“And are we yet alive and see each other’s face?”

Illness robs us of our tastebuds as well as our sense of smell. Sickness often robs a person of their appetite, but I’ve never had that problem. Somehow I’ve managed to eat my way through the mumps, measles, chicken pox, mononucleosis, and morning sickness. Yep, I learned how to keep my head perfectly still, grab the saltine crackers placed strategically near my bedside, and gum those square flour curatives slowly until my stomach settled. 

Once I was out of bed, I was starving. My huge breakfast would be gone by ten. I’d have an early lunch, and then another lunch at noon. By two pm, I was ravenous, but I couldn’t have dinner. I hit the ice cream container in the freezer. By four, I was exhausted, so I napped. All that chewing had tired me out. I usually rallied for dinner, and for the bedtime snack. I ate six large meals per day. My doctor said I could “Eat for two,” but I don’t think he meant two adult persons. 

I’ve never understood folks who lose their appetite. My daddy would think about his next meal as soon as he finished the current one. My mother, on the other hand, ate because it was necessary. Food wasn’t a joy to anticipate, but a function comparable to breathing. It had to be done, but one didn’t think too much about it. I always anticipate my next meal. If I’m not planning for it, or getting excited about it, something is wrong. 

This is why I like to use fresh, seasonal ingredients. Cooking with the seasons keeps your menus fresh. When food is in season, it is also at its best value. I live in the southern USA, and while we can get Mexican tomatoes in the winter, they aren’t as good as the rest of the year. They’re also more expensive. I don’t use tomatoes too much during the winter, but I’ll appreciate them all the more when they come back in season once again. 

While dinner was in the oven tonight I entered the ingredients into the Spark people recipe calculator. It has a function to post your portions to your daily meal records. I like the convenience of knowing what I’m actually eating, nutrition and calorie wise, rather than estimating. It’s a matter of accountability and discipline. 

When I do the wild & crazy dance (eating a 500 calorie chocolate bar for lunch, for instance…), I know I’m going to record this too! This was an easy meal to make, especially since I used leftover quinoa. I ate two portions tonight. I was out shopping for sandals today and decided to take it easy in the kitchen. 
  This makes a healthy alternative for a potluck or covered dish supper.
Minutes to Prepare: 10

Minutes to Cook: 35

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 cup Ancent Harvest’s Quinoa, Traditional, Organic (1/4 cup dry / 46 grams) 

8 oz Beef, 90% Lean Ground Beef from Sirloin 

.5 cup, chopped Onions, raw 

2 serving Garlic 

1 tbsp Cilantro, raw 

1 tbsp Basil 

3 plum tomato Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average 

3 oz Mozzarella Cheese, part skim milk 

3 large Egg, fresh, whole, raw 

12 spear, medium (5-1/4″ to 7″ lo Asparagus, fresh 

Cook quinoa according to package directions or use leftovers. Brown 8 ounces of ground beef. Add 1/2 cup onions chopped. Cook till tender but not limp. Add 2 or more cloves chopped garlic to taste. Stir in chopped cilantro, basil, diced tomatoes, and Turn off heat. 

Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray. Lay clean trimmed asparagus across bottom. Put meat & tomato mix evenly over asparagus layer. 
Spread 3 oz mozzarella cheese over meat. Spread 2 cups cooked quinoa over this. Then mix 3 eggs in separate bowl. Pour evenly over top. Put into preheated 350F oven. 

Directions:

This could take 30 to 35 minutes at 350 F depending on the humidity outside. 

Serving Size: Makes 6 large portions or 8 lady sized portions. Serve with salad or veggies as a side. 

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 269.1

Total Fat: 10.0 g

Cholesterol: 124.6 mg

Sodium: 129.4 mg

Total Carbs: 25.3 g

Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g

Protein: 19.4 g