Set the Table 2017 | Week 23

Rainbow Lasagna 

The ultimate leftover meal for busy, athletic families (not to mention a perfect way to use some farmer's market vege!)

1 large red onion diced

4 carrots diced

1 bunch rainbow chard (ribs diced, leaves roughly chopped)

1 small bunch parsley (stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped)

2 sweet peppers diced (I used red and orange)

2-3 T organic butter or ghee

1 lemon (zest + juice)

12 oz package of organic Italian blend cheese

8 oz shaved parmesan cheese

32 oz homemade or jarred tomato sauce 

1 package (no boil) gf lasagna noodles 

Sea salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter of low-medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, chard ribs (not leaves yet), peppers and parsley stalks. Cook low and slow for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring until the onion is translucent, the carrots are soft and everything is starting to lightly and evenly caramelize. Add the chard leaves, parsley leaves, lemon zest and juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper. Taste and season more if needed. Remove from heat. In a large 9-13 roasting pan, begin layering your rainbow lasagna:

1. Thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan

2. Noodles

3. Rainbow chard spoonfuls (about 3-4 heaping tbsp's spread out over each noodle)

4. Shredded cheese + parm (a thin even layer)

5. Sauce (little tbsp dollops all over the cheese - Marbly-like)

6. Repeat 2x's

7. Last layer = noodles, sauce and cheese (there should be about 4 noodle layers in total)

Cover with tin foil (stick toothpicks in the top layer to keep the foil away from the melting cheese if necessary). Cook for 40 min at 350 degrees. Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes or until top layer is bubbling. Remove and let cool down for at least 15 minutes (otherwise you'll have a gooey mess when you cut into it). Enjoy or make this ahead for an easy dinner after a day at the ball fields! 

ps The leftovers are even better...

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• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles (some new, some repeated). 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My two go to's for meal planning organization (the grocery list app features are rad): 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App 2. Sarah's My New Roots Recipe App 

Week 23's Game plan:

• Taco Tuesday - Fabulous Fish Tacos
• Beef Banh Mi (Jamie app) or this Leftover Turkey Banh Mi using vegan liverwurst
• Cook out
• Multi-Veggie Slaw with Herby Yogurt Dressing (Jamie app) or this Sweetheart Slaw with Passion Fruit dressing
• Red Lentil Carrot Bisque (Sarah's app - Sorry, couldn't find anything close to link online.)

Wrap it UP with last week's action in Indiana with my Chimmie Laura! 

I'm not sure what I enjoy more: cooking in or eating out.

Close up shot of the Rainbow Lasagna soffritto (Italian spelling) or shall I say mirepoix?!

I love this article explaining "All About Mirepoix, Sofrito, Battuto and Other Humble Beginnings."

Set the table!!! I swear it makes the food taste better.

Last time Laura was out, she designed my table top:)

Yup, those are simple slices of bread, buttered up with garlic salt. So easy and the kids love it.

My "Hippie with a Benz" omelette at Cafe Patachou. I really love the "Cuban" too.

Poolside and body positive reading Shape Mag! After a decade of imperfect real food cooking + eating, I #lovemyshape in my 40's more than my 30's!

Cock-tailing and Carrot Cake-ing at Ocean Prime!

Christina and I created "Porked out Waffles" last year and won the Fresh Start Business Incubator Cook off. Here is my latest version! This time, without chutney and topped with shredded, slow cooked pork tenderloin (instead of grilled). SO GOOD. This may be my favorite version.

And yes, we went to Patachou again before we hit the road:)

Home again home again jiggity jig.

To the Mullies we go...

xoxoL

My Top 9 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
2. Stay on TOP of the global Food Revolution.
3. How to Cook With Oils.
4. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
5. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome at home. 
6. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
7. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
8. 50 Years Ago, the Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists to Point Blame at Fat.
9. Kimbal Musk Says Food is the New Internet. 

