It’s time to get back to basics, Gorgeouses. I have been a bad BAD foodie. I’ve been JUST GETTING BY in the kitchen lately, and my children’s PICKY EATING is, I think, a reflection of my lack of passion about the food they eat. And, in turn, my lack of passion about food is a direct result of my utter EXHAUSTION lately. Which is, in turn, a direct result of bland diet which is, in turn, a direct result of my lack of passion about food.

OY! It’s a chicken-egg scenario. Only, of course, I don’t eat chicken. Or eggs. Or dairy. Or anything animal. Which makes PASSIONATE FOOD a bit of a challenge — both for myself and the kids.

SO, to end this DOWNWARD SPIRAL into doom and gloom and BLAND FOOD. I’m menu planning. At least for the kids. And, I’m getting out all my ammunition, as follows:

1. Better Food for Kids

2. The Eat-Clean Diet for Families & Kids

3. Wholesome Meals for Babies and Toddlers

4. Organic Baby & Toddler Cookbook

5. Brain Foods for Kids

That’s A LOT of kids’ and kid-friendly cookbooks. I have NO excuse for not getting edible food on the table.

And, I KNOW, I’m being hard on myself. Most kids are picky eaters. There’s not a WHOLE lot I can do. But, I want to try a little harder to APPEAL to their senses….

I’m not sure how much I’m going to take from the books, but there are tons of ideas in all of them. I’ll share recipes with you throughout the week. Anyway! Here goes. Weekday Menu Plan for THIS WEEK. CHECK IT!

BREAKFAST:

Will be easy this week. I’m going to make my — now famous, apparently — nutrient-packed VEGAN MUFFINS. When I run out of those, I have our favourite waffles….

LUNCH & DINNER:

Monday:

Lunch: Macaroni and cheese (a healthier version than Kraft). Sliced tomato and cucumber, and a fruit. I’m going to sneak in some PUREED butternut squash into the macaroni and cheese. The squash adds a richness to the colour, a subtle sweetness to the taste, and, of course nutrients and fiber.

Dinner: BAKED SALMON (recipe from Better Food for Kids to come). The monkeys LOVE salmon, and I never make it. Let’s give it a try…. I’ll bake some SWEET POTATO wedges, and steam some broccoli (sprinkled with almonds?) on the side. Recipes to come.

Tuesday:

Lunch: (Aka HELL DAY because I teach yoga at 1pm, which leaves me only HALF AN HOUR, after I pick Monkey up from preschool, to feed them). Leftover Mac and Cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber, and a fruit.

Dinner: Organic (Hallelujah brand) Chicken fingers and veggies (because I’m getting tired just LOOKING at this menu plan, AND Josh-O has dinner plans).

Wednesday:

Lunch: HUMMUS and vegetable wraps. Mmmm, something I can enjoy with them. VEGAN LUNCH. You should see my little Rascal eating a wrap. So fancy!

Dinner: IT’SGRANDMA’S COOKING.

Thursday:

Lunch: Peanut butter and jam on a bagel/toast. Milk/chocolate milk (for the monkey). Fruit.

Dinner: FRITTATA TIME! (recipe to come)

Friday:

Lunch: Hummus and pita, veggies, fruit.

Dinner: IT’SGRANDMA’S COOKING.

Who am I kidding. It’s such a lot of cooking and cleaning ALL THE TIME — this motherhood thing. Nobody tells you there’s going to be SO MUCH COOKING and cleaning ALL THE TIME. So, here I am telling you.

I also noticed that my kids wouldn’t eat MOST of the recipes from the above cookbooks. So much for my ammunition…. I’ve been flipping and re-flipping through them all and thinking MY KIDS WILL NEVER EAT THAT! Sigh….

So, you tell me, Gorgeouses! What are some of your favourite kids’ meals? (And, you don’t have to be a parent to answer this!)

It’s Thanksgiving today in Canada, which means a LO-HO-HOT of turkeys are being eaten. SO, to give back to those turkeys, and to even things out a bit, why not try this DEELISH vegan recipe one day this week. I think you’ll find that you AND your family will love it.

INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 6-8; Cooking time approx. 45 mins)

6 cups cooked rice noodles, quinoa, OR brown rice
1 six-ounce package of firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 tbsp sesame oil or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
Bunch mushrooms (if desired — I love portobello)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 medium red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, sliced

THE SAUCE
1/2 cup natural peanut or almond butter
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tbs tamari / soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
(water, if consistency is too thick — which it shouldn’t be…)

1/4 cups chopped peanuts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the noodles, if using, by following package instructions. To cook brown rice or quinoa, place 2 cups of grain in 4 cups of watter, bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat, cover, and simmer (15 minutes for quinoa or 30 minutes for brown rice). Toward the end of the cooking time, make sure all water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add tofu and brown each side — gently turning over the cubes. Remove from heat, and set aside on a separate plate.

3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Add garlic, carrots and onion (and mushrooms would be great!). Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add broccoli and stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes.

5. Add bell peppers, green onions and whatever other veggies you want (green/purple cabbage would be great), and stir fry for 2-3 more minutes.

6. Combine the veggies, tofu and grains/noodles in big bowl.

7. TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork until smooth. Add water if sauce needs thinning out (or orange juice for more sweet; tamari for more salty). Let it sit for an hour before serving, if possible.

