The Florida Strawberry Festival

So we decided we may check out The Strawberry Festival the weekend of its last run (March 7-8). Saturday was a bit too cool so we passed and just ended up going to the grocery shopping for dinner. Sunday, we forgot to "spring forward" and showed up for church embarrassingly late. The computers were down/off at the kids' check-in area signaling that something was off. Next thing you know one of the young ladies said "You forgot to 'spring forward' sorry guys see you next week" of course after explaining to a totally aloof couple that we were consequently an hour late. Anyways, it was turning into a lazy Sunday soon thereafter, but the sun was beaming. It was quite warmer than Saturday as we walked around the neighborhood trail and pond to the playground. The pond was swarming with fish surfacing. Large ones too. Papa Smurf never realized just how well stocked the pond is (although we do see people come through to fish frequently we never see what they catch). So, he was excited and wanted to fish. But en route for supplies, the kids were very vocal about wanting to go to The Strawberry Festival. We made a detour to the Publix to get tickets, which were $8 for adults and $4 for kids. Twenty-four dollars total for a family of four not too bad.

We're about 45 minutes out from Plant City, where the fair is held, coming from deep in the burbs of the greater New Tampa area. The I-75 to I-4 both had wall to wall traffic heading into town. There highway advisory boards flashing instructions for where to go and park "Festival Parking Exit....". Once we took exit 19 there were cars lined all down the road. And that's where you see flaggers and makeshift parking lots (sadly some people had their front yards turned to parking lots, others threatened you like they would go Jazmine Sullivan style if you dare park in their yards! Or at least have you towed). Most lots averaged about $10-15 a park; I only saw 1-2 for $5 but they were closer to the highway and one looked kind of dodgy. We parked closer in on a middle school parking lot for $10. So now we're up to $34, $35 counting a $1 basket of strawberries we bought. As you get closer in, it's almost like Bangkok. There are alot bicycle taxis and golf cart taxis taking people to and from for a price of course. People were hustling hard and you definitely couldn't knock them for it.

Once we entered, it was extremely crowded and not what we expected, even on the last day after 3:30 pm. The biggest surprise was that as soon as we were inside the strawberries disappeared completely. Not even a jar of preserves, no uniquely prepared strawberry treats, no plush strawberry characters or mascots walking around, no strawberry trinkets or souvenirs. There was plenty of fair foods, but every food cart and grill had the same exact things, deep fried Oreos candy bars and sweets, corn dogs, chicken on a stick, pizza, steak and cheese, and there were too many smoked turkey leg spots to count. Eat at your own risk! Some adhere to food safety while others could care less. There was one guy for instance he was stabbing his turkey legs with a thermometer to check for the right temperature and there was another who had raw shaved beef for steak and cheese sharing the same griddle with turkey legs, raw meat touching the turkey meat and juices running all over…Gross!

Walk paths and lines were more like huddles of confused people, where one would ask at each line "Is this the line?" as passerby's just broke through in droves like cattle. Yes, you couldn't even move your elbows or see the ground and you could just throw the whole idea of "personal space" out of the equation. But this much I can say, the crowd was very polite and considerate despite the fact that it was such a very uncomfortable situation.

Being from the DMV, I can remember at least 2-3 times in my lifetime that Six Flags America had advisory signs outside of their park that read "Park Closed--At Capacity" "No Entry--At Capacity". Therefore, I really did not understand for the life of me why they continued to allow people to enter the festival; especially when those who were already within the gates could barely walk through the paths. The crowds at the festival were definitely a stampede hazard. Maybe we're getting old but even Papa Smurf said the same "...maybe I'm getting old but crowds just aren't my scene anymore...".

Somehow we inched through, stuck together without getting separated and were able to make it to a ticket booth. Yes, the rides cost separate of course. The cost was $25 "All You Can Ride" and $20 for a sheet of 20. We settled on 10 tickets, call us cheap but we figured Julie could enjoy 3 rides at least and then we would leave to be fair. We wanted to be good sports though we would rather leave. So, we just grinned and beared it and luckily enough after 1-2 rides the crowds significantly thinned out.

