Breaking Down the Board - Savory Noms

Since things are a little slow moving on the home front, I've decided to start a new series around here. It's called "Breaking Down the Board". How often, when you follow someone on Pinterest, do you actually take the time to search through all of their boards? I don't know about you, but most of my Pins come from my main feed of people I follow or the "Everything" filter that I so often search. It's very rare that I actually go to a particular person that I follow to filter through their boards to find things that inspire me. That's what "Breaking Down the Board" will be all about - me going through some of my boards to share with you some of my favourite pins, whether it's recipes I've tried and loved, or rooms that inspire me for different reasons, I want to share with you what I've been pinning and loving.

I'm starting off this series with my "Savory Noms" board - a board devoted to Pins of savoury food and meal ideas. Since becoming a full time Mom, I've really taken on most of the cooking duties in the house, so I'm always searching for new, and usually healthy meal options. This board has recently come in handy and I've tried out quite a few of these recipes and recommend them to you as well, especially if you are looking to switch up some of your regular "go to" recipes. Here are some of my favourites

Quinoa & Tofu Salad

Just the other week, Halle and I went to a friend's place for lunch and a play date. My friend had whipped up some pasta for the girls and a delicious tofu quinoa salad for us. It was the perfect healthy lunch, and filled us up nicely. I knew it was something I'd love to add into the rotation for us at home, especially since we try to incorporate some meat free options into our meal plans. So, last week I pulled up this recipe on Pinterest, and made this salad for dinner - only the tofu wasn't smoked, and I used a large tomato diced instead of cherry tomatoes and red pepper instead of yellow pepper. It was a winner for sure! I even whipped some up without the tofu on Monday as a side to dinner, and it was delicious! If you're looking for something instead of pasta or potato salad this summer, I say go for this one!

Cauliflower Mash

I wasn't too sure how this would taste, and unfortunately my first attempt at making it didn't turn out the best. I learned quickly that you REALLY need to let it boil for quite a long time. Once I got it right though, it was obvious that Cauliflower Mash is a pretty great sub for those empty carb heavy regular mashed potatoes. I love making this to go alongside chicken or pork chops these days, and I'm even thinking they would be a great addition to a holiday meal!

Veggie Nuggets

This is the recipe that got me hooked on Weelicious (I've since bought the cookbook and totally recommend it). These nuggets take some time to make but are so worth it, especially since you can freeze some for later meals. It's such a fun way to incorporate veggies into your kids meals, and I honestly think these would be the best thing ever for expecting Mom's to whip up and freeze if they have little one's running around - no worry meals for when the new baby arrives! OH... and B and I love them too - it's a huge win!

No Butter Chicken

For B's birthday in February he asked if I could make him Butter Chicken for dinner. I wanted to oblige but was feeling worried about all those fatty ingredients in it, so I started searching for a healthier way to make it. This recipe turned out to be the perfect compromise and the birthday boy was really pleased with his special meal. The secret to it? Low fat plain yogurt! 

Cheddar Jalapeño Chicken Burgers with Guacamole

When I spotted this pin, I knew we'd have to give it a try for the summer (I love burgers, but with cardiovascular disease running in my family, I try to refrain from red meat as much as possible). To make this we visited our local farm market and picked up everything we needed, and then when we made the burgers we just left the jalapeño out of Halle's burger! What a delicious Friday night meal in the summer! 

Little Quinoa Patties

I actually first discovered this recipe back in the winter in Edible Vancouver (a publication I pick up at local farm and organic markets). They taste delicious, but I had a really difficult time getting them to the right consistency to stick together well for cooking. Also, I cut the recipe in half and it still made way too many for just us (Halle isn't really up for enjoying quinoa yet - no matter how I cook it). I think next time I'll make a 1/4 of the recipe!

Zucchini Fritters with Chilli Lime Mayo

Saved the least healthy for last! We usually stay away from fried foods (again... cardiovascular disease), but these were worth the treat. They were pretty easy to make, but you need to make sure the oil is at the right heat, or else the outsides will overcook and the inside will still be gooey! Even Halle had a few bites of them dipped into the mayo (we went light on the chilli powder in it. This one obviously won't make it into our regular rotation, but I'm sure we'll enjoy them again... one day!

So what recipes have you come across on Pinterest and loved recently? Anything you think we should try (Halle LOVES fish and asks for it for lunch, dinner and sometimes even breakfast!)