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LEMON HUMMUS with ROSEMARY PITA CHIPS

May 4, 2019 by Sarah Baade 3 Comments

I’m an introvert… most of the time. We all have our moments of being outgoing, right? I have no problem taking charge during appointments at work. I can lead a camp song like I was born to do it. Even public speaking doesn’t bother me much. Growing up though, I was a painfully shy child. I can remember hiding behind my parents’ legs or behind furniture just to avoid interacting with people. Even now, my natural instinct is to cuddle up at home and watch a movie or spend time with my family. But life really is about balance. I have extrovert friends who I know I can call at the last minute when I really want to get out and do something. I don’t think those friends even realize how much they help me to break out of my routine and reach for my goals.

A few months ago, I heard about a new group here in San Antonio called Florecer Femme. This is really a community of women who support and encourage one another to flourish and become strong female leads of their own lives. When I saw they were having a launch event last November, I immediately knew that I wanted to go. I connected with one of my extrovert friends and we purchased our tickets to attend the event. Then it happened, my friend ended up not being available to go with me. The introvert in me panicked a little bit and made up excuses for not going alone. I ultimately channeled the outgoing side of my personality and boldly walked through the doors of that event all on my own. I’m not saying networking in a room full of people who brought their own friends was easy but it was definitely doable and it formed some relationships. Here I am, six months later, creating light refreshments for the latest Florecer Femme event. I hope that my own experience can give you courage to walk confidently into whatever might be intimidating you and take charge of your own path. Make those connects, start that project, ask for that promotion. However you are looking to grow, I believe you are capable!

For the Florecer Femme event, I served Lemon Hummus with Rosemary Pita Chips (seen below), Rainbow Fruit Salad, and Honey Date Nut Bars. If you have tried these recipes, I’d love to hear from you! You can comment below or tag me on Instagram @sliceofhoney #sliceofhoney.

Tips:

If you don’t have a food processor, you can blend the hummus in a blender just don’t go overboard or you’ll liquefy it.
For the pita chips, you can use dried or fresh rosemary. If using dried, you’ll want to add a little extra to make sure you get the full flavor of the herb.

Lemon Hummus

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Ingredients

15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 Tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
zest & juice of 2 small lemons

Instructions

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Rosemary Pita Chips

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Ingredients

2 whole wheat pita breads
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon flaked salt
1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut pita bread in half so that you have single layer rounds then cut each round into 6 wedges.
Place wedges on a sheet pan and brush each wedge lightly with olive oil.
Sprinkle rosemary, paprika and salt over wedges.
Bake 6-7 minutes or until golden brown and lightly crisp.
Let cool before serving.

BROCCOLI CHEESE QUICHE & SWEET POTATO HASH

April 10, 2019 by Sarah Baade 9 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that breakfast isn’t typically my thing, but brunch? Brunch is my jam! On the weekends, my husband and I each take a day to sleep in while the other one gets up early with our toddler. First of all, I love this sleep plan because we both end up feeling rested and rejuvenated. Second of all, by the time we are both up for the day it is the perfect time to hit up a restaurant for brunch. Our local favorites tend to give large servings which means leftovers. Leftovers that are absolutely delicious and all of us are eager to dive into during the week. There’s just something about breakfast foods for lunch or dinner that really hits the spot! I’m not alone on this line of thinking, am I?

A typical work day isn’t exactly conducive to brunch. Or is it? Hello meal planning! I was challenged by my friend, Nicolas, over at Blogtastic Food to create a dish that would work well for meal planning. I came up with two recipes to create a mini-brunch that I can take to work. These recipes reheat well which is ideal for this challenge but they are also easy to make. You can cook the sweet potato hash while the quiche is baking so everything is finished at the same time. Once it has all cooled off, pack individual servings into containers so you can grab and go as you head out the door for work during the week.

Tips:

Blind baking means you are going to partially bake the pie crust before you add the filling. It is worth the extra little bit of effort to blind bake your crust so you don’t end up with a soggy bottom on your quiche.
One of the great things about quiche is that you can take the egg base and change out the fillings. You could add ½ cup chopped ham cooked ham or bacon. If broccoli isn’t your thing, toss in some chopped bell peppers instead. Get creative!

