Chicken and Dumplings for the Soul

Oh Yes…..I am fighting and have loss the H1N1 germ battle. I went into today for a routine check up with my doctor to discuss my food allergies and make some new dietary goals. She felt my glands and said “I think you might have H1N1 beginning symptoms.” She took my temperature and sure enough I had a fever. All I could say is “I don’t have time to be sick!” She loaded me up with supplements and wrote my a prescription for Tamiflu. Her fear was since I had bronchitis only a month and half ago that H1N1 could really compromise my immune system. So I have everything I need to finally knock this out of my system.

So what does Mom on the Run cook when is has been grounded? A yummy 30 minute Rachael Ray Meal that required very little work but had a very big taste.

Creamed Chicken with Gnocchi Dumplings

A great time saver: Frozen Gnocchi from Whole Foods

Ingredients:

• One 1-pound package potato gnocchi
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

 

In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until toasted, about 3 minutes.

Whisk in the half-and-half and chicken broth (I used Mimic Cream my new Dairy Free Cream Friend); bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer until thickened. Whisk into the chicken mixture, then stir in the gnocchi.

Bring to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper and top with the scallions.

It was really delicious. I was not in the mood for a plain bowl of chicken soup and this dish hit the spot.

I am off to drink more tea…..

and get some sleep!!

Don’t forget to enter my great Beat the Flu Giveaway!!

Another Quick Take Out-Fake Out Dinner

I am so done being on the mend and finding germs. That is all I am going to say about that! (Little one is much butter and I am fighting hard with my Emergen-C and Motrin).

On a happy note Mom on the Run has it’s own domain! We are in the process of moving to www.healthymomontherun.com. Make sure to change your Google readers to stay in touch with Mom on the run.

With that said I needed something quick and simple to make for dinner. In our effort to only eat out once a week, I am on a quest to find more take out-fake out recipes.

I found this one from Food Network.com from Guy Fieri. He is one of my least favorite Chefs on the Food Network.  I really do not have a firm reason why I don’t care for him but his shows are not at the top of the list I watch. When I saw this recipe I knew that my whole family would enjoy it, no matter if it was from Guy Fieri.

Spicy Tangerine Beef

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound flank steak or tri-tip, cut in thin strips on the bias
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 tangerine, zested
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

In a resealable plastic bag combine the soy sauce and cornstarch and mix well. Add beef, cover, and let marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

Whisk together the sherry, hoisin, honey, chili sauce, soy sauce, and tangerine juice until completely combined.

In large pan or wok, heat oil on high. Add the ginger and beef and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Then add sauce mixture and cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat until sauce thickens.

Serve on warm platter, garnish with scallions, tangerine zest and sesame seeds.

I served my version of Fried Rice as a side to this dish.

Another take out-fake out success.

The girls were in love with this dish. As my little one says, “It was yummy in my tummy.” They each had seconds, which in Mom on the Run land means a success.

Tomorrow I have the day off so I will be resting again thank goodness.

Don’t forget to enter my great Mighty Leaf Tea Giveaway!.

One of Those Days…….And a Great Beat the Flu Giveaway!!!

Today started out great! The sun was shining, the weatherman had a great weather report, and my little Swine Flu victim got up and said she was ready for school. I got ready as usual, checked her temperature one last time to double check there was no fever (the thermometer said 98.1), and headed out the door.

Fast forward 2 hours…….I was in the middle of administering an assessment to my students and trying to get ready for one of two parent meetings that I had to attend today…..when the phone rang. The dreaded voice at the other end of the line, “Hi Mrs. Seals this is the school nurse at T’s school. T has come to my office because she is not feeling well and her temperature is 100. Can you come get her.” I felt so bad! She was fine when I dropped her off at school. How quickly this virus can go right back through you.

So Mom of the Year goes to…….Mom on the Run. My husband told me to forget about it and that the nurse at school said that she has seen a ton of kids with the same symptoms. Now I am feeling like my body is trying to fight something off. I am loading up on Emergen-C (who is giving free samples for those who want to try this amazing product this cold and flu season on the website), herbal supplements, and of course hot TEA!

