Pasta Salad with Olives and Beets

 Pasta Salad with Olives and Beets, page 144

I love beets.

Elliott loves beets.

Jonathan tolerates beets.

Chas will not touch beets, but thinks the way they turn things, specific things, pink is awesome. 

I don't use the microwave often. Actually, we keep it in the garage, so it has never dawned on me to cook potatoes or root veggies this way. When I read the description of this recipe suggesting that the beets be cooked in the microwave, I chopped them, placed them in a glass bowl and into the garage I went. Six minutes later they were nearly finished. I'll use the microwave this way again. Thanks Chef Biju and Dr. Lim!

I was out of my favorite penne rice pasta from Trader Joe's, so I tried a new brand and it was swirly. I like swirly, it would work. Too bad it was just ok. I'm glad the boys have a soccer tournament in Kansas City in a few weeks. KC = TJ's I'll head to the Missouri side to stock up. Any of you know why I'll go to the MO side, not the KS side? Hint: it's not because it's closer to where the tournament is being played.

Beets, nuked & sauteed.

Pasta, boiled. 

Sauce to make. 

Elliott helped with this part. He placed the remaining ingredients into a bowl, mixing them well. As he chopped the olives, he popped a few in his mouth. Elliott is an olive, black olive, lover. Quickly he learned black kalamatas, taste a little different from the black olives he finds at Christmas dinner. You know, the kind you put on you fingers and chomp off one by one until your cheeks look like a chipmunk? "Ewwww!" He was not a fan. But he kept on stirring. 

We added the sauce to the beets and pasta, covering them well. This was pre-soccer, so I placed the pan in the oven until we got home. Actually, I ate a bowl before we left for the pitch. Delicious. I loved the zing of the mustard, olives and lime. 

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: lemon
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: lime for lemon and I did use Parmesan.
What I'll try next time: I'll try it with regular olives. I think Elliott would like it better this way.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 2.5, he liked the sauce, just tolerated the beets
'becca: 5, loved it!
Elliott: After the olive taste, he wasn't a fan.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Pasta with Smoked Salmon, page 227

If you look closely to on the left in the picture above you can see that sometimes films keep me company in the kitchen. I have a long list of films, shows and movies in instant queue on Netflix and I rarely watch them. I search, add to my list to watch, then they sit for weeks, months. But this day I was watching It Rains in My Village, a film with subtitles. Probably not the best choice for multitasking. It was sad and true and difficult and not something I'd choose to watch again. I did however like the smiles of the men in the band. (I'm watching Turtles Can Fly tonight.)

 This {above} happened when I used plain, fat free yogurt. Curdled Yuck! It was fresh yogurt, but I should have known better when I purchased fat free. Is fat free ever really better? I'd like to know your thoughts on that. Do you buy full fat or fat free or does it depend on the item? 

I strained the veggies and pitched the broth and yogurt, then started over. This time, I simmered the veggies in broth, until cooked and did not add the yogurt until it was finished cooking and had cooled a bit. I only had enough plain Greek yogurt left to make this and was trying to avoid a trip to the grocery before dinner. 

As the veggies cooked, I boiled pasta, 1 rice and 1 whole wheat and also prepared the salmon. I decided to buy salmon steaks, cook them and flake into the pasta. This gave us more fish in the dish, something we all enjoy. We, excluding Chas, dear sweet pasta with butter, salt and sometimes Parmesan cheese Chas. 

The temperature was almost 100 outside and I wanted something cool for dinner. I cooked this early and refrigerated for a few hours before dinner. The result ~ perfect summer dish! I am sure it is equally delicious warm. Something to try when the temperatures are not soaring.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: Smoked Salmon
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: salmon steaks, flaked for smoked salmon; Greek yogurt added after the veggies were cooked in the broth and cooled a bit; extra peas and I cooked 2 kinds of pasta, GF* & FG**
What I'll try next time: I'll add capers. I had them in the pantry, but just forgot. Oops.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 4.5
'becca: 5
Elliott: 3
Chas: didn't try it

*Gluten Free
**FullaGluten

White Bean Salad

White Bean Salad, page 129

"Grilled bread salads are easy last-minute items that can accommodate most any good hearty leftover bread." That is the first line in the description of this recipe. Thank-goodness it's 100% true. I made this one evening, after a hot and humid day, serving it with millet salad. Both were delicious and great as leftovers for a couple of days to follow. 


