1. In one pot, make enough brown rice for about 6-8 servings.
2. In a large skillet or another large pot, simmer together:
   • chopped zuchinni
   • chopped onion
   • chopped green pepper
   • chopped tomato and green chilis (I used a can of Rotel tomatoes.)
   • 1-2 cans of black beans with the liquid
   • 1-2 cups of fresh corn or a can of corn (I didn’t use corn today, but it would’ve been yummy.)
   • 1-2 tsp. of real salt (Real salt provides a bunch of trace minerals.)
   • 2-3 tsp. of no-MSG taco seasoning (You can mix this up yourself, but today I used a prepared mix.)
   • minced garlic or garlic powder to taste (which for me would be about 1/2 to 1 tsp.)
3. When your rice is finished cooking, mix it into your simmering vegetable mix. Stir and add a little water if necessary to make it a stew consistency.
4. Serve in bowls with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. DELICIOUS!

The other day right after lunch, my three-year-old daughter said, “This is a happy meal!” Of course, I was delighted at her happiness and said, “I’m so glad you’re happy.” Later my fifteen-year-old son brought up the fact that most kids think “Happy Meals” come from a drive through. I thought about that and was so amused.

This little girl lives in a world where she is surrounded by people who love her and watch out for her (sometimes read “boss her”). She has at least one parent immediately available to her almost all the time unless we’re out together. She is warm, safe, and regularly fed. She climbs in clean sheets at night, with clean jammies on. She has a big sister right near by if she’s scared at night. There’s always something going on around here to join in on. There are usually potential playmates available. Even Daddy has been known to play dollhouse! And this day, after a lunch with her family, she stood up on the bench and told me she had just had a happy meal.

What was so great about that meal in particular? I don’t know. The lunch fare wasn’t special. No exceptional things had transpired. She was just happy about having shared a meal with all the faces that fill her world everyday. That’s the kind of happy meal I can afford, and the kind I can feel good about providing. We all have so much to be thankful for. I’m glad my little girl told me about her happy meal.

Biscuits are a great addition to any meal. They are economical and customize-able. You can adjust the recipe to accommodate dietary needs and preferences as well as the theme of the meal. We usually trade out some or all of the flour for organic wheat or spelt flour. We buy this in 25 pound bags for less than a dollar a pound! We use aluminum-free baking powder instead of the kind you can buy at Wal-Mart which contains aluminum. Instead of butter or shortening, I use organic plain yogurt. And I always use the drop biscuits option which simply calls for more milk so you plop dough instead of having to knead and cut your biscuits. Sprinkling a little cornmeal on your pan will help keep the biscuits from sticking.

From your basic recipe and dietary adaptations, the sky is the limit! Try one of the following additions:

• Raisins, cinnamon and sweetener of your choice
• Shredded cheese and onion powder
• Shredded cheese and taco-type seasonings
• Dill weed
• Rosemary, basil, oregano and garlic powder
• Seeds or nuts with or without sweetener of your choice
• Oats instead of some of the flour

Cooking from scratch can seem daunting when you have a house full of people to take care of! Who should deserve to buy premade foods and mixes more than you? But honestly, you will feed your family higher quality food at better prices if you are willing to “make your own”. A great thing to do with some or all of your children is have a mix-making session. Measure out all your dry ingredients into large Ziploc bags or left over containers and label “biscuit mix”. With our family of 8, we have to double the typical recipe. You can whip out 4 or 5 mixes in no time. The kids love to measure out the flour, salt and baking powder and dump them into the containers. You will love the convenience of pulling out your homemade mix when you want to make breakfast or a tasty side dish. Your family will love the fresh, hot biscuits.

If you love the rich higher calorie dressings, there are plenty to choose from. Newman’s Own brand dressings impress our family because there are a bunch of yummy flavors and they really do have nicer ingredient lists. We can buy these at Wal-Mart. We also buy those spray-on kind of dressings that don’t really compare to “regular” salad dressing but help you hold down your calories. At this point in my life (and weight) I’d rather eat more salad and toppings with skimpy dressing than less food with luxurious dressing!

Salad can only be considered a meal at our house if the lettuce becomes the base for a vast assortment of other veggies, crunchies (like seeds, croutons, broken pretzels or tortilla chips), protein (like eggs, beans, meats or cheeses), and dressing. I have had some delicious salads with fruit added in, but that is not an opinion shared by everyone at my house. Even pasta or rice can be delicious mixed in with all the other salad goodies.

This is a great meal to serve during the summer months when gardens are flourishing. But we have salad with toppings year ’round. The possibilities are endless depending on the options you provide. You could have a Mexican, Asian, or pizza themed salad. Be creative! If you provide enough protein options for the salad, you should be able to satisfy people until the next meal, or at least the next snack!! (Did I mention we’ll probably eat popcorn tonight while we listen to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader?)

On the practical side, mashed potatoes are very versatile. They are also inexpensive and filling. Here’s a few ways we’ve enjoyed them at our house:

• Thinned to potato soup – can be embellished with corn, cheese, celery, onion
• As a base or topping for a chicken or beef potpie-type filling
• As a base for chili
• As a base for taco meat – can be embellished with the typical taco toppings
• As a base for meatloaf-flavored meat mixture
• As a tasty side dish, especially when the kids may not love the entree’

Happy mashing! By the way, children LOVE to make mashed potatoes too. Just don’t let them lift the mixer out while it’s still on. . .