Almost Meatless Sloppy Joe's

It's been a long week. I just finished Day 6 of my Extreme workout program and I feel AMAZING! Tired and sore but also stronger and better. Even something as simple as bending down and putting in a load of laundry I could actually feel my shoulder and back muscles working. They do actually exist. Who knew? One day I might even find my ABS!





Independence Day was a fun day spent with my sister and her cute family. My 4 little nieces came over and we all swam and BBQ'd and then swam some more. Then we had a banana split party complete with cherries, star sprinkles, chopped walnuts, strawberries, chocolate fudge and of course lots of whip cream. I only had a couple of bites...... mostly banana, honestly.

Anyhooo, since I've been working out I've found myself hungry all of the time. Literally starving. I've been lifting weights and doing interval training and so my body is building lots of lean muscle which really revs up your metabolism. Good thing I planned ahead and had lots of healthy foods around like hummus and crudites, cottage cheese and fruit, nuts and lean cheeses and chicken and broccoli.



I have found myself craving meat for the very first time ever, well except for when I was pregnant with baby #2.  I still don't really like to sit and eat a big pile of meat however and would rather incorporate a small amount of it into my meals so it's more balanced with veggies and good carbs.

Summer Supper!

The finer you grate cabbage, the sweeter it is.
 I used bagged cabbage this time which isn't nearly as sweet.
Serve with baked sweet potato fries tossed very lightly with corn starch and flour. 

These sloppy joe's really hit the spot and the husband and kids loved them! The sauce was really the key and they tasted just like the original deal. Just a small amount of lean ground beef added that beef flavor instead of just tasting like beans, which I love but get bored with them sometimes.

These are really and truly a perfect weeknight meal, so stinking simple!

recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

• 
  
• SERVES  4      TIME   40 MINUTES TOTAL
• You Will Need:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces lean ground beef or ground sirloin
• 1/2 cup grated carrot (adds sweetness)
• 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can low-sodium red beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat sandwich rolls, split and toasted
• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) red onion slices, separated into rings
• shredded cabbage to top on sandwich
• 
  
• Putting it all together:
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble beef.
•  Add carrot, chili powder, sugar, oregano, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until thickened and carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.
•  Partially mash 1 cup beans with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed beans and remaining whole beans to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup bean mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 red onion slice, shredded cabbage and top half of roll.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 405
• Fat: 14.4g
• Saturated fat: 3.2g
• Monounsaturated fat: 7.5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3g
• Protein: 19.4g
• Carbohydrate: 53.3g
• Fiber: 10.4g
• Cholesterol: 28mg
• Iron: 5.1mg
• Sodium: 633mg
• Calcium: 148mg

Almost Meatless Sloppy Joe's

Posted by admin

It's been a long week. I just finished Day 6 of my Extreme workout program and I feel AMAZING! Tired and sore but also stronger and better. Even something as simple as bending down and putting in a load of laundry I could actually feel my shoulder and back muscles working. They do actually exist. Who knew? One day I might even find my ABS!





Independence Day was a fun day spent with my sister and her cute family. My 4 little nieces came over and we all swam and BBQ'd and then swam some more. Then we had a banana split party complete with cherries, star sprinkles, chopped walnuts, strawberries, chocolate fudge and of course lots of whip cream. I only had a couple of bites...... mostly banana, honestly.

Anyhooo, since I've been working out I've found myself hungry all of the time. Literally starving. I've been lifting weights and doing interval training and so my body is building lots of lean muscle which really revs up your metabolism. Good thing I planned ahead and had lots of healthy foods around like hummus and crudites, cottage cheese and fruit, nuts and lean cheeses and chicken and broccoli.



I have found myself craving meat for the very first time ever, well except for when I was pregnant with baby #2.  I still don't really like to sit and eat a big pile of meat however and would rather incorporate a small amount of it into my meals so it's more balanced with veggies and good carbs.

Summer Supper!

The finer you grate cabbage, the sweeter it is.
 I used bagged cabbage this time which isn't nearly as sweet.
Serve with baked sweet potato fries tossed very lightly with corn starch and flour. 

These sloppy joe's really hit the spot and the husband and kids loved them! The sauce was really the key and they tasted just like the original deal. Just a small amount of lean ground beef added that beef flavor instead of just tasting like beans, which I love but get bored with them sometimes.

These are really and truly a perfect weeknight meal, so stinking simple!

recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

• 
  
• SERVES  4      TIME   40 MINUTES TOTAL
• You Will Need:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces lean ground beef or ground sirloin
• 1/2 cup grated carrot (adds sweetness)
• 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can low-sodium red beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat sandwich rolls, split and toasted
• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) red onion slices, separated into rings
• shredded cabbage to top on sandwich
• 
  
• Putting it all together:
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble beef.
•  Add carrot, chili powder, sugar, oregano, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until thickened and carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.
•  Partially mash 1 cup beans with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed beans and remaining whole beans to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup bean mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 red onion slice, shredded cabbage and top half of roll.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 405
• Fat: 14.4g
• Saturated fat: 3.2g
• Monounsaturated fat: 7.5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3g
• Protein: 19.4g
• Carbohydrate: 53.3g
• Fiber: 10.4g
• Cholesterol: 28mg
• Iron: 5.1mg
• Sodium: 633mg
• Calcium: 148mg

Grilled Eggplant Caprese with Parmesan and Garlic White Bean Puree

Summer in Phoenix means very long, hot days and cooking is the very last thing I want to do. Sitting by the pool with an ice cold drink while waiting for my grill to work it's magic on these eggplants however, is my idea of a perfect summer supper. Grilling thick slices of eggplant brings out a wonderful smokey flavor that baking just can't replicate. In a pinch broiling them will do but I find that not only is the flavor not up to par but they turn out a bit soggier than when on the grill.











Now that the kids are out of school I seem to have lost any and all motivation to cook over involved meals. We have a fun, semi-structured summer plan to keep our bodies in motion and our minds from turning into jello. On the 3 days during the week that I work my mom is nice enough to have a short, fun and interactive lesson planned for them. They've been learning about insects, ocean creatures and the different parts of plants so far. After their lesson they do a fun project or a craft about what they learned.

On the week they learned about insects, they learned all about bees and how they make honey and interact with each other in the hive. We have a fun trip to a small, family owned farm near our house that has several bee hives on site! How cool! This will also let them see how and where plants, our food in particular grow. Right now they think that bananas grow at the grocery store and hot dogs grow on trees. O.K. not really, but living in the city they've only seen the few pathetic plants and herbs that mommy tries to grow in pots. So we are looking forward to a trip to a real farm.

Eggplant is almost at the end of it's season here in the Phoenix desert so we will have to pick up several while we are at the farm along with heirloom tomatoes, peppers, purple and green beans, 

summer squash and strawberries. 

Tonapah Rob's Vegetable Farm. Heirloom Tomatoes

I'll have to post about the whole bee hive experience and pick up a bottle of the local, Organic honey they produce there! They also have over 300 hens so hopefully we will get some nice fresh eggs. 

So excited!

Simple Summer Supper

For the Eggplant Caprese

2 medium eggplants, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
8-10 oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
fresh Parmesan, grated
handful of fresh basil, chopped
EVOO for brushing eggplant
salt

For the White Bean Puree

2 cups dry white beans
4 cups chicken broth or water
1 small leek (optional, for more flavor)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 head garlic
1 teaspoon EVOO
1 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preparation: The night before, soak your beans in a covered bowl of water.

In the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a slow cooker with water, salt

bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Cook on low for 8 hours. Do not pick up lid.

Putting it all together:

Fire up your grill on medium heat.

Using a paring knife, remove peel from eggplant. Slice into 1/2 pieces. 

Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. 

Remove loose skin from garlic. Cut the top 1/4 inch off of the head of garlic.

Lightly drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with oil. Place on grill. 

Cut the dark green leaves off the leek, discard. Slice the remaining white and light green

stalk in half lengthwise. Brush lightly with oil. Place leek cut side down on grill.

Place eggplant on grill and press lightly. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side (leave the leek face down). 

I like to close the grill lid to let the smoke work it's magic. Be careful not to let them burn.

Remove from grill. Set eggplant aside. Carefully chop leek into small pieces.

Meanwhile, remove rosemary and bay leaves from cooked beans. 

Put leek into the slow cooker with the beans. Carefully squeeze out cooked garlic cloves into

beans. Using an immersion blender, puree the beans until smooth. 

Spoon onto a deep plate. Top with freshly cracked pepper.

On top of the bean puree, place a slice of grilled eggplant, top with slice of mozzarella, tomato, chopped basil, repeat. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil.

I know it may sound like a lot of preparation but it's really not. I just wanted to explain in detail.  Also, 

the flavor of the bean puree was so complex thanks to slow cooking in the herbs, the grilled garlic and leek and paired wonderfully with the eggplant caprese.

 It makes this a complete and very satisfying dinner. 

Grilled Eggplant Caprese with Parmesan and Garlic White Bean Puree

Posted by admin

Summer in Phoenix means very long, hot days and cooking is the very last thing I want to do. Sitting by the pool with an ice cold drink while waiting for my grill to work it's magic on these eggplants however, is my idea of a perfect summer supper. Grilling thick slices of eggplant brings out a wonderful smokey flavor that baking just can't replicate. In a pinch broiling them will do but I find that not only is the flavor not up to par but they turn out a bit soggier than when on the grill.











Now that the kids are out of school I seem to have lost any and all motivation to cook over involved meals. We have a fun, semi-structured summer plan to keep our bodies in motion and our minds from turning into jello. On the 3 days during the week that I work my mom is nice enough to have a short, fun and interactive lesson planned for them. They've been learning about insects, ocean creatures and the different parts of plants so far. After their lesson they do a fun project or a craft about what they learned.

On the week they learned about insects, they learned all about bees and how they make honey and interact with each other in the hive. We have a fun trip to a small, family owned farm near our house that has several bee hives on site! How cool! This will also let them see how and where plants, our food in particular grow. Right now they think that bananas grow at the grocery store and hot dogs grow on trees. O.K. not really, but living in the city they've only seen the few pathetic plants and herbs that mommy tries to grow in pots. So we are looking forward to a trip to a real farm.

Eggplant is almost at the end of it's season here in the Phoenix desert so we will have to pick up several while we are at the farm along with heirloom tomatoes, peppers, purple and green beans, 

summer squash and strawberries. 

Tonapah Rob's Vegetable Farm. Heirloom Tomatoes

I'll have to post about the whole bee hive experience and pick up a bottle of the local, Organic honey they produce there! They also have over 300 hens so hopefully we will get some nice fresh eggs. 

So excited!

Simple Summer Supper

For the Eggplant Caprese

2 medium eggplants, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
8-10 oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
fresh Parmesan, grated
handful of fresh basil, chopped
EVOO for brushing eggplant
salt

For the White Bean Puree

2 cups dry white beans
4 cups chicken broth or water
1 small leek (optional, for more flavor)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 head garlic
1 teaspoon EVOO
1 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preparation: The night before, soak your beans in a covered bowl of water.

In the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a slow cooker with water, salt

bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Cook on low for 8 hours. Do not pick up lid.

Putting it all together:

Fire up your grill on medium heat.

Using a paring knife, remove peel from eggplant. Slice into 1/2 pieces. 

Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. 

Remove loose skin from garlic. Cut the top 1/4 inch off of the head of garlic.

Lightly drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with oil. Place on grill. 

Cut the dark green leaves off the leek, discard. Slice the remaining white and light green

stalk in half lengthwise. Brush lightly with oil. Place leek cut side down on grill.

Place eggplant on grill and press lightly. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side (leave the leek face down). 

I like to close the grill lid to let the smoke work it's magic. Be careful not to let them burn.

Remove from grill. Set eggplant aside. Carefully chop leek into small pieces.

Meanwhile, remove rosemary and bay leaves from cooked beans. 

Put leek into the slow cooker with the beans. Carefully squeeze out cooked garlic cloves into

beans. Using an immersion blender, puree the beans until smooth. 

Spoon onto a deep plate. Top with freshly cracked pepper.

On top of the bean puree, place a slice of grilled eggplant, top with slice of mozzarella, tomato, chopped basil, repeat. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil.

I know it may sound like a lot of preparation but it's really not. I just wanted to explain in detail.  Also, 

the flavor of the bean puree was so complex thanks to slow cooking in the herbs, the grilled garlic and leek and paired wonderfully with the eggplant caprese.

 It makes this a complete and very satisfying dinner. 

Coconut Crusted Baked Chicken Strips {gluten free}

I remember when I was in college I thought grabbing some chicken fingers at Wendy's was a healthier choice than grabbing a cheeseburger, I mean no bread right? Wrong, duh me. I'm not going to lie, I still love a good, crispy chicken nugget but avoid the drive through like crazy nowadays. It's a good thing, a very, very good thing that home made chicken nuggets happen to be one of the very easiest things you can make. Yippee!







Anyone can make these even if you don't like to cook or it's not really your thing. This is one of my "go to" weeknight simple dinners. I'm bored to death with plain baked chicken not to mention the whole humane issue with eating cooped up chickens. Of course eating Organic & cage free chicken gets pricey when feeding a family of 6 so we don't have it very often.

These would be a perfect appetizer at a party!

When we do I make sure it's gonna be tasty and serve it up with lots of fruits and veggies. In this case, an amazingly sweet and creamy mango yogurt dipping sauce! I could have eaten it by the spoonful. Not ashamed.



One of my nutty kids doesn't like coconut (the shame) but the rest of us loved these sweet and crunchy chicken tenders and were more than happy to swipe Jack's chicken nuggets right of his plate. Ya gotta be quick around this joint when it comes to protecting your food and making sure you get the very last chicken nugget from the pan.

6-8 pieces chicken tenderloins (preferably Organic free range)

11/2 cups almond or other nut flour 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk (dairy free if possible)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil for coating pan 

2 ripe mango's + 1/2 cup yogurt = mango dipping sauce

peel mango and slice fruit away from pit. Discard pit, place fruit into blender or food processor. Add yogurt, blend.

Preheat oven to 400F

Arrange 3 deep plates on counter. Add flour to one,  beaten eggs to the second and coconut to the third.

Working one at a time, place chicken tenders into flour and dredge on both sides to coat. Using your other hand, dip coated chicken into egg to coat. Next, lay chicken in coconut and dredge to coat, flip, coat other side.

Place on a lightly oiled pan or one lined with parchment. 

Continue to do this to remaining chicken. 

TIP 

 Only put half of the flour and half of the coconut onto plates as they will become gooey.

Half way through your chicken, quickly rinse off plates if needed and dry.

 Add remaining flour to one plate and remaining coconut to the other. 

Cook at 400F for 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken pieces over. 

Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Don't over cook chicken as it will become dry and taste like cardboard.

Enjoy!

Do you cook less when the weather gets warmer? 

What is your favorite warm weather dish?

Coconut Crusted Baked Chicken Strips {gluten free}

Posted by admin

I remember when I was in college I thought grabbing some chicken fingers at Wendy's was a healthier choice than grabbing a cheeseburger, I mean no bread right? Wrong, duh me. I'm not going to lie, I still love a good, crispy chicken nugget but avoid the drive through like crazy nowadays. It's a good thing, a very, very good thing that home made chicken nuggets happen to be one of the very easiest things you can make. Yippee!







Anyone can make these even if you don't like to cook or it's not really your thing. This is one of my "go to" weeknight simple dinners. I'm bored to death with plain baked chicken not to mention the whole humane issue with eating cooped up chickens. Of course eating Organic & cage free chicken gets pricey when feeding a family of 6 so we don't have it very often.

These would be a perfect appetizer at a party!

When we do I make sure it's gonna be tasty and serve it up with lots of fruits and veggies. In this case, an amazingly sweet and creamy mango yogurt dipping sauce! I could have eaten it by the spoonful. Not ashamed.



One of my nutty kids doesn't like coconut (the shame) but the rest of us loved these sweet and crunchy chicken tenders and were more than happy to swipe Jack's chicken nuggets right of his plate. Ya gotta be quick around this joint when it comes to protecting your food and making sure you get the very last chicken nugget from the pan.

6-8 pieces chicken tenderloins (preferably Organic free range)

11/2 cups almond or other nut flour 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk (dairy free if possible)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil for coating pan 

2 ripe mango's + 1/2 cup yogurt = mango dipping sauce

peel mango and slice fruit away from pit. Discard pit, place fruit into blender or food processor. Add yogurt, blend.

Preheat oven to 400F

Arrange 3 deep plates on counter. Add flour to one,  beaten eggs to the second and coconut to the third.

Working one at a time, place chicken tenders into flour and dredge on both sides to coat. Using your other hand, dip coated chicken into egg to coat. Next, lay chicken in coconut and dredge to coat, flip, coat other side.

Place on a lightly oiled pan or one lined with parchment. 

Continue to do this to remaining chicken. 

TIP 

 Only put half of the flour and half of the coconut onto plates as they will become gooey.

Half way through your chicken, quickly rinse off plates if needed and dry.

 Add remaining flour to one plate and remaining coconut to the other. 

Cook at 400F for 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken pieces over. 

Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Don't over cook chicken as it will become dry and taste like cardboard.

Enjoy!

Do you cook less when the weather gets warmer? 

What is your favorite warm weather dish?

The Best Grilled Fish Tacos on Home Made Blue Corn Tortillas with Mango Salsa, Cumin & Garlic Black Beans and a Healthy and Simple Cinco de Mayo Roundup.

I've lived in the Southwest most of my 30 errrr  something years. Mexico has a big influence here in the Valley of the Sun. Mexican food, style, culture and architecture are all prevalent here in the Phoenix area.

One thing I've never really understood is where the celebration of Cinco de Mayo comes from and why we celebrate it here in the States. I have many friends from Mexico or with strong Mexican roots and not a one of them have ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo. "Sure" they say, "We will hang out and have a cervesa but it's not a holiday in our book."  Part of this was said in Spanish so I'm guessing that's what they said. 

Nevertheless, it is a very good excuse to make some really good food (my favorite cuisine!) and sit out on the patio with an ice cold beverage with friends and family. 

Tonight I'm making grilled fish tacos with fresh mango-jalapeno salsa on top of home made sweet blue corn tortillas and a side of cumin and garlic black beans (not from a can) tonight for dinner. Well, my husband is doing the grilling because I've been officially banned from with in 10 feet of the ol' BBQ since the unfortunate fire the other day. See the end result on Instagram if you're there. It's not pretty.

Fine by me. It's in the triple digits out there!

Fish:

2-3 pieces fresh Tilapia fillets 

2 juicy limes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin (eye it)

1 teaspoon chili powder (eye it)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (eye it)  

Heat your outdoor grill on medium-high. 

In a large zip lock bag place fish and all ingredients. Zip bag closed, toss to coat fish. Let sit on counter for 15 minutes.  

Place fish in a fish grill basket, discard remaining juice and bag. Grill on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes. Flip the basket over or, using tongs, flip fish. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove from heat.

Blue Corn Tortillas:

1 1/2 cups blue corn flour

1 cup spelt flour (can sub w regular, unbleached flour)

1 cup hot water

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon salt

Mix flours and salt. Add water and oil, stir to combine. Let sit aside for 20 minutes to let the ingredients incorporate. Then you will be able to tell if it need more flour or water, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be thick and not too sticky.  

On a lightly floured surface, take small hand fulls of dough and make into a ball. Using a tortilla press, place a small square of parchment paper on the bottom side and ball of dough on top of paper. Place another small square of parchment paper on top of dough. Press firmly down on tortilla press.  I like to roll out my tortillas even thinner with a rolling pin. The tortilla press helps ensure even, uncracked tortillas.

Place tortillas one at a time onto pre-heated cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. NO OIL! 

Cook for 1 minute on first side and 30-60 seconds on other side. If your tortillas are thick you may need to cook a bit longer. 

Remove from heat and place on a towel covered plate. Place tortillas in a tortilla keeper or keep them covered with another towel until ready to eat. 

Blue cornmeal has 20% more protein and a lower glycemic index than regular cornmeal.

Spelt Flour

Spelt (Triticum Aestivum Spelt) is a shiny, dark rice shaped grain related to wheat. Spelt flour contains less gluten than normal wheat flour but it is not gluten-free. 

Substituting Spelt Flour for All-purpose Flour:Many recipes will tolerate a cup for cup substitute. As with most substitutes the end result will not be the same and you may need to experiment with quantities to get a product you are happy with.

Spelt has a nice flavor, rather sweet, and is worth trying. I've only ever tried whole grain spelt. It is less springy than wheat (less strong gluten). In a yeasted bread, spelt uses less water than wheat,

Mango Salsa

This salsa is a huge favorite of ours. It is best when made the day before and chilled overnight 

or at least 6 hours.

