The Full Plate Blog

CT "staycationers" looking for a family-friendly Saturday?

2012-02-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

Normally I stick to the kitchen gig, but we had such a fabulous time up in Litchfield County, CT last weekend that I thought I would quickly share an idea with those who might be sticking around for the long weekend. What's that fancy word for not zipping off to someplace warm? I think it's been coined a "staycation" so we don't all feel bad.

Anyway, Washington Montessori is hosting their 6th Annual Puppetry Festival Feb 18th and 25th at 10:30am each Saturday. We went last weekend and my five-year-old loved it. The show is $8/person. Then you can make a day of it and either head over to Mohawk Mountain for some family-friendly skiing or spend the afternoon exploring Kent Falls State Park. Maybe we'll see some full plate readers up there this weekend!

Oh, and don't forget...you have a few more hours to enter the give-away of Mamacat's Ruby Slippers Tea. Simply leave a comment for Jack before 3pm Friday, as he'll be picking a winner when he gets home from school!

guest post: ruby slippers + sweetening your Valentine's Day with a special give-away

2012-02-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

I think Ruby Slippers is areally good kind of tea. It feels very cozy in your mouth. It also warms yourthroat as you drink it and tastes delicious. I recommend you buy it if you arefeeling sick; it might make you feel better. Today I am kick’en back with Ruby Slippers and enjoying Valentine's Day!!!!!!!

-guest post by Jack Johnson, age 8

I couldn't have said it better myself. Jeena Choi of Mamacat's Tea, has graciously offered to send a package of Jack's favorite blend-- Ruby Slippers-- to one lucky full plate reader. To be entered to win this special treat, please leave a comment letting him know "your favorite book to read while you are drinking tea", before 3pm Friday, February 17th. Jack will be choosing the winner after he gets home from school.

new favorite green: sauteed mizuna

2012-02-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

A visit to our town's first winter (indoor) farmer's market last week resulted in the discovery of what might be my new favorite green. When I purchased it, I thought I was going to be sauteing dandelion greens, another I had never tried. But, in fact, Gazy Brothers had this beautiful, feathery mizuna and some fresh leeks at their stand. Both caught my eye (even if I had no idea what I was eagerly purchasing). A simple saute of roughly chopped mizuna and leeks along with a dollop of Riverbank Farm's garlic scape pesto (also from the farmer's market) and a bit of olive oil and wow, I might have a new favorite green.

The mizuna was delicious as is, a perfect healthy side. I used the whole stalk...

The kids enjoyed it much more than sauteed spinach (which as you all know, morphed into spinach dip last time I served that up....).

And I added the leftover sauteed mizuna to a delicious veggie frittata towards the end up the week, which was a perfect make-ahead breakfast for busy school mornings, and an early departure to the ski mountain.

Valentine's breakfast: pink oatmeal

2012-02-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

Oatmeal (made ahead) mixed with organic strawberry puree (frozen strawberries thawed bit then blended in the blender, nothing else added), topped with fresh raspberries. Served with with a cup of pink juice (that you can make... I bought raspberry-apple juice from Red Jacket Orchards)

Valentine's lunchbox

2012-02-13T16:33:00.000-08:00

Definitely nominating myself for mom-of-the-day with this lunchbox... Happy Valentine's Day sweet boys!

Cool-Cups jello hearts (note: this looks super cute but I made it with a regular cup of jello, not finger jello, carefully sliced horizontally and then cut with a cookie cutter...sooooo, they might fall apart, hence the inclusion of a spork!...) + a cream cheese and strawberry jam sandwich + mozzarella ball and marinated tomatoes + homemade cookie + strawberries + red pepper hearts and arrows (how Martha am I?!)

(nut-free) Valentine's trail mix

2012-02-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Trail Mix inspired by mom extraordinaire, JPV

**nut-free**

makes 2 1/2 gallon-size Zip-loc bags

2 boxes (12.4 oz. each) Kashi Heart-to-Heart cereal*

1 box (11.25 oz) Cascadian Farms Chocolate O's*

1 bag (16 oz) Bachmann's mini baked pretzels*

2 bags (5 oz each) Craisins*

2 bags (__ oz each) Sunspire Grain Sweetened Chocolate Chips*

Combine everything in a large bowl/pot/bag and mix/shake to combine. I laid each ingredient out in bowls and let the kids scoop the ingredients into gallon-sized zip-loc baggies using various measuring cups, and then shake to their hearts content...

*You can use any brand you'd like, but I've been specific in listing the ones above because I searched out nut-free ingredients so my boys could share this with their classmates, under our school's strict nut-free policy. For local (New Canaan, CT-area) sources, I did my shopping at Shoprite in Norwalk.

Optional sweet additions (I couldn't find these nut-free so I left them out): yogurt-covered raisins, yogurt-covered pretzels, dried cherries, white chocolate chips...

healthy Valentine's snack idea: mini red fruit skewers

2012-02-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

To balance out the (really good homemade, but still really sugary) cookies I was sending into school, I picked up a few different kind of red fruit and some long(er) toothpicks.

I don't need to tell you that this mini fruit kabob making effort could have gone a lot more quickly had I just done it after the kiddos were bathed and in bed...

but it was worth having the kids help at the end of the day. They excitedly came up with a pattern and carefully poked each one together, announcing that "[their classmates] were going to love this Valentine's snack". He's probably right. Even plain fruit is exciting when served on a stick!

bell pepper "flower"

2012-02-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

easiest Valentine's (or any other day) veggie snack:

red bell pepper slices!

transformed into a beautiful "flower" simply by arranging them in a small bowl and letting them fan out

to be honest, I didn't know I had done this, until one of my children exclaimed that "it's so pretty...like a big poofy flower!"

sweet heart cookies

2012-02-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

I baked a big batch of heart-shaped sugar cookies the other night and froze them in anticipation of both children having friends over to play yesterday. (It was supposed to be grim weather, but I think my (fabulous) snow day activity pinboard is keeping winter at bay this year...nice.) Anyway, I hemmed and hawed and bookmarked all of these healthier options for my older son's class snack...but the cookies were already made and if you ask two 8-year-olds and two 5-year-olds if they'd like to decorate the cookies and put them back into the freezer for next week and make a healthier snack for tomorrow, I'll let you guess the answer. So, delicious homemade cookies went into school today, balanced out with two red fruit and veggie snacks: bell pepper slices and mini red fruit skewers.

If you've been reading my blog long enough, you know that I love to let my kids get in on the decorating action-- as long as there's a rimmed baking sheet handy. I am only so loose, you know...

I picked up a bunch of India Tree sugars and natural decorating colors at our local market. They are pricey, but the beet juice (which makes the red gel red) cannot be beat in terms of ingredients and creating a gorgeous pink.

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest of 1 lime (or orange or lemon, optional but adds nice flavor)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
wax and parchment paper
rimmed baking sheets

In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, sugar and egg. Using a hand mixer, beat at medium speed, until creamy. Add the vanilla and citrus zest; mix well. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each in wax paper and refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).

When you are reading to do the baking, preheat oven to 350°F.* Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness and then cut with your favorite cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. For best results, let the cookies cool before decorating.

*If you are not up for rolling and cutting out shapes, simply roll small balls with your hands (flattening them slightly so they don’t roll all over when you’re walking to the oven) and place them 1” apart on the baking sheet. Then bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

Royal Icing (great for decorating cookies)Keep in mind that this frosting needs to be used immediately or stored in an airtight container as it hardens quickly when exposed to air! I make each child a zip-loc baggie of frosting, squeeze all of the air out, and then cut a tiny hole in one corner, so it’s their own “pastry bag”. This frosting can also be colored with food coloring, or the food coloring gels available at most markets.

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue (egg white) powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract (optional)
1/2 - 3/4 cup warm water (add the water until desired consistency)
I mix by hand, adding liquid until I reach the desired consistency—not rock hard, but not too runny either. Keep in mind that if you’re adding food coloring, that is a liquid too so you’ll want to add it before pouring in all of the allotted water to avoid the frosting getting too runny. Runny is still tasty but it’s messy, and takes a loooong time to harden!

Valentine's treats and class snack ideas

2012-02-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is on the horizon. Which, of course, means that I need to save me from myself. I volunteered to bring the class snack for my 3rd grade child's class and their 7th grade "buddy class" at the end of this week, which means I am a week early planning a Valentine's-themed school snack... and you all will have plenty of time to peruse some ideas before next week. I was up baking a double batch of heart-shaped sugar cookies last night, in anticipation of a fun diversion for the kids who are both having friends over to play tomorrow. We'll freeze the cookies for next week, though I'm not sure which child's class will be the lucky recipient of these after they're decorated? The buddy gathering this week is a morning affair, and something tells me that sending decorated sugar cookies in-- while cute and unanimously enjoyed-- might not go over well with the teachers who then have to peel the kiddos off the ceiling. A quick perusal of the post I wrote around this same time last year gave me some good ideas for special meals at home. And then there was the reminder that when I tried to be supermom last year, I baked with salt instead of sugar. Seriously. So, anyway, given my track record, I should probably just go buy some red foods like a watermelon and some dried cranberries and call it a day, but you know me. So, here's my round-up of Valentine's-themed school snack ideas and sweet treats (click the photo to go to that particular recipe):

berry and cream cheese pinwheels

mini yogurt parfaits made with red berries and strawberry or raspberry yogurt

a mini-version of my fruit skewers made with watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and red grapes

this heart-shaped scone recipe is excellent-- achem, when made with sugar, not salt

or my blueberry-yogurt muffins can also be made with frozen or fresh raspberries or cranberries

to make them red and "Valentine's-themed"

I've also been querying readers over on my FB page and looking at some of my favorite blogs to see what other great ideas are out there. Here are a few that caught my eye:

Sally, over at Real Mom Nutrition, told me that "they're making strawberry smoothies and having the kids try pomegranate seeds, frozen raspberries and red peppers + each child is getting a little chocolate heart";
Mindful Momma had pinned this recipe for homemade fruit snacks from All Day I Dream About Food that looks neat;
Kelsey, The Naptime Chef, also mentioned that her daughter loves sparkling knox blocks made with fruit juice (not Kool-Aid), cut into heart-shapes so I am going to see if she has a recipe for that. Her other idea was to cut watermelon into heart-shapes, which the kids always love;
Food and Whine features good old finger-jello hearts on their site, along with these heart-shaped quinoa coconut granola bites that sound delicious-- if nuts are ok in your school/home;
Sweet Potato Chronicles dished up recipes for Thumbprint Corn Muffins, Flourless Brownies, and Graham Sweet Potato Muffins with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting all of which sound amazing;
The Spunky Coconut showcased a Gluten-Free Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cookie that look like they could be a winner for all of my gluten/casein-free readers;
Celeste over at Growing up Veg shared a vegan recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes that look yummy;
And Jeanette's Healthy Living shared this recipe for gluten/dairy/egg-free heart-shaped cinnamon-spiced scones which sounds like a delicious treat option, especially if your diet is restricted in those ways;
And last but not least on the sweet treat front, Welcoming Kitchen offered up a refined-sugar-free Vanilla Rice Pudding and Strawberry Parfait recipe which is like a dessert-version of my yogurt parfaits;

Whoa. A lot of sweet treats to consider. On to savory ideas...

This savory heart-shaped bruschetta from The Jolly Tomato would make an excellent after school snack, or dinner for the kids. That will definitely appear around here in the near future!;
My friend, Cobie, reminded me that my jicama spears could also be cut into heart-shapes and dusted with chili powder or paprika. I think that's risky to bring in as a school snack, but I am definitely going to make this as a festive side for my own kids;
And last but not least, an excellent platter of healthful heart-shaped foods, this one from The Good Stuff 411, would be perfect for an after school snack or variety in your child's classroom.

comforting veggie lasagna...and the decadent spinach frittata that came after it

2012-02-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

This comforting spinach lasagna is one of my favorite make-ahead (family-pleasing) veggie dinners. I made a batch to enjoy this weekend, and two smaller dishes of it to be hauled out on busy nights in the weeks ahead. You can make it as is, and it is amazing. Trust me, everyone raves about this recipe. Or, you can always add any additional veggies you may have on hand. This time, I added some grilled eggplant and zucchini (that I picked up in the frozen section of Trader Joe's) + chopped butternut squash.

