Lost, But Holding Hands

Sometimes the side dish makes the meal.  That is definitely the case with these crispy, savory, summery green beans!  Not to mention that this recipe is SUPER easy.  I mean the most time consuming part is prepping the fresh green beans.  You could always do that ahead of time. Lemon Rosemary Roasted Green Beans Ingredients: Fresh green beans- 1 lb-ish (washed and snapped) 1 T melted coconut oil 1 t salt 2 t rosemary 1 thinly sliced lemon Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a cast iron skillet (or any baking dish), toss green beans, oil, and seasonings. Lay lemon slices on top. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring part way through.  So yummy.  Pair it with a simple grilled chicken or pork chop for an easy weeknight dinner!

Sunday Fun Day involves a LOT of food prep for the week.  What I prep changes weekly depending on our meal plan, but one thing is for sure- I'll be prepping this delicious, versatile breakfast casserole that, when paired with a side of fruit, will last all week for me and the hubs! Once you get the hang of the basics to this casserole- you will find yourself changing it up to your own preferences and what produce you have on hand.  The ingredients I am sharing today are my basic, go-to recipe.  But I will also share variations I have tried.  If you mix it up and add different veggies and meats- tag me in a post and let me know how it turned out! Savory Breakfast Bake This recipe has a few components that are cooked separately before it comes together in a casserole dish.  I am breaking up the ingredients and steps to make it easier to follow. Sweet Potatoes Ingredients: 2-3 sweet potatoes (depending on size) 2 T olive oil Salt Pepper ...

Hey, y'all- There are several indicators that are signaling the end of summer break- First, I got this terrible advertisement from Walgreens yesterday. What the heck?!  The least effective way to draw people in is to remind them that summer is ending.  Also, when does summer actually end- September?  Pump the break, Walgreens.   Second, I have my first day back at work on Monday.  It's just a one day training, but it means that all three of us have to be up, fed, ready and out the door by 7 to get Ryan to day camp and get to work on time.  Blah.  I've literally dropped the kiddo off at camp each day this summer in either pajamas or workout garb. Lastly, and perhaps the most obvious- school supplies are everywhere!  There are 2 things that get me fired up while shopping- Hobby Lobby jumping several holidays and seasons ahead (I mean come on, right now there are leftover 4th of July decorations next to BOTH fall and Christmas decor). ...

The ease of summer is addictive.  Having time to relax, read, stay caught up on laundry and other around-the-house chores is a blessing.  The funny part is, I find it harder to stick to a clean eating plan in summer than I do during the school year.  The rigor and routine of the school year lends itself to a more strict meal and exercise plan.  It's ironic that during summer break- with all the time in the world- I sometimes often find myself looking at the clock and wondering how it is already noon and I haven't accomplished much of anything.  It's also so tempting to indulge in summer treats- s'mores, ice cream, sno-cones, cookouts, etc. While I won't complain or deny my love for summer- I am beginning to yearn for the structure of returning to work. Today has been a mixture of productiveness and laziness. Tyler is out of town for the week and Ryan spent the night at my parent's house.  What did  I do with my night/morning of freedom?  Last n...

I have spent the last few weeks eyeing an advertisement that keeps popping up on my social media accounts for a smoothie delivery program.  This particular company is organic, #whole30 compliant and delivers ready to go produce and add-ins already in cups ready to be blended with your liquid of choice.  Several times over the last few weeks, I visited their website and did what I am best at---added things to my cart, balked at the price, and backed out.  I mean I am not about to spend 7.99 on a smoothie- no matter how healthy or convenient. So instead, I have been buying frozen smoothie mixes at the store.  But this has proved to be a challenge as well because it is incredibly difficult to find frozen fruit that doesn't have additives and preservatives.  Manufactures put chemicals in the fruit to keep the color of the fruit vibrant- but the things is...I've froze fresh fruit and vegetables before without them losing their color, so I think it is totally unnec...

Update my on my #whole30 journey: Ahh!  These past few weeks have been CRAZY.  We have been camping a LOT.  Which is amazing and wonderful and so hard to do while on program.  It's not necessarily about having food that isn't compliant- but it's about the amount of food.  It is so easy to mindlessly snack and eat while hanging out at the campground, hiking, and relaxing.  So needless to say I am feeling kind of blah.  I gave myself a little too much food freedom last weekend, but I started a solid 30 day restart on Tuesday.  But I am going to be totally vulnerable right now and say that I for real ate Cinnamon Toast Crunch by the handful when I got home on Monday.  I guess I can consider that muscle confusion?!  Nevertheless- I am back at it. But really, I hope this serves as a reminder that this is not  easy.  Yes I post pictures of yummy food on Facebook and Instagram.  Yes I have had a lot of success since startin...

