Stuck between a wok and a hard place

Ok, I searched long and hard (actually, for about 5 minutes) and couldn't come up with a good wok pun, so you can thank M for the title of today's post.  His other option was "Wok it off."  That just seemed....wrong.

Tonight was another crazy day and night where there was no time for a long meal prep.  However, I have had the ingredients for a good stir fry for a few days in the fridge and I didn't want them to go to waste so I was determined to stir fry it up tonight, even if it meant eating at 7:30pm.  Interestingly, it went much faster than I had remembered!

I have a few more days until the wedding, so technically the Experiment is supposed to be over by this weekend.  HOWEVER, it's going so well and I have a whole new plan that I'm starting up on Monday that I'm keeping it going and I have been collecting more recipes to try.  M is on board and very supportive, so I'm very excited.  I may have to rename the blog...any suggestions?

Ok, on to tonight!

The meal:  Chicken stir fry with white rice.  Normally I would make brown rice, but I just feel like sometimes stir fry needs white rice.  And tonight was that night.  I don't have a set recipe that I use, but tonight I threw some carrots and broccoli into the wok with some chicken and stir fry sauce that I found in my cupboard and it was delish!

Why is it challenging:  M is not a big chinese food fan.  I wouldn't really call this chinese food, but to M it's close enough.  Actually, he's not a big ethnic food fan in general, unless it's Italian-American or Irish.  The day I make an Indian dish will be a very entertaining night in this house.

ESL:  A 6.

ASL:  A 7!  He gave a little shrug and said "I'd give it a 7."  So I'd say it's a "lite 7."

So K says "A 10!"
Then M says "You give everything a 10."
And K responds:  "That's because she's awesome.  You don't rate her high enough."

At least I know my child's got my back.  And just so you know the kind of guy I'm married to, throughout me writing up this post, he kept providing terrible wok puns.  If there's one thing the man loves, it's a bad pun.  This is a favorite of his:

So before you feel bad that I feed him food he doesn't like, just remember that this is what I get 24/7.  

Give me a short stack of blowout patches with a side of eggs and wreck 'em!

Some days (Mondays), things just don't go as planned.  As hard as I might try to schedule everything down to the minute, the rest of the world just doesn't always get on board.  And I'm left scrambling (oooh, pun not intended but definitely leaving it there) to get dinner on the table.  Tonight was one of those nights.  I just didn't have the time or the brainpower to make what I was planning on, so I threw up my hands and said "That's it!  We're having waffles.  I just don't even care."  There's just something about breakfast for dinner that is comforting.  Poor M.  He was left in a difficult position.  Push the Experiment and the recent Challenge or not get his head bitten off by what had become of me:

He balanced it nicely.  With some humor, he put that little nugget of reason in my head that said "you will regret tomorrow pigging out tonight just because you're stressed."  Damn him and his voice of reason.  People wonder how we're together.  This is why.  I'm the crazy, everything-at-the-last-minute, hates-schedules, overreacting person and he's the calm voice of reason in my life.   Together we make sense.  

I still didn't have time to make the meal I had been planning on, so I had to regroup and figure something else out.  I was still kind of craving waffles, so I looked for a healthy waffle or pancake recipe and I added eggs for 2 reasons:  1) Protein, always protein!! and 2) It'll make me eat fewer pancakes (even though they're healthier, they still have calories)!

So I present:

The meal:  Whole Wheat Pancakes with scrambled eggs

Why is it challenging to M:  Pancakes can be a tricky thing and I know how much I love a stack of homemade buttermilk pancakes.  These are not those pancakes.  These are made with whole wheat flour, VERY little sugar and are thick and very wheat-y tasting.  

ESL:  This was tricky.  At first, I was all, "oh yeah, solid 7 here," despite the fact that these are whole wheat pancakes.   Then I made the batter and it was very whole-wheaty.  Then I made one pancake and tasted it dry and was very concerned and I dropped my ESL down to a 4.  I underestimated the power of pure maple syrup.

ASL:  A 7!  I guess I should have stuck with my original and had a little faith in the recipe.  While he admitted they weren't as good as regular pancakes (seriously, can't fault him for that, it's just plain fact), he thought they were quite good (especially with nice pour of maple syrup).  I was happy with them too.  

