Stack it!

Need a quick dinner idea for tonight? Don't worry, we have you covered! This super simple stack can be created using so many different types of veggies so use what you have in your fridge (you may need to adjust the cooking time though).













Here is an easy recipe for our Zucchini Stack:
-2 to 3 large zucchini
-Parmesan cheese
-salt
-olive oil spray

Preheat your oven to 400 F and spray the inside of an 8" square pan with olive oil spray. Slice the zucchini into rounds that are about 1/8" thick. Put one layer on the bottom and sprinkle with cheese and salt. Spray the top of the layer with olive oil spray. Add another layer of rounds and sprinkle with cheese and salt. Spray the top of the layer with olive oil spray. Now repeat until all of the zucchini is used up! The top layer should have cheese sprinkled on it.

Cover with foil and bake for about 20 min. Pierce zucchini with a fork to make sure it's tender. When tender, bake uncovered for 5 minutes to let cheese brown.

Serve as a veggie side or as a main dish over pasta!

Late Summer Rainbow Noodle Salad

School is officially in session and your weeknights are becoming a whirlwind of carpooling, homework and early bedtimes. But it's still summertime and evening temperatures are still scorching  so when it comes to dinnertime, you'd like to whip up a quick to prepare and refreshing salad. But your family doth protest; they need something much more filling and exciting than a bowl of lettuce - that’s where our Rainbow Noodle Salad comes in.  This month we're making noodle ribbons out of our favorite summer veggies and topping it with protein rich peanut sauce. This gluten-free noodle salad will cool off your family and ensure they eat their daily dose of veggies!

Rainbow Noodle Salad

-2 carrots 

-1 zucchini

-1 yellow squash

-1 cucumber

-1 8oz package of soba noodles

-1 tsp of sesame oil

-1 tbsp of sesame seeds to garnish

Peanut Sauce

-1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

-2 tbsp  soy sauce

-1 inch fresh ginger, minced 

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 tsp ground coriander

-1 tbsp agave nectar, or sugar

-juice of 1 lime

Follow the cooking instructions on the soba noodle packaging.  Pour

drained noodles into a large bowl and toss with the sesame oil. Next,

peel off the skins of the carrots, zucchini, squash and cucumber.  Once

the veggies are skinless, continue to use the peeler to make vegetable

ribbons by simply peeling the flesh of the vegetables. Add the ribbons

to your bowl of soba noodles and mix.  Put the bowl in the refrigerator

to chill for 25 minutes.

In a small bowl combine, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic,

coriander, agave and lime. Mix all the ingredients together until the

peanut sauce is creamy.  If the texture is too thick, add a small amount

of water and mix in until desired consistency.

Pour sauce over noodles and toss well. Sprinkle each serving with

sesame seeds. Serves 4

The Frozen Files

The freezer can be an incredible time saver when it comes to preparing healthy meals for your family.  As you know, that’s were you can find our Peas of Pie, Veggie Wedgies, Pull-a-Parts and our Garden Grown Nuggets but what other tasty treats are best kept in your freezer?  This week’s Peas Perspective is here to help you make the most of your freezer space so that you can save both time and money. Did you know that a stocked freezer uses less energy (which costs less) then an empty freezer?  When a freezer is full less air is needed to circulate thus requiring less power.  Let’s get your freezer stocked with healthy goodies so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying nutritious meals with your family!

BREAKFAST:

Think smoothie - most things that you put in your morning smoothie are perfect for your freezer when kept in air tight bags and containers.  Stock up on inexpensive seasonal fruit at your farmers market, wash it and prep it for your blender then freeze it so you can enjoy later in the month. Fantastic Frozen: peaches, berries, mango, banana (peeled), pineapple and kale.  Do not freeze: spinach, lettuce, citrus (but you CAN freeze citrus juice and zest) cantaloupe and cucumber.

LUNCH:

Think Soup – making a HUGE pot of soup on your day off and freeze it in individually sized containers; this a great way to ensure that you and your family always has a quick lunch for those busy weekdays.  Fantastic Frozen: vegetable soups with grains, beans or meat (ie: soups with a broth or pureed vegetable base).  Do not freeze: dairy based soups (ie: chowders or soups with a lot of butter and cream) tend to breakdown and curdle when re-heated .

DINNER:

Think your family’s favorite entrée – does your family completely devour your homemade enchiladas? Well make twice as much, break it down into small containers, fill to the brim (a half-full container can get freezer burn) and thoroughly seal. Fantastic frozen: rice, quinoa, beans, sauces (marinara, ratatouille, chili), tofu, chicken and beef. Do not freeze: anything with avocado, yogurt sauces, sour cream, anything freshly fried, sauces made with flour and mayonnaise.  

What are your favorite freezer meals? (Besides Peas of Mind’s products of course.)

A Dinner Story

Happy Friday party pea-ple! You made it through the week; you worked hard, bestowed wisdom upon your children and managed to get lunch in the lunch box and dinner on the table.  You deserve a pat on the back, a hip-hip-hooray and a shout out from Peas of Mind!  THANK YOU hard working parents of the world (if you couldn't tell, that was our shout out).  As with every A Dinner Story, we've singled out one special parent to celebrate: this week we've chosen Zack Lynch, a Dad of two totally adorable boys who juggles work, meal-time, family and fun like a pro. This one's for you Zack!

More from Zack:

Where do you live?

"San Francisco, California."

What are your children's names and ages?

"Kyle 6 and Beckett 3."

What meal do you make that you know, no matter what, your family will devour?

"Macaroni and Cheese."

What's your favorite Saturday morning breakfast to enjoy as a family?

"Scrambled eggs with shredded cheese."

What's your favorite Peas of Mind Product?

"Pizza Pull-a-Parts."

How many times per week do you cook from scratch?

"Depends on how you define scratch? :-)  Probably 3 times a week"

What's your go to "I'm feeling unhealthy and need a nutrient-power punch" meal?

"Quinoa with goat cheese, cucumbers, pine nuts, chives and raisins."

What kitchen tool could you never live without?

"A cheese grater."

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

"Pepperoni Pizza!"

Peas of Mind helping Zack get dinner on the table