Food, Inc. & Spinach and Salmon Pasta

Happy Saturday to all of you!  Today we had a really wonderful, relaxing pool day.  Have I mentioned once or twice how much I love summer?  Luckily the husband did almost all the child-chasing today, which meant that I could do some reading.  Each year at my school we focus on the 20 South Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominees.  Which means that each year I need to read 20 new books so that I can stay on top of what the kids are reading.  I’m trying to get a jump-start on my reading and I am almost finished with my 6th book!  Go me!  I’ve also been doing some more “adult” reading.  (Not dirty… just with main characters who are older than 12.)  I’m planning to do a post soon and tell you about some of my favorites.

Anyway, when we got home, I had a little down time while the kiddo was napping and I started watching Food, Inc.  Have any of you seen it?  I know I’ve got a good many readers who are foodies, so I am sure many of you have seen it.  It’s… disturbing.  It’s nothing I didn’t really know before from movies like Supersize Me and other documentaries, but it still reminds you how much we are out of control when it comes to the meats and other foods we buy at the grocery store.  Here’s a little trailer so you can get an idea about what the movie is about. 

One thing I struggle with is price vs. quality.  Sure.  I’d love to buy all grass-fed beef and all organic free-range chicken… but the cost is no joke.  How do you all deal with this?  It especially becomes an issue when you have children and are feeding several mouths.  Thoughts?

Ok.  On to lighter topics.  How about a light pasta dish for dinner?

 

Spinach and Salmon Pasta

A few years ago, my friend Jenn and I attended Homearama 2005.  Basically it is a tour of really fancy homes.  We were lucky that we were able to attend on “Chef Day.”  Not only did we get to tour 6 fabulous mansion-like homes, but there was a well-known Charlotte Chef cooking in each house, so we were able to sample different dishes.  One of the dishes we tried was created by Patricia Payne of Pat’s Eats Catering Service.  (I wasn’t able to find it online, so I am not sure if it’s still in existence.)  This dish was light and tasty, and luckily we came home with the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. can pink salmon
• 8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta (I used whole-wheat)
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp garlic, chopped
• 6 cups of spinach, coarsely chopped

Prep: Cook pasta according to directions and drain when done.  Set aside.  While pasta cooks, remove bones from salmon and break into small pieces.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and salmon.  Sautee for 60 seconds-2 minutes.  Remove the ingredients and add chicken broth to loosen the brown bits.  Add the pasta, salmon mixture, salt, pepper, and spinach.  Heat until the spinach wilts, stirring frequently.

This is nice and light, with lots of flavor!  I always forget how much I like the texture of angel hair pasta until I eat it again and then I love it again. 

Convenience Food Success and a Great Dance Movie Scene

Today was the first day of testing for students at my school.  Yuck.  I always dread the testing days.  It always throws everyone’s schedule off, too. 

But you know the perfect way to get rid of testing blahs?

Dancing!

 

I headed to Charlotte to help teach a private class.  It was a fun class, AND I was home before dark!  Bonus!

I wanted to make something quick tonight, so I made these potatoes I bought at Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago. 

 

They were handing out samples and they were really tasty!  I really liked them and would buy these again!  All you do is cook them in a skillet until they are heated through.  They have green beans, 2-3 different kinds of mushrooms, garlic, and herbs, and they are really tasty! Great with turkey burgers!  (Premade… on sale this weekend.)

 

 

Now, I’m settled in and watching a favorite movie… Center Stage.   Have you ever seen it?  Of course, I love dance movies, but even if you’re not a dancer, this movie has one of the best dance scenes ever.

This is a 10-minute scene, but… sigh… it is so worth watching.  It will make your heart happy.

How do You Take Your Bananas???

Over the weekend, Facebook exploded with pictures from the St. Patty’s Day parade.  Take a look at these cute ones!

 

Well, another Monday has passed.  Did your week get off to a good start?

Today I had a very productive day at work.  I came home for a few minutes to rest and have a pre-workout snack:

 

graham crackers with peanut butter and bananas.  Love this combination!  I’ve heard of people eating bananas with mayonnaise, but I have never tried that.  It sounds so wrong!  But I bet many other people think bananas and peanut butter sound strange. 

Tonight was another great Zumba class, but boy was I tired at the end!  I think I have been a slacker about drinking water.  I’m thinking it might be time to do a little challenge.  More details to follow on that. 

I was feeling lazy, so on the way home I picked up Chinese takeout:

 

Chicken with Mixed Vegetables over rice.  Perfect!  (Is it sad that the Chinese restaurant phone number is programmed into my phone?)

Now I am resting on the couch and watching a little TV.  When I turned it on, the scene from Raising Helen was on where they dance in the living room to “Whip It” by Devo.  It’s one of my favorite movie scenes because I LOVE this song.  It was my ringtone for many years.

Reader Questions:

1.  How do you like your bananas?  Plain, with Mayo, or with peanut butter?

2.  What’s your favorite movie song scene?

"Good Hair"

So today I am veering off the subject of food, exercise... and the other typical topics you usually see on this blog.  I'm gonna show you some pictures that might knock your socks off.  And take you on a little journey.

Last night, Ryan and I watched a documentary that I've really been wanting to see:



"Good Hair."  Have any of you seen this documentary?

It's actually ironic that we saw this last night... because today I went to get my hair cut.  I was awake for a long time last night thinking about hair.  My hair, in particular.

Now, the average white girl probably can't relate to this documentary.  But I can. 

Let me take you on a little trip down Hair Memory Lane.

My hair has always been curly.  I mean, when I was one, I had more (curly) hair than many adults out there.  All through my childhood, it was cute.  I mean, who DOESN'T love a cute little curly-haired baby?

Baby Pic... "Awwwwww!"

About 4-5 Years Old, With sister Meredith

But when I reach adolescence, I really despised my hair.  It was like this creature I had to carry around with me.  It wasn't just curly.  It was curly, thick, super-dry, coarse...

Middle-High School Years:  "The Beast" Unleashed

Strangers wanted to touch it in stores.  "Can I just touch your hair?" they would ask.  Hair dressers' eyes would boggle when I took my ponytail down and they saw what they were working with.  I remember my mom used to take me to this guy Michael to get my hair cut.  He would go around the salon and say, "Come look at this girl's hair!"  He meant it as a compliment.  People were always saying, "Wow.  Your hair is amazing.  You're so lucky to have so much body, so much curl."  But to me... it just felt like I was this circus freak.  I just wanted to be NORMAL.

Super Curly and Thick Hair+Short Haircut=Mistake

I didn't know WHAT to do with it.  I went through like a bottle of conditioner a week-- and at LEAST one bottle of hair gel.  Probably more.  All of my friends had smooth, shiny, STRAIGHT hair.  They could use a normal brush.  If their hair got messy during gym class, they just ran a comb through it.  For me... if it got messed up... I had to take a shower and start all over again. 

Senior Prom... Oh, how I would have liked a smooth "up-do..."

The girls from my graduating class.  Notice all the straight hair... except for one...

I wore it all different lengths.  Long, short, in-between.  (Short was a mistake, as you can see above!)  I tried every hair product out there.  If a hairdresser recommended it, I wanted to try it.  However, NOTHING worked.  I remember buying a straightener in high school.  Now, this was before ceramic plates, and tourmaline technology.  My hair just laughed at that thing. 

I was 28 when I walked into a new hair salon for the first time.  And I will tell you... this was a LIFE-CHANGING experience.  For the first time, my hairdresser Erica straightened my hair-- and showed me how to do it.  And it was, for the first time in my entire life... TRULY straight.  It was like having a religious experience.  I bought my first Chi Flat Iron two weeks later.  I am telling you... that Chi... it's like a second child to me.  Here are a few pictures from the straight hair phase of my life.

I'm on the left, with my sisters and my mom

With sister Adrienne, and Sadie (2 years ago)

Now, when I get my hair cut, it is just the best feeling.  It's probably equal to other people going to get a massage. 

