Eggs. Fair game any time of the day

2 eggs with 2 toast 4 dinner

I've always enjoyed eggs and I'm sure I've eaten enough to keep more than a few egg farms in business over the years. I know they are high in cholesterol but I don't have trouble with my cholesterol levels likely because I'm not overweight. I also know that eggs are high in fat but I don't have trouble with that either because, well, see above....

When I was in university and living in my basement apartment scraping by with next-to-no-money, eggs were one of the few things I could afford. They were cheap, filling and easy to make on my hotplate. Fast forward a gazillion years and here I am, still enjoying eggs as much as ever. They are still cheap (thank goodness) and very easy to prepare. My favourite dinner lately has been a couple of eggs fried in a bit of olive oil and served on toast, sometimes with grated cheese, usually with ketchup. It's quick to do and very filling so when there aren't enough left-overs for all of us, I'll feign disappointment then run and grab my crepe pan.

So next time you're caught a little short on supplies and the dinner bell is about to ring, grab the eggs out of the fridge and ask everyone how they want theirs done. You might feel like a short order cook, but dinner will be on the table in no time and happiness will prevail. Maybe.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Christian made these cookies last night.

I love oatmeal cookies and I have tried countless recipes over the years with limited results. Somehow they'd never taste as good as the ones bought at trade shows or county fairs. But if those families had great recipes to follow, surely I could find one too.

Cookies are a part of our diet and they can be part of your diet too. If you're overweight and you love cookies, they don't need to be your downfall. They are a DESSERT and if you treat them like a DESSERT, cookies will always know their place.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as a "healthy" cookie. The only cookies that exist are "dessert" cookies. If you try to convince yourself that a cookie is healthy, you won't have just one, you'll have 10 "because they're healthy". But reminding yourself that cookies are DESSERTS, you won't be tempted to overdo it. Having one with your afternoon coffee is ok. Having 5 is criminal activity and a major set-back to reaching your weight-loss goal. 

My oldest will be 9 in March and lately he's been in charge of making the cookies on the weekend. I help him read the recipe and I crack the eggs but otherwise I limit my hovering and let him do the measuring and stirring. Last night we tried yet another oatmeal cookie recipe and * wait for it * it might actually be a keeper. In other words, we'll make them again and this is major progress in the search for The Perfect Homemade Oatmeal Cookie.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies  (Darlene Kronschnabel, Cookie Cookbook, Wisconsin 1977, p.6)
Mix together;
1 c butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
In another bowl, mix together;
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Add flour mixture to butter mixture then stir in;
1/2 c milk
Once that is combined, add;
2 c uncooked rolled oats
2 c raisins
Stir to combine. Bake at 375F for 11 mins. 

Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies with a few missing....

Pizza your way

Homemade pizza means you control the calories

Pizza is a big deal in our house. It's on the menu every Sunday night and has been for years. I used to buy some of the popular store brand pizzas when they were on sale, but when I'd bake them up and see all the oil on the surface and taste all the salt, I really questioned whether I was doing myself or my family any favours by serving it. Sure homemade pizza is more work, it's probably one of the more involved meals you make during the week, but when you think about the control you have over the ingredients, it's a classic case where the pros (health benefits) far outweigh the cons (time it takes to prepare).  You're in control of the calories and in the 'big picture' approach to your new habits for a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle, this goes a long way. Health is not about sacrificing and self-denial, it's about being smart; cooking smart and eating smart. 

This is the pizza I made last night. It has "no vegetables" on the kids' half, orange and yellow peppers on our half and hot hot hot peppers on my section. Made to order. Which is a lot easier than picking off the toppings the kids don't like from the store bought pizzas.

Pizza making tips

• make your own dough. Switch some of the all purpose flour for whole wheat (no more than 1/2 cup) and add some oregano. You'll have a crust way better than any you can buy.
• use your favourite pasta sauce with vegetables instead of pizza sauce. They boys throw a fit if they think there are any vegetables on their pizza. By using pasta sauce with the chunks of tomato and carrot in it, they have no idea there are veggies lurking under the pepperoni and cheeses
• buy skim milk (or light) mozzarella cheese, NOT the mozzarella cheese that's marked 'For Pizza'. The 'For Pizza' cheese is much higher in fat and adds nothing but calories so choose the light cheese instead
• store the mozzarella cheese in the freezer and defrost it when it's time to make the pizza. The lower fat content in the cheese makes is very easy to crumble when it's been frozen. This is a big time-saver because instead of grating the cheese, all you have to do is rub 2 chunks of it together and it falls apart into little beads. Super easy to spread.
• be smart when you choose your toppings. Orange peppers, yellow peppers, green onions, anything goes. If you're using mushrooms, cook them in the microwave first to get rid of the moisture, then put the cooked mushrooms on the pizza. Zucchini is the most gutless vegetable out there, it has absolutely no flavour so adding slices of it to your toppings doesn't ruin your pizza but it does give it more vitamins.
• slice the pepperoni THIN and if you like, cut each slice in 1/2 (so they look like 1/2 a circle). Spread them over the pizza but not so they're touching. The pepperoni is adding flavour and you don't need a lot of it.
• cover the entire pizza with fresh ground black pepper. It adds a really nice twist.

So when you're doing your grocery shopping this week, plan ahead and pick up a few extra things so you can make pizza on the weekend. I guarantee it will turn into a family tradition.