Surprise Habits

Surprise! Not too long ago, I realized that I had acquired a new habit. A good habit. A habit that helps me stay sane during the day, helps me stay healthier, starts my day earlier, makes for a happy baby and a habit that put a spark in a coffee addiction.

Any guesses yet?

I eat breakfast every day. 

Every single day.

For the most part it is a healthy breakfast too. 

(Yes, I have sunk to the level of taking a picture of my food.)

I didn't realize that it had become a steadfast habit until this past week when I woke up in the mornings and immediately turned the hot water on the stove for coffee or oatmeal, or started my cast iron warming up for eggs or french toast.

I remember starting to do it when Mr. Sir left and getting out of bed was really hard. We used to take turns getting up to groggily make coffee and feed James. But after Mr. Sir left (gosh it has been about 4 months now) it was all up to me. So, I did it. No complaining, no whining. There was no choice in the matter, breakfast had to be served. The thought of coffee made it a little easier.

I am pretty sure that is a sign of growing up. You know, when you do the dishes not because someone is nagging you to do them because it is your 'chore'. You do them because they need done and you are the only one to do them. You attempt to keep up with them making them easier in the long run. Same thing with me and breakfast. Oh, and I suppose dishes too.

I have found I love breakfast. This week we have eaten egg sandwiches, PBJ and a banana (my quick breakfast when running late), pancakes, oatmeal, regular french toast, and cream cheese stuffed french toast (in the picture above). I am learning how to cook small meals so that there aren't much for left overs because soggy french toast isn't that great.

Habits are hard to form when you don't have the willpower but you know that it is a good habit so you try to buck your way though it for your health. It is a nice feeling though, when you wake up one day and realize that you have formed a great habit without realizing it.

 Almost as good a feeling as seeing this face every morning.

Live and love

Meal Planning Monday.... on Wednesday...

I know that it is Wednesday, not Monday today. I really have no excuse for being two days late. My only excuse is that... well... I forgot. So here goes.

My meal list for this week includes:

Cornbread casserole (never got to it last week)
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup -using canned tomatoes from last fall
Peach Crisp -using canned peaches
Steak'n Onions, with a side of mashed potatoes
Beef and Veggie soup

The rest will be filled in with leftovers and either cold cereal or oatmeal.

Here is the cornbread casserole recipe that I told you I would post.
Cornbread Casserole recipe:
Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1 medium sized onion
1 pint salsa
Other veggies go well in it depending on your taste , I have used corn or broccoli

One batch mixed up of cornbread:
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup corn meal
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

I usually use my Dutch oven to make this to save on dirty pots, pans, and casserole dishes. First, fry the hamburger and onion in the dutch oven. Then add your miscellaneous vegetables, if the vegetables are raw, I suggest sauteing them before the meat. If they are frozen you can add them when the meat is halfway cooked. When the meat is cooked through, dump the pint of salsa into the mixture. Mix. Next, pour your cornbread dough over the top of the meat mixture and bake in the oven uncovered at 350 degrees for 1/2 an hour.

It may not look like much, but there is a reason that it was over half gone before I got a picture of it. It is freakin' delicious!

 Live and Love.

Meal Planning Monday, less structured

I missed a few meal planning Monday's. With my new job I haven't been paying much attention to it. I cook when I'm hungry with what is in the cabinet and when I am at work they feed me. How nice is that! Anyways, I still want to kind of meal plan because it keeps me focused to use what is in the cupboard just not by the day.

Meals that we plan to eat this week:
-Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches (we are on a philly cheese steak kick, at least once a week)
-Waffles with applesauce (another kick)
-Cornbread Casserole (I should blog this one, this recipe is amazing)
- Hamburgers with a/or on a salad
- Cookies........mnmm or some other dessert
-Leftovers of course
-And a fend for yourself night, whatever is in the cupboard or fridge.......

So good.

