Mahi mahi sticks with leeks and zucchini. 8/28/21

Posted on August 29, 2021 by Beebamom
Lightly breaded mahi mahi with braised leeks and zucchini

About a month ago we tried making fish sticks out of mahi mahi and it was good but the coating sort of fell off and got too dark before the fish cooked. This time instead of pinko breadcrumbs we used regular bread crumbs and the result was much better. Last time John used a combination of yellow mustard and light mayo to make the breadcrumbs stick to the fish but this time he used Dijon mustard with mayo and the result was not as good. It turned out a little too salty and spicy which masked the delicate flavor of the fish. The third time will be the charm, just the right coating with just the right breadcrumbs!

Figuring that the breadcrumbs would be the starch factor for the dinner, I made a large side of braised leeks with zucchini, Fresno chile, and garlic. I braised the leeks in chicken stock but I think veg stock would work just as well, or even water. (Idea! To make this dish vegan coat and very shallow fry extra firm tofu and serve it with the leeks and zucchini!) In any case leeks are delicious and the striped Italian zucchini from our daughter’s garden made our dinner extra-special! Garnish with basil or another herb of your choice and a good squeeze of lemon.

I am happy to report that as of the morning after this meal I am back under my goal weight (by a tiny two tenths of a pound.) It took me a week to lose what I gained on our week’s vacation. I did it by eating exactly the plate that you have seen on my blog this week plus a reasonable breakfast and lunch. I feel empowered!!

Posted in American, Fish, Healthy tips, Kitchen tips, pescatarian, Vegetables | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Whole grain penne with mushrooms and kale. 8/26/21

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Beebamom
Whole grain penne with mushrooms, onions, garlic, and kale

This is another easy vegan pasta dish that gets it sauce from a combination of the vegetables and the pasta water. Sauté the mushrooms while the pasta water heats up adding the onions and garlic to the mushrooms after the mushrooms are browned. When the pasta is cooked, add the kale to the vegetable mixture and put the drained penne on top. Use about a cup of pasta water to make a sauce stirring it into the pasta and vegetables. Cook together for a moment or two, serve in bowls, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil. Dinner is ready!

Posted in Easy, Italian, Pasta, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Salad days. 8/25/21

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Beebamom
Mixed greens salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and pepperoncini

I seem to be in the post-vacation doldrums. I planned out my menu and even bought what I needed to make it but I am just not executing my plan. Both Monday and Wednesday this week I just did not feel like cooking. On Wednesday I ate an artichoke, some popcorn, and the pictured salad for dinner.

Being a morning person I have the most energy and enthusiasm for doing things before noon. I would probably be better off making and eating dinner for breakfast, lunch at lunchtime, and breakfast for dinner. But the rest of my household does not work that way. Much of the time I manage my asynchronous eating pattern by prepping a lot of dinner earlier in the day. On Tuesday I had made the rutabagas and prepped the broccoli before lunch.

In looking at the picture of my salad this morning, it looks quite appealing. I know that last night I was really craving those chickpeas which I know is weird. Hopefully by tonight my head will be straightened out and I will make the penne with kale and mushrooms!

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Chicken Marsala, rutabagas, and broccoli. 8/24/21

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Beebamom
Sautéed chicken cutlets with a mushroom Marsala sauce, mashed rutabagas, and broccoli

You might look at this picture and think that John and I are still splurging but, no. This dinner is totally on our healthy eating plan! My plate is comprised of a small amount of chicken breast, a sauce made out of a packet of chicken gravy (25 calories for 1/4 cup) which John has substituted in a little Marsala in place of water and then cooked it down to remove most of the alcohol. Rutabagas count as a vegetable. I make them in the Instant Pot cooked for 15 minutes at high pressure and then a pressure release after 10 minutes. Plus we have broccoli, the vegetable that is always in season, which I cooked in a little water and tossed with some faux butter.

So here it is Wednesday and since we started back eating correctly I have lost over two pounds of the three that I gained. I am really pleased and I know if I just eat what is on my menu for the week that by next weigh-in day (Monday) I will be back under my goal. It is great to know that I can have a wonderful vacation week and still stay in control.

