Well, we have an overly well stocked freezer, pantry and storage rack right now, so I decided that February would be a great month to do a pantry challenge...attempting to plan meals that best utilize all the ingredients that I already have on hand and not buying a surplus more (this is going to be difficult as one of my favorite indulgances is to grocery shop!). We will still have fresh produce delivered from Organics To You bi-weekly, but other than that and the staples (which I'll have to work out a bit, but will include milk, eggs, flours, etc) I am going to pare my grocery shopping down to a bare minimum.
Wish me luck! I'll keep posting on the progress and weekly menus.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Menu for the week
I am an over-planner when it comes to meals (I could plan 2 months of meals at a time!) HOWEVER, I also change them on a whim! So, with that caveat....here's what is in store for this week:
Sunday
Broccoli and Snow Peas with Peanut Sauce over WW Spaghetti (Ellie Krieger's)
homemade sourdough baguette
Banana Choc Chip muffins
Monday
Roasted Root Veggies over Polenta (EW)
Tuesday
Baked Halibut (WW recipe)
Roasted Butternut Squash (Barefoot Contessa)
Kale
Wednesday
Homemade Marinara from freezer with pasta and frozen green beans for family (I'm going out to Thai with a friend!)
Thursday
Honeybaked Lentils (Mennonite Cookbook)
Brown Rice
Balsamic Sauteed Cabbage and Onions or Greens
Hopefully I'll get time to make coconut brown rice pudding for dessert
Friday
Salmon Tacos
Shredded Cabbage Slaw
Beans (some Rancho Gordo variety TBD)
Sunday
Broccoli and Snow Peas with Peanut Sauce over WW Spaghetti (Ellie Krieger's)
homemade sourdough baguette
Banana Choc Chip muffins
Monday
Roasted Root Veggies over Polenta (EW)
Tuesday
Baked Halibut (WW recipe)
Roasted Butternut Squash (Barefoot Contessa)
Kale
Wednesday
Homemade Marinara from freezer with pasta and frozen green beans for family (I'm going out to Thai with a friend!)
Thursday
Honeybaked Lentils (Mennonite Cookbook)
Brown Rice
Balsamic Sauteed Cabbage and Onions or Greens
Hopefully I'll get time to make coconut brown rice pudding for dessert
Friday
Salmon Tacos
Shredded Cabbage Slaw
Beans (some Rancho Gordo variety TBD)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sprout salad....so simple...so tasty
Last night I enjoyed my last bowl of sprouted salad as part of my dinner. I simply took sprouts from my jar and topped them with a simple vingrette I made with lemon juice, dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. It has been amazing how tasty this sprouted salad blend has been (and this is coming from someone who is not enthused by a lettuce salad!)
Next up I am going to try the "sandwich blend" of sprouts that I got and hopefully next time I go back to that store they will have the "stir-fry" blend back in stock. I'd really like to try that one!
Sweet Glazed Pecans
Clearly, Feeding the Whole Family is my favorite book right now....I just tried this recipe yesterday. While I am allergic to pecans and walnuts, I sometimes just have to have a few and this was a nice treat (and would also be good with almonds, which I am not allergic to!). Also, much to my surprise, both my kids LOVED them and it's always nice to get a good snack for them too.....I used olive oil instead of the butter as that is what the book called for (not sure why the recipe from the website says butter, but I am sure that would just add another dimension of flavor to the nuts) Oh, and the recipe in the book calls for maple syrup, not honey. Strange! Anyhow, they are delicious!
Sweet Glazed Nuts
Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
These are delicious on hot cereal, in a fresh green salad or as an excellent snack. They satisfy the need for sweets and fats in a very nutritious way.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat a cake pan or 8x8 Pyrex dish with ½ teaspoon of butter or oil. Combine butter and honey in a saucepan and heat on low until syrupy; add nuts and toss to coat. Spread nut mixture into baking dish.
Bake until nuts are golden and syrup bubbles - about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to break up clumps. Remove from oven and cool slightly; remove while slightly warm with a spatula.
Makes 1 cup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Sweet Glazed Nuts
Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
These are delicious on hot cereal, in a fresh green salad or as an excellent snack. They satisfy the need for sweets and fats in a very nutritious way.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat a cake pan or 8x8 Pyrex dish with ½ teaspoon of butter or oil. Combine butter and honey in a saucepan and heat on low until syrupy; add nuts and toss to coat. Spread nut mixture into baking dish.
Bake until nuts are golden and syrup bubbles - about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to break up clumps. Remove from oven and cool slightly; remove while slightly warm with a spatula.
Makes 1 cup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Maple Butter Nut Granola
This is the granola that my 2 year old begged to make one night when it was almost bedtime. Luckily, it comes together very quickly and is absolutely delicious! We all couldn't keep our hands out of the bowl! I just had it for breakfast this morning with a touch of milk (would also be good with yogurt and berries, which I might try tomorrow). It was wonderful!
Maple Butter Nut Granola
Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
Use granola as a topping on hot cereal, fresh fruit, or yogurt. Homemade granola makes a quick snack for children on the move.
