Menu Plan Week of 9/24

It is a busy week (as usual these days) in our house, so it is critical for us to plan our meals ahead of time.  I am loving this fall weather, so a roast is definitely in order.  I have a couple new recipes to try thanks to some Facebook feedback, but I am going to try the one linked below first, with a few substitutions.  It looks so delicious and comforting for a fall day!

I realize I did not post a menu plan last week, so to make up for it I am posting the easiest, most delicious chili recipe that I whipped together last night.  See below the menu plan for all of the details.  It was SO good and the best part - you can put it together in one pot in about 15 minutes, let it simmer for another 45 minutes and it turned out so flavorful!  Add some organic blue corn tortilla chips on the side or crumbled over it - the perfect fall/football watching dinner!  This would also be a great freezer meal - defrost and warm up in a pan before serving!

Monday:  Hot dogs, kale chips, gf bread (Mommy is out!)

Tuesday:  Crock Pot Beef Roast (no steak sauce, I'll add raw cane sugar for the 1 tsp. called for)

Wednesday:  Crock Pot Risotto (this is definitely a meal to make on a day off, as it only takes a couple of hours, but lots of hands-off time which I love!)

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  Quesadillas (with leftover roasted chicken from the freezer and lots of grated veggies, use Daiya dairy free/soy free cheese if needed - we use Food For Life Brown Rice tortillas).

Saturday:  Simple grill out

Sunday:  Out


Quick and Easy Veggie and Turkey Chili (adapted from We Are Not Martha's blog)
Servings:  4 big bowls!

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 C onion, chopped
1 C carrot, grated
1 C zucchini, grated
1 jalapeno, chopped (seeds in or out, depending on how spicy you want it)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2.5 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 tsp salt
1 lb ground turkey (pastured preferred)
2 T organic tomato paste
1 can organic black beans, drained & rinsed or 1.5 C frozen pre-cooked black beans
3 C organic vegetable broth (I use Pacific brand)

Melt oil.  Add and saute onion, carrot, zucchini and jalapeno until soft.  Add garlic and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add spices, saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add ground turkey and saute/break it up until cooked through.  Add tomato paste and mix.  Add broth and beans.  Bring to a boil and then down to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The chili will thicken up significantly during this time, but continue to simmer until desired consistency is reached.  Serve with your favorite toppings!

Menu Plan week of 9/10

I have been away for quite awhile and hope to be back almost every week with menu plans for the new school year! 

We are expecting a baby girl in early December, which means life around here has become pretty busy.  So I will do what I can to keep up with posts, as I know many of you value the menu plans to make your lives a little easier this week!

I will also be posting my prep plan for freezer cooking before baby arrives.  I am 100% dedicated to keeping nutritious, whole foods on my table even in the crazy month or two following the birth of our child, especially since we will be in the midst of cold and flu season.  I'll be checking the co-op for specials on meat so that I can stock up and plan around the deals for my freezer/batch cooking! 

If any of you have great recipes that can be frozen and then defrosted or placed right in the oven with delicious results, please let me know!  Also, please check out my recipes page - I have updated it with dinner ideas, some new baked goodies and breakfast recipes!



Here is our menu plan for this week!

Monday:  GF/DF Chicken and Veggie Nuggets with sweet potato fries and greens

Tuesday:  Out

Wednesday:  Leftover Chicken Nuggets with salad (before swim lessons!)

Thursday:  Crock Pot Beef Stew (I make this without the potatoes) with rice

Friday:  Pizza night with salad

Saturday:  Crock Pot Chicken with veggies and corn on the cob

Sunday:  Grill out!

Menu Plan week of 7/25

Menu for this week!  Easy and lots of leftovers, great for busy summer days and evenings!

Monday: Out!

Tuesday: Super Sloppy Joes (decrease sugar to just a couple tbsp, I use rapadura)

Wednesday:  Leftovers

Thursday:  Baked Chicken with Summer Veggies (sub chicken broth for wine) served over pasta or rice

Friday:  Quesadillas using leftover chicken from Thursday, salad

Saturday:  BBQ with friends

Sunday:  To be determined (hope to make it to farmers market on Saturday for inspiration!)

Menu Plan Week of 7/16

After a wonderful Fourth of July vacation in northern Minnesota and a great visit from my parents this past week, we are back into a routine of work and school.  My summer menu plans overall tend to be a lot more simple than in the fall and winter, but now that I am back to working three right hour days per week, I have to be especially conscious of what I plan to prepare on work days.  It may means crock pot recipes, using leftovers to create a new meal, or a very simple meat/veggie/grain type of meal that I can throw together in 30-45 minutes.  I always try to plan ahead for prep work that can be done the night before, as well.  If you have tips and recipes to share that address the need for quick an easy meals on work days that still adhere to a whole foods diet, please share in the comments or on the Just One Bite fan page on Facebook (see the link on the right side of my blog).

Here is our menu for this week:

Monday:  Homemade marinara with pasta, salad and raw veggies (I'll be making enough to fill 4-5 family serving size mason jars to freeze!)

Tuesday:  Crock Pot Chicken
Tip:  Use a whole chicken, cut up into pieces and rub with Dijon mustard.  Add one cup of broth and your favorite veggies to the pot.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Serve with rice or potatoes.

Wednesday:  Tuna brown rice casserole (from one of my new favorite cookbooks - Allergy-friendly Food for Families - click here!)
Tip:  Cook rice the night before

Thursday:  Leftover Chicken and veggie nuggets with cauliflower poppers

Friday:  Leftovers

Saturday:  Out!

Sunday:  BBQ - meat, veggies, corn, fruit (hoping to make it to farmers market sometime this week to make Sunday BBQ even that much better!)

Fourth of July snacks and treats!

Who needs a sugar-laden 4th of July flag cake when you can put together a beautiful platter like this?!
Credit:  Party City website

We are looking forward to some much needed R&R during the 4th of July week!  As you can imagine, there is a LOT of planning that happens when we head to a cabin in the north woods with a child with food allergies.  Epi-pens, benedryl and supplements aside, we also want to provide him with nourishing foods and a few treats!  I hope you find some of these recipes and links to be helpful as you plan your long weekends or week-long trips!

Planning is critical to a realxing vacation - make grocery lists far in advance, especially if you will need to stop at more than one store to get what you need.  Pack plenty of snacks for the road, as well! 


Some treats that we will be making....

Rice Krispie Treats (nut free, gluten free, egg free, soy free, wheat free)

Golden Honey Graham Crackers  (nut free, gluten free, egg free, soy free, wheat free, dairy free)
**we made these last night and froze them for the trip, only sub in was whole cane sugar, you can cut the sugar in half if you would like to.  They turned out wonderful!  They will be great for s'mores!  Try these out with a homemade marshmallow recipe and some chocolate sweetened with stevia!)


Some snack ideas that you can make ahead (travel well in a cooler!):

Allergy friendly granola bars - make this, and double the recipe (it will still fit on one pan when you bake it)!  SO easy and travels really well.  Great snack when boating and picnic-ing!  Add coconut and flaxseed meal to bump up the nutrition!

Cowboy Caviar - this makes a huge batch and it always a hit!  Great for dipping organic blue corn tortilla chips (we like Trader Joe's or Garden of Eaten' chips)

Allergen-free hummus - I like to sub in olive oil for the water for more flavor (you may need a little more than 2 tbsp. of olive oil for desired consistency).  I recommend adding fresh herbs.  And double the recipe, it is great as a dip or sandwich spread!

If your family enjoys Chex mix, here is a dairy-free, nut free version.  I will skip this, but this is a great sub in for the bag from the grocery store that is fully of crappy ingredients you don't need to be eating.  use real butter if you are not dairy free!

How about some strawberry lemonade sweetened with stevia to wash it all down?!  YUM. 


Last but not least, a great lazy morning breakfast idea...

Allergy-free Maple Waffles - a family favorite of ours!  Add some berry sauce on top for a special treat!

Menu Plan Week of June 25

As I peruse the selection of local and organic produce at the farmers market and co-op, it is safe to say we are well into the summer!  Maybe more so than normal with the very warm spring that we had!  Yum, I just want to buy a little bit of everything.  I prepared snap peas from the farmers market to go with dinner last night, dropped them in boiling water for 2 minutes, rinsed them under cold water and then gave them a quick stir fry with olive oil, salt and pepper.  They were beautiful and sweet.  If you do go to a farmers market, I challenge you to purchase one thing that you have never prepared before - rainbow chard, snap peas, a new herb, etc. and give it a shot!  It is almost impossible to ruin wonderful produce, so you can't hurt a thing by trying something new!

We will be headed on a family vacation next week, so our plan is pretty simple.  Enjoy!

Monday:  Pasta with homemade marinara (from the freezer) mixed with bulk Italian sausage and spinach; salad

Tuesday:  Baked chicken breasts with hashbrowns and green beans

Wednesday:  Winging it

Thursday:  Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadillas with salsa (just discovered the Trader Joe's organic red tomatillo salsa - SO delicious!)

Friday - Happy Vacation!

Stay tuned for a post with some great links for 4th of July snacks and treats! :)

Menu Plan Week of 6/18

Happy Father's Day!  I hope you are all enjoying time with family today!  We had a fun little brunch with my husband's family at our new house, which finally feels like home rather than a house we live in! 

I have a few great new recipes I will be trying this week (see Monday, Wednesday and Thursday).  They look tasty, we'll see what my little guy thinks!

Monday:  GF DF Chicken and Veggie Nuggets with Kale Chips

Tuesday:  Pasta with homemade red sauce (from the freezer), Italian Turkey Sausage (Ferndale Market - local and so tasty!); salad
Tip:  Make a pasta bake the night before, pop it in the over when you arrive home!

Wednesday:  Quinoa Burgers with fresh veggies and homemade ranch dip (if you are DF, serve with your favorite dip or dressing!  You could also use a vegan mayo and mix the spices with that!)
Tip:  Prep the burger mixture the night before, chill, and make into patties and bake right before dinnertime

Thursday:  Spicy Sweet Pork Tacos with the fixings (salsa, guac, peppers, black beans, etc) and salad
Tip:  Grill the pork the night before, shred pork and dinner is all but ready to serve!


Friday:  Winging it (leftovers)