South Western Soft Tacos with Roasted Butternut Squash {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

These vegetarian soft tacos are stuffed with the flavors of the South West and are just the thing to warm up your tummies on cold winter nights. They are full of good for you veggies and beans to get you back on track after all of the Holiday feasts and treats.

Winding down from all of the Christmas craziness festivities and celebrations means that me and my honey get to chill in the evenings for a few days and enjoy watching the kids play with their gifts. Relaxing for me means simple dinners that will warm and comfort us through the Winter Break so we can and hang out afterwards and play with our new games and snuggle up to watch our new movies.






 I'm a little glad that Christmas is over so we can just relax and spend time together for a couple of weeks before we get on with our normal routines. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas but all of the running around and the sweets overload had to stop! Everyone was strung out on chocolate and candy canes and hopped up on egg nog for a solid month it seemed. With 4 kids there was a party every single day for a week and a half and family parties and get togethers every night.

Blessed. We are truly blessed. That's truly how I feel…… when I wasn't not exhausted from running from school to school with specified goodies, from store to store with requested side dishes to share and from city to city for gathering after gathering of our ginormous extended family.

Blessed.




Boring tacos just won't do during the winter Holiday season. Winter squash is in abundance after all and I fully intend on getting the most out of it until mid February when we are all sick of it and looking forward to the early spring harvest here in the Sonoran desert.

Of all the winter squashes out there, butternut squash is probably my fav. It's the most creamy, sweet and flavorful of the squashes IMHO and requires little to no added ingredients to be just perfect. Simple, natural, delicious. It's name says it all, butternut. That's pretty much what it tastes like a la mode, buttery and nutty. It is also very versatile. Roast it with some apple cider and cinnamon and you have a sweet side dish to your pork. Add chili powder, paprika and caramelized onions and you have a spicy side for your roast chicken. Blend it up with a bit of cream, spices and garlic, BAM my favorite hot and creamy comfort soup.

Last but not least, it makes a perfect vegetarian 'filler' for burritos or tacos. I'm not a big meat eater at all and much prefer hearty, healthy veggies instead.  Not only is it healthier and cheaper to sub veggies for meat as much as possible but very convenient. I pick up a few squash, sweet potatoes and sturdy greens at the store and when I'm looking for a last minute weeknight dinner I go to my  pantry and grab a squash, some beans, an onion and have a casserole, burritos or these tacos on the table in no time.

SERVES     6          TIME    30 MINUTES

Ingredients 

6-8 whole grain soft taco size tortillas 

1 cup (or 1 can) black beans, rinsed and cooked 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon olive oil 

1 small butternut squash 

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips 

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese 

Arugula (or baby spinach) 

Avocado, sliced 

Roasted or Chipotle Salsa (my fav's, use your fav)

1 small handful cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F 

Peel and cube the squash, lightly toss with oil, sprinkle with salt, paprika and chili powder and roast at 400F on a stone baking sheet for 20 minutes till done but firm.  Read my post with step by step photos and tips for cutting and preparing squash here.

In a small sauce pot over medium-low heat cook beans with cumin and salt for 15-20 minutes till warmed through. 

Place tortilla on plate, layer with cheese, squash, beans, arugula, cilantro and avocado. Spoon on roasted salsa.

This is my post for week numero 9 of #12 Weeks of Winter Squash hosted by my peeps Heather and Joanna. Got some yummy winter squash recipes to share? It's not too late to join!

HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE TOGETHER AND YOUR LIFE IS FILLED WITH BLESSINGS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wanted to take the time to wish all of YOU a very Merry Christmas and an upcoming safe and Happy New Year.  WOW…can you believe how the time has gone by in a blink?  Life truly is like that you know and it is so important to cherish every moment, and really take in the meaning of things.  We get so caught up in busy, busy, busy, that even relaxing has become a stressful event…WHAT???

Believe me, I used to be one of those busy people who felt that time was utilized for work and if I was not doing something productive every minute then I was wasting valuable time.  This can really create a self- inflicted guilt trip that dares a person to even place their backside on the sofa for a minute…back then, it caused too much anxiety.  So, I buzzed around like a bee all the time and I did not realize how much of life I was missing.  I was too busy trying to make a living and not make a life. I truly thank God for my older, wiser, better self who has slowed the pace of my life down to a healthy balance and I can now see the world and everything all around me with much more clarity for many years now.  It is absolutely awesome to take deep full breathes and not feel on edge about this and that, and let go of thing that really do not matter in the big scheme of life.

