Well, it’s the end of the first month of 2012.  I’m still working out those New Year’s resolutions…trying to stick to them, but things like birthday parties, illnesses, and romantic weekend getaways have kind of made it tough.  I’m not complaining, though, just plugging away.

It’s the start of another week, and I made my trek to the grocery store earlier this afternoon.  Honestly, I despise grocery shopping on Sunday afternoons – I think that’s when everyone else goes shopping!  Plus, we’re all in that end-of-the-weekend haze, moving a little slower than usual, taking longer to pick out our eggs than usual.  I try to wait patiently, but it’s so hard sometimes!

Anyhow…..the shopping is done, the fridge and freezer are loaded up, and we’re off and running.  So, here’s the lowdown on what we’re eating this week:

Monday – Tuna melts.  Hubs and I will enjoy ours on delicious rye bread from Sherman’s Deli in Rancho Mirage (just returned earlier today from that weekend getaway I mentioned).  Daughter isn’t a big fan of rye bread, so hers will be on the standard sprouted whole wheat.  These are super easy.  First, I mix up a can of wild albacore tuna (see more on the brand I like below) with a spoonful of mayo and a squirt of sweet pickle relish. Next, I toast one slice of bread per sandwich, spread with the tuna, top with sliced cheddar cheese, and bake in the oven at 350-degrees for 5 minutes.  When that’s done, I turn the broiler on and broil for about 2-3 minutes, while toasting the other slice of bread.  When the cheese is lightly browned and the sandwich is warmed through, I top with sliced tomato and add the second slice of toasted bread.  Voila!  Easy, peasy. For side dishes, anything goes on this one.  I like a bit of freshly torn greens (butter lettuce, romaine, spinach, whatever you’ve got), topped with a dash of rice vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh dill pickle on the side.  Sliced fruit or veggie sticks also work well.  The key is to keep it simple and use what you have on hand.  Now, for the tuna we like to use.  I’m concerned about BPA, mercury, and all the other fun things that come along with consuming canned tuna. So, after a little internet research and careful label-reading, I’ve discovered Wild Planet wild albacore tuna.  It’s sold at Sprouts (where I shop regularly), is packaged in BPA-free cans, is lower in mercury and higher in Omega-3’s than other canned tuna.  It IS $3.99 a can, which is much pricier than other brands, but seriously, don’t we all know you get what you pay for?  And when it comes to fish (along with dental work or surgery of any kind), I’m not necessarily looking for a bargain.

Tuesday – Our Tuesdays have become quite hectic.  That means it’s a good day for a crockpot meal.  This week, I’m going to toss in a few chicken breasts along with a jar of Sprouts organic mild salsa and a bit of water to keep everything moist.  The chicken will shred nicely for tacos, so I made sure to pick up all the fixings for those – whole wheat tortillas, cheddar cheese, cabbage, avocado, and greek yogurt (instead of sour cream). I’ll serve up a side of steamed broccoli and some beautiful organic heirloom cherry tomatoes they had at Sprouts today, and dinner will be ready in a flash!

Wednesday – The leftover chicken should make a delicious chicken tortilla soup.  I’ll dice and sautee up some sweet onion, carrots and red bell peppers first, then add a carton of organic, low sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil.  I’ll throw in some other veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, frozen sweet corn, whatever I’ve got (I chop them up pretty small so they make easy bites for everyone) and cook for about 20 minutes. Next, I’ll add in the leftover chicken and some chopped leafy greens, either spinach, chard or kale, depending on what’s in my Tanaka Farms box this week.  I’ll cook about 7 minutes more, and then soup’s on!  I like to serve this topped with shredded cheese, diced tomatoes and avocado, and a bit of crushed tortilla chips on top.  I slice up some fresh fruit as a side dish, too.

Thursday – Another crazy day around here.  I’ve got some chicken cutlets in the freezer ready to be defrosted (I’ll do that on Tuesday night) and heated up.  I’ll throw a bunch of veggies in the steamer, heat up a bag of Seeds of Change quinoa and brown rice (I get that at Costco and keep it on hand), and a super healthy, delicious dinner is ready in a flash.

Friday – Whew!  I’m tired just thinking about Friday night!  How about another easy crockpot meal?  Have you discovered Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker yet? I love, love, love their recipes!!!  They are easy, healthy, and family-friendly!  I’m going to give this zucchini ziti a try.  Since it only needs 2 hours in the crockpot, I can pop it in when we get home from school, and it will be ready just in time for dinner!  I can serve up the leftover chicken cutlets on the side, along with a small green salad.

I’m LOVING the fall weather – and the excuse to eat “cozy” food.  But since I’m not ready to go into hibernation just yet, I’m on the hunt for recipes that taste comforting, without being calorie or fat-laden.  I’ve found a few that look pretty good, and we’re ready to give them a try this week.

Monday – Still trying to stay meatless on Mondays, and this butternut squash soup looks like fall in a pot!  I’m going to try to up the ante on the nutrients by using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, and throwing in some extra veggies, like carrots and green beans.  I’ll serve up a side of cornbread for extra deliciousness.