8. If you want, sprinkle with cilantro.

9. DEFINITELY sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

10. Enjoy! And, let us know how you like it!

Recipe adapted from the brillers book Enlightened Eating: Nourishment for Body and Soul, by Caroline Dupont.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Caroline and receiving nutrition counseling, energy work and meditation guidance from her. She’s extremely gifted and a lovely person.

To contact Caroline and/or to book a consultation with her, please visit her website http://carolinedupont.com.

Gorgeouses, this is the easiest recipe ever. And, YUMMY! When NEXT you go to the grocery store, buy yourself some egg noodles, preferably these spelt ones for added fiber and vitamins and other nutritiony goodnesses. They’re quick, and they’re delish, and — added bonus? — kids love ‘em.

Check it!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4-6):

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2.5 cups of 1% milk
1 tsp spice mix (any brand you want, i.e., Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning)
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
3/4 lb or 340 g broad egg noodles (preferably SPELT!)
3/4 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese
Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. Boil large pot full of water.

3. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan at medium heat.

4. Once butter is melted, remove it from the heat and blend in flour with a whisk or fork.

5. Gradually whisk in the milk.

6. Turn the heat back on to medium.

7. Add spices and stir until mix thickens.

8. Remove from heat.

9. Throw egg noodles into pot of boiling water for no more than FIVE minutes. Then drain and rinse them in a colander.

10. Add egg noodles to milk mixture, and crumble in the grated cheese…. (You can add in some veggies here, or tuna, tofu, etc….)

11. Spray a large casserole dish and pour in the noodle mix.

12. Cover tightly with tinfoil (shiny side down), and place it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

If you want it nice and crispy on top, uncover the dish and turn the heat up to broil for, like, 2-4 minutes (WATCH IT DOESN’T BURN — trust me…).

Enjoy! And, let us know how you like it!

Recipe adapted from The Healthy Family….

Cheaty highly recommends….

Last night, I made Josh-O and the kids a chicken casserole (will post recipe later), and I made myself THE yummiest vegetarian dish EVER.

I just wasn’t in the mood for chicken…. I’d just had the most LOVELY yoga class I’d had in a while, and I KNEW my body wanted a wholesome, cleansing vegetarian dish. So, I looked through ALL my cookbooks for the yummiest looking recipe — WITH the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats, of course — and found nothing. Then, I decided to put in a google, and I found THIS. FABULOUS. FILLING. FLAVOURFUL. dish. Total YUM. CHECK IT!!!

It’s really supposed to be more colourful than this picture shows…. But, I didn’t have any leeks or green or red peppers on hand — only yellow peppers and yellow onions. So, yellow, yellow, YELLOW it is. But, still DELISH and HEALTHY and PROTEIN-PACKED beyond!

Okay, so here we go….

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 8 Servings)

2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts halved and sliced (1 cup)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 large eggs
1 cup nonfat milk
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (4 oz.), plus more for sprinkling, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and bell peppers; cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.

3. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes, or until quinoa grains begin to turn opaque.

4. Add 3 cups of water, and season with salt (if desired — I always skip the salt). Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes more, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.

5. Spray 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Transfer to prepared baking dish, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until browned around the edges and on top.

ENJOY!!!

NUTRITIONAL INFO
Amount Per SERVING (serves 8):

Calories 241
Protein 12g
Total fat 10g
Carbs 27g
Cholesterol 72mg
Sodium 295mg
Fiber 2g
Sugars 3g

SOURCE: Vegetarian Times Issue: April 1, 2008 p.78

I got an email the other day from the LOVELY and FABULOUSLY PREGGERS Multi-Tasking Mommy! She wanted to know how on EARTH one makes a good batch of Quinoa.

WELL, I can TELL YOU. Because I make the BEST QUINOA. And, it’s SO easy. It’s as easy as couscous and BETTER FOR YOU. I make it all the time. It’s SO good for you — one of the HEALTHIEST “grains” (apparently, it’s not even a grain) you can eat because it’s packed with PROTEIN and loads of nutrients. So, check it, Gorgeouses….

HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT QUINOA

1. Place 250 mL (1 cup) of quinoa and 500 mL (2 cups) of water in a pot (I use Corningware).

2. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to simmer (low).

4. Cover, and cook until all the water is absorbed (10-15 mins).

5. When it’s done, you’ll be able to see the germ ring, and the grain part in the centre will be translucent. You’ll know!

CHEATY’S QUINOA RECIPE

This really is the easiest recipe. And, it’s delicious. Even Josh-O loved it — to both our surprise — when I served it the other night with a garden salad.

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup Chopped Hazelnuts (or pine nuts, or slivered almonds)
1/2 cup Raisins
1/4-1/2 cup Feta or Goat cheese (crumbled)
Pinch Turmeric (only because it’s SUPER healthy for you)
Pepper, to taste
Black Beans (optional)

Serves 5.

I don’t know why I indicated amounts for the ingredients because this dish really is anything goes. You could use more or less of ANY of these ingredients, depending on how you like it.

I suggested black beans as an option for those of us who want more protein and fibre in the meal. It’s not necessary, though, because quinoa has plenty of that, and the cheese adds good protein.

All you do is cook the quinoa (as above), then add in all the ingredients, mix it up, ET VOILA!

So easy!

ENJOY!

Thank you for the great question, Multi-Tasking Mommy!