Check out our slow cooker pork with potatoes and cream of mushroom stew. We use a crock pot to simmer on low the pork roast and potatoes for a delicious mouth-watering and super tender main dish.
Check out our complete list of slow cooker recipes. Here are some notable examples:
We deliberately only used 3 ingredients for this recipe. We want our recipe to be as simple as possible and even a beginner can make it.
Pork Roast
We selected pork roast meat for this slow-cooked meal. This type of meat usually simmers really well in the crock pot and is tender after cooking for 7-9 hours on low. Pork roast is a great source of high-quality protein and Vitamin B6. Pork roast also contains Vitamin D, Cobalamin, magnesium, zinc, and iron. In moderation, including pork roast in your diet is healthy.
In our recipe, you will see that I cut out the lard from the meat. I do this because, first, I don’t like eating lard. Second, cutting out the lard will reduce the fat from your meal. It does take extra effort and some extra time, but I like the meal better that way. If you don’t mind the lard and the extra fat, then feel free to skip that step.
I am used to making cubes from the meat for this recipe. It is a personal preference. Hence, if you enjoy eating meat in a different shape and size, feel free to adjust it. Maybe keep the size of the meat the same so it cooks evenly. Also, if you cut the pieces bigger than the ones shown in the recipe, then maybe cook the meal for more than 7 hours to ensure the pork becomes tender.
Potatoes
For this recipe, I use Idaho potatoes. It is just the type of potatoes available in my kitchen at the time. If you like other types of potatoes, feel free to substitute them.
Potatoes generally have a bad reputation because they are associated with unhealthy french fries. In reality, cooking potatoes in a dish such as ours is a healthy addition to your diet. The way potatoes are processed in fast food restaurants is an unhealthy problem. However, when potatoes are cooked in stews, baked, boiled, etc they are actually a great nutritious food. Potatoes are a great source of fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. For example, potatoes have Vitamins C and B. They are a good source of magnesium, iron, potassium, and calcium.
In this recipe, I cube the potatoes. You will see me cube potatoes for the crockpot most of the time because that is how I like to prepare slow-cooked meals. However, if you have a different preference, feel free to change the shape and size of how you cut the potatoes. Just keep in mind that if the size is bigger than the one shown in the recipe, you will need to increase the cooking time to more than 7 hours to ensure the potatoes are fully cooked. Whenever you are in doubt, just taste the potatoes to check on their doneness. Of course, after you wait for the potatoes to cool off! Don’t burn yourself.
Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup
We chose the cream of mushroom condensed soup for this recipe to boost the pork and potatoes flavor. We do not use any other seasoning, so feel free to adjust the salt as you like it. Also, you may consider adding black pepper. We love cooking crockpot dishes with cream of mushroom soups.
Nowadays, you can find gluten-free, organic, low-fat versions of the cream of mushroom condensed soups. The ingredients are getting simpler and more familiar than the 10 years ago versions. It is becoming healthier to use those soups in recipes than in the past. Occasionally, I take advantage of a quick and easy mushroom fix for our slow cooker meals.
Equipment for Pork with Potatoes and Cream of Mushroom
We use a slow cooker to simmer the pork roast and potatoes on low for 7-9 hours. We use the cream of mushroom condensed soup as a seasoning and moisturizer for the meat and potatoes. Other than the crock pot, we use a knife and a cutting board to cut up the meat.
Slow Cooker Pork with Potatoes and Cream of Mushroom
Slow-cooked pork roast with potatoes and cream of mushroom stew. This meal with only 3 ingredients takes only 15 minutes to prepare.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time7hrs
Active Time15mins
Total Time7hrs15mins
Course: Dinner, Kids, Lunch, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Bulgarian
Keyword: crock pot pork with potatoes and mushroom recipe, crockpot pork recipe, slow cooked pork recipe, slow cooked pork with potatoes and mushroom, slow cooker pork potatoes and cream of mushroom
We do not use extra seasoning for this recipe. The main seasoning is the cream of mushroom. However, feel free to add salt and black pepper as needed.
I cut out the lardfrom our meals. I just don’t like to eat it. However, after you cook the meat for 7-9 hours on low, that lard will melt so the meat will be tender no matter what choice you make.
There are gluten-free, Keto, low-sodium, organic cream of mushroom condensed soups out there. Feel free to choose your own brand for this recipe. I just happened to have Campbell’s cream of mushrooms handy at that time.
We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work prior to using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
Dried plantain chips are a great snack. In this recipe, we use avocado oil and salt to boost the plantain flavor, however, just drying the fruit without anything else is also a great way to make a nutritious snack. Here are some more ideas for drying vegetables and fruit:
In today’s very busy world, saving a few minutes from long grocery store lines is a treat. Hence, we recommend using our “Get Ingredients” button located at the button section of our recipe card to buy this recipe ingredient online. Check out our video at the 42 seconds mark to see how the “Get Ingredients” button work or just test it out yourself. There are several time-savers in doing this:
Save time compiling a list of ingredients. The service we use on our site already moves the ingredients for the recipe to the online grocery store of your choice automatically. All you need to do is just review the list to update it as needed.
Save time and money from driving to the store. The service we use offers home delivery options.
Save time waiting in line to check out. Depending on the online store you chose, there could be an option for store pick-up. This means that you have ordered everything you need online, and just stop by at the grocery store to pick up your groceries.
Equipment for Dried Plantain Chips
For this recipe, we use a dehydrator. We like our Excalibur dehydrator very much. We have been using it for years with no issues. It has been great for dried fruits and vegetables. We use the dehydrator for healthy crackers and jerky. In other words, we have put our kitchen appliance to great use! Other than the dehydrator, there is no other special tool needed for this recipe. We use a cutting board and knife to slice the plantain into pieces.
