Ok, 2019- We’re onto you!

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Happy New Year! As much as the clean slate and encouragement to do all the right things feels exciting it can also feel overwhelming. Suddenly we’re supposed to switch from Christmas cookies to all the kale salads? My plans for the upcoming year usually start in November, with my blogaversary but after some post-holiday clean up, I was feeling jazzed and inspired to help for those whose resolutions include the kitchen! By now we’re definitely into January but the number date doesn’t have to dictate when to get started on good habits!

I’m interested by the idea of a word for the year and I’m loving the lists of “more XYZ; less ABC” as a way to set some intentions versus specific goals. I asked on instagram what some food/kitchen related resolutions were which led me here!

If you’re trying to be more intentional with meal planning:

https://mmopage.com/news/kn87qvs weekly-meal-plan-1000x600

  • Capsule Meal Planning: gives yourself some structure & starting points to plan a week of meals
  • meal planning in 5 steps
  • also, write it down! It helps you plan, shop, visually see what’s ahead (so you can prep ahead somewhat) and anyone else who is eating can see it!
  • my fav grocery app (Anylist) is now on apple & andriod! Hallelujah! We tried so many when we weren’t both on iphones. You can share the list with family members annnnd save a photo with an item- if you’re super particular about say, pita bread, like me! You can even connect recipes so you shop for all the groceries. I keep lists for groceries, Costco, Trader Joe’s and Target.

If you’re wanting some smart breakfast ideas:

https://www.justoffbase.co.uk/uncategorized/8w32mreo Pumpkin Muffin

If packing your lunch needs some attention:

The Three Bite Rule - Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

If you have a new appliance to play with:

The Three Bite Rule - PB & J Smoothie Healthified

If you’re wanting to do more meal prep in advance

(like me!) I’ll be sharing some of those tips on instagram.

Don’t feel the January pressure to do all the things. Take something that you WANT to do and just stick to that. Or pick a new resolution or intention for each month!
My goals:
Year of organizing/decluttering
Feeding Littles
Advanced food prep

 

Capsule Meal Planning

Capsule wardrobes are definitely a thing so why isn’t capsule meal planning a thing? I’m doing it! Capsule wardrobes are a smaller selection to mix and match to make choosing easier. Meal planning needs some of those same principles! Starting a meal plan for the week can feel daunting but having a plan, getting the ingredients, maybe doing some prep in advance, and sharing the plan with those eating it are all keys to success. I always meal plan factoring in weather, speed/ease of prep, and what we have going on but why not add in a few more guidelines?
The Three Bite Rule - Coconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

I came up with a bunch of themes and categories and definitely think it has made planning and executing meals easier! I decided to choose a few as the starting point to then plan with our favorites. I’m focusing on weeknights since those are for sure the craziest around here. Buy Raw Alprazolam Powder What are your weeknight go-tos? I need to know! 

Here’s my running list of weeknight dinner themes:

night of bfast
night of meatless (here are some of mine, and more of mine)
night of international: Mexican/Mediterranean/Italian/Thai/Indian
night of pizza/pasta/calzone
night of panini/soup/salad
night of grilling
night of a grain bowl dinner (some of our favs are here)
night of anything goes (that means fast, not creating leftovers but maybe even using a leftover item, maybe not everyone eats the same thing: often eggs/quesadillas/grilled cheese/pasta)
night of takeout (that’s what we do on Fridays)

Kielbasa Grain Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

Last week, here’s what we did:
Mon = night of calzone: sausages & onions
Tues = night of crockpot: BBQ pulled pork & roasted butternut squash
Wed = night of pasta: tortellini w/ alfredo
Thurs = night of Mexican: pork tacos & fiesta bean salad
Fri = night of takeout
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage & Peppers Calzone
https://gungrove.com/efc2f2dn0rb The prior week, here’s what we did:
Mon = night of salads: build your own salad bar
Tues = night of anything goes
Wed = night of grilling: hot dogs & broccoli salad
Thurs = naan pizzas
Fri = night of takeout

https://www.ngoc.org.uk/uncategorized/future-events/a4nkd1x4g7 This week, here’s what we did/are having:
Mon = night of pasta: spaghetti & tomato sauce and salad
Tues = night of a blogged dinner (coming soon! it is very fall inspired!)
Wed = night of a freezer food recreated (loaded waffle fries with pulled pork, beans, corn, queso, & avocado)
Thurs = night of anything goes (my bookclub night this week!)
Fri = night of takeout

The Three Bite Rule - Pesto Flatbread
I tried it out a few weeks. I can honestly say it makes creating a meal plan so much easier. I haven’t quite set our themes we’ll do every week, but I’d guess during this busy season of our lives, I’ll keep: pasta/anything goes/takeout and that leaves 2 other weeknights to get creative or do whatever we’re in the mood for. Tacos/Mexican seems like a likely theme we may have most weeks too. Even 3 weeknights covered with a starting point seems helpful!

What are your go-tos for weeknight dinners?? 

Honey Rosemary Cream cheese on BLTs

Somebody at work brought salt bagels and honey rosemary cream cheese from Bagelsaurus for a breakfast party and I couldn’t get over this signature combo. I loved the woodsy but sweet cream cheese with a salty bagel. I knew I had to have it again before I’d get to Bagelsaurus, so I made some for a sandwich! I wanted pretzel rolls but ended up with some quality sourdough. I used the rest of the honey rosemary cream cheese for breakfasts and will totally make some again.

I like BLTs to be in that order. This one got an exception, but I normally feel quite strongly about this. Lettuce in the middle is tricky to photograph so I ventured to this BTL. Do as you wish. Does it matter to you? Don’t worry- I still like you even if you don’t care the order. 🙂

Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Also, about half my greens are basil for a little summery kick to this.

Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese & BLTs (for 2)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cream cheese (I used whipped, or regular works too)
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons honey
~2-3 strips of bacon per sandwich, cut in halves
sandwich bread/rolls/bagels
tomato
greens

Directions:

Finely chop the rosemary. Mix up the cream cheese, rosemary, and honey.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Refrigerate until serving – keeps in the refrigerator for ~1 week.
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Pan fry the bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels.
Slice the tomato & chop the greens, if needed.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Generously spread the cream cheese on to the insides of the bread and build the sandwiches.
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
Slice & enjoy!

I really loved this combo. I almost added avocado but it wasn’t quite ready. Add a fried egg and serve on a bagel for a really magical experience! I liked the cream cheese here instead of any cheese on the BLT. How amazing would it be on a pretzel roll or salt bagel? That’ll be next for me!
Honey Rosemary Cream Cheese on BLTs - The Three Bite Rule
The cream cheese was really easy and could easily be mixed up in advance. It would be a really fun to serve with local bagels for house guests or to bring as a hostess gift! I only made a bit but you could make a little or a ton!

May 2018 Recap

I feel like I got verrrrry pregnant this past week. 31 weeks in, ~9 to go! We had a fun long weekend with the family from Maine staying over and then the local family for a birthday/memorial day bbq. This month Mr. J and I had a date at a new-to-us restaurant and we all went to our fav Chinese restaurant we don’t get to all the time.

This month I was really into this coconut shrimp. Ohh it was just so good. I haven’t made it since but really need to work it into my next meal plan. Sweet but crunchy as well as juicy and fresh.
The Three Bite Rule - Coconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Baking itsn’t always my jam but I made Mint Chip Coconut Macaroons and was worried when some liquid kind of spread out but they turned out great!
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
Grain Bowls are a go-to for me so I rounded up a bunch.

The Little One:

He’s 100% potty trained. I’ve considered him trained for months, but now he is even at night time. Woot woot! He has been doing a great job listening and I appreciate that so much. I’m trying to capitalize, vocalize, and praise how appreciative I am. Aside from going outside, we’ve played a lot of magna-tiles and dinos this month. Breakfast sausage has been a hit with him this month. He’s been learning about insects and spiders at pre-school and always has been sharing a lot of facts.

Bump Update:

7 1/2 months in! I passed the glucose test, which was pretty expected, but great nonetheless. I’m much more uncomfortable and still sleep is what it is. Overall I’ve been feeling ok, just more tired lately. I keep thinking I want avocado and then when I get them home, I’m not really into it. All I want is what I can’t have: sandwiches & caffeine.

This Year’s Goals:

Year of the candle: I didn’t get one in May. I was enjoying my last few and didn’t think I reallllly needed one.   
Cook more appetizers/snacks:
I made honey mustard dip for soft pretzels
Taking time to blog thoughtfully: 
ehh, this wasn’t really something I focused on.
Journal the cute moments of my little one: I’ve enjoyed his way of suggesting something: I was thinking maybe we should go outside?
What I’m reading: 
 I read The Hate U Give and thought it was really well written as a YA novel. 
What I’m watching: 
we watched The Post which was fantastic. Free press is so crucial.

Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon

Maple bacon just wasn’t good enough, the bacon needed to to be glazed in maple syrup. Annnnd the grilled cheese needed to be cooked in the pan from the bacon. Of course.
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Bacon Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon

Ingredients: (for 1 sandwich)

2 slices of bacon, sliced in half
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 slices sourdough or oatmeal bread
2 slices of American cheese
~1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Pan fry the bacon until crisp then drain on paper towel. Brush each side with maple syrup.
The Three Bite Rule - Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon
Drain most of the bacon out of the pan. Keep the pan on medium heat.
While bacon cools, assemble the sandwich with cheese, bacon, then more cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon
Pan fry the sandwich for ~3-4 minutes on each side. Carefully flip over and cook the other side. Cover to ensure all the cheese melts.

This is the ultimate breakfast grilled cheese. That’s a thing, no?

Uses for all the Hard Boiled Eggs from Easter

If you have a whole bunch of dyed eggs around, here are my fav uses for any hard boiled eggs! I eat them plain as a snack, or egg salad, but that may only take you so far. I’ve actually dyed un-boiled eggs when I wanted to play with the color but not have a dozen hard boiled eggs around. That was without a toddler!

Buy Valium Diazepam 10Mg 1) Use hard boiled eggs for all the deviled eggs!
They are such a hit at a party…often vegetarian (I made my bacon ones obvious by topping them with bacon so there weren’t surprises), often dairy-free, often gluten free…depending on the variety! They’re a small bite without silverware and don’t require reheating! Make just a few and serve them with dinner or lunch at home. You don’t even have to wait for a party! Are you surprised I have more variation ideas I just haven’t made yet??
Sour Cream & Onion Deviled Eggs
Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs
Taco Spiced Deviled Eggs
Greek Deviled Eggs
Caesar Deviled Eggs
French Onion Deviled Eggs

The Three Bite Rule - Greek Deviled Egg

https://sieterevueltas.net/22l7deh
2) Use hard boiled eggs for the to-go option where you might have another egg!

Breakfast Risotto I made had white cheddar, bacon, everything bagel seasoning and was served with an egg for the runny yolk. When I packed leftovers for work, I heated the risotto and chopped a cold hard boiled egg to go on top just before eating (with extra everything bagel seasoning).
The Three Bite Rule - Bfast Risotto
Avo & Egg Toast with Everything Bagel Seasoning would speed up immensely if the egg was a chopped hard boiled one!


3) Use hard boiled eggs to amp up the protein on a veggie side dish!

Caesar Asparagus was a springy feeling side that was just so easy: roasted asparagus, MYO caesar dressing, and top with some hard boiled eggs and plenty of salt & pepper!
The Three Bite Rule - Caesar Asparagus

4) Use hard boiled eggs for Cobb Salad themed anything! 
I made a cobb salad inspired burger. I’ve made a Cobb Salad Dip! Make a cobb salad chicken sandwich! Make it a regular cobb salad! Make it a cobb salad crostini appetizer! Bacon, chicken/turkey, eggs, lettuce/cucumbers/tomato, and blue cheese is always a welcome combo!
The Three Bite Rule - Cobb Salad Burger

https://www.prehistoricsoul.com/5a4jp5ecx 5) Use hard boiled eggs for topping on a breakfast pizza!
This breakfast pizza from back in the day had cream cheese with chives spread onto the crust then topped with shredded cheddar, breakfast sausage, hard boiled eggs, and everything bagel seasoning. This is the foolproof way to do eggs on breakfast pizza if you are cooking for a crowd and don’t want to test the baking time needed for an egg cracked onto a pizza!
The Three Bite Rule - Breakfast Flatbread

Mealtime for our Family & Preschooler

Our little one is an eater. He’s seriously into food and has quite the appetite. I can’t get over how much food he can put away! I’m no expert, this isn’t a how-to, all kiddos are different but here is what’s happening in our kitchen/at our table at this season of our lives. Let’s start with the fact that he’s into food and doesn’t question different textures- that’s him as a person. I’m coming at mealtime from my own perspective, not a one-size-fits-all with a hungry kid who likes to eat and as a Momma who values food, cooking, and meals. This guy forgave us after the first 5 weeks of life when he really would have benefited from a supplement of formula sooner, and has been eating non-stop ever since. Fed is best, but that’s another story.
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Timing of Eating & Milk:

On weekends, he eats breakfast soon after waking- often 8ish. His bfast of choice is waffles/dry cereal/toast and fruit. Mid morning milk. Lunch is mid-day. He’ll always pick peanut butter & jelly, if available, with tomatoes/cukes/apples etc. After lunch he has a little digestion time and then a 2-ish hour nap. Milk after the nap. Dinner tends to be somewhere between 5:30-6:15 with milk before bed, and he’s in bed @ 7:30ish. We don’t offer snacks so he doesn’t really ask for them – milk is pretty much fulfilling this. Sometimes we’ll offer a snack if he’s up earlier from the nap, also if we’re going to go out for an errand or something.

