2018 Monday Meal Plan: Week 1

Posted on January 2, 2018 by amyhindererfeltus

I have set a goal for 2018.

A goal involving this little blog.

Every Monday I hope to post a meal plan for the week, as well as at least one time saving trick, or hack, but I hate the word hack.  I bet people search for hack a lot though, so I might have to use it.  Or use “time hack” or “mom hack” or “kitchen hack.”  Although I’m not sure which I hate more….but I digress.

So here’s week 1 of 2018, a meal plan and a time saving mom kitchen time hack tip for saving time in the kitchen.  The tip?  When you cook, eat twice from it.  Or more than twice.  Read on for more…..

I apologize for all the January re-runs here.  With the kids off school another week, my brain is looking for easy and “hey I made that before and my brain remembers it.”  Stay tuned for newer ideas in later weeks.

Breakfasts for the week:

The kids are still off school this week, so in theory I have time to cook every morning, but in practice, I want to pull breakfast out and have it ready to eat or ready to reheat.  So I have these ready for this week.  Egg White Breakfast Sandwich Variation.

I cooked once for these, and other than reheating, I’m not cooking again.  Cook once, eat multiple times.  Huge time saver. #timehack #hahahahah #hashtags #momhack #kitchenhack #Imightneedtosleep

Lunches for the week:

So the tip is, cook once, eat more than once!  I will have dinner leftovers for lunches all week long.  See below!  Next week, as I get ready to send the kids back to school (thank you Jesus for school, thank you Jesus), I will do make ahead lunches for myself for the week again…so stay tuned for those ideas.

Dinners:

This is a rare period of no practices and few after school activities for us, which makes this plan easier:

Monday – Pork Carnitas and Cowboy Caviar over spinach.

Tuesday – Korean Rice Bowls and cucumber salad.  I love these, because all 3 of the small Koreans (even the middle one – the one who thinks every one I make is disgusting – eat them happily.  Okay, the middle one picks out the veggies, but he doesn’t complain while he’s doing it).  Such an easy week night meal that I double it (see the theme?) so I’m cooking once and eating twice [I have at least a couple lunches out of this + dinner for 5  if I do 2 pounds of meat]

Wednesday – [side note: it’s so good that you don’t have to be in my brain while I write these.  7 minutes elapsed between Tuesday and now, because 1 Barbie needed a braid and 2 needed ponytails.  I’m not sure why they needed fancy hair, given they are naked, but I try not to ask too many questions.]  This is the casserole that made my life in 2017, when I discovered you can bake pasta casseroles WITHOUT FIRST COOKING THE PASTA.  My mind is still blown.  We just have a veggie tray with this as a side.  No Boil Chicken Sausage and Pasta Casserole

Thursday –  I’ll evaluate and see if the leftovers are building up – since we are all home this week [pray for me] they might not.  If they are, we’ll eat them.  If not, I’ll make Navy Bean Soup With Ham and cornbread.

Friday – By Friday I’m ready for some take out or a dinner out – TBD.

Saturday – Leftover clean out night!  Or “pick your choose” as my eldest calls it.

Sunday – Chicken Tortilla Soup with all the add ins I can think of to put in it.  I love a soup that has more things in it than you can easily list, and, spoiler, you might see this one in Week 2’s lunches.

Now to make my grocery list and order up the ingredients!  Happy 2018!

 

Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Easy Breakfast, Easy Lunch, Lunch, Meal Plans, meal prep, Quick Breakfast, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Carnitas….revisited for 2018

Posted on January 2, 2018 by amyhindererfeltus

Last year I wrote this blog post and recipe on Carnitas, which, along with Cowboy Caviar, is our traditional New Year’s Day meal (we also have greens – spinach or kale or both), as family tradition on my husband’s side dictates one must eat black-eyed peas for prosperity in the new year, and tradition on my family’s side leans toward pork and greens for good luck (actually, I think it’s pork and cabbage, but cabbage?  eh).  This year, I put aside my beloved slow cooker (mostly because I had two pretty new red casserole dishes I really wanted to use) in favor of slow roasting the pork in the oven.  We all agreed that while the crockpot version is delightful eating, this is a notch higher on the list.

