Monday: Beef Tenderloin, Pear and Cranberry salad (recipe to come later this week!)
Tuesday: Spaghetti Meat Sauce over whole wheat pasta; garden salad
Wednesday: Chicken Caesar Salad with carrots, celery, cucumbers and locally bought lettuce (for some reason I can’t find the recipe online anymore so guess I’ll need to do a post for it myself at some point–it is a freezer meal!)
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: out to eat
Sunday: TBA

What are you cooking this week? For more great ideas and inspiration, check out these link over at OrgJunkie.com!

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First, I’ve added some new tabs like the Eating The Alphabet pull-down menu tab and Online Meal Planning Services tab. Now it should be easier to find past posts on themes that you all are interested in learning more about. I’m hoping to do some more Meal Planning Service reviews this year–there are over 30 online services available! Also, if there are any tabs that you might find handy, you can contact me here or by posting a question on my Facebook or Twitter page (see below for details).

Secondly, for those of you that follow me with Google Friend Connect (GFC), this service will no longer be available as of March 1st (that’s Thursday this week!) for all the non-Blogger blogs published online. And that includes Meal Planning Magic. So if you’re using GFC to keep up-to-date with Meal Planning Magic, you’ll need to find a new way to stay connected.

The good news is you have lots of options—and you can certainly do more than one!

HOW TO CONNECT WITH MEAL PLANNING MAGIC

Linky Followers Widget:
I have replaced the GFC Widget on here with this widget, which can be located on the right hand column of this blog. You must sign up for this service in order to start following. It is free and totally confidential. Just by poking around so far with it, I can tell you that it offers the same service as Google Friend Connect. It will allow you to follow this blog, and others if you choose.

“Like” My Blog on Facebook:
My Facebook Page is an extension of this blog and really a big place to join in the conversation. I ask an (almost) daily question, share links from other bloggers and news stories and of course, post links when I have a new blog post. It’s a fun way to connect with other readers who are a lot like you too!
Click HERE to connect on Facebook

Follow My Blog on Twitter:
Like the Facebook Page, the Twitter page is an extension of my blog and a great way to connect with me and other readers. Occasionally I’ll participate in Twitter chats and other conversations. Best of all, everything that is posted on Facebook automatically shows up on Twitter so you can choose either one depending on your mood that day!
Click HERE to connect on Twitter

Follow My Blog on Pinterest:
If you haven’t made the leap to Pinterest, you are missing out on a terrific source of inspiration! Like a virtual bulletin board, this is where I find lots of new recipes and other meal planning resources and organize them to keep track of it all. I also pin the recipes that appear on the blog there too so you can keep track. Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest (by the way, you don’t have to have an account to check it out so feel free to do that if you like!)

Follow My Blog Through E-Mail Subscriptions:
If the whole social media thing is just too much for you, you can follow my blog with an e-mail subscriptions. It is free and completely confidential. Find the latest posts delivered completely to your inbox every week.  To subscribe by e-mail, go to left column of the blog and scroll all the way until you see the ” Hungry for More? Subscribe Now and Get the Latest Updates!” and enter your email address. You will get an email confirmation to confirm your subscription (check your spam folder if you don’t get it within a couple of hours–lots of times it goes there and then, if you’re like me, you forget all about it!)

Follow My Blog Through RSS Feed:
I’m not really sure how RSS works but if you do and want to follow me that way, Click HERE to get the RSS Feed

So, if you’re on Google Friend Connect, I hope you’ll take the time to follow my blog through one or more of the other options I’ve listed here. Or maybe you’re new to the social media thing in one way or another and want to connect and learn even more. No matter how you follow my blog, I appreciate each and every one of you!

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So this week, I kick off the first of four more weeks with nine other bloggers as we make and enjoy delicious new meals for our family. This week I chose the Chipotle Sloppy Joes and Crunchy Coleslaw to show just how easy it is to create nutrient rich suppers packed with lots of goodness! Ok, so I didn’t totally choose it all on my own. I asked my husband what he felt like and seeing as this has chipotle peppers in it I’m sure he thought those would be yummy since he liked anything spicy. Never mind that I forgot to mention that they have black beans and corn in them topped with coleslaw on a whole wheat bun. Can you say nutritious AND delicious? We’ll just stick with the delicious in our household and the “nutritious” is the extra bonus! I chose this recipe because I wanted something that was quick and easy—and this meal is!

