Let’s talk about how busy life is for a second.  Life is busy.  There’s my second.

But seriously, between working full time, taking care of a house, poopy diapers, grocery shopping, cleaning, filling up the gas, giving the kids a bath, feeding the kids, tending to the yard…who in the world has time to cook let alone meal prep? Below I’m going to provide you with a list of 20 meals, their recipes, and the grocery list you need to make them!  **Note my grocery lists also includes items I purchase for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks**

I’ve created TWO AWESOME Google Docs you can view, print, and use.  This will allow you to budget, grocery shop, and make those meals I post to my blog!!  You can add or take away what ever you like.  So I’ve done all of the hard work for you! Created a meal plan & created a grocery list (you may need more or less depending on what you have in stock).

Meal Planning: 

So, I have two different shopping lists monthly and weekly.  I even outline on my spreadsheet things I only need bi weekly or bi monthly.  Once you start meal planning you’ll get the hang of what you do and do not need weekly.  Some people don’t use cheese as often so they do not need to purchase cheese as frequently.

Here is how you start meal planning and I mean REALLY MEAL PLANNING.

1. Start by making a list of every meal you are making. Then next to those meals write down all of the ingredients you’ll need to make that meal (see Google Doc as reference)  ***I start with 20 meals we love and rotate them out for other meals monthly.
2. Next check off what you have and write down what you need (see Google Spreadsheet)
3. With that make your grocery list!
4. ***IMPORTANT*** do not forget lunch, breakfast, and snacks.

Here is an example of lunch: Turkey Wrap ( I buy whole wheat wraps from Costco) with avocado, mayo, lettuce, tomato with a side of hummus and peppers.

Here is an example of breakfast: English Muffin with Avocado, Poached Egg, and butter + Coffee + Creamer

Here are examples of snacks: 1. crackers & hummus 2. Veggies & Hummus 3. Cheese & Meat 4. Fruit

 HOW YOU DO IT:

I’m giving you 20 meals, ALL of the ingredients, all of the recipes, and my shopping list!!  Everything I buy (including breakfast and lunch) costs me less than $400/month. I usually start by doing a large Costco shopping trip mid month and then spend about $60-$80/week restocking fruits, veggies, and other meats and produce.

Meal Plan:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yaYTuR9bBtcVxSMdWzuS6agSzRgJy21NEBEPlAe7THE/edit#gid=0

Grocery List:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12gNrVF9lFuL_Dee8_3SI1up0PtecxdNZrb_CAQdsNJU/edit#gid=0

COST

We used to spend almost $1,000-$1,8000/month on food alone. That included about $800-$1,200 in groceries and $500 going out to dinner whether it was sit down or chipotle

Now I spend $150 at Costco in the middle of the month & $60-$80/week at grocery stores on restocks (like I said I usually use the grocery store on base OR Sprouts. A local farmers market).

Which means I NOW SPEND Less than $500/month on food alone including dining out!

The best part about meal planning, besides saving money, is that you don’t waste food. Which is awesome. I truly abhore when I see moldly or expired food in my fridge. I hate being wasteful.  This is one of the dozens of reasons I love to meal plan!! You save money and waste less.

Please enjoy the Google Docs I’ve listed above!  Also, if you are not familiar with Google Drive please note that in some of the box they have hyperlinks to those specific recipes on my Blog or another Pinterest blog.  There are also “notes” attached to specific boxes on each document containing more information. Please click on those to see the extra info! It may contain a tip, recipe, or a special note from me 🙂

Meal Plan:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yaYTuR9bBtcVxSMdWzuS6agSzRgJy21NEBEPlAe7THE/edit#gid=0

Grocery List:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12gNrVF9lFuL_Dee8_3SI1up0PtecxdNZrb_CAQdsNJU/edit#gid=0

This recipe is simple so this blog post will be as well.

Here is what you need: 

1. Salmon Steaks
2. Apricot Jam
3. Rice
4. Kale
5. Garlic
6. Salt
7. Lemon Juice
8. Garbanzo Beans

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425
2. Boil water for rice.
3. Add rice (may take 5-40 minutes to cook depending on the type of rice you make)
4. Season the salmon steaks with lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper
5. Bake for 15 minutes
6. Saute kale with 2 tablespoons of garlic and add salt and pepper.
7. Once kale is soft add garbanzo beans (drain them first please :))

Take your apricot jam and whip it until it isn’t chunky any more (I use a simple fork).

Put it all together 🙂

Enjoy,

Jen

Talk about a really quick meal. With prep to table this took me less than 20 minutes.

Isla has been cutting back on her afternoon naps so I knew I had minimal time to prep for dinner. Also, can I just mention quick, that this chicken sausage costs me $2.19, beans costs $0.99, tomatoes $2.29 and I already had the spices and broth on hand. This makes 4 servings. So I had a meal for my family for less than $6.00 🙂 I also prepared Brussels sprouts & a salad. You can really prep it with what ever your favorite sides are when making a stew. I know my mom always served warm bread and my husbands would love corn bread with anything!

So let’s show you how it’s done and you can get to it 🙂

Here is what you need:

1. Chicken Sausage
2. 30 oz of white beans { 2 cans if using canned beans }
3. 5-7 cloves garlic chopped {depending on your garlic preference}
4. salt, pepper, Italian seasonings
5. Tomato (2 cups chopped)
6. 2 cups chicken broth
7. {optional: ADD KALE & ONION } I did not have any but I 100% will add next time!

Here is what you do:

1. Bring chicken broth & chopped garlic to a low simmer in a large skillet.
2. Rinse beans. Then, add beans + cut up tomatoes + spices  to the skillet and bring to a summer again.
3. Let sit while you cook your sausage {covered/ see photo below}.
4. Cut your sausage up and cook in another skillet until done { I used a cast iron skillet but it is not required}
5. Add sausage to beans & broth and let simmer several minutes {at this point you would add Kale and let simmer until Kale is tender}
6. Serve with veggies | or salad | and bread or what ever you prefer 🙂

Clean up is really easy. I typically clean as I cook but after you should only have a couple pots, cutting board, and the bowls you used.  I hope you enjoy your yummy & savory Chicken and Bean Stew 🙂

Love,

Jen Szohr http://www.homemadehandbook.com

This meal is wonderful. I love love love it.

The veggies take the longest to cook but it very easy and not much clean up so it’s worth it!

This meal can be Paleo, gluten free, or not gluten free depending on your preference.  To make this meal gluten free use the Gluten Free Pecan Crusted Bread Crumbs from Trader Joe’s (of course).  If not you can use the traditional “shake and bake” bread crumb approach (you don’t actually have to use shake and bake. You can use whatever type of bread crumbs you like. But you should use the thick kind to make is “crusted”).

Here is what you need:

1. 2 pieces of Tilapia (or however many people you’re preparing this for)
2. Your choice of bread crumbs (we used shake and bake)
3. garlic powder + salt + pepper + Brady Street cheese mix ( you can buy it in WI so get on the next plane ;))
4. 2 Sweet Potatoes
5. 1 TBS butter
6. 2 TBS Brown Sugar
7. 1/4 TBS Cumin + salt + pepper
8. 1 Pounds of Brussels Sprouts
9. Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 🙂
2. Start off by cutting your sweet potatoes. Melt your butter and cover your sweet potatoes in it. I put them in a bowl, pour the butter over, and shake shake shake.  Next I add my brown sugar, cumin, salt and pepper.
3. Then cut your Brussels sprouts in half. Put in a bowl and add about 2 TBS of EVOO + salt + pepper + garlic powder.  Again, shake it up to coat the BP evenly with the oil and seasonings
4. Place both on a large cookie sheet side by side and bake for 30-40 minutes.
5. About 15 minutes before your veggies are done start preparing your tilapia
6. Typically they will tell you to bake this but I fried it on a cast iron skillet and it was AAAAAMAAAZING
7. Warm your cast iron skillet (on MED) and place 2 TBS of EVOO or Canola Oil on the Skillet.
8. While it’s warming place your fish in your bag of bread crumbs + garlic powder + salt + Pepper and what ever else you LOVE to season meat with. I used Brady Street Cheese seasoning my Uncle got me for Christmas and it was amazing.
9. Shake it up real good  (or follow instructions on the back of the bread crumbs container)
10. OPTIONAL : ADD PARMESAN CHEESE TO THE TOP OF FISH
11. Place on cast iron skillet for 3-5 minutes on both sides of fish

Once your fish and veggies are done serve it up & enjoy 🙂

Hope you love this as much as we did 🙂

Love,

Jen

I was craving some Thai food tonight! But what mom has time?

This recipe is so easy!!

Here’s what you need:

1. 2 lbs of chicken
2. 1/2 onion
3. 4 large carrots (or half a bag of carrots)
4. 10 yellow potatoes quartered
5. White or brown rice
6. Yellow curry Thai sauce {the one bellow is my favorite and I’ve NEVER found one that taste authentic. I got this one at Sprouts Farmers Market} I use TWO of these packets 🙂

Here’s what you do:

Ahead of time don’t forget to defrost your chicken {unless you have fresh chicken that’s perfect}

1. Bring two pots of water to a boil. One with 2 cups and the other with 4 cups.
   1. While you are waiting for your water to boil cut up your chicken into cubes
   2. Add two tablespoons of canola oil to a sauce pan and turn heat on medium
2. When your 2 cups of water is boiling add 2 cups of rice and cook {or follow the directions on your bag of rice}.
3. Add cut up carrots and potatoes to your pot of 4 cups of water and cover
4. Add chicken to your saucepan with canola oil
5. Add your cut up onion to the saucepan
6. Add your curry sauce to the pan of chicken & onion with 2 tablespoons of water
7. Let all of these things cook for 10-15 minutes {chicken on medium heat}

*** sidenote: my rice only takes 5 minutes because it’s minute rice

Once everything is done {about 15 minutes} add your rice and Yellow Chicken Curry together 🙂

Enjoy

Love,

j

Here is another easy dinner recipe on the FLY 🙂

I really enjoy experimenting with different combinations of really healthy and organic vegetables. On tonight’s menu we had:

Chicken | Zucchini | Sweet Potato | Brown Rice | 2 Eggs {or however many people will be enjoying this meal}

This is so easy!! The cooking time is what takes the longest!

