Believe in the Magic Traci Diary
Recipes, Travels, and Stories
We’ve had many different anniversaries recently. Four years ago, the Imaginative One crossed over into Boy Scouts and then had his first meeting. Two years ago today, the Wee One crossed over to Boy Scouts.
A year ago yesterday, I had my gallbladder surgery.
Last Friday would have been my grandma’s 91st birthday.
On to the menu for the week:
Continue reading “Mom, What’s For Dinner? – Week of February 25, 2019”
First of all, the Wee One declared today that he is no longer the Wee One. He renamed himself Big Boy. Since the fall, he has gone up 2 jean sizes. He’s finally getting taller which is making him so happy!
On to the menu for the week:
Continue reading “Mom, What’s For Dinner? – Week of February 19, 2019”
The weight fell off of me with no hard work. Everyone was telling me how much better I was looking. But I was feeling worn down with no appetite. Even though I was looking better, my health was failing so the weight gradually found its way back onto my body.
As the new year begins, it’s time to reevaluate my health and diet. Ever since my gallbladder started failing, it’s been difficult to eat regular meals. My appetite is not what it used to be. I’m hungry mostly in the middle of the night which is a bummer because I don’t want to get out of bed to tame the hunger beast.
I’ve got to manage my diet so that I’m the healthiest I can be instead of just eating to survive. I understand the tools necessary to be the healthiest but it is up to me to make sure I’m using those tools and am eating foods that will fuel me.
Just so you know, I’m a vegetarian and have been one since Valentine’s Day last year so all of my meals are going to be meatless. I still eat eggs and dairy so I’m not plant based.
So here is my menu for this week:
Sugar Plum Danish (Mom got it for me.), apple with cashew butter
Maple Apple Steel Cut Oats
Green Smoothie with cheese or nuts for protein
Monday – Leftover veggie burger
Tuesday – Fried Egg Sandwich – Open Faced, broccoli (steamed or roasted)
Wednesday – Friday – BBQ Black Bean Salad (On Wednesday, I’m back at work. They are supposed to feed us but I don’t know what they are going to have or if it will be vegetarian friendly.)
Saturday or Sunday – Eat lunch at Melt – Mom wants to eat there. Cabbage Soup for the other day
Monday and Wednesday – Creamy Enchilada Pasta with broccoli (steamed or roasted)
Tuesday – Sauerkraut with “sausage,” black eyed peas, roasted potatoes
Thursday – English Muffin Pizza from the freezer, some sort of veggie
Friday – Mushroom risotto burger, roasted potatoes, veggie
Saturday or Sunday – Cabbage Soup
Energy Balls
Yogurt
Veggies and Dip
Fruit
Ravioli
Pork with Sauerkraut, Roasted Potatoes (A couple of meals)
Sausage
Hamburgers
Here is this year’s menu:
I’m also going to have some deviled eggs and veggies to snack on until it’s time to eat.
Here is a breakdown of when I’m going to make the different recipes so that I’m not going to be in the kitchen all day long.
Monday – Finish shopping for the perishable items.
Make the white salad. Hope I don’t eat all of the white salad.
Assemble the corn casserole.
Tuesday – Make the vegetarian stuffing in the slow cooker.
Make the pecan pie bubble up.
Make the whipped cream. Make sure there is enough for the Imaginative One to taste test.
Wednesday – Make the pressure cooker mac and cheese.
Bake the pumpkin pie sheet cake.
Hope the boys have cleaned enough for us to go see Wreck It Ralph.
Thursday – Turkey
Bake the corn casserole.
Make the green bean casserole in the casserole slow cooker.
Make the stuffing in the slow cooker.
Warm the brown and serve rolls.
Make the mashed sweet potatoes in the microwave.
Take the boys to the senior center so they can help serve lunches.
Watch Moana with the boys. (Their request)
Sorry that I’m late getting today’s blog post up.
I planned out the menu yesterday. However after my day in the heat yesterday, I was exhausted. Join me tomorrow to see what I was doing yesterday.
Anyway you’ll see some of the same meals from last week. I didn’t get to make all of the meals.
Sunday – leftovers – Hubby got us Chinese on Saturday evening so I ate the left overs for dinner.
Monday – Enchilada skillet pasta
Tuesday – Spaghetti
Wednesday – Minestrone Soup
Thursday – Sloppy Joes
Friday – Potato Soup
Just like last week, I’m going to post what the rest of the family is going to eat for dinner.
Sunday – They ate over at my mother-in-law’s house.
Monday – Sausage and chicken rice a roni
Tuesday – Spaghetti
Wednesday – BBQ chicken wings
Thursday – Sloppy Joes
Friday – Potato Soup
As you can see some of our meals are the same. They can add some meatballs to their spaghetti if they want meat. I have some meatless meatballs for myself.
I have a meat sloppy Joe in the freezer for the family while I’ll make a non-meat version for myself.
