Meal Planning Saturday!

It's the day before break is over and all through the house

all the creatures are freaking out, even a mouse.

The bookbags were strewn by the door with some care

in hope that a snowday would perhaps appear...?

Mrs. McGuire was all snug in her bed

while visions of laughter, chatter and grading danced in her head.

My winter break is coming to a close. It is always nice to be able to take a step back and recollect your sanity!

When discussing this with a friend we were both feeling anxious because coming off a break is like going from nothing to everything!

So, to make my life easier and healthier I planned out some meals.

My wonderful husband also made a work document to help our souls survive ;)

Weekly Meal Plan

It's seriously a thing of beauty!

An on-the-go gal (or guys) best friend.... The WRAP

I went wrap crazy with my meal planning this week.

Why?

• I eat my breakfast on the road between working out and getting my class ready for 27 active 3rd graders!
• I need to have energy and I need it quick!
• Even some lunches are spent running around

I created several wraps for this week:

• Peanut butter and fruit
• Nutella Peanut butter and Fruit (special Friday Treat!)
• Cream cheese and Veggies with Garlic and onion cream cheese
• Hummus and Veggie

For the Cream Cheese

• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 2 green onions
• 4 ounces of cream cheese
• a dash of pepper

this provided a nice glue for the wrap

In the Veggie Wraps

• 2 small grated carrots
• 1/4 avocado sliced
• Half a mini cucumber

I also made 10 

Breakfast Burritos! 

For mornings on the go...

• 6 breakfast sausages
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 5 small potatoes
• 10 tortillas

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees
2. Uncase the sausages and cook in a skillet on medium heat for 15 mins, flipping or moving it around ever 5 minutes
3. While the sausage cooks mix together the milk and eggs with some salt and pepper and garlic powder.
4. Cut up the potatoes into inch thick cubes
5. Drain the sausage on paper towel and set aside
6. Scramble eggs
7. While eggs scramble, put the potatoes on a cooking sheet with a light amount of olive oil
8. Cook potatoes for 20 minutes 
9. Incorporate all the cooked ingredients together

When you assemble the burritos I put about a 1/2 cup of filling in each burrito.

I froze my burritos in cling wrap and then put them all in a freezer bag.

To Reheat burritos:

Uncover the burrito and put on a plate of paper towel in the microwave for 1 minute.

Happy Meal Planning!

-Mel

New Year, Same Me

My yearly goals 

1. Workout 5 times a Week

I've realized that working out in the morning is the key to this actually happening. After a day of teaching, working out seems impossible. Also, I'm more of a morning person, especially when my meals are planned, I slept in workout clothes and my bags are all packed.

2. Eat mostly healthy 

Meal planning is essential to success, along with (discretely) throwing out b-day treats students give to me :(

In order to reach goals one and two I put together an incentive chart

(that's what Teachers do)

It also helps that I get to visit my bestie in Cali!

3. Finish my MASTERS

I hopefully will finish up in October if all goes as planned. It's been a lot of work on top of teaching but I'll be so happy when I have that degree!

4. Be Mindful 

Meditate, reflect, stay positive and grateful about my life. 

                                       5. Be the Best Teacher I can be, everyday

This is why I need to be healthy, active, and mindful. All of these goals will help me reach my ultimate goal of reaching every student, engaging every student, supporting every student and (the easiest) loving every student.

What a great year it's been, excited to see what all 2015 brings!

Love from the Lake!

-Mel

Windmill Wheat (Blueberry Muffins)

Part of eating healthy to me is finding natural local products and letting them be the star of your food. While I do enjoy a bag of Doritos I know that if something can sit out for a year and not go bad it probably isn't the best health choice.

Windmill Wheat

My hubby and I went to The Windmill Island in Holland, MI for our anniversary weekend. This place is pretty incredible. They have a collection of houses and a windmill brought over from Holland. The windmill still functions for grinding wheat. Of course I had to buy the whole wheat flour they grind there even if I have to store it in the fridge (because no preservatives). When figuring out souvenirs to take home, it's usually always food.

 

So today with fresh MI blueberries, eggs from a students farm, and my "windmill wheat" I knew exactly what I wanted to make...

Blueberry Muffins!

*1 cups Oat flour – I used old fashioned oats and pulsed them in my food processor for a couple minutes

*1 cup Whole wheat Flour- if you happened to have gone to a windmill use that wheat!

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup of plain Greek Yogurt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup of blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Whisk dry ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Mix wet ingredients together in a larger bowl

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together.

Stir in blueberries. I tossed them in a little flour to make sure they wouldn't sink in the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Makes about 12 muffins.

ENJOY!

*If you are gluten intolerant you could easily substitute the flour for almond and coconut flour (1 cup of each)

Some of those yummy MI products

Is there anything more beautiful then just made muffins?

