So, I know what you’re thinking, “She hasn’t made all her daily meals at home once this week. Ain’t no way she’ll do it today.” Well, my friends, let’s see …

Breakfast made at home? Check. Lunch made at home? Check. Dinner made at home? Check. Umm, I think this means I finally did it … three homemade meals today … it’s a miracle!

Our breakfast this morning consisted of what I’m calling “HATTAMEM” breakfast sandwiches, ie, “Healthier And Tastier Than A McDonald’s Egg McMuffin” breakfast sandwiches. The “recipe” if you will …

Healthy and Hearty Breakfast Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon
• 2 English muffins
• 2 ounces white cheddar cheese, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 1 generous handful sunflower or pea shoots

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place bacon on a parchment-covered cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. While bacon is cooking, toast English muffins. Top each muffin bottom with 1 ounce cheddar cheese and set aside.

3. Cook eggs to desired doneness, and place one on top of each cheese-topped muffin bottom. Remove bacon from oven, and place 1 1/2 slices on top of each sandwich.

4. Top each sandwich with sunflower or pea shoots and muffin lid.

Notes: We use Rudi’s Organic Bakery Whole Grain Wheat English muffins; they are big, tasty, loaded with fiber, and are only 2 Weight Watchers points each. We also use local eggs and local nitrate-free bacon to make these sandwiches. Why local? Because it’s better for you and the environment, that’s why. Finally, arugula or spinach can be substituted for the shoots.

Each breakfast sandwich was 10 Weight Watchers points, which may seem to be a lot, but it was a hearty, filling breakfast … and with a cup of Goshen Coffee Company’s Bonafide blend to top it off, I was primed and ready to take on the day.

For lunch, I threw together some mixed greens, shredded chicken breast, dried cranberries, and organic “french-fried” onions, which I topped with a fat-free raspberry dressing from our cafeteria at work. I normally wouldn’t choose fat-free, but it was the only dressing option without high-fructose corn syrup, which Chuck and I are also eliminating from our diet. Okay, there was blue cheese dressing, which I would have rather used, but the amount of fat in the tiny packet was outrageous … and I just couldn’t go there.

But, the best meal I had today was the dinner Chuck made tonight. We selected the recipe from the March/April 2010 issue of Eating Well Magazine on Monday when we were planning out our meals, and I had been looking forward to it ever since. I was really hoping it wouldn’t disappoint … and I am happy to say that it was amazing. Put your hands together for …

Lamb Burgers Topped with Mache Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon zest, divided
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon greek seasoning (We use Cavender’s)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup unseasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground lamb, preferably from the leg
• 4 whole-wheat sandwich buns
• 4 cups mache (lamb’s lettuce) or coarsely chopped butterhead lettuce

Directions:

1. Whisk oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, greek seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper (to taste) in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Combine breadcrumbs, chives, garlic, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add lamb and gently knead until combined. Form into 4 patties.

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the patties; cook until there is just a hint of pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, warm or toast buns, if desired. Add mache (or lettuce) to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Place the lamb burgers on the buns and top with salad greens (a generous 3/4 cup each) and tzatziki-style dressing (recipe below).

Notes: Wheat germ or whole-wheat panko can be sustituted for the breadcrumbs. English muffins also make a great “bun” for these burgers as well. Finally, arugula or spinach can be substituted for the mache.

Tzatziki-Style Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 (5.3 oz) carton organic Greek yogurt, plain
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a small shallot, minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.

2. Serve; refridgerate leftovers.

Umm. Yeah. These burgers ROCKED! Next to Chuck’s “Ultimate Bacon Burger” at Persimmon Woods, this was the second best burger I’ve ever had! The flavor of the burger combined with the crunch of the salad and the creaminess of the tzatziki-style dressing was out of this world; seriously, I can’t believe how amazing they were!

The recipe makes four burgers so we’ve already decided to make the other two on Monday (simply freeze two of the patties in a freezer bag). And best of all, one burger with two tablespoons of dressing was only 8 Weight Watchers points.

Tomorrow is a busy day for me so I don’t know whether I’ll hit the “homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner trifecta,” but either way, we’re really thinking about what we consume and eating healthier … which is what it’s all about.

It’s day two of my week of eating in, a week in which I’ve pledge to make all my meals at home. Yesterday, I made one of three meals at home. Today? Two of three … that’s progress, right?

In what can only be described as a miracle, I woke up early enough this morning to not only feed our two cats, but to also make and enjoy breakfast at home with Chuck (I’m a notorious breakfast skipper). And, while I don’t have a recipe per se, it doesn’t get much easier than breakfast tacos.