4 ripe mango's
1 large jalapeño
4 small sweet peppers
1/2 red onion, minced
small handful cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Peel mango's and cut flesh away from pit. Dice into small cubes. Place in large bowl.
Carefully cut jalapeño down center and using a knife cut out seeds and white veins taking care not to touch them.
Turn jalapeño over cut side down and mince into small pieces. Throw into bowl with mango.
Add minced onion, cilantro, salt, vinegar and spices. Toss to combine.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

2 cups dry black beans

3-5 cups water depending on your cooking method

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

Soak beans overnight.

I typically use my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker to cook all of my beans, it's my favorite kitchen toy!  I brown my onion over medium-high heat, add soaked and drained beans and 3 cups water. Turn the heat up to high and bring pressure to second ring. Lower heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes (YUP THAT'S it!) and remove from heat letting pressure drop naturally. 

Slow cooker method: Brown onions in pan add beans, 5 cups water and remaining ingredients. Cook on lowest setting for 8 hours.

Mexican Food Roundup

all from Simply Healthy Family

Typically, tamales, tostadas, tacos, nachos and enchiladas all smothered with cheeses and sour cream are served up the Mexican-American way. It's how we ruin a good thing. It kills me a little each time I see canned cheese served in a Mexican/American restaurant.  Gag!  

For a lighter and more authentic Cinco Celebration try one or all

 {lot's and lot's of good, home made food is how it's done in the Latin tradition}

of these simple recipes instead of the usual carb and cheese laden ones. 

Shrimp, Jicama and Negro Frijole Tosatadas

Simple Turkey Pozole

Last but not least, and I hate to pick favorites {unless you ask my teenager} is...............

Puerto Penasco Ceviche

Puerto Penasco Ceviche







Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo???

If so I'd love to know how or what your traditions are!

The Best Grilled Fish Tacos on Home Made Blue Corn Tortillas with Mango Salsa, Cumin & Garlic Black Beans and a Healthy and Simple Cinco de Mayo Roundup.

Posted by admin

I've lived in the Southwest most of my 30 errrr  something years. Mexico has a big influence here in the Valley of the Sun. Mexican food, style, culture and architecture are all prevalent here in the Phoenix area.

One thing I've never really understood is where the celebration of Cinco de Mayo comes from and why we celebrate it here in the States. I have many friends from Mexico or with strong Mexican roots and not a one of them have ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo. "Sure" they say, "We will hang out and have a cervesa but it's not a holiday in our book."  Part of this was said in Spanish so I'm guessing that's what they said. 

Nevertheless, it is a very good excuse to make some really good food (my favorite cuisine!) and sit out on the patio with an ice cold beverage with friends and family. 

Tonight I'm making grilled fish tacos with fresh mango-jalapeno salsa on top of home made sweet blue corn tortillas and a side of cumin and garlic black beans (not from a can) tonight for dinner. Well, my husband is doing the grilling because I've been officially banned from with in 10 feet of the ol' BBQ since the unfortunate fire the other day. See the end result on Instagram if you're there. It's not pretty.

Fine by me. It's in the triple digits out there!

Fish:

2-3 pieces fresh Tilapia fillets 

2 juicy limes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin (eye it)

1 teaspoon chili powder (eye it)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (eye it)  

Heat your outdoor grill on medium-high. 

In a large zip lock bag place fish and all ingredients. Zip bag closed, toss to coat fish. Let sit on counter for 15 minutes.  

Place fish in a fish grill basket, discard remaining juice and bag. Grill on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes. Flip the basket over or, using tongs, flip fish. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove from heat.

Blue Corn Tortillas:

1 1/2 cups blue corn flour

1 cup spelt flour (can sub w regular, unbleached flour)

1 cup hot water

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon salt

Mix flours and salt. Add water and oil, stir to combine. Let sit aside for 20 minutes to let the ingredients incorporate. Then you will be able to tell if it need more flour or water, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be thick and not too sticky.  

On a lightly floured surface, take small hand fulls of dough and make into a ball. Using a tortilla press, place a small square of parchment paper on the bottom side and ball of dough on top of paper. Place another small square of parchment paper on top of dough. Press firmly down on tortilla press.  I like to roll out my tortillas even thinner with a rolling pin. The tortilla press helps ensure even, uncracked tortillas.

Place tortillas one at a time onto pre-heated cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. NO OIL! 

Cook for 1 minute on first side and 30-60 seconds on other side. If your tortillas are thick you may need to cook a bit longer. 

Remove from heat and place on a towel covered plate. Place tortillas in a tortilla keeper or keep them covered with another towel until ready to eat. 

Blue cornmeal has 20% more protein and a lower glycemic index than regular cornmeal.

Spelt Flour

Spelt (Triticum Aestivum Spelt) is a shiny, dark rice shaped grain related to wheat. Spelt flour contains less gluten than normal wheat flour but it is not gluten-free. 

Substituting Spelt Flour for All-purpose Flour:Many recipes will tolerate a cup for cup substitute. As with most substitutes the end result will not be the same and you may need to experiment with quantities to get a product you are happy with.

Spelt has a nice flavor, rather sweet, and is worth trying. I've only ever tried whole grain spelt. It is less springy than wheat (less strong gluten). In a yeasted bread, spelt uses less water than wheat,

Mango Salsa

This salsa is a huge favorite of ours. It is best when made the day before and chilled overnight 

or at least 6 hours.

4 ripe mango's
1 large jalapeño
4 small sweet peppers
1/2 red onion, minced
small handful cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Peel mango's and cut flesh away from pit. Dice into small cubes. Place in large bowl.
Carefully cut jalapeño down center and using a knife cut out seeds and white veins taking care not to touch them.
Turn jalapeño over cut side down and mince into small pieces. Throw into bowl with mango.
Add minced onion, cilantro, salt, vinegar and spices. Toss to combine.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

2 cups dry black beans

3-5 cups water depending on your cooking method

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

Soak beans overnight.

I typically use my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker to cook all of my beans, it's my favorite kitchen toy!  I brown my onion over medium-high heat, add soaked and drained beans and 3 cups water. Turn the heat up to high and bring pressure to second ring. Lower heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes (YUP THAT'S it!) and remove from heat letting pressure drop naturally. 

Slow cooker method: Brown onions in pan add beans, 5 cups water and remaining ingredients. Cook on lowest setting for 8 hours.

Mexican Food Roundup

all from Simply Healthy Family

Typically, tamales, tostadas, tacos, nachos and enchiladas all smothered with cheeses and sour cream are served up the Mexican-American way. It's how we ruin a good thing. It kills me a little each time I see canned cheese served in a Mexican/American restaurant.  Gag!  

For a lighter and more authentic Cinco Celebration try one or all

 {lot's and lot's of good, home made food is how it's done in the Latin tradition}

of these simple recipes instead of the usual carb and cheese laden ones. 

Shrimp, Jicama and Negro Frijole Tosatadas

Simple Turkey Pozole

Last but not least, and I hate to pick favorites {unless you ask my teenager} is...............

