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Winter Lentil Soup

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10-4-11 Dinner Blog

Winter Lentil Soup

Another day like Monday!  I did not get home to even start dinner until 5:45! Pre-prep to the rescue!

Dinner Prep

First, I heated the oil in a soup pot and added the leeks and some leftover chopped onions I had in the fridge, for about 3-4 minutes.  Next I added the tomatoes and cooked for another 5 minutes.  Then I added 12 C water and brought to a boil.

There’s a lot of down time in this recipe. While I waited for my soup to boil, I could have done laundry, but I talked to my mom instead – procrastination at its best…

Once the soup was boiling, and feeling really good about how easy and mindless this recipe was, I added the sweet potato, kale, lentils, thyme, salt and pepper, simmering for about 30 minutes.  Uh oh, my menu called for apple-cinnamon muffins.  It is a really easy muffin mix, but I didn’t put that on my shopping list. I had forgotten to purchase the mix!  YIKES!

Time for “Plan B”:  I have a recipe for easy scones and decided that was the next best option.  It is a very easy and quick recipe so I jumped on it and made them.  It took about 25 minutes total.  As I finished the scones, the soup was ready…

Once the kids were home from their activities, about 7:15, (my husband was late and would eat dinner later), I served the soup and scones.

Serving Winter Soup

The Verdict:

The ratings are always interesting.  My son rated the soup a 9, and had a bit more soup.  My daughter, who was not crazy about seeing the kale in the soup, had this to say, “When I eat a spoonful that does not have the green stuff in it, it’s a 9.  When I eat a spoonful that does have the green stuff, it is a 7 ½.  I explained that the “green stuff” is kale, and that it has a lot of great health benefits, but it didn’t change her ratings.  My husband, who came home later and ate dinner separately, rated the soup a 9.

Big surprise:  They rated the scones a 10!

I also really enjoyed the soup.  It is a great opportunity to incorporate kale – the flavor of the soup is very mellow.  While you see the kale – and my daughter is not a fan of this, – it does not have a distinctive flavor.  It will be nice to make this again this winter.

But despite the downtime, my total time, from start to sit down was about 50 minutes due to cook times.  Previously, I may have tried to turn this into a crock pot recipe, but thinking about my mini lesson with chef Melanie, this might be a dish where flavors get cooked out.

Possible solution: For nights when I know my schedule is going to be busy – like Monday or many of the days last week – it would be great to make the soup the night before, leave in the fridge and just warm up the next night.  Something to think about …  If you have the pioneer instinct, try making this soup ahead of time, when you have time,  and let me know how it goes!

The Recipe

Winter Lentil Soup

From Real Simple’s Easy, Delicious Meals

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids for 2 Meals

Ingredients:

1 T Olive oil

6 Leeks, washed and cut into 1/4 “ half-moons

2 28 oz cans of tomatoes

2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces

1 Bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into ½ “ wide strips

1 C Lentils

2 T Fresh thyme

2 t Kosher salt

¼ t Pepper

½ C Grated cheese (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot.
  2. Add leeks and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.
  4. Add 12 C water and bring to a boil.
  5. While waiting for soup to boil, call mom, or anyone else who is not afraid to tell you the truth,
  6. Once boiled, add sweet potatoes, kale, lentils, thyme, salt and pepper to the soup.
  7. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
  8. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated cheese if desired.

Roasted Chicken, Apples and Leeks, with Pumpkin and a Side Salad.

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10-3-11 Dinner Blog

Roasted Chicken, Apples, Leeks, with Pumpkin and a Side Salad

Sunday Pre-Prep

I shopped and prepped for the week on Sunday.  While I normally only spend about 45 minutes prepping, I actually spent just over an hour this time.

Washed and cut all the leeks

Peeled and cut the sweet potatoes

Washed and cut the kale

Washed and cut the chicken

Made the tomatillo salsa for Wednesday

Baked the pumpkin

Why the extra time?  I blame it on the leeks and the kale!  Because the soup and chicken recipes serve 6 and 4 respectively, and I plan to serve variations of these meals on two different nights, I had to pro-rate my ingredients, which left me washing and cutting 8 leeks!  I did not add any additional kale, but washing each leaf and cutting the stem out, is a bit time intensive.

