i want to be a trim healthy mama

It’s no secret that I’ve had issues with food for a long time, and that I’ve been on the search for a way of eating that is sustainable and healthy for me.

I joke that I’ve tried every diet from veganism to paleo, and that’s sadly not too much of an exaggeration.

If it’s too low carb, I’m constantly light-headed and feel deprived after about a month. If its whole grain, my gut rebels. Without animal protein, I have absolutely no energy. And my naturally obsessive personality doesn’t do well with tracking anything.

I was at a place a few weeks ago where I was deciding it was okay to not be my best and to learn to be happy with this body that I’m currently in. There’s something healthy in that, I’ve been told.

But, there’s an issue with that:

I didn’t feel good, physically or emotionally.

I’ve been looking for something reasonable, something sensible, something that doesn’t exclude entire groups of foods for so long.

Something that helps me feel good, but most of all is sustainable as a homeschooling pastor’s wife that teaches Holy Yoga with a husband taking a mor than-full load in seminary, a daughter still recovering from spinal surgery, a schedule that has one free weekend between now and Christmas and lots of events coming up where food choices won’t be the best.

And doesn’t make me crazy…or a perfectionist…or obsess in really unhealthy ways.

I think I’ve found it in the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating.

It’s different from anything else I’ve tried. Sure, things like sugar and refined grains are cut out but there’s so much freedom and variety…and honestly, no one should really be eating white sugar or flour or processed food like items that are full of ingredients no one can pronounce.

But the freedom…that’s the big thing. I’m not counting calories or carbs or looking longingly at every food in my kitchen. There’s no guilt involved and in my 20 years of looking for the best way for me to eat, that is incredible for whom the guilt at many times has led to very unhealthy habits of binges and purging. I’m not thinking about food all the time. I’m not tempted by the Halloween candy that is everywhere. I’m not mindlessly snacking.

Today is day 10. The scale is down. Every time I put on my jeans, I can feel a difference (I tend to live in yoga pants, so that’s every four or five). I have more energy, and my brain actually works (and the fact that I don’t have to be on a super strict diet for that to happen seems miraculous!). My hips are cracking and popping all the time. My emotions are far more level. It’s also been easy to adapt with the Once A Month meals I made a few weeks ago, and I’m planning on doing a fully THM OAMM cooking day this Saturday (I’ll share what I’ve done next Monday).  And I have almost no cravings…and if I do, there are so many options that hit my need for chocolate and stay within the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating.

I’ve gone off plan twice – once for a big Oktoberfest dinner we had at our house and then a pumpkin carving party with friends. Both times, I’ve made decent, but not the best choices and both times, I’ve enjoyed a small dessert. Both times, it’s been no problem to get right back at it with my next meal.  And both times, I haven’t been haunted by the guilt of a bit of indulgence or of putting something in my body that maybe isn’t optimal.

I will confess, the book is a lot of reading. And maybe not the most clear. It’s a low glycemic plan with higher fat/low carb meals and low fat/higher carb meals at its base. There’s a learning curve. But it’s not that bad and the freedom is so totally worth the work. I’ll share some of my favorite resources tomorrow and a very basic breakdown.

Have you tried a THM lifestyle? Have you thought about it?

Contains a few affiliate links.

prepping for your first Holy Yoga class

So, the day of my first Holy Yoga class, I was ready at 2.

Class started at 5.

I might have been a little bit anxious.

I packed and repacked my bag, refilled my water bottle half a dozen times, ran to the bathroom half a dozen times and tried every hairstyle I knew.

It was ridiculous.

And I don’t want you to have to go through the same worry.

What do you really need?

Not that much.

A mat, if you have one. A towel works too. As an instructor, I try to have an extra mat or two for newcomers.

Clothes you can move in. And hopefully don’t slide down too much (you don’t want to be hiking your pants up all the time) and hopefully aren’t see-through in downward dog (the scourge of the yoga community).

Water.  We’re just stretching, you think? Good luck. I sweat more during a yoga practice than I do when I do interval training. I get really thirsty.

A strap, if you have one. Or an old necktie. Or a jump rope. A block is nice, too. Props and helpers aren’t a sign you’re weak. They are invaluable tools that can help anyone get deeper into poses. They can also be that extra inch that gets you into a pose for the first time.

