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Vegetarian Recipe

PUMPKIN BREAD

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There are days when I want to challenge myself in the kitchen. Then, there are days when I just want something easy to make. I’ve been spending a lot of time baking challenging desserts lately. It gives me a great sense of pride to accomplish a recipe from my baking bucket list but it can also take a great deal of time and energy. Life is about balance though and I am thankful for easy recipes! These are my go-to when I want something homemade with limited effort. These are also the recipes that are great for passing along to friends.

When I create recipes, I want them to be achievable, not stressful. My goal is for even a beginner baker to be able to have a successful outcome. Something easy to make that is beautiful on its own and tastes amazing. Quick breads are exactly that. Now that we’re in November, I’m hitting up this pumpkin bread recipe on the regular. It is such a hit with friends and a perfect addition to any get together. Flavorful, moist and easy to make. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this beautiful pumpkin bread.

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PUMPKIN BREAD

Flavorful, moist and easy to make – I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this beautiful pumpkin bread.
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Loaf, Pumpkin Spice

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted pepitas (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together. Mix in pumpkin puree then add in eggs and vanilla.
  • Stir in half of the dry ingredients. Add milk and stir to combine. Stir in remaining dry ingredients.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with pepitas. Bake 55-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Notes

  • In a pinch, you can sub the brown sugar for white sugar. The brown sugar brings out the flavors of the spices a bit more but you’ll get a taller rise from the bread with white sugar.
  • You can butter and flour your loaf pans if you don’t have parchment paper.

BARLEY SOUP

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This has felt like the longest summer I’ve ever experienced. As of a few days ago, we were still hitting temperatures near the 90’s. Did Mother Nature forget to check the calendar? It is already late October?! Truthfully, I love living in a warmer climate. I’ve done my time with cold and snow and I learned it wasn’t for me. That being said, I can’t help but crave a few cooler (not cold) days so I can indulge in winter comfort foods. We are finally cooling off here in Texas and I’m going full out on my comfort food recipes.

I’ve been craving soup lately but my brain has also been wandering back to my recipe for Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie. The solution? Turn the base of that shepherd’s pie into a soup! The result? Pure satisfaction! This soup is hearty and rich in flavor. Anyone who eats this is going to think you slaved away in the kitchen all day when, in fact, it is simple to make. Bonus? This is one of those recipes that tastes even better as leftovers.

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Barley Soup

This hearty soup is rich in flavor yet easy to make – a perfect way to warm up on a cold day.
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barley, Barley Soup, Dinner, Easy Recipe, Homemade Soup, Soup, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 large carrots, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 large parsnips, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 lb white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and parsnips, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms start to sweat. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato paste and barley. Increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 45 minutes or until barely is cooked through.

Notes

  • Having a hard time pulling those thyme leaves off of the stem? Grab a few sprigs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Toss the whole bundle into the soup and simply remove the bundle when soup is fully cooked.
  • This is a thick, hearty soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add water after simmering until you reach the consistency you desire.

EASY VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

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A friend of mine was recently asking about recipes that use frozen vegetables. It occurred to me that I have always used fresh produce in my recipes here. Fresh is great but there are some huge advantages to using frozen veggies when you can. Frozen vegetables are actually less expensive than fresh ones. I did a quick price check at my local grocery store and a bag of fresh broccoli florets was priced at 21c per ounce. Meanwhile, the bag of frozen broccoli florets was priced at 11c per ounce. That is nearly HALF the price! If you’re on a budget, frozen veggies are a great way to get healthy foods on the cheap. Speaking of being budget friendly, frozen vegetables won’t go bad in a few days which means you’re not tossing anything out at the end of the week. You’re getting your money’s worth! Finally, frozen vegetables are already chopped. Let’s be honest, chopping vegetables sometimes takes longer than actually cooking a dish. Precut vegetables are a huge time saver! So, have I convinced you to buy frozen vegetables yes?!

Now, let’s get down to this recipe. I started making fried rice a few years ago because I was simply wanting to use up some leftovers from the fridge. I have a habit of cooking more rice than we need when using it as a side dish.  Rather than tossing out the leftovers or even eating plain rice again later in the week, I chose to repurpose it. The thing about fried rice is that it is actually easy to customize with whatever vegetables or spices are your favorites. Here, I’m giving you a super easy base recipe for vegetable fried rice. From here, feel free to get creative with what you add in. I’d love to hear how you adapt this to make it your own!

