AN APPLE A DAY DAY 129 OF 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE - FOOD ORGANIZATION - DINNER TIME

STILL GETTING ORGANIZED IN ORDER TO STAY HEALTHY -

THIS WEEK: DINNER (PART TWO)
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Did you enjoy the first week’s worth of dinner menus?  I'm excited about the new menus in this article too!  

Isn't it fun having great food on your table every night?  

I hope you found them easy and healthy.  Can you tell a difference in the way you are feeling as you are putting more nutritious foods into your body?

 If you missed our previous menu planning articles, don’t fret; because next week I will be providing a combined list of all the menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 30 days; plus a grocery list for the whole month, plus a copy of all the recipes together in one handy place.  In the meantime you can always browse the archives of this blog to find the last few AN APPLE A DAY posts which have the menus.  Just go ahead with this week’s dinner plan and hold on for the final post on Food Organization For A Month Of Healthy Living next week.  It is only a week away, and you are going to love it!  Most of us are already loving it!

No more worrying about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  You will have all the bases covered.

No more last minute impulsive grocery shopping, you will have everything planned out and done ahead. 

Plus, you will have many things frozen or canned and put away for extra food when you forget to follow the plan; or to keep from duplicating your efforts as you go along in the plan.

There is no wasted food (or even wasted effort) in this plan. Not only is all the planning done for you; the greatest perk of all is the fact that you will be serving your family lots of healthy meals.

We’ve got this under control; so let’s move on with the dinner plans.

How do you serve up dinner at your house? 

If you tend to get bored with evening meal preparations it might be helpful to think of things that would make dinner time a bit more exciting and a lot more interesting.  Turn off the TV and turn on some soothing music.  Sometimes it is fun to add flowers to the table, or use some pretty candles, or exchange your everyday dishes for some seasonally appropriate dishes. 

Maybe something as simple as new place mats would add interest, or anything DIFFERENT and unique that keeps one meal from looking just like the next.  You set the atmosphere in your home for your daily meals by the way you approach your table each evening at dinner time.  Even the ordinary should never be boring.

Hebraic thinkers have often suggested that the woman brings the light into the home.  For them, this is not a new thought at all. They experience this each time the woman of the house lights the Sabbath candles to welcome in the Sabbath.  A lovely, peaceful atmosphere of welcome and expectation is created; it is a tradition as old as time that works very well toward creating happy people in a happy home.    

It is also a lot of fun to invite guests to share these daily meals with you; whenever you feel it is convenient.  Most of us tend to make it easy on ourselves and we want to have our guests in by formal invitation and when we have extra time set aside to relax and enjoy the company.  That is understandable, but it is also important to understand that having company over for dinner doesn’t always have to be an elaborate feast; it can be a very simple, well prepared meal that is served up with love and hospitality.  It can be on the spur of the moment from what you already have in your pantry.

I definitely feel this aspect of life is something that is often neglected in our culture today.  Don’t be shy about inviting friends and family to join in with you in your every-day mealtimes.  Having those you love around your table will turn out to be one of the greatest blessings of life whenever you look back at the past memories of your days.

Okay, enough day-dreaming and distractions with the extra details; on with our next two weeks of healthy dinner plans!

Just use the same equipment list furnished in the first two weeks of dinner planning.  There is nothing new to add to our list at this time.  I WOULD encourage you to purchase a nice wok at some point; but you can use a large skillet until you find just the right one for your kitchen. 

Doesn’t it feel wonderful, at this stage of our planning of food organization adventures, to have achieved an organized and well stocked kitchen?  Isn’t it great to walk inside your kitchen to cook and find that you now have all that you need of any type of kitchen equipment handy and stocked inside your pantry?

 

Did you ever dream you would be this ready to cook?

We have successfully reached and completed this part of the plan!  No more running to the store to buy new equipment every time you want to cook a new dish.  This “getting organized” thing does have its advantages!  Life seems to be getting easier every day.

After this week there will also be no more worrying about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  You can add or subtract to the plan with your own ideas as you go along.  There will be no more endless questions as to what you should be buying at the store; you will have your list forever handy and already written down for you.  You will have all the bases covered. No more last minute impulsive grocery shopping that blows the budget.  You will have everything planned out and done ahead.  Plus, you will have many things frozen or canned and put away for extra food when you forget to follow the plan; or to keep from duplicating your efforts as you go along in the plan.  No waste; and lots of healthy meals.

I think we may have reached the point of total stress reduction in the area of food organization and preparation!  This has to be a much healthier way for all of us to live.  Pour yourself a glass of red wine and drink a toast to our success!

So let’s keep moving toward our finish line with Part 2 of the Dinner Sessions which incorporates some leftovers at the end of each day from the lunches from Week Three and Week Four.  That makes our prep at the end of each day so much easier.   All of the pieces of our food organization puzzle come together in a finished fashion after this last two weeks of dinner menus are done.  You can still look forward to the summary which I will post next week; but you will have achieved each step and you will have proved to yourself that you can do this.

MENUS – FOR WEEK THREE:

Day 15 - Fast Day:  Hot and Sour Soup  (See Lunches Day 15).

Day 16 - Moderate Day: Pesto Arugula Wraps (See Lunches Day 16) and Italian Fruit Salad.

