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..

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

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?

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

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.

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 :-)

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

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?

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! :-)

Unstuffed Zucchini

I do not like making zucchini boats because I know my kids will not eat the zucchini, just the "insides"(same with stuffed peppers) so this is a perfect alternative for us to get in all our veggies :-) 

You will need:

1lb ground turkey( could use spicy sausage, or whatever is your preference) 

1 large zucchini 

1 medium onion 

Small green pepper 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil 

Red Potatoes(Your preference, about 1 1/2-2 cups)

3 Roma tomatoes,chopped 

Oregano,Thyme,Sage (1/2tsp each optional)

Salt and Pepper 

1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese 


1. Add turkey to pan and top with seasoning of your choice( I used Rachel Rays 24/7 seasoning grinder)let cook until no longer pink and drain(leave in colander) 

2. Heat Olive Oil in the pan,add potatoes and allow to start browning on all sides

3. Add zucchini,onion,pepper, garlic, and salt and pepper. Allow to cook until onions are translucent.

4. Add turkey back to pan and add tomatoes.Add spices and stir to combine. Cover and simmer 25 minutes, stirring often. 

5. Turn off stove, add cheese to the top and add cover back to melt cheese just for a few seconds.