Author: traci

Posted in meal plan

Honey, What’s For Dinner? – Week of June 5, 2023

Posted on by traci

This morning I sat down and planned out the next week’s meals.

At this moment, I’m in limbo. I turned in my last assignment for my 8th master’s class. Now I’m waiting for it to be graded. I cannot start my next class until at least Monday. That is if it passed. If not, I have to revise it.

I want to do something outside but the air quality stinks. We are under an air quality alert. Yuck. So, I’m planning to hopefully do something tomorrow after church. I’ll get my usual Sunday meal before heading to the downtown area to hopefully see the fountains going off for the first time.

Meanwhile, I’m meal planning. Soon I’ll go grocery shopping.

You’ll see there are two days designated as out to eat days. One of the days we will be on the road while the other one we will be kids’ free. Considering I don’t cook for them much any more it shouldn’t matter. However on both days, Hubby and I will have date night.

My boys have started to cook for themselves. Youngest will eat what I cook on occasion. We have similar tastes on a lot of foods. But Oldest is picky about his foods. He has high functioning autism. His food aversions are typical characteristic. Luckily, he has learned how to cook for himself.

Tonight we are having Big Mac Skillet. As a person who eats a gluten-free diet, these is a way for me to have the flavors of a Big Mac without the bread. It’s one of Youngest’s favorite meals.

I’m hoping you have a great week of eating.

Traci

Posted in meal plan, Recipes

Meal Plan / Prep | Week of May 29

Posted on by traci

I’m on summer break!

I’ve been using meal kits for the past month in order to take something off my mental load. Now it’s back to me planning out my meals.

  1. Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Creamy Cucumber Salad
    Hamburgers
    Hot Dogs
    Chips
    Salad
    Memorial Day Dinner – I know lots of meat but it’ll be okay.
  2. Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms, olive oil mashed potatoes, lemon garlic asparagus
  3. Roasted bratwurst with peppers and onions, garlic Parmesan fries
  4. Cilantro lime chicken with Texas caviar

Lunches – Homemade lunchables: crackers with peanut butter, veggies, hummus, pickles/olives, sweet treat OR crackers, hard salami, cheese, veggies, hummus, pickles/olives, sweet treat

Breakfasts – Yogurt parfait, cottage cheese with jelly, smoothies, granola bars with cheese – QUICK and easy is the name of the game.

Traci

Posted in Recipes

This is 48 . . .

Posted on by traci

This is 48. 

An age that has both intrigued me and scared me. My father died at 48 and my mom had big life changes when she was 48. 

My life and circumstances are different than theirs but 48 has always been a rain cloud over my head. 

I am hoping for adventure and joy in my year 48. I’m dreaming of completing my masters degree. I want my year 48 to have meaning and purpose.

My year 48 is a year to live unapologetically authentic. It’s a year to live out my faith. I don’t know where God is going to take me this year.

Year 48 is a year to create new memories and take thousands of photos.

I know longer want to fear age 48.

This is 48.

Posted in Meal prep

Meal Prep & Plan | Week of March 12, 2023

Posted on by traci

Welcome back to Believe in the Magic Traci’s meal plan for the week.

Breakfasts:

  1. Egg salad add bacon on gluten-free toast
  2. Pina Colada Overnight Oats
    • 1/2 c. oats (I used the Thrive Market – Quick oats with superseeds – So good
    • 1/2 c. your favorite milk
    • 1/4 c. Greek yogurt
    • 1 c. frozen pineapple
    • 1/4 c. shredded coconut
    • 2 Tbsp. walnuts or pecans
    • 2 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Lunch:

  1. Leftovers
  2. Snack box
    • Hard salami roll ups (cream cheese and hard salami)
    • Goat cheese
    • Carrots
    • Olives
    • Fruit salad
    • Sweet treat

Dinner:

  1. Hamburgers
    • Mushroom Swiss burgers for me
    • Homemade French fries
    • Veggies
  2. Shrimp stir fry
  3. Meatloaf
    • Mac and cheese
    • Green beans
  4. Salmon with honey mustard glaze
    • Brussel Sprout salad
    • Roasted sweet potatoes
  5. Mexican quinoa skillet
Posted in Random, Randomness

Some of my eats this week (Week of March 6, 2023)

Posted on by traci

I know some of the food looks similar. It’s because I ate that meal or components of the meal several times during the week.

Highlights:

  1. Pork carnita salad – So good.
  2. Inside of egg sandwich from a local coffee shop – I’ve messed this sandwich. It was the first time in 2 years I’ve had it.
  3. Pina Colada overnight oats – YUM!
  4. Healthy fish and chips – So good. I need to work on the coleslaw though. It didn’t stay as fresh as I thought it would when I tried to eat the remainder a few days later.
  5. The Brussel sprouts salad – I’m making it for this week.
  6. Cherry cashew trail mix
Posted in Random, Randomness

Disordered Eating

Posted on by traci

I’ve come to realization I suffer from disordered eating. This is different from an eating disorder but can also become dangerous.

Before I begin talking about what disordered eating is, I will give you a backstory of why the disordered eating started.

2017/2018 – My gallbladder started to fail. During this time period, I started to eat gluten-free and vegetarian. Sometimes this was at the same time while other times, it was one or the other. After getting my gallbladder out, I gradually started to eat a Standard American Diet once again.

Fast forward to 2021 . . . I end up in the ER for stomach pains. It was discovered I have a sensitivity to gluten. Once again, I began to eat gluten-free. In April, it’ll be 2 years of eating a strictly gluten-free diet. I also tried to eat vegetarian at the same time but discovered it was not attainable.