A blanket or towel, if you want. Especially helpful if you have back or knee issues, you can roll it up to place under your hips or knees. Or, if you’re like me, you get cold in the final resting pose and need a little covering.

That’s it.

Truly.

Except for one thing.

And it’s the most important.

You can leave all of the rest of that at home, as long as you bring this:

an open and willing heart and attitude.

A heart that seeks God.

A heart that wants to hear from Him.

Friends, don’t put limits on where and how God can speak to you. It demeans Him. It puts Him in a box. And it sets up a barrier between you and Him.

And be willing to try poses, even if you think there’s no way. Your teacher should give you many different directives and modifications so that your practice can grow.

What do you stress over when trying something new?

what to pack when your child has spinal surgery

 

Great title, right?

But it’s what I searched over and over as we prepared for the girl’s surgery and never could find great info on. Again, as I mentioned in my post about how to pack yourself for a stay with your child in the hospital, some helpful information down deep in message boards but nowhere in one coherent place.

Here’s my list:

• Two extra firm pillows, one king size and one standard, with bright pillow cases (so you don’t leave them there when you finally get to go home). There’s a lot of adjusting and trying to get comfortable after surgery and those little pillows they give you at the hospital can be a pain to deal with, though they are perfect for putting between your child’s knees. Our RN’s loved us for not having to stuff a dozen pillows every time they adjusted her, which was sometimes every half hour.
• A stuffed animal or small pillow for hugging. While the girl was in surgery, the pastor found a darling stuffed frog for her. By the time we left the hospital eight days later, that poor thing looked like it had been to war. She held onto it when she was being moved and it hurt. It helped keep her hands in position while she was sleeping and it helped keep the IV from bothering her so much. Humphrey the frog seemed to develop its own personality over the times we were there and everyone from this exhausted mama to respiratory therapists and RN’s treated him like part of the family.
• A light blanket. Hospital blankets suck. Big time. The blanket we brought from home ended up feeling really, really heavy after surgery, but we had a goodie bag that had a lap sized flannel blanket that came from the child life specialists that was perfect. It also looked like it was decades old by the end of our stay.
• Sugar free gum. Spinal surgery is notoriously bad for shutting down the digestive system, and the first thing the girl was given was sugar-free gum to start waking up her tummy. And as things can sometimes get chaotic in the ICU, it took us a while to find some.
• Larger PJ’s or clothes and undies. When the girl finally got to take a shower and get dressed (7 days after surgery), we all wanted to throw a party. Seriously. We found larger clothes to be a bit more comfortable and work better with dressings, IV’s and the such. The girl also liked having her robe there if someone came to visit or she was taking one of her physical therapy walks.
• Slippers with good soles. They’ll give you those awesome no slip socks at the hospital. They don’t slip against the floor, but they sure did slip off of the girl’s feet every chance they got. We did better with a few pairs of really soft socks if her feet were cold and a pair of slippers for walking in.
• Lotion. All that time in bed seems to just leach the moisture right out of your body. We also ended up giving her a lot of hip and shoulder massages for pain and the lotion came in handy there, too.
• Dry shampoo. After four days of sponge baths and laying in a bed, her hair was crazy. A little dry shampoo and brushing every day got her through until we could finally wash it on day seven (and then I was worried we’d have to resort to Dawn dish soap to get all of that oil out!). We french braided her hair in two braids before surgery and that seemed to be the best way to wear it until we were able to wash it more regularly.
• Their smart phone. It was incredibly helpful for her spirits to get texts and video messages from friends. She was also able to play games and keep herself occupied for a few minutes. She wasn’t too excited about many other activities, though she did enjoy having me read a book out loud to her. Reading on her own is something she’s just getting back to, seven weeks after her first surgery and three after her second – it’s just been difficult to focus with the pain meds on board.

Anything else you’d add if you’ve been through a similar surgery?

Next week, one more post: things I’d wish I had known before surgery.

the long haul: tips for staying with your hospitalized kiddo

The girl recently had a spinal fusion to correct scoliosis that had us in the hospital for seven nights.

And four weeks later, we were back for another surgery to remove a few screws that were pressing on nerves.

That meant three more nights of living and sleeping at the hospital.

Five of those nights were in that bed – y’all, under no circumstances is that a bed. It’s a vinyl chair from the early 70’s that pulls out into something you can sort of sleep on. The ICU at our Shriner’s decided I now hold the record for most nights on it.

