Healthy, Quick Steak Marinade

A good New York strip steak on the right night and I'm a very happy person.  I like to pair mine with a spinach salad with walnuts and a light dijon vinaigrette (or lemon vinaigrette - or even a favorite organic brand, Annie's Shitake & Sesame Vinaigrette).

I insist on making my own marinade to avoid the high fructose corn syrup found in most store-bought marinades.

Here's what I do.  It's quick, easy, tasty and healthy.  And best of all: I don't have to stock special ingredients to whip it up in seconds.

• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

(note: you can also add ketchup or soy sauce for interesting variations on the taste)

Whisk it together and coat the steaks before cooking.

Baby Spinach Tahini Salad

While traveling this weekend to my high school reunion, my sister and I stopped for a quick lunch at a really good salad shop called SweetGreen in Georgetown.  I ordered the Chic P because of my intense love of tahini.  Whether in hummus or in tahini dressing, tahini just hits the spot for me. 

Now home again in Texas, I had a big urge for a nice salad for lunch - with tahini dressing, of course.  So I improvised the tahini dressing, with excellent results:


Tahini Salad Dressing:
1/2 tablespoon tahini paste
3/4 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 tablespoon lemon juice
garlic powder and salt to taste

serving size: 2 tablespoons (you might not need this much)
approx calories: 155
approx fat grams: 16

I put this dressing on baby spinach and added some avocado and a few walnut halves. 

Delicious!  I'd have included a photo but I couldn't wait to eat it.

Easter Dinner

Well, the Easter baskets have been dismantled and mostly consumed, the egg hunt is over and now my attention turns to preparing dinner.

This is the first year I'm actually making a fuss over Easter dinner.  The first of many, I hope.  Today I'll serve a roasted chicken (prepared in a similar manner to my Thanksgiving turkey), gorgeous steamed green beans, a spiral ham (Easter is the only time of year I serve this) and stuffing.  We'll follow that with some lovely green grapes, strawberries picked from my garden, and fresh baked sugar cookies that my kids will decorate (this will no doubt be their favorite part of the meal).

I wish you peace, hope and grace this season.

EcoMeg's Thanksgiving Menu

I'm looking forward to a low-key Thanksgiving on Thursday.  Am I cooking anything tomorrow?  No.  I'm taking my little boys to the library and the park.  So, what's on the menu for Thursday?

• organic free-range turkey with chestnut and sausage stuffing, gravy
• warm ciabatta rolls with organic butter
• organic string beans with slivered almonds
• sliced organic red delicious apples
  
• organic pumpkin pie with fresh organic whipped cream (Have I mentioned how simple fresh whipped cream is?  Put heavy whipping cream into your food processor with powdered sugar.  Blend.  To. Die. For.)

Oh, and let's not forget the football. 

Simple Thanksgiving Dinner

My five year old's Montessori class held its annual Thanksgiving celebration feast this morning. I signed up to bring the turkey, stuffing, gravy and vegetables. Did I start cooking yesterday? No. I started cooking at 6:15am and delivered everything to the school by 10am. No sweat.

Preparing Thanksgiving dinner does not need to be stressful.  I've outlined, below, a simple menu that can be thrown together very easily in a matter of a few hours.

The Perfect Turkey

Cooking a turkey is not hard, but for some reason, people have heart palpitations about it. Maybe it's because the only time each year that they make one is on Thanksgiving Day. Or maybe it's because they haven't discovered the secret to it all: A THERMOMETER.

1. Start with a really great thawed turkey (we enjoy Mary's Free Range Organic Turkey - delicious!). Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Remove the turkey from its wrappings. Unclasp the legs and remove the neck from the "abdominal cavity" (anyone else think of mobsters when you see something's neck shoved up its abdominal cavity?).  Remove the giblets from the neck cavity. Rinse the entire turkey, including both cavities, then pat dry (cavities, too) with a paper towel.
3. Re-clasp the legs. Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub the turkey with olive oil. Pour 3-4 cups of water into the roasting pan (until the water almost touches the turkey).
4. Place the turkey into the oven.  Rinse the neck and giblets, place them in a pot and cover them with water.  Bring to a boil, add a bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper, then simmer the entire time the turkey is cooking and you'll have great additional stock for the gravy.
   
