orange lunch haiku

carrots and a peach
leftovers of mac & cheese
oh, and some yogurt

phooey

Tonight I'm having Mac and Cheese

adventures with oatmeal

There was a stretch for a while when I was eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast. I had received a huge box of the individual packets of flavored, instant stuff and needed to work through that. I would add fresh or dried fruit or nuts occasionally, but not too often given the already sky-high sugar and fat content.

Then I started on the old-fashioned oats. These take some commitment to make, especially if I thought I was going to make and eat it before leaving for work in the morning. This kind really is my favorite.

But then I inherited a bag of plain, instant from my sister and started eating that at work for breakfast in the morning. But it definitely needed some help. Usually I'd add some sugar, dried fruit, and almonds, or a peach or something. My most creative moments, however, came when I decided to try adding hot chocolate mix (which is always available in the break room). This resulted in very yummy chocolate oatmeal, to which I sometimes added dried cherries. I gave the French Vanilla cappuccino mix a try, too, which was also quite tasty.

Yesterday I actually made the old-fashioned stuff at home before shoving it in a mug and running out the door. I had added cinnamon, some nutmeg, a little ginger, no sugar, and a fresh peach. Not a good idea. Today I had it with brown sugar and a peach. Much, much better.

greens in peanut sauce

For a few of my meals for the week, I made Greens in Peanut Sauce from Simply in Season with the rainbow chard I bought at the market on Saturday. It consists of onion, garlic, tomato, curry, cumin, peanut butter, and lots of greens with white, red, orange, and purple stems. I also added some cooked chicken. Not a bad way to eat normally-bitter greens.

Note to self: there's a reason this is listed as a "side dish." I don't think these kinds of greens are meant to be consumed in larger than side-dish quantities, or for too many days in a row. Next time I'll make it with some kind of meat and serve it to more people than myself, because overall it really is a good recipe.

vegetable pizza

One of my all-time favorite foods. Made for a movie night with Baker Babes. No low-fat cream cheese this time...and broccoli, red pepper, and carrots fresh from the market. Oh, and I added spinach herb dip mix to the cream cheese along with tons of dill. Plenty for the party and for the household potluck on Sunday. Yum.

to market, to market...

...to buy apples, peaches, rainbow chard, and flowers

home again, home again...don't carry super-ripe peaches next to the apples banging against your hip for the mile walk home. They will arrive totally bruised, but still yummy.

poultry pasta primavera

Last weekend at the market I bought broccoli, a sweet red pepper, and carrots in preparation for this recipe from Simply in Season. What I didn't have (or buy, or make) was yogurt cheese, fresh parsley, and oregano. So I used extra basil, dill, spinach herb mix, and shredded CoJack instead. Add garlic, some flour, milk, shredded cooked chicken, parmesan, and pasta and you get one tasty meal with almost two more meals to spare. I'll eat some for lunch tomorrow with leftover WSB bread.

Tidbit learned: "primavera" refers to the vegetables

zucchini brownies

I volunteered to bring snacks to group fellowship at BSF this week, so I choose Zucchini Brownies from Simply in Season. I had everything on-hand (one zucchini was enough for 2 cups) except for plain yogurt so, with Miriam's approval, I substituted the lowfat vanilla yogurt I already had and left out all of the white sugar. Also at her suggestion, I loaded the top with mini chocolate chips to add more chocolate and distract from the green zucchini shreds that poked out everywhere. They were a very big hit.

soup #2

On Monday, September 21, I made Aunt Carrie's Taco Soup, which I think should be re-named Salsa Soup

This was pretty much straight off the recipe card. I tripled everything but the mexicorn, used low-sodium chicken broth, and shredded chicken from the chicken breasts Daniel bought when he moved into his apartment next door. A little tough, but the acid from the salsa softened things up enough. Also, I used black, kidney, and white beans.

In attendance: me, Kristin, Jessica, Laura, Lindsey, Jenny, Mimi

Extras: WSB French bread, chips, improvised seating away from the table, dishes done before choir

To spare: two more meals for me

soup #1

On Tuesday, September 7 I made Mrs. Holesinger's Cheese Vegetable Soup for the first bi-monthly soup and bread night. I used no-salt chicken bullion, a mixture of fresh and frozen vegetables, the Healthy Choice version of cream of chicken soup, and 2% Velveeta cheese. I think this is a recipe you can't mess up.

In attendance: me, Kristin, and Amanda

Extras: Wealthy Street Bakery (WSB) French bread, White Zinfandel

To spare: lots of leftovers for everyone

Keeping track

An account of food made and enjoyed, not food eaten and calculated.