Sloppy Sallys

 You know that one night of the week, or several, that you and children race in the door after school/work and you have a very small window to feed your peeps before you throw on your chauffeur hat? The clock is ticking before you need to race to the class/soccer field/arena/studio for the activity (activities) you excitedly registered them for in the summer, not realizing how tight your time would be? We had the Divas in Ringette last year and there was about a 30 minute window to get in the door, get some food in their bellies and race off to the rink.  This year we have that same window to get the eldest Diva home, fed and to Guides (I obviously learned nothing last year).
  I have been trying to take some time on a Sunday or in the evenings to prepare meals for those crazy days.  The thought of cereal in a Tupperware while bouncing in the backseat doesn't sit well with me. There are enough fish crackers crumbs and food organisms floating around the rear of my mom-mobile!
  One of the best cookbooks I purchased was Tosca Reno's "The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids."  Eating clean is something that is important to us in the Casa Duncan. The Divas have only ever had whole grain breads and pasta, love their vegetables and are happy with a "Yogurt Sundae" for dinner. Wanting to avoid take out and the easy processed meals, I found this book was great for some of the kids favorites while still being healthy and easy to prepare.
  A staple for those busy nights is Sloppy Joes from this book. We however call them "Sloppy Sallys" as the Divas think it would be silly to eat something named after a boy..ewww!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp each; cumin, sea salt, black pepper and chili powder
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dried, crumbled oregano
1 tbsp best- quality olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
Handful chopped scallions
Multi grain or whole wheat buns
1/4 cup hummus

 

Just wanted to share that we get our ground turkey through Wag Jag. They run the special every few weeks and we paid $29 for 12 lbs. I like that the are individually wrapped and fit in all the nooks and crannies in our freezer and LOVE the price.  One package at the grocery store used to cost me over $5.00.

Another tip is to buy your tomato paste in a tube. I always found I opened a can to use 1-2 Tbsp and then the rest would go off in the fridge and be wasted. This product lets you use what you need and keeps the rest fresh. I always find this in the pasta and sauces section of the store.

Instructions:

• In a small bowl combine chili sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, spices, vinegar and oregano. Mix well and set aside.

 

 

 

•  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes.

 

 

•  Add ground meat, let brown and drain excess oil.
• Combine browned meat with spice mixture, cooked brown rice and scallions and mix gently. (If you have a picky eater you can leave out the scallions)

 

• Spread each side of the bun with a tablespoon of hummus. Spoon mixture onto one side of the bun and top with the other bun.
• Cut in half if you want less sloppy or leave whole and grab some extra napkins!

 

This recipe states it is for 4 buns but depending on how much you use and the size of bun there are usually leftover. The Divas like this as leftovers warmed up and sent with some cheese in a wrap for a school lunch. We wrap them in foil and it keeps it warm till they are ready to chow down.

 



Thai'd One On

 Yesterday in honour of National Vegetarian's Day I decided to make soup with a bit of a kick.  Thank you to all my friends that noted me that they were eating chicken wings, steak etc!  I love Thai soups and the abundance of flavors but getting take out is not always an option so it was time to tackle a batch at home.
 I found a great recipe on line for Thai Coconut Soup.  There were a few ingredients I didn't have on hand but a few modifications resulted in one amazing smelling batch! For my meat eating friends this soup is likely not for you as it has TOFU in it.  But don't knock it till you try it! The youngest Diva said it was one of the "best smelling things you've ever made Mummy."

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk
• 2 tsp. minced ginger
• 2 tsp. grated lime zest
• 2 tsp. dried lemongrass (I used lemongrass paste in a tube found near fresh herbs in grocery store)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into matchstick-sized strips (reserve some for garnish)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, depending on desired hotness
• 1 - 14oz package extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes (not silken tofu)
• 15 ounces canned straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed *
• 2 tsp natural sugar (we use Sucanat)
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• Fresh lime juice to taste
• Grated lime peel, for garnish

 

 

 

 

* I had never heard of these mushrooms but did find them at Target in the US.  They do carry them in specialty Asian stores as well and they have a great texture and are a nice change from regular mushrooms. If you can't find them you could substitute with 2 cups of sliced button mushrooms.

 

 

Instructions

• Combine lime zest, lemongrass, ginger, and coconut milk with stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

 

• Add the curry paste a half-teaspoon at a time, stirring well to combine and tasting as you go to make sure you don’t make it too spicy.

 

• Stir in the tofu, mushrooms, red pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and salt, to taste. Simmer for about 10 more minutes.

 

 

• Squeeze the juice of 1-2 limes into the mixture (amount depending on personal taste) and stir well. 

• Spoon into soup bowls or serve over rice and garnish with red pepper strips and freshly grated lime zest.

 

For those who are terrified by tofu you could substitute with 2 cups of shrimp or cooked chicken breast and I promise not to tell...

 

Bon Appetit!