Dinnertime Decisions and Other Things

"Mom, this is really good," my oldest remarked as I came in from a walk. She was eating my version of a Pinterest recipe, "Stacked Enchiladas."

It was a busy Tuesday. I wanted to make a quick meal of burritos before one child had to leave, another returned, all had homework and I still needed to squeeze in my walk for the day. The only problem: not enough tortillas for burritos and no car.

So, surveying the "basket of ingredients" I did have (I know, I watch too many Top Chef competitions) and wanting to stick with the Mexican theme, I searched through Pinterest for a recipe I could throw into the oven. Maybe enchiladas? Except, my basket of ingredients didn't include enchilada sauce. I stumbled on one with an easy homemade sauce (now I probably won't ever buy the canned version again since this was so good), browned the ground chicken (in place of the cooked chicken breast), layered black beans, onions, corn and shredded cheese between corn tortillas, and popped it into the oven.  My version didn't look anything like this one, but it was a keeper: /http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-enchilada-casserole-recipe/

One more dinner prepared. As I write this, still savoring my success, I realize I'll need to do the same thing again tonight, only with different time constraints, different people coming and going... Why do we need to eat every night?

We've been kind of busy being sick and going to the doctor's office.

The first kid in our family with a broken bone. Notice the t-shirt he chose to wear to the doctor's office to get his cast.

He's been a real trooper about this injury, even after being told by the doctor that no, it's probably not a good idea to go up skiing again with a cast, even though this year the snow is amazing and he also missed out on the Canada trip. Fortunately, he can still play tennis, even though it is a bit trickier to serve. At least it's on his left arm so it doesn't stop him from doing too much.

I am suffering through another bad cold. After taking all my prescribed antibiotics in February (I needed two courses since I developed a reaction to the first one after day five, and my doctor was being thorough), I felt tons better, although my cough lingered from the bronchitis, which my doctor predicted would happen. Then on Saturday I couldn't get out of bed. I was so tired and headachy and a bit nauseous. I stayed in bed through the weekend and while I have more energy now, I am coughing and sneezing and just plain annoying to most people I'm around. 

I was thinking about the winter after undergoing chemo, when my immune system was still recovering from the attacks, and how I only experienced one minor cold late in the season. I am thankful that my sicknesses hit now and not in those days as I'm sure I would have landed in the hospital. In the midst of wondering when I'm going to feel fully healthy again, I remembered to praise God for his protection when I was most vulnerable. 

I also started thinking that I should work on getting my immune system in better shape. I've not been as diligent on taking the supplements, been a bit more lax on my eating, probably taking in too much sugar. So, yesterday I brewed up a batch of Turmeric Tea. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory benefits. I throw all the ingredients, including unsweetened coconut, ginger and black pepper, into my french press. 

The vibrant color comes from the Turmeric, one of my favorite spices to add to dishes to add a punch of color and health benefits (make sure you also include black pepper to aid in nutrient absorption). In all honesty, this tea is not refreshing. Maybe I put too much ginger in it. Maybe it needs some sweetener or maybe a bit more creaminess. I wonder if I should add a green tea bag so it tastes more like tea. Or maybe it's not supposed to taste any better. I did manage to drink it down and hope that it'll give a bit of a boost to my immune system. If you want to try it, here is the link (again, thanks to Pinterest): http://www.threebeansonastring.com/french-press-turmeric-tea/  Let me know if you find out a way to make it more tasty, too.

Seeing as Nathan and Becca are both battling colds as well, I'm thinking maybe some chicken noodle soup with a sprinkling of Turmeric might be the thing to make for dinner tonight. I can leave a pot simmering on the stove as people come and go from their activities.  Perfect. Another meal planned.

As I relish in my dinnertime decision, I won't even think about needing to shop for Ben's birthday on Friday, not to mention Easter on Sunday. I'm just going to hang here and enjoy this moment of bliss a bit longer...