Lately, my husband and I have been surrounded by people in crisis through illness, death, and job loss.  Our hearts have been touched, pained, and our knees bent in prayer for those that we care about.  It is times like these that life does not make sense, and even can provide a fear and a desperate cry for protection of our lives, relationship, finances, and all things meaningful in this life.  There is no amount of money that replaces a person, and that is when it is realized that all that busyness is for nothing.  It is so important to have a heart of gratitude, and thankfulness because there are people out there who are praying for the very things that I/you/we have that are taken for granted.  I know this sounds like heavy stuff, but it really is just a share of how important it is to realize how important life is…it is truly a GIFT and there are no guarantees of how long the gift of being here will last.  I do know that taking care of this gift of life is what I am supposed to do, and taking care of my physical, nutritional, emotional and spiritual health are all a part of that plan.  That is what I share with you here on the Blog…ME to MOTIVATE you, and if I have touched one person, inspired, encouraged, or helped in some way to better the quality of life for someone…then I have accomplished my goal. 

As I sit here typing my thoughts to you, I wonder what you are thinking, feeling, and how your life is going?  Are you caught up in “too busy” and not making time to take care of you, missing out on family and friend opportunities, not making a call to that person that has been on your mind, and other meaningful things that you think about  but are pushed aside each day because that busy voice keeps taking over? We never want to be in a position of regret and saying, I wish I would have done this or that, because at that moment it is too late.  Life is about taking those important things and doing them now.  Tossing the “too busy card” is a necessity to have a healthy life and that is really what this post is about. 

I understand the importance of work, but we all have the ability to create a healthy balance of life through choices, changes of priority, and our overall mindset of what we think and feel about life.  My wish and gift to all of you this Christmas, is that you all step back and really allow yourself to relax and get into the moment, develop a heart of gratitude, see with the eyes of a child and play with such freedom of non-care that it is contagious, laugh until your belly hurts, and be REAL in your sharing with your spouse, family and friends.  Adapt such a balanced, healthy lifestyle that everyone will be asking YOU what you are doing to get healthy, because it all starts between the ears and shines through with your actions.  Take good care and Merry Christmas!

ME and My Girls

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy



Darla

Pumpkin Egg Nog Custard {Using Monk Fruit in the Raw}

“I received free samples from Cumberland Packing Corp., maker of Monk Fruit In The Raw. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsoredby Cumberland Packing Corp. and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

My sweet tooth is very snobby.  Any plain ol' cookie or cake just doesn't cut it. In fact, believe it or not, I could live quite happily without said cookies or cakes in my life, well, mostly. Which is why every single Christmas I go through a very serious internal battle with myself over the whole Holiday baking thing. Not only do I have a slightly snobby sweet tooth but I've never really liked to bake cookies, cakes or anything involving flour, measuring and decorating. There I said it. Please don't hate me. 

Really, I think that it is mostly because, IMHO baking goodies involves a lot of precision and dedication to the written recipe and I don't do well with exact measurements…... or following directions. Rather, I like to think of my kitchen as a laboratory where I can change up any recipe to my own liking, an experiment if you will. 

Creating a delicious dish that never existed before, all on your own is my idea of pure satisfaction.

This months Recipe Redux Challenge was to replace table sugar in a baked goodie with Monk Fruit in the Raw. Since cookies and cakes weren't in the cards for me I really had to think on this one. Finishing off a once a year Holiday meal with an individual serving of custard sounds about right to me. The pumpkin is not overwhelming in this custard nor is it too sweet thanks to the sugar replacement.


The flavors are all mild yet decadent and the thick, creamy bourbony custard sets on your tongue just long enough for you to relax and enjoy the moment.

Replacing Monk Fruit in the Raw for table sugar cuts the calories significantly. It's the best sugar substitute I've come across and has zero calories.

As I mentioned above, patience is not exactly one of my virtues. This part takes patience. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the cheesecloth lined sieve and strain over a deep bowl. The mixture is thick so it very slowly drains. I used a spatula to coax the mixture through. Don't smash the mixture though, that will defeat the purpose of straining it. You want the liquids to strain through, not the bulk. 

So, what is Monk Fruit in the Raw?  

It's an all natural sweetener made from vine-ripened monk fruit, also called luo han guo, it has zero-calories and tastes just like sugar. Originally harvested in the 13th century, it’s been making life more delicious for years now. You substitute Monk Fruit in the Raw equally for table sugar.

Where can you find it? It's a very new product so unless you live on the East coast you will probably have to order it on line. If you do, please help support Simply Healthy Family by ordering it from our Amazon store here.






The flavors of egg nog where used in this custard, not actual egg nog since custards are already egg based. I used a bourbon, vanilla extract which I highly suggest you get your hands on some and thick and creamy condensed milk. Nutmeg and cinnamon make this custard a delicious Holiday treat.

