Cooking, Shopping, and Food Prep Day!

Today was my grocery shopping day and I did a little food prep for this week's meals.  I made a trip to walmart and to Akins to get enough food for 5 dinners, breakfast food items, and lunch food to last about a week.  I spent $150 at walmart and $28 at Akins (organic cheddar block cheese x 2, organic american cheese singles, organic parmesan cheese, and 2 packages of brown rice tortillas).

I didn't get to eat lunch until around 3 pm today since I was busy trying to get everything done while babies were sleeping.  But here is what I had for lunch:

It's my usual....big veggie salad.  Baby spinach, carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes (all organic), chick peas, and some avocado.  I also make my own salad dressing.  If you've ever seen the ingredient list on a bottle of salad dressing, there's tons of added chemicals, preservatives, and artificial coloring.  I make my own goddess dressing and it is DIVINE.  Here is my recipe:

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 2/3 Tbs. tahini, as thick as possible
• 2 Tbs. + 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/4 tsp. soy sauce  [START WITH JUST 2 tsp.]
• 2 1/4 tsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 large clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp. hulled sesame seeds, very lightly toasted
• 1 Tbs. minced parsley
• 1 Tbs. minced chives

Combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.  Don’t use a blender. Makes about 1 cup, or 8 servings.

 I usually double this recipe when I make it since I go through it so fast. 

My babies (ideally) take a nap in the afternoon usually from 1:30-3:30.  Many times though this doesn't happen.  Like when my 2 year old decides she is not going to take a nap.  But thankfully today both babies took a nap after I got home from the store so I was able to get some things done.

I chopped up most of my veggies so that they're ready for my meals later this week.  Also, I borrowed the book "deceptively delicious" from the library a couple days ago.  It's by Jessica Seinfeld and she has lots of family friendly recipes using vegetable purees.  That way, your kiddos get their veggie portions without even knowing it!  Well, I thought I'd try it.  Here are all my purees in little "snack size" baggies.  I did cauliflower, carrot, and sweet potato. 

This was pretty time consuming but I made lots so that should hopefully last me a while.  I am going to freeze the ones I don't use this week so that they keep longer. 

I did try out one of her recipes tonight and it was a success!  I had some leftover roasted chicken from a couple nights ago and a package of brussel sprouts so I just needed something else to go with it.  I opted for "clean crock pot mac n cheese" with the cauliflower puree.  Here's how it turned out:

It wasn't pretty, but definitely tasty!  Kids loved this.  Addy (my 8 y.o.) said the sauce was "sweeter" than usual and gobbled it up.  Ha!

Here's the mac n cheese recipe (adapted from www.skinnyms.com):

• 1-1/2 cups plain light soy milk
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. cornstarch or tapioca starch 
• 1/2 c cauliflower puree
• 4 oz. 2% organic sharp cheddar cheese (get the block and grate 1 cup full. That's about 4 oz.)
• 2 cups dry, whole wheat pasta (bigger pasta such as penne...do not use elbow mac or other small pasta)

Directions

Whisk together the milk, egg whites and cornstarch in your slow cooker insert. Be sure to whisk well.

Stir in the grated cheese, cauliflower puree, and pasta.

Cook on low for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

After the first hour, stir the food on a semi regular basis. About every 15 minutes or so. This will do 2 things.

1) It will allow the pasta to cook evenly.

2) It will allow you to keep any eye on the pasta and see when it's done. Every slow cooker is different, so the timing for this recipe may be slightly different on this for you. Pasta goes from "cooked" to "mush" very quickly. So be sure to keep stirring on occasion to keep an eye on things.

This was made in a 3 quart slow cooker. Should you wish to double the recipe, double everything except the cornstarch (use 1 tbsp.) and cook in a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker (we used a 5 quart for doubling the recipe). Time and temp does not change when doubling the recipe. 

So after all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and prepping, I am EXHAUSTED and sitting down now for the first time today.  I didn't get a work out in today but for sure I will tomorrow.  I'm thinking a good run.....

Thank you for reading!