Weekly Meal Planning Jan 22-28

Aaaand we're back to colder weather! I'm not complain. Soup for the win this week!

Sunday: andouille sausages wrapped in pastry, green salad
Monday: curried cauliflower soup with naan
Tuesday: black bean burrito bowls
Wednesday: chicken tortilla soup
Thursday: veal chop milanese, roasted potatoes and green beans, arugula salad with lemon dressing
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: at a school function

Weekly Meal Planning Jan 15-21

Well, mother nature isn't really sure what to do with Georgia, it seems. We had ice last weekend, and were in flip flops this past weekend enjoying patio dining! I saw a meme that made me laugh. 

Mother Nature: You can't have all four seasons in one week.
Georgia: hold my beer.

While I have not complained about the mild temperatures, it wouldn't be so bad to have some crisp, cool days! This week's menu will reflect the warmer temps as we are quickly in "spring" mode.

Sunday: went out for mexican food on a patio 
Monday: leftover spaghetti squash and meatballs
Tuesday: burrito bowls with  barbacoa beef, cilantro lime rice, black beans, corn and red pepper salsa, and avocado
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: tabouli, hummus, kubba, mana'eesh, garlic lemon chicken 
Friday: cobb salad with grilled veggies
Saturday: out with friends

Weekly Meal Planning Jan 1-14

Happy New Year! This week started off with a bang at a traditional middle eastern New Year's Day dinner at a family friend's house...and then turned the wrong way with a stomach bug hitting our house a day later. But thank goodness for leftovers! We had enough food for dinner for two more nights (and lunches). Phew! So the meal plan started Wednesday. Kids started back to school Thursday, and they don't have any activities this week, so we can still take it easy and start back slowly. Oh and there is a forecast for S-N-O-W on Friday evening so I'm throwing chili on the menu. ;-)

While I'm here, and since it's already (past) midweek, I'm working on next week's plan too. I asked my kids for input and they gave me a slew of ideas. So I'm scattering them throughout the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday: veggie lasagna
Thursday: chicken with pineapple, broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots
Friday: steak chili
Saturday: 100 Days of Real Food's creamy mac and peas
Sunday: out for my birthday
Monday: broccoli cheese potato soup  
Tuesday: greek tacos with tomato/cucumber salad, roasted potatoes
Wednesday: beef stroganoff
Thursday: mezzo dinner (haloumi, green salad, kefir spread, pitas)
Friday: salmon with red wine, baked potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts
Saturday: at FIL's house

Resolutions and Baby Steps

Happy New Year! Here's to a fresh year, a fresh start, and making healthier decisions. Are you one of the many people who has resolved to eat better, work out more, lose weight, etc in 2017? While I don't make resolutions like that anymore, I do try to kickstart a healthier lifestyle especially after the gluttony that is December. 

The key is baby steps, and small goals. Don't set a goal of hardcore exercising every single day. Overdoing it leads to burnout, which leads to quitting, which leads to frustration, and it can be a vicious cycle! Start small - knock out some killer workouts a few times a week or work in 10-20 minutes of activity per day. It can be anything - walking, stairs at your building at work, weight training, yoga...

We enjoyed some outdoor activities last week, especially since my oldest got a new bike and my youngest started riding a bike. But this week, with the dreary weather, I am being called by youtube exercise videos! Maybe once my kids are back in school and the weather is nicer, the pavement will be calling me to run again. 

A constant struggle for me is increasing my water intake. I was so much better about drinking water when I had a desk job. It was just there all the time. Now, I will fill up a water bottle and take it to run an errand, then forget it in the car and the next thing I know, it's almost evening and I haven't even gotten halfway through it. As I type this, I have a glass of water on the kitchen counter, you know, on the other side of my house, because that's how it will be consumed. ;)

The achilles heel for many is food consumption. The type, the amount, and the timing. Again, don't set a ridiculously hard goal with this. While there are plenty of programs (like Whole30) that cut out major food groups and are designed to kick your body back into good health, you can take smaller steps and still see major improvements. (Sidenote: obviously, if you have medical issues that need to be addressed, or intolerances, cutting out food groups is a different story.) I toyed with doing another Whole30 to get me back on track, but I've decided to make smaller changes instead of major ones. Oh, and I was too lazy to plan for starting it January 1st. 

You've heard me say it before. Planning is KEY. Prepwork is KEY. It is HARD to throw together healthy meals and snacks at the last minute. And keep the junk out of the house. It is so much easier to reach for something healthy when the unhealthy stuff isn't there to taunt you! 

Having said all of that, give yourself a break. Take it step by step, and acknowledge that if you fall off the wagon, or off routine, it's ok, just pick yourself back up and start where you left off. It is your body, your health. Take care of it.

