Busy Baking

I'm a busy person.  I am never content to sit still and enjoy the moment.  Here's what I mean by that...most moms use their maternity leave to rest, adjust to motherhood, and snuggle their new baby; but not me.  I am not like most moms.  My maternity leave is being used to start my own business.  My own bakery.  

Something Sweet by Tay is a family-owned and operated bakery primarily serving the Phoenix metropolitan area.  We offer all sorts of yummy things:  cookies, cupcakes, younameit.  If you're craving it, we can bake it.  Our specialty is Royal Icing Sugar Cookies.  They are unique, delicious, and completely customizable.  Served on a platter or as favors, these cookies are the perfect ending to any event. 

I hope you'll wish me luck on this adventure (and/or keep me in mind for all future baking needs).  As a thank you for your support I'm offering my readers a 15 percent discount through October 31, just mention Growing Baby Shelton when placing your order.  And be sure to "like" our Facebook page for future monthly specials and giveaways!

(If you're located outside of Arizona, don't feel bad!  Our Royal Icing Sugar Cookies can be shipped!!!) 

Lucy likes Jell-o

Earlier this week, Grammy felt it was time to introduce Lu to the tasty gel snack...

(Pretty sure it just fell out of her lunch bag and I wasn't about to leave it in my car overnight.)

::cautiously takes the first bite::

Hmmm, not bad...  Dad, you should really try this stuff.

More please!

Muahahahaaa!  Tricked ya!!!  Now the spoon is mine.

I'll take it from here, guys.

Reveal to me your gel-like treasures.

::plop::

Lucy: 1; Jello: 0

And this is why we'll enjoy our Jell-o at Grammy's house next time...

Freezer Meals 2.0

Believe it or not, this post has been a work in progress since April.  I decided to take a different approach to stocking the freezer(s) this time.  Rather than devoting an entire weekend (or two, or three) to cooking, I've been cooking larger dinner portions every night for months and freezing the leftovers.  It made a daunting task much more manageable, especially now that we're a two freezer family.  In addition to sparing my large, tired body from the aches and pains, I also saved money, storage space, and time.     

I tried to choose recipes that were crock pot friendly, budget friendly, and made with common household ingredients.  More importantly, though, I chose recipes that are absolutely delicious.  You can find the full menu listed below, with sources.  (Sorry for the lack of pictures!  I'm a much better cook than I am photographer.)  And don't forget to check out my post on Freezer Meals 1.0 for additional recipes not included in this batch.

Chicken
{Crock Pot} Salsa Chicken
{Crock Pot} BBQ Chicken Legs
{Crock Pot} Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole
{Crock Pot} Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Chicken and Dumplings
Breaded Chicken Tenders

Turkey
{Crock Pot} Stuffed Peppers
Roasted Turkey
Turkey Meatloaf
Turkey Burger Wraps
Jumbo Pigs in a Blanket

Pork
{Crock Pot} Herbed Pork Tenderloin recipe below
Spiral Sliced Ham

Beef
{Crock Pot} Marinara Meatballs

Seafood
Teriyaki Salmon
Garlic Butter Salmon
Tuna Noodle Casserole

Vegetarian
Eggplant Parm

Pasta
Baked Ziti 
Emeril's Mac and Cheese
Lasagna

Sides
Sweet Corn Off the Cob
Parsley Carrots
Roasted Summer Squash
Roasted Zucchini
Buttered Radishes

Sweets
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownies
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
Mom's Banana Bread recipe below
Meg's Zucchini Bread
Strawberries

Herbed Pork Tenderloin
2 lb. Boneless Pork Tenderloin
S & P
Onion Powder
Rosemary
Thyme
Minced Garlic
Olive Oil
Chicken Stock
Chopped Onion (fresh or frozen)

Dry the tenderloin between paper towels and season.  (I don't follow exact measurements, just sort of eyeball it.)  Use a paring knife to make 6-12 pockets in the tenderloin, and stuff with minced garlic.  Then, rub that bad boy with some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, for those not hip to Racheal Ray's acronyms).  Sear the tenderloin on the stovetop until all sides are browned.  Place inside crock pot, on a bed of chopped onion, cover with chicken stock, and forget about it for 4-8 hours (depending on whether you prefer to cook on high or low temperature settings).  The cooking liquid makes a very nice, light gravy when thickened with a flour slurry. 

