Eat Real Food

This is my plea to you: cut out most (or all) of the processed foods in your diet. They do nothing good for us! Please!!! Try to eat mostly things that can be hunted or gathered, grown in the ground, or raised on a farm. That is where you will find the most nutrients.

And yes - Organic really is best and the only way you can ensure that harmful hormones and chemicals stay out of your food. I know this is sometimes more expensive, but not always! Stock up when things are on sale or find them at your local wholesale store. And try to purchase fruits and vegetables that are seasonal - they tend to be cheaper, even the organic version of them. I've found organic seasonal produce for much better prices and sometimes even cheaper than conventional.

Stop buying pre-made things in a box, can, or freezer section. Hamburger helper is helping no one! Cook and bake more things from scratch, they don't have to be complicated, and many easy recipes can be found right here or online at other great sites.

Read labels! Know what you are putting inside your body. Do the research and purchase whole foods most if the time.

Do all of these things for your health and the health of your families.

Please read the article posted below. If anything can convince you, this will.

Happy HOME cooking,
Sarah

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/02/11/food-companies-exploit-americans-with-ingredients-banned-in-other-countries/

Chicken Quesadillas

Yesterday was my baby girl's 1st birthday!  Yay!  I wanted to make her a dinner that she would love.  She loves quesadillas, chicken, and avocado so this made total sense.  I cooked the chicken to cater to the taste buds of my kids.  You can add the heat to taste directly to the chicken quesadillas.  In this case, I was also able to use up leftovers from my baked taco dinner last week.  I used the leftover fat-free refried beans mixed with the leftover green chilies.  The perfect amount of spice and it helped the tortillas stick together.

These are yummy, easy, and with low-fat cheese and high fiber, whole grain tortillas, a very healthy meal.  You can add sauteed onions, peppers, spinach, and/or mushrooms in addition to the chicken or instead of to create a meatless meal.  Serve with a veggie of your choice and/or a simple green salad with balsamic vinaigrette.   Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
Sarah

Chicken Quesadillas
2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 can of refried beans (leftover from baked taco recipe)
1/2 can of diced green chilies (also leftover from baked taco dinner - I hate wasting food)
8 whole grain, high fiber tortillas
1/2 - 1 cup reduced fat cheddar or part skim mozzerella cheese
light or fat-free sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, and/or guacamole for serving

 Spray a non stick pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle the cut chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Saute over medium heat until cooked through, about 5-10 min.  Set aside.

Cooked chicken - I gave it to the kids just like this, serving them with cheese only quesadillas

Mix together the refried beans and diced chilies, as pictured above.  Lay out your ingredients and begin to build your chicken quesadilla. 

I was making only 2 for my husband and I, and plan cheese for the kids.

First, spread about 2 T of the bean mixture onto the tortilla (I am building 2 at a time in the picture above).  Now is the time to sprinkle with any additional spice, such as tabasco or red hot.  Then layer the chicken and about 1/4 cup of cheese per quesadilla.

Please note that I broke the chicken apart as I made the quesadilla, but this step is not necessary, it just helps to keep them together the flatter they are.

Place the another tortilla on the top and place into a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, being careful that they don't burn.  (I used to grease or spray in this step)

before...

...and after

Cut quesadilla into wedges with a knife or pizza cutter and serve with condiments and vegetables of your choice.  Enjoy!!!

Week 7 - Healthy Home Revolution

Week 7?!?! In addition to the usual weekly meal plan, I wanted to share a few healthy eating tips and exercise ideas to keep you motivated. Are you still with me? I hope so! And if you are just discovering us, please join our healthy home revolution. Its about making healthy lifestyle changes in regards to your eating habits and fitness routines to create a healthier you and healthier family too.  And yes - sometimes we have "treats" here and there, but we look at the big picture - eating healthy most meals and exercising 30 minutes or more at least 5 days a week.  Join us!

