First Goal

I'm not going to put weight restrictions on myself just yet or worry about counting my calories. I want to start changing our eating habits and find ways to encourage a healthier lifestyle. The first goal I am going to set for myself and my family is cutting out processed foods. 

I do pride myself in preparing most of our meals from scratch but going to the grocery store and choosing items to buy is difficult. There are a lot of choices and labels, it is time consuming and frustrating. If I don't personally buy the products then anything goes! 

Have you looked at the ingredients in the simplest of your grocery items? Next time you are shopping just look at the labels on bread. Grab a popular brand of regular white or wheat bread and read the endless ingredients IN BREAD! Then look for a minute and grab a healthy or organic loaf with maybe three natural ingredients. WHY are you eating all of this? 

Trying to go to a local grocery store and find non processed foods, organic or gluten-free has gotten easier but its still a challenge. There is no doubt it takes more time than throwing generic on sale items into the cart. 

I don't want to waste my time, walking endlessly up and down the local grocery store. I want to have my lists ready, my meal plans prepared and the ease of having the best choices at my fingertips at wholesale prices. 

I really enjoy receiving the bulk of my groceries to my door. They are the brands I trust, they are well packaged and no plastic bags! I still have to run out for some things but Thrive Market is my first choice to help me and my family achieve our first goal in 2017.

~ Eat4Life

Tomorrow I'll be starting lists and meal planning!

New Year Challenge

Now that the New Year is here I'm going to challenge myself & my family to healthier eating and better nutrition. 

During the Month of January, I'm going to be pulling together weight and fitness goals, food planning menus and shopping lists and how we are specifically changing our eating habits.

I intend on using Thrive Market as my main source of delivered foods. I have tried them previously and loved all of their choices for organic foods, gluten-free, raw, and more. Plus my membership gets a membership for someone else who needs it. The prices are wholesale which is great and can be up to 50% off retail price! I really love their products, their story and their effort for others.

They also have great giveaways

Monthly Giveaway
Invite Friends and Win a $1000 Shopping Spree
The movement towards a healthier world starts with you. Get the most friends to join Thrive Market and win a $1000 shopping spree! A new winner is picked each month! Each of your friends gets 15% off and you'll earn $25 in Thrive Cash when they become a member. Sharing with your friends is incredibly simple. Invite your email contacts and don't forget to share on Facebook and Twitter!
Ready to spread the health?

Mom's Apple Pie

It is this cold and damp weather that makes me think of crock pot meals and my mom's epic Apple pie! I can just taste it, warm out of the oven and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! She had this large ceramic Apple pie dish that I still have and use. I'm sure some of you have seen them. I included the homemade Pir crust recipe too, I have to have the perfect crust! I don't know about anyone else but I do know what is for dessert tonight at my house 😊

Please Enjoy ~ Eat4Self

Mom's Apple Pie

3 lbs apples (Empire/Cortland)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 farm fresh egg

Line pie pan with half crust and coat bottom with flour. Mix sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cut butter into pea size pieces. Place sliced apples into large bowl and coat with sugar mixture and butter pieces. Pour all contents into pie pan and cover with the other half of pie crust. Cut slits in several places and pinch down the edges. Brush top of pie crust with beaten egg white. 

Heat oven to 375 and bake for 25 minutes

Bake another 25 minutes until golden brown.

Homemade Pie Crust

3 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon flour

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup cold water

Mix flour, salt, and shortening.

Add water and knead into two rounds of dough. (2 pie crusts)

Add more water if dry.

Roll out on floured surface.

New Years Eve Appeatizers

Happy New Years Eve!!

We are having some family over for a small get together. I'm just throwing together a few appetizers but after all of the holiday food we have been eating, I thought I would try some different choices. Let me know what you think! Have fun and be safe!

Garbage Bread

1 roll of pizza dough

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Sliced pepperoni

Sliced Salami

Sliced Ham

Roll out pizza dough. 

Mix together oil & garlic and brush over dough. 

Add a layer of mozzarella cheese and a layer of pepperoni over dough. 

Fold in ends of dough and then roll. 

Heat oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. 

Crab Poppers

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 cup corn

3 small mini red bell pepper 

1/4 cup green onion stems, chopped 

16-ounce jumbo lumped crabmeat, drained

3/4 cup mayo

1 farm fresh egg, beaten

1 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lemon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Spray mini muffin pan and sprinkle cups with Panko to coat. 

Finely chop bell pepper and onion tops (setting aside 1 teaspoon for garnish). 

Combine corn, bell pepper, remaining onions, crabmeat, 1/2 of mayo, egg, salt, and pepper. 

Mix gently. Sprinkle with remaining Panko. 

Divide mixture into cups of pan. 

Combine lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and remaining mayo. 

Mix well and brush tops of crab cakes with sauce. 

Top with remaining teaspoon of onion. 

Heat oven to 425 and bake 10 minutes. 

