THM Recipe Roundup: Make-Ahead Breakfasts

 

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And I have to agree with that. A good, healthy breakfast just lays the groundwork for how you eat for the rest of the day. When I'm not prepared in this area, I definitely feel it!

Breakfast is that meal I either rock, or fail miserably at. There really is no in-between for me. I am blessed and thankful that Hubby has joined me in eating the Trim Healthy Mama way. But, since he wakes up early in the morning for work, that means early mornings for me as well. Most mornings, we have little time before he has to be out the door. If I'm not on my breakfast game, he either goes without, or he grabs something not-so-optimal. Then, I end up just having coffee, starting my day, and not eating until lunch. So in order for us to be off to a good start, I have to be able to make something quick, or have things already prepared.

Be Prepared!

When I have a couple of breakfasts all ready to eat made ahead of time, that's when my week seems to go the smoothest. However, this doesn't always happen. Lately, I've been struggling. I know I'm not the only one who struggles with breakfast, so I asked for help from some Trim Healthy Mama recipe bloggers for this roundup. They were very generous and shared many of their favorite make-ahead breakfast recipes to have prepared for those busy mornings. In this post, I am excited to share with you what they came up with. Some I have made before and enjoyed, many are new to me and I'm excited to try!

As I said in my one and only recipe post, I am not by nature a recipe creator. So, I am so thankful for all of these creative bloggers who share their yummy, healthy recipes with the rest of us! Make sure to check out their blogs for all of the other recipes they have created as well.

Let's dive right in to what they came up with for make-ahead breakfasts!

S Breakfasts

5-Ingredient Waffles & Pancakes-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Briana shares, "I love to put waffles in the freezer to pull out and reheat!"
Coconut Mocha Breakfast Cookies-Unconformed Kitchen
Meat Crust Quiche-Yellow Glass Dish
Josi of Yellow Glass Dish shares that this quiche holds up well in the fridge, but she wouldn't suggest freezing it.
Freezer Breakfast Burritos-The Well Planned Kitchen
Sticky Bun Cake-My Healthy Journey For Life
Strawberry Bread Two Ways-My Healthy Journey For Life
This Strawberry Bread can be made as either S or E!
Orange (or Orange Cranberry) Scones-My Healthy Journey For Life
Carrot Cheesecake Muffins-My Healthy Journey For Life
Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake-Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved

E Breakfasts

No Sugar Added Baked Georgia Peach Oatmeal-Protecting Your Pennies
Overnight Oatmeal Survival Packets-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Blueberry Baked Oatmeal-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Pineapple Rightside-Up Baked Oatmeal-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Pumpkin Chip Baked Oatmeal-Briana Thomas Burkholder
Briana shares, "Baked oatmeal is basically my favorite make-ahead breakfast." And I have to admit, I love that it is so easy to put together, and that there are so many different ways to make it so that it's never boring!
Authentic English Muffins-Unconformed Kitchen
Pumpkin Bam Cake-Unconformed Kitchen
Homemade Breakfast Museli-Unconformed Kitchen
Air Fryer Apple Fritters-My Healthy Journey For Life
These fritters can be made either E or FP!
Strawberry Bread Two Ways-My Healthy Journey For Life
This Strawberry Bread can be made as either S or E, so I included it in both categories.
Cereal Recipes to Find Your Healthy Trim-Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved
This is a roundup Judy at Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved put together of cereals that can be made and eaten on plan!
Overnight Stuffed French Toast-Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Easy, Delicious Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal-Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Cinnamon Apple Overnight Oats-Nana's Little Kitchen
Cinnamon Apple Cheesecakes-Nana's Little Kitchen

FP and XO Breakfasts

Sometimes, we need to throw in an occasional Fuel Pull or Crossover for breakfasts. Here's a couple of recipes to help you out!

Four Vanilla Waffles-Briana Thomas Burkholder THM FP
Easy Dragon Fruit Chia Breakfast Pudding Cups-Graceful Abandon THM XO

Get Prepping!

There you have it! With 26 recipes here, there is no excuse to not be prepared for breakfast! As for me, I am definitely working my way through this list starting today! If you're new to food prep, pick just one or two of these recipes to make. Then see how much easier the next few mornings go when you have your first meal of the day all ready to grab or heat up quickly. If you're a prepping veteran, you know what to do, and I hope you found some new recipe inspiration here!

Talk to me in the comments! If you've tried any of these recipes, I would love to hear what you thought. Also, if there are any other recipes you use, or even super-quick things you do for breakfast in the morning, I would love to hear from you. And those of you who are already doing it, let me know how prepping has changed your mornings!

Have a great week, everyone!

Beef & Zucchini Hash-THM S

 

Okay, you guys. I am not a recipe creator. Seriously. I like to follow recipes, then tweak as needed for my family's tastes. But today, I had an extra pound of ground beef in the refrigerator that I needed to use for something. I also knew I had some zucchini that I had to do something with soon. So, I decided to wing it for once and see what I come up with. I even measured and wrote down what I put in, just it case it actually came out good. And it did! This Beef & Zucchini Hash is what I came up with.