Set the Table 2017 | Week 22

An Easy Summer Pasta n Crab Salad

1 package pasta cooked and drained (linguini works really nice too)

1 8 oz package grape tomatoes sliced in half

1 handful fresh basil leaves 

1 can real crab meat (or as much as you want)

1 large lemon - juice + zest

1/2 tsp each sea salt and pepper (add more to taste)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (eyeballed)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta to package directions or "el dente." Drain and rinse pasta under cool water to stop pasta from cooking. Add the pasta to a large bowl. Zest the lemon over the pasta and add all of its juice. Add the sliced tomatoes. Chiffonade the fresh basil (Not sure how to chiffonade? <-- Just click the link.) Drain the water from the crab meat and add to the bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over everything, add salt and pepper. Toss and taste. Add a pinch, or two or three more of anything you want! 

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• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles (some new, some repeated). 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My two go to's for meal planning organization (the grocery list app features are rad): 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App 2. Sarah's My New Roots Recipe App 

Week 22's Game plan:

• I'll be in Indiana for the week, So I have NO PLAN! Whoooop Whoooop! Looking forward to sharing what I cook up on vacation with my "Chimmie" Laura!!

Wrap it UP with last week's action! 

Crazy fun way to decorate + eat waffles - 'Merica.

Summer Farmer's markets here we come!

Prairie Wind Family Farms... You're CSA is the BOMB!

Cheers - Daddy picked up a new lake toy. He drove 10 hours in one day to get it from Michigan. Hello picnics on the Diamond on our new sweet RAFT!

Upside down taco dinner. My cousin Lauren and her daughter Jessie came in from Wisconsin this weekend to learn how to pitch!

In fastpitch, the most important pitch is the change up. 

Who knew this would continue to be the most important parallel in my life as a Mom/Food Ambassador.

Slow the heck down. 

It's not possible every day, nor every night at the family table. 

We live in a fast pitch world.

But boy ooooooh boy - When I take the time to be mindful on the mound and throw some sweet change ups... When I cook some meals from scratch... It shifts everything. 

It's just takes a little practice to throw them more often.

You are an athlete. 

Cook like one.

To the Mullies we go...

xoxoL

My Top 9 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
2. Stay on TOP of the global Food Revolution.
3. How to Cook With Oils.
4. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
5. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome at home. 
6. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
7. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
8. 50 Years Ago, the Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists to Point Blame at Fat.
9. Kimbal Musk Says Food is the New Internet. 

Set the Table 2017 | Week 21

Here is the difference between a hand chopped and a food processed chimichurri (last week's post)! This untraditional recipe was a huge hit on last night's salmon, steaks and vege. I tweaked the recipe with lemons (instead of limes), fresh spring onions and dried red pepper flakes (instead of jalapeños).

Speaking of Summer chimichurri's and slaws... Today I'm linking you UP to be inspired by Alexandra Stafford of Alexandra Cooks! I cannot wait to try her cabbage slaw with miso-carrot dressing. I hope you are inspired as much as I am to cook up something special this weekend!

Happy Memorial Day!!! Summer 2017 here we COME!!!

• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles (some new, some repeated). 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My two go to's for meal planning organization (the grocery list app features are rad): 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App 2. Sarah's My New Roots Recipe App 

Week 21's Game plan:

• Taco Tuesday

• Breakfast Buckweat Florentines & Mini Super Fruit Breakfast Wraps

• Soffritto Lasagna

• Quick and Easy Tray Baked Cod (Jamie's App) or Grilled Cod with Pancetta and Pea Mash

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

My Prairie Wind Family Farm CSA bounty!

Find my big ass Italian Roast Chicken Salad inspiration here.

Find my Mushroom Fennel and Bacon inspo here.

I cooked the antibiotic free bacon on a cookie sheet over parchment paper in the oven (400 degrees for 20 min = So much easier than batch frying it). So good.

This was a rad salad lunch after stand up paddle boarding on the Diamond! Thanks Krissy!!

My chimichurri slaw ingredients that I made yesterday. I only used about 1/3 of the leaves from the chard. 

Silly Sailor boys. Summer on the Diamond has BEGUN!

Sunburned, super full and super happy Chris did the dishes!

To the Mullies we go...
xoxoL

My Top 9 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
2. Join us in the global Food Revolution!
3. How to Cook With Oils.
4. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
5. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome at home. 
6. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut-brain happy + healthy.
7. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
8. 50 Years Ago, the Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists to Point Blame at Fat.
9. Kimbal Musk Says Food is the New Internet. 

