Meal Planning Monday November 26, 2012

Happy week after Thanksgiving!  My goal for this week is to get back on track with healthy eating and help my body to recover before all the Christmas cookies and candies start making their way into my house!

**Note: most of these recipes came from an amazing blog I stumbled on called The Gracious Pantry that is FULL of clean eating recipes and tips.*

Monday:  Clean Eating Slow Cooker Cinnamon Chicken

Tuesday: Clean Eating Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

Wednesday: Clean Eating Taquitos (I plan to make the chicken in the slow cooker and then assemble the taquitos)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza at my parents

Saturday: Family party I plan to make this Clean Eating Strawberry Salsa to take.

Sunday: Clean Eating Italian Baked Ziti

Breakfast: Clean Eating Waffles

Lunches: Spinach Salad with Turkey Breast (either this recipe -omit oil and onion soup mix, use skinless turkey breast - or use leftovers if you still have some like we do!)

Dessert: Cookie Dough Babies 

Kid Friendly Corner: Taquitos

Happy Eating! :)

Leftovers? Again?

So how many of you are trying to recover from the eating overload that occurs with Thanksgiving?  I for one feel like I have a food hangover after this weekend!  All of the delicious carb-filled sides, vegetables covered in cheese or creamy sauces and the desserts...oh the desserts :)  Now it's time to get back on track, but what to do with all the leftovers?!  Of course you aren't going to throw away all the food, but how do you use it and not continue to feel like a glutton? 

(*Image Source: examiner.com*)

Here are a few of my favorites:

Crispy Turkey Tostadas

Turkey Shepard's Pie (use leftover potatoes - sweet or regular - and all your leftover veggies in place of the ones mentioned in the recipe)

Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas  (sub whole wheat tortilla, reduced fat cheese and no sugar added cranberry sauce)


For more recipes like these, you can visit Eating Well or The Greatist

Please leave your favorite ways to use up the Thanksgiving leftovers in the comments, since I'm sure we could all use some ideas...at least I know I can!

Happy Eating! :)

It's Thanksgiving!!!

Happy early Thanksgiving all!  As a home cook I am absolutely in love with this holiday.  The great food and time with family and loved ones just can't be beat.  If you are like me you have had recipes in mind for a few weeks, in fact we use mostly the same ones every year.  However if you are still looking for some ideas, here are a few on my favorites :)

A Perfect Roast Turkey

Jasmine's Brussell Sprouts (I love these!!!!)

Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes

*EDIT: I am making these in the Crock Pot this year to save space and will let you know how it turns out!*


Green Bean Casserole (sub cream of chicken due to a mushroom allergy)

Stuffins (new for this year and can't wait to try them!)

Corn Casserole (another new one)

And of course, save the best for last, a few desserts :)

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Jack Daniels Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake (I have always made this with yellow cake and can't wait to try it with spice cake!)

I hope you all have a fantastic holiday filled with delicious food, amazing company and a chance to just breathe and reflect on all we truly have to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Eating! :)

Meal Planning Monday November 19, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving Week all!  This is one of my favorite holidays of the year as a home cook, there are just so many delicious recipes to make.  I will be posting my menu later this week.  For now, you will have to settle for this week's easy peasey meal plan trying to make the days up to and after Thanksgiving as kitchen light as possible :)

Monday: Italian Turkey Meatballs with Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta

Tuesday: Grilled Cheese and Slow Cooker Tomato Soup (few changes to soup: no onion or sugar, add 1 head of roasted garlic yum!)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: THANKSGIVING!!!

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Family Party so I plan to make this delicious Caprese Dip to take (probably going to make it as an appetizer for Thanksgiving too!)

Sunday: Brinner! (Oatmeal Pancakes, Breakfast Casserole, Fruit)

Breakfast: Banana Bread Muffins  (add a handful of chocolate chips to this recipe to change it completely!)

Lunch: Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

Kid Friendly Korner: Grilled Cheese Roll Ups

No dessert this week because I am saving all my sugar calories for Thursday, but I will poast a few of my favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipes later this week.

Happy Eating! :)

Meal Planning Monday November 12, 2012

Happy Veteran's Day!  To all who have served, are currently serving or have supported someone who serves over the years, I hope you had time to reflect on what an incredible service you have provided to your country.  May you have all the blessings you deserve!

This week I have my first set of Parent-Teacher conferences at a new school so I am a bit nervous...I am also going to be very busy and missing dinner on Wednesday so we will be using some freezer and make ahead meals this week.

Monday: Catalina Slow Cooker Chicken left over from last week re-made in a a Catalina Chicken Bake using this recipe from Mommy Hates Cooking and subbing the chicken for the ground beef.

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos (still have some in the freezer)

Wednesday: Mac and Cheese This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I plan to make ahead and give to my parents to reheat in the oven with some panko crumbs on top since they will have Little A while I am at parent teacher conferences.

Thursday: Leftovers with Sweet Potato Fries.  We are starting Door to Door Organics this week (we get 2 sweet potatoes in this week's box) and I can't wait for all the yummy veggies and fruits!

Friday:  Pizza with Oven Baked Pears for dessert :)

Saturday: Eating Out

Sunday:  Lemon Dill Salmon and Sliced Baked Potatoes

Breakfasts: Banana Bread Muffins (low fat, low sugar, whole wheat)

Desserts: Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kid Friendly Corner: Burger Tacos (made with ground turkey)

Happy Eating! :)

Meal Planning Monday November 5, 2012

Hi all!  Hope everyone survived the crazy week of candy and chaos, we barely did!  I am just hoping to make the candy "disappear" tonight so Little A stops wanting to eat nothing but candy!

Here is this week's meal plan:    

Monday: Catalina Chicken (here is a link to a Take 5 Recipe post using this recipe to create 5 meals if you are interested in ways to not waste the leftovers)

Tuesday: Crock Pot Chicken Tacos (half a batch is frozen in the freezer from 2 weeks ago and we are using it this week, another great way to use leftovers from slow cooker meals)

Wednesday: Italian Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Thursday: Catalina Chicken Baked Potatoes (oven baked potatoes with a scoop of Catalina Chicken and shredded cheddar cheese served on top)

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Jewelry Party at my cousin's so dinner will be a variety of yummy appetizers

Sunday: Burgers on the grill because I just can't let go of warm weather yet :)

Lunches: Lemon Dill Salmon for salads

Breakfasts: Slow Cooker Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Kid Friendly Corner: Whole Wheat Pancakes

Dessert: Skinny No Bake Cookies from Skinnytaste (I cut the sugar to 1/2c and could probably go a little less).

Happy Eating! :)