I’ve decided I’ve earned my Girl Scout badge on the topic.

And because I had so much trouble finding information for parents staying with hospitalized kiddos, I thought I’d share what I learned.

• Before the procedure, find out what your options are. We knew the girl would be in the ICU for a few nights. I was allowed to stay with her as long as she wasn’t intubated.  There was also a Ronald McDonald House and Kiwanis House in the area.
  I chose to stay at the hospital.
  I was also able to learn that there were showers at the hospital for parents to use, with towels provided. Toiletries, however, were not.
• Think multi-use clothing.  Yoga pants, comforatble t’s, layers. I ended up wearing most of my clothes as pajamas. It was just easier and, quite frankly, I didn’t care. And slippers aren’t a bad idea.
  I walked from the ICU to the restroom one night in yoga pants, a tank, socks and no glasses. No one noticed and no one cared.
• Bring a sleep mask. Even if you’re in a regular room, it’s fairly bright. If you’re in the ICU, it can feel like you’re trying to sleep on the sun. I have and absolutely love this one.
  I wouldn’t recommend ear plugs, though. If your child needs you, you’re going to want to hear them call.
• Your own blanket and pillow.  Hospital blankets are kind of scratchy. And the pillows are kind of sad. It’s also a bit of home.
  And if you’re sleeping on one of those amazingly 70’s-tastic chairs, put a hospital blanket or two under the sheet. It helps keep from sliding around while you sleep.
  It took me three nights to figure that out.
• Food related…Find out the cafeteria policies I found out after our stay that if I’d brought in a travel cup with a lid, I could have filled up anytime for free.
  Always get an extra cup of ice and water. I found myself getting really dehydrated.
  Ask about special menus and needs.
  Bring cash for the cafeteria and hoard your quarters for vending machines.
  Keep some snacks in your child’s room if possible. Some days, I couldn’t make it to the cafeteria during the hours it was open and was thankful for the protein bars and fruit I kept stashed in a drawer. Bottled water is also nice, or a water bottle you can refill.
• Make an effort to become friends with your RN’s. They’re going to be the ones really taking care of your child and the ones to call the doctor if something isn’t right. After our two hospital stays and the rock start RN’s that took care of the girl, I want to buy them all Starbucks. And mansions.
• Things to keep you occupied. Books, magazines, smart phone, tablet, knitting – it’s all good.
  But the old saying about sleeping when your newborn sleeps? It applies here.
• Find an advocate. If you have a family member with medical training, take advantage of them. Seriously. The girl was having severe nausea and dry heaving after her first surgery. We thought perhaps it was just the eight hours of anesthesia, but my husband’s aunt – a retired RN – noticed the issues started within two minutes of pushing that button that gave her a dose of dilaudid, a powerful narcotic. She even kept her own chart of it and was able to show the RN on duty, who in turn was immediately get the medicine changed to something she was able to tolerate.
• Get out of the hospital, if you can. Make a Target run. Walk around the block. Find the hospital patio and sit outside. If a friend or family member offers to sit with your child, give them a quick in-service and head out. You need some time for you.

Next week, I’ll share some things that made the girl’s stay easier and more comfortable, especially for spinal surgeries.

Have you been through an experience like ours? Anything you would add? I’d love to develop a place for parents to come and find this info and more.

menu plan monday: gf/paleo freezer cooking

I don’t have a meal plan for this week. We’ve got dinner at a friend’s tonight and then the kids and I will be visiting Grandma, Grandpa and the cousins for the whole weekend.

Instead, I’m sharing the gluten-free and paleo friendly menu plan I put together and prepped last week using Once a Month Meals. I wrote last week about how this site and it’s tools have saved my brain in a season that’s a little crazier than normal. That’s not an overstatement at all.

I was able to prep twelve dinners for four (two of each) and several lunches in single servings, plus four side dishes we’ll be able to eat twice. And because I have the Pro Membership, I was able to swap some meals out for ones I know my family will love and still print out the shopping list, prep plan, cooking day plan and everything else customized exactly how I needed it.

Total cost: about $220, but that included some breakfast items and snacks and special requests from the kids.

