move over martha

The other day I decided to make that peanut butter playdough for my kids. I used to make it all the time in my younger days. Oliver was crying about making it his favorite color blue, so Maddie put some drops of blue food coloring in as I stirred it. My powdered milk must be stale, because it didn't mix in so well. Here's the appetizing finished product:


FAIL. I don't think I could have made it look grosser if I tried! The kids did not enjoy. Here's the recipe, in case you're weird and want to replicate it:

1 c. peanut butter
2/3-1 c. nonfat dry milk
2 tbsp. honey
(blue food coloring)

Mix ingredients. Add enough powdered milk to make playdough dry enough to handle.

Here's an actual really yummy recipe that I've been making a lot this summer, and it's healthy, too:

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained*
• 1 cup water
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Spinach leaves
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced**
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl. Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.

3. Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

4. *Note: Rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove a bitter substance called saponin that coats the seeds.

Feta cheese is good on it, but sometimes it smells too much like barf, so I often leave that out. And I only use one avocado and cut it into cubes and chop up like 2 cups of spinach and mix them both in. It's good. Try it.

This is the first year I've grown zucchinis and they really are crazy productive, just like everyone says. I've been trying to use them up all kinds of ways. (Mostly legal.) And I think my sister Jaime snuck some of hers into my car last weekend. JAAAIIIMMEEEE. Anyway, here's a know-it-all tip: Pick them when they're small - like only 4-6 inches. They're a lot more tender and juicy and you can use them up quicker. It's hard to catch them when they're small, though - they seem to grow overnight. Anyway, here's a good low-fat zucchini recipe:

Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 C. applesauce
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (you don’t have to have this, but it does add a very nice flavor.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Grease an 8 by 4 by 2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

Combine the butter, oil/applesauce, and sugar. Cream the mixture until smooth. In a separate bowl combine flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Add the egg to the creamed mixture and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time until all is incorporated, and the batter is smooth.

Fold zucchini, and lemon zest into batter.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until golden brown or when skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Well, that's all I got. Bye for now.