Scattered Sundays and Meal Plan
I’ve been busy, busy, busy for the last few weeks collaborating with a design studio to make my first ebook! It is all Whole30 recipes, but if you’re not a fan of the concept of Whole30, just consider it “healthy food that doesn’t taste shitty”.
And you can have the ebook for the low, low price of free ninty-nine. Yep, totally free. Here’s are the two ways to get it:
- Sign up for my email list and then email me and let me know you want the book*. You’ll get my posts in your inbox whenever they are published and I will very rarely send out something other than a post. One time it was an ask to sign up to Skype with me (OMG, it was so fun talking to many of you!!). Nothing spammy.
- If you’re already on my email list let me know and I’ll send you the ebook if you’d like it.
*I’m currently working on switching my email server and things are in flux. I don’t want to miss anyone who just signed up so you’ll need to take the extra step to email me. Balls, I know.
Well, I went to Canada this week to meet up with Katie from Hey Nutrition Lady, and guess what? She’s real and has not been catfishing me for the last six months! Despite the fears of my friends.
I stayed with her family on the beautiful Sunshine Coast and my drive/ferry ride up couldn’t have been any easier. I left the house at the buttcrack of dawn and was at the ferry by 9:30 am. That, of course, included two pee stops because tiny bladders are no joke.
We did an exchange of US and Swedish goods that clearly show our wheelhouse(s)/love languages. She gave me Swedish licorice, a Swedish whisk, and cloudberry jam. And of course, candy for the boys called “Plopp”, because that is hilarious.
Blog Camp!
I gave her my favorite hardcopy paper planner, butterscotch chips and Trader Joe’s vegan marshmallows (she wants to make Nordy Bars but couldn’t find some key ingredients in Sweden), a big tin of homemade holiday goodies (Peppermint Bark, Old-Fashioned Fudge, and Homemade Almond Roca), and nighttime homeopathic kid’s cold medicine.
Apparently, cold medicine isn’t readily available in Sweden and the kind that knocks out kids at bedtime is non-existent. Pfft! FYI, we use Hylands and Zarabees interchangeably when needed because Costco sells them one at a time.
I had been up since 3:45 am and Katie had flown in from Sweden with a newborn and got to Canada at midnight. We’re both running on fumes.
How was your Christmas? Ours was fun, loud, and great! Troy’s cousin hosted for the first time this year and she rocked it. The kids were all well-behaved, the food was great, and we were able to be together and just hang.
All the gifts I had on my list were super uncool to the layperson but I love them all! Troy and I are planning to start making food videoes in the new year, and I got a tabletop cook burner. Santa (my MIL) brought me some new chicken boots (see below), these hilarious oven mitts (this one and this one) and some wonderful cozy fleece-lined leggings from Anne.
If you have little kiddos, Bennett got this moldable sand dinosaur playset from my dad and he’s obsessed with it. He and Jack played for almost an hour without fighting!
Santa also brought Bennett a doctor’s kit and coat, and Dr. Bennett just pulled an allnighter at the ER and he doesn’t have time for your damn man cold.
For the third year in a row, “Bennett” gave Jack a photo album of the two of them for the previous year. “Bennett” almost forgot to make it until Jack mentioned how excited he was to open it up on Christmas morning, which led “Bennett” to stay up until 1 am one night to get it ordered on Shutterfly. FML.
I don’t make resolutions but I usually set some goals for myself. All of mine revolve around this here little blog and where we go next.
For 2018 I picked a word for the year. Guess what? I don’t remember what it is. But about halfway through the year I switched it anyway and went with a term “oxygen mask”.
This was the year I put my needs front and center and focused on them. Just like an oxygen mask in a plane, I put mine on before helping those around me.
I asked for more help in six months than I had in the last four years combined. I told people what I needed from them, and I let the guilt go about trying to do everything for everyone.
It was weird after the year that 2017 ended up being, but in a way, I’m proud of myself for letting things go and having no fucks left to give about it.
What do you have in store for yourself for the new year?
Comment/Review of the Week
This week’s featured comment came from Jess who left a five-star review of The Ultimate Chicken Gnocchi Soup. Jess said:
This was so good! My teenage son claimed the leftovers and requested that it show up often. Thanks, Sarah!
Wow, Jess, so glad you all enjoyed it and I didn’t realize that leftovers were possible with teen boys around!
On Sustainable Cooks This Week
This was a light week given the holiday and my travels.