Here are the dinners I made:

• Paleo Crockpot Meatballs – we’ll be serving with gluten free pasta or spaghetti squash and a salad for a dinner that’s less than 15 minutes hands on.
• Artichoke Chicken Thighs – throw it all in a baking sheet and add an easy veggies. Sweet.
• Bacon Wrapped Coconut Chicken Nuggets – confession: I left out the coconut. My people will like it better that way.
• Spiced Chicken, Kale and Roasted Squash – 10 minutes or so hands on. We had this for dinner Friday night and it was amazing. Next time, I’ll double the squash
• Spicy Beef and Broccoli – I’ll serve this with white rice cooked with bone broth.
• Pulled Pork Shoulder Roast – I totally botched this recipe and turned it into bbq pulled pork. Just throw the roast in the slow cooker with salt, pepper, garlic, a diced onion and several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and cook for about 8 hours. We pulled the pork, added a a paleo friendly bbq sauce. Serve it on slider rolls or on top of shredded cabbage to keep it paleo.

Lunches:

• Chicken and Zucchini Poppers – I made these into mini patties to ensure they cooked all the way through. A minute in the microwave or in a frying pan to reheat and they’re to throw on a salad or in a lettuce wrap. Next time, I’ll add more seasoning – maybe some pepper sauce or vaudovon or chili paste.
• Curried Coconut Cauliflower Soup – really good, especially make with bone broth, but also something I will play with the spices with when I make it again. And I will make it again!

Side Dishes:

• Garlic and Bacon Green Beans – because all veggies are better when roasted with bacon. I used frozen organic green beans instead of fresh.
• Maple Bacon Acorn Squash – this is sooo good. So good. Perfect with a roast.
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic – can’t wait to pair this with some steaks
• Smashed Loaded Red Potatoes – another recipe I sort of flopped because I wasn’t paying attention. I mashed the potoates, added raw shredded cheese, organic cream, scallions, mashed it all together and froze in an 8×8 baking pan. It’s not paleo, but it’s wholefoods and the family is very excited about it.

 

Shared at Org Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday and the Real Food Roundup with Musings of  a Housewife and Sassy Moms in the City.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Once A Month Meals and will receive a commission if you sign up through my link. I would have not become an affiliate without 100% belief that this service is worth every penny of the fee and more in making wholesome, healthy dinners easy and doable for everyone.

 

adventures in once a month cooking

I mentioned earlier this week that my main plan for food is simple. I’ve been stuck in a rut of too tired, too stressed and too unplanned to get very far with it. I know that turning that around starts with food, but it just hasn’t happened. We’ve had a lot of “whatever you can find” dinners and nachos.

Enter Once A Month Meals.

I’ve been following them since the beginning, but never took the plunge. I know my people don’t like casseroles and I don’t like can of whatever soups,  and that’s what a majority of freezer or once a month meals have been in the past.  And seriously, it’s a pain to make the shopping list and try to coordinate everything.

Once A Month Meals takes care of all of that. They have an incredible selection of different menu plans – paleo, diet, whole foods, traditional, even vegetarian – and the ability to switch meals out for an extra few dollars a month. That few extra dollars is totally worth it. And really, if it saves us from eating out once a month and helps me avoid eating foods I know I shouldn’t, the monthly fee will more than pay for itself.

I was able to print out my shopping list (organized by category), a prep list, cooking day instructions. labels and even a thaw sheet. That part of me that obsessively makes lists just squealed.

Wednesday, I went shopping, came home and started cooking.

That’s exactly what they tell you not to do.

I had only a few items that required baking, so it wasn’t too bad. I left for shopping at 9 am and was done by 5:30 pm. For fourteen dinners, eight sides and six lunch servings each of soup and chicken nuggets, that’s not bad at all. They’re all whole foods based, with no preservatives, no junky oils and no pseudo-foods.

I also didn’t do any prep work. I didn’t even clear off the counter. I just went at it. There were dishes in the sink.

Also not recommended.

Next time will be different.

And there will definitely be a next time. I’ve already got it planned with a couple of slow cooker and soup mini menus to do in the next week or so. Our schedules seem to be growing continually busier, and any help I can get is welcome.

A few thoughts I want to remember for next time:

• Don’t be afraid to up the spices. I’ve found that quite a few recipes, especially in the paleo realm, are a little under-spiced for our taste.
• Take the prep day. Next time, I’ll shop and prep one day, and assemble and cook the next.
• Utilize the pressure cooker. I have one – I don’t know why I didn’t use it.
• Clean off the counters. And the table. And make sure all of the dishes are done.
• Print out the labels. I thought it wouldn’t be too much trouble to make notes on the bags with a Sharpie. I was wrong. And my main issue with printing out many of the labels I find online is that they suck my color ink. I love that the Once  A Month Meals are either black and white or gray scale-ish (somebody was really thinking there!)

Do you do any kind of freezer cooking or once a month meals? What are your favorite recipes?

overflow

 

I’m always amazed at the way God speaks to me.

I don’t know why – I shouldn’t be.

This week, in the Gentle Holy Yoga TV practice Brooke Boon leads, she mentions a verse in passing about how our words reveal our heart.

And it sent me digging.

God lead me to a big chunk of Jesus’s teaching that my NIV Bible calls The Sermon on the Plain. And that kind of works – because it’s in a big section of Scripture where Jesus just sort of lays it out there in easy to understand language.

There’s the Beatitudes, which are so contrary to the world’s way of living but clearly set up Jesus’s plan for His Kingdom.

He says to love your enemies.

And is pretty adamant that we are not judge.

And then He gets to this part about trees being recognized by their fruit and how it’s the same with people.

 Count on this: no good tree bears bad fruit, and no bad tree bears good fruit. ⁴⁴ You can know a tree by the fruit it bears. You don’t find figs on a thorn bush, and you can’t pick grapes from a briar bush. ⁴⁵ It’s the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart.
Luke 6: 43-45

This. Oh, this:

The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart.
Luke 6:45b

My words are an issue I’ve been working to tame for many years. They were my first defense when I was teased as a child and my ability to use them is something I take too much pride in. It’s so easy to slide back into using them in ways that doesn’t bring God glory.

But the idea that they reveal what’s my heart?

That’s a little bit overwhelming.

And something to continue to pray about and work on.

There’s something else that God showed me, though: I think sometimes we need living in the era of social media asterisks and notes in Scripture. Because it’s not just the words of our mouth – it’s the actions of our fingers.

It’s the photos we post on Instagram.

The jokes we share on Twitter.

The images we reshare on Facebook…and the words we post.

It all adds up to paint a picture of the fruit that we’re growing in our faith walk.

And it brings to mind these verses that Paul wrote…

The weapons of the war we’re fighting are not of this world but are powered by God and effective at tearing down
the strongholds erected against His truth. ⁵ We are demolishing arguments and ideas, every high-and-mighty philosophy that pits itself against the knowledge of the one true God. We are taking prisoners of every thought,
every emotion, and subduing them into obedience to the Anointed One.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Taking every thought and emotion and subduing them into obedience.

I wonder sometimes how much more critical that it is today than it was in the era that Paul was writing in. Today, it’s not just the words of our mouth, but every photo, status update, comment, meme – everything we post to social media – is out there.

It all reflects on us, it all reflects on Jesus and it all reflects on our relationship with Him.

It can ruin.

Or it can help others see Jesus in us, and want to know more about Him.

Lord, I confess that there are many times my heart doesn’t mirror Yours and that the overflow of my mouth has reflected that in ways that don’t honor You or those I’m with. Help me to become even more rooted in You, so that my life overflows with Your presence and love. Remind me to take my words and thoughts captive, to subdue my heart to obedience to You. Father, I love you and I pray my life would be a reflection of You.

Amen.

*all Scripture is from the Voice translation

this I know: Holy Yoga

 

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my decision to pursue becoming a Holy Yoga instructor.

It’s gone so quickly.

I’m so in awe of where God has taken me during this year. He has strengthened and grown me in ways I never knew I was capable of. He’s called me into a deeper relationship with Him and into a deeper knowledge and understanding of His word. He’s prepared me for opportunities I could never have dreamed of.

