I need food help!

[district12ravenclaw]

I need help ladies! I have like 3 or 4 things I make on a regular basis, and none of them are particularly healthy. I also can't even tell you how much fast food I've eaten in the past week. I tend to go grocery shopping only once a month, so I run out of stuff a lot, or things go bad.

Can you all give me some idea of what your shopping lists are like? I'm looking for some good recipes too, so if you have one or a few, please share! Finally, how do you healthy eaters do it? I try to be healthy, but I'm failing miserably!

Comments

[granada.livejournal.com]

I recommend the magazine Everyday Food. There are a lot of quick and easy recipes in there that are healthy.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I'll check that out, thanks!

[mama-gryphon.livejournal.com]

You could check out my recipes tag and see if there's anything in there you'd like. It's got random stuff.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks!

[jenjunum.livejournal.com]

I'll give you one of my go-to recipes. That's pretty healthy. I don't do traditional recipes so hopefully that doesn't frustrate you...

Here's what you need:
pasta - any kind, penne, spaghetti, etc
garlic - a couple cloves depending on your taste
some type of onion - I like shallot, but a regular brown onion is fine (1 or 2 shallots or 1/4 of a regular onion)
sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (Costco has a large jar, this is what I use)
turkey italian sausage (at Ralph's I buy Jennie-O sweet or spicy italian sausage, spicy isn't that spicy, I thought they tasted similar)
olive oil

cook the pasta - I usually do a 1/2 box to feed the two of us plus have at least 1 leftover lunch - it will last a couple days if you'll both eat leftovers and want to make the whole box

Cook the turkey sausage in a skillet over medium heat. If you're using non-stick you don't need any oil, otherwise add a little oil (teaspoon or two). I take the sausage out of the casings. You can just swish it out of the ends. I don't like the casings on turkey sausage I think it tastes and looks weird. I use half of a package when I use 1/2 box of pasta. Then I freeze the other 1/2 so I have a back up dinner in the freezer.

After the turkey is mostly cooked (i.e. mostly not pink) I add the chopped onion. This is in a pretty fine dice--but that's your preference. And add the garlic. Let that cook for a couple minutes. It's good if it gets soft and a little brown (but not black). It's good if the bottom of your pan in brown. Add roughly chopped sun dried tomatoes. The amount is up to you. I maybe add about 8-10 tomatoes (that's a guess though). I usually just chop them into strips, maybe 4 strips per tomato. It's very rough and messy since they have oil on them. Throw those in the pan with everything else. They just need to warm through. The added oil will help coat your pasta. Once that's warmed up for a minute or two and your onions are cooked, add either a cup or two of the water from your cooked pasta or a cup or two of chicken broth, let that evaporate for a minute, then add your cooked, drained pasta. The mock sauce in your pan should coat the pasta.

There are a couple of other things I occasionally add depending on what I have. You can add a little chopped parsley, cubed mozzarella (add this at the very end, the warm past starts to melt it and it gets nice and stringy), grated parmesan cheese (but not from the green can), or toasted pine nuts (toast them in a warm dry pan-no oil- until you can smell them).

That's my go-to quick and easy meal. I can throw that together in around 20 minutes now. I can do the whole sauce part while the pasta is cooking. To round out the meal, I can quickly do some garlic bread and a salad.

Tonight we're having a boring chicken meal. I bake chicken breasts in the oven at around 375 with just salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little olive oil. It's not fabulous but it's pretty good (and really easy). Boneless, skinless breasts take about 20 minutes to cook that way. Just have to find some sides.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thanks!

[kellygibson.livejournal.com]

my standby is frozen tilapia... we eat it like 4 nights a week. its so full of protein and is lo cal and fat. i just cover that in seasonings (different every night, often just garlic and ginger) and salt & pepper & bake it at 425 for about 20 minutes... could not be easier. i also buy the steam-in-bag veggies (birds eye brand), they taste SO FRESH and i can usually find them for cheap + a coupon at the grocery. add some rice a roni (they have whole-grain varieties now). a super easy dinner that is healthy!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I have tons of frozen tilapia in my freezer, I should finally put it to use! At Albertson's, they have fillets vacuum-sealed in little bags for $1 each.

