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Valentine's Day Heart Bread

Amanda — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:59:31 +0000

Since we didn't get around to doing anything special for our friends at Christmas thanks to a sick household, I tried to make up for it today by preparing a more special Valentine than just a little card. Entitled "A Sweet Heart for a Sweetheart," I made bread in the shape of hearts. Sort of. Since I hadn't done it before and am in no way a baker, I made some mistakes. (See below.) But frankly the nearly 3-year-olds that receive them aren't going to care that much. They just like the taste. I used our favorite wheat bread recipe. Then, during the second kneading (by hand) I used a cinnamon-sugar grinder to shower the bread. Once it was in the pan for the second rising, I sprinkled it with more cinnamon-sugar. Remember, both the kneading and sprinkling are great activities to do with kids. You can't over-knead, and it's hard to overdo the cinnamon sugar with a grinder because little hands get tired.

My recommended method for heart shaping is to elongate the ball of dough with a slightly narrower bottom to it.

Use a sharp edge to cut half way down the center. (I use the same chopper/scraper that I use to divide the dough.) Separate the two sides into the heart. It will look weird, but rises and bakes much better.

If you don't cut far enough down, it may look like this.

I prefer glass in my baking, but I only had one pie plate large enough to hold the hearts. Not being a pro, I used smaller dishes that yielded this.

Lesson learned. But again, it'll taste just fine.

One loaf of bread made two hearts, but in truth they were quite large. If you want it for just one serving-size, it will easily make 4 or 6.

Happy Valentine's Day to you! May you have a Sweetheart of your own!

Books and Good Eating: Peter Rabbit

Amanda — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:31:17 +0000

This adorable book is about gluttony and disobedience. And there's nothing like serving a snack of blackberries and bread while reading this book to highlight what Peter was missing while he was sick in bed drinking tea. OK, maybe that's a little deep for a 2-year-old. But the blackberries are already wonderful this season. And it's nice to accidentally acquire them and the book at the same time to make the book come alive just a little bit.

Incidentally, the plate and bowl were from Paul's childhood. I am rather nervous letting Nora use them, but it is more fun for her to enjoy them now than to keep them hidden in a cabinet never to be seen by anyone.

If you're looking for a place setting of your own, Gap just released miniature books and place settings based on Peter Rabbit along with a new clothing line. You can read about it here on License Mag.

The previous post in the series is Blueberries for Sal.

Blueberries for. . .Nora: A New Series on Books and Good Eating

Amanda — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 01:13:58 +0000

I have some favorite books from my childhood. But there are plenty of classics I don't ever remember reading. Never mind how old the book is. If it's a fun read and I can mix in some kitchen-time, it's a winner!

Over Christmas, my mother-in-law shared with me books about books. They listed the recommended books to get and read to your child. The key of course is to get books that appeal to yourself, too. Cause how many times have you imagined hiding a child's favorite book because you just can't take reading it again another night?

And since there are plenty of people out there who are rolling their eyes because, again, we have a topic about how to make a meal look pretty/fun instead of making it taste good, I hold up my hand for a patient pause. These blueberries were actually really good, which is surprising for this early season. But we have had a very mild Florida winter. And I've also noticed there's something to be said for a little distraction at the dinner table when trying to convince children to eat their food. Luckily, we don't have to distract Nora. Actually, quite the opposite. We had to distract her from the community bowl if we wanted to sneak a blueberry for ourselves.

So here's the fun with "Blueberries for Sal". She and her mother are out picking blueberries on one side of Blueberry Hill while a baby bear and its mother are roaming up the other side. Can you just hear the tune "I found my thrill. . ." as they stroll along? Sal and her mom have two tin pails. Hence the 2-cup measuring cup and the 1-cup that we used. But Sal enjoys eating them so much that she can only get a few in her pail, which make a ka-plunk sound. Naturally we don't get much of a sound dropping them from the large "pail" to the other. But the fun is in the reenactment!

Don't worry if you don't have children or if your children aren't young enough anymore to enjoy the book. I've picked up plenty of children's books just because I enjoyed them. And while you're at it, pick up some Florida blueberries and snack while you read.

Healthy or Wealthy: Why did you become a Vegetarian?

Amanda — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 21:08:37 +0000

I've spent my life involved with medicine. My father graduated from anesthesia school the year I was born. I chose to go into the medical profession. Now, I get to stay at home most of the time and teach for the medical profession. I understand the importance of healthy eating and healthy living.

It's been said of me that I squeak when I walk because I'm so cheap. That's about right. I am tight with money. But I think it's quite obvious that we eat well. We love to eat good food. And yet, most of the time, eating well generally means eating vegetarian.

I read some blogs posts with fascinating statistics that are powerful in helping support the desire to go vegetarian. Below are some of my favorite thoughts on becoming vegetarian for Health and for Wealth.

A side note: I know there's plenty celebrity talk about who's becoming vegan or vegetarian. And I know many people are attached to PETA and against cruelty to animals. That's important, too. I've been to a chicken farm. I was upset. (Not only that, I've seen the crazy life being a chicken farmer leads. It's no fun.) But when you make a choice about your food, it's really important to make it for yourself and what you know you will gain by making wise choices. Otherwise you're going to be less likely to do it. Really that applies to any New Year's "Eating Better" Resolution you make.

Why did you become a vegetarian? What benefits have you seen since becoming a vegetarian?

Words to Eliminate from Your Grocery List in 2013

Amanda — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:30:37 +0000

Some of these words have been on my "eliminate" list for a long time. Food writer Heather McPherson of Orlando Sentinel calls them "banned". But they are powerful words that might help you make better food choices in the coming year. Have a look at this list of 5 words cleverly used as marketing techniques that make you think you are eating better than you are.

Now, truth be known, I don't necessarily agree with "100 Calorie" packs being banned. Well, I think they should be banned, but for different reasons than Ms. McPherson recommends. I like the idea of portion-control, an idea greatly inspired by Brian Wansink, professor at Cornell University. His studies are published at Mindless Eating, and they are powerful. Mostly, I don't like the 100 Calorie packs for their taste. When cookies turn into "crisps," which remind me more of chips than of a cake-y dough thick enough to sink your teeth into, I get nervous. I'd rather limit myself to one cookie than defeat the purpose of the great tasting cookie and texture that I am really craving.

I suppose that's a little off topic. Let's go back to having a look at the list. Then, make sure you aren't drawn in by those big letters in that same order plastered over things like Goldfish crackers.

Do you have any words to be banned from your shopping list this year? How about words to be added to it?

My New Flavor Every Month List for 2013

Amanda — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:44:17 +0000

Here's my list for a monthly "challenge" to break up my cooking habits as I mentioned in my New Year's Kitchen Resolutions for 2013. It seems that two kids is a lot harder than one, and my cooking has gotten into a rut. Mind you, a good rut. I've enjoyed it. But I think the twice-a-week broccoli might be getting old. So I feel like a new flavor every month is about all I can muster. Plus, some of these might get expensive. And our goal is still to keep our cost of living down so I can stay home with the kids as long as possible.

Sesame Oil I've been wanting to try cooking with this for a really long time. I've done this thing at the grocery store. Pick it up, look it over, put it back, pick it up again . . . But it never came home with me. Now it will have to!
Thyme My friend, Jennie, got me a Thyme plant as my baby shower present for Peter. But I didn't get it in the ground soon enough and it didn't survive. I'm hoping to make it work this time and see how it can liven up a dish.
Walnut Oil I'm a little nervous trying this. I like walnuts, but find them bitter on occasion. This is a clear test of trying to find a way to cook with something I'm kinda scared of.
Marjoram I know precious little about this herb and what it's best used for. It's time to learn!
Sage I really like sage. But I've only ever had it dried and mixed with other herbs. I'd really like to have an opportunity to see how it can stand alone when used fresh.
Caraway Seeds I quite enjoy caraway seeds in a good rye bread. But I've never cooked with it on my own. Pretty silly, huh?
Truffle Oil I hear it's a delicacy. And since most "delicacies" are non-vegetarian, it would be nice to try something that special. It's generally expensive, but I've seen some on occasion at Homegoods or TJMaxx.
Jicama I think jicama is mostly tasteless, so we'll consider this a texture instead of a flavor to try.
Garam Masala OK, honestly, I'm gonna have to look up exactly what this is. I know it has to do with Indian food. The yummy flatbreads that are served with this spice are available at Costco. So next I have to find a recipe that helps me understand it a little better and hopefully enjoy eating it a lot.
Shallots This is an item I've actually purchased before, but didn't have a proper recipe for use. So I just cooked them instead of onions. I think they have a much better purpose than that. This year I'll be on a mission to find it.
Porcini Mushrooms While I mostly enjoy the flavor mushrooms provide, I don't enjoy their texture. So we're starting with small, nicely flavored mushrooms. . .preferably blended. Smile.
Saffron OK, I've tried this once before. But I felt like all it did was color the couscous yellow. So, we're going to put forth serious effort to try it again. And technically, this helps with the "Clean out the herb rack" kitchen resolution.

Do you have recipe recommendations on how to use any of these new flavors? Please share them!

