Last year, I set a goal of cooking more! Here’s the deal: I have a long history with food. In college, I struggled with disordered eating while being a collegiate runner. It took me a decade to heal from the effects of this. Praise God, He has completely healed me, and food is not a struggle for me. I eat pretty nutritiously, but I enjoy all the food and appreciate it! However, as a busy mom and business owner, food is often just fuel and has NOT been a priority in terms of meal planning. I’ve always struggled with this, not b/c I don’t care, but b/c I can eat pretty simply, and I don’t mind a fair amount of repetition in my diet.
My kids, on the other hand, are not this way. So I made it a goal to cook a wider variety of food, save money, make more snacks for them, and plan ahead so I’m not constantly scrambling. I’m thrilled to say that I’ve finally found a routine that’s working, and I’m semi-enjoying the extra time in my kitchen. Our budget definitely benefits from my planning, and trying some new meals has been fun.
If you need a few ideas, here are the ones my family has loved! Some are more nutritious, and some are just a quick option, but have been a hit. I’m all about balance, and though I’ll make sure we get in protein, fruits, and veggies, I’m not obsessive about making sure everything is perfectly clean all the time. If that’s you, I hope you enjoy some of these too!
French Dip Sliders:
Famously viral for goo reason, combine tender roast beef and melty Swiss cheese, all topped with the best buttery topping!
Turkey Melt with Cheddar, Spinach, and Bacon:
The perfect sandwich for cooler weather, this incredible turkey melt is toasty, melty, and mouthwateringly delicious.
Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops:
Incredibly tender, juicy, and coated in sticky honey garlic sauce. This is a quick and easy bone-in pork chop recipe that’s perfect for weeknights!
Creamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casseroll:
Real food meets comfort food. From scratch, quick and easy, and a big, gentle hug loaded with good-for-you ingredients!
Fish Tacos:
These are loaded with fresh ingredients and perfectly seasoned plump fish. Don’t skip the best fish taco sauce – a garlic lime crema that you will want on all your tacos!
Sesame Chicken Power Bowl:
This healthy power bowl is packed with ingredients. Sesame chicken, roasted vegetables, edamame, green onions, and cilantro, all on a bed of rice.
Big Fat Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:
A cookie to end all cookies, these big fat peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are a mouthful.
No Bake Protein Balls:
This is the ultimate easy no-bake recipe! Made with just 6 ingredients, these make a great healthy breakfast or snack!
Let me know if you try any of them and drop your family’s favorite recipes below!!