Arrange the plantain slices onto the dehydrator's sheets
Once all trays are filled with plantain slices, spray the plantain pieces with avocado oil. Season with pink Himalayan salt.
Dehydrate
Put the dehydrator's trays full of plantain slices back into the dehydrator. Close the dehydrator's lid.
Depending on the type of dehydrator you are using, choose about 140 Fahrenheit degrees for drying. On my dehydrator, I chose the "Fruits" option which is set to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).
Dry the plantain chip for about 12 hours. We love the plantain chips crispy and crunchy. If you prefer the snack chewier, then dry the chips for a shorter time.
Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Peel and slice one plantain at a time. So, if the plantains are big or your pieces are thin and you fill-up the trays with 3 plantains then you don’t have to discard a peeled 4th plantain.
Periodically check the plantain chips to see how crispy and crunchy they are to adjust the drying time to your preference. Keep in mind that the chips harden a bit after you stop dehydrating them. Hence, when you try the crispness of the plantain slices and they feel slightly bendy, that might be a good time to stop dehydrating them as they will harden a bit after you turn off the dehydrator.
Try to slice the plantains evenly so that when you dry them they dry evenly too. If you have too thick pieces or too thin pieces they will dry differently from the rest. Hence, you will end up with crunchy plantains and chewy ones at the same time.
We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work prior to using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
Our red papaya yogurt smoothie recipe is super easy and quick to make. Just add 2 ingredients to a blender and boom, you have a delicious and healthy snack. Instead of buying all the fruit yogurt from the store that is filled with added sugar, chemicals, preservatives, bio-engineered ingredients, and whatnot, you will have a 2 ingredient super delicious smoothie. Plus, you will know the ingredients – papaya and yogurt as opposed to some sophisticated chemical names. Check out our complete smoothie list.
Finally, this smoothie is rich in antioxidants, protein, probiotics, live cultures, calcium, folate, Vitamins A, B, C, and D, fiber, copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, zinc, amino acids, and pantothenic acid.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be a burden. I try not to offer milk with sugary cereal in the morning. Rather, I try to provide something healthy such as eggs, oatmeal, and smoothies. Here are some other ideas for a healthy easy breakfast:
There are only 2 ingredients we use for this smoothie: red papaya and yogurt. We include an optional raw honey ingredient in case you prefer your smoothies to be sweet. I also add raw honey if I make the smoothie for the kids since they like the smoothie to be sweet. I also add raw honey as a healthy ingredient as it brings many nutritious benefits (see the honey section below for more details).
Red Papaya
Red papaya is a healthy fruit. It is rich in antioxidants, folate, Vitamins A and C, fiber, copper, magnesium, potassium, and pantothenic acid. Red papaya boosts immunity, aids digestion, protects the heart, has anticancer properties, reduces inflammation, and helps lower blood sugar levels. For our papaya and yogurt smoothie recipe, we use papaya fruit only. We discard the seeds. Although, the seeds could be edible my family doesn’t like eating them. Also, ensure that the papaya is ripe. Otherwise, you will need to cook the papaya in order to eat it.
Yogurt
The papaya yogurt smoothie is very nutrient-rich. With an ear infection going around so often now, I give my little buddy this yogurt smoothie 30 to 40 minutes after his antibiotic dosage to replenish his good gut bacteria. It is super important to keep his tummy healthy after the antibiotic kills everything in his tummy. I also blend other fruit with yogurt to increase his nutrients with other fruit. Check out the strawberry yogurt smoothie and the peach yogurt smoothie.
In addition to the yogurt’s probiotics, the papaya yogurt smoothie is high in protein, calcium, Vitamins B, and D, probiotics, live cultures, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, and potassium. Yogurt nutrients are so many that we dedicated an article just explaining what they are and how they help us thrive. Read more about the yogurt nutrients and their benefits. We also wrote an article about how those nutrients strengthen our bodies. Learn more about how yogurt can benefit your health. Finally, check out our recipe on how to make your own yogurt. It is super easy, quick, and doesn’t require any special equipment.
Raw Honey
Although raw honey is optional in this recipe, adding it to your smoothie can bring nutrients too. We use raw, unfiltered, organic honey. I usually buy a big can from the store and then use glass jars to store it. Read the label and if you see pasteurized or processed honey, just skip it. Many nutrients of this type of honey are removed to increase the shelf life of the honey. A funny fact about honey I read somewhere is that honey can stay good for over 3000 years!
So what exactly honey is rich in? Honey has amino acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, zinc, and antioxidants. It is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial agent. When I was growing up, we were told to eat one small teaspoon of honey every morning to help with our throat health. Have you seen Steve Ballmer eating honey on stage while talking? Now you know why! Honey will help your throat.
Equipment
For this smoothie, we recommend using the Oyster Blender because it is a powerful blender. If you use a hand blender or a personal blender you may end up with chunks in the smoothie. Besides being careful with the blender, there is nothing else special that you will need for this smoothie. We use a regular cutting board and measuring cup.
Red papaya yogurt smoothie. You will not buy the store-bought fruit yogurt after trying our simple smoothie—no additives, chemicals, bio-engineered ingredients, etc. Our smoothie is made from natural fruit, yogurt, and optional raw honey. It is so much more delicious and healthier than store-bought fruit yogurt.
Blend the ingredients well. If you are using the oyster blender, set it to "blend".
Enjoy!