Here is a great article from "Eating Well" magazine on super foods.
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/10_everyday_superfoods?ordersrc=yashkjsuperfoods020613

And here's a super simple workout to do at home, with no equipment necessary.  Modify the workout to your fitness level and take breaks when necessary.  You can always modify the jogging to marching, do your mountain climbers against the wall instead of on the floor, etc.  But be sure to still challenge yourself - only you know what you are capable of.  Monitor your heart rate and go for it!
http://tonedcurves.tumblr.com/image/41815467570

There are several nights this week I won't be cooking, mostly due to opportunities to socialize with other adults. I'm still in the process of making new friends here in Boston, so I jump at these opportunities. Plus the hubby and I are planning a few outings of our own. Please forgive me for the lack of new dinner ideas this week,but there are lots of favorites from the last 6 weeks I encourage you to try or revisit.

So here's my plan for this week,feel free to revise and make it work for you.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Week 7- Sunday, February 17th

Sunday-  chicken quesadillas (my own recipe) with mixed green salad
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/chicken-quesadillas.html

Monday- movie night out with Hubby

Tuesday- girls dinner out

Wednesday- whole grain pasta with shrimp, garlic, spinach, and sundried tomatoes
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/shrimp-farfalle-with-spinach-and.html

Thursday- crockpot chicken tortilla soup
original recipe:
http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/
my version:
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/crockpot-chicken-tortilla-soup.html

Friday- happy hour with hubby and pizza/movie night at home

Saturday- italian sausage with peppers & onions, roasted potatoes, broccoli
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/italian-sausage-sandwiches-with-peppers.html
      (update: ended up using leftovers to create Chicken Tostadas)
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/easy-light-chicken-tostadas.html

Breakfast Casserole

So this post was supposed to happen yesterday, Friday the 15th, when I woke up at 6am to make two breakfast casseroles for my little boy's school family breakfast.   However, the morning became so hectic and crazy that I forgot to take any pictures.   There are lots of other things I could've posted about as the day went on, but it turned into one of those days that just never seemed to end.   I was ready to call it quits at nap time and couldn't wait until bedtime.  Ever have one of those days?  Just zaps your energy.  And here I am, 8am on Saturday morning, up since 6am again (thanks to the baby who doesn't seem to want to sleep in lately - yuck!).  So why not make another breakfast casserole?

This recipe was just made up as I went along.  It's easy, healthy, and very flexible. You can make yours with whatever your family loves.  Today I used maple pork sausage and reduced fat cheddar, but yesterday I made it with chicken sausage and 4 cheese blend.  I also made a vegetarian version yesterday with spinach, peas, and mozzarella - so YUMMY!  The possibilities are endless and you can make it in a 9x13 pan or a muffin tin (baking time will vary).  Plus you can make one on the weekend to eat throughout the week.   A perfect protein packed breakfast.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Egg Casserole
The following recipe is for a 9x9 inch pan or a 8x10, original recipe from Sarah
8 medium or large eggs
1 cup 2% milk
salt & pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 cup cheese (I prefer reduced fat cheddar or part skim mozzerella, but you can use anything)
various additions including sausage, bacon, spinach, onions, peppers, peas, etc.  Be creative!

Grease the pan with cooking spray.  Cook your sausage or bacon, draining on a paper towel.  (I have used pre-cooked sausages, like apple gate farms.  I heat them in the microwave and slice into rounds.  Great alternative with no-mess and I find them to be less greasy.) 

These were from whole foods and too much for this dish - I only used 3 links since they were full sized sausages, not breakfast links.

Browning the sausage, then drain it on paper towels to get rid of all the extra grease.

Layer your toppings on the bottom of your dish - in my case today it was sausage then cheese. 

In a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk.  Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.  I didn't add any today because the sausage sort of does that for me and the baby was going to eat this (so the less salt the better).  Pour the egg mixture over the toppings. 

whisk eggs & milk

pour over toppings

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes of until it doesn't jiggle.   Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, cut and enjoy!

It comes out of the oven puffed up, but will settle as it cools - the picture below shows this

The finished product - YUMMY!

Valentine's Fondue Dinner

We have been so fortunate to have been able to celebrate Valentine's Day out at a restaurant for the past 10 years, but this year, (our 11th Valentine's Day together - crazy!), we have no babysitter.  So instead, I attempted to create a fun, romantic, and slightly sexy dinner at home that everyone could enjoy.  The kids might get in the way of the romantic and sexy part of the evening, but a girl can dream, right?

