The Scale and Whole 30

I have about 10 days to go on my first Whole 30. I am just now getting to the point where I miss some of the variety I had with my old eating habits. I plan to change it up a bit this week and include some zucchini hummus and start learning to eat less meat and more fish, while continuing to add lots of veggies to every meal.

There has been a lot of talk in the last few days about weighing yourself while doing the Whole 30. I know that is against the rules, however, when my clothes started to fit differently I just had to know what the exact number was. After reading some blogs about this issue I now realize that the number doesn't matter. As long as my clothes ARE fitting better and I am working towards a more healthy relationship with food, the number makes no difference.

Two very inspiring blogs about this issue are:

http://atransparentlife.com/2012/03/03/whole30-and-getting-wholly-healthy/#comment-411"

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

One of my favorite things to do is to watch cooking shows and then see how I can change dishes to make them Whole 30 approved. This morning I watched Alex Guarnaschelli make Papillote of Striped Bass. There really are not many changes necessary to make this Whole 30. I have put the recipe below after changing it only slightly. I have not made it yet but plan to this week. Tell me what you think.
Best,
Lelia

8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (8-ounce) pieces striped bass, pin bones removed, skin-on
(or any solid white fish you prefer)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill fronds
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, cut into thin slices and pits discarded

For the Aioli (similar to how you would make homemade Mayo)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
*2 egg yolks
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced

Arrange 2 shelves in the oven at a fair distance from each other. The foil-enveloped fish will need some room to puff and expand as it cooks. Better to rearrange the oven racks while the oven is not yet hot. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread about a 2-foot sheet of foil on a flat surface with 1/2 of it hanging off the counter in front of you. Put the fish, skin side down, horizontally, onto the foil near the end of the counter leaving about 1 1/2-inches of foil on both sides. Season the flesh side of the fish with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with some dill, parsley and a few lemon slices. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons oil on top of the fish. Fold the foil back over the fish and fold in the sides of the foil twice. Leaving some air in the package, roll the top of the foil down twice gathering the top to make a window , leaving about 6 to 8 inches between the fish and the top. It should look like a small package, with all the sides sealed. There should be enough room left around the fish to allow for the steam to build up as it cooks, creating an inflated envelope around the fish. Repeat with remaining 3 pieces of fish.

Put the garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the egg yolks and pulse to blend. With the processor running, slowly add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, through the opening at the top, in a steady stream. Add the lime juice and pulse to incorporate. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cook s Note: If the mixture is too thick, add a little cold water to loosen the texture. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Using 2 baking sheets, put 2 of the foil envelopes on each sheet and add a little water to the bottom of the sheet pan. This water will create additional steam in the oven as the fish cooks. Put the baking sheets on 2 shelves of the oven and bake, undisturbed, until the envelopes begin to puff, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to 4 dinner plates. To serve, break open the foil and drizzle with the aioli.

Use caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

My Whole 30

On February 19 I started my first Whole 30. I have been good and stuck to the plan exactly for 7 days. I would love to tell you all the wonderful things it's done for me but as yet, it hasn't. I am definitely going to stick it out for the Whole 30, but I am having headaches, bouts of nausea, dizziness, and so far I have not felt hungry AT ALL, in fact just the opposite. Part of this may not be related to the Whole 30 at all as I've just gotten off a round of antibiotics for a nasty ear infection. I've heard the antibiotic Augmentin can cause these types of issues. I finished the medication on Friday so I'm hoping the issues I'm having will even out. I did start taken a probiotic, not sure if that is Whole 30 allowed, but the antibiotics were hitting me in all the wrong places so I had to do something to get some good bacteria back and I figured probiotics were better than yogurt which is not at all Whole 30 allowed.

I'll spend some time tomorrow writing about what I have and have not been eating, but for now if you want to take a look at the plan, click on the following link.

whole9life.com/2012/01/whole-30-v2012/

More soon,
Lelia

Crockpot stew

I have been doing a lot of cooking this morning; trying to get lots of things done before I head back to work on Monday. I have had a lot of fun with my last two weeks off, but it's back to the grind pretty quick here.

