The Salad Solution

Tonight, I had a meal planned but realized I planned poorly and didn't really have what I needed. In fact, I had very little, here's what I saw as I peered into the lonely refrigerator:

Hmm, I thought. Orange juice, salsa, heavy cream, half a pickle and some green grapes? Not exactly the Iron Chef kitchen. However, after some digging, I got together a group of some trusty favorites: 1 chicken drumstick, blueberries, mixed greens, cheddar cheese, avocado, and of course, the dynamic duo (dried cranberries and walnuts)...

These organic salad blends are WONDROUS! I usually pick up two or three for the week.

I was extremely excited to see a massive box of organic blueberries on sale this week for 3.99!

I shredded up the chicken, cubed the avocado and cheese, and, viola! Dinner was served:



I love that there are no rules with salad. You just toss it in. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not, but it's never boring. I've find that to make a satisfying salad for dinner though, it needs the following components:

Some kind of foundation (mixed greens, arugula, romaine, or a hefty veggie like broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini, cut into smaller, manageable chunks)
Something creamy (crumbly cheeses like feta, blue cheese or Gorgonzola, or cubed firm cheese like cheddar or Swiss, or even avocado)
Protein (hard boiled egg, grilled chicken strips, shredded roasted chicken, sliced steak, roasted shrimp, beans, quinoa, the list goes on...)
Something crunchy and possibly salty (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, chopped celery or jicama, diced bell pepper, homemade croutons)
Something chewy (dried fruit)
Something sweet (cherry tomatoes, grapes, blueberries)

The BEST part of a week of "salad" meals is that you can cook everything the first night (grill or roast a ton of chicken, cook the beans, hard boil the eggs, etc.) And then you have those ingredients on hand throughout the week. It will take ten minutes, max, to put together dinner the rest of the nights, and that's if you mosey!!!

Here are some of the salads we eat most often:

Baby arugula with grilled chicken, peaches, pecans and crumbled feta
Mixed greens with grilled chicken, green grapes, walnuts and blue cheese
Chef salad (mixed greens, hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cubed cheddar, avocado)
Simple garden salad with Cheesy Quinoa cakes and sunny side up eggs (pictured)

Cauliflower salad with cranberries, walnuts, chickpeas and crumbled feta
Grilled Vegetable salad (eggplant, zucchini, thick tomato slices) with ricotta cheese, basil and Balsamic Vinaigrette


Most nights throughout the summer, this is how we eat. Curious to hear about the salad creations of others...

Smorgasbording

Picture this. It's Sunday afternoon, you've had a week of cooking, you're left with stacks of Tupperware containing scattered leftovers, odd amounts of produce, 2-3 slices of bread, and a small, awkwardly shaped block of cheese. Maybe you're out of "meal ideas" for the week or maybe the thought of defrosting chicken and making a big "fiasco" does not appeal to you (reasonably so, considering that the entire country is experiencing record breaking heat!) Enter SMORGASBORD! The budgeter's key to fun, easy meals that eliminate waste from your fridge/fruit basket/pantry.

A dear friend recently shared her concerns about "smorgasbording" (yes, it's necessary we decide that's a word). "I don't know that I'm creative enough to put random things together- I tend to think more along the lines of traditional meals." Not to worry, friends! I think we can all relate. Smorgasbording is for you, too. When we think of dinner, we usually conjure up images of some type of protein, a vegetable and a starch, right? Or, at least I do. This mentality often serves me well, but sometimes, it's just not in the cards (or the fridge, in this case)! So, the first step of smorgasbording is removing such a mindset (not permanently, just temporarily- enough to allow your creativity to come through, since you're short on groceries).

Yesterday, I created a smorg meal (yup, we're deciding that's a word, too). Here's what I had, and wanted to use up, along with what I did with each item:

-shredded chicken --> Added diced celery, onion, mayo and salt and pepper for chicken salad
- avocados --> Mashed up for a topping to go on chicken salad
- watermelon --> Cut into fun shapes to switch things up (even grown-ups appreciate food shaped like stars!)
- energy balls --> If you haven't had these yet, you've got to try them. Such and easy way to keep a quick bite of protein in the fridge for home or on the go snacks.
- fresh mozzerella (combined mozzarella, tomato slices, shredded basil and balsamic vinegar and oil for a quick caprese salad)
- fresh basil
- cheese (cubed for snacking)
I toasted up some homemade italian wheat bread to have on the side.

