Friday Food Frenzy (9/27) - A Chill in the Air

This week I had to break out the slippers and winter coats. Things went from hot and dry to windy, wet and cold here in Oregon. This season I could have used a gradual change to Fall. Does the weather change the food you crave? It definitely affects our meal plans here. I am now pinning more soups, stews and casseroles than I was just a week ago. Thanks for dropping by this week. I can't wait to see what you link up.

Meal Plan Monday - Cooking with Real Food 3/4/2013

Last week we enjoyed a vacation away. Though we were still in the soggy and grey Pacific Northwest, we spent the week at Great Wolf Lodge, a water park where all you really need is a bathing suit and pajamas. It also meant we ate most of our meals out. That was a vacation I desperately needed.

I say most, because Great Wolf Lodge offers fridges and microwaves in each room. I made baked oatmeal and took items for lunch though we ended up mainly eating leftovers from our meals out.

By the end of our break I was starting to really feel it. Not used to all the added sodium or preservatives, I knew I wanted to start meal planning and clean eating as soon as we came back home. I loaded up our grocery cart with a wide variety of foods and an idea that getting back to my meal planning would help to make sure nothing was wasted. This time of year even parsley and salad mix can come with a steep price tag. There is no sense in throwing my money away.

So baby steps. This week I am planning and prepping with an idea that next week I hope to show off what I have been up to. I still need to massively overhaul my freezers and pantry with an eye on the new baby's arrival in June. Sadly, my energy has been low so I hope better food will help to fuel my projects.

What's Cooking in our Kitchen This Week:

• Monday: Lemon & Kale Baked Pasta with salad & fresh bake biscuits (recipe to be posted soon!)
• Tuesday: Korean Tacos & Homemade Kimchi 
• Wednesday: Potato & Ham Bake with green beans, salad and homemade vinaigrette - freezer friendly meal 
• Thursday: Leftovers
• Friday: Crock pot Corned Beef, cabbage & potatoes with bacon and cheese popovers
• Saturday: Homemade gyoza with hand-rolled wrappers, egg drop soup and rubbed kale salad
• Sunday: Breakfast for dinner

To Make:

• Honey Oat Loaf for toast and sandwiches
• Gyoza wrappers
• Homemade Yogurt
• Homemade Granola

So what will be cooking up in your kitchen this week?

Motivated Monday - Fatigue is NOT my Friend

Happy Monday everyone!

Last week was rough. I was fighting the dreaded fatigue. Know what I mean? I was tired, unmotivated and really feeling defeated.

The funny thing was I was drinking water, eating good food and getting more sleep than usual. Well, the sleep was courtesy of falling asleep as the sun went down and not waking up till my kids assaulted me bright and early in the morning.

Despite the struggle, and it all felt uphill, I was able to get out and walk, hike and do yoga.

So take that fatigue! I am stronger than a silly virus/bug and I am not easily dissuaded from my goals. I will work out everyday and I know it will pay off soon.

Food is always my weakness but, I ate clean and loved every bite. Here is a highlight of the weekend:

This Cheesy Broccoli and Zucchini Quinoa was warm and delicious!

This roasted cauliflower with cumin and garam masala rocked my taste buds.

And Eggplant Involtini stuffed with kale and ricotta was divine!

Of course don't miss the Lemon Yogurt Sauteed Vegetables over Orzo, posted over on Mamavation.com. This made for a light and lovely lunch. Change up the base with your grain of choice or even salad to suit your tastes and diet.

Here is my Meal Plan for the week:

Mon - Vegetable Fritatta, Shoyu Steamed Pumpkin, Broiled Cabbage
Tue - Cabbage Rolls with Turkey, Corn Chowder
Wed - Meatloaf (lamb & beef), Mashed Rutabega, Roasted Green Beans, Rubbed Kale Salad
Thur - Homemade Ravioli with Kale and Leek filling, Homemade Marinara Sauce
Fri - Out
Sat - Tuna Casserole (I am reworking this recipe to have 2x the veggies & 1/2 the tuna), Salad
Sun - Leftovers

I am not going to make a workout plan this week as I am riding out fatigue. Truly I am fall-down sleepy during the day so my goals are to get my morning walk in with the kids (3.4 miles usually gets me to 10,000 steps!) and a yoga or cardio DVD.

I lost 1.4 lbs this past week!

GOAL: 175lbs  - Current 208.6lbs  = 33.6lbs to lose

        9/2                Current 204.8lbs = 29.9 lbs to lose

        9/9                Current 203.4lbs = 28.5 lbs to lose

        9/16              Current 202.6lbs = 27.6 lbs to lose

      10/15              Current 201.2lbs = 26.4 lbs to lose

What are your plans for the week? What have you been eating?

