Stuff Your Own Pita!

If your kids are anything like mine, they love any meal they get to "prepare" themselves--like tacos or sandwiches.

Stuff Your Own Pitas works because you mix it all up, put it on the table and kids get to fill their own pita pockets.  For even more fun, don't mix it up, but it out on the table and let them pick and choose what to stuff their pita with!  This may be a way to get picky eaters to try new things.

Ingredients:

(feel free to tweak this to your family's taste)

artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
capers
kalamata olives (or any olives you like)
feta
chopped tomatoes
chopped roasted red peppers
chick peas (I use dried and soak them overnight, but you can use canned)
fresh parsley
lemon juice
olive oil

Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Tart

Ingredients:

8-9 cherry or cocktail tomatoes (on the vine is great, but not necessary)
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 tbsp butter softened and cut in chunks
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. ice water
7 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
3 oz. goat cheese
salt
pepper

Prep:

1.  Heat oven to 400.  Place tomatoes in small roasting pan or crock, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic, 1 tsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Place in oven and roast for 25 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, in food processor, mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, 4 tbsp. butter, 1/2 tsp. salt on pulse until well blended.  Add ice water to form a nice dough.  DO NOT FORM A BALL.

3.  Take a piece of plastic wrap.  Place dough in center and flatten into a 4 inch disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

4.  Take dough out, unwrap.  Place two piece of cling wrap on top one going left to right and the other up and down.  Roll dough out to fit in your tart pan.  You can flip the whole thing over and roll it on either side to get it nice and even.

5.  Remove wrap from one side.  Place dough side down in your tart pan.  Carefully peel off the wrap from the other side.  If you have trouble, stick the pan with the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes and it should remove easily.

6.  Once the tomatoes are out of oven, cook the crust for 15 minutes.  Use pie weights or beans to keep it from puffing.

7.  Mix 7 eggs with the half cup of sour cream and half cup of milk.  Add a pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste.

8.  When crust has cooked for fifteen minutes, arrange roasted tomatoes on top of crust in tart pan.  Pour the egg mixture over and dot with goat cheese.

9.  Bake at 325 for a half hour or until egg is set.

10.  Enjoy!

I usually serve this with a big tossed salad.

Coconut Red Lentil Dahl over Rice (30 Minute Meal)

My kids love this because of the sweetness of the coconut milk.  It's a hearty vegan comfort dish that is easy to eat, feels good and warm going down and tastes amazing.

Ingredients:

1lb. red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp. butter
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small green chili, seeded and finely chopped 
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 can coconut milk
4 cups cooked basmati rice

Preparation:

Rinse lentils, check for stones.  Place lentils in large stock pot or Dutch oven, pour stock over lentils.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until lentils are tender--

Heat butter in a skillet, add chopped onion and sautee until transparent.  Add garlic, chili, cumin and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir this mixture into the cooked lentils and add the chopped tomato and coconut milk and heat through.  

Serve over basmati rice.

10 Unexpected Benefits to Homeschooling

1.  I am closer with my girls.  When we decided to homeschool, people claimed my girls would hate and resent me.  Being together so much would be difficult and our relationship would suffer.  NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.  My girls and I are tight.  We are all each other's best friend and confidante.  I know their crushes and their dreams, we spend hours talking and giggling and laughing.  I know their pet peeves and the things that make them laugh.  We would not have nearly as much time for this if they were in school.

2.  My girls are closer with each other.  My girls have always been very close.  Their personalities compliment each other well.  They have several days a week where they don't see other kids, it's just how it works out, but it's not a big deal because their best friend is there.  They tell each other EVERYTHING.  They enjoy each other.  They make each other laugh incessantly and are there when the other one is upset.  They support each other and encourage each other.  If they were in school, they would not spend as much time together and there would be other friends that might take the place of their sister; the saying goes: you will have a lot of friends, but only so many siblings!

3.  We are not influenced by trends or peers.  My girls don't care what everyone else is doing, what everyone else has or wears or wants or whatever.  They care about what they like.  Comfortable clothes or funky clothes, art supplies and time to be creative, good books and small pets.  When we first told the girls we were going to homeschool, Allie stopped asking for an iphone and started asking for a guinea pig--and Jason and I thought, she has her whole life to have a cell phone, but when will she ever want a guinea pig again?

