We’re road tripping this week and let me tell you, I’m excited. I’m sure most mama’s of young tots can relate and know just how therapeutic a road trip can be. It feels great to hit the road in the early am, turn up the tunes, forget about life and… strap the kids in! Even when there’s no destination, there’s nothing like a couple of hours to let everyone settle down and enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet. “Sorry honey, mommy can’t get to that right now, we still have one more hour to go.” “Hang tight papa.” Just remember to bring a dvd player and all will be well 😉
This is not something we do every week, but it’s fun to get away knowing that you’ll have a couple of hours to chat with a friend and find the most unique places to visit and enjoy with your kids. Thanks to everyone that has supported me thus far on Project Food Blog. This weeks challenge was to road trip and prepare a meal to go. I jumped at this opportunity because my family enjoys getting in the car and driving.
Whether your taking a short destination or something longer, it’s always great to leave prepared. When it comes to traveling with toddlers and even for myself, we like to snack on the road. It’s during these road trips that it becomes easy to stop at a gas station and pick up snacks. It’s these snacks filled with artificial ingredients and preservatives that wreck havoc on our digestive system. I’m sure many of you, myself included, have reached your final destination and felt… backed up. It’s not fun going on a road trip or vacation and not being able to go. Excuse me for my bluntness but we’ve all been there.
That’s why before I leave on a road trip I enjoy to prepare nourishing home made snacks. Snacks that will aid in digestion and help us enjoy our trip. I’m also a huge advocate of preparing my own meal on the go. This saves my family a lot of money and ensures that we are eating real foods to keep us feeling our best. Also, on the go and in the car, it’s always water. For this trip I made an exception and brought homemade grape juice in sparkling water. However, when your eating nourishing food and keeping yourself hydrated with water, you’ll have a blast where ever you go.
For this trip my sister and my nephews decided to come with me. We had no destination but to drive, relax and find something fun to do. But, before we headed out, I had some food to prepare.
One of the greatest things about the real food and urban homesteading movement is that you gain a sense of confidence in the kitchen. You begin to realize that you can grow, raise and make most anything at home. It gives you a sense of pride feeding your family foods that are delicious and nourishing. Not just “healthy” but foods that are nutrient dense. For my snacks, I decided to make homemade sourdough tomato crackers, freshly roasted sunflower seeds from my sunflower harvest and home made fruit roll ups.
Homemade Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Homemade Fruit Roll Ups
For our main meal, I planned on making a scrumptious steak sandwich that is a staple in Spain.
Bistek Empanado
This steak can be eaten alone or as they do in Spain, taken to picnics and eaten as a sandwich as it’s mouth watering at room temperature or even cold. What’s great about this steak is traditionally this was the way that frugal housewives used tougher cuts of meat. Pounded then marinated in garlic and sherry wine overnight followed by a batter of eggs, parsley and homemade bread crumbs then fried in extra virgin olive oil. It leaves a tender and savory piece of meat sure to please the most sophisticated of palates.
Since I would be using this as a sandwich, I made sure to make sprouted whole wheat buns.
When a grain is sprouted, it begins to multiply and develop nutrients in order to provide nourishment for a fully mature plant. Some protein is lost during the sprouting process, however vitamins, enzymes, minerals and trace elements skyrocket shortly after germination. Baked goods using sprouted grain are significantly higher in protein, vitamins and enzymes, and the complex starches are converted into natural sugars. Since these starches are converted into natural sugars, many wheat intolerant people are able to eat sprouted wheat bread without any problems.
For my side dish, I decided to do as all Spaniards do… charcuterie of Spanish chorizo sausage, jamon serrano, raw sheeps cheese and my own preserved roasted red peppers packed in olive oil. To drink, I used homemade grape juice that I had frozen. I made a couple of quart jars of sparkling grape juice sweetened with a bit of raw honey. For dessert, local organic apples and organic grapes. A traditional Spanish postre.