Motivated Monday - Learning to Prioritize...Me!

Do you put yourself first?

Okay, I don't either. I have the kids, my husband, the housework and family all lined up before myself and usually I just give up. Should I? Of course not, but it happens more than I care to admit.

This past week I forced myself to carve out a little more time for myself. Yeah, just a little. Things have been busy around here and I am doing what I can, but the truth is I need to do more.

I tried waking up earlier...

and my 3-year old woke up every morning within 10 minutes. No, didn't even matter if I moved the times around. She has super-spidey senses.

I tried sleeping less...

That is just not okay as I creep farther into my 30's. No joke. I need my sleep.

So here is the goal for the week: Organize. I need to organize my home, my life and my priorities. Does that sound like a big goal? You betcha! I have been eyeing the plans to tackle one room a day and set a weekly schedule to get everything done. In the past I have tried to do too much in one session. So this time I am going to truly limit myself. Now, everyday I still need to cook, do dishes and clean the kitchen and sweep the floors - Ugh... the goal will be to do only 2 loads a day and the basics of everything else.

So here is my Cleaning Schedule:

Monday - Bathroom (downstairs)
Tuesday - Vacuum upstairs & downstairs, organize playroom
Wednesday - Mop, dust & pledge
Thursday - Bathroom (both)
Friday -  Big laundry day
Saturday - Bathroom (upstairs)
Sunday - Food Prep for the week, deep clean sink

I hope this leaves a bit more time in my week. I have some fun new recipes to try for the week. Last week I tried the overnight oats from Pinterest and liked it! I really need to have easy breakfasts so I don't eat too late. Here is my meal plan:


Monday - Eggplant Roll-ups, salad, baked apples
Tuesday - Dairy-Free Corn Chowder
Wednesday - Cinderella Princess Party - Sandwich bar, raw veggies, salsa and fruit
Thursday - Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner
Friday -  Black Bean Burgers, homemade buns and fruit salad
Saturday - Turkey Cabbage Rolls
Sunday - Roasted Veggie Pizza

As for exercise for the week? My daily walks and regular workouts should be good. I also want to slip in nighttime yoga a few times (3?) this week. I always sleep so well afterwards.

Okay, what do you have scheduled/planned for the week? Are you planning on making yourself a priority?

This week on Mamavation TV, Kelley O. Konnors will be our guest to talk about Menopause. I recently did a post all about the new Poise products to help with Peri-menopause symptoms. Check out my post HERE. 

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Schick Intuition and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity preventionand weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Motivated Monday - Oh, Snap! How is it Monday Already?

Ever have those weeks?

My eating, blech, my water intake, horrible... somehow I survived the week but in the course of things I kinda fell off the map.

But here's the thing, my body is still going. My shoes still work and my pedometer is waiting. I don't want sympathy because it was a choice. Albeit a bad one,  I made the choice not to find time. In fact I crashed. With so much to do I felt like a wind-up toy that was taking its one. last. step. So last night I went to sleep. The kitchen sink held a night's worth of dishes, filled laundry basket in the living room, but I headed upstairs around 10pm.

Best choice of the week.

Today I will grab breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs, veggies, avocado and coffee
I will carry my water bottle everywhere with me
I will go on a 3 mile walk with my kids
I will do my Mamavation Grad workout
I will go to bed by 10pm
...and I will smile, laugh and cuddle my kids.

I did though create my week's meal plan. Yay! I don't do well faced with last minute eating options. I like to shop ahead of time and be very prepared to feed my family. So here it is:

Meal Plan 9/17
Monday - Taco/Tortilla Soup (a cross between the two with chicken, beans and loads of fresh tomatoes)
Tuesday - Basil and Summer Squash Pasta, rubbed kale salad with tomatoes
Wednesday - Tuna Casserole, salad
Thursday - Baked Spring Rolls, gyoza, egg drop soup
Friday - Orza salad, raw veggies, steamed corn and pumpkin soup
Saturday - Oyakodon, salad, shyoyu steamed pumpkin
Sunday - Kale and leek ravioli, salad, fruit salad

Here is my favorite meal from last week. Quinoa with goat cheese, zucchini and corn, steamed broccoli, tomato, sliced green peppers and a smear of garlic hummus for dipping. Yum!

As for my scale pic? Well, I cringed at the thought of stepping on it this morning. To my surprise there was still a loss... not big, but I will take it!

I lost .8 lbs this past week!

