New Food

Every year around this time I get some major ants in my pants.  I'm ready for a thaw, ready to get back to our non snow and cold active lifestyle.  Since it's currently snowing inches and inches outside I'm thinking the only way to spice things up is in the kitchen.

I've been struggling with food (again, as always).  Cooking for a family of 5 is ridiculously hard, especially when one is a ravenous suddenly won't eat baby food can't eat finger food all that well 9 month old, two are growing big girls, one is a 6 foot tall man who can always use some fattening up and one is a petite woman wanting to lose those last 10 pounds of baby weight.  Harumph.

I've tried it all really.  Making what my family needs and eating less for myself (which I hate).  Making what I want and having three family members scoff and ask "where's the meat?".  Giving up entirely and having pizza and hot dogs and potsickers and frozen lasagna and feeling so gross the not caring just keeps on and on.

This weekend while Ian had the girls away for a few days I used my time well.  One goal was to come up with a new plan that worked for us all, starting with me.  Today I gave in, am deciding to cook two sets of food this week.  One for them, turkey meatloaf with sweet potatoes and broccoli, stuffed chicken breasts with carrots and roasted potates, pesto pasta with grilled chicken and green beans, potato leek soup and zucchini bread.  And one for me.

The "plan" I'm using is this.  I say "plan" because I'm not pretending I'm going to follow it strictly.  This plan is pretty extreme (for this meat eating dairy loving girl at least) but I'm using it as a jumping off point for a new food program for me.
I've found some recipes off this website in the past that I've really liked and am excited to try a few new ones.
Breakfasts will be smoothies and/or Ezekial sprouted toast which I LOVE.  The girls will be excited about smoothies.  I made one today with just frozen berries and green juice. It was delicious.  I'm also excited to try a strawberry smoothie with coconut milk, honey, and orange juice, ooh and similar one with mangos instead of strawberries.
Lunch and dinner will be pretty interchangeable.  My options this week are Garlicky White Bean Stew (just made it and it smells AMAZING, I substituted swiss chard for the kale, try as I might I don't like kale much), Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew (which I've made before and is delicious, especially served over coconut rice, which I'm not allowed to have, but the rest of the family will love it with rice), baked sweet potatoes with greens (mmm, sweet potatoes and baby green salad), or veggie burgers (I like trader joes kinds, either the regular or the masala).  I know it's going to get old after the first few days so I'm trying to think of some other options to fill in any temptations.  I bought a big bag of dry roasted almonds for snacks and am going to make these bars with the girls this afternoon for a "dessert" option. (Since writing this I've had one, they're no brownie, but pretty darn good, plus the portioning is generous).
I'm just one day in and dare I say I already feel better.  I think it's mostly just from making the choice to do it, feeling some relief and excitement.
I'll keep you posted on how it's going, and how all these meals taste.  I'm already on here looking for some more options this morning so I guess that's a good sign.
Have a great start to your week!