This past weekend my +1 went to the Ravens Skins game….without me! Grrrr….

But I will give him a free pass because it was a business as well as an all testosterone affair.  Plus he did text me during and rushed right back after the Skins won! Yayyy!

So I tossed my tomboy hat to the side and put on my Sexy Suzy Homemaker hat for the day.  Well, not completely as I did still watch the game over a Hallmark Christmas special.  Yes, I admit…I’m a little addicted to the very cheesy and very predictable Hallmark Christmas specials.  However I did have to turn off the “Bride for Christmas”….that I couldn’t take.

My goal with the meal for the night was something warm, something that would be nice to his immune system, and something that would be nice to his waist line.  I only get a couple of chances to make dinner for him during the week. (Even I enjoy going out to eat a little…just absolutely no chain restaurants please!)  So with him eating out all the time and all the holiday parties it’s imperative I make meals on the lighter side and extra healthy.

I chose to do a lycopene rich marinara sauce loaded with vitamin C & A from broccoli and carrots (I read adding shredded carrots to marinara helps break up the acidity of the tomatoes) and the immune boasters mushrooms, garlic, white beans, and onions.

Along with the marinara sauce I made a romaine salad with a really simple avocado dressing, which I was questioning if he’d like, but turns out that was his favorite part of the meal. Love when the simplest dishes are the tastiest!

I didn’t use any olive oil in my marinara since I sautéed my veggies in water so having a salad with a fatty dressing (healthy fats!) was a great pairing. The fats are needed to help absorption of nutrients and our dry skin loves the extra moisture!

Avocado dressing

1 ripe avo

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

juice of half a lime

juice of half a lemon

sea salt to taste

water to your desired thinness (about 1/4 cup)

I also added fresh mint which I had on hand, but made the same way next day and it doesn’t make a difference just increases the nutrient profile.

Blend away!

Dressing before being mixed in. I also added shredded carrots to the salad.

Immune Boasting Marinara Veggies

4-5 organic tomatoes

1 can of organic tomato sauce

.5 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 bag of shredded carrots (I bought pre shredded because he doesn’t have a shredder and it saves time)

5 leaves of fresh basil (ugh…smells sooo amazing!)

S&P to taste

Saute onions and garlic with a tbsp of water for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 min.

Put in blender and pulse till combined.

Add some extra basil and pulse but just so basil is chopped up.

In the same pan add 1 package chopped mushrooms and 2 bunches of broccoli florets Saute with water till broccoli is cooked almost enough. You want to see the florets darken. Just enough so you can put a fork through the stem.

Add 1 can of white beans. Mix and heat for a few minutes.

Add marinara. Mix. Let it all hang out on low heat for a few minutes. Just don’t overcook broccoli. If you have time to let it sit and marinate longer that is great, otherwise you’re golden at this point.

I did add some chicken to his, but I only purchased a small amount.:)

-L

Blending makes all the difference!

No need for antibiotics when Lyndsay is doctoring it up in the kitch

The clean up crew resting before their shift.