Soup. Yes. Yes, please.

The other day going up and down the aisle of  Big Lots and was surprised to see such a great selection of food!  I found Bob's Red Mill Vegi Soup Mix for......$3.50!  
Servings per container is 7.  $3.50 for a meal for a family of 4 and then some!  
Freezing the leftovers is a definitely plus for this mom.  You can add your meat or faux meat or more vegetables but honestly there is no need.  It already has 21 grams of protein.  Ingredients are: green split peas, yellow split peas, barley, lentils and vegetable pasta.  
Before I leave to take my chickadee to gymnastics, I'm going to pop some ingredients into the bread machine and by the time I get home I can just relax and eat and get the kids ready for bed.  
No rushing around trying to figure out what I am going to feed the family.


1 1/2 Basic Egg Bread


1 cup milk (I'm using soy unsweetened milk)
1 egg (I'm using ener-g egg replacer)
1 tablespoon butter (Earth Balance has been my favorite for the past few months)
3 cups bread flour (or whatever flour you have.  just check the packaging)
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast or bread machine yeast


follow the manufacturer's directions.  


I can almost smell the yumminess!

Our local library was able to budget the new kids book club.  I was so excited when I received word of this.  My kids loved the club (Snacktime Readers renamed Book Central).  To be able to sit around a table with snacks and drink with a librarian and discuss the book of the month was something we all missed.  Every month discovering a new book to read is always a thrill.  Our local library will be hosting it's annual One Book One Glendale...For Younger Readers featuring one of our local authors Janet Tashjian.  On previous years we have met local authors Kazu Kibuishi and Amy Goldman Koss.  
For my local readers your readers 4th - 8th grades should totally join us  on November 1 7pm  for snacks and conversation about the book, My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian.  If you come by the Glendale Central Library, go upstairs to the children's area and ask the librarian for a copy so that you can join the group.  

Not so Spicy Black Bean Chili

Publishing this again since it is "what's for dinner".  
You can make this chili stretch by having it with steamed brown rice.
It's not 80 degrees today (right now in the mid 60s) so we still have autumn feel although it's winter. 





GO GIANTS!!


I remember growing up in New York, autumn was a time for new clothes, excitement of school, leaves on the ground, cool weather and lots of hot meals like chili.

Here in California, autumn is still a time of new clothes, excitement of school, leaves on the ground.  Very hard to be excited about the weather since it hardly changes.  For example, this morning when walked up the road to Smart and Final (a little bit like Costco except no membership fees and only items for the kitchen) it was 80 degrees.  Definitely not sweater weather or a hot meal for some.  I had on my attire for a quick trip to the store. NY Yankee shirt, yoga pants and flip flops.  Last year I was able to wear flip flops until November when it started getting 'nippy'.  

But chili.

Chili I can have all year round.  Yummy with a side of cornbread.  I found at my local Big Lots a package of Marie Calender's Southwestern Cornbread.  

Today's meal cost me under $15 for a family of 4.

Nutritious and delicious and totally vegan.

(Not So) Spicy Black Bean Chili

from the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder (more or less for taste)

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

2 15-oz cans black beans

1 cup water

1 4-oz can diced green chiles, drained

salt and pepper 

Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium heat.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds more.

Transfer the mixture to the crock pot (4 quart is good but if you want to double it make it a 6 quart).  

Add the tomatoes, beans, water and chiles.

Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serves 4.

You can definitely double this and save in the freezer for a weekend meal.  Yummy with brown rice, cornbread or whatever you fancy.

A great meal for Meatless Monday.  Honestly, you won't miss the meat and great to serve to those who think meat makes a meal.

It's About To Get Crazy Up in Here!

Ready to fire up your crock pot/slow cooker?  
Starting next week the Glendale YMCA Performing Arts Academy opens!  
I am very excited for this new program.  
Mondays & Wednesdays kids will be dancing Latin Fusion with the awesome Ani Hovhannisyan from 4:30pm to 5:30pm and then learn to Jazz Funk from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays your children will learn and understand the art of Acting and Improvisation with the very cool Jonaton Wynne from 4:00pm to 5:00pm.
Also on Tuesdays and Wednesdays the world renowned Solid Gold dancer, Darcel Wynne-Leonard will be teaching Dance and Motion. 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
Fridays the talented Karl Melero will be guiding the children through Creative and Expressive Art from 4:30pm to 5:30pm.
We are so excited to be a part of this program!
So, because of our packed days, (not only the above mentioned activities but also gymnastics, AWANA, homework, schoolwork, auditions, callbacks, and filming) I will be dusting off my crock pot (I haven't used it for about 2 weeks to cook da beans) and experimenting with new and not so new vegetarian/vegan recipes.  Take advantage of  the fall fruits and vegetables from your local farmer's market and in your local supermarket chose your produce that are grown locally!
My teen (former home schooler) really likes school.  I think she enjoys competing with other students to get that A and she is such a social butterfly.   So far all A's in her class!
Her drama class are doing a fundraiser selling chocolates bars for $1.  I will have them with me starting this weekend.  The goal, to start off, will be 50 bars.  Maybe we will try for 100 if it goes well. So, if you would like to help out Celina and her fellow drama queens and kings buy one.  Sorry I can't ship out.  That defeats the purpose of raising funds for the drama class. 
Money goes towards field trips.  

a great summer

In the middle of cleaning my refrigerator I realized I haven't written.
So many changes here at home.
My middle child is now in public school.  She started the 8th grade is likes it.  The only complaint is how easy the classes are.
My youngest is still homeschooling and is happy with this new chapter of having mami all to herself.
It is a change of pace where it's only one child schooling.
I miss my mini-me like crazy but I am happy for her independence.
Her schedule is hectic with drama, theater, homework, volunteering, and dancing. I fear she will have to drop dancing but I am so glad she had the opportunity to train this summer with the fantabulous Darcel Wynn Leonard and with Eddie Padilla.
It has been an awesome.
Now back to homeschooling and hanging in the kitchen.
:-)