Fast Food At Home-101

Alot of times, I simply hate having to go home and cook after a daunting day of taking care of the kids, running errands, cleaning the house and grocery shopping! But,being a somewhat educated woman (hahaha!) I know that eating out on a regular basis is neither good for waist nor wallet. So on the occasions when I am to conquer my quick fix-I go home and well,cook!! Don't get me wrong I don't want to give the impression that I do not enjoy cooking,because it is quite the contrary-I ABSOLUTELY LOVE COOKING!!! I can remember going to the library checking out cookbooks as early as nine. Coming home and making dishes for my mom and myself,some of which I still fix today! I use to get so excited at the prospect of preparing  my own special dishes,as I gave my mom my weekly grocerylist
. People often talk of what one's purpose in life is,I'm sure getting out my trusty pots and pans is somewhere in my calling. As I said I wasn't the typical kid at thirteen I pulled out subscription cards for cooking book clubs and ordered away. I still have my Berry Crocker,Chinese Cooking. I can still fondly recall the night I saw the adertisement for a dynamic gadget called the V-Slicer, I had to have it !! It sliced, it diced,it crinkled veggies-I was amazed. I called my Mom, the next day and asked her to send me the money order so that I could order it right away. I just put her to rest ( the V-Slicer,that is !!) last year. A truly well made product indeed. I actually mourned the loss, afterall I had it for approximately 18 yrs.!

Last evening I went to Target to get me some almond milk and wound up staying in the store for plum near nhour. After,purchasing tyhe milk,and million other impulse items-never shop whilde hungry. I was soooo tempted to go to the mall and purchase a cheese pizza,but I did not. I had started this blog before leaving the house,and had the motivation to stay on track. I pondered what I could fix that would not only be quick, but most importantly FILLING. Earlier in the day I had considered tuna salad,but wound up making french bread pizza and a simple salad-dinner served.

Leftover Magic-A Few Potatoes

The other day I had a few boiled potatoes leftover in the fridge. They looked so lonely and I'm trying my best to stop being so very (very) wasteful,so I know that I either needed to eat them asap or toss them soon. So I decided to make to sautee' them up with alittle pepper,garlic, and onion, poured over a few eggs and topped the whole matter with alittle shredded cheddar,to which I added a few sliced croissants to finish warming up in the oven. We enjoyed the tortillas with a few salmon cakes which I hadn't made in a month of Sundays. When I was pregnant I hated salmon cakes, and really didn't enjoy them like I thought I would because my taste buds still have not returned to me completely. Don't you just hate when you have a meal in your mind and the oral expectation is not met,yeah, me too!!

A Good Meal

Last night I wanted to prepare a nice dinner. I had some fish fillets (swai) that I purchased a few days ago,and I was thinking tacos so I sprinkled alittle old bay and taco seasoning on the fish and let it do it's thing. By the time I got into the groove of the meal I thought that I would forgo the tacos, and go with yellow rice instead. I put a pot of blackbeans on to simmer to which I added sauteed onions,garlic,& bell peppers. Next I finished up my yellow rice which for whatever reason refused to cook up at the appropriate time so I had to keep adding little bits of water to help it along,I thought about risotto the entire time I was doing this! The fish was dredged in alittle seasoned flour that I keep in the fridge for frying fish, I like to use cornmeal with alittle (if any flour),the fish was seasoned ahead of time and splashed with some red wine. While the fish drained on papertowels I prepared a tomato gravy or sorts, again I sauteed up a bunch of onions,peppers, & fresh garlic,after I sweated the veggies alittle I added in a can of fire roasted tomatoes,and alittle spaghetti sauce. I have to tell you the house smelled divine. Oh, and plantains I actually cook them this time,I'm ashamed to admit that I have purchased them on more than one occasion and just have not felt like cooking them. They were perfectly ripe,the skin was just turning with streaks of black. I peeled them,sliced them on a diagonal,and sprinkled them with my herb salt (homemade),and alittle pumpkin pie spice and browned them in hot oil-delicious,if I had enough table setting I would have invited you-till we meet again!

Day 12-A Very Good Day

Today,started off as any other. Attempting to nurse a baby,rouse a sleeping boy,and threaten a grown man. Getting ready in a timely manner so that we all can make it to were we need to be is a challenge. The boy normally heads off to the Y-Mon.-Fri,joined by myself if I'm lucky. The man is off to the barbershop to cut hair. This was a good day inspite of that the fact that I simply could not get anyone on track this morning. The boy dragged, the man dragged, the baby however was on my side,she had nursed to her hearts content and I had time to get the boy to the Y on time for camp and I could have made it to water aerobics! Did this happen-Nooooo!! To say that I was a bit annoyed is an understatement,I'm proud of myself though I did not fuss nor complain-aloud anyway (haha!!). We FINALLY made it out of the door.