Great start to the day

The Yo-Yo of Health

I am never fully healthy, but I am never fully unhealthy either (holidays exempt)

Working full time in a new school and grade, and a well stocked staff lounge, this year took it's toll on my body. All the treats for birthdays and showers were hard for me to say no to.

When your students realize you eat a lot of cupcakes it's a problem!

So I'm back after a "crazy year" hiatus...

Things that have changed:

I now teach in my dream school district,

In my dream grade level (3rd).

I got married to my favorite companion,

and we live on a beautiful lake.

(and have a nice new camera)

My life could be a little healthier which is my new goal to work on. I've gotten almost all dreams come true... so this one is my next on the list.

Now where is that magic wand... or spatula...

-Mel

6 Reasons Teaching Rocks

In the age of teacher morale plummeting and state mandates rising, its great to consider the upsides of your job.

1. Your students are hilarious.

         Somedays you don't realize it because you are worried about assessments, lesson plans, classroom management etc. When you slow down, you realize the comedy that goes on everyday.

Me: why do you have wax in your hair??

Student: Probably because I put my head in my lunchbox.... It's cold in there

Student: I don't want to put my teddy bear in my backpack

Me: Why?

Student: He's like real to me, so I don't want to do that to him.

2. You have a second home.

          Your classroom is your domain. You take pride in your anchor charts and laminated posters. You have a place for your coat and winter gear. You have your coffee maker and microwave by your desk and ready for any parent-teacher conference/ 12 hour day/ weekend grading session. 

3. You are the boss.

        ....most of the time. You make the decisions for the room, because you are responsible for the development of all these young minds (not intimidating at all). You have the prerogative to cancel turkey bingo if your students are out of control; yep, that happened. 

4. You make an impact.

          I worship/ed some of my teachers. They taught me how to cope with emotions, math, knotted shoes laces and friend problems. They helped me navigate some of the hardest times in my life. I see my impact when a student say "ohhhh, now I get it!" Or when a student gives me a random hug during the day. It's those moments that you live for as a teacher.

5. Summers and snow days.

          All I have to say.

6. Watching "your kids" grow up.

           I haven't gotten there yet, but I saw a coworker holding a former students new baby and my eyes teared up. You are a part of your students lives, now and forever. When students think of a grade level, a subject or a special: they think of you.

Thank a teacher this week. They work to improve lives, make an impact and change the world. Plus they love you a lot!

-Meli McG

Weekend Treats and TV shows

I always have more trouble staying healthy on the weekend. Sitting around and watching Downton Abbey, leads me to wanting tea... and chocolate.

Here is a my new favorite weekend brunch recipe: perfect for a lunch on your own or for entertaining guests. It's super easy, healthy and delicious. It'll kick that chocolate craving to the curb! The quinoa in the recipe adds protein and keeps you full plus (unlike most quinoa recipes) you don't have to cook the quinoa before!

The recipe was adapted from a recipe on whole foods website.

 I found the recipe here.

Quinoa Egg Bake

Ingredients

-1 whole egg

-2T skim milk

-1t minced garlic

-1/4t ground thyme

-1/4C diced onions

-1/4C diced red pepper

-1.5T quinoa, uncooked

-salt, pepper

1. Grease an oven proof ramekin or small bowl, or hose it down with nonstick spray.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3. In a small bowl mix together egg, milk, thyme, onions, salt, pepper, garlic and pepper and quinoa.

4. Pour the mixture into the ramekin and lightly shake so the quinoa will sink to the bottom to form a crust.

5. Bake for 40 mins, until nothing jiggles! I also chose to put a cookie sheet on the rack under the bowl in case the egg expanded too much.

6. Enjoy it in the ramekin or take it out and put it on a plate.

This recipe could easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled. Just add the quinoa into the ramekins separate so that it's evenly distributed and no one ends up with ALL the protein packed goodness.

Isn't that ramekin too darn cute! I got it from a coworker for Christmas :-) Thanks Jen!

The egg bakes were delicious! Perfect texture with the quinoa forming a crust on the bottom. At 166 calories each they make for a no guilt lunch! They also remind me of a mini quiche that would be perfect with a large teapot full of Earl Grey.

Now to find out what happens to Mr. Matthew Crowley and Lady Mary.... ;-)

Happy eating!
-Meli

Fit-spiration

I'm an avid pinner, by that I mean that I'm pinterest obsessed and trying to find a way to make pinning a career. I joke.... kind of.

So one of my favorite things about pinterest is all the fit-spiration I can get. I use pinterest not just as procrastination, but as motivation.


Here are some of my favorite and most motivating "fit-spiration" These have helped me stay on track, workout and eat healthy!

Morning inspiration.

Focus your mind and body in the morning.

I like to take a few moments in the morning to goal set. I give myself a pep talk. I'm not alone ;) Love that link!!

YES! I think of this when I'm having a hard time motivating myself to work out!

This saying cracks me up and reminds myself to think about what I eat!

 

Hope these "fit-spirations" help you as much as they help me!!



-Meli