When I see artisan breads on the day old rack at the grocery, I toss them into my basket and then in the freezer at home. As a lover of bread, but no longer able to eat it, I find joy  in making sure my boys have good bread to accompany many dinner meals. I had most of the items the recipe called for and pulled a loaf of bread from the freezer. No trip to the grocery required! 

What do you do with the peel of the lemon after you have juiced it? Save it for zest? Compost? Toss it in the garbage? I cut mine into smaller pieces and put them down the disposal. They kinda make a loud grinding, clunking noise to begin, but then the lemon aroma fills the air. I love that. Sometimes I even cut up a lemon just to make the kitchen smell lemon-y and I'm sure that the lemon juice cleans the disposal better than chemical cleaners, right? Humor me, answer yes. Thank you.

We are headed into a stretch of triple digit days in the Ozarks and I plan to make more salads, drink chilled wine and much water. I find the heat effects the way I eat and what I eat. Does this happen to you?




Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: Notta
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: I used more carrots, didn't use onion or red pepper flakes, used romaine lettuce, because that's what I had on hand and extra parmesan. Most always, extra cheese.
What I'll try next time: I'd like to try it with the onion. Maybe this week, since all of my boys will be away. I have no onion haters here and no one to kiss with onion on my breath. Sounds like a plan.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 4
Elliott: 3
Chas: 0 (like the millet salad, he wouldn't try it. I think he made his own dinner this night. Stinker.)
'becca: 4.5 I had mine over lettuce, making it GF. Yum!

Pork Green Chili

Pork Green Chili, page 181


I shared yesterday that life has been busy, really busy, the past few weeks. Finding myself with my head barely above water a few times, I also found heart thankful. Realizing this once again: When you are living life in a community you love, you may be fighting to keep your head above water, but really, it's unnecessary. Why? Because that community, family, will carry you to shore. They will be the calm, the close, the support.


I fully intended to fix the boys and their favorite gal pals the recipe on page 208, but when there was no yeast in the pantry, I had to change plans. I didn't want to head to the grocery again, so I made a not so summery, on the first day of summer chili. It was filling and delicious and when we added a bit of sour cream to the kids bowls and cilantro-mint yogurt sauce to mine, it gave it a hint of summer. 

How will you celebrate this day? What will you eat and drink? Who will you share it with? Where will you share? The kids, mine and the Beard girls, and I celebrated with a trip to Sonic for 1/2 price milkshakes and will soon jump in the lake. I will take the kids to do their Triple Threat Racing open water swim workout, then enjoy a cool drink on the deck with their momma. She's one of my favorites and one I spoke of above...a calm. a close. a friend. Thanks Amy for carrying me to shore. 

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: Pork to cube, fresh chilies & red beans
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: Subs...Ground pork for cubed pork, canned chilies for fresh, white beans for red Adds...Bragg's, apple cider vinegar, extra chili powder and cumin
What I'll try next time: I think it would be great with cubed pork, although the ground pork worked well.
How it Scored:
Amelia: 5
Gillian: 5
Chas: 1
Elliott: 5
'becca: 5

Millet Salad

Millet Salad, page 278

The first time I purchased millet I thought of birds. Millet reminds me of bird seed. This spring I made a muffin recipe from another favorite cookbook, Super Natural Everyday, by Heidi Swanson. I took them to an early morning soccer game to share with the parents. Because they contained whole wheat, I'd not tried them and when asked how they tasted I replied, "Well, I am not sure, but they probably taste, um, healthy? They contain millet, so I'm calling them my healthy birdseed muffins." To which a few people chuckled and bit into the muffin they were holding. Healthy is a good description, one person noted and the others, enjoyed them, one even asked for the recipe. 

With healthy and songbirds on my mind, I approached this recipe. I prepared the millet in the morning and allowed it to cool on the cook-top for the majority of the day. I was also preparing the White Bean Salad, page 129, for dinner the same evening. The two complimented one another, making a nice light choice for a hot and humid southern night in June. I also chilled a bottle of Pinot Grigio. There is something lately about white wine. It must be the warm days, because typically white is not my choice, but it was this night and as the days become increasingly warmer I'm sure it will be again. 