The Mighty Leaf Tea Company has been my hot tea go to this last week. My love of hot tea grew after I was able to sample the unique tea blends a few months ago.

I love the story of the company that I needed to share it with all of you!

Mighty Leaf Tea was born for the sole purpose of infusing life into an ancient indulgence by creating tea products that reach new heights of quality and innovation.

The genesis of Mighty Leaf Tea came in 1996 as a result of a shared passion and dream envisioned by husband-and-wife team Gary Shinner and Jill Portman when they founded their teahouse on Fillmore St. in San Francisco.

Their passion is for creating the most incredible handcrafted tea blends found anywhere, globally sourcing the finest ingredients available. Paralleling the highest standards of quality at Mighty Leaf Tea is ongoing creative innovation.

Our specially created handcrafted Tea Pouches are designed to unleash the essence of the quality that is Mighty Leaf Tea. Supporting our quality and innovation is our promise to deliver the highest level of customer service excellence in serving you the finest tea products available.

I am currently in love with Chamomile Citrus- herbal tea is a refreshing infusion perfected to curl up with and savor by the sip. Made with Soothing Egyptian chamomile flowers and subtle slices of citrus fruit, this vibrant blend will rejuvenate the spirit. From intoxicating aroma to sweet flavor, this signature herbal tea infusion in our silken tea pouch, our gourmet teabag twist, with chamomile, fruits and herbs reflects our vision of the artisan tea experience.

The next best part…..The Health Benefits all of what I need tonight.

Health Benefits
Chamomile(Chamaemelum nobilis)
A popular medicinal herb, Chamomile use as a calming and anti-inflammatory remedy dates back to ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. With its soothing qualities, Chamomile can help calm the nerves and ease stomach pains.
Orange(Citrus aurantium amara)
Abundant in nutrients, the orange, a citrus fruit, contains high levels of Vitamin C, folic acid, beta-carotene and fiber. Rich in phytochemicals the fruit has also been shown to help prevent chronic health conditions including cancer and heart disease. Its flavonoids provide an anti-oxidant effect.

Okay Mom on the Run, get on with the Giveaway.

The Mighty Leaf Tea Company has a brand new tea product that one lucky Mom on the Run will get to own for themselves.

The Tea Top Brew Mug

Our Tea Top Brew Mug is good to go. You no longer have to drink over-brewed tea. Featuring the patented Tea Top lid, this brew mug is a “traveling teapot” perfect for enjoying whole leaf Tea Pouches.

The brewing system is simple: Fold the tea tag in half and thread through the underside of the slit on the lid. Once the brew time indicated on the tea tag is reached, just pull up on the string. This squeezes the oils of the Tea Pouch into the infused beverage below and pulls the spent Tea Pouch up to rest in a domed area. You never have to drink over-infused tea again. The body is crafted of double-walled stainless steel keeping your tea hot, while staying cool to the touch.

Tea Top Brew mug holds 12 oz.

I was able to preview the mug this week and I don’t leave home without it. All my co-workers have asked where I got it and I have gladly shared.

Want a chance to win this mug? Here is how….

1. Required 1st entry- Go to the Might Leaf Tea Company and browse for which tea interests you the most. Post a comment with which flavor you would most like to try.

2. Second Entry- Become a follower of Mom on the Run. If you are already a loyal reader just comment that you are.

3. Third Entry- Post about this great giveaway on your blog. Post a comment that you have done so and a link that I can check.

Giveaway will end on Sunday, November 15th.

Well I am off to bed….I have the chills and need to curl up with my cup of tea and get some ZZZZZ’s!

Is is Really Fall in New England?

It was a gorgeous 68 degree day in New England and it was fabulous! We actually got all the leaf raking done in our yard. There were a zillion of them out there.  I love fall but hate raking :)

Just one of the trees that is in my yard!

We decided to keep the girls inside and laying low. My little one is feeling like brand new. She has a bit of a lingering cough (the doctor warned this could be the case for up to 2 weeks!) but she has been fever free for over 24 hours, meaning she can go back to school tomorrow. She has never been so happy to go back to school. All I have to say is thank goodness that there was Tamiflu available for her. It definitely did it’s job of lessening the symptoms of the flu.

