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About Me

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Mother of 2 and wife to Travis.I am a Jill of all trades,master of none. I like to dabble in everything, so follow me on my journey; raising kids, working towards a healthier lifestyle, new recipes, menus, homeschooling, crafts,enjoying our home the Great Smoky Mountains, etc...What we call...LIFE :-)

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 Goals Update



I am VERY happy with my goals from 2013!!! I did 25/39 or 64%!!!
Looking forward to seeing where 2014 takes us  :-)

Home:
*Make a "Home Binder" like this one.
 * I DID do this! Hopefully I will get a post up about it soon, as I am still tweaking it to the way I want it!

*Garden (Making some changes of how we did it last year)
 *Garden was some better this year, however, with all the rain that we got we did not get any tomatoes...not one!! We had plenty of cucumbers,zucchini,and yellow squash though :-)

*Flower Beds (Big Daddy wants to redo them)

*New Oven (Mine is like 30yrs old)
 * We got a new(to me) oven in September! Working great :-)

*New Recliner
 * Got a new(to us) Leather Recliner and Leather Couch

*Estimate/Do paved driveway
 *We did get an estimate, and it was more than we wanted to pay right now.

Finance:
*Maintain Emergency fund (We call this the "Oh *&^% fund) HA HA- New glasses,tires,appliances,etc..

*Add to savings

*Pay down 50% debt

* Buy 2013 Christmas throughout the year (I do this by shopping thrift stores and yard sales)
 * I always do well at this :-) Anyone that does not do this should really consider it! Saves lots of money!

*Cash Book-(I was given a simple cash book, to keep better track of the cash I spend)
 * Did not do this...could not get in to it...will try again in 2014.

Marriage:
*Date Nights
 * We have had a few sprinkled through out the year, thanks to my Momma,Daddy and his Step Dad(Papaw) for watching the kids!!

*Overnight Trip

*Time together more during week

Family:
*Myrtle Beach
   *Decided not to go this year

*3 camping trips

*Abbey Softball
 *She played baseball so she could play kids her own age, she didn't love it

*Both kids swimming lessons
 * Abbey did hers over the summer, we decided to wait on brother

*Kids Birthday pictures

*Park/Picnics

*Titanic Museum

*Cherokee
 *We did this on our "Adventure"

*Sunday Lunches with Family

*Get rid of Brothers Passy
  *We did this with no problem :-)

*Keep track of Abbeys books read

*Work on Brothers preschool learning(colors,shapes,numbers,etc..)
 * Brother is doing great on these!

*Shadracks Light Show
  * We carved out a perfect time and Papaw got to go with us too! Kids had a great time and got to see Santa!

Personal:
*Drop 2 pants sizes (Doing good with this, lost 10lbs so far and so has Big Daddy)
 *I DID THIS!!! 25+LBS DOWN  WOOT WOOT!

*Eat Breakfast (Been doing Juice)
 *EVERY day now!

*Juicing (Juicing fruits and vegetables for breakfast and snacks)
 *I love juicing, BUT I do not do it as often as I was because I realized very quick that I was not getting the fiber from the produce and my body didn't like it at all! I love me some smoothies though with fresh spinach and Kale!

*Use Crock pot more
 * 2-3 Mondays out of the month I make a soup in the Crock-pot to eat on through out the week! I have used it more this year, but still looking for more REAL FOOD Crock-Pot recipes!

*Read 12 books
 * I ended up reading 34 books this year!!! You can check out what I read HERE

*Write "Thank You" cards more often

*5 Hiking Trails(at least)

*15 Pinterest recipes
  *Yes, I got this in the bag! LOVE me some Pinterest!

Pinterest Hits

*10 Pinterest projects
 * Yes

*Blog More
 * I did slack some on my menus but, I posted recipes and kids stuff through out the year :-)

*Unplug more

*PATIENCE
 * I have noticed that I am not yelling as much as I was...but maybe need to keep this on list for next year as well! HaHa  ;-)

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Menu 1-30/1-5-13



We had a wonderful Christmas! Lots of time with family, and time to just be lazy and play with all the new stuff that Santa brought! I can't believe how big my babies are!
I also let myself off the hook for the week to just enjoy what I wanted to eat(and boy did I) I told myself that if I only gained 5 pounds I would be OK! HaHa!!  I only gained 2 pounds so I am OK with that! Now it's time to get back on track, and maybe get Big Daddy back on board!! :-)


Here is menu for the week, boring except for Big Daddys birthday dinner.