When I make potato soup, they can add some cooked bacon to theirs while I have bacon bits on mine. Did you know those are vegan?
When I’m in the mood for a baked potato, I’ll have it with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. Not necessarily healthy but good comfort food.
Happy vegetarian eating,
Traci
To start off my Write 31 2018, I’m going to provide you with my meal plan for this week.
I’m glad it’s soup season because I can make a big pot or two of the soup and have it for the week.
Here’s what I’m planning for the week.
Sunday – Lasagna stuffed Portobello mushrooms with Italian chopped salad, Fres
Monday – Minestrone soup with the left over Italian chopped salad
Tuesday – Tacos (I’ll share my recipe during this month’s Write 31)
Wednesday – Enchilada skillet
Thursday – Grilled cheese with minestrone soup
Friday – Leftovers
Saturday – Out
Breakfasts for the week: chocolate chip ricotta muffins and cheese sticks, apple slices (I need easy on the go breakfasts.)
Lunches for the week: Garden veggie soup, fruit on the bottom yogurt (recipe coming tomorrow), Wheat Thin type crackers
Now onto my family’s Standard American Diet meals for the week. I don’t get off of work until almost 4 o’clock. Hubby needs to leave for work around 5:20 so I don’t have time to cook him dinner any more. He fends for himself with me planning meals. He and the boys are not real adventurous eaters. I’ve attempted over the years to introduce them to more foods but they always fall back on the foods that they are comfortable eating. 😦
Sunday – Chicken, roasted potatoes, veggies, Hawaiian rolls, and pumpkin roll
Monday – Pulled pork sandwiches on the remaining Hawaiian rolls
Tuesday – Tacos
Wednesday – Chicken Nuggets and French fries
Thursday – Grilled cheese and tomato soup – The last few times we have had grilled cheese I did not have tomato soup. Since then, I’ve remedied that and have several containers of soup.
Friday – Chili
Saturday – Out
Join tomorrow for one of my favorite ways to eat yogurt.
Happy eating,
Traci
This is the first week back with students so I want to have an easy menu.
I also meal prepped for my breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. Here’s what I made for this week:
Breakfasts – Pina Colada Overnight Oats
Snacks – Pistachios, Honeycrisp apples with cashew butter, Mini Bell Peppers with hummus
Lunches – Salad in a jar with strawberry poppy seed dressing, homemade fruit on the bottom yogurt with granola
Since I have all my breakfasts, lunches, and snacks prepped, it’s easy to grab and go in the mornings.
Happy eating,
Traci
This week is going to be a little different with my meal planning. I won’t be around for 3 maybe 4 of the meals so the gentlemen in my family are in charge.
Yesterday, I did shopping so they would have easy meals on 3 of those days.
On Wednesday, I have to go out to work so I can move classrooms. (I’m just moving across the hall so not hateful.) Anyway, I’m taking the Wee One to help me with the moving. I told him that I would get him McDonald’s for dinner. Hubby and the Imaginative One are on their own on Wednesday as a result.
I’ve got a class at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Tuesday. On Friday, I have the second part of the class at the Wilds. I’m going out to that area on Thursday morning/ afternoon and spending the night by myself. For my dinner, I bought a frozen dinner that I can warm up in the microwave in the hotel room.
I’ll get myself food on the way home on Tuesday and Friday.
Here’s the menu for the week:
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday – The food they can choose from are:
I wanted the meals to be quick and easy for them.
Happy eating,
Traci
For years, Hubby and I have had a great system for getting dinner on the table. I would get home and cook dinner. Or I would put food in the slow cooker before work.
This year, my schedule has changed. I begin work 20 minutes later and as a result I get off of work 20 minutes later. I won’t be home until almost the time I would typically have to have dinner on the table so that Hubby could leave for work. (He works evenings.) He’s going to be in charge of getting the boys’ dinner which is going to be an interesting experience.
Continue reading “Menu Planning Help – Create a List of Favorite Meals”
I just looked over my plans for July. I’m going to be gone on and off for the rest of the month.
Week of July 8th –
I only need to plan for 3 meals. We’re going to be gone for 2 days during the week.
Lasagna or Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce over Penne
Sloppy Joes (Vegetarian for me)
Pork Chops
Left Overs
Week of July 15th –
I need to plan for Sunday dinner and 2 meals. The boys and I are going away for 3 days. Hubby is on his own on those 3 days.
Cherry Pork Loin (Freezer Meal)
Tacos (In Freezer)
Spaghetti with Sauce and Meatballs
Week of July 22nd –
I need to plan for Sunday dinner and 4 meals. I’m going to be away for 2 nights and Hubby is going to be gone for one night.
Breakfast for dinner (when I’m gone)
Chicken Nuggets and French Fries (when I’m gone)
Sausage with Mac and Cheese
Pressure Cooker Chicken Wings, Meatless Mandarin Chicken for me
Out to eat when Hubby is gone
Sunday Dinner – TBA
Happy eating,
Traci