Of course we still had Sunday dinner tonight. I found a bunch of different recipes with an Asian flare as that is what I was craving tonight. The recipes included Singapore Noodles, Tangerine Beef Stir Fry, Fried Rice, and Mom on the Run’s Steamed Dumplings. I promise to highlight and post recipes for all that I have named but I am tired after all that raking today. I do want to share one that was a tasty crowd pleaser that could easily be on your dinner table this week.

I found this recipe in of course Cooking Light (October 2009 Issue pg 128). I love PF Chang’s Street noodles and really wanted to find something that tasted very similar. This recipe will not disappoint anyone who loves those noodles.

Singapore-Style Noodles

Ingredients:
5 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/8 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/8 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 whole clove
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup (1-inch) pieces green onions
5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
5 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces (I omitted this)
Cooking spray
1 pound large tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
1 cup (1 1/2-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper

1. Soak noodles in warm water 2 minutes. Drain well. I actually followed the instructions on the package for this step. I boiled the water first than put the noodles in.

Combine cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and clove in a spice or coffee grinder; pulse until finely ground. Stir in red pepper.

3. Combine green onions and 2 teaspoons oil.  Let onions soften, than add shrimp to mixture; toss.

 

Takes shrimp out of skillet and set aside.

4. Combine cumin mixture, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger.

 

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger; sauté 45 seconds. Add to shrimp mixture.

5. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add soy sauce mixture and noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to coat.

 

Place about 3/4 cup noodles on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 1 cup shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
CALORIES 468 ; FAT 21.5g (sat 5.2g,mono 9.4g,poly 4g); CHOLESTEROL 192mg; CALCIUM 84mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.1g; SODIUM 843mg; PROTEIN 30.2g; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 4.3mg
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2009

I love when food taste like we got take out. I spent a fraction of the price I would have at PF Chang’s and have a ton of leftovers. This Mom on the Run could not have gone wrong with this recipe.

Highlights for this week on Mom on the Run are: More Asian Recipes, Chicken and Dumplings, and of course another great Giveaway!

Here is to a great week!

Mom on the Run on the Mend and a Winner!!

For the first time in a long time I am taking the day for myself and and being a couch potato. Actually the whole family is doing this. We figured DD’s needs to continue to rest and get better. The girls and I are watching movies on Disney Channel. We started with Aquamarine and now onto Picture This. I love girlie movies :)

Thank you for all the get well wishes for DD. They mean  a lot to me. DD update: She is definitely on the mend because she woke up with smiles and really hungry. Thank goodness we caught it early All she wanted was Gorilla Munch sans milk.

I know that Nature Path has hit the blog world with craze. We have used Nature Path’s Products in our house for the past two years. When searching for a better way for my girls to start their day I found Nature Path in the cereal and breakfast food isle. We have tried a variety of flavors and we each have our favorites.

Gorilla Munch is my littlest daughters favorite.

 

Gorilla Munch is a gluten-free cornmeal cereal. Some of the nutritional highlights are: low sodium, vegetarian, and no trans fat. How can a mom go wrong with a cereal with these nutritional stats. In fact there are very few all natural ingredients that make up this cereal: organic corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice, and sea salt.  I recommend to all Mom’s trying to change their kids breakfast choices look for Nature’s Path in your grocery aisle. Your kids will not be disappointed.

Now onto to the Movie Passes winner……………..

Comment #22-

Doreen said...

I love Pretty in Pink when Ducky is dancing away and showing off in the record/tape store! It's hilarious!! purposedrivenlife4you at gmail dot com

November 6, 2009 9:10 PM

Doreen I LOVE pretty in Pink!!! Email me at smmuconnatgmaildotcom with you address and I will have your prize pack sent out to you :)

I really loved reading all the comments about the movies you loved and first saw.

What are your plans for the weekend? Mine are resting and catching up on all of your great blogs.

The Swine stops Mom on the Run

The mask was only “cool” for about 5 minutes.

Yes, that is my youngest who has been hit with the Swine Flu. It hit fast and furious! We have spent the day getting to the doctor and resting.

