meals & such

During my walk in snow flurries this afternoon I was thinking about how much I'm enjoying how I've been planning meals for the past five or so months. I discovered how preparing a meal is meditative for me about ten years ago when I was following a strict Weight Watchers program. Cooking really became a passion for me.

I know this plan isn't novel and many people probably follow something similar. My rationale for doing this covers a few objectives:
- it's more economical for me
- ease on Monday - Friday
- I make better eating choices. I work on a university campus and have tons of great food options just a few blocks away from my office. But that means spending more cash and not making wise choices all the time.

For me, right now, it's easiest to make 2-3 meal options on Sunday. These pretty much last me throughout the week. Here's what this looks like most often:

1. A hot entree. Soup, a pasta or grain dish or a cooked meat. I eat this for both lunches and dinners. I usually get 4-5 servings from what I make. For soups, I usually freeze at least one serving right after I make the recipe for the future. I like to do this on the front-end because I'm less likely to toss it at the end of the week because I'm tired of eating the dish. Needlessly wasting food is a top pet peeve for me.

2. Something that's served cold. Vegetable, pasta/grain or fruit. Vegetables usually take the form of salads. Grains/pastas are typically salads too, with chopped vegetables, a seasoned dressing to hold everything together and a protein (cheese, meat, egg or nuts). I combine fruit quite a bit with yogurt or cottage cheese. The old standby of a PB&J or meat/cheese/spread sandwich fits into this category too. This usually is a 4-5 serving option too.

3. A baked good. This is more of a recent thing for me. I've been making muffins or quick bread weekly for about a month. I'd rather have these goodies around the house than a full-on dessert on a regular basis. They make for a quick breakfast if I'm running late and they save me from picking something up at a coffee shop during the day. And I know what I've made them with.

4. Extras (for when I get bored with something, or if the weekend is too busy to get two options completed). I rely on my freezer mostly for extras. Portions of hot entrees I've frozen. Matthew's burritos. Amy's low-sodium frozen meals. Frozen vegetables. Frozen fruit for smoothies. Trader Joe's naan. Trader Joe's cucumber wontons (this is a regular go-to on Wednesdays when I tutor after work and eat around 8:30 or so). Eggs for an omelet or hard-boiled. Target Simply Balanced pizza (you can take the girl out of college, but you can't take college out of the girl). Friday is usually the day I'll buy lunch around campus. I do keep a few dessert sweets on hand. Usually ice cream, frozen fruit bars and/or cookies in the freezer.

This week looks like this: my version of veggie chili, hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, a quinoa tuna salad I made up and cornbread muffins.

I keep a notepad on my fridge and write down entree ideas there. It's right next to the notepad I use to make grocery lists, so it's easy for me to glance over and jog my memory about what I'd like to eat. Right now, this is a great plan for me.

sunday muffins

I'm so not on board with another 10-20 inches of snow, so I made strawberry rhubarb muffins this morning. Used this recipe. Highly recommend. I added a bit of vanilla to the batter and a sprinkling of sugar on the top of each muffin before baking. Delicious! Take that snow - spring is right around the corner!

what i did during the super bowl

 I made this

 with some of these

and a little of that.

Saying I loathe American football really isn't strong enough. It's something I care not one iota about. Right up there with parades and fireworks - although I do enjoy those just a smidge, every so often. Heck, I watched the St. Paul Winter Carnival Torchlight Parade on TV yesterday. I did think it was just as boring as it would have been if I were standing outside watching it, but I watched it with my mom. I did learn something new, however. I didn't know of the tradition of the Vulcans ousting King Boreius, so it was sorta fun to see that happen on the steps on the downtown library. But I won't need to see that happen again to live a happy life.

I spent this Super Bowl Sunday doing all sorts of things I enjoy. I attended a free decorating class at Pottery Barn. I've heard about these before and was curious. It was OK. Surprisingly the instructor encouraged us to look at what we already own and thinking about new decorating possibilities. I thought it would be all about pushing PB products. Refreshing. After that I ate lunch at Bread & Chocolate, followed by a quick trip back to the antique mall I visited yesterday because I forgot to pick up something I really wanted. . .a kitchen gadget. I'm not a big kitchen gadget gal, but this one is probably my fave. I'll post about it soon. Then I went to the nursery to pick up a few more houseplants. Two more stops - the Y (SB had started by this point and no one was there - score!) and the grocery store - also near empty.

After all that, back home to make the above - smitten kitchen's mushroom bourguignon. Second time I've made it. Pure winter comfort food. It's fantastic.

And tomorrow is my favorite Monday. The start of the non-football season. Now World Cup soccer on the other hand. . . there's something I wish came around more often than every four years.

sunday soup

 Recipe for an easy Sunday afternoon soup starts with two jars of these

 some of these

 an immersion blender, some soft cheese and crusty bread

and my extra: some GUS (grown-up soda). Has anyone tried this brand? It's good.

I made Giada De Laurentiis' creamy red pepper soup this afternoon for the second time.

A recipe that does not disappoint, in my book at least.

for the love of dad and beets

My dad loves beets. My mom doesn't love cooking and doesn't have a very adventurous taste palette. This parental combination meant I grew up eating canned beets. Beets are particularly lacking when fresh from a can.

A few years ago I discovered fresh beets while dining out with friends. Imagine my surprise at how fresh beets are utterly full of flavor and crispness. I've picked them up the past two weeks at the farmer's market. This week goldens were a part of my bundle.

I slice them up and toss on a cookie sheet for roasting. Sprinkle on a bit of sea salt, a few twists of the pepper grinder and a drizzle of olive oil, and into a 375 degree oven they go for about 25 minutes. Perfect for a salad. Perfect over warm pasta with toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Fabulous.

Thanks dad for so much, including introducing me to beets.

kitchen redemption

I feel like the Rocky theme song should be playing right now. I redeemed myself in the kitchen today, twice. Whew. I was worried after last weekend's cookie debacle and my mid-week "I'm off food" phase that this holiday season was going to be a complete bust in the enjoyable eats department.

I made some really good banana bread this morning, from a recipe a Starbuck's employee gave me a few months ago. Supposedly this is Starbuck's new banana bread recipe, from when they decided to start baking with real ingredients. So, that's all ready to go to Iowa for Kane Christmas 2009.

Tonight I roasted some vegetables. Among them, parsnips. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time I've had parsnips. I like them - at least I do roasted with yellow onion and golden beets, sea salt, pepper and olive oil. I combined the veggies with these very tasty tiny ravioli I found at Trader Joe's. It just might be the perfect pasta in my book. I made a lovely cold pasta salad with them and lots of fresh veggies and TJ's Italian Balsamic dressing this summer. Boy, that was good. That dressing is now my favorite, along with their orange vinegar mixed with a little olive oil.

I must stop. I'm making myself hungry and it's 11:40p.

potato masher + gravy maker

Family and Thanksgiving. Jodi and I are a like in many ways, and very different in other ways. I'm the mashed potato expert, she's the gravy expert. Mom is starting to pass some of the duties on to us. Always love this day with my family.

homemade granola