My favorite time of year is fall. I love the cooler temps, the bright colors and the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Apple and pumpkin picking are family favorites and many treats are made like pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, pies, crisps, etc.
This week's pick is a butternut squash soup that is easy to make and perfect on a cool night.
Ingredients needed:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt & pepper to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
1 peeled, cored, sweet apple chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled, and cubed (if time is an issue buy frozen cubed butternut squash)
Instructions:
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in large pot. When soft add the turmeric, salt & pepper. Then add the sweet potato and apple and a little bit of broth. Simmer for about 5 minutes so everything softens. Add the rest of the broth and water and let come to a boil. Once pot is boiling add the squash and lower to a simmer. Simmer for an hour or until the sweet potato and squash are soft. Use an immersion blender to puree soup or pour into a blender and transfer back to pot. Soup will be thick. If you like it thinner add a little extra broth or water. Serve with fresh chopped scallions and a dollop of sour cream if you like. Enjoy with some hearty whole grain bread and a salad.
Happy Fall!
Best,
Donna
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Pick of the week....
I have decided to do something different this week. Rather than an overview of meals, I have chosen (along with most of my kids), our pick of the week and its recipe. I wrote last week about making small changes to improve your health and your families. Trying one recipe seems more manageable then trying a week's worth. As always, if you'd like to see more I am happy to share our other meals.
Last week we loved our Italian night, Risotto with Chicken, Zucchini and Onions. You can take a short cut with this meal and buy a rotisserie chicken rather than roasting 3-4 chicken breasts. If you have young children and they love pasta, chances are they will love risotto!
Ingredients you will need:
olive oil
large sweet onion
2 garlic cloves
1 large or 2 small zucchinis
4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water (if you have any white wine in fridge it adds great flavor if you add 1/2 cup as well)
3-4 skinless chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken (optional-you can keep this meatless too)
arborio rice
salt & pepper to taste
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot and saute chopped onion and garlic. Once softened add chopped zucchini and saute a few more minutes. Follow the directions on the arborio rice bag next. Add 1 cup of rice to pot and stir so it does not burn. Slowly add 1/2 -1 cup of broth at a time until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the broth until you have used all of it. This is the labor some part because you need to be standing next to the stove stirring constantly so the rice does not burn or stick. This is where involving your kids comes in handy. Have them help you stir and add the broth. Once all liquid is absorbed turn off heat and let stand for a few minutes. Shred the cooked chicken and mix through pot or leave separately and let people add it to the top of their risotto. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy. Serve with a mixed green salad and you have your self a meal.
The nice thing about risotto is you can change up your vegetables each time you make it. With fall approaching you can use butternut squash or pumpkin. You can substitue chicken with shrimp. Many possibilities.
I find when involving my kids when cooking they are excited to eat what they have helped prepare. Letting them use a butter knife to cut zucchini, measure the broth, stir the rice, and grate the cheese are all easy ways they can be involved. My oldest son, now 15 years old, has been helping me since he was a little boy. He now can not help make dinners because of sports and homework, but he has a love for cooking and is taking advanced culinary in high school. On weekends he can cook for all of us which is a special treat! Start them young and they will develop a love for good foods and be excited about helping.
I would love hearing if you like this format rather than an overview of meals. Constructive criticism is appreciated!
Best,
Donna
Last week we loved our Italian night, Risotto with Chicken, Zucchini and Onions. You can take a short cut with this meal and buy a rotisserie chicken rather than roasting 3-4 chicken breasts. If you have young children and they love pasta, chances are they will love risotto!
Ingredients you will need:
olive oil
large sweet onion
2 garlic cloves
1 large or 2 small zucchinis
4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water (if you have any white wine in fridge it adds great flavor if you add 1/2 cup as well)
3-4 skinless chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken (optional-you can keep this meatless too)
arborio rice
salt & pepper to taste
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot and saute chopped onion and garlic. Once softened add chopped zucchini and saute a few more minutes. Follow the directions on the arborio rice bag next. Add 1 cup of rice to pot and stir so it does not burn. Slowly add 1/2 -1 cup of broth at a time until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the broth until you have used all of it. This is the labor some part because you need to be standing next to the stove stirring constantly so the rice does not burn or stick. This is where involving your kids comes in handy. Have them help you stir and add the broth. Once all liquid is absorbed turn off heat and let stand for a few minutes. Shred the cooked chicken and mix through pot or leave separately and let people add it to the top of their risotto. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy. Serve with a mixed green salad and you have your self a meal.
The nice thing about risotto is you can change up your vegetables each time you make it. With fall approaching you can use butternut squash or pumpkin. You can substitue chicken with shrimp. Many possibilities.
I find when involving my kids when cooking they are excited to eat what they have helped prepare. Letting them use a butter knife to cut zucchini, measure the broth, stir the rice, and grate the cheese are all easy ways they can be involved. My oldest son, now 15 years old, has been helping me since he was a little boy. He now can not help make dinners because of sports and homework, but he has a love for cooking and is taking advanced culinary in high school. On weekends he can cook for all of us which is a special treat! Start them young and they will develop a love for good foods and be excited about helping.