Mom's Banana Bread
4 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 C. Butter, softened
2 1/3 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Sour Cream
4-5 Bananas, mashed
1 C. Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl and set aside.  Cream the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.  Then add the bananas.  Mix in the dry ingredients in three batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions.  Once combined, add nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Makes two large loaves of bread. 

---

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.  I don't always follow a recipe, but I'm happy to explain my steps.  And for those who are still leery of freezer meals, here are two helpful articles that I recently found:
What can be frozen?
Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Second Freezer 

Do you make ahead and freeze meals?  I'd love to hear some new recipe ideas!! 

Toddler Meal Planning

God love my foodie family, we spend so much time eating - some of our greatest memories are at the dinner table.  There is absolutely no question about who Lucy got her appetite from - her very proud Momma Bear, that's who!

Having a third mouth to feed has not been without it's challenges, though.  "Winging it" just doesn't cut it in this house, especially when trying to race out the door at 6:30 am.  That leads to tardy, hungry {and whiny} Sheltons.  So after several frustrating weeks, I ultimately had to increase the grocery budget, devise a separate shopping list and meal plan for daycare, and increase our trips to the grocery store from weekly to twice weekly - you know, to keep up the banana and milk supply.  Of course, tired and pregnant, my devotion to freezer friendly meals is still a top priority.  Here's a look at what we're eating these days:

Lucy's Breakfast Menu
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Oatmeal & Fruit	Pancake & Fruit	Yogurt & Fruit	Raisin Toast & Fruit	Waffle & Fruit
Lucy's Lunch Menu
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Ham & Cheese Roll Up	Breaded Chicken, Sweet Po & Veg	PB & J	Macaroni Cup	Naked Chicken, Sweet Po & Veg
Family Dinner Menu
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Chicken Tenders & Sweet Po Fries	Salmon & Couscous	Chicken & Dumplings	Turkey Burger & Sweet Po Fries	French Bread Pizza
Cheesy Chicky Casserole	Salmon & Couscous	Chicken Quesadillas & Refried Beans	Chicken BLT Club & Sweet Po Fries	Pigs in a Blanket
Turkey Meatloaf & Roasted Potatoes	Salmon & Couscous	Buffalo Chicken Wrap & Salad	Tuna Noodle or Melt & Lemon Broccoli	French Bread Pizza

*I don't bother meal planning on the weekends, because we're either dining out, visiting family, or cooking up a tasty new recipe.   
**I am aware that the amount of chicken breast and sweet potato we eat may seem absurd to some. 

Lucy's lunch menu varies on occasion, depending on what leftovers we have on hand; but I always have these meals in the freezer.  Her morning serving of fruit is always, always, always a half of banana; and she has a second serving of fruit at afternoon snack, usually some apple or melon slices.  Our other go-to snacks include: Puffs, Cheerios, cereal bars, veggie sticks (raw and baked), cheese and crackers, fruit leather, dried apple rings, Toddler Mum Mum, yogurt, and popsicles.  When all else fails, give the girl some carbs.

And, for those who may be wondering, a "Macaroni Cup" is elbow pasta with ground turkey, roasted squash and spinach, and a vegetable marinara sauce frozen in cupcake liners.  This can be done with many different pasta dishes.  Cupcake liners are great for storing individual portions - just remember to remove the foil before microwaving...   

As for Lulu's milk intake, it has tapered off substantially over the last two months.  For awhile it seemed like she constantly had a sippy cup in hand, and as soon as it was empty, she was ready for a refill.  She currently has 5 ounces of milk with breakfast and dinner, and as requested throughout the day; apple or grape juice with lunch; and 5 ounces of water with morning and afternoon snack.  Daddy may or may not allow her to bring her sippy into the bath tub, but Mommy thinks that's just silly. 

