I'm relieved its Friday. Its the one day I plan nothing so I can catch up. Its the one day I know I will be with my family for "Friday Family Fun Night." Its the day before I have my husband home all weekend so its like Christmas Eve in spirit, waiting for that gift!
Today's Friday will be great because its also going to warm up to above freezing temps! I need spring so badly, I cannot tell you! DH asked if we should take the plastic off the windows, but I'm scared if I do that, we'll drop back down into another cold snap. I'd take out my spring clothes, but I'm worried that too will curse the warming trend heading our way hopefully.
Yumi just reminded me its Friday the 13th. She threw up on the floor vent! Like I really want to dismantle that and try to clean out the vent now?! UGH! Why the floor vent cat??!! You had the entire kitchen floor!!
No, I will stay positive. Even about Supper. If you read my free writing 2 exercise, you know I'm stressing over preparing healthy, tasty meals my entire family will enjoy. I don't feel like playing short order cook, and I've discovered when I stress over a meal's preparation, I can't sit and enjoy it. Menu planning is one of the few things I don't enjoy about being a Domestic Diva.
I don't want to eat out though either. The food really doesn't taste that good to me, eating out. I'm really trying to taste, enjoy and connect with the food I eat. Its part of my learning process working through Karen Koenig's Rules of Normal Eating and The Food & Feelings Workbook.
DH mentioned we should try stir fry at home, only I don't own a wok. I'll be really tempted to look for one at Goodwill when I drop off this week's purge load. I could make stir fry in a regular pan right? I wish I knew how to make homemade stir fry sauces though. Add that one to my autodidact list.
I keep a list of things I want to learn more about. Challenging myself helps me to continue to learn and grow. Plus I'm hoping that my boys will be inspired and model my actions. I saw part of a show on PBS, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, with Dr. Amen. He pointed out each time you learn something new your brain makes another neuro connection, keeping your brain healthy and active. I really believe it.
Becoming an autodidact- a self directed, self taught, person has really helped me in so many ways. Gone are my depression, anxiety attacks and low self esteem. Its freed me to find the path I need to be on, not where someone else thinks I need to be.
"Fridays Are Fresh Days" is a favorite lyric of mine. I hope you all have a Fresh Friday today and a fab weekend!
8 comments:
I like your lyric!
Have you tried getting the kids and DH involved in the menu planning? That would take some of the stress off of you. Could be fun?! I will admit that I hate coming home from work and having to think of something to make for dinner - and I really hate cooking for two. That's why we eat out more than we should. I need to change gears and adjust my attitude also, with regard to dinner. (sigh)
Kudos to you for wanting to cook healthier. We have been on that road for the past few months too. :) I think I saw a stir fry sauce recipe in the Le Leche cookbook we've borrowed. I will go back, look and then post. If you can't find a wok, it's okay. Use a regular skillet. :) I'd like a wok too. :) They are so big! :) Good luck in your search for one. I need to visit the thrift store we have in town, but I'm thinking there won't be much there other than clothing. :( I guess I could ask for one on freeycycle. lol I'm babbling.........anyhoo.........
There are many ways to cook healthy just by changing a few ingredients here and there. Doing that really eases a person into eating healthier without drastic changes. The main thing for me was cutting out sugar. Instead of sugar in drinks, I use the generic Splenda. We have cut out white breads, chips (for the most part) and other bad carb stuff. :) We try to keep healthier snacking choices in the house (fruits, etc). We love using whole wheat flat bread for pizzas. Delish! Like I said, little changes which have helped a lot. I just wanted to throw out some examples of change we have made. :)
I enjoy trying new foods.:) I am thankful hubby is into trying new foods or even foods he hasn' t liked in the past. It makes cooking somewhat easier. I just had the discussion of being a short order cook with my daughter. She does pretty well with eating what we have, but sometimes she requests something else. I am hoping to nip the 'short order cook' thing in the bud. :)
Eating out............I love being served.........I think that's my favorite thing about eating out. Moms don't get served much at home. It's my guilty pleasure. lol Ooh, but the expense of it! Ouch! We used to eat out much of the time...........we are doing that less and less now.