As an additional bonus, I always end up with a little of the spinach-cream cheese mixture. This morning, I transformed the spinach mixture into a decadent veggie frittata by combining:

1 cup spinach mixture leftover from the batch of lasagna I made on Friday
about 1 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I used the dried kind that come in a bag or tub, not the ones that are packed in oil, but you could use either variety)
2 Morningstar sausage patties, chopped
4 frozen basil cubes (those Dorot ones I get at Trader Joe's in the frozen section, always try to keep those on hand for a quick flavor boost)
9 or 10 eggs (depending upon how big your eggs are...my basic frittata recipe also calls for 1/2 cup of whole milk, but I did not use that this time because I was getting the creaminess from the cream cheese in the spinach mixture)
sprinkling of cheese on top (note that this go round I did not use any additional cheese in the frittata b/c there was so much in the spinach mixture)

Put everything together in an oven-proof skillet and baked it at 350 until puffy and golden, and firm in the center, about 15-20 minutes. Amazing!! Easy, and such a great way to use up the spinach mixture.

Super FOOD (because it's all about the ads and the food isn't it?)

2012-02-03T05:13:00.000-08:00

Many of us act like we're really into the Super Bowl, but for many of us, it's all about the ads and the food. How many other Sundays do you get together with family and friends, and sit around eating all afternoon and evening with the TV on? I pulled a seriously dingy move this year, and offered to be the point person for scoring theater tickets for a show that's hot, and equally coveted dinner reservations, to celebrate my mom's big birthday. I couldn't believe my good fortune to be able to get both on February 5th, just one day after her BIG day! I was the golden child. Or not. But come on, it's not like I have the Superbowl listed in my (paper) calendar. It wasn't until friends invited us over for one of those fun family gatherings (to sit around catching up with friends and eating all afternoon/evening, with the TV on) that I realized I was the proud holder of 4 theater tickets and a dinner reservation...on Super Bowl Sunday. So, I'm not whipping up any of these vittles this year, but if I was going to host, or offer to bring something to our friend's party, this would be my list of go-to healthy party foods. Most, if not all, can be made ahead so this is another one of those "throw a party and get to enjoy it too" posts...since no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen when those great ads come on!

Dip into one of these...

(Soy) Sausage Dip (super easy and everyone loves this decadent dip)
Decadent Stuffed Baked Brie (melted, gooey decadence that pleases a crowd)
Cowboy Caviar (loaded with good stuff, serve with baked tortilla chips)
Bright Green Pea Dip (if you're looking for something lighter + brighter... see it in action here)
Edamame Hummus (healthy go-to dip around here that everyone always enjoys)
Pesto Torta (a bit more work, but everyone loves this layered app)

A platters of something fresh...

A big veggie platter (is always welcome when there's lots of mindless munching)
Here's another fruit & veggie spread (perfect for a smaller gathering)
Jicama Spears with Lime and Chili Powder (couldn't be easier and you're pretty much guaranteed someone else won't show up with the same thing...unless the also read full plate)
Fruit Skewers (if you'd like to contribute something sweet and healthy...these are a particular hit with kids)

Pieces of something delicious...

Cucumber Cups (filled with Soy sausage Dip, store-bought hummus or your favorite dip, as a healthier option to chips...)
Phyllo cups (lots of stuffing options listed, pick your favorite)
Endive Spears with Parmesan-Walnut Pesto (most sophisticated on this list, but hey, maybe you run with a swanky crowd...)
Or a recent favorite, Chorizo with Queso Fresca

And entrees that will fill and wow a crowd...

Chicken Enchiladas (see a version of it in action here)
Easy Enchiladas Verdes
(my absolute favorite) Turkey Chili (see a version of it in action here)
Tortilla and Chicken Chili Bake
Spinach Lasagna
or this version of Homemade Lasagna

inspired by...

2012-02-02T18:43:00.000-08:00

Inspiration comes from all over... sometimes it's a veggie that catches my eye, other days it's a magazine full of tantalizing photos that's arrived in the mail, or maybe I hear a blip on NPR and wish my drive lasted a little bit longer so I could have heard the whole story. This week, my inspiration came largely from Facebook. Yes, Facebook. As in the however-many-billion-trillion-gazillion-their-IPO-will-be Facebook. I love logging in as mealsinasnap and seeing what other moms I admire are writing about and sharing.

This company reminds me of just how lucky I am. Something as simple, and as frequent, as going to the supermarket. As the mom of two very able-bodied children, this is something I just take for granted.

This teacher just amazes me with his passion, creativity and resourcefulness. I highly recommend setting aside 15 minutes to watch Stephen Ritz's TEDx presentation about the Green Bronx Machine. It is truly the most uplifting, empowering presentation I have seen in a while. Wow.

And dialing back down as we near the end of a busy week, my friend Bar posted the most wonderful excerpt today. A must read for every parent.

easy app: jicama spears with fresh lime juice and chili powder

2012-01-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

I love having jicama on hand to add to a veggie platter. It has this satisfying crunch. When we snack on it here during the week, we enjoy it plain-- just skinned and chopped into chunks or spears. But this weekend, I was whipping up a few Mexican-themed appetizers, and wanted an alternative to the heavy, decadent food we were going to be enjoying. The other app I was making was a simple grilled chorizo with local quesito cheese. The was a nice alternative because it was fresh, light and veggie-based. This app can be made ahead (chopping the jicama and squeezing the lime juice on top... the only thing you'll want to do at the last minute is sprinkle the chili powder over the top), making it another great accompaniment to a Mexican-themed make-ahead dinner party.

Jicama Spears with Fresh Lime Juice and Chili Powder

jicama, peeled and chopped into spears

fresh lime juice

chili powder

Place sliced jicama on a platter or bowl. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the jicama and toss to coat. This may be done several hours before serving. Then, right before serving, sprinkle with chili powder. Enjoy cold or room temp.

what is jicama?

2012-01-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a lot of positive feedback for sharing what fennel looks like and what various squashes look like, so I'm going to do the same for jicama today. I have a simple snack/ appetizer recipe to share: jicama spears with fresh lime juice and chili powder, but first I want to make sure everyone knows what to look for in your produce section! As you can see in the above pic, jicama has a papery light brown exterior (though most of the jicama found by us in CT appear to have a coating of wax on top of the skin). Once the skin is removed, you have this white interior that is hard and watery-- kind of like a raw potato in texture, but much sweeter, which you see pictured below. Jicama is almost 90% water, and can be enjoyed raw or added to things like stir-fries to add some crunch. Usually featured in Mexican and SE Asian cooking, I add it to green salads, bean salads, gazpacho, or just have it prepped in the fridge for a healthy, quick snack.

easy app: grilled chorizo with queso

2012-01-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I was in charge of the food for a community gathering of almost 40 parents. Now, I love to cook, but I'm not a caterer, so 10-12 people is my max for a full dinner spread. We ordered the food from a local Mexican restaurant (which ended up being fabulous) and I simply made a couple of very easy appetizers + my (phenomenal, totally decadent) cinnamon-chocolate brownies... since I can only stay out of the kitchen for so long. Anyway, knowing this group of guys regularly eats meat straight off the cutting board when they're on father-child camp outs together, this was the "carnivore" app option... These would be perfect accompaniments to the "make-ahead Mexican-themed dinner party" post I shared with you earlier this month because in addition to being super easy (and crowd-pleasing), you can grill the sausages ahead of time, then assembled them and just serve them room temp.

Grilled Chorizo with Quesito (or Queso Blanco/Fresco)

(I'm not listing amts b/c you can make as many as you'd like...)

Chorizo sausages

Queso Fresco, Queso Blanco or Quesito cheese

Grill sausages, then slice on the diagonal. Top with a square of your favorite Mexican cheese. Stick a toothpick in each one, if you'd like. Serve warm or room temp.

More on chorizo: my favorite brand of chorizo is D'Artagnan. It's smokey but not too spicy. If you want to learn everything there is to know about chorizo, I recommend going here.

More on queso: Queso blanco and queso fresco are white cheeses with a mild, tangy taste. They are typically made with cow's milk and crumble quite easily, like a Feta cheese, so they are perfect atop salads, enchiladas or soups. This sort of cheese also worked cutting it into wedges, as I did in this appetizer. Because this cheese won't get "oily" or "sweat" sitting out during a party, it's a great option for a make-ahead app. I went to a local supermarket that has plentiful ethnic products, knowing they would have several queso blanco and queso fresos to choose from. A local (Stamford, CT) company, La Finquita, happened to be sampling that afternoon, and after getting the thumbs up from me, and my trusted 5-year-old sidekick, I used their "quesito" variety. A little went a long way. One 14 oz. round topped 8 grilled chorizo sausages (making approximately 50 appetizer pieces).

orange-fennel salad with lemon vinaigrette

2012-01-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

Coming off a weekend of party food, I am looking forward to lightening up a bit in this week ahead. I made this salad earlier this winter and loved it. It's fresh tasting, brightly colored and super healthy. Best of all, I can make it one day when I have some extra time to cook, and then store it in the fridge. It held up well for 3-4 days, which is always a bonus when we're heading into a busy week!

Fennel-Orange Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

about 8 servings

4 oranges
1-2 large fennel bulbs, stalks and fronds removed
fresh parsley and/ or mint, chopped
juice of 2-3 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Thinly slice the fennel, either by hand or using the slicer blade of a food processor. Cut the peel and the pith (white part) from the oranges, then cut into bite-sized chunks. Chop leaves of fresh parsley or mint. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl. Then, either using a whisk and bowl (or a blender), combine the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour over the salad and mix to combine. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Here it is in photos for those who like to see the recipes in action...

(The first time I made this I made way too much dressing. I ended up using the rest in a quinoa salad, but it would also be nice drizzled over grilled veggies, fish, shrimp or chicken...)

And I know you have that burning question of whether my kids actually ate this? Sort of. One of them did-- he loves celery and fennel is pretty close in texture. Right now, he's far more adventuresome with his eating, so I didn't hear boo from him other than "this is great!". He's my easy eater these days. My other son tried a bit of fennel and didn't like it at all. Instead of hopping up from the table to make him something else, I simply encouraged him to just eat the oranges out of his salad...

what does a fennel bulb look like?

2012-01-29T19:17:00.000-08:00

As I was typing up a recipe for (this fabulous) fennel-orange salad it occurred to me that some might ask what a fennel bulb looks like? It's easy to get your bulbs confused, particularly if you have an antsy toddler in the shopping cart "helping". So, without further adieu... here is what you're looking for when a recipe calls for a "fennel bulb" or "fresh fennel". Fennel appears in many Mediterranean recipes. It is crunchy, a little bit sweet, and has a mild anise flavor. It's showcased in one of my favorite lentil salads, I have roasted it alongside root veggies and if I have it on hand, I love to add it to my bouillabaisse. Most of the recipes I feature fennel in just use the white bulb part.

(more) lunchbox ideas

2012-01-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

You can always tell what we had for dinner, or what fruit/veggies I have prepped, and how late I slept by what makes it into the lunchbox that morning...

fresh pineapple + red pepper spears + avocado hummus (from Trader Joe's) + baked blue corn chips + a mozzarella stick + a cup of yogurt for a treat

yogurt smoothie + shredded carrots (leftover from a recipe the night before) + freeze-dried berries + a few gingersnaps + cream cheese and jelly on whole wheat bread (made exciting with cookie cutters)

a cup of yogurt + fresh berries + a slice of cornbread from dinner the night before + a bunch of veggies + a fruit leather

a fruit leather (can you tell I stocked up that week?) + a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese + cucumbers + blueberries + peas (fun to pick up apparently..)

special centerpieces

2012-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

I've kept running with the idea of featuring something the children made as our centerpiece. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner? Total keeper.

thank you and sorry for any confusion...

2012-01-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

Humph. Here I was all excited to be in the running as your favorite inspiration when it comes to simple, meatless, family-pleasing meals but I received an email today (as I shot up through the top 10) that "we have unfortunately had to remove your blog from the Top 25 Vegan and Vegetarian Moms competition as it is not a solely vegan or vegetarian blog. Although you do feature vegan and vegetarian recipes, we see that you have many recipes that include meat and unfortunately that does not fit in to this contest category." I'm disappointed, but I totally get it. While I am cooking several meatless meals a week, and rocking my goal of expanding my meatless repertoire, at my core, I am a believer in "everything in moderation".