4.  My daughter can spend whole days in her art studio. There is no limit to her creativity.  I believe creativity can not be confined or bound in a box, it needs lots of time and open-ness.  Allie will literally spend whole days in her art studio and forget to eat!  She will come out covered in paint, fingers stained with ink, glitter in her hair and a look of total contentment on her face.  She would not have the opportunity to spend as many hours in her art studio if she were in school, and she may be more inclined to think within the parameters of an art teacher or program instead of seeing art as wide open!

5.  We have the coolest friends.  I love our group of eclectic, hippie, fun, back-to-nature friends.  Not everyone does the organic thing and that's ok.  Not everyone is creative and that is cool, too.  But we all have something to offer and none of us follow trends.  None of our homes are ever perfect, but we will give you a glass if you prefer one ;-)

6.  The world literally feels split wide open.  The world is our classroom.  There is nothing we can't explore, nowhere we can't go, nothing we can't learn about.  It is all open and at the ready for us and I am giving my girls the tools to figure out how to delve into anything they want!

7.  My girls read so much more.  When my girls were in school they read because they had to log in hours.  There was a lot of talk about reading levels.  As soon as we brought the girls home to learn, I let them pick whatever they wanted to read and told them they could stay up as late as they wanted reading (which was a mistake!).  Allie reads 2 books a week, on average; but sometimes she reads a book a day.  Piper reads a book a week.

8.  My girls both have part-time jobs.  Piper walks our neighbor's dog while the kids are in school and the parents are at work.  Allie works as a mother's helper one day when I am at work.  They do these jobs when other kids are in school.  These jobs have provided a means to teach about money management: both girls are required to put HALF their earnings in their savings accounts.  They can spend the rest.  Often, they ask me to buy something and I say, "How much money do you have?"  They reply with an amount and I will say they can afford it OR I will pay the difference...nine times out of ten they don't want to spend their money on whatever it was they wanted me to buy, so why would I want to spend my money on it?

9.  My daughter was able to launch a youtube channel!  A few months ago, Piper launched a Youtube channel with 6 other homeschoolers.  Piper maintains the site, takes care of all correspondence and administrative duties with the site.

10.  My girls have stayed younger longer.  My girls still play.  They are not influenced by what is cool.  They still cuddle with me.  They still play.  They are still silly.

Ten Things About Me You Should Know

1.  I have two girls, ages 11 & 13.  They are creative and they both to love read.  My youngest came up with the idea of having a youtube channel for homeschoolers, she does all of the planning and administrative work for the channel.  You can check that out here: 7 Cool Homeschoolers.

2. My husband and kids are my life.  All I ever wanted to be was a mom and a wife!

3.  We are relaxed, interest-led eclectic homeschoolers.  We use a variety of methods depending on what we are learning.  As my girls are getting older and more independent and I see them pursuing their own interests, I am more and more interested in letting them lead and take responsibility for their learning/education.

4.  I am a librarian.  I was a teacher before I had kids.  I dream of opening a day care/learning center when my stint as a homeschool mom is over.

5.  I am a complete homebody and I love books.  I thought the hurricane that left us without power for 8 days was fun because I didn't have to leave my house and there was no computers and internet and other things to distract me from reading!

6. I live a half hour from Manhattan on the Jersey side.  I love Bruce and the beach.  Around here, James Gandolfini's death a few weeks ago was like losing a family member, one of our own.  I love where I live and the sense of community and family.

7.  I love yoga.  I try to practice every day.  I feel so much better when I do.

8.  I don't eat meat.

9.  I pride myself on being very open minded and trying to see all points of view on something and doing MY OWN research before deciding how I feel about any given issue.  I am an issue girl when it comes to politics.  I no longer identify with either party.

10.  I am a deeply spiritual person, I found my faith grow most when I embraced all religions and all faiths: Protestant, Catholic, Buddhism, Muslim, Hindu....we all worship the same God and I think there is something to learn from all of it.

Linking with:

Ten MEATLESS Meals My Family LOVES!

I have an eating disorder so eating healthy is a big priority for me.  I have always encouraged my family to make good choices when it comes to food.  We don't ALWAYS eat organic, but we try to as much as possible and we try to eat healthy and well.

I buy a variety of snacks depending on what appeals to me or my family in the store or what is on sale.  But, we always have plain Greek yogurt, lots of fruit, pretzels and non-GMO popcorn kernels available for popping.