I think that about covers us.  Do you meal plan?  Do tell!  I always enjoy hearing new recipe ideas.  Does your daycare center provide the meals for your child or do you have to pack their breakfast and lunch each day?

Messy Eater

That would be YOU, Lu.  You are messy.  Messy, messy, messy. 

Ah!  Look at those hands!!!

I realize it's been awhile since I last talked about your eating habits, so I thought an update was in order.

Your favorite food is still peas.  (I think it's more their size and shape than flavor.)  You stuff as many peas in your mouth as possible, and then tip forward to watch them all fall out.

You also love carbs: crackers, (baked) french fries, baked potatoes with butter, bread, cupcakes.

I hate sharing kale chips with you - hate is a strong word, but I sincerely mean it.  You turn those delicious, crispy chips into confetti. 

The bathtub drain is probably going to get clogged one of these days from all the food stuck to you.  In the last week I've wiped marshmallow fluff from your armpit, peeled salmon off your tush, and pulled tiny pieces of kale confetti out of every roll of chub.

Our dinner dress code is diaper only.  This is because you'll only tolerate a bib for approximately two minutes before ripping it off.

I really need to buy some kind of splat mat or vinyl table cloth for the floor beneath your highchair...  Every night I have to sweep or vaccum, and then spot clean the floor on my hands and knees.

You're latest habit is sucking the juice/flavor out of whatever you're eating and then spitting it out afterward.  So it seems like you're eating a ton, but you're really not.  And I don't know how to fix that.

You hate to be spoon-fed, but love to feed yourself.

Grammy set you in a regular chair at breakfast this morning...it was adorable.  Now I'm on the hunt for a booster seat.

I occasionally give you an apple to gnaw on while I make dinner.  It's a great way to pacify you for 10 minutes.  (This is extremely upsetting to Grampy, because fruit is sacred to him.)

I think that's about all I have...you've been throwing using a sippy cup for the past month or so.  And what a relief that is!

My Pregnancy Diet

Remember that time  I gained 40-something pounds?  That sucked.  I don't want to do that this time.  Personally, I'd be "happy" with any gain that is below my last; but I would be absolutely thrilled with a gain in the 20-something range or lower.  I am determined to reach this goal, and in order to do so I've been following the Gestational Diabetes diet, and I'm actually exercising!  The diet guidelines were given to me by my darling Jaye Fay.  (You can read more about her experience with GD here.)  Jaye's pregnancy was very inspiring to me.  She ate healthy food and exercised daily, and as a result she got to rock her pre-pregnancy jeans in THIRD TRIMESTER.

The diet isn't complicated or hard to follow.  The concept is actually pretty simple:  low carb and high protein.  I am allowed approximately 160 carbs each day, which sounds like a lot, but the average American eats an average of 250.  I eat at six scheduled times, every meal/snack must include protein, and the carbs I eat have to be good carbs.  Here's what my schedule looks like:

8:00  Breakfast, 30 carbs
9:45  Snack, 15 carbs
11:30 Lunch, 30 carbs
3:00  Snack, 15 carbs
7:00  Dinner, 60 carbs
8:30  Snack, 15 carbs  

Naturally, there are times when I get hungry in between meals and snacks, because, um, hello...this is me we're talking about.  And I eat A LOT.  So when that happens I supplement with freebies.   

I've been scouring the internet (blogs, pinterest, allrecipes), polling friends, and even flipped through my Mom's GD packet back from her second and third pregnancies for recipe ideas.  Here's a list of my favorites...

