Chicken Marbella Anyone???

Mixed brown and white rice, chicken marbella and
wilted kale salad with hot balsamic dressing

As a Dietitian, I am constantly talking about food.  When I am not talking about food, I am usually eating food or thinking about food, meal-planning,  recipe-searching or just wishing I was eating more food.  I have really tried to get into the habit of meal-planning for our week to make things a bit easier on our time and our wallets (less chance of eating out if something is planned at home!)

Mondays is usually "slow-cooker-Monday" as our daughter has piano, and usually there is at least one ice time.  The rest of the week will be me cooking three times, leftovers or pull-something-from-the-freezer two times, and then one meal where we just leave open and it could be anything from our Finger Food Friday meal, to soup and sandwiches

What's on the menu this week?

Chicken Marbella....marinated in prunes, figs,
garlic, wine, olives, capers....

Monday: Spaghetti (cooked on weekend, froze it, and dumped it in the slow cooker on low yesterday...yummmmmmy!)

Tuesday:  New recipe, and the inspiration for this blog post...Chicken Marbella......

Wednesday:  Sausage and pasta with broccoli coleslaw (simple, quick, everyone will eat it, done.)

Thursday:  Quick Moo Shoo Pork (from Canadian Living a few months ago...delicious!)

Friday....Finger Food Friday up in Sherwood Park as we are going to visit the in-laws!

Tonight's meal was inspired by a friend of mine who gave me some to try....I died and went to heaven in that moment...it was just so tasty!   It is a recipe from a series of cookbooks called "Whitewater Cooks" (and coincidentally, these cookbooks are on my Christmas Wish List).  This recipe is super easy as you mix it all up the night before in a casserole dish, and then pop it in the oven when you get home from work!


Chicken Marbella
1 large pack of chicken thighs, boneless and skinless (my pack was about 3 - 4 lb)

Marinade
6 cloves of minced garlic
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar **
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/2 cup dried figs, quartered
1/2 cup chopped green olives (I did very few of these as I have an "olive-hater" in my house)
1/4 cup capers with a bit of the caper juice
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine

Place thighs in a 9x13 glass casserole dish.  Combine all the marinade together. ** I did not have any red wine vinegar, but substituted some old red wine that was demoted to cooking wine, and threw in a bit of apple cider vinegar that I had.   Once all combined, mixed, chopped, etc...pour over chicken, cover and place in fridge to let the flavours infuse.   Note that this recipe needs to be done the night before to let those flavours sit.  Once ready to cook, bake for about 45 - 50 min at 350 convection uncovered.   Turn the chicken once during baking, basting with the juices.  Once golden brown...its done! Serve with rice and salad.  

It was so delicious, even my "olive-hater" enjoyed it!!

Cheese Glorious Cheese.....

I heard something wonderful today!  As it is Wednesday, I had my 6 am bootcamp (which I now almost look forward to...).  One of the gals today told me that "cheese is the new kale".   My heart almost stopped.  Cheese?  The new kale?  What could be better news than that?  Don't get me wrong...I love kale....whether it is in the form of chip, or baby kale in salad....de-lish...but I LOVE cheese!   Just looking at this picture gives me goosebumps!

Here are just a few of the nutritional benefits of cheese (and yes, kale is also healthy, but we are talking about CHEESE!)

• Great source of calcium and protein.   Calcium is needed for bones and teeth, but also for much more within the body.    Calcium also plays a role in keeping our heart, muscles and nervous system healthy.  

• Helps prevent cavities!  Cheese is high in calcium AND low in lactose (the natural sugars found in milk).  The more aged the cheese, the lower the lactose content.  Eating cheese after a meal or as a snack can help prevent tooth decay! (Cheese for dessert!  YUM!)

• Cheese is a great source of riboflavin and B12 for energy production, and also contains zinc and vitamin A to help our immune system.

So lets hear it for cheese!   Hurray!

