Tag Archives: Menu Plans

Menu Plan Monday – wait, it’s October?

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Menubutton 

Last week, I did a two week menu plan…and while we got through most of last week's, I got really inspired by an episode of Mad Hungry on Hallmark channel last week and replanned most of this week. 

Okay, maybe all of this week.

Monday
Chicken Chili (it's only going to be 81 here in Central Florida – I'm calling it fall!)
I've got a few modifications planned for the chili, and hopefully I'll have time to share them this week if they work.
Gluten Free Cornbread

Tuesday
Chicken Chili Nachos (with GF tortilla chips)
Nachos have become sort of our go-to food during this season of craziness.  The kids are willing to load them up with lots of good stuff and I'm okay with that.

Wednesday
eat at church

Thursday
PF Chang Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These are so good, and so much cheaper than a trip to PF Chang's!
Vegetable Fried Brown Rice

Friday
Herbs de Provence Grilled Chicken
Zucchini and Brown Rice Gratin
I've had this gratin on the menu at least three times now and can never seem to get to it.  This week, it's on!

Saturday
Pizza (attempting the crust from Gluten Free Girl and the Chef – probably one pepperoni and one veggie/adventurous)
Salad

Sunday
Black bean quesadillas
Apple wedges
Carrot sticks
Sometimes, easy is good =)

This post will be linked to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday,  Chive Talkin's Mindful Menus and Dining with Debbie's Whats on the Menu Wednesdays.  Looking for meal inspiration?  They're great places to visit!

Mindful Menus 

Baking Day 2 Plans

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Last month's baking day was  a huge success.  There are still a few things in the freezer (mostly marinated or prepared meats), we had baked goods to last us through the entire month and meal planning was so much simpler!  I'm planning on

I'm getting ready to do it again this weekend, and here are my plans:

  • Blueberry muffins
  • Banana or pumpkin muffins (adapted with whole wheat, spelt or brown rice flour)
  • Breakfast cake (a total hit from last time, but I'm going to try making these as muffins this time)
  • Homemade almond milk (a test recipe, not a bulk one)
  • Sandwich rolls
  • Chocolate chip cookie dough  (this was a huge hit – and there were just enough dough balls for fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies once a week)
  • Marinated chicken (maybe these)
  • Marinated pork chops (some with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and others with fresh squeezed orange juice added to the mix)
  • Marinated steak fajitas
  • Chicken stock
  • 4 dozen tortillas made and cooked  (testing out a new recipe from Rick Bayless, which has been saved on our DVR for the last 3 weeks – I'll share if we like it better than our current one)
  • Brown rice
  • Beans

    • A  few thoughts:

    • meal components and baked goods definitely work better for us than actualy frozen meals.  The more complete a dish has been, the less likely we've been to eat it.
    • marinating meat as it comes home from the grocery store = brilliant!  I just pull it out of the freezer a day or two before it's on our menu…all I have to do after that is cook it.
    • I spent a little under $500 on all groceries and toiletries last month for our family of 4.  It should have been just enough to feed us, but we ended up eating out more than usual due to stresses and the tax return.  This month will be a lot tighter, and I'm adding in my first raw milk and some pastured meats.  That eating out has to stop!