• 
  
• PREP TIME    20 MINUTES      BAKE TIME    50-70 MINUTES      YIELDS    4
• 
  

• You will need:

• 
  

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw

1 tablespoon butter, melted 

1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks 

1 large egg 

1 cup half-and-half 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk 

Crushed ginger snap cookies for topping (which I of course forgot to picture.)

1. Preheat oven to 325°. 

2. In the bowl of a mixer, place pumpkin, 1/3 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw and next 4 ingredients (through whole egg) On medium speed, beat until well blended.  

3. Place half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (through milk) in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge, stirring occasionally. Add milk mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat at low speed 1 minute. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. 

Divide mixture evenly among 4 (4-ounce) ramekins. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch; bake at 325° for 50-70 minutes or until center barely moves when pan is touched. 

Remove ramekins from pan; cool on a wire rack. 

Cover and chill 4 hours.Sprinkle crushed ginger snaps over top and dollop with whipped cream if desired.

Holliday Gift Set {Give Away} of Route 66 BBQ Sauces from Season's Harvest

image courtesy flikr

Are you looking for a great gift for the hard to shop for man in your life? Does your husband, dad or favorite uncle love BBQ chicken, steaks, wings, pulled pork or brats? Well have I got a last minute treat for you. Season's Harvest has a huge variety of amazing sauces and dips that will add zing and big flavor to your next grilling session.

Their gift sets come beautifully packaged and would make a very special and unique Christmas gift for any and all of the men (or women ;) on your list. Season's Harvest sent me a gift box of their Route 66 Legend BBQ sauces to trial. I am from the South West and so the spicy and smokey  flavors in these sauces were right up my alley.



Why I love Season's Harvest.

"Our products contain no preservatives, additives, High Fructose Corn Syrup, chemicals or extra water to fill the container and thus dilute flavor. You pay for only the natural ingredients in each recipe . . . just fabulous know how, fresh, natural ingredients in recipes learned and handed down from one generation to another."

We especially loved these two sauces. They were so thick and fresh tasting, nothing like the few other jarred varieties I've had. As soon as we popped open the lid on the jars our mouths were watering from the smell of the spices.

 Rich and Bold

Their newest barbecue sauce is an authentic Carolina mustard / vinegar sauce that is ideal for chicken and pork with just the right amount of zest. 

Excellent for pulled pork sandwiches served on a grilled or toasted bun. A wonderful marinade as well. While our High Country Barbecue Sauce is a great companion with pork, it can be used superbly with chicken.

 Deep South BBQ Sauce

Ideal for shellfish, poultry, pork, and even beef. Cajun flavors are captured in the backwater bayous of long-ago Louisana. Sultry, sizzling flavor spoken in a delightful Creole accent. 

While our Deep South sauce was prepared to be a tasty and just a bit spicy sauce indigenous of the heart of the South, its haunting flavor has come to be used in so many other ways. Its old- time flavors will spark the creativity of cooks at home. Currently Deep South is still the second most reordered sauce (and fat free using all natural ingredients).

So fire up the grill and put some spice in your life! It's been the coldest days of the year here in Phoenix so I could use some heat from Season Harvest's Spicy with Heat Sauce on some BBQ'd Chicken. 

image courtesy flikr

Please be sure to visit Season's Harvest online and check out all of their other products and gift sets like salsa's, olives and salad dressings. 

The give away is for 1 Route 66 Legend BBQ Sauces Gift Set a $49 value.

Don't want to wait? Season's Harvest is offering 50% off ALL Gift Sets right now! 

Support small business in your gift giving this year and remember, all of their products are all natural and don't contain HFC or additives!

Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I AM A GUIDE NOT A GOAL

I like that saying and it takes me back to when I was in junior high and high school.  I did not always feel the best about myself, but there was always a special motivation that came from my physical education teachers and coaches.  They made me feel accomplished, encouraged, and inspired me to do more and be more.  It was at that young age that I wanted to be like them, to be able to offer to young people that feeling of inner strength, confidence and overall happiness.  Presto...my goal in life was to be a P.E. teacher.  Of course I could not climb into their bodies and become them but imagining being them was pretty awesome in my younger years.  In my twists and turns of life, I am doing my passion on a broader spectrum than in a high school gym setting and I feel great about that.

 

The thing about life, mentors, and motivators is to understand the concept of guides, and yes to have goals.  The goals belong to each of us however, and admiring someone for blessing our lives in a positive way is absolutely fabulous, and even being inspired to work in a field of enjoyment, well life does not get any better.  The point I am getting to in this blog write is the importance of accepting the gift from a guide BUT having the ability to strive for our own goals and to achieve our own dreams. I am a guide and motivator for many people and I appreciate and am touched by all the wonderful feedback I receive on a daily basis. Now, I am going to get deeper here with you on this subject.  I am a guide NOT a goal, and I am speaking more about the physical appearance of Darla and what that may mean to you, how it affects you, what it makes you think about, how it motivates or not, etc. 