I truly appreciate all of you who voted for the full plate blog, even if it was in vain this time. It really did mean lot to see so many friends and readers being so supportive. In less than a day, the full plate blog went from the bottom of the list to #7 because of your votes. (That is simply awesome.) While my blog won't appear in this niche category, I do still encourage readers here who are interested in expanding their meatless meal repertoire to check out those in the top 25 because there are some really awesome (purely vegan and vegetarian) blogs out there. While I choose to stay flexible in our family cooking, inspiration can always be found in other's ideas!

there is no way I am cooking every night (the idea of "re-purposing" leftovers)

2012-01-27T08:13:00.000-08:00

I had an excellent night out last night with a bunch of mom friends. But of course, even when we're out and there's not a child or husband in sight, conversation still includes cooking, and other (riveting) household topics. Anyway, I was kind of surprised at how many of my mom friends say they cook each night. Seriously? While I regularly get snarky emails from my friends saying, "I don't know how you do it", I always respond, "I don't". As in, yes, I make my family a healthy, nourishing dinner every night, but I definitely don't cook every night. At least 3 nights a week, it is all about re-purposing (or hauling something delicious out of the freezer). Speaking of the freezer, you can see my go-to meatless freezer ideas here. Or for those who eat a little bit of everything (including chicken, turkey, beef), here are all of my go-to freezer-friendly entrees. But, back to the topic at hand: re-purposing.

As those who have been reading full plate for a while know, I usually cook a bunch of something at once, so I, well, only have to cook it once. Makes sense, right? But what if everyone doesn't want roasted root veggies again, or you cooked enough zucchini for a small army? I know some people have an aversion to leftovers, so I'm leaving that word out this post (though I, personally, have no problem eating some delicious thing made the day before). Instead, we're going to give it a fancy (albeit industrial-sounding) name: re-purposing. I regularly "re-purpose" veggies in soups, frittatas, and whatnot. So, it should come as no surprise that one recent evening, my leftover-- I mean re-purposed-- veggies were transformed (in a matter of minutes) into a decadent pasta sauce....

This particular sauce (which I served over whole wheat rotini) was a combination of "re-purposed" roasted butternut squash and onions + a jar of artichoke hearts (in oil, which became the cooking oil for this sauce) from the pantry + the small remainder of roasted zucchini in my fridge + the few cherry tomatoes I had kicking around + some minted peas that had been a great side a few days prior + a tub of bocconchini (mozzarella balls) I had. My point is not to share a recipe, per se, but rather to give you an idea and some accompanying visuals so you see how easy it can be to create a delicious dinner with what you might already have on hand.

simple (kid-pleasing) side: roasted delicata squash

2012-01-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

Heading into 2012 with a goal of preparing more meatless meals for my family, I was inspired by Mark Bittman's NYT piece, "no meat, no problem" I pinned his delicata squash recipe onto my "recipes I can't wait to try" board. (It has since been elevate to the tried-and-true "side dishes (make again!)" board, if you're looking for it.) But what is a delicata squash I wondered as I perused the various orbs in the produce section? I know I'm not the only one who confuses one squash with another because a 2009 post I wrote on "what does a butternut and acorn squash look like?" is still one of the most popular on this site. So, before I launch into this super easy veggie side that my kids loved, I am sharing a photo of delicata squashes above. Now you know what to look for!

Simple Roasted Delicata Squash

inspired by Mark Bittman's "Recipes for the Semi-Vegan"

(reheats well, so make a bunch at one time to enjoy throughout the week)

delicata squash
olive oil (or your favorite oil)
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oven to 425. Wash the squash, since you will be roasting it with the skin on. Cut the round ends off each squash, so it stands up easily when you slice it in half the long way. Then scoop and discard seeds. (This is a good part to let kids help with, if they want to take part.) Slice each half cross-wise into 2" pieces and lay on baking sheet. (I lined mine with parchment, so the squash would not stick.) Drizzle with a bit of olive (or your favorite) oil, and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender. (You can test by sticking a fork into a piece...it should pierce easily.) Serve warm. I packaged up leftovers and reheated them in the oven at future meals that week. This reheats perfectly, so I encourage you to make a big batch and either serve it as a made-ahead side, or it can be chopped up and added to a soup or risotto.

I will try to remember to shoot an "after" photo with the next batch we make. The pieces caramelize and get really sweet, making it particularly appealing to my younger son. And, since manners are second to just getting food down their hatches these days, I should note that this recipe was enjoyed with fingers, not a fork. Yes, I just admitted that I left my kids eat with their hands... Hope it's a hit in your house too, no matter how your family enjoys this simple side!

[Update 1/30/12: an "after" shot! Here's a batch that is cooked and ready to enjoy. At my friend, Loren's, suggestion, I cut them into rings this time. Even neater!! Still finger food as far as I am concerned...]

wondering about the new USDA School Food standards?

2012-01-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, new USDA School Food Standards were announced. For many parents, this is a hot button topic. Here are two excellent articles describing the new standards. Bettina, over at The Lunch Tray, always provides a thoroughly researched synopsis of the latest school food news, infused with a (very reasonable) parent's perspective. While she too believes this a a big step forward, she raises a natural question of attainability for all. Marion Nestle thinks there was "near universal applause". As a mom who packs a few days a week for one of my children (who is not old enough for his school's cafeteria), and has another child who thoroughly enjoys the offerings from his (independent) school cafeteria, I am thankful we have the resources and a school lunch program that is a local model of excellence. As parents, we can feel confident about the fruits, veggies, and healthy entrees we provide our children for breakfast and dinner at home...this is a big step towards feeling just as confident about what they are consuming in their school lunches.

a vote of confidence for full plate!

2012-01-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

[Update 1/27: I receive an email from Circle of Moms saying, ".... I'm writing to let you know that we have unfortunately had to remove your blog from the Top 25 Vegan and Vegetarian competition as it is not a solely vegan or vegetarian blog. Although you do feature vegan and vegetarian recipes, we see that you have many recipes that include meat and unfortunately that does not fit in to this contest category..." So, while I am disappointed to be knocked out of the popularity contest, I totally get it. Still, you should still head on over there if you're interested in vegetarian/vegan recipes because there are tons of inspiring (fully vegan or vegetarian) blogs on there!]

I've just tossed my blog into the ring on one of these "Top 25" contest and would love your vote, if you enjoy reading the full plate blog! Here's the link to vote. Mine is listed as "the full plate blog" with the photo above (of my black bean cakes) as the image, if you're into searching visually. They're looking for the Top 25 mom-written blogs with a focus on vegetarian meals. As you all know, one of my goals this year is to expand our repertoire of family-friendly, meatless meals. I'm loving the recipes I've made for our family in January, and look forward to sharing a bunch more with you all. Another bonus of checking out this contest is learning about a bunch of other healthy mom-written blogs. You guys know I sometimes suffer from "inspiration overload", but I do love it when I find another like-minded mom. Thanks, in advance, for your votes of confidence. I'm in a little bubble writing this blog, so sometimes recognition like this is just the boost I need!

feeding other people's children...tips from our table

2012-01-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

School's letting out early, and hungry kids are about to pile off the school bus. They'll arrive just in time for lunch. {I hear a collective groan from a bunch of friends.} Based upon emails/queries you all send me, this sort of hosting completely stresses parents out. Here's my strategy for keeping mealtimes (with a variety of palates, preferences and levels of picky) sane. Or, as sane as 4 little ones around a lunch table will ever be:

Ask the parent(s) what his/her child typically has for lunch, and make sure you serve something similar. You don't need to cater to every child precisely, but it makes everything run more smoothly if you have at least one thing that is familiar and enjoyed by your little guest. There is nothing worse than having a child come to play, look at lunch with mild horror and then proceed to unravel because they didn't eat a thing.
Get everything prepared and laid out in advance. When the kids come in, have them wash hands and sit down to eat. It's much easier to get the meal down the hatch first thing, than to try to lure them out of the playroom or in from the yard once happy revelry is underway. Don't stress if the pizza's cold at that point. Trust me on this one.
Cut down on waste by letting the little ones serve themselves.

Here are a few playdate meal examples...

According to his mom, our guest "really likes hot dogs and fruit". So, I laid out some grilled chicken-apple sausages + snap pea crisps + alphabet cookies + grapes + blanched green beans. Told the kids everything could be eaten with their hands, which made everyone want to try everything, including the green beans. Never mind that they became swords...

Our guest likes "plain sandwiches, just meat and cheese". I put the sandwiches on hearty bread, like my kids are used to eating...but if I notice the child seems freaked out by that, I tell them it's ok to just eat the filling.

"Pizza is her favorite food", can become an opportunity for a make-your-own pizza playdate, if you have the time and energy. If not (which is more often the case for me), I'll have both a plain cheese and a veggie one made, and served together on one platter. A few of my favorite frozen brands are Kashi, Amy's, AC LaRocco and American Flatbread.

I hope these simple tips help with your lunch prep when hosting little ones. Have another question or mealtime struggle, you can always email me and I'll share what works in our house, or do my best to link you up with another busy mom's ideas that might inspire you!

family dinner: making it festive

2012-01-24T05:00:00.002-08:00

My family dinner goal is going well, but there's always room for improvement (e.g. the kids could actually eat, and I could not feel like I am going to spontaneously combust when they don't...). But all in all, not to sound too tutti frutti, they have been nice daily times to reconnect, and really pay attention to one another. Since today was the Chinese/Lunar New Year, I tried to use that as a chance to make dinner a little special. It didn't take much, and the kids were totally wowed: homemade soup (our regular dinner) + some take-out dumplings (in honor of the holiday) + today's dragon artwork on display (those are dried beans in champagne glasses-- don't ask, it was hard to figure out how to get it to stand up above the food...) + alongside the handmade ceramic box our older son brought home from school today. I noticed how excited they were to have things they made on display. Placing something they've made as the centerpiece would be easy to continue doing, and if we ever do find ourselves in a conversation lull, it's the perfect thing to ask about.

spinach-turkey-lentil- quinoa (aka: use-what's-in-the-fridge-up) soup

2012-01-24T05:00:00.001-08:00

It's cold, it's drizzly, and aside from our outing to the pediatrician, I've been marooned at home with a sick child. I knew I had turkey tucked away in the freezer. That was by design for exactly this sort of day. A quick scan of the fridge/freezer turned up: some red pepper slices (crunchy for about one more day), a bowl of quinoa (that everyone is tired of) and last week's spinach dip (that's held up remarkably well, but the novelty of spinach dip has worn off). Since I don't want to waste perfectly good food, it's time for a batch of {drum roll}...

Use-What-Is-In-The-Fridge Soup

a.k.a. Spinach-Lentil-Quinoa Soup with Shredded Turkey*

(amount made will depend upon what your putting in)

In a large pot, I combined:

onion, chopped

bell pepper, chopped

olive oil (optional: to saute the onions/pepper)

bag of frozen spinach

dried lentils

shredded turkey (I had in the freezer, optional)*

leftover spinach dip

leftover cooked quinoa

Rapunzel vegetable bouillon cubes + water

salt & pepper, to taste (optional)

*to make this soup a super easy vegetarian masterpiece, just leave the turkey out!

Let it simmer and do its' thing until the lentils are cooked. Ironically, this soup made largely from leftovers will freeze well for up to 3 months in an airtight container, if you find yourself with leftovers!

This is not the prettiest photo, but you'll see that I literally just popped the remainder of the spinach dip into the soup.

prepping ahead: roast a turkey breast

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned prepping vegetables and fruit in past posts. Bowls of cut-up fruit and veggies stored in the fridge guarantee that I can easily ensure a fruit or veggie on every plate. And I usually have some sort of grain on hand, already cooked (usually quinoa...I never trust that it's really going to puff up that much and always make way too much). When I roast vegetables, I always try to prepare more than we're eating at that meal, so extras can be on hand to go into frittatas, scrambled eggs, enchiladas, curries, whatnot. And lately, I've been into cooking a large bone-in turkey breast and then tucking the shredded meat away in the freezer, to use in meals the following month or two. This was a major bonus when we could make pot pies a month after Thanksgiving, and tonight I was able to pop a bag on turkey into the pot with other ingredients and have an amazing homemade soup made in a half hour.

I recommend brining your turkey breast. It really does make a difference, and it's not much extra work (just plan ahead time-wise), especially since you're doing the cooking once, and then reaping the rewards for many meals to come. I choose to just do a breast. You may prefer to roast a whole bird for even more meat. Either way, here's a good roasting guide. It's helpful to shred the meat after cooking, and then package it in single-meal portions. This way you can simply grab what you need, without thawing the rest.

Gun Hay Fat Choy!!

2012-01-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

Two fellow blog writers are way more organized and festive than I am this Year of the Dragon. Perhaps that is because I am still recovering from our trip to Russia last night. But I have fond memories of my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Toy, making Egg Foo Young with us, and making a really big deal about the day. So, I kind of felt like I should do something.... Thankfully, my friend Katy's blog Healthy Working Mom came to the rescue with a simple, parade-inducing craft I could make with my son. And, I suffered only momentary inspiration overload reading Jeanette's Healthy Living's post that is a wealth of information about traditions and cuisine. It makes me wish I had my act together to make something Chinese tonight... I mean how amazing do those dumplings look?

a Russian feast fit for a king...or a dad

2012-01-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

For my husband's bday this year, I suggested the kids give him an "experience". (I knew he'd also be getting a whole host of thoughtfully crafted pipe cleaner and tape creations.) My older son was thrilled with this prospect and started listing off all of the fun things the two of them could do together. My younger son nodded wisely and said from the backseat, "I think I'll take him someplace he's never been. Like Russia!" Glancing in the rear view mirror I questioned the cost (and logistics) of that sort of gift, and encouraged him to think of something, well, a bit more reasonable. "I know!" he exclaimed. "We could turn our house into Russia!" Right. "That's a neat idea. Let's think a little bit more about that one," I said hoping he'd come up with something a little easier to execute. But days went by and the excitement about a Russian extravaganza grew. "How about if we made a Russian meal, and you picked out a Russian book or movie or something?" I suggested, knowing that was one area I could help out with. "Super!! That is exactly what daddy would want", my 5-year-old assured me, nodding his head.

And so, that is how we ended up with a Russian feast yesterday. A quick Wiki search of Russian cuisine resulted in, "a large boiled piece of meat cooked in a soup or porridge, and then used as second course or served cold (particularly in jellied stock); offal dishes (liver, tripe, etc.), baked in pots together with cereals; whole fowl dishes or parts of fowl (legs or breasts), or a large piece of meat (rump) baked on a baking tray in an oven, so-called 'zharkoye'." Eew.

I think my husband is still scratching his head at the randomness of it all, but it ended up being a delicious (family dinner) trip to Russia: blinis (store bought, Whole Food's seafood section) topped with sour cream and 1/2 with sour cherry jam, 1/2 with smoked salmon + my adaptation of a "traditional" salad Olivier off of a Russian cuisine site (potatoes + peas + carrots + hard-boiled eggs with a homemade vinaigrette-- I skipped the pickles and mayo, ick) + meatball stroganoff (a recipe I had kicking around from my personal chef days, which used to be a client favorite).

Ypa! {Cheers!}

snow day cooking: homemade marshmallows!

2012-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

Had I known my little one would be home sick from school today, I might have saved one of our snow day activities for a gray Monday. Thankfully, we still had a few decadent marshmallows leftover, so we could enjoy some hot cocoa... loaded up. Over the weekend, I made my first batch of homemade marshmallows, which I found on Real Mom Nutrition. Now, I am a fabulous cook, not a baker. Baking requires precise measurements and following directions, two things that are not my forte. But these were fun. Kind of a make-them-once sort of recipe, perfect for a snow day. I'm going to let Sally's recipe be your go-to, but I do have a few pictures I'll share with you all to clarify a few parts (if you're anything like me and would like to see a recipe in action, before you try it)!

The recipe says to beat on high for about 12-15 minutes.... the batter went from very watery brown (from the addition of vanilla, probably more than was supposed to go in--see above about not being very good at following precise instructions)...

gradually got thicker...

until it was a very white, thick batter.

Thick enough that, as you can see, it sticks to the beaters.

Since we were already cooking with corn syrup, I thought what the heck, we can also add the food coloring we use for science experiments. I mean really, why let the excitement end with white sugar and corn syrup?!

You could beat the coloring in, or stir it to make a swirly patter, as we did. Be forewarned that once you cut the marshmallows and roll them in powdered sugar, the color will be kind of hidden though...so in hindsight, coloring them wasn't really worth it...

OK, folks, here's the really important part though: I didn't have a 9x9 pan, so I used a 9x13 pan. That worked fine, as long as you don't mind you marshmallows being a little thinner. BUT, make sure you use enough cooking spray. This is key.

Here's where I made my big mistake... the sprayed parchment paper peeled off easily. (Parchment was fine in lieu of plastic wrap). But I turned the marshmallows onto a cutting board, which was not sprayed. And they stuck. Understatement. Like glue. So, I sat there struggling to cut the marshmallows off the cutting board, swearing I would never make these again. Had I simply dusted the cutting board with confectioner's sugar or placed the marshmallow sheet onto a sprayed piece of parchment paper, things would have gone MUCH more smoothly! I also hadn't tried these babies yet. Whoa, they are good. Really good. Perhaps even worth my crazy knife wielding trying to cut them before fluffing them in confectioner's sugar?!

zucchini-carrot fritters

2012-01-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

What's a girl to do when it's snowy outside (and she's a California driver in the snow...), she's promised her younger child they'd stay in their PJs all day (second reason why the supermarket's not an option), and she opens the fridge and finds a zucchini and some carrots starting to head past their prime? Quickly figure out something to make with them, of course! I've been pinning recipes I want to try and vaguely remembered some sort of veggie cake/patty/fritter. Hmmm, but not one with zucchini. Still, that idea sounds good. A quick google of "zucchini fritters" comes up with a few different ones, but this one from The Healthy Foodie sounds easy and I've got eggs, whole wheat flour and Parmesan on hand, so that's the one to try. They turned out great! We had them for lunch, but they would also make a nice savory breakfast.

Zucchini-Carrot Fritters

makes about 25 fritters

based on this recipe by The Healthy Foodie

1 medium-large zucchini

2 medium carrots

1/2 a medium onion

zest of 1 lemon

2 eggs

1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

4 Tablespoons (1/4 C) whole wheat flour

salt & pepper (optional)

olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)

Shred the zucchini, carrots and onion. (I used the shredding attachment of my Cuisinart.) Transfer to a mixing bowl. Using a paper towel, press into the veggie mixture, trying to draw out any extra moisture. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl (lemon zest, eggs, flour, Parmesan cheese and a bit of salt & pepper). Blend with your hands until everything is combined. Heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive (or your choice of) oil. Drop Tablespoon-sized balls of batter into skillet. Press down with spatula to flatten the fritters so they cook evenly, and flip the fritter half way through cooking. Once they are cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, place fritters on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Enjoy warm on their own, topped with a bit of sour cream and applesauce, or drizzled with hot sauce. Can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer and reheated on a baking sheet (350 for 10 minutes, or so), so they crisp up again. Enjoy!

Here's the recipe in pics, for those who like a step by step too:

I medium-large zucchini + 2 carrots

+ 1/2 a medium onion (which I quartered so it would fit down the Cuisinart chute).

This is the Cuisinart blade I use to shred.

Transfer the shredded veggies to a mixing bowl.

Add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of flour, and 1 cup of shredded Parmesan +

the zest of 1 lemon.

Drop Tablespoon-sized balls of batter into a heated fry pan that's been drizzled with olive oil (or whatever oil you like to cook with). Press down with the back of the measuring spoon to flatten the fritters, and do it again with the spatula when you flip them, so they cook evenly.

Once they're cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, transfer the fritters to a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

My younger son liked his served with a bit of sour cream in which to dip them. I had mine with a couple of shakes of hot sauce. I think they would also be good with a sweet drizzle of maple syrup for breakfast, or topped with a savory glop of Greek yogurt!

snow day activity: painter's tape costumes

2012-01-21T11:24:00.001-08:00

painters tape transforms the most basic of PJs into a costume worthy of a super hero...

the tape removes easily from clothing....just don't forget to take it off before you run the laundry!

marshmallows in the morning?! absolutely!

2012-01-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

a perfect Saturday to stay in our PJs all day long and choose a project or two from my "snow day" board on Pinterest...

first up: easiest entertainment *ever*: marshmallows + toothpicks

spinach dip (on the fly)

2012-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get the kid's dinner made before the school bus rumbled up yesterday, I roasted some chicken and potatoes/sweet potatoes, quickly sauteed some spinach with a little garlic, and chopped up a fresh batch of veggies to have on hand. My younger son came over to the range and peeked at the spinach. "I don't like the way spinach tastes in my mouth when it looks like that." {Yes, I've registered that same complaint in the past...normally cooked spinach goes into our frittatas, scrambled eggs, etc but tonight I was in a time pinch and was planning on offering up a simple sauteed spinach side.} The bus arrived with my older son, who announced, "something smells YUMMY!" when he came in, but then lost his enthusiasm when he saw the garlicky wilted greens. So, while coloring and homework ensued at the kitchen table, I quickly morphed the very unpopular spinach into... [ta da!] Bright Green Spinach Dip! And it was a hit.

So I had the spinach. A check of the snack drawer for nuts came up with slivered raw almonds, though any nut you like will do....

and some oil. I happened to have a little but of walnut oil left, but again, go with what you have, that your family likes. The oil is used to thin my dip, and give my kids some healthy fat. You could simply go with water, or broth of if you have some kicking around.

Add everything to the blender, and pulse. Hmmm, you'll see that mine was a little thick. The spinach whizzed itself smooth but the whole thing wasn't coming together, so, I added a splash of water, and

there you have it! But, I tasted it and it was a little, I guess "spinach-y" is the best way to describe it.

So, I checked our cheese supply and added a bit of Feta (but again, pick a cheese your family likes...).

This made quite a bit, so I was hoping it would be a hit...

The kids loved it! And 24 hours later, it's still bright green, so it holds up well. Here's the spur-of-the-moment "recipe" in case anyone else finds themselves needing to work some kitchen magic down the line:

Bright Green Spinach* Dip

(*can be made with any sauteed veggie)

I am not giving you exact measurement, because this is a really flexible recipe. Simply add ingredients and taste along with way to get to the texture and taste you and your family will enjoy.

sauteed spinach (mine was with garlic and olive oil)
oil, water or broth (optional, to thin the dip)
nuts (I used slivered, raw almonds; use any nut you like)
cheese (I used Feta; Parmesan would also be good)
salt & pepper (optional), to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pulse until desired consistency. Will store in an air-tight container for a few days in the fridge. Serve as a snack or side dish with chopped veggies, grilled chicken or fish, pita chips- really anything that your children like to dip! If your kids like this, then you might also want to bookmark or pin my Bright Green Pea Dip.

serving less food

2012-01-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been getting a lot of this look at mealtimes. It says, "Another meal?! How much of this do I have to eat before going back to playing?!" As someone who loves to cook (and feels like I do a pretty darn good job of whipping up amazing, healthy meals), this is a hugely frustrating part of parenting. My son will eat anything per se. He's not picky...he's just not into eating. So what's a parent to do? Well, my typical reaction is to say, "come on, just finish X", or "you need to take 5 more bites". But an article I just read provided an 'a ha' parenting moment: Serve less food and let your children come back for more. Hmm. Stay tuned....

resolution #4: continue to learn

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

When I think back on the myriad of work an educational experiences I've had to date, I am amazed. They make up who I am, and each of these experiences inspires to me continually expand my horizons. They run the gamut from a liberal arts B.A. to a top tier M.B.A. Being an Austrian exchange student in high school to circling the globe in college. Several years of a straight up learning curve while working for an investment bank, then heading to cooking classes at night. Throwing my first dinner party in a minuscule NYC apartment to running a wildly popular personal chef company. Learning the ins and outs of how a food product is marketed and promoted while working at a major food company to helping a smaller company understand their brand's perception and develop line extensions. Teaching healthy cooking classes to clients ages 6-60 to attending workshops myself and having 'a ha' moments.

And so, as my 4th resolution of this new year, I am making it a goal to attend an interesting speaker or workshop each month. Living in the tri-state area, this week alone the opportunities are plentiful. I'm going to share these upcoming events, in case you're local and you too get excited about continually learning and expanding your horizons in the food, cooking, nutrition and wellness arenas:

Wednesday, January 18th 10-11:30am at Versailles Patisserie in Greenwich, CT: Adam Gopnik will be discussing his new book The Table Comes First: Family, France and the Meaning of Food.
Also on Wednesday, January 18th at 12:30pm, Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy is hosting the Executive Director of the Congressional Hunger Center for a discussion of policy priorities for anti-hunger advocates. This is part of their ongoing speaker series, which you might want to bookmark.
Thursday, January 19th 7-8:30pm at the Wilton, CT Library: Wellness Coach Seema Dasani will be discussing personal experience with weight and emotional eating.
On Saturday, January 21st, Stone Barns will be hosting a TEDx "Changing the Way We Eat" viewing party from 10:30am-4:30pm, free of charge. I had hoped to score a ticket, but this might be the next best place to watch and discuss this game-changing event. Here's the schedule of speakers for TEDx (and a link to viewing parties near you, if Stone Barns isn't close by). This calendar of all upcoming events at Stone Barns might be worth bookmarking, particularly if you're interested in farming, gardening.

