June 2012 – Makin' it Mo'Betta

Ginger Beer

Kim

I loooove , especially the versions with extra ginger. I don’t buy it often b/c of the high sugar content, but thought I would try making my own. I’ve been curious about fermenting with yeast since I made Sugar Free Ginger Ale a while back. It was basically a ginger syrup that you add to carbonated water. It was okay, but I wanted a lot more ‘zing’ to make my taste buds sing. Haha. I made a rhyme. (a dumb one, but still…) I decided this was the week to give it a try. I used this recipe from .

Ingredients –

2 tablespoons ginger, grated or minced (I used 3 T. peeled, diced ginger root)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 liter water

Directions –

Combine all materials except water into a bottle. (I used an old plastic soda bottle.)
Add water, leaving about a two inch headspace, and seal bottle tightly.
Shake until sugar dissolved.
Leave at room temperature for a day or two.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Open the bottle slowly and carefully!

ahhhhh, refreshing 🙂

Verdict – This is good, but I am going to really increase the ginger next time to give it that extra spiciness that I love. And I was fascinated by the carbonation that was produced! I’m such a nerd. My kids were not nearly as entertained by making the ginger beer as I was. I will be making more ASAP!

{semi} Wordless Wednesday – how we spent Father’s Day

Kim

Not only did I make German Chocolate Cake Bars,

but also made a Blueberry Crunch Cake a.k.a. Blueberry Dump Cake.…one of my favorite desserts!

a little bird watching…taking food to it’s babies!

playing around, being cute

Making ice cream! The .

Lots of rolling and shaking involved.

Enjoying the ~~ice cream~~ fruits of their labor 🙂

It was a good day, and another reminder of how fortunate we are to be able to spend the day with those we love.

Totally Random

Kim

Totally random post, even though I have recipes to share. Sometimes it’s good to just ramble right? Who said no?! Just thought I would share the craziness going on over here at the Mo’Betta house.

For one, school is out so all 3 kids are home all day with me. They are already bored. I didn’t sign them up for any camps or activities, b/c we were supposed to be moving around the 20th. Well, the 20th has come and gone and not only did we not move, but we don’t have a house to move into! House hunting this go round (yes, we have done it several times) has been SO. FRUSTRATING. We had a house all lined up and it fell through (we ended up pulling the contract). Found a 2nd house that was an absolute DREAM….but found out it wasn’t such a dream….think water damage and mold. Ugh. No thank you. I have enough issues with my little allergy (and asthma) boy without adding that kind of trouble.

Apparently, since we are looking for a home, everyone has decided to move into the same area. Yesterday. The economy be damned, the area we are looking at is selling like hot cakes. I really want to get moved and settled again before it is time for school to start back. I think that is why this move is so frustrating. Our kids are older and the transition is going to be much harder without having them start school here, then having to to move and start a new school somewhere else. Just thinking about it makes me want a nerve pill. So, wish us luck on the current house we are looking at!

Random item #2. I just saw . Apparently, you can greatly reduce your chance of breast cancer if you exercise 2 hours A DAY. HELLLOOO!! How many moms out there exercise 2 HOURS a day?! If you raised your hand then I want to smack you. (The article does say even the smallest amnt of exercise is beneficial). I wonder if finger exercises from typing & pinning could count? *sigh*

Today, right now as a matter of fact, my Dad is at the Doctor getting his 2 year post transplant check up. This includes a bone marrow biopsy. Please say a prayer right now that the biopsy comes back clean. I feel like everything will be fine, but it’s that slight chance, the small little niggle of worry…..where is that nerve pill again?!

I have made some off the wall recipes these past few days. Think combinations like blueberries and red onions; pumpkin, grits, and chicken; pumpkin, blueberries and anise. Yeah….I’ve been on a roll. The ones that turned out (and maybe those that didn’t) will be posted eventually!

Iced coffee is the best. (see, randomness!) I have been freezing coffee into ice cubes (you can use leftover coffee or if you have a Keurig, just run water through your used Keurig cup. The 2nd use is not great for drinking, but works great for coffee ice cubes!)

I have a little heart shaped ice cube tray <3

Freeze your coffee cubes, then I have been making a cup of in my Keurig, give it a few minutes to cool a little (I stick it in the fridge), then add my coffee ice cubes. It’s delicious! Just like a coffee house. I like to add a little almond milk to it too. I do not like flavored/sweet coffees in the morning, but it makes a yummy and refreshing iced coffee in the afternoon. (Like I need more caffeine! I’m a lunatic over here!) Keurig also makes coffee especially for brewing over ice, but I have found when you use the coffee ice cubes, you can use any coffee you want. (You can use regular ice with the ‘brew over ice’ varieties b/c they are super strong and won’t taste watered down.)

Okay, so this is getting super long and probably boring the crap out of the 2 of you still reading. Thanks for letting me unload the randomness in my brain. Thursday, we talk FOOD 🙂 (tomorrow I will be sharing some cute Father’s Day pics for Wordless Wednesday!)

