Meal Planning Monday ~ Camping with the Kiddos

May 20, 2013 By 2 Comments

This week’s blog post is by Leah Kelley.

I love camping! Before my husband and I had kids, we went camping all the time. We would just pack up and go. We would pick a state park and off we went. One of our best camping trips was at Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky. We did a little hiking then came back to our campsite where it started to lightly rain. Ironically, that was one of the only times we didn’t have a problem starting a fire and keeping it going. We camped next to a stream, and the sound of running water and rain was so peaceful. I think that’s the best night of sleep I’ve ever had on a camping trip.

We’ve held off camping with the kids until now.  Well, actually we did try when my daughters were six months old and three years old but that was a hot mess! I was finally able to talk my husband into camping with the kids this summer – woo hoo!  We’re planning on going next month when he’s on vacation from work and me and kids are super excited. Preparing to camp with kids is completely different then preparing to camp with just your spouse or significant other. There’s so much planning and prepping! Thankfully I love planning and list making.  I thought I’d share with you all a few tips I picked up from my favorite site – Pinterest.

Make a Meal Plan ~ Yes, even though you’re on vacation you will still need a meal plan while camping. It can be as simple or extensive as you wish but my advice is to make it simple when camping with kids.

 Hope for the Best, but Plan for the Worst ~ I don’t mean plan on your kids to get extremely sick but throwing together a first aid kit might save you a bit of sanity if one of them does fall and scrapes a knee or has some tummy troubles.

 Pack Extra Clothes ~ As you know it gets colder at night so make sure you pack them weather appropriate pajamas and extra blankets. You might not need them but better to be prepared then not.

 Make a Checklist ~ I’m addicted to checklists so this one is easy for me. If you’re not a list-maker just type in “Camping Checklist” into Google and print one off.  This is will make sure you remember all those little details like bug spray and sunscreen.

 Stay Close to Home ~ If it’s your first camping trip with kids stay close to home. We’re lucky to have a variety of campgrounds within an hour of our city. Just in case our trip becomes too overwhelming, it’s not a big deal to pack up and head home.

 Bring a Few Toys ~ Keeping your kids occupied is a lot easier with a few of their favorite toys. Bring cars, a few dolls, bikes, or any outside toys.

 Remember to Relax and Have Fun ~ I anticipate my kids not going to bed until late and that’s fine with me. (I will have to remind my husband of this though since he’s a stickler for bed times.) I’m hoping the fresh air, hiking, and running around will wear them out but you never know.  Be sure to check out all the great camping ideas and recipes I’ve been collecting on my “Camping” Pinterest board!

Here’s a recipe I can’t wait to try! My packet will contain vegetarian sausage ;)

 

Foil Dinners ~ I got the recipe from Simple Bites

 

  • 8 pre-cooked sausages, cut into thirds.
  • 2 lbs new potatoes, halved and par-boiled
  • 1 small red onion, cut into chunks
  • 6 small sweet peppers, cubed
  • 12 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • fresh herbs, torn, (I used basil and oregano)
  • salt & pepper
  1. Prepare fire by allowing to burn down to coals.
  2. On the picnic table, lay out six squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil, about one foot square, and oil lightly.
  3. In the center of each piece of foil, place four pieces of sausage, a handful of baby potatoes and a few cloves of garlic.
  4. Divide up the onion, peppers, and herbs among the packages. Season with salt and pepper and dot with butter, if available.
  5. Bring opposite corners of foil together and seal. Fold over the seam and seal tightly to make a secure package.
  6. Place on coals (a little flame is fine) and roast, turning occasionally, for about ten minutes. Serve.

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Meal Planning Monday ~ May is Celiac Awareness Month

May 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken.

May is Celiac Awareness Month.  Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.  People with celiac disease really need to be vigilant about avoiding gluten to stay healthy.  Unfortunately, gluten is added to many packaged and processed food which can make avoidance a chore.  There’s a whole host of other people who experience gluten sensitivity. Although gluten sensitivity is not as serious as full-blown celiac disease, it can cause
individuals unwanted gastric upset.

