Eating Healthier Is A Lot Easier Than I Thought

Last week I shared with y’all all about how I’m trying out Cooking Planit – a meal planning, in-the-kitchen digital cooking assistant app! I’m SO glad that so many of you have been wanting to know more and are even going to check out the app for yourselves…

In the meantime, I wanted to catch y’all up… share my thoughts on the first couple weeks using the app on a regular basis, and all that good stuff. Plus, I have a pretty sweet giveaway at the end…

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen me share these meals each night as I make them. I will say that I have felt SO adventurous in the kitchen this week. I’ve been making things I never in a million years would have thought to make. I know that seems like a stretch, but it’s true. Like I mentioned last week, I’ve been in a cooking rut where I just seem to make the SAME THINGS over and over and over again.

And, also like I mentioned before, it’s not like I have been in the habit of making meals that are totally and utterly unhealthy… I just haven’t been making meals as fresh as I should be. I don’t use very much fresh produce or fresh meat… I just… to be honest… sometimes don’t know what all I need. So I gravitate toward the more “grab and go” options like frozen shrimp or frozen chicken or pre-packaged salads.

I remember being at the grocery store last week shopping for the meals and John and I both noted how much FRESH PRODUCE and FRESH MEAT was in our cart. Like, it took over most of the cart. And, we also noted that our grocery bill was no more expensive than it normally is. Because we planned out the meals with Cooking Planit and used the grocery list feature in the app, I knew exactly what and how much to get… so I didn’t get any more than I actually needed.

As the week went on, John and I were each looking forward to the next meal on the list! And, it was one of those things where when we finished a meal, we kept talking about how delicious it was and how we didn’t feel guilty like we ate a bunch of crap… we ate real, fresh, wholesome foods. THAT WERE GOOD. Whoda thunk?

I realize that for some of you, this comes naturally. Making fresh, healthy meals is just second nature to you. But for me, this is something that I’ve really been intentional with lately and so far, my experience with Cooking Planit has only made the transition to healthier meals easier.

I will quit rambling for now and share my recap of the week’s meals… plus what’s on the docket for this week!

Al Dente Soup and Salad

This was a VERY, VERY good meal. I loved the soup, the salad was amazing (I left out the radishes… you know, because radishes are gross). We had leftovers of the soup that made a great lunch the following day.

Tacos and Beans

I altered this recipe a little bit because both John and I hate cabbage… so I just omitted it. I also added some of my favorite homemade salsa to the chicken as it was cooking. Added some more GREAT flavor. I didn’t love the black beans as much as I was hoping to… I will probably alter the recipe a little next time… but I was proud of myself for trying!

“Just Add Shrimp” Goat Cheese Alfredo Meal

This was my personal favorite of the week. SO. SO. Good. The shrimp were super easy and fast to make and the seasonings were on point. Lilly also LOVED this dinner!

Brisket Dinner

This one was a doozy of a dinner… it is no “just throw it in the oven” kinda meal. It took half the day and was WAY harder than I anticipated. BUT, it ended up being really delicious. I have never made brisket before, nor have I ever even attempted to… so that was new for me. I also have never made my own barbecue sauce, so that also was a first for me. The brisket and the sauce were REALLY delicious. The potato pancakes were WAY HARDER to make than I ever would have thought… it will definitely be better the next time now that I have an idea as to what I’m doing.

Now, my meal plan for this week is a little off because we were traveling this weekend (just got back yesterday) and John has a late meeting at work this week, so I’ve only got two formal dinners planned for this week. Plus, I’ve got one night of leftovers built in… we have GOT to start finishing those leftovers!

Also, I have really been enjoying digging into the pantry essentials basket that Colavita sent my way. The extra virgin olive oil has DEFINITELY been my most-used item so far, but I have a few others on deck for this week that I’m really excited to try out!

So, my meal plan for this week, plus the formal Cooking Planit meals I have planned for this week are:

• TUESDAY: John has a late meeting, so it’s me and Lilly for dinner… haha aka: eating leftovers.
• WEDNESDAY: Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, and Arugula Salad (I actually created this “meal” myself using the “meal creator” function in Cooking Planit. LOVE THIS FEATURE!!)
• THURSDAY: Penne Vodka Pasta and Roasted Broccoli
• FRIDAY: Leftovers
• SATURDAY: Dinner with friends

On a separate (but related) note: I am LOVING the how-to videos that Cooking Planit has on their YouTube channel. I always struggle with chopping things like parsley or cilantro… and this video helped me so much. I am not a pro (yet), but I’m getting there!

Now, I am SO EXCITED because Cooking Planit and Colavita are giving away a pantry essentials basket to one of my readers! That’s a $120 value, y’all! Who wants to win one?! Use the Rafflecopter tool below to enter. The giveaway ends MONDAY, October 20th at 9pm EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to check out the other AWESOME bloggers that are participating in the #EatFreshChallenge!

*This post is in partnership with Cooking Planit. All opinions are 100% my own and I am giving you a raw, honest review of my experiences. Thanks for supporting the companies that help support me and my family!