free to use ghee if you like that flavour.

5 Easy Healthy Cookie Recipes

Millet Ginger Cookies (my all time favourite)

One Bowl Healthy Coconut cookies (I LOVE THESE!)

Healthy Savoury Rosemary Coconut Cookies   (love this unusual combination of flavours)

The Healthiest Cookies I Have Ever Baked

Oatmeal Prune Cookies with Chai Masala

So here are the main ingredients I have used in the Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies

100% whole wheat flour – a new brand that sells flour from consciously grown organic wheat (TWF)

Organic jaggery, powdered

Real butter, and not too much of it

Now, I have added a bit of instant coffee (espresso powder) to the cookies, which is why they look browner than a regular chocochip cookie. My son and me both love coffee flavour and that’s the only reason it is in the recipe. You can easily omit that without affecting the recipe.

I have not tested an eggless version of this recipe – but here are a couple of options

1 tbsp flaxseed meal in 2 tbsp boiling hot water, whisk and use.  Or try with 2 tbsp condensed milk (reducing the jaggery slightly).

These are just suggestions and I cannot promise that it will turn out exactly the way the version with eggs turns out.

How do these Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies turn out?

I’m sure before trying a chocolate chip cookie recipe, you want to know how the taste and texture is. These cookies turn out thick and chunky. They are not overly crisp, short and buttery, because well, they don’t have as much butter as your regular cookie. The baking soda does help crisp up the edges, to some extent. The centre is reasonably chewy. For the healthier recipe that it is, my verdict would be that it gives sufficient chocolate chip cookie bang for buck 🙂

So get your kettle on or coffee brewing because you are just 30 minutes away from biting into these cookies!

Print Recipe

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies Yum

Instructions

In a bowl, mix flour, coffee and baking soda well. Mix in powdered jaggery.

Cut butter into small cubes and work it into flour with finger tips until you get a sandy texture.

Make a well and add in the whisked egg and vanilla extract.

Mix it all together to get a dough, adding 1-2 tsp milk if needed.

Gently work in the chocolate chips.

Divide into 12 portions. Roll into balls, flatten lightly, arrange on a baking tray. Leave at least 1 inch space between the cookies. bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 12-14 minutes.

Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Recipe Notes

If you have flattened the cookie too much then baking time may be lesser.

The cookies will continue to crisp up as they cool.

Source: https://www.saffrontrail.com/healthier-chocolate-chip-cookies/

[seederturnip4-blog]

Mushroom and Garlic Butter Pasta

Mushroom and Garlic Butter Pasta is a quick, everyday dinner that is done in under 30 minutes. Simple flavors pack a big punch in this easy pasta dish.

With fall (and school schedules) right around the corner I am always looking for quick and delicious dinner ideas. Plus, when you add butter to the title I am instantly intrigued, and thought you might be too!

I know that mushrooms are one of those vegetables…wait, mushrooms are vegetables right? Anyway, they’re one of those ingredients that people like or people hate. Like REALLY hate.

Luckily for me, I am super into mushrooms. They actually happen to be my favorite pizza topping, because I am a super weirdo. And I know I will get the question, “Can I make this without mushrooms?” Well…no. I mean, yes, certainly you could, but then really you should just make another recipe. There are millions on the internet.

So if you aren’t a big mushroom guy, I’ll catch you on the next recipe.

If you ARE a big mushroom guy, then let’s get going.

You can totally be done with his in under 30 minutes. It’s super quick, I just recommend (as per usual) to thoroughly read the recipe and have all your ingredients ready. It makes everything go smoother, and timing is important in this one.

And for the love do NOT forget to reserve the pasta water. Pinky promise me you won’t forget.

So slice your mushrooms, chop your parsley, mince your garlic ahead of time. And you can even roast the tomatoes WAY ahead.

That way, when you get going, you will have everything all set and there will be no stress.

The butter in this recipe adds a silky richness that you can’t achieve with olive oil, although yes, you certainly could sub olive oil for the butter. But, don’t.

When the pasta is cooked, you add into your cooked, buttery, garlicky mushrooms.

Also note that seasoning with salt and pepper is really important in this recipe. Salt the water, season the mushrooms…without liberal seasoning you will definitely have bland pasta.

