In my Kitchen: Stockpile Dinner Menu 2/13 - 2/19

If you want to print your own monthly menu, make sure you click here :)

Here is my weekly dinner menu. I am "cooking" a lot of leftovers this week. As much as I love easy dinners, my favorite part of this week is I have everything I need to make every meal!! No grocery shopping for me this week! Woo Hoo! 

I will still be couponing though. Can't give that one up ;)

Monday: Meatballs and Rice with Veggies

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Wednesday: Chicken Nuggets and fruit

*it is my daughter's birthday and this is her all time favorite meal :)

Thursday: Rachel's house

Friday: blueberry pancakes

Saturday: Ham, potatoes, and veggies

Sunday: pepperoni pizza on tortillas

In my Kitchen: Stockpile Dinner Menu 2/6 - 2/11.....and a printable monthly menu!

I love that Rachel put together this monthly dinner menu and has shared it with everyone! If you want to print your own, click here.  Now I am trying to convince her to do a weekly menu for me ;)

Here is my dinner menu for the week:

Monday

Greek chicken pasta salad

     *this is going to be an easy meal since the pasta salad is leftover from tonight :)

Tuesday

Lentil shephard's pie

    From my stockpile: lentils, potatoes, vegetable soup

Wednesday

Chicken sandwich and salad

    From my stockpile: chicken, bread

Thursday

Rachel's house

    I love it when Rachel cooks my family dinner!

Friday

Ham and Eggs

    From my stockpile: eggs, ham, veggies

Saturday

stew, potato soup, and chili in bread bowls

*it is my 2 year old's birthday dinner and between both sides of the family we will have 23 people so we are serving 3 types of soup :)

Sunday

meatballs and rice with veggies

    From my stockpile: ground beef, rice, bbq sauce

    On my grocery list: fresh veggies

February Goals and Healthy Snack Food

Can you believe how fast January flew by? What is more crazy to me is that my oldest turns 2 on the 14th. It doesn't seem like she has been blessing my life for two whole years now!

So to try and calm my crazy life, I made some goals last month. I am actually feeling pretty good so far this year--I feel like I may just stick to some of these changes! Did I clean my bathroom every day like I wanted, nope. Sometimes life is just too crazy :)  I did de-clutter my bedroom (my husband says yay!) and I also managed to stay sugar free this month (not always easy!).

My goals for the month of February are to de-clutter my kitchen (I am actually pretty excited for this one! I don't have a lot of counter space so I really need to learn how to use what I do have a little more efficiently).
I also want to find healthier snacks for my little girls. Right now my two year old is on a goldfish cracker binge. Not the best snack (although not the worst snack by far!) I just want to add a little variety.

Here are a few fun--healthier--snacks I found on Amazon:

 

I used to buy these freeze dried fruit crisps at Costco before I chose not to re-new my membership. I am excited that they are on Amazon too! 

Brothers-ALL-Natural Variety Pack Crisps (Fuji Apple, Asian Pear, Strawberry/Banana), 2 - 12-Count Bags

Is it bad that my daughter calls these french fries and I just let her? They are actually pretty addicting and better for you than potato chips (or french fries. Lol.)!
Good Health Veggie Stix, 1-Ounce Bags (Pack of 24)

I might have to buy some of these just because my little one is obsessed with monkeys right now and what is more fun that funky monkey dried fruit?
Funky Monkey Snacks Bananamon, Banana with Cinnamon, Freeze-Dried Fruit, 1-Ounce Bags (Pack of 12)

Okay, here is my last fun find. These are probably more for me but I know my girls enjoy them also. I love that there are only 4 or 5 ingredients in these and they are all items I can pronounce (Rice Flour, Almonds, Potato Starch, Salt, Expeller Pressed Safflower, Natural Almond Flavor, Butter Flavor (Contains Milk).) If you are on a gluten-free diet, these are the snack for you!
Blue Diamond Nut-Thins Cracker Snacks, Almond, 4.25-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)


What are some of your favorite healthy snack foods?

In my Kitchen: Lentil Chili (cheap and delicious!)

If you have never tried lentils before, you are missing out! I love the peppery taste of lentils (and the price!)
Here is one of my favorite ways to prepare them.

Lentil Chili

2 cups Lentils

5 cups water

28 oz. canned tomatoes

1 bell pepper chopped

2 jalapenos chopped

1 lg. onion chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. Chili powder

2 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Oregano

Rinse the lentils and cook until soft. There will be extra water, but since this is soup, that's okay!

Add the tomatoes and veggies, and cook until the onion is soft. Add the spices to taste.

In my Kitchen: Stockpile Dinner Menu

I absolutely hate having to come up with dinner in a hurry. I have a two year old and a 10 month old and as soon as the clock hits 5 they think I haven't fed them all day. If I have a plan it is a lot less stressful for me! This is more of a rough draft menu though. If I don't feel like making what is on the menu for the night, I will switch it out with another night, but it is nice to be organized (in one aspect of my life. lol.)

My week:

Monday -- Taco salad and fruit

  From my stockpile: ground beef, black beans, tortilla chips, olives

  On my grocery list: lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, fruit

Tuesday -- Mandarin chicken salad

  From my stockpile: chicken, mandarin oranges, Asian ginger dressing, almond slices

  On my grocery list: lettuce

Wednesday -- Meatballs and rice with veggies

  From my stockpile: ground beef, bread crumbs, rice, bbq sauce

  On my grocery list: onion, carrots, broccoli

Thursday -- grilled cheese and salad

  From my stockpile: bread, cheese

  On my grocery list: lettuce, veggies for salad

Friday -- Eggs/toast/yogurt

  From my stockpile: bread

  On my grocery list: eggs, yogurt, milk

Saturday -- Homemade pizza

  I am not cooking, my wonderful husband is :)

Sunday -- lentil chili (YUM!)

  From my stockpile: lentils, canned tomato, garlic, seasoning

  On my grocery list: bell pepper, jalapenos, onion

I love that having a stockpile means I can save around 50% on my meals. It also means I can afford more fresh fruits and vegetables! 

What is your favorite part of your stockpile?

In my Kitchen: Gingerbread Pancakes

I love breakfast for dinner! I usually make it once a week--not only is it delicious, but it is also a cheap meal :)

One of my favorites is pancakes, but they can have a lot of sugar. Add in the maple syrup and you might as well call it dessert. Since Rachel and I have made a goal to cut out sugar, I decided to make gingerbread pancakes instead last night (yes, they still have a little sugar in them). I cooked some apples in butter and cinnamon to replace the butter and syrup on my pancakes.

Gingerbread pancakes:

2 cups pancake mix

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 T. ginger

1 T. cinnamon

add water to your desired consistency 

Apple topping:

2 apples sliced, peeled

cinnamon

butter

cook apples in butter on medium heat, covered; cook until tender then sprinkle with cinnamon




I had all of the ingredients to make the pancakes in my stockpile, and I had the apples in my fridge! I served them with some scrambled eggs for a little bit of protein. Cheap and tasty!

In my Kitchen: Blitz Burger Recipe. YUM!

I found this recipe in a recent issue of Parent magazine and I instantly decided to try it. I love that it combines beef with black beans in a single burger. Protein packed with less red meat! My family had these for dinner last night, and even my 2 year old enjoyed hers! I did change it up a little. Instead of buying pita bread, I used what I already had in my stockpile, tortillas. I also did not have any romaine lettuce, but I did have spinach, so that is what we used :)
These burgers were so moist and delicious!

Blitz Burger

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. canola oil
6 mini pita-bread rounds (or tortillas!)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded romaine lettuce (or spinach!)

1. In a large bowl, mash the black beans with a fork. Crumble the beef into the bowl and sprinkle with chili powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Shape into six 2 1/2'' patties (I wouldn't recommend making them any larger than this, since they tend to crumble if they are any bigger).
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until done.
3. Put patties in pitas along with cheese, salsa, and lettuce.

YUM!

What to do on a Fall Saturday

I have to say that I love having a garden in the summer. Between ours, my parent's, and them traveling throughout the state, I end up with a great amount of berries. This year has been my first year in making freezer jam. My mom had bought me the containers, the mixes, and the funnel a few years ago for Christmas. My thought at the time was, 'I don't have time for this.' Now that I have realized how fast, easy, and healthier it is for my family, finding the time isn't an issue. 

So, here's how I spent my Saturday:

Berries defrosting in the sink. I pulled out Blackberries and Strawberries.

Blend away, add sugar to my liking, and the best part, no cook freezer jam mix.

The results of a little time and effort? Fifteen 16oz. containers of yummy freezer jam brought to my kids by a loving mommy in a variety of flavors (okay, so pretty much just two flavors). 

My Saturday? 

A success!

How was yours?