The aftermath, we thought it was just us but by the next morning we found out our neighbors had the same thoughts about the event. One left early and only allowed his girls to do one activity. Our neighbor who Papa Smurf has dubbed “The Buckeye” stated "It just was not at all what we expected. Where were the strawberries?! It was so crowded! And it was just not what we expected at all."

The final verdict, we won't be back. It was more like a large parking lot carnival and definitely not a festival. Maybe because I come from the DMV area and the D.C. area is known for its festivals and cultural events too. All in all I give it the rating of "Tourist Trap" and Papa Smurf has dubbed it "A Money Pit". Most of the 1-3* ratings on Yelp are the more honest and fair, 3 giving the event a stamp of the good old "benefit of the doubt". I leave you with a rhetorical question..."How do you know you have
entered a 'Tourist Trap'?" When you enter a themed event and the theme of the event itself is no longer present! And on top of that everything almost including the air you are breathing will cost you. You have trouble setting the said trap apart from anything else you have ever experienced. 

Culinary Adventures With Cookbooks: The Chew: What’s For Dinner…

In attempt to keep my content fresh and varied in between lulls with my own recipes, interpretations, dining out, outings, and travels I’m on a cookbook binge of sorts; having fun with recipes and giving my reviews.

I first discovered The Chew while we were still living in Columbia. I think it was an episode that the Neely’s were making a guest appearance. I was always curious as to what they were up to since they virtually disappeared from The Food Network channel. After one episode of The Chew, I was hooked. I was very intrigued by Carla Hall. She calls the DMV home, graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, left the corporate world to model, fell in love with French cuisine. Then, she pursued a degree in the culinary arts and somewhere in the mix she developed a business/office lunch catering service. She went on Top chef to compete and is now on The Chew. Who says you can’t reinvent yourself?! We have alot in common, I also graduated college with a Bachelor's in Accounting, I'm originally from the DMV and we both love food!

One of the things that makes this book unique is that there are different voices, collaborators, and cultures involved with the commentary, food experiences and recipes shared. Each has something great to bring to the table. There is also an immense amount of encouragement as well as ease (short cuts, tips and tricks) for those who believe they can’t cook, or simply just do not have the time.

Over the weekend (on Saturday night), we used this book (“The Chew: What’s for Dinner? 100 Recipes For Every Night of the Week) to make Chef. Michael Symon’s “Cheesy Bacon, Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese Casserole”. I was watching “Julie and Julia” again for the umpteenth time. I decided to Google the blog and its author. In the process, I encountered some negative commentary and there was one comment that really bumped out at me; stating that today’s food bloggers hailing themselves as “our” experts can only follow recipes. Wow. I thought that was too large of a stereotype and an over generalization. We widely and vary by our experiences, repertoire, subject matters, styles, and genres. Besides, we all have to start from somewhere. I’ve been cooking for over 20 years (okay, showing my age now lol). I say embrace recipes! I didn’t really take off with cooking until years 7-8 as far as experimenting and making recipes my own; which by age 21 included what every woman should have in her cooking repertoire by their twenties a "Man Trap” lol jks, it doesn’t matter if it’s all you got or just a  dessert, as long as you have it ;-) With all of that said, as you become more seasoned as a cook you will be able to manipulate flavors and tastes to your heart and palate’s desire, yet still make something very delicious though different from the original source of inspiration!

What am I really saying in sharing that, well that we tweaked this recipe! (Lol) We didn’t have conchigliliette or penne so we used elbows. Although, if I were to make this again, I would use capitavi for sure, because of the grooves the cheese sauce adheres to the pasta better. It was my first time using gruyere cheese (once again another cheese that you will have to search for in the deli section of your grocery store). It’s pale, a white cheese, appeared to be of the aged variety. It has little moisture and a pungent odor. However, once cooked into cheese sauce it can be equally creamy and the odor wanes; the taste also construes the same. It was also my first time trying/ using mascarpone. It’s very creamy and rich, though almost flavorless. It’s like a combo of ricotta and cream cheese, though it doesn’t have the grittiness of ricotta. It is very creamy, fluffy, and makes a great cheese sauce. Mascarpone is a #HealthyOption that can be used in place of butter on toast and cream cheese on bagels. Cooking tip: If it is your first time working with an ingredient taste it first! The key to successfully tweaking a recipe is tasting your ingredients. Sure, it sounds good together but does it taste good together? Now there is the spice rub!

The cheese sauce that M. Symon makes for this recipe was not as thick as the one I make for my mac n’ cheese. It was slightly thinner and less fluffy once set. It was more like the title suggests, a casserole sauce. Likewise, I added Digiorno’s 3 Cheese blend with shredded asiago, parmesan, and Romano cheeses) to help thicken the sauce to my liking. We used smoked paprika instead of chipotle pepper, although I did use a very scant dusting of cayenne pepper. I was out of chipotle pepper and figured that together with the smoked paprika it would mimic the flavor somewhat. The smoked paprika along with the bacon gave the smokiness that the recipe called for without the high heat. We don’t use or consume butternut squash much, we’re more of an acorn squash, yellow squash, and zucchini family. But I have to say the butternut squash took the heartiness of the casserole to a whole new level. I was a little confused by puree vs chopping the butternut squash. The methodology mentions it vaguely but on the ingredient list size it was only listed as chopped and no measurement for pureed squash listed. So we left it chopped.

Overall, this recipe is 5* and as M. Symon says, a good way to sneak veggies to your kids. This recipe also includes the growing increasingly popular these days…green machine superstar…kale! Papa Smurf said “It’s so filling, it’s like a meal in and of itself. It’s so filling!” Although we served it as a side with our BBQ ribs. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser especially for macaroni and cheese lovers. We plan on using this recipe for Thanksgiving and think it would be a perfect fit for the occasion.

(Recipe and info from The Chew: What’s for Dinner? 100 Recipes for Every Day of the Week)

Culinary Adventures With Cookbooks: “Grill It”

A couple of weeks ago I checked out a couple of cookbooks, Bobby Flay’s “Grill It” and Mario Batali’s “Italian Grill”. We still haven’t set up WiFi at our place yet so I don’t get as much use out of my Kindle Fire HDX as I would like. Though it gets used plenty enough. However, as much as I love my Kindle I still love actual books too. Julie is reading now, above grade level and with her current pace she becomes more fluid by the day. She reads daily (thanks to the daily “Books in a Bag” program her Kindergarten has) and likes to pick up books that aren’t “easy peasy” as she refers to them; so she’s looking for a challenge. Jerry dabbles a little with sight reading now. They love the children’s room with all of the toys, playing with other children, reading books, and picking out a few to take home. While they are occupied it gives me time to browse more freely.

Anyways, it’s coming up on the middle end of winter but you can pretty much grill year round in Florida. We had a cold spell but our temperatures have been on a major upswing lately with plenty of sunshine. It has been perfect grilling weather but the daylight got ahead of us, after a second trip to the grocery for seasonings and condiments. We had already purchased all of our produce the week before from Shannon’s. We’re now regulars at her market and she knows us now lol because during the last trip she asked Papa Smurf “Where’s the wife?” while I waited with Jerry in the car (so that he could check out since Jerry was having a meltdown).

We tried 3 recipes from the book, including Chipotle Honey Glazed Wings with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Green Onion” (“Grill It” B. Flay pg. 79). I opted out of using the ancho chili powder. Okay, I just flat out forgot to write it down on my loose leaf list, add in the kids in rare form and receiving phone call as we went aisle to aisle…I was totally distracted and walked right past it. However, I am glad I left it out. I should have known with Chef Bobby Flay though, that the recipe would be spicy he is known for his heavy spice. With the small canned chipotle chilies in adobo alone there was more than enough spice/ heat! The glaze was very thick and not much of a glaze, even with the honey. However, I think it may have been a technical error on my part. I felt like it needed some citrus like maybe a bit of lemon or lime juice to loosen the paste up more and balance the heat. Overall, the wings were very good and had great flavor. The spice rub was perfect! Once combined you can smell the flavors coming together nicely before they even hit the oven or grill! Another word of caution, the wings are very spicy! I can’t even imagine with the ancho chili powder. But we love spice.
Now on to the “Grilled Eggplant with Manchego Cheese Salad With Balsamic Black pepper Glaze”. We opted out of the glaze. The eggplant and cheese seemed as though it would be great as a standalone. For the manchego cheese, you will have to look in the deli section of your grocery store as opposed to the refrigerated dairy section. I had never heard of manchego cheese before and looked it up prior to heading out to the grocery. It’s an imported, dry aged Spanish cheese. In appearance, it’s packaged as a thick sliced wedge and reminded me of a hybrid of parmesan an muenster cheese. It won’t knock you over but it does have a bit of an odor. I noticed that the cheese is prone to crumbling when its cold so I set it out at room temperature before having papa Smurf slice it. It was a very unique combination of flavors. I would’ve liked a lighter wet cheese like mozzarella or ricotta with the eggplant. I made another culinary discovery while making this dish. I used extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper to bake and broil the eggplant. A few of the more thinly sliced discs of eggplant had gotten quite crispy and were quite tasty without the cheese! Once melted, the manchego cheese reminded me of fontina cheese (a cheese we were first introduced to back when Papa Smurf was working for Panera back home in Maryland).