Beef & Zucchini Hash

If you're following the THM plan, this would be an S. This makes about 4-6 servings, depending on how hungry your people are.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes

Instructions

First, brown the ground beef in a large skillet or dutch oven. Drain, if necessary, and return to the pan. Next, add the diced zucchini and seasonings and stir all together. Then, add in the can of fire-roasted tomatoes. Finally, stir it all up, cover, and simmer until it's heated through, and the zucchini is cooked to your liking.

You can serve this as is with a side salad, or put it over your choice of noodles. This time, I used Trim Healthy Noodles. Similar to those, you can buy Miracle Noodles (or any other konjac noodles). You could also serve over spaghetti squash or zoodles. Sprinkle on some Parmesan if you like.

Both myself and Hubby thought this turned out really well! Hubby liked it better without the noodles, though, as he said they made it taste more bland. I'm thinking next time I make this for noodles, I will add some tomato sauce and up the seasonings a bit.

If you try this, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I would also love to know your tweaks, if you had any, so I can try them out!

Food Prep With Me: THM Edition

 

Happy Monday, everyone! It is the first Monday of February, and I just spent most of my weekend getting serious with food prep to keep me on track with Trim Healthy Mama. In this post, I will share with you what I did.

First, a side story. I realized that I have lost my appetite lately. At first, I thought I was just being lazy. Then, I started "forgetting" to eat breakfast. A couple of weeks after that, I noticed I was having to force myself to eat anything for lunch even. I was skipping snacks, and by dinner time I was finally hungry, just not ravished. Being on THM plus being a Type 2 Diabetic, I knew I had to do something before my blood sugar numbers started the roller coaster.

Every 3 Hours

Timing is everything! Part of the THM plan is making sure you eat every 3 hours. Going any longer than 4 hours can tank your metabolism, and going less than 2.5 hours can lead to fuel stacking. This means you are taking in more fuel before your body has had time to fully process the fuel from the last time you ate. During the last month, my timing has really fallen apart. Skipping meals and snacks will do that! And I know that at least part of my loss of appetite has to do with the fact that I've messed up my metabolism a little. 

Food Prep is Key

And of course, when my appetite is gone, I have no desire to spend time preparing food that's just for me! For breakfast, lunch, and snacks in our home, you're pretty much on your own as far as figuring out what to eat. Which explains why those were the meals I either chose to skip, or grab some not-so-optimal food. I didn't go off plan, but I grabbed what was quick and easy. Usually sandwich meats, cheese, nuts, etc. Doing that too often without lots of veggies...it's just no good.

Then I saw that someone had posted a video from Lindsey Murphy about how No One is Going to Do This For You. That's when I realized, I had just completely fallen off of all food prepping! I needed to get back to that. If I had healthier, more optimal foods available to just grab when I needed to eat, even if I wasn't hungry, I would eat it!

So, I made a list and dedicated my weekend to food prep. It was work and it took time. But you know what? I'm not stressing about not wanting to eat anymore and what that's doing to my blood sugar. My appetite's not fully back yet, but I had breakfast this morning! I grabbed a couple of THM muffins out of the fridge to have with my coffee. Didn't even heat them up. Easy peasy! With the food in my fridge and freezer now, I have ZERO EXCUSE to not eat something healthy when I need to eat.

What I Made

Veggies:
-Salad greens: I buy the tubs of Spring Mix from either Aldi or Costco. In order to make them last longer, I divide them into gallon-size zippy bags and stick a paper towel in each one to absorb the moisture.
-Carrots: I peeled the carrots in my fridge and cut them into sticks. These can be eaten as a snack with a THM-friendly ranch dressing.
-Celery: I trimmed them up and cut them into sticks. These can be eaten as a snack with all-natural peanut or almond butter, or cream cheese. I also can cut them down further to be used in Waldorf Cottage Cheese Salad (THM Cookbook page 190).
English cucumbers: I had a couple of these in my fridge that I sliced into half-moons. These can be used in salad, or eaten as a snack with a THM-friendly ranch dressing.
-Broccoli: I found some broccoli in the freezer and steamed it up, adding butter, salt, and pepper. Now I have some in the fridge when I need a cooked veggie to go with lunch.

Protein:
-Boiled eggs: I made 14 boiled eggs in my Instant Pot, peeled them and put them in a container in the fridge. These can be breakfast on a busy morning, a snack, or cut up into a lunch salad.
-Chicken breasts: Next, I threw some frozen chicken breasts into my Instant Pot with a little seasoning and chicken broth. When they were done, I shredded them and put them in the fridge. This can be used in lunch salads or any recipe that needs pre-cooked chicken. I'm planning on using some of this for Lazy Chicken Lasagna tonight (THT Cookbook page 124). This can also be used as a quick protein for a snack.
-Meatballs: I made up a big batch of Marvelous Make-Ahead Meatballs from the THT Cookbook page 208. This made 3 dinners worth of meatballs, plus a few extras for quick protein snacks in the fridge.

