I’ve been wondering if we would just be going without oatmeal during the kitchen remodel, while we don’t have a stove. What? They make packets of instant oatmeal that you can just add water to and nuke in the microwave? Yes, I know, and they don’t taste very good. I think it’s because they have salt in them. And way too much sugar. But, just in time, Money Saving Mom ran a post about making homemade instant oatmeal packets. I tweaked the recipe a bit to our taste, and here’s what I came up with.

Here’s what you need:

• canister of quick-cooking oats
• canister of rolled oats
• dry milk
• brown sugar
• cinnamon
• zip-top baggies

In food processor, grind 1 cup quick oats and 1 cup rolled oats to a powder. Set up an assembly line with all your ingredients.

In each baggie (makes 16):

• 2 Tbsp. ground oat mixture
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup dry milk
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

To make oatmeal, mix packet with 1/2 to 3/4 cup boiling water and let stand 2-3 minutes.

If you want, you could add other things like dried fruit, nuts, etc.

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We are anticipating being without a kitchen for about a month. I know, these things usually take longer than expected, but that’s our best guess based on the people we’ve talked to. So how do we eat, without spending as much on dining out as the kitchen costs, or resorting to Bagel Bites and Easy Mac?

I’m going to cook—a LOT—now. This week I am cooking up some casseroles, soups, baked goods, and some other things that can be frozen and reheated in the microwave or toaster oven. I may have to buy some storage containers, but we should still come out ahead as opposed to eating out all the time.

Here are some of the things I’m planning to make:

• Chicken Rice Casserole
• Skillet Tamale Pie
• Spinach Manicotti
• Baked Ziti
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Chili
• Freezer Twice Baked Potatoes
• Baked Goods:
  • Banana Bread
  • Oatmeal Raisin Bread
  • Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Apple Muffins
  • Oatmeal Raisin and Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough (rolled into balls and frozen)

For veggies to go with the meals, I guess I’ll steam them in the microwave—not my preferred method, but better than nothing. We’ll use store-bought bread and rolls. Then there are things like cereal, yogurt, fresh salads, baked potatoes, grilled cheese (we have a griddle), fresh fruits and veggies, etc.

When I looked online for ideas about how to eat during a kitchen remodel, there was a lot of advice about using a hot plate, slow cooker, outdoor grill, and so forth. Yes, it’s possible to cook using those things, but it still seems like prep and clean-up would be a major pain, trying to prep in the family room and wash dishes in the little bathroom sink. I want to have as much ready to eat as possible. We’ll supplement with eating out some, and if we run out of food, maybe I can have another cooking day at someone else’s house and fill up those containers again.

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Was I this bad about meals last time around? I don’t recall. I certainly wasn’t sick. I’m on Zofran now, which has stopped most of the nausea, but I’m still a far piece from having a normal appetite and wanting to think about or cook food. There are certain things that sound good and certain things that don’t. The things I used to love and depend on regularly are not appealing to me at the moment. What’s appealing? Turkey pitas (turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, Ranch dressing), guacamole with tortilla chips, and strawberries. At least that’s a somewhat healthy, balanced meal. It’s been my regular meal for the past several days. David’s still working on the leftover Mexican food from Anna’s birthday party, and Anna just gets whatever we come up with for her. She doesn’t care.

So much for eating reduced-meat, unprocessed, from-scratch meals. I absolutely do not want beans right now, and most veggies don’t sound very good either. I’ve eaten a lot of white breads and crackers (although whole wheat is slowly making its way back into my diet). Jello? You can hardly call that food! But it’s been exactly what I want sometimes. I’ve even partaken of—you won’t believe this—canned condensed soup! And I’ve had a Sprite nearly every day, whereas before I maybe had one or two Cokes in a month.

Ahh, when that glorious week 14 rolls around, things will be back to normal… wait… oh yeah, we’ll have to be out of our house about a week and a half after that. And move in with my parents for a few weeks. And then move into a new house (which we have yet to find), unpack, get settled, etc… So basically it’s gonna be at least June before you see another Menu Plan Monday from me. I know my readers are devastated about this. :) But mostly, it’s just not me. Planning and preparing good, healthy meals for my family is what I do. And I can’t do it right now!

I’ve got to give credit to David, who has been a total sweetheart and completely understanding through all this. I was so sick for about a week that he’s just happy to see me just getting some calories from whatever food sounds good to me. So he’ll get it for me. Is that sweet or what?

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So I’ve been a bit absent lately, both from menu planning and from blogging in general. I didn’t have a range/oven for about a week, then David’s new job plus a family commitment took him out of town for a good part of the month of February, so I didn’t really bother menu planning for myself, a toddler who eats as much as a baby bird, and a husband who was only home for a couple days at a time. Consequently, when I did Quicken last week, there were an embarrassing number of receipts from Chick-fil-A, Moe’s, and Pizza Hut. Lesson learned.

