Jessica's Meal Plan, week 8/19

I took a summer hiatus from posting here. It was just too darn hot to cook anything interesting and the sweltering summer made me pretty lethargic as far as writing anything. I didnt even meal plan, and we definitely suffered for it. I cant tell you how many nights we had hamburgers or spaghetti because I couldnt think of anything else to make.

I still dont know how often I'll post here, but at the very least, I'm meal planning. Its starting to cool down again and my creativity is coming back so I think we're ready for some new meals. And I DEFINITELY need to know whats on my shopping list each week. So here we go:

Sunday: roasted chicken, swiss, green apple & dijon paninis with corn on the cob

Monday: I have to eat Qdoba for a work training. DAMN. The boys will have leftover chicken.

Tuesday: home made pizza with fresh tomato sauce, parmesan, and baby spinach with sliced apples

Wednesday: sweet & spicy chicken & veggie stir-fry over brown rice with sliced fresh peaches

Thursday: pork chops with roasted apples and green beans in mustard vinaigrette

Friday: thai chicken noodle bowl with steamed veggies

Saturday: home made chicken nuggets with whipped maple bacon sweet potatoes

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies of All Time

I haven't felt much like cooking.  It's been in the 90's and humid, work has been nuts, and William is a busy guy at summer camp!  But tonight, The Boys wanted chocolate chip cookies and Steve goes, "NOT healthy ones!"  I decided I'd make them as healthy as could...unbeknownst to Steve. So, basically, they are whole wheat and have less sugar in them - and I used Earth Balance instead of butter, of course! Steve ate one and proclaimed them the best chocolate chip cookies of all time.  Mission: Accomplished!  They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  The perfect cookie.

1 cup spelt flour (you could use whole wheat, if you don't have spelt)
1 cup whole wheat white flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Earth Balance "butter" - melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
scant 1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBS vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325.  Stir together melted butter and sugars.  Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Stir until creamy.  Sprinkle in baking soda and salt.  Slowly add in flours. Mix just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 17-20 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before removing from baking pan and cooling on rack.

And now, this week's (late) meal plan - we have been flying by the seat of our pants.  Last week, we had deli turkey (deli meat is NOT my favorite thing) in pita pockets for dinner one night. Things got that bad.

Monday: I had a friend over for dinner, so I just set out all the taco salad fixin's and let everyone make what they wanted.
Tuesday: chicken nachos (SUPER good) -  I just threw a couple chicken breasts into the crockpot with a can of salsa and a packet of taco seasoning.  Then shredded it over nachos with melted cheese and sour cream.  You could add whatever you wanted: black olives, peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce...
Wednesday: salmon on the grill
Thursday: out
Friday: brown butter chicken, mushrooms and caramelized onions over angel hair pasta (a Steve fav)
Saturday: Drew, Jess, and Griffin are here!!!!!

Jessica's Meal Plan, week 6/17

I didn't have many exciting recipes from last week to share! The ham and pineapple skewers I made turned out amazing, but I forgot to take any pictures to show you. The ham & pea soup was pretty good too, but I just sort of threw random things in the crock pot that day & didn't write down any measurements. Oh, well.

I probably wont post any recipes this week either. We're having lots of family around and those days when we're not visiting, we're trying to keep things super simple! So here is the plan:

Sunday: brats on the grill with sliced fruit
Monday: spaghetti & garlic bread (though I may be talked out of that since it's supposed to be 95 degrees today)
Tuesday: my cousin, Sean, will be here from Cleveland! We'll be meeting my parents in Denver to take him out to dinner. So fun!
Wednesday: taco casserole with fruit gazpacho
Thursday: grilled mango chicken with grilled potato packets
Friday: sandwiches on the way to the airport. WOO!
Saturday: whatever deliciousness our Columbus family decides on. CANT WAIT!

Jessica's Meal Plan, week of 6/10

We have been a BUSY family lately and I am beat!! Because of that, the meal plan this week leans toward the easy side. Should still be yummy though!

Sunday- grilled pineapple & ham skewers with steamed asparagus
Monday- spinach & bean quesadillas with chips & salsa
Tuesday- roasted chicken breast with mashed cauliflower
Wednesday- ham & pea soup with cornbread
Thursday- Big Salad with roasted beets, kale, apples, raisins, feta & pecans
Friday- garlic pasta primavera
Saturday- Father's Day dinner at my parents' house

Enjoy your week!

Greek quinoa burgers (a Jess post)

Dude... DUDE. I'm not even kidding you, this recipe was GOOD. Like, creepily excited for leftovers good. And, as a bonus, crazy healthy!! Bless the Pinterest for yet another amazing idea.

