Vegetarian for a Week – And My Family Didn’t Notice

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Diana

I had a secret.

There’s nothing unusual about me meal-planning, but one week I had an undercover theme. All my dinner plans had something in common. Or rather lacked something in common.

Meatless Mondays are trendy, and our family already lands way below the national average for meat consumption. But I wanted to put myself and my family to the test and see if I could cook family-pleasing vegetarian meals all week.

I have vegetarian, vegan, and reducitarian (love that word) friends, so cooking meatless is hardly an innovative concept to many who might be reading, but I wanted to do this to encourage families who might think this isn’t possible or who want to cut back on meat for health, budget, or treatment reasons and think their families will protest.

Maybe they won’t notice. Mine didn’t.

Here’s what I did.

Monday: Loaded Fries

These are homemade roasted potato wedges that everyone got to top with their choices. I did sautéed peppers and onions, pickled jalapeños, cheese, and sour cream. Sour cream doesn’t photograph well as it knocks off the color balance, lesson learned.

Tuesday: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

These were my personal favorite of the week. I loving using Trader Joe’s Wheat & Corn tortillas for enchiladas because they don’t crack apart like corn tortillas but have a better texture than straight flour tortillas. I roughly adapted this from my go-to enchilada recipe from Good Cheap Eats – used roasted diced sweet potatoes, black beans, and pepper jack cheese. Hit the spot on a cold, rainy night, though the kids thought the sauce was too spicy. No objection to the weird filling, just the heat level, haha.

Wednesday: “Sausage” and Veggie Pasta

Did you know Aldi carries a lot of vegetarian and vegan products? Their meatless Italian Sausage is quite tasty, with good texture and flavor. I have one girl who won’t eat sausage, but I get some protein in her by whispering to her that it’s not actually sausage. ;) This was probably the kids’ favorite. I added diced tomatoes, butternut squash, spinach, and basil. Served with Caesar salad mix.

Thursday: Thai Peanut Butter Tofu

This was the only one this week that I actually used a recipe. (I’m not a great food blogger, and this post is intended more for inspiration than instruction) Thai Pra Ram Tofu was Brett’s favorite of the week. It was easy to make, and my kids like Thai dishes with peanut butter. Served with Thai cucumber salad, brown rice, and broccoli.

Friday: Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole

This was a gamble for me because my kids didn’t like any recipe with spaghetti squash last year. But this was a good start to fall squash season 2018! I think I won them over with the black olives. Served with garlic bread. I used my usual recipe for spaghetti casserole and just substituted cooked spaghetti squash.

Are we turning vegetarian? No. But this week showed me it’s not as hard as I thought to come up with meatless meals, and they were better-received than expected by the five other mouths I feed.

There are a lot of benefits to cutting back on meat consumption. Budget is a good place to start. Health is another one as meatless meals have more vegetable servings. Very few people get the recommended daily amount, and this is an easy way to get more.

(Keto people, don’t send me hate mail.)

Meatless Mondays are a great place to start as a mindful way to introduce change. And I admit I’ve gotten in a rut! This was a great way to find some new recipes and experiment with new family-friendly meals.

What are your favorite meatless meals?

What I Can’t Buy at Aldi

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Diana

Y’all know I love Aldi. It saved our grocery budget, and my comparison shopping with favorites is my top post on the blog.

Buuuuut, one of Aldi’s main benefits is also a downside. I love that the choices are minimal, and I can shop quickly and easily with no decision fatigue. However, there are a few items that I found myself missing.

On a recent trip to Hy-Vee (more on that later), I took the chance to stock up on some of my necessities that I can’t buy at Aldi.

Clockwise starting upper left:

Whole wheat pasta – Aldi just started offering ww spaghetti, but for more choices I have to look elsewhere.

Wheat buns – This is only a summer seasonal item at Aldi.

Unbleached flour – I use both white whole wheat flour from Trader Joe’s and unbleached flour. Aldi only sells bleached.

