Daily Meal Plan

I am a little nervous about writing this post and have debated how to best approach this.  I think I made a mistake when I posted the information from Dr. Oz on eating for your body type.  I got an email from someone saying they were unsure what their body type is and could they email me a picture.  Sure, no problem.  So, I got the email with the picture and a note saying, I am so embarassed because I know I am fat everywhere and I can't believe I am sending you a picture of myself.  And, I am sitting there, looking at this picture of this beautiful and courageous woman and I can just feel her shame.  And I wanted to say something profound to her, but I didn't.  Instead, I sent back a quick reply of "you are an apple body shape, you should follow these.....recommendations.  Best of luck to you!"

What I really wanted to say to her is this....you are a soul, a spirit, a personality.....you are your talents, your strengths, your fears, your sense of humor, your likes, your dislikes, your love, your passions, your spirituality.  The vessel that carries YOU is apple-shaped.  You are not your body shape. When you die, nobody is going to cry and say, "I will miss her so much, she was such a skinny girl."

So, can we please stop confusing who we are with what our bodies look like?  Can we please stop defining our self worth based on what size jeans we wear?  Can we stop being embarassed by pictures of ourselves?  I hope so, because I've got a doozy to share with you.....

That's me.  Seven years and 50 pounds ago.  And that is not baby weight.  That is "I weigh more when my baby is 15 months old than I did 9 months pregnant" weight.  Have you ever noticed that when someone is really stressed they either gain a lot of weight or lose a lot of weight?  What is it about food that it plays such an important role in our lives?  I don't know the answers, but I do think that if we can change our perspectives on food we can change the role that food plays in our lives.  How many of us reach for a bell pepper when we are stressed?  I am guessing most of us head for the pantry and reach for something in a box with the words high-fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, and enriched on it.  And that is why we need to eliminate our dependence on processed foods, right? 

I want to share with you something I saw on pinterest.  Seeing as I have been known to flip the double bird and scream "I hate you" at my scale, I am tempted to do this at home.

I also wanted to share a quote from JK Rowling.  You may have heard of her, she's written a few books. 

"Is 'fat' really the worst thing a human being can be? Is 'fat' worse than 'vindictive', 'jealous', 'shallow', 'vain', 'boring' or 'cruel'? Not to me."

Now, am I advocating we all be fat and happy?  Um, no.  I am advocating we all be healthy and happy.  So, how do we get there?  The diet that most of us should follow is this.....eat lean protein, good fat, complex carbohydrates and avoid simple carbohydrates.  While I don't advocate strictly counting calories, be mindful of how many you are consuming.  You can use a calorie counter like this to get an idea of what you should consume.  Here's a breakdown of what you should eat.

lean protein:  seafood, poultry, eggs, beans, lean beef, dairy, and soy
good fat (avoid saturated and trans fat):  monounsaturated fat (sunflower, saflower, hazlenut, olive, canola, avocado, almond, peanut, cod liver oils; seafood; nuts and nut butters) and polyunsaturated fat (fish, flaxseed, walnuts, legumes, and seeds)
complex carbohydrates: vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains

A typical day could be this:
breakfast: 2 avocado eggs, sweet mini bell peppers
snack:  spinach smoothie
lunch:  quinoa and black beans (see below) apple
snack:  celery and peanut butter (ants on a log!)
dinner:  grilled chicken breast with spinach and beet salad

Quinoa and black beans

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Doable, right?  And we're all in agreement, right?  We're going to eat right, exercise, and enjoy life! 

Does anyone here love to snack?  I know I sure do!  We eat a lot of air-popped popcorn, and I was pleasantly surprised to read that there are some nutritional benefits of eating popcorn.   I recently bought a bottle of butter flavored grapeseed oil from Wildtree.  Oh. My. Delish.  I pop it on the stove with a covered saucepan.  It's so easy and we all love it.  So, for times that you really are craving a cracker/chips snack, reach for some popcorn instead!

A latte LoVe!