Video
Notes
For this recipe, we use an oyster blender since it is more powerful. If you use a smaller blender that is less powerful you may end up with some chunks in the smoothie
We love using homemade yogurt. Here is the homemade yogurt recipe on how to make it on your own. It only takes a few minutes of your time and doesn’t require special equipment.
We add raw honey to this recipe as a sweetener. I found my kids like the smoothie more when I add honey to it.
The honeyis optional in this recipe, so we do not include it as part of the nutritional facts for this recipe. Also, honey is not keto-friendly so if you are on a keto diet, you may want to substitute honey with some other sweetener if you find the smoothie not sweet enough.
I like the smoothie without honey as the papaya has a very nice taste when blended with the yogurt. Try it out without the honey first and then add some sweetener if you don’t like it.
We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work before using the information. There is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
These gluten-free lemon glazed cookies are delicious. These Christmas theme cookies are great for making with kids. Just let your little ones cut out the shapes and look at their eyes filled with joy. In this recipe, we chose to use lemon glazed icing because it is super easy (and can be handled by kids). However, feel free to use any store-bought Christmas icings or your favorite ones.
Check out our most popular desserts or jump to the recipe.
Here are some tips to help you make these super delicious gluten-free lemon glazed cookies. Make sure you read it to avoid some main pitfalls.
Making the dough
How to make the dough
For these gluten-free lemon glazed cookies, I make the dough by hand. It is probably easier to make with the mixer, but I am used to making the dough by hand. So feel free to use whatever means you want and have to ensure the dough is well mixed. You will see in the video that sometimes I use a spoon, a mixer, or my hands to ensure all ingredients are well blended. I also blend certain ingredients before adding more. At the end of the day, the most important point is to have the dough well blended so if you prefer using a dough mixer, then go for it.
Mixing well the butter
I melt the butter in the microwave. Sometimes I will end up with a bit of butter liquid and the rest as a soft butter stick. The goal is to ensure the butter blends with the rest of the ingredients. To do so, I first mix the butter with the sugar before adding more ingredients. I use a spoon for that. Then, after I add more wet ingredients, I use the hand mixer to combine everything to make a smooth homogenous mixture. The goal is not to have lumps of butter in one cookie, and no butter in another. Also, if there is a lump in a cookie, once it melts in the oven it will destroy the cookie’s shape.
Mixing well the flour for the gluten-free lemon glazed cookies
The next point to cover is the flour. Some recipes call for adding the flour steadily bit by bit. I don’t like it because I make a lot of mess by doing so. Also, it takes me longer to make the batter that way. Instead, in this recipe, I just added all the flour at once and then used my hands and a spoon to mix it up. Again, the main point is to have the dough homogeneously mixed.
Refrigeration is a must
Refrigerating the dough for at least 30 minutes is important. I get it, we are all in a hurry, especially during Christmas time, but refrigerating the dough is critical. You will notice that when handling the dough it will become softer in your hands and harder to cut the cookies. But once in the refrigerator, it will get firmer and better to handle. Hence, when you are not actively working with the dough, ensure it is in the refrigerator. This way, when you are cutting the cookies they will keep their shape much better.
Rolling the dough
Check out this super neat rolling pin. It has a setting where you can set the rolling pin for 1/4 inch thickness. This is super convenient because if you make the dough too thin, your cookies will break. If you make the cookies too thick, then they may be raw after 10 mins of baking. The rolling pin also makes the layer, even so, you end up with an even thickness of cookies and even baked cookies. You will see me do extra steps when I am rolling the dough, such as checking with my hands the evenness of the dough and how thick it is. Well, the rolling pin takes those extra steps and the hesitation out of the baking.
Baking Gluten Free Lemon Glazed Cookies
Test the cookies before taking the gluten-free lemon glazed cookies out of the oven
All our ovens are different. We all live in different altitudes, humidity, etc. Hence, when we say to bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, it is just an estimate. The first time I make a cookie recipe, I take out one of the cookies from the oven at the minimum time mark to taste it. If I like it, then I take out the rest of the cookies.
Use a toothpick to see when the cookies are ready
When I take a cookie out of the oven, I am looking for the dough to be done. To ensure the cookies are baked, just use a toothpick to test them. When you pierce a cookie with the toothpick, see if there is dough on the toothpick. If there is then you need to bake the dough more. If the toothpick comes out clean, then your cookies are ready. At that point, you need to decide how you like your cookies. For example, do you like them soft, harder, fluffy, crispy, etc?
Look at the gluten-free lemon glazed cookies to see if they are done
Not sure how to use a toothpick? Then try to determine cookie readiness by visually looking at them. When the cookies are golden on the edges, that means they are done and you can safely take them out of the oven. At that point, the cookies may be on the crispier side so if you like soft cookies, we suggest taking them out a bit early. Also, if you don’t know how to use a toothpick, you can aleak a cookie into 2 pieces and see visually if there are any wet spots in the dough. If none, that means the cookies are done and you can eat them. Remember, cookies taken out of the oven are hot, so give them a minute or so to cool down before handling them.
Baking the cookies to suit your taste
Individual tastes also differ. So, if you are a fan of harder crispier cookies, then bake the cookies for longer. Bear in mind that you may like a certain cookie recipe crisper, but another recipe you may like softer. Hence, just take an extra minute to taste a cookie in the making and see what exactly would you like. Oh yes, and in my case, I have at least 4 other people to think about when making the cookies. You cannot please everyone, so just hit the most important people. As long as the dough is fully baked, the rest is just a bonus.
