Ratatouille

The inspiration for this recipe is actually the Pixar movie Ratatouille, which happens to be my favorite Pixar movie.  Ben suggested I made this, and so I did. I had to say, he was rather disappointed when the dish wasn't presented the way it was in the movie...but, I am no 5 star restaurant.

Now, this takes a bit of time to prepare since there is a lot of chopping. So instead of taking just minutes, it takes about 10 minutes to prepare.  In the scheme of things, 10 minutes is still a short amount of time.  It then takes 45 minutes, or so, to bake.

Ingredients:
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 squash, diced
(the packages I get at Aldi look like this)

-1 eggplant, peeled and diced
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes (if you want this dish more dry you can use just one can)
- of course, add any spices or herbs you want

Directions:
1. in a large pan, saute the onion with olive oil and a bit of salt, until translucent

2. add the diced squash and the diced eggplant into the onions

3. add the cans of diced tomatoes, and stir together

4. place into the oven, uncovered , at 350 degrees, for about 45 minutes or so.  Basically, you will be looking for when the juices start to bubble.

When you plate this add some cheese on top, serve with salad and bread. 

I think this dish has a rather earthy flavor.  It is very simple and nothing fancy, but it fills your belly, warms you up, gives you lots of veggies! 

Easy Meatless Chili

Now that Fall is here, it is perfect chili weather.

My chili is crazy easy, crazy good, and crazy good for you.

Ingredients:
- 2 cans chili ready tomatoes

 - 1 can Mexican tomatoes (for more heat, add two cans)

- 1 can low sodium tomatoes

- 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- 2 onions, diced

- green lentils

- flax seed

Directions
1. saute diced onions in a pan with olive oil and salt

2. in either a large pot or a crock pot, add all the tomatoes and the beans.

3. add the lentils, flax seed and sauteed onions.  Now, I just sort of opened the packages and poured.  If I had to guess, I added about 1/3 to 1/2 cup lentils, and about 1/4 cup flax seed.  Note, I did not prepare the lentils ahead of time, so I truly did just open the bag and poured.  The lentils get soft while the chili is cooking, plus it absorbs the liquid so the chili gets nice and thick.

I had my crock pot on high for about 2 hours, and then turned it on low for another couple hours.  If you do this on the stove, keep the heat on medium low for about 30-45 minutes and it is ready.

Because I added the chili ready tomatoes, I didn't have to add any chili seasoning.  Note, the Mexican tomatoes add a decent amount of heat.  So, be prepared when preparing this for kids.  If it were just me and Steve, I would add 2 cans of Mexican tomatoes.

Smacznego!

mish mosh dinner

Some evenings after work and school, I just don't have my energy at all to prepare dinner.  Nights like this, I simply prepare a spread and let the kids chow down.

A dinner like this is fun for the kids since it is not the norm, so they enjoy it even though it takes so little time.

 

 

 

 

We dinned on:
- cucumbers
- wheat crackers
- swiss cheese
- hummus
- apples
- peanut butter with sunflower seeds sprinkled on top
- bell peppers
- grapes

The meal was rounded out with Kefir.  Here is a link to the Kefir that I buy at Aldi.  This link will also tell you all about this stuff and how good it is for you.  I think it costs $2.89 a carton.  The kids LOVE this stuff...I mean LOVE it.  They ask for seconds all the time.  During the week we will go through 3-4 cartons of Kefir. 

I have been around this stuff pretty much all my life, as it is very popular with the Polish culture.  My mom would make it and my dad would gulp it down.  I found it offensive (smell and texture) so I never reached for it.  However, the stuff I buy now has a good texture and good flavor so it is easy for the kids to like it. And it is SO good for you...try it!

Dippy Eggs

I have outdone myself...this recipe just calls for two ingredients!  Eggs and bread.  Talk about easy!

Step 1: pull out the bread

Step 2: pull out the eggs:

Step 2: cut a hole in the bread.

Step 3: place bread on hot griddle.  A pan would also do.

Step 3: crack egg into bread hole

Step 4: after a minute to two, flip.

Step 5: after another minute or so, the eggs is done. Place dippy egg onto plate and add fruit.

My kids go nuts over dippy eggs!

This meal take a total of 5 minutes, if that.  This meal is faster to cook than preparing chicken nuggets, and so much healthier.  We owe it to ourselves and our children to give them good foods!

*****

Let's talk about eggs.  In the last 6 weeks I read a book that was rather enlightening.  It is call "Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food" by Christine Avanti.  When I read books like this there are a few key points that I pick up.  In this book I picked up the difference between "regular" eggs that cost $.99 a dozen on sale, and real eggs. 

Folks, the package on the eggs I used says it all:

When eggs come from chickens that are pasture raised, they are actually more healthy for you.  So, at $4 a dozen, just a mere $3 more than eggs on sale, you get less cholesterol, less saturated fat, more vitamin A and E, more beta carotene and more omega-3 fatty acids.