Spicy Shrimp

Sauce

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons grated ginger root 

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from 7oz can)

2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from can of chipotle chiles)

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Shrimp

1lb uncooked large shrimp (21-30 count), peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a saucepan stir brown sugar and water. 

Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Stir in remaining ingredients for the sauce. Save 2 tablespoons. 

Place shrimp in a bowl with remaining sauce and stir to coat. 

Let stand at room temperature to marinate 20 minutes. 

Spray skillet and cook shrimp 4-5 minutes. 

Transfer shrimp to bowl with reserved sauce. 

Sprinkle with salt and the cilantro.

Stuffed Mushrooms

16 extra large white mushrooms, caps and stems separated

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/2 tablespoon Marsala

3/4 lb ground sweet Italian sausage

3/4 cup scallions, minced white and green parts separated 

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

2/3 cup Panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

5-ounce Italian mascarpone cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan 

2 teaspoons parsley

Cut all of the mushrooms finely. 

Place in a bowl and mix with olive oil and Marsala. 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

Add in ground sausage to brown, then add in chopped mushroom stems.

Mix in scallions, garlic, salt and pepper and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add Panko crumbs and stir to combine. 

Then add mascarpone and cook until it has melted. 

Turn off heat to add Parmesan and parsley. 

Fill each mushroom cap with stuffing and place on the baking dish. 

Heat oven to 350 and bake for 40 minutes. 

Enjoy ~ Eat4Self

Lasagna and Chicken Parmesan for Pasta Sauce

Yesterday I posted my blog with a great recipe for my Mom's Pasta Sauce. So following that today I thought I would share two great recipes her sauce would compliment. These are definitely two

of my families favorites! 

As Always Enjoy!

~Eat4Self

Lasagna

Cooked Lasagna Noodles

Pasta Sauce (see recipes)

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground sausage

16-ounce bag of Mozzarella cheese, shredded

16 ounces Ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup parsley

1 large farm fresh egg

Mix egg, parsley and ricotta cheese. Brown ground beef and ground sausage together in a skillet until browned. In a deep baking dish, begin layering with about 1/3 of meat on the bottom, then one layer lasagna noodles, 1 layer ricotta cheese, top with shredded mozzarella and some Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers until used and top with pasta sauce. 

Heat oven to 375 and bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for another 25 until cheeses are bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes. 

Chicken Parmesan

2-3 skinless boneless chicken breasts

3-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3-6 farm fresh eggs, beaten

1-2 cups of Italian bread crumbs

1-2 cups tomato sauce

shredded mozzarella cheese

Take each breast and put in a ziplock bag one at a time. Pound out chicken with a meat mallet on a cutting board until spread out and 1/2 inch thick. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. In one wide bowl beat eggs and put near skillet, next pour bread crumbs on a plate also near skillet. Add one empty plate to the opposite side of skillet and then you are ready to begin. Take your first piece of chicken and drench it in the egg batter, then lay it on both sides in the bread crumbs (which should stick to the egg), next put chicken directly into hot oil. Let the chicken brown and flip once, brown both sides. Remove chicken and set on an empty plate. Repeat until all chicken has been cooked. Take the chicken and place the pieces in a large baking pan, top with a layer of tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Heat oven to 350 and bake 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Pasta Sauce

My mom used to make Pasta Sauce from scratch in a large batch once a year and freeze portioned bags. It was one of those days you can still smell and your mouth waters. I remember my friends and I stealing bread and dipping it in the stockpot when she wasn't looking and always getting caught! A great Sunday recipe when you have the day to enjoy cooking!

Large bowl of fresh Roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded (Cut an x on the top and drop into boiling water for 20 seconds, then run under cold water. Skins will peel right off.)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 medium onions, diced

10 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon parsley

salt and course black pepper

1 carrot, 1/2 grated and added to sauce (other half added to sauce whole for last 30 minutes then removed)

2 large green bell peppers, diced

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to taste

1 tablespoon sugar

In a stockpot, add olive oil, onions, garlic, grated carrots and green pepper and sauté until softened. Add tomatoes and seasonings and simmer 2-3 hours at the minimum for flavor. (Sauce is better the longer ingredients simmer) Add piece of carrot for the last 30 minutes to absorb acidity. Remove bay leaves and carrot. Optional add 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese. 

Use fresh, can or freeze.

Serve over favorite pasta with fresh bread!

Enjoy ~ Eat4Self

Hot Toddy

Perfect drink for this cold weather!

Hot Toddy

1 teaspoon honey

2 ounces boiling water

1 1/2 ounces whiskey: Crown Royal, Jameson, Jim Beam, Gentleman Jack or Canadian Club

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 slice lemon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

Pour the honey, boiling water and whiskey into a mug. Spice it with the cloves and cinnamon & put in the slice of lemon. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle. Then sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg before serving. 

I'm getting one right now ~ Eat4Self