Thinking of trying some new things....

Yesterday I made a quadruple batch of waffles.  That will feed my kids three days of breakfast.   I was thinking back to the days of Eggo's and Aunt Jemima, I felt bad that they don't have as much variety.  Then it hit me, I'm making this stuff FROM SCRATCH I can be as creative as I please.  I was in the shower, that's where I do my best thinking, and it hit me, apple raisin, apple cinnamon, plain cinnamon, cocoa,  pear, banana, cranberry, the list goes on and on... I can make pancakes AND waffles.  Then as if a giant light bulb was switched on over my freshly shampooed hair I though of cinnamon bread french toast!  I'm hitting the food store so I'm definitely going to buy extra eggs and a GINORMOUS container of cinnamon!   I found a recipe for whole wheat cinnamon bread to put in the bread machine.  Once I try it, I'll post it here.

Speaking of bread machines, I've been using a borrowed bread machine.  I feel it's time I return it to it's rightful owner.  My rock star of a friend, Eileen (HI EILEEN!)  I definitely need to purchase one for myself.

Today's Lunch Boxes

Last night, before heading to bed, I put all the ingredients in the bread machine for a fresh loaf for school today.  When I went to make lunch, my daughter told me she wanted her chicken salad with triscuits, not on bread.  Ugh!  So, here's what we have:

L:

*Pineapple Chicken salad

*Triscuits

*Apple

*Cheese Stick

R:

*Yogurt Tube

At this time, J is still deciding. 

Waste: Cheese stick wrapper and yogurt tube.

A note about the pineapple chicken salad.

My green onions went limp!  Anyone else have this issue?  They weren't very old at all!  Any thoughts on how to keep them fresh?  So, I had to leave them out.  I also left out the salt, pepper and other spices.  I'm sure they would have added to the flavor and made it taste even better, but I still left it all out.  I didn't have a whole pound of cooked chicken.  I had about 3/4 of a cup.  I added 1 tablespoon of the plain yogurt and a little less than that of the mayo.  I only had baby carrots on hand, so I just chopped them.  I didn't measure the pineapple, either, we went by taste with it.  L tested it and asked if she could have it for breakfast!  I guess that means it's good!  It certainly looked good!  The carrots were little specs of color in the mostly white salad.  It almost resembled an ambrosia.  It has at least 1/2 a serving of each fruit and veggie and honestly it looks like a very fatty salad, but it's not!!!!

So, now I have a full loaf of bread.  Maybe I'll cook up and freeze some french toast!  

A little background information...

This past spring, my daughter (8), started having panic attacks and complaining of severe stomach pain.  We thought the two were related.  Turns out, they weren't.  After our doctor asked us a few questions, we realized L was completely backed up and definitely not eliminating as much as she should be.  What to do?  We had to switch her diet completely... which meant, the entire family's diet got an over haul.  Out went the frozen waffles and pancakes, in came the whole wheat flour.  I started making my own waffles and pancakes and guess what... they were delicious!  The kids loved them!  Even my husband, Mr. Meat & Potato, has eaten them, and approved!  We've always been a "brown bread" type of family.  However, we ate white rice, white pasta, white flour, white flour, white flour.  We tried a bunch of different brands of whole wheat pasta, which the box tasted better than the actual macaroni.  Then came my AHA moment... those Big Brands... they are a blend, only about 50% whole wheat.  I continued my search.  I found delicious 100% whole wheat pasta at Trader Joe's. (The store that holds my heart, second to Costco).

We recently found that our Shop Rite also carries a delicious 100% whole wheat, for about the same cost as the TJ's.  

Thank you Luigi Vitelli!!!!!!

I started to make my own bread.  I borrowed a bread machine and I love it!  The bread has 7 ingredients in it.  It takes no time to put together and my kids love it.  It does however use 3 cups of flour. Whole Wheat flour can get pricey.  It's about $1/pound at my Shop Rite.  I can go through a 5 lb. bag in 2 weeks, easily.  That makes about 2 loaves of bread and a double batch of each pancakes and waffles - don't worry, I'll post these recipes soon.  Enter Restaurant Depot!  My Dad & I went there around Christmas.  It's the coolest place!  Next time you are in a restaurant, look around, everything you see can be purchased at Restaurant Depot.  Including, whole wheat flour... a 50 lb. bag for $18.88 (which now has a happy home in my laundry room!).