Getting Creative In The Kitchen
I have become addicted to a show on BBC America called “You are what you eat”. And it has me thinking a bit differently about food. I am already a member of an organic produce co-op, but I can’t say I was making the best use of what I was getting. And with money getting a bit tight for everyone, I am also trying to go back to my original frugal ways.
So My first priority is to use what I get from my produce pick ups, which is every other week. Then I am working on using mostly what I have already in stock in my pantry and freezer. And with all this try and make it all healthier for the family.
Tonight’s menu was
Grilled Salmon (from the freezer, purchased on sale)
Grilled Zucchini (co-op)
Carrot-Pineapple salad (carrots from co-op, pineapple bought special cause I was craving it)
Brown Rice (from Pantry)
Sushi (nori was in the pantry, rice – panty, veggies co-op)
Strawberry Dessert Cups (leftovers and strawberries bought special)
Recipes:
Grilled Salmon
Frozen Salmon Filet cut into quarters (freezer)
lemon juice (fridge)
pecan oil (pantry)
salt pepper. (pantry)
I just marinated the salmon in all the other stuff. Grilled on my Foreman grill on low. until flaky. I will admit it was a bit too lemony and next time I won’t let it marinate half the day.
Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini (co-op)
Pecan Oil (pantry)
salt pepper (pantry)
I cut the zucchini in half length wise. I poured a bit of the oil into a pie pan just enough to coat the bottom and added salt and pepper then put the zucchini in flat side down so it was nicely coated then grilled it on medium on the Foreman grill.
Carrot Pineapple Salad
3 Carrots (co-op)
1 can chunked pineapple (had dh pick it up from store on his way home)
mayo – about a half cup (fridge)
1t lemon juice (fridge)
1t sugar (pantry)
After shredding the carrot I set a small bit aside for the sushi and the rest went in a bowl with everything else and mixed.
Brown Rice
Brown Rice (pantry)
I just cooked it in water in my nifty rice cooker, cause I can’t cook rice on myself. It is my one serious cooking block.
Sushi
3 nori sheets (pantry bought a few weeks ago intending to experiment)
2 avacados (co-op)
onion chopped (co-op)
garlic clove (co-op)
splash of lemon juice (fridge)
salt (pantry)
Julianne cucumber (co-op leftover from yesterday’s salad)
carrot shredded (co-op)
Cooked Rice (pantry)
This turned out easier than I thought and I only made it cause the avocado were needing using.
diced avacado, garlic, onion (just a little bit) lemon juice, and salt all put into a food processor until creamy.
Spread the avocado mixture on a nori sheet except the last inch. cover half with rice and then lines of carrot and cucumber on the rest of the avocado. Roll tightly moisten edge to seal. Cut into slices.
Strawberry Dessert Cups
strawberry sorbet (freezer)
strawberries (from store bought as treat for J)
stoneyfield farm vanilla yogurt (fridge)
4 fluted ice cream glasses
I put about a tablespoon of the sorbet in the bottom of the ice cream glasses, filled the rest of the glass with sliced strawberries and drizzled with vanilla yogurt.
The sorbet was leftover from my dental surgery, and the yogurt was the last little bit leftover from my morning smoothies.
Yes, I made a lot of different stuff tonight. But I had a reason. tomorrow is C’s 18th birthday party and graduation party. We are going to be away from home, and I doubt I will want to do much cooking tomorrow night. Half the salmon is leftover, half the sushi, half the avocado spread, and half the carrot salad.
I am thinking that tomorrow I will either make salmon patties or a pasta salad with salmon and have the carrot salad and veggie sushi on the side.
Also you might notice that a regular oven was not used at all. It is summer in Texas and I hate having the oven going. I was already miserable with just the foreman grill and rice cooker going. Very happy to not have to heat much tomorrow unless I decide to cook up some pasta. Leaning more and more toward a salmon salad on lettuce wraps.
