Single Serving Microwave Popcorn

Single Serving Microwave Popcorn

For those times you want a snack but don't want to drag out an air-popper and don't want all the oil, salt, and chemical additions to store bought microwave popcorn.

What you need:

1 Brown Paper Lunch Bag

2 Tbs Popcorn Kernels

Microwave

Toppings of Choice

To make:

Put 2 tbs of popcorn kernels in the brown paper bag.

Fold the top down tightly on the bag 2-3 times to keep steam inside.

Place the bag in the microwave standing upright and microwave 2-3 minutes, or until pops are 3-4 seconds apart.

Once popped, add toppings of choice into the bag, reseal, shake, and serve.

Enjoy!

***Note: It may be tempting to want to add more than 2 tbs of popcorn to the bag in order to increase the serving size, but it will only lead to 2 outcomes: 1) Burnt popcorn as you attempt to pop all the kernels. 2) All of the extra kernels still sitting in the bag unpopped.  

A Tribute to Daiya Brand Cheeses

A Tribute to Daiya Brand Cheeses 

As the mother of an allergy laden munchkin I’ve had to come up with some pretty creative ways to make dairy free foods appealing to a little one. A trek through the local “we’ve tripled the price of everything because it is supposed to be good for you” grocery story led me to probably one of the best discoveries I’ve made yet: Daiya “cheese”. 

This stuff has been a real lifesaver because, unbeknownst to those not gifted the burden of allergen free cooking, most non-dairy cheeses actually still contain casein and/or whey. (I’m looking at you soy cheese!) Oh, and the majority of the non-dairy stuff available tastes awful which is reason enough to rave about one that doesn't.  

More and more run-of-the-mill grocery stores have started carrying at least some Daiya brand products and the product selection has grown too so finding it is becoming easier by the day.

This stuff is a major win and here’s why:

• ·         Their cheeses are actually decent for those of us that love our dairy! No, you probably can’t swap the non-dairy version with the real thing without us dairy eaters noticing, but that doesn’t mean they don’t taste good! My favorite: mozzarella shreds.

• ·         They really can be used in place of cheese! This may sound like a silly statement because you’d think that a faux cheese should automatically be something you can substitute in recipes calling for diary cheese but that simply isn’t the case. Most just do not work, they taste like plastic, they burn, don't stretch, etc. We’ve made pizza, nachos, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, flautas, topped pasta, etc. with the Diaya stuff.

• ·         There are a variety of flavors and forms to go with what you’re cooking! Flavors like cheddar, mozzarella, havarti, jack cheese, etc. are available and they can also be found in slices, wedges, and shreds. Having variety in flavor is especially nice.

• ·         They pass the kid test! Anything kid approved makes life easier for moms and dads.

• ·         They actually melt and stretch!  This doesn’t sound like it is important until you realize that grilled cheese and pizza are nothing without melty goodness.

• ·         They even have a cream cheese! Until now the only non-dairy cream cheese I’ve ever come across looked and tasted like putty. (*Note to self: No-bake cheesecake needs to happen soon.)

• ·         They freeze well! We keep ours in the freezer since they do not contain preservatives, and thus far no taste/texture difference in the shreds. The brick/wedges still freeze but it may somewhat alter the texture if you plan to use it as is on a sandwich, but if you intend to melt the stuff freezing won't affect it.

……and before anyone suggests I’ve written this because I somehow managed a Daiya sponsorship, I wish but no I haven’t, and we legitimately use/love the stuff because every kid should be able to indulge in some mac & cheese, grilled cheese, nachos, and pizza from time to time.

Note: If you cannot find the stuff locally you can buy some in bulk here: Mozzarella Cheddar Cream Cheese

Caprese Pasta Salad With Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Caprese Pasta Salad With Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

What you need:

1 Package Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta

Balsamic Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Halved

Italian Basil, Chopped

2 Cups Mozzarella, Cubed

Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Mason Jar With Lid

Large Mixing Bowl to Mix/Serve Pasta Salad

How to make it:

To make the vinaigrette simply mix two parts balsamic vinegar to one part extra virgin olive oil in a mason jar with a pinch of salt and shake until combined.  

Boil pasta according to package directions, or until al dente.

Drain cooked pasta and rinse with cold water while in strainer to stop cooking and remove excess starch.

Add cooked/drained pasta to large mixing bowl.

Add diced tomatoes, cubed mozzarella, and chopped Italian basil to mixing bowl with pasta.

Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Add balsamic vinaigrette to pasta salad until well coated, and stir to combine.

Enjoy! 

Tip: If making your own vinaigrette is too much work for you store bought balsamic vinaigrette also works well in place of the homemade version but won't taste quite as good. 

Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup

Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup

What you need:

2 lbs Ground Italian Sausage

3 Cups Red or Yukon Gold Potatoes, Washed and Cubed

1 Onion, Diced

5 Garlic Cloves, Peeled and Minced

2 Cups Kale, Veins Removed and Finely Chopped

3 Quarts Chicken Stock

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Sauté Pan

Soup Pot (An 8 quart should be plenty.)

Optional: Bacon, Cooked and Crumbled

To Make:

Add 3 quarts of chicken stock to soup pot and heat to a boil.

Once stock is at a rolling boil reduce to low and continue to simmer.

Add cubed potatoes to simmering stock.

In a sauté pan, brown the ground Italian sausage. 

Drain the excess fat from sauté pan and add cooked sausage to soup pot.

Cook diced onion, minced garlic, and kale in sauté pan until onions are translucent. 

Add cooked onion, garlic, and kale to soup pot.

Continue to simmer soup until potatoes are cooked through.

Add heavy cream and continue to simmer another 3-5 minutes before serving.

Top with bacon crumbles if you so desire. 

***Note: The amount of potato, garlic, kale, sausage, etc. that you use is flexible and easily adjusted to taste. You can also substitute the heavy cream for a lighter cream, half and half, or even milk. While you can use russet potatoes for the recipe red or Yukon gold potatoes don’t require peeling and have a buttery taste russets just cannot compete with.