First, throw 4 strips of bacon in the oven at 350° for 20 minutes (we used JJR Family Farms, a local, nitrate-free, organic bacon purchased from Local Harvest Grocery … it was really good … thick, slightly smoky, a bit chewy, yum). While the bacon cooks, grab 2 eggs (again, local and purchased from LHG) and whatever else you want to throw in your taco … we added chopped jalapenos, diced tomatoes, and about 3 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese. Scramble the eggs with your “add-ins,” divide between two corn tortillas, top each with two strips of bacon, fold, and enjoy. Simple, full of flavor, and filling (and for anyone following the Weight Watchers plan, only 8.5 points).

Moving on to lunch. Ah, lunch.

I had good intentions … and then ran out of time to make anything to bring to work. I guess all the excitement of actually getting up and cooking breakfast made me lose track of the clock. We won’t even discuss what I had to scrounge from our cafeteria at work.

Dinner. Ah, dinner.

As I mentioned yesterday, Chuck and I had planned out all our dinners for the week so it was a no-brainer when it came time to make our meal. Since we are both following the Weight Watchers plan, we chose a recipe out of the March/April 2010 issue of Eating Well:

Grits & Greens Casserole

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided [We used chicken broth.]
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 cups chopped collard greens or kale, stems removed (about 1 large bunch or 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) [We used a bag of chopped, frozen, organic spinach as local greens weren't available.]
2 cups water, plus more as needed
1 cup grits (not instant)
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided [We used Cabot's extra-sharp cheddar, one of my faves.]
1/4 cup prepared salsa [We used Frontera's roasted tomato salsa 'cuz we love Rick Bayless.]
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. [I "misted" mine with olive oil.]
2. Place bacon in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat.
3. Return the pot to medium-low heat; add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes (cooking time will be quicker if you started with bacon). Add 1 cup broth and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add collards (or kale); stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes [This only took about 5 minutes since we used frozen spinach]. Adjust heat during cooking to maintain a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry.
4. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg in a small bowl. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined.
5. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the reserved bacon.
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

I liked the casserole, but it was definitely missing salt so I suggest salting everything a bit as you go. I would also recommend adding some salsa on top before the cheese and bacon to kick it up just a notch. One final suggestion would be to add a bit of crushed red pepper to the greens to really round out the flavor.

The great thing about this recipe? It makes six hearty servings that are only 5 Weight Watchers points each. Pair it with oven-roasted chicken breasts, and you have a filling, satisfying dinner.

Oh yeah … it also makes enough for leftovers so I have no excuse for not taking my lunch to work tomorrow.

So, remember when I pledged to make all my meals during the week of February 22nd to 28th at home? Well, that time has arrived … and let’s just say I wasn’t exactly ready.

In a nutshell, breakfast was a bust and lunch wasn’t much better … not a good start to my week of eating in. However, I think I somewhat redeemed myself with dinner … and I am happy to report that I have the rest of the meals for this week planned out. Which has never happened in our house. Ever.

So, what did we have for dinner? One of Chuck’s all time favorites … matzo ball soup!

We typically prepare our matzo ball soup from scratch, and the recipe changes every time. But, when time is tight, we resort to the matzo ball soup standard … a box of “Matzo Ball & Soup Mix” from Manischewitz. What can I say, they know their matzo balls!

We typically add something to the mix (pun intended) … and tonight it was carrots, onion, and some leftover Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf from last night’s dinner.

Since this doesn’t call for a tried and true recipe, I’ll just wing it:

“Kitchen Sink” Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients:

1 box Manischewitz Matzo Ball & Soup Mix
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
4 carrots
1 small onion
1 cup Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf, prepared

Directions:

1. Braise carrots and onion in medium stockpot with a splash of olive oil.
2. Add chicken broth and water, plus seasoning packet from soup mix and Kashi pilaf, and bring to a boil.
3. While waiting for the broth to boil, prepare matzo balls as directed on the soup mix package. [You just stir eggs and oil into the matzo ball mix, place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then shape into small balls; really, it's quite simple.]
4. Once water is boiling, add prepared matzo balls and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Season with pepper and serve.

That’s it.

You can also add cooked, shredded chicken for a hearty soup, and one skinless, boneless breast will do the trick. But my favorite way to eat matzo ball soup … the “mish mosh” way. I first had “mish mosh” (ie, matzo ball soup with egg noodles and kasha) at Pumpernickles 4 or 5 years ago, and I’ve loved it ever since.

Matzo ball soup is hearty and heartwarming … and it just makes you feel good. I guess that’s why they call it Jewish penicillin. And no, one need not be Jewish—or sick—to benefit from it!