Guacamole

• 5 ripe avocado
• 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
• 1 lemon
• salt, to taste

Peel & pit each avocado; set aside in large bowl. Roll lemon on the counter (use some pressure here!) to help release juice, then cut in half and juice. Mash up the avocado, lemon juice, and salt (I usually use just over 1/2 tsp salt). You can use a potato masher, pastry knife, fork or even just your hands to mash everything together. Then add the onions, mix well, and put in the fridge to chill after you've sampled enough to be quite sure the mixture is just right. :)

Saturday...comin' clean

All right, confession time: I didn't make burgers & mashed potatoes for supper yesterday. I deep-cleaned the house all day and dragged my aching body to my parents' to pick up the kids, and on the way home realized it would be either: a) make supper (aka "defile kitchen" and return the kitchen to its pristine state, or b) clean the master bathroom, take pics, and edit them while everyone starves. So it took me about 3 seconds to decide we needed another option, which was c) pick up food on the way home, clean the bath, take pics, & edit.

We picked up Chick-fil-A sandwiches. But...we didn't eat the buns, and I served kimchi with the chicken. How's that? heehee

And the good news is: the house is ready to list for sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I dare you to come look in my closet.

Here's today's menu:

• warm beef broth, fried eggs, and leftover muffins for breakfast
• leftover steak, pumpkin gratin, and steamed broccoli for lunch
• tostadas & salad for supper

I soaked the tortilla dough last night before I edited pics and fried the tortillas as soon as the eggs were done. Then I browned the onions & hamburger for supper and made some fresh guacamole. yummmmmmmmmmmm

We did end up getting our box of produce yesterday. I weighed everything, and it looks like I saved between $10 and $20 by getting the box. The only things I don't like: I have no idea what I'll get (and I'm a HUGE planner, so that irks me) and we did get some things I wouldn't have gotten (e.g., I listed grapefruit as a dislike on their form, and we got grapefruit; I would have skipped the beets, too). But I did really like that they delivered. :)

I'll post my guac recipe in a few. Here's what we'll have tomorrow:

• beef broth and leftover muffins for breakfast
• leftover tostadas for lunch
• burgers, mashed potatoes & gravy, steamed green beans for supper

I'll probably be doing easier meals for a while so I won't get caught in the middle of a huge production during a showing. And while I think garlic and ginger smell really yummy, I know that can put some people off. :)

Soaked Multi-grain Muffins

• 1 cup 7-grain kernels
• 3/4 cup oat groats
• 1 cup kefir
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (in liquid state)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Grind grains. Mix in remaining ingredients and cover. Leave in warm spot overnight.

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup sucanat
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
• 1 cup shredded carrot and/or zucchini
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• nuts (optional)

Add ingredients to soaked flour mixture in order listed. Bake in muffin tins or mini loaf pans at 375 degrees. Remove when centers are set - should be at least 20 minutes. Muffins will be "custardy" in texture, especially when warm. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Three-post Thursday

Today, we had:

• muffins and a little leftover smoothie for breakfast
• leftover tongue with brown rice for lunch
• steelhead trout, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and baked apples for supper

I've modified this muffin recipe several times, and it is my new favorite. It is waaaaay too sweet as written, though. I'll post my TFed version shortly.

I signed up to receive a box of produce this week but am thinking I might have missed the deadline. I asked for delivery at DH's office and he hasn't seen it yet - I'm really hoping he didn't overlook it and lose $40 worth of produce. On top of that, I've been waiting to put my menu plans for the next 2 weeks together until I've got those veggies in hand...I have no idea what I'll get. We're down to onions, a few potatoes, two sweet potatoes, a carrot and three parsnips for our fresh produce now since I've put off a trip to the store in anticipation of receiving that big box...

