so easy...roasted shrimp & tomatoes + a new video!

Last night was a little nutty between juggling my kid's dinner + bath + homework + bedtime needs, a friend stopping by for a (much needed) glass of wine, an 8pm meeting...and getting dinner made. This is one of my go-to recipes. It's just so easy. If you don't care for shrimp you can always make it with chicken instead. That's the beauty of this recipe, it's totally adaptable depending upon what flavors you like and what you have on hand.

Originally, a local friend Katharine passed this recipe along to me during one of those email recipe swaps. (Or maybe it was Siri? I can't remember, but one of these girls deserves credit!) The ingredients sometimes differ a bit, depending upon what I have on hand. When I wrote about it the summer of 2009, I happened to have these gorgeous multi-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes on hand and bell peppers. In the video, I had fresh mint, marinated artichokes and kalamata olives that I tossed in as well. Yesterday it was simply: cherry tomatoes, a large can of diced tomatoes, lemon zest & juice, fresh parsley, garlic, a drizzle of balsamic & olive oil, and Feta. And it was delish.

a fruit or veggie on every plate

I loved going into the city for Stephanie Sacks' FOOD SOLUTIONS event this week (pictured above). It wasn't so much that there was alot of "new" information, but it was invigorating to be in a room of people who are interested in working towards more healthful family meals.


Here's one tip MaryBeth Augustine shared during the Q&A that is easy for all of us to enact:

start with fruits and vegetables...add them to every meal

We're all in different places when it comes to preparing meals for our families. For some, this tip may be second nature. For others, it may be more of an a-ha moment. Either way, the guarantee is that your child's plate will be more healthful if it's colorful...and the best way to get color on the plate is through a variety of fruits and vegetables. I shot a video this winter where I assembled some "rainbow plates" for my kids that you may find helpful as you put this tip into action.

busy, busy-- but breakfast is made!

My head was happily swirling on the train home from the city, thinking of all of these recipes & ideas I wanted to share with you. And then, blogger (which powers "full plate") was down for 24 hours...it was way too gorgeous to sit inside...and a few new mealsinasnap videos were posted to YouTube. So, I got a little sidetracked. I will share a few take-aways from the nutrition forum, but today it's more timely for me to post one of my new videos since I just so happen to be whipping up a frittata and protein pancakes right now, in anticipation of a busy weekend ahead! The frittata I am making this afternoon includes asparagus, artichokes and kale-- but as you'll see in the video, you can use just about any veggie or meat you might have on hand for this fabulous make-ahead dish.



And, as you all know, the protein pancakes are one of my go-to make-ahead breakfasts. So, it was time for me to whip up a fresh batch of those to store in the fridge too. Here's that ("oldie but goodie") video as well, for anyone who may have missed the earlier posting of it. Enjoy these simple ideas for make-ahead breakfasts. I hope you have a fabulous weekend ahead.



If you cannot see the videos above, here's the link to the frittata one, and here's the link to the protein pancake one. Enjoy!

off to the city + taco night

I cannot wait. Tomorrow I am spending the day in the city at this culinary nutrition workshop. I feel good about the way I feed my family

but there's always something to learn...a new recipe, a research blip, a cooking tip...

I look forward to hopefully sharing some new ideas from this workshop.

Oh, and if the above looks appetizing, here's the scoop on last week's taco night. The filling was: cauliflower, mushrooms and zucchini (all diced finely) and white corn sauteed in a bit of olive oil with lots and lots of fresh cilantro, hearty shakes of cumin and chili powder, some minced garlic, a teeny bit of chipotle, and some smoked paprika. Everything else should be pretty self-explanatory except the white stuff. Instead of sour cream that's leftover tzatziki from the night before. Just as good.

we have a winner (finally)

