Productivity @ Home

Friday Food: Vegetable Kabobs with Lemon Pepper and Banana and Peanut Butter Obsession

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine

Vegetable Kabobs with Lemon Pepper
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 55 minutes – Yield: 4 servings

VEGETABLES
8 small new red potatoes
2 medium onions
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 8 pieces
8 medium fresh mushrooms
8 cherry tomatoes
SAUCE
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1. GRILL DIRECTIONS: Heat grill. Remove thin strip of peel from around center of each potato. Place potatoes and onions in medium saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or just until potatoes can be pierced with fork. Drain. Cut each onion into 4 wedges.

2. Melt margarine in small saucepan. Stir in all remaining sauce ingredients.

3. When ready to grill, alternately thread vegetables onto eight 8 to 12-inch metal skewers. Place on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning and brushing frequently with sauce.

Banana and Peanut Butter Obsession

1/2 to 2/3 cup milk
1 cup partially frozen diced bananas
1/3 cup or more creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate-peanut butter or favorite chocolate ice cream

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix by using the on/off pulse function until the ingredients are mostly blended. Continue mixing, gradually increasing the speed, until the mixture is smooth. Pour the smoothie into a glass.

Dine Without Whine - With your membership to Dine Without Whine, every Thursday You Receive In Your Personal E-Mail Box A Complete Weekly Menu That Covers The Following Week (Monday-Sunday). Included Is: A Personal Note From Christine Main Dish Recipes For Dinner Every Night Of The Week Suggestions For Side Dishes Brunch Ideas For Saturday And Sunday A Couple Dessert Recipes To Be Used Anytime During the Week In addition Christine will include a grocery list (categorized by aisle) for the week that includes all the necessary ingredients to prepare the recipes highlighted in the newsletter! All you have to do is cross off any items you may already have on hand - add breakfast, snack or lunch items you may need and you're ready to shop! Recipes will be fairly simple and family friendly - meaning hopefully your children (or picky husband) will enjoy them as well; and they will include ingredients that you have actually heard of. (You won't have to search all over town for that special ingredient!) Dine Without Whine - A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box

7 Back to School Lunch Tips

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine.

Don't look now, but school's here! Are you ready for one of the biggest challenges for Moms of school-age kids - preparing school lunches day after day?

There's hope and help for you yet. Here are 7 back-to-school lunch tips. Hey, I can't come over and make your kids' lunches for you, but these tips will surely make it much easier:

1. Make dinner do double-duty

You're already in the kitchen preparing your family's dinner, why not use that time to get a head-start on the next day's brown bag lunches?

Make a double batch of meals that taste just as good "the morning after," you know, like fried chicken. Or cook dishes that can be transformed into something "new", such as pasta sauce that's just as yummy as pizza topping (on ready-made crust of course).

To make meal planning easier, take a look at Dine Without Whine. It's a monthly service for planning your family's meals and grocery shopping.

2. Include lunches when meal planning

To do tip #1, you need to be more organized. This means including your kids' lunches when planning your family dinners.

3. Let the kids participate

Lighten your load and teach your children some important life skills at the same time. Even small children can help prepare their lunches.

If morning is too stressful, then make this an after-dinner activity - which brings us to...

4. Make advance preparations

Do whatever you can do ahead of time. For example, cook in batches on the weekend, or put leftovers in packable containers the night before.

5. DIY fast food

Commercial packed lunches are attractive but unhealthy. But who says you can't make your own? Buy your own colorful and attractive lunch boxes, such as a bento-style lunchbox.

Fill it up with a variety of healthy food. Think of mixing up foods with different textures and colors. And cut them up into small pieces so they're easy and fast to eat.

6. Soup it Up

Soup makes a quick and healthy lunch. You can cook a large pot in the weekend and pack it in a thermos for a warm and satisfying lunch. Serve with whole wheat bread and some fresh fruit and you've got a complete meal!

7. Sprinkle in some fun

Sneak a little surprise into your child's lunchbox once in a while. It could be a little chocolate treat, stickers, or a sweet note from you. Getting something unexpected makes lunch fun.