That said, kale is soooo healthy and I know I do not serve enough of it so I am not ready to abandon the kale.  Keeping the kale in the recipe and taking the time to prepare it might be worth it.  The flavor of the soup and my family’s ratings will be the test.  But I am wondering whether or not I could do a combination of leeks and onions instead of having to prep all those leeks. Onions I can purchase pre-chopped, which would reduce my prep time.  More on that later…

Monday Dinner Prep

Thank goodness I shopped and prepped on Sunday.  My day was packed with meetings, volunteer work at school, and carpooling.  I started with my first meeting at 8:30 and didn’t come home to start dinner until 5:40.  My son and I had another meeting at 7 so I was going to have to get going!

I pre-heated the oven to 400, laid out two roasting pans and lightly sprayed olive oil (you can substitute canola oil spray).  I cut the apples and pears and then dumped them along with the leeks and rosemary in the roasting pans, lightly salting and mixing them together.

Moments from putting the Roasted Chicken, Apples, Pears, and Leeks in the oven

The chicken came next which I nestled among the fruit and leeks. I sprayed a bit more olive oil to make sure the chicken was coated, and then popped the trays in the oven for about 35 minutes.

While I was waiting for the chicken, I made a side salad with tomatoes and avocado, and lightly drizzled no oil salad dressing.  For my husband and I also sprinkled some raw granola and sprayed a bit of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Then I got one container of pumpkin out of the fridge.

(On Sunday, I had done most of the pumpkin pre-prep. I had cut the pumpkin, scooped out the seeds, and baked each half, flat side down, in a roasting pan with 1/2” of water for about an hour. Once I could pierce the skin of the pumpkin easily with a fork, I knew it was done.  I let it cool a bit, which also gave time for some of the steam in the pumpkin to evaporate. Lastly, I scooped the meat out of the shell and stored it in two containers in the fridge.)

So getting the pumpkin on the plates last night was easy! I spooned the pumpkin into a bowl, adding ¼ t cinnamon, ¼ t salt, and warming for 1 ½ minutes in the microwave.  Then I added 1 t “butter” (I used Earth Balance, a plant based margarine), and ¾ T maple syrup and stirred everything together.

Once the chicken was ready, I warmed the pumpkin again for 1 minute in the microwave and served the meal, grinding a bit of pepper on the adult servings of chicken.

Serving Roasted Chicken, Apples, Leeks, Pumpkin and a Side Salad

The Verdict

9’s all around!  My daughter had the highest rating of a 9.25…  Everyone felt the chicken was very flavorful and the cooked, soft fruit was a hit. They also ate the leeks and never even asked about them, but if you think your kids would object, just serve the chicken and fruit and leave off the leeks.  As for the pumpkin, it was a show stealer – everyone LOVED it and said it reminded them of pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving!

…And a bountiful dinner it was!

Kid's Portion of Roasted Chicken, Apples, Leeks, Pumpkin and a Side salad

The Recipe

From Real Simple’s Easy Delicious Meals

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids for 2 meals – or reinvent the chicken the second night and make enchiladas or tacos.

Ingredients:

4 Apples, quartered

4 Pears, quartered

2 Leeks (white and light green parts), halved crosswise and lengthwise

6 Small sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 T Olive oil

1 t Kosher salt

¼ t Pepper

3.0 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts

2.0 lbs. Drumsticks, skin peeled off

Greens for salad and toppings

Pumpkin (already steamed in the oven and scooped from the shell)

For the pumpkin:

¼ t Cinnamon

¼ t Salt

1 t Butter/ Earth Balance margarine

¾ T Maple syrup

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400

  1. Lightly spray olive oil in two large roasting pans.
  2. Add the apples, pears, leeks, salt, and pepper, and spray lightly again.
  3. Add the chicken and rosemary and spray lightly again and nestle the chicken into the fruit and leek mixture.
  4. Roast the chicken for 30-40 minutes.
  5. While chicken is cooking prepare a side salad with salad toppings and low fat salad dressing, and prepare the pumpkin.
  6. Warm pumpkin in the microwave with cinnamon and salt.
  7. Add butter and maple syrup to the pumpkin and mix well.
  8. Once chicken is ready, warm pumpkin mixture and serve!
  9. See if this recipe doesn’t have “Fall Harvest” written all over it!

