The kids are back, so it's time to prepare!

It's Monday, switching day. That's the day the children switch from one parent's house to the other. We're on a week on, week off schedule, which we like.

This week, I'm determined to plan meals that take into consideration both the kids as well as me. I'm going to find foods that fit in with what I want to eat plus make them happy as well. I think that for the past two years (or really 1 and 1/2 years since I've been actively involved in their lives) I've been trying to cook so that they'll like the food (and me probably). Through this brilliant method, I've managed to gain 30-40 pounds. Now, I am trying to shift to cooking foods that Tim and I like and asking the kids to join in. As Dr. Phil says, "kids should join your life, you don't join theirs."

I've really struggled with this. We've had pigs in a blanket (hotdogs baked in Pillsbury croissant dough) too many times to count. And hamburgers and fries, and macaroni and cheese and spaghetti and meatballs as well. Now it's time for a little more diversity.

Tonight, we're going to have Taco Salads. This still isn't exactly a Lisa meal, but it's a good transitional meal on switch night. I don't want them to come back and have them thinking, "All this weird food! Let's go back to Mom's." I'm making the meat sauce with all natural herbs and spices and venison that Tim hunted and ground himself. I'll also  include home made salsa, organic sour cream, I'll grate the cheese myself (did you know that if you buy pre-grated cheese, it includes some weird chemicals to keep it from clumping? That's why it often doesn't melt right), and some black olives, sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions (for me) and even some steamed frozen sugar snaps. I'll also have some drained tomatoes. Colin and Eden are going to struggle with figuring out how to have vegetables other than lettuce, so I'll have to include some of my spring spinach in the greens as well as probably sneaking some pureed cauliflower in the meat mix. They'll still have to have a few bites of vegetables. Isabel loves tomatoes, so she'll be no problem. As usual, we won't have much veggie-hating discussion because we think it's BORING to talk about what you don't like when it comes to food. But compliments to the chef are always welcome. 

Tomorrow night will be fish night and we'll have salmon and tuna that we'll steam and broil, respectively. I'll add a couple beets from the freezer and some green beans and a small salad with shredded carrot and raisins, Eden's favorite. My salad will have artichoke hearts and Asian mushrooms.

Wednesday night is basketball practice, so that's tricky. It has to be fast. I think we'll do turkey brats with sweet potato fries and a multi-colored slaw with nuts.

Thursday will be chicken in a pot night. Isabel hates chicken on the bone, but I'm trying to teach her that chicken on the bone is the best way to make it, for flavor. I'll include turnips, parsnips, carrots and sweet potatoes in the pot. I'll add a little red wine and herbs so it's almost coq au vin.

Friday night I'll be gone, so I'm going to suggest pizza. I'm heading out with the ladies and we're eating at Bonfyre, which has a ton of good salads.

Saturday night, we'll have company, so we'll have pork tenderloin, twice baked potatoes (I add smashed cauliflower to the mix to reduce calories and lighten the flavor) and perhaps roasted carrots with a touch of salt and brown sugar (cook at 425 and they're delicious!). I think we'll also have some of our frozen Brussels sprouts, which Tim and I love, from our garden.

Sunday, I think I'll let the child who has done the best job at doing chores without complaining pick the menu. I'll give them the Weight Watchers cookbook and let 'em go. They never know if it's good or bad.

So I'm getting tons of diversity, cleaning out my freezer which is way too full and shifting toward meals that everyone likes, while still stretching the kids' taste buds a bit. Wish me luck!

P.S. Did great at the Superbowl party at my sister's house yesterday. I did not eat one chip, nor one bit of cheese. I did have a roasted chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread with a hunk of romaine and  brown mustard. I had two bites of the cakes, which smelled tremendous, and a small spoonful of the brown beans I cooked, which also tasted super. Not bad. I really didn't eat anything other than the eggs, etc. yesterday, and I rode Titan in a lesson, which was exhausting.