So… if you’ve been following me lately, you already know…

I’ve been back in the kitchen. Like really back.

This past weekend turned into full-on meal prep mode.
And not just one thing…

We’re talking ribs, rice, veggies, chopped and frozen leeks for future meals… and something new I decided to try…

Cream soups.

Now, I didn’t go into this with some fancy plan.

Honestly? I just needed something easy on my belly.
And… I kind of just wanted to.

So I went for it.

And let me tell you… I surprised myself a little.

I threw everything into the Ninja, set it, and walked away. Came back a few hours later, grabbed my new toy (yes… the immersion blender I bought just for this exact reason 😏)… and BAM.

Creamy potato and leek soup.

And not just “it’ll do” soup…

I’m talking smooth, silky, actually delicious soup.

I let it simmer a bit longer, added my finishing touches, let it cool…

And just like that… I had something homemade, healthy, and made exactly the way I wanted it.

No guessing. No weird ingredients.
Just real food.

That’s one of the things I love most about cooking like this.

I don’t follow strict recipes.

I build them.

I literally sit down and create something based on what I have… print it out… and by the time I get to the kitchen?

I’ve already changed half of it.

Every recipe I make is a little different.
A little “me.”

And honestly… most of my meals start the same way.

“What do I have in the freezer?”

Because if you could see my freezer right now… you’d laugh.

Frozen spinach, chopped veggies, chicken, ground meats…
let’s just say I got a little enthusiastic.

So now we’re in the “okay Shelly… time to use this up” phase 😏

My meal prep usually happens on weekends.

Shopping on Friday, then cooking Saturday and Sunday so I’m set for the week.

But here’s the real-life version of how it actually goes…

It’s not fast.
It’s not perfectly organized.
And it’s definitely not one of those “everything done in 30 minutes” situations.

I work in steps.

I clean one veggie.
Chop it.
Take a break.

Repeat.

Because I have limited space… and honestly, I have to.

Most of the time I’m sitting on my walker (yes, she has a name… Frieda 😏) so I’m not putting pressure on my back and legs.

It’s not glamorous.

But it works.

And that’s what matters.

Once everything is prepped, I start layering.

For the soup, potatoes went in first, then the other veggies, broth, my A Spice Affair spices… give it a stir, lid on…

And walk away.

Well… kind of walk away.

Because let’s be honest, I kept coming back to check it because it smelled so good.

And while all of this is happening?

Chaos.

Music playing.
Me singing along.
Talking to myself… or to Sir Kit Kat, who is obviously supervising everything.

It’s a whole vibe in here.

But here’s the part that really matters…

This kind of cooking right now?

It’s not just about food.

It’s about healing.

It’s about making sure I’m eating things that actually help my body while my belly gets back on track.

It’s about knowing exactly what I’m putting into my meals instead of relying on canned soups full of who-knows-what.

And honestly?

It’s become part of my routine.
Part of how I stay grounded.
Part of how I keep going.

It keeps me busy in a good way.

And right now… that matters more than ever.

So now I’m curious…

Do you meal prep?

Or better yet…
Got a recipe idea you want me to create and try?

Drop it in the comments and I’ll see what I can come up with 😏🔥

💛

I’d love to hear from you…
share in the comments and let’s keep this conversation going.

If this post spoke to you, feel free to pass it along to someone who might need it too.

Thank you for being here, for taking the time to read, and for being part of this space.

We’re figuring this out one day at a time… together.

— Shelly 💛