Ham and Spinach Quiche (Because Eggs are Cheap)

January 12th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (8 Comments)

I eat eggs just about every day.  They are easy to prepare, crazy good for you and there are approximately one gagillion different ways to use them. I completely agree that eggs are one of the healthiest foods on this planet and in my opinion, represent the pinnacle of affordable nutrition.

I try to buy pastured eggs from my local co-op or farmers at the markets because free range chickens produce eggs that are nutritionally superior to conventional eggs.  When I don’t have time to get to the markets or the co-op, I do sometimes buy organic supermarket eggs, but it’s important to say that organic supermarket eggs are not the same as eggs you would get from a local farm or your own backyard.

It’s more expensive to buy pastured eggs, but even at $5 a dozen (that’s the most I’ve ever seen a farmer sell them for, $3.50 – 4/dozen is more typical) that’s $.50 an egg and is still a bargain when you consider what you’re getting for your two quarters – perfect protein, all nine essential amino acids, vitamins, choline, Omega 3’s.  There’s just no question in my mind that eggs are good for us.

So without further ado, please allow me to introduce you to the quiche I made yesterday – Ham and Spinach with Cheese and Scallions.

Ham and Spinach Quiche

Pleased to meet you.  (Pleased to eat you.)

I’m at yoga teacher training this weekend, so this means I’m gone for most of the day on both Saturday and Sunday.  I spent yesterday morning cooking so Zak would only have to worry about the kids without having to juggle meal prep into the mix as well.

I made Maryea’s Peanut Butter Granola Bars (except with sliced almonds and almond butter, everybody loved them!) a batch of my current favorite soup (Coconut Curry Chicken Stew) and this ham and veggie quiche.  I probably spent 2 hours cooking yesterday morning, but the time investment saves us money down the road if it means we are buying fewer prepared and packaged convenience foods or not going out to eat because I’m not here to cook.

Preparing as much of your own food as you can is one of the best ways to save money when it comes to healthy eating – this going to come up again and again throughout this series of posts about eating healthy on a budget.

Ham and Spinach Quiche (with cheese and scallions too)

print this recipe

1/2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 handful of spinach, chopped
4 oz of ham, chopped into small pieces
1/3 c cheese, shredded
6 eggs
1/2 c heavy cream
garlic powder, salt, pepper and thyme

1 (9 inch) pie crust (frozen, unthawed – cook according to package directions)

Saute vegetables and meat in oil or butter until soft and translucent.  Move filling to pie crust.

Vegetable and Ham Quiche Filling

If you try to eat mostly Paleo or grain/gluten free – skip the crust and make a frittata.  “Frittata” is really just a fancy word for “make a big omelet in the oven”.  I had leftover crust in the freezer from holidays (Pumpkin Pie!) so I decided to use it and make a quiche this time instead of a frittata.

Wholly Wholesome Pie Crust

(Shhh!  Don’t tell Dr. Perlmutter!)

Top vegetables with shredded cheese.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs, fold in cream with herbs and spices.

Eggs and Heavy Cream for Quiche

Slowly pour egg and cream mixture into the crust over vegetables and cheese.

Uncooked Quiche

Bake at 350 for 35 – 40 minutes, until it’s set in the middle.

Piece of Ham and Spinach Quiche

Enjoy or warm or cold, breakfast, lunch, dinner or a post-yoga teacher training snack!

Eat More Eggs

If you don’t have the time, resources or inclination to make a quiche, there are lots other great ways to enjoy eggs.

Hard boiled eggs are one of my favorite portable lunches or snacks.  I love them on salads too, like this BLAC salad or this one with hummus dressing.

I also love eggs with avocado over easy on toast or in an avocado and egg salad sandwich.  And have you ever tried breakfast quesadillas?  (So good!)

Or just make yourself an omelet – my kids love simple cheese omelets, and one recent favorite among the grown ups here was this artichoke spinach and ham omelet (with a side of self help) – or an omelet with cream cheese (holy deliciousness, batman).  If all I had to cook with was a microwave (like in a college residence hall), I would totally buy one of these guys and make omelets for any meal of the day.

