eat :: pleased to GREEK you

As part of my Lenten practice this year, I'm cutting out as much processed food as possible at home... eating real food, making stuff from scratch, etc. Once you really start to pay attention to food labels, it can get overwhelming and scary with everything we put in our bodies. I've been really good about what my girls eat but still am bad about buying crackers/chips/boxed mac-n-cheese (at least I buy Annie's organic, right?)... oh, and we still eat Chick-fil-A once a week. But I'm cutting out anything that says 'natural flavorings', partially hydrogenated oils (aka trans fats) and other ingredients I don't recognize. I've used the blog 100 Days of Real Food (see list to the right) as a big resource this past month and it's been so helpful! Very eye-opening!

The other night I had a big Greek food craving. Normally I would just buy hummus, pita chips and tzatiki sauce from the store. But, I made my own (and really made up my own recipes!) and it turned out soooo good. It was so good that little fingers (ahem Emma and Claire) kept grabbing the peppers and dipping them into the bowls while I was preparing the spread... I think Emma ate two helpings of hummus and she said it was "so yummy". Here are the recipes below. Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (also called garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup of tahini (I used 1/3 cup but really think 1/4 is plenty)
juice of one large lemon (I like lots of lemon, so I think I even busted out another half of a lemon)
3 tbsp evoo (or regular olive oil)
1-2 cloves of garlic
generous pinch (or two) of salt
generous pinch of pepper
paprika to taste

Throw everything into a food processor and blend/pulse until everything is well combined. My hummus was pretty thick so I added more olive oil to thin it out. It will still be thicker than the store bought kind, but really good! I put about 1 1/2 cups in an airtight container and served the rest in a bowl... to serve, I drizzled evoo on the top and sprinkled paprika on top.


Tzatiki 
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt (I used 0% fat)
juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 cucumber, grated (put it into a paper towel and squeeze out water)
pinch of salt and pepper
splash of evoo
splash of red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced (or I just did a few shakes of garlic powder)
1 tbsp fresh dill, minced

Mix everything in a bowl until well combined. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.


Pita Chips
3 100% whole wheat pita bread
evoo
kosher salt

Cut pita bread into small wedges. Place in a baking sheet and drizzle with evoo. Sprinkle salt on the bread to your liking. Using your hands, just mix everything together until the evoo and salt coat each wedge. Make sure all the wedges are flat on the sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. At about 8 minutes, I flip the wedges so they get brown/golden on each side.


Spanakopitas
Recipe from Ina Garten

*Confession, I bought these fresh from Whole Foods. I was going to make them from scratch but when I saw them in the bakery I jumped over it (I didn't want to cook for that long!). However, I have made this recipe in the past and it's delicious. It's a little time consuming with the folding of the dough but really they are so worth it. They make really big spanakopitas, so I think Daniel and I ate 1 or 2 each and froze the rest. Recipe in the link above.

eat :: the best banana bread muffins. ever.

I don't have a picture of these muffins for you, but trust me... they are the best ever. Maybe they're the best ever because I adapted this recipe from my Nana and every time I make them I think of her and the farm. I have this recipe written down on a chicken printed notepad from when I was probably in college, so it's probably a good thing I'm typing this up to have it saved digitally!

This recipe originally calls for it to be banana bread and not muffins, but I can't wait that long for these to bake. I will include at the bottom direction for a loaf in case you prefer it that way. It also called for grated orange zest (which I leave out) and I added in the vanilla. Did I also mention they have chocolate chips in them? And last time I skipped the chocolate chips and did blueberries instead and they were just as good? Get ready to bake!! Enjoy!!

Best Banana Bread Muffins
Recipe: Arby Walker, adapted by Jean Irving

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I do half all purpose and half whole wheat)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium sized bananas)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I exclude this because of Claire's nut allergy)


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a muffin tin or fill with muffin liners. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in vanilla, oil, eggs and bananas until combined. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts if including them). Pour into pan/muffin liners (I use about 1/4 cup batter per muffin). Will make one dozen muffins. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool a few minutes in pan then transfer to a rack or plate.

*If making a loaf of banana bread: grease and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Bake 70-80 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan.

*If using blueberries, leave out the chocolate chips and nuts and use 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I did frozen last time and they were great!). 