And I love adding crushed red pepper to this to add a little heat. You can amp up the heat or omit it, if that’s not your thing.

I hope you enjoy this simple, rustic pasta dish as much as we do!

Print

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Description

Mushroom and Garlic Butter Pasta is a simple, everyday dinner that is done in under 30 minutes. Simple flavors pack a big punch!

Ingredients

1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1 pound spaghetti

1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 5 cloves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 cup reserved pasta water

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the tomatoes onto the sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast your tomatoes for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and season well with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water, and drain pasta.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the mushrooms and melt. Add in the drained pasta, pasta water, and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly to coat pasta and melt cheese.

Sprinkle with parsley and fold in roasted tomatoes.

Serve immediately.

Source: https://cookiesandcups.com/mushroom-and-garlic-butter-pasta/

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PAINTED CHRISTMAS COOKIES // CHRISTMAS COOKIE ORNAMENTS

Every Christmas I host a cookie swap. All of my girlfriends come over with a batch of cookies, I plan some kind of DIY, and I make a giant batch of hot cocoa with marshmallows – bourbon optional. It’s also the one event where I put down my phone and just hang out instead of worrying about posting everything on social media. Cookies are sacred, dammit! Last year I tried something new. Instead of doing DIY cookie tins for people to take their cookies home, I organized DIY cookie christmas ornaments. I made a bunch of short bread cookies, decorated them with plain white icing, prepped them to be an ornament by punching holes in them, and then let my friends do the rest. By halfway through the evening it turned into an arts and crafts sessions, with everyone working quietly on their cookies. My friend Sabina is an actual artist, so her cookies (the very impressive ones pictured below) were ridiculously gorgeous. The George Melies style man in the moon kills me. But don’t worry! If you lack artistic ability like me, just do swashes of color and top it with gold. Everything looks a little better with gold. 

INGREDIENTS (SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Makes 18 shortbread cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Pre Heat oven to 350F.

Sift together the flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the flour and sugar a third at a time on low speed, then add the vanilla. Form the dough into a ball (or into a few balls, if making a big batch). Wrap the ball in plastic, press into a thick disc, and chill in the fridge until cold, about 30 minutes.

On a well floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thick, and cut out using cookie cutters. Roll up the dough, re-roll the dough, and cut out the remaining cookie cutters. Repeat until you’re done with dough.  If turning these into ornaments, use a skewer to poke a hole (at least 1/8″ wide) about a 1/2″ in from the edge of the cookie.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are barely golden brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven and move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

INGREDIENTS (ROYAL ICING)

1 pound powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)

2 egg whites

blue food coloring

gold flakes

DIRECTIONS

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar. Mixing on low speed, add a scant 1/2 cup water. For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water. A thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and adding details. Mix until icing holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle.

Spread the icing on each cookie, and set the cookies aside for 30 minutes to set. When the cookies are ready, decorate with food coloring, paint brushes, and finish with gold flakes. String some twine through the hole (you may have to repunch the hole with a skewer) if turning them into ornaments.

Source: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/?recipes=/painted-christmas-cookies-christmas-cookie-ornaments/

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Duchess Potatoes Recipe

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, so now’s the time to start planning your menu! Duchess Potatoes are definitely a special occasion side dish, and one your family will love.

The potatoes are boiled and then mixed with cream, egg yolks, sour cream, butter and sea salt to create a luxurious, velvety texture.

And, if you’re looking for additional Thanksgiving recipes, I’ve got you covered!

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole  Green Bean Casserole Grain-Free Cornbread (tastes just like the real thing!) Pecan Pie Pumpkin Pie Creamed Kale with Shallots Grain-Free Stuffing (one of the most popular recipes on the blog!) Chocolate Pecan Pie Simple Gravy Carrot Souffle (a family favorite!) Pumpkin Roll Cake  Brussels Sprouts Gratin  Cranberry Kombucha “Jello” (the kids will love this one) Turkey Roulade Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing Roasted Carrots with Parsley-Yogurt Sauce  Apple Pie

Dutchess Potatoes

20 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

Ingredients

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2” pieces

5 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Instructions

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and adjust the rack to the middle position. Whisk together the yolks, garlic, heavy cream, sour cream, butter and sea salt in a large bowl. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill directly into the egg mixture. Gently stir until combined (don’t over mix). Pour the potatoes into a 3-quart baking dish and decoratively shingle or swirl surface. Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown on top and slightly puffed. Serve.