Sometimes it is so hot outside, that cooking a hot lunch seems absolutely dreadful.  Other times, I am still in pajamas at noon, have spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry and I just want to throw something together for lunch that is equal part delicious, healthy, and simple.  That is where the power bowl comes in handy.  It's like going to Chipotle or Subway- but way healthier and customization.  Imagine yourself moving down the ordering line, selecting what sounds delicious and building your dish to your exact specifications.  But all of this is happening in the comfort of your own home- while you are still in your pajamas, without makeup, and watching trashy movies on Lifetime (may or may not be a true story of my lunch time today). You can make a power bowl for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  If you simply stock up on a variety of veggies and have a stock of healthy proteins (we keep tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and crock-pot shredded chicken breas...

When I reached day 30, I wasn't sure how to proceed.  I felt great.  I was happy with the progress I had made, but I was nervous.  I worried about slipping back into old habits.  Not having a solid plan was not an option, so  I forged ahead and, even though it was hard and I battled temptations- I sit here, having made it to day 103 (last week) before venturing into food freedom .  I wanted to share with our friends and followers my biggest takeaways from my food reset, a little about my dip into freedom, and where I am going from here. What I Learned: 1.  Cooking at home is not that hard . Before starting Whole30, we ate out a lot .  Not only was it not healthy, it often killed our weekly budget.  While on Whole30, our grocery bill has nearly doubled, but we eat at home most of the time.  In 100 days, I think I have eaten out less than 8 times.  The first few weeks of being on program, it took forever to meal plan, shop, and c...

Ya'll  Friday was my last day of school!  What?!?! I know.  I am so excited!  The peacefulness of summer is beginning to wash over me.  I love summer---even though it is a myth that teachers have summers off and I will be working on and off all summer.  But I've got that summer feeling- for sure. Last weekend we took the camper to Omaha for the weekend. It was the perfect distance from KC and we had an awesome time.  We stayed at the Omaha KOA .  It had super fun amenities that Ryan loved---a giant jumping pillow, a rope course, ladder ball, and a trampoline basketball game.  Not only that, but it was in a great location.  It was about 25 minutes from the Omaha Zoo- which we did on Saturday afternoon and only 10 minutes away from Schram Park and Eugene T Mahoney State Park.  We went to the both of these parks to explore and hike.  If you are thinking about exploring Omaha- I say go for it!   As far as staying on the wh...

Usually I spend a good portion of Sunday grocery shopping and food prepping.  Yesterday was a tad different because we didn't get home from our Omaha camping adventure until late afternoon.  I didn't go to the grocery until after 6 and didn't start meal prep until after I put Ryan in bed at 8:30.  I roasted sweet potatoes and veggies, grilled sausages, pan fried burgers, and cut fruit until just after 10:30.  But I collapsed into bed with 10 breakfast kits and 10 lunch kits ready for the week. -----> Breakfast: 1/2 sweet potato, grilled sausage (Aidells Chicken and Apple), and 2 scrambled eggs. Lunch:  Grilled Burger (grass fed beef, garlic, and primal palate meat/potato seasoning), carrot fries , and roasted broccoli/brussel sprouts.   Dinners: Monday- Crock Pot Fajitas Tuesday- Chicken with Potatoes and Sage Wednesday- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Garlic, and Scallions Thursday- Greek Chicken Skillet Friday-  Green...

We went to the Garth Brooks' concert last night.  Wow, was it amazing.  But also it made me realize how I am too old to be out until midnight.  I am  dragging  today.   But nevertheless, it's Sunday and my list of to-dos isn't going away...no matter how many excuses I make. I've already checked breakfast (eggs, shredded potato hash, roasted cherry tomatoes, and an orange), Church, grocery shopping, and lunch (grilled steak salad) off my list.  Next up is meal prepping.  I've listed the things I plan to accomplish during food prep below---but check in on Instagram to see what I actually accomplish! This week's plan: Breakfast-  So I think I am going to combine our usual breakfast casserole with this new  recipe  that I came across.  I plan to do breakfast sausage, sweet potatoes and eggs, but mix in some compliant salsa before baking.  Sounds like a good Tex Mex breakfast.  I think I'll buy some extra avocado...

Warning:  This post is purely free advertising for a few of our favorite Whole30 products.  Beware that these are solely our opinions and based on our own Whole30 experience. There have been several products we have tried and not loved, but I would rather answer questions about those one on one. feel free to message me if there is something you are going to order or try that's not on this list and want to know if we've used it. 1.   Tessemae's Buffalo Sauce = thebomb.com Honestly, this has been a lifesaver when it comes to a dipping sauce for grilled chicken, wings, etc.  It is dairy free, sugar free, vegan, gluten free, kosher, and Whole30 compliant.  Plus, look at the ingredients.  There isn't anything in it that I can't pronounce or had to look up- Sunflower Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Aged Red Peppers, Distilled Vinegar, Sea Salt, Lemon Juice, Spices, Garlic, Organic Mustard. Just do yourself a favor and order a bottle---or 3.  2.  Nutpod...

This week had me like... On top of my can't see the light at the end of the tunnel  attitude right now, it has been raining relentlessly here.  We couldn't go to the Farmer's Market this morning and our backyard is a mess .  I'm beginning to feel a little like my old friend George. And because of that, I struggled with putting together this meal plan.  I am going to reach day 70 this week, so instead of reinventing the meal- I am going back to some old favorites with just a few newbies mixed in.   Breakfast: Breakfast Casserole (of course...if you are looking for new breakfast ideas---you came to the wrong place.  It's just too easy to not do---especially these last few weeks of school) Lunch:   Sunday- Deconstructed Hamburger Salad- I've been dreaming and drooling about this salad for a few weeks, so when we found grass fed beef on sale at Sprouts today- I knew we could pair it with some leftover produce and pantry staples we had at hom...

Day 60 has me feeling like... 60 days is no easy feat.  There have been plenty of times when I wanted to reach for a piece of candy...of even a piece of gum.  But I stayed strong and persevered because there are no shortcuts to being healthy. We are busy.  At any given time there is a load of laundry in the washer that has been ran multiple times (that's what happens when you forget it's there for a few days), dishes that need to be put away, and pets that haven't been fed.  Between working, parenting, and spousing, we are tired and generally the first thing that get pushed to the side is our focus on eating well and working out. But, there are no shortcuts to being healthy. If you've ever attempted a Whole30- or any lifestyle change- you know it can be daunting.  So many rules to abide by.  It's such a process...shop, put food away, cook, clean, workout, repeat.  Over and over again.  Plus it's not cheap.  Why is whole, nutritiou...

When I conquered day 30 I wasn't sure what my plan would be but I knew I wanted to keep going for as long as I could.  I felt great.  I liked the way I was beginning to look and the way my clothes were fitting.  I had energy and my workouts were feeling strong. Now guess what?!  Tomorrow is day 50 and I am still going! I survived our first camping weekend of the season without straying off program. I tried to keep things simple by making sure I had plenty of fruits and nuts for our time on the trails.  For breakfast I stuck with eggs, fruit, and compliant chicken/apple sausage.  I buy these at our neighborhood Walmart.  For dinner I made chicken kabobs with mushrooms, zucchini, squash, and onions.  They were yummy and super simple! Now looking ahead to this week's meal plan... Since we were camping we didn't make it to the Farmer's Market this weekend.  All of our shopping will be done at Sprouts. Breakfast:  Like I've said previo...

i did a whole30. give me a prize! ok, so maybe it's not the biggest of accomplishments, but it was an adventure. so how terrible was it? why did i do it? blah blah blah. let's knock out some of these easy ones right away: did it suck? what kind of dumbass question is that? of course it sucked. the entire plan is based on the idea that if the food is fast, cheap, and easy you can't eat it. no booze. oh and don't even chew gum. so pre-plan everything a million hours beforehand, don't eat ketchup because of evil sugar grams, and make sure you only buy lettuce from people who smell like hemp. why did you do it? i'm not sure. my wife was doing it and she hella peer pressured me i guess. did you lose weight? yes. i didn't keep  track until 7 or 10 days in but somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-15 lbs i believe. i know it was >10 lbs. will you do it again? probably. depriving yourself is fun in a subversive kind of way. how do you feel?! amaz...

This week is going to be tad less crazy than last week, but I only mapped out meals Saturday through Thursday.  We are picking up the camper and taking it for a stay-cation over the long Easter weekend.  It will be its 2017 maiden voyage.  I'm hoping the sun will start showing its shining face again before then! We woke up this morning to BEAUTIFUL weather.  The sun was actually shining!  Ry spent the night with grandma and grandpa last night so Tyler and I had a chance to run to the LS Farmer's Market before picking him up.  After picking up a few things at the market and looking through what we already had stockpiled, I mapped out meals for the week: Breakfast- Ya'll I know this is the same recipe I have posted for the last 2 weeks, but it is so versatile!  Honestly, you could throw any veggies or meat you have in the fridge into this casserole!  This week I think I am going to try to throw in a few more veggies---maybe some kale and onion...