*Note about baking time: recently, I have started to bake these at 375 for the first 13 minutes and then turn the heat down to 350 and bake until brown on top and cooked all the way through. I think this is because in this house our oven is very old and the temperature is constantly erratic! 

eat :: white bean and chicken chili recipe

Recipe found HERE

I made this on Friday and it was a huge hit! With the cold weather, nothing sounded better than chili... but I wanted a lighter version and this recipe is under 300 calories per serving. It turned out so well. Emma ate TWO, large helpings. I couldn't believe it. Even Claire, my picky eater, ate a few bites... big accomplishment for her. What I'm most excited about is that the left overs will make for perfect chalupas, nachos or taco salad (just drain the liquid).

The chili is a slow cooker recipe and does take about 8-9 hours to make. (Did not realize this on Wednesday when I had intended to make it!) Plus, just a warning: this is not one of those dump everything into the crockpot and let it sit all day recipes. There are a few steps! So, this recipe should be made on a day you will be home in the morning because you have cook the beans first and then brown the meat in a skillet (and sautee garlic and onion) after a couple of hours.

I have a few slight variations to the recipe... I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts. I used more cumin than called for, only one onion and only one can of the green chilies (but I didn't drain it). I wanted it to be more mild for the girls and it wasn't spicy at all. If you don't have young kiddos at home, I'd say definitely go for the two cans. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts (3 lb.)
teaspoon salt and black pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 oz.) cans roasted green chilies, drained
1 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cumin

Preparation
Place beans and broth in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, 2 hours.

Warm oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken skin side down in skillet; cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; remove and discard skin. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add onion mixture, chilies, 1 cup water and cumin to slow cooker. Stir; add chicken.

Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring twice. Remove 1 cup beans plus 1/2 cup liquid from slow cooker. Puree in a blender; return to slow cooker. Remove chicken, shred it and return to slow cooker. Spoon into individual bowls and serve. **I removed the beans and pureed with about 30 minutes left on the timer. I also shredded the chicken at this point so it had a half hour to really all come together.

All You
JULY 2007

must try :: recent recipes

Cooking the past few months has been low on my radar. With such horrible morning sickness and nausea I couldn't even grocery shop without Daniel coming with me. The thought of standing up and cooking food made my gag reflex trigger immediately! Needless to say, Emma, Claire and Daniel ate plenty of pancakes for dinner and turkey and cheese sandwiches from about October - December. Fortunately, once I hit my second trimester my appetite came back, my energy rebounded and I had a desire to cook again! Here are three simple recipes that were huge hits with everyone. You can find the complete recipes on my Pinterest Foodie page here. I promise these recipes will not disappoint! 

Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic glaze and cranberries. Made for Christmas Eve. Oh My Goodness.

Stuffed shells with ricotta and spinach. So delicious!!

Simple Turkey Chili - this goes back to the basics and the flavors are perfect.
I like to top with 0% fat greek yogurt and green onion. 

Girls first trip to Brennan's!

After just eating at Brennan's for our first time (our anniversary back in June), the girls got to go on Friday! We all dressed up in our "princess clothes" and went to celebrate Pops' 70th birthday. We feasted on a lot of delicious food (I tried the shrimp and goat-cheese grits, omg!!) and the chef prepared a special steak and french fries meal for the girls. I think the girls really enjoyed watching our waiter prepare the banana's foster and seeing pops wear the silly birthday hat. The girls were SO well behaved. Daniel and I were holding our breath for the first thirty minutes, but honestly, they were great. I think they could tell the place we were at was really nice and they even sat still from 7-9:30pm! Can't wait to take them back!!

eat :: blueberry breakfast bars

source

Okay everyone. It's time to stop buying cereal bars at the grocery store because I have found a recipe for the best bars around. These are so incredibly delicious and I promise you won't be able to eat just one. When I made them the other night to go with our "breakfast for dinner" menu, we ate them right out of the oven and they tasted just like blueberry crumble. After serving our portions, I left it to cool and harden and they really cut into nice breakfast bars. Claire, who can be a very picky eater, is ALL over these and begs for them each morning. These keep in an air-tight container for about a week in the fridge and I just zap them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds before serving. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup  all-purpose flour
3/4 cup  whole wheat flour
1/2 cup  packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups  regular rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon  baking soda
*1 tbsp ground flax (I added this in!)
1/2 cup  butter, cubed
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 cup  fresh blueberries
1 10 ounce jar blueberry preserves (about 1 cup)