My veggie CSA arrived on Wednesday and so I thought a nice, rich beef stew would be a good way to use up all those root veggies I got. I have the meat on low in the crock pot now and it's really creating a wonderful smell in the kitchen. Here is my crock pot beef stew recipe for anyone who wants to give it a whirl.

1 lb beef stew meat
1/2 bottle of red wine (the better the wine, the better the gravy!)
32 ounces beef broth (or homemade stock would be even better!)
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
pinch red chili flakes (more if you like it spicy)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 bay leaves
2 whole garlic cloves
1 onion coarsely chopped
1 tblsp worcestshire

There are many different schools of thought as to how to put this together. Jamie Oliver said he used to brown his meat, garlic, and onions before cooking as he thought that brought out more flavor. After doing it both ways though he came to find it really made no difference. I would agree, and even take it a step further and say that most of your flavor gets left in your browning pan when you do it that way. Do dredge the meat in the flour though as it will act as a thickener in your stew as is cooks. After dredging the meat in flour add it to the crock pot with all of the other ingredients above.

The other change that I am making to most crockpot stew recipes is that I am not adding all the veggies at the same time I put the meat in. If there is one thing I can't stand it's soggy, mushy veggies. So put the meat in as indicated above and let it cook on low for 4 hours. Note that I did add the mushrooms as I wanted some of that mushroomy flavor to be taken on by the meat.

After 4 hours add the following veggies:

1 bunch diced carrots
2 or 3 potatoes cubed
1 leek chopped
1 sweet potato chopped (optional)

Feel free to add whatever veggies suit your taste. I am adding the leeks, carrots and sweet potatoes because they came in my CSA this week. Just don't add too many veggies as your pot will become too crowded and they won't cook properly. Let them cook for another 4 hours on low, or if you need things done more quickly you can move your crockpot to high when you put the veggies in. Keep an eye too that you still have plenty of liquid in your pot; you don't want your beautiful stew to dry out! Add more broth and/or wine as necessary.
Adjust your seasonings and serve

I also tried my hand at making cheese crackers today. I wanted to find another use for my new Atlas pasta machine and it's the perfect tool to make thin and crispy cheese crackers. I really wanted a recipe made without butter, but olive oil instead. The crackers I made are good, and the pasta machine works like a dream, but the crackers were just not cheesy enough. This is a great recipe though and next time I will make sure I use a very sharp cheddar, and more of it. Here is the recipe I came up with, tweak it and tell me what you come up with!

3/4 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tblsps extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sour cream
2 cups tightly packed cheddar cheese
1/4 tightly packed grated parmeasan cheese
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Sift the flours, salt and sugar together. Add remaining ingredients to the
flour mixture. When dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball dump out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 2 equal balls, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Cut each ball in half and form a small rectangle with each half. Flour the rectangle and run it through pasta machine on 0 setting. Flour and fold dough and run through one more time. Change setting to 1, flour and run through, repeat this through setting 3. I found setting 3 about as high as I could go before it got too thin. I then used a very small cookie cutter and laid out my cracker shapes on the parchment paper. I baked these crackers for 12 minutes at 375. You should try them for 8 to 12 minutes as my oven tends to run hot. My son ate them up quickly, almost 1/2 are gone already. I thought they were good, but needed a bit more cheese flavor.

That's what I've been up to today. Hope you are having a good one too!

First Box of CSA

I received my first CSA box from Farm Fresh to You on Wednesday. After reading a ton of bad reviews on Yelp, and other sites, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vegetables in the box. As soon as I get my new camera I'll be able to include some pics. For now here is what was in the box:

1.5 lbs small yellow potatoes
1 lb baby bok choy
1 bunch carrots (the sweetest carrots I have ever eaten)
1 bunch collard greens
1 bunch spinach
1 spaghetti squash
1 bunch green leaf lettuce
1 pound yellow onions
2 large leeks

Now that Christmas is over, and I understand the CSA routine, I will be able to prepare menus and recipes for what is coming in the box. For this week though I just threw the veggies into different combinations for the meals I made. For example one night I cut the potatos into quarters, mixed them together with the broccoli, some garlic, salt, and pepper and rosted them in the oven on high heat. I then sauted some onions, leeks, and garlic, added 1 box of veggie broth, some pasta and the roasted vegetables and let simmer. When the pasta was done so was the soup. I finished it off with some garlic olive oil and parmeasan cheese. It was yummy and so healthy. For the rest of the week I used the veggies in a smilar fashion just adding them to whatever I could. We easily went through the entire box in a week, when I was hoping it would last us two weeks. My next veggie box does not come until the 4th which is a long time to wait for veggies. I may need to tweak my order. This Wednesday I will receive a fruit box, I'll let you know how we do with that.

Until next time,
Lelia

Farm Fresh to You

I just joined an Organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and it will deliver right to my home. Veggies one week, fruit the next. I am going to try it for a month and see how the family likes it. Check in with me here everyday as I blog about what we get in our box and the meals I create with these ingredients. My first veggie box arrives on Wednesday, December 21 and my fruit box on Wednesday, December 28.

Check back soon,
Lelia

Super Easy Eggplant Mozzerella Sandwiches

Here is a super easy recipe that the kids will want you to make again and again. I count my husband in there too, as he asks me to make these all the time.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 box Trader Joe's Eggplant slices
4 slices low fat mozzarella cheese
4 multi grain rolls (large)

Pesto Sauce
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c pine nuts or walnuts or pecans
1 tsp lemon juice

Make the pesto sauce first by mixing all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Should be smooth and not chunky.
Put 1 tbsp of olive oil on baking sheet and spread evenly on the pan. Then lay your eggplant slices out on the baking sheet and put into a preheated 400 degree oven. Let the eggplant cook for approximately 10 minutes and then flip over the slices and let cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. You want the slices to be golden brown and crispy but don't let them burn. When they are done layer a couple slices of eggplant on one side of your lightly toasted bread. Put a piece of mozzarella cheese on top of the eggplant and keep the bread open while you either toast or microwave the sandwich JUST until the cheese melts. When done spread the pesto mixture on the side of the bread with nothing on it, then close the sandwich and serve. SO YUMMY!

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

I made this sweet potato soup last night and the whole family loved it. Remember to roast your sweet potatoes either the night before you want to make it, or the morning of the night you want to make it. That way you should be able to put it all together in about 40 minutes.

4 large sweet potatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 box veggie or chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 onion chopped
1 tblsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garm masala
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Wash and place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Poke each with a fork before placing in the oven to allow steam to escape. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 35 minutes.  Test with a fork to see if it feels done inside. Place your chopped onion and garlic into a dutch oven with the olive oil and cook until soft. Peel the sweet potatoes and add to the onion and garlic. Mash sweet potatoes gently with the back of your spoon. They don't need to be smooth. Add all the spices to this mixture. Slowly add the broth to the sweet potao mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate the broth. When the broth has been added completely, add the coconut milk next. Stir mixture and let cook,on low to medium, for about 15 minutes.
It's up to you how you do this next part, if you have an immersion blender, by all means use it to make the soup smooth and delicious. You may also use a blender, just be very careful that you don't spill the hot soup on yourself. Enjoy this warm, yummy soup!

Easy Breezy Quiche

I love a good quiche. If done right, it's simple and light and always satisfying. Make sure to cook until the egg is done and not soupy. Add a green salad and you have a great meal everyone will love!
      

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne or paprika
• 2 to 3 cups broccoli
• 4 ozs grated swiss cheese
• 2 tblsps chopped basil
• 3/4 diced ham

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the half-and-half, eggs and yolks in large glass measuring cup. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, cayenne or parika to taste. Spread half the broccoli and ham evenly in the pan, top with about half the cheese; repeat with remaining filling and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the fillings. Top with more herbs or cheese as desired. Bake until the quiche is just set in the center, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

Spicy Sweet Salmon with Asparagus and red potatoes

This is a Cooking Light recipe that my family loves and I have been using it for quite some time. I do subscribe to Cooking Light and I have found the magazine to be hit and miss for me. This one though is a keeper. If you are feeding it to the kids watch out for the pepper powders in this dish. It may be too hot for them. Simply reduce the powders to about a 1/4 of what is listed here and you may want to add a bit more paprika (smoked paprika would be good too) and brown sugar. Experiment and have fun! The recipe for the red potatoes follows.

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

• 2  teaspoons  paprika
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground ancho chile powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon  sea or kosher salt
• 4  (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• Cooking spray
• 1  teaspoon  maple syrup

Preparation

Prepare grill, heating to medium.
Combine first 5 ingredients. Sprinkle fish with salt; rub with paprika mixture. Place fish on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes. Drizzle fish with syrup; grill 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Red Potatoes

1 to 2 pounds small red potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tblsps olive oil
2 tblsps chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oven to 400. Combine first 4 ingredients until potatoes are completely coated. Lay out potatoes evenly on a large sheet pan. Place in the preheated oven. Watch potatoes and using a large spoon, turn them every 10 minutes for about 40 minutes. The potatoes should be crispy and taste done on the inside, but not burnt. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. The kids will love these! The asparagus can be cooked in the microwave or on the stovetop with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy these yummy dishes! Have a happy (and safe) Halloween!

Sick

Good Evening All,

I'm sorry to have been away so much this week. I was down with a cold and then my son got the same thing so things have been a little crazy around here. I know all you Mom's can relate. I'm trying to get back on track this week though. I can tell you that I made some delicious mocha chocolate cupcakes and took them to the office for our Halloween party and I think people really liked them. I had a little trouble with the frosting because I really wanted a whipped cream frosting and found it's not a good idea to make whipped cream frosting the night before. The whipped cream separated in the refrigerator and it took some doing to get it right again. Moral of the story is don't refrigerate whipped cream frosting!

Also, I am back on my Jillian Michael's program this week so I will be fixing things that correspond to this way of eating. This is not a diet it's a way of life program and I don't know why I ever fall off the wagon. I always feel 100% better when I'm on her program. It's an organic food plan and I strongly encourage those who are interested in losing weight and feeling better to pluck down the money and try her online program.

Here are the menus for the week:

Sunday-Maple glazed salmon, red potatoes, asparagus (we never got to this last week)
Monday-Ham, Broccoli and Swiss cheese crust less quiche (we never got to this either)
Tuesday-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
Wednesday-Chicken Kebabs and cucumber salad
Thursday-Leftovers
Friday-Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches with pesto
Saturday-Leftovers

Grocery List
paprika
chili powder
ground ancho chili powder
ground cumin
brown sugar
salt
4 organic salmon fillets
1  teaspoon  maple syrup
1 pound red potatoes
olive oil
2 heads garlic
rosemary
Parmesan cheese
1 to 2 pounds fresh organic asparagus

2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Pinch cayenne or paprika

3/4 cup lean ham or Canadian bacon

3/4 cup Swiss cheese

4 sweet potatoes

1 cup maple syrup

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

garm masala

smoked paprika

4 cups veggie or chicken broth

Brown onion

turmeric
cayenne pepper
lemon

Greek plain yogurt
18 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 12 boneless, skinless breasts

Italian parsley

fresh basil

sliced mozzarella cheese

Trader Joe's eggplant slices

Fresh multi grain rolls

walnuts or pine nuts

That's the list for this week. I'll put up the recipe for the Salmon tomorrow afternoon. Have a restful Sunday!

Enchilada Casserole

Good Evening All,

I'm still feeling a bit under the weather and now my youngest is feeling poorly too. I wanted to get you this Enchilada casserole though as soon as possible so you can make it for your family.

Layered Enchilada Casserole
1 tblsp and 1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
2 cans refried beans, heated until warm
1 2 1/4 oz can sliced olives
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
8 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups grated jack cheese

This is like making lasagana and the tortillas are the noodles. Heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add the cumin, chili powder and can of tomatoes to the onion and garlic. Mix well, this is your sauce. Put some of your sauce in a 13 X 9 pan, put 4 tortillas into the sauce and add some more sauce on top of the tortillas. Then begin layering the beans, olives, green chiles, sour cream and then jack cheese. Put more sauce on top and repeat layering steps once more. When you are finished cheese should be on top. Then garnish top of casserole with fresh cilantro. Bake casserole at 350 for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. If the cheese is bubbly on top it's probably done. If the top starts to brown before the casserole is heated through, place some foil on the top of the casserole and continue cooking. Enjoy this easy and yummy casserole! I'm off to bed for now...