Ingredients (serves 8-12 depending on size of roast):

  • 3-5 pound boneless pork loin roast (you can also use a pork shoulder roast, or one of the other cuts that you enjoy that slow cooks well, but probably not a pork tenderloin – those don’t lend themselves as well to slow cooking)
  • 1 TB each of garlic powder, cumin and chili powder (combined)
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotle in adobe sauce (chopped) (reserve sauce – see below)
  • 1 TB minced garlic
  • 1/2 c orange juice
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 tsp of the reserved adobo sauce
  • 1/2 c beer (or beef or chicken broth if you prefer)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Rub the roast all over with the spice mixture.
  3. Heat oil in a large covered casserole over medium heat.
  4. Brown roast in oil, turning, so that alls sides get browned.
  5. Add onion, minced garlic and chopped chipotle pepper to the casserole dish.
  6. Mix together juices, adobo sauce and beer (or broth) and pour into casserole dish around the roast.
  7. Roast in oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, until pork pulls apart easily. Remove from oven.
  8. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  9. Remove pork from casserole, shred and place in a shallow roasting pan.  Ladle sauce over the top.
  10. Return to oven and roast 20-25 minutes, or until it is nice and browned and a little bit crips.
  11. Instead of step 10, you can also heat oil in a large pan and put the shredded pork in that, pressing down, until it gets nice and crispy, and then flip and do the other side. Make sure to reserve some sauce for gravy/dipping.

We serve this with tortillas, chopped tomatoes and jalapeno and Cowboy Caviar over greens.

HAPPY 2018!

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Posted in Dinner, pork, Slow Cooker, Southwestern | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Egg White Breakfast Sandwich Variation

Posted on September 17, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

We did a whole “make your own pizza” thing here last night with some extended family, and I had a pile of leftover peppers and onions I wanted to use up.  And I also had a package of english muffins that I needed to use (although in retrospect, why to my english muffins have so much sodium? I mean, how did they get 530 mg of sodium in a tiny 130 calorie muffin?  But I digress…anyone want to recommend a way lower sodium whole grain bread or muffin alternative?)

Ingredients:

  • 1 c chopped bell peppers (I used a mix of red and green)
  • 1/4 c chopped sweet onion
  • 1 1/3 c egg whites
  • 5 TB shredded cheddar
  • 5 english muffins (preferably with less sodium than mine have)

Directions:

  1. Saute peppers and onions in a medium to large non-stick pan (with a little oil if you’d like).
  2. As the veggies start to soften, add the egg whites and allow to cook until set and cooked through, frittata style.  I covered the pan for a few minutes to make this happen.  You could also just scramble it all up and cook until cooked through.  Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Meanwhile,  toast sodium bomb bread forms english muffins.
  4. To assemble the sandwiches, once the egg mixture has cooled, divide it or cut it up, into 5 equal portions and place each on a salty slab of an english muffin half, top with 1 TB cheese each.  Top with the second english muffin half.  And yeah, I know you actually know how to assemble a sandwich and I do kind of feel stupid for typing the last couple sentences.
  5. Wrap in foil and refrigerate until ready to eat.
  6. To reheat, place in an oven or toaster oven pre-heated to 350 and cook until warmed through, around 15 minutes.   Or remove from foil, wrap in a paper toil and microwave on low power for a minute or so.  But they aren’t really as good that way.  I’m warning you.

Egg white

 

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Guacamole Costs Extra….Prep Ahead Chicken and Rice Bowls

Posted on September 17, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

I don’t know why, but whenever I make anything Mexican or Southwest themed and rice is involved, I always think of Chipotle and how every single time when you ask for guacamole, they remind you it costs extra.  So, on this one, guacamole costs extra.  But it would be a great addition!

Prep Ahead Chicken and Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or small chunks
  • 1 TB chili lime olive oil (or olive oil, and then add some chili powder to the marinade)
  • 2 TB white balsamic vinegar
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp dried jalapeno
  • 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 2 c cooked brown rice
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 c. frozen corn, defrosted, and prepared according to the package (or, if you are a rule breaker like me, however you’d like it prepared…I sauteed it in a dry pan to give it almost a roasted flavor and look)
  • 1.5 c. grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced

To Prepare Chicken:

  1. Mix together olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, oregano in a medium bowl.
  2. Add chicken and mix with hands (wear gloves!) to help the chicken soak up the marinade.  Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
  3. Prepare chicken by grilling, baking or broiling until cooked through.  I broiled mine this time, for 15 minutes with one side up, flipped and then finished for 5.

To assemble bowls (okay, mine aren’t bowls, mine are these containers, because I like to go from refrigerator to microwave to eating all in one….):

Using 1/5 of each ingredient for each:

  1. Add rice to containers.
  2. Top rice with one row each of black beans, tomatoes, corn, green pepper and red pepper.
  3. Top with chicken.
  4. Refrigerate until ready to heat and eat!
  5. Serve with guacamole, if desired, but remember, it always costs extra (cheese is good too, and green onions, maybe a little salsa and sour cream?)

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My Take on Korean Rice Bowls

Posted on September 3, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

Recipes for Korean Rice bowls abound across the Internet, and they are all delicious, in my experience.  But naturally, I am incapable of just following a recipe and had to create my own.  But credit should definitely be given to The Girl Who Ate Everything for her Cheater Korean Beef recipe, since that was my inspiration.  The two best things about this dish are that my 7-year old who says that everything I cook is awful EVERYONE eats it and asks for seconds, and it’s incredibly easy and quick to make.  I generally have to double this recipe when I make it for dinner (to ensure we have enough and have leftovers).

This week I made these for my make ahead lunch of the week (read HERE to find out why I have to do that), and I’m sure I’m going to have to keep the containers hidden in the back of the refrigerator with “don’t touch, Mom’s lunch” signs on them.

Korean Rice Bowls/Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp avocado oil (I like an oil with a high smoke point for this kind of dish, so I can get the wok nice and hot!).
  • 1 TB minced garlic (fresh or jarred is fine)
  • 1 TB minced ginger or ginger paste
  • 1 lb of lean ground beef (or sub turkey or chicken)
  • 1/3 c reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp of dried red pepper flakes (depending on how much spice you like)
  • 3 TB sugar in the raw (or more if you like it sweeter)
  • 1 TB sesame oil
  • 1 c shelled edamame (I used frozen, defrosted)
  • One red pepper, diced
  • One green pepper, diced
  • 3-4 c of broccoli slaw (I used a 10 oz package)
  • 1/2 c sliced green onions (optional)
  • 2-4 c cooked rice, depending how much you want per serving (we use brown, but any variety you like works)
  • Korean Gochujang (Chili) sauce (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat large wok or pan on the stove over medium high heat until drops of water sizzle when tossed at it.
  2. Add oil, garlic and ginger and stir, cooking for 30-60 seconds, until it really smells good.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, add ground beef and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon or other utensil, until cooked through (7-10 minutes).
  4. While ground beef is cooking, mix together soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or measuring cup.
  5. When beef is cooked through, add sauce and stir to mix thoroughly.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  6. Add edamame, bell peppers and broccoli slaw and stir to mix.
  7. If you are serving right away, continue to cook until vegetables are desired doneness.  When I use this as a make ahead lunch, I cook the vegetables only for a minute or two, knowing they will cook when I reheat.
  8. Serve over rice, garnished with sliced green onions and gochujang, if desired.
  9. If using for make ahead meals, divide beef mixture over rice in the containers of your choice (I used these) and refrigerate until reheating to serve.

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Make Ahead Lunches (Subtitle: Why I Sometimes Don’t Eat Lunch – Part 2)

Posted on August 9, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

I won’t bore you again with the details of how the planets must align perfectly in my planning and prepping if I’m going to eat lunch on a daily basis, but if you’re interested in reading more, you can find it HERE.

Here are some of the things I make ahead (and package in single servings in the fridge) if I want to eat on a regular schedule….I’d love to see your ideas for great make ahead lunches too – please share!

Make Ahead “Hot Lunches”

I love to make these meals in a batch, and then store them in single servings in the refrigerator (sometimes I throw one or two in the freezer to stock me up for weeks I don’t have time as well).  Bonus when I can just reheat from the same container (read HERE for the containers I use).

  1. Turkey Taco Bowls; 
  2. Black Bean, White Bean and Beef Taco Chili;
  3. From skinnytaste.com, Honey Balsamic Chicken and Veggies – I also add a half cup of brown rice to each serving;
  4. White Chicken Chili (this is delicious with some fresh baby spinach wilted in as you reheat too, if you need to up those greens – and who doesn’t?);
  5. Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup; 
  6. From The Girl Who Ate Everything (I feel like she and I would get along really well), Cheater Korean Beef (or chicken, or turkey….I find this delicious with any of them!).  I serve this with brown rice, and usually add some veggies while cooking.  I also cut the amount of sugar in half, but don’t tell my kids that.