What you need:

1. Chicken
2. Sweet Potato
3. Zucchini
4. Brown Rice
5. Butter
6. Dry Rub {homemade recipe here}
7. 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

What To Do

1. Start by pre-heating your oven to 425 and bring a large pot of water to boil (about 3 cups of water).
2. Add rice to boiling water {you can use minuet made rice or slow cooker rice.}
3. Cut sweet potato, chicken, and zucchini
4. Place Sweet Potato in a cooking pan.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add to same pan of sweet potatoes along with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
6. When the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and butter are thoroughly mixed well you can add your pan of potatoes to the oven 🙂
7. Set a timer for 30 minutes

What You Do Next: 

1. While the sweet potatoes cook add the mesquite rub to your zucchini and chicken and mix well.

1. When 30 minute timer is up add chicken and zucchini to the pan and cook for an additional 15 minutes {sweet potato stay in the pan and cook with for the additional 15 minutes}

1. While cooking the chicken, zucchini, and sweet pot bring a small pot of water to 190 degrees so you can poach your eggs!
2. Only leave eggs in hot water for 3 minutes!
3. Let sit on a paper towel to cool until you are ready to combined.

Once it is done it will look something like this:

Enjoy 🙂

Love,

J

This recipe was inspired by my new found love of poaching eggs 🙂 and the desire to help you make dinner super easy!! I literally threw this together in 5 minutes!  The only thing that took longer was baking the chicken!

My sister and I wanted burgers but we are trying to eat healthy!  So I came up with a simple, healthy, and filling chicken burger recipe!

Here is what you’ll need:

1. Whole Wheat English Muffins {or buns what ever you prefer. We used the EM because they are healthier}
2. Eggs { 1 per burger }
3. 1 piece of chicken {makes two burgers}
4. 1 avocado {makes two burgers}
5. Spring Mix lettuce

{we added a side salad using Spring Mix salad with walnuts and a Gorgonzola dressing from Trader Joe’s (duh). You can add what ever side you like!}

Here is what you do:

1. Season your chicken with salt, pepper, garlic and anything else you like to season chicken with.
2. Bake your chicken (thawed) at 375 for 15 minutes
3. While chicken is baking….Cut up your avocado and mash it.
4. Poach 2 eggs {fill a pot of water. Bring it to 190 degree temp. Add 2 eggs slowly. I recommend placing the eggs in ramekins and slowly pouring them into the water. Let cook for 2-4 minutes depending on how gooey you like your poached eggs. I did 3 minutes}
5. Assemble once the chicken is done.
6. Place avocado mash on your English Muffin. >>>>>>>>
7. Add 1/2 tablespoon of Real Mayo {photo below}
8. Sprinkle some Spring Mix lettuce.
9. Cut your chicken in half and place on burger.
10. Top off with poached egg

The BEST MAYO EVER {get it at costco for much cheaper} 

Should look something like this when it is done 🙂

If not for having to bake the chicken this meal would have taken me 5 minute to do.

I hope you enjoy your delicious Homemade Chicken and Poached Egg burger 🙂

Love,

J xo

I got this recipe from an old friend about 8 years ago. I’ve tweaked it to represent what I like and you can do the same thing!

Here is what you need:

2 Chicken Breasts

3/4 Cup of EVOO {or your preference in oil}

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

Cherry or Grape Tomato

Salt {1 TBS}, Pepper {1TBS}, and {1/4 TBS} Cracked Red Pepper

2 cups of spinach

Brown Rice Noodles {we get ours from Trader Joe’s and trust me once you start using Brown Rice Noodles you’ll NEVER GO BACK}

1 cup of parmesan cheese {or more depending on how much you love cheese}

First things first:

The yummy delicious pasta sauce in this dish is {homemade}!  And here is how you do it. The night before cut your whole basket of tomatoes in half. Place them in a bowl.  Pour the EVOO {or whatever oil you like}, Salt, Pepper, Minced garlic and Cracked Red Pepper in. Stir & let sit overnight.  The next day when you start boiling your pasta take the mixture out and let it sit.

To Start:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Boil a large pot of water
3. Add Brown Rice noodles {all of them}
4. Place chicken in oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked

When everything is done cut up your chicken 🙂

Place everything in one large pot all together and mix |there are noodles in there|

After everything is mixed together take a seat and enjoy 🙂 This recipe is extremely easy and takes hardly any prep time!! All you have to do is bake chicken and boil noodles!!  Then you mix everything up and you got a quick and healthy dinner!!

This serves about 5-6 people 🙂

Love,

J

PS, if you like you can add so many things to this dish like mushrooms, more tomatoes, more meat, different meat, zucchini etc.  You can also use different noodles {Penne, Rainbow, Fettuccine, etc}