This past month has been a really hard one, food-wise, anyway. One of my kids has football practice 2 1/2 hours each night and 5 nights a week for 4 weeks. It plays heck with us every August. And dinner? It just has to be quick and easy and "fit in" to our hectic schedule.
While DH and I do mostly soups and salads for dinner, the kids are a bit more tricky. Many times, my football guy just wants to grab a hot pocket before practice...the perfect amount of food for him and easy to make and eat. Thus far, I have been unsuccessful at making them from scratch, but I will keep trying. During football month, some of the things the kiddos regularly eat are listed below. Not all of them are listed, and not all of them are homemade, but I just have to survive is my August motto, and a little prepackaged food is just going to have to be okay for the kids...at least for now.
August Quick Meals
Fish sticks (SB-store bought)
Mac n cheese (HM-homemade)
rotisserie chicken (SB)
Lo rotisserie chicken quesadillas (HM)
sandwiches, turkey clubs
hamburgers and fries (HM)
hot dogs and pizza pockets (SB)
parfaits and yogurt
carrots, green beans, broccoli
grilled cheese and tom soup
Oatmeal Chicken (HM)
Chicken fried rice-great LO (HM)
salad
eggs and waffles
This week our practices go to only 2 nights a week with a Friday night walk thru...much better for us and our eating. The kids are always glad when football goes to 3 nights a week because in their words, "Mom can finally cook again!"
Monday, August 27, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Almost Tumbleweed's Chimichanga
I love Mexican Food...love it! However, chips and salsa are like a drug to me...once I have them, I don't want to stop eating them. I must have more. And then there is the cheese...the ooey gooey, yummy, ummy melted creamy goodness...oh my! Two great reasons why I avoid Mexican restaurants now that I am eating a lot healthier: addicting chips and salsa and loads of delicious melted cheese.
I used to LOVE a Tex Mex Restaurant in my home town called Tumbleweed. When I was eating on the SAD (Standard American Diet), I thought it was the best.My standard meal was 3 tons (at least) of chips and salsa and a bean and cheese chimichanga (like a deep fried burrito) with enchilada sauce and sour cream. Not that it mattered much, but later, I switched to just a bean and cheese burrito, enchilada style with sour cream. In my mind, it was much healthier than its fried counterpart, the chimi. It wasn't fried so I guess that made it slightly better, but only slightly. At that time in my life, the unfried burrito probably didn't make that much of an impact on my health since I was eating poorly all around. I wasn't plant strong then and hadn't a clue what a processed food was...I'm not sure back then I had even heard the term.
Well, I eat totally differently now. I guess we do gain some wisdom as we grow up. I am now plant strong and off most processed foods. Most of what I eat is either a whole food or something I make from scratch. There are very few processed food exceptions that I'm still working on, but very few. This whole thing is a process though, right?
And, I still miss Mexican Food sometimes ( the ooey, gooey, yummy, ummy, bad for you kind). I have not been to a Mexican Restaurant in 1 1/2 years...my choice. I have still eaten Mexican food, but I have made it myself: like picante beans with brown rice , unfried refried beans with veggie quesadillas, and meatless taco salad. So I made my own version of a Tumbleweed chimichanga that is unfried and much healthier. Now, I need to try to find a recipe for an enchilada sauce that is equally as yummy as the canned kind I usually use because I really think it's the sauce that is reminiscent of my past chimichanga love. But for now, the canned sauce will have to do. Love, Love, Love this recipe!
I used to LOVE a Tex Mex Restaurant in my home town called Tumbleweed. When I was eating on the SAD (Standard American Diet), I thought it was the best.My standard meal was 3 tons (at least) of chips and salsa and a bean and cheese chimichanga (like a deep fried burrito) with enchilada sauce and sour cream. Not that it mattered much, but later, I switched to just a bean and cheese burrito, enchilada style with sour cream. In my mind, it was much healthier than its fried counterpart, the chimi. It wasn't fried so I guess that made it slightly better, but only slightly. At that time in my life, the unfried burrito probably didn't make that much of an impact on my health since I was eating poorly all around. I wasn't plant strong then and hadn't a clue what a processed food was...I'm not sure back then I had even heard the term.
Well, I eat totally differently now. I guess we do gain some wisdom as we grow up. I am now plant strong and off most processed foods. Most of what I eat is either a whole food or something I make from scratch. There are very few processed food exceptions that I'm still working on, but very few. This whole thing is a process though, right?
And, I still miss Mexican Food sometimes ( the ooey, gooey, yummy, ummy, bad for you kind). I have not been to a Mexican Restaurant in 1 1/2 years...my choice. I have still eaten Mexican food, but I have made it myself: like picante beans with brown rice , unfried refried beans with veggie quesadillas, and meatless taco salad. So I made my own version of a Tumbleweed chimichanga that is unfried and much healthier. Now, I need to try to find a recipe for an enchilada sauce that is equally as yummy as the canned kind I usually use because I really think it's the sauce that is reminiscent of my past chimichanga love. But for now, the canned sauce will have to do. Love, Love, Love this recipe!
Almost Tumbleweed's Bean & Cheese Chimichanga
whole wheat flour tortillas (soft taco size)
shredded lettuce
chopped Roma tomatoes
sour cream or vegan alternative
1/4 c Daiya cheese or lite shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c refried beans of choice or my unfried refried bean recipe
nonstick cooking spray
Macayo's Enchilada sauce (red)
Spread 1/4 c beans in the center of a whole wheat tortilla.
Top with 1/4 c lite cheese or Daiya.
Roll up like a burrito and spray the outside with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook in the oven at 350F or on the stove top in a skillet till golden brown.
While the chimi is cooking, warm up some enchilada sauce.
Put the cooked chimi on a plate and top
with 1/8 c warmed enchilada sauce
and a dollop of sour cream if you desire.
Serve with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. Yum!
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