I am the first to admit… I don’t belong in the kitchen; you can ask my kids. Cooking never came naturally to me. I can follow a recipe, but I can’t walk into a kitchen and just create a meal. With homeschooling, there is a lot of food/meals to be made. It is a full-time job in itself; throw in homeschooling and life… talk about exhausting!! Anyone else relate?
Do you ever get to the point that enough is enough?? That is where I am and why I am creating this page. I am tired/done with fast food runs/convenient foods and overspending. It is unhealthy and merely a bad habit that we creep into, mainly because of the ease, convenience, and addiction to the ingredients in these foods. It is making us sick!! It needs to come to an end!…
One thing I need is organization. I need a list of meals that we all like, preferably quick/simple, sprinkling in healthier fixes/options; continually learning and improving. I know, for me, I need to keep a positive mindset and stay focused on the benefits. This will be my motivation to persevere.
So, below I am compiling a list of our favorites with side notes and more, kind of like an online recipe box. Just like this journey, this page will continually grow and change.
Coffee/Tea
Golden Vanilla Honey Latte I absolutely LOVE this! I can’t drink my coffee any other way now; it tastes that good! Worth noting… since using this my chronic, lower-back pain is gone!! I feel like I’m in my mid-20’s again! I’ve also noticed a significant decrease in the severity of my sinus infection with a quicker recovery. If you have time, research the health benefits of Turmeric. I am officially sold on it. Side note: I have not tried the Black Pepper in this recipe.
Breakfast
Banana Cottage Cheese Pancakes with a side of raspberries. These are high in protein and flourless. Love all the options she provides to change them up. So far I have only used frozen bananas. I find the batter VERY sticky. I am going to try ripe, non-frozen bananas next time to see if that helps the texture.
Kodiak Muffins (double dark chocolate). I know, I know… this isn’t the healthiest, but they are SO good. Sometimes we just need chocolate for breakfast!! I love to eat these with raspberries. The boys also like to eat them with Kefir.
More…
- 35 Quick Breakfast Ideas for Extra Busy Mornings – As time goes, I’m finding myself drawn to her recipes. My kids are also really liking them.
- 100 Days of Real Food Breakfast Recipes – This is great for those that like a visual recipe list/index. The lunch version is linked below if you are interested.
Lunch
Chicken Salad from The Pioneer Woman. I like to use yogurt instead of sour cream. I also like to put down a layer of greens on the sourdough. The first time I made it, I used a rotisserie chicken. It made things easier/quicker.
More…
- 57 Healthy Lunches for Kids
- 100 Days of Real Food Lunch Recipes – This is great for those that like a visual recipe list/index. The breakfast version is linked above if you are interested.
- 360+ Healthy School Lunch Ideas
- 20 Nutritious Cold Lunch Ideas for Kids, Approved by a Dietitian
Dinner
Buffalo Chicken Wraps To make this one even quicker, you can purchase the premade coleslaw mix. If you are looking for a healthier tortilla, here are two alternatives… I like Siete Tortillas (my local Kroger carries these as an 8-count pack in the freezer section). If you have time/prefer homemade, we really like 100 Days of Real Food Whole Wheat Tortillas.
Salisbury Steak from The Pioneer Woman did NOT disappoint! I like to make it with a side of mashed potatoes and veggies.
Baked Crispy Chicken with Caramelized Onions & Tomatoes from the Pioneer Woman.
Spaghetti Squash