Breakfast
Bagel Thin with Two Eggs and Cheese
Half cup of Oatmeal, with 1T. Sugar and 1/4 C. Sliced Almonds
Greek Yogurt with Fruit
Scrambled Eggs with Salsa
Breakfast Burrito on Low Carb Tortilla
Egg Muffins

Lunch
Various sandwich combinations on Sandwich Thins (Turkey, Ham, BLT, California Sandwich)
Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps with Fruit
Grilled Chicken with Veggies and Fruit
Greek Yogurt with Fruit
Hummus Melt on Low Carb English Muffin or Pita
Cheese Crisp on Low Carb Tortilla

Dinner
Baked Salmon with Couscous and Salad
Chicken Caesar Salad
Grilled Chicken Wrap on Low Carb Tortilla
Grilled Turkey Burger Wrap on Low Carb Tortilla
Thin Crust Whole Wheat Pizza
Zucchini Lasanga
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Broccoli, Chicken, Quinoa Casserole
Open-Face Tuna Melt 
Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

Snacks/Dessert
Half Banana with Peanut Butter
Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
Raw Veggies and Ranch
1 ounce Raw Almonds
10 Crackers with Cheese
Buffalo Chicken Dip with Celery Sticks
Strawberry Protein Shake (LOVE)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Protein Shake
1 C. of Frozen Yogurt with Sliced Almonds

Dinner is undoubtedly the easiest meal of the day.  I eat a lot of the same meals that were on my original meal plan, but with different serving sizes.  There are occasionally times when I'm lacking carbs, so I'll just eat spoonfuls of peanut butter.  But since I don't actually have GD, I can bend the rules a little; if my carbs are slightly over or under for the day, my blood sugar won't be affected - just my ass!!!  The idea is to keep the metabolism moving, hence the non-stop frequent eating.  I also allow myself one "splurge" every few days, and I'm still using real sugar (not a fan of artificial sweetners!).  For the most part, though, I follow this diet very closely.  I don't feel deprived, just the opposite actually...it feels like I'm constantly eating!  I know that this diet is healthy and safe, not just for me, but for Babe; and I know that it is a huuuge improvement to the eating habits of my first pregnancy.  Will be sure to keep everyone posted with the diet progress.

Also, would love to hear some recipe recommendations, if anyone has any!

My brief love affair with Kale

I have seen Kale used on Food Network countless times.  I also read about it here on my darling Jaye Fay's blog.  And most recently, I saw it on Pinterest.  (Which reminds me, are you following my boards?  Because you should be.  There is a whole lotta deliciousness pinned up in there.)

I took it as a sign.  Kale kept popping up all over the place, there had to be a reason for it.  It was as if the universe was saying, "Taylor, you HAVE to try Kale.  It's time."  So I did, in the form of Kale Chips.  I used this recipe and was very happy with the result.  As soon as the first batch was out of the oven I began sampling.  I kept eating and eating (straight off the cookie sheet, mind you) until finally they were all gone.  Casey may or may not have snuck a chip or two...

You read that right:  I ate an entire bunch of Kale - but not without consequence...  Lucy was up all night with the most awful gas pains.  I immediately knew why and felt horribley guilty.  Apparently dark, leafy greens are known to cause gas, especially when consumed in large quantities.  Oops!  Will be adding Kale to the list of foods (and drinks) to binge on post-breastfeeding. 

My dear, dear GBS Readers, please try some Kale Chips.  I assure you they will not disappoint.  Also, my Your Lines interview was featured on Tiny Blue Lines yesterday, be sure to stop by and check it out!

The girl that wouldn't poop.

Prune juice, suppositories and enemas, oh my!

7 8 days.  That's the current record between Lulu's BMs.  (tmi?)  This girl has got some serious poop issues...  And it is heartbreaking.

Pretty much since we started solid food we've had this problem.  Everything was going just fine while we utilized the 4 day wait rule, but all hell broke loose when we started including more than one food at each meal.  So then I tried giving her only oatmeal for 9 days; I thought, "Hey, it's bland, it's fiber, she loves it and has been eating it without any problems."  Makes sense, right?  Wrong.

I've gone back and forth with our pediatrician a million times.  They've been less than helpful...  Over the past two weeks this kid has pooped 3 times.

We've tried:

Tummy Massage
Bicycling her legs
Warm Baths
Prune Juice
Suppositories
Q-tip and Vaseline

...the next step is an enema, and I do NOT want it to come to that.  

