Summertime!

I love the summer! There is more to do with the kids outside and there are some great foods available like fresh fruits, corn and copper river salmon! There is nothing better on a warm summer night then sitting outside eating fresh grilled salmon and great glass of Riesling. Take last Saturday night for example. We went to a bbq at a friend's house. Giant copper river salmon on the grill, cheese and crackers, veggie tray and lots of wine and beer. Kids running around. I brought a pasta salad (see recipe below) and the perfect summer fruit (in my opinion) = watermelon.

A blog I follow called Family.Friendly.Food. had some great recipes for Copper River Salmon last week. The author is a local mom who also loves to cook. Check it out. Here is a link: http://www.familyfriendlyfood.com/

What Karina has been eating and I've been cooking:

In the heat, Karina has been eating a lot of berries and cantelope. She really loved the nectarine I gave her at breakfast this morning. For dinner we have been grilling quite a bit, especially with our new grill :) I made turkey burgers last week (ground turkey, grated red onion, garlic, palmful of whole wheat breadcrumbs, 3 Tbsp of flaxseed meal, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper). I made a few too many, so I used the leftovers to make enchiladas last night and they were spectacular! I chopped up the leftover burgers and tossed them into a sauce I made. The sauce included 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 small can diced mild chiles, palmful of chili powder, tsp of cumin, tsp coriander, salt and pepper to taste, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 diced red onion, 1/2 cup pureed canned pumpkin, 1/2 can of tomato paste, olive oil and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Cook in saucepan until heated through. Spoon mixture into whole wheat tortillas, roll and top with extra sauce, shredded cheddar and colby jack cheeses. Cook for about 30-45 min at 425 (covered for first 15min). I served it with black beans and avocado, which Karina has decided she doesn't like this week :)


Pasta salad
Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus - chopped (about 5-6 handfuls after chopped)
Shallot - minced (1)
Garlic - minced (1tsp)
Salt - to taste
Pepper- to taste
Lemon zest - (1 lemon)
Olive oil

Whole wheat pasta (1 3/4 boxes of rotini)

Cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes, about 1 1/2 cups diced)

Vinagrette
Lemon juice (two lemons)
Lemon zest (one lemon)
White balsamic vinegar (about 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper (to taste)
fresh rosemary (2 springs chopped)
fresh thyme (4 sprigs)
garlic (1 tsp minced)
Olive oil (to taste)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Clean and chop asparagus. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, garlic and shallots and roast for about 12-15 minutes. While oven is preheating, boil water for pasta. Cook pasta until just a little past al dente. While waiting for water to boil, chop tomatoes and put aside. While pasta is cooking and asparagus is roasting, mix all the ingredients for vinagrette, except olive oil. While whisking ingredients, pour in enough olive oil that you don't lose the sharpness of the lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Once you have drained pasta, pour it into a large bowl. Add roasted asparagus and tomatoes. Then pour in the vinagrette and toss. Chill in the fridge until serving.

Its been way too long...

So, its been way too long since I posted, but I'm a mom and things don't always happen when you want them to, right? :) Anyway, now that summer seems to be here in Seattle (and we have a new backyard!), I have been trying to find ways to grill instead of cook. So recently my go to meals have included:

Grilled flank steak (good deal right now at Costco!) that I marinated in soy sauce (1/4 cup), bbq sauce (1/2 cup), garlic (1.4 Tbsp) and honey (to taste) with a corn, black bean and avocado salad. Soooo good! For the salad I just used canned corn (hadn't gone to the store to buy the good ears of corn out now), canned black beans and some avocado and lightly dressed with lime juice, salt and pepper. Karina loved it!!!! She usually doesn't want to eat meat on its own, but also loved this steak! Then S'mores for dessert :)

Grilled salmon (copper river season!) (cover with pesto and enclose in foil), mussels (cook with chicken broth or veggie broth, white balsamic vinegar, shallots, butter and garlic, then toss in fresh basil before serving), good bakery bread and caprese pasta salad (make some whole wheat pasta, after toss with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella).

This past weekend we drove out to Harstene Island, WA off of the Olympic Peninsula and drove the through Grapeview, WA and by the Stretch Island Fruit Co. They are the ones who make these great fruit leathers that are 100% fruit (no sugar added) that Karina absolutely loves! I thought it was funny as she was eating one as we drove by it and didn't even know they were there :) That has been a great portable snack. She also has her snack cup, usually filled with whole grain goldfish and craisins or shredded wheat and craisins. I also have started buying some oatmeal raisin granola bars that she really likes. So easy when we are on the run. Why does it feel like you are always on the run when you have a 19 month old! ?


When we are at home, she loooooooooves her apple sauce and smoothies. I also have found a great timesaver for lunches! I went to Whole Foods the other day, which I don't often do because it is across town (although soon I hear the new one will open on Interbay) and bought some organic frozen brown rice, to check it out. Karina loves brown rice, so this helps make lunch so easy. We come back from our morning activity and I put the rice with some frozen peas or edamame in the microwave for a minute and a half and poof = lunch! If she is starving because we were out way past her breaking point, I give her some ham or turkey lunch meat to snack on while I put the rice and veggies in the microwave. Sooooo easy! I tried the rice too. Its pretty good.

Happy grilling and happy eating!

Subsitutions: Using what you have on hand for recipes

Even though I am doing better at buying groceries only for the recipes I'm making for the week, I still don't always have all the ingredients on hand because I forgot to put it on my list or used it for something else or it is an ingredient that is too expensive or hard to find.

Here are some of the substitutions I've used in recipes recently:

Sherry (and other alcohol) = I recently made French onion soup from Rachel Ray's, Comfort Foods cookbook and one of the ingredients was sherry, which I never have on hand. I used balsamic vinegar instead and it tasted great. Here is a website I've found that has great information on substitutes for alcohol in recipes: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/alcoholsubstitutes.htm

Most of the time you can substitute a vinegar or citrus juice and/or chicken broth.

Evaporated milk or heavy cream = Another thing I often don't have is evaporated milk or heavy cream, so I just use whole milk because that is what I have on hand for my daughter.

Cake Flour = I don't do much baking but some recipes call for cake flour, which I don't always have so for each cup of cake flour you use 7/8 cup of all purpose flour + 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch.

Shallots = Don't always have shallots on hand, so I use less onion to get the same flavor. For each cup of shallots I use 1/2 cup of onions (minced or diced) or add some onion powder to taste. You could also use one large leek instead of a shallot or vice versa.

The web site I linked to above for alcohol substitutions also has a substitution dictionary/search engine which is very helpful: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp


Bread = Karina likes bread on its own but as a sandwich won't eat it, so I use whole wheat pita bread, whole wheat tortillas or whole wheat crackers instead. The pita and tortillas have been most successful. I make a wide variety of quesadillas from traditional (cheddar/jack, tomatoes, black beans and chicken) to Florentine (mozzarella, spinach and ham).

If you use any others feel free to comment and let me know! Happy cooking!

Using leftovers in different ways...

I'm usually not very good at this, but in the interest of being more economical I'm trying to be better. Last week I did a good job, if I say so myself :)

On Monday last week I made a pot roast in the slow cooker and served it with a mashed potato and sweet potato mixture and roasted asparagus. Tuesday we had quesadillas with the pot roast meat and some sauteed peppers. Wednesday I made lasagna (with slow cooker pasta sauce, see previous blog posting for recipe) and added the rest of the pot roast meat and sauteed peppers. The lasagna was great for dinners for Karina for a couple nights.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it...more blogging coming this week...

What is on the menu for the week?

Karina has been a bottomless pit. I know that seems like it shouldn't be a problem, because most toddlers won't eat anything, but to have to feed her every 40min to an 1hr...it is ridiculous! (Especially after I just put her back to bed at 10:30pm because she wanted a snack). I'm trying not to, but if she's hungry then I will give her a snack. I am just really trying to keep it healthy. Maybe its because she started walking this week...

So, as I've mentioned before I have started doing meal planning for each week and then shopping just for what I need. It has made a difference in our shopping budget and the amount of space in our fridge!

Its been a while since I posted a meal plan for the week...so, here is what I have planned for the week: (who knows if it will actually happen, but most of it is what I have on hand)

Sunday

• Breakfast = smoothie (I mix plain yogurt with frozen berries and apple juice.)
• Lunch = sandwiches (turkey, cheese and tomato or roast beef cheese and tomato) or leftover swedish meatballs and cauliflower mashed potatoes
  
• Dinner = Fish (still to buy tomorrow), rice (made in the rice cooker) with edamame (frozen and then takes 3 minutes to steam in the microwave)
• Snacks for Karina = cheddar cheese, grapes, apple sauce, goldfish crackers, craisins

Monday

• Breakfast = one egg, whole wheat toast and sliced pear
• Lunch = leftover rice and edamame + deli turkey meat
• Dinner = roast pork (cooked in the slow cooker with beef stock, balsamic vinegar, worchestershire sauce, dried rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper.), cauliflower polenta (buy the tubes from Trader Joes or Safeway and just mix in some steamed cauliflower, parmesan and milk) and salad
  
• Snacks = yogurt, whole wheat pita with white bean hummus, carrot sticks, craisins and goldfish.
  

Tuesday

• Breakfast = oatmeal and apple slices (or a whole mini apple that I discovered at Trader Joe's last week. A friend turned me on to their mini pears, but I couldn't find them, then I found the mini apples - perfect size for a toddler's hand)
• Lunch = quesadilla with leftover pork, black beans and cheddar cheese
• Dinner = Whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce. (If I have time, I put a couple of cans of diced tomatoes in the slow cooker while Karina's eating her lunch, with a diced onion, some garlic, bay leaf, touch of oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Otherwise, I just used jarred).
  
• Snacks = orange slices, cheddar cheese, grapes, whole wheat pita, craisins and goldfish (sensing a pattern...?)

Wednesday

• Breakfast = egg, cheerios and peaches (canned peaches).
• Lunch = pasta, deli turkey and green beans (frozen, steamed in microwave for 3 min)
• Dinner = French onion soup (this is more for me, its an amazing recipe from Rachel Ray's Comfort Foods...mmm...we'll see if she likes it) and leftovers.
• Snacks = apple sauce, grapes, cheddar, carrot sticks, goldfish and craisins

Thursday

• Breakfast = smoothie.
• Lunch = turkey, cheese and blackbean in a whole wheat tortilla wrap.
• Dinner = leftovers
• Snacks = peaches, cheddar, whole wheat pita with white bean hummus, grapes, apple

Friday

• Breakfast = egg, toast, orange slices
• Lunch = peanut butter and jelly sandwich, mixed veggies (frozen, steamed in microwave for 3 minutes).
• Dinner = TBD (either order food, see what's on sale that day at the grocery store or my husband will pick something up at Pike's market on the way home from work).
• Snacks = apple sauce, yogurt, whole wheat pita and whatever else is left in the house until I go shopping on Friday :)
  

That is a fairly typical week for us. It really has taken a lot of the stress out of cooking to have the meals planned. Things always come up though, so having a couple nights of "leftovers" or keeping pasta and jarred sauce or tortillas, canned black beans and cheddar on hand can make easy pasta or quesadilla nights or allow you some flexibility.

Karina finally meet a cheese she didn't like this week (to my surprise)...Gorgonzola. She really is her father's daughter...

Happy cooking!

Kale and Cauliflower

Everyone seems to be talking about kale this week :) One blog I follow, Frantic Foodie, recently highlighted a recipe for Kale chips. At my bookclub last week the conversation was all about kale and cauliflower. So I've never been a big fan of either, but in the spirit of getting Karina to eat healthy food I'm willing to try new things. My guest blogger for the day is my friend Amanda (mom of 2). Here are some recipes she uses. I plan to try them out soon...I tasted the cauliflower delight and it was delicious (and I don't usually like cauliflower or mayo)! Thanks Amanda!

Cauliflower delight!
Cut the thick stalk from the underside of Cauliflower
Place in microwave safe dish and add 1/2 cup of water
Cover and microwave for 6 minutes.

Prick with fork to check for tenderness...
if cooked to your liking, spoon a mixture of 1/4 cup mayo and 2 TB dijon mustard on top of cauliflower and then 1/4 cup grated cheese (cojack or mild cheddar)
Return to microwave for 45 seconds to warm topping and melt cheeeeeeeeeezzzzeeeeee
yum.


Easiest Kale Salad EVER (also from Cynthia Lair -- below)

One head of Kale, rinsed and chopped
tsp cooking oil (oil is optional-- you can cook kale with the water left on it from rinsing. This sort of steams it. Just as good and even easier)

dressing:
3 TB seasoned rice vinegar
1 TB sesame oil
1 tsp hot pepper oil
1 tsp maple syrup

2 TB sesame seeds

Cook over med-high heat stirring around the pan until bright green and 1/3 original volume.
toss with sesame seeds and dressing. good hot and cold

**If kale is a little strong in flavor for you when you first try it, you can toss it in boiling water for a few minutes (like 3)... just until the bitterness goes away. Keep tasting it. there seems to be a magical minute where it still tastes fresh, less kale-y, but not blah from being overcooked.

Massaged Kale and Currant Salad

Recipe reprinted with permission from "Feeding the Whole Family" (third edition) by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008). FeedingFamily.com. *** the above cookbook is so good--- totally changed how I cook and shaped my ideas about feeding kids.. Cynthia Lair is awesome.

Serves 6

Bastyr University adjunct faculty member Jennifer Adler contributed this recipe. Jennifer likes to make a large batch of this salad to ensure that she has dark leafy greens ready when busy days are ahead. It tastes better as the days go by.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

1 bunch of kale

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup dried currants

3/4 cup diced apple

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

De-stem kale by pulling leaves away from the stems. Wash leaves, spin or pat dry. Stack leaves, roll up and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Put kale in a large mixing bowl and add salt. Massage salt into kale with your hands for 2 minutes.

To toast sunflower seeds, put in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and stir constantly for a few minutes until they change color and give off a nutty aroma.

Stir onion, currants, apple and toasted seeds into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar. Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. When at desired flavor, toss in cheese. This salad will keep for several days and still be great!

The other favorite recipe from childhood (that takes about 20 minutes start to finish) is .....

"Pepper steak!!!!!

put 11/2 cups rice/ 3 cups water on to cook

SAUCE:

mix 1 TB maple syrup and 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 water and 2 TB corn starch in a bowl--

cut up 2 carrots, 1 crown of broccoli, green peppers (or red or orange) onions, a few small thin matchsticks of ginger.

thinly slice a small serving of beef...

Stir fry veggies in a pan or wok with a little oil over high heat. Keep moving in pan so they cook but don't burn.

Remove veggies from pan and set aside.

Add beef and stir fry that around until barely undercooked.

Add Veggies and sauce to beef and continue to cook until sauce thickens.

Serve over hot rice and enjoy.

Brunch and other ramblings of the week...

As many of us parents know, brunch is often the best time to entertain. The kids are usually ready for snack and are in a good mood (most of the time), so parents can enjoy their coffee (or even a mimosa or bloody mary).

I've been practicing a frittata recipe that is super easy and tasty. Kids seem to like it too. Its a potato and cheese frittata I found on allrecipes.com. I like to use those websites to give me an idea on cooking time and amounts, but I have a hard time sticking to the recipe (usually because I don't have all the ingredients in the house).

For four adults and two toddlers I use: 6 eggs, butter, salt, pepper, diced onions, garlic, fresh thyme (or any other fresh or dried herbs you have), shredded cheese (I used cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan once and substituted smoked gouda for cheddar another time), cream cheese or cottage cheese and potatoes (I used leftover mashed potatoes once and roasted potatoes another time). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First, melt about 1Tbs butter in a nonstick skillet that can go in the oven and add potatoes. After potatoes are heated through add onions + garlic. (I found a little tip on one of the comments on allrecipes.com to separate the egg whites and yolks for a fluffier frittata.) Beat the egg whites until soft peak stage. Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Add salt, pepper, thyme, a Tbs or two of cream cheese or cottage cheese and some shredded cheese to the yolks. Then slowly add the yolk mixture to the egg whites. Sprinkle top of potatoes with shredded cheese then pour eggs over top and put in the oven for about 10 minutes (until top is light golden brown). I also sprinkled some more shredded cheese on the top. You can never have enough cheese :)

I've served this with turkey sausage or boerewors (a very tasty South African sausage that you can find at Uli's in Pike Place Market) and some fruit. Today I also made my mom's South African pancakes. Basically they are like crepes and then rolled with a cinnamon sugar.

We just got back from a trip to the East Coast. Travelling with toddler is not always easy, especially when there is a time change involved. Karina didn't sleep much, but was always ready to eat. We even stopped at a Wendy's one day and she wanted nothing to do with the jr. cheeseburgeer we got her. All she wanted was her turkey wrap (whole wheat tortilla with turkey cold cuts and havarti cheese. I was so proud! I'm sure this won't last forever :) She loved her Far Far's grilled cheese sandwiches! Other than that, she basically only wanted to eat Craisins and goldfish.

I'm always on the look for new websites or blogs for kids food. Here are a couple I've recently found:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/index.html
http://hippoflambe.blogspot.com/

Let me know if any others or if you want one that you'd like me to highlight.