Breakfast for Dinner

Today was another hectic day for us, so another easy stand by came to the table. This one is a big hit at my house. Both my hubby and my daughter love "breakfast night". Tonight ours included:

-Blueberry Pancakes: We substitute organic blue agave for syrup. It's low on the glycemic index and therefore doesn't cause that abrupt spike in blood sugar levels. It looks just like syrup and tastes pretty sweet so the kids aren't usually thrown by the switch up. Plus, it's another great product available at Costco (I swear, they are not paying me to say this!!).

-Chicken Sausages: We had Amy's apple & gouda sausages tonight. Trader Joe's also carries a great variety of flavored chicken sausages.

-Eggs: Good 'ol scrambled eggs. Always a winner and great source for protein!

I'll be signing off for a couple of days. My parents are in town tomorrow to watch the kids for the weekend while my hubby and I are off for our first time away since #2 came along. See you next week and have a great weekend!

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One Pot Wonder

Between a hectic day, evening plans outside of the house, and a little car trouble, tonight's dinner was far from a gourmet feast. It's nights and circumstances like these that challenge me most to maintain my fresh and healthy cooking values. Alas, I like to have a stock of "one pot wonders" that literally involved tossing very few items into a pot, mix and serve. Here is the first "one pot wonder" of what I'm sure will be many to come....

Quinoa Stirfry

Into the pot they go:
-Frozen veggies of choice
-Protein of choice
-Cooked Quinoa
-Spices of choice

Notes:
-I buy the Costco sized bagged of stir fry veggies here which includes beans, snap peas, peppers, mushrooms, etc.
-Any protein will do, tonight I chose frozen tilapia fillets. They come individually wrapped your frozen food section making it super easy to portion and use at a moment's notice.
-Tonight I was feeling the cumin and orange peal. Sounds like an odd mix, but we enjoy the smoky citrus combo.
-Haven't tried quinoa? Don't know what it is? Try it out sometime. It is available at most mainstream grocery stores near the rice. It's a great substitute for rice as it is a genuine WHOLE GRAIN!!

This dinner literally took me 10 minutes start to table. Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

I served this side dish at the reception for my son's dedication this weekend and have had so many people ask for the recipe that I am including it here!

This is a great and easy side that is also very versatile. Most often, I serve it as a "dip" with tortilla chips, but it is also great in a wrap or on a salad.

Cowboy Caviar

Mix:
-1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
-1 can white corn, rinsed
-1 can garbanzo beans, rained & rinsed
-1 can rotel tomatoes
-Green onion diced to taste
-Cilantro to taste/liking
-Jalephenos or other hot peppers if you're feeling adventurous
-Lite Italian Dressing (hunt for a natural variety that does not include high fructose corn syrup!)

This is best if you mix it up the day before you want to serve it so it has a chance to marinate overnight.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits

Tonight we played host to our neighbors for our weekly dinner. After a weekend of prepping/hosting for our son's dedication and another healthy 12" of snow, I was in the mood for some easy, warm comfort food. The inspiration for this one came from a recipe that I found in a recent Real Simple magazine.

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits


Toss in crockpot:
-4ish carrots, chopped
-2ish stalks of celery, thinly sliced
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/4 c. flour

Add:
-Chicken - the recipe called for boneless, skinless thighs, but I used cut up breasts because that's what I had in the freezer. You do NOT need to cook the chicken before you put it in.
-1 c. of broth (link is for the frugal hearted folks out there)
-Poultry Seasoning
-Salt & Pepper

Cook on low for 5-6 hours. The recipe also suggests adding frozen peas to the crockpot about 10 minutes before serving. I couldn't find the frozen peas I was sure I had when the time came tonight; I didn't miss them but I also made a side of broccoli to make up for the missing green :)

Biscuits:
I wanted to make something a little more interesting than plain biscuits for this one, so I opted for the famous "Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits" - they were a hit!

Follow the recipe on the back of the bisquick box.
Add in shredded cheddar, then dump small amounts onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375.
Mix 1/2 stick of melted butter, a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Brush melted butter mixture on top of baked biscuits.
Serve it with a smile!

Inspiration for these musings

Welcome! I have a few reasons for starting this blog:

1. It creates accountability for me to squeeze meal planning and cooking healthy meals into my hectic schedule.

2. People ask me for recipes all the time and I am really bad about ever giving them out. Mostly because I use recipes as inspiration, not dictation and I'm not always sure how to translate a meal into a "recipe".

3. I have a passion for cooking fresh, healthy, EASY meals and I want that passion to be contagious for those less excited.

Enjoy!