What's Cookin' at My House #4

First of all, I won NaNoWriMo 2013!

..which feels like a very, very big deal, because, in less than thirty days (in 23, precisely), I wrote over 50,000 chronological words. A story. I wrote a story. And it's nearly done. My heroine is about to meet her final challenge before the ending. I'll revise and edit the crap out of this thing, then I'll seek out publishing. My pal Wendy Callahan, author and NaNo Winner, has offered her assistance. And not everyone gets help from a published author! I can't wait. Some day, I, too, will be a published author. 

The novel's name is PARTS, but that's subject to change, and it's about an alternate reality in which human body parts are assigned based on your unique abilities and what your country needs from you. My main characters, Piper, Finn, and Blaize (all subject to change), uncover an ugliness being hidden by the entity overseeing this process, and they work to bring it to the public's attention. They meet every possible obstacle, right up until the last moments. 

My name is Piper Grey. I was born in a woman's ward in Sector Eight, on April 14th, 2033. I was Made fourteen years later. This is my story. 

Anyway, back to the mundane tasks of keeping a home: feeding the clan, to be specific. Clan's a good word here, because we're dabbling in Paleo eating. In the past, low-carb has made us all feel better (with special care to disclude our baby girl, who has the beginnings of kidney disease, and has since birth, so she ate all the grains and veg and fruit the whole time, as too much protein is bad for the kidney she has remaining -- long story for another day) but we all miss the carbie things. Paleo is a nice mix, because it's not low carb -- it's low carbs that make us feel like crap. Plus, it'll help us get over dairy consumption. Dairy does none of us any good. We all have sensitive tummies. 

So we're trying this new thing. Yes, with Thanksgiving stuffed right inbetween. Pun totally intended. Living with the 80/20 mentality which allows for copious chocolate consumption once a month, Thanksgiving will be left as-is. 

Even if you're not Paleo (and we're not Paleo, just dabbling), this is a damn fine menu plan, I think. Anyone would enjoy it. Just add grainy stuff if you need to. 

Monday

Breakfast: Cinnamon Raisin Quinoa (this is really, really good)
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Crock Pot Balsamic Roast, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts
Snack: Kale Chips

Tuesday

Breakfast: Scrambled Veggie Eggs and Sausage
Lunch: Out to eat -- probably not Paleo, to be honest
Dinner: Paleo Chicken Pot Pie
Snack: Fruit and Nuts

Wednesday

Breakfast: Meatsa Omlets -- salami, pepperoni, sausage, and ham bits in an omlet with peppers, tomatoes, and onions, too. 
Lunch: Veggie Soup
Dinner Almond Butter Chicken (we loved this so much last week that we're having it again this week!) with Broccoli and Carrots
Snack: Roasted Root Veggies

Thursday

Thanksgiving

Brunch: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, 
Dinner: French Meet Pies, Yams Hawaiian Style (recipe below), Cornbread Stuffing made with Bacon and Onions, Corn Casserole, and Macaroni and Cheese. Pecan and Pumpkin Pies for dessert. No turkey. No ham. We're just not that into it. 

Friday

Black Friday

Breakfast: Kids will be home and will have leftover pie. Healthy, right? We will be shopping and will have something from the local bakery (equally healthy). 
Lunch: Kids: leftovers. We'll be having once-in-a-European-tour authentic Tex-Mex at a restaurant. 
Dinner: More leftovers. 
Snack: Probably not. 

Saturday

Breakfast: Primal Scotch Eggs
Lunch: Paleo Orange Chicken and Stir-fried veggies
Dinner Sweet Pulled Pork Waffle Sliders & Sweet Potato Fries
Snack: Honey-Cinnamon Roasted Chick Peas

Sunday

Breakfast: Paleo Pancakes and Scrambled Eggs
Lunch: Green Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Dinner Paleo Pan-Fried Chicken, Cole Slaw, and Roasted Root Veggies
Snack: Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs


Yams Hawaiian Style

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans yams, mashed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 15 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook and stir until heated through. Couldn't be simpler. 

In other news, beginning Friday and extending through Christmas Eve, I will have daily posts detailing homemade gifts, decorations, and other fun stuff you can make for the holidays. It's a Very Pinteresting Christmas, by Yours Truly. I hope you'll come back then.