Sprouts Signature Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

Behind the Scenes at Sprouts Farmers Market

November 30, 2017 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

This post, as well as the travel involved, were sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions are my own. #HelloSprouts

If you love Sprouts Farmer’s Market, then you’ll really enjoy the inside scoop and behind the scenes action that I have for you today! For the past year I’ve been partnering with Sprouts Farmers Market creating delicious recipes using their signature line of products and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with their stores and so many of their products. You can just imagine my excitement when I was invited to the #HelloSprouts Influencer Retreat in Arizona back in August for three days of food, friends and fun! The itinerary was packed full of adventures that gave us the perfect peek behind the scenes at Sprouts. I went into this experience, not quite sure what to expect, but excited and willing to learn.

We visited the corporate offices and one of the stores, participated in fun challenges, visited a dairy farm and learned about Sprouts presence in the community. We also attended Sprouts Fest 2017, which is a huge educational summit where Sprouts vendor partners and designated team members from each of their stores come together and learn about store products and listen to industry leaders share their knowledge. A large part of Sprouts Fest is also the tabletop shows, where you can sample goodies from each vendor (there was over 500 vendors at the show!). Last, but not least, we met with many of the brilliant folks that keep Sprouts going. There was lunch with the marketing team that was focused on connecting with the customers. We met with the brains behind The Butcher Shop at Sprouts and had a fun dinner with that team, then a lunch with the Culinary Director as well. During our sustainability store tour, we met with the team responsible for the innovative ideas for sustainability at each of the Sprouts stores.

Working with Sprouts over the past year and already shopping with them as a customer, my opinion has already been favorable of their stores and products. Between the friendly staff, the product quality, the variety of seasonal flavors and the beautiful and bright layout of their stores, I didn’t think they could wow me any more. Boy, was I wrong! Being behind the scenes really showed me just how much Sprouts does for their community, their vendors, and their customers.

This retreat included 9 other influencers that have also partnered with Sprouts, so we had a great time connecting and getting to know one another while learning about one of our favorite stores! These other influencers are also phenomenal food bloggers and dietitians and we had a wonderful time experiencing these three days together. This group really represented everything I’ve experienced while working with Sprouts, genuine, inspiring, friendly and full of knowledge. I love that Sprouts has found influencers that really embody the reputation that Sprouts has built.

Behind the Scenes at Sprouts Farmers Market AD #HelloSprouts | Mama Harris' Kitchen

(From left to right) Dixya from FoodPleasureAndHealth.com, Shashi from SavorySpin.com, Erin from TheSpeckledPalate.com, Katie from MomsKitchenHandbook.com, Abby from TheSoulOfHealth.com, Marisa from MarisaMoore.com, Emily from ZenAndSpice.com, Suzanne from CherryCreekNutrition.com, Joanna from BakedByJoanna.com, and me – MamaHarrisKitchen.com!

I love that everyone chosen for this trip from a variety of backgrounds and come from all over the country. It was the perfect sized group to experience this journey with, and in no time flat we were laughing together and chatting it up like old friends. We participated in a few competitions and challenges, separating into small teams, and by the time the trip was over we were sad to see one another go. Everyone was all smart, down to earth, helpful and generous, and it was a pleasure to have shared this experience with them.

I’ve been to quite a few conferences and expos, but starting our trip with Sprouts Fest and meeting all of the vendors at the tabletop show was such an overwhelming and enlightening experience. I tried ghee for the very first time, and got to see new products from some of my favorite brands. I also got to see and learn about so many new products from brands that I wasn’t yet familiar with, with tons of goodie bags full of samples for me to fall in love with (I really loved the crunchy chickpeas from Saffron Road). It didn’t stop at just food either, there were also beverages, bath and body care products, hair care, vitamins and so much more!

Sprouts Fest is held for team members and vendor partners to learn what’s sold in the stores and aids in the development of relationships between the two. In addition to the tabletop shows there were informative sessions from speakers that are passionate about our health and our planet. We got to sit in on sessions regarding brain health – the link between microbiome and the mind – and including foods like turmeric, blueberries and even whole coffee to aid cognitive functions and brain health. There was another discussion regarding soil health and how important it is for things like tea to be grown organically, without a cupful of chemicals.

Not only did I get the insider scoop on all of the wonderful brands that Sprouts sells in their stores, I also got to learn even more about Sprouts In-House Brand. Did you know that Sprouts has over 2,000 store brand products? There’s an entire team of in-house brand specialists that are on the lookout for all of the latest trends and sourcing the finest ingredients for their products. 74% of the packaged Sprouts Brand products are non-GMO and/or USDA Certified Organic, and in 2016, all of the Sprouts Brand eggs transitioned to come from cage-free or better than cage-free facilities.

When shopping for groceries, I choose stores based on a just a few things. For me the price point and ease of shopping are most important. I like stores that are no-hassle; easy to find what I need with an engaging layout, and affordable prices. I found out from the leadership team that the customer experience is really important to Sprouts too, and they are constantly figuring out ways to make the shopping experience easier for the customer. They’re so focused on the customer experience that if you are ever curious about a product, you can request to sample it, free of charge. Now that’s great service!

Speaking of the stores, we actually got to do a store tour during our trip where we were shown how much thought and care goes into what Sprouts calls “responsible retailing”. Responsible retailing to Sprouts is operating their business so that it still respects social and environmental well-being. When asked why this was important, they responded that it’s just the right thing to do.

Something that I’ve always loved about Sprouts is the stores are set up in such a way that you feel warm and welcome. I discovered a big part of that is the fact that they try to utilize natural lighting as much as possible by installing skylights. I hadn’t noticed before, but it makes perfect sense! Sprouts is in the process of converting all of their stores to 100% LED lighting, making their stores significantly more energy efficient when combined with the skylights. On sunny days the LED lights are able to turn themselves down and use sunlight instead. Not only are they responsible, they are innovative as well!

(Learn even more about Sprouts’ Responsible Retailing here.)

The energy conservation doesn’t just stop there. Cooling curtains are used at night on the open refrigerated sections to help keep the cold air in and to reduce the energy used by up to 50%. The coolers are monitored regularly to ensure the products aren’t blocking airflow through the grates. Stores are also stocked during the day rather than at night in order to minimize after-hour energy use. Produce suppliers are also required to comply with Good Agricultural Practices like limiting water usage and enhancing employee safety and hygiene.

With over 275 stores and still growing, Sprouts is known for setting up stores in neighborhoods that might be passed over by some higher end markets. They believe that healthy food should be affordable and available to everyone, not just the people in the fancy neighborhoods.

Making sure families have sufficient food is a cause that is close to my heart. Not surprisingly, it’s actually something I share in common with Sprouts. During our store tour, we were able to go in the back of the store to the stocking room. Here, we saw the boxes and bins labeled with items going to their Food Rescue Program. Sprouts donates any grocery items that are not marketable, but still edible, to local food programs daily.

This means that just because the produce might be bruised or otherwise have imperfections, it’s still available for consumption! There’s plenty of produce that goes through the daily quality check in the distribution center that doesn’t pass, but is still perfectly edible. Those items are also donated. In fact, 50% of the donated food that comes from Sprouts is their produce! Since the program began in 2013, Sprouts has donated more than 43 million pounds of food!

By adopting a full commitment to reach a “zero waste” threshold by 2020, they’ve created a way to partner with local hunger relief agencies in their communities. Food retailers are responsible for nearly 42 billion pounds of the almost 133 billion pounds of food wasted every year in the US (that’s almost 40% of the food supply!). In 2016 Sprouts was able to donate more than 15 million meals with the 19 million pounds of fresh food that they donated to these programs.

Providing food to local agencies is just one component of the zero waste initiative. Sprouts stores provide food for feed which enables them to support local farms to feed animals. Whatever can’t be used as feed is actually sent to composting facilities to enrich soil with nutrients.

As of now, 60% of the total waste that’s generated in every store is diverted from landfills. Even though I think that’s pretty incredible, it’s still not good enough for Sprouts. Their goal is a 90% diversion, and another large chunk of that is done through recycling. Sprouts actively recycles and has recycled 70 million pounds of cardboard and half a million pounds of plastic, to date. Stores that will be opening in the coming year are set up with recycling in mind and older stores are being updated as well. Sprouts also teams up with their producers to find packaging materials that are more sustainable. Plastics can also be brought in by customers to add to the plastic bags and film that the store already recycle. Customers are encouraged to bring in their own reusable shopping bags, and they sell quite a few cute designs of their own in store.

Each Sprouts store sources from local food producers when they can. This includes dairy products, produce, meats, and even beer! The meat and chicken are hormone free with grass fed and organic options, and always affordable. I also love that they actually assist their brands with ways to improve their product lines. We visited a local to Arizona dairy farm that was using artificial coloring for their flavored milks. Sprouts partnered with them and helped them convert to natural ingredients to benefit everyone, especially the consumer.

We got to taste some of the Sprouts meat from the Butcher Shop when we met at the Sur la Table cooking school and had a presentation by the culinary director. We learned that the beef and chicken in the Sprouts Butcher Shop is fresh, never frozen. The butchers are always ready to help answer any questions special cuts or meat types. You can even request your own custom cut meat at any time or ice with your purchase!

In addition to our dinner at Sur la Table with the culinary director, we also got to sample a large assortment of the newest seasonal grab and go deli meals from the Market Corner with him. The items we sampled are listed below and pictured above. At the time of sampling these options were not yet available in stores.

Golden Beet and Kale Salad
Heart Harvest Salad
Fall Chopped Salad
Paleo Kaleo Slaw
Lemon Pesto Chicken Panini
Vegan Pakora Wrap
Buddha Bowl
Za’atar Chicken Bowl

We had a little taste of everything, with my favorites being the Lemon Pesto Chicken Panini and the Fall Harvest Salad. These recipes are developed with distinct goals in mind; reasonably priced, nutritious and delicious are the primary focus. Let me tell you, these meals are filling and so delicious! They’re perfect for lunchtime or even a light dinner and the goal when creating each item is keeping them affordable at the $7-9 price range.

This trip was really so full of fantastic insights and delicious food, peppered with good times with some really great people. I arrived in Arizona already a fan of Sprouts Farmers Market, but left really impressed and inspired by this company. This experience really showed me that Sprouts isn’t just talking the talk. They are 100% committed to their customers, their communities and the environment. It shows in everything they do, from their company culture to the recipes they create that are sold in store. I love that with everything they do, they are still able to make healthy and delicious food affordable and available, and they’ve inspired me to make changes of my own at home.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was during a lunch with the folks that run Sprouts, we discussed easy ways for store employees to get a conversation going with customers. They wanted something more meaningful than “How’s your day going?” or “Is there anything I can help you with?” and they came up with just asking “What’s for dinner?”. I love that! It’s so simple, but opening up about recipe ideas or ingredient lists can instantly put folks at ease. Food really does bring people together and the love of good tasting and wholesome ingredients is really what Sprouts is passionate about. Being able to deliver that to the communities through their stores while also benefitting those areas is really such an inspiring business model.

Even if you don’t have a Sprouts Farmers Market near you yet, they’ve recently partnered with Amazon Prime for delivery service. Through Amazon Prime, you can now get your entire grocery shopping list including fresh organic produce, meat and seafood from Sprouts Farmers Market delivered right to their door with one hour ($7.99) and free two-hour delivery between 8 am and 10 p.m.

Do you already shop at Sprouts? What inspires you most about the company?

Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

May 20, 2017 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this delicious recipe for Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls, it’s absolutely perfect for the warmer weather months!

The weather is getting warmer y’all, and that’s the time of year that being tied to a stove or oven is probably the last thing you want to do. Of course, you and/or your family still need to eat, so simple meals are a must! I know my family really enjoys bowls year round, but especially in the summer. A few leftovers thrown together with some fresh seasonal produce and you have got some serious magic on your hands.

I recently took a trip to my local Sprouts Farmers Market and picked up some great items like fresh Pico de Gallo and their Sprouts Brand Hatch Chili Guacamole. I also grabbed lots of fresh produce, some tortillas to make little strips with and some fresh beef from the meat department that I knew would be just perfect for fajitas. Not just regular fajitas though, this was for the fajita brown rice bowls I’d been dreaming up for these warm weather months.

With a quick and simple marinade in olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic and a handful of seasonings this meat is tender, juicy and flavorful. I love that the varieties of Sprouts beef is always fresh and never frozen, producing tender and juicy fajitas with tons of flavor. After cutting the steak into bite sized pieces, a quick soak in the marinade while the veggies are being cut is all that this recipe needs.

While the meat is sitting in a bowl after being mixed, chop up the veggies, then begin to saute in a large pan until softened.

Once the veggies are done, remove them from the pan and set aside, then cook the meat in the pan. Once meat has browned, add the cooked veggies back and mix them together before serving. Bonus if the pan is still sizzling when it’s served!

What I love about these fajita bowls is that they utilize leftovers too. Have some corn on the cobb left over from the recent cookout? Slice it off the cobb and add it to this bowl! Brown rice left in the fridge from dinner the other night? Add it in! It’s a quick way to get some food on the table, and oh so delicious!

Add the prepared brown rice and roasted corn to the bowl with the fajita meat and veggies. Top with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Add a few lime wedges on the side and you’re set. If you really want to get fancy add some freshly made tortilla strips and a creamy cilantro dressing and garnish with additional cilantro. Impressive!

Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Turn traditional fajitas into something special with these beef fajita brown rice bowls. Fajita meat done in under 15 minutes, be ready to feast in a flash!

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Fajita Meat

1.5 lb. Sprouts Boneless Beef Round London Broil
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. dry oregano
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red onion, cut into strips
2 Tbsp. Sprouts Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

Prepared Fajita Meat
3 cups prepared brown rice
3 cups prepared roasted corn kernels
¾ cup sour cream
Sprouts Brand Hatch Chili Guacamole
Sprouts Brand Pico de Gallo
2 cups tortilla strips (optional)
½ cup creamy cilantro dressing (optional)
2-3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

Begin by preparing the fajita meat and veggies. Cut the steak up into strips, about two inches in length.
In a medium bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix together to create a saucy paste.
Add the beef strips to the saucy paste and toss to make sure it’s all coated.
While the beef sits, prepare the peppers and onion by cutting them into strips. Heat a larger frying pan with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and sauté the peppers and onions over medium heat until softened (about three to five minutes).
Remove the peppers and onions from the pan and place in a bowl, set aside. Without cleaning out the pan, add the steak meat and sauce to the pan and cook over medium heat until meat is browned (about three to five minutes).
Without lowering the heat, add the peppers and onions back to the pan. Stir until well combined and cook for about a minute more before removing from heat.
To serve in fajita bowls, add about a ½ cup of rice and ½ cup of roasted corn kernels to bowl before adding fajita meat.
Top with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo. You can also add a bit of tortilla strips for a crunch and some creamy cilantro dressing.
Serve with limes and garnish with cilantro. Serves 6.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowl

What are some of your favorite warmer weather meals?

You can find more beef recipe inspiration from Sprouts Farmer’s Market, or for more fresh recipes check out the Sprouts Brand Website.

Also, if you love this recipe don’t forget to PIN it to your favorite board on Pinterest!
(Just hover over the picture below and click “Pin it”)

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

October 31, 2016 by MamaHarris 6 Comments

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this recipe for Deli Sandwich Style Sliders, it’s the perfect appetizer for hungry guests!

I have a confession to make. What I’m about to say can be pretty important, especially this time of year everyone is having the important conversation – where will the holidays be spent? It might even be a deal-breaker if not handled properly.

I am a super slow cook. Parties, holidays, even dinner sometimes – it just takes me so long. Maybe because I have small kids that are at the phase where they can cuddle one minute and be at each others throat the next so mom has to break it up. Or it might be that I always try to do entirely too much and get overwhelmed before I even start. Or maybe it’s just me being a perfectionist. I know how frustrating it can be, to be invited to dinner starting at 5:00 and it’s not ready till after 7:00.

I’m trying to get better, you guys.

While I’ve been implementing time saving techniques and tools that help make the job quicker, sometimes it can help soften the blow when I serve something utterly delicious to snack on. These Deli Sandwich Style Sliders fit the bill, and the bonus is that they are super simple to put together. Just build them, brush them, and bake! I got all the ingredients at my local Sprouts Farmers Market, not only do they have great quality items but their Sprouts Brand products are also super affordable! Not only are these Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls are perfect to warm up and serve with your holiday meal, but they are so delicious when you cut them in half and make sliders. Filled up with deli meats, cheeses, spinach, sauteed mushrooms and spicy sprouts they are the perfect appetizer to snack on while waiting for your favorite slow cook!

Even if your time management is better than mine, these are great to serve at dinner parties or for holiday gatherings. Such a crowd-pleaser! The sauce I mixed up for the sliders is so unique too, a bit of mayonnaise with some horseradish mustard, topped with just a bit of basil pesto with quinoa. There’s creamy, a bit of a bite with that sweet freshness. It’s great with all of the meats! The garlicky butter that’s brushed on top of the sliders before they bake is also mouthwatering, it all comes together so well.

The plus?

Everyone has forgotten that dinner is later than scheduled!

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sprouts Brand Horseradish Mustard
2 teaspoons Sprouts Brand Basil Pesto with Quinoa
12 count package Sprouts Brand Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Pastrami
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Black Forest Ham
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Roast Beef
5 slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Swiss cheese
5 Slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Sprouts Brand Baby Spinach
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Organic Spicy Sprouts
4 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan, then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms begin to brown and soften, season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mushrooms will be fragrant and soft, remove from heat and place in bowl to cool.

Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish mustard and basil pesto with quinoa and mix well.

Keep the rolls connected and cut them in half with a serrated knife to create a top and a bottom portion. Don’t tear them apart individually.

Line a 9×13 dish with foil and place the bottom portion of the rolls in the middle of the pan.

Spread the mayonnaise mixture across the top of the bottom half of the rolls. Layer the meats on top, then the cheese. Tear the 5th slice of cheese in half to allow all of the cheese to lie flat across the sliders.

Top with spinach, mushrooms, then the sprouts. Replace the tops of the rolls.

Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish, then add the minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Mix well and brush along the tops of the rolls.

Cover the dish with another layer of foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the top layer of foil and bake another 3-4 minutes, until the bread is golden on top.

Remove from dish, cut into individual sliders and serve immediately.

Serve with Sprouts Brand Organic Steak Fries and enjoy!

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 12 sliders

Serving Size: 1-2 sliders

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

Need an appetizer to please your crowd? Try these deli sandwich style sliders full of three meats, two cheeses, plenty of veggies and a custom sauce.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sprouts Brand Horseradish Mustard
2 teaspoons Sprouts Brand Basil Pesto with Quinoa
12 count package Sprouts Brand Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Pastrami
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Black Forest Ham
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Roast Beef
5 slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Swiss cheese
5 Slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Sprouts Brand Baby Spinach
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Organic Spicy Sprouts
4 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan, then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms begin to brown and soften, season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mushrooms will be fragrant and soft, remove from heat and place in bowl to cool.
Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish mustard and basil pesto with quinoa and mix well.
Keep the rolls connected and cut them in half with a serrated knife to create a top and a bottom portion. Don’t tear them apart individually.
Line a 9x13 dish with foil and place the bottom portion of the rolls in the middle of the pan.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture across the top of the bottom half of the rolls. Layer the meats on top, then the cheese. Tear the 5th slice of cheese in half to allow all of the cheese to lie flat across the sliders.
Top with spinach, mushrooms, then the sprouts. Replace the tops of the rolls.
Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish, then add the minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Mix well and brush along the tops of the rolls.
Cover the dish with another layer of foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the top layer of foil and bake another 3-4 minutes, until the bread is golden on top.
Remove from dish, cut into individual sliders and serve immediately.
Serve with Sprouts Brand Organic Steak Fries and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/deli-sandwich-style-sliders/

What are some of your favorite finger foods?

Find more fun tips, ideas and inspiration for the holiday season – including appetizers, snacks and other fun and colorful options at the Sprouts Brand Website!

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

September 23, 2016 by MamaHarris 12 Comments

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake recipe and the opportunity for one lucky winner to receive a $25 gift card to Sprouts!

It’s officially pumpkin season folks! Yes, even though it’s still hitting the triple digits here in Northern California the nights are a bit chillier and pretty soon the A/C will be turned off for quite a few months. Pumpkin flavored everything is literally everywhere, even here in my kitchen. My lovely friends over at Sprouts Farmers Market sent over a big box full of pumpkin products – which is just a small sampling of what can now be found in their store. Of course, I was inspired to create something with everything in the box!

This wonderful box is full of anything a pumpkin lover could want, and even some things a not so big fan of pumpkin would like too!

There’s Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips, Pumpkin Iced Cookies, Organic Pumpkin Spiced Apple Cider, Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, Old Fashioned Pumpkin Snaps, Cranberry Pumpkin Crisps, Maple Pumpkin Butter and Pumpkin Pie Lip Balm! Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere!

Of course, I had to taste test a few things. Since I’m a salty snacker I was immediately interested in those Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips. I mean, chips and dips are my absolute favorite, but this got me a bit inspired. I made a little trip out to Sprouts to grab a few additional items to create what I had in my mind, which was snacks. Pumpkin themed snacks in the form of an appetizer platter to serve my family while I prepare dinner. You could also use this for any type of get together in the Fall season, but during the week my family is famished when they get home – and they will snack on whatever is in sight. So I find that preparing some little snacks for them to chew on while I prepare dinner helps them not completely ruin their appetite.

Once at Sprouts I also noticed there was a Pumpkin Spice Salsa available, and I just had to get it to go with the Pumpkin Seed Chips. The chips are seasoned with sea salt and you can actually see the little pumpkin seeds in every chip. They’re very tasty and not overly salty or too crunchy and they went absolutely perfectly with the Pumpkin Spice Salsa. The salsa is delicious and the flavor is just a little deeper and richer than a normal salsa, you can taste those pumpkin spices in there, it elevates the flavor.

I was also very excited to try the Maple Pumpkin Butter and it didn’t disappoint. It’s very delicious, perfect for morning toast or bagels, or on anything really. It would probably have been amazing on those pumpkin bagels I spotted at Sprouts, but instead I purchased a little bag of Multigrain Bruschetta Bread Slices. This was perfect to serve with the Maple Pumpkin Butter on my little appetizer platter. Mr. Harris is not a pumpkin fan but I somehow coerced him to try this and he was hooked, it’s that delicious!

For this appetizer platter, a handful of each item was all that was needed. I did pick up the Sprouts Brand Original Flavor Hummus and some veggies to serve to round out this appetizer platter with some color and fresh choices as well. I have to say it was a hit, the littlest boys loved those Pumpkin Iced Cookies, I loved the Pumpkin Seed Tortilla Chips with the Pumpkin Spice Salsa, and Mr. Harris loved the Maple Pumpkin Butter. The appetizer platter was empty before dinner was even ready. I do have a big family so I don’t recommend this much food if it’s just 2-3 people, but it was perfect for my family of seven!

In addition to the finger foods I also used the Organic Pumpkin Spiced Apple Cider to create some warm drinks. I simply added a little caramel sauce to the inside of the glasses and heated up the cider in a pot. Once ready, I poured it into each glass and served it warm. It was delightful and something I’m sure to drink all pumpkin season long!