New Year's Kitchen Resolutions 2013

Amanda — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 03:05:23 +0000

New year's are wonderfully clean slates. And while I've tried not to wait until now when something needs to be changed, a new year gives me a reason to really rethink my life and what changes need to be made. And so I realize some things that need to be done in my kitchen. Now's as good of a time as any to start.

Clean Out/Reorganize Kitchen Cabinets I'm slightly frustrated that I didn't think this through a couple months ago when Paul and I were cleaning out clothes closets. It would have been nice to just have to make one delivery to the thrift store with donations. Unfortunately, I guess I didn't learn of some issues until after that time. We have some pots and pans that need to be disposed of as the nonstick surface is peeling. Then I'll have to reorganize to make the items that are left easy to reach. I also have some items that need new homes. I have a cabinet that is in a corner of the kitchen so it is mostly out of my way when cooking. Nora knows it is her cabinet to play in. However, some excess items have found a home in there and must be relocated. My goal is to have fewer items appropriately located for safety for little fingers and efficiency for cooking.

Review Spice Cabinet Recently, I came across some of my homegrown and dried herbs in a few different locations in my kitchen. Not very efficient, obviously. And while herbs don't necessarily go bad, they do lose their potency. (Come to think of it, I have some tea that needs to be contained, too.) My goal is to find recipes to use the herbs as quickly as possible so they don't go to waste. Plus, I'll get the benefit of empty jars for another project.

Cook Legumes Almost-Weekly There's such a great variety of beans, lentils, and peas out there. I'd like to make a batch (of varying sizes) at least three times a month. They will keep nicely stocked in my freezer giving me plenty of basics to build meals around. Also, since they require very little of my time, I can spend more time focusing on the Baby and Toddler Rabbits. Not to mention, they are so cheap! My goal is to make healthy beans more central to our menus, while giving me quick meal ideas that leave me extra time with my kids.

Flavor of the Month This is my little splurge, I think. Because some of the flavors may be expensive to acquire. I'm talking flavored oils like dark sesame that I've never stocked in my kitchen before, a new vinegar to try, or a flavoring like nutmeg that is quite new to me. I hope this will break up my cooking routine a bit. (Something that has gotten into a rut after Baby #2.) I'll be getting my shopping list together soon. My goal is to try new flavors that expand our horizons.

Do you have New Year's Resolutions for your kitchen habits? Please share in the comments below.

Plan to Eat Right on the Holiday

Amanda — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:06:04 +0000

And here we are, just days until Christmas. Where has this holiday season gone? Maybe you can't remember because you've grazed (meaning snacked on treats in the lounge) your way through your surgery schedule as my dad claims to have done today. (Or maybe you're now a SAHM who fondly remembers those days of cookies constantly being delivered to your office and are jealous of your father who not only gets to sample all the sweets, but also has time for a regular workout routine to burn off all those calories.) Um, yeah, it's really the patients that I miss.

But just in case you are nuts like I am (Boy, I'm telling all my secrets today. Not like some of you didn't already know that.) and signed up for a "Hold it for the Holidays" personal competition at the gym this season, you might like to hear how I plan to eat on Christmas Day without feeling sick about it.

To be honest, I haven't planned out Christmas Day yet, but I hope you and I both can use my Thanksgiving Day plan as inspiration.

Last month, my house guests woke up to the whir of the Blendtec concocting high fiber smoothies and serving bran muffins for those who thought smoothies would be too cold. Then we headed out for our traditional Turkey Day Turkey Trot. I packed granola bars for the kiddos and individual packs of peanut butter to go with the bagels served by Panera Bread at the finish line. I first ate the banana offered at the end of every race. Then I had a bagel half with PB after the kids ran the Tot Trot.

Upon returning home, we served a simple snack lunch of beans, tortillas with cheese, salsa, and guacamole. The variety helped each person manage how hungry they might be and how much "room" they wanted to save for later. Quinoa also would have worked well under the bean and guac layers.

I made sure that my Thanksgiving dinner plate had a variety of vegetables on it. And, following the Full Plate Diet, I ate those first. Even when I went back for seconds, the veggies made up most of the plate and were eaten before the starchy potatoes or veggie meat.

By "frontloading" the fiber/water content in the morning and repeating the focus for lunch, I was significantly less nervous about what I was "allowed" to eat for dinner. In fact, I just ate what I wanted. That just happened to include asparagus and broccoli. I even sampled all the of the desserts!

So far I'm winning my "Hold it for the Holidays" contest against myself. I hope you find it easy to comfortably eat your way through Christmas Day, too.

Homemade Dark Chocolate Cherry Lara Bars (Includes Blendtec Recipe)

Amanda — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:47:03 +0000

Read my Cashew Cookie Lara Bar Recipe here!

While I thought the homemade cashew cookie bars were the best I'd made, the majority of the family voted for these cherry ones. I made the first batch at the end of October and sent them with my in-laws on a trip. They really seemed to enjoy them and made them last as long as possible.

I made the last batch as snacks for my in-laws and brother- and sister-in-law to travel home after Thanksgiving. Plus, I wanted to give some to my dad for his birthday as he doesn't often get good lunches at the hospital. And if I was going to all that work to make that many, I probably needed to make some for us, too. That being said, this was the recipe for a very full 8x8 pan. It also made for a very full Blendtec. My husband had been teasing me about being "too timid" with my machine. Well, apparently I have gotten over that because it groaned and flashed "Overload" on the screen. So I recommend (depending on your machine), splitting this recipe up into two batches. Mold them together a bit on the Silpat before rolling the mound into a slab. But don't worry. You won't be sorry you made extra.

Recipe for Dark Chocolate Cherry Lara Bars

50 or about 2 cups dates (I believe the ones I use, Deglet Noor, are smaller.)
1 cup dried cherries
1 1/8 cup almonds
3 teaspoons cocoa powder

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until dates and nuts are chopped and mixture sticks together. If using a Blendtec, process on "Dips." You may wish to run the cycle twice. (I don't recommend more than that!) Scrape mixture into a Silpat- or parchment-lined 8x8 pan. Fold Silpat or parchment over the top of the mound. Form into square. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cut into desired shapes--bars, squares, anything.

Ditalini and Zucchini Soup-Three Ingredients

Amanda — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:53:31 +0000

When zucchini is in such abundance, it's just so hard to not want to make yummy soups with it. This is a problem since my husband is against soup when it's so hot in Florida. (It was over 70 today.) For this I really can't blame him. So, in those cases I make less broth or serve myself more broth and give Paul less. Then, my bowl is labeled soup and his is labeled stew. Rarely do I get away with that switch, though. It was easy when I could remind him I was pregnant. Then he accepts that this is what's for dinner. How did I get such a wonderful guy?

This one takes three ingredients with the option to expand the number as desired. I actually do recommend a touch of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to go on top. Orzo would be a nice, rice-y, alternative to the pasta, too. One thing that makes this recipe different is that the soup is served in the pasta cooking water, which is starchy. I like this slightly heavier flavor. But if you have pasta that was already cooked and drained, feel free to use it and have a clearer broth.

Zucchini Pasta Soup

1 medium zucchini, diced small
1/2 cup ditalini or similar sized pasta
3-4 cups vegetable broth

Bring broth to a boil. Add zucchini and pasta. Cook according to pasta package directions. For crunchier zucchini, add it about 5 minutes before the pasta is done. Serve immediately.

Changes/Additions/Alternatives: As mentioned above, the cheese is great. Feel free to mix up the veggies. I've also made this with a base of blitzed onion and celery added to the broth. It adds great flavor and extra fiber.

A Reader Asks: How Do You Make Cooking Enjoyable?

Amanda — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:50:36 +0000

Reader Question: Part of the challenge for us is food preparation feeling like a chore. . .

I've always enjoyed my time in the kitchen. But I feel much more like it is wrong to spend too much time in the kitchen with two kids demanding my attention. (And why would you not want to spend all your time with that super-cute kid pictured above and his big sister?) So, here's a couple things I am doing. I hope these ideas can help you and encourage you to come up with some ideas of your own.

I maximize my time in the kitchen. If I'm making the week's oatmeal Sunday morning, I might cook up beans (that I soaked the night before) or whip up muffins to go in the oven. Maybe if you decrease your time in the kitchen, it will help you be happier about the time you have to be in there, knowing it is limited.
I'm starting to use my Blendtec for more things. Blender pancakes (great for kids, but also really healthy with nuts, nut butter, and fruit). Just whiz ingredients and pour out of the blender onto the griddle. Twice over the joliday, I made a batch of biscuits in the Blendtec for our large family breakfast. Easy prep and easy cleaning.
I'm using my oven a lot more. Especially early after Peter was born. For example, in a small brownie pan, I roasted beets. Beside it I had a few ears of corn still in their husks. Another meal, I baked potatoes on one side of a pan and roasted broccoli on the other. Last week I roasted squash, onion, and potato in one pan. Then I blizzed them in the blender for soup.
If you're cutting part of an onion for a meal. Go ahead and finish the onion. It saves you time later. For that matter, fill your food processor or Blendtec with onions. Pulse until sized the way you want. Refrigerate the leftovers. It's one less step you have to thinkk about later.
Freezer cook as much as possible. This goes with #1. When my mother-in-law was helping in the kitchen this week, I blanched broccoli to freeze, sauteed spinach to freeze for a later spinach pie, and chopped squash to freeze. I also had her make cookie dough to freeze.

And of course, don't forget your favorite music to keep your energy up!

Do you have advice for keeping cooking fun? Please share in the comments below.

Homemade Cashew Cookie Lara Bars (Includes Blendtec Recipe)

Amanda — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 02:40:58 +0000

Homemade Lara Bars seem to be a bit of a fad. But I don't mind joining in. My Blendtec makes it easy. And frankly it's such a healthy sweet-tooth-treat, and the homemade version is so much tastier and cheaper, I just don't mind if it is a fad. For those of you that are following my diet, just 1/4 cup of dates is 4g fiber. The cashews are 5g per cup. While it isn't high in water, it's certainly easy to eat the high fiber and drink a glass of water right beside it.

Here are some things that people have said about the cashew cookie version:

Just three ingredients! That's it?
I was afraid to hurt your feelings, but I didn't want to try them. Can I have another?
I like these better than the date cookies your mom used to make. And I really liked those!
Amazing!
Please send me this recipe.
Wow! These are great. Much better than the real thing because I can't even look at those.
These are my favorite so far. (OK, that was my statement. Of the 4 varieties I've made, this is my favorite.)

Anyway, these are pretty great. Here's the secret, most recipes I found on line were large enough to make only a couple bars. But I cook much more in bulk. Especially when there's always someone to share food with. So, there are two recipes below. One for just a few bars. One for an 8x8 brownie pan. Another secret: You almost always need less nuts than you think. Too many nuts and the paste won't stick together. That being said, it's easier to mold the mixture with a layer of parchment between your hands and the sticky date paste.

Cost to Make Cashew Lara Bars

The dates run $7 a container at Costco. The cashews are about $4 at Aldi. The vanilla was a gift from Paul's traveling Aunt. Sadly, we're almost done with the bottle. So, this particular recipe runs about $6 for 8 bars. At $1.50 a bar for the real thing, the homemade version is about half the price. And it tastes better, too!

Recipe for Homemade Cashew Cookie Lara Bars (for 2-4 bars)

1 1/3 cups Dates
1/2 cup Salted Cashews
1/8-1/4 t. Vanilla Extract (more if you love vanilla as I do)

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until dates and nuts are chopped and mixture sticks together. If using a Blendtec, process on "Dips." You may wish to run the cycle twice. Remove mixture onto Silpat or parchment paper. Fold Silpat or parchment over the top of the mound. Form into square. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cut into desired shapes.

For 8x8 Pan

4 cups Dates
1 1/2 cups Salted Cashews
1/2 t. Vanilla Extract /li>

Process as above, but mold in 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper.

Powered-Up Pumpkin Cornmeal Biscuits

Amanda — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:16:25 +0000

This hasn't happened to me in a long time. I stocked up on some great produce items at a great price and then needed to search my cookbooks for recipes that let me use up the sweet potatoes and butternut squash before it went bad. OK, that's not really that hard to do in this house.

I learned a few years ago that I can substitute sweet potatoes for pumpkins in some baked goods. And I found these wonderful pumpkin biscuits in Moosewood New Classics that did marvelously with leftover baked sweet potatoes.

This recipe was "powered-up" at my house because I am on The Full Plate Diet. The sweet potatoes had fiber and water. And instead of using apple juice like was originally mentioned, I just blended a whole, cored apple with 1/2 cup water to make fresh apple juice. The Blendtec made quick work of the fresh fruit and left no apple pieces behind. I subbed out white whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour, too. To add more water to the meal, I served fresh fruit and oatmeal, which also provided fiber.

These biscuits were yummy with local honey and homemade peanut butter.

I do want to say that the second time I made these, I ran out of cornmeal. The recipe got only about 1/3 cup cornmeal (instead of the 1/2 cup) and the family liked the texture better. Unfortunately, if you leave out some cornmeal, the fiber also goes down. With the recipe listed below, the fiber count is 2g per biscuit for a yield of 12 biscuits.

And that's another thing I liked about this recipe. With them being drop biscuits, I can get the expected yield, and they still look really pretty!

Powered-up Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits

Adapted from Moosewood New Classics

1/4 cup butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
1/2 cup water
1 small apple, cored

Put apple and water in blender and whiz until juice. (If using Blendtec, use "Whole Juice" button.) Combine sweet potatoes and juice (I just pulse the Blendtec a few times.) Set aside. Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add juice and sweet potato mixture and stir just until wet. Drop 1/4 cup mixture into 12 spots on Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425F for 16-20 minutes or until biscuits are puffed, browned, and maybe even crisping on the tops and edges.

For complete Blendtec Use

Cut butter in Blendtec using "Pulse". Add juice/sweet potato mixture, then pour dry ingredients on top. Use "Batter" setting to combine ingredients. If dry ingredients are not all mixed at end of cycle, remove blender jar from base and finish stirring with spatula. Scoop batter out of Blendtec with the spatula.

Homemade Peanut Butter the in Blendtec

Amanda — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:48:22 +0000

My Blendtec was busy over the weekend. I made some pesto, which came out a beautiful light green and was so smooth. It's the best textured pesto I've ever made at home. Then, I went to the local Vietnamese grocery store (Thanks, Fely!) for a 4 lb. bag of raw, shelled peanuts. And I ventured into making homemade peanut butter.

Let me explain why homemade peanut butter sounded like a good investment of my time. My husband loves peanut butter. Not gobs of it at one time. Just a touch. But often. On cereal, oatmeal, bread and graham crackers at a minimum. We're also quite picky about our peanut butter. It must be natural with only salt added. No oils. No sugars. And if we're lucky, we like to get it with a little flax seed, which is great for Omega-3s, and also for fiber and protein. Flax seed is an important secret in my diet.

The recipes I read for roasting peanuts said 10-15 minutes for shelled. Nope. It took nearly 20. My mother-in-law coached me with a warning that you didn't want to burn the peanuts. So as I increased the baking time by 2 minute intervals, I was careful to shake the pan often.

When the peanuts were finally a nice, toasted brown color. . and when all the taste-tests of cooled peanuts were a fresh-roasted-quality-flavor, we removed the peanuts and transferred them in 20 oz. segments into the Blendtec. A couple rounds on the "milkshake" setting--OK, maybe like 5 times--yielded a perfect consistency. And the flavor was just like I wanted.

My final opinion? Let's just say, this is a good candidate for homemade Christmas presents for my dearest friends.

Peanut Roasting Secrets

Peanuts can be roasted in or out of the shell.
4 lbs. of peanuts should be divided evenly among three jelly roll pans.
Peanuts won't taste right when warm. You must allow them to cool to make sure they have the flavor you are looking for.
Store-bought peanut butter is significantly darker because the peanuts are actually over-roasted.
Food processors work just as well for blending as the Blendtec. The sides might need to be scraped a little more often.
1 lb. of peanuts yields 1 lb. of peanut butter, the amount in the average jar of store-bought peanut butter. This will help you gauge how much you need to make at one time.
Refrigerated peanut butter lasts longer.

And just in case you don't have time to deal with the roasting of peanuts yourself, just buy a bag of your favorite dry roasted peanuts and blend it up. Just a few minutes of your time yields pure bliss in a special treat.

Cost to Make Homemade Peanut Butter

Our peanut butter costs roughly $4 a jar or a pound at the store. The raw peanuts cost us $10 for 4 lbs., an estimated cash savings of $6. But how much is the superior flavor worth?

Recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter

If roasting, spread raw peanuts out on a jelly roll pan. Roast at 350F for 10-15 minutes. Add an additional 2 minutes, shaking pan regularly, until peanuts look toasted and tanned.

Pour peanuts into blender or food processor. Do not over fill machine.

If using Blendtec, run ice crush setting, scraping as necessary between cycles, until creamy. Otherwise, run food processor according to directions, scraping as necessary.

Pour peanut butter into jars or eat out of blender. Refrigerate anything that's left.

Me and My. . .Diet?

Amanda — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:17:58 +0000

Don't get thrown off by the picture. This was only 5 months along.

I never-ever-in-a-million-years thought I would need to go on a diet. After all, i was nicely sized in my teenage years and 20s. As long as i could fit in my clothes, i thought i was doing fine. Consequently, I never-ever-in-a-million-years thought I would enjoy a diet or even brag about being on one.

But I am. I am on a diet. I am enjoying it. And I am bragging about it.

I started the diet when Peter was 10-weeks-old. And in the first 4 months, I found that I had lost inches, yes inches, in my torso. In fact, during those first four weeks, you could actually watch the baby fat "slide" off. I wish I had been taking weekly pictures. But it's enough that people are saying "You look great!"

I chose the Full Plate Diet because it meets me where I am. It's about adding food to my plate, not taking it away. I get to build my menu around what I'm craving or interested in. And it allows for those times when I'm with friends and have to eat what's available. I had a full-size Snickers bar a few weeks back. I had pizza a few times while eating out with friends.

I chose the Full Plate Diet because it's cheap and easy on my time. There's no special food to buy. I'm still buying and planning my menus based on what produce is on sale. While I'm still being creative in the kitchen, there are a few dishes that I've loved so much, I'm making them more often. (Like roasted broccoli or spinach-pear salad [recipe coming].) And those recipes are actually less time-consuming. Oh, and did I mention there's no special food? (Yes, up above.) This means that the whole family gets to eat what I'm eating, whether they need to lose weight or not.

I chose the Full Plate Diet because it's a diet I can stick with my entire life. First it tells me how to lose weight. Then, it tells me how to maintain it. That means, even on those days when I'm not actively able to lose weight (like traveling or eating out with friends), I still have the information I need to eat like I'm maintaining that lower weight. This way, I know I won't be yo-yoing. I know I can lose the weight and keep it off.

I can't wait to show you more of what I'm eating and how much I love my diet.

Roasted Broccoli with Pecans-Gluten Free, Optional Dairy

Amanda — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:18:14 +0000

There's a problem with having a husband who also needs to blog about healthy foods for work. And that's the fact that on occasion those recipes get stolen from me and posted before I get around to sharing it. So, here's an excellent recipe inspired by Alton Brown. I just replaced the bread crumbs with pecans for a hearty, fulfilling crunch and to make it gluten-free. I'm not kidding when I say we are eating this recipe at least once a week. And I've been serving it to friends a great deal, too.

Roasted Broccoli Recipe on FullPlateDiet.org.

And one more thought. When it's cooked this way, we're all way more likely to eat farther down the fiber-rich stem than to just eat the florets off the top.

Sprouts Articles a Hit with Me

Amanda — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 19:28:54 +0000

Serious stirring of. . .dirt? We had been given packaged dirt to mix with water. Shows that kitchen tools have a variety of uses.

I am thoroughly enjoying the new article series by the New York Times called Sprouts. Journalist Elaine Louie interviews chefs and cookbook authors about how they cook with their children. They aren't interested in hiding vegetables. They want to highlight them when they are in season and teach their kids how to appreciate them.

My favorite part of this month's story is when 5-year-old Addison recommends the soup needs more salt. That's my goal for my kids. I want them to develop a palate early. They don't have to become chefs. But I want them to recognize what it takes to make food good. And I love reading articles that guide me in that direction. For example, I'm not sure I would have trusted my kids (when they become 5) to smash garlic, but I love how this dad does so while still protecting the little hand. And I hope in three more years I'll remember this story and be able to encourage Nora to participate safely.

5 Ways to Not Feel Guilty About Buying Bulk

Amanda — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 19:50:42 +0000

With another mouth to feed--and that mouth eating more than his sister was at this age--I'm very interested in buying bulk!

Sam's Club is having it's annual free entrance weekend. And it's something that money-saving individuals look forward to as some don't think it's worth actually buying a membership there. We, however, have a membership with Costco. It's closer. But no matter where you shop, sometimes you come home wondering "Am I going to use that much ____ ?" So, here's 5 ways to not feel guilty about buying bulk and for making sure what you did buy doesn't go to waste.

1. Share your bounty.

This is a great time to look around you for others with needs. For example, do you have a friend in her first trimester of pregnancy who just can't get up the energy to get out to the store. Share a couple of bananas if you don't think you'll eat all the ones you bought.

2. Use that freezer.

I have learned so that a freezer extends the life of so many foods. My freezer holds sesame seeds, coconut flakes, yeast, ground flax seed, nuts, and many other items that I buy in bulk for one reason or another. You can also freeze milk and eggs (cracked and scrambled first).

3. Use that refrigerator.

Onions stored in the bottom drawer of the fridge last longer than those left at room temperature. Also, if all the fruit you bought ripens at the same time, consider putting it in the refrigerator. Some of it may need to be chopped first.

4. Mass cook and freeze.

This may be the time to cook a big pot of beans or vegetable soup to freeze. When I have extra help in the house (i.e. in-laws visiting) I spend a few extra minutes cooking up shredded zucchini, swiss chard, or another vegetable. Freezing pre-cooked vegetables saves me a step another day when I'm alone and rushed. This might also be a time to make homemade cookie dough, biscuits, or bread.

5. Menu Plan.

Plan a menu so the fresh items are eaten before they expire. This is a great way to make sure foods don't get lost or forgotten in your newly over-stuffed fridge.

How do you make buying bulk a blessing to your family and to those around you?

Instant Oatmeal Stories

Amanda — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:09:46 +0000

Story 1

I must have been out of my head. I didn't say that. I don't even remember it happening, let alone repeating the story. But being she's one of my closest friends, she wouldn't make it up. One day (so she claims), I admitted to my friend, Michelle, that in my early days of pregnancy, Paul once had to eat oatmeal 3 times in one day because I couldn't step foot in the kitchen. She has teased me mercilessly and will not let me forget the incident I clearly don't remember myself.

And so, she left for her summer vacation a week after Peter was born. And just before she left, she brought Paul a box of instant oatmeal (See above.) "Just in case he gets hungry." It only took a little over a week for him to find it in the pantry and bust into it. So thank you to my dear friend who finds it terribly funny that my husband will make a large pot of oatmeal before starving to death. I should also thank my dear husband who is willing to make that pot of oatmeal and still love me even as I'm risking him (and our daughter) starving to death.

Story 2

I've always been blessed to have a husband who cares immensely about being healthy. But now that he works for The Full Plate Diet, he's sitting in on lots of meetings and is learning more about nutrition than I did in the required courses I took in school. So when he travels for work, the typical continental breakfast is looked at with dread. . .especially after a run. Michelle's gift actually got me thinking. And now, I have a recipe that will yield cheaper, healthier instant oatmeal that I can send with Paul for his overnights. What better way to show my love to my husband when he's far away than to send a little package to give him the best start possible to his day.

Food Face Friday-Red/Orange

Amanda — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:05:53 +0000

And we're back! At least the plate is back! Nora eats far more than this plate allows us to prepare. So, there will be fewer of these faces. But they will be fun to share on occasion.

While it's encouraged that children be fed a rainbow of colors to get the variety of nutrients their bodies need, sometimes it's fun to have a color-themed meal. And since I was in a (pregnant) position to cook as little as possible, baked sweet potato fries were often my lunch go-to. It just so happened that everything else that required little effort was in the same color palate.

The one thing I did manage to bake most of time I was pregnant was bread. I have no idea how I made the crinkle top, but it created a nice, lacy collar, don't you think?

Ms. Food Face sports baked sweet potato fry, Medusa-like hair; Clementine orange curls, ketchup lipstick, and an open-faced sandwich of wheat bread, hommus, and tomato wedges.

A Good Time to Be (or Try Being) a Vegetarian

Amanda — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:29:29 +0000

August's Better Homes and Gardens had a fabulous food article with photographs to drool over entitled "Growing Season". The article says cookbook author, Ian Knauer, "isn't a vegetarian, but he believes in veggie dinners this time of year. 'Side dishes can be the most brilliant part of a meal. In summer, when fresh produce is at its peak, I let the side dishes be the stars.'"

BHG says "If produce had its own holiday, it would be August." And we agree. Every corner of our kitchen is stuffed with the goodness that the summer brings. Locally, we have a delicious selection of mangoes. We also started participating in a vegetable delivery service. (Because it's nice to not have to leave the house for a few weeks after a baby comes.) And we are enjoying having a lovely selection of produce being delivered to our door. These resources make it so easy to create a summer holiday table of abundance. And the selection and creativity that surrounds the produce should yield plenty of opportunity to test recipes that add more fiber and a greater rainbow of produce to your diet.

What do you love about the produce holidays of summer?

Grilled Freezer Oatmeal

Amanda — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 20:50:59 +0000

And then there were four! We welcomed Peter Joseph into the family on July 11. He's a great little guy, and Nora is quite an amazing big sister. We are quite a happy little family in our corner of the world. And I look forward to having the energy to cook and blog that I have been missing for so long.

One thing I have not had trouble doing was stirring together oatmeal and boiling water once a week and dishing it into individual bowls to make a breakfast that lasts all week. We had a few bowls that weren't eaten, and in the spirit of stocking the freezer, I moved them straight to the freezer when we left for the hospital. And we had an easy breakfast our first morning home! Paul simply dumped the oatmeal into a pan to reheat it. The "grilling" gave nice, crisp edges that resembled certain oatmeal cookies. Yummy.

Polenta Casserole-Make-ahead, Gluten-free

Amanda — Thu, 17 May 2012 02:46:06 +0000

In September of last year, a friend sent me a link to a polenta casserole recipe. It stayed in my in-box, but I never got around to making it. . .until the pantry was nearly empty because I was trying desperately not to buy much before the move. Then I remembered having a similar dish at a restaurant in Nice in March. Actually, I think we got to have some twice thanks to traveling with the family and the opportunity to taste what's on everyone's plates.

I made the casserole ahead of time, refrigerated it, and plopped it in the oven on my way to a mommy event. I came back to an amazing meal. Plus, I made the recipe again a week later using gluten-free cornmeal to serve to special-diet guests.

I would describe this recipe as a lasagna, really. The pasta is polenta (or cornmeal that can be creamy or more solid) that's very popular in Italy. And it's another way to hide vegetables from children or picky eaters. I'm sure a variety of vegetables would sub well.

Something else to add to the layers is a small amount of leftover basil pesto. I'm sure I had less than 1/2 a cup on hand, but even a little bit added wonderful flavor. It's highly recommended.

I want to add a big note here because when you get to the recipe, you'll have questions. See, this recipe doesn't have to have cheese. Yes, it makes a difference. And yes, I still use cheese garnishes often (especially on pizza), but I feel it's wrong to put measurements in for the cheese. I'd rather say "Put as little as you can get away with." I'm not suddenly against cheese. I'm simply experimenting with using a little less of it sometimes so I can focus more on the other flavors in a dish. If you really need an estimate, I used about half a small bag of shredded mozzarella. OK, so I might would use more next time, but it didn't hurt to try it this way just this once.

Polenta Recipe

Adapted from Simply Recipes

3/4 jar pasta sauce (I prefer Classico)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/2 cup basil pesto, optional

To cook polenta, in small pot bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in cornmeal, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Turn down the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, saute onions and carrots (or preferred veggies) in olive oil until softened.

To assemble, spoon 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 9 oven-safe dish. Spread half of polenta around dish. Top with half of remaining pasta sauce, cooked vegetables, optional pesto, and a thin layer of cheese. Spread remaining polenta evenly and cover with sauce and cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes (according to original recipe, but mine seemed to take closer to 45 minutes). The dish should be heated through. Individual servings microwaved well.

New Pizza Dough Recipe--Best I've ever had!

Amanda — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:07:16 +0000

Note this pizza didn't even need cheese with all the other toppings. But there might have been too many tomatoes on it for such a thin crust.

Since my pregnancy hadn't been going exactly smoothly and the move would be creeping up quickly, I chose to slowly pack away items at a rate of 1-3 boxes a day. That didn't really mess with my plans and schedules until the day we had to unpack the bread machine. I had carefully calculated how to use up vital ingredients so I wouldn't have to move them. And I knew how much bread we would eat so I didn't have to buy any before the move. So I thought I could not feel guilty about packing away the bread machine. But one thing led to another, and we needed to make a pizza dough one evening for some friends that were visiting from out of town.

And once I recovered from the unpacking and repacking, I grabbed March's Bon Appetit and immediately tried the no-knead pizza dough recipe. I wasn't going to get caught in a similar mess again!

Planning the week's menu carefully, I made the dough on Thursday in hopes of a successful dinner on Friday. And that's one reason why I think this recipe is so great. Baby Boy and I landed in the hospital Friday afternoon. And by the time we got home, the pizza dough had risen long past its recommended 18 hours. More like 24. And it still did amazingly well. The dough went into the fridge overnight. While I was stuck in bed on Saturday, Paul made the pizza for lunch. He cut the large ball into 6 pieces. Two fed us lunch. Two went back into the fridge and fed us dinner on Monday. And two went into the freezer for a couple of weeks and defrosted in just a few hours to feed us a second dinner. I love a dough that can do all that--not become a disaster if the recipe isn't followed perfectly, can refrigerate for a couple of days, can freeze for a couple of weeks, and can defrost in record time!

The down side of this recipe is that most home ovens only go up to 500°F, which is the low end of how hot pizza should cook at. So our pizzas seemed to take about 20 minutes to bake. But because it truly is the best tasting homemade pizza dough I've eaten, it was worth the wait.

Another thing I learned during this experience was that I love charred campari tomato slices on my pizza. They went on as the pizza went in the oven, and at the end of that 20 minutes were roasted wonderfully.

For the Monday night pizzas, I made one with a brush of oil and a mild layer of cheese. But then half way through cooking, I covered the pie with shredded spinach and basil. Really good!

So now you can have amazing pizza at home without a bread machine! And now I might rely just a little less on my bread machine. (Although I will keep the other recipe around just in case I don't have a 20 hour warning before we need to have pizza.)

Changes

Amanda — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:40:40 +0000

Normally when people post on their blogs about changes, they generally mean changes to the website. But. . .not here. Not in this case.

Instead, I am sharing three major life stresses/changes that we seem to have chosen to happen at about the same time. And these changes, naturally, do play a part in eating habits. My plan is to share stories and recipes throughout the coming weeks that make all of these issues a little more fun for all of us.

1. You already know there's a baby on the way. But you may not know the baby is a boy. And in case you haven't been told, it seems that pregnancies differ each time, but with an increased difference based on gender. I don't believe this is scientifically proven. But there are plenty of people who feel this way. I believe this tale based on the fact that I have had some additional issues during this pregnancy. Praise God the baby and I are just fine and that we seem to have hit a nice plateau (minus weight gain) to the finish line.

2. With a baby coming, we thought we should consider moving to a larger home. We purchased one just 8 doors down from our old rental home and are enjoying it. But in an effort to move as little as possible, meals got creative for a while.

3. And just in case that's not enough going on, Paul has recently started a new job. The catch is that he works from home. It has changed his hours somewhat. It also makes lunches more complicated for me. Before, if I didn't have enough leftovers, I would have Paul go to the cafeteria at the hospital. (Remember, it is a good cafeteria.) But now, I must have food set aside for him or he'll eat something I've set aside for another meal!

Are you ready to see how we've been coping? I'll start catching you up tomorrow!

Thinking Ahead: Losing Weight after a Second Child

Amanda — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

As we sat around on the porch feeding our collection of toddler girls pretzel-style Goldfish Crackers, one of my friends, also the mom to a three-month-old sighed. "You know, it's true what they say about it being harder to lose weight with your second child. I see it because it's hard to eat healthily when you always have junk food around to feed your toddler."

And I gulped. But I don't want to have a hard time losing weight with this kid! It was so easy with Nora.

I went home and told Paul. He smiled. "Then find a way to not feed our toddler junk food."

That's the secret! How do I be prepared so that when I'm swamped trying to learn how to take care of a boy I can still be feeding my oldest healthy foods instead of not-so-healthy foods that I'll be tempted to eat?

Modern medicine has blessed us with an ability to generally have a rough idea of when a child will pop out. So as long as I have a date range to work with, I can get started.

Use That Freezer

While it's recommended to stock your freezer with straight-to-the-oven foods so you have easy access to meals after you have a child, it's rare that people recommend also stocking that space with fast snacks that can be pulled out and defrosted while running to a doctor's appointment or that can be microwaved for a quick snack. Here are some ideas of freezer-friendly snacks:

Homemade popsicle makers are smaller than store-bought popsicles. Freeze orange juice or another juice in the popsicle molds.
Whole grain waffles or pancakes are really easy to defrost, toast, or microwave. I make my own pancakes because I can make them the perfect size for little hands. And don't think they have to be served with syrup. Add fruit during the cooking process for extra flavor and nutrition.
Sliced bread is a cinch. I slice my homemade bread before I put it in the freezer. It toasts in minutes. We are now able to feed Nora honey. So a slight drizzle of that makes a great snack!

Stock the Fridge and Pantry with Easy Fruit

We are a big dried-fruit family. We often have a variety of raisins, cranberries, cherries, and apricots. But there's also individual containers of fresh fruit like mandarin oranges. These are especially a hit with the toddlers in our neighborhood. Think you'll eat more than that? Get a can and immediately divide it into smaller bowls when you open it. There's always other quick fruits. Blueberries don't need to be peeled or washed. Bananas are rarely a problem with picky eaters. And now you can even find pre-sliced apples in individual packages.

Veggies Can Be Easy, Too

Baby carrots may soon become a staple in our house. I still like to buy the big ones and cut them into long, thin, strips. They are fun even for adults to eat. But when my life becomes more hectic, I'll just be grateful for baby carrots for a while. You can now find pre-cut broccoli and cauliflower, too. Have a bottle of dip or dressing handy in case you don't have time to make it from scratch.

Choose Your "Crunchies" Wisely

While you might not feel comfortable feeding your kid nuts, there are individual packages of nuts available that you can open and start eating on yourself before you open your child's less healthy snack and are tempted to eat it. In addition, I've also been known to open a package of trail mix, eat the nuts out, and feed the fruit part to Nora. This eliminates all temptation of snacking on something less healthy. Cereal is still a great option for toddlers. Cherrios and Chex rank high in our household for breakfast and any other time of the day. It may solve the craving us second-time-around-moms need, too.

Nora's Second Birthday Party

Amanda — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:01:54 +0000

Well, I'm not much at cooking or writing these days. But luckily I know some great people with good camera skills. So here's do a recap of Nora's birthday, which was in early February.

We rented a pavilion at a fabulous park. While we don't believe in large parties for such a young child, we just know too many people to keep it at our house. And for the love we have we Praise God. We are blessed to have wonderful friends.

The theme for the party was the book "Where's the Green Sheep?" It's an adorable book of opposites. And Nora quite became obsessed with it around Christmas. Green was her favorite color back then. Don't know what it is now. We served the same banana muffins with chocolate ganache as we served last year. They may be a staple at all our birthday parties! Some went in green wrappers, but they were so large I used some smaller white ones, too. Our designer-friend who was in town for the week arranged the cupcakes into the shape of a sheep. Then we stuck short kebab skewers into them. Paul designed the green sheep flags.

