Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Menu Plan for the Week

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Between having lots of company and doing lots of traveling this summer…I have decided that my “menu plan” for the next few weeks needs to look a little bit different than it normally does. While I love to be organized, especially when it comes to feeding guests, sometimes a girl needs to be able to fly by the seat of her pants. Whatever that looks like. 

Seriously, who comes up with these phrases? Go ahead…picture me. Flying. By the seat of my pants. In my kitchen. I’ll likely konk my shoulder on the corner of a cabinet door, ram my head into a watermelon and land with my elbow in the butter dish in the process, but whatever.

Instead of outlining my meals day by day…I’ve just made a list of meal and snack ideas to draw from. That way, depending on what each day holds, how many people I’m feeding, or what activity we’re running off to…I can pick and choose what food will work best for each day. 

Breakfast Ideas:

orangejulius2sm

Lunch and Dinner Ideas:

Snack Ideas:

*I was so excited for the folks at Triscuit Home Farming to send me two boxes of their crackers, plus a $20 gift card to purchase supplies to plant herbs from the Plantable Seed Cards inside each box! Did you know that herb seeds come tucked away in each box of Triscuits!?  I’ve got my supplies and will be planting my herbs this week and will patiently await my fresh basil and fresh dill!!! Thanks Triscuit Home Farming! Mmmm…fresh basil!

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Old Fashioned Homemaking just put out a new FREE Healthy Recipes Ebook! You’ll want to check it out!

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Find more menu planning inspiration at Organizing Junkie.

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Grilling? Question #65

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We have decided that it’s probably time to get a new grill. 

Matt was grilling burgers a couple of days ago and announced afterward that enough was enough. Our cheapo propane grill has seen better days. Actually, since it is such a cheapo, it really never saw any kind of great days. It’s always just been kind of mediocre. After a few years of use, there’s now just about one hot spot on the entire grill…and that’s it. Do you know how long it takes to cook burgers for nine people (we have company) on a grill that has one little hot spot?

Looks like Matt may be getting a new grill for Father’s Day. (Or whenever we find a good deal on one that will work for us.)

Anybody have good recommendations for a grill that is reasonably priced and works well? 

And while we’re on the subject of grilling…what are your favorite things to throw on the grill? Steaks? Chicken? Burgers? Dogs? Kabobs? 

Um, when I said Dogs…I meant the long, skinny hot kind that go on a bun…not your pets. You knew that right?

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Healthy Strawberry Shortcake

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When fresh strawberries are in season, nothing much tastes better than Strawberry Shortcake. This variation of Strawberry Shortcake is lightly sweetened with honey and made with whole wheat flour. We had the entire cake eaten up in just a few minutes!

strawberry_shortcake_2

Yum

 Strawberry Shortcake

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup oil (I use coconut oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

4-5 cups of fresh, sliced strawberries
Whipped cream (fresh cream whipped to form soft peaks, with a bit of stevia added for sweetness)

Mix together flour and baking powder. Add in eggs, honey, oil, vanilla and milk. Stir well (or mix well with hand mixer). Pour into a well buttered 8×8 inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Allow cake to cool completely. Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. (9 servings)

Strawberry Shortcake with Whole Wheat and Honey

If you’d like more ideas for what to do with all the fresh strawberries that are in season right now, you may want to take a look at this fun recipe list!

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The Decision to Eat a Healthy Diet

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simplesteps

When I introduced this series, I suggested that the first step I felt each of us should make as we worked toward eating a healthier diet was to simply begin adding more fruits and vegetables to our diets. As I got ready to publish that post, I asked my husband what he thought was the first step people should make toward healthy eating. I wanted to see if he and I were thinking along the same lines.

Matt thought for a moment and then he said,  “Well, the first thing anyone has to do if they want to start eating healthier is to make the decision to do it. If they’re in it with half a heart, they’re likely to stay in unhealthy eating patterns. But if they decide that eating healthy is what they need to do, then a big part of the journey has already begun.”

And then he said something like, “Laura, you look absolutely beautiful today.”

Okay, he didn’t really say that part. I just made it up. I mean he has said that before…but not usually when we’re talking about vegetables and making healthy food decisions.

Anyway.

While I think that my “eat more fruits and veggies” idea is a good first step…I agree with Matt. The first, first step toward healthy eating is that you have to make the decision that you’re going to do it.

You have to decide that eating nutritious food is best for you.

You have to decide that eliminating bad food is best for you.

You have to decide that making tough changes are possible for you.

You have to decide that the difficulty of making dietery changes is worth it.

You have to realize that it won’t be as hard as you think.

You have to know that you aren’t alone and that you’ll have help.

You have to decide.

And that’s all there is to it. 

Sometimes it’s hard. You may have a hard time getting your husband or children on board with you. Your friends and family may think you’ve gone bonkers because you used to love poptarts and now you are on a mission to find a local farm source who will provide you with grass fed beef. Your local grocery stores may not supply many of the foods you are now looking for. You might still crave cheetos. You may feel overwhelmed with trying to make all the dietary changes. You might not know what to do with all the boxed, processed food that is in your pantry. There is so much information out there you may feel like you don’t even know where to start.

But you’ve made the decision to eat healthier…and that is the most important first step.

And you’re reading this, which means that you’ve come to the right place. Not because I have all the answers, but because I’ve likely been exactly where you are. I know how it feels. I’ve walked the journey. I’ve felt the frustration and been completely overwhelmed with where to start and where to turn. 

I’m going to help you do this! We’re all going to help! This is a team effort. You are not alone!

Making the decision to eat healthier is hard. Realize that if you’ve made the decision, you’ve taken a huge step into your journey already.

Woohoo…here we go! 

Are you on board?

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Gratituesday: The Teenager

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gratituesday

It finally happened at my house. We have a teenager.

Please feel free to say lots of nice things like, “Wow Laura…you don’t look old enough to have a teenager.”

How is it possible that I can now share snow boots, flip-flops and sweat-shirts with my son? Although probably not for long. The kid is growing faster than he can eat. Almost. 

Did I mention how cool he is? ;)

I will admit to feeling rather clueless as we have delved into this new phase of life. And for sure, we have had some moments where we’ve known without a doubt that our son is growing up and trying to figure himself out.

So many people that hear that Asa is turning 13 this week have been saying things like, “Good luck!” and “Oh wow, brace yourself!” As if having a teenager in your house means that our lives are about to change drastically. Really? Does it change that much? Surely he isn’t going to suddenly turn into a monster that is horrible to live with! Yeah, well what do I know? I’ve been the parent of a teenager for exactly eight hours.

We may be in for some trying years, but may I just take a moment to brag about my son? My teenage son? 

He is delightful. He’s fun to be around. He’s talented. He’s great with little kids. He’s a great big brother. He’s super helpful to Matt and me. He’s smart. He’s responsible. He’s thoughtful. He’s kind. He’s respectful.

He loves the Lord.

Being a teenager is a time of struggle. It’s a time of figuring out who you’re going to be and what you will allow God to do in your life. We’ll take this stuff day by day, praying with Asa as we go. 

Today, I’m thankful for my teenager. I am one blessed mama because of Asa. Here’s to the next few years of teenagerhood!

What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!

If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

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Laura, Are You In the Kitchen ALL the Time?!

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It’s a question I’m asked frequently. Especially from women who:   a) are new at working to feed their families a healthy diet…or b) don’t enjoy cooking at all.

Does eating a healthy diet mean that I am now going to be a slave to my kitchen?!!

It’s a fear that makes complete sense if you’re transitioning toward eating more whole foods. Do I have to make EVERYTHING from scratch? Isn’t there ANYTHING convenient about eating healthy? How am I supposed to find the extra time in my already full schedule to make healthy meals and snacks? And what if I hate cooking?

I addressed this topic quite a while ago in this post entitled Getting it All Done. In that post, I discuss the importance of menu planning, keeping food simple, cleaning the kitchen as you go, making breakfast while you’re making dinner and a few other helpful tips.

