Mmmm: Sweet Potato and Chicken Sauté

I haven't written a "Minimalist Meals for Many Mouths" post in quite a while, but last night's dinnertime #win was worth a repeat and a blog post.

Josh and I are wrapping up a 41 day "diet" called The Makers Diet by Jordan Rubin. The book is a MUST READ and the diet is biblically based.  We may be almost done with the program, but we intend to keep this lifestyle going as our new norm.

I have been cooking based off of this diet and tweaking it to fit the kids needs (and pallets), but they are really beginning to enjoy the Romaine Lettuce Wraps (vs. rice) and Tuna (Chicken)/Avacado Salad (vs. bread and deli meat).

Many of the meals we have consumed over the past month and a half haven't been that far from what we normally eat, so don't think it's all that crazy!

Here is what we had last night:

Diced Sweet potatoes sautéed in grass fed cow's butter with a dash of salt and pepper.  Then I added some chicken that I had cooked the day before in fresh cut rosemary, basil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. (HERE is where I get our yummy spices)

Then I made some Okra sautéed in butter, salt and pepper.

Very filling, budget friendly for all family sizes and all the kids loved it (minus Rainy, but that's because she would live off of cheese, chicken and pretzels if I allowed it, ha!).

Meal Prep - a little motivation and a brand new system

Meals are one of my anxiety triggers.  I know, that sounds so silly, but I'm just being completely honest.  Trying to keep our pantry stocked and my family fed is a never ending process.  And then there is the trying-to-figure-out-what-to-eat-for-dinner question that always makes me feel panicky if I'm not prepared.

I grew up with a full-time working mama who made it a priority to feed us well.  We spend many nights eating crock-pot dinners in the teacher's lounge after a long day of school and activities.  She taught me to grocery shop in bulk and plan ahead.

And I was pretty good at it for a while.  I remember sitting on the front porch with my notebook and recipe box planning out our meals every month.  But then we kept adding kids and life just got in the way.  Feeding my family healthy home cooked meals is still a priority for me but I neglected to be proactive about it so it became a constant struggle and stressor.

So when my friend, Magan, posted a photo of her meal-prep day last month it triggered some pretty good motivation.  She is a full-time teacher, wife and mommy to two.  She HAS to be on top of her game in order to get her family fed and her budget in check.  Her post was just the motivation I needed to get my butt back into gear and figure out a new system for this large family that never seems to get full.

So with her fresh motivation and my mama's example I think I figured out something that will work for my family in this season.

1 - I grab my calendar, my computer (because Pinterest) and my menu board.

2 - I list out the next two weeks (that is all I can wrap my head around, plus our budget will only allow for 2-weeks worth of groceries at a time).  I write if it needs to be a quick fix or crock-pot night and then place the weekly traditional meals on my list so I know that those are already covered (i.e. homemade Pizza/Movie night)

3 - I only have a  handful of recipe cards that we use now because the internet has completely taken over.  But sometimes I find it's hard to find my favorite recipes.  This is where Pinterest comes in handy.  I create a board for the month's meals.  That way I know exactly where to go for my recipe each night and I only have to sift through a few to find it.  After I use it I move the recipe to my other folder for "Cooking Repeats" or nix it if we ended up feeding it to the chickens because it was a recipe #fail.  (but of course that NEVER happens, ahem).

4 - I write the meals in the appropriate slots on my calendar (with a note as to where the recipe is...cook book, card or Pinterest) and add the next weeks meals to my menu board for easy access.

5 - Next I get two grocery lists going.  One for the big trip to get the ingredients to put the meals together as much as possible beforehand, and then a list for the next week to get the final ingredients or produce we might need for sides that might not keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

6 - Go shopping.

7 - Come home and do as much prep for each meal as I can.  That means prepping the meat, ziploc bagging up the ingredients to throw in a crockpot, mixing spices with the meat for swedish meatballs or prepping a side such as cole slaw.

So far this system has been a HUGE stress relief when it comes to dinner.  I KNOW what I'm making each night, I have the biggest prep work done and with minimal prep time during homework/piano lessons in the evening we have much happier hearts all around.

Mmmm...

BAKED NACHOS

This is a Colony favorite!

There are a lot of positives about this meal.

You can make it with whatever you have on hand.

It can be made gluten free and/or dairy free if you want.

This particular night we used spanish rice but you could use any kind of rice 

or Quinoa or whatever you have on hand

but it is totally optional as well.

You can make your own corn chips or use store bought.

