Easy Meal Planning 101

With the new year starting, many people make a pledge to get healthy! It's great! You have a super go-getter attitude, and nothing will stop you. What makes this goal easier to attain and maintain (key word) is planning. Without a plan, you are more likely to get tired of what you are doing. In order to stick to a new diet or workout plan, you need consistency. Your goal should be more like a lifestyle. I know you've heard this over and over and over... But, when you get in the habit of meal planning, everything falls into place. It's routine. And routine leads to lifestyle. Before you know it, you feel so much better, you have lots of energy, and you're loving life!

Here are my easy meal planning tips for a fantastic 2016!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! | Instant Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe

HAPPY NEW YEAR Foodies! Another year has passed, and I must say, it's been a good one. I cannot believe we are moving on to 2016. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was staring at the computer waiting for the world to end NYE circa Y2K. Remember that?

Anywho, I hope you all had a great holiday. It can be rough coming back to work or school or just getting back to normal life after the holidays. I thought I would lighten things up with a new recipe to start off the new year. :)

We had a great Christmas at the Kinder house. We traveled back to Indiana for a couple long weekends with family. We have a nice schedule worked out for Christmas Eve and Christmas that leaves our day stress-free, and we get to see most of our family. We are truly #blessed. I received many amazing gifts this year. My family really knows me. The best gifts that I always get are the "surprises." Every year since I was little, I make my list, but I always ask for surprises! The stuff that I don't even know I want.

This year, J did really well. He got me something that I really didn't even know I needed/wanted. He got me an Instant Pot! Have you heard of these things!? I mean I think I had heard maybe something here or there, but they are all the rage in the Paleo community apparently. They are truly one pot wonders. The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, slow cooker, and even more. I was so pumped about this gift that I have already used it about 5 times in less than a week.

I was particularly excited to break this baby out on New Years Day. Another tradition we have, is eating corned beef and cabbage for good luck on NYD.  So I broke out the (FREAKING AMAZING) Instant Pot, and made the recipe below. Guess what? Delicious. The flavors that came through were just great, and in basically no time, with little work.

Foodie's Friday Favorites | Week of Nov 8. 2015

Alas... Another week has gone by! Hard to believe it is mid-November. I feel like I am already miles behind on Xmas shopping, However, I did make strides this week. I found some great deals, and bought a few things off my list (thanks to one of my favorites below)! Wahoo!

Here we go! My Friday Favorites :) Hope they give you some inspiration or something new to try for the weeks ahead.

Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

It's almost here!! The most grand holiday, where we celebrate all of the carbs...er..I mean something about giving thanks, pilgrams yada yada

Anyway, it's definitely the time of year where we celebrate with family. It's also the time of year where we pack on the pounds. It's easy to do, with all of the delicious feasts that are held at Thanksgiving. My biggest tip around this time of year, is offer to bring what you can. If you are providing a dish or two, at least you will know that there will be something healthy to eat. You will know exactly what ingredients are in the dish that you have homemade yourself.

Many are starting to plan their big menus, so I've put together a roundup for you! Here are a few of my choices and ideas for dishes to bring to your next family or friends Thanksgiving :) All of the traditional favorites are here for a healthier holiday.

Easy Weekend Salad Bar Lunch

Labor Day weekend was just wonderful. My parents came to Cincinnati to visit us, and we had a blast. We did things around town, ate at some delicious restaurants, shopped, and spent some quality time at home as well. By the time Monday rolled around, it was nice to have a relaxing morning at home.

I thought that, because we had spent (a little too much) money over the weekend, it would be good to make something at home for lunch.

I had bought all of the ingredients, and some I had at home, for this DIY salad bar towards the end of the week. Everything was basically ready. I just had to throw the chicken in the crockpot in the morning, and pull everything out of the fridge when we were ready to eat! Simple and easy peasy.

Holiday in Funcie

Well the holiday weekend is over...and it's Monday again... the weekend is never long enough. However, I can't complain, because we did have a wonderful weekend. Jeremy, Dizzy and I traveled back home (Muncie, IN) this past weekend, to celebrate the 4th with family. We had a really wonderful time, and ate some delicious food.

For Independence Day, we went to Minnetrista. My mom and I put together some delicious paleo salads, and we had a picnic with the family. My mom plays clarinet for America's Hometown Band, (she was a band director for many years) and they played a lovely concert on the green. After the concert, there was a fireworks show! I was very impressed. The show was done to music, and very well done at that.

There are now cows behind my parents house. Dizzy enjoyed greeting them every day.