I loved having the bentos for dinners. It was so easy to have my dinner ready for me at the end of the day. All I have to do is grab it out and eat. I also found that I didn’t stress as much at dinner, I got to enjoy my boys more. A few nights I ate a little later than them and just enjoyed socializing with them.

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Bacon & Eggs Crepes
  

• Tuesday: Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce
  

• Wednesday: Eggs in a Basket
  

• Thursday: Recipe Experiment
• Friday: Light Jamba Juice with Protein
• Saturday: Walking Lunch
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

Monday: Meat & Cheese Roll Ups

2 ounces of ham deli meat wrapped around 2 slices pepper jack cheese, served with strawberries, broccoli and mushrooms and light ranch

Tuesday: Crepe Roll Ups

1 crepe wrapped around 2 ounces chicken deli meat and 1 tablespoon light blue cheese, served with asparagus, grapes, and grape tomatoes

Wednesday: Southwest Chicken with Dill Greek Yogurt Dip

3 ounces southwest chicken with 1 ounces plain greek yogurt with 3/4 teaspoon dill, served with buffalo pretzel chips, broccoli, mushrooms, and strawberries

Thursday: Imitation Crab

1/2 cup imitation crab, served with 1 grapes, asparagus, 1/2 serving buffalo pretzel chips and grape tomatoes

Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home

Saturday: Enchilada Chicken

Sunday: Church Potluck

 What’s on your Menu this week?

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

This week I’ve decided to battle dinner in a new way! I am going to try and pre-pack bentos for my dinners this week. I am just really struggling with the desire to cook of late. On Sunday I pulled out my handy dandy Ziploc Divided Container (aff link) and started creating bentos with exactly how many calories I needed for a meal. That way I could just pull them

Bentos for Healthy Eating

Bentos can be anything from works of art, to just making something cute, to a meal packed with lots of colorful fresh food.

When I pack my bento I try to fill the largest section with protein and then fill in with veggies and fruit. As I pack the food into the different sections I use a dry erase pen to keep track of calories.

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Walking Lunch
• Tuesday: Strawberry Goat Cheese Grilled Sandwich
  
• Wednesday: Easy Tuna Melt
  
• Thursday:
• Friday: Light Jamba Juice with Protein
• Saturday:
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

Monday: Hummus & Feta Stuffed Meat Wraps

2 ounces of chicken deli meat wrapped around 2 tablespoons of red pepper hummus and 2 tablespoons of feta. Served with apples, Buffalo Pretzel Chips, and snow peas with French Onion Snow Peas (348 calories)

Tuesday: Meat & Cheese Rolls with Hummus Dip

2 ounces of chicken deli meat wrapped with 2 slices of pepper jack cheese. Served with strawberries, snow peas and 1/4 cup red pepper hummus. (357 calories)

Wednesday: Pepper’s Antipasto

17 slices turkey pepperoni, 3 kalamata olives, 5 green olives, 5 black olives, and 1 light cheese stick. Served with strawberries and snow peas with French Onion Laughing Cow (312 calories)

Thursday: Imitation Crab with Wasabi Almonds

1/2 cup imitation crab and 1 ounce wasabi almonds. Served with green beans and apples. (340 calories)

Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home

Saturday: Chicken & Beef with Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce (+ Snack)

3 ounces Southwestern Chicken, 3 ounces Tyson Steak, 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon mustard. Served with hard boiled egg, green beans, and strawberries. (400 calories)

Sunday: Church Potluck

 What’s on your Menu this week?

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

Ack! This week was thrown off by the fact we ended up with a flat tire on our car yesterday. So no grocery shopping yesterday – luckily hubby is on spring break so I will be able to go out this evening and get what we need. Sometimes things get in the way of menu planning, but just make sure that you have a good stock of your staples at all times. This way you are less likely to order out or eat unhealthy options when things don’t fall into place during the week.

Some of my staples include:

• Eggs
• Greek Yogurt
• Seasonal Fruit
• Seasonal Veggies
• Peanut Butter
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Protein Powder

Goals this week:

• Workout 3x
• Walk during lunch when at work
• Log every calorie 4x
• Menu Plan
• Grocery Shop

Goals last week:

• Workout 3x
• Walk during lunch when at work
• Log every calorie 3x
• Menu Plan
• Grocery Shop

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Corned Beef Frittata
  

• Tuesday: Cabbage & Turkey “Sandwich”

• Wednesday: Greek Layered Dip(Recipe Coming Soon! Make sure and not miss it!)
  
• Thursday: Light Jamba Juice with Protein
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Premade Salad
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Montreal Meatballs
  

• Tuesday: Peanut Butter Kabobs (Recipe Coming Soon! Make sure and not miss it!)
  
• Wednesday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
  
• Thursday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili(Left Overs)
  
• Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home
• Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner

• Sunday: Church Potluck

Questions of the Week:

What or who inspires you to get healthier?