I’m no expert on celiac disease, but I have friends and family members who are affected by it.  Chances are you do, too.  I suspect that I am somewhat gluten sensitive, because if I eat too many wheat products in a 24 hour period, I do notice some digestive upset.  My purpose here is to give you some great resources for information on celiac disease and point you to some excellent gluten-free recipes.  Even if you are able to eat gluten with no ill effects, you may find yourself entertaining dinner guests with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Francine Luzak, head of the Northern Kentucky Celiac Support Group, says that people diagnosed with celiac disease often have a hard time avoiding gluten.  It’s not just a matter of avoiding wheat, barley, rye, and oats.  Gluten is added as a thickening and flavor enhancing agent in many processed foods.  Francine says, “If food comes in a box or a bag, beware!  Gluten may be hiding in there.”  What should you look for on food labels to identify gluten?  You might see things like “hydrogenated vegetable protein,” “malt flavoring,” “caramel color,” and “natural flavors.”  I was surprised to learn that foods such as beef broth and chocolate frosting can have added gluten.  If you have a severe reaction to gluten, stick with packages that have “Gluten Free” on the label.

Another challenge for people with celiac disease is dining out.  Even if a restaurant has some gluten-free items, there’s a big risk for cross-contamination.  For people with mild cases, a tiny amount of gluten might not be a big deal.  But for someone with a severe case of celiac disease, even the smallest amount of gluten can leave them ill for several days.  I was pleased to find this great resource online – a list of restaurants with gluten free menus.

Francine recommends several books, websites, and even iPhone apps, like “Is That Gluten Free,” that can help people who need avoid gluten.  If you’re in the NKY area and want to check out the Celiac Support Group, you can find more information about it here.

Helpful Celiac Websites:

Helpful Celiac Books:

 

 

My friend and fellow blogger, Julie Brawley of CleanEating4Life.com, is also gluten sensitive.  The majority of the recipes on her website are gluten free and she’s shared some of her favorites here.  I’ve also included a recipe for Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread from BettyCrocker.com and my Gluten Free Healthy Candy recipe, which tastes fantastic!  The original recipe was made with Multi-Grain Cheerios, but I’ve substituted gluten-free Rice Chex to make it 100% healthy and delicious.

Recipes:

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

 

Gluten FreeHealthy Candy

Take one bag of dark chocolate chips and put them in a large microwave safe bowl.  Put them in the microwave on high for one
minute.  Stir, and then put them back in the microwave for one more minute.  Stir again, then immediately add 1 ½ cups of Rice Chex, ½ cup of chopped walnuts, and a 5 – 6 oz. bag of dried cherries.  Stir thoroughly to coat the cereal, nuts, and cherries with the dark chocolate.  Drop spoonful’s onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put them in the fridge to cool for 1 to 2 hours.  I typically store my Healthy Candy in the fridge because it can get a bit melted if left at room temperature, especially in the warmer months.  This dark chocolate treat goes great with a nice glass of red wine.

A big thank-you to my step-mom, Francine Luzak, and my good friend, Julie Brawley, for sharing their gluten-free knowledge and recipes with all of us!

 

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Meal Planning Monday ~ A Tribute to Mom

May 6, 2013 By

 

 

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken.

Mother’s Day is coming up in less than a week, so I thought it would be fun to talk about those favorite recipes that no one can make as good as mom. And for each of us, I’m sure the dishes will be very different.  My Nana – my Dad’s mom – was 100% Polish.  Even though my Nana is in heaven, my Dad magically brings her spirit back to earth when he recreates her polish sausage, kapusta, and pierogies. Our “food memories” can be very strong and make us feel connected to our moms, whether they live across town, across the country, or are keeping my Nana and Jesus company.

Now, I arguably have the BEST mom on the planet (yes, that’s the two of us pictured above, circa 1977).  We always ate dinner as a family every night, and many times my Mom would involve my brother and me in her cooking and baking activities.  I’m sure there were times when she may have regretted that decision, but my Mom was spending quality time with us while teaching us valuable cooking skills.  If my Mom hadn’t taken the time to do that, I don’t think I’d be writing this Meal Planning Monday blog – so THANKS MOM! :)

I remember a time in high school when I tried making a particular recipe in my brief vegetarian phase that turned out awful.  Back then I hated failing at anything, so I’m pretty sure I was crying as I threw my attempt at dinner in the trash.  Thankfully my Mom, being the wonderful encourager that she is, told me that being a good cook requires two things: good recipes and practice.  (Obviously, it was a horrible recipe to start with and therefore not my fault.)  So, I have become an avid collector of good recipes and now have years of practice under my belt.  Some of my Mom’s recipes I have successfully duplicated, but others just taste better when she makes them.  Here are some of my all-time favorites.

