Getting Organized in the Kitchen

So it's Sunday evening and I have had a real Sabbath.  Meaning in the literal sense of the word (Sabbath) I did NO work  today other than I just threw a load of towels into the dryer.  I rested all day after attending church.  (I even had a crockpot meal all ready for when we returned home). 

And in resting today, I decided that this upcoming school year will not be full of crazy, hectic days during the work week. I really miss working part time but I can't complain about my Assistant Teacher hours. It gives me the best of both worlds:  teaching special needs children with out the paperwork and most meetings, and being home for my daughter and managing my home.  But, I found that sometimes I was not getting in a good work-out or that my weekends were consumed with errands and household chores.  

So, I am starting to put some things on paper to examine our schedules and ministry duties.

My husband is actually thinking of taking a Sabbatical from his youth group duties with the junior high teens.

I am still leading the moms small group and I have more women in the group this year.  I will have 8 women and 2-3 meetings per month to prepare for. 

One of the things I have decided to get back into doing, is having a weekly menu plan so that my grocery shopping goes smoother and quicker, and so that I can have a good plan for the week without having to run to the deli all the time at the last minute, an hour before dinner time!

I am also going to carve out 30 minutes a day to work out.  Every day.  Even in the winter.  I used to do just 3-4 days a week but I'm learning from my Natural Health magazine that daily workouts are better.  So....I'll be fitting those in right after work or on the weekends in the early morning.  I love working out but winter is difficult for me as many of my workouts take place outside.  At any rate, this new goal I have should be interesting...I can't wait to see what life will be like on this new adventure!

Here's my upcoming weekly menu.  Some times I swap meal plans, meaning what I scheduled for Tuesday might not get made until Thursday due to schedule changes, etc.  For the most part, I stick to a schedule so that my family knows what to expect.  I don't run a restaurant and they know that if there is something on the menu they don't like, they can make their own meal that evening.

This week will be our oldest daughter's last week at home.  She has to return to college on Saturday!  She is an Orientation Crew Leader, meaning she will be leading a group of freshmen around campus and the city of Boston for an entire week.  She even has to eat dinner with them, where each team has their own table and centerpiece.  She will lead devotions, etc. as well.  It will be good experience for her.  

Because it's her last week with us until Christmas, I decided to make her favorite dinners for the week.

Here's the plan:

Sunday:  Slow Cooker Homemade Sloppy Joes with Bison meat, Tossed Salad, Corn Chips, Pineapple Salsa

Monday:  Grilled BBQ Chicken, Garlic Parmesan Whole Wheat Orzo, Steamed fresh Green Beans (from our favorite farm) with Herbed Butter, Cucumber/Tomato Salad

Tuesday:  Baked Ziti, Spinach Salad, Chocolate-Vanilla Parfaits

Wednesday:  Sisterly Salad (a recipe that the girls created this summer), Melon Berry Fruit Cups, Garlic Bread (Sunflower bread for me), local Corn on the Cob

Thursday: Grilled Tilapia, Fresh Broccoli Salad,  Fresh Fruit Platter

Friday: Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken, Rice with Chives, Steamed Pea Pods

(out for ice cream later in the evening)

Saturday:  Dinner in Boston!

I have recently given up white carbs so serving garlic bread to my family is gonna be a challenge for me. I am thankful that one of my favorite bakeries in town sells a sunflower bread that I can have a slice of, in place of the garlic bread. I do love bread.....it's been ok so far though in giving up Italian bread.  I'm simply replacing it with whole grain/flaxseed bread or the sunflower bread and eating only 1 sandwich a week.  My lunches tend to be a little bit of protein (hummus or deli ham) with whole grain crackers or pita chips, plus a berry mix of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries or watermelon, plus carrot sticks or yogurt with granola and flax meal.

photo courtesy of dreamstime

I need lunch ideas though for going back to work.

Care to share what you eat for lunch (besides salad)?  I always have salad fixings on hand but don't like to pack salad every single day. I tend to eat salad for lunch 2-3 times a week.  I do need some ideas. (going out to lunch is not a choice for me during the work week as I only am allowed 30 minutes).

What are some menu ideas you have?  What's on your dinner menu this week?