Learning to Be a Trim Healthy Mama

I have long had an interest in health and nutrition, and trying to make heads or tails out of the mountains of information out there, some of which contradicts or just doesn't make sense, is no easy feat. I recently heard a friend talking about Trim Healthy Mama, directing me to the huge Facebook community dedicated to the lifestyle promoted by the book written by sisters Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison. Their philosophy of eating struck a chord with me, as it seems to incorporate much that I've been reading for years. So I bought the book and cookbook and took it on vacation with me, to start the process of learning and incorporating this new lifestyle of healthy food freedom.

 

I am still getting the hang of it, and find myself staying "on plan" about 80% of the time. I feel better - less puffy, less achy. I've lost about 10 lbs, but have stalled there for about 8 weeks; it seems that some people experience stalls like this, either because the body is healing and adjusting, or because certain foods, like dairy or collagen, are causing the body to hold on to weight.  I'm hoping to get the metabolism revved and the scale moving downward again soon, though.

One thing I know about myself is that if I don't take the time to write up a meal plan for the week, I will not be successful.  So I'm going to try to post my meal plan each week, along with some of the recipes I most enjoy.  Part of this plan is eating every 3- 3 1/2  hours, so snacks are planned in as well.

MONDAY:  7/4
B.  Egg mufflets (S - egg, shredded cheese, sausage, onion, pepper) ;  Shrinker (FP -oolong tea,  cinnamon, cayenne, unsweetened almond milk, Stevia sweetener)

L.  Chicken avocado salad, tomato and spinach in a low-carb pita (S)


S.  banana oat bread  (E)

D. Mexican Casserole (S - low carb tortillas, ground turkey, jar salsa, shredded cheddar); Salad w/ oil & vinegar dressing

S.  air-popped popcorn; Bai drink  (bring to Fireworks!)

TUESDAY:   7/5  cook breakfast at camp
B. Oatmeal w/ cinnamon, stevia, chopped fresh peach, unsweetened almond milk, collagen (E)

L.  Chef salad w/ olive oil & vinegar dressing (FP)

S.  pear, 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt w/ stevia  (E) ; Shrinker

D. Baked Pesto Chicken (S) , steamed broccoli, salad

S.  Peanut butter yogurt w/ Lilly's chocolate chips

WEDNESDAY:  7/6
B.  Egg mufflets (S) , Shrinker (FP)

L. Cauliflower Crust Calzones (S)

S. Fat -Strippin' Frappa (FP)

D.  Taco Salad ( E - romaine, ground turkey, salsa, red pepper, onion, black beans, corn, blue corn tortilla chips,  lime juice, salt & pepper)

S.  pear

THURSDAY:   7/7
B. Oatmeal w/ peaches (E - oatmeal, chopped peaches, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, chia seeds, collage powder, stevia)

L.  deli turkey roll ups; Wasa crackers, Laughing Cow cheese; cantaloupe  (E)

S. Choco Secret Big Boy smoothie (secret ingredient - okra!!)

D.  Chicken Lettuce Wraps w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce  (S)

S. Zucchini Brownie w/ Cream Cheese Whip

FRIDAY:  7/8
B. Egg Mufflets (S)

L. Chef Salad (FP)

S.  Strawberry Cheesecake Shake

D.  Turkey Burgers w/ mushrooms, onions , peppers;  broccoli;  Crashed Sweet Potato (E)

S.  air-popped popcorn

SATURDAY  7/9   homeschool leaders meeting from 8am - 2pm
B. Cantaloupe and cottage cheese; (E)

L. Pot luck - bring Cheeseburger Pie (S)

S.  Fat-Strippin' Frappa

D.  Chicken Parmesan Bake (S) ;  antipasto salad, 

S.  Zucchini Brownie w/ Cream Cheese Whip

 SUNDAY  7/10
B.  oat pancakes w/ s-f blueberry syrup;  cantaloupe

L.  leftovers

S.  pear

D.  Crackslaw w/ brown rice; steamed broccoli

S.  Triple 0 Yogurt w/ coconut, Lilly's choc., and chopped almonds

Monday is for Menu Planning : Aug. 17

That worked so well last week, I'm going to do it again.   I didn't follow my plan on Friday because I was baking cupcakes for a friend. I should know better than to think I can cook dinner on a baking day. Mark ended up bringing home barbeque plates from Smithfield's instead. And Saturday was a bust too. We did leftovers a day early. So I'm moving those 2 meals to this week.

Monday
Grilled Lemon-Herb Pork chops
leftover  Asian Quinoa Cole Slaw
roasted carrots

Tuesday
Turkey Pesto Grilled Cheese
carrot, bell pepper, celery sticks
zucchini chips
(put chicken in marinade for tomorrow night)

Wednesday
Tex-Mex Margarita Chicken Salad

Thursday (Jason's birthday!)
 birthday boy's choice - he hasn't decided yet


Friday
Kung Pao Chicken
brown rice

Saturday
eating out

Sunday
Breakfast for Dinner :
blueberry pancakes
Denver scramble
melon


Breakfasts
Good Morning Oatmeal
Breakfast cookies (this recipe is easy to play around with, adding or subtracting what you like)
Smoothies

Lunches
chef salad
Avocado Chicken Salad
turkey roll ups
yogurt & fruit
peanut butter & celery



 

Monday is for Menu Planning

Eat Healthy.
Save Money.
Lose Weight.
Keep Things Simple.
Taste Good. 
No Time.

Planning meals hasn't gotten any easier, now that there are only 3 (sometimes 4) of us to cook for. As hubby and I hit the middle of our 50's, health concerns continue to become more... concerning.  Blood pressure running a little high. Triglycerides borderline high.  Allergies.  Low Vitamin D.  Are we getting enough fiber? Are pesticides poisoning us? Stay away from "artificial", "processed", "high fructose corn syrup",  "rbGH" ,"GMO" and "MSG".  Is soy good or is it bad? How about gluten?

On top of that, I have a 17 year old, 6' 1" athlete to feed who wants his food quick and tasty and abundant.   And a husband who just wants to "take a pill" so he can eat whatever he wants.  And a busy schedule that means that I'm often throwing together something quick before I run out the door.  We rarely eat together like we did when kids were young.  Oy.

I'm trying to amp up the veggies.  Less meat. Less starches. Less dairy.

Thank goodness for Pinterest.  A girl's gotta have a plan.

Monday  
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Broccoli
Rice

Tuesday 
Spinach Feta Mushroom Frittata
Zucchini Chips
Tomato Avocado Onion salad

Wednesday 
Taco Salad (romaine lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped avocado, chopped red onion, black beans, shredded cheddar,  taco seasoned ground turkey, crumbled tortilla chips, salsa mixed with sour cream)

Thursday
Blackened Tilapia w/ fresh peach salsa
Asian Quinoa Cole Slaw
oven fries

Friday
Turkey Pesto Grilled Cheese - with avocado, tomato, bacon
carrot, bell pepper, and celery sticks


Saturday
Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops
baked sweet potato
steamed garlic green beans
spinach salad 

Sunday
leftovers.


Do you have any good, healthy, easy, tasty recipes you love?  Please share.

Back to a Weekly Menu - June 2012

Okay, I've been saying I really need to get back to planning my weekly menu. The other day my hubby made the same suggestion - seems me going to the grocery store most every evening to find something for us to eat is getting old. hmm. Plus, baseball season just killed dinnertime, because we didn't get home until after 7pm two or three nights a week. But now baseball is over and we are entering a much more laid back summer schedule. Mark and I have a high school reunion coming up in August, so it sounds like a good time to try to drop a few pounds too (why do those things go hand in hand?) A plan is definitely needed. Here is a plan for the coming week plus a couple of days. I'll start linking up with Menu Plan Mondays, so you can go there to see other people's menus, if you'd like additional inspiration! 

