Paleo Asian Lunch Meal Prep

I did my lunch box a little different this week. I only cooked one dish, and the other boxes I filled with fruit, nuts, and all natural mint chocolate treat. Last time I actually cooked 4 different dishes. Not surprisingly last week took me a lot longer to prep 5 meals. This week my boxes consisted of: 

Paleo Chicken Stir Fry with Asian Vegetables
2 clementines
1/4 cup of sesame cashews
1 all natural honey mint chocolate treat 


The only thing about making your boxes this way, is you want to take out your main dish and heat it up separately. But we should all heat our meals in glass anyway. I definitely, prefer cooking only one dish rather than 4. It was a lot easier, and lot faster. I also liked incorporating fresh fruit and treat into my lunch. The bulk of my meal is plant based. I gave myself a little shortcut using organic frozen stir-fry vegetables rather than doing all the washing and chopping myself. Using frozen in the winter definitely is a cost and time saver. In the spring, summer and fall, I hope to eat locally and raw. But for now, frozen is a frozen does. 

So this is my lunch for the week... and I can't wait. 

Paleo Breakfast Meal Prep

So this my second week meal prepping. I made 5 breakfast boxes and 5 lunch boxes. It took me a little less than 2 hours to make all 10 meals. I really love having a hot breakfast on a cold day. It is like waking up and knowing that you get to put on a super cozy sweater. It makes waiting on the metro platform for 20 minutes in below freezing temperatures totally bearable. For my breakfast box this week:

Spinach and Wild Mushroom Baked Omelettes

Frozen Organic Strawberries and Blueberries 

Paleo Banana Bread 

So you say, "that is a lot of food". And I say, yes, but I space it out. I try to have about 300 calories every four hours or so. When I get to work I heat up the entire try for 2 minutes in the microwave and with my infused water, I have my omelette. Then about 10:30 am, I have my banana bread, fruit, and a coffee. I like using frozen fruit in the winter because it is cheaper, I plan to cook it anyway, and it is great way to make sure I have organic produce. Overall I really liked my breakfast box. I certainly liked it more than last weeks. Last weeks box included: 

Tri-color Pepper Baked Omelette

Roasted White Potatoes with Cajun Seasoning

Stewed Apples with Cranberries

Most people recommend meal prepping for a few reasons: 

• Saves Money
• Saves Calories 
• Less likely to cheat your special diet
• Better for you
• Saves time and clean-up 

I can definetly say, meal prepping saves me calories and time. I am happy to say that this week was completely Paleo, which is a goal of mine. As for money... I always eat a breakfast from home, so I can't say I am really saving any money making my boxes. I do harness quite a bit of disdain for my co-workers for their hot breakfast that they picked up from those hot bars filled with french toast. I am trying to eat more vegetables in the  morning. This certainly an easy way to make sure that my meal is organic. I look forward to spring when I can have organic and local fresh meals. As for now, I am happy to use frozen veggies. Thus, my little packed boxes are my take-away joy. 

Snow Day

Snow days. Who doesn't love a day of playing outside the snow. It is funny to me, that times have changed. It used to be that kids had to play outside by themselves and make their own fun. Nowadays, each child is accompanied by two parents. It could be parents are more protective, or the world is more dangerous, or that parents just want to have fun with their kids. I think I will choose to be the latter. And fun, fun we had. 

There was snow balls and snow angels. But the most fun was climbing up the hill by the train tracks and sliding down the hill on our bottoms. With some LL Bean water-proof pants, we slid like Teflon at no less than 15 miles an hour. It was so much fun. 

Mardi Gras Dinner Party

I heart NOLA. I heart Bourbon Street Jazz. I heart all Creole Food. Suffice it say, I really wanted a big Mardi Gras Party this year. Alas, it was not in the cards; our kid and his friends are still too little. But we did compromise with a Mardi Gras potluck. Which was FANTASTIC. Here is what was brought and made... 

