By Stephanie Harren

It has been said that “You are what you eat.”  Children need healthy meals, but where does a busy single mom start?

Planning your Week

Getting ready for the work week ahead can be overwhelming enough but when you add in kid’s activities, church activities, and your own activities; it can get overwhelming, especially when you are trying to eat healthy and in cooperate exercise into your routine.  Some weeks can seem so overwhelming that you just throw up your arms in frustration and say, “what is the point.”

It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though.  Take a little time to plan ahead will help keep you on track and will give you a plan of attack when time gets short.

Busy Mom Tips Nutrition Tips

Keeping it Simple so you can live your life to the fullest

1.    Plan You week

• Look at your weekly calendar and decide where you will need quick meals (i.e. crock pot meals, meals will less than 5 ingredients, etc)
• Decide when you will have to take snacks with you to run errands
• Double protein amounts for easy snack and leftovers
• Double meals and eat another night during the week.

2.  Eat every 3-4 hours whether hungry or not.

3. Eat a high, quality, lean protein with every meal and snack.

4. Know your portions.  Each individual is different and unique when it comes to their nutritional needs.

Easy Meals and Snacks

Cajun Pot Roast

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless beef chuck roast

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 onion, chopped

14 oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained

1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)

1/8 tsp. pepper

Preparation:

Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over roast and rub to coat well. Place in 4-6 quart crock pot and top with onion. In small bowl, combine tomatoes with their juice, hot pepper sauce and pepper. Pour over vegetables and roast. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Serves 6

Hint: Freeze the leftovers for next week’s crock pot meal or use for lunches. Use leftovers for BBQ beef recipe

 Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Put 1 cup of peanuts, 1/3 c of Visalus Protein Powder w/one chocolate flavor package, and 1/4 c. natural peanut butter, and process in the food processor until a dough forms. If

you need more moisture, add 1 tsp. water at a time till desired consistency.

Line a bread pan in waxed paper, and press it in.

Once you get the shape, remove from the pan, slice into bars, and enjoy.

Citrus Bars

Put 1 cup of almonds, 3/4 of a cup of dried, unsweetened cherries, juice of 1/2

a lemon, 1/3 c of Visalus Protein with orange flavor pack, 1/4 cup of coconut flakes (unsweetened), and a tablespoon of orange zest (you can omit the orange zest if you’d like- it makes it quite orangey) and whisk them around in the food processor till processed. Line a bread pan in waxed paper, and press the mixture in.  Once you get the shape, remove from the pan, slice into bars, and enjoy.

Makes 12 bars.