Day 17 – Fast Day: Apple Braised Cabbage with a side of Ginger Carrots and Steamed Asparagus (No recipe for the asparagus; just steam it.)

Day 18– Moderate Day: Chicken, Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad (See Lunches Day 18) with Fresh Green Beans and Cantaloupe Slices. (No recipe for the green beans and cantaloupe – simply heat the green beans and slice the cantaloupe)

Day 19– Fast Day: Roasted Tomato Soup (See Lunches Day 19) with Lemon and Black-Bean Spread Veggie Sandwiches.

Day 20 – Moderate Day: Chicken, Bacon and Blue Cheese Wrap (See Lunches Day 20) and Waldorf Salad.

Day 21– FEAST DAY! (THIS IS YOUR FEAST DAY - EAT OUT IN A RESTAURANT AND TREAT YOURSELF TO WHATEVER YOUR HEART DESIRES!)

GROCERY LIST FOR WEEK THREE:  (Note:  This list does not include the left over Lunch items, as they are included in the Lunches Grocery List given previously.  The WHOLE month’s list will be available next week and all items will be combined into one list.  The recipes left over from lunches ARE included however, just in case you are just joining in with us at this point.  You would need to add them to your grocery list if that is the case.

1 seedless watermelon

Seedless grapes

Fresh blueberries

Fresh Basil leaves

Red wine vinegar

Honey

Head of red cabbage

Head of green cabbage

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cider vinegar

Brown sugar

1 pound carrots

Sea salt

Balsamic Vinegar

Dry Cooking Sherry

Soy Sauce (low-sodium)

Peppercorns

Minced ginger

Fresh Chives

1 large red sweet pepper

1 15 ounce canned black beans

Minced garlic

Lemon juice

Ground Cumin

1 loaf whole wheat bread

1 cucumber

Baby spinach

1 avocado

Mayonnaise

4 medium gala apples, cored and diced

1 bag celery

Raisins

Chopped walnuts

Asparagus

Green Beans

Cantaloupe

(Note:  You may already have many of these items in your pantry from previous grocery shopping this month.  Always check to see what you have left over from the previous weeks before buying this list. Once you have been through a month of the plan, a lot of the dry goods will last for several weeks. Many items on this list will carry over to week four, so they are not listed in the week four grocery list to eliminate duplicate buying.)

RECIPES FOR WEEK THREE:

HOT AND SOUR SOUP ( leftover  and already prepared from lunch menu)

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced thin

1 (8 ounce can) bamboo shoots, drained and sliced thin

8 ounces firm tofu, drained and sliced in ¼ inch strips

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

3 Teaspoons grated ginger

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chili sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch mixed into 2 tablespoons cold water

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

4 green onions sliced

Directions:

Bring the broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, garlic, ginger, vinegars, chili sauce, soy sauce and sugar to a boil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.  Mix in the cornstarch and water mixture and simmer until the soup thickens a bit, about 2 minutes.  Slowly pour in the eggs in a thin stream while whisking the soup.  Mix in the extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and green onions. (Freeze the soup that is left over for another meal.)

ITALIAN FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 pound seedless watermelon, cut into cubes (about 4 cups)

3 cups seedless grapes (sliced in half)

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Combine watermelon, grapes, blueberries and basil in a large bowl, then; prepare the dressing in a small bowl.  Whisk together the vinegar and honey and pour all over the fruit.  Stir to coat.  Chill well before serving.

PESTO ARUGULA WRAPS (left over from today’s lunch menu)

Ingredients:

4 (10 inch) flour tortillas

1 cup pesto

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced thin

6 cups arugula (3 ounces)

Directions:

Lay tortillas on a work surface. Spread each with ½ cup pesto. Place a cheese slice on top of the pesto. Cover cheese with arugula. Roll up the tortilla and press the edge to seal. Secure with a toothpick.  Slice the roll into 1-inch pieces, removing toothpick when no longer needed. (These freeze nicely. If you are going to freeze; save the slicing until after they are frozen, it is easier, then let thaw for serving)

APPLE BRAISED CABBAGE

Ingredients:

1 Apple, chopped

1/2 head red cabbage

1/2 head green cabbage

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 Teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:

Shred cabbage and chop apple.  Mix together.  Add olive oil and cider vinegar into a skillet and heat until hot.  Dump in apples and cabbage and teaspoon of brown sugar and stir well.  Turn heat to medium and cover until cabbage is tender, but not limp (about 20 minutes.)

GINGER CARROTS

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces

1-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon dry Sherry

2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce (low-sodium)

1 Teaspoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Directions:

Using a 3-quart sauce pan bring some water to a boil over high heat.  Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and carrots and allow to boil for seven minutes. Drain carrots and set aside.  Combine vinegar, sherry and soy sauce, brown sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Heat Wok and put oil inside, swirling around to coat sides of wok.  When wok is hot add ginger and stir until fragrant.  Add the carrots and stir for one minute coating carrots well with oil and ginger.  Swirl the liquids into the wok and stir fry until carrots are crispy yet tender.  Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh chives.