Puerto Penasco Ceviche

Puerto Penasco Ceviche







Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo???

If so I'd love to know how or what your traditions are!

Roasted Chickpea, Heirloom tomato, Avocado, Lemon Tarragon and Basil Salad.

My mom is in the background reminiscing about how she always used to win the spelling bee. Every year she says, and there was a big stage and real prizes, that's how they did it in my day. All because I asked her how to spell extraordinaire. I should have known better. She's still going on and on (can't blame a gal for reminiscing) so of course I ask her how to spell reminiscing and she pauses with a bit of doubt..... HA! I totally know how to spell doubt! So I promptly turn to my handy dandy, new age spelling check thingy on my state of the art MAC computer and it shuts my poor mom down and tells me how to spell reminiscing before she can spout it out.   Pooooor  mommy.

I can't really feel all that proud about my somewhat limited technological (spell check told me how to spell that, I'm not ashamed) abilities because right after I was congratulating myself on my ability to spell a couple of 5th grade words and patting myself on the back for navigating through Photo shop to produce a half way reasonable food pic I found myself cursing my wireless mouse. You see, when I moved right, the arrow would go left. When I move up, the arrow would go down.  Gahhhh!  Why can't technology be simple?!!


Because idiots like me can't figure out when a mouse is turned upside down. In my defense it is wireless and is completely anatomical.

Yeah. I know.



It's a good thing I know how to cook without burning the house down. I love uncomplicated summer dinners. I'm declaring it summer here in Phoenix. It's in the 90's, good enough reason for me to turn off the stove and focus on quick and simple meals with fresh ingredients.






Simple, fresh ingredients. Heirloom tomatoes, chick peas drizzled with a good quality olive oil and sprinkled with some Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Roasted to crispy perfection.  Don't feel like turning on your oven? No problem, neither do I come May. This salad tastes equally amazing with out roasting the chick peas. I happen to loooove the crispy texture and flavor that roasting brings to them but in a pinch, plain ol' cooked chick peas will do.



You can use canned chick peas or dry ones. If using canned, drain and rinse thoroughly. Put into a small bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a salt. Spread onto a baking pan, I love my stone one which absorbs flavor and allows you to use less oil and is super easy to clean. During the hot summer months I can see myself skipping the oven all together but I do love the crispiness and flavor that roasting the beans adds.

Roast in the oven at 375F for 20-25 minutes to desired crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a baking stone. I use mine to roast veggies, bake cookies and pizza crust. You use a minimal amount of oil with a baking stone and it roasts more evenly that a metal one.  Check out this Rada Cutlery Stoneware

When I can find them, I love these pretty little Heirloom tomatoes. They are naturally sweet and so good for you, think no GMO's. Real tomatoes not genetically modified. Don't want to spend the money or can't find them in your hood. Use cherry or grape tomatoes instead.

Slice a semi-ripe avocado into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with a generous amount of dried tarragon. Tarragon goes amazing with avocado! Squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon over the avocado and gently toss to coat. Lemon not only adds fresh flavor but helps the avocado not to brown quickly. Set aside.

Avocado tossed with tarragon and lemon.

This one was an instant keeper! Usually I make recipes several time before posting them on my blog. But I am sitting here writing this with a bowl full of this yummy salad sitting in front of me.

 It's  that  good.



Light, lemony, healthy and fresh. What more do you want in a summer salad?

Perfect to bring on a picnic! Enjoy with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio and an herbed salad mix.

TIME     20 MINUTES       SERVES     4-6 

Ingredients: 

2 cans (or 3 cups cooked) chick peas/garbanzo beans1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half ~ can sub cherry or grape tomatoes2 avocados, dicedsmall handful fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly1 teaspoon dried tarragon2 teaspoons divided extra virgin olive oiljuice from one lemonsalt ~ I love my pink Himalayan sea salt

Preheat oven to 375F.  

Drain and rinse chick peas if using canned. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat. Spread evenly onto a baking pan, I love my stone baking sheet.  Bake on center rack for 20-30 minutes to desired crispiness. 

Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half and dice up your semi-firm avocado. Put avocado into a large bowl first and sprinkle with tarragon. Drizzle lemon juice over avocado and toss gently to coat. Add tomatoes to the bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and sliced basil. Add chickpeas and gently toss to combine salad.  

Serve with a green salad to make it a meal. Don't forget the Pinot Grigio! 

Roasted Chickpea, Heirloom tomato, Avocado, Lemon Tarragon and Basil Salad.

Posted by admin

My mom is in the background reminiscing about how she always used to win the spelling bee. Every year she says, and there was a big stage and real prizes, that's how they did it in my day. All because I asked her how to spell extraordinaire. I should have known better. She's still going on and on (can't blame a gal for reminiscing) so of course I ask her how to spell reminiscing and she pauses with a bit of doubt..... HA! I totally know how to spell doubt! So I promptly turn to my handy dandy, new age spelling check thingy on my state of the art MAC computer and it shuts my poor mom down and tells me how to spell reminiscing before she can spout it out.   Pooooor  mommy.

I can't really feel all that proud about my somewhat limited technological (spell check told me how to spell that, I'm not ashamed) abilities because right after I was congratulating myself on my ability to spell a couple of 5th grade words and patting myself on the back for navigating through Photo shop to produce a half way reasonable food pic I found myself cursing my wireless mouse. You see, when I moved right, the arrow would go left. When I move up, the arrow would go down.  Gahhhh!  Why can't technology be simple?!!


Because idiots like me can't figure out when a mouse is turned upside down. In my defense it is wireless and is completely anatomical.

Yeah. I know.



It's a good thing I know how to cook without burning the house down. I love uncomplicated summer dinners. I'm declaring it summer here in Phoenix. It's in the 90's, good enough reason for me to turn off the stove and focus on quick and simple meals with fresh ingredients.






Simple, fresh ingredients. Heirloom tomatoes, chick peas drizzled with a good quality olive oil and sprinkled with some Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Roasted to crispy perfection.  Don't feel like turning on your oven? No problem, neither do I come May. This salad tastes equally amazing with out roasting the chick peas. I happen to loooove the crispy texture and flavor that roasting brings to them but in a pinch, plain ol' cooked chick peas will do.



You can use canned chick peas or dry ones. If using canned, drain and rinse thoroughly. Put into a small bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a salt. Spread onto a baking pan, I love my stone one which absorbs flavor and allows you to use less oil and is super easy to clean. During the hot summer months I can see myself skipping the oven all together but I do love the crispiness and flavor that roasting the beans adds.

Roast in the oven at 375F for 20-25 minutes to desired crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a baking stone. I use mine to roast veggies, bake cookies and pizza crust. You use a minimal amount of oil with a baking stone and it roasts more evenly that a metal one.  Check out this Rada Cutlery Stoneware

When I can find them, I love these pretty little Heirloom tomatoes. They are naturally sweet and so good for you, think no GMO's. Real tomatoes not genetically modified. Don't want to spend the money or can't find them in your hood. Use cherry or grape tomatoes instead.

