Fresh Peach & Tomato Salsa

Can we agree that chips and salsa is the best snacking combo on the planet?

Good. I knew we could be friends.

Since our move from Colorado to Minnesota at the beginning of the summer, we’ve consumed many bags of tortilla chips and many jars of salsa with friends and family because a) SO easy, and 2) YUM. I’ve mostly gone for the store-bought version because it turns out moving is completely exhausting and leaves me with little to no energy for cooking. But there have been a couple times when I’ve found myself with some random ingredients that come together to make a killer homemade salsa. This fresh peach & tomato salsa has to be my favorite.

One perfectly ripe fresh peach, one locally grown tomato, some lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, salt and pepper is all it took to make this bowl of beauty and you need to get on board immediately. It’s not hard and it is sure to impress your friends!

Fresh Peach & Tomato Salsa

• 1 medium fresh peach, peeled and diced

• 1 medium ripe tomato (or a handful of ripe cherry tomatoes), diced

• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

• juice of 1 lime

• salt to taste

1. Add all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

3. Enjoy immediately! This one is best fresh because it can get pretty watery the longer it sits.

Air Fryer "Roasted" Broccoli

We have been in a serious eating funk around here. The kids have been all hot dogs, frozen pizzas, burgers, pasta…and it is fine because sometimes there are seasons like that. But it is time to break the cycle because I cannot deal! Enter: the air fryer! Yep. I caved. Did I need another kitchen appliance taking up space? Probably not. But this one seemed more and more practical after everything I’ve heard from others who have taken the plunge.

I ended up buying the Ninja Air Fryer simply because if was the right price and had good reviews. I’ve also heard great things about the Phillips Air Fryer but it is quite pricey.

Things I’m looking forward to making with my air fryer:

• sweet potato fries

• sweet potato chips

• plantain chips

• chicken nuggets

• fish sticks

• egg rolls

Those all seem like pretty obvious things to toss into the air fryer. What would you add to the list?

To get started, I went with something simple that I know my family will benefit from ASAP. Both of my kids like roasted broccoli, so it seemed like a no brainer to try making it in this fancy new appliance of mine. I used way less oil and it took me less time than it would in the oven. Hellooooo convenience! Plus, it is perfect for warmer days when you don’t want to heat up your house with a hot oven.

Stay tuned for more recipes like this one because I’m sure I’ll have more to share!

Air Fryer “Roasted” Broccoli

• 3 cups broccoli florets

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• salt

• black pepper

1. Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
   

2. Toss broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
   

3. Add to the air fryer basket in two batches, cooking each batch for 8 minutes. As they cook, take the basket out every 2-3 minutes, shake the broccoli around, and check for doneness.
   

4. Serve and enjoy!

Instant Pot Southwest Stuffed Peppers

I think I’ve settled into a bit of a routine around grocery shopping. For someone who prefers to wander through the grocery store looking for food that looks freshest and sparks inspiration, this has been a long road. Before we had kids, our food budget was more fluid and our shopping list (if you can even call it that) was always flexible. Now, with 7 and 4 year olds running the roost, I have to be more intentional. So, we’ve been using the same list of ingredients in different ways. The kids both love bell peppers, 3 out of 4 of us eat ground beef, and we all love tacos. So consider these Southwest Stuffed Peppers a creative alternative for taco night!

It isn’t always easy to make food everyone will eat, but here, I have been able to take recipe like this one and use the same components to piece together something our pickiest eater won’t scoff at. Does he always eat what I give him? Um, no. But at least he gets a selection of healthy foods to choose from.

Other perks of this recipe:

• gluten free

• Whole 30 (as long as you leave out the cheese and have a compliant salsa/seasoning blend)

• made in under 30 minutes

• minimal dirty dishes

I mean, this is basically my dream weeknight meal. And if you’re looking for the best, meltiest cheese, you know I’m going to tell you that Tillamook is the best choice.

Instant Pot Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Makes 4 servings plus leftovers

• 4 medium/large bell peppers

• 1 lb lean ground beef

• 1/2 cup salsa + 2 tablespoons

• 2 teaspoons Penzy’s Southwest Seasoning or other salted seasoning you like

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 cup frozen corn

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch

• 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

1. Cut the tops off your peppers and clean out the insides. I like to use my hands to pull out the membrane and seeds. Set the tops aside (I cut them so I have some raw pepper on hand for the kiddos throughout the week).

2. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, 1/4 cup of the salsa, Southwest seasoning, egg, and cornstarch. Use your hands to combine.

3. Fill each pepper with 1/4 of the beef mixture. Add 1/2 cup water to the Instant Pot and set the rack inside. Set the peppers in the instant pot, on the rack, top spoon the remaining salsa evenly over the top of each pepper, and seal the lid. Press the Manual button and set the time for 20 minutes.

4. When finished cooking, do a quick release by using a towel or oven mit to rotate the knob to release. Top the peppers with the cheese, cover for 5 minutes, and serve!

Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Oh, February. You are such a tease.

I feel like this is the month when Spring starts to creep into my mind. I listen for birds, search for a reason to go without socks, and squint to see if I can find any buds sprouting from the trees. I’m always too early with all of these things, but I try anyway. As ‘blah’ as things can get this time of year, I find that if I focus on putting nutrient rich foods in my body and sticking to a solid workout routine, everything rolls along a little more smoothly.

What do I mean by “nutrient rich foods”? I look for produce that is brightly colored and, ideally, filling. Color often equals flavor in food, but it can also mean nutrients. Sweet potatoes, for example, are filled with beta-carotene, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also comes packed with vitamins A, C, B16. Helloooooo goodness!

I often buy a bag of sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week and ‘bake’ them in my Instant Pot. That way, I have an easy and healthy grab-and-go food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a hearty snack. My current favorite way to eat these right now? Smashed, roasted, and sprinkled with Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.

Served next to a hefty handful of greens, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and a tall ice water, this is a perfect meal to get you through the doldrums of winter.

Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 3-4 servings

Recipe inspired by this one from The Kitchen

• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes*

• olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (or another similar seasoning mix)

• Salt

• Hot Sauce (options but not really)

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

2. Wash and slice your sweet potatoes in 1 1/2 inch slices. Drop the slices in your boiling water and cook until very tender. Carefully drain the potatoes and lay them in a single layer on your parchment lined baking sheet.

3. Grease the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass with a bit of olive oil, then use it to smash each potato slice, being careful not to press all the way through to the parchment. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crispy around the edges.

4. Sprinkle with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning and drizzle with hot sauce. Enjoy immediately!

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

This post has been kindly sponsored by Health-Ade Kombucha. As with all sponsored content on Set the Table, this is a product I already use and love!

I’m not so good with allowing quiet into my life. For some reason, I’m always looking for something to look at, listen to, or do with my hands. It’s no wonder that it has gotten more difficult for me to sit down and write something that matters. I can’t tell you how many times I sit down at my laptop and alternate between typing and deleting the most mundane sentences. It’s simply because my brain cannot process thoughts of substance clearly when I have too much stimulation. There was a time in my life when I could do this, but that time has passed and it is dying a slow, painful death. My brain just cannot handle multiple tasks at one time unless it is parenting-related. And, let’s be honest, even that is a little dicey. 

I’m sure some of this is due to smart phone usage and the immediacy of information. And some of it is likely due to age. And anxiety. And a smattering of other things I cannot yet identify. I’m working on it. Slowly but surely, I’m working on taking things on one at a time rather than all at once. Funny thing: getting sick reminds me of this practice almost every time. 

Recently, like many families I’ve talked to, we have dealt with the dreaded Stomach Bug. It hit me quickly and first, then took down the rest of us in 2 day increments. For me, the recovery from an illness like this means taking it super slow. Reintroducing foods one at a time, listening to my body extra carefully, and thinking carefully about what I put on my plate. If only I could learn to take such care in other areas of my life. 

After our recent bout of the Stomach Bug, I made it a point to get more probiotics into my system. I take LoveBug probiotics, so that was a given. I also am a pretty big fan-girl when it comes to Health-Ade Kombucha, so their Ginger-Lemon flavor was on repeat for days. Of course, at some point, for my sanity, I needed to mix it up. Enter: this tasty smoothie! It’s creamy and flavorful without being too overwhelming on a sensitive digestive tract. #sorrynotsorry for being honest here. Just keeping it real! 

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

makes 2 small smoothies or 1 large

*A coupe notes: for some, the acidity of pineapple may not sound great until a few days after being sick. If that’s the case, I’d recommend swapping milder mango or leaving out any fruit except for the frozen banana. Ice is always another great option to add in! You know your body better than anyone, so listen to it and don’t push it!

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple

• 1 frozen banana (not required to be frozen but I like the texture better if it is)

• 1 1/2 cups Health-AdeGinger-Lemon Kombucha

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Snack Ideas for Picky Eaters

We are in the home stretch before getting the week off of school for Thanksgiving! I feel like we are still recovering from Halloween, to be honest. But I’m so ready for a breather! The only downside is that I have to somehow feed my picky children snacks all week. This is more difficult when they don’t have school. You see, at school, they have one snack and that is it. No other choices. Nothing to argue or complain about. At least, that’s what I assume since I’m not there to witness any of these behaviors…but I’m hopeful that the face their snack is gone when they come home means they actually ate it. DON’T RUIN MY DREAM.

Here’s the thing: snack time doesn’t have to be a battle! We have found some really wonderful go-to snack items that we keep in heavy rotation and pair with their favorite fresh fruits and veggies. And yes, they actually eat the fresh stuff!

But there’s a secret to making that happen: offer it all as a kind of family-style snack platter. That way, they get to pick and choose what they want, making them feel more in control. This is a BIG deal for kiddos of any age. They want to make decisions for themselves and empowering them to do that with food is healthy for them and for you. (Read: less stressful!) Think about it: how much do we grown ups LOVE cheese boards? So much, right? Because we get to pick and choose what we want. Turns out, that’s a characteristic most of us have probably had since childhood!

One of our big time favorites right now happens to be pretzels. So I was THRILLED to see that Quinn Snacks had a selection of pretzels for my crunchy-salty-snack-loving boys! They are available nation wide at Whole Foods (huzzah!) and I love this part: they have something called Farm-to-Bag Transparency. That means you can type in the exact batch number on your bag of pretzels on their website and find out where all the ingredients came from, right down to the farm!

I. love. it. So does this kiddo:

Here are some of our favorite snack platter combos:

• Touch of Honey Pretzels + clementines + almond or peanut butter

• Deli Rye Style Pretzels + carrot sticks + peanut butter

• Classic Sea Salt Pretzels + sliced mini cucumbers + shredded cheese

These are just a few of the endless combinations you can come up with and tailor to fit your kids’ tastes. Be creative, have fun, and don’t micromanage. They’ll eat what they want to eat and it will be FINE. (<— saying this to myself as much as I’m saying it to you, FTR.)

To keep up with all the exciting things happen with Quinn Snacks, you can give them a follow here!