GOAL: 175lbs  - Current 208.6lbs  = 33.6lbs to lose

        9/2                Current 204.8lbs = 29.9 lbs to lose

        9/9                Current 203.4lbs = 28.5 lbs to lose

        9/16              Current 202.6lbs = 27.6 lbs to lose

Now I just keep thinking what the number could be if I actually work hard this week. My goal is to try!

#Mamavation Monday - Banishing the Crazies!

Ahhh... the post that almost wasn't...

This past week my Mom came to visit from Florida and the week felt more like a "staycation" than a regular week. Laundry went undone, there was much to do and schedules were a little more lax.

Some of you know it was a challenge for me. I am proud of all my Mom has overcome, cancer, abusive relationships and me! But there is something about having one's parent under the same roof that stirs up things from the past. There was some butting of heads, like over the footwear for kids to wear to the park, what should be fed to my chickens, etc. It was the little things that added up.

I am proud to say, though I didn't get my walks in, or exercise DVDs, I controlled what I could. All week I shared some of my favorite healthy recipes with her. From rubbed kale to millet patties, we had several plant based meals and got an array of gorgeous colors on our plates. It is important to me in times of stress to control the few things I can... like my food. Oh, and I should say there was no emotional eating! (yay!)

My kids had an amazing time and overall it was a good visit.

That behind me, it is time to get back on track. It amazes me how one little week can derail routines. I began today with our usual walk and plan to end the day with a little candle light yoga. It is a start and every journey must have one.

My goal this week is to really get my sweat on. Luckily I haven't been gaining any weight, but losing has been slow so it is time to add in more time, activities, bike rides, etc. I am pretty sure I can find another 30 minutes of movement in my day but haven't decided exactly what to do. I might just play it by ear this week.

This week I am thrilled to say our leeks are ready! They smelled lovely as I pulled them from the garden. They are also ready in our market, but they won't last long. Are leeks in season in your area?

As for food, the farm is in full swing, so lots of fresh veggies to work with! Here is my Meal Plan:

Mon. - Leek & Shallot Pasta
Tue. - Crock Pot Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers
Wed. - Zucchini Noodles Alfredo
Thur. - Chicken Fajitas
Fri. - "Farm Fresh Dinner" - fresh corn on the cob, melon, sliced veggies, baked egg rolls
Sat. - Broccoli Frittata
Sun. - Chef Salad - Poached Chicken, boiled eggs, avocado, corn, greens

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

#Mamavation Monday - Hold Me!

Furious preparations are underfoot....

As I get set to post this my Mom is coming to stay for the week. No big deal? I think everyone has a unique relationship with their parents. Whether you fear, love or dread their visits ... they take us back in time. No longer will I be the queen of the roost, my Mom will be here.

At dinner my son mentioned that my Mom should try something I made. We have rules in the house to try a bite of everything on our plate before being excused, so my son was confused when I said she might not want to try it. My son was bewildered. I could see his mind racing. Unfortunately I think he picked up on the fact someone in the house wouldn't have to listen to me! Ugh...

In reality I am not sure how much will get done around here. I look forward to spending time with her and doing some fun craft projects with the kids. I will be trying to fit in the daily walks but it will be impossible to get my late-night treadmill time.

I plan to concentrate on what I can control... our meals! So, here is my meal plan for the week:

Mon - Taco Salad - meatless Monday with kidney beans and loads of veggies!
Tue - Smoked Pork Loin, BBQ potato salad, light slaw
Wed - Shredded Chicken with Peanut Sauce over a bed of zucchini, summer squash & carrot "noodles"
Thur - Chicken salad in a cantaloupe bowl
Fri - Eat Out!
Sat - Farm Fresh Dinner (whatever comes out of my garden or out of the field)

This past week I spent more time cleaning than exercising. That should have been healthy, but I also wasn't sleeping well. It is a bad combination. I feel rather puffy and can't wait to get back on track after my Mom leaves.

I hope everyone has a great week and stays motivated!

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Unreal Candy and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Monday Motivation - Clawing Out of a Funk

Last week I finished the 2weekchallenge and though I got through it many of the days I "just" did. Low energy, sleepy, cranky and unmotivated. I felt like I was sleepwalking through my days. So frustrating! The funk or fog lasted almost 2 weeks.

What caused it?

Well, probably several things. We co-sleep part time with the kids and my daughter had some pretty rough nights. Instead of snuggling with us for a few hours in the early morning, she wouldn't sleep in her bed at all without a fight. She tossed, turned and woke up every few hours. 3-year-olds are pretty fierce kickers and hitters. Needless to say, neither my husband nor I got a good night sleep. We discussed things and are pretty sure this slowly started sucking the life out of both of us.