Breakfast:
-Glosted Raspberry Muffins from the THM Cookbook page 285. I have a batch of these in my fridge that I can alternate with eggs for breakfasts for the week.

Snacks & Desserts:
-Skinny Chocolate from the THM Cookbook page 377.
-Gluccie Pudding from the Original THM Book. This is pudding made with glucomannan. I made 2 chocolate and 2 lemon. This is really good for me to eat as a snack at night to help with my morning blood sugar numbers.
-Double Peanut Fudge Swirl Brownies from the THM Cookbook page 315. This will ensure I have a chocolatey treat for a few nights after dinner.

All Ready!

That's it! It was a lot of time and a lot of work. But, it saves stress for the rest of the week. I plan on making food prep a regular thing in this house again. I know once I get into the swing of it, I will be able to streamline it more. Four days in a row now, I ate 3 meals + 1 snack per day, keeping up with good timing. I am feeling better already!

I hope this post was helpful and has encouraged you to take a look into food prep for whatever eating plan you follow! Let me know in the comments if you already have a regular food prep schedule and how you work it. Have a great week, everyone!

Grocery Haul for 3 Days

 

I just wanted to jump on quick and show you today's 3-day grocery haul, since I've been talking about grocery budgets. Today I went to Costco and Aldi. I did not need much, since tonight (day 1 of the 3) we're having leftovers and I still have meat in the freezer that I'm going through. We're also pretty good on breakfast items for now.

The milk is not on the THM plan, but I do buy it for my 2 younger kiddos. They're not fans of almond milk, and I'm okay with them drinking whole milk. They mostly use it for healthy milkshakes for dessert once in awhile. They use milk, frozen fruit, and raw honey. It's their favorite dessert! It's healthy, yummy, and something they can make themselves start to finish.

The vinegar I use mostly for cleaning and laundry. We were running out of our calcium supplements, so I needed some anyway. But, Costco had a deal where they were only $4.59 for a bottle of 500 tablets, so I grabbed a couple of them.

Otherwise, everything else is for eating on THM. Since I didn't have much to buy specifically for the next 3 days, I decided to stock up a few pantry items I'm running low on. Canned green beans are kind of our go-to when we're out of fresh salad and I need something quick. None of us can stand green beans cooked from frozen, so yep, we go with canned. I doctor them up with real butter, garlic, onion powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper and everyone loves them! We will also have fresh green beans when I have time to prepare them.

One of the cans of salmon I needed for a meal tomorrow, and the rest are for stocking up. Yes, I buy the salmon with skin and bones. It's cheaper, but healthier for you! The way I tolerate it is to drain the can, toss the salmon into the food processor, and chop it up in there. When we eat whatever I'm throwing it into, you can't even tell. 😉 Mostly, I use the canned salmon for yummy THM salmon patties.

I also got some salad fixin's we were out of, for lunches (when there's no leftovers) and side salads. And of course, plain old bacon. Because, well, BACON! LOL!

For this grocery haul, I only spent 73% of my budget for 3 days. Which is pretty good with being able to stock up on a few things. I do have a stock-up list, of things we don't need immediately but are running low. So, during the times when I don't need to buy a lot, I'll pick a few things off the stock-up list and "feed" my pantry.

Thanks for joining me for this small grocery haul! Have a great day everyone!

MamaWit's Weekend Links: Winter Edition

 

For today, I decided to put together another post for you with some links to just browse through. I enjoyed writing last week's post, and I hope you enjoyed perusing it! This time, I wanted to focus on getting through this long stretch of winter between the holidays and spring. 

Where I live, we got spoiled for a short time with "warmer" winter weather, and now the temperatures are dropping again! To me, that means it's time to cozy up inside. A fire in the fireplace. Hot cocoa. Thick blankets. Cuddle time on the couch. Fuzzy socks. Family movie. A good book. A nice nap...

Excuse me, was I daydreaming again? I know many moms are chuckling to themselves. Uh, yeah, like that's going to happen! We gotta try, though, right? Find a quiet moment, if you can, and come daydream with me for a little bit. Grab that cup of cocoa while you're at it, or coffee if you're like me!

10 Ways to Create Hygge this Winter by Red and Honey
Creating a Cozy Home for Winter by The Mushy Mommy

Bri's Top 10 Hot Drink Recipes by Briana Thomas Burkholder
Rich & Creamy Hot Cocoa by Country Girl Cookin
Salted Caramel Mocha Java by Country Girl Cookin
Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Recipe by Gwen's Nest
Hot Creamsicle Cocoa by Oh Sweet Mercy

Winter Themed Children's Books by Buggy and Buddy
First Novels to Read-Aloud with Kids by Read-Aloud Revival
My Winter Reading List by Creative2xmom

5 Things to Beat the Winter Homeschooling Blues by The Brave Homeschooling Mama
Visit Pinterest for all kinds of winter-y activities and crafts!