LEMON AND BLACK-BEAN SPREAD VEGGIE SANDWICH

1 large red sweet pepper cored and quartered

1 15 ounce canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Teaspoon ground cumin

¼ tablespoon sea salt

8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

½  cucumber, sliced thin

1 cup fresh baby spinach

½ medium avocado, sliced thin

Directions:

Preheat broiler and place pepper quarters on a baking sheet, skin side up and broil for five to eight minutes until skin is blackened and blistered.  Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover and let steam.  After 15 minutes remove the skin of the peppers and cut them into strips.  Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, oil, cumin and sea salt into a food processor and process until smooth.  Toast the bread and spread the bean mixture on the bread.  Top bean spread with roasted peppers, cucumbers and baby spinach.  Spread the avocado slices onto the sandwiches and top with the remaining bread slices. 

CHICKEN CORN AND TOMATO PASTA SALAD (Leftover and already prepared from Lunch Menus)

Ingredients:

8 ounces orzo pasta

1-1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup light sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup fresh corn kernels (sliced form 2 ears of corn)

½ medium red onion, diced

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1-1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salt water until tender. (Approximately 10 minutes.) Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until cool.  In a medium bowl whisk together ricotta, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  In a large bowl, toss together pasta, corn, red onion, chicken, tomatoes and basil.  Add ricotta-lemon dressing to pasta mix and stir to evenly coat pasta Season with salt and pepper to taste.

CHICKEN BACON AND BLUE CHEESE WRAP (Left over and already prepared from lunch menu)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

½ cup ranch dressing

3 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles

½ cup halved grape tomatoes

1 and ½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil

4 10 inch tortillas

Romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

Combine the chicken, dressing, blue cheese crumbles, bacon crumbles, grape tomatoes and basil in a medium bowl. Line each of the 4 tortillas with lettuce.  Distribute the chicken over the four wraps.  Roll and fasten with a toothpick if needed to keep the wrap together.

WALDORF SALAD

Ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

3 medium gala apples, cored and diced

1 cup thinly sliced celery

¼ cup raisins (plumped)

½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and sea salt. Stir in apples, celery and raisins.  Chill.  Just before serving sprinkle with walnuts.

MENUS - FOR WEEK FOUR:

Day 22 – Fast Day:  Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (See Lunches Day 22) and Greek Chopped Cucumber Pita Sandwich

Day 23– Moderate Day: Hummus Spiral Wraps (See Lunches Day 23) on a tray with Mixed Chopped Vegetables and Tabbouleh

Day 24 – Fast Day: Egg Drop Soup (See Lunches Day 24) with Honey Walnut Shrimp (this recipe which includes shrimp is a slight variation on the diet plan that usually doesn’t allow meat on a fast day, but one variation here and there should not hurt too much.)

Day 25 – Moderate Day:  Mexican Bean and Rice Salad (See Lunches Day 25) with  Vegetable and Goat Cheese Quesadilla

Day 26 – Fast Day:  Kale, Grapefruit and Toasted Hazelnut Salad (See Lunches Day 26) with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Zucchini and Squash Casserole.

Day 27- Moderate Day:  Hawaiian Pasta Salad (See Lunches Day 27) with BLT Sandwiches on Wheat Bread.

Day 28 – FEAST DAY: YOU MAY EAT OUT AND HAVE WHATEVER YOU DESIRE. THIS IS YOUR FEAST DAY. 

CONGRATULATIONS ON A MONTH’S WORTH OF HEALTHY BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND DINNERS!  YOU DESERVE A GREAT REWARD, SO BE KIND TO YOURSELF!!!!

GROCERY LIST FOR WEEK FOUR: (Note:  This list does not include the left over Lunch items, as they are included in the Lunches Grocery List given previously.  The WHOLE month’s list will be available next week and they will be combined into one list then.  The leftover recipes ARE included however, just in case you are just joining in with us at this point.  If so; you would need to include those items in your grocery list.

2 cucumbers

2  white onions

1 red onion

Plain Greek yogurt

Garlic salt

Greek seasonings

Wine vinegar

Baby spinach leafs

1bag pita pockets (whole wheat)

Packed parsley leaves

Packed mint leaves

Pomegranate molasses

Ground allspice

Ground cinnamon

7 vine ripe tomatoes, minced

Walnut halves

Condensed milk

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 dozen eggs

Corn starch

Cumin

1 bag whole wheat tortillas

Hard goat cheese

Basil

Sage

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

Grape tomatoes

1 lb. bacon

1 head lettuce

1 loaf wheat bread

4 large sweet potatoes

Broccoli

Celery

Cauliflower

Bag of radish

(Note:  Always check to see what you have left over from the first three weeks before buying this list.  Once you have been through a month of the plan some of the dry goods will last for several weeks.  You will have many of this week’s items left over from week three grocery list, so they are not listed again here.)

RECIPES FOR WEEK FOUR:

CREAMY TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP (Leftover  and already prepared from lunch menus)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (reserve ½ cups for garnish)

1(15 ounce) can tomato sauce

3 cups chicken broth

¾ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 (20 ounce) package cheese tortellini

Garnishes (if desired)

Additional Parmesan Cheese

Diced tomatoes

Fresh Basil Leaves

Directions:

Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat in a stock pot. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Remove from heat. Transfer mix to a blender. Add the 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Blend together for 30 – 45 seconds until smooth. Pour the puree back into the Dutch oven. To the puree, add 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes (remember to reserve ½ cup for garnishing), can of Tomato sauce, chicken stock, heavy cream, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and nutmeg.  Stir well. Heat over medium high heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce to medium heat and continue to simmer for five minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and tortellini. Bring back to medium high heat and bring back to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for five more minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and basil if desired.

GREEK CHOPPED CUCUMBER PITA

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped cucumber

1 small chopped onion

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 Teaspoon garlic salt

1 Teaspoon Greek seasonings

1 teaspoon wine vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 bag of baby spinach leafs

1bag pita pockets (whole wheat)

Directions:

Mix chopped cucumbers with onion and baby spinach in a small bowl and set aside.  In another small bowl whisk together yogurt, garlic salt, Greek seasonings, wine vinegar and olive oil.  Put the liquid ingredients into the vegetables until you have the desired amount (taste as you go.)  Stuff it all into the pita pockets.  Keep cold until time to eat.

HUMMAS SPIRAL WRAPS  (Leftovers and already prepared from  lunch menus)

Ingredients:

10 inch tortillas

2-3 tablespoons roasted red pepper spread

Handful of shredded carrots

Handful of baby spinach

Splash of olive oil

Splash of lemon juice

Fresh ground pepper

Edamame soy beans

Avocado slices

Directions:

Spread the hummus over the tortillas. Add the ingredients in a thinly spread layer – distribute evenly. Roll up the tortilla tightly.  Slice into one inch thick rounds. (The extras can be frozen and used later. I often double the recipe to make some ahead so I don’t have to make this recipe next time.)

TABBOULEH:

Ingredients:

3 cups packed parsley leaves, chopped

1-1/2 cups packed mint leaves, chopped

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 vine ripe tomatoes, minced

1 medium red onion, minced

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Stir ingredients together in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

EGG DROP SOUP (Leftover and already prepared from lunch menus.)

Ingredients:

3 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups of chicken broth

1 tablespoon of corn starch

½ teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

3 green onions, chopped

¼ teaspoon of white pepper

¾ cup of mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

Reserve ½ cup of the chicken broth and mix with the cornstarch until dissolved. Place the chicken stock, ginger, soy sauce, green onions, mushrooms and white pepper in a pot and bring to a boil.  Add in the cornstarch and chicken broth mixture and stir.  Reduce heat to s simmer.  Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while stirring the soup. The egg will spread out into ribbons.  Turn off the heat and garnish with a few more chopped green onions.  Pour into your lunch thermos with the cup attached and reserve the left-over soup frozen in the freezer for use later.

HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP

Ingredients:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup walnut halves

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 Teaspoons of honey

1-1/2 teaspoons condensed milk

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

½ cup corn starch

Directions:

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Heat ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Add sugar and stir constantly, until golden and thickened.  Add walnuts and toss to combine.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.  In another small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, honey and condensed milk, set aside.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste.  Dip the shrimp (one at a time) into the egg, then dredge in the cornstarch, pressing to coat  working in batches, add the shrimp to the skillet, 8 -10 at a time and fry until evenly golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes on each side  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.  In a large bowl, combine shrimp and honey mixture.  Top with walnuts when you serve.

MEXICAN BEAN AND RICE SALAD (Left over and already prepared from  lunch menus)

Ingredients:

6 ounces of basmati and wild rice

1 can of mixed-bean salad, drained and rinsed

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 avocado

Juice of one lime (save some wedges for serving)

1 teaspoon Cajun spice mix

Small bunch coriander, chopped

Directions:

Cook this ahead on cooking day and reserve in refrigerator.  Just follow package instructions for cooking the rice.  Drain, then cool under the cold running water until completely cold.  Stir in beans, onions, pepper and avocado. Mix the lime juice with the Cajun spice mix and some black pepper.  Pour over the rice mix, stir in the coriander and serve with extra lime wedges.  This can be stored in small mason jars or air-tight containers in the refrigerator until time to pack in lunches. (Leftovers can be used at dinner time.)

VEGETABLE AND GOAT CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup thinly sliced white onion

½ teaspoon cumin

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1 whole wheat tortilla

½ cup shredded hard goat cheese

½ large tomato, sliced

Fresh herbs (basil or sage)

Directions:

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté until translucent (5 minutes) seasoning with cumin, salt and pepper.  Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.  In the same pan lay tortilla flat.  Sprinkle cheese evenly on top.  Top half the cheese with cooked onions, tomato and herbs.  When cheese begins to melt; fold cheese-only side of tortilla over.  Cook for another minute.  Serve hot.

GRAPEFRUIT AND TOASTED HAZELNUT SALAD (Leftover and already prepared from lunch menus)

Ingredients:

2 pink grapefruits

½ small red onion, thinly sliced, divided

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup fat free plain yogurt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces baby kale leaves

1 ounce toasted hazelnuts, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Directions:

Peel and segment grapefruit; reserve 3 tablespoons juice in a large bowl. Mince 2 rings of the onion.  Add to grapefruit juice with lemon juice, yogurt, oil, salt, and pepper.  Whisk until well mixed.  Toss in kale.  Top with remaining onion, grapefruit and hazelnuts.  Store in mason jars or air-tight containers until time for packing lunch.  If you have leftovers these would make a good salad side dish for dinner.

ROASTED ZUCCHINI AND SQUASH

Ingredients:

1 zucchini squash, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

½ onion, chopped

Grape tomatoes, cut in half

Sea salt (to taste)

Garlic salt (to taste)

Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Balsamic Vinegar (drizzle to taste)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (drizzle to taste)

Directions:

Turn the oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Chop the vegetables and place inside the pan.  Season with salt and pepper and garlic salt.  Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and then come over that with the balsamic vinegar and drizzle again.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Vegetables should be soft yet crisp. 

HAWAIIAN PASTA SALAD (Leftover and prepared ahead from lunch menus)

Ingredients:

8 ounces bow tie pasta

1 (14 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, juice reserved

1 red pepper, diced

2 cups diced deli ham

1 green onion, thinly sliced.

DRESSING:

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 /3 cup pineapple juice

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and run under cold water. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss with dressing.  Refrigerate.  Store what you will need for lunch in a small mason jar and put into insulated lunch pack with an ice pack on the day you will have it for lunch. This can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days. Save what is left over for a side with some of your dinner on the same night.

LAST THREE LUNCH DAYS OF THE MONTH; DAYS 29 and 31:  Remember to celebrate your feast day on Day 30!   You have completed a whole month now – so be extra festive! For the other two days mix some of the sandwiches and muffins and leftover soups you already have frozen in the freezer from breakfast and the previous lunches, and use up any leftovers you have in the refrigerator from dinners.

This is a good time to remember to clean out your freezer.  Check dates and toss any out-dated items.  I keep only the things that have been frozen for under three months.  Clean out the refrigerator by the end of each month and start fresh.  Try to use up anything that you have on hand in order to eliminate any waste.   It is great to have all the extra food on hand like this in case you need it, but you do need to do the proper maintenance at the end of every month.   With the frozen ahead things handy, you need not make another run to the grocery store, but just empty the refrigerator and/or freezer at the end of every month.

 As my mother used to say; “There are starving people in other parts of the world – use what we have in the house!” Too easy!

DAY 30- FEAST DAY!  GO OUT TO YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT TONIGHT.  HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO EAT,. HAVE DESSERT!!!  CELEBRATE A MONTH OF SUCCESSFUL FOOD PLANNING AND HEALTHY EATING!!!

CONGRATULATIONS ON MAINTAINING A HEALTHY BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR 30 DAYS IN A ROW!!!!  NOW YOU HAVE THE LARGEST PART OF THIS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Doesn’t it feel good to get 30 days worth of dinners organized and ready to go whenever we need them?  Repeat this 30 day cycle of food planning over and over until it comes natural and feels easy to you.  The longer you use the plan the more you will naturally begin to remember the recipes in your head, and the easier it will be to do the cooking quickly and efficiently.

Soon meal preparations will be such a habit in your day that it will be as simple as brushing your teeth and making your bed each morning.  No more breaking the budget with eating out, and no more wondering what to fix next.  If you follow the handy grocery list for each week all of your groceries should be on hand and readily available whenever they are needed.  You will instantly be able to walk into the grocery store and just pick up whatever you need because the list will be stored away in your brain from routine shopping trips.

Congratulations on taking a month of meal planning and food organization to the next level!  

We did it!!!!!

 Bon Appétit’!

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 161 - HOW GOD WOVE STORIES AND PATTERNS INTO HIS DESIGN

A LAYER OF GOAT'S HAIR WOVEN INTO CLOTH

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

I just spent eleven days listening to a professional weaver speak about her skills.  This is quite an amazing process involving whole rooms full of looms that do very technical and complex things.  There are very intricate ways of developing the treads together into a perfect pattern.  One must understand design and know about the different types of yarn that will do different types of things.  A few skilled women living in the wilderness during the time of the construction of the tabernacle had this same amazing skill.  It was a highly saught after skill that was greatly valued. Not many had the patience and wisdom to learn the techniques that worked.  

Only the best would do for God's tabernacle and God pointed out the best crafts people to help Moses.  There were women among the Israelites that God chose for this craft.  Perhaps they had served the master weavers in Egypt and had developed their skills from the forced slavery that they endured.  Now God would use the broken things in their lives and turn them into a way to display His glory.  

Can you imagine being one of them?

Do you think their hearts overflowed with joy when they saw that they could be useful to the God they loved by doing the things they were skilled to do well with passion?  

  

I wish I had brought this up with my visitor while she was explaining the ins-and-outs of her profession to me.  I had to wonder if possibly she could have been influenced by some of the same things that had led these ancient women to develop their skills into a craft that God considered worthy of sheltering His dwelling place among men.  It is amazing when you think about the possibilities.  

You could say that the white linen part (also woven by skilled crafts people) of the tabernacle was the actual heart of the tabernacle.  It was the most important part of the whole building.  The other coverings were like a tent for the tent, or a covering for the most important part.  The outside layers were simply accessories to cover the deep inside portions of the tabernacle.  Still, they had their place and they were important.

God told Moses to use curtains of goat’s hair for the next level of coverings.  Eleven goat’s hair curtains in all; which would be 30 cubits long and four cubits wide.  The goat’s hair sections were to be fastened together as a unit with bronze clasps.  One set of curtains contained five sections joined together, and one set of curtains contained six sections joined together.