I know when I’m shopping for been it can be kind of confusing to decide what type to buy. I always look for lean or extra lean (less than 90% lean) or if the 80/20 is a better deal, I can rinse away up to 50% of the fat after the ground beef is cooked. All you need to do is remove the beef crumbles onto a plate lined with paper towels and let it sit for 1 minute. Then blot the top with more paper towels. Then I placed the beef into a colander over a large bowl (or sink) and poured very hot (not boiling though!) water over the beef and let it drain for 5 minutes. The bonus? Rinsing and draining will not decrease the beef’s vitamins and minerals!

I whipped this up in less than 30 minutes and it was easy enough for my daughter to help out. We all enjoyed the extra zip that the spicy chipotles and cilantro gave to these sloppy joes. The kids enjoyed their sandwiches without the coleslaw but my husband and I liked the extra crunch. I actually doubled the batch so that I could make up some muffin tins to freeze, pop out and store then pull out to heat up for lunches later. My husband was already planning to take some leftovers to work!

CHIPOTLE SLOPPY JOES WITH CRUNCHY COLESLAW
Servings: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients• 1 lb. lean ground beef (95%)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp. minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split

Crunchy Coleslaw
• 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups packaged coleslaw mix
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips

Instructions
To prepare Crunchy Coleslaw, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper sauce and salt in small bowl. Add coleslaw mix and bell pepper; toss to coat. Season with black pepper, as desired. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Brown ground beef with onion in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef up into 3/4-inch crumbles. Pour off drippings. Stir in ketchup, corn, beans, tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in cilantro, salt and black pepper.

Place beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with coleslaw. Close sandwiches.

NOTES: Thinly sliced green cabbage may be substituted for the packaged coleslaw mix. This recipe works well with all varieties of lean ground beef, including 90% lean.

Gather all the ingredients (missing from my picture: the ketchup--oops!)

Make the coleslaw first so it can chill in the refrigerator.

Chop the cilantro and chipotle peppers--here's where the "zippiness" comes in!

I ended up adding the extra tomato sauce to cut some of the "heat" from the chiles. (I'm kind of a spice wimp!) It was still plenty spicy!

This recipe courtesy of and used with permission from The Healthy Beef Cookbook published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Nutritional Information
Nutrition information per serving: 406 calories; 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 77 mg cholesterol; 1344 mg sodium; 50 g carbohydrate; 6.9 g fiber; 33 g protein; 9.4 mg niacin; 0.7 mg vitamin B6; 2.2 mcg vitamin B12; 5.3 mg iron; 39.8 mcg selenium; 7.3 mg zinc

Check back each week from now through March 18th to find out what I’ll be cooking up with the Texas Beef Council. And be sure to mark your calendars for the #TxBeef Twitter party on Tuesday, March 6th from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. CST, where we’ll be sharing great tips and information to help you get those nutritious and delicious meals for your family and friends. Stay tuned for more details!

Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers shown below who are participating in this campaign!

Disclosure: I am participating in a four week campaign with the Texas Beef Council and am being compensated. All opinions are my own. Recipes are courtesy the Texas Beef Council.

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The book includes testimonials from real Sparkpeople members and they are really inspiring! Not just wanting to lose weight, their motivation comes from wanting to live healthier and longer. The first section talks about how making your own food is not only better for you, it is also tastier. Once you start, you’ll really begin to notice the difference. Filled with little tips, how-tos (like how to choose whole grains or  and anecdotes throughout, the book is inspiring and made me want to rush to my kitchen to begin cooking. Author Meg Galvin also adds “Make It a Meal” suggestions which are great to help you figure out how to round out the meal.

The Warm and Spicy Banana Waffles have a yummy sweetness and spicy kick that make them super delcious! I made up a bunch and put some in the freezer for busy weekday mornings. Also, tops on my list are the Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken, Baked Chicken Tenders and the Mini Apple Tarts for dessert. I only wish there were more photos—but there are plenty to make your mouth water!

I especially love the section on making your own spice blends and salad dressings. I’ve recently been checking to see how much sodium is in prepackaged foods like these and it has been truly eye-opening! When you make your own, YOU control the amount of sodium (if any is needed) in your foods.

The last part of the book includes a whole chapter on how and WHY to get your kids into the kitchen (hint: it is fun and you’ll be teaching them the skills they need to be healthy eaters for life). Also included is a Weekly Meal plan chart with a couple weeks’ worth of sample plans. Filled with all sorts of other helpful information like produce storage chart and tips or 25 Good, Cheap Foods, this book will soon become a reference book you won’t want to put down.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided for review by the publisher.  No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own.

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Love the caramelization on these sprouts!

When I first started the Eating the Alphabet series a couple of years ago, I generally chose “safe” fruits and vegetables to prepare. You know, the things I knew my family would eat. Or be more open to try at least.

But this go ‘round I’ve decided I’m going to try and branch out with new and seemingly exotic selections. So for this month, I chose Brussels Sprouts for the Letter B. Filled with tons of Vitamin K and Vitamin C, plus lots of fiber I’ve heard they pack a real punch nutrition-wise in those tiny little globes.

And because of my addiction to Pinterest,  I’ve discovered lots of new ways to prepare vegetables. I’ve also read that roasting seems to be the key for many home cooks to getting their family to love previously unloved vegetables.

The thing I discovered is that roasting is also super easy. I mean REALLY EASY. Wash your veggie, cut them up and peel if necessary (not so with Brussels sprouts though), toss with some olive oil, salt and sometimes seasoning salt and that’s usually about it. And, since we replaced our oven a couple of years ago with a convection oven, I needed to take advantage of the roasting feature it came with, right?

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Recipe from Cooking with Trader Joe’s blog
1 lb Brussels sprouts (sold in bags at TJ’s)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp 21 Seasoning Salute (or Lemon Pepper) *I didn’t use this—maybe this was the “zip” that was missing that would have made the reviews unanimous!

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts if necessary, taking off any yellowed outer leaves, and cut sprouts in half.
3) Place the sprouts on a baking sheet (a heavy gauge restaurant-style half sheet pan works great) and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning, tossing again. Spread sprouts evenly on baking sheet.
4) Put in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing a few times as they cook. They should be soft and very well browned when done, with some of the outer leaves crisping. Larger or whole sprouts will require an extra 10 minutes to cook.
Optional: Sprinkle roasted sprouts with a little Parmesan or balsamic vinegar.

Brussels Sprouts can be purchased on the stem or like this, in a clamshell container. They're like cute little cabbages!

Look at that bright green color as they roast in the oven. Mouthwatering!

The reviews were split down the middle in our household. My daughter and I did enjoy them (me so much so that I was genuinely looking forward to the leftovers the next day—even if they were a little mushier). My husband and son, gave them a lukewarm review. Ah, well, you win some you lose some.

I’ve not given up all hope though—I recently found a couple of new recipes to try that include Brussels sprouts. I heard bacon is the key but we’ll see. The good news is that my kids, even though they are getting a little older, still love to come up with ideas for the letter of the month. When we are out and about at the grocery store or even during mealtimes, one of them will occasionally say “Hey Mom! This starts with the Letter of the Month—cool!”

So, what’s your family’s favorite fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter A or B? Share in the comments below.

And if you’re a blogger and want to join us in the coming months for the Eating the Alphabet series link up, click here for details and to complete the form to sign up. And be sure to check out all these other fabulous blogger’s interpretations of the letter A & B, fruit and veggie style this month with the links below. I know I’m planning to try a few!

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I think it was probably a summer or two ago when we found the blue bag of buttermilk biscuits in the freezer section of our local wholesale club. I bought them thinking, they must be better than the biscuits from a can. And flavor-wise, I’d say they were. But then I realized they were kind of expensive and probably not all that great for us. But we do love a good buttermilk biscuit. And you know I do love having my freezer filled with quick and easy breakfasts for busy mornings.

So when I saw these Freezer Biscuits pinned on Pinterest, I knew I must try them right away! Our first batch disappeared in a flash it seems. But I wanted to make them healthier so I substituted half the flour with whole wheat flour. Success! While they do have a slight whole wheat flavor, my family has gobbled them up. I think I’ve made two more batches in just the last few weeks. I know these call for shortening or butter and I’ve been using shortening. My experience with baking biscuits is that shortening helps with the fluffy layers. But I do plan to experiment with the butter sometime soon. I’ll keep ou posted on the results. These are just so yummy AND easy, I couldn’t wait to share. Oh! And I did the math on all the ingredients and making them from scratch is exactly HALF of what the pre-made version costs. I hope you enjoy them too!

WHOLE WHEAT FREEZR BISCUITS
Recipe adapted from Frugal Antics of A Harried Homemaker blog
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup shortening or butter or combination of both
1 envelope yeast
2 Tbsp warm water
2 cups buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse sand. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add both the yeast water and the buttermilk to the flour. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky and feels elastic. Roll out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a bisuit or cookie cutter, cut into circles and place on a baking sheet. I like to line mine with wax paper or a silicone sheet to help make them easier to remove.

Freeze until hard and then place into a freezer container. Don’t forget to label and date your container! I like to put the baking instructions on the label too so anyone can make them. We use our toaster oven to bake up a few. To make, bake at 425 degrees until tops are light brown. The original recipe says about 15 minutes but I have found it’s about 20-22 minutes for the whole wheat. You can bake these either frozen or unfrozen. If you let them thaw, they will rise a bit because of the yeast.

Gather all the ingredients before your start. As you can see, I buy a lot of things in bulk for an organized pantry.

I cut the shrotening into chunks before cutting it in with my pastry cutter. Much easier to blend!

See how the mixture looks kind of "crumby". Also, I mix the yeast in water with a fork. Doesn't stick as badly as with a spoon.

The first time, we rolled them too thin and they were not as flaky. This time we used a ruler so we knew just how high a half-inch was in dough height.

Once the dough is rolled out it's quick and easy work. I put biscuits on silicone mat on a baking sheet before going in to the freezer. Easier to remove to storage container later.

Once the biscuits are frozen, you can stack them in a freezer storage container or bag.

I use reusable freezer labels to write the contents, date and baking instructions on my container which equals easy prep time!

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So Valentine’s Day is no exception. Whether it’s sharing love for a significant other, your children or just someone special in your life, why not say “I Love You” with one of these fun food treats. Some of them are even good for you. The big day is a little less than a week away so hopefully you’ll be inspired to get something together.

Here are some of my favorites that I found browsing the web and (mostly) Pinterest (which, by the way, you don’t need to have an account to browse!)

Natural Valentine’s stickers from Twig and Thistle

Valentine’s Day Egg in the Basket from Petite Kitchenesse

Valentine Fruit Kabobs from Pioneer Party and Gift blog

Heart Shaped Fruit pizza by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Fruit Heart Cup Orange from The Picky Apple

Heart Shaped carrots from Sophistimom

Homemade Valentine Mints from Busy-Mommy

Valentine Strawberry Bugs from Wing It Vegan

Heart shaped egg from Anna Thered

Heart cherry tomato from Eye Candy

Heart milk ice cubes from A Subtle Revelry

Heart-shaped cinnamon rolls from Pinch My Salt

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Here’s what’s on our menu this week:
Monday: Slowcooker Beef Stew
Tuesday: Spicy Pork Ribs, baked sweet potato fries, roasted broccoli
Wednesday: Lasagna soup, garden salad and garlic bread
Thursday: Crockpot Tortilla soup, garden salad or side of avocadoes
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: leftovers/out to eat
Sunday: some sort of sandwich–I’m discovering how tasty and easy it is to make a “fancy” sandwich on Sunday evenings after a busy weekend (or even not so busy!)

What’s on your menu this week?

This post is linked up to OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday. Check it out to find lots more menu plan ideas and recipes!

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Questions like, “Are the eggs I’m using today good enough? You know, the ones that I grabbed at the grocery store instead of making the extra effort to go to the farmer’s market that week?”

Or, “Is the chicken I’m grilling tonight from a free-range organic local chicken?” Nope. “Is it hormone free and not from one of the largest factory farmers?” Usually.

And, “Did ALL the vegetables in our salad tonight come from an organic, local source?” Not always. But some of them are and that’s ok.

It kind of drives me crazy. These questions I mean.

So I’m taking a step back and I’m reminding myself to get real. The reality is that I’m making food from scratch at home. Most nights. Not all nights. And that’s ok. And that I’ve learned to make far more things from scratch than I knew how to do last year and that is a good thing. And what’s ok about it is that I know I’m making the effort to do what I think is best for my family. I’m not going to be that person that is able to have chickens in my backyard or buy half a cow from a grass-fed beef rancher down the road. That’s just not my reality. I’ll do my part when my budget and time allows. And until then I know that I’m making babysteps towards what our ideal is.

The reality is I know that not all of you can do everything all the time either. Whether it be that you are in a part of the country that is frozen six months out of the year and using foods that are locally grown is just not possible all the time. And you haven’t gotten around to canning those fresh fruits or vegetables you got or grew over the summer (seriously, how many people really do can these days? Not sure, but it is on my “to try” list for this year!) I know that budgets do not always allow us to buy everything organic or free-range or grass-fed or whateever. Is it a goal to look forward to? Maybe. But it can be a lot of pressure too.