Tips

  • It is critical to use rice that was cooked earlier and then cooled. If you use freshly cooked rice, you will end up with a pan full of mush.
  • This is a basic vegetable fried rice recipe but don’t let that limit you. Feel free to add a protein of your choice or a wider variety of vegetables such as snow peas, bell peppers or edamame.
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Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

An easy base recipe for vegetable fried rice.
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cups cooked, cold brown rice
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas & carrots
  • 1/2 cup frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon tamari sauce or low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Add rice and vegetables to the pan and cook until tender. Mix in garlic, sesame oil, onion powder, and tamari sauce.
  • Push rice mixture to one side of the pan. Pour the egg into the other side of the pan and stir with a rubber spatula until curds form. Stir egg into the rice mixture. Add additional tamari sauce if desired.

Notes

  • 4 servings is based on using this recipe as a side dish. If you prefer to use it as your entrée, double the recipe.
  • It is critical to use rice that was cooked earlier and then cooled. If you use freshly cooked rice, you will end up with a pan full of mush.
  • This is a basic vegetable fried rice recipe but don’t let that limit you. Feel free to add a protein of your choice or a wider variety of vegetables such as snow peas, bell peppers or edamame.

THREE BEAN PITA SANDWICH

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The great thing about food blogging is that inspiration comes three times per day, at a minimum. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Any time we go out to eat or have a meal at a friend’s house, I am surrounded by inspiration. My husband recently requested a bean based sandwich. My brain instantly went to the three bean salad available at the Jason’s Deli salad bar. Why not make something similar and pop it into a pita?

I love a dish that can be served more than one way. This is that kind of dish. You can easily serve this up as a pita sandwich (as described in the recipe) but you could just as easily eat it as a salad. Alternatively, I think it could also make a great topping on a baked sweet potato. Main dish or side dish. Either way, I call it delicious. I always keep chickpeas and black beans in my pantry. This recipe is a perfect example of why they are staples.

Tips

  • You can eat this right away if you want to. However, you will get better flavor if you let the bean mixture marinate in the dressing for 30 minutes before eating it.
  • If you are packing this for lunch, I recommend packing the bean mixture and the pita bread separately so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
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Three Bean Pita Sandwich

This three bean pita sandwich turns pantry staples into a delicious meal.
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Keyword: Beans, Pita, Sandwich, Three Bean, Three Bean Pita Sandwich
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 small cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 small red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 4 6" whole wheat pita breads, cut in half

For the dressing

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons tamari sauce or low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together all of the beans, vegetables and fresh herbs. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over bean mixture and stir until evenly coated.
  • When ready to eat, use a slotted spoon to scoop bean salad into pita halves.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also be interested in my curried chickpea salad sandwich or my veggie wrap with homemade jalapeno hummus.

PARMESAN ASPARAGUS & TOMATOES

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As some of you may know, I followed a pretty strict vegetarian diet for about a year in 2017-2018. I’ve loved vegetables for as long as I can remember so it wasn’t too far of a stretch for me to jump in completely. When I took the time to truly plan my meals, it was a relatively easy diet for me to follow and I truly enjoyed it. When I didn’t take that time to plan and prep though, it was rough. Every Wednesday night my husband and I join two other couples for what we call small group. Fellowship is probably a better word to describe these evenings. We share a meal, talk about Jesus and talk about life. I love our Wednesday nights and these friends are really more like family. However, cooking on those nights became stressful. I would make a dish for the non-vegetarian group of friends. Cook something for my daughter (who wasn’t eating with us or I would have served her the same thing). And after each of those, I was still cooking a vegetarian dinner for myself. It was too much. Too much to accomplish within a small window of time after work and before getting our group together. Ultimately, the diet wasn’t worth the cooking chaos and I started reincorporating meats into my routine. Perhaps down the road I will give it another go but right now it isn’t the right option for me.

I still enjoy cooking vegetarian based dishes at home when life isn’t too crazy though. This is why I have kept the blog as primarily vegetarian. I love the challenge and health benefits of keeping more plants on my plate than meats. Even when we go out to dinner I often choose a vegetarian option. One of my favorite things to do is to order a few different side dishes or appetizers and eat those as my dinner rather than ordering an entrée. I feel like I have more options that way. Plus, I feel like I get to try a wider variety of what the restaurant has to offer. With this in mind, I also enjoy making side dishes at home and claiming them as my main course. I discovered last week that I can eat about a pound of asparagus on my own. Sorry to my husband for not sharing, haha! This recipe is a new one for us but is so easy and tasty that it might very well make it to the usual rotation of favorite recipes.

