Last week was kind of unusual for us around here. Normally I am pretty on top of our meals and have everything worked out for the week, but last week my husband was out of town at a conference so I decided to wing it. How do people function like that?? I was a complete mess of daily trips to the store, incomplete meals and less than nutritious choices. It also doesn't help that I have recently realized that my body is not a big fan of dairy so dinners are a bit more complicated. The kids were wanting cheesy raviolis and paninis on asiago cheese bread. I was surviving on vegan smoothies. Seriously, I felt like I was STARVING. Well, no more because I am back to meal planning!!
This week was a short one. The weekend is filled with Girl Scout recognition banquets so I only had to fill 4 nights. :)
Monday - Carnitas with black beans and brown cilantro lime rice
Tuesday - Spice rubbed Chicken strips with cilantro dipping sauce and veggie dippers
Wednesday - Spicy Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise, potato salad and pinto beans
Thursday - Curried Eggplant, Lentil, and Quinoa Burgers with Onion-Pepper Relish
Friday - Girl Scout banquet
Saturday - Day in Austin for more Girl Scout fun
What is on your menu for the week?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Food Costs are Crazy!
Like everything else, the cost of food is on the rise. Grocery bills are rising, but the cost of eating out is getting crazy. More and more people are wanting to eat on the go, but finding an economical and healthy solution is becoming increasingly difficult.
Last week I asked fans on the Menus, Meals and More Facebook page to tell me how much they normally spend on fast food or fast casual meals.The average cost for a family of 4 to grab some fast food is around $20. If you decide to go to a fast sit down restaurant the price goes up to $30-$40 easily. Many families end up eating out more than once a week. In fact the average American family eats out over 4 times a week!
Lets face it- these meals are convenient, but they are not the healthiest options. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to grab a fully cooked, healthy and homemade meal and just pop it in the microwave while you are getting ready for the rest of the evenings activities? Maybe a meal without all the preservatives injected into most grocery store convenience items?
Menus, Meals and More is now going to offer a convenient quick pickup meal service. 3 meals for the next week will be posted by Wednesday. Meals will need to ordered and paid for by Friday and will be ready for pickup on Monday afternoon. Each week I will feature one beef, chicken and pork entree with an option of adding an additional vegetarian entree. All meals will serve 4 adults with the option of being split into meals for 2 or additional servings being added. This is a great and economical way to get healthy home cooked meals on your family's table without all the fuss.
Here are the first weeks selections. Let me know by Friday is you are ordering. Feel free to ask any questions!
Last week I asked fans on the Menus, Meals and More Facebook page to tell me how much they normally spend on fast food or fast casual meals.The average cost for a family of 4 to grab some fast food is around $20. If you decide to go to a fast sit down restaurant the price goes up to $30-$40 easily. Many families end up eating out more than once a week. In fact the average American family eats out over 4 times a week!
Lets face it- these meals are convenient, but they are not the healthiest options. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to grab a fully cooked, healthy and homemade meal and just pop it in the microwave while you are getting ready for the rest of the evenings activities? Maybe a meal without all the preservatives injected into most grocery store convenience items?
Menus, Meals and More is now going to offer a convenient quick pickup meal service. 3 meals for the next week will be posted by Wednesday. Meals will need to ordered and paid for by Friday and will be ready for pickup on Monday afternoon. Each week I will feature one beef, chicken and pork entree with an option of adding an additional vegetarian entree. All meals will serve 4 adults with the option of being split into meals for 2 or additional servings being added. This is a great and economical way to get healthy home cooked meals on your family's table without all the fuss.
Here are the first weeks selections. Let me know by Friday is you are ordering. Feel free to ask any questions!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Let's talk about the Future
Today I am going to deviate from my normal recipe and food reviews to talk about something outside of my kitchen that I feel passionate about; encouraging young woman to become strong and powerful leaders. Today the Girl Scouts of the USA launched To Get Her There- the biggest cause dedicated to girls leadership in history that encourages girls to grow and succeed to become leaders of the future. Girl Scouts of the USA has a lot of experience in encouraging girls and is the perfect organization to head this worthy cause.
At any given point in time, approximately 10 percent of girls are Girl Scouts, and
• 80 percent of women business owners were Girl Scouts.
• 69 percent of female U.S Senators were Girl Scouts.
• 67 percent of female members of the House of Representatives were Girl Scouts.
• Virtually every female astronaut who has flown in space was a Girl Scout.
From http://www.gscnc.org/files/pdf/pubs/volunteeressentials.pdf
I have always felt very strongly about encouraging my girls and letting them know that there is nothing that they can't do. But, as my oldest has gotten further into school I am learning that ME telling her that is not enough. It is a help, but it isn't enough. They need to see strong women and know that they aren't alone. This quote from the To Get Her There website really hit home for me.
"Studies also reveal that girls idealize leadership qualities and skills, like being talented, caring, honest, hard-working, confident, good listeners, and team players. But only 21% of girls believe they have the qualities required to be a good leader. In other words, she knows what it takes to lead, but doesn't have the confidence to do so."
This statement breaks my heart. NO girl should feel that she isn't good enough. NO girl should feel like she can't achieve whatever she puts her mind to. The facts that are presented on the To Get Her There website were shocking and disturbing to me. Just a few of these include:
Only 1 in 5 girls believe that she has what it takes to lead - Yet corporations whose boards are at least 1/4 women outperform those with the smallest female board participation.
Nearly 40% of girls report that they have been put down by peers when they try to lead, yet girls fear being laughed at, making people mad at them, coming across as bossy when trying to lead.
