Simplify Meal Planning: Identifying Family Favorites

With other bloggers creating lists of their go-to meals, I realized I don’t have anything like that for my family. And I probably should. After all, having a list of meals you know your family likes makes meal planning easier. I’ve been compiling this list over the last couple of weeks and then reviewing it after checking my fridge (and freezer and pantry) and grocery ads before coming up with my shopping list for the week. And I’m saving about $20 a week on groceries and spending less time planning! Win-win!

Our go-to meals: 

Chicken fajitas 

Chicken fried rice 

Chicken and rice bowls

Chicken salad sandwiches

Grilled cheese 

Taco bowls (or tacos)

Stuffed peppers 

Lettuce wraps 

Stuffed chicken parm

Steak rolls

Broccoli beef

Chicken fried steak 

Burgers 

Ribs

Chili

Pigs in a blanket 
Beans and cornbread

Thai chicken wraps

Stuffed shells 

Meatball subs

Mac and cheese
Pumpkin-sauced spaghetti

Pizza

Carnitas

Barbecue pork

Breakfast 

Sides:

Salad

Coleslaw (regular or peanut)

Cornbread 

Sweet potato fries or chips

Roasted potatoes 

Garlic toast 

Carrots and ranch

Breakfasts:

Whole wheat muffins

Donuts

Banana muffins 

Oatmeal 
Not overnight oats

French toast
Apple crumble

Pancakes 

Breakfast burritos

Breakfast sandwiches 
Scrambled eggs

Snacks:

Apple with peanut butter (or pb dip)

Nuts

Yogurt and granola

Protein shake

Fruit

Desserts:

Ice cream

Cookies

No bake cheesecakes

Fudgy brownies
Microwave brownie

Gratitude journals

As much as I enjoy writing, I have always been terrible at journaling. I probably started at least a dozen diaries and journals growing up, but never kept them up for more than a couple of weeks. Not that that’s bad. I think I mostly started them when I had a lot going on and needed an outlet for expressing myself, and then stopped once I felt like I had my shit figured out. 

A gratitude journal isn't like that. It's a completely different kind of reflection. The purpose of a gratitude journal is to take time at the end of the day and think about the good things that happened in your day and why they happened. It's supposed to help foster mindfulness and create a more positive mindset by making you focus on good things, even if only for a minute.

For example, my journal for today would be:

1.  I got to work in my garden because we have a lot of outdoor space and the sun was shining.
2.  My toddler and I had delicious donuts for breakfast because he wanted to bake with me this morning.
3.  I took time to write because I'm trying to make myself a priority.

What is mindfulness, and why is it important?

Mindfulness is simply being present. To be mindful, put down your phone, turn off the tv, and give your full attention to whatever it is that you're doing. It's about paying attention to your surroundings so you can appreciate and enjoy the things in your life.

Mindfulness can also mean playing music and having a dance party while you put away laundry. Or turning gardening into an impromptu biology lesson. Or giving your whole self to a good snuggle--what could possibly be better than that?

By devoting your attention to the task at hand, you can make an effort to make it more enjoyable. You can also get even more benefit from being mindful by combining it with starting a gratitude journal.

Resolutions

I don’t usually go for New Years resolutions. I know a vast majority of them fail within the first few months or even weeks. But I’d like to think this is a different kind of resolution. 

Starting now, I resolve to try harder. 

In the throes of prenatal depression, I will start trying harder at the things that are important to me. To be appreciative. To prioritize and make time for my wellbeing. To write more. To always be available when my toddler wants to cuddle. To try new things. To forgive myself when I fall short. 

And this isn’t a resolution for 2019, or until I have a baby, or until anything else. This is an ongoing resolution, from this day forward. I’m tired of being in a slump. And what better time, and what better way to start to try harder to improve?

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

Omygod you guys, this is a game changer. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. Remember when I made these awesome snickerdoodles and was complaining about how quickly they would disappear? 

I could have frozen some and saved them for later. I should have. 

Now I know.

The other day, I needed an M&M cookie. I used this recipe, which made 21 balls of cookie dough. I figured 6 would be a not unreasonable number of cookies for my family to eat in one day, so I popped the rest in the freezer.

The next day, my munchkin and I grabbed two frozen cookie dough balls out of the bag and threw them straight into the (preheated) oven. Just add about 3 minutes to the time suggested on the original recipe (at the same temperature). Do they look any different than the cookies I made from fresh cookie dough? They do not. Do they taste any different? They do not!

If you have frozen cookie dough ready to go, you can literally go from "I think I want a cookie" to eating a freshly baked cookie in 20 minutes flat. As I was saying, game changer.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to try this with every other cookie recipe ever, so I can have whatever variety of fresh, warm, delicious cookies whenever I want! What is your favorite kind of cookie that you want to try this with?

Every day is a new day.

Today was not my day. 

Leaving home is always a big deal because I have a toddler and also live an hour away from anywhere. Today, we needed to leave home to get new tires. As it happens, gorilla glue will only temporarily patch a hole in your tire (but it will do in a pinch). My toddler was playing in the car while I got our stuff together. He had the key when we went back inside to finish getting ready to go. 

And then he didn’t. 

And then I spent an hour and a half looking for the car key, because of course we bought it used and without a spare. I found a 6-12 month baby sock deep in the bowels of the couch (he’ll be 2 next week). I found some spare change. I almost cried and I almost yelled. I finally found the key. 

Of course that would be the one thing my toddler forgot where he put it. He usually remembers everything, including where I don’t remember that I’ve put stuff. 

We finally left to get the tires and run errands. I thought the day was turning around. We checked everything off of our shopping list. 

And then I left six bottles of wine at the grocery store. 

So now I’m in bed with a sleeping toddler and a Benadryl and so ready to have a better day tomorrow. 

Cheers!

Microwave Eggs

My toddler’s favorite new food is eggs. Lucky for me, I have a trick for how to cook a light and fluffy egg in 90 seconds flat. 

Spray a coffee mug with nonstick spray (makes for easier cleanup). Crack an egg into the mug. Give it a quick whisk. Season with salt and pepper as desired. 

Microwave for about a minute. My microwave is 1000 watts and 70 seconds is perfect. Adjust accordingly based on the power of your microwave. 

That’s it! 

As a bonus, your egg is now the perfect size and shape for a breakfast sandwich! English muffin or bagel (or toast if that’s all you’ve got), microwave egg, slice of cheese, slice of Canadian bacon. It’s so much tastier, healthier, and cheaper to make your own breakfast sandwich than to buy one from a fast food chain—plus, it’s faster than waiting in line at the drive through!