5. 1 hour later, check the fluid level in the pan - add some water if it gets low. Baste the turkey with the juices in the roasting pan. A baster is really key here. 
6. 30 minutes later, baste the turkey again. 
   
7. Once the top of the turkey turns golden brown, tent some aluminum foil over it.  Don't wrap the aluminum foil over the pan - the point is just to keep the top from burning, not to restrict air circulation.
   
8. Start checking the turkey's temperature and basting it every 15 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer and check the breast at its thickest point.  The turkey is done when it is 165F.  Also check the temperature at the thickest point on the thigh.  DO NOT COOK THE TURKEY PAST THIS TEMPERATURE OR YOU WILL DRY IT OUT.
   
9. Once the turkey has reached 165F, remove it and let it rest for 30 minutes.  The purpose of letting it rest is to let the juices settle into it.  If you cut it too soon, the juices will run out, leaving it dry.  While it's resting, you can make your stuffing, green beans and gravy.
   
10. Serve.

Notes: 

• I don't recommend cooking a turkey with stuffing inside.  It takes 30 minutes longer to cook and it's harder to get it to cook evenly.  Better to prepare your stuffing on the stove top, then bake it in the oven for a crispy top.  
• A convection oven can cook your turkey 25-40% faster than a conventional oven.  So check that temperature often!  Using a convection oven this morning, my unstuffed 16 pound turkey took 2.5 hours to cook.
  

Stuffing

Arrowhead Mills makes an awesome organic stuffing.  Add mild italian pork sausage (remove the casing, crumble and sautee), crumbled chestnuts and sauteed minced onion to make it extra special.

Gravy

Strain the neck/giblet stock into a pan and add the drippings from the roasting pan.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Add a quarter of a stick of butter and whisk in flour until it's thickened to your desired consistency.  To eliminate lumps, you may want to put it in the food processor for 30 seconds.

Green beans

Rinse green beans and pinch off one end to facilitate cooking.  Put in a covered Pyrex dish and add an inch of water.  Microwave on high 4 minutes.  Strain and toss in a bit of butter.  If you want to get fancy, add some slivered almonds.

Dessert  

Check out my favorite pumpkin pie recipe.  You can make this the day before and refrigerate it until you're ready to eat it.

Quick, Delicious Asian Stir-Fry

I recently added a few dishes to my repertoire that are low-carb - that just focus on vegetables and protein.  This is one of them.  It's quick, easy and incredibly tasty.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegi & Protein
1/2 medium red pepper, cut in narrow strips
1/2 medium yellow pepper, cut in narrow strips
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced carrots
8 cups chopped bok choy
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced pork, chicken, beef, seafood or tofu (we enjoy thinly sliced center cut pork chop or boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

Stir-Fry Sauce - whisk together:
1/2 cup sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Put 2 tbsp sesame oil into a wok or (10"-12") saute pan at high heat.  Season with a touch of salt and pepper and quickly cook your protein to 165F (no higher or it may dry out - use a thermometer).  Should only take a few minutes if it is thinly sliced and you stir frequently.  Remove protein and set aside.  Drain oil from wok or pan.

Immediately proceed with the vegetables.  Add 3 tbsp sesame oil to the wok or pan at high heat.  Add all vegetables except the bok choy (you add this toward the end so it doesn't brown).  Stir-fry 1-3 minutes, then add the bok choy and stir fry another minute or so, tossing frequently.  Pour in the stir-fry sauce and toss for another minute.  Remove from heat.  Add the protein and toss again.  Serve.

We've eaten this alone and it's quite filling, but you could also serve it over rice or as a side dish.

This recipe makes about five servings.

It is absolutely delicious.

Make Your Own Pasta Night

At one point or another, both of my children have rejected tomato sauce on their pasta. I really enjoy pasta, so rather than endure endless complaining at the dinner table - or empty "tummies with crummies" at bedtime - I decided to take another approach. I combined a few of our favorite things and came up with this recipe, which makes everyone happy.

There are several components and I let my children decide which they want - it's nice to give them a bit of control over their dinner plate.