First we must distinguish that God said goat “hair” not goat “skin.”  The goat hair was woven together most likely by the women who felt called to offer their expertise and skills to the building of the tabernacle.  God told Moses to only chose those who had a heart for their work.  Again, I thought of my friend and how weaving had been her life-long passion.  I thought of the eleven woven curtains and how God had blessed us with her visit for eleven days.  Be careful of the moments in which you live; God is always teaching, even when we are not paying attention.  Nothing happens by chance; everything is a pattern that God has woven just for you.  

Do you have a heart for using your skills to the glory of God?  Do you share this passion of these ancient weavers?

I really doubt they totally understood the importance of their task at the time.  

God only wants those to work for Him who have a heart for the work.  If you are coming to your labor with a grudge; you need not come at all.  God loves a cheerful giver.

The weaving they did formed a black cloth that was something similar to our modern day cashmere.  Most people think the color of the goat’s hair and thus the color of the cloth of this tent layer was black, as that was the color of most of the goats of the wilderness during this time period. 

This black cloth used in the covering of the second layer of the tabernacle tents is even mentioned in the words of the Bride as she speaks in The Song of Solomon.   She says “I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.”   These tents crafted in the wilderness inspired many.

There is also a passage in the Song of Solomon that says; “Thy hair is as a flock of goats.”  It leads one to believe that the Bride here is speaking to her lover who has black hair, the same color found in the tabernacle of God that came out of the wilderness journey of The People of God. 

Many think the black goat’s hair used here symbolically represents our human flesh, in that it is useful and practical and has a certain beauty of its own; but it is not the most important feature of the tabernacle.  God looks right through our flesh to see into our hearts.  He sees further beyond our skin into what really matters the most.  God, from a heavenly view point could look right through this outer layer of the tents and see what was going on in the very heart of the tabernacle.  He could see right into the Holy of Holies.  He knew what worship was taking place.  If He was pleased; He would join mankind and dwell there among them for a temporary time. 

It has been said that “sackcloth” used in morning and repentance was made of black goat’s hair.  Many prophets of Jerusalem were said to sit in sackcloth and ashes in order to admonish the people to repent from their sins.

We saw in the white linen the representation of the linen garments of a priest; and now we can see how that white linen (also used as his grave cloth and laid aside when he arose) belonged to Christ.  It was representative of his priesthood just as the black goat’s hair covering is also representative of His office of a prophet. 

We should note that God asked Moses to make two such goat’s hair coverings. One was larger than the other.  Here we can’t help but recall that every year two goats were always brought to the high priest for a sin offering.  One was used as an offering and one was used as the “scapegoat.”  Lots were cast.  The lot that fell on one goat meant it was chosen as the sacrifice.  The high priest who offered it to God would cut it and drain the blood of it into a basin.  He would take the blood in the basin and sprinkle it on and near the mercy seat.  What was left of the sacrificial goat’s body was taken out by the same high priest and burned outside the camp.  The sacrificial goat was a substitute for the sins of the people. 

We can see this same symbolism in the story of Jacob and Esau.  Jacob sought to defraud Esau so that he could receive the blessing.  He used a goat and took its hair to cover his arms so that Israel would bless him instead of Esau. The goat's hair brought him atonement.

We see this same theory in action when Jacob’s youngest son Joseph is sold into slavery.  They took his coat of many colors and slayed a kid of the goats and dipped the garment into the blood to show their father who thought his beloved son had been slain. The blood on the garment (probablly woven of dyed goat's hair) allowed Joseph to live, even though he was sold into slavery, he escaped death because of the coat that had covered him; a gift from his beloved father.    

Later we hear of Jesus telling a parable about the nations being judged.  Those who have been enemies of God are referred to as “the goats” and those who have stayed true to God are referred to as “the sheep.”  Always, in all of these stories we see that the dark color of the goat’s hair refers to the sins of mankind. 

The goat’s hair cover that represented this sacrificial goat was the smallest covering.  It was to be put over the tent of fine white linen.  It represented the sins of mankind.  This is a perfect picture of our sins being placed on Christ as He hung on a cross.

The goat’s hair suggests sin, but it also suggests the remedy to sin, as being the garment of the prophet.  Many prophets in those days wore goat's hair garments.   It was the sacrificial offering of the goat that redeemed the people’s sins over and over each year as the high priest went in to the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood before the mercy seat.  The garments of the prophets proclaimed this.  

On the Day of Atonement we know of the places of the two goats; one was for a sin offereing and one was used as the scapegoat.  Aaron would lay his hands on the head of one goat confessing all the sins of the nation and symbolically place them upon the head of a goat who would bear them away to a land “not inhabited.”  This goat was also symbolic of Christ as our sin-bearer who takes away the sin of the world. 

The next covering, the one with six sections of goat’s hair was to be put over (or to cover) the first one. This is symbolic of how Christ covers the sins of mankind by offering himself in our place.  At the time of the tabernacle, the time before Christ the covering was of goat’s hair and not goat’s skin.  This was because at that time, the sacrifice of Christ had not yet been offered.  This was a picture that pointed to what was to come.   It was a picture of mankind (represented by the five curtains) joined to Christ (represented by the One added curtain.)  This was the protective covering of the most important part of the tabernacle.  It painted a picture of Christ covering the sins of mankind and them becoming One because of God dwelling inside them and forming them together as One.

It was God weaving His story into the walls of the wilderness tabernacle!  

Could they read the writing on the walls?  Sometimes it was invisible, only symbolic and very hard to grasp or see.  

