Last evening rocked — primarily because I was not in the kitchen! I didn’t even see or hear a child from 6:30 until I went to bed (at the late night partyin’ hour of 10:30 — I’m like a rockstar).
Bill kindly took over dinner and bedtime duty. The boys couldn’t wait to tell me this morning that dinner was “the best turkey burgers EVER”. Because I’m still challenged by the bread product aspect of our rules, Bill had to convince them that open-face (i.e. bun-less) burgers are what all the cool kids are eating. He panfried burgers made from free-range turkey, simply seasoned with salt & pepper, and local swiss cheese melted on top. Served up with organic dill pickles, the Organicville ketchup (that the boys say is “the best ketchup EVER”), and organic mixed vegetables (Meijer Organics, in the frozen aisle). Organic apples for dessert. Bill may have supplemented his dinner with a glass or two of wine — I’ve been known to get through dinner time that way myself, you know only very occasionally. Results were a simple dinner and all the boys were happy. In my rush to get out of the house, I forgot to tell Bill to take pictures. I’m sure we’ll be cooking up something similar again soon. (Maybe with whole wheat, non sugared buns? Help me out here, people!)
My own evening started at a friend’s going away party — I’ll miss you, K! 🙁 — at a local Mexican place. I didn’t eat there but had a Real Food-friendly beer with a lime — not organic, I imagine — but at least a lime is a 100% product of nature. I really wanted to have a Margarita. Add that to the priority lists of foods I must find an all natural alternative for. ASAP.
Later, I met some other friends at a favorite local place — 800Degrees / Three Fires. Following Our Rules, I didn’t eat the pizza or the bread (because it’s not whole grain — though I know they are delicious). We shared some fantastic salads and starters. Next time I’ll remember to take the picture before we’ve demolished the food. Unfortunately, I didn’t even get a shot of the evening’s favorite — a grilled Butternut Squash salad — before we had devoured it. Bonus, it seems like something I could easily recreate at home: grilled squash slices on top of arugula with feta crumbles and a vinaigrette.
Pictured is about the half-way point into our Mista Salad, Caprese Salad, and the completely addictive Provoleta: provolone baked in a little casserole with roasted red pepper slices, and — drum role, please — their locally sourced, made in house, pork sausage! It’s served with the bread, but I just cut big hunks of gooey, sausage-studded cheese out of the casserole and snarfed it down like a crustless pizza. So ladylike.