Tomorrow we'll have:

• leftover oatmeal, smoothies, and/or muffins
• leftover something for lunch (kids will be at Grandma & Grandpa's)
• burgers, mashed potatoes & gravy or oven-roasted potatoes & parsnips, & some green frozen veggie :)

Tongue Tips from the Trenches

My advice? Don't leave the peeled skin out where DH can see it before he eats. And don't let the kids talk to Dad before he eats. Because once he knows what he's eating, he'll be so grossed out he'll gag at every bite...

...even though every bite was melt-in-your-mouth tender. And even though the kids loved it so much they asked for a BIG second helping. :)

Tuesday tricks

It's ballet day. And catch-our-breath-from-yesterday day. Today, we're having:

• smoothies for breakfast
• tuna with lacto-fermented vegetables, celery sticks, and pears for lunch
• Bourbon Chicken (from the TF Menu Mailer) with brown rice and broccoli for supper

Breakfast Smoothie

measurements are approximate

• one can coconut milk (rinse the can with 1/2 cup water and add that as well)
• one cup coconut kefir + kefir grains
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup frozen sliced peaches, thawed slightly
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed slightly
• pinch sea salt
• stevia or raw honey to taste (I used 1/2 tsp. ground stevia leaves)
• 1 1/2 tsp. astragalus powder
• 1 tsp. slippery elm bark powder
• 1 Tblsp. hempseed
• 1 Tblsp. chia seeds

Blend thoroughly. This recipe provided enough for 3 large servings this morning and I put away enough for 3 small servings on another day. The kids' coughs have diminished a lot - we'll see how the day goes...I need to get out the cod liver oil, too.

I stayed up way too late last night looking for a good recipe for beef tongue. I'll be putting that into the crockpot tonight so it can cool tomorrow morning before I peel it. I think I've settled on this recipe. We've got a busy day, and I won't have much time for food prep. So, tomorrow we'll eat:

• leftover oatmeal with blueberries & hempseed for breakfast
• eggs for lunch (?)
• beef tongue for supper

Got a kick out of the videos on www.offalgood.com last night. :) No penis wine for me, though. Thanks.

TF Tortillas

measurements are approximate

• 2 cups Whole White Wheat grains
• 2 Tblsp. beef tallow
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup whey (start with 1/2 cup or so)

Grind the grain. With a pastry cutter (or your fingers) cut the tallow and salt into the fresh flour until fat is blended in well. Add whey until dough holds together. Knead briefly; add more whey if dough feels too dry. Cover and set aside on your counter for at least 24 hours. When ready, roll into 1" balls for small tortillas, or 2-3" balls for larger tortillas. Dust each ball with flour (I use organic unbleached) and roll flat with a rolling pin, dusting with more flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Fry briefly in a small amount of beef tallow (I flip when each side is just beginning to brown) and remove from pan. These are yummy when hot, but also keep pretty well as long as you pack them up before they dry out.

Sunday, Sunday

Sunday is always a blur. I always have leftovers ready for breakfast so we can get out the door to my rehearsal by 7:30. And I try to have leftovers ready for lunch so we can just reheat/eat when we get home, starving..and then, if I'm lucky, we'll have more leftovers for supper so I can catch my breath and get ready for a busy Monday. :) So, having said that: today, we had:

• leftover banana pancakes topped with butter and honey for breakfast
• leftover meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans for lunch
• burritos for supper
• and I broke down and had some more SunDrops after I got home

I had to be at rehearsal again tonight by 5:30, so had to leave the house by 4:50 to pick up the Hubster on the way. That meant I had to start cooking the tortillas at 3:30...luckily, I still had plenty of taco filling frozen so just had to reheat that. I really miss the LF salsa, though - store-bought really doesn't cut the mustard after you've had the LF version.

The tortillas turned out good - I'll post the recipe in a few. Tomorrow, we'll have:

• leftover pancakes for breakfast
• leftover something for lunch
• steak, pumpkin gratin, and sauteed chard for supper (assuming I don't have to be at rehearsal too early)