For anyone looking to stay on track with their NYE diet and healthier eating Flay cites that the Honey Chipotle Wings” are a healthier alternative to traditional deep fried buffalo wings. To my knowledge grilling is a healthier option since it burns off the fat. The grilled eggplant is also a healthy option which could definitely stand alone as an entree as opposed to a side it was quite filling.

The last recipe/ dish pictured was the “Green Onion Slaw” which was also a winner! My first tweak to this was to add a little sugar. I like my slaw a little sweet. I would only use half of the red onion. The whole onion was a bit much and gave the salad too much bite. Be sure to chop the onions finely to cut down the pungent/strong taste as with the scallions already present the onions can really overpower the slaw. I guess it is a matter of preference, taste, and what the chef was trying to create as far as bite, sweetness or without sweetness.

We looked forward to trying many more recipes from both Flay’s and Batali’s books before returning them to the library. However, we only managed to squeeze in grilled porterhouse steaks and grilled corn as Italians would eat it. I will say a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper makes a steak very good! I wish I had taken pictures! I plan on possibly purchasing both books in the near future. I am looking to build my cookbook library.

A Trip to Kuchi Sushi

“What’s in a name that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell just as sweet” –Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. A name like “Kuchi Sushi” from an average American with no Japanese language/linguistic background it’s enough to make an eyebrow raise. Don’t feel alone. Even a Latino gentleman seated behind us had some joking wordplay that he exchanged with his table mates “Kuchi Sushi…what did you come here for hmm…?” “Well at least you know what you came here for…” *smhis you can’t take some people anywhere! He used a long “u” by the way, so phonetically speaking there was the rub/ punch-line.

Anyways, on to the review. We arrived well after 8 pm on a Saturday night on Valentine’s. There was a 35-45 minute wait. The worst was to be expected and honestly that was nowhere near as bad as what we expected. The whole sushi side of the restaurant is open, often the door was opening and closing or propped open easily making a chilly night in the 50s-40s uncomfortable. By the way, bring patience on a busy night as they still seat by pen and pad. Mix ups may occur as to sushi vs hibachi side. Don’t think of asking to be moved once seated, it will be an issue. They could benefit from creating a vestibule or sectioning off the waiting area. There is ample seating on the hibachi side. I counted about 10 hibachi tables. Honestly, I think that they should take out at least 2 possibly 3 of those to accommodate their sushi side. Or give guests the option to sit at the rear tables that does not have a hibachi grill attached. I would say that the sushi side of the restaurant has at least 4 tables possibly 5. There are two bars though. I usually am not so petty to get into seating however it was an issue during our visit.

Our waitress was attentive but new. However, she was soon traded off, we had made a couple of requests and she seemed unsure of herself. I guess they figured with things being so busy they couldn’t afford a mistake or oversight. The other seemed more seasoned. We started with the shrimp tempura. The tempura was very light, crunchy, fluffy and flaky. Very light on the salt, but you don’t miss it because of the natural flavor. The sweet potato and potato were a surprise. Though I preferred the lighter and less starchy vegetables like broccoli, squash and zucchini. There were only two extra large shrimp perfectly cooked, butterflied, and formed into perfect sticks.