Even though I was heading to bed by 10pm, I awoke feeling more tired than when I went to sleep. Housework backed up because I wasn't productive, I finally sacrificed my workouts and my temper was short. So how did I claw my way out of that funk?

Adding in some nighttime Yoga was my first step. Stretching and breathing prepped me for a full night of quality sleep. That first night I slept a little better.

The next day I walked and added in yoga. We tried to keep my daughter more comfortable and were firmer about her spending more time in her bed.

The funk is lifting! I can't say it is easy, but I had to make my health a priority. Sleep and exercise affect so much of the rest of my day, they can't be overlooked or sacrificed.

So my question for you is, what do you do to banish a funk? What causes you to loose motivation and energy?

Fuel
To help out with funk-busting, I prepared this fun meal-plan for the week:

Mon - Garden Pizza (loaded with fresh veggies & sauce from goodies in our garden & fresh mozz)
Tue - Millet Patties over a bed of veggies
Wed - Broccoli Fritatta
Thur - Grilled Chicken & veggies
Fri - Stir Fried veggies & tofu over brown rice
Sat - Taco Salad
Sun - Breakfast for Dinner

Exercise
Gotta keep moving to benefit from those happy endorphins! I also need to get the house de-cluttered and the back room cleaned out for a visit from my Mom. So much to do this week.


Mon - 1 hr. walk/ Cardio DVD/ nighttime Yoga
Tue - 1 hr. walk/ weights
Wed - 1 hr. walk/ Dance DVD/ nighttime Yoga
Thur - 1 hr. walk/ Cardio DVD/
Fri - 1 hr. walk/ weights
Sat - 1 hr. walk/Cardio DVD/ nighttime Yoga
Sun - 1 hr. walk/ family bike ride

So, what do you have planned for the week?


*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by GoVida Foods and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

#Mamavation Monday - Green

I hope you had a fabulous week!

The sun was shining, we got outside everyday and we have been eating our fair share of green.

We started out a few days with our favorite Green Monster Smoothie. Our recipe changes depending on what fruit we have on hand. Here is my basic recipe:

1 sml. can Pineapple chunks in juice
1 c. packed baby spinach
8 oz. homemade Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. Flaxseed oil
1 c. frozen fruit of choice - I throw overripe bananas, strawberries or peaches in the freezer overnight.

But that isn't the only green showing up in my kitchen right now. Our green beans are ready!

At only 40 calories in a 4 oz serving, I like to snack on them raw. My kids tend to eat the most while out picking them fresh from the field. Though I enjoy them slightly blanched, too, be careful not to overcook them or pick old woody beans.

Recent surveys show that 60% of all commercially grown green beans are produced in the United States, with large amounts of green bean acreage found in the states of Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Yep, shout out here to Oregon. We only produce enough for our market, but those rows of beans are mighty beautiful.


So this week we will be eating our fair share of green beans. They are considered a starchy vegetable, but remember they are not processed and natural. Just watch your portion sizes.


Okay, speaking of food, here is my week's meal plan:


Monday - Grilled Chicken and Peaches with Green Beans and Orzo - From Augusts' Better Homes &      Gardens magazine
Tuesday - Spaghetti & Meatballs, salad
Wednesday - Meatless Taco Salad
Thursday - Potatoes, spinach and mushrooms with scrambled eggs
Friday - Go Out!
Saturday - Garden Veggie Pizza, salad
Sunday - Broccoli Crustless Quiche, salad


Exercise:
I enjoyed finishing the 2weekchallenge, but sadly didn't see the scale budge much. My energy level was pretty low so this week I am working on more movement, more steps, more sleep and strength training. It is always a challenge to fit into a busy schedule, but with a goal of being as healthy as I can... I just need to do it.


I set a goal of 100 miles in a month. I want to see how far my feet can take me with a combination of walks, training runs and treadmill time. Did I mention that I get so bored on the treadmill? Working on that though. Having Coach Erika, from FFIT at Home  on Mamavation TV this week sounds great to me! I am hoping to even make the show this week. I am pretty sure my DH owes me for being absent the past couple of Monday nights.

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by FFIT.

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by FFIT and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

#Mamavation Monday - All Juiced Up

How was your week?

I had a good one. I found some fun and delicious new ways to stay hydrated, found a fun new website, and got my juice on with the kids!

I know I have written about zesting up my water before. My usual favorites are mint, basil, cucumbers and any combination of citrus slices. This week since the berries are in season I discovered a love of berries in my usual water.