3 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup almonds, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup melted butter
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, seeds, almonds, cinnamon and salt; mix well. In small pan melt butter, add syrup and nut butter and stir to blend. Remove from heat and add extracts. Slowly pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet. Spread on cookie sheet or in a shallow pan and bake. Turn granola every 15 or 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45 - 60 minutes). Store in an airtight jar.
Preparation time: 70 minutes
Makes 8 cups
Maple Butter Nut Granola
Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
Use granola as a topping on hot cereal, fresh fruit, or yogurt. Homemade granola makes a quick snack for children on the move.
3 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup almonds, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup melted butter
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, seeds, almonds, cinnamon and salt; mix well. In small pan melt butter, add syrup and nut butter and stir to blend. Remove from heat and add extracts. Slowly pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet. Spread on cookie sheet or in a shallow pan and bake. Turn granola every 15 or 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45 - 60 minutes). Store in an airtight jar.
Preparation time: 70 minutes
Makes 8 cups
I love Tofu again!
I had a brief love affair with tofu a few years ago and then got tired of my 2 tried and true recipes (one of which I have lost) and everything else I made failed in both the texture and taste categories. So, that coupled with all the recent articles I have read questioning the benefits vs. risks of unfermented soy products (read tofu v tempeh), made me give up tofu. Then I have been reading the Feeding the Whole Family book and falled in love again....
Here's her basic recipe (which also had an accompanying video at http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=48) DELICIOUS! And, even reheats well as I had it for a dinner and 2 lunches! I served it with the Asian Soba Noodle Salad whose recipe I am attaching....
Pan-Fried Tofu
Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
Tofu can be bland. But if you marinate it and fry it in coconut oil it is flavorful with great texture.
Marinade:
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4-5 slices (1/8-inch thick) of fresh gingerroot
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup tamari or shoyu
1 pound firm tofu
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
In the morning, combine all ingredients for marinade. Cut tofu into 1/2” slabs, and then cut slabs into triangles. Put marinade and tofu in a glass storage container with a tight-fitting lid for ½ hour to 8 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor in the tofu.
Heat ½ of the coconut oil in a skillet to medium high. Remove tofu from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. This will protect you from sputtering oil. Place ½ of the tofu pieces in oil and brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining oil and tofu. Set aside.
Preparation time: Overnight for marinade; 10 minutes to fry tofu
Makes 4 servings
Asian Noodle Salad with Toasted Sesame Dressing
Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family, 3rd ed. by Cynthia Lair.
I have taught a class called "Whole Foods Salads" many times and Asian Noodle Salad is often the favorite dish. You can create a most impressive summer meal by serving this with Nori-Wrapped Wasabi Salmon. Nutritionally impressive too!
Salad:
1 8-ounce package soba noodles
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari or shoyu
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon hot pepper oil
Optional Additions:
Blanched vegetables
Chopped red cabbage and scallions
Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse in colander. To toast sesame seed, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Keep seeds moving until they give off aroma, pop and begin to change color. Remove and set aside.
Combine dressing ingredients (toasted sesame oil, tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, and hot pepper oil) in small bowl; whisk together. Place drained noodles in a large bowl. Add dressing, cilantro and sesame seeds; toss gently. Add optional ingredients and toss again. In this video we took 1/2 pound of grass-fed flank steak and marinated it with some of the dressing, then pan-seared it and broiled it for 7 minutes. It was sliced on the diagonal and added. Vegetarians could add Fried Tofu to the dish which makes a delicious whole meal.
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Makes 4-6 servings
Here's her basic recipe (which also had an accompanying video at http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=48) DELICIOUS! And, even reheats well as I had it for a dinner and 2 lunches! I served it with the Asian Soba Noodle Salad whose recipe I am attaching....
Pan-Fried Tofu
Recipe reprinted with permission from Feeding the Whole Family (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)
Tofu can be bland. But if you marinate it and fry it in coconut oil it is flavorful with great texture.
Marinade:
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4-5 slices (1/8-inch thick) of fresh gingerroot
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup tamari or shoyu
1 pound firm tofu
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
In the morning, combine all ingredients for marinade. Cut tofu into 1/2” slabs, and then cut slabs into triangles. Put marinade and tofu in a glass storage container with a tight-fitting lid for ½ hour to 8 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor in the tofu.
Heat ½ of the coconut oil in a skillet to medium high. Remove tofu from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. This will protect you from sputtering oil. Place ½ of the tofu pieces in oil and brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining oil and tofu. Set aside.
Preparation time: Overnight for marinade; 10 minutes to fry tofu
Makes 4 servings
Asian Noodle Salad with Toasted Sesame Dressing
Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family, 3rd ed. by Cynthia Lair.
I have taught a class called "Whole Foods Salads" many times and Asian Noodle Salad is often the favorite dish. You can create a most impressive summer meal by serving this with Nori-Wrapped Wasabi Salmon. Nutritionally impressive too!
