Cooking Binge

I went on a bit of a cooking binge over the last two weeks. 

OK, not a little bit.  I cooked and froze over 80 freezer meals and casseroles.

I wanted to lay in a supply of frozen meals to help me get through this summer while the kids are home. 

I don't think I really thought through the mechanics of this before I began.  I had ordered some bulk chicken from our butcher (80 pounds), and I had planned out the kids favorite meals.  I also wanted to just freeze some of the chicken plain in order to make whatever struck my fancy some night.

Between the 80 pounds of chicken and the groceries to make the freezer meals, I spent about $400. 

I put together packages of Pineapple Terriyaki Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore, Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, and Chicken Taco filling.

I made chicken pot pies.  I made shepherd's pie.  I made White Chicken Turkey.  I grilled some chicken and sliced it into strips to use in salads.

The list goes on, but you get the idea.  I made a lot!  Nothing is fried.  Nothing is sitting in a "cream of" soup.  Well, except for the chicken pot pie, but that's sitting in gravy I made from scratch.  Nothing from a can that is loaded with sodium and mystery ingredients. 

And I froze it all.

Well, except for the pulled chicken BBQ.  We had that for dinner twice over the last week.  Once was the original batch, the second time was for leftovers.  We might have also had it for a couple of lunches, too.

When I think back on it, I did an incredible amount of work in 20 hours.

However, this summer, while the kids are all home from their respective schools, I will have quick and easy meals.  We will either be able to pop them into the crock pot or oven, and dinner will basically be finished with minimal effort on my part! 

BONUS- I'll be able to spend more time WITH my family, instead of cooking and cleaning the kitchen when they're home.  As they get older and move on into their own lives, I really put a premium on the quality of time I spend with them.  Who knows when our next opportunity to spend time together will come along?

If you do the math on my meals, it comes up to $5 per meal.  Keep in mind, each one of these meals is meat-based.  Not bad, especially when you consider that I'll be feeding 4 people with each meal!  (Daughter is a vegetarian, so I don't include her in the count on anything that's been cooked with meat.)

Kale

image: www.eatingwell.com

Kale.  It's what in season right now - but how do you eat it?  I will cut it up and put it into salads and
my scrambled eggs, and I've even been known to put a few handfuls into my smoothies this time of year.

I know that it is extremely healthy, listed on many websites as full of fantastic vitamins that will help your body fight cancer.

But cooking it?  I've always struggled with how to cook it.  I am always on the lookout for new and different recipes that taste good.

I found this recipe for Portuguese Kale and Red Bean Soup in Eating Well Magazine.  We made it for dinner.  Oh my stars, was it fantastic!!!

Since daughter is a vegetarian, we made this as a vegetarian soup.  Instead of chicken broth, we used vegetable broth, and omitted the sausage entirely.  We also cooked up a little bit of brown rice separately and then each person added it to their own bowl according to their own taste before adding their own soup.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

It was very icy on Tuesday night, and I really didn't feel like braving the roads to head out and pick something up for dinner.  I scrounged some things out of my cabinets and refrigerator and put together the most amazing vegetarian enchiladas, ever.  These are not smothered in cheese--my husband and daughter are allergic to dairy products.  These are the honest to goodness, amazingly tasty enchiladas that we had for dinner!  Easy, fast, and on the table within 45 minutes.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 heaping tsp. minced garlic
1 can of chopped green chiles
1 28 ounce can corn kernels
1 32 ounce can of vegetarian refried beans
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
corn tortillas
Enchilada Sauce - recipe follows

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350*.
2) Saute the bell peppers, garlic and onion in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
3) As the onions begin to turn translucent, add the corn and the green chiles.  Stir together, mixing thoroughly.
4) Add the refried beans.  The mixture will be very thick, and can burn easily.  Keep heat on med-low, and stir frequently.
5) Add cumin, salt, and pepper. (Adjust accordingly if you like it spicier or milder.)
6) Lower the heat, and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat when time is finished.

While the bean mixture is simmering, make the enchilada sauce.  Sure, you can buy the stuff in cans at the store, but this is better for you, and doesn't take long to make.  (Recipe follows this.)

Cover the bottom of the cooking pan with a layer of enchilada sauce.

One at a time, spread each corn tortilla with about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture.  Spread the mixture down the middle of each tortilla.  Roll the tortilla up, and place it, seam side down, in the pan.
(note- the corn tortillas WILL break apart.  That's okay. They're all going to snuggle up against each other in the pan, anyway.)

Fill each corn tortilla with the bean mixture, snugging the enchiladas up against each other, until the pan is full.  I usually have enough space left at the top of my pan to add 2 more enchiladas.  I use it.  I fill every available space with enchiladas.

Cover the entire mixture with more enchilada sauce.  If you made your sauce from scratch, don't use the entire pan!  You'll drown these guys!  Instead, Use about a cup to a cup and a half of sauce, spread evenly across the entire pan.

Put the entire yummy mixture into the oven and let it bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Note- If you want to punch this up, or stretch it out, add a cup of cooked rice to the bean mixture after the mix is cooked, but before you layer into the tortillas.  Stir thoroughly to incorporate before you spread it into the tortillas.

If you really want cheese on your enchiladas, add it to the pan, over top of the sauce, before you put it into the oven.


Enchilada Sauce
Make sure you have all of the ingredients measured and lined up before you begin!
 
Olive oil- enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Rachael Ray would say "a turn of the pan".
2 TBSP Cornstarch
1/3 cup chili powder
3 cups veggie broth
14 ounce can tomato sauce  (or whatever size that is - not the small, 8 ounce can, but the next size up)
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP oregano

• In a sauce pan over med heat, stir the olive oil and cornstarch together until the cornstarch begins to brown.  You're toasting it.  It should take about a minute - keep a very close eye on it so it doesn't burn!
• Add the chili powder, stir constantly for another minute.  Remember, you're toasting the spices to bring out their full flavor.
• Add 3 cups of veggie broth  (I used 3 cups of water and 3 vegetable bullion cubes.)
• Add the tomato sauce, cumin, and oregano, stirring to make certain all of the spices are incorporated into the liquid.
• Bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently. (You can raise the heat here, if you need to.)
• Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Note- last one, I promise!  If I had any veggie broth cubes left over, I would have used 3 or 4 of them here.  I would have thawed them in the microwave before beginning the sauce.  If it didn't measure up to the full 3 cups, I'd add water to the thawed broth cubes to make 3 cups.)

Mindful Eating

Bays, Jan Chozen, MD.  Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food.  2009.  Shambhala.  Boston and London.

Softcover, $18.95.  ISBN: 978-1-59030-531-7.

My Review:

Mindful Eating takes a very close look at the tendency of Americans to follow the three G's when it comes to food: gobble, gulp, and go.  We eat our food without tasting it, and we eat more of our food than we intend to because of the mindless practices we have attached to the consumption of food.

Through the course of this book, Dr. Bays takes the reader through a series of exercises, mediations, and conversations that will challenge the reader to look closely at their relationship with food.  From challenging the way we approach food now, to challenging us to change the way we approach our food, the reader will find thought provoking exercises that will cause them to change the way they approach meals and eating.

How do you approach your food?  Is it stuff to be consumed quickly so that you can get on to the next item on your list?  Is it a meal for the senses, from the delightful, thoughtful presentation of food on a beautiful plate, eaten slowly and savored for the tastes and textures that were prepared just for you, the eater, to enjoy?

The guided meditations on the CD will help the reader focus more squarely on food, and the issues surrounding food, and help you to become a more mindful eater.

Dr. Bays does not promise that you will lose weight by reading this book!  However, you will gain some wisdom about what your body is asking you for, and how much it really needs.

Disclosure Notice:  Mini-Van mom is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program.  The picture of the book cover, above is a link to my Amazon Affiliates account.  Your purchase through this program will support this site.  Thank you for supporting Mini-Van Mom.