Meal planning is hard. Packing lunch five days a week and cooking for a husband who likes a lot of variety and does not like healthy food while maintaining a budget, is like balancing on a tightrope. This week I decided to use a new source for dinner recipe ideas and found each one on Pinterest. My qualifications for a recipe are:
Minimally processed, whole ingredients
Can be cooked in 45 minutes or less (for a weekday meal)
Mostly meat-free
Every meal has some kind of vegetables
For really busy days, I always have a salad made up for the entire week. I do that on Sunday when I have time to wash and chop all of the vegetables. I make large batches, even though I cook for two, so we always have leftovers on hand.
Breakfast
Shredded Wheat
Uncle Sam’s Cereal
1 Banana
Strawberry Kefir
Coffee black x 2
Morning Snack
Lunch
Quinoa With Roasted Butternut Squash
This came out amazing. The smell of the roasting squash was delicious and the pecans on top added just the right crunch.
Afternoon Snack
More string cheese.
Dinner
This soup was very tasty and really quick to make. The only change I would make is to lighten up on the salt. I was able to find a whole wheat cheese tortellini which was quite good. J usually complains about whole wheat pasta and he was not able to tell.
Tuna Sandwich with mixed greens on Ezekial Bread
What are your tips for getting out of a food rut?
You have a window in your office! You lucky lucky blogger!
I think food rut – I force myself to start cooking something, anything, any recipe and sure enough- I start thinkin of something else to make!
I love having a window! It makes the day go by so much faster.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
I always feel like I’m in a food rut! I love quinoa mixed with veggies!
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don’t Count recently posted..Pick A Day…It’s WIAW!!
Quinoa is so good and versatile.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
It really is so hard to find good lunches for picky husbands. my husband doesnt like certain things heated up either. glad you found some good things and all of that looks great!
Courtney recently posted..WIAW
Thanks so much!
Finding healthy foods that my husband will eat without complaint is the bane of my existence. Someone should write a cookbook about it.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
It’s difficult to cook for someone who is picky, I feel your pain! Your dinner looks really good. I love tortellini soup!
Mandy@OrangeAutumn recently posted..WIAW #1
Thanks! The soup was so easy, I will be making it again.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
Yummy eats! I love how you added pecans to your lunch
My tips for getting out of a food rut is to either make a meal plan and try to stick with it, or to challenge yourself to eat something different everyday.
Shannon (Healthiful Balance) recently posted..Sucker For Sweet Dinners
That’s a great tip. I can use to be more open-minded about trying new things.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
I love all of your food! I need to start making soup again too. My husband eats meat and can’t have dairy. I am a vegetarian. So I totally get the tricky meal planning.
Rebecca recently posted..Saying Tootles to the Twixes
Meat is an issue in my house too. I am not a vegetarian but only eat meat every other week or so. My husband does complain about it but has gotten used to it over the years.
Do you do a lot of two dish meals?
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
I actually don’t mind a rut. I guess if my Boyfriend was into having something different each day, it would be hard! But I usually just make a big pot of something on Sunday and eat it throughout the week. I also supplement a lot with carrot sticks, fruit and nuts throughout each day. I love cooking though and when you have someone to cook for, it is much more satisfying. I am definitely going to have to try your Tortellini Soup. It looks amazing!
Kyria recently posted..Almond Bowl Half Marathon
I hope you like the soup!
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
Your lunch looks really yummy! Fresh & healthy
I never thought of putting pecans with quinoa before! gonna try ‘em!
Vien @ We Dare Food recently posted..WIAW 5
I love putting nuts on dishes. I use toasted pine nuts in a lot of dishes.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
That quinoa combo looks awesome. I have been working on some ideas to spice mine up lately. Planning meals is hard. It is no joke. I always have to do it for the days that I have class all day and it becomes difficult figuring out what can fit in my backpack.
lindsay recently posted..I Like A Good Party (WIAW #3)
It must be really difficult packing food for being out of the house all day. When I was in college, I did not always make the healthiest choices.
Dina recently posted..Food Rut
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