Women account for less than 20% of the bachelors degrees in engineering, computer science and physics, yet when today's girls graduate from college, the U.S. will need three million more scientists and engineers.
These facts were staggering and extremely upsetting to read. HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS???
Moms- be a role model for your daughters. Encourage them to follow their interests and not let others sway them. Show them ANYONE male or female that has been successful in that field and help them learn ways to overcome the obstacles to get what they want.
Dads- encourage your girls and show them that you feel that they can do anything they set their minds too. They need to know that you believe in them.
Give them chances to succeed- encourage them to join sports teams, take classes related to their interests or even just help to complete tasks at home. Having my children do even small tasks, like cook dinner has helped them to learn skills and feel proud of themselves.
Even if you don't have children VOLUNTEER your time. Schools are always looking for presenters to come in an speak about their careers and interests.
Show your support of young women by taking the To Get Her There pledge and speaking up about these issues.
And lastly, if you have a little girl get her involved in a group like Girl Scouts or another group that encourages and supports leadership skills in young women. There is no reason that our girls should feel like they are anything less than the amazing and wonderful people that they are.
At any given point in time, approximately 10 percent of girls are Girl Scouts, and
• 80 percent of women business owners were Girl Scouts.
• 69 percent of female U.S Senators were Girl Scouts.
• 67 percent of female members of the House of Representatives were Girl Scouts.
• Virtually every female astronaut who has flown in space was a Girl Scout.
From http://www.gscnc.org/files/pdf/pubs/volunteeressentials.pdf
I have always felt very strongly about encouraging my girls and letting them know that there is nothing that they can't do. But, as my oldest has gotten further into school I am learning that ME telling her that is not enough. It is a help, but it isn't enough. They need to see strong women and know that they aren't alone. This quote from the To Get Her There website really hit home for me.
"Studies also reveal that girls idealize leadership qualities and skills, like being talented, caring, honest, hard-working, confident, good listeners, and team players. But only 21% of girls believe they have the qualities required to be a good leader. In other words, she knows what it takes to lead, but doesn't have the confidence to do so."
This statement breaks my heart. NO girl should feel that she isn't good enough. NO girl should feel like she can't achieve whatever she puts her mind to. The facts that are presented on the To Get Her There website were shocking and disturbing to me. Just a few of these include:
Only 1 in 5 girls believe that she has what it takes to lead - Yet corporations whose boards are at least 1/4 women outperform those with the smallest female board participation.
Nearly 40% of girls report that they have been put down by peers when they try to lead, yet girls fear being laughed at, making people mad at them, coming across as bossy when trying to lead.
Women account for less than 20% of the bachelors degrees in engineering, computer science and physics, yet when today's girls graduate from college, the U.S. will need three million more scientists and engineers.
These facts were staggering and extremely upsetting to read. HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS???
Moms- be a role model for your daughters. Encourage them to follow their interests and not let others sway them. Show them ANYONE male or female that has been successful in that field and help them learn ways to overcome the obstacles to get what they want.
Dads- encourage your girls and show them that you feel that they can do anything they set their minds too. They need to know that you believe in them.
Give them chances to succeed- encourage them to join sports teams, take classes related to their interests or even just help to complete tasks at home. Having my children do even small tasks, like cook dinner has helped them to learn skills and feel proud of themselves.
Even if you don't have children VOLUNTEER your time. Schools are always looking for presenters to come in an speak about their careers and interests.
Show your support of young women by taking the To Get Her There pledge and speaking up about these issues.
And lastly, if you have a little girl get her involved in a group like Girl Scouts or another group that encourages and supports leadership skills in young women. There is no reason that our girls should feel like they are anything less than the amazing and wonderful people that they are.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Trials and Misfires
I have a confession. It's a secret that I have kept hidden for as long as I can, but I can't hide it anymore. So here it goes...... I am not perfect.
If you know me you are laughing your head off right about now because you know how totally true this is. My house is a mess, I rarely take care of my appearance, I occasionally swear in front of my children and have been known to yell. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my list of flaws and I am ok with it. Yes I can be judgemental, but if you say you're not then you are lying. I screw up sometimes and burn an entire cookie sheet full of roasted chickpeas or forget what you told me five minutes ago, but I can deal with that.
The one place however that I should NOT be screwing up on is what to feed my kids to keep them from getting sick. The last few weeks have been a horrible mix of birthday parties and bad decisions on my part. I had been doing pretty well on keeping an eye on Ashley's carbs and sugars and while her blood sugar was still slightly elevated in the mornings it wasn't something to panic about yet. Her morning fasting levels were maintaining in the 110-115 range and she was feeling pretty good.
And then, it was my husbands birthday. The day before his birthday and the official celebration with his family we decided to go run some errands and get ready for the celebration. While we were out we had planned to go to Chick Fil A for lunch, but when we got there the parking lot was packed and we couldn't even get into the area to see how busy it was. So, on the spur of the moment we decided to go to our favorite sushi place instead. Sushi= yummy and healthy right? I mean, it's fish. Fish is good right? Well, yes fish is good, but the mountain of white rice it is served on is not such a great thing for Ashley.
We left the restaurant and ran errands for another couple hours. Ashley was starting to act weird and hyper. This is really not that unusual for her because she is 11 and 11 year-olds tend to be weird and hyper anyway, but this was different. I told her to go running with the dog as soon as we got home because this normally helps her calm down and burn off excess energy from being in the car and running errands. We had a Girl Scout lock-in that night and I knew she was excited, so I though that was part of the problem too. When she got back from running she was pale and sweaty, but hey running with an 80 pound lab will do that to you. An hour later though she was still pale and sweaty so I decided to test her blood sugar. It had been 4 hours after eating lunch and she was at 160. I can't even imagine what her 2 hour numbers were like. The rest of the day was a mixture of trying to give her protein so she wouldn't crash and spike all evening. The lock-in was fun, but she obviously wasn't feeling herself and was much more emotional than she is normally. Lesson learned- white rice=BAD bad bad.