I wish I was better about preparing breakfast, but I'm not and it tends to be cold cereal unless Allie makes herself oatmeal or scrambled eggs.

Lunches in our house tend to be salad for me and leftovers of dinner, oatmeal with lots of fruit, smoothies (green & fruit), cheese and crackers or good old p,b &j for the girls.

Dinner is where we try to rock it!  I don't eat meat and for a while neither did my youngest, but now both of my girls and my husband all do eat meat.  It's not as much of a challenge as you would think.

Here are our top 10 MEATLESS Favorite Family Dinners!

1. Lentil Salad with grapes - I've caught my girls coming in for a midnight snack on this one!

2.  Shrimp and Grits - Comfort food at it's finest.  I have made it with and without bacon (I won't use fake bacon--too many preservatives!)

3.  Red Lentil Coconut Curry (I make with Jasmine or Basmati rice) - we all love it!

4.  Tacos - I usually make black beans for myself and steak or chicken for Jason & the girls and we all share the tomatoes, cheese, rice, guac, etc.

5.  Vegetable Curry with Tofu - my oldest asks for this meal every single week!

6.  Summer Veggie Rice Bowls - my husband claims this is his favorite meal of ALL TIME!

7.  Irish Nachos - HOLY YUM FUN!  I have been known to put bacon on half for the fam!

8.  Vegetarian Chili - My husband, who fancies himself a chili connoisseur, says this is amazing chili!

9.  Lemony Lentils with Kale - Ok, this is a fave of mine, but my family eats it with relish!

10.  Hoppin' John  - My kids BEG for this!  No joke.  I have been known to use real bacon in it, but don't tell the vegetarian police.

Of course, pizza, mac & cheese, veggie burgers (when the fam eats all beef burgers), breakfast for dinner, veggie quiches, omelets, & fritattas and gourmet grilled cheese (with goat cheese & figs or brie and chutney) are always a hit as well!

If you are looking for more meatless family meals, please check out my Pinterest boards!

Tacos, Stuffed Poblanos and Skinny Margaritas

My husband grew up in Southern California.  His family ate a lot of Mexican food and it is one of his favorite things.  So, I learned how to cook Mexican food!

Tacos have always been a staple in our house, but now that I don't eat meat they are really a perfect meal since everyone assembles their own the way they want them.

Other than tortillas and meat or beans, there is really nothing you NEED to have.  it's all a matter of preference or what you happen to have on hand.

Tacos

Typically, we use:

tortillas (we prefer soft, but sometimes we do hard shell, it's all up to you)

meat (ground beef, sliced steak, chicken strips, slow simmered pork, fish sticks, shrimp)

beans (carnivores eat them too, but they are a staple for vegetarians!)

tomatoes

cheese

lettuce

black olives

salsa or pico de gallo (or both)

onions

Spanish rice

corn

hot peppers or jalapenos

guacamole

How I prepare the meat:

If I am using ground beef, I just brown it and add some chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic.  Sometimes I will brown an onion in there, too.  Sometimes I throw a tablespoon or two of tomato sauce in.

If I am using chicken or steak, I cut it in strips first.  If I am really organized, I marinate the meat in lime juice, hot peppers, garlic, cumin, and chili powder.  If I am not organized,  I sautee it with some garlic and add some cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, etc.  I pretty much do shrimp the same way.  Fish I bread first and add some cumin and chili powder to the breading (but you can skip the breading and just quick fry it with cumin, lime and chili powder.)  If we are using skirt steak, I marinate it in roasted garlic salsa overnight and then (Jason) grills it directly on the coals.

The girls help shred cheese, chop tomatoes and lettuce, etc.

We just lay it out and everyone helps themselves!

Stuffed Poblanos (Chiles Rellenos)

We don't always eat these with tacos, but sometimes we do.

Ingredients:

Poblano peppers (or bell peppers if you prefer)

1/2 lb (or 1 can) red kidney beans (if using dry, soak them until soft)

3/4 cup salsa (jarred or homemade)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or jack

1/2 cup raisins

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix the beans, salsa, cheese and raisins together and add spices.  Cut the tops off the peppers and stuff them.  Either cook on a grill or roast in the oven.

Skinny Margaritas - single serving

I admit it, I LOVE Crystal Light.  I seldom drink it, but I do love it.  A few years ago, one of my Bunco friends introduced me to Skinny Margaritas.

