What's For Dinner??

I have posted in the past about my struggle with the grocery store. I just can't bring myself to go sometimes. So, today Jeff and I decided to divide and conquer. We split the grocery list. He got half of the groceries and I got the other half and we met at the register. I think it only took us about 30 minutes! Little does Jeff know but...this is how grocery shopping will commence from now on!




I want to start eating healthy again, which was the main reason for the grocery trip. I was really good about eating healthy in the past but I fell of the wagon when I started school again. Now that it has been nearly a year since I graduated I have no excuse to not to start! I like to pre-prepare food so I can have things easily on hand to eat. After we got home from the store I started cooking. I think I cooked for almost 4 hours! I love coffee in the morning but it is not good to drink just coffee for breakfast. I have a great recipe for sausage and veggie breakfast cups. So I made 8 of those. I freeze them and heat one up in the microwave in the morning to have with my coffee. That always gets me off to a good start! They are like little quiches without the crust. Just eggs, reduced fat cheese, turkey sausage, onions and bell peppers. Oh so yummy!



Then I was thinking that I would need a good snack. I tend to be a stress eater and as a social worker things get kinda stressful. So a good healthy snack is in order! Last weekend I went to the Botanic Gardens for the annual Herb Festival. I go every year with my mother. It is absolutely wonderful! This year my sister and niece were in town and we all went together. Once it stops raining here (it has been raining for about a week!) I will post pictures of my garden and the herbs I got from the festival. Well anyhoo, there are the most wonderful ladies who have a business called Our Thyme Garden. They are at the festival every year. They make culinary goods, oh sooooo yummy stuff. They taught me how to make a laventini, a lavender martini! For those of you who do not cook with herbs I can see your face crinkling now! But, trust me...lavender has a great flavor! I will have to make some lavender cookies soon and post the recipe. Okay...back on track....the wonderful ladies... I purchased a rosemary garlic infused olive oil from them. I have been just itching to use it so I tossed the oil in with a package of pecans, a little salt, and a little dried thyme and roasted them in the oven. Oh so yummy and an healthy treat (if I remember not to eat all of them at once!). It is very simple to make your own infused cooking oil... may have to do that this weekend!



For dinner I made a marinade of Chianti, soy sauce, oregano, and thyme and soaked steaks in it for about 2 hours (would have been better to marinade overnight). Then I broiled them. I also made a medley of sauteed onions, bell peppers, and steamed snow peas with a balsamic vinaigrette glaze. Then a yummy side salad! I tossed together romaine lettuce, chopped walnuts, and feta with a homemade strawberry vinaigrette dressing. The dressing was fabulous and probably my most favorite part of the meal! It was so easy peasy that I have to share the recipe...that is if there is anyone that actually reads this thing :-) !




Strawberry vinaigrette dressing:

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of strawberry preserves or jelly (I used sugar free preserves)

3 tablespoons of olive oil


Add the ingredients into a container (I used a mason jar) and shake vigorously.




I love those little beer bottles with the little lid that clasps shut. I have no idea what they are called but I sometimes ask Jeff to buy them because I save the bottles afterwards for things like oils and vinegars. They work really well not to mention look neat. I actually doubled this recipe because I am planning on eating this salad a few more times this week so I stored it in one of these nifty little beer bottles.







Well that is all folks! Hopefully I did not bore you too much!









Cheers!