Set the Table 2017 | Week 12

Welcome back + Happy Sunday Spring Break Fun Day! We're in Indiana this weekend visiting my girlfriend Laura and I am making a big mess in her kitchen:)

• Each Sunday #SettheTable2017 begins with the upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture recap of last week's chaos. Warning: Selfie videos and picture shenanigans keep me cooking and laughing... C'est la vie, I'm selfy-ishly lighting it up.
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad).
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.

*Note: The first underlined/linked recipe name corresponds to one of two chefs:
1. Jamie Oliver online recipe or to his Ultimate Recipes App (J)
2. Sarah Britton - My New Roots Blog or to her RecipeApp (S)
Both of their apps help me to stay organized (their grocery list features are rad); However, IF I am unable to find a recipe/cooking technique online, I have linked to a similar recipe for those not using the apps. Here is a handy conversion link for any of J's online euro measurements (*Both apps use USA measurements).

• Asian Style Crispy Pork Salad (J) (didn't get to it last week) - Taco Tuesday

• Salami spaghetti Carbonara (J)

• Massaged Kale Salad with Grapes and Poppy Seed Dressing (S)

• Black Bean Chocolate Cherry Cookies (S)

• Crab Risotto with Lemon, Herbs & Fennel (J) or Fennel Risotto (and add the crab in)

MAKE ME: Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by Sprouted Routes 

*"Why We Need To Be Weirdos To Be Healthy" (My goal: 80% weird. Daily reality = 20-100%)

*Read up on how to cook with oils.
*If possible, buy antibiotic free meat (Here's why I try to know where my meat is coming from).
*Use the EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines to save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides (harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome) at home. 
*Avoid artificial colors and preservatives (also gut-toxic).  

Wrap it UP with last week's family table action:

I was having so much fun... playing with dough balls, pretending my rolling pin was a bat. I was so sure of a home run coming my way... 

They turned out pretty rad looking.

Next time, I am leaving the chickpea flower out - Abbie is highly sensitive to weird table smells, and she had a really hard time even trying it. 

I went from jolly to juvenile right after I took that picture.

She was silent, not tasting and grossed out, then upset that I was upset. Me = Watching, judging, scowling - I was incredulous, insulted, thinking to myself, "This took me soooo much time, and who would not like it! Why are my kids so damn picky!?" 

Tears (not mine)

OMG THIS IS NOT how I'm trying to set the table! Everyone else ate it, liked it (well, perhaps Tommy, Mac and Chris just didn't want to tell Mommy Dearest the truth... lest she get more upset). 

What kind of family table atmosphere am I creating here?!? One of embarrassment? Shame? Fear? Perfection? Say Cheese! Pleeeeeaaaaaaaasssssseeeeeeeeeeee

I read, seek out and marinate on so many articles on how to behave... like a rational, educated person, like a super food ambassador who knows - who is aware - of what she is doing and saying when trying to get her family to try new foods... I do so well most nights and others, like these, without warning, I fail miserably. 

Benched. 

I remember: When a call didn't go my way, an argument could get me thrown out of the ballpark. 

I remember: Losing my temper would take me mentally out of the game, the ball no longer in my control, the batters getting home and stepping on my plate.

I remember: Getting taken out of the game. 

I got benched at my family table's ballpark. 

I apologized. They accepted. Abbie and I hugged and talked more. Reality check. 

Begin again. 

That tray full of bread crumbs = toasted "everything" bagels whizzed up in my food processor. Sharp kitchen scissors work way better at cutting the salmon + getting the skin off (which is really not necessary). 

Dip the raw salmon sticks in a two egg + a few Tablespoons of milk wash (I used rice milk)

Coat in crumbs 

Fry in ghee

Chris said it's the best batch of fish fingers I've ever made.

I didn't turn the sticky chicken and beans into a soup like I thought I would... I just separated everything out, shredded the chicken and made it into another taco night with some stray fish fingers in the mix. 

Pasta and pizza. Definitely not weird. 

I made Sarah's poke bowl last night. We didn't even offer it to the kids (cuz they thought it was super weird), we saved all that yumminess for ourselves. Thanks for having us for a long Spring Break weekend get away chimmie! I miss you already.

To the Mullies we go...

xoxoL