Meals for Week of August 23, 2010

Articles of Interest

There was a report recently about how re-usable shopping bags can be dangerous because of bacteria that raw food or moisture can leave on the bags, then creating cross-contamination. This quick blog article discusses that report and how it is a good idea to periodically wash your bags.
Wash Those Bags

I recently discovered Delicious Living magazine and was happy to see they have a pretty extensive website which included online versions of their print articles. This particular article about eating a nutrient dense diet has some good information. I like the lists of the top 5 foods in various food groups like grains, fruits, and vegetables. So even if you aren’t going to create a structured nutrient-dense diet, keep them in mind and try to eat them often.
The Nutrient Dense Diet

What I’m Doing

I have completed 4 weeks of my Mama Bootcamp. My exercise in between sessions has not been what it should be, but now that we’re back to school, I think I’m going to be much better. Although I shouldn’t make excuses, the last few weeks of summer break had us traveling all over be it overnight or day trips and left me with little time to visit the gym. I did actually do some exercising at home, which is sort of a miracle, because I really never do that. I found myself with fast food way more often than I should have. I must admit, as much as I do love to cook from scratch and truly have an interest in healthy cooking, I am a sucker for the junk. French fries are my weakness. I’ve tried to be prepared and instead of just remembering to pack a snack for my kids, I pack a snack for myself as well. It could be as easy as a Larabar or a baggie with fruit, cheese and a couple of crackers. And I’m carrying my water with me at all times. I love these re-useable plastic tumblers made by Aladdin-
They don’t sweat so you don’t have water dripping down the sides!

One other change I have to make right away is get back in the habit of planning all my meals. I know, me, Ms. E-mealplanning, not planning her meals. I’ve always got dinner figured out but I used to also create a detailed chart with breakfast, lunch and dinner for the whole family. Now that we’re back in school, I really need that level of organization, plus it will help me with my Mama Bootcamp program. Maybe next week I’ll share my chart with you.

Meals for Week of August 23, 2010
This week I made sure I was back to my usual variety of recipes between seafood, poultry, pork, beef and meatless meals.  Most are quick for a weeknight with a couple that are probably more suited for weekend cooking.  The other day I posted on Facebook that I'm always happy to help find a recipe for someone or I'm taking requests for recipes to include in the blog, so I put that same question out here.  Leave a comment if there is something you have been wanting to make and need a good recipe or if there is a type of meal you'd like to see in the blog.



Quick Chicken Tostadas- This recipe suggests using leftover roasted chicken. I also think that if you grill chicken yourself, save some extra to make this meal on another night.

Quesadilla Pie- *COOK’S NIGHT OFF* Another great recipe for using leftover taco fixings. The variety of fillings you can use are endless. With football season starting, it’s also a great party food.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Bacon- This recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make. Feel free to substitute the bacon with pancetta or even regular ham (which is leaner).

Salmon with Green Beans and Lemon Zest- This recipe uses the method of cooking in a parchment paper pouch. It keeps the food incredibly moist and it absorbs a lot of flavor.

Quick and Easy Pork and Pineapple Tacos- Sweet and tangy pineapple goes so well with pork.

Tomato Pie- Perfect way to use up a bunch of garden tomatoes. You could omit the mayo in the topping if you would rather not use it. You could make a mixture of cream cheese and the shredded cheese if you want, or just top with the shredded cheese. You can either use the pie crust recipe provided or use a readymade unbaked crust. My recommendation is the pie crust available at Trader Joe’s.

Summer Squash and White Bean Sauté- This summer dish can be tossed w/ pasta or served over rice or quinoa.

Crock Pot Taco Soup- I eat very seasonally, so soup is a tough sell for me in the summer. But because this is a crock pot soup, you are at least not standing over the hot stove stirring soup. Plus it freezes well so you can make this and freeze to use later in the fall.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Artichokes- This dish has a fantastic white wine cream sauce. But it’s not too heavy. You can always substitute wine with chicken broth and a squeeze of lemon. She includes a great suggestion of rinsing canned artichokes with water to remove the tinny, canned taste that they often have.

Beef and Noodle Stir Fry- Very flexible to make with chicken instead of beef and frozen vegetables if you don’t have fresh on hand.

Side Dishes/Dessert

Brown Rice Salad with Spinach and Tomatoes- A healthy one-bowl side dish, that also works great to pack as a lunch entrée the next day. If you have access to the sweet heirloom cherry tomatoes that are in season right now, use them.

Banana Nice Cream- Not ice cream, but a cold and creamy treat. Experiment with variations like using almond milk or peanut butter, plus add mix ins like coconut or chopped nuts.