6/1

Homemade Pizza, Spinach dip & veggies

6/2

Crockpot BBQ chicken, potato salad, curried cole slaw, carrot sticks

6/3

Taco Salad

6/4 

Chicken-TortelliniSoup, crusty bread

6/5

Spaghetti & turkey meatballs , salad

6/6

Bourbon Chicken,  brown rice, green bean & carrot stir fry 

6/7

Big Salad – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper, shredded carrot & cabbage, red onion, hard-boiled egg, turkey, cheese, croutons

6/8

 Homemade Pizza, Spinach dip & veggies

6/9

Jambalaya , bread, salad

6/10

Chicken- Garlic- Farfelle Aldredo,  salad



 

Menu Plan to Get Back to Healthy Eating

I have gotten away from menu planning lately, much to the detriment of our good health! Too much fast food, processed food, prepared food - all things I know are not good for us but have been quick "no brainer" ways to get fed in a hurry.
ugh.
As Mother/Wife/Head Cook/Nutritionist in this family, I MUST do better!

My goal is to include lots more fruits and vegetables in our meals, focusing on variety of colors and textures, and including specific foods and spices known for their anti-inflammatory and immune-building properties.  Walnuts, almonds, spinach, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, blueberries, sweet potatoes, oats, green tea, mushrooms, salmon ... all considered Super Foods!   Cold & flu season is upon us, and nutrition plays a vital role in keeping healthy!  Also, inflammation is now considered a major culprit in numerous diseases and ailments, including the arthritis in my fingers and knees,  and the allergies that just seem to become worse each year! 

I have also been remiss in not enforcing healthy eating practices with my family as the kids have grown up. I was much more deliberate when my older kids were little, but I guess I have gotten lazy.  My 13-yr-old is a pretty picky eater, and prefers canned ravioli and frozen Hot Pockets or taquitos to healthier lunch items. However, I'm the one who has caved and brought those items home from the store. If we don't have them, he can't eat them!  Hubby can get complain-y if meals get to health-y .... but it's time to bring out the Tough Love.

If I have a plan, we'll definitely do better, even if we have to deviate occasionally, than with no plan at all.  Also, breakfast and lunch are an issue right now, so I'm going to plan those as well.  Mark will still eat what he wants for breakfast and lunch.  So here is my Healthy-Eating Meal Plan for the coming week.

Sunday

B:  Smoothie ( froz. blueberries & strawberries, plain yogurt, stevia, orange juice, flaxseed), Oat & whole wheat Waffles w/ blueberries

 L: Chunky Chicken & Brown Rice Soup (*w/ garlic, ginger, cayenne);  Apples & cinnamon

D: Salmon,  Brown & Wild Rice w/ mushrooms, Spinach Salad, whipped butternut squash

Monday

B: Smoothie, Oatmeal w/ walnuts, cinnamon, & brown sugar

L: Tuna Salad Sandwich (tuna, celery, relish, mayo/yogurt, onion powder on whole grain toast, w/ tomato and lettuce );   pear

D:  Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry w/ mushrooms; Brown Rice, Egg rolls,

Tuesday

B: Smoothie,  veggie omelet ( 1 egg, 2 egg whites, peppers, onions, mushrooms, sprinkle of cheese) w/ whole grain toast

L:  Chunky Chicken & Brown Rice Soup, whole grain crackers, Apple

D:  Fajitas (chicken, colored peppers, onion, mushrooms, black beans, guacamole, cheese, sour cream salsa  in low-carb tortillas )

Wednesday

B:  Smoothie, Oatmeal

L:  Turkey –Tomato Panini,  pita chips & guacamole

D: Spaghetti & Turkey meatballs ( homemade sauce w/ shredded carrot, garlic, chopped red pepper) ;  Veggie Salad (broccoli, cauliflower, red & yellow pepper, carrot, red onion, celery, purple cabbage, tomato, black olives – olive oil & cider vinegar dressing )

Thursday

B:  Smoothie,  Veggie Omelet  w/ whole grain toast

L:  Taco Salad (seasoned ground turkey, lettuce, avocado, tomato, shredded cheese, salsa-sour cream dressing, tortilla chips )

D: Crock Pot Jambalaya (stew of brown rice, colored peppers, tomato, onion, cayenne, turkey kielbasa, shrimp, red beans ) ;  whole grain bread