7.8.1.2

4609

https://deliciouslyorganic.net/duchess-potatoes-recipe/

Copyright 2016 Deliciously Organic

Dutchess Potato photo credit: Becky Winkler

Source: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/duchess-potatoes-recipe/

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Basement Bedroom Reveals

August 25, 2018

Oh man, it’s time for our basement bedroom reveals and we are so excited!! We went for clean and simple, modern with a touch of traditional.

Is it weird that redoing our basement actually taught us a lot about life? It’s been so, so busy picking things out and making decisions that this past month I found myself doing something I didn’t expect, I stopped working on the basement. These basement bedroom reveals are everything to us, but they definitely aren’t what we envisioned, they are better, but different.

How’s that for confusing?

Here’s the thing, I don’t like design. It’s not my thing. I’d rather figure the most amazing pancake recipe, and I did… Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes, but design, no thanks. It stresses me out, doesn’t come easy to me, and I hate forking out all of that money.

We had felt it though. Finishing our basement wasn’t just because we thought it would be fun, but because this Christmas we had literally felt inspired to do it. So we threw caution to the wind and jumped in with both feet.

And don’t forget to check out Becky Kimball, our lovely photographer for all these photos.

Park City Blinds and Design

Once things were moving along and it was time to fill the rooms I seriously wanted to stop the whole process. The stress had hit. And then, and I mean, like within a day we discovered Park City Blinds and Design. If you aren’t following them on Instagram, get yourselves on over there,  such beautiful inspiration. We ran out to PC and visited their gorgeous showroom, and got totally inspired.

We learned soooo much too. But I have to take you back in time to explain…

Elsie Mahe

Elsie Mahe lived in our neighborhood, a little toddler with the most darling family, including a dad who coaches BYU football. This sweet little girl accidentally got a cord from the blinds wrapped around her neck and passed away. It was incredibly tragic for our neighborhood and I’ve felt multiple times in this build process that our basement blinds should be cordless. In fact, I’m desperate to switch out our entire house, but that’s going to take some time.

So we started there. We got inspired by our window coverings and learned one thing I never knew.

Buy High Quality Window Coverings

I’ve always loved a good deal, but I learned quickly that when you use the cheapest curtain rods the room automatically looks less pulled together and yes, I took to the internet, and it really was true! On top of that, we had previously learned that buying and installing blinds pretty much never fits right, so when we heard that they would come out, measure, fit, and install the blinds I was alllllll in!

Thankfully they are also really good at what they do, so they also guided us on colors and textures and brands that would be the right fit for us. Nothing too crazy expensive, but also not the cheapest stuff that would look awful and more importantly, not end up lasting a long time, which is also a big deal to us.

We started with the windows and everything else fell into place. We are so glad we partnered with Park City Blinds and Design, for a million reasons, but especially because of how incredible they look!

The blinds are super cool too, you merely push and pull them with just one hand! So simple, clean, and lovely.

We lined this particular bedroom because it faces a direction that more light would be pouring in once morning hit.

The rest of the rooms were kept simple. This room started off with the blinds, but it was actually that side table that came next. I’d bought it for another room but ended up loving it in here. It gave guests a place to sit things and  helped to break up that long wall.

The Truth About the Bed

The bed honestly isn’t our favorite, I’ll link up to it but it’s not very sturdy and was a real beast to get together. If it hadn’t been such a hassle I would have bought a new one by now. The sheets and bedding are worth it though.

Our Favorite Sheets After Trying So Many

We asked and asked about sheets on social media, and ended up trying out a few different kinds which we didn’t like. And then came Sweet Sheets. Seriously the most soft sheets ever and they haven’t pilled or stretch even a little bit! Winning!

And best of all, there’s more than just the standard white, so buy whatever suits your needs.

