My day was pretty normal, so I’ll talk about my Monthly cookbook instead.
Teaching:
We got through a journal, finished a measurement mini-book and learned about the Northwest Territories. That’s it.
Exercise:
Only my walk to and from school and for jog-a-long. I also got 100 squats, 100 crunches, 50 pushups and 50 dips done. I want to run but am thinking maybe it was my long runs that did me in again. I’ll try to refrain until I feel better, but I do dislike that I didn’t make my 100km this month:(
Eating:
I figure you guys are good for keeping me on the straight and narrow so I’ll admit what I ate. A piece of crustless quiche, an apple and granola, a fruit,yogurt and granola parfait, a charcuterie board of one carrot, one celery stalk, 4 mushrooms, hummus, 2 slices of cranberry “cheese” rolled in 2 slices of turkey and a quarter cup of homemade granola.
Wow as I write this, I realize I’ve eaten a lot of granola today! It wasn’t planned, but I’ll try to do better tomorrow! You guys might be good for me😜
Cookbook:
So for the past month and a half I have been cooking out of “The Best of Clean Eating 2”. The book has 207 recipes divided into 9 chapters. The chapters are: Breakfast and Brunch, Sandwiches, Salads and Sides, Soups,Stews and Chilis, Snacks and Starters, Dips and Spreads, Main Courses, Holiday Meals, Clean Desserts, Beverages
To recap the 12 recipes I tried:
Easy Make Ahead Breakfast Quiche
Very easy and customizable, but quite bland:(. Onion and garlic would improve it!
Pear Cheese Quesadillas
Yummy and super easy. Quite sweet so definitely a breakfast food- could use some sort of spice.
Tex Mex Morning Pizzas
Good, must toast the English muffins first!
Mushroom Melts
Uses red onion and soy mozzarella. Mom says delicious. Maybe cut the broccoli slightly smaller and toast bread first so it has a crunch. Glad it has some spices in it though!
Pumpkin and Coconut Soup
Made it with water instead of veggie broth. Very good and easy but definitely needs salt, pepper and the yogurt on top!
Beef Stir Fry
Bland
Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole
Lots of steps! The pesto is good, but the meatballs don’t hold together well and the meatballs and sauce are bland.
Baked Manicotti Bundles
Mixture was very runny! Didn’t stay in noodles well. Very bland and only made 9. Had to spread mix over all of the noodle.
Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean and Feta Penne
Tasty! Would be good for a summer dinner or potluck contribution. Used chili flakes instead of red pepper flakes.
Turkey Pasta Casserole
Very yummy! Needs salt and pepper! I didn’t put the almonds on top and used Daiya cheese.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Didn’t get crispy:(
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Needed two extra minutes to bake. Easy to put together but extremely thin batter. Cupcakes have subtle lemon flavour and though they browned nicely the tops still fell:( think they would benefit from the addition of lemon curd in the centre of the muffin!
I found most of the recipes lacked spice and were quite bland. I also felt like they added unnecessary ingredients just to make recipes “healthier”, aka have more superfoods, etc in them.
I won’t get rid of the book yet, but it is definitely at the bottom of my pile right now!
I already know which cookbook I’m going to start using next week:)
Reading:
I started reading Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan. So far I am enjoying it a lot. I have found the Libby app really good for knocking books off my TBR!
I’m off to read more:)
Have fun!
AJ
I think you gave that cookbook a very fair shake, but it doesn’t sound like a winner. I think I’d copy the recipes I really liked and send it on!
Exactly what I plan to do Kathy! Just thought I should wait and see if there’s a worse one, but you’re right- it’s not like I’m going to go to this one anyways.
Gotta save room in your shelf for the gold mine that’s coming!
Oh I hope so! I always have my eye open for a new allergy cookbook
I’m a big spice person so sometimes I use the spices in a recipe as a suggestion almost. I find that not every recipe in a cookbook will be a winner since my personal taste isn’t the exact same as the write of the cookbook.
I usually make the recipe as written the first time and then do what I like after that. I just found too many of these recipes were bland. I can handle the odd recipe not to my taste, but this was most of the ones I tried:(
Aw that stinks 😦 Hopefully the next cookbook you try is better!
I’m hoping so!
I would like to use my cookbooks the way you are doing. It sounds like fun. Will I do it? I have no idea. Thanks for writing about your experience with this cookbook.
I got the idea from Abbey- three cats and a girl. I enjoyed trying things I probably wouldn’t have otherwise!
It’s so much fun, Anne!! I’d highly recommend trying it!
Oh Always love recipe trials. It is good to know the fails too!
Yes I feel like so many of the recipes could have been great:( I hope for more successes in the next one
Look at all that yumminess!
Thanks! Some were better than others
you made a lot more recipes out of that book compared to what I would have since the flavors were bland and they requested unneeded items. But, then it is fun to try them and find ways to tweak them and make them worthy recipes
I felt like I had to do as many as possible if I was going to “review” it. I’m really thinking that it will be going though.
You’ve been busy cooking/baking/sampling – I don’t know how you fit it all into your schedule!
Lol I don’t do lots of things I should!
Me neither – I try to be “good” or do the right things healthwise, but it is difficult to be good all the time.
Sorry the meals weren’t up to par, but I am definitely impressed with your commitment to trying them all out! I am with you on the spicing up a dish too- the more spices the better!
Definitely! My dad always said he burnt out my taste buds at birth so I need hot and spicy!
lol, makes sense hahah
You certainly gave the cookbook a fair trial, and it sounds like it’s just not what you are looking for. I don’t enjoy bland foods either, so right there with you!
I definitely tried to like it!
I loved the review!! You tried a whole lot and that’s awesome!😊
Thanks:)
Delicious looking meals but too bad they tasted bland. Perhaps you can docotr them up with spices, herbs and fresh veggies next time. I eat a lot of granola too, in my oatmeal peanut butter cup for breakfast, sprinkled in peanut butter on apples and mixed with raisins and nuts.
I love peanut butter! What is this oatmeal peanut butter cup? It sounds delicious!
Simply a mason jar with 1/2 cup steel cut oats ( I like them instead of old fashioned oats because that’s too soggy) sprinkled with granola, 1/2 milk, one tablespoon peanut butter. Shake well. Put in fridge overnight. Add sliced banana or apples and more milk if needed. Eat hot or cold. I prefer it cold.
Oh that sounds good!
It is delicious. Look up mason jar oatmeal cups for other versions!
I will:)
Let me know if you try one!😉
I will!
I meant 1/2 cup milk