Now for the dinner I knew I wanted to make something with that pumpkin pasta sauce. The sauce already has a lot of flavors going on, it’s tasty with a hint of tomato and carrots with a gorgeous bright orange color. I picked up some roasted chicken sausage and some shells to create my pumpkin pasta bake, I already had some cheese and spices at home to complete the rest of the meal. Super easy and simple, perfect for busy weeknights. I also didn’t add much else to the pasta bake because the chicken sausage was really tasty and even had a bit of spice to the flavor thanks to the onion and peppers in the sausage.

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake Ingredients:

1 jar Sprouts Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
1 package Sprouts Shells Pasta, cooked al dente
1 Package Sprouts Old Tyme Butcher Shop Roasted Chicken Sausage
non-stick cooking spray (I used olive oil)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of your favorite melty cheese (I used a mix of Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and Mozzarella)
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 cup bread crumbs (recipe below)

Toasted Bread Crumbs Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning

Directions:

Begin with toasting the bread crumbs. In a small pan, add the olive oil and butter and heat until melted. Add the panko bread crumbs and garlic, cooking over medium-low heat (and stirring often) until golden. Remove from pan, toss with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning and set aside. I usually do this step way ahead of time, since I like to have these crumbs readily available for various meals. I make it every so often to have on hand and add to dishes I like.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by cutting the sausage in half length-wise, then slicing into bite sized pieces. Spray the skillet with cooking spray, then add the sausage. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned.

In a separate pot add the Pumpkin Sauce and the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat, just until warmed and spices are blended in the sauce.

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta, and then the cooked chicken sausage.

Spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray, then add half of the pasta mix into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over the pasta, then top it with the other half of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, then sprinkle the dried parsley on top. Pop in the preheated oven, setting your timer for 15 minutes (just until cheese melts).

Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and bake another 5 minutes or so.

Allow to cool, serve and enjoy!

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Chicken Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta Bake Ingredients:

1 jar Sprouts Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
1 package Sprouts Shells Pasta, cooked al dente
1 Package Sprouts Old Tyme Butcher Shop Roasted Chicken Sausage
non-stick cooking spray (I used olive oil)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of your favorite melty cheese (I used a mix of Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and Mozzarella)
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 cup bread crumbs (recipe below)

Toasted Bread Crumbs Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning

Instructions

Begin with toasting the bread crumbs. In a small pan, add the olive oil and butter and heat until melted.
Add the panko bread crumbs and garlic, cooking over medium-low heat (and stirring often) until golden.
Remove from pan, toss with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning and set aside. I usually do this step way ahead of time, since I like to have these crumbs readily available for various meals. I make it every so often to have on hand and add to dishes I like.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by cutting the sausage in half length-wise, then slicing into bite sized pieces.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray, then add the sausage.
Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned.
In a separate pot add the Pumpkin Sauce and the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat, just until warmed and spices are blended in the sauce.
Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta, and then the cooked chicken sausage.
Spray a large casserole dish with non stick cooking spray, then add half of the pasta mix into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over the pasta, then top it with the other half of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, then sprinkle the dried parsley on top. Pop in the preheated oven, setting your timer for 15 minutes (just until cheese melts).
Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and bake another 5 minutes or so.
Allow to cool, serve and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/chicken-sausage-and-pumpkin-pasta-bake/

#TalkPumpkinToMe

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Red and Gold Flatbread Pizza

September 21, 2016 by MamaHarris 10 Comments

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this very special football inspired recipe for a Red and Gold Flatbread Pizza!

One of my favorite parts of the Fall season is that it’s time for football. If you didn’t know by now, my house is pretty devoted to this sport during this time of year. From watching our favorite professional teams to college games, heading out on Friday nights for our own boys’ high school games or Saturday mornings for the youngest Harris player – football pretty much encompasses our lives this time of year.