It took us a while to decide because there are several rolls to choose from. And I mean several! Ultimately, we chose the Painted Lady Roll and the Sunshine Roll. It took a long time (well...seemingly so) as each roll was hand crafted. The sushi chefs look more like surgeons, they even wear plastic shield masks working quietly and meticulously with sharp knives and raw fish among other tools and ingredients. (I have been to quite a few sushi restaurants but seeing that was a first). Despite the wait you have to respect the craft, art, and how meticulous they are at what they do. With sushi presentation is a very important component as well. Likewise, the presentation, plating and taste are all A+/ 5*. Besides, as far as the wait is concerned that is what appetizers are for lol. So of course one of my tips is to know what you want  but be prepared to wait.
As for the rolls, both rolls were good. However the Painted Lady Roll was more cohesive and complimentary in overall taste, flavor, and texture. The Painted Lady Roll was made up of spicy lobster, mango, asparagus inside topped with spicy tuna, avocado with a spicy mango sauce. The spicy tuna is a standout and the spicy lobster is rich but subtle. The avocado is smooth and creamy, it counteracts the spice giving it balance so the spiciness does not overtake the whole roll. The mango has a subtle sweetness, it’s sweet but not overtly so. The asparagus helps give the roll a crisp fresh taste. The Sunshine Roll was made up of salmon tempura, avocado, topped with salmon (raw), tempura flakes and spicy sauce. It was good, fresh, looked great plated even had a decent flavor but was a bit of a clash for me. The components in the middle of the roll seemed to clash. It just was not as cohesive as the Painted Lady Roll. There was something missing and there was something that had to go and I think it was the salmon tempura. Papa Smurf didn’t care for it as much as the other roll, though we continued to share each. (In the title picture: The painted Lady Roll is in the front, the Sunshine Roll in the back).

As for location, the restaurant shares the same lot as Veteran’s movie theater, a bunch of other restaurants and a Cold Stone Creamery. So it’s a great venue for a typical dinner and a movie date night. Green Gator’s is right next door for those who still like to drink, party, cut a rug and lose a glass slipper, as for myself I am long retired from that lol.

Overall, everything was fresh. Although they were very busy and made a seating mistake, they were polite and attentive. They gave apologies a few times for the wait and asked if we wanted or needed anything to make the wait less bothersome though we weren’t that bothered by it. We will definitely go again. probably on a day that is not as busy as Valentine’s. I would order the painted Lady Roll again and again. It was definitely our favorite of the two. I have to say this was one of my best experiences. To my Maryland readers if you are ever in the area, definitely check out Kuchi Sushi and Hibachi. If you are looking for a good local spot check out Sushi King in Columbia, MD. Sushi King was also one of my BEST sushi experiences "pre-food- blogging" days and the ratings are still really good to this day!

Get Her To (Eat) Greek…

I had been on a mission to find a “gyro place” here. The first place I tried, I struck out at, since it gave me some tummy issues. I won’t reveal the name of the culprit unless asked. Last week, well now a little over a week ago, I had the pleasure of trying out “The Hungry Greek” in Seven Oaks/ Wesley Chapel. Let me tell you, that I loved it so much I went twice in one week! I love a good gyro with pillow soft warm pita bread, fresh crisp lettuce, chopped onions, warm gyro (shaved lamb) meat, creamy rich tzatziki sauce, and feta. On my first visit I had “The Hungry Pita”. You have options as follows with this item, chicken, gyro, or falafel; the pita comes loaded with hummus, lettuce, plum tomatoes, feta, olives (had to be kalamata), and tzatziki. There motto is “Authentic Greek food. Made fresh.” Truthful advertising that reigned true for both visits.
They give large and generous portions. The pita came with  a generous amount of gyro meat (no skimping or stinginess here). The lettuce does not overpower nor is it over abundant but just enough. The hummus is subtle, it’s there but you won’t notice it much unless you are looking for its distinctive texture. It gets lost with the feta and creamy tzatziki sauce. However, all married together and the union of both textures and flavors is near perfect. The bite of the onion is just enough to compliment the flavor of the gyro meat. The crispy lettuce and tomato gives it the freshness. The tzatziki has the perfect balanced mix of cucumber, dill and Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt and dill are the stars of the sauce show. The pita is large enough to split with someone or enough for one hungry pita eater.
On our second visit, we ordered a large Greek salad. It was “GINORMOUS” and more than enough for Papa Smurf and I to share with our dinner. On the second trip, the scene on Saturday was starkly different from the lull of midweek late afternoon. On Saturday night, the place was jam packed, and there was a wait. I highly recommend calling ahead on the weekend in order to beat the rush or lessen your wait time. Anyways, the large Greek salad by itself was enough for a family of 4 to each have a side portion. The salad comes with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, beets, pepperoncinis, green peppers and potato salad topped with feta. Yes! I said potato salad lol. In the midst of the “veggie dump” you almost get lost in it and forget about the potato salad. But then it appears almost out of nowhere at the bottom of your scoops, a pleasant surprise. It’s a real filler! I added grilled chicken to our salad, which was very juicy and tender with a perfectly grilled taste. Not over salted or bland. I loved the creamy Greek dressing, Papa Smurf preferred the vinaigrette. My favorite standouts in the salad were the pepperoncinis and kalamata olives. I would say the salad is probably the best confirmation of their motto. Everything tasted so fresh! So I think I have found my gyro place now; and Papa Smurf loves a good salad so he plans to return for the salad. It’s a win-win for the Taylors!
You can check out The Hungry Greek Here:
http://www.thehungrygreek.com/
~~Stay tuned for my next post on Kuchi Sushi~~

Getting Organized And Making Better Use of Time...

 

When I decided to relocate, my life was in an awkward pause of sorts. I had two contracts end abruptly and I was still reeling from the loss of my oldest sister and best friend just that past July. I think too much happened almost all at once though it ran a course of a 5 month span. Fast forward to the Spring of 2014, and I was working toward relocating full force. Finding a place to live was our main objective and trying to land a job was also on my list. Papa Smurf would continue the same job (at a different location) once we relocated and were settled. After we successfully relocated, there was another issue to combat. We purged ALOT before we moved. We only took whatever we could fit between our Pontiac Grand Prix and my older sister Ericka’s economy sized rental; which was not much. I went through a major adjustment period. Aside from getting used to a new place, a new state, our first year with a school aged child, a new school, new school system, at the peak of the challenge was having to do without the things that we left behind. And when you really need something it’s the worst to try to track it down versus realizing you left it. In the midst of it all, I felt so disorganized at times last year. Despite the repeated moments that I was reassured with others, I didn’t even care to hear that I made a major life change that was an accomplishment in and of itself. The disorganization during the adjustment period took much of the joy that came with that accomplishment away at times. Though I can be spontaneous, most of the credit to that goes to my husband as I am a creature of habit. Everything and I do mean everything that I need must be present, accounted for and above all have its place. What can I say it’s the Virgo in me!

 

Anyways, getting to the point, it’s a no brainer that 2015 was dubbed the year of “Get It Together” and get organized. Moreover, I declared that the adjustment period was over so it was time. By now a lot of people have probably fallen off track with their New Year’s resolutions. I think one of the reasons that NYE resolutions often fall off and lose momentum around this time of year if not sooner is because they often require a more calculated approach. Nine times out of ten, the approach in and of itself does not mesh well with a person’s current lifestyle. What exactly am I saying? Well you have to take baby steps first. You must make room in your present life for what you are trying to do if you really want to succeed at maintaining and achieving your resolution(s). 

 

For myself, this was going to involve getting in tune with our present adjustment period routine, what had to go, and what I had to get back to doing. 

 

Soulful and Abundant Sundays

 

Somewhere during the adjustment period Papa Smurf landed two jobs and decided to keep both. During this time life got super hectic. People had no idea (aside from the ones who visited) just how busy things got during the course of the week especially when we were getting Juliana ready and registered for school, doctor’s appointments, other appointments, interviews, adjusting to her weekly scheduled once school started and squeezing all of that in where it could fit in toggling one vehicle and Papa Smurf’s work hours. In the midst of the madness the big dinners that we would make from time to time especially during the week kind of fell to the waste side. The best part of making a big dinner is the leftovers!

So I knew I needed to get back to that somehow. And so I did, once Papa Smurf’s schedule leveled out when one job took precedence over the other. I started freezing smaller servings of the large batches of meals that I would make, from baked macaroni and cheese, greens, and lasagna. I would use freezer ziplock bags, sandwich sized for lunch portions and quart sized bags for dinner portions. During the week this makes it easier during the week for short cuts and already prepared sides to add to meats for meals. Also it will keep you from going out to lunch when you can’t really afford a daily out to lunch habit or need to cut back. 