These are homemade chips made with corn tortillas, salt and pepper.

This is what the final product looks like

This dish is great for using up all the leftovers in the house so feel free to scrounge the frig and pantry to add your own favorites.

Ingredients We Frequently Use:

Avocados

Chicken (separated into pieces)

Black olives

Corn

Black Beans

Onions

Garlic

Tomatos

Cheese

Ranch dip made with a dry ranch packet and plain greek yogurt

Broth

***pretty much whatever you want to add***

Spray the bottom of your pan
layer with chips
add mixture

Heat the oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.
Yum.

Mmmm... ~ French Toast

I haven't done one of my "minimalist meals for many mouths" posts in a while.

Quick recap: these are shared to inspire families of all shapes and sizes, but mostly the small colonies like our own.  Frugal, healthy(ish), quick meals that can fill even the most stubborn of bellies, with the emphasis on quick, easy and FILLING!

French Toast and Bacon

our kids alone eat an entire pack of bacon

(but if I fixed 3 packs I have no doubt that it would be completely consumed as well)

This is a special treat, and any kind can be used.

the french toast idea was given to us by another large family

(thanks Mayhugh's)

we easily go through a loaf and a half of bread for our entire family.

It's whole grain and has no high fructose corn syrup, so there's that, ha!

We soak the bread slices in whisked eggs

(at LEAST a dozen is needed for our family)

spray a skillet or wok with cooking spray

(I make my own blend of olive oil and water, so we aren't cooking propane into our food)

sprinkle cinnamon/sugar on the toast while it cooks

slice into pieces with a pizza cutter

this has quickly become a new favorite among the Colony kids.

(PS-Mom, please note the placement of the blender. 

No more climbing into a cabinet to wrestle this bad boy out;)

Make It Something To Grab

Life gets busy, ya know?

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, or work outside the home, or are newly married, or are about to take your mid-terms, life just gets busy.

And a lot of times the first thing to be neglected is food (and sleep).

At least for me anyway.

I get so tired of scurrying around the kitchen fixing 5 plates of happiness for the taste buds (you like that?) that by the time I sit down I don't want to fix myself anything to eat.

It's a terrible excuse, I know, but most of the time I just want to heat something up or go grab a handful of something out of the pantry, and we all know that those kinds of foods most likely are NOT in the 100-calarie department.

And then you'll find yourself in front of the mirror in the dressing room trying on new bathing suits and...
ahem, hypothetically speaking...anyway,

You get the picture.

But then I came across this blog!

It has been a great catalyst for being more proactive in conducing a healthy environment in my kitchen.

So, I thought I'd share my research with you.

Picture a nice springtime Saturday cold, rainy Saturday with the sounds of children playing happily in the background fighting over Mickey Mouse sunglasses and Elmo slippers, while I merrily therapudically chop produce...

I did a little research (because everything on google search is totally accurate) on the best ways to store prepared produce and decided to slice and dice what I had on hand.

HOMEMADE RINSE

1 part vinegar to 10 parts water

ORANGES

slice and store in airtight container

BLUEBERRIES

rinse and pat dry

i used the same container and placed a paper towel on the bottom to absorb excess water

EGGS

I've mentioned this before, I hard boil a dozen at a time to have them on hand

STRAWBERRIES

trim the tops off

rinse and pat dry

just like the blueberries, place back in original container with paper towel on the bottom

ONIONS

slice and dice a bag of onions

I froze the diced ones for future cooking

I stored the sliced ones in an airtight container

CARROTS

scrub the outer layer (I don't peel them)

rinse and pat dry

cut to snack size

cover with water and store in an airtight container

CELERY

rinse and pat dry

cut to snack size

wrap in a paper towel and place in saran wrap or produce bag

CUCUMBERS

peel

slice

wrap in saran wrap and place in airtight container

GRAPES

rinse

take off the stem

store in an airtight container

RESULTS

I've been very impressed.

Everything still tastes and feels fresh!

(Actually, I can't speak for the blueberries. They were consumed in less than 24 hr.)

I have opted for healthy eating and snacking since it is just as easy as grabbing a handful of goldfish or chips.

Meal preparation time has been cut significantly.

And THAT, my friends, makes this whole experiment worth it.

Moral of the story:

By making "it" something to grab, you can make "it" something to grab.

Chew on that for a while;)

Mmmm...Apple Cinnamon Ham

This one is from my mama's kitchen!

What You Need:

2 Cinnamon Sticks

Apple Juice

Enough ham to feed your colony

Preparation:

Place your ham into the crockpot.