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

Here is a funny thing about my meal plan that I’m going to share with you. The meal plan I share on Pepper’s Planning to Eat is actually last week’s meal plan. Basically, sometimes I don’t completely finish my plan until the very last minute. So to make sure I get a complete meal plan up I share the plan from the week before.

I thought I would share this because if you follow me on twitter or instagram you may notice I’m eating things not on this menu plan. Don’t worry you will get the recipes the following week. But this does remind me to remind you:

If you are reading this in Google Reader or an app that uses Google Reader: READ THIS NOW!

If you are a blogger I highly recommend you read that post also.

Okay now onto our weekly goals, meal plan, and question of the week!

Goals this week:

• Workout 3x
• Walk during lunch when at work
• Log every calorie 3x
• Menu Plan
• Grocery Shop

Goals last week:

• Workout 4x this week (2x)
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Protein Pancakes (Recipe Coming Soon!)
  
• Tuesday: Easy Tuna Melt (Tuna with 1 T Light Mayo with a sprinkle of cheese on top of whole wheat bread toasted in the toaster oven)
• Wednesday: Wasabi Egg Salad

• Thursday: Light Jamba Juice with Protein
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Premade Salad
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
  
• Tuesday: Baked Pepper Nachos (Recipe Coming Soon! Make sure and not miss it!)
  
• Wednesday: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage (Left Overs)
  
• Thursday: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage (Left Overs)
  
• Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home
• Saturday: Enchilada Chicken

• Sunday: (church potluck)

Questions of the Week:

Have you ever tried making a bento for you or your children?

Mamavation Moms: I’m excited about the Bento Talk tonight, I hope I make it, because I love making Bentos!

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

There are days that menu planning is just a struggle. I don’t want to do it, I procrastinate and get distracted easily. But I know I have to do it!

I think part of it is that I actually gained weight last week, part of it was me but part of it was others bringing things into the house that I try not to keep on hand. Oh those yogurt covered pretzels my MIL bought for my boys, those were a terrible weakness for me. Sigh. So there will be a talk about not bringing treats into the house to keep on hand.

I am proud that I got all my goals accomplished this week! I’m going to try and do it again this week and if I do good I will be upping my workouts and logging calories.

What are your goals this week?

Goals this week:

• Workout 4x this week
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan

Goals last week:

• Workout 3x this week
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan
• Second Healthy Mom = Healthy Family Hangout!

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Easy Grilled Asparagus Frittata
  

• Tuesday: Buffalo Cauliflower

• Wednesday: Squash N Cheese (Recipe Coming Soon! Make sure and not miss it!)
• Thursday: Light Jamba Juice with Protein
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Premade Salad
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Spaghetti Squash with Garlic White Sauce
  

• Tuesday: Peanut Butter Kabobs (Recipe Coming Soon! Make sure and not miss it!)
  
• Wednesday: Sweet Potato Frittata
  

• Thursday: Montreal Meatballs
  

• Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home
• Saturday: Left over Meatballs
• Sunday: (church potluck)

Mamavation Moms: Do you menu plan?

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

There are days that menu planning is just a struggle. I don’t want to do it, I procrastinate and get distracted easily. But I know I have to do it!

I think part of it is that I actually gained weight last week, part of it was me but part of it was others bringing things into the house that I try not to keep on hand. Oh those yogurt covered pretzels my MIL bought for my boys, those were a terrible weakness for me. Sigh. So there will be a talk about not bringing treats into the house to keep on hand.

I am proud that I got all my goals accomplished this week! I’m going to try and do it again this week and if I do good I will be upping my workouts and logging calories.

What are your goals this week?

Goals this week:

• Workout 3x this week
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan
• Second Healthy Mom = Healthy Family Hangout! (YOU ARE INVITED!)

Goals last week:

• Workout 3x this week (light workouts)
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan
• First Healthy Mom = Healthy Family Hangout! (YOU ARE INVITED!)

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Zucchini Pizza Boats

• Tuesday: Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce

• Wednesday: Green Eggs Frittata
  

• Thursday: Premade Salad
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Premade Salad
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Eggs in a Basket

• Tuesday: Teriyaki Meatloaf

• Wednesday: Buffalo Egg Salad

• Thursday: Healthy Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Leftovers
  

• Friday: Daddy Brings Dinner Home
• Saturday: Game Night
• Sunday: (church potluck)

What is that one favorite dinner that you splurge on once in a while? Would you like help figuring out how to make it lighter? Share it in the comments!

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

I was hit hard with a bad, bad cold (probably the flu) last week, so menu planning was really hard. But sometimes it just takes one ingredient and suddenly you are inspired! This is why I will look through the ads for all the stores in my area even if I’m planning to only go to one. I will look at the items that are on sale and see what inspires me.

