Meal Planning for Busy Mamas

Recently I had the opportunity to share with a group of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) ladies some of my thoughts on Meal Planning. The following is an outline of what I shared. My small disclaimer is that I can only share about my journey and then encourage you all on yours. You don't have to plan meals the way I do. My hope is that you can take away from this something small - a new goal, a new recipe, a new way of thinking about food, grocery shopping, even cooking.

Where I Begin:
On Thursday and Friday I start thinking about what I'm in the mood to eat. It starts with you. If you're not interested in eating what you cook, why would your family be? I peruse food magazines, cookbooks from the library or from my personal collection and even recipe web sites on a regular basis to get my taste buds working. I love EatingWell.com and FoodNetwork.com. I always check out what Giada de Laurentis and Ellie Krieger from Food Network are making. My friend Allison swears by AllRecipes.com because they have a spot where you can enter ingredients you have or even ones you want to avoid and tons of recipes pop up.

The Plan:
I write out my Meal Plans each week in a calendar I can carry around. If you're more of a computer person, check out PlanToEat.com or other similar sites that allow you to make and store grocery lists and a calendar of meal plans. I love being able to flip through my personal calendar (even when the internet is down!) and remind myself of what we ate last month.

As I plan I am always very aware of our schedule. As the mama of two, caretaker of two more and a coach's wife to boot it's really important that I take into account the busy evenings when I won't have lots of cooking time. I teach a college course on Monday nights so I can't even serve the meal then. That said, we do make dinner a priority on other nights and try our best to eat as a family.

I think in these categories of meals:

Creative Crockpots - These are fast meals that I can dump in the crockpot in the morning when I know we are headed to a meeting or track event. I love Pomegranate Beef or Taco Soup and I'm discovering more off blogs.

Super Soups & Chilis - These are one-pot meals that I serve up at least once a week when the weather is cooler. In summer months, this category changes to One-dish Pastas. These might include our Pumpkin Party Soup in fall when the pumpkins are ripe and in season or Italian Wedding Soup when greens are growing everywhere in our winter garden. Sometimes I'll even make a soup or chili and freeze half or double the batch so I can have it for lunches too.

Dinner for Company - We love to entertain. We host a Cooking Club at our house once a month and we meet with a Life group of three other families every other week where we share dinner. We also host my parents for a meal three times a week (and they pitch in some for groceries.) These meals are ones I might spend a little more time preparing. I like to try ethnic foods like Indian Butter Chicken or Ethiopian Lentil Sauce.

Vegetarian - This is a newer category for us. In 2010, our goal is to eat 2-3 vegetarian meals a week. We aren't entirely against meat. (I grew up a total carnivore!) However, we do think our body needs a good veggie cleanse on a regular basis so I'm trying out some new vegetarian dishes this year with that end in mind.

Batch Cooking - This category includes meals that I make (usually on the weekends) in big batches. For example, I make a batch of my mom's Italian Meat Sauce with Manicotti and it will last for several meals. I might make two Rainbow Vegetarian Lasagnas at a time and freeze one or I make Whole Wheat Pizza dough and freeze 3/4 of it for lunches or Friday nights. This saves me gobs of time. I can just thaw something from the freezer and heat it up on the busier nights or nights when this mama is just plain tired.

Don't shop 'til you Drop:
As I write down my meal plans, I start a grocery list at the same time. Throughout the week, I keep a running list of pantry items we're out of like salad dressings, whole wheat tortillas or juice. Then I add in what we'll need for dinners. Just making a list is a step toward saving money. If you just browse the grocery aisles, you will end up with a bunch of stuff in your cart that you don't need or can't afford. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes take "field trip" grocery outings and allow myself time to check things out. But more often than not I'm speeding down the aisles with two kids in tow trying to find what I need.

Where I spend my loot:
My grocery shopping always starts with our local farmer's market. I am blessed to have a market just a few miles from my house that is open every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning year round. Unless we are out of town, it's a family ritual to go to the market on Saturdays and buy our organic produce and raw milk. I also weekly go to Trader Joe's. No, they did not pay me to say this but it is the best store in Fresno. I've done my homework and TJ's has the best deals on fresh, organic or local, minimally-processed foods. If I can't get it at the market, I usually get it at Trader Joe's. My goal between the market and TJ's is to spend $100 a week for our family of four. I also spend $100-125 more at Costco and Winco. I shop at Costco for organic snacks for my kids and big box items like tomato sauce. I shopt at Winco for their bulk section. That's where I buy our month's supply of dried beans, rice, nuts and even fresh-pressed peanut butter for the granola I make. My husband will eat this for every breakfast if I can keep the container full. I also sometimes check out Whole Foods for specialty items or a new store in our area called Fresh & Easy.

