Off the menu + meal idea

Between back-to-back weekends spent out of town and a general apathy toward cooking, my menu-planning skills have taken a nose-dive.

I sort of roam the grocery looking for items on manager special that can go into the slow cooker and premade veggie/meat patties on sale that can be paired with mac and cheese or steam-bag veggies. I get super fancy when I make pasta with a quick sauce. Anything requiring more effort is replaced with something easier or even more convenient, take out.

But last night, I think I finally got us on the right track. And it was so, so easy.

I made this recipe for flatbread, which I was able to put together before a family bike ride and cook after, and topped it with a bunch of things I had on hand.

• Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow wedges
• Spinach
• Portobello mushrooms
• Onion
• Grape tomatoes 
• Mozzarella cheese

After assembling the flatbread, I baked it at 425 until the cheese was melted. With a quick mixed green salad, dressed with white wine vinegar and olive oil, it was dinner. Done and done.

Bonus: I made 10 flatbreads out of the recipe, giving me the chance to freeze seven. I placed each piece between wax paper and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I would have preferred a freezer bag but apparently I don't make it down that aisle when I'm participating in my own version of "Supermarket Sweep."

Let me tell you, I'm looking forward to using them when I know I should cook but I don't want to. Here's a few of the ideas swirling in my head:

Southwest: Laughing Cow Chipotle and Queso Fresco with black beans, corn, tomatoes and Cheddar cheese. Guacamole on the side.

Reuben: Laughing Cow Swiss, sauerkraut, Corned beef or marinated tofu, sprinkling of caraway seeds and a drizzle of 1000 Island dressing. More cheese, shredded swiss, if desired.

Gourmet: Laughing Cow Blue Cheese, sliced pears, red onion and arugula. Drizzle with olive oil.

Breakfast: Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cinnamon cream cheese, sliced Honeycrisp apples and walnuts.

Of course, there's always just warm flatbread and Nutella ... which I may or may not have tried as I was cooking.

Roll with it: Recipe for Salsa Lasagna Rolls

It came to me, like in a dream.

Or in the dark corners of my basement, where the bounty of my summer tomato crop is stored in Ball jars that look decidedly less hip without overnight oats. There are jars of straight-up tomato sauce, spiced sauce for Italian dishes and salsa.

While the point of canning is to have the freshness of summer throughout the winter, my novice status has me somewhat afraid that I will kill the entire family via botulism. And so I've felt the urge to use some of the things I've canned. Like the salsa. Because, really, who needs six pints of salsa in their basement? (Please don't chime in, doomsdayers. If the world goes zombie apocalypse, I'll be eating Cheez-Its and Ho-Ho's.)

So, back to the salsa. I wanted to use some and not just for salsa chicken, especially since I don't eat a lot of meat these days. I wanted to use it for something better.

Like lasagna rolls - because when do pasta and cheese not go with something.

To add to the "salsa" flavor, I recruited my favorite Laughing Cow flavor, Queso Fresco & Chipotle, black beans and corn.

I left the beans whole as I knew Miles would seek them out but I think the recipe would work just as well by mashing them and spreading it across the noodle.

For the meat-friendly member of the family, I subbed out the beans for chicken.

But no matter the variety, we all loved the twist on a traditional dish.

Salsa Lasagna Rolls

16 ounces salsa
1 cup tomato sauce
8 lasagna noodles, slightly cooked
8 wedges Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup shredded chicken
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together salsa and tomato sauce. Spoon about 1/4 cup in the bottom of an 8-by-8 casserole dish and spread; set aside. Lay out a lasagna noodle and spread one wedge of Laughing Cow over. Sprinkle with black beans or chicken, then corn. Roll up. Repeat with remaining noodles. Arrange the lasagna rolls in the baking dish and top with remaining salsa mixture, making sure to cover the noodles evenly to prevent burning. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is starting to bubble. Serve on a bed of lettuce with fresh avocado.

Disclosure: There is not one. I paid for all of these ingredients myself.

Planting seeds of change: A vegetarian experiment

It was in a relatively benign post four weeks ago when I realized something rather interesting, or at least interesting to me.

