yummy

9/30/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis week’s meal plan is very loose. I try to meal prep and plan on Sunday’s, but we have a   Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box coming tomorrow, so I think I’ll be doing the bulk of the meal prep tomorrow. At least veggie-wise.

I’ll be roasting cauliflower, squash, and other veggies with some of these Urban Accents kits.  The Citrus pepper is my favorite.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I have a post here about our lunches. School lunches are free for kids in California, but my kids usually bring lunch from home.

Dinner: I’m working on a couple new recipes this week, so meals may get swapped around based on my free time. We’ve got therapy every week, so that cuts into our time at home (and my time to cook). Meal prepping has been a huge lifesaver on those busy days. Hopefully after this next hot spell, we’ll get some more typical fall weather and I can use my crockpot more often!

  • Sunday:  Spaghetti with veggie/meat sauce, garlic bread (I have leftovers from last night)
  • Monday: Chicken Nuggets, Watermelon slices, chips

  • Tuesday: Italian Chicken (recipe coming up this week), fruit salad

  • Wednesday: Fruit Smoothies, bagels with cream cheese

  • Thursday: Hashbrown breakfast bake (new recipe coming up this week)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Celebrate National Baking Day!

Abby H.

I love baking- cookies, bread, even biscuits. To celebrate National Baking Day, here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Want cookies but don’t want to turn on the oven? Try these:

9/22/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to posting Meal Plans. I took some time away to try and get back into the back-to-school/work swing of things.

I’m working on batch cooking to have soups/stews in the freezer. I made chicken noodle soup and chili from scratch this weekend. I split each batch into three: 1 for the fridge, one for the freezer, and one for my mom.

I add a lot of veggies to my soups and stews to increase the fiber content and help us get in our five a day.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I have a post here about our lunches. School lunches are free for kids in California, but my kids usually bring lunch from home.

Dinner: I reorganized the freezer over the weekend and discovered some spaghetti sauce, and a few other things that were buried under frozen fruit. Because we’ve got a busy week ahead (doctor’s appointments after school/work), we’ll be utilizing a lot of batch-prepped foods.

  • Sunday:  Spaghetti with veggie/meat sauce, garlic bread
  • Monday: Chicken noodle soup or smoothies with avocado toast

  • Tuesday: Chili, tortilla chips, fruit

  • Wednesday: Chef Salad, garlic bread

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner- Probably Quiche

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

8/18/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg4 days until school starts for us… Not that I’m counting.

I meal planned for the next two weeks last night as I was inventorying the kitchen. But to make it easier, I am only posting 1 week at a time

I’m trying hard to increase the kids’ fiber and protein intake. I can tell the difference when they are filling up on both- if nothing else, it helps them sleep better.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most days, and I pack snacks and water for us when we are out having summer adventures. Now that we are focusing on BTS, I reorganized the snack totes (yes there are two) and set up for making school lunches. I take my lunch to work and meal prep lunches once a week.

Dinner: Now that I’m back to working full time, I’m leaning heavily into meal prepping. I’ve got all kinds of meals in the freezer, and hopefully, once the temperature drops- It’ll be soup time!!

  • Sunday:  Dream Dinner, Salad (Dream Dinner Deal here)
  • Monday: Beans, Rice, and Quesadillas, Salad

  • Tuesday: Pasta Bake, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

  • Wednesday: Mac n’ Cheese, Smoothies, chips (first day of school)

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner- Pancakes, smoothies, sausage

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Dream Dinners: $15 Off Your Next Purchase!

Abby H.1 Comment

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

If you’ve never tried Dream Dinners, or if it’s been a while since you ordered, check out this awesome offer!

Use Coupon Code 15NEW24 at check out and save $15 off your next purchase, whether you pick it up in-store, or have it delivered, $15 off is a great deal.

If you aren’t familiar with Dream Dinners, check out my post with details and my review here.

 

Back to School Recipe Round Up: Casseroles and Hot Dishes!

Abby H.
Casseroles and Hot Dishes are a great way to add extra veggies to your family meals!

For some parents, the end of August and the beginning of September means Back to school time. With all of the moving parts, having an easy dinner that is tasty and comforting can be a welcome way to end the day.

Many casseroles and hot dishes can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge until it’s time to cook them in the oven, and some can be made in a crockpot!

Here are just a few of my favorite casseroles and hot dishes:

Lunch Time: Fueling Success!

Abby H.
My kids don’t have a lunch quite this fancy, but it looks amazing!

During the school year, I take my lunch to work every day. Not only is it cheaper than getting takeout daily, but bringing food to work helps me stay “on track” with my nutrition goals.

My kids also take their lunches every day. California public schools offer free breakfast and lunch to all kids, but my kids don’t like the offerings, and that’s ok with me.

Here are my top tips for packing a tip-top lunch- a lunch that gets eaten!