I generally do the market on Saturday and then head to TJ's on Sunday or Monday, depending on our schedule. Some regularity to grocery shopping also helps the budget. If you plan a week or two at a time then you won't be running out at the last minute for that one item.

Cooking:
For those of you who know me you know I love to cook. Cooking is my stress relief. I recognize that cooking stresses some people out. Cooking does stress me out when I'm tired, have three kids hanging on my clothes and I'm rushing to a meeting. Meal Planning does relieve some of that stress so you aren't deciding on a meal in the midst of the craziness. I also suggest maximizing weekend time or evening time when you are not stressed to plan ahead for other meals. My daughter and I often mix up batches of muffins and granola on a Sunday night to prepare for the week. We enjoy this time together.

The bottom line is: have fun. Share resources with friends. Check out new meal options. Ask questions. Leave us a comment. We love to chat on this topic. Happy Meal Planning!

Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Mint Lemonade

I love fresh-squeezed lemonade. Once you've had the real stuff you can't go back to the mix. Of course, there's an advantage to living in the Central Valley where citrus is plentiful and usually inexpensive. My favorite lemons for fresh lemonade are meyer lemons, which tend to be smaller with an orange tinge and a sweeter taste. However, the classic lemons (which I usually get in abundance from neighbors and friends) will work just fine. My parents bought me a fancy juicer to save my wrists, but you can always put your kids to work with the plastic hand juicer.

2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries (could substitute raspberries or blueberries)
1 cup raw honey
6 cups water

1. Throw it all in the blender (except the water). Give it a whirl.
2. Pour into serving pitcher. Add water and ice. Taste and add more water if you like.
3. Serve with sprigs of fresh mint. (Make it fancy and freeze mint leaves into ice trays for mint cubes.)

Recipe of the Week: Crockpot Beef & Barley Stew or Soup

My husband and I coach high school Track & Field. That means starting in February our lives and schedules get a little hairy. We spend our afternoons practicing with our athletes or going to track meets, which sometimes last long hours. Now that we're on this healthy living journey meals on the fly are an extra challenge. I'm looking for fast, nutritious meals that can be prepped ahead of time or take nearly no prep at all. Got suggestions? Leave a comment about your fast faves.

When all else fails, get out the crockpot and start creating. I threw all this stuff in the pot and it was ready to go when we got home from practice. This is a hearty meal served up with a crusty whole wheat french bread.

Barley is the hard-hitter in this meal. Barley is a great grain for the heart and has the ability to lower cholesterol, reduce the formation of blood clots, improve digestion and reduce cancer risk, according to THE DOCTORS BOOK OF FOOD REMEDIES by Selene Yeager. Barley is loaded with beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that forms a gel in the small intestine. Cholesterol binds to this gel and then is excreted from the body. Maybe more than you wanted to know about barley...

Dorina's Crockpot Beef & Barley Stew

Ingredients:
1 lb. grass-fed stew beef or sirloin
3/4 cup pearl barley (Available in bulk at Winco or Kristina's Market.)
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced organic tomatoes (I use Trader Joe's brand.)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 (quart) box organic beef or vegetable broth
3 cups water

Serves 4-6

Directions:
1. Cook meat in crockpot for 1 hour on HIGH.
2. Add other ingredients and cook additional 3 hours (or more) on LOW.
3. Add more liquid as desired, depending on if you want a soup or a stew.

March Menu Planner

Each week we will offer new ideas for planning a healthful dinner menu for your family. We will include one-dish meals, Farmer's market features and ethnic foods for the adventurers. These are all recipes we have created or tried from other sources. Feel free to steal our ideas & e-mail us with questions about recipes or feedback at dorinakailani@yahoo.com.