My recipe was adapted from this one in Whole Living a few years back. Makes sense- I adore that magazine too. I just made a few tweaks to suit our particular tastes/ eating styles and you can too! Here's what I did...

Ingredients:

for the burgers-
1/2 c quinoa
3/4 c water
1 carrot, cut into large chunks
1 clove garlic, peeled
12 oz (about 3/4 of a can) cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 c Panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste
2 T olive oil
4 whole wheat pitas
1/4 cucumber, peeled & sliced

for the yogurt sauce-
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
the juice from 1/2 lemon (apprx. 1 T)
2 T feta cheese crumbles
pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, bring the water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or until tender and water is absorbed. Meanwhile, in a food processor pulse together the carrot and garlic. Add the beans and whir together until it becomes a thick paste. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, bean mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, and spices. Form into 4 patties, approximately 3/4 inch thick. If the mixture is too sticky, you can either wet your hands before you form the patties, or you can put the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes to thicken it up. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, untouched, 8 minutes per side or until cooked through and crispy and golden brown on the outside. While the patties are cooking, combine all of the yogurt sauce ingredients. Serve the burgers stuffed inside a pita half, topped with yogurt sauce and cucumber slices.

These really were extraordinarily delicious. Even Drew loved them (and he hates most things, but especially beans)! And they were pretty easy to make too! They reminded me a lot of falafel, only much healthier. Go forth and create quinoa burgers!

Picnic Platter

One of our favorite things to do is just set a giant platter of good stuff on the dining room table and have everyone go it.  It's fast, easy, and always delicious.  Here's what we had on it this time:

From left to right on red board:

roasted chicken (not pictured - it was still cooling), cauliflower, broccoli, sharp cheddar shards, strawberries, carrots, and different crackers.

Small plate at bottom: herbed soft cheese surrounded by apple slices

And this is what the platter looked like 20 minutes later (you can see Steve is not done quite yet!):

We took it DOWN.

Grilled Garlic Herb Salmon (a Jess post)

I happened upon this recipe while surfing Pinterest and it looked really simple and summery so I thought I'd give it a try. It was DELICIOUS, really healthy, and is my favorite way of cooking salmon so far.

Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp herbs de Province
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
2 T Dijon mustard
2-4 6 oz salmon fillets
salt & pepper

Heat your charcoal or gas grill and coat the grate with oil or cooking spray. In a food processor, combine the garlic, herbs de Province, vinegar, oil & mustard until it forms a thick sauce or paste and set aside. Sprinkle the salmon with salt & pepper to taste and then place on the grill skin side up, cover the grill, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and spoon the mustard sauce onto the salmon. Cover the grill and cook another 3-4 minutes. Turn again, spoon more sauce on top and cook a minute longer.

I served this with grilled asparagus and a tossed salad out on the back patio. Ahhh, summer. And both of the boys really liked it too! Score!

my tiny food critic

my taller dining partner. he was happy, I swear!

Cory's Meal Plan

I have been super lazy recently.  I have not had the desire (or time!) to cook much.  And, when I have, it's been a horrendous failure.  Rachel Ray screwed me last night.  I found a recipe of hers for turkey sloppy joes that sounded good.  Not so much.  Neither Steve nor I could stomach bringing in the leftovers for lunch and just pitched them.  Frozen burritos sounded better.  That bad.  I have high hopes for this week, though!  I'm going easy, fast, and yummy.  And cheap.  Hopefully. I have been spending way to much on food recently!

Sunday: disgusting turkey sloppy joes of horror
Monday: brinner! (pancakes, turkey bacon, and fruit salad) We skipped this last week, so it's reappearing
Tuesday: vegan mushroom stroganoff.  Will keep you posted - it's a new recipe.
Wednesday: picnic platter.  This is one of our favorite meals.  I set out a giant platter that has veggies, fruit, crackers, cheeses, and broiled chicken shreds.  Everyone just picks off it and eats what they want.
Thursday: out
Friday: salmon burgers and oven fries
Saturday: Cory Pockets.  I am going to take all the leftovers from picnic platter and stuff them into a puff pastry.  Should be fast and easy - and a good way to use up leftover cut-up veggies, cheese, and chicken! Hopefully they are nothing like Hot Pockets.  Oh, Hot Pockets, you were so awesome in college - the Dinner of Champions.  I am old and you now disgust me.  What was I thinking?

Jessica's Meal Plan, week of 6/3

This is the first time it's supposed to be in the mid to upper 80s all week so I wanted to plan accordingly. This time of year I like to use the oven as infrequently as possible and keep things fairly light. By the time August rolls around I'd usually be fine eating nothing but cold watermelon, but I've got these boys to worry about...

Sunday- leftovers
Monday- grilled garlic salmon with steamed asparagus
Tuesday- chicken nachos with grapes and strawberries
Wednesday- Greek quinoa burgers with chips & mini Greek salads
Thursday- Picnic! grilled ham & pineapple skewers with cheddar jalapeno corn bread
Friday- peach balsamic chicken breasts with snap peas & salad

I've also got some new breakfast recipes I'll be checking out this week. I'll share if any of them are good!

Maple Dijon Chicken and Parmesan Snap Peas (a Jess post)

Last night's dinner was SO EASY. And by so easy, I'm talking I thought I must have missed a step or 3.  The best part is, it tasted like I had slaved away. So, of course, I pretended I did. :)

For the maple Dijon chicken:
1 lb. chicken thighs
1/2 c Dijon mustard
1/4 c good quality maple syrup
1 T rice vinegar
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt & pepper and arrange in the lined dish. Mix together the mustard, syrup and vinegar. Pour the mustard mixture on top of the chicken, turning to coat. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cooked through and starting to brown, basting once after 20 minutes.

For the Parmesan snap peas:
1/2 lb. snap peas, strings removed
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 T shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Toss the peas with the olive oil and garlic salt and place on a baking sheet. Bake approximately 10 minutes, or until they begin to soften and slightly brown. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 1-2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Drew actually said "this dinner is delicious!" Which comes VERY rarely from Drew and is therefore not something I take lightly! Looks like I found a new regular!

Cory's Meal Plan

Nothing exciting has happened in the kitchen this week.  I made a homemade chex mix that no one likes. So, I have a giant container of gross chex mix.  Good times.  But, I have high hopes for this week. Here's the meal plan...

Sunday: western omelets
Monday: cook out!  We're having turkey burgers, corn on the cob, chips, and fruit
Tuesday: quinoa with shrimp and veggies
Wednesday: spaghetti...not special in any way.  (The last time I put mashed sardines in the sauce and William and I ate it all up, but Steve threw a temper tantrum of massive proportions and has since taken to rooting around in everything I serve him looking for sardines. And has made me promise at least a dozen times to never put sardines in anything he eats again.)
Thursday: out
Friday: Steve's fav taco salad
Saturday: turkey sloppy joes

Jessica's Meal Plan, week of 5/27

Two posts in one day? A meal plan before Sunday evening? What the what?

I'm taking advantage of some much needed downtime and also anticipating that this weekend will be pretty busy. Fun, but busy. And since I'm going grocery shopping first thing tomorrow morning, I figured I'd go ahead and post my meal plan now.

Sunday: my parents are coming over for a Memorial Day BBQ. We'll have burgers, dogs, corn on the cob, my grandma's famous baked beans, fruit salad, and whatever awesome dessert my mom brings with her.
Monday: maple dijon chicken with parmesan snap peas
Tuesday: this will be our first weekly picnic of the season! I'm thinking turkey sandwiches, chips & sliced fruit with a stop for frozen yogurt afterwards
Wednesday: garlic herb salmon with steamed artichokes & salad
Thursday: spinach quesadillas with spanish rice
Friday: dinner from one of the vendors at First Friday downtown!

Spanish Meatballs (a Jess post)

I'm always looking for fast & easy yet delicious recipes. I think we all are, actually. Well, this is one of those. It takes about 25 minutes total and it's a nice change from traditional spaghetti & meatballs.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat of your choosing (I used turkey)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T panko breadcrumbs
1 & 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced into thick pieces
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
salt & pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp of the paprika, cumin, onion flakes, and parsley. Form into approximately 15 meatballs. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the meatballs, browning on all sides until cooked through. Meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce, remaining paprika, and salt & pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. When meatballs are cooked, transfer them to the tomato sauce, stir and cover, allowing them to simmer. In the same skillet that you cooked the meatballs in, add the onion and cook until translucent and browning around the edges. Stir the cooked onions into the sauce and meatballs and allow to simmer another 5 minutes or so. Serve over hot rice or egg noodles.

This was a HUGE hit with the boys and would be one of those perfect cool weather weeknight meals.

The Perfect Tuna Cakes

I have found that the best dinners I make are the ones I have no recipe for.  They usually come out of some other recipe that I follow and then think, "that was kinda gross...I wouldn't have added the xyz." I think, for most folks, the best food is always the food that they tweak to fit their own tastes - since everyone is different.  If you recall, I made all kinds of fish cake recipes looking for a winner, never found it, and gave up.  So then I thought, "screw this...I'm making Fish Cakes a la Cory."  I measured nothing, but I'll tell you what went in them - and you can decide what to put in yours!  Steve proclaimed them "the perfect fish cakes."

