Mexican Night the Healthy/Make Ahead Way!

We started commuting over 200 miles a day last week! That is not a typo boys and girls. We are spending 3-4 hours in the car each day! I live to cook, and I want to be healthy. So how do you mesh the two? I decided that I would buckle down and plan meals weekly. This means I do my shopping and prepping on Sundays. And we stick to the plan.

I want to start blogging about how I am doing this and what I am learning. Bear with me as I figure it out, please. It'll be a happy journey together! I'd like to include shopping lists and prep work for you in the future.

I made a quick video for you!!! I didn't plan to and I stumbled along, but hell, I'm posting it anyways! You'll see improvement (I hope!) soon. :)

PS Did I mention Jeff eats meat and poultry, but I don't? We are figuring that out here too!

Whole Wheat Tortillas (as many as you'll eat)
1/2 lb. ground beef
Taco seasoning
Black beans (cook or drain and rinse canned)
Fixings for Gussying:
Wash, dried, torn lettuce
Avocado (w/ lime juice, salt and pepper)
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Onion, diced
Plain Non-Fat yogurt (instead of sour cream!!!)
Cheddar cheese (I used 1/2 fat by Cabot)

On Sunday evening:
Clean, shred, chop all your veggies and cheese (except avocado)! Set aside in reusable containers or plastic sealed bags.

On Monday evening:
Brown ground beef over medium heat. Add taco seasoning and water, stir occasionally until thickened.

Meanwhile:
Chop avocado and mix with lime juice, salt/pepper, cilantro if you have it!

Heat tortillas under damp paper towel in microwave. I heated three for 30 seconds.

Lay out all your fixings and gussy up your soft tacos or make quesadillas! This is ten minutes on Monday night- you have to love that! Delicious and healthy too! Heck yeah!

What I learned today;
Flipping your quesadilla in half is WAY EASIER!
I could've mixed my yogurt and avocado. Wonder if I can do that in advance without brown avocado?
I am definitely doing Mexican night often. So fast and easy!
Videos could be really fun, I'm going to work on that!

Zucchini and Egg

Hi folks! This is a very quick and easy breakfast! This is also my first post from my phone. :)

Zucchini
Egg
Extra virgin oil
Romano cheese
Crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

Medium/Low heat
Sauté diced or sliced zucchini in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and paper, to taste
Once golden (2-5 minutes with a flip), pour in scrambled egg
Stir a few times with your spatula to cook egg
Top with grated Romano cheese and crushed red pepper
Eat immediately for a happy day!

Zucchini and eggs love each other. The quick photo from my phone does not do this masterpiece any justice! Try it- your day (and your life) will be better for it!

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Fresh and Raw

3 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob (raw)

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, diced

½ vidalia onion, diced or minced

½ cup fresh basil, loosely packed and chopped

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Mix it all up and enjoy!!!

Fresh Beet Salad

Today is Thursday, which means they deliver our CSA share right to our office - yay!  This is why I love Thursdays.  It doesn't hurt being the day before Friday either!  In our share, we found fresh beets, corn, spinach, green onions... did somebody say salad, please?!  Our goal was to create a delicious salad using only what we had on hand.  Please keep that in mind... what you have on hand... add, remove, or change ingredients as you please.  This recipe is just an idea.

Fresh Beet Salad


small bunch of small beets, with greens
extra virgin olive oil, I used 2 Tbsp.
fresh spinach leaves
fresh corn, I used two ears
green onions, I used the stalks from about 5 bulbs
Parmesan Reggiano shavings
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Simple Balsamic Dressing:  3 to 1 parts extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste.  I used about 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Cut greens from beets, trim ends off, and wash well

Toss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper

Wrap your beets up in foil and roast until soft, about 20 -25 minutes, cut into bite-size pieces

Wash and tear your spinach and beet greens

Cut the fresh corn off the cob

Chop the green onion stalks

Toss together your greens, corn, and onions

Top with beets

Drizzle with Balsamic Dressing and top with parmesan shavings

Avocado Omelet with Tomato

I just ate the most delicious and quick breakfast - hey, if it is the first meal of the day, regardless of the time, it IS breakfast!  I ate it all just now, so no photo.  :(

I need to go grocery shopping, but I had half an avocado and some egg whites calling my name!

Cut up a hot pepper and some green onions, saute in a small frying or omelet pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle of kosher salt.  Once soft, pour in egg whites.  I used 3 Tbsp.  Cook until set, flipping once.  This is maybe 1-2 minutes.  If you are an omelet connoisseur, feel free to push your egg whites around the pan.

Top with sliced avocado and fresh sliced tomato.  Salt and pepper, to taste.

That is it!  It cooks up fast when you are hungry and your mouth will thank you!  Post photos if you try it, please!

Mango Cucumber Salad

Mango Cucumber Salad

2 mangoes, diced

1 cucumber, diced (about 2 cups)

1 tomato, diced

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

juice from half a lemon (1-2 Tbsp, taste to preference)

2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

½ tsp. kosher salt

black pepper, to taste

1 jalapeno, minced (optional)

Toss it all together and serve.  This is great with Confetti Quinoa and shrimp!

Confetti Quinoa

Confetti Quinoa

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbsp. cumin

½ Tbsp. chili powder

½ Tbsp. oregano, dried

½ Tbsp. kosher salt

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat large deep skillet over medium heat

Add oil, onions, and pepper, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes

Add pressed garlic and stir until soft, about 1 minute

Stir in cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt

Stir in quinoa and water

Cover and bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer

Leave covered and cook until liquid is absorbed and germ separates from seed, which will look curly and white, about 20 minutes

Remove from heat and let stand uncovered for five minutes

Fluff with a fork

Stir in corn and cilantro

Try this with Mango Cucumber Salad and shrimp!