what to do with butternut squash?

i had two huge butternut squashes and not a clue what to do with them and have the kids eat them.

...what about cookies!? 

a few google seconds later, i found this little gem:

spiced butternut squash cookies

and i also had to find out how to roast butternut squash.

since people will look at you weird when you offer them squash cookies (believe me, they will retract their hand), tell them they are fall spice cookies and see if they can guess what the secret ingredient is.

kurt was the closest, he said pumpkin!

notes:

i roasted them on convection, cut side down at 375 degrees.  didn't add any butter, oil or anything.  

i had a ton of leftovers as a doubled recipe only called for 2 cups of cooked squash.  so i measured out and bagged a cup full of squash per baggie and froze them for my next batch.  i have 6 cups frozen right now, ready for more cookies, soup or whatevs.

i am so smart.

i substituted sucanat for the brown sugar and used coconut oil.  

this is a hefty dough - very happy i have a hefty mixer.

the babycakes cookbook i just purchased talked about a 1 inch ice-cream scooper being a "must have" and i have to say, this this is my new best friend when it comes to scooping cookies.  

how ever did i live without that little guy?!

silpats rock my world - have loved them forever.  

i think i need one more so i can do three trays at once.

my kids absolutely love these cookies.  

and nobody can believe there is squash in them.  

and why does everything i make have to look like poop?  

sweet potato chippies

i went a little overboard last time i made sweet potatoes.  i got it right with the amount this time:)

sweet potato chippies

notes:
i used 3 mediumish potatoes and filled 3 trays.
tossed em in a bowl with evoo.
sprinkled coarse salt and fresh ground pepper on top (just one side was enough).
flipped them after 10 minutes (don't try to do in the oven...take em out and flip them).
cooked them for another 9 minutes.
375 degrees on my multi level convection setting

i made them before we went out on the town.  our wonderful babysitter served them up....of course i forgot the all cooked up and done picture...i'll add it someday when i make them again.  sorry charlies.

NO LEFTOVERS, nada, zilch.

holllaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

finally have a recipe that will get rid of these suckers.

a reading update

i spoke with abbie's teacher today:)

not only did she have a great week, but she was retested in reading....and wait for it....

prior to our food revolution, her english reading was at level A & she would not even attempt spanish (reading levels go through the alphabet as difficulty increases).  she is now testing at level C for english and A+ for spanish!!  she is also much more engaged and is really trying hard to do well.  total huge, mega change and we couldn't be more excited.

it's truly a miracle how she has changed in less than a month's time.

looks like i'll be cooking to the mullies until further notice.

chicken snawsage soup

the primal diet sausage soup

crazy good.  especially if you have a lot of veggies to get rid of...and i did.

notes:

found the chicken sausage at cosco.

didn't expect the kids to eat much.  they loved the sausage and the broth...baby steps:)

major hit with the old folks in the house.  

even with my no veggie hubbie.

day 34 and the feingold diet

well i guess this crazy food revolution we are on has a name!

the feingold diet

you know when you get a new car and feel so great about it and then you start driving and everyone has that same car all of a sudden?  it's everywhere and why didn't i notice before??!!!  or you have babies on the brain and all of sudden all you see are pregnant women everywhere!!???

well, now that my eyes have been opened, everywhere i look i am finding out more and more and more...sometimes i just have to laugh!  remember the first batman movie and people start dying because of the combo of products but together are toxic?

now that we are into our 2nd month, i am happy to say i am beginning to adjust and that i am super crazy lucky my hubbie signed on.  cuz if he didn't, i would be up poo creek in cheetos still.

definitely would have given up, no doubt.

speaking of cheetos, smokin hot article about them in the chicago trib today.

see what i mean dog?  

here is the article my dad sent me and this is how i found the feingold institute.

can the right diet help out with ADHD management?

thanks daddio.

