High Maintenance Mom

Figuring out how to nutritiously feed my family has been a major stresser ever since I tried to grow up. The question, 'what should we do for dinner tonight?' has made me insane. I hate thinking of something new everyday, and so takeout was an often used option, much to the dismay of my wallet. Or I'd frown, uh, lets cook that one dish, you know, then go to the store, get all the stuff, then go home and cook and by the time its 10 pm, we've got a meal and all the fun is gone. My husband is the one who usually cooks, poor guy. So in order to be a better mom/wife I made a New Year's resolution and went to a bookstore with the explicit instructions to the bookseller, "I need a book that tells me what to buy in advance, has actual good food, and is quick for the working mom."...

Lo and behold, the mecca has arrived. I'm two weeks in and this thing is solving all my troubles. This book gives you a full shopping list for each week. The menus items are edible, even good, well rounded, healthy, and keep you sane, and even (?) pleased about cooking. I'm not professing that the tastes are like you've spent all day cheffing, its not. These are tasty, healthy, and quick. I'm just trying it out with my husband and I (we get leftovers for lunch the next day) but the meals are for 4 people. This will be great for when my little dude is a little older.

This book gives you 7 weeks of food. Some examples: maple cranberry chicken breasts, thai pizza, salmon bake, hot beef and pasta on ceasar salad... etc. etc. They have a website where you can download the menus for the week, so if I'm at work, and am going to stop by the store on my way home, or pick up staples from Trader Joe's, I can just get online without the cookbook in hand. I love it. I'll rave no more, check it out for yourself. Here is the website http://www.cookingfortherushed.com/healthy_family.htm

The book name is The Healthy Family by Sandi Richard, and is part of the Cooking for the Rushed series. This book is in essence teaching me how to plan a week's menu, put the shopping list together and cook each night of the week. Ignore all the stuff about why you should eat well, and jump right to the recipes.