Menu Monday - the Back to School edition
It seems like it all went by in a blink. As of this Wednesday, school is back in session. I would perform an interpretive dance to share exactly how complicated my feelings are about this, and you would love it, I'm sure, but I've got too much left undone, and two days left to make it all happen.
With the return of the school schedule, I'm going to have a bonafide reason to walk every day, as well as a more concrete schedule for the family's meals. As much as I love the lazy days of summer, I am craving more order. Watch, in about one week, I'll be complaining about being owned by the school calendar, and how I wish I could just set my own schedule.
I'm fickle like that.
The school is exactly one flat, easy-to-walk mile from my front door. The preschool that my three-year-old will be attending is also one easy-to-walk mile from my front door, and about half a mile from the elementary school. I have no excuses, barring extreme weather or traumatic limb loss. So here it is:
Walking for school drop offs five days a week @ 2.5 miles roundtrip.
Walking for school pick ups three days a week @ 2 miles roundtrip.
Optional walking home on the other two days - I'll have to see how tired my kids are, and if they can walk home and then do their sports on top of it.
That's 18.5 miles a week. Minimum. I think I'll have to find a way to make it an even 20 miles a week.
Before we get to this week's menu - I want you all to take a look at your daily routines and see where you can squeeze a little more exercise into your day. I'm not talking about extraordinary methods here. I want to hear your ideas!
SInce this is going to be a hectic week, I'm going to be keeping dinners simple and easy to prepare:
Monday
night - sliced fruit, grilled mini turkey burgers - turkey, chopped celery and onion with a splash of soy sauce (on the Foreman grill) with
avocado/jicama/cilantro/lime salad and baked beans
Tuesday
night - sliced french bread, cream of potato soup, green salad
Wednesday
night - FIRST NIGHT OF SCHOOL Crockpot
Lazy Chicken - frozen chicken breast tenders and a jar of vodka pasta sauce in the crockpot, simmered until the chicken is tender and shreds easily (this is The Womom's recipe) over wide noodles with steamed broccoli and sliced apples
Thursday
night - sweet potatoes topped with vegetarian chili and sour cream, green salad
Friday
night - curry with garbanzo beans and cauliflower, over steamed brown rice,
peas and carrots and watermelon.
Saturday
night - homemade pizza with rootbeer floats.
Sunday night - whole roasted chicken stuffed with garlic, mashed red potatoes and green beans tossed with parmesean and almonds.
Be sure to check out the (finally updated) Small Slice album over in the left sidebar for an idea what my typical menus consist of, and how it looks when it is all put together on a melamine salad plate from Target. Heh.
Still with me? I've been asked if I really get a good workout on my mini-trampoline, which remains my favorite home-gym item. My son shares my enthusiasm for the mini-trampoline, and was inspired by the sounds of Playhouse Disney's new music videos of Choo Choo Soul. I caught the whole thing on video, and let me just say that the boy is totally stealing my moves. Go have a laugh (and remember that I taught him everything he knows about rebounding.)
Comments
Thanks for the link. I love that lazy chicken recipe. In honor of you (well, I was going to do it anyway, but I love you and want to give you full credit to make you smile), I am going to hunt high and low for the very best crockpot recipes ever and see if I can go a month with only cooking with the crockpot.
I am so on a mission.
Posted by: the womom | August 14, 2006 3:24 PM
Your kid's hilarious! Thanks for the link to see the cutie boogie down and get his groove on! Makes me want to rush out and get a mini-tramp! Maybe for Christmas....
Posted by: prov31wisemom | August 14, 2006 3:56 PM
20 miles a week! Crap. Can I start with a walk around the block once a day. Keep in mind I live in Houston and it's 11 thousand degrees here.
Posted by: Jenny | August 14, 2006 4:08 PM