Tips:

  • Feel free to swap out the grape tomatoes for whatever small sweet tomatoes you can find at your local store.
  • I highly recommend sticking with fresh herbs on this one. Dried herbs will not give the same fresh flavor.
Sauteed asparagus and tomatoes with parmesan.
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Parmesan Asparagus & Tomatoes

A flavorful, savory side dish that is quick and easy to make.
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: Asparagus, Easy Recipe, Side Dish, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Recipe
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 3 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stir frequently. Add asparagus, stirring occasionally, and cook until slightly tender and starting to get char markings, about 5 minutes. Stir in oregano and thyme. Push asparagus to one side of the pan, place tomatoes on other side. Cook tomatoes until they soften slightly and start to get char markings, about 3 minutes. Add parmesan and salt, stir all ingredients together in the pan until well combined.

SWEET TURMERIC ROASTED VEGETABLES

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Sweet Turmeric Roasted Vegetables - Slice Of Honey Blog

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.

Sweet Turmeric Roasted Vegetables - Slice Of Honey Blog

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.

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SWEET TURMERIC ROASTED VEGETABLES

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

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 425 degrees 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 30 minutes or until vegetables are for tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
    Drizzle vegetables with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

CAULIFLOWER TACOS

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Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

I know it might seem a little cliché to be making tacos when I’m based out of Texas but seriously, guys… TACOS!!! Who cares about clichés when a dish this delicious is on the line?!? Plus, it’s not like tacos are exclusive to this part of the country. During my first year of graduate school, my roommate and I would make tacos every week and any time we had guests over for dinner. I would always give our guests the same speech. “Tacos are a personal experience. We are providing you with options for your toppings but, please, create your tacos to your own liking.” I was always fascinated to see which toppings people would pile and which toppings would get skipped over.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

I’ve come across several delicious cauliflower taco recipes out there but all of them are made with florets which don’t give me that traditional taco texture I’m looking for. By using finely chopped cauliflower, I was able to achieve a texture and appearance that is more similar to ground meat. Honestly, even when I brought this to work as leftovers, my colleagues commented that it looked like meat. While I still think taco toppings are a personal experience, I would encourage you to add some black beans or pinto beans for added protein into this dish.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • This taco filling has a bit of heat to it. To reduce the heat, leave out the cayenne pepper.
  • If you plan to top your tacos with the creamy avocado sauce, you can make it the day before and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Cauliflower Tacos

A new take on cauliflower tacos - your family won't even notice these tacos are vegetarian.
Servings: 8 tacos

Ingredients

For the Tacos

  • 8 corn or flour tortillas
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 14 oz bag finely chopped cauliflower
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Optional toppings:lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, black beans, red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, salsa, creamy avocado sauce (see recipe below)

Creamy Avocado Sauce

  • 2 small avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Tacos

  • Heat oven to lowest temperature possible. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven to warm while cooking the cauliflower mixture.
    In a large pan over, medium heat, add cauliflower and onion. Stirring occasionally, cook until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in spices. Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

Creamy Avocado Sauce

  • Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until fully combined.

Cauliflower Tacos - Slice Of Honey Blog

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

Every year it seems like the holiday season comes and goes at a faster pace than it did the year before. This year we traveled to the Dallas, TX area to celebrate Christmas with family. We had an amazing visit with lots of food, plenty of gifts and we made beautiful new memories. As my siblings and I have gotten older, we have started creating traditions with our own families. My husband and I generally keep things simple; Santa fills our stockings but no other gifts are exchanged between us. Our daughter is still too young to fully understand what is happening with gifts under the tree but her older cousins gave her a full introduction to it this year.  For New Year’s Eve, we go to bed at our usual time. However, on New Year’s Day, we have friends come over for board games and sandwiches. This is a new tradition but one that I really enjoy. The day is filled with so much laughter and I really can’t think of a better way to start a new year.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

As I think about traditions I can’t help but think of family favorite recipes. The first one that comes to mind is my grandmother’s egg casserole. The cheese sauce alone will have you begging for more! Unfortunately, the recipe is time consuming enough that I rarely make it. Maybe this is why our family typically only ate it for holidays or special occasions. As I was going through my grandmother’s recipe box I came across the “24 Hour Omelet.” Cheese? Check. Bread? Check. Eggs? Check. Easier than the traditional egg casserole? CHECK! So, I put this recipe together with some modifications (nobody needs their breakfast to swim in butter). I also changed the name because it honestly did not remind me of an omelet at all but more of a casserole that borders on being a savory bread pudding. This 24-hour breakfast casserole is not like the old family favorite but it is definitely delicious, easy to make, easy to customize and gets put together the night before.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • Have fun with this! You can change this recipe up by using any variety of vegetables or you could even add ham or cooked sausage for the meat lovers in your life.
  • You could also make this into a sweet version by skipping the cheddar and monterey jack cheeses and adding berries of your choosing. If you go this route, consider serving with syrup.