The Essential Whole30 Costco Shopping List – The only Whole30 Costco Shopping List you’ll ever need! A printable Whole30 shopping list and Whole30 recipes to help you rock your homemade meals, meal prep, and have a successful round. {Pin it} And no, it isn’t that blurry when you print it.
18 Incredible Whole30 Breakfast Ideas – 18 delicious and healthy Whole30 Breakfast Ideas to inspire your clean eating mornings. Family-friendly Whole30 breakfasts and brunch recipes that you’ll love! {Pin it}
The Five Most Popular Posts This Week
- Best Ever Trader Joe’s Whole30 Shopping List {Pin it}
- Homemade Vicks Soother Tablets {Shower Soothers} {Pin it}
- Virgin Mojito Recipe {Pin it}
- Instant Pot Sous Vide Egg Bites {Pin it}
- The Essential Whole30 Costco Shopping List {Pin it}
Hop in the DeLorean
Last year the top post from this week was: How to Make Simple Beginner Quilts
Meal Plan
Looking for a meal plan that pulls all the recipes and lists together for you? I’m now teaming up with Once a Month Meals post to help my readers accomplish more batch and freezer cooking. Make 30 meals for the freezer in 1 day!
They offer meal plans for traditional, vegan/vegetarian, AIP, paleo, Whole30, vegan, gluten-free and so on and so on. If you have a way of eating, they have recipes for you! You can check out their awesome program on their site. Or, get a gift card for someone in your life who may need a hand with their meal prep game.
Monday:: “East Coast” NYE party at my sister’s so I’ll be eating allllll the apps. East Coast = we celebrate New Year’s at 9 pm because we all have little kids.
Tuesday:: Fritatta and salad
Wednesday:: New Instant Pot recipe I am working on. Sharing later this month!
Thursday:: New chicken recipe I am working plus roasted frozen veggies (see: The Ultimate Guide to Roasting Frozen Vegetables).
Friday:: Popcorn, leftovers, and movie night
Saturday:: Healthy Sausage and Roasted Vegetables
Sunday:: Family dinner
What are you having this week?
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I would love to get your ebook!!! I have been thinking about jumping on the whole 30 band wagon for awhile.
Brooke, I just sent you an email with the ebook.
My word for 2019 is ‘retire’! I fell 30 days ago on my face and it’s still healing. Add to that, my brother died and I went from being the baby of the family to being the oldest. So, I decided I should collect my pension and enjoy the time that left.
I’d like your cookbook. Thanks for writing one.
Diane, I am so sorry for your terrible end to 2018. It sounds like it has been a rough few months and I wish you a fast and successful transition to retirement.
Would you like me to manually sign you up for my email list? I’m able to do that on my end and then I can send you the ebook.
I’d forgotten it was Sunday until this post appeared. I’m off work this week so the only meal I actually have planned is New Year’s because that’s party food for dinner in front of the TV. Living my best life.
That sounds fantastic and it’s a lovely thing to be able to forget the day of the week from time to time.
I NEED THE EBOOK!!!!
I am so freaking excited that you wrote a cookbook. And I am even more excited that you are making videos soon!
And thank you for “oxygen mask.” This coming year is all about me. ME! And I was trying to come up with a word that sounds less selfish, but now that I think about it, fuck it. My word for 2019 is going to be ME!!! My main goal this year is to get a breast reduction (I’d share them if I could) so that my body is more proportional and so my neck, head, shoulders and back will stop hurting. My second main goal is to complete the 52 Hike challenge/ get ready to hike 40 miles for my 40th birthday (June 2020). Lucky for me my second goal will help me loose weight before I check off my first goal, which if I have my way will be in March. My third goal is to acquire bookkeeping clients!
I LOVE the photo of Bennett’s all-nighter in the ER!
I got lame ass gifts for Christmas this year, but I’m choosing to focus on the fact that we didn’t spend much money on me as a good thing. Silver lining and all that bullshit.
Your Jack is amazing. I think its so awesome that he loves getting a photo album from Bennett!
Oh, and I’m totally trying the roasted frozen veggies tonight.
Ha, you’re too sweet Tina! I’ll be honest in that I’m not remotely looking forward to do videos but I see it as a necessary component of where this industry is headed.
Good for you and for your 2019 plans! I hope they all turn out like you want in the timeline that works for you. Good luck with everything!!!