If you were to look inside my fridge, more often then not, you would find a little jar of sauce.

Not just any sauce.

Magic sauce.

A few days after Scarlet was born, my mom came over to make us some dinner and the meal she made has become a staple in our house. The sauce for the roasted veggies comes from one of my favorite food blogs and the dinner concept from my mom's sheer genious.

Thank you Mom.

As I've mentioned before, eating all real foods takes some planning, preperation and time and I'm always looking for easy items I can keep on hand to throw together a quick meal... especially when you can get good leftovers out of it!

A few things about this meal:

• If you are a meat eater and worry that a meal of veggies won't fill you up... I promise this will.
• You can use any veggies you like with the sauce. Although it does taste amazing with the cauliflower!
• I sometimes add garbonzo beans or lentils to the meal for added protein.
• I always double or triple the sauce and keep it on hand for another meal. Thus, the little magic jar.
• If your 3 year old says "I will like vegetables when I get older mama." then you might be out of luck with this one. Yes, I'm speaking from experience.

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND ASPARAGUS BOWLS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head of cauliflower - cut into bit sized pieces
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 package of the 5 Grain Blend from Trader Joe's (it is a mix of couscous, orzo, beans and red quinoa) or any grain
• Vegetable broth

THE SAUCE:

I follow these intructions and mix together:

• 2 T almond butter
• 1 T braggs amino acids
• 1 t lemon juice
• 3 T water
• 1 T maple syrup
• 1 t minced ginger
• 1 t minced garlic
• 2 T chopped cashews or almonds

TO MAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Follow the instructions for cooking the 5 Grain Mix and get it going on the stove. I use vegetable broth and coconut oil.

Side note: I usually make the whole package because it works great for leftovers and Duke LOVES it. Seriously great, kid-friendly, mix! I usually mix in some avocado and sometimes I can even hide some broccoli in it. Sometimes.

Mix together the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.

In a medium sized bowl, toss the cauliflower with about half the sauce and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 15 minutes.

While the cauliflower starts cooking, toss the asparagus with the remaining sauce.

After about 15 minutes, stir the cauliflower and add the asparagus to the baking sheet and roast for another 10 minutes.

TO SERVE:

Layer everything in a bowl!

If you like spicy, it tastes great with a bit of Sreracha on top.

ENJOY!

After a whole pregnancy of craving nothing but Mexican food, two weeks of quick and easy meals, and wonderful friends and family cooking for us… I have made my way back into the kitchen to work on some new, non-Mexican, recipes!

As I am learning to juggle my two little ones, keeping up with laundry and brushing my teeth before my husband gets home from work…. My goal with most meals has been to have enough for leftovers for lunch the following day.

Leftovers are a mama’s best friend.

With Spring finally making it’s way to us, I am getting so excited to grill up every type of colorful vegetable I can get my hands on! Yet for this recipe, my stove had to suffice… as well as the veggies I happened to have in my fridge.

Feel free to get creative with this meal and use whatever type of veggies you and your family like. Really anything goes with this one!

ENJOY!

Elizabeth

CILANTRO LIME PEANUT SAUCE + VEGGIES + RICE 

(apple cider vinegar not used)

PEANUT SAUCE:

• ½ C natural peanut butter
• 1 T Braggs amino acids (or soy sauce)
• 2 T limejuice
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 t minced ginger
• 1 T brown sugar
• ¼ C cilantro
• ¼ C water
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional – just adds a bit of a kick but not too much)

(kale and zucchini not pictured) 

VEGGIES + RICE:

• 2 C cooked brown rice (I cooked mine in vegetable broth for added flavor)
• 1 can water chestnuts – chopped
• 1 bell pepper – chopped
• 2 C steamed kale – chopped
• 3 carrots – pealed and chopped
• ½ C green onions – chopped
• 1 zucchini – chopped
• ¼ C chopped cilantro
• Coconut oil

TOPPINGS:

• Chopped peanuts
• Green onions
• Sriacha Hot Sauce

TO MAKE:

SAUCE:

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add more water to reach desired consistency if necessary.

VEGGIES:

Heat a bit of coconut oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add carrots and peppers and cook for a few minutes until they soften. Then add water chestnuts, steamed kale, green onions, zucchini, cilantro, salt and pepper and cook all together for a few more minutes. I tend to like my veggies on the crispier side so turn up the heat to medium high and let them brown up without getting soggy.

*Steaming the kale prior to sautéing it will soften it and makes it much better! You can use a steamer or just put a bit of water in a pan with the kale and cover. Cook for about 5 min on a high heat. You just want it to soften a bit and wilt.

TO COMBINE:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked brown rice, sautéed veggies, and peanut sauce. Stir until combined. Give it a taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

TO SERVE:

Add toppings and enjoy!