Greek Meatballs in Pita with Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

I love all things little, pudgy and round (hence 4 children...so far). That also means I am a huge fan of puppies, chocolate chip cookies, and of course, meatballs. Any cuisine of meatball sounds good to me, I even obsess over vegan "meatballs", but for my latest mission, I knew it had to be a meaty, Greek thang. I wanted some massive, rich flavors - and I got it - with lamb and loads of herbs and spices. Baked then stuffed in whole wheat pita with creamy tzatziki and a lemony spinach salad with slivered red onions and chopped tomato, it surpassed my expectations and I implore you to make this recipe the next time you want to sit down at dinner and say "this is ridiculously good". But when I reflect on what happened when I brought this dinner to the table, there wasn't a lot of talking, just lots of oohs and ahhhs and eye-rolling to the heavens in thanks. So just trust me, you will be a Greek goddess the night you make this.

Mission Greek goddess food: Accomplished 

Greek Meatballs in Pita with Tzatziki and Lemony Spinach Salad
serves 6 (with leftovers for lunch)

Meatball Ingredients:

1.5 lbs ground lamb
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup crumbled feta
squeeze of lemon juice (from half lemon)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
1 tsp dried oregano
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika (sweet)
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Accompaniments:
6 whole wheat pita pockets ( I love Stonefire brand, Whole Foods)
Tzatziki (feel free to make your own but I love Cedar Lane brand in a pinch)
Lemony Salad (see below)
Mediterranean Quinoa salad (see below)

Lemony Spinach Salad Ingredients:
3 big handfuls baby spinach
1/2 red onion, halved and shaved thin
1 generous cup tomatoes, seeded, diced
juice of 1/2 large lemon
drizzle of olive oil
S &P

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad:
2 cups cooked white quinoa (seasoned with salt)

1/2 large cucumber, diced
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup feta
1/3 cup halved kalamata olives
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1/3 cup minced fresh mint
1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded, diced
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
olive oil
s& lots of P
juice of 1/2 lemon

For the Meatballs:

In a small bowl, mix the milk and bread crumbs. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the lamb with all the ingredients, including the moist bread crumbs, and mix gently. Form into balls about the size of golf balls, about 20. Refrigerate balls for at least an hour for flavors to mingle.

Preheat oven to 400. Roast meatballs in a baking dish for about 22 minutes.

For the Lemony Salad (can be made ahead):

In a medium bowl, place the sliced onions and the tomatoes. Drizzle with lemon juice. This is a key step because marinating the onions helps to reduce their bite. Add the tomatoes on top, followed by a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Add the spinach on top. Toss the salad when you are ready to serve dinner.

For the quinoa:
Quite simply, add the chopped veggies, herbs, cheese, lemon zest, and pine nuts to the cooked quinoa. Add a big glug of olive oil (~2 Tbsp) and lemon juice. Season for salt and pepper - I like a lot of fresh, cracked pepper. Salad can be refrigerated for several hours before serving if needed.

To Assemble the Pita pockets:

Cut pita open, to which you should add about 1-2 Tbsp tzatziki. Then add a handful of lemony salad, followed by 2 meatballs cut in half. Serve quinoa salad on the side, along with a your best Greek goddess grin.

Enjoy!!

Buckwheat Quinoa Granola (Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free)

The 6-week ReBoot is technically over and I'm flooded with recipes I never got around to posting - so stay tuned for a lot more gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free recipes that are friggin delish! But first let me introduce you to this super crunchy, share-worthy granola. I found this recipe at just the right moment in my life. Let me explain. There aren't many bad habits I have missed during the Reboot- even my dessert habit is a thing of the past (hallelujah! a true miracle!), but I have to say, one thing I deeply missed was breakfast cereal. Quick, crunchy, sweet, just easy.  But as I have come to rely less on packaged, processed foods, this morning tradition needs to stay kicked to the curb for the most part. I began searching for a gluten-free granola recipe that used raw buckwheat groats, just like the one I love from Whole Foods for $9/bag. That stuff just makes me feel so cool and healthy when I carry it around in my cart. Even if its the only thing in my cart. Anyway, I also wanted to use these adorable quinoa flakes I found at WF, along with some goji berries I bought in bulk (super pricey but you don't actually need that much). I based my recipe off of Bird Seed Granola from Healthful Pursuit - seriously, isn't that the cutest name for a granola? To ensure plenty of crunch, I added uncooked quinoa to the mix. Sounds odd, but it totally works and couldn't be easier! Along with some chopped figs, almonds, pepitas, coconut, cacao nibs, and some other random pantry finds, this is quickly becoming my favorite treat. Not too sweet, and nowhere near as expensive as Lydia's cereal. It's great by itself, or with greek yogurt. I even love it warm with some almond milk. I can't say I've converted my kids or hubby to eating it, but that's just fine. More for me. They'll come around eventually.

