Wow, it seems like it's been forever since I've posted a menu plan - or any post for that matter! Going back to work full-time after being off for two years has definitely proven to be a challenge. But, we're making it. :) I can tell you that meal planning has been the biggest challenge for me so far. I was soooo exhausted the first couple of weeks that I really didn't know how I was going to make it. Slowly but surely I am falling into a routine. I've been using my Crock-Pot every chance I get, which has been a tremendous help. I am also planning a couple of mini freezer cooking sessions soon, to give me some quick and easy meal options for those nights that I get out of work late. I … [Read more...]

Well, it's our first full week of being off of the Unprocessed Challenge. I can tell you that this challenge has definitely made me start reading labels again. I am really glad that we participated and are now back to an all-natural way of eating. No more artificial ingredients for us! Yay! I'll be writing about that experience really soon. For now, we're going to enjoy lots of new-to-us recipes, as well as some old favorites... Here’s what our menu looks like this week: Breakfast for dinner: Biscuits & gravy, scrambled eggs Healthy Ramen Noodle Soup (my kids love ramen noodles, but they're horrible for you, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it!) Potato … [Read more...]

First, I have to tell you all that by the 10th day of eating unprocessed foods, I had lost 3.3 pounds! I could hardly believe it when I weighed myself and I had lost that much weight. It might not seem like that much to some, but for someone like me who has struggled with weight loss for many years, 3.3 pounds in 10 days is a lot! I walk about 3 miles on school mornings, after my kids head off to school. But I had been doing that for a few weeks before we started the Unprocessed Challenge, so my only real change has been cutting out processed foods. Now, by cutting out these foods, my intake of refined sugar has decreased tremendously. I've found that we also eat a lot less cheese. I'm not … [Read more...]

We had some really awesome meals last week! I did stray from our menu plan a little, since I had some ingredients that I needed to use up, but for the most part we stayed on track with our menu. While we did have a couple of hiccups last week - mostly due to lack of planning on my part - the week went really well. It feels great to know that we are not pumping our bodies full of chemicals and other unhealthy ingredients. :) Here is our menu plan for this week: Breakfast Oatmeal (x2) Freezer pancakes and scrambled eggs Scrambled eggs, toast and fruit (x2) Smoothie Cups (x2) Dinner Teriyaki chicken (using this sauce recipe), steamed rice, veggies Beefy Mexican Rice, … [Read more...]

Tomorrow, October 1st, is the first day of the 2012 October Unprocessed Challenge. Are you all as excited as I am about eating wholesome, nutritious foods this month?? I sure hope so! I've been working on my menu plan for this month - yes, the entire month. Yikes! As with my regular menu plans, this menu is not set in stone. My menus usually vary depending on what's on sale (and not on sale) and unexpected events and appointments, etc. But I've found that having a menu planned out keeps me from being completely unprepared and avoiding that "Uh-oh, it's 5:00 and I have no ideas what to make for dinner!" dilemma. (Note: I will continue posting weekly menu plans, since this is what I am … [Read more...]

Last week we had a couple of unexpected activities and appointments come up, so we strayed from our menu plan a little bit. So, if this week's plan looks a little repetitive, that's why. This week is our last week of our regular menu, before beginning the October Unprocessed Challenge. While our weekly menu probably won't change drastically, it will still be a little bit of a challenge to make sure we don't eat any processed foods. I'm really excited about this challenge, though! Here’s what our menu looks like this week… Slow Cooker French Onion Soup Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Papa John’s pizza (we will be redeeming our FREE pizza) Feta-Topped Broiled … [Read more...]

It was a crazy weekend, so I'm a little late getting to this. Hey, better late than never. :) Here’s what our menu looks like this week… Tuna Egg Salad Sandwiches Chicken Fried Rice Slow Cooker Roast with carrots and potatoes Chili Dogs (with homemade chili that we made over the weekend) Low Calorie Lasagna Soup Slow Cooker French Onion Soup Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta What's for dinner at your house?? For more yummy recipes, check out these posts. :) … [Read more...]

Well, we survived our first week of school. Now we're moving into a really busy season, where some of our evenings will be occupied with meetings and practices and school events. I know that I will have to be on top of my game to make sure we eat dinner at a decent time...or at all. ;) I foresee lots of slow cooker meals in our future. Which is completely fine with me. Anyone else love their slow cooker as much as I do?? Here's what our menu looks like this week... Breakfast for Dinner: waffles, eggs Chicken Curry (from the freezer) Chile Colorado Burritos, mixed veggies (we had these last week and my family loved them!) Bacon Cheeseburger Salad Homemade Chicken Pot … [Read more...]

School starts tomorrow...yay! Have I mentioned that I'm excited about school starting tomorrow? ;) This week should be interesting, getting used to the school schedule again. Menu planning should be easier though, as I will have more time to myself. I feel like it's been forever since I posted our weekly menu plan. I've been just winging it the past few weeks, with no real structured plan, so I'm excited to get back into planning mode. Here's what our menu looks like this week... Italian Lemon Chicken Chicken Curry Chile Colorado Burritos, Mexican Rice Bacon Cheeseburger Salad Tomato, Scallion, and Cheddar Frittata Leftovers I hope you all have a wonderful … [Read more...]