Mama Nirvana Cooks (and Eats)

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever.

2008-11-19T08:03:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people claim to make the best chocolate chip cookies, but I'm telling the truth. Especially if you prefer your cookies to be crisp around the edges, chewy and moist in the middle, puffy, instead of flat, and full of chocolate chips. In the past, I actually have preferred oatmeal raisin to chocolate chip, just because I never have liked the way they turn out when I bake them -- flat, greasy, and a little bit cakey.

This recipe was passed along to me by my friend who claimed that, as a child, she was able to trade these for all sorts of things on the playground. I have tweaked it just a little bit to make it even more flavorful and to improve the texture. I replaced half of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour. I just think it has more of a taste and provides a nice structure, but you really won't even know it's there. Let me know your results if you decide to try these AMAZING cookies.

As a note: I am really hooked on baking nearly everything on parchment paper. It makes things evenly brown on the bottom and there is absolutely no sticking. My mom bought me the Silpat liners that you see in the pictures, that work just like parchment, but you can use them over and over. Parchment is less than $3/box, however, and you can reuse it a couple of times before you need to toss it.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever.

1 1/2 cups butter, very soft and nearly melted

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1 T. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 scant cups (2 cups, minus 2 tablespoons) whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 3/4 cups oatmeal, ground to powder in the food processor or blender (measure BEFORE grinding)

3 cups chocolate chips

Using your paddle attachment, in the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugars for at least three minutes, until sugar is dissolved, and mixture is light in color and very fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl. In another bowl whisk together flours, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture until just incorporated. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Allow dough to sit, covered, at room temperature for at least an hour before baking cookies. It is even better to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight (covered) and then allow it to come to room temperature before baking.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees*. Bake on parchment covered cookie sheets for just under 8 minutes, until edges are brown and the middle is just set. Let cookies rest for at least two minutes before removing from the cookie sheet to cool.

*I baked mine at 350 degrees, using the Speed Bake, or convection setting on my oven. They were perfectly baked at 7 minutes, 30 seconds.

Butternut Squash Risotto -- the Ultimate Comfort Food

2008-11-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

I wish the picture was better so I could really demonstrate how delicious this dish is. I remember when I first made risotto, I was following a recipe out of The New Vegetarian Epicure, and I was shocked at how much more flavorful and creamy it was than just regular rice. Sure, it's a bit more work, but it is work well spent. Now, whenever I go to an Italian restaurant, I order the risotto instead of the pasta, which speaks to how yummy risotto is, considering how much I love pasta.

Risotto is an Italian rice dish that uses pearl rice, or arborio, cooking it very slowly while adding the liquid incrementally, instead of all at once. This makes the dish very creamy, and you are able to stop cooking the rice when it is al dente, as opposed to letting it get over mushy. I prefer to cut the squash in different sized chunks -- some bigger, some smaller. This way, some of the squash melts in the rice, creating a sauce, and the larger pieces stay firm and separate from the rice. I also do not drink wine, and make my risotto using only broth, but feel free to substitute up to a cup of wine for the broth and add it as the first liquid into the risotto.

Butternut Squash Risotto

1 large onion, diced

1 small butternut squash, cut into various chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (if you use dry, reduce to 1/2 tsp.)

2 cups arborio or pearl rice

6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)

1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

1/3 cup half-and-half

In a very large non-stick pan, melt butter into olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat broth to simmer in a pot. Add onion and squash to butter and olive oil. Salt and pepper well, and cook until onions are soft. Add thyme and garlic and cook for one minute and then stir in rice. Cook an additional two minutes. Using a ladle, scoop in one cup of broth (or white wine) to rice/squash mixture. Stir until liquid is absorbed and add another cup of broth. Stir occasionally, adding additional broth as it is absorbed. After about 20 minutes start checking rice to see if it is al dente. As soon as it is, turn off heat and add half-and-half, cheese and one more ladleful of broth. Stir until combined and cheese is melted. Add more broth if rice looks too thick, and taste to see if rice needs additional salt or pepper. It should be very loose. Garnish with additional cheese.

Pea Soup

2008-11-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

I suppose that some people find split pea soup disgusting, but to me it is so homey and comforting. It is a perfect thing to put together on a rainy, cold afternoon. Peas cook down in less than an hour, so it's nice that it doesn't take forever to cook, as opposed to a bean soup. I tend to make mine vegetarian, but you can always add ham, if that is what your family prefers. This recipe tastes even better the second day.