First, I really finely diced just a little onion and red pepper.  Then I sauteed them in some oil.  I like my veggies soft, no bite to them at all, so I added this first sauteeing to get 'em extra soft.  While they were cooking, I added a giant can of albacore tuna, an egg, a healthy glop of mayo, lots 'o salt (mmmm, yeah), garlic powder, some Old Bay seasoning, a giant handful of panko breadcrumbs, and grated zucchini to a bowl.  Then, I stirred in the onion and red pepper and formed them into cakes.  I fried them up in some olive oil and served them on a bed of greens.  SO GOOD.  

A doctor has proclaimed Steve "SO SKINNY" so he is taking this as "doctor's orders" to eat as much as possible.  He made his way through an entire Ben & Jerry's last night. He is actually the perfect weight for his height - and I told him this doctor is used to seeing old, overweight people.  So a healthy 35 year old man probably looks like a god to him and he cannot be trusted.  I suggested that, perhaaaaaps, he should concentrate on why he has to see a doctor used to seeing old, overweight people - and maybe take better care of himself!  Needless to say...that was not a popular opinion. 

Creamy Shrimp Pasta & Stuff

I have neglected posting, so this is a catch-all!  First, creamy shrimp pasta...

It was good, and REALLY simple.  

Ingredients

• 3/4 pounds Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• A couple nubs of Butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream (I used 1/2 cup, and you could easily sub in coconut milk here for a dairy-free version)
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta.
Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat a bit of butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.
Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat a nub of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add, your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.
Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil.
Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Next, William's bento for this week.  Next week will actually be the last bento of the school year.  After that, William has a week off and then heads to summer camp - where lunches and snacks are provided. William isn't sure how he feels about this turn of events! He loves packing.

Front left: pita triangles with slices of chicken breast

Front right: banana chips

Back left: whole wheat mini chocolate mint cupcake

Back middle: super crackers

Back right: corn

William says this week's lunch is his all time favorite.  But, he has been eating really well - and saying that every week!  For instance, this morning for breakfast he had: a Clif bar, an apple, a handful of sesame sticks, and a lactose-free yogurt.  Every scrap of it went down his tiny gullet.  I don't know where he's storing it!

Lastly, here is the meal plan for this week...

Sunday: salmon out on the grill, strawberries from our garden, and green salad

Monday: black bean tacos, corn

Tuesday: brinner!  I will be making my oat-y pancakes (SO GOOD), scrambled eggs, and fruit salad

Wednesday: Steve has surgery, so I'm picking up whatever he wants for dinner - he says pizza

Thursday: brined chicken breasts, oven fries, green salad

Friday: tuna cakes

Saturday: baked tofu fried rice

Best Pancakes EVER. and a meal plan. (a Jess post)

So I know I posted about pancakes before. And I really did think that recipe was a winner. But I didn't have any buttermilk in the house today so I went searching for other options. And Oh. My. God. This is it. They were, literally, the best pancakes I ever had. And we ate them- ALL OF THEM- so fast that I don't even have a picture! And they were pretty! Here is the recipe so you can find out for yourself:

Ingredients:
1 c white all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 1/4 c milk
1 egg
3 T butter, melted

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly incorporated. Heat oiled griddle over medium heat and ladle approximately 1/4 of batter onto griddle for each pancake. Brown on both sides.

The recipe was also extremely easy. AND it was the first time I got to use the built-in griddle on my new stove! And let me tell you... it was AWESOME! This was definitely an indulgence for me since I'm not supposed to be eating much "white" sugars and carbs, but since I mixed in some whole wheat, I didn't feel AS bad about it.

So here is my meal plan for this week:

Today (Sunday)- garlic lime roasted turkey and orange sweet potato chips, recipe to follow!
Monday- toasted black bean burritos with avocado sauce
Tuesday- (leftover) turkey noodle casserole, salad & sliced fruit
Wednesday- Big Salad with spinach, apples, raisins, roasted beets & toasted pecans
Thursday- slow cooker Spanish meatballs over brown rice
Friday- out
Saturday- Greek turkey burger pitas & zucchini parmesan hummus

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry (a Jess post)

I have only recently found out that I love Indian food. I know, I know... I can't believe it took me so long either. But now that I know, I crave it CONSTANTLY. I've tried to make a few dishes at home with decent success, so when I was looking for a way to use my red lentils I immediately thought curry. The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can tweak the spice a lot to suit you. Plus, it's SUPER healthy!

Ingredients:
1 c dried red lentils
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
water to cover
1 T grapeseed oil
1 onion, diced
1 T plus 1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 14 oz can tomato sauce

Rinse the lentils until water runs clear. Put them in a pot with the sweet potato and cover with water. Allow the mixture to simmer, covered, until lentils and sweet potato soften- about 15 minutes. While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan and add onion. Cook until onion caramelizes. While onion is cooking, combine the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, salt and sugar.