Mason Jar Salads

Mason jar salads are great for a quick lunch.   You just grab them, shake them, and pour them on a plate.  Or eat them right from the jar.  I do that sometimes when I’m really rushed, or eating out and about!

  1. Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Mason Jar Salads
  2. Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad in a Mason Jar
  3. Shrimp Mason Jar Salads with Lemon Vinaigrette
  4. Caprese Mason Jar Salads with Broiled Chicken
  5. Mason Jar Chicken Salad with (Not Really Caesar) Lemon Dijon Dressing

Snack Boxes and Homemade “Lunchables”

Sometimes it’s easier just to have some “snack” style lunches ready to go.  No cooking or heating required!  I love yumboxes for this.  They come in a lot of sizes and colors, and it’s possible I have almost all of them.

  1. I like to fill the Tapas Size one with a combination of cut up veggies, hummus or guacamole, almonds, olives and a cheese stick and a hard boiled egg for lunch on the go.
  2. I also like to make my own “lunchable” style lunch with whole grain crackers, organic cheese, uncured lunch meat, sliced apples or strawberries and some cut up veggies.  I use that cute little circle in the middle for my chocolate fix.  It holds one square of chocolate perfectly!
  3. My kids get yumboxes for school lunches too!  They like picking one category of food for each compartment (fruit, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy).

What’s on your lunch plate this week?

 

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Posted in Easy Lunch, Freezer meals, Leftovers, Lunch, Make Ahead, Mason Jar Meals, salad, Snacks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How I Prep Lunches Ahead (Subtitle: Why I Sometimes Don’t Eat Lunch – Part 1)

Posted on July 31, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

Wow.  I started this one so long ago, I’m not totally sure what I was going to write about. You know how there are all those studies about kids taking too much time off in the summer and losing the education they got the prior year?  I’m pretty sure summer break eats away at my brain cells too…..

I was talking with a friend today, and I was telling her how I’ve finally just resigned myself to the fact that lunch has to be all of the following things for me to actually eat it during busy days ever.  Basically, if does not meet all of the following criteria, I either don’t eat lunch or eat something from a drive through.  Or just have more coffee.

Very Important Lunch Criteria:

  1. Already made.
  2. Already in a container that only contains one serving of exactly what I should be eating.
  3. If reheating is required, must be done from said container.

Seriously.  If it is made, but not portioned out.  Too much effort.  If it is in a container and needs to be transferred to be reheated.  Too much effort.  6 servings in one container?  FORGET IT.  Open fridge.  Pull out.  Insert in microwave (optional).  Eat.  That’s apparently all I can handle.

As I have developed this annoying and ridiculous lunch process and criteria lovable little personality quirk over time, I’ve developed a container problem amassed a set of tools that allows me to eat lunch daily most of the time.

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Container problem?  I don’t have a container problem….

When things don’t have to be reheated, I am a big fan of plastic.  I know many people have eliminated it, but you can’t beat it for durability (or frankly, disposability) and price.  I recently found these 3 compartment divided plastic containers on Amazon for a great price.  Also, they came with sporks.  Who doesn’t love a spork?  I’m using these for cold lunches. I don’t have any high hopes for them surviving more than a few hand washes, but for the price, I can live with that.

On the other hand, when I want to reheat things, I have a glass preference.  I just always worry about the plastic melting or giving off toxins or something.  Since I have no actual science to back this up, you should definitely not just go along with what I say, but if you like glass containers, some of these are great:

3 compartment containers.

2 compartment containers

Single compartment containers

Pyrex round containers

Mason Jars (quart sized)

Mason Jars (pint sized)

Mason Jar Lids (wide-mouthed)

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What are your favorite lunch prep tools?  I’d love to hear!

Posted in Freezer meals, Leftovers, Lunch, Make Ahead, Mason Jar Meals, Meal Plans, Repurposed Leftovers, salad, Snacks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Turkey Taco Bowls

Posted on July 31, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

Turkey Taco Bowl Blog Cover

I have returned from summer vacation, and dusted off the kitchen.  I like to ease back into things, and the leaches are still home with me 24/7 my children are still off school until next week, so I needed an easy make ahead lunch to get me back in the swing of things!  Also, I learned while on vacation that at least one person actually really enjoys my food and meal planning.  One is enough to keep me going – thanks Carol.  🙂

In Arizona, for some stupid reason no one has ever adequately explained to me, despite the fact that summer is not going to be over for at least 3 more months, unlike civilized parts of the country, where they wait until after Labor Day, schools are either already back in session, or starting in early August.  So we are transitioning from the unstructured days of summer break back into the schedules and activities of the school year.  I hope this one helps you meal plan and prep, whatever stage you are in in your part of the world.

