Weekly Meal Plan 8/24/15. August 24, 2015

We celebrated our 5 year anniversary this past weekend. We talked about going out for a nice dinner or getting out of town for the weekend, but ultimately decided to just keep things low key and spend time together. It is crazy how much time can pass without spending any real quality time with the person you love and live with. Conflicting work schedules, social commitments, family obligations, errands and daily routines keep us going going going. We realized extravagant plans would just result in more of this, so we just didn’t do it. Friday (our actual anniversary), we turned off our phones, ordered food and just spent some time talking and laughing together. Netflix and couch cuddles rounded out the night. We had a lazy Saturday morning together and went for a walk in the afternoon. Saturday evening we went to a Celtic festival and grabbed some dinner with friends by the lake and then out for some drinks. Sunday was super lazy. We laid on the couch, napped, watched TV, enjoyed some more conversation and ate good food. More important than what we did, is what we didn’t do. We didn’t put the requests of our friends or families before time together, we didn’t worry about errands, housework or responsibilities, we didn’t fall into the routine of turning on Netflix as soon as we were both home and spending our evening watching Dexter reruns instead of talking and connecting. It was honestly the absolute perfect way to celebrate our 5yr anniversary. We are both feeling much more grounded and in sync. It’s good to just slow down sometimes.

Onto another subject, we have been doing much better at eating at home and eating healthier. The abundance of produce coming from our backyard daily certainly helps. There is nothing more satisfying that eating food you grew from seed. We are currently enjoying kale, rainbow chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, basil, mint. dill. zucchini. crookneck squash, cabbage and cauliflower. Our butternut squash is growing well but I am not sure about our peppers and eggplants. Still our most successful year of gardening yet! I have been keeping our meal plans kind of loose to leave room for the day’s harvest in side dishes so this is more of a guideline than a set in stone plan.

Monday~ Simple Pork Chops on Foreman grill, Zucchini, Red Onion & Feta cakes

Tuesday~ Crock Pot Sloppy Joes, Carrot and Celery Sticks

Wednesday~ Red Onion & Rosemary Salmon Patties, Oven Baked Fries, Green Beans & Cherry Tomatos

Thursday~ Coconut Chicken Fingers, Sweet Potato Fries, Broccoli

Friday~ Tacos!

Saturday~ Honey Siracha Chicken, Rice, Broccoli

Sunday~ Family Picnic

Hope you all have a great week!

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs. August 13, 2015

Fresh pineapple is one of those things that I often buy and we either eat it within a day or we don’t eat it at all and it goes in the compost. After throwing away two whole pineapples, I was optimistic that we would actually get around to eating this one. Well, we didn’t- at least not in the traditional way alongside breakfast or lunch. I came home from work and noticed it was still sitting on the baker’s rack and needed to be used. I thought about making some kind of dessert but really, I just needed to get dinner on the table. So, I decided I would work the pineapple into our meal. (I should clarify that I am not generally a fan of fruit in my dinner). This is what I came up with based on the chicken I had thawed and some veggies we had in our refrigerator. It was a winner for both of us & perfect served with coconut rice for a complete meal.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Serves 6

Ingredients-

Marinade

1 fresh pineapple- peeled, cored and diced into large chunks- RESERVE HALF

1/2 cup tamari (or soy sauce)

1/4 c packed brown sugar

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup water

3 TBLS olive oil

1 bunch green onions- sliced (I use scissors)

Everything Else

1 lb chicken cut into large chunks (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)

8 oz mushrooms

1 lb mini sweet peppers

1 large red onion- quartered and seperated

Remaining pineapple chunks that you reserved from the marinade

1.Place first 6 items in food processor and blend until pineapple is broken down into very small pieces.

2. Add green onions

3.Reserve 3/4 cup marinade for basting while on grill

4. Add chicken and mushrooms to marinade and let sit in refrigerator for 2-12 hrs.

5. Using kabob sticks that you have soaked in water, alternate ingredients (chicken, mushrooms, peppers, pineapple and onion). Place on foil lined cookie sheets until you get them all done.

6, Cook on grill (grilling times will vary). Ours took about 35 minutes. Rotate every 10-15 minutes. Baste with reserved marinade when you place on grill and every time you rotate them.

7. Remove from grill and let cool slightly.

8. Enjoy!

Meal Plan 8/10/15. (A day late) August 11, 2015

Hello! We have been really terrible at eating regular meals at home this summer. Really, really terrible. We have spent so much money eating out and wasted so much food. I love ordering in or eating out as much as the next person,  but doing it day after day leaves me feeling pretty gross. I am not getting the nutrients I need and I am getting way too much of the stuff I don’t really need. I have gained like 15 to 20 lbs this summer and I just don’t like it. I have been lethargic and I just want to feel better, so I am making a real effort this week. I will be talking a little more about my current healthy living goals later this week, but for now, here is our meal plan.

