Spicy Balls w/ Salad

Spicy Balls w/ Salad

(this is adapted from an old issue of Delicious Living Magazine, February 2009, original recipe is called Spicy Chicken in Lettuce Cups)

1 pound ground turkey or chicken

Combine 6 TB soy sauce, 2 TB chicken broth, 1 TB cornstarch/arrowroot powder

Stir until smooth.

Place ground meat into a medium bowl and separate into 4-5 big lumps. Pour in mixture and mix slightly to cover all meat. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 2-3 TB oil.

Add:

1/4 cup chopped red pepper (other colors work too!)

2-3 TB garlic

2 TB chopped FRESH ginger (fresh is way better, but powdered works in a pinch)

Cook, tossing often until softened but not browned.

Add in seasoned meat, crumbling it in and using a spatula to spread out in a fairly even layer. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes, until it begins to brown on one side. Turn to cook other side, breaking meat up into large chunks.

When meat is cooked through and very crumbly (maybe dime to quarter size chunks)

Add:

2 TB soy sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

(optional, will add quite a bit of spicy-ness!)

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

3 TB freshly shopped cilantro

1 TB toasted sesame oil

(adds good flavor, but I have left out when I don't have any)

Toss well with cooked meat mixture.

Serve on top a nice green salad and top with an Oriental dressing!

Or just balsamic vinegar and olive oil!

This is one of my favorites, though not a favorite of my husbands so I try and make it when he is gone for dinner!

This post is part of Pennywise Platter at Nourishing Gourmet!

Menus

Here is my menu plan. It's a 2 week plan and though I may vary what I am serving on a given day due to how my week is looking, I am hoping to keep this list for the next couple months and then re-assess it and make changes. We are looking at possibly moving- locally- in the next month and I am currently 28 weeks pregnant. So, I am hoping to keep the meals, simple and nourishing. And over the next couple weeks I will probably try and eat down my freezer stash so it's easier to move and then plan to replenish the freezer once we are moved and before baby is born. Here's my thoughts! If it doesn't link to a recipe, it's easy enough you should be able to make it without one!

Week One

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - Chicken Enchiladas w/ green salad

Tuesday - Tacos

Wednesday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (this is a meatloaf recipe, but making into balls would work too, I often make mine up as I go, but I've been wanting to try this recipe!)

Thursday - Salmon Salad Sandwiches

Friday - Hamburgers w/ Salad or other veggies

Saturday - Sweet and Sour Chicken w/ Rice

Week Two

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - Pasta Florentine w/ Chicken

Tuesday - Chimichangas w/ Rice or Salad

Wednesday - White Chicken Chili or other soup

Thursday - Fish

Friday - Beef Fajitas (the recipe says Chicken, but just substitute with Beef or Pork!)

Saturday - Quinoa or Rice Salad w/ sausage or Rice Salad - Lentil Salad or Quinoa Taco Salad- I will use/or work off something along these lines and either cook and slice the sausage or just serve a couple on the side. Depending on my mood I will use either quinoa, rice or lentils as a base, veggies with what I have on hand and make a dressing- there's lots to choose from HERE!

Thoughts for Today

"No amount of discipline can make up for a lack of training."

"Training is not discipline. Discipline is the "damage control" part of training; but it is insufficient itself to effect proper behavior. Training is the conditioning of the child's mind before the crisis arises. It is preparation for future, instant, unquestioning obedience."

"Before he (a child) can DECIDE to do good, his parent must CONDITION him to do good."

~ excerpts from "To Train Up a Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl

Does anyone else find they need daily reminders as a mother to do these things? Training our children takes thought and planning and a commitment to consistency. We must always be looking for opportunity to train. And the more we train, are consistent with our training, the less we will find ourselves having to discipline. It's takes discipline on our part though, huh.

Just something I have found myself challenged with lately with 3 little ones running around!

Thoughts for Today

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I have been giving some thought to my mothering and things I need to work on and be learning. I have been re-reading a wonderful book called "The Mission of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. I am hoping to gather my thoughts and share some with you on mothering but until then, here is a link to a post from today's "at the Well". Enjoy these thoughts on mothering and parenting with long term goals in mind.