Set the Table 2017 | Week 20

Chimichurri

Blasting in from the past! This recipe was inspired from a wonderful trip with friends to the Dominican Republic years ago (reposted from my blog here - There are a TON of recipes here!).
My favorite way to enjoy some Chimi is spooned on top of a gorgeously grilled steak.
Hummina hummina.

1 small red or white onion

5-6 radishes

2-3 green onions

1/2 c sliced raw almonds (soak them over night if you can)

3 cloves garlic 

1 jalapeño finely minced

1 bunch garden cilantro (stalks and leaves)

1 bunch garden parsley (stalks and leaves)

1 bunch garden oregano (leaves picked)

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c red wine vinegar

2 T freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and whiz. Or of course you can hand chop everything to some sweet music (my preferred slow food love option).

Chimichurri goes with everything as far as I'm concerned. Steak, fish, pasta, bread, soup... it's balls out. 

• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles. 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My two go to's for meal planning organization (the grocery list app features are rad): 1. Jamie Oliver online recipes or his Ultimate Recipes App (J) 2. Sarah Britton - My New Roots Blog or Naturally Nourished Cookbook or her RecipeApp (S)

Week 20's Game plan:

• Taco Tuesday 

• Bacon and Mushroom Tagliatelle (J - Recipe App) or this Pioneer Woman's recipe

• Italian Roast Chicken Salad (J - Recipe App) or his similar online recipe

• Chicken Noodle Soup (using the leftovers from the salad) 

• A Better Butter Tart (S - Online + Recipe App) - To keep up the Canadian spirit I miss so much!!!!

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

So simple... grilled cheese, chips and salad. The first dinner I could muster up after coming home from Canada.

Taco Wednesday is just as good as Taco Tuesday.

This is a seriously amazing lemon poppy seed scone recipe. I am trying to recreate the delicious one-bite scones from Whole Foods that don't cost $6 a pop. I swapped in gluten free flour and it worked like a charm.

On Friday, I spoke to 8 "innings" of classes at Stevenson High School as a Super Food Revolution Ambassador. Inspiring myself and others to live a "More Guts More Glory" lifestyle - on and off the field + in and out of the kitchen - is an incredible passion of mine!! Big thanks to the Family and Consumer and Science Department teachers - Especially Ambassadors Sara Lohrmann and Christina Erickson; Your high school's food education curriculum is INCREDIBLE!!

The breading just did not want to stick on these salmon fish sticks. I may have been a bit slap happy after speaking all day... Ha! But, much to my surprise, the kids and Chris could have cared less they loved them so much! 

Easy Salmon Fish Fingers

Inspired by this recipe

1. Thaw the salmon & cut into fingers.

2. Toast up 4 "Everthing" Bagels nice and crispy. Then blitz them in a food processor until you get a nice crumb. Spread the bread crumbs onto a cookie sheet. They will be a little moist (this is a good thing).

3. Crack two eggs in a shallow bowl and mix in a tablespoon of flour and a pinch of sea salt.

4. Dredge salmon fingers well in egg then cover in the bread crumbs. Place breaded fingers on another pan until you are finished. 

5. Heat Ghee or coconut oil on medium/high heat and cook up the fingers in batches. (Remove the bits of breading from the pan in between batches).

6. Don't worry if the breading comes off a little... If your eaters are like mine, they won't care in the slightest. 

My Epic Ranch

Juice from one lemon (sometimes I add some zest too)

1/2 c vegan mayo (it just tastes better)

1 c plain yogurt

1 T 21 spice blend

1 T chives

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp dill

1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Mix it all up. I like to thin it out with a tablespoon or two of organic rice milk if it gets too thick after sitting in the fridge. Experiment and find your own special mix!

To the Mullies we go...
xoxoL

My Top 8 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
2. Join us in the global Food Revolution!
3. How to Cook With Oils.
4. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
5. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides (Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome) at home. 
6. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut-brain happy + healthy.
7. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
8. 50 Years Ago, the Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists to Point Blame at Fat.