Thanksgiving recipes:

The green pantry is a blog for "healthy" recipes, but for the Holidays I like to break the rules. :)

Velvety Pumpkin Bisque
( this is a tradional recipe at my home every holiday. Which the boys thought it wasn't a very manly option until they tasted one bite and now I have to make it every year.) Next year, I am going to work on a lowfat version ;)

2 Tbs. Butter
1 Tbs.minced green onion

1 16 ounce can of pumpkin
1 cup water
2 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 chicken flavor bouillon cubes
2 cups half/half
1 lemon thinly sliced to garnish on top
Minced parsley to garnish.

In a 2 qt. saucepan over medium heat, place butter and onions. Cook until tender stirring occasionally. Stir in next 7 ingredients blending and mixing slowly. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors.

Add half/half heat through, stirring constantly.

Garnish with lemon rings and parsley.




Sweet Potato Flan Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 6 min Cook Time: 2 hr 0 min Level:
Intermediate Serves:
10 to 12 servings For the caramel: ( you can also buy already store bought flan and save yourself some trouble ;)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water

For the flan:
1 large sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), baked until tender then peeled
2 cups half-and-half
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
Chocolate Spider's Web, recipe follows


Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Prepare the caramel: In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over low heat, without stirring, until the syrup turns a medium amber, painting the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush as needed, about 5 minutes. Pour into one large (10-cup) souffle dish or round casserole, and tilt to evenly coat the bottom and slightly up the sides. Set aside.

Prepare the custard: In the bowl of a food processor, process the potatoes. With the machine running, add 1 cup of the half-and-half, and process until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, the remaining 1-cup of half-and-half, the condensed milk, 2/3 cup of water, the vanilla extract, and maple syrup, and mix well.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks until frothy. Strain the eggs into the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the sweet potato mixture, whisk well, then transfer to the prepared pan. Place the dish in a large baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 2 hours, or until the custard is mostly set but the center is still slightly wobbly. Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
Refrigerate until very cold, at least 6 hours, or overnight. To unmold, run a thin knife around the sides of the custard and invert onto a serving dish. Cut into wedges and serve as desired.

my purple inspiration...

Okay, I admit it i haven't been cooking much lately. We've been fightning a crazy schedule lately and I have been missing "my green pantry". However, I am still making my yummy smoothies. I placed the shake down and look were it landed. Next to LIFE IS GOOD. I couldn't resist, but to capture a quick pix.

Healthy School Snacks- What should kids take to school?

It cracks me up when my kids even try to question me why they are not allowed to take chips, fruit rollups,etc.. as a morning snack for school. Ahh, I'm looking for brain foods at this point in their day. The sad reality is that I am sure a large percentage of children might be packing these "ready to go" foods. You know the ones loaded with preservatives, coloring, fats, etc.... Have you ever seen the ingredients in a "twinky" or "cheetos"? It's all loaded with junk. My rule is: no hydrogenated oils, High fructose syrup, no perservatives, and no artificial colors or preservatives. (yes, we do break the rule occasionally, but not often) It's not that hard to "think out of the box" and give your little one a healthy alternative to those "ready to go" snacks. You might say " Johnnie, won't eat it", but my thinking is if Johnnie is hungry and he has nothing else he might just start. Here are some ideas and tips for morning snacks at school.

Snack Tips:

Have your child plan snacks with you and let them make some "healthy" choices with you. Go shopping together. If they plan with you they will be more interested in the food and look forward to their new creations.

Set aside a "snack section" in the refrigerator for the week with small Ziploc bags loaded with their morning snacks. For example: a snack size Ziploc with grapes. It's easier in the morning if it is ready.

Let them know you will be shopping for new ideas for morning snacks and they can't be high in sugar, salt or fat.

Start looking at other name brands that you typically wouldn't purchase. Such as the new organic, healthy alternatives. You be surprised how many Publix and Walmart carry.

Offer a surprise snack once a week and add a "love note". My kids love notes in their boxes.

Snack Ideas

Fruit: My kids love an apple as a snack or a banana. I have even send the kids with kiwi's and a plastic knife to peel it. A small Ziploc loaded with grapes. Keep them in the refrigerator over night and they will still be cool during snack time. Orange slices in a bag.