1st dinner with gwyn's cookbook

let's start with the best part...the homemade peanut butter dark chocolate icecream.

the only substitution I made was sucanat for the brown sugar.  

i will be using my ice cream maker probably every other week now.  

thank you carol, bern, emilie and erika!!!

the little processor has chopped up dark chocolate and my blender worked perfectly for the rest.

i wanted to get sucked down into it...and drown in the yumminess.

best.ice.cream.ever.

my kids went bonkers and bananas for it, no way am i spending $$$ on the pint size, crazy ass expensive coconut milk ice cream or any other for that matter.

my father's daughter cookbook by gwyneth paltrow.

i seriously am in love with it.

salmon with homemade teriyaki sauce

the teriyaki sauce is unbelievable and i thawed out some frozen salmon.  

mac gobbled it up, tommy and abbie had a bite of fish and spit it out...first time for salmon.  oh well.  

there was none left though, chris and i finished it off.  followed the recipe to a T.    

first time i've ever worked with ginger and had no idea what mirin is...evaporated sake!

bombs anyone!?

those carrot looking things!?  

yea, had noooooo idea what the what they were when i saw them in my produce box.  

had to call the store to ask like an idiot.

parsnips!  

i assume i have had them before at a fancy pancy restaurant  but seriously... clueless on this veggie. 

roasted parsnips

hahahahahahahaha

notes on the parsnips: 

kids didn't really like them.  all had a bite though.

if i had heeded the recipe warning and cut out the middle tough part, they would have been way better.  but oh, that's a lot of cutting my friend.  

sauce was awesome - i substituted vegenaise horseradish and nature's balance in the sauce.  

and just use dried herbs for freaks sake.   

we also cut up some mangos, i forgot to put them out for dinner...so dumb, and come to find out, the kids don't even like mangos!!!  can you believe it?  

at least now i know how to cut a mango.

and funny thing, i just had a bowl full for lunch and my tummy hurts.  guess i don't like mango either?

day 32 meal planning yea

just passed the month mark!

great news, abbie had a good day yesterday, let's hope this continues alllllll week babycakies:)  at the bus stop yesterday, instead of sprinting home with me left behind in her wake, she held my hand and we walked together the whole way home.  she proceeded to tell me all about how to tell time with the big hand and the little hand.  i mean, in detail.  i was her student.  she has never told me about what she has learned in school before.  i always ask and her response has always been, "i don't remember mom."

so anywho, onto me...

this meal planning thing blows chunks.  it's really h.a.r.d.  see, in the past, i have tended to let things rot and then have to throw them out because i just forget about what i have in my stupid fridge drawers.

i am beginning to think i have early onset dementia at the ripe ol age of 35.

i have NEVER had this many veggies in my house in the history of man - they are expensive and i don't want to fall back into my wasteful, lazy habits.

so, i sat down today and tried something new (it helped that i showered & put make-up on today).

got my computer googling, recipe books opening and stickie notes sticking.

i planned today through sunday.

i swiped this spriral notebook that came in tommy's free preschool supply box.
i have been dabbling in it a little bit already (last week) and here's what the mullies has inspired:

1.  scope the fridge & write all veggies down on their own stickie note.
2.  look at my family's crazy ass schedule.
3.  pick out the main courses for dinner (when can i cook? when does chris have to cook? blah blah...)
4.  bookmark online recipes and stickie note cookbooks for upcoming meals.
5.  put the stickie note/veggie next to the day in play
6.  note where recipes can be found... so i don't forget.

yes, my notebook is a total mess.  only i could probably make sense of it, but who cares!?  maybe i'll be more martha stewarty and organized someday, but frankly my dear, i don't have the time.

for tonight:

gwen paltrow's broiled salmon with homemade teriyaki

roasted parsnips

christina's sesame broccoli

mango slices

homemade vegan peanut butter icecream

oh that sounds crazy good.  

cooking lessons

seriously

how funny is that!?

i was at lessons and put chris in charge of making some quinoa pasta for the kids.  

forgot to tell him to boil the water first...  

ooooooooooopssssss

then he didn't figure to set the timer.

q pasta does not do well when you cook it incorrectly:)

why hello my little glue wad.  

the kids thought it was hilarious.

so, we'll be starting cooking 101 at our house as this food revolution will be putting a tad bit more pressure on daddio:)  i love it.  and he's all for it.

sweet tooth

i loved this sweetener flowchart!!  is it time to change your sweetener?

