Basil Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I love when my basil plants get big enough that I don't mind cutting a bunch of so off. Basil is by far my favorite summer herb.

Basil pesto gets made quite often around here. Mix 1 1/2 cups of fresh basil. 2 fresh garlic cloves. 3 tbsp pine nuts. 1/4 cup olive oil and Himalayan salt and pepper to taste in a food processor. I don't add cheese to mine because I like to freeze individual servings... and cheese does not do well frozen.

Basil Pesto and Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Pound free range chicken breast with a meat mallet. Stuff with ricotta (or cream cheese or mix of both) with about 1/2 tbsp basil pesto. Fold together with tooth picks and brush with olive oil mixed with Himalayan salt, dried basil and dried oregano. Grill or bake.

(Served on top of zucchini noodles sautéed with a little more basil pesto and fresh bruschetta.)

Fudgesicles

Fudgesicles. Ice cream truck. Dirty mouth. Is there anything better? Yes.....making them and ALWAYS having them on hard when the craving strikes and knowing the ingredients.

1/4 cup organic semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup organic plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk...
1 tbsp local honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Melt chips on stovetop.
2. Stir in all other ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze till ready.

Makes about 4 depending on size of molds.

Pizza dough

This pizza dough fits all qualifications for a easy dinner. And it makes 2 pizzas, so freeze one and eat one now! 

4 cups whole wheat flour

1 tbsp yeast

1 tsp Himalayan salt

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups warm water

Extra flour for rolling and sticking

1. Mix flour, yeast and salt in mixer with paddle attachment.

2. Slowly add water, oil and honey till dough become ball like. 

3. Sprinkle with flour and cover and allow to sit and rise about 30 minutes. 

4. Knock down and allow to rise another 20 minutes.

5. On a generously floured surface, roll dough out. 

6. Top with topping of choice. 

(This was one boys pizza of turkey pepperoni and chicken Italian sausage. And girls pizza with mozzarella cheese, leftover grilled chicken, tomatoes, calamata olives, sautéed onion and mushrooms with fresh garlic. Cooked then topped with mixed greens, fresh basil and drizzled with balsamic vinegar)

Peach Salsa

2 cups diced cherry tomatoes

6 peaches peeled and diced

1 seeded and chopped jalapeño

1 tbsp local honey

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Himalayan salt to taste

Mix and chill before served 

Top grilled chicken or fish with salsa. This was cilantro, coconut, lime cauliflower rice with grilled chicken.

Chicken Piccata

30 minute dinners are the best in the summer. I mean. Who wants to be cooking all afternoon when the sun is shining and babies are absolutely content to play outside for hours. (Except that it's 150 degrees) This is one of our favorite 30... minute meals. Full of flavor. But SO simple.

Chicken Piccata

4-6 free range chicken breasts
About 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp organic butter
3 fresh garlic cloves chopped
1 jar capers
1 lemon
2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Himalayan salt

1. With a meat mallet, flatten chicken slightly.
2. Season with Himalayan salt and dredge in 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter. When hot add chicken and cook till browned and cooked through.
4. Remove chicken from pan and add remaining butter and oil. Sauté garlic slightly and add broth and wine. Cook on med/high till reduced by about 1/2. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and cook a few more minutes to thicken sauce. Add lemon juice from lemon.
5. Add chicken back to pan with sauce. Top with drained capers and simmer for a few minutes. Top with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

I served the picky eaters organic whole wheat penne. And the others had yellow and green zucchini noodles with shredded carrots. If you haven't tried yellow zucchini, I highly recommend. It's sweeter than regular zucchini! All topped with fresh parmesan cheese.