Another big plus: you can make this entire dish in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb (12 oz) of organic fusilli pasta (or any shape of pasta you like)
1 bunch of fresh Asparation, rinsed and ends trimmed
2 mild all-natural Italian pork sausages, casings removed
1/2 of a ball of fresh mozzarella (optional), cubed
1 can of organic navy beans, drained and rinsed
organic extra virgin olive oil (you can find it at Costco!)
salt
pepper
dried oregano
garlic powder

Directions:

1. Put the pasta water on to boil. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano -- since you're not putting a sauce on the pasta, these elements help to season it.
2. Remove the sausages from their casings. In a small skillet, cook the sausages, crumbling them as you go. Set aside.
3. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta.
4. Rinse, trim and place the Asparation in a Pyrex dish, add about an inch of water, cover with a damp chlorine-free paper towel. Cook in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. You'll want it to be al dente. Drain, chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
5. Dice the mozzarella.
6. Once the pasta is done, drain it. You are now ready to assemble each person's dish.
7. Use a medium-sized mixing bowl and start by adding about 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Add 1 portion of pasta, plus 1/4 cup scoops of every other ingredient. Toss, transfer to a plate or bowl and serve.

I estimate that this recipe makes about 6 servings, maybe more. The estimated cost per serving (pretax): $2.07 (see the comments section for more details)

Postscript: I also sometimes add sauteed shrimp (remove the shell, de-vein, rinse and sautee over medium heat with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder until no longer translucent - careful not to overcook!)

Delicious Homemade Pizza for MUCH Less

The other day, I decided to make some homemade pizza. My husband loves pepperoni, so I went to the deli counter of my local gourmet grocery (think Whole Foods, but not) and bought some sliced pepperoni. As I was walking away, the woman who sliced the pepperoni for me mentioned that she planned to make pizza that night, too, and was going to ask the pizza chef there in the store for some dough. She thought I might want to do that, too. That thought had never occurred to me!

So I selected a few incredibly fresh balls of mozzarella, a lovely green pepper, and a can of pizza sauce from my favorite organic canned food company, Eden Organic. Then I approached the chef. I said quietly, "I've heard you sell your pizza dough - can I buy some?" (In retrospect, I must have sounded like a Dead Head hanging out on Sheep Meadow in Central Park, asking the "sandwich guy" for something illicit!) He chuckled and said "of course," then wrapped up three plump balls of dough for me.

Once home, I rolled out the dough with a bit of flour, spread the sauce, sliced the mozzarella and green pepper, decorated my three pizzas and popped them into a 400 degree oven until the cheese bubbled and the crust was golden brown.

All in, the at-home prep plus cook time was maybe 20 minutes. Unbelievably easy. The result? Some of the best pizza we've ever had, at a price that beats even the cheapest of pizzerias and rivals the frozen variety. (The figures below are pre-tax.)

INGREDIENTS PURCHASED FOR THREE MEDIUM-SIZED PIZZAS:
3 PIZZA DOUGH		$3.00
PEPPERONI 0.5 LB SLICED		$2.94
EDEN ORGANIC PIZZA SAUCE		$2.54
2 FRESH MOZZARELLA		$10.87
GREEN BELL PEPPER		$1.19
		$20.54
PRICE PER PIZZA MADE:		$6.85

Build Your Own Burrito Night

Once every week or two we have "build your own burrito night". The kids love having a "say" in their dinner and these burritos are really tasty. I like that I can get them on the table in 30 minutes (if I multitask).

I consider the rice and beans to be the "core" - the other components (cheese, chicken, chorizo, spinach, tomato, avocado) are toppings that you could add or not, as you like.

