Hold me accountable! I want to stick with this!

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Ron and I have been craving salads. Admittedly, I'm trying to lose a few pounds. I don't do "diets" very well; you know how much I love food! But, I believe in cutting down on carbs (not cutting them out) and upping my protein.

One of the things that works well for us is cooking up big batches of protein and having them on hand for meals. I love how easy it is to whip up something like chicken or pork at the start of the week, then use it for salads, pastas, and so on.

How about you? Do you like meal prepping like that? Here are a few of my favorite batch cooking ideas:

• Pan Fried Chicken Breast: These are super easy to prepare using thin-cut chicken breast (or you can thin out a larger chicken breast with a meat tenderizer). I'm not a fan of thicker cuts of chicken because they become tough before they can cook through - this recipe avoids that problem completely!
• Shredded Chicken: This is hands down the easiest chicken you will ever make. I love using it for chicken salad, chicken tortilla soup, and lettuce wrap "tacos".
• Pulled Pork: You know how much I love my slow cooker pulled pork! It's so easy and packed with flavor. You can use it for so many different meals that listing them all of them out for you would make this a very lengthy post, so go see the recipe and check it out!
• Salmon: I'm a huge lover of all things salmon. It's delicious with avocados and tomatoes! My favorite is sous vide salmon because you can set the temperature, place the sous vide bag in the water bath, and then go about your day while it cooks without having to think about it.
• Hard Boiled Eggs: Make these ahead of time and keep them in the fridge with the shell on. When you're ready to eat them, just crack and peel. They stay so fresh this way!
• Creamy Scrambled Eggs: Okay, so you can't make these ahead of time, but they are beyond easy and SO delicious. I enjoy these nearly every day, and when they aren't breakfast, sometimes I make them for dinner. They are the best scrambled eggs you will ever make!

Do you have any tips for me? Losing weight isn't easy for me, but I'm attempting to live a healthier life and would love to hear from any of you who have gone through the same.

Full disclosure, it is so hard for me to talk about my weight; I can't stand the word diet, but I want you all to hold me accountable!

Have a great week,
Isabel

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is coming up next week, so I've been thinking about what Ron and I will make to celebrate. He LOVES grilling, so it usually winds up being something grilled or smoked. I also can't help it - I'm thinking about what gift I want to get him, too! Here are some great gift ideas for Father's Day - and keep scrolling for menu ideas!

• Meat Thermometer: It can be a struggle to find a reliable meat thermometer. I recommend this one!
• 4-in-1 Knife Sharpener: Using a dull knife is dangerous; dull knives slip easily and can cut you! That's why I recommend picking up a knife sharpener. Dad will love it, and it makes cooking so much easier to have a consistently sharp knife.
• Heavy Duty Wooden BBQ Grilling Tools: Upgrade dad's old grilling tools, or start from scratch, with these awesome utensils! Ron loves this set.
• Large Wood Butcher Block: It's safe to say most dads love grilling huge hunks of meat. This large cutting board has deep juice grooves that catch any of the meat drippings so you can keep your countertop dry and clean no matter the size of the cut!
• Maldon Sea Salt Flakes: This is my favorite salt - and Ron's, too! I can't imagine a meal without it and would recommend it to anyone. Way better than other salts!
• Men's Apron with Pockets: My husband wears this apron every time he grills, and it is such a life-saver for avoiding stains.
• 3-Piece Pizza Stone Set: This set is awesome for creating restaurant-quality pizza at home. Once we picked this up, we hardly ever order pizza anymore. It's so much better to make it yourself - Ron has a lot of fun with it!

You can find all of these in my shop!

Father's Day Menu Ideas