Day 13: Wednesday, Oct 31 ~ Spooky Black Bean Hummus ~

~ Spooky Black Bean Hummus ~

Happy Halloween, everyone! :)

 

Spooky Black Bean Hummus http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/10/spooky-black-bean-hummus.html

 

Jesse made a plain version, sans garlic and decor - it went perfectly well with my Mom's wonderful Halloween set up, and we discovered it made a fabulous bean dip - totally different than the 'traditional hummus' we were initially expecting.
(we left out the garlic as my dad has morphed into a part vampire and officially banned it from the house. :) )

Day 12: Tuesday Oct 30 ~ Healthy Ramen Noodles ~

~ Healthy Ramen Noodles ~

I saw my friend's excellent post about Soba Noodles today (http://thegoodthedadandthebaby.com/?p=4085) and thought - that's it! That is what I need - a healthy ramen noodle recipe. :) I needed something simple, quick, but warm and yummy tonight - and ramen noodles do hit the comfort food list, keeping with our theme.

I believe almost everyone has had a brief, intense affair with ramen noodles. What about you? Ever succumb to the block o noodles and super spice packet? My first was a transitory period for my family when we first moved to MI, adventuring at a hotel while the purchase of our new house was being processed. Lunch was ramen and "Lost in Space". Those were memorable days. Next of course the college days, even though I was commuting from home. There was a good 6 months+ of 2 a.m. ramen and "Voyager" reruns. Then there was when we moved out to Phoenix with essentially nothing but the clothes on our backs. First month was peanut butter sammiches and chicken ramen. Sad to say no Sci-Fi tv watching occurred this time. ;0 Tonight though, I expect we'll hit another Supernatural while enjoying our homemade ramen. :)

Anyway, now that you know my life history with ramen noodles, I'll get on to the recipe.
The recipe: http://weelicious.com/2012/01/30/healthy-ramen-noodle-soup/
* MISO - you DO NOT want to boil the miso like they say in the recipe! That kills the healing enzymes and microorganisms/whole purpose of miso. I suppose if you just wanted it for flavor, okay - but you may as well get the full benefit out of it. :) So I would recommend dissolving it separately in some warm water on the side, then adding the miso to the mix right before serving. (I held the 1 cup of water the recipe calls for, dissolved the miso in it, then just stirred in right before I turned off the heat.)
* I used the sweet white miso - love the South River Miso company. They have great, small size sampler packs (as most Western diets don't require a lot of miso!) - and they are very friendly, providing personalized customer service. http://www.southrivermiso.com/store/c/6-Miso-Samplers-Gift-Packs.html
* Also - used soba noodles instead of the block pre-packed. There is a lot of fat in ramen noodles - and it's not just the seasoning packet that's dangerous if I remember correctly!
* Veggie stock v. chicken stock.
* Bragg's Liquid Aminos v. soy sauce.
* Only 1 Tbsp Mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine) because Jesse doesn't like 'wine' taste. (shh...don't tell him I put some in!)
* Scallions only in mine as Jesse hates onions of any name. ;0

I guess this isn't really a balanced meal or anything (but a lot better than regular ramen! some protein with the liquid aminos and miso at least) - if you wanted to bulk it up, I would recommend adding some kale in. I just felt like slurpin' noodles tonight though. :)

Day 11: Monday Oct 29th- Shepherd's Pie

~Shepherd's Pie~

So I'm thinking the rest of this week we'll continue the comfort food kick.
I saw this recipe in the Engine 2 cookbook and thought it was a perfect fit! :)


http://engine2diet.com/recipe/shepherds-pie/

Day 10: Sunday, Oct 28 ~ Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes ~ Kale Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts ~

~ Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes ~ Kale Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts ~

Portabellas Stuffed with Pesto-Mashed Potatoes
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/06/portabellas-stuffed-with-pesto-mashed.html
*We used parchment on the pan, no olive oil necessary. Also, nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese, and homemade oat milk instead of soy milk, just because that is what we had on hand. :)

Kale Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts
From: the well daily’s Kale Cookbook
*We left out the olive oil, toasted the pine nuts for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Also, Jesse detests onions and olives - so those are on my half only. ;0 Still - he's not a salad kinda guy, but plowed right through this. :)

Kale Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts - serves 2
10 kale leaves, stemmed and cut into thin strips
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 red bell pepper, sliced
4 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sun-dried pitted black olives, diced
Salt to taste
Cayenne to taste (optional)
Directions
Wash and prep all ingredients, then juice everything and serve.
Cheers!