WEEK OF March 2-9

sun
Baby Salad with tomatoes, avocadoes
Trader Joe's Cheese & Herb Pizza Bread crust
Toppings: Chicken, Kale, cashews, black olives with Asiago cheese

mon
Beef & Barley Crockpot Soup
Sunflower & flaxseed bread

tues
Chicken Chorizo Jambalaya
Brown Rice

wed
Mahi Mahi with Meyer Lemon Herb Sauce
Roasted Asparagus
Israeli Couscous

thurs
Dinner out with Small Group

fri
Caesar salad
Eggplant Parmesan
Foccacia bread
Tiramisu

sat
Enchiladas Suizas with Tomatillo sauce
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Recipe of the Week: Peach Dutch Baby

Ok, so I don't exactly pass as one of those tall, blond Dutch girls but I did attend Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I think I was adopted into more than one Dutch family in my four years there. My friend, Jen Vander Meulen, first introduced me to this breakfast treat called a Dutch Baby. I modified the recipe to add some "healthy elements." I love the crispy outside and the chewy inside of this pancake. I used frozen organic peaches since peaches aren't in season in Fresno right now. I can't wait to try it out with fresh, succulant peaches this summer. This would work well with berries or apples sprinkled with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon as well.

Ingredients:
-1 tablespoon; 4 tablespoons butter
-1 lb. sliced peaches
-1/4 cup honey
-1/4 cup lemon juice
-1 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
-1 cup raw milk
-3 tablespoons sucanat (or organic evaporated cane juice)
-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-3 large cage-free eggs
-4 tablespoons organic butter, melted

-maple syrup (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice peaches. Mix with honey and lemon juice and saute in a pan in 1 tablespoon butter until warm. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, milk, sucanat, salt and eggs to form the Dutch baby batter.
4. In a quiche pan or a cast iron skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter and spread along bottom.
5. Pour batter on top and bake until puffed and golden brown on top (approx. 20 minutes).
6. Spoon fruit onto the middle of the pastry and serve immediately in wedges. You can drizzle some maple syrup on top if you like and garnish with mint.

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Lava Antioxidant Cakes

For years, my sister and brother-in-law have implemented Saturdays as dessert day with their kids. That means they avoid sugary desserts throughout the week but reward the kids on Saturdays with special treats. I've seen other families try this with great success. It gives kids something to look forward to and incentive to make healthy choices throughout the week. Also, it gets away from the idea that we *need* dessert every night.

That said, there is a time for dessert and I'm always on the lookout for "healthy desserts" or ways to tweak old faves to make them more healthful.

Here's a twist on Ghirardelli Chocolate Lava Cakes - great for Valentine's Day treats, Saturday desserts or anytime you want to impress your guests. You will need ramekins or other small pyrex dishes to bake them in. I bought heart-shaped foil pans at Dollar Tree to give them a Hearts Day flair for the fam. Serve them up warm and you will be the new queen or king of the house.

What's the skinny on dark chocolate? They say dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant - great for combatting high blood pressure and other diseases. (You don't have to twist my arm!) Of course, pay attention to sugar additives and avoid milk chocolate or white chocolate. Those don't count. Trader Joe's now sells organic free trade dark chocolate bars. Also check out Whole Foods, Kristina's Market and some conventional grocery stores.

Makes 6-8 cakes

Ingredients:

Center:
1/2 (2 oz.) dark chocolate (60% bittersweet Cacao or more)
1/4 cup heavy cream or raw milk

Cakes:
olive oil cooking spray
1 bar (4 oz.) dark chocolate (60% bittersweet Cacao or more)
8 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
2 whole cage-free eggs
2 cage-free egg yolks
1/3 cup sucanat (available at health food stores like Whole Foods) or 1/4 cup organic raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Garnish:
Fresh organic raspberries or strawberries
Mint leaves
Organic Chocolate Moo sauce (available at Trader Joe's)

Directions:
1. To make centers, melt chocolate and cream in a double boiler. (If you don't have a double boiler, set a sturdy glass bowl on a top of a small saucepan 1/4 filled with water.) When chocolate melts, whisk gently to blend. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Form into 6-8 small balls, depending on how many cakes you want to make.
2. To make cake, heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray ramekins or tins with olive oil spray.
3. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler and whisk to blend.
4. With an electric mixer, whisk yolks, sugar and vanilla on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and light. You will notice the change in consistency.
5. Fold melted chocolate into egg mixtures until combined.
6. Spoon batter into ramekins or tins. Place one chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.
7. Bake about 15 minutes until cake is firm to the touch.
8. Cool for 5 minutes then invert onto your serving plate and garnish.

How to Make your Hearts Day Healthful

Valentine's Day is one of our fave holidays because it's a chance to spoil and celebrate the ones we love. We recognize that one way to do this is to make special foods. This year, as we continue this healthy living journey, we've been on the lookout for healthy celebration foods. Yes, even the desserts have a wholesome, yet delicious twist.