Here is the resulting spread:

If you're attempting to make a "smorg meal," it helps to lay everything on the counter that you wish to use up. Think of these items in conjunction with your pantry staples. Have a few tricks up your sleeve with some "vehicles" for random foods, like the following:

- Spread tortillas with cream cheese and fill with whatever you need to get rid of (avocado, cucumber ribbons, tomatoes, cold cuts, etc.) roll and cut into pinwheels. Remember, you eat with your eyes first! 

- Use toothpicks to make mini "skewers" of cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, chunks of chicken, fresh herbs, etc.

- Toast up some bread with olive oil and make crostini (top with whatever you have- pesto, chicken, melted cheese, hummus)

- If you have a handful of plain cooked pasta leftover, toss with leftover greens, veggies, etc and add a quick homemade vinaigrette

- Slice up all remaining fruit, make a fruit salad and serve in little ramekins or mugs on the side

- Think creatively as to what constitutes a "salad." Just because you're out of lettuce doesn't mean you can't make a delicious salad- slice up celery, bell peppers, tomato, cauliflower, etc. Add feta cheese and dressing and BOOM you're ready to go. If you have any leftover black beans, chick peas, etc. add those too! And grains- toss in some barley or quinoa. Yum!

- Fill iceberg lettuce "cups" with just about anything (why are we so judgemental of iceberg lettuce? Maybe it's not super nutritious, but it's not bad for you- it's cheap and it's a change of pace from the usual starch often used as a vehicle for finger foods)

- Make a few "dipping sauces" to jazz up mini skewers of plain chicken or veggies (soy sauce & honey; balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and Dijon mustard) or skewers of fruit (plain yogurt & honey)

- Nuts, crumbly cheeses and dried fruit make excellent disguises for any random bowl of anything- instantly makes it interesting and feel kind of special.

- You can mix just about anything in with 6 or 7 beaten up eggs with a splash of milk. Pour into a baking dish, top with shredded cheese, and ta-daaa, FRITTATA!

I am purposefully leaving out the wonderful, forgiving option of making a SOUP because it's hot out and that's worthy of an entire post on it's own. Please comment if you have more ideas to add to our list. Enjoy your smorgs!!!

On a Mission

First off, I'm sorry little blog. It's been over six months since I last saw you. Since I can't just glaze over a major life event such as having a baby and flutter on to my unrelated blog post, I'll just tell you that, in a nutshell, we are so happy Grayson is here. We love being a little family and are trying our darnedest every day to figure out what we're doing :-)

I am LOVING life as a Stay at Home Mom, adjusting to the crazy, wonderful experience of being someone's mom. One of the challenges (or, "Opportunities for Creativity" as I termed it to Jared, kind of joking but knowing it's true) of being a Stay at Home Mom, is the fact that we are now on a single income. An honest conversation last night, as well as the impending financial management class we'll be beginning with our small group, got us thinking that we need to trim down more than we already were. Specifically, I thought of grocery spending since this is really the only consistent "spending" I do each week. So, here is what I was ALREADY doing to save $$ on food:

1. Making my own salad dressings and pesto
2. Buying nuts/dried fruit in bulk
3. Stocking up on whole chickens instead of buying chicken breast
4. Buying only milk and water as far as beverages go
5. Freezing a big batch of homemade whole wheat pizza dough in case we get tempted to order delivery
6. Avoiding the aisle section of the grocery store, except to purchase some condiments and pantry staples!
7. Planning only 2-3 meals a week that involve chicken/beef or fish (and eating vegetarian the other nights), and not making the meat the "focal point" of every meal, like I used to (this is healthier, too).
 8. Having at least one meal a week that's a "smorgasbord"- taking everything that looks like it might get wasted in my fridge and turning it into a salad/smoothie/soup/crudite platter, depending on the season (You just can't be afraid to try cauliflower/cranberry/arugula/avocado salad)

Did the above steps help us? Yes. Do I need to take it a step further (or maybe five?) yes. Here's the thing though- I know I could bounce over to walmart and stock up on goodies, spending far less than usual and having more than enough food for the week. However, we've gotten on this all-natural, organic, preservative-free kick. Thank GOD for stores like Sunflower Market that make organic living pretty affordable. Anyway, I'm really not willing to compromise on making healthy food for my family.  I am determined to stay under budget without sacrificing on quality. Wishful thinking? Probably. Naive? A tad- Worth a shot? ABSOLUTELY!  (this is my own mental pep talk)

So, here are my new brainstorms for things I can add to grocery saving epiphanies:

1. Make my own bread (the loaf we buy is "Udi's" brand- soooo yummy, local, and good for you. However, I can't justify spending almost $5 a week for a loaf of bread, even though it's quite large. I may save this for a once in a while treat (or, a "it's-100-degrees-out-and-unless-you-can-bake-bread-on-the-sidewalk-I'll-be-buying-it). I think I'll try this recipe with whole wheat flour.



2. Skip the individual yogurt cups and buy one large plain yogurt container. Since Jared likes to take these to work, I can still prepare little yogurt servings in the small Ball glass jars I have, sticking some organic fruit jam at the bottom and filling the rest with yogurt (will post pics when I get around to this one!)
3. Make my own tortillas. I know, this sounds like a bit much. But, have you ever sunk your teeth into your very own freshly made tortilla- FROM SCRATCH? Ugh. Once you do, you will be converted. I promise. I substituted whole wheat flour for this recipe and it was soooo good.



4. Up the anty on bean/egg dishes we make during the week, cutting down further on money spent on chicken/beef/fish. I need help with this one. There are only so many "Huevos rancheros" I can make or "Make your own Rice Bowls" I can come up with. Ideas, anyone?
5. Avoid canned goods and buy beans dried- so cheap and healthier, too.

So those are my latest thoughts. Please, if you have ideas for me, I would love to hear them!!!

Best Uses for your copy of "Twilight"

Since I'm just waiting these days, waiting to endure a painful event, waiting to meet my son, waiting to be a mom, etc. What better way to distract myself than to create craft after craft with with to adorn my house for Christmas? So, I made this paper wreath. I got the idea from several blogs in which those more talented (and creative) than myself thought this up. A hot glue gun, Styrofoam ring and a copy of "Twilight" and I was well on my way!

I hung it up high so no one would read about Bella and Edward's passionate interactions or the dramatic showdown between Jacob and the vampires...

Sneaking into friends' houses

A couple in our small group just had their first baby, and ended up needing to stay at the hospital in Denver for almost four weeks before they could come home with him. As you can imagine, it was a trying time for them, full of ups and downs. Our small group decided to get into their house right before their homecoming, pack their freezer with meals, and hang a welcome home sign. To get the key, one of us called them and asked if we could borrow their Wii while they were gone (they must be thinking, how could someone ask to borrow our Wii at a time like this???). I ended up making the following banner after perusing some ideas on the internet. It was easy and turned out really cute- I plan to do it again sometime!

Here are some of the supplies I used... the scraps leftover were from after I cut the patterned paper into triangles (they were those huge square papers you find at Hobby Lobby or Archiver's). I cut the letters out of the card stock.

  Pretty ribbon...

 
After using double sided tape to stick the letters to the triangles, I was able to toss everything into a bag and bring it to their house...

I hope they feel very welcomed when they get home!! Oh, and if you're reading this, take a second to pray for their sweet baby, Landon, that he'll continue to recover from the surgery he had to have, and that he'll make more and more progress!!

The next step...

As of Friday, I am a stay at home mom. Now, I'm just waiting for my child to arrive. I don't think I have come close to grasping how my life is about to change with the arrival of our son, but I have about five weeks left to think that over! I've resigned myself to the fact that this is probably one of those life events you can't really "prepare" for... however, here is my feeble attempt:

See? The way I figure it, the more stressed about something you are, the more list making will help! Especially if you arm yourself with brightly colored highlighters with which to prioritize your list! Silly, I know, but what else can I do?

Words can't express how thankful I am to be done working- for a husband who works as hard as mine to do well in his job, who won't mind swapping in all those extra things we do with our money so that I can stay home with our kids. I am beyond blessed, and overflowing with excitement. I know it won't be perfect, but what fun is that, anyway???

Have a seat!

I had to post pics of the housewarming gift my sweet in-laws blessed us with during their visit last weekend- bar stools. The black adds some needed contrast to the kitchen, and more importantly, it creates more opportunities for quality time (my love language!) For example. tonight, while I chopped lettuce for dinner, Jared sat on a bar stool across the island and we chatted about all the things we're wondering about our little boy- what will his personality be like, will he be a picky eater, etc. If there is one thing I love more than cooking, it's cooking while someone else keeps me company! Thank you Mom and Dad Obenchain!!!