Tuesday – This recipe for slow cooker pineapple pork looks pretty yummy.  I happen to have an organic roasting chicken in the freezer taking up a bit of space, so I’m going to defrost that, cut it into pieces, and use that instead of the pork.  I’m also going to try using fresh pineapple instead of canned, and a bit of chicken broth to keep it moist.  I’ll serve it up over brown rice and add a side of healthy greens (sauteed spinach or chard, steamed broccoli, or romaine salad) for a balanced meal.

Wednesday – Since this is our craziest day of the week, I’m going to try out this quick and easy sausage and lentils meal.  I’ve got the Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils in the fridge already, so I think I can shorten the cook time down to 15 minutes, instead of 30.  I’ll add some diced carrots and celery for extra veggies, and use chicken sausage to cut out some of the fat.  We’ll have whole grain naan bread on the side, along with some orange slices.

Thursday – I’m a big fan of cabbage rolls, but lacking for time to make such things.  However, this crockpot version of cabbage roll stew looks pretty tasty.  I’m going to omit the chili flakes, since I don’t love spicy stuff.  This already has some veggies in it, so I’ll probably serve some sliced fresh fruit on the side, and maybe some whole wheat rolls.

Friday – it’s all about leftovers tonight.  I will have cooked all week long, and anything that’s left is fair game for tonight’s dinner.

Hope you have a great week full of delicious, healthy meals!

Happy Halloween everybody!  Real OC Daughter is so excited to get all dressed up and collect lots of candy.  We’re heading out for some serious trick-or-treating, so I’m not making dinner Monday night.  But I am going to attempt a week of crockpot meals this week.  I’m determined to learn some crockpot meals that my whole family will enjoy.  Here’s what I’m planning:

Monday – Well, I’m not making dinner, but I am going to give a crockpot breakfast a try.  This one is actually cooking right now (Sunday night) so it’s all ready to go for Monday morning.  It’s a pumpkin custard oatmeal from SkinnyCrockpot.com.  Looks delicious!

Tuesday – I’m going with SkinnyCrockpot.com again, and making their Balsamic Chicken.  I’ve actually made this before, and served it over whole wheat penne pasta with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top.  It’s really yummy!  I’ll serve it up with a side of steamed green beans. And any leftovers will be delicious for lunch.

Wednesday – I thought this Honey Chicken (yes, also from SkinnyCrockpot.com) looked particularly delicious.  I picked up some whole wheat naan bread from TJ’s to serve on the side, along with a dinner salad.

Thursday – I’m a big fan of the chicken tacos at Cafe Rio (there’s one in Costa Mesa and one in Tustin) so I’m going to attempt some Cafe Rio chicken.  There are lots of recipes on the internet for making chicken that tastes like theirs, but they all call for bottled salad dressing and powdered ranch mix – not my favorite ingredients.  A friend of mine, though, says she makes chicken in the crockpot that tastes very similar using just chicken breast, 2 tomato bullion cubes, and water.  I’m going to give this a try – 4 organic chicken breasts, one cup of water, and a tomato bullion cube cooked on low for 4-6 hours.  I’ll shred the chicken and make chicken tacos for dinner, along with rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado.

Friday – I’m hoping we have some leftovers either from Wednesday or Thursday night.  If not, I’ll grab something from the freezer – Trader Joe’s chicken gyoza and edamame, or a TJ’s frozen spinach pizza and side salad.  I always have something in there that can pass as dinner!

Happy Halloween, and have a great week!  Oh, and if you have any great family-friendly crockpot recipes, please share in a comment.  I’d love some more ideas!

Whew…is it the start of another week already?  Boy how the time flies!  I’ve made my list, and I’m getting ready to head out to the grocery store for the week. Here’s what we’ll be eating this week at the Real OC House.

Monday – winter squash and apple soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  This soup looks really yummy and just perfect for fall, and with a side of grilled cheddar on whole wheat bread, sounds like a perfect easy dinner.

Tuesday – Turkey meatloaf, oven baked sweet potato fries and roasted veggies.  I love making up two batches of this meatloaf and freezing one for later. And since I’ve been pretty busy lately, I’ve stocked the freezer with some easy side dishes, including sweet potato fries that I bought at Sprout’s (they also have them at TJ’s and Whole Foods).  Those make a great side dish with this meatloaf.  And since we pick up our farm box from Tanaka Farms on Tuesdays, I’ll have a fresh batch of veggies to choose from for roasting – probably some carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower.

Wednesday – Super-easy tacos tonight.  I love the pre-cooked carnitas from Trader Joe’s – just toss it in a saucepan with some of their yummy Salsa Verde, stir, and heat through.  I’ll add a side of pinto beans, baked Mexican rice, and set up a taco bar with grated cheese, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, diced onion and red pepper.  Yummy!

Thursday – Leftover night.  Chances are, we’ll have some leftover meatloaf and soup, and taco fixings from the night before.  I’ll make a nice salad with some crunchy romaine lettuce and the chopped veggies from taco night, and serve that alongside the soup and meatloaf for a well-rounded meal.

