It’s been a wee bit since we talked TV here on the blog. And I kind of need to because HOLY SMOKES Netflix has some so much goodness going on right now. I’ll just list a few of our recent favorite Netflix originals…and of course tell us in the comments what you’re loving on Netflix lately, too!

Shows We’ve Watched and Loved

Bloodline

Who here has finished Bloodline? Do you hate it? Love it? For me it took a few days of mulling everything over to come to the conclusion that I was “happy” with the ending. (Happy in quotes because, well, nothing in that show is actually for real happy, right?) ANYWAY…this was a great show! We are sad it’s over but loved watching the end.

Master of None

We just started Master of None recently and are still on Season 1 but we love it. Apparently Season 2 is awesome, too. We aren’t sure why we didn’t watch this show until now but Nate and I are glad we finally did!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

A Series of Unfortunate Events is a family-friendly show that every last member of our family (including the adults!) loves. Cate, my 12-year-old, has seen the most episodes and she says they’re all awesome. We enjoyed watching it together as a family and honestly it’s so well done. We highly recommend it!

Anne with an E

I was wary when I heard Netflix was going to remake the Anne of Green Gables series because, well, the original PBS mini-series with Megan Follows from back in the day is just so darned beloved. Netflix’s Anne with an E has delivered! The show is beautifully done and I love it. It’s a little more real than the original (there are flashbacks to Anne’s abuse that are far more jarring than the PBS series), but for me this is one of the reasons the show is so good. It adds more depth to Anne and her experience. The casting and the shooting are both impeccable and, well, we love it! Anne is in good hands!

Chef’s Table

As far as cooking shows go, I think Chef’s Table may be Nate’s and my favorite.

The Great British Baking Show

Okay, so this isn’t a Netflix Original, but The Great British Baking Show is streaming on Netflix once again and the girls and I are pumped! In addition, The Great British Baking Show Masterclass is also available, where Paul and Mary teach us now to cook. Yes, please!

Shows We Need to Watch

Glow

Basically anything I see or hear about Glow declares that it is pure awesome. (For example, here is a review on The Atlantic that declares the show a delight.) It’s next up on our list!

Okja

The Netflix original film Okja is supposed to be amazing. (Here’s a New York Times review that should whet your whistle.) My sister told us we have to watch it. And so we will.

I’m going to stop now because basically there simply aren’t enough hours in the day and I want to make sure you get some sleep in, too. Happy watching!

I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team, which means I get a free Netflix subscription and some cool goodies occasionally. I was, however, a Netflix customer prior to my relationship with Netflix and have pretty much always been addicted to TV, so I am more than happy to work with them! This post was not compensated monetarily.

This post is sponsored by the American Heart Association Healthy For Good movement. The views, opinions and positions expressed within this post belong to Jane Maynard of This Week for Dinner and do not necessarily represent those of The American Heart Association unless explicitly stated.

My new year’s resolution for 2017 was to cook more. I know it might seem strange to have a food blogger make this her resolution, but the fact of the matter was I had let cooking take the back burner (pun intended!). So, as 2017 kicked off, I decided to really focus on cooking again. And that focus has worked and made me a much happier person as a result.

2016 was a rough year for several reasons that I won’t get into, but it really is no surprise that making dinner wasn’t a top priority for a good portion of the year. We were eating out a ton, which always makes me uneasy because I know we’re consuming way more calories, fat and sodium than we should be eating. There were a lot of pancake and cereal nights, too. I’ve made peace with how dinner went down in 2016 and have told myself “everything in its season.” But I am also feeling so good about the fact that I’ve been in the kitchen more this year, even during times that get especially busy.

One of the keys to the success of this year’s resolution has been shopping at our local farmer’s market each week. There is a farmer’s market every Wednesday (all year!) in my town and after 3 1/2 years into living here I had never visited. I KNOW. It’s just so weird because things like farmer’s markets and CSAs make me so happy! So, as part of the resolution to cook more, I started going to the market each week. We also discovered a small, organic farm smack dab in the middle of a nearby neighborhood that is perhaps the happiest place in San Diego, with devoted shoppers and restaurateurs carefully selecting their produce each week.

I cannot tell you how AWESOME this change in my life has been. First off, it’s fun telling my friends that I am going “to the market.” They think like I sound like a European grandmother and never quite know what I’m talking about.

Beyond sounding like a European grandmother, going to the market each week has kept me much more in touch with what food is in season at any given time and our meals have reflected that natural seasonality more and more. And I love buying local – most of the farmers represented are located in my town or neighboring communities. I love knowing that our family is having a positive environmental impact through buying so much more of our food close to home.

There’s been another unexpected benefit of going to the farmer’s market each week: my cooking has gotten more fun and creative. As you know, I’m totally about planning a weekly menu. My shopping list is always built around that plan and I rarely stray from the list when I am at the store. Going to the farmer’s market has gotten me to have a little more fun with our meals and add a bit of flexibility to the planning. Yes, I go into the market with a list, but I also let the fruits and vegetables that happen to be there that week drive what we eat. It’s made cooking fun and creative. (If you’re looking for a little creative inspiration before your next shopping run, consider shopping and serving the rainbow!)

And, of course, the biggest benefit has been that we are eating way more homemade food, which is just plain healthier than takeout and most restaurant foods. I have been meaning to write this post about my new farmer’s market habit and the American Heart Association finally gave me the kick I needed to get it done. I am so happy to share my experience as part of their Healthy For Good campaign (did you know it’s National Fruit + Vegetable Month?), which encourages us all to Eat Smart, Add Color, Move More and Be Well.

Remember that rough year I had in 2016? It kind of got me down. I felt uninspired and the stress of everything definitely caused me to rely too heavily on eating out. This post from the AHA about unhealthy eating as related to stress really spoke to me, especially numbers 2 and 6! I am telling you that this new focus I have had on nourishing myself and my family through food has been transformative. Yes, I still feel stress. Yes, I am still getting over some of that 2016 nonsense. But taking the time to focus on food has been amazingly uplifting. Plus, getting outside and walking for my grocery shopping sure has made life happier, too!

I’m sure you’re wondering if I get all of my food at the farmer’s market…and the answer is no! First I hit the farmer’s market then pop over to my local grocery store to get other staples that weren’t at the market. I’ve never really loved food shopping, but now I look forward to it each week!

So, that’s the update on this year’s resolution to cook more. The farmer’s market is my new happy place and I love the effect it’s had on our eating and on my life in general. And it’s totally helping me keep my new year’s resolution.

Happy cooking!

Hi, friends! So, it’s a non-planning week for me. In case you missed last week’s post, I’m giving myself a break this summer…if a meal plan happens, great! If not, great! But, as promised, I’m still getting a weekly post up so you all can keep on sharing your menus. And please do that!

Last week was Nate’s birthday and I made a cake that WILL be shared with you this week. We can’t keep the recipe to ourselves. Better than the cake, though, was celebrating with our three kids. It’s amazing how excited they were for our little party of five.

Okay, share your menus in the comments if you’ve got ’em! I need the inspiration myself! 😉

HAPPY SUMMER! It’s our first week of summer and, if you can’t tell, I’m in vacation mode! 😉 I’ve decided to give myself a mental break this summer. If I get a weekly menu done, fantastic. If I don’t, that’s okay! I have never given myself this kind of space around the weekly menu (I know, maybe might be a little crazy). That said, I know some of you will still be consistently planning, so I do promise to make sure a post is published where everyone can share their menus still. And I will make sure those posts go up on Sundays. Deal?

I really haven’t planned a menu yet for this week and it’s kind of awesome. Owen (my 5 year old) and I found ourselves alone last night, so we went on a date, where we ate burgers and fries and bought lots of ice cream at the grocery store. It was perfection. I do know we’ll have grilled chicken tacos and homemade hamburgers this week, and I’m going to hit up the farmer’s market this afternoon for some inspiration.

Your turn! Share those glorious weekly menus! And have a great week!

Thursday is the last day of school AND I have about 3,152 work deadlines this week. Yes, I am aware this would be the ideal week to have a meal plan pulled together. But, alas, it’s NOT HAPPENING. At least not in the next two days. So, in the interest of keeping it real…

PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE share your wonderful menus in the comments since I’ve got nothin’! And I’m totally going to be stealing your ideas for SURE.

Have a fantastic week!

I’m getting my menu together this week. Woohoo! Thanks to all of you who have diligently shared your menus that last two weeks when I was sorely lacking. 🙂

MONDAY:
– Spaghetti Bolognese
– Roasted Vegetables

TUESDAY:
– Cora’s Ground Beef Tacos

WEDNESDAY:
– Roasted Vegetable Egg Scrambles
– Smoothies

THURSDAY:
– Leftovers

FRIDAY:
– Eat out night

SATURDAY:
– Visiting friends!

SUNDAY:
– Caprese Paninis

Click here or on the image above for a free printable PDF of this week’s dinner plan and ingredients list!

Your turn! Tell us what you’ve got cookin’!