Week 2, Nudge 2 = "Try a new recipe"
NUDGED: "Try a new recipe"
BACKSTORY: Our meals have become very routine - my husband and I eat the same things in a rotation each week. It's food that we are comfortable with and it tastes good. Occasionally I mix in a new recipe I find online, but those "new" dishes are usually the same type of meals we normally eat - one pot dinners, casseroles, or crockpot meals. It was time to add more excitement, variation, and thought into our meal planning!
QUOTE: "The life of faith is inherently a life of risk," said Pastor Phill of Ransom Church in his sermon this week. I desire all my "nudges" to be done in faith, with God's guidance in selecting the perfect nudge I need each week and His help to complete it. Risk is a part of faith and a big part of this project!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:
Always the overachiever, I made 5 new recipes this week. GOLD STAR FOR ME! The recipes were all things I wouldn't normally make, so it challenged me to step out of my comfort zone (palate).
I first set some guidelines for the week. The recipes I made had to be inexpensive and/or using ingredients we already have. I would take a picture of each new recipe to prove it (and post it here!). And, our backup plan was in full effect - we would get pizza if the recipe didn't turn out. I'm so blessed to have a good husband that is always willing to try new recipes with me and offer his honest opinion.
New recipe #1: I made Nacho Chicken Casserole from a recipe I found online that I printed then forgot about. I assembled it the night before so it just had to be put in the oven the next day. It was delicious and one we will make again! We both liked the simplicity of just having to bake it after a long day of work, and will be implementing that strategy again too!
New recipe #2: To challenge myself, I made a recipe with peanut butter. WHAT?! For those that don't know, I don't like peanut butter at all - the taste or the smell. It was really strange to be baking with it. I made a recipe from a friend that I have always wanted to make: homemade granola bars (her family recipe - not online). I eat granola bars almost daily and wanted to see if this recipe would be a cheaper and healthier alternative to the store bought ones. It tasted way better than I thought it would, given the substantial amount of PB in it. I survived eating it...and liked it. I LIKED SOMETHING WITH PEANUT BUTTER?! What is happening!?!?! I am so confused now and clearly don't know what foods I like anymore.
New recipe #3: I love salads and eat one almost every day for lunch. My usual salad includes iceberg lettuce with Ranch dressing and bacon bits. I challenged myself this week to switch up my normal salad for something else - little changes to get me out of my comfort zone. I made Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad (with a few modifications) that I found online. It was so good!! I looked forward to eating it every day.
New recipe #4: I made crepes on Saturday morning, something I have always wanted to make. The idea came from a sentence in a book that I'm reading - inspiration comes from everywhere!! The book character casually mentioned she made her husband crepes on a Saturday morning, and I decided I wanted to do the same. Crepes reminded me of a skinny pancake or lefse or tacos with a fruit filling - a lefse/taco/pancake! I made a fried apple filling for the inside and added a little syrup like pancakes. It tasted good and will be added to our regular rotation.
New recipe #5: I made Mexican Baked Eggs, a recipe my friend sent me this week saying it was a hit with her family. It was completely out of my food comfort zone as it didn't have any meat in it (what?!) but contained black beans and fried eggs. I don't think I have ever used fried eggs in a casserole for lunch, but we tried it! It tasted good and was very filling!
LESSONS LEARNED:
NEXT UP: The next nudge has been selected: "Paint a picture". This was something I enjoyed doing as a child/teen but don't do as an adult, even though I have all the supplies to be creative. It seems to simple, but I am already feeling the excuses come up. It will definitely challenge me!
Thanks for reading!
BACKSTORY: Our meals have become very routine - my husband and I eat the same things in a rotation each week. It's food that we are comfortable with and it tastes good. Occasionally I mix in a new recipe I find online, but those "new" dishes are usually the same type of meals we normally eat - one pot dinners, casseroles, or crockpot meals. It was time to add more excitement, variation, and thought into our meal planning!
QUOTE: "The life of faith is inherently a life of risk," said Pastor Phill of Ransom Church in his sermon this week. I desire all my "nudges" to be done in faith, with God's guidance in selecting the perfect nudge I need each week and His help to complete it. Risk is a part of faith and a big part of this project!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:
Always the overachiever, I made 5 new recipes this week. GOLD STAR FOR ME! The recipes were all things I wouldn't normally make, so it challenged me to step out of my comfort zone (palate).
I first set some guidelines for the week. The recipes I made had to be inexpensive and/or using ingredients we already have. I would take a picture of each new recipe to prove it (and post it here!). And, our backup plan was in full effect - we would get pizza if the recipe didn't turn out. I'm so blessed to have a good husband that is always willing to try new recipes with me and offer his honest opinion.
New recipe #1: I made Nacho Chicken Casserole from a recipe I found online that I printed then forgot about. I assembled it the night before so it just had to be put in the oven the next day. It was delicious and one we will make again! We both liked the simplicity of just having to bake it after a long day of work, and will be implementing that strategy again too!
 |
| Nacho Chicken Casserole = yummy! |
New recipe #2: To challenge myself, I made a recipe with peanut butter. WHAT?! For those that don't know, I don't like peanut butter at all - the taste or the smell. It was really strange to be baking with it. I made a recipe from a friend that I have always wanted to make: homemade granola bars (her family recipe - not online). I eat granola bars almost daily and wanted to see if this recipe would be a cheaper and healthier alternative to the store bought ones. It tasted way better than I thought it would, given the substantial amount of PB in it. I survived eating it...and liked it. I LIKED SOMETHING WITH PEANUT BUTTER?! What is happening!?!?! I am so confused now and clearly don't know what foods I like anymore.
 |
| Homemade granola bars, with peanut butter! |
New recipe #3: I love salads and eat one almost every day for lunch. My usual salad includes iceberg lettuce with Ranch dressing and bacon bits. I challenged myself this week to switch up my normal salad for something else - little changes to get me out of my comfort zone. I made Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad (with a few modifications) that I found online. It was so good!! I looked forward to eating it every day.
 |
| Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad - yummy!! |
New recipe #4: I made crepes on Saturday morning, something I have always wanted to make. The idea came from a sentence in a book that I'm reading - inspiration comes from everywhere!! The book character casually mentioned she made her husband crepes on a Saturday morning, and I decided I wanted to do the same. Crepes reminded me of a skinny pancake or lefse or tacos with a fruit filling - a lefse/taco/pancake! I made a fried apple filling for the inside and added a little syrup like pancakes. It tasted good and will be added to our regular rotation.
 |
| Saturday morning crepes with a recipe found online |
New recipe #5: I made Mexican Baked Eggs, a recipe my friend sent me this week saying it was a hit with her family. It was completely out of my food comfort zone as it didn't have any meat in it (what?!) but contained black beans and fried eggs. I don't think I have ever used fried eggs in a casserole for lunch, but we tried it! It tasted good and was very filling!
 |
| Almost forgot to take a picture! Two of four fried eggs. |
LESSONS LEARNED:
- Planning is critical to getting good meals on the table. I sat down and planned out all our meals for the week and made a list of what additional ingredients would be needed. It was much easier to follow through when I had everything I needed there - no excuses!
- I like to print and save recipes I find online, but this week forced me to actually make them instead of just collecting them.
- I learned it is okay (even fun!) to try new foods. I enjoyed experimenting with making my normal recipes in new ways, like eating a spinach salad instead of my daily iceberg lettuce.
- I put more thought into recipes and ingredients, finding new ways to eat healthy on a budget, like making my own granola bars. Often a little change makes a big difference!
- Wow, the dishes. Making more recipes this week has produced more dirty dishes and a full sink.
- And I am still confused and working through my love/hate relationship with peanut butter.
NEXT UP: The next nudge has been selected: "Paint a picture". This was something I enjoyed doing as a child/teen but don't do as an adult, even though I have all the supplies to be creative. It seems to simple, but I am already feeling the excuses come up. It will definitely challenge me!
Thanks for reading!
It was super fun trying new recipes with you kitten! Your foodie husband is always up for new things to eat for the first time. Kissy!
ReplyDelete