What a weird and wonderful day today was. After a couple of perfectly gorgeous days we had a day of rain, rain and more rain. I ventured out (apres nap) with The Kid and Good Friend to finish outfitting the kid for the fall and winter. I already had a number of clothes for her but it is incredible how many she goes through. The more she demands the spoon to feed herself the more laundry I do. On the plus side The Dog is developing a much more sophisticated palate. As for the nudity...well I have one of Those Kids who insist on figuring out how to do everything and dismantle everything. I was off in retail heaven leaving Good Friend in charge of entertainment when I heard an "Ohmigod" then The Kid's name so I went to investigate. Out of sheer curiosity she managed to untie and remove her top in the store. This is not her first foray into nudity but her first public display of it as she often wakes up from a nap and removes her clothes or her diaper (while leaving her pants on). Her father should worry.
I also picked up a couple of pieces of clothing for myself which do not have the same level of cute that The Kid's wardrobe has. She can wear stripes and hearts and many colours and people think "what a cute outfit". If I wore similar looks people would think "what the hell?!".
I am feeling a bit of food guilt these days. I have not been cooking as much has I should be and I have not been overly inspired either. I have watched some Chow Network in order to find stuff I want to make but so far I just want to go out for big greasy burgers, make an awesome and funky wedding cake or run around a city eating weird food.
I think one of my deterrents has been that I am trying to lose about 5 pounds and inspire The Boy to do the same. When I cook for the people I love, I tend to create comfort dishes that are hearty and full of flavour. I am trying my hardest to come up with lower fat and healthier alternatives to the stuff we love.
I have been cooking and substituting anything white with whole grain substitutes such as quinoa and brown rice. Quinoa has a fantastic nutty flavour and is a terrific substitute for oatmeal in the morning (cook and serve with almond milk, fruit and a smidge of honey) or as a base for a grain salad (recipes to come next week). It has been called a supergrain as it is very high in fibre and good carbs and is very easy to cook. The downside is that it is not cheap. The box that I purchased was almost $8.
Brown rice is a more affordable base that can also be used in a myriad of different ways. I make up large batches mixed with red lentils and freeze in smaller amounts for a quick cook and serve. I like to use it as a substitute for ground meat in tacos, a base for veggie burgers and just sauteed with a bunch of fresh veggies and curry. The downside to brown rice is that it is a pain in the ass to cook and takes a lot longer than white rice.
Tonight I decided that I wanted to cook Italian a lower fat way with excellent results. The recipe for my Naked Chicken Parmigiana to follow. I combined my leftover tomato sauce with cauliflower, shredded carrot, shredded zucchini and whole wheat pasta as the side. A note about buying whole wheat pastas: be careful what you purchase and read your labels. A lot of people are duped by the words "Healthy" on the package and not notice that the pasta contains large amounts of sodium. Read the label carefully and NEVER buy anything that has more than 12% sodium. Can't lose weight? Bloat easily? Tire easily? Take a closer look at your pantry and how many items have 25% (or higher) sodium content. Health Canada and Canadian Diabetes Association websites have great information on label reading. It's worth learning, trust me.
Naked Chicken Parmigiana
2 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can low sodium tomato sauce
1/2 can low sodium tomato paste
1 TBSP chopped fresh basil
1 TBSP chopped minced garlic
1 tsp dill
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
ground black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste or optional
2 TBSP low fat mozzarella shredded
-broil chicken breasts in 375 degree oven for about 15 mins (turn over halfway).
-in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese) and let simmer while your chicken breasts are cooking.
-at 20 minute mark, remove chicken from oven and coat generously with some of the sauce. Top chicken with cheese and return to oven for another 10 minutes or so (until cheese melted and bubbling).
-Combine leftover sauce with pasta and vegetables and serve as a side with the chicken.
I am off to bed for another night of sleep training The Kid. It is one thing when they wake up and cry for you to come and cuddle them but playing in the middle of the night is another. We're also cutting another tooth so I have been torn between leaving her to comfort herself or comforting her myself. I think it's harder on me than her (and definitely than The Boy and The Dog who go downstairs to get some sleep). Just when you think that you are going to be strong, you cave in and you go to them and when they wrap their chubby arms around your neck and cover you with kisses you can't help but think that maybe it's not always a bad thing to be a softy once in a while.
Be happy!
J
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