Make It:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure there is enough overhang so the paper can be used as handles to lift the baked bars out of the pan.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, brown sugar, oats, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Using your hands or a pastry blender, rub the butter cubes into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a small bowl and reserve. (I mixed mine in a stand-mixer)

3. Add the egg white to the remaining flour mixture in the large bowl. Sir to combine. Add the blueberries and stir gently. Pat the crumb mixture into the prepared baking pan, using your fingers to press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

4. Using an offset spatula, spread the blueberry preserves over the baked crust. Sprinkle the reserved flour-butter mixture evenly over the top of preserves. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until golden brown.

5. Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper handles remove the bars from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Roughly 292 calories/bar if cutting into 12 bars.
You could totally change out the blueberries and preserves for any fruit - I'm thinking about trying strawberry next time! Also, yes it calls for a stick of butter and I bet that 3/4 of a stick would be plenty.
Recipe via Parents Magazine, August Issue / Rosie Pope article

review:: it's all good by GP

I still have a girl crush on GP and I am obsessed with Gwyneth's new cookbook: It's All Good. There are mixed reviews online so I thought I would share my thoughts. As someone who is becoming more and more food conscious this book really spoke to me from a foodie level but on a mom level. Let me explain: Foodie :: I know I am a food snob. I love to cook, I love to eat out, I come from a line of good cooks and I married into a family who loves to cook. When I think of my family, I think of food - really! We always ate together and ate well. I love to try new recipes and I love to eat real food. I don't eat fast food except for Chick-fil-A (weekly) and Taco Cabana (maybe like once a month)... I've weeded out soft drinks from my diet and try to each as healthy as possible. I've even become a grocery store snob... I am buying more and more from Whole Foods. Which leads me to the other side...

Mom :: I'm staying away from GMOs, fake foods, etc... I've noticed that the girls' behavior really stems from how they eat. I check labels (I have to read everything for Claire's nut allergy anyway!). I want my girls to love fruits and veggies and I want to give them the healthiest start possible... 

So, when I was gifted this new cookbook I was ecstatic. GP basically sums it up in the beginning of the book - she wanted to eat well and feel like she was eating comfort food but wanted to clean up her diet and give her kids the best she could give at mealtime. So many people online are saying how silly/basic the book is, but quite honestly, for someone who is having to relearn what it means to cook from a vegetarian and even vegan standpoint, this was a perfect fit for me. I spent two hours just reading the cookbook - it's beautifully published and every recipe sounds divine. I've already cooked one of her salads and it was incredible... my whole menu this week is based off her meal plan in the back. 

I will always love bread and cheese and will clean house at a party on the appetizers. GP admits this, too... Cheating is totally okay - I ate a large fry and diet coke today at Chick-fil-A (yum!) - but in moderation. Her recipes provide everyone a great opportunity to clean up and learn how to cook in a new way that's both easy and delicious! I definitely recommend her cookbook!

with daughter Apple

gluten-free, baked fish sticks for kids... just one of many great recipes!
all images via goop.com

eat: easter brunch

I thought I would give you the brunch menu that Kathleen (my mother-in-law) and I prepared for Easter. It includes my now famous - thanks Pinterest! - cheesecake recipe from Tyler Florence. Yep, this Goat Cheese and Strawberry Cheesecake has had over 500 pins from my blog, which is pretty understandable considering it is heavenly-good. I've made the cheesecake for Easter the past three years and I think I have finally mastered it. I've included the most of the recipes below - enjoy!

Menu

Spinach Salad with Berries and Goat Cheese, tossed in Curry Dressing

Breakfast Casserole

Herbed Dip with Baby Vegetables 

Deviled Eggs

Carrot and Raisin Salad

Resurrection Rolls

Goat Cheese and Strawberry Cheesecake - for previous post, click here.

Spinach Salad, from my friend Nicolette

serves 6

6 cups baby spinach

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup blueberries

sliced red onions, to your liking

2 oz crumbled goat cheese

1/2 chopped pecans (I left this out due to Claire's nut allergy)

Curry dressing*

Toss all ingredients together lightly and serve. 