[rancid13.livejournal.com]

I haven't been cooking much lately, but here are some of my favorite standbys:

Whole wheat pasta with cherry tomatoes & sausage

-Pam
-Healthy Harvest whole wheat pasta-choose whatever noodle type you prefer
-Sausage-whatever type you prefer-turkey sausage, polsa keilbasa, etc-thinly sliced
-Cherry tomatoes (10-15), halved
-salt and pepper to taste

Put pot of hot water on burner for pasta, wait for it to start to boil. Use Pam to grease shallow pan, place sliced sausage in it on the stove top and allow to slightly brown each side. Add tomatoes Put pasta in pot. Let both pot and pan simmer on low for 10 minutes.

I also add a little bit of pasta sauce but the sausage and tomatoes add so much flavor, I get requests from hubby to make it every week. And it only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare.

Tomato Soup (serve hot or cold)

3 cups chicken broth
6 tomatoes, seeded and choped
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf (or use basil leaves like I did since I couldn't find a bay leaf)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp granulated sugar

1. Combine broth, tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf (or disregard this step if using basil).
2. Cool slightly, then puree in a food processor or blender (or leave as is if you prefer your soup 'chunky'). Makes 6 servings.


Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 can (16oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
2 cups chunky garden pasta sauce
2 packages (12oz each) refrigerated fully cooked turkey meatballs

1. Put cranberry sauce in large skillet; break into chunks. Add pasta sauce. Bring to a simmer over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberry sauce melts.

2. Add meatballs; stir to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and cook for 15 min, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Serves 6. Good served over rice.


Chicken Parmesan

2 12-oz packages low-fat baked or grilled chicken breast cutlets
Breading crumbs for chicken
1 tsp dried oregano
1.5 cups jarred marinara sauce
4 tbsp parmesan
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Spray chicken with a cooking oil such as Pam (or can use canola or olive oil), roll in breading crumbs. Preheat oven to 425. Place the chicken in shallow cooking pan or cake pan. Sprinkle with oregano, then pour on the sauce. Sprinkle with parmesann and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the sauce is hot and cheese is melted. Season with pepper to taste. Serve with mixed greens dressed with a vinaigrette.

This is one of my favorites though I haven't made it in a looong time:

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

1.5 lbs ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 can (29oz) red enchilada sauce
Salt
12 corn tortillas (6" wide)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a 5-6 quart pan over high heat on the stove top, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 min. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.

2. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange 1/4 of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3 quart casserole dish, overlapping to fit. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with 1/3 of the turkey mixture and 1/4 of the remaining enchilada sauce (or just wing the approximations as I did, LOL!). Repeat to make 2 more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture and sauce; top with another layer of tirtillas and sauce, then cheese.

3. Bake in 425 degree oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18-20 minutes total. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

This stuff is soooo good as leftovers, I'll have to make it sometime this week. Mmmmm.

I also have a recipe somewhere for this chicken dinner with red potatoes and green beans (all baked in 1 dish) that is soooo flavorful, but I can't find it. I may have posted it a while back, I'll see if I can find it.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thanks!

[happy7777.livejournal.com]

I'm making the Turkey Enchilada Casserole for dinner tonight :) Sounds yummy!

[lmc00.livejournal.com]

some basic principles i try to go by re: groceries and meal planning:

* get used to the idea of going grocery shopping weekly. it may seem more time consuming at first, but it'll probably end up being a time-saver over the course of a month. if you just get what you need each and every time, you don't have to "re-inventory" everything. i used to grocery shop once a month and i found myself essentially restocking everything in my kitchen every time. it took such a long time in the store and then putting everything away, etc... which leads me to the next point...

* make a weekly menu. every weekend, tom and i do this. we pick out a few dishes, go grocery shopping just for the ingredients (and nothing else), and then we eliminate the problem of, "what do you feel like eating tonight?" it ends up costing less money, takes less time, and we feel very goal-oriented when we do our shopping. i don't wander in the aisles like i used to. plus, we often "book in" take-out, restaurant nights, or parties into our weekly menu, so we know how to plan the rest of the week (e.g., if i know i'm going to a bbq on sat night, i'll probably make a veggie-based dinner on fri night)

* buy perishable food items (like fruits and veggies) in small amounts and only when you know you'll use them. it's better to have to run out to the store later for more of something than it is to have a pile of stinky rotting veggie-flesh in your fridge that you have to throw out (and, if you're like me, you then feel guilty about the fact that you bought something and didn't use it...).