Friday

B: Smoothie, Oatmeal

L:  leftovers (pack for Co-op), apple, yogurt

D: Homemade Pizza ( whole grain crust, pizza sauce, mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives )

Saturday

B:  Smoothie ,  Oatmeal

L: Turkey Roll-up (low carb tortilla, turkey, spinach, avocado, O/V, oregano)

D: Roast Chicken, Veggie Salad , sweet potato “fries”

 

Basketball and Baking

Busy, busy, busy.  We've been baking up a storm around here for Cupcakes on a Mission, our fundraiser for Amanda's summer missions trip to Uganda.  Last week she and I made 14 dozen Chocolate Mint cupcakes, and tonight we are finishing off the 11 dozen Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes baked this week.  I should buy a cow for all the butter and cream we are going through!  And eggs, vanilla, sugar, cocoa ....  Our friends have been enjoying their treats, and between the cupcakes and the support checks that have come in, Amanda has raised half the amount she needs!  yay!

 

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes

based on Martha Stewart's Devil's Food recipe

3/4 c. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. instant coffee

3/4 c. boiling water

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup ( 2 sticks) butter, melted

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 1/4 c. sugar

4 lg. eggs, room temperature

4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 c. sour cream, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Whisk together cocoa, coffee, and boiling water until smooth. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

4. Place melted butter, oil, and sugar in mixing bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat until mixture is cooled, about 5 minutes.  

5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

6. Add vanilla and cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. 

7. With mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture and mix until combined. Then add half the sour cream, mixing until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl, and repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream. 

8. Divide batter between the 24 lined cups.  Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean - about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and place on wire racks and cool completely.

Tomorrow we head to Greensboro for the state homeschool basketball tournament - Amanda's final time, since she's a senior.  :-(    Jason's middle school team got knocked out in the regional tourney last weekend, so he gets to be a spectator this weekend. Amanda's varsity girls team is undefeated this season, and is hoping to continue that streak through this weekend and claim the state championship.  Here's hoping!  It still isn't all over, though, until after "Liberty" in mid-March!  "Liberty" is the HSPN East Coast Homeschool Basketball Championships, an open tournament for homeschool teams from all over the eastern US, held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.  

Amanda was chosen to the All-Conference All Star Team!

Jason won an All-Tournament Award for his great play during the tournament

Cupcakes On a Mission

Amanda has been wanting to go on an international missions trip for quite a while.  Sarah, Eric, and I went to Bris Bris, Costa Rica with a group from our church for 10 days in 2005 (?), and and Alex and Eric went back the following summer.  Sarah spent a month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the summer of 2009,  volunteering in a school for orphaned and destitute  5-7 yr olds.  These experiences expose us to cultures and living conditions very unfamiliar to us as Americans, and help to develop in us a heart of compassion for God's children all over the world, not just in our little piece of it.  This August, Amanda has an opportunity to go to Uganda for 10 days with a group being led by a friend of ours, who has a ministry called Ten Eighteen. www.10eighteen.org  

They will be conducting a sports camp for street kids from the slums of Kampala, as well as distributing clothing and shoes and also going on a one day safari to see the African wildlife around Lake Mburo.

In order to go on this trip, she will need to raise about $2700 ( depending on the final cost of the airline tickets )  This number seems insurmountable, but we KNOW, because we have seen with our own eyes, that God is in the miracle business and provides for us in ways far beyond what we can ask or imagine.  So we are trusting and making plans in faith that the funds will come.

She and I have come up with a fundraiser that is already getting some interest from our friends. We are both devotees of the Food Channel, and lately I have had an obsession with "Cupcake Wars" and baking gourmet cupcakes!  So we came up with "Cupcakes On a Mission"!  We are offering a different flavor cupcake each week. which friends can order in exchange for a donation of $12 for a dozen or $6 for a half dozen.
These are the flavors:

Jan.31–Feb.5                                                                                           
Mexican Hot Chocolate -  chocolate cake with a kick of spice topped with a mound of cinnamon buttercream and a dusting of cocoa

Feb.7-12                                                                                                          
Carrot Cake -  dense moist carrot cake studded with walnuts and pineapple, topped with a decadent  cream cheese frosting

Feb.14-19                                                                                                     
Chocolate Mint-   rich devils food cake filled with chocolate mint cream and frosted with a mound of smooth pink peppermint buttercream

Feb.21-26                                                                                              
Chocolate Peanut Butter  -  moist chocolate cake filled with peanut butter cream, dipped in silky chocolate ganache and topped with a swirl of peanut butter frosting

Feb.28 –Mar.5                                                                                                     Pumpkin -   moist pumpkin spice cupcake topped with out-of-this-world maple cream cheese frosting

Mar. 7- 12                                                                                                            Boston Cream -  golden sponge cake filled with smooth vanilla cream and double-dipped in dark chocolate ganache

Mar.21 -26                                                                                                          Chocolate Chip Cannoli -  vanilla cupcake  filled with chocolate chip-ricotta cannoli filling and topped with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls 

Mar. 28 – Apr.2                                                                                              

Mocha Cappuccino  - mocha chocolate chip cake  topped with a coffee meringue buttercream

Apr. 4 -9                                                                                                   

 Sweet Coconut -  moist coconut cake topped with a mound of vanilla buttercream sprinkled with more coconut

Apr. 11 -16                                                                                                            Strawberry Lemonade -  tart lemon cake with chunks of fresh strawberries topped with a swirl of sweet strawberry buttercream

 Boston Cream

Pumpkin - Maple

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The cupcake mood continues. Fortunately, we are going to a potluck picnic this afternoon, so I'll get to indulge in one and the rest will be polished off by the hungry hoards. This recipes comes from Smitten Kitchen.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick ( 1/2 cup ) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups cake flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin puree

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.


In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 min. Add the eggs, one at time, scraping down the sides after each addition.


In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set aside.


Add vanilla to the buttermilk. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Do not overbeat. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 full. Rap the filled pan on the counter once to release any air bubbles. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a rack.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8-oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, room temperature

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp maple extract

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl and add the sugar and mix in slowly, then beat until smooth. Scrape sides and beat in the maple syrup, and for a stronger maple flavor, the extract. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with large opening tip, and pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up the frosting.


YUM!

Kit Kat Krispie Treats

For Co-op class last week, Jason had to create an original recipe using candy bars as an ingredient. His Kit Kat Krispie Treats were a great success!  Simple to make, they are a chocolate-y good variation on traditional Rice Krispie Treats.

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick ) butter
1 10-oz bag (about 40) marshmallows
6 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
2 cups chopped Kit Kat candy bars ( about 6 regular size)

Butter a 16 x 9-in. baking dish.  In a large stockpot, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the marshmallows and stir until melted.  Add the cereal, stirring a few times  to coat, and then add the chopped Kit Kat bars, continuing to stir to coat. Pour /scrape mixture out of the pot into the buttered baking dish and press down with buttered spoon or buttered fingers ( my preferred method ).  If desired, melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave and spread over the top. Set aside to cool. 
Cut into squares.  Enjoy the gooey, sweet, crunchy, chocolate-y results!  :-)

I Like These Lunch Boxes

Choosing a lunch box was a big part of the back-to-school ritual when I was a little girl. I don't remember my lunch boxes very well... I think I had a red plaid metal lunch box in first grade.  But I do remember when the metal boxes with the glass-lined thermoses were replaced by the jazzier, chunkier plastic lunch boxes with the non-breakable thermoses.  And then later, insulated lunch bags became the rage.  My sandwiches were wrapped in squares of wax paper, then baggies or plastic wrap, then reusable Tupperware squares.
 
Even though we are homeschoolers, we still have a need for lunch boxes once in a while. We bring lunch to Co-op every Friday, and occasionally on a field trip or other outing. Right now we have a couple of unexciting zippered lunch boxes from Target.  But I just found this website for Easy Lunch Boxes, and I am intrigued! These roomy, insulated cooler bags pair with single-lid 3-compartment reusable food containers. Economical and environmentally-friendly.  The website offers some very appetizing lunch box suggestions, and links to many more.  These might actually inspire me to up my game in the lunch department this year. I've gotten into a rut and not been very healthy or creative in my approach to the mid-day meal.  