  • Chicken Cacciatore – My Mom would make this in the crock pot with bone-in chicken, tons of mushrooms and peppers, and serve it over pasta.  It’s pure heaven!  I haven’t perfected this recipe yet, but am going to try a clean-eating version my friend Julie Brawley created.  Fortunately, one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Pompellio’s, has a cacciatore dish that tastes almost exactly like Mom’s.

  • Split Pea Soup – I have tried to duplicate my Mom’s split pea soup on multiple occasions and missed the mark every time.  It’s just one of those recipes that no one makes as good as she does.  Must be all the extra love she adds!  I always request it as my birthday dinner, with warm corn muffins slathered in butter.

  • Turkey Slices & Gravy – This recipe is super easy and still a favorite for both me and my brother.  My Mom would buy a pound of turkey deli meat, slice it into bite-sized pieces, and heat it in a skillet with a jar or two of turkey gravy.  Most of the time she served it over white rice with a veggie on the side.  Now I make a grown-up version of the recipe.  I start by sautéing mushrooms in a little bit of butter to add to the turkey and gravy, and then serve it over wild rice.

  • Chicken Noodle Soup – Nothing makes me feel better when I’m feeling under the weather than a bowl of Mom’s homemade chicken soup.  I’ll make a huge pot of this soup and freeze the leftovers.  Let me tell you – there’s nothing better than realizing you have homemade chicken soup in the freezer when you start to feel sick.  If your mom can’t be there to take care of you, it’s the next best thing.

  • Sugar Cookies with Homemade Buttercream Frosting – Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around making Christmas cookies with my Mom.  It was – and still is – fun to bake and decorate those delicious treats.  Most years, my Mom and I still bake them together.  I’ve excited that my nephew and niece, Reid and Ayla, are going to be old enough to help us bake and decorate them this year.

To all the moms out there – Happy Early Mother’s Day!  I hope you have as many fond memories as I do of cooking and baking with your mom.  And be sure to start training up the next generation of young cooks and bakers!  So tell me – what recipes remind you most of your mom?

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Meal Planning Monday ~ Let’s Get Fired Up!

April 29, 2013 By

 

 

This week’s blog post is by Christine Luken. 

Finally, it’s starting to warm up enough outside here in the Cincinnati area to fire up the grill on a regular basis!  It’s especially nice for me, because my husband is the grill master, so I get some assistance with dinner.  A few weekends ago, Nick and I went grill shopping at Lowe’s.  We’d had our previous grill for almost ten years and it was literally falling apart.  (Of course that didn’t stop the pickers from snatching it at the curb on garbage night eve!)  I really wanted a grill with a side burner, so we bought a medium sized grill with one side burner.

The first attempt to use our new grill was a disaster.  Apparently, because of the construction of today’s grills, it’s virtually impossible to use them if you’ve got high winds going on outside.  No, we weren’t trying to grill during a tornado or anything, but a storm was starting to blow in.  We live on top of high hill, so if it’s windy, we really feel it.  The grill wouldn’t heat up past 250 degrees and the wind kept blowing out the burner flames, so we ended up bringing our meat inside and finishing up on the stovetop.  Nick wanted to load it up in the truck and take it back to the store.

Fortunately, we decided to give the new grill another shot before returning it.  Our second attempt was much more successful.  The grill heated up nicely and cooked our food to perfection.  So far, we’ve made grilled chicken with various marinades, turkey burgers, and Italian sausages on it.  I thought now would be a great time to share some awesome grilling recipes – some old, some new – with you.  And if you have a favorite grilling recipe to share with me, leave the link in the comments below. 

·        Hawaiian Chicken – I didn’t have any fresh ginger, so I used ½ tsp. of powdered ginger from my spice rack.  We used the reserved marinade for dipping the chicken instead of basting.  It was fantastic!

·        Bacon-Wrapped Beef Fillets – These are my hubby’s favorite way to eat steak.  I’ll marinade the fillets in beer for 30 minutes prior to putting them on the grill.

