Author: SuburbanCommune

Parenting from the Cheap Seats- Zoo Scavenger Hunt (FREE Printable)

My kids have been asking to go to zoo. We live near Lincoln Park Zoo which is always free, and Brookfield Zoo, which has FREE DAYS this week. Not sure which we will go to tomorrow, but we will be taking this Zoo Scavenger Hunt FREE PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD:

ZooScavengerHunt

Hoping that the “fun facts” will also encourage my 6 year old to practice reading some of the information provided about the animals. Or at least listen to me read. Fingers crossed.

ENJOY.

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Meal Prep and “Recipes” for Healthy Isagenix Meals-LIST #1

I have recently recommitted to the Isagenix weight loss and health plan.  I am using this somewhat abandoned blog I started years ago to hold myself accountable and keep track of what works and doesn’t and have a reference for shopping lists and meal ideas.

I started my 2 day prep the Isagenix 9 Day  System on a Monday so did grocery shopping on Sunday for the non-shake meals and snacks.

SUNDAY PREP:

  1.  Hard boil 4 eggs (for snacks)
  2. Cut up red pepper into slices and put in Tupperware (for snacks and Meal #3)

MONDAY (CLEANSE PREP DAY):

Snacks- Hard Boiled Egg (am) and 2 IsaSnacks (pm)

Meal: Burrito (Ground Turkey) with Spinach & Arrugala Salad (Serves 2)

  1. Saute a few slices of red onion (that has been diced small) in a teaspoon of olive oil
  2. Add ground turkey and brown ground turkey with onions
  3. Dice 2 Roma tomatoes and add tomatoes and taco seasoning to beef once browned
  4. Simmer on low heat until ready to serve.
  5. Cut 1 avocado into slices
  6. Dice/cut a handful of spinach into strips
  7. Create a burrito with a 100% whole wheat tortilla, seasoned ground turkey, avocado, spinach and pico de gallo
  8. Take one handful of spinach, one handful of arrugala, 4 slices of avocado (diced) and make a salad. Use pico de gallo as “dressing”.

TUESDAY (CLEANSE PREP DAY)

Snacks: Hard-boiled egg. 1 small apple

Meal: Chile Lime Chicken Burger with Fingerling Potatoes (Serves 2)

  1. We just grilled the Chile Lime Chicken Burger on the grill. (putting a little coconut oil cooking spray on the grill first)  But other cooking directions are on the packaging
  2. Roast the fingering potatoes (I used recipe in link. Didn’t use sage and halved the recipe)
  3.  Put grilled chicken burger, sliced avocado ,and tomato on a 100% whole wheat bun.

WEDNESDAY- CLEANSE DAY

Snacks: 1 small apple. 2 IsaSancks

THURSDAY- CLEANSE DAY

Snacks: 1 cup blueberries. 2 IsaSnacks

FRIDAY

Snacks: 1 hard-boiled egg. 2 Isa Snacks

Meal: Turkey Burger with Cucumber Slices and Hummus

  1. We just grilled the Turkey Burger on the grill. (putting a little coconut oil cooking spray on the grill first) But other cooking directions are on the packaging.
  2.  Slice cucumbers. Use 2 Tablespoons for dipping.
  3. Put burger on 1 100% Whole Wheat Bun with salsa and avocado.

SATURDAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, 1 Apple

Meal: Grilled  Herb Chicken Breast with Sauteed Spinach (and Cantaloupe for dessert)

  1. Marinate package of chicken breast tenders in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary to taste. (about 2 hours prior to cooking)
  2. We grilled our chicken on the grill in a grill pan (But I suppose you could roast or saute as well?)
  3. Saute spinach. (We halved the recipe)
  4. Pre-sliced cantaloupe for dessert

SUNDAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, 1 Apple

Meal: Turkey on Sprouted 7 Grain Bread with Apple Slices and Almond Butter

  1. Using 2 slices of sprouted 7 grain bread, make sandwich with 3 turkey slices, dijon mustard, a few spinach leaves and a slice of tomato
  2. Slice up 1/2 apple into thin slices and dip in 1 Tablespoon of almond butter

MONDAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, 1 Hard Boiled Egg

Meal: Whole Grain Pasta with Turkey Meatballs and Spinach & Tomato Salad (Serves 2)

  1. Prepare pasta as indicated on box
  2. Put 4 turkey meatballs in a saucepan and cover with 1/2 jar of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil then simmer while the pasta cooks.
  3. Once pasta is finished serve 1 cup of pasta with 2 meatballs on top and about a teaspoon of additional sauce
  4. Create a side salad of spinach, sliced tomatoes and chopped onion. Add 1 Tablespoon of the Soy Ginger dressing.

TUESDAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, Cucumber slices with 1 Tablespoon of hummus

Meal: Veggie Omelette with a slice of  Sprouted 7 Grain Bread with Raspberry Jam

  1. Spray saute pan with coconut oil cooking spray
  2. Saute chopped onion, diced green pepper and red pepper in pan for about two minutes
  3. Scramble 2 eggs per person and pour over the veggies. Salt & pepper to taste
  4. Cook until done.
  5. Toast 1 piece of 7 grain sprouted bread per person and spread 1 teaspoon of all-natural raspberry jam on top. Serve with omelette.

WEDNESDAY- CLEANSE DAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, 1 Apple

THURSDAY- CLEANSE DAY

Snacks: 2 IsaSnacks, 1 Apple

 

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Parenting from the Cheap Seats-Aquarium Scavenger Hunt (FREE printable)

We live near Chicago and love taking advantage of the FREE DAYS at local museums.

The Shedd Aquarium‘s Free Days are notoriously packed, but we discovered this year that if you go early you can avoid the crowds. We arrived at 10:30am and got STREET PARKING (!?!?!) over by the Planetarium (just had to pay the meter!!). There was basically no line (took about 5 minutes to get inside). But by the time we left around 1pm there was a line that stretched way beyond the steps of the museum and the museum had certainly gotten much more crowded. But we had about 60 minutes of relatively crowd free wandering.

I packed a lunch which we were able to eat outside at their outdoor dining area- tables and chairs and a beautiful view of the lake. No hassle or issues with us bringing in our food and water bottles which is always nice.

I also created this  printable Aquarium Scavenger Hunt for the boys, just in case. And while we didn’t need it (they were happy to wander) they did love picking up a map at the museum and pretending to go on a “treasure hunt” to find the creatures on their list. ENJOY. (My boys are age 3 and 6 and both loved this activity)

AquariumScavengerHunt

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Isagenix 400-600 meals Menu Plan & Shopping List #1- TRADER JOE’S

I have recently recommitted to the Isagenix weight loss and health plan.  I am using this somewhat abandoned blog I started years ago to hold myself accountable and keep track of what works and doesn’t and have a reference for shopping lists and meal ideas.

The biggest challenge I had previously was sticking to the 400-600 calorie meals each day. I am not much a chef so I decided to simplify. I found some recipes that sounded yummy, that my husband would eat, and could easily pair in prep with something the kids would eat. I also decided I wanted to be able to purchase everything I needed at ONE store. I decided to start with Trader Joe’s since they have a lot of healthy and frozen/easy prep foods.

I prepped for the Isagenix 9 day system- knowing that I will only need make 5 meals. (and have some produce on hand for healthy snacks where applicable). But my thought is that all of this (minus the produce) will keep as I move forward with my Isagenix journey.

7** MEALS for 9 DAY SYSTEM:

  1. Burrito (Ground Turkey) with Spinach & Arrugala Salad
  2. Chile Lime Chicken Burger with Fingerling Potatoes
  3. Turkey Burger with Cucumber Slices and Hummus
  4. Veggie Omelette with a slice of  Sprouted 7 Grain Bread with Raspberry Jam
  5. Grilled  Herb Chicken Breast with Sauteed Spinach (and Cantaloupe for dessert)
  6. Turkey on Sprouted 7 Grain Bread with Apple Slices and Almond Butter
  7.  Whole Grain Pasta with Turkey Meatballs and Spinach & Tomato Salad

**These 7 meals include the 2 prep days recommended prior to starting the  9 day program.

SNACK OPTIONS ON HAND for 9 DAY SYSTEM

  • 4 Hard-Boiled Eggs
  • 2 Cups Blueberries
  • 2 Cups Cantaloupe
  • 8 Slices of Cucumber
  • Hummus
  • 6 Apples
  • IsaSnacks

SHOPPING LIST- TRADER JOE’S

2 bags of  of spinach

1 bag of arugula

1 cucumber

1 red onion

4 Roma tomatoes

2 pints of blueberries

1 package of pre-cut cantaloupe

1 bag of fingerling potatoes

1 bulb of garlic

1 bag of avocados

1 bag of apples

1 red pepper

1 dozen eggs

1 box of frozen turkey burgers

1 box of  Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Chicken Burgers

1 package of Applegate Farms turkey

1 package of ground turkey

1 package of chicken breast tenders

1 package of frozen turkey meatballs

1 bag of 100% whole wheat hamburger buns

1 package of Trader Joe’s Sprouted 7 Grain bread

1 package of 100% whole wheat tortillas

1 container of almond butter

1 box of 100% whole wheat pasta

1 container of Trader Joe’s pico de gallo mild salsa

1 container of hummus

1 bottle of Trader Joe’s Sesame Soy Ginger Dressing (Fat Free)

1 jar of tomato sauce

NECESSARY ITEMS ALREADY IN MY PANTRY/GARDEN

Olive Oil

Coconut Oil Cooking Spray

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning

Dijon Mustard

Homemade Raspberry Jam

 

 

 

 

 

 

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