Since then Ashley has had a couple similar incidents with a Sprite and a cupcake, but at least I can now look at her and tell that things aren't right. She gets pale,slightly green and sweaty. Honestly, I am at a loss on what to do for her. Her fasting blood sugar is elevated, but not enough to qualify as full blown diabetes. Her post-prandial numbers are high, but not high enough to fall into the diabetic range. She runs almost everyday and if she doesn't run it is because she has been walking the streets for hours trying to sell Girl Scout cookies (of which she has only had one this year). Some days I think she is ok so I let her eat a cupcake at a birthday party and she gets sick and feels miserable. Other days she is fine.
I know that we will have many days of trials and misfires until we figure out what foods make her sick. There are going to be mistakes and constant worry. Is this "just" prediabetes in an active, thin child or is this the beginning of Type 1? Either way it is scary and uncertain. This is the area where I really need to stop screwing up because I can't keep watching my big girl get sick.
If you know me you are laughing your head off right about now because you know how totally true this is. My house is a mess, I rarely take care of my appearance, I occasionally swear in front of my children and have been known to yell. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my list of flaws and I am ok with it. Yes I can be judgemental, but if you say you're not then you are lying. I screw up sometimes and burn an entire cookie sheet full of roasted chickpeas or forget what you told me five minutes ago, but I can deal with that.
The one place however that I should NOT be screwing up on is what to feed my kids to keep them from getting sick. The last few weeks have been a horrible mix of birthday parties and bad decisions on my part. I had been doing pretty well on keeping an eye on Ashley's carbs and sugars and while her blood sugar was still slightly elevated in the mornings it wasn't something to panic about yet. Her morning fasting levels were maintaining in the 110-115 range and she was feeling pretty good.
And then, it was my husbands birthday. The day before his birthday and the official celebration with his family we decided to go run some errands and get ready for the celebration. While we were out we had planned to go to Chick Fil A for lunch, but when we got there the parking lot was packed and we couldn't even get into the area to see how busy it was. So, on the spur of the moment we decided to go to our favorite sushi place instead. Sushi= yummy and healthy right? I mean, it's fish. Fish is good right? Well, yes fish is good, but the mountain of white rice it is served on is not such a great thing for Ashley.
We left the restaurant and ran errands for another couple hours. Ashley was starting to act weird and hyper. This is really not that unusual for her because she is 11 and 11 year-olds tend to be weird and hyper anyway, but this was different. I told her to go running with the dog as soon as we got home because this normally helps her calm down and burn off excess energy from being in the car and running errands. We had a Girl Scout lock-in that night and I knew she was excited, so I though that was part of the problem too. When she got back from running she was pale and sweaty, but hey running with an 80 pound lab will do that to you. An hour later though she was still pale and sweaty so I decided to test her blood sugar. It had been 4 hours after eating lunch and she was at 160. I can't even imagine what her 2 hour numbers were like. The rest of the day was a mixture of trying to give her protein so she wouldn't crash and spike all evening. The lock-in was fun, but she obviously wasn't feeling herself and was much more emotional than she is normally. Lesson learned- white rice=BAD bad bad.
Since then Ashley has had a couple similar incidents with a Sprite and a cupcake, but at least I can now look at her and tell that things aren't right. She gets pale,slightly green and sweaty. Honestly, I am at a loss on what to do for her. Her fasting blood sugar is elevated, but not enough to qualify as full blown diabetes. Her post-prandial numbers are high, but not high enough to fall into the diabetic range. She runs almost everyday and if she doesn't run it is because she has been walking the streets for hours trying to sell Girl Scout cookies (of which she has only had one this year). Some days I think she is ok so I let her eat a cupcake at a birthday party and she gets sick and feels miserable. Other days she is fine.
I know that we will have many days of trials and misfires until we figure out what foods make her sick. There are going to be mistakes and constant worry. Is this "just" prediabetes in an active, thin child or is this the beginning of Type 1? Either way it is scary and uncertain. This is the area where I really need to stop screwing up because I can't keep watching my big girl get sick.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Lemonade Pistachio Seafood Tartlet Delight
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 box Lemonades
2 tsps Unsalted Butter
Pinch Salt
1 Egg, Slightly Beaten
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
Filling:
1 4 oz can, Shrimp
1 6 oz can, Crab
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup Sweet Onion
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Topping:
Ground Pistachio Nuts
Ground Lemonades
Preparation:
Cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add flour, soft butter, salt, and one egg to the food processor to combine together. Press one-inch balls into tartlet pan and bake at 275 F degrees for 10 minutes.
Filling:
Place all ingredients together and set aside.
Assembly:
Place filling into crusts. Crumble pistachio nuts and
Lemonades Cookies together in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of filled crusts.
Monday, January 16, 2012
2 more days! Thin Mint Brownies
I have to admit that I love Thins mints. Usually, I will eat a tube of them right out of a box that I have stashed in the freezer. Frozen Thin Mints are a great treat to have in the unreasonable heat of Texas summers. Right now those days seem a long way off so a nice pan of warm Thin Mint Brownies will definitely hit the spot!