Think a Romantic Breakfast in Bed

*Ellie Krieger's Heart-Shaped Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

*Dorina's Quiche with chard, red pepper & turkey bacon

*Dorina's Blueberry muffins with a Strawberry Smoothie

BERRY-HEALTHY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raw sugar or sucanat (or 1/3 cup honey)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk (We use raw milk. Could substitute goat's milk, soy or almond milk.)
1/2 cup organic butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease muffin tins or use paper liners.
3. Mix milk, butter and eggs.
4. Add dry ingredients. Mix just until ingredients are incorporated.
5. Add frozen berries.
6. Spoon into muffin tins and bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
7. Cool 5 minutes and serve.
Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Luscious Lunch for the kids or your Lover
Heart-shaped grilled cheese (with goat cheese & turkey) - Use a large heart cookie cutter to cut whole wheat bread into heart shapes
Blue tortilla chips with mango salsa
Honey-Lemonade with frozen raspberries
Dark chocolate-dipped strawberries

Divine Dinner
Filet mignon with gorgonzola cheese
Italian Mushroom risotto
Roasted orange cauliflower

Drop-dead yummy Desserts

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Ellie Krieger's Mocha Chocolate Cake

Banana Cream Pie with Whole Wheat Chocolate Crust

Pears in Honey-Caramel Sauce

Dorina's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Heart-shaped Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
3 cups flour (I use 2 cups unbleached white and 1 cup wheat)
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon flaxseed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz. can pumpkin (100% pure)
4 large eggs
1 cup honey
2 medium mashed bananas
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 bag chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup honey (or until consistency you like)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 heart-shaped cake pans or round cake pans.
2. Mix eggs, butter, sugars/honey, pumpkin and banana.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Add chocolate chips & nuts. Do not overmix.
5. Pour into loaf pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, whip softened cream cheese with whipping cream and honey with mixer until consistency you want - not too runny.
7. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Dorina's Chewy Oatmeal-Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup organic evaporated cane juice or sucanat
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup rolled oats
1 c. dark chocolate chips
1 c. craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix honey, butter, vanilla and egg.
3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and oats. Mix just until incorporated.
4. Add extras like chocolate chips and/or dried fruit.
5. Drop tablespoons of cookie dough onto greased baking sheet.
6. Bake for approx. 12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown on top.
7. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes and serve.

More healthy recipes and Valentine menus can be found in Eating Well magazine. Check out their ideas.

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's Rainbow Lasagna

I've been hunting down creative ways to use winter produce and get the best bang for our buck from vegetables at the farmer's market. It's all part of our quest to eat local and organic as much as possible. I was inspired by a recipe I saw in Sunset magazine for a Butternut Squash & Kale Lasagna. Of course, I love to read lots of recipes to get ideas and then come up with my own. Here's a new fave in our household - quite a twist on the classic lasagna. I like it because it uses whole wheat noodles but the whole wheat taste doesn't dominate the flavor. Let us know what you think!

Dorina's Rainbow Lasagna

3 tablespoons olive oil
olive oil spray
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 29-oz. can chopped or crushed tomatoes (I used Trader Joe's organic chopped tomatoes.)
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 t. chopped bay leaf
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Trader Joe's sells it already cubed in the refrigerator section if you don't have time to cut one up.)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 bunch purple kale
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I used the classic white mushrooms.)
1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles (We found a new Ronzoni brand & they were great!)
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese (Trader Joe's brand is good if you don't have a local Italian market where they sell it fresh.)
3 cups shredded mozarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. For sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add red onion and garlic and cook until onions is soft and translucent (approx. 5 minutes). Add tomatoes and spices. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes while preparing the rest of the lasagna.
3. While sauce is cooking, spray a cookie sheet (the kind with sides) with olive oil spray. Put cubed butternut squash on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Bake until soft (approx. 10-15 minutes).
4. Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts salted water to boil in a large pot for the noodles.
5. Tear kale leaves from center ribs and discard ribs. Chop kale into thin ribbons.
6. Slice mushrooms.
7. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until tender. (Check package for timing - usually aobut 10 minutes).
8. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with tomato sauce (approx. 1 cup). Layer lasagna noodles over sauce. Top noodles with 1/3 squash, kale and mushrooms. Add 1/3 of ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozarella cheese.
9. Repeat step 8 until all ingredients are gone. The top layer should be the mozarella cheese.
10. Bake lasagna until juices bubble and cheese is melted and starting to brown at the edges of the pan (approx. 30 minutes). Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Snack Recipe: Time to Make the Granola

We have this little joke at our house. I don't know how many of you remember those old Dunkin Donuts commercials where the little guy with the mustache would wake up at the crack of dawn. He would mumble, "Time to make the donuts," and then the camera would follow him along as he prepped the donuts for the day. Well, at our house we say, "Time to make the granola." We know when the blue plastic container is left out on the counter that it's time to make a new batch. Daddy Ericlee scarfs at least one batch of granola a week!

