Last night, as mentioned previously, I cooked almond-crusted tilapia for dinner. It was quite simple.

Here's the recipe:
1/3 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
4 fillets
2 tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
1/4 half & half

1. Melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet on med-low
2. Whisk the egg and milk together
3. Combine almonds, flour, parsley, oregano, and garlic
4. Dip the fillets in the egg and then coat with the almond/flour mixture
5. Cook each side 8-10 minutes.

To make these home-cooked meals go more smoothly, I have made it a habit to always have fresh sliced fruit on hand. That way I already have one side figured out and ready to go. Plus it makes a great snack while waiting for the meal to finish up. Another thing that I also try to keep around to make menu planning simple is fresh pre-washed spinach leaves. I'm so lucky to have found a farmer at our market that sells bags of pre-washed greens. This is a huge help on busy nights. One of my favorites things to do is saute asparagus, onions, and tomatoes in a little bit of olive oil and then serve it over the spinach. This is a quick and easy salad with loads of flavor! I truly recommend it.

Aside from making another yummy meal yesterday, I started to read The Frugal Gourmet, and while I am not religous, I am adapting his ideas to my secular life. So far he has mentioned how bread used to be the main item ate at every meal and it would be supplimented with sides. Occassionally it would also be served with a little bit of meat. Today, bread is optinal - it has been replaced by meat. We as Americans consume too much meat, and the consequences are evident in diseases like hyper-tension. I love the idea of revisting bread in the human diet. Grains, after all, were our first cultivated crops. Bread truly is a comfort food and there is nothing better than the aroma of fresh bread wafting through the house. One of the most satisfying experiences can be taking that first bite of your own bread. Have you ever tried baking a loaf? You should! It is actually pretty easy. In fact here is where you can find my favorite recipe.

Yesterday I mentioned that it was my 10th night in a row cooking dinner at home. What was dinner last night? Marinara served over spinach tofu pasta. I have to admit that I did cheat a little and used a jar of marinara. Now just because it comes from a jar does not make it all bad. Sure, you may pay a little more, but you can find some great natural sauces. Additionally, I always use a jar sauce as a base and embellish the hell out of it.

How I make my sauce:
1 jar natural marinara
1 cup of red wine
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp rosemary
1-2 tsp of sugar (depending on how sweet the wine is)
1 c mushrooms, chopped

Step 1: Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients minus the mushrooms and let simmer (covered) for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Throw the mushrooms in the pan about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve.

I typically serve this sauce over spinach tofu pasta that I buy at a local bakery. Well, that is until fall, when I can serve it over locally-grown spaghetti squash.

I only prepare spaghetti 0nce or twice a month but it is great to keep a jar or two of sauce in my pantry for a quick go-to meal.

Now what's on the menu for tonight? Tilapia with roasted veggies and cous cous. Wa-hoo! Day 11, let's see how long I can keep this streak up. I will also try to post a pic and recipe of this meal tomorrow. I think that may be the trend.

Anyway, one of the books I have purchased is The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith. I will begin reading this tonight, and report back from time to time with pointers from Mr. Smith.

Cheers!

It has truly been a long time.

I would like to take this blog in a new direction as I try to do the same in my life.

In the past my husband and I have spent quite a few $$ on books about living more sustainably and eating well. I am definitely at a point where I know I need to crack those spines and make a few changes.

We are currently environmentally savvy enough to recycle, use reusable containers, and buy locally produced food. However, I know there are places that I can improve upon. And this improvement can definitely be applied to our diets as well. Overall, we are relatively healthy eaters, but eating out is a weakness we face. I am a little sheepish to admit that we were buying pizza or other fast food almost twice every ten days. In fact our online budgeting tool allocates almost $600. to restaurants and fast food. It's shocking!

Luckily, two weeks ago our pre-school requested that students start packing their lunches. This request coincided with me watching the entire season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Since then I have made an effort to make home-made meals from the whole foods we were already buying at the Farmer's Market and grocery store. Honestly, all that eating out is a waste of resources. So far, I have successfully prepared 10 meals in a row and also portioned off some to fill my children's lunch boxes each day.

I guess the focus of my blog, for now, is to keep on track with healthy meals prepared in my kitchen and to explore all of the resources my husband and I have accrued throughout the past several years and put those suggestions into use.

P.s. Tonight I am serving a marinara sauce over locally made pasta. I hope to start sharing recipes and photos soon.