I braced myself from expanding my appetite for more more more by bringing juice to the office a couple times.  First a small, then a large tided me over till dinner.  But the one day I experiemented and purchased the same amount of fruits and vegetables as a cup of jugo costs and found I could get much more food.  In fact, I could get two days of fruit for a family of four.

That day I consumed 2 apples at lunch.  It was not enough, I felt hungry for 15 minuets.

Today I had 3 carrots and an apple, and it was just right.  I think I'll eat that combination until I turn orange around the edges.  No refrigeration necessary.  I was able to eat while pondering my work, and then had the mental clarity to really crank it out. 

I'm taking my inspiration from my kids who eat so little and have so much energy.  The paralegal was worried about me, but I say the problem is eating too much.  I say, stay hydrated, and eat your vegetables!

Going from dealing with food from the dirt up, to this new life is interesting.  I used to grow my own vegetables or at least get most of them at a local source.  I used to start most meals by chopping an onion...  Now, I heat up a starch, a protein, and a vegetable for most meals.  For breakfast, I line up three bowls of honey nut Cheerios with the only embellishment... a handful of frozen blueberries for nutrition.

I used to live in the country... 25 minuets away from any store.  Then a mini-store came in 10 minuets away, but I could avoid it easily.  Now I see food EVERYWHERE.  Good food, Great food.  The stuff that appeals to your medulla, it says eat me and you'll truly live today, and survive forever... this is what you need!! Hello Mexican Food.  Hello fried food.  Hello baked goodies and ice cream!!   

I feel my healthy tendencies melting away, and my energy level going down.  These food options appeal to my mind, but when they get in my mouth, I think.. this isn't as great as I remembered.  Then I have another piece, thinking it would recapture that magic. But I wasn't satisfied.  Too strange.

I'm going back to brown rice, vegetables, fruits, some protein, and tea. 

This is not unique.  I went to a frontier day and learned that most people in Texas 200 years ago lived on a tiny bit of food.  The mess kit displayed contained a bag of cornmeal and something to boil it in.

I can't continue my old time intensive ways of cooking, and I can't allow myself to be too friendly with the convenience foods in town. 

I think juicing, and bringing around vegetables for chomping is my best bet.  Because it's got be healthy, fast and inexpensive.  While husband required more meat, the kids and I really didn't miss the other stuff.

My biggest "cooking" discover after going back to work is... making homemade popsicles by layering frozen blueberries with unsweetened applesauce.  The kids love them, and it's good for them.          

Is it too late?

In a dark dusty bin, passed down to a family member, a bunch of recipe cards arrived.  The color scheme of the pictures, and the types of recipes made it clear, This is the taste of the 70s. 

My one year old son discovered them in the corner, and started tossing the cards into the air.  I decided it was harmless fun, and enjoyed thinking he was leaving his energy on the recipe cards, helping his top picks land on top. 

I thought, "Is it too late to do a Julia and Julia with these cards?"  Yes, probably so. 

Yet I did still make a cool carrot, spinach, rice, cheese casserole, that I'm certain would not land in a modern cookbook.  It was so good, that even my carrot adverse husband said it was good.  I also made crepes, and they have been a fun way to package up anything, including above mentioned casserole for my kiddos, and thus making them into a meal.  Brilliant!!  Thank you nameless 70's recipe card author.

Side note, I decided the mandolin is not worth the space in the kitchen.  Yes, I did slice the edge of my thumb off last week, even though I had 3 inches left on my zuccinii.  That's the reason I think the tool is not necessary...  I think you can do the cuts safely with a food processor, and that's a good thing.  Safety first!!

In Season

Peaches. They are an event that have made quite an impression in our household.  Ben bought a case of them, and it has been quite a luxury to simply eat as many of the golden, juicy fruits as we can handle.  I've made baby food, and have frozen many for the future.  Tonight I have had a hard time getting into the kitchen to make all the baked goodies... muffins, cobbler, pie.  I just want to revel in my clean kitchen one more night before I blow it up with activity.

The heat outside has caused me to go minimal with my cooking.  I don't know how I went for years without peanut butter and preserve sandwiches!  Also, I caught Ben saying that the grits and cut up, boiled egg with a bit of butter I made for him were good. 

