Today is my oldest sons birthday. I'm feeling nostalgic and old! It's hard for me to accept and believe that my kids are growing up. A reminder for me to slow down and enjoy the moments and not sweat the small stuff. I need these reminders every once in awhile.
We are kicking off the day with a family favorite recipe--Grandma's Crumb Cake. Lots of butter and sugar in this recipe but you have to live a little on your kids' birthdays too. Just a sliver is enough because it is so rich. The kids disagree with me on this and the 14 x 8 cake will be gone by the end of the day in this house! I'm holding out for the Napoleon Cake tonight. I try and follow the 80-20% rule which basically is eating healthy and clean 80% of the time and treating yourself 20% on indulgences.
The home stretch for the school year is upon us. I am a chaperone for an all day field trip and am busy working mostly full days the rest of the week. Dinners will be simple and not require much time this week. Some days meals that were planned just cannot happen because of life situations. I find having certain food items always in the house helps during those times. I always have rice and pasta and frozen sauce and meatballs. Pita bread comes in hand as well as eggs. I was feeling sick last week (thought I had Lymes, but I don't!) and the kids took over and made dinner. Homemade sushi and dumplings were made as well as edamame. I was so happy I had things in the freezer and pantry and will always keep extra items at hand for those times when I just am out of commission. It has been extremely helpful to have taught my kids the basics in the kitchen. They are all very self-sufficient and can really help when necessary.
This week looks like the following:
Monday: Quesadillas -whole wheat quesadillas with caramelized onion, spinach, white beans, tomatoes and cheese. Dipping sauces- guacamole and salsa
Tuesday: Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup with Bread and Salad--I will make soup in between training sessions so it's ready for the evening. Easy to make this soup ahead of time like the night before and leave in fridge. Tastes better the next day!
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
Thursday: Taco Night- lots of veggies and beans!
Friday: Odds and Ends Night-leftovers and some favorite finger foods
Saturday: Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Corn, Tomatoes and Chimichurri Sauce
Sunday: Grilled Fish (will buy whatever wild fish is on sale) with mixed greens and a couscous salad
I am trying to plan some salads ahead of time to have for lunch and extra sides with dinner. Some I hope to make are a Edamame, Corn and Bean Salad, Red Cabbage Slaw with Lemon-ginger Vinaigrette, and a Greek Salad with Farro. These are all from a beautiful cook book, Raising the Salad Bar, that I bought at my sister's store, Alla Vita, in Vermont.
Enjoy the week, don't sweat the small stuff!
Best,
Donna
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
Meals at a glance....
Happy Memorial Day! It's been a beautiful weekend for just about anything. Summer is just around the corner and I am excited for the change in routine.
I find with the warmer weather I tend to not be as hungry because I drink more water. I cannot say the same for my kids! I tend to make more cold, hearty salad dishes with noodles and grilled meats in them with the warmer weather here.
Happy for a shorter school week and am keeping it simple for meals. This week we chose the following...
Monday: Grilled Chicken, Corn on the cob, and Mixed Green Salad (Grilling a lot of chicken to use throughout the week)
Tuesday: Sesame-Kale Noodle Salad
Wednesday: Pita Pizzas with Veggie Toppings & Grilled Chicken
Thursday: Goat Cheese and Herb Frittata -trying a new recipe that calls for potatoes, peppers zucchini and fresh herbs.
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style eating using left overs and finger foods. Making a nacho platter with beans, fresh salsa, and scallions.
Saturday: Grilling pork tenderloins and pineapple to use in quesadillas
Sunday: Fish (buying whatever wild fish is on sale this week), brown rice and mixed green salad
Since we have been eating later in the evening, I have cut up fruit along with veggies in a bowl on the table. Dessert is the fruit so after dinner the kitchen is closed!
Last week many commented on the quesadillas and asked for the recipe. I hope you and your families enjoyed them as much as mine. As always keep the comments and questions coming!
Best,
Donna
I find with the warmer weather I tend to not be as hungry because I drink more water. I cannot say the same for my kids! I tend to make more cold, hearty salad dishes with noodles and grilled meats in them with the warmer weather here.
