30 Days of Italian Meals
First, allow me to apologize for the ridiculously wrinkled paper. I finalized my November menu the other day, and one of the dogs promptly sat on while I was caring for the babies. Such is life in our house.
I know it’s been a long time since I’ve updated (yes, this phrase is pretty much my theme song), but I want to let everyone know that pain-wise, I am light years better than I was a few months ago. I am no longer on painkillers, I am taking CBD oil in place of Percocet, I’m using Young Living essential oils topically, and I can actually take care of my kids, my house....seriously, you guys, I feel like I did a complete 180 in terms of chronic pain. Now that that’s out of the way, I want to focus more on my day to day health. Specifically, the foods I eat.
Most of you know I’m as comfortable as can be in the kitchen. I love to cook. I love to bake. I love making things from scratch, I love learning new recipes, and I am shamelessly addicted to kitchen gadgets. (While you may recall that I share those "Haters Guide to Williams Sonoma" posts every December, I will freely admit that I drool over the WS catalogs. Sue me). I would say that I make dinner about 80% of the time. As parents with small children know, going out to restaurants with your crew is not particularly relaxing or enjoyable. I don’t want to spend our hard-earned money on a mediocre family friendly restaurant, and I’m certainly not going to take my age seven and under set to a fancy restaurant. So other than the occasional lunch at Chik Fil A, we really don’t go out to eat with the kids. I’d like to say we don’t order in very often, but lately, that would be a lie. What with our recent move (oh yeah, we live in Kansas now!), getting used to the kids’ school schedule and Will’s new work schedule, there have been far too many nights when I’ve thrown in the towel and ordered pizza or Chinese. I think that’s fine occasionally, but...to my dismay, it’s been more frequent than occasional.
Now that my chronic pain is under control, I want to take charge of my health. I don’t like that I’ve gained so much weight since my last baby (though to be fair to myself, I was on Prednisone for awhile after my last back surgery, and I gained a ridiculous amount of weight from taking it), I don’t like the bloated and miserable feeling after eating cheap takeout pizza, and I don’t like how sluggish I feel the following day. I started thinking about ways to become healthier, and ways to model good nutrition habits for my family. I realized that the answer was quite simple.
Get back to my roots.
Growing up, my family rarely went out to eat, unless it was a special occasion, and we hardly ever ordered in. My mom grew up in an Italian American family, and believe me when I say she can throw down in the kitchen. I grew up eating the Mediterranean diet before people even knew what the Mediterranean diet was. Fresh vegetables, whole grains, fresh fruit, full fat dairy products, eggs, and lean meats were on the table every day. It wasn’t until I was in middle school that I started eating less than healthy foods, thanks to the a la carte options in the cafeteria (shakes fists). I decided to present myself with a challenge, a challenge called Thirty Days of Italian Meals. Yes, even during the holiday season, because let’s face it, almost all of our holidays have Italian food on the menu, anyway.
Some of these recipes I learned from my mom. Some I found while googling "authentic Italian recipes." Some are definitely more Italian American than Italian (looking at you, baked ziti). You’ll also notice that I cheated a bit. I always make a big Italian dinner on Sunday night, and we have leftovers on Monday. I never cook dinner the day before Thanksgiving, because I’m not insane. I also plan for ridiculously easy meals on nights when Will has to work a 24-hour shift, and he won’t be home for dinner. The point of this challenge isn’t to strive for perfection, because we all know that’s impossible. The point is to get back to the-mostly-food from my childhood, the food that my mom lovingly prepared, the food that made me one of the healthiest kids in my grade.
You’re probably asking, "Marisa, where’s the fish? Don’t Italians eat their weight in seafood?" Yes, yes they do, and believe me, if I didn’t have a fish-hating husband, pretty much every meal I make would have some type of seafood in it. Alas, I don’t want to spend the time and money on food that my husband refuses to eat, so I just make the occasional cod or shrimp dish on nights when Will isn’t home. Then I secretly plot my revenge and torture him on Christmas Eve, when I do the Feast of the Seven Fishes. 😉 Kidding. Sort of.
I’ve often found that when many people describe Italian food, what they’re thinking of is basically Olive Garden "cuisine." Huge portions of pasta swimming in Alfredo sauce. Cheese everywhere, on everything. Every dish prepared with a cream-based, butter-laden sauce.
No. No no no no no no no NO.
Say it with me: "Olive Garden is not Italian. Alfredo sauce is not Italian. Olive Garden serves fattening, unhealthy American food." Repeat it until you believe it with all your heart. REAL Italian food is some of the healthiest food on the planet (and the reason why dietician and nutritionists are constantly holding up the Mediterranean diet as the best way to eat). Yes, Italians eat a lot of pasta, but the portions are really rather small. It doesn’t take up the entire plate, and it’s not covered in cream and cheese. Italians eat loads of fresh veggies, seafood, nuts, fruits, what have you. Eating fried ravioli, calzones oozing with cheese, and sausage sandwiches is fine once in a rare while, but don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re eating authentic Italian cuisine.
What can I do to help myself out with this particular challenge? Thank my in-laws profusely, because I’m convinced that my mother in-law, father in-law, and sister in-law have some sort of sixth sense about my crazy plans. Over the past few days, I’ve received pasta, olive oil, and a KitchenAid pasta attachment from them. I am in heaven, everyone. I am so excited to try some of these new recipes using my new food and gadgets!
If you have any suggestions for me, I’d love to hear them! I’m also open to recipe suggestions as well. I promise to report back (no, really, I will) next month, after I’ve completed my challenge.
"La vita è troppo breve per mangiare e bere male."
(Life is too brief to eat and drink poorly).
I know it’s been a long time since I’ve updated (yes, this phrase is pretty much my theme song), but I want to let everyone know that pain-wise, I am light years better than I was a few months ago. I am no longer on painkillers, I am taking CBD oil in place of Percocet, I’m using Young Living essential oils topically, and I can actually take care of my kids, my house....seriously, you guys, I feel like I did a complete 180 in terms of chronic pain. Now that that’s out of the way, I want to focus more on my day to day health. Specifically, the foods I eat.
Most of you know I’m as comfortable as can be in the kitchen. I love to cook. I love to bake. I love making things from scratch, I love learning new recipes, and I am shamelessly addicted to kitchen gadgets. (While you may recall that I share those "Haters Guide to Williams Sonoma" posts every December, I will freely admit that I drool over the WS catalogs. Sue me). I would say that I make dinner about 80% of the time. As parents with small children know, going out to restaurants with your crew is not particularly relaxing or enjoyable. I don’t want to spend our hard-earned money on a mediocre family friendly restaurant, and I’m certainly not going to take my age seven and under set to a fancy restaurant. So other than the occasional lunch at Chik Fil A, we really don’t go out to eat with the kids. I’d like to say we don’t order in very often, but lately, that would be a lie. What with our recent move (oh yeah, we live in Kansas now!), getting used to the kids’ school schedule and Will’s new work schedule, there have been far too many nights when I’ve thrown in the towel and ordered pizza or Chinese. I think that’s fine occasionally, but...to my dismay, it’s been more frequent than occasional.
Now that my chronic pain is under control, I want to take charge of my health. I don’t like that I’ve gained so much weight since my last baby (though to be fair to myself, I was on Prednisone for awhile after my last back surgery, and I gained a ridiculous amount of weight from taking it), I don’t like the bloated and miserable feeling after eating cheap takeout pizza, and I don’t like how sluggish I feel the following day. I started thinking about ways to become healthier, and ways to model good nutrition habits for my family. I realized that the answer was quite simple.
Get back to my roots.
Growing up, my family rarely went out to eat, unless it was a special occasion, and we hardly ever ordered in. My mom grew up in an Italian American family, and believe me when I say she can throw down in the kitchen. I grew up eating the Mediterranean diet before people even knew what the Mediterranean diet was. Fresh vegetables, whole grains, fresh fruit, full fat dairy products, eggs, and lean meats were on the table every day. It wasn’t until I was in middle school that I started eating less than healthy foods, thanks to the a la carte options in the cafeteria (shakes fists). I decided to present myself with a challenge, a challenge called Thirty Days of Italian Meals. Yes, even during the holiday season, because let’s face it, almost all of our holidays have Italian food on the menu, anyway.
Some of these recipes I learned from my mom. Some I found while googling "authentic Italian recipes." Some are definitely more Italian American than Italian (looking at you, baked ziti). You’ll also notice that I cheated a bit. I always make a big Italian dinner on Sunday night, and we have leftovers on Monday. I never cook dinner the day before Thanksgiving, because I’m not insane. I also plan for ridiculously easy meals on nights when Will has to work a 24-hour shift, and he won’t be home for dinner. The point of this challenge isn’t to strive for perfection, because we all know that’s impossible. The point is to get back to the-mostly-food from my childhood, the food that my mom lovingly prepared, the food that made me one of the healthiest kids in my grade.
You’re probably asking, "Marisa, where’s the fish? Don’t Italians eat their weight in seafood?" Yes, yes they do, and believe me, if I didn’t have a fish-hating husband, pretty much every meal I make would have some type of seafood in it. Alas, I don’t want to spend the time and money on food that my husband refuses to eat, so I just make the occasional cod or shrimp dish on nights when Will isn’t home. Then I secretly plot my revenge and torture him on Christmas Eve, when I do the Feast of the Seven Fishes. 😉 Kidding. Sort of.
I’ve often found that when many people describe Italian food, what they’re thinking of is basically Olive Garden "cuisine." Huge portions of pasta swimming in Alfredo sauce. Cheese everywhere, on everything. Every dish prepared with a cream-based, butter-laden sauce.
No. No no no no no no no NO.
Say it with me: "Olive Garden is not Italian. Alfredo sauce is not Italian. Olive Garden serves fattening, unhealthy American food." Repeat it until you believe it with all your heart. REAL Italian food is some of the healthiest food on the planet (and the reason why dietician and nutritionists are constantly holding up the Mediterranean diet as the best way to eat). Yes, Italians eat a lot of pasta, but the portions are really rather small. It doesn’t take up the entire plate, and it’s not covered in cream and cheese. Italians eat loads of fresh veggies, seafood, nuts, fruits, what have you. Eating fried ravioli, calzones oozing with cheese, and sausage sandwiches is fine once in a rare while, but don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re eating authentic Italian cuisine.
What can I do to help myself out with this particular challenge? Thank my in-laws profusely, because I’m convinced that my mother in-law, father in-law, and sister in-law have some sort of sixth sense about my crazy plans. Over the past few days, I’ve received pasta, olive oil, and a KitchenAid pasta attachment from them. I am in heaven, everyone. I am so excited to try some of these new recipes using my new food and gadgets!
If you have any suggestions for me, I’d love to hear them! I’m also open to recipe suggestions as well. I promise to report back (no, really, I will) next month, after I’ve completed my challenge.
"La vita è troppo breve per mangiare e bere male."
(Life is too brief to eat and drink poorly).
Salve
ReplyDeleteSiamo un gruppo finanziario privato. Siamo italiani, concediamo il prestito da 2.000 € a 200.000 € al massimo , se siete un libero professionista, uno studente universitario,una casalinga o un disoccupato, potete ottenere un prestito veloce per risolvere le vostre difficoltà finanziarie.È affidabile e sicuro.
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