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!

Menu Plans for Week of Jan. 24 & Jan. 31

As we all consider ways to save money in 2010 and make more healthy choices, it's important to plan ahead. Sure, there's always room for inspirations in the kitchen or an occasional meal out but the Gilmores are committed to eating together as a family and putting healthy, organic foods at the forefront of our diet. I always love to share resources. Here's what we're eating this week and next. Let us know if you are interested in recipes or have questions.


Sunday
Tortellini & Meatballs and Mom & Dad's place

Monday
Crockpot Taco Soup
Tortilla Chips

Tuesday
Lemon Piccata Chicken
Israeli Couscous
Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday
Swiss Chard & Feta Pie
Whole Wheat Baguette Bread
Baby Greens Salad with Carrots & Raisins

Thursday
Filipino Pancit
Adobo Chicken Legs

Friday
Salad
Calzones
Chocolate Lava Cakes

Saturday
Cooking Club: Gnocchi-Making Gathering
Caesar Salad
Homemade Potato Gnocchif with Marinara Sauce
Spinach Gnocchi with Alfredo Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi with Basil-Cream Sauce

Sunday
Luscious Leftovers

Monday
Grass-fed Beef Tacos with Tomatoes, Olives & Sour Cream
Salad with Avocadoes, Oranges & Cilantro Dressing

Tuesday
Chicken Marsala
Butternut Squash Risotto

Wednesday
Lime-Crusted Salmon
Asian Peanut Pasta

Thursday
Italian Wedding Soup
Rosemary Biscuits

Friday
Red Lentil Dal
Mango-Chickpea Curry
Garlic Naan

Saturday
Missions Dinner

Menu Plans for Week of Jan. 17

Wondering what we're eating for dinner? Leave us a comment if you're interested in recipes or have questions. Bon appetit!

Here are the menu plans:

Sunday
Rotisserie Chicken Burritos
Brown Rice

Monday
Creative Crockpots: New World Chili
Honey Cornbread

Tuesday
Sauteed Greens & Garlic
Roasted Mahi Mahi with Orange-Pepper-Chayote salsa
Whole Wheat Couscous

Wednesday
Small Group Potluck: Haitian Rice & Beans

Thursday
Dinner for Company:
Green Salad with tomatoes, cheese
Chicken Parmesan over Whole Wheat Penne
Roasted Cauliflower
Tiramisu

Friday
Baby Greens Salad with Cranberries & Maple Walnuts
Roasted Garlic & Black Olive Pizza

Saturday
Luscious Leftovers

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's New & Improved Tortilla Soup

There's something about pureed soups that warms my soul. Tortilla soup is a recipe that comes in many versions and deserves to be passed around. This is a more updated version of my Tortilla soup posted in 2008. The original was created about 8 years ago and our family has changed up our diet pretty significantly since then. I've reduced the salt and substituted for some more healthy ingredients. Feel free to make your own modifications according to your family's needs. We've passed on the recipe to many other families and it seems to be a universal fave. I always make a double batch and freeze some for lunches or to share with friends. This tortilla soup is a thicker pureed version compared to the broth-based version a lot of restaurants serve. If you have problems with dairy, skip the sour cream and you have a hearty, dairy-free meal.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 organic boneless chicken breasts,
1/2 jalapeno, minced (1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
6 organic corn tortillas (7”)
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fresh sweet corn (or 2 - 16 oz. cans of organic white corn or 1 bag frozen organic sweet corn)
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 - 28 oz. can chopped organic tomatoes)
1/3 cup organic tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups water
1 quart organic chicken stock

Garnishes:
Sour cream
5 corn tortillas cut in strips (or substitute organic tortilla chips crumbled into pieces)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven-type pot. Cut chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with minced jalapeno or crushed red pepper. Sauté in pot.

2. Chop onion. Add to pot and sauté until onions are translucent.

3. Meanwhile, add three tablespoons oil to a large frying pan. Cut tortillas into one-inch strips. Add half the tortilla strips to the soup pot with the chicken. (This gives the soup a thicker base when it's pureed.) Brown the other half of the tortilla strips in the frying pan for garnish. (Fry until crispy and dry on paper towels.)
4. Add garlic and jalapenos/red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it) to soup pot. Add two cups corn and tomatoes to pot. Mix.

5. Add spices: cumin, salt, black pepper and chili pepper. Add tomato paste.

6. Finally, add 3 cups water and 1 quart chicken stock. Stir ingredients together well.

7. Bring soup to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender (or transferring to regular blender) and puree the soup. (You can skip this step if you prefer a chunky soup.)

8. Allow soup to continue cooking at a low heat for 10 minutes. Continue to puree until large chunks of chicken and tomatoes are blended into the soup.