Other recent creations (I named them): browned-butter mac and cheese, gazpacho pasta salad, Rotell hamburger soup, and chorizo stuffed satellight squash.

A master plan

My friend told me about a website called from food to table.  It is a free site that looks up sales at your local grocery store, gives you a selection of recipes to use your preferred ingredients, then gives you a grocery list.  You can even add your own items to the list, and the site categorizes most of the items.  It made going to the grocery store with two tiered kids much easier.  It is wonderful to know that I have a plan for at least two easy and different meals using the best deals of the week.  This was the second time I used the site, and it suprises me how the best priced meats are so hard to locate.  It's not that large of a meat department.  I feel like I'm on a scavenger hunt, and I like it.

Last week I went with my Mother in Law and her husband to the grocery store, so it was bliss.  We had happy children, and plenty of hands to keep them happy.  I didn't buy many out of the ordinary items except turkey meat from the deli department.  Marina wasn't a big fan of it.  I think we'd like ham better. 

During their visit, I made corned beef..... time for bed. 

Cooking is my life

I used to think that when I oohed and awwhed about Truluck's chocolate cake, that food was my life.  But then today as I calculated all the different meals needed for my family, and their different preparation requirements, I realized that food truely is my life.

My toddler consumes three meals, and two snacks.  She starts and ends her day with whole milk warmed to perfection in the microwave, and placed in a sippy cup for her sustenance and comfort.  She also consumes three meals where I aspire to provide a fruit, starch and vegetable.  Then there are the snacks such as fruits, or cheese or peanut butter with crackers.

My baby consumes 3 meals a day which I make sure are the right temperature and consistency.  I used to try to avoid the microwave, but I now stir things to avoid hot spots.  Our son gets cereal, fruit or vegetable and either formula or mom's milk warmed perfectly.  Then he gets all the mom's milk he can take.

My husband needs to be fattened up, so I do my best to give him hefty meals.  Also, I like providing high protine snacks for when he's running out the door.  Plus, we like to use the produce we have grown out in our garden. 

This week I used Foodonthetable.com, and I'm excited about how it pointed out some meat specials I would have missed (even after reading the flyer).  It's also fun having a different and easy plan for at least a couple of meals for the week!

I want to make:  Taco Salad, something with shrimp, something with chicken... chili, enchilada casserole, my cabbage,polenta soup, cauliflower chorizo soup, lentil soup, zuccini cheese wraps, salad, a fabulous pear/bluecheese/arugula pizza, fresh squeezed orange juice, baked apples, bannana bread, sour dough bread, lots of warm cereals, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies, potato soup, goyza, tea, krispi treats, mac and cheese, cheese dip,

 

Food is Fuel and potential Poison

I have made stir fry, roasted vegetables, quesadillas, turkey pot pie, turkey and rice soup, stir fry, fried rice, key -lime sorbet, peanut buter/chocolate krispy treats, baby food, and a enchilada casserole.

The casserole was awesome, and yet was the catalyst for change in food storage and prep rules in our house.  It could have been a stomach virus, but it also could have been food poisoning that caused my husband severe gastronomic distress.  I would have no more wondering when it comes to my kitchen.  I have gotten rid of anything that hadn't been purchased in recent memory.  It was difficult getting rid of my sesame oil, but I didn't want to take any chances.     

Now he is worried about my sour dough bread starter, but I believe it will be great.  I am starting my first loaf today.

Status of food procurement:  I haven't done a major grocery shopping trip in two weeks.   We spent $40 for some milk and highly perishable fruits two weeks ago, and purchased about that amount today.  I am interested in the website my friend found through David Ramsey which has economical meal plans and grocery lists for the family, but unfortunately, I am addicted to using the fresh produce and meat specials available the day I shop.   

In the garden, we harvested lettuce, and lots and lots of potatoes.  I feel too tiered to cook them, but I will rally.  The people on the cooking shows go crazy for fresh potatoes.  We have yukon gold, and a red Kenobek potato.  It was fun harvesting a couple rows of potatoes.  I even saw a little dusty frog.  I wondered where they stay during the day, and now I know that one of the cute green creatures slept near our seed potatoes.