Pizza, chicken & wild mushroom skillet, hearty vegetarian minestrone, egg roll in a bowl, taco casserole and broccoli wild rice soup.
So far I would say the feeding tube thing is pretty hard. Besides the obvious discomfort as it heals, Dad is finding that he is really hungry. He is supposed to have a lot of water, and that seems challenging to fit into the day on top of everything else, at least so far. Hopefully it becomes more of a routine and the hunger will abate a bit. In the meantime, it seems cruel to be cooking and filling the house with mouthwatering smells when he can't eat any of it. However, the rest of us do still have to eat. Thanks to everyone who has been sending positive thoughts and prayers our way.❤❤❤
As for me, I've been thinking a lot about ways to save on groceries. I am finding that my food costs have really gone up over the past few months, even considering Christmas and the holidays. I have also been thinking about ways to save on energy. Currently I have two fridges and I would love to figure out a way to live with just one. I always justify the two because we live in the country and getting to town to a grocery store is sometimes a pain, but really, I think we should be able to manage with just one. Admittedly I love to cook and since I am always trying new recipes, I probably have more than your average supply of condiments, etc. However, surely I can figure out a way to reduce that.... Has Marie Kondo tackled anyone's fridge yet, or just the pantry? lol
A friend sent me the link to this website recently https://foodprint.org/. It was really interesting to find out what my FoodPrint is. According to their website, "Whether it’s a salad, a hamburger or your morning egg sandwich, your meal has an impact on the environment and on the welfare of animals, food/farm workers and people." Our FoodPrint isn't too bad, but there are definitely ways we could improve. The FoodPrint website has lots of tips and tricks to help you waste less and live sustainably. Check it out! For starters, take a look at their ideas for using up cheese. I know that is one area I could do better in (goodbye blue cheese that has been sitting in the deli drawer since July!)
On the menu - January 28 - February 2, 2019:
Sunday 30 Minute Pizza Crust topped with pepperoni and cheese and green salad
Dad came home from the hospital today so things were a bit topsy-turvy and I wasn't quite as organized at supper time as I might have liked. Love that I can make something yummy and comforting in under an hour.
Monday Chicken & Wild Mushroom Skillet with broccoli, wild rice and green salad
This was super! As Greta describes it, this was both #awesomesauce and #pantastic. A bit of an indulgence with whipping cream and asiago cheese, but there's just a little and it made the sauce amazing. If you have the "Yum and Yummer" cookbook by Greta Podleski and haven't tried this recipe yet, I would highly recommend it. My teenage son also loved it, so that made me extra happy. I managed to find an exotic "Bistro" mushroom mix by President's Choice and it was fun to try oyster mushrooms for the first time.
Tuesday leftovers / eat out / takeout
Since I'm feeding fewer people now, there were leftovers aplenty this week. Tonight we had leftover chicken and rice from last night. I don't think anyone minded!
Wednesday Classic Minestrone Soup with fresh buns and cheese
If you haven't watched the documentary "Cowspiracy" on Netflix, I would encourage you to check it out. I found it somewhat shocking to learn just how much water and land it takes to grow beef and dairy cattle, as well as other animals for food. That said, I am definitely not ready to give up meat altogether, but I am happy to make a few changes in our diet and try some meatless meals once or twice a week. I think that will benefit both my budget and the environment. This was my first meatless meal attempt in a while and it was scrumptious. As is so often the case with soup, it was perfect for using up some rogue veggies in the fridge like the last few stalks of celery and a lone zucchini, as well as some frozen green beans I had kicking around in the freezer. For the "seasonal vegetables" I just used what I had on hand - zucchini, green beans, peas, and a potato. I actually messed up while I was cooking and used a can of crushed rather than diced tomatoes. I ended up adding a 14 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes as well (I love pieces of tomato in soup!), and it was not too "soupy" by any means. I'm constantly amazed by how much liquid pasta can soak up. For greens, I always seem to have spinach in the house, so that went in as well as a can of white kidney beans. Hearty, filling and yummy! The leftovers were perfect for lunch the next day, and it made lots. Don't forget to top it with freshly grated Parmesan!
Thursday Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry (or as we like to call it, Egg Roll in a Bowl) with rice
This is another recipe I haven't made in a while since it was way too spicy for my dad, even though I only use 1 teaspoon of sriracha. More sriracha can easily be added afterwards for those who like the heat. NOTE: If you don’t like spicy foods, even 1 teaspoon is hot, I find. It gives this dish a unique flavour, so you won’t want to leave it out altogether. I like to use a bag of coleslaw mix for easy prep. The boy had thirds tonight and there were a lot of comments about how much he loves this. Clearly this dish has been missed on our menu! Don't skip the fresh green onion or sesame seeds.
Friday Easy Taco Casserole with Quick and Easy Black Beans and Rice and green salad
My son requested I make this since tacos are another meal we haven't had in way too long. I like to add frozen corn to the casserole. You can also add some black beans, or make our favourite Mexican rice side dish and add the beans there. (Yes, this week's theme seems to be rice!) I was really happy to use up the last of two bags of tortilla chips (you know, all the crumbly bits that are too good to throw away but no one really wants to eat?) After baking, you can top this casserole with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, homemade guacamole, homemade salsa and sour cream or serve a green salad on the side. Always good.
When my son was in Grade 7, his class went to a local church each week for a cooking lesson. This casserole was one of the recipes they made and it's become of one of our family's favourites. It's a great dish to make for a potluck or when you need a dish to take to a friend.
Saturday Broccoli Wild Rice Soup with fresh buns and cheese
This was tasty and good. I frequently freeze leftover cauliflower and broccoli and save it to make soup, and today was the day I decided to use it up. I also managed to use up part of a block of cream cheese, so that was a bonus. I skipped the almonds and we topped this with grated cheese.
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