Not sure what you can eat that is good for you? Two of my favorite healthy food resources can help you figure that out. World’s Healthiest Foods lists 129 foods that are great for your diet. They also have recipes for each food and facts on nutrients, food history and health studies that discuss the benefits of adding these whole foods to your diet. You might be surprised to find eggs, potatoes, almonds, olive oil, maple syrup and beef on the World’s Healthiest Food list.

Take a look at the list and do these three things:

• No matter how picky your palate is, you’re bound to find some of your favorites on this list. Make eating those foods more often a priority.
• While you peruse the list, find others your kids and spouses like and get those on the menu more often. Get older kids involved, read the lists with them and ask them what they’d like to eat more of.
• Then be bold and pick one or two foods you think you don’t like or have never tried and give them a shot. With the help of online recipes, I’ve tried many things I thought I hated or never had. Some of these (purple cabbage, quinoa, onions and honey) are now included in a handful of dinners that make my favorite list.

Dave Grotto’s book 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life is another great resource. Before I finished the introduction, I knew I’d be a fan of this book. Dave’s philosophy on eating centers around what foods support the body, provide adequate fuel for energy and protect it from disease. He doesn’t talk much about what to restrict or eliminate from your diet. The book features food as whole ingredients and also shares a great kid-tested and often chef-created recipe for each item. I’m making my way through his book so I can write a review and offer it in a give-away on Food with Kid Appeal. Check back later in the month to see if you can get your hands on that freebie. So far, I was thrilled to find a recipe for Inerja bread included (a flat bread made from a grain called teff). I also learned that the artichoke is ranked 7th out of 100 foods containing the most antioxidants. Guess I better work on getting that on the table more often. Dave’s website has great short videos (raspberries and oats to name two) on several of the foods highlighted in the book, and his blog has a feature called Dave’s Rave’s, a list of commercial products that contain the 101 foods he names “life savers.”

When your diet includes more of the foods you should be eating, by default you are eliminating things you shouldn’t be eating, or should be eating less of.  You’ll start getting full on whole grain toast or breakfast cereal, and there won’t be room for morning pastries in your stomach.  You’ll snack on fresh fruit and you won’t be as tempted by chips. You’ll fix lean meat, a starchy side and vegetables for dinner and you won’t miss tater tots and chicken strips. The best thing is that you’ll be eating things you can share with your family. The diets that are most successful are those that include the other people you frequently dine with. When you have to prepare separate dishes for your diet, food preparation becomes cumbersome and your are too often tempted by what the rest of the crowd is eating. Resolve to fix more things the whole family can enjoy and your diet will last longer.

Go check out the list now. What food are you going to eat more of? I’m going to buy and prepare artichokes more often. I have ulterior motives though; eating artichokes gives my family one more vehicle for aioli, yum!

Stop by Tammy’s Recipes for more Kitchen Tips.

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During the school week, I get up about 30 minutes before the girls. I let Danny sleep in as long as he wants to unless we need to be somewhere. The breakfast that I plan on my weekly menu is usually for the girls only. I don’t get hungry till a couple hours later, and the Dannys eat different foods, such as PB&J (Jr) or leftovers (Sr). I usually eat a banana, a smoothie, bagels, or fruit for breakfast. It depends on my mood and how hungry I am.

This morning, the girls ate a half of a multi-grain bagel with raspberry jam, a half of a poached egg (my favorite flavor combo, try it!), and a half clementine. They usually get a whole egg, but we only had one. I ate a Gala apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter, some coffee, and Kombucha.

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We all succumb to the pressure of the Holidays. Even myself, being a former certified credit counselor, has fallen short on my vow to keep Christmas costs minimal.  We are all vulnerable.  Now is the time to haul out that budget, review, rework and revamp the figures to give you manageable and workable figures to put you in a much better position this time next year.