We ate this salad as a side dish that night, but the following day I put it in a tortilla for Jonathan as part of his lunch and I ate it inside a piece of lettuce, Turkey Lettuce Wrap style. Although it was a light and refreshing salad the night I fixed it, I found it to be even tastier the following day. This would be a fantastic dish to take to a picnic with friends. It can be enjoyed on the side, as the main dish and who knows, you may even have song birds show up, hoping you accidentally trip over a tree root, spill your plate and share with them. 

Kitchen Action

Lacking in Pantry: Chives

Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: Because I didn't have chives and I have mint growing in the yard, I used fresh mint.

What I'll try next time: I'll cut the recipe in half. 

How it Scored:

Jonathan: 3.5

'becca: 4

Elliott: 2

Chas: 0 (wouldn't try it)

Chicken and Bacon Hash

Chicken and Bacon Hash, page 67

Another peek into my kitchen...tools. I recently purchased a few new ceramic knives and really like them. We have been eyeballing them for months and on a recent trip to TJ Maxx Jonathan noticed them on the shelf. We need knives. Good knives are something we have not purchased, but tend to buy inexpensive and replace too often. We are hoping this will end the repurchase for quite awhile. Not ceramic, but also from TJ Maxx...my peeler. Why use a black gripped stainless peeler, when you can have one shaped like a bird?  Are you kitchen tools consistent? A mix? Ancient? What is your favorite?

It should come as no surprise, we have another near perfect dish from Dr. Lim and Chef Biju. I didn't have much time to prepare dinner, as we were headed downtown for First Friday in Bentonville. I knew there were funnel cakes and corn dogs, turkey legs, kettle corn and cupcakes ready to be purchased, but if my boys had full bellies when we arrived they would be bit less tempted. 

As I thumbed through TFZ & read the ingredients for Chicken and Bacon Hash, I had what I needed and just enough time to prepare. As a whole, we are not fans of white potatoes and I rarely have them on hand, but sweet potatoes are a different story. We love 'em. I had 3 pans going at one time, then placed them all together at the end. Quick, delicious & we had full bellies as we headed downtown. I did however give into warm kettle corn. Somethings I simply can't resist.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: white potatoes
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: Sweet potatoes for white, red onion for yellow or white
What I'll try next time: I will make the romesco. I didn't have time and also was lacking too many ingredients. I'll make this again and when I do, I'll plan ahead.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 4
Elliott: 4
Chas: 4 (the bacon & chicken were his favorite)
'becca: 4.5

Tomorrow breakfast from my FF's home and hopefully soon a post from my friend Kathy's Kitchen too. She received The Feed Zone in the mail today, but made this recipe last night. I shared it with her. Her family loved it as much as we did, but her only question was if the recipe amount fed my family. I told her I doubled it, at least doubled it. Maybe I tripled the bacon part.

Oh and you must check THIS out from @swimbikerunguy's Instagram photos. I don't know what he calls them, but I'm calling them Skratchsicles. I think from the conversation credit needs to possibly be given to @TeamCrankAddict. Fellas? And while I have your attention, @swimbikerunguy, when are you going to be a guest here?

Ham and Cheese Burrito, Redux

Remember THIS? Yesterday I woke at 4 to make sure Jonathan had breakfast before he left for the airport and get the boys to the pool before school. The rest of my day consisted of field trip chaperon until 12:30, LT test on my bike, a little work on the Memory Maker triathlon, pick the boys up from school, typical after school activities around the house, soccer tryouts for Elliott 5:10-8:00 and a run workout with Chas while Elliott was on the pitch. We made it home in time to catch the last half of Modern Family and I had a glass of wine.

Dinner? Not a drive thru or pizza, but pulled from the freezer Ham and Cheese Burritos!

Today will be a repeat of yesterday, but with different activities and dinner just may be Jim's. Oh, one more thing before I run out the door, I am excited to share that I will have some guest posting here soon. There are a number of homes eating from The Feed Zone in the area and if all goes well, they will be sharing some of the action happening in their kitchens.

Are you cooking from The Feed Zone? Are you willing to share? Leave a comment and let me know. I'll get in touch. Have a great day. Off to school, then a quick swim and then to the track for a day of fun.

Kitchen Action: Not really any, rather microwave action.
How it Scored:
Elliott said it was  OK, not as good as the first time.
'becca: Made in flour tortillas, I didn't eat one, but I gave it a 5 for convenience.