Do we read the writing on the walls of our hearts within the tabernacles of our bodies?  

Do we read God's messages that he leaves within the walls of our own worship spaces?  

Do we need to fine-tune how we are crafting our tents?

Now all of these goat’s-hair curtains together were numbered eleven.  As we have already stated there was one set of five and one set of six.  The width of each curtain was four cubits.  That was the same as the width of the white linen which they covered, but the length of the goat's hair coverings were longer; being thirty cubits instead of twenty eight. 

They had 11 curtains separated into two sets of five and six, which are the factors of thirty.

Five is the number that represents responsibility.  This was shown by our Lord as He took full responsibility for our many sins.  The five curtains represent the sins of humanity that Jesus took responsibility for in our stead.

Six speaks of labor.  The days of the creation week showed the labor of God during those first six days.  This also set the pattern for the days God expected that mankind should labor.  “Six days shalt thy labor.”  The end of this time is God’s time. The end of this time brings God and mankind together.   The end of the labor of Christ is to bring men into the glory of God.  God will dwell among them and they shall behold Him because they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.  

The six curtains of goat’s hair represent how Christ has prevailed over the sins of mankind and joined men and God together.  The six curtains speak of the victory of Christ that allows man to dwell with God. 

There were fifty taches of brass that fastened the two sets of goat’s hair curtains together.  

The brass is symbolic of judgment.  This same brass metal covered the altar of the burnt offerings which spoke of atonement for sin by sacrifice.  

Men judged of God for their sins must carry the mark of the atonement of Christ.  With atonement, the body of Christ made up of the bride that is called his church, may come together perfectly with Christ and be fastened by the mercy of the judgment of God.  God will look at them and see their sins no more.  

He will only see the perfect story of how God has come to live with mankind because of the love of Jesus Christ.   God is the perfect weaver.  Let him stich your time and you will be blessed beyond measure.  

SEASONS - ST. PATRICK’S DAY IS COMING SOON

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

I'm always amazed at the number of funny Irish drinking jokes that come out on St. Patrick's Day.  Is that because everyone is drinking green beer?  Here is one of my favorites:

An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin, orders three pints of Guinness and sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more. The bartender approaches and tells him, "You know, a pint goes flat after I draw it, and it would taste better if you bought one at a time."

The Irishman replies, “Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in America, the other is in Australia, and I'm in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised that we'd drink this way to remember the days we drank together. So I drink one for each o'me brothers and one for me self."

The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there.

The Irishman becomes a regular in the bar, and always drinks the same way: He orders three pints and drinks them in turn.

One day, he comes in and orders two pints. All the other regulars take notice and fall silent.  When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, "I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss." The Irishman looks quite puzzled for a moment, then a light dawns and he laughs. "Oh, no, everybody's just fine," he explains, "It's just that me wife had us join that Baptist Church and I had to quit drinking. But it hasn't affected me brothers though."

I hope that little joke made you laugh out loud, and I hope it gets you in a jovial and happy mood for St. Patrick’s Day. 

Remember to wear green on St. Patrick's Day!  Any other day of the year it would be very rude to pinch someone; but on this day, if you are not wearing green; it is perfectly acceptable for anyone to come up and pinch you!  Be careful!  Wear green!  

Did you know that originally at the first celebrations the color was actually blue?  The blue has been long forgotten in honor of the fact that Ireland is the Emerald Isle, Ireland’s flag is green, and St. Patrick used the green 3 leafed clovers to teach about The Trinity.  An old legend also goes that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns who will pinch you if they can see you. 

For the hidden, not often shared, educational value of the green; we do know that wearing green commemorates the Irish Rebellion of 1798, when the British, who were oppressing Ireland, declared that wearing a shamrock, or anything green, was considered a symbol of support for Irish rebellion and was punishable by hanging. Many people were shot on sight for the offense back in those days.  Back then green was used by the Society of United Irishmen; a political organization that was fighting for parliamentary reforms as well as a Republic for the Irish people.  An Irish Republic would have ended the English rule.  The wearing of the green is, therefore, a "fist in the air" act of defiance representing the brave men and women who fought for their independence.  Today, if you do not wear a touch of green on St Patrick's Day, you get symbolically punished by getting pinched, instead of getting killed for wearing it.  I'm happy to be living on this side of history.

In the 1700's, Irish immigrants in the United States started the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.  Those old Irish traditions came to be cherished in the land of the free and the home of the brave ever after; making Americans enjoy this day as much or more than they do in ole Ireland.   

 

In the very beginning though, the Irish Catholics originally noted this day for celebrating the life and times of their patron Saint Patrick, which is a real interesting twist of the story, considering that the real St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish.  He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family, who owned a townhouse and a country villa and plenty of slaves. 

Patrick professed no interest in Christianity as a young boy.  At 16 Patrick’s destiny unfolded.  He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years.  It was during this horrible experience that Patrick met God and became a deeply convicted Christian.  It is a long and intriguing story but according to St. Patrick’s Day lore, Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the Christian Holy Trinity; the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.  

Many traditions have evolved from this day over time, some centering around St. Patrick and some not.    

