Eeww You're Actually Going To Eat That?

The priceless words out of my daughter's mouth as I sat down to eat my brunch.  It looked pretty and I like the smell of broccoli and green pepper, but needless to say there was definitely something missing that made it taste less than desirable.  I can't tell if my stomach has shrunk or I really just couldn't bring myself to eat more than 1 1/2.  My dog seemed to feel the same way, she ate one but wasn't enthused about it.  I would say this was a fail.

 
Eggs, broccoli, green pepper, tomato, onion, salt and pepper, cheese.  Maybe if I would have added mushrooms? Garlic?  Something was missing. 

Day Four: Where's the protein?

My journey on giving up red meat for lent doesn't mean replacing it with processed foods or starvation.  For me it's about finding the right balance between eating healthy natural foods that enable me to broaden my food experience and still have enough energy not only to get thru the day, but train as well.  I will openly admit that I'm secretly wishing that I come out loosing several inches from this food change but at the same time just really enjoying the experience of learning to love what I'm eating and all of the different flavors there are to experience.

A late breakfast of eggs and 12 grain toast was filling at the time, I found myself scarfing down two slices of my daughter's cheese pizza later.  (I don't even like cheese pizza but I felt like I was starving).  I snacked on raw blackberries and granola throughout the day.  I'm definitely eating way too much granola lately, I think it has become my chip substitute.  I used to be able to eat an entire family size bag of Lays in one sitting, now I have no desire to even have just one chip.  My bag of granola on the other hand lasts for three days of nonstop munching but I feel I could pry make a healthier choice.

Today I decided to get a little creative.  I have never had stuffed green peppers, but thought it sounded like a good idea.   I enlisted my 9 year old daughter to assist in the prep.  We cut up squash, celery onion, tomato, and mushrooms.  She was even brave enough to try a few of the raw ingredients like mushroom and didn't mind it.  We used some instant Uncle Ben's Spanish rice for the filling as well and added it to my sautéed vegetables along with some crushed red pepper for a little kick. 
We filled the pepper and over all it turned out fairly well, although the pepper could have baked longer.  While my daughter was willing to try some of the raw ingredients she expressed no desire to eat the finished goods, either did my other children. The smell of green pepper seems to be an issue with them whereas I love the smell of green pepper.

Several hours later and I still find this dinner rather filling.  I am however, recognizing that I definitely am going to need more protein in my diet.  

A step in the right direction

Well tonight's dinner didn't end up on the floor and the flavor addition to the Mahi was pretty good.  Proud of myself for adding in mushrooms and tomatoes to my side salad.  Two things that I will have to learn to love. Even added a little mushroom to my squash and green pepper sautéed mix.

You're Going To Laugh

You will laugh.  It will be that oh my gosh, that's funny, I've had days like that, thankful that's not me kind of laugh. But you will laugh.

Day 2: thought I could make spaghetti for my family and make a marinara sauce (from a jar)  for them and a different one without red meat for me.  I've made spaghetti many times before, no problem. Right?

What I didn't know was the screw was loose on the handle of the pot I was cooking marinara in.  As I started to lift the pan off the burner it well, went everywhere.  And I mean everywhere .  All over the top of the stove, all over the front of the stove, all over  me.  No paper towels anywhere to be found.

I ran to the store a block away.
I returned to find a dog covered in sauce, kids fighting, a broken down car and breadsticks burning in the oven.

Needless to say, I think I'm over marinara

This wine is for cooking and not drinking?????

Adding some new ingredients to my cupboard...Yes I was that ignorant... Garam Masala, cardamom, curry, cumin... all very new to me... Never ever used wine to cook or mustard besides that on my hamburger or hotdog.

I never knew there were different tomatos.  I'm thinking it's because I didn't like tomatos as a kid, so I have avoided them and picked them out of every dish since.... sound like someone you know?










I bought this macaroni.  I found it in the Hispanic isle of Wal-Mart.   I thought maybe it might entice my younger children to eat whatever it is that I make if it has cute little letters??? For about a buck, it's worth the shot.

Guilt?

I know, I know... think healthy right. Avoiding that red meat I chose to opt for an albacore tuna salad sandwich. So should I feel guilty instead of using fresh albacore that I opted for a prepackaged food? Am I loosing out on the healthy end by choosing something with perservatives?

