Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 30-Nov 5

Happy Halloween! We have a nice little (actually, BIG) pile of candy to go through tomorrow but after a very active field day at school and trick-or-treating for two hours, my two were ready for bed. And right before I fall into bed, I wanted to finish up the meal planning post for this week. We got a lot of great goodies (including salmon!) in our box today. Between those, two new cookbooks, and a new online recipe to try, my meal planning may be a little more adventurous over the next few weeks! 

Sunday: chili at our neighborhood halloween party 
Monday: salmon, green salad, roasted broccolini, baby potatoes, and carrots
Tuesday: roast chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower, kale citrus salad
Wednesday: at a soccer end-of-season party
Thursday: chicken and mushroom soup (modified from this recipe)
Friday: leftover soup
Saturday: at a friend's house

I tried to get as many nutrients in my kids as possible today because between field day and halloween (read: lots of junk and sugar highs), I needed to balance them out! Their lunches tomorrow will also be completely junk-free. I know they had a great day so this is where I let go a little and tell myself that they will forget about the candy soon. 

Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere

I'm a sucker for pumpkin recipes this time of year. We have done the usuals, muffins/pancakes, even smoothies and pumpkin spice creamer. This year, we are expanding and adding even more pumpkin recipes to our repertoire. 

We made these pumpkin breakfast cookies and they are a great option for something to grab on the go in the mornings. They were very easy to make, too! 

Right before I left on my solo trip, I made a batch of pumpkin overnight oats for the kids to have an easy breakfast option while I was gone. I used ingredients I had on hand but it was similar to this recipe.

Since it is now officially soup season, I have put this on my soup recipe rotation and am anxious to try it. My kids will get a kick out of the grilled cheese croutons. 

And lastly, I mentioned this in the weekly meals post, but I have been looking forward to trying this pumpkin alfredo since I saw the IG post a few weeks ago. It just looks perfect and I hope it doesn't disappoint!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 24-Oct 30

Fall weather has arrived! This gives us the green light for comforting, warm meals like casseroles, soups, chili, and roasts. We have had a crazy October so far but this week, we are back to reality. Back-to-back trips are not easy to recover from but homemade dinners help. :) 

Sunday: spinach ravioli with peas (after driving back from Florida all day)
Monday: spaghetti squash and turkey bolognese 
Tuesday: spinach, tomatoes and eggs
Wednesday: Cuban picadillo with beans in pita pockets, lemon roasted cauliflower
Thursday: leftover picadillo over quinoa, boiled eggs and potatoes, spinach salad with beets, pomegranate seeds, and orange wedges
Friday: pumpkin alfredo with chicken sausage and spinach
Saturday: at a birthday party
Sunday: chili at a halloween party

I have had my eye on that pumpkin alfredo recipe for a few weeks now and can't wait to try it. I'm a big fan of creamy pastas (but really, who isn't?!) and I'm anxious to see how the pumpkin and sage amp up the depth of the flavor there! If I make it to the farmers market, I'll get some of their fresh pasta because it is so good, otherwise, I'll fall back on my store-bought one.

Now that it feels like fall, it's time to enjoy the hearty flavors in the meals!

Weekly Meal Planning for Oct 2-Oct 8

I've been having technical difficulties this week! I have tried to post this meal plan and that kale recipe but wasn't able to for some reason. Anyway, now that it seems to be working, let's try again.

Sunday: quick Chipotle after soccer
Monday: zoodles with pesto, chicken drumsticks, kale and citrus salad, sweet potato fries
Tuesday: greek tacos 
Wednesday: pesto spinach ravioli 
Thursday: leftovers 
Friday: at a football game
Saturday: at our high school reunion

Enjoy your week!

Recipe: Kale & Citrus Salad

This was a big hit for my family. My five year old even asked me to make more for her lunch tomorrow. I omitted the jalapeño and the nuts but it was still flavorful without being too citrusy and earthy without being to kale-y. It was a perfect side but can be part of a main dish too. This would be amazing topped with broiled fish, too!

Perfect for Fall Kale & Citrus Salad
1 bunch kale, washed, trimmed, and sliced roughly
Juice of 1 orange
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp evoo
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped finely (optional)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 large orange or 2 tangelos, peeled and diced
Feta, blue cheese or goat cheese to top
Toasted nuts (optional)

Mix orange juice through jalapeño in a jar. Cover and shake vigorously. Add yogurt and shake until well combined. Pour onto kale and mix well. Top with orange pieces and feta, toss lightly. Top with nuts if preferred.