This week it was imitation crab! Yep I am addicted to imitation crab, I love it! What is imitation crab? “(A) form of kamaboko, a processed seafood made of finely pulverized white fish flesh (surimi)”. It is very sweet and mild.

I found it on sale for $2.64/lb at a local store and bought some up. One serving (3 ounces) of imitation crab is 87 calories and has 10 grams of protein!

Goals this week:

• Workout 3x this week (light workouts)
• Log Every Calorie for at least 3 days
• Menu Plan
• First Healthy Mom = Healthy Family Hangout! (YOU ARE INVITED!)

The Menu:

Lunches:

• Monday: Krab Ceviche (Recipe Coming Soon! Don’t miss it!)
• Tuesday: Super Easy Crab Frittata

• Wednesday: Eggs in a Basket

• Thursday: Premade Salad
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Premade Salad
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Light Lasagna Soup (Recipe Coming Soon! Don’t miss it!)
• Tuesday: TJ’s Stroganoff

• Wednesday: Light Lasagna Soup (Recipe Coming Soon! Don’t miss it!)
• Thursday: Light Lasagna Soup (Recipe Coming Soon! Don’t miss it!)
• Friday: Recipe Experiment = Healthy Crock Pot Orange Chicken
• Saturday: Mexican Meatloaf

• Sunday: (church potluck)

What is that one favorite dinner that you splurge on once in a while? Would you like help figuring out how to make it lighter? Share it in the comments!

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

Making one large pot meal and eating it throughout the week is actually working out better than I would have ever thought. I thought I would get bored with eating the same thing each day but actually it is making me more creative and a lot less stressed.

I figured out I can take the same meal and completely change it by the way I serve it or with what I serve it with.  I had chili on top of spaghetti squash which made it so great! Or I one night I just chopped up an avocado and mixed it into the chili. Same meal, but completely different.

Goals last week:

• Get more organized and make a better daily plan
• Workout every morning with a 5 minute workout
• Do a longer workout 3 days this week X2
• Start working on a Challenge for PepperScraps
• Log Calories 3 days
• Menu Plan

Goals this week:

• Workout every weekday morning with a 5 minute workout
• Do a longer workout 2 days this week
• Get revved up for the #64ozchallenge (have you joined yet?)
• Log Calories 3 days
• Menu Plan

The Menu:

Lunch:

• Monday: Buffalo Egg Salad

• Tuesday: Beet & Goat Cheese Open Face Sandwich (Recipe Coming Soon!)
• Wednesday: Salad
• Thursday: Salad
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Sausage Dog and Sweet Potato
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Creamy Black Bean Soup

• Tuesday: TJ’s Stroganoff (Awesome Recipe coming soon!)
• Wednesday: Creamy Black Bean Soup
• Thursday: Creamy Black Bean Soup
• Friday: Eat Out at Ikea
• Saturday: Mexican Meatloaf

• Sunday: (church potluck)

What’s on your menu this week!? I would love it if you would share a favorite recipe or suggest a recipe to try for my family!

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

Okay hopefully life will start getting back to normal – last week was hard. I was stressed and working more than usual. But I’m starting to get back into the swing of things. I am starting my battle with my weight again, good and strong. Yesterday I was battling some depression. I lost to eating a bit of sweets, but I did make a point and workout to try and battle it also.

Goals this week:

• Get more organized and make a better daily plan
• Workout every morning with a 5 minute workout
• Do a longer workout 3 days this week
• Start working on a Challenge for PepperScraps
• Log Calories 3 days
• Menu Plan

Breakfasts & Workouts

I am posting some healthy breakfasts and workouts on my facebook page, so if you are needing some inspiration for the morning make sure and like Pepper Scraps.

Batch Dinners

Because hubby is at school 3 days a week I’m cooking up one large batch of soup, stew, or chili for the week and we eat on that for those nights. Last week I did this and it worked pretty well though the third day I was a little tired of the meal. But I just added up some different toppings and that really helped.

The Menu:

Lunch:

• Monday: Cabbage Turkey Sandwich (Recipe coming soon!)
• Tuesday: Grilled Corn, Tomato, & Avocado Salad
• Wednesday: Sweet Potato Frittata (Recipe Coming Soon!)
• Thursday: Salad
• Friday: Walking Lunch
• Saturday: Sausage Dog and Sweet Potato
• Sunday:  Eat Out

Dinners:

• Monday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
• Tuesday: Crock Pot Broccoli Beef
• Wednesday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
• Thursday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
• Friday: Eat Out (Carpooling)
• Saturday: Game Night Dinner
• Sunday: (church potluck)

What’s on your menu this week!? I would love it if you would share a favorite recipe or suggest a recipe to try for my family!

Pepper Ferguson

Healthy Mom = Healthy Family - That is my life motto and I hope to encourage it to be yours too. January 2011 I made the decision to lose weight and lost 80+ pounds. I saw my boys start getting active with me and I realized I wasn't only changing my life but also my boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook