Gearing up for New Years!!!

I have been thinking of New Year's goals I know it is a few weeks early but figured I would get it out of the way.
I have been trying new recipes.

My attempt at Stromboli....french bread with cheese, meat, and red sauce. Yummy!!

Things I have learned lately...

A few things I have learned lately..

1. Kids hate hamburger helper.
2. Kids like red sauce at anyone else's house but mine.
3.Working full time and going to grad school makes meal planning rough.
4. Tater is obsessed with nutella maybe I should look into stock.
5. Defrost the meat, cook the meat then figure out what to do with it = Bad idea


Lastly and the most important....Do not open a bottle of  apple wine before dinner!!!

Berry picking!!

We went blueberry picking last weekend at the berry patch. The kids mostly ate them while I picked them but everyone had a good time and we got blueberry lemonade for the ride home.So all week we have had blueberries as a treat/snack. I think this weekend we may make cobbler or muffins with our hand picked treats.

My plate!!

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html

The pyramid is gone finally and the plate is in. It is so much easier to read and explain.

image from choosemyplate.gov

Check out the website and all in entails. The have new sample menus and updated tools.

Great weekend.

So I got the kids up early and we walked to the farmer's market. All I could think about was cinnamon rolls and fresh bread. I know these are not the healthiest things but they are soooo good. We also picked up some Kale, Arugula and radishes to make salads. Which by the way were delish.

Sunday I finally got around to getting some plants at the hardware store and let the kids help plant them. We have basil, tomatoes, and snap peas. Hopefully they turn out ok.

Weekend Goals!!

You have to have goals even if they are small. My weekend goals are to try a new granola bar recipe and to go to the farmers market on Sunday. I plan to have lunch and dinner from my local finds on Sunday too.

Friday Fun Fact!!!

Did you know?............

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A????

Vitamin A helps promote vision.

( Sweet potatoes and black beans make tasty and cheap enchiladas. Great for meatless Mondays)

Teaching

A little nervous today I may have to teach the Aerobox class tonight. Which is awesome but I am really dragging today. I premade dinner this week on monday night so all I have to do is heat and eat after the gym each night. The kids weren't to happy about this but a 20 minute car ride later and they wanted the chicken I baked.

I feel so busy these days and have been lacking the energy to get things done. I feel like I go to the store 2-3 times a week for fruits and veggies plus the little things we always run out of. I ran out of old fashioned oats the other day and have a strong urge to run out and buy them. It's strange that something so good for you has been become a staple that I feel like we have no food. (I also get that feeling when we run low on fruits.)

The good thing this week is the farmer's market by my house opens so we can start going there instead of the store twice a week. Plus the weekend is two days a way and I have a bunch of recipes I want to try.

Wish me luck and energy tonight I may need both.

May!!!

Lamb turned out ok for Easter and leftovers were turned into enchilada's later in the week. Have been trying to use up the last of the Easter eggs but not really a fan of eggs.

Have some exciting new things going on.
1. I am helping teach a group fitness class. (something I have always wanted to do)
2. I am training for a 5k in three weeks. ( hate running but sometimes we need to challenge ourselves)
3. Signed up my oldest for kindergarten.
4. Trying to spruce up my diet ( have gained a few unwanted pounds)

Goals for May
1.Run the 5k in under 30 min--at 35 right now
2. Eat more local food (hit up the farmers market)
3. Lose the extra lbs I have gained.

Wish me luck!!!

Wine.

I have a new hobby...Can you guess?

I have been visiting wineries in my state. Learning about the grapes and how they are made. I have only been to 6 but let me tell you my taste buds can already taste certain grapes in mixed wines.

I love the fact I am supporting my local economy and can't wait to hit up the farmer's markets this weekend.

Happy Easter!!!

Easter!!

Eggs, Egg, Egg..

I have been thinking of Easter traditions I can do with my kids the last few weeks and harassing everyone I know about what they do. Easter is the only time a year I bake a cake from scratch (yes scratch). Then I decorate it like the Easter bunny. I like to get the kids Easter clothes and also go to church.

Every year we decorate eggs and have a hunt. Yet I still feel like something is missing. This year I am going to attempt to make a leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic. Default Easter dinner is pizza but I have high hopes this lamb will be perfect.

Wish me luck.

Workouts and snow.

Going to the gym with two small kids after work in the snow is a workout it self. On the plus side my kids love the day care at the gym and were mad they did not get to go yesterday. I have been working on more homemade meals and even tried out some new recipes modified to my liking.

I have big plans for the holiday next week so practicing some of these recipes is on my short list. I am going to try to cook salmon so we shall see how that goes. I will post some pics if I remember.

Friday fun fact11

Did you know.....

March is National Nutrition Month. The theme this year is Eat right with color.

Snow!!

Have been very resourceful with the foods I had on hand thinks to all the snow. I was forced to get creative with my pantry items. Did not realize how much fresh food we eat until we ran out. I actually thought about making a trip to the store for vegetables during the blizzard.
 Yesterday I made homemade granola and chocolate chip cookies. I also shoveled my driveway since I could not make it to the gym. I joined the gym and hope to go 3-4 times a week. I also have been trying to get the kids to eat more veggies. They tried well licked the butter off brussel sprouts last night. Tonight I am going to hit up the store.

Goals for this month
Try some new recipes
Keep introducing new vegetables to the kids
And to work out 3-4 times a week.

We have had a lot of big changes in our life lately but think it is all for the best.

Happy belated New year!

Have been thinking about my new years resolutions the last week. I know it is after the new year but my birthday is this month so i make resolutions/goals for my new year. I stopped exercising when I got busy with the holidays and picked it up again yesterday. I also went back to my strict diet this week which once again has boosted my energy levels already.
Thought of goals this year-Exercise three to four times a week, Take a few dance classes (for fun), Try to grow a garden in the spring/summer, Continue my education.
Still thinking of what else I should do this year but it has been off to a great start so far.