Turkey Taco Bowls/8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 5 c. cooked brown rice (you can use white too, I won’t tell your trainer or dietician)
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • 1 bag of frozen peppers and onions (like these from Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 lb of ground turkey, 93% lean (or whatever ground meat you like!)
  • 1 c frozen corn, defrosted
  • 1 can of rotel
  • 1 1/2 c. of black beans, cooked from dried, or 1, 14.5 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1, 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, no salt added
  • 2 TB taco seasoning
  • 2 tsp dried cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lime wedges (optional)
  • Sliced green onions (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat.  Add bell peppers and onions and saute, until heated through and softened, 5-8 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, divide cooked rice evenly among 8 containers.  I really like these Pyrex dishes, because I can freeze them, keep them in the fridge, remove the lids and use in the microwave and so on.  I used both the 4 c. and the 2 c. size for this recipe because, well, when I started making it, I thought it would make four lunches, but it made 8.  And I only have 4 of each.
  3. Once peppers and onions are cooked, divide among the 8 containers.
  4. Using the same pan, brown the ground turkey, breaking up into small pieces until cooked through.
  5. Add taco seasoning, and stir to coat turkey evenly.
  6. Add corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, rotel and cilantro and stir to blend.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes so that flavors can blend.
  7. Top rice and peppers and onions with the turkey  mixture.  Garnish with green onions and lime wedges if desired!
  8. Eat right away, or store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.  I’m planning to freeze a few of them as well!
  9. You can also add the usual tacos garnishes before serving, if desired: cheese, salsa, maybe a few chips to convince the kiddos it’s good.

 

 

 

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5 Ideas for easy, healthy and fast breakfasts

Posted on May 6, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

For me, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  It sets my tone for the rest of the day, and honestly, when I don’t eat one high in protein, with a little healthy fat and a few carbs, well, let’s just say you don’t want to approach me too suddenly talk to me be around me at all before I’ve had lunch.  Some of these can be made ahead, entirely, or partially, some are just quick and easy the day of!

Egg White Breakfast Tacos – protein, fat, carbs….this one has it all.  Chop the veggies in advance, and it’s ready in a snap!

breakfast tacos

Blueberry and Yogurt Breakfast Parfait – packing a big protein punch, this parfait and be made ahead for a few days in mason jars or other sealable containers for a quick breakfast at home or on the go.

parfait freemium

Denver Omelet Egg Muffins  – you can customize these make ahead egg muffins with any ingredients you like and have on hand!  An easy way to make breakfast for the whole week.

Egg Muffin Freemium

Cherry Chocolate Overnight/Refrigerator Oats – you can substitute your own choice of fruit and other ingredients to these.  Just start with the base of 1/3 c of oats, 1 TB of chia, 1/3 c greek yogurt and 1/3 c of almond or other milk, and play around!  These can be made quickly for breakfast all week.

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Mixed Berry Banana Smoothie – for a quick breakfast you can take on the go, while also starting your day with fruit and veggies.

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Mixed Berry Banana Smoothie

Posted on May 6, 2017 by amyhindererfeltus

The Greek yogurt gives this smoothie its 15 grams of protein, you can add to that by using protein powder, if desired. This is a great way to start your day with a serving of green leafy vegetables as well!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c spinach, fresh
  • 1 c vanilla unsweetened almond milk (or the milk or other liquid of your choice)
  • 1/2 a banana
  • 1/2 c of nonfat plain greek yogurt
  • 1 c frozen mixed berries
  • Optional: protein powder or smoothie starter (I love this vanilla one from Kura
  • Optional: honey (1 TB) or chopped pitted dates (1-2), if desired for extra sweetness

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until desired consistency, adding ice or more liquid if necessary.

Make Ahead Tip:

You can place the spinach, berries and 1/2 banana in freezer bags ahead of time, and just pull one out for each day!

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Posted in Breakfast, Easy Breakfast, Freezer meals, Lunch, Make Ahead, Quick Breakfast, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments