Category: Freezer Friendly

Stove Top Baked Beans

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Hey guys! The weather is finally getting nicer and nicer, and I’m really starting to miss those summer barbecues! While we’re all stuck at home, you can still have a taste of summer time. These Stove-Top Baked Beans bring together caramelized onions, garlic, vinegar, and spices to make the perfect side dish.

I feel like all of my recipes are super versatile right now, because it can be hard to get super specific ingredients. You can use pretty much whatever canned beans you’d like in this recipe. I used black beans and red kidney beans to keep it interesting. Beans are so good man! They’re definitely underrated but are a great source of protein. In this dish, they’re great as a side with another protein, or just with some pita or bread. The recipe below makes a pretty big batch, which you can always halve if you don’t want to make too much. Or double it and freeze some for later- I haven’t tried that yet but I’m sure it would be great for when you’re in a pinch and are craving some beans. And lets be honest, that was me all the time before quarantine started. Now I’m still carving beans but I have more than enough time to make em.

I also caramelized the onions more than usual in these beans, to give them extra flavour. You want them nice and soft and brown. Maple syrup gives this recipe some sweetness, and red wine vinegar cuts through the sugar. The result are some seriously good beans! And since I made them on the stove they take less time to make as well. How can you go wrong? Here’s the recipe.

Stove Top Baked Beans

Serves: 8 as a side (I have a lot of bean eating to do)

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 a medium sized yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp shawarma spice (or use smoked paprika)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
  • 2 cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used black and red kidney)
  • 2 tsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add in the shawarma spice or paprika and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and caramelized. Add water or more oil if the pot starts drying out.
  2. Put the beans, tomatoes, vinegar, maple syrup, cumin, and cayenne pepper in the pot and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then turn the heat to low.
  3. Cover the beans and let them cook for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat, season liberally with salt and pepper, and enjoy;)

Hope these beans transport you to an awesome summer BBQ!

Yours Truly,

Olivia;))))

Stuffed Pepper Stew

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Hey there! Hope you’re all doing well;)) I find that cooking is a great way to stay busy, so I’ve been trying to at least plan out new recipes every day. I wanted to make stuffed peppers, because they’re so comforting and delicious. But it turns out that I only had one big pepper, and two mini ones. Here’s where some quarantine problem solving comes in! This Stuffed Pepper Stew combines all of the flavours of a stuffed pepper, but in stew form. It’s so good and uses super simple ingredients! It actually might be better than a stuffed pepper, because it reminds me of an amazing Hungarian pepper dish that my Mom and Grandma make. Plus, there’s lots of protein in there from lentils. I also used some soy sauce to boost the savoury flavour, which is a trick I learned from The Stingy Vegan. All the veggies get simmered in a delicious broth that’s loaded with herbs and spices, and it’ll make your house smell really good;)) This stew is also one of those things that tastes better the next day, because all of the flavours sit together overnight. Check out the recipe down below;))

Stuffed Pepper Stew

Serves: 4

Total Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, any colour, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig of oregano, finely chopped (or 1/2 tbsp dried oregano)
  • 1/2 tbsp basil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 cup green lentils
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add in the onion and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add in the peppers and garlic, and cook for another six minutes until the peppers are soft.
  3. Dump the diced tomatoes, spices, soy sauce, herbs, and lentils into the pot and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, until the lentils have cooked through.
  4. Once the lentils are cooked, stir through the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Enjoy with rice, quinoa, some bread, or by itself!

Keep cooking and creating!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked

Seedy Energy Squares

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Sure, you’re probably doing school from home right now and haven’t been out of the house in awhile, but who says staying inside is easy? It takes a lot of fuel to be productive at home, and so that’s why I made these delicious Seedy Energy Squares. They’re full of healthy fats, with some protein in there, too, to keep you going all day long! These squares are also super flexible, so as long as you have oats and bananas, which are two of my staples, you can customize this recipe to your heart’s content. Dried fruit and nuts would be great in these. I used hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds;)) If you want something dense, subtly sweet and seriously addictive, this is the recipe for you!

Seedy Energy Squares

Serves: Makes 20-25 squares

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup hemp hearts
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then mix in the oil, vanilla and cinnamon until well combined.
  3. Add in the oats, pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts into the bowl and stir until well mixed.
  4. Dump the mixture into a parchment lined 8×8 baking pan, and spread it evenly around the bottom. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the sides are golden brown.
  5. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into 20-25 squares.
  6. Enjoy!

Hopefully these help you to power through your day and show that school work who’s boss!! Happy snacking;))

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Berry Banana Smoothie Pops

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Hi guys! Since we all could use a little ray of sunshine right about now, I made these delicious Berry Banana Smoothie Pops that will transport you to a sunny beach😎😎 They’re delicious, refreshing and healthy, plus you only need four ingredients to make em! If you have a lot of frozen berries on hand, this is a great way to use them up. I’ve been loving frozen berries lately because you can incorporate them into so many things, and they’re delicious just warmed up and served with granola. I also used spinach and avocado in these pops, which add nutrients but aren’t detectable! What are you waiting for? Go make yourself some!

Berry Banana Smoothie Pops

Serves: Makes 7-8 pops

Total Time: 10 minutes to fill moulds, then freeze overnight

Ingredients:

  • 1 small ripe banana
  • About 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
  • 1 packed cup of spinach
  • 1/2 a ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions:

  1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender. The smoothie should be pretty thick.
  2. Spoon the smoothie into popsicle moulds, making sure not to over fill them. Stick in the popsicle sticks and place in the freezer overnight to freeze.
  3. Run some warm water over the moulds to loosen up the popsicles before removing them from the moulds.
  4. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Spiced Carrot Falafel

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Hey there! I’m starting to feel a bit of cabin fever, but I’m trying to keep busy and positive;) Cooking is a really great way to do that, and today I have a great recipe that’s freezable and super versatile. These spiced carrot falafel are super flavourful and easy to make! I like eating them with hummus in their own or in bowls, and they’d also be great in wraps or in pasta dishes. Maybe I could even make a sandwich with them… veggie sandwiches are amazing😍😍 Hope you like this recipe!!

Spiced Carrot Falafel

Serves: Makes 12 falafel

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas, garlic and all of the spices until smooth and combined.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the shredded carrots.
  4. Scoop out a tablespoon of the falafel mixture and form into a flat disc, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have about 12-15 falafels.
  5. Place the falafels in the oven, and let bake for 15 minutes before removing the pan and flipping them over. Bake for another 15-20 minutes on the other side.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the falafel cool completely before enjoying;)

I wrote a list in my bullet journal of ways to keep busy during this time, and so I’ll try to share it in my Instagram page soon;) For now, stay safe and hang in there!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))