Salad:
1 8-ounce package soba noodles
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari or shoyu
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon hot pepper oil
Optional Additions:
Blanched vegetables
Chopped red cabbage and scallions
Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse in colander. To toast sesame seed, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Keep seeds moving until they give off aroma, pop and begin to change color. Remove and set aside.
Combine dressing ingredients (toasted sesame oil, tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, and hot pepper oil) in small bowl; whisk together. Place drained noodles in a large bowl. Add dressing, cilantro and sesame seeds; toss gently. Add optional ingredients and toss again. In this video we took 1/2 pound of grass-fed flank steak and marinated it with some of the dressing, then pan-seared it and broiled it for 7 minutes. It was sliced on the diagonal and added. Vegetarians could add Fried Tofu to the dish which makes a delicious whole meal.
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Makes 4-6 servings
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Sweet Potato Quesadillas (from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups grated peeled sweet potato
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
generous pinch of cayenne
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 tortillas (8- to 10-inch)
tomato salsa
sour cream
Saute the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil until the onions are translucent. Add the grated sweet potatoes, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook, covered, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
When sweet potato is tender, add salt and pepper to taste and remove the filling from the heat. Spread one-eighth of the filling and 2 tablespoons of the cheese on one half of each tortilla. Fold in half, and heat in skillet on each side until lightly browned. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups grated peeled sweet potato
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
generous pinch of cayenne
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 tortillas (8- to 10-inch)
tomato salsa
sour cream
Saute the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil until the onions are translucent. Add the grated sweet potatoes, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne and cook, covered, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
When sweet potato is tender, add salt and pepper to taste and remove the filling from the heat. Spread one-eighth of the filling and 2 tablespoons of the cheese on one half of each tortilla. Fold in half, and heat in skillet on each side until lightly browned. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Vegan with a Vengeance
Another holiday present was the above book and, let me tell you, I am in love with it. In addition to all the yummy sounding recipes the author has spunk and it is conveyed in her writing and quips. It's a fun book to read (and, yes, I love to read cookbooks!)
I had to try out a recipe ASAP, but since my week's menu was already planned and my husband is out of town next week (so we will be dining on "staples") it ended up being a dessert that I tried first. Recipe for Rasberry-Chocolate Blondie Bars. I had never made Blondies before, but this recipe is definitely a keeper! It especially appealed to me as my husband's favorite is raspberry anything and I just happen to have a plethora of home-canned raspberry preserves from this summer and a bag of dark chocolate Ghiradelli chips just waiting to be used!
Here is the unappetizing looking picture of the remaining row of cookie bars. But, trust me, they really are delicious, although next time I will try cutting back on the sugar and replacing the oil with applesauce.
My sprouts have sprouted!
The sprouts finally filled up the whole jar, so I didn't dare let them grow anymore. I let them drain overnight and then put a regular (not mesh sprouting) lid on them and popped them in the fridge this morning per instructions on the card that came with my sprouting screen.
I had a nice sprout salad tonight with a cup of the sprouts and a homemade dressing I threw together with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and dijon mustard. I think I'll have another tomorrow.
Amazing what 2 tablespoons of seeds can do....
Our new love...
The newest addition to our family....our first niece. We were able to visit her and her parents last night and (needless to say) she is PERFECT!!!
WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY QUINN!
We love you....
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Day 3 and 4 of lunch
Lesson learned: NO EGGS IN LUNCHBOX! Although I know it wasn't spoiled, as my youngest had the same lunch and ate it just fine, my school aged child said that the egg "tasted bad" and she refused to eat it. Fluke or not, it appeared she hadn't eaten much else in the lunch either!
Hoping for a better day tomorrow, I made a fresh batch of pumpkin muffins (my kids' favorite....an adaptation from Ellie Kreiger's recipe)....in the closed container is some homemade applesauce with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar and the flower shaped sandwich is filled with cheese. The slices of wheat bread were the last 2 from the loaf I made this weekend and are rather thick, so hopefully it will be okay!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
2 days of lunch
Day One:
Daughter reported that her lunch box today was a success! However (as I predicted) she didn't have enough time to eat...she is a S-L-O-W eater! She ate "all the yogurt and almost half of a half of the [cheese] sandwich" a carrot, 3 grapes, and the whole banana choc-chip muffin (which is actually *really* healthy....shhhh! don't tell!)
Day Two:
I'm trying a new approach to lunch today...snack-style. I'm attempting to see if she is able to eat more of her lunch in a short time this way. So, today's lunch had crackers, carrots, olives, 2 ban-choc-chip muffins and a cheesestick.
Daughter reported that her lunch box today was a success! However (as I predicted) she didn't have enough time to eat...she is a S-L-O-W eater! She ate "all the yogurt and almost half of a half of the [cheese] sandwich" a carrot, 3 grapes, and the whole banana choc-chip muffin (which is actually *really* healthy....shhhh! don't tell!)
Day Two:
I'm trying a new approach to lunch today...snack-style. I'm attempting to see if she is able to eat more of her lunch in a short time this way. So, today's lunch had crackers, carrots, olives, 2 ban-choc-chip muffins and a cheesestick.
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