Poblanos (in bag) – Chile rellenos are on the menu, and Aldi can’t hook me up.

Uncured bacon – Other stores are often cheaper than Aldi’s price on uncured, nitrate-free bacon, so I stock up and throw it in the freezer.

Petite diced tomatoes – These are my preferred style of canned tomatoes, and sadly Aldi no longer carries them.

Squeezable jelly – This is a necessity with my independent PBJ-makers. I buy the reduced sugar kind.

Hiding under the bacon, you can see what prompted my trip to Hy-Vee. BudgetBytes recently posted the tip on her Instastories about getting homemade pizza toppings from a salad bar.

So I picked up a little bit of a few things, and Brett and I will enjoy some mushroom, bacon, and artichoke pizza while the kids chow down on their black olive pie. Easy way to get a little bit of several things!

My Aldi love isn’t going to fade any time soon, especially since they’re currently remodeling mine, but I do have to be strategic in buying some of my necessities when I get the opportunity. Worth it!

If you’re a major Aldi fan like me, what are some of the things you have to find elsewhere?

Noodle Nostalgia

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Diana

Just reading it on the menu transported me back 17 years.

Cold Soba Noodles

I sat up on my bedroll in the hostel and glanced at my watch. After a long day sightseeing in the Japanese countryside, our last day, I’d slept through dinner. My stomach told me this was not a good situation.

Luckily, when I connected with the rest of my group downstairs (and yelled at my brother for not waking me up), I found a contingent walking to a convenience store, and I tagged along hoping to find something edible. I pictured the greasy rotating hot dogs at 7-11 and a bag of chips, but I was so hungry that I’d settle for anything.

I should have known better. Food is different in Japan. The convenience store offered an array of healthy prepared foods. I wanted something simple but filling, so I selected some cold soba noodles. Soba noodles are thin buckwheat noodles and can be eaten hot or cold. These came with a sauce and sesame seeds.

We walked back from the convenience store in the dark. I was so hungry. I plopped down on the tatami mat, cracked the chopsticks open, and shoveled cold dark noodles into my mouth. As elevated as the Japanese are about food, they are not so particular about table manners, so my noodle consumption style was entirely appropriate.

In that moment, I hadn’t tasted anything so good. I was still sad about leaving a country I now loved, and nervous about the travel the next day, but at least my tummy was happy.

All this came rushing back when I sat in the Sushi House in Leawood, Kansas. It was a girls’ night out for the moms of littles on our street celebrating the soon arrival of a new baby girl. (Over a dozen new babies on our street since we moved in!)

It’s amazing how a food can conjure up such vivid memories. It’s not just about the physical taste – it’s the experience, the atmosphere, the company.

This bowl of soba had much nicer presentation than a plastic container from a convenience store. I also had some spicy salmon rolls and veggie tempura to round out the meal. The food and the company were wonderful.

A comfort food with some of my favorite people. A flood of memories from a favorite place.

Noodle nostalgia.

Jello Cups and Judgy Planks

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Diana

My little Peanut is having surgery. After many minor issues over the last year, she’s getting her tonsils and adenoids removed. While she is fairly oblivious to the impending situation, the other girls have had friends go through the same thing and are both stressed about her going through surgery and also excited to take part of the special foods that are encouraged during recovery.

Last weekend, I added these special soft foods to my grocery list at Aldi. I stood in the snack aisle thinking about what fun it would be to buy these things for my girls. Jello cups, pudding cups, fruit cups, flavored oatmeal packets – never on my normal list, so I excitedly grabbed multiples of things, glad that there was something for the girls to look forward to.

As I was shoveling pudding cups in my cart, the lady next to me loudly declared to her husband, “I’m so glad we don’t buy sugary food for our kids any more.”

Ouch.

I’ll give her a momentary benefit of the doubt. Maybe she wasn’t talking about me. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed me and my cart full of pudding. But it sure seemed like weird timing to make a random declaration of personal buying habits.

