Back by Popular Demand! Weekly Meal Plans!

Happy Sunday my Peeps!

I posted some of our dinner's on facebook this past week and got a couple requests for the recipes. So I decided to start posting my weekly meal plans again.
I stopped posting them for a couple weeks because I started getting really frazzled, see last post for details. I know, I know it's not an excuse but... well I'm bringing them back!

If you don't know already I started doing weekly meals back in October. I was getting so bored with the same 5 "safety" meals. You know the ones you always go to when you don't know what to make? I picked up the October issue of Real Simple Magazine and right there in plain black and white was a whole month of meals already planned WITH grocery lists! Of course I bought it and now have made over 200 recipes from real simple! Now every dinner is different and healthy and fresh. I've already written a few blogs on my amazing discovery so please feel free to go back and read or click here , here
and here :)

This Week's Meals all amazing!- Click on the title to get recipe

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna With Romaine Salad 

Curried Chicken with ginger and yogurt 

Chili-glazed pork with sweet potato hash 

Roasted turkey with cheddar-stuffed potatoes 

Asian steak salad with mango 


Nick picked this week's meals from my stash so they all contain meat of course, but please don't be discouraged my veggie Peeps! There are many many veggie friendly meals on their website. Also for all you tech savvy iPad, iPod, iPhone, or Android owners there is an app from Real Simple you can get that allows you to make meal plans with grocery lists already attached! Hope you enjoy! Until next time...

This Week's Menu

click on the links below for recipes. 


Chicken Paprikash
Shrimp with White Beans and Toast
Asian Beef and Mango Salad
Mushroom and Herb Strata
Balsamic-glazed Pork and Lentils

(:On weekends we usually have leftovers or I just add extra recipes to the list...up to you :)

All these recipes are very health and mmmm mmmm good! I LOVE Real Simple 's recipes because 1. they are so easy and fast to make 2. they are so tasty I feel like a real chief lol 3. I'm making food I usually wouldn't make and it gives us a different meal pretty much everyday; we are never bored with our meals now 4. and most important, I feel like I'm giving my family a healthier lifestyle. 
Now that we've switched over to pretty much all organic foods, we've realized that we do get sick off of fast food! Which is good and bad all at the same time because I love some fast food. Oh well, I'd gladly give it up if it means my family is healthier :)


If you are thinking of going organic please don't be scared. Start off with just a few things like fruits and veggies and see if it's something your family could get used to. I pretty must just jumped right into it and didn't really look back, but we aren't very picky eaters so it worked out for us. I really enjoy the experience of shopping organic. The food is so much tastier and I've noticed the people that work at the markets are friendlier! MOM's Organic Market in Maryland will even help you out to your car without even asking and they won't take "no" for an answer even if you only have one bag :) I think I might even try the local Amish market down the road sometime soon. And again for us, our weekly bill pretty much stayed the same and even went down! But I think it had a lot to do with me actually planning out meals and shopping weekly which definitely cut down on waste in our house.


The portions on these recipes are for 4 serving of "normal" sized portion. This was something we had to get used to since we are used to eating massive sized portions but we have no complaints now :)

I hope this blog finds busy people needing a fresh start or new ideas for dinners!

Please leave feedback on anything you find helpful or just to say "Hi".


Unitl next time...

This Weeks Menu

After putting the baby down, I finally had time to make my weekly grocery list! And let me tell you this week's meal plan looks AMAZING! I'm sure they will be just as delicious as all the other 100 recipes I've made. HEY! I just realized I've made over 100 recipes from Real Simple Magazine! YAY to that accomplishment!

So here is the menu for this week: click on the links for recipes

Creamy Broccoli Soup
Lamb Kebabs with lima bean  salad
Chicken Adobo with Bok Choy
Asian Steak Salad with Mango
and
Chili-Glazed Pork with Sweet Potato Hash

(:On weekends we usually have leftovers or I just add extra recipes to the list...up to you :)

To make things even easier for you, the shopping list can be found here =>  Shopping List. Just print out the pdf and head to the grocery store! How awesome is that!!!


I hope this blog finds busy people needing a fresh start or new ideas for dinners!


Please leave feedback on anything you find helpful or just to say "Hi".


Unit next time...

Easy and Good Cooking for Busy People

*sigh* Finally have a chance to blog!

 I've been dying to blog about my new found favorite thing that has absolutely made my life as a wife and mommy so much easier. I was getting so tired of the same 5 go to recipes every week. You know what I mean. The same recipes you go to every time you don't know what to make. I finally found the solution when I picked up Real Simple magazine October issue back in September. Right there in simple black and white was a whole month of meals planned already for me! Not only were these meals filled with yummy vegetables and juicy tasty meats and pastas, they were also not "boring" to say the least. Added bonus was EVERYTHING took, on average, 30 mins or less!  It's the easiest, freshest and tastiest cooking I've EVER done and I SO look forward to making my grocery list and heading to the grocery store every week.

***I shop weekly to avoid food waste which I was finding out was a MAJOR problem with our family if I shopped once a month or bi-weekly and I also feel like a trip to the grocery store is a lot faster and I enjoy it more. But of course every family is different :)***

I usually shop at Trader Joe's and the local Organic market, MOM's for you Marylanders, so my weekly bill is usually between $80-100. But keep in mind your bill may very. For all my friends in Cali keep in mind that veggies, which usually take up most of my list, are very expensive on the east coast compared to California so your bill could be even lower!!! LUCKY!!! Also for any vegetarians out there these recipes are VERY vegetarian friendly.

For any iPad, itouch, or Android owners there is now an app to get a weekly meal plan and grocery list!
I think it is around 5 bucks and SO worth it.

Here is a link to this week's recipe's  I have made. All of these were VERY yummy, even Z ate them!


FYI- Most  recipes make four "normal" sized portions of food, I found this out myself.  My husband and I are used to big portions of food but we have now gotten used to the "normal" sized portions and have no complaints. Very good for any family making a new years resolution to eat healthier :)


Let me know what you think; I hope someone finds this helpful. Until next time... :)











***Sorry! I tried to include a grocery list and was unsuccessful :( ***