FSP Week 6

On to week six of our food storage adventure, huzzah!

Mexican Monday: Combo Tacos

Oriental Tuesday: Pad Thai

Twisted Wednesday: 13 Bean Soup

Authentic Thursday: Pepperoni Pizza

TGIFriday: Spicy Chic Buffalo

Simple Saturday: leftovers/cold cereal

Special Sunday: Summers' Shepherd’s Pie 

Shopping List

• ground beef/turkey -or- TVP
• 1 can black beans
• fresh/dried onions
• taco seasoning
• pad thai rice noodles
• coconut oil
• fresh/powdered garlic
• eggs
• fish sauce
• brown sugar
• fresh/frozen/canned bean sprouts
• 1/4 c. peanuts -or- peanut butter
• fresh/frozen/canned shrimp
• 13 bean mix
• fresh/frozen/canned carrots
• ham bone -or- canned ham
• 1 can tomatoes
• chicken and beef bouillon
• cornmeal
• flour
• yeast
• baking powder
• salt
• xanthan gum (opt)
• milk (your choice)
• frozen/canned corn
• pizza crust/flour tortillas/bagels/English muffins
• spaghetti sauce
• mozzarella cheese
• pepperoni slices
• 1 can black olives (opt)
• 1-2 cans of mushrooms
• 1 jar roasted bell peppers (opt)
• 2 cans chicken
• butter
• Frank's Red Hot sauce
• hamburger/hogi buns
• blue cheese dressing
• 1-2 cans green beans -or- fresh/frozen green beans
• mustard
• worcestershire sauce
• 1 bag of tater tots
• cheese
• seasonings: paprika, celery seeds, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper

This week's Build Your Food Storage is 6 lbs macaroni/pasta.  And just FYI, Costco now carries pretty decent gluten free pasta, so we tend to buy that in bulk (way cheaper).  You can either purchase an assortment of pasta or one style (penne and/or spaghetti).  I prefer to buy the pasta that I intend to store in plastic packaging rather than boxes.  Especially since it's so dang wet where we live!  Either way, just be aware of the environment in which you're storing your food...  *B

FSP Week 2

Welcome to week two of my food storage journey!  All right peeps, here's the deal: I don't particularly like cooking with canned food.  I'd much rather use fresh ingredients, and I usually do.  Unfortunately, fresh food (whether from the grocery store or your homestead) may not be available when emergency strikes...  It's always better to be prepared, just in case!

The meals I have planned for our 13 week supply are based off of our typical family meals.  Which means I am spending these next few months learning how to convert our normally fresh meals to more shelf stable options.  If you are following along and have no desire to build up your storage supply, then please be my guest and use fresh ingredients.

Most of the recipes as originally posted use a mixture of fresh and canned.  This also means that even though I have linked to the recipes I will be using, they may not be food storage friendly in their original format.  I plan on experimenting and tweaking as I go, so make sure to check the recipes frequently for updates.  Ideally, I would like each recipe to have the option to be prepared using fresh, canned, or dried ingredients.

For now, I suggest you print out the original recipes as they are, and then make notes as I edit them.  I certainly don't pretend to know all there is to know about food storage.  I'm learning!  It's going to take some time, some trial and some error.  So please, bear with me and enjoy the learning process ;)

Mexican Monday: Southwest Chicken w/Rice

Oriental Tuesday: Asian Soup

Twisted Wednesday: Chicken Gravy w/ Baking Powder Biscuits

Authentic Thursday: Butternut Squash Pasta

TGIFriday: Hearty Tomato Stoup

Simple Saturday: cold cereal

Special Sunday: Coq Sans Vin

Shopping List:

• salsa
• soy sauce (low sodium)
• 25 oz. butternut squash sauce
• apple cider vinegar (Bragg's)
• 4-5 cans of chicken
• 1 can of beef
• 1 can of black beans
• 2 cans black olives
• 3 cans diced tomatoes
• 3 cans mushrooms
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 mixed veggies (frozen or canned)
• carrots (fresh, frozen or canned)
• spinach (fresh/frozen/canned/dried)
• green onion (opt)
• cilantro (opt)
• garlic head OR garlic powder
• red potatoes (fresh, whole canned, or dehydrated)
• 64 oz.. chicken broth (can, carton, or prepared bouillon)
• 1 c. beef broth
• 2 eggs (opt, fresh or prepared powdered)
• chicken bouillon
• brown sugar
• dried onions
• butter
• oil (olive/coconut)
• flour
• instant mashed potatoes (2 family servings)
• wide rice noodles
• 16 oz. pasta
• meatballs or sausage (fresh, frozen or dehydrated)
• cottage cheese (opt)
• parmesan cheese
• bacon bits
• seasonings: cumin, ginger, cayenne, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, celery seeds, parsley, bay leaves
• favorite cold cereal
• milk (DF, powdered, whichever you prefer to use)

This week's Build Your Food Storage is 5 cans of chicken broth.  This is to be purchased in addition to what is listed above.  Remember, we're building up our long-term storage supply at the same time we're buying the ingredients necessary for shorter term storage.  Hopefully between the two, we'll have plenty of food to work with in case of an emergency!  *B

feeling peppy about prepping

Hello world!  Long time no write, eh?  Don't expect too much, but I thought it was high time to get back to posting...  I've been (re)bitten by the prep bug, and so I figured what better place to share my food storage journey than right here in my little corner of the blogosphere!  For the next 13 weeks, I will be sharing my weekly meal plans, including their coordinating recipes and shopping lists.  The beauty of the 13 weeks (3 months) plan is that it can be repeated three more times for a total of 12 months (1 year).  Instead of coming up with 365 original dinner ideas, I've come up with about 90 meals.  Some are of my own creation, and then a good portion of them I've pulled from other resources and will be experimenting.  I hope to tweak recipes as I go along, so read through the comments for each recipe for updated storage friendly ingredients (frozen, canned and dehydrated options).

As a side note, if food storage is totally and completely overwhelming for you (as it is for me), then I suggest you start simple with your 72 hour food kit.  Make sure it's full of good, and as nutrient dense as possible, food that your family will actually eat.  And don't forget to rotate them every six months!  I'm partial to what we've come up with for our family's kit, but feel free to use it as a guide to get yours started.

And since I've come across some pretty fantastic resources that will further my developing food storage, I'd like to pass these sites on to your for your own perusing prepping pleasure:

• Healthy Preparedness
• Mom with a Prep
• Food Storage Made Easy
• Prepared Housewives
• My Food Storage Cookbook

Here's to being self reliant and better prepared!  Oh, and happy new year.  *B

72 hr kit (food)

We have always lived in small spaces (apartments/condos), so I've never been able to build up what I believe to be a proper food storage.  But, this past weekend we finally assembled our 72 hr. kits!  It feels nice to be somewhat prepared...  And I'm quite pleased with how balanced these kits turned out. 

Each item is individually sealed in a wrapper.  We bought most of our food in multi-packs, to add variety.  Even though you're eating oatmeal every day, at least you can choose from three different flavors...  Also included in each container (but not shown) is a GI P-38 Can Opener and some honey sticks.  The kids have fruit tea in their kits, and I've considered buying some formula packets for the baby's kit.

[day 1]

[day 2]

[day 3]

------------------------------------------------------------------

Assembly Date: _____________

Rotation Date: ______________

Day 1

     B: oatmeal, peanut butter & hot cocoa

     L: beef jerky, granola bar, trail mix & Emergen-C

     D: soup, crackers, fruit leather & tea

     S: sucker, chocolate

     Nutrition Facts: 1677 calories, 204g carbs, 55g protein, 75g fat, 13g fiber

Day 2

     B: oatmeal, peanut butter & hot cocoa

     L: soup, crackers, fruit leather & Emergen-C

     D: chili, applesauce & tea

     S: sucker, chocolate

     Nutrition Facts: 1677 calories, 216g carbs, 66g protein, 61g fat, 21g fiber

Day 3

     B: oatmeal, peanut butter & hot cocoa

     L: beef jerky, granola bar, trail mix & Emergen-C

     D: chicken, crackers, fruit leather & tea

     S: sucker, chocolate

     Nutrition Facts: 1672 calories, 176g carbs, 93g protein, 72g fat, 13g fiber

------------------------------------------------------------------

While I realize the baby only needs 1,000 calories a day, I am also aware of the fact that my husband might want more than 1,600 calories.  And I really wish I could cram some more fiber in there; I guess I'll just have to keep tweaking!  Each kit requires about 18 cups of water for food prep.  According to FEMA, each person needs 2 liters of water per day.  I'd like to buy a water bottle filter for every family member, too.  Maybe some water purification tablets...  But for now, I think these kits are a good starting point and will serve us well :)

I remember watching other people make their own kits, but they were full of food no one ever eats (Vienna sausages, anyone)!  Or they were full of processed junk, devoid of anything but empty calories.  I've also seen a lot of commercially prepared kits, but I prefer to make my own and personalize it according to our dietary needs/preferences.  I tried my best to make them as nutrient dense as possible; all while fitting inside a single, portable container.  And these kits are full of foods that we typically eat; foods that we'll certainly eat in emergency situations, and foods that we'll gladly eat in six months when it's time to rotate.  *B

Steve's Doughnuts

I'm not a huge fan of sweets (I can honestly do without), but sometimes an itch needs to be scratched ;)  I recently discovered a local doughnut shop, and have feasted on some of the best doughnuts I've ever had!  So for those of you who happen to live nearby, check out Steve's Doughnuts.  For everyone else, feel free to visit me and I'll treat you and your tastebuds to some serious deliciousness!  And if it makes you feel better, I'll make you a green drink, too.  *B

flour blend (wheat)

[source]

I know I've talked about flour blends before, but I figured it deserved its own post...  Before we went gluten free, I frequently used this flour blend to get the most out of my baked goods.  This blend keeps your muffins and breads from being too heavy, while keeping them nutrient dense.

• 1 part whole wheat flour
• 1 part unbleached white flour
• 1 part wheat germ

I never got around to experimenting with pastry flour, or bread flour, but these three ingredients are easy to find at your typical grocery store.  I mix it all together in a container and keep it in the fridge, to keep the flours fresh and free from bugs and to keep the wheat germ from going rancid.

This blend really helps with transitioning from simple to complex carbs, leading to an overall improvement in your diet!  *B

snack time, fun time

Make snacks fun: Create a snack wheel and when you’re ready for a snack, spin the dial and see what the dial lands on!  Make a simple spinner with a paper clip for a dial.  Feel free to use my snack wheel (above) as a guide to help you create/color your own (below).  Just right-click, open in new tab/window, zoom, save, and print :)

Another idea: make a list of snacks and then roll dice to figure out what to eat!  I like to keep a list of snacks on my weekly calendar to refer to.  And keep in mind that while snacks should be filling enough to curb hunger, a snack is not a meal.  It's easy to fill up on empty calories, so use snack time as a way to fill in any gaps of what might be missing in your meals.  It's also the perfect time to introduce your kids to new foods, too.

My personal favorite snack is a banana with a spoonful of peanut butter, and maybe some chocolate chips.  What are some of your favorites?  *B

free eating

Our decision to go gluten free started a year ago.  To be honest, it really started years ago, before me and the hub were even married.  Brad has always been sensitive to wheat, so we've never really been wheat fiends.  And we still eat wheat on occasion.  No, we do not have celiac disease.  But we are all gluten intolerant.  It not only bothers our tummies when eaten in large amounts, but it also effects our moods and behavior.

Will was really struggling in school.  Not academically, but socially and emotionally.  He was starting to have some serious breakdowns that were beginning to affect his work.  And then one day, he got this crazy rash around his eyes.  We hadn't switched laundry soap and it wasn't seasonal allergies.  So my thoughts turned to food, as usual ;)

I'd like to think we eat pretty healthy.  We're wary of food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, and MSG.  And now I've added wheat and dairy to our watch list.  The rash cleared up and has never returned.  We made a few other changes at home (like limiting screen time), and Will's behavior has improved.  He stopped acting out and shutting down.  He's always been an intense child, has a hard time focusing, and gets distracted easily.  But he's a boy, and instead of labeling him as something he's not (ADHD), we've worked on improving our diet and I've seen a noticeable change.

We still limit our wheat and dairy intake, and anytime I get lax on it Will reacts almost immediately.  It's usually after a difficult week at home/school that I'll start to look back on what we've been eating.  That slice of birthday cake, the cookie at church, and the crackers at school start to add up and it shows.  I've also noticed that the kids are more tired, ornery and have dark circles under their eyes whenever we eat too much wheat/dairy.

Actually, we're all sick and tired after a wheat/dairy binge.  So it's best to just save it for special occasions.  Besides, I think most people can afford to eat less wheat.  I love the challenge going gluten free has presented me with.  Did you know that there are 19 whole grains?  NINETEEN!!!  If anything, eat less wheat so you can eat more (other) grains.  Think of all the nutrients and flavors you might be missing out on!

I understand how intimidating it might be to change your eating habits.  But it is entirely possible and not nearly as impossible as you might think!  I know that going gluten free is viewed as the latest food fad, but feel free to use that to your advantage.  There are so many more foods readily available.  It's never been easier to experiment with more grains than it is today.  Just remember that the less processed you eat, the better.

Also, going gluten free is not necessarily a weight-loss miracle cure. Some people can, and do, lose weight by going gluten free because they start eating a more whole-food diet.  It's great that you can find so many gluten free snacks and treats nowadays, but again, save those for special occasions.  Instead, eat more fruits and vegetables.  And please, eat more grains.  Experiment, and have fun.  And enjoy food again.

Because it's not about what you can't eat, it's about what you can eat!  *B

eat your heart out

And happy Valentine's Day to you, too!  *B

why be dairy free

There are several reasons you might want to cut back on your dairy.  Maybe you're a nursing mother whose baby has a sensitive tummy.  Maybe you have an irritable child with dark under-eye circles.  Maybe you suffer from a consistent stuffy nose.  Maybe you just don't like the taste of milk...  Whatever your reason for avoiding dairy, just know you're not alone.  And please know that your life isn't over ;)

I can't even tell you the last time I bought a gallon of milk.  I noticed the stomach aches, the headaches, the coughing, the sneezing, etc.  My body was trying to tell me something.  So finally, I listened.  Yeah, I've tried Lactaid.  It doesn't work, for me.  So I simply stopped buying milk.  We use rice milk instead.  I prefer its mild taste and use it for just about everything (but pudding).  There's also almond milk, hemp milk, and soymilk.  Just FYI, I do not condone the regular use of soymilk...  I worry about the quality of soybeans used and I'm concerned with the estrogenic side effects.  But, that's just my personal opinion.  That's not to say I don't enjoy the occasional soy steamer from Starbucks, though!

If you want any more of my opinion, keep reading.  Just know that it is just that, my opinion.  In my opinion, milk sold in your general grocery store holds little to no nutrition, especially skim milk.  In my opinion, the only contribution milk has is its fat content.  But when that is removed, it's just a source of sugar.  I know what you're thinking... What about the protein?  The calcium?!  Here's the thing: commercially prepared/offered milk has been stripped of all its natural nutrition.  It goes through a rigorous process of decontamination.  Those nutrients were boiled to death.  Later, they were added back in.  And don't even get me started on homogonization.  What I'm saying is that since most of your commercially prepared foods are also enriched with calcium (including rice milk), you're not necessarily missing much by skipping milk.  Calcium is also found in several fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.  Basically, if you eat a well-balanced diet you not only get calcium, but you also get other vital nutrients, and fiber.  The same thing can be said for protein.

Rant over :)  My entire family is dairy sensitive.  So we I watch what we eat.  I'm the mean mom who only lets my kid have chocolate milk once a week.  However, we do buy yogurt and cheese.  When eaten in small amounts, it doesn't seem to bother us as much.  I think it might have something to do with the (beneficial) bacteria that makes it easier on our tummies...  But I still try to limit our consumption of dairy to once a day.  If we're having pizza for dinner, then I don't serve yogurt for breakfast.  If I could get my hands on some raw, whole milk, I would gladly use it.  But I can't, so I don't.  If you're concerned with losing weight, cut the cheese (sorry, I couldn't help myself).  And the milk.  And eat yogurt sparingly.  Regardless, eat lots of OTHER foods.  Drink lots of water.  And if you're desperate for your morning cereal, remember that you have choices!  Experiment.  Give it a fair trial.  Then listen to your body.  How do you feel?  Better?  Then you have your answer.  *B

sleep tight

Today's tip is about sleeping.  Which has nothing to do with food, but a lot to do with your health.  I'm also an expert on not sleeping well...  Which is why I'm going to bed because it is so dang late!  But, I will have you know that it's the hours before midnight that are the best for your health.  Which has me wondering how good a half hour will do me?  *B

the book that changed my life

[I ♥ iPhone pics]

"Nutrition goes beyond calories and food groups. Our bodies have the ability to heal themselves and our food can facilitate that power."  Yes, I'm quoting myself (I can do that, right???).  How about Hippocrates?  Ever heard of him?  Of course you have!  This is my favorite quote of his: "Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food."

I went off to college with the intention of becoming a doctor, or something.  I ended up with a B.S. in Health Science, a minor in Biology and an emphasis in Health Promotion & Lifetime Wellness.  I took several courses dealing with the human body, and I loved every.single.one.  But no textbook taught me what I knew to be true.  And then I came across Paul Pitchford's book, Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions & Modern Nutrition.  I lovingly refer to it as my food bible :)

This book also played a key role in my marriage.  True story!  Once I read said book, there was no going back...  My roommates and professors alike were concerned with my "quackish" beliefs.  I even had a quasi boyfriend at the time who thought I was borderline sacrilegious, all because I experimented with brown rice syrup and drank copious amounts of green smoothies.  Oh, and not going to the doctor for common ailments = dangerous.

A friendly admirer (Brad) took me out for my birthday (not the pseudo BF).  Over our dinner conversation we talked about what we wanted for Christmas.  I sheepishly and quickly mumbled the name of the book.  Because that's all I wanted; the school library was tired of me hoarding it... I braced myself for the oncoming scorn that never came.  Not only had Brad heard of this book, but his own mother owned it!  I wasn't crazy.  I was NOT crazy!  Poor pretend boyfriend never had a second chance after that fateful night ;)

I love food.  I love my body.  I love this book.  And I love my husband.  *B

Beth tested, and approved

This post is for you, dear cousin and loyal reader of mine :)  I have gone through and removed any recipes I have not personally tried.  I hope that helps you sleep better at night...  Thanks for having such confidence in me and my culinary skills!  *B

my plans on planning

Perhaps you noticed yesterday's post was lacking some vital information: my meal plan.  Oh, you didn't notice?  This is the second time in six months you've visited my blog?  Right.  So it's just me then.  Well, that's a relief!  That means what I'm about to propose will probably influence/excite me more than you, whoever you are...

I've been planning my meals based on themes for the past who-knows-how-long, and with much success!  No, I do not always stick to the plan.  But I don't stray too far from the planned genre du jour either.  It's been nice knowing that at least something in my life is somewhat organized, and I don't have to play the dreaded "what's for dinner" game unless I'm feeling peckishly frisky.  And so I've decided to bring a little planning into my posting!  And I'm ok being the only one excited about it ;)

Meal Plan Monday

Tipsy Tuesday

Wordless Wednesday

Food-for-Thought Thursday

Feature Friday

I'll now be sharing my meal plans with the world wide web on Monday rather than Sunday.  Anyone still interested in linking their meal plans OR recipes, let me know and I'll bring the link-up back.  Tuesday will be used for sharing any kind of kitchen tips/tricks, including healthification suggestions and the like.  We'll see how Wednesday works out, but I'd like to have some kind of picture posted (because this poor blog is seriously lacking in photos).  Whether that photo is taken by me or found elsewhere on the internet will depend entirely on where the wind blows that day.  Thursday will be recipe day.  Either made-up recipes by yours truly, or adaptations of others' (aka. healthified).  And Friday.  Friday is fun day!  Friday is the day I'll feature blogs, recipes, products, books, etc.  It's the day I'm most excited about :)  I can share/show off all my fancy kitchen utensils, cookbooks, etc.  Yeah, baby.

So be excited!  Or not (see last sentence of paragraphs #1-2).  *B

ramblings of a (health) food addict

When me and the hub were in Vegas, we were lucky enough to have brunch at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill.  OH.MY.HECK.  If you ever have the chance to go there, you simply must go!  Everything was super yummy.  Like, super-hero yummy.  We foolishly tried to walk-in for dinner, and ended up making reservations for the next afternoon.  If we canceled, it was a hundred smackaroos automatically charged to our card.  They mean business!  But what an excellent business they have.

We shared the following: Rough Cut Tuna "Nachos" + Tiger Shrimp Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale + Barbecued Lamb Cobb Salad.  I honestly can't tell you which was my favorite.  Even their bread basket was an assortment of deliciousness!  Four different biscuits/scones, and we HAD to try each and every one.  So much goodness.  And everything complimented each other.  The flavor(s) in our mouth by the end of the meal was almost as rewarding as the food itself.  Almost ;)

Brad and I tried to explain our Mesa Grill experience to our friends.  Pretty sure we failed...  You just had to be there!  But, Mr. friend noticed how much my face lit up and how excited I got when I was describing the food.  And you know what?  I get like that anytime I talk about good food!  For example, the Buffalo Blasts at The Cheesecake Factory: life changing.  Seriously.  And I don't even like chicken!  When I was trying to convince my husband how amazing they really were, he noticed my immediate animation.  Because nothing turns me on like food.

Pretty sure I'm a foodie.  And I think I'm a pretty good judge of what constitutes as good food.  But my real passion: good food that is good for you.  After a week(end) of indulgence, my body was crazy out of whack.  My stomach hurt.  I was lethargic.  Headaches galore!  No amount of tasty food is worth a life of discomfort.  I love the occasional Tiramisu cheesecake.  But I can't eat it every day.  What once tasted amazing now tastes... gross.  Because I'd feel gross.  Sometimes I have a hankering for a Whopper.  Yes, meat.  So I eat it.  But having a burger every single day?  No thanks.  When I'm planning meals for my family, I make sure it tastes good.  And I make sure it feels good.  It makes those trips to Chuck E. Cheese and Coldstone, or the Mesa Grill, that much more special.

Sometimes my mouth craves the unhealthy.  So I eat it.  I enjoy it.  And I relish in the flavor(s).  But then it's time to move on.  Because my body craves healthy. And I listen to it.  Because my body is worthy of good food.  I deserve to be healthy.  I enjoy being healthy.  And a healthy body is much more appreciative of what Life has to offer, such as food.  I eat to live, and I live to eat.  It just makes sense that food can (and should) taste good and be good for you.  It is not about denying what tastes good.  It's about tasting what is good.  *B

curious still

Wow, who knew grocery budgeting would be so... conversationlistic?  I haven't quite figured out how much is too little or too much, but I definitely appreciate the feedback!  Thank you, thank you :)  The problem with eating cheaply is that most cheap meals are overly processed.  Example: Top Ramen or boxed Mac & Cheese.  We do eat those on occasion, especially when we're feeling pinched in the pockets.  But I do my best to healthify them as best I can when we do eat them.  Like my Fancy Ramen or my Sneaky Noodles!  Otherwise, my pantry is seriously lacking in prepared food.

Which brings me back to coupons.  I definitely admire those who take the time to make them work.  It's a skill I do not have.  But as many of you said, unless there are coupons on produce or whole food items, coupons just don't do it for me.  Call me lazy, but I don't like driving around to five different stores to find the best priced item either.  I'd rather save the money in gas...  But we do buy stuff in bulk.  Costco is our friend :)  We have to be very careful though to go there with a list in hand.  Something that we have learned with a small wallet and a small house (no real room for food storage) is that overbuying is the ultimate downfall.

My best trick for making my groceries go farthest is to plan my meals.  If I know what I'm buying and why I'm buying it, then we're pretty safe.  I'll never buy 20 boxes of Fruit Loops, because we won't even eat one box.  But I look forward to the day when we can afford to buy 10 pounds of oatmeal, and have a place to store it.  On the other hand, I'll never have room for Kool-Aid ;)

Next question(s):  Bountiful Baskets vs. CSA.  What's the difference?  Anyone have any experience with both?  And how do they compare to a Farmer's Market?  Thanks (much) in advance!  *B

this week's plan (on a soapbox): 1/31 - 2/6

It's high time I bring back the "dine in, not out" lo-goal, don't you think?  Well, I do :)  Now, don't get me wrong... I LOVE eating out.  It's seriously my favorite thing to do!  No joke.  But, I believe eating at home is more important.  And I believe meal planning is VERY important.  If you want to strengthen family relationships, you eat meals together.  If you want to lose weight, and make your wallets fat, you plan your meals.  I believe food has the power to bring people together, and to bring out the best in them!

I used to plan an entire month's worth of meals.  I know people who plan a year's worth of meals!  I've found that planning a week at a time work's best for me nowadays.  And I've been really happy with my meal themes.  Because it works.  For me.  But that doesn't mean it'll work for you.  Plan according to your goals and needs.  Make it work for you!  And then try to follow said plan.  Sometimes that's the hardest part...

With that being said, here's my menu:

Mexican Monday: Salmon Fish Tacos
Oriental Tuesday:  Healthier General Tso Chicken with brown rice

Twisted Wednesday: leftovers

Authentic Thursday:  butternut squash mac & cheese with veggie meatballs

TGIFriday: hamburgers with potato salad and applesauce

Super Saturday:  DATE NIGHT

Special Sunday: vegetable shepherd's pie and apple slices with yogurt dip

Now link-up and see if you can get anyone else on the meal planning bandwagon ;)

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.recipesviabeth.blogspot.com" title="Beth's Mess"><img src="http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/SummersCamp/dine2.jpg" alt="Beth's Mess" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

cooking naturally

Brace yourselves!  I'm about to tell you my exciting news.  Are you ready?  Yes?  Ok :)  So...  I'm the new Cooking Naturally Editor for the Natural Parents Network!!!  Ok, so you may not be as excited as I am.  That's fine, I understand.  I'm not living your dream, after all.  I'm living mine ;)

Basically, I post a recipe every other week.  And on the other weeks, I feature recipes from our readers.  So if any of you have some nutritious, and delicious, recipes to share now's your time to shine!  I have to warn you though... I do not consider "low-fat" or "nonfat" items as healthy.  Unless they're naturally low-fat, of course.  I want to focus on cooking naturally.  It's only natural that I do so, right?  So, no recipes containing "nonfat" cream cheese.  That would be processed, not natural.  However, if you happen to substitute pureed pumpkin for the oil in a cake recipe, thereby making it low-fat, then yes that would count.  Because that's natural :)

That reminds me.  I have a pumpkin spice cake I need to share!  Along with a brown sugar Neufchâtel frosting.  And no, it will not be featured over there.  It will be featured here.  Because it's only natural that I do so.  *B

meal plan schmeal schlan

My dear friends, I do apologize!  November is here (hallelujah!) and I am currently exercising my right to be lazy ;)  Just trying to recupe from all the junk and hullabaloo.  So, no meal plan for this week... But I promise, there will be one this Sunday.  I swear!  In the meantime, I'm going to try and post some of the recipes from my Halloween feast.  It was, in a word, fantastical.

Did you make anything special?  I'd love to see/hear it!  Pretty please?  *B

fanciful rustic Halloween feast

Do you have a traditional Halloween dinner?  Meal in a pumpkin?  I've never had it, but I'd probably like it.  My husband, however, would rather die...  So, I've been trying to come up with something special to serve on All Hallow's Eve. Imagine, a dinner party.  Outside.  Haunting!  And luckily for us Arizonans, we won't freeze to death.  Instead, we get to pretend that the infinitesimal hint of a chill means it's getting cold soon.  Which makes us feel like it might be Fall after all ;)

Now for the food.  Brace yourselves!  Braised beef short ribs.  Butternut squash ravioli in a browned butter sage sauce.  Spinach salad with a warm bacon dressing.  And dark, pumpernickel bread to soak up all the goodness with.  Pair it with a spiced apple cider, and then tell me you're not feeling the twitchings of bewitchings!

Your turn!  What has your taste buds spooked?  *B