Food Planning 101

STEP ONE:  Planning & Researching

Okay, I know, I know... I can hear you now --- Planning and Researching food?  YES!  A little thought goes a long way. I promise it not only gets easier the more you do it but this step alone will save you money and brain cells as you try answer "What to eat" after a long day or work and/or managing your loving family.

1.  WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW & WHY:  Think realistically about your meals, likes and dislikes, habits, time, etc.  This should take only 2-5 minutes.  Food Planning Worksheet

2. Review and decide what this means for you.

These are my answers...
1. MORNING:  I am a chronic snoozer, roll out of bed and goer, usually don't even eat breakfast.
LUNCH:  Sometimes I can come home to eat.  I eat fast food when I don't have anything to eat at home or forgot my lunch at home and there is no time to go back home.
SNACKS:  I like to snack in the afternoon.  Usually it is whatever is leftover in the kitchen at work, which tends to be chips or kolaches, etc.
DINNER:  Sometimes late, sometimes early, changes based on my schedule. 99% of the time cooking just for myself.  I do go to eat with friends usually on the weekend. I really only want to spend 30 minutes at the VERY most cooking a meal during the week.
 My schedule this week...
Monday - Labor Day - no work!  On tap: Laundry, cleaning, errands, and pool with friends at 2pm
Tuesday - First day back from vacation conference call at 3pm,  workout class at 6pm, home by 7:30pm
Wednesday - work until 5:30pm and dinner with friends at 6:30pm
Thursday - Seminar from 9am - 12pm, done with work at 5:30pm, workout home by 7:30pm
Friday - Teaching NALP course from 9am - 11am, no evening plans, probably happy hour
Saturday - Brunch with friends
Sunday - completely open

2. For me it means...
Breakfast: always on the go
Lunch:  home for lunch on Wed, Thu & bring lunch on Tuesday & Friday bc I know those will be busy days or we are short staffed in the office
Dinner: Dinner at home: Mon, Tue, Thurs and probably one of the meals is going to be a frozen one due to just being pooped from the day
Saturday & Sunday:  Is when I usually eat out

When I spend on average...(groceries, fast food, ordering in, etc)
No planning: $130-$150 per week for just me
With planning:  $50-$70 per week for just me

More to come... Food Planning 102

Back in the Saddle...again

I have taken a long sabbatical from cooking - about 3 years to be exact; however, I think it is time.  The toughest part is sometimes knowing where to start.  I think that may be the issue for many people.  Cooking can be overwhelming with recipe overload, venturing to the grocery store, looking at all these ingredients and thinking - when I am I going to have time to do this!?!  Baby steps --- Let's start with finding a saddle... STEP ONE:  Planning and Researching.

Splendid Kitchen Episode

I have become my dad.  What I once hated, I have become... A Talk Radio Listener!  I used to plug my ears or have my 1989 walkman handy whenever traveling in the car with my dad BUT that is no longer the case.  I love my NPR/KUT 90.5 station - it is the first radio station programmed in my car.  Whenever you get into my car, more than likely, NPR/KUT will be blaring.

On Sunday morning it was on as usual and I happened to catch one of my favorite programs, The Splendid Kitchen!  Naturally, they had several interesting topics, but, 2 really caught my eye...
- The Stern's:  Jane & Michael Stern who specialize in Road Food and have a book: 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late /  Podcast is available
- Joshua Wesson - "BFF (Best Friends Forever) Wines... because they will always be there for you" - I love it!  Anyhow, he gave a list of some wines under $15 (mostly) that he loves!   I know I am going to try these out and test them against my wino friends' palates! Listen to the podcast

Here is Joshua's short list...

Cava from Spain
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva NV $12 – his favorite house sparkling wine
Freixenet Carta Blanca Demi-sec NV $11
Cristalino Rose NV $13

Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 or 2010 $12
Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 or 2010 $13
Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 or 2010 $14 – his favorite out of the list

Riesling from Washington State
Snoqualmie Naked Riesling 2009 $12
Hogue Genesis Riesling 2008 $15
Eroica Riesling 2008 or 2009 $18 – world class, fav riesling

Malbec from Argentina
Navarro Correas Collecion Privada Malbec 2009 $10
Alamos by Catena Malbec 2009 $10
Graffigna Centenario Malbec 2008 $14

Blueberry Tidbits

BLUEBERRIES
Contain the most health-protecting antioxidants of all fresh fruits and vegetables.  You should eat them raw since heat dimishes the benefits of the phytonutrients they contain.  However, if done correctly, dehydration concentrates the antioxidant content.
Source: 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi

Pimento Cheese Burger

We to lunch with one of my work friends while in DC for a work conference.

She took me to Vermillion, a place across the street from the yarn store she works at (Fiber Space - which is fantastic!), Old Town Alexandria.

My eyes immediately went to the beet salad and Pimento Cheese Burger. Hello! Pimento Cheese Burger - Need I say more! And to top it off it's served with an egg over easy slapped on top. I feel very confident in saying that you could not have gone wrong with any of the items on the menu!

The atmosphere: Comfortable, shabby-sheik, a little dark in an old brick building - I loved it! Lesley said that she usually enjoys the (gourmet) pub apps with a pint in the evenings with her knitting group...something to look forward to when I go back! Oh...and I will be back!

Pimento Cheese Burger



The beef patty was perfectly cooked to my order (medium) and perfectly seasoned. I could have eaten the patty by itself, but, who in their right mind would leave the pimento cheese alone?!

Beet Salad with Fried Feta Cheese Squares




Roasted golden and red beets with a painted smear of what tasted like raspberry-beets! The crunch of the feta cheese topped it off!

Check the menu out online at http://www.vermilionrestaurant.com to get ideas for your next creation! I know I will!

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Location:Vermillion, Alexandria