A problem with eating gluten-free is the lack of options when you go out to eat. Some restaurants have great gluten-free options while others seriously lack it. When my mom lived near me, I got used eating at restaurants rather then cooking more at home. It was something we did together.

Now you know some of the backstory of the reason I have disordered eating, I will tell you the definition of disordered.

Disordered eating is behaviors that are not classified as an eating disorder but they still negatively affect their health, mental, or emotional health.

Ways my eating is disordered is eating way too small meals, skipping meals, and eating unhealthy meals. I’ve wondered if I had an eating disorder. Then I heard the word disordered eating. Bells went off in my head. That’s what I’ve experienced. Some of the reasons for the disordered eating is because of having to eat a gluten-free diet, being busy or stressed to eat, and grief. Grief from losing my mom and the pre-pandemic life.

So where do I do now that I’ve been made aware of what to call my eating? I need to remain mindful I need to eat even if I don’t feel like it. I need to make sure I’m eating as healthy as possible but allow myself grace when I fall short. I need to make sure I have some sort of snack to fall back on when I’m out, so I don’t have to rely on eating at restaurants.

Me 3 years ago
Me a few weeks ago

Join me on this journey.

Posted in Meal prep

Meal Prep for Week of March 5th

Posted on by traci

I’ve joined the Biggest Loser challenge at work. Celebrate Recovery has changed my life because I’m using it as a kickstart to make sure I’m eating healthy. It’s like I took a blue chip.

Goals for the week:

  1. Drink more water.
  2. Eat more veggies
  3. Meal prep meals

Meals for this week:

  1. Pork carnitas
    • Burrito bowls for lunch
      • Pork carnitas
      • lettuce
      • quinoa
      • cauliflower rice
      • Cilantro lime sauce
      • tomatoes
      • corn
      • black beans
  2. Pork with Brussels sprouts and apples
  3. Zucchini skillet lasagna and gluten-free garlic bread
  4. Pina colada overnight oats (breakfast)
    • 1/2 c. rolled oats
    • 1/2 c. milk
    • 1/4 c. Greek yogurt
    • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey
    • 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
    • 1/2 c. frozen pineapple chunks
    • 1/4 c. coconut flakes
  5. Bacon and grapefruit/ orange
Posted in photographs, travel

Angel wings

Posted on by traci

You attempt to get a photo at the famous Nashville Angel Wings.

Imagine a line full of bridal parties and tourists. It’s at least 30 people deep.

Then imagine you have to go to the restroom because you decided to take a gamble by getting a second drink at the farmer’s market. No public bathrooms are visible.

You also are on a time crunch. So you opt to take this photo from far away. You can at least say you saw them.

Then today you go to get your breakfast. You stumble upon pizza wings. So instead of angel wings, you can be happy with pizza wings instead.

Later on during your adventure home, you find angel wings in a small town in Kentucky. Plus Monarch butterfly wings.

So even though you didn’t get a photo with the iconic angel wings, you find something original. As you tell people, you make plans but leave room for straying away from those plans. You never know what you will find.

Stay kind!

Have a magical day,
Traci

Posted in meal plan

Meal Plan – Week 4

Posted on by traci
weekly-menusDownload

Week 4 grocery list I minus side dishes

BEVERAGES

  • Water (1 ¾ cup)

CONDIMENTS & DRESSINGS

  • Ketchup (1/2 cup)
  • olive oil (1 Tbsp)
  • olive oil (divided) (3 Tbsp)
  • Soy Sauce (2 Tbsp)

COOKING & BAKING

  • all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour (2 Tbsp)
  • Brown sugar (4 Tbsp)
  • Brown Sugar (1/2 cup)
  • garlic (minced) (3-4 cloves)
  • Italian seasoning (2 tsp)
  • Minced Garlic (1 Tbsp)
  • of red pepper flakes (pinch)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • smoked paprika (2 tsp)

DAIRY

  • Butter (4 Tbsp)

FROZEN FOODS

  • Frozen Corn (1 cup)
  • Gluten-free meatballs (30)

GRAINS, PASTA & SIDES

  • store-bought or homemade gnocchi ((we used gluten-free)) (1 × 16 oz package)

MEAT

  • Ground Beef (1 lb)
  • Italian sausage (mild or spicy) (16 oz)
  • Ham steak (4)

PRODUCE

  • fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped) (3 cup)
  • fresh chopped thyme (1 Tbsp)
  • green bell pepper (1)
  • onion (1 ½)
  • Pineapple tidbits (1 can)
  • red, orange, or yellow bell pepper (1)
  • ribs celery (diced) (3)
  • yellow onion (diced) (1 small)

SEAFOOD

  • thawed, frozen shrimp – peeled and deveined (8 oz)

SOUPS & CANNED GOODS

  • diced tomatoes (1 × 14.5 oz can)
  • Diced Tomatoes (2 cans) (15 ounce cans)
  • heavy cream or canned coconut cream (1 cup)
  • Kidney Beans (1 can) (15 ounce)
  • Tomato Sauce (1 can)(15 ounce)
  • Taco seasoning (1 pkg)
  • Taco seasoning or one packet of taco seasoning (2 Tbsp)
  • chicken broth/stock (6 cup)
  • flour or corn tortillas, warmed (4)

Recipes

Brown sugar ham

Sweet and sour meatballs

Shrimp Fajitas

Creamy sausage gnocchi soup

Taco soup

Side Dishes

buttered noodles

Spanish rice