Crock Pot 101

A big thing that keeps me sane in my busy & hectic life is organization. I have posted some easy organization tips with you before, and thought I would share a simple meal plan that I have put into practice the last few months. With Derek having clinical rotations, it is easy to throw something in the crock pot that will be ready when he gets home around 6:00 pm, even the nights I am working until 8:00. Thanks to the wonderful world of internet cooking sites, Pinterest, and my own adaptations, I was able to come up with 8 easy and healthy meals that could easily fit into any families dinner routine. 

 It all starts with 1 major shopping and cooking day. This is where I purchase everything I will need to make these meals, and since I have portioned them out, I get two meals for each recipe. {This works for us because we are a small family. If you have a larger family, just up the ingredients!} I have attached the recipe cards & shopping list  for your pleasure(click the link to download). Most of these ingredients are staples in our house, and of course you can change them to your own liking. When you get home, start prepping. The Taco Soup, Italian, and Mexican ground beef need to be fully cooked, so make sure you let them cool before throwing them in the bags. Write in sharpie the "Instructions for Bag" written below each recipe.Also, make sure you purchase the heavy duty Freezer bags. This is NOT the time to save a couple cents & buy cheapies. 

It's as easy as that! Now you have between 8-16 meals for you and your family to enjoy! I hope this makes your meal planning, preparation, and actual dinner time routine much easier. 

(Photo credit: ringaroundtherosies.net)

Veggie Tales

A few weeks ago, I was watching a Doctor Oz episode while folding laundry. He followed a busy Mom all day and took note of what she was feeding her family. He then had them come to his studio to present some alternatives and new items to add into their schedules. He mentioned that families should stay away from fresh produce and stick with frozen because of the amount of money everyday families end up throwing away because of rotten food. I am a big fan of frozen veggies, but I thought I would share a few easy ways to keep fresh produce from going bad in your fridge.

1. Clean, cut, and prepare your veggies

This is one of the first things I do after getting home from the grocery store. Carrots, celery, and cucumbers are staple items here at our house. It takes a little more time then just throwing them right in the fridge, but I have realized that you eat more veggies when they are cut and ready to go. We get veggies in our lunch everyday, and on busy weeknights where I work late, we can easily eat a sandwich and have some veggies right at our fingertips.

2. Keep Fruit Visible 

How many times do you buy a bunch of apples, pears, or other fruit, eat one and then forget about it? This is basically the same rule as the veggies, but I keep the apples in the fridge in a bowl ready to grab. And yes, we are normal- we drink soda here. {ha ha}

3. The BEST Way to Store Fresh Herbs

For the longest time, I was at a loss of how to store my fresh herbs. I recently found a way that has been really easy and super simple. First, make sure the leaves of your herbs are really, really dry. Next, trim about an inch or inch and a half off the stem. In a cup/jar, put about 3 inches of water and place the herbs right in. If you are storing them out on the counter, they are ready and good to go just like that. Since cilantro prefers the cold, I keep all herbs in the fridge. Place a plastic bag loosely around the leaves and stick on a label! 

Hopefully these tips and tricks help you in your new years resolutions to eat better, or just to eat more veggies!