Getting Outside with some good food
I know, it’s weird kicking off a new site with the word “outside” in the title, with a non-outside kind of post. You were probably thinking this is all about getting outside. But we all have to eat, right?
I did have big plans for this weekend, a hike with the kid and dog, maybe a bike ride or possibly just a wander along the lake on the boardwalk. But then the dog got bit by another dog and I spent Friday at the vet (and then the rest of the weekend monitoring the dog and carrying her down the stairs, twice). So hikes were out and every time we left the house the dog looked so sad – plus I needed to be around to keep her from going upstairs! So instead I thought this would be the right time to do a bit of cooking.
On the recommendation of another working mom, I took The School Year Survival Cookbook out from my local library. I like how this book is laid out, broken into meal categories and including a section on turning left overs into other meals (yay!). I decided to try three different recipes, a breakfast, dinner, and snack/sweet. I skipped worrying about lunches because my current work schedule has me eating lunch at breakfast time (9am) and my kid just takes a selection of snacks for her lunch. The authors of The School Year Survival Cookbook also have a website and I was able to find all the recipes that I was interested in on that site – so if you don’t want another book for your shelf, just bookmark this site instead: http://sweetpotatochronicles.com/about/our-books/
I really liked that this book includes how to store everything and how long you can store them for – because there are usually just two of us here most recipes make way too much and we can’t finish everything before it goes stale or bad. Knowing how long each recipe will keep in the fridge or freezer is super helpful.
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies – super fast and easy to make. I used our mini for processor to grate the carrots which made making these even faster. Great for grab and go breakfasts or before swim practice. Find the recipe here:http://sweetpotatochronicles.com/2015/01/back-wagon-week-carrot-cake-breakfast-cookies/
Turkey Lettuce Wraps – This one was a hit with the family. By request I also made some quinoa so we could have the option of lettuce wraps or bowls. I’m glad I did because the lettuce leaves were a bit small for using a wrap. This one definitely goes on the “make again” list. http://sweetpotatochronicles.com/2013/07/light-dinner-week-turkey-lettuce-wraps/
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Loving this recipe for a quick and easy sweet treat. We switched it up and used white chocolate chips and they turned out beautifully. I think the addition of the shredded coconut really sets this cookie bar recipe apart from some others.http://sweetpotatochronicles.com/2014/01/snack-week-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/
Outside in Kelowna 