Monday~ Fried green tomatoe BLT’s with red onion and avacadoe (tomatoes and lettuce from our backyard)

Tuesday~ Hawaiian Chicken & Veggie Kabobs on the grill, Coconut Rice (both recipes coming soon)

Wednesday~ Crock pot pulled pork, Cole slaw ( I work until 9 pm, so crock pot meals work best)

Thursday~ Panko Dijon Salmon, Zucchini, Baked Sweet Potatoe

Friday~ Eating at a downtown event

Saturday~ Olive & Panko Stuffed Chicken Breasts w/ Walnut Panko Crust, Garlic Butter Zucchini Noodles

Sunday~ Veggie Loaded Meat Sauce w/ Gluten Free Pasta

We are sticking with some easy old favorites so cooking at home seems less overwhelming. What are your favorite fall back meals when you really just aren’t that into it?

Summer So Far. August 5, 2015

Since I have been kind of MIA this summer, you guys haven’t heard much about what I have been up to. While there have been no grand vacations or new developments, I have been doing a lot of good old fashioned summer living. I thought I’d share some of my Instagram photos to show you what I have been up to this summer~ in no particular order.

Campfires~

Strawberry Shortcake~ 2 Ways

Farmer’s Market Trips/Volunteering

Good Beer~ (Loving both of these for summer)

Book Club on the boat with friends~

Freckles~

Family~

Lots of Cookouts & Fresh Food~

Reading in the backyard~

Working in the backyard~

Gardening~

Easy Dinners~

Afternoon patio drinks~

The County Fair~

Lakeside hottubbing~

Beach Days~

A concert~

Hammocks~

Outdoor adventures~

Fun adventures~

& Lots of ice cream

Recipe Round Up- Zucchini!

If you are a gardener, it is that time of year when you may be getting a little overwhelmed by the volume of zucchini piling up around your kitchen.We love zucchini and eat it almost daily and it can still pile up before I even realize what is happening. To keep things interesting, I have been collecting some recipes to help me use it up. As much as we love zucchini sliced up, tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper and tossed on the grill, it is definitely nice to do something a little different sometimes. I have not tried all of these recipes, so I can’t verify that they are delicious, but they sure look like they would be!

*The items *starred* are recipes I have tried-

*1. Bacon Cheddar Squash Bites 

*2. Garlic Butter Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes and Parmesan

3. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Rounds

4. Zucchini Brownies

5. Zucchini Meatloaf

6. Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats

7. Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

8. Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

9. Parmesan Zucchini and Corn

10. Glazed Lemon Raspberry Zucchini Bread

11. Summer Vegetable Tian

12. Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bread

13. Pineapple Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

14. Apple Zucchini Muffins

*15. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

*16. Zucchini Breakfast Cookies

*17. Zucchini Parmesan

18. Zucchini Fritters with Chili Lime Mayo

19. Zucchini Hushpuppies

20. Zucchini Dip

21. Thai Chicken Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

*22. Zucchini Cakes with Feta & Red Onion

Hope you found a few ideas you might like to try!

Meal Plan 8/3/15. August 3, 2015

I am going to try this again… I thought I would have so much more time to blog once summer came but that doesn’t seem to be working out so well. I have been working a little more than I expected and keepng super busy enjoying all the summer fun in my free time! That, combined with a total lack of structure, planning and commitment to both cooking and the blog have resulted in a serious lack of content. Anyways, I miss it and I want to get back to it. I have done some evaluation and planning and I know this is something I really want to do, so I just need to do it. I also need to get back in the kitchen for the well being of my body and soul.

I started with a plan, a meal plan. I know it is the only thing I have posted in the last two months but I promise there is more to come this week. Thank you to everyone who continues to come and check for new content! I seriously appreciate you!!!!

Monday- Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Plantains, Rice & Beans

Tuesday- Tilapia & Veggie Packets

Wednesday- Loaded Nachos

Thursday- Coconut Chicken Fingers, Salad

Friday- Fried Green Tomato BLT’s, Corn on Cob

Saturday- Chicken & Veggie Kabobs, Bruschetta

Sunday- Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Honey Butter Carrots

Meal Plan 6/29/15. June 30, 2015

It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I usually try to keep a good balance of work and play, but with the school year coming to an end, I decided to just work as much as possible. It was also my turn to work the weekend at the library. In order to keep my stress at a healthy level, I decided to take a break from blogging and just focus on work and the things I needed to do to keep my life in good running order. Luckily, school’s out for summer and I have lots of plans for the blog now that I have time to focus more time and energy on it.

It’s a day late, but here is the weekly meal plan. I also have a recipe, a new local adventure and a new living well on less post coming for you this week. Thanks for stopping by!

