Blog
Spring into Action in Your Kitchen
With (slightly) warmer temperatures and longer days, I view spring as a season for new opportunities and renewal. Trees are beginning to bud, birds are building their nests, and flowers are starting to bloom. All the newness that comes with spring brightens my mood and brings a new level of motivation- motivation I desperately need when it comes to deep cleaning my home!
Stuffed Peppers: A Delicious Twist on Pasta Night!
Pasta is a fan favorite at our house. I love the flexibility of pasta and how I can use a variety of sauces, cheeses, noodles, and even protein. Thankfully our daughters enjoy pasta, so some form of a pasta dish ends up on our meal plan at least 1-2 times a week. To switch it up, I love using the Stuffed Peppers recipe on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. This recipe provides the same flavors as our favorite pasta dishes, but with a fun twist!
Simplifying Meal Planning with Young Kids
Do you find yourself debating a drive-thru run after work and activities on busy evenings? If you answered yes, you are not alone! As a mom of two young kids, I feel like I spend quite a bit of time during the week as the family’s taxi driver. Occasionally we pull into a quick restaurant for a convenient meal after activities, but I have really tried to prioritize meal planning at home. Cooking at home is more cost effective for my family and ensures that my kids are eating well balanced meals.
Extra Sweet Memories
I have fond memories of the holidays as a child and now that I have two young daughters of my own, creating that same Christmas magic has been such a joy! Our oldest daughter is six and she’s starting to remember a lot of our holiday traditions. She remembers specific decorations that need to be unboxed, fun holiday events we do every year, and she even remembers special foods that we prepare that aren’t typically on our family’s menu. Read below to hear about a few of her favorites!
Embracing Fall Flavors! The Underrated Delight of Brussels Sprouts
I love fall produce! There is something so comforting about roasting root vegetables and baking apples as the weather begins to shift. Starting in November, I find myself adding Brussels sprouts to my grocery list at least every other week, sometimes weekly, depending on my meal plan! Brussels sprouts are high in Vitamins A and C which are known to help your immune system. With two young kids at home, I am always looking for foods that will help me build my immune system to fight off those fall and winter viruses!
Rooting for Turnips! Embracing a New Favorite in Our Kitchen
When my husband and I were newly married, I was working late one evening and asked him to prepare the Sloppy Joes recipe on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. The recipe calls for an onion and my husband, thinking he was grabbing an onion from the produce drawer in the fridge, chopped up a turnip and added it to the meat and vegetable mixture. To both of our surprise, it was actually really good! We had a good laugh that he couldn’t distinguish a turnip from an onion, and I realized that I could become more adventurous with turnips than simply roasting them.
The ‘Colorful’ Plate
Before my daughters were born, I pictured myself making elaborate homemade meals to fill their plates with a variety of foods. I’m 6 years into being a mom and to be honest, feeding my two kids can be tough, especially when they are often choosy eaters! My own expectations of feeding my kids have changed as time has gone on. The older my girls get the harder it is to get them to eat a variety of foods. We often go through phases where they love a specific food one week and then turn up their nose to it the next.
Sweet Snacks for Sweet Moments
Recently a friend of mine welcomed their third baby. When my husband and I brought our oldest home from the hospital six years ago, we had several friends and family drop off meals and snacks as we transitioned to becoming new parents. Not having to worry about meal planning those first few weeks was so helpful as we navigated sleepless nights and new routines. With my friend bringing home their third, figuring out what to feed their two older children could have been quite the chore!
Giving New Life to Leftovers
I am a big fan of eating leftovers for lunch. I find that most dishes even taste better the second or third time after they have had a chance to marinate in the fridge. If you have been following Spend Smart. Eat Smart., you likely know that I am a fan of both pizza and tacos. I almost always have the ingredients for those dishes on hand, and I rarely get tired of eating them.
The Perfect Summer Treat
With summer in full swing, my kids enjoy having a cold treat when we get home from a walk or the pool. If it were up to my oldest, who is 5, she would love to have popsicles or ice cream cones every day. As a compromise, we make Frozen Pudding Sandwiches to keep in the freezer when we want a frozen treat. The combination of peanut butter and pudding is tasty and filling.
Making (Messy!) Memories
I have fond memories of cooking and baking with my mom as a child. Some of my favorite kitchen memories include baking muffins and cookies, and making homemade beach plum jelly with fruit we would handpick from the beach. Being one of four kids, spending time with my mom in the kitchen allowed for quality one on one time, and now that I have children of my own, I see just how valuable that time can be.
Pizza Made Easy
Whenever I get asked what my favorite foods are, pizza is at the top of my list with tacos being a close second. There are so many options for pizza that I could write it into my meal plan several times in one week and not get tired of eating it. When I have a hankering for a slice (or two!), especially for lunch, Pizza Boats are a quick way for me to satisfy that craving.