Weekly Meal Planning Dec 25-31

Merry Christmas! Wishing you all a happy, healthy 2017 with peaceful mealtimes.

I never posted a meal plan last week which ended up being pretty apropos to the week we had! There were some last minute throw together meals (large snacks?) and one drive-through evening between activities and Christmas pageant practice. Somehow, the meal planning just got away from me.

This week, we are back on track. We had wonderful Christmas Eve and Day dinners at my mom's and FIL's respectively. And we're lucky to have been sent home with leftovers from both dinners. I also got the turkey carcass and broth has been made and is in jars awaiting the gumbo that will be made later this week!

Sunday: Christmas dinner
Monday: leftover turkey, rice, corn casserole, maple carrots, green salad
Tuesday: leftover turkey, rice, roasted lemon cauliflower, green salad
Wednesday: tomato soup, grilled cheese, leftover roasted cauliflower
Thursday: turkey gumbo
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: at a New Year's Eve party

Happy New Year!

Weekly Meal Planning for Dec 11 - Dec 17

Tis the season for hectic holiday events and schedules! So far, we have had a very fun season. We are enjoying being together, celebrating the season with others, and continuing traditions like finding the "perfect" tree (despite not being 100% certain that this year's tree will remain upright for the next four weeks). This is where the slow cooker (or pressure cooker) comes in. I am thankful to have a gadget that can cook food for me while I'm enjoying life. I know it's important to have healthy meals but I try to find a balance between spending hours in the kitchen and being in the moment with my loved ones. It's not always easy! This week, the slow cooker will be on overdrive. :)

Sunday: leftover beef bourguignon 
Monday: minestrone soup
Tuesday: beef tacos
Wednesday: chicken curry with coconut milk, rice and peas
Thursday: leftover soup and grilled cheese
Friday: leftover curry
Saturday: at a Christmas party

Weekly Meal Planning for Dec 4 - Dec 10

Tis the week of trying new recipes! I had earmarked a few recipes from the new 100 Days of Real Food Fast and Fabulous Cookbook to try this week. First up is the salmon recipe. We had been good about having salmon regularly and especially on Mondays, but that has fallen by the wayside recently! So this week, I set out to find some wild caught coho at Whole Foods (because I was too late to add some to our Nature's Garden order). They had some that I quickly defrosted and seared. It was a hit! Next up is chicken chili, and then lastly, we will try a beef bourguignon. 

Sunday: "clean out the freezer" meal
Monday: pan seared simple salmon with red wine, roasted baby sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and asparagus
Tuesday: white chicken chili
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: weeknight beef bourguignon, green salad
Friday: at a christmas party 
Saturday: leftovers

What's on your menu this week? 

Weekly Meal Planning for Nov 27 - Dec 3

Now that Thanksgiving (and all the gluttony it brought with it!) is behind us, and the Advent season has begun, I want to get back to meal planning! We ate out (or at someone's house) for several days in a row last week and I'm feeling the effects greatly. Time to get back on track! 

Sunday: roast at my father-in-law's house
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: lentil soup
Wednesday: arancini casserole
Thursday: make your own omelets
Friday: taco pot pie
Saturday: leftovers

What is on your menu this "after thanksgiving" week?

Thanksgiving 2016 Planning

We don't host Thanksgiving at our house, so it is not a stressful planning period for us, however we do make some dishes for the two family thanksgiving meals that we do attend on Thursday. This year, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law asked that each family bring dishes that have stories to go with them (that can be told in mixed company). My husband has a (non-dinner-time-appropriate) story about brussels sprouts so that is our first contribution. 

We will also make one of his favorite desserts, chocolate bourbon pecan pie. When we got married, his mom gave me that recipe and since then, I have made it instead of her. 

We have yet to decide which brussels sprout dish we will make but these two have been popular in past years: 
- Cauliflower and brussel sprout gratin
- Brussels sprouts with pancetta

This Ina Garten one sounds delicious so it may come into contention as well!

We will also make corn pudding for the meal at my mom's house. This one has been our go-to recipe for the past few years. 

What are your Thanksgiving plans this year?

Weekly Meal Planning for Nov 6-12

Temperatures have dropped and our lows are now in the 40s in the evenings and mornings. Fall is here for sure, let's just hope it lasts and doesn't turn into winter too quickly. I got two new cookbooks - Skinnytaste's Fast and Slow and 100 Days of Real Food Fast and Fabulous (notice a theme?) - and we have decided to make two cool-weatheresque recipes from those, along with some other heartier recipes for the week. 