Monday:
Eggs,Bacon,Toast
Turkey,Broccoli, and Sweet Potato--(I haven't posted about this yet, but I basically just cook up the ground turkey until no longer pink, add chopped broccoli and chili pepper. I serve it over a baked sweet potato with a bit more chili powder)
*Eat Out for Big Daddys Birthday*

Tuesday:
Oatmeal with Kefir and Walnuts
Tuna Salad (I make Tuna "salad" with greek yogurt and onions,peppers, and pickles and serve over a bed of salad mix with spinach)
Freezer Meal

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Smoothie  *Papaws Choice*
Pork,Kraut,Taters with Green Beans (Carry Over from last week)

Thursday:
Omelet with Toast
L.O.
Roasted Chicken and Veggies

Friday:
Smoothie
L.O.
?

Saturday:
Cereal with Fruit
L.O.
*CLEAN OUT FRIDGE*

Sunday:
?
?
Pinto Beans with L.O. Christmas Ham and Cornbread


Sunday, December 22, 2013

Christmas Week Menu 2013




This week our healthy eating will be pushed to the side for a few days, I am totally going to enjoy this week! 
I can not wait for Christmas, my Hubby and I are such Big Kids! I can not wait to see my kids reactions to what they get, to spend time with all my family, and all the great food!! 

Monday:
?


Tuesday:
                  BBQ Kielbasa(Crock-pot) with Twice Baked Taters 
*Party- Taking--Baby Tacos and 7 Layer Dip

Wednesday: 
Breakfast Casserole  with Fruit 
*Family Dinner* Making--7 layer Dip,BBQ Kielbasa, Pigs N' Blanket
LEFTOVERS 

Thursday: (BIG DADDYS BIRTHDAY)
Biscuits and Gravy with Eggs,Bacon,Country Ham
?
?

Friday:
Smoothie
Tuna Salad 
Pork, Kraut, and Taters  (Crock-Pot) with Green Beans 

Saturday:
Oatmeal,Kefir, and Walnuts
Quesadillas with Spinach  and Fruit 
?

Sunday: 
CLEAN
OUT
FRIDGE 

*OTHER THINGS I WILL BE MAKING SUNDAY-THURSDAY* 
Chex Mix (original recipe) 
Christmas Cookies (Family recipe-Anise) 

*Big Daddys Birthday Cake*

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Menu 12/2-12/8-13



We had an awesome Thanksgiving! Lots of wonderful food and time spent with family!
We also had a little snow before Thanksgiving that the kids got to play in!
The kids and I started decorating yesterday and today we are putting the tree up!

After the Thanksgiving meal and the leftovers my body needs some soup!! HA HA  So I am making a huge crock-pot of Minestrone Soup that I will eat on through the week! :-)


Monday:
Smoothie
Minestrone Soup with Chicken Sausage
Balsamic Chicken w/Brown Rice (Crock-pot)

Tuesday:
Oatmeal,Kefir, and Walnuts
L.O. Soup with Chicken Sausage and Rice Cakes
BBQ(L.O.) Quesadillas with Salad

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Smoothie
Baked Spaghetti  with Green Beans and Salad

Thursday:
Eggs,Turkey Bacon, and Toast
L.O. Soup with Chicken Sausage
L.O.

Friday:
Oatmeal, Kefir, Walnuts
Tuna Salad over Salad and Crushed Corn Chips
?

Saturday
Smoothie
*YaYas Choice*
*YaYas Choice*

Sunday:
CLEAN OUT
    FRIDGE
Pinto Beans and Cornbread, Wienies and Sauerkraut, Taters

Monday, November 18, 2013

Menu 11-18/11-24-13


Today is Brothers 4th Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY  LITTLE MAN! :-)
 We had a party yesterday at our house and it was great! Lots of family and friends time and he got lots of presents that he is still playing non stop with!  :-)

We do not have a lot going on this week so here is the menu...

