Menu Plan May 14-19

My family and I are taking a 10 day whole food challenge!! I was inspired by a blog I found about a family that did a whole food challenge for 100 days!!! Check it out here. 

What is a whole food challenge? 

Basically you eat real food only, no processed food or food with sugar! The rules are pretty simple and a lot of this we already try to do, but this will be challenging regardless. It will involve making a lot more things homemade instead of the quick packaged stuff. Even some of the organic processed food is just that processed. It, of course, can contain organic sugar which is still not good for you. 

Why do a whole food challenge? 

I am excited to give it a try and really excited to pay more attention to what I am eating. If you don't know about how food affects your whole life you can watch the documentary Food Matters or read the book Food Rules by Michael Pollan. They will change your life!! :)

Here are the rules we will follow (From the 100 days of Real Food website):

What you CAN eat:

1. Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
2. Lots of fruits and vegetables
3. Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
4. 100% whole-wheat and whole-grains 
5. Seafood (wild caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
6. Only locally raised meats such as pork, beef, and chicken 
7. Beverages limited to water, milk, all natural juices,naturally sweetened coffee & tea, and, to help the adults keep their sanity, wine and beer!
8. Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn
9. All natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in moderation

What you CANNOT eat:

1. No refined grains such as white flour or white rice (items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat”)
2. No refined sweeteners such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda
3. Nothing out of a box, can, bag, bottle or package that has more than 5 ingredients listed on the label
4. No deep fried foods
5. No “fast foods”

I don't think that dinner is going to be the hard part for me. I will need to make my own crusts and tortillas. But breakfast and lunch will be a little more tricky. Homemade chicken nuggets and homemade mac and cheese will be great! They will just take more time and preparation. Breakfast will need to be homemade waffles, muffins and other yummy stuff. I will just need to plan this more than I usually do so I am sure to have all the right supplies.  I am excited to see just how "difficult" I find this challenge. The 100 days of real food website offers meal plans and tons of recipes here! There are also some other really great blogs/websites that focus on whole/real foods. Here are just a few that I like:

• Family Fresh Cooking
• Super Healthy Kids
• The Naked Kitchen
• Healthy Green Kitchen
• Food Renegade

Monday: Chicken Fajitas

Photo and recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Tuesday: Whole Wheat Pizza

Photo and recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Wednesday: Fettucini Alfredo

Photo and recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Thursday: Kabobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Photo and recipe from Family Fresh Cooking

Friday: Homemade fish "sticks"

Recipe and photo from Super Healthy Kids

If you would also like to try the 10 day challenge click here!

Menu Plan April 30- May 4

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May...wow... this year is flying by! But I just can't wait for that warm weather to come around...I may have mentioned that before. Apparently that is a running theme...come on warmth!!


This week I have five delectable new dishes for us to try!


But first...Let's have a talk about quiona. If you have never tried this grain you are really missing out. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is what health food people call a super grain. Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Now are you ready for the cool part...it has protein!! It is not like pasta or rice that is essentially empty...it is packed with protein, but can be used instead of pasta or rice! I usually describe it as a mix between rice and couscous. It cooks super fast and is really delicious! There are manly ways of preparing quinoa and you can add just about any seasonings or stir-ins. You can follow the directions on the package and boil it or you can toast it (see recipe for toasting here) as my cousin Colleen does! Most grocery stores carry it now. It may come in a box or a small bag. Give it a try!


This is the brand I buy, but I don't think it really matters the brand.

So of course I have a new Quinoa recipe to try this week. Quinoa Mac and Cheese!!


Monday: Quinoa Mac and Cheese

Recipe and photo from Iowa Girl Eats

Tuesday: Grilled Balsamic Chicken

Recipe and photo from Picky Palate

Wednesday: Simple Stuffed Shells

Recipe and photo from Lovely Little Snippets

Thursday: Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Recipe and photo from Cooking Light

Friday: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Soup

Recipe and photo from Picky Palate

Enjoy your week! :)

Menu Plan April 23-27

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Snow??!! Really on April 23rd we are supposed to get snow. We didn't even get snow all winter...why now?? Ok, I am done ranting about snow.

I just am dying to have sunny warm weather. I want to grill and have BBQs and do all kinds of food related outdoor things!!

On another note, I am trying to incorporate more of my own original recipes into my menu plan. Eventually I would like to have all my own recipes or adaptations of recipes I have made! Until then I will rely on my favorite food sites to provide amazing recipes for everyone to try.

When I follow a recipe I don't ever exactly follow the recipe. For one thing my son is allergic to eggs and nuts, so I am always modifying for that. For another thing, there are some things I just don't like and won't include. If you see a recipe you want to try don't be afraid to adjust it and change a few things you might not like to make it a recipe of your own. I usually just write all over the recipe so I can remember what I did for next time. Have fun and try new things!!

Monday: Buffalo Chicken Alfredo

I have seen several recipes for this dish around the internet, but I decided to make an easier version on my own. This recipe is so delicious and fast...you have got to give it a try.

Buffalo Chicken Alfredo

8 ounces of whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 container prepared light alfredo sauce ( I prefer Wegmans brand in the dairy section)

1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce

1/4 crumbly blue cheese

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Drizzle the olive oil in a large frying pan. Heat the pan to medium-high heat.

Dredge each chicken strip into the bread crumbs to coat both sides. Carefully place the strip into the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. The chicken will NOT be cooked all the way through. 

Place the strips on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake the strips for 10 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through.

While the chicken is cooking, put the alfredo sauce, hot sauce, blue cheese and butter into a small sauce pan. Heat the sauce until the cheese and butter is melted and the sauce is heated all the way through.

Assemble the dish with noodles, chicken fingers and sauce mixture on top. Top with parsley if you wish. Enjoy!

Tuesday: Shrimp Fried Rice

Photo and recipe from Cooking Light

Wednesday: Taco Soup

This recipe calls for a rice cooker, which I don't have, but I am going to try it in the crockpot and increase the cooking time. Looks yummy!! :)

Photo and recipe from Super Healthy Kids

Thursday: Spicy Tilapia and Mango Tacos

This is another awesome recipe from Cooking Light. It is the perfect example of how I will adapt a recipe though. I know I won't make this exactly as is, because them my children would not be able to eat it!! I will cut down on the heat a bit. I probably won't use the jalapeno and I won't make my fish as spicy. But I love the flavor ideas and the "salsa"! I will give you the original recipe in case you like all the HEAT!! :)

Picture from and recipe from Cooking Light, May 2012

Friday: Crock Pot Chicken Parm

Photo and Recipe from Chef in Training

Enjoy your week!!

Menu Plan April 16-20

Did you know that April is grilled cheese month??!!! How exciting! I love a grilled cheese and I will take just about any variation you can throw at me! Cheese + Butter + Bread = YUMMY! So this week I made sure to seek out an extra special grilled cheese to make. I can't wait to sink my teeth into that gooey goodness on Friday.

This week I am also trying something totally new for me, indian food. I have eaten indian food plenty of times, but I have yet to try and make it. I am a bit nervous, but I am going to start with my favorite dish and see if I can get it even close to the real thing. Wish me luck.

I hope you enjoy the recipes and share them with your friends. 

Monday: Chicken Tikka Masala

I found this recipe for the classic indian dish and I am dying to give it a try. Cross your fingers!

Photo and recipe from Favorite Family Recipes

Tuesday: Chicken Flautas

Baked Chicken Flautas

1 rotisserie chicken shredded (or 2 cups cooked chicken)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 poblano, seeded and diced

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/3 cup prepared salsa

2 tablespoons sour cream (extra for dipping)

3 ounces Colby jack cheese shredded

salt and pepper to taste

6 8inch whole wheat tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375.

Pour oil into a saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Add in the corn, poblano, and onion powder, saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cook another 2 minutes.

Place the shredded chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add in the corn mixture. Then add the remaining filling ingredients (salsa, sour cream and cheese).

Place a heaping 1/3 cup of the filling into one of the tortillas and spread into a line in the middle. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Repeat until all filling is used.

Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until tortillas have crisped and turned golden brown.

Serve with sour cream for dipping.

Slightly adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon

Wednesday: White Pizza Pockets

White Pizza Pockets

1 can pizza crust (or your favorite pizza dough)
4 tablespoons classic white pizza sauce (see picture)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 freshly grated parmesan cheese
your favorite toppings (we did spinach and broccoli)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet.

Spread the pizza crust out on the baking sheet and cut it into four pieces.

Spread 1 tablespoon of the white pizza sauce on to each pizza pocket.

Pile 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of the parm cheese onto one half of each dough rectangle.

Add the toppings of your choice onto the cheese. Carefully fold over the pocket and use a fork to crimp the edges shut. Poke a few holes on the top to let the air escape.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until the dough is completely cooked and browned.

Thursday: Lasagna Soup

We have made this at least a dozen times and it is so easy and really tasty.

Recipe and photo from The Deen Brothers.

Friday: Parmesan Crusted Grilled Cheese

Oh the beauty of this one!!

Photo and recipe from Two Peas and their Pod.

Menu Plan April 9-13

Ahhh...Spring Break! Chuck and Daiya are off this week and we are hoping to have some family fun! The weather is not at all what I wish it would be, but we will try and make the best of it. We hope to go to the zoo and maybe a children's museum.

This week's meals have no particular theme, they just looked good. Most of the meals are new to me, so as always I am very excited to give them a try. People keep asking me, "Do you really make those meals?" YES!! I do! Of course occasionally something comes up and I don't make it on the exact day I was supposed to but, yes, I make the meals. Before I even began this blog, I was a fan of meal planning. Every weekend I would write out the meals for the week and shop according to those meals. It just seems easier for me. I enjoy meal planning and I really enjoy making new recipes for my family to try.

I hope you enjoy this blog and recommend it to your friends. If you try something, leave a comment and let me know what YOU think! :)

Monday: Creamy Ham Casserole

Leftover ham is perfect for this recipe, so I chose it for the day after Easter when I am sure I will have some to use!

Recipe and photo from The Novice Chef. I just discovered this blog and I LOVE it! :)

Tuesday: Crock pot Boccoli and Cheese Soup

Recipe and photo from Budget Savvy Diva.

Wednesday: Parmesan Topped Tilapia

Recipe from food.com.

Thursday: Go Green Chicken Sandwiches

Recipe and photo from Rachel Ray.

Friday: BBQ Chicken Rolls

These rolls are from the same blog as the Buffalo Chicken Rolls we made a couple weeks ago. They look just as yummy!

Recipe and photo from Can You Stay For Dinner?

Menu Plan April 2-6

The theme this week is chicken! I seem to be craving chicken because every recipe this week involves chicken! I scoured pineterest this week for some excellent chicken recipes and it did not disappoint. I am so excited to try out these five totally NEW recipes (to me)!!

I have combined some grilling this week with some semi-comfort food. It is still cold outside but I am dying to get that grill going. If it is too cold or rainy I will use my grill pan. If you don't have a grill pan and you live in Buffalo you NEED one. It recreates the grill look and taste indoors. I love mine and use it all the time!

If you like these recipes and give them a try, be sure to let me know. Also, please tell your friends about my blog. My goal is 50 LIKES on my Facebook page, so spread the word! You can also press the share button in the top left corner to share this menu plan on Facebook or Twitter. THANKS!! :)

April 2-April 6

Monday: Honey Lime Chicken

This recipe is for a simple marinade that sounds delicious. I like when my chicken is full of flavor. I would pair this meal with some brown rice and some grilled or steamed vegetables.

This marinade and photo are from The Enchanted Cook.


Tuesday: Easy Chicken Gyros

This recipe and photo is from one of my favorite blogs called Lovely Little Snippets.

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

These look so delicious and I think the kids will love the idea that they are "cupcakes". I recently also found organic condensed soup, that made me happy to again use creamed condensed soup for recipes!

This website had a wonderful step-by-step tutorial on how to make these. Check it out at Quick Dish.

Thursday: Healthy Sesame Chicken

I am excited to try this healthy version of sesame chicken. It looks delicious and I can't wait to give this take-out alternative a try.

I found this recipe and photo at The Way to His Heart.

Friday: Chile Lime Chicken Burgers

This recipe screams summer, but I think we will speed things up and have it now. I would probably make two separate burgers. One that followed this recipe and one a little milder for the kiddos. YUMMY!!

This is from a wonderful new (new-to-me) blog I found, Iowa Girl Eats.

Menu Plan March 26-30

The weather was absolutely amazing last week. The change to warm weather also changed my taste in food. Instead of casseroles and comfort food, I am craving fresh, light food!

This week I looked to my favorite magazine Cooking Light for some inspiration. The meals always are tasty and for the most part are easy recipes that do not take a lot of time to prepare. I decided to include 3 recipes from Cooking Light this week that I have used over and over and always are delicious.

The other two recipes this week are brand new to me and I am very excited to give them a try!

A note about last week: If you haven't tried the Taco Casserole it is a MUST try. It is so easy and sooooo tasty. The kids ate every last drop and asked for more! Give it a try if you haven't already!

Monday: Grilled Zucchini Caprese Sandwich

These sandwiches are so easy and they taste so fresh! This is a wonderful vegetarian meal that will not leave you hungry!

Picture and recipe source: Cooking Light


Tuesday: Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Alfredo

This is a new recipe for me, but I am excited to give it a try. I might cheat a little and buy the jar of roasted red peppers. I will just have to see how adventurous I feel! :)

Picture and recipe by Lauren's Latest along with a very detailed step by step.

Wednesday: Pepper Jack, Chicken and Peach Quesadillas 

This recipe is from Cooking Light and is a tried and true. It is really a summer dish for when the peaches are ripe and juicy. But we have had it off season too and it is still delicious. We have even subbed mango for peach when no good peaches are available. Also if your children don't like "spicy" cheese, you can use Colby Jack instead!

Picture and Source: Cooking Light


Thursday: Buffalo Chicken Strips with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

These are so easy and so delicious. Especially if I am craving the fried counterpart. The dressing is even healthier since you are making it yourself. Of course you could skip that step and just buy your favorite brand too!

Picture and Source: Cooking Light


Friday: Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa

This is also a new recipe to me, but looks so amazing. The blackened seasoning might be a little much for the kids so I would probably cook a few pieces without the seasoning, but keep everything the same for us!

This wonderful recipe (and picture) I found at Sarcastic Cooking. I can't wait to try it!


I hope you like this week's menu and if you try anything please leave a comment!!
Also tell you friends about my blog and Facebook page!

Menu Plan March 19-23

I must be craving mexican food, because two of this week's meals have similar flavors. I was thinking maybe I should put in something more "different" but I really want both of them, so they stayed!

I can't believe the weather we are having already this spring! So I am also really excited to uncover the grill and get grilling!! So I had to include one grilling recipe this week to get things started. More grilling to come.

I hope you try out some of these meals and let me know what you think!!

Monday: Taco Casserole

Recipe: Taco Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 envelope of taco seasoning
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 cup sour cream (light sour cream works perfectly)
• 1 cup cottage cheese 
• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips 
• 2 cups (8 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand)
• (Variations: You could add minced garlic, chopped peppers, tomatoes, and various shredded garden veggies to make it a really healthy option, along with the addition of black beans.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a skillet, brown the beef, drain off extra fat; remove from heat. 
3. Add onion, garlic powder, taco seasoning mix, and tomato sauce to beef; mix and set aside.
4. In a medium sized bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside.
5. Place half the crushed chips in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish that has been coated with a nonstick vegetable spray.
6. Add enough meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the meat with half of the sour cream mixture.
7. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Repeat layers.
8. Bake uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, until cheese melts and casserole is heated through.

* For a healthier, lower fat option, substitute the ground beef with a ground turkey. Use low fat sour cream or only lower fat cottage cheese and add the veggie options mentioned above.

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Source: Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Caution...These are addicting! They can be a little time consuming to assemble. But they make a ton and they are delicious! The link below has a really detailed step by step picture gallery. I hope you give them a try!

Source: Can you stay for dinner?

Wednesday: Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

My husband does not like beans...so this may be a hard sell. I think what I will do is cook some chicken and give the family the option for beans or no beans! I can't wait to give this recipe a try!!

This yummy recipe is from a blog called...are you ready... A Bitchin' Kitchen...LOVE it!

Thursday: The BEST Pork Chops EVER!

This recipe is similar to the chicken recipe I tried a few weeks ago and is so good. If you are not a fan of pork chops you could easily swap chicken instead. 

Find the recipe for this gem here.

Friday: Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

There is no real recipe that I follow for kabobs. Here are the general steps I follow:

1. Cut the chicken into bit size pieces. Marinate the chicken and the shrimp in italian dressing for a 2-3 hours or overnight. 

2. While the chicken and shrimp marinade, I soak my wooden skewers in water to prevent scorching on the grill.

3. I then chop any vegetable I plan on having. I chop them in large pieces so they stay crisp and do not fall off the skewer as they cook. I like to use red and yellow peppers, but the possibilities are endless. 

I do not put the vegetables and the meat on the same skewer! They take different amounts of time to cook and I don't like the vegetables to burn. Some people love the idea of having everything on one stick, so if that is your thing, go for it!

4. I assemble skewers with only one thing on each skewer. For example, I have one solid chicken skewer, one shrimp one and one veggie one. 

5. Spritz the grill first with non stick spray or olive oil and then heat the grill to medium heat (about 5 minutes or so). 

6. Place the chicken skewers on first since they take the longest to cook. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the chicken no longer has any pink.

7. Place the shrimp and veggie skewers on about halfway through the chicken cooking time  and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp are completely pink. The veggies are more of personal preference. I like mine crispy so I only leave them on while the shrimp cooks. 

I serve these skewers with brown rice and they are so delicious! Happy Grilling!