Easiest Curry That I Love

I would post a picture, but I'm just too lazy to go into my kitchen and try to style a bowl of green curry (cause that's the kind I made tonight) into something appetizing looking.

It is the yummiest thing, in my opinion, but not the prettiest.

I put carrots and potatoes in it, because that's what I always have on hand, and because I'm always annoyed (when we order curry at our favorite Thai restaurant) that there is only ever one big huge potato in the entire dish. I like potatoes, dang it. Give me more potatoes! One of these days I'm going to add onions, but my children would REALLY not want to put it in their mouths if I did that, and I do not want to discourage their new-found love of curry even a tiny bit.

Anyway, here is how I make it. It is probably not at all authentic, but I live in a town where there are no ethnic food markets. And I love it, so who cares about authenticity?

2 cans coconut milk
1/2 bunch cilantro
Curry paste (red, green, or yellow - whichever you prefer - and as much as you like...I usually use 3 TBSP of yellow or green, cause we like it really mild, and I don't like red curry)
3 TBSP (or so) brown sugar
raw chicken - cut up in bite-size pieces (as much as you like - I use one really big chicken chest)
vegetables (like I said, I use carrots and potatoes - yukon gold are my favorite)

Blend the coconut milk and cilantro until liquified. Pour it in a big pot and add the curry paste and brown sugar. Bring it to a boil and add the chicken and vegetables. Cook until everything is cooked and tender (about 30 minutes). Serve over Jasmine rice. And with naan. Mmmmm....naan...

*It needs salt, but I only add a little to the pot, because we all like to salt our own servings, but you could salt it as much as you like.

Dazee's Fried Potato Bacon Soup

It's fake spring: the time of year between February 1st and real spring when I stop wearing coats in an effort to convince the weather it's warm.

Fake spring also means renewed longing for fresh, healthy food. Which means I get back on this neglected blog and post a spattering of recipes.

Today's is neither fresh nor healthy. In fact, it is almost like a heart attack-wrapped stroke, smothered in delicate hypertension sauce.

But it's so good for cold fake spring evenings. And, technically, whole. So it belongs here.

My neighbor, Dazee, made it up and was kind enough to give me a recipe of sorts. I am mostly writing it down so that I can remember how to make it next time. My only regret is that I didn't take a picture of it. Sorry.

Dazee's Fried Potato Bacon Soup

A lot of potatoes (I used 6), scrubbed and cubed - no need to peel them
A lot of butter, divided (I used one cube altogether - Dazee uses a lot more than that: she's fearless and a better cook than I)
Salt
Pepper
Paprika (I used smoked, cause to know me is to know that smoked paprika is awesome)
Garlic (I used 1-2 cloves), minced
Onions (I used 1/2 of one), diced (Dazee uses green onions, but I don't like green onions, so do with that information what you may)
Flour (1/3 C. worked for me)
Cream (however much or little you have on hand - I had about a cup)
Milk (any percent will do - I used whole, and just dumped it in until it was the consistency I wanted - I'd say 2C?)
Sharp Cheddar (1 C), shredded
Bacon (I used about 5 slices, but the bacon slices I buy are huge, so probably more like 10 regular slices), browned really well

Fry potatoes in half the butter on low-med heat. This takes a long time. Be patient: it will be worth it. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Generously. Add the onions and garlic when the potatoes are starting to soften and brown. Don't worry about it all sticking to the pan - it will all work out in the end. When the potatoes are soft (if you are impatient like me, they will never get soft, exactly, but will be al dente, which is fine), add the rest of the butter and the flour. Let that cook for 1-2 minutes. Dump in the cream and milk. Cook it just until it comes together and thickens. Add the cheese. Stir it in and let it melt, but don't let it boil. Season to taste. Crumble your bacon and throw it in.

Eat until your heart flutters. Then save the leftovers for tomorrow. At which time you will need to add milk when you reheat it, as it becomes a solid mass of butter and cheese when cooled.

Mmmmmm.

Zucchini Patties

Last night I was too exhausted to cook, but I wanted something homemade. Cause I've been too exhausted to cook for about 2 months, and I needed some good home cookin'. Oh, and I was out of practically every ingredient (because, like I already mentioned, shopping is a chore best left for times of the year that aren't summer). Oh, AND I had already made the tuna salad sandwiches I bragged about earlier one too many times this week. So I was at a loss. I got on Pinterest, since flopping down in a chair and staring at a computer screen were the only two things I could convince my body to do.

I came across these little gems, and my stomach growled, so I took it as a sign. Well, that, and we have zucchini coming out our ears around here, so I had at least one of the ingredients. And THAT is basically how I decide what to cook these days.

