Cleanse Update #9

Status: DONE!

21 days in the bag! :) I am really excited to be done and to be drinking a big glass of unsweet iced tea RIGHT NOW! :)

As week 3 went on, we began to notice a real difference in the way we felt.  Trevor went back to his regular workout schedule during week 2 and the pounds began to just melt away.  I was swamped at school, so I didn't have a lot of time to work out and I didn't lose as much, but I felt great - very light with lots of energy.  My clothes are fitting better, and I couldn't be happier with the way this little experiment turned out.

As we begin to add more foods back into our diet, it will be interesting to make note of how certain foods make us feel.  To be honest, I wish it was a little easier to eat a gluten-free diet, because I love how I feel now that I have been off for 21 days.  However, I think we will try to keep the majority of changes in place the majority of the time.  For instance, when I can make a meal gluten free, I will try.  We will continue to eat fish - which I learned is delicious when prepared by Trevor Eugene. :)  We are going to eat red meat no more than once per week and eat as little processed sugar as possible {with a little room for chocolate now and then}.  I also am finding it a lot easier to realize when I am getting full, and easier to stop eating even if there is still food on my plate.  I have to remember especially now that we are adding in grains and things that portion size is key to reaching our goals.  Speaking of goals...

Alright, are you ready for the results?  Here you go...

Trevor:
Starting weight - 255
Goal weight - 220
Current weight - 234
Total weight loss - 21 lbs

Jamie:
Starting weight - 148
Goal weight - 135
Current weight - 137
Total weight loss - 11 lbs.
{I should also mention 5.5 inches lost}

Even though we haven't reached our goals yet, we are more than happy with our weight loss and with how we feel.  I am certain that if we stick with a whole foods diet 80-90% of the time, we will reach our goals in no time.

Thanks for following us on this little journey and for the accountability you provided.  The first week felt really hard because it was so restrictive, but our morale got better with each passing week.  I think we will keep a lot of recipes from week 2 and week 3 in our meal planning rotation because they were just plain tasty and we know they are good for us.  How about you?  Trying any new healthy eating plans lately?

Cleanse Update #8

Status: Still going strong

Sunday night will mean 2 weeks down and just one to go.  This week was busy at school, but we tag teamed the cooking and everything worked out.  I would have to say that one of the hardest parts of this cleanse has been having to cook every meal.  We love to cook, but with our current restrictions, we can't just go out and grab something that is already prepared to save time after a long day.  However, we are both feeling a difference and that feels good. We both agree that we feel more energetic and alert.  Here's our progress after two weeks:

Jamie: 138 (-10 lbs)
Trevor: 240 (-15 lbs)

The best parts of the week food-wise were getting to eat fish and beans.  Trevor made a wonderful salmon dinner one night and some sort of australian white fish another night.  I'm not typically keen on fish, but I'm learning {which is good because it is really healthy}.  We made a big pot of lentil soup which was easy and delicious.  I think that one will stay in the rotation after the week is over.  I have also really enjoyed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus for breakfast.  As strange as it feels for this oatmeal/cereal girl to eat sweet potatoes for breakfast, I have found it to be warm, fresh, and satisfying.  If you bake a bunch of sweet potatoes in preparation for the week like we did, it makes it really quick and easy in the mornings too.  {Trevor wasn't crazy about those for some reason}.

Reflecting on the past two weeks, I think we are really realizing a lot about our food habits.  Like I said before, we really know how to eat well, and for the most part, make pretty healthy choices in terms of what we buy and how we prepare our meals.  Our downfall is portion control, {eating quickly and going back for seconds}.  We also rely too heavily on carbs and not enough on vegetables.  Trevor made the comment too that we always feel like we need to have a side dish or two, when we probably don't always need to.  Living simply is not just for possessions.

I don't think that after next week we will continue to eat gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free all the time.  But I do think that we will focus on eating smaller and waiting until we are hungry {not starving} to eat again.  I like having an eating schedule, eating a meal every 3-4 hours.  It keeps me from grazing and nibbling all day long, but it gives hope when I'm feeling hungry that the next meal is not far away.