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Weekly Menu. August 23 – August 29, 2021

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Beebamom

I am back from my vacation and ready to start a new week. Since I pretty much ate with abandon last week, I have gained a few pounds and am determined to address this problem. I am well aware of the slippery slope of weight gain. This week I am going back to basics. I am not making anything new or fancy just a simple protein, vegetable, and carb for dinner, sometimes just a protein and two vegetables. Weight that you gain on a week’s vacation can be easily taken care of if you work on it right away. I am sure I will be back to my goal weight by next Monday.

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BFD, egg-actly! 8/22/21

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Beebamom

I am back home from my little vacation and ending up my week with my usual Breakfast For Dinner! I did a lot of imperfect eating last week and now I need to get back to healthy eating. And what better way to do it than with a great bowl of vegetables with some soft scrambled eggs on top.

Raw kale leaves topped with sautéed carrots, onions, celery, kale stems, mushrooms, and cabbage topped with soft scrambled eggs
Posted in American, Breakfast For Dinner (BFD), Easy, Eggs, Healthy tips, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged | Leave a comment

Scallops with beurre blanc, potatoes, and leeks. 8/19/21

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Beebamom
Seared scallops in a beurre blanc sauce with mashed potatoes on a bed of butter braised leeks and garnished with mushrooms and asparagus

This restaurant quality dinner was made by our son for us on the next to last day of our vacation. It was superb! My only contribution was to peel the potatoes and cut up the vegetables. He calls this his fancy dinner which he makes for special occasions such as his wife’s birthday or Valentine’s Day. It is his adaptation of Chef Joey Altman’s scallop dish from the now defunct Oak City Grill in Menlo Park, CA. I loved the butter braised leeks especially. The scallops which we got at the local Harmon’s grocery were large and succulent. He cooked them perfectly using a Thermopen to make sure they were not over cooked (110F in the interior.) The butter sauce had a hint of sweetness from white balsamic vinegar rather than lemon. What a fantastic dinner!

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Vacation cooking. 8/17/21

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Beebamom

Here are some dinners I made or bought this week while on vacation. Although I am aware of what I should be eating, lunches out and snacks with drinks at “cocktail time” are proving difficult to control.

Buffalo chicken wings on the road
Sushi from the grocery store
Pasta puttanesca with mushrooms
Kenwood shrimp served over white rice

Now that we are cooking in our rental, dinners are being a bit more manageable. The plan for the rest of the week is pizza (uh oh) tonight, a Thursday night fancy scallop dinner cooked by our son (double uh oh), and on Friday a dinner at a nice restaurant where I should be able to order a piece of fish.

When we get back this weekend it will be time to get back on the losing weight part of my food plan rather than the maintenance plan. A week or two of writing down what I am eating and not going over the amount I should be eating will get me back to my goal again. No panic, I can do this!

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Penne with kale and mushrooms. 8/12/21

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Beebamom

John and I are heading off for a few days so my next post will not be until some time next week. Now on to Thursday’s dinner.

Penne with kale, mushrooms, Fresno chile, onions, and garlic

Another delicious vegetables and penne creation. I sautéed the mushrooms, kale stems, onions, and garlic while the pasta was cooking. When the penne was drained it went in the pan on top of the kale leaves. The pasta along with some pasta water wilted the kale and the pasta water formed a light sauce.

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Beyond Meat burger, potato, salad. 8/11/21

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Beebamom

Today’s hot weather dinner was another foray into plant-based burgers. Last week we tried Morningstar’s Incogmeato and our reaction was meh. The Beyond Meat burger was better especially if you like well-done burgers. For those of us who like our hamburgers medium rare it was less successful. John said he still would prefer a real meat burger and I still prefer a veggie burger that tastes like vegetables.

Open-faced grilled Beyond Meat burger, grilled russet potato half, and salad

The majority of cooking was done outside on the grill so inside stayed cooler. I cooked the potato through in the microwave and then John finished it on the grill. I ate my dinner with a knife and fork instead of picking up the burger and eating it out of hand. It takes me much longer to eat this way and gives my brain a chance to realize that I am full. (A little veteran dieter tip!) The salad was good with some cherry tomatoes fresh from our daughter’s garden. All in all it was an okay dinner.

Posted in American, Easy, Grilling, Healthy tips, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged | Leave a comment