Mom's On A Diet :: New Recipe Box

*Note: I have no applicable pictures for this post, so the following are pictures of the somewhat-less-than-impressive-but-still-cute transformation of a recipe box that I picked up in the "See Spot" section of Target, using DearLizzy "Thickers." Ta-daaaaa.

I totally got sucked in the last time I went to Target...but I'm not mad. 

I really like food. 

I feel a little weird saying that...like I can almost hear people dropping their dumbbells and turning to stare...but it's true. I like food. I like the flavor, the color, the texture, the nostalgia...food is a good part of life! Can we agree on that? Food is good!

I know it's not a big deal for some people. I know that there are beings in the universe that live by the "food is fuel" mantra, and they really only regard it as something to power their bodies. While I find that outlook fascinating and respectable, I have no desire to embrace it for myself. Beyond that...I have no desire for my kids to embrace it for themselves.

I feel weird saying that, too. Like now all the moms are looking up from behind steamed broccoli, mouths agape, texting "smh" to each other...

I want my kids to be healthy, don't get me wrong. But I want their health to be whole...more than just physical. I want them to be physically, emotionally, relationally, mentally, and spiritually fit...and I kind of think food has to be more than just fuel for that to be the case. I want them to see culture and history in food....to feel connected to their roots when they have paska at Easter and be grateful for someone else's roots the first time they are blown away by curry. I want them to enjoy the nostalgia in food...to have fun eating popcorn during a movie, or sinking their teeth into the goodness that is a cheesy pizza on a Friday night. I do want them to know what their food is doing in their bodies...to take a second helping of roasted brussels sprouts (or a third, like babyhig did the other night!), or stop eating when they're full.

I want them to have a healthy relationship with food.

Recipe box :: Target // DearLizzy Thickers :: Moments to Milestones (local paper/scrapbooking store)

I think one of the greatest things I can do to encourage that healthy relationship is to avoid having my kids say, "Mom's on a diet."

Blech. My mom didn't do any fad dieting or anything to scar me while I was growing up, but for some reason everything within me recoils at that phrase. I remember hearing my friends say it. I remember women saying they were dieting. I remember husbands joking about their wives' diets. It was never like a, "Good for her, she's going after her health!" It always felt more shameful. "Don't let her near the cake, she'll have a breakdown!"

I want them to see me enjoying good food exactly as it's appropriate...the right times, the right amounts, the right reasons. I don't want them to perceive any shame in the way I treat my body, I just want them to see me being a good steward of that which I was given.

I was having an "Alice in Wonderland" moment...

That's one of the reasons I'm enjoying the 21 Day Fix so much...the food is just...normal food. I was really pleased when I started the first round to find that I didn't need to change very much about what was in my fridge, pantry, or freezer. I needed to change a little bit about what was hitting my plate -- a little more green, a little less cheese -- but our meals were more or less the same. That makes me so so glad. 

"What should we have for dinner? Oh, hey...why don't we just eat this!" Ya feel me?

So we eat food. Good food. Good for the body, good for the soul...good for my family.

I'm going to finish up with a couple of "Fix-approved" recipes that I really like because my family really likes them. I'm curious to hear what you think of my "food philosophy" though! Does the moms-on-a-diet mentality spark anything in you? Do you have any tips on having and teaching a good relationship with food?

OMG Fakeout Chicken (modified from a Pinterest recipe for "OMG Chicken")

• 2 or 3 b/s chicken breasts
• Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
• 1 c greek yogurt
• 1 c cottage cheese
• 1/2 c parmesan cheese
• garlic (I use tons...but a T of minced or 3 fresh cloves would probably suffice)
• dried or fresh herbs of your choosing (I like parsley & rosemary)

Set oven to 425. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that they are thin and wide (think cutlets, not chicken strips), pat them dry with a paper towel, and layer them in a 9x13 baking dish.Sanitize everything because raw chicken is disgusting.Combine greek yogurt, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl. Mix well.Spread yogurt mixture over chicken in pan, then place in oven and bake for 30ish minutes until chicken is cooked through.Turn on broiler and move chicken under for 3-5 minutes...just enough to put a pretty golden crust on the yogurt mixture.

Fix Enchilada Filling

• 1 c greek yogurt
• 1 c rotisserie chicken
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can Rotel, partially drained OR salsa of your choosing
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 poblano peppers, seeds removed and diced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• garlic (as much as you can handle)
• cilantro, fresh or dried
• Taco/Southwestern seasoning 

Combine greek yogurt, chicken, black beans, and Rotel in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Saute onion & peppers in olive oil over medium-high heat til soft and slightly translucent. Add garlic and cook til very fragrant. (Garlic will cook quickly, don't burn it!) Add cilantro and taco seasoning and stir a few times to really incorporate flavor into vegetables. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before combining vegetables with yogurt mixture. Stir well.For enchiladas: spoon mixture into whole wheat tortilla shells, roll into enchiladas, and place in baking pan. Spread any leftover filling over top of enchiladas, then top with salsa and a sprinkle of cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through and cheese has melted.