Pasta Salad

Good Evening All,

Here is my basic pasta salad recipe. Feel free to add whatever sounds good to you and your family. I would recommend though trying to sneek in as many vegetables or beans as you can. Pinto beans, kidney beans and garbonzo beans are all good choices. Also, raw vegetables make good additions. Things like broccoli, carrots, red peppers, and tomatoes are good and colorful. Try to add as many bright and colorful vegetables as you can. Remember to have fun with it and try introducing the kids to new foods.

Pasta Salad
1/2 package whole wheat rotini
1 can red kidney beans
1 can garbonzo beans
1 bag green and yellow string beans
2 cans sliced black olives
1 tomato, chopped
2 persian cucumbers, chopped
Italian or ranch dressing, to taste

This recipe couldn't be simpler, however, to make it quicker I would cook the whole wheat rotini in the morning before you go to work and then let it sit in the fridge during the day. Even simpler would be to chop your vegetables the night before too. Then simply mix all ingredients and dinner can be ready in ten minutes!
Directions: Cook rotini as package directs until just al dente, too long and you will have mushy pasta. Add all remaining ingredients and add dressing to taste. Enjoy this easy and tasty pasta salad! Until tomorrow, Lelia

Green Turkey Chili

Here is a recipe that I have been making for my family for years. I was inspired by a dish I had at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum here in southern California. It is a turkey chili made with a lot of different green ingredients.

3/4 pound tomatillos, husked, washed and diced
1 tblsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 32 oz boxes chicken broth
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 package trader joe's taco seasoning
1 large can diced green chilies
1 large can unseasoned pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 bottle green salsa verde
2 bunches cilantro, chopped
1/4 pound grated jack cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream

Add the tomatillos, onion, and garlic to 1 tblsp of olive oil and saute until mixture is soft. In a skillet brown the ground turkey. Once browned add the taco seasoning and continue cooking, on a simmer, for 15 to 20 minutes. When the tomatillo mixture is soft add both boxes of chicken broth and continue cooking on medium heat. When the turkey is done add to soup mixture along with all of the remaining ingredients. Let cook over medium heat, do not boil, for another 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with jack cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream on top. Delicious!

Menu for Sunday, October 24-Saturday, October 30, 2010

Good Afternoon All,

Feeling slightly better today and wanted to get this week's dinners started. Our sweet treat for the week will be snickerdoodle cookies and I will be making those tomorrow, but will include the recipe today in case anyone wants to get started. Below is our menu for the week, these are the days that these dishes work best for me, but feel free to move things around.

Sunday-Green Turkey Chili
Monday-Pasta Salad
Tuesday-Enchilada Casserole
Wednesday-Leftovers
Thursday-Maple Syrup glazed Salmon, red potatos, and asparagus
Friday-Ham, broccoli and Swiss Cheese quiche
Saturday-Leftovers

Grocery List for the week
2 32 oz boxes veggie or chicken broth
Large bottle extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound tomatillos
2 brown onions
2 heads of garlic
1 pound turkey meat ground
1 pound lean ground beef meat (not the leanest)
2 packages trader joe's taco seasoning
1 large can pinto beans
2 large can diced green chilies
1 medium jar green salsa verde
4 bunches fresh cilantro
1 lb grated jack cheese
1 large container sour cream
tortilla chips
1 package whole wheat rotini
1 can red kidney bean
1 can garbonzo beans
1 bag green and yellow string beans
2 can sliced black olives
1 tomato
2 persian cucumbers
Italian or ranch dressing (see blog for more info)
1 can diced tomatoes
paprika
chili powder
ground ancho chile powder
cumin
brown sugar
4  (6-ounce) salmon fillets
maple syrup
1 pound red potatos
Fresh rosemary
2 pounds broccoli (organic, bagged)

2 cups milk

6 large eggs

ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne or paprika

Canadian Bacon

Swiss cheese

2 sticks of butter, room temp
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
Flour
vanilla extract
cream of tartar
baking soda

I know this sounds like a lot of ingredients, but remember you are making dinner for 6 nights plus a treat for the week. Also, go through the list before you actually get to the store and anything you already have enough of you certainly don't need to buy. Things like brown sugar, flour, etc. are probably staples in your house so you shouldn't buy more unless you really need it. Also, make sure you take this list to your local farmer's market first, many fresh items from this list can be purchased there and will taste so much better than what you can get in the grocery store.