& i have the be food smart preservative a-z ingredient list bookmarked.

i cannot even believe how excited i am to try my sucanat 

in these peanut butter cookies of camp1899...make sure to scroll down further and try making whatever lasagna recipe you have with zoodles (zucchini noodles), cuz you're missing out if you haven't already.  

my hubbie even gave the thumbs up on that one and he hates vegetables (fun, right?)

i cannot wait to get my meathooks on this little ditty

i completely ignored chris last night reading it...DONUTS!!!!!

day 30 and a foodie weekend

i am very excited about this school week.  in way, i am happy i screwed the pooch by giving her the cal-mag supplement laced with sodium benzoate.  it has been vaporized from the house f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

hopefully, her little brain is clean as a whistle now...fingers and toes crossed, butt cheeks clenched.

mac complained about not liking the new maple syrup over the weekend.  abbie was sitting next to him ready to whine and agree...  this is how i handled it:  

"mac, let me read you the ingredients of our old syrup: corn syrup, liquid sugar (natural sugar, water), water, salt, natural and artificial flavor (lactic acid), sodium hexametaphosphate, preservatives (sodium benzoate, sorbic acid), caramel color, phosphoric acid.   that stuff comes from gasoline and here is the new maple syrup bottle - (plop on the table in front of him) - this comes straight from a tree, mac.  

and feel free to read the ingredients yourself: "pure maple syrup".

his eyes got wide and he proceeded to eat with gusto, with no comments from either one.  they all asked for seconds on the pancakes.  

also interesting... there is way less syrup used now ...hmmmmmm.

i tried out another pizza crust recipe on friday.   

this one has made the cut.  

i love danielle's blog so much!

i think i rolled it out a little too thin, next time i will leave it thicker.  

I also did not have raw cashews, so i will definitely be adding those to my grocery list.  

now for the main event!!!

one of my family's favorite dishes has always been 

pork tenderloin with a peach barbecue sauce.  

i haven't made it since our food revolution.

i am super-duper-looper excited about my newly adapted and might i say, improved sauce.  

we had a family over for dinner so this meal fed four adults and six kiddos.

(how i forgot to take pictures of the meat & sauce is beyond me...)

the mullies peach barbeque sauce

2 canned peaches quartered and smashed up & drained (i used trader joe's (tj's) canned peaches and i bet fresh would rock)

3 c organic ketchup (tj's...this is approximate since i kept adding more from the original recipe link above)

2 T organic coconut oil (tj's)

2 tsp veganaise horseradish

1 tsp cider vinegar

2 T prepared organic mustard (tj's...this is also approx since i kept adding more to taste)

2/3 c sucanat

2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt (i used pink himalayan salt)

1/3 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

i think it's fun to experiment and add more of this or that while you're cooking!  so, just dump it all in a small pot and mix it up as it heats through.  once it was all combined, i kept a lid on it and simmered the sauce until it was time to eat.

full recipe notes:

i seasoned three tenderloins with a salt and pepper blend and used coconut oil to brown the meat.  

you MUST coat the tops of the tenderloins with some sauce before finishing the cooking in the oven.  

good golly miss molly it's ahhhhmazing.

here are the sides i made with dinner and the links to the recipes:

pumkin biscuits

i substituted earth's balance vegan buttery sticks and cup 4 cup gluten free flour.  i actually had a butternut squash, but just not enough time to cook that too.  so, i used canned pumpkin puree instead.

i offered honey or butter to slather on top.  delish.  thanks shannalee!!

diced purple-lishious potatoes

these little guys were in my organic produce box for the week.  i was so surprised when i cut into the first one and they were marbled all purple and white!!  (i simply drizzled evoo, kosher salt and pepper all over them and cooked them with the tenderloins).

primal banana chocolate chip cakies

these didn't turn out as thick or as light in color as heather's beautiful pictures.  

maybe i put too many bananas in...

you bettah believe i will be baking these cakies again.

totally, completely gone in 15 minutes flat.  

the food babe

now this is my kind of babe.