Oct 3-6 Weekly Menu and Master Shopping List

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I am going to shop on Sunday again this week.  Right now I consider myself a working mom.  Between this website and some big projects at school, my schedule is very tight.  Mondays in particular seem to be very busy for me and don’t allow time for shopping.

But I have “made lemonade out of lemons!”  Sunday is a great day for me to get organized for the week. In addition to the shopping, I have committed 45 minutes to pre-prep the last couple of weeks and that has made all the difference – Monday through Thursday dinner prep has been so easy and much less stressful!

Do you use Sunday as a day to get organized for the week? Have any of you shopped my list and done any of the pre-prep on Sunday?  Let me know! Blog!

As for this week’s menu, I found inspiration and recipes from Real Simple.  Real Simple is one of my favorite magazines – A good friend gave me one of their cookbooks.  This week I am using 3 recipes from my Real Simple cookbook – I reinvented one of them for the fourth dinner:

Weekly Menu

Monday: Roasted Chicken, Apples, Pears, and Leeks, Pumpkin, and Side Salad

Tuesday: Winter Lentil Soup with Apple-Cinnamon Muffins

Wednesday: Chicken Enchiladas, with Salsa, and Pumpkin

Thursday: Winter Lentils over Pasta with Pears and Side Salad

Master Shopping List

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Entrees

3.0 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2.0 lbs. Chicken legs

Vegetables/ Fresh Herbs

8 Leeks

2 Small zucchini, diced

1 Small red onion

1 Small cooking pumpkin

3 Sweet potatoes

1 Bunch kale

Greens for salad

Tomatoes and other salad fixings

2 Small sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 ½ T Fresh thyme

Optional for homemade salsa made in a food processor for Wednesday night. Or you can save time and just buy salsa verde in a jar:

1 lb. Tomatillos

1 Jalapeno (I am only going to use 1/3 of one)

1 C Fresh cilantro

1 T Fresh lime juice

Fruit

6 Crisp apples (Braeburn, or other)

4 Pears (Bartlett or Bosc)

Extra or other Fruit for breakfast and lunch

Dry Goods

3 T Olive oil

Canola oil spray

Shell pasta

2 28-Ounce can whole tomatoes, drained – or other non-canned shelf stable tomatoes

1 C Brown lentils

Salt

Pepper

Dairy

1 ½ C Grated cheddar or Monterey cheese (from cow or goat’s milk)

½ C Plain yogurt (from cow or goat or vegan)

½ C Grated parmesean or manchenga cheese

Frozen

½ C Corn (from ear or frozen and thawed)

Bakery

12 Tortillas (corn or flour)

Final Sept 26-29 Weekly Menu and Master Shopping List

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“Fixing” Monday’s Tomato-Herb Chicken

Remember how bland I said Monday’s dinner was? Fear not! I have some good news; I think the recipe can be fixed.  I consulted with Chef Melanie Barsuk, of Simple Gourmet and I learned a lot.  She is not a big fan of crock pots.  In fact she doesn’t like saying or spelling the word, simply making reference to “the c word”… No offense taken, Melanie.  While I don’t use crock pots everyday, I do appreciate them for the fact that there is very little, if any, prep during the “bewitching” hour (dinner/carpool/homework hour).

Melanie elaborated on crock pot cooking saying that sometimes flavors can “cook out” of a dish that is cooked too long in the crock pot.  Based on my ingredients, she thinks this may have happened and suggested adding more savory flavors.

First, she suggests using fresh thyme – stems and all – in place of the dried seasoning.  “Thyme is an herb that actually lets off more flavor the more you cook it,” Melanie says.  Try adding 4-5 fresh sprigs, stems and all.  She also suggests one fresh fennel bulb, sliced.  She also talked about adding more savory flavors.  I shared my experience using the smoked turkey thighs in the split pea soup recipe last week. Melanie encouraged me to give some smoked turkey wings a try in the Tomato-Herb Chicken.  Lastly, if the dish is still bland after it is cooked, she suggested adding a little lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, or even some chopped bacon…

So I have revised this recipe accordingly.  If you make this, please blog how it turns out!  Other than that, I did not change anything else!

