Kelli is the worst at grabbing chips or something unhealthy to eat. I think it’s especially hard for nurses who work 12 hour overnight shifts as she does. There really isn’t a good time to eat. Then after she works the weekend, she gets thrown back into a normal schedule and is sleeping at night again. It totally screws up her body clock. Add in three kids all two and under and it makes it even harder.
She has made it a goal to try to eat better on the weekends when she is working…less take out…less chips…less junk food in general. I’m so proud of her and it’s hard to make new habits and eat better.
She messaged me the other day all excited as she made something new to her that she could pack with and take to work. It really doesn’t have a name so I’m calling it Seasoned Black-Eyed Pea Mash Up.
She’s eating it in our favorite Pioneer Woman Pasta Bowls. Find them HERE. We laugh and say only good things are eaten in these bowls. Karl has dubbed them “the comfort food bowls”. I’d agree with both statements. 90% of the food I eat is eaten from these bowls.
I asked Kelli if she would pass along a recipe. This is what she wrote:
“So—-fry up bacon and onion, add a spoon of minced garlic and some basil pesto. Quarter some tomatoes—handful and a half maybe…cook brown minute rice in the microwave uncovered. Add one can of seasoned black-eyed peas liquid and all. Add in rice that won’t be cooked completely because you didn’t cover it. Reduce and simmer. Sprinkle with some garlic salt and pepper. The rice will help soak up the extra liquid and season itself. Sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!”
Sorry for all of you people who like precise recipes. We just don’t really cook that way. Give it a try…I’m sure it will turn out. I have been trying to really up my veggie intake. Part to be more healthy, part because I want to use what’s in the garden so I think I am going to add Swiss chard to mine as I have lots in the garden.
I’ll be trying this soon for sure…as fall sets in, so does my love of beans.
Good for Kelli!! Twelve hour shifts are long for all our nurses and then she has to be too tired to cook anything healthy. This dish sounds very good. Kudos to Kelli!
To Kelly, I suspect like many of us, you rarely get an actual 30 minutes. So foods for 5m chunks of time worked for me.
My go-to food at work (OR RN):
1. Tuna salad w/PIta chips
2. Egg salad w/Pita chips
3. In summer, Greek Salad w lots of Feta for the protein.
4. Any stir fry veg with chunked chicken. Can heat a bit at time through the night.
5. Apple or banana and peanut butter
I understand how challenging it is. My first step was not allowing myself to hit a machine or the cafeteria. Best of luck making healthier choices.
Yes, working nights as a nurse is VERY hard on the body! Taking a zip sealed bag of veggies helped me; celery, cucumbers, cauliflower and carrots, etc. and a little hummus as dip in a tiny container. It crunches like chips, and helps with breaking the chip craving. Cherry tomatoes are good, too.
Definitely comfort food! This is a keeper. I think it’s time for that “way marked-down” bag of black eyed peas to come out of hiding. Plus, I have all the ingredients on hand and will even use up one more item on the pantry shelves. Thanks for the recipe, Kelli and thanks for sharing, Jo.
A group of young Moms have developed a menu plan & buy all ingredients then have a “cook day” every 2 weeks at one house. Husbands come too & lend a hand by browning or grilling meat. They bring their own pans & take home their meals for every day but Sunday. Of course they split up the expenses. They’ve gotten more confident & now make food every 3 weeks. Their kids are in many activities (school age) so no need to pick up supper in a drive-through. Win Win !
this was our lifesaver AND my adult daughter still does this for self-use and freezes for emergency meals in the church freezer. win-win
Oh, that sounds tasty. Thanks for sharing, Jo!
Great for Kelly. Quiche is great & easy . Use store refrigerated pie crust
4 eggs, 1 can of evaporated Milk, cheese of choice, ham, or bacon, broccoli,
Or onions, mushrooms , if like . Bake 375 till done . Can cover edges of crust
With foil. Check with toothpick
That sounds great! Bean and rice dishes are my favorites! I like roasted and seasoned garbanzo beans as a chip alternative. My husband works a swing shift at the power plant and it can’t not be overstated how much 12 hour swing shifts mess with our life. Looking forward to retirement! We also have 2 nieces who are nurses and they have the same healthy eating concerns. Good on you, Kelli, for taking proactive steps!
I bet some smoked meat or chicken or sausage added would be delicious
That looks delicious! Will def give it a try