Tonight I got the idea to make a cheese fondue based on a recipe I saw on "The Chew".  I ended up using a Rachel Ray recipe from one of her cookbooks, a cheddar beer fondue.  This is not exactly a healthy meal, just one celebrating a holiday and had a good time doing it at home.  I served blanched broccoli florets, raw red peppers, raw mushrooms, sourdough bread cubes, seared and sliced bratwurst, and waffle fries (fries and cheese??? Yummy!) with the fondue.  I also made a mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce.  Everything was as delicious as you could imagine.  I wish I had room to eat more.  For dessert we'll be enjoying fresh strawberries and bananas dipped in melted dark chocolate along with the homemade heart-shaped cutouts with vanilla buttercream frosting that we made yesterday, (that recipe to come later).  Yes, nothing about this meal is "diet friendly" so forgive me for getting off the Healthy Home Revolution theme.  I've just been dying to try out the fondue pot I got for our wedding almost 6 years ago!  Now that I know how easy it is to make, I'll make it more often (or at least for cocktail parties).

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Cheese Fondue
recipe based on http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Date-Night-Fondue and Rachel Ray's
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/german-cheddar-and-beer-fondue-recipe/index.html

2 cups good quality shredded sharp Cheddar, one that will melt well (ask your grocer - I used Cabot seriously sharp cheddar)
1 cup shredded gouda (I used red wax gouda)
1 T all-purpose flour
1 cup German lager beer
2 T dijon mustard
A few drops hot sauce
A few drops Worcestershire sauce

Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a small pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. When the cheese has been incorporated fully, stir in the mustard, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer fondue to warm fondue pot.  My fondue pot is cast iron and can be used right on the stove top, so I just transferred the entire pot to the stand.  Perfectly yummy!  And it was fun to do at home.  Enjoy!

the cheese

Cheesy goodness - and you can smell the beer too.  I forgot to get a closeup of the fondue.  The hubby was too excited to start eating. 

The dippers - red pepper, mushrooms, blanched broccoli, bratwurst, waffle fries and a separate plate ot sourdough bread cut into cubes.

And just had to show the shrimp cocktail - equally delicious.  Love to make my own cocktail sauce with lots of horseradish.

Greens and Beans with Italian Sausage

This is the perfect cold weather comfort food - heck, it's comfort food any time of the year!  One of my husband's all time favorite meals, he just couldn't get enough.  Even the kids loved it!  Both the toddler and the baby ate it - I added some wagon wheel pasta to theirs to make it more fun.  This is the perfect one pot meal, super simple, can't go wrong.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Greens and Beans with Italian Sausage
Recipe adapted from http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/italian/italian-greens-and-beans-w-sausage.html 
1 lb of mild Italian turkey sausage (if in link form, take the sausage out of the casing)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 32 oz box of chicken stock (stock has SO much more flavor than broth, and a much deeper color)
1 15oz can of canellini beans
1 large head of escarole
salt to taste

In a large dutch oven or heavy pan, brown the turkey sausage over medium heat until almost cooked through.  Add the chopped onion and continue to cook until the turkey is cooked all the way through and the onion is translucent and browning.  Add the garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, but be careful not to burn.  Add the chicken stock and beans.

Sorry I don't have picture before this point in the cooking process - the children were needing snacks and mommy snuggles.

Bring the mixture to a boil then add the escarole.  Continue to stir over the next 3-5 minutes until the escarole cooks down a bit. 

Looks like a lot?  Not at all!  It will all cook down to nothing.

Even after 1 minute in the pot, with me stirring.

Cover and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with parmesan cheese.  I served ours with some pasta to make it a bit heartier and because my kids LOVE pasta.  This is really so simple yet so incredibly delicious.  Enjoy!!!

Yummy!

My toddlers bowl - he just loved it!