Friday – Happy Anniversary to Real OC Dad and me!  I’d love to give you all an idea for tonight’s dinner, but, well, we’re heading out!  Not sure where we’re going yet, but I’m sure not cooking tonight.  We’re celebrating 11 years of wedded bliss, and there won’t be any dishes to wash afterwards!

Have a great week, and eat well!

It’s going to be a busy week around the Real OC House – I’m starting work at a new client tomorrow, and unlike most of my jobs, I will be working in their office, rather than remotely.  I’ll be there two days a week, so that means less time at home to think about meal prep.  But I figure with a little planning ahead, I should be able to pull it off.  So, here’s what I’m planning for dinner this week:

Monday – Italian veggie soup and english muffin pizzas.  I made the soup Sunday, so it’s all ready to go.  And I’ve got leftover marinara sauce (I didn’t use the whole jar in the soup), so I’ll top english muffins with that and a little shredded mozzarella, pop under the broiler, and voila!

Tuesday – Oven-baked fish, steamed or sauteed veggies, and brown rice.  I had some cod in the freezer that needs to get cooked up, so that’s defrosting in the fridge right now.  I’ll place the fish in a glass dish, top with a drizzle of olive oil, some lemon juice, and dill, and bake in the oven until flaky.  I think it usually takes about 8 minutes, but I’m not a pro at cooking fish, so if you’re going to try it, keep an eye on it.  And remember that fish keeps cooking after you take it out of the oven, so be careful not to overdo it – overcooked fish is not appetizing!  I’ll cook up some brown rice Monday night so it’s ready to go for Tuesday, and then use whatever veggies come home in our farm box as a side dish.  Maybe sauteed squash, steamed broccoli, or oven-roasted carrots and turnips…mmmm….

Wednesday – We haven’t had hamburgers at home in awhile, and those are sounding pretty good to me!  I’ll use grass-fed, organic ground beef to make our patties, and hubs can cook those up on the grill.  I like to top our burgers with plenty of veggies – romaine lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and peppers, to add a dash of health to an otherwise unhealthy meal.  I’ve got some yummy sweet potato fries in the freezer that can be cooked up in the oven as a side dish, and I’ll add some sliced fresh fruit, probably oranges or apples, to go along with the meal.

Thursday – I’ll have a little more time to cook on Thursday, so we’re going to have taco night (you can find the recipe for my taco meat HERE).  Those tomatoes, lettuce, and grilled onions and peppers from last nights dinner can be used as toppings, along with some fresh avocado and cilantro.  I’ll serve with a side of black beans and some more fresh fruit.

Friday – We’ll use up the leftover taco meat and have taco salads.  I’ll tear up some romaine and spinach, top with the meat and beans, and then everyone can build their own salad with avocado, cheese, tomato, sliced black olives and salsa.  An easy meal to end the week!

Now that school is back in full swing, it’s time for me to get back into a routine.  And that means planning ahead for dinner so I’m not scrambling to come up with something I can pass off as a meal.  Cereal or rice and beans aren’t really going to cut it anymore, and with less free time on our hands, we won’t be eating out as much, so I won’t have restaurant leftovers I can “transform”.

Monday – We’re starting Meatless Monday at the Real OC House again.  My heart (and thighs) are begging for it.  I found this recipe today for a spinach, walnut and bean tart that I thought looked really different and delicious.  It’s kind of like a twist on Thanksgiving dinner.  Real OC Daughter and I headed out to the grocery store today to pick up the ingredients we needed, and she got super excited about the meal when she saw the prepared pie crust.  Which means she may enjoy it…I’ll keep you posted!

Tuesday – I’m going to be really, really busy on Tuesday so I’m busting out the ol’ crockpot.  I’m going to try this recipe from SkinnyCrockPot.com for pineapple chicken.  But instead of salsa, I’m going to use Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce.  I think Real OC Daughter will like it better.  I’ll serve over steamed brown rice – yum!  Oh, and I’ll double the amount of chicken breast I cook so I have leftovers for tomorrow night.  I won’t mix that chicken with the zucchini and pineapple – I have other plans for it.

Wednesday – One of my daughter and hubby’s favorite dinners right now is an Italian white bean and chard dish, inspired by Cafe Fina in Monterey.  I described the dish in my post on my vegan dinner party.  It’s super simple to make, especially since I already have white beans on hand from the tart I made on Monday.  I’ll microwave the potatoes for quick cooking, and pre-chop the greens and onions so they are ready to go.  And since we’re not vegan, I’ll top with a little shaved Romano cheese for extra flavor.

Thursday – Time to bust out that leftover teriyaki chicken!  I’ll cook up some whole wheat spaghetti, boil some edamame (I keep that on hand in the freezer), and toss it all together for an Asian-inspired pasta.  We’ll have some steamed veggies on the side, or mixed in, depending on my mood.

Friday – All right, I’ve cooked enough for one week.  Tonight we’re having something easy-peasy.  We love the steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s, and I’ve found they make a great starting point for an easy dinner.  I’ll heat them up and serve with some flatbread and a crisp green salad with cucumber and cherry tomatoes.

I hope you enjoy a week of healthy, delicious food!