Over the course of a given day - or even given week - I did not consume a lot of meat. While some family dinners were planned around whatever animal protein was on sale that week, my breakfasts and lunches were often plant- or carb-based. Sometimes it was a matter of money - a bag of lentils to make five lunches is far cheaper than a pound of lunch meat; and at other times it was a matter of nutritional profile, as protein-rich plant-based foods are full of better things for less calories than their animal counterparts.

And so I made a decision: If eating meat was not a big part of my life, maybe it didn't need to be a part of it all. I challenged myself to go meat-free for four weeks to see what it was like. I wanted to see if eating vegetarian made me feel better, if it affected how I ate and, more importantly, whether I'd miss meat.

A vegetarian lunch: Edamame, Chickpea and Green Bean Salad served with jasmine rice and garden cherry tomatoes

I didn't tell many people about it, much less blog about it, because I wanted it to be something I did on my terms, for my reasons and free of other people's concerns or interests. Mark, of course, had to know and I disclosed this new eating preference(?) to my Nuun family for their planning purposes but otherwise, I was mum.

While I wasn't a strict vegetarian - eating seafood twice - in the four weeks that ended today, I did my best to live the way I thought one would. (Yay for stereotypes!) In the process, I learned a few things.

1. Eating vegetarian isn't synonymous for eating healthy. Among the few people I have told about going plant-based, I have gotten a surprising response: "I should probably do that, too." I can't be 100 percent sure of their reasons for saying it but my gut says it's because they think it will make them healthier and/or help them lose weight. But yeah ... no. On the way to the Chicago 'burbs on Saturday, I heartily ate a veggie burger and sweet potato fries from Burger King. The veggie option there is great but the processed bun, mayonnaise and deep-fried side are far from most definitions of healthy.

Vegetarian dinner: Cheesy grits with Cajun Chickpeas. The omnivore version subbed chickpeas for ground chicken.

2. Cooking for an omnivore while eating like a herbivore is challenging. When I decided to take on this lifestyle, so to speak, I never considered asking Mark to do it. He would be fine to eat pasta all day, every day, but by the end of the week, he'd like a meatball or ground sausage in his sauce. I did my best to (plan) prepare meals that were simple and could easily involve the addition of meat rather than those required the inclusion of it. We ate pasta with Italian links on the side. I made burgers - meat for him and homemade, bean-based for me. Tacos were also a good choice as it was easy to make a filling and cook up some beans. I don't believe cooking this way added to our budget nor do I really think it saved us money.

3. I ate a lot more interesting foods. During Hood to Coast, for example, we stopped at a brewery after the first legs for van 2. The menu was awesome, filled with gourmet burgers and pizzas, tasty fish and salads topped with meat. However, I spied something on the menu that I would have never considered before -  a Southwest Quinoa dish. It had avocado, corn, beans and roasted red pepper sauce - a combination that was mind-blowing at 11 p.m. I've also had the edamame salad, a soup with sweet potatoes and black beans and crispy tofu.

4. I felt like I wasn't a "good" vegetarian because I didn't have an ethical or moral reason for doing it. Many people who choose to eschew meat (rather than chew it - ha!) are doing so because they feel strongly about the environment, treatment of animals or the quality of food. I, however, was doing it to doing it. It felt almost silly to me when I was around other vegetarians, and I (stupidly, probably) allowed myself to feel inferior.

5. I didn't miss meat. This surprises me a lot but, day-to-day, I don't feel like I'm missing out on particular foods. Let's take last night's dinner: I made grilled bacon and cheese sandwiches with soup for the boys and merely omitted the bacon for myself. The bacon did look good but I wasn't dripping at the mouth as I cooked and, honestly, as I'm out for a week to rest my hip, I would have skipped it for caloric purposes. I didn't miss having a beef burger at Burger King nor did I grow envious when my friend ordered Garlic Chicken (vs. my vegetable rice noodle dish). Unlike a "diet," I never felt like I wasn't allowed to have it. I just chose not to.

Dinner: Vegetarian taco salad

Of course, this leaves me in quite a dilemma - what to do next. Do I want to continue being vegetarian, even if I have no particular reason to do so? Or do I want to add in meat because "I can"?

Honestly, I'm undecided. It seems easy to continue on with it - after all, it's now a habit after 21+ days - but I know there are going to be occasions, namely visiting Cincinnati with its chili, where I am going to want meat. It's easy to give it up when I wasn't used to having it but giving it up all the time is a big decision.