Weekdays he’s up earlier and daycare does a mid-morning snack and an after-nap snack usually. I wonder if since we’ve packing lunch at daycare his whole life, that has been part of him knowing he can only eat what’s served- no substitutions.

Meals:

We’ve worked hard to give him what we eat, without substitutions. The motto at our table is “you don’t have to eat it”. He doesn’t have to finish anything but there’s no substitutions. We caught ourselves when he was smaller sometimes adding to his dinner if he wasn’t eating much. He also noticed and we nipped that. I do think we’re mindful of there being a few things on his plate, and we know what he’ll definitely like- like a random raw veggie I’m assured he’ll eat. We point out what each thing is so he’ll have the vocabulary of food and to have a second to see & understand what the meal is. I’ve tried to be in the habit of saying “you’re not hungry for eggs right now? maybe next time.” versus “you don’t like it?”.

Most days we all sit for breakfast together- each eating whatever our breakfast of choice is. Most nights we all eat together. If possible, I give him a head start since it takes him longer. I’ve been working hard to prep most dinners in advance so there’s less to start on weeknights at 5:45pm and so he can start, and Daddy and I join in and eat the same thing when he’s home off the train. One weeknight per week we do “anything goes” so we might eat different dinners – leftovers/eggs/something quick. Friday nights are takeout & DVR for the grown ups so he’ll eat first and we eat when he goes to bed. We cherish this ritual- as much as cooking and eating together.

For us, parents decide what’s for dinner, and when dinner is. Our kid can decide which things he wants to eat, and how much. He can have 2nds, 3rds of anything but not anything different than the dinner. Holidays/parties/etc all bets are off. I notice he eats less at a bigger family meal, but that’s fine.

In the kitchen:

He likes to be on a stool at the counter. Sometimes he can “help”, like putting the chopped veggie from the cutting board onto a pan to roast. I show him foods as they’re cooking. It is important to me that he sees what something looks like raw, or the stem, etc. Just the other day I gave him an avocado pit to touch- he thought it was hysterical. To get into the mindset of the meal being ready, often we’ll have him pick his plate/bowl which he can reach. He doesn’t get to decide what’s for dinner, but he can choose a plate. Here he is “taking a picture”….wonder where he got that idea 😉
IMG_4189

At the table:

He’s in his highchair pulled up to the table. He needs the reminder to use his fork/spoon. I’d estimate he eats 80% of foods with silverware. Most meals he needs reminders not to play with any food, and to keep his legs down and stay pushed in. For now, he doesn’t mind at all to wear a bib. Because of our dogs, we strive for all food to be eaten at the table, still sometimes the lab needs to be separated from eating crumbs off the toddler’s lap the entire meal!

Favorites:

Pasta, avocado, beans, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, waffles, rice, yogurt, feta cheese, all fruits, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, sweet pickles, muffins, mustard, applesauce, quesadillas, and the list goes on. He’s less interested in meat at the moment. Eggs are hit or miss. He finds lettuce hard to chew. Below he forsake the fork for his Christmas dessert of cheesecake with cherries.
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On variety:

I shoot for variety for us all, but for him especially. I want him to see that foods he likes can look different. Cheeses, pasta shapes, rice/grains etc don’t just look one way, and we don’t only eat them with one flavor. It was messier, but I gave him tiny soft tacos the other night and he did great holding and biting them. I wondered what he’s think about a white bean/tomato/spinach thing with polenta and he ate soooo much of it. As much as I want him seeing and experiencing new food, he still surprises us with what he’s into sometimes.

Here’s this week’s menu:

Sunday: was the Patriots playoff game so we had “sports snacks” Cheeseburger Layer Dip & raw veggies with dressing.
Monday: White beans with tomato sauce & spinach and polenta cakes – he went to town and ended up eating what would have been my leftovers for lunch!
Tuesday: Tacos (mine = ground pork, T & Daddy = ground beef) with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, salsa inside, and some Mexican Street Corn on the side.
Wednesday: Rigatoni with creamy tomato sauce
Thursday: Chicken wraps with sweet potato fries
Friday: takeout for us parents and something easy- maybe a quesadilla or mac & cheese for T.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel Bake

Sausage, egg, and cheddar bagels for everyone! I made this savory bread pudding with my favorite bfast sandwich fillings for an Easter brunch. It was SO good and perfect for a group since I prepped it the night before and just popped it into the oven. It puffed up and was nicely soft. The leftovers were delicious too!

The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Bagel Bake
Smitten Kitchen made this with cream cheese, onion, capers, and smoked salmon. I went with my preferred sausage/egg/cheddar combo.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel Bake

Ingredients (serves 6):

3 everything bagels
6 links breakfast sausage
4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese
5 egg whites
3 eggs
1/4 cup cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Chop the bagels into bite size pieces. Chop the cheese into 1/4 inch cubes.
Pan fry the sausage until cooked through. Then chop into bite sized pieces.
Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray. Add in half the bagel pieces, then top with half the sausage and cheddar pieces.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Bagel Bake
Place the remaining bagel pieces and the remaining sausage and cheese pieces on top. Turn the very top bagel pieces over so the outside of the bagel is facing out. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Bagel Bake
Whisk together the egg whites, eggs, milk, and cream cheese.
Pour over the bagel, sausage, and cheese pieces.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Bagel Bake
Cover and refrigerate over night, or until ready to bake.
Bake at 400-degrees for about 45 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Bagel Bake
Poke a knife in to see that the egg is fully cooked. It shouldn’t be runny in the middle.
Serve and enjoy!

It puffs up and is so great! The chewy bagels are soft but such a great texture. I loved the everything bagel-ness with the sharp cheddar, the sausage, and the eggs. The mostly egg whites made it a touch lighter!

Quick Fav Dinners

Here’s what I’ve been eating lately, in a quest to get dinner on the table FAST. Whether it is to fit into toddler-time (which translates to: now/soon or there’s a chance somebody might meltdown (it could be me!)) or just a not-new dinner with minimal steps, the goal is to can eat before it is too late. Here’s what’s hitting my weekly menu when it isn’t getting blogged!

Gnocchi from the freezer with a quick sauce. Seriously, once water boils, it cooks for 5 minutes. The other day, I warmed some of my fav kitchen ready tomatoes from a can, plopped in a scoop of cream cheese and warmed it all together. Poof. Instant dinner that seems a bit more special. Take the same liberty with ravioli or tortellini.
The Three Bite Rule - Tomato & Basil Gnocchi
Chicken, Avocado, Ranch subs (admittedly, I skipped the bacon because it would take too long).  Make it a sandwich, a wrap, a pocket…whatever is on hand.
Keep some breaded frozen chicken on hand in the freezer. A little even goes a long way in a sandwich or salad.
ranch_chick_plate_590_390
Tacos. I found some frozen cooked & seasoned taco meat. Instant fiesta!

Breakfast for dinner! Mr. J is verrrry good at whipping together a frittata with whatever cheese/spinach/tomato and freezer bacon he can find. We always have eggs around and there’s just more time for a breakfast dish at night!
brussels_hash_eggs_590_390

Speaking of, I’ve also been front-loading dinner prep by prepping extra and having some to pull out of the freezer. Enter, cheesy hashbrowns. These bad boys just needed topping and to bake.
The Three Bite Rule - Hashbrown Bake
Of course there’s always room for boxed mac & cheese on occasion…

Peanut Butter & Nutella Stuffed French Toast

I lean savory for breakfast 99% of the time but then I got this pb + nutella + french toast in my head and just couldn’t shake it. “I mean I could but why would I want to” . Sorry, that part of the song gets stuck in my head so I figured I’d stick it in yours.
The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast

The easiest way to stuff french toast is to make a sandwich, and french-toast-ify it. Yup, that’s a thing. I made this for breakfast on Father’s Day..though it was just Mr. J and me for bfast. The little guy slept until 9:45am that Sunday. We’re so lucky. Normal is a bit more like 8am, which is also lovely. This was such a fast breakfast to make. It doesn’t even need to be a special occasion!

Peanut Butter & Nutella Stuffed French Toast (for 2)

Ingredients:

4 slices of bread (I used oatmeal bread)
4 tablespoons of peanut butter
3 tablespoons of nutella
2 tablespoons of butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup (plus more for serving)

Directions:

Assemble the peanut butter and nutella sandwiches.
The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast
Preheat a large skillet or griddle pan to medium heat and add in the butter.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, extract, and maple syrup.
Dunk each sandwich into the egg mixture, flipping once, to fully saturate.
The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast
Pan fry in the butter, flipping once to fully cook each side.
The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast
Serve with more syrup and enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast
We enjoyed this on the deck with coffee (and the baby monitor) on a beautiful morning. I love these two flavors together and thought it was a really great treat. It fueled us up before an adventure to pick strawberries. Yum.

The Three Bite Rule - PB Nutella French Toast