tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19869450627915445782024-02-18T21:18:33.727-05:00Chez RobinsonReal and unprocessed-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-75952120545247010772012-02-06T15:28:00.000-05:002012-02-06T15:28:43.827-05:00Perfect Baked Brown RiceThis is Alton Brown's technique for brown rice, and I think it's the only way to make brown rice! I make a batch every Sunday to keep on hand for the week. <br />
<h2 class="kv-ingred">Ingredients</h2><!--concordance-begin--><ul class="kv-ingred-list1"><li class="ingredient">1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 1/2 cups water</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)</li>
</ul><!--concordance-end--><h2>Directions</h2><div class="instructions"><div class="instruction"> Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.</div>Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.<br />
Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour.<br />
After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.<br />
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Note: I marked the salt and butter as optional because I don't use them. The rice tastes fine to me without them, but I know some people will want to add one or both. </div><br />
<div id="datepicker"><div class="hd"></div><div class="bd"></div><div class="ft"></div></div><div id="hitCountIframeContainer" style="display: none;"></div>-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-14685578951257141552012-02-05T12:52:00.000-05:002017-05-21T10:03:06.022-04:00Budget Challenge!As I mentioned in my last update, my family moved towards a more real and less processed way of eating late last year. This did amazing things for our health and well-being, but, unfortunately, translated into an enormous increase in our grocery budget. In the last 3 months of 2011 we spent over $700 on groceries each month, approximately double what we had been spending!<br />
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I admit, I did nothing to try and keep the budget down. I did not do much meal planning, I didn't specifically shop the sales, and I purchased whatever I needed or wanted at whatever time I wanted it. I think it worked out OK for us that way. In a sense it was a bit of a grace period to learn what worked for us. Learning a new way of shopping, cooking and eating was enough to tackle, it would have been harder if I had added in strict budget limitations. <br />
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I started 2012 with a few intentions, one of which was to do more meal planning, give more thought to my shopping list, and get the grocery budget back under control. In January we spent $550 on groceries, definitely an improvement, but still not where I would like us to be. <br />
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Which brings us to February. For the month of February I've decided to scale back, eat what we have on hand, and spend only $200. I started the month with close to $100 in gift cards to a local grocery store, a $50 prepaid Visa debit card and about $50 cash. This is all I will be able to spend this month. <br />
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I stopped by a few stores yesterday, and soon I'll work on a post about what I purchased, and what we will be eating this week! I can already tell this really will be a challenge, but I'm determined!-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-75381939564070667412011-12-04T09:45:00.001-05:002012-02-05T12:39:24.757-05:00Keeping it realA few months ago I started participating in a fitness challenge at a local gym. Through the challenge I was paired with a personal trainer, and heard weekly informative talks by nutritionists and dietitians. The nutritionist in particular got through to me in a way nothing else ever has. Every time I heard her speak I re-evaluated my eating habits and the contents of my kitchen. <br />
About three weeks into the challenge my personal trainer suggested I give up processed foods. At the time I was down to only eating one processed food a day, so giving them up entirely didn't seem like much of a stretch. It also coincided with the start of <a href="http://www.eatingrules.com/2011/09/october-unprocessed-2011/">October Unprocessed at Eating Rules.</a> I took the challenge and went an entire month without eating processed foods. I lost weight, I looked better, I felt better, and I'm not going back. <br />
There is some debate about what foods are "processed". I have my own definition that I am comfortable with. I am stricter than some people on some things, but I also allow things other people avoid. As with many things, it is a balancing act. <br />
I eat oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain couscous, vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, beef, beans, cheese, yogurt, milk and butter. I try to avoid bread, crackers, tortillas, etc. If I do eat those things I aim for the least processed options with the fewest ingredients. I avoid artificial sweeteners and preservatives. I also, for the most part, don't eat sugar, or sweeteners of any kind.<br />
This blog will reflect this new focus. I hope you will join me as I keep it real and unprocessed.-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-80877931762773365032010-09-28T17:18:00.000-04:002010-09-28T17:18:42.369-04:00Menu Plan Monday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-JbmI1jmoSxcIcPqEL02TYYIX7dPBT6hC_40_RSyUREWgowCijHbleSixeOiMV_khGDcW7VIVcim1x99UjkCnSM_T-SYaBKHfm7Xi6NYUmVgViJ1e1fo4CEsgvWb_K_thA8QhRQ7ltI/s1600/smallbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-JbmI1jmoSxcIcPqEL02TYYIX7dPBT6hC_40_RSyUREWgowCijHbleSixeOiMV_khGDcW7VIVcim1x99UjkCnSM_T-SYaBKHfm7Xi6NYUmVgViJ1e1fo4CEsgvWb_K_thA8QhRQ7ltI/s1600/smallbutton.jpg" /></a></div>Yes, it's Tuesday again. :) <br />