We are having company again this weekend!  Our best friends are coming to visit and stay for the weekend and I am about to burst with excitement.  This company is friends you don't have to clean your house for....YEAH!  Since they're going to be stuck in my messy house with my messy kids all weekend, I figured the least I could do is cook for them.  I really want to have a special treat for my bestie.  Here's what you need to know about her....

1.  When I call her all stressed about something she says things like, "I think you should pray about it and the answer will come to you.  Or, you could go shopping.  You can always pray on your way to the mall, right?"
2.  When I say things like, "I have a great idea" she agrees to it before I even tell her what the idea is.  Even when my idea involves tequila and the monkey bars.
3.  We can simulataneously text and facebook one another and carry on 2 different conversations.
4.  She says things like "oh dear", yet doesn't flinch when I say things like "oh f*@#".
5.  She believes in me more than I could ever believe in myself and comes up with projects for me to pursue....like starting a blog.

I know, you kinda wish she was your bestie, don't you?  And you totally see why I want to have something special for her this weekend.  The one thing my bestie loves is chai tea lattes, so I am trying this recipe.

Chai Tea Latte

• 20 bags of chai tea (or 1/2 cup loose-leaf tea) (I used Tazo Organic Chai)
• 3/4 cup sugar (you can use more or less, depending on how sweet you prefer)
• 3 cups of water

1.  Put all ingredients into a pan.
2.  Heat to just boiling.
3.  Reduce to simmer and stir for about minute to make sure all sugar is dissolved.
4.  Cover and remove from heat.
5.  Let steep for 15-20 minutes.
6.  Strain the tea leaves.

EDIT:  I have made this several times in the last week.  I have decreased the sugar each time.  I used about 1/2 the amount that the original recipe calls for and still find the chai tea latte tasty and sweet, but not so sweet it overpowers the chai flavor.

This is to show you, use loose tea leaves.

I filtered with cheesecloth.

This is your chai tea concentrate, the equivilent to this that you would buy in the store.  Do not drink the concentrate, you need to dilute it with warmed milk.  Dilute it to your preference.  This drink is seriously tasty and cozy.

You can reuse the chai tea leaves.  I made another batch using 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/5 cups of water.

The writer of this recipe says you can use stevia or agave in place of sugar.  Whatever you do, do not use artificial sweeteners.  We do not use artificial sweeteners AT ALL.  I truly believe that they are dangerous, so please do your research!!! 

Easy peasy, right?  The concentrate lasts for up to a month in the fridge.  Looking forward to sipping my chai tea latte with my bestie this weekend!  If you have a chai tea latte lover in your life, how cute would it be to make them a batch of chai tea concentrate and put it in a mason jar with a little note of gratitude for their friendship!  Show the people in your life that you love them. 

Today is Wednesday and the minis have swim team practice.  This makes the timing of dinner sort of difficult, so I tried out a new crockpot recipe.  I debated sharing this recipe because I wasn't too crazy about it.  Mr. McGhee thought it was okay and the minis ate it!  I have leftovers that I did save and plan on using in soup.

Crockpot Lemon Garlic Chicken

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1.5 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups mushrooms
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1. In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, mix the chicken stock, lemon juice, and garlic. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken and mushrooms in the slow cooker.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slow cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

I served the chicken and mushrooms with quinoa, apple slices, and garlic bread.  I leftovers, which I am going to keep to use in soup.  If you try it, let me know what you think....or if you do anything differently, I want to know!!!

Valentine's Day!!!

Today is Valentine's Day, which means moms everywhere are breaking out the heart-shaped cookie cutter to make pancakes for breakfast and PB&J to pack in lunches.  I have had several people ask me how we are going to handle the Valentine's Day candy that the minis will be bringing home from school.  I have decided that today we are following a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.  So, for today, the candy is far game...tomorrow, when they are in school, it's all going in the garbage.  Now, before you get all "oh, those poor minis", remember that my minis are not huge sweet eaters.  They were far more excited about the organic uncured beef franks that tasted like beef jerky than my homemade poptarts.  Besides, they are much more likely to carry emotional scars from childhood memories of their mother yelling "booyah suckas" in their faces during UNO. 

Tonight's dinner is going to be p'sketti, garlic bread, and a spinach salad. 