So, getting back into it, here’s what we’re having this week:

Monday: Beef/black bean tacos, Mexican rice, chips & homemade salsa

Tuesday: same

Wednesday: same

Thursday: Spinach manicotti, salad, bread

Friday: Chicken noodle casserole (brand new recipe for us), some kind of veggie, homemade biscuits

Saturday: same

Sunday: same

Check out Menu Plan Monday for more ideas.

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I’ve only got a couple of things on the menu this week—relying on leftovers a lot. So, not very interesting. But there’s lots more to see at Organizing Junkie’s original Menu Plan Monday.

Monday: Vegetable beef soup (this got pushed back a day, so we have lots left), baked potatoes, cornbread

Tuesday: same

Wednesday: same

Thursday: Baked ziti (but made with whole-wheat penne), green beans, bread

Friday: same (me—girls’ night out)

Saturday: same

Sunday: Pan-seared tilapia, sugar snap peas, baked sweet potatoes

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Monday: Stir-fried veggies over brown rice, rolls

Tuesday: Wheat-oat pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit

Wednesday: Roasted chicken hash, green beans, bread

Thursday: same

Friday: Spinach manicotti, salad, bread

Saturday: Vegetable beef soup, baked potatoes, cornbread

Sunday: same

Visit Menu Plan Monday for more ideas!

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I decided to take this last week of the year off from menu planning; instead, we’ll be using up leftovers, pulling things out of the freezer, eating out once, and “winging it” the rest of the time. But instead, I’ll give you a yummy recipe I’ve been enjoying the past few days. I made a batch of this for my family to munch on over the holidays.

Herbed Spinach Dip (America’s Test Kitchen)

• 1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 medium scallions, white parts only*, sliced thin
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill leaves
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced fine (I’ve always left this out, but I’m sure it’s good.)

Thaw the spinach in microwave for 3 minutes at 40 percent power. (Edges should be thawed but not warm; center should be soft enough to break into chunks.) Squeeze the partially frozen spinach of excess water. In a food processor, process all ingredients except bell pepper until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to serving bowl and stir in bell pepper; serve.

* The recipe says to use only the white parts, but I use the whole thing.

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When David called this evening to tell me he was on his way home, he said, “You didn’t post the menu, so I don’t know what we’re eating.” So even if no one else reads this, it helps my dear husband know what to expect and whether he should stop at Chick-fil-A on the way home… just kidding. :)

Monday: Stir-fried veggies over brown rice, sweet potato biscuits

Tuesday: Garlic-potato soup, salad, bread

Wednesday: out

Thursday (Christmas Eve): (with David’s parents) Roasted chicken w/ potatoes, green beans, rolls, apple-cranberry pie and praline pumpkin pie (will use up leftovers during the weekend)

Friday (Christmas) Breakfast/Brunch: Baked French toast, sausage balls, fresh fruit

Friday dinner: something with my parents

Saturday: family dinner; I think I’ll be supplying orange-glazed sweet potatoes

Sunday: don’t know yet, but I think there’ll be enough food around

Need some last-minute ideas? Check out all the other menus at Menu Plan Monday.

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We bought our first goods through Conway Locally Grown today. It’s an online farmer’s market that sells meats, eggs & dairy, vegetables (when in season), herbs, canned goods, crafts, etc. All of the goods are produced within 150 miles. But more than that, most of the farmers use organic farming methods, which, for animal production, means the animals are treated humanely, allowed the freedom to roam and graze and eat what they were made to eat, and raised without steroids and growth hormones.

Here’s what Ratchford Farms, we got our beef from, says about themselves:

“…our animals drink spring water, roam stress-free on our farm, eat grass and are not subjected to the typical steroids, antibiotics and hormones typical of beef bought in the grocery store. Our Native American Indian heritage tells us that we are to treat God’s animals with respect, and we take that very seriously. We don’t brand these cattle. We don’t shock them into going where we want them to. We do things the hard way, yes. We are grateful for them and the nutrition that they provide.”

And Falling Sky Farm, where our chicken came from, writes:

“Our chickens are raised the way chickens should be! Unlike most broiler chickens, they have access to fresh air, green grass and sun light. The are raised in floorless pens that are moved to fresh grass daily. Their diet consists of grass, bugs, and a mineral-rich, hormone- and antibiotic-free custom-mixed ration. We grind all of our own feed so we know exactly what goes into the ration. The chickens are processed on the farm to ensure a clean and low stress environment.”

Is it expensive? Yes. But, think about it. Should that chicken at the grocery store really cost just 3-5 dollars? From the time it is hatched to the time it is in plastic in the meat cooler—the cost of feeding, housing, processing, packaging, transporting, plus wages for the labor involved in each of the above steps—shouldn’t it cost more than that? It’s not that organic, naturally-raised meat is too expensive, it’s that factory-farmed meat is too cheap. For meat to be produced the way it should be, it would cost more, and people would have to eat less of it. And that’s not a bad thing.

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Monday: Lasagna, salad, bread

Tuesday: same

Wednesday: same

Thursday: Black bean tacos w/ homemade salsa, Mexican rice, fruit

Friday: same

Saturday: same

Sunday: Pan-seared tilapia, baked sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas

Check out the original Menu Plan Monday for more ideas about what to eat!

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