I was immediately defensive. Food is important to me, and the way I feed my family is very important to me. I spend a lot of time and effort making meal plans and encouraging healthy eating habits. I want to look right.

Then felt convicted. While I definitely wouldn’t have said it out loud, if I had been in that woman’s shoes observing my sugar-filled, pre-packaged snack binge, I would have thought the same thing.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

Matthew 7:1-3

Food is important to me, but it shouldn’t be a source of self-righteous pride. I wanted to launch in and set her straight – provide an extensive explanation of what was happening in our family and justification about why those particular items were on my shopping list this week only.

Her speck of a rude comment certainly illuminated the plank of food pride in my own eye.

Instead of looking at other’s carts, I’m going to practice Ecclesiastes 9:7. “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.” Because I really wanted wine after that.

Just kidding. More like “Whatever you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.” 1 Corintihians 10:31

I shouldn’t feed my kids a certain way for my own glory. So I can post a nice pic on Instagram.

It’s for the glory of God, fueling their bodies to grow and serve Him.

It also showed me the lesson that a snapshot of a person’s life does not necessarily represent the whole. Yes, maybe a mom shoveling jello cups in her cart feeds her kids junk food every day.

Or maybe she’s trying to entice her already-underweight kid to eat after surgery.

So I finished shopping. Yogurt squeezers, popsicles, apple sauce, ice cream, avocados, and dino chicken nuggets filled the checkout belt. All Cora’s favorites and soft things.

I’m going to get the plank out of my eye and go back to focusing on helping my kid heal. And I’m going to try not to care what the lady next to me at Aldi thinks about what’s in my cart.

Family Fun Near KC: Joplin and Ft. Scott

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Diana

With a new baby, trips are hard. There’s the schedule or lack thereof, there’s all the stuff, there’s the lack of sleeping, all the crying… it’s just rough to go places with an infant let alone three other kids! But sometimes it’s worth the effort for family gatherings. Last summer, Brett’s grandpa turned 85, so we loaded up our new crew of six for the first time and headed to Tulsa for a family celebration.

While we were on the road, we figured we’d maximize our outing with some family fun on the way back. But at first glance, I thought it was a lost cause. There is nothing to do between Tulsa and Kansas City, blah. Wrong.

We did this all as stops on our way back from Oklahoma, but this would be a fun mini-trip if you’re looking to get out of KC for a night!

Joplin

In preparation, I googled around for a park because I knew the kids would want to get their wiggles out after hours in the car. I found something far beyond your average playscape.

Cunningham Park was built in there area where the 2011 tornado flattened the town hospital. The park features a small Western-style town, a huge playscape, a toddler playscape, a fish pond, and a memorial to the 158 people killed in the tornado.

The day we went was a bright and sunny 96 degrees! It was sooooo hot. But the park was so fun that the girls didn’t want to leave. It was sobering to watch my kids play next to the tornado memorial and think about the families that were impacted by such a disaster.

We needed a little snack after all that playing, so we headed over to Hurt’s Donuts. There is not a Hurt’s location in the Kansas City area, but their reputation goes far. Their selection produced awe and glee from the girls.

We left with Starry Starry Night, Grape Balls of Fire, ET, Cotton Candy, and Red Velvet.

There are several other activities in Joplin that I noticed as I was looking around. The Rangeline Golf Center has a mini-golf course that looked fun. And there is a Museum Complex with some unique offerings, but they are closed Sunday and Monday (when we were there). The best source of information was the JoplinMOLife blog.

We were excited to find a Homewood Suites in Joplin as it is our first choice of hotels for many reasons. For our family size with a baby, suites work the best for getting everyone a good night’s sleep. And it’s not just a half-wall between a little couch and a bed. There is a small kitchen, a living room, and a separate bedroom and bathroom. The Joplin location only has one-bedroom suites, but some offer two-bedroom options.

The breakfast is fantastic, but on Monday-Thursday nights they also serve dinner! Included with your stay. Very convenient, and they even offer adult beverages. We were sad to miss this on our Sunday night stay and instead headed to McAllister’s for their 99 cent kids meals.