Monday:
Smoothie
Aprils Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (this is in the crock-pot now and it smells amazing!)
Turkey/Onion/Broccoli/Beans with Sweet Potato

Tuesday:
Breakfast Burrito with Black Beans and Cottage Cheese
L.O.
Venison Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Smoothie
*Eat Out*/ *Papaws Choice*

Thursday:
Oatmeal with Kefir and Walnuts
L.O.
Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry with Homemade Sauce  with Brown Rice


Friday:
Smoothie
L.O.
Aprils Burrito Verde (from freezer)

Saturday:
*YAYAs
  CHOICE*
?

Sunday:
?
?
Vegetable Lasagna with Bread



Monday, November 11, 2013

Menu 11-11/11-17-13


We went to one of my friends Weddings this weekend! Had lots of fun!
Today we have the day off from school and we are getting the house clean and working on a school project!

This weeks menu-

Monday:
Smoothie
Minestrone Soup with Chicken Sausage and Spinach Feta Muffins
Baked Chicken with Roasted Veggies

Tuesday:
Oatmeal,Kefir, and Walnuts
L.O.
Sausage,Taters,Kraut (Crock-pot)

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Smoothie
Turkey,Kale,Black Bean Tacos with Pico De Gallo and Corn

Thursday:
Scrambled Eggs with Toast
Soup with Chicken Sausage
L.O.

Friday:
Smoothie
L.O.
Shepherds Pie  with Peas (Been requested by 8yr old for weeks)

Saturday:
?
?  FREE DAY
?

Sunday:
?
*PARTY*
?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Bento Catch Up


I just realized today that I have not posted any Bento Lunches since the beginning of school. So I went back through and found some of the pictures so I thought I would share them with you all. Maybe someone will get some ideas. :-) 




On this day she had Blueberries and Grapes,Ham and Cheese Sandwich cut into puzzle peaces,mini Larabar, and Carrots for lunch. She took water to drink.
Snack was Oranges and Strawberry Almonds(something her teacher got her on,at $3.99 a bag that only has like 1 cup of almonds in it we won't be buying them again.)


Grapes/Blueberries, Ham Sandwich cut into hearts,rice chex, and Ghost cookie. She took water to drink.
Snack was mini Larabar and Apple Chips


Snack was Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin with Blueberries.
Lunch was Babybel Cheese, Ham, mini Larabar,rice chex,Grapes. She took water to drink.


For lunch this day she took Apples,mini Larabar,Trader Joes pretzel bread, Salami and white cheddar cheese. She took water to drink.


On this day she took Babybel Cheese,Ham, Pretzel Bread, Grapes and Blueberries. She took water to drink.
Snack was the Carrots and Ranch Dip(her pick at the store)


Lunch was Goldfish Crackers,Ham and Cheese Sandwich, Grapes, and a cookie from YaYa. She took water to drink.
Snack was Homemade Beef Jerky and air popped popcorn.


Lunch was Grapes,Apple Chips,White Cheddar Cheese,Ham,Angry Birds Cheeze Its, Almonds in the Hello Kitty container. She took water to drink.
Snack was the crackers(her choice)


Lunch was Ham and Cheese sandwich on leftover bun from a picnic, Angry Birds Cheeze-Its, Homemade No Bake Cookie from YaYa, and Grapes. She took water to drink.
Snack was the LaraBar.



Lunch was Apples,Grapes,crackers, String Cheese, Ham. She took water to drink.
Snack was the cantaloupe and yogurt.


On this day lunch was homemade Chili in the Thermos, grapes, shredded cheese,Greek yogurt in the container(for sour cream) Organic Yellow Corn Chips. She took water to drink.
Snack was Blackberries and Blueberry Almonds.


This day she took Homemade BBQ(Boneless Chicken/Pork in crock-pot with BBQ sauce on low for 6-8 hrs..yum-o) Air popped popcorn,White Cheddar Cheese,Grapes. She took water to drink.
Snack was Apple Chips,Raisins,Golden Raisins, and Craisins.


Today she went on a field trip, she had to have a disposable lunch..(I said NO WAY to lunchables, she said NO WAY to school PBJ and chips) SO this is what we came up with...
I kept the containers from some fresh Parmesan Cheese and some Grape Tomatoes, I put some pretty rainbow Duck tape(her favorite) over the container labels. I put a coffee filter in the bottom and then I put in the yogurt. I put that in the freezer overnight, my goal was to use the yogurt as an ice pack since she wanted a Ham and Cheese Sandwich with Mayo. 
This morning I added everything else. 
She got the "GoGurt", Grapes,Ham and Swiss sandwich, Trail Mix of Almonds,raisins,craisins, golden raisins, Apple Chips, and candy corn. She had the juice box to drink. 
I put the sandwich on top of the yogurt and grapes, it fit perfect, then everything went into a brown paper bag which she decorated! :-) 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Menu 10-28/11-3-13



Monday:
Oatmeal,String Cheese,Apple, and Walnuts
Chicken,Spinach,Onion and Garlic
Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Vegetables

Tuesday:
Smoothie
*Daddys Choice*
Hamburger Steak and Gravy,Mashed Potatoes and Peas

Wednesday:
Smoothie
*Daddys Choice*
Taco Salad with Shrimp and Corn

Thursday:
Egg White Omelet with Onion and Peppers, Avocado,Cottage Cheese, and Salsa
?
*Eat Out*

Friday:
Kefir,Banana, and Almond Butter
Tuna Salad(with Greek Yogurt) with Salad and Yellow Corn Chips
Aprils Simple Red Beans and Rice with Turkey Sausage with Broccoli

Saturday:
?
?    FREE DAY
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
OUT
FRIDGE

Monday, October 21, 2013

Menu 10-21/10-27-13



I love living in the Smoky Mountains! Took the day with family yesterday to ride around to enjoy the scenery.




Monday:
Smoothies
Salad
Marinated Lime Chicken with Roasted Veggies

Tuesday:
Oatmeal with Fruit and Walnuts
Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad
Beef and Broccoli with Rice

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins with Veggies
Taco Salad(with Shrimp) and Corn

Thursday:
Cereal with Fruit
Tuna Salad(with Greek yogurt)
Chili (((Wendys Style))) with Sweet Potato

Friday:
Veggie Omelet with Cottage Cheese and Guacamole
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins with Veggies
Crabby Patties with Roasted Veggies

Saturday:
?
?
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
OUT
FRIDGE


**I have received 2 messages in the last little bit asking if my kids eat what is on the menu each week. The answer is YES.
Now...Sissy likes to eat Breakfast at school and right now we are 50/50 with lunches but, other than that yes they eat what's put in front of them.
I DO NOT make a separate meal for my children. They may not like all the foods that I cook but they usually eat at least half of it, and that's their choice. I refuse to be a short order cook, or to give in and make them a separate meal of crappy foods(easy "convenience foods").
My kids have a pretty wide variety of foods that they like and the way I got to that point at almost 9 and almost 4, is to just keep putting it on their plate each time I made it whether they want it or not!
I guess the key is to not give up after one offering and them not wanting it! Keep giving it to them and making them try it!





Sunday, October 13, 2013

Menu 10-14/10-20-13


My Brother Timothy captures Fall in the Smoky Mountains so well!
If you haven't already check out his photography page on Facebook, Timothy H Fisher Photography  :-)

This coming week we really do not have a lot of activities planned so things are fairly simple. I have found a blog that I have been getting lots of creative meals from the name of the blog is Overcoming Obesity , they are also on Facebook! A local couple who together lost more than 500lbs!!! They are a great inspiration and very sweet and helpful!!

Monday:
Smoothie
Minestrone Soup  /Bento
Turkey Tenderloin with Quinoa and Roasted Veggies

Tuesday:
Yogurt with Fruit
Soup and Salad /Bento
?

