dear friends and blog village:
i am really pathetic. this, you know.
thanks for letting me be "real"--as much as possible given the abstract and often disconnected virtual realm--here in this blog and maybe even caring a little bit.
so, while i was using what miniscule amount of gray matter was functioning this afternoon to get the day over and done with (DH just got home a few minutes ago, as the kids were getting into bed, so it was not only me not at my best today, but solo!), i thought about some of the things i have been reading in the blogs of some of my online village. and a lot of those women are ready to make changes too, and are being transparent about their flaws, and asking for accountability.
and it occured to me that i could do the same.
so, i am going to try to post what i am making/made for dinner every night for at least the next week! and i am going to tell you what time i had it on the table, since that is a related problem. hopefully knowing i have to confess these choices/actions daily to all of you will hopefully get me motivated to make them good ones!
tonight:
started to make beans and rice, 'cause its easy and pretty healthy.
got to cupboard and realized no canned black beans. d'oh!
so immediately switched gears and came up with a kind of asian-ish soup from what i had on hand:
saute'd onion, garlic, carrot, then added some water and brought to boil.
added 2 "tubs" firm tofu, chopped
and one can of those little asian baby corns, cut into thirds
simmered for about 10 min while adding to taste: sesame oil, soy sauce, schezuan sauce, fresh finely grated ginger
added some finely torn fresh kale and turned off heat
added some more boiling water from the kettle because I also added a bunch of cooked brown rice
because of the menu snafu, i did not have dinner on the table until after 7. : (
so, there is hopefully the beginning of a better trend! getting back to my creative cooking, cooking with variety and lots of good stuff like kale which i have not been keeping on hand (this past month i went on one of my semi-annual groccery store boycotts, and we ate out of the cupboards and freezer with only DH stopping at Costco for bread and milk for at least 3 weeks--i lost track).
i don't normally beg for comments, but please consider commenting to my future meal postings at least once, just so i know someone is paying attention. that will really help me force myself to plan ahead and cook!
thanking you in advance,
blessed
('cause i am)
Seven Years Home
1 week ago
I love you Lisa! I don't need to write a blog because you are expressing the same frustrations, longings, and desires I have! Keep pressing on! I'll keep reading!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea! I've learned that accountability goes a long way in forcing a behavior change (because admitting to some of life's decisions is hard!)
ReplyDeleteDinner at 7:00 is fairly normal for us - what time is your goal?
And your creativity is amazing!
Stacy
I love, love, love reading what other people are eating. I grew up on frozen microwave dinners and canned soup, so I have a hard time being creative in the kitchen. The minimal cooking skills I have, I have taught myself through trial and error, which most of the time I also have no energy for. So when others post these interesting meals (like the one you described above,) I almost study them.
ReplyDeleteWas the the kid's meal at after-7 or yours and D's? Either way I would say that that is in line with the norm, is it not? Seems like you pulled it all together very well!
ReplyDeleteWe eat between 5:30 and 6:00 and I have to get myself in the kitchen no later than 4:30. I find that even if I don't "need" to start cooking that early, if I get in the kitchen and start cleaning up and puttering around I will do a little dinner prep while I am at it and things end up being on time. When I am out to kids lessons until 5:30 I will have it all chopped, water in pot etc before I leave. Basically I commit myself to a full 2 hours starting at 4:00 to work. Sometimes (lots of times!) I let the SAHM thing make my work ethic sloppy but I am realizing that from 4-6 I really need to bust my butt and that works well. It is also after-school time and Lauren and Julia go outside to play and I can just concentrate on my work.
Hi Lisa! Thanks for sharing all of this! I've found that meal planning totally helps in being better prepared and less stressed when it comes to making/eating dinner for our family! It's been a struggle for me to commit to, but when I am able to get at least a week written down, it is funny much easier the afternoons flow! Search for Meal Plan Monday and you'll be linked to a whole bunch of blogs who plan their meals for the week, also a good way to get new meal ideas. Also, do you belong to a CSA? We did a couple of summers ago and it was really nice to always have fresh produce on hand, usually stuff I wouldn't necessarily buy (which doesn't sound like your problem), but the delivery shows up the same time every week and you are forced to work with what you've got (which sounds like what you've been doing!). Anyway, thanks again for sharing your struggles and how the Lord is working in your life to bring about change!
ReplyDeleteMenu planning works for me too. I have meals written on the calendar, so when I check it in the morning, I know what is for dinner, and when I need to start prep etc. I will already have shopped for it (or know exactly what I need to buy that day), because I draw up a grocery list from my weekly menu. There are back up meals too, in case everything goes pear-shaped (I am naturally disorganised, and it's a wonder they don't go pear-shaped more often!). It's nowhere near perfect, but it has taken so much of the stress out of feeding the family. I used so often to stand in the kitchen at 6 and panic, and I love the fact that I don't do that any more.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of the food you're making, by the way.
Carrie
I understand your frustration, but even so, you are doing better in the kitchen than a lot of families. Most of us working moms don't get home til after 5, so if dinner needs to be early it means starting the crock pot going before you leave, or making sandwiches or an omelet. I'm lucky, because my husband is home during the days more than I am, and he cooks whenever he's home. Still, during soccer season we're lucky to get home by 8:00 pm and that means doing fast food or carry sandwiches around in a cooler. Our home field concession stand will usually have a grill going, so we can have hamburgers at the game, which is a blessing for a lot of families. It's hard enough to get everyone where they need to be, with the things they need, and get homework and laundry done, without also figuring out how to feed a family on the road. So is it the healthiest way to feed my family? Nope, but it's called survival.
ReplyDeleteHey Lis,
ReplyDeleteI am reading, and am loving the dialogue and all the input from other readers as well. The only thing better than reading about what you come up with for dinner is standing in the kitchen with you, me chopping, you saute'ing and both of us yakking our heads off. Keep writing! Love you!
Thanks for all the encouragement, ladies!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that some other people feed their kids at 7. But in my mind that is bedtime, and if we eat that late I can't seem to get them in bed before 8:30 and that does not leave time for anything fun like Daddy reading to them (currently they are working through the Chronicles of Narnia!).
So I don't think this works for us, but it is good to know it works for some!