 Hopefully you had a restful Labor Day, and you’re ready for the mini week ahead. Oh so maybe you’re not ready? Don’t worry, the Food Fam has you covered with a quick & delicious recipe for lunch that you’ll have to stop yourself from eating again for dinner because it’s just that good. Don’t take my word for it. Bernadette from the group made it and ended up eating it for lunch and dinner …because it’s just delicious.
By checking out the recipe inside our community here. Click here to jump in. Why not get encouragement to actually make those recipes you see in those videos instead of just liking and sharing them? I mean, you're already on Facebook anyway... Join the Food Fam today. Already a member, but missed the action? Be sure to turn on your notifications for the group so you don’t miss a thing. And check out the link above to see what’s poppin.  The best part is the ladies in the group have already tried out for you. That means you’re getting:
Cuz that’s how we do it in the Food Fam!  Plus: I share how to prep this ahead of time without having things get soggy. (A soggy salad is the absolute worst, but who has time to pack a salad every day?) Check out the recipe & our tips here so you can be great without spending all day in the kitchen.
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 Office potlucks are the never-ending classic that make for a great way to test out recipes on a large group of people. In my case, my office is a school which means there's always something to celebrate.
 I needed something quick and tasty and this proved to be a great option after a few changes from the original. First, the recipe suggested to let the mixture soak for an hour or overnight in the fridge, but since that it was already 9pm, that was not going to happen. I let it soak for about 15 minutes and everything was good to go. Second, I added cinnamon to give it a bit of a change in flavor. (And cuz I love cinnamon. Almost as much as peanut butter.) If you want it to be even more like french toast, add vanilla extract as well (see below). Third, since I made this the night before, I made sure to not cook it all the way so I could reheat it the next night (directions below).  And....they loved it! (See the empty dish.) They also mentioned that the cinnamon gave it a nice twist which I was glad to hear. Often cinnamon is added to sweeter dishes and with sugar. (Ex. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cinnabon, etc.). But, when it's by itself, it doesn't really have to be sweet, though in this case, it goes well with the eggs, waffles, and maple syrup. I'm sure you have a bazillion recipes saved on your boards just waiting to be eaten. They're calling your name. Try some of them out at your next office party/potluck!  Ingredients 1 box frozen homestyle waffles 1 package of breakfast sausage (maple preferred, but I used mild) 8 large eggs 1-2 cups mild cheddar cheese (make it as cheesy as you like) 1 ¼ cup milk ⅓ c maple syrup 1 ½ tsp cinnamon 1 dash of salt and pepper each 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Tips:
  Tomorrow, Sunday, January 28th at 8 pm, we’ll have Shonte Press from Press On Enterprise Shonte for a Facebook Live: “From Daniel Fast to Everyday: How to Eat Healthy All Year Long”. Many of us just finished the Daniel Fast or made a resolution to eat healthier in 2018. But what are you really gonna do to make sure this happen?? Join us tomorrow to ask all your questions about:
This is only available to the members of The Daniel Fast Food and Faith Challenge, so be sure to join the group so you can check it out. Press is a Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and the CEO of Press on Enterprise. Why You May Need A Little Meal Prep In Your Life
But hold up... What is meal prep? The process of creating multiple meals to eat for the week or to freeze and enjoy at a later time. This may include cooking meals or simply completing all of the food preparation ahead of time (chopping, seasoning, etc.) to make it easier to enjoy later. Let’s Dive In Y’all Save Time and Energy (Read: Be A Lazy Yet Efficient Cook) Let’s be honest, cooking can be a draining chore. It’s one that we all love the outcome of, but don’t always enjoy the process. According to a 2014 USDA study, women spent an average of 51 minutes a day on meal prep (Hamrick & McClelland, 2016)*. That’s almost ten hours a week if you add grocery shopping. Add that up, and that’s 40 hours a month! Honestly, who has time for this??? Family, spouses, (or side hustles) should take up our free time, not grocery shopping and cooking. Effective meal prep can reduce your time in the kitchen by up to 50%. That’s at least 3 to 5 hours a week or 12 to 20 hours a month. That’s enough time to binge watch a few seasons of your favorite Netflix show, catch up on sleep, or spend some time with the ones you love. Take back your time folks!  Know What In The World You’re Eating Though I love a night of fine dining, I eat knowing good and well that I am throwing caution to the wind in terms of calories and having any clue as to what food additives I’m consuming. Now I know that that sounds super dramatic, but it’s true since many restaurants don’t release their full ingredients list. Many fast food establishments, and even full service restaurants, use countless chemicals and preservatives in our food. Additionally, food allergies are a common problem for many. Alleviate the concerns of cross contamination and unknown food additives by preparing your own meals in the comfort of your home. Since eliminating all eating out isn’t an option for most (I mean, I just love waffle fries you know?) prepping a few meals helps. Meal prep can work to eliminate the amount of preservatives and unknown chemicals that you are consuming. Be As “Healthyish” As You Want To Be The great thing about meal prepping is that there are no rules about what you prep! Though meal prepping is frequently used by those who count calories or macros, it also provides the freedom for those who just want to eat just a little healthier by decreasing our intake of processed and fried foods. Often meal prepping is touted for those who are only focused on achieving fitness gains or those who are following a strict diet. Meal planning works wonders for those folks, but let me inform you that meal prep is for everyone. You get the freedom to decide how much salt, added sugar, or other ingredients go into your food. You have the flexibility to choose and reach whatever dietary goals you desire.Want to go vegan? Go for it! Have food allergies? Eliminate those allergens in your food. Focusing on protein? Beef (or Plant) it Up! Whatever your preferences are, gain the control over what you are or aren’t eating. Like Captain Planet used to say, “The Power is Yours”. Save That Moola How much do you generally spend on a night out for dinner for a party of 2? It could be upwards of $50-$70 if you add in drinks, appetizers, and dessert. Depending upon your city and the type of restaurant, this figure could even double. Next, consider how much you spend at the grocery store for a week’s worth of groceries. Now, imagine decreasing that amount by $20, $30 or even $50 through effective use of meal prep. Remember, “you're able to substitute a far less expensive homemade meal for a much more expensive meal from a restaurant or even for a prepackaged meal you bought at the store” (Hamm, 2016). “In the United States, an estimated 31 percent of the food available for consumption at the retail and consumer levels went uneaten” according to the USDA Economic Research Service (Buzby & Aulakh, 2014). We have all been guilty of throwing away expired or unwanted food at some point in our lives. Effective meal prep can decrease food waste tremendously. Since you are planning your meals around your schedule, you’ll be better able to determine how much food is needed for you and your family. As well, you’ll be able to use common ingredients for recipes which helps to ensure that less ingredients are lost in the back of your fridge or pantry. However, one thing to remember is: you have to actually eat the prepared meals in order for this to hold true. When time is invested in creating and cooking meals, you’re more likely to want to enjoy them later on. Stop throwing away money and start meal prepping today! This blog post also appears on OrgANNicWellness.com.
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AuthorAs a self taught culinary creator, Chef Ashley decided to take her love of food to the masses by launching her brand that focuses on ways to be "healthyish", simplifying meal time, and dispelling the rumor that delicious food has to have tons of salt and fat. She believes that meal prep isn't just for the super health conscious and that it can help us all to take back the hours stolen by our kitchens. She began her meal prep journey as a way to save time and energy, but ended up finding a calling. Archives
September 2018
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