The Weekly Menu

Monday: Tomato-Herb Chicken (recipe revised), Broccoli, Fruit

Tuesday: Fish with Fall Harvest Red Grape Salsa, Peas, Side Salad, Fruit

Wednesday: Braised Chicken Gumbo, Side Salad, Fruit

Thursday: Mexican Vegetable Soup with Crushed Tortilla Chips and shredded cheese

Give credit where credit is deserved:

Monday’s recipe is a slight variation of a recipe I found on EatingWell.com and the “fixes” are from Chef Melanie Barsuk, of Simple Gourmet.  A special thanks to the Chef!

Tuesday’s recipe features a “fall salsa”. While the rest of the meal is not new – we have cooked plenty of fish – I was looking for a fall flavor topping.  Better Homes and Gardens featured this fall salsa that is amazing.

Wednesday’s recipe was Eating Well’s easy reinvention of Monday’s recipe, which is what I aim to do during the week to keep things fresh.

Thursday’s recipe comes from “Quick Vegetarian Pleasures”, a cookbook that I have had for over 15 years.  I have had great luck with several recipes of these recipes, and even used their Split Pea Soup recipe as a base for my variation last week.

Master Shopping List

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Entrees

3.5 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts

1.5 lbs. Cod

Vegetables

Greens – for lunch and dinners

4 Red Onions

8 Cloves garlic

¼ C Fresh chopped parsley

2 Bell peppers, at least one red

3 Carrots

3 Medium zucchini

1 Head Broccoli

Fruit

1 C + Seedless red grapes, halved

5 Pears

5 Plums

2 Mangos

5 Apples

Dry Goods

1 t Dried thyme

1 t Fennel seeds

1 t Fresh ground pepper

1 Bay leaf

3 C Low sodium chicken broth

8 C Low sodium vegetable broth

1 T Lemon Juice

2 – 28 oz. Can tomatoes, or tomatoes in other shelf stable package

1 ½ t Salt

1 T Olive oil or canola oil

2 T Flour

1 C Cooked rice

1/8 t Cayenne pepper

1 T Balsamic vinegar

1 t Ground cumin

1 15 oz. Can kidney beans

Dairy

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional – for the Mexican vegetable stew)

Frozen

1 C Sliced Okra

2 C Frozen corn kernels

1 Bag Frozen peas

Recipes

Tomato-Herb Chicken, Revised

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Tomato-Herb Chicken, Roasted Broccoli, and a Side Salad

Ingredients

1 Large onion, thinly sliced

4 Cloves garlic, minced

4-5 Sprigs fresh thyme, stems and all

1 Fennel bulb, sliced

1 t Freshly ground pepper

1 Bay leaf

1 c Low sodium chicken broth mixed w 1 T lemon juice

1 28 oz Can tomatoes, with juice, coarsely chopped

1 t salt

3 3/4 lbs Boneless skinless chicken breasts

1-2 Smoked chicken wings

1/4 c Finely chopped parsley

Pasta or rice for each dish, cooked according to package directions

A head of broccoli

1 t Basil

1 t Thyme

Sprinkle of salt

Greens and salad fixings

Optional Additions once the meal is cooked:

Some lemon zest

Crushed red pepper flakes

Chopped bacon

Dinner Prep

1. Put everything in slow cooker.

2. Cook on high for 6 hours.

3. Closer to dinner time, roast broccoli with basil, thyme and salt at 450 for 4 minutes. Stir and bake for 4 more minutes. Then lay some greens on each plate and make a side salad with your favorite toppings.

3. Serve Tomato-Herb Chicken over pasta or rice.

4. Seriously, is anything easier than that?!?!

Baked Cod with Fall Salsa, Peas, Mango, and a Side Salad

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Baked Cod with Fall Salsa, Peas, Mango and a Side Salad

Ingredients

1 C Halved seedless red grapes

¼ C Chopped red onion (or white if you don’t have red onion)

¼ C Chopped red bell pepper

1 T Balsamic vinegar

1.5 – 1.75 lbs. Cod

Frozen peas for 4 servings

1 Mango

Greens and toppings for side salad

Make Ahead:

The night before or earlier the day of, Combine grapes, onion, bell pepper and balsamic vinegar.  Store in refrigerator.