Ft. Scott

In the morning, we headed north to our next destination. This was a very spontaneous stop, and I had done no preparation beforehand. As we drove down, I saw the actual Ft. Scott by the road and thought it might be an interesting place to check out.

We stopped in first to get the map and were introduced to their Junior Ranger program. There was a book with activities for each building plus a bag (which you return) with hands-on items.

Since it was ridiculously hot and we only had one for which it was age-appropriate, we didn’t end up doing much, but it was a fun surprise as I hadn’t be sure how kid-friendly they would be. We will definitely do more when we go back.

The Junior Ranger program may be kid-friendly, but the buildings and stairs are not stroller-friendly.

Inside each building were exhibits that provided good information about daily life in the 1800’s, not just military life. We had just read “Little House on the Prairie,” so the girls had some context to the time period. I was amazed at the logistics of running the place. We learned the men took turns in the bakehouse cranking out 100 loaves of bread a day!

We went through quickly due to the heat, but I am looking forward to going back when the kids are a little older and the weather is better. When we returned the Junior Ranger bag, Hannah took an oath promising to preserve the landscape and respect history.

As we left, Hannah said, “I figured this would be boring, but it’s actually super cool.”

Our stops in Joplin and Ft. Scott were so much more fun than I anticipated. In a short amount of time, we were able to do a lot of things without being too far away from home. With a family of six including a refluxy cranky baby, I did not have high expectations. But we made some good memories and look forward to repeat visits!

Roll-ups: A Party-Worthy “Recipe” with Infinite Possibilities

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Diana

“Variety is the spice of life” they say, and it’s even better when the variety comes in the form of a simple method with endless possibilities and a fun presentation. This is a fun appetizer or munchie for a party, or with more protein could be a main dish for a weeknight dinner. And a store-bought shortcut makes for stress-free prep. Because no one wants stress before a party!

Start with a few simple ingredients. Today I used roasted red pepper pesto, mozzarella cheese, and shredded chicken

First, line a large cookie sheet with foil for easy cleanup and spray with nonstick spray. Lay out pizza dough and press until an even thickness as large as possible.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for five minutes. After removing it from the oven, the creativity starts. If you’re using a sauce, spread it now.

Then top with cheese. Maybe I should have gotten a manicure first?

Then the protein or veggie that you want to add. This is a simple-ingredient recipe. Don’t try to get crazy fancy and add too much or else it won’t roll.

Starting on one of the long ends, roll up. Settle stably on the sheet with the seam side down.

Put back in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Allow it to cool for a couple minutes, then slice with a serrated knife. I get around 20 pieces per roll.

The possibilities are infinite, but here are a few of my favorites:

roasted red pepper pesto, mozzarella, shredded chicken (shown above)
pizza sauce, mozzarella, sausage
monterey jack, chopped black olives
basil pesto, mozzarella, roasted zucchini slices
pepper jack, black olives, shredded chicken
cheddar, broccoli
cheddar/swiss, ham
monterey jack, shredded chicken, buffalo sauce

Remember it works best with 2-3 ingredients. So many options, plus it’s a great way to use whatever veggies, protein, or cheese you happen to have in your fridge!

Rename and Reboot – Welcome to Grit & Grace

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Diana

I’ve been blogging here for almost SEVEN YEARS! From my quiet days with little Hannah to our crazy days now with four kids in four stages, plus an out-of-state move (away from “Olive Street”), it’s been a busy seven years.

As a little refresh, I’m changing the name of the blog to better reflect my vision of writing.

My URL will stay the same as lifeonolivestreet.com because I’m not ready to tackle the technical part of redirects and such, but welcome to

Follow me on Facebook here and on Instagram at @gritandgrace6, and stay tuned for more food, family, and fun!

Trader Joe’s Favorites – What’s Always on My List

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Diana

I heard the praises of Trader Joe’s long before I set foot in one. First, the blogosphere was proclaiming its wonders. Then one opened in Kansas City, so my mom was getting in on the goodness and reporting back. Finally, it came to Austin.