With planning and creativity, your children can have healthy, delicious lunches without too much work for you.

For meal planning help, go to Dine Without Whine. It makes meal planning a breeze, while helping you save time and money.  Then you'll have time and energy for those school lunches.

Using Geek Techniques to Prepare for Back to School

Around the country, families are sharpening number two pencils, buying backpacks and getting fresh haircuts for the annual return to school.  With two busy high schoolers in my home, I’ve been examining ways to help get myself and my boys more organized. 

This week, I thought I’d brainstorm a few ideas for using technology and other organizational tools help me get our family’s act together.  Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

• Establish a family calendar at Google Calendar. I have the ability to set up a family calendar and “share” it with my husband Greg and sons Eric and Adam.  Since all of us use Gmail, this calendar will be easily accessible every time we’re online.  Greg and I can also access the family calendar from our iPhones.
• Simplify family finances.  I’m looking for ways to reduce paper in our lives, so I’m paying as many bills as possible with online banking.  Our almost 18 year old Eric now has a student debit card that we can closely monitor during this, his last year at home before heading off to college.  Since our accounts are linked together, I can oversee and help manage Eric’s account from one centralized location.  This will also help him gain budgeting skills prior to departing for college.
• Purchase school supplies online.  I’ve been searching for bargains on some of the many supplies the boys will need this year.  I’ll also be purchasing some used books on Amazon once we receive their syllabi and reading lists from teachers.
• Spice up school lunches.  Teens can be almost as choosy as toddlers, and coming up with creative lunch ideas is tricky for children of any age.  I love the article “Beyond Peanut Butter and Jelly” at Faith & Family Live and the article School Lunches at KidsHealth.org for information on nutrition and safety.
• Get connected.  I’ve added my sons’ school website to my favorites, downloaded the annual calendar, and added the principal, high school counselor and a few selected teachers to my email contacts.  I’m also prepared to closely monitor the boys’ grades and attendance on “Power School” and have set myself a weekly reminder alert to make this a regular routine.  I have configured the system to notify me if the boys are late or tardy, or if their grades drop by a certain percentage. 
• Learn with the Library.  We love our public library system and are frequent users.  With online account access, we can quickly and easily reserve books, renew items we’ve checked out, or research events that are coming up at our local library branches.

My brainstorming list is certainly not complete, but I’m off to a great start towards being more organized this school year.  What tools help you prepare for the school year ahead, whether your children are homeschooled or attend traditional schools?  I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for making the “Back to School” transition a more sane and happier time of the year.

Learn and Do Everything in Less Time

On Wednesdays, I share my thoughts on Learning and Professional Development.

A big thanks to Kelly from ClearViewEducation.com for calling to my attention their recent post entitled 100 Awesome Cheat Sheets to Learn and Do Everything in Less Time.  Since personal productivity is all about "Getting Things Done", this is the type of cheating that works for me!

The Cheat Sheet list includes a broad cross section of topics including hobbies, productivity and organizing, finances and home and garden.  The "Laundry 101" Cheat Sheet is going to get printed and posted in my laundry room alongside the "Cleaning Cheat Sheet" so that I can spend more time enjoying the "Wine and Food Pairings" Cheat Sheet!

Is compiling lists of things that will make life less complicated cheating?  I call it good time management and recommend you head over and check out 100 Awesome Cheat Sheets to Learn and Do Everything in Less Time today.

Have a post to share?  Email me any time at lisahendey@gmail.com if you have a tip on personal productivity that will help our readers!

10 Reasons to Have Family Meals More Often

When was the last time your family had a meal together? I don't mean sitting in the car munching on burgers from the drive-through.

I mean sitting down at the table and sharing a home-cooked meal. If you can't remember when you last enjoyed a family dinner, make plans to have them more often.

Experts have found - and continue to discover - plenty of benefits for both children and adults when families have dinner together at least three times a week. I know...I know, it's not always easy, so click here if you need help with meal planning and grocery shopping.

