make it - sweet pea fish pie

last weekend was one of the best for the shifdogs.  we took the kids skiing for the first time! all three went off to ski school for a bit and chris and i got to ski alone!  we held our breath a tad as we walked to the bunny hill.  they loved it and keep asking us when they get to go to "ski class" again.  hip hip!!

the trip gave me a little spring in my step (however i could have punched myself in.the.face for forgetting how to ski on the first two runs... it's only been 5 years...ooooof).

yesterday, i decided to meal plan proper again.  i am trying to be more organized... this is my first week in a loooooooooong time.  it's so much less stressful when i have everything planned out - why don't i do this ALL THE TIME!?!?!?!?  thank you tina for asking me what i was making last week - girlfriends rule!

i need simple and convenient - this is my plan of attack:

1.  to make three large from.scratch.meals per week (this allows for leftovers and schedule flexibility).
2.  to utilize my iphone app: jamie's recipes in addition to my favorite cookbooks.  i've been using the app off and on for almost a year.  i am finding the more i use it, the more i love it.  why?

• the recipes are awesome, organized and very simple to follow.
• my kids love watching jamie.  so they are always more willing to try a new dish if i tell him it's his recipe.
• yes, i volunteer for his Food Foundation (USA) and fully gush out the Food Revolution movement... however, if the app sucked, i would not use it and i would certainly not be blogging about it.
• the app has a grocery list function that rocks.my.world.  i need lists to keep me on budget and get out of the grocery store fast.
• the app is free and it comes with a free 10 recipe taster pack.  i liked it so much that i subscribed and i get new recipes every month.  

nervous to rock the recipe boat with your family?  check out this article on how to reform your picky eaters, it hits all the notes on the head for us.  i just sent it to chris and he just emailed me right back. we're vowing to make it through our next meal without telling the kids to eat their food.  i wonder if they will notice?  dinner will be over when the adults are finished, and then we'll clear the table together.  i love when we put our heads together with a plan:)

i chose three recipes for the week, the app made a grocery list for me and off i went to shop.  it was a very quick trip.

last night's dinner:

sweet pea fish pie

mullies notes (if you want to make it gluten & dairy free):
-sub coconut oil for the butter and add a few tablespoons of light coconut milk at potato mashing time.
-sub 1 3/4 c organic rice milk + 1/4 c light coconut milk in place of the the cow's milk.
-i had uncooked shrimp on hand, so i cooked them along with the salmon and cod (all wild caught and sustainably sourced).
-once opaque, let the shrimp cool off for a bit and peel.

my mom came over at this point in the recipe, took a taste and said, "lindsey this is restaurant quality!" score.  i think i started hopping up and down with glee.  she hates peas and mashed potatoes though... so i told her she'd just have to scrape it off if she stayed for dinner.

yes, the kids were sketched out with the looks of the pie at first.  faces tend to go green when they see green... but don't you just love the candles?!  i'm trying to make dinner more fun & special:)

mac scarfed his down faster than chris and i.

chris lit me up, "this is the best meal you have made in a long time... it's super fantastic!"

tommy was slow to get going, but eventually, he got into it.

abbie has a big food goggle problem... color, texture... argh.  however, i made gluten free garlic pitas (evoo & a sprinkle of garlic salt) so she & tommy decided it was worth it to eat 5 bites in between the magical triangle noshing.

i always try and make something they love at dinner.

i have half of a casserole left for tonight!!  yipppeeeeeeee!!!!!

sorry abbie, maybe you'll like it better n.e.x.t. time:)  cuz it's definitely going on the family fav's list!

up and down, up and down...  

embracing the ride, it's going too fast.

xoxo

ps

i'll be glued to my computer watching the live food tube show event today at 2pm!  some lucky viewer is going to win a free trip to london...  oh.how.lovely.would.it.be.if.the.computer.picked.me!?