The train is totally off the tracks over here. My little one is recovering from pneumonia, and despite being home bound for the bulk of the last two weeks, I have let too many things get in the way of taking care of myself. And it shows. As I tell my friends who ask "when are you going to post again?!!", if I don't have anything nice to say then I won't say anything at all. So, it's been almost a week without posts. Balance always seems to be my elusive goal. But, to start, I am going to announce the Sara Stover book winner and wrap up this post up quickly so I can go outside with the kids and enjoy this beautiful afternoon. Then I am going to make a quick, but delicious pot of bouillabaisse and put my feet up. I hope that all of you busy moms are doing the same (the putting your feet up part, not the bouillabaisse if you didn't also make a run to the fish market this afternoon...) this start to the Mother's Day weekend. Chances are I will not set aside time to post this weekend, so I want to wish each of you a relaxing day.

And now, without further babbling, is the winner [drum roll]. According to my trusty # picker Random.org, it is #5, Sarah, who wrote "I finally have given myself permission to say 'No.' It has made me SO happy!" I'll have what Sarah is having.

Sarah, please email me at mealsinasnap {at} gmail {dot} com and let me know where I should send your book! I hope you enjoy it!!

happy?

Spring is here! The sun is shining again, tulips and daffodils have popped up everywhere and the supermarkets have beautiful artichokes and asparagus. Those of you who have been reading my posts as of late know that I have done my own little reawakening. Finally, I don't feel so much like a frumpy mama bear. I have lost the baby weight (never mind that my youngest is now 4), have more energy, am happier, and [drum roll] a friend who came by for tea last week actually went so far as to say I am glowing. (I swear, I didn't pay her to say that.)

In the process of figuring out ways to jibe my needs with my family's needs I have done a bit of reading. Two books, in particular, really resonated and have helped me to be more calm and focused on what is truly important to me at this life stage. The first, I cracked in the New Year. Since reading Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project, I have given it to several friends who agree that it's fabulous. The second, Sara Avant Stover's new book, The Way of the Happy Woman, is so thoughtful and calming. She is actually coming to New Canaan Library on May 9th and leading a mini retreat at Saraswati on May 14th. I know a lot of you reading this are my friends scattered across the U.S. and beyond so here are the other places you can catch her if you'd like to hear her speak or go to one of her workshops. I am excited to send a copy of Sara's book to one of you who might like to read it as well. Simply leave a comment below letting me know something you have done to bring more happiness into your busy life. I will choose a winner on Monday!

treat made faster than you can hop across the yard

perfect for a casual Easter gathering: two-bite brownies (whole foods has ones without additional ick in them) + homemade cream cheese frosting (cream cheese + powdered sugar + vanilla & a few drops of green) + jelly beans = simple treat the kids can help assemble to wow their friends coming over later to hunt for eggs. hope you have a wonderful, relaxing day with friends and family!

eggs with the devil in them

Trying pants on before bedtime last night, I realize our older son actually does not have pants that fit and are in good enough shape to wear to an egg hunt and dinner this afternoon. So, I'll be spending this morning traipsing around town-- in the rain, two kids in tow-- trying to find pants. Sweet. This is going to leave little time to over think an Easter menu (which might be good...save me from myself). What I do know, is that our casual Easter get-together with the neighbors will include

deviled eggs...or as my little one calls them "eggs with the devil in them". Since the baby chicks hatched in his class last week, he's been understandably a bit skittish about eating eggs. But, I know he digs these so I am thinking a few will go down the hatch.

Eggs with the Devil in Them
(makes 12...double or triple if you're expecting a crowd)

6 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely minced celery
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon minced drained capers

Shell eggs, then cut in half lengthwise. Transfer yolks to small bowl and mash with fork. Mix in remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon yolk mixture into whites. Can be made several hours ahead, just cover loosely and pop into fridge.

Then, I'll also make a batch of pea dip or

edamame hummus to serve with pita chips and fresh veggies for dipping.

For sides to go along with the ham my neighbor is bringing, I think I'll make a spinach, jicama, slivered almond salad with this super simple yogurt-based salad dressing. Leftover dressing can be used as a fabulous marinade in the week ahead.