Split Pea Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

3 cups dried split peas

4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)

4-6 cups water

3 carrots, chopped

In a large stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion and celery. Add about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to vegetables to help them soften. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add peas, stock and four cups of water and turn the heat to high. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Stir soup every 10 minutes or so, and add more water if it seems too thick. After 30 minutes, add the carrots. Taste at this point and add salt and pepper to your liking. Cook another 15 minutes, until peas have totally broken down and the carrots are soft.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

2008-10-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

Since the first time I tasted a slice of Great Harvest's Honey Wheat Bread, I have wanted to try and replicate it at home. I've tried a variety of recipes using combinations of white flour, wheat flour, spelt flour, oat flour, flax meal and oat bran. I have never found one that truly was what I was looking for -- a solid, not spongy, texture with a sweet taste that moist and not dry. Using freshly ground wheat seems to have solved the problem and I was able to create loaves of bread, made with 100% whole wheat that tasted exactly like the bread I loved so much in the store (but instead of costing $4 a loaf, I made these for about 40 cents a loaf).
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I made the entire recipe by hand, instead of using my new KitchenAid, and followed my mother's instructions of keeping the dough as sticky as possible. This made it difficult to knead, so I mostly just mooshed it around on the counter. I also think that next time I will make this recipe into two loaves, rather than three, just to make them a bit bigger. I accidentally let my loaves over-rise which caused them to be a little bit flat, so definitely don't let the bread have a second rise that is more than an hour, unless you totally want to smoosh them back down and start again.
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Honey Whole Wheat Bread
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (or two scant tablespoons)
1/3 cup honey
5 cups flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
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1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
2-5 cups flour
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In a large bowl stir together water, yeast, 1/3 cup honey, 5 cups of flour and 3 tablespoons of butter. Let sit for 20 minutes until soft and bubbly.
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Knead in additional 1/3 cup honey, salt and enough flour to help the dough hold it's shape but still be sticky enough to stick to your countertops and your fingers.

Place dough in a well greased large bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and place it in a warmish spot in your kitchen. If it's cool, a good spot is in your oven with the light turned on.

Let dough rise for at least one hour, until it is double in volume.

Punch the dough down, careful to remove all air bubbles, and shape dough into 2 or 3 loaves or rounds. Place dough in greased loaf pans and allow to rise again.

After an hour, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let sit for five minutes before turning onto a cooling rack. Butter loaf tops to keep bread soft.

Enjoy!

The Ugly Omelet

2008-10-19T14:54:00.001-07:00

Does anyone else have a hard time coming up with something to eat for lunch that isn't a peanut butter sandwich or a slice of cheese? I always aim to have a salad for lunch, but sometimes I am just not in the mood for the slicing and chopping just for me. I usually have cereal for breakfast, so an omelet is a nice way to get some protein and veggies in a meal that will carry me through until dinner. The best part is that it takes about five minutes to make.

I'm showing you a picture of a typical omelette that I like to make, based on a favorite crepe I used to get in downtown Portland out of a crepe truck (kind of like a taco truck, but this one sold crepes instead of tacos). As you can see it isn't very pretty -- my non-stick pan has been sticking lately -- but it tastes very good just the same.

The Ugly Omelet

2-3 eggs

2 T. milk

2 slices Swiss cheese (or any cheese you like, shredded)

Handful of baby spinach leaves

1 tomato, sliced

Salt and pepper

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray it generously with cooking spray and let it sit over heat until your hand feels warm when held over the top of the pan. In a small bowl whisk eggs and milk. Add a sprinkling of salt and stir again. Pour into skillet and whirl eggs around until the entire bottom of the pan is coated. Turn heat to low and cover for three minutes, until egg is set. On one half of the egg circle lay out your cheese, spinach and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Using a long, thin spatula, fold half of the egg circle over to cover vegetables and cheese. Turn off heat (keep the pan there) and cover until cheese is melted and spinach is wilted.

Obviously, you can make this omelet with any combo of cheese and veggies that you like.

