Recipes

Bre's Garden Vegetable Soup a la Alton Brown

Ingredients: 

4 Tbl olive or coconut oil

2 cups chopped leeks (Cheat: onions or shallots instead)

2 Tbl minced garlic

Salt

2 cups carrots, chopped into rounds

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups fresh green beans broken in 3/4 inch pieces (Cheat: go with frozen or canned)

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth + 1 quart water
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (Cheat: go with no-salt-added canned, diced tomatoes)

2 ears corn, kernels removed (Cheat: frozen corn, 2 cups)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (DO NOT cheat and use dried - use fresh if you can!)

Juice of 1/2 a lemon (again, no cheating here - you get a big flavor pay-off from the fresh lemon)

PLUS: Any other veggies as desired - I added zucchini. Kale or spinach could even be added in at the last-minute for an extra boost of greens.

PLUS: Chicken or beef if you don't want to keep this a veggie-only dish.

Steps:

1. Put a stockpot on medium-low heat. Add oil. Add leeks (or onions) and garlic, and a bit of salt. Sweat the onions and garlic until softened, about 7-8 minutes. 

2. Add carrots, potatoes, and green beans and cook for 4-5 more minutes.

3. Add broth and water and bring to a boil.

4. Add the rest of your ingredients. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until veggies are fork tender. 

5. Enjoy! 

Homemade Egg McMuffin

Ingredients:

1 English Muffin
1 Egg
1 slice of bacon cut in half (turkey bacon if you want to be like that...)
1 slice cheese
Water
1 small glass bowl - like a small custard dish
1 small glass plate



Method:

1. Pam spray the bowl. Crack eggs into it and lightly scramble. Add 1 Tbl water, but do not stir. Place your small plate over the bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on High.
2. Put your English Muffin in the toaster.
3. Remove small plate and rotate the egg with a fork. Replace plate, and put your bacon on top. Microwave for 30 seconds on High.
4. Assemble your sandwich: bottom of muffin, your (now perfectly poached) egg patty, slice of cheese, bacon, and top of muffin.
5. Ta-DA! Now eat it :)

Microwave Corn on the Cob 

Method:

1. Put your corn, HUSK AND ALL, in the microwave.
2. Microwave for 4 minutes, PER EAR.
(Example: 3 ears of corn, 12 minutes. Capiche?)
3. Remove from microwave WITH HOT PADS - trust me - and place on cutting board. Cut off the bottom of the ear, including the last row of corn kernels.
4. Shake/squeeze the top of the ear until the corn pops out.
5. Voila! Eat your corn.

*If you don't believe me, watch this lovely gentleman do it on YouTube - if he can do it, you can do it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzYtMeIFH8o

Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup flour
2 Tbl cocoa powder
1/4 Tsp baking powder
2 - 3 Tbl sugar (depending on if you like a dark, bitter cake or a sweeter one)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 1 Tbl milk
2 Tbl coconut oil (you can use regular vegetable oil but coconut oil is better for you and definitely adds to the flavor, here)

Method:

1. In a large mug (about 14 oz capacity), stir ingredients together until it has no clumps.
2. Place paper towel in your microwave and set the mug on top of it. (This is to catch drips)
3. Microwave 70 seconds on high.

4. Enjoy! Perhaps with a dab of nutella, or some berries, or hot fudge, or powdered sugar, or a scoop of ice cream, or... you get the idea :)