As I was watching "Good Hair" last night, I was thinking... to your average white woman, this must seem crazy.  To spend $1000 or more on a hair piece!  More than once!  But to me... I was sitting there thinking, "I KNOW JUST HOW THESE WOMEN FEEL."  I would have paid $1000 for straight hair.  Probably more, actually.

Today, I love my hair.  It took me 28 years, a lot of product, a heck of a lot of experimentation, and many mornings of frustration to get to this point. 

So there you go.  If you've admired my hair at one point in time, now you know what I had to do to get to this point. 

Have any of you been through a similar experience?  Maybe not with hair, but with something else in life?  Tell me about it.

And rent "Good Hair" next time you're in the video store.  It's eye-opening, entertaining, most of all, informative.

Cheesy Spinach Casserole... Brought to You by Clash of the Titans

So, normally, I wouldn't be posting in the middle of the day.  Mainly because I am usually at work!  Today is snow day number two of this week.  It's pretty cloudy and cold, so not much thawing is happening.  In fact, I'd say I might be here again tomorrow. 

Anyway, the husband suggested we watch a movie during Sadie's nap time.  Hi suggestion:  "Clash of the Titans."  Have any of you ever seen this movie?  Let me sum it up for you: swords, giant scorpions, hands being sliced off, Medusa...

Not my cup of tea.  Waste of a good nap time, if you ask me.

I just told him, "Wait till you see what I pick for us to watch tonight.  Paypack is coming."  Any suggestions???  I am thinking along the lines of "Titanic."

So anyway, while this movie plays on, let me share this quick and easy recipe for Cheesy Spinach Casserole with you.

This is originally from The Four Ingredient Cookbook, but I have lightened it up a bit.  If you like spinach, you'll love this dish.  It's warm, cheesy, filling, and SO easy to put together.  Come on... 4 ingredients??  Yes please!  I also think this could be awesome in a pie crust, sort of like a quiche... but I didn't have one here and was feeling too lazy to make one.  If you follow the new Weight Watchers PointsPlus, it is 4 points per serving (serves 4).

Ingredients:
8 oz. 2% Cottage Cheese
4 oz. 2% Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 eggs
1 9-oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed out

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the cheeses and the spinach together.  Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, and then mix them with the cheese/spinach mixture.  Pour mixutre into a greased caserole dish (nonstick spray works great, too) and bake for 45 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Are you snowed in?  How are you spending your snow days???

The Park, Comfort Food, and "Black Swan"

Today was our first official day of the vacation where we were home with no plans whatsoever.  It was so nice to be able to plan out the day as we went!  We started with a little trip to the park, so Sadie could practice riding her bike.  As it turns out, she was more interested in the slides and playground equipment!  LOL!  Next time we'll have to take her somewhere to JUST ride.

I was able to go to Zumba with Katie, which I have been missing basically the entire month of December!  She was actually subbing for another teacher tonight.  Before I left, I halfway prepared "Old Fashioned Beef Pot Pie."  While I was at Zumba, Ryan finished it up for me and had it ready when I got home. 

This recipe is from my favorite cookbook, The One Dish Bible.  If you are into casseroles and one-pot dishes, then you would love this book.  Usually I have cookbooks that I have made 3-4 things out of, and then I set it aside.  This is the cookbook I come back to over and over again for simple weeknight (and sometimes weekend) dinners.  There are a TON of slow-cooker meals in this book!

The Pot Pie turned out great!  Perfect for a winter day!

Here's the recipe if you are interested (Sorry... was too lazy to type it up tonight!)

Then, I headed to the movie theater to meet my friend Kati.  We saw Black Swan.  Have you seen it?  The trailers really intrigued me.  Here's a peek at the trailer:



It was pretty intense and twisted, but very cool.  It reminded me SO much of The Flowers in the Attic series.  Did you read those books when you were in junior high?  I was so into anything V.C. Andrews wrote back then.  Everything was always really twisted and dark, sort of like this movie.

Have you seen any good movies lately?  What should I see next?