Reality Bites

A word about food: reality. I plan, I prepare, I pack. I plan healthy meals, I prepare healthy meals, and I pack nutrients onto my family's plates with pride, at least most of the time. Some of the time, reality gets in the way. I didn't get to the store. I forgot an ingredient. I forgot to thaw. I ran out of time in the day. So we get stuck with what I like to call Reality Bites. Whatever I can find to make a meal out of something. A lot of the time it's frittata or pancakes. Sometimes it's grilled cheese or even cereal. The point is, it's not perfect, it's not even pretty. And that's pretty ok.

Sunday: Healthy Blueberry Pancakes, Turkey Bacon, Cinnamon Raisin Toast

Pancakes:

1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. canola oil
2 cups low fat milk
2 t. baking soda
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In med. bowl, mix eggs with oil and milk.

Stir in baking soda, wheat germ, and flour; mix until blended.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.

Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle. Sprinkle immediately with blueberries. When bottom is browned, flip and heat until cooked through. Serve with pure syrup, honey, yogurt, or my kids' favorite: unsweetened applesauce.


Tuesday: Meal Swap Meal (Jill's turn to cook)

Wednesday: Roasted Vegetable Pasta with chicken, breadsticks

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

1 orange bell pepper, julienned
2 zucchini, cut into half inch pieces
20 cherry or grape tomatoes
1 red onion, cut into half inch pieces
16 mushrooms, stems removed
2 T. olive oil
4 t. oregano
sea salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz whole wheat fusilli pasta
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
8 oz chicken, cooked and diced
4 T. freshly chopped basil

Preheat oven to 450.
Place first 5 ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add sea salt and oregano and toss to coat evenly.
Place vegetables on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until browned.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and return to pot.
Add broth and chicken to pasta and place over low heat. Heat through.
Add vegetables and toss to coat.
Add basil and season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

Thursday: Broiled Lemon-Basil Salmon, Romaine Salad, Baked Sweet Potatoes

Broiled Lemon-Basil Salmon

1 T. olive oil
4 4 oz salmon fillets
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 t.bottled minced garlic
2 T. dried parsley
1/2 C. finely chopped fresh basil
1 whole lemon (half for juice, half for slices)

Line a baking pan with foil and coat foil with olive oil.

place salmon fillets skin side down on foil and brush with olive oil.

sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and half of basil.

Squeeze juice of half of the lemon over fillets.

Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat broiler. Broil salmon 6-8 minutes or until opaque in center and flakes easily.

Transfer to serving plate. Garnish with lemon slices and the rest of the basil.


Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Whole Wheat Pizza with roasted bell peppers.

Love. It is not in the air.

Love: it is not in the air. The air is frigid and threatening snow, and that is not conducive to any kind of love that I know. Except maybe the love of snow, which does indeed have its place. It is edging close to Valentine's Day, and pink hearts and sweet chocolates dance before our eyes everywhere from grocery store shelves to TV commercials. But that is not love.

Love is the every day. It's the hard. It's the I don't want to do this right now but I'm going to because I love you. For me, it's the food. It's the meals I plan and execute. It's the bodies I nourish. I guess food is my love language, or at least one of them. Love is that the boxed or take-out meals would be so much easier and in some cases cheaper, but I'll make you something from scratch because it's healthier, and your health matters to me, because I love you.

So I guess one could say that my time in the kitchen is a labor of love. I do love food, too, though, so I guess it's love in more ways than one.

At any rate, Happy Valentine's Day. Let it bring you the ones you love the most.

Monday: This is the day we will celebrate, since Tuesday is a sports night. My love of 14.5 years loves tacos, so that's what I will make. I will follow it with a chocolate cake because my husband loves chocolate. More than most. More than even the hardest core chocolate lover. Every year I try to out-chocolate him. Every year I fail.

Tuesday: Sports night. This requires something easy, or a crockpot, or a time bake. Or two of the above. Since the air is cold, I think Chili would work.

Chili Grande

1 lb ground beef (lean), or ground turkey
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cans chili beans (such as bush's, mild or hot depending on preference)
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 packet or 1/4 cup taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in the pot of a crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours, on high 4 hours, or on low 4 hours followed by high 2 hours. I love this recipe because there's no need to brown the meat first.

Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of sliced green onions. Or, serve it over freshly made cornbread. My favorite is the one right off the Quaker White Cornmeal container. It's easy and tasty!