And He’s taught me a few things that Holy Yoga isn’t…

• Holy Yoga isn’t all skinny white girls in Lululemon pants.
  Seriously.
  At my instructor’s retreat, all shapes, all sizes and all backgrounds were represented. There was even one very brave man who went through it…he was outnumbered by more than 100 women.
  But my classes have seen nearly as many men in them as women, and ages have ranged from teens to a students in their 80’s.
  And the attire – well, it’s ranged from typical yoga wear to shorts and t-shirts to one gentleman in his 80’s that wears the knee pads he uses when he’s installing flooring.
  For reals, friends.
  It’s been all shapes – from super active Jazzercise types to plus sizes. And they’ve all had successes and growth, regardless of their weight. They’ve also all seen struggles.
  Holy Yoga is an incredibly welcoming place to be.
• Holy Yoga is a judgement free zone.
  Can’t touch your toes?
  It’s okay.
  Can’t remember the names of poses?
  Me neither sometimes.
  Balance an issue?
  It will get better. I promise, just keep with it and it will get better. Speaking from experience on this one.
  Need to take a few extra breaths in child pose or spend part of practice just resting on your mat?
  Oh, I’ve been there. And I’ll probably be there again someday soon.
  Don’t want to take your socks off?
  Well…okay…that’s your call…as long as you’re doing chair yoga.
• Holy Yoga is not a competition.
  It’s about you and the Lord.
  Not you and the person next to you that can do a wheel into a headstand into a scorpion.
  If you can’t do a pose, do your best. As an instructor, one of my biggest goals is to give you as many modifications as possible so that every single person finds what they need.
  Your practice will grow with consistency.
  And in all honesty, as you’re working your practice and surrender to God’s grace, you don’t even notice others around you.
• Holy Yoga isn’t all power flows, headstands and perfection.
  It can be, but it doesn’t have to be – the flow part, that is.
  It can be intimidating to follow yoga teachers on Instagram and Facebook, to see the 30 day challenges of craziness and hear that little voice that says:
                    Self, I can’t even. I can’t even stand on one foot or touch my toes. I might as well give up now.
  Remember: no one starts there. And many yogis with regular practice never make it there and that’s perfectly fine. Gentle is good. Slow is good. Making a space – any space – that you can call sacred and meet with God is good.
  It’s never going to be perfect.
  And that’s okay.
  Those imperfections, those places where we feel like we just can’t do it anymore and oh my goodness if we hold this downdog for one more second, I’m going to die – that’s where God meets us most deeply.
  When our physical and emotional selves break down, God breaks through.

And one thing that I know for sure Holy Yoga is:

• It’s filled with grace.
  The sort of grace that only comes from spending time as you quiet your body, mind and heart before the Lord.
  The sort of grace that says imperfections are okay.
  The sort of grace that welcomes all, encourages all and does away with judgement.
  It’s the grace that lets of go of expectations and seeks God in the moment, breath by breath.
  It’s the grace that makes space – in your heart, your mind, your body – for God to bring change.
  The grace that brings us to God’s feet, in worship and in humility and in the knowledge that apart from Him, we are nothing.

You can find Holy Yoga instructors by searching here.  If there’s nothing in your area, I highly recommend Holy Yoga TV, which brings you several new practices a month of varying levels with excellent directives and instruction (and that I only recently figured out I could download to be able to practice later).

 

menu plan monday: 10.06.14

 

 

Oh my goodness, friends. It’s been a “only the grace of God has gotten me through few months”  – compounded by a second, emergency surgery for the girl when a doctor’s appointment last week showed that some of the screws from her fusion had shifted a bit and were pressing into her nerves.

But we are home and she is recovering beautifully and we are slowly attempting to find new schedules and routines.

Saturday, I’m making six gallons of chili for a chili cookoff booth our church is doing on Sunday.

And I am so incredibly grateful to have some sort of meal plan heading into this week. My mantra is simple, simple, simple.

Monday
Crockpot Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
whatever veggie I can pull out of the fridge

Tuesday
New York Steaks
Broccoli
Rice Pilaf (with homemade bone broth and minus the pasta)

Wednesday
Pulled Pork – on sammies for the family and on a bed of shredded cabbage for me
Salad

Thursday
BBQ Chicken (our local butcher shop makes their own marinades with great ingredients and packages – it’s a great deal for my budget and my time!)
Baked Potatoes
Salad

Friday
Chicken Tacos (on a salad for me)
Guacamole
Carrot Sticks

Saturday
Minestrone – but I’m looking for a great recipe – any suggestions?
Grilled cheese on Udi’s Bread
I’m planning on doing Soup and Sandwich Saturdays through the fall and winter

Sunday
leftovers

How do I meal plan? Like this!
Shared at Org Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday.