*Feed your family high quality, nutritional food challenge*

[Hedy]

I've not seen it mentioned yet- but what about nutritional yeast? Makes a great add on to buttered popcorn. We also like it as an alternative to mac-n-cheese. Butter, nutri yeast and seasonings to taste on noodles or rice. I don't measure so can't give amounts. I buy it through the coop in a 1# bag, but have seen it at the HFS in smaller containers- 8oz maybe?

You can also get it in bulk bins at Whole Foods and other such stores.

Mmmm. I've got to try these. DD17 loves white pizza and this sounds like something she'd enjoy.

Tonight's meal wasn't anything special.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in Italian seasonings and grilled on the indoor grill.
• garlic mashed potatoes made w/ skim milk and margarine
• steamed veggie medley (broccoli, carrots & cauliflower)
• fresh Italian bread for DH

I'm trying to think of a vegetarian meal for tomorrow since both of the men won't be home.

ratatouille? We've made some out of a recipe in our newspaper.

 

[Imzadi]

Tonight was home made "Shake/Bake" Chicken cuttlets(brought in bulk for $1.99 lb) 1.5 LBS for 4. Oven roasted sweet potatoes-4 yams, 3 tsp butter and 2tlb spns of spelnda at the last 1/2 hr.

Yum!


A little FYI for everyone as we head into Autumn Harvest vegetables:

Sweet potatoes are considered storage roots (like carrots) while yams are tubers (like potatoes). The most important difference between sweet potatoes and yams is that sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A while yams contain no vitamin A.

Sweet potatoes: Vitamin A: 327% of RDA, Vitamin C: 62% of RDA, Potassium: 522mg

Yams: Yams are a good source of Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is needed by the body to break down a substance called homocysteine, which can directly damage blood vessel walls. Individuals who suffer a heart attack despite having normal or even low cholesterol levels are often found to have high levels of homocysteine. Since high homocysteine levels are signficantly associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, having a good supply of vitamin B6 on hand makes a great deal of sense. High intakes of vitamin B6 have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Pumpkin puree -one cup: Vitamin A: 310% of RDA, Vitamin C: 20% of RDA, Potassium: 588 milligrams

Butternut squash: Vitamin A: 300% RDA in the form of beta-carotene. This vitamin and powerful antioxidant can prevent lung cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, help alleviate or prevent inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, lower cholesterol levels, and much more. Folate is another important nutrient which can help prevent birth defects. It also has 32% of DV of Vitamin C, 25% of your DV of potassium, almost 6 grams of fiber, manganese, omega 3 fatty acids, several vitamin B's and copper. It is one of the few vegetable sources of vitamin E -- nutrients that support the immune system.

 

[canwegosoon]

Sweet potatoes are considered storage roots (like carrots) while yams are tubers (like potatoes). The most important difference between sweet potatoes and yams is that sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A while yams contain no vitamin A.

Sweet potatoes: Vitamin A: 327% of RDA, Vitamin C: 62% of RDA, Potassium: 522mg

Yams: Yams are a good source of Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is needed by the body to break down a substance called homocysteine, which can directly damage blood vessel walls. Individuals who suffer a heart attack despite having normal or even low cholesterol levels are often found to have high levels of homocysteine. Since high homocysteine levels are signficantly associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, having a good supply of vitamin B6 on hand makes a great deal of sense. High intakes of vitamin B6 have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Thanks for posting this...one of my DS who has a congential heart problem- this year started "leakage" so I can really appericate the need for Vitamin 6. I think next time I make the roasted potatoes I am going to do 2 sweet potatoes and 2 yams..... I prefer the sweet potatoes but sometimes the market only has yams...

 

[Sleeping*Beauty]

Subbing

 

[HaleyB]

We had the lentil soup from the OP's first post again tonight. We have enough for several days of lunch. It is so yummy and very easy to make. I add in whatever veggies I have around. Tonight we had carrots, onions, spinach, and zucchini.

We had fresh fruit and fresh baked bread to go with it.

Thank you so much for posting it, I love it when an easy meal becomes a family favorite!

 

[LisaR]

We had the lentil soup from the OP's first post again tonight. We have enough for several days of lunch. It is so yummy and very easy to make. I add in whatever veggies I have around. Tonight we had carrots, onions, spinach, and zucchini.

We had fresh fruit and fresh baked bread to go with it.

Thank you so much for posting it, I love it when an easy meal becomes a family favorite!

I am so glad you enjoyed it. It is one of our favorites.

I haven't been posting our menus lately because we are in the process of remodeling our kitchen. It is such a disaster at the moment!

We are a pretty environmentally friendly family but in the past two weeks we have used more paper plates, disposable cups and napkins than I care to admit. We have also been eating a lot of sandwiches and quick meals. We hope to get the kitchen reassembled over the next few days and get back to "normal." Of course, as soon as we finish the kitchen we are moving on to both bathrooms!

Lisa

 

[Microcell]

I never realized how good ground Turkey is!

Made meatloaf out of it with some packaged onion soup (this was our first try with turkey so I fudged a little with Sodium) and egg whites. No bread, DH is trying to cut carbs in this phase of the diet. Just had broccoli with it and some potatoes for the kids.

 

[Crazoo]

I never realized how good ground Turkey is!

Made meatloaf out of it with some packaged onion soup (this was our first try with turkey so I fudged a little with Sodium) and egg whites. No bread, DH is trying to cut carbs in this phase of the diet. Just had broccoli with it and some potatoes for the kids.

Turkey is great... I usually buy ground turkey or chicken instead too instead of beef, so I'm not just eating beef all the time.

 

[Imzadi]

I got my George Forman grill earlier in the week.
OMG!!!! Grilled food on it is to die for. My organic chicken intake is way up. I did marinate the chicken. Didn't usually do that for broiling, so I'm sure that makes a difference. But when I actually see the fat drip off instead of staying in the pan, visually it makes a psychological shift in realizing how I had been eating.

The food cooks up really quickly. I used to broil a chicken leg in about 15 minutes - with needing to flip it over. On the GF grill, I have to debone the chicken first but then it takes only about 3.5 minutes. I end up watching it as I'll forget if I walk away.

First marinade was simply Italian dressing with a sprinking of parmesian cheese mixed in. S&P chicken first. Marinated 10 minutes.

Second night, marinade was Lowfat Ranch dressing with a big dab of I Can't believe it's Not Butter (melted) and a large sprinking of parmesian cheese. S&P chicken first. Marinated 10 minutes.


I still prefer my fish baked in foil that was posted several posts back. The kitchen didn't stink as much as on the GF grill. Plus it was moister.


Anyway, Beth E. posted this recipe a while back for Stuffed Turkey Burgers on the Cooking Board. (Yes, we have a cooking board here at the DIS. ) If you go with a low fat version of cheese or cheese spread, it will be even healthier.

I think I'll try these on the GF grill tomorrow with some large grilled portobello mushroom caps.

Made these the other night for dinner.

Used ground turkey (the regular kind not the breast only kind) I added some mustard, bread crumbs and garlic powder. Mixed it up and then made thin patties. Between two thin patties I put a wedge of goat cheese (probably 3/4 of an ounce.) I sealed the 2 patties up then grilled them. It was yummy. I made two burgers that way and then 2 filled with one of those soft cheese spreads -- this one was flavored with habanaro cheese.

Just make sure you really, really seal up the edges of the burgers or they will leak. two of mine leaked a little bit. Next time I think I will make them into balls and then make a well in the ball and insert the stuffing that way. Then I can seal the meat around the filling.

They were yummy though. Nice and juicy.

I sauted some sliced mushrooms for a topping.

 

[Juliah]

HaleyB,

I'm so glad you mentioned making the OP's lentil soup recipe. I'd forgotten about it. I made it tonight, and it was really good. Thanks to both of you.

 

[Crazoo]

Has anybody tried these Oskri organic bars?

There's a deal right now where you can get $20 off if you buy two cases. One case is $24, so two will come to $28 with the discount. 36 1.9oz bars in each case... $28 / 72 bars = $0.39/bar. Thinking of buying them and packing them for lunch...

http://amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_54...f_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=307217201&pf_rd_i=16310101

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

I made a delicious "Asparagus and Zucchini Crudi" over the weekend. The recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentis on her Everday Italitan show on the Food netwook.

2 zucchini, trimmed
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablesppons lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
1 ounce shaved Pecorino Romano, for garnish

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into long thin strips. Thinly slice the asparagus on a diagonal. Toss the slices together and place the salad in a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and drizzle on the vegetables. Garnish with the cheese shavings.

I added a little extra lemon juice and I made it a couple of hours before I served it, so it marinated well.

Everyone LOVED it. It was fresh, delicious AND HEALTHY. If you want to see a picture of it, go to the Food Network's website. Enjoy.

 

[WDWMagicGirlie]

Thank you for the above recipe. It sounds great. I am definitely going to try it!

 

[paulasillars]

We are vegetarian and try to eat healthy most of the time. Tonight we had the following (you could vary quantities or sub what you have) -

1 x onion and some crushed garlic cooked in some olive oil then added the following -
1 x can tomatoes in juice
2 x large dollops of tomato paste
large handful or two of pinto beans (dried & cooked not canned)
3 portions frozen spinach cube
half a cup of TVP approximately + extra water

I served it over wholewheat spaghetti. It served two as a main with enough left overs for a complete lunch and some extra sauce which I'll serve over rice or on toast as a "meal for one" at the weekend when my partner is out of town.

As an aside, I get sick of sandwiches for lunch and eating out is too expensive every day so I usually do enough for deliberate leftovers which I freeze so in the morning before work, we can just grab a lunch out of the freezer. Both of us have microwaves at work to heat them at lunch time.

Today I had left over vegetable risotto with extra veges for lunch - it reheats really well.

I find eating leftovers for lunch means I eat a lot more veges than if I buy lunch out. Also I can ensure that is low sodium, low fat and high fibre.

Paula
NZ

 

[Imzadi]

Fish is great baked in foil packets. Just brush the foil with oil to keep the fish from sticking. Add your favorite veggies thinly sliced (onions, peppers, tomatoes, squash etc) and some seasoning (pepper, a little salt and a little garlic) and an ice cube (to add moisture and create steam). Close the packets up and bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I just can't say enough about learning to cook fish this way. I usually broiled my fish, which made it drier, or poached it, which gave it a dull taste. I had read on baking the fish "en papillote", cooking wrapped in parchment paper, but who the heck has parchment paper around unless you're Martha Stewart?

I've also noticed the kitchen doesn't have as strong a "just cooked fish" odor.

Last nite, I tried one of my favorite ways to have sea bass. I've only had it at Chinese restaurants, as I didn't know how to cook it this way myself. It's always mega-bucks in the Chinese restaurants. Now I can do this myself at half the cost in the foil!

Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger & Scallions:

Black bass or sea bass, cleaned
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bunch scallions, white and pale green parts cut into very thin 2-inch strips and greens reserved separately
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

Rinse fish, then sprinkle with salt. Transfer to foil inside baking dish and sprinkle with scallion strips (white and pale green) and ginger.

Stir together soy sauce and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then pour over fish. Add some water or an ice cube (to add moisture and create steam). Close the packets up and bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Do NOT overcook. Remember fish keeps on cooking after you take it off the heat. Also, fresh fish can be eaten a little under cooked. (Think sushi.)

Just before serving, remove foil from fish and sprinkle with more scallion greens.

Optional: Heat pan over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes instantly. Pour oil around, then tilt to swirl oil, and heat until smoking. Remove from heat and immediately pour oil over fish and scallion greens .


This is so flavorful. The sea bass just melts in your mouth. If you don't have ginger & scallions, you can use a sprinkling of ginger powder & onion powder. (I did last nite.) Make sure you do add the sugar to the soy sauce to mellow it.

 

[Imzadi]

Bumping!

Oprah has a show on today about sneaking veggies into foods that kids will actually eat. The guest is Jessica Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld's wife & mom to their 3 kids.

She talks about using veggie purees in recipes. Here's the link to Jessica Seinfeld's recipes and
Veggie Purees

I like how a couple of the purees go great with chicken nuggets, rather than with normal dips & dressings loaded with high fat & high fructose corn syrups. Even if you use store bought nuggets rather than making your own, using a veggie puree is still healthier.

BTW, If you don't have Panco breadcrumbs, you could probably use Rice Crispies although that will add sugar to the recipe.

For those of us too busy or lazy to make our own purees, I suppose jars of baby food can be used for the pureed carrots. And I just found out there are cans of organic sweet potato puree & butternut squash puree already made. Time to scour the local Whole Foods store.
http://www.amazon.com/Farmers-Market-Organic-Potato-15-Ounce/dp/B000HDGIDS

Now if we can just get manufacturers to make canned broccoli & cauliflower purees, along with a zucchini puree.