Got any egg-cellent (I had to do it) recipes to share?  I think I am officially ready for breakfast.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Popcorn is Cheap, Easy and Healthy

January 11th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Snack Attack - (9 Comments)

(You had me at cheap and easy.)

Popcorn is #20 on the list of 44 Healthy Foods Under $1.  Whenever I say “Does anybody want popcorn?”, applause and cheers erupt from my crowd of kids.  I usually take that as a yes, and I often join in with the applause and cheering too because it’s so easy to make.

We get to call popcorn healthy because it’s a source of fiber and polyphenols – a type of antioxidant that is linked to cancer prevention.  This article from Science Daily says high dietary intake of polyphenols are are associated with longevity.  (Yay!  Live long and eat popcorn!)  This article agrees but also says the benefits of popcorn are often oversold.

Basically, you can eat popcorn but that doesn’t get you out of eating your vegetables too.

Either way, if you look at the nutrition facts on the bag of Arrowhead Mills Organic Popcorn, popcorn is definitely not nutritionally void.

There’s one caveat of course: you gotta make it yourself.

Popcorn Kernals and Butter

But more cheers and applause!  It is indeed a healthy snack that goes easy your bank account.

Airpopped Popcorn is a Cheap Snack

The Cost Analysis

I did a little grocery research (my favorite kind!) and found that a name brand bag of cheese popcorn cost $3.99, with all sort of “fun” ingredients to boot.  (i.e., vegetable and seed oils.  read: not fun).

According to the package, a 9 oz bag contains 15.75 cups.  So that’s nearly 16 cups of of popped corn for $4 bucks.

The store brand microwave popcorn was $3 for 6 bags.  That’s $0.50 per bag, each bag contains 2 Tbsp of popcorn, which is about 4 cups of popped corn for $0.50, that’s 8 cups for a $1, or 16 cups for $2 bucks.

And what about movie theater popcorn?  They don’t call it one of America’s biggest ripoff’s for nothing with a 900% mark up!  And that’s before we even get to the bad news about eating that popcorn.

Pop Your Own Corn

A 28 oz package of organic popcorn kernels costs $3.50 with 17  (1/4 c) servings per container.  (1/4 c popped corn  = 8 c popped corn)

(I do choose to go organic with popcorn because the list of chemicals that gets sprayed on conventional corn is enough to make me run screaming down the grocery store aisles.)

$3.50 for 17 servings = $0.20 per serving –> 1/2 c popcorn kernels to make 16 cups of popped corn for $0.40.

The Cost Breakdown

Packaged pre-popped corn?  $4

The equivalent amount of microwave popcorn?  $2

Movie theater popcorn?  $hameful.

Making your own at home from popcorn kernels?  FORTY!  CENTS!

Me doing all this math for you?  Priceless.

Granted, making your own at home is not exactly $0.40.  There’s some additional cost for butter or whatever you choose to top it with, and if you have to buy an air popper, there’s some investment up front too.

We go the air popper route, this is the one from my childhood!  We’re talking 1980’s, it’s probably close to 30 years old.

Popcorn Action

You’re aging well, my friend.  Must be all those polyphenols.

Ours is a Presto, and the Presto Hot Air Popper is still the best selling air popper on Amazon today for less than $20 dollars.

Brown Bag It

When I was writing this post I learned that you can make your own microwave popcorn with kernels and a brown paper bag.

(Are you kidding me?)

No, I am not kidding you!  Stunned.  I had to try it myself before I endorsed such blasphemy and sure it enough, it totally works!  There were some unpopped kernels left in the bag (much like regular microwave popcorn) but it was very easy.  If you want to make your own popcorn at home (cheap!) without questionable ingredients (healthy!) and skip buying another small appliance (I wouldn’t blame you), get yourself some popcorn kernels and brown paper lunch bags and have at it.

National Popcorn Day is Sunday, January 19

This was the other thing I learned while writing this post!  HELLO National Popcorn Day is coming right up!