Dinner Prep:

Pre-heat oven to 350

Set the table ahead of time.  You will be sitting down in 10 minutes!

Take fall salsa out of the refrigerator.

1. Lay cod on a lightly sprayed roasting pan and lightly spray the cod with canola oil spray.

2. Sprinkle 1 t basil, 1 t thyme, and ½ t salt on fish.

3. Put fish in oven for 8 minutes.

4. Pour frozen peas in a microwavable dish and microwave for 2 min.  Test for doneness.  Cook an additional minute if necessary. Divide across 4 plates. Cut a Mango, and divide across all 4 plates.

5. Portion greens and add toppings.

6. Pull fish from oven, portion, top with fall salsa and serve.

Braised Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients:

1 Diced bell pepper – any color

2 T Flour

2 1/2 C Tomato-Herb Chicken (see 9-27-11 recipe)

2 C Low sodium chicken broth

1 C Sliced okra

1 C Cooked rice

1/8 – 1/4 t Cayenne pepper

Dinner Prep:

1. Heat oil in saucepan.

2. Add bell pepper and flour.  Stir 2 minutes until softened.

3. Add Tomato-Herb Chicken, chicken broth, okra, rice, cayenne pepper.

4. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes.  Serve.

5. See if you don’t think about Mardi Gras in 22 minutes!

Mexican Vegetable Soup

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids (For 2 Meals)

Mexican Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

¼ C Olive oil

4 Garlic cloves, minced – include skin

2 Large onions, diced

1 t Ground cumin

1 28 oz. Can of tomatoes, chopped with their juice (You can also use a 28 oz. container of POM tomatoes in a shelf-stable, non-can package)

8 C Vegetable stock, ½ regular, ½ low sodium

2 t Salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 Carrots, thinly sliced

10 oz. Frozen corn

The rest of the frozen okra not used for the Chicken Gumbo recipe

3 Medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into sixths, then into 1-inch chunks

1 15 oz. Can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Grated cheese (optional)

Corn chips (optional)

Plain yogurt

Dinner Prep:

  1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute garlic, onions, and cumin for 10 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add tomatoes with their juice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  4. Add carrots and cook 3-4 more minutes.
  5. Add corn and okra and cook 3-4 more minutes.
  6. Add zucchini and kidney beans and cook 2-3 more minutes.
  7. Using a hand blender, puree about half of the soup, being sure to leave chunks of vegetables.
  8. Serve with grated cheese, broken corn chips, a dollop of plain yogurt, or just eat it straight out of the soup pot!

Recipe: Mexican Vegetable Soup

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For 2 Adults and 2 Kids (For 2 Meals)

Mexican Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

¼ C Olive oil

4 Garlic cloves, minced – include skin

2 Large onions, diced

1 1/2 t Ground cumin

1 28 oz. Can of tomatoes, chopped with their juice (You can also use a 28 oz. container of POM tomatoes in a shelf-stable, non-can package)

8 C Vegetable stock, ½ regular, ½ low sodium

2 t Salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 Carrots, thinly sliced

10 oz. Frozen corn

The rest of the frozen okra leftover from the Chicken Gumbo recipe

3 Medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into sixths, then into 1-inch chunks

1 15 oz. Can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Grated cheese (optional)

Corn chips (optional)

Plain yogurt

Dinner Prep:

  1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute garlic, onions, and cumin for 10 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add tomatoes with their juice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  4. Add carrots and cook 3-4 more minutes.
  5. Add corn and okra and cook 3-4 more minutes.
  6. Add zucchini and kidney beans and cook 2-3 more minutes.
  7. Using a hand blender, puree about half of the soup, be sure to leave chunks of vegetables!
  8. Serve with grated cheese, broken corn chips, a dollop of plain yogurt, or just eat it straight out of the soup pot!

Mexican Vegetable Soup

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9-29-11 Dinner Blog

Mexican Vegetable Soup

I was going to convert this recipe to a crock pot recipe today; but I decided to make it on the stove top, as originally intended.  More on that in my next blog…

Tonight, I began by heating the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  To that I added garlic (pressed plus the skins), onions, and cumin.  I stirred and sautéed for 10 minutes.

