Walmart Should Be Ashamed
I needed some paper products for the Lacrosse party tonight and decided to go to Walmart since I was in the area. I walked into the store and not even 1 foot from the front door was a display for Dolly brand deserts for $2 a box. They were these nasty powder and chocolate donuts and a disgusting pink sparkle, crème-filled twinkie thing. I kid you not, the ingredient list was 20 lines long and I could barely read a word of it. Why is this not against the law? I bet some street drugs are healthier for you than these deserts. I could not find one natural yogurt in an entire wall of yogurts. There were plenty of low-fat, low-sugar, low-carb processed products – God knows what’s actually in them. Can’t we just eat REAL FOOD?
I continued to walk around the store in amazement – not one person looked healthy, and I am not talking about weight. I actually do not believe that weight alone is the sign of health. I know lots of people that are overweight that eat healthy and look healthy. But I also know several skinny girls that eat only “low-fat/low-carb”– now they are scary. I want to yell out, “give that girl a cheeseburger please!”. Don’t people realize (no matter what your size) that all this obsession with healthy eating is killing us?
Grilled Rib-Eye Steak
- Brush a little EV olive oil, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence on each side of the steak.
- Grill on High for 3-5 mins. Flip and turn heat to Medium to cook through for another 5 minutes (to taste).
Butternut Squash Risotto (This does take at least a half-hour so I like to make this one on Sunday)
- Cut-up butternut squash into small cubes and lay on baking sheet. Toss with salt/pepper and a little EV oil (with hands) and bake on 400 for approx. 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat up olive oil and cook 3-5 shallots until soft (not brown – about 5 mins.).
- Add a splash of white wine and 1 cup of Arborio rice – stir for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt/pepper, a little rosemary and 1 cup of Vegetable broth to rice.
- Add an additional 4 cups of broth (one cup at a time) and stir until the liquid is absorbed each time (5 cups total).
- Secret ingredient: add a tablespoon of cream cheese and of course the butternut squash and stir.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
Grilled Veggies (Serve these by themselves or throw them on your salad)
- Cut up a broccoli head and a red bell pepper.
- Toss on some tin foil with EV olive oil, salt pepper and 3 cloves of garlic.
- Seal tin foil and grill with steak (about 10 minutes).
Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette: LOVE my new Salad Spinner (thanks Aunt Nina)- it keeps the lettuce SO crisp!
- Wash and thoroughly dry lettuce.
- Salad Dressing: Pour ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tsp of mustard, salt/pepper in a jar (w/lid). Add about 3/4 cup of EV olive oil and shake hard.
- You can put the veggies on the salad and toss it all together with the dressing if you like.
Desert: Mia made this up.
- Toss strawberries with a little Sugar in the Raw (even a dash of balsamic vinegar is great).
- Scoop them into an ice-cream cup and top with whipped cream or fluff.
How Can the Kids Help?
- Drizzle the oil and spices on both sides of the steak (you flip it over).
- Sprinkle the salt/pepper on the butternut squash and toss with EVOO with your hands!
- Measure the wine, rice and chicken broth and help stir the risotto
- Measure salad dressing ingredients and use immersion blender to mix. Teach safety about unplugging appliances immediately after use.
Did You Know?
- Butternut squash is technically a fruit because it has seeds – it’s a member of the gourd family but is much healthier than zucchini.
- Butternut squash is high in fiber, potassium, B6 and beta-carotene – all good for preventing heart disease, breast cancer, and it’s good for your immune system. Plus just one cup provides you with ½ of your Vitamin C for the day!
- The smaller the squash, the more flavorful it will be.
Everyday Family Health Recipes/Blog 