What am I?I might be called a vegetable, but I'm not a fruit or even a plant. Sometimes I act like an animal, but I'm not that either. I'm not a fish, but I do have gills. I don't have any seeds either, instead I have spores to grow. I am a type of fungus that is eaten all over the world. I come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, and I can be found in a variety of dishes all around the world. Where I growI don't need light to grow. I grow in many different environments, from forests to grasslands to your very own backyard. I typically thrive in moist, cool and dark environments, and I can be found growing on dead or decaying (dying) plants. Some types of me are also grown in farms, usually in dark, underground rooms. After I'm pickedAfter I am harvested by hand or machine, I am cleaned, sorted, and packaged and then sent to the grocery store. Some people like to eat me sautéed or grilled, while others like to use me in recipes like soups, stews, and pizzas. I'm a versatile ingredient that can add depth and richness to all sorts of dishes. Remember, ONLY eat me if you bought me from the grocery store. Did you guess... MushroomEspañol: champiñón Do you like mushrooms? How can you not like a fungi?! Get it? 😉 Watch the video to learn more! Hey, Snacksters! Mushrooms don't need sunlight to grow! Learn how it grows below! Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
I made this recipe by thinking about flavors that go well together... I refer to this concept as Food Theory. This is the idea that if you know which foods and seasonings pair well together, you can make up any recipe. This helps cut down the grocery bill when you know you can make a meal based on what's on sale and in season. When I saw the can of wild rice on sale (and if you've messed with wild rice before, canned is so much easier), I knew I could make a meal out of it! There are so many variations. Give it a try and share your comments below! Wild Rice ChickenIngredients 2-4 chicken breasts 1 can cooked wild rice (used 40 oz can in video, but can adjust to family size), partially drained 1 onion (any kind) 1 pint mushrooms (any kind) 1/3 stick butter Thyme Rosemary Optional Ingredients and Variations 2 stalks celery 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or dried) Handful walnuts 1 green pepper Directions Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit on convection oven, otherwise 350 degrees (adjust for cooking times). Place chicken on non-stick baking sheet. Season evenly with thyme and rosemary. Place baking sheet in preheated oven in center rack. While chicken is cooking, heat butter in pan on medium heat. When butter is melting, add sliced mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms for a minute. Add sliced onions and continue to sauté. When onions are translucent, add partially drained can of wild rice. (You can add other ingredients for a variation while sautéing or now.) Turn heat to medium-high and allow mixture to cook uncovered. When chicken is finished cooking (it should just start turning golden brown), remove from oven. Carefully slice chicken and add to wild rice mixture. Cover and cook for about 5-7 more minutes. The chicken will absorb the liquid from the wild rice mixture. Serve immediately. Pairs well with green beans and other vegetables. Did you try it? Share your thoughts below! Danielle S is the mother of two and creator of Snackster Sam. She has been concerned about healthy habits and nutrition for over a decade, and conducted an award-winning scientific study on portion control. She created Snackster Sam to make eating healthy more fun for parents and children. Learn more about the mission here.
As you may know, I rarely go to the grocery store with a plan. I'm looking for good deals, in-season produce, and inspiration. This week, there was one eggplant left (and on sale), and I just had to do make a meal with it! I grabbed that, along with a few other winter vegetables on sale, and I had a meal plan. I whipped up this very simple pasta, and oh-m-gee was it ever delicious. It's packed with flavor (oh, and nutrients), and it was so good, you forgot it was actually meat-less. Say what?! No complaints from the hubby, because it is still full of meaty-like vegetables that make you feel full (without the guilt). The best part is the kids loved picking out each vegetable and talking about what it was, where it grows, and how it tastes. This is a part of the dinner-table-talk that needs to happen with every family. Discussing how your food grows can fill a conversation and spark so many other interesting learning opportunities (like different states, countries, climates, culture, and so much more)! And it's a conversation that is engaging for a wide range of ages. Ok back to the recipe. There are so many variations to this, but I hope you try new vegetables and give it a try! Easy Vegetable PastaIngredients 1 eggplant, peeled and diced 1 zucchini, diced Fresh diced tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes 1 pint fresh mushrooms (any kind) 1 onion, diced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced and chopped 1 can tomato sauce Penne noodles (or your preference or none! Make it your own!) Olive oil Basil Parsley Directions Heat oil in a frying pan. Add diced onions and sauté until translucent (a few minutes). Add mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes. Add diced eggplant and zucchini. Stir frequently and let cook for about 5 minutes or until zucchini starts to soften (it shouldn't be wilted, but you'll notice the seeds start to loosen). Add diced tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, and sauce. Stir and cover pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. While your vegetable mixture is cooking, cook your noodles according to the directions. You do not need to use a noodle, and you could certainly use a spaghetti squash or other vegetable instead. I like to keep my sauce to noodle ratio 3:1. You don't need a lot of noodles... the sauce is the main part of the meal! ;) When noodles are finished, add the noodles to the sauce. And serve! p.s. This is possibly even better the second day! Please share your comments below! Did you try it? Tell us! Danielle S is the mother of two and creator of Snackster Sam. She has been concerned about healthy habits and nutrition for over a decade, and conducted an award-winning scientific study on portion control. She created Snackster Sam to make eating healthy more fun for parents and children. Learn more about the mission here.
In an earlier post, I shared a recipe for Not Your Average Chili. I created that recipe based on ingredients that were on sale and in season at the grocery store, but I didn't have a recipe in mind prior to going to the store. As I stated in that post, "I like to go to the store with little or no plans for meals for the week. I know it's a foreign concept to many of my meal-planning friends, but if I go in with a set plan, I may miss out on discounts, fresh and in-season produce, and new recipe ideas. When I shop, I start in the produce section and base all of my meals for the week on what is on sale and what looks ripe and ready to eat. If my meal plan includes avocados but they are not ready to eat, I would either be forced to use unripe avocados or change my meal plan. Going in with no plans makes shopping more fun and keeps my mind opened to possibilities!" SNACKSTER SAM'S BIG ADVENTURE - ON SALE NOW Later in the week, I had no plans for dinner again . . . but I did have several ingredients that I knew would make a great meal! Watch the video below to see what I created and keep reading to get the recipe: If you go to the grocery store with an open mind, you might find you get more creative in the kitchen, create some fresh and nutritious meals, and save money! I'm sharing the recipe I made, but I listed other ingredients you can add or subtract to it based on what is available, on sale, and in season! One Pan, No Plan DishInstructions: Choose from the vegetables, seasonings, proteins below. Use what you have on hand and don't be afraid to add more and experiment! This recipe is really just to give you an idea of what flavors go well together. VEGETABLES 4 potatoes, diced 1 green pepper (or any color variation), chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/2-1 package fresh mushrooms Handful of kale Handful of fresh spinach 1 cup tomatoes (canned or fresh) 1 can tomato sauce PROTEIN 2 chicken breasts, cooked AND/OR 1 cup red kidney beans SEASON TO YOUR TASTES Rosemary Salt/Pepper Basil Italian Seasoning DIRECTIONS Add oil to saucepan and heat to medium-high. Add hardy vegetables (potatoes, pepper, onion) and seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until potatoes are tender. Add protein of choice. Add tomato sauce and stir until sauce is thoroughly distributed. Add softer vegetables (leafy vegetables, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes). Cook for a few minutes or until leafy vegetables are tender. (If cooking chicken, either do so in another pan or fully cook in the ONE pan and set aside until directions call for you to add the chicken back to the pan. Otherwise, this is a great way to use leftover chicken!) And serve! TIP: Get children involved with prepping the vegetables. Smaller children can wash vegetables and rip up leafy vegetables while older children can open cans and stir the pan. At the dinner table, ask them to identify the different vegetables in the meal. Then discuss where the vegetables grown - is it on the ground or on trees? For older children, go further and find out the geographical location where they grow! Want to learn more about helping kids find the best foods? Get the book: SNACKSTER SAM'S BIG ADVENTURE Did you try this recipe or can't wait to? Have a comment to share? Please do below! Danielle is the mother of two, small business owner, and creator of Snackster Sam. She has been concerned about healthy habits and nutrition for over a decade, and conducted an award-winning scientific study on portion control. Danielle is an author and community activist who is passionate about helping people reach and exceed their personal and professional goals.
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