Baked Tacos

We love Mexican and I'm always looking for a new recipe to try.  This is a fairly healthful meal, as long as you use portion control (I would estimate that each taco is approximately 300 calories) and add lots of green veggies on the side.  I served the baked tacos with steamed broccoli, but sauteed greens or a salad would be great too.  These were a huge hit!  My toddler LOVED them because they didn't crumble or fall apart.  The taco stayed crispy, but also stuck together more like a quesadilla.  The addition of refried beans made the meat filling creamy and satisfying.  Definitely making these again - maybe even this weekend!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Baked Tacos
Recipe adapted from http://mommyimhungry.blogspot.com/2012/11/oven-tacos.html
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 small onion diced
1/2 small can diced green chilies
1 T plus 1 tsp taco seasoning (I used a homemade recipe - listed below)
1/2 cup water
1 (8 ounce) can low sodium tomato sauce
1/2 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
1 cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
10 hard taco shells
optional toppings - shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, salsa, guacamole or diced avocado, light or fat-free sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large non-stick skillet, cook the ground chicken and onion over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked all the way through and the onions are translucent.  Add the chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, water, and taco seasoning.  Mix well and cook for a few minutes until mixture thickens up, about 5-10 min. (I did this step about an hour before we ate, and the mixture thickened up even more as it cooled down)

Browning the meat and onion

After you add the other ingredients

After the meat mixture thickens up...it got even thicker than this

Stand the taco shells up in a baking dish.  Spoon about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and sprinkle with 1-2 T of cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos shells have browned along the edges.  Remove from the oven and top as you wish.  Below you will find pictures that guide you along the last few steps...yummy!!!  Enjoy!

The finished product. So tasty!

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
(I used about half of the mixture in this recipe - 1T plus 1 tsp)

Homemade taco seasoning

Last Minute Meals

My husband often works late, missing dinner at home with the rest of us.  On those nights I have an important decision to make:  to cook or not to cook?  My kids would be happy with whatever, but I love to eat and I love to eat GOOD food.  Not cereal for dinner and stuff.  Don't get me wrong, I love breakfast for dinner, but something other than cereal.  Eggs, pancakes, french toast...and last night was meatless Monday besides.

My fridge was void of fresh vegetables, fruits, and the usual staples.  We just got back from Florida yesterday and I was still in recovery mode, trying to get the kids adjusted and back to napping regularly.  So grocery shopping just didn't happen.  I was stuck with what ever I could find.  Thank goodness I had somethings - 3 eggs, some milk, lots of frozen fruit, a few frozen veggies, tortillas, cheese, and salsa.  This sounded like a promising meal.  Not enough eggs for everyone, but enough for me.  The kids love cheese quesadillas, so that would do just fine.  And fruit smoothies- always a hit!  I usually use yogurt, but some kefir (a fermented yogurt drink full of probiotics that I swear by), orange juice, and milk would do just fine.  Add in lots of frozen fruit and then it becomes an exciting treat my toddler can't wait to eat up!  I always say, "Isn't it the yummiest smoothie we ever made?  It tastes like icecream."  Then he smiles and agrees.  Works every time.  I ask him what color we should make it and add whatever fruit will make it that color.  Tonight it was purple - lots of mixed berries.  For me?  A 3 egg scramble with onions, peppers, spinach, and salsa.  All the veggies came out of the freezer and it couldn't have been easier. 

Sometimes we just need to get a little creative with what we have and go from there.  Keeping some basics in the fridge and freezer helps, and you can create a delicious and healthy meal in minutes.  (I think it took me 5 minutes to make everything!)

Week 6 - Healthy Home Revolution

I'm back from Florida, and quite frankly, surprised we were able to fly into Boston given the enormity of winter storm Nemo. Plus, I wouldn't have minded being "stranded" in Miami for a few extra days.