Oh my goodness, and the signs! I’m obsessed and we are totally loading them into our shop asap (that’s right, we are creating a shop where you can easily buy all of our favorite things anytime!) They are a team effort between the Etsy Shop, SK Wood Designs and Cade and I. We wanted them simple and clean, but to also immediately make our guests feel welcome and at ease.

Discount Code for Oh Sweet Basil Readers

Oh and Kim has been nice enough to offer you all 10% off! Just use the code, OHSWEETBASIL10 

All Wood Letter Board

This wood letter board is also a new favorite. We see all the same letter boards everywhere and were super excited when we found this one from Emerie Lane! It’s so, so fun to leave little messages, quotes and even access to our guest wifi. You totally should snag one.

See that little grey dome on the table? Every single one of us have a Dohm sound machine in our rooms as it drowns out those crazy 4 am birds. We thought our guests might sleep better in a strange place with a little white noise too.

Our bedside lights were a total win. We got them on facebook page, but they are originally from West Elm . We ran them through a simple wood bracket for $5!

Now it comes to the part where I tell you that it’s not what I expected. If I was a designer I would have finished decorating those side tables, thrown down a rug and maybe a little more artwork and some fun pillows, but I didn’t. And I’m glad.

Letting Go

After a while I noticed that I was spending so much time searching websites and stores for the perfect pieces, stressing over things I couldn’t find and overall not connecting with my family like I should so in a quick decision I ditched it all. I don’t feel bad about it either. The rooms are totally live-able and perfect just how they are. I don’t need things totally finished up to be happy, I need my family. Maybe one day if I happen upon some great pieces I’ll buy them, but until then, I’m good.

Scroll through the links and feel free to drop your own links in the comments for anything you think would work well in the space.

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About the author

Carrian Cheney

Lover of all things beautiful, good and delicious. Wife, mother, friend, foodie.

Source: https://ohsweetbasil.com/basement-bedroom-reveals/

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AK Gift Guide: Home & Kitchen Favorites

Nov 21

31 of our home & kitchen favorites that are perfect for anyone on your list! Treat friends and family members to a kitchen gadget they’ve always wanted, the perfect serveware for entertaining, or a new way to keep their space clean & organized. 

I’m back with a truly Ambitious Kitchen gift guide for you guys: all of our go-to home & kitchen favorites! As you can imagine this guide was the easiest (and one of the most fun) for me to put together. I included my absolute favorite items that I stock in my kitchen, plus a few bonuses that are on my wish-list this year.

You’ll find everything from kitchen gadgets for your dad who’s been dying to try out an air fryer, to a cute recipe book for your grandma to share her family favorites with you. I’ve got my eye on that new Keurig for Tony and I (bye, Starbucks) and can’t wait to try the recipes in the cookbook I picked out for you guys.

You know what to do, browse these amazing home & kitchen items and pick out all of your favs! Leave a comment with any of your go-to’s — I’d love to hear what you use in your own home.

Enjoy, xo!

1. Air Fryer: skip the mess of stovetop frying and air fry all of your favorite foods. This method requires no oil for delicious, crispy homemade fries and your favorite meats. $99

2. Beautiful Glass Storage Jars: gorgeous glass storage jars to stock up anyone’s kitchen. Perfect for cooks and bakers who are storing flours and dry ingredients. $13-18

3. Marble Topped Cheese Board and Knives: how cute is this knife & cheese board set? The perfect gift for your friend who loves to entertain. $49

4. OXO Avocado Slicer: equally as cute as it is handy in the kitchen. Pair it with my go-to method for safely cutting an avocado! $9

5. Nonstick Square Griddle: a go-to griddle for all of their pancakes & sandwich needs. Nonstick for easy flipping and cleaning! $57

6. Utensil and Tablet Holder: moms and dads will love this handmade holder that can hold up their tablet and store all of their utensils. They can prop a recipe up to keep it clean while they cook! $60 

7. Vitamix: in love with my Vitamix and your mom, dad, siblings, and everyone in-between will be, too. It blends all of your favorite fruits and veggies so smoothly for delicious soups and smoothies fast. $289

8. Double Waffle Iron: no kitchen is complete with a good waffle iron (because fluffy pumpkin waffles, of course!) Snag this one for someone who’s always wanted one. $72