Let's talk about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, as this is the key point that I recall Christine mentioning in her book.  On whfoods.com they have a page dedicated to it.  I urge you to follow my link to look at the importance of it.  To start, this is an essential fatty-acid.  This means you body does not create this stuff...you must eat this stuff.  Are you eating flax seed or walnuts or salmon on the regular?  Then you are not regularly getting the top foods that give you the good stuff.  This stuff does a whole lot of good stuff for your blood (reduce lipids, prevents excessive blood clotting, ect) and prevents cancer.

When I read things like this, I grow more convinced that you truly are what you eat.  The food you eat actually works FOR you!  What is the difference between $3 when it means you great a healthier product...that a mere $.33 an egg! 

Now, be warned...lots of marketers have caught onto this whole "organic" (I will call it) movement.  Because eggs many be called "cage free" doesn't mean they are pasture raised.  The hens can still be feeding on grain and crowded on a dirt ground.  My pasture raised eggs are local, and graze on large pastures eating on grasses and legumes. The hen are eating good foods, and producing eggs that are better for me and my family. 

Make the choice for yourself to buy pasture raised eggs, but I will do my best in my house to do so.  Even though my pilot husband may be cheap, I know this is one thing he would not be opposed of me paying more money for.

pasta with cauliflower and parmesan cheese

Pasta with cauliflower and parmesan cheese

Three ingredients, people...
- whole wheat pasta
- cauliflower, cut into small pieces
- parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta, according to the directions on the box.

2. Meanwhile, steam some cauliflower until it is to your taste.  As an alternative, you can saute the cauliflower. 

3. combine the cooked pasta with the cooked cauliflower.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese on top.

It is that simple!  When you don't have much time on your hands, and you want something healthy for your kids, take the simple steps above and you have dinner.

**

Let's talk about how good cauliflower is for you.  It is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage.  It is loaded with vitamins and phytonutrients.  It detoxifies your body, it fights against cancer, and fights unwanted inflammation.

Don't think that white = no nutrients.  The reason it is white is because it doesn't get sun during growth, since leaves cover the head.  This is a very good addition to you diet!  Eat food that feed your body, not just fill your belly.

Quinoa and tomatoes and olive oil

I have succeeded again in creating a recipe that took minutes to prepare...and Steve took seconds, and ate the remainder of the kids plates.  You know it is good when someone goes for seconds, and thirds!

Ingredients:
- Quinoa
- tomatoes
- peppers (although I will probably leave them out next time since they didn't add too much to the dish)
- olive oil
- salt

Really...that is it!



1. I prepared 2 cups of quinoa as instructed on the package

2. chop tomatoes and peppers

3. put quinoa on a plate

4. add pepper and tomatoes on top

 5. pull out the olive oil and salt, and add

Done!

The reason this dish was so good is because the tomatoes were straight from the garden and the flavor was just amazing.


You can't get more simple than this when it comes to a recipe, so it is easy on the chef.  All the while, pleasing the table.  

Tomato, Spinach and Feta Cheese Frittata

Frittata.

Sounds kind of fancy, huh?

Preparing a frittata is very simple and easy, frankly.

I will show you how I prepare my staple frittata, but once you get the basics down you can adjust the recipe to your liking.

Ingredients:

- 12 eggs

- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained.  Or, if tomatoes are in season, 2-3 tomatoes

- 1 onion, diced

- cauliflower (optional)

- 1 bag small leaf spinach

- feta cheese

1. Saute onion in olive oil

2.  Now, in this frittata I added some cauliflower.  Feel free to add this, or not.  Aside from the nutrients, it really doesn't add much to the dish in terms of flavor. No need to saute the cauliflower since this dish bakes in the oven, which is when the cauliflower will soften.

3: Add your tomatoes

4: Add the entire bag of spinach. It seems like a lot, but it wilts down to almost nothing.  When you add spinach, it first looks like this:

and after just 2 minutes, it looks like this:

and after just another 2 minutes it looks like this, which is when it is ready for the next step:

Time for the eggs!

5.  Beat those eggs to get them nice and fluffy:

6: Add eggs into the pan:

7. Sprinkle feta cheese on top:

The dish is now ready for the oven.

350 degrees, for about 45 minutes.  You will know it is done when it nice and golden and solid. 

Slice up, and enjoy:

Again, this exact recipe is my staple so that is why I am sharing it with you.  There are so many variations you can make, it is almost endless.

The prep for this dish really just takes minutes.  Now, baking takes a while, but since this is a one pan meal the clean up is almost nothing.


*****

As for the nutrition in this dish, let's talk about spinach. Not only is it loaded with anti-cancer properties, it also promotes bone health.  Here is the link to my favorite website, where you can read more about it.