Because of nap time schedules, our party ended up happening around lunch time. We served simple fruit kebab skewers with blueberries on the side. I made homemade cheese crackers in the shape of a sheep. I got the sheep cookie cutter off of Amazon. In the white bowl were green chips served by hommus. (The chips came at Christmas with red chips. I didn't open them until the day before the party. We had to pick out all the green chips. They mixed well with Hint of Lime Tostitos.)

And way in the back of the picture was the true hit of the party. People were actually spying on us to steal our ideas, which I was very happy to share. The brilliant main "dish" for a large quantity of two-year-olds was a peanut butter and jelly bar. I wanted some wonderful jelly like Sarah Beth's, but the store was out. We liked the Archer Farms (Target) brand, but there was just a smaller selection of flavors. People wondered why no one had thought of a PB&J bar before. I'm sure someone has.

I'm sorry there isn't a picture of our drink. We bought the small bottles of water from Costco. My in-laws purchased some cocktail umbrellas. And we stuck the umbrellas into the label of the water bottle. There was a green sheep flag (like on the cupcakes) under the umbrella. It was for the rain sheep. And I'm afraid if you don't understand it, you'll just have to find a kid with the book and borrow it.

Thank you very much to both sets of grandparents for assisting in the set up and organization of the party. Thank you to Uncle Brent for assistance with design and running around with the camera. And of course, thank you to all our friends who joined in the celebration.

Ideas for Eating Less Meat

Amanda — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:07:02 +0000

FitSugar has four great ideas for cutting back on meat if it's part of your New Year's Resolutions to eat better. I'd also like to add in there the concept of Weekday Vegetarian. Some people also make the switch to being a pescatarian as a stepping stone to meat-free as well. Pescatarians eat fish along with a traditional vegetarian diet.

What's your easy way to go "almost" meatless?

A Pregnancy Menu Plan Monday

Amanda — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:48:14 +0000

I haven't been cooking much. Bless Paul and Nora for being willing to eat oatmeal for two or three meals a day. Here are a few ideas for what I've served because they require very little of my time and have a mild smell.

I actually set out the pots and non-perishable ingredients at lunch time (down to filling the pot with water and measuring out the cornmeal) when I felt my best so I don't have to think as much about dinner.

Polenta and Asparagus. OK, actually, the asparagus was a bad idea. I love it, but it had a strong smell which made me a little sick when it was all said and done.
Baked potatoes (sweet or white)--in the oven, salad or veggie sticks (whatever is easiest to chop).
Pasta with jarred sauce. A neighbor shared a great jar with me that had zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant in it. With the extra veggies, you can feel less like a bad mommy for not serving more veggies.
Grits and eggs and fruit of the moment. The ultimate comfort food for me. And I'm lucky to have been able to find good strawberries and pineapples out of season.
Vegetarian BLT with Morningstar Farm Stipples. Peanut butter and banana smoothies.

Throughout these last few months, I've really wondered what my great-grandmother and additional relatives used to do when their every craving could not be satisfied.

Meanwhile, I'm glad it's warmed up because frozen lime popsicles have been a lifesaver.

Happy New Year Announcement

Amanda — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:44:02 +0000

Happy New Year to all!

While it's many a reader's pet peeve to follow a blogger who suddenly quits blogging, it's an even bigger annoyance to have the blogger draw attention to her absence. But I beg you to keep reading. . .and even to refresh your memory you might want to read back to a similar post from two years ago.

Did you get the hint?

There appears to be a replay here. Child seems to not like food. Mother unable to cook food. Only in this case Mother has Toddler to entertain and cook for. Nora's meals have been significantly less balanced. Ah, well, the midwife is again sickeningly (pun intended) optimistic that the set-back will be short. Then I remind her that the set-back lasted 5 months last time. She is silenced quickly. But she is still wonderful about everything. God bless her.

So, at 3 months along now, I'm hoping to start serving more balanced meals in my household and sharing them with you.

Thanks, again, for your patience.

McDonald's Adds Location in Healthy City

Amanda — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:21:37 +0000

This article on McDonald's moving into Loma Linda, California, a community well known for its health and superb medical institution, was one of the top 10 most emailed news articles from the New York Times today. It touches so many nerves. I have to say part of me readily agrees with the comments that tell residents to use the presence of the chain as an educational to. Just because it's there and the children beg does not mean you actually have to stop there. But as a medical professional, as a mother, and as someone who desires to help everyone want to eat well, I am bothered by the extra temptation. Because there are times when it's just too easy.

Oh, and I highly recommend reading "The Blue Zones," the book referenced that was published by National Geographic after the success of an article on the same topic. I like to imagine myself as living a little like the Sardinians and a little like the Loma Linda residents.

What do you think?

Missing Food Face Plate?

Amanda — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:18:24 +0000

Thanks for the great feedback about the Food Face Plate series. Have you been missing it? So have we. But there's a rhyme and a reason. Please continue reading.

A friend came to visit one day saddened that her already picky toddler had suddenly refused to eat even all the stand-by foods that the family used to rely on to feed her. I offered to loan her the plate. Because part of Eating Well is Sharing Well. It's important to help people who recognize that you do something different and ask you for advice.

So, Ms. Food Face has been on loan for a month. But I have it on "doting grandmother authority" that she'll be back after Hanukkah (if you catch my meaning.) I'm so happy to have helped a stressed momma find creative release for herself and a change of "scenery" her little girl. And of course, it's nice to know the little girl is eating better, too.

What helpful tips about healthy eating do you enjoy sharing with friends?

Eating Vegetarian:

Tips and Tricks

Ways to Save on Produce

Amanda — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:14:21 +0000

This topic is super important to living on a budget and staying healthy. I know I highlight them when I talk one-on-one with individuals. But perhaps I don't focus on it enough on Eat Like a Rabbit. And in case I don't, I want to link to a post about saving money on produce I saw yesterday on a favorite blog of mine. The facts are especially important to vegetarians. And it's nice to have a dietician encourage to eating more produce.

A Few Links to Help You Finish Planning Your Thanksgiving Feast

Amanda — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:30:01 +0000

Today the neighborhood girls rallied round to take care of another neighbor who appeared to be going into early labor while her husband was out of the country on business. That being said, our Thanksgiving menu plan is still not completely together. Not that I'm complaining. It's always better to be a supportive friend than have your menu under control. But if you're still struggling to get it together like I am, here's a few helpful links I've enjoyed gleaning ideas from.

Seitan Recipes, Stew for those who don't live in Florida, and even Pizza are recommended for a vegetarian or vegan entree. Read more from the New York Times.

Dairy- and Gluten-Free vegetarian Thanksgiving entrees. An example, sub quinoa for couscous in a vegetable pilaf.

Love these new, healthier ways of serving sweet potatoes.

Winter Squash Buckwheat Blinis

Large collection of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes.

We'd love to see what you're serving for Thanksgiving! Add your menu below.

Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers

Amanda — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:20:35 +0000

Aren't these yummy? I have to admit, I'm still drooling over them. Very proud of this dish. It was really good and surprisingly filling. I expected Paul to eat two for dinner, but he said he was too full and got two days of lunches out of the leftovers!

These bell peppers had so many things going for them. They presented very well and were at peak flavor meaning they tasted fabulous. Plus, I had these made and sitting in the fridge waiting for Paul to give me the heads-up that he was on his way home. Which means I had the kitchen actually cleaned up before he got home, making me feel very productive. It can be an appetizer in smaller servings or an all-inclusive entree as I served it. I also think it has many possibilities for flavor. You can take it the Mexican way with a few beans, corn, and cumin. Or you can take it completely Italian with tomatoes, Italian herbs and maybe Provolone cheese.

Recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 Bell Peppers
1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1 tomato, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3-4 deli slices Havarti
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Dash or two of chili powder or to taste
1 Tablespoon lime juice

Cook couscous according to package directions. (The microwave cooks it in no time!) Meanwhile, cut the stem out of the bell peppers and scoop out the insides. Add vegetables and seasonings to couscous.

Spoon the couscous mixture into the bell peppers and press down with the back of the spoon to stuff. Mound filling if desired. Lay cheese slices over peppers and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the peppers are softened.

Menu Plan Monday-Eat from the Freezer Week

Amanda — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:16:33 +0000

As I said in Friday's post, it's a great idea to eat from the freezer this week to make room for what's coming in next week, especially if you have guests for the week like we do. This means that in truth there isn't much cooking to be done in the kitchen except baking a loaf of bread and such, but I'll appreciate the extra time I can spend readying the home for guests. And of course, extra time with Nora is wonderful, too.

We also somehow managed to schedule a delivery from Gobble Green to arrive last Friday, which has given me lots of help with spending little time in the kitchen this week. I hope to post some thoughts on this great program later in the week.

Lunch Plans

Leftover soups from last week x2
Leftover enchiladas from Sunday
Chili from Gobble Green with brown rice x2
Paul gets lunch at work one day.
A little leftover coconut curry for me. Leftover beans and flax bread for Nora from kale and white beans last week.
And Friday we have a party to cover lunch. Our requested contribution is cupcakes.

