I’ve been bored with my breakfast creations lately and have been trying to think of ways to get myself out of the rut. I did what I typically do if I have time and energy, I started checking out my fridge for ideas. Tucked back in the drawer was a nice little chunk of Havarti cheese just waiting to be used. I started thinking about what I wanted to use with it and eggs were the obvious choice, but what else? I eyed an container of baby bella mushrooms and got excited. That didn’t last long though when I realized they were past their prime. Sigh.

So, I waited until my next shopping trip and picked some more up. I kept thinking about this omelet though. I so wanted this omelet and hoped that it would be tasty. I had a feeling it would, but you just never know sometimes. Everything about this omelet was perfection. It was so indulgent, but took no time at all. The smell of the butter, mushrooms, and eggs cooking woke up my senses. Add a little cheese and I was in heaven. I sat down to my plate and just looked at it for a moment. I pleaded with it,”please be tasty. I so need you to be tasty, okay?” One fork in and I was sold. This omelet had my heart. I typically don’t finish an omelet. Not due to the taste, but because they are so filling. I finished every last bite and then sat back and sighed. It was heaven. The fact that my daughter was playing fairy princess and allowing me to enjoy my breakfast was pretty nice too!

Havarti & Cremini Omelet

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms (baby bella)
• 3 Tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 oz. Havarti cheese, shredded or sliced thinly
• 1 green onion, sliced

Place eggs in a bowl filled with hot water, not scalding. This will warm the eggs up slightly and allow for quicker cooking.

Place half of the butter into a medium non-stick skillet and turn heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely browned and softened. Remove mushrooms and set in a dish.

While the mushrooms are cooking, crack eggs into a bowl and add milk. Salt and pepper to taste. Using a fork, slightly stir the eggs but take care not to incorporate too much air into the eggs. Once the mushrooms are finished, place the remaining butter into the skillet and stir it around using a silicone spatula. Add the eggs and cook for about 2 minutes, just till they are almost done. Once they are mostly cooked through, add the cheese over the top of the eggs and the mushrooms. Cook for about 1 minute longer, or until eggs are finished, and then roll the omelet out of the pan and onto a plate. Sprinkle green onion on top and serve warm.

Source: The Way to His Heart

I’ve had a container of tahini in my refrigerator ever since since I made this wonderful pumpkin spice hummus. I wasn’t exactly sure what else to use it with. It just kept getting pushed further and further back into the abyss of the refrigerator. Finally, I started looking for recipes so I could utilize the tahini. Nothing drives me more insane than to have uni-tasker ingredients in my home.

This recipe struck a cord with me because I am always looking for ways to spruce side dishes up. I’m also always looking for a way to make vegetables more enticing for my daughter! The sauce is not overpowering with lemon or the sesame flavor of the tahini. It really blends nicely and creates a wonderful flavor. I found myself pushing my chicken around in the leftover sauce as well! This can be served over vegetables or potatoes and adds a nice touch to your meal.

Lemony Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

•  1 medium garlic clove
• salt
• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 -2 Tbsp water
• pinch of ground cumin
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Chop the garlic clove finely and then sprinkle it with salt. Using the flat edge of your knife, press the knife into the garlic and salt, scraping it along your cutting board. You want to achieve a garlic paste. Scoop the garlic paste up and place it into a small bowl.

Add the tahini to the garlic and whisk until combined. Whisk the mixture while you gradually add the lemon juice. The tahini will actually thicken at first, but by the time all of the lemon juice has been added it will become a nice creamy consistency. Add in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time until a nice creamy consistency has been reached. Add the cumin and more salt to taste and stir.

Drizzle the sauce over your side dish and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.

Yields 6 Tablespoons, enough for 1 to 1 1/4 lb of vegetables

Source: fine Cooking

This post is brought to you by Silk. Take the Tastemaker Challenge on facebook.com/silkUS.

