Blog
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.
Turkey Time: Now and Later
Hardcore turkey season is upon us, so how can you make the most of this famous holiday bird? With some planning, you can enjoy all parts for many weeks after the main event. I hate to leave good food “on the table”, so to speak!
Quick Meals for a Relaxed Summer
This week we are kicking off a new series all about our go-to meals for summer. In the summer I like to have more time outside looking after my plants and flowers and I tend to travel more often as well. I’ve shared before that cooking is something I really enjoy, but I also like to have quick meals that do not require much cooking so that I have time to relax and enjoy a slower pace.
Extra Rice?
Last week Anna shared about our recipe of the month – Vegetable Fried Rice. I enjoy making that recipe for my family, but I always end up with extra cooked rice. Thankfully, there are many ways to use leftover cooked rice. Before we get started on those, I would like to thank our friends at AnswerLine for providing the tips below for safe storage of cooked rice:
My Top 3 Reasons to Roast a Chicken
Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite meal to cook. I love the smell of a roasting turkey and making multiple meals with the leftovers is the best. One downside to roasting a turkey is that it takes several hours, and whole turkeys are harder to find at the store after the holidays. Having two young kids, I need quick meals that don’t require many ingredients yet provide me with leftovers to use throughout the week. Cue roasted chicken! Roasting a whole chicken is easy and helps me create several meals from one dish. The aroma while it cooks is a bonus 😊.
Preventing Food Waste at Jody’s House
Over the past few weeks you have heard lots of great ideas from Christine, Justine, and Katy on how they prevent food waste in their homes. As we wrap up our series today, I will share a few things we do at my house to prevent food waste.
Meal Planning Tips for Easy and Healthy Meals
There are sixteen days until my kids start school! Along with school starting, my kids will also be starting football, dance, and piano so our schedule is going to get busy. One thing that helps me feel less stressed when life gets busy is meal planning. By spending 30 minutes on the weekend planning meals for the week, I spend less time worrying about what we will eat for supper each night. I know my family isn’t the only one looking ahead to a busy fall, so today I wanted to share three tips I use when meal planning that you might find helpful.
Enjoying Cooking for One
As a single person cooking for one, my goals are straightforward: eat healthy, maintain weight, take minimal time, and create little waste. Also, enjoy my food as I do love to eat! I travel frequently for work so planning is important. Each weekend I look at my calendar and determine which days I will be home for meals. Then I make a quick trip to the grocery store for fresh food items and any staples I need to replace in the pantry. I keep the menu simple with a rotation of fish, poultry, beef, pork, and soups. Seasonings are used instead of sauces; baking and roasting instead of frying; simple preparation instead of complex recipes. I always prepare enough for two meals – one to eat immediately and one for the fridge or freezer. I grew up knowing you never waste food so I keep an eye on the refrigerator contents to easily see what needs used up before it goes bad. Or, if I’m going to be gone for several days I spend five minutes transferring items to freezer containers or making a mishmash meal. A small bowl of fruit sprinkled with cinnamon or a vegetable omelet are easy solutions. Lastly, I set the table even if it is just for myself.