Family Dinner on a Cold and Snowy Night....

Winter has begun....right on cue.  Though yesterday was warm and beautiful, we were warned that we would wake up to cold blowing snow.

While I don't like the cold, I do love having some good old fashioned comfort food on these types of days.  One of my favourite meals when I was young was roasted chicken and macaroni pie.  Tonite I did cheat a little and bought the "flattened and seasoned" chicken from Co-op (still had to cook it!).  But boy oh boy was it delicious!  And my macaroni pie.....soooo gooood, and so easy breezy!  I used a modification of my one pot mac and  cheese recipe (see below) and just added 2 eggs and milk and topped with crushed soda crackers.

Both kids had ice times today, and when they got home, they were greeted by the smell of roasted chicken, hot macaroni pie, baked tomatoes, peas, and raw carrots.  What a great Sunday meal!

One pot mac and cheese

2 cups of Macaroni
2 cups of water
1 cup milk
1 tbsp of butter

Add all the above to a pot and boil for 15 minutes.  Watch that it does not boil over (mine always does!).  Once all the liquid has boiled off, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar (more if you want!).  

**Macaroni Pie Variation...place the macaroni in a baking dish and add 2 eggs and 1 cup of milk (maybe more...i don't measure).  Mix well, and pour over top of the macaroni.  I also added some ricotta cheese as I had that in my refrigerator, and it was delicious!   Top with crushed crackers or Panko bread crumbs and bake.   

It really is comfort food at its best!

I know it is processed, but I need a BREAK!

Ok...so it is October.  We are almost 2 months into school, and I am already at the point where school lunches are giving me ulcers and acne.  Seriously!  My kids will prepare their own lunches sometimes, but there are days where there just isn't time.  Between a busy hockey and ringette schedule and the fact that the kids are getting later ice times and more homework due to their age, it just seems busy beyond belief.  

Today, I treated myself...no, not to a mani-pedi, not to a day at the spa...but to some convenient, semi healthy choices from Costco.  I truly believe that all foods can fit...everything from home-made to processed....it's really just how they fit into your life that makes the difference.  Of course it is better to prepare things from scratch, but at the same time, it can be emotionally healthier to give yourself a break and go with food that is easy and prepared.  And to NOT feel guilty about it!  So, today I bought 1 package of beef sausage rolls, and package of mini soft chicken taco's.  When I was loading up my cart with the lunch items, as well as a Costco fresh-made lasagne for dinner tonite, I did feel slightly guilty, and even ashamed of my cart, which is utterly ridiculous!  I even tried to justify my choices to the cashier to try and find some sort of affirmation! Ridiculous!  Don't worry....I got over that by the time I got to my car.

The end result today was a delicious, easy dinner (with leftovers), and no-think lunches that I know the kids will eat.  Kids were happy, hubby was happy....and all the guilt was gone.  I even had time to make the garlic bread!

Mushroom Barley Risotto

Tonight we had no activities (!) and I was craving something delicious (as usual).   I always try and meal plan either in the car on my way home from work, or if I am really good, I will at least decide on a "maybe" plan the day before and let the idea percolate in my head..."maybe we'll have salmon..."

The menu was simple, but not boring-simple.  Got home, did a quick check to see what I

Super easy and super delicious! 

had....barley...mushrooms, salmon, green beans.....all the makings of an easy and delicious dinner!

1.  Barley...rinse and put to boil.   Takes about 30 - 40 minutes, but do this first, and then you can work on everything else
2.  Chop up the 'shrooms, and sautee them in olive oil and a bit of sea salt and pepper. Can add a bit of white wine if you have some!
3.  Prep the salmon...easy...place on parchment, drizzle syrup and slice up a lemon to put on top.  Cover with foil and bake it up!
4.  Wash the green beans and steam or microwave them up.

By now, the salmon is almost done, and the barley is cooked (just about).  Once the barley is al dente, drain and add to your sauteed mushrooms....you will be amazed at how easy it is compared to real risotto (which I also love, but it is time consuming with all that mixing!).

And.....now, its time to eat!   All done in less than an hour.

Salmon, green beans and mushroom barley risotto

New Mommy

Clearly, I am pregnant
here, just days before
becoming a new mommy!
June 2000

So there have been three times in my life where someone has asked me if I was pregnant, and I was NOT.  I remember each experience vividly, right down to what I was wearing and what I was doing.  The first time, we were at a family gathering on my hubby's side, and someone-who-shall-not-be-named innocently said that they did not I was expecting again.  Now...on this occasion, I was wearing a very long and baggy sweater (i.e., had no fashion sense), and I was a bit....shall we say....larger than I am now.   The second time it was again on my hubby's side of the family and another "someone-who-shall-not-be-named" asked me when I was due.  We were at a Christmas gathering AND I was drinking a goblet of wine.  I know, right?   I responded that I was not pregnant, and the person then had the gall to ask me if I was serious (twice!)  SERIOUSLY?  (A) I was clearly drinking wine, and (B) Don't ask that question unless you are 1000000% sure!

Today....it happened again!   This time, at work, and the hardest part is that I have been working out at bootcamp, eating okay, and I think I look okay (despite the fact that I am still carrying a bit of summer weight).

.....but perhaps it was the style of shirt I was wearing.  They just looked at me in a friendly way and asked if I was going to be a "new mommy".  I politely responded that I was already a mommy and that I was indeed not preg-o.

Oh well.   Had to vent that out.  Now if you will excuse me, I have an odd craving for pickles and ice cream.  And no...I am not pregnant!

My day as a taxi driver (and chef, but not the maid....)

So not all these things were neglected...I exercised and walked the dog...

Today was a day "off" for me.   Off.   But not really.  here is how it went:

• 5:30 am: alarm went off for bootcamp. 
• 7:35 am: left the house, dropped off kids, dropped off hubby, went to my eye appointment 
• 10:30 am: home again; round up the puppy for her grooming appointment
• 12:00 noon: home again, but now the grooming place called...."your dog is ready to be picked up" Back to PetSmart!
• 1:00 pm: home again and played with my puppy.  
• 1:30 pm: off to pick up my daughter early from school...orthodontist consultation. She needs a jaw appliance and braces.....8K later......
• 3:30 pm: home again.  Son is home from school. Time for after school snacks, practice piano, make a quick dinner, as we have to leave for piano, take buddy to hockey evaluations, and are not home for good til 8:30 pm
• 4:45 pm: dinner is in the works...chicken and pasta with a sundried tomato sauce from Lina's Italian Market, served with  sauteed mushrooms on the side.  Eat if your hungry...if not, eat at 8:30 when we get home.
• 5:25 pm: load up the hockey gear, everyone get in the f#$%in' car! We have to leave for piano (which starts at 5:30 pm...good thing it is only 5 minutes away)
• 5:30 pm: piano drop off;  5:45 pm: rink drop off for my son and his friend
• 6:15 pm: pick up daughter from piano, head home for a 5 minute pasta dinner and to pick up hubby from home....then it's off to the rink
• 6:55 pm: We have arrived at the rink. It is FREEZING. And we still have 45 minutes to go (yes, we were a bit late).
• 8:30 pm: DONE.....walk dog.....kids have a snack and a shower. Brush your teeth!!!  
• 9:30 pm:  I see that there is a bottle of wine open and half full from the weekend....Goodnight kids!
• 10:00 pm....everyone is asleep...and I have my wee-bit of wine, and am sitting here, in total silence......ahhhhhhhhhhhh............

All in all, I probably drove over 100 km today, but got a lot of necessary stuff done and made a delicious dinner.  It was a good day, except for the part where my eye doctor said I'd need bifocals fairly soon....   WHAT??????