Then I poured in the vegetable stock, tomatoes with their juice, and added 2 t salt.  I brought the soup to a boil, and then added the carrots, cooking 3-4 minutes longer.  Next I added the rest of the frozen okra slices – they were not part of the recipe, but when was I going to use the rest of the frozen okra?  Best to camouflage it in a soup and use it up!  3-4 minutes later, I added the frozen corn, kidney beans, and the zucchini. I was smiling the entire time because I had purchased chopped onions and had chopped the carrots and zucchini on Sunday.  So the only thing I had to do was press the garlic!  It was so easy and I was feeling good!

Then I turned off the soup, and using a hand-held blender, blended some of the soup, making sure to leave some chunks of vegetables.

Mexican Vegetable Soup Cooking on the Stove

The soup sat for about 20 minutes while I waited for my husband to come home, at which time, I warmed up the soup again.  I sprinkled grated cheese on the top and served with toasted 7 Grain Flaxseed Bread.

5 Servings of Mexican Vegetable Soup

Total time:  About 28 minutes (Does not include 20 minutes waiting for my husband)

The Verdict

Another winner!  Two thumbs up!  My husband, my son and his guest all rated the soup a 9.  My daughter rated the soup a 7 ¾ – I am still trying to understand her methodology…  She was looking for more flavor.  (Do you think she tasted the okra?!?!) Everyone else said it had great flavor and thought it was a very satisfying soup!  Only my husband had seconds.  Even I was quite satisfied after one bowl.

Would I make Mexican Vegetable soup again?  Absolutely! I can see how it is a very forgiving recipe. You can add any/all vegetables (almost any) leftover in your refrigerator, and I believe it will still taste great.  And to test this theory,  I have enough soup for one more meal AND I have some leftover green onions and parsley.  I am going to add them to the soup and will let you know how THAT tastes!

Braised Chicken Gumbo

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9-29-11 Dinner Blog

Making Braised Chicken Gumbo - sauteing bell peppers and flour

Admittedly, there was a little less chaos in the house at dinnertime last night.  I am not saying chaos was absent; it was just not at the level of Tuesday evening…

I began by getting out the “bland” Tomato-Herb Chicken and shredding the meat with 2 forks.  I was a bit worried that I was already at a disadvantage since the first night’s meal was lacking in flavor, but I pushed that thought to the back recesses of my mind, and forged ahead.

Then I dripped 1 T canola oil down the side of a saucepan over medium heat and turned the pan so the oil covered the surface.  I added the bell peppers and 2 T flour, stirring about 2 minutes, until the peppers began to soften and the flour was golden brown.  Next, I scooped 2 ½ cups of the chicken and sauce, and poured 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth, followed by 1 cup sliced okra (I bought it frozen), 1 cup pre-cooked rice (which I had already made on Monday), and 1/8 t of cayenne pepper (add more if you like it really spicy).

Making Braised Chicken Gumbo - sauteing bell peppers and flour

I brought the entire mixture to a boil, simmered for 10 minutes and served.

FYI – I went light on the kids’ servings not knowing if they would like it or not… I was also afraid the kids might react to the cayenne negatively.  I had more than 2 ½ cups of Tomato-Herb Chicken, so I portioned the kids’ bowls with a ratio of ½ gumbo and ½ Tomato-Herb Chicken to dilute the cayenne a bit.

Additionally, I was originally going to serve fruit and a side salad with this meal, but this one dish meal looked so hearty, and I was exhausted, so I decided to keep it simple and just go with the gumbo.  If you have more energy than I did last night, prepare some fruit or a side salad while the gumbo is simmering for 10 minutes.

Total time:  About 22 minutes!

The Verdict

Two thumbs up!  Redemption!  From bland to flavorful!  Everyone really enjoyed the gumbo and found it very satisfying.  9’s from my husband and son and an 8.5 from my daughter – who reminds me that 8.5 is an excellent score…

Everyone had a little bit more.  My son tried the Braised Chicken Gumbo straight, and loved it!  My daughter, always sensitive to spice, preferred the ½ and ½.

Sorry I have no pictures to share but I totally forgot!  This is the first time since June 7th that I missed taking photos before we sat down to eat!  I can’t believe one of my kids didn’t remember!  So sorry!  Trust me, it looked good! 🙂

Recipe:

1 Diced bell pepper – any color

2 T Flour

2 1/2 C Tomato-Herb Chicken (see 9-27-11 recipe)

2 C Low sodium chicken broth

1 C Sliced okra

1 C Cooked rice

1/8 – 1/4 t Cayenne pepper

1. Heat oil in saucepan.

2. Add bell pepper and flour.  Stir 2 minutes until softened.

3. Add Tomato-Herb Chicken, chicken broth, okra, rice, cayenne pepper.

4. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes.  Serve.

5. See if you don’t think about Mardi Gras in 22 minutes!

Recipe for Baked Cod with Fall Salsa, Peas, Mango, and a Side Salad

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Recipe for Baked Cod with Fall Salsa, Peas, Mango and a Side Salad

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Baked Cod with Fall Salsa, Peas, Mango and a Side Salad

Ingredients

1 C Halved seedless red grapes

¼ C Chopped red onion (or white if you don’t have red onion)

¼ C Chopped red bell pepper

1 T Balsamic vinegar

1.5 – 1.75 lbs. Cod

Frozen peas for 4 servings

1 Mango

Greens and toppings for side salad

Make Ahead:

The night before or earlier the day of, Combine grapes, onion, bell pepper and balsamic vinegar.  Store in refrigerator.

Dinner Prep

Pre-heat oven to 350

Set the table ahead of time.  You will be sitting down in 10 minutes!

Take fall salsa out of the refrigerator.

  1. Lay cod on a lightly sprayed roasting pan and lightly spray the cod with canola oil spray.
  2. Sprinkle 1 t basil, 1 t thyme, and ½ t salt on fish.
  3. Put fish in oven for 8 minutes.
  4. Pour frozen peas in a microwavable dish and microwave for 2 min.  Test for doneness.  Cook an additional minute if necessary. Divide across 4 plates.
  5. Cut a Mango, and divide across all 4 plates.
  6. Portion greens and add toppings.
  7. Pull fish from oven, portion, top with fall salsa and serve.

The Afternoon Snack

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I have reoriented the way I view the afternoon snack and have begun to think of snack as the first course of dinner.  When my kids come home from school, the first thing they want to do is have something to eat, preferably carb-filled or sweet.  I have been trying to have a couple of options that satisfy both of us.

  • Great healthy Snacks that kids and adults love
  • Green beans sprayed with olive oil and lightly salted
  • Apples and peanut butter or Greek yogurt
  • Rolled up turkey breast (real, not processed), maybe even rolled up w lettuce and hummus
  • Sushi: tuna rolls, cucumber rolls, salmon rolls, California rolls
  • The seaweed strips Connor likes
  • Edamames
  • Clementines
  • PBJ sandwich cut into fingers
  • Microwave popcorn, lightly salted, no butter- Orville Redenbacher’s All Natural, lightly salted
  • Fresh fruit
  • Baby carrots and peanut butter, yogurt, or low fat ranch dressing
  • Sugar snap peas dipped in hummus, salsa, or guacamole

Once in a while, not too unhealthy, snacks kids love

  • Bagels with peanut butter or cream cheese
  • Whole wheat toast
  • Pasta

Things to Have on Hand

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There are basic ingredients and appliances that we’ll need as we prepare our Healthy Eats.

Ingredients to have on hand:

  • Olive oil – bottle and spray
  • Canola oil – bottle and spray
  • Lemons or lemon juice
  • Array of seasonings – keep. Dried on hand and where possible replace with fresh basil, oregano, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic, onions, parsley, cinnamon, bay leaf, old bay seasoning, my homemade mild taco seasoning
  • Low sodium soy sauce tamari sauce
  • Low fat salad dressing
  • Applesauce
  • Flaxseed meal
  • Fresh Spinach or spring mix to use in recipes
  • Same as above or other lettuces for side salads
  • Earth balance buttery spread
  • Sunflower seeds, walnuts, pine nuts- any/all that you like

On this blog are links to purchase certain, hard to find products that I will use frequently and are good to have on hand:

  • Earth & Vine Red Bell Pepper and Ancho Chili Jam
  • Mexican and Italian jar seasoning

Appliances to have on hand:

  • Crock pot
  • Magic pot
  • Food processor
  • Vita mix