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24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Delicious, easy to make and easy to customize breakfast

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf sourdough bread
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh baby spinach (optional)
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon chives, chopped

Instructions

  • Tear bread into chunks and place evenly into a greased 9x13” casserole dish (this will be approximately 9 cups of bread chunks). Sprinkle half of the shredded cheeses over the bread. Spread vegetables evenly over bread then cover with remaining shredded cheeses and cream cheese. Beat eggs with milk, ground mustard, salt, chives and cayenne pepper. Pour egg mixture over cheeses. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. 
    Preheat oven to 350F. Bake dish, covered with foil, for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

24-HOUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE - Slice Of Honey Blog

ROASTED VEGETABLE BISQUE

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Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

Lately I’ve been realizing just how busy my weekdays are. A typical day means I’m up at 5:45am to get ready and help our daughter get ready for the day. After working a full day at the office, I pick our daughter up from school then head home. We have just a little time to play before needing to get dinner going. Soon after dinner, we put our daughter to bed and then I rush out the door to get a workout in. Around 8:00pm I am finally able to relax and catch up with my husband on how our day was. I know my schedule isn’t all that unusual, lots of families have a similar (or crazier) routine. To be honest, I also have TONS of help from my husband, he is my ultimate teammate in life! However, reflecting on my schedule has emphasized the importance of easy meals in our household. I do prefer to cook homemade meals but I definitely have days when those chicken nuggets in the freezer are all I can muster. On the days when I am cooking, I try to fix healthy meals and expose my daughter to a variety of foods and flavors (with an emphasis on vegetables).

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

My daughter has been really eager to help in the kitchen lately which provides an opportunity to share a wider variety of foods with her. She might not end up eating what we fix (she is only two years old, after all, and I’m realistic) but the exposure is still there. If she sees us prepping and eating healthy foods, those options won’t be strange to her as she gets older. This bisque recipe is actually a perfect one for her to help with. I chop vegetables and then let her put them into a bowl, season them and pour them out onto a sheet pan for roasting. We have also been finding ways to incorporate other lessons into our cooking routines. “How many eggs did we put in the bowl?” “What colors do you see on the pan?” Not to mention she is learning how to follow directions. All of this learning is happening while helping to get dinner on the table. This is what we call a Win-Win situation, my friends!

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • You can absolutely roast these vegetables the night before you plan to serve the bisque and then blend everything together when you’re ready to eat it. Store those veggies in a sealed container in the fridge. However, since the vegetables will be cold rather than hot from the oven, you might need to pour the blended bisque into a pot and warm it over the stovetop or in a crockpot before serving it.
  • If you’re making this for a bigger crowd, double the ingredients. You can still roast all the vegetables at the same time but it won’t all fit in the blender at once. Blend what you can then pour it into a large pot and repeat this until everything is in the pot. Stir it all together with a large spoon or whisk until fully incorporated.

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ROASTED VEGETABLE BISQUE

The perfect dish to warm you up on a cold evening.
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Raw cashews
  • 1 large head Cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 4 cloves Garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 Medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 Medium yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 Large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons Red miso paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
  • 2 cups Vegetable broth (more if you want to thin the bisque out a bit)
  • Croutons & chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Place cashews in a bowl of water and let soak. While cashews are soaking, put cauliflower, garlic and carrots in a large bowl. Drizzle bowl of vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until evenly coated then spread evenly on a sheet pan. Place onion and peppers in the bowl used for vegetables then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix until evenly coated then spread evenly on a second sheet pan. Place both sheet pans in the oven and roast vegetables 20-30 minutes or until they are tender and edges start to brown. Note that the onion and peppers are likely to be done earlier than the other vegetables.
    Drain and rinse cashews then place them in a high-powered blender. Peel roasted garlic cloves add them to the blender along with all of the vegetables. Add miso, cumin, sriracha and vegetable broth to blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Garnish with croutons and parsley.

Roasted Vegetable Bisque - Slice Of Honey Blog

AUTUMN HARVEST SALAD

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Autumn Harvest Salad - Slice Of Honey Blog

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.

Autumn Harvest Salad - Slice Of Honey Blog

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.

Autumn Harvest Salad - Slice Of Honey Blog

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.

 

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AUTUMN HARVEST SALAD

A vibrant salad that takes advantage of seasonal produce.
Course: Salad
Keyword: 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.

 

Autumn Harvest Salad - Slice Of Honey Blog