Spinach salad

• spinach
• berries (I used strawberry, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
• crumbled goat cheese

Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper

1. Add chopped garlic to balsamic vinegar
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Slowly add olive oil and stir to mix.

Spaghetti Sauce

• one onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 3 cans plum tomatoes
• basil
• salt and pepper
• sugar, 1 tsp

1. Remove tomatoes from cans (keep the juice) and cut into chunks.
2. In a pan, saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
3. Add red wine, and let cook for a few minutes. Some of the liquid will evaporate. This is okay, just don't let it all.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, basil, salt and pepper. Stir.
5. Simmer 30 minutes.
6. If you don't like your sauce chunky, remove the large chunks of tomatoes and puree in a food processor.
7. Simmer on very low heat until ready to serve.

We are having our sauce over spaghetti squash (I will mix some Ezekiel 4:9 pasta in with the minis).  Ezekiel 4:9 products use freshly sprouted organic live grains, which means they are higher in nutrients. 

Cook the squash at 375 F in the oven for about an hour (or, if you're okay with the microwave, just nuke it. I'm still unsure about microwaving everything, so I bake mine). Once it's cooked, slice it in half, dig out the seeds, and scrape it with a fork just like this.

We are also having garlic bread with our dinner.  And because I do know how to let my hair down and have good time, I used all white bread flour when I made this. 

Bread Machine Garlic Bread

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2-3/4 cups and 3 tablespoons bread flour
• 2 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese (I was out of parm, I used asiago and romano)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1-3/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1.  Put the ingredients in the bread machine according to your machine's directions.  For mine, I put in water and oil first and then the dry ingredients. 

2.  Bake on white or basic bread setting.  Set for 1.5 pound loaf and medium crust.

I wanted to talk to you guys about some information I learned from my boyfriend the other day when he did an episode on weight loss.  Now, the last time I said Dr. Oz was my boyfriend I got a few emails and even a text from my bestie saying, "Really, Heids?  Dr. Oz?"  I know, I really should stop calling Dr. Oz my boyfriend because the truth is my boyfriend of 14 years is pretty wonderful.  And he tolerates a wife that celebrates Valentine's Day by cooking a dinner that uses 12 cloves of garlic, makes him a mixed tape, and sends him this.....

Anyway, Dr. Oz is really smart and can do a lot of push-ups, which are the 2 things I look for in a man, so he's sort of my boyfriend too.  Anyway....Dr. Oz had an episode on eating for your body type and I wanted to pass this information along.

When I was overweight, I carried all my weight in my mid-section.  This is the most dangerous place to carry extra weight, so I have to be really careful to keep myself thin.  So, I decided I would follow Dr. Oz's recommendations of avoiding all refined carbs (bread, pasta, etc) and try to eat healthy fats (fish, avocado, etc). 

This morning for breakfast, I sliced an avocado thick and placed it on a pan.  I cracked an egg in the hole of the avocado slice and cooked both sides.  Oh My.  Delish.

I copied and pasted this from Dr. Oz's website, I am hoping that's okay.  I don't want my boyfriend to be mad at me on Valentine's Day.

Body Type: Big Bottom (Large Hips, Thighs and Rear)
If you fall into this category, the first secret to slimming down is to understand what type of body fat you’re fighting. Those with big bottoms are carrying around extra subcutaneous fat. This fat that appears just below your skin is actually healthier than belly fat; unfortunately, it is also harder to get rid of. Subcutaneous fat is associated with healthy cholesterol levels and fewer heart attacks, but it also has less blood flow and holds onto calories, which makes it tough to burn off.

Diet Plan: Eat a Low-fat Diet
Research shows that a low-fat diet actually helps break down stubborn fat cells in your bottom region.

Step 1: Cut Back on Saturated Fats
To get on track with a low-fat diet, begin by cutting down on saturated fats, including animal sources such as high-fat dairy and red meats. Eliminate hidden saturated fats such as hydrogenated oils found in processed foods.

