Over the last year, I've changed a lot about the way I cook and the ingredients I use. I've lowered the fat and calorie content in many dishes and in a few cases, I have stopped making a previous favorite.
There are a few things, though, that I purposely decided to not change. I still make some dishes exactly the way I have always made them. I think by doing this I've helped to make our transition to healthy eating a bit smoother - especially for the kids. There are dishes that they (we) have
Monthly Fearless Weight Report: March 2010
Hello all...
I think I'm gonna post a monthly fearless weight report.
I say "I think" because I might change my mind down the road. We'll see.
I say "monthly" because I don't want to fill my blog with massive amounts of talking about my weight. Monthly seems like a good plan.
I say "fearless" because it was my word for 2009 - the year I started making healthier lifestyle choices.
So, here goes it: I've gained 3.2 lbs this week. Last week I gained 1.4 lbs. I think big numbers like
French Toast and Jamie Oliver
When Mattie woke up today, and as I was starting to work for the day, he came in and asked me, "how do you make French toast?". I briefly explained the steps to him and he made a grossed-out face when he found out that the bread was dipped in an egg mixture (he doesn't care for eggs).
He made a few other comments about French toast still being good, despite the egg part. And while he didn't ask me to make the French toast for him, I could tell that was the underlying request. I knew this, so
Black Bean Soup
I'm still sticking to my plan of cooking one new soup each week during the cold months of winter. So far, so good!
Today, I bring to you Black Bean Soup. I've mentioned previously how much David likes black beans, so I was pretty sure making Black Bean Soup would result in him loving me even more than he already does. I had a 2 lb bag of dry black beans and especially since I was trying to watch my grocery spending this month, this was a perfect fit.
I've never made Black Bean Soup, so I
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken and my favorite cheese. All wrapped up in a cute little bundle - it doesn't get better than this. But I what I love the most about Chicken Cordon Bleu is that it appears so fancy and somewhat complicated, but it's pretty simple and not that hard to do. Really. It's the kind of meal you can make and have people ooh-ing and aah-ing and thinking you are some master of the kitchen.
Or maybe my family is just really easy to please. [probably]
So I made a bunch of these - 15 to be exact
Corn Chip Olé – Super Easy One Pot Dinner
Top Chef Frozen Meal – Polenta with Braised Meatballs
I am a huge reality TV show fan. I will admit that I like some pretty bad ones, but there's some great ones that I love too. Like Top Chef. I've been a Top Chef fan since season 3 when I actually decided to watch the premiere episode after constantly hearing friends rave about the previous seasons.
I didn't watch it before then because I thought it would be way over my head. Most of the dishes they make are either 1) something I've never heard of or 2) includes ingredients I've never heard of.
Family Field Trip: Earth Fare – The Healthy Supermarket
Wanna go on a field trip with us?
Recently I learned about a grocery store called Earth Fare - The Healthy Supermarket. We don't have stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc. in our area, so when I found out we had a grocery store with a variety of organic and healthier options, I had to visit it. I told David about it and we immediately planned a family field trip!
We seriously get excited about stuff like this. The plan for the day was to go to lunch (pizza) and then hit Earth Fare.
Rustic Two Potato Soup
Potato Soup is one of my top 3 favorite soups. I've had so many different versions through the years (my mom's is my favorite) and I've liked them all. But even with all the great ones out there - including some that I've personally made - I am always thinking of new ways to make potato soup.
Tonight, I was getting ready to make my usual batch and I eyed the sweet potatoes that I bought for sweet potato fries (but never got around to making). I thought they might make a good addition so I
How To Make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches For A Crowd
One of my favorite inexpensive "go to" dinners is Grilled Cheese and Soup, particularly in the winter. I know many people have this as a common lunch, but I first married, there wasn't hardly a month that we didn't plan at least one dinner of Grilled Cheese and Soup. It was a cheap comfort food, and one of the meals I could surely make well.
Anytime that we have a dinner like Grilled Cheese and Soup, it means that I am making them for several people at once. I do come from a big family, so I