Dark Chocloate Almond Melts

About this time every night. When babies are put to bed. And I am trying to settle in for the night. It never fails. I get a sweet tooth. My go to is usually a few dark chocolate chips with some plain almonds. But tonight I got fancy. Melte...d some dark chocolate chips (1 cup) with coconut oil (2 tbsp). Let it sit for a bit to solidify back up then drizzled on top of plain almonds on parchment paper. Sprinkled some with organic unsweetened dried coconut and some with a little sea salt. Put in fridge to harden. Then they peel right up. (Makes about a dozen) Husband and wife approved

Blackberry Muffins

The fruits of our labors made everyone happy this morning when they woke to a yummy smelling kitchen.

Blackberry Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda...
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup local honey
1 free range egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk (or use milk with vinegar to make your own)
3 tbsp coconut oil softened
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
2 cups wild blackberries

(Optional topping: 2 tbsp whole wheat flour, 3 tbsp organic butter, 2 tbsp pure cane sugar. Top muffins last few minutes of baking)

1. Mix all ingredients, except blackberries, with mixer.
2. Fold in blackberries at the end
3. Pour in greased muffin tins and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

I highly recommend these silicone muffin liners. They are great for many things and perfect when packing snacks or lunches in place of baggies.

Garden Veggie Bake

I seriously love cooking this time of year with the abundance of fresh fruit and veggies! When you grow it. Then cook it. Then eat it. It makes my heart overflow. (Or even purchase it from local growers who have put their hearts into their ...crop)

This is the perfect dish to make from a garden. Mix it up with different veggies like eggplant or potatoes.

I like to pick my squash and zucchini, squash and cucumber before they get to large. To me. They have the best flavor when not overly large. Just saying this in case you wonder when I post 1 zucchini or 1 squash. You can imagine the size.

Garden Veggie Bake

4 tomatoes (if you have different varieties I like to mix them)
1 sweet onion
2 fresh garlic cloves
2 zucchini (about 2 cups sliced)
2 yellow squash (about 2 cups sliced)
2 yellow zucchini (about 2 cups sliced)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
Himalayan salt to taste

1. Slice onion and finely chop garlic. Sauté in olive oil till tender.
2. Slice all veggies. Layer greased baking dish with squashes, topping with salted tomatoes and onion and garlic. Sprinkle oregano on top of each layer. Do this till all veggies are gone ending with tomatoes and onions.
3. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Last 10-15 minutes top with parmesan cheese.

Peaches And Cream Oatmeal

Oatmeal is pretty popular for breakfast. I love to mix of the varieties with seasonal fruit or different spices. It easy to make a big pan then everyone can pick their "flavor". Do not be fooled. These are NOT pre-flavored. Have you checked... out all the sugar in those little packs. Not to mention unnecessary ingredients added.

Peaches and cream is the popular flavor this week. Peach season is in full force. Juicy and sweet they are the perfect addition.

Old fashioned oats, fresh peeled peaches, organic butter, drizzle of local honey, pure vanilla extract, raw goats milk (or milk of choice) and sprinkled with cinnamon

Four Cheese Tomato Pie

Tomato a pie is pretty much the yin to my yang. I can make a whole meal out of a pie. Seems that every pie I make is slightly different. And every pie I make, I swear is more delicious as the summer goes on and tomatoes become more ripe.
...
Four Cheese Tomato Pie

4-5 ripe tomatoes sliced and patted dry and slightly salted (I like to peel them but sometimes get lazy)
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp organic cream cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 sweet onion thinly sliced
2 fresh garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp fresh oregano
2 tbsp fresh basil
1 tbsp olive oil
Himalayan salt
Pie crust of choice (this was a homemade whole wheat one. Will share recipe. Yummy and easy)

1. Cook pie crust slightly before layering in ingredients. I like to cook for about 10 minutes.
2. Mix ricotta, mozzarella, and cream cheese. Spread on crust. (This helps not get crust soggy from tomatoes)
3. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil till tender.
4. Layer salted tomatoes on top on cheese mix. Sprinkling oregano and basil between tomatoes.
5. Top tomatoes with onion and garlic.
6. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese last 10 minutes of baking