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  We are gonna celebrate this holiday like it’s 1999 and I’m a college student living in a dorm room burning popcorn in the microwave and making my roommates complain and moan.  Popcorn garland!  Maybe a popcorn tiara?  A popcorn ball gown!  Popcorn confetti!  Good thing popcorn is so cheap.  Maybe with all the money I save buying popcorn I can afford a Dyson?  I think we’re gonna need good vacuum after this party.  Perhaps I’ll just work on a fun popcorn recipe before the big day instead.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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The Quinoa Bowl

January 9th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (2 Comments)

I love this term “quinoa bowl”.  It just sounds so… cozy.  Like we should nestle right in and rest our heads on pillows of soft, fluffy quinoa and take a little nap.

Sweet potato spinach quinoa with cumin

Or just eat it.  That’s fine too.

Over the holidays I tried my hand at Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes to take to a New Years Eve dinner party, but they were sort of a flop.  They tasted great, but they didn’t hold together very well.  Still, even though the quinoa cakes were a fail, the ingredients were a win and I was left wanting to make it as a dinner side – more specifically, a “quinoa bowl” that I’ve seen around the interwebs and have been excited to steal try.  A quinoa bowl is comfort food with benefits – warm and carby, but some nutritional perks you don’t get with rice or pasta.

(This is what I mean by cutting myself some slack as I have loosened the reigns a bit with my very low-carb approach to eating.  IT’S JUST QUINOA AND IT’S OK! [this is me yelling at myself while lovingly patting myself on the head]).

This cozy quinoa bowl was comprised of:

Approximately 3 c cooked quinoa (1 c uncooked quinoa = 3 cups cooked.  Rinse well in a fine mesh strainer before cooking.)

2 baked sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed after baking

a couple handfuls of spinach sauteed in a little coconut oil

a few cubes of chicken broth (or just a little water as needed)

garlic powder, cumin and salt to taste (or whatever herbs and spice you like, don’t forget turmeric!)

I cooked the quinoa while baking sweet potatoes, chicken and Brussels sprouts in the oven.  When everything was nearly done, I sauteed a couple handfuls of spinach in coconut oil in my dutch oven.  As soon as the spinach was soft, I added the cooked quinoa, broth, sweet potato and spices and cooked on low for a few more minutes while stirring continuously, just to help ensure everything was well mixed and to allow a little liquid to cook off.

Excuse me ma’am, your quinoa bowl is ready.

Quinoa bowl with roasted chicken and Brussels sprouts

With some roasted Brussels sprouts and chicken breast – this was a great dinner, and even better as leftovers the next day.

Quinoa is Affordable!

Quinoa is #21  on the list of 44 healthy foods under $1.  I usually buy Arrowhead Mills quinoa, a 14 oz bag cost me $3.50 at my local Wegmans.  The package contains 9 servings, that works out to be about $0.39 per serving.  Cha-ching!

Quinoa is Good For You!

Quinoa is a complete protein which makes it a great choice for vegetarians.  It’s high in iron and is a source of magnesium, potassium, folate and calcium and is gluten free.

A Few Quinoa Recipe Favorites

Quinoa and kale in a red pepper and tahini sauce to stuff into portabella mushroom caps or as a part of another cozy quinoa bowl.

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Black Bean and Salsa Soup (an old favorite around here!)

You can add it to chili too – vegetarian or otherwise.

Or just throw some quinoa together with whatever vegetables you’ve got in the fridge.

If you’ve never had quinoa before, know that it’s pronounced “keen-wa” – it might be compared to rice as it’s somewhat similar in texture, but it’s a seed, not a grain.  It has a nutty flavor and can be served warm or cold.

If you’re an old quinoa pro, tell us your favorite way to use it or any recipes you enjoy.  I need to try to black or red quinoa next, quinoa love should know no color!


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Eating Healthy on a Budget (A Series)

January 8th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (2 Comments)

I’ve recently been bitten by the Pinterest bug (I resisted for a long time!) and this pin about 44 Healthy Foods Under $1 from Greatist caught my attention.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

[image source: Greatist]

I can often find flaws in lists like these, but I have to admit – this one is a pretty good.  And I hear this question a lot too, “How can I eat healthy without spending a lot of money?”  Whether you’re a college student, feeding a family on one income or just don’t have a big grocery budget, there are definitely ways to eat well (taking both nutrition and taste into consideration) without breaking the bank.

I liked this list from Greatist so much that I’m going to use it as a spring board into a new series of blog posts for the next 44 days (or so) to talk about affordable healthy eating.  I think it’s important to consider which items we should try to buy organic and when it’s OK to go with conventional, and the trade off that comes with buying affordable ingredients but needing to invest some time (as opposed to money) to prepare these foods.

(Also worth noting, one my new year’s resolutions is to chill out a bit about some of the dietary restrictions I put on myself, but that’ll be another psycho-babble post for another day.)

The foods we choose to eat make a difference in how we feel, but what we DON’T eat makes a big difference too.  When your dietary tool box is full to the brim with affordable yet healthy and delicious ideas, it’s that much easier to save your cells from the edible frankenfoods that are cheap but aren’t doing you any favors.

Bottom line: if cash is an issue, you don’t have to sacrifice your health or nutrition.  There are a lot of budget and health friendly foods to eat if you know where to look and what to do with them once they’re in your kitchen.  I’m looking forward to spending the next few weeks talking about all of the foods on this list from Greatist, and any others we stumble upon along the way.

(P.S., Greatist has no idea who I am or that I’m doing this.  They are is not giving me any money, pears, popcorn or sliced bananas, I just really liked their list and am going to run with it.)


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

December 31st, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (5 Comments)

I’m on a mission to eat more turmeric.

Turmeric Powder

I don’t think it’s news that turmeric is a health food – but it’s one of the supplements recommended by Dr. Perlmutter in Grain Brain, so I’ve recently been thinking more about this pungent spice.

Turmeric is one of the spices that make up curry powder (among cumin, coriander, ginger) and it’s got a list a mile long (literally – if you write really big and use a lot of paper) of alleged health benefits.  It said to support your immune system, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is often recommended to those who suffer from joint and arthritis pain.  It’s believed to have a positive effect on cholesterol and contains curcumin, an anti-oxidant that can protect us from damage by free radicals and can potentially slow the signs of aging.

OK, great – I’m convinced.  It’s good for us.  So let’s eat something curried already, I’m hungry.

I made a coconut curried chicken stew this week that was easy to prepare and even easier to eat.  (If you are not a meat eater, fear not my foodie friends, you can easily make this dish with lentils.)

Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

print this recipe!

2 large chicken breasts – cooked, diced
1 – 2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bell pepper, cut into thin slices
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
1 c chicken broth (or water)
1 tsp curry spices
1 tsp turmeric*
salt to taste

(*Yes, curry powder already has turmeric, go ahead an add a little more!)

Bake chicken as desired – I cooked mine at 350 for about 40 minutes, topped with salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme before baking.

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, saute garlic, onions and pepper in coconut oil until soft. Stir in spices and continue stir until all vegetables are well coated in spice mixture.

Add tomatoes, coconut milk and chicken broth** and bring to a boil.

(**The last time I made chicken stock, I froze some in a couple of ice cube trays and have loved having a stash of homemade broth in my freezer to easily add to dishes as needed.)

Bone Broth Cubes

Add diced chicken, bring to a gentle boil again and then reduce to a simmer, allowing soup to cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally while the flavors blend.

Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

Eat for dinner, then again for breakfast the next day.

Curried Coconut Chicken Stew

Mission accomplished.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Real Food Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

December 23rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (5 Comments)

This recipe is not healthy.  Not at all.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Slice

But ’tis the season to make your kids the sweet foods that they’re asking for, so I’m singing “Fa la la la la, LA LA LA LA!” with my fingers in my ears when it comes to sugar consumption right now.

OK, OK… <insert fake, dramatic eye roll here> I guess I can make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.  Twist my arm whydontcha.

