Menu plan Monday and Bison Briyani

So, first things first, I will share our menu plan for this week.

Monday - Leftover bison biryani (recipe to follow)
Tuesday - Stir fry with chicken and greens
Wednesday - Spaghetti squash stuffed with sausage
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Calzones with homemade sauce
Saturday - Sausage grinders with peppers and onions on homemade whole wheat rolls
Sunday - Lentil sloppy joes on homemade rolls (same as Saturday, just in hamburger bun shape)

Breakfast will be the standard: toast, cereal, eggs, smoothies and muffins.
Lunches will be leftovers, PB&J, smoothies, and fruit with nut butter.
Snacks continue to be granola bars, muffins, protein bars and veggies with hummus.

Need more ideas? Visit Orgjunkie for lots of options.

On the workout front, I was able to walk/run twice last week. That means this week I will finally reach my 3x/week goal that I set for myself two weeks ago! :) I actually came to the realization this week that I am able to train for a 5-K, as long as I take it slow (I haven't really shared on here about my medical history, but I was in a severe car accident 12 years ago that resulted in some residual joint issues. I really didn't think I would ever be able to run any extensive distance.). So, that's what I'm working towards. 5-K by Thanksgiving...hopefully!

So, onto the recipe. I have been meaning to share this recipe for awhile. It's simple, fairly inexpensive and yummy. The best part is that it's easily adaptable for my tummy-troubled toddler and she's thrilled that she's eating the same thing we are. I need to find more recipes like this! :)

Without further ado (recipe from Clean Eating magazine):

Bison Biryani

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup dry quick-cooking barley (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup, but that just didn't seem like enough)
1 medium onion, sliced into rounds
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup fresh mango, cubed, or 1 cup frozen cubed mango
1/2 cup frozen peas
16 oz ground bison (the original recipe called for bison sirloin tip, which is $$$. Ground bison is cheaper. :))
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Biryani Spice Blend
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground (I omitted this)
1 tsp turmeric, ground
2 tsp ginger, ground

Instructions:
1. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, add Biryani Spice Blend and salt to a small bowl, mix and set aside. When water comes to a boil, add barley, sir, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
2. While barley is cooking, in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in oil for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning.
3. Stir in spice-salt mixture, mango, peas, and bison. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir again to make sure all ingredients are nestled in cooking liquid. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Combine barley with bison mixture before plating, then top each portion with tomatoes and serve.

Cost: approx $1.33-1.60 per serving. The recipe says it serves four, but I easily got three portions from it last night (albeit one small portion for my toddler) and will get another 2-3 servings out of it tonight.
Consensus: Delicious! Pretty quick to put together and my darling daughter loved it (had to adjust the spices a bit for her).
Sorry no picture of the final product. I promise to upload it later. I hope you'll give it a try! :)

Menu plan Monday

Hey all! I hope that everyone is having a fantastic Labor Day! I know we are enjoying a low-key, relaxing morning. We are off to our local cider mill in a bit, but I wanted to share my menu plan for the week before we go. This is what this week looks like:

Monday - Grilled paninis with tomato, mozzarella and basil
Tuesday - Falafel on tortillas with tahini sauce (I think I've posted this on my last three menu plans, but still have yet to make it ;))
Wednesday - Stir fry with chicken and greens
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Cajun lentils and rice
Saturday - Stuffed spaghetti squash
Sunday - Leftovers

Breakfasts will consist of smoothies, cereal, and granola.
Lunches will be leftovers, PB&J, more smoothies, and salad.
Snacks consist of protein bars, granola bars, and fresh veggies.

Tired of the same old meals? Go to Orgjunkie or Mindful Menus for some ideas!

BTW, on the workout front, I got up early one day last week. I was discouraged because J woke up earlier than normal and I had to wait for her nap in order to get in the shower. That's always stressful on days that I work as her naps can be a tad unpredictable. So, I didn't get up early at all the rest of the week, but I am still going to try for three times this week. Have a great week!

Beth's Healthified Zucchini Bread

It's getting toward the end of zucchini season, but I couldn't let it go by without sharing my yummy zucchini bread recipe. I took Betty Crocker's version and revamped it to be healthier and J-friendly (with her tummy sensitivities, most recipes need revamping :)). So, here it is:

3 cups shredded zucchini
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup olive oil (cold pressed and organic)
3/4 - 1 cup honey (or maple syrup, agave...or a combo of all)
2 tsp vanilla
4 large farm fresh eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 - 3/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottoms of 2 loaf pans with olive oil.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, spices, salt and baking powder.
3. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine.
4. Divide mixture evenly between two loaf pans.
5. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack before taking loaves out of the pans.

You can also add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and/or 1/2 cup raisins, if you are so inclined. The loaves will be much darker than your traditional zucchini bread because of the buckwheat flour. But, I promise it's equally as yummy. If you're looking for a super sweet zucchini bread, this is not for you. However, if you're looking for a healthier zucchini bread with the benefits of different grains and less sugar, then you need to try this recipe. :) Happy baking!

Menu Plan Monday

Yep, I've been a blogging slacker AGAIN! I am still trying to stay offline as much as possible these days. There is a LOT going on with my tummy-troubled toddler from more doctors appointments to new diets (which equals more cooking). So, once again, my blog has been neglected. I will try to be better....really!

So, menu plan. Here it is:

Monday - I think we are headed out on a friend's boat tonight. They are ordering pizza. Pizza is a no-no for J and eating any pizza besides my own gives me a tummy ache these days. So, J and I will be bring our own calzone pockets. Hers with raw cheese and chicken; mine with greens and mozz. Yum!
Tuesday - Yellow squash with tomatoes over pasta. I have SO much yellow squash that I will be making a huge batch today and freezing what we won't be eating for dinner.
Wednesday - Falafel with tortillas and homemade tahini sauce
Thursday - Chicken and greens stir fry
Friday - Calzones. I will have to make them again because my hubby loves them and will feel left out for not having any on Monday.
Saturday - Wedding. Grandparents are sitting for J and we are headed to Sam's cousin's wedding. Should be fun.
Sunday - Appetizers...probably along the lines of quesadillas, potato skins, cheese and crackers. All that can be homemade, will be. We are having friends over for a fire, so many finger foods are in order. :)

Struggling with what to make this week? Head over to Orgjunkie or Mindful Menus for some ideas.

This week begins my endeavor to wake up before J to work out. I will be starting with three times per week this week and gradually working up to five days per week. Working out during her naps just isn't happening anymore. I have to cook while she's napping since she's getting more and more mischievous. She's almost two, what do you expect, right? ;) So, I am mentioning this for a way to keep myself more accountable. I've done it before and I know I can do it again. Three weeks to establish a habit? So, this is week one! :)

Calling all raw foodies!!!

Hey friends!

I only have time for a quick blog post, but I found this GREAT blog recently and she is giving away a two pound bag of chia seeds. Don't know about chia seeds? In brief: "Extremely high in the essential fatty acid, omega-3, chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants (more than blueberries), vitamins, minerals (including more calcium than milk), fiber (more than most bran products) and protein. Eaten raw, chia seeds contain a rich concentration of essential fatty acids, with 30% of their fat coming from omega-3 and 10% from omega-6, considered the perfect balance for healthy human tissue (excerpt taken from "Change Your Life with Chia" by Christina Pirello)." Chia seeds are nutritionally dense and used by many raw foodies to enrich their cooking. Head over to Love Veggies and Yoga to enter!

Menu plan Monday

Hi all! Sorry for my absence for the last couple of weeks. I have no excuse except that life is super busy. Here is my menu plan for the week:

Monday - Black beans and cornbread
Tuesday - Falafel in homemade tortillas...I think I may try a Tahini sauce this time instead of the Tzatsiki sauce.
Wednesday - Spaghetti squash with sausage
Thursday - Leftovers from Tuesday
Friday - Calzones with homemade sauce
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Bison briyani (I need to post this recipe soon...it is inexpensive, healthy and oh so yummy!)

Check out Orgjunkie and Mindful Menus for more menu plans!

Chicken & Goat Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

I have been such a slacker with blogging lately. I am working on being "unplugged" for most of the day and my blogging time has been much limited. I posted a picture of Chicken and Goat Cheese Stuffed Potatoes on my FB page and some people wanted the recipe. So, I thought what better way to get back to my blog than post a fairly inexpensive and clean dinner recipe! Here is the original recipe(from Clean Eating magazine):

Chicken Blue-Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

- 6 russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peel left on and scrubbed well
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 oz baby spinach (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 1/2 small yellow or red onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup reduced fat blue cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp low fat plan cream cheese
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a fork, poke holes in potatoes. Wrap potatoes separately in foil and bake in a large baking dish misted with cooking spray for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Let cook at least 15 minutes.

2. Season chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add spinach and onion to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat, set aside.

3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out centers, leaving 1/4 inch thick shells. In a large mixing bowl, mash potato meat, set aside.

4. Stir chicken and spinach mixture into potato meat. Add blue cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 tsp salt, stirring well. Spoon mixture into potato shells, dividing evenly and place potatoes, cut-side-up, on a baking sheet misted with cooking spray.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and thoroughly heated.

As we all know, I cannot follow a recipe to save my life. I subbed goat cheese for the blue cheese and plain Greek yogurt for the cream cheese. I omitted the lemon juice and cooked the chicken breasts the night before. I had pounded the chicken to about 1/4 inch thickness and cooked them in a large skillet. I cut them into pieces the next day to put into the potatoes. I also added some Italian seasoning and paprika. I thought they needed a little bit more flavor (besides salt...I think everything needs salt). But, if you played with the flavors a bit, this would be a delicious dish!!!!

Cost per serving (estimate): $1.50

This dish is very economical as it uses only a half pound of chicken and not a lot of expensive ingredients. I thought it was filling and a good base recipe. Next time I will add some more seasonings...I just threw some extra things in there but didn't have a lot of time to get it just right. Hope you enjoy!