Sunday Shopping

People love to wax on about Whole Foods and Trader Joe's but do you want to know what store I love?

Menards. Mother effing Menards.

For the unfamiliar, Menards is a home improvement store at its core but, in reality, it's so much more. After all, where else can you buy hydraulic cement, Asiatic lilies, Ball jars and toothpaste?

Wet and wild

The hydraulic cement was, hands down, the least favorite thing to purchase. We are having an unusually wet start to summer with inches of raining falling in a single day. It was a near miracle that my friends and I found a dry window to run on Saturday.

3 miles at sunrise

Not only has the rain wreaked havoc on our outdoor activities but our basement. We live in an old house (built in 1935) and like many in this area, rich with clay soil, we have problems with water. The amount and ferocity of the rain showers we have had is only highlighting the problem. Mark has been busy working to do some damage control, using the hydraulic cement to patch problem areas and sealing it with a special paint.

In full bloom

One of the things that we've also done to help the basement is fill in and improve our landscaping. It has been no easy job as the previous owner had created six flower beds in the front yard and was quite fond of ivy and vinca. We've had to dig and pull, pull and dig to get up the invasive ground cover so we could replant.

Denali for the photobomb

My mother-in-law gets most of the credit for the improvements we've made, as she's helped plan and plant the areas. We've added a lot of hostas, salvia and daylilies but are now looking for some plants to add more color and dimension.

Sort of like the Asiatic lilies I found on clearance for $1! I grabbed six and will figure out where to put them soon. Funny enough, before I went to Menards on Sunday, I told Mark that I was going to spend $100 on plants – an easy task for me. I think he was scared that I was serious so he was happy that I capped it at $6.

Screwed

One of the hardest parts of going back to work has been streamlining my mornings so I'm not rushing to get everything together. And by everything I mean: my pump, pump parts, reading material, lunch, snacks, change of clothes if I'm teaching, beverages, snacks.

It's helped to get my lunch together the night before and, for the most part, I've been going with leftovers. My friend has really been into the jar salads that you can make on Sunday and eat for the week. I had been avoiding them because, well, they were too trendy but I finally gave in and bought the jars.

$9.99 for a dozen wide-mouth quart-size Ball jars ... save big money at Menards ... ha.

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a few recipes that sounded interesting. Wait. Can you actually call them recipes? It's mostly throw some crap in a jar in the right order, isn't it?

Anyway. I found some I might like – a Southwest style salad, Cobb, Greek – but I decided to go with an Asian Noodle for the first go around.

I was able to get them prepped while I made dinner Sunday, and it was a relief to have lunches ready to grab and go. I had one Monday, and it was good. The noodles sort of clumped together but otherwise it was just like I made it on Sunday. The only thing I'd do differently is sub the iceberg (what we had) for spinach and add some peanuts and chicken. Because peanuts are good and salty and chicken for protein.

I'm curious as to whether the salads will lose their appeal but I figure I should a) get a few weeks out of the idea; b) I can always use canning jars; and c) the price beats my deli per-pound favorite.

Healthy Rice Bowl: Lunch Lately

I am good at staying on track when it comes to breakfast - egg white sandwiches, oatmeal, even protein pancakes. Dinner isn't that bad, either, as I always keep nutrition and balance at the forefront of meal planning.

As for lunch? It's a crap shoot.

If I'm doing well with planning and motivated, I will make a batch of soup or enchiladas to supply my afternoon meal for the week. If I'm not doing well, I find myself wandering across the street to the hospital for lunch (the best case scenario) or entertaining a walk to Arby's with my work husband.

My trouble isn't just about finding time - I'm baking my behind off now that I have a sourdough starter - but it's also finding something that I don't mind eating three, four or even five times in a row. You really have to love something to do that, which is why my freezer stocked with a variety of soup worked out so well this winter.

Thankfully, I made myself a winner this week, adapting one of my favorite wraps into a delicious rice bowl.

My California Roll Wrap, which was featured on my "Today Show" appearance almost two years ago, combines the best parts of the sushi buffet standard into a portable lunch. The bowl ups the ease factor a notch or three with a bulk preparation that requires little effort on a busy morning. Just toss and go.

I ate it three times this week and never once felt apathetic about lunch but rather excited for the flavors that I so love about my beloved take-out Bento boxes. Even better, I can see myself making this version again and I'm already dreaming up other takes.

California Rice Bowl

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cucumber
2 carrots, peeled
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon wasabi paste, or more to taste
1/2 cup shelled edamame
6 ounces crab meat, imitation or real
1/2 avocado, diced

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, using a food processor, shred cucumber and carrots, patting dry to remove excess moisture. In a bowl, combine rice, Greek yogurt and wasabi. Fold in shredded carrots and cucumber, edamame and crab.

At this point, the dish can be portioned into four plastic containers and stored in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve or take to work, add diced avocado to bowl, tossing to combine. Serve with soy sauce or pickled ginger if you are into that sort of thing.

The Better Burger

There are three things that make a good burger - quality beef, flavorful cheese and a cold beer.

Or hard cider as the case might be but all the while still necessary after a day when a certain toddler wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. Twice. And then does it again the next day.

My friends at Laura's Lean Beef agree - at least on the beef part. As you break out the grill this summer, they advise using lean beef to reduce cooking time; avoiding excessive amounts of sodium by using healthy seasonings; and using whole-grain bread, as whole-grains are absorbed slower by the body and help you to eat less, yet feel full.

Feeling inspired (and hungry), I built a better burger that combines the bright, fresh flavors of summer with a hint of guilt-free indulgence.

Laughing Cow Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil wedges are sandwiched between two thin patties of Laura's Lean Beef, and a layer of thinly sliced part skim mozzarella tops the cooked burger. Serve on a whole wheat sandwich thin or bread with fresh tomato and arugula. And if you're feeling saucy - which I always am - a simple aioli with roasted red peppers, garlic and low-fat mayonnaise is a wonderful complement.

Laugh & Lean Double Cheese Stuffed Burgers

For the burgers:
1.5 pounds Laura's Lean Beef ground beef, or other lean ground meat
1 clove garlic, minced
Pepper, to taste
4 wedges Laughing Cow Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil
4 slices mozzarella cheese or mini Babybel Mozzarella rounds, sliced
Vine ripe tomato, sliced
Pre-washed baby arugula
4 sandwich thins
For the aioli:
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, draind
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

For the burgers: Season ground beef with garlic and pepper, gently combining. Form meat into eight thin patties. Place Laughing Cow wedge on a patty and top with another, crimping the edges. Repeat with remaining beef. Cook burgers on a grill 5 to 6 minutes; flip. Top the burgers with mozzarella cheese and cook until medium well; about five more minutes.

For the aioli: Put all ingredients in food processor; pulse until smooth. Refrigerate sauce until ready to use.

Assembly: On the bottom of sandwich thin, add arugula and tomato. Place patty on top and drizzle aioli over burger. Then eat it. You will like it.

Feeling green? Laura’s Lean Beef and Big Green Egg are once again hosting their Summer Grilling Sweepstakes. From May 27 through Sept. 2, 2013, one winner will be randomly selected each week to receive a summer grilling prize package including a Big Green Egg ceramic outdoor cooker, Laura’s Lean Beef products and an assortment of grilling accessories. You can enter by “liking” the Laura’s Facebook page, by scanning an on-package QR code or by registering at www.LaurasLeanBeef.com.

Disclaimer: While I have previously received free product from both Laura's Lean Beef and Laughing Cow, all ingredients for this recipe were purchased by me because I buy them regularly. I was not compensated to write this post or eat the cheeseburger, which was effing fantastic by the way. I wrote everything myself, too. Except for the part about the contest because I'm lazy. Mark did buy the hard cider for me but it was probably to take the edge off since Miles slapped me in the face 300 times this weekend.

Use your noodle

Tuna salad, suck it.

I was going to make curried tuna salad wraps for lunch this week. I bought some awesome wraps at Fresh Market and some tuna at Aldi though I did forgo the apples, which add a delicious crunch, because they were pricier than I prefer. But it was still going to be delicious.

