All posts by Lauren Bolanos

Easy Cornbread

easy cornbread

This easy cornbread recipe uses a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, a can of cream of corn, and an egg. That’s it. It’s so easy and you can make it a day or two in advance for a summer barbeque or thanksgiving. During the pandemic, I’ve been using more pantry ingredients and Jiffy corn muffin mix and a can of creamed corn will both last a long time in your pantry.

Surprisingly, cream of corn is dairy free and the main ingredients are chopped corn, cornstarch and sugar. I try to use non-gmo brands, but any brand will work in this recipe. Creamed corn is my secret ingredient, so I don’t recommend substitutions. Especially, since it helps provide a fresh sweet corn flavor and keeps the cornbread moist, while adding some texture with chopped up bits of corn.

While you can put this mix in muffin tins, I like using an 8×8 baking dish, greasing it with vegan butter, and adding parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cornbread from the pan. Then I chop it up in squares and store it in the fridge or serve it.

Easy Cornbread
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 box of jiffy corn muffin mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 can of creamed corn
  • 1 tbsp earth balance vegan butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom and sides of 8x8 baking dish.
  3. Then grease baking dish with vegan butter and add parchment paper on top.
  4. Mix egg in a stand mixer or handheld mixer.
  5. Then mix in the can of creamed corn.
  6. Then slowly mix in the jiffy corn muffin mix.
  7. Then pour mix into baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes.
  8. Use a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean you are finished baking.
  9. Let it completely cool and remove it from pan and cut into squares before serving.

Scrambled Eggs for Two

scrambled eggs for two

Sunday brunch is Portuguese sausage and scrambled eggs with a side of cantaloupe. I usually rotate the protein and fruit for easy meal planning. Today was a healthy paleo friendly breakfast, but if I feel like indulging, I will fry up some frozen hash browns from Trader Joe’s in a little bit of olive oil to go with my scrambled eggs. I also like sprinkling Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (also from Trader Joe’s) over my eggs if I’m in the mood for the taste of an everything bagel without the carbs.

I prefer my scrambled eggs fluffy, but not creamy or oily, so I only add water and a pinch of salt and tend to overcook them. That is my personal preference, but I know everyone tends to have their own egg preferences. Feel free to leave a comment about your own method for scrambled eggs.

Scrambled Eggs for Two
 
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Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp of olive oil
  • pinch of sea salt or to taste
Instructions
  1. Grease nonstick pan with olive oil and turn on medium to low heat
  2. Scramble eggs, water, and a sprinkle of sea salt with a fork in a separate bowl
  3. Pour bowl contents into pan
  4. Then mix with a spatula until cooked to desired firmness usually only a few minutes

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Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

instant pot jasmine rice

Jasmine rice is so easy to make in the instant pot. This recipe is gluten and dairy free and a great addition to my curry and stir fry recipes. Don’t alter the measurements for less rice, or you might end up with a burned instant pot. I’m always happy to have leftovers for meal planning anyway. Many recipes recommend rinsing rice at least once, but I’m lazy and impatient so I don’t. You can if you want, but if you skip it, don’t stress the extra step.

If you are having problems with digestion, white rice is bland and easy to digest, gluten free, low in fiber, and rice is the only grain that doesn’t cause gas. I’ve been dealing with acid reflux issues and heartburn lately so anything bland and easy to cook is very welcome.

Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of jasmine rice
  • 2 cups of water
Instructions
  1. Add ingredients to instant pot.
  2. Push down all grains of rice so they are submerged in water.
  3. Press rice button on the instant pot or 12 minutes on low pressure.
  4. Use quick release when done cooking.
Notes
Do not alter measurements for less rice. It will throw off the cooking time and you could end up with a burnt instant pot.

Tropical Hibiscus Iced Tea

tropical hibiscus iced tea

This tropical hibiscus ice tea is an easy beverage to make that helps you stay hydrated in this crazy heat. I bought my hibiscus tea blend from my local farmer’s market, but you can also find it online with this link. What I love about this blend is that it also contains dried fruit in addition to hibiscus leaves, such as dried pineapple, apricot, peach, papaya and cranberry, which help gives the tea it’s tropical summer flavor.