 

In my early competitive days, I admired Mia Finnegan and man did I want a body like hers.  I followed all the nutrition plans and extreme workouts to make that happen...but I was not her.  Why was I not good enough at that time?  It probably did not help to be scrutinized and judged on a stage by people I did not know, who were ready with pen in hand to tear apart the body that I worked so hard to put together.  It was at that time that I realized the politics that can and do exist in competition, but putting that aside, feelings of inadequacy and lack of confidence can break a person in such circumstances.  My point again...I would never be Mia Finnegan and what a letdown, but also a light bulb moment of time to love ME for ME.  So, I do understand when guides get skewed out of position and even placed on a pedestal, but you know what, we are all just people. I am no more special than you are, and doing what I do is a passion that I want to provide as a gift of motivation for you. 

 

 

If you have noticed, I am cautious and conservative about posting self-images.  When I do post "selfies", I want them to be meaningful, motivational, and touch a chord of inner strength within YOU that says...I CAN DO THIS.  With all the society pressure of wanting to look like or be someone we are not, it is even more important for guides such as me to be clear in communication of how unhealthy that is.  The purpose is to PLEASE ADAPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, not to cause feelings of insecurity and discouragement.  I know this is a "you can't please everyone" world and even what I am writing may come across as offensive to one and motivating to another.  I am here to motivate and celebrate living a healthy life with you and that is what I will clearly communicate.

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATION

 

 



Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

 

Stay Healthy



Darla

Chinese Noodles with Sticky Orange Maple Sauce & Chicken { every day dinners }

As a food blogger (a title I'm still not quite o.k. with for some reason)  it would probably be wise to stick with one or maybe two types of cuisine that I'm familiar with and try perfecting and blogging about said cuisine. For instance, I am a native Zonie (From Arizona for those of you who don't speak Gwen). Meaning, I've lived here since I was an infant so I have self proclaimed myself a native, grandfathered in if you will.

Therefore, it would probably be wise of me to stick with the foods and flavors from the Southwest.  Yet, while Southwestern and Mexican foods happen to be one of my most favorite foods, how could they not be growing up in the midst of such a lavish and exuberant culture with spices and sauces that will set your very soul on fire? I find myself with a wondering palate. 

So, as much as I adore and often crave the flavors of the Southwest, I simply could not live on jalapenos and habeneros alone. Oddly enough, as a self proclaimed Native Zonie living in the middle of the desert,  my absolute favorite foods happen to stem from the sea. Sea Bass, Salmon, Smoked Swordfish, Grilled Crab, Barbecued Shrimp and even the occasional anchovy when it's involved in a lovingly made Puttenesca sauce.  Sushi?  Hell ya!  Breakfast is served!




Which brings us to Chinese food. Obviously.

As I mentioned, I have a wandering palate. I love that about me.

I also am not a huge fan of pasta, but I looooveeee noodles.

Stay with me.

It's all about the sauce. Correct me if I'm wrong please but a noodle is a noodle is a noodle (except, once I did have an amazingly wonderful, seriously fresh, home made linguine that would knock your socks off, another time.) and again, really, it's all about the sauce.  

Sticky sweet, orange maple balsamic sauce with an Oriental flare. 

Schazaaam! 

If you can find these twisty, curly "Ramen" style noodles I prefer them in this sticky sauce, kids and adults alike find them a fun noodle to slurp up with extra sauce. Otherwise, use regular soba noodles or even the cheap, packaged Ramen noodles will work though not as thick and yummy.

PREP TIME    15 MINUTES        COOK TIME     15 MINUTES      SERVES 4

Ingredients

1, 6 oz package oriental noodles, cooked according to package directions

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked

2 cups broccoli florets

1 small red bell pepper, julienned

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

sesame seeds for garnish

for the sauce

2 teaspoons tamari (organic, gluten free, low sodium soy sauce)

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

4 teaspoons maple balsamic vinegar (or 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, whisked in

red pepper flakes, if you please

Cook chicken. I use my pressure cooker at 2nd ring for 8 minutes for very moist chicken breasts.

Whisk together ingredients for sauce, set aside.

Bring water to a boil, blanch broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a large, slotted spoon and place in colander and rinse with cool water to prevent from cooking further. Set aside. Return water to boil,  cook noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles.

In a large wok, preheated over medium high heat add sesame oil. Toss in red bell pepper, drained broccoli and garlic and toss a few times. Cook for just 2-3 minutes being careful not to burn garlic. 

Re-wisk sauce.

Combine noodles, sauce, broccoli, peppers and chicken in a large bowl. Toss to combine. 

Enjoy!