This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on cherries, beans and getting back into routine.

After traveling, a holiday weekend and having my husband home on vacation all week I’m not sure what day it is! It has felt like Saturday for a week straight. I suppose it’s time to get back into somewhat of a routine now.

Our week will be a bit different since my oldest is going to camp. It sure will be quiet around here! And I have to get back into lunch packing routine. Not my idea of summer fun.

In The Kitchen

Summer produce is in full swing. Last week we picked and preserved sixty pounds of cherries! We may all have cherry juice in our veins after all of the snacking too. Now our beans are ready. So I’ll have to start freezing beans a couple times a week. Zucchini is starting as well