This recipe makes about 10 burritos. My husband typically eats three. We usually have some rice and beans left over for my lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

2 organic chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
1 cup of organic white jasmine rice (the 20-minute variety)
1 can of organic navy beans, thoroughly rinsed
2 cups water (1 1/2 cups for the rice, 1/2 cup for the beans mixture)
1 tbsp organic butter
1 thick slice of white onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 cup of organic tomato sauce
dried oregano
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt
pepper
olive oil
10 fresh whole wheat tortillas (medium-sized)
1 all natural chorizo sausage (optional) - casing removed
1 bag of organic shredded mexican cheese (I like Horizon Organic)
2 medium sized organic tomatoes, diced
2 small organic avocados, diced
2 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
   
2. Get the chicken going. Rinse the two chicken breasts and place them in a shallow baking pan. Rub them with olive oil, then season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and put them in the oven. (You will leave the foil on until they are almost done, then remove to let crisp; cook to no higher than 165 degrees to ensure they are juicy but safe.)
   
3. Get the rice going once the chicken is in the oven. Put the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot. Add 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Bring to a boil, stir, then cover and reduce to low. Let simmer until cooked (about 20 min).
   
4. Get the beans mixture going once you've put the rice on to cook. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet on medium-heat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook, stirred frequently, until soft (about 10 minutes). Watch the heat so they don't burn.
   
5. Cook the chorizo (casing removed, crumbled) in a small skillet while the onion and green pepper are softening. Set aside.
   
6. Finish the beans mixture once the chorizo is done. To the onion and green pepper, add the beans, water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano to taste (the key "burrito" flavor here is the cumin). Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the rice is ready, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove the rice from heat when it is done. Fluff and mix it into the beans.
8. Use a thermometer to see if the chicken has reached 165 degrees F. If it's not there yet, remove the aluminum foil from the chicken to let the skin brown. Dice the tomatoes and avocado.
   
9. Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F. Immediately remove the skin and bones, then shred the chicken with a fork.
10. Put all of your components (rice and beans, tomato, avocado, cheese, spinach, chorizo, shredded chicken, tortillas) in separate dishes, to facilitate the "build your own" format.

Enjoy!

Postscript: A reader asked how much these burritos cost per burrito based on ten burritos -- a good question. You can see the more thorough breakdown in the comments section, but my estimate based on ten overstuffed burritos (with leftovers) is $3.42/burrito. Using 15 tortillas to minimize leftovers, the cost would drop to $2.41/burrito, including the cost of the extra tortillas. Neither figure includes the cost of oil or spices.

Dinner Tonight - Lasagna (Sort Of), Mixed Veg, Olive Bread, Fresh Fruit (1 hr)

This morning, I peered inside my refrigerator and realized that unless I were a bit creative with tonight's dinner, I would have to go to the grocery store. I wasn't keen on making the trip, so here is what I did with what I had. Let's just say that I'm grateful for my freezer and that I take the time to store leftovers.


My "shopping list" from my refrigerator (for a family of four):

• 1/2 lb organic ground beef, unused from last night's burgers
• 1 frozen all-natural, mild Italian pork sausage, an unused ingredient from dinner last week
• 1/4 of an organic onion (I use a little bit of an onion at a time - I've always got one "working" in the fridge)
• 1 jar of Newman's Own Organic Marinara sauce (bought it at Wal-Mart!)
• 8 oz of ricotta
• 1 bag of shredded organic mozzarella
• 1 box of organic fusilli pasta (the corkscrew shaped pasta)
• organic extra virgin olive oil (bought it at Costco!)
• organic spices - oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 1 bag of frozen organic mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
• some frozen all natural olive bread
• organic butter
• fresh fruit

I'm guessing you know where I'm going with this. Not lasagna. Lasagna - sort of.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Put the ground beef and sausage (casing removed) into a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil, cooling on medium. Season with oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Dice one slice of onion and throw that in, too.
3. Once this mixture is cooked, take a lasagna pan (I have a PYREX one I love) and coat the bottom with some marinara. Sprinkle fusilli all over. Sprinkle small bits of ricotta on top of the fusilli. Sprinkle the meat mixture on top of the ricotta layer. Start again with the marinara, then the fusilli, then the ricotta, then the meat. Three layers of this is enough and you should have exhausted your supplies. Sprinkle mozzarella generously on top. Add water to the corner until it comes up to the top layer (don't submerge the top layer). Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
4. Go do something fun for a while.
   