Here are 10 reasons why you should have family meals more often:

Good For The Body

1. When families eat together, everyone tends to eat healthier. People who have frequent family meals consume more calcium, fiber, iron, and vitamins B6, B12, C and E. It could be because home-cooked meals are healthier than fast food and restaurant meals. (Source: Archives of Family Medicine)

2. Children tend to eat more fruits and vegetables when they frequently have dinner with their families. They also tend to eat fewer snack foods. (Source: American Dietetic Association)

3. Children in families who eat dinner together are less likely to be overweight (Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine). This makes sense, given the findings in #1 and #2 above.

Good For The Brain

4. Children from families who eat meals together get better grades than their peers who don't have lots of family meal times (Source: Lou Harris-Reader's Digest National Poll). So family dinners are not only good for the body; they're also good for the brain.

5. When families eat together frequently, children have better language skills compared to kids from families who don't have family mealtimes often. (Source: Harvard University)

Good For Emotional Health

6. Children of families who eat together report feeling happier and are more optimistic about the future, than their peers who have infrequent family meals. (Source: Lou Harris-Reader's Digest National Poll)

7. Teenagers are less likely to use drugs, smoke, and drink alcoholic drinks, when their families eat together regularly. (Source: Columbia University)

8. It may come as a surprise, but among Moms who work outside the home, those who have family mealtimes reported feeling less stress than those who had family dinners less often. (Source: Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal)

9. The more often teen girls had meals with their families, the less likely they were to have symptoms of depression and suicidal behaviors. (Source: University of Minnesota)

Good For Family Bonding

10. Eating together gives family members the chance to communicate and build relationships, something that both adults and children appreciate very much. (Source: Nutrition Education Network of Washington & Oprah Winfrey's "Family Dinner Experiment")

I hope these reasons motivate you and your family to try and eat together more often. We're all busy - even children have plenty of after-school activities. But as the list above shows, family meals are worth every effort we put into them. It helps to plan ahead so that we're not scrambling to get dinner ready or panicking because we don't have all the ingredients we need.

To make it easier to get the family around the table with a home-cooked meal, check out Dine Without Whine's menu planning service. It cost just a penny to try it out!

Copyright 2009 Dine Without Whine

St. Patrick's Day Meal Planning

To help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style, download these great recipe cards containing the following fun family recipes:

Luck of the Irish Potato Stew
Boxty - Irish Potato Griddle Cakes
Leprechaun Candy
Fun St. Patrick’s Day Non-Alcoholic Drink Ideas

Have a safe and fun St. Patrick’s day making these recipes in the kitchen with your family!

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine.

With your membership to Dine Without Whine, every Thursday You Receive In Your Personal E-Mail Box A Complete Weekly Menu That Covers The Following Week (Monday-Sunday). Included Is: A Personal Note From Christine Main Dish Recipes For Dinner Every Night Of The Week Suggestions For Side Dishes Brunch Ideas For Saturday And Sunday A Couple Dessert Recipes To Be Used Anytime During the Week In addition Christine will include a grocery list (categorized by aisle) for the week that includes all the necessary ingredients to prepare the recipes highlighted in the newsletter! All you have to do is cross off any items you may already have on hand - add breakfast, snack or lunch items you may need and you're ready to shop! Recipes will be fairly simple and family friendly - meaning hopefully your children (or picky husband) will enjoy them as well; and they will include ingredients that you have actually heard of. (You won't have to search all over town for that special ingredient!) Dine Without Whine - A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box

9 Simple Ways to Save Money on Your Groceries

Today's guest Family Finances article was submitted by Dine Without Whine - A Family Friendly Weekly Menu Planner.

It never fails, we budget for our groceries, but the bill always ends up being more. We underestimate, run out of things faster than expected and overall, everything is becoming just too darned expensive! To make things a little bit easier, here are 9 simple ways you can start saving money on your groceries.

1. Go with a List: Yes, I know…it’s a pretty obvious suggestion, but it’s amazing how effective it can be. You can purchase only what you need and avoid all the other yummy distractions of the grocery store.
2. Meal Planning: Planning your meals in advance makes it easier to get your list together and ensure you buy only exactly what you need. You can get help with your meal planning at Dine Without Whine AND they actually put your grocery list together for you too.
3. Eat Before You Go: Another classic tip. If you’re hungry, you’ll want to buy (and instantly eat) everything! Have a meal or good snack before you go to avoid impulse purchases.
4. Stock Up on Staple Items When They’re On Sale: If you see ketchup or your family’s favorite sauce on sale, stock up. Or if it’s a certain type of soup or frozen vegetable your family eats all the time, buy a bunch of it. As long as it doesn’t spoil and you have space to store it, you will save money in the long run. The nice thing about this is if you continue to stock up on a variety of items, you’ll have a nice pantry full of food at any given time.
5. Cook from Scratch More Often: Yeah, yeah…it sounds easier said than done, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. It’s no secret that pre-packaged items and convenience foods come at a premium price. They save you time in preparation, but they eat up your budget and let’s face it, time IS money. Plus, if you’re using Tip #2 and planning your meals, cooking from scratch more often is a whole lot easier.
6. Comparison Shop Before You Leave Home: No, I’m definitely not suggesting you go from store-to-store looking for the best deal. That takes too much time. Check the flyers that come to your door and see who is offering the best deals on what you actually need. If you don’t have any flyers at your door, visit the store website as they generally post flyers online.
7. Use Coupons Sparingly: Sure, coupons offer a great deal, but most coupons you’ll find are for items you don’t really need or use. Resist the urge to think, “Wow, that’s a good deal” and search for coupons based on items you need to purchase instead.
8. Keep the Little Ones At Home: If you have young children that want everything that they see, it’s easy to get into the trap of buying items you don’t need, treats that aren’t healthy and become victim to other grocery store distractions. Keep the kids at home with Daddy (it’s a good bonding opportunity) or a relative. You can even swap grocery store shopping times with your neighbor. Not only will you save money, but you’ll save your sanity too!
9. Make Quick Stops for Fresh Ingredients: This may not be easy if you’re on a tight schedule, but if you can work it in, it can save you a bundle. One of the biggest culprits in grocery budgets gone bad is spoiled food. If your fruits, veggies and other perishable items are always going bad, consider shopping for them more frequently, but in smaller quantities and restrain yourself from buying items you don’t need. If you have any teenaged kids, this would be a great chore for them too.

There you go – 9 ways to save on groceries. But in order to make these tips work, you really need to have a plan in place. You need to know what your family needs and what you’ll be eating. To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for you 1¢ no-risk trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your grocery budget will be glad you did.

Cooking Up a Little Luck

Attention Food Lovers:  I wanted to let you in on a little contest that Macy's is running - this could be your chance to win big!

Celebrated Food Network chef, Tyler Florence.  Tyler has partnered with Macy's and produced a 12-podcast series called Macy’s Keeps America Cooking. This podcast series features Tyler cooking some of his favorite recipes and shows how you make truly gourmet and delectable meals from the convenience of your home and with the help of some trusty kitchen tools and products. In addition, Tyler is hosting a contest to find out what gets you and your readers cooking and give you the opportunity of your life!  So, what gets you cooking? Could it be the magical people in your life?  Maybe it's a family tradition?  Whatever your reason, we want you to tell us while showing off your cooking skills for a chance to win a $2,500 Macy’s kitchen shopping spree with Tyler Florence in San Francisco!

If you have a favorite meal that you prepare as a couple, or perhaps this is a favorite family recipe that your in-laws have passed on to you and would like to make a make it your own now that you are engaged, please share it with us and you could win great prizes and your own podcast!

The requirements to enter are simple!  Create a short video (2 minutes or less) of yourself demonstrating a favorite recipe that represents what gets you cooking.  Then end your video with the line, “From my (insert your town) kitchen to yours, Macy’s keeps it cooking.”  You may start by simply registering at www.macys.com/keepitcooking.  Once you’re registered you can upload their video and share it.  Viewers can vote for their favorite videos and make it your very own reality show!

Macy’s Keep it Cooking Sweepstakes:

The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to San Francisco and a $2,500 kitchen shopping spree at Macy’s with Tyler Florence.  9 runners-up will receive a $1,000 Macy’s Gift Card.  Winners will be selected from the top rated videos by Macy’s and Tyler Florence.  All entries must be received by April 3rd, 2009 11:59 pm EST to qualify.

Bonus: Mention what you like about your local Macy’s or Macy's.com in your video and if you have one of the top ten videos, you’ll win an additional $500 Macy’s Gift Card.

Lisa Likes - Starbucks Vivanno

On Fridays, I share my thoughts on Health and Fitness. 

I've decided to start a new series of posts entitled "Lisa Likes" - just simple little things I run across in my day to day life that bring me satisfaction.  There's great joy in sharing stuff like that with friends, right?  "Lisa Likes" is an homage to my good friend and blogging buddy Rachel Balducci and her precious "Rachel Raves". 

Today, I want to share with you about a beverage I tried this week at Starbucks - the Orange Mango Banana Vivanno Nourishing Blend.  Whew, even for Starbucks, that's a mouthful.

Normally, when it comes to Starbucks, I am boring and utilitarian, and cheap.  I am a "Venti Decaf" girl, rarely straying from the norm because I'm too cheap to spend a lot of money on coffee and too concerned with my calorie intake to waste calories on a drink.

But this week, I walked on the wild side and ordered one of the new Vivanno blend drinks.  I was prompted by the near 100 degree temps outside and a slight midafternoon hunger pang to try this concoction, and I ended up loving it.  I will say that this is a pricier choice than my normal coffee, but at $3.50 was less expensive than my coffee and a pastry would have been, while also being more filling and healthier.

The drink is basically a smoothie, filled with good for you stuff like whey protein and fiber.  You'll find the nutritional info here and for those who count Weight Watchers points, I point this out at a four (unscientifically, I disclaim!).   I typically don't like these types of drinks (for example, I dislike Jamba Juice which to me tastes like grass).  But this drink was different - light and tasty, yet quite filling.

If you find yourself in Starbucks looking for a mid afternoon snack that is a healthier alternative to a pumpkin scone, check out one of these Vivanno blends and let me know what you think.  Of the options, the Orange Mango Banana has the fewest calories.

Do you have a favorite mid afternoon "pick me up" that's halfway healthy?  I'd love to hear about it!

On the Bookshelf:
How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else

Making the Most of the Family Food Budget

This past weekend, one of my Twitter friends posted a photo of his lovely wife, surrounded by groceries, with the caption "What $500 worth of groceries for $200 looks like".  Since I had just returned from a grocery trip that cost $257 and yielded many fewer bags than in the photo, it caught my eye.  Let me say up front that I'm domestically challenged when it comes to grocery shopping.  I tend to be one of those people who waits until the last minute to buy needed items and who doesn't spend much time looking at prices.  But with gas at record levels and two teenage boys (and their buddies) to feed, I need to be a more responsible steward of my family's food budget.

So I called the "Coupon Queen" in question and asked her for a few BASIC suggestions on how I could get started with trimming our grocery expenditures.  I know myself - I am not going to turn into one of those people who attends coupon swapping meetings!  The following are a few of Susan's basic tips for saving on the family food bill:

• Get in the habit of checking your local newspaper's weekly food section for area sales and deals.
• Only buy things that are on sale - this may require some flexibility when it comes to areas of brand loyalty.  If it's not on sale, don't buy it.  Your family will likely survive the addition of a new brand of peanut butter.
• Stock up - Susan advised me that certain items go on extreme sale during certain times of the year.  For example, March is National Frozen Food Month, making it the perfect time to find deals on frozen items and to lay in a supply for upcoming months.   Some months, you may end up buying only certain items and not everything on your list.  Over time, things will balance out.
• Spread the wealth - If you are a coupon user, let your friends and neighbors know. They likely aren't using their coupons and will be happy to share them with you.

I'm planning to start small and hope to report some savings soon.  In the mean time, I'd love to hear your tips and tricks for saving on the family food budget!