Recipes

[carpaltunnel]

Romaine lettuce
baby Spinach
red onion slices
Slivered almonds - toast a couple minutes in a hot pan or microwave
1 orange* per serving - lay it on the cutting board and peel with a sharp serrated knife. A steak knife works well. Cut into bite sized pieces.
black olives (optional)
feta cheese crumbled over top
Sometimes I add cooked chicken bits

raspberry vinegrette dressing

I'm addicted!

* The original recipe calls for mandarin oranges but they're all a product of some country I don't buy food from.
Besides, a fresh orange is much better.

[carpaltunnel]

Here's my other trick. I make a whole week's oatmeal at once.

I start with the "whole-est" oat cereal I can find, like Wheat Montana or Bob's Red Mill. Some times I do this with their 5 or 7-grain, or a mix of the two. I cook enough for a week, adding unpeeled chopped apples, cinnamon, a little nutmeg, a handful or two of cranberries (mmmm!). Sometimes I do a change up and use snipped prunes, or raisins. If I add nuts, I stir them in after the oatmeal is cooked.

Let it cool a while then put the pan and all in the refrigerator, with a tight lid. It will set up into a solid block. Tomorrow, carve off a hunk the size you want and put it into the microwave for two minutes. It warms and softens to the original state. You'll never know it wasn't made just minutes ago. Saturday morning wash the pan and start over.

The secret to grainy, toothsome oatmeal is 1. Use whole oats, not processed or instant; and (2) Don't be afraid to boil it. Stick around and stir it, you only have to do this once a week. If you like soft mushy oatmeal just stir the oats into boiling water, turn off the burner, and let it soak with the lid on.

[Jolt]

Chicken stir-fry--chicken breast, veggies (such as broccoli, carrots, peppers, cauliflower etc.), and soy sauce/garlic/ginger. Cook up some brown rice to put it over. Speaking of rice, it freezes well--make a bunch and then put some in Gladware or other freezer container and stick it in the freezer. The turkey chili idea someone posted earlier is also good; with this or soups etc. I always make a large batch and freeze single servings for nights when I'm busy or just too tired to cook.