A few disclaimers before we get into menu monday…

1 + i don’t consider myself some great gourmet cook. i can follow recipes pretty well, and that’s about it. honestly, i just get bored eating the same dinners over and over. making menu plans and new recipes is a way for me to create. which is something i do enjoy.

2 + my kids don’t eat all the dinners with smiles on their faces. sometimes they don’t eat them at all. just so you know…

3 + i’m in a season where i have some time to be able to make dinner pretty undistractedly, so the recipes i choose are a little more complex then they were in the days when i had little people hanging on my legs. if you are in that season, props to you. don’t stress out about getting crazy with your meals. you’re in survival mode. if these meal plans are helpful, great. if they’re overwhelming, move right along. that said, i do recommend meal planning whatever season of life you’re in… going to do a post on that…

MONDAY //

Tomato Basil Bolognese from HalfBaked Harvest
notes: this was a winner. I used ground turkey. I’d just use ground beef next time.
+ I omitted the red pepper flakes and used whole wheat spaghetti.
+ I skipped the broiler step and just plopped the fresh mozzarella right onto the hot sauce & pasta. it melted just fine.

Dr. Weil’s Kale Salad from Martha Stewart
notes: this is a favorite of ours. I used the regular kale from trader joes. the key to making it more palatable is to trim the stems off and massage it with a little coarse salt before you add the dressing. you want it to be a deep dark green.

Loaf of Crusty Sourdough Bread

TUESDAY //

BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad from the kitchn
notes: this is a pretty basic recipe that is just so yum. I grill up a batch of bbq chicken. The grown-ups have the salad, I warm up tortillas for the kids and they have bbq chicken tacos with the fixings from the salad. It’s a lot of parts, but pretty easy and one of the kids all-time favorites.

WEDNESDAY //

Pork Rice Bowls from DesignLoveFest
notes: we’ve been eating lots of variations of rice bowls over the past year, and the flavor combinations in this recipe were on point. made a few modifications…
+ i got the sweet italian sausage from trader joes and squeezed it out of the casings to brown it.
+ in place of the pickled cabbage and bok choy, I used a shredded cabbage mix from trader joes, and seasoned it with lime juice and s/p.
+ the kids approved this recipe. note: the little guys had a simplified version of the pork and rice together, with cucumbers on the side.

Egg Rolls (from the TJ’s frozen section)

THURSDAY //

Caramelized Farmers Market Veggies on Herbed Polenta from HalfBaked Harvest
notes: did you know polenta is just cornmeal? i didn’t, thank you google.
+ i omitted the herbs and just made a creamy cheesy polenta. (1/2 milk, 1/2 water like she recommended)
+ for the veggies, i used zucchini (sliced), asparagus and frozen corn.
+ after coating them with the maple syrup, olive oil, + chili powder, i spread them on a greased cookie sheet and roasted them at 450 for 35-40 minutes.

Grilled Roasted Garlic Sausage from TJ’s

FRIDAY //

Pizza for the kids (TJ’s dough, sauce & shredded mozzarella)

Harvest Cobb Salad from DamnDelicious for the grown-ups
notes: forgot to buy poppy seeds, so I just used a creamy balsamic we had in the fridge for dressing.
+ used TJ’s sweet & spicy pecans and feta instead of goat cheese
+ added some avocado and grilled chicken for more protein

SATURDAY //

date night. blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs + bacon for the kids.

SUNDAY //

Slow Cooker Quinoa Mexican Tortilla Soup from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
notes: threw everything in the crockpot before we left for church. came home to a pot of soup. slow cookers are the best.
+ omitted the jalapeno, enchilada sauce and cilantro
+ snacked on chips & guac beforehand
+ served with cornbread (box mix from Trader Joe’s)

Fall food is just around the corner… and I can’t wait!