I would love hearing if you like this format rather than an overview of meals. Constructive criticism is appreciated!
Best,
Donna
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Being real....
There are times when you hit a point and think, does what I do matter? How am I making a difference? Do people read what I post? How do I inspire more and have people understand that what they eat and how much they move matters? If adults don't care, children have no example and the endless cycle continues.
There is no reason to feel overwhelmed when it comes to exercise and eating healthy. Baby steps. Changing one thing at a time makes a difference. Cutting out sugary drinks or watering them down until you can just drink water, is one change. Parking farther away from a store so you have to walk more is another step. Long ago I climbed Mt. Rainier with my husband and one of the guides phrases still comes to mind when I am faced with a challenge, "Take one bite at a time!"
This week set a goal. Try changing one thing with each meal to make it healthier. If you are used to making white pasta or white rice, try a whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta and brown rice. If you only prepare one type of vegetable, branch out and try something new. Take a visit to a farmer's market and buy some seasonal produce. My family loves dessert! Instead of serving up ice cream and cookies each night, try yogurt with mini-chocolate chips, fruit with a dollop of whip cream, be creative!
Our meals at a glance this week continue to follow a theme.
Monday: keeping it meatless...lasagna with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchinis
Tuesday: Taco night-spicy shrimp served in a corn tortilla with shredded lettuce, avocado, and sour cream
Wednesday: Italian--Risotto with roasted chicken, onions, and yellow squash
Thursday: Wild card- dumplings, edamame, and mixed green salad
Friday: cleaning out the fridge and making quesadillas with what's leftover!
Saturday: Pork tenderloin on the grill with fresh corn and tomato-cucumber salad
Sunday: Fish dinner-finding best deal on wild fish, roasted broccoli, and brown rice
Simple and manageable meals. Some preparation needed but overall doable. This may not work for you, but keep in mind to make small changes to at least one meal this week. "One bite at a time!"
Best,
Donna
Monday, September 7, 2015
Meals at a glance....
Cooler mornings and earlier sunsets are signs that the season is changing. Leaves may not be so brilliant in color because of the lack of rain but fall is in the air! I am lucky to have friends with gardens and am enjoying the tomatoes and zucchini's with our meals. Next year my goal is to have a garden of our own. Big goal, but I think we can do it!
Last week I wrote many checks... PTA contribution, band book, school pictures, soccer registration, and the list goes on. Do you feel like the beginning of the school year is crazy like that too?? In an effort to save a little money, I shopped on a leaner budget for this week's meals. It's a challenge when buying food for a family of six, but I shopped at BJ's and then filled in the rest of some things at Shop Rite. I am not very familiar with the store so it took a little more time, but overall I was very pleased with the prices and the selection of produce.
Following a theme again with this week's meals:
Monday: bringing a meatless dish to neighborhood Labor Day parties, Black bean Quinoa Salad with avocado, red pepper, red onion, corn, cilantro and a lime vinaigrette.
Taco Tuesday: Turkey Tacos with all the fixin's
Wednesday: Italian night, Spaghetti Carbonara--a lighter version--and a mixed green salad
Thursday: Homemade Chicken Soup and salad--hoping for cooler weather this night!
Friday: Fridge Clean out--a picnic of leftovers!
Saturday: Experimenting with homemade pizzas and making them on the grill (looking for high temp to get crust this and crispy)
Sunday: Fish night--BJ's has great prices on fish--hoping to find wild salmon, haddock or cod with some rice and fresh veggies
I would love to hear where you shop and find the best prices. I am always up for trying new grocery stores.
Happy Labor Day. Enjoy!
Donna
Last week I wrote many checks... PTA contribution, band book, school pictures, soccer registration, and the list goes on. Do you feel like the beginning of the school year is crazy like that too?? In an effort to save a little money, I shopped on a leaner budget for this week's meals. It's a challenge when buying food for a family of six, but I shopped at BJ's and then filled in the rest of some things at Shop Rite. I am not very familiar with the store so it took a little more time, but overall I was very pleased with the prices and the selection of produce.
Following a theme again with this week's meals:
Monday: bringing a meatless dish to neighborhood Labor Day parties, Black bean Quinoa Salad with avocado, red pepper, red onion, corn, cilantro and a lime vinaigrette.
Taco Tuesday: Turkey Tacos with all the fixin's
Wednesday: Italian night, Spaghetti Carbonara--a lighter version--and a mixed green salad
Thursday: Homemade Chicken Soup and salad--hoping for cooler weather this night!
Friday: Fridge Clean out--a picnic of leftovers!
Saturday: Experimenting with homemade pizzas and making them on the grill (looking for high temp to get crust this and crispy)
Sunday: Fish night--BJ's has great prices on fish--hoping to find wild salmon, haddock or cod with some rice and fresh veggies
I would love to hear where you shop and find the best prices. I am always up for trying new grocery stores.
Happy Labor Day. Enjoy!
Donna
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)