Shrimp and Quinoa Risotto

The cupboards are getting bare. With 2yo in a cast, grocery shopping is challenging. He can't walk and he can't fit in the cart. I can push him around in the stroller, but one-handed around corners doesn't work too well, so that doesn't leave many options for where to put the groceries I want to buy. Basically, our shopping trips have been reduced to restocking milk, bread, and bananas. (My family can't live without bananas.)

But, a neighbor just told me a secret. Safeway has free delivery. I'm going to have to look into that. And really many friends have offered to help out, so I shouldn't complain. The problem I keep having is that for a friend to help out I need to plan ahead and schedule a convenient time. Although my friends are very generous, I don't think I should just show up on their doorstep every time I run out of milk.

Anyway, that didn't help me last night as I was looking through the freezer hoping to find something useful. I only had a little chicken and some shrimp. I remembered that Poor Girl frequently uses shrimp, so I took a look and found many tasty sounding options, but the one that I had the ingredients for was this one. Well, most of the ingredients. I don't usually have wine around, so when cooking I substitute broth. But since this recipe calls for wine and broth, I decided to find something that had a little sweetness in it. What could I come up with? After some scrounging, pineapple juice. Since it was a small amount, the end product didn't taste pineapple-y at all, so I guess it worked. I also only had one lonely vegetable alongside my bag of carrots in the fridge, and it wasn't asparagus as the recipe calls for. So my last zucchini made it in. The results were fantastic and filling, but unsurprisingly not too popular with the picky eaters. 7yo picked out the shrimp and left the rest, and I bet I could have sold more people on the quinoa if it didn't have other things mixed in.

Sesame Noodles

My dietician friend pointed me to this recipe which was so so easy and yummy. The kids ate plain pasta, but my husband and brother both liked it.

I also used almond butter like she said just because I had some. I used the vegetables from the original recipe, not the ones she used, but I'm sure any vegetables would be good.

Ok, I know I'm not really very cultured, but I had never had sesame noodles before. I thought that eating this cold would be weird. But it was really good, just think of it as an asian pasta salad.

Salmon Loaf

My mom used to make this when I was little. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I think it is a little gross. But it is soooooo easy to make. These days I'm not cooking as much as I used to due to 2yo breaking his leg, so it came in handy.

(*measuring is completely optional*)

15 oz can salmon
1 1/2 c grated cheese
1 egg
salt
1 c bread crumbs (I just put a couple slices of bread in the blender)

Carefully drain and remove bones from salmon (this is the gross part). Mix all ingredients together and press into an 8x8 square pan. Bake for 35 minutes at 350.

Chinese Chicken Salad

I went to a church meeting where they served us this salad for dinner. I've had salad like this before with cabbage and ramen noodles, so this one was a little different. I liked it--especially with an alternative to the ramen. The cilantro in it was my favorite part.

Dressing:
4 Tbs. Heinz Vinegar
4 Tbs. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper
4 Tbs. Salad Oil

Salad:

2 Chicken breasts

3-4 Green Onions

Cilantro

1 Head of Lettuce

½ pkg. Mai Fun Noodles

½ Cup Chopped Peanuts or Sliced Almonds

Boil chicken and shred into bite size pieces.
Fry Mai Fun noodles in hot oil. Keep in plastic bag to keep from getting soggy and stale.
Finely chop the head of lettuce
Chop peanuts. . . .we like lots of peanuts / or used sliced almonds.
Chop green onions and add cilantro if you wish, or leave cilantro in large twigs so people can pull them out.

Serve it fresh. . .
Mix together lettuce, chicken, green onions and cilantro. Mix salad dressing and pour it over the first four ingredients, mix in the noodles and nuts last. Serve immediately.

Split Pea Soup

Nothing says Happy Birthday like split pea soup. My mother-in-law invited the family over for dinner for my birthday and she asked me what I wanted her to make. When she cooks, she goes all out, and it is always delicious. But she also just about kills herself doing it. I didn't want to take advantage of her generosity so I told her I love her salads. (She never just makes a simple salad. They are awesome.) So she made salad. It had chicken, spinach, nuts, blueberries, raspberries, all with a homemade dressing. And she made salmon. Smothered in some kind of spinach and mushroom saute. And rice pilaf, french bread, fruit salad, a squash casserole, and split pea soup. I was in heaven. And she sent us home with all the leftovers.

