Slow Food

   *disclaimer: this post is not intended to offend, just to exercise my opinion, if you find yourself taking offense, you should read on and take my advice*

  I understand how difficult it can be to find the time to cook a decent meal, especially when you have a full time job and a family (or a family that is your full time job). Between racing the kids off to school,  practices, dance/karate/swimming lessons, doing the grocery shopping, paying the bills, keeping house, and maintaining some semblance of a relationship with your significant other (if applicable), who has time to put together a five star (or even a one star) meal when the alternatives are so much less time consuming?  Who among us has never found themselves pressed for time and succumbed to the easy way out?  I myself am guilty of exercising poor judgement and taking the trip down the walk of shame, otherwise known as the drive-thru, for dinner.  I remember the days when it happened more than two nights a week and now that I know what is in that stuff, I feel awful for putting in my children's growing bodies.  After all, they are relying on me to make good food choices for them as they have no control over the matter.  Which brings me to my next topic...

  As their parents, it is not only in our power to control what our children eat, it's our J-O-B.  If they see us making poor choices in any aspect of life they are likely to make poor decisions themselves.  For instance, if I often arrive late, my offspring are predisposed to be tardy because it's okay for me to do it, why not them?  If I keep a messy house, their rooms are likely to be piled with dirty plates, laundry, banana peels and old homework.  Why?  because I''ve shown them it's okay.  So if they see us picking up pre-prepared meals often, it is reasonable to assume that they will follow suit in the future.  On that same point, if they see us eating apples, nuts, and greens, they are just as likely to consume like items. Also, kids eat what is available so if you are one of those parents who say, "my kid won't eat anything other than chicken nuggets and potato chips", it's quite possible that it's because that's what's been made available.  Eradicate such things from your home and offer healthy alternatives such as fresh fruit, yogurt and cheese and those are the items they will choose as there are not other options.

  To make a home-cooked meal doesn't have to be from scratch, either, just preferably not from a box.  I like to make what I call "sort of" home made.  I don't always have time (or I don't wish to cook all day) to do everything from scratch, so I improvise.  Sometimes it's with canned enchilada sauce, other times it's using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to use as filling for a usually time consuming meal.  Also, I've found that sometimes throwing things into a crock-pot at the beginning of the day can make for a stress free meal at the end of it.

  Use your resources.  If you are reading this you clearly have access to the internet: so use it!  Google fast, cheap, easy recipes.  Start by finding your main ingredient and type it into your preferred search engine followed by the word "recipe".  Or if you need ideas for where to start try a cooking website such as cooking.com.  I find quite a few recipes on pinterest and so far have not been let down.

  If you still insist on stooping at McDonalds, try watching Food Inc, Supersize Me, and The Future of Food.   Or try looking up"pink slime".  If that doesn't sway you, nothing will.

  I'll leave you with my go to "out of time" recipe:

Chickaladas!
Prep time: 10 minutes.  Cook time: 20 minutes.

What you will need:
1 while rotisserie chicken
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/chiles (drained)
1 small can diced green chiles
1 small can green enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cup grated monterey jack cheese
12 taco sized flour tortillas
1 T ground cumin
Salt to taste.
1 can sliced black olives (optional)

Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Lightly grease a large baking dish with olive oil (9x13 is good)
Using your hands, take all meat off the chicken and place in large bowl
Add tomatoes, chiles, 1 cup of the cheese, cumin and salt to bowl with chicken and mix together
Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, roll them up and place them into baking dish side by side
Lightly poor sauce over the filled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and olives (if desired).
Bake for 20 minutes or until done.  Serves four (with possible leftovers)

*if desired, taco meat works great too :)

Happy eating!