vegetable

Roasted Vegetable Asian Orzo

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Roasted Vegetable Asian OrzoThis roasted vegetable Asian orzo was an INSTANT winner in our house. Travis and I were fans when this was hot off the stove top and I’m pretty sure we were even bigger fans when we had it as leftovers. I find it thrilling when something is even better in leftover form! Probably because I’m a complete dork, but that’s okay. I think in this case, the orzo just absorbs all the delicious dressing a little bit more after it sits so the flavor packs even more punch the second go-around. YUM.YUM.YUM!

Roasted Vegetable Asian OrzoIt not often that the little guy will eat whatever we put in front of him when he’s never had it before. Usually it takes like 2 or 3 attempts before he really enjoys something (especially when that something contains vegetables). I was *shocked* to look over and see him not only devouring the orzo the first time he had it, but also literally PICKING OUT the vegetables to eat them. I think I gave him like every pea that was in the stuff one day because that just doesn’t usually happen. It is that good.

Roasted Vegetable Asian OrzoVegetables, when roasted, form this unique sweetness that’s just lovely paired with the slightly sweet, salty, and spicy dressing. I’m literally finding it hard to come up with words to describe how good this roasted vegetable Asian orzo is…It’s my new favorite thing to eat. I probably say that a lot but this time I can tell it’s favorite status is going to last awhile 🙂

Roasted Vegetable Asian OrzoI would eat this warm or cold. I would eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or midnight snack. I would make this for a family dinner or fancy dinner party (which, I don’t really ever have…but I would TOTALLY serve this if I did). Just give it a whirl. PLEASE! And hopefully you will love it as much as I do!

Roasted Vegetable Asian Orzo

Roasted Vegetable Asian Orzo
Serves 4
Roasted vegetable and orzo tossed in an Asian-inspired dressing
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 large carrots, diced
  2. 1 medium onion, diced
  3. 1 red bell pepper, diced
  4. 3 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
  5. 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  6. 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  7. 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
  8. 1 cup frozen peas
  9. 1/4 cup soy sauce
  10. 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  11. 3 tablespoons honey
  12. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  13. 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  14. 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine diced carrots, onion, and bell pepper with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Wrap 3 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled) and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon olive oil in foil. Place on the baking sheet with the other vegetables.
  4. Bake vegetables for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  5. While the vegetables are baking, bring the vegetable stock to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium to large pot.
  6. Add the orzo, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes, until the orzo is cooked, stirring occasionally.
  7. Remove the lid, stir in the frozen peas and heat through.
  8. Once the vegetables are finished roasting, stir in the carrots, onion, and bell pepper.
For the dressing
  1. Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and Sriracha in a small bowl. Once the vegetables are done roasting, take the cloves of garlic and squeeze the garlic out of the peel. Mash it slightly with a fork before whisking it into the dressing.
  2. Add the dressing to the vegetables and orzo and heat until everything is warmed.
  3. Serve warm or cold.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Corn Casserole from Scratch

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Corn CasseroleI’m pretty sure any blog is incomplete without the obligatory corn casserole recipe around this time of year. Sometimes, if I’m feeling fancy I call it a corn souffle. Because, you know, casseroles get a bad rap a lot of times (they really deserve more, if you ask me). And maybe sometimes I call it spoon bread. Just because. Who knows?! Regardless of whatever I decide to call it at the moment, I have to admit that I find myself drooling a little bit every time I see corn casserole/souffle/spoon bread. SO, SO GOOD! Most recipes use a corn muffin mix as a base, which is scrumptious. BUT this one is just as amazing and made completely from scratch! YAY!

Corn CasseroleI haven’t made this recipe more than like one other time in our marriage because I was SURE that Travis wasn’t a fan. It’s funny how notions like that get stuck in our heads because as it turns out he really does like it. He even asked why I haven’t made it more. At that point I wasn’t sure if I should cry a tear for all the missed corn casserole opportunities or jump for joy for the many corn casseroles in our future. I just played it cool in reality. Didn’t want to seem like a total food dork, even if I am one.

Corn CasseroleThe real test was on our 1-year-old son, who has decided corn is on the “do not eat” list. He literally finds every piece of food he doesn’t like (a.k.a. almost every vegetable) and promptly drops them on the floor. I like to tell myself he’s a future scientist and is testing the laws of gravity, but I think I have to accept that he just likes dropping food he thinks is disgusting on the ground. We ate this casserole 3 times during different meals. The 1st two times the corn casserole ended up on the floor. BUT, 3rd time is a charm because….SUCCESS! My child actually ate corn! Without any sort of manipulation or begging on my part. Major win.