From GSCCC.ORG
• 1/2 box of crushed Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies
• 1 box of brownie mix
• 2 eggs (3 eggs for cake-like brownies)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
Directions:
Crush Thin Mints into medium size chunks. Mix all
ingredients into mixing bowl. Do not use electric mixer — batter will be stiff. Spread batter evenly in greased baking pan (13 × 9 × 2 inch). Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting. Serve with mint-flavored tea.
Recipe courtesy of GSCCC.org.
Read more: http://www.momlogic.com/2010/03/girl_scout_cookies_go_gourmet.php#thin_mint_brownies#ixzz1jYUddWmk
From GSCCC.ORG
Ingredients (yields 6 servings):
• 1/2 box of crushed Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies
• 1 box of brownie mix
• 2 eggs (3 eggs for cake-like brownies)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
Directions:
Crush Thin Mints into medium size chunks. Mix all
ingredients into mixing bowl. Do not use electric mixer — batter will be stiff. Spread batter evenly in greased baking pan (13 × 9 × 2 inch). Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting. Serve with mint-flavored tea.
Recipe courtesy of GSCCC.org.
Read more: http://www.momlogic.com/2010/03/girl_scout_cookies_go_gourmet.php#thin_mint_brownies#ixzz1jYUddWmk
Sunday, January 15, 2012
3 More days until Cookie Time!!!
This yummy recipes uses the best selling of the Girls Scout cookies. Sounds Yummy!!
Chocolate-Coconut Brownies
Chocolate-Coconut Brownies
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 chocolate 2-layer cake mix
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1-1/4 cups caramel sauce
- One 7-ounce box Samoas® - Caramel deLites™ Girl Scout Cookies, crushed, divided
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9 x 13 pan. Completely combine cake mix, butter and evaporated milk. Pour half of the mixture in the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Sprinkle milk chocolate chips over warm cake. Drizzle 3/4 cup caramel over chips. Next add 1/2 cookie crumbs. Top with the rest of the cake batter. Bake for 10 more minutes. Drizzle cake with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the cookie crumbs on top.*Samoas® - Caramel deLites™ Girl Scout Cookies are vanilla cookies covered with caramel on top and bottom then rolled in coconut and striped with chocolate.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Red Headed Children
Ok this post isn't so much about MY red headed children as it is about Shout Outs! the red headed stepchildren on the Girls Scout cookie world. These are a fairly new cookie in our region and definitely the least popular. The Belgian syle carmelized cookie has a slightly spicy taste that makes it a change from the super sweet and chocolately flavors of the more popular cookies. One good thing about them - they are one of the least calorie filled cookies that the Girl Scouts are selling this year. 4 cookies are only 130 calories, so you can enjoy a few without too much guilt or waistband squeezing.
This recipe from ABC Bakers sounds really interesting and may be one we try out with sugar free ice cream. I am betting we can keep it within carb limits for the day!
This recipe from ABC Bakers sounds really interesting and may be one we try out with sugar free ice cream. I am betting we can keep it within carb limits for the day!
CARAMELIZED PEAR AND NUTTY-COOKIE CRUNCH SUNDAE |
| Ingredients: |
| 8 Shout Outs! Girl Scout Cookies 1/3 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 2 ripe, but slightly firm pears, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces Vanilla ice cream Garnish: 4 Shout Outs! Girl Scout Cookies |
| Instructions: |
| Place 8 Shout Outs! cookies in a large self-sealing plastic bag and close. Place bag on cutting board and use rolling pin to crush cookies into coarse crumbs. In a small bowl combine cookie crumbs with pecans; set aside. To make caramelized pears, melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium to medium-low heat. When butter foams, sprinkle the brown sugar over top. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add pear pieces and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook approximately 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce is caramelized and the pears start to break down. To make sundaes place half of nutty-cookie crunch in bottom of each serving dish. Scoop ice cream over the nutty-cookie crunch. Top with warm pear sauce and sprinkle with remaining nutty-cookie crunch. To serve, place one Shout Out! on top of each sundae. |
| Makes:4 servings |
| Submitted By: ABC Bakers |
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Look out- here they come
Just when you thought it was safe to make that New Year's Resolution to lose weight - IT's GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME!!!!Ok actually it hasn't started yet. There is another week and a half before the Girl Scout army is out in droves, knocking on doors and tempting you with Thin Mints and sweet faces. I am not actually sure how we are going to handle it this year with the blood sugar troubles in our house. Maybe I will come out of February without my seasonal 5 pounds of cookie weight? You never know. In preparation I will feature a cookie recipe every day or so, just to get you warmed up and ready to say "yes" to that happy face when it comes knocking. Enjoy! Chocolate Thin Mint Pizza Supreme |
| Ingredients: |
| 1 pkg. (18 oz.) refrigerated chocolate chunk cookie dough 1/2 pkg. (19 cookies) Girl Scout Thin Mints 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels Vanilla ice cream, optional |
| Instructions: |
| Press cookie dough evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. (Dough will barely cover the pan.) Break Thin Mints into halves or thirds; press cookie pieces into dough, covering evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Place white chocolate morsels into a small self-closing bag. Microwave the bag of morsels on MEDIUM HIGH (70% power) for 40 to 50 seconds or until melted. Snip one corner (about 1/8 inch) off the bottom of the bag. Hold bag tightly at top and drizzle white chocolate stripes over top of pizza. When cool, cut pizza into 8 or 10 wedges. If desired, top each serving with a scoop of ice cream. |
| Makes:8 to 10 servings |
| Submitted By: ABC Bakers |
Monday, January 2, 2012
A Delicious Chocolatey Treat
While I am still researching cocoa butter and ways to make it taste less like bug spray in peanut butter cups, I decided to make what is quickly becoming a favorite snack around here - The Raw Chocolate Milkshake Miracle . There have been several variations and honestly, since we aren't too picky about the raw or vegan things it has really opened the possibilities. I am going to go ahead and feature my daughter's favorite. It is becoming so popular that even her brother and sister and somewhat finicky grandmother have grown to like this "milkshake"
The original recipe:
Raw Chocolate Milkshake Miracle
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup hemp seeds (or use soaked almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds etc.)