I did get to go shopping today and I picked up a nice stock of fruits and veggies-fresh peppers, eggplant,plantains,green onions, radishes,mangoes.....I'm determined to cook something different no matter how many recipes I read,cut out,dream of, I still have a tendency to cook basically the same things,how bout you??? Well this evening I informed my son that I purchased a bag of pizza dough for him to make his own pizza (is that all you bought me??). After he got over his disappointment that I didn't buy him more, he went happily to the task of creating his own pizza pie. I also created one with a pesto base,which I topped with mozzerella,feta,cherry tomatoe,mushroom and alittle bit of salmon-and it was sooo goood!! The flavors were a perfect match! And guess what it was different,more like a pizza that I could have prepared from one of my MANY COOKBOOKS, that I speak of so often.

Let's see I wanted to share w/you all that I consumed on this 12th day of my food challenge. I did not eat,nor drink till about noon today-I know shame on my especially breastfeeding I usually drink water by the pints,so as you can imagine, I was completely starving and thirsty. so I purchased one of those pre-cut fruit salads in the square containers,which was actually pretty good today,the fruit wasn't rock hard. Once I got home I made a big salad after snacking on a few roasted garlic pita chips. The salad was really good ,I had beets,sugarsnaps,homemade pico de gallo-a boiled egg on top of some fancy greens. Anyway it was really tasty. My mother ordered a sweetpotato Poundcake from my aunt so I ate a nice serving of that w/ a scoop of vanilla icecream. Dinner was the above mentioned pizza and I also had two very delicous peaches today. I started to drink a guava kombucha drink from wholefoods but passed once I ate the cake, my liquids have been strictly water today, I'm missing my smoothy it's been a few days since I've made one,perhaps tomorrow-Till we meet again!

Meat Free-Day 8

Today is day 8 of our food challenge.

I was fortunate to have made it to my exercise class this morning at the Y (water aerobics). So,instead of having my usual smoothie,I fixed a fantastic omelet w/sundried tomatoes,some goat cheese,and alittle fresh dill. Next, I did some housework and settled in to finish a mountain of laundry which was nearly as daunting as it appeared,fortunate for me (smiles). I spent the day off and on entertaining the apple of my eye and put her down periodically for naps.The rest of my day has been pretty uneventful. Bills were paid,and lunches were fixed for a client of mine. I got hungry around 4,so I fixed a frozen vegan entree from Tandoor Chef (pic included in post) pretty darned tasty this is the second one that I have tried. Nice spices,extremely flavorful-I purchased these from WholeFoods,nice change from Amy's organic entrees. My mind is currently headed in the direction of dinner,Hmm I'm thinking perhaps a tuna sub w/spinach,red onions,green peppers,...You get the picture!

A Red Meat & Poultry-Free Month-Day 11

Hummus slider,anyone?

Let me bring you up to date,my mother,auntie,and I have vowed to go on a red meat,and poultry free diet for a month. My mother suffers from heart issues and is in chronic pain from the loss of cartilage in knees. I know how great I have felt when I did not eat meat,so I challenged her for a month,with support of course and so far,so good! We drink fantastic smoothies most mornings for breakfast, we make great sandwiches and snacks with hummus. We are allowed to consume seafood for the month,and have eaten some great stuffed salmon. Just the other day I fixed stuffed manicotti shells with fresh spinach and mushrooms,to which I added alittle sundried tomatoe,and it was delicious,simple food,with lots of flavor. I will probably prepare my blackbean burgers some time during the week to come. I made a vegetarian tortilla soup last year,so I may do that-I have two avocadoes that need to be used. I have a thousand cookbooks so I'll peruse them,and look online for some suggestions. Keep your fingers crossed,the month is just beginning.

Baby Thyme-Once Again!!

Once again I am a new mom-at 40 no less!!! I have a beautiful, healthy, gorgeous baby whom I adore with all my heart!! She is literally the apple of my eye. Our days are spent in bliss,nursing,changing diapers,soothing crying spells and taking naps,from time to time that includes both of us. I am enjoying every minute of it-A new opportunity at parenting. There is a 7 1/2 yr. gap between my children. My son is in love with his sister,and her father too,no doubt. We are blessed. Today she and I were up before dawn, as usual, I brought her outside to enjoy the cool of the morning and it was wonderful,peaceful and quiet, I spotted two other neighbors who were probably in the same mind set. One of them sat on their porch,the other taking out trash. This afternoon,I went out buy some craft supplies for my eldest. I had to make an emergency nursing expedition to my truck. Must remember to wear nursing friendly outfits at all times. I'm not one of those mothers who feels I have to be secluded in a dark corner to nurse my child. Nursing is natural and a wonderful bonding experience. I recommend it for all new moms. It is definitely a labor of love,but so is giving birth!!!!!!!!!!