Day 9: Saturday Oct 27 ~ Creamy Alfredo ~

~ Creamy Alfredo ~

 



So today I had a creamy victory. I really didn't want to cook dinner. Long story short, I found myself tired, past the hungry point, behind on kitchen cleaning, and very tempted to order a pizza. I can't do that though - it's not an option for me at this time, if I ever want to be free! So I opened the Engine 2 cookbook, and this was the page it fell on. And while nothing had seemed appealing to me just a minute ago, I suddenly felt like this is what I HAD to have tonight - creamy, warm, 'cheesy' - just what I needed.

http://engine2diet.com/recipe/creamy-alfredo-sauce/
My only recommendation might be to put the cashews into the food processor first with a little water (or part of the soy milk) to make sure they fully crumble. Other than that, a really easy recipe to follow, with a really yummy result. :)

Day 8: Friday Oct 26 ~ Autumn Glory ~

~ Autumn Glory ~

Happy Birthday to Jesse! :)

While we will be celebrating with dinner out prior to the opening of Detroit Fanfare ComicCon, where CosmiCat 2 will be unveiled! (http://cosmicatadventures.me/) - keeping with the spirit of cooking something everyday and also to honor Jesse's birthday by embracing his love of pumpkin - I give you this:

From "Vegetarian Cooking & Vegetable Classes" by Roz Denny/Christine Ingram. Received this book for my birthday a few years ago. :) While this only makes the second time preparing the dish, it is one of our favorites!

*I would recommend possibly cooking the pumpkin first - cut the top off, then just bake at 350 for about an hour. It would be easier to scoop out the 'pumpkin flesh' as they refer to it. :)
ALSO - if you are ladeling the soup into the pumpkin to serve - be smart (unlike me this morning!) and put the pumpkin on your serving tray FIRST, then ladel the soup in. A roasted pumpkin is soft and the bottom falls out quite easily. ha! ;0

Ingredients

1 4 lb pumpkin

1 onion, sliced

1 in. cube fresh ginger root

3 Tbsp olive oil (we leave out!)

1 zucchini, sliced
4 oz. sliced mushrooms

14 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 cup pasta shells

2 cups veggie stock

salt/pepper to taste

4 Tbsp. fromage frais (we skip)

2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off the pumpkin with a large sharp knife and scoop out and discard the seeds.

2. Using a small sharp knife and a sturdy tablespoon extract as much of the pumpkin flesh as possible, then chop it into chunks.

3. Bake the pumpkin with its lid on for 45 minutes to one hour until the inside begins to soften.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Gently fry the onion, ginger, and pumpkin flesh in the olive oil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, pasta shells and stock. Season well, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

6. Stir the fromage frais and basil into the pasta and spoon the mixture into the pumpkin.



Day 7: Thursday Oct 25 ~ Plant-Strong Pizza ~

~ Plant-Strong Pizza ~

Alrighty. Liv typed all that stuff below (See Original Version). But I made the sauce as such:
1 sweet tater, 4 sizeable carrots, dijon mustard, oats, and delicious, delicious corn starch. while blending it up, I think I added too much water. To get it back to a more solid consistancy, I added a can of garbanzos (Chick Peas in the common tongue). The addition of garbanzo made it very hummus-ey, but either way it's quite tasty. We're using pita bread for the crust and we're topping it all with leftovers from yesterday's stir fry.