But I’m getting real and trying not to get caught up with those bloggers that tout at every turn how they bought local this or organic that. Budgets and time just do not allow. I do a lot more than most people I know and that is ok. And I hope that you are also able to look at the big picture and realize that even your babysteps towards making a change are making a difference.

And I know that many of my friends have begun to make changes by my example. And I know that joining with others who have the similar goals to you can make the process a bit easier. Do I still rely on convenience foods and take out sometimes? Yes, but it’s far less than it was just a couple of years ago and so I know I’m making progress.

So I’m excited to tell you about a new partnership I have with the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation Advocate Team. Together with 21 other bloggers, I am making a pledge to promote eating real food. Not the packaged junk (all the time) and not fast food (all the time). I hope you’ll check their sites out too and include them in your support network. (while many are new to me, I’ve been a big fan of several of them for awhile now so that is extra exciting!)  They are:

Kim Gerber @ Out of the Box Food

Natalie Perry @ Perry’s Plate

Thippi Fleckenstein @ Noodle On That

Amanda Wendt @ The Organic Trail

Amy Wilcox @ Mia Cucinas Cucina

Yvette Garfield @ Handstand Kids

Kelly Lester @ Easy Lunchboxes

Johanna Cook @ Momma Cuisine

Michelle Sybert @ Michelle’s Journal Corner (and Muffin Tin Monday!)

Jennifer Tyler Lee @ Crunch A Color

Laura Fuentes @ Momables

Katie Newell @ Health Nut Foodie

Nicole Cibellis @ A Family That Eats Together

Kelly Doscher @ The Food Minded Mama

Gwen Wilson @ Simply Healthy Family

Jamie Schler (honorary) @ Life’s A Feast

Bonnie Stoilkovich @ Zuma Organic

Shanna Ferrigno @ Ferrigno Fit

Karen Le Billon @ Karen Le Billon

Bri DeRosa @ Red Round Or Green

Isabelle Vorhies @ Isabelle At Home

We’re all at different points on the spectrum but you see, we all have one goal in mind. And that is to learn how to make real food for our families and not rely on the fast food and boxed food. My goal is to help show you how you can make real food choices for your family and hopefully do some good in your own community too by making choices that may impact our world too.

Is it easier to cook real food? Maybe not. But one thing I know is that it’s not that difficult and usually it’s totally worth it (because, frankly, it usually tastes so much better–among other things!). So I hope for your pocketbook and family’s health sake, I hope you’ll join us on this journey. And remember that wherever you are on it is one step further to your goal. And foodie perfectionism is not the goal. Because no one is perfect. You’re just the best you you can be for yourself right now.

More updates to come!

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 Kathy over at Panini Happy has done a match-up of sandwiches inspired by the two teams playing each other. The Big Game Week: Pastrami and Aged Cheddar Football Panini is one of her offerings this year.

 And who wouldn’t love this twist on choclate covered strawberries with these Football Strawberries from Domestic Fits?

 I’ll admit these Beer Cheese Football Cupcakes looked good when I first saw them but Beer Cheese and chocolate? I’m not so sure. But I’ve seen crazier combos make it to the finals on Cupcake Wars, so who knows?

Super easy and oh so cute, these Mini Football subs from Family Fun are quick, easy and delicious!

 I love potato skins but usually their laden with fat and calories. Here’s a healthier twist with gucamole and other fresh ingredients from Whats Gaby Cooking in these Game Day Potato Skins.

I love dips! A party isn’t a party without a dip so this Ultimate Super Bowl Dip from Better Recipes should do the trick on Sunday!

 How about a healthy snack even the kids can get into? This Quarterback Snack from Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons is perfect for fans of all ages!

And deviled eggs seem to disappear before our eyes at any social gathering. Here’s a fun twist on this classic from Southern Living with the Spicy Sweet Deviled Eggs.

Finally, it seems that I’ve been seeing recipes for chili pop up all over the internet when it comes to a must have at Super Bowl parties. The best thing is it can be made ahead (and it’s usually better the next day anyway) and put in a slowcooker for a serve-yourself option. How about trying this Pumpkin Chili & Football Grilled Cheese  from Family Fun as a healthier option that’s also festive!

I hope you’ve been inspired to try some fun foods for game day. Go team! (I’m not rooting for either team since I don’t really have a favorite!)

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