The split pea soup had a turnip in it which gave it a little kick. I love soup, especially when it has something unique to give it a special flavor.

3 medium shallots or 1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
3/4 medium parsnip or turnip, diced
1 t butter
1 c dry split peas, yellow or green
2 t rosemary, chopped
4 c chicken broth
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper

In a saucepan, stir together shallots, carrots, turnip and butter. Cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until vegetables begin to color. Stir in split peas, rosemary, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until peas are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste.

(You can tell this recipe is from someone else, when I make it those measurements will get muddied! 3/4 turnip? What will you do with the leftover 1/4?)

Lemon Shrimp and Spinach

This is so fast to make. Turn on the rice cooker quick because this will be done before the rice is.

1 lb shrimp

1 lb spinach leaves, chopped

2 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 c lemon juice

1 t lemon zest

salt and pepper

Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic cloves and saute for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomato and shrimp and cook for 5 minutes, just until shrimp are pink (if using raw shrimp). Pour in lemon juice and lemon zest, add spinach leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until spinach leaves are wilted. Serve over rice.

Opinions: Fruits and Vegetables

Everyone knows that you SHOULD eat your veggies. Every mom has had this argument with her kids. I personally enjoy eating vegetables, but like 'em or not, vegetables are maybe the most important food group in your diet. I can't very intelligently explain all the health benefits that come from vegetables, so I won't. But you know I'm right.

Pop quiz: How many servings of vegetables should you have per day? You'll hear 4-5 as a common suggestion. (I've already mentioned my opinion about the government's food guide pyramid. A good starting place, but watered down.) You really should aim for more like 9. That might seem like a lot but just try it. Add a serving here and there. You can do it. A serving is about 1/2 to 1 cup depending on what kind, so if you have half a plateful of vegetables (like you should) that is probably 3 or 4 servings. Do that at a couple meals and grab some for snacks and you've got your 9.

So how are you doing? As I'm writing this I'm realizing I'm not doing as well as I used to. I need to take some of my own advice here to increase my veggie intake:

• Ok, so I haven't mentioned fruit yet except in the title. Two reasons, 1) you should eat more vegetables than fruit and 2) my kids inhale fruit. I always try to have plenty around, and when I do they voluntarily choose it when they get the munchies, so I don't have any trouble with that one.
• Make a giant salad to keep in your fridge. Eat some with every lunch and dinner. When you run out, make another one. If it is already made, you are more likely to eat it.
• Add vegetables to sauces, casseroles, anything you can. Grated carrots or zucchini, or spinach can easily be slipped into sauces, soups, lasagnas or rice without significantly changing the flavor. Not to hide them, no need to be ashamed of vegetables. Just a way to get an extra serving or two. Or to improve flavor, add onions, garlic, or peppers. (Do you want to know something crazy? I add spinach to my smoothies. A handful or two. If you don't add too much, you can't even taste it. Although you can definitely see the difference.)
• At mealtimes, eat your vegetables first. Then you don't fill up before you get to them.
• Try dipping your vegetables in healthy dips like salsa, hummus, or fat free cottage cheese or sour cream mixed with a little of your favorite salad dressing.
• Two words: FARMERS MARKET. For many reasons. The fresher the produce, not only does it retain more nutrients but it really does taste better and you're more likely to eat it. And if it is fresh, a simple steaming or blanching is all the preparation it needs. You can also find something new or unusual, and my kids are often intrigued enough by purple cauliflower or romanesco that looks like a castle to give it a try. Buy something new even if you don't know what you're going to do with it, you'll figure it out. If you are a regular and are nice to them, they will start to recognize you and give you good deals. Usually if I ask them about how to prepare something or how it tastes, they hand me some for free. If you go towards closing time they will sometimes knock down their prices, too, although there may not be as much selection.
• And just fyi--"veggie" crackers, chips, or pasta do not have more than just a sprinkling of vegetable powder for color. They are NOT a source of vegetables. And while I'm at it, same goes for fruit snacks and juice (even 100% juice). (Ok, I guess you can have one serving of fruit per day from 100% juice. I just think it is easier to not have juice around than to try and convince my kids to limit it.) These so-called fruit and vegetable products are really just vehicles for extra fat, salt, and sugar.

In my ideal life I would also have a bullet point that says "Plant a garden and/or fruit trees." If you are like me and have a nice shady postage stamp for a yard, then make friends with people who have gardens and trees. They sometimes need help harvesting and isn't that what friends are for?