Scattered Sundays and Meal Plan
Well, Mother’s Day was lovely. The boys (AKA Troy) made me a really sweet photo book from Shutterfly. After I opened it, Troy said “I had a free coupon code and only had to pay shipping”.
He gets me.
My friend Kristina and I used to tape receipts to each others birthday and Christmas gifts to show how much of a discount we got. It’s a sickness.
We’re on the home stretch of our Whole30 journey and it’s going fine. A lot easier than I thought it would be and I’m enjoying coming up with recipes on the daily. My brain can’t stop spinning with ideas and dishes. My imagination is much bigger than my kidless time capacity, so I’ll be rolling them out over the next few months. Everything is delicious and easy to make even if you’re not doing Whole30.
This process has taught me why sugar is in so many things – because it makes them freaking delicious! Sugar-free BBQ sauce and ketchup is just not the same my friends. Oh no, not the same.
Despite getting in a 90-minute traffic jam due to an accident ahead of us, Bennett and I surprised Troy this week at work. At one point I had to pee so badly I was tempted to grab a diaper from the diaper bag. Bennett was being a complete tool about being in the car and I was done with life.
I pulled off at a McDonalds to use the bathroom. And I bought B a small thing of fries as an “I’m sorry I was yelling at you” peace offering. I can’t think properly on a full bladder.
What a difference 18 months can make
Jack ran a 6:37 mile at school this week. Freak. He has been asking for a year to do track instead of baseball in spring. Next year we’re totally signing him up. He loves that stuff and doesn’t even break a sweat. He joined running club at school last fall and would run for over an hour in jeans when he forgot to pack shorts. Gets it from me…obvs.
I have recently rediscovered my love of watching TV when I can. I adore TV but have not been making the time for it lately. I never have it on during the day and at night I am busy writing posts, responding to emails, or planning out new content. But I’m relaxing a bit and letting something be on in the background.
I finally picked up where I left off (um, three years ago?) on watching The Americans. This is such a good show! Have you watched it? It’s free on Amazon Prime and I forgot how absolutely batshit crazy this show can be. And it’s kinda sexy as hell. Like dirty sexy.
And Kerri Russell is a freaking gorgeous human being.
We’re almost caught up on watching Barry, and I think most of the other shows we watch are done for the season. Do you have any recommendations for what we should watch next? I can tell you we quit The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad. We just didn’t have that kind of commitment in us I suppose.
This week I started to slowly wrap up the final few Skype calls I am doing with readers. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I sent out an email to everyone on my email list (you should sign up too!) inviting the first five readers who responded to schedule Skype calls with me. The interest was more than the initial five and I’ve been having so much fun chatting with you all!
Multiple readers have asked me the exact same question during our calls, and that is “why do you write/blog”? And the answer I give everyone is pretty long-winded but doesn’t waver. And the reason I give them is that I do it for you.
I understand that posting a recipe, a cleaning/organizing tip or a gardening write up isn’t changing anyone’s life. I’m not creating oxygen here, am I right?
But what keeps me motivated each and every day is hoping that someday I give a novice cook the confidence to make a really yummy homecooked meal for their family. Maybe it a family who eats out almost every night or relies on takeout and frozen stuff from the store. And one day someone in the household will decide enough is enough.
And maybe they find one of my one-pan 30-minute healthy dinners and decide to give it a shot. And their family likes it. Like really likes it. Perhaps that starts a trend of cooking at home one night a week. And then that becomes two nights. And maybe three! And who knows, someday they may be tempted to jump into the crazy sexy art of meal planning.
Basically, what I want is for someone to look at what I make and think “hey, I can do that too”. The motto of my site is “Real People. Real Food”, but you could also interpret that as “helping busy people eat healthy food”.
Here’s the thing. You all got this. And I’m making it my mission to help more people discover their epic badassery.
So bottom line, you buttholes are stuck with me (and my um, coolness?) for the long-term.
On Sustainable Cooks This Week
Warm Stovetop Cinnamon Apples – Simple and sweet, Warm Stovetop Cinnamon Apples are the perfect healthy comfort food. A bowl of cozy cinnamon apples are sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and Whole30 compliant.
Confessions – one of my favorite posts of each month!
Bonus confession: I don’t understand why people (mainly East Coasters?) say “food shopping”. As in, “I’m going food shopping today”. Do we need that level of detail? Isn’t it just “shopping”?
The Five Most Popular Posts This Week
- Confessions
- Warm Stovetop Cinnamon Apples
- Real Food Healthy Sweet Tea
- Air Fryer French Fries
- The Cleaning Schedule of a Working Mom
Meal Plan
Monday:: Breakfast dinner
Tuesday:: Attempting homemade whole30 chicken strips, coleslaw, and sweet potatoes.
Wednesday:: Cabbage Roll in a Bowl with bread for the boys (because I bet they’re gonna hate this)
Thursday:: TBD.
Friday:: Popcorn and leftovers for the boys, and roasted veggies with filet mignons for Troy and me with Homemade Chimichurri. Yeah, we bougie. The filets were a freebie with our Butcher Box order a few weeks ago.
Saturday:: Trying this Creamy Brussels recipe with a huge jass side salad.
Sunday:: Family dinner
What We Bought This Week
Trader Joes: $46.61
Costco: $82.30
Whole Foods (my bi-annual trip): $25.73. Nut pods is the best name ever. Makes me giggle any time I open my fridge.
Local butcher: $24.03 a bunch of chicken breasts
What are you having this week?
You gave up on Breaking Bad? Whaaaaaat?!?!? I still consider it the best TV I’ve ever watched. I was somewhat indifferent until season 3 though. It is indeed a commitment.
So to put things in context, our “TV time” is restricted to about 25-40 minutes 3 times a week (and never 2 days in a row). So a normal drama show takes us two nights to get through on average. By the time we finish three episodes, we cannot remember what happened just two episodes ago.
We joke that we used to watch Saturday Night Live actually (west coast) live, and now we’re lucky to get through an episode before the next Saturday.
We call it making groceries down here. I just ordered the toaster oven you recommended a while ago. We’re already seeing 100 degree heat down here and my hubby only eats broccoli roasted. My AC is already struggling without heating the house up with the oven.
Oh my gosh that is a new one I haven’t heard before! It cracks me up.
My friend (also from NOLA) called the toaster oven a game changer for her family. We love it so much and I hope you do too. I’m with your husband on the roasted broc and most veg in general and it works so well! Do you use cast iron? A 9 inch lodge will fit in there perfectly.
I do use cast iron. More now lately. I think I have a 10 inch but I’ll get the 9 inch if I don’t. That was one of the big selling points.
Mine may be a 10 inch. Hmmm. When does your toaster arrive?
It’ll be here tomorrow.
So the oven came in but I have a10 inch Emril car iron. Doesn’t fit. Will definatly be getting a Lodge ASAP.
I would hit up goodwill or memorial day garage sales this weekend. I bet there is one for sale within 15 minutes of your house. I have a tutorial on how to refurbish old cast iron if you find one. https://www.sustainablecooks.com/seasoning-cast-iron-skillet/
If you like Rupert Penry-Jones (he’s pretty easy on the eyes, and he does narrate the Great British Baking Show Master Class series), you might like Silk on Amazon Prime. Bonus: the lead actress angry dances to Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in the first episode of season 3. The writing is a tad formulaic (spelling?), but it’s a nice way to spend 24 or so minutes.
Thank you!
Love the pics of the boys. They are growing up!
Wish I enjoyed running – ughhh. Walked this am and made myself run a little of it. Made it 5 telephone poles and thought I was dying.
I’m obsessed with the show Pysch. Not a big tv watcher at all but this show is like crack to me. And trying to find the hidden things in every episode isn’t helping my obsession. Just starting season 3.
Thanks for always being true to yourself!
They sure are. You should see Jack; he’s so tall!
I adore Psych. LOVE Psych. That used to be on before or after Monk and I was one happy person when I had all that TV free time.
We are flying through The Crown on Netflix.
We say food shopping to emphasize that it’s not regular fun shopping. Went food shopping this morning. Saved $8.49 in coupons! And another $1.25 on ibotta! Thanks for the recommendation.
Score on the savings!
I hate shopping of all kinds, so none of it is “fun”. Ha.
Aww Bennet is getting so grown up looking! Or little boy not baby looking! It’s cute and a tiny bit sad watching the little ones change so much!
As for tv shows, I love Vikings and Supernatural 😉 also Rick and Morty is like the best thing ever!! Oh and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia… I think it’s always sunny is the freakin best! It was a little slow at first but I quickly became obsessed with it! And I’m not s huge television watcher.
I know he is getting so big. And sassy. Sigh.
I think Troy likes Vikings and he has watched Rick and Morty sometimes. I don’t know much about it though. He was super into It’s Always Sunny back in the day.
I love your blog! It’s the only one I read regularly anymore. I’ve totally enjoyed watching the changes and improvements while also being able to rely on your writing staying consistent and true to you.
And I’ve loved watching your boys grow up!
I didn’t plan and prep this week like I should have and with the crazy dog we are boarding, it’s been a week of eating random (but whole30) things. Last night I made Chicken Ta Da. Cooked shredded chicken from the freezer, a bag of frozen chopped broccoli plus the left over roasted veggies (peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, and broccoli), and two cans of diced tomatoes (one fire roasted) got tossed into a pot. It was really good!
I’m ready for June though.
You’re so sweet. I was going back to update some old posts from FIVE years ago and I noticed you had commented on it when it was first published. It made me smile that we’ve been together that long!
Was your chicken a baked thing or soup?
Have you decided what your first naughty bite will be? Also, Troy and I are done end of day on May 30th. I think there are 31 days in the month so technically it is like you’re going to be done earlier rather than later!
Breaking Bad is only 5 seasons but so worth it. Shameless is my current Netflix jam and it is definitely crazy. I can’t compare the crazy level to The Americans for you though since I haven’t seen that.
Also, all your recipes are making me think I need to do a Whole30 again. I did one a few years ago before having my wisdom teeth extracted (at age 26) and healed quicker and better from the surgery than my sister did when she had hers removed at 17. Oh and I lost 13 pounds! I started one earlier this year but had to stop because horrific weather had me unexpectedly staying at a friends house closer to work where there was no Whole30 food in sight.
I once got a pedicure in LA next to Emmy Rossum who is in Shameless. So I guess technically that makes us friends?
When you did the Whole30 did you find that you had any food sensitivities? This process has confirmed for me that I do indeed have a goat gut. I can eat anything and dump some hot sauce on it and be fine. Previously Troy always had a stomachache and GI issues after eating almost every meal. He is feeling a lot better now and has lost a bunch of weight. We’re trying to decide how to proceed once this month is over.
And holy crap how bad was that weather?!
Oh my goodness I would love to meet her! I loved her in Phantom of the Opera!!!!
I will be honest, I didn’t do the reintroduction properly with my first Whole30. My surgery was a wisdom tooth extraction so I was on a mostly liquid diet for a week that I kept as Whole30 as possible but I ended up getting so hungry that I broke all of that with a pizza lol. I do suspect that bread and dairy aren’t as friendly to me as I want them to be. And what I did discover was that my feet didn’t hurt all the time! Inflammation I guess.
The weather was not as bad as we’ve had here (Kentucky) in some past winters but I live an hour away from where I work and my Honda Civic can only handle so much snow.
1. It cracks me up that you call people tools when they are misbehaving, even kids.
2. I actually just started The Americans after visiting my parents a couple weeks ago, my dad recommended it.
3. Love that photo of the boys on the couch. Jack is such a good big brother.
4. I usually say “grocery shopping” because although I enjoy it (most of the time) it means I get to cook with the ingredients I buy, I do consider it somewhat of a chore and different than going to a clothing store or Goodwill for fun and I want to make sure my husband knows there is a difference. Mini rant= dude, we all eat this food but I’m the only one who gets it or prepares it. Stop being such a tool.
I actually just got a job at our local Kroger store it’s called Smith’s where we are and Fred Meyers in your neck of the woods. So…either I love the store I work in and my co-workers more and more and continue to enjoy getting groceries or I just want to get the hell out of there at the end of my shift and never “food shop” again. Who knows, only time will tell.
5. Little kids pushing around carts melts my heart. Partly because it’s cute but also because my youngest son had the pleasure of using one but this was before you could find them in lots of stores (I think the first time was Trader Joe’s but we were just visiting. I’ve never lived less than an hour away from one) and so because it was very hit and miss I would always be on the look-out so it just reminds me of those days when he was B’s age. What I don’t miss is the level of supervision needed to make sure he didn’t knock down a tower of toilet paper or run into a shelf of glass jars, hit other people, or clip the backs of my ankles. Hahaha 🙂
Kudos to you guys for being so close to completing a Whole 30. I think it’s pretty impressive because I have dabbled with it and the 21 Day Sugar Detox and it’s harder than it looks (to me at least) Hopefully I will try one or the other again someday soon.
Kids are the biggest tools around!
How are you liking the show? Your dad watches some funky stuff girl. Lol.
He is a good big brother about 89.98% of the time. The rest he is being a tool.
I hope your new job ends up being awesome! Our Fred Meyer has many long-time employees in it and most of them seem pretty content and happy. I mean, not like Trader Joes happy, but still happy.