Discoveries

Lately I've been making discoveries. Ok, no. So I'm not out with my pick axe and my brush uncovering dinosaur bones. I'm not curing any diseases or accidentally discovering a billion dollar toy idea. (Did you know that Silly Putty and Slinkies were both invented by accident?) I'm not proclaiming myself to be a paleontologist, not even on TV.

But I have been making discoveries. First, I've discovered that I have a very bad habit of not eating breakfast. Though this is not a new discovery, it is an important one. Coffee alone does not count, Heidi, even if you do put real milk instead of creamer in it. A recent facebook post read, "The fastest way to slow your metabolism is to skip breakfast." While I don't doubt the factual science behind this statement, the actual practice of eating breakfast is not in my daily routines, and, let's face it, routines are hard to change.

Second, I've discovered that I can make a new flavor of protein shake almost every day without much effort or without clogging up the fridge with all that produce--you know the wheat grass and the kale and the cabbage and barley grass and the oat grass.....(My fridge is happily stocked with pounds and pounds of fresh colorful produce!) I've discovered, with the help of a friend, some wonderful commercially bottled smoothies that do not have added sugar or other unwanted ingredients, but are chock-a-block full of the foods I know I should be eating. And the best part? They taste good. I even add spinach before blending. And it's not gross. And it fills me up for at least 4 hours. And it's good for me. And it makes me happy.

Lastly, I've discovered that when I wake up early for a run, I'm tired by 8. And, when I go to bed at 8, I wake up at 3, which makes me want to go to bed by 8....

Monday: Banana-Oat Pancakes with Yogurt Peanut Butter Sauce, Fresh Fruit

Yogurt Peanut Butter Sauce

1/2 cup vanilla low fat yogurt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, softened in microwave

Combine ingredients until smooth, pour over pancakes. (If too thick, add yogurt; if too thin, add peanut butter)

Tuesday: Grilled Shrimp, Steamed Edamame, Steamed Brown Rice

(make double of all tonight, and shrimp fried rice tomorrow night will be a cinch!)

Wednesday: Shrimp Fried Rice

Thursday: Chicken On Rice, fresh salad, garlic bread, Deep Dish Ice Cream Pie

Chicken On Rice
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup (we use reduced fat)
1 soup can (2/3 cup) milk
1 envelope Onion Soup Mix
1 package skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 envelope Onion Soup Mix

Preheat oven to 375. Combine first four ingredients and pour into greased 13X9 inch pan.

Arrange chicken on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle with second onion soup mix. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour. Check rice and chicken for doneness. Bake longer if needed.

Deep Dish Ice Cream Pie

2 tubes refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1/4 gallon any flavor ice cream or frozen yogurt
Chocolate sauce, Hot Fudge Sauce, or Magic Shell, for drizzling

Press cookie dough into bottom and up sides of greased foil cake pan or or 10 inch cast iron skillet. Bake at 375 for 15-20 min, or until beginning to brown at edges and cooked through. Cool completely. Fill crust with ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Freeze until firm. To slice, run knife under hot water.

Friday: Grilled Steak, Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes