It's been more than a week that Andy and I have foregone fast food. And do you know what? We're doing great!
This has forced me to be more intentional about meals. I have to pack my husband's lunch the night before. I have to set out our breakfast. I have to bring a sandwich with me when I'm on the road. I have to know what I'm making for dinner the night before. And I have to start our dinner during the boys' nap. That's a lot of have tos, I know. But I cannot even begin to explain how much easier it is when it's all planned out!
Now that we're not snacking as much as before, we're HUNGRY when it's time for supper! So I like to have it (mostly) ready when Andy comes home. Doing it while the boys nap is the easiest solution for me. My toddlers love to watch me cook, but it's not always realistic to have four little arms grabbing at the stove or the large butcher knife when you're trying to put it all together. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather relax, blog, or do crafts during their nap. But we've decided that eating well is a priority for our family, so this is what I've decided to do. I prep it in the afternoon, then set it aside. If it's a CrockPot meal, it's a no-brainer. But if it's something that goes in the oven, I just watch the time and it only takes a moment to preheat the oven and pop my ready-to-go dish inside. When Andy comes home, I finish working on the sides and dinner's on the table 15 minutes later!
Here's a favorite I made last night. A real winner. Andy's eating the leftovers for lunch today.
Mexican Lasagna
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. can petite-cut diced tomatoes
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
1-4 oz. can diced mild green chilies
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
*8 oz. sour cream
*1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
*flour tortillas, large package
Brown beef and onion in pan, then drain grease. Add all but starred ingredients. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Place ¼ cup of meat mixture in 9x13” pan. Reserve ½ cup of meat mixture. Cover with tortillas, then meat, then cheese. Repeat until finished (about three layers). Before adding last layer of tortillas, spread with sour cream. Put on last layer of tortillas and place reserved sauce of tortillas. Bake at 350* for 25-35 minutes.
I also made peas and green beans with it and my boys seemed to enjoy that along with the cooked tortillas!
Now, if I can only lay off the Halloween candy, I might be losing a little more weight... ;)
Congrats on your progress Mindy! I know how hard it is to lose weight for sure. I gained 80 pounds between my two pregnancies and have about 40 left to get off. It is hard work and I am rooting for you all the way!!!
ReplyDeleteYumm!! I may be making this for dinner tonight! And I totally agree, its very hard to get cooking done with little hands reaching onto the counter. And I only have 1 set of little hands (my other 2 sets are good about leaving me alone while cooking). :) Thanks for all the fantastic recipes and ideas! Keep um coming! :)
ReplyDeleteI've been really happy since deciding not to eat fast food, too, but it does take more planning even for someone without two toddlers. It's been a lot of fun to scour my cookbooks and buy unfamiliar ingredients. Keep it up!
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