I think spices are so beautiful

Add the spice mixture to the cooked onion and stir constantly, approximately 2 minutes, over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook while stirring another minute longer. Add tomato sauce. Stir and allow mixture to come to a simmer. Once lentil mixture is ready, drain if necessary and add to the curry base. Combine thoroughly and serve over hot rice.

I adored this. It was so satisfying & made me feel like I had gotten authentic Indian takeout. Drew was not as big of a fan, but at least he ate it. We have massive amounts of leftovers and they're all for me!

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes & Bento

I made mint chocolate cupcakes for William's lunch treat this week.  They are really good!!  And William LOVES them.  I made a bunch of mini cupcakes to go in his bento and then I made 6 regular sized cupcakes to frost at some point (they are currently hanging out in the freezer waiting for a reason to be frosted and enjoyed.  William and I LOVE all things mint chocolate, so these are a big hit!

William said, "you know, I eat those cupcakes before any of my healthy food at lunch!" and I was all, "I do not blame you, man." And, secretly, these aren't too terrible for you!  

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 1 cup flour (I used white-whole-wheat)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 and 1/2 T cornstarch
• 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pure peppermint extract (or 1/2 tsp, if you only want a very-slight mint taste)
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I used a lactose-free yogurt that is super good!)
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 3 T canola oil
• optional: add a few handfuls chocolate chips to the batter!
• 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients, then add wet. Don’t overmix. Pour into cupcake liners or tins, and bake for 18-20 minutes. 

Per regular sized cupcake there are only 130 calories and three grams of fat (depending on what yogurt you use)!!  The mini cupcakes are only about 55 calories - so eat up!!

And here is William's bento this week:

Back left: super crackers

Back middle: mint chocolate cupcake

Back right: baby carrots

Front left: turkey wraps in whole wheat tortillas

Front right: strawberries (some right from our garden!)

This is a very popular lunch.  Today, the only thing that came home was about 3 bites of wrap and 2 baby carrots.  And crumbs.

No-Bake Granola Bars

The quest for the perfect granola bar may be over!  These are GOOD.  They taste like buckeyes to me.  It's like a snack/dessert.  Yum!!

I am going to try one thing this weekend and then, if it doesn't work, I will declare this the winner!  

2 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted almond slivers
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Line a square baking pan lined with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a medium bowl mix the oatmeal, wheat germ, flax, chips and nuts; set aside.

Melt peanut butter, honey, and molasses together in the microwave. Stir in vanilla and salt. 

Pour into dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Press into baking pan. Refrigerate until hardened.  Cut into squares and store into fridge until right before eating.

This weekend, I am going to try to use mashed dates as both a binder and a sweetener so I can make a no-sweetner added version! If it doesn't taste right, I'm going back to Old Faithful.  

 

Jessica's Meal Plan, week of 5/13

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there! I actually had time to relax, meal plan & post because my lovely husband is taking care of my lovely son... ahhhh, quiet.

You'd think that because of that I'd have this super creative meal plan, but alas, I do not. I decided to keep it really simple this week so I would be sure to stick to it! I hate deviating from the plan- makes me feel icky.

So, here we are:

Sunday: I'm taking my homemade sausage and roasted veggie lasagna to my parent's house for Mother's Day
Monday: tofu stir fry with brown rice and sliced fruit
Tuesday: leftovers (I have a feeling there will be a LOT of lasagna...)
Wednesday: red lentil curry with raw veggies & dip (I REALLY hope Drew likes this!)
Thursday: chicken, broccoli & barley casserole with salad
Friday: soy tacos with chips & salsa
Saturday: garlic lime turkey breast with orange sweet potato chips (I didn't get to it last week)

Totally Proactive Meal Plan

Check out how early I have my meal plan done!  what what!  For this week's snack, I am continuing my quest for the PERFECT granola bar.  I have a no bake recipe I will be doing this week.  It's full of flax seeds and other goodness, so hopefully it's also delicious!  William's treat for the week is going to be Monster Mint Chocolate Mini Muffs.  If those things are any good (they're good for you[ish]!!), I'll share the recipes.

And here's what we're having for dinner...