Wednesday: If my husband can have his favorite, then I can have mine: grilled steak, baked sweet potatoes, steamed edamame (and, since I'm training for a half iron man, nothing for dessert) ... I have to say, these colors look so good on the plate. You should try it. Do it. Then comment on how impressed you are with yourself, and how impressed your family is with you.

Thursday: Another sports night. Easy peasy, nothing greasy. Croque Monsieur, salad, sweet potato fries

Friday: Shrimp Avocado Tacos (yeah, yeah, I know this is the second taco listing for the week, but I have some avocados that need to be used and shrimp sounds really good. Deal with it, or make your own dang menu! JK)

Saturday: Pizza night

Alive

Alive: it's a great word, isn't it? I mean, firstly, if you're alive, you're not dead, and that's always a good thing. My son, who just turned 8, frequently likes to point out how near death I am, at my age (which is, I guess, old in his eyes even though I still feel twenty something). Still, it's a little disturbing to have a miniature person taunting you with the O-L-D word. But, I AM still alive, at least for now, and I plan to live like it.

Secondly, my cousin just celebrated her 5 year "alive" anniversary, because 5 years ago this week she survived an enemy attack while serving with the armed services in Iraq. I am grateful for both her survival and her service. What a great reason to celebrate: just being alive. We are all so lucky!

So, while we're alive, let's enjoy it. Let's eat good food that also makes us feel good. Let's eat like we want to still be alive in 5 years, or longer. Let's eat food that makes us LIKE being alive, and makes it continue for a long, long time.

So, jump for joy. Go do it. For real. No matter who sees. Because you're ALIVE, and that is totally awesome.


Sunday: Grilled Cheese and leftover soup

Monday: Hamburger Stroganoff, steamed peas, dinner rolls

Tuesday: Spicy Sausage and Black Bean Soup, Speedy Quesadillas

Speedy Quesadillas (these are from the Cooking Light 5 Ingredient, 15 Minutes or Less cookbook)

Cooking Spray
6 Oz Turkey Kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 c. diced green, sweet red, or yellow pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup salsa

Coat med. saucepan with cooking spray, place over med heat until hot. Add sausage, and saute 1 min or until sausage begins to brown. Add pepper, saute 1 min.

add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add beans and salsa. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Top with cilantro if desired.

4 servings

Wednesday: Grilled Sirloin Steak, Roasted Butternut Squash, Steamed Green Beans

(grill enough steaks for tomorrow night's sandwiches)

Thursday: Steak Paninis, Broccoli Slaw, baked potato chips (commercial)

Friday: Meal Swap

Saturday: Pizza

Decisions, Decisions

Sometimes in life we are faced with difficult decisions. "Should we buy a new car or keep spending money fixing the old one?" or, "Is this a battle I will choose with my kids?" or even, "Should I sell my house now at the bottom of the market, or try to wait out this slump?" "Should we have another baby?" The list goes on and on eternally.

For me, each week, I face difficult decisions. Okay, truthfully? Deciding what to make for dinner on a difficulty scale from 1-10 is pretty much a 2, especially when compared to the above dilemmas. Still, it FEELS difficult each time I sit down to write this blog. "Oh I really like that one, " says my left brain. "But you made something similar to that last month," says my right. "Oh my gosh all 216 recipes from this month's Cooking Light look soo good! I have to make them all!," says my left brain. "But you only have 7 days," says my right. There are so many great recipes out there; how will I ever choose?

This week I'm going to let you choose. Because I'm taking a break from decisions and because we all need more decisions in our lives. I know, I know. You're quite welcome.

Monday A: Tacos

Monday B: Peppered Flank Steak and Salsa, Roasted Asparagus, Sweet Potato Fries


Tuesday A: Sloppy Joes, raw carrots, home fries (try making these with egg whites instead of oil--fabulous!)

Tuesday B: Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy, smashed potatoes, steamed peapods


Wednesday A: Meatloaf, baked sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli

Wednesday B: Bacon and Butternut Pasta, Crusty French Bread


Thursday A: Rotisserie Chicken, boiled red potatoes, Roasted Carrots and Onions

Thursday B: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, Buttermilk Biscuits


Friday A: Spaghetti, French Bread, Salad

Friday B: Herbed Fish and Red Potato Chowder, Whole Grain Crackers, Red Bell Pepper Strips

Food, Glorious Food

I love food. I love to eat. It doesn't even have to be comfort food. It can be anything and it will be comforting. I'm pretty sure it's an addiction, similar to cigarettes, alcohol, or online scrabble. This affinity I have for what is ultimately only fuel for my body is counterproductive to the desire I have for a nicely shaped body. But, though it is an addiction, I can't just quit cold turkey, no matter how strong my will power or how talented the hypnotist. And so, like much of life, I strive for balance--balance between fuel and fun, need and now, provision and processed. Fortunately, many times the flavor and the fuel aren't mutually exclusive.

Monday: Stuffed Glazed Pork Chops, Steamed Green Beans, Roasted Potatoes

Stuffed Pork Chops
4 Pork Loin Chops, 1 1/4" thick
1/2 lb pork sausage (or turkey sausage)
1 C. onion, chopped
1 cup cornbread, crumbled and dried
3/4 C. shredded apple
2 t. fresh thyme, minced, or 1/4 t. dried thyme
1/3 C. apple jelly
1/3 C. apple Juice
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Cut a slit in each chop with a sharp knife, the length of the fat side almost to the other side, but not all the way through. Refrigerate chops while preparing stuffing. Cook sausage and onion in large skillet until sausage is brown, drain well. Wipe skillet with paper towel. Return to skillet and and stir in cornbread, apple, and thyme. Spoon 2 T. of apple juice over stuffing mixture and toss to combine. Spoon 2 T. stuffing into each pork chop pocket, use toothpicks to secure stuffing in pockets. Set aside remaining stuffing. Place chops on a rack in a roasting pan. In small saucepan combine jelly and lemon juice. Cook over low heat and stir until jelly melts. Brush chops with glaze and bake, uncovered, in a 375 oven for 20 minutes. Brush chops again with glaze, and add the remaining stuffing around the chops. Return to oven for another 20 minutes.

Roasted Potatoes

1 bag small red potatoes, quartered
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper

Toss above ingredients until well coated.

Bake in single layer on cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 45 min or until potatoes are soft and beginning to brown.


Tuesday: Chili Grande, corn bread

1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 cans chili beans
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 envelope taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in crock pot (no need to brown the meat first). Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Serve over yesterday's leftover corn bread.

Wednesday: Steak Frites with Herb Mustard, Romaine Salad

Thursday (vegetarian, breakfast for dinner): Spanish Tortilla with Bell Pepper, Fresh Fruit

Friday: Baked Chicken Legs, Steamed Sugar Snap Peas, Lemon Wild Rice

Saturday: Pizza night

Sunday: Shrimp Soup, Baked Tortilla Chips

Dinner Diva Delves into '12

Regardless of what will likely happen in subsequent weeks, this week we're starting out with healthy meals, exercise, good attitudes, plenty of sleep, and a strong work ethic applied to household chores and homeschool academics. . . Well, a girl can dream. At least I have a small say over the meals. Handily, this month's Food Network Magazine is dedicated to great food, light. It is here inspiration for the week will be found. Come hungry to the table, my family, and I will cheerfully feed you well.

Monday: Bobby Deen's Baked Spaghetti, Whole Wheat French Bread, Romaine Salad

Tuesday: Lemon Salmon with Lima Beans, baked potatoes

Wednesday: Cajun Stuffed Peppers, Whole Wheat Garlic Toast

(Use the leftover bread from Monday. Slice, spread with nonfat plain yogurt and sprinkle with garlic powder. Broil for just a few minutes until toasty.)

Thursday: Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing, Steamed Brown Rice, Baked Sweet Potatoes

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: pizza

Sunday: Beef and Barley Soup, whole wheat crackers

Short Week

Christmas is over. New Year's Eve is just a few days away. We have food coming out of our ears. Okay not literally. We have had food boxed and stacked in both refrigerators. (In Canada, the day after Christmas--or is it Thanksgiving?--is Boxing Day, where they box the leftovers and leave them out for collection for the needy. I've always thought this was a brilliant use of leftover food, but impossible in the US with all its rules and regulations regarding food safety. Way up nord there it's reliably cold, frozen even, so food stays at a safe temperature even outside.) So, we're working on leftovers. I think after 3 days of lunches and dinners we're pretty well through it all.

So, with the leftovers gone, or at least with their welcome worn clear out, it's time for a fresh meal plan:

Thursday: Tortilla Soup (from a mix), homemade tortillas (which I'm attempting for the very first time)

Friday: French Dip Sandwiches, sautee'd zucchini

Saturday: Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, canned soup, raw veggies

Sunday (happy new year!) Ribs with Sauerkraut, roasted brussels sprouts