Wednesday:
Smoothie
*Daddys Choice*
Beef and Broccoli with Rice  (with more veggies)

Thursday:
Cereal with Fruit
Soup and Salad
Fish with Roasted Veggies

Friday:
Oatmeal with Fruit
L.O.
Chicken and Spinach Wrap with Raw Veggies

Saturday:
?
Tuna Casserole
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
 OUT
FRIDGE


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Menu 9-23/9-29-13




In case you haven't noticed(haha) Fall is my favorite time of the year!
We have a lot going on this week and lots of things in the fridge that need used up! I did make a menu but there are some question marks through the week.

Monday:
Cereal with Fruit
Cabbage Soup
?

Tuesday:
?
Salad/L.O.
PW Pot Roast

Wednesday:
Smoothie
*Daddys Choice*
Breakfast- Eggs,Hash browns,Bacon,Sausage,etc..

Thursday:
Cereal with Fruit
*Firehouse Sub for Birthday*
?

Friday:
Oatmeal with Fruit
Salad
?

Saturday:
YAYAS
   CHOICE
-------------

Sunday:
CLEAN
 OUT
  FRIDGE

**WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE FALL STUFF? FOOD,MUSIC,THINGS TO DO, ETC..

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Menu 9-16/9-22-13



Monday:
Smoothie
*Eat Out with YaYa*
*Freezer Meal*

Tuesday:
Yogurt with Fruit
Salad
Turkey Kielbasa and Summer Veggies

Wednesday:
Smoothie
*Daddys Choice*
?

Thursday:
Oatmeal with Fruit
L.O.
Baked Chicken with Quinoa(Carry Over)

Friday:
Scrambled Eggs with Fruit
Salad
Tuna Cakes with Roasted Veggies (Carry Over)

Saturday:
?
?
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
OUT
FRIDGE


Monday, September 9, 2013

Crock-Pot Taco Chili with Rice



I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs Undressed Skeleton. I made a few changes and I love it! I love the easiness of cooking with a crock-pot!
I always try to make a soup (or chili in this case) in the crock-pot on Sunday night or Monday morning to eat on through out the week. It always saves me having something already made in the fridge when we are in a hurry or running behind.

The original recipe calls for a lot more spice, I like a mild spice so I changed it up just a bit. :-)

CROCK-POT TACO CHILI WITH RICE 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup green onion,chopped
2 white onions,chopped
5 ears of sweet corn,roasted
2 cans black beans,drained and rinsed
1 can Ro-tel
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pack Taco Seasoning OR 3 Tbsp Homemade Seasoning
1/2 cup water
1lb ground beef OR Ground Turkey OR Simple Truth Meat Crumbles(I have used these and they are great too,can't tell difference)
1 box Spanish Style Rice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place corn on greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes while preparing chili

3. Add all other ingredients to the crock pot, mix well

4.Remove corn from the oven and slice kernels off cobs. Add to the crock-pot.

5.Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
*Do not cook longer because the rice gets mushy...just FYI)  :-)


You can serve this over fajitas, tortilla chips, or salad. Add a little avocado and Greek yogurt and it's amazing!


Do you have any favorite crock-pot meals to share?









Sunday, September 8, 2013

Menu 9-9/9-15-13




Monday:
Yogurt and Granola
Taco Chili with Rice (recipe coming soon)
*Daddys Choice* Goulash with Green Beans and Salad

Tuesday:
Cereal with Fruit
Bento/L.O.
Baked Marinated Chicken with Quinoa and Mixed Steamed Veggies

Wednesday:
Smoothie
Bento/L.O.
*Daddys Choice* Hot Dogs with Chili and Chips (Someone is still holding onto Summer...)

Thursday:
Muffins with Fruit
Bento/L.O.
?

Friday:
Oatmeal with Fruit
Salad
Tuna Patties(Recipe coming soon) with Roasted Veggies

Saturday:
?
Egg Salad Sandwich(Made with Greek Yogurt)
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
  OUT
    FRIDGE



Friday, September 6, 2013

Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein with Homemade Sauce



Going right a long with my Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry and Beef and Broccoli  here is the recipe I used for Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein. Everyone in my house loved this dish!