"Parenting while thinking ahead"

Dirty Dozen and Clean 15- 2010 recommendations

Here is the latest list on the "Dirty Dozen" - produce you want to try and buy organic or from a "clean" farm if at all possible and a list of the Clean 15 - cleanest produce you can buy conventionally grown.

My list was complied from here and here and here and here!

Here is a Shoppers Guide pdf file with a wallet size cutout of the list!

Dirty Dozen

Celery

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Blueberries

Nectarines

Bell Peppers

Spinach

Kale

Cherries

Potatoes

Grapes (imported)

Buy organic whenever possible- borderline foods

Lettuce

Carrots

Pears

Tomatoes*

Meats

Milk/Dairy

Coffee

Clean 15

Onions

Avocados

Corn

Pineapple

Mango

Asparagus

Peas

Kiwi

Cabbage

Eggplant

Papaya

Watermelon

Broccoli

Tomato*

Sweet Potatoes

*Tomatoes were on the "Dirty Dozen" list in 2009, and made the "Clean 15" in 2010...... doesn't really make sense to me. This website mentioned it as well with no reason given, but I would think it to be "borderline" enough that if I could find organic - or clean farmer grown- I would certainly lean this direction on them!

I would also be curious about the difference between regular potatoes and sweet potatoes seeing as one made the dirty list and one made the clean and I would think they would be pretty comparable! Any ideas?

Also, do you know if buying frozen vegetables off the dirty dozen list would affect the "ratings" at all? For example - is frozen chopped spinach "cleaner" then fresh spinach? Or blueberries? If I can't buy organic blueberries am I better off buying frozen blueberries then fresh conventionally grown? Let me know if you have read anything on this, I would be curious to know!

Lentil Confetti Salad

Lentil Confetti Salad

This is a yummy cold salad, perfect for warm evenings or lunches. The recipe is easily adaptable to veggies you have on hand or flavors you enjoy!

Dressing

4-5 TB balsamic vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar

3-4 TB olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp dijon mustard

Salad

1 cup dried lentils, cooked*

1 1/2 cups frozen corn,

(you can cook slightly if you like, I usually don't- it thaws quick enough I add to the salad and serve)

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced or coarsely diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced (green onion works too!)

2 TB fresh basil, chopped (mint is a nice variety too!)

Lettuce leaves, pita bread or tortilla to serve in

In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients, mix well and refrigerate

Combine cooked lentils*, corn, carrots, celery, peppers, onion and basil. Pour dressing over salad and mix gently but well. Refrigerate at least one hour to blend flavors.

Serve either in a "lettuce cup" or in a pita pocket or rolled a tortilla shell.

Makes about 6- 1 cup servings

*to cook lentils, soak 12-24 hours, drain off water and recover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer till lentils are cooked. Tender but not mushy! Maybe 20-30 minutes? Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well.

Credit for the original recipe, this is slightly changed, goes to a friend who got it from a Pillsbury recipe book a long time ago!

This post is part of Pennywise Platter over at Nourishing Traditions

Thoughts for Today

"In order for something to become clean,

something else must become dirty,

but you can get everything dirty without

getting anything clean."

~as seen on an old "thought a day" calendar page

It seems this is my life lately :-)

If it's not dishes, it's the living room, if not there, the boys have been cutting paper, or the diaper pail needs attention and don't even mention the bathrooms!

If my thoughts could become blog posts, you would get updates at least daily. Cause I am always thinking of stuff. Finding the time to write them out in coherent thoughts though.... it's a challenge some weeks- or months!

I have several pages of menus I would like to get posted and link to some new recipes. I have been working on a 2 week menu- looks great on paper, but I am not doing very good at following it. Oh, we've been eating well and out of the fridge... just not off the paper! Oh well.

And I would love to do some free advertising and reviews for a couple e-books I have helped "proof/preview" read for Katie and Stephanie. But I promise.... those posts are coming soon!