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| Bistek Empanado |
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| The bistek empanado sandwich pairs well with garden fresh tomatoes and homemade mayonnaise. |
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| Charcuterie of Spanish chorizo sausage, jamon serrano, raw sheeps cheese and my own preserved roasted red peppers packed in olive oil. |
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| Dessert, grapes and apples |
Great post!! You are superwoman! I am just crossing my fingers that you left a huge pile of laundry behind, at least, otherwise you must be some kind of supernatural being. Ha ha.
I cannot figure out how to vote for you on that website. It just takes me to your profile and I can't find a vote button of any kind.
Sarah, you are too funny! No I am definitely not superwoman, lol! My house is the PITTS!!! I'm working on it tomorrow, can't wait!
As far as voting, starting on Monday you can vote for me. The voting starts on monday for each challenge and if you click on the actual challenge link on the left side navigation, you can scroll to find my post and vote for it.
Thanks so much!!! Have a great weekend!
I love that picture of the boys jumping off those hay stacks. It looks like everyone had so much fun. The bistek empanado looks really good! I hope that you will share the recipe with us soon.
What a great trip. By the looks of it, everyone had a great time! I love all of it, but so impressed especially with the roll-ups. How do you get it to harden? I'd like to be on your road trip.
Diane – I love this post! I am beyond impressed with all the amazing homemade snacks & meals you made for this trip! Plus it looks so delicious. Your family is so lucky!
I read and then re-read this post. I loved all the details. It made me want to come over with Enzo and baby maria for a play date.
Diana! Everything looks so delicious and I love the pics of your boys enjoying everything. Fantastic job, once again 😉
Looks like a great day. Your photography makes the reader feel like they were along for the trip!
Awesome Diana! Your kid photography is second to none. I wish you were closer to my nephews to photograph them, you truly capture the feeling. Good luck with the challenge, this is fabulous!
LL
I can feel the corn between my toes.
Beautiful post! Me encantan las fotos!!
You have my vote!
What a beautiful meal and lovely day. You're a good Momma! I will always love your approach to cooking food for your family and those donuts, YUM, is all I can say!!!!
This is a post well worth moving on to challenge 7!
you are a super mom! lovely outing.
I love how effortlessly you interweave information within your descriptions of scenery and food. And you've given me yet another reason to get a food dehydrator – if I had known that I could make roll-ups just with apple butter I would have gotten one already! Great job and good luck.
I feel like I was in the car from your brilliant descriptions, but it's the sunflower I relate to most. As a kid I was fascinated with the way the seeds stuck in the dried out head. GREG
Beautiful job. That sandwich looks incredible, and you even made the roll! You got my vote!
Fantastic post! Looks like you did a lot of cooking this week! If you have any of those Bistek empanadas left I'll totally take them off your hands 🙂
looks like lots of fun voted 🙂
Very nice post Diana, looks like everyone had a great time and enjoyed a very healthy and tasty homemade picnic lunch! 🙂
Bocatas de milanesa!!! yum!!!
everything looks riquísimo, you are my hero 🙂 got my vote…
Besos from Seattle,
Ma. José
You are seriously amazing. Roasted jarred red peppers? SPROUTED WHEAT DOUGHNUTS?! Can I get the recipe on that? Please? And a tutorial? How about you just make me some?
Hooray for healthy living bloggers! I love your menu and all of the preparation you went into making it. This is my first time on your blog, found you through Foodbuzz, and am so glad. You have my vote.
great picnic! i love the crackers and fruit roll ups the most! good luck! 🙂
Congratulation for making to challenge #6!!! You've got my vote again this round! Congrats & Best wishes to making to next round 🙂
Have a great week
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
Your children are very fortunate to have you as mom, what terrific snacks.
I love making homemade crackers and this cracker looks delicious.
-Brenda
Really nicely executed! You've got our vote. Good luck!
I love the idea of homemade fruit roll-ups. Your photos are all so beautiful! 🙂
Sues
Impressed and intrigued with your crackers.
Amazing! I love it! Inspirational! 🙂
Love this post… specially the sunflower seeds and the lesson learned =) ur boys are the cutest!