Dinner Plans

Soup samplers from Gobble Green
Leftover Pumpkin Ravioli from freezer and an assorted entree sampler from Gobble Green
Meatloaf and BBQ Seitan from Gobble Green, mashed potatoes, green beans
Out to Pei Wei. A bit of celebrating of our first date, which was actually at P.F. Chang's. Oh well, same family.
With Paul's parents

What are you eating this week?

Veterans Day Video

Amanda — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:10:20 +0000

This is one day late, but I just got it myself. My father and grandfather's names are in the bricks at minutes 1:12 and 1:18.

Thank you to everyone who gave of themselves and to the families who supported them in providing us the freedom we enjoy today.

Perhaps you wonder how this has anything to do with my kitchen. Well, my grandfather was well known all over the little town of New Harmony, Indiana, for his fantastic tomatoes. This, of course, spoiled my father who only likes tomatoes when they are absolutely perfect. Someday I'd like to have the green thumb my grandfather did. I am grateful to my husband who lets me just keep trying.

Thanksgiving Pre-Week Checklist

Amanda — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:26:12 +0000

It's rather cold in Orlando this morning. This means the realization of Thanksgiving being just two weeks away is upon us. I have a list of kitchen-associate projects that I'll be dealing with next week in preparation for guests. I'm adding it in here for those it might help get a handle on the activities as well. I'm also posting it today instead of Monday because those who work might want to get a jump start this weekend.

Thanksgiving Week Food Prep

Make sure there are enough dishtowels for drying what can't fit in the dishwasher. Also, hide the embarrassing, ratty ones.
Eat meals from the fridge and freezer to make room for the food that's coming in.
Make Thankgiving Week's grocery list.
Go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving Week.
Mix dry ingredients for certain dishes, like biscuits. Label and store.
Rub olive oil into wood cooking utensils to prepare them for a busy week.

Thanksgiving Day Food Prep

Plan special table game for after eating.
Finalize guest list
Do a dry-run of the table setting.
Make Day's menu and list any that can be made ahead.
Pack picnic breakfast for Turkey Trot race.

Kitchen Cleaning Preparation Plans

Make sure to have enough disposable wipes. It will make it easier for others to help clean. These can be store-bought or homemade using old T-shirts.
Make sure there are enough vacuum bags and Swiffer wipes for quick cleaning.
Do a quick wipe-down of cabinet fronts so they start out looking nice.

Miscellaneous

Just so you know my world doesn't completely revolve around my kitchen.

Wrap Dad's birthday present for the 26th.
Collect Pack-and-play and fold-a-way bed from parents.
Store Fold-a-way, pillow, blankets, sheets in downstairs closet (which might also mean cleaning out downstairs closet.)

That's my list. If you know of a helpful hint or a do-ahead activity to make the holiday easier, please feel free to add it below.

What's Wrong with The Paleo Diet?

Amanda — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:19:27 +0000

Previously, I haven't wanted to discuss this topic because I don't desire to be controversial. However, every time I see someone else write that they are trying out vegetarianism or veganism, there is inevitably someone who comments that it's completely against the body's nature to do such a thing. The author of the comment then recommends reading The Paleo Diet.

I'm doing a vegetarian basics lecture the first of December, and decided I'd better be prepared by reading the book in case someone brings up a question. I started my research by reading a good deal of the book on Amazon. And I've taken a look at a few of the Paleo Diet centered webpages, too.

I'll start by reminding you where I approach this topic from. I am a vegetarian by choice. I don't enjoy the taste of meat. But I do not look down on people who do eat meat. Secondly, my education situates around cardiology. My entire career is built around diagnosing, preventing, and in some ways saving people from heart disease and heart attacks.

The premise of the book is to help people eat the way the cavemen did during the Paleolithic Age. You might have also heard it termed "hunter and gatherer". The book recommends eating fruits, veggies, and lean meats only. Although some websites add in nuts and seeds.

This book was written by scientists, not by medical professionals. That being said, I would have expected more scientific evidence in their presentation. While there is an extensive bibliography, there are no citations on any facts stated in the book. This also means that there are no statistics listed to back up the statements. I certainly would have expected numbers from scientists. I also would be more inclined to support the diet if studies had proven its success.
Many paragraphs in the book end with what lean meats provide better when compared to other things like legumes, grains, and corn. But the food value of meat isn't compared to that of nuts and seeds. I would certainly expect these items to fall under "hunter and gatherer" foods. As I said above, other online sites mention adding nuts and seeds to the diet, but the book seems to omit it. Sometimes I suspected the reasoning to be that it would discredit the requirement of meat in the diet. For example, there was a statement discussing the high amounts of zinc in lean meats. However, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are quite high in zinc and are considered in nutrition textbooks to be a fine vegetarian alternative.
On page 57 of the book, I was shocked to read that on The Paleo Diet "you will never have to worry about. . .heart disease." Never is an awfully strong word. What about heredity? Don't genetics completely outweigh lifestyle choices in some cases? I've even seen it in practice. On many occasions, come to think of it. Also, Wikipedia says for those living in the Paleolithic Era "At age 15, life expectancy [is] an additional 39 years (total age 54)". Most of my patients were a over 54 before they had their heart attacks. Can you truly say "never" when you don't know what the cavemen's hearts would have looked like after that age?
Similarly, the section on Osteoporosis blames a good deal of calcium loss on eating too much salt. What about the fact that the bones actually begin to break down at about age 27 on their own? What about risk factors like being Caucasian, female, short and underweight to begin with? Does a no salt diet, as this one highly recommends, really offset genetic factors?
I'm unable to reference the page, but The Paleo Diet recommends unlimited intake of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Few physicians would support this statement. Calories consumed in the form of meats break down to fat just like calories consumed by anything else, even cake and ice cream. In addition, meat is more likely to provide more protein than the body needs (unless you are a body builder). That excess protein eventually turns to sugar and to fat, which means it won't provide the best weight loss for the body.

I support the book in its statements against processed foods and tremendous overintake of salt. I also appreciate its position on people not eating enough fruits and vegetables. I do believe we would all be healthier for that. But I just don't think it's a permanent or logical answer to America's healthcare problems.

If you are searching for a meat-eater or non-meat-eater diet and weight loss book, I recommend Eat, Drink and Weigh Less.

Falafel Lettuce Wraps

Amanda — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:56:04 +0000

When we go to potlucks, it's always a challenge. I want to make something that is shockingly good, especially when there are non-vegetarians present. And these days, it has to be easy finger food for toddlers. (And frankly, easy to prepare.) Plus, I like it to be good at room temperature. My parents happened to have been leaving town the weekend before the event to which I brought the falafel and had left us with lots of lettuce.

And this is how falafel lettuce wraps were born at our house. Perhaps they would have been more fun and easier to eat as a wrap if I had kind of crumbled them a little, but that could easily be done at the plate before eating. I was glad I had left some little patties at home because I traded the leftovers for the leftover fruit. Otherwise, I'd have had to cook for dinner! The trade gave me dessert for dinner, too.

I love to share this wonderfully good falafel recipe. Especially because it's so easy and works well with food allergies. I just leave the flour out when cooking gluten-free.

What's your go-to potluck recipe?

Eating Vegetarian:

Lunch

Thankgiving Snacking Display

Amanda — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:27:18 +0000

One thing special about my in-law's house is that there are always snacks on display. Tempting snacks. The kind of snacks that make you gain 5 pounds before the end of your weekly visit. Homemade snacks, which makes them even tastier. It was during one of these visits to Mississippi that I learned how positively addictive frozen peanuts are. Don't know why. I was just hooked. And my mother-in-law would always announce to me when the tray had been refilled.

But, I on the other hand, am like my parents. Mostly all goodies are hidden. My parents sometimes have an antique glass bowl filled with chocolates. I'm wiser than that. Out of sight is out of mind at my house. I know how poor my resistance is to. . .food. So, it's generally hidden in the pantry.

However, hosting the family for Thanksgiving week means I should be a good hostess and provide some snacks that are easy to get to as folks run out the door to whatever entertainment a Florida holiday can give them. Thankfully, Paul's aunt Nancy, whom we very affectionately call Fancy Nancy, sent us a box of Trader Joe's goodies. And thanks to her, I have the snacks for Thanksgiving week ready. There's a bouquet of seasonal and organic lollipops for the kiddos. (I say this because Nora couldn't wait to try one. And Paul let her have it before lunch!) And a selection of Florida citrus. (Naturally this display will be eaten and replaced a couple times in the next three weeks.) And a bowl of individual packages of granola bars, trail mix, and chocolate cookies.

What snack displays do you have planned for your holiday guests?

Thank you, Nancy and Rocky for the bountiful Thanksgiving basket. Wish you could be here to share it.

Eating Vegetarian:

Tips and Tricks

Menu Plan Monday

Amanda — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:31:25 +0000

My two have been under the weather for a few days. This is all rather new to me. I'm doing my best to keep them happy. Obviously, that means the menu doesn't get followed exactly. I aim to please. Whatever is desired gets served.

That being said, the butternut squash soup from last week didn't make it on the menu. So, it's top priority for this week. Fortunately, I chopped it and put it in the freezer pretty early on in the week. We also have a bit of spaghetti squash in the freezer. There's even leftover kale, cabbage, leeks, and tofu to add to dishes. Looks like I hardly need to visit the store except for bananas!