Cookie Glaze Icing
The cookie glaze and icing are the kids’ favorite. Honestly, this is the least favorite to me. I don’t like a cookie that is half the dough and half icing. When I buy store-bought cupcakes, I end up scooping out the frosting just so that I can eat the cupcake with a hint of frosting. It is just so much sugar… This is also the reason why we chose to do a lemon glaze topping for our Christmas cookies. It is just a thin glaze layer on top of the cookie. If you decide to decorate the cookies with sprinkles, then add them before baking so they stick to the cookies.
Not only our glaze icing is super easy and quick to make, but also even a kindergarten can handle the making. Also, even a kindergarten can apply the glaze to the cookies. So easy and much less messy. Now, if you prefer not to use this lemon glaze icing, then there are many options in the store. Just ensure you read the ingredients when you buy icing and frosting from the stores. You will be surprised how many calories there are, how many unknown ingredients and chemicals you will read about, etc. Hence, for this recipe, I stick with the 2 ingredients I know – lemon and sugar.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Lemon Glazed Cookies
Here are the ingredients you will need to make these delicious Christmas cookies.
Gluten-Free Four
We use gluten-free flour mainly made from white rice. It does have the xanthan gum in it already, so no need to buy it separately. Most gluten-free flours already have xanthan gum included, but if for some reason yours doesn’t have it, just ensure you add half of a teaspoon of xanthan gum to your dough. Otherwise, the cookies won’t be as elastic. Their texture will also differ.
Sugar for Gluten-Free Lemon Glazed Cookies
We use 3 types of sugar in this recipe. If you do not have coconut sugar, just use regular granulated cane sugar. Also, feel free to usemonk fruit sweetener to cut calories and carbs. The cookies will be different from ours, but that doesn’t mean they will be worse. Hence, try out your ideas and see how they will turn out. Maybe the first time around make the recipe without substitutes so you have the feel of how it should taste and look.
Butter
Butter is not as bad for you as many people may think. We love making cookies with it. Feel free to substitute the butter if you have any allergies (dairy-free butter) or specific preferences. I don’t use dairy-free butter so cannot suggest which ones are good or bad. However, unless necessary, we suggest keeping the butter for this cookie recipe. It is important for the texture and taste of the cookies.
Lemons
We use lemon for the lemon glaze for the cookies. You could try using lime, but the taste will be different so you know. Also, we use 1 tbsp of lemon juice for the glaze, however, once I had a very sour lemon and the glaze turned out a bit too sour. Hence, before using the lemon juice have a taste to ensure the lemon is not too sour. If the lemon is too sour, just dilute it with some water. You can also skip the lemon juice, but again, we love our lemon flavor for the glaze so we suggest keeping it.
Other Ingredients
Here are the rest of the ingredients you will need. Of course, you can substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract or anise, etc but again, unless you have a specified dietary condition, we suggest the first time around to make the recipe as it is to see the texture, taste, etc. Then, if you insist, make deviations. Also, for the recipe to be completely gluten-free, ensure your baking powder is gluten-free. Some manufacturers don’t have gluten-free baking powder.
Equipment
Decorating set – We have listed several equipment options in our recipe. Here we will mention the big ones. For example, if you have a decorating set, feel free to use it or buy the one we like, however, for this recipe we just use a spoon to apply the glaze to the cookies.
Cookie cutters – we love Christmas cookie cutters. You will need some cookie shapes unless you just want to make regular circle cookies and decorate them as snowballs. The sky is the limit of what you can do with this recipe.
Rolling pin – I was thinking very hard myself to buy this rolling pin for myself and ditch my old wooden one. You will see me on the video using my hands to judge if the dough is evenly spread before I cut out the cookies which is extra work. But with this rolling pin, all the extra work is cut out and you will know that the dough is indeed 1/4 inch thick! This will help with evenly baked cookies too.
In a bowl, add the 2 sticks of melted butter, ¼ cup of coconut sugar, and ⅓ cup of granulated cane sugar. Mix well with a spoon.
Add 1 tspvanilla extract and 1egg. Mix lightly with a spoon. Then, mix all liquid ingredients well with a handheld mixer, especially the butter.
To the dough, add 2½ cups of gluten-free flour and 1½ tsp of baking powder. Lightly mix with a handheld mixer, and then use your hands to make the cookie dough.
Form a ball from the dough, cover it with , and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
Line a sheet of parchment paper on your counter and sprinkle some flour. That will be your cookie-shaping working area.
Split the cookie dough into half. Use one-half of the dough to shape cookies. Return the other half to the refrigerator. Keep all unused dough in the refrigerator.
Roll the dough evenly to about ¼ inches in thickness. Check out this rolling pin that has a setting to make the dough evenly rolled.
With a cookie cutter, cut out shapes for your cookies.
Place all cookies on the baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Space the cookies apart as they will get bigger from the baking. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes or until golden on the edges.
Repeat the steps until you baked all cookie dough. Allow cookies to cool down a bit before decorating them.
Lemon Glaze Icing
Wash the lemon and cut it into 2 pieces. Optional: You can use a vegetable brush to scrub the lemon.
Add ½ tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and ½ tbsp of water to the powdered sugar. If you like more lemon flavor, just add 1 tbsp of lemon juice without diluting it with water.
Mix the lemon glaze well. The glaze is ready to be applied to cookies.
Optional Coloring
Use food coloring dye as needed. For example, for Christmas cookies use green and red. In this video, I just use a small spoon to apply the glaze. If you have a pastry brush, feel free to use it.
Enjoy!
Video
Notes
We used gluten-free flour that already has xanthan gum in it. However, if you are using other gluten-free flour that doesn’t have xanthan gum, add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum to the dry ingredients
In this recipe, we use lemon glaze for the cookie icing. However, feel free to use store-bought gluten-free cookie icing or any other icing you like.