First of all, do you actually have a holiday budget category? Many do not and this area, or lack thereof, created the most havoc for the clients I counseled.  One thing is for sure, you will spend more money at Christmas and the fact it falls on the same day every year is all the more reason you should be prepared.  Many have a general gift category which would encompass birthday’s, Easter, weddings, possible baby showers but should largely be made up with Christmas.  But are those figures accurate?  Take a good look at it and while the season’s still fresh in our minds and the receipts are handy, do a rough tally of the figures thus far.  Here are some items that round out a typical Christmas

Gifts - Take the time to add up each person you buy for.  Beside the name put an approximate figure on how much was spent on that individual this year.  Don’t forget the smaller gifts you picked up for teachers, soccer coaches, crosswalk guards, hairdressers etc.  Include EVERYONE.  Just because you tell yourself it’s only a small amount of money and it doesn’t count is wrong.  They add up and they add up quickly.  You are not doing yourself any favours by not being accurate so make sure you list them all

Groceries - We all do the last minutes grocery run.  Desperate and frazzled we don’t focus on prices as much as we usually do or should.  Obviously starting early and shopping for baking supplies and dinner items in advance are ideal, but despite being organized, we all will forget something.  Write down approximate costs of everything, this would include any cocktail party items, cookie exchange supplies, baking supplies,  the turkey and all the fixings and the many boxes of chocolates and candies we like to have sitting around.  The majority of clients I saw overlooked this aspect of the holidays, telling themselves it was part of groceries but this figure can easily double if not triple this time of year, resulting in a figure that has to be accounted for.

Beverages - That costly liquor store run.  We tend to have more than normal kicking around during the holiday season.  Company drops by and we feel we should have a slight variety to offer our guests.  Fine, just add it in the total.

Stocking stuffers - From experience this gift could run you more than the actual gift itself.  When a stick of deodorant runs you close to $4 (I am jealous of those CVS shoppers) and socks close to $10, you can see that filling a stocking with items like this add up in no time. Did you take this cost into consideration when totaling your items for each recipient.  Or did you simply say “I will throw in some extra small things for the stocking, no big deal”  Add those small things up, you will be shocked.

Shipping and mail costs - If you are on the ball (unlike me) and send out cards, don’t forget the cost of postage.  Do you have an aunt Marge 500 miles away that needs a parcel shipped.  I know that a parcel to my mother in law cost us over $10 and that is for a small package.

Donations and charity - The holidays bring out the best in many of us and although giving to different donations is the right thing to do, we have to account for it.  We normally pick a few that speak to us and factor that in the holiday budget.

Babysitting fees - It seems every weekend leading up to the big day is filled with staff and holiday parties.  Lucky for me, my parents are a pretty cheap source of daycare, but I know that is not the case for many.  Sitter fees for this time of year, especially New Year’s, costs far more than the rest of the year.

Wardrobe - With the many parties come many fancy outfits.  For the most part my attire consists of sweat pants and t-shirts, not exactly appropriate dress for a semi-formal gathering.  Factor in any needed outfits and accessories for yourself and other members of the family

As you can see, many factors come into play when setting up an accurate budget to reflect the holidays.   These figures, however, will play an inportant part in bidding farewell to Christmas and welcomng in a debt free New Year.

You can find Talk About Tuesday here and Tightwad Tuesday here.

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Hi! My name is Jennifer and I am the owner of Madison Rose Vintage and the author of Extreme House Wifeing. My blog focuses primarily on my family life which includes my husband of over five years, my two year old daughter, and my one year old son.

In my blog I love to write about my attempts at getting it right. Cooking, cleaning, kids… You know, the whole nine yards.  I am learning, though, that “almost right” is close enough. I would love to be Martha Stewart - churning out professional looking crafts and gourmet meals while teaching my children to read, running my small business, and keeping a tidy home. However as we all should know, that isn’t possible. Martha has assistants!

There are many different reasons I opened my Etsy shop; most if not all are centered around my family. The most important reason I started working at home was so that I would be able to be home with my babies and be the one to raise them. When I thought about putting them into daycare and allowing someone else to enjoy all of their firsts and to teach them how the world works it made my heart sick. I personally believe that having either the mom or the dad be home with the children is the best thing even though I know it isn’t always possible.