·        Three-Cheese Italian Chicken Sausages – I love these Johnsonville chicken sausages.  They are quick and easy, but much more grown-up than hot dogs.  Sautee some peppers and onions and serve on a whole wheat bun.

·        Favorite Grilling Sides – If we can do our side dishes on the grill, then there’s no need to turn on the stove.  That’s definitely a good thing in the dead heat of summer!  We love mushrooms and they are so easy to make on the grill.  I’ll also buy canned whole potatoes, skewer them, and drizzle a bit of Italian dressing on them before adding them to the grill.  I also love corn on the cob made on the grill.  We soak the corn in the husk for 30 minutes, and then put it on the grill.  The water trapped inside the husks steams the corn and it tastes delicious!

·        Warm Italiano Spread – One of my favorite appetizer dips is made on the grill.  It’s got cream cheese, tomatoes, and pesto – yum!  Serve with hearty crackers, like Triscuit’s Black Pepper and Olive Oil. 

·        Chicken Bruschetta – In July, when our homemade tomatoes start to ripen, it’s time to make my favorite chicken recipe on the grill.  Marinade chicken breasts in balsamic vinaigrette dressing for at least 30 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix chopped tomatoes, fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons and just enough balsamic vinaigrette dressing to coat.  Grill chicken on one side then flip and add the tomato topping.  Sprinkle cheese on top (feta, goat cheese, and shredded mozzarella all are great) during the last minute of cooking.

·        Southwestern Turkey Burgers – These were delicious!  Here’s my version of the recipe, below.

 

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

·        1 pound of ground turkey

·        3 Tablespoons of Low Fat Olive Oil Mayo

·        1/3 cup of bread crumbs

·        2 Tablespoons of chopped jalapeños (Use fresh and include the seeds if you want them really hot.  I used canned jalapeños.)

·        Thin slices of cheddar cheese, optional.

·        Buns

 

    Directions:

Combine turkey with mayo, bread crumbs, and jalapenos.  Make into 4 hamburger patties.  Grill over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes per side.  Add cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.

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Meal Planning Monday ~ The Vegetarian Adventure

April 22, 2013 By

 

This week’s blog post is by Leah Kelley. 

Last month I decided to become a vegetarian. Why, you ask? For one my husband has begged me for years to give it a try but I always shot him down and two, I watched the documentary “Vegucated.” It changed the way I thought about food. If you have the time, I definitely recommend watching it. Three people took a six-week challenge to be vegans. It was interesting to see their journey and if they continued to be vegan after the challenge or go back to eating meat. I also recommend watching “Food Matters,” even if you’re not on a vegetarian journey. It will open your eyes to how food is processed and how our body processes food.

After watching Vegucated, I wanted to throw away every last bit of food in my house! That wasn’t realistic since I have a family of five to feed on one income, so we finished up all the meat in the fridge and freezer. My next grocery shopping trip, I planned for all meatless meals. How easy is that, right? Wrong. I’ve been so used to basing my meals around meat, so now it’s a whole new ballgame. What do I serve as a main dish? What do I serve as a side dish? What the heck is a turnip and how the heck do you cook it?! After my initial freak out moment, I calmed down and picked a few meatless meals I already knew my family liked and few that looked fun and easy to make.

For the first week we had homemade black bean burgers, spinach, potato, and feta gratin, kale lasagna, enchilada bake, and shepherd’s pie made with Boca crumbles. The lasagna was amazing. The other four dishes were horrible.  I could taste the difference in the non-meat crumbles (versus ground beef) and was not a fan.  My burgers didn’t stick together and the potato gratin was just inedible. I started to get discouraged, but fortunately I have a friend going through the process with me and she started a Facebook Veggie Group for support. That meant the world to me to know that other people were facing the same challenges as me. I was able to get a lot of great recipes ideas there, too.

I’m not perfect, and I did have a few slip ups the past few weeks. I ate a piece of chicken that was on my pizza from Mellow Mushroom. Their Mellowteranean pizza is just so hard to pass up! I also had a chicken tender at Chuy’s, because I wasn’t feeling my veggie enchilada.