One that I hope will make itself.

So tell me: If you're a vegetarian, was it a big decision or did it happen on its own? Tips and tricks?

Tomatoes overfloweth

This recipe is one of those slow cooker recipes that I hate. I'm serious. If I saw it posted on the interwebs, saw that I'd have to do work before putting things in the slow cooker, I'd roll my eyes, click to Google and continue searching.

So I won't blame you if you do that. Go on, go visit somewhere else.

If you stay, I promise you'll be rewarded with a savory soup that's full of flavor and a good use to the abundance of tomatoes you might be experiencing if you garden or if you got a little heavy handed at the store.

And it's a good excuse to eat a grilled cheese sandwich ... as if that's even necessary.

Slow Cooker Roasted Tomato Soup

3 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt
1 head garlic
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
4-6 wedges Laughing Cow blue cheese* (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line baking sheets with foil. Divide tomatoes and onion between two sheets, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, tossing to combine and make sure everything is evenly coated. Cut square of foil and place a drizzle of olive oil and garlic head on top. Wrap up garlic and place on baking sheet. Roast vegetables for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

In the crock of a slow cooker, add vegetable broth, basil and dried rosemary. Dump tomatoes and, scraping any charred bits (aka flavor!) off the foil. Remove the garlic from the foil and squeeze roasted bulbs into soup. Cook on low for 8 hours

In batches, puree soup in a blender, adding Laughing Cow to the first go around. Mix to combine in slow cooker. Add half-and-half or broth to reach to reach desired consistency. Taste and add salt as necessary. Serve with fresh basil (if desired and available) and blue cheese crumbles.

*In place of Laughing Cow, substitute 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half and 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles.

Three Things Thursday: Al Fresco

Weird.

It's the only way I can describe the weather we've had lately. It's been brisk, nearly chilly in the morning, and I even wore a long-sleeve shirt on my run this morning. The office has been freezing, forcing me to drink coffee like it's my job, and dress in layers. I've been sending Miles to daycare in his Thomas sweat shirt and throwing on my Oiselle at night.

Not that I'm complaining. The highs in the mid-70s means that it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.

1. I was in such a tizzy when I came in the door that I didn't realize what Mark had said but somehow I agreed to eating dinner outside. I wanted to take it back but he had already set up the patio table and I couldn't argue that the cooler weather made it the perfect night to dine al fresco. We had burgers - beef for Mark, and I came up with an Italian white bean patty for myself. I combined a few recipes with my own ingenuity, and I was very impressed with my first foray into veggie burgers (making them, not eating them).

In the mix: 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, basil and salt; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 1.5 tablespoons olive oil; and 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes. Put everything but tomatoes and 1/4 cup beans in the food processor, pulsing till almost smooth. Add tomatoes and remaining beans, pulse a couple more times but not so much that the beans and tomatoes are mush. Form into patties and refrigerate if time allows before cooking them in the skillet.

I had my patty open-faced with some spinach and mayonnaise, along with homegrown sliced tomatoes and squash. It was delicious.

2. Of course, I feel a bit pompous touting the homegrown veggies as if store-bought - or even farmer's market bought - are inferior. It's not like I am an incredibly talented or diligent gardener - or even an organic one. I'm more like a "let's throw the plants in the ground and hope for the best" kind of gardener, which requires little weeding and a whole lot of praying. So when I get a beautiful squash or my tomatoes finally turn red, I am so exuberant that I can't help but brag.

3. When I thought of this blog post last night, I totally had a No. 3. And it was funny. I believe it involved the phrase, "What, bitch?" but I don't remember now. It might have been about Denali, who is going to earn himself a spot on a tie-out if he doesn't stop finding the few ripe tomatoes and eating them, but I can't be sure.

So I give you this.

My son. Playing in the dirt. I asked him to smile, and this is what I got. After he threw dirt in my hair.

By the way, take not of the sweat shirt. It wasn't one of his demands to uphold his fashion sensibility but rather a requirement of the cool evening.

How's the weather where you're at?

Put a lid on it: A recipe

You couldn't swing a mouse around Facebook without running into it.

The one-pot pasta.

It was one of those annoying "share this photo" and ready the ridiculously long cutline sort of recipes. It was the kind you couldn't really pin or bookmark, forcing you to share it and revisit your own Facebook page 20 times the day you decided to make it.

But make it I did - even though I was sure that it was bound to be an epic fail. I mean, how couldn't it? It was a can of tomatoes, some broth and pasta. In a skillet-type pan. And cooked all together.

It worked, though, and worked well. Mark called it the best of the week, and Miles gobbled it up as if he weren't a picky toddler. With it coming in less than $5 to make, I knew I would be preparing it again. I just needed to figure out when - and how.

And thus the One-Pot Southwest Pasta was born.

A twist on that over-shared Facebook recipe, I subbed Ro-Tel for the diced tomatoes and cilantro for the basil. I added some staying power with whole wheat pasta and protein with some black beans. Corn would be a nice addition, as well, if you happen to have any. And, of course, I added a little creaminess with Laughing Cow. Because I had it in the fridge.

If you're worried about it being too spicy, it's not. It's just a bit hot - in all the right ways.

One-Pot Southwest Pasta

1 (13.25-ounce) box whole wheat linguini1 can Ro-Tel
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 big handful cilantro, roughly chopped
4-4.5 cups vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 wedges Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle wedges
Optional: Cheddar cheese

In a 3-inch deep skillet, add linguini, tomatoes with juices, onions, garlic and cilantro. Pour 4 cups broth over ingredients and cover skillet with lid. Bring it to a boil; reduce eat to a simmer and cook 12 minutes. If the mixture is looking too dry, add reserved 1/2 cup broth. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, stir in black beans and Laughing Cow until well combined and the beans are warm. Garnish with cheddar cheese and cilantro if desired.

Bite me

There are no words.

Just a recipe.

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onion Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 bag baby spinach
4 Laughing Cow Swiss wedges
4 Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb wedges
1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, more or less to taste
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound linguini, wheat or otherwise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of slow cooker and add onions. Cook for 8 hours on low. During the last half hour of cooking, add baby spinach, Laughing Cow wedges, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta and Greek yogurt. If necessary, thin out sauce with cooking liquid. Serve with fresh Parmesan.

For a non-vegetarian option, add sliced sweet Italian turkey sausage (cooked, obviously).

Disclosure: I was provided with free Laughing Cow wedges as part of the company's Snacking Into the Right Swimsuit State of Mind summer campaign but I was under no requirement to write about the product or create recipes. I did not receive any compensation for this post.

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.

Food Friday: South of the border

Once upon a time, when not a lot of people read this blog, I made a summer barley salad. It wasn't anything remarkable so to speak but it was good - and a good way to use up the bounties of a prolific summer garden, which, incidentally, I did not have at the time.

And while my garden has yet to fill my fridge with zucchini and cucumbers, I found myself thinking of that salad as I wondered what to do with my beautiful squash. I ended up making Skinny Taste's Zucchini Tots (thumbs up from Mom and Miles) but still found myself thinking of barley ... and salad ... and barley and salad together.

I dug into the depths of my pantry and I pulled out the Ball jar full of barley. Sitting right next to it happened to be a can of black beans. I'm sure they were destined for greatness once upon a time but were now taking up quality shelf space.

Could I ... should I ... black beans in a barley salad?

The answer is yes. Definitely yes.

Joined with other fresh vegetables that you might be lucky enough to score at a farmers market, the black beans and barley came together for a flavorful, Mexican-inspired salad that could work well as a side or as a main course.

I made it in the beginning of the week and took it for lunch, serving it with a Golden Corn VitaTop though it would be nice with a tortilla soup, gazpacho or just some blue corn chips.

South of the Border Barley Salad

1 cup barley, uncooked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn, frozen or off the cob
1 orange or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 ripe avocado
Kosher salt
1/4 cup canola oil
Handful fresh cilantro, stems removed

Cook barley according to the package directions; cool. In a bowl, toss together barley, beans, tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, jalapeno and onion. In a blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, avocado and salt. Blend until all ingredients are combined. With the blender on, add the canola oil in a thin stream; add cilantro and process until the leaves are chopped but visible. Add the dressing to the salad and toss lightly. Refrigerate for an hour or until ready to serve.