From the book "Heart Healthy Pizza" by Mark Sutton.
http://www.hearthealthypizza.com/
He shared this new idea on the Engine 2 website, and it looked so yummy I had to contact him right away. He was so super nice and supportive - I decided to get the book immediately instead of putting on my 'later' list.
I believe this investment will help prevent us from being derailed by pizza cravings! He has so many ideas - we're looking forward to working through the book! :)


Original Version:
Using the following recipes from this link for the crust and sauce:
http://engine2diet.com/the-daily-beet/plant-strong-pizza-recipes-and-a-giveaway/
GLUTEN-FREE OAT FLOUR DOUGH
SWEET POTATO, OATS, CARROT, AND GREEN CHILI SAUCE
Toppings: collards, tomato slices, + Trader Joe's Mix: chopped broccoli, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage, jicama, green bell pepper, radish, celery.

Day 6: Wednesday Oct 24 ~ Easy Stir Fry ~

~ Easy Stir Fry ~

 

We just took all our leftover veggies, chopped em, put them in a skillet with 1/2 c. water, put the lid on, let cook about 10-15 minutes, until soft. Add in some brown basmati rice (cook while you chop the veggies), Bragg's Liquid Aminos and a few shakes of Dragon Sauce (Jesse's favorite condiment).

Dinner done.

We used: broccoli (and stalks cut fine), cauliflower, carrot, celery, potato, red pepper, zucchini, portobello mushroom, and a few tablespoons of diced tomatoes.



Day 5: Tuesday Oct 23 ~ Super Salad ~

 ~ Super Salad ~

So today Jesse continues his birthday week glut fest at Half-Time with his mom tonight, and I have dinner on my own while scouring through my textbooks. While I can't honestly say that their super fried burgers, fries, and poppers didn't turn my head for a minute - I can say that I am happy about my choice tonight. I feel like my insides need a little purifying - so tonight, a big salad made super easy. "Tender Greens" bagged salad on sale at Meijer last week - put in bowl, topped with some strawberries and blackberries from the freezer, a handful of sunflower seeds, a dash of Braggberry dressing - voila! Had a giant glass of ice water with lemon and I'm feeling soooo much better now! :)

 

Day 4: Monday Oct 22

Leftovers n' stuff!

Today we ate leftovers for din-din. We reheated some of the Butternut Squash Lasagna that Liv had made over the weekend. We supplimented it with a fine box of Meijer Dinosaur Mac N' Cheese that I'd bought in a moment of weakness. I didn't take a photo, you'll have to use your imagination.

Day 3: Sunday Oct 21

~ Cheezy Pumpkin Couscous ~

Jesse's early birthday party is today. One of his favorite foods is pumpkin.

Thought I'd surprise him with this fun side dish! :)

 

 

I love couscous. This is a smaller grain than that mentioned in the recipe, so it is not as bulky looking as the video. Also I used a fresh pumpkin that probably should've been further pureed to match the can consistency - but it was great for us! :)

From E2 Team Ami -

This dish just sings of fall. Easy to make and kids love it too! It tastes like Thanksgiving :)
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous
1 15oz. Can of Pumpkin Puree
1 teaspoon to a tablespoon* of Poultry Seasoning (to taste)
A pinch of salt and pepper (optional)
1/2 yellow onion diced fine
1 carrot diced fine
3 stalks of celery diced
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup unsalted veggie broth + 1 1/2 cups water
*Note: spice is subjective. Feel free to add as much or as little as you like, just taste as you go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KzwlEVB2cFM

Day 2: Saturday Oct 20

~ Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Spinach Lasagna ~

 

My mom found this recipe in the newspaper for us! :) Perfect for fall - just what I needed to use up the rest of my spinach!

 

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121005/OPINION03/210050302/Few-can-resist-delicious-butternut-squash-lasagna?odyssey=mod|newswell|img|FRONTPAGE|p

 

We left out the olive oil, used oat milk instead of regular, crumbled up some tofu instead of cheese, and for the cheese on top used a mixture of ground cashews and nutritional yeast.