         I thought I would share a few recipes I’ve found – on Pinterest, of course – that were hits with my family.  (I’ve also created a Vegetarian Dishes Pinterest board, if you want to check it out.)

 

Classic Cheese Lasagna from www.marthastewart.com ~ I used cottage cheese and ricotta in this recipe and it turned out fantastic! A friend of mine recommended using half tofu and half ricotta.

Veggie Enchiladas from www.recipegirl.com~ These were awesome!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup from www.thecurvycarrot.com~ This was great with a little extra salt and red chili pepper flakes.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna with Mushrooms and Kale from www.savoringthethyme.com.  This was by far our favorite meal so far.  Here’s the recipe.

 

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna with Mushrooms & Kale (Yield = 6-8 servings)


Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 ounces from a 32 oz. container part-skim ricotta
4-5 ounces of low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg
1 cup coarsely chopped Kale leaves
6 oz. mushroom caps, stems removed, roughly minced
3 1/2 cups or so (maybe 30 ounces) of high quality marinara sauce (low sugar, low salt)
15 lasagna noodles (whole-wheat preferred), uncooked
1 cup shredded parmesan or reduced-fat cheddar
Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a skillet (I used the ninja cooking system so I cooked in it on stove-top function), heat the oil over medium heat. Begin sautéing the onion and green pepper, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Turn of the heat, toss in the garlic, stir and allow to cook 30 seconds or so.

2. Meanwhile combine ricotta, cottage cheese, egg, kale and mushrooms in a large bowl. Mix the sauté mixture into the ricotta mixture and mix well.

3. Unless nonstick, coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray and spread 1 cup or so of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place 4-5 noodles over the sauce, overlapping them slightly and breaking into pieces as necessary to fill up the space.

4. Spread some of the ricotta-vegetable mixture over the noodles followed by some marinara sauce. Repeat until you have used up all of the luscious ingredients.

5. Sprinkle the Parmesan or cheddar on top and set the slow-cooker on high for 2 hours (or 4 hours on low). I found mine was done at about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

 

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Meal Planning Monday ~ Breakfast on the Go

April 15, 2013 By

 

 

 

       

           Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many people feel like they are too rushed to enjoy a hot and healthy meal first thing in the morning.  I used to think that way, until I started applying my meal planning and freezer cooking skills to breakfast, not just dinner.  Even if you’re running around trying to get yourself and your family out the door, you CAN feed them a nutritious breakfast with minimal effort. 

            This past Saturday, I decided to make my version of the Egg McMuffin in bulk and freeze them, so they would be ready to pop in the microwave on busy weekday mornings.  I did this for several reasons.  First, I am trying to eat healthy and I know if I make something myself, there’s going to be less sodium, additives, fat, and calories than the same food from a restaurant or from a package.  Second, as a coupon queen, I like to save money.  Lately, I’ve been buying Special K’s breakfast sandwiches for a quick and low-calorie meal.  The only downside is that they are EXPENSIVE – four sandwiches for $5.80, which works out to $1.45 each.

            I figured I could do much better than that!  Last week at Meijer, I bought several 6-packs of Aunt Millie’s whole grain English muffins because they were on special as a part of the 10 for $10 sale.  I used six organic free-range eggs, which I purchase at the co-op for $3.50 per dozen.  For the cheese, I used Sargento’s Thin Slices (cheddar), which work out to be 15 cents each, if I don’t have a coupon.  I lightly buttered the toasted muffins before assembling my sandwiches.  So, my homemade Egg McMuffins only cost me 60 cents apiece versus $1.45 for the Special K variety.  My hubby and I both ate one for breakfast, and I put the remaining four in the freezer, each in its own sandwich baggie inside of a larger freezer bag.  When I’m ready to have one during the week, I’ll pop one in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds in a paper towel, and then let it sit an additional minute, while I nuke my turkey bacon or sausage.

         

The great thing with making your own is that you can customize your egg sandwiches any way you like!  You can make your eggs scrambled or fried or egg-whites only.  You can add turkey or sausage to your sandwich and put your favorite cheese on them.  And don’t limit yourself to English muffins!  You can use sandwich thins or bagels or regular bread.  It doesn’t take much time at all to make a few extra sandwiches to freeze while you’re making your breakfast on the weekends.  I also apply the same principle to pancakes, waffles, and muffins.  This way you cook (and clean up) once, but get to eat a hot breakfast multiple times!  The best thing about these sandwiches is that you can heat one up and eat it on your way out the door.  No more excuses about how you don’t have time to eat breakfast!  ;)

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Meal Planning Monday ~ Veggies – Fresh, Frozen, or Canned?

