Dinner and Tips

Tonight I'm going to discuss dinner. Not just the food, but other important aspects. 

Since my children were little, we have had family dinner at the table. I think it's critical to family unity and communication. It takes effort and coordination to make this happen, but it is well worth it. 

Now, most nights my hubby and I are empty nesters. We eat dinner together, even if it's late because I'm working. We take turns cooking. 

So dinner tips:

Plan ahead. I used to meal plan 2 weeks at a time when I was feeding 3-5 kids. I'd grocery shop accordingly, and there was no "what are we eating tonight" stress. More importantly, there were no stops for fast food! 

Ambience - a new player, but I like it. We are eating on my screened porch while weather permits. Fresh flowers, even grabbed in a field, in a small case add life. Some low calming background music also helps. 

Presentation- well, just getting food on the table can be a feat a lot of days. But little touches can make it seem like you're doing something special. And you are! 

Here's a photo from tonight's porch dinner: 

Dinner - chicken piccata. 4-6oz chicken breast, pounded with a mallet to 1/2" or less thickness. Dredged in egg, then almond flour (my diabetic version. I don't do flour). Heat shallow wide pan with olive pile, then pan fry chicken until crisp and cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste. To finish, squeeze juice of a lemon over chicken, toss in some capers, and serve with fresh lemon slices. 

Salad: arugula, a poached egg, balsamic vinegar drizzle, salt and pepper to taste. 

Green beans with fresh garlic, salt and pepper. 

The cheesecake is an Atkins recipe with a macadamia nut crust. Very low carb. Fresh blueberries sautéed briefly with fresh lemon juice squeeze and Splenda to taste. 

I'm stuffed and have chicken and beans to take to work as leftovers. It is a healthy living meal! 

A little planning goes a long way. This meal was made in about 30 minutes. Cheesecake was made on Mothers Day. 

See what changes you can make to have more success at dinner time!

e b e r