Ingredients:

 For the Sauce:
  3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
  2 tsp Ground Ginger
  2 tsp Minced Garlic
  1 cup Chicken Broth
  1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
 Can add hot sauce if desired(I just added it right to my bowl instead)

For the Stir Fry:
 1 package Lo Mein Noodles( Only ones I found were wide, and I found them at a local Food City)
 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Oil
 1lb Chicken (or less, I only used 1 boneless skinless chicken breast)
 1 medium White Onion
 1 Bell Pepper, sliced
 1 Carrot, sliced thin
 2 cups Broccoli
 1 yellow squash
 1 small can water chestnuts

 Could also use: Zucchini,Green Onions,Mushrooms,Asparagus,Snow Peas,Cauliflower,etc..

1. Cook noodles according to package.Drain.

2.Make Sauce. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT cornstarch and broth to a bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl mix the cornstarch and broth.( Just before you add to the stir fry you will combine the two)

3. Heat 1 Tbsp Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and allow to cook until no longer pink. When done remove from pan and set aside.

4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in the same skillet and add veggies(in order of time it takes to fry) continue cooking stirring frequently.

5. Add chicken back to the pan.

6. Add the broth and cornstarch to the sauce and mix well. Add to stir fry and bring to a boil.Add noodles to pan.When sauce reaches desired thickness, remove pan from heat.



Sunday, September 1, 2013

Chicken&Veggie Stir Fry with Homemade Sauce



Sissy says, "Momma between this and Beef and Broccoli, if you would just learn to make Egg Rolls we never have to go to a Chinese Restaurant again"  :-)

Ingredients:

 For the Sauce:
  3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
  2 tsp Ground Ginger
  2 tsp Minced Garlic
  3/4 cup Vegetable Broth
  1 Tbsp Cornstarch
 Can add hot sauce if desired(I just added it right to my bowl instead)

For the Stir Fry:
 2 cups cooked Brown Rice
 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Oil
 1lb Chicken (or less, I used 3 boneless skinless thin cut chicken breast)
 1 medium White Onion
 1 Bell Pepper, sliced
 Mixed Veggies( I had bought a bag at Kroger and needed to use it up, it had Broccoli,Carrots, and Sugar Snap Peas)
  Could also use:Zucchini,Squash,Green Onions,Mushrooms,Asparagus,Water Chestnuts,Cauliflower,etc..


1. Cook Rice

2.Make Sauce. Add all ingredients, EXCEPT cornstarch and broth to a bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl mix the cornstarch and broth.( Just before you add to the stir fry you will combine the two)

3. Heat 1 Tbsp Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and allow to cook until no longer pink. When done remove from pan and set aside.

4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in the same skillet and add veggies(in order of time it takes to fry, onion first then so on) continue cooking stirring frequently.

5. Add chicken back to the pan.

6. Add the broth and cornstarch to the sauce and mix well. Add to stir fry and bring to a boil.
   When sauce reaches desired thickness, remove pan from heat. Serve over cooked rice.




Can't wait to experiment with different veggies :-)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Menu 8-26/9-1-13



Time to get back on track as far as menu planning goes.
I am trying to do better with clean eating, however, I am not stressing about it. I am trying to do 80/20.
So here is the plan for this week.

Monday:
Cereal with Fruit
Bento/ Turkey and Kale Soup (I am going to try with seasoned ground chicken)
Crispy Chicken with Zucchini Tots and Corn

Tuesday:
Omelet with Fruit
Bento/L.O.
Sausage and Veggies

Wednesday:
Granola and Fruit
Bento/Tuna Patties,Black Beans, and Avocado
?

Thursday:
Smoothie
Bento/L.O.
Freezer Wendys Style Chili with Sweet Potato

Friday:
French Toast with Fruit
HM Chicken Nuggets with Annies Mac and Cheese, Raw Veggies
?

Saturday:
?
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
?

Sunday:
CLEAN
OUT FRIDGE
Pinto Beans and Cornbread, Saurkraut and Wienies, Tomatos,Cucumbers, and Onions

Friday, August 23, 2013

Clean Chicken Kale "Gumbo"



Who is ready for Fall?  >>This girl<<
For a while now I have been making a pot of soup either Sunday night or Monday morning to eat on through out the week. I try to keep it mixed up so I do not get bored. I have wanted to make Gumbo for some time but, I did not want to use what most traditional gumbos call for. I have seen some with bacon,ham hock, flour, butter,etc...I just wanted a clean eating gumbo. So I looked all around Pinterest, YouTube,etc.. and this is what I came up with .

What you will need:

2 tsp EVOO
White Onion
4 tsp minced onion
Pinch sea salt
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced small
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp smoked Paprika
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 box organic low sodium Chicken Broth
1 28 oz petite diced Tomatoes
1 can OR 1 small bag frozen Corn
1 small bag frozen Okra
1 can Cannellini Beans,drained and rinsed
2 cups Kale,chopped
1 cup water (more if you prefer soupier)

1. Heat EVOO in dutch oven(or stock pot), add onion and garlic and pinch of salt. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Until onions are translucent.

2. Add chicken, cook until no longer pink.

3. Add Oregano,Thyme,Paprika, and Garlic Powder. Mix well. Allow to cook for 1 minute.


4. Add  water,broth, tomatoes,corn,okra, and beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and add the Kale. Let simmer for about 30 minutes and then it's ready to eat :-)




*You can serve this over brown rice

*You can use creole seasoning instead of  the spices listed if you have it on hand.

*Add some cayenne pepper if you want to "kick it up a notch"  or just add hot sauce to individual bowls.

Y'all try this next time you want some Gumbo! :-)

What kind of soups do you make the most? Care to share some clean eating soups?






Thursday, August 22, 2013

Back to Blogging,First Day of School and Some Lunches :-)

 Time to get back at it!
I took a little Bloggy break there for...err..almost a month! Thank you to those who wrote asking about us! We are still here! Been busying wrapping up Summer break and getting ready for school. We are in full swing so now, I can get back to blogging! I have had a few people write me about Menus so I will get back on that this Sunday :-)


Sissys first day of 3rd grade! She picked out everything with this outfit, down to the "A" necklace :-)



On to some snacks and lunches. We got a few new boxes and supplies this year! :-)

Friday:



First snack,as requested..Watermelon and Whole Grain pretzels


First lunch as requested.. Half ham and cheese sandwich,Cheez-Its, Trail Mix with Yogurt Cookie Star and Grapes. She took water to drink.

Monday:



Snack was 1 Suzies Rice Cake(She loves these things)  Sunflower Seeds, and Tangerine


On this day Sissy tried out the new laptop lunch box for lunch, she had, Air popped Popcorn,Ham and Cheese Sandwich,Carrots with "Ranch", Blackberries and Strawberries. She took water to drink.


Tuesday:

Snack she had Beef Jerky and Air Popped Popcorn


Lunch she had Rice Chex,Cheese Stick,Salami, Apple-Banana Crusher, Watermelon, and Trail Mix
Trying out those new square silicone cups! She had water to drink.

Toddler Lunch-

On this day Brother was trying out the new Lunchbots Trio box with the square silicone cups!
Watermelon,Whole Grain Pretzels,Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups, Dried Apples,Golden Raisins, and sunflower seeds. He had water to drink.

Wednesday:

Snack she had a  Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin with tangerine


Lunch was Dried Apples with Trail Mix, 2 Rice Cakes, Pears, Cheese Cubes and Ham. She took water to drink.

Toddler Lunch:

On this day Brother had a PBJ Dino sandwich, Raisins, Apple-Strawberry Crusher, and Popcorn
He had water to drink.

Thursday:

Sissys lunch was Dried Apples and Trail Mix(left over from yesterdays lunch) Whole Grain pretzels, half ham and swiss sandwich, Apples. She took water to drink.
Behind the box there is a granola bar for snack, but I told her just to pick what she wanted between bar,apples, and trail mix, and save the rest for lunch.

Toddler Lunch:

Today Brother had, Cantaloupe, Applesauce,Half grilled cheese, and Teddy Grahams. He had water to drink.

I had to pull him away from this to eat his lunch...

Tomorrow Sissy is eating school lunch...the arrangement(per her request) was that I pack her lunch every day except 2 Fridays a month so she can have pizza! I'm OK with that  ;-)

Hope everyone is getting back in routine and having a great week! :-)