Then, looking forward to February, there's an exhibit called "Big Food: Health, Culture and the Evolution of Eating" at the Yale-Peabody Museum in New Haven, CT that I definitely want to visit.

The school bus is going to rumble home any minute, so that's it for me for today. I'll let you know if I come across any other interesting sounding upcoming speakers/events!

breakfast idea reminder (so there's no more deep siiiiighing at the table)

2012-01-17T07:42:00.000-08:00

This morning, I woke up all smitten with myself. I got to sleep in an extra few minutes because breakfast was made: my go-to steel cut oatmeal. I filled everyone's bowls, cut up an apple and a banana, put some blueberries into a serving bowl, and called everyone in from the playroom.

{insert melodramatic deep sigh and shoulder slump} "Uuuuggggghh, oatmeal again?!"

"I thought you guys liked oatmeal?!" {insert puzzled mom look}

"We do mom, but do we have to have it every day?" {insert second pre-tween melodramatic sigh..}

And so began our morning. This was the offering today, so everyone dug in. But, this gave me a kick in the pants to go back through my prior breakfast posts + and a backlog of photos just waiting to be posted and reinvigorate our breakfast line-up the remainder of this week. At the beginning of the year, I jotted down a more comprehensive list of go-to's, some of which take longer than I have on a school morning. So, my focus here are the simple go-to's that can be made in mere minutes... (This list is as much for me as it is for all of you!! I'll post what I end up making the next 3 school mornings on full plate's facebook page..)

Reminder #1: keep a bowl of fresh fruit chopped up and ready to go in the fridge. I've written about prepping ahead before. Trust me. This makes breakfast, snacks, lunch sides super easy to assemble. Depending upon the week, we'll have a bowl of either melon, pineapple, oranges/grapefruit, grapes, berries (fresh or frozen), or a bunch of apples or bananas ready to be peeled and chopped....

As mentioned in my breakfast resolution post (which is going well, thank you very much), I have frequent go-to's like my tried and true protein pancakes (which we've been topping with yogurt and thawed berries,

and various frittatas (which I recently turned into a crowd-pleasing "breakfast pizza").

But for days when I don't have a batch of protein pancakes at the ready (or time to whip up a batch), I try to keep a box of Trader Joe's (frozen) french toast or Van's frozen waffles on hand and serve it the same way I serve my protein pancakes: topped with yogurt and thawed (or fresh) berries. Sure, it's less straightforward/healthy than homemade french toast, but it's perfect in a pinch on a busy school morning.

Assuming my fridge and snack drawer are well-stocked, we should be able to make yogurt parfaits with some granola (homemade ahead of time or store-bought) + cut-up fruit + yogurt .

"Sandwiches!" were proposed by my little one when I asked what else they might like for breakfast...

Can't think of any reason sandwiches aren't an option, particularly if I am already packing one in a lunchbox that morning.

So, if we're adding sandwiches into the mix, then a sweet or savory wrap would also be an idea: whole wheat tortilla, spread with your favorite cream cheese and maybe some chopped veggies if you're going savory, or chopped fruit if you choose to go sweet.

I'm a huge fan of open-faced sandwiches, particularly a hearty bread topped with harissa and smashed avocado. As one reader mentioned on the full plate facebook page, a hunk of good bread smeared with peanut butter, almond butter and banana slices would appeal to the kids.

Do you all have any make-ahead or quick breakfasts that are hits in your home? I'd love to try them, so please do share them in the comments section! Thanks, in advance, Eila

throw a party and enjoy it too: do-ahead Mexican dinner party

2012-01-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more cozy than gathering around a table with friends in the winter. But the thought of throwing a dinner party can be daunting. I wanted to share this make-ahead menu with you all, because I really think entertaining can be fun...if you get everything made ahead. This way, you too get to enjoy your company. Here is one of my favorite casual, festive make-ahead dinner party menus:

Assorted Salsas, Guacamole, Chips and Veggies to dip

Beef or Chicken Taquitos (from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's frozen section)

Romaine Salad with Jicama, Mango, Cucumbers & Lime Vinaigrette

Chicken Enchiladas

Citrus-Infused Black Beans

Trader Joe's Chimichurri Rice (as is, let TJ's do the work on this side)

Cilantro-Roasted Zucchini and Peppers

All of the cooking can be done up to 2 days before you host your gathering. Store everything in oven-proof serving dishes in your fridge. The day of your party, set the table and make sure the dishwasher is empty.

The only things that need to happen right before the guests arrive: light a fire, turn on some music, and put the casual appetizers out. Assuming my guests are arriving at 7pm, here's how I would back into the timing to ensure success and a smooth experience as hostess:

1-2 days beforehand, get the cooking done
5:00-6:00 pm - set the table; get platters/bowls for the hors d'oeuvres out; make sure the dishwasher has been run and is emptied; pull all of the dishes for your meal out of the fridge; get kid's dinner ready
6:00-6:30pm - feed kids; preheat the oven to 425 degrees for the taquitos
6:30-7:00pm - clean up the kid's plates; get them in the tub and into PJs before guests arrive; turn on music; light a fire; pop the taquitos in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 and cover them with foil to keep them warm; set all dips/chips/veggies out, adding taquitos just before guests arrive so they're warm; put enchiladas (uncovered), rice (covered with foil) and beans (covered with foil) into the 350 degree oven just before 7:00
7:00pm - grab a cocktail and enjoy your company!
7:30pm - assemble salads (this should be quick b/c everything is chopped and ready to go); turn oven down to 250 degrees; put veggies into oven uncovered (they are already cooked, you just want to warm them and they won't take as long as the enchiladas, rice and beans...); serve salad
7:45-8:00pm - dinner should be cooked/warmed through and is ready to be served!

romaine with mango, jicama, cucumbers and a lime vinaigrette: bright salad for a winter day

2012-01-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

This salad is a perfect accompaniment to a Mexican-themed meal. It is so fresh tasting, really it's a perfect way to brighten up any cold, winter day! After making the salad, we enjoy snacking on any remaining chopped jicama, mango and cucumbers.

Romaine Salad with Jicama, Mango, Cucumbers and Pea Shoots

(can be prepped ahead)

Salad

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Jicama, peeled and chopped

Mango, peeled and chopped

English cucumbers, chopped

Pea shoots, rinsed (optional)

Slivered almonds (optional)

All ingredients can be prepped several hours before you are going to serve the salad. Simply chop the ingredients and store them in the fridge, in separate containers. Any extra ingredients can be used as a ready-to-eat snack. Dress the salad just before serving.

Dressing

Lime Juice

Champagne vinegar

Olive oil

In a blender, combine the ingredients and pulse until combined. I like my dressings tangy so I start out with a 1:3 acid (lime juice/vinegar): base (olive oil) ratio and adjust from there after tasting.

4 new ready-to-eat "food crushes"

2012-01-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

You guys know that I swoon just a little bit when I come across a product that is (relatively) healthy, that both of my kids-- and we adults-- like, and that I can feel good about offering up as a snack or simple meal. Here are my four latest crushes:

First up: Trader Joe's Sesame Almonds. A word of caution: these totally addicting. So, I recommend doing like my mom (who turned me onto these blissful nuggets) and combining them with mostly plain almonds + a few tamari almonds + a few of these sweet ones to make a salty-sweet, energy-packed trail mix/treat. These are dessert as far as we're concerned-- like, on par with candy. 1/4 cup serving has 9g of sugar (it's the second ingredient after almonds, followed by sesame seeds, butter, salt, cocoa and honey). So, enjoy, but mindfully.

An impulse purchase that surprised us and turned us into instant fans: Trader Joe's Freeze-Dried Red Seedless Grapes. They are super sweet, and also a little heartier than some of the other freeze-dried fruits, so they travel well. I made the kids a to-go "fruit salad" of blueberries, strawberries and these grapes and they loved it.

A second impulse purchase that turned out to be a fun veggie offering: organic pea shoots. Think heartier than a sprout, with a watery, sweet pea crunch. For little boys, in particular, this was a crowd pleasing snack as they pretended to be cows, popping big bunches of this "grass".

And last but not least, this small veggie tray was recently spotted at our local Trader Joe's. Perfect for 2-4 people As many of you know, I've been offering up various vegetable platters in that 4:30-6:00 window, to tide the kids over until family dinner. Usually it's a matter of just popping whatever I have already cut up in my fridge onto a platter (with or without a dip of hummus, yogurt, etc.) but some nights I run short on time or I'm still shleping to an activity during that window. So, I'm making it a happy habit to keep one of these on hand for those kind of nights.

easiest cucumber salad/side

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

Last year, about this same time, I shared a cucumber salad recipe with you all that was a nice, zesty accompaniment to a gingery, Asian-inspired pita filling we were enjoying. It must be a January thing, where my taste buds are looking for something slightly ethic alongside a crunchy, bright tasting side because last week, I whipped up a giant batch of African Peanut Stew, and served that with an even easier (if that's possible) cucumber salad.

My (Simple) Go-To Cucumber-Dill Salad

(the recipe below will make 4 servings; scale up as you wish)

1 large (or 2 medium) English cucumber(s), thinly sliced
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (I use Marukan Lite)
2 Tablespoons dried dill

I slice my cucumbers (skin on) using the slicing disk of my Cuisinart. Combine cucumber slices with rice wine vinegar and dill. Stir to combine. Let sit for at least a half hour so the vinegar can "pickle" the cucumber slices. May be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

breakfast pizzas (a.k.a. the reincarnation of the frittata)

2012-01-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

You guys know that I am all about make-ahead breakfasts. They are one of the reasons we do eat breakfast every day... and a nourishing one at that. But, sometimes even my tried-and-true rotation of oatmeal, protein pancakes, and yogurt parfaits needs some changing up...enter Breakfast Pizza [and the crowd goes wild].

I'd made an enormous (as in 12" diameter) frittata last week with onion, chard, kale, spinach, zucchini and Parmesan. It was great the day I made it...perfect the next busy school morning... but by day 3 I knew little noses were going to be turned up in search of variety. So, I simply smashed (for lack of a better word) some frittata onto slices of lightly toasted whole G "fitness bread" (though any hearty bread will do), topped it with a slice of sharp cheddar, and baked them at 350 until the cheese was melted.... voila, a new breakfast hit was made! You'll note that I also topped a few pieces with hot sauce and jalapenos for that extra kick.

So good (and such a great way to use up leftover frittata if you're not in the mood for--or don't have quite enough frittata to go around), that this might become one of our weekend go-to's....

(my version of) Dinner A Love Story's Redemption Salad

2012-01-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

There are so many great blogs out there that inspire me. I have a small collection of them noted here in the "sites that inspire me" section (if you scroll down), but there are even more that I connect with through full plate/meals in a snap's FB page. Sometimes it actually feels like inspiration overload! But that's in a good way, and I love that between this blog and Pinterest, I can share ideas from my own kitchen, and the kitchens of those I admire. So, without further adieu, I have to make sure I create a "permanent" record of my take on my new favorite entree salad, Dinner A Love Story's "Redemption Salad". This was one of the recipes I whipped up on Sunday, when I had a whole blissful day to cook and test recipes from my "recipes I can't wait to try" board. If you go looking for it, you'll see that it has garnered a place in the more permanent "salad" board now....

The original recipe, which inspired this post can be found here. But, as with anything I make, there's some variation based upon what I have on hand...and what I know my entire family will eat. So, here's my take on this winning salad:

Asian-Inspired Chopped Salad (with or without chicken)

inspired by Dinner A Love Story's Redemption Salad

(makes 4-6 servings)

For the salad:
10 oz package (or about 3-4 cups) shredded cabbage
5 oz (or 1/2 a 10 oz package or 1-2 cups) shredded carrots
6 oz (or 1/2 a 12 oz pkg) snowpeas, rough chopped

1/2 a bell pepper, chopped (b/c I happened to have one on hand)
4-6 scallions, white parts chopped
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked edamame
handful of roasted, unsalted peanuts
generous shake of sesame seeds
optional: grilled or roasted chicken, chopped*

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands or a set of tongs.

For the dressing:
olive oil
lime juice, ideally fresh squeezed
rice wine vinegar
fresh ginger
salt & pepper, to taste

When making salad dressing, I always start off with a 1:3 ratio of acid (vinegar + lime juice) to base (oil), because I like our dressings tangy. I combine everything in the blender and pulse until well-blended, then taste and add more of one thing or another until I get to the taste my family would enjoy.