Broccoli Cheese Quiche

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Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

1 premade pie crust
8 large eggs
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup gouda cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange pie crust in a 9.5” pie dish. Line top of pie crust with parchment paper and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust for 20 minutes.
While crust is baking, beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in cheeses, cream, salt and pepper. Stir in broccoli.
Once blind bake is finished, pull the crust out of the oven then remove beans/weights and parchment paper. Pour egg mixture into pie crust and return to the oven and bake 40-50 minutes or until egg mixture has set.

Sweet Potato Hash

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Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and sauté 5 more minutes or until onions start to become transparent. Add bell peppers and spices, sauté an additional 2 minute.

For more meal prep ideas, check out the following recipes from the other “meal prep challenge” collaborators.

THAI CHICKEN GREEN CURRY MEAL PREP
https://www.blogtasticfood.com/thai-chicken-green-curry-meal-prep/

MUSHROOM RISOTTO MEAL PREP
https://juliarecipes.com/2019/04/30/mushroom-risotto-meal-prep/comment-page-1/#comment-806

VEGAN MEAL PREP CHILI
https://holistichormonehelp.com/2019/04/24/vegan-meal-prep-chili/

RED LENTIL, TAMARIND & TOMATO SOUP
https://cuisinedeli.com/2019/04/30/red-lentil-tamarind-tomato-soup/

PUMPKIN, RICOTTA AND SAGE PASTA SHELLS
https://itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com/pumpkin-ricotta-and-sage-pasta-shells/

INSTANT POT ROPA VIEJA FOR MEAL PREP
https://www.hangrywhitemale.com/instant-pot-ropa-vieja-for-meal-prep/

MEAL PREP: GARLIC SHRIMPS SKILLET WITH BULGUR
https://healthylaura.com/dairy-free/meal-prep-garlic-shrimps-skillet-with-bulgur/

EASY MEXICAN LASAGNA
https://realfoodhappyhome.com/easy-mexican-lasagna/

MAKE AHEAD MEAL PREP MINI FRITTATAS IN MUFFIN TINS
https://www.31daily.com/make-ahead-meal-prep-mini-frittatas-in-muffin-tins/

INSTANT POT STUFFED PEPPERS {WITH TURKEY AND QUINOA}
https://www.mealswithmaggie.com/instant-pot-stuffed-peppers/

SWEET TURMERIC ROASTED VEGETABLES

March 4, 2019 by Sarah Baade 3 Comments

Throughout college I spent my summers working at YMCA residential summer camps. While working at Camp Cosby, we would have snacks for the staff who had a little time off in the evenings. Leftover desserts from dinner, potato chips, I even learned to love cheesy toast (literally just sandwich bread with a slice of cheese on it, toasted up in the oven). Since my specialty in the kitchen was baking, I made a blackberry cobbler one evening – made from fresh blackberries we had picked that week. It was such a treat to have a made from scratch dessert but it wasn’t the most impressive snack we had that summer. There were two staff members from New Orleans who whipped up some fried chicken for us like it was no big deal. I watched them gathering spices and I was amazed by how they knew exactly what they needed and/or knew which spices would go well together. I had never seen someone my own age put a dish together like that without a recipe. Not only that, it was some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.

Fast forward 15+ years and I’ve become more confident in exploring spices and using my pantry to the best of my ability. I love roasting vegetables but I’ve been needing to get out of a flavor rut with them. I’ve been wanting to try and incorporate turmeric so I just went for it, adding some additional spices and a little bit of honey. Guys, I shamelessly ate the ENTIRE pan of vegetables!!! Sure, these experiments don’t always turn out on a first go or even a fifth go but when they do it totally makes up for the frustrating moments that can happen in the kitchen. I hope you are encouraged by this recipe to explore your pantry or spice rack and try something new.

SWEET TURMERIC ROASTED VEGETABLES

Sarah Baade

Lightly sweetened with spices and honey, you'll love these roasted vegetables!

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Course Side Dish

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" slices
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place cauliflower and carrots in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Stir until vegetables are evenly coated with oil.
In a small bowl, mix turmeric, cinnamon, coriander and black pepper. Add spices to vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Spread vegetable mixture onto a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until vegetables are for tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
Drizzle vegetables with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Keyword Roasted Vegetables, Sweet Turmeric Roasted Vegetables, Turmeric, Vegetables

AUTUMN HARVEST SALAD

December 1, 2018 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

A colleague of mine brought a huge grocery bag full of persimmons and oranges to the office the other day. He and his wife had an abundance of fruit from their trees this year and didn’t want it to go to waste. I grabbed a couple of each fruit from the bag and went back to my desk. At the end of the day there were still quite a few left so I grabbed a couple more. I hate seeing fresh produce go to waste.

About nine years ago I went through some challenging times; I left a marriage that was toxic. Divorce alone can be a huge financial burden. Getting divorced when already strapped for cash can nearly put a person under. My monthly budget was planned down to the penny and with just $63 per month for my groceries, I cried any time I went over that budget. I am thankful that I worked in an office that often had lunch brought in at no expense to the employees. Still, breakfast and dinner were up to me. Did you do the math? That’s right, I had approximately $2.25 per day to cover those meals. I was determined to still eat a relatively balanced diet off of that budget and there were times when I got creative (this doesn’t necessarily mean creative in a delicious way). I ate a lot of eggs and a lot of pasta during this phase of my life. I also learned how to really scour the grocery ads for what was on sale. In terms of produce, I chose sale items rather than what I might have actually been craving. I didn’t eat fresh fruit and vegetables everyday but I did manage to get some on my plate each week. It probably would have been cheaper to buy boxed/processed foods but the reality was that I needed to take good care of myself. There is no question, I would have needed financial help if I had gotten really sick or injured. The best way to stay healthy was to eat well and get exercise. Because of this experience, I still see fresh produce as having a huge value. I will always be incredibly thankful when a colleague/friend brings in extra fruit fresh from his own trees.

This dish was created with the persimmons and oranges that were brought into the office as well as a beet I already had sitting in my fridge. I added a few “splurges” with the arugula and toppings but the oil and vinegar were already in my pantry. My budget has far more wiggle room than it did nine years ago but I think I will always have an appreciation for creating a dish out of what is inexpensively available.

Tips:

Add the pepitas to the salad just before serving so they keep their crunch.
The creamy ricotta gives a nice mix of texture among in this salad but feel free to leave it out if you’re making it for a vegan crowd.

AUTUMN HARVEST SALAD

A vibrant salad that takes advantage of seasonal produce.

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Course Salad

Ingredients

2 cups Arugula
2 Large red beets cooked, sliced and quartered
4 Persimmons sliced
4 Small oranges peeled, halved and sliced - be sure to remove any seeds
2 Tablespoons Ricotta cheese
Salt to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
Apple cider vinegar for drizzling
1 Tablespoon Curly leaf parsley chopped
2 Tablespoons Roasted pepitas

Instructions

Spread arugula on a serving platter then top with beets, persimmons and oranges. Place pea-sized bits of ricotta throughout salad. Sprinkle salt and drizzle oil and vinegar over salad. Top with parsley, and pepitas.

Keyword Salad

Rainbow Fruit Salad

August 28, 2018 by Sarah Baade 2 Comments

Potluck

My husband and I are pretty active in our church and this naturally leads to potluck meals a few times per year. My husband’s answer to bringing a dish is always “Let’s just pick something up from the store on the way to the party.” I, on the other hand, never even think of this as an option until he mentions it. Instead, I go through my mental rolodex of easy recipes and some sort of cookie usually wins out. I’m honestly not sure why I feel obligated to bring something homemade. I don’t expect it of others and I’m pretty confident others don’t expect it of me. Then again, homemade always tastes better than store bought, even with a simple recipe.

Easy Fruit Salad

This weekend we attended a pool party and you guessed it, it was a potluck situation! I’ve been obsessed with fresh fruit lately so cookies didn’t even make the short list of ideas for once. Instead, I made my rainbow fruit salad. Guys, this is so easy and so delicious! I promise, the hardest part of this recipe is cutting some fruit and there isn’t even very much to cut. This rainbow fruit salad is so refreshing but it will also satisfy your sweet tooth – this counts as a win-win in my book!

One large bowl and one small bowl of fruit salad.

Tips

Don’t be afraid to swap out some of the fruits for whatever is seasonal. Ultimately, the goal is about 8-10 cups of FRESH fruit.
I always like to add a few berries to my fruit salad because they don’t require cutting. Just wash and toss them into the mix!

Rainbow Fruit Salad

Sarah Baade

Refreshing fruits with a hint of mint and lightly sweetened with agave.

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Course Brunch, Salad, Snack

Ingredients

1 large peach
3 kiwi
1 mango
12 oz raspberries
11 oz bluberries
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
2 teaspoons agave syrup (honey can be substituted)
juice of 1 lime

Instructions

Rinse all fruits and peel kiwi and mango. (optional to peel peach)
Cut peach, kiwi, and mango into bite sized pieces.
Place all prepared fruit and mint in a large bowl.
Drizzle fruit with agave and lime juice.
Gently stir until fruit is evenly coated with agave and lime juice.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Keyword Fruit, Fruit Salad, Mixed Fruit

Looking for more fruit salad recipes? Try these out!

Five Spice Citrus Salad

Watermelon Salad

August 1, 2018 by Sarah Baade 3 Comments

I keep wondering if I’m getting wimpier with age or if this summer really has been excruciatingly hot. I’m leaning toward the latter but the honest answer is that it’s probably both. I’ve been thinking back on all those summers I spent working at YMCA camps (shout out to Camp Wood and Camp Cosby!) and wondering how I survived living in little cabins with no air conditioning. I’m confident that I survived by being preoccupied with lots of fun activities and friends. I mean, who has time to think about the heat when you’re guiding a group of kids through a mud hike?! Still, we’ve been hitting triple digit temperatures on a daily basis with not much relief in sight. I give a lot of credit to all the summer camp staffers out there who have pushed through this heat to give kids the best week(s) they could imagine.

When it’s this hot outside, I have no interest in turning on the oven. Simple fresh ingredients are the way to go and summer provides such delicious seasonal produce! Naturally, I had to use this to my advantage. My daughter has been on a watermelon kick lately so I opted to use that as my base. I’m all about use what you’ve already got at home when possible. With just five ingredients, the hardest part of this salad will simply be cutting the watermelon. Other than that, this is as easy as a recipe can get. Enjoy!

Tips:

Although more expensive, you can certainly buy pre-cut watermelon to make this recipe even easier to make.
You can certainly toss the salad together a day ahead. Just be sure to cover and store in the refrigerator and don’t add the salad dressing until you are ready to serve it.

Watermelon Salad

Salad:

8 cups watermelon, cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups blueberries

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

1 Tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Dressing:

1 cup blueberries

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients. In a blender, liquefy the dressing ingredients. Drizzle dressing over individual servings of salad, as desired.

Savory Spinach Turnovers

July 15, 2018 by Sarah Baade 5 Comments

Is there actually a better meal out there than brunch? The combination of savory and sweet breakfast items plus lunch is arguably perfect. It is also the only time adding a little booze to your diet before noon is not just acceptable but encouraged. Hello mimosas and bloody Marys! Next month I will be helping to host a baby shower with brunch so I’ve had all sorts of ideas running through my head. The hardest part of menu planning will be narrowing down our options.

I can’t quite decide what I like best about this recipe. It is incredibly easy to make with just 8 ingredients. But the bonus is that it would be great served at a brunch or as a grab and go option on a busy morning. I actually made these on a weeknight and then brought them to the office the next morning to share. My co-workers happily grabbed one to take back to their desks as a mid-morning pick me up.

Savory Spinach Turnovers

Sarah Baade

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Course Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Snack

Servings 8 turnovers

Ingredients

10 oz frozen, chopped spinach (thawed)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons shallots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sheets ready to bake puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Drain spinach of any excess water. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic, shallot and salt.
Unfold sheets of puff pastry. Cut each sheet into four equal squares. Place 2 Tablespoons of spinach mixture into the center of each pastry square. Fold each pastry square diagonally over spinach. Pinch edges of dough together with a fork. Brush the tops and sides of each turnover with the beaten egg.
Place each turnover on the lined baking sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Notes

Tips:

You can make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate it until ready to use.
If you have whole frozen spinach on hand, you can chop it yourself rather than buying the pre-chopped.

Keyword Puff Pastry, Savory Spinach Turnovers, Spinach, Spinach Turnovers, Turnovers