I'd better get back to my lesson planning, but I thought I'd give a quick update first.  Thanks for sticking with us.  This little blog is providing the accountability we need to follow through and finish strong.

Cleanse Update #7

Status: Just pretty okay. :)

Yesterday was fairly uneventful food-wise.  Trevor was feeling better, so it was back to the grind for him.  This was the first real test for his willpower {the coffee pot is just outside his office} and he did great.  I made him a smoothie for the road, then he ate leftover veggie soup for lunch and fruit for a snack.  Last night we had the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes again and it is just really good.  We'll have that one more time before the weekend is over.

We can't say enough how excited we are for next week to add fish, beans and lentils, and soy.  Adding a little warmth and substance after a week of salads, slaws, and pureed soups will be a welcome change.  Even though the food portion is a little discouraging {because we love bread and coffee/tea}, the weight loss is encouraging.  I'm down another pound to 141.  That is 7 lbs. in 5 days!  That's something to smile about.  If I continue my pattern {which the skeptic in me says is surely not sustainable}, I will need to set a new goal by the beginning of next week.

I guess I should be focusing more on how the food makes me feel and how the cleanse is affecting our outlook, but I'm just not sure I really know yet.  Sometimes I feel like I have more energy and sometimes I feel more alert.  I think it will be easier to judge once I start back to school next week.  Now THAT will be a completely different ballgame.

Cleanse Update #6

Status: Ready to move on to next week!

We have officially tried all the week 1 recipes except for 1 and we are definitely ready to add fish and legumes next week.  We are pretty much entirely veggied out.  In fact, last night we made vegetable soup from scratch just so we could have something warm and savory. {The soups in the plan are sort of spicy, sweet, and really thick - not either of our favorites.}  Don't worry though, still no processed or off-limits food.  We even made our own vegetable stock.  It was kind of fun and a much needed lift for our spirits after finishing leftovers of spicy, sweet, really thick soup for lunch.  We also roasted some sweet potato wedges with chili powder - delicious.

All in all, yesterday wasn't that eventful.  I am down another pound, which means a total of 6 in 4 days!  At least that is exciting.  I think we are actually going to see this through!

Sorry to be brief and disjointed.  We're going to help our friends paint in their new house and since we have to eat cleanse food for dinner, I'm taking some to share.  Lucky for them!! :)

Cleanse Update #5

Status: Rested and alert

I woke up without an alarm this morning and it could be my imagination, but my mind is feeling clearer. I've also lost another pound, which brings me to 5 lbs in 3 days.  I'm not noticing a difference in how my clothes fit yet, but as I start adding some light exercise, I'm sure I'll start to notice a difference in inches too.

Yesterday was Trevor's toughest day.  He was home sick and on the couch, so he was in the position I was in earlier - too much time to sit around and think about what he couldn't eat.  He supplemented his meals with some snacks of fruit and by the time I started fixing dinner, he was in better spirits.

{Sidenote: For those of you who are worried about Trevor being sick and trying to cleanse at the same time - He hasn't had much of an appetite, so we decided to go on with the cleanse even though he was sick because the food is so nutritious and the plan calls for TONs of water, so my thinking was that those were the types of foods he should be eating to get better anyway.  Hopefully I'm right.}

The highlight of yesterday was certainly the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes.  It was delicious and very filling.  I will be making it throughout the cleanse and long after this little shindig is over.  I thought I could make it for lunches, but with fresh avocado, I wonder if it would be brown before we could eat it.  Maybe I'll use it as dinner next week since I go back to work on Monday.

Dinner last night was Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower, and Almonds.  I'm not crazy about cauliflower, but it really wasn't a bad meal.  Trevor really liked it.  It was very simple, but also warm and pretty satisfying.

Today, I am trying a new smoothie recipe and a new lunch recipe, so I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes.  I'm feeling really good, so I hope the hardest part is behind us!

Cleanse Update #4

Status: Not as hungry - HOORAY!!

This post will be a little more brief because I'm helping a friend get her house move-in ready.  Best part about it - her new house is less than 10 minutes from ours!!  I'm headed back over there after a really yummy lunch, but I wanted to post a quick update about yesterday - Day 2.

I can't lie.  Day 2 was rough.  It didn't help that Trevor is still not feeling well, so we were pretty much camped out on the couch in a big comforter watching movies for most of the day.  That much down time gave me way too much time to sit and think about all the things I couldn't eat.  I about threw in the towel {not really, because I still have $100 worth of produce in my kitchen and I'm too cheap not to eat it}.  I'm also pretty thankful for this blog because even though I'm sure only 3 people read it, {Hi, Jenni!} it gave me some accountability knowing that people would be checking in on our progress.

Yesterday was rough not only because of our down time, but also because the food was not our favorite.  I thought it would be really great, and it was okay, but definitely not great.  We had another antioxidant smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner.  I know I said I was excited about it, but the soup was terribly bland.  I doctored it up a little bit with some extra herbs and white pepper, but overall, it just wasn't very good. The Kale Slaw was actually pretty good, so I can't really complain.  I just thought it would be a little more flavorful as well.  We also cheated a little yesterday - an orange with breakfast, a celery stick with literally 1 teaspoon of peanut butter {we were really hungry, but didn't want to cheat too much}, and then we split an apple with another teaspoon of peanut butter while the beet was roasting for dinner.  This sort of cheating is justifiable for 3 reasons:

1. We stuck with food that was already in the plan (all fruits, veggies, nuts, and plant oils - and our peanut butter is just roasted peanuts and salt)
2. We haven't been fixing the snacks that are included in the plan
3. We were so HUNGRY all day yesterday

Even though we cheated a little, I think I'm starting to feel a difference.  Most of the day we were really tired, but this morning I weighed in at 144 (- 4lbs) and Trevor weighed in at 247 (- 9lbs).  I know this is probably mostly water weight for me and Trevor's is due to sickness, but it's still encouraging.  I won't spoil my Day 3 post too much, but I am feeling much better today - definitely more optimistic about continuing the plan. :)

Well, I need to head back over to LW's house to help sand wall paper glue off the walls.  I'm telling you, having our good friends within a 10 minute drive makes any amount of work worth it.

I'll be back soon to tell you all about Day 3 and about the most delicious meal we just ate {that will be a part of our lunch rotation long after the cleanse is over}.

Until then, is anyone else trying to eat differently these days?

Cleanse Update #3

Status:  Still Hungry  :)

Day 1 is in the books.  Good news:  I survived the broccoli!  I actually almost liked it.  Many thanks to a sweet friend who suggested roasted over steaming.  I don't know how the nutritional value stacks up between roasted and steamed, but I'm assuming that roasted broccoli is better than no broccoli at all.

The evening meal as a whole was kind of - meh - even according to my broccoli-loving better half.  The real downer was the tahini sauce that was supposed to be drizzled over the broccoli and squash.  Please believe me when I tell you that it was so bad.  I just kept tweaking and adding a bit more of this and a dash of that {I stuck with the recipe ingredients} and it just kept getting worse.  I served it on the side and once everything came together it was tolerable.  I think we have to eat it one more time, so I saved just enough, but it's pretty safe to say that it won't be making its way into our regular rotation.  In fact, it's pretty safe to say that I will never make that particular sauce again.

Even though it has only been about 36 hours and even though Trevor hasn't been feeling well since Sunday, I think we will begin to feel a difference soon {besides the constant hunger pangs, that is}.  I think I'm already realizing somethings about my eating habits that have contributed to my current predicament {being over my optimal weight, low on energy, etc.}  Here they are in no particular order:

#1:  I rarely allow myself to feel real hunger and if I do, I almost always eat way to fast and eat way more than I need to in order to satisfy my appetite.