Sunday: pot roast, baby sweet potatoes, green salad with cucumbers 
{Meatless} Monday: broccoli cheese soup 
Tuesday: slow cooker chicken tortilla soup from Fast and Fabulous 
Wednesday: slow cooker beef ragu with pappardelle from Fast and Slow 
Thursday: creamy pumpkin pasta
Friday: leftover pasta or soup
Saturday: leftover beef ragu

Recipe: Chicken and Mushroom Soup

It's pretty much soup weather (after 6pm) and I have been looking for a good chicken and mushroom soup for the past couple of years. This one was so easy to make and ended up being delicious. It was hearty but not overly hearty, and not too "soupy" either. 

Chicken and Mushroom Soup
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6oz mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp flour (optional to thicken it a bit)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
s&p to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
6 springs thyme
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped1/2 cup whole milk or cream (optional)

Heat butter over medium heat. Add veggies and saute until crisp tender. Optional: add flour to pot, stir for a couple of minutes. Pour broth, bring to boil, add rice, chicken, and spices, lower to simmer and cook until rice is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Mix in milk or cream if you want it creamy.

Serve with crusty bread and/or a green salad.

Elderberry Syrup

We generally buy elderberry syrup and use it as extra immune support during cold and flu season. This year, I am attempting to make it as it seems relatively simple. I'm combining two recipes to make my syrup - from a Wellness Mama blog post and from a guide called Herbal Nurturing. 

There is also an Atlanta area mom who makes and sells hers, if you want *homemade* but you don't want to make it yourself. 

https://www.facebook.com/Be-Welderberry-1523441417972037/

Elderberry syrup use is one of the alternative medicine strategies that has been shown in numerous studies to be effective. I'm taking these quotes and links off of a Facebook page of a friend of mine, as we both share the value of science and alternative therapies. 

"Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza. " https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15080016

"In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518

"For the first time, it was shown that a standardized elderberry liquid extract possesses antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria of Streptococcus pyogenes and group C and G Streptococci, and the Gram-negative bacterium Branhamella catarrhalis in liquid cultures. The liquid extract also displays an inhibitory effect on the propagation of human pathogenic influenza viruses."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056848/

"These data suggest a significant reduction of cold duration and severity in air travelers." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848651/

What are your go-to strategies for immune support during this time of year? Have you tried elderberry syrup? 

Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 30-Nov 5

Happy Halloween! We have a nice little (actually, BIG) pile of candy to go through tomorrow but after a very active field day at school and trick-or-treating for two hours, my two were ready for bed. And right before I fall into bed, I wanted to finish up the meal planning post for this week. We got a lot of great goodies (including salmon!) in our box today. Between those, two new cookbooks, and a new online recipe to try, my meal planning may be a little more adventurous over the next few weeks! 

Sunday: chili at our neighborhood halloween party 
Monday: salmon, green salad, roasted broccolini, baby potatoes, and carrots
Tuesday: roast chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower, kale citrus salad
Wednesday: at a soccer end-of-season party
Thursday: chicken and mushroom soup (modified from this recipe)
Friday: leftover soup
Saturday: at a friend's house

I tried to get as many nutrients in my kids as possible today because between field day and halloween (read: lots of junk and sugar highs), I needed to balance them out! Their lunches tomorrow will also be completely junk-free. I know they had a great day so this is where I let go a little and tell myself that they will forget about the candy soon. 

Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere

I'm a sucker for pumpkin recipes this time of year. We have done the usuals, muffins/pancakes, even smoothies and pumpkin spice creamer. This year, we are expanding and adding even more pumpkin recipes to our repertoire. 

We made these pumpkin breakfast cookies and they are a great option for something to grab on the go in the mornings. They were very easy to make, too! 

Right before I left on my solo trip, I made a batch of pumpkin overnight oats for the kids to have an easy breakfast option while I was gone. I used ingredients I had on hand but it was similar to this recipe.

Since it is now officially soup season, I have put this on my soup recipe rotation and am anxious to try it. My kids will get a kick out of the grilled cheese croutons. 

And lastly, I mentioned this in the weekly meals post, but I have been looking forward to trying this pumpkin alfredo since I saw the IG post a few weeks ago. It just looks perfect and I hope it doesn't disappoint!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 24-Oct 30

Fall weather has arrived! This gives us the green light for comforting, warm meals like casseroles, soups, chili, and roasts. We have had a crazy October so far but this week, we are back to reality. Back-to-back trips are not easy to recover from but homemade dinners help. :) 

Sunday: spinach ravioli with peas (after driving back from Florida all day)
Monday: spaghetti squash and turkey bolognese 
Tuesday: spinach, tomatoes and eggs
Wednesday: Cuban picadillo with beans in pita pockets, lemon roasted cauliflower
Thursday: leftover picadillo over quinoa, boiled eggs and potatoes, spinach salad with beets, pomegranate seeds, and orange wedges
Friday: pumpkin alfredo with chicken sausage and spinach
Saturday: at a birthday party
Sunday: chili at a halloween party

I have had my eye on that pumpkin alfredo recipe for a few weeks now and can't wait to try it. I'm a big fan of creamy pastas (but really, who isn't?!) and I'm anxious to see how the pumpkin and sage amp up the depth of the flavor there! If I make it to the farmers market, I'll get some of their fresh pasta because it is so good, otherwise, I'll fall back on my store-bought one.

