Vietnamese Pho Soup-Jonathan Jensen

• 6 ounces dried rice-stick noodles (rice vermicelli)
• 1/4 pound snow peas, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch strips (1 cup)
• 1 cup sliced shallots (3 large)
• 3 (1/8-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger, smashed
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh serrano chile, including seeds, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth (28 fluid ounces)
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef (from deli counter), torn into pieces
• 6 ounces fresh bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn if large
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Accompaniment: lime wedges

Cook noodles in a 4-quart pot of boiling water (not salted) 4 minutes, then add snow peas and boil 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well. Divide noodles and snow peas among 4 large soup bowls.
Cook shallots, ginger, and Serrano chile in oil in same pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots are browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add broth and water and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
While broth is simmering, divide roast beef, bean sprouts, and herbs among soup bowls with noodles.
Discard ginger from broth and stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and salt to taste. Ladle broth into bowls and serve immediately.

Holly here: This whole meal is cooked and ready in 15 minutes.

• I do the broth by cooking the shallots and ginger together, then add the beef broth, fish sauce and lime all at once for ease.
• While the broth is cooking, I chop up the rest of the veggies/herbs.
• My boys opt out of the Serrano chile….make it hot to your taste however you want.
• I like to pour the hot broth over the noodles as suggested, with the sliced roast beef in the bowl…cooks the roast beef a little more.

Matt and Mandy’s Famous Salad-Holly Jensen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

4 Slices of Bacon
1 Pkg. [6 oz.] Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Can [11 oz.] Mandarin Oranges
1/4 C. Sliced Almonds

Dressing:

1/4 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Vinegar
1/4 t. Salt
2 T. Canola Oil

1.  Wash your hands.
2.  Get out a big bowl to make your salad in.
3.  Have an adult help you cook the bacon in a large frying pan.  When it’s done put it on a paper towel or napkin to cool.

4.  Put the spinach in the bowl.  Drain the mandarin oranges, and put them on top of the spinach.  Crumble the bacon, and sprinkle it and the almonds on top.

5.  Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour the dressing over the salad and mix lightly.

Source:  The Friend, September 2009, Kitchen Krafts, p. 47

Whole Wheat House-Jonathan and David

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whole-wheat House Ingredients:

2 Pieces of Toast Mini-wheat cereal

Peanut butter [or almond butter]

Cheerios

Directions:

Use one piece of toast for the house, cutting out the windows and door. To raise the roof, cut the second piece into a triangle and shingle it with the mini-wheat cereal held in place with peanut butter. A small rectangle of toast, cut to fit against the roofline, makes an ideal chimney, especially with a puff of Cheerios smoke. For siding, spead the whole house with peanut butter, scratching in some shingles with a toothpick or fork. Makes 1.

Fresh Green Beans with Orange Zest-Holly Jensen

Fresh green beans get new life when sliced into tiny slivers and accented with orange zest and crunchy walnuts in this savory green beans recipe. To make life easier, look for pre-washed fresh green beans in 10 oz. packages in the produce section of your local supermarket for this recipe for fresh green beans.

Prep Time: 5 minutes   Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

10 oz. fresh green beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. water

zest and juice of one orange

1/2 cup walnuts

Preparation:

Cut green beans into 1/4- to 1/8-inch-wide slivers. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place green beans in the skillet, stirring to coat with oil. Add salt and water. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove cover and add zest and juice of the orange. Stir-fry another minute. Add walnuts. Serve warm.

Marinade for Salmon-Holly Jensen

3 T olive oil

½ fresh lemon juice

1 bunch fresh thyme

3 T fresh garlic

Zest of 1 lemon

Ground pepper to taste

3 T olive oil

½ fresh lemon juice

1 bunch fresh thyme

3 T fresh garlic

Zest of 1 lemon

Ground pepper to taste

Sushi Brunch – The Jensens

We’ve started to eat make-your-own-sushi-roll for brunch before church on Sundays. Boys enjoy it. It’s yummy and messy. A typical setup is the sushi rice, avocado, celery, cukes, carrots, spinach and scrambled egg.

Edamame and Orange Salad – Holly Jensen

•  
  • 2 cups frozen shelled edamame
  • 2 or 3 red radishes, trimmed and diced
  • 1/2 cup diced seeded cucumber
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
  • 1 orange, membranes removed and rind reserved
  • 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp. orange juice, preferably fresh
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

In large pot of boiling water, cook edamame according to the package directions. Drain in colander, running cold water over the beans to cool them. Drain well and transfer edamame to mixing bowl.

Add radishes, cucumber, red pepper and scallions. Toss lightly to mix and divide evenly among 4 salad plates. Separate individual segments of orange. Arrange orange segments on top of salad.

Grate 2 teaspoons of zest from the top, orange layer of the reserved orange rind. In small bowl, whisk together zest with vinegar, soy sauce, oil and orange juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle cilantro on top and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 127 calories, 7 g. total fat (less than 1g. saturated fat), 12 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. protein, 5 g. dietary fiber, 55 mg. sodium.

Shoyu Chicken – Holly Jensen

5 Lbs. Chicken [thighs are preferred]
1 C. Shoyu [soy sauce]
1 C. Sugar
1  14oz can Pineapple [tidbits]

Cook on stove until chicken is cooked.  Can bake in the oven as well.

Serve with rice, veggies, salad and for the perfect Hawaiian plate lunch, add potato or macaroni salad.

Adjust amounts for less chicken.

Fun Cooler – Holly Jensen

Makes about 2 drinks
Strawberries and watermelon have long been the perfect summer pair. In this light, vitamin-packed homemade cooler, we think they shine particularly bright.