And if the rain ever stops, I'll make a big platter of grilled veggies

or maybe I'll just make grilled asparagus and call it a day. We'll see. I still need one or two comforting, decadent sides to please those (like my husband) who grew up with scalloped potatoes. Ideas and links to your favorite Easter side dish recipes are welcome...I'll be going to the grocery market this afternoon.

worth prepping

Give me all the flack you want, but I assure you that taking an hour (max) to sort, wash, and prep your veggies will lead to far easier meal prep during the week. No, my fridge doesn't look like this every day. But it does more often than not...especially now, as I am trying my darndest to juggle taking care of my family and taking care of me.

For those also working out with Tracy (a.k.a. feeling mom-a-licious), this is what my fridge looks like on a "Body Reset week". Here's what's what top to bottom:

OJ (which my husband guzzles first thing); the kid's whole milk; steamed artichokes (for a quick snack or light meal); chestnuts; a veggie juice I picked up while out; beer; extra veggie juice I made that day; hummus (for a quick snack); and yogurt (quick kid's snack) and soy milk.

Edamame (again, quick snack); spinach salads I picked up a Whole Foods; cucumbers ready to go in the juicer; grapes; chopped radishes; avocados (really ripe and ready to eat hidden in the back); kid's yogurts; cut-up carrots and parsnips; hard-boiled eggs; berries; fruit salad one of the kids wanted from Whole Foods; strawberries; (more) beer; salsa verde; various hot sauces.

Chicken sausages (for an easy kid's dinner); cauliflower & broccoli (to dip in the hummus); spinach; chopped jicama; chopped peppers; extra jicama; celery and extra cucumbers.

Other things you don't see: frozen Applegate turkey burgers; chicken which I'll either make a spice rub for, or marinate this way; several cans of 365 Albacore tuns is spring water; black beans; a block of Wild Wood Super-Firm High Protein Tofu; and any fish I pick up from New Wave during the week as our protein.

With all of these colorful, healthy ingredients ready to go, in addition to the grilled chicken and avocado salad I mentioned above, I can easily whip up: hard-boiled eggs and fruit for breakfast (or pop fresh berries on a frozen waffle for the kids), an oil & mayo-free tuna or chicken salad, a quick veggie crudite for a snack, or a Mexican-inspired black bean salad...just to name a few of the meals we're enjoying this week!

redeeming myself in the baking dept

I am redeeming myself in my younger son's eyes. The last time I baked these scones, on Valentine's Day, I accidentally used salt instead of sugar. I know what you guys are thinking. You're reading this going, "there is no way she really did that". Yes folks, I did. And to make matters worse, I didn't realize I had done this until I had drizzled delectable lemon glaze over, oh, about 60 heart-shaped scones (since both boys wanted to bring a special snack into their classes that day). I had gotten up at the crack of dawn to bake, so it was perfectly acceptable for me to completely freak out. But wait, I knew I baked the first batch with sugar straight from the bag...it was in the second, third and fourth batch that I had used "sugar" from the big canister in my baking cupboard. Wait a minute. How the heck did salt get into my sugar canister anyway? Ugh, no time to figure that out. I tried (in vain) to locate the first batch of scones from amid the pretty platters stacked high with (salty) treats. Thinking I had located enough at least for my younger son's class, I still warned his teachers at drop-off. By all accounts, they were like salt licks. Inedible. Fast forward two months. Today when I asked my little one what he'd like to bring in for class snack he said, "oooh, how about scones! The ones with jelly! They are so yummy. I love them...But this time will you make them with sugar instead of salt?"

new found hour

I had set aside a bit of time this morning to post a few easy recipes, but something is amiss. Apparently somewhere between gazpacho, the dozen new "rainbow plates" and new food crushes my computer and camera decided they don't want to talk to one another. This tiff has been going on about a week now. So, I am left with fabulous photos stuck on my (banged up, seen several family vacations, birthdays, happy kids and zillions of recipes) camera and one finicky computer. Annoying.