We did not have enough butternut squash, so I substituted pumpkin for part of the amount required.
I left out the onions as Jesse is averse to them. :)

 

Day 1: Friday Oct 19

Here's our Reboot! Running 10/19 - 12/23 - brings us right up to the holidays! :)

 

"Abby" Pizza

Abby, huh...what was her last name? 'Uh...normal.' You brought me an abnormal brain?! (Young Frankenstein, most hilarious movie ever)

 

Thought it was fitting that our first day back should be a home-made version of the food that derailed us from our goal - pizza! However, wanting to keep it super quick and vegan, and not having prepared for it, the only 'typical' topping we had was a green pepper. After contemplating how to expand on this - I thought - veg. baked beans, diced portobello mushrooms, green and jalapeno peppers, nutritional yeast - yes!

 

 

It actually was incredibly good at the time, although thinking about these toppings now is turning my tummy a little. But when eating it, very warm, filling, comfort food feeling. We decided it'd be good with a sprinkling of diced tomatoes on top - but agreed that forgoing the pizza sauce was the right choice (beans juicy enough anyway :)).

 

To make your own 'normal' pizza - parchment paper on cookie sheet, pitas - the larger 'good' kind from Dearborn area are ideal - just use whole for sturdiness, or you could use regular ones and split them. add your toppings, maybe a little lighter than you would a normal pizza, bake 350 about 10-15 min. or until everything is how you like it. :)

Confession time...RESET!!

"Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away." ~ Elvis Presley

 

Confession time...
So tonight we ordered pizza delivery. :(  I rationalized it by calling it 'congratulations pizza' for Jesse's completion of his comic prep for Detroit Fanfare. Rationalized because a part of me (large part) was also looking forward to a break, and not having a solid plan for the evening was not fully committed to whatever we would make.
But, that's not all.

Last weekend was my meltdown - although we ended up 'cooking' at home, it was the cheapest cardboard pizza, accompanied by a load of junk - cheetos, ice cream, cookies.
And the weekend before that though I did cook at night, or spent the time canning  - I admit we did buy fast food for lunch - pizza one day and Burger King the next. This I rationalized because the goal of our program was to stop buying dinner out - which we had 'officially' met. Ah, tricky...huh? My fat cells are brilliant beyond my reasoning - and for that reason, I need to adjust the focus here. It is the Freedom From Fast Food challenge...and the only way I will gain true freedom is if I eliminate it completely, be totally honest in that title - because otherwise I will keep craving it or thinking I can lean back on it 'if' and the 'if' gets bigger and things are 'rationalized' and before you know it we're back where we started.

So - how about this for a challenge? If I don't make it, I don't eat it.
It seems a little stringent, but I feel I need this. Otherwise I will always be rationalizing my health away. I know - maybe a little black and white thinking, all or nothing - that gave me pause. But the truth is that these choices are no longer in line with who I want to be - I want to be a healthy person, I want to be a good homemaker, I want to feel fulfilled by connecting to past roots and reviving practices like canning and bread making. All of these things together are part of the persona I am trying to unearth. Fast food and junk food have no place in this lifestyle.

So, what needs to change to make this happen? My expectations - yes, I can make my own bread/etc. sometimes but not all the time. Life realities at this time don't allow for it - so I can't really expect myself to make a feast every night, or even new things that just look interesting and I want to try. A lot of times things will need to be simple, quick, and familiar. Which brings us to planning - I am so incredibly organized in other arenas - so it's time to bring that into play for myself. Do more of: planning my meals ahead, pre-cut/prep things (with Jesse's help!), cook ahead and store, plan to do 1 thing a day versus overload on the weekends, etc. Also, Jesse will be taking over 3 days cooking and blogging - 1 of which will just be reheating something I put in the freezer so we both have a break [yes, we've discussed these terms ;0]. Another thing is rewards for passing milestones - I often overlook this. Something that will take further thought.

There have been moments of victory. Looking at my food log, one day I realized that I personally made everything I ate that day except for cereal - including homemade almond milk, veg. burgers, fries, cornbread - things that you could buy pre-made or box mix, I made from scratch.

Also, in the last month I've lost 10 pounds. Our challenge being just shy of 3 weeks, I find a correlation. Wow, what a difference not eating fast food every night for dinner can make! ;0

I do feel like the last 19 days have been a victory for us. I just want to make it a victory that I can be wholly proud of - one with lasting changes. So here's to our reboot - Day 1 tomorrow! A fresh page in our journey.