9. Electric Wine Opener: the easiest way to entertain? A chic, cordless electric wine opener. MUST have. $19

10. Anthropologie Floral Oven Mitt: every home cook or baker should rock a cute oven mitts. Love the pretty pastels in this one! $14

11. Food Processor: make your fav no bake treats, homemade nut butters, and so much more in a quality food processor. One of my go-to kitchen gadgets! $99

12. Hello, Beautiful Doormat: a little message on this fun doormat to warm anyone’s home and make guests feel welcome! $45

13. Branch Basics Natural Home Cleaners: I’ve been using this all natural cleaning set for a couple of months and I’m obsessed. The starter kit comes with a concentrate and spray bottles that you can mix up yourself, plus a laundry bottle for all of your clothes. $59 Use the code ‘AK15’ to get a starter kit for 15% off now through 12/17!

14. Meat Thermometer: a kitchen essential, especially during the holidays. Whether you’re making a big turkey or just meal prepping some meats for the week, this small thermometer is super helpful. $17

15. 10-Piece Copper Cookware Set: this copper cookware set is absolutely stunning and a great investment set to stock your kitchen. The copper heats & cools quickly for easy handling – I use these every day!  $499

16. Sonder Cutting Board: I got this chic cutting board a few months ago and use it for everything from regular chopping to arranging beautiful cheese boards. Any guy or girl will love the look and feel of this board. $59

17. Instant Pot: give the gift of easy meal prep with an Instant Pot! Whoever you give this to is going to be obsessed (and will hopefully invite you over to use it). $89

18. Skinnytaste One and Done Cookbook: my girl Gina came out with an incredible cookbook filled with recipes to make in your instant pot, slow cooker, air fryer, sheet pan, and skillet. The home cook in your life will love this book. $19

19. Old Havana Set of 4 Dinner Plates: in love with these gorgeous dinner plates. They come in 4 great colors and are the perfect accent pieces for anyone’s table. $72

20. Wustof Classic 7-Piece Knife Set: this classic knife set makes a wonderful gift that will last for years. Good knives are a game-changer in the kitchen, and whoever receives this set will become a kitchen master! $349

21. Le Creuset Skillet: a good quality skillet is essential for anyone’s kitchen. I make all of my one pan meals in here and it’s great for popping in the oven, too. $169

22. Stasher Bags: I use these reusable bags to store anything and everything. They’re an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags and are great for traveling. $11

23. Polka Dot Cat Spoon Rest: okay this is just the cutest spoon rest I’ve ever seen. The best gift for cat lovers. $14

24. Ice Cream Maker: love love using this ice cream maker for yummy treats like this wild blueberry lavender ice cream. Such a great gift for newlyweds or friends with kids. $59

25. Life is What You Bake It Towel: an absolute must for the bakers in your life. The cutest kitchen companion. $24

26. Stovetop Popcorn Machine: know anyone who LOVES popcorn but keeps buying the microwave bags? This easy, fun stovetop machine is for them. $29

27. Roomba: with all of the cooking I’m doing during the week I don’t know where I’d be without my Roomba. The absolute perfect gift for new home owners (or your son’s new apartment). $249

28. Recipe Journal: love this little journal for storing all of your favorite recipes. They’re sectioned into meal types so that you can easily find everything. $28

29. Keurig K-Cup Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino Maker: who needs Starbucks when you can make coffee, lattes and cappuccinos all with one machine? This gift is perfect for the coffee snobs in your life (we all know them). $199

30. Insprialized Spiralizer: my go-to for sweet potato & zucchini noodles all season long. Grab one for your siblings or friends and then share this recipe with them! $29

31. Pie Dish: I got this beautiful pie dish for Friendsgiving and I can’t wait to use it for all of the holidays. Your mama or sister can serve everything from pies to mashed potatoes in this dish. $48

SHOP THE POST:

Shop the rest of the AK Gift Guides:

Gifts For Him

Self Care & Natural Beauty Gifts

Gifts for the Fashionista

My Natural Skincare Products + my morning skincare routine!

Source: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/home-kitchen-favorites/