That's all I've got for now! Hopefully, that should help you get started. Yes, get done what needs to be done. But, make sure you make time to have fun or just relax! Because that's important, too.

So, how about you? Are there any traditions or activities you enjoy to help you get through this long stretch of winter? I would love it if you would share in the comments!

MamaWit's Weekend Links: THM Edition

 

Happy Saturday, everyone! As you may (or not!) have noticed, I decided to slow down my posting a bit. I wanted the launch of this blog to be aggressive, but being a stay-at-home homeschooling mama, it wasn't very realistic to keep up with a post or more per day. I plan on coming up with a weekly posting schedule for myself.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some links that I have found helpful from fellow bloggers. Today, I'm sharing some links that I hope will be helpful to you in your Trim Healthy Mama journey!

First, if you're just getting started on THM, check out my post with resources that will help you get started.

THM Tips, Helps, and Menu Plans

Breakfast Menu for 15 Days of Trim Healthy Mama by Mrs. Criddle's Kitchen
Healthy THM Freezer Meals by The Well Planned Kitchen
THM Crockpot Cooking Menu Session by Mixing with Michelle
Trim Healthy Mama Testimony by Northern Nester
54 Trim Healthy Mama Snacks (Kid Approved) by Northern Nester
The Ultimate List of Kid-Approved THM Snacks by Grace-Filled Homemaking
Trim Healthy Mama Aldi Menu Plan and Shopping List by Grace-Filled Homemaking
Eating Out with a Trim Healthy Mama by A Home with Purpose
Trim Happy Hubbie from the Coers Family
Tips for THMing His Lunch by Mrs. Criddle's Kitchen
7 Ways to Get Your Family On Board with Trim Healthy Mama by Grace-Filled Homemaking

That's it for today! I have lots more share, but I plan on making Saturday a day to share links to what I'm finding helpful. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Grocery Budget: A Different Perspective

 

One of our goals this year is to get our finances back on the fast track. For the most part, my husband handles the finances in our home. And we're both okay with that! It stresses me out too much, but he actually enjoys it. I do almost all the shopping in our home, so I'm in charge of the grocery budget.

I hate to say it, but I wasn't exactly great with the grocery budget last year. I'd make two weeks worth of menu plans and the grocery list. Then, off to the bank for the budgeted cash before shopping. I tried to make sure to allow some wiggle room, in case we needed anything else before next pay day. More times than not, I would eventually spend that left over cash. Then, before pay day, I'd ask Hubby to stop at the store on his way home for a quick thing or two I "needed." So, yep, I realize I've been slacking.

A Different Perspective

A couple of weeks ago, I read a book called The American Frugal Housewife. This book was written in 1832 by Lydia Maria Francis Child. A lot of the book I skimmed through. Much of it consists of recipes that are hard to understand because of ingredients and methods that no longer exist. But, one of the things I read that really stood out was when she was talking about home economy. I'm paraphrasing, but Ms. Child said if you have 1 dollar to spend per day, spend no more than 75 cents.

Hmm. I obviously know what I have to spend every 2 weeks. And it's not difficult to work out the math to see what the monthly grocery budget is. But each day? Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I've never broken down the grocery budget into daily terms. When I took my bi-weekly budget and broke it down into 14 days, I was amazed. I looked at what three-quarters of that every day would look like, as Ms. Child suggests. It seemed more than enough! Granted, with my grocery money, I fit in everything. Food, paper products, toiletries, cleaning products, supplements, and cat and dog food. But still, I'm not always going to spend the full allotted daily amount on food alone. I can even say most days I wouldn't.

My New Plans

I found with my old way of doing things, we were wasting quite a bit of food. Fresh produce bought for 2 weeks worth of meals would go bad before we used it all. Forgotten leftovers were often moved to the back of the fridge, only to be tossed later as well. I wanted to find a way to reduce all that waste. Because we live very close to all the stores I frequent, I decided to do a trial-run of a 3-day plan. I will expand it to a week once I am confident that this will work for us.

1. Make menu plans for 3 days
2. Write shopping list
3. Take 3 days allotment of cash shopping
4. Try to only spend 3/4 of cash

I had my first go at this yesterday, and it worked out so well! I'm excited to see if I can keep it up. I actually spent under the 3/4 of the cash for everything I needed for 3 days! So, I will be able to put away the other 1/4 of the money and save the rest for those just-in-case moments. Plus, I'm hoping shopping more often will encourage a lot less waste!

Obviously, if you live far enough away from where you shop that gas is an issue, the 3-day plan is not going to be very economical. So make sure you work out a schedule that is not going to cost you more than you save. But, if you've never figured out how much you have for a daily grocery budget, still take a look! It may seem like such a small thing. But sometimes, just that slight change in perspective can make a huge difference in how you think about something!

Trim Healthy Mama Roundup: Getting Started on THM

 

Are you thinking about starting up Trim Healthy Mama this year? Or perhaps you started, fell off the wagon, and are struggling to get back on plan? Either way, there is a good possibility that you're wondering exactly how to get started. Or re-started. Especially this time of the year. Who doesn't like a fresh start?

First, I encourage you to read the Plan book! That is the first thing you need to do if you want to learn the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. Now, while the plan is very well laid out in the book, there is a bit of a learning curve when you're getting started. For some of us, just knowing how to start can be overwhelming. That's why I've put together this list for you. When I first started, some of these articles were so helpful!

So, yes, you definitely need to get the plan book. Buy it, borrow it from a friend, or even check it out of the library. Set aside some time and start reading. And while you're doing that, visit some of these THM bloggers. They have worked hard to put together these guides to get you started.

Trim Healthy Mama Quick Start Guide by Gwen's Nest
RunAmok Mama's THM Made Easy by RunAmok Mama
Starting THM and Dos and Don'ts From a THM Veteran by Briana Thomas Burkholder
Getting Started with Trim Healthy Mama and Starting Trim Healthy Mama for Only $8 by The Well Planned Kitchen (The Well Planned Kitchen also has many wonderful resources for menu planning, so check out her site!)
Dear Trim Healthy Mama Newbie: Tips for the New and Overwhelmed by Grace-Filled Homemaking

There you have it! So, read the THM Plan book and follow the guides and tips of these wonderful ladies. If you stick to it, you will find your groove and be a Trim Healthy Mama, too!

Recipe Roundup: Healthy NYE Food

Spicy Chicken Wings p164 Trim Healthy Mama cookbook

 

With New Year's Eve coming up tomorrow, I thought I'd put together a list of appetizers and snacks that would be good to have on hand for those of us who don't want to put on more weight! Don't worry, I have not made all these in one day, but these are various foods that I have tried throughout my years as a Trim Healthy Mama that myself and my family have enjoyed. There will definitely be some in our family NYE spread tomorrow evening!

For some of these, you will have to have the Trim Healthy Mama cookbooks that I reference, as I am not able to share those. But, I also have links to recipes that have been created by THM bloggers, or recipes that are THM-friendly.

From the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook

Nacho Stuffed Peppers p142
Sausage Balls p159
Bangin' Ranch Drums p162
Peanut Popper Chicken p164
Spicy Chicken Wings p164 (I like these with either Rhonda's Ranch dressing on p471, or for store-bought, Ken's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing is a good choice)
Super Salmon Patties p177 (also good with Rhonda's Ranch dressing)
Cry-No-More Brownies p314

From the Trim Healthy Table Cookbook

Queso Chicken Bake p123
Fifteen-Minute Focaccia Bread p247
Green Fries p262
Magic Salted Caramel Cupcakes p379
Soft Double Chocolate Chip Cookies p400
Brownie Batter in a Mug p405 (single recipe)
Two-Minute Truffles p422 (single recipe)

Links to recipes by other bloggers

Fried Cream Cheese and Berry Taco by Briana Thomas Burkholder (single recipe)
Sausage Cream Cheese Pinwheels by My Table of Three
Avocado Deviled Eggs by Caveman Gourmet
Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Cauliflower Bites by Nana's Little Kitchen
Snickerdoodle Skillet Cookie by All Day I Dream About Food
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars also by All Day I Dream About Food
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by My Montana Kitchen
3 Ingredient Stovetop Glazed Pecans by Joy Filled Eats
Healthy Peanut Butter Balls also by Joy Filled Eats

Bonus!

There's not a whole lot of pre-made, store-bought meals out there that I can eat on plan, but I make an exception with this one. There's really not a lot of off-plan ingredients in this that has made any impact on me, so I eat it occasionally as a personal choice. If you have a Costco near you and you love shrimp, give it a try!
Costco's Cilantro Lime Shrimp

So there you go. I hope you try some of these and find something you enjoy. And definitely peruse other recipes on the sites of the bloggers I listed! There are so many wonderful recipes out there to choose from if you're a Trim Healthy Mama! Are there any foods that are a tradition for you on New Year's Eve? If you're a Trim Healthy Mama, a low-carber, or on Keto, what are some favorite NYE foods you have discovered? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you.

Have a safe New Year's Eve everyone!

Menu Plan Monday

This week features a menu that we are doing for school, out of the "U.S. History Cookbook," by Joan D'Amico and Karen Eich Drummond.  We will be preparing and serving it on Tuesday.  :-)  We also have a few throwbacks from last week that we didn't get to, because we changed things up at the last minute, once to celebrate one of the kiddos learning how to ride a two-wheeler, and the other times just because!

Sunday:  BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches (topped with coleslaw, yummy!)
Monday:  Hawaiian Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Stir-Fry Veggie
Tuesday:  Shrimp and Ham Jambalaya, Bread Pudding with Fruit, King Cake
Wednesday:  Five-Ingredient Bacon Asparagus Pasta
Thursday:  Zucchini Soup
Friday:  Sweet Garlic Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Salad or Veggies
Saturday:  Three-Layer Dinner

Have a great week everyone!  And to those who are getting a ton of rain like we are right now, hopefully the sun will soon shine on all this green!  :-)

Menu Plan Monday 4/21/14

We will be going through and trying many of my Pinterest recipes this week, in an effort to clear out my "Recipes to Try" board a little.  And I do mean a little.  ;-)

Sunday:  We had pizza delivered to celebrate Andrew finally learning to ride a two-wheel bike!
Monday: Baked Beef Stew, biscuits (added from last week as we didn't have it yet)
Tuesday: Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Baked Artichoke Chicken, Bacon Green Beans, Salt & Vinegar Broiled Potatoes
Friday: Hawaiian Meatloaf (made with ground turkey), Baked Potatoes, Stir-Fry Veggies, Strawberry Pie for dessert

Have a great week, everyone!

Menu Plan Monday 4/14/14

For the past week, I have been revamping our family cookbook.  The only recipes that I allow inside of it are tried, true, and loved recipes (well, at least well-liked) by my family.  I've been printing out recipes from Pinterest that we have decided we want to keep, and putting them in there as well.  I also have many loose recipes in the back pocket of the cookbook that we have yet to try.  They are either from magazines, or recipes I printed off a long time ago.  I'm glad I did, because when I went to go find the websites they came from to try and link them up to this week's menu, some of the sites were G-O-N-E, gone.  In trying to give the family cookbook an overhaul, I will be trying many of these loose recipes this week, so that I can either file them into the cookbook or toss them.  So, I will post this week's menu now, and later I will post the recipes that I cannot link to.

Sunday: Tacos (since we didn't get around to tacos on Saturday)
Monday: Goulash (made from some leftovers I have in the fridge)
Tuesday: Enchiladas, Dressed
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Oven-Fried Curried Chicken Fingers, Glazed Carrots
Friday: Baked Beef Stew, Biscuits
Saturday: Three-Layer Dinner

Happy Monday and have a wonderful week, everyone!  :-)

Menu Plan Monday 4/7/14

I'm trying to get back into my blogging groove.  I realize I go through seasons where I am willing and able to blog regularly and seasons where I don't blog at all.  And I'm okay with that.  ;-)  I'm also trying to get back into a menu-planning groove.  It's been awhile since I've sat down and planned out a whole week's worth of menus ahead of time.  I've been completely gluten-free for almost two months now, and I honestly don't know why I do this to myself...coming up with meals on-the-fly when you have to incorporate any sort of special diet can get pretty stressful--or monotonous--at times.  So, I'm going to hopefully cut out the unnecessary stress by planning ahead a little again.  So, here we go!

Sunday: Homemade Chipotle Bowls with Carnitas, cilantro lime rice, and corn salsa
Monday: Coconut chicken over rice, served with roasted carrots
Tuesday: Tuna salad (I'm making both gluten-free and standard)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Chicken meatball sandwiches (I will make hoagie buns and have on hand gluten-free ciabatta rolls), pickles, chips
Friday: Oven-fried pork chops, applesauce, baked potatoes, German red cabbage
Saturday: Baked tacos and fixin's, corn

I've been having fun trying recipes that I've pinned to my Recipes to Try board on Pinterest.  :-)  Most of the recipes on this week's menu I haven't tried yet.  I'm typing this up Sunday before dinner, and very much looking forward to our Carnita dinner.  The house smells wonderful!  We have had the baked tacos before, and it is a favorite here.  I will be changing the shells, though.  Last time we had them, I used flour tortillas.  Now, they will be made with corn.

Here's to hoping for a wonderful week!  Happy Monday!

No Sugar Day 16

Well, my oldest and I are one third of the way through our refined sugar fast, so I thought I would post an update as to how we are doing!

Things are going fairly well.  I'm still flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to meal planning, but for the moment, that seems to be working.  For now.  Over the weekend we stocked up the kitchen with lots of fruits, veggies, and healthy foods to make our meals easy to plan and prepare.  I have been perusing Pinterest to mix things up a bit and keep our meals and snacks from being boring.  I'm making more from scratch, as it's either hard, or just plain too expensive to find even some basic ingredients that are made without refined sugar or a substitute.  We are using a lot of agave and stevia when appropriate.  The other day, I made homemade ketchup and a homemade version of our favorite store-bought dressing.  The dressing was a little tricky, because I also had to make a homemade version of condensed tomato soup, replacing the tomato juice with pureed canned tomatoes, and of course replacing the sugar with agave in the dressing itself.  But let me tell you, this extra bit of work is so worth it!  The homemade versions taste way better than the store-bought, and obviously, they're healthier!

I've replaced my soda consumption by making a lot more use of our Soda Stream.  Hubby has found a combination that I really like.  Carbonated water, mixed with fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juice, and a little liquid stevia.  We also have a few different bottles of liquid stevia that are flavored, that we can use with the Soda Stream.

Another thing that I've mourned the loss of is yogurt and ice cream.  Unless you buy plain yogurt, there is going to be some form of sugar or sugar substitute in there.  And ice cream?  Well, that's obvious.  :-)  I've satisfied my longing for both of those with one simple dessert.  Greek yogurt, fruit on top (my favorite combo is sliced strawberries and bananas), then drizzled with agave or honey.  What's ice cream again?  Oh, yes.  Well, I don't miss it at all.  And then, there's this little number I can whip up if I start get a hankering for chocolate.  :-)

Finding different ways to make our favorite foods without the refined sugar has turned from being a pain, into being a challenge that is often fun!  I've always enjoyed cooking and baking, but this takes cooking-from-scratch to an even deeper level, when you have to get creative or find ways to make even some basic ingredients without the refined sugar.

What is going without refined sugars doing for my oldest and myself?  Well, I've noticed our attitudes are a lot more mellow.  I've noticed we're both thinking a little more before flying off the handle about silly things.  We're getting along a lot better with each other, as well as with the rest of the family.  We've always been a loving and LOUD family, but he, as the oldest, and I tend to butt heads more than anyone else.  It hasn't exactly gone away, but it's...changed.  In a good way!  :-)  Physically, things are changing, too.  I don't notice a massive energy boost or anything.  However, I did get a cold just before the weekend, and it was done with by Tuesday.  That's one of the shortest colds I've had that I can remember!  There are some foods I momentarily wish I could have, but cravings for eating when I'm not hungry have completely gone away.  My tastes are changing already, and in some cases, healthy food that was perhaps tolerable to me before has become downright yummy!   Also skin blemishes and a few other irritations I've had have almost completely disappeared.  I've also noticed that with my son.  For a couple of weeks before we started our fast, he had been getting a pretty bad outbreak of acne, especially on his forehead.  Almost-twelve-year-old hormones at work, I'm sure.  :-)  When I noticed my own acne had gone away, I called him over so that I could get a close look at his face.  Sure enough, his, too, was almost completely cleared up! So, yes, we are definitely reaping some benefits of staying away from sugar! Oh, and the fact that I'm dropping some pounds isn't bad, either.  ;-)

Realistically, I can't say that we will stay completely sugar-free when our fast is up, but there are a few things I definitely want to establish.  I definitely want to stay away from both corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame.  I definitely want to make sure that if we do consume refined sugar, it's a TREAT, and not a regular occurrence.  And, I definitely want to stick with making certain things from scratch, not only because it's cheaper, but it's just plain better-tasting AND healthier than the store-bought version.  This has been a learning experience for sure, and has shown me that, yes, it IS possible to stay away from refined sugar and still enjoy eating!

To God goes ALL the glory!  I know that without Him, and if it weren't for the fact that we are doing it for Him, there is no way we would have been able to get even this far without at least a little cheat.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

First, I have to apologize for a lack of photos lately.  Our camera is temporarily out of order, and for some reason, when I try to send an email with a photo from my iPhone, it won't go through.  Hopefully, our regular camera will be operational again soon!

Second, I've been wanting to make stuffed peppers for the last two weeks.  I've looked around online (and, yes, even on Pinterest!) for recipes, and I didn't quite have the ingredients for what I found.  So, I decided to improvise and make my own!  These have been tried by the family and devoured, so it's even kid approved.  ;-)  With twelve pepper halves, this is a pretty big recipe, so adjust as needed.  All three of my boys LOVE bell peppers, so this amount will not have a problem sticking around too long.

6 bell peppers, any or all colors!
Olive oil
20 ounces ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons taco seasoning, or to taste (I used between 2-3 tablespoons)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 generous handful of Mexican Blend shredded cheese

Heat oven to 375F degrees.

Cut bell peppers length-wise in half and take out the seeds.  Thoroughly wash the peppers and lay them, cut side up, in two 13 x 9 glass pans.

Heat a swirl of oil in a large skillet, then add the turkey and onion and cook until browned.  Turn off heat.  Add taco seasoning and blend well.  Then add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well.

Scoop ground turkey mixture into each bell pepper half to fill it. (I did have some leftover filling that we will use for burritos for lunch tomorrow.)  Top pans with foil and bake in 375F oven for 40 minutes.

We topped ours with salsa and plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream).  This is a meal in itself, but of course, you can always serve with a salad or whatever tickles your fancy.  The younger boys wanted bread and butter with theirs, so that's what they had!  :-)

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Lunch

Once you have your sweet potato baked, this lunch is simple and fast to throw together!  It is very yummy, and very filling.