 

Smoothies for Breakfast

As my kids would say, I'm on a Healthy Kick again. I occasionally lapse into bad habits because of busyness or laziness, but in general, I try to be a good steward of my and my family's health.
Lately, this means Smoothies for breakfast! I love my blender, and have long been a fan of Fruit Shakes - even before Smoothies were fashionable!

When I was 10 years old, an Italian great aunt introduced me to Fruit Shakes - fresh fruit pureed in the blender with a little water or juice. Peaches, bananas, strawberries, plums, raspberries.... whatever was on hand.

I typically keep a couple of bags of frozen fruit in the freezer and some kind of juice in the fridge. I also add plain or vanilla yogurt for the probiotics and calcium it provides!

Today it was orange juice, Bolthouse Farms carrot juice, Naked cherry pomegranate juice ( about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of each ), a few frozen strawberries, peaches, and blueberries, about a cup of vanilla yogurt, and about 1/2 cup of aloe vera juice! It made 3 good-size servings, for me and my two kids.

Yum!

Apple Season & Cider Donuts

I grew up in Massachusetts, and I used to love stopping at the apple orchard in the fall. Taft Orchard was only a few miles from my house in Mendon, right in the center of town really. There was also an orchard on the road to my aunt & uncle's house in Oxford, and we would often make a stop there on our way home from one of our frequent visits. When Mark & I were newly married, we both worked 2nd shift for a couple of months, from Sept - Nov, on a circuit board assemby line at Digital Equip.Co. , and we stopped at an orchard on the way to work every afternoon to get a big, crisp Macintosh and some cider to eat at break time. Some of these orchards also had fresh apple cider donuts. Mmmmmm.
Well, I found a recipe for cider donuts so I tried them this morning. I'm not that great at deep frying, and a thermometer would have helped, but these came out really good, and taste just like I remember them! Yum!

Vermont Apple Cider Doughnuts

1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk ( I used 1 tsp. cider vinegar added to 1/2 cup milk)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I used half white whole wheat flour )
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

vegetable oil for frying

1 cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp. cinnamon

Boil apple cider in a small saucepan for 8-10 minutes, until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. Let cool. In mixing bowl, beat sugar with shortening untll smooth. Add eggs and mix well; then add buttermilk and reduced cider. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with 3" doughnut cutter, or pinch off walnut-sized pieces and roll into slightly flattened balls for "holes".
Pour about 3" of oil into a deep saucepan or dutch oven. Heat to 375 degrees F. Fry several doughnuts or holes at a time, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through. i made doughnut holes, and it only took about 2 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove to paper towel lined platter . While still warm, shake a few at a time in a baggie containing the cinnamon -sugar mixture.

Menus

I've added my weekly menu to the sidebar, instead of as a post. I'm struggling a bit to come up with a menu each week that is healthy and cheap. We are trying to keep grocery costs down to under $200 a week, and to do that I have to really weigh each purchase. Things will be easier in a couple of weeks when Eric is gone at camp all week, eating THEIR food. There will be a couple of weeks when most or all of the kids will be gone, at least during the day! I should be able to stock up on paper goods , toiletries, and staples on those weeks, because I won't have to spend as much on meals!

This Week's Menu

I'm still tweaking my menu plan for this week, but here is what I think I'll be making!

*Leftovers in this house have to be "planned overs" - meaning I have to make extra and then physically separate it from what I am serving - put it in a separate container and stick a label on it with big letters saying "DO NOT EAT"!

Anybody else have teen-age boys in the house?