April 8, 2013 By

           We all know that we should eat our veggies.  However, there’s plenty of debate over the merits of canned, frozen, and freshly picked vegetables.  Personally, I think that each of these methods has their place in every cook’s kitchen.  Let’s explore the pros and cons of each.

            Canned ~ The big plus side of canned vegetables is their long shelf-life.  You can stock up on canned corn, beans, and peas when there’s a good sale.  Chances are, you’ll use them before they expire.  It’s hard to argue with the convenience factor of canned vegetables.  No chopping carrots, peeling tomatoes, or soaking beans, which can be your saving grace on busy week nights.  On a regular basis, I use canned black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and artichokes.  However, because of the canning process, you’re typically not getting as many nutrients as you would if you had the same vegetable fresh or frozen.  There has definitely been an increase in popularity in home canning, especially of garden-grown veggies.  I think this is great, because there are fewer preservatives when you can your own veggies.

            Frozen ~ These vegetables are typically flash frozen at the peak of ripeness.  This may mean that they have as many nutrients (maybe even more) as fresh veggies.  If you have a decent size freezer, you can stock up on frozen veggies when you find a great deal.  Frozen veggies will typically keep six month to a year.  Just keep in mind that freezing vegetables does not stop breakdown of nutrients, it just slows it WAY down.  There are some veggies that I prefer frozen.  I use frozen spinach in quite a few of my recipes.  It’s cheaper and easier than buying fresh spinach, which I reserve for my salads.  I also buy vegetable medleys and stew veggies in the freezer section.  If a certain vegetable is out of season, buying frozen is a good alternative.

            Fresh ~ Most people would agree that fresh is best!  There is nothing like a fresh tomato in July…  but you usually can’t find a tasty one in February, which makes me sad. :(   Eating fresh vegetables (especially those in-season and locally grown) will give you the best bang for your nutritional buck.  I’m loving the fresh asparagus that is on sale all over town right now!  We’re eating it once or twice a week.  I also recently purchased a large bag of English peas in the pod from my co-op.  They were very tasty in yesterday’s beef stew, but time-consuming to remove from the shell.

        Some veggies are just a pain to prepare fresh!  Nick and I found that out with artichokes.  Let me tell you, they are high-maintenance to boil, pick apart, and eat!  Next time I make my spinach and artichoke dip, I will stick to the ones in a jar or can.  The big downside to fresh veggies is their limited shelf life.  I usually try to restrain myself at the co-op, because if I buy more than we can eat in a week, it will go bad and end up in the trash – which is not a good thing!

            No matter how you like your veggies – fresh, frozen, canned, or a combination of all three – be sure to eat up!  Vegetables are full of fiber and lots of great vitamins and minerals.  Here is my Meal Plan for the week.

Monday ~ Cilantro Lime Shrimp with black bean and corn salad.  I’ll be using canned beans and corn for this recipe.

Tuesday ~ Turkey and gravy in the crockpot served with mashed potatoes and the remainder of my fresh peas from the co-op.  Kroger had Honeysuckle marinated turkey breasts on sale last week, buy-one-get-one-free.  I froze one of them for later.  I’ll toss the turkey breasts in the crock pot with a jar of gravy for an easy meal.

Wednesday ~ Roasted Salmon with sesame garlic roasted asparagus.  I make garlic roasted asparagus quite a bit, but never with sesame seeds, so I’m going to give it a try this week.

Thursday ~ BBQ chicken with parmesan potatoes and cauliflower with cheese.

Friday ~ Breakfast for dinner!  I’m making my broccoli cheddar frittata with hash browns and some fresh fruit.

Saturday ~ Sometimes I make my Spinach & Artichoke dip with two cans of chicken in it and call it a meal!  My hubby LOVES it.

Sunday ~ Foil packets on the grill with chicken, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, onions, and asparagus.