*Curry dressing: Whip together the following - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1.5 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp evoo, 2 tsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp curry powder, pinch of s & p.

Breakfast Casserole, Damp Family Recipe

serves 12

1 1/2 pounds pork sausage, browned and drained

9 eggs

3 cups milk (I use skim)

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 slices white bread, torn into small pieces

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1. Mix eggs, mustard and s/p. Add milk. Gently stir in bread, cheese and cooled sausage. 

2. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13x2 pan. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for one hour. 

Herbed Dip with Baby Vegetables, Southern Living

serves 8

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound thin fresh asparagus

1/2 pound haricots verts (tiny green beans), trimmed

1. Stir together first 8 ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

2. Meanwhile, snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus into 6-inch pieces, reserving any remaining end portions for another use. Cook asparagus in boiling water to cover in a large saucepan 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Repeat procedure with haricots verts. Place vegetables in zip-top plastic bags; seal and chill until ready to serve. Serve mayonnaise mixture with chilled vegetables.

Lemon & Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Strawberry-Basil Topping, Tyler Florence

serves 6-8

10 ounces graham crackers

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

1 pint (16 oz) sour cream, at room temperature

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (I use Meyer lemons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

6 ounces fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup sugar Juice of 2 lemons

2 ounces Grand Marnier

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese, frozen

*This year, I did not do the Grand Marnier, basil or goat cheese. Didn't have time and figured the girls wouldn't eat it with that on top.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. In a large pan or kettle, heat 6 cups of water just to boiling and set aside.

3. In a food processor, combine the graham crackers, cinnamon, and melted butter and process until the graham crackers are finely ground and the mixture holds together slightly and is evenly moistened. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan to a 1/4-inch thickness. Smooth the crust, using the base of a juice glass. Chill uncovered until ready to use.

4. In a food processor, mix the cream cheese, goat cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice, scraping down the sides as needed until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

5. Place the pan in the center of a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the center rack of the oven. Carefully pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to a depth of 1½ inches around the cheesecake.

6. Bake for 45 minutes. (I baked mine for more like 50-53 minutes) The cheesecake should be firm on the edges but still jiggle in the center. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes at room temperature. *This caused a debate at our house as the instructions are vague, but I took the cheesecake out of the water bath and let it sit in the spring-form pan at room temp! Then chill uncovered until ready to serve.

7. In a large saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and Grand Marnier and cook over a medium heat for five to seven minutes, or until the sugar has melted and the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove the strawberries and continue to cook for another three to five minutes, or until the syrup has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

8. Spoon the strawberries and syrup liberally over the cheesecake. Serve garnished with the basil leaves and crumbled goat cheese.

9. Get a spoon and a napkin to wipe the drool off of your face.

kickin' the habit

I have a big celebration: both Daniel and I have kicked the soda habit. Wahoo!

Back in November, we both agreed that we wanted to drink less soda. For me, it's Diet Coke. For Daniel, it's Pepsi, PepsiMax, Diet Coke, Coke (aka whatever he can get his hands on). After really thinking about it, we decided we would just quit soda all together. Why? Two reasons: 1) it's expensive... if you buy it at a restaurant, out of a vending machine or even in bulk at Costco, it's expensive. 2) it's not healthy... we love water, Daniel loves tea. It's easy to just stick with that.

We slowly backed off the soda over the month of December, specifically over Christmas break. By January, we hadn't bought any soda in the house and I was down to 1-2 Diet Cokes a week and Daniel maybe 3 or so a week. I allow myself a Diet Coke at Chik-fil-A each Thursday and that's about it (thinking I will switch to regular Coke so I'm not drinking the fake sugar anymore).

You know what's funny though? Daniel had picked a DC up at the store yesterday and I had one sip and couldn't drink it. It tasted like metal to me... I couldn't even believe it. Me, the Diet-Coke-aholic!

I am really proud of myself and even more proud of Daniel because it's been a big change for him. I've noticed a difference in my stomach (not so much bloat) and I'm glad I'm caffeine-free from about 10am onward.