Usually I am not a raspberry fan, but our crop is really good this year and they only gave off a subtle flavor. I froze both my raspberries and blueberries before putting them into the pitcher. As they thawed they released some juice, flavoring the water nicely. The cucumbers were sliced with a small fondant cutter to add a little patriotic flair to our 4th of July festivities.

I have been having such a hard time remembering to drink water that I started filling up a pitcher in the morning and grabbing a glass as I walk past. I try to mix up the flavor each day, but it is always simple, fresh and natural. There is something about seeing the fruit and water that gets me excited to drink it. That is a feeling I don't usually have with a water bottle.

In other news, while browsing Pinterest I found a great site, Rabbit  Food for my Bunny Teeth, which had loads of info about veggie packed recipes as well as some fun juicing ideas. I fell in love with Catherine's site because she stresses being plant strong and even talks about how vegetarians can be unhealthy too if they just eat Oreos. I had a vegetarian friend who only drank beer and ate cheese pizza... he was not a poster boy for the label. My husband and I consider ourselves "Flexitarians" and don't stick with one mold but eat a plant based diet.

She did a classic 5 day cleanse and documented it. Though I haven't tried a complete juice fast/cleanse yet, I still had fun trying the recipes.

I ended up making  Sherbet Lemonade, Spring Best and Mean Green from her site to enjoy with the kids. Yum!! I am really looking forward to our fresh beets this Fall. The kids were impressed with the rainbow of juices we ended up with. In the end my son's Braeburn apple and carrot juice was everyone's favorite.

Have you tried juicing? What is your favorite recipe?

Now this was a great week and I want to keep the momentum going, so here is my plan for the week.
Meal Planning:
Sun. - Lamb stew with couscous en papillote
Mon. - Grilled Stuffed Burritos - from inspiredRD.
Tue. - Homemade Marinara Sauce packed with veggies over hand rolled noodles
Wed. - Protein Power Goddess Bowls
Thur. - Taco Salad
Fri. -  Breakfast - spinach/mushroom potatoes and scrambled eggs

Exercise:
I am continuing with the 2 week challenge and plan to get in my daily walks, but right now my energy has been low and I have been extra sleepy. So I will be focusing on getting sleep, eating well, keeping up with the house and garden, and reducing my stress level. With two small children that is a challenge some days.

Mamavation TV - come join us Monday night because Melissa Paris is back to talk about training with weights.

*Disclaimer This post is sponsored by Omron and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

#Mamavation Monday - I Love Fresh Food!

Happy Monday everyone! How is Summer treating you?

I'd say that Summer has been pretty sweet so far here.

This past few days have brought more clouds and rain than we would like, so I am out enjoying and picking what we can. I love all the fresh local produce.

If you read my post last week you will know I embarked on a week of salads. It was great! ...yes, my husband was a real trooper. In truth they were delicious, contained protein and were full of fresh ingredients. It was also the easiest food prep week I have had for a while. Though we won't be just having salad this week, we will be keeping the greens piled high on the table.

One rotisserie chicken lasted most of the week... dressings were simple (oil and balsamic or lemon juice) or homemade.

The family's favorite meal of the week was a Greek salad with chickpeas, feta, lamb patties and steamed artichokes. My son devoured a whole artichoke himself. I will be posting this recipe later and we have it on the menu again for this coming week. Yes, that is a glass of wine... I guess it is proof that I drink once in a blue moon. It was really good, too.

We also tossed a simple Chicken and black bean salad with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Very tasty! Other nights I just threw leftovers together over salad. My favorite was a lemon juice tossed lentil salad that went nicely over a bed of my garden greens.

Then my favorite night was the spicy Bibimbap dinner! It was a little on the hot side for my husband. I had to make-do with a cast iron skillet to get the rice all crispy. I added a doll-up of fermented pepper sauce and mixed it all up. Filled with cucumber, mung bean sprouts, zucchini, carrots and kimchee... Mmmm... it was heaven!

I hope that gives you some fun inspiration for this week's meal planning. Here is my plan to help get me eating right:

Mon. - Kale stuffed Q-ball squash, Wild Rice, Grilled Chicken
Tues. - Broccoli Frittata
Wed. - Pizza Party!
Thur. - Taco Salad
Fri. - Breakfast for Dinner, waffles, fruit salad, smoothies
Sat. - Lamb Gyros, Greek Salad, Cherry & Biscoff cookie parfaits
Sun. - Tuna Casserole, salad

I am excited to post that I lost 3lbs this week!!! Yup. I said goodbye to Mirena, ate well and got out with my kids to U-pick. Summer is looking fine.

Can't wait to join you ladies in the Mamavation 5K this weekend! I have been breaking in my new running shoes in honor of it.