• 2 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 1 Avocado
• 1 very large frozen banana (or 2 small)
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey, agave, or maple syrup
• dash sea salt
• ¾ - 1 cup water
• 4 ice cubes
Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients together; add water to thin if desired.
Ashley's Favorite Version - with PB2
Ingredients:
2 tbsp chocolate PB2
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 avocado
1 large frozen banana
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate covered cacoa nibs
Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients together; add milk if desired.
We have varied this up with frozen strawberries and blueberries added in. Honestly, possibilites are plentiful and the taste is delicious. Hopefully she won't get bored of this one soon!
The original recipe:
Raw Chocolate Milkshake Miracle
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup hemp seeds (or use soaked almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds etc.)
• 2 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 1 Avocado
• 1 very large frozen banana (or 2 small)
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey, agave, or maple syrup
• dash sea salt
• ¾ - 1 cup water
• 4 ice cubes
Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients together; add water to thin if desired.
Ashley's Favorite Version - with PB2
Ingredients:
2 tbsp chocolate PB2
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 avocado
1 large frozen banana
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate covered cacoa nibs
Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients together; add milk if desired.
We have varied this up with frozen strawberries and blueberries added in. Honestly, possibilites are plentiful and the taste is delicious. Hopefully she won't get bored of this one soon!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Meal Plans for the New Year
Well, it is time to start the year off right. Last year I managed to keep the meal plans up until August. Here is hoping that I can keep it going for the entire year this time!
Many people I know have a hard time making meals plans and fall into a rut with just recycling the same weekly menu over and over again. One way I have found to combat this is to make a monthly plan. That may seem like a daunting task, but really it is very easy. Assign each weekday a protein or theme and then just come up with 4 recipes of that type. For my family we do the following pattern:
Monday - Chicken
Tuesday - Pork
Wednesday- Beef
Thursday - Seafood/ vegetarian or another light meat
Friday - Soup
Saturday - Kid fun and friendly
Sunday - Pizza or other fun meal
So this is my plan for the month. Many are recipes from other blogs that have found from pinterest. I will link to the recipes when I can. Honestly, I am super excited to try out a lot of new healthy meals and hopefully they will help keep all the blood sugar problems under control. I will keep you posted. ;P
Many people I know have a hard time making meals plans and fall into a rut with just recycling the same weekly menu over and over again. One way I have found to combat this is to make a monthly plan. That may seem like a daunting task, but really it is very easy. Assign each weekday a protein or theme and then just come up with 4 recipes of that type. For my family we do the following pattern:
Monday - Chicken
Tuesday - Pork
Wednesday- Beef
Thursday - Seafood/ vegetarian or another light meat
Friday - Soup
Saturday - Kid fun and friendly
Sunday - Pizza or other fun meal
So this is my plan for the month. Many are recipes from other blogs that have found from pinterest. I will link to the recipes when I can. Honestly, I am super excited to try out a lot of new healthy meals and hopefully they will help keep all the blood sugar problems under control. I will keep you posted. ;P
1 Sunday | black eye peas, bacon sprouts, noodles and ham |
2 Monday | |
3 Tuesday | |
4 Wednesday | Beef and Pineapple kabobs over couscous |
5 Thursday | |
6 Friday | |
7 Saturday | Turkish meatballs with Cucumber Salad and Flatbreads |
8 Sunday | Pizza |
9 Monday | |
10 Tuesday | |
11 Wednesday | |
12 Thursday | |
13 Friday | escarole and rice soup |
14 Saturday | |
15 Sunday | Fuddruckers |
16 Monday | |
17 Tuesday | garlic lime pork chops |
18 Wednesday | |
19 Thursday | Raspberry chipotle glazed tilapia |
20 Friday | |
21 Saturday | Grilled balsamic and garlic flank steak with gorgonzola mushrooms and polenta |
22 Sunday | Pizza |
23 Monday | General Tsaos with brown rice and green beans |
24 Tuesday | |
25 Wednesday | beef fajitas |
26 Thursday | |
27 Friday | French onion soup |
28 Saturday | Sauteed chicken with celery root puree and chestnuts |
29 Sunday | Shrimp and grits |
30 Monday | Healthy chicken taquitos |
31 Tuesday |
Friday, December 30, 2011
So yeah, here I am again
Yes, I know I have been gone from the blogging world for forever. I am sure that the 2 of you that read this blog have been waiting anxiously for my next update. Hold your breath no more, I am back - sort of.
Life hit a feverish pace this fall when Menus, Meals and More started offering casserole batch parties. Participants pick the casseroles and I do all the work. They go home with a bunch of meals and I get a bit of cash. It's a total win-win except for the strain on my time. Ok well mostly. Another draw back is the fact that while making all the tasty meals for other people I end up with leftovers and tidbits of ingredients that I have just been throwing together to feed my own brood. My meal planning kind of went out the window and we were just grabbing whatever I could piece together from the leftovers of MM&M stuff. None of our thrown together meals were worth writing about or even busting out my camera for a cruddy picture.I know how you all have missed those!
Anyway, all of that has come to a screeching halt. While I am still planning on doing monthly casseroles, the pieced together meals and lack of planning are over. Last month we found out that my oldest daughter and cooking assistant, Ashley, has blood sugar levels in the prediabetes range. The standard advice for people with prediabetes is to lose 5- 10% of your body weight and exercise more. These are not options for my thin and athletic 11 year old, so we are having to really watch her diet and hope that we can hold off the onset of full blown diabetes for as long as possible. Meal plans are back and I am having to get really creative on how to keep meals and treats interesting so that no one feels like they are missing out on anything.
The holidays really were a difficult time to reign in the sweets consumption. Ashley loves R eese's Peanut Butter Cups, so I decided to try this recipe from Diabetes Health. Since I can't seem to leave a recipe to the way it is written I had to play with it quite a bit.
The first ingredient is cocoa butter. Yes, the stuff you see in lotions. In fact I had to buy food grade cocoa butter in the health and beauty section of my local store because they don't even stock it with the food. After 20 minutes of searching and label reading I finally found the right stuff. It felt weird buying lotion for dessert, but whatever I was being adventureous and this is what I came up with.
I weighed out the cocoa butter like a good girl and followed the direction exactly on melting it.
I even put the powdered milk in the food processor to make sure that it wasn't too grainy. This things were gonna be GOOD!
After hearing from several people that Stevia is the sweetener of choice for diabetics, I decided to sub the Splenda that the recipe called for with Stevia. Boy that was a HUGE mistake. A very knowledgeable friend informed me that Stevia is much sweeter and that we needed to drop the amount down. My husband convinced me to do a blind taste test in the old Pepsi Challenge style and do a batch with Splenda and one with Stevia. I added one more batch with agave nectar just to see how it would do. Well, it turns out that ALL 3 batches had a really weird aftertaste and a super greasy texture. That stupid cocoa butter made it all FUNKY and not in a George Clinton and P-funk all stars kind of way. This stuff was bad. So, yeah I am still looking for new ways to make these things taste good. Wish me luck! I will find a way to make my daughters favorite treat in a way that won't make her sick.
Look at her- how could I say no?
Next time- more on the quest for the perfect chocolate treat.
Life hit a feverish pace this fall when Menus, Meals and More started offering casserole batch parties. Participants pick the casseroles and I do all the work. They go home with a bunch of meals and I get a bit of cash. It's a total win-win except for the strain on my time. Ok well mostly. Another draw back is the fact that while making all the tasty meals for other people I end up with leftovers and tidbits of ingredients that I have just been throwing together to feed my own brood. My meal planning kind of went out the window and we were just grabbing whatever I could piece together from the leftovers of MM&M stuff. None of our thrown together meals were worth writing about or even busting out my camera for a cruddy picture.I know how you all have missed those!
Anyway, all of that has come to a screeching halt. While I am still planning on doing monthly casseroles, the pieced together meals and lack of planning are over. Last month we found out that my oldest daughter and cooking assistant, Ashley, has blood sugar levels in the prediabetes range. The standard advice for people with prediabetes is to lose 5- 10% of your body weight and exercise more. These are not options for my thin and athletic 11 year old, so we are having to really watch her diet and hope that we can hold off the onset of full blown diabetes for as long as possible. Meal plans are back and I am having to get really creative on how to keep meals and treats interesting so that no one feels like they are missing out on anything.
The holidays really were a difficult time to reign in the sweets consumption. Ashley loves R eese's Peanut Butter Cups, so I decided to try this recipe from Diabetes Health. Since I can't seem to leave a recipe to the way it is written I had to play with it quite a bit.
The first ingredient is cocoa butter. Yes, the stuff you see in lotions. In fact I had to buy food grade cocoa butter in the health and beauty section of my local store because they don't even stock it with the food. After 20 minutes of searching and label reading I finally found the right stuff. It felt weird buying lotion for dessert, but whatever I was being adventureous and this is what I came up with.
I weighed out the cocoa butter like a good girl and followed the direction exactly on melting it.
I even put the powdered milk in the food processor to make sure that it wasn't too grainy. This things were gonna be GOOD!
After hearing from several people that Stevia is the sweetener of choice for diabetics, I decided to sub the Splenda that the recipe called for with Stevia. Boy that was a HUGE mistake. A very knowledgeable friend informed me that Stevia is much sweeter and that we needed to drop the amount down. My husband convinced me to do a blind taste test in the old Pepsi Challenge style and do a batch with Splenda and one with Stevia. I added one more batch with agave nectar just to see how it would do. Well, it turns out that ALL 3 batches had a really weird aftertaste and a super greasy texture. That stupid cocoa butter made it all FUNKY and not in a George Clinton and P-funk all stars kind of way. This stuff was bad. So, yeah I am still looking for new ways to make these things taste good. Wish me luck! I will find a way to make my daughters favorite treat in a way that won't make her sick.
Look at her- how could I say no?
Next time- more on the quest for the perfect chocolate treat.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Photo Card
Fun Merry Wishes Christmas
Add one photo or multiple to your Christmas cards this season.
View the entire collection of cards.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Meal Plans - Week of August 15th
This week is going to be busy busy busy. We still have quite a bit to do before school starts next week and I have scheduled a full plate of meals to make this week. I am looking forward to being busy, but WOW!
We decided to hit the outlet malls this weekend for school clothes and came across my favorite place- The Calphalon Outlet. LOVE IT!!! We decided there were a few things that we still needed and picked up a great deal on a grill pan with a press. I wasn't sure what I would use it for, but today I managed to make 6 meals with it!! I started by making paninis and then went ahead and stocked us with meals for the week. YAY!~ Now I can concentrate on cooking for everyone else.
Monday - Jerk Seasoned catfish with spicy slaw and cilantro rice - kids will have stuffed fish balls (this still makes me giggle)
Tuesday - Orange Chipotle Pork Tenderloins with black bean and corn salad
Wednesday - Fiery beef and noodle salad
Thursday - Pan grilled pork chops with Grilled pineapple salsa and Thai basil polenta
Friday - Israeli Moroccan Couscous
Saturday - Spice rubbed chicken fingers with cilantro dipping sauce and quinoa salad
Sunday - Day before school PIZZA!!!!
Have a great week everyone!!!
We decided to hit the outlet malls this weekend for school clothes and came across my favorite place- The Calphalon Outlet. LOVE IT!!! We decided there were a few things that we still needed and picked up a great deal on a grill pan with a press. I wasn't sure what I would use it for, but today I managed to make 6 meals with it!! I started by making paninis and then went ahead and stocked us with meals for the week. YAY!~ Now I can concentrate on cooking for everyone else.
Monday - Jerk Seasoned catfish with spicy slaw and cilantro rice - kids will have stuffed fish balls (this still makes me giggle)
Tuesday - Orange Chipotle Pork Tenderloins with black bean and corn salad
Wednesday - Fiery beef and noodle salad
Thursday - Pan grilled pork chops with Grilled pineapple salsa and Thai basil polenta
Friday - Israeli Moroccan Couscous
Saturday - Spice rubbed chicken fingers with cilantro dipping sauce and quinoa salad
Sunday - Day before school PIZZA!!!!
Have a great week everyone!!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Armenian Style meatloaf
If you're like me, you are probably not really family with Armenia and the flavors that are typical in the cuisine there. Armenia is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and has influences from Georgia, Turkey and Syria. Burghul is the prefered grain and fruits and nuts are used extensively in dishes.
The recipe for this meatloaf highlights the typical elements of Armenian cuisine. The meat is mixed with fresh shredded vegetable and burghul (bulgur).
Then it was shaped into a loaf shape and baked.
The top was brushed with a glaze of apricot preserves and baked a bit more.
Yummy!!
The recipe for this meatloaf highlights the typical elements of Armenian cuisine. The meat is mixed with fresh shredded vegetable and burghul (bulgur).
Then it was shaped into a loaf shape and baked.
The top was brushed with a glaze of apricot preserves and baked a bit more.
Yummy!!
Armenian Meat Loaf
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked fine (#1) bulgur
Warm water
1 ½ lbs. ground beef, lamb or a combination of the two
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. freshly ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
*****************
3 Tbsp. pomegranate jelly, melted (apricot jelly or preserves can be substituted – or - omitted completely)
Directions:
1. Place the bulgur in a medium-sized bowl. Pour enough warm water to cover the bulgur. Cover with bowl with plastic wrap and let rest until water is absorbed. Once bulgur is soften, strain excess water, if any.
2. Combine ground meat, shredded zucchini, softened bulgur, onions, parsley, garlic, egg and seasonings. Mix well. Shape into a loaf.
3. Place loaf in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55 minutes.
4. Brush top of meat loaf with jelly/jam, if using. Return to oven and bake another 3 to 5 minutes. Allow meatloaf to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
5. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked fine (#1) bulgur
Warm water
1 ½ lbs. ground beef, lamb or a combination of the two
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. freshly ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
*****************
3 Tbsp. pomegranate jelly, melted (apricot jelly or preserves can be substituted – or - omitted completely)
Directions:
1. Place the bulgur in a medium-sized bowl. Pour enough warm water to cover the bulgur. Cover with bowl with plastic wrap and let rest until water is absorbed. Once bulgur is soften, strain excess water, if any.
2. Combine ground meat, shredded zucchini, softened bulgur, onions, parsley, garlic, egg and seasonings. Mix well. Shape into a loaf.
3. Place loaf in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55 minutes.
4. Brush top of meat loaf with jelly/jam, if using. Return to oven and bake another 3 to 5 minutes. Allow meatloaf to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
5. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Meal Plans - August 7th
Hooray!! We are starting the countdown- 14 days until school starts!!!!!
This week we are actually starting with some PTO meetings and schedule pickups. I am also going to try my hand at making some raw tacos. The "meat" is ground walnut. I am not sure my husband is going to go for it, but it's worth a shot. I will keep you updated
This week we are actually starting with some PTO meetings and schedule pickups. I am also going to try my hand at making some raw tacos. The "meat" is ground walnut. I am not sure my husband is going to go for it, but it's worth a shot. I will keep you updated
| Monday -Raw taco burgers |
| Tuesday Greek stuffed Chicken with cauliflower |
| Wednesday - Feta burgers and sweet potato fries |
| Thursday -Taco Pasta Bake and Broccoli |
| Friday - Crillo de pollo |
Monday, August 1, 2011
First week of August Meal Plan
This week I am going to be making a few new recipes and pulling a few old favorites out of the freezer. The first virtual casserole party is this week, so I am going to be super busy trying to get that all finished. It is coming along wonderfully though and I think everyone is going to be really pleased with their meals.
So here is the plan:
Monday- a delicious and nutritious Armenian Meatloaf with a root vegetable mash and steamed carrots-
Tuesday - Triple Delight over rice with potstickers
Wednesday - Pool picnic - sandwiches, pretzels and fruit
Thursday - Diablo pork with quinoa and green beans
Friday - Gumbo
What are you having this week? Anything new?
So here is the plan:
Monday- a delicious and nutritious Armenian Meatloaf with a root vegetable mash and steamed carrots-
Tuesday - Triple Delight over rice with potstickers
Wednesday - Pool picnic - sandwiches, pretzels and fruit
Thursday - Diablo pork with quinoa and green beans
Friday - Gumbo
What are you having this week? Anything new?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
New Virtual Casserole Party - August 5th pickup
This is another great twist on the original batch party. It works the same as the original party in that you spread the cost of bulk shopping over several people, get a freezer full of tasty dinners and enjoy the savings, but with the virtual party you don't even have to prepare your own meals! I do it for you!
The new casserole party features family favorite that are not available for the typical batch party. Check out the great selections available for pickup on August 5th. Just pick one meal you want to be sure to receive and tell your friends to pick one as well. Selections are due on July 26th and buy-in on the 29th. Please feel free to message me any questions!
UPDATE: That filled up really quickly. Keep checking back for future opportunities to participate!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Starting the Back to School Stock Up
We have reached the halfway point of summer and it is hot! Alan and Rowan are taking 8am swim lessons so that we can be away from the pool before the real heat kicks in, but it sure does make for a bunch of early mornings. I guess we will be in practice for when school starts in 6 weeks (woo hoo). I have to say that I am getting really excited about the back to school season. In all honesty, it has been nice having the kids all home and I have enjoyed going to the movies and library and having fun with them, but I love the excitement of back to school. The smell of school supplies is in the air, PTO board meetings are being scheduled and flyers are being prepped about Meet the Teacher nights and class schedule pickups. I can't wait.
This weekend we decided to make a bunch of quick grab and go breakfast items so that we are ready for the early morning run out the door to swimming. We also decided to make double batches of everything to stick in the deep freeze so that we will have a stockpile for when school starts up. We started off with a big batch of breakfast cookies and then decided to make some Mickey Mouse shaped Breakfast Bausage Muffins. My girls love these and had a great time making them. Alan is not a fan because of his strange dislike for cheese (crazy boy), but enjoyed helping out anyway. The kids aren't big on the green chilis that the recipe calls for so we left those out.
Ashley browning the sausage.
Don't they look yummy?
Sausage Breakfast Muffins
1 lb cooked pork sausage
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 c. water
3 c. bisquick or other baking mix
1 can green chilis
Cook sausage, crumble into small pieces. In large bowl combine soup, water, and cheese. Stir in bisquick and green chilis; add sausage. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes.
This weekend we decided to make a bunch of quick grab and go breakfast items so that we are ready for the early morning run out the door to swimming. We also decided to make double batches of everything to stick in the deep freeze so that we will have a stockpile for when school starts up. We started off with a big batch of breakfast cookies and then decided to make some Mickey Mouse shaped Breakfast Bausage Muffins. My girls love these and had a great time making them. Alan is not a fan because of his strange dislike for cheese (crazy boy), but enjoyed helping out anyway. The kids aren't big on the green chilis that the recipe calls for so we left those out.
Ashley browning the sausage.
Don't they look yummy?
Sausage Breakfast Muffins
1 lb cooked pork sausage
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 c. water
3 c. bisquick or other baking mix
1 can green chilis
Cook sausage, crumble into small pieces. In large bowl combine soup, water, and cheese. Stir in bisquick and green chilis; add sausage. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Grandma's Hot Dog Soup
The other day I found myself missing my grandma. It has been 5 years since she passed and I still think about her often. I still remember the smell of her kitchen as my family sits at what was once her breakfast table. She had quite the flair for cooking unique meals and really sparked my interest in food.
Grandma meeting Alan
The other day I decided to make one of her favorite dishes with the kids- Hot Dog Soup. For the longest time I totally thought Grandma had made this up, but it turns out that there was an actual recipe on record for the soup. After doing some digging I found a recipe that was really close and we tried it out. At first the kids were hesitant, but after tasting they were won over. It was great to sit at my grandma's old table and share some stories about her with her great grandchildren.
What ways do you share your family's history with your kids? For more ways to get your kids involved in the kitchen, check out Kids Cook Monday.
Hot Dog and Baked Bean Soup
2 teaspoons oil
3 beef hot dogs
1 large can (28 ounces) baked beans seasoned with onion, bacon, and brown sugar w
1 can red kidney beans - rinsed and drained
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over med. heat. Cut the franks into 1/4 inch slices and add them to the pot. Add the green pepper to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Cook until the franks start to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the baked beans with their juice, kidney beans and the broth, chili powder, and mustard. Stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a moderate boil about 10 minutes.
Grandma meeting Alan
The other day I decided to make one of her favorite dishes with the kids- Hot Dog Soup. For the longest time I totally thought Grandma had made this up, but it turns out that there was an actual recipe on record for the soup. After doing some digging I found a recipe that was really close and we tried it out. At first the kids were hesitant, but after tasting they were won over. It was great to sit at my grandma's old table and share some stories about her with her great grandchildren.
What ways do you share your family's history with your kids? For more ways to get your kids involved in the kitchen, check out Kids Cook Monday.
Hot Dog and Baked Bean Soup
2 teaspoons oil
3 beef hot dogs
1 large can (28 ounces) baked beans seasoned with onion, bacon, and brown sugar w
1 can red kidney beans - rinsed and drained
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over med. heat. Cut the franks into 1/4 inch slices and add them to the pot. Add the green pepper to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Cook until the franks start to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the baked beans with their juice, kidney beans and the broth, chili powder, and mustard. Stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a moderate boil about 10 minutes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