Now I can pronounce most everthing on the ingredients list... They taught me how to sound out words in school and I'm pretty proficient or at least good at faking it and feeling confident about it. So I'm not using that as my criteria of if I should eat it, but the ingredient list doesn't sound very appetizing after it gets past tuna, water, celery, water chestnuts. The rest is only 2% or less but hmmmm.

Win or Fail?

Day 1 - Total Win But Total Fail

The downfall i n trying to make a change to your diet is you have to make sure you have time in your schedule to prepare.

Yesterday was filled with work, hair appointments, and team dance pictures. Breakfast was easy as it was a bunch of fresh blackberries and raspberries. With a hair appointment over lunch I only snacked on a little bit of granola. This worked out well as my stomach was a bit upset (I think from the pound of bacon I scarffed down the night before in attempts to savor my last chance at eating red meat).

Getting all of the girls picked up (yes - there's four of them) costumes loaded, hair and make up done for pictures, left us with no time to cook dinner. So I did what most parent's in my situation do....eat out.

Now I'm not a big fan of fastfood and I wanted to ensure I had heatlhier choices available. We went for the buffet at Valentino's. My family loaded up on pizza, pasta, puddings, shrimp, and chicken. I went for pasta with marinara and a very large salad.

The "win" for me wasn't that I just managed to be meat free, but I actually ate things on my salad that I wouldn't have dare tried before. It was loaded with mushrooms, olives, and tomoatos. 3 foods that I would avoild like the plague in the past.

The total fail is, it's now the next day and I still didn't prepare. My breakfast was skipped (granted I have some granola and dried fruit in my purse); lunch will be a prepacked tuna salad sandwhich mix on 12 grain bread..... I haven't even begun to think about dinner.

Do you really eat this?

This posting really sparked my desire to venture outside my normal grocery shopping. Did you know there is an entire section in the store to beans. I know what broccoli is but quiona and lentils? What do you use chia seeds for? Hemp seeds - do you cook with them or smoke them?


Oh my I am feeling very inept.

What no red meat? What would I eat?

I don’t proclaim to be a cook by any means. I worked in a pancake house from 16 to about 23 and I can make a mean French toast and perfect over easy or poached eggs, but I’m not a cook. My husband says I can cook, mainly because I can follow a recipe and not burn down the kitchen in the process. To me cooking means, I can make something that my family has never seen before and have it smell, look, and taste so delicious that it will appease their appetites. Most of the meals I eat now in my 30’s are the same meals I ate as a kid. They are based around a meat source either chicken, roast, pork, or steak with sides of limited vegetables. Potatoes, corn, or green beans were the most common and most frequent vegetables I can recall eating. Let’s not forget the staples of macaroni and cheese or Stove Top stuffing. Even when eating out I’m more likely to stick with the familiar and not venture out of my comfort zone. I will scour the menu until I find something that has basic ingredients or can have things like mushrooms and olives removed. I will request chili beans be removed from chili, if it’s available.


I didn’t recognize my limited food options until I had a family of my own and started to notice how each week we were having the same meals: spaghetti, tacos, beef stroganoff (from a box), chicken, pork chops, or roast. In the last two years I have become braver. I added spinach, Brussels sprouts and kale to my menu. Over the last year I have put a lot more focus on trying to eat healthier; but what does that mean to a Midwesterner that was raised on roast and potatoes with a side of bread as a standard meal? In efforts to increase the healthiness and variety of our meals a change is definitely required. Now my husband and four girls are not people that enjoy change. They cringe at trying something new and will gladly proclaim a free for all, in which they make themselves frozen pizzas or ramen noodles. I thought about slow minor changes, but if I do something I have a tendency to use the “Go Big or Go Home” philosophy.

So thus the challenge begins. This year for lent. I’m giving up red meat. What does that mean for someone who has always had some sort of red meat in their meal…I better learn to cook.

After publicly announcing my plan I realized, outside of fish I’m not sure what it is that I will be cooking that will necessarily be healthier. The numerous food blogs and recipe sites on the internet have enabled me to google various recipes. During this “surfing” process, I discovered something very important. I don’t know what half of these ingredients the recipes calling for are. Now I feel that I am an intelligent woman with a well-rounded knowledge, but I feel extremely inept right about now. One recipe called for capers and another for shallot? What exactly are lentils and quinoa? Lent starts tomorrow, what am I going to cook?