Monday– Grilled Chicken Sandwiches w/ Lettuce, Tomato, Onion & Avacadoe, Zucchini Fries

Tuesday– Fried Green Tomato BLT’s, Corn on the Cob

Wednesday– Crock Pot Pulled Pork, Easy Cole Slaw

Thursday– Market Special

Friday– Dinner at the Baseball Game (or leftovers)

Saturday– 4th of July Cookout

Sunday– Chicken Burrito Bowls

Living Well On Less- Thrift Shopping Tips. June 12, 2015

Last week, I talked about some tips for finding brand new clothes at cheap prices. This week, I am talking about my true shopping love- thrift stores! I have been thrift shopping since long before it was “cool”. Some people are still resistant to it, but I am telling you it is the best place to find a great wardrobe at an affordable price. People are often shocked to know that so much of my clothing comes from thrift stores, but I know I donate plenty of perfectly nice clothing to thrift stores and others do the same.  I love thrift stores because you really just never know what you are going to find. I walk out of thrift stores with so much brand new clothing with the tags still attached and even more items that may have been worn a few times but still look brand new. I love the variety and inspiration that comes when digging through the racks of your favorite thrift shop. I love scoring “high end” items for a few bucks and my favorite brands for about 90% cheaper than they were in the store. I have done a lot of thrifting in my life, so here are a few of my best tips-

1. Don’t expect to find classic, staple pieces at thrift stores. I do occasionally score a pair of great black dress pants but staple pieces (think white shirts, black shoes etc) often get pretty well worn before getting donated. I usually buy staples at regular stores and use thrift shops to add fun novelty items to my wardrobe.

2. Get to know your thrift stores. Some stores put out new items every day, some have designated days each week. Many thrift stores have a 50% off or bag sale day weekly or monthly. Since thrift shopping is usually not for anything I really need, I make it a point to only go on these sale days and I save even more than I do at the regular discounted prices.

3. Check items out thoroughly. Most items I find at thrift stores are 100% fine, but some items are donated due to small holes, stains etc. Some things can be fixed- a missing button or a falling hem but it is still important to make sure it is something you will actually fix instead of sending to the mending pile to sit forever.

4. Know how the store is organized. It seems every thrift store I am in has a different system of organization. Some are done by size, others by style and some even by color. There is usually at least some distinction between men’s and women’s but that is about the only guarantee. I wear an XL and I usually check out the XL section and the plus size section because some XL items inevitably get put in there. I do find the more organized a thrift store is, the more expensive it is, so I try not to get too frustrated with the chaos. Having some idea how it is organized helps.

5. Give yourself plenty of time. I will certainly pop in to one of my favorite thrift stores with 15 minutes to spare, but I don’t recommend it. Thrifting takes time. There are racks to dig through, items to inspect, lines to wait in and decisions to make.

6. Give yourself a budget and stick to it! It is easy to get carried away at a thrift store. Things are so cheap and you just keep finding one more thing. All of those $1-$5 items add up though and you can easily blow your budget. Know what you can really afford to spend beforehand.

7. Thrift stores are great for accessories too! I find a lot of purses this way. Shoes are kind of hit and miss. Most shoes that I do find in good shape are not the most practical but I have definitely found some great special occasion shoes.

8. Check how the tags are attached!!!! This is my thrifting pet peeve and something many people do not think about. Some stores will attach price tags right to the garment with staples (I am talking to you Salvation Army) and it is impossible to remove the tag without damaging the item. Be sure price tags are attached to the inside tags of shirts or with the little plastic things that can just be easily cut.

9. Bring Cash. It is not uncommon for a thrift store to not be able to accept payment cards. Those machines cost money and there is a fee for business to take cards and most thrift stores have very limited budgets.

10. Once you get your items home- Wash Them! Better safe than sorry is my theory here. Clothes get washed and dried or dry cleaned. Shoes get sprayed with antibacterial cleaner inside and out and wiped down.

11. Donate to your favorite thrift shops when you are getting rid of things. Most thrift shops are through charitable organizations and the money you spend goes to help others. Once you are done with an item, give back. It is the best way to keep the cycle going.

Do you thrift shop?

Snacks. June 11, 2015

Recently, I have talked about my usual breakfast and lunch choices so you could get a clearer picture of my overall eating habits, instead of just the dinner plan I post each week. Snacks are the last piece of that puzzle. Most of the time, I try to keep snacks pretty healthy and use them to fill in nutritional gaps in my other meals, but occasionally I have a “treat” instead.

Many of these are things I also eat for other meals, but I keep portions smaller for snacks. I try to choose from the first column 95% of the time.

What is your favorite snack?

Loaded Nachos. June 10, 2015

This is not really a recipe. It is more of a point of inspiration for your own creation. There are no measurements, just a suggestion of ingredients and a method. You can adjust to the size and preferences of your family. We eat these Loaded Nachos a couple of times a month. They are one of the few meatless meals I can sneak past Tiffany. (You could easily add some meat if you wanted). I love that it is an all in one dish that requires no extra side dishes to be complete. Something about this meal is always so satisfying. They are also gorgeous!

Loaded Nachos

Servings Vary

Ingredients

Tortilla Chips (we prefer the organic blue corn ones from Aldi)

Black Beans (or leftover taco meat, shredded chicken, pulled pork etc)

Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese- shredded

Lettuce- chopped

Tomato- diced

Red Onion-diced

Sweet Peppers- diced

Avacodo- diced

Black Olives

Salsa

Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

1. Spread single layer of tortilla chips on cookie sheet. Try to leave as few “holes” as possible.

2. Sprinkle with beans or protein of choice. (Be sure to rinse and drain beans very well or chips will get soggy)

3. Top with Shredded Cheese.

4. Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes (until cheese is melted)

5. Use spatula to scoop nachos on to plate and top as desired.

6. Enjoy!