meal plan monday

Good morning,

I don’t know about you all, but I’m getting excited for Thanksgiving. Who doesn’t love a holiday that’s all about stuffing our faces until we pass out in a turkey-induced coma? I love trying new recipes each year, so this week I decided, why wait until Thanksgiving? Here is my weekly meal plan, as well as five new recipes we’ll be taste-testing this week:

The Plan:

Monday– Grandpa’s Sauerkraut and Kielbasa, Spinach Salad

Tuesday– Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Zucchini

Wednesday– Fish Taco Bowls

Thursday– Date night, Spaghetti and Meatballs for the kids

Friday– Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry

Saturday– Leftovers/Takeout

Sunday– Red, White and Bean Minestrone with Parmesan Crisps, Salad

Monday-Healthier Grandpa’s Sauerkraut and Kielbasa with spinach salad- This was always one of my favorite dinners when I was a kid. I’m lightening this recipe up by using turkey kielbasa, purple potatoes (which are even better for you than sweet potatoes) and subbing a tablespoon of olive oil for the 1/2 cup of butter.

Tuesday– This Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Zucchini looks really delicious, doesn’t it? The cheese and garlic combo is something my whole family will love.

Wednesday– This Fish Taco Bowl recipe is a great way to enjoy the flavor of fish tacos in a healthier way.

Thursday– My husband and I have a regular, bi-weekly date night every Thursday, so I’ll be making the kids some spaghetti and meatballs. I’m making lasagna with this amazing recipe for a PTA event at their school, so the kids will actually get leftover homemade sauce instead of my usual Kroger brand.

Friday–  This Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry will be just perfect for this chilly November weather. My friend made this a few weeks ago and the flavor was on fleek: sweet, savory and delicious. Can on fleek describe food? Idk, but I’m old, so I’m sticking with it.

Saturday– When you have three picky eaters, there are bound to be lots of leftover food. I will most likely make my kids grilled cheese sandwiches while my husband and I eat all the food that grossed our kids out this week. Oh joy of joys.

Sunday– Red, White and Bean Minestrone is one of my mother-in-law’s recipes that she has been kind enough to share with me. It’s so full of flavor and can easily be adapted to your tastes.

Meal planning can be a real bitch, so I hope this helps! Happy (ugh) Monday!

♥ Erin

Good morning,

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend The Mama Retreat here in Richmond. It was an entire day just for moms. We were pampered and cared for, and I left feeling refreshed and inspired. It was the first event of its kind, but they are planning three more for 2018. Get more info here and read all about my experience during the event.

One of the hosts of the event was Alex Cenname, a Certified Health Coach, specializing in personal health coaching for expecting mamas as well as those trying to conceive and women postpartum. She is an expert at planning, prepping and preparing healthy meals and snacks. As one of the gifts from the retreat, Alex sent us a meal plan for a week of simple and delicious recipes, complete with shopping list. Lucky for all of you, she gave me the okay to share the plan here. Check it out!

I loved this meal plan! Not only were the meals delicious and kid-friendly, but they were simple to prepare and I already had most of the ingredients on hand. I made all of the dinners and the lunch for my family last week and they loved them all too, without exception. I did sub real pasta for the spaghetti squash when making dinner for the kids, but, other than that, I stayed true to the recipes. My son raved about the sheet pan chicken, saying it was one of the best dinners he’d ever eaten. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Let’s be honest, we all know that most of us will be consuming just as much sugar as our kids this week. What better time to try out these healthy recipes? You’ll be able to steal those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups from your kids after bedtime and still feel like a virtuous parent. Let me know how it goes in the comments! Happy Halloween!

♥ Erin