1 Crystal Light on the go single serving lemonade packet
lime juice
water
Triple Sec
tequila
rim salt (optional)

Mix the Crystal Light and water (I usually add slightly less than what the packet calls for).  Add a shot of tequila, half a shot of Triple Sec and 2 tbsp. lime juice.  Mix it up and enjoy over ice!

Ten Things You Will Always Find in My Fridge

1.  Fruit & Vegetables - I have a drawer full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

2.  Organic Spring Mix or Artisan Lettuce - I eat salad almost every day for lunch and there is always a huge Costco tub of lettuce in my fridge!

3.  Spa Water - I have been trying to drink more water.  I keep a big pitcher in the fridge with lemons and limes and cucumbers in it to keep me inspired to drink it!  It works!

4.  Cheese - I love cheese.  Cheese is my weakness.  Cheese makes me weak in the knees.  You will usually find several varieties of cheese in my fridge, ALWAYS, always a block of Parmesan, usually goat and feta and Monterey Jack and quite often some other cheese that whispered my name as I walked by it at the grocery store.

5.  Milk - My friends say my fridge looks like a dairy case.  I buy organic 1% milk at Costco for the girls, Skim milk for me and Half n Half for Jason's coffee.

6. Organic, free range eggs - My youngest daughter and I don't eat meat, so we get protein from other sources, like eggs.  Quite often there is a bowl of hard boiled eggs in there, great quick little snack especially around 3pm when you feel sluggish--protein works better than caffeine or energy drinks!

7. Nuts - Since Piper and I don't eat meat nuts are another source of protein for us.  I buy almonds and hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios in bulk.  We keep them in the fridge because it's the oils in nuts can go rancid quickly.

8.  Acidophilus - We usually have yogurt, but if I have not been to the store in a while we may not...even so, when we get bellyaches, we always reach for the Acidophilus.

9.  Whole Grain Bread - I keep bread in the fridge because it seems to get moldy fast if I don't.  My mom always kept bread in the freezer, but sometimes it gets freezer-burned, so we keep it in the fridge.

10.  The weirdest thing in my fridge is lipstick!Yes, you read that right, I have lipstick in my fridge.  It is the lipstick I wore on my wedding day almost 17 years ago, it has survived 5 moves in two states and it is in my fridge. Yes, I can still buy the color but for some odd reason that tube is really special to me.  I don't know if it really makes a difference or not, but I feel keeping it in the fridge helps preserve it.

My 10 Favorite Online Yoga Classes

I love yoga.  Yoga is something that I want to shout from the rooftops about.  When I first started doing it, I felt like I had uncovered the key to the universe and happiness and all that is good and right with the world.  Seriously.  I am calmer, more focused, saner, I breathe deeper, I feel better, I am more grateful, I am more in tune with my body and the world...I could go on and on...when I do yoga.

Originally I practiced at a yoga studio and that was awesome.  But, now with the girls and their friends and our busy schedules I just can't commit to ONE MORE THING.  I can't get in my car and drive somewhere, do something, drive home...for ONE MORE THING.  There is just not enough time in the day.  So, I often do yoga at home when I have a spare half hour or hour...it could be 6am or 8:42 pm, there is an online yoga class available when I am.

Here are some of my favorites:

1.  I have scoliosis, so sometimes I experience back pain.  When I do, this is one of the routines that ease the pain :)  I find something about Neesha's voice so soothing and comforting and I love how she reminds you to connect to the earth and be grateful.


2.  I love this class because it feels like I am in a yoga studio and it's a great workout.


3.  Part of yoga for me, is maintaining inner peace and a spiritual connectedness and this routine helps me do both.  If I am a little grouchy or crabby or just feeling emotional, this is the routine I do.


4.  If I only have 20 minutes, but I want to challenge myself and get some good core work...this is the one!


5.  I love the three minute kriyas of Kundalini.  I LOVE Breath of Fire.  I love how Sarah Kline talks about how an exercise improves your thyroid or some other gland, that keeps me going when I want to give up.  I want to strengthen my adrenals.  I want to do things now so that when I get old, I am still in good shape.


6.  Kundalini is all about awakening chakras and creativity.  If I am feeling uninspired and I only have 20 minutes, I do this routine.