Simple Biryani

Simple Biryani, page 224

This was the first recipe my FF* made when he received The Feed Zone in the mail. A big thank you to him for supporting TTR with his purchase. FF, I sure hope you enjoy the book as much as our family.

This was far more delicious than I expected. I did make a few changes due to lacking ingredients and 3 very hungry boys and 1 very hungry momma. The biggest change was the addition of chicken. I used 2 of my favorite spices I pick up while in Rwanda, along with a bit of kosher salt and diced onion to flavor the chicken. I allowed it to cook as I chopped and cooked the veggies and the rice cooked in the rice cooker.

Have I told you how thankful I am I have a rice cooker? Well, I am. I do however wish I'd purchased the smaller version. I have yet to cook 10 cups of rice.

I chopped more veggies than the recipe called for, but kept the amount of rice the same. With the addition of chicken it was a little less rice-y than the picture on page 225. Here are a few pictures from my kitchen...

Do you have reusable produce bags? Are they this cute? I picked these up at a friend's Etsy shop, but it's no longer in business. It should be, because these bags are darling and imaging how many fewer plastic bags people would use if they also used darling reusable produce bags. Just in case you are wondering, cuteness does play a factor in bag purchase, be it a handbag or grocery bag.

 Chicken, seasoning and onions, ohmi!

Maybe I used more than 1/4 cup of raisins. I like them. 

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: Cashews & Peanuts
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: I used sliced almonds and only 1/2 an onion; grape seed oil, not olive; extra curry powder and a bit of chicken masala spice. Oh, and fresh grated ginger and chicken.
What I'll try next time: cashews or peanuts.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 4.5
Elliott: 4.5
Chas: 3 (he only had 1 bite, but still gave it a 3)
'becca: 5 warm and 4.5 cold the following day

*FF = First Friend
Richard was the first person I met when we were relocating to AR. We were waiting to go into a yoga class and were both wearing Newton running shoes. Newtons are gaining popularity, especially among triathletes, but this time last year I noticed far less on feet. I shared I had just run my first (and probably only) marathon and was going to make the leap to triathlon. He invited me to the kick off for F5 the very next day. I joined and the rest is history. He has been an encourage-er, support and is a great friend to me and my family.

Ham and Cheese Burritos

Ham and Cheese Burritos, page 135

I had very high hopes for this recipe. As you are already aware, we are a family on the go, but we are also a family who tries to sit around the table for dinner as often as possible. Jonathan and I have it down to a science on soccer nights. I take boys to soccer pitch and either watch for a bit or go for a run, Jonathan shows up, we visit a few minutes, I leave to go home and prepare dinner, they arrive after practice and if dinner is finished we eat right away, if not, I finish cooking, boys clean up and prep for the next day, then we gather around the table, give thanks for our many blessings, share a meal and talk about our day. Phew, that sounds like much, but really, it flows well. 

OK, it flows well when Jonathan is in town. When he is out of town, it does not. (Enter: high hopes) Recipes like this, which are able to be prepared, wrapped and frozen would be great on nights when I'm doing my best to keep it together. Soccer is almost finished for the spring season, but triathlon is picking up. I know these will come in handy.

I did not change the recipe much, but did adapt it for myself and other GF folks.

I used an extra egg, because, well just because we like eggs.

I made the salsa fresh: grape tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, lots of cilantro, the juice of a lime and salt. It was a nice addition to the top of the burritos.

I soaked white beans during the day with large slices of onion and salt and finished cooking them in the evening. Our family prefers rice to potatoes, so I prepared brown rice in the rice cooker to add to the ham and bean mix. I was unable to find burrito size wheat tortillas at the grocery where I shop, so I used soft taco size, yielding 10 wheat and 3 corn.

 Elliott with 2 of the 3 burritos he ate after swim & soccer practice. He also requested that he take one in his lunch the next day.

The GF version: ham & bean mixture stuffed into warmed corn tortillas, topped with fresh salsa & sides of plain Greek yogurt & a favorite snack - Chip'ins.

I love chip'ins(exclamation point) My great pal, Amy, text me a picture of them weeks ago. She knows I'm always on the hunt for new GF snacks. I bought a bag. And I bought another and another. There has been no turning back. I love 'em. And I love Amy. And it's an extra special moment when I get to visit with her AND eat chip'ins at the same time.

