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Cooking in the summer is a drag, no one wants to do it!  Listen in to this week's episode where I share my favorite recipes that don't require you to turn on the oven, stove, and in most cases even the microwave! Link to Recipes:  Charcuterie boards Rotisserie chicken ranch wraps Sushi bowls Ceviche tostadas Turkey BLTS Caprese sandwich Rotisserie chicken cobb salad Italian sub sandwich Rotisserie chicken cucumber avocado salad Black bean corn and rice salad

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a crazy to-do list, why not learn to take advantage of the family rhythms that you already have to perfect your days and find more peace and productivity.  Family Rhythms 101: Improve productivity and find more peace Do you ever feel like you are drowning under your to-do list (please say you are raising your hand, because I know I am!) How many of the things on your list are things that you actually find yourself doing time and time again.   What if you started to lean-in to the family rhythms and routines you have to help you know what to expect and find time to do the other things on your to-do list?  Well that’s what my guest Sarah Dalton of your simply big life has to share with us on this weeks episode of the podcast.  Inside this episode on family rhythms you’ll find:  The biggest problem facing individuals (especially moms) when it comes to finding productivity and feeling peace in the homeThe simple framework for creating simple and sustainable rhythmsWhat an effective weekly planning rhythm looks likeHow to make your planning rhythm fit into our current seasonAbout the guest Sarah Dalton Sarah Dalton is the founder of Your Simply Big Life, an online community that empowers women to step out of overwhelm and take ownership of their day. Her mission is to help busy moms make the most of their time and energy so that they can go after their big goals and be present for their family. Sarah is the creator of the Peace and Productivity Planner as well as her online course Peace and Productivity Foundations, which help moms to gain clarity around their priorities, design rhythms, and learn how to stay focused throughout the day so that they can get things done, have time for themselves, and enjoy the life they are creating. Sarah is also the host of The Peace and Productivity podcast where she has weekly conversations with like-minded women, in addition to weekly solo episodes where she offers inspiration on all things time management, productivity and living an intentional life. Resources: COURSE: https://www.yoursimplybiglife.com/course   Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-simply-big-life/id1513416972   Instagram: @Your_simplybiglife   Free resource: Find your core values 

Top 10 mealtime tips from the planned, prepped, and productive podcast Meal prep isn't just for dieting (and there's lots of different types) -Meal prep is a tool to save your sanity, and while it can also help you maintain a specific diet it's about so much more than that! You also don't have to stick to matchy matchy containers of chicken and broccoli, anything you can cook you can meal prep to save your sanity! Other episodes that talk about meal prepTypes of meal prepHow meal planning and meal prep helps you avoid food wasteThe key to mastering family mealtime is to make meal planning and meal prep a habit, slowly over time-Habits are so underrated, and while more time-consuming than big goals, they are easier to create and stick to if you have the patience and perserverance to stick it out!Other episodes that talk about habitsKeystone habitsWhy you should focus on habits instead of goalsUse paper recipes and don't let your phone in the kitchen-This is my biggest productivity tip in the kitchen.  you say you're using your phone to cook, but really you're shopping that cute new swimsuit online, don't let the distraction kill your productivity and frustrate you.  Paper recipes for the win!Other episodes about productivityWhy moms should minimize information overloadFinding purpose in productivityLeftovers aren't the enemy, in fact when managed properly they can save you loads of time in the kitchen-Don't dread leftovers, plan for them and plan them into your life, learn to repurpose them, and watch how much easier meal prep becomes when you are using everything instead of wasting things!Other episodes about leftoversHow to handle holiday leftoversSmall changes add up to big results-No change is too small, check out the episodes above about habits for more!Ditch all-or-nothing thinking, some is always better than none-All or nothing thinking is the enemy of success in the kitchen (and tbh in most aspects of mom life) don't be a victim to it.  Make this your mantra.  Some is ALWAYS better than none.Other episodes about mindset and mindfulnessHow to make dinner when you don't feel like itMaster mealtime mindsetYou choose what and when, your kids choose if and how much-This comes from Ellyn Satter and this advice is gold.  If you can stop defining your success by whether or not your kids (or ahem your spouse) likes what you cook, you will already feel so much more effective in the kitchen. Other episodes about feeding kidsKids in the kitchenCreating healthier f

There are a lot of reasons you may feel like you might hate cooking, and while everyone is entitled to their opinion, changing your mindset or finding solutions for this chore that is likely going to be a part of your life, well, forever will likely serve you better than complaining. Listen on for 10 reasons you might hate cooking, and what you can do about it. This episode was based on this article from scary mommy.  Resources: How to feed your whole family the same meal How to manage leftovers

Ever wonder why it's so hard to change your eating habits?  It seems like no matter the reason, no matter the solution, that you always end up back where you started. All of the conflicting information out there about "how to do it" just makes it harder! In this episode of the podcast I'm welcoming dietitian Sallyanne Pisk to talk about her revolutionary way of eating in the way that will be just right for you. We'll talk about all of the reasons why we eat, and how the reasons we eat play a role in whether or not you succeed in changing your habits. We will give you a way to eat mindfully in a way that feels good. I learned so much in this episode and I hope you do too! Let's dig into mindful eating! About Sallyanne Sallyanne Pisk has worked in health for 30 years as a practitioner, researcher and manager. She is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, mindfulness practitioner and author. For the past 10 years she has been devoted to helping women transform their eating mindset and relationship with food. Over her career, she has presented at health conferences and participated in over 200 radio interviews, including talkback. She is a health and wellbeing presenter for the new Feisty, Fabulous & 50+ community radio program and podcast. Sallyanne founded Eating for You, an online business, to help women reclaim themselves and their lives through mindful eating and living. The Eating for You approach is based on scientific research, Eastern nutrition and Sallyanne’s own experiences of transitioning from dieting to mindful eating herself, as she realised that healthy eating wasn’t meant to be so hard. Sallyanne has a private community of over 2000 members. Resources: Eating for you book Eating for you courses Eating for you community

Do you feel like your kitchen is stuffed to the brim, and yet somehow you don't have what you need when you need it? Let's chat about what you actually need in a well-stocked kitchen, what you don't, and what the best versions of items you do need are so you can stock it well once and for all and then forget about it! Link to shownotes: 

This episode was such a treat for me, and I hope it will be for you too!  Chef Dennis is charming, and knowledgeable and is here to share some tips and secrets he learned in the industry as a professional chef to help our home kitchens feel just a little bit less daunting.   Inside this episode you'll learn:  How Chef Dennis went from a professional chef to a successful food blogger, and what he learned along the wayAbout the unique program Dennis created when he worked for an all-girl's catholic school AND how you can use the same techniques he taught then to improve your homecooked mealsHow you can stay calm in the kitchen (whether that be on a large or small scale)What to do when you feel stuck in a rut when cooking for the family and how you can get out of your comfort zoneWhere to find inspiration in the kitchen when it's seriously lacking About Dennis Littley Chef Dennis was classically trained as a chef’s apprentice. After completing his training, he went on to work at white tablecloth restaurants, corporate executive dining and finally at an all-girls Catholic high school. After 3 years at the school, he created a Culinary Program that brought acclaim to the school and was used as a model for other schools around the country via the foodservice company he worked for. Chef Dennis started cooking at a very early age and drew his early inspiration from Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet.   He credits an old family friend Mama Jeanette with teaching him his core values and how to listen to food.  After retiring from professional cooking, Dennis became a food blogger, where he would become known as Chef Dennis by his fans and readers worldwide. At this time Dennis has over one million followers on social media and his blog gets 8.5 million page views yearly. Facebook: facebook.com/AskChefDennis/ Instagram: @askchefdennis Website/Blog: askchefdennis.com

Is dinnertime dread hitting you hard?? You may be in need of a good declutter session!   Often the REAL reason we don't want to cook is the mess that comes before/during/or after.  Learning to manage your stuff in your kitchen will make kitchen so much less of a chore. 

Managing family meals can be difficult with so many different moving parts.  This week on the podcast I'm welcoming a guestwho wants to help us simplify the process with simple family mealtime solutions that work.  This week's episode of the planned, prepped, and productive podcast is all about creating family mealtime solutions that work. As a mom of 5 kids and an introvert, Alyssa knows a thing or two about how to make simple meals happen while still allowing mom time to recharge, as well as how to get kids involved in the prep process so they're helping in the way you need them. Combine all her knowledge and you'll have some great advice for creating family mealtime solutions that work.  Takeaways from this episode:  Simple ways to save your sanity in the kitchenHow to make meal prep work when you have a lot of mouths to feedHow mealtime tasks can be delegatedTasks that kids can help with and how you can motivate your kids to helpAbout Alyssa Wolff Alyssa Wolff is a minimalism junkie, God follower, introvert, and perpetual bookworm. (Oh, and mom of 5.) I have 11+ years’ experience balancing multiple kids while still getting time to recharge. Which is why I specialize in simplifying life for introverted moms (aka your stuff, your sanity, and your schedule). Because afterwards? You get to go make a difference in the world (and enjoy your kids a heck of a lot more!). Find Alyssa Here!  Blog/Podcast: https://yourunbusylife.com/blog/ 5-day challenge to get kids to clean their rooms

Culture's expectations of women are often that we can (and should) do all the things all the time.  But we know that's unrealistic, and that it would be much better to take a "some" approach instead of all or nothing. One of the hardest times to maintain our normal standards is when we are adjusting to a new baby in the house.  In this episode I'm outlining some of the ways I'm using grocery store shortcuts to make homemade-ish meals through this transition. Resources: Shredded Chicken

Dig into this exciting interview with Laura Fuentes with me! We're talking all things family meals from how to logistically make family meals happen, to how to handle it when your kids aren't liking the changes.  Top Insights from this episode: >The difference between traditional meal prep and family meal prep >Why meal prep is so useful for families >How to handle it when your kid refuses dinner >The mindset shifts to help you handle picky eating Laura Fuentes is the creator of MOMables, where she’s helped thousands of families improve their health and wellness by establishing healthier eating habits as a family with her Family KickStart Program and weekly meal plan. She’s the Author of 5 Cookbooks, a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, spokesperson, makes regular television appearances like on TODAY and Good Morning America, has competed on Food Network and won! Her 100K + YouTube subscribers make her an “official YouTuber” according to her 9-year-old that is. Laura is bilingual, born and raised in Spain, and currently lives outside of New Orleans with her husband and 3 kids. In her spare time, Laura reads, sleeps, and works out. What she loves most is taking her family on travel adventures. Download a Free clean eating handbook that includes a sample weekly plan, a pantry and fridge list and tips to help you simplify your family’s meals week after week here. You can find more about Laura on LauraFuentes.com, on Instagram @LauraSFuentes and @MOMables.  You can also watch her on Youtube.   

Last week we learned all about why a planner is so effective for habit change. This week we dive into how, learn my 2 -step system for creating any habit using your planner in this week's episode of the planned, prepped, and productive podcast. Link to shownotes