Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Cups

     This week was spring break and luckily we did not lose our break this year!  I feel so fortunate to have had this week to be home with Wren.  We didn't have the most glamorous plans-we interviewed every landscaper in town to help us clean up our backyard, went to the dentist, and did other chores around the house...all things that had to be done.  A trip to a tropical location would have been nice, but I'll settle for a week full of chores as long as it's with my girl!

Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Cups

 Ingredients
1 lb of ground meat
1 lb of thinly sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp of oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 cups of broccoli slaw or broccoli chopped into small bits
½ cup of shredded carrots
1-2 tbsp of fish sauce
1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper

Method
1. Use a food processor to chop the onion.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil.
3. Add the onions to the skillet.  Once they are translucent, add the mushrooms.
4. Once the mushrooms are tender, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the beef.  Stir until the meat is no longer pink.
5. Add the fish oil and apple cider vinegar.  Toss in some salt and pepper.
6. Finally, add the broccoli and carrots.  Cook until the vegetables soften.
7. Spoon into large lettuce leaves or serve on top of salad.

The Test Test
So good and so easy!

Look who is back in CT...it's Jax and he is 5!

 

Turkey Meatballs

     I made dinner twice during the work week this week and I'm feeling proud!  Juggling house stuff, work, and Wren has taken some getting used to and I've let meals during the week slip a bit.  I have been eating at my mom's, stealing food from her house and bringing it home, or just eating something quick like a yogurt.  Not always the best choices, but they've kept me going so far.  I wanted to get back in the swing of preparing meals, especially since Wren is doing so well eating finger foods.  I want her to be able to start eating meals with us and sharing what we eat with her. 

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1 small onion, grated
1/2 cup carrots, grated
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 350
1. Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Mix in the turkey.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then stir into the meat mixture.
3. Add the almond flour and mix.
4. Form 16 meatballs and place evenly on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

The Taste Test
    This was a simple recipe to execute on a week night.  I served the meatballs over spaghetti squash.  Definitely a recipe I will use again!

Tofu Masala

     I haven't blogged in a while.  I was planning an Easter post last week but my Pinterest recipe was an epic bomb!  I made Easter egg cookies that called for crunchy Asian noodles.  I bought Chow Mein Noodles and my cookies were basically raw noodles covered in chocolate.  They looked pretty but were inedible.  I reverted to easy go to recipes for lunch and meals this week, so there has been nothing new to write about.  Baby food has also consumed a lot of my time.  It is tough keeping up with providing Wren with a wide variety of choices!  She is loving finger foods and feeding herself. 
     In an effort to get back on track with trying new foods and cooking, I decided to use the block of tofu sitting in my fridge.  The end result was a delicious Indian inspired meal.

Tofu Masala

Ingredients
14 oz tofu (extra firm)-press to remove excess water and cut into cubes
10 almonds
6 cashews
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp tumeric
2 tsp codiander
salt to taste
1 tsp cilantro, chopped
3 tsp oil
2 medium onions
2 medium tomatoes
1 tbsp ginger
3 cloves garlic

 Method
1. Cut the onions and tomatoes into large chunks.  Combine them in a microwave safe bowl, along with the ginger and garlic.  Add a teaspoon of oil and microwave for 2 minutes.  Allow to cool and then puree in the food processor.
2. Soak the nuts in water for 30 minutes.  Next, puree them, adding a little almond milk, to form a paste.
3. Add a teaspoon of oil to a pan over medium high heat.  Fry your tofu until all sides are brown.
4. In a separate pan, heat the tomato mixture.  After 2 minutes, add the spices. Then transfer tofu, the nut paste, and 1/2 cup of water.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil and then stir in cilantro before serving.

Fail.

Checking our her Easter basket with a little help from Moose.

Mastering the sippy cup.

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Getting tucked in for a ride....

Happy girl.