Clean eating breakfast, lunch and dinner menu + food prep!

It's 2 days before payday, and if you are a military spouse you know why I'm even mentioning that.  Payday is a day that most of us fear and the rest love.  I fear.  Its absolute madness at the commissary (the grocery store on military bases).  Yes we have H.E.B. and of course super walmart but those are just as bad, if not worse. 

Personally, if I have to wait until payday to go to the commissary I go early in the morning.  There's no rush and I can get in and out.  Of course I have to have a plan.  A list. A method.  Here's my method for the grocery store, including a meal plan. 

I start off by counting the number of days from payday to payday.  This keeps it safe, as far as having meals on the table.  Life in the army is all about planning and preparing.  This month I counted 15 days.  I write down our dinners first. I get my dinners from previous meals, pinterest and of course the blog world.  A lot of times its inspiration. This works for me because then I can plan breakfast and lunch around it with the food prep I do on Sundays.

  Starting with March 16th:

1. "Tofurky sausage" baked ziti
2. Corned beef and cabbage (Happy St. Paddy's day!!!!)
3. Turkey burgers w/ corn on the cob
4. Pizza
5. Cilantro lime fish tacos with guacamole and cabbage and carrot slaw
6. Whole wheat spaghetti with turkey meat sauce
7. Seared Scallops with pineapple fried rice
8. Turkey & bean stew
9. Tamales
10. Sweet shrimp with cauliflower and brown rice
11. Chicken skillet dinner
12. Quinoa & veggie stuffed "peppahs"
13. Spicy rigatoni with peas
14. Veggie Lasagna
15. Black bean & corn tacos

Now, here's the thing.   Sometimes I have to make 2 trips.  The reason being, produce.  I want to serve fresh produce and in order for me to do that I have to split the veggies on my list and go to the store to pick up the second half of produce the next week, unless I buy frozen or vegetables that keep longer.  Here's a trick- soak everything in a vinegar and water bath for about 20 minutes.  I've noticed that not only does it clean the produce but it also helps it last longer!   For those of you that don't want to do this, my suggestion is buying frozen.  I do that sometimes too, depends on how I'm feeling!

I make my lunch and breakfast plan on Sunday food prep.  Since I just started doing this, before I was just "winging" it.  It worked out for us because I stay at home while my husband works and I can come up with what to eat.  I understand this may be harder for those of you that work so I am strongly suggesting food prep!

Here's what my Sunday Food prep was like:

• Season to your liking 4 chicken breasts and bake int he oven on 375 for about 30 minutes
• Bake 4 sweet potatoes in the oven on 375 until soft (about 45 minutes)
• chop or dice all of you're veggies accordingly for dinners and salads ( I like to plan for at least 2 salads in the week, even if I use the veggies for something else, its always an option)
• cook about 2 cups of brown rice (also to use for lunches)
• cook 2 cups of quinoa
• separate all of you're prep into baggies or Tupperware (this is my favorite part!)
• Admire you're work, and then walk away.  Seriously, walk away, take a break, you deserve it!
• go back in the kitchen and find that you're sweet husband has done all the dishes for you....right. just kidding. But in all honesty, it's dishes and it can wait and is totally worth doing because you now have fresh, healthy, clean means for the whole week!

An idea of the breakfasts I make throughout the week:

• Sweet potato, avocado and poached eggs over toast
• chocolate, peanut butter quinoa
• blueberry, banana protein pancakes
• 4 ingredient peach pancakes (blog coming soon)
• scrambled egg whites with spinach, tomato and cheese
• egg white omelet with tomato & mozzarella
• banana protein muffins
• cleaned up french toast

I usually have to think about what I want to eat the night before.  I have 3 kids and a hungry man to feed.  I make sure I have all the ingredients the night before, and if I don't, then well I think of something else. 

Sample lunch ideas:

• leftover spaghetti with meat sauce
• spinach and romaine salad with beet, feta, mandarins and olive oil
• quinoa & kale pizza bites
• chicken, sweet potato and brown rice
• spinach & tuna wraps with olive oil
• Asian stir fry with whole wheat noodles, cabbage, carrots & sesame seeds
• hard boiled eggs with cucumber & spinach salad
• Cottage cheese and kale loaded sweet potato

Like with the breakfasts, I plan it the night before based on what we have on hand.  Sometimes it will be a little different but always with what we have!

I look at all the dinners, breakfasts, and lunches that I write down and start my list from there.
I then add basic necessities that we use every day like, Greek yogurt, fruits, eggs, milk, bread and granola, canned/ baking goods, frozen/ seafood, dairy, and finally non-food items.  If you are just starting out you may need to add spices, oil, and marinade/dressings to you're list:

• olive oil
• low sodium soy sauce
• sea salt
• black pepper
• adobo
• balsamic vinegar
• cumin
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• basil
• oregano

The I do a final draft and organize by produce,  canned/ dry goods, meat, dairy, and finally non food items.

This is what my final list looks like (keep in mind, this takes me about 2-3 days)






Sometimes I go to the commissary and HEB.  and Sometimes I just do 1 or the other.  If there are things I can't find at one store I of course have to go to the other store.

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.  I am always interested in suggestions!

Enjoy, and have fun!

-D

 

Healthy whole wheat strawberry white chocolate banana bread

After a short little hiatus I am glad to be back to my foodie blogger roots! I have been training for my first ever fitness competiton (!) So here I am after 8 weeks of intense weight lifting, dieting and mental torture... Ugh I'm telling you, I was literally carb depleted for most of it and I do NOT recommend that route. Anywho, tomorrow is my show so naturally I have been baking and freezing for the last couple days all in anticipation of a most glorious post competition CARBOHYDRATE REFUEL!!! yessssssss. So here is what I am most looking forward to, coincidentally it is baking in the oven and filling my house with the most amazing aromas of fall, sweetness and just plain out heavenly goodness the clean mama style. Gotta keep it healthy right?

2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 ripe bananas
6 medium strawberries
2 eggs
3 tbs honey
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbs white chocolate chips (Can sub any other mix ins)

Start by preheating you're oven to 350 and greasing a bread loaf pan.

In a large bowl whisk and set aside: flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl mash together remaining ingredients except white chocolate chips.

Mix in just until moistened dry mix to the wet mix and fold in chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.
Maybe try topping it with some almond butter or cinnamon butter :)

Enjoy!
-D