Dried Fruits: Here's a great link http://www.stretchislandfruit.com/

Edamame- You can buy frozen edamame at Whole Foods or in the freezer section at Publix,Walmart, and Target

Peanut Butter Tortillas: Spread some crunchy or smooth peanut butter on a tortilla,roll it tight and wrap with saran wrap. If you wish add some tiny pieces of bananas or sunflower seeds. Add a little bit of honey too.

Muffins or homemade breads. Freeze them and take them out just for snacks.

Grapes: Freeze them too

String Cheese

Clif Z Bar: These are great healthy bars. I mentioned them a couple of blogs ago for adults. Check out their organic Z bar.

Some Yummy Yogurt: Have your child go to the grocery store with you and pick out his favorite flavors. Keep it cool with a cold pack.

Granola Mixes: Mix some granola,dried fruits and some nuts. Sneak in a couple of chocolate chips for an extra treat. My kiddos love making these. I do allow some marshmallows, and some m&m's, but those come in very small portions. Make enough for about 4 days. Pre pack them in snack size bags and all you have to do is grab and go.

Last tip: Kids are usually hungry and thirsty after school. Before you take off to pick them up pack a water and a healthy snack that is car friendly and you will get lots of brownie points for this. The kids love it when I arrive with a homemade shake or a yogurt. By the time we arrive at home we are less cranky and a lot happier.

Cheese lover snack

My niece Gina came over and loved this treat.

All Natural Rosemary Crisbread, Uniekaas Reserve Cheese, and Organic Adriatic Fig Spread.

The Rosemary Crispbread is a light, crunchy cracker that is made to perfection by using all natural ingredients and no oils. They are very flavorful, but smooth on the palette. I must say this is one of the simplest forms of crackers I have ever had. They are paper thin. Combined with the cheese and spread I am in Food Heaven.

Now for the Cheese. Uniekaas Reserve Cheese is my addiction in life. I mean it... this is lovely. It's a gouda cheese that is aged over 18 months. It's full bodied and strong. It has a little crunch to it too.

The FIG! Okay, I will admit I had never tasted fig spread prior to my friend; Felicia . Who introduced me to it during our ski trip., scrumptious addiction. Don't laugh I truly enjoy what I call "simple palette foods" and this is on the top of my list. I wasn't able to find a picture on line and I am to lazy to stop eating to take a picture. Maybe in a few days.

You can find all three of these simple palette foods at a whole food stores. I recently found the crackers at Publix. I literally went into shock. Ohh, and it's worth driving to an extra store a month to get all this.

Hope you enjoy and don't forget to have a glass of red wine along with my Cheese lover snack.

Do you love sweet and salty? Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

What's on my desk right now? A dasani water, a mojo bar, and some figs. They love to hang out with me. lol This is one of those bars that you just have to have daily to hold you over for that "chicken" meal. lol What's on your desk?? tell me what you like to snack

Grown in California; Figs

Tired of apples and bananas? Try figs. Another amazing fruit that is incredibly good for you and it's delicious. They have more calcium than bananas, high in iron,magnesium and fiber. Figs are usually found in the organic section at the grocery store. Enjoy... ohh, one more thing. There are several varieties out there. Black Mission my top fav.

Acai-(ah-sigh-ee) The fruit Grown in the Amazon Rainforest

Have you heard of this amazing fruit? Truly a "Gift from Mother Nature". A fruit that has a rich, berry-cocoa flavor that makes it taste amazing, and its packed with more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates, plus loads of healthy Omega fats, protein and dietary fiber. All that in one fruit? I ask....I'm loving it.

Some great facts:
It has similiar amounts of protein as a whole egg (wow)
More antioxidants than blueberries,strawberries,and cherries. Almost 3x's more than blueberries!
Has up to 30 times the amount of anthocyanins that red wine has. Anthocyanins reportedly have anti-inflammatory qualities, so the Acai berry could potentially be helpful for those with arthritis or inflammation of the joints.
The berry has lots of vitamin E and other vitamins, too.
Tons of fiber

Here's some other benefits I found

Anti-aging (i'm in ), heart health, improved sleep, increased energy, and research shows that it may even have cancer destroying properties! Other health benefits include improved mental focus, improved digestion, improved blood circulation, and stronger bones and muscles.

Ok..I'm hoked! My friend Felicia introduced me to this great fruit. She puts it in her smoothie every morning. It wasn't till just recently that I read up on the benefits and now I desire to really make it part of my daily diet.

You can find it at health food stores in tons of products. I buy it in the frozen smoothie packs and add them to the shakes we make.

Enjoy...

All Natural Cleaning Products.

Have you ever thought about the fumes and harsh chemicals in cleaning products? Here's a line of products that Publix and most grocery stores carry. All plant and mineral-based ingredients, cuts through grease, grime and dirt with the power you'd expect from Clorox or other strong products.
Go check out cleaning products ingredients today. Turn your closet into a GREEN UTILITY CLOSET!

Check them out. http://www.greenworkscleaners.com

Panko covered Chicken Fingers. So, what is Panko?

Kids love chicken fingers, but if you are like me I'm not too crazy about them. I never buy the frozen ones. You know... the ones loaded with fat, preservatives, coloring and a whole lotta of air and fluff. No meat... Since the kids begged me this weekend to buy "tyson" frozen nuggets and I went into shock when I read the label I said NO WAY. I'll make you some myself.

Here's a yummy recipe using panko's in leau of bread crumbs. Panko's are japanese bread crumbs. They offer a much crispier taste than traditional bread crumbs. You can find them in the "bread crumb" section at the grocery store.

Another lunch box tip: Not another boring sandwich please....make some extras and send the kids to school with some chicken fingers. Add a little sauce on the side and BANG! You got a winner lunch.

Panko Chicken Fingers (source:food network)
1 large egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
Ranch, honey mustard or barbecue sauce for dipping, optional
Carrot, cucumber and or celery sticks, optional

Whisk the egg and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Soak chicken pieces in egg mixture while you gather remaining ingredients. Meanwhile, in another shallow bowl combine panko with paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste. Set a rack on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Lift chicken from buttermilk, letting excess liquid drain back into the bowl, then dip into panko and turn to coat on all sides.
Carefully place chicken in oil and cook until they are golden and crispy and cooked through, about for 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to the rack to cool. Place in sealed container. Pack in a lunch box with their favorite veggies and ranch, honey mustard or barbecue sauce for dipping.

Good Morning Shakes-Loaded with Vitamins

The kids love this shake. It's a great meal replacement or mid day snack. Not to mention loaded with vitamins! The funny thing is that the kids friends come over and request them. I always love that kinda compliment.:)

For myself: If I want less calories I use half water and half soy milk. Use a full
scoop for adults :)

Vanilla Shake

1/2 Scoop of Spiru-Tein Vanilla Or any other flavor
1 Cup of Soy Milk- my fav. West Soy Vanilla Plus
1/2 to a whole banana
1 or 2 tablespoons of Peanut Butter (Naturally More Peanut Butter)
Several Ice Cubes

Place and Blender and blend away

For a lil extra help: add some flax seeds

All these products can be found at Publix or Walmart
Spiru-Tein can be purchased at Chuck's Health Foods or any GNC

Chicken Cilantro Soup

This is a quick easy meal and it's delicious. My son loved it. Even his lil buddy had some. I added several more pieces of chicken so I can plan ahead for a chicken salad recipe for the kid's lunches for this week. How's that for planning ahead. Sneaking in...using up din din time to make ahead "lunch meal plans". Love that! Just sneak out that chicken when you take it the other's one out and shred them up for that salad. ohhh..



Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe courtesy Danny Boome


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 jalapenos, finely diced (use only one for kiddos)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes (in the Can area. sometimes in health foods)
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 (8-inch) flour tortilla, grilled, cut into thin strips
1 avocado, pitted, sliced
1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese

In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and jalepenos and cook for another minute. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked remove from pot. When cool enough to handle shred it and set it aside. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot. In a serving bowl add a mound of shredded chicken. Ladle soup over chicken and top with a lime wedge, grilled tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.

Brownie points for mom- Lunch Box Notes

Do you ever want to write your kid a cute note in their lunch box? Or have some already printed? Here is a great link to have some printed out or ideas to make your own.
This should bring a smile home. Isn't that what we all want? happy kiddos.

Link:http://www.youthonline.ca/stationery/lunchboxnotes/index.shtml