Now that it feels like fall, it's time to enjoy the hearty flavors in the meals!

Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 2-Oct 8

I've been having technical difficulties this week! I have tried to post this meal plan and that kale recipe but wasn't able to for some reason. Anyway, now that it seems to be working, let's try again.

Sunday: quick Chipotle after soccer
Monday: zoodles with pesto, chicken drumsticks, kale and citrus salad, sweet potato fries
Tuesday: greek tacos 
Wednesday: pesto spinach ravioli 
Thursday: leftovers 
Friday: at a football game
Saturday: at our high school reunion

Enjoy your week!

Recipe: Kale & Citrus Salad

This was a big hit for my family. My five year old even asked me to make more for her lunch tomorrow. I omitted the jalapeño and the nuts but it was still flavorful without being too citrusy and earthy without being to kale-y. It was a perfect side but can be part of a main dish too. This would be amazing topped with broiled fish, too!

Perfect for Fall Kale & Citrus Salad
1 bunch kale, washed, trimmed, and sliced roughly
Juice of 1 orange
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp evoo
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped finely (optional)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 large orange or 2 tangelos, peeled and diced
Feta, blue cheese or goat cheese to top
Toasted nuts (optional)

Mix orange juice through jalapeño in a jar. Cover and shake vigorously. Add yogurt and shake until well combined. Pour onto kale and mix well. Top with orange pieces and feta, toss lightly. Top with nuts if preferred.

Weekly Meal Planning for Sept 25-Oct 1

You know it's gonna be a rough week when you plan the meal for Sunday to be a quick weeknight meal because you have to rush! Ah well. Some weeks are just like that. We are also doing several meatless meals to help cut down on our grocery budget a little bit. It seems to have gotten out of control! 

Sunday: spinach and mushroom linguine 

Monday: crustless broccoli cheese quiche and pumpkin bread

Tuesday: black bean chili nachos (a la one of our favorites, The Grit restaurant in Athens)

Wednesday: butternut squash soup and  Parmesan crisps 

Thursday: roasted Rosemary lemon chicken, roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots 

Friday: leftover chicken and veggies, green salad 

Saturday: Cobb salad with shredded roast chicken 

Recipe: Chicken Curry

I gave my kids a choice for dinner last night - chicken curry or chicken pot pie, and I was shocked when they chose chicken curry. And I was even more pleasantly surprised when I realized how easy it was to make and how fast it came together. It ended up being a perfect, hearty meal for a gloomy, rainy Sunday evening. I doubled it since we had my mom over, and I wanted leftovers. My kids each said "I don't like this, I love it!" Here's what I did - barely modified from the original.

1 Tbsp avocado oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry powder
2 pinches (an 8-year old's) turmeric
12 chicken thighs, skinless, some boneless, trimmed and seasoned with s&p
chicken broth splash
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet potato, diced (should've had two)
1 cup coconut milk
2 10oz bags of frozen sweet peas
chopped cilantro for garnish
basmati rice, cooked

Heat oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven. Add onions, stirring around for a minute. Add garlic, stirring around with onions until soft. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp curry powder, and 1 pinch turmeric. Remove onions and place into a bowl. 
Place 6 pieces of chicken and brown on both sides, remove and brown remaining chicken. Add remaining spices. Remove chicken, splash chicken broth to break up browned bits at the bottom of the pot. 
Put the chicken and onions back in. Add potatoes and coconut milk. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are soft. Add peas and stir until warmed through. Sprinkle half of cilantro (about a tsp). Heat through and serve over rice. Sprinkle cilantro on each serving. 

Weekly Meal Planning Sept 18-Sept 24

There is a crisp feeling in the air most mornings, the leaves have started showing hints of changing, and apples are showing up at my local farmers market! This can only mean one thing. FALL IS COMING. My favorite season officially begins this week. In honor of it, I will make a couple of new, heartier recipes to help us welcome the fall! 

Sunday: chicken curry with peas and potatoes
Monday: attending the Georgia Restaurant Association Chairman's Reception where my nephew will be recognized for being the winner from Georgia for the FLOTUS's Healthy Lunch Challenge!
Tuesday: vegetarian tamale pie
Wednesday: school spirit night
Thursday: leftover pie
Friday: farmers market veggie lasagna and a green salad
Saturday: out for our anniversary dinner