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Last week we tried two new recipes which were big hits! My plan fell apart by the end of the week though. On Thursday I was too tired to cook, so no chicken fried rice for dinner. I did end up making it for lunch on Friday though. I think I need to plan on on leftovers for every Thursday. Thursday is the day I am most likely to be burnt out from the week, and then I am re-energized on Friday because it's practically the weekend.<br />
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This week's plan is shaping up like this:<br />
Monday - Rotini pasta with Chicken Al Fresco Sausage (The same recipe as last week, with rotini pasta instead of bowties) This recipe was so good I have been craving it, so I decided to make it again. It's still good, but I think I prefer it with the bowtie shaped pasta.<br />
Tuesday - Leftovers<br />
Wednesday - Crockpot Beef Stew served over rice<br />
Thursday - Leftovers<br />
Friday - Black bean and cheese quesadillas<br />
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You can find many more menu plans and ideas at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/09/menu-plan-monday-sept-27th.html">OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday</a>. -Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-51352995282172577432010-09-21T12:11:00.000-04:002016-01-07T09:17:40.467-05:00Recipe Review - Bow Tie Pasta with Chicken Al Fresco SausageLast night I made Bow Tie Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage. It turned out to be one of the best new recipes I've tried in a while. <br />
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It was easy to prepare, and the flavors were perfect together. The major test for any pasta dish is my husband's reaction, as he doesn't care for pasta most of the time. He loved this and proclaimed it "As good as a restaurant". <br />
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Give this one a try, I think you'll love it too!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup diced onion<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 (14 ounce) cans italian diced tomatoes (with basil, garlic & oregano), drained<br />1 1/2 cups heavy cream<br />3 tablespoons parmesan<br />1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta<em> </em>2 tablespoons olive oil<br />1 pound sweet Italian chicken (or turkey) sausage, casings removed and crumbled or slice</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion until transparent. Add sausage and cook until sausage is lightly browned. Stir in drained tomatoes and cream, simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stir cooked pasta into sauce and heat through. Top with parmesan.</span></div>
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Update 1/7/16: This recipe is still a part of my regular recipe rotation. I've made it with sweet italian turkey sausage, and I've used gluten free pasta at times, and it's still always a hit! </div>
-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-51248919327292952492009-03-06T06:21:00.002-05:002009-03-06T06:32:54.304-05:00Meatloaf: Mexican StyleHello to those of you who have found my blog! I'm so excited to know there are real people out there who might see this! :) <br /><br />As promised, here is the recipe for Mexican Style Meatloaf. <br /><br />Meatloaf: Mexican Style<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 lb ground beef (I used a mixture of ground chuck and extra lean ground beef)<br />1 jar salsa (I used mild, but use whatever you like)<br />1 can black beans (you'll only use 1/2 the can)<br />1 egg<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />shredded Cheddar cheese<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br /><br />Drain and rinse the black beans. You'll only need 1/2 of the can for this. I like using the leftover beans in scrambled eggs or omelets. <br /><br />Mix the beef, 1/2 can black beans, 1/2 cup salsa and egg in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, and add any other seasoning you might like. I added onion powder and seasoning salt.<br /><br />Shape the meat mixture into a loaf-shape in the baking dish of your choice.<br /><br />Once shaped into a loaf, make a channel or indentation on the top of the loaf, down the middle, for the salsa. Pour 1/2 cup of salsa on top. Sprinkle the top with grated Cheddar.<br /><br />Bake for 35-45 minutes.<br /><br />This recipe should give you 4 nice sized servings. If you are cooking for more you could easily double this recipe, though I would recommend cooking it as two loaves.<br /><br />This is a slightly different twist on traditional meatloaf. I served it with brown rice and veggies.-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-1314297926005346902009-03-03T16:27:00.005-05:002009-03-03T16:50:23.589-05:00Meatloaf: Italian styleI apologize in advance for not having any pictures to go with these recipes. Meatloaf, or at least my meatloaf, doesn't make for pretty pictures. Besides, dinner was later than usual and I was hungry. :) <br /><br />Last night I made two meatloaves: Italian and Mexican. I do not use breadcrumbs in my meatloaf, and I'm only cooking for two, so I tend to make small, dense meatloaf.