It is a blessing that working online allows me to stay home. I may not be able to work less than someone who works outside the home, however I can structure it around my family. I can work during nap times and late into the night. My work time is constantly revolving around my family’s needs.

The second most important reason that I have started my Etsy shop is to teach my children to follow their dreams. Since I have decided to home school my children, I have been thinking very heavily about the different things I want my children to learn and understand. To me learning is not just about math, reading and standardized testing. I think that learning should be a part of everyone’s everyday life. Learning should be an ongoing process way beyond the time you toss your graduation cap up into the air.

Following your dreams doesn’t have to be just about going to college and getting a job. Dreams come in all different shapes and sizes. Now if I didn’t follow my dreams how would my children learn that it is completely acceptable to reach for something and fall down? How would they know that when they fall down they need to just get right back up and try again. It isn’t just ok to fall down, it is an important part of following your dreams. It is the way that you learn. And I hope that by me modeling these ideals to them they will also follow their dreams as adults.

My shop is a mixture of vintage items and handmade with vintage supplies. I am extremely passionate about vintage items and I could easily spend days in each antique shop I go to if my hubby and children didn’t want me to come home to make dinner. Country Living Magazine is another passion of mine. I love how their decorating is full of character. I can see many of my items easily being placed in the many rooms they feature.

I have several goals to meet with each transaction I make in my shop. First and foremost is listing a good quality item. I only list items that I would love to have in my own home and that I am passionate about. Second, it sometimes gets hectic in my home, however I answer all convos as quickly as motherly possible. Third, I ship as quickly as possible - most of the time within one business day - and I send an email letting you know that I have done so.  I want your shopping experience with me to be pleasant and satisfying. If you have any concerns or complaints I am more than happy to hear about them so that I may correct the situation.

I would love to have you stop by my shop as well as my blog. I will be doing a week long blog giveaway starting on January 5^th. And anyone that lets me know that you found me on Happy To Be At Home will receive 10% off their entire order during the week of January 5^th to the 11^th.

Some of the items featured in Madison Rose Vintage include:

LOVE AFFAIR altered art charm bracelet

Pink Floral Bristol Glass Vase

Dick and Jane Collage Kit

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Here are some ideas for them to do:

• Count stairs as they walk up and down them.
• Classify their toys into groups as they put them away.
• Set the table for dinner making sure that every place has one of everything needed.
• Fold washcloths and count how many they folded.
• Sort dirty laundry by colors.
• Help put away groceries.
• Make their favorite dish following a recipe.
• Make a grocery list using the sale ads and add up how much it is going to cost.
• Time them to see how long it takes them to do a task, like cleaning their room.
• Get out the coin jar or piggy bank to sort and count the coins to see how much has been saved.

As you can see from the idea list, there are many things that kids do every day that teach math concepts. What are some other everyday things that you do with your kids that teach Math concepts?

Writing thank you notes and doing math with tasks around the house are just a couple of ways that work for me in homeschooling my children that does not include a workbook or textbook. Doing these types of things instead of having a textbook or workbook (a hard copy of the child’s work) can be difficult to track over the course of the year. That is why it is important to keep a journal of your child’s work and activities.

Wondering what else might be important to keep of your child’s work?! I’ll save that for another post!

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We went out to eat lunch after church today - we were all very hungry and have been wanting to try out the new restaurant near Grandpa’s house. It didn’t make it to my list of favorites! When we came home I took a long nap to make up for lack of rest and sleep for the last two weeks.

Since there will be no cooking today, I will give you my meal plan for the week. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, as there is friendship bread to bake, kombucha to bottle, soup kitchen volunteering, grocery shopping to do, all added to readjusting to back to school. I am thankful that the kids’ extra-curriculars aren’t starting back up just yet.

Here’s the meal plan -

• Sunday - free for all
• Monday - 1/2 bagel with jam, poached egg; Posole (Mexican pork and hominy stew)
• Tuesday - oatmeal;  Smoked pork chop, {Crash hot potatoes}, corn
• Wednesday - cereal;  Cauliflower casserole, brown rice, and sausage
• Thursday - migas (scrambled eggs and corn tortillas);  Burgers
• Friday - smoothies;  Beef fajita tacos, pinto beans
• Saturday - TBA

If you are interested in participating in the Kitchen of the Week series, email us at  kitchenoftheweek@gmail.com.

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This should prove to be an interesting week in my kitchen. With my new eating habits to lose 20 pounds and the monthly grocery trip on Tuesday, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.

I am so glad I’m used to menu planning though. I know it will really come in handy this week. Between watching what I’m eating and beginning to stock the freezer, I have a feeling my menu plan is going to be a lifesaver.

Breakfast

• M - Oatmeal w/ bananas
• T - French toast (K-sprouted bagel w/ peanut butter)
• W - Banana muffins and smoothies (K-cereal and smoothie)
• Th - Cheesy scrambled eggs and toast
• F - Pancakes (K-cereal & hard-boiled egg) (Make triple batch for freezer)
• S - Bacon waffles (K-1waffle & banana) (Double waffles for freezer)
• Su - PB & honey toast, smoothies

Lunch

• M - Chicken noodle soup & apples
• T - Turkey sandwiches & orange wedges
• W - Hummus & pitas, cucumber salad
• Th - Easy mac & cheese (K-hummus & pita), pears
• F - Quesadillas (triple batch for freezer), yogurt, grapes
• S - Tuna pasta salad (K-tuna w/rice crackers), carrot & celery sticks
• Su - T.B.D.

Dinner

• M - Chicken & bean wet burritos, skillet corn
• T - Ravioli w/ spinach and marinara sauce (This is my go-to dinner for monthly shopping day.)
• W - Braised sausages, horseradish smashed potatoes, carrots w/dill
• Th - Impossible cheeseburger pie, green beans (Make burgers, meatballs, meatloaf cups and brown rest of meat for freezer.)
• F - Vegetarian lasagna (Make 1 for freezer and make extra sauce for freezer.)
• S - Cheesy shrimp fondue w/ sourdough bread cubes and veggies for dipping (Make 3 chicken dishes and pizza pockets for freezer)
• Su - Pork chops Milanese, twice-baked potatoes (double for freezer), asparagus

Joy’s Week

We’ve had company since Christmas Eve — first my family, and then Jeff’s — and the last visitors left this afternoon. So now the house is quiet, a little emptier, and I can now contemplate a return to our normal routine, such as it is.

I cooked only a couple of times in the past two weeks since we were able to eat out a couple times (thanks to some wonderful gift cards!), and Jeff’s mom cooked dinners while she was here. Now I have the chance to dive back in and work on some of those New Year’s goals I made last week, such as menu planning.

We start school back up tomorrow, so I’m again faced with the challenge of preparing dinner even though I’m teaching lessons from 3-6 p.m. each day. Consequently, you might notice a slight change in my menu plan; I’m adding the prep steps to my menu as a way to help me think through how I can make sure the meal gets cooked each night. It happens all too often that I finish with lessons and I’m too tired to even think about starting the meal from scratch. If I’ve already done a lot of the prep work, the time and effort I’ll have to expend after lessons will be decreased dramatically (and maybe you won’t see the same meals on next week’s menu!).

So here goes — our menu plan for the week:

M: Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry w/ spaghetti noddles

• Jeff makes this so he’ll start dinner while I’m still teaching.

• PREP: Thaw the chicken in the freezer. Set out the wok and the canned foods needed.

Tu: Oven Baked Chicken, Potato Wedges, and Green Beans

• PREP: Thaw the chicken. Make up the coating mix. Set out the baking dishes. Wash and cut the potatoes and refrigerate. Set out the green beans.

W & Th: Yo-Yo

• There’s hardly any time between lessons and evening commitments, so dinner will be “You’re On Your Own”

F: Pita Pizzas

• I STILL have not been able to make these yet!
• See the recipe for this super-easy, super-delicious pitas below
• PREP: Mix the dough in the AM. Bake the pitas in the afternoon before lessons.

S: Chicken Taco Salad (of some kind) and Corn

• I’m thinking of doing a variation of Kate’s recipe here. Do you have a good recipe? I’d like to do something other than just refried beans and salsa!
• PREP: Thaw the chicken, or possibly use the crock pot to cook the chicken mixture. Set out the corn, tortillas and/or chips.

Pita Bread

Makes 12-16 pitas

Ingredients

• 4 tsp yeast (use instant yeast if you add the yeast directly to the flour; use active dry yeast if you dissolve the yeast in the water before adding it to the dough. The directions below are for use with instant yeast.)
• 2 1/2 c. warm water
• 3 c. whole wheat flour (I add extra whole wheat flour if the dough is too wet after I first mix it. I add about a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is no longer super-sticky.)
• 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 T salt (I use Kosher salt)
• 2 T honey
• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Combine the flours, salt, and yeast and mix thoroughly.
2. Add honey, water, and olive oil. Add more water if necessary, although I’ve never needed to.
3. Knead dough by hand for 10 minutes. (I knead for 7 minutes in my mixer.)
4. Place dough in oiled bowl and flip to coat both sides. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled.
5. Punch down dough and divide into 12-16 pieces. I use my “chop and scoop” to divide the dough.



6. Roll each piece into a ball, then set the balls a couple inches apart on a cookie sheet or large cutting board, and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
7. Roll out each ball into a circle (or a square if you’re so inclined) on a lightly floured surface. A thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch is the norm, but it’s really up to your personal preference.
8. Place the dough on a preheated pizza stone or cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven. Bake each pita for about 5-7 minutes.

This recipe can be finished, from mixing to baking, in about 2 1/2 hours. It’s a good idea to make sure you have a large area to let the dough rest and for rolling out the pitas. I like to use the two large cutting boards I keep over my stove, and as you can see in the picture, it can get kind of messy!

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit Organizing Junkie.

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Thank you for the opportunity to feature my kitchen on Happy To Be at Home. My name is Melanie Esqueda. I live in South Texas with my handsome husband and three wonderful children. I have been a stay at home mom since my first daughter’s birth in 1998. The time is fast approaching when my baby will be starting Kindergarten, and am hoping to find some sort of employment which allows me to be available to my children before and after school.

My blog, In Search of Wonder, was initially started as a knitting journal. It has done much transformation as my confidence grew. : )  Now I blog to share our family fun, my interest in food, my faith, and more. There is no true “theme” other than the interests of my life.

My kitchen is, as it is with so many, the hub of my home. Feeding others is a very tangible way that I show my love. There is nothing that warms my heart more than to prepare a meal for someone and make them happy by doing so. My goal is to provide delicious, nutritious food for my family, always with enough for a guest or two in case we have someone pop in.

I try to make a meal plan (which includes breakfast and dinner, lunch is a free for all) on Sunday evening or Monday morning. Sometimes it doesn’t get done till Tuesday, but I am pretty laid back, so that’s OK! : ) I search my fridge, freezer, and pantry to come up with meals. Every Monday is grocery day. I shop for any ingredients needed for the meals in the plan plus fresh fruits and other staples for the kitchen. I have a very small pantry, so I don’t stock up on much.

Our weekly grocery bill usually runs between $50 and $70, depending if I have to buy meat or if there is a special occasion. I babysit my two nieces every day after school and my SIL pays me in meat. Vegetables come from the farm that I volunteer at every Thursday (CSA). Get the theme? Will work for food. LOL!

We are very fortunate to not have any special needs in the kitchen - no allergies or anything like that. It is a challenge, however, to get the kids to eat their veggies!!! Actually, to get the oldest and youngest to do it. My 7 year old daughter eats everything I give her, and enjoys it! The good news is my pickiest eater is always eager to try and see if her taste buds have changed, with great results.

Looking forward to sharing my kitchen with you next week!

