Veggie Pancakes

This is a recipe my friend Katy just gave me. I've tweaked it (of course). She found the recipe in a baby food book but it is really a great recipe to use for children of all ages (or even adults). The original recipe calls for only carrots and onions. I added zucchini and in the future I will add other veggies (such as broccoli and mushrooms) and I will use Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar or mozzarella (which I used this time around). When I use Parmesan I would use less as it has a stronger flavor. Any leftover fresh veggies would be great for this recipe.

This is a great kid-friendly food. I am sure my daughter will love these eventually and in a few years it will be a great recipe to have her "help" make.

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg, yolk and white separated
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 small zucchini 
• 3 ounces shredded cheese

I started with shredding 3 carrots and 1 small zucchini. I also went ahead and shredded half a red onion. I figured it would work fine for this purpose and it did!

Sauté the onion and carrot in the butter, remove from heat. I didn't sauté the zucchini b/c it's already so soft I didn't think it needed to be softened. 

I put the zucchini, yolk, cheese, and about 1/2 a cup of bread crumbs into a bowl. I added my sautéed veggies. 

Then I shaped the mix into pancakes a bit smaller than the palm of my hand. I dipped them in the egg yolk and then the bread crumbs and then fried them in a pan sprayed with non-stick spray. I'm sorry I don't have photos of this process but my hands were pretty messy!

I fit about 4 pancakes in my 7'' pan and while I was waiting for some to finish up I taste tested. Pretty good! Easy to handle and fun finger food for children.

My finished product.

My husband loved these. They kept well in the fridge although I might reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or frying pan. 

This recipe will certainly be used in the future. My husband loved them. My daughter refused them and insisted we remove the pancake from her plate before she would eat anything else. She's a great eater but only 16 months old and these do look very new to her. 

Sautéed Veggie and Chicken Sandwiches

I've recently learned that I have some health issues and loosing a few pounds would really help. Of course I already knew I needed to loose some weight but this has helped get things rolling. So hopefully you'll see better meal choices.

Tonight I made Sautéed Veggie and Chicken sandwiches. I used to make this all the time. It's a nice thing to make ahead and pack for lunches. I used to make it when I nannied and then just toasted some bread and warmed the veggies in the microwave.

You can use any of your favorite veggies but here's what I did tonight.

I heated some oil in a stir fry pan. And then I tossed in some:

• red onion (thinly cut into rings)
• garlic  
• broccoli 
• zucchini
• green pepper (I wish I had red instead)
• mushrooms (I actually didn't have this but I usually use mushrooms b/c I love them).
• diced cooked chicken (Optional. I used about 3ounces leftover lemony chicken you could use more chicken for a hungrier crowd). 

Add 2-4 tbls of balsamic vinegar and 2tsp dried rosemary (I crush mine in a mortar).

Sauté until tender (or whatever tenderness-mush level you most enjoy). 

Toss on some Parmesan cheese.

Remove from heat. 

Throw your favorite bread in the toaster (if you want) and top with the veggies. 

The amount of veggies you need is all up to how many people you're feeding. 

Variations: Use black beans instead of or in addition to the chicken. Use Southwest style seasonings.

You could also sauté in sesame oil and use some soy sauce or any of your favorite Asian sauces. 

Use just olive oil and then add some pasta sauce in the last few mins for an Italian feel. 

Super easy and versatile. My husband had a second sandwich. I should have made more but since we're home for lunch it isn't hard for me to cook :)

My husband said it was "stellar". He didn't say that about the tuna last night. That was good. This was "stellar". *Gush*