Just a good, clean meal

Tonight's dinner wasn't anything fancy. There were no recipes and no exotic ingredients. It was just a good, normal, clean meal: protein, veggie, grain.

Usually on running nights I make something in the slow cooker, and tonight was no different--except that I didn't start dinner early enough to make the chicken barley stew I'd planned on. Instead, I simply salted and peppered the four small chicken breasts, added a sliced onion and some garlic powder, and cooked them on high until we left for running, when I added some Trader Joe's barbecue sauce and switched it to low.

When we got home, I microwaved some frozen French-cut green beans and made a batch of quinoa (with chicken broth instead of water) in the rice cooker. I got the little guy put to bed and came back to find the quinoa cooked and the beans ready for seasoning. The H suggested some dill and crushed red pepper, so with that and a touch of Smart Balance, dinner was served.

The quinoa was probably my favorite part of the meal, and it was actually the simplest as well. Nice and fluffy and flavorful! Another pat of Smart Balance was all I needed--no extra salt or seasoning--and even that was probably not necessary. This meal was filling, easy (most of it was hands-off), and tasty. I am proud of myself for not shaking on some Frank's RedHot, though don't think I didn't think of it... :)