Body Type: Big Middle
If you’re struggling to get rid of a big middle, you’re battling visceral fat, the fat located in your abdominal region that surrounds vital organs. While this fat is easier to get rid of than subcutaneous fat, it is also worse for you. Excess visceral fat has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. People with big middles tend to have higher levels of cortisol, the body’s key stress hormone. Too much cortisol slows your metabolism and also breaks down muscle, making you hard-wired to store fat.

Diet Plan: Avoid Refined Carbohydrates/Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods
First, avoid refined carbs like white bread, pasta and rice that are low in fat and spike blood sugar, which can increase stress and make you hungrier. Replace simple carbs with anti-inflammatory foods such as barley, buckwheat and amaranth. These whole grains stabilize blood sugar and help control cortisol surges. Go for other healthy anti-inflammatory fats, too, like olive oil, avocado, sea bass and salmon.

Body Type: Big on Top (Chest, Arms and Back)
Women who are big on top carry fat in their chest, arms and back and are the android type. Upper body fat is dangerous for your heart. Stress and lack of protein makes this problem area worse. However, the right combination of foods can melt away the extra fat.

Diet Plan: L-Carnitine Lunch Tex Mex Salad
Just like big bellies, people who carry weight in their upper body do well on a diet that emphasizes dairy. This salad has a decadent sour cream topping. Pair with 500mg of L-carnitine, which stimulates growth hormone and helps turn on the mechanism that burns off fat in those specific areas. Eat with an orange since vitamin C activates L-carnitine.

Body Type: Big Thighs
Trying to lose fat on your thighs can be very frustrating since the fat on your thighs is not very metabolically active. Those with big thighs, like those with a big behind do best with a low-fat, high-protein diet to help boost their metabolism.

Diet plan: Liquid Lunch
Make a protein drink with a secret fat-busting ingredient: white kidney bean extract, shown to help prevent carbs from being broken down into sugars and converted into fat in your thighs.

If you are still reading after all this, HaPpY VaLeNtInE's DaY!!!!!

We're having company for dinner!

I am so excited to share this next set of recipes that I can't even think of something witty to say.  We had company for dinner tonight.  This was the sort of company that you don't feel like you have to clean your house for.  That works for me because less cleaning time = more cooking time.  We had an amazing dinner of artichoke, beet, and spinach salad, tilapia, and marinated veggies.  It was ah-may-zing....and all the recipes were mine!  A little disclaimer about that....I don't exactly measure ingredients as I go, so all these measurements are educated guesses.  The good news is, that basically means you can't mess any of these up...and no need to use measuring cups and spoons! 

The first thing I did was make some roasted beets.  I actually did this yesterday and just kept them in the fridge overnight. 

• 6 beets, peeled and cut into eighths
• extra virgin olive oil
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 1/8 cup orange juice
• 1/8  cup balsamic vinegar

1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2.  Put peeled beets into a dish and drizzle with olive oil.
3.  Add fresh thyme.  If you don't have fresh thyme, use dried.  If you don't have dried thyme, skip this step.
4.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5.  Roast until beets are soft, around an hour 15 minutes.
6.  Mix orange juice with balsamic vinegar and pour over cooked beets.

Set beets aside and let them cool.  Any leftovers are going in the mini's lunches tomorrow.  For all of you out there that do not like beets, try these beets.  If you try them and still don't like beets, then yeah....you don't like beets.

Next step is to make the brown-sugar walnuts for the salad topping.

• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• handful of walnuts

1.  In a pan, melt butter over low heat.
2.  Add brown sugar and stir.
3.  Add walnuts and stir constantly for 3-5 minutes.
4.  Cool walnuts on parchment paper.

Final prep step is the Citrus Vinagrette.

• 2/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon honey

1.  Whisk all ingredients together.

This salad dressing may be my best one yet.  It is absolutely delish. 

Roasted Beet and Artichoke Salad

• 5 handfuls of spinach leaves
• feta cheese
• roasted beets
• one can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• red onion, sliced
• brown-sugar walnuts
• citrus vinagrette

1.  Toss all ingredients together.

I have to confess, I was so excited about this dinner that I forgot to take pictures until after we had eaten!  So this is the leftovers that I am saving for tomorrow.