9. At this point, you can decide about the consistency. If you like a thicker soup, leave as is and allow to cook longer. If you want to thin out the soup add 1/2 cup water until you are satisfied with the consistency.

10. Add two remaining cups of corn to pot, stir and serve.

11. Put garnishes in separate bowls. Allow your guest or family to add garnishes their soup themselves for fun or you can do it and wow them with the presentation.

Recipe of the Week: Mint Holiday Trifle Dessert

One of my fave show-stopper desserts is a Cookies & Cream Trifle. I make it for parties, showers (like my friend Stacie's baby shower above) and for holiday desserts. At this time of year, our local Trader Joe's sells "Mint Joe-Joe's," which are chocolate sandwich cookies with a mint cream filling. Think chocolate meets candy cane in a delectable cookie. They help transform the Cookies & Cream Trifle into a Mint Holiday Trifle.

Warning: This recipe includes many specialty items that are already prepared. If you don't live near a Trader Joe's store, you might need to check on other alternatives. I'm happy to help with ideas. Leave a comment.

Ingredients:
-1 pint organic whipping cream
-1 tablespoon raw organic sugar or honey
-2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix (Trader Joe's brand skips all the preservatives and other junk. I have also made my own chocolate pudding, which is very simple to make if you have time.)
-4 cups raw milk, divided
-1 package cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
-2 boxes ladyfingers cookies (Trader Joe's sells a soft version but you can get these at other Italian specialty stores as well.)
-1 box Mint Joe-Joe's cookies (or other chocolate sandwich cookies like Oreos)


1. Pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Blend in sugar/honey while the cream is beating. Set aside.
2. Place the 2 packages of chocolate pudding and 3 cups of milk in the mixing bowl and blend until pudding thickens. Add cream cheese and blend in. Set aside.
3. Place chocolate cookies in a large ziplock bag and use a mallet to crush. (You could also use a food processor but you want to make sure the cookies stay coarse, not emulsified.) Set aside.
4. Begin assembly of trifle. In the bottom of your trifle bowl, arrange a layer of ladyfinger cookies. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of remaining milk. Spread about 1/4 of the pudding mixture on top of the ladyfingers. Spread about 1/4 of the whipped cream over the pudding. Top with 1/4 of the crushed chocolate cookies.
5. Repeat these layers three more times and finish with the crushed chocolate cookies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Sometimes I garnish with chocolate shavings or a chocolate-dipped strawberry to really add pizzazz. I also have made a kids' version with gummy worms between layers for a garden dessert.

Serve about 15.

Cooking Club: I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

This past weekend we hosted our 6th Annual Cooking Club Christmas Party. This year the theme was a "Green" Christmas and we tried for a menu full of local and organic specialties. All the guests also brought new or used cookbooks wrapped in something recycled. As is our tradition, the ladies cooked and the guys cleaned up.

The menu included:

Sleigh Driver Punch

Organic Spicy Greens with Butter Lettuce, Feta cheese and sliced Fuyu persimmons

Sweet potato & Onion Galette

(except we used local Gouda cheese from Bravo Farms & ground almonds instead of walnuts)

Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic & Parsley

Pomegranate Beef served over Quinoa

with Pomegranate Salsa

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread with Cinnamon whipped cream

Many of the recipes were from Eating Well magazine. We also used a few other new recipes. The Pomegranate Beef was the Main Course and it featured an easy crockpot recipe using grass-fed beef from a local rancher in Tulare. The roast turned out beautifully tender and flavorful. We topped it with a Pomegranate relish or salsa (recipe below). My friend Cori helped me can (or jar) the salsa and we also sent our guests home with a jar as a gift.

Pomegranate Beef

-3-lb. grass-fed beef roast
-1 cup pomegranate juice
-1 (15-ounce) can organic fire-roasted tomatoes (We found them at Trader Joe's).
-1 cup golden raisins
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon marjoram
-1 teaspoon thyme
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon rosemary
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients except for roast.
2. Pour mixture over roast in a crockpot.
3. Cook on low setting 5-6 hours until roast is fork tender and easy to shred.
4. Serve over rice or quinoa. Top with Pomegranate relish/salsa

Pomegranate Relish/Salsa

Ingredients:
-Seeds from 2 medium pomegranates, about 1-1/2 cups

-1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
-1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped, green jalapeño pepper
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 tablespoon organic sugar
-1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Gently fold together pomegranate seeds and remaining ingredients.

Makes 1-1/2 cups.

And the star of the evening was the old-style Christmas gingerbread with a fun twist - pears. This recipe was adapted from William-Sonoma's "Seasonal Favorites" cookbook. This dessert surprised us all and we were actually scrambling for seconds.
 
Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread
 
1 1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, softened
1 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
4 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 large cage-free eggs
1/2 cup organic dark molasses
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (a pinch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup boiling water
 
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
 
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a non-stick skillet, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Stir in 1/2 cup of brown sugar and stir until sugar melts. Add pear slices and cook, stirring occassionally until pears begin to slightly soften (about 5 minutes).
3. Arrange the pears (with all their juices and butter) in an even layer over the bottom of an 9x13 baking dish/cake pan.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat together remaining 1 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
5. Add the eggs and molasses and beat into mixture.
6. Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Beat until fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Turn on mixer and slowly pour in 2/3 cup hot water into the batter and blend until incorporated and batter is smooth.
7. Spoon the batter over the pears in the dish. Bake until springy to touch (approximated 35-40 minutes).
8. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on a rack.
9. While the cake is cooling, beat whipping cream. Add 1 tablespoon organic sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
10. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate (or invert individual slices with a spatula). Cut into squares and serve warm topped with cinnamon whipped cream.

Serves 10-12.

Recipe of the Week: White Chocolate Persimmon Cookies

Before I moved to California, I had never even heard of a persimmon before. Now that I live in California's Central San Joaquin Valley I find the robust orange fruit everywhere in the winter. Inevitably, someone graces our family with a bag of persimmons during the Christmas season. There are two types: The "fuyu" persimmon is like an orange, squatty tomato and firm when ripe. These are great in place of apples or pears in your fave dishes. The "hachiya" persimmon is the acorn-shaped variety that becomes mushy to the touch when ripe and can be squeezed out to use in smoothies or for baked goods like cookies and breads.

Below is our newest recipe for Persimmon Cookies with a new twist. The white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries give these cookies added depth. We picked up the white chocolate chunks at Whole Foods. Of course, you can put chocolate chips of any kind in this recipe. They are wonderful served with a cup of hot cocoa or tea. Check out these other persimmon recipes, or feel free to share your own uses for the persimmon. We have an abundance this week!

White Chocolate Persimmon Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, organic softened

3/4 cup honey or 2/3 cup organic brown sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup persimmon pulp (2-3 soft & peeled)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup white chocolate chunks


Directions:
1. Cream together butter & honey/brown sugar.

2. Beat in egg.

3. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.

4. Stir in nuts, cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

5. Lightly grease cookie sheet and drop tablespoons full onto sheet.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Recipe of the Week: Winter Spiced Quinoa

Can I get some Quin-what? Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) was discovered by the Inca Indians high in the Peruvian mountains.  The name itself literally means "mother grain."  The Q-stuff has the highest protein content out of all the grains.  Quinoa is considered a "complete protein," which means it has all nine amino acids that the body must get from food.  But that's not all - Quinoa also contains iron which increases the oxygen in the blood.  Numerous studies have shown that lack of iron in the blood causes fatigue. In other words, this is a great grain to kickstart your day.

A few weeks ago we did The Great Pantry Challenge. One of the items we had in our pantry was a bulk bag of quinoa from a friend. That inspired us to think of a lot of creative ways we could employ this wonder grain. We normally use quinoa much like we would rice or pasta for dinner. Recently, I've been seeing some breakfast quinoa recipes like this one. The Food Network's Ellie Krieger also has a breakfast quinoa in her new So Easy cookbook. Here's a new twist on breakfast. Think oatmeal minus the mushy. Bon appetit!

Winter Spiced Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 small pear, cut into small cubes (or apple)
1/4 dried cranberries (or blueberries or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup raw milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:
1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Reduce heat to simmer and cover, cooking for 15 additional minutes until water is evaporated.
2. Meanwhile toast pecans in the toaster oven or on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. (Feel free to skip this step if it's a busy morning!)
3. Add pears, dried cranberries and pecans. Stir into quinoa.
4. Add milk and cinnamon and stir.
5. Serve in bowls and drizzle with maple syrup.

Serves 3-4.

Recipe of the Week: Split Pea & Chicken Sausage Soup

I'm the kid who hated peas when I was little. The mushy texture and green color just turned me off. But just because I hated them as a kid doesn't mean I have to hate them now. Our taste buds change multiple times throughout our lives so it's good to keep trying foods.

My friend Stacie made a batch of Split Pea Soup a few weeks ago for our Playgroup. She did it in the crockpot and it turned out fabulous. She threw in diced potatoes and some other fresh produce she had on hand. I couldn't stop eating that stuff! Yes, that's right, the pea-hating me was hogging all the Pea Soup. I decided it was time to do some experiementing on my own. The following recipe was the result. My daughter and hubby were fighting me for the last bowl.

I made this version on the stove top but you could try it in the crockpot if that's easier for you. I just needed mine done in a hurry. Do you have a spin on Split Pea Soup? Please share in the comment section.

Split Pea & Chicken Sausage Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
32 oz. cage-free, organic chicken broth
2 cups dried green split peas
32 oz. water
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 12-oz. package chicken sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I chose a Spicy Andouille Sausage from Trader Joe's but you can decide what variety suits your taste.)

Serves: 4-6

Directions:
1. Add olive oil to small pot/saucepan and turn to medium-high heat.
2. Saute onion, celery, garlic and ginger in olive oil until onions turn translucent and celery is softened.
3. Add chicken broth, split peas, cumin, basil, salt and water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
4. Lower heat to simmer soup for 30 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. Meanwhile, saute chopped chicken sausage in a separate frying pan.
5. When soup is desired consistency (add water if too thick), stir in sausage. Serve.

Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles

Yesterday my hubby woke up and asked if we could have Pumpkin Waffles. I thought that was a funny request since I've never made Pumpkin Waffles before. We do pumpkin pancakes quite often. Of course, I'm always up for the culinary challenge so I made a face at him and set to work.

In case you haven't noticed, this time of year we throw pumpkin into everything so I figured, why not? If you're looking for something a little different to grace your breakfast table, try these. We made a double batch and froze some for another breakfast. You could always skip the pecans if you're not a fan or even substitute with walnuts or almonds. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and it's full of carotenoids, which are antioxidants. Since it's cold and flu season, we're always looking for ways to incorporate antioxidants into our meals.

Did you know that an ounce (9 grams) of pumpkin seeds has the same amount of protein as an ounce of meat? (Check out The Doctors Book of Food Rememdies). You could even throw some toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the waffles.


Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles


½ cup butter, melted

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 ½ cups raw milk

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Maple syrup


Directions:

1. Using a mixer, beat eggs and raw milk. Add pumpkin and butter.

2. Add flour, wheat germ and baking powder. Mix.

3. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt. Mix.

4. Add chopped pecans.

5. Follow instructions on waffle maker. Serve drizzled with real maple syrup.

Our 2009 Thanksgiving Menu

We'll be dining at 4:30 p.m. today with my parents, Ericlee's parents, and of course, our cutie little girls. Meilani is so excited to have "that bird" she named Sally!

Here's our menu:

Baked Brie with Cranberries & Pecans with Trader Joe's Everything Crackers

Butternut Squash Soup

Nana's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Herbed Roasted Turkey

Whole Wheat Stuffing

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Nama's Armenian Pilaf

Pumpkin Pie & Blueberry Pie with Whole Wheat Orange Crust

Nana's Pizzelle cookies

Spiced Apple Cider

Thanksgiving Makeover: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate & Mint

Our family loves all the Thanksgiving traditions. We love food, football and family. We love a chance to contemplate our country's beginnings and an opportunity to share our abundance with others. However, we have discovered through the years that we don't really like the comatose state that follows the Big Turkey Meal. The last couple of years we have been on a journey to find more locally-focused, healthy-inspired versions of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. One stipulation is we were not willing to compromise on taste. We believe that feasting once in a while is not only good it's Biblical. Celebration with family and community is important to us. We just want our food choices to reflect our lifestyle.

Tomorrow morning we will be running the Annual Turkey Trot in Fresno. This is a family tradition we've continued for many years to start out our big Turkey Day with exercise and celebrating community. This year I will be running the 5k with my dad and Ericlee and the girls will be cheering us on with Nana Maria. After our meal we also take a family walk through the neighborhood and say hello to friends. We indulge in the color show presented by the fall leaves.

When it comes to holiday foods, it's all about baby steps. The first year we tried this we added a homemade Green Bean Casserole to our Thanksgiving and tried out our Banana Pumpkin Muffin recipe, which can be used for a bread or a dessert at the meal. Last year we wrote all about that experience.

This year we are sharing the cooking duties with my mom and mother-in-law. For dinner, our family is contributing our traditional Butternut Squash Soup, Green Bean Casserole and a shazam appetizer we made in our Cooking Club a few years back - Baked Brie with Dried Cranberries and Pecans with Whole Grain Crackers. We even convinced Ericlee's mom to make the stuffing with whole wheat bread - major milestone!

Our poll at the right suggests some of you are interested in a "makeover" version of sweet potatoes. We're actually ditching sweet potatoes this year as we minimized the number of dishes are serving for 6 adults and 2 kids. However, this is a dish I make throughout the winter months when sweet potatoes are ripe in the garden or at the market. You won't find marshmallows and brown sugar in this one but you will find some other secret ingredients to wow your guests. Buon Appetito!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate & Mint

Ingredients:
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (arils)
Chopped fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, olive oil and salt.
3. Put cut potatoes into a 3-quart baking dish or 9x13 dish. Pour maple syrup mixture over the potatoes. Toss to coat.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
5. Uncover potatoes and stir. Bake an additional 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top with chopped mint. Serve.