As a regular Trader Joe’s shopper for several years now, I’ve established my list of regular items. Though we have one relatively close here in Kansas, it does not carry wine. (yay Kansas) So once a month I make the trek to the Kansas City, Missouri location for my standard stock-up.

My usual grocery shopping routine is Aldi weekly, Costco monthly, Trader Joe’s monthly, and another grocery store for occasional holes in between. They all have different items I prefer, so my list at each is tried-and-true favorites.

Here’s what’s always on my list at Trader Joe’s:

Cereal and flour

We go through a lot of cereal at our house, so if the girls are with me I let them pick a fun box in addition to our regulars. My mom also stocks up at cereal at TJ’s because they have Barbara’s brand at the best price (interestingly one of the few non-Trader Joe’s brands on the shelves).

I always get the White Whole Wheat Flour because it’s the best price I can find around here ($2.99).

Seasonal items, salsas, and sauces

The seasonal items are HOT and come in limited quantities, so I stock up when I spot them. Their pumpkin items in fall are my very favorite (mucho boxes of Pumpkin Pancake Mix), but the Peppermint Jo-Jo’s rate highly.

The Organic Tomatillo and Roasted Yellow Chili Salsa is our family favorite. It’s got great flavor and a little heat – but all the girls eat it! The green Hatch Valley Salsa is quite tasty as well. I normally grab a couple jars of each. I also like the size of the jar of Traditional Marinara Sauce.

(not pictured: organic chocolate syrup)

Great to have on hand

These are items I don’t necessarily have on the meal plan, but I know I’m going to use them. Frozen Microwaveable Brown Rice is super convenient. Frozen waffles are always great on standby. And my girls think edamame is so fun. The chicken sausage comes in a ton of flavors and is easy to grill or sauté or put with pasta… tons of possibilities.

Frozen convenience foods

Though I like to make a lot from scratch, I have some favorite frozen convenience items. These are great for a quick meal and much cheaper and healthier than fast food. My kids like all of these, so they’re a nice easy dinner when needed. Violet even requested the Orange Chicken as her birthday meal when I said she could pick anything.

Beverages

Cheap wine. Nuf said. Okay, I’ll say more. The “two-buck Chuck” is famous (Charles Shaw, actually $2.99) and we like a couple varieties. But usually I stick with some good options in the $4-$5 range. And cheap beer – not bad in a can for $3.49 for a six-pack.

Brett likes their selection of coffee, so that’s usually on our list. Many organic and fair trade options.

Not food

Sorry to all my Mary Kay and Rodan+Fields friends, Trader Joe has taken over my skincare. Weird, right? But after trying multiple brands, I’m happier with my skin than I have been in years, and it’s a great price. So I go with what works.

(not pictures: fresh flowers starting at $3.99!!)

What I DON’T usually buy – overlaps of other stores. I don’t usually buy much produce at TJ’s because I can get better sale prices elsewhere, and I don’t think their quality is a significant difference. Same with meat and regular cheese (though they have good fancy cheeses). There have even been a few items that I have bought and not liked such as the french fried onions and chicken stock.

So my cart is a mix of everyday essentials and fun favorites.

What are your favorite Trader Joe’s items?

Not Award-Winning Chili

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Diana

Anyone else get tired of browsing Pinterest and coming across so many versions of “Award-Winning Chili” and “Best Chili Ever”? Let me make it easy for you. Just make this one. I entered it in a chili competition, and it did not win. But want to know what? People really liked it. Really liked it.

Fall is the perfect time for a hearty bowl of protein and veggies. And beer. Yep, all of that is in here. Top with Fritos and cheese.

Not Award-Winning Chili

2 lbs. ground beef, browned
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced or pressed
1 large (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 large (30 oz) can pinto beans
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1/2 can pumpkin purée
1 can/bottle (12 oz) beer
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbs kosher salt

Combine in large slow cooker and cook on Low for 8-10 hours.