#2:  We eat in front of the TV too much.  Something that I hope will last after these 3 weeks is that we will make an effort to eat more at the table.  When it's just the two of us, it is all too easy to eat in front of the TV.  We need to switch off the tube (or phones or computers or...) and take time to think about the food we are eating.

#3:  I do not like to quit eating until I feel full.  We are trying to be careful to match the serving sizes that are part of the plan and I am usually still hungry when the serving is gone.  I am learning though, that after about 20 minutes, I do feel satisfied.  I hope to take that lesson with me after the cleanse.  Maybe mastering #2 {above, not anything having to do with the restroom} will help with that.

Moving forward - today's food seems much more appealing than yesterday.  We had a berry and pomegranate smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and I'm making a Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner.  For those of you who are scared of beets, I encourage you to try them.  Especially roasted, they are wonderful.  We are very excited to try this soup.  It looks fantastic.

We have been pretty tired {maybe due in part to sickness, maybe due to cleanse} so if we make it past 8:00 tonight, I might make Cinnamon Poached Apples with Toasted Walnuts for an after dinner snack. Thinking about the evening fare helps me keep motivated to continue.

This is getting lengthy and I might take advantage of my day off to take a nap.  I'll be back tomorrow with an update on Day 2.

Cleanse Update #2

Status:  Hungry :)

Breakfast: Hot water with lemon
Antioxident smoothie (frozen mixed berries with no sugar added and unsweetened pomegranate juice)

The smoothie was very tasty, but not very filling.  It did feel good to know that no added sugar or chemicals were in the mix....just fruit.

I'm getting ready to make lunch.  We will be having Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.  It's a cold, dreary day, and I'm quite looking forward to it.  After that, I'm going to make an afternoon snack of Dried Fruit and Nut Bites.  I hope they are as tasty as they sound because dinner is Steamed Broccoli and Squash with Tahini Dressing and I do not like broccoli.  I told Trevor though if he would give up coffee, I would eat the broccoli...

Still excited about this little endeavor.  Remind me of that when I have to eat broccoli tonight...

Cleanse Update #1 - Beginning Stats

Good afternoon.  Jamie here.

We started the day with a cup of hot water with lemon.  Supposedly, its purpose is to wake up your liver.  Good morning, liver!  (insert sarcastic eye roll here)  But really, it wasn't too bad.  With this cleanse, there is no caffeine at anytime during the three weeks.  Apparently it is because caffeinated drinks are very acidic and hard on your digestive system.  We don't usually drink pop, so that's not a big deal.  Trevor will miss his coffee and I will miss my unsweet iced tea.  We're pretty much addicted to our beverages of choice.  Now that I have written that on paper, maybe it is a good thing we are nixing it for the next few weeks.  Admitting I have a problem is the first step toward recovery. :)

Let me give you our beginning stats.  This morning, we had our official weigh in.  (This is the part I'm least anxious to share - accountability, accountability, accountability - here goes).

Trevor: 255 lbs
Jamie: 148 lbs

This is embarrassing.  It is the heaviest either of us has ever been.  We were close once.  For our wedding.  Awesome.  If you don't believe me, we have 1500 pictures commemorating the occasion.  For that one, we blame a move to the South where vegetables aren't served unless they're fried.  :)

Now I know some might look at those numbers and wonder what the big deal is.  I have a friend who hovers around 150 and is a size 4.  She is extremely fit and looks fantastic.  I have a very small frame though, I should be around 115 - 120 lbs....so I've got a ways to go.  Trevor's goal is 210, where he was just after he stopped playing college ball.

We officially have our work cut out for us.  We know this cleanse is certainly not going to get us to our goals, but it will serve to kick start our journey and for that I am grateful.  Here are our goals for the end of our 3 week cleanse:

Trevor: 220 lbs (the man loses weight like a champ)
Jamie: 135 lbs (mine comes off a little slower)

There you have it.  The hard part is over.  The beans have officially been spilled.  Now comes the easy part....  Yikes!  This might be a long three weeks.  I think I can, I think I can....

