Menu Plan Monday: 7/11-7/17

Clean eating is the only good thing I have been doing lately. I have allowed myself to fall off the running and exercise wagon pretty hard this past month. I honestly think the only reason I haven't put on the 10 pounds I recently lost is because I have been keeping LOTS and I mean HUGE amounts of vegetables in my recipes lately! Well after reading an exhilarating and motivational post about why July is a good month to Make Healthy Changes, I am ready to jump back on the wagon and get this right. Fingers crossed I hold on a little tighter and make some more good healthy habits!

Monday: Feast of Saint Benedict

Breakfast: Egg Sandwich

Lunch: Leftover Mexican Spaghetti Squash

Dinner: Benedict Cross Mini Pizzas

**Healthier ideas for the pizza are in my new post about Saint Benedict checkout my old post here**

Tuesday

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Lunch: Vegetables and Quinoa

Dinner: Crockpot Kielbasa Dinner

Wednesday

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Lunch: Sub sandwiches

Dinner: Turkey Burger Cookout

Thursday: Feast Saint Kateri Tekakwitha 

Breakfast: Fruit and Yogurt

Lunch: Saint Kateri Picnic on a Nature Trail

Dinner: Turkey Chili and cornbread

** Checkout my older posts about Saint Kateri here and here and If you are feeling adventurous try this recipe for Firewater Chili**

Friday: Feast of Saint Bonaventure and St. Swithin

Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Lunch: Avocado Tuna Sandwich

Dinner: Crockpot Italian Soup

*Dessert: Crockpot Baked Apples with cinnamon*

Saturday: Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 

Breakfast: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Lunch: Garden Salad

Dinner: Turkey Meatball Subs with Caramelized Onions

Sunday:

Breakfast: Overnight Peanut Butter Banana Oats 

Lunch: Avocado Tuna Sandwich

Dinner: Leftovers!

Mexican Spaghetti Squash:

1 Large Spaghetti Squash

2 Zucchini (diced)

1 Can Corn

1 Can of Rotel

1 Can of Black Beans

Cumin, Garlic, Black pepper, Paprika and Cilantro to season as you see fit

Olive Oil

Shredded Cheddar (optional garnish)

Greek Yogurt (optional garnish)

Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Sprinkle squash with olive oil. Place on a baking pan face down.Bake spaghetti squash in the oven for 40-45 min at 375 degrees F. While the spaghetti squash is baking, combine remaining ingredients, a splash of olive oil and seasoning in a pan and cook on medium heat for 30-35min. When the spaghetti squash is done, remove it from the shell with a fork and toss the vegetable black bean mix with it or place the vegetable black bean mix on top on the spaghetti squash. Top with greek yogurt, cheese and/or extra cilantro if you like. Enjoy!

Crockpot Kielbasa Dinner:

2 links Kielbasa (sliced)

1/2 small Cabbage (sliced)

2 Yellow Onions (sliced)

1 lb red potatoes (diced)

1 lb baby carrots

Black pepper, sage, thyme and dill to taste

**I added half a bottle of Fat Tire to the recipe this time around**

This is one of the easiest crockpot recipes you'll ever make. You literally dump all the ingredients into the crock pot and set it on low for 6-8 hours! Enjoy!

Crockpot Vegetable Italian Soup:

1 onion large  (chopped)

4 carrots medium (chopped)

4 stalks celery (diced)

42 oz vegetable broth

14 oz diced tomatoes (drained)

6 oz tomato paste

1 pound frozen green beans

1 zuchinni (diced)

1 yellow squash (diced)

oregano, thyme, pepper, garlic (crushed or minced) to taste

Throw all the ingredients in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with fresh bread or a garden salad! Yummy!

Avocado Tuna and Overnight Oats Recipes can be found in my past Menu Monday post

***This is for the weekly linkup called Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie
and also with Let's Get Real**

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Tuesday was the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I absolutely love all the special celebration I have with my children but the ones we have honoring Mary are my favorite!

To start the day we had some Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins. I think we always end up having some kind of blueberry something in honor of Mary. Little Man told me that we have to have blueberries for Mary because they are her favorite. Stuff like that makes my heart and soul soar :o) Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of those beautiful muffins... I did get a picture of the delicious Mount Carmel Meatball Subs we had topped with "carmel"ized onions. This dish was inspired from Catholic Cuisine. They always have so many creative and yummy ideas to bake! One day I will be way more organized and I will make one of the beautiful Our Lady of Mount Carmel Crown Cakes. I purchased a pound cake with icing to symbolize our crown cake as a substitute.

Last year I posted some information about the Brown Scapulars if you wanted to know how to enroll your scapulars on this special feast day. This Feast day would also be a good time to make a family tradition of praying the Rosary daily. I try to do it with my children often but I need to make it part of our daily routine.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

It seems life is getting crazier by the minute! It is crunch time for us preparing for this move and we still need to have a garage sale, pack our stuff, clean and million other things. I was disappointed that we were not able to have our scapulars enrolled before today but I am trying to set up a time before me move. If you are interested in enrolling your scapular check out my previous post here. Anyone with tips on how to move into a new state, I would greatly appreciate it. Or if you just want to move my stuff that would be even better!

Today was a quiet feast day as we are getting use to our new schedule with the boys in daycare and me working longer hours. I printed a few coloring pages but the kids fell asleep in the car so they were not colored. Everyone is awake now but I'm sure it will be a late night. We had a meatball sub dinner and ending the night with a warm cup of caramel hot cocoa with the rest of our star marshmallows from the 4th of July. Now to start a movie and relax! I hope everyone had an amazing day!

Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (3 times)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3 times)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!

The Brown Scapular

I am so excited I answered my own question from my previous post about enrolling brown scapulars! I found how to enroll my scapular! The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is July 16th so please get a copy of the enrollment process and if you have not done so, have your scapular enrolled. This special blessing will only need to be completed once. I am hoping Father John can enroll our scapulars on or before this beautiful Feast Day. Below is a copy of the Adobe file on https://www.freebrownscapular.com/. And you can receive free scapulars from the website as well. If you may have other questions about how to wear a scapular there is plenty of information of this website. I am also sure your parish priest would LOVE to hear and answer any questions that you may have and help you plan this special blessing for you and your family.

Procedure for the Blessing and Investiture 

Of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Priest - Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
Respondent- And grant us Thy salvation.
Priest - Lord, hear my prayer.
Respondent - And let my cry come unto Thee.
Priest - The Lord be with you.
Respondent - And also with you.
Priest - Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, sanctify by Thy power these
scapulars, which for love of Thee and for love of Our lady of Mount Carmel, Thy servants
will wear devoutly, so that through the intercession of the same Virgin Mary, Mother of
God, and protected against the evil spirit, they persevere until death in Thy grace. Thou
who lives and reigns world without end.  Amen.

THE PRIEST SPRINKLES HOLY WATER AND INVESTS PERSON(S) WHILE
SAYING:
Receive this blessed Scapular and beseech the Blessed Virgin that through Her
merits, you may  wear it without stain. May it defend you against all adversity and
accompany you to eternal life. Amen.

AFTER THE INVESTITURE THE PRIEST CONTINUES WITH THE PRAYERS:
I, by the power vested in me, admit you to participate in all the spiritual benefits
obtained through the mercy of Jesus Christ by the Religious Order of Mount Carmel.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
May God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and earth, bless you, He who has deigned
to join you to the confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Of Mount Carmel; we beseech Her to
crush the head of the ancient serpent so that you my enter into possession of your eternal
heritage, through Christ our Lord.

Respondent - Amen.

THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL:
OUR LADY’S GREAT PROMISE

On July 16, 1251, in Aylesford, England, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon
Stock.  She was dressed in the Habit of the Carmelite Order with her infant Son in her
arms.  Taking the Scapular in her right hand, she gave it to him saying, “RECEIVE, MY
BELOVED SON, THIS SCAPULAR.  WHOSOEVER DIES WEARING THIS SCAPULAR
SHALL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE .... IT SHALL BE A SIGN OF SALVATION, A
PROTECTION IN DANGER AND A PLEDGE OF PEACE.”

For over 700 years, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel has been one of
the most precious gifts and highly-indulgenced Sacramentals of our Church.  It is more
than that, however; it is in reality a garment, given to us by Our Blessed Mother which
makes us her special children.  Blessing and clothing with the Scapular of the 'Blessed
Virgin of Mt. Carmel' enrolls the individual in the Scapular Confraternity and admits him to
a share in all the spiritual works performed by the Religious of Mount Carmel.
At Fatima, Portugal on October 13, 1917, Mary appeared as Our Lady of Mt.. Carmel,
holding the Brown Scapular in her hand.  Years later, Lucia, the remaining seer of Fatima,
said that “Our Lady wants all to wear the Scapular as their sign of Consecration to Her
Immaculate Heart.”

THE SABBATINE (OR SATURDAY) PROMISE
In 1322, Our Lady appeared to Pope John XXII and made another promise for those
who wore her Scapular faithfully, practiced Chastity according to their state in life, and
said certain prayers known as the “LITTLE OFFICE”*: “I, THE MOTHER OF GRACE,
SHALL DESCEND ON THE SATURDAY AFTER THEIR DEATH AND WHOMSOEVER I
SHALL FIND IN PURGATORY, I SHALL FREE.”

*NOTE:  The ROSARY may be substituted for the LITTLE OFFICE when permission is
obtained from a priest.

REMEMBER, ALL PRIESTS HAVE THE FACULTY TO ENROLL PEOPLE IN THE
BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL.
INVESTITURE IS NECESSARY FOR THE SABBATINE PROMISE OR PRIVILEGE.

I am very excited about this opportunity to bestow another grace upon my children and my family. 

I will post when we have completed our enrollment and we will celebrate on July 16th!

Checkout Reconciled To You and Theology is a Verb

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!