Dinner is Served

Being that it's:
a) summertime and my kids are home for a lot more meals and snacks now
b) I'm trying to muster the motivation to get a hard body for summer (I'll give you a moment to lyao...) cause it's a little late for THAT...
c) I need crowd pleasing meals that will serve well as leftovers for hubby...
I decided it's once again time for a diet overhaul! I've done this many times and it's a simple plan, really. I've realized that more often than not, I've been reaching for easy snacks and meals (mac n' cheese, frozen pizza, packaged crackers and chips...) instead of what I should be feeding my family so a diet redo is in the works at the Casa Doña!
First, I have stocked up on healthy but quick items that will be easy to throw together in a hurry but that are tasty and satisfying. A few of my favorite things to munch on are carrots and hummus, apple slices with peanut butter, cheese and crackers (whole-grain, please. Those yummy, buttery Ritz ain't gonna help a mama out...) and the almighty smoothie. I love how it feels to whip up a healthy smoothie or protein shake in the morning and waltz into work sippin' away as if it's just the norm. Well, I want it to be. So with a few ingredients, you can make smoothies anytime. I make mine with variations of the following: frozen berries, bananas, 100% fruit juice, greek yogurt, chocolate protein powder (hubby's fave) and sometimes peanut butter.
Once you have snacking in order, it's time to pull out the big guns for dinner. Now, my family has come a looooong way as far as being picky goes because my kids know they gotta eat their veggies. BUUUUUUT, I have a bad habit of cooking high-carb, calorie rich dishes like cheesy chicken enchilada casserole with rice and beans, lasagna with garlic bread and pizza anytime. Seriously. It's just that those meals feed us all, make great leftovers and are super tasty but not so good for any of our waistlines.
So here are a few things I decided to add to my repertoire--crock pot meals that are high protein...think, roasted pork with carrots and onions and chicken cacciatore over brown rice, big salads with chicken and veggies and breakfasts that start with eggs and oatmeal rather than cinnamon rolls and cereal.
I know it may seem hard at first but after a trip to the market and a fridge full of healthy options, it really does become a habit and kind of fun! Once you see your family getting into shape and enjoying healthy meals that you are responsible for preparing, you will begin to look forward to cooking again!
Once you got that down, start taking care of you. Take a walk with the kiddos, a swim in the pool or carve out just twenty minutes for a quickie workout! I know it's busy for all us mamas but you deserve to feel your best!  Here's to a healthy summer!