(This picture is not a regular depiction of what happens in my kitchen! It was my Christmas present. Lucky me!)

Thank you for opening your kitchen to us all this week, Melanie.

If you are interested in participating in the Kitchen of the Week series, email us at  kitchenoftheweek@gmail.com.

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Blueberry Pancakes

• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 3 T. sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 c. buttermilk (or 3 T. vinegar plus enough milk to equal 3 cups)
• 4 T. melted butter
• 1 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen (If using frozen, do not thaw first.)

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together in a medium bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk and butter. Do not over stir the batter, small to medium lumps are fine.

2. Pour about 1/3 c. batter onto a hot, greased skillet or griddle. Add blueberries immediately. Cook until edges are dry and center is bubbly. Flip and cook for one more minute. Repeat as needed.

Join us each week as Happy to be at Home hosts a virtual recipe swap. It is easy as pie to participate. Link your recipe post (any post, old or new) to our Mr. Linky. We can’t wait to read and try all of your yummy recipes. We will be posting a new Mr. Linky every Sunday, so you can add a new recipe each week!

Please remember to link your recipe post and not your blog homepage, that way our readers can find your recipe. Please remember to link back to Happy to be at Home so others can find out about the swap and participate!

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When my husband and I first married, we began to notice that once we both were working, we had little time to spend together, and what time we shared was full of exhaustion and irritability. Often both of those feelings were met with confusion which lead to anger. Were our honeymoon days already over? The days of bliss were quickly evaporating and I began to panic. I grew up in a family where divorce wasn’t just a statistic, it was nearly a future fate for anyone that said, “I do.” I did not want my marriage to end like those that had gone before me.

A few months later I found myself without a job. That was the first time when my husband sat down and had the conversation on whether or not I should return to the work force, after all, I knew many women who were stay at home mothers, but we were still without children and I began asking myself a question that I would be asked time and time again for the next five years, “What would I do all day? Wouldn’t I get bored?”

When couples sit down to have this important and life changing discussion, you should come with all your cards on the table. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I really want to be a housewife?
  
• Will I want to work from home as well?
  
• Am I ready to deal with most of the work at home?
  
• Are we able to financially survive? (Notice I said survive and not “live luxuriously.”)
  
• Am I willing to defend my choices to others?

If this is something you truly feel good about doing, don’t be afraid to say so. Trying to convince your husband that this decision is smart and appropriate to whatever circumstances you find yourself in may seem like manipulation if at first you don’t tell him your true feelings. Be open and honest. Share your feelings and your fears and discuss them with one another and give each other time to think about it. You don’t need to make this choice in one night.

Some of the reasons we decided to have me stay home while my husband became the bread winner began to reveal themselves as we discussed our options and observed life as we proceeded to go through the motions. Our marriage seemed to improve because we weren’t both coming home to a pile of laundry, dirty dishes and dinner to cook. I took care of things at home, and he was free to be concerned at work knowing that he had a his own slice of heaven to return to each night. I began to realise that I had truly been raised by a good, hard working family, who were unable because of careers to teach me the things that many girls grow up learning. I did not know how to cook, do laundry, or keep the house clean and maintained. Because being home was now my job, I was able to handle things around the home without the worry and concern of a job hanging over my head.

“But why not wait till you have children?” I was consistently asked by both friend, family member and occasional stranger. My reason was, and is still the same: I am able to learn all I need to be able to run my home smoothly, and I am able to do so without also learning how to care for a child on 3 hours of sleep. I hope that my choices now, will help benefit my children in the future when they have a mother who can devote herself to their care, because she already knows how to run on a routine. In the meantime, I can devote myself to my marriage, my house, and my “furry” children.

But that’s just my life. It’s what worked for us. Every family is different. What is the same is that the choice must be discussed, all options included and both spouses should come to the same decision: what is right for our family. Choosing to stay at home with a bitter, left out husband will not make you happy to be at home in the slightest!

As for the age old question, “What do I do all day? Don’t I get bored?” Well, you can ask my kitchen! There’s always something to do, something to clean and someone to love.

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