These aren't something that I would plan out ahead of time but it's definitely a nice quick recipe to have on hand for when Mondays happen.  And I am satisfied and still on program.  And I can feel good stepping on the scale tomorrow morning, knowing I am not bloated with fat and sugar in my system!  Sometimes it's almost like M knows what he's doing.  

I get by with a little help from my friends...

A friend of mine sent this amazing-looking meal to me a week or so ago and I've been dying to try it.  Tonight seemed like the perfect time because I was looking for a good break from chicken breasts.  As much as I could eat the same thing every day, this Experiment is about increasing the variety of foods we eat while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, so I was feeling the need for a little ground beef in my life.

The meal:  Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
I would love to credit whoever sent this to my friend but we just can't figure out where it came from.  So if you're reading this and you're like "Hey!  That's my recipe!" please let me know and I will be happy to give you your props.  One thing I loved about this was how quickly it came together.  K had dance again tonight so we didn't get home until late and I threw this together very quickly.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small cabbage, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water (I forgot this but it still turned out great)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper and salt (and water if you're using).  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

Yield:  Serves 6 to 8

I served ours with brown rice:

Why is this challenging:  Although M is 100% Irish, he has not inherited any love for cabbage.  In fact, when he makes his one dinner per year for St. Patrick's Day, he makes corned beef (gray) and cabbage and he eats a teeny tiny piece just because.  This is also one of those dishes where everything is thrown together and M is not a fan of that kind of meal.  Apparently everything should be separated WHERE IT BELONGS.  

ESL:  6.5

ASL:  6.5!!!

I'm happier with the fact that I guessed right than I am with the actual number, to be honest.  But I'm very pleased!!  This was absolutely delicious and M was very surprised that he liked it too, haha.  He said he would definitely eat this again.  K devoured her bowl (minus the rice, which she said she didn't like) and gave it a 10!  What a happy dinner time we all had, and it makes my little black heart beat with delight that my family thoroughly enjoyed a healthy meal!  

Oh yes, I'm not done!  A couple of days ago, I noticed we had a bunch of bananas that were super ripe and I knew the kids wouldn't eat them because they had so many brown spots on them.  I remembered a bunch of pins on Pinterest about using frozen bananas to make "ice cream."  So I tossed them in the freezer and pulled them out tonight to try it out.  I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical.  But whoa....seriously?  The texture was the most impressive part of it.  Not only did it come out super smooth, but it was so creamy and rich-tasting, very much like soft-serve ice cream.  I added a little bit of Nutella and peanut butter.  Kaelan loved it, M was actually impressed as well.  I was thrilled because ice cream is definitely my weakness and this is a fantastic alternative.  

One more bonus before I sign off:  4 pounds down in 4 days.  Boom.

A challenge!!!!

So yes, it's been a little while.  I assure you that we did not give up on The 5 Week Experiment, but it has been CRAY-ZAY here and we've pretty much been fending for ourselves and keeping the little ones alive.  I'm happy to say that we're all here and ready to get back to business.

Because the wedding I'm in is only a week and a half away, M issued me a challenge this weekend:  lose 10 pounds before the wedding.  M is a smart man.  He knows that the 2 best ways to get me to do something are either to tell me I can't do it or to challenge me.  I'm not quite sure why it works because I'm well aware of this strategy, it's not a secret, and yet I just can't say no.  I happen to think it's quite charming, but I'm sure there are sometimes when my need to "win" or accomplish something that someone says is impossible is completely infuriating and frustrating to M.  However, in this case, it's a win-win.  I really needed a little jump-start, and it's a good number to shoot for.  And just to add, in case you haven't read the About page (and I highly recommend you do!), M is not "making" me lose weight or anything like that.  He knows I want to lose and get more fit and he's being a wonderfully supportive husband.  Now, on to the torture...

When M came home tonight and asked what was for supper, I grinned and said "Hey, you challenged me, I'm bringing it for dinner tonight!"  He looked genuinely scared.  I think he was afraid of another soup night.