Also, regarding salad dressing. There is NOTHING I can find on the store shelf that I consider good. They are all filled with preservatives, fillers, etc. Certainly, you may make your own salad dressing, but I have not been able to make a homemade dressing that I like yet. Instead I have found the most wonderful homemade salad dressing at a local restaurant. It is made from all natural ingredients and it is made fresh daily. Once a week I pick up a pint and use on everything from green salads to pasta salads. Make sure if you a find a restaurant who has a dressing or condiment that you love that you ask them what the ingredients are, is it made fresh and do they sell it? Most restaurants are more than happy to do this for you. Below is the Snickerdoodle recipe and I'll put up the Green Turkey Chili receipe tomorrow. Have fun and enjoy your weekend!

Snickerdoodles
2 sticks of butter, room temp
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 3/4 cup flour

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat until well mixed. Mix dry ingredients together and add to the butter & egg mixture. Roll about a tbsp of dough between your palms until it forms a ball then drop into a bowl with half sugar and half ground cinnamon. Roll until the entire ball is coated. Place on an ungreased sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Good Afternoon All,

I've been feeling sick for a day or so and that caused me to miss a day of blogging. I'm still under the weather today and actually took a day off of work today to get some extra rest. I have been enjoying my cream of mushroom soup I made the other night and thought you might like to have this if there are others dealing with their first cold of the season. Tomorrow I will put up a grocery list for next week so you can do your shopping and the first recipe of the week, that is Sunday night's receipe. I'm trying to give you this information a day early, but feel free to move things around so they are most convenient for you.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 small packages dried wild mushrooms (Trader Joe's carries these)
2 32 oz boxes chicken (or veggie) broth
1 sprig fresh thyme and 2 tblsp thyme leaves
3 tblsp olive oil  and 1 tblsp butter
1 medium brown onion chopped
2 carrots diced
2 leeks chopped (white part and a little of the green part)
2 cloves garlic minced
24 ozs FRESH mushrooms sliced (whatever you like here is fine, kids will like the milder button or cremini mushrooms but you can also use portobellos or shiitake which have a somewhat stronger flavor)
4 tblsp flour
3/4 dry sherry
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take the broth, sprig of thyme, and dried mushrooms and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. While that is simmering, in a large pot add the olive oil and butter, let melt, and add the onion, carrots, leeks, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute these ingredients until they begin to get soft, but not mushy. Once they become a little soft add the flour over the top and stir into the mixture gently. Remove your other pot of broth from the heat and slowly ladle some of the broth mixture into the mushroom mixture. Keep your mushroom mixture on a low heat setting and keep adding a cup or so of broth at a time to the mushroom mixture, stirring it in to the mushroom mixture and then when it is completely incorporated add another cup of broth. Repeat this until all the broth has been added to the mushroom mixture. This is your soup!

Add the sherry to the soup and stir. Turn the heat up to medium, but DO NOT allow the soup to boil. Cook for another 15 minutes allowing the flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper and 2 tblsps of thyme leaves. Then slowly add the 1/2 and 1/2. Heat for an additional few minutes so that the soup is hot. Serve immediately with a salad and a good crusty bread. Enjoy your soup, your family, and remember to take good care of yourself!

Lelia

Turkey Tacos

Good Morning All,

I find myself cooking with ground turkey as my protein alot of the time. It's lean, easy to cook with and the kids like the taste. I made turkey tacos this week with the new Trader Joe's taco seasoning. It has alot less filler in it than Lawrey's taco seasoning and tastes just as good. Just go easy on the amount you use because unlike Lawrey's it is made with cayenne pepper and it will be much too spicy for the kids if you use too much. I have found that 1/2 a package per 1 pound of ground meat is plenty. Also, I used ground turkey but any ground meat can be used for this dish. These tacos are incredibly easy and your whole family will love them.