Last night I had a dream that she finally pooped...  I'm dreaming about poop.  WHAT.THE.EFF.

Success with Solids!

Please excuse the absurdly long and unedited video, my chief editor is watching House and I am utterly useless in that department.  Really, just the first 27 seconds will do the job. 

I have said several times that my Momma is a genius, and that was no exaggeration.  Last week, before jet setting back east for a long weekend, she discovered that Lulu liked oatmeal!  As in, no crying, spitting, or fighting - she actually liked it!!!  Up until this point, our journey with solid food had been quite frustrating.  It upset me that Lulu didn't enjoy eating "real" food, food that I made just for her.  So you can imagine the relief and excitement I felt when she ate a whole (baby-size) bowl of oatmeal and pears for me on Saturday night!

My mom always questioned why we didn't introduce cereal first.  Babies are used to one texture and a relatively bland, monotonous flavor prior to the introduction of solids, so it only makes sense that a fruit or vegetable might seem gross at first.  Maybe Lulu just needed some time to adjust to solids?  Or maybe cereal really is the best first food for babies?  I don't know the answer to that.  What I do know, is that Baby #2 will be starting out with oatmeal, fo sho.

Once A Month Cooking

This is how I spent my Sunday:

Amidst the chaos

Lulu's bedtime recently crept up to 6:00, and I suddenly have zero time to make dinner each night.  I had read about Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) here and it occurred to me that maybe this could help save us some time and some money.  For those not familiar with OAMC, you spend one (very long) day cooking, and then the rest of the month you just defrost and warm your meals.

The grocery shopping was a pretty daunting task.  So I devoted all of Saturday to just that.  I went to three different stores: Costco, Sprouts and Fry's; I spent a combined total of about $170 and it took almost 4 hours to do all the shopping.  Over the next four weeks we'll only need to buy produce, milk, and eggs each week.

Our menu included some Classic Shelton Faves and some new additions that I had bookmarked: 

Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas served with refried beans 
White Veggie Lasanga
Italian Tomato Soup (recipe courtesy of Auntie Fallon and Grammy)
Bourbon Peppercorn Grilled Chicken served over salad, with a side of corn bread
Breaded Chicken Tenders served with sweet po fries and salad
Cheesy Pizza
Casey's Spicy Turkey Burgers served with salad
Lemon Thyme Salmon served with couscous
Teriyaki Salmon served with couscous
Lemon Basil Salmon served with couscous
Broccoli, Quinoa, Chicken Casserole
Salsa Chicken with Chipotle-style Cilantro Rice
Turkey Tacos served with refried beans
Sausage and Ham Breakfast Burritos 

Some meals are repeated throughout the month, like the grilled and breaded chicken and the salmon.  I made just about everything listed above, with the exception of salad and couscous, for obvious reasons.  Did you know you can freeze rice?  You can.  I cheated by using rotisserie chickens in the casseroles and enchiladas, and by using storebought pizza dough, but the rest of it was all me (and at times Casey), baby! 

It was A LOT of work, but worth it.  My feet are killing me, the kitchen is still a mess, and I didn't do an ounce of laundry all weekend.  We may not have clean underwear, but we've got food for the next month. 

Never mind all those pineapples in the background...

Anyone else out there do OAMC?  Would love some freezer-friendly recipes for next month!

Homemade Baby Food

I make Lulu's food.  The end.

Kidding!

I had planned to make homemade baby food since before Lulu was even conceived. ::dusts imaginary dirt off shoulders::  I had read on a few different parenting forums and blogs that it was a fun and easy way to serve the best quality food to your baby, so I figured why not?

Turns out, it really is fun and easy.  (I'm just assuming all of my readers find mindless food prep enjoyable...)  I like to pretend I'm a sous chef and a head chef in a five star restaurant, serving a panel of baby judges that include Lulu, Baby Robert Irvine and Baby Gordon Ramsay. 

Last Tuesday I spent a few hours in the kitchen and prepared over a month's worth of solid food for Lulu.  Bringing a whole new meaning to the concept of Freezer Meals.