Anyway, here's my version of Zucchini Patties (I knew that if I called them 'cakes', the kids would be too disappointed to give them a fair shake):

1 large (mine was huge) zucchini, shredded and rung out between paper towels
1/2 C. parmesan cheese
1-2 eggs (start out with one, but if your "batter" doesn't stick together at all because your zucchini is the size of a transatlantic jet plane, add another)
1 C. bread crumbs (I just took two slices of bread and broke them up)
Nutmeg (maybe 1/8 tsp? I don't know. Just sprinkle some in)
Smoked Paprika (again, no idea. But make sure there's enough that you can taste it and everything is tinged orange. If you don't have smoked paprika - it's not the same as regular paprika! - go get some. It is amazing stuff.)
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt (lots)
Pepper

Heat large skillet over med heat. Add some olive oil. Place 2" patties in skillet and cook 2 minutes (or more - use your judgement) on each side. Transfer them to a cookie sheet. Broil them for 2-5 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing.

I loved them. They made a perfect light summer dinner when served with melon, blueberries, and cherries. While no one asked for seconds, my children all ate their serving without complaint, and then ended up eating a LOT of fruit.

And that, dear readers, is what I like to call,

"Success".

Improvise: Tuna Tuesday

What happens when you are planning on Cafe Rio (Taco Tuesday - every Tuesday!) for dinner, and out of nowhere your husband tells you he has to leave at 5:00 for meetings. And it's 4:30. And your car is in the shop, so that means you'll be stranded at home. And you haven't gone grocery shopping in almost two weeks (because it's summer, and who has time for grocery shopping in the summer?), so your fridge is empty? And your husband's answer to your despair is, "How about tuna sandwiches?" But you hate sandwiches (unless they are hot)?

You google 'Tuna Melt'. That's what happens. Because you remember a few years ago when you found this fabulous tuna melt recipe (before Pinterest was invented), but you didn't print it out like a level-headed person, and instead lost it to the black hole of cyber space.

What then happens when you find a recipe that tickles your fancy over at Pioneer Woman's blog, but you don't have any of the ingredients? Except for the tuna?

Why, you channel your Grandma Orton, of course! You improvise like it's going out of style!

(minus the raisins, though)

You combine tuna, zucchini, onion, tomato, dill pickles (you were just barely smart enough to can oodles of your own last summer - whew!), mayo, spicy brown mustard (remind yourself to buy more of that, cause you canoodled every last scrap out of the jar), Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Then you pile it onto sandwich thins, bake it, top it with shredded cheddar, broil it, and dinner is served! In about 15 minutes flat. Well, with a little help from fresh cherries, melon, and chips. Gotta have some fruit and chips to make it a real meal.

That's what.


*No pictures were taken because I didn't expect it to be terribly good. But it was. Terribly. In a very unterrible way. Also, I am convinced that you could add whatever vegetables you have in your fridge, and it would be fabulous. Just make sure you have the pickles and onions in there. And the cheese.

Eureka!

(sorry, no picture. again.)

I love Orange Julius. I love it so much, that I am willing to risk the inevitable brain freeze that follows a sip of this delicacy.

I have been missing orange julius since we banned refined sugar, and meaning to experiment with a healthy recipe for it, but haven't had the time. What was I thinking? It wasn't rocket science. In fact, it wasn't even regular science. It was just plain logic.

This is what I came up with:

1 C. milk (you can use almond or coconut, but real milk works better, for reasons unknown)
1/4 C. plain yogurt
1/2 container 100% orange juice concentrate
12 (or so) ice cubes
honey (to taste) (my original recipe calls for 1/4 C. sugar, but I'd be willing to bet I only use 2 TBSP of honey)

Blender it all together. It isn't as sweet as my old version that used vanilla yogurt and sugar, but it is surprisingly delightful, for being healthy. In fact, I add egg whites to it (and every smoothie under the sun), and it gets nice and frothy, and I don't feel one smidge bad about having it for breakfast. Or snack. Or dessert.

Topic for Friday Announced

Once upon a time I got a waffle iron for my wedding. It sat, unopened, for a couple years.

Then I had a baby who was allergic to basically everything I ate, so I made waffles for practically every meal for 15 months while she nursed:

Waffles with raspberry jam. Waffles with applesauce. Waffles with syrup. Waffles with peanut butter. Waffles with peach preserves. Waffles with cool whip (non-dairy, of course).

Waffles and I were close. Too close. Especially since my waffles were always limp and dejected-looking. My husband wouldn't touch them, but I eventually forgot that waffles are supposed to be crispy, and I survived.

Until I stayed with my sister, and she made waffles for breakfast. REAL waffles. The kind of waffles that make you want to cry. And eat until you throw up.