* I would love to say that I cook everything from scratch, but I don't. And, since I am enjoying more meatless meals these days, I had an "emergency" stash of Trader Joe's frozen chicken strips in the freezer. Rather than have to answer "does this chicken salad have chicken in it or is this another one of your vegetarian meals", I put chicken on my husband and kids' salads. I tasted the chicken and it was a little salty, but in a pinch (or when I don't feel like grilling chicken), this does the trick.

and the winner is...

2012-01-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

As mentioned last night, my double ordering mistake is another reader's luck. I wanted to send the second copy of Amanda Soule's "The Rhythm of Family" I accidentally purchased (twice) to a full plate reader who is also interested in reading her latest book. So, I went to my trusty random number generator...

And, first winner, chosen by random.org was [drum roll]...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:5Powered by RANDOM.ORG

which, looking at the comments was..... me. Hmm, helpful. So, I ran the random number generator again which chose [second drum roll]

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:1Powered by RANDOM.ORG

So, Shana Kurz, you are the winner! Please send me an email (mealsinasnap{at}gmail{dot}com) letting me know the address to which I should send this book! I just delved into it last night and it is wonderful!!

granola balls: a make-ahead sweet treat

2012-01-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

I wish there were more hours in the day! I have so many recipes photographed (and enjoyed by my family this past week), just waiting to get posted!! Here's one that I know excited a bunch of you, so I wanted to get this up first. Inspired by a photo and recipe I saw on The Sweet Potato Chronicles, I had pinned this recipe into my "recipes I can't wait to try" Pinterest board (my holding pen for anything delicious I see). This past weekend, we gave them a whirl and oh my, were they delicious. This one's a keeper. So, if you go looking for it, you'll now see that it's been elevated to my tested and beloved "snack ideas" board.

This is the perfect sweet treat to have on hand. It's not "healthy" per se, but it's a heck of a lot better than eating most cookies from the supermarket, and these store perfectly for several days so it's a great make-ahead recipe. You can go to Sweet Potato Chronicles for the original recipe. Or, you can follow my slight modifications, which left out the additional brown sugar and upped the sunbutter, granola and cranberry amounts:

Granola Balls

makes about 40 1" balls

inspired by The Sweet Potato Chronicles

2 cups old-fashion rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup agave

3/4 cup sunflower butter (aka "sunbutter")

1 cup granola

1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle the oats and coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the agave and sunbutter over medium heat, stirring until blended, just a few minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients: the sunbutter/agave mixture + the toasted oats/coconut + granola + cranberries, and mix to combine. Allow to cool. Then, with moist hands, roll into 1" balls with your hands. Will store in the fridge, in an air-tight container, for several days-- if they last that long!

Tip: I kept a wet towel handy so the granola balls wouldn't stick to my hands when I was rolling them!

Hope these are as big a hit in your house as they have been in ours!! Again, thank you to Sweet Potato Chronicles for inspiring this recipe and post!

a book to share

2012-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the year, I always do a little nesting. I clean out closets, purge the playroom, and generally try to start the year with some semblance of order around here. Never mind that our Christmas decorations are still up this year. [I can't believe I just admitted that.] Anyway, each year I also amass a stack of books I cannot wait to read. Last year, I started off with The Family Dinner and The Happiness Project. This year, I am hoping to expand my knowledge of plant-based nutrition even further, plus I feel like I need a gentle reminder (and some inspiration) when it comes to quality family time. Now, as you'll see from the happy haul that arrived on my doorstep today: I meant to order two different Amanda Soule books, but I accidentally ordered two copies of the same one. My mistake is one lucky readers good fortune. Instead of sending the book back to Amazon, I would like to send it to one reader who also "yearns for a slower and simpler life with our kids". If you would like a chance to receive this book from yours truly, please leave a comment on this post letting me know of any other fabulous books I should add to my 2012 reading list. One winner will be chosen at random tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24th, after dinner. So, get those comments to me before 6pm!

a (Sun)day in the life...

2012-01-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

This morning, my computer was hijacked by my older son, who had a globe at the ready,

and a lengthy, passionate article to write on fossil fuels.... for no other reason than he learned about "'the blue W' program at school on Friday and found it SO COOL that [in Word], you can write stories! And add in photos! It's like writing your own book!" Boy, I hope he's this excited about these sorts of things when he has to actually do projects like this for school.... So, I let him sit in the kitchen, diligently typing

while I made a batch of granola balls from Sweet Potato Chronicles so we'd have a sweet snack at the ready in the coming week. These were a major hit (though I do have a few modifications I'll share tomorrow to lower the sugar a bit and up the good stuff).

Then, he scurried off to "build stuff" with his brother, which involved a lot of rifling through the recycling bag and banging around upstairs...The next thing I know, I'm being serenaded. But he wasn't the only on feeling creative today...

In an attempt to tackle another recipe from my Pinterest "recipes I can't wait to try" board, use up the rest of a bowl of red quinoa in the fridge, and have a savory snack on hand for the week ahead, I whipped up a batch of quinoa bites I'd seen someone pin that I'd repinned because they looked interesting. Granted I took my own liberties with ingredient amounts, but I was the only one who liked them; no one else did. I might tinker with that one a bit more?

So anyway, while I'm playing with red quinoa, the boys were playing with plants, red food coloring, seltzer and red currants

before a lunch of Dinner: A Love Story's Redemption Salad (which I'll type up in more detail for all of you this week) that was delish. Definitely a keeper.

Then I realized it was almost time for my treat. All week, I'd been looking forward to this 2-hour Restorative Yoga workshop a new mom-blogger-friend had told me about. I packed two bunches of granola balls up: one for this mom blogger (even though I only knew her through her posts, I didn't even know her name), and one for the generous teacher offering the workshop.

And while I may have forgotten these small gifts on the kitchen table, I did manage to whip dinner up before heading to these 2 hours of bliss: chickpea-veggie sauce over polenta.

I felt like I'd left everything buttoned up at home, so I really could decompress in the workshop. So, I cranked the music up in my car really loud for the drive down there, and belted out Hot Chelle Rae like nobody's business. The location was nothing to write home about, sort of tucked behind some industrial buildings, but I had a good feeling. Even if it didn't turn me back onto yoga, the workshop was sponsored by ProMindful, and it was offered to participants for free. So, at the very least, it was 2 quiet hours for free, in my normally not-very-quiet life. But, oh, let me tell you, this was a treat, far surpassing any hopes I had. No, "treat" doesn't even do it justice. The instructor, Carol, was gentle, thoughtful and uplifting. For two hours, she transcended a packed room into a den of calm. I actually cried when I thanked her at the end of class. It. Was. That. Good. And when I came home to the kids, just about ready to crash and burn after a day if writing, building, gathering, concocting, painting, gluing, stashing and messing, I felt eerily calm and happy. My patience and love were back.

how many colors are on your plate?

2012-01-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am counting 7 colors on the above dinner plate (assuming 4 shades of green count!). So, according to the results from a recent Cornell study, this type of meal is what kids want. So often a parent will tell me, "I wish my kids ate more things...he is so picky. He only likes plain pasta..." Really? How many colors do you, as parent, put out for him to choose from?

I've been trolling the web for new experts and ideas to share with you all and here's one fabulous resource. And, you can always check out my stash of rainbow plates for inspiration from our dinner table. Go rainbow plates, go!

so....how's that family dinner resolution going?

2012-01-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

Wondering how that family dinner resolution is going? Let's see, so it's January 5th...and we've had four totally successful dinners and one colossal failure*. I'd say that's pretty darn fabulous, and I give myself a little pat on the back. I've got Pinterest boards cued up with recipes I want to try, and the big red pot I got for Christmas has been working overtime, churning out amazing meatless meals. I am definitely tiding the kids over with a platter of fruits or veggies between 4:30-6:00, but sitting down as a family has been really, really nice. I'll check back in with you again once the "resolution honeymoon" has passed and let you know how it's really going around here... in the meantime, I wanted to share a few family dinner resources with those of you who might also be trying to make a go of this happy habit:

* "Colossal failure" wasn't really that bad. I was just being dramatic. But, it was interesting to see the difference when I actually sit and participate in the family dinner, versus thinking that as long as I'm in the same room, it's sort of the same thing. It's really not even close. See, I was feeling all smitten that after four successful nights, I had it down. And, since we had friends coming to dinner and would be eating our dinner later, I attempted to keep cooking, assuming my husband could do the actual sitting at the table part and I could kind of check in from my position stove top...and then I thought, hey, he's got it handled so I'll also make a frittata for tomorrow's breakfast while I'm standing here....and shoot, our friends will be here in a little bit so I should also tidy up the kitchen.... and before I knew it, dinner was over. Sure, I had this fabulous African peanut stew made, and the frittata was doing its' thing in the oven, and the kitchen was cleaned up...but I'd missed the conversations and end-of-day connections. And after four nights of being a part of them, I really did miss them.

2012 resolution #3: make more grain, bean and vegetable-based family meals

2012-01-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

I give myself a pat on the back when it comes to exposing my children to a variety of tastes, textures and ingredients. It's something I am good at, backed by my "rainbow plate" mantra (being mindful and trying to get several different colors on my children's plates). But one of my food resolutions for 2012 is to expand my repertoire of whole grain, vegetable and/or bean-based meals. I still plan to keep the meals simple, and ideally they'll be meals my whole family will enjoy (so I don't become a short-order cook). To keep me on track, I'm linking some of my tried-and-true, favorite vegetarian meals to this post for easy reference. And, I've updated my list of "sites that inspire me" to include blogs that have the meatless gig down pat, in addition to ones that make me smile, swoon or think. (To see my list of favorite sites simply scroll down the right hand column of full plate.) Hope this list list of my own tried-and-true veg recipes proves as helpful to you as it is to me....I look forward to adding on to it in this New Year!

Soups and Stews

Vegetable Soup
Fall Veggie Soup
Comforting Barley Stew
Beans & Greens Soup (leave out the pancetta and add in fresh herbs)
Beans & Greens Soup II (smoother)

Tacos, Quesadillas, Pizza Night...things like that

Vegetarian Taco Night
Black Bean Cakes
Citrus-Infused Black Beans (put with a topping bar of bell peppers, avocado chunks, sour cream, cheese, salsa, etc...)
Make-Your-Own Pizza (leave out the pepperoni)

Pastas, Risotto and Comforting Casseroles

Peanut Noodles with Shredded Veggies
Lemony Pasta with Chickpeas and Feta
Jingle Bell Pasta
Spicy Soy Chorizo Sauce
Rotini with Cilantro-Walnut Pesto
Farro and Butternut Squash Risotto
Spinach Risotto (semi-homemade)
Polenta and Soy Chorizo Casserole
Greens and Cheese Pie
Spinach Lasagna
Baked Rigatoni with Soy Sausage
Savory Pumpkin-Sage Cannelloni (totally decadent; for special occasions...)

Make-Ahead Salads

Sauces and Dressings

If any of you readers have other vegetarian sites that inspire you, I'd love for you to leave them in a comment, as I am always excited to discover other like-minded bloggers and new recipe ideas!

2012 resolution #2: family dinner (at a set time)

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

My resolutions this year focus on sustainability. By that, I mean new habits I hope I can form that I won't tire of by February 1st...and that are actually attainable for me, and for our family. Yesterday, I told you about my goal to eat breakfast daily. The next one is more family-oriented: to eat dinner together at 6:00pm.

Most nights, I make a homemade meal for my family. And most nights I sit with the kids around, oh, 4:30 while they stagger through their mealtime. Mealtimes here aren't pretty. (Yes, I did just admit that.) There's a lot of lolly gagging, and not a lot of fork to mouth. My kids aren't picky eaters (at all really), they just aren't into eating (figures, right?). Anyway, a result, it's pretty frustrating for me. So, here are the changes I hope to make in the new year so dinnertime goes more smoothly for all four of us:

Dinner will be held (you like that-- it's like a special invitation) at 6:00pm. By setting a time (which the kids were in on deciding from two choices: 6:00 or 6:30), I hope to avoid the hunched over moan that accompanies "do I reaaaaalllllyyy neeeeeeeed to stooooooooop plaaaaaaaaying and come to eat noooooow?". Yes, it's 6:00pm, and you know that is when we have dinner.
Ideally, by eating later than, um, mid-afternoon, my husband will also be able to join us. Or at least he can catch the tail end of the "fun". Having him there for mealtimes will make it more enjoyable for everyone, and less like I am "feeding the kids".
Somewhere, I read that mealtimes should have an end time too, not to rush everyone, but rather so there's an expectation that this is when we're eating and once it's over it's over. No post-dinner/pre-bedtime snacking. So, we've got a 6:30 end time agreed upon by all four of us, which will mean the kids have a half hour to have dinner and then a half hour to play before bedtime.
Because dinner is going to be served about an hour to an hour and a half later than I have historically fed the kids, I plan to prep a bunch of fruits and veggies weekly to pull out and make a healthy platter to tide the kids over. This does not mean that the snack drawer will become a free for all. My goal is to place a platter of fresh fruits and veggies out on the kitchen table each day to be enjoyed between 4:30-6:00. This organization effort will no doubt carry over to healthier snack and lunch options for me as well if they're washed, chopped and ready to go...

