Carrot Cookies

Emily requested I share this recipe. I give you a heads up now: I find these ridiculously addicting. I could easily eat the entire batch, but then I'd be sooooo sick. *sigh* Yay cookies.

Carrot Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. shortening
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
2 c. cooked, mashed, and cooled carrots
2 tsp. baking powder
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Cream shortening & sugar. Add vanilla, eggs & carrots. Add dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes @ 350 degrees. Glaze while warm-ish.

Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. orange juice


Don't eat them all in one sitting. :)

Wild Rice & Ham Soup--Slow Cooker!

Slow Cooker Creamy Ham & Wild Rice Soup
(Adapted from here )


1 cup diced ham
2 carrots, sliced or diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3/4 C. wild rice, uncooked
1 medium onion, chopped
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup frozen peas
1-2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (optional)


1. Put the first 9 ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Mix well and cook on low 7-8 hours. 

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Turn cooker to high, cover, and cook an additional 15 minutes or until heated through.

"Millionaire Spaghetti" Squash Casserole

I adapted the delicious Millionaire Spaghetti deal into a spaghetti squash recipe and it was incredible.

Millionaire Spaghetti Squash
(Adapted from here) 

1 ginormous Spaghetti Squash or 2-3 small ones.  
1/2 large yellow onion , Chopped 
1/2 Red pepper, diced  
4-6 Cloves Garlic , Minced 
1 Pound Ground turkey or italian sausage 
3 teaspoons Dried Italian Seasoning , divided 
1 24 Ounce Jar spaghetti sauce 
8 Ounces Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese 
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature 
1/4 Cup Sour Cream 
3 Cups Mozzarella , Shredded-Divided 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Split spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush with oil then place cut-side down on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. Lower oven temp to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meat and 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning to skillet, and cook until no pink remains. Drain well. Add jar of spaghetti sauce to skillet. Set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Set aside.

4. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Use a fork to scrape the strands of spaghetti squash into a bowl--drain well if necessary. Put half the spaghetti squash into the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Top with a very small amount of the meat sauce mixture and stir. Resettle the spaghetti squash evenly and then top with the cheese mixture. Cover the cheese mixture with the remaining spaghetti squash, and then cover the entire dish with the meat sauce. 

5. Top with remaining mozzarella and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until heated through. 

Vegetable Soup (i.e. Diet Soup!)

This tasted amazing after the week of holiday eating!

Vegetable Soup
(Adapted from here )

1 teaspoon olive oil
5 oz. baby carrots, sliced into sticks
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 1/2 onions, diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 medium zucchini, cut into half moons
5 oz baby spinach
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
6 c. water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional: 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained. 

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic powder.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes with their liquid.

Add turnips and all remaining ingredients--including the 6 cups of water. (*Note: Optional beans go in later.)

Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until vegetables become tender. If using the beans, add them at this step.

Add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve promptly.

Even with the beans, this is only 150 calories-ish for a bowl. Delish!

TBP Bean Patties

I got this recipe from Team Body Project, where Emily and I work out. I love them. Not gonna lie--they're a bit of work, but delicious and healthy! Sharing here so I won't lose the recipe again :)

TBP Spicy Bean Patties
1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
2 chopped cloves garlic
1 chopped small red chilli
75g chopped red onion (1/2 c.)
60g grated carrot (shy 1/2 c.)
60g grated zucchini (shy 1/2 c.)
50g fresh or frozen sweetcorn (1/3 c.)
250g/1 can black eyed peas rinsed and drained
1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
50g quick oats (1/4 c)
Cornmeal for coating
Coconut oil or sunflower oil for sautéing


Heat the oil in a non stick saucepan, adding onion, ground turmeric, coriander, garlic and chilli. Sauté until softened. Add a small splash of water if looking dry.

Add grated carrot, zucchini and sweetcorn. Sauté until softened. Add beans and pinch of salt for a further 2 minutes.

Transfer into a mixing bowl add chopped cilantro and quick oats. when cool form into 8 small burgers kneading mixture to break down beans.

Preheat oven 325 degrees.

Heat oil in frying pan. Coat each burger in cornmeal and cook burgers in batches 2 minutes each side until golden. Transfer onto baking tray and cook in oven for a further 20 mins.

Serve with avocado and fresh salsa on a bed of lettuce. 

Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread

This was my favorite thing to make this summer, so figured I'd share. I made a few tweaks to the original recipe.

Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread
(Adapted from Studio 5)

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 orange

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup applesauce

½ cup brown sugar

1 ¼ cups white granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 cups flour

½ cup cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans (8 ½ x 4) with non-stick spray; and line with a slip of wax paper. Set aside.

Remove seeds from large zucchini, as needed, and shred. Finely grate peel from orange and squeeze juice. Measure ¼-cup juice; set aside juice and peel.

Beat together butter, applesauce, white and brown sugars; add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Stir in orange peel, ¼-cup orange juice, and shredded zucchini.

Stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir dry ingredients into butter and sugar mixture, just until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans; shake gently to even out batter. Bake  45-55 minutes or until done.

Cool 5-10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool before slicing.

Zucchini Quesadillas

My mom likes to use this filling in addition to chicken in her quesadillas. I like to add black beans. I've also had them just as is written. All versions are delicious.

Zucchini Quesadillas
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
2-3 cups shredded zucchini
2 T taco seasoning
8 oz pepperjack cheese (If I have it. If not, I just use regular cheddar or colby jack)
1 t oil
8 7" flour tortillas

Saute onion, zucchini and pepper in oil for 3 minutes. Stir in taco
seasoning; saute 3-4 minutes more or until veggies are tender. Remove
from heat. Use approximately 1/4 cup veggie mix and 1/4 cheese on each
quesadilla.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, etc