I peeled and diced and steamed and pureed until my heart was content, and my freezer was packed.  I made acorn squash, white sweet po, carrots, apples, and pears (all "recipes" can be found here). 

When I finished my last batch of sweet potato, I felt very...accomplished.  It was a great feeling to know that my girl would be eating (mostly) organic food, free of any additives/preservatives/fillers/salt/sugar/etc.

To make things a little easier, we froze the purees in ice cube trays, which makes it easy to pull out one or two cubes at each meal.  It's also nice because the ice cube trays make perfect one ounce portions.  They should last up to six weeks in the freezer, but I'm hoping Lulu's appetite will kick in soon and she'll start to go through our stash quicker than that.  Any excuse to use my Mother's Day present.  ;-)


Do you make your baby's food?  What are your favorite recipes?

Introducing Solids

We rolled in Lulu's Half Birthday with the introduction of solid food.

Whoa, they're finally giving me "real" food.  

Oh God.  I hate it, I HATE IT!!!  Never again, please!

As you can see, it was not well received by Goosey Girl, and her attitude hasn't changed much over the last week... 

Lulu has been interested in food for months; but, Casey and I agreed to wait until she was at least 6 months old before introducing solids, because we read that introducing them too soon could cause problems (digestive system development, childhood obesity, rapid and unhealthy weight gain - and so on).  

Fun fact:  Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life increases protection against disease and improves the chances of continuing breastfeeding throughout the first 12 months of life.   

We gauged a lot of our decisions on the Wholesome Baby Food website - I highly recommend all mommas check that site out, if you haven't already!  They provide SO much information: from deciding if your baby is ready for solids, to baby food recipes, to allergies, and so much more.  We chose to introduce pears first, after reading the list of appropriate Stage 1 Foods.  To date, she has had pears, sweet po, and acorn squash.

I thought we were being progressive by skipping over cereal, and plunging into the fruits and vegetables; but, in retrospect, I think Lucy would have enjoyed solids more if we started with something that was mixed with breast milk.  I'm sure she'll eventually get over this aversion to all things solid, maybe once we introduce some bananas.

Fun fact #2:  Bananas are the solid food that taste closest to breast milk. (Thanks for that, Meg!)

For now we're abiding by the 3 day wait rule.  (Some people do 2 days, some do 4 days.)  Meaning we introduce one food at a time, for a period of 3 days; which gives us a chance to evaluate Lulu's reaction to the food and make sure there's no allergy or constipation.  Eventually, once we've gone through all the foods, we'll be able to serve multiple foods at one time.  Lulu hasn't had any constipation problems ::knocks on wood:: and that's something I hope to avoid completely.  

Fun fact #3:  Exclusively breastfed babies are more prone to constipation because their digestive systems are so used to processing breast milk, which is easily digested.  

I originally planned to combine two posts into one: telling you all about introducing solids and making homemade baby food; but, having typed it all out, I realize now that that would make for one verrry long post.  I'll leave you with a few more priceless photos from dinner - just look at her expression! 

Shelton Family Meal Plan

On Easter day Casey and I decided to actively start losing weight. 

So what did we do?  We turned to the good ol' Food Network for inspiration.  We watched this (short) video, and we learned what a healthy diet really consists of...

Daily:  fruit, whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, carrots

3x Week:  fish, yogurt, broccoli, sweet po, avacado

1x Week:  red meat, pasta, dessert, alcohol

NEVER:  fast food, soda, processed food, canned soup, "diet" anything

This gave us the framework for our meal plan.  But we still needed actual recipes and a rotation schedule....

My first attempt at meal planning meant designating a type of meat per night (Monday: chicken, Tuesday: fish, etc.), and then choosing an actual recipe when that day came.   This system was short lived (read: three days).  There were still too many variables for my indecisive brain. 

My second attempt was a little more adventurous....monthly rotations.  I thought by rotating 30 different recipes, we'd know exactly what to cook each night AND we would never get sick of the same old recipe.  This plan, however, was even more short lived than the first.  Since I couldn't come up with 30+ recipes, I never actually implemented this plan.