Day 19: Tuesday Oct 16

Spinach-Laced Spaghetti with Spicy "Meatballs"

Well...lots of spinach and spaghetti sauce leftover coupled with the need for something super quick to make up for our schedule upheaval yesterday (spending the night at Belle Tire - replacing only the battery thank God! :) )....anyway, thus is born Spinach-Laced Spaghetti.
And - I had to try my idea on making meatballs out of the recipe from yesterday! Used a little less of the spice mix, and added in some Italian Medley/basil, oregano, etc. I think they turned out pretty good. :)

Actually, this is inspired in part by the 'Rustic Pasta' recipe in "The Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone. That is an awesome, filling dish. Instead of the whole cabbage head we usually do half and then substitute some kale or whatever darker greens we have on hand. We also add in some peppers and tomatoes to make it a little more 'traditional' pasta - Alicia's not keen on these usually because they are nightshade foods, not macrobiotically-sound for those with inflammation issues I believe? But they're yummy. And we eat them in abundance anyway. Someone else's take on it/incl. recipe: http://fueledbyvegetables.com/2012/08/24/vegan-rustic-pasta/

Day 18: Monday Oct 15

Hot & Spicy Italian Burger ~ Steak Fries

Jeff Novick, MS, RD Hot & Spicy Italian Burger
14 oz can No Salt added Kidney Beans
1/2 cup dry rolled oats
1/2 cup cooked Brown Rice
2 Tbsp No Salt added Canned Diced Tomatoes
1 TB Italian Spice Mix

Mash Beans, Mix everything together, form into 4-5 patties. Grill or Broil 2-3 minutes each side.

Hot & Spicy Italian Spice Mix

1-tbsp garlic powder
1-tbsp fresh ground pepper
3-tsp cayenne
5-tbsp fennel seed
2-tsp crushed chili peppers
5-tbsp paprika

We only used one tbsp of fennel.

Steak Fry Directions

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-steak-fries-home-325736.html
You will need one and a half potatoes per person. You will cut the potatoes in half. Then cut the half potato in o strips the length of the potato.
You can make a flour and seasoning mixture for the potatoes if you wish. You can fry the potato slices just as they are too.
For the flour mixture you will need one cup of flour, a quarter to half of teaspoon of your favorite seasoning mix, and a dash of salt. Mix all the dry ingredients in a gallon Ziplock storage bag.
Heat the oil or oven to 350 degrees.
Place the potato strips into the Ziplock bag mixture and shake.
You will fry the fries until they are golden brown or until they start to float.
If you choose to bake them, you will need to bake them for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
So making your own steak fries at home will be more cost effective than ordering them at a diner, fast food restaurant or fine dining establishment. Steak fries are also one of the easiest comfort foods to make at home.
Steak fries can be served with any meal you would normally or unconventially serve fries with

Day 16: Saturday Oct 13

~ Canning ~



So, Saturday night we didn't actually eat real dinner. Jesse never gets a break at his job, so he ate 'lunch' late, and I was busy cleaning the kitchen and canning, just snacking on veggies and the salsa I was making. :)

Over the last week or so, I've put away some beets, salsa, and diced tomatoes. There was a huge difference in tomato quality from these late bloomers, and I'm sad to have to acknowledge the summer harvest is gone. Now that I've had a little more experience with it, I hope to turn into a canning machine next summer like my girl from my Harvest Moon game. ;0

So, anyway - that's the update for yesterday!

 

 

 

Day 17: Sunday Oct 14

Okra and Tomatoes

Vegan Baked Beans ~ Cornbread

Well, I guess today is a mixture of 'sides'. Together with some additional sides at my mom's today, they make up a balanced, flavorful, intriguing dinner. And it makes me wanna go on a picnic.

We had some Okra to use up - thanks to my Dad's copious gardening work, and my Mom's generosity. :)
The Okra and Tomatoes recipe we got from "Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping. (Tried and Approved :) )." Originally published in 1877, this is a reprint available at The Henry Ford. Jesse picked up this book after being spoiled by 'dinners' on the 'farm'. (recipe below)

Vegan Baked Beans - decided I needed another legume to go along with this feast, and the navy beans were calling me. This seemed an interesting option: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Easy-Vegan-Baked-Beans-Recipezaar_1

Cornbread - typical recipe from Better Homes & Garden red-checkered book.

