Chopped and ready....

Looks like I won't have to spend any time at the grocery store this week! I spent a good portion of my morning prepping the remaining vegetables for use over the next few days. Since hubby will be out of town for the majority of next week, I am sure I will have enough vegetables to keep myself going.

Yesterday`'s dinner was "Lisa's Meatballs and Cabbage"- my dear hubby brought up the remaining hamburger from the freezer, which was a two pound package. The result is enough meatballs to feed an army! So, that is what we are having for supper tonight...again! For snacking, I have cut up three peppers, three carrots, and we have a package of snap peas begging to be eaten. All that I need to do is prepare some sort of dip, and we are set for a good movie night at home, or lunch for the next couple of days, depending how things play out this evening. There is something about having prepped veggies at hand that makes me feel like quite the domestic goddess! To see finely diced peppers (I use my Nicer Dicer to chop the ends that aren't as pretty as the strips!) ready for an omelet, or sprinkling into a tossed salad.

Although this new "push the veggies into hubby to get him healthy" program is a bit labour intensive, when you get into the habit of preparing in stages, life is a lot easier. I have made fruit salad twice this week...mega amounts. That just seems to improve with age. Yesterday's effort included a mango and half a pint of blueberries with the standard nectarines. We had the remains for breakfast. With a piece of gluten free toast? I found it just as satisfying as my usual fare of eggs and toast. We are also limiting dairy, so a dab of Greek yogurt went onto the man's fruit, but it just didn't appeal to me. I recently tried a trick to make a nice fruit topping. You drain a container of yogurt overnight in the frig...line a strainer with a coffee filter, and discard the water. Then, you mix in some honey, and cinnamon. Wow! That really is a good topping for fruit. If you added garlic and a few savory spices, it would make a good dip for veggies as well. Hmmmm....off to drain the Greek yogurt! They carry it at Costco now, so that makes my life so much easier! Now, if only they would carry the good Kalamata olives.....ah well. The other stores need a bit of my patronage too!Tonight's supper will be corn on the cob served with some leftover meatballs and cabbage. Definitely need to stay home tonight!

Lisa's Meatballs with Cabbage - use amounts on hand
leftover rice - about a cup
extra lean hamburger - two pounds - I prefer using ground bison
cabbage (I cheat and use preshredded coleslaw mix, or a small head - just leave room for the meatballs!)
onion - sliced finely
celery - about three stalks
tin of diced tomatoes
Fresh Dill to taste...I like LOTS!

1. In a dutch oven layer sliced cabbage, onions and celery. 
2. Add an egg, salt and pepper to the hamburger and rice. Form into walnut sized meatballs and place on the layered veggies.
3. Add some hot sauce to the tomatoes, a good shot of ketchup and about four cloves of finely chopped garlic to the tomatoes...pour over all.
4. Top with fresh dill, slap on the lid and simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces, and the smell fills your home with the most wonderful aroma!

If you feel like fussing? Serve with potatoes, baked or mashed. If not? Just chow down and enjoy!