Sloppy Joes: Four Hacks to Survive (and enjoy!) Dinner

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Diana

I avoided making Sloppy Joes for a long time. Because I have kids. I know – they’re supposed to be a kid food, but they’re… well, sloppy. Not a big fan.

But when Amy at New Nostalgia posted her Sloppy Joe recipe, I had to give it a shot. She’s a trustworthy source and uses quality ingredients – no cans of mystery sauce here! And this tasty recipe was a winner with my family. Five out of five eat this up. But here are a couple “hacks” I’ve developed to make this a winner on the logistical side, as well.

1 – Lentils

The recipe calls for 1.5 lbs ground beef, but I have 1 lb. portions from the 1/4 cow we got last year. So to fill in the extra half pound, I use lentils. This is also a budget-helping tip for stretching any ground beef recipe because lentils are far cheaper than meat (also high in protein, fiber, and iron).

I put half a cup green lentils in one cup water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer around 20 minutes. After cooking my 1 lb. ground beef, I just add the lentils and keep following the recipe. And the kids haven’t even noticed yet!

2 – Hot Dog Buns

This was an accidental discovery. I’d forgotten to buy hamburger buns and only had hot dog buns on hand. Turns out, they’re perfect for little hands! Hot dog buns are easier to hold than round hamburger buns, plus they have one side closed which means fewer directions for the meat to fall out.

3 – No Shirt

This only applies to those at the table under age two. Tomato-based sauces are my laundry enemy. Just forget the bib, they’ll just get ripped off and the sauce gets everywhere anyway. Bare skin is easier to wipe down at the end, and even better if you just meal plan Sloppy Joes for bath night.

4 – Leftovers

I like to remix leftovers – and this recipe makes plenty for leftovers. So I didn’t toss that sloppy goodness back in a bun for Night Two. Meet the Cheesy Joe Tots.

This was as easy as making tater tots, covering them in the Sloppy Joe mix, and then topping with cheese. Yum!

So don’t be afraid of Sloppy Joes any more. With these four hacks, you’re on your way to a happy and healthy family dinner. Life is a little sloppy, bring it on.

Freezer Meal Exchange – How it Works, Plus Recipe for Egg Casserole

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Diana

It’s so nice to have a freezer full of easy meals. They’re great for a busy week and keeps us away from the drive-thru on a regular basis. I’ve done several strategies for freezer stocking: on my own, freezer meal prep nights at a grocery store, and recently freezer meal exchanges with friends.

The principle is that each person makes multiple batches of the same meal. So instead of prepping five different meals, you do five of the same for more efficiency. Then you get together and trade.

Freezer meal exchanges are a great option for people with allergies or certain dietary choices. I have several friends who are paleo, so they organized a group who was willing to follow those restrictions (basically grain-free, dairy-free, and no potatoes or beans). So this is the Paleo Egg Casserole I made to trade.

It is A LOT of prep work. There were five of us in the group, and I decided to make two smaller casseroles for each family instead of 9×13 pans. So 10 casseroles!

Pretty! Right after this shot, I was rethinking this plan as I was beating four dozen eggs. But it really wasn’t that bad.

I came home from the exchange with chicken and kale stew, chicken piccata, mini chicken pot pies, and chicken and sweet potato burgers. Yum!

PALEO EGG CASSEROLE WITH SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES

1/2 cup almond milk
8 eggs, beaten
1 lb. sausage, cooked
3 cups cooked veggies (I used sweet potatoes, red peppers, and broccoli)
salt and pepper

Spread sausage and veggies evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 pan or two smaller pans. Beat eggs, almond milk, and salt and pepper and pour over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35-45 minutes for a large pan or 25-30 minutes for two smaller pans.

**If you are not paleo, just make with regular milk, and add cheese if you want. This is what I’ll do in the future since this was a big hit with our whole family! They love “breakfast for dinner,” and this was an easy and tasty way to get some veggies in.

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