~ Simple Stir-fry Dinner ~

This is a simple stir-fry dinner.
Start by cooking brown rice according to package directions. (1 park water to 2 parts, cook for 30-40 min.)
While the rice is cooking cube 1/2 a block of extra firm tofu. Fry till brown in a little olive oil, then set aside.
Sautee 1/2 onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Add carrots, broccoli, zucchini and celery. Once those have started to turn tender add the bell pepper, sugar snap peas and cabbage.
Once all the vegetables are tender add the fried tofu.
Season with teryaki sauce.

Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat crust

Trader Joes, Whole Wheat Pizza Dough.

Pesto Fixings.

All ready to mix.

Fresh!

Ready for the oven.

Hot and ready to eat.

Dinner!

This is an easy pizza to make. And the left over pesto go great on pasta, sandwiches and even quesadillas. Start with a whole wheat pizza crust. I use the Trader Joes brand. (Makes good bread sticks to0.) Then follow a simple recipe for pesto. Top with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and onions. Bake according to pizza dough directions. Serve with a simple side salad.

~Easy Pesto~
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts (walnuts taste great too)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
(I also add salt and pepper to taste)
Mix all ingredients in a food processor till smooth.

Simple Food For Busy Families - The Whole Life Nutrition Approach

Recently bought this book, and I love it! It offers practical advice and simple solutions to providing healthy food for your family. The book was written for busy people (MOMS) who still want to provide what is nutritionally best for their families. I have found the book the be very encouraging in my efforts to provide whole foods to my family. It is written partly as a nutritional text book and partly as a cookbook. I highly recommend checking it out here. Enjoy looking through the pages and hopefully pick up a copy for yourself!

Spaghetti Sauce 101

I made Spaghetti sauce the other night. I think it turned out pretty good and my husband loves it. The best part is that is was super easy.
*Few pounds of tomatoes
*Olive Oil
*1 Onion
*Couple cloves of garlic
*Dash or so of red wine
*A lot of fresh basil
*Dash of sugar
*Salt and pepper

Saute onion, garlic in olive oil, then add the wine.
Once the wine as reduced add the tomatoes.
When the tomatoes have cooked down add finely chopped basil.
Add dash of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: This sauce froze really well.

Easy Dinner

Baby potatoes mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 till tender.

Firm tofu, cut in thick slices.

Tofu frying with a little olive oil and teriyaki sauce.

Fresh baby broccoli. Steam lightly.

Easy, quick, healthy dinner!

Beet Burgers

My Mom created these patties after eating the veggie burger at Rutherford Grill in the Napa Valley. If you're afraid that you won't like them because of the beets, think again. You can't taste them!!! They just give the burger an amazing red color!

Ingredients:

2 Beats – Grated

1 Cup brown rice

1 Cup raw rolled oats

¼ Cup dried minced onions

½ -1 Cup finely chopped walnuts

Salt

Braggs Liquid Aminos

BBQ Sauce

Add grated beats to rice and cook according to package instructions (2 cups of water for every cup of rice).

Soak oats in HOT water – enough to cover oats

Add minced onions

Once rice is cooked, add chopped walnuts to oat mixture.

Add rice/beats to oats. Mix.

Flavor with Braggs Liquid Aminos (appox 2 table spoons) and BBQ Sauce (approx ¼ cup) Add salt if needed.

Form in to patty shapes and fry in skillet with olive oil.

*Note: If the mixture is too loose and not holding a patty shape add a few sprinkles of flower till it reached the right texture.

Rice and beats cooking together.


Oats and onions soaking - before adding the walnuts.


The mixture ready to fry.


Patties frying int the pan.


The Spread...

Lets eat!

New Years Resolutions...What was I thinking!?!?!?

The start of another year brings new years resolutions. Each year they always look the same for me. Exercise more, eat healthy, work out, don’t eat fat, don’t eat sugar, go to the gym everyday, and the list goes on until it starts repeating its self.

Well this year I thought I’d take a little different approach. This year as a mother and care taker of my family I thought I’d make a new years resolution one that would benefit them as well. So on January 1, 2010 I posted this as my Facebook status update:

New Years Resolution: To cook more things from scratch, and use as little processed food as possible. No more frozen pizza or box mac-n-cheese.

Uh-oh…what have I just signed up to do? I like to cook, but I don’t. I like eating healthy, but I don’t. I like fresh produce and fruit, but all that takes time. What do I like? I like quick convenient dinners. I like meals that take no thought. I like the food to just appear on the table with out any effort from me. But this year, this year with a new years resolution to keep, I will be putting effort into the things I cook. I will be thoughtful about the type of ingredients I use. And hopefully in the end I my family and will reap the rewards of knowing we have put only what’s best into our bodies.

Now Rome wasn’t built in a day and I know myself well enough that if I throw away all my mac-n-cheese, taquitos and burger buns I would also throw in the towel and call it quits after one meal. So I’m starting slow. I have visions of entirely home cooked meals. Home made bread, fresh fruit juice and a steaming casserole straight from the oven. But until then it will be baby steps for me. I need to get me feet wet first, and see how I do at this whole cooking thing. I consider these baby steps the building blocks of Rome.

So here’s to 2010, a year of creating meals naturally, using whole foods and learning how to cook in a whole new way.