Fast fruit - preparing for tomorrow

 

Last night we had a healthy taco dinner (which I forgot to photograph) . I always do my mince with a mix of chicken and beef mince. I just use Aldi's packet with all the ingredients. Its quick and easy, this is one of my other alternatives to getting take-out. I would normally rather use my own herbs without the fillers and no MSG, but I figure I still know pretty much whats in it all. Our accompaniments were: avocado, sheep's feta, Greek yoghurt, taco sauce (that came in the pack), roma tomatoes and lettuce. Very yummy.

For desert I cut up a fresh fruit platter (in the picky above)

I also separated off some of the fruit and cut it up for smoothies for breakfast. So the  smoothies I will be making over the next few days will have a mix of rock melon, banana and grape. I put this cut up mix into separate snap-lock bags an popped them in the freezer. This is going to be part of my "prepared for 2013" strategy. So I can be healthy and less stressed and hopefully lose some weight as a bonus.

Full smoothie recipe yet to come, with lots of pickies.

xx

 

 

Chicken Dinner in a Hurry !

I don't know about you, but I am constantly disappointed with take-away food ! For me I find it actually quicker and easier to either, whip up something at home from scratch. Or, do a half take-away half home cooked meal. On our way home from the Italian Shoe Fair, on a buying trip, this week, we discussed getting take-away. We were exhausted after four days of buying shoes for the Australian 2012 summer season. With my natural adversity to take-out, I suggested we grab a cooked chicken and add the vegetables at home. I find this works well for me, because I have young children and surprisingly, it is more time efficient. Instead of sitting at the take-away restaurant waiting for my order, trying to amuse the kids, because they are super tired after vacation care. I can already be home, with kids in the shower, while I am whipping up something yummy. Occasionally with a small wine in hand, all is happy in the house! With this in mind I decided to share what I made.

I call it "Chicken Dinner in a Hurry".

As I mentioned we collected a chicken, from Red Rooster (quick, cheap and easy)

 Next, I just grabbed whatever baking vegetables I had in the crisper, this time it was sweet potato, potato, carrots and pumpkin. I chopped these into "quick" baking sizes, with the oven ready on 200 degrees Celsius. Just quickly peel and cut, should take around 5 mins. Then blast the little buggers while you check on the kids.

I find when I use "Carotino" it gives everything a great colour and it is healthy and great for cooking anything. I love oil, so I probably add too much! This is the benefit of cooking at home, you know whats in the food and you can add as much or as little oil and other ingredients as you like.

 I also love greens and I go nuts for nuts, so I grabbed what I had, which was some spinach and zucchini, some tired tomatoes, an half an onion. Chop chop chop, messy don't be fussy, you are in a hurry. Chuck in some oil, garlic and get the onions going. I am checking on the kids while these are heating up and changing into something more comfortable

(and maybe pouring one more mouthful of wine)

Stir in the Zucchini when the onion has started cooking, then add three dollops of a pesto mix preferably capsicum or sun dried tomato. Stir through, when the pan is really hot and about to burn add some water, it helps steam the veggies without the need to add more oil and helps cooking faster.

This time I added a packet of pre-browned almonds. I got these from Aldi, along with the pesto jar (I always have these things as staples in my pantry) cheap cheap and yummy. In the last 5 mins of the veges cooking and setting the table, just bang the chicken in the oven to give it a re-heat.

Serve and you are done !! The kids love it and there are heaps of veggies in the meal.

Hope you enjoy, I have heaps more of these quick cook meals, so I will keep sharing - whether you like it or not - hehe xx