While I enjoy watching my favorites, I also love gathering with my loved ones and enjoying the food. I’m a huge fan of snacking and finger foods, so this is the perfect season to encompass all of my very favorite things in one. Yup, fall, family and football – it doesn’t get much better than that, does it? In the spirit of our favorite sport during our favorite season, I decided to create some fun themed healthy finger foods to snack on while enjoying our favorite past time. Since my family is from Northern California, more specifically the Bay Area, we’re split down the middle when it comes to our favorite bay area football teams. I decided to make a little something for the San Francisco fans, and it comes in the form of these fun and tasty red and gold flatbread pizzas.

I got everything I needed from Sprouts Farmers Market, they have so many great products under the Sprouts store brand. I loved the idea of making something meatless to snack on since we do have a vegetarian in the family, and I had a little fun choosing all red and gold ingredients too! Of course, you can totally customize this for some of your own favorite team colors if needed. It’s all about fun and tasty food you can enjoy together, right?

Roasted Beets Ingredients:

1 red beet, peeled and sliced
1 golden beet, peeled and sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Flatbread Pizza Ingredients:

1 package Sprouts Brand Original Tandoori Naan Flatbread (contains 3 per package)
4 oz Sprouts Brand Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 cup Sprouts Brand Shredded Mozzarella
1 red beet, peeled, sliced and roasted (recipe above)
1 golden beet, peeled, sliced and roasted (recipe above)
1 red tomato, sliced thinly
1 yellow tomato, sliced thinly
1 red pearl onion, peeled and sliced
1 gold pearl onion, peeled and sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Once the beets are peeled, slice them into 1/4 inch slices and coat them in a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper, then place on parchment paper and roast for about 15-20 minutes. Flip the slices over, then bake for another 10-15 minutes or so. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then cut into small bite sized chunks to be used as a pizza topping.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Generously spread the roasted red pepper hummus on each Flatbread, then top with shredded mozzarella.

Add beet slices to each flatbread, then top with red and yellow tomato slices and sliced pearl onions.

Put the flatbreads on parchment paper and drizzle each of them with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, then bake for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with red and golden delicious apple slices and potato chips made with red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes.

Slice into each flatbread and enjoy!

Red and Gold Flatbread Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 38 minutes

Total Time: 53 minutes

Yield: 3 flatbread pizzas

Red and Gold Flatbread Pizza

Healthy snacking for football enthusiasts - a tasty Flatbread Pizza to serve on game day with red and gold ingredients for 49ers fans to enjoy!

Ingredients

Roasted Beets Ingredients:

1 red beet, peeled and sliced
1 golden beet, peeled and sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Flatbread Pizza Ingredients:

1 package Sprouts Brand Original Tandoori Naan Flatbread (contains 3 per package)
4 oz Sprouts Brand Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 cup Sprouts Brand Shredded Mozzarella
1 red beet, peeled, sliced and roasted
1 golden beet, peeled, sliced and roasted
1 red tomato, sliced thinly
1 yellow tomato, sliced thinly
1 red pearl onion, peeled and sliced
1 gold pearl onion, peeled and sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Once the beets are peeled, slice them into 1/4 inch slices and coat them in a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
Lightly season with salt and pepper, then place on parchment paper and roast for about 15-20 minutes.
Flip the slices over, then bake for another 10-15 minutes or so.
Remove from oven and allow to cool, then cut into small bite sized chunks to be used as a pizza topping.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Generously spread the roasted red pepper hummus on each Flatbread, then top with shredded mozzarella.
Add beet slices to each flatbread, then top with red and yellow tomato slices and sliced pearl onions.
Put the flatbreads on parchment paper and drizzle each of them with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, then bake for 10-12 minutes.
Serve with red and golden delicious apple slices and potato chips made with red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes.
Slice into each flatbread and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/red-gold-flatbread-pizza/

Do you love Game Day recipes?

Find more fun tips, ideas and inspiration for game day – including appetizers, snacks and other fun and colorful options at the Sprouts Brand Website!