Okra & Tomatoes - as relayed in the book:

Peel and slice six or eight tomatoes, take same amount of tender sliced okra, and one or two sliced green peppers; stew in porcelain kettle fifteen or twenty minutes, season with butter, pepper, and salt, and serve. - Mrs. E. E., Tuscumbia, Ala.

* Needless to say we do not have a porcelain kettle, and did not use butter. Who would have thought Mrs. E's recipe would be shared 135 years later via technology that could not have been imagined at the time?

Day 15: Friday Oct 12

Burritos ~ Homemade Salsa with Halloween Tortilla Chips

Liv was tired and cranky due to work and an unreasonable volume of homework. My reserves were depeleted due to a serious artistic deadline. Burrito night was canceled.

Today, we failed at being vegan. The vegan police would totally take away our vegan powers if these powers had kicked in yet. Which they have not. Shamed confession coming online in 3..
2...
1...
We bought frozen pizza. Look at all those glistening fats and oils. I'll pay for this in the bathroom.

To make it worse, the frozen pizza came from WAL*MART. EEEEEEUUUGH! We might as well have sucked some brewskis while watching the game like a bunch of commoners. Don't look at me! DON'T LOOK AT ME!

At least there's no meat on the pizza.

Day 14: Thursday Oct 11

Jeff Novick's Fast Food Burger ~ Homemade Potato Chips

Sorry for posting late! And our original picture is at home so I'm just including the promo here. Mine actually was prettier! I'll have to post later I suppose. :)

Jeff Novick, MS, RD The Fast Food Burger Recipe:
- 1 Can Kidney Beans, Rinsed and Drained
- 1/2 Cup Regular Oats, Dry
- 1/2 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
- 2 TB Canned Tomatoes
- Spice of choice

Mash Kidney Beans by hand. Mix together all other ingredients. Divide into 4 or 5 equal size portions. Shape into patties. Let set in refridgerator. Grill on each side till golden brown.

I like these - compared to some other bean burger recipes I"ve had, these are much more sturdy and not dry at all! We cooked in a skillet, and topped with regular 'hamburger' condiments.

Jeff Novick's recipes are always easy and super fast. He's on facebook (where I got this recipe), or you can get this from his DVD http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/DVDs.html. It's on our wish list - hey, maybe I can reallocate some of our not eating junk out money to treat ourselves to this later! :)

Homemade Potato Chips I'll keep you posted on these - the first time we made them, they were fantastic, and Jesse, the chip fanatic, gave a resounding stamp of approval.
This time - they seemed to not cook well.....SO, I'll clarify the technique and get back to you! :)

Day 13: Wednesday Oct 10

Rip's Big Bowl

 

Promise ya'll we'll actually get back to COOKING tomorrow! Still, we are eating at home versus buying junk out - so it's a win! :) Besides, every once in a while you just need breakfast for dinner. :)

 

The first time I had this, I felt my cells sing! Sounds crazy, I'm sure, but seriously - the only way to describe it was za zA ZA!! I had so much energy afterwards - it was a very strange feeling. ;0 So today, just using a mix of what we have on hand - whole grain cereals, fruit, and a little almond milk.

http://engine2diet.com/recipe/rips-big-bowl/





 

 

 

Day 12: Tuesday, Oct 9th

Jesse's Peppery Red Spaghetti with Red Peppers

Hiya, Foodsters. Citing some lame excuse like "Home-Work" or whatever, Liv left dinner up to me. I didn't know where the kitchen was, so I shook a baggie of cat treats (New Crispy Friskies- milk flavor) and followed the cats who sprung into action at the sound of food. They led me to the kitchen.