I'm curious if your family has a set daily dinnertime, and if you have additional strategies that I should be trying, as we attempt to have more harmonious family dinners-- where the kids actually eat? I'll keep you posted on how this goes...

"detox" salad

2012-01-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

I came across an absolutely fabulous blog yesterday: oh she glows. Someone had pinned her detox salad recipe and the name and visual caught my eye. The kiddos head back to school tomorrow, so in addition to perusing my past lunchbox photos for ideas, I wanted to prep something for myself to kick the week off on the right note: something that was healthful, that could be made ahead and that tasted good. If my New Year's goals are going to be sustainable, they had better taste good and make me feel good. This salad was intriguing... I modified it slightly since I have no idea what kelp granules are (and quite frankly, they sound a little nasty). I also omitted raisins (both because I didn't have them and because I'm not a huge fan). And I added some pepitas. Here's my version of detox salad (broccoli + cauliflower + carrots + sunflower seeds + currants + pepitas + lemon juice) in action:

2 heads of broccoli, pulsed in the Cuisinart with the blade

1 heads of cauliflower, pulsed in the Cuisinart with the blade

6 medium carrots, shredded in the Cuisinart

a hearty shake of raw, organic sunflower seeds

a hearty handful of currants (since I like them better than raisins)

and then I also added some raw pepitas (the insides of pumpkin seeds, which I keep in our snack drawer)

I squeezed the juice of 3 lemons into the bowl, mixed it all together and voila! It's pretty darn good!! Probably not the sort of thing I'd "crave" weekly, but it's a nice raw, healthy salad to have on hand this week for a quick lunch and/or to serve as a side dish with dinner.

more lunchbox ideas

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

School starts up again tomorrow for many full plate readers. Do you know what you're packing on Tuesday? If not, here's some inspiration....

dried cranberries + a cup of yogurt + juice as a treat + leftover whole wheat spaghetti and turkey meatballs (which he ate cold, no problem)

steamed green beans + slices of chicken-apple sausage + a carrot + a yogurt smoothie + honey-wheat pretzels

veggie crudites + yogurt dip (Greek yogurt + fresh herbs blended in the Cuisinart...leftover from the night before's lamb-pistachio meatballs) + gingersnaps as a treat + whole wheat pasta salad with chickpeas from the night before

hummus + carrots and celery to dip + a cream cheese and jam sandwich + Gingersnaps and strawberry yogurt as treats

homemade gingerbread cookie + puffed Kamut cereal to munch on + chopped rainbow salad + blueberry yogurt + the last of the lemony chickpea pasta salad

pulled pork and coconut-curry butternut squash (from dinner the night before) + a homemade gingerbread cookie + peas (fun to pick up with your hands when mom is not around) + slices of cucumber

2012 resolution #1: eat breakfast

2012-01-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

I make a healthy breakfast for my children each day...why don't I sit down and enjoy it too? Eating breakfast is my first resolution of 2012. And, since I am all about making resolutions that I can actually sustain, I am listing a few of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts here for easy reference for myself:

protein pancakes (or you can watch the video here)
toast with hummus and hard-boiled eggs (loaded with protein)
veggie frittatas (you can watch the video here)
Meme's steel cut oatmeal (shown above with a few fruit toppings: thawed peaches and strawberries and fresh grapefruit and oranges, in addition to agave and cinnamon)
this homemade granola or this homemade granola
baked oatmeal

And, on days when I have time, here are a few more simple breakfasts I can pull together before the school bus arrives or weekend activities start:

yogurt parfaits (paring it down to 1-2 fruits + nuts, etc and let the kids assemble their own...)
greens & eggs scramble
egg toasts
egg sandwiches with pesto (decadent)
veggie hash (which I could make with any leftover vegetables too...)

This list gives me a good launchpad to following through on this healthy habit.

healthy black-eyed pea hummus

2012-01-01T08:53:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in my earlier post of the decadent black-eyed pea dip, black-eyed peas are a new New Year's tradition in our home. And, given the versatility and simplicity of the two black-eyed pea recipes I whipped up, I think we'll continue to ring in the New Year with one or both of these delicious dips. Where the decadent one was loaded with dairy, fat and gooiness, this one could not be more fresh tasting and healthy. I simply used my go-to "formula" for any bean-based dip I whip up: rinsed and drained beans + base (usually olive oil) + acid (usually lemon juice) + additional flavoring (frozen or fresh herbs, lemon zest, hot sauce, etc...).

Black-Eyed Pea-Cilantro Hummus

(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

15 oz. can of black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

a few Tablespoons of olive oil*

juice of 1 lemon

3 cubes of frozen cilantro (+/- 1/2 cup fresh)**

2 cubes frozen garlic (+/- 2 cloves fresh)

handful of fresh herbs of your choice (optional)

water to thin the dip to desired consistency (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, using the blade attachment, and blend until blended and smooth. You may add a bit of water, if you would like, to thin the dip. I served this dip in cucumber cups, which made it a perfect, healthy contribution to our last-minute New Year's gathering. It would also be delicious served with whole wheat pita chips. Dip will store in an airtight container, in the fridge, for several days.

* I love using flavored olive oils, and happened to have an Olave Lemon one on hand, but you create the same infused effect by using your favorite regular olive oil and adding some fresh lemon zest before blending.
** I always have a few trays of frozen herbs and garlic in my freezer. It makes adding flavor super simple. Dorot is my favorite brand, and I find it locally at our Trader Joe's. Here's a store locator, so you can find them by you too. You're welcome!!
And, last but not least... to learn how to make cucumber cups, you may click here. Enjoy!

decadent black-eyed pea dip...

2012-01-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Southern California, the whole notion of eating black-eyed peas on New Years day was never part of our family traditions. In fact, our life out there was so healthy, I don't recall a need to come up with resolutions...but that is fodder for another post entirely. Anyway, you'd think that my marriage to a Southerner would have been the impetus for black-eyed peas in some form today, but his family never took on this tradition either. Interesting. So, why exactly do we think black-eyed peas are lucky? Clearly, I am not the only one buying into this theory because the grocery market shelf was just about empty yesterday afternoon. So, I went looking, and here's the best explanation I could come up with. Now, I'm not a superstitious person, but I do love to whip up new things...and a little luck this year could go a long way. So, without further adieu, here's the first way I served up some lucky black-eyed peas this year: Zanie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip from The Pioneer Woman's recipe archives. This is the decadent way to enjoy your black-eyed peas...

Basically, it's just a big ol' bowl of smashed black-eyed peas (a can of them, rinsed and drained then pulsed in the Cuisinart until they were partially chopped) + salsa + sour cream + shredded sharp cheddar + chopped jalapenos...all mixed together then poured into an oven-proof baking dish and popped into a 350 degree oven until warmed through. I topped it with some chopped scallions, since it looked a little nasty as is. But this stuff was totally decadent and totally addictive. Definitely the hit of any party. Serve with tortilla chips.

making cucumber cups

2012-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

I wanted to quickly share the method for making cucumber cups with you all, since they can be filled with a variety of homemade or store-bought dips to become a perfect healthful appetizer...or a fun after school snack vessel. I make them with English cucumbers, which are available at most supermarkets, usually wrapped in plastic. They tend to be long and thin. Sometimes called "seedless" they have an almost sweet flavor and a delicate skin.

Simply wash the cucumber, and I like to shave off about half of the skin with a veggie peeler, because it makes the cups look decorative. But that is purely optional. Slice the cucumber into 1" rounds. Using a small spoon, or melon baller, gently scoop out the center of each cucumber slice, going about 1/3" down. You want to leave the base of the cucumber slice in tact so it makes a cup.

Reserve the insides of the cucumber as a fun "half-moon" shaped snack for kids....

How easy was that?

I like to place the cucumber cups face down on a paper towel so that some of the moisture drains out of the cups while I am making the filling.

A few of my favorite fillings: lucky black-eyed pea dip (pictured above), spicy soy-chorizo dip (pictured here in action), bright green pea dip, store bought hummus or homemade edamame hummus.

cheers!

2011-12-31T08:58:00.000-08:00

This is the way my month started....

and this is how it's ending. New Year's is one of my favorite nights. It's when I put pen to paper, and line up a few goals for myself. Some years I am more successful than others. But, I always start the year on a high note and each year I do a better job fine tuning my capabilities and priorities. I am excited to share the small changes we'll be making both as a family, and that I hope to make personally to get back to feeling mom-a-licious in the year ahead. Cheers to 2012, when my overarching goal is to make these positive changes sustainable as a busy mom, wife and friend...

merry wishes

2011-12-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take a minute to wish all full plate readers a very Merry Christmas...

I hope that the year ahead is filled with simplicity,

health,

good friends,

and new ideas.

In January, I look forward to sharing more recipes that are creative,

can be made quickly,

and sometimes made ahead,

so we can nourish our families

with health, comfort and joy.

elf antics - days 23 and 24

2011-12-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

I'm having some trouble with my camera talking to my computer, so this is as good a shot as I've got. Suffice it to say that this photo doesn't do the Elf's latest antic justice: after a long day cooped up in the car, the Elf upended Christmas decorations, covered the room with Christmas cards, and started opening gifts.... the kids seemed a litle skeptical that this was the same Elf?

It turns out... (with a little quick thinking-- because really, how could an Elf get out of a locked car and get into a locked house? The kids had a point...) it wasn't our Elf. Our Elf was still out in our car. Of course he was. Sure enough he was still sitting in his little candy box, suspended between the front seats when we checked this afternoon, and the neighbor's Elf seems to have scurried back to their house. Still uncertain about how our Elf would re-enter our house, the kids built him a tree fort in case he has to spend the last night outside, and we left the car's sunroof open....

They will be thrilled tomorrow morning when they realize how much our Elf appreciates their fort building skills. I don't know that our Elf will make another mess-- I mean, appearance-- inside this year. This might be it. But, we're ending it on a high note. The house is back in order, the Elf appreciates our boys, and I will now regain at least an hour a day. Cheers to all of the above.

If you'd like to relive our Elf's antics, you are welcome to click here.

just three more days with the Elf... day 22's antic

2011-12-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Every morning, the kids get up at, oh, about 5:30am to see what the Elf's been up to. And then they come to our room a few minutes later to excitedly tell us...as if we weren't fully aware. I am betting on a little extra sleep today, since the Elf will be harder to find (suspended between the front seats of my car in a candy box). Ah to be an Elf, when even the day's errands can be deemed a road trip. (Note that he also brought all of his "stuff" along for the ride: his goggles, ice skates and tooth necklace. All of the important stuff...)

elf antic - day 21

2011-12-21T05:10:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's a genuine baby tooth necklace the Elf is sporting this morning...

and his competitive streak played in our older son's favor as he upped the ante. This go round, not only did the Tooth Fairy leave her customary dollar coin, but the Elf left him a $2 bill. Whoa.

And the magic of both The Tooth Fairy and The Elf appears to still be alive and well for another day...

"make or buy"

2011-12-20T11:47:00.000-08:00

If you didn't see it yesterday, I urge you to read The Happiest Mom's post on holiday baking. Having just returned from a cookie swap with a decadent platter of other people's cookies, I thought it was absolutely fabulous that the hostesses said "make or buy" 3 dozen cookies on their invitation. How many times have you been invited to something like this, and then just completely run out of time? Or your head is spinning when you look at your to-do list, but you could really use an hour off and a cup of coffee among mom friends? I loved that everyone felt welcome, from those who probably stayed up late to make beautifully iced cut-outs to those swinging by the bakery en route to the gathering.

elf antic - day 20

2011-12-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

my tips for decorating cookies with kids...

2011-12-19T18:44:00.001-08:00

As I have mentioned in past years, the key to kids partaking in kitchen projects, and having them be enjoyable to all, is all about prep. That and some rimmed cookie sheets, if it involves cookie decorating.

If they're little, get things organized and then invite them to help. If they're old enough to help, encourage them to get things set up for younger siblings... having everything at arm's reach makes it easy to share.

Making a pastry bag out of a sandwich-sized zip-loc, with a tiny hole cut in the corner works well. Older children can make precise lines...and younger ones, well, it helps to keep the frosting contained.

I don't know about your children, but the attention span of mine is not long enough to make dough, roll, cut, bake, cool and then decorate. So, I made a big batch of gingerbread again this year and froze the cookies until this weekend, when we had time to do the fun part: decorate.

That said, what is most important is that you keep things merry. If you don't have time to bake before Christmas, no. big. deal. I love Meagan Francis' perspective on holiday baking. Forget the calendar, heck, go out and buy cookies and a tub of frosting if that's what works. You and I both know that what matters is that you actually enjoy time together this holiday season, decorating cookies... tromping out in the snow... snuggling up with a book...or whatever family time bring these next two weeks. I hope you all have a wonderful vacation together and will look forward to kicking off the New Year with some health-inspired, simple recipes to share with your families!

homemade gift idea: dark chocolate truffles

2011-12-19T18:44:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe I have shelled out several dollars for specialty truffles after seeing how simple they are to make. Those of you who were following our homemade gift extravaganza this past weekend saw that we whipped up a spice rub, a curried lentil soup mix and a lemon-sugar scrub in between birthday parties, chess, paddle tennis and normal weekend revelry. What I didn't mention, was that at the 11th hour (or 4:00pm, if you go to bed at 7:00pm...) my older son and I also made a batch of homemade truffles. My husband rolled his eyes, since the kitchen had just been put back in order, and really did we need to make another homemade gift?! Yes, we did. Because my younger son wanted to give one of his teachers something chocolate, and the kids are giving each adult something homemade this year, and (trust me) I knew my husband and father-in-law would love these, assuming they turned out.

The recipe looked too simple. Really, just 4 ingredients? Yup. And whatever you plan to roll them in.

Homemade Dark Chocolate Truffles

(makes about 60 truffles, depending upon what size you roll them)

1 stick of butter (8T)
2 cups of heavy cream
2 lbs chocolate* (in chunks, chips or chopped)
1 Tablespoon vanilla*
topping of your choice (crushed nuts, cocoa powder, candy cane dust, etc...)

In a double boiler, bring the butter and cream to a fast simmer. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Chill until firm. Once chilled, scoop and roll into balls, then roll into coating of your choice. (Our truffles were about 3/4 inch in diameter. We rolled half of them in cocoa powder and half of them in candy canes we had pulverized in the Cuisinart, until they were simply pink powder.) Store truffles in fridge until ready to enjoy.

* If you can, splurge on high quality chocolate and vanilla for this project. It really will make a difference in the end product. My favorite brands are Dagoba and Guittard (which can sometimes be a little bit harder to find) or Ghiradelli 60% which is readily available in most supermarkets.

Note: this is not for the faint, or those who like things neat and tidy. Handling the chilled chocolate in this project is really messy! I did not argue when my younger son opted out after rolling one truffle, his hands then covered in chocolate... full disclosure: I was sort of thankful because I wasn't that excited to see chocolate hand prints in any other part of the house...

We packaged this little balls of homemade decadence in mini muffin cups inside these small window boxes, lined with parchment paper.

putting a gift to good use: making curried lentil soup with butternut squash and kale

2011-12-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

We took one of our homemade gifts for a test run last night. All in the interest of recipe development, of course. If you're making it along with us, in addition to the 4 cups of dried lentils and spice packet we included (which was 2 cubes of Rapunzel veg bouillon + 2 bay leaves + 1 tablespoon madras curry + 1 tablespoon of the spice rub we made), you will need:

a large pot
olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 (or more) of your favorite sausages (chicken, pork, soy, etc..), chopped (optional)
2 cups of butternut squash, diced
10 cups of water
1 bunch of kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, optional
Greek yogurt (optional, as a topping)

Over medium heat, saute the onions and carrots in a bit of olive oil.

Add the sausages and butternut squash, and continue sauteing until the onions are translucent.

Add the contents of the spice packet that came along with the gift + 10 cups of water and let the whole thing simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils have softened. Then remove the bay leaves...

and add the kale, stirring it in to the soup. Continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and lentils are fully cooked. Soup will be stew-like consistency. (I make most of my soups this consistency because it's easier for little hands to get it from bowl to mouth!!)

Serve warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt with counterbalances the heat from the curry powder and white pepper in the spice blend. Because the soup is quite monochromatic, I recommend serving it with a bright green salad.

p.s. The soup is even better on day two, when the flavors have blended. It makes a wonderful vegetarian stew if you leave out the sausage (which is totally optional). It will freeze nicely. Simply add some fresh broth to the soup when you are reheating it. Enjoy!

elf antic - day 19

2011-12-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

our older son's favorite antic: the snowball fight (which only took me about 5 days to clean up...)

our younger son's favorite: "when he juggled marshmallows blindfolded swinging from an electric light...I want to practice that too"...no, please don't, sweetheart.

p.s. a lot of hoopla that the elf was sporting his gifted goggles too...

homemade gift: lemon sugar scrub

2011-12-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

Out of all three homemade teacher gifts we made together yesterday (this lemon-sugar scrub + lentil soup mixes + spice rubs), this one definitely goes down as my favorite. Since we're only doing homemade gifts from the boys to all adults this year, this is what I am lobbying for as my gift. It totally works (one of my kids gave it a test run last night) and it is so super easy. Plus, who wouldn't like a little pampering to kick off the new year?

Lemon Sugar Scrub

this recipe will make a dozen 5 oz. jars (or about 7 1/2 cups)-- you can scale the recipe up or down for your gift-making project

I learned of this recipe on Count it all Joy, which is a fabulous, witty blog full of good ideas.

8 cups sugar

2 cups olive oil

1 cup lemon juice

zest of 10 lemons (or about 8 Tablespoons)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Note that stirring the mixture is tough at first, you might have to help your kids get it going...Store scrub in an airtight container.

We packaged it in these 5 oz jars. While everything is edible, you don't want your recipients eating a big scoop, so gift tag should read:

Lemon Sugar Scrub

Apply a handful of sugar scrub to wet skin while showering and massage in circular motion. Will remove dead skin and leave winter skin feeling refreshed and moisturized!

homemade gift: curried lentil soup kit in a jar

2011-12-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, we made bean soup kits as a holiday gift for our children's teachers. The kids had fun making them, and feedback from recipients was glowing. Our older son, was particularly keen on this idea, plus we're doing only homemade gifts from the kids to all adults in the family this year, so this is a good one for grandma as well. As with all of the gifts we made this year, this is one little hands can truly participate in. But, in the scheme of homemade gifts, this is a pricier option because of the packaging, so it may not be feasible if you're making gifts for almost 40 teachers and coaches, as we are this holiday season. Smaller group of recipients, go for it!

Our recipe is an adaptation of this one from Food Network. We filled these 38 oz. jars , which happened to have a snowflake blown into them, but you could also go with the standard 34 oz. jar like this one.

Curried Lentil Soup in a Jar Homemade Gift Project

makes six 38 oz. kits, which are 8-10 servings each + a few extra cups of beans so you can test the soup too!

12 lbs of assorted lentils (or about 24 cups)*

spice packet:
2 cubes of Rapunzel vegetable bouillon**
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon of our homemade spice blend***

Layer the different colored lentils in a 34 or 38 oz. glass jar, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. Put two bouillon cubes on top of the dried beans. Place bay leaves and spices into a small gift bag or zip-loc, and gently squeeze that into the top of the jar.

Gift note should read:

Curried Lentil Soup with Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale

To make the soup, you will need:
large pot
contents of jar
olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 (or more) of your favorite sausages (chicken, pork, or soy...), chopped
2 cups butternut squash, diced
10 cups of water
1 bunch of kale, stems removed, chopped
salt & pepper (optional)
Greek yogurt (optional, as a topping)

Over medium heat, saute the onions, carrots, sausage and butternut squash in a bit of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add dried lentils,10 cups of water, both bouillon cubes and the spice mixture. Bring to boil, then lower heat so that the soup is at a simmer. Cook soup, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until lentils soften. Remove the bay leaves, and stir in kale. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for another 10 minutes. Serve warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if you'd like.

Soup kit will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry place.

* I purchased 4 lb bags of white, orange and brown lentils at our local Indian Market. You can also buy lentils in bulk at Whole Foods, in the bin section. Or, many markets carry large bags of bulk beans by Goya.
** This is my favorite store-bought broth for soups. By us, Rapunzel bouillon is available at Stewart's Market and Whole Foods. You can also order it in bulk from amazon. I prefer to use the one without salt, so that the recipient can add the amount o salt they'd like.
*** If you also whipped up spice blends for gifts, super. Here's an example of how they're used. If not, simply put a few shakes of your favorite dried herbs into the spice bag, equivalent to about 1 Tablespoon of dried spices, in addition to the 1 T of curry powder. Ideas: rosemary, fennel, garlic powder or granulated garlic, coriander, smoked paprika, Herbs de Provence blend or pepper...

homemade gift: tins of spice rub

2011-12-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our homemade gift making extravaganza...or as much of an 'extravaganza' as it's going to be when my husband and I were passing the baton-- or kid, as the case may be-- between a haircut, chess team practice, birthday party and Y Guide service project. Last week, I offered up a bunch of different gift choices to the kids, but one wanted sweet, the other savory...and I wanted to ensure sanity. I also really wanted the gifts to be something they actually made, since they are old enough to both really participate this year. So, we ended up doing three small projects, in about 2 hours (not including shopping for packaging & ingredients which I did on Friday). The kitchen was left intact, and we now have gifts that both kids are excited to give to their teachers and coaches. Here's the first one: little tins of homemade spice rub.

This is our version, after making this one and the kids deeming it too spicy, then adding in parts of this one.

Homemade Spice Rub

makes 14 4oz tins, or about 7 cups

"use the spice rub on meats or fish before grilling; add to salad dressings or soups; sprinkle on steamed vegetables"

2.5 cups dried rosemary

2 cups of fennel powder*

2 cups granulated garlic**

1/2 cup coarse black pepper

6 Tablespoons coriander

6 Tablespoons Kosher salt

4 Tablespoons white pepper

Combine all of the spices in a large bowl. Stir. Store in airtight containers. Spice rub will keep for several months if stored in a cool, dry area.

* If you cannot find fennel powder, or want more texture, you could also use fennel seeds and grind them in a blender until desired consistency. I happened to find fennel powder at Patel's Indian Market, in Norwalk but you can find an array of harder-to-find spices online at Penzey's too (or at the Penzey's store, if you're local to Fairfield County, CT).

** Make sure you use granulated garlic, not garlic salt!! Garlic salt is 3 salt: 1 garlic. Granulated garlic is simply coarse grained dried garlic. Costco carries restaurant-sized containers of granulated garlic, or your local market should have it in the dried spice section.

To make this project most economical, try to find bulk spices. Think about who in your area would have high turnover of spices? You want them as fresh as possible. Usually it's the ethnic markets. Around us, Patel's (in Norwalk, in the same strip mall as Best Buy, Rio Restaurant, TJMaxx, etc...) is a good bet. And even if you're not making a spice rub, that place is worth a visit for the truly amazing array of Indian ingredients and prepared foods!

For tins, we used these seamless 4oz. metal ones.

elf antic - day 18

2011-12-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

the elf burst out of his (2-day) hiding place (someone was a little overzealous there...) and found peace and quiet in one of the teacher gifts we made yesterday

lid was left ajar so the kids wouldn't be traumatized that the Elf couldn't breath...and to appreciate today's placement, here's what we were up to yesterday!

elf antic - day 17 (or lack thereof, as the case may be...oops)

2011-12-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Hmm, Elf didn't move last night... did he forget or was it because the kids forgot to do the pen project he requested? (Oh, and all of you moms will appreciate that our dining room table is still covered in powdered sugar. I kid you not. Why did I think that was a good idea-- I mean, let the Elf do that?!) By this afternoon, our Elf had put quite a dent into the gingerbread house. Apparently, Elf also had a prime viewing spot for both the pen clean-out (finally) + our first hour of the gift making extravaganza. So far, a dozen tins of our-made-up-spice-rub are made and 6 large bean soup kits have been assembled. Later this afternoon we're going to make an enormous batch of lemon sugar scrub, then let the kids decide who gets what and tag everything. Hopefully...

elf antics - snowball aftermath + day 16

2011-12-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

so, he leaves town...and then comes home that afternoon with chocolates if the kids clean up the playroom? interesting.

note that he broke into the gingerbread house of our most easy-going child...