You’ve all heard me go on about my picky eating family for some time now. I have gained some traction and typically I can make at least two out of three of us happy at the dinner table now. When the good folks of Silk Soy Milk contacted me and sent me some coupons to try out their new flavors I was both excited and a little hesitant. Would this go over well with my family? Could we implement another healthy choice into our daily diet? So, I caved a bit and went for their chocolate milk first! Call me weak, but I had to gain some ground before I went into for the white stuff!
Everyone was around the refrigerator when I pulled out the Silk container. I poured a glass for my daughter first and gave my husband the eye. You know, the “you had better not say anything that will sway her opinion or you are done” look She gulped it down and when I asked her how she liked it she said it was “De-licious!” We were told it tasted like a chocolate sundae.  Next up was my husband. He poured a glass and drank it and said it was good. I gave him a look. Was it really good or just tolerable? He has a tendency of doing that and then if I buy something again he will ask why I did. Umm, because I thought you liked it? He said he really liked it and saw no reason why not to try the regular Vanilla Silk Soy Milk. These are big words coming from him, trust me. Next, scaredy cat Meg went in for the taste test. For some reason, me in my “I love to try new things” glory, was afraid to try this. For years I’ve known people who drink Silk Soy Milk and love it. I scuffed at them and said, “No Thank You!” There in my kitchen I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. With my daughter looking on, I had to put the big girl pants on and give it a try. It was good. Dare I say even better than regular chocolate milk? For a lack of a better word, it was silky. It had a rich chocolate taste and was rich and satisfying.
Alright, so time to bring out the Vanilla Silk Soy Milk. We were all prepared now. Soy Milk isn’t a bad thing. We can get used to this. Sure! Again, it was really delicious. A nice change of pace from the standard and an enjoyable drink. I honestly can’t wait to try some of their other flavors, like the Iced Latte. Yum!
Right now, Silk Soy Milk is hosting a Tastemaker Challenge. Go to their Facebook page, print out a coupon, and give it a try. Go ahead, try it, you’ll like it! Then, go back to Silk Soy Milk’s Facebook page and have fun describing their new flavors. I know you guys can be more creative then me! If you are then you could be chosen for an upcoming video. If you become wildly famous because of this, remember who sent you okay?
I’m not that creative with words, but I did want to share with you some great things that I do love about Silk Soy Milk, besides the wonderful taste. These are the things that are important to me as the one in my household who makes purchases based on healthy choices. Silk Soy Milk is free of dairy, lactose, gluten, casein, egg, and MSG! It has 50% more calcium then dairy milk and is 100% cholesterol free. Which, ya know as we get older things like calcium and cholesterol are pretty important. There are no additives like food colorings or flavorings and they are committed to using non-GMO products. These alone would make me purchase Silk Soy Milk, but I think the happy faces who loved the taste are what seals the deal. Now, off to try that new Iced Latte!

While I was compensated by Silk Soy Milk, as always the opinions expressed here are solely mine.

I adore pesto sauce and nothing is better than fresh pesto. I always have an abundance of basil during the summer and a lot goes into making pesto. With basil, garlic, and olive oil how can you go wrong? My daughter has a nut allergy so we try to keep them out of the house. She also isn’t a fan of tomato sauce, so she does the typical kid thing of butter and Parmesan cheese on her pasta. I wanted to introduce her to pesto since she loves watching me cook with garlic and basil. While she likes eating my pasta with pesto on it, I haven’t made her a convert yet!

I can’t believe I haven’t shared this recipe with you before. When I was going back and forth tweeting someone about pesto and the fact that a restaurant used walnuts in it I realized I couldn’t refer her to my recipe because it wasn’t up here. So, I grabbed some basil at the store and made up a quick batch. It takes just a few minutes and you really will love the incredible taste!

If you want to add nuts, simply add 4 tablespoons of pine nuts with the rest of the ingredients, before adding the olive oil.

Nut Free Pesto Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, add basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and cheese and pulse until chopped. With the food processor on, slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor. Allow to blend a few seconds after you have poured the last bit of olive oil in and then stop.

Makes 1 cup. Keep refrigerated for one week.

Adapted from Sugar-Free Mom