And then this happened.

A random pasta salad that I threw together for lunch post-long run on Sunday. I enjoyed it so much - and had the necessary ingredients leftover - that I made it again for lunch today.

The inspiration for the bowl was some mini high fiber penne that I had made for Miles' lunch. He had requested pasta and the box was about a third full. Rather than making a single portion, I decided to cook it all and think about the rest later.

Later was 10 minutes - when I saw asparagus and mushrooms (leftover from Friday night pizza) in the refrigerator.

I roasted the vegetables at 450 degrees with a bit of olive oil. Meanwhile, I diced a bit of avocado and some tomato (leftover from burrito night).  Oh, and I boiled an egg for some protein .When everything was ready, I tossed it together with a bit of dressing. 

And, voila, lunch in 10 minutes from random leftovers! A delicious lunch, too, with the avocado adding creaminess and the roasted veggies offering bright flavors.

Rather perfect for spring - especially since it decided to arrive. Finally.

What are you eating for lunch?

Herd mentality: Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa

People like to say two wrongs don't make a right. But, if you multiply two negative numbers, you get a positive and if you totally slack on two dishes, you get one beast of a lunch.

In the best sense of the word. Obviously.

On Saturday, we were set to go to a birthday party for my friend's twins, who turned 2 last week, and I told H that I would bring buffalo chicken dip. I picked up all of the supplies during my weekly Aldi trip and then headed to Walmart to grab a birthday gift and chickpeas for the Mediterranean Quinoa with Caramelized Onions I had on this week's menu.

I exited the store at 2:30 and realized something: I had an hour. An hour to drive home, put away groceries, change Miles' clothes for the third time that day, feed him a snack and make the dip. Yeah. I do not live on Planet Mom of the Year and found myself texting H at 2:32. She had a choice: I could be on time or she could have dip. She chose me.

Talk about a sign of relief. We went to the party on time, maximizing the Miles' time on the Good Ship Lollipop and ate cake - leaving me with all the supplies for the dip and nowhere to serve it.

But alas. There was a second misguided recipe in this equation. The Mediterranean Quinoa I planned to make sounded delicious, and I was excited to get the dish going this morning while Miles slept. What didn't excite me was the cooking time - more than an hour. Again, I do not live on Planet Mom of the Year and I knew I couldn't finish the recipe before Miles woke up nor could I juggle a baby, a pan and my non-caffeinated self.

And thus Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa was born. At 6 a.m. On a Tuesday. Without coffee. A January miracle if I ever heard of one.

I'll admit that I was initially skeptical of my creation, especially as I haven't cooked with quinoa often, I sometimes don't like chickpeas and I was basically just throwing stuff from my fridge/pantry into a pan. Definitely an equation for disaster. Thankfully, it added up to be a creamy, flavorful and satisfying dish - especially when served with the proper accouterments of celery and carrot sticks.

Of course, it might have been nicer with a beer and a group of friends rather than water and a coffee-stained desk but a girl can only get so much. Or so I've heard.

Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 tablespoons wing sauce
4 wedges Laughing Cow Light Blue Cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and celery, stirring occasionally; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and the mixture is fragrant. Pour in broth and bring to boil. Add quinoa; cover, lower heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until broth is mostly absorbed. Remove lid. Stir in wing sauce and Laughing Cow wedges, until creamy and combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and celery sticks. Makes 4 generous 1-cup servings.

Heat wave

There are few things more comforting on a cold winter's day than a big bowl of soup. Somehow, through dark magic I assume, the mixture of vegetables and broth is able to warm you up from the inside out.

And it is for that exact reason that I made a big batch of taco soup on the week in January when Northeast Indiana is going to see temperatures in the 50s.

I'm such a winner.

Really, I am. Regardless of whether its warm outside, my taco soup is a delicious, hearty meal. The protein from the ground turkey and beans and the fiber from the beans, corn and tomatoes are sure to satisfy. It has a bit of heat from taco seasoning and green chiles but is mild enough to serve the kiddies.

Oh, and it makes a ton. I'll have this soup for lunch four out of five days this week and still have enough leftovers to give some to my mother-in-law and freeze a few bowls. And let me tell you, having  soup in the freezer makes it much harder to justify eating greasy fast food on break because you don't have time to put something together.

If you are worried about finding this time to put this slow cooker meal together, let me assure you that this recipe is my favorite type of slow cooker meal: open and dump.

Skinny Taco Soup

1 pound lean ground turkey, browned and drained (optional or substitute protein of choice)
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans corn
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7-ounce) can diced chiles
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons taco seasoning or 1 packet of low sodium mix
1 packet ranch mix
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add everything to the slow cooker - tomatoes and corn are undrained - and cook on low for 8-10 hours The longer the better here. Serve with corn chips, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese and plan Greek yogurt. Freezes very well.

Note: If you actually thought of those things before going to the store.

Food Friday: I want naan of it

Leave it to my culinary husband to offer an incredibly thought-provoking, astute review of dinner.

"It tastes just like the stuff at Taj but it's different. Like, crunchy."

Wow. Thanks. ... I think.

Mark is usually pretty heavy on the compliments when I cook (I think it's because he wants to keep eating) so anything that's not "Oh my gosh, this dinner is excellent. The chicken is moist. I love the complex flavors in the pasta. I am so glad I married you" is cause for concern.

And clarification. Thankfully, he liked it. A lot.

By the way, "it" happened to be the naan of our Chicken Tikka Masala Naan Pizza. Inspired by our favorite Indian dish and courtesy of the kind folks at Stonefire, it features tikka masala simmer sauce (thank you, Target), grilled chicken, sauteed red onions, mozzarella cheese and peas. Yes, peas. They're awesome. I swear. I put it all on the naan, baked it for 12 minutes at 400 degrees, taking it out when the cheese was melty and the crust was crisp.

Hence, Mark's observation of "crunchiness."

I could give you more of a recipe but that would insult your culinary stylings and make me write more about this delicious meal, the lovely flavor of the naan and welcome break from heavy holiday meals. The latter not necessarily a bad thing but I'm completely ravenous after an early a.m. Turbo Fire session and a mid-morning Real Ryder class, and I might start scavenging soon.

Or driving to my house for naan.

◊ ◊ ◊

If you'd like to try Stonefire, the company is hosting a giveaway on Facebook that ends Dec. 24. The winner will receive a Calphalon Stainless Steel Cookware Set and a variety pack of Stonefire authentic flatbreads. Share with friends for extra entries!

French connection: A Laughing Cow challenge

I've had a can of white beans in my pantry for about 126 days.

Or something like that.

I'm not sure what I had intended to do with them but rest assured the dish never got made. And neither did the subsequent ideas that floated through my brain (bean dip, white chicken chili).

This poor can might have been destined for the next food drive at Mark's school had a mystery box not arrived at my door.

The folks at Laughing Cow had reached out to me a couple weeks ago with a challenge. They would send me a box with an unknown Laughing Cow item, and it would be up to me to come up with a creative way to use it.

Surprise me they did because inside the mystery box I found Laughing Cow French Onion wedges -- one of the few, if only, flavors I have not had the pleasure of trying. Ideas were slow at first. Sure, it tastes great on a wheat cracker and, oh, how I love French onion dip but nothing seemed worthy of the challenge.

Until I saw the beans.

What transpired can only be called a product of my "fat" brain (a term coined by my beloved grandma) - just without the fat. Or most of it.

A twist on the traditional seven-layer salad, this dish combines European flavors and my love of Ball jars. It's a delightful take-to-work lunch or an inspired idea for a holiday brunch. The flavors of the artichokes, olives and French Onion dressing are complemented by the red pepper, creamy white beans and spring mix.

Oui, Oui Laughing Cow Layer Salad

Spring mix
Canned white beans, rinsed and drained
Chopped tomatoes
Marinated artichokes
Red onion, sliced
Red bell pepper, sliced or chopped
Laughing Cow French Onion dressing (below)
Chopped olives (I used garlic-stuffed Spanish olives that I picked up at a nearby international market)

In a Ball jar, add about a cup of spring mix. On top, layer white beans (I used about a quarter-cup), chopped tomatoes, artichokes, red onion and bell pepper. Drizzle dressing on top. Garnish with olives.

Laughing Cow French Onion dressing (for one):
1 Laughing Cow French Onion Wedge
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Pinch dry mustard
Pinch salt
Pinch ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, adding more almond milk to reach preferred consistency.

Soup's on: Slow Cooker Smoky Potato Chowder

There's a fire in my belly, and it feels so warm and comforting on these decidedly fall days.

Once the temperatures start to dip and the days grow shorter, there's nothing I crave more than soup. Hot, hearty, satisfying soup. Paired with a sandwich or salad, it's the perfect weeknight dinner and the leftovers offer quick and healthy lunches for the week.

I've had a bag of potatoes in the pantry that were getting close to shriveling up and sprouting eyes, and I figured that there would be no better way to save them than to put them in a soup.

Potato soup, obviously.

We all know, though, that potato soup has a reputation for being rich and calorie-laden but a few tweaks - and a lot of flavor - bring it down to size. Cumin, garlic, fire-roasted corn and diced tomatoes with green chiles offer an unexpected twist on what I'm calling Slow Cooker Smoky Potato Chowder.

I served it up to one hungry boy and one hungry girl (soup is too much effort on my part to give to Miles) and both of us would have been ready for seconds had it not been so filling.

We enjoyed the chowder with sandwiches. Turkey and tomatoes on white with mustard for him; turkey, tomato, mixed greens, broccoli sprouts and a smear of light mayonnaise on Ezekiel 4:9 Spouted Whole Grain Flax Bread.

Now tell me - whose sandwich looks better?

I normally eat a light wheat bread that has 35 calories per slice but I had a chance to try the Ezekiel bread. I have to say the chewy texture and nutty flavor was a welcome departure for me. It was hearty enough that I just needed one slice and, at 80 calories, it wasn't a diet buster.

Good thing, too, because I am OBSESSED with this blood orange sorbet from Kroger's Private Selection line. It might be cool enough for soup but it's never to cold for ice cream.

Slow Cooker Smoky Potato Chowder

2 pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2 cups broth, vegetarian or chicken
1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk or equal amount non-dairy cream
1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles, drained

In the slow cooker, add chopped potatoes and chopped onion. Sprinkle with cumin and garlic powder. Toss in bay leaf and pour broth over top of everything. The broth will not cover the potatoes. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the potatoes are soft. Add evaporated milk to slow cooker. Puree the potato-milk mixture with stick blender or in batches in a traditional blender. Add corn and drained tomatoes. Cook for 20 minutes on high or until the flavors meld and everything is hot. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 235 calories, 0 grams fat, 49 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein

Food Friday: Lunch lately (+giveaway of sorts)

To say July has been busy might be the understatement of this summer.

We went to Boulder to visit baby Zoe.

We celebrated Miles' first birthday.

There was a little trip to New York.

The fabulous Kelly Benton took Miles' 1-year photos the same weekend that we went to the zoo, the Three Rivers Festival and hung out with my brother, who was in town for a convention.

This weekend, I will head to Cincinnati to see my best girlfriend and next weekend Mark and I are hoping to squeeze in a date night.

While I would like to think I can do it all - be a jet-setter, runner, mom and healthy eater - it's just not possible. Something has got to give, and this month what gave was my meal prep for lunch.

In my ideal world, I plan my lunches a week out and buy any ingredients I need during my weekly grocery trip. I prefer to make one big dish that I can portion out but sandwiches and wraps are a nice change of pace, as well.

I have been stressed trying to find dinner ideas and so I forwent planning, much less prepping, lunch in favor of meals at the hospital, leftovers and whatever else came my way.

Thankfully, the folks at Quorn came to my rescue.

The company that makes all-natural, meat-free frozen foods recently launched a line of frozen entrees and offered me the chance to try them.

About the new entrees:

Perfect for the on-the-go family, a working lunch, or a quick snack, Quorn’s entrées are the meatless alternative we’ve been waiting for. The all-natural, mycoprotein-based entrées satisfy vegetarians and meat-lovers alike as they are an excellent source of protein and fiber but have less fat and fewer calories than their meat-based rivals. The ready to serve meatless Entrées: Kung Pao Chik’n, Spaghetti & Meatless Meatballs and Chilli, will be available nationally in natural food stores and in the natural food section of selected mass retailers. The burritos, Chik’n & Tomato Roasted Corn Salsa and Chipotle Lime Chik’n & Bean, will be available nationally in natural food stores and in the natural food section of selected mass retailers  

I was sent one of each new entree and happily gobbled them up when going out wasn't in the budget and Mark ate the leftovers.

What I thought:

Anytime I try something new, especially something with faux meat, my first bite is always with a bit of trepidation. How fake is it going to taste? Is it going to taste too healthy?

The answer to those questions was not fake and not healthy - in a good way, of course. I really enjoyed just how much flavor the entrees had. The Kung Pao Chik’n, Chilli and the burritos had a lot of kick, and the Spaghetti & Meatless Meatballs was filled with herbs. My favorite was probably the chili, especially topped with a bit of cheese and plain Greek yogurt.

The portion sizes are what you would expect with a frozen meal, especially those with less than 300 calories. While they are protein-packed (a good thing!), I had to supplement them with a little extra. A corn VitaTop with the chili, salad with the spaghetti and soup with the burritos. It does sort of take away from the ease of a grab-and-go meal but I always take a BAG of food to work so it was no biggie to me.

My one complaint about the entrees lies with the burritos. The burritos are hefty in calories, to me at least, coming in close to 400. I try to keep my entire lunch to 400 calories and supplementing it with soup and a small treat, I went well over my daily budget. The products are full of natural ingredients and the spaghetti featured wheat noodles but I think the burritos may have been white flour. I like white flour tortillas but part of me expected wheat.

Final thoughts:

I would definitely eat these again, especially if they were on sale as the entrees have a suggested retail price of $4.99. I sometimes feel guilty eating processed frozen meals but I felt good about the Quorn products. The company touts using all natural ingredients, and I could see chunks of vegetable in the burritos and liked the wheat spaghetti noodles. They were high in fiber and protein, low in fat and reasonable in calories.

Of course, you don't have to believe me.

The folks at Quorn were kind enough to share the love with y'all and sent me some coupons. OK, not just some - a lot. I have 25 envelopes sealed, stamped and return addresses on them, each with two coupons for a free Quorn product and four $1 off any Quorn product coupons.

Want me to send you one? I'll make it easy on you ... sort of. Email me at hlthystrides at gmail dot com, sharing with me which entree you'd most like to try and your address. The first 25 to send an email get an envelope.

Food Friday: DIY stock

It was ugly. Oh, so ugly.

After all, it was for all purposes garbage ... but one person's garbage is another person's dinner.

Or something like that.

My friend has been making his own vegetable stock lately. He's always talking about saving the bulb of the celery and having leftover carrots and tossing it all in a pot and making stock. While he's a proficient, if not accomplished, cook, I doubted the ability of a person to toss in old vegetables into a pot of water and come out with something edible. It didn't seem worth the risk when there's cute little boxes at the grocery store that make all of that so easy.

Until I was left in a dinner quandary.

I had intended to make chicken and noodle soup for dinner (so smart given the week's heat wave) but found myself with no stock and just leftover chicken meat - no bones to make my own broth. I did, however, have a bunch of carrots, some celery and some onions on their last leg. I had nothing to lose by trying to make some vegetable stock ... except some vegetables destined for composting.

I searched a variety of recipes and settled on a slow cooker one because it made the most sense for the day. With a bit of trepidation, I tossed in:

• About celery stocks, with leaves
• 6 carrots
• 1 white onion
• 1 red onion
• 4 mini sweet bell peppers
• 1 potato
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, parsley and sage
• 14 cups water
• *Note: Vegetables are unpeeled but cut into chunks

I set it on low for 8 hours and went to work. Upon my return, I found the house full with the aroma of home-cooked food.

I strained the broth in a colander (not the fine mesh strainer recommended) and made chicken and noodles. The meal was tasty but unremarkable though not the fault of the broth - and more the fault of the German noodles I bought.

I have about 10 cups of stock leftover to redeem myself, though, and it cost me nothing but some garbage and the 42 cents in electric the slow cooker required. 

I guess it does beat those boxes in the grocery.

Food Friday: Lunch, lately

Tuna + Olives.

I had never really thought of the classic Nicoise salad combination in the "Mmm, must eat" sort of way until a fellow BODYPUMP trainee was chowing on it at lunch that weekend. She said she was obsessed with it.

And, now, so am I.

Instead of going the traditional French route, I've taken the tuna to the Mediterranean for a Greek-inspired salad with tuna. I call it such because saying it's tuna salad makes me think of mayonnaise and tuna melts and things that are not this salad.

In the bowl, which, by the way, was a serving bowl:

Butter lettuce mix (my new "all my own" obsession)
Spring greens
Sliced cucumbers
Grape tomatoes
Shaved red onions
Crumbled feta
Kalamata olives
Flaked tuna (let's be real - from the can)
Sunflower seeds (for that proverbial crunch)

The salad, for me, clocked in at 270 calories, 13 grams fat, 15 grams carbohydrates and 22 grams of protein. Well, before the light ranch dressing. Sure, a Greek vinaigrette might be more appropriate but I'm a ranch girl, what can I say.

I've enjoyed the salad several times this week and thus far, I have yet to tire of it. I would have brought it to work today had I not run out of lettuce ... and ranch. Guess I know what to put on the grocery list.

What have you been enjoying for lunch? And I really want you to answer because I'm in need of an idea for next week. Pretty please, with granola on top :)

Smells like teen, err, Indian spirit

This week, I am that co-worker. You know the one. The one who brings in unattractive leftover and uses the microwave to warm it to the point that its aroma permeates the entire office.

Yep, that's me. Me and my Indian-spiced lentils.

I bought lentils awhile ago to make ... to make ... well, I was going to make something and I never did. The dried legumes have been henceforth sitting in the pantry. Mocking me. Taunting me, each and every time I opened the cabinet to fish for something to occupy Miles while I cooked dinner.

Finally fed up (well, maybe just the opposite) with the appearance of the bag, I decided to finally use them. I went over to The Perfect Pantry, typed in that I had lentils and came up with Indian-Spiced Lentils made ... wait for it ... in the slow cooker.

Sweet Jesus, I was in love.

Now, I must disclose that after selecting this recipe that it took me a good three weeks to remember to pick up ginger at the store. I blame our new grocery routine - I do the bulk of the shopping at Aldi and fill in at Kroger. Aldi has no ginger and Miles is cranky by the time we hit Kroger.

Anyway, I got the ginger, I had my lentils and I had a slow cooker free (yes, I have more than one). That recipe was going to be mine!

Slow cooker Indian-spiced lentils
Barely adapted from The Perfect Pantry

2 cups small lentils, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (not optional)

In a 3-quart slow cooker, add all ingredients. Stir to combine, and cover with water to within 1 inch of the top of the cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, or cook on low for 6 hours, stirring once or twice during that time and checking that there is sufficient water in the cooker. If the lentils have absorbed most of the water before they finish cooking, add enough water to cover the lentils again. After the cooking time, taste, and season with salt as needed. Add cilantro and serve hot. Or, pack into small containers, let cool completely, and freeze. Serves 8.


Note: The original recipe said 2 hours on high, 4 hours on low. I tried this. It didn't work. I cooked mine for 2 hours on high, realized they were not done and cooked it on low for 2 or 3 more hours.

And if you want to know how they taste? Better than they look because, well, they look like baby poo. I like the flavor and find it to be a filling lunch when served with a 1/2 cup of basmati rice. Miles has tried them, too, and though he was was a bit hesitant at first, he ate them with enthusiasm.

Pep(per) squad

 I got my first library card at the age of 5.

I was the queen (queen, I tell you) of Book It awards.

 I have a journalism degree, I edit people's writing for a living and I've done my own professional writing.

And yet, for the life of me, I cannot read a recipe well enough to purchase the proper ingredients. It's quite ridiculous.

I've had the recipe for the Unstuffed Green Pepper Soup bookmarked for, like, a year, and I finally decided to make it this week. I looked at the recipe, added the necessary ingredients to my grocery list and purchased green peppers at my local Kroger. To say I was excited to make a twist on a childhood favorite would be an understatement. The fact that it was a slow cooker recipe nearly sent me over the edge but I managed to hold it together.

Last night, I opened up the recipe and began to gather ingredients.

Ground beef (slash turkey) - check.

Two cans chicken broth - check.

Three bell peppers - check.

An onion - check.

Diced tomatoes seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano - chhh. Shit. I got plain tomatoes. Whatev. I'll add Italian seasoning.

Two cans tomato soup -&*&^%$^^. I only bought one. @$%^#$#$#$@#@

1.5 cups cooked rice - I have to cook the rice. Seriously? Seriously!  Damnit. It's 8:30, and I want to go to B-E-D.

Arg.

"I guess I could stay up for 20 minutes," I thought to myself. "The soup will surely beat anything else I can take for lunch tomorrow. I sure hope it works." (Read: My only options for lunch were the hospital and a can of Spaghetti-Os leftover from pregnancy cravings.)

 Source

Makeshift Unstuffed Green Pepper Soup

3/4 pound lean ground meat of choice, cooked and drained
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
2 cans chicken broth
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1.5 cups cooked rice
1.5 cups 2% shredded cheddar, divided

Combine everything but the rice in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in rice before serving. Sprinkle each bowl with 1/4 cup cheese because my mom always put cheese on stuffed peppers. And because I said so. Makes 6 (2-cup-ish) servings.

Nutritional information (based on 6 servings): 334 calories, 12 grams of fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams protein

Soup’s on

Move that body: Nearly 3-mile walk with Denali

This morning, I did something I haven’t done in weeks – OK, months. I packed a lunch that was planned for and and made by moi! No frozen meal or scavenging at the hospital cafeteria for me :)

Isn’t it lovely? The lunch, I mean – not the mess of bananas and monkey cookie jar in the background. The little paper sack with the contents brimming reminds me of packing when I was in school. Except I never had to take that much food to get me through and there was always a Little Debbie. Mmm … Little Debbies.

Anyway … you wanna know what’s inside?

From left, we have a diet root beer, taco soup, cheese for said soup, tropical fruit salad, carrot sticks, an apple with a 90-calorie almond butter packet and banana-chocolate pudding. I also have a package of freebie whole-grain tortilla chips in my desk at work that I’ll have along with the soup.

There may be a lot there (and yes, I will eat all of it) the star of the show the taco soup. It’s an old Weight Watchers recipe that is super tasty and super easy. I threw a bunch of stuff in the slow cooker last night before bed and then, like magic, I woke up this morning with lunches for the week. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like waking up to a big crock of soup when it’s supposed to be 70 degrees. Maybe I should have made it last week as planned …

Anyway, I’m sure you want to know what I threw in the slow cooker.

Weight Watchers Taco Soup

1 can kidney beans*, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans*, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, undrained

1 can diced tomatoes in juice

1 can Rotel tomatoes with mild chiles

1/2 packet low-sodium taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning)

1/2 packet ranch dressing mix (optional)

1/2 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey, cooked and drained (optional)

2 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth**

Put every thing in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Serve with cheese, whole-grain tortilla chips and, if you’re feeling sassy, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.

This recipe makes 4 good portions. Most of the recipes you’ll find call for double the ingredients but Mark doesn’t eat this so I either have to freeze it, give some to my mother-in-law or eat it for every meal for, like, ever.

*You can use any combo of beans you like – black, pinto, kidney, white – just use two cans and rinse them.

**Other recipes don’t call for the water/broth but it’s super chunky without it. More like a nacho topping. Wait a minute … that doesn’t sound so bad.