Ingredients
2 cups strawberries, hulled
1 cup watermelon chunks, seeds removed
1 cup crushed ice
1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste
1 bottle strawberry-flavored sparkling water, well chilled
Fresh mint for garnish
Method
Put strawberries, watermelon, ice and sugar into a blender and purée until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and top off with sparkling water. Garnish with mint and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 8oz/234g-wt.): 100 calories (5 from fat), 0.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 1g protein, 24g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 18g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium

Personal Note:  I forgot to put the sugar in, and we enjoyed it plain.  To remove sugar/carbs for diabetics, I thought it would be great with a diet 7Up.  That would also be a bit less expensive as well.  We drank this on Sunday, after church, on 26Apr09, and loved it.  We put in straws, pretended there were little umbrellas in it, and said “cheers!”

Eating Grass at the Jensens

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the time the boys were babes and eating food, I used to just do “pretend play” at the table to get them to eat and love fresh vegetables and fruits.  We would do spaghetti races to “slurp” up our noodles [this was actually targeted for speech therapy and strengthens mouth muscles].  Another fun thing we do is eat like bunnies.  Jonathan and David eat alfalfa sprouts and other fresh greens, like baby spinach leaves and lettuce, and really enjoy them.

Yesterday, Thurs/09Apr09, I took David to the doctor.  Here is an excerpt/anecdote from my journal from yesterday.

David:  I’m hungry, Mamá.
Holly:  Yes, I’m sure you are.
Pediatrician:  What did you eat for breakfast, David?
David:  An orange and some sprouts.
Ped:  Sprouts?  What kind of sprouts?
Holly:  Alfalfa sprouts.
Ped:  What are those like?
Holly:  Have you ever had a deli turkey sandwich with sprouts?
Ped:  Yes.
Holly:  Those were probably alfalfa sprouts.
Ped:  Yeah, but I didn’t think you eat them alone.

Turning to David…

Ped:  What do they taste like?
David:  Grass.
Ped:  Like grass, and you eat them and like them?
David:  Nodding his head in ascent.
Ped:  Wow, that’s amazing!
<<…>> <<…>> <<…>> <<…>>

PS — Joseph took the pics and had the fun idea of showing David first bending down to the grass, then eating the grass, then showing the green mouth and then showing that he is actually eating the spinach instead of the grass.

Bow Tie with Asparagus, Lemon and Peas – Holly Jensen

 

• 3 cups (6 oz.) uncooked bow-tie pasta, whole-wheat if possible
• 8 asparagus, stems trimmed
• 1/2 cup frozen baby green peas
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, preferably fresh
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until 2 minutes of cooking time remain. While pasta cooks, snap off tough ends of asparagus, then slice diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces. When pasta has 2 minutes left to cook, toss in asparagus and peas. Finish cooking then drain pasta and vegetables in colander and return to hot pot. Immediately mix in oil, zest and lemon juice and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley, divide among 4 bowls and serve immediately, accompanied by cheese.

Holly Jensen

Personal Note:  I [holly] recently subscribed to receive AICR’s [American Institute for Cancer Research] newsletter.  They send healthy recipes targeting foods that help decrease the risk of cancer.  This is the first one I received and it looked scrumptious.  It looks like an all-in-one-pot easy fix.  If you would like their updates, here is the URL:  https://secure2.convio.net/aicr/site/SPageServer?pagename=dc_rc_email

On 03Apr09, we had this recipe for the first time.  Joseph really liked it.  Jonathan really liked it.  David, who likes things separated and raw more than mixed and cooked, picked out all the spears of asparagus and “chomped” the tender tops off of them.  He ate some noodles, picked off the cheese and ate it.  He ate the kernels of corn.  [I substituted corn for the peas because I didn’t have peas at the time.  Joseph liked this idea because “it made it more colorful!!”]  My tip is, to put plenty of lemon zest.  I added a tablespoon and it wasn’t enough.  I would add more zest and lemon juice to the next batch.  This was VERY quick and easy to prepare.  One pot. 

Holiday Citrus Honey – Sweetness from the Jensens

Each fall, we love gifting our flavored honey.  It is family bonding and a very “sweet” experience.

For 1 lb. of honey [1 ½ cups]*

1 T. of grated orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit peel.

Add flavoring.  Heat the honey & flavoring on low for 10 minutes.  Let it stand for 2 hours.  Then strain it into sterilized jars.  It will last 3 months.

*Use 8 lbs. of honey and 8 T. of citrus flavoring to make one case or 12 cups of honey.

Helpful hints:  I usually heat the honey 15-20 minutes.  I also never strain out the grated citrus.  I love the honey with the peel in it.  The orange and lemon are my favorites.  Some other flavors include mint [1/4 c. chopped fresh mint per pound of honey] or red hot honey [1 ½ t. dried crushed red peppers].  The boys also “personalize” the jar labels.

What I adore about this recipe – it is sweet and that makes our holiday season even sweeter.  It is totally natural.  It can be done in advance because it lasts a longer time than most holiday treats.  Recipients can enjoy it over time and not feel pressed to enjoy it the day they receive it.

A recent personal experience – last week [Mon/16Mar09], a sweet friend of ours, Patricia Henry, came over to learn how to make the flavored honey.  Patricia planted a sour orange tree in her backyard as she enjoys flavors from her native Jamaica and from around the world.  She brought the sour oranges.  Jonathan and David donned their aprons, washed the oranges, dumped the honey in the pan, grated the oranges, measured the grated peel and stirred up the mixture.  Then, while the honey was warming, we had delightful conversation and lunch with Patricia.  It was sweet bondage.