Mom on the Run is taking a break from cooking for a few days and relying on good for you products to help me through.

Here is one snack that my daughter is loving while she is sick.

Jell-o is something that is always suggested to me by the doctor to give to the girls while they are sick. I rarely buy it because of the artificial ingredients that are used to make it. Finally there is an all-natural gelatin product on the market that is all natural and gluten free!! Cool Cups Natural Gels!!!

Cool Cup Natural Gels are available in 3 delicious flavors, Orange, Peach Mango, and Black Cherry.

They come in convenient single serving cups and are packaged to be sold in a handy 4 pack size.

Every great fruity flavor is, fat free, gluten free, GMO free, 100% vegan, and naturally low in calories.

Here are the Nutritional Information:

If Tajiah’s stamp of approval is not enough here are even more reasons to try these:

1. GELATIN FREE Around 95% of the world’s ocean remains unexplored. Fascinating. Luckily, somewhere in the other 5% we found some cool seaweed that can be used to make our desserts wiggle. The leading brand in the supermarkets uses a mixture of pig skin, bovine hide and animal bones! Not cool.

2. VEGAN We’d like to voice our support for responsible and ethical practices in farming, but we’ve gone one better. We’ve left animals off the ingredients list altogether - Cool Cups are vegan. Can’t get kinder to animals than that.

3. LESS THAN 95 CALORIES You can count the number of calories in each Cool Cup on the fingers of just 19 hands (try it with friends) and still have a finger or two left over to pick up a spoon and enjoy a Cool Cup.

4. GLUTEN FREE We know that celiac disease is on the rise, and are all too aware of the challenges that come with it. That’s why we’re reaching out to the celiac community to let you know that you can add Cool Cups to your safe list. And if you have a delicious list, put us on that one too.

5. FAT FREE Yes, your Cool Cup wiggles when you jiggle it. But that doesn’t mean that your tummy will after you eat a few Cool Cups.

6. DAIRY FREE No offence to cows or anything, but some people are allergic. Lucky for them Cool Cups are free of any and all dairy products. While we’re on the subject, they’re also made in a nut-free environment. Lovely.

7. GMO FREE Cool Cups are all-natural, which means that everything you see on our ingredients list came straight from Mother Nature. You know you can trust her to feed you things that are healthy and delicious, she wouldn’t lead you astray.

8. HIGH IN VITAMIN C No one likes getting sick do they? While enjoying your favorite flavor Cool Cup you can feel smug that you are simultaneously protecting yourself from those germs that want to ruin your weekend.

9. NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS Being based near Hollywood, we’re all too familiar with artificially augmented appearances. Our cups are perfect as they are thanks. That’s why Cool Cups are such a refreshing change!

10. NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES We hear that a lot of people devour all of their Cool Cups on the way home from the supermarket, so preservatives aren’t really necessary. But to put your mind at ease, there are absolutely no artificial preservatives to be found here.

My daughter loves them!! I actually was curious myself and have tried samples of them all. They taste so much better than other gelatin products I have tried. I am usually turned off by those products due to their un-natural and bitter after taste. This was not the case with cool-cups!.

We both decided that Black Cherry is our favorite. Please visit cool-cups.com for information on how to get them in a store near you. You will not be disappointed.

I am off for a temperature check of the sick patient.

Have a great weekend :)

For the Love of Squash!

This is going to be a quick post tonight. My little one has a nagging cough that is keeping everyone up in the house. I am hoping  to get a better night sleep tonight and that she is feeling better in the morning. 

I found another great Butternut Squash recipe that I wanted to try because I really wanted to clean out my freezer and I had a bagged of chopped squash ready to go. This recipe I found on foodnetwork.com because it was the first recipe that popped onto my screen when I logged on. It looked amazing so I decided to give it a try.  I did tweak the recipe a bit to meet my family’s needs and taste preferences.

Macaroni and 4 Cheeses2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
• 2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
• 4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally.

 

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl.

Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the final product because as any dish that has butternut incorporated in it, the dish was amazing. All the right fall flavors mingled together.

I must sign out for now. I am falling asleep as I am typing. I promise to catch up with everyone’s blogs tomorrow :)