Lunch Ideas

Leftovers
Apples
Celery and peanut butter
Picnic for us girls at the park!

Dinner Ideas

Thai Butternut Squash Soup, Cabbage rolls
Spaghetti Squash frittata, broccoli
Stuffed Dumpling Squash
White Bean and Kale soup
Sweet potatoes and veggetable in soup

What are you eating this week?

Food Face Friday: Ear-Fal

Amanda — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:21:57 +0000

This Food Face gave the model an ear-full of leftover
falafel. We started with half a toasted pita and a drizzled line of homemade tzatziki. Nora is a condiment girl and would prefer to just lick off the dressing or ketchup, depending on the meal. So she doesn't get much condiment to start with. The ears are halved falafel. The eyes and mouth are fruit that had been sent home with us from the party where I brought the falafel. Fruit is popular in our house and was gone by the end of dinner.

Thanksgiving Table Decoration

Amanda — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:00:36 +0000

If you've been following me on Pinterest, you will have seen a board labeled "Thanksgiving" because we will be hosting Thanksgiving for our family. I'm not much of a decorator, but I decided we needed a nice table decoration for fall. I found this fun idea while "surfing" Pinterest and had my heart set on it because I felt like it was so me. Food related. Vegetarian. Healthy. It just fit. So, I acquired the necessary items and am proud of how it turned out. What do you think?

Cost to Make Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Free Ambrosia Bowl (Wedding Gift)
Free Wool Yarn (From a rug I weaved with my MIL)
$3.00 Candle (IKEA, apparently it costs more for unscented? It seemed hard to find at most stores.)
$1.32 Green Split Peas (Target)
$1.32 Red Kidney Beans (Target)
$0.75 Popping Corn (Target)
$6.39 Total

Eating Vegetarian:

Tips and Tricks

Stuffed Tomatoes

Amanda — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:52:44 +0000

A friend brought me four beautiful tomatoes. And while I planned to serve them as a salad, I changed my mind. I through together this fairly easy dish to go with the cauliflower. While neither dish might be considered a main course on their own, I think they worked well together for a light supper.

The original recipe I saw called for rice in the tomatoes. And I've used couscous in peppers. But this time, I remembered a quinoa primavera I saw on Pinterest and used it as inspiration.

Recipe for Stuffed Tomatoes with Quinoa

4 tomatoes
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh spinach, sliced
1 large banana pepper, diced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon good Italian seasoning
1/2-1 teaspoon lemon juice, to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish: Shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Combine quinoa, water, and garlic in a small pot. Cook according to manufacturers directions. (Likely like this: get to boil, turn down to low, simmer until the water is gone, about 15 minutes.)

Meanwhile, cut the tops off the tomatoes and put them aside. Remove the seeds and flesh from the inside of the tomato. Reserve this for the quinoa.

Heat the oven to 350°F. When the quinoa is cooked, lightly grease a small oven-safe dish with sides and place the tomatoes inside. Add lemon juice, seasonings, banana pepper, spinach, and tomato flesh to the quinoa and stir to combine. Stuff the quinoa mixture into the tomatoes, mounding it. Replace tomato tops and bake for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are heated through. Remove the tomato tops and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Eating Vegetarian:

Dinner

Cauliflower with Raisins and Bread Crumbs

Amanda — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:31:52 +0000

I thought I'd had capers before, but I didn't remember that pickled flavor. And I remembered them being a little harder. Paul said it was the best caper he'd ever had. He's not so fond of them either. But it doesn't matter. We've tried something new in our house this month and it's only the first day of November! i can't say I'll jump at the chance to make a dish with capers again. In fact, my father may find them in his refrigerator in the near future because he likes pickled things. But at the same time I remember that it took three or four times for me to make collard greens a success. So, I suppose it's worth another try.

You might ask what possessed me to purchase a little $1.32 jar of capers to being with. Well, you see, there was this recipe in the November Bon Appetit for a cauliflower, raisin, caper, and bread crumb vegetable dish. It was even vegan! And the recipe was amazing, I used up a bit of bread crumbs which weren't as coarsely chopped and probably therefore weren't as crunchy. But it was still very good. I'll for sure make it again, with or without the capers.

Stay tuned for the stuffed tomato recipe.

Eating Vegetarian:

Dinner

Menu Plan Monday

Amanda — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:28:21 +0000

Highlight of our weekend? How about a Florida Black Bear looking over a picket fence at us while we were riding along on a new-to-me trail? I was almost afraid to ride back. Sorry we don't ride with our phones or cameras on us. Would have been an amazing picture.

I'm pretty excited about the week's menu because I went to Freshfields Farm again and got enough fresh veggies to last two weeks. Plus I picked up dried black and garbanzo beans to make my own beans to go in soups. So in truth, it should be a trip to help keep us well fed all through winter.

While I was there, I realized that fresh ginger is a new item for us this year, but I hadn't acknowledged it for some reason. And I also picked up leeks, another new food for me to try to cook. I can't believe the year is almost up. And while we've tried new things, I still believe there are so many things we're missing. But we'll get there. Eventually.

One thing I like to say about soup is that it always seems to go further than other dishes I make. For example, I generally only have enough of a recipe to last dinner and Paul's lunch the next day. But with the soups I've made, there have been two bowls leftover unless I've shortened the recipe. And the lentil soup I made on Saturday has actually fed us three meals! That being said, lunches are just leftovers. Always--and lots of--leftovers. Along with the traditional apple and possibly celery sticks. I must say, it's been so much easier to prepare.

Dinner Plans

Green Jade Soup from Moosewood Cooks at Home-Fed 6 for dinner tonight with leftovers for tomorrow
Spaghetti Squash in Pistachio/Chive Pesto-A favorite from How to Eat Supper
Cauliflower with Raisins, Capers, and Bread Crumbs-A brand new recipe from November (2011) Bon Appetit. I'll serve it with Acorn squash and a tomato salad.
Thai Curry Butternut squash soup from Moosewood Simple Suppers. Can't wait to try it!
Potato and Kale Soup if I can find a recipe I love.

Are you excited about your menu this week? I'd love to hear about it!

Food Face Friday-Snowstorm Hair

Amanda — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:35:13 +0000

You can tell I was running late getting dinner on and caught this photo just in time!

This is such a great Food Face to welcome colder weather to Florida. The recommendation for long-haired pasta came from our friend, Fely, who is of a more creative career path than myself. I served a dollop of spinach-walnut pesto over whole grain pasta and sprinkled it with some freshly grated Pecorino cheese. The rosy-cheeked tomatoes are fresh out of our garden. It was a new plant for the fall and has done rather well.

As a side note, I don't always recommend whole grain pastas. They are far too strong in flavor for the delicate cream or fresh tomato pasta sauces I love. But I really enjoy whole grain pasta with mint or basil pesto. If you are trying to add more healthy whole grains to your diet and need an idea on how to camouflage it for yourself or for your family, give one of the above referenced recipes a try!

Driving Like a Rabbit

Amanda — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:51:43 +0000

It was a girls' day at the mall and neighboring stores with some friends from the neighborhood today. Before heading home, I popped into (OK, moved into. No one can just pop in there can they?) IKEA and came across some fabulous gift ideas that I think show kids (and even adults) how fun eating healthy can be. There was the place mat pictured above. And a sheet set with strawberries having a picnic. (At least, that's what it looked like to me.) There was a great rug that I couldn't get a picture of. It looked like a broccoli was planting a garden. Pretty adorable. I loved the large stuffed carrot and broccoli--the same friendly smile and striped shorts from the rug. Although, I think the broccoli looks a tad more like an asparagus. Don't mind me. I'm not a designer.

But my favorite little toy is pictured below.

Isn't that so me? Or so my child because of me? This is when I could have really used a hefty IKEA gift card. Great, great kids' stuff this season. And very fitting for my goals and dreams for a healthier childhood! I would like to point out that I couldn't find any of these adorable "edibles" on the IKEA website. So if you don't live near an IKEA, draft a friend who does to assist with the shopping.

Have you found some great healthy gifts for kids this Christmas? Please share with us!

Eating Vegetarian:

Tips and Tricks

Healthy Christmas Shopping List

Amanda — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:50:05 +0000

It might be a little early for you, but circumstances too long to discuss here have driven me to start shopping for Christmas early. And that has led me to start posting some pictures of products I like (many we've tried) that encourage kids to play healthier-and hopefully eat healthier. You can find them on Pinterest. The board is labeled "Healthy Christmas Presents for Kids."

Next, I'll start a wish list. . .I mean recommended present list. . .for adults, too.

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Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers

Recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers

Menu Plan Monday-Eat from the Freezer Week

Lunch Plans

Dinner Plans

Veterans Day Video

Tags:

Thanksgiving Pre-Week Checklist

Thanksgiving Week Food Prep

Thanksgiving Day Food Prep

Kitchen Cleaning Preparation Plans

Miscellaneous

What's Wrong with The Paleo Diet?

Falafel Lettuce Wraps

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Eating Vegetarian:

Thankgiving Snacking Display

Eating Vegetarian:

Menu Plan Monday

Lunch Ideas

Dinner Ideas

Food Face Friday: Ear-Fal

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Thanksgiving Table Decoration