<br /><br />Meatloaf: Italian Style<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 lb ground beef (I used a mixture of ground chuck and extra lean ground beef)<br />1 small can chopped mushrooms<br />1 can Italian diced tomatoes, divided (sometimes these are labeled "Italian", or just look for diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, etc)<br />1 egg<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />shredded Mozzarella cheese (or use Parmesan from the green can in a pinch)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br /><br /> Mix* the beef, mushrooms, egg and half of the diced tomatoes in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, and add any other seasoning you might like. Last night I added onion powder, seasoning salt and McCormick's All Purpose Seasoning Blend (which is a variety of dried herbs).<br /><br />*By mix what I really mean is "Take your rings off, wash your hands, stick your hands in the bowl and get it all together"<br /><br />Shape the meat mixture into a loaf-shape in the baking dish of your choice. Since I was making two loaves I used a large glass baking dish that would hold both with room to spare.<br /><br />Once shaped into a loaf, make a channel or indentation on the top of the loaf, down the middle, for the tomatoes. Pour the remaining half of the diced tomatoes into this channel. This keeps the tomatoes from running down the sides of the meatloaf and ending up in the bottom of your pan. Sprinkle the top with grated Mozzarella. I was out of Mozzarella so I used green can Parmesan instead. <br /><br />Bake for 35-45 minutes.<br /><br />This recipe should give you 4 nice sized servings. Or, if you are feeding a hungry man, as I was last night, one hungry man serving and 2 other servings. If you are cooking for more you could easily double this recipe, though I would recommend cooking it as two loaves. <br /><br />Results: This is my standard meatloaf recipe, and we liked it as usual. This is the first time I've used grated Parmesan, and it was good. The Parmesan went well with the other flavors (of course!). <br /><br />I'll post the companion, Meatloaf: Mexican Style soon.-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986945062791544578.post-8759973315013837762009-02-25T04:59:00.005-05:002009-02-25T09:13:01.405-05:00Crustless Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpG4q-_tBgCCHbJxDg4V4HHWNuNJWOXxIqbDtg4wBHnZ_wTZt38FNjzw0m00z5jex1Yo7OOJJvffciMOuyHLvfQzOsU_S7g-nlQRRMK4Y_BBmJ0CJMGoxURjgtqH84soiyr-xD1hGUbc/s1600-h/IMG_5955.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpG4q-_tBgCCHbJxDg4V4HHWNuNJWOXxIqbDtg4wBHnZ_wTZt38FNjzw0m00z5jex1Yo7OOJJvffciMOuyHLvfQzOsU_S7g-nlQRRMK4Y_BBmJ0CJMGoxURjgtqH84soiyr-xD1hGUbc/s320/IMG_5955.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306692514036157970" border="0" /></a><br />While searching for an idea for dinner, I ran across a recipe for Crustless Asparagus and Mushroom Quiche in the April 2005 issue of Shape magazine. I read through the ingredients list, decided to substitute broccoli for the asparagus, and headed to the grocery store.<br /><br />Later in the afternoon I started really reading the recipe, and it called for starting the quiche in a frying pan, then transferring it to a glass baking dish and finishing it in the microwave. The <span style="font-style: italic;">microwave?</span> I've never made a quiche before, but I've had quiche, I am aware of the concept of quiche, and I've never heard of making it in the microwave. That's when I abandoned the recipe. I searched the internet and found <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/ht/crustlessquiche.htm">generic instructions</a> for crustless quiche, and decided to follow the recommended baking method. This is what I came up with:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Crustless Brocooli and Mushroom Quiche</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />cooking spray<br />butter<br />1 1/2 cup broccoli florets<br />1 cup coarsely chopped white mushrooms<br />6 large eggs<br />1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)<br />1/2 cup lowfat sour cream<br />1/4 teaspoon paprika<br />3 slices lowfat Swiss cheese, coarsely chopped<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 375<br /><br />I briefly steamed the broccoli and sauteed the mushrooms in a tiny bit of butter. I sprayed a 10 inch glass quiche pan with a quick coat of cooking spray, then spread the cooked broccoli and mushrooms in the bottom. In a separate bowl I whisked together the eggs, milk, sour cream, paprika, salt and pepper. I poured the egg mixture over the vegetables, then sprinkled the chopped Swiss cheese on top of everything.<br /><br />The generic recipe calls for baking it from 30-45 minutes, beginning to check on it after 30 minutes. I started checking on it at 30 minutes, and pulled it from the oven after 38 minutes. I let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes, then we dug in. It was perfectly delicious. I ate 1/4 of it. My husband went back for seconds and ate close to half of it.<br /><br />This was fantastic, and I will definitely be making other variations of this. As an added bonus, my "You're putting meat in that, right?" husband ate it without complaint. In fact, he raved about it and declared it one of his new favorites. This further proves my theory that he doesn't miss the meat if a dish is hearty enough.<br /><br />Here is the nutritional info provided by Shape for their version: 250 calories, 15g fat (7 saturated), 8g carbs, 20 g protein per serving. One serving is 1/4 of the quiche. Substituting broccoli for asparagus shouldn't make much of a calorie difference. I did add a tiny pat of butter to the mushrooms, but without the butter those numbers should be pretty close.-Mrs. Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001657822241523389noreply@blogger.com0