For this week's topic, Are you overdoing it? My answer is, usually... but not right now. The pace of life right now is ever changing. We eat what we pick and I am outside more with the kids. The good news is I am getting more steps into my day, moving more, but not regularly exercising. Life is just too chaotic! My husband pops in at random times for meals and there is so much to do. I need to push for my strength training, but will not sacrifice my sleep right now. It feels so good to be well-rested.

*This post is sponsored by FFIT and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

#Mamavation Monday - A Week of Salad Begins

Summer begins this week and I love the chance to eat fresh, simple and healthy.

This week as I was meal planning I kept writing down salads. Not intentionally, I always browse my magazines, Pinterest and blogs for things that make me hungry. This week the variety isn't lacking, but the theme running through most of the week is salad.

Now, if you are thinking of the same old iceburg and grated carrot salads, you would be sorely mistaken! I am going to be maximizing a rotisserie chicken and even going meatless for a few. With the warmer weather here, does your menu change? What foods does your family ask for? My husband and I prefer real food that is simple and fast to eat.

2 cups of fresh lettuce and dark greens goes a long way to fill a plate. This Southwestern Chicken salad was tossed with a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing and was so yummy! Check out the rest of my menu plan for the week:

Meal Plan 6/18- 6/23

Mon. - Bibimbab (not a salad, but a Korean mixed rice bowl. Really good!)
Tue. - Mediterranian Lentil Salad, Baked Sweet Potato
Wed. - Lamb Burgers (bun-less) over a Greek Chicken Salad
Thurs. - Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad with a fresh Tahini dressing
Fri. - Horiatiki Greek Salad (no lettuce), fresh Pita Bread
Sat. - Curried Chicken and Grape Salad
Sun. - Seafood and Veggies baked in Parchment with a Ginger Miso Glaze

Most mornings I have been adding a different juicing recipe to the mix. This past week we fell in love with a "Morning Sunrise" juice from lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit and carrots. Do you have a favorite juice recipe?

Sleep & Exercise

This past week I was working through Bob Greene's book, 20 Years Younger. I am still working on sleep, but was hit with some massive allergies. This meant even when I slept for 8-9 hours a night I was still exhausted. I just need to get a hold of my seasonal allergies - I am taking daily Claritin and Benedryl as necessary. They leave me rather sleepy (even with 2 cups of black coffee) and unmotivated. Can't wait for the cottonwood and grasses to pass so I can be more productive.

This week I will add to the sleep goal with exercise. I want to walk/jog for 1 hour everyday to bump my steps up from 10,000 to 14,000 a day. Luckily, the longer daylight hours will help with this one. I can't wait for the Mamavation 5K at the end of the month and for strength I am still focusing on my core.

So much to do but this work in progress is trying to make the most of every minute. So, what are your goals for the week?

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Dole and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

Meal Plan Monday - What's Cooking? 2/6

Meal planning helps me stay on budget as well as eat healthier. Of course things come up and our menu plan gets derailed, but I hope to get back to Sunday planning and Monday posting again.

What's Cooking This Week?

• Monday - Smoked Chicken Salad, Crock Pot Apple Sauce and Chocolate Bundt Cake
• Tuesday - Spaghetti & Meatballs over Homemade Noodles
• Wednesday - Eat Out
• Thursday - Tuna Casserole, Green Beans and Apple Sauce
• Friday - "Must Goes" (anything and everything in the fridge must go!)
• Saturday - Broccoli & Spinach Quiche, Tossed Salad, Peaches

Food Projects - Greek Yogurt
                         Sweet Potato Hummus
                         Goldfish Crackers

So, what is on your menu this week?

Monday's Meal Plan of Attack (1/16)

I'm a Mom and my battlefield is the kitchen table... so, here is my plan of attack:

Monday - Breakfast for Dinner (Spinach, Potatoes & Eggs)
     Projects: Crock Pot Applesauce (freeze extra)
                    Honey Wheat Oat Bread
                    PKU Bread
                    Minced Garlic

Tuesday - Spaghetti Squash, Meatballs, French Bread and Green Salad

     Projects: Meatballs (freeze extra)
                    Greek Yogurt
                    Sourdough French Bread
                    Dry 1 loaf for Overnight Peach French Toast


Wednesday - Baked Pork Chops, Squash & Wild Rice

     Projects: Overnight Peach French Toast
                    Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cookies (freeze balls)
                    Chocolate Bundt Cake


Thursday - Roasted Yams & Quinoa Bowls with Tahini Dressing

     Projects: Tahini Dressing
                    Everything Bagels
                    Challah Bread


Friday - Butternut Squash Chili

     Projects: Granola Cups
                    Graham Crackers


Saturday - "Must Goes" (anything and everything in the fridge must go!)