I've had my eye on this recipe for a while now, but I didn't dare try it because I thought M would think I was trying to starve him to death.  I am SO glad I did tonight because WOW was it tasty!!!

The Meal:  Skinnytaste's Baked Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad and Tomatoes

Why is it challenging to M:  This is a small plate.  We're talking a piece of chicken with a small salad on top.  This is what M would call an appetizer, and not one he would order at a restaurant.  Also, it's breaded baked chicken, which, for some bizarre reason, M does not like.  Who doesn't like breaded chicken?  It's delicious so if you don't like it, you're just wrong.  M has never really had any strong feelings about arugula, but I don't think I've ever seen him eat it, so I just wasn't sure if he'd like it or not.

ESL:  A 4.  A generous 4.

ASL:  A 5.5!!!

So here's what happened...

This meal was so delicious that I wanted to eat about 5 plates of it before bringing K to dance.  And then when I got home, I wanted to take it out of the fridge and eat the leftovers.  It was that good.  It was PACKED with flavor.  I knew it was going to be good because it was from the Skinnytaste website, but I just was not prepared for the deliciousness.  I can't wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow.

Oh yeah...M.  He actually liked it!  He wasn't as crazy about the chicken, which he described as "tough." This chicken was about as tough as Richard Simmons.  And if you need a reminder of how tough that could be, here you go:

When I cook chicken just enough so that it's super moist, M says he doesn't like it because it seems "raw" when it's moist.  But when it's cooked a few minutes more, he says it's tough.  The man doesn't know chicken.  He also is apparently trying to send me to the nuthouse because he doesn't know how he likes his own chicken.  Wait, I do.  He wants his chicken to be beef.  In the form of a hamburger.  But I digress.

Not only did he like it, but he said he really liked the salad and went back for seconds on that!!!  This says a lot about the flavors because he said he really liked the dressing I used, and the recipe is basically olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes and onion.  But when they come together....again, WOW.  Just make this dish.  You will be so happy.

My favorite part of the night?  When M said he'd eat this again!  Thank you and good night!

Déja Food...

Whew, it's been a few days!  K and I spent the weekend out of state for a bridal shower/bachelorette party.  Side note....we stayed at the most beautiful, amazing house I have ever been in.  No joke, this house should be in an issue of something like Architectural Digest.  Just saying.  It was fantastic, we ate absolutely delicious food, like sweet potato and 3 cheese frittatas (AH-MAHZING) and it's been a little crazy since we got back.  Incidentally, I called home and asked M what he ate for dinner, and if I could have put our life savings on my answer in a quadruple to one bet, I would be living large right now.  Because I would have guessed that he had....a sandwich.  And I would have been right.  It's fast, it's easy, it doesn't require cooking or any effort on his part.

Needless to say, after my indulgent weekend, I was ready to get back into it.  M was too, actually!  He's been so positive and encouraging of my efforts, it makes it a lot easier to stay on track.  So he actually suggested that I make....wait for it....a salad for dinner!!  I was positively giddy with excitement.  M has always said that salads are not substantial enough for dinner ("a salad is not a meal!!!!!!!" he would shout), which I have never understood because I would eat salads for every meal if I could and I'm always stuffed.  M does eat salads, but always as a side or starter, and usually just a plain green salad.  I knew we weren't going to repeat the soup fiasco from last week because his reasoning for excluding salad for dinner is much more rational and reasonable than his soup prejudice.  I thought this would be a great opportunity to try a salad that was a little outside of his comfort zone but that might turn him onto the idea of salad for dinner, which would make me the happiest person on the east coast.

Here we go!

The meal:  Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Dressing.  I got some nice crusty bread for him as well to kind of bulk up the meal and salad is always good with a piece of buttered bread.  This salad recipe is from Skinnytaste's website and I mention it not only because of this recipe, but because literally every single recipe I've ever made from her has been drop-your-fork-on-your-plate-because-you-can't-even-stand-it delicious.  Seriously.  Just pick one of her recipes that sounds good, try it and be happy.  Here's my salad:

Why is this challenging:  M has always said that salad isn't a meal.  Plus, the chicken was coated with coconut and baked and the honey mustard flavor is one he hasn't always been too keen on.