When I went searching the web for a clue on how to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, more than one recipe called for Cool Whip and Oreo’s.  (Head –> Desk)  Given that these are two of the worst foods we could possibly eat, (Oreos can be compared to crack and Cool Whip is made with both high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oil and is not fit for human consumption – but this post isn’t supposed to be a downer so I’ll shut up now) I was determined to figure out the real food alternative to Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and spare us from those two frankenfood superstars.  Fillers and artificial ingredients scare way me more than sugar.  Let’s do this.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

print this recipe!

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (7oz) bag Newman’s Chocolate Alphabet Cookies*

Crumble cookies in food processor or blender (or even by hand with a large zip lock bag, a towel and a hammer!)

It was at this point that Zak said, “I can tell this is going to be good.”

Cookie Crust Ingredients

Mix cookies, sugar and butter and press the into a pie pan.  Chill while preparing the filling.

Chocolate Cookie Crust

*Newman’s Own Alphabet Cookies are probably a stretch when it comes to “real food”, but the ingredient list was shorter and better than the graham crackers I considered that were also on the shelf at my natural food store.

Peanut Butter Pie Filling

1 c heavy whipping cream
1 c creamy organic peanut butter
1 (8 oz) package of organic cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar

Whip cream to stiff peaks.  In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until smooth, then gently fold in whipped cream.  Pour mixture into crust, chill for two hours before serving.  Top with shaved chocolate or pipe on melted chocolate.

Suddenly I’m thinking about that song “Happy Together” by The Turtles.

Peanut Butter Filling

If I should call you up, invest a dime, and you say you belong to me, and ease my mind –

Crust and Filling

imagine how the world could be, so very fine…

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

SO HAPPY TOGETHER!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Cue “Deck the Halls”, fingers in ears, “Fa la la la! La la LA LAAAA!”

This pie was seriously delicious, I have to admit it.  The good news?  It is VERY rich, one small piece is plenty!

The bad news?  It is VERY rich, one small piece is plenty.  This means the leftovers from our holiday gathering this weekend just keep hanging on.

Slice of Peanut Butter Pie

Apparently Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie comes with a soundtrack because I’ll be singing “You Keep Me Hanging On” by the Supreme’s until somebody else eats the last piece and it’s out of my fridge.

Real butter, real cream cheese, heavy whipping cream.  Now you’re singing my tune.

Happy holidays to you and yours!  Eat well, be merry and give thanks that calories don’t count the week between Christmas and New Years.**

**The fourth song on the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie soundtrack is “Would I Lie to You?” by The Eurythmics.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Snack Cookies

December 19th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Snack Attack - (Comments Off on Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Snack Cookies)

I’m calling these cookies “healthy” because a.) they aren’t loaded with sugar and b.) they contain squash.

(Well, pumpkin – but pumpkin is a squash last time I checked.  Consider this your homeschooling lesson of the day.)

They are sweetened only with banana and a little maple syrup, which makes them low enough in sugar that I feel I can throw the word “snack” into the title as well, while also keeping my conscience clear.

Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Maple Cookies

I whipped these together yesterday morning using this banana oatmeal cookie recipe as my starting point, subbing pumpkin for flour and using maple syrup instead of white sugar.

Health Oatmeal Pumpkin Snack Cookies

print this recipe!

1/4 c butter, softened
1/4 c maple syrup
1 banana, mashed
1 egg
1 c pumpkin puree
1 tsp of vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon
2 c rolled oats

(As a side note, you can double the recipe if you want to use your whole 15 oz can of pumpkin.)  (I guess that’s is today’s math lesson.)  (You’re welcome.)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine butter, maple syrup, banana, egg, pumpkin, vanilla and cinnamon, then stir in oats 1 cup at a time.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Dough

Simple and easy, my favorite!  You totally got this.

I used an 1/8 cup measure to scoop cookie dough and formed into patties with my hands before moving to a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 11 – 13 minutes.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

The cookies will be soft and chewy, as well as pumpkin-y and maple-y.

Makes 15 cookies, 2 of which were devoured by a certain (almost) 18 month old boy as soon as they were (even slightly) cool.

“Coo!” is his word for “cookie”, and believe me, he was saying “coo!  coo!  COO!” right here.

Oatmeal Cookie Monster

And then he was quiet.

Healthy Snacks for Little Kids

Four out of five members of my household highly approved these snack cookies, but one out of three children here doesn’t like anything new and different – so I’m not counting Maxine’s vote.  (I was really hoping she was going to like these because she loves pumpkin muffins, but no dice.)

Store in an airtight container, I’m keeping mine in the fridge.  Enjoy as a snack – but given these were made with oats, pumpkin, banana, egg and maple syrup, they could easily work as a running-out-the-door breakfast too.  I think that’s a time management lesson?  You’re one smart cookie.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

December 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (2 Comments)

Maybe you’re turkey-ed out, or maybe Thanksgiving insanity threw off any sort of meal plan you had going and you ended up eating turkey four days in a row due to poor planning/holiday recovery. The pumpkin pie made me do it.

I’ve been making turkey marinara with spaghetti squash like it’s going out of style.  It’s easy and it’s good, and for these reasons I’ve been throwing a pound of ground turkey and a spaghetti squash into my shopping cart each week knowing it’s a (relatively) fast, go-to meal we enjoy.

But on Sunday night as I was getting the meat out of the fridge, I was suddenly very bored of turkey marinara.  So instead of Italian seasonings, I grabbed chili seasonings, and instead of spaghetti squash, I grabbed a sweet potato.  I know, I know.  I’m a wild and crazy woman!  Living on the edge!  Don’t hold me back!

Turkey Marinara vs. Turkey Chili: it’s basically the same, except different.

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

Dear Spice Cupboard, thank you for helping me feel like a kitchen magician.

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup water or broth
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
28 oz diced tomatoes
Chili spices to taste: cumin, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, Tabasco. (Or make it easy on yourself and just use a packet of chili spices.)

Saute onion and pepper in oil until soft. Stir in tomato paste and spices, add ground turkey and cook on medium heat until meat has browned. Add tomatoes, water or broth and cubed sweet potato.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking until sweet potatoes are tender and cooked through.

Topped with avocado and a little pepper jack cheese.

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

This was so good we easily ate leftovers for lunch yesterday in taco salad form.

Turkey Chili Taco Salad

On a bed of lettuce with more (beat up) avocado, more shredded cheese and Greek yogurt too.

Now it’s gone and I wish there was more.  Too bad I’m not that kind of magician.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt Dressing

November 29th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (1 Comments)

I’ve been on a coleslaw kick for quite a while now.  It’s just a great salad to have on hand for a fast vegetable side for lunch, dinner, snacks or what the heck, even breakfast.  It’s easy to make, the flavors deepen and improve on Days 2 and 3 (if it lasts until Day 3!) It’s easy to get hooked on coleslaw.  Maybe we should call it cabbage crack.

More often than not I’m making Asian coleslaw with napa cabbage, sesame oil, rice vinegar and lots of curry spices (turmeric was one of the supplements listed in Grain Brain for brain health!)  When I found myself with an extra bag of regular pre-shedded cabbage leftover from Thanksgiving prep, I was in the mood to try something different for a batch to leave at home.  No need to leave anyone feeling thankful that I brought a food experiment to Thanksgiving dinner.

With this Greek chopped salad in mind, I got to thinking that it was probably a safe bet to use Greek yogurt as the base for a coleslaw dressing too.

Coleslaw Greek Yogurt

And boy do I love it when I’m right!  (I love it even more when I’m humble.)

Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt Dressing

1 bag of shredded cabbage (or shred your own if you’re in the mood to make a giant mess)
1 carrot, shredded
1 small onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 or 2 stalks of celery, finely diced

1/2 c Plain Greek yogurt (I heart Fage Total)
2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil
2 – 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Combine vegetables, yogurt, oil, vinegar and seasonings and stir until all vegetables are well coated.  You can easily use any coleslaw veggies and seasonings you love (like jicama, or even some chopped apple right before serving) – the real point of this post is to share/shout/rejoice in the fact Greek yogurt makes a great coleslaw dressing!  Not only is it delicious, but you get all the great things that come with yogurt too, like protein for satiety and probiotics for gut health.