Sunday - Fish Tacos

     Projects: Tortillas
                 
Many of these items will be eaten on for days or frozen for later. The goal is to get as much done for the week as possible. Check back for recipes later in the week.

Mamavation Monday - You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!

Good morning Mamavation!

How was your past week? Did you eat whole foods, get your sleep, move and stay hydrated?

I am happy to say that I have been involved with Mamavation for over a year now. Wow! I have lost over 47 lbs since joining the sistahood, I was a Mamavation Mom and found some yummy (and healthy!) recipes from Alyssa. So, I am really excited to chat about food this week. Note, I didn't say diet. I love that Alyssa teaches us how to eat and make good choices, but isn't putting us on a diet.


This week starts the whirlwind I like to call our holiday season in the Kruse Family. Birthdays have started popping up everywhere, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before I know it... it is non-stop action around here. Don't laugh, but my cleaning routine starts to add steps and cardio to my day. I mop like nobody's business!

Meals this week will be simple, seasonal yet fun. Here is our menu:


Mon. - Homemade Pretzel Dough Pizza, loaded with grilled veggies and Yam cupcakes for dessert

Tues. - Butternut Squash, Black Bean, Spinach & Feta burritos & roasted brussel sprouts

Wed. - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (yes, tonight will be a little decadent!), salad & fresh fruit salad

Thur. - Leftovers

Fri. - Corn Chowder, homemade potato rolls & salad

Sat. - Fish Tacos, salsa & chips

Sun. Leftovers 


Snacks: This week I will be making homemade wheat thins, hummus, kale chips and baked pumpkin seeds.



MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by New Balance.  One blogging carnival participant will each receive one pair of shoes. To be eligible answer the following blogging carnival question in your weekly Mamavation blog post and mention New Balance with a link back to their site. Link up your post here.

How would you brand your health and wellness lifestyle?  How do you want others to know you in this area?

 I would describe our lifestyle as outdoor, simple and seasonal! We enjoy being outside since it is a big part of life here... my husband is a vegetable farmer, we have our little backyard farm and my toddlers thrive on sunshine and mud! Our family activities depend on the season, hiking, biking in warmer months, and skiing and snowshoeing during the winter. I pride myself of cooking local, seasonal food and fully embracing the season and all it's bounty.

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by New Balance and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

Meal Plan Monday - 8/8 - 8/14

What is our family eating this week? Well, we try to stay with local, in-season whenever possible so here it is:

Monday
B- Oatmeal, almond butter, a banana and 8 oz. soy milk
L - Flatout wraps with nitrite free turkey, sprouts, tomatoes and cucumber, melon slices
D - Thai Peanut Burger Wraps and a side salad

Tuesday
B- 6 oz Greek yogurt, blueberries, wheat germ & flax seed oil
L- Yum Cups
D- Homemade Gyoza, miso soup, gyoza salad and fruit

Wednesday
B- Oatmeal, almond butter, berries
L- Whole wheat turkey sandwich, fruit and sugar snap peas
D- Spaghetti & meatballs with eggplant in my homemade sauce, steamed vegetable

Thursday
B- Egg scramble with various veggies, 8 oz of soy milk & berries with cinnamon
L- Spaghetti leftovers
D- Breakfast for dinner! Waffles with homemade blueberry syrup and fruit salad

Friday
B- Shredded wheat cereal, fruit and 8 oz. of soy milk
L- tuna salad, whole wheat crackers and fruit
D- Broccoli and leek quiche, salad

Saturday
B- French toast with strawberries
L- Quiche leftovers
D- Boca Burgers with fresh hamburger buns, homemade fries and watermelon

Sunday
B- Scrambled eggs, spinach and mushroom homefries and toast
L- Zucchini, basil and pea pasta
D- Oyakodon, miso soup and wakame salad

This week I will be playing catch-up with past recipes. I have a camera full of photos to share! Until then, eat fresh and local. Enjoy.

Meal Plan Monday - 6/7

So, did you notice last week's meal plan was never posted? A busy schedule on top of bursts of spontaneity led us to eat out a few times. I know, gasp! We don't usually eat out. This week won't really be much better. But, next weekend I should have a few posts on various strawberry dishes to post. This week will look something like this:

Monday: breakfast - Asparagus & eggs with steak. Kinda a leftover scramble.
dinner- Home made cream of mushroom soup with mashed potatoes & pork chops
Tuesday: Eating Out
Wednesday: dinner - Home made Pita, Tzatziki sauce, Lamb Burgers
Thursday: dinner - Pasta?? & Breadsticks
Friday: dinner - Tuna Casserole
Saturday: dinner - Garlic Yoghurt Chicken, Couscous, steamed vegetable

On my list to bake: bagels, apple crumb cake, granola bars

Meal Plan Monday - 5/24

Welcome to another great Meal Plan Monday. This week will be really simple. I have a ton of cleaning to tackle.