7.  Kripalu is amazing.  If you like yoga, you should really try to get there at some point in your life.  Kripalu yoga tends to be very gentle with a lot of stress on doing what is right for YOUR BODY.  At Kriplau you really learn to listen to your body and what your unique body needs.  This workout, in my opinion, is more restorative than difficult or a real toning workout.  But, when I need to pamper myself...this would be the one I would choose.

8.  Turning 40 has been rough...I can't keep weight off as easily.  I love this workout.  It's quick and effective and Adriene is funny and keeps me motivated.  I wish she would come out with more routines.  Adriene?  Are you out there?  Are you reading this?  I love the poses, but I would really like more full routines!

9.  When my scoliosis is REALLY bad, I do this routine.  It. Is. Amazing.  Yin yoga is all about holding a stretch for several minutes.  It does wonders for my back.

10.  My back (because of scoliosis) and my belly (because I am over 40) tend to be the two areas I focus.  If I only have a half hour and my back is in pain, I do this routine.

Ten Things That Make My Day

I have been really enjoying reading these lists, so I decided to join in the fun!

The Top Ten Things That Make My Day are:

1.  Being intentional with my time - It is SO easy for me to get lost in "the bliss of the computer" as someone I know called it.  I can just go from site to site to site and check facebook and Twitter and blogs and blah,blah, blah all day long and let laundry pile up and my kids scrounge for food and my house go un-cleaned.  But I don't feel good when I do that.  I need to be intentional with my time.  For me, that often means making a list of everything that I want to accomplish and checking things off--something about those checks makes me happy, too!

2.  Yoga - The Big 4-0 has not been kind, people.  I am eating the same as ever, but gaining weight like never before.  I have an eating disorder, so this is all pretty concerning for me.  I am not supposed to diet, but a few weeks ago I did...and it was just a really bad downward spiral.  Anyway, after a loooong talk with my awesome husband, I got back on track and after weeks of trying to do more intense exercise, I realized why I LOVE Yoga.  It works my core and it helps me feel grounded, at peace, happy, centered, good about myself...unlike some other forms of exercise.

3.  A Big Bowl of Air-popped Corn and a Good Book - Yes, I have an eating disorder, my only two safe snacks are air-popped corn and grapefruit.  I love popping a bowl of corn and getting into bed with a good book.  It's my absolute favorite thing in the whole wide world to do!  Fortunately, I get to do it a couple times a week thanks to my hard-working hubby!

4.  Breathing - I know that may sound silly, but when I get upset or stressed, I just take a few deep breaths through my nose and think how awesome it is that I can do that, that I can breathe and that calms me down.  Also, just the feeling of deep breathing makes me feel good.

5.  Hanging on the Deck with my Husband - Several nights a week and most weekends, my husband and I just hang out on the deck together.  Sometimes we read.  Sometimes we talk.  Sometimes we listen to music.  Sometimes friends join us.  Sometimes we grill stuff.  Sometimes we drink beer or tropical drinks or vodka and cranberry juice or gin and tonics.  Sometimes we drink green smoothies.  But it is ALWAYS a time of relaxation, rejuvenation and bonding.  We don't really do regular date nights, but hanging out on the deck is a lot like a date--we usually send the kids away and focus on each other.

6.  Talking with my Girls - When ever I see someone with a baby, I always tell them it just gets better and better.  I remember when my girls were babies, I kept thinking, "It can't get better than this!"  And while I would love to go back to their baby days sometimes, I also really like the young ladies they are becoming.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to just sit and chat with them.  Individually works better, otherwise they start bickering--sigh!  Almost every night, when I go to say good night to them, we sit and chat for a while, about the world, life, they ask me questions, we talk about their dreams, what they think of things, the world, what is going on in the world, my dreams for them....

7.  Watching TV with my Girls - I am really not a TV person, but my girls have gotten me into a few shows and it is our "thing".  Jason - crazy man - prefers to get up at 4am (he could get up at 6, but he likes to be up SUPER early) to do yoga, read, play guitar when the house is quiet and the kids and I are not bothering him (he likes to focus on US after work).  So, this means he is sound asleep at about 8 or 9pm and the girls and I watch our shows Switched at Birth or Life Unexpected.  They are honestly pretty mindless, but by that time of night, that is about all I can handle and sharing them gives the girls and I a point of referencer for other discussions.

