Meal Ideas?

I have been working since my last post *phew but I now have the next three days off so am trying to come up with a simple meal plan during the week that I can stick to yet still mix up so I'm not eating the same thing everyday. In addition to this I've been writing down all the 8 million things I want to do, etc. that always cloud up my brain-which is always running in a million directions. It really stresses me out and makes me unmotivated to start because I feel like there's just too much to do! Enough of that. I need to simplify my goals and set realistic steps towards making them.

So here's what I'll be eating!

My plan is to do fruit or smoothies (both fruit and veg for breakfasts). My goal is $20 on smoothie supplies a week. I'm gonna try to throw in either protein powder, flax seeds, etc. depending on what other foods I am eating that day. I'll also do some veggies mixed in with the fruit for fiber and other good nutrients. I've heard both celery and spinach are good for smoothies ("the green smoothie" I always hear about).

For lunches I want to keep it light. I was thinking sandwiches, soups, and salads. Again, I'll have $20 to go towards these foods.

Dinners will be more involved and vary throughout the week. Have you ever had gardein mock meats? They are absolutely delicious!

On hectic Mondays I plan to do my mock meat indulgence with either pasta or rice and sauce/dressing depending on the meal I put together.

Tuesday will also be something simple like tacos with tons of veggies.

Wednesdays and Saturdays will be tofu days because I am learning new ways to cook it and I actually really love tofu!! I plan this to be tofu-veg-grain and it should be a really nutritious, well-rounded meal.

Thursdays will be the day that I really mix things up....maybe falafels or something else I've never really made on my own before.

Friday night is pizza!! Whether we get Amy's or make it ourselves, pizza is my absolute favorite and there are so many different ways to make it. I could probably eat pizza every single day of my life.

Since I already hit Saturday (tofu), Sunday I plan to do raw dinners! I have this amazing raw cookbook and I absolutely adore raw foods. I would love to incorporate some awesome raw meals more and more but I am going to focus on Sunday. I ALWAYS open at work on Sundays (I do the ad sets for the new week) so it's something I know I will have the time to actually stick to. If there is one thing on the menu I really want to accomplish it's this.

So there's my goal. My current part-time work budget leaves $35 for dinners. The two tofu/veg/grain nights will really help with the budget and then of course Marc will pitch in his shares for dinners as well.

I'm also going to TRY to bike to work at least once a week, on a day that I open. I think that if I start doing this, I will be able to do it more so in the Fall when the weather isn't over 90 degrees and it's not raining every day. haha! Silly Florida summer weather.

Do you ever make menus? I feel great when I stick to them but I rarely do. I'm gonna focus on doing main grocery shopping once a week and keeping the fridge more organized.

Next on my list: Exercise routine!! Morning workout plus outdoor activities with Marc (bike rides, tennis, maybe even basketball!)

Kristi(E)