To steep my tea, I use this steeper from Cuisinart. It’s cheap, well made, and I’ve put it in the dishwasher with no problems. Filling it to capacity is about 2 tbsp of loose tea. Since I let it simmer and steep for so long, it will flavor 8 cups of water, which is enough to fill my favorite glass pitcher. Make sure your tea is completely cool before pouring it into the pitcher for safety.

Tropical Hibiscus Iced Tea
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 8 cups of water
  • 2 tbsp of hibiscus tea blend
  • 3 tbsp of honey
Instructions
  1. Pour eight cups of water into a medium sized pot, then turn on heat to high and bring to a simmer.
  2. While the water heats, add 2 tbsp of your favorite loose hibiscus tea mix to your tea steeper.
  3. Then add tea steeper to pot. Lower heat so it simmers for 5 minutes, add 3 tbsp of honey.
  4. Then turn off heat and let tea steep and liquid come to room temperature for safety when pouring into a pitcher.
Notes
You can sub 3 tbsp of cane sugar for 3 tbsp of honey

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Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Ham Soup

black-eyed-peas-ham

I had leftover honey baked ham from Mother’s Day and a bag of dried black eyed peas in the pantry so I thought it would be a good time to experiment with instant pot black eyed peas and ham soup. I can’t say this southern classic is something I’m familiar with but my husband and I were very happy with the results.

My ham had a very sweet crust, so this delicious bowl of comfort food ended up with a nice sweet and savory flavor. I liked the kick of some fresh ground pepper on top to balance out the sweetness and some fresh parsley to garnish, but my husband has a sweet tooth and was happy without the extras on top. This one pot meal was easy to make and easy to clean up and will freeze well if you have leftovers, which is perfect for meal planning.

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Ham Soup
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lb bag of dried black eyed peas
  • 4 cups of chopped honey baked ham
  • 6 cups of low sodium chicken stock
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups of chopped yellow onion (approximately 1 medium onion)
  • 1 cup of chopped carrots (approximately 2 carrots)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • (optional) fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • (optional) fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
  1. Chop ham, onions and carrots and saute in the instant pot for 5 minutes
  2. Then add dried black eyed peas, bay leaf, sea salt, and low sodium chicken stock.
  3. Set instant pot to 30 minutes on high pressure. Then let it natural release for 15 minutes before releasing the rest of the steam.
  4. (optional) Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

vegan mashed potatoes

These vegan mashed potatoes taste so delicious and take barely any time or effort with the help of my instant pot and kitchen aid. You could always boil the potatoes instead of pressure cooking them, which I do when my instant pot is dirty or being used. There are also lot of different ways to mash potatoes, but throwing them in my kitchen aid is easiest for me. You could also use a potato masher, potato ricer, immersion blender, or hand mixer.

For vegan butter I like Earth Balance for taste, plus it comes in sticks for baking. If you can tolerate real grass fed butter, use it instead, since it’s less processed and has Vitamin K. I have started reintroducing parmesan cheese into my diet, and been doing fine with it, however butter and cream is too rich for my stomach to handle. Earth balance is made with non-gmo, soy-free, non-hydrogenated, expeller pressed oils and there is no gluten or msg either, so I feel confident it is a healthy alternative for people with food intolerance.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 lbs golden potatoes peeled
  • ½ cup of vegan butter
  • 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1 cup of water
Instructions
  1. Peel potatoes, then add one cup of water to the instant pot. Add steamer basket or rack to lift potatoes above the water.
  2. Then pressure cook on high for 15 minutes and quick release.
  3. Transfer cooked potatoes to kitchen aid bowl and mix them until creamy with vegan butter. The hot potatoes will melt the vegan butter.
  4. Add salt to taste as you mix, the amount will vary depending on type of vegan butter.
Notes
For vegan butter I like the Earth Balance brand.