Am I starting to sound like a coleslaw pusherman?  Just try it… you’ll like it!  You don’t have to tell your parents, it’s OK.  The first one’s on me.  I learned it from watching you, Dad.  I LEARNED IT FROM WATCHING YOU.

OK, I’m done now.  If you’ll need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.  Eating coleslaw.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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Recipe for a Clean House

November 27th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Motivation - (5 Comments)

I love to live in a neat and tidy house, but naturally-neat-and-tidy I am not.  Items collect on our dining room table, clothes gather on furniture, colored pencils and drawings scatter like plastic bags in a windstorm.  In a perfect world I would stay on top it of regularly – but the reality is that I get behind and end up needing to devote time to picking up and cleaning.

I feel like the Slobbiest McSlobberson to admit this, so I take comfort in messy house memes because it leads me believe I am not alone.

Messy House Prayer

Promises, promises.

The problem I often have is just getting started, because once I’m in the groove, it’s all good.

Ingredients for Finding the Motivation to Clean

These three things work great for me:

A playlist of your favorite songs.

Music you like to workout to works great for cleaning – it’s especially helpful to crank up the volume.   If I’m working by myself, a podcast or audio book is good too.

Clothes to move in.

Get dressed to clean from head to toe!

A time limit.

Look at the clock and say to yourself: I am going to work until [15, 30, 60 minutes from right now] o’clock.  Even 15 minutes is a good place to start, especially if you know that you’re likely to keep going once you’re warmed up.  And if 15 minutes is all you have time for, then get to it and just remind yourself that done is better than perfect.

More Cleaning Done

(This is why the time limit thing works for me!)

Getting the Kids to Help

My tip for getting the kids involved is to threaten them give them very specific instructions on what they need to do.  If I just barked “help me clean up!” they will stand around not knowing what to do first or will get busy playing with some Amazing Grace toy that was once lost but is now found.

“Please pick up all your stuffed animals and put them in the crates.”

“Find all the books and put them back on the shelves.”

“Only pick up the toys you want to keep and I’ll throw the rest of them away.”

(I have totally said that in my Not-So-Proud Mommy Moments.)

The girls are definitely getting better at being able to see what needs to be done as they get older, but it took lots time, patience and infinity hours of specific instructions to get to the point we’re at now.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

Or NEAT.  I could spend an hour on a walk through my neighborhood, or I could spend an hour getting housework done – both help me feel good, but sometimes I need a clean house more than I need a walk.  With the right clothes and some good tunes, cleaning can easily feels like a nice, low intensity workout, especially when you shift your mindset to think of it as exercise.

Remove Distraction

I’m fairly sure that Newton’s first law of motion is: a person in motion tends to stay in motion until they hear the chime of their email notifier.  

I have been known to power down my computer so I’m not tempted to check email or scan Facebook when I’m feeling bored with the task at hand.  Whatever distracts you, get rid of it for a little while!  Silence your phone, tip over the chair in front of your desk, let your youngest child make a mess if it keeps him out of your hair while you’re cleaning up other messes.

Toddler Making a Mess

Whatever it takes.  Let 15 minutes of guilt-free chill time in front of your favorite distraction be your reward when you’re all done.

De-clutter on a Regular Basis

Reducing the amount of STUFF we have is a FlyLady tip that I love and it really does make it easier to tidy up in a relatively short amount of time.  (Although another look at the contents of our craft cupboard tells me there’s more de-cluttering to be done.)

An Attitude of Gratitude

This borders on corny, but if I ever catch myself feeling frustrated or resentful, I remind myself to instead feel grateful that I have a house to clean, a healthy family to pick up after and able body to get the work done.  It’s much easier to find joy in your work when you can re-frame it as something that you’re lucky to have and are able to do.


Please know that links to Amazon are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price you pay, but if you buy something from Amazon after following one of the links in my posts, I earn a percentage based commission from Amazon as a part of their affiliate program. This is one of the ways I generate revenue from the posts that I write here. I promise that I only link to items that I truly endorse. You don’t ever have to buy anything, but if you do, thank you for supporting the site and the work I do here.


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