  1. Invest in an insulated lunch bag. I have this one and it’s awesome. It keeps everything at the correct temperature.
  2. Speaking of temps- Blue ice is ok, but these flexible ice sheets are better. You can wrap them around stuff in the lunch box/bag that needs to stay cold.
  3. We have various-sized thermoses, perfect for keeping hot food at the best temp. To really keep hot food hot, I recommend pouring boiling hot water into the thermos and putting on the lid to let the inside heat up. After 10 minutes, dump out the hot water, pour in the hot food, and screw the lid on tightly. These 10-ounce thermoses are perfect for kids lunches. Spaghetti, soup, mac n’ cheese, and leftovers of most types work really well in these containers. My daughter loves Sanrio, and she has one of these with Kuromi.
  4. My son loves Smoothies, and to keep them cold and frosty, I use an insulated bottle like these. Much like prepping a thermos for hot food, keeping smoothies frosty, prep an insulated bottle with ice old water (with cubes)for 10-15 minutes. Dump them out, pour in the smoothie and screw the cap on. I include a boba straw with his lunch.
  5. I like salads for lunch, and with a container like this one from Contigo, all of my salad “parts” stay fresh and the lettuce doesn’t get wilty or gross.

In case you are wondering what my kids and I have for lunch, here are just a few examples:

Boy child: Smoothie (contains fruit, greek yogurt, fairlife milk), chips or pretzels, granola bar, fruit snack, protein cookies.

Girl Child: Something hot (usually chicken noodle soup or mac n’ cheese), apple slices, chips or pretzels, cookie, fruit snack, cheese stick.

Me: Meal Prepped lunch (2 ounces meat, 4-6 ounces of veggies, 1/2 cup starch), Salad with 2 ounces of meat,  or a frozen entree with at least 15 grams of protein, 2 small clementines or 1 orange cut-up,  1 cup of veggies (carrot sticks or celery), serving of guac or hummus, can of fizzy water.  My morning snack is a cup of Greek yogurt and 1 cup of fruit.

8/11/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg10 days until school starts for us… Not that I’m counting.

I grocery shopped on Thursday and picked up a lot of staples for smoothies and mac n’ cheese- The two current food hyper focuses.

I’m trying hard to get the kids to increase their fiber and protein intake. I can tell the difference when they are filling up on both- if nothing else, it helps them sleep better.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites can be found here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most days, and I pack snacks and water for us when we are out having summer adventures.

Dinner: It’s so hot here in Southern California, that I’m trying hard not to turn on the oven. We’re enjoying a lot of ready-to-eat sides (chips and fruit), so that time in the kitchen is minimized.

  • Sunday:  Sweet and Spicy Pork, Basmati Rice, Roasted Green Beans (any leftovers will be meal-prepped for lunches for the remainder of the week)
  • Monday: Chicken Noodle Soup, Smoothies, garlic bread

  • Tuesday: Mac n’ Cheese, Smoothies, chips

  • Wednesday: Chicken Fajita Veggie Skillet, tortilla chips or cheese quesadillas (kids choice)

  • Thursday: Breakfast egg bake (sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, veggies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Family Recipe: Chow Mein Hotdish

Abby H.
My mom made some recently and sent some home with me!

OK, so growing up we used to have this like once every few weeks. It’s quick, it’s easy, and I swore that it was a family recipe.

When researching this recipe, I then found out that apparently, this is a hot dish that’s made all over the Midwest. And according to my mom, it’s in tons of church cookbooks.

This recipe is pretty simple, and it’s delicious, and it is kind of weird. And definitely not at all Asian.

Chow mein hot dish 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon of dehydrated toasted onions, or 1/4 diced white onion
  • one can of cream of mushroom soup
  • half a can of cream of mushroom soup filled with water
  • One cup of uncooked rice
  • Two ribs of celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 small can of water chestnuts slices, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can of chow mein noodles

Directions

  1. In an electric skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble ground beef and onion.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients except chow mein noodles.
  3. Cook on medium stirring often until rice is tender.
  4. Remove from heat, top with chow mein noodles, and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

If you want to add extra veggies, add 1 cup sliced mushrooms when cooking the meat and onion.

You can cook this on the stove, but I’ve always cooked the majority of my hot dishes in an electric skillet. I’m not sure why. Probably because my entire family does.

Some people like this served with a little bit of soy sauce, but I find that the condensed cream of mushroom soup is salty enough as it is.

Family Recipe: Calico Beans

Abby H.
Beans, Beans…

This recipe is one of my favorite Fourth of July favs.

Calico Beans. Easy to make, so good, gets better as leftovers (if there are any).

This will be one of the few recipes I will not change, so vegetarian/vegan/GF friends, scroll on.

Calico Beans -Makes a crockpot full

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, crumbled, cooked, and drained
  • 1 package (12 ounces) bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained
  • 1/2 onion, diced (Or use 1/4 cup dehydrated onions)
  • 2 large cans of Campbell’s Pork & Beans
  • 3 cans of beans, your choice (Great Northern, Black Eye, Cannelli, Kidney, Butter Beans are all solid choices) DRAINED AND RINSED
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

  1. Put all of the ingredients into a crockpot.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

These beans are amazing. They are so filling, and taste like summer (at least to me). A friend of my grandfather always brought these beans to potlucks and swore it was a special secret family recipe.

It’s not. This recipe, or a variation is in almost every midwestern church cookbook. Gatekeeping family recipes is a no-no in my book. If you don’t share recipes, the food is lost to your family and friends when you pass. Share the recipe and your memory and the happy memories of eating your food will live on!