Meilani is now joining me for the weekly making of the granola. We usually try to do it on Sunday afternoon or Monday so Daddy has a great supply of cereal (and snack) throughout his busy work week. (And we save a ton of money this way too because all the ingredients are available in bulk. Meilani helps me measure the oats and mix on the sunflower seeds, flaxseed and almonds. Whenever she sees me reaching for the big glas bowl and pulling down the ingredients, she pulls up a chair to the counter and rolls back her sleaves. "Help" she says. It's a command, not a question.

Some of you have it already but we thought we'd share our special Peanut Butter granola recipe. You can make it into a loose cereal/snack or pat it down in a rectangle pan to make granola bars. We even packaged it up for some friends for Christmas gifts tied with a pretty ribbon. Time to make the granola...

PEANUT BUTTER-COCONUT GRANOLA
OR GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients:
-olive oil spray
-3 cups oats
-1 cup natural peanut butter
-1 cup honey + 1/4 cup honey
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
-1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
-1/2 cup chopped almonds
-1/4 cup flaxseed
-1/2 cup raisins
-1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Spray rectangle cake pan with olive oil spray. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine peanut butter, 1 cup honey and vanilla. Allow to warm until you can mix the 3 together to form a runny paste.

3. In a large bowl, mix oats, seeds, almonds and flaxseed.

4. Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and mix until clumps of granola form. Mix in raisins.

5. Then pour mixture into cake pan and spread out evenly.

6. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 honey.

7. Sprinkle with coconut.

8. At this point if you just want to make granola cereal or snack, stick it in the oven. If you want bars, then use a large metal spoon to pat granola down lightly.

8. Bake approx. 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

9. Remove from oven and pat down again to flatten if you want to cut it into bars. Otherwise, cool.

10. Allow to fully cool and then cut into bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or just serve out of the pan for a snack anytime. These are also great crumbled with yogurt for breakfast.

**NOTES: These are inexpensive to make especially if you buy your oats and honey in bulk at places like Costco and Winco. Feel free to substitute your own favorite nuts and seeds. Winco sells seeds, raisins and unsweetened coconut in the bulk section. They also sell the fresh, natural peanut butter. Try to avoid prepackaged seeds or peanut butter with added sugar, salt, etc.

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's Italian Chicken Sausage & Kale Soup

This time of year - when colds are plentiful and the air has that memorable chill - all I'm thinking about is SOUP! After perusing many Italian sausage soup recipes, I decided to create my own healthy variety and it was a big hit with the family. The great thing about this recipe is it uses kale, which you can find fresh at the local farmer's market this season. Kale has huge health benefits, including being rich in beta-carotene (which protects against diseases of the skin) and a host of vitamins. One article on TheFoodPaper.com says, "The boost in immune support and antioxidant protection provided by these vitamins could help ward off the colds and flus of the season, not to mention more serious diseases."

Italian Chicken Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 red potatoes, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes (or fresh, of course, if they're in season)
2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups (cage free, organic) chicken broth
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 package Italian Chicken Sausage, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I used Trader Joe's Wine & Cheese Chicken Sausage and baked it in the oven for 30 minutes. Some varieties are already fully cooked when you buy them.)

2 cups whole wheat pasta (I used rotini - the curly Qs)

3 cups thinly sliced kale (green or purple)
1 15-oz can canellini beans (or dried and cooked if you want to save some $$)

Garnish: Shaved parmesan cheese

1. Add olive oil to a large stock pot and turn to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, chop all vegetables.
2. Sweat (like saute but in a big pot) the veggies with the garlic until soft.
3. Add chicken broth, spices and sausage. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Boil approximately 8 minutes until noodles are tender.
4. Reduce heat and add kale and beans to pot. Cook an additional 10 minutes.
5. Serve with shaved parmesan cheese for garnish.