Happy for a shorter school week and am keeping it simple for meals. This week we chose the following...
Monday: Grilled Chicken, Corn on the cob, and Mixed Green Salad (Grilling a lot of chicken to use throughout the week)
Tuesday: Sesame-Kale Noodle Salad
Wednesday: Pita Pizzas with Veggie Toppings & Grilled Chicken
Thursday: Goat Cheese and Herb Frittata -trying a new recipe that calls for potatoes, peppers zucchini and fresh herbs.
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style eating using left overs and finger foods. Making a nacho platter with beans, fresh salsa, and scallions.
Saturday: Grilling pork tenderloins and pineapple to use in quesadillas
Sunday: Fish (buying whatever wild fish is on sale this week), brown rice and mixed green salad
Since we have been eating later in the evening, I have cut up fruit along with veggies in a bowl on the table. Dessert is the fruit so after dinner the kitchen is closed!
Last week many commented on the quesadillas and asked for the recipe. I hope you and your families enjoyed them as much as mine. As always keep the comments and questions coming!
Best,
Donna
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Meals at a glance...
Sports have been in full swing this weekend. I have watched many games and also saw my daughter perform in her dance recital. I love watching not only my kids but all kids being active. Instilling in our children a love for exercise is so important. There are so many different activities to choose from which is wonderful. Many kids, including my own, are always looking for snacks before and after their games. Proper fuel before and after exercise is key. I love to fix my kids an egg sandwich on whole grain bread with some fruit on the side. A balance of protein and carbs is important. After a game or practice I keep a bag of mixed raw nuts and dried fruit in their bags. Again some protein and a little natural sugar. Hydration is important as well. Water is best before and during workouts. I read an article that stated chocolate milk is a great post workout drink, so that is a favorite in this household. Whatever you decide to eat or drink for yourself or fix for your family, just remember your body needs the proper fuel to perform its best.
I was very lucky and had my mother stay with us a few days this week. We enjoyed a delicious lunch out at a local restaurant. I am going to try my best to recreate one of the dishes we shared, Eggplant, spinach, and caramelized onion quesadilla with Gouda cheese. It was outstanding!
As the school year winds down, the craziness increases. Field trips, more sporting events, concerts, etc. fill the calendar. Balancing healthy meals that are simple and taste good is my challenge for the weeks ahead. Many readers have shared some ideas with me which I love. Please keep the comments coming.
Our week ahead looks like this:
Monday: keeping it meatless--Spinach and caramelized onions with white beans and Gouda cheese quesadillas on whole grain tortillas
Tuesday: Meatball Subs and Mixed Greens Salad (days I cannot make homemade meatballs I use Al Fresco brand Chicken Meatballs. I can read and pronounce the ingredients in them!)
Wednesday: Homemade Pizzas-whole wheat pizza dough, fresh ingredients for toppings like tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, spinach, and Applegate Farms turkey pepperoni.
Thursday: Grass Fed Steak Tips with Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli
Friday: Odds and ends night--picnic style dinner with left overs and fun finger foods. Kids are loving making their own sushi style California Rolls.
Saturday: Labor Day Weekend BBQ with Burgers and Dogs and lots of salads! I buy Applegate Farms Beef Hot dogs. I like that there are no nitrates in this brand. Hog dogs are a rare treat in this house, so when I buy them I choose the Applegate brand. Side salads include a Quinoa Black Bean Salad with corn and avocado and a watermelon salad with feta cheese.
Sunday: Soccer Tournament Day-most likely eating on a field most of the day-will prepare ahead of time a pasta dish with grilled chicken and vegetables so we can eat something hearty when we return home.
As always, trying to keep things realistic and healthy! Sometimes adjustments need to be made because of our schedules, but having things like eggs,whole grain bread and pesto in the fridge make my like easier!
Happy week ahead.
Best,
Donna
I was very lucky and had my mother stay with us a few days this week. We enjoyed a delicious lunch out at a local restaurant. I am going to try my best to recreate one of the dishes we shared, Eggplant, spinach, and caramelized onion quesadilla with Gouda cheese. It was outstanding!