Kitchen Action

Lacking in Pantry: not-a-thing.
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: Brown rice, not potatoes. A Mexican blend of cheese for straight cheddar, white beans, an extra egg and squirts of Sriacha for some.
What I'll try next time: not-a-thing.
How it Scored:
Elliott: 4
Chas: 3
Jonathan: 4
'becca: 4.5 (for taste, ease and hopefully helping on nights when I'm not keeping it all together and want to feed my boys well.)

Niçoise with Pasta

Niçoise with Pasta, page 125

I've not had a traditional Niçoise salad before and butcher the name when I try to speak it, making this salad a little intimidating. I am not a fan of anchovies and was thankful this salad excluded them, using tuna. One of the great things about this salad is that it is quick and easily made with items I typically have on hand. It isn't all veg and didn't require me to grill chicken or another meat for protein.

Our family has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work and stay in Africa for different periods of time. When we were there for a 3 month stay, we had the most amazing garden and an even more amazing gardener, Dama. He is a dear friend to our family, a hard worker, the vegetables he grew were the best we have ever eaten and all from seed. The heads of lettuce he grew were beautiful and the salads we made were too. The beauty of being in the part of Rwanda where we stay is this: Life is easier and slower, more difficult and time moves fast...a living oxymoron.

(Dama in the bottom left holding seed packets I brought to him as a gift.)

There is a point to this story ~ Salad Dressing. There is none at the market nor at the 5 & 5 grocery. If by some random act, salad dressing makes it to the shelf, is often old and crazy, crazy expensive, so we go without. We use lemon, salt and pepper, sometimes mustard. We are able to enjoy the flavors of the vegetables mixed and their crispness. Much better than soggy, drippy veggies. Yes?

On my first trip to the salad dressing aisle in the States I was overwhelmed and maybe I even cried. (When I'm exhausted  (jet lag) and (+) overwhelmed (500 varieties of dressing), (=)  I cry.) I wanted Dama's lettuce, a lemon, salt and pepper. I walked away, nothing from the shelf in my cart and walked to to the produce section, picked up some lemons. That has been our dressing ever since -- until last week when I made this salad.

I admit, I was a little hesitant to pour it over the top and I stuck my finger in the dressing for a taste test before the poured, delicious.


Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry: green beans
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes: I swapped peas for green beans, spinach for romaine, corn pasta for wheat pasta and rice vinegar for white
What I'll try next time: I will make 2 different pastas, one GF and one FG for my boys. I also think it would be great with a mix of spinach and romaine.
How it Scored:
Elliott: 3.5, he was not a fan of the corn pasta
'becca: 4.5, I ate it warm and chilled, for dinner as lunch the following day
Jonathan: 4

Fish Tacos (with a spin)

Fish Tacos, page 201

The parents of Triple Threat Racing kiddos gathered to brainstorm and plan how we can raise funds for equipment for the team. If you are a triathlete, you understand it is not only an investment of time training, but a financial commitment as well. We have a number of companies who have chosen to partner with TTR graciously offering discounts and some have even chosen to go beyond that, kicking back a percentage of the purchase to the team. Guess who one of those companies is...drum roll...SKRATCH LABS!

~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~THANK YOU~

If a purchase is made using the code they have provided (TTRacing) they are offering a discount and will make a donation to the team. So, if you have not ordered their cookbook, which I have highly encouraged you to do, you should do it, but order with the code. There is a link on the TTR homepage if you scroll to the bottom. (Before I have shared that there wasn't anything in this for me and really, there still isn't, but for the future of the sport and the team my boys are on...ya get the picture.)

Now, the Tacos with a Nimrod spin. I followed the recipe for the fish preparation, using taco seasoning I'd made a few weeks ago. Halibut was the fish I chose, for its thicker cut and how well it holds together. I followed the suggestion to use grapeseed oil and liked the results. 

The spin comes in the rice and with the tortillas. I added tomatoes, cilantro, black beans, diced chili's, cholula sauce and a bit of salt to the rice. Knowing one of TTR's junior elite athletes is vegetarian, I wanted to provide an alternative to the fish. As the fish was cooking I heated the oven to 300 and pulled wonton wrappers from the fridge, grabbed a pastry brush and a little bowl of oil, grapeseed for consistency. 

I lightly brushed both sides of the wonton wrappers with oil and placed them into a muffin tin, making a little bowl. Next, I baked them for a few minutes, until they bubbled and began to brown around the edges. After I allowed them to cool on a wire rack, I put a large spoonful of the rice mixture into each wonton bowl topping it off with a couple of pieces of fish making little fish taco bowls. 