5. If your bread is frozen, cover it with aluminum foil and place in the oven now to defrost (check periodically and remove once fully defrosted and warm on the inside). If it isn't frozen, wrap it and put it in the last ten minutes.
6. After 45 minutes, check the pasta to see if it is cooked. If so, remove the aluminum foil and allow to brown, maybe 5 minutes. Remove the bread, slice it and drizzle some melted butter.
7. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. While that is resting, put the frozen vegetables in a PYREX dish with about a half inch of water, cover with a damp chlorine-free paper towel, and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Prepare the fruit.
8. Plate the meal, pour drinks.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Cheeseburger, Spud Puppies, Spinach Salad, Strawberries (20 min)

Something I've learned since "going organic" is that you can make pretty much anything you made before, but with healthier ingredients. And the ingredients are not hard to find. Organic food is finally really accessible. Wal-Mart! Costco! Kroger! You name it!

We do enjoy a good burger every now and then. They are quick, easy and tasty. Sometimes we'll make these for dinner on the weekend and put some leftover bacon from brunch on top. Why is everything better with bacon??

Shopping List for A Family of Four:

• 1 lb organic ground sirloin
• 1 package fresh organic strawberries
• 1 package frozen Cascadian Farm Organic Spud Puppies
• 1 package fresh organic baby spinach
• salad dressing (my favorite is Annie's Organic Shiitake & Sesame Vinaigrette)
  
• fresh organic carrots for the kids
• 1 package Oroweat Whole Grain Wheat buns (look ma, no high fructose corn syrup!)
• 1 slice of organic onion (if you like onion on top of your burger)
• organic ketchup, mustard and/or mayonnaise (whatever you like on it)
• 4 sandwich-sized slices of Tillamook medium cheddar cheese (use the cheese of your choosing, but I think the best cheeses for burgers are cheddar, muenster and swiss -- make sure it's all natural, if not organic!)
• organic spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. put Spud Puppies on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven
3. slice the cheese and onion
4. make four patties of equal size - I like to make them thin so they cook faster and fully cover the bun; put them on the flat side of the griddle, medium heat; season with salt, pepper, garlic powder
   
5. wash the strawberries (I wash all fruit and vegetables in all-natural Veggie Wash, which you can get at your supermarket) and slice off the greenery
6. turn the patties when they begin to brown around the sides, put the cheese on top to melt
7. put the spinach in bowls, set the table, pour drinks
8. check the burgers - they are ready when they reach 160 degrees F (use a thermometer)
9. put the burgers on the buns, pull the Spud Puppies out of the oven
10. plate the meal (we serve our kids' meals on these stainless steel mess trays)

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Steak with Quinoa Pilaf, Fresh Fruit (30 min)

Tonight I served New York Strip steak with quinoa pilaf.

As you've probably gathered from my last post, we like steak. This is a little funny since I was a vegetarian for 10 years before I met my husband. I married a meat and potatoes man (he hates when I say that, but it's true) - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, I guess.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah"), it is the seed of a leafy plant related to spinach. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein - 12% to 18%. It is considered a complete protein, supporting muscle growth. It has been called a "superfood," a "wonder food," and it is easy on the stomach. You can read more about it here.

Enough said. Sounds like something my family should be eating. Quinoa is really flexible - it can be treated much like rice or couscous.

Quinoa pilaf is the recipe featured on the back of the box of quinoa that I bought today from Ancient Harvest (look for it in the "organic" section of your local supermarket).

I won't repeat it here, but you can read it on the box or on their website, here.


Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 box of Ancient Harvest's Traditional Quinoa (you'll only need 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup diced organic red pepper (probably 1/2 of a medium-sized red pepper)
• 1/4 cup diced organic green pepper (probably 1/2 of a medium-sized green pepper)
• 1 slice of organic onion, diced (or green onion)
• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• organic butter
• dried organic spices: garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano
• 2 lbs New York Strip steak, sliced thin (each steak is sliced to make two thinner steaks)
• orange juice
• organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Start the quinoa to boil (1 cup of quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 tbs butter, salt). Dice the onion and peppers. Once the quinoa is boiling, reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, put 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Wisk with a fork until mixed. Rinse the steaks and place in the bowl, making sure they are all well dipped in the marinade. (You could actually do this 1/2 hour beforehand and let them soak, but I never remember to do this and they turn out great anyway.)
3. Put the diced vegetables in a pan on medium heat with 2 tbs butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano. Stir regularly until onion is translucent and vegetables are cooked but not mushy. When the quinoa is done simmering, fluff, recover and set it aside. Check the diced vegetables - when they are done, mix the quinoa into them, cover and and set aside.








