Easy Eats

Hmm….seems like my mom forgot that we are sharing this blog, doesn’t it? Just kidding – she is fully aware and has some really great things coming up for her blog post….just very busy right now! Be patient, you will get a great post from her soon. In the meantime, I will do a post to hopefully hold you all over until her big return! Glad to hear that some of you are going to go buy the popcorn popper – I love it!

I wanted to post some ideas for EASY eats. I know that many of you are so busy, (who isn’t now a days??) but that should never be an excuse for eating poorly. I have posted some snack ideas in the past and now I will share another tip.

Frozen vegetables! Anyone know what a treasure trove of nutrients these babies are? Fruits and veggies are frozen at the peak of the season – meaning they are frozen when they are at their highest for both flavor and nutrients. Most people believe that fresh produce is the way to go, but sometimes, frozen is just as good of a contender, especially when you’re out of season for a particular item. I do most of my grocery shopping at Walmart (boo!) due to my geographic location right now… and they have Great Value brand frozen veggies. If Walmart has them, I can guarantee that bigger grocer store chains will as well. The veggies are pre-cut which saves a ton of time.

There are also two varieties – the kind used to steam or sauté, or the kind that comes in the microwavable bag. The microwave option is even faster – you don’t even have to dirty a pan to heat up these babies! Just follow the directions on the packaging and voila – chopped, cooked, delicious veggies are waiting for you and your fam. You can season with a sprinkle of salt, and any other seasonings you enjoy – lemon pepper, garlic, cayenne powder…yum! Endless options. If you do choose to go the pan route, that is pretty easy to – no defrosting necessary, just open the bag and pour into the lightly oiled skillet, and get cooking! I seasoned mine with a tiny bit of soy sauce and sesame oil.

They have all sorts of great mixes... below is a shot of it after it's been cooked. I meant to only have a portion for dinner, but it was so yummy I ate just about all of it!

To go with these yummy veggies, I made some chicken. Took chicken breasts and lightly coated with flour that had salt and pepper in it. This just helped to add a nice crispy exterior when it cooked in the oven. It ended up being juicy and delicious!

And here's a shot of the whole meal....veggies, with sliced chicken breast on top, and whole wheat pasta. Here's another tip for you all....use small plates! We eat with our eyes first, so if you see a full plate you trick your mind into thinking you're getting a lot of food. If this same portion was on a larger plate, it wouldn't seem as satisfying.

Wanted to make a product recommendation! The brand is.... Food Should Taste Good. That's a good start, right? I had seen this brand at the store, and then it was featured on an episode of Unwrapped on Food Network, so I decided to try it. I love spicy food so opted for the Jalapeno and Lime flavors.

Here's a shot of ingredients....pretty minimal: stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower oil, jalapeno peppers, corn bran, beet powder, sea salt, crushed red peppers. The lime chip ingredients were almost the same, plus lime juice. Awesome flavor.

Look at all the great things that this product can boast..... Try them out soon and let me know what flavors you recommend!!

Oh, look.....like my mom always says, leftovers are the best! I replicated my dinner - chicken, veggies and pasta! If it was good once, you better believe it will be good twice.

One last idea for you all today... Have any of you tried Tasty Bite? It's awesome! It is a company that produces Indian food that can be ready in a jiffy. The ingredients are pretty simple, all Mary-approved - things that a 3rd grader could pronounce. :) I microwaved for 90 seconds, and then transferred to a bowl and added a few dashes of tabasco. While that was in the microwave, I cut up a pita pocket into several triangle shaped chips, and placed them on a baking sheet. Did a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Broiled at 550 for less than 5 minutes - keep an eye on them, though, they brown quickly! Took these out, transferred to the plate and had a delicious lunch - warm and crispy pita chips dipped in spicy Madras Lentils.

Be patient faithful followers, Mama G will be back sooner than later :) And in the meantime, don't be afraid to get creative in the kitchen! Please keep us posted on any new things that you try!

Mary