Today, I’d like to talk more about freezer cooking as a way to get ahead and save yourself some precious time in the kitchen. And, to answer the original question, nope…I’m not in the kitchen all the time. I do happen to be one of those people who loves to cook…so I may spend more time cooking and baking than the average person. But that’s just my choice. I love to feed my family, and I love to feed extras. I could spend less time in the kitchen and still feed my family a healthy diet…I just choose to tinker with recipes and hang out with my bowls, spoons and grain mill a little more than others. It’s my hobby.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to fill my fridge and freezer with healthy convenience foods. I spent a few extra hours in the kitchen over the course of three days. The result of my efforts? All kinds of healthy, grab and go foods! Hours of time saved! Dirty dish messes out of the way!

Did it take a few extra hours of time during those three days? Sure. I was in the kitchen a lot during those days. But now all I have to do is go snag something out of the freezer and re-warm it for a quick meal. I LOVE it!

Here are the results from my last “cooking ahead” days and the time it took me to prepare each item…

freezer_cooking_june_1

I baked up several pounds of potatoes one night (10 minutes of scrubbing), then chopped them and froze them overnight for future fried potatoes (following this Frozen Hashbrown method). The next day, I mixed up a double batch of cornbread and made Corn Dog Muffins and Sloppy Corn Muffins (20 mintues). Both went into ziplock freezer bags. Somewhere in there, I also mixed up and baked some Chocolate Chip Cookies (15 minutes, not including bake time). It seems like we always have events that I need to take cookies along. Having some already made in my freezer is so helpful!

freezer_cooing_june_3

The next day, I made a big double batch of  Whole Wheat Tortillas so that I could grab them out for an easy lunch of quesadillas or tostadas. I also baked a double batch of Orange Muffins and a bunch of Porcupine Meatballs (the recipe for which I will share as soon as I perfect it). It just took me a little over an hour to do all of this (not including baking time)…and look at all the time it saved me for later!

freezer_cooking_june_2

The next day I made about four pounds of Venison Sausage – using this Turkey Sausage recipe (15 minutes, not including cook time). Because it takes so many different spices to make the Turkey Sausage, I love making it ahead like this. I froze it in about six small baggies to pull out for a fast breakfast casserole, or for biscuits and gravy. This pre-cooked Sausage is a great combo with the pre-made Frozen Hashbrowns, by the way!

freezer_cooking_june_5

I also mixed up a quick batch of Mudballs. Although, since one of my boys can’t have peanut butter…I used sunbutter to make these this time. (about 15 minutes)

freezer_cooking_june_6

Later that afternoon, I decided to make some Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns to freeze and have on hand. (about 30 minutes of work time)  Those will last us for about two meals worth of Hamburgers or Sloppy Joes.

freezer_cooking_june_4 
Last but not least, I made some homemade peanut butter (3 minutes)…

freezer_cooking_june_7

And used it to make a pan of Chewy Granola Bars to have in the fridge. (10 minutes)

It was fun. It was productive. I was exhausted.  :)  But the few extra hours I put in preparing the extra food has saved me more than a few hours of work during the past few weeks. 

What are some of your favorite foods to prepare ahead of time? 

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Menu Plan for the Week

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I suppose it goes without saying that we’ll be eating a lot of strawberries and salad this week. I’m experimenting with a healthy strawberry shortcake recipe today that I can hopefully share soon in the Healthy Celebrations series!

And speaking of healthy…um…or not so healthy…take note of what we’re having for lunch Tuesday. It’s Asa’s birthday, which means he gets to choose everything we eat that day. He hesitantly asked if we could please have ramen noodles.  Blech.  Okay, since it’s your birthday. Can’t be worse than hot dogs. I find it funny that he thinks of ramen noodles as a treat! And um…$0.18/pack? WHAT is this stuff made of? Never mind.  I don’t want to know. 

In other news, we have an extra little boy “moving in with us” for a few weeks off and on all summer. Remember the red head? We love having him here! Plus, some friends from out of town arrived last night to stay for the week. We’re in for some busy, fun days!!

Here’s what we’ll be eating:

Sunday, June 6
Strawberry bread, bananas
Pizza casserole, tossed salad, strawberry shortcake
Grilled cheese sandwiches, strawberries and cream, carrot sticks

Monday, June 7
Scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, creamy orange cooler
Taco salad, fresh pineapple
Grilled hamburgers on whole wheat buns, potato salad, peas

Tuesday, June 8 (Asa’s birthday choices)
Whole wheat cinnamon rolls, fruit
Chicken strips, ramen noodles, pineapple, strawberries
Southside Grille, lemon pound cake, ice cream

Wednesday, June 9
Strawberry crepes with whipped cream
Picnic lunch at the park – sandwiches, fruit, chips
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans

Thursday, June 10
Chocolate chip pancakes, applesauce
Creamy mac and cheese, steamed broccoli
Homemade pizza, tossed salad

Friday, June 11
Strawberry peach slushie, peanut butter honey toast
Tuna salad on crispy cheese crackers, cantaloupe
Tacos on homemade tortillas, watermelon

Saturday, June 12
Whole wheat donuts, fruit
Chicken quesadillas, apple slices
Rice and veggie stir fry with chicken, zucchini, carrots and broccoli

Snacks to have on hand or to make for our guests:

Visit Organizing Junkie for more menu planning inspiration.

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Local Food is THE Best!

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I love this time of year best!! All winter long I have lived without sunshine and fresh, local produce. Parden the whine, but I neeeeed the sun. I neeeed a fresh tomato. That’s all there is to it.

This week, our local farmer’s market had its opening night! Selection is limited at this point, because the growing season in Nebraska is just beginning. But lookie what I got…

farmers_marketCost for everything…$7. 
Value to me right now to fulfill my desparate need to eat fresh food…priceless.

Right out of our garden (for free), we’re enjoying all kinds of salads! 

lettuce

Joy of joys…my friends with a huge strawberry patch 
invited me over for some strawberry picking fun!!!! 

strawberriesOh yes…I did have fun.

I then proceeded to trade my friend some strawberries for some fresh eggs. What a deal!

eggs

And well…while he isn’t produce or eggs…this little fella does happen to be locally grown too. After our travels over the weekend and a busy day playing hard in the sun yesterday, he just laid down on the floor and fell asleep. On the floor.  Now that’s one tired kid.

malachi_asleep_sm

Great food…cute kids. Isn’t summertime the best?

Have you scored any great deals on local food lately? 
What’s in season where you live?

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Freezer Cooking for June

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freezer_cooking_april_sm

Here’s a picture from our freezer cooking day in April!

The Problem:  I am out of town visiting family. (Visiting family is not a problem. I’m lovin’ it. But it is a little bit hard to make frozen meals when you’re several hours away from your kitchen and your freezer.)
The Other Problem:  My freezer is full of frozen meat. (Wait, frozen meat is not a problem either – it’s a blessing.)
The Actual Problem:  The only thing in my freezer was frozen meat…we’d eaten up all of our frozen, homemade healthy convenience items.
The Additional Problem:  If I’d waited to make freezer meals until after I got home from my trip, there would have been nothing for my husband to eat while we were gone, plus nothing for me to feed the boys once we got back while I was trying to catch up on twenty-eight loads of laundry.

The Solution:  Make the freezer food before the trip!

Ah, and so that is what I did. I took a few days last week to make up some healthy convenience foods for the freezer. Matt has been eating on it while we’ve been out of town, and when I get home, there will be easy-to-warm-up food in the freezer to make life easier for me while I recover from being away from home.

This was my to-do list:

Check back in a few days and I’ll share how my cooking attempts went. Also, I plan to address the question many of you have asked:  “Laura – are you in the kitchen ALL the time?!”

:)

One of my sponsors, Old Fashioned Homemaking has a wonderful,
helpful post about Freezing Meals Ahead for the Beginner. Be sure to check it out!

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Menu Plan for the Week (or lack thereof)

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Print off some fun free menu planners here!

We’re enjoying some time with family this weekend and into this week, so I just wanted to pop in long enough to say that shock upon shock, there will not be a menu plan posted this week. 

I know you’ll hardly be able to stand not knowing when we’re eating peas and if we’re making slushies…but it’s all up in the air right now. We’re winging it. You didn’t know I could do that, did you?

If you need some menu planning ideas for this week, just scroll through these several hundred menus I have posted. 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

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