Holla.

German Chocolate Cake Bars

Kim

One of my Dad’s favorite desserts is German Chocolate Cake. So for Father’s Day, I thought I would make him one. Then, I saw over at Six Sisters’ Stuff. They looked so yummy, and so easy! I like easy. I decided I would make them instead. It was a good decision.

German Chocolate Cake Bars

Crust:
1 box devil’s food cake mix (not the kind with pudding added)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted *I used Smart Balance
1 large egg

Filling:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk *I used fat free
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup chopped pecans *I used walnuts since that’s what I had
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate is fine too)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with non stick cooking spray or butter.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix, butter and egg, and press into the bottom of the prepared pan. The crust should not come up the sides.

Bake for 7 minutes and remove from the oven. The crust will not look done.

While the crust is baking, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, egg, pecans walnuts and coconut. Pour evenly over the warm crust and sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips.

Bake for 24-30 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.

Recipe Source: S &

Everybody loved these! Even if you are not a big coconut fan, these are delicious. Very much like a brownie, and who doesn’t like brownies? {I saw in the comments from the source site that someone had added a caramel sauce to theirs when they took it out of the oven. I think that would be an awesome addition, but I didn’t want to make another run to the store (and didn’t have what I needed to make it from scratch.).} My dad really enjoyed these, so that was the main thing. Definitely a recipe that belongs in the ‘keeper file’! It’s really hard to go wrong with chocolate and sweetened condensed milk!

I’m linking up this recipe with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Meatless Parmesan

Kim

Parmesan or Parmigiana? What’s the difference?

Whatever you want to call it, ooey-gooey cheese and your favorite sauce is a good start to any meal.

I’m procrastinating in telling you the ingredients to this yummy dish. As a matter of fact, let’s just take a closer look….

not bad right?!

Ok….it’s tofu! Yes, the second time tofu has ever been on the blog (and in the Mo’Betta house)

The first time I made Tofu Parmigiana, it was not well received around here. This time was no exception. My family just will not embrace the idea of tofu. They will eat chickpea cookie dough dip, and black bean brownies, but ix-nay on the tofu.

However, this is good! You should give it a try. I sort of combined & . The end result was pretty tasty!

Ingredients –

1 package Extra-firm tofu

2 eggs

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

6 oz low fat ricotta (or fat free, which my grocery store didn’t have)

1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning

1/8 c. asiago or favorite Italian cheese

1 cups reduced fat mozzarella (I used Sargento)

1 1/2 cups homemade tomato sauce (or your fave)

salt & pepper (to taste)

Lightly whisk one egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl or plate, add your panko crumbs. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices and press water out of tofu using paper towels. Coat tofu in egg and one at a time, press tofu slices into panko crumbs, turning to coat all sides.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook tofu slices until crisp on each side.

In a medium bowl combine ricotta, remaining egg, parsley and 1/4 cup of grated cheese (I used Asiago, b/c that’s what I had on hand). In a 9×9 baking dish, put a little sauce on the bottom of the dish and put a layer of tofu to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with the ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese and sauce.

Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melted and everything is bubbling, about 30 minutes* at 400°. Remove foil and bake an additional 8-10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting. (*I can’
t remember if it took this long or not, since I used a 9×9 instead of a 9×12; so if you do this, check your time about half way through and adjust accordingly. Hey, what can I say, I have mommy brain most of the time!)

So how about you? Do you tofu?!

Linking up with for Ingredient Spotlight: ricotta

Wordless Wednesday – It’s a dog’s life

Kim

Yes, you may take my picture.

enough with the pictures

big brother

The Healthified BLT

Kim

‘Tis the season for fresh tomatoes. And what makes a tomato mo’betta? Bacon of course. However, if you are watching your ‘bottom line’, you are probably limiting your bacon. It’s not exactly bathing suit friendly.

Of course, pleezzee don’t get me started on bathing suits. Gag me with a spoon.

Anyways….I really wanted a BLT the other day. (I just started eating tomatoes in the last couple of years. True story.) I decided I would make a healthier version, and even though it doesn’t look like much, it was delicious! It just requires a few healthy swaps…

*wheat bread in the place of white (I use the lower calorie bread by Nature’s Own. 40 calories/slice)

*TURKEY bacon in the place of pork bacon (this is where you save lots of fat and calories. I recommend cooking turkey bacon on a griddle, so it gets nice and crispy. I nuked it for this sandwich and def. not as good.)

*Hummus in the place of mayonnaise (My grandma would flip out over this, but seriously, it’s good! I used but you could use roasted red pepper or whatever flavor you like. You could also use fat-free mayo. *Gasp* Yes, I went there.)

*Replace iceberg lettuce with a dark leafy green! Iceberg has very little nutritional value. I like a spinach & arugula mix. Just remember, the darker the better! That used to be my tanning motto as well.

I also like to add lots of black pepper, a little salt, and fresh basil.

Anyone else hungry now?!

(And those are on the side. A little better than potato chips. Or Heavens to Betsy, you could skip chips all together and have some fruit on the side. *I shudder*

and of course, light beer instead of regular 😉

Pizza, Pizza!

Kim

I crave pizza on a pretty regular basis. Even more so than my kids! In fact, my oldest child doesn’t even really like pizza unless it is without sauce and loaded with cheese. So….I guess that means she likes cheese bread, not pizza. Anyway, I frequently make homemade pizza b/c I can accommodate everyone’s preferences, while making it healthier than take-out/delivery or frozen varieties.

I use the dough setting on my bread machine, which makes it super convenient as well. However, a bread machine isn’t necessary. There are even lots of “no-knead” recipes on the web.

This particular pizza dough is a new one for me, and I have to say, it is one of the best I’ve made! I will definitely be using this one again – and the best part…it has whole wheat and very little oil. Most whole wheat recipes I have tried have been dense and super….’wheaty’. Which according to spell check isn’t a word, but we are totally making it a word.

This crust is soft and fluffy on the inside with a nice crisp (but not hard) outside. It has great flavor, and reminded me of Pizza Hut, minus the grease.

The recipe is from the Dr. Oz website. My dad loves Dr. Oz!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust slighty adapted from

1 package of active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of white whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 tbsp of ~~agave nectar~~ honey
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup of warm water at approximately 110 ° F

Additional flour for kneading

*See original recipe for notes on making dough without a bread machine

I added all the ingredients into the bread machine with liquids on bottom and ending with yeast on top and set it for the dough setting, which is about 1 1/2 hours.

Once dough was ready, I divided it into 3 sections. I ended up using 2/3rd of the dough to make the above pizza, which was pretty thick and probably abt 14 inches. The remaining dough I used to make my daughter bread sticks – which also turned out delicious.

I set my oven at 475 degrees (F) and preheat with my pizza stone. Once to temp, I add my dough with a little corn meal on the stone and pre bake my crust for abt 7 minutes. Then I add my toppings and bake for another 7 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted.

The above pizza had some ricotta and pizza sauce as the base, with spinach and arugula, mozzarella and asiago & red pepper flakes as toppings. I added some additional arugula, asiago and basil to the cooked pizza. It was pretty awesome. Except I don’t think I like ricotta on my pizza. That was an experiment!

So, definitely a keeper pizza crust recipe! Can’t wait to make it again….carbs, carbs, carbs. So awesome.

I’m linking up this recipe with , , , , , , , , , ,

Healthier Pancakes for Father’s Day

Kim

My little man loves pancakes, but with an egg allergy, I have to make them from scratch. I have been fooling around with the recipe for years now, always trying different versions.

This one is a healthier version using white whole wheat, but taste like ‘regular’ pancakes! They would be perfect to serve for a Father’s Day breakfast, easy enough for the kids to help out, and tasty enough that the whole family will enjoy. At least ours did!

(This recipe can easily be made vegan as well.)

Whole Wheat Pancakes

3/4 cup milk* (plus 1 Tablespoon)

2 T. white vinegar

1 cup white whole wheat flour

2 T. sugar*

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 t. sea salt

1 egg (or egg replacer, like Ener-G; flax/chia egg)

dash of cinnamon (optional)

Combine milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes or so in a medium size bowl. (Makes “buttermilk”)

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt (and cinnamon if using) in a large bowl.

Add egg (or egg replacer) and vanilla to ‘buttermilk’, whisk together.

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together.

If using an egg replacer, cook immediately. If using an egg, let batter sit for 5-10 minutes while griddle/pan is preheating.

I like to use my griddle, so I can cook several at once. Spray pan/griddle with a little cooking spray and spoon batter onto hot pan. Flip when bubbles form around edges of pancake. This recipe makes about 9 four inch pancakes, so often I double it. Leftovers freeze well.

*NOTES – could use Almond or Soy milk if desired. Sugar could be replaced with stevia or sweetener of choice. I needed an additional tablespoon of milk once my batter was mixed (noted in ingredients), but if you use a regular egg, that may or may not be necessary. Finally, for a pancake with the crispy, buttery edges – use butter instead of cooking spray to cook pancakes. Not as healthy, of course, but I’m sure delicious!

I wouldn’t mind having this served to me!

and this little fella enjoyed them. Several of them 🙂

Do you have special plans this weekend?!

I’m linking up with , , , ,

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No Bake Almond Joy Bites

Kim

These are a pretty healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth. I’ve never been a super huge fan of coconut, but I love these! They taste A LOT like an Almond Joy, but are no bake, super simple, healthier treats. Score.

Close up of the goodness….

Yummmmm!

The recipe is posted over at ! Go check it out!

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