But alas, here we are - back to reality, regular exercise, and healthy home cooking. As I have posted in the past, I will present my weekly meal plan along with any coordinating links. I'll update you with postings throughout the week.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Week 6 - February 10, 2013

Sunday: leftovers or repeat recipe from past weeks

Monday: not sure yet, but will be meatless! Either vegetarian fried rice or a frittata (my husband is working late tonight, so it's just me and the kids.)
here are some ideas for last minute meals:
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/last-minute-meals.html

Tuesday: oven baked tacos with homemade taco seasoning, steamed broccoli
original recipe from:
http://mommyimhungry.blogspot.com/2012/11/oven-tacos.html?m=1
my version:
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/baked-tacos.html

Wednesday: Greens and Beans with Italian Sausage and pasta
original recipe from:
http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/italian/italian-greens-and-beans-w-sausage.html
my version:
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/greens-and-beans-with-italian-sausage.html

Thursday: Valentine's Dinner Date Night At Home - cheese fondue and chocolate fondue
          (Warning:  this is NOT a low-calorie meal)
original recipe:
 http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Date-Night-Fondue
my version:
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentine-fondue-dinner.html

Friday: pizza night

Saturday: chicken noodle soup (my own recipe)
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/03/chicken-vegetable-soup.html

Feeding your baby - homemade baby food cubes

Okay, so lets get one thing straight - this post is for anyone interested in how to easily make & store baby food. I'm not here to say that it's a must, I just wanted to share my methods for those who were interested.

Once my first was old enough to start solids, I did a lot of research on what to feed, how to feed, etc. I was so confused by it all. I only knew one thing for sure - peas in a jar were more brown than green.  Gross! I wanted a way to control the things that go into my child's food and a way to make fresher food quickly and save some money along the way.

Enter Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron - my baby and toddler food holy book. It is such a great resource and highly recommend it! I used it for my first and second baby. Making your own baby food can be very simple if you plan ahead, make large batches, and freeze in individual serving sizes. I've prepared and frozen everything from organic peaches and broccoli to avocado and banana (both freeze well and do not brown in freezer). I've even made organic pureed chicken and ham. (Personally, meat in a jar really grosses me out.)
Here's how you do it!

You'll need: a pan and lid to either steam or boil (only boil in limited amounts of water so any water left in pan is used to purée food - no vitamins lost in water), food processor or really good blender, ice cube trays, aluminum foil, freezer quart sized storage bags.

So pick your fruit or veggie, thoroughly wash it, peel it (if necessary), and cut into medium sized chunks. Then place in steamer or pot with water, lid on, and cook until mushy (better to be over cooked than under cooked in this particular case because we are pureeing the food). If boiling, I only put enough water to go half way up or barely covering the food, stirring frequently, and adding more if necessary. Transfer the food and some of the cooking liquid to the food processor or blender. Purée until desired consistency.  If its a young baby, the food should be silky smooth.  Add more water if necessary. You can always add more, but can't take it out. You don't want Popsicles, just smooth food for your growing baby.

Once you have puréed to the consistency your baby prefers (or that is age appropriate) fill your ice cube trays with the purée. Cover with aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until frozen solid. Flip over and empty the trays out, placing the frozen food cubes quickly into pre-labeled freezer bags. I label mine with the food type and date I made the batch of food.

Take the appropriate number of food cubes out as you need them.  For example, baby girl started off eating 1 fruit cube and 1 veggie cube. By 10 months, she was eating 4 fruit/veggie cubes with 1 protein. I was able to purchase fresh, organic produce when in season, and some organic produce from the freezer section, (peas, berries, broccoli, mango, peaches were often more affordable and readily available if I bought them frozen. And the bonus was that there is little prep when making baby food from frozen produce. By the way, it's totally safe to thaw and re-freeze produce. Not so much with meat.)

The best part about this experience was creating my own flavor combinations like banana and avocado, sweet potato and broccoli, apple with carrots and peas. Be creative and let your little one show you his/her favorites.  Please consult your doctor one when to introduce the different types of foods.  Their digestive system is still developing during their first year, so some things are inappropriate for a 6 month old to consume.  There are also several food restrictions recommended during the first year or two of life because they can lead to food allergies.  Again, please consult your doctor. 

I do recommend getting the book mentioned earlier...its awesome and full of toddler finger food ideas too.  Lots of recipes for the older babies and toddlers.  Please comment below if you have any particular questions regarding preparation of food or if you need more detail.

Have fun with this and Happy Cooking!
Sarah

The only picture I have of my creations:  this is about 15 different kinds of fruits & vegetables along with some pureed organic chicken thighs.