While Preparing Supper

I started writing this blog in my mind while preparing supper tonight. You see, I could actually think while I was working. This was because of two things, 1) school was finished before supper (hallelujah) and 2) Aliza and Josiah were watching the Mary Poppins DVD they checked out at the library. So it was me and Anna preparing low cab Sloppy Jo Stuffed Peppers.

Here's what I was thinking. TV/screen time/DVDs can be a godsend. I spend a lot of energy working to maintain balance in the area of screen time and I have seen some outspoken blog posts recently on the horrors that occur in your children's minds and bodies from too much screen time, but, on the flip side, can't I just cook dinner in peace once in a while? Not every night. Maybe not once a week. But once in a while? A treat for myself...and the children. Without guilt.

My other strain of thought was how far I've come in my low carb cooking. Jeremy has lost 10 pounds and is signed on to this lifestyle of eating low carb/low sugar. As I said, tonight was Sloppy Jo Stuffed Peppers. They were good! It's the first time I followed a recipe for sloppy jo's. I always made them like my Mom did growing up--just ketchup and mustard. Not tonight! Tonight it was onion, garlic, Worcestershire Sauce etc. I made Egg Muffins the other day for Jeremy to heat up for breakfasts. (I'm not sure those were a huge hit.) Another big hit was Zucchini Lasagna--zucchini in place of noodles.

The other part of supper preparation is making salads for Jeremy and I. I'm getting more efficient as time goes on. Some nights Josiah and Anna help make salads and it is such a big mess and it seems I drag a thousand ingredients out of the fridge only to have to put them away again. Tonight I had one of those moments where I thought I was a genius. I chopped a whole head of lettuce and put it in a gallon ziploc bag. Tomorrow all I have to do is grab a handful from the bag and throw it in a bowl!

Then I served supper and the conversation in my mind was over!