a few of my favorite prego worthy recipes

1. vanilla soy milk smoothie

this is my alternative to ice cream when i can fight the craving long enough to make this - it's definitely sweet enough to be really satisfying and filling. (it's also a starbucks hack on their smoothies from my coffee slinging days).

approx a 3/4 cup (or 1 cup depending on how liquid or dense you like your smoothies - i like mine to be difficult to suck out of a straw and therefor i end up reaching for a spoon) of vanilla soy milk

a banana (the riper it is - the sweeter your smoothie
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
 and then i practically fill up the rest of the blender with ice. (again, you may want to cut back if you like yours more liquid-y).
 
it's also great because you can add other fruits or fruit juices to mix it up a bit but i still like the plain ol' vanilla and banana.

2. pina colada quinoa (from the 10 cent diet)

this is perfect breakfast comfort food and husband even asked for seconds. 


1 cup quinoa
1 14 oz can light coconut milk
1 14 oz can crushed pineapple
1 Tbsp sucanat
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and coconut milk to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave standing for 6 more minutes.

2. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Stir 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice into the cooked quinoa. Add the sucanat and vanilla and mix well. Add a bit of salt to taste.

Stir the crushed pineapple into the mix and serve. Keeps for 2 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

3. Bruschetta with tomatoes, beans and herbs 

(i've been known to have just this for dinner and we're making it tonight as a side dish for our doula appointment).

this recipe makes a ton so we put the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it actually gets better the longer it marinades.

1 16oz can of diced tomatoes (i like the ones with garlic, oregano and basil already added but it's not necessary and i always add the extra spices anyway)
1 16oz can cannellini beans
1 cucumber - peeled and diced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion (i like lots more)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
fresh ground pepper 
(i don't measure the herbs - i just add until it "feels right" which i'm sure ends up being a lot more then the recipe suggests).

country style white or wholewheat bread cut into slices (french bread or italian loaves work perfectly for this as well).
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
extra virgin olive oil

combine: all top ingredients in a bowl, including pepper to taste. toss well, cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

preheat: the broiler. arrange the bread slices on the rack and toast lightly. turn over and toast the other side. remove from heat and rub the cut side of the garlic clove over one side of each slice and brush with the olive oil.

pile: equal amounts of topping on the garlic-rubbed side of each bread slice. transfer bruschetta to a platter and serve immediately. 

4. roasted veggies
nabbed this easy recipe from one of husband's friends who made it on a campfire....mmmm...campfire makes everything taste good, doesn't it? 


Ingredients:
large yellow onion
carrots
sweet potatoes
yams
baby potatoes or fingerlings
whole garlic cloves
rosemary 
thyme
chantrels/shitakies
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

(really you can use whatever veggies you have laying around the house. no zucchini or peppers though - they tend to get too soggy. i might try the next batch with some fennel and fresh raw brussel sprouts).

on a tin-foil lined baking dish: cube up the whole lot, drizzle with virgin olive oil, sprinkle with the herbs and spices and mix well. 


this bakes in 375 oven on a cookie sheet until everything is lightly browned and crisp.

we made fajitas out of this a few weeks ago with some thin slices of flank steak that i marinated in a store-bought garlic sauce for a few hours. we then took small corn tortillas and evenly distributed the flank steak and scoopfuls of the veggie mix. substitute chicken for a healthier version and add sour cream for the less healthy but delicious version.