Turkey Tacos
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 pkg Trader Joe's taco seasoning mix
1 6 oz can tomato paste and 1 6 oz can water
taco sauce
1 ripe avocado
1/2 a bunch cilantro chopped
warm soft corn tortilla
Trader Joe's taco shells
Shredded cheese-jack and/or cheddar
Shredded lettuce

Saute the onion and garlic in 1 tblsp olive oil until soft. Add the turkey meat and cook until brown. Add the amount of taco seasoning you think best and then the tomato paste and water. Mix this into the turkey well, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes.

While this is cooking peel and mash the avocado. Add a small amount of taco sauce and some chopped cilantro as well as a pinch of salt to your avocado mixture.

Heat the tortillas by wrapping them in a paper towel and microwaving for a minute or so. Put the taco shells in the toaster oven or regular oven to heat, but make sure you watch them carefully, they burn VERY quickly!

Put the taco shells, hard and soft, the taco meat, the cheese, lettuce, and guacamole, out buffet style and let the kids make their own. They will love choosing between the taco shells and making their own meal. I know guacamole can be a hard thing to get kids to eat, but encourage them to just try it. They don't have to eat a plateful, but I know with my kids if they just tried a bite, sometimes they found they really loved it.

Try this easy meal tonight and tell me what you think. Have fun and join me here tomorrow when we tackle cream of mushroom soup! Until then...SWEET EATS!

Waldorf Salad

Good Evening All,

I'm trying to introduce you slowly to the concept of making a fresh meal for your family every night of the week. This week I'm trying to get you used to the idea, but starting on Saturday, 10/23, morning I will post the next menu as well as a list of the ingredients you will need to make 6 fresh meals (don't forget left over night) as well as one sweet treat to last the week. Last night was Sunday and I know typically Sunday nights are when lots of Mom's go all out and make a big meal. It makes sense really, your not working and you have time to make a nicer meal. However, it never seems to work out that way for me. I'm so exhausted from trying to get 30 loads of wash done, do all the shopping and errands, and clean up the house, that I like an easier meal for Sunday and so usually it's some sort of entree salad. This week was no exception, we had a Chicken Waldorf Salad.

A classic Waldorf salad contains apples, raisins, grapes, celery and pecans in a mayo type dressing and is usually served on a bed of lettuce. But this salad is so versatile you can add or subtract lots of different ingredients and still have a wonderful salad. I added chicken to make it more of a meal and I replaced the raisins with dried cherries (this is because I had some left over from yesterday's chocolate cherry cookies and you can make your grocery budget go further if you remember to be resourceful). I also put some aside before I added the chicken so that my vegetarian husband could enjoy some and I added the pecans after I added the chicken because my son doesn't like nuts.

Before I post this delicious recipe I would like to say something about mayonnaise. It is not something I use frequently because of the fat and calories and while I don't believe in using any of the fat free, reduced calorie garbage that is out there, you can cut the fat in half by using olive oil mayo. Most fat free products use chemicals and sugar to get a taste similar to the real thing. Don't do it, in 90% of cases I would encourage you to use the real thing, but olive oil mayo is definitely a winner.

Waldorf Salad

3 apples diced-Granny Smith is always a good bet
1/2 pound red grapes (if large cut in half, if small keep whole)
1/4 c chopped pecans
1/2 c dried tart cherries
2 stalks celery chopped
4 to 5 ozs of diced cooked chicken breast-I use Trader Joe's "Just Chicken"
1 bag butter lettuce

Dressing
1/2 c olive oil mayo
1 tblsp white sugar
1 1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Toss together first 6 ingredients. Make dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients and make sure to taste. It shouldn't be too sweet. If necessary add additional lemon juice, it should have a sweet/tangy flavor. When you have the dressing to your liking pour over first six ingredients. Coat well with dressing. Arrange butter leaves on individual plates and top with salad mixture. Most kids will love this salad and come running back for more. This is an easy, quick, nutritious meal and especially good for a busy night. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. Until tomorrow night...SWEET EATS!

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Welcome to my first blog post on Sweet Eats. I have had many people tell me that they wished there was a central location where they could get my recipes and correspond regularly with me. So I'm starting this blog as a way to keep in touch. You can follow me on twitter too if you wish. I'll actually be doing recipes and information for sweet and savory dishes on this blog. I cook everything from scratch including a full week's worth of dinner menus. I hope to be able to share with you each night's menu, as well as some sweet treats on the weekend.