Sunday: Steve is making dinner for me for Mother's Day.  All he'll tell me is it's some sort of blackened salmon on the grill.
Monday: I am modifying a recipe for a penne dish that has shrimp and other delights. I will share if it's any good!
Tuesday: stuffed portabella mushrooms
Wednesday: Ssssspecial sssssecret ssssspaghetti (I am not telling you what's in it yet because I'm afraid Steve will read this and not eat it if he knows.  I will share the sssssecret once Sssssteve has eaten it.)
Thursday: out
Friday: healthy homemade pizza
Saturday: pineapple chicken

bison & red wine crock pot stew (a Jess post)

Monday was overcast, wet and cold. One of those days where all you want to do is curl up with a blanket and a good book.  Luckily I had already planned on making bison & red wine stew and it was PERFECT timing. I put everything in the crock pot over lunch so when I came home all I had to do was throw on some cozy pajama pants & enjoy! This is apparently similar to boeuf bourguignon... but I don't speak french. :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. bison stew meat
1 T olive oil
salt & pepper
1 large shallot (the size of a small onion), finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 T flour
3 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 small potatoes (I used purple), cut into chunks
2 1/2 c good red wine
1 c beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high. When shimmering, add bison. Begin to toss, sprinkling the meat with salt and pepper to taste. Once browned, add shallot and garlic. Cook until shallot is translucent and sprinkle mixture with flour. Stir until incorporated and remove from heat. Put bison mixture and all remaining ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.

This was so simple yet so flavorful and was total comfort food. Drew loved it too! (woo!) The only problem is that I think the sugars from the wine made my stomach hurt a bit that night... small price to pay, really.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting

So...here's the thing.  I love to bake.  Since the time I was old enough to use the oven, I have loved to bake.  My mom got me a cookbook called Who Is That Short Chef?  I think the only recipes I ever used in there were for cookies and cakes. (Confession: I still own that cookbook and it has, to date, the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever found.) Trying to eat well is really depressing when you love to bake.  Because, sadly, most things you bake are delicious...but not exactly good for you.  So, if you haven't been able to tell, I am always on the prowl for healthy ways to indulge in my love of baking. Tonight was no exception!  The biggest problem with trying to bake healthy stuff is that about half the time it is majorly gross.  It doesn't taste AT ALL like its decadent counterpart.  It tastes like dirt...or grass. Or the consistency is so off that it's inedible.  Something.  So I like sharing the ones that are successful!

William has had a stretch of good days at school.  And he wasn't a superfan of the cupcakes I made for his birthday (I had to use vegan butter for the frosting and William didn't like the flavor).  So I was feeling bad - and thinking he needed a sweet surprise after dinner.  I stumbled upon a healthy chocolate cake recipe and decided to give it a go when I saw how easy it was. I whipped it up in about 10 minutes! I think William liked it...

Note the chocolate-induced glazed eyes

The cake turned out pretty darn well, if I do say so myself!  Since William inhaled his, here is what the cake looks like, other than an empty plate:

And here's how I made it:

• 1 and ½ cups white whole-wheat flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (canola would work great too, I just didn't have any)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
• ¾ cup cold water

Mix dry ingredients. Then add wet. Mix with a fork (not beaters). Pour into a greased and lined cake pan, and bake in a preheated oven at 355F for about thirty minutes. Cool before frosting.

Then, I decided to make a chocolate peanut butter frosting that uses no powdered sugar at all.  

• 1/2 cup peanut butter 
• 5 TB pure maple syrup 
• 4 TB cocoa powder
• 3 TB milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 1 1/2  tsp pure vanilla extract

Blend everything in a food processor. 

And, just for funsies, here is the first garden strawberry of the season!!!

Bento Fun

This week is Health Week Challenge at William's school, so we have to chart how many healthy things he eats.  William is cleaning up!  He got all the possible points yesterday - except for trying something he thought he didn't like (I pushed blueberries on the little weirdo, but he refused to eat them...what kind of kid doesn't like blueberries??)

I wanted to put green beans in William's bento this week, but he said he wouldn't eat them.  I can't say that I blame him...green beans make me gag.  William requested corn as his veg again - that is his favorite.  Here's what else he's eatin':

Back left: peanut butter quesadillas on whole wheat tortillas

Back right: corn

Front left: gluten free garbanzo blondie

Center: Super Crackers (a full serving of sweet potatoes!)

Front right: mandarin oranges

Gluten Free Blondies and Meal Plan

Cory

I made gluten free - and pretty healthy! - blondies for William's lunch treat this week.  The main ingredient is garbanzo beans.  Yes....garbanzo beans.  But they don't taste like beans, I promise!  They taste like gooey, delicious blondies!  See?

I followed the recipe exactly from Chocolate Covered Katie. Here's how to make them (SO EASY!)

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained and rinsed) 
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• level 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup ground flax 
• 1/4 cup peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients (except chips) until very smooth in a food processor (not a blender). Mix in chips, and scoop into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: for “prettiness” you can stick some chocolate chips on top of the batter as well. Bake for around 30 minutes. They’ll look a little undercooked when you take them out, but they firm up as they cool, and you don’t want them to get hard.

And here's the meal plan for this week.  Yesterday was SUPPOSED to be veggie burgers on the grill with oven fries and broccoli.  But Steve burned the hell out of the burgers and they were blackened little pucks of coal.  So we improvised.

Sunday: Scrambled egg sandwiches in lieu of veggie burgers

Monday: Attempt 2 on the veggie burgers

Tuesday: The Famous Taco Salad

Wednesday: Salmon of some sort

Thursday: out

Friday: Tortilla pizzas that we didn't have last week due to birthday celebrations for William

Saturday: Chicken Tikka Masala (recipe to follow)

Jessica's Meal Plan, week of 5/6

Last week was oddly hectic. Because of it, there were times we didn't stick to the meal plan- though I did actually do a fairly good job of eating within my new dietary limits. I learned my lesson when we went out for ice cream on Friday night and I had major stomach cramps for 24 hours following that. I dont know if it was the sugar & dairy in the ice cream or the new medication I'm on, but I paid for it for sure. Not something I really want to do again. So back to eating right...

Sunday (tonight)- I made a variation of Cory's quinoa & egg muffins, though mine were more like mini-casseroles. (I am making the muffins for breakfasts this week though!)
Monday- red wine bison stew (I meant to make this last week & it didnt happen) & sliced fruit
Tuesday- tofu parmigiana & salad
Wednesday- garlic lime turkey breast with orange sweet potato chips
Thursday- whole wheat spaghetti tossed with herbs & arugula
Friday- leftover turkey sandwiches on sprouted grain bread
Saturday- out for our Mother's Day celebration!

slow cooker shredded adobo pork (a Jess post)

I've had a pork roast in the freezer for weeks now and I wanted to make it into something yummy and exciting- not just typical roast. While we were at Chipotle last weekend, it hit me- shredded pork for tacos! I can eat those on a corn tortilla and have very few carbs. So I poked around a bit and came up with this recipe. Better yet, it used the slow cooker! I tweaked it to be suitable for a small-ish pork roast, and voila! Mouth watering meat.

Ingredients:
1/4 c pureed chipotle chiles in adobo (I got this in a can, but if you cant find it, simply get the whole chiles in adobo and pulse 2 of them with a spoonful or 2 of adobo in your food processor)
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
6 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed with the flat side of a knife
2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 T kosher salt
juice from 2 1/2 limes (I actually used 2 regular limes and 3 key limes)
1/4 c cider vinegar
2-3 lb pork roast (I used pork loin roast)
4 cups chicken broth
4 bay leaves

In the bottom of the slow cooker, combine chile puree, cilantro, onion, garlic, cloves, salt, lime juice, and vinegar. Put roast into low cooker and turn it a few times so that it becomes completely coated in the sauce. Pour in the chicken broth and add bay leaves. Cook on high for 6 hours, then allow to sit on warm for another 4 hours or so (this is where it gets super tender & starts to fall apart).

Carefully remove and shred the meat. Ladle some of the sauce back onto it for serving (so that it is moist, but not dripping). Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings!

This stuff was AMAZING- not spicy, but VERY flavorful. I cant wait for the leftovers tomorrow!! The whole family adored it too. I will make it again and again.

Weekly Bento

This is William's favorite lunch yet!!  He came home with nothing in his lunchbox but scraps.  Which threw me for a loop since he usually has lunch leftovers for his after school snack.  So I had to come up with a good snack in a hurry!

Back left: blue tortilla chips

Back right: corn

Front left: spelt flour chocolate zucchini mini muffin

Middle: sardines

Front right: trail mix of sesame sticks and dried cherries

William goes, "I love sardines!  Fish is brain food!"  His lunchbox did smell a bit...well, fishy, when he got home from school.  But, you can't beat the Omega-3's and calcium in sardines!  And, we have to find creative ways for William to get calcium since he's off all dairy.  And, that kid loves him some sardines.

Interesting dairy sidebar: It seems that once we cut it out and got William's tummy happy, that now even a little bit (what before would have been fine!) now hurts his tummy.  I made spaghetti for him the other night from leftover sauce I had frozen.  There was a tiny bit of parmesan cheese in there, but I thought it would be OK.  Nope.  A half hour later, he was on the couch saying his belly hurt.  I poisoned him again. :(

Quinoa and Egg Mini Muffins

I cooked lots of goodies this weekend!  But took no pictures at all.  My favorite thing I made were quinoa and egg mini muffins.  I made 2 dozen and will be eating them for breakfast all week.  I based it on a recipe I found on this website. And stole a picture from there as well:

I swear...mine look JUST like this!  Cross my heart.

