Hello there! Did you miss me while I was gone? Probably not. You were most likely out enjoying yourselves and eating great foods. Oh well, that's okay. I had a great time being away. A wonderful break indeed!
But now it's time to get serious! Now the prep work really begins~! My life is about to get more hectic and I'll have less free time to cook and meal plan. So I have to make good use of the hours in a day, in a week.
I've already done some great preparation for lunches in the near future - Yesterday I made 16 black bean burgers which both my daughter and I love! (Thanks again Allison G for the great recipe~!) I've pureed around 5 cups of carrots to use in future recipes. I made 18 "Early Start Muffins" which I will be sharing the recipe for later this week. They include blueberries, bananas and peanut butter - three things I know I'll need for energy to help me start the day right in my new role outside the home. I've finally perfected the best healthy, whole-grain and protein-enriched sandwich bread that my family enjoys. I'll share that recipe in the coming days as well.
Furthermore, I will post a funny photo and details from my recent California vacation. So stay tuned for that and more! You have lots to look forward to reading! And welcome to you newcomers too! I see I gained a few new followers in my absence. I'm glad to have you here! Now, I can't promise I'll be posting every day but I do guarantee that I'll be back when I can, sharing great meals and tips from my kitchen to yours!
In the meantime, here's my meal plan for the week:
Monday, Apr. 25 - Unstuffed Peppers Casserole (made with ground turkey and rice) - This recipe is from my cookbook. If you'd like a copy of it, let me know! This makes a lot so I freeze some for later.
Tuesday, Apr. 26 - Homemade Fish sticks! Serve them with a side of sweet potatoes and salad - I'm nervous about this one but I still want to try it! If it comes out great, this would be easy to freeze and enjoy for lunches this summer!
Wednesday, Apr. 27 - Pepperoni Pizza Pasta - This recipe is from my cookbook. It also makes a ton so I freeze more than half for later!
Thursday, Apr. 28 - Leftovers or grilled ham & cheese sandwiches
Friday, Apr. 29 - Chili Fritos (since I used up all of my homemade chili in the freezer, I'll just open up a can of Hormel Turkey Chili with beans from my pantry and layer it with shredded cheese and Fritos chips!)
Saturday, Apr. 30 - Tequilia Lime Shrimp with shishkabobs on the grill, side of corn bread cake
Sunday, May 1 - Chicken and Vegetable Enchiladas, serve with leftover corn bread
I chose these above dishes in mind so that I can freeze leftovers for later. That's where my head is these days ~ preparing for the future so I can take a break!
Sides and snacks for the week:
Note: I'm not going to be making as many desserts or snacks as I used to but here are three I hope to tackle before I hit the grind once again - one dessert, one dip and one side dish. They are all from the same blog, a new one I found and am LOVING so far by Skinny Taste
(1) Low Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(2) Chick Pea and Roasted Pepper Dip
(3) Cauliflower Fritters
I know that once my new job starts, I may need to take more time for my family. We may be eating more simple salads and sandwiches in the week. But that's okay. As long as we're all happy, healthy and have near-full bellies, that's all that matters! I'll still learn, laugh and cook whenever I can!
How was your Easter? What good things have you eaten over the past week?
The sconesI made this week were fantastic. We also enjoyed yummy enchilidas and went out for fabulous Hungarian food. Did you say what your new job is? Hopefully I'll have one soon too!
ReplyDeletePlease invite me over on the 30th..Love shrimp...sounds yummy...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a good trip! Can't wait to hear about it. Looks like a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm all about some Chili Frito Pie! I like to wrap it in a flour tortilla with the Fritos, chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.
ReplyDelete