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's Chili Pizazz with Honey Cornbread

At this time of year, we love to make soups and chilis to warm up those winter nights. I grew up in Chicago and I always loved my mom's spicy chili packed with veggies and served with a slice of warm, crusty bread. Even though I call California home today, I still have that longing at certain times of year for something with a little heat.

My daughter, Meilani, is a big fan of anything colorful we can make together in the big pot. Here's a recipe you can do vegetarian and its packed with protein or you can add ground turkey for a little extra something meaty. Use what you have in your pantry and be creative with what is in season.

This is also a great way to feed a crowd on a budget!

Dorina's Chili Pizazz

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 small yellow squash or 2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional brain food)

1 cup ground turkey, browned (optional)
1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender (or 1 15 oz. can)
1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender (or 1 15-oz. can)

1 29-oz. can organic diced tomatoes (or fresh if in season)
1 15-oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 quart chicken broth

1 teaspoon garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves

1. Saute veggies in a large pot with olive oil. Add flaxseed.
2. Meanwhile, brown gr. turkey in a frying pan and add to pot.
3. Add spices to veggie mix with tomatoes, sauce and chicken broth. Cook approx. 30 min.
4. Add beans and simmer additional 20 min.
5. Serve with warm bread or over rice.

I created this cornbread recipe one night when I didn't have much cornmeal left. It's been a hit in my family ever since and my mom even has her fifth grade students make it each year when they are studying prairie life. I love the moist, honey tones. Serve it warm with a touch of organic butter as a side to the chili.

Honey Cornbread

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups unbleached, unbromated flour (I like King Arthur if you can't mill your own.)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup organic butter, melted
2 teaspoons (aluminum free) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (aluminum free) baking soda
2 tablespoons (raw) honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 large (cage-free) eggs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 by 8 square pan.
2. Beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients and mix in.
3. Pour in pan and bake approx. 30 minutes until golden brown on top.
4. Serve warm with raw honey and/or butter.

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's Honey Whole Wheat Pizza with Baby Greens & Fuyu Persimmons Salad

After the holidays, you might be looking for an easy, fun family night. Why not make homemade pizza with all your favorite toppings? Here's our pizza crust and if you have a KitchenAid or other heavy duty mixer or bread maker it's a snap.

Dorina's Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Crust

Use KitchenAid or other high-powered mixer with dough hook attachment.

1 package yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon organic sugar or honey
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (or a mix of 4 cups/1 1/4 cups unbromated white flour)
1 cup cold water (filtered is best)

Pizza toppings of your choice:

-We like

pepperoni, mushroom, green peppers and black olives.

eggplant, chicken, garlic and parmesan cheese for something fancy.

Thai chicken (Mix 2 tablespoons peanut butter with 1 tablespoon soy sauce to create a marinade for 1-2 sliced chicken breasts) with green onions, shredded carrots and crushed red pepper flakes for something exotic.


Directions:
1. Proof the yeast by adding yeast to 1 cup warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until it starts to bubble.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the KitchenAid bowl with yeast mixture.
3. Turn on mixer and allow to knead a min. of 10 minutes. Dough should be elastic and not too sticky. Add more flour if it seems sticky.
4. Divide dough into four portions and freeze or refrigerate if you don't plan to use right away.
5. Roll out 1 ball of dough per pizza and let rest 10 minutes rolled out.
6. Top raw dough with your favorite sauce and fixings.
7. Bake in oven approx. 20 min. on 400 degrees or until cheese melts and crust is "hollow" when you tap it with a finger nail. This dough is great for calzones or pizza pockets as well.

Here's an easy salad to impress your guests with color and in-season vegetables. The Fuyu persimmons are the squatty, firm ones, not the baking kind that get mushy. Cut the tops off and slice them like an apple. I found them this week at the Orange Store in Fresno on the NW corner of Shaw & Maroa Avenues.

Baby Greens Salad with Fuyu Persimmons

1 package/bunch mixed baby greens or fresh organic greens of your choice
2 thinly sliced fuyu persimmons
1 thinly sliced small red onion
1 container 4 oz. feta cheese or goat cheese

Arrange salad in a bowl.
Make dressing.

Easy Dressing:
Add 3/4 salad oil to a small mason jar.
Mix in 1 T. apple juice
1 t. lime juice
1/4 t. salt
1 t. mixed herbs (1/4 t. basil, 1/4 t. oregano, 1/4 t. rosemary, 1/4 t. mint)

Shake jar and pour over salad.