* whoever thought up frozen veggies in those microwavable bags should get the nobel prize. seriously, it's such a time-saver, the veggies come out pretty good, and it makes plenty for a side dish for the two of us.

* cous cous is a "default" side dish for us. we always keep a box of the whole wheat kind at trader joe's in the pantry. it takes all of 5 minutes to make (most of the time is just waiting for the water to boil), it's healthy, and it's versatile (you can add veggies, chicken, whatever if you wanted to make it a main dish).

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

[lmc00.livejournal.com]

as for weekly menus, here's an example of a menu that doesn't leave a whole lot of fresh veggies behind to rot:

night 1: baby spinach salad with grilled chicken (salad: baby spinach, blue cheese, dried cranberries, your choice dressing)

night 2: turkey burgers, sweet potato fries, frozen peas (lettuce, tomato, onion as the burger toppings)

night 3: macaroni and bean soup, salad (salad: leftover lettuce, tomato, onion, your choice dressing)
-- to make the soup: mince 1 large onion, 3-4 stalks celery, 3-4 cloves garlic and saute in stockpot in olive oil until onion is translucent. add tomato paste and 2-3 canfuls of water, mix together and wait until it simmers. then add white beans, pepperoni (cut into strips or quarters, however much you like), and broth (i usually add 3 boxes, but you may want to start with 2 gradually add more broth to see if you like yours more or less soupy). bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for at least 30 min. (can be longer, but 30 min minimum). while soup is simmering, cook pasta. when soup is done, pour into bowls, add pasta, serve. always keep pasta separate from soup or else it'll absorb all the broth and turn everything into a mushy mess. you can freeze leftover soup and make more pasta (or eat without pasta) in the future.

night 4: take-out
night 5: eggplant parmesan with leftover soup pasta
night 6: shrimp stir-fry with rice
night 7: frozen pizza or take-out

your dinnertime grocery list for the week is:

bag of baby spinach
2 large onions
head of iceberg or romaine lettuce
2 tomatoes
1 celery (either a box of celery hearts or the whole large stalk)
carton of blue cheese
pepperoni slices
1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb peeled shrimp
grilled chicken breasts (can grill yourself or buy cooked chicken at store)
ground turkey patties
burger buns

rice
bag of dried cranberries
bag of pecans or walnuts (whatever you prefer)
bottle of salad dressing
bottle of stir-fry sauce
jar minced garlic
small can tomato paste
two 15-oz cans white beans
96 oz chicken stock (3 boxes)
1 lb soup pasta (i use ditalini, but you can use small shells or tubetti if you want)
jar tomato sauce

bag of frozen sweet potato fries
bag of frozen microwavable peas
1 lb bag frozen stir-fry veggie mix
frozen breaded eggplant slices

it's a little overwhelming at first but do it for a few weeks and you'll get the hang of menu planning and specific-item grocery shopping!

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

That's perfect, thank you!

[jarm.livejournal.com]

There are a ton of threads with great recipes and ideas on CC. I always get great recipes from there...my DH is most appreciative.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Cool, I'll check those out, thanks!

[sare79.livejournal.com]

What we do around here is make a menu for the week on Saturday night. On Sunday morning we go shopping for the ingredients needed for the week.

For example this week:

Sunday: Crab and satay (birthday meal for MIL-not a usual meal)
Monday: Meatsa pie with rice and corn (ground beef meatloaf dish with low-fat cheese baked in)
Tuesday: Barbecued Chicken, rice and green beans
Wednesday: Sausage pasta bake, caprese salad with tomatoes and basil from garden (cook 2 packs of sausage and save one for Friday)
Thursday: Chicken Fried rice (with leftover chicken and rice from Tuesday)
Friday: Sausage pizza pockets (whole wheat dough)
Saturday: Babi Punggungmara and carrots and salad (an indonesian pork and rice dish)

Most of the ingredients for these things get bought fresh on Sunday morning, as well as the things we want for lunches, although we usually have leftovers for lunches, or create salds out of what's in the fridge. We are big on making enouigh meat for two meals and using it to create another dish.

[rockysmomma.livejournal.com]

I was just coming in to say that once a week is better because then you can get fresh fruits and veggies. :)

A frozen bag of shrimp is one of our staples at home. I can take a few out and thaw in a bowl of water and then season then saute with some olive oil and garlic. I can add it to pasta, rice, pretty much anything. :)