Tuesday, February 22, 2011

What is Fast Food?

I had a great conversation with my cousin Sue at the beach this weekend and we came up with a great idea. She is a nutritionist for families that are battling Type 2 diabetes that really need help making nutritious, simple, affordable meals at home (instead of getting supper at McDonald's. I hope everyone has seen Food Inc. and the amazing work by Jamie Oliver and the effects that typical fast food is having on our children.)

So I am going to try to help. I am creating a label called "Fast Food" that will include posts of meals that I make (or links to other sources) so that we can spread that word that it IS possible to feed your family delicious, nutritious, affordable, quick and easy meals.

Along with recipes we will have a price breakdown, maybe a shopping list from where we bought it and a nutritional analysis (by Sue if she is reading and willing :-)

Want to help?

I need guest bloggers with recipes that are:
1. family friendly
2. affordable (which means different things for different people-farmer's market, bulk at Whole Foods, WalMart-they all need to have healthy, affordable options)
3. quick and easy to make (community cooking, slow cookers for working moms, batch cooking, microwave)

Let's redefine FAST FOOD!!!

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful initiative! I love the concept of redefining fast food to a healthy-homey concept. I will be happy to serve as a "guest blogger" from Arkansas.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd say almost anything in the slow cooker would qualify. My favorite is chicken & bean tortilla soup.

    I like this fast and easy recipe from allrecipes.com, which I then combine with two or so cups of Bob's Red Mill 13 bean soup mix, http://www.bobsredmill.com/13-bean-soup-mix.html.

    Just throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker on cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Here's the original recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/Detail.aspx


    Ingredients

    1 pound chicken breast
    2 cups of Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix, or any other type of soup bean would work (black, kidney, etc)
    1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
    1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 cups water
    1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
    1 teaspoon cumin
    1 teaspoon chili powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    MAKES 8 SERVINGS


    Directions

    1. First if using the 13 Bean Soup mix be sure to soak the beans overnight, or to speed up the process boil them for five minutes then soak for just an hour.
    2. Place uncooked chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
    3. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
    4. One hour before it's done, shred the chicken inside the crockpot.
    5. Once done cooking, garnish with tortilla strips (or throw them into the crockpot and for 15 minutes before serving is you like them mixed in and softer).


    Enjoy!

    Cost breakdown:
    Roughly $20 total, so just between $2 - $3 per serving!

    ReplyDelete