I thought the salad was the star of my dinner, but everyone else loved the tilapia I served it with.  Even the minis loved it.  Score!

Bread-crusted Tilapia

• 3-4 tilapia filets
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used breadcrumbs made from stale bread)
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• garlic salt
• fresh grated italian cheeses (parmesan, asiago, etc)
• one egg, beaten well

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and grease a glass baking dish. 
2.  Mix breadcrumbs with spices and fresh grated cheese (use amount the works with your personal taste preference, I use a lot!)
3.  Dip each tilapia filet in the beaten egg.
4.  Dredge each tilapia filet in the breadcrumb mix.
5.  Put tilapia filets in pan and spray with non-stick spray.
6.  Bake until white and flaky, approximately 30 minutes.

My brilliant company brought a dish of marinated veggies to share.  These were delish and could easily be used many ways.  I can't wait until this summer when Mr. McGhee can grill these up while I lay in the pool yelling at him to make sure they aren't over-cooked (I prefer my veggies crisp!)

• 1/2 cup thickly sliced zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced yellow squash
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 16 large fresh button mushrooms
• 16 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 clove garlic, crushed

1. Place the zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, squash, red onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour over the vegetables. Cover bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Cook on the grill or stove top in a pan.

Delish!  If you are a blessed like I am and have friends and family that will come over to your messy house and let you cook for them....this is a meal I would highly recommend.  I hope you are as lucky as I am and they will love it so much that they do the dishes before they leave! 

Challenge!!!

Home sweet home.  We're back from our rock concert and our challenge to stick to our non-processed diet while away from home.  We were all of 20 minutes out of town when we realized we were very hungry.  When we saw our options at the rest stop were Sbarros, McDonalds, or Panda Express, we realized we should never have publicly declared our goal were facing a true challenge!  We decided to go the good ole' gas station route, where luckily for us they sold bananas and mixed nuts.  Problem solved!

We got to the city and shopped until we were starving.  We went into the food court at Watertower mall and decided to get a bite to eat at Mity Nice.  What a pleasant surprise when we saw a menu that included several homemade dishes, including homemade whole wheat pitas with hummus and roasted red pepper dip.  Oh. My. Delish.  Meal #1, accomplished!

After some more shopping, we had got ready and headed to the rock concert.  Thanks to a taxi driver that drove like a bat out of hell, we got to the venue early, so Mr. McGhee suggested we find someplace to get a drink.  Since Mr. McGhee had spent the entire day shopping with me, I agreed to have a drink with him.  Because I can compromise like that.  We walked into this bar and I quickly realized this was not a "I'll have a margarita, fresh-squeezed organic lime juice, a teaspoon of agave nectar, and a shot and a half of tequila. And I want the good tequila, not that cheap crap" kind of place.  So, I had one of those "when in Rome" moments and ordered a beer.  And, then I got all worried about the processed rules of drinking beer...and I had no access to google to find my answer.  Then, Mr. McGhee reminded me that there is alcohol in beer and, surely, the alcohol will kill all the harmful effects of processing.  I choose to believe him.  Because Mr. McGhee is really smart and has one of those fancy jobs where he puts letters after his name in his signature.   So, drink up folks!  Plus, the beer I ordered came with a slice of orange.  Antioxidants, bonus!

The concert was way fun.  The real exciting part happened before the concert when started we saw a fight.  It was one of those girls-pointing-fingers-and-shouting sort of fights, but I was still a little nervous.  I kept saying to Mr. McGhee, "do you think I should go over there and talk to that girl and tell her she is way too pretty to be fighting and it does nothing for her cuteness to be acting like this?"  And Mr. McGhee said no, I should MYOB.  Thankfully, the music started and the fighting ended. 

We had a lot of fun and before we knew it, it was 11 o'clock.  We decided it was time to go and as we headed out we realized we hadn't eaten since lunch.  Not cool!  We found ourselves wandering around the streets of the windy city looking for something to eat.  At this point I was stressing because I was cold, hungry, and I knew there was an episode of House Hunters International on tv that I was missing out on.  We quickly realized that nothing was open, so we headed back to the hotel with the intention of ordering salads from room service.  At the hotel, we noticed that room service closed at 10:30 pm, and even though it was after 11, Mr. McGhee gave them a call.  I had no worries because people have a hard time saying no to Mr. McGhee, but, nope, I was wrong.  No room service, but they did send some carry out menus up to our room.  And then.....I am hanging my head here......we ordered pizza.  And, we missed House Hunters International and watched The First 48 instead.  Which means I had scary someone-is-trying-to-murder-me dreams all night rather than my usual we-are-moving-to-Ecuador dreams.

We started our morning with a clean slate and some coffee.  We did some more shopping.  Isn't Mr. McGhee a sport when it comes to shopping?  If only I could convince him to carry my purse, I'd be golden.  We found this cute little cafe that had fabulous salads and homemade soup for lunch.  Easy peasy and delish too!  We did a bit more shopping and walking around in the 12 degree weather with snow pelting us in the face, when Mr. McGhee declared it time for a coffee break.  So we stopped at the food court and then the clouds parted and the angels sang.  There was a fresh-squeezed juice bar.  I ran over there and was so excited I got caught up in the turnstile to get into the food court and this gentleman was all "ma'am, this is the exit turnstile, I'm going to have to ask you to go through the enter turnstile to get into the food court."  And, I was all like, "dude, I am about to hurdle this exit turnstile, because, clearly, you don't understand that is a fresh-squeezed juice bar right there."  I finally made it to the juice bar and ordered my drink....which involved 3 whole carrots, an apple, and fresh ginger.  Oh. My.  Delish.  Look at me, I am radiating from the turnstile incident happiness. 

We called it a day and headed home to pick up the minis from the grandparents' house.  I have got to tell you a story about my miniest mini. 

When asked to describe my miniest mini, 9 out of 10 people usually sum her up with one word, "spitfire".  I am not quite sure where she gets her spunk from, but I do know as a general rule of thumb, I stay out of her way.  She spent the night with the grandparents, which means they took her to the store to do some shopping.  They took her straight to *gasp* the cereal aisle and told her to pick out any cereal she wanted.  And my spunky little spitfire promptly informed them that nope, I can't eat cereal.  Bam!  So, off they take her to the ice cream aisle.  Nope, I can't have that either.  Bam!  And then, my dad lied and told her that mommy said chocolate pudding was okay.  Fail.  But, I am way impressed with her and choosing to forgive her for quitting tumbling, swim lessons, ballet and screaming throughout the entire Disney World Princess breakfast. 

So, I guess you can say we all failed our challenge.  Bummer.  We're back on the wagon starting tomorrow.  And I promise all of you that read this entire long and rambling blog post that I will be posting serious recipes all week, including a special Valentine's Day dinner!

Eat The Rainbow!!!

I was at my favorite local market this morning with my 2 youngest minis and I saw something that made my palms sweat and my heart race, and nope, it wasn't the grind-your-own peanut butter, it was these beauties.....

Come. To. Mama.  If you have never had organic rainbow carrots before, you need to run to the market and get some.  Do it.  Right now.  You will never eat another bag of baby carrots again.  Carrots are a great source of fiber and Vitamin A (they really do help you see in the dark!).  They also support healthy immune function, younger looking skin, and help repain sun-damaged skin.  So, for vanity's sake, eat your carrots!

So once I got my hands on these puppies, I had to totally change my dinner plans for tonight.  I was tempted to do a fancy schmancy carrot dish and then I realized my minis were as excited about these carrots as I was, so we will peel 'em and eat 'em raw.  We're hardcore like that!

Tonight's dinner is called lunch-for-dinner.  We are having wraps with tortillas, hummus, yellow grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and diced rainbow mini sweet bell peppers.  Our side dish will be rainbow carrots and roasted beets.  Dessert will be yogurt with mashed bananas and honey. 

Here's the beets.  Oh. My. Delish.  A few changes....I roasted mine for about an hour and I used balsamic vinegar instead of raspberry.  These were the best vegetable I have ever eaten.  If you love beets, try this.  If you hate beets, try this.

I just realized that we will be eating a boatload of rainbow veggies tonight.  That is excellent because it will guarantee two things.  One, our dinner conversation will revolve around how rainbow colored veggies lead to rainbow colored poop.  And, two, the McGhees will be getting a large dose of phytochemicals.  Phytochemicals are the compounds in fruits and veggies that give them the vibrant colors.  The deeper the color, the more phytochemicals in that fruit or veggie.  The crazy thing about phytochemicals is that there are thousands of them and scientists haven't really identified them or established what each phytochemical specifically does, but they do know they lower risk of cancer, chronic diseas and inflammation.  We do a rainbow challenge in our house, where the minis can make their own lunch and try to use as many colors on their plate that they can.  They love it, it's way fun and the resulting rainbow poop is oddly fascinating as well!

So, I am challenging all my readers to do a rainbow meal!  Let me know what you come up with!

I also thought I would share with you a little trick I just saw on pinterest.  You take a toothpick and etch a message or drawing on the skin on a banana.  Super fun.  Super easy.  Total guarantee your mini will be bragging on you at lunchtime, which hopefully will offset the "I am the only kid that doesn't get oreos" attitude.

Look at that face.  He clearly loves it.  He clearly never brushes his hair either, which is all part of his charm.

Tomorrow night, Mr. McGhee and I are going to a rock concert.  I know, I think it's a little shocking too, considering I've been known to say at 9:30 on a Saturday night, "Should we stay up for House Hunters International or just go to sleep?"  At which point, Mr. McGhee doesn't answer because he's already snoozing.  So, yep, a rock concert on a Thursday night should be interesting.  We're going to be staying overnight in the city and then spend Friday hanging out with the city folk.  Why am I telling you this?  Because, our goal is to not eat any processed food while we're gone!  (And, when I saw "our", I mean "my" goal for "us".)  I'll update you on how we do, and I am hoping to come back with a blog-worthy rock concert story!

Legumes

Remember the stuffed sweet mini peppers from the Super Bowl?

I have had a few leftover sitting in the fridge and this morning I decided to slice them up and toss them in some scrambled eggs.  Oh. My. Delish.  From now on, I think I will have a small stash of these in my fridge at all times.

Yesterday we started talking about heart-healthy foods.  One of the foods on the list is legumes.  Legumes is a food group that includes beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, and lentils.  Legumes are good sources of protein and fiber.....yeah, they're like a 1-2 punch!  Also, diets rich in legumes have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes because legumes improve blood glucose control, decrease insulin secretion, and delay the return of hunger after a meal.  Basically, eating legumes can keep your blood sugar under control, which is important for all of us, but especially those on the verge of type 2 diabetes.  The high fiber of the legumes lower LDL (the "bad") cholesterol, while the folate in legumes lower homocysteine levels (high homocysteine levels are associated with cardiovascular disase).  Finally, the magnesium and potassium of legumes lower blood pressure levels. 

Too much information?  Eat your legumes, that's all you need to know.

I am dying to try this lentil soup, I need Mr. McGhee to hurry home with some carrots so I can get it started.

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dry lentils
• 8 cups water (or chicken broth)
• 1 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.               

We are having roasted beets with our soup.

• 12 beets
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
• Juice of 1 large orange 

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and large beets cut in eighths.)

3.  Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar and orange juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve warm.  

And, I am totally kicking myself for just finding this recipe now.  I am dying to try these crockpot lentils and rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked brown long grain rice
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) low sodium diced tomatoes
• 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped or frozen, but thaw and drain first
• 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 package (8 ounces) non dairy cheese (optional)

Preparation:

1. Place the rice and lentils in a large bowl, cover with water and soak overnight or at least 6 hours.
2. Drain and place in the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except the cheese if using.
3. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours or low 8 hours depending on your specific slow cooker. It’s done when the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been cooked down.
4. If using the cheese add it individually to each serving.

I think this would be a great side dish to a hearty meat, like a sausage or something. 

 

Happy eating, enjoy your legumes!!!