Monday

B: Oatmeal / cereal; juice

L: pb & j sandwiches, apples, yogurt (picnic at science museum )

D: Crock pot Chicken cacciatore, brown rice, tossed salad

Tuesday

B: Blueberry-Oat muffins, smoothies

L: spaghetti, garlic bread sticks

D: Turkey Sloppy Joes, roasted potato wedges, carrot sticks

Wednesday

B: oatmeal, banana

L: hot dogs cut up in baked beans, cornbread

D: Baked Rigatoni, veggie salad, homemade bread

Thursday

B: Homemade whole wheat Waffles, strawberries

L: macaroni & cheese, *veggie salad

D: Taco Salad, *cornbread

Friday

B: *muffins, smoothies

L: *taco wraps ( planned-overs from last night), fruit

D: Pizza

Saturday

B: Whole Wheat Banana- choc.chip Pancakes

L: Grilled cheese sandwiches, pickles, tomato salad

D: Jambalaya, homemade wheat bread

Find lots more menus at Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is the plan for this week:

Sunday (visit my daughter at college today - 3 1/2 hour drive each way!)

B: Cold cereal & milk

L: (picnic) Chicken salad sandwiches, cut up fruit, homemade choc.chip - yogurt cookies

D: Pizza ( out )

Monday ( bake bread today)

B: oatmeal, sliced pears

L: turkey - salsa roll ups, applesauce

D: chicken pie ,

Tuesday

B: banana muffins, smoothies

L: tortilla pizza

D: Stuffed baked potatoes ; spinach salad

Wednesday

B: oatmeal, oranges

L: turkey hot dogs, french fries, baked beans

D: Spaghetti w/ spinach, garlic, parmesan, chopped tomatoes ;

homemade whole wheat Italian bread

Thursday

B: whole grain pancakes ( w/ choc chips for kids), sliced strawberries

L: chef salad

D: Meatloaf, baked sweet potatoes, green beans

Friday

B: Muffins, smoothies

L: Yogurt, pb & j sandwiches, apples ( Co-op day )

D: homemade pizza

Saturday

B: French toast ( w/ homemade ww bread ) , orange juice

L: cold pizza, trail mix, apples, carrot sticks, cheese sticks (pack lunch - soccer tournament)

D: Chicken Enchiladas, brown rice w/ salsa, spinach salad

I usually have a dinner menu plan for the week. Every Friday night is homemade pizza night, and Wednesday night is pasta night. But recently, as we've had to tighten our belts a bit more, I've done 2 things that have helped save money on groceries. The first is switch from using my debit card to using cash, and the second is planning not only dinner, but breakfast and lunch each day as well.

I am less likely to throw extra things in the shopping cart when I have a certain number of dollars in my wallet that has to last the whole week. It is too easy to lose track of my spending when I use the debit card. So my goal is to spend no more than $200 a week on groceries/ paper supplies / cleaning products for the five of us at home - which includes an 18-y-o bottomless pit, a 14-y-o, and a 9 -y-o who is apparently going through a growth spurt!

And having a plan for breakfast and lunch helps the older kids, especially, from not emptying the pantry/fridge of items I was planning to use for meals later in the week!

In addition to saving money, it is also very important to me that we eat good, wholesome, healthy foods, so I avoid prepared and processed foods. I cook most things from scratch and bake bread each week. I use butter instead of margarine, whole wheat flour instead of most white flour, and olive oil or canola oil instead of shortening or butter when I can. I limit my use of sugar, include fresh fruits and vegetables as often as possible, eat more chicken than beef or pork, and drink water instead of sweetened drinks.

See more Menu Plan Monday links here.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

I made baked chicken "nuggets" for lunch today, and they came out really good, so I thought I'd share the recipe!

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
1 egg
1 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. parsley

Beat the egg in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of water. Drop in the chicken chunks.
In another bowl, mix the bread crumbs, crushed cornflakes, salt, garlic powder, and parsley. ( I made my bread crumbs by putting a thick slice of dry homemade wheat bread in my blender )

Spray a baking sheet / jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Drop chicken into crumb mixture, a few at a time, and toss to coat. Move to baking sheet. Fill baking sheet, keeping pieces separated.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.

They come out crusty on the outside and moist on the inside.... yummy! I served them with honey mustard dip and chunks of watermelon.