Fill 2/3 of the pot with apple juice.

Place a couple of cinnamon sticks in the juice.

Turn the crockpot on low to cook all day.

Yummy, cheap, quick and goes with tons of sides that you can find around the house:)

Mmmm...MIY Trail Mix

We like to make our own trail mix.

It's simple, healthy and way cheaper than buying it already made.

I've found Aldi to have most of these ingredients for super cheap.

What You Need:

Pretty much anything you want to add to your own mix.

Make it your own and get creative!

Here are some of our favorites:

craisins

pistachios

almonds

cashews

chocolate chips

pretzels

sunflower seeds

flax seed

butterscotch chips

coconut 

(TIP: roast the coconut in the oven so the sticky goes away - Thanks Patience;)

Well If You're Gonna Buy Organic...

...you should at least figure out which things are worth shelling out the extra dough on!

There is NO need to go "all organic", unless you just really have a few hundred extra bucks sitting around for groceries.

In my quest to find the healthiest, most cost efficient, way to feed the colony I've compiled a list (from several different sources) of which foods to buy organic and which ones are fine to buy...uhhhh..."unorganic":)

Now, this isn't to say that we buy these certain foods organically 100% of the time.  We firmly believe that we can do the best we can, with the budget we have been given, and the Lord will honor that!

Foods To Buy Organically:

apples

celery

strawberries

peaches

spinach

nectarines

grapes

peppers

potatoes

blueberries

lettuce

kale

collard greens

fatty meats

milk (and milk products)

cucumbers

eggs

beans

coffee

wine

chocolate

There is NO NEED to buy these foods as organic:

broccoli

onions

corn

pineapple

avocado

asparagus

sweet peas

mango

eggplant

cantaloupe (try to buy this domestically though)

kiwi

cabbage

watermelon

sweet potatoes

grapefruit

mushrooms

bananas

papaya

One more thing to note - the cheapest place I've found to buy organic and healthy food is Trader Joe's.  In fact, I just got my big groceries there this week and spent $125 which is no less than I would have spent anywhere else (even with coupons) because we have pretty much cut out snack foods, boxed meals, boxed vegetables and boxed and processed foods.  If I were to spend $125/week for a whole month I would actually be staying in my grocery budget a month for a family of 7!  Not too shabby.

I also do ALDI for just about everything else on my list.

Mmmm... Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

I am the farthest thing from a good food blogger,

hence the absence of the enticing pictures,

but I do enjoy sharing quick, 

easy and healthy meals to feed the many mouths that make up this colony:)

Tasha's Tasty Chicken w/ Sweet Potato Side

What you need:

Enough Chicken Breasts to feed your family

Olive Oil (or cooking spray)

Onions

1 other vegetable (Red peppers, Green peppers, Carrots, etc.)

Sweet Potatoes

Directions:

Bake Sweet Potatoes until super yummy

Saute Vegetables

Add the Chicken and saute until the outside is cooked

Spoon into a pan and cook at 350 until cooked through

Super tasty, super easy, super healthy, super cheap, relatively quick and enjoyed by all!

MMMM - Homemade Popcorn

So, these have turned more into recipes for healthy, homemade snacks than for main meals, but whatever, snacks are what make a household happy:)

Homemade Popcorn

Here's What You Need:

1/4 cup corn kernels

brown paper bags

seasoning if you want (salt, sugar, butter, etc.)

Here's What You Do:

Let the kids dish out 1/4 cup of kernels in each bag

Add whatever seasonings you like

(we like a few smidges of sugar OR a tiny bit of butter and salt)

Fold the bag closed a couple of times

Lay it on its side in the microwave

Heat for 1 1/2 minutes

ENJOY!

Mmmm... - Chapatti

We've added another side dish to go along with our Uganda Rice and Beans night.

Chapatti is a staple in Uganda as well.

It is super cheap and fairly easy to make.

Everything you need is pictured below:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup all-purpose Flour

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt (optional)

3/4 - 1 cup Warm Water

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the wheat and white flour together w/ salt in bowl w/ wooden spoon.
Add the oil and warm water.  Just enough to make it doughy but not sticky.
Lightly flour the countertop with some whole wheat flour.
Knead the dough until smooth.
Divide into 10 pieces and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
 Heat skillet w/ oil over medium high heat.
Lightly flour rolling pin and surface and roll out the balls until flat.
When the pan starts smoking add a piece of Chapatti.
It will take about 30 sec. to bubble and brown and then flip it over.
Repeat for each of the 10 pieces.

Tips:

Don't roll out the chapatti too thin.
The oil needs to get really hot to make the bread bubble and brown.

Make sure you add enough oil in between each piece and let it heat up a few seconds.

Turn the vent fan on...it gets pretty "smoky"

You can roll your rice and beans inside of them like a burrito.

You can eat them with eggs in the morning for breakfast.

You can make a sandwich wrap with them for lunch.

MMMM - Ugandan Rice And Beans

Ugandan Beans And Rice

Here's another meal to add to my new segment on the ol' blog - Minimalist Meals For Many Mouths

This meal is a staple for the Ugandans.  Josh and I want to help be reminded of, not only our time there, but of the people that remain.  The majority of the world lives on food like this, many times being the only meal they get that day (or week for that matter) and we don't want to soon forget.  We also want to incorporate things from Alethia's culture.  So, we've decided that we are going to make this meal every week.  No dessert or extras (except Pineapple and/or Chapati, which are common staples as well) on this night, as it is a night for remembering.

Here are all the ingredients you need to make a hearty, healthy, affordable meal for your family.

Ingredients:

Jasmine Rice - 

This bag was around $7 and we only use 1 1/2 Cups a meal

Dry Red Kidney Beans - 

Under $2/bag - I bought 3 bags and it has lasted about 5 meals

Cabbage -

About $1-$2 depending on sales - 1 head lasts 3 meals

Garlic

Tomatoes -

$.50-$1

Carrots -

$1/bag - lasts about 3 meals - You'll need 3 carrots, chopped

Royco Spice - 

This can be found in Uchumi, the market in Kampala

BUT if you don't make it out that way very often;)

You can order it HERE

About $8 w/ Shipping and lasts several meals - You'll need 4 TBSP

Desired amount of diced onion (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1 - Place beans in pot w/ 4 cups of water and let soak over night

2 - Drain when it's time to begin preparing dinner

3 - Place 3 cups of water in beans and let boil, then simmer for 45 minutes to an hour

4 - Make the rice

5 - Chop the cabbage and carrots (and onions)

6 - Saute Cabbage and carrots (and onions) in some olive oil and
then add the tomatoes (w/ juice) and garlic

7 - When beans are done add the Royco spice and let simmer 5 more minutes

8 - Add the vegetables to the beans and let cook for 5-10 more minutes.

9 - Eat it and ENJOY!

10 - But don't forget to thank the Lord for his ever present provisions:)

Health Benefits:

Cabbage - cholesterol lowering, and cancer fighting

Carrots - can greatly lower your risk cancer, stroke and heart disease

great for improving your vision

Beans - high in protein, energy booster, improves digestive tract 

(among other benefits)

Rice - rich in carbs for energy, low in sodium, cholesterol free,

reduces cancer and heart disease

MMMM - Intro.

Minimalist Meals for Many Mouths

A family of seven.

That's what we are now.

We have also been watching what we eat in a whole different way.  Josh got this cool app on his phone to calculate his calories and it also calculates what you need more of, like protein or iron, so this has added a whole new twist on the grocery budget and shopping.

I feel as though I'm finally getting my groove back, though.  I have been cutting coupons and beginning to re-stock our pantry, but I have realized that we needed to get practical and realistic.

We are really seeing that "little" really is "more"!

We don't have to have extravagant meals to be healthy and to get in the kinds of foods that we need while still filling all of our bellies, we just have to get creative.

So, with all that said, I decided it would be fun to start a category for posts that highlight our meals/snacks/foods that make our bodies healthy, our tummy's full and our pocket-book happy:)

So, here is our first MMforMM:

Hard boiled eggs.  

Yup, that is it!  We have a family just down the road with a farm.  They have been selling us their eggs and they are yummy!  We can get a dozen, brown, organic eggs for $1.50.  We have been going through 2-3 dozen eggs a week.  We can use them in all three meals or for a simple, healthy snack.  ALL the kids love them...you can't beat that!

I usually boil a dozen eggs as soon as we get home with them and put them in a bowl in the refrigerator.  The kids will eat one with lunch, or we'll cut one up in our salad or just grab one to go for a snack.

Allowing the littles to crack and de-shell their own eggs is also a fun activity that keeps them occupied long enough for you to fix your own plate!

Health Facts:
Eggs are rich in Vitamin B (specifically B12), and protein.  They also help fight memory loss, are good for your heart and help our eyes.  It doesn't hurt that they are low-carb either.