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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Monday: Garlic & Balsamic Flank Steak, garden salad, roasted cauliflower, noodles

Tuesday: Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches (we’re buying ours from a favorite restaurant that we’ll be near on this day, very fresh and cheap!)

Wednesday: BBQ Chip Crusted Tilapia (from freezer meal exchange), garden salad, apple & almond quinoa salad

Thursday: Sage Crusted Pork Chops (freezer meal), steamed rice, garden salad

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: leftover

Sunday: soup & sandwich of some kind–TBA!

What’s on your meal plan this week? I hope you’ve been inspired!

To check out more meal plans every week, visit OrgJunkie (I’ve linked up there too!)

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I have reviewed a couple of Robin Miller’s cookbooks in the last couple of years, Robin to the Rescue and Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals. What I love about Miller’s books is that she makes cooking seem SO easy. And really, it can be.

Even better, this book packs a great punch: 500 recipes, 5 ingredients or less, 500 calories or less (per serving) at 5:00 p.m. for 5 nights a week, all of which add up to fast and easy meals your family will love. I’ll be honest, I’m always a little skeptical of those 5 ingredient recipes. How can something so simple taste good? Miller has got it figured out.

Tops on my list of favorites were the Caramelized Onion Soup with Melted Swiss Croutons, the Roasted Chicken with Warm Tomatillo Salsa, the Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers (served in pita bread!). One of my biggest challenges at dinnertime is coming up with side dishes. Miller has a great selection of side dishes that are quick and easy, just like the rest. And don’t forget the desserts. If you’re looking for a sweet treat to end your meal that won’t break the scale with calories, the Cinnamon-Pear or Apple-Walnut Strudel are tops on my list.

Visually, I like this book too. It has all the elements I look for in a recipe: serving size, prep AND cooking times, nutrients and a little blurb about what makes that recipe unique. Of course the basic ingredient list and preparation instructions are there too. Not every recipe has a photo but there are plenty of pictures sprinkled throughout the book to make your mouth water!

If you’re someone who’s just starting to cook, looking to branch out a bit without a lot of experimenting or love to cook but want to be in and out of the kitchen quickly, this is a great book to start with.

Disclaimer:  A copy was provided for review by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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Yesterday was Chinese New Year and even though we’re not Chinese, we LOVE Asian inspired food of all kinds. Vietnamese and Japanese are actually our favorites these days but we like all kinds. Check out what was on our menu last night as well as what’s coming up for the week:

Monday: Winter Melon Soup  (we added noodles for good luck) and homemade Chicken & Cabbage Potstickers

Tuesday: Rotisserie chicken Caesar salad: buy a chicken, shred it and use up all our various greens & veggies in the refrigerator–spinach, lettuce, water spinach, cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes from our garden

Wednesday: Mexican Lasagna (from freezer meal swap group) and garden salad

Thursday: slowcooker beef stew (from freezer meal swap group)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: out to eat

Sunday: special activity–no cooking for me!
What’s on your plate this week?

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I’m not vegan and while I don’t have plans for our family to make that total change any time soon, like any conscious omnivore, I do believe that we can all stand to have a few more fruits and vegetables in our diets. As a testament to that, I’m renewing the Eating the Alphabet series again for 2012! Frankly, I find veganism a bit intimidating. Vegetarianism seems more doable (at least in includes dairy, which would be hard for us to cut out entirely) so when I received a copy of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day I was anxious to see how easily I could prepare vegan dishes, but do it inexpensively as well.

You see, there seems to be a misnomer that eating healthy (and especially fruits, vegetables and grains) is more expensive. Not so as the author, Ellen Jaffe Jones shows us in her book. Jones’ style is unassuming and not like a lecture. Her background is in investigative reporting and she’s a self-taught cook and vegan. She knows that changing the way you eat will take time and through her book she provides the ideas and tools to make that process a little bit easier.

Jones start off with a look at the financial cost of eating healthy–or rather how it doesn’t have to be expensive. She offers food plans for shopping as well as money saving tips. She also takes on top objections like how cooking from scratch takes too much time (or not) being the only one in your family to eat that way and helps readers overcome those objections. Included in the book are sample weekly meal plans that show the reader just how they CAN eat vegan for $4 or less a day.

The remainder of the book is filled with lots of recipes for breakfasts like sweet potato muffins, entrees like Chunky Chili, Taste of Thai Saute’ or Veggie Sushi and even desserts like Carrot Cake to Live For or Apple Crisp. There are also lots of yummy salad dressings and salads included. What I discovered is that many of the meals I’ve been making are already vegan so it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to expand our selection.

Overall, I think Eat Vegan on $4 a Day is a great primer for those wishing to make a lifestyle change for the way that they eat.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I am also an Amazon Affiliate member which means I earn a very small percentage of any orders placed through my site. My opinions, however, are my own and my true feelings.

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Last year, just a little beyond this time of year, I stumbled up on a site quite by accident, called Soup Swap. The idea is simple: make a batch (or two or three) of soup, put it into containers, label and freeze. Then get together with friends who have done the same and swap some soup! You’ll go home with a load of soup to pull out on cold winter days.  There’s even a national day set aside for it. This year it is on January 21st. And while any day is a fine day for swapping soup, how fun would it be to organize a little party for some friends. You can serve a few different types of soup and maybe some breads and a salad. A casual gathering is all it calls for. I think I’m getting hungry right now!

Another site I found was Soup Chick. Oh yum! Recipe after recipe of delicious soups to try. Ok, now I think I’m warming up just thinking about it! You should definitely go check it out.

And if you need any other ideas, how about a few of these that I found on Pinterest lately? Can’t wait to try them out myself!

Lasagna Soup from Family Fun Magazine

Chicken Noodle Soup from Annie’s Eats

Italian Wedding Soup by Giada de Laurentis

Panera’s Tuscan Vegetable Soup by Panera Bread

Check out all the soups I’ve found online by going to my Pinterest account here (you don’t have to have an account to check out the pictures, links and recipes!) What’s your favorite kind of soup? And what do you like to eat when it’s cold outside?

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Every month I will post a recipe for the letter that we’re on. Because it can be a little intense to try and keep up with a new recipe EVERY week (or even every other week), I’ve paired up most letters and for some of the more difficult letters, grouped even more.  If you’re a blogger, you can prepare and post about your own recipe. If you’re a reader, then add your own ideas in the comments each month.

I hope you’ll join me! Read on for more details and be on the lookout for our unveiling in February!

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Join the Eating the Alphabet Challenge!

This linky party is open to everyone! If you’re a blogger, then prepare and post about your own fruit or vegetable recipe. If you’re not a blogger, then make a note to check back each month for new recipes and ideas for eating more fruits and vegetables!

It’s easy to join! Just complete the form below. After it’s received you will be added and receive an email with more details on what to do. Please allow a couple of days to receive the email as I will do them in batches rather than each individual entry. There are a few simple rules to follow so that we can all benefit from what this linkup is intended to be all about!

Who:

Bloggers who want to try out and share via a post on their own blog a fruit or vegetable recipe that corresponds to different letters of the alphabet.

What:

Choose a recipe from any source. It could be from another blog (credit, please, if so!), one you found in a favorite magazine, cookbook or online, or even a recipe you’ve prepared for years. Just be sure to include the recipe in your post!

When:

This Eating the Alphabet challenge is once a month and everyone will post on the 15^th of the month. I’m a little flexible on this but I will be posting mine on the 15^th of each month so if you want to be linked up at the same time and receive maximum exposure, plan to do it on that day!

Why:

The main reason is so that we can develop a resource that makes eating fruits and vegetables fun and interesting for our families. Another benefit is to increase traffic to your blog and because it’s fun!

Commitment Level:

Once you’ve entered your info. into the form below I will have it forever. I will be touching base with you via email each month to see who’s in and who’s not so you can participate some months and other months maybe not. Think of it as a personal challenge as well as a blogging challenge to try new recipes!

The Fine Print—Keeping With the Theme & Keeping it Timely:

I will be checking each of the linkup entries to see if it fits with that month’s criteria. PLEASE do not link up any old random blog post.  It must be from THAT month’s challenge theme. If you try to link up anything that does not meet the criteria, it will not be approved. I just want to make sure all of our readers are getting what they hoped for. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has clicked on a link thinking I’m getting more ideas to a specific theme and realize that it’s not at all related. No one likes to waste their time. Ok, that’s all.

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This past weekend I was featured on the LiveWell Network’s Deals program. The segment featured ways that using your freezer can save you money on food. It aired locally in the Houston area on ABC-13 and continues to air nationwide on the Live Well Network (check the search guide on the site to find out when it will air in your area–it’s actually a neat program with tons of money saving ideas!) I actually kind of forgot about it until a couple of days before it aired since I had taped it several weeks ago so forgot to mention it beforehand!

I’m also excited to be speaking to a local MOMS Club chapter this month about meal planning. It’s always fun to talk about meal planning with a “live” audience!

And I’m especially excited to annouce some new partnerships I’ve made to help continue promoting making and eating real, healthy foods for your family. Several months ago I was asked to join the Parents on Produce board. Basically I help promote healthy eating that features, of course, fruits and vegetables! More plans are in the works for 2012 so I’ll keep you updated as things develop. Lastly, just a few weeks ago I was asked to join a team of other bloggers and be a part of the Jamie Oliver Food Revloution Ambassador team (I’m not an ambassador per se but am joining up with another blogger who is!) We’ll join together to promote Feed US Better day…more details to come but I am looking forward to the opportunities that await!

That’s about it right now…and probably enough, huh? Who knew this little ‘ol blogger would be doing so much in just one year. Pretty cool.

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The good news is that I’m making progress and have already cleaned out my closet and tackled the study/playroom/craft room. And delusions aside, that makes it sound WAY bigger than it is. Which it is not.

I’m telling you all this becuase you may think that I always have it together when it comes to organzing.

But I do not. At least not always.

But I’ve also been at this meal planning thing long enough that I feel like I can kind of go on autopilot. And even amidst the cleaning and projects I know that we’ll have a healthy, homecooked meal on the table for dinner most nights.

So if you’ve been feeling uninspired but know you want to make a change, then read on. I’ve rounded up some past posts that may help you kickstart your meal planning efforts and kitchen organization so that 2012 is gonna be a great year!

Kitchen Organization Series (Part 1): Your Cabinets and Drawers

Kitchen Organization Series (Part 2): Pantry and Food Storage

Kitchen Organization Series (Part 3): Back-to-School Launch Pad

Kitchen Organization Series (Part 4): The Refrigerator

Kitchen Organization Series (Part 5): The Freezer

And earlier this summer my pantry was featured on The Perfect Pantry in her Other People’s Pantries series. Check out the site because there are TONS of great pantry organizing ideas for all different sized spaces.

What do you do to get out of an organizing funk? I hope I’m not alone!

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