Slice a semi-ripe avocado into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with a generous amount of dried tarragon. Tarragon goes amazing with avocado! Squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon over the avocado and gently toss to coat. Lemon not only adds fresh flavor but helps the avocado not to brown quickly. Set aside.

Avocado tossed with tarragon and lemon.

This one was an instant keeper! Usually I make recipes several time before posting them on my blog. But I am sitting here writing this with a bowl full of this yummy salad sitting in front of me.

 It's  that  good.



Light, lemony, healthy and fresh. What more do you want in a summer salad?

Perfect to bring on a picnic! Enjoy with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio and an herbed salad mix.

TIME     20 MINUTES       SERVES     4-6 

Ingredients: 

2 cans (or 3 cups cooked) chick peas/garbanzo beans1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half ~ can sub cherry or grape tomatoes2 avocados, dicedsmall handful fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly1 teaspoon dried tarragon2 teaspoons divided extra virgin olive oiljuice from one lemonsalt ~ I love my pink Himalayan sea salt

Preheat oven to 375F.  

Drain and rinse chick peas if using canned. Put into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat. Spread evenly onto a baking pan, I love my stone baking sheet.  Bake on center rack for 20-30 minutes to desired crispiness. 

Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half and dice up your semi-firm avocado. Put avocado into a large bowl first and sprinkle with tarragon. Drizzle lemon juice over avocado and toss gently to coat. Add tomatoes to the bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and sliced basil. Add chickpeas and gently toss to combine salad.  

Serve with a green salad to make it a meal. Don't forget the Pinot Grigio! 

Nutty Greek Quinoa Toss

It's amazing how easily one can gain a few pounds when your metabolism takes a nose dive in your late thirties. I mean honestly, can't a girl go on a nice relaxing cruise and sit around all day long on the back of a ship's deck looking out at the cold, serene Alaskan waters with her feet up on a wicker chair and be surrounded constantly with pastries, cheeses and berry filled crepes at all hours of the day without gaining 8 stupid pounds?

Apparently not. *Sigh.






Well, if that weren't a bad enough set back on my never ending fight against belly bulge then the 12 hour road trip we took this last weekend to Utah with 4 kids certainly put the nail on the diet coffin. While we did bring along apples and healthy trail mix, they went so well with Twizzlers and chocolate covered raisins that we decided to buy some cookies to top it off. Perfectly reasonable right?


Now, how to lose those 10 pounds gained in 2 short weeks after I've been fighting to lose 20 since who the hell knows when?    *Double sigh, big fat pout.

Here's the back of the ship where my sweetie and I  loved to sit and relax..... and snack.... a lot.

Can you blame us? I mean really. Look at the view. And the weather was just so unbelievably cool and perfect compared to the miserable heat we are used to here in Phoenix.

We didn't spend  ALL  of our time on our butts stuffing our mouths.
We had some pretty amazing adventures too.
Here we are zip lining through the 200 foot tall trees in Ketchikan, AK.  

Me and my baby sister Rachel.

Did I mention that due to the glaciers that swept over the land many years ago, the soil is only 4-6" deep?
Did you catch that? That's INCHES, not feet.


We were swinging from super tall trees that are hanging on for their dear lives in soil that is too shallow to plant carrots in!


Smart.

And we took one frieking amazing, hold onto your hats fast bike ride 32 mies from Canada back to Skagway, AK. This was by far the highlight of my trip! The scenery was breath taking. 

So, how to fit back into my pants?




It's a good thing I discovered quinoa some time ago and shortly after figured out how to make it unbelievable delicious.

It's the feta. No, it's the toasted pine nuts. NO! It's the white balsamic vinaigrette.

O.K., all of these things plus the squeeze of lemon, freshness of the parsley and zip of the sweet peppers make this quinoa toss very addictive and satisfyng. My tummy thanks me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 big handful grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 big handful sweet peppers minced
1 big handful parsley, minced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinaigrette
freshly cracked white pepper
squeeze fresh lemon juice



Put quinoa into a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly to remove natural 'soapy' film.  Cook according to package directions, usually 1:1 parts quinoa-water, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
If you please, toast pine nuts on a dry cast iron skillet until golden brown to bring out flavor.
Using a small food processor or knife, finely dice sweet peppers, garlic and parsley.
In a large bowl, toss together still warm quinoa, feta, peppers, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes.
Drizzle in oil and vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Add lemon and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or chilled.

For dinner, we prefer the warm version where the feta is just slightly creamy and the flavors melt together.

Nutty Greek Quinoa Toss

Posted by admin

It's amazing how easily one can gain a few pounds when your metabolism takes a nose dive in your late thirties. I mean honestly, can't a girl go on a nice relaxing cruise and sit around all day long on the back of a ship's deck looking out at the cold, serene Alaskan waters with her feet up on a wicker chair and be surrounded constantly with pastries, cheeses and berry filled crepes at all hours of the day without gaining 8 stupid pounds?

Apparently not. *Sigh.






Well, if that weren't a bad enough set back on my never ending fight against belly bulge then the 12 hour road trip we took this last weekend to Utah with 4 kids certainly put the nail on the diet coffin. While we did bring along apples and healthy trail mix, they went so well with Twizzlers and chocolate covered raisins that we decided to buy some cookies to top it off. Perfectly reasonable right?


Now, how to lose those 10 pounds gained in 2 short weeks after I've been fighting to lose 20 since who the hell knows when?    *Double sigh, big fat pout.

Here's the back of the ship where my sweetie and I  loved to sit and relax..... and snack.... a lot.

Can you blame us? I mean really. Look at the view. And the weather was just so unbelievably cool and perfect compared to the miserable heat we are used to here in Phoenix.

We didn't spend  ALL  of our time on our butts stuffing our mouths.
We had some pretty amazing adventures too.
Here we are zip lining through the 200 foot tall trees in Ketchikan, AK.  

Me and my baby sister Rachel.

Did I mention that due to the glaciers that swept over the land many years ago, the soil is only 4-6" deep?
Did you catch that? That's INCHES, not feet.


We were swinging from super tall trees that are hanging on for their dear lives in soil that is too shallow to plant carrots in!


Smart.

And we took one frieking amazing, hold onto your hats fast bike ride 32 mies from Canada back to Skagway, AK. This was by far the highlight of my trip! The scenery was breath taking. 

So, how to fit back into my pants?




It's a good thing I discovered quinoa some time ago and shortly after figured out how to make it unbelievable delicious.

It's the feta. No, it's the toasted pine nuts. NO! It's the white balsamic vinaigrette.

O.K., all of these things plus the squeeze of lemon, freshness of the parsley and zip of the sweet peppers make this quinoa toss very addictive and satisfyng. My tummy thanks me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 big handful grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 big handful sweet peppers minced
1 big handful parsley, minced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinaigrette
freshly cracked white pepper
squeeze fresh lemon juice



Put quinoa into a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly to remove natural 'soapy' film.  Cook according to package directions, usually 1:1 parts quinoa-water, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
If you please, toast pine nuts on a dry cast iron skillet until golden brown to bring out flavor.
Using a small food processor or knife, finely dice sweet peppers, garlic and parsley.
In a large bowl, toss together still warm quinoa, feta, peppers, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes.
Drizzle in oil and vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Add lemon and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or chilled.