tons and tons of fabuloso info...you'll really cry over the starbucks expose:(

the food babe

chicken with apples

we had a very romantic family dinner last night.

my inspo came from chicken and apples from the wellness mama

notes:

i diced up the onions to camouflage them to look like apples.  

it totally worked, hahahahah (insert evil laugh).

i added probably around 3/4 c white wine at the end and let it all simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  

oh baby it was good.

i served it with noodles and i  also chopped up a fresh pineapple for a side.

so the evoo, sesame oil and seeds were for the broccoli that i cooked up.  

that shit got eaten so fast that i didn't even take a picture.  

my friend christina shared this little gem with me.  thank you my cooking friend!!!

christina's broccoli is the best mom!

fresh broccoli chopped up

toss with evoo, s&p

throw a few garlic cloves in the pan

cook at 400 degrees for 10 min, toss, add another 5 min

take out and sprinkle some sesame oil & seeds on top - cook another minute or so...

my kids will not let me make it any other way now.  

mac set the table for me.  

he wanted to make it a restaurant.  

so he made place cards and a menu.

welcome to mat...each seat cost: 7.99 + $1.70 dollars off.

now we must learn how to put napkins in our laps.

 cheers mac!  thank you my little helper:)  

maybe you'll get into the food biz someday.  

his food promises to be "gas free".

carrageenan

man, i'm just having a bad day.

had to pour out some soy milk and will no longer be buying coconut milk in the quart or pint anymore.  even my coveted little chocolate coconut milk lunch boxes...sob...because it has carrageenan in it.

did you know it is a documented carcinogen?

yup, that's right people.

i have to buy coconut milk in the can.  trader joe's light coconut milk has nothing but coconuts and water in it.  i have another brand with guar gum in it...i'm afraid to look it up.

cookoo cookoo cookoo 

watch out for this carcinogen

thank you food babe

ps

did you know that MSG can be labeled as carageenan too?  sneaky sneaky...

check carefully...lindsey!!!!

i'd like to drop kick myself in the face. 

the veggie sticks i bought have potassium chloride.  how did i not see that?  i was giving those to abbie & mac to munch on in the car to school and sometimes in their lunches. 

then i looked at the calcium magnesium supplement.  

i honestly didn't even think about checking the label because i bought it at a health food store!!!!  

i looked up sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate and just felt like an idiot.  i mean hello, they even have (preservative) written after the words you lameass.  

i swear i have a college degree.

i just started putting the cal-mag in the smoothies this past weekend to see if they could detect it.

it's now properly sliming up my pipes.   

no wonder abbie is having a bad week.  

i feel a re-enactment of fight club coming on.

organic food vs non-organic

it definitely stinks that organic food costs more.  i had heard about a study that came out saying that organic food is no better for you than non-organic food.

this is one of the best articles out there to pick apart that nonsense...have at it mark!

is organic a scam?

so i was riding in the car today to the grocery store with my little man and one of my favorite songs came on,  every teardrop is a waterfall by coldplay.  i started thinking about our family, our school district's struggling kids & test scores, the mullies, food...round and round and round and round 

parked the car

turned it up 

and got the tinglies.  

and you know what that means...a couple of tears...and then it came right into my head like another lightening bolt.

a grass roots project is in the works....they have started all across the country with food behind the wheel of the bus.

come on peeps

let's start something in diamond lake - thanks for the inspo chris.

and i love what you stand for jamie oliver.

insert our kids here:)

food additives and chemicals

hollah

thank you megan for getting me started on more sites!  

here are some links to an article discussing common food additives/chemicals and the effect the can have on our children.

i don't think i am going to sleep tonight

which food additives make kids behave badly?

can food additives affect ADHD?

toxins in our kids' food - where is the FDA?

do food dyes warrant a warning label?

China plans to ban 17 artificial food dyes...why not the US?

7 reasons i hate artificial food dyes

ohhhhhhhhhhhh, doesn't this just make you wanna spit!?  

....that fruit loop out!?

makes me go hmmmmmm

check it before you wreck it

ADHD linked to diet in kids

a quick update this week on mac and abbie.  

we didn't have the best weekend of eating on friday and saturday. 

interestingly enough, we noticed way more eye tics on sunday from mac.  

abbie did not have a good attention day on monday.

we seem to be back on track today.  

really!?  i have to be THAT careful!?  

wow

things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmm and uuughghghghghghghgghghgh.

dippy dinner

tried something new tonight.  

tuesday is flag football night and nowadays, almost every night is wacked out, right!?

here's a fast & healthy dinner or lunch or snack i guess...why didn't i think of this before!?

cut up apples, oranges, carrots, celery and red pepper and put them out on a platter.  

i also diced up an avocado with s&p in bowls (their fav).  

i had exactly three carrot muffins left for each kiddo.

then i added the dippies:

red pepper hummus

almond butter

salsa & chips

now this night could be expanded to be sooooo much fun!!!!  and it would be easy for my hubby to prepare this without me...even bettah.

so easy, fast, simple...filled with good things and the kid get to choose.  

everyone had to try a bite of something they didn't want (my only rule). 

to have more of something, i told them they had to try the bite of the "disgusting one".  

it totally works. blackmail:)

tommy came back to the table at about 6:45 and chowed.  i'm telling you...this new philosophy for my picky eaters works.  thank you sister for passing the link along.

and here is a book review that i was told to read before my big switcheroo...

which i think i should read now:)

i fricken love not having to be at war with my kids at the dinner table.  

score

day 24

this cooking thing... it is a lot.

i was like a madwoman yesterday trying to get everything done before i had to go to to my lessons.

this is still so new to everyone involved, including myself.... and i tell you what, you need a big cup of courage to do this.

this post spoke to me...be brave lindsey, because life rewards the brave.  word.

...getting rid of all that "bad" food, being acutely aware of the new "crazy food mom" card on my forehead, hoping that this will continue to work, figuring out how to deal with going places and eating well away from home...it's a lot to take in...and then there's keeping my apron on...hollah bollah collah.

make sure you cook to music.  it really helps.  and strengthen your backbone.  

i think i am getting used to it, and perhaps one of these days i'll have this sweet rotating menu.  how great would that be?  to have kids super excited about eating a dish vs. wondering what crap she's gonna make tonight.  kinda fast weekday meals & more prep weekend meals.

pretty please, with a cherry (no artificial color) on top.

here's what the mullies had for dinner for monday night football

potato leek soup - carrot cupcakes - 4 ingredient oat squares (finally!)

i remembered an old episode of rachel ray chopping up leeks and putting them in a bowl of water to clean the grimy suckers...do it, it works!!

btw, i have never purchased leeks before, it was in my big 'ol organic box of goodies.  

the emersion blender.  it's a must have...i could soooo make a joke...hee hee!  

it looks like green puke.  at least the swirl of almond milk made it look kinda pretty, for a second.

i will not use as much of the green tops next time to help keep the color of the soup stay white-potatoey and not pea soup greeney.

let me tell you, this was delicious.  but the kids rarely have homemade soup (chicken noodle was my last one a longggggg time ago) let alone looking like green slime...  

mac liked it, abbie and tommy ate a few bites.  which is fine, cuz i looove leftover soup!

potato leek notes:  

i used a combo of chicken broth and beef broth because it's what i had on hand (regular bouillon cubes are filled with msg and i certainly did not have vegan ones laying around).  

I used almond milk instead of soy.

YEA!!!!!

carrot cupcakes saved the day.  

these little mothers are awesome.

carrot muffin notes:

i found gluten free 1-1 flour at williams sonoma.  the only hiccup with that is it has milk powder in it and i'm trying to be dairy free...i used it anyway.  cringe.  whine.  it was towards the end of the ingredient list.  note to self:  figure out my own blend that is dairy free & just like it:)  

i couldn't find dates, so i used figs instead...now i know what is in a fig newton:)

i didn't use raisins.

DOUBLE YEAAAA!!!!

4 ingredient oat squares are crazy awesome.

you better believe i will be making these ALOT.  so easy, so good!!!

oat bar notes:

i did not use any additional spices but will next time.

i used evoo to grease the pan and it worked fab.

i used the figs instead of dates.

i'm figgin tired.