New recipe this week: beef barley soup

Since I am dairy free (again) and my diet is limited, I'm trying to get out of my rut and try something new each week. Two weeks ago it was the pasta e fagioli I posted, which was pretty good. I could doctor it up a bit, but it was edible. Last week I made a quinoa/chicken/green olive stew that ended up being AMAZING! So good that I think I ate 90% of it and I am not really one to enjoy leftovers. It was so good that I would still be eating it now if I could. This week I'm trying out a new, easy looking beef barley soup in the crock pot. I need something that makes leftovers (that I'll eat), that is easy to make (ergo the crock pot) and that is good for a night when we're crazy busy with activities Have I mentioned I have a 6 month old who does not like to be put down lately? So, crockpot soup it is. P.S. Don't tell the husband that I am sacrificing one of his filet mignons for the soup.

New dairy free recipe of the week

I'm so bored with eating the same thing every week that I've decided to look for new recipes this fall. Since dairy soups are out of the question right now, I've been searching for easy, yummy, soupy, stewy recipes and came across this one. It has quinoa, one of my new loves. And, green olives. Sounds interesting. It's supposed to be made on the stove, but I have little time for actual cooking these days, so it's in the crock pot at the moment. Hopefully it's edible tomorrow.

Dairy free Pasta e Fagioli

A new dairy free recipe I'm trying out this week is Pasta e Fagioli recipe. I have soup stock on hand and I need an easy meal for activity night, so viola! Pasta e Fagioli it is. Will report back on how it goes over with the husband and BooBoo (the only ones usually interested in eating my "cooking"). It was pretty darn good. I bought frozen mirepoix mix, which I love, but should have sauteed a little bit longer. The husband liked it. The BooBoo did not. Not surprised.

I'm baaaaaack, again!

So, it's been awhile since I've written a blog entry. Almost 3 years and my how things have changed. My picky three-year old is now seven ... and still picky. I'm still a full time working mom, but I have three kids now, not two. As such, I've updated my name to 3Bs' mom, because I'm mom to Bug, BooBoo and Basher. And yes Basher (6 months) is dairy intolerant too. BooBoo is now in kindergarten and still called BooBoo. Bug is rarely called Bug, more like Bud and he's in second grade. We're still dairy free here, me again too since I'm nursing Asher. I won't complain, though. As I've always said, it's easy for me to give it up for a year, my kids face that challenge for much longer. My half caf is tasting just fine with a splash of vanilla soy milk. Since my last post Daiya cheese has come into my life and BOY has it made being dairy free so much easier. BooBoo and I enjoy Daiya pizzas regularly, my latest version included sliced green olives and tomatoes (Bug would never dare try some). Yum yum! This week I'm making fajita chicken quesadillas for dinner one night, even the husband will get one since we don't mix milk and meat. This is what I call "cooking" now that I've got two kids in grade school. Eeks! Hope to check in again before the next three years pass.