I know how difficult it may seem to cook from scratch every night, especially for full-time Mom's who work outside the home (of which I am one). However, we've all heard how much healthier it is for our families to limit processed food and I am a firm believer in this truth. It may not be easy but if you follow a few simple rules it isn't too difficult and I'm happy to help with the tips and tricks I've found to be useful. If ever you have questions or I can help in anyway, feel free to email me directly at leliamarshall4040@sbcglobal.net or follow me on Twitter.

The bulk of my planning happens on Sunday. During the week I watch shows like Aarti Paarti and Chopped on Food Network. I have subscriptions to Cooking Light and Food and Wine, these give me ideas. On Sunday morning I make a list of my menus for the week. For example, this week we are having:

Cream of Mushroom Soup with light green salad and crusty bread
Waldorf Salad
Turkey Tacos
Baked Potato and Broccoli
Green Chili with Turkey

I write down all the ingredients I will need. Then I'm off to the Farmer's Market. It's the best place to get all your produce. It's cheaper, it's fresher and it contributes so much to our local growers. Please check out your local farmer's market, you will be so pleased that you did.

I usually try and be flexible about what I fix each night. If my son has something going on like a school program or choir practice, I try and fix the easier things on those nights. My husband is a vegetarian so I usually make meat items on Thursday and Friday evenings when he works during the dinner hour. Also, Saturday nights are ALWAYS left over nights, so I can clean the refrigerator out before my big shopping on Sunday. Every once in awhile I hear from Mom's who say, "my family won't eat left overs"! PEESHAW! Everyone eats leftovers in my house once a week, like it or not, sometimes the best flavors come from things that have been allowed to sit and let the flavors meld.

After the farmer's market I do the rest of my shopping at Trader Joe's. I could be a walking advertisement or Trader Joe, (I wonder how much that pays??). They now have a huge selection of organic foods from meat to veggies and if you can't find it at the Farmer's market I would absolutely recommend Trader Joe's organic foods.

Today is Sunday so I usually make a sweet treat to have during the week. This week's treat is Chocolate Cherry Cookies. They are made completely from scratch with all natural ingredients. That certainly doesn't mean we can indulge until we feel sick, but I am a firm believer of everything in moderation. So a cookie or two with milk, or a lovely cup of tea (Trader Joe's holiday vanilla and cinnamon tea is heavenly!) at night is fine. I should also say that I am not opposed to the once a week splurge on take out food. Mind you I'm not talking about "fast food" I'm talking about "take out" food. Something that you have checked out and find acceptable with regards to fat and calories.

In August my daughter left LA to go to Nashville for college. She is a huge chocolate lover and asks me frequently to send her ANYTHING chocolate. So I made these chocolate cherry cookies and I know she will love them. The dried tart cherries really break up the rich sweetness of the chocolate in these cookies and the cinnamon adds a great depth of flavor. They are chewy and yummy and will be gone before you know it!

I next have to work on getting my camera to take pictures of my food. I tried to use the camera in my phone earlier, but didn't have much luck. The chocolate cherry cookie recipe is below, please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Dinner tonight is the Waldorf salad and I'll post the recipe tonight or tomorrow morning. Have a great week all, and SWEET EATS!

1 cup all-purpose floor
2 1/2 tblsps unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
(2) 3.5 oz bittersweet chocolate bars
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2  cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups dried tart Montmorency Cherries (Trader Joe's sells these)

Preheat oven to 350. Break up the chocolate bars and place in microwave safe bowl along with the butter. Heat on high for 40 seconds then remove and stir. Repeat until chocolate is completely melted 2 or 3 times. Set chocolate aside to cool. While chocolate is cooling, mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl. When chocolate has cooled for 15 or 20 minutes add sugars and eggs, whisking until batter is smooth. Then add dry ingredients to chocolate until just combined, do not beat. Gently fold in cherries. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake until edges are firm, but not darkened. It can be hard to tell with chocolate cookies when they are done just by looking at them, they should bake 9 to 11 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks. Remember, do not over bake. Less is better than more with these cookies.
Let me know what you think!