So I’ve learned a few lessons here. First, make sure to ask your husband/significant other/whoever you cook for if they like or dislike something before assuming one way or another. Next, persistence is key with a 1-year-old. Finally, I’ve learned that my love of corn casseroles is for reals and I will be making many more variations in my near future. 

Corn CasseroleSide note…We ate a random helping of sides with this including orange pomegranate coleslaw and my recently posted Thanksgiving dinner rolls. Sometimes side dishes are where it’s at! I just realized my “side note” talked about sides. HA! I crack myself up sometimes.

Corn Casserole from Scratch
Serves 8
Traditional corn casserole from scratch
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
  1. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  2. 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  3. 1 tablespoon baking powder
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 15.25 ounce can sweet corn, drained
  6. 14.75 ounce can cream style golden corn
  7. 1 cup sour cream (plus extra for garnish)
  8. 2 eggs
  9. 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
  10. 3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt).
  3. Mix together wet ingredients in a medium bowl (corn, cream style corn, sour cream, eggs, butter, and sugar).
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.
  5. Pour mixture into an 8x8" greased baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the center is set and the top just starts to lightly brown.
  6. Serve warm with sour cream on top.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Spicy Chicken Southwest Salad

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Spicy Chicken Southwest SaladCan I be real for a minute?? I now have a one year old. EEK! I get it now when people say kids grow up fast…where did the time go? When our little man was first born we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and now we have no idea what it was like before him. The laughs, smiles, and squeals just melt my heart. He plays like it’s his job (busiest boy in the world) and I swear he can run faster than I can. Something I must work on I suppose…Maybe less galette and more salad? Only if it’s this spicy chicken Southwest salad, of course! (Nice transition, right? Totally worked real hard on that one. Also, not giving up the galette. That would be silly.)

Spicy Chicken Southwest SaladThis is a super simple, weeknight, use-all-your-leftover-veggies, I-can’t-even-think-of-making-dinner kind of meal. And it’s AMAZING! Sometimes simple is better than the hard stuff and this is definitely quick and easy. Perfect for someone who wants to be somewhat healthy but also has to chase a one year old that they can’t keep up with (aka…me).

Spicy Chicken Southwest SaladMy absolute favorite part is that I usually have everything I need to make it because the ingredients are staples in my house. And actually I lied because I have another absolute favorite part…there’s not actually a recipe! MIND BLOWN! If you say you can’t cook because you can’t follow a recipe, this is good news for you. All you really need to do is follow a shopping list. Or maybe just go find these things in your fridge or pantry. 

Spicy Chicken Southwest SaladTravis and I probably have this once a week. I’ll have Travis grill up some extra chicken if we’re already grilling, I cut it up, and either freeze or refrigerate it depending on how quickly I plan on using it. Then it’s just a matter of chopping, heating some ingredients up (if you so choose) and eating. Nom, nom!

Spicy Chicken Southwest Salad
Hot and spicy chicken DEFINITELY spices up this Southwest salad!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
5 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. Lettuce (Romaine, or your favorite kind), ripped or cut into bite size pieces
  2. Grilled chicken, cubed
  3. Hot sauce
  4. Black Beans, rinsed and drained
  5. Frozen corn
  6. Avocado, sliced or diced
  7. Hard boiled egg, cubed
  8. Cheddar cheese, grated
  9. Tortilla chips, crushed
  10. Ranch dressing
  11. lime, for garnish
Additional Options
  1. Tomato, diced
  2. Bell pepper, diced
  3. Red onion, finely chopped or diced
Instructions
  1. Mix desired amount of hot sauce with the grilled chicken (I like mine hot so I add quite a bit!). I usually heat up the chicken and hot sauce in a saute pan if it's not already warm, but this is optional.
  2. Heat the black beans and frozen corn in a saute pan over medium heat. Again, optional but if you eat it cold, please make sure to use canned or fresh corn so you don't break a tooth!
  3. Layer desired ingredients over lettuce. Top with ranch dressing and crushed tortilla chips. Finish with a squeeze of lime to garnish.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Creamy Avocado Yogurt Dressing

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Creamy Avocado Dressing

Would I call this a dressing? A Sauce? Yummy stuff I would eat by the spoonful straight out of the jar? Um…I mean I would never do that. I’m way too ladylike. WAY to ladylike *cough, cough*.

Creamy Avocado Dressing

Whatever the case, and whatever you would like call this recipe, just make it. This creamy avocado-y yogurt-y goodness is totally worth trying at least once in your life. And then you will realize that once is not enough and decide it’s worth trying at least 1000 more times. More or less.

Creamy Avocado DressingThis recipe is loosely based off of a ranch-style dressing so it’s perfect for salads (I *love* this on a taco salad!). I also put it in a buffalo chicken wrap. Incredible way to cool down a spicy wrap! This would also be amazing as just a sauce for spicy grilled chicken or fish. OH MY! Anything spicy should automatically be paired with this dressing/sauce. No questions asked.

Creamy Avocado DressingMy recipe has buttermilk in it (since, like I said, it’s kind of based off of a ranch dressing), but you can totally up the amount of yogurt or olive oil if you don’t have buttermilk. I just love the buttermilk to give it that extra creamy, decadent texture. AHHH, I made this awhile ago and just talking about it makes me want to make it again. Like right now. SO GOOD!

Creamy Avocado DressingLet me get to dreaming about what to put this dressing on next. I expect to hear soon what you used this avocado magic dressing on (that’s what I should have called it…magic dressing). Yum!

Creamy Avocado Yogurt Dressing
Creamy, ranch-style avocado dressing
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 medium avocado
  2. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  3. 1/2 cup buttermilk
  4. 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  5. 2 tablespoons lime juice (or juice from about 1 lime)
  6. 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  7. 1 tablespoon diced fresh chives
  8. 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  10. olive oil, optional, to reach desired thickness
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add olive oil (about 1 tablespoon at a time) and blend if the dressing is too thick.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Roasted Kohlrabi and Potatoes

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Kohlrabi and PotatoesHaving a newborn has completely changed my view of food. My food thoughts these days consist of things such as: “How can a little baby pack away that much food? He must be a magician,” and “I’m SOO hungry…I will eat anything. Seriously. Anything.” (Breastfeeding moms, are you with me there? I can eat all day and still be hungry). Oh, and my favorite recently pondered question is whether or not I have somehow turned from human to milk-making machine. Because sometimes I feel like that’s my new job. Actually, that is my new job along with professional cuddler, diaper changer and swaddler. I’m learning on the job. I think my client is happy but he doesn’t talk yet.

Kohlrabi and PotatoesAlong with these very deep and profound thoughts (hey, they’re profound if you’ve been sleep deprived), there’s just no more TIME! I was always the person that used cooking and baking as my calming factor after a busy day. Kind of like yoga for someone who can’t balance on one foot. No joke, I made a hot dog the other day on an indoor electric grill and was proud of myself for the amazing feat I accomplished…I don’t even like hot dogs! Well, except for at a good summer cookout. But that was one good hot dog because I made it myself! One step at a time…I’ll get back to making full meals I’m sure!

So I guess where I’m going with all this rambling is that despite the fact that the next several recipes I’ll post, including this kohlrabi and potato recipe, are fairly simple and 100% delicious, I was smart enough to stock up on recipes and photos prior to baby’s arrival. I don’t feel like you all would be impressed with a recipe on how to make a hot dog. Just a hunch.

Kohlrabi and PotatoesBack to the reason you’re here…I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of potatoes so let’s jump right to the kohlrabi. Kohlrabi is a mystery ingredient for many. I must admit I had no clue what it was or how to use it prior to acquiring this fine specimen from VanScoy Farms awhile back (again, I made this before the little guy arrived). After some research, I found a simple recipe and was on my way. I personally think kohlrabi kind of tastes like brussels sprouts a little. You can disagree though. I won’t take it personally.

Kohlrabi and PotatoesTo prep the kohlrabi, remove any stem or leaves. Slice it into quarters and cut the core out. Peel the kohlrabi through the outer fibrous layers (if you have a bigger kohlrabi like I did, make sure to get through all the outer layers to the completely white part or you’ll end up with tough sections. I learned from experience). After that, you’re ready to dice and use!

Kohlrabi and Potatoes

Roasted Kohlrabi and Potatoes
Serves 4
Simple and tasty roasted vegetables
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  2. 1 pound petite potatoes, halved if large
  3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  5. zest from 1/2 lemon
  6. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1.5 teaspoons fresh)
  7. 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1.5 teaspoons fresh)
  8. 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
  9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  10. 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place diced kohlrabi and potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, herbs, salt and pepper over the top and toss. Spread out vegetables into a single layer on the baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes, toss, then bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender.
Notes
  1. You can use larger potatoes, such as red potatoes. Just cube them into pieces the same size as the kohlrabi.
Adapted from Sweet Phi
Adapted from Sweet Phi
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
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