8.  Silence - There was a time in my life when I ALWAYS had music on.  Then I had kids.  Now, when I can have silence, I breathe in and expand in that silence.

9.  My friends - I have been blessed with several friends, some of whom are lifelong, one of whom is my mom, some of whom I just recently met through homeschooling, with whom I can share my heart.  We can talk about our lives , our concerns and anxieties and troubles and we can wrap warm arms around each other and just be there for one another.  So, so important to me.

10.  Blogs - We said "YES" to everything for a while in late winter-early spring this year and it really took its toll on me in many ways.  I need down time.  I need free time.  I need time to not be looking at the clock.  I need to not feel rushed.  And, once I found time to read blogs again, I realized that I need TIME TO READ BLOGS.  You all help keep me centered and focused and your provide great inspiration and I need that.  I am thankful for all of your wisdom and advice and support.  My favorite blogs are ones where people just share their lives, what they are doing, just regular people living lives, sharing what they learn, what inspires them.  Love it.  Need it.

Lentil Hash

Over the summer, Piper and I decided that we wanted to eat less meat.  Over the last couple of months, Jason has been commenting about how much better he feels when we eat less meat.

This is one of our new favorite recipes!

Lentil Hash

Ingredients

1 lb. dry lentils

6 potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes

1 red pepper, chopped

1 onion chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

4 tbsp olive oil

salt

pepper

baby spinach (optional)

Instructions

Soak lentils in a pot with about 8 cups of water with a few pinches of salt.  If they are still not ready when you want to start cooking, bring the pot to a boil.  Lentils are tiny and they soften fairly quickly.

Put potatoes in a pot with water to cover them and bring to a boil.  You don't want them to be mush, a little firmness is ok, but get them a little softened.  How is that for directions?  

Heat oil in pan, add onions and potatoes and sautee over medium heat for about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add lentils, salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to cook together for a few minutes.

If you want, while the pan is still over the heat, add some baby spinach leaves and allow to wilt.

Enjoy!!

Raising a Vegetarian

Jason and I were both raised in homes where we were expected to eat everything our moms made for dinner and be thankful for having food to eat.  We have raised our girls the same way.  We have always been proud of the fact that our girls were not fussy eaters and would eat almost anything--they do draw the line at spicy things, which we understand.

So, why did we allow our ten year old to decide to be a vegetarian?

Since Piper was very small she would chew meat and chew it and chew it and chew it, until it turned into dry pulp and then she would be unable to swallow it.  She never liked meat.  We knew that.  Also, I was a vegetarian for many years before we had kids, concern about protein during pregnancy and while I was breastfeeding convinced me to eat some meat.  Then, our decision to have our family all eat the same dinner together every night had me eating meat--how hypocritical would it have been for me to not eat meat but expect my growing girls to eat it?  This summer, when my family realized that I never order meat in restaurants and I decided it was time to eat a more meat-free diet, Piper stated that she no longer wanted to eat meat.

Of course we were concerned about her getting adequate protein.  I sat down with her and explained the importance of protein and we came up with a plan: Piper would give up cereal for breakfast and eat scrambled eggs or toast with peanut butter or french toast for breakfast every morning with a glass of milk.  She understood that she needed about 40-50 grams of protein every day.  She is a huge fan of yogurt and cheese and while she won't put beans as her top five favorite foods, she will eat them.

Jason and Allie are not vegetarians, so how do we manage that?

We still eat dinner as a family together every night and we still all eat the same thing for dinner.  How do we do this?

• If Jason and Allie are having a regular old fashioned dinner of meat, potatoes and vegetable, the potatoes I choose to make are baked potatoes and Piper and I stuff ours with protein-rich vegetarian chili (I freeze containers of it), cheese, jalapenos, olives, and tomatoes and we eat the side of vegetables.
• Tacos and burritos are a favorite around here, and it's very easy for Piper and I to stuff ours with black beans while Jason and Allie stuff theirs with beef or chicken.
• If I am making soups, I substitute vegetable broth for chicken or beef and often find vegetable and bean soups that we can all agree on.  
• Allie loves Chicken Posole and although I thought the vegetarian posole I made was just as good--I have made posole and not added chicken, just put grilled chicken on a dish on the side so Jason and Allie could add it as a topping.    
• Stir fry is another favorite around here, I have started cooking the meat in a separate pan while I cook the vegetables in the wok and then scrambling eggs or browning tofu in the wok.  Piper and I put the vegetables and eggs or tofu over our rice, while Jason and Allie eat the meat with their stir fried veggies and rice.  
• I buy a rotisserie chicken every week.  If I make lentil salad or Greek salad for dinner, Jason and Allie can gave a few slices of chicken with their salad.
• Pasta is another easy dish to make vegetarian.  
• There are, of course, many nights where I just cook vegetarian dishes that we can all agree on.

