Failure to plan

Holy Garmin entries! Keep ’em coming 🙂 So happy that you’re excited about the giveaway- it’s one of my favorite pieces of running gear.

Yesterday, I went on my first official training run with Liv at Sabino Canyon. Nature is one of my favorite gyms, especially in this sweet spot of not-too-hoot-or-cold-just-right weather. We did about 4 1/2 miles, Liv sang the entire time, we saw flowing streams and a group of tourists crowded around a rattlesnake. (Just an FYI, rattlers can jump and attack half their body’s length from where they are.) We stayed on the other side of the road, but I took a glance at it slithering away as we jogged past.

Sabino

With Easter, I didn’t meal plan at all this week. I did a quick essentials grocery trip (fruit, salad, protein), made these new veggie burgers I wanted to post (sooooo good) but other than that: slacker city.

= Hot Bar city.

Hot bar

(Spring rolls, kombucha, mix of hot bar goodies)

Breakfasts, lunches and snacks are so easy for me to make on the fly, but for dinner, I like to have a plan since the prep is fast and furious. Sometimes I can get creative with things we randomly have on hand, like this impromptu stew/thing from last weekend:

Browned 1 lb of ground organic turkey with sea salt, pepper and garlic-infused olive oil, then added chopped zucchini and sweet potato

Veg  1 of 1 4

a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and a little veggie broth

Veg  1 of 1 5

spices (1/2 t smoked paprika, 1/2 t chili powder, salt and pepper)

and let it simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes before stirring in some black beans.

Veg  1 of 1 6

An easy, healthy, one-pot wonder 😉

No idea what we’re going to do for dinner tonight, but am hoping to scheme up something with groceries we have on hand. It definitely makes things more exciting that way, but a little planning makes life so much easier.

Did you meal plan for the week? Is it easy for you to just make on the fly dinners, or do you need to have a recipe or plan in place?

Hope you’re enjoying your humpday!

xoxo

Gina

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36 Comments

  1. Veterinarianess on April 3, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    I don’t usually meal plan… I just stock up on whatever fruits and veggies look good at the grocery store and make something from there. I usually buy some frozen meals too just in case I don’t have time to actually cook something (or don’t feel like it).

  2. Alissa on April 3, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    That stew sounds/ looks amazing!! We are unpacking our new house/ moving out of our apt. and food is the last thing on our mind. Normally I food plan and prep once a week, but that has gone out the door. This stew is perfect!! We have been crazy for tomato soup with fresh pre-cooked bacon mixed in for the past couple of nights.

  3. Jessica @ FromtheKitchentotheRoad on April 3, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    I regularly meal plan. Sometimes if what is on the menu for the day doesn’t sound good we will mix it up. I find that by meal planning we stay on budget a lot better. I buy all sorts of random stuff when I go to the grocery store more than once a week.

  4. Ashley @ Life and Fitness on April 3, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Since I’m not a big cook, I like to have a plan. If I have nothing in the house soups are always my back ups.

  5. Mary Jane on April 3, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    My husband is the cook in the family but we both sit down on Sundays and make our dinner menu for the week. We shop for the meals, including breakfasts and lunches, and it makes our week run a lot smoother. 🙂

  6. Gianna @ Run, Lift, Repeat on April 3, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    I plan to the extent that I do food prep. But I grab and go and heat up at night what I want. Which can be the same thing day in and day out. However, it is just little old me and no one but myself to satisfy 🙂

  7. Racheal @ Running with Racheal on April 3, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    I have something similar simmering in the crock pot right now. Fingers crossed! Also, I will probably have a nightmare about a rattlesnake tonight. 🙂

  8. Sam @ Better With Sprinkles on April 3, 2013 at 5:47 pm

    I’m definitely a planner. I shop sales, so I like knowing exactly what I’m planning to do with what I buy. I find it makes my life easier to get home and know exactly what I plan on putting together for dinner.

  9. Karissa on April 3, 2013 at 6:22 pm

    That turkey stew looks amazing! And I may have to try something very similar, we have some turkey in the freezer!! I PREFER to be more of a planner, and usually have a plan for meals come Sunday evening- however, whether or not the plan actually STICKS is something else… :-/ But I actually prefer at least having some idea. A lot of the planning happens even as I go grocery shopping (I LOVE roaming the aisles of Whole Foods ha ha!) and even after the fact when I take stock of what’s in my kitchen.

  10. Emily on April 3, 2013 at 6:49 pm

    I plan if there are recipes I want to make. But most of our meals are throw-together-see-what-happens. Plus, the hubby has taken over the dinner cooking lately, so I’m at his mercy!

  11. Allison @ Train Eat Repeat on April 3, 2013 at 6:54 pm

    i’m not a big meal planner, I just make sure we have some sort of meat out to cook up! Kind of do it on the fly

  12. Lindsey on April 3, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    Meal planning and prepping definitely makes my life easier, and I have found that I plan more now that we get a random selection of veggies from the farm share. I had never cooked collard greens or different varieties of turnips they send so I needed to figure out what to do. On nights I don’t plan I usually make something random that probably only I would enjoy and then slather it in Cholula!

    • Diana on April 3, 2013 at 7:28 pm

      Everything is better with hot sauce (and old bay, if you live in Maryland)

  13. Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs on April 3, 2013 at 7:23 pm

    That stew looks delicious — yummm!

    And I love those rules! Good reminders 🙂

  14. Amanda @ .running with spoons. on April 3, 2013 at 7:39 pm

    I don’t really do any meal planning, but I usually come up with a general idea of what’ll be on my dinner menu throughout the course of the day. At least that’s how it would work in a perfect world… sometimes cereal’s on the menu 😉 I think it would be a lot different if I had to cook for someone else though. It doesn’t matter so much when I only have to look after myself, but if I had a family to cook for then I’d definitely be doing a little more planning.