Unfortunately I wasn't able to eat the them because of the gluten factor, but I made sure to have a little bowl of rice and another of fish, to wrap in corn tortillas. I tried to see if the corn tortillas would make the little bowls, but they broke when I put them in the muffin tins. Not quite as cute, but I know they were just as tasty. 

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry:
lime
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes:
Buckwheat flour for regular flour and wonton wrappers for wheat tortillas
What I'll try next time:
greens, some sort of chopped greens between the rice and fish
How it Scored:
Again, I didn't get numbers from people. They were shared with a group, ages 5 - 48 and the comments were positive. I'm giving it a 5.

Dry-Spiced Chicken and Figs

Dry-Spiced Chicken and Figs, page 160

As I click back on recipes shares, many of these recipe review include one of two Nimrod life scenarios:  first one,  I made this for a meal with friends or the second, this was quickly made after practice. This one falls under scenario number two, after practice meal.

The combination of the spices in the dry rub and the figs gave this meal unique flavor and a fragrant aroma in the kitchen. In the hustle of the evening I forgot to cook rice and didn't have noodles, so it was eaten more like a stew than a gravy. I continue to enjoy the way so many recipes have the cook place the meat or fish in a baggie with flour and/or spices, dusting it prior to cooking.

I do not often use a slow cooker, but the note in this recipe shares how it could be used. If I were on top of things, I'd pull it from the back of the cabinet and set the rice cooker on delay cook, having a meal ready when we walk in the door from practice. Novel idea. Maybe I'll learn next season. Off to pick up my boys from school and head to their second Triple Threat Racing practice of the day. They swam at 5 this morning and this afternoon get to practice triathlon transitions. Gearing up for IronKids Kansas City in a month.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry:
egg noodles, chicken thighs & white wine
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes:
Chopped chicken breast for chicken thighs, red wine for white, baby carrots for large carrots chopped and buckwheat flour for rice or wheat flour
What I'll try next time:
I'd like to make it with bone in, skinless chicken thighs, use more figs and white wine.
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 4, said it would be great served over rice
Elliott: 4 and asked for it in his lunch the following day
Chas: 3.5, he only ate the chicken
'becca: 4.5

Honey Ginger Chicken Wraps

Honey Ginger Chicken Wraps, page 136
delicious, easy, quick dinner at the end of a long day

I picked up a large package of chicken breasts early in the week. I boiled them, shredded most of it, placing it in the refrigerator to use during the week. This works well, especially for nights then my time is limited due to school and practice. It's on nights like this, when it would be so much easier* to drive through, grab a burger and call it dinner, having the chicken and an easy recipe such as this helps. Oh and with the addition of a rice cooker to my life, a quick, healthy, dinner can be "easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy" as my friend Chandi says.

I served this warm, inside tortillas & with a squirt of chili sauce for dinner. There was enough left over to send in Elliott & Jonathan's lunches the following day and for me to enjoy chilled later in the week.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry:
Ingredients = All Present
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes:
I used chopped spinach and for mine I used corn tortilla, but for the fellas in my family I used wheat.
What I'll try next time:
The picture in the book shows fresh spouts in the wrap and that sounds great. I'd like to try that inside. I'd also like to grill or bake the chicken. When boiling the chicken as I did, the risk of it tasting dry higher than if baked or grilled. If you have the time to bake or grill chicken, do.

How it Scored:

Jonathan, lover of ginger: 4.5
Elliott: 3.5
Chas: 2.5, after I picked out the spinach.
'becca: 4.5 (also ate it later in the week as an after workout snack, sans tortilla & with a fork)

*Don't think for a moment that I don't choose this option...I do. Not so often, but it happens. I do not want to appear as something I am not. I try my best to cook breakfast, pack lunches and make dinner for my family, but weeks when Jonathan travels M-F and my time is stretched as far as it can be, our fall back meal: quesadilla and the occasional burger and fries. The positive to the burger and fries, is obviously the ease, but also how my boys have begun to recognize how this kind of food makes them feel. Bleh.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad, page 279

Pretty, this is a pretty salad. See...

chopped yellow, orange and red sweet peppers

 chopped veggies, waiting to be mixed with quinoa

 squeeeeze...

We ate this with a spoon warm and chilled. We used tortilla chips and ate it like salsa and stuffed it inside tortillas, making wraps for lunch. Delicious!


Kitchen Action
Lacking in Pantry:
Fresh parsley
Additions, Subtractions or Method Changes:
cilantro for parsley, lime for lemon
What I'll try next time:
Nothing. It was fantastic!
How it Scored:
Jonathan: 5
'becca: 5
Elliott: 4

Buffalo (Venison) Curry Empanadas

Buffalo Curry Empanadas, page 198

Sweetness and spicy wrapped in a pretty, fork crimped package, you must try this recipe. It's delicious! Even if you are unable to eat the crust, eat the filling in a bowl with a spoon or straight from the pan. I maybe did or I maybe did not. Guess.

I have not found a great gluten free pie crust recipe. I've played with a number of them, but they crumble. Not a large problem with pie or crisps, but as a pocket like these require, I'm afraid it would result in a crumbly mess. I'll keep looking and playing and if I find one, I will share.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in the Pantry:
Buffalo, jalapeno
Additions, Subtractions or Method changes:
Venison for Buffalo, Braggs for soy sauce, left out the jalapeno, but added a large squirt of Sriracha sauce and an extra tablespoon of curry powder.
What I'll try next time:
I'd like to try Buffalo, but I'd also like to find a far to purchase it. They sell it at the grocery for $9.99/lb which is quite pricey for my grocery budget. I'll play the lotto.


How it scored:
Joanthan: 5
'becca: the filling, 5
Elliott: 4, a little to much flour on the crust

Recovery Grilled Cheese

Recovery Grilled Cheese, page 138

Yesterday I shared about dinner & movie night that Elliott and I had. We prepared two recipes from The Feed Zone, Roasted Beets and Greens and this, Recovery Grilled Cheese.

I asked Elliott what he wanted from the list shared in the recipe to make his grilled cheese. At first he said cheese, only cheese. He then added bacon and spinach. If I'd have had asparagus in the fridge, he said he'd have liked that, but it was too late. We'd already left the grocery and were home cooking. Next time E, next time.

His was made on loaf whole grain bread, which I can't eat. I didn't have any waffles, but I did have buckwheat crepes. Our favorite local food truck is Crepes Paulette. We were excited to find that they are moving in the direction of selling their naturally gluten free buckwheat crepes in a 6 pack. I was there last week and she gave us a package to try at home. What a treat!

Recovery Grilled Cheese turned Recovery Grilled Crepe for a night. Filled with a spread of cream cheese, a little shredded Swiss, roasted red peppers, spinach and a couple of other ingredients, it was messy delicious!

Kitchen Action
Lacking in the Pantry:
Asparagus.
Additions, Subtractions or Method changes:
Crepe for bread
What I'll try next time:
I'll play with more ingredients inside and try it on GF bread, although I'm quite certain that bread will not top the crepe.

How it scored:
Elliott: 5
'becca: 5

If you are a parent of more than one kiddo, do you find it difficult to get one on one time with your kids? What are your tricks? What are your favorite activities? I'd love to hear.

Angel Hair with Bacon and Sweet Corn

Angel Hair with Bacon and Sweet Corn, page 141

During the week of Spring Break our boys got to spend some time with two of their favorite gal pals. When they get together movie making is high on the list of activities they enjoy. They decided on this meal to fix for lunch and I was behind the iPod recording. (Remember the untechsavvyness I've mentioned, well it shines brightly in my filming abilities. I turned the camera iPod, thinking it would automatically turn with me, but nooooo. So enjoy the little movie sorta sideways. Sorry.)

Here they are at the table eating round one. I believe they all went back for seconds. I believe it was agreed that when you take the time in the kitchen cooking the meal, it tastes better when you sit to eat.

Kitchen Action
Lacking in the Pantry:
Sweet Corn. I forgot the corn the first trip to the grocery. I went back, had to have it.
Additions, Subtractions or Method changes:
They didn't add the tomatoes, but kept them on the side. Only 1 out of the 4 are tomato fans. They didn't add the squeeze of lemon.
What I'll try next time:
I believe it was perfect the way they made it, but Elliott has mentioned that next time he will squeeze the lemon on top.

How it scored:

They made sure to save a little bit for their parents to taste. I didn't get numbers, but they all agreed it was delicious.

Way to go kids!