Here is last week's recap. I enjoyed that delicious Cod. We had it frenched with a bit of lemon. The Lamb Stroganoff was also a hit... then I hit a rather bad patch as my pie crust for last week's quiche had nasty cracks in it. Ugh... I was trying to make it in a hurry with two crying kiddos. Lesson learned. Always work on my crusts ahead of time and then refrigerate or freeze. Luckily I sprayed my pie plate and the egg that seeped through still came off easily. My DH said that it tasted even better than the first. So, I have decided that my pie crust making skills need some practice. So stay tuned for a slew of pie recipes for practice. Then my breakfast cups were a disaster. I used to make these in Japan all the time. I am pretty sure I know what went wrong, but I am going to try it out again before I post. Just a little sacrifice for my readers.

So what is on tap this week?

Monday: Dinner - Collard Greens, Butternut Squash Risotto, Apple Sauce, Cherry Pie
Tuesday: Dinner - Pasta Puttanesca, Bread Sticks
* home made pasta
* home made bread sticks
Wednesday: Dinner - BBQ Chicken, Macaroni Salad, German Potato Salad
Thursday: Dinner - Sweet Potato Medallions, Wild Rice, Steamed Brussel Sprouts
Friday: Dinner - Mid Eastern Garlic Chicken, Couscous & Salad
Saturday: Dinner - Twice Baked Potatoes, &...?
Sunday: Breakfast - Popover Pancakes with Strawberries
Dinner - Sunday Family Dinner

Whew! That is a little ambitious, but I think I can handle it. I also hope to get some bread made & some other sweet treats. I had wanted to make a Millionaire Pie, but was shocked that our grocery stores don't carry pineapple jell-o anymore. Yikes. I have wondered if I could make a substitution for orange jell-o & mandarin orange pieces. We shall see..

This is would be my ideal meal plan for the week... but, who knows were life will take us. I might need to make some changes if an urge hits me or just out of sheer laziness...

Meal Plan Monday - 5/17

Last week Little Man was under the weather and I never got around to posting my week's meal plan. I did make a quiche and the crust instructions were posted. It was such a hit, my DH asked for me to make one with Asparagus & Bacon this week. I also have some lamb to work into the menu also. I am looking forward to some new fun recipes.Okay, here is what I have planned for this week:

Monday: Dinner - Fresh Cod ? ... just came in and I had to re-edit this post! Probably with couscous and ???
Tuesday: Dinner - Weekly spaghetti night with fresh bread sticks
* home made pasta
* home made marinara sauce
* home made bread sticks
Wednesday: Dinner - Quiche
Thursday: Lentil Soup & fresh baked buttermilk biscuits
Friday: Dinner - Lamb stroganoff, salad & apple sauce
Saturday: Dinner - Leftovers
Sunday: Dinner - Sunday Family Dinner

*Also I plan on making: Breakfast Cups to freeze
Rice Krispie Treats with Coconut Oil
Blueberry Cobbler
Like Hostess? Cupcakes

Meal Plan Monday - 5/3

So posting my week's menu has taught me one important thing... I over plan for the week! Each week I have scrapped 1-2 nights meals so we could clean out the left overs. It wouldn't be too frugal of me if we wasted food, now would it? So I have decided to designate Saturday as left over night. It might change, but we will see how it goes.

Okay, here is what I have planned for this week:
Monday: Dinner - Fettuccine Carbonara (recipe from Cook's Country), salad & applesauce
* home made pasta
* Reduced fat version uses evaporated milk and is supposed to be quick
Tuesday: Dinner - Spaghetti Night
* home made pasta
* home made marinara sauce
Wednesday: Dinner - Baked Potatoes & Steamed Broccoli
Thursday: Lentil Soup & Fresh Baked rolls (roll recipe from Cook's Country)
Friday: Dinner - Poached chicken, Harvest Grains Blend (Trader Joe's) & pumpkin soup
Saturday: Dinner - Leftovers
Sunday: Dinner - Mother's Day (TBA)

* Don't forget to enter my current giveaways. The last two end tonight at midnight: Zestra Sample Giveaway (3 winners!) Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook
$25 Amazon GC