But all is not lost. Well, it sort of is for you guys because I cannot share these recipes with you today. This new found little window of time will allow me to workout in peace while my husband is buying soccer cleats and getting haircuts with the kids.

So, I leave you with this quote from Gwyneth Paltrow, "It's not an accident. It's not luck, it's not fairy dust, it's not good genes. It's killing myself for an hour and a half five days a week, but what I get out of it is relative to what I put into it...The reason that I can be 38 and have two kids and wear a bikini is because I work my ass off."

lighter on my feet + avocado salad and week 2-approved marinated chicken

I am totally hooked. 11 days in to my gift to myself I feel amazing. (The icing on the cake...or lime on the jicama as the case may be when we're talking treats these day... is that when I went to JCREW for some new white jeans, I had to go down 2 sizes. In 10 days. Really, who wouldn't be smitten with themselves?!) And the impact on my family is pretty darn fabulous too. You all know that we always ate relatively healthfully, but since I am following Tracy's Eating Plan as well, there are tons of fruits and veggies guaranteed at each meal. I know. I know. You all gave me so much flack for my uber-organized fridge in the Chicken Enchilada video, but I'm telling you: it's totally worth it to prep ahead. That pic above included some of my prepped ingredients for week 2's meals. Crunchy, colorful goodness. (Much appreciated after 7 days of purees and soups...)

As for the exercise portion, I love-- and now totally agree with-- what Tracy says: "People feel guilty about taking that time for themselves and don’t stop to realize that devoting some time each day to take care of yourself will help you in all other aspects of your life." Now, don't get me wrong. This hasn't been an easy 11 days. The "30 min" of cardio and "30 min" of toning that Tracy encourages me to do 6 days/week really takes me more like 45 minutes apiece because I have to stop to catch my breath or guzzle water. The first day I was clomping around so ridiculously ungracefully that my children came running up to see what the hell was going on above them. Nothing little ones, that's just mom trying to do some dance cardio. For someone who really hasn't danced since, oh, our wedding 10+ years ago, I am happy to report that 11 days in I am lighter on my feet. Still, no one is going to mistake my moves for Tracy's. Yet.

Then there's the food. And while I knew I would find a way to squeeze the exercise into my busy days (even if it means getting up at 5:30 am to do it before getting the kids ready for school), I wondered if I'd really be able to make her eating plan work? So far, so good. I find myself adding fresh herbs, lemon juice, and spices where I can to keep things interesting. But then there's something like these chunks of fresh kiwi and blueberries that are so perfect as is.

This week, I am having two hard boiled eggs and a cup of fresh fruit for breakfast each day. The kids are having some derivation of that too and digging it (like above with the half eaten egg). Prep is non-existent (unless you count chopping an apple and peel a banana for them) because I am boiling the eggs ahead of time.

Dinners have overlapped nicely too. I'm the only one who likes grilled tofu, so everyone else had a roasted veggie pizza at the meal pictured above. The only real difference is that I've been leaving the kid's salads "deconstructed" (as they do in some of the finest dining establishments).

Here's a "week 2-approved" recipe I came up with that was a hit with my family this weekend. Whether you are doing this 90-day gig along with me or not, I think you'll enjoy this simple meal idea:

Avocado Salad

Combine chunks of avocado, red pepper, English cucumbers, jicama and cherry tomatoes. Add the juice of a few limes (depending upon how much you're making). If you'd like, you can also add salt & pepper, to taste.

Lemon-Mustard Marinated Chicken

In a large zip-loc, combine chicken breasts or cutlets + lemon zest + lemon juice + grainy mustard + fresh rosemary + a few grinds of pepper + a few shakes of smoked paprika. Add enough water so the marinade turns to a "paste" consistency. Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Grill over high heat so the chicken is seared. This will prevent it from sticking to the grill. Serve warm or cold.