It was then (but mostly after I got her recipe and tried it over and over with disappointing results) that I realized the problem: my waffle iron was a hunk-a-junk (unless you, reader, are the person who gifted it to me, in which case I say, "Thank you. It was a thoughtful gesture always to be remembered."). So I tossed it in the trash. Then I bought a fancy Belgian waffle iron, which worked alright, but which broke (as in crumbled into a heap of burning-hot rubble) half-way through a batch of waffles.

I swore off waffles. Who needed them? Not I! My house was a waffle-free zone for over a year. And then someone posted something on facebook or Pinterest about waffles, and I suddenly felt that I would sell my first born if it meant I could have a waffle.

So it was time to start shopping, again, for a waffle iron. My previous experiences with waffle irons had traumatized me into being very anxious about buying a new one. What kind was best? What brand was trust-worthy? How much money would I have to fork over? I actually ended up stumbling upon one at D.I. It was in its original, unopened box (otherwise, my overly-germ-freaked husband would have had nothing to do with it), and it was $8.00. It was fate! Especially when you consider that it has a fire-alarm-volume beeper that tells me when the waffle is finished cooking. Fate knows me so well.

I made waffles that night for dinner. AND THEY WERE SO GOOD. So I made them for breakfast the next day. And lunch. And now we have them twice/week. Once as a breakfast, and once as a dinner (usually Saturday nights when I have some wonderful gourmet thing planned, but then always decide that the last thing I want to do is cook).

Anyway, that was a very long and winding road to our destination. Which is the topic for Reader Recipe Friday:

WAFFLES

I want your favorite recipe or favorite way of changing up an old recipe. Or topping suggestions.

I can't wait! Cause, you know, Saturday is (unofficial) waffle night.

Chocolate Protein Shake - Revised

Same Picture, Different Ingredients

This morning, I had one of these shakes for breakfast (I am actually still sipping it as I write - it is delicious!). Except I didn't add the spinach (because I am all out - today is grocery day). And I forgot to mention in the earlier post that I add egg whites (the kind in the carton that don't kill you if you eat them raw - I've been doing it for years, and I'm still goin' strong, so I assume they don't kill you...?). I just pour some in. I have no idea how much. Anyway, that adds some extra protein. Also, the last few days I've been adding a handful of oatmeal to it, too. It makes it a little more texture-y, but I like texture. I added a handful of granola on Saturday, and that was good, too. I figure it brings the stick-to-my-ribs factor up a few notches. Which is always a good thing for me, since I hate stopping to eat every ten minutes. 

Oh, yeah, and I edited the old recipe to reflect how much cocoa I put in my shakes. It's not a TBSP. Just a big teaspoon. 

And now I am off to attend to this 84 degree weather!

Word of Common Sense

Photo from here. And yes, I realize this is a dairy cow. But isn't she a beaut?

Today I would like to share a little wisdom nugget.

You probably already know this, because you are smart. And because it is common knowledge.

But, for reasons still unidentifiable, I never knew this. Or if I did, it never sunk in.

It should have. It makes perfect sense. I just never stopped to think it through. Or something like that.

Anyway, ya'll ready for this?

You know how the Word of Wisdom (a scriptural guide for nutrition and respect for our bodies that Merica and I believe in, and aspire to live by) tells us to eat meat sparingly, in times of winter, cold or famine?

Well, stay with me here, do you know that meat has a season?

I know. It's increasingly difficult in our age of processing and freezers and refrigerators and season-defying food growing/producing practices to determine the true season of just about everything.

But even meat has a season.

And can you guess what that season is?

Yep. Winter.

Cause when are the baby cows and lambs and pigs born (on a small, family farm)? Spring.

And how long does it take for them to grow and mature before they are/can be sent to the slaughter?

About the same amount of time it takes for winter to come.

Anyway, I found it an interesting coincidence.

But maybe that's just me. I find random small things interesting.

I figure, if the "hidden treasures" promised for keeping the Word of Wisdom are half as good as the ice cream at the end of the treasure hunt I set up for my kids last night for FHE, then I'm going to figure out how to live it a little better.

Also, the "not faint" part would come in pretty handy. Especially since I have a tendency to random fainting. But that's another mysterious story.

Reader Recipes - Bread

I tried a new bread recipe this morning so I would have something to post about.

The bread turned out good. It is dense and small, as you can see, but really tasty.

I have no idea where I got the recipe this morning. I basically just grabbed the first recipe off Google (jotted it down on a scrap 1st grade spelling list) that I could find that only made two loaves. So I can't source it. Luckily, I changed it a little, so it won't be total copyright infringement. Right?

I am curious for someone else to make it and see if theirs is as dense as mine. You know, because lately every time I make any bread it is dense.

This recipe is a multi grain bread with a lot of flavor and TONS of texture. I don't think I would make it for a regular bread recipe (every-day bread for sandwiches and such) unless I could figure out how to get it to be fluffier. But the taste is excellent.

We'll call it...hmmmm...

Easy Multi-Grain Bread

2 C. 10-grain cereal (I used some multi-grain hot cereal mix I had in my pantry. I think it was Hodgson Mills brand)
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white flour (I used white whole wheat)
1/2 C. old fashioned oats
2 TBSP flax seed (optional)
1 1/2 heaping TBSP yeast
1/2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP dough enhancer
2 TBSP gluten
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. coconut oil
1/2 C. applesauce (all I had was cinnamon apple sauce, so my bread smells and tastes just a little cinnamony - yum)
1 1/2 to 2 C. hot water

Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients. Mix well. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Form two loaves. Sprinkle with oatmeal or other grain (I skipped this step just because I was in a hurry). Place in greased pans. Cover with a towel and let raise for 25 minutes. Then Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Now, someone out there, please share with me the bread recipe of my dreams. Cause I am seriously considering giving up on homemade and buying my bread from Great Harvest!

The Staff of Life

We never had store-bought bread growing up. One of my earliest memories is sitting on the kitchen linoleum with my little brother while my mom mixed the dough in her Bosch. We would hum along to the sound of the mixer, and repeat made-up phrases that we thought the motor was "saying." Recently my brother and I reminisced about this particular memory, and I realized why I associate feelings of warmth and peace with the smell of home-baked bread.

To this day, there is little else that brings about the strong feelings of home and goodness that making my own bread does.

Not to mention the fact that, at long last, I really do prefer the taste of homemade to store-bought.

(A fact that gives me hope that, although they don't appreciate it now, someday my own children will long for the wholesome goodness of made-from-scratch bread)

Anyway, I am currently having a bread-making crisis. The recipe - my mom's recipe - that I have been making for a few years now, is not working for me any more. As in, it literally will not work. As in, it is dense and flat and weird (and it gets soggy after the first day). I have tried changing temperatures, changing yeasts, changing amounts of every ingredient under the sun. It just won't work. It is baffling. Especially when my mom brings me one of her loaves, and it is perfect (pictured). What is wrong with me (/my oven/my ingredients/all of the above)?!

Which is why our Friday Reader Recipe theme is going to be:

BREAD.

Whole wheat is preferable, of course. As is low sugar content. And easy. PLEASE easy!

Oh, and if it's not too much trouble, a recipe that makes 3 loaves, maximum...now I'm just getting nit-picky.

I really need to find a good go-to recipe, so I am counting on all of you.

Don't let me down.

Chocolate Protein Shake

It's chocolate. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Before we suddenly cut out sugar and processed foods, I had a favorite workout recovery drink:

Dark chocolate almond milk, peanut butter, banana, and protein powder (or yogurt, when I wasn't feeling tough enough to put up with protein powder). Yum. So tasty, I would drink it even if it wasn't good for my muscle development!

Even after we went sugar/processed-free, we drank it.

Until I looked at the Nutrition Facts on the back of the almond milk. Yikes. There is a lot of sugar in them thar goodness.

So, because smoothies are an essential part of my happiness, and aid in the quick recovery of my puny muscles after an exhaustive (because I'm a wimp) weight-lifting session, I decided to reinvent the proverbial wheel. Or, more accurately, to come up with a way to have my chocolate and eat it, too. Without the sugar.

This is what I came up with:

1 C. No Sugar Added Chocolate Almond Milk (It in no way tastes like chocolate. 'Water' would be a better flavor-description)
1 Big Handful of Spinach
1 heaping tsp. Cocoa Powder (Bonus: Cocoa is actually good for you!)
1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter (Natural, no sugar kind, of course)
1 Frozen Banana
1 Drizzle of Honey (to taste - I like a DARK chocolate flavor, so I don't add much)
1/3 C. Plain (or Greek - barf!) Yogurt (I freeze mine for added frozen-ness) - optional, good added protein if you think you need it.

It's not much to look at (as you can tell - note the grayish-green hue), but it tastes delicious. And it doesn't have any nasty protein powder or processed sugar in it!

You'll need to double the recipe, because your kids will want some, too.

Meatless Tacos

Last night we had tacos. Finally. I planned to have them Tuesday, but then I had a fateful run-in with a waffle iron, and the family enjoyed a waffle-induced coma for 17 straight hours. Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch.

So by dinner time last night, we were ready for a very non-waffle taco meal.

It was so fresh and summery-feeling, I think we'll do it again tonight.

(plus, we have LOTS of left-overs)

I made these slow-cooker beans, but used black instead, and didn't mash them. I think next time, I will add green chiles and lime.

Then I whipped up some

Easiest Spanish Rice Ever

1/4 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1.5 C. rice (one day I will be brave enough to try brown, but I love my Jasmine too much just yet)
2 C. chicken broth (homemade, if possible)
1 C. salsa (also homemade, if possible)

Melt the oil in a large pan. Saute the onion for 5 minutes. Add the dry rice and saute until it starts to brown. Then add the broth and salsa. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

(That reminds me, if you have a favorite Spanish Rice recipe, let me know. This is the only one I have ever made, and I always wonder what else is out there.)

I made some

Guacamole (I'm sure you know how, but just in case...)
1 avocado - mashed
garlic salt - to taste
lime - squeezed over, to taste
cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, whateverelsesoundsgood

I heated up the corn tortillas, chopped some fresh stuff, and threw some cheese in a bowl.

Such an easy meal (well, as long as you plan a little ahead for the beans - they take all day).

Also, for lunch yesterday I filled a bowl with brown rice and black beans. Then I poured over a little salsa and sour cream. It was super tasty and, more important, easy!

I am determined to find more ways to eat beans and rice. They are cheap, nutritious, and delicious (not to mention crock pot-able, which is so helpful). So, if you have any ideas, please share them here!

H-Twenty

Merica is having a crazy week, and I am getting ready for a vacation, so this blog has been a little sparse lately, for which we both apologize.

Today I am packing, packing, car wash, errands (did you ever try to get ready for an 8-day trip AND buy a house AND make multiple trips - including a discharge - to the hospital AND take care of an 87-year old invalid in the same 3 days? Yeah, not recommended), packing to be ready to leave by 5 p.m.

Which brings me to my quick little post subject:

Water.

Just want to make sure you're all getting your 2 quarts/day minimum.

I just finished reading a book about water. I don't necessarily endorse the book - it was very poorly written (I am willing to forgive that, since the author was from Iran - maybe it was translated into English?), hard to follow, a little hard to believe, and gave no clearly-defined remedies (just a vague "increase in water and a little extra salt added to the diet").

I DO, however, heavily endorse the drinking of water. And the book served to remind me of its importance, and strengthened my resolve to make sure I get my 8 generous cups every single day.

In case you're like me, and need detailed instructions on how other people do something in order to get your mind rolling with your own ideas, here's my routine:

I have to guzzle it, a cup at a time. Which means (aside from the fact that one of these days I am going to pass out while drinking my water - but if I don't do it all at once, I won't do it) it has to be around room temperature, or it makes my teeth scream in agony. So, I fill my cup the night before and set it on the counter. In the morning, I drink my first cup. I try to drink at least 16 ounces during my workout, so that's 3 cups before breakfast. And I make a mark for each on my calendar to keep track.

I try to do 5 cups before noon. Because I don't want to remember at 6 p.m. that I have to drink 7 cups of water, and feel like I am drowning. Plus, I don't want to be having to use the bathroom every ten minutes in the afternoon and evening, because that is when the majority of my not being home happens. Every time I go in my kitchen, I fill up my cup and down it. I like to keep a piece of citrus peel (orange, usually) in the bottom of my cup (I change it every day). That makes the water taste a little more special.

Anyway, there's my 2 cents on water.

Anyone else have tips to share on getting your daily water?

Oh, and thank you, one and all, for the wonderful advice on travelling. It was so helpful! You guys are the greatest!

Reader Recipes - Sandwiches

I chose Sandwiches as the Friday theme, because I need recipes! I want to incorporate more of them into my menus, but have a hard time getting excited about them. You know how Merica feels about fish? Well, take that aversion, square it, and you'll have my opinion of sandwiches. I just can't stand them. Which has made lunch a dreaded affair in my life since Elementary School.

It doesn't make sense. My favorite food item is the hamburger, which is just a glorified sandwich, right?
Same goes for Mexican food - it's all just a tortilla sandwich. And I can eat Quizno's subs all day long. Or chicken salad on croissants. Or Thanksgiving turkey on left-over crescent rolls.

So, I guess what my problem is, is sliced bread. It just wasn't meant for anything but toast! I finally realized that as long as my sliced bread is toasted, I really enjoy a good sandwich. Oh, and the filling has to be greater than or equal to the volume of the bread (more filling than bread).

That, combined with a heavy dose of lazy, is why I made a few modifications to this recipe for California Sandwich:

Filling (combine the following):
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber (I use half a really big English cucumber), diced
squeeze of lime juice
2 TB. chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Toast your bread (I find that the recipe makes three generous sandwiches, so I make one for me, one for my husband, and then I have enough left over for another sandwich - for me - the next day)
Spread it with mayonnaise.
Sprinkle it with garlic salt.
Add the filling on top of one slice.
Pile on lots of alfalfa sprouts.
Slap on a slice of pepper jack cheese (has to be pepper jack - that's what makes the sandwich).
Top with second slice of toast.

It is really delicious. We have been partaking for a couple weeks now, and even my husband (I pack his toast and filling separately, to be assembled @ lunch time, so as not to get soggy) can't get enough of it; the same husband who hates the following items:

avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cilantro.

That's why I call it the Magic Sandwich.

(also, it is just fine without the tomato, if you happen to think you have some and then find that you don't - like I did yesterday)

You've Got To Be Kidding Me

Photo from here

This morning I made Baked Oatmeal.

No, no. Let me back up.

This morning I woke up at 4:30 (that's a.m., in case you're not from around here) so that I could go to a spinning class (I know, I hate it when people tell me about their workouts too, but in this instance I felt I should tell you WHY I had to get up so stinkin' early), and get home in time to make lunch for my husband, and Baked Oatmeal for my children for breakfast. 

The Baked Oatmeal takes 45 minutes to bake, so I knew I had to get a real move-on if I was going to get everything done. 


So.

The moment I return home, I fly around my kitchen like a rabid tornado, making a huge mess, and oil pulling (I'm an enthusiastic supporter of multi-tasking). 

Then my husband comes in and says, "You know I don't need a lunch today, right?" 

You've got to be kidding me #1.

So I abandon the chopping of vegetables for lunch, and start working on the Baked Oatmeal. Ten minutes in, I decide to bag it. Then I remember it's my turn to blog today, and decide to go for it. Again. 

When my children emerge from their rooms with sleepy eyes, I push plates of bananas into their hands and motion for them to chop like there's no tomorrow.

Oatmeal in oven, I tear my clothes off as I race down the hall and jump in the shower. I shout reminders and commands to children who can't hear me. Cause it makes me feel better.

With five minutes to spare before their ride gets here, I shovel three bowls full of piping-hot Baked Oatmeal, and tell the girls to eat fast. 

It's hot like molten lava. And they wrinkle their noses and ask if those are grapes on top.

You've got to be kidding me #2.

I pour milk over it. They make faces as they pick out the pecans and take tiny, hesitant bites (of the pecans - nothing else).

You've got to be kidding me #3.

I tell them to flippin' eat it for the love of Pete. And mutter about how they can just make their own goll-dang food from now on, as I walk into my bedroom for a few cleansing breaths, cause I'm about to lose it. 

They ask if they can be done, and their bowls are still full.

You've got to be kidding me #4. Four is all I can take.

I tell them I don't care. It's them who will be hungry until lunch, not me.

And then, after kissing them goodbye with my wet hair and growling stomach, I taste the stuff, and it. is. so. good.

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me.

Which (finally) brings me to today's point:

People often ask me how I get my children to eat nutritious meals. I will tell you that it is not easy. In fact, it might be the most challenging part of our foodstyle change. At least once a day, I say, "I give up!" and I mean it. Until the next meal. We have a little saying at our house that goes, "You don't have to like it, you just have to eat it." Which means, they have to try it. Then, if they still don't like it, they have to take a couple bites of it. Then, if they are gagging, they can get themselves something else to eat, or wait for the next meal. I spend so much time and energy preparing food, that I just don't have enough left to care whether or not anyone likes it. And while that sounds harsh, it is finally paying off. Yesterday I noticed that Sylas (my hardest sell and most addicted to sugar) only asked for healthy snacks, and later he decided he really liked dinner (after I made him eat a few bites of it). He finished it, and asked if he could have it the next day for lunch. And then he thanked me emphatically for cooking for him. It just about brought a tear to my eye.

So I am going to focus on last night's success, and not on this morning's failures.

What is your strategy for getting your children to eat healthier?

Love Muffins

For Dr. Seuss's birthday (March 2nd), I made green eggs and ham for dinner (didn't you?). I needed something to go with it, since I knew my kids would eat exactly 1/2 a bite of green (kale) eggs, and I am not keen on the idea of filling up on just pig. So I made these babies: Whole Wheat Muffins (with banana and blueberries). After drizzling melted butter on top of them right as they came out of the oven, I declared them the best baked good I have had since January 2nd (the day we stopped eating sugar/processed food). And my kids ate 4 each. Four!

So I made them again the next day.

The recipe can be found here. 

I recommend you make them right away.

Then yesterday, around 11 a.m.,  I could feel myself getting hangry (hunger-induced anger: it is an on-going battle for me), and needed some lunch STAT. So, I made one of Merica's salads from last week - the Pear and Pomegranate one. Only I didn't have any pears or pomegranates around. Or pecans. What I did have was mixed baby greens, parmesan, craisins, mango, and candied walnuts (this is why I keep them always on hand). I whipped-up some of the Orange Vinaigrette , and tossed it all together, and well. My goodness. You can see what was left of it by the time I managed to get my camera out. It was heavenly. And that Orange Vinaigrette is like liquid summertime. So fresh and delicious! Try it. You'll be glad you did.

My testimony of salads was strengthened.

I feel a little more confident in my salad-making abilities, and can say with conviction that I really like salad. A lot. In fact, it might be my new favorite meal.

I mean besides brownies, which I can't have anymore, so they don't count.

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that almost anything is good in a salad.

And now I am supposed to announce the Reader Recipe theme for this Friday, so you can start gearing-up for it.

Ready?

Fish.

That's it: Fish! What is your favorite clean fish dish?

Now I'm starting to sound like Dr. Seuss.

Reader Recipes - Salads

In case you forgot, today is Friday. Which means it is Reader Recipe Day around here. Which means we set a theme, and you share your favorite recipe in that category. Today's theme is

Salads.

Here is Merica's:

Cobb Salad With Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

(This is a hearty salad full of flavor. Perfect for those of us with a bottomless pit for a stomach. And feel free to trade something you don't like for something you do or add to it. But this is how I like it)

romaine, baby spinach, or mixed greens (your preference)

cut up ham or turkey

hard boiled egg chopped

(place fresh egg in small sauce pan and fill with water until egg is covered. Place on stove top and bring to boil. Once it hits a boil, keep it boiling for 8 minutes. And then you're done)

chopped up avocado

tomatoes 

blue cheese

green or red onions - optional

Buttermilk Ranch (makes 1 quart)

(This is the recipe out of the book Country Beans. Instead of buttermilk, I measure 1 TBSP lemon juice per cup of milk, and fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Also, I add a little extra garlic, onion powder and salt to taste. So make it, taste it, and add what you think it needs. I would also half this recipe the first time you make it. It makes plenty. put the rest in the fridge and use it throughout the week.)

2 cups mayonnaise (Country Beans also has a mayonnaise recipe I haven't tried yet)

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried onion flakes

2 T parsley flakes

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine ingredients and whisk until smooth (I use a blender).

Got that? Yum. I am planning to make that one this weekend. I LOVE Cobb salad cause it doesn't really taste like salad - it tastes like a meal. And who doesn't adore ranch dressing (besides my youngest child)? 

My recipe for today is similar, in that it is a filling-meal salad, and you'll need to make Merica's ranch dressing recipe for it:

Crispy Ranch Chicken Salad

(adapted from a pampered chef recipe, I believe)

Chicken: 

1/4 C. ranch dressing

4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

3/4 C. dry bread crumbs (just make your own out of whole wheat bread - it's so simple: put some bread out on the counter overnight to get stale. Then bake in an even layer at 200 degrees for 1-2 hours. Grind up in a food processor. Freeze so you'll have them when you need them)

*you can add parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs if you have some

Salad:
1 C. shredded cheddar
2 C. grape tomatoes
1/2 C. sliced olives
1/4 C. red onion, sliced thin
8 C. torn romaine lettuce
3/4 C. ranch dressing
*I like to add sliced hard-boiled eggs, and any other vegetables that sound good and are about to go bad if we don't hurry and use them.


Preheat oven to 425.
For salad: toss everything together except cheese.
For chicken: rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Brush chicken with ranch and coat with bread crumbs. Arrange evenly on a cookie sheet (or pizza stone). Bake 20-25 minutes or until it's no longer pink in the center. Cut crosswise into slices. Arrange over salad. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with ranch dressing.


The first time I made it, my kids and husband thought it was kind of weird to have the hot chicken on the cold salad, so I keep the chicken separate for them now, but I love the contrast of temperatures. I make extra chicken so I can chunk it and toss it in salads during the rest of the week. 

So, now we want you to link or share your favorite salad recipe in the comments.

Ready, Gesset, GO!

Bombshell Salad

I'm about to hit you with a bombshell:

I'm not much for salads.

Yep, I said it. And it's true. I've just never been able to get myself real psyched over a salad. I mean, I like salad, I just don't love it. I don't think about it. I don't crave it. I don't go out of my way to get it. If it's served, I'll eat it, but I don't seek it out.

I have lived with this disability my entire life, and to tell you the truth, I have never felt like a real woman because of it. I mean, what kind of woman doesn't like salad?

I wrestle with this failure daily.

Thankfully, my husband is open-minded and supportive, and has somehow found it in his heart to overlook this flaw in my femininity. Bless him.

But when I happened upon this particular combination, it was like a shaft of heavenly light shone down upon my plate, and for the first time I began to hope.

Hope that I, too, might join the ranks of females who eat salads every single day.

Or, at the very least, the ranks of females who talk about salad in polite company.

Here's the salad that started it all (hopefully it'll trend):

Bombshell Salad

Baby Spinach
Craisins
Pear, chopped
Feta
Candied Walnuts*
Clean Poppyseed Dressing**

Directions: Toss everything together. But only directly before you devour it. With a shovel.

*Honey-Candied Walnuts 
(I make these every other day, because I snack on them and put them on this salad)
1 C. Walnuts 

2 TBS. Honey 

1/3 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper (or substitute cinnamon - both are delicious!)

Dash of Salt (to taste)

Directions: Put honey, cayenne (or cinnamon) and salt in bowl. Microwave 20 seconds to thin honey. Pour walnuts into bowl. Mix with spoon until nuts are covered. Spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes @ 350. Stir halfway through. Let cool. Store in tightly covered container. 


**Clean Poppyseed Dressing 
(I always half the recipe, cause 2/3 C. of oil at one time in anything freaks me out a little)
6 TBS honey
1/3 C. red wine vinegar
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS onion, chopped (or dehydrated onion flakes)
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C. olive oil (or whatever kind of oil you want to use)
2 tsp. poppy seeds


Directions: Put first 5 ingredients in blender until well mixed. Add oil gradually while the blender is on. Add poppy seeds and pulse a couple times to incorporate.

Good Clean Cornbread

My girls love cornbread for breakfast, and can you blame 'em? It's warm and filling, and pretty much just cake.

Add a little maple syrup, and what's not to like? Or, if you're like my husband's Southern family, maple syrup belongs nowhere near cornbread, and you'll reach for lots of butter and honey instead (I made my husband cornbread once when we were dating, and set the syrup down next to him, and he looked at me like I was insane - too bad I was a jobless college girl and couldn't afford honey. Poor boy just had to be polite and choke it down dry).

The only problem is that those little Jiffy mixes aren't so nutritious. Delicious, but devoid of good things.

So this morning I whipped up a batch of better-for-them cornbread that I was sure they would hate.

But what do you know? They loved it! Even my youngest ate it - and he will never touch the Jiffy stuff.

Here's the recipe:

Good Clean Cornbread

1 C. Cornmeal (you could even grind your own)
1 C. Flour  (Hard white wheat flour is good. I haven't tried hard red wheat flour alone in this recipe. I think that would be a bit heavy. Today I used .5 C. hard white + .5 C. hard red).
1 TBSP. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Eggs - beaten
1 C. Milk (I used almond milk today)
2-4 TBSP. Honey
1/4 C. Oil (I used half coconut oil, half butter - just stick it in the microwave and melt on low while you mix the dry ingredients)

1. Grease bottom and .5" up sides of 8x8 (or 9x9) pan (I used some butter and coconut oil).
2. In mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, honey, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake @ 425 for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Serve with pure maple syrup if you're cool. Honey if you're not.

Just kidding.



                                                   

Last-Second Pasta

Today I was NOT feeling dinner.

I took my kids to Taco Bell.

I know, I know.

But we haven't eaten fast food in almost two months, and like I said,

Not feeling it.

But then, in a strange twist of fate, my son (for the first time in his life) ate his entire burrito. The burrito I was planning to finish for him after the two tiny bites he always takes.

I was out of luck.

Then I got really busy getting the kids ready for bed.

By the time my husband got home, I was in a starve-induced grouch coma.

He was hungry, too, but had been eating leftovers all day, and didn't want any more.

I angrily thought, "I give up."

He juiced us some vegetables, I took a couple gulps, and instantly felt right peppy!

(the fact that the kids were finally all tucked into bed may have contributed to the peppiness, but I like to attribute it all to the juice)

Peppy enough to roust us up some dinner.

I put some whole wheat noodles on to boil.

Then I sauteed whatever random vegetables I found rolling around the bottom of the crisper.

I planned to put Parmesan over the noodles, but found that I was all out. Lucky for me, I had a little homemade pizza sauce that needed using.

By the time the noodles were done, I had a saucy vegetable medley rarin' to go.

I tossed the noodles in there, added garlic salt and a little olive oil, and voila!

Dinner was finally served! At 9 p.m.

Then I forgot to take a picture until I was packing up the leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

Anyway, it was so quick and easy: 15 minutes start (of noodles boiling) to finish.

I think it will become my new go-to lazy meal!

Here's the official recipe for my Last-Second Pasta:

Whole Wheat noodles - cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile:

In saute pan, heat a little olive oil and toss in chopped onion, bell pepper, peas, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and anything else you have in your fridge.

Saute until browned and spinach is nice and wilted.

Dump in some tomato sauce of any kind (or skip this step).

Drain noodles and add to saute pan. Add a little more olive oil if your noodles are sticky.

Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.

Serve.

Now tell me, what is your favorite last-minute dish?