Then it hit me.  Each night would have a designated meat AND  we would rotate the same recipes every week.  Seven recipes.  Thats it.  I know seven recipes!  This may come off as somewhat anti-climatic, maybe even lazy, BUT it works for us!  So, without further adieu...here is our meal plan:     

Monday:  turkey burgers, sweet po fries, veg or salad

Tuesday:  baked chicken tenders (breaded or naked), couscous, veg or salad

Wednesday:  chicken caesar salad and cornbread

Thursday:  grilled salmon or shrimp skewers, couscous, veg or salad

Friday:  freezer choice

Saturday:  Ethnic night!

Sunday:  whole roasted turkey or ham, mashed sweet po, veg or salad

Is that appetizing or what?!  I didn't go so far as to plan out vegetable side dishes, because we try to buy whatever is in season and/or on sale (the same principle applies to the protein in Thursday and Sunday dinners). 

The logic behind roasting a giant turkey, ham, or whatever, is to have lunch meat for the rest of the week.  You see, we have a dietician in the family, and she recently turned me off to storebought lunchmeat.  Sodium, and nitrates, and preservatives, oh my!  And my momma bear taught me a nifty trick for storing this lunch meat: individual size portions...kept in the freezer.  Genius, I tell you!

And for breakfast, Casey and I eat oatmeal with flaxseed.  Everyday.  I have heard so many great things about oatmeal.  Both oatmeal and flaxseed help with milk production, and oatmeal is a natural fat burner.  What more do you need?

So there you have it.  A plan for every meal in the week.  I fully expect us to get sick of these same seven meals sometime in the future, and when that happens, we'll certainly make some changes.  Until then, we're lovin' our meal plan!  Our diets are back on track, dinner is no longer a mystery, AND grocery shopping is way easy now!  Most importantly, meal planning is a HUGE time saver, which ultimately means more time with Goose.  Double yay! 

I hope everyone will consider giving meal planning a try.  If you're interested, this website is a great resource for organizing your meal plan and recipe inspiration.

In order to avoid a picture-less post, here is a picture of Goosey and Daddy exploring in the kitchen:

Freezer Meals

This is what a stocked freezer looks like:

Are you impressed?  I am.  I wish I could take credit for this brilliant idea, but I actually read about freezer meals in one of the many foodie blogs that I follow:  What's Cookin, Chicago?

I knew that I wanted to cook and freeze meals before Lucy's arrival from very early on in my pregnancy.  It just seemed like a great, easy way to be prepared for the newborn phase of life.  I fully expect to be a sleep-deprived zombie those first four weeks or so, and I know cooking will be the last thing on my mind, but I still want to be able to eat delicious food! 

A few weeks ago I compiled a list of our favorite freezer-friendly foods, and began composing the longest grocery list conceivable of all the supplies I'd need.  Unfortunately, the grocery shopping trip that followed completely zapped my energy for the day, and the cooking frenzy didn't begin until the next day.  The recipes I chose were a combination of family recipes and recipes that I've collected from food blogs (which is why only some of the recipes below have links).  

Entrees

Salsa Chicken*

Shredded Pork (for Tacos)*

Ground Turkey (for Tacos)

Emeril's Mac & Cheese

Bean & Cheese Enchiladas*

Veggie Lasanga*

Fallon's Italian Chicken Soup 

Mama Bear's Sauce

Twice Baked Potatoes

Breakfast

Meg's Zucchini Bread

Mama Bear's Banana Bread

French Toast*

Breakfast Burritos

Sweets

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stacy's Pumpkin Cookies

*Indicates an adaptation has been made

I'd like you all to know there was a brief moment where I contemplated buying a second freezer...  Here's a pic of my breakfast burrito assembly line:

This was a really fun process (in my opinion, anyways; I just love to cook and bake!), and its inspired me to try out Once-A-Month-Cooking (OAMC) and Dump Recipes after the this batch of freezer meals is demolished.