 

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

  • One 12-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • One 10-ounce box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • ½ cup of reduced-fat cream cheese
  • ¾ cup of reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
  • Pita chips or tortilla chips for dipping

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Make sure that spinach is thoroughly drained of excess water.  (I do this by putting it in a colander and pressing paper towels down on it to remove as much water as possible.)  Mix all ingredients (except chips) until well blended in a bowl.  Spread into a small oven-safe baking dish.  Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden and bubble.  Serve warm with chips.  (If you are unable to find marinated artichoke hearts, you can use a can of artichokes drained, and add a tablespoon of Italian dressing.)

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Meal Planning Monday ~ When Life Gives You Lemons

April 1, 2013 By

           

            “Make lemonade,” right?  Not me!  When life gives me lemons, especially Meyer lemons, I’m making Lemon Caper Chicken, Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, or Grilled Island Chicken.  If you’ve never tried Meyer lemons, you should!  They are a fragrant blend of sweet and tart and will give your recipes a blast of pure sunshine.  I tried them for the first time just a few short weeks ago.  My produce co-op had bags of five Meyer lemons for just $1.00.  Now I’m hooked!

            I’ve been squeezing fresh Meyer lemon juice in just about everything, from drinks, desserts, marinades, and even yogurt!  Here are some of my favorite uses for this gem of a fruit.  (Feel free to use regular lemons in all of recipes.)

  • Lemon-Caper Chicken – I found this recipe back in 2005 on the Cooking Light website, but the exact variation isn’t on there anymore.  It’s tasty, healthy, and easy to make, so I’ve included the recipe below.  I like to serve it with brown rice because it soaks up the tangy sauce.  Delicious!
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Cake - To me, this cake says, “Spring is here!”  I usually make it for Easter brunch or Mother’s Day.  Sometimes I’ll make a lemon glaze to pour over the top of it.  Fortunately, there’s never much in the way of leftovers, so I’m not tempted to eat half the cake by myself!
  • Lemon Greek Yogurt – Take 6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt, add one packet of Stevia, the juice of ¼ of a lemon and mix well.  Top with half of a sheet of crushed graham crackers for a tasty protein-packed snack.
  • Lemon Spritzer – I will juice ¼ of a lemon and add it to sparkling water as a refreshing and healthy alternative to Diet Coke when I’m in the mood for something fizzy.  (I gave up Diet Coke when I did my Detox Drop in January and haven’t had it since.)  It’s also a great addition to green tea or plain water.
  • Grilled Island Chicken – Since our grill is broken and we need to buy a new one, I broiled the chicken after letting it marinade for 6 hours.  My husband and I both loved it!

 

Lemon-Caper Chicken (from Cooking Light magazine)

  • 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
  • 4 Thinly Sliced Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (4 oz. each)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 4 tsp. Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 Medium Shallot, minced
  • 2 Tbs. Drained Capers
  • ½ Cup Chicken Broth
  • ¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 – 2 Tbs. Fresh Chopped Parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Rinse and dry chicken breasts.  Season with salt and pepper and lightly coat with the flour.  Add chicken to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown.  Turn chicken and cook 2-3 minutes more until both sides are golden brown and chicken is no longer pink.  Transfer chicken to a serving platter.

Reduce heat to low.  Add shallots and capers to the skillet.  Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add broth and juice and cook 1 minute.  Stir in parsley.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Nutritional Info: 260 Calories, 17 g fat, 5 g carbohydrates, 21 g protein, 1 g fiber, 72 mg cholesterol, 142 mg sodium per serving.  Recipe makes 4 servings.

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Meal Planning Monday ~ One Meat, Many Ways

March 25, 2013 By

         I love the versatility of ground turkey!  I don’t eat beef or pork, which means I can get sick of chicken pretty quick.  My husband says he doesn’t notice much of a difference in taste between ground turkey and lean ground beef, so we’re both happy.  I’m a fan of ground turkey because it’s high in protein, low in fat, and inexpensive.  The Meijer brand frozen ground turkey goes on sale at regular intervals, so I’ll buy six to eight pounds at a time. It typically makes an appearance in our meal plan, in one form or another, once a week.

            I love to experiment with new recipes, and we tried a great one the other day called Firecracker Casserole (recipe below).  It’s a Mexican style casserole with ground turkey or beef, and black beans.  When I first read the recipe, I thought it was strange that there was a can of cream of mushroom soup in it, but it tasted fantastic!  Nick and I both had seconds, and leftovers were gone within 24 hours.  That fits my definition of a keeper!

            I also experimented with my turkey meatloaf recipe.  Last fall, I was on a quest for an awesome recipe.  After trying five or six different varieties, hubby and I agreed that the McCormick’s meatloaf spice packet made the best one.  I try to eat as naturally as possible, so when my friend, Julie Brawley of Eating Clean 4 Life shared a copycat recipe for the McCormick’s meatloaf mix (the original has added gluten) , I knew I had to try it.  It was pretty tasty; however, the recipe was not quite as good as the real thing.  (Why does gluten have to be so darn delicious??)  However, if you or someone in your family can’t eat gluten, you could certainly use this recipe with gluten free breadcrumbs for a good meatloaf.

Sometimes, I brown several pounds of ground turkey at one time and freeze it.  This saves me a ton of time on busy evenings!  In the morning, I will just take a pound of cooked ground turkey out of the freezer and it’s ready to add into recipes by the time dinner rolls around.  Here are some of my other favorite ways to eat ground turkey.  Of course, you red meat lovers feel free to substitute ground beef.

  • Pasta – There are so many ways to use ground turkey with pasta dishes!  I make turkey meat balls, meat sauce, and eggplant rollitini with it.
  • Mexican – Besides the Firecracker Casserole, ground turkey can be used to make tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.  I found a recipe for homemade taco seasoning that I’m going to try this week.  (Hopefully it will be a better success than the meatloaf seasoning!)
  • Comfort Foods – Ground turkey makes great cheese burgers and is a good addition to all kinds of casseroles.  One of my favorite comfort food recipes is turkey stroganoff.  If you like mushrooms, you’ll love it!
  •  I’ve been eyeing this yummy-looking recipe for Turkey Barley Stew which I plan on making in the next week or two.

What’s your favorite ground turkey or beef recipe?  Comment here with a link, because you know I love trying new recipes!

 

Firecracker Casserole  (From TasteofHome.com)

8 Servings Prep: 15 min. Bake: 25 min.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 flour tortillas (6 inches)
  • 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, chili powder, cumin and salt. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Arrange tortillas over the top. Combine soup and tomatoes; pour over tortillas.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 363 calories, 18 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 72 mg cholesterol, 941 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 28 g protein.

 

 

 

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Meal Planning Monday ~ The Verdict on Sam’s Club

March 18, 2013 By

           

 This week’s post is by Leah Kelley.

I have been looking for ways to cut back on my grocery expenditures lately. I already participate in a local produce co-op and have switched a lot of my grocery shopping to Aldi. I even buy a few staples at the Dollar Store. I have some coupon queen friends who love Sam’s Club, so I decided it was time to give it a try.

This past week, I met up with my mom, who already has a Sam’s membership, to do some shopping. I mainly stuck to the grocery section, but did browse their selection of books, movies, and clothing. I will say this – Sam’s Club does have great prices on books! The clothing department was alright – better than I expected but not great enough for me to buy anything.

I went up and down every single grocery aisle and grabbed a few food samples.  Yes, I did make a few purchases: a 4-pack of Kool-Aid Jammers for $6.98, a box of Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuit mix for $5.98, and a huge container of Sabra Garlic hummus for $3.81. Honestly, I wasn’t super impressed. A lot of the boxed stuff I can buy at Aldi for much less.  Cereal and granola bars can be bought generic at Kroger or with coupons during a great sale for cheaper than Sam’s had them.

Several people told me about Sam’s great meat prices, but I know I can do better with Kroger’s manager specials.  I recently scored a great deal on a pork loin roast, and my family loved the balsamic glaze I used on it.  (Recipe below.)  So for now, I won’t be getting a membership.  (Considering a warehouse membership?  Christine brings up some things to think about in her recent guest post for FatWallet.com.)

 

Balsamic Glazed Pork in Slow Cooker  (Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Café)

INGREDIENTS:

Pork:

  • 2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
  • 1/2 cup water

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub the spices all over the roast. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and pour in the 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Near the end of the cooking time for the roast, combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, shred and place on a platter or plate. Drizzle the glaze over the pork and serve.

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