Hurricanes and Abita

Creole Shrimp on Polenta Cakes

Muffleta Dip and Crostini

Jambalaya

King Cake  

Suffice it say it was an absolute hoot. I think it was all the hurricanes. I always say it is a good party when you leave clothing behind and despite the frigid temperatures we did have folks leave without their coat. Thankfully they were only walking a couple of doors down. I would absolutely do it all again. The only thing different, would be a I would definitely hydrate more before and maybe 1 or 5 less hurricanes for me... 

Lunch Meal Prep: Vegetarian Voudavan Curry, Quinoa, Roasted Beets, and Black Bean Brownies

Have you ever heard of meal prep? Basically, you cook for two hours on the weekend and you have some meals ready to go for the week. A lot of different people do it, for a lot of different reasons. Some folks do it for weight loss, saving money, dietary restrictions, body building, or time constraints. For me, it is a combination of all of these reasons, well save body building. Yes, when I was in high school, my best friend and I actually dressed up like Hans and Franz. 

OK, back to meal prep. This week my lunch menu included: 

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Voudavan Curry

Organic Tri-colored Quinoa

Roasted Beet Salad

Black Bean Brownies 

I wasn't trying to make meals vegetarian this week, it just worked out that way. I love curries, they are so filling, and so warm and comforting during the dark cold months of winter. The beet salad was a happy accident, I had bought some organic beets at Trader Joes as an impulse purchase. (Wow, that sounds ridiculous. Am I the only person that buys organic vegetables on an impulse?) The Black Bean Brownies was no accident, I figured, I would need to have a dessert if I was going to eat the same thing all week. 

I think the best advice I have heard related to meal prep is make food you want to eat. If you don't, you won't eat it and you will have just wasted a lot of time and money. 

If you are looking for more inspiration on meal prep, my favorite meal prepper on YouTube is the MadBakingGymAddict. Check her out.

As always, much love, many blessings and happy meal prepping. 

Menu: Kid Valentine Brunch

I love brunch. I love kid’s parties. I love Valentine’s Day… we hosted a Kid Valentine Brunch. We had an absolutely wonderful time. We are so blessed that all of Freddy’s friends are just wonderful kids and their parents are pretty awesome. As my good friend Meg said, “we make awesome babies.” I wanted to share the menu from the party.

Kid Valentine Brunch Menu

Cheddar Bacon Biscuits

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Mini Cheese Quiches

Vegetable Frittatas

Ham and Cheese Roll-ups

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Jam Straws

Pancake Pops

Fruit Cups with Yogurt and Granola

Mimosa Punch

Juices, Lemonades and Champagne

Coffee

Spa Water

Pink White Chocolate Lattes

Pink Hot Chocolate

I was surprised but what was loved and less loved.  I will share the reviews first and then what I did prepare.  The kid’s, as expected, loved the pancake pops and the fruit cups. The mom’s seemed to eat the vegetable frittatas and the granola, yogurt and fruit cups. The dads tended to eat the ham and cheese roll ups, the mini quiches and some of the jam straws. As for drinks, the kids loved the juice, of course… no surprise. The mom’s all had one mimosa and then a coffee. Some had a white chocolate latte, but they only had one. The dad’s mostly had coffee and then water… I was surprised, I thought the biscuits and the mimosa punch would be a huge hit. So, next time, if I did again, I would do this menu… I think…

Ham and Cheese Roll-ups

Pancake Pops

Fruit Cups with Yogurt and Granola

Vegetable Frittatas

Valentine Donuts from Krispy Kreme 

Juices, Lemonades and Champagne

Coffee

Spa Water

I guess the reason I was surprised was the items that took the most time, the scratch made biscuits and the lattes didn’t really get yummed up. And the menu items that were easiest to prepare were demolished… Here was my plan to prepare…

Day before the party

• Baked the sweet potatoes for the biscuits
• Cooked the bacon for the biscuits
• Baked the Cheddar Bacon Biscuits
• Baked the Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Baked the Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cooked the spinach for the Vegetable Frittatas
• Cut and froze the lemons and oranges for the Mimosa Punch and Spa Water

Morning of the Party

• Made the Mini Cheese Quiches
• Baked the Vegetable Frittatas
• Made the Ham and Cheese Roll-ups
• Baked the Jam Straws
• Cooked the Pancake Pops
• Cut up the fruit for the Fruit Cups and set out the Yogurt and Granola
• Stirred up the Mimosa Punch
• Set out Juices, Lemonades and Champagne
• Asked my husband make the Coffee
• Added the frozen lemons and filtered the tap for the Spa Water
• Set up the crock pot and mixed up the Pink White Chocolate Lattes
• Heat the milk and stir up the Pink Hot Chocolate

It really didn’t take that long, just about 2 hours on Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday morning. All and all it was a lovely party. I loved the décor and the favors. I will have to post about that soon.

As always much love, many blessings, and Happy Valentine’s Day. 

Mood Board: Kid Valentine Brunch

I love mood boards. I find them to be really helpful in coming up with some touch-point items that  make the whole event come together. I think it is also good to have 5 or so ideas that you really want to make happen at your event. The rest is just gravy. I find 5 goals a very manageable number, anytime you move above that you setting yourself up for that "gosh, I wish I would have had more time ..." 

So, my touch-points for the kids brunch are pretty simple... but fun. 

• Color scheme - I went with a red, pink, and orange color palette. I think there is something fun and innocent about introducing orange into this romantic holiday. It makes it more kid-friendly and less serious. However keeping pink and red and white still hold true to the tradition of the holiday. 
• Fans and garlands - fans, garlands, and tissue paper tassels always do such a great job of dressing up a wall or a table. They don't take much work, they are completely reusable and you can put them up days in advance so decorating only takes a few minutes each day. 
• Heart backdrop wall - I love photo back drop walls, I can't say I have quiet perfected them. But this heart one is super cute. We will have our Polaroid camera at the ready for guests to snap pictures :) 
• Heart balloon wall - I think this would be super fun and not that difficult. I am going to do use this as the main decoration for the basement. Just a big heart balloon wall. I'm sure the kids will love it. 
• Valentine Mini Mailboxes - I love favors. I take a lot of time and attention on the favors because after a party that is your physical lasting memory. I found these super cute mini mailboxes at Target for a dollar. I'm filling them with some little dollar store favors: bubbles, slinkys, rings, and stamps. I am also going to put in a little package of vanilla flavored goldfish and gummies. I am doubling them up as decoration as well. They will adorn the mantle during the party with a balloon attached them. 

So that is the plan... I have some over ambitious ideas about balloon garlands, that may or may not occur but those are my top five as they stand... 

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day... 

What's mama gonna wear: Kid's Valentine Brunch Party

Valentine's isn't exactly super romantic in my house... I don't really go in for planned romance. I prefer the idea of spontaneous romance... Nonetheless, I don't need an excuse to have a kid's party and I don't need an excuse for brunch. I absolutely adore kid's party. There is something so fun about chatting with good friends being continuously interrupted by the most entertaining small people. 

I look forward to spending time with my family and my friends family. It makes for such a wonderful large "framily." I tend to get so caught up in games, and children activities and the menu that I tend to forget what I am going to wear. This time I thought I would take a minute or two and plan out my cute-fit. Cause be mama's got to wear clothes too... 

• Simple casual sunday outfit... Stripey shirt from LL Bean, Levi's Jeans, fun cheetah socks from Happy Feet and of course some super cool All Star shoes
• Make-up... make-down... not so much made up. Lately I have been super lazy and done Baby Lips which is a really nice chap stick, and Tarte cheek stain
• Hair ... I am so excited to wear this sequin heart, I haven't decided if I am going to keep it on the headband or just use it as a clipey with an updo... but either way, sequins and hearts will be worn
• Jewels... my usual pearl earrings, tortoise shell watch and a little cupid twist... my arrow necklace, which i love... I might if I am feeling flirty add some Alex and Ani bangles... we shall see. 

So that is it, my cutefit for Mama. I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day. Lots of love!