For dinner, we prefer the warm version where the feta is just slightly creamy and the flavors melt together.

Summer (In) Sanity: How to Keep Busy this Summer and A Family Activity Calendar

It's 4 whole days in to summer break and already the kids are bored out of their skulls. By 9:00 a.m. we've already had breakfast, gotten dressed, gone to the park or for a 'nature walk', been swimming and made a craft.   Now what do we do for the remaining 12 hours of the day?!!   Cue me to exit the house and go to work where I find dealing with demanding and pretentious spine surgeons and taking care of sick patients a relaxing getaway. Normal thing for a mom to feel on occasion, right?

In fact, when my husband came home from work tonight and asked if I would mind running to the store to grab a couple of things if he did the dishes and put the kids to bed in exchange I was out the door so fast I don't think he knew what happened.

If that doesn't sound depressing enough I found myself joking with some friends who were complaining about jury duty about how nice of a break it could be if they just looked at it with the right attitude, one of a mom of 4 for instance. I mean really, sitting around all day long reading a good book, how often do I get that sort of deal?

Don't get me wrong, I loooooveee my children, the little darlings, the lambs. But it is constant commotion around this joint even when everyone is behaving and by the end of a normal day of feeding, clothing, playing and basically just keeping 4 mischievous children alive and unscathed I'm  exhausted  by ALL means of the word.


So, this summer I am taking matters into my own creative little hands. It gets pretty damn hot here in Phoenix, so hot that when it is below 110F in July, we celebrate with glee and talk about the weather with each other like it's a new phenomenon. And when it actually rains in July, well, we run around half naked outside laughing out loud like crazy people. So being cooped up inside with 4 cranky, hot kids means you need a plan.


Plan A:
Stay inside all day and watch t.v. and eat ice cream.

Plan B:
Swim all morning. Watch t.v. Swim in the evening. Watch t.v.

Plan C:
Keep the kids busy and active while saving my sanity.




First, make a list of places in your neighborhood that might have things to do for kids or as a family.

• Library: Get signed up for the summer reading program to win cool prizes and discover new books. Libraries also have many free summer games and activities like Lego Building contest and visitors from the local Zoo and Puppet Theatres.
• Schools: Check your local schools for summer programs like Karate, art classes and sports programs.
• City Parks and Rec.  Besides an assortment of activities your city may have a rec center, free evening movies and concerts in the park and classes to attend.
• Many Churches offer activities for kids whether you belong to the church or not
• YMCA
• Google "free things to do with kids insert name of your city  I found a FREE 3 week long clinic at the Ice Arena near our home offered by the Phoenix Coyotes
• Visit "MeetUp.com" or a similar organization for tons of meet up groups in your area
• Splash Pads are wonderful fun and usually free. There are several in my neighborhood, ask around or Google where they are in your area.
• If there aren't any Splash Pads in your area, sprinklers, water toys and squirt guns make for a fun and cool afternoon.
• Museums. I have lived here in Phoenix my entire life and didn't know there was a Science and Aircraft museum in Peoria, just a few miles away from our house! In fact, many museums offer discounts and fun summer camps/packages. Also, many libraries have FREE passes to local museums!

Many resorts offer discounts during the summer and have amazing swimming pools

photo source: Arizona Foothills

Next, create a calendar of your activities so your summer is stress free fun!

I created this simple calendar at  Keep and Share.

(note this is just an example of our summer activities)

When all else fails, MAKE HOME MADE ICE CREAM!!!

What are you doing this summer???

Summer (In) Sanity: How to Keep Busy this Summer and A Family Activity Calendar

Posted by admin

It's 4 whole days in to summer break and already the kids are bored out of their skulls. By 9:00 a.m. we've already had breakfast, gotten dressed, gone to the park or for a 'nature walk', been swimming and made a craft.   Now what do we do for the remaining 12 hours of the day?!!   Cue me to exit the house and go to work where I find dealing with demanding and pretentious spine surgeons and taking care of sick patients a relaxing getaway. Normal thing for a mom to feel on occasion, right?

In fact, when my husband came home from work tonight and asked if I would mind running to the store to grab a couple of things if he did the dishes and put the kids to bed in exchange I was out the door so fast I don't think he knew what happened.

If that doesn't sound depressing enough I found myself joking with some friends who were complaining about jury duty about how nice of a break it could be if they just looked at it with the right attitude, one of a mom of 4 for instance. I mean really, sitting around all day long reading a good book, how often do I get that sort of deal?

Don't get me wrong, I loooooveee my children, the little darlings, the lambs. But it is constant commotion around this joint even when everyone is behaving and by the end of a normal day of feeding, clothing, playing and basically just keeping 4 mischievous children alive and unscathed I'm  exhausted  by ALL means of the word.


So, this summer I am taking matters into my own creative little hands. It gets pretty damn hot here in Phoenix, so hot that when it is below 110F in July, we celebrate with glee and talk about the weather with each other like it's a new phenomenon. And when it actually rains in July, well, we run around half naked outside laughing out loud like crazy people. So being cooped up inside with 4 cranky, hot kids means you need a plan.


Plan A:
Stay inside all day and watch t.v. and eat ice cream.

Plan B:
Swim all morning. Watch t.v. Swim in the evening. Watch t.v.

Plan C:
Keep the kids busy and active while saving my sanity.




First, make a list of places in your neighborhood that might have things to do for kids or as a family.

• Library: Get signed up for the summer reading program to win cool prizes and discover new books. Libraries also have many free summer games and activities like Lego Building contest and visitors from the local Zoo and Puppet Theatres.
• Schools: Check your local schools for summer programs like Karate, art classes and sports programs.
• City Parks and Rec.  Besides an assortment of activities your city may have a rec center, free evening movies and concerts in the park and classes to attend.
• Many Churches offer activities for kids whether you belong to the church or not
• YMCA
• Google "free things to do with kids insert name of your city  I found a FREE 3 week long clinic at the Ice Arena near our home offered by the Phoenix Coyotes
• Visit "MeetUp.com" or a similar organization for tons of meet up groups in your area
• Splash Pads are wonderful fun and usually free. There are several in my neighborhood, ask around or Google where they are in your area.
• If there aren't any Splash Pads in your area, sprinklers, water toys and squirt guns make for a fun and cool afternoon.
• Museums. I have lived here in Phoenix my entire life and didn't know there was a Science and Aircraft museum in Peoria, just a few miles away from our house! In fact, many museums offer discounts and fun summer camps/packages. Also, many libraries have FREE passes to local museums!

Many resorts offer discounts during the summer and have amazing swimming pools

photo source: Arizona Foothills

Next, create a calendar of your activities so your summer is stress free fun!

I created this simple calendar at  Keep and Share.

(note this is just an example of our summer activities)

When all else fails, MAKE HOME MADE ICE CREAM!!!

What are you doing this summer???

Simple Corn Cakes with Zucchini-Tomato Salsa

This is one favorite summer recipes. It's quick, easy and very versatile. It's a twist on pancakes and can easily be made into a complete meal by adding salmon or crab meat into the batter. For a more indulgent cake you can simply add shredded cheese. You can add peppers, onions and cilantro to turn them into Mexican corn cakes and serve with black beans or as I do during the summer months, top them with a simple zucchini-tomato and black eyed pea salsa.

You Will Need:

2-4 Tbsp vegetable or grape seed oil {can substitute w real butter}
corn cut off of 3 ears or 2 cups frozen corn
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c corn meal
5 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Make the batter by whisking together eggs, corn meal, milk, corn kernels, sugar and a dash of salt & pepper. Add oil the bottom of the hot pan. Fry cakes in batches as you would pancakes, about 2 minutes on each side.  Set aside.

For the Salsa:

4-5 Roma tomatoes
2 zucchini
1 can of black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh Basil
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablespoon EVOO
salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
Jalapeno pepper, minced



Toss all ingredients in a bowl to combine. Serve on top of Corn Cakes.

Simple Corn Cakes with Zucchini-Tomato Salsa

Posted by admin

This is one favorite summer recipes. It's quick, easy and very versatile. It's a twist on pancakes and can easily be made into a complete meal by adding salmon or crab meat into the batter. For a more indulgent cake you can simply add shredded cheese. You can add peppers, onions and cilantro to turn them into Mexican corn cakes and serve with black beans or as I do during the summer months, top them with a simple zucchini-tomato and black eyed pea salsa.

You Will Need:

2-4 Tbsp vegetable or grape seed oil {can substitute w real butter}
corn cut off of 3 ears or 2 cups frozen corn
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c corn meal
5 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Make the batter by whisking together eggs, corn meal, milk, corn kernels, sugar and a dash of salt & pepper. Add oil the bottom of the hot pan. Fry cakes in batches as you would pancakes, about 2 minutes on each side.  Set aside.

For the Salsa:

4-5 Roma tomatoes
2 zucchini
1 can of black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh Basil
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tablespoon EVOO
salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
Jalapeno pepper, minced



Toss all ingredients in a bowl to combine. Serve on top of Corn Cakes.

My Secret Weapon to Beat the Heat. Strawberry-Coconut Smoothies P.S. Dear Monsoon: Please hurry.

Rain would be a true God send right now here in Phoenix. It always looks like even the cacti are going to give up and die during the endlessly long summer's here. I guess too much of anything can wear on one's nerves. Come July, after most people get tired of mindlessly commenting or joking about the stifling dry heat, all one can do is wipe off the continual beads of sweat rolling down their necks and pray for the monsoon.

Monsoon season is nothing short of a true miracle. Natures wrath at her finest. After months and months without a single drop of rain the sky darkens without notice and beautiful violent rains pour from the wakened sky and hit the hard, cracked desert floor. There is no drier dust than that found in the Arizona desert in July. Just when the cacti start to wilt and the weary desert animals are ready to call it quits, God sends them relief. And He doesn't skimp on the job. 

The smell is my favorite part of the monsoons. It's no ordinary rain. The layers of dust and sand that have accumulated on the streets and in my nose can only be washed away by the heavy rains of August. I wait anxiously starting mid July for the chance to sit outside amidst the sheets of rain and furious winds that wash every trace of dust from the startled desert. It lasts only for a few minutes but is enough to quench the deserts thirst for many more months. It is energizing   refreshing   uplifting invigorating and restores even the most lifeless soul.


During these long, hot months in the desert it is difficult to want to eat, let along cook anything. We need to save every single ounce of energy that we have so that the heat doesn't drag us down and reduce us to ashes. Water is our best friend but my secret weapon is coconut water which instantly rejuvenates me and gives me the energy to make it through the entire days obstacles which includes getting the mail while the sun is still out.

You think I'm joking?

Coconut Water + Frozen Berries =  Extreme Heat Blaster

When I'm feeling like I want a sweet treat and need some extra refreshing, I always go for these Strawberry-Coconut smoothies. They take all of 3 minutes to make and are a gazillion times healthier (and tastier IMO) than milk shakes or fast food smoothies. I think it important to note that even the drinks labeled "Real Fruit Smoothies" are not in fact good for you. At all. Period. And that includes popular Juice Joints. Sorry.


I keep a big bag of frozen berries from Costco in my freezer and plenty of coconut water around to make these smoothies throughout the summer months. They taste even better when sitting in the pool oddly enough. :)



This post is linked to

Fresh Food Friday

My Secret Weapon to Beat the Heat. Strawberry-Coconut Smoothies P.S. Dear Monsoon: Please hurry.

Posted by admin

Rain would be a true God send right now here in Phoenix. It always looks like even the cacti are going to give up and die during the endlessly long summer's here. I guess too much of anything can wear on one's nerves. Come July, after most people get tired of mindlessly commenting or joking about the stifling dry heat, all one can do is wipe off the continual beads of sweat rolling down their necks and pray for the monsoon.

Monsoon season is nothing short of a true miracle. Natures wrath at her finest. After months and months without a single drop of rain the sky darkens without notice and beautiful violent rains pour from the wakened sky and hit the hard, cracked desert floor. There is no drier dust than that found in the Arizona desert in July. Just when the cacti start to wilt and the weary desert animals are ready to call it quits, God sends them relief. And He doesn't skimp on the job. 

The smell is my favorite part of the monsoons. It's no ordinary rain. The layers of dust and sand that have accumulated on the streets and in my nose can only be washed away by the heavy rains of August. I wait anxiously starting mid July for the chance to sit outside amidst the sheets of rain and furious winds that wash every trace of dust from the startled desert. It lasts only for a few minutes but is enough to quench the deserts thirst for many more months. It is energizing   refreshing   uplifting invigorating and restores even the most lifeless soul.


During these long, hot months in the desert it is difficult to want to eat, let along cook anything. We need to save every single ounce of energy that we have so that the heat doesn't drag us down and reduce us to ashes. Water is our best friend but my secret weapon is coconut water which instantly rejuvenates me and gives me the energy to make it through the entire days obstacles which includes getting the mail while the sun is still out.

You think I'm joking?

Coconut Water + Frozen Berries =  Extreme Heat Blaster

When I'm feeling like I want a sweet treat and need some extra refreshing, I always go for these Strawberry-Coconut smoothies. They take all of 3 minutes to make and are a gazillion times healthier (and tastier IMO) than milk shakes or fast food smoothies. I think it important to note that even the drinks labeled "Real Fruit Smoothies" are not in fact good for you. At all. Period. And that includes popular Juice Joints. Sorry.


I keep a big bag of frozen berries from Costco in my freezer and plenty of coconut water around to make these smoothies throughout the summer months. They taste even better when sitting in the pool oddly enough. :)



This post is linked to

Fresh Food Friday