 

Back to the Basics

 

Somehow we slipped into letting Julie buy lunch daily. However, baby girl started running a serious tab. The café counselor said it was probably the snacks and al a carte stuff. Whatever it was, it felt like we were dealing with a $20 a week habit. After frequent slips home that her account had to be replenished yet again we were rushing around to hit the ATM for cash too often for my liking. I don’t know if she had an accomplice (which was my sister’s theory) or what but I set a spending limit for her that would be in place. I also decided that it would only be in place for a last resort as that would be the only time she would buy lunch from there on out! Back to the basics, her Minnie Mouse lunch bag was coming back! A weekly trip to Sam’s (bulk/ wholesale store) to purchase her lunch stuff for the week and possibly longer. Going back to packing her lunch the night before would become a must do as well! And even if I may not always get to it the night before, having things on hand to put together quickly made life easier and mornings go more smoothly.

 

Blast From The Past

 

During the later years of my college career long days as a full time student, especially around midterms, finals, and meetings for group projects made my time limited. I lived off campus. Marinating and freezing meats for dinner, frozen vegetables and fresh bagged salads were a way of life. I couldn’t afford a daily carryout habit, nor did I want to. Freezer ziplocks, using seasonings and marinades to marinate them in advance were also common practice. Usually after a weekend grocery trip, I would season everything up, and then place them in the freezer until I needed or wanted them. In the morning, I would take out dinner to defrost. By the time I got home and was too tired or had too much work to do in the oven it would go. No fuss. The end of my college years was a busy time. Likewise, family life gets busy and though I am a cook some nights I’m not really up to toe job. Other times, the day can get ahead of me. So, I had to go back into my old ways yet again. 

 

Set A Grocery Budget….

 

Stop Shopping Around Cravings /By The Day

 

Instead…Make An All Inclusive List. 

 

One thing that really had thrown me off as far as cooking dinner for the family was that we also slipped into shopping by the day for dinner, so often that it was becoming habit. What can I say? I love fresh ingredients. However, that wasn’t an excuse, it was becoming an inconvenience as hours fluctuated and dinner would run later and later because of it. Either that or we would end up getting pizza or the like more often than I wanted to. Late dinners ruined the bed time routine which made for long nights and rough mornings. Besides, I could still buy fresh and just freeze what I wasn’t using right away or before the “best by” date if I had purchased too much. By now you see a trend that freezing is very much a key time and life-saving practice for me. Setting a budget really forces me to pinpoint what I need versus what I don’t. It is a great way to attack the whole needs vs wants battle. There isn’t too much room for slipping one too many snacks in the cart which can take away from pantry and refrigerated staples that I may need. Which is why though it may seem archaic, a list is helpful in keeping me on track too. There is nothing worse when it comes to grocery shopping than getting home and realizing you don’t really have any real food because you shopped around your cravings and snacks you wanted; or realizing that you forgot that one thing again. Though I like the grocery, I don’t always have the time and frequent trips can become costly. I have learned to use the "regular" grocery for sale items. I usually have the sale paper marked all up before I go, and even tag items that I have a coupon for with extra notes (i.e.: how much off for how many items). Having a list and the sale paper already marked up makes me feel more organized and focused for the trip. Like I said before lol there is nothing worst when it comes to grocery shopping than a wasted trip. Anyways, I use the bulk/ wholesale shopping for all else, favorites, and things that the kids go through fast or that we consume at a faster rate. Having one less thing to go out for, and one less trip to make, keeps me organized and makes optimal use of our time. 

 

Well those are just a few actions I have taken to try to stay on track especially when it comes to meal planning. What are some things that you do to stay on track and organized for meal planning? Or for goals like eating out less for dinner or lunch during the week?

A practical Approach to a Common NYE Resolution: Eat Healthier

I can’t believe that the New Year is here! But I was waiting for it. I could not wait for 2014 to be over. For myself, though I had made a major accomplishment and life change in 2014, the year just had more than it’s fair of ups and downs. However, that is a whole other post in and of itself in a blog of a different genre.
A common NYE resolution is to eat healthier. Let’s face it, whether it’s our waistline, challenges during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, or high blood pressure), a bad report at the doctor’s, or just not feeling ourselves, we all reach a point where we feel out of control and want to regain it. For others, they may want to avoid all of the above, nip things early, and have a desire to take better care of themselves.