  15. Ashley Lynn on April 3, 2013 at 7:54 pm

    Just went to burger lounge in SD, seriously can’t wait for your recreation recipe! You always nail it!!

  16. Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie on April 3, 2013 at 9:09 pm

    I love the play with a dog advice. I’m going to go do that right now! 😀

  17. Courtney @ Star Systemz on April 3, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    I have been cleaning out my freezer so things have been random slow cook recipes from a few weeks ago but when I do plan meals are so much better and exciting since I enjoy trying new things. Worst case scenario I go and buy a rotisserie chicken and salad greens and have a tasty salad! Have a great week Gina! Love + Shine Courtstar

  18. Jennifer on April 3, 2013 at 9:51 pm

    I totally have to plan our dinner! It helps me stay organized at the store without making a trip every other day. I typically make a 2 week “main” grocery plan where I buy the bulk of my groceries and have a couple of “mini” grocery stops in between – Got to make a lsit and check it twice! (If I don’t, I always forget something…)

    This last “round” was – Juicy Lucy Hamburgers, Crockpot Falafels, BBQ Salmon, Copycat Crunchwrap Supremes, and Crockpot Italian Beef Roast. (I know, where’s the dang chicken??? ha)

  19. RachelG on April 3, 2013 at 9:57 pm

    I was all ready to make a hearty/healthy pizza tonight a la Bobs Red Mill Mix & realized that we’re out of sauce and cheese. We ended up doing soup and sandwiches. Domestic fail, but to my defense I was covered in a glorious yoga sweat and was too blissful (read exhausted) to cook. 😉 Pizza night will now be Thursdays!

  20. Nina on April 3, 2013 at 10:30 pm

    We decided to go all organic this week. And now I’m freaking out over the price of good quality meats. I went on three shopping trips today alone but had the hardest time picking up two chicken breasts for $10. I’m having complete culture shock right now and it’s really cramping my grocery style.

  21. Natalie @ FreshLifeFindings on April 3, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    I love throwing veggies + protein together in a skillet and calling it done. It always ends up tasty with the right spices!

  22. Jay on April 4, 2013 at 12:26 am

    Stew looks great! No matter how much I plan, there are some dinners that just fall through. Yikes!

  23. lucie on April 4, 2013 at 2:12 am

    That stew looks so good!!
    I plan my breakfasts and lunches, since I have to prep them and take to work. Dinner is spontaneous. I love that so I can end my day with food I crave. Perfect. But it’s also a lot easier since my man lives in an other city and we only cook together on the weekends and I have no children, so I can really just do what I want.

  24. Lori on April 4, 2013 at 7:35 am

    Your stew inspired me – I just threw this in the slow cooker this morning. I didn’t have zukes so I subbed in froze chopped kale instead. Can’t wait for dinner. Thanks!

  25. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin on April 4, 2013 at 7:40 am

    I need to meal plan – it just makes life so much easier for me! If I haven’t planned something for dinner, I almost always just have a tofu stir fry.

  26. Fiona Jesse Giffords on April 4, 2013 at 8:09 am

    I plan meal for the week which some times make me more confuse as you don’t want to include some items but you have to add them for the sake of the planned meals.

  27. Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed on April 4, 2013 at 8:46 am

    I need to get on the kombucha train! I tried it once or twice and liked it, but I’ve never purchased it myself. I’m super into meal planning right now because I’m doing a 30 day challenge! It’s definitely nice getting home from work and already knowing what’s on the menu. It also makes grocery shopping so much easier, but it’s the worst when you forget 1 key ingredient and then you end up running to the store multiple times through the week aka 3 times this week, poor planning indeed!

    I’m a huge fan of 1 pot meals… I’m making a soup/stew tonight and everything is getting thrown into one big pot and will simmer away while I’m at yoga 🙂

  28. alhire on April 4, 2013 at 8:55 am

    It’s definitely nice getting home from work and already knowing what’s on the menu. It also makes grocery shopping so much easier…

  29. joelle @ on a pink typewriter on April 4, 2013 at 9:47 am

    That stew looks awesome!

    So you’re already training for your November race? Or for something sooner?

  30. Sarah @ Yogi in Action on April 4, 2013 at 9:48 am

    I wouldn’t be able to make it through a week without meal planning! By the time I get home from work I am so brain dead, that if I didn’t already know what I was making I would either order in or eat cereal. I actually posted today about my meal planning!

  31. Heidi on April 4, 2013 at 9:57 am

    A rattlesnake!? Yikes!! Your dinner looks ah-mazing!

  32. Sarah Fowler on April 4, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    We are NOT meal planners at our house. We buy two proteins (always eggs and then whatever is on sale/looks good – ground turkey, tempeh, etc) and then whatever veggies look fresh and delicious. Bonus if they are on sale! We buy our quinoa, brown rice, etc in bulk.

    Each night we make a quick & healthy fly by the seat of your pants meal, and then bring it for lunch the next day! Our herb garden makes sure it’s always something a little different, and that is always free & super fresh.

  33. Bek @ Crave on April 5, 2013 at 5:04 am

    I suck at putting things together on the fly- if I don’t have a plan and have the ingredients at home I’ll end up having to go out that day and grab more

  34. CATHY on April 5, 2013 at 3:17 pm

    When I don’t meal plan I end up eating out way to much! My go to lately is a few chicken breasts in the crockpot on monday for easy protein for lunches and dinners and mini egg frittats for breakfasts. 🙂

  35. Vene on October 1, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    Hi! I justo wanted to let you know that I just made this stew & I love it! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and fitness tips….I love your blog!

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