Hummingbird Homemaking: Homemaking: Menu Plan and Intentional Living 12/12/11

Getting a Christmas tree.

Winner of the giveaway ~ Sarah!
Sarah - I sent you an e-mail with more information. Let me know if you don't get it. Using my very complicated system {see picture below} I grabbed information from three places for this giveaway. I've heard that random.org doesn't ever let person #1 win so I decided to do it the old fashioned way by cutting up pieces of paper and having my son pick a winner. You would never know that I have a degree in computers based on this giveaway.

Primal Eating {primal "ish"}

WOW! You should check out this primal eating Success Story from MDA, truly an amazing transformation.

One more success story for you...scroll down to barefooter's post (about half way down on my screen):

I was right at 300 pounds at my heaviest, though these photos are probably around 270s. In 2003, I lost 110 pounds (exercising and counting calories with a SAD) and then dropped another 40 in 2007 (giving up refined sugar, but not carbs in general). Two and half months ago, I started PB and experienced a redistribution of weight. I am still 150 pounds, but my clothes fit as if I were 5-10 pounds lighter.

How cool is that - her story and pictures brings tears to my eyes!

Last week I made Asian Beef and while it was good (the sauce was really good) I think I'll try a different cut of meat next time or let it cook on low a long long time. I would try this with ground beef as well. I didn't use the sugar either. After I posted my menu plan last week I immediately changed it. You'll see a lot of the same things posted this week.

Last week I bought a lot of things I shouldn't have. However, the tip I mentioned in my post "re-write the grocery list" is good for all of you to do ~ you know, do as I say, not as I do!

Menu Plan

Breakfast Menu Plan
Lunch - leftovers or whatever for me (kids eat school lunch and they typically provide lunch for my husband at work)

Dinners (we eat a primalish /paleoish diet - limited grains/sugar):

KISS night (keep it simple silly - same thing every week). Chef salads: spinach, romaine, chicken, bacon, thawed peas, cheese, green olives and hard boiled eggs .
Qdoba's steak - SimplyRecipes over rice with salad.
Josie's Shepherd Pie with sweet potato fries.
Roast beef, mashed potatoes and roasted veggies
Fried potatoes w/ leftover roast beef (flop a fried egg on top) serve with green beans.

Cheesy Chowder with some kind of meat added {will be using arrowroot to thicken}
Hubby cooks - I always try to have meat on hand and he's great at whipping stuff up. Last week he bought pizza!!!

Hmmmm...there are a lot of potatoes on this menu plan so I may end up changing things out.

Other recipes I want to try:
Italian Cream Cheese Chicken, Popper Potatoes,

Homemaking Plan

Goal Setting posts:

My "one word" goal this week:

Resolutions

Actually my goal is for you today. Resolve not to make any New Year's resolutions this year {I don't make resolutions}. Whatever you are putting off, decide to start now.

Want to be healthier? Read my post about all of the controversies. Don't have time to do that? Stop eating sugar. Go for a short walk...just around the block. Pass on the soda. It doesn't have to be a huge life changing thing. You just have to make different choices.

Small changes over time = great improvement.

Speaking of time...read my review of "Tell Your Time". No time for that? Decide to let go.

A few pictures from our Christmas tree hunt yesterday. It takes us about 15 minutes to get into the Black Hills so we can cut down a Christmas tree. Every year we talk about getting an artificial tree and every year we don't do it. The permit costs $10 and it helps keep our area safe by clearing out a few trees.