4. Heat your range-top grill to medium and put the steaks on to cook. Turn them after about 5 minutes.
After another five minutes, take their temperature at the thickest points. When they reach 145 degrees F, they are safe to eat. After that, it's personal preference. I like to let them get to 165 degrees but my husband likes them on the rare side. Pull them off once they've reached the temp you desire.

5. Plate the meal, prepare the fruit and drinks.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Pasta with Shrimp And Zucchini in Garlic & Oil, Fresh Fruit, Cookies (40 min)

Ok, we do love pasta. This dish I served tonight is one of my older child's favorites. He cleans his plate every time. Tonight I served pasta with shrimp and zucchini in oil and vinegar, fresh fruit and the remaining whole grain rolls from last night.

As an added treat, I baked some sugar cookies. My kids LOVE fresh baked cookies. Typically, whenever I make them from scratch I make two batches and freeze whatever I don't bake that first time. I roll the dough into a tube shape, wrap it in wax paper and freeze it. Then I just slice the dough and cook as needed. Cooking only what you need for dessert (not a whole batch) leads to less waste (or that overwhelming need to "finish the cookies before they go bad" - I know you know what I mean!). This time, I bought an all-natural prepared dough from Immaculate Baking that my kids love. The image on the right is what they look like baked. Yum!



Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 lb of ez-peel shrimp (i.e., tail on but split so it's easy to remove), defrosted (add 5 minutes of soaking in lukewarm water if frozen). I usually buy a frozen 2 lb bag and make two meals out of it.
  
• 4 portions of dry pasta of your choice
  
• 3 medium-sized organic zucchinis
  
• organic spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder
• organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 whole grain rolls
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Start the water for the pasta to boil. Set the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Peel the shrimp and ensure it is deveined. See this YouTube video if you're unsure how to do this. I also like to remove the "vein" on the other side of the shrimp. ( For me, cleaning the shrimp thoroughly is the most time-consuming aspect of this meal but I think it makes it taste better and look more appealing.) Rinse in cold water and set aside.
3. Put the pasta in to boil.
4. Peel each zuccini then cut it lengthwise twice (so you have 4 long pieces), then chopped into pieces (see photo for size of pieces). Place all pieces in a microwave-friendly dish (I prefer PYREX), add 1/2 inch water. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Cover with an eco-friendly wet paper towel to hold in the steam while it's cooking. Set aside.


5. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and put it in the warm oven. Put the zucchini in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, then continue in 30 second increments until it has reached your desired firmness. I don't like mushy zucchini.
6. Put the shrimp in a medium-hot skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Continue turning and cooking until it is opaque - no longer translucent. Usually takes about 5 minutes.
7. In a large serving bowl, mix about 1/8 cup of olive oil with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the pasta and zucchini and turn until coated. If this amount doesn't coat it, mix more of this combination in a separate dish and pour over the pasta, then turn until coated.
8. Serve the pasta/zucchini in a bowl with the shrimp on top. Prepare the fruit and bread.
9. Before you sit down, put the frozen dough on a cookie sheet and into the 375 oven you used to warm the bread. Check in 5 minutes, then periodically thereafter until they are done.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Rice and Garbanzo Beans, Fresh Fruit (30 min)

Tonight I served rice with garbanzo beans with green pepper, fresh fruit and crusty whole grain rolls. Husband said it was "awesome."

Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 can of organic garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), drained and rinsed.
• 1 thick slice of organic onion, minced
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into narrow strips and then chopped
• organic spices: ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder
• organic white rice (the 20-minute cook time variety)
  
• 1 small can organic tomato sauce
• 2 cups organic chicken stock
  
• 2 all natural mild Italian pork sausages, casings removed (or all natural chorizo, if your family likes a bit of spice)
  
• organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 whole grain rolls
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook the minced onion and chopped bell pepper in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil until soft.
3. Add the tomato sauce, rinsed garbanzo beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and a sprinkle or two of ground cumin - to taste. Reduce to simmer.
4. Start the rice. I typically cook 1 1/2 cups of dry rice with 2 1/4 cups of water, olive oil, salt and some oregano.
5. Put the bread in a warm oven.
6. Cook the sausages in a separate pan with a touch of olive oil. Crumble them as you cook.
7. Add the cooked sausage to the garbanzos. Now you can add some leftovers, if you have any. Tonight I added a leftover pork chop, cut into small pieces. You could also add steak or baked chicken, cut into small pieces. (note the cast iron skillet)










8. Let the garbanzos simmer until the rice is done.
9. Prepare the fruit. Pour drinks. Serve.

Done!

Dinner Tonight - Pasta Bolognese, Mixed Vegetables, Fresh Fruit, Olive Bread (30 min)

Tonight I served pasta bolognese with mixed vegetables, fresh fruit and warm olive bread. Everyone enjoyed it except the toddler, who is just learning to swim and exhausted himself in the pool today - he couldn't enjoy much of anything after 4pm. But he should enjoy sleeping tonight - hopefully I will too!

If you know how to boil water, you can prepare Pasta Bolognese. Here's how I do it for my family.

Shopping list for a family of four (possibly with leftovers for lunch):

• 1 lb package of lean organic ground beef - if it's frozen, add 10 minutes to prep time
• 1 small package frozen organic mixed vegetables
• dried pasta of your choice, for four people
• 1 small can organic tomato sauce
• 1 regular can organic whole tomatoes, pureed in the food processor
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded organic cheese (cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, whatever you like)
• 1 slice organic onion, finely chopped
• dried organic spices: oregano, basil, garlic, salt, pepper
• organic extra virgin olive oil - yes, it exists - at Costco!
• loaf (or 4 rolls) all natural olive bread (mastering the bread maker is on my to-do list)
• fresh, in-season fruit
• organic butter

Directions:
1. Start the water to boil for the pasta.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Cook the ground beef in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion. Sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano and basil as it is cooking (if the meat is frozen, you can defrost it in the skillet as it cooks - just add a bit of water and keep flipping it and scraping it with a stainless steel spatula until it's all cooked - add ten minutes to do that).
4. Once the water is boiling, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and place it in the oven to warm. Add the pasta to the water.
5. Put the frozen vegetables in a microwave safe dish (e.g., PYREX) with an inch of water. Cover with an eco-friendly wet paper towel. Microwave on high for two-three minutes or until done. Drain.
6. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the meat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season again with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Reduce to low heat. (note the cast iron skillet)

7. When the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside. Remove the bread from the oven. Add a bit of organic butter to the bread (I usually melt it in the microwave, then drizzle on - you use less butter and don't wreck the bread).
8. Prepare the fruit. Pour drinks. Put the pasta on plates and add the sauce. Note the child's meal tray!


Done!

Dinner Tonight - Easy, Tasty and Healthy Meals for The Whole Family in Under 40 Minutes

Subscribe to my Twitter feed @ecomeg to see what we're eating each evening, but every now and then I'll elaborate on one meal I made that my family enjoyed. I love to cook and my husband says I'm good at it - I hope you enjoy these meals, too!

My meals typically take 30-40 minutes to prepare, from first stepping into the kitchen to calling everyone to the table. This includes time for a diaper change, to apply bandaids and to mediate a sibling squabble or two. They are well-balanced, largely from scratch and largely organic. I try to incorporate locally-grown items whenever possible. I know you're all busy people - but you do not have to choose between healthy meals and quick meals!

I am not a professional cook. In fact, I didn't really start cooking until I married eight years ago. Now I cook three meals a day for my family, all of them fairly simple. I prepare only one dinner for the entire family. At dinner, my children eat what the adults eat. That said, I do make an effort to appeal to the entire array of palates, so might tweak each plate a bit. For instance, one child loves grapes and the other won't touch them.

If you have suggestions for this column, please let me know! Send me an email at: ecomeg@ecomeg.com. If we try it and like it, I will write about it!