ESL:  I gave this a 5.  I wasn't sure how he'd feel about the coconut coating on the chicken and the warm honey mustard dressing.  I thought I'd get the standard "eh."

So...here's how the fight started.  I asked him how he thought he was going to like the meal and he said "well considering I've already had it, I think it will be okay."  There was a good 5 second pause when I bent down to pick my jaw up off the floor and put it back in place because ohmygod I have never made this meal ever.  In fact, I clipped this recipe off of the website and printed it out probably a year or so ago because it sounded so delicious but I knew I couldn't make salad for dinner.  Never mind the fact that I am the one who cooks and I know what recipes I make and don't make.  Even after pointing all of this out, he still insisted he had eaten this before.

Whatever.  Sometimes it's easier (and safer for all those involved) to just walk away and know that you are right.  

ASL:  This is where M redeemed himself.  A 7!!  A solid 7!  He said it was "pretty good" and that he was happy to have the bread to beef up the meal a bit.  He did say that he'd probably be hungry later, after I asked him if he thought it was a substantial meal.  But the flavors were good and he enjoyed it.

Despite M being wrong (so, so, SO wrong), tonight was a success and I think I can say we can do salad for dinner again!!

I can get by on baloney and cereal

If you know that title quote, I'm impressed.  If not, you can borrow my Cosby Show DVDs.  Best show ever.  But I digress...

I'm off for a few days.  K and I are heading out of state for my cousin's bridal shower, so M is home with Mr. Man, the dog, 2 fish and 2 guinea pigs for the weekend.

I could have been one of those wives that cooked a few casseroles for him and left him instructions to bake at 350 for an hour, but I can say with a high degree of certainty that they would remain untouched.  So M can fend for himself, or, more likely, go eat with his parents.  As long as everyone is still alive when I get home, that's all I care about.

No soup for you!!

So the day has arrived.  The day I knew would be one of M's biggest challenges:  Soup for dinner.  It's hard to believe that someone can hold such contempt for an entire genre of food.  I'm not quite sure what his aversion is.  He's given me many reasons:  "It's gross," "It's not a meal," "I don't want to drink my meal."  You get the idea.  The man hates soup.

So of course I made soup tonight!  And not just any soup.  Oh no.  Creamy Taco Soup.

Let's get this party started:

The meal:  Creamy Taco Soup

Why is this challenging?  Hahaha, where to begin?  I could just say "because soup" and that would really be enough.  Just the word sends shivers up his spine.  Well, maybe not, but that thought makes me giggle, so we'll go with it.  In addition to the general category, it basically has everything he hates:  chicken that is not grilled, roasted, or baked plain, everything is all mixed together AND to top it all off...he has to use a spoon.

ESL:  I went with a 4.5.  I didn't think he would hate the flavors as much as the fact that it was soup.  I was wrong about this...as I explain below.

ASL:  A 5.

M's reaction:  First of all, when he got home, he asked what was for dinner and when I told him, he face went from interested to utter defeat.  He had been beaten down by a meal before he even took his first bite.  From his standpoint, I might as well have poured 6 cups of water in the slow cooker and walked away.

What followed might be the best part of the night.  After he ate and gave me his ASL, we had a conversation about the meal that had me almost crying I was laughing so hard.  And I still don't understand where he was coming from.  Apparently anything in a broth of any kind lacks flavor...not because of actual lack of flavor, but just because of the existence of the broth.  Stay with me, it gets less rational.  The fact that it is a soup means that the potential flavors are somehow sucked out through some kind of broth vortex and sent to some alternate universe where flavors chill out.  The soup never had a chance.  Anyway, with that in mind here are a couple of highlights from our discussion.  How do you even argue with this?

"I couldn't get past the wetness."
"It was bland and wet."
"I don't want wet food.  If I want something wet, I'll get a drink."

Notice a theme?  Isn't soup supposed to be wet?  What an odd thing to say.  What an absolutely bizarre way to critique soup.  Or maybe he's just ahead of his time and I have a future Gordon Ramsay on my hands?

Either way, I think the next soup is going to have to be a lot less soup-y.  But I'm not ready to give up yet.  Challenge accepted!