Mission Crazy Good Hippie Granola: Accomplished

BUCKWHEAT QUINOA GRANOLA
serves: a lot

Dry Ingredients:
2 1/4 C buckwheat groats, raw
1 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 C white quinoa, uncooked
3 Tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened
1/2 C each sunflower and pepitas seeds
2/3 C chopped raw almonds
3 Tbsp ground flax meal
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp Berry Bliss powder by Philosophie, optional
2 Tbsp coconut sugar, optional
healthy pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 C raw honey
1/4 C maple syrup
3 Tbsp almond butter
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla

Add-Ins:
2/3 C dried, chopped figs
1/2 C goji berries
couple handfuls of cacao nibs, optional
(any dried fruit would be good, really)

Method:

Preheat oven to 300. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside.
Over medium heat, combine wet ingredients. Stir until completely combined and warm. Pour wet ingredients over dry mixture, and stir well to coat. Place mixture on large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Remove from oven and add your dried fruit and cacao nibs. Store in airtight container or ziplock bags. Freezes well. Enjoy!

*UPDATE: I've tried this recipe substituting hemp seeds for sunflower seeds and loved the result (and the major protein boost). I've also been told that Gluten Free oats make a great substitute for the buckwheat groats. Love a flexible recipe!

Turkey Sweet Potato Stew (GF, Dairy Free)

It's finally raining and cold here. A little late, but I'll gladly take it. Aside from finally being able to bust out my cute Lululemon raincoat, it means soup weather (and frizzy hair) has arrived. I'm actually not really a soup person, I'm more of a stew person (thin vs. thick). Don't get me wrong I make soup, and I eat soup, I just don't love them like I love a good, thick stew. I see it like this - soup is for the sick, stew is for the hungry. And I'm always friggin' hungry. Something about a broth soup just leaves me, well...hungry.

So I'm presenting you with a stew that I love because its so different than anything I've made before, but the ingredients are easy to find. It combines sweet potatoes, ground turkey, tamari (or soy sauce), Harissa, and coconut milk as the key flavors - sounds kind of gross, but it works beautifully, I promise. As an option, you can add cauliflower florets - a little anti-cancer boost and some awesome texture, too. The stew is a little sweet mixed with spicy and savory. I'm having this tomorrow night most definitely. Oh, and if tasting good isn't your only requirement for a meal, it's also super healthy and clean. I'd like to highlight the ginger in the soup - it's my newest obsession. I'm trying to figure out what ginger can't do, honestly. It's great for digestive troubles, has major anti-inflammatory properties (I'm talking everything from arthritis to cancer), immune boosting, and is even used to treat skin burns. It's the ugly duckling of miracle foods, and I just love it.

Mission Crazy Good Stew: Accomplished.

*The original recipe calls for it to be made in the crockpot but I find that the sweet potatoes get too mushy when they cook for too long unattended so I kept it on the stovetop and loved the results. But either way works. A special shout out to Susan and Scott for the awesome lead on this recipe.

TURKEY SWEET POTATO STEW
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen
serves 5

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb lean ground turkey
2 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp
1 onion, cut in half and sliced into thin half-rounds

1 Tbsp finely minced ginger

3 minced garlic cloves
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup low-sodium tamari, or Bragg liquid aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce if you don't mind the gluten)
1 cup chicken stock
2-3 Tbsp Harissa (or Chili Garlic sauce), I added 2 Tbsp and liked that amount of heat
2 heaping cups cauliflower florets (optional, but I love it)
1 can light coconut milk (I like Trader Joe's brand)
1/2 cup green onions, sliced thin + extra for garnish
4 cups loosely packed spinach (kale or chard would work, too)
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (optional)
lime wedges (optional)

Directions:

Brown turkey in 2 tsp olive oil in medium stock pot, breaking up meat into small pieces. Set aside once cooked. To the same pan, add 1 tsp more of olive oil (if needed) to cook the onion. Saute onion until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the harissa and stir to mix with onion/garlic/ginger. Add the turkey back to the pot along with the chicken stock, tamari, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and green onions. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. If you choose to add cauliflower, add it about 10-15 minutes after the potatoes. Taste for seasoning.

