Day 1 Dinner Failure = Day 2 Dinner Success

Our first go at dinner was a total bust, not for lack of trying. We tried the lentil stew from Dr. Fuhrman's book, for no other reason than we pretty much had the ingredients. Big Spazz realized as he started the recipe that unless some miracle happens to the lentils, this recipe has absolutely nothing that will give it any flavor.

Still, as 6:30 turned into 7:30, we just had to scoop up our brown rice, put the lentil stew, now expanded to the whole pot into our bowls and hope for the best. Luckily, I had a big salad with garbanzo beans and grapefruit because the lentil stew was a flavorless slimy, chewy beany thing with no flavor but a little bit of bite. Don't know how it can be both spicy and tasteless at the same time, but it was. We tried putting Mrs. Dash, nothing. In fact I think that's where the spicy nothingness comes from. 

Tried miso. Wrong taste profile. Just tasted like miso hiding stuff that looks like baby poop.

Day 1 dinner was a failure. Oh well. Live and learn. These recipes don't fit  our flavor profile. It's ok. We march on more determined to make things we want to eat and that are healthy for us. The next time I see a lentil, perhaps we will be on speaking terms. 

One good thing was that I was full. I didn't even want a smoothie dessert. I had lentils filling up my stomach until I just could not fit anymore baby poop in my mouth. I didn't even finish my bowl; actually had the nerve to bring it to school for lunch and then opt for a plate full of salad and a shared clementine.  If you would like to try Lisa's Lovely Lentil Stew, please let us know. I will fly back from Molokai tomorrow to drop it off.

Made up for it with a green smoothie breakfast and apple. 

Chocolate green smoothie: (per serving)

1 T. flax seed

1 frozen banana

2 cups of packed greens (I used spinach)

2 dates

1 T. unsweetened cocoa

soy milk and a little water

Day 2 dinner was also a winnah winnah chicken dinner (without the chicken). No pics We were starving, rushed (2 meetings, both at 7pm) and heading out the door.

Day 2 dinner - Bocca burger burrito

4 Bocca Burgers, grilled, fried, put into Foreman grill 

meanwhile, stir fry (no oil), chopped round onion.

When the burgers are done, chop it up into bite size pieces, put into pan with onion. Add half a can of rinsed black beans and half a can of corn (saved the rest for the salad), and one chopped tomato

Stir in cumin, garlic powder and about 1/4 cup or so salsa (read the labels for salt content - we used Newman's) to taste.

Serve on a whole wheat burrito and use the salad greens to wrap into burrito. Much better! Boy 3 even had seconds.

Our Labor Day Weekend is a bit difficult with Boy 3 and Big Spazz going camping and my flying to Molokai and sailing to Oahu. I'm not cooking nor am I providing the food, so I just have to try to make good choices.

As Big Spazz says, "we're trying our best, right?" Yes.