Peanut Butter Noodles and a Kitchen Tip

2008-10-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I decide what to cook for dinner based on how many dishes I will have to clean up when it's all over. Peanut Butter Noodles is one that I enjoyed eating, but hated cleaning up afterwards because it seemed that so many pots and pans were dirtied in the process. After making it so many times, though, I've figured out a way to make clean up a little bit easier. Start your pasta water boiling earlier and throw in your raw chicken breasts to poach instead of cutting up ahead of time and frying in a pan. Boil the breasts for 15 minutes, transfer to a plate, cover it with foil, and then shred it when you are ready for it. You don't need to switch out the water, just put your pasta in the same pot to boil. Just make sure that the water is very well seasoned -- add about a tablespoon of salt to your boiling water before adding anything to it. Add any vegetables you like to this dish. It's good way to clean out the crisper in your refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Noodles with Chicken

2 chicken breasts

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti noodles

2 cups broccoli florets

1 red pepper cut into strips

1 cup snow peas

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 zucchini cut into slices

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

2 T. honey

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. minced ginger (fresh)

1 cup water

Start your water boiling in a large pot, and add at least a tablespoon of salt to the water. When it comes to full rolling boil, add chicken and cover pot with a lid. Boil for fifteen minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove with tongs and let rest on a dish covered in aluminum foil. Add pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain and set aside.

While chicken is cooking, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a very large non-stick skillet. When the oil shimmers, add broccoli and red pepper to the pan. Stir for two minutes. Add snow peas and zucchini and stir for one minute. Add about 1/2 cup water to the pan and cover for two minutes. Remove lid and transfer vegetable to a plate, using a slotted spoon. Put shredded carrots over the top of the steam vegetables so that they can cook slightly.

To the same skillet you used with the vegetables (there should be some water in there), add peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Stir until combined and cook over medium low heat. Keep adding water until the sauce is thinned to desired consistency (you don't want it too thick or it won't coat the noodles and vegetables). Shred chicken and add it to the sauce. Stir to coat. Add pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat. Finally add all of the vegetables, the green onion and chopped cilantro. Toss with tongs or two forks.

Healthy Cookies?

2008-10-07T09:42:00.001-07:00

I read about this cookie two weeks ago on my favorite food blog. I couldn't wait to try them, but it took a while to get my bananas ripe enough to mash. These cookies are wheat free, sugar free (if you don't count the chocolate chips, which are optional), and dairy free. I won't write out the recipe, and will just link to it, but trust me they are so good you'll think twice before you make you're regular favorite cookie recipe

The only changes I made to the recipe was to add more coconut (about twice what the original recipe called for), which I ground up finer in the food processor before adding it to the batter. I also recommend that you store these in the refrigerator.

A Quinoa Disaster

2008-10-07T09:38:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the best of intentions don't have very good results. I have always wanted to try quinoa, but just never had. I had some local cherry tomatoes and basil and thought they would make it tasty. Unfortunately, I think I did something wrong as the quinoa turned out so mushy that it was almost inedible. I threw all of it out after dinner. What did I do wrong? Does anyone know of a good recipe for this tiny grain?

Quick, Quick, Quick

2008-10-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

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Mike has recently started a new job right in town so he is joining us for lunch every day. Now I feel like I need to make sure he has something to eat, rather than just the random cheese and crackers that I would often give the boys. We're a little low on groceries, and have eaten all of our leftovers, so I thought I would quickly throw together some pita pizzas, and use the uneaten brick of Tillamook mozzarella in the fridge. I was bummed to discover, though, that we were totally out of the jarred sauce I normally use, but I was quickly able to throw several things in the food processor and whip up this sauce in less than two minutes. It tasted better than any of the jarred sauces that we use (and I am pretty picky about what we get). In fact the pizzas tasted pretty similar to the Margherita pizzas they serve at Pizzacato that I am so fond of.
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Whole wheat pita or whole wheat flatbreads are something I always try and keep in the freezer. They are so much cheaper than the prepared pizza crusts you can find in the grocery store, and they taste so much better -- crispy and light.
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Nearly Raw Tomato Sauce
1 can tomatoes (any will do -- whole, chunks, flavored, etc.)
3 cloves garlic, crushed under a large knife
5-6 leaves of fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
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Toss all into a food processor or blender and pulse until garlic is chopped into very small pieces. Easy peasy.
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Are We Sick of Apples Yet?

2008-10-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

I almost didn't post this recipe, until I remembered that even Heidi Swanson occasionally posts recipes that have white flour and sugar.

My father-in-law came for dinner last night. He's going through a rough time, so I really wanted to feed him some comfort food that would satisfy his stomach and soul. That's not to say that he wouldn't have enjoyed a really alternatively healthy meal -- this is the man who fed me vegetarian "meat" loaf the first time I met him, after all -- but I really knew he would love a sausage stew with cabbage and this apple puff.

I actually made this recipe up, fusing a couple of cobbler recipes together, while trying to reduce the amount of sugar so it wasn't too sweet. It turned out so good, that I have to say I love this more than any apple pie or cobbler I have tried before.