1 baked sweet potato
Brown rice
Black beans, drained and rinsed
Salsa
Plain Greek yogurt

No measuring here, just load it how you want!  Split open your sweet potato and mash it up a bit.  Stuff with brown rice and black beans.  Top with salsa and a dollop of Greek yogurt.  I like to eat this with a small side salad, fruit, and a small glass of milk.  As long as I ate a good breakfast, this lunch holds me over until dinner time, with maybe a small, healthy snack in between.

Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast

Here is one of my current favorite breakfasts!  It is simple, delicious, and filling.  Makes one serving, but feel free to increase the recipe as needed.

Cream of Wheat-Original
1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 banana, cut lengthwise into quarters, then sliced

Prepare one serving of Cream of Wheat according to directions on box.  Stir in the peanut butter until well blended, then fold in the bananas.  Eat, and enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday: Not a Menu, But a Plan

I don't have my menus quite planned out yet for this week.  Lent starts this Wednesday, and I've really been thinking about a fast this year.  Hubby and I have fasted from various things in the past during Lent, things that perhaps have become an idol in our lives, bad habits,  or things we just needed to force ourselves to take a break from.  I think it's been at least a couple of years since I have seriously thought about something to fast from during Lent.  The start of this year has been a struggle trying to finally get myself healthy.  I started in between illnesses running through the family, and a strong start it has not been.

With that in mind, I began to really think about what the number one thing is right now that is causing me to be unhealthy, and I finally came to the conclusion that it is sugar, hands down.  I have studied the various forms of sugar, their impact on insulin, and insulin's impact on overall health.  Even when I'm counting calories, it seems there is still some form of sugar in anything that is even remotely processed.  Not to mention (it's confession time here, people) I am an absolute soda freak.  And let that be regular soda.  I cannot stand the taste of diet (not to mention, caloric difference aside, aspartame is just as bad for your health as sugar).  And the taste of regular soda has tainted me against the taste of healthier sodas that are made with stevia.

Tomorrow will be both my planning day, as well as my own version of Shrove Tuesday.  No, I will NOT be gorging myself, but there are a couple of things I feel the need to say good-bye to.  :-)  I have been looking at a few cookbooks and websites that provide the type of recipes I'm looking for in going sugar free (not going with the artificial substitutes, either).  From this I will be forming my menu plan.  So, this week I will skip blogging my menu plan, and will hopefully have one to post next Monday.

I also hope to blog my journey.  I know it will not be easy.  I don't think I've ever completely refrained from all refined sugar (I will still be eating natural sugar, such as fruit) from any significant period of time.  I have heard the stories of people who have, however, and I know the first week or two will not be very fun.  I do know, however, that as long as I keep my focus on God, and keep my purpose to be always honoring to Him, I know He will give me strength for this journey.  I am also so very blessed to have a great support system in my family.  I almost feel more sorry for them than for myself the next couple of weeks...hopefully, I won't be too much of a pain to put up with.  :/

Menu Plan Monday

Menu planning is another one of those things I have slipped in lately.  It's a little tougher as we get acclimated to calorie-counting around here again (but obviously necessary for that very reason!).  ;-)

Monday: Coconut and Pineapple Chicken Curry over Rice Noodles
Tuesday: Mandarin Orange Chicken served with brown rice and veggies
Wednesday: Subway for hubby and I (Awana night)
Thursday: Stuffed Cabbage Strata
Friday: Transylvanian Stockpot
Saturday:BLT Burgers served with salad

French Bread Pizza

As long as you have everything for it in your kitchen, French bread pizza is a very easy and tasty meal to throw together!  You can use whatever French bread you like, whether it's homemade or store-bought.  I like to try to always keep a couple of loaves of my homemade French bread in the freezer, so that I'm always ready to make this just in case I'm having "one of those days" where I need something quick to throw together for dinner.

I'm not putting in an ingredients list here, because the amounts are totally up to you and are better eye-balled than measured.  This post is more to help with assembly and baking.  :-)  Just make sure you have a loaf of French bread (my family needs AT LEAST 2 loaves), your favorite pizza sauce (we just use our favorite jarred spaghetti sauce from Aldi), shredded mozzarella, and your favorite pizza toppings.

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Get out a baking sheet but do NOT grease it.

Cut your loaf of French bread lengthwise in half.  Depending on the size of your pan and the length of the bread, you may need to cut it crosswise in half as well.  Lay the bread, cut side up, on the baking pan.  Spread pizza or spaghetti sauce on the cut sides, then top with whatever toppings tickle your fancy.  We like to be what most people would call boring and just use pepperoni on some and plain ole cheese on the rest.  ;-)  When your satisfied with the toppings, sprinkle on the cheese.  Use as little or as much as you want!  Or, at least as much as the bread can handle.  LOL!  Have fun with this, it's the beauty of making your own stuff!  :-)

Once the oven is preheated, slide the pan with the pizzas into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and browned lightly.  Pull the pan out, cut into pieces of desired size, and enjoy!