Lastly, add the spinach to the stew, and let wilt for several minutes. Serve with green onions, lime wedges and brown rice if you like. Eat up!

* For the crockpot method, brown the meat and onion as stated above, and add to the crockpot.  Mix the rest of the ingredients (except for the spinach, rice, and lime) in the crockpot and stir to combine. Add the spinach about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Banana Granola Bars (GF, Added-Sugar Free, Vegan)

I live off of this protein bar recipe. They are excellent, and all natural, and not in the All-Natural Jiffy peanut butter "I'm all natural with just a touch of sugar and palm oil" false-labeling kind of way. I eat one or four everyday- it's probably past the point of moderation, but they call my name, all the time (How do they know my name. Weird, right?). I wish I could tell them to shut up! But that would be mean of me, and I'm very nice so I'm likely just going to keep eating them.

Lately I've been forming them into balls instead of bars since they hold together better that way, and a ball is just way cuter than a bar. Plus, there's a lot of dirty, inappropriate jokes you can make about a batch of balls. Sorry, but it's true. I will restrain myself here but my 16 year-old inner-self really wants to talk about balls.

As much as I love my protein balls, every once in a while, I need to switch it up. I also love granola bars and banana bread, so this recipe is my take on a Re-Boot-friendly granola bar/banana bread recipe. They are soft and chewy (with just a little crunch) and taste every bit a sinful snack, but I promise, these are loaded with good for you stuff. It has no refined sugar - the only sugar comes from fruit, and if you use gluten-free oats, it's perfect for wheat-free-ers. You also won't find any butter or eggs here (all your vegan friends are going to love you. No vegans in your life? C'mon. Go find one. Everyone needs to have at least one token vegan friend, otherwise dinner parties are way too easy). The fat comes from nuts and coconut. While there is some debate on the health benefits of coconut, it appears to be metabolized quickly and used as energy immediately (rather than stored), and thus, it is not a bad choice, especially if you love the taste. There's lots of research being done right now with coconut related to other health benefits, like alzheimer's and cardiovascular health, so stay tuned. Anyway, these bars, not balls, are DE-licious. The first batch I made was OK, but after a little tweaking, I think it's just about right.

Mission Healthy Snacks Beyond Balls: Accomplished.

Banana Granola Bars

Yield: 12 bars

Dry ingredients:

•   2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats

•   1/2 cup almond meal

•   1/3 cup chopped walnuts

•   2 Tbsp sunflower seeds

•   1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

•   2 Tbsp chia seeds

•   2 Tbsp Cacao powder (I love Cacao Magic from thephilosophie.com)

•   1/3 cup dried, unsweetened fruit (original recipe calls for chocolate chips) – I like the organic mix sold at Costco made with cherries, blueberries, goji berries, and cranberries

•   1/4 tsp cinnamon (add more to taste)

•   1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

Wet ingredients:

•   3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium)

•   1/4 cup natural smooth almond butter

•   ¼ cup natural peanut butter

•   5 large pitted dates, chopped up (will be mushy)

•   1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan parchment paper.

2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

3. Mash bananas until smooth. Stir together the banana and all the wet ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined. The dough should be sticky.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Spread out the batter evenly.

6. Bake at 350F for 22-26 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the bread is firm to touch. Let cool before slicing. 

Miso Ginger Poached Salmon with Bok Choy

The beginnings to this recipe were a total nightmare. The idea was born at Trader Joe's while I was shopping with my four perfectly behaved children. Really relaxing, let me tell you. It's always the same drama just with different samples - this time Lowen spilled his red pepper soup sample on the ground, and I scrambled to clean it up while cursing on the inside (OK, maybe a little on the outside, too). As I was crouched over scrubbing (Georgia takes off running in a different direction and Byron is screaming), my eyes caught glimpse of a miso ginger broth that I've never seen before. They were storing it on the bottom shelf of a small display. I wouldn't have seen it had Lowen not caused a hot, red disaster. To be honest, this wouldn't normally excite me. I'm not really comfortable with Asian cooking - it's just a bit outside of my comfort zone, you know? Well, for whatever reason, that particular day I was struck by a vision - a foodie vision. I pictured poaching salmon in that broth with veggies, sort of like traditional miso soup but way better. As my vision lingered, nice mama returned, and I started throwing possible ingredients in my cart in my typical frantic-I've-Got-Four-kids-dont-judge-me fashion, never really knowing for sure what I'll end up with once I hit check-out.  I got lucky this time with all the right stuff in my cart.