Apple Puff

1/2 cup butter

2 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup white sugar

2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups apples, peeled and cut into chunks

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and chop apples. Squeeze lemon juice over apples and stir to coat. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put butter in a 9x13 baking dish or similar (I use a large oval dish), and put in the oven to melt. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and white sugar in a bowl and stir with a whisk to mix well. Add in one cup of milk and stir until there are no lumps. Mix in the last cup of milk and vanilla and stir until just combined. Do not overstir, as it will make the cake very tough.

When butter has melted, pull the dish out of the oven and pour cake batter directly into the middle of the dish. Dump the apples evenly into the batter.With the back of a spoon, gently push the apples into the batter, just so none are floating on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and the cinnamon.

Bake for about 40 minutes. You will know that it is done when you shake the dish and the cake appears to be set. Apples will have sunk to the bottom and the cake will be coated with a chewy caramel around the edges. Serve alone or with ice cream.

Okay, no more desserts for a while. Stay tuned for a dinner recipe that I am trying for the first time, with ingredients I got at the Farmer's Market.

Apple Muffin Cookies

2008-09-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

I made these up, trying to get a cross between a muffin and a cookie, and that is what we got -- kind of like a muffin top. The boys gobbled them up, and so did mom and dad. I was thinking about doing a honey/buttermilk glaze for the top, but they were plenty sweet without it. These cookies would also be good with shredded zucchini and carrots.

Apple Muffin Cookies

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (use white, if you don't have WW)

1/2 cup, scant, oat bran (use oatmeal if you don't have)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice (or a combo of your favorite apple spices)

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups shredded apples, peel and all

1 cup raisins

Combine first list of ingredients in a bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in apples and raisins.

On parchment lined baking sheets, make 2 T. mounds, and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Cookies will be brown around the edges and not done in the middle. Let sit at least five minutes before moving to racks to cool.

Applesauce with Honey and Lemon

2008-09-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

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My Aunt Tina's husband is a beekeeper, and sometimes if I am very good, they share some honey with me. The last time they were over he left a small jar of thistle honey for my to try. It has a really mild flavor and I have enjoyed drizzling it top of peanut butter slathered rice cakes. When I whipped this applesauce together the other night, I thought that the thistle honey would be a wonderful change instead of the usual sugar I put in to sweeten it up. It was so yummy I could have eaten a bucketful. Any old honey will do, but the flavor does infuse the sauce, so you better like the taste of the honey you are adding in.

Applesauce with Honey and Lemon

4 large cooking apples (Jonagolds are my favorite)

1 cup water

pinch of salt

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 T. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and core apples, cutting them into large chunks. Put into a saucepan and add water and salt. Cover and bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until apples are tender. Remove lid and smash apples with a potato masher or fork. Continue to allow apples to bubble until the applesauce has thickened to your desired consistency (like five minutes). Remove from heat and add the juice from half of a lemon, honey and cinnamon. Allow to cool a bit before eating.

Tofu Coconut Curry over Brown Rice

2008-09-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is something that I never have made before, but Mike bought me a jar of locally made curry powder for my birthday, so I knew I needed to try it. You could definitely do this with chicken, but I have been wanting to try and make things with tofu, so this was one of my first attempts (with curry and tofu both).
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I didn't think the kids would eat it, but they did. I didn't make it very spicy, and they ate it with the same amount of enthusiasm that they have for most of my meals -- kind of lukewarm. But they took several bites, and no one said it was disgusting. Mike and I loved it, and it made enough so we each have a Tupperware full for lunch today. It was sweet with a little bit of heat, and the coconut gave it a real creaminess in the mouth that made it extra delicious. We will be making this again.
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Tofu Coconut Curry
3 T. olive oil
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-size cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced ginger (I have it in a jar)
1 T. of your favorite curry powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can light coconut milk (shake it up before opening)
Handful of Chinese snow peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
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In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil until it shimmers. Add onion and tofu and turn heat to medium. Stir occasionally. After two minutes add red pepper, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook together until tofu is browned and vegetables are soft. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder to pan and cook for one minute. Dump in tomatoes and coconut milk. Stir and turn up heat until mixture is bubbling. Add in peas and cover pan with a lid. Cook for five minutes. Remove lid and stir, and continue to simmer another five minutes until liquid is reduced by half. Turn off the heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.
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You could use this recipe to create all sorts of curries. I think I might try a pea and potato one next time (seems kind of wintry). Or maybe one with squash. The coconut milk is a keeper, though, as it really makes the dish.

And You Wonder Why Things Need to Change

2008-09-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

This morning, while lying in bed feeding the baby right after Mike had left for work, I could hear the big boys talking to each other in the kitchen.

John: I know, Charlie, let's get ourselves a whole lot of juice!

Charlie: (In a high-pitched monotone) Great idea, John!

Lots of cupboard banging follows and when I come out I find orange Gatorade spilled all over the floor and two sippy cups filled to the brim. Their father bought them Gatorade last night when he came home from the gym -- he's not totally on board with my low-sugar plan for the boys (when it comes to liquids and trips to the treat store).

You know it's bad when your kids refer to a sugar-flavored sports drink as "juice".

Chocolate Mousse

2008-09-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

A friend emailed me wondering how I would be able to give up all of the yummy treats that we have enjoyed together so often. I reassured her that I have no plans to give up anything, but just want to eat more in moderation and to find new ways to enjoy my favorite foods by discovering alternative recipes.

Tofu mousse is one of those recipes. Tofu mousse? Yep, tofu. Not only can you not tell that the base is made out of silken tofu, rather than eggs and cream, but the best thing about it is the texture. I think the texture is even better than the real thing -- it is lighter and fluffier. I make this at least once a week to satisfy my chocolate cravings. Besides being low in fat, my recipe has no added sugar, and if you use bittersweet chocolate, there will be even less actual sugar in your mousse.

Tofu Mousse -- makes 4 servings

One package silken tofu (don't get the firm stuff)

2 tsp. pure vanilla

1 T. instant espresso powder (optional, but really makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate)

12 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (chips or bars)

In a bowl of a food processor, puree tofu until completely smooth. Add vanilla and espresso powder, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined. In the microwave, melt chocolate, stirring every 30 seconds to make sure it doesn't scorch. Add melted chocolate to tofu mixture and process until smooth and thick. Divide mousse into four ramekins and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

My Go-To Dinner...Broccoli and Pasta

2008-09-23T08:51:00.001-07:00

I can't tell you how many times I have made this meal. It takes less than 15 minutes to make, uses healthy, simple ingredients, and tastes yummy enough that the kids (and parents) love it. I posted the recipe long ago on the other blog, but am now sharing pictures and some variations.
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Whole wheat pasta, pasta that is made from whole wheat flour, has a subtle nutty flavor and also a firmer bite than white pasta. I find it to be more filling and well-suited for most of my pasta recipes. Most of the time, it is hardly noticeable that I have used whole wheat instead of white, and it is a great way to add additional fiber to our diets and an easy way to substitute in a less-processed food. Broccoli is my kids' favorite vegetable, but feel free to substitute with asparagus or green beans.

Broccoli and Pasta

1 pound whole wheat pasta (I like to use bowties, but used spaghetti last night)

1 pound broccoli florets

2 T. salt

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 large cloves garlic chopped

1 lemon

salt and pepper

Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring it to a boil. Add pasta and stir. Set the timer for two minutes LESS than what package directions say the pasta needs to cook (9 minutes instead of 11).

In a non-stick skillet, melt butter into olive oil over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Zest all of one lemon (I do the zest strips) into the garlic butter and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Squeeze in the juice of that lemon, add salt and pepper to taste, and remove skillet from heat.

When the timer goes off (two minutes before pasta is ready) add broccoli florets to the boiling pasta. Cook an additional two minutes and drain into a colander in the sink.

Add pasta and broccoli to lemon/garlic mixture and toss to coat. Serve in bowls with Parmesan cheese and additional lemon zest if desired.

Changing Everything

2008-09-22T09:56:00.001-07:00

What you see above are some foods that have been in my kids' diets for a while. Yeah, they eat vegetables sometimes, and healthy proteins, but when it comes to sugary snacks and processed foods they have absolutely no self control. If I buy a box of fruit snacks, they will eat the whole box before I can bat an eye, or swill down a gallon of apple juice before I even notice that a drop is gone. When I ask them what they want for lunch, their usual response is french fries and chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese (the bright orange kind).

My weight has been a struggle my entire life. I battle a pretty serious sugar addiction, and I don't want my kids to have to deal with all of the baggage that a poor relationship with food brings. I have no desire of "depriving" my kids or putting them on a diet. Rather, I want to overhaul our menus, making healthy eating fun and delicious for my whole family.

Changing things up doesn't mean that I'm throwing out the ice-cream in the freezer and the white sugar in the pantry. What I'm doing is changing how I view food and the role that it will play in my family's life and well-being. I want to be more mindful in all things, including what I put on the table.

This blog is all about that. I hope you'll stick around for some recipes for both kids and adults, photos, and my usual ad-nauseum musings.