Saturday Brunch

Amanda and I hosted a Stampin'Up Party and Brunch this morning for 18 friends. Stampin' Up is a company that sells rubber stamps, papers, inks, embellishments, and tools for making wonderfully creative greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and other nifty projects. Hosting a party at our house always involves days of cleaning to make our generally cluttered and chaotic home "company presentable" ~ which in my mind, should be the normal state of things, but that is another blog. And since we were out of the house yesterday from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, we stayed up late last night cooking for our brunch. I really do enjoy entertaining, so this was actually enjoyable work...fitting it in around the rest of "life" is what makes it a wee bit stressful. But I'm not complaining because the morning was a lot of fun, and everyone enjoyed themselves.
Our brunch spread consisted of a bowl of cut up cantaloupe and strawberries, banana nut bread, apple muffins, creamy strawberry crepes, ham & swiss quiche, broccoli cheddar quiche, and apple crisp, along with juices, tea, and coffee.
Here are some of the recipes:

CREAMY STRAWBERRY CREPES
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 Tbl. melted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

1 (8 oz) pkg lite cream cheese
1 1/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 Tbl.lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

4 cups sliced strawberries, lightly sweetened

Place eggs, milk, water, melted butter, flour, and salt in blender; blend until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour in about 3 Tbls. of batter all at once ( I used a 1/4 cup measure, and filled it about 3/4 full ). Immediately tip and rotate the pan to spread the batter into a circle, as thin as possible. Don't worry if it isn't exactly round! Flip the crepe with a spatula when the edges begin to brown and the batter looks set. Cook the other side about 30 seconds. Stack finished crepes on a plate with wax paper in between.

Blend the cream cheese, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream.

To serve, fill each crepe with a large spoonful ( about 1/3 cup ) of cream cheese filling and a scoop of strawberries. Roll up and top some more strawberries and a swirl of sweetened whipped cream. YUM!!!!!!

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR QUICHE
2 Tbl. butter
1 onion, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbl. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter in large skillet; add onion, garlic, and chopped broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring often, until vegetables are soft. Spoon into unbaked pie shell. Cover with shredded cheddar. Set aside. Combine eggs and milk in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over broccoli and cheese mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until center has set.


APPLE CRISP
10 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup apple juice

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixing bowl, toss apples with the sugar, 1 Tbl. flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Pour apple juice over all.
In another bowl, combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar & cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter. Crumble evenly over the top of the apple mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Home Cooking Blog

I have started another blog just for my recipes. Since I have 2 in college, one of whom will be living in an apartment and cooking for himself this semester, I get requests for recipes for the things I make for my family most often. So I am posting them online, to make them easily accessible to my kids and anyone else who is looking for a good recipe that has been "family-approved!"

www.bethshomecooking.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Princess

Amanda turns 14 yrs old on Monday. Today she had 5 friends over for a Princess Birthday Party! I made a castle birthday cake - 2 13x9 cakes on the bottom and 2 8" round layers on top; toilet paper tubes covered with silver paper, topped with frosted ice cream cones.

The girls got dressed up and made ribbon-covered pens, body glitter ( aloe vera gel mixed with fine glitter) and "princess headgear" from tulle, ribbon, and silk flowers.

Then they divided into teams of 3 and played "fashion designer", creating a gown from tissue paper! ( and tape and staples)

In addition to the cake, we served chocolate-covered strawberries, cream puffs, chicken salad in puff pastry cups, and orange-pineapple punch.

Cream Puffs

1 cup water

1 stick butter

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Put water and butter in saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add flour and salt all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until dough is smooth and glossy. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. To fill, slice top off of cream puff with serrated knife.

Filling:

1 sm. pkg cheesecake flavor Jello instant pudding mix

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

Beat ingredients together with mixer. Chill to set. Spoon a heaping tablespoonful into each cream puff. Drizzle with Chocolate glaze.

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Cupcakes!

I'm trying to lose weight, I'm very interested in health and nutrition ~ but I also have a wicked sweet tooth and love desserts of all kinds! Check out these blogs ~ I never realized that cupcakes had become so upscale and gourmet!! A plain old frosted cupcake really doesn't tempt me, but these...... I may have to try Cappuccino Chip Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream or Triple Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes.
yum~
http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/
http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/
http://cupcakeblog.com/