Here’s our menu for the week. Below, you’ll find my sorry little confession about Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge #4. :(
Sunday, September 23
Oatmeal, fruit
Cheesy beef and rice, green beans, tossed salad
Huddle at our friends house
Monday, September 24
Whole wheat pancakes, blueberries
BLTs, sweet peppers, apples
Alfredo sauce with pasta, steamed broccoli and carrots
Tuesday, September 25
Easy homemade granola, dried fruit
Homemade pizza pockets, peache
Chicken noodle soup, carrots
Wednesday, September 26
Pancake sausage muffins, applesauce
Tuna salad, fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers, crispy cheese crackers
Roast, carrots, potatoes, gravy, green beans
Thursday, September 27
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apples
Sloppy cornbread muffins, peas
One dish meat and potato casserole, salad
Friday, September 28
Cinnamon apple toast, milk
Creamy mac and cheese, peas
Rice and veggie stir fry with chicken
Saturday, September 29
Scrambled eggs, toast, creamy orange coolers
Leftovers
Calzones, fruit

Well, if you recall, last week our Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge was to eat more fruits and veggies. So, how did you do?! Did you load up on plenty of servings of broccoli and carrots? Did you try a new variety of fruit? Did you take advantage of all the fresh produce that typically is available this time of year? Did you offer your family a nice variety of fruits and veggies for snacks and meals? Did you make big salads for lunch?
Did you notice that I’m trying to avoid telling you how I did with this challenge? ;)
Um…well. Of all weeks for me to throw out a “eat lots of fruits and vegetables challenge”.
Not only was it a very busy week full of soccer games that had us on the run each evening, but on Monday I had an appointment with a Natural Doctor, and then began a cleanse of sorts. I’m not sure if you’ve ever done any kind of “de-tox” on your system, but wow, great as it was, this one about knocked me flat. I was pretty much worthless from Monday afternoon until Friday night (at which point I suddenly felt so incredibly good that I made and canned 26 quarts of applesauce – and then, still full of energy, got out a toothbrush to scrub my wooden floors – all while singing folk tunes loudly at a high octave).

Just kidding about the folk tunes. And the tooth brush. Although I really did make 26 quarts of applesauce. (While jamming with the Newsboys.) Seriously though – that cleanse did what it was supposed to do because I feel so very good now!
Well, look at me – still trying to avoid telling you about how I did with the fruit and veggie challenge.
Since I wasn’t feeling the best all week, I had to just slip into “survival mode”. I did bare minimum around the house. I pared down my participation in the boys’ school lessons so that I could put them to work independently – popping my head off the couch occasionally to read History and Bible, and to toss out spelling words. All major projects that might have required me to come up with rubber cement, poster board, or basic brain function were put on hold.
We made great use of the food I had prepped ahead of time and put into the freezer, and I believe we did eat a fruit or a vegetable several times each day.
But was I intentional about making sure we ate a nice variety of beautifully colored fresh produce? Nope. I actually almost forgot about the challenge in the first place. All I was intentional about this week was drinking plenty of water to keep my body doing what it was supposed to be doing.
And it worked!! Did I mention that once the cleanse had run its course, I felt so good that I ran eight miles, did 30 push-ups, and sorted all of our winter clothing – all while singing folk tunes loudly at a high octave?
Not really.
But I seriously do feel good. And I plan to play a “re-do” card this week with the fruits and veggies challenge. Feel free to do the same if your week was anything like mine. :)
So, how did you do with the Eat More Fruits and Veggies Challenge? Leave a comment on this post, sharing how the challenge went for you. All comments will be entered in our giveway for two $25 and one $50 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.

