In 1962 in a show of solidarity in Chicago, the city decided to dye a portion of the Chicago River green.  A parade organizer for a plumber’s union noticed how a dye used to trace possible sources of river pollution had stained a fellow worker’s overalls a brilliant green.  He decided why not use the dye to turn the whole river green on St. Patrick’s Day?  It not only added to the celebration, but helped to keep the river healthy.  The custom is still traditional in Chicago today. 

5.5 million pints of Guinness beer are consumed around the world on any given day, but on St. Patrick’s Day that number more than doubles to 13 million pints.  It seems those Irish immigrants brought this habit with them too.  This is a night when Irish pubs, as well as pubs in general, are packed.  If you happen to run into a real lrishman at one of these happy establishments, he will probably tell you that St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland at one time was only a special story and possibly a nice dinner at home until the American’s turned it into parades and huge community celebrations to raise money for charitable causes.  They aren’t complaining in Ireland though, they have even upgraded their own celebrations in order to attract more tourists in the spring.  Everyone wins, and it is really a lot of fun.

Do you have a favorite Irish food that you eat on St. Patrick’s Day?   You will find corned beef and cabbage in all the finest restaurants on this day, as well as, Irish stew, colcannon and soda bread all served up with green beer.

So go ahead – Go green!

THE HOUSE DOCTOR - GOING GREEN AT HOME FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY

PRE-SPRING - GIVING THE HOUSE THAT IRISH LOOK

Here we are all the way into March!  It is almost St. Pat's Day and I've had the house all decked out in it's "Irish Look" for several weeks now.  

This all started a few years ago when I got to share my green with a few nice house guests from Pennsylvania.  They are Catholic and they love celebrating St. Patrick's Day.  We got to catch up on old times in the spirit of a house-gone-green.  Even the guest rooms went a little Irish.

My granddaughter loved pulling all my green shamrock necklaces out and making me wear them around the house.  

She also loved collecting all the gold hiding in the pots of gold I had laying around in two different places.  

She now understands that my kitchen window is where the rainbow ends.  

That is where one pot of gold resides.  

There is another one on the couch table in the living room area.  It seems that someone is storing that gold all over the place.  I hope they leave some of it for us after the season is over!   You know our Family Tree had to get into the act.  It is full of green three-leaf clovers with one little red bird perched in the middle. 

We really did have fun decorating the family  tree.  

This little tree has turned out to be a seasonal standard for my kitchen.  We keep thinking of more and more ideas to use it for.  

The red bird that lasted through Christmas, then hung around for Valentine's Day still wanted to remain; so why not?  You know how I love Cardinals!

It adds a little red to the trinity of clovers and the red seemed to be quite appropriate; plus it was just the little pop of color we needed to offset everything else that was going on here.

I put a few shamrocks on the laundry room doors.  Anything to make doing laundry more fun works for me.

I wanted to have some other old friends over to visit with our Pennsylvania girls; so we formed a small group and ate Italian food together in an Irish House that called itself a castle.  What a blend!  There were Catholics and Protestants and Jews; and all of them were happy!   I'll bet you won't find that combination anywhere else!  It was quite the cultural affair, and we enjoyed every minute. 

The house was as diverse as the group of people who gathered, happily sharing their lives and telling their stories.  

It made for a very merry day.

I wanted something sweet and special to say welcome to them all and my first thought was that pretty white roses would make just such a statement.  They greeted everyone with their lovely fragrance as they first came inside the door, and the white tulips on the door wreath joined in with their welcoming. I loved the contrast of the pure whites against so much green in the room.

I also filled the vase on the kitchen table with bright cheerful yellow tulips and set them inside a crystal vase on a bright green tray, which I surrounded with sugar cookies made in the shape of 3-leaf clovers with green sprinkles.

Loved seeing these smiling happy faces.  There were more guest that didn't get into the photos.  Wish I had a group photo of everyone that came and went that week.  You have never heard such interesting stories as those that flew around the room when we all gathered together.  Every person in the room seemed to have something of utmost importance on their mind.  

One of our guests was known for her talents in weaving.  She has some amazing looms set up in a house that is over one hundred years old!  Some history was shared for sure.  

Another guest who just happened to be a theologian and he filled us in on the latest books and movies that speak about all the complex issues of life.  

One guest was about to take an adventurous trip to explore the new life-sized reproduction of Noah's Ark in Kentucky.  Can't wait to hear about what he discovers there.  

Me....I was all ears and serving Irish cookies and coffee with all that Italian food.  My husband and granddaughter were helping.

You know my Mom had to do her part of the fun.  She blessed us with a coconut pound cake.  I am now wearing that cake; and a few other people are doing the same.  It was delicious!

Seasonal decorating is just a good excuse to invite people over to celebrate all of the phases of life. 

Someone pointed out that although we were paying a lot of attention to St. Patrick; St. Joseph was a focus for this month too!  I always say "the more Saints, the merrier!"  

So much to teach my sweet little grandkids, one of which was enjoying the glory of a beautiful sunny day and making huge bubbles with her bubble wand on the back deck while all the adults socialized.

The green hats and clover necklaces added to the fun in the living room area.  
So it was that we celebrated St. Patrick's Day by going green at the castle.

I hope you had a chance to do a little Irish at your castle too.

I'll just end here with a little Irish blessing for all of you:


May you always have walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain, 

tea beside the fire,

laughter to cheer you, 

those you love near you,

and all your heart might desire. 


HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
EVERYONE!