First, I made some boiling water. Then I added Whole Wheat Spaghetti Noodles to the water and heat mixture. Gordon Food Service noodles, if you need to know.
 While the water/noodle situation was working itself out, I sauteéd some red peppers in a thin layer of water. Cooking spray is for sissies and worry warts. I gave it a generous dusting of crushed red pepper seeds. At this point, the whole ensamble looked a little something like this:

Actually, it looked EXACTLY like that, because it is a photograph I took of it all.
Next, I decided to open a can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes, and dump in in my red peppers. I let that heat up for a little while. Soon, the noodles had reached the desired level of softness.
Here's where stuff gets crazy.
I strained the water from the noodles. I strained the excess liquid from the peppers and tomato mixture. I put the noodles in the peppers. The burner was still on, by the way. Then I took some Prego spaghetti sauce. Ragu or store brand would have been fine as well. Heck, even one of those expensive brands with the tan labels that usually have some kind of map-like decor in the background would work- if you think you need to impress someone.
 I put just enough sauce in so that all the noodles could be covered in tomatoey flavor. That way you don't run out of cooked noodles while half a dang pot of warm sauce sits all forlorn on the burner. The result looked thusly:

Day 11: Monday Oct 8

~ Off/Family/KP ~

An impromptu invitation for Middle-Eastern fare with my family lured us away from our plan for the day. However, Jesse heroicly cleared away some dishes, so we're counting it as a successful day.

Back to the grind tonight!

Day 10: Sunday Oct 7

Scarlet Roasted Vegetables ~ Quinoa ~ Sautéed Spinach

This dish from Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet" will have your whole house smelling wonderful! http://www.savorsa.com/2010/11/scarlet-roasted-vegetables/
It just looks like fall. I believe I'll add it to the Thanksgiving menu this year! :)

As usual, we don't have everything they mentioned so we just substituted. No shallots, parsnips, fennel bulb, kabocha squash, dried apricots, shoyu - we used onions, potatoes, fennel seed crushed, butternut & summer squash, dried cranberries, Bragg's Liquid Aminos. We also eliminated the olive oil, and did not oil the pan but put parchment on the bottom instead.

 

 

We served this over quinoa. I love the 'bubbly' texture of this grain (seed), and the excellent protein packed into this tiny nodule.
And...to meet my Engine 2 challenge - half the plate is filled with wonderful sauteed spinach. We put 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic in the pan on med-low heat until it started smelling and sizzling a little. Then added in 1/2 cup water, and 2 large handfuls (maybe 5-6 cups?) spinach. Cover and let sit about 5-8 minutes, or until spinach is wilted (it will be considerably lower volume once cooked). When cooked to your favored consistency, put on plate, sprinkle with lemon juice and sea salt/black pepper to taste.

Day 9: Saturday Oct 6

Jesse's Squash Medallions

Liv wasn't feeling too great. She went horizontal and is now sleeping next to an unconscious cat or two. So fasten yer seatbelts gang, I'm taking this train off the rails.
Today was very autumny, so I thought squash would be a good idea. Here's what I did:
I took one (1) squash. The kind that looks like this:

I cut it into round medallions. The closer they are to a uniform thickness, the better. It's kind of tough to cut, so they won't be perfect. Neither I nor the squash police will give you any hassle about their uniformity. The oven might give you grief though, as the thicker ones will need more bake time than the thinner ones.

Arrange your medallions on a baking sheet. I did spritz on a little bit of cooking spray, to be honest I don't know if that's necessary. I'll bet if you use some parchment paper it is not. But I did and there's no taking that back now.

Then I liberally sprinkled on the sea salt. Seasoned salt, celery salt, or mundane salt would be fine.

Bake medallions for 30 mins at 325 degrees.

Remove from oven. I suggest a nice pot holder or 'Ove' Glove.

There you go. Eat now. You'll probably want a salad or some kind of beans with it, they're more of a side than an entree.

Day 8: Friday Oct 5

Off/Kitchen Duty

Today is family day (versus the usual Sunday this week) - so I will be eating whatever is at my parents' house plus a side of Spinach to meet my Engine 2 greens challenge this weekend.

Jesse is kindly doing some dishes this a.m. between pages of Science Girl. Per my original promise, I will also spend at least half an hour clearing the kitchen to keep up and prepare for my canning fest tomorrow! :) 

Just a fun bit - this is my great-grandmother, Daisy Whitecotton, working hard at keeping the kitchen clean! I have this picture above my sink for added encouragement and focus.

Day 7: Thursday Oct 4

~ Engine 2 Enchiladas ~

Well, I am excited to see Day 7 appear up there! However, I'm really thinking of tomorrow as being an official week. :)

Anyway - tonight I had an overload of homework, so Jesse was kind enough to reheat some leftovers! Last week I made Enchiladas from Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Book (http://engine2diet.com/). They made a lot for just us two, so I cut, individually wrapped and popped in the freezer. I pretty much mangled them when packaging, so they aren't pretty - but they are yummy!


Here's the recipe:
http://pcrm.org/kickstartHome/celebrity/resselstyn/index.cfm#enchiladas

Day 6: Wednesday Oct 3

~ Thai Green Curry ~

I usually refer to this as # 13 at Thai Palace III in Dearborn. One of my most favorite dishes, referred to as some variation of Keaw warn (Keow Wan). I couldn't find the 'correct' spelling. Anyone fluent in Thai can correct me, please. :)

So - on to the food. We follow the instructions on the Thai Kitchen Green Curry bottle - but this is pretty close. http://amazingthaifoods-lomlamer.blogspot.com/2008/10/green-curry-chicken-gang-keaw-warn.html

We actually don't have any ingredients called for in the original recipe - so this is very different, just based on the Thai Green Curry foundation (the most important part!). It usually is eggplant, green pepper, peas, and your choice tofu/meat. Instead, we threw in the veggies we had on hand: cauliflower, red and green peppers, carrots, celery, kale, potatoes.
Sorry - have to interject: have you seen "So I Married an Axe Murderer"? Remember the line from Rose when she's telling Charlie: "How does a nice big breakfast sound…eggs, bacon, fresh squeezed orange juice (etc)?" Then the film cuts to her pouring cereal and saying - "we didn't have any of that other stuff". Ha! Classic.

Anyway, notes on the recipe:
We use lite coconut milk. We've found the fish sauce does make a difference in the taste - but if you don't have it on hand, just leave it out - it will still be yummy! :) And I just had to research fish sauce - apparently it's made of actual fish and doesn't meet our current dietary goals. Sigh...

Well, that's about it. Spicy, sweet, creamy, varying textures (depending on what you put in there) - served over a bed of brown rice, just perfection!

Day 5: Tuesday Oct 2

Piquant Pita

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

So today we will be celebrating Jesse's re-acclimation to Cookies By Design, and the end of another workday for me ;0 by using up our last remaining 'free' movie tickets we've stashed. Going to see Hotel Transylvania.

As we do plan to be 'bad' and scarf down some popcorn (but not too much), a light, quick dinner is in order.

 

 

Enter the pita!

Hummus - make your own: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/hummusrecipes/r/oilfreehummus1.htm

           * I made my own and froze it in yogurt cups, once solid remove from container by running  

          water over the bottom and squishing until it pops out, then put in ziploc.

Whatever veggies you feel like - we used kale, cucumber, celery, tomato, red pepper.

Some people then add spices, like lemon pepper seasoning or black pepper (sky's the limit!).

 

That's it! :) Have a good night. :)

Day 4: Monday Oct 1

Azuki Beans with Kabocha Squash

 

From Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet", this dish was absolutely perfect for a cool fall Monday - filling and satisfying. :)

 



~ Azuki (adzuki) beans are a type of bean from East Asia/Himalayas. We found this and the kombu (the most innocuous seaweed imo :)) at the health food store. To me, it's sort of like a smaller black bean, a little heartier and more flavorful - nuttier. Of course, this can be substituted as with all things.
~ Shoyu is soy sauce - we used Bragg's Liquid Aminos instead.
~ We used the Hubbard Squash my Mom gave us yesterday, versus the Kabocha mentioned in the recipe.
~ I added in some carrots and red peppers for fun. :)

Have a great night, all! :)

 

http://thekindlife.com/blog/post/azuki-beans-with-kabocha-squash