Aside from those who have allergies, is the ever growing gluten free movement as well as the vegan dieting movement. To be brutally honest, (while also running the risk of offending someone) unless you have those allergies or beliefs I would not bother. As for vegan dieting, it can be quite dangerous if you don’t do your research or consult a nutritionist to make sure that you are supplementing yourself properly. This is so that you are making sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs and not depleting itself. Dieting in and of itself is risky business, along with that sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t; what works for some or one may not work for others. One of the downsides to “net” and “pop” culture is that the safety of various diets is not tagged or noted in posts. However, a general rule of thumb, if it doesn’t sound safe then it probably isn’t. I had a distant relative who ended up in the E.R. doing a lemonade diet. And another set who decided to go on a cabbage diet and ended up with all types of gastrointestinal discomforts. I am not condemning anyone, but if it doesn’t sound safe, don’t bother. It’s not worth it to end up in the E.R. getting fed nutrients and fluids via IV or to beat down your body.

I am going to offer some simple yet practical advice for those who want to eat healthier.

1. Everything in Moderation/ Baby Steps
For instance, maybe you start out by limiting fast food or take out to once a week and one meal only. Specifically, pizza on a Friday night for dinner. If you’re tired and not up to cooking, try already prepared healthy options at your grocery store like rotisserie chicken. Avoid too many processed and frozen foods during the week. They are usually high in sodium and bloated with preservatives (calorie counts can be deceiving).

2. Use Less Salt. Look to Other Spice And Herb Alternatives
I often use Kosher salt when cooking because a little bit goes a long way. So, ultimately I end up using less salt. One to two teaspoons of kosher salt can handle large crockpots, stockpots, as well as pounds of meat. Venturing out with various herbs and spices will also limit the amount of salt you use while helping you to enhance various flavors. Vinegar and lemon can also be used as substitutes from time to time.

3. Back to the Basics
Most of us were first introduced to this guy (The Food pyramid) in elementary school. It’s an excellent starting point for beginner’s to follow and is all inclusive! It’s a great model for daily balanced meal preparation.

(Image Source: Theta Health)

4. Portion Control
Hand in hand with the food pyramid, controlling the portion that you eat is a good method. Using the palm of your hand as a guide may be simple but its effective. Eat until you are satisfied and your hunger is satiated. Don’t wait until you feel as though someone will have to roll you out of a place.

5. You’re Not In preschool Anymore (Get Over Your Hang Up With Vegetables)!
If you have one, get over your hang up with vegetables, it’s just not nutritionally feasible let alone healthy. Try experimenting with salads to start. Don’t always feel so bad if you head for the ranch or blue cheese, at least you are eating your vegetables. But truth be told, a little bit of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lemon and dried herbs is good stuff coupled with salad! Vinegar is also good when fused with oil.

6. Cut Back On Sugar By Eating More Fruit
Whenever you’re craving sugar or candy eat a piece of fruit. Also don’t be fooled by the false sense of security provided by sugar substitutes like aspartame (which Yoplait recently pulled from their “Light” line and for good reasons).

7. Water and Lemon Wedge…
Never hurt nobody! Yes, I used a double negative lol. Who cares if you look cheap? Order lemon and water with your meal. It helps you digest your meal better. Ordering water instead will help you avoid high sugar filled sodas and sweet teas. Drinking water daily, you may notice that you feel better, more energized, more hydrated, and you may even gain a clearer complexion.

8. Experiment With Healthy Snacks…
Until you find one you like. Try granola, yogurt, trail mix, various dry or mixed nuts, dehydrated veggie chips, hummus and bean dips, or cheese and crackers. Once you find healthy options that you like, you can sub them in as your go to munchies in place of chips, cheesy puffs and other stuff that may not be as healthy.
Last but not least, no one is perfect. We all have our “kryptonite”, comfort foods, and “poisons”, but we all have to start and maintain from somewhere.

“Happy and Healthy New Year” to all!