Time to tackle menu planning.

Feeding yourself and your family can be tough on a budget, not to mention making it healthy.

~  Choosing wise food options and planning ahead will help you stay fit and happy.  ~

First Step:  Figure out what YOU and YOUR FAMILY like to eat.  Opening up a cook book or following Oprah's favorite recipes won't help you at all if it is food that will not get eaten.

Make a list:

Breakfast: (Protein,Carbs,Fruit)  Ex: Banana, Yogurt, Oatmeal

snacks- EX: cheese stick, nuts, crackers

Lunch (Protein,Carbs,Veggies)     Ex: Turkey Breast Sandwich, Coleslaw

snacks- Ex: cliff bar, fresh fruit, carrot sticks

Dinner (Protein,Veggies,Carbs)    Ex:  Chicken Marsala, Zucchini, Wheat pasta

Next, fill in food ideas for each meal and snack  slot.  No, it's not easy.  Start with foods you enjoy and look forward to eating, keeping health in mind.

7 days a week, 3 meals a day. 

Having meals planned ahead will help you save you inches, in your waist line and stacks o' cash!

Stay Tuned for our next menu planning segment...

 * Advanced Menu planners, pull out old grocery receipts and/or weekly      grocery ads for STEP 2. *

The Delicious Pineapple

Fun Food fact:  In early settlements in America, a pineapple was traditionally given as a gift of friendship.

 ~Give a pineapple, make a pal.~  

Chicken Breast with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Wine Sauce~

4 whole chicken breast (skinless, boneless)
8 large pieces of sun dried tomatoes, sliced in strips
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sliced shallots
1 cup white wine


 Pound chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thickness.  Combine cheeses, egg, half of your tomatoes, parsley, garlic, and pepper in medium bowl and blend well.  Divide cheese mixture evenly between chicken breast and spread to 1 inch of the edges.  Sprinkle with pine nuts and capers.  Roll up chicken and secure with two toothpicks.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken rolls. Cook until golden on all sides, and remove chicken and keep warm.  Add shallots and tomato strips to skillet,cook and stir over low heat 2 mins.  Blend in broth and wine, cook another 3 mins.  Return chicken rolls to skillet and cover, cooking 15 minutes or until tender.  Flip one time and spoon sauce over chicken during the final cooking minutes.   

Garnish as desired.  Goes nicely with herb brown rice and grilled asparagus.
~Enjoy!~

Tropical Chicken Salad

Great for those late Summer nights...

3 cups cooked, julienned chicken breast
3 stalks green onions, diced finely
3/4 cup course chopped celery
3/4 cup red or green grapes, seedless
3/4 cup macadamia nuts or toasted almonds slivers
4 fresh large green lettuce leaves
Strawberries and Kiwis, sliced, for garnish
Coconut flakes, toasted for garnish
Tropical Salad Dressing (directions below)                   


Prepare Tropical Salad dressing, set aside.  Combine chicken, celery, grapes and nuts in a large bowl: stir in 1 cup of dressing.  Cover, and refrigerate for an hour.  Display chicken salad on a bed of lettuce leaves, with the strawberries and kiwi's fanned on the side.  Top with toasted coconut flakes.

Tropical Salad Dressing

1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic,minced

Blend ingredients in a food processor or a blender container .  Slowly add 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil until dressing is completely whipped together.  Drizzle on your salad and around inner edges of plate.

Enjoy!

How to pick a Watermelon

Watermelons are different than other types of melons in that it can't be chosen for its smell. The only way to pick a ripe watermelon at your store is to do the flat hand test: Tap the melon with your flat hand. If the sound is deep and thick you probably have found a ripe and sweet fruit. 

~ Butterfly Orchid ~: Delicious Dessert!

~ Butterfly Orchid ~: Delicious Dessert!: "Cheesecake ice cream on a Chocolate mint cookie bed, served with fresh Strawberries."

Delicious Dessert!

Cheesecake  ice cream on a Chocolate mint cookie bed, served with fresh Strawberries.