Family meal times here are stressful too. There are only about 4 meals everyone will eat. I have 2 picky eaters. They drive me nuts. lol Have a great weekend!
Ummmm, I am HORRIBLY bad with eating out ... I need to be better, but it is sooo dang hard.
Family fun nights are fun... hope that you have a great time.
I love your Friday motto!!! I hope you had a Fabulous Friday Family Fun Night
Here are some stir fry recipes including the sauce, it was posted today on a different blog, I hope youcan use them
My mom always said to leave the plastic on the windows until Memorial Day, because there's very little chance of it getting cold after that. ; )
Maybe you could make a menu list of things you know how to cook and/or enjoy cooking, then add one new thing each week? Beginning with stir fry sauce this week. lol (Oh, and I don't have a wok, I've always used a regular pan.) Maybe if you had a list it wouldn't be as hard to think when you're thinking of cooking? I keep remembering things I used to make, and we enjoyed, then for some reason I've stopped making those...I need to make a list, too! lol
I find it hard to plan meals ahead of time too. Someday I'm going to set up a routine such as: Monday-pasta, Tuesday-meat & veggies, Wednesday--crockpot, etc.... I've seen many others use such a system.
Part One:
The Sauce
1/2 cup good, unprocessed peanut butter (I used Organic Valencia PB)
1/2 cup hot water (I boiled some to make the process faster)
1/4 cider vinegar (I used regular white vinegar--great for cleaning!!)
2 Tbs tamari sauce (this is Japanese soya sauce. You can use regular soya sauce if that's what you have to hand, but I might add a little less as it has a more intense flavour)
2 Tbs blackstrap molasses (I used honey)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (I added 1 tsp or more)
(1) In a medium sized sauce pan whisk together the peanut butter and hot water until you have a uniform mixture.
(2) Add the other ingredients. Set aside.
Part 2.
The Saute
4 to 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp to 2 Tbs grated fresh ginger (I like lots)
1 lb tofu (I bought organic, firm tofu. Organic or not as you wish but it really needs to be firm, or extra firm)
veggies of your choice. Allow about 2 lbs. in total. I added onions, carrots, cauliflower, red and yellow peppers, mushrooms. Broccoli would be good, as would cabbage, asparagus, zucchini, celery, root veg (sliced thin)...whatever's available. If you have leafy things (spinach, chard), scallions, sprouts--add them just before you're done.
a few dashes salt
1 cup coarsely chopped raw peanuts. (I didn't add these as I didn't have any. Instead I added about 2 Tbs sesame seeds and 2 Tbs sunflower seeds. If I were to add the peanuts next time I would dry roast them in advance--either in a frying pan or in the oven. I don't like raw peanuts so well.)
2 to 3 Tbs tamari
2 scallions (green onions) minced
Now for the exciting bit (and by the way: it is not essential to have a wok. One can stir fry food just fine in a frying pan.)
(1) Put a little oil in the smaller pan. Add half the garlic and ginger. Saute one minute. Add the tofu and cook, stiring every minute or so, for 5 to 8 minutes. Add all of the to the peanut sauce. Stir gently and put on very low heat.
(2) Add a bit of oil to the bigger pan. Add the remaining garlic and ginger. Saute one minute. Add onion now, if using. (Check the tofu and sauce, make sure it's not too hot. The goal is that it stays warmed through, not that it actually cooks.) What I do is add a veg, then chop the next one so I am not surrounded by bowls of sliced veg. With the veggies I used the order was: onion, carrot, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms. This way by the time the 'shrooms are done the onions are, too. Throw in the nuts/seeds.
(3) Once everything is cooked though, pour on the peanut tofu mixture. Stir gently. Serve with rice and beer (especially if you made it spicier than you expected!)
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