I wanted to give you all (but especially my Re-Booters) a new take on salmon since poaching seems to be a thing of the past. Poaching is old school, but it results in some super tender, flavorful salmon. FYI, for Re-Booters, this is a week 5&6 recipe, as the miso broth contains gluten, sorry!! I had no idea miso is traditionally made with barley, wheat, or rye. There are GF miso pastes available, but I haven't tested them with this recipe yet. I've read that a combo of 4 cups water with 4 Tbsp of GF miso paste would work as a substitute for the broth in this recipe - let me know if you try it. Just be sure to add a touch more ginger if you make your own broth.

My recipe parameters haven't changed: I needed the recipe to be quick and doable for a weeknight, but  good enough for company. The final product turned out so so good. I definitely did a little happy dance, I won't lie. Mission Japanese food: Accomplished.

Miso Ginger Poached Salmon with Bok Choy
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 container miso ginger broth (Trader Joe's), 32 oz
1 1-inch piece ginger, skinned, and finely diced (or shredded)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
8 oz mushrooms (I used crimini), sliced
1 container bok choy from Trader Joe's (about 6 oz)
salt and pepper
4 5-oz pieces salmon, salted with S&P
toasted sesame oil
sesame seeds

2- 2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions:

Make rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, prepare the poaching liquid by heating broth in large saucepan. Add sliced green onion, mushrooms, grated or diced fresh ginger. Bring to a boil. Add bok choy. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove bok choy. Add seasoned salmon pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes or until flaky with poaching liquid at a simmer (not a hard boil). Remove fish pieces, set aside.

In bowls, divide rice evenly. Pour broth and veggies over rice. Top with a piece of salmon. Drizzle salmon with a little sesame oil and sesame seeds.  Enjoy!

Quinoa-White Bean-Spinach Burgers

Re-Booters rejoice! Here is a great new recipe that will hopefully satisfy any burger junkies. OK, let's be honest. If you are a real burger fiend this recipe probably won't satisfy your craving at all, but I still think you will like it. It's loaded with flavor and plant based protein. I'm eating mine atop salad with avocados tonight, but feel free to serve with a Gluten Free burger bun during week 1 of the Re-Boot. Just remember to keep refined bread products (gluten-free or otherwise) to no more than 2-3 x per week. Another reason to make this recipe: you can make the patties in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Love that!

Quinoa-White Bean-Spinach Cakes

serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa uncooked (i used both black and white)

1 cup water

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1-15oz can Great Northern white beans, drained, mashed to "chunky baby food"

3 scallions diced thin

2 cloves garlic

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

1-1/4 cup GF oats, ground to bread crumb consistency

1/3 cup ground flax seed

1/3 cup almond or cashew flour (or gluten-free flour of choice)

1 egg

pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine first 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low for about 15-20 mins.

Meanwhile, Combine mashed beans, scallions, garlic, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, spinach, oatmeal, flax meal. nut flour, egg and cayenne. Add cooled quinoa. Stir well. Let sit for 15 minutes. If needed, add more ground flax or ground oats if too sticky. It will be sticky but should hold its form. Form into 8 patties and pan fry for about 4 minutes per side. 

6-Week Re-Boot

I've been working really hard to perfect my 6-week Re-Boot plan over the past few months - it's a food-based cleanse that is a perfect way to start the new year. I'm so excited to be running this cleanse with The Dailey Method in Danville, my second home these days.

We are all starting tomorrow. Although I've gotten an email already from one unnamed over-achiever who started early ;) As the last supper, I've chosen one of my favorites: beef stew with a big chunk of baguette and a glass of vino tinto. Tomorrow, I'll be vegan for the most part and gluten-free. No wine, no dessert. I might even attempt to reduce my coffee habit. We'll see. I'm all about flexibility (thank you, Byron.)

For those of you Re-Booters who are doing this with us, check my blog on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I will be posting new recipes and thoughts for the week. Let me know if you have any recipe requests - I'm all ears. Lots of love and happy thoughts for an awesome 6 weeks.