So Long 2012

As we say goodbye to 2012, Trevor and I hope to also say goodbye to some excess pounds that have slowly but surely taken up residence on our bodies.  With my teaching/Vanderbilt class schedule and with Trevor's work/church schedule, we have severely neglected to eat healthy or work out in 2012...I mean hardly at all.  It is sad.  We also come home late and exhausted and usually collapse on the couch with some kind of comfort food - not a recipe for good health.

For those of you who don't know us personally (or all that well for that matter), let me take a second to say that I played sports all through high school and have been reasonably fit and active since and Trevor played college basketball and has also been reasonably fit and active since.  We used to pay a lot of attention to our eating also, so it's not that being healthy is something we don't know how to do.  Over the past year, it's just something that we haven't given proper attention to because we're always busy and running to the next thing.

While checking Pinterest one night (sitting on my couch when I could have been up moving), I came across Whole Living's 21 Day Cleanse.  I liked the look of it because the emphasis is not on crazy food combinations or on drinking some sort of crazy potion 6 times a day.  The premise is that everything is stripped down and the first week is only fruits, vegetables and nuts.  Then things are slowly added back in each week.  I liked the idea of eating real, whole food and concentrating on exactly what we are putting in our bodies.  It also is gluten-free, something we have been wanting to test to make sure neither of us is intolerant.  I asked Trevor if he would ever want to try something like that and he agreed that we should look into it.  We knew we couldn't start while I was still in school (quite a bit of prep involved), so we decided we would wait until we got back from our Christmas travel and use the week before I went back to school as a springboard to kick start our renewed emphasis on our health.

Saturday we went to the store to pick up a few things and just decided to do all of our cleanse shopping while we were there.  $149 later, we loaded up the car with all the ingredients for week 1.  $149, ya'll!  That is about half of our usual monthly budget, but I kept having to remind myself that it was worth it to splurge and spend more this month on healthy food.  We don't buy convenience food usually, and we cook mostly from scratch which is how we usually keep things under budget.  So tip #1 for starting this cleanse: prepare your wallet.  I would say of that $149, about $120 was all produce.  We have so much produce for this week that there is not room for it all in our fridge.  Crazy.

A big part of the cleanse is focusing on how food makes you feel.  We know that it is a bit more restrictive than what we are used to and we know that not all our feelings will be positive, but we are excited to try.  We will use this blog as a place to record our feelings about the cleanse as we go.

We will also use this blog as a source of accountability.  As hard as it is to admit that we haven't been very disciplined and have let our health slip from our priority list, we will be very open and honest about our successes and struggles as we go.  Once it's out there in the blogosphere, we have to continue on, even if it is not fun.

So, without anything further, here goes nothing!  (Did I mention that I'm hungry already?)   :)
Cheers!

And We're Back...

I know this little blog has been sorely neglected as I (Jamie) pursued my Masters in Teaching over the course of the past 18 months.  Good news: I am done!  Officially. :)  I'm teaching at an elementary school in Nashville and I couldn't be more excited.  Also, big news since our last post here, Trevor and I are adopting!  For all the details on that little endeavor, check out our adoption blog.

Now that we're all caught up, I can't promise that this blog will get as much attention from us as it used to, but check back from time to time if you're interested in what we're up to next.

The main reason for this post is because we have had a fantastic food week at our house and can't wait to share what we've been eating.  So let's get to it, shall we?

Tuesday night, we ate Mediterranean Portobello Burgers.  They were, in one word, incredible.  Healthy and delicious too (okay, that was three words but I could seriously go on all day).  This is one recipe that I hope will be in heavy rotation at our house.  I think we'll make them again this week.

Thursday night, we made pizza with pesto, tomatoes, and feta.  Again, fantastic.  Our grill is out of propane and it's not exactly prime grilling season, so we just made it in the oven.  I made the whole wheat dough but we used store-bought pesto.  We served it with spring greens and a homemade red wine vinaigrette (that we made up on the fly).  It was really good.

This morning, I spent some more time in the kitchen. I made my grandma's banana bread and some fresh naan.  Naan is an Indian flatbread.  I improvised a little and just threw everything into the bread machine  dough cycle while my banana bread was baking.  I wasn't sure how it would come out but I was pleasantly surprised.  It came out of the oven soft on the inside and a little crispy on the outside.  It paired wonderfully with the spinach feta hummus I made earlier in the week.

I wish you could have joined us as Trevor and I had a little dance party in the kitchen eating the warm naan fresh from the oven with our hummus, drinking iced tea and listening to Rend Collective Experiment on Spotify.  It was a seriously wonderful 5 minutes :)

Alright, so this was a pretty random first post back.  We are glad to be settling into our new routine, so perhaps you'll be hearing more from us soon.  Until then, what have you been eating at your house?  Any recipes you're dying to share?

Menu Monday

Another Monday has arrived, can I get a collective, "WOOT WOOT!"  No?  Okay, one tiny woot then? Whatever.  It's Monday nonetheless and Trevor and I are one week in to our consious effort to eat less meat during the week.  Last week was great!  We tried new things and ate lots of good fruit and veiggies.  I think we're going to like it.  Here's what this week looks like:

Monday: Dinner with our accountability group
Tuesday: Lentil Sloppy Joes and sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Bulgar Wheat with Fried Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers, and Spinach

Thursday: Leftover Lentil Sloppy Joes
Friday: Dinner with the Youth Group
Saturday: Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower
Sunday: Popcorn, Apples, Grapes, and sharp cheddar cheese!

Do Yourself a Favor

...And make this chili.  It was delicious and perfect for a Tuesday night at home.  I don't believe you will be disappointed. 

Menu Monday

Pretty simple, but this is what's on the docket for this week.  If you're stumped, I'd encourage you to try the black bean burgers or the black beans and rice.  They are both seasoned with a mixture of spices similar to taco seasoning, so they're YUMMY!

Monday: Chili
Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Wednesday: Sandwiches
Thursday: Black Beans and Rice, chips and guacamole
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: homemade deep dish pepperoni pizza
Sunday: popcorn, apples, and cheese

There you have it.  What's on at your house this week?

The BEST Homemade Granola

So we were feeling domestic yesterday evening and after dinner had a hankering for something sweet.  Since we're trying to make better food choices, we haven't been keeping sweets in the house.  We did have some honey flavored Greek yogurt (which is amazing), so we decided on that for dessert.  It seemed a little blah, though, so in order to spice things up a bit, we thought granola would make an awfully nice addition on top of our delicious yogurt.

The search began.  Most recipes had way too many ingredients and some used butter or oil, two things that, while tasty and good in moderation, didn't exactly contribute to the goal of a lighter snack.  SO - we turned to FoodNetwork.com and found this.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  Since it was a last minute decision, I just used what I had in the fridge and pantry.  Without pecans, and with very few almonds left, I used mostly walnuts with the few remaining almonds thrown in for good measure.  I also added a little wheat germ and flax seed to give it a little umph.  We also realized that our raisins were over a year expired (don't judge), so we left those out as well.

Even though we made some slight adjustments, we were not disappointed with the end result.  This granola is fantastic, and comparatively light.  It was amazing on our yogurt last night, and I ate a serving with milk for breakfast this morning.  I would not be surprised if we quit eating cereal in the mornings and use this as a tasty and healthy alternative.

If you enjoy granola at all, you should definitely give this recipe a try.  I think you'll love it.  Enjoy!

Nutty Granola

2007, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Image courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Yield: 9 (1/2 cup) servings

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped raw, unsalted walnuts
1/2 cup chopped unsalted almonds
1/2 cup chopped unsalted pecans
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins, optional


Directions:


Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine the oats, nuts, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and the raisins, if using. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Disclaimer:  Again, this recipe is not my own.  It is from FoodNetwork.com.  Here's the official link.  I don't want to take credit for someone else's hard work.

Menu Monday

This week is pretty simple, but I think we've still got some good stuff in store.  I have a hankering for something a little more interesting, so hopefully, future weeks won't seem quite so ho-hum.

Monday: I'm re-making the Tomato Gorganzola soup from last week.  I blended it so it was nice and creamy and used skim milk instead of the cream.  We didn't miss it at all...yummy!  (with homemade cornbread)

Tuesday: Dinner with Brooke and Kev.  They are trying one new three course meal every week this year and have invited us over for a sampling!

Wednesday:  Church night = leftover soup and the last of the corn bread

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner: Breakfast sandwiches on sourdough with hashbrowns

Friday: Homemade Deep Dish Pizza

Saturday: Lunch: Sandwiches
               Dinner: Corn Chowder with ham

Sunday: Lunch - Out with friends
             Dinner - Popcorn, fruit, and cheese (what else?)

Thats it for us this week.  What's on at your house?

Menu Monday

Monday: Out with friends to celebrate the last day of vacation!

Tuesday: Creamy Tomato Gorgonzola Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Sourdough

Wednesday: White Beans and Cornbread

Thursday: Leftover Soup

Friday: Leftover White Beans (gotta clean 'em up)

Saturday: Corn Chowder with Ham

Sunday: Lunch - Out
             Dinner - Popcorn, fruit, and cheese -- YUMMY!

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)

Wow! This, the first post since Halloween, is not starting off well. I intended to post this yesterday since I was off work, but then I decided to play all day instead. Better late than never, right? We do have some pretty fun stuff coming up on the blog...lots of video of our holiday adventures and our gorgeous new niece, Alyvia. For now though, it's menu time!

We've got lots of leftovers from our Christmas feast (pictures to come), so this menu has been pretty fun to put together. Here we go:

Tuesday: Homemade deep dish pizza - Chicago style with the sauce on the top

Wednesday: Shredded Pork Tacos

Thursday: Dinner out with Friends

Friday: Left over pizza

Saturday: Chicken White Bean Soup (using leftover Cornish Hens instead of chicken)

Sunday: Lunch out after church

Dinner - Popcorn, apples, and cheese (per the usual)

So that's what we're eating this week. What's on at your house?

Menu Monday

Okay, even if we are in the middle of a natural disaster, we still have to eat, right? Here's what's cooking at our house this week:

Monday: Runza Casserole - Trevor bought cabbage last week on accident, so it needs to be used up. Runza is not something I usually make (haven't had it since High School), but Trevor has never tried it...tonight it is!

Tuesday: Chicken Tacos

Wednesday: Fresh Green Salad with Berries, Pecans, and Rotisserie Chicken

Thursday: Bulgar Wheat with Fried Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers, and Spinach

Friday: Fresh Tomato Pasta (3rd Recipe Down)

Saturday: Leftovers or Hot Dogs on the grill

Sunday: Homemade Pizza on the Grill...yep, it's that time again folks.

I LOVE grilling, comfort food, and easy recipes. Sometimes I like to stretch my culinary wings, but for now, I'm pretty excited about the simple cooking. So now tell me, what's gracing your dinner table this week?

Menu Monday

Because of some unexpected dinner invitations by some dear friends last week, we didn't make it all the way through our menu. Thus, this week was easy. I'm repeating because I still have the ingredients, but mom and Dixie, I promise I'm not forcing our beloved Trevor to dine on the same offerings week after week.

Here goes:
Monday: Chicken Enchiladas

Tuesday: Mustard Crusted Pork Roast with roasted veggies

Wednesday: left over pulled pork or chicken enchiladas

Thursday: Chicken Tacos (thanks to cheap left-over avacados fromt the SuperBowl which I did not watch, I'm ashamed to say)

Friday: Dinner out with the Hardy's!

Saturday: Brunch - whole grain waffles, quiche, turkey bacon and fruit
Dinner - Cider-braised pork chops with mashed potatoes and fresh bread

Sunday: Leftovers/sandwiches/brunch for lunch
Popcorn, Apples, and Cheese, as is our tradition after The Gathering

Not gonna lie - I'm pretty pumped about this week. Now tell me, what are you eating?