As the school year winds down, the craziness increases. Field trips, more sporting events, concerts, etc. fill the calendar. Balancing healthy meals that are simple and taste good is my challenge for the weeks ahead. Many readers have shared some ideas with me which I love. Please keep the comments coming.
Our week ahead looks like this:
Monday: keeping it meatless--Spinach and caramelized onions with white beans and Gouda cheese quesadillas on whole grain tortillas
Tuesday: Meatball Subs and Mixed Greens Salad (days I cannot make homemade meatballs I use Al Fresco brand Chicken Meatballs. I can read and pronounce the ingredients in them!)
Wednesday: Homemade Pizzas-whole wheat pizza dough, fresh ingredients for toppings like tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, spinach, and Applegate Farms turkey pepperoni.
Thursday: Grass Fed Steak Tips with Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli
Friday: Odds and ends night--picnic style dinner with left overs and fun finger foods. Kids are loving making their own sushi style California Rolls.
Saturday: Labor Day Weekend BBQ with Burgers and Dogs and lots of salads! I buy Applegate Farms Beef Hot dogs. I like that there are no nitrates in this brand. Hog dogs are a rare treat in this house, so when I buy them I choose the Applegate brand. Side salads include a Quinoa Black Bean Salad with corn and avocado and a watermelon salad with feta cheese.
Sunday: Soccer Tournament Day-most likely eating on a field most of the day-will prepare ahead of time a pasta dish with grilled chicken and vegetables so we can eat something hearty when we return home.
As always, trying to keep things realistic and healthy! Sometimes adjustments need to be made because of our schedules, but having things like eggs,whole grain bread and pesto in the fridge make my like easier!
Happy week ahead.
Best,
Donna
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Meals at a glance.....
Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are all being treated extra special today. I was greeted with homemade cards and gifts from my youngest boys and daughter and those always make my day! Waiting patiently for my coffee, fruit salad, and over-easy eggs for breakfast.
I am now on Instagram and have connected with different fitness people and healthy food sites. I found some great recipes from Fithealthy that we will be trying this week. Many people no longer eat pasta because of the no carb trend diets. I still enjoy a pasta dinner with veggies and use either brown rice pasta or whole wheat pasta for some added protein. I was happy to see many fitness people on Instagram doing the same.
Our week ahead includes different salads. Now with the warmer weather it's easy to grill ahead of time and then add to mixed greens, quinoa or pasta salad. Many different varieties you can experiment with for your meals.
Monday: Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Corn, Red Pepper, Red Onion and Lime Vinaigrette and Cheese Tortillas
Tuesday: Shrimp Scampi Linguine-spicy, low fat recipe from Fithealthy
Wednesday: Grilled Flank Steak over Mixed Greens with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
Thursday: BBQ Cobb Salad-another from Fithealthy!
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style dinner with leftovers and finger foods
Saturday: Grass Fed Beef Burgers, Grilled Portabella Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Onions with a Salad
Sunday: Chicken & Broccoli Lemon Stir Fry
As always, if there is a meal that you'd like the full recipe for please just let me know. This is just an overview of how I plan my week and involve my kids in the process. My goal is to have more families eating healthily and seeing that it doesn't have to be difficult. Planning ahead is key.
Enjoy!
Best,
Donna
I am now on Instagram and have connected with different fitness people and healthy food sites. I found some great recipes from Fithealthy that we will be trying this week. Many people no longer eat pasta because of the no carb trend diets. I still enjoy a pasta dinner with veggies and use either brown rice pasta or whole wheat pasta for some added protein. I was happy to see many fitness people on Instagram doing the same.
Our week ahead includes different salads. Now with the warmer weather it's easy to grill ahead of time and then add to mixed greens, quinoa or pasta salad. Many different varieties you can experiment with for your meals.
Monday: Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Corn, Red Pepper, Red Onion and Lime Vinaigrette and Cheese Tortillas
Tuesday: Shrimp Scampi Linguine-spicy, low fat recipe from Fithealthy
Wednesday: Grilled Flank Steak over Mixed Greens with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
Thursday: BBQ Cobb Salad-another from Fithealthy!
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style dinner with leftovers and finger foods
Saturday: Grass Fed Beef Burgers, Grilled Portabella Mushrooms, Zucchini, and Onions with a Salad
Sunday: Chicken & Broccoli Lemon Stir Fry
As always, if there is a meal that you'd like the full recipe for please just let me know. This is just an overview of how I plan my week and involve my kids in the process. My goal is to have more families eating healthily and seeing that it doesn't have to be difficult. Planning ahead is key.
Enjoy!
Best,
Donna
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Meals at a glance...
I love the warmer weather and think it's here to stay! In between games and birthday parties, I managed to start cleaning flower beds and pick up many sticks throughout the yard. Yard work is hard! I have never been a fan of doing it, but it is so rewarding when you finish and see your progress. To me it is similar to weight loss and gaining muscle definition; hard work, but so rewarding when you can see and feel a difference in your strength and in the clothes you wear. It is so easy to give up, but so much more satisfying to push through and feel a little sore and successful.
Everyone here is so busy with school and sports so when planning meals I reminded my kids to choose wisely. I help by tweaking here and there and adding more veggies and protein when I can.
Kids helping create your weekly meals can be a wonderful thing or a disaster. It's important to find a balance of letting them feel like they have a choice and teaching them about healthy foods and what their bodies need to develop and fuel themselves. It may not be for everyone to have their kids involved, but it's worth a try. I think it is why my 4 kids have become healthy eaters. They enjoy cooking and are willing to try new foods when we are out. The older kids are not able to prep and help cook much anymore during the week, but they did when they were younger. Now my youngest two are my helpers and enjoy their "jobs".
Our meals this week:
Monday: Bake Potato Bar-sweet and regular potatoes with lots of toppings like broccoli, cheese, eggs, salsa, beans. This is an old favorite dinner for all!
Tuesday: Tortellini Salad-tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and chick peas tossed with tortellini in an olive oil and vinegar dressing
Wednesday: Homemade Sushi Rolls & Trader Joe's Dumplings with Salad- will make sushi rice ahead of time and some kids will help me make the rolls later and put in fridge before we slice them. We use avocado, carrots, and cucumbers to make California Rolls.
Thursday: Skirt Steak, Grilled Zucchini and Quinoa Salad
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style dinner with left overs from the week and some finger foods as well.
Saturday: Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs on the grill served with brown rice
Sunday: Grilled Fish and Salad -Mother's Day- so I pick what I want!
Have a wonderful week! As always I'd love to hear what's on your table and share some ideas. I am happy to share my recipes and love learning more about what works for other's.
Best,
Donna
Everyone here is so busy with school and sports so when planning meals I reminded my kids to choose wisely. I help by tweaking here and there and adding more veggies and protein when I can.
Kids helping create your weekly meals can be a wonderful thing or a disaster. It's important to find a balance of letting them feel like they have a choice and teaching them about healthy foods and what their bodies need to develop and fuel themselves. It may not be for everyone to have their kids involved, but it's worth a try. I think it is why my 4 kids have become healthy eaters. They enjoy cooking and are willing to try new foods when we are out. The older kids are not able to prep and help cook much anymore during the week, but they did when they were younger. Now my youngest two are my helpers and enjoy their "jobs".
Our meals this week:
Monday: Bake Potato Bar-sweet and regular potatoes with lots of toppings like broccoli, cheese, eggs, salsa, beans. This is an old favorite dinner for all!
Tuesday: Tortellini Salad-tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and chick peas tossed with tortellini in an olive oil and vinegar dressing
Wednesday: Homemade Sushi Rolls & Trader Joe's Dumplings with Salad- will make sushi rice ahead of time and some kids will help me make the rolls later and put in fridge before we slice them. We use avocado, carrots, and cucumbers to make California Rolls.
Thursday: Skirt Steak, Grilled Zucchini and Quinoa Salad
Friday: Odds & Ends Night-picnic style dinner with left overs from the week and some finger foods as well.
Saturday: Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs on the grill served with brown rice
Sunday: Grilled Fish and Salad -Mother's Day- so I pick what I want!
Have a wonderful week! As always I'd love to hear what's on your table and share some ideas. I am happy to share my recipes and love learning more about what works for other's.
Best,
Donna
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