The Happy Life Wife

That's right folks, I'm planning ahead! I'm making a meal plan this week for us in an attempt to actually stick to eating at home for dinner ALL week, so here goes!

Monday -  Beef Stew (yum!) with this current snowy weather (yuck!) will fit perfectly! Some stew beef, red skin potatoes, carrots, celery, pearl onions, and a little secret sauce. I'll actually probably freeze some of these left overs for us, or save it in the fridge for in case I decide to change up the plan this week.

Tuesday - Left overs from our Sunday Sauce. Sunday sauce, an regular in Italian family homes, is several kinds of meat in a home made tomato sauce cooked for a couple hours...yum! Now, I'm not Italian, but my FIL is and he loved it! I made homemade meatballs (healthy version kids!), chicken sausage, beef braciola, and a few pieces of lamb for flavor. All of that cooked in some organic tomatoes, garlic, basil, and onion for a few hours served over whole grain brown rice penne.

Wednesday - Chicken breast with Dijon herb potatoes and small side salad.

Thursday - Mahi Mahi with fresh steamed veggies, simple and fantastic!

Friday or Saturday - Balsamic chicken breast with broccoli over brown rice. The other night will be date night :)

These two loves of my life inspired this most recent venture...to make our own dog food. This all started because Bear has a sensitive tummy to almost every food we buy, except for the bag that is a whopping $50.00 which will last the two of them a whopping two weeks at most (the price we pay for owning two large and in charge dogs). So, it's been recommended that we make our own food, it won't contain the corn gluten that seems to upset Bear's tummy. Also, let's face the fact that our dogs are just plain spoiled and it is a huge pain the you know what trying to get them to eat that $50/bag food. They'll pick, and Bear when he decides to eat will eat both his and her food. So, more often then not we end up putting something like olive oil or an egg on it just so they will eat it at the same time, and even then that isn't always successful. Bear is also has epilepsy, and needs to lose some major lbs (he's up to 135!). His medication makes him even more of a bum than he already is, and gives him the munchies big time. 

So, with all of this we decided to give making food at home a shot! Honestly it was WAY easy, and seems like it is going to be pretty cost effective, in comparison to what we have been shelling out to feed these beasts. 

Made of lean ground turkey, broccoli, cauliflower, brown rice, and raw carrots, raw egg, and will add a calcium supplement to each bowl.

The guideline was one cup of food, for every 30 lbs of dog to maintain weight. The large stock pot was almost full by the time I was done. The recipe was very basic and you can switch out lean proteins and grains (oats, barley, etc.).

I'll keep you informed if we'll keep up with it, and if it's a money saver!

What's for dinner you ask? Oat crusted chicken and pasta with a homemade tomato basil sauce (so yummy and SO easy!). For those of you who don't know, I have a wheat intolerance. Not celiac's (where you can't eat gluten), just the wheat. Part of what I wanted to do this year was eat less wheat. You might ask, "why do you eat wheat, if you are wheat intolerant?" The answer is because it's a big pain, in the you know what, to avoid eating wheat. It's in nearly EVERYTHING. Also, my reactions are different each and every time I eat the stuff. Sometimes I just get a tummy ache, sometimes I break out, and sometimes no reaction at all (if there is VERY little wheat in it, or if I pre-medicate with benadryl). More often then not, I break out all over my face, or am stuck in the bathroom for the remainder of the day after consuming it. Therefore, I've decided to just be better about it! 

This means we eat a lot of gluten free food, because they don't really make just "wheat free" products, and quite honestly the food is all good. I think a lot of people have a misconception of g-free/wheat free food is, I know I did. This dish isn't g-free, but it is wheat free, which = a happy stomach/face for Stephanie! In turn this also means more cooking at home, which is just fine by me! While I love some great take-out, or all the great little restaurants around us, I LOVE cooking. Not to mention, it's so much better for you, wallet friendly, and should help us in the weight battle.

Here's the recipe:

WARNING:

No real measurements, I use guess-timates in my kitchen most often!

1. Two chicken breast, brushed with egg mixture (whisked egg, salt, pepper, and some garlic) then rolled in g-free oats.

2. In a hot pan, put a little EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), and brown the crusted chicken about 7 mins on each side.

While the chicken is browning I have the pasta (brown rice g-free pasta, but any pasta will do) boiling, and the tomato basil sauce starting. Maybe start pre-heating the oven to 350 here.

3. Tomato basil starts with a little EVOO, and garlic put through the garlic press. We love garlic in this house so, its a LOT of garlic. 

4. Add a can of diced tomatoes (crushed or puree will work as well, use whatever strikes your fancy!), a little salt & pepper, a little sugar (helps with the acidity) and bring to a boil.

5. Once at a boil tear some fresh basil and throw it in with the tomato sauce. Add however much you'd like.

Right about this time your pasta should be finishing up, along with your chicken.

6. Drain pasta and place in casserole dish and ladle some of that yummy tomato basil sauce over the pasta.

7. Place chicken over pasta and ladle the rest of that tomato goodness on top, and sprinkle with fresh parm and pine nuts...I threw on some more basil.

8. Throw the dish in the oven for about 15 mins and enjoy!

One thing I like about this chilly weather is the foods that are so great to make and eat in them. While spending my daytime hours off (because I'm working night shift tonight), I made chili. I can almost hear you all saying "yum". 

This chili is a spin off of The Eat Clean Diet chili recipe. Made with all organic products it's doubly yummy, and great for you! It was made with diced tomatoes, white onion, garlic, kidney beans, chili beans mix, tomato juice, and bison. All purchased from our local Wegman's and farmer's market. It's so easy to make, give the ground bison a quick browning and throw the rest of it in the crock-pot for a couple hours, and you're set!

Enjoy! I'm off for a quick walk with the pups and then back to have a bowl of this chili myself!