Fast, easy, healthy, and inexpensive food for a big family or teenagers...

Baked Rigatoni

Cook up a box of Rigatoni or other large firm pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water and drain well. Place in bottom of 81/2 x 11 pyrex dish. Whole grain preferable, of course.

Brown a package of ground turkey on the stove top, cooking thoroughly. Drain excess juice except for a little and pour over top of noodles. Spread evenly.

In the blender, pour in your favorite jar of spagetti sauce and 1/4 bag frozen spinach. (Do not let the kids see you do this!) Blend on low until consistent color. Pour over the top of pasta and protein.

Bake in the oven on 350 for 10 min. (I cover with tin foil at the 5 minute mark.) Turn off oven and sprinkle mixture with mozarella cheese and let sit in the oven until it is a melted mess of deliciousness!

Salsa chicken

Easy and yummy...

1 frozen boneless chicken breast per person

(I make extra for left overs and to make burritos with later)

lay them out in a pyrex baking dish and cover each one with 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa.

Bake in oven at 375 for about an hour or until bubbly. The water from the frozen chicken breasts and the salsa keeps everything moist.

Turn off oven. Sprinkle chicken with shredded cheddar/jack cheese and let sit in oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted.

I serve this with rice and beans.

Bonus: the whole house smells amazing as it's cooking and everyone will eat it.

Sunday prep

Each Sunday, carve out a little time to get meals organized for the week.

Wash and cut up fruits and veggies and store them in the fridge. I always have a veggie tray handy.

Pre-make sandwiches for lunches.

Fire up the bbq or oven and get meat cooked for salads and dinners.

Make super size salad that will last a few days.

Pack leftovers into single serving containers, and then bring them with you for lunch. Or throw them in the freezer for another day.

Get organized! Remember, last minute food choices are usually never good ones!

Prepare your food for the week: Dinner

Ok, seriously, does anyone not have to face the challenge of feeding selves and children healthy at the end of a long day? On a budget, and with crazy schedules, challenging is an understatement.

Being prepared is KEY!

Grill, bake, broil, etc all of your meat for the week. Throw chicken on salads and leftover steak on sandwiches or in stir fry later on. If you make a bunch at once and cook it correctly on Sunday, you should be able to skate until Thursday.

Chop up veggies and pre-make salads, so they are quick and easy for everyone to grab. Fruit prewashed and cut up. I am a huge fan of the veggie tray with Ranch and Hummus.

Investing family time into food prep on the weekend ensures a healthy selection when hunger strikes, because it is an easy grab! Dinner doesn't have to be dramatic, just quick and healthy! :)

Prepare your food for the week: lunch

Saturday and Sunday are my days to replenish the family food supply and organize meals for the week. It isn't a perfect science, but as you find out what works for your family, you can incorporate more and more good lifestyle choices into the mix.

Kids are a challenge. My kids will pack a lunch again this year and here are some typical favorites:

Clif bars: quick easy and no chocolate mess.

Yogurt: whatever is on sale

Trail Mix: Purchased in bulk at Sprouts and then we fill up snack bags.

PBJ's: standard

Bagel and PB, cream cheese, or lunchmeat

Fruit

We are really liking the Hanson's Natural Soda right now, and they always bring water!

Everything is set up for quick grab and go in the morning.

For adults: Last night's leftovers and salads can be packed up quickly in plastic containers. Invest in a small flexible cooler and throw in a cold pack if necessary. I use cold water bottles to keep things refrigerated.

Remember! Last minute food decisions are NEVER a good idea!

Feeding Your Family

Ok, so anyone else struggling to make healthy food choices for the family and going broke in the process???

Feeding the family with nutrient dense foods is tough enough. To be at optimal health, it's almost impossible not to have your grocery bill a significant chunk of your monthly budget. I am going to spend the next several blogs on helping you navigate the choices, and prioritize your shopping list, with affordability and resourcefulness in mind.

Today we discuss getting organized:

Start designing your shopping list in sections of where you will buy your food. I have 3 places that I go. If you have only one, you may want to consider another stop per week at a Farmer's Market or Trader Joe's for some items.

Here is my typical week:

TRADER JOES: soy milk, hummus, frozen fruit, frozen dinners (healthier here), and CLIF bars are staples. Party supplies and munchies are good here as well. Smokin' deals on wine. If you don't have one close by, plan a once a month trip and grab everything you will need.

SPROUTS: (Or farmers market/coop:) Fresh fruit and veggies, fresh meat and fish.

NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY: Weekly essentials, milk, eggs, bread/bagels, frozen meat.

I realize this may seem like a pain to do 3 trips, but I save a ton of money and it actually doesn't take that much time for each trip, because I know exactly what I need, which brands I prefer and it never takes more than 15 minutes in and out the door.

Ok, more on this to come, including organizing your kitchen. Please comment with helpful suggestions with what works for you!

Supersize your drive

Getting fit and coming back from injury is difficult and time consuming. Worth the time and effort, of course, but very overwhelming.

In order to not psych yourself out of success, grab a spiral notebook and pen and do this:

Write down 3 specific and measurable health and fitness goals. Look carefully and ask someone you trust if they are realistic.

Write down a plan for each one. Nobody gets anywhere without a map. Get as detailed as possible...but again, keep it realistic.

Day by day and moment by moment, live out that plan. The only step you need to worry about is the next one...get started and be ready for change to come your way.

Enlist in help, experts and good people who have your best interests at heart can keep you focused when you start to drift...

Do it now, it is the perfect time, that's why they call it the present.

Dreamsicle smoothie

1 scoop of vanilla flavored protein per person

4 oz orange juice per person

2 ice cubes per person

Blend until smooth and creamy

Healthy, easy, refreshing, smart, YUMMY!