I modified mine a little.  Here's how I made them...

2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked) -- I cooked mine in vegetable broth 

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 cup zucchini, shredded

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon mixture to the top of each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cups are golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin.

They are delicious and have nearly 3 grams of protein per mini muffin!

Last, but not least, here is my meal plan for the week....

Sunday (yesterday): Eggplant parmesan
Monday: Fried rice with soy glazed tofu
Tuesday: Taco salad (a new Steve fav!)
Wednesday: out
Thursday: William's Birthday!!  William has requested "fancy meat" - which is filet.  I am going to get some bison filets.  William likes them still mooing, so they will be served extra rare for the birthday boy!
Chocolate mint cupcakes to follow.
Friday: Personal tortilla pizzas - I haven't decided what veggies will go on them yet
Saturday: Salmon (last week's salmon was bow tie pasta with salmon and pesto)

avocado banana chocolate mousse and meal plan (a Jess post)

I happened upon this recipe (another Pinterest find) last week. I'm not actually a huge dessert person. I do like to indulge occasionally, but I don't usually search out sweets. I was intrigued by these ingredients though. No sweetener? No dairy? It fit in with the way I now eat, but could it be good?

The answer is YES. It is thick and creamy. It tastes utterly decadent. You would never know it isn't filled with sugar and cream. It is the type of thing you could feed company for dessert and have them think you are a superstar. Or make yourself for an evening treat and never have to feel guilty about it.

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
2 ripe bananas
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

In a food processor, combine the avocados and bananas until smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients and processed until completely combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. Scoop into a covered container and refrigerate at least an hour until thickened, chilled, and flavors combine.

Serve as is or topped with nuts, coconut flakes, or fruit. I used granola.

YUM. But in the nature of full disclosure, I should tell you that Drew HATED it. Enough to spit it out as though he was a small child. No explanation, really- he said it just "reminded him of something he didn't like once". TOTALLY fine with me- that means the rest is mine, all mine.

And now here is our meal plan for the week:

Sunday: leftover pork fried rice and edamame
Monday: shredded adobo pork tacos
Tuesday: spring pea and barley risotto with salad
Wednesday: salad with tangelos and leftover adobo pork
Thursday: brown rice and tofu pancakes with fruit
Friday: red wine bison stew
Saturday: out

My change in diet has actually been going super well and for the most part I don't miss anything! My face has cleared up significantly, I have more energy, and I've even lost 5 pounds. Lets hope it continues!

Black Bean Tortilla "Pizza"

WINNING!  Steve said, "You really nailed this one - I am a happy husband! I could eat 10 of these!!"  Check out the happiness:

Refusing to eat it as a pizza...but still good!

What caused the Usually Less Than Supportive of Kitchen Innovations Spouse to be so effusive?  (And, if you know Steve, you know that that's about as excited as he gets.)  Black Bean Tortilla Pizza!

I took a tortilla, put some of the black beans I made last week on it, a bit of shredded cheddar cheese and threw it into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  (The beans became the "sauce.")  Then,  I took it out and put some shredded lettuce on it, tortilla chip bits (they are purple, per William's request, so they don't show up well), a light splash of Ranch dressing, and salsa.  I meant it to be eaten as little personal pizzas, but Steve sort of folded his in half and ate it as a taco.  I ate mine the RIGHT way.  The PIZZA way.  But we can't all be as awesome as I am.  So - eat it how you want.  Just know...you're doing it wrong.

Collard Green Pesto (a Jess post)

I LOVE pesto. The standard basil pesto is great, especially in late summer when the basil was grown in your own pot. But it is such a versatile sauce and can be made with practically anything green. My personal favorite is asparagus pesto, though I haven't made it yet this season. Tonight I made collard green pesto. I buy huge bunches of various greens every week and I try to find new yummy ways to use them up. This was definitely a winner.

Ingredients:
1 bunch collard greens (you could use any green- kale, chard & spinach would all be awesome), ribs removed and coarsely chopped
1/4 c flat leaf parsley
3 T pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 T dried Parmesan, Romano, or cheese blend
salt & pepper
1/2 c olive oil

Heat pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant.

In a food processor, combine greens, parsley and garlic. Add pine nuts and cheese, processing until finely chopped. Slowly add olive oil while processing until sauce takes on a thick, creamy consistency. 

Add salt & pepper to taste. Toss with hot whole grain pasta.

The greens are slightly bitter but are balanced by the pine nuts and cheese. This recipe is also pretty healthy considering it is mainly raw greens! And unlike typical pesto, it uses very little cheese. I really liked it- I thought it was fresh and light. Griffin did NOT and I had to make him macaroni and cheese. It's ok, he'll learn I'm sure!