Some of our family's favorite vegetarian recipes:

Vegetarian Chili--you will not miss the meat!

Irish Nachos--a HUGE hit!  A combo between potato skins & nachos, sometimes I put bacon on half for Allie & Jason.  A fun dinner, we top them with beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, cheddar.  

Vegetable Curry - I serve this with jasmine rice; I usually cut tofu and sear it on each side, remove from pan, follow the recipe and throw the tofu back in at the end

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos

White Bean & Kale Soup with Potatoes

California omelet--eggs, chopped avocado and chopped tomatoes

I have found that it just takes some creativity to have a family that sits down to {almost} the same meal every night, but it is not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be for half our family to not eat meat.

Vegetarian Chili

Over the summer, Piper and I decided to eat a mostly meatless diet.  Jason and Allie still want to eat meat.  It's been a fun challenge to find things we can all eat.

Chili is a winter staple around here.  I used to make it with ground beef and beans, lots of chili powder, beef broth and tomatoes.  Until I found this vegetarian recipe that my family has actually said they like better than the meat variety!  

One single batch of this feeds our family of four for more than 3 meals each.  I usually freeze some in small batches for Piper and I to eat on nights when Jason and Allie eat meat.  It's a lot of prep, but it goes a long way.

Ingredients

• 1pound (2 1/2 cups) dried beans (I have used black beans, red kidney and pinto all with good results)
• 2dried ancho chiles or 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped coarse
• 4teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2cup walnuts, toasted
• 1(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
• 3tablespoons tomato paste
• 6garlic cloves, minced
• 3tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4cup vegetable oil
• 2pounds onions, chopped fine
• 1tablespoon ground cumin
• 7cups water
• 2/3cup medium-grind bulgur
• 1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Toppings: cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, avocado, chopped tomatoes, fresh or pickled jalapenos, black olives

1. Instructions

1. 1. Bring 4 quarts water, 3 tablespoons salt, and beans to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and rinse well. Wipe out pot.
2. 2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange anchos on rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and puffed, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool, about 5 minutes. Stem and seed chiles. Grind toasted chiles, mushrooms, and oregano in spice grinder or food processor until finely ground.  Remove from food processor to a bowl.
3. 3. Process walnuts in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a different bowl. Process drained tomatoes, tomato paste, jalapeño(s), garlic, and soy sauce in food processor until tomatoes are finely chopped, about 45 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
4. 4. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add ground chile mixture and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rinsed beans and water and bring to boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook for 45 minutes.
5. 5. Remove pot from oven. Stir in bulgur, ground walnuts, tomato mixture, and reserved tomato juice. Cover pot and return to oven. Cook until beans are fully tender, about 2 hours.
6. 6. Remove pot from oven, stir chili well, and let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve. (Chili can be made up to 3 days in advance.)

Make Breakfast Like an Italian Grandmother

When Jason was home for six weeks, he baked a lot of bread.

We got to indulge in a very simple, old-world, peasant breakfast that my Naunie used to make.

(Nonna is traditional Italian for Grandma, but somehow we deviated and I called my grandmother Naunie).

First, take a heel of Italian or french bread and leave it out overnight so it gets hard.

Now, slice it up.

 Cut it into chunks.

Add a teaspoon of sugar.

I know, I know...we don't eat sugar anymore.

But Italian grandmothers do, they will tell you, "Bah, there is nothing wrong with sugar, you young people!"  So, add the damn sugar.

Then pour in some milk.

Now, me, I like the milk warmed up.

But Jason and the girls prefer it cold.

Take your pick.

And feel free to use good old-fashioned WHOLE milk...that is what my Naunie would do...

Now let the bread soak up the milk a little.

Check some e-mail or do the dishes or something.

When the bread has soaked up the milk...Enjoy this old-world "peasant" breakfast.

Nothing like it.

!Avere una buona giornata!

