all your comments on the One Word post were fun to read!
i feel like we are all in this together don’t you?
everyone working on becoming better versions of us through God’s grace.
i love it.
i am very much enjoying the quiet house with the kids back at school.
i say that not because i don’t like to be with my kids but because i have not had any silence since the school break began!
having kids home all day everyday, a new puppy that barks ALL NIGHT LONG in his kennel, not traveling anywhere for christmas to break up the time, freezing cold temperatures…. you get the idea.
i loved the sleeping late and no place to go or be for days and days but after awhile i miss routine of school and a quiet house.
the older i get the more i enjoy quiet.
complete silence.
i have been sitting here for 5 hours now with nothing but the sound of the heater and the dogs breathing deeply.
they needed down time as much as i did..jpg)
i made my meal plan for the week.
if i ever get it down in a photo friendly kind of way i will post it.
but right now it’s all messy on notebook paper and scribbles…with my grocery list.
i found lots of new recipes to try…. and of course i want to share with you too!
i am going to try to do this as often as possible.
i hope you like it..jpg)
2. No Bake Banana Oat Energy Bars
3. Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash & Green Beans
6. Southwest Chicken Chili Mac
i found these through Pinterest of course!
apparently i like chicken.
next time i will try for some other meats… but i DO like chicken so this is good for me.
i will be putting them to use over the next two weeks in our evening meal plans.
some of them are more for the kids and some are more for me.
tonight we are having #3… i picked an easy one because it’s a ball game night.
(four of the next five nights are ball game nights! crazytown.)
i have already made the broccoli many times and i eat SO MUCH because it is sooooo good!
who knew broccoli could ever taste so delicious?
Renee - yum yum! glad you’re sharing. i have worked hard the past 3 years to transition into regularly cooking fresh and healthy meals. sometimes i’ve been teaching, sometimes i’ve been having babies. so it’s not like gourmet is my goal here. easy. fresh. yummy.
one trick that works for me is to repeat meals once or twice over the course of 2-3 week. the first time you make anything, it always takes longer and seems more labor intensive. and if it feels hard, you’re less likely to do it again. but if you can make it a couple times in a couple weeks, it’ll feel easier and the people you’re cooking for might like it more subsequent times. their palletes just have to adjust 🙂 ANYWAY, the easier it feels, the more likely you are to start making your ‘go-to’ meals in your repertoire these healthy & fresh ones. (instead of casseroles, and things that involve pillsbury crescents or something.) That was a lot. sorry! good luck!
Aubrey - Thanks so much for sharing the recipes! I’m always looking for healthy recipes that aren’t to complicated.
Maria - First off I am a huge fan of your blog! I live in SW Missouri so I can relate to your posts about weather and the countryside!
I made the Broccoli Crack and the No Bake Banana Oat Energy Bars today. Both turned out awesome! The Broccoli Crack was a bit salty for my taste but I ate almost half of it at lunch! My kids LOVE the energy bars (I might have snuck in a little extra stevia :))
Sarah{Handbags*and*Pigtails} - “Broccoli crack” huh? I dunno…seems sooo far away from Julie’s version of crack,haha. 😉
tara - this post reminds me how nice it would be if i would make time to do a month long meal plan….sometimes, those work great, if you can make them with your calendar in mind.
Stacey - Love these meal ideas! love your blog:-)
Amber H. - I’ve found using an app on my phone works great for meal planning. I use the Paprika one. I can download recipes directly off the Internet or I’ve added my own to it over time. This way when I decide on a recipe when planning my meals I can add the ingredients needed with the push of a button. If you get the app for both your iPhone and ipad (if you have them) then they will interface with each other. No I am not payed to promote this app but yes, it’s my fave app out of any I have on my phone! LOL
Mindy - Mmm your recipes look delicious AND nutritious – great way to start the New Year!
Tracey Garcia - This broccoli recipe is great. Both my kids love it and my youngest will eat 2 or 3 servings every time I make it. Of course, I found it on Pinterest. http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/the_best_brocco.html
I’ve been meal planning off and on for a couple of years now and my week really goes much better when I’ve planned the meals. I know what I need to buy at the grocery store, I have everything I need each day for the evening meal, and there is no last minute scramble to figure out something for supper. Plus, my kids HAVE to know what they are eating for supper BEFORE they leave for school. LOL I don’t know why—I guess they are afraid I might forget to feed them.
KirstenP - Check out this show on CBS on Sat morning 11am Eastern – Lucky Dog. Brandon McMillian helps shelter dogs to kick bad habits, including barking, before they go live with their new families. I know Stanley(is that still his name?) isn’t a shelter dog but his techniques might work with your puppy. Good luck.
Susan - Meg –
I have the BEST recipe for you, and your vegetable-hating kids will love it! My kids can’t get enough of it, and it sounds like they are a lot like yours. Anyway, all you have to do is take a bag of shredded carrots (or shred your own if you aren’t as lazy as I am), toss them with 1-2 tbsps olive oil, and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 until crispy (about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your carrots). Sprinkle with salt. These taste like shoestring potato chips! The only trick is that you have to watch them at the end, they go from almost cooked to burned pretty quickly. But the burned bits aren’t too bad, either! My kids, 15, 13 and 6, actually ask me to make these.
Ruth - Meg, I am excited that you are sharing your recipe finds! Thank you for the inspiration,in so MANY ways. You are a delight, I am grateful God put you in my cyber “path” a couple of years ago.
Tracy - I love you recipe sharing!!! Please continue to do it!!
Christy - Try cauliflower roasted too! It’s delicious!
Sheryl - Thank you for posting the recipes. I love getting new ideas for meals especially healthy ones!
karen - i feel ify about meal plans. it seems like something that could get to be seen as more work. i would just ALWAYS have your fridge loaded with fresh food and go with it. roasted anything works for me. and never shop in the center isles of the grocery store!! only the perimeter.
Kris - Ok chiming in…again…sorry! Try pioneer woman’s italian meatball soup….I bake the meatballs though! Have a big pot on the stove right now! Also try roasted cauliflower….it’s is amazing…and roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze( I LOVE Pinterest for recipes!)
Love seeing those recipe ideas!
I’ll have to try these!
Michele - Good for you! I love the quiet, too! 🙂
I have been meal planning for about 10 years. Yes, it’s a pain, but it really helps in the long run. For healthy recipes, check out skinnytaste.com. Her recipes are delicious, but you won’t feel deprived. We love her salisbury steak and cajun chicken pasta! I don’t stock very many pre-packaged foods in our house and I buy organic whenever I can (those pre-washed organic salads blends and spinach at Walmart are a lifesaver)! I also don’t stock the house with things like ice cream, Oreos or soda…not because I never eat those things, but because if they are in the house, I will! And if you haven’t jumped on the green smoothie bandwagon, I highly recommend it! I have one every morning and I can’t tell you how good and energized it makes me feel. And think about adding flax meal to things you already eat–smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. Good luck, Meg!
Tanya - They all look awesome…like really yummy.
Hope it’s all received well 🙂
I am very happy kids are back at school as well.
Moms need some quiet. No apologies.
Lennie Jackson - My bestie and I were just discussing how badly we need easy clean family friendly meals. Thanks so much for posting!!! Can’t wait to be on this journey with you!
Julie - My house is just starting to become noisy again – my husband and daughter have been away for 10 days at Scout Jamboree in New Zealand. She came back last night and he comes back tonight with our son who has been at his grandparents. Only 4 weeks till they go back to school. Thanks for the zucchini recipe link – I have a glut of these and cucumbers in my garden at present.
Sarah D. - In case you are interested in the CI link… http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/4032-roasted-broccoli-with-optional-garlic#
Sarah D. - Roasting broccoli like that is my absolute fav. I found that exact same method in a Cook’s Illustrated magazine almost 6 years ago and it has been my all-time go-to for broccoli ever since. Is is delicious!!!
Natalie - I was so looking forward to some quiet tomorrow morning and then… they canceled school. It’s cold but we don’t have any snow here in Atlanta but oh well… maybe Wednesday! I love a good meal plan too! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy your quiet time and back to routine!
Necole@seriouslysassymama - I love meal planning. I have been doing it religiously for about 2 years now. I can fee my family of 5 for two weeks on $250. I only go back to the store for milk,bread, and apples. We eat a ton of apples. My husband laughed at me the other day because the majority of our groceries are produce. I cut up fresh fruit and veggies for our sides. It helps that we all eat like birds, especially our three daughters.