Live and Love

Meal Plan week 2

This will be a short, to the point, post. My day is kinda all shambly, and I don't like it. So I will post my meal plan, drink my tea, and stare at this screen called the television where I can just zone out.

Monday: Leftover yellow lentil soup from last week
Tuesday: Black bean taco's with green peas on homeade flat bread
Wednesday: Hamburger and Rice casserole
Thursday: Tomato Soup and cheesy biscuits
Friday: Mac'n cheese with tuna
Saturday: Leftovers, or fend for yourself night
Sunday: Mr. Sir cooks up something tasty

This week I bought 18.89 dollars worth of food, herbs and spices at the Natural Food Coop. We eat a lot of oatmeal. The corn meal happened to be on sale. I was out of a few spices. The herbs make yummy tea's which we drink instead of soda.

Oatmeal: 4.36 lb = 6.93
Corn Meal: 1.35lb = 1.07

Herbs/Spices
Caraway seed .12 lb =2.04...... for rye bread
Cinnamon .26lb=2.60
Fennel seed .06lb=.96..... for the homemade Mothers Milk Tea
Lemon balm .02lb=.43.... new tea flavor
Lemongrass .03lb = .53....new tea flavor
Milk thistle .07lb= 1.61...... for my homemade Mothers Milk Tea
Onion powder .19lb=2.72

Tomorrow will be a diaper making day. We will see what I can create.
That is all.
Live and Love

Middle of the Month Goal: Meal Planning Monday's

I haven't made a middle of the month goal in a while. Since it is now January 6th and not the 1st. I will declare this a middle of the month goal. Note that it is not a 'New Years Resolution' I don't believe in resolutions. Mostly because mine never last past the middle of January and they are always too big. So I will do this as a middle of the month goal.

I need to be better about meals for Mr. Sir and I. I always say that I need to meal plan. I even downloaded Pepperplate onto my Kindle (a super amazing app I might add). I just never seem to meal plan well. So I am going to hold myself to posting my meal plan once a week.

The main idea of meal planning for me is to use the food we have in our pantry wisely. To keep the grocery budget down, and to not waste food after it is cooked.

Meal Planning Monday for Week 2: 2014

Breakfasts are usually cereal or toast, sometimes oatmeal or cream of wheat, depends on the morning and the temperature in the apartment.

Mr. Sir's lunches always contain a bowl of oatmeal with various flavorings, a pint of milk, a 4 oz. container of yogurt, one form of fruit and the previous nights leftovers. This provides a late breakfast, snack and his lunch for a 10 hour workday. My lunches are always leftovers.

James eats breast milk, formula, baby food purees and little bits of what we eat. He is the easy one.

Dinners-
Monday: French toast, using stale homemade bread. And stale leftover chocolate scone crumbles. With blueberry yogurt.
Tuesday: Broiled chicken with cauliflower on a couscous bed.
Wednesday:Yellow split pea soup Freezing the leftovers for quick meals later
Thursday: Taking a trip to my sister's house.
Friday: Still at my sisters.
Saturday: Bake bread for the week, so probably grilled cheese and tomato soup (out of home canned stewed tomatoes)
Sunday: Mr. Sir cooks whatever he feels like. Unless I get the urge to bake, I avoid planning my Sunday's.

I did not go grocery shopping this past week.

I need to bring up that our meat comes from Mr. Sir. He owns some beef cattle and rents out pasture land from his father (we make deals here and there for payment of pasture rent) We get 1/4 of a beef at a time to store in our chest freezer once a year.. So beef will not be added to my final monthly grocery stipend. I might take what we eat and add it into what beef is selling for in the grocery store at the moment.

I also need to account for WIC. Yes, I receive WIC at the moment. I have to say, it is a genius program. I will do whatever it takes to create a healthy little boy. So I will account for the WIC food and put it separately on the meal overview.

Oh and if you have a better, catchy name for "Meal Planning Monday's" Leave a comment. I need ideas.

Live and Love