In this recipe, we use 1/2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 tbsp of water. We diluted the lemon juice with water to make the lemon taste milder. However, if you like the lemon flavor, feel free to use 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
The lemon glaze is made for about 24 big Christmas cookies. If you need more glaze, then just increase the amount of sugar, lemon juice, and water. The final glaze needs to not be too runny. It just needs to be fluid so you can apply it to the cookies.
We use food coloring dye to make the colors different depending on the theme of the cookies. For example, we used green food coloring for the Christmas tree cookies as shown in the picture above.
The more dye drops/liquid you use, the stronger the color.
I am using a small spoon to apply the lemon glaze icing on the cookies. However, if you have a pastry brush, feel free to use it.
Make sure the baking powder you use is gluten-free.
Bake cookies until the edges become golden. Bake them extra if you like crispier cookies.
If you make the dough too thin, the cookies will break. If you end up making the cookies thicker, then you will need to bake them longer.
You will have about 2 baking sheets of cookies. This recipe total time assumes you are baking the cookies at the same time.
*We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work before using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
This lemon glaze icing is super easy to make. Sometimes I am stuck on what icing to use for cookies as most of them are made from loads of sugar. Also, for most of the icing recipes, I need special equipment such as a spritz, a decorating gun, or cake decorating sets. For this glaze, you don’t even have to use a pastry brush if you don’t have one not to mention a spritz or a cake decorating set. In the video, you will see we are using a spoon to apply the glaze over the cookies. Needless to say, this recipe can be made and applied to the cookies by a kindergarten.
Check out our most popular desserts. You can also skip right to this recipe.
There are only 2 ingredients needed for this recipe.
Powdered Sugar
We do use sugar for this recipe, but only 1/4 cup. You can use variations of powdered sugar such as powdered fruit monk sweetener which is Keto friendly, has no calories, and has no carbs. Generally speaking, cookies are not that healthy for you, but you can still make them healthier by reducing the sugar amount used. Also, you can use a monk fruit sweetener if you want to eliminate carbs which are not necessarily bad. As long as you monitor and keep your carbs under control, carbs are actually essential. For example, your brain needs about 150 grams of carbs each day to function properly.
Lemon Juice
We use freshly squeezed lemon juice for our lemon glaze icing. Depending on how much you like lemons, feel free to adjust the lemon juice proportions. For example, for a milder taste, use 1/2 tbsp lemon juice diluted with 1/2 tbsp water. However, try not to substitute the entire lemon juice with water because the lemon is actually used as an ingredient to hold the glaze together. Also, when I made this lemon glaze icing for cookies, it turned out my lemons were extra sour. I didn’t realize that until I applied the icing on the cookies. I guess, I missed an important step of cooking – taste first before serving to people…
Equipment for Lemon Glaze Icing For Cookies
We are proud of this recipe which doesn’t require any special baking equipment. We chose this easy glaze recipe also because it is kids friendly and you can assign the glaze task for them to participate in the Christmas activities. Usually, the frostings and icings require baking sets and decorating guns to decorate the cookies but with this recipe, we just apply the glaze over the cookies with a spoon. Below are examples of baking equipment that you don’t have to buy to decorate cookies if you use our glaze recipe.
Add ½ tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and ½ tbsp of water to the powdered sugar. If you like more lemon flavor, just add 1 tbsp of lemon juice without diluting it with water.
Mix the lemon glaze well. The glaze is ready to be applied to cookies.
Optional Coloring
Use food coloring dye as needed. For example, for Christmas cookies use green and red. In this video, I just use a small spoon to apply the glaze. If you have a pastry brush, feel free to use it.
Video
Notes
In this recipe, we use 1/2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 tbsp of water. We diluted the lemon juice with water to make the lemon taste milder. However, if you like the lemon flavor, feel free to use 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
The lemon glaze is made for about 24 big Christmas cookies. If you need more glaze, then just increase the amount of sugar, lemon juice, and water. The final glaze needs to not be too runny. It just needs to be fluid so you can apply it to the cookies.
We use food coloring dye to make the colors different depending on the theme of the cookies. For example, we used green food coloring for the Christmas tree cookies as shown in the picture above.
The more dye drops/liquid you use, the stronger the color.
I am using a small spoon to apply the lemon glaze icing on the cookies. However, if you have a pastry brush, feel free to use it.
*We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work before using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
This recipe is a traditional Bulgarian banitsa. I came across some similar recipes that call it phyllo dough cheese pie, but in essence, it is our Bulgarian banitsa. My mom used to make this banitsa from scratch. However, it takes a very long time to make the dough. Hence, in this recipe, I used store-bought phyllo dough sheets.
This phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa recipe is great for gatherings. I always make it for my kids’ birthday parties as my friends now expect it. When I have time, I try to make 2-3 batches of it so I can send friends with some banitsa at home. This is the kids’ favorite recipe too since they love using their fingers to eat it. I make this recipe for boating rides, picnics, and many other occasions. It is easy to carry around and doesn’t spoil outside the fridge. We also like our phyllo dough pumpkin pie and pumpkin puff pastry pie! These are some options if you are like my husband and get the puff pastry instead of the sheets.
Ingredients for Phyllo Dough Cheese Pie Banitsa
There are few ingredients needed for this delicious banitsa.
Phyllo Dough Sheets
I love Athen’s phyllo dough sheets. I try using them immediately when I buy them because they are much fresher and nicer that way. Also, if I end up storing the phyllo dough sheets in the freezer sometimes the sheets stick together. If that happens to you, no worries. You can use multiple sheets at a time if needed. Also, if the sheets break apart, just do your best to have a layer of phyllo dough. After the banitsa is baked, it is hard to tell that the sheets were torn apart.
I use 2 phyllo dough sheets for the first base layer of the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa. This is the base of the pie so I want to make sure it holds well. Also, in the end, I use the last 2 sheets on top of the banitsa. This is because sometimes the cheese may come on top if there are not enough phyllo dough sheets to cover the top. It is not a big deal if that happens to you, but the cheese might get hard after baking. Usually, the cheese comes up on top when you cut the banitsa before baking.
When you spread the egg and yogurt filling on top of all the layers, spread it evenly. The places where there is no filling will become crispy. I leave the right and left sides of the banitsa with less spreading because I enjoy eating the crispy phyllo dough sheets. Try and see if you will like it that way.
This is Amazon’s phyllo dough sheets. Please note that Athen’s now changed the package of the phyllo dough sheets so they look a little different from the image below. Also, note that you need the phyllo dough sheets for this recipe, not the shells. When I send my husband to buy me the sheets, he comes back with an open package. I can tell he is triple checking that he is getting the sheets and not the shells!
Bulgarian Feta Cheese
Since this recipe is a traditional Bulgarian banitsa, I strongly recommend using our Bulgarian feta cheese. Yes, you can substitute with other feta cheese, but to feel the authentic Bulgarian banitsa maybe try your best to use Bulgarian feta.
For this recipe, I used 1 1/2 cups of crumbled Bulgarian feta cheese. I don’t really measure the cheese when I make the banitsa. I just put crumbled feta cheese on the layers as you can’t really go that wrong with this recipe. If you prefer more cheese in the banitsa, go for it. Additional feta cheese will make the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa tastier, but also add some more calories to it. Choose at your own risk (just kidding).
You can find Bulgarian feta cheese in some specialty stores. We buy ours from Sacramento and San Francisco. Below is a link from Amazon.
Avocado Oil
We use avocado oil to grease the baking dish so the phyllo dough sheets don’t stick to the glass. We love avocado oil because it can withstand higher temperatures without forming cancerous elements that are dangerous to our health. When greasing the pan, make sure you grease the walls on the glass too. It is not a big deal if you forget, but it will make it easier to separate the banitsa from the glass once it is ready to eat.
Filling for the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa
Eggs
We use eggs as one of the main ingredients for the banitsa filling. We use 5 eggs for the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa recipe. Please note that if you use too much of the liquid filling between the layers the banitsa may become soggy. We suggest using 2 tablespoons between layers. If you use multiple sheets at the same time (as opposed to one as shown in the recipe) then adjust the liquid between sheets accordingly. It is faster to make the banitsa if you do more sheets at a time, but it will also compromise the taste and look of it.
Plain Yogurt
Yogurt is used along with the eggs and the baking powder to make the banitsa filling. We love to use our homemade yogurt. It is cheaper to make yogurt at home. You will be surprised how easy it is and it only takes a few minutes of your time. Just follow the link for homemade yogurt and check the process out.
As we explained in the eggs section, using too much liquid between the sheets may result in a squishy pie. If you end up using more yogurt and you are left with extra liquid, just use it for the top layer. Pour all remaining liquid even if it is more than it should be on the top of the pie and bake it that way. Please note, that if you use too little liquid between the sheets, the banitsa will be dry.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is used in the filling to raise up the banitsa. Otherwise, the banitsa will remain flat. Please note that if you use too much baking soda, you will be able to taste the baking soda and it is not pleasant.
Equipment
There is no special equipment needed for making the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa. Almost any kitchen has a baking dish, utensils, measuring cups, and knives. However, we have included the links to the equipment in case you would like to use the ones we show in the recipe.
The next layer is the yogurt and egg filling. Add about 2 tbsp of the mixture on top of the phyllo dough sheet.
Iterate feta cheese filling with the egg and yogurt filling until you run out of phyllo dough sheets. Please note that you can spread the egg and yogurt mixture on the phyllo dough sheets with the spoon evenly if you like (see image).
After the last phyllo dough sheet is used, pour the remaining egg and yogurt filling on top of the pie (banitsa). Spread evenly.
Cut cheese phyllo dough pie banitsa into 10 pieces.
Bake Phyllo Dough Cheese Pie Banitsa
Bake the phyllo dough cheese pie banitsa at 375 Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Rotate the banitsa at 180 degrees for even baking. Notice in the picture that the inside of the pie banitsa is darker than the outside.
Bake for additional 10 minutes until the top layer is golden brown.
Enjoy!
Video
Notes
This recipe is a traditional Bulgarian banitsa made from phyllo dough sheets. Some people call it phyllo dough cheese pie.
You can add more Bulgarian feta cheese to the banitsa.
If you end up with more egg and yogurt filling at the end, just pour it on top of the banitsa. It is good to use it throughout the layers or the banitsa may be too dry in the middle.
I bake the banitsa for 35 minutes and rotate it for even baking. If you forget to do that, it is not a big deal. Maybe one of the sides would be darker than the other, but at about 35 minutes of baking the banitsa is almost ready to eat.
Some people like the banitsa light brown so just reduce the baking to 40 min. My family likes it darker on top and I leave it to bake for 45 minutes to ensure all is baked thoroughly.
*We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work before using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
Our polenta with bacon and feta cheese is a super delicious and easy recipe. Even a beginner can make polenta using a slow cooker since it only requires 1 stirring during the cooking process as opposed to constant monitoring if made on a stovetop.
Polenta originated in Italy. When I was growing up in Europe, my mom would make polenta at home. I was not fond of it at all. Neither did my brother. We would fight with our parents not to eat it. 20 years later, in the United States, my husband brought polenta home. And that is how I started re-discovering this fantastic ingredient. I did make several recipes with the polenta, and this one was my husband’s favorite. I think it also has to do with the bacon!
Although polenta is porridge-like, I use it for dinner and not breakfast. I like oatmeal for breakfast. But everyone has their own preferences, so I suggest making the polenta and seeing how it fits your schedule and eating preferences. You can also use polenta as a substitute for potatoes, rice, etc. Here are some side examples where polenta can be a substitute:
There are a few ingredients we use for this recipe.
Polenta
Polenta is really cornmeal, hence it is gluten-free. Also, double-check that the polenta you buy is processed in a gluten-free facility. Polenta is also known as corn grits and yellow grits. In this recipe, we make the polenta as porridge. My family likes to eat it right away as it is warm and soft. If you wait to cool off, the polenta will harden.
I like to make the polenta in a slow cooker. Otherwise, I need to constantly stir it if I am using the stovetop. With the slow cooker, I set it up and only stir it up once! Also, the slow cooker has a setting to keep the polenta warm so even if I don’t serve it right away it can still remain soft and smooth for longer. If you need to turn the hardened polenta into a smooth dish, then just add some water gradually over low heat on the stovetop.
When using the crockpot, you also can prevent mistakes of putting the polenta into the stovetop hot water and ending up with a lumpy meal instead of a smooth one. You also can scorch the polenta if you are not constantly stirring and monitoring it. And if you end up with scorched polenta, it is hard to clean up the pot. In a nutshell, cooking polenta with a slow cooker is kind of bulletproof even if you are new to cooking.
Polenta on its own is a low-calorie food. It also has a good amount of complex carbs (carbohydrates). Remember, your brain needs at least 150 grams of carbs every day to be able to function properly. Please note that if possible do not buy the pre-cooked polenta. As with every pre-cooked option, this polenta has gone under processing and has lost vital nutrients. We suggest just buying polenta as a whole grain. Polenta is a good source of antioxidants, vitamins A and C, fiber, and protein.
Bacon for Polenta with bacon and feta cheese recipe
Polenta is bland when made on its own. In our polenta recipe with bacon and feta cheese, we add those few extra ingredients to make the polenta taste super delicious. You can eat this meal on its own because it already has meat and season added to it. If you are not a big fan of bacon, feel free to substitute it with something else. However, we suggest trying the polenta with bacon. The bacon really adds a great taste to it! One of the reasons that my husband is such a fan of this recipe is the bacon.
Bacon is not that bad when you eat it once in a while. It has Vitamin B, selenium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. If you end up buying bacon that has lots of fat, you can always drain the extra fat before adding it to the polenta.
I usually use frozen bacon that is slightly defrosted. I find it easier to handle the meat and cut it into pieces. When it is fully defrosted, it gets slippery and harder to cut up.
Bulgarian Feta Cheese
We add Bulgarian feta cheese to this recipe to boost the bland polenta’ flavor. Feel free to substitute the Bulgarian feta cheese with the cheese of your choice or omit it if you need to make this recipe dairy-free. I particularly like this recipe with feta cheese so we suggest including this ingredient.
Feta cheese is a good source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus to name a few. If you stick to using Bulgarian feta cheese, another benefit is that it is made from sheep milk which is easier on your stomach than cow milk products.
Butter for Polenta With Bacon and Feta Cheese Recipe
We use butter for our recipe. We have mentioned in our previous recipes, that butter is, in fact, not a bad ingredient to use in your cooking. Butter has vitamins A, E, D, and K, and calcium. Also note, that we are only using only 1 tbsp of butter in this recipe which is a fairly small amount. If you are still concerned, just substitute it with your “go-to” ingredient such as coconut oil, or avocado oil. I like using butter here and there just to reap some diverse ingredients’ nutrients.
Seasoning
Lastly, we use cumin and salt for seasoning. We use pink Himalayan salt as a healthy salt choice. Don’t skip the cumin as it makes the taste really good. Unless you hate cumin, we suggest using it in this recipe.
Equipment for Polenta with Bacon and Feta Cheese
We strongly suggest buying a slow cooker for this recipe. It is extremely easy to make polenta with a crockpot. You just put the ingredients into the slow cooker and forget about stirring so many times if you were to make the polenta over the stove. Other than the crockpot, you do not need anything special. Just a cutting board, measuring cup, and some other basic kitchen items you probably already have.
Polenta with bacon and Bulgarian feta cheese made in a slow cooker. Good source of antioxidants, protein, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, fiber, calcium, selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus.
Prep Time2mins
Cook Time3hrs
Active Time7mins
Total Time3hrs2mins
Course: Dinner, Kids, Lunch, Main Course, Main Dish, Side, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: corn grits recipe, polenta, polenta recipe, polenta with bacon, polenta with feta cheese, yellow grits recipe
Mix ingredients well and cover the crock pot with the lid. Set the crockpot on low.
After simmering on low for 2 hours, stir the polenta. The goal is for the polenta not to stick to the side of the crockpot and for the ingredients to mesh well together.
Saute bacon
10 min before the 3 hours of simmering the polenta, cut up the 4 oz of bacon into small pieces.
On medium heat, to a non-stick pan, add the bacon. Saute for 5 min.
Mix polenta with bacon and feta cheese
Once the polenta has simmered for 3 hours on low (simmer for more if you want it to be thicker), add the sauteed bacon and ⅓ cup of crumbled Bulgarian Feta Cheese. Mix well.
Enjoy while it is still warm!
Video
Notes
We make the polenta in a crock pot and set it up on low for 3 hours. You can also set up the crockpot to high to speed up the making of the polenta.
If you like thicker polenta, simmer it for longer.
We use 1/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese. Feel free to use more if you like it.
You can use more bacon if you like it. We mainly use bacon for flavor in this recipe.
We didn’t drain the bacon because there was no fat left in the pan after sauteeing the bacon for 5 min. Depending on the bacon you use, if you end up with fat you can opt to drain it.
*We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work prior to using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
Our zucchini bread is made from real ingredients. For example, we use raw honey, zucchini, banana, and dried elderberries to name a few. It is a one-bowl recipe to save you some washing. To boost our bread nutrition we substituted 1 of the whole wheat flour cups with oats and walnuts. This makes the bread extra fluffy and soft. Just look at how many nutrients this bread has: antioxidants, omega-3 fats, protein, fiber, Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E manganese, magnesium, copper, potassium, iron, zinc, choline, selenium, iodine, folate, chromium, and biotin.
We use a banana for our zucchini bread to sweeten up our bread with a natural ingredient. Bananas are rich in potassium and fiber and low in sodium. They are a good source of Vitamins B and C, manganese, copper, and biotin.
Almond Milk
Almond milk is a healthy plant-based milk. We use different types of milk in our recipes to boost diversity in the nutrients we eat. For example, almond milk is rich in Vitamin E which is a great antioxidant. Check out our article about goat milk and details about animal milk. We also have an article explaining milk fats.
Raw Honey
As a main sweetener for the zucchini bread recipe, we use raw honey. Honey has vitamins, minerals, amino acids, iron, and zinc. It is a great antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial agent. Just ensure that you are using raw honey as opposed to processed ones.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a superfood. It is composed of natural saturated healthy fat. It is also a good source of Vitamin E.
Eggs for Zucchini Bread
It is not a surprise that Gaston (in the Disney movie The Beaty and The Beast) eats so many eggs and has become so strong. Eggs are one of the main ingredients I use almost every day at home. They are rich in protein, healthy fats, and vitamins A, B, D, and E, choline, iron, selenium, iodine, and folate.
Zucchini
I find it difficult to cook zucchini in a way that my family will eat them. Zucchinis are healthy so I try to include them in our diet. For example, zucchinis are a great antioxidant, rich in folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and Vitamins A and C. Hence, I came to the last resort – include them in sweet bread! Who wouldn’t eat sweet bread?
Dry Ingredients for Zucchini Bread
Whole Wheat Flour
We use whole wheat flour for our zucchini bread. Whole wheat flour is rich in vitamins (B), fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, proteins, and antioxidants. Many people fear gluten that is found in whole wheat flour. However, unless you have celiac disease or any other health issues when consuming gluten, whole wheat flour (bread) could be a good addition to your diet since it contains many nutrients.
Oats
I use oats several times a week in different ways (oatmeal, pancakes, oat balls, etc). It is because oats are a superfood that is extremely healthy. If you have a choice, buy gluten-free unprocessed oats. Oats have many health benefits such as improving our digestive, immune system, and cardiovascular systems. Oats are rich in many vitamins (B) and minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, copper, biotin, magnesium, chromium, and zinc. They are also a good source of protein and fiber.
Walnuts for Zucchini Bread
As the shape of the walnut suggests, walnuts are great for our brains! In this zucchini bread recipe, I reduced the cups of flour needed by adding other different nutritious ingredients such as oats and walnuts. As you know, we try to make our recipe as nutritious as possible. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, hence why our brains would love it if we consume more walnuts! Walnuts are also rich in copper, manganese, folic acid, phosphorus, vitamins B and E, and biotin.
Elderberry
Elderberries are a superfood. It is a great ingredient to add to your diet. Just make sure you cook it and don’t consume it raw. Elderberries are a great antioxidant. They have vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
Other Ingredients for Zucchini Bread
We use cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and pink Himalayan sea salt for this recipe.
Equipment
We use a food processor to grind the walnuts and shred the zucchini. Feel free to use other kitchen equipment to achieve the same goal.
We also used a mixer to make the batter but a whisk may also work.
Since we shred the zucchini with the peel (to include more nutrients in the recipe), it is best to use a vegetable brush to clean and wash the zucchini.
Bake in the preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 50 minutes.
After about 50 min, check with a wooden toothpick if the bread is done. Poke the bread with a toothpick and if there is nothing sticking to the toothpick (the toothpick is clean) then thebread is done! Let it cool off for 5 min.
With a plastic knife loosen up the bread's edges. Transfer the bread to a plate and enjoy!
Video
Notes
I sometimes use regular milk instead of almond milk. Coconut milk is also a great milk to use in this recipe. Check out our goat milk article about different types of milk.
Sometimes I will also rotate the batter midway through the baking (around 20-30 minutes into the baking) to ensure the bread is baked evenly.
I sprinklethe bottom of the greased pan with flour prior to pouring the batter. It is a critical step to ensure you can separate the batter from the pan once the bread is baked.
The 2 tbsp coconut oil is measured in liquid as opposed to when it is in a hard condition
I like to grind the walnutsfor this recipe. However, if you prefer you can use whole walnuts. Maybe just reduce the volume or the batter may become too crunchy.
*We strive to provide the most accurate information possible, however, it is at your own risk when you decide to use it. For example, the nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by our recipe plugin. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. If we list a recipe as nut-free, for instance, we do our best to check all ingredients for nuts via an application. However, it is your responsibility to double-check our work prior to using the information as there is always room for manual error on our part or an error on the application we use.