White Bean and Kale Soup with Potatoes

Piper and I have made a commitment to going meatless.  One of our new favorite recipes is this soup, which we created by combining and omitting things from several recipes.

Ingredients:

1 lb bag dried cannellini beans, rinsed and soaked
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 large onion diced
3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
12 cups vegetable broth
shaved parmesan cheese (and a parmesan rind if you have one)

1.  Boil potatoes until somewhat tender.  Not mushy, but cooked.  Drain, rinse with cold water.

2.  Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or soup pot.  Add drained potatoes and saute until they start to brown.  Add diced onion.  Once onion is opaque, add crushed garlic.  Once garlic becomes fragrant (about 30 seconds) add 12 cups vegetable broth, rosemary and parmesan rind if you have one (if not, don't worry; it's just something to make use of one if you have one).  Bring to a simmer.

3.  Once simmering, add kale.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, til kale is tender.

4.  Serve with crusty bread and grated parmesan cheese.

5.  Enjoy.

Mystery Bars

This afternoon we made our first batch of Mystery Bars and I posted some photos on Instagram.  For all of you who asked....here is the recipe...

This is my biggest weakness, I can easily eat a batch in an afternoon family's favorite cookie!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
40 saltines
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios or peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Boil butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes.  Arrange 40 crackers (not overlapping) on a cookie sheet.  Spread butter and sugar over crackers.  don't worry if it doesn't cover all crackers. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  Take out of oven and immediately top with chips.  Wait for chips to melt, spread them out.  Refrigerate.

NOW THIS IS THE HARD PART.  Wait for it to get hard.  About 2 hours.  Then break them up or cut them.  We break them.  We like the imperfect jagged edges.  We usually end up eating the first batch within a day!

Lentil Salad, Melon Salad & Veggie Rice Bowls

I was a vegetarian for years before I had the girls.  When I was pregnant, it was impossible for me to get enough protein because I don't eat eggs, couldn't eat fish or enough beans, so I ate small amounts of meat.  

Jason preferred a diet centered around meat.  When I was a vegetarian it was hard for me to touch or prepare raw meat, so once I started eating meat during my pregnancy, I kept eating it so that I wouldn't mind preparing it for Jason.  Jason felt it was important that we eat the same things as a family for dinner and so I continued to eat meat, although to be honest I never crave meat or really enjoy eating it (with the exception of seared tuna).  

This summer, Jason has made a commitment to running.  He is training for his first 15k and setting his sights on one day running the New York City Marathon (Tough Mudder is also on his Bucket List).  He is also seriously considering becoming certified to teach yoga.  With this commitment to health, has come an interest in eating better and an open-ness to more of a vegetable and grain centered diet--the diet that I favor!

Here are three of our favorite recipes that we have been eating and enjoying lately:

Lentil Salad with Grapes

I love lentils, although love may not be passionate enough for how I feel about these earthy, savory, slightly spicy legumes.  I crave them.  I have been making this awesome salad once a week for dinner and eating leftovers for lunch:

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 pound lentils 

1 cup halved, seeded green grapes

1 cup halved, seeded red grapes

1 cucumber, halved and sliced

1 red pepper, seeded diced

1/2 cup almonds toasted and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  
• Directions:
• 
  
• For the Salad:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes. Place lentils and remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
• 
  
• For the Dressing:
• Place the lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly, until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well.

Vegetable Rice Bowls

I have also made these Summer Rice Bowls, which Jason has requested that I make again, saying they were "very balanced" and he felt good after eating it :)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature 
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil 
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1/2 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions:

1. 1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss until well blended. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add zucchini; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to rice mixture; toss. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese.
2. 
   
3. Melon Salad
4. with Mint & Prosciutto

Perhaps, my favorite thing, which I have only made once but am planning to definitely make again is Melon Salad with Prosciutto (yes, meat, I know; I am not committing to be a total vegetarian because the salty prosciutto with the mint and sweet watermelon in this salad is to die for!)  I am planning to make this for my uncle soon!

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced seedless watermelon

2 cups sliced seeded honeydew

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

2 ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

4 cups arugula

1/2 oz. shaved Romano cheese

hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Combine first 6 ingredients; sprinkle with salt.  Whisk together juice, olive oil and honey.  Drizzle over melon mixture.  Arrange arugula on plates, top with melon mixture, sprinkle with hot pepper flakes and Romano cheese.

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