Now we are both obsessed with Topo Chico sparkling water. Squeeze a lime in it or top it off with a little bit of orange juice. So delicious!!

eat :: lemon poppyseed zucchini bread

image via southern living

After the numerous comments on my Instagram about the loaves and loaves of bread I had made for Christmas gifts, I decided I would share the recipe on here. I think I have already, but it really is so good that I don't mind posting about it again. It has become my famous and most requested bread I make! I actually bought the little baskets above in the picture and tied them with Christmas ribbon... unfortunately my iPhoto is not cooperating, so I have no pictures of my own to share. If the photo situation is fixed, I edit the blog so you can see how I packaged everything up!

Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Bread


Ingredients


1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2. Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in zucchini and next 2 ingredients. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 5- x 3-inch disposable aluminum foil loaf pans (about 1 1/3 cups batter per pan).
3. Bake at 325° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

*This recipe will make 12 muffins. If you make muffins, I would bake them 23-25 minutes. I quadrupled this recipe last night and made 12 muffins and 9 loaves. It was crazy, but my kitchen smelled glorious and the end-result was worth it!!

Southern Living
AUGUST 2012

recipes you must try

This past week I have cooked a few new recipes that have been HUGE hits at our house... I've included the link to the recipe under each picture. Enjoy!! (The pulled pork was my favorite - I took that picture myself and yes, it was as good as it looks!)

Paula Deen's Pulled Pork with Buttermilk Coleslaw
Yes, you have to let the dry rub sit overnight and let it cook 8-10 hours the next day, but OMG.
It was amazing!!!

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas were even better than my normal go-to sour cream chicken enchiladas.
Only 1 tbsp of butter required... much healthier!

Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Claire LOVED it :)
I added in (at the end of the cook time) chopped cilantro and the juice of two limes...
I also added in a lot of cumin (like at least 1 tbsp).

Toddler Muffins
These were so good! I didn't have carrot on hand so I left it out...
I made my own squash puree instead of baby food...
and like Ashley suggested, I added in 2 tbsp of flaxseed meal

favorite things :: september

It's that time again - favorite things! I think my most favorite thing about September so far is the cooler breeze blowing through Houston. The mornings are actually pleasant and the afternoons are not  unbearable anymore. (All I need now is to find a place that doesn't have mosquitos!) With cooler temps comes football, fall clothing and all of those pretty accessories. See below for my faves...

GP + JCrew = Perfection!! Bird print (love!!) blouse, skinny jeans and structured bag...
Fall 2012 Collection // via goop

          

Plum and Neutral nail polish // Essie Fall Collection 2012

Whimsical print blouses like the JCrew one on GP or this one from Zara...
The one from JCrew is $128 while this one is $49 // Zara

This is the BEST serum... my skin looks tight and glowing after
just one month // Mary Kay Serum+C

Ridiculously excited about Tory Burch Spring 2013 :: NY Fashion Week // Tory Burch

This cute little top is for Emma and Claire!
Again, whimsical is in // Nordstrom

Thank goodness for football. Go Ponies // SMU

I have LIVED in these jeans the past month... my new favorites!
Destroyed Always Skinny // Gap

Pumpkin Spice Lattes // Starbucks

This new product "Style Prep" by Aveda is amazing and I'm obsessed - use on damp hair to add volume
or spritz into dirty hair to revamp and restyle // Aveda

meal planning :: this past month

I have been a "meal planner" for about three years now (I've mentioned this before several times, but recently I've gained a lot of new readers - yay!). I tried couponing and soon realized that I saved the most money when I had my week of groceries planned out. I do use coupons but am not crazy about it. Instead, I simplify what I need to buy and overlap ingredients. Meal planning immediately shaved $200 a month from my grocery bill. Now, we still spend about $100-$150/week on groceries but it's much better than what it used to be! I've used this chalkboard to write our menu out for years and FINALLY had the idea last month to start taking a picture of it every week (thanks to Kate on Instagram and Ashleigh on her blog)... this helps so much because about every three month I can just repeat meals. Why didn't I think of this before?! 

Here were our meals the past month - most of these meals are on my Foodie board on Pinterest. Some are family recipes/recipes I've made up. The biggest hits were the Mexican Pizza and Baked Chicken-Spinach Flautas. What can I say, we like Mexican food. :) Hopefully this will give you some ideas and save you some money! Do you meal plan? Any new recipes that were huge successes?

pork chops and pizza found on Pinterest

summer pasta is the Jillian Michaels pasta recipe with lemon and greek yogurt sauce - amazing (on Pinterest), healthy chili dogs via Food Network

Mexican-quinoa wraps, baked chicken flautas (incredible) from Pinterest

Pimiento Cheese recipe (low fat/low calorie) and Casserole from Pinterest

eat :: new summer recipes

As I was figuring out our weekly meal plan last Saturday, I realized I was in a cooking slump... same stuff over and over again. I looked up recipes on my 'Foodie' Pinterest board and immediately started salivating. And let me tell you... every single one of these were delicious and I will make them again... Oh, and Daniel loved them all, too! Links to the recipe under the pictures. Enjoy!

Monday: Stuffed Bell Peppers topped with avocados and cilantro

Tuesday: Steak and Portabello Mushrooms stuffed with Kale and Goat Cheese

Wednesday: Date Night - Smash Burger and saw Batman (which was AWESOME!)

Thursday: Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes tossed in a Lemon-Yogurt Dressing

Friday: Left Overs and Appetizers (guacamole, kale chips, goat cheese dip) for the start of the Olympics!

Snack: Lemon-Poppyseed-Zucchini bread... holy.smokes.this.is.incredible. Emma and Claire eat it for breakfast and then want it again for lunch... so good!

FYI: When you meal plan and look into what's on sale at grocery stores, you can save money!! (recurring ingredients: lemons, zucchini, kale, goat cheese, avocados)... when I started to meal plan about two years ago, it immediately saved us $100/month on groceries. Now, get cooking!! You will LOVE these recipes!

stuffed mushroom
I mixed breadcrumbs into the kale/goat cheese mixture in the pan...
I also gave the kale  a sprinkle of lemon zest to punch up the flavor. 

stuffed bell peppers 
you can switch the rice out for quinoa - I only used maybe a 1/2 cup of fresh salsa

summer pasta with zucchini 
this was Daniel's personal favorite - I think this could be really good cold the next day!
we ate too much to have any leftovers :)

Lemon-Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
I actually made this into muffins... it made 18 muffins and took 20 minutes to bake...
friends who just had babies... be expecting this when I come over!

eat :: quinoa, black bean and feta salad

When you move, the motivation to go to the grocery store basically goes away. Instead of wanting to fill my pantry, I'm trying to clean it out. Recently, I've been making up recipes by using only what I have in the refrigerator and/or pantry. I made up this quinoa, black bean and feta recipe last week... wow, it turned out sooo well! We ate it as a side dish with grilled tilapia - but it could go well with any grilled meat (or on its own as a lunch dish).

Jean's Quinoa, Black Bean and Feta Salad

*Warning: I don't do exact measurements, so just go with it :)

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 green onions, sliced
1/8-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup feta (block), cut into 1/2" squares
Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette (found in grocery stores) - enough to coat the salad - use as much as you want...
s/p to taste

1. Cook quinoa according to directions. Once cooked, let stand and cool to room temp.

2. Once quinoa has been cooled, add in next five ingredients. Mix together. Coat with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with s/p - you won't need much as the vinaigrette has a good blend of seasonings.

3. Enjoy and don't eat the entire bowl by yourself!

Serves 2 with some left overs.

eat :: get healthy

Daniel is currently on the Paleo diet - he did this back in 2009 with great results... so far, in two weeks, he has lost about 5 pounds and feels like he's had more energy since doing the diet than he has in a long time. Paleo is basically eating like a caveman - meat, veggies, fruit. That's it. No wheat, no refined anything, no dairy. This is hard for me since I'm addicted to bread and cheese... so I've been doing Paleo with Daniel for dinner... that allows me to still eat my waffle and PB/honey in the morning and a yummy sandwich or chips/salsa for lunch/snack. 

I've been trying new recipes via Pinterest and the web and have come across some great options. I thought I'd share some with you (some are Paleo friendly, some are just "healthy"):

Chicken Salad w/ Roasted Bell Pepper in Avocado Cups -  from Multiply Delicious

4 skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)

4 bay leaves

1 quart organic low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (or half of each, which I did here)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds, finely chopped

1/2 large red onion, diced

1/2 a bunch asparagus, roasted and diced into small pieces**

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

2 roasted bell peppers (red or yellow peppers), skin removed and diced (recipe below)*

salt and pepper to taste

Mustard Herb Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh parsley, tightly packed

1/3 cup fresh basil, tightly packed

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon gluten-free Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper to taste

Instruction:

*To Roast Bell Peppers:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with coconut oil, set aside.  Cut the peppers in half and clean out the seeds and innards. Place them on a baking sheet skin side up.  Bake peppers for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the skins are brownish-black, remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a large ziploc bag. Close and let sit for 20 minutes or so (or until the peppers have time to cool and "sweat"). Once they have cooled you will be able to peel the skins right off. What you will have left is a moist, wonderfully cooked pepper. Yummy!

**To roast asparagus, toss asaragus in a little olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.  Roast in the 450 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on size of asparagus, while bell peppers roast.  Remove and allow to cool before cutting into small pieces.

For Chicken Salad:

Put the bay leaves and the chicken broth in a large pot with a lid and bring stock to a simmer.  Add the chicken breasts to the pot.  Return the broth to a simmer.  Cover the pot.  Turn off the heat.  Let the chicken steep in the stock for 30 minutes to an hour.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the other ingredients - garlic, almonds, onion, asparagus, basil, parsley, roasted bell peppers - and add to a large bowl.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

When the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them from the broth and let them cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, shred the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces by hand.  Mix the chicken pieces in with the rest of the ingredients.

To Make Dressing:

In the bowl of a food processor combine parsley, basil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt.  While food processor is running slowly add olive oil in a small drizzle.  You may have to stop the food processor to scrape the sides.  You want the mixture to come to a liquid consistency.  Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Add dressing to chicken salad and toss to combine.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Or inside a halved avocado.  Take an avocado, remove pit, and place chicken salad in the inside. 

Makes about 6 to 8 servings of salad

Little Quinoa Patties - from Whole Living

**Emma and Claire devoured these... I've made them twice in two weeks!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature (that's about 1/2 - 2/3 cup uncooked)

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup whole-grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let stand for a few minutes. Form mixture into twelve 1-inch thick patties. (Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet; add water if too dry.) Mixture can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Working in batches, add patties, cover, and cook until bottoms are deeply browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium if there is no browning after 10 minutes and continue to cook until patties are browned. Flip patties with a spatula and cook the second sides until golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining patties.

Cranberry Avocado Salad, with Candied Pecans and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Ingredients for the dressing:

⅓ cup sugar

1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds

1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds

½ teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons dried mustard

1 tablespoon minced sweet onion

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup white balsamic vinegar

⅓ cup vegetable oii

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the salad:

12 ounces baby spinach, arugula, field greens

1 small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems

2 medium avocados, peeled and halved

¾ cup dried cranberries

¾ cup Candied Spiced Almonds

Directions:

1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

6 dinner size salads, 8 side salads

No-Bake Energy Bites  - from Smashed Peas and Carrots

(makes 18-20 bites)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated.  Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.  Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

*These are about 150 calories/bite... so while you may want to eat three in a sitting, that wouldn't be too smart if you are trying to lose weight. Instead, treat these like a sweet-treat after a meal or a boost before/after a workout. Trust me, when I made them last night, I kept eating out of the bowl and then quickly remembered that 2 TBS of PB has 200 calories... whoops! 

eat :: Shrimp & Grits

Okay, you need to print or copy this page, go to the grocery store, and make this tonight. I'm drooling typing this because this recipe is THAT good. I've made it twice now... and will probably make it once a month. 

This recipe comes from my baby food cookbook, Baby Love - best gift ever.  I've scanned the recipes in for you - you can click on the image to enlarge. I write in my cookbooks, so feel free to follow my notes or stick with the original recipe. I've done both the gouda and cheddar cheese and both were tasty - if you use cheddar, go with sharp over mild or medium. It needs the extra bite to it. 

The grits serve just two people, so if you are making the grits for the kiddos, too, then double the recipe. 

Other notes - I did 1/3 lb shrimp and about 6 oz sausage for Daniel and me. 

ENJOY!!