A lot of nights I barely have time (much less the energy) to cook some complex meal before the male members of my household are digging through the pantry looking for a snack “just to tide me over.”

Heck, if I’ve been to the gym, sometimes I’m the one scavenging for food.

While there’s a time and a place for having a frozen pizza or takeout, typically I try not to sacrifice serving a balanced, at-least-somewhat-healthy meal in favor of getting things done quicker. Pasta is an easy go-to, but we get sort of burned out on spaghetti. I’ve been trying some different ideas in order to give us more variety while still keeping it easy and full of veggies.

This recipe was loosely inspired by the one-pot tomato-basil pasta recipe that’s been making the rounds on Pinterest (I also tried it, and it was yummy but had fewer veggies thrown in the mix).

Easy weeknight pasta with summer veggies
Recipe by Misty Mathews, thefamilymath.com

Easy Weeknight Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1.5 cups mini farfalle (bow-ties)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic (use fresh if in season)
2 thin-sliced pork chops
1 tsp fresh basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place pasta in boiler with 3 cups water, salt and a tbsp of olive oil and bring to a boil. Boil over medium heat until slightly al dente. Once pasta is on, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Salt and pepper the pork chops to taste, then cook in oil/butter combination. Once the chops are mostly cooked, add the zucchini, squash, onion, oregano and basil. Set the chops aside, drain the pasta, then add the canned tomatoes (liquid included) and the veggie/spice mixture. Add the other tbsp of butter plus salt and pepper to taste and heat on medium-low until warmed through. Serve the pasta topped with a pork chop.

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Having a Super Summer

by Misty on June 9, 2013 · 0 comments

For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed me tweeting with the #SuperSummer hashtag the past week or two. I’m participating in this summer challenge that Cassie from Back to Her Roots dreamed up (with some help from @CoachKrissie) to help people focus on taking care of themselves both physically and emotionally.

I really love this challenge because it’s customizable to fit my personal goals and because of the community of participants. Just a week in, I’ve ordered a leash and started taking our dogs on walks (something we have really failed at since Noah was born), I’ve had my teeth cleaned and scheduled an annual check-up (both of which I’ve been putting off), and I’ve spent extra time doing fun things with Noah, like going to the playground and the splash pad.

I feel like I’m learning about myself. I’ve realized that I’m actually pretty bad at self-care, and I use Noah as an excuse sometimes when I should be using him as the very reason for taking care of myself better. I need to set a good example for him, and going years (yes, years — I know it’s gross, but it’s the truth, and I’m changing it now) between dentist visits is not an acceptable behavior for a 30-year-old woman.

I also want to be able to enjoy life more. There are so many things I want to do that I don’t make time for, sometimes because I’m too lazy, sometimes because I get bogged down in other things (sometimes even good other things, like keeping the house clean). Sometimes it’s really OK to blow off the housework for an afternoon of fun with Noah and Bobby. Sometimes it’s even necessary.

I’ve had a great first week of the Super Summer challenge, and I’m really looking forward to working toward some of the other goals I have, like losing a little weight, buying and setting out flowers (good for my soul!) and even (hopefully) a trip to the beach. I think sometimes I just need someone to give me permission to really enjoy life, and this challenge does that in the best way. And I will be rewarding myself for achieving goals. There’s a points system, and once I get to 5,000 I am treating myself to a pedicure; once I hit 10,000 I’m buying the heart-rate monitor I’ve had my eye on.

Anyway, hope everyone else is having a great summer, too! How are you taking care of yourself these days?

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Recipe: Pork fried rice

June 3, 2013

We are big fans of Asian-style food in our household, but sometimes we have a hard time swallowing (har har) how pricey and calorie-heavy it can be at restaurants. I came up with this fairly easy recipe loosely based off what I’ve seen done in Japanese hibachi places ’round these parts, and it turned out [...]

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A year of better health

June 2, 2013

I’ve been reflecting on the past year a bit lately because May 2012 was when I said enough was enough on the unhealthy weight gain front. At that point, Noah was a year old, and I had lost and regained 35 pounds post-pregnancy. I felt disgusting and miserable because I was eating terrible crap and [...]

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App review: Gympact

May 23, 2013

**Not a sponsored post. Just thought someone might find this useful!** I first heard of the Gympact app when Cassie from Back to Her Roots mentioned trying it out. I looked at it, debated, hesitated to commit for weeks before finally taking the plunge and signing up. I wanted to share a little about my [...]

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For Oklahoma

May 21, 2013

It’s on everybody’s minds and hearts right now, but the people of Tuscaloosa – my town — understand what’s happening better than many of the other outsiders. I have a friend who lives in Moore, and thankfully her family made it through fine. They have a safe place to stay with clean water and electricity. But Tara [...]

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Uninspired

May 16, 2013

This is going to be a pretty blah post. I mostly just want to vent about Noah and day care. I pretty much feel like the worst mom in the world when I drop him off in the mornings. He started the new DC on Monday and by Wednesday the workers were literally having to [...]

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Hiding things in my heart

May 4, 2013

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Noah and how two years has felt so long and so short in the grand scheme. There’s so much joy in having a toddler, especially this time of year when things are new and bright and shiny, and there are all sorts of explorations to be embarked on [...]

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Our other anniversary — celebrating four years as homeowners

April 25, 2013

Four years ago, we were livin’ the newlywed dream: All five of us (Bobby, me, Ranger, Rosie and Nom Nom) living together at last, a lovely blended little family of married bliss. Except that we were all crammed into a one-bedroom apartment with bare white walls and unopened wedding presents everywhere because we had nowhere [...]

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Steps to better health with Walgreens

April 13, 2013

One of my biggest problems — and one of the biggest challenges when it comes to getting healthier — is that I like instant gratification. I like rewards. I think it’s why making healthy food choices is difficult for me sometimes. I really enjoy food, and the pleasure I get from it is immediate. On the [...]

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