New Year, New Family

I admit that the title of this blog entry is a bit misleading. No, I'm not trading out my family for a new one in 2011, but, like most people, hubby and I are starting the new year with a few resolutions that are designed to improve our life and health in the coming months. 


Our first resolution is to further our past efforts to eat more home cooked meals (even if they're packed to go). The more I read and learn about the typical American diet and our food supply, the more I find myself heading to my kitchen with organic veggies and other supplies in tow. A secondary goal is to increase our veggies and reduce our focus on meat as the cornerstone of many of our meals. Hubby has asked that I make more fish dishes. Combined, this should further improve our efforts.


Our second resolution is related to the first, save more "dough"-rae-me! For us this means foregoing the $5-8 daily lunches from the work cafeteria in lieu of bringing our lunch. If successful, this will translate to a significant savings per week and a couple hundred dollars or more per month - now that's a lotta dough!


Since winter started with an extensive cold/snow spell this year, I've been thinking comfort foods. I don't mind salad in the warmer weather, but this time of the year I prefer my veggies in a soup bowl or casserole of some sort. 


My plan for week 1 lunch is to go back to a favorite recipe from Zonya Foco's series - oven baked lentil and rice. I know it sounds like a recipe that should be adorn with peace signs and tye-dye, but it's a fast and tasty recipe with a big load of nutrition and I happen to have all of the ingredients on hand. I alter her straightforward recipe by add extra veggies. I've also found that a bit of butter in this recipe significantly improves on an already tasty dish. In fact, in the future I may just give up the cheese topping in lieu of a bit of butter in my lentils.


As for week 1 dinner, I think I'll make some version of the original WW zero points garden vegetable soup and beef it up (no pun intended) with a can of Garbanzo beans and some multi-grain no-yolk noodles to round it out with a bit of protein. As the new WW plus program has nearly all fruits and veggies as zero point items, this should make my additions to the soup easy to manage from a points perspective and ensure it's filling and that our toddler will enjoy it as well - she loves Garbanzo beans and, well, what toddler doesn't love noodles?


Finally, I received a copy of the Martha Stewart cookie cookbook for Christmas from my beautiful SIL Erica. We've already used it three times with terrific results. Most recently, I made Martha's applesauce oatmeal cookies. With a few alterations to make them a bit more healthful (reduced the sugar, used whole wheat pastry flour, etc.) and they were still delish! 


My take on all three recipes is below. Let me know if you try any of them. As always, feel free to add your own spin and share your ideas. I've included links to the original recipes should you want to refer to those or make them in their original form. 


Martha Stewart's Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
Zonya Foco's baked lentils and rice
WW garden vegetable soup




Reworked Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

• 4 tbsp organic unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tbsp whites only egg whites
• 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp warm water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of a stand mixer add melted butter and sugars. Beat with paddle attachment 2 minutes. Add egg substitute, applesauce and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined, approximately 2 minutes.


In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds and cinnamon. Mix with clean hands to distribute oats, soda, baking powder, chia seeds and cinnamon evenly throughout. 


Add oat and flour mixture to the bowl of the mixer. Turn mixer on low speed and allow to process until flour is absorbed and batter forms. Add raisins and cranberries, mix on medium speed just long enough to distribute fruit throughout the batter.


Using a cookie scoop and cookie trays lined with baking tray liners, scoop cookies 2" apart on baking sheet. You will get approximately 10 cookies per tray. Bake each tray individually for 13-15 minutes on middle rack of oven. Cookies spread a bit, but remain domed. Allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.


While cookies cool, in a small mixing bowl combine confectioners sugar, maple syrup and warm water. Whisk until smooth. 


When cookies are completely cool, drizzle maple glaze across cookies with a spoon. Allow glaze to dry before packing cookies in an air tight container.




Lentils, Rice and Barley Casserole

• 1 large bunch scallions/green onions, white and green parts, sliced
• 2 large celery stalks, medium dice
• 3 small carrots with tops, sliced on the bias, leaves chopped
• 1/4 medium fennel bulb, small dice
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, medium dice
• 24 oz water
• 4 tsp chicken soup base
• 1/2 cup champagne
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp minced garlic from jar
• 1/2 cup whole barley (not pearl barley)
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp butter
• 4 oz raw milk swiss cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet sprayed with a thin film of cooking spray, cook carrots, fennel and celery just until softened. Set aside.


In a large baking dish - 11x9 or similar - combine all ingredients, including the softened vegetables, and except the swiss cheese, in baking dish. Stir carefully to combine. Place dish on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of preheated oven for 90 minutes. Stir dish with a wooden spoon 2 to 3 times during the baking to ensure even cooking of ingredients.


Remove from oven when lentils, barley and rice are soft. If packing individual portions, split the contents among six containers. Top each container with 1/2 tsp of unsalted butter and 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Refrigerate until ready to reheat.


If you are serving the casserole for a meal at home, top casserole with cheese and dollops of butter and return to the oven during the last 15 minutes of baking to allow cheese to melt and butter to distribute. Serve.




Garden Vegetable Soup with Garbanzos and Noodles

• Small onion, small dice
• 2 stalks organic celery, small dice
• 2 small organic carrots, cut on bias
• 1/2 medium fennel bulb, small dice
• 1 large red pepper, medium dice
• 1 medium organic yukon gold potatoes, medium dice
• 3 oz organic tomato paste
• 2 tsp minced garlic from jar
• 1 bay leaf
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Pepper to taste
• 4 cups water
• 3 tsp chicken soup base
• 1 can garbanzo beans (15/16 oz), drained
• 2 oz multi-grain no yolk noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

In medium soup pot over low heat add EVOO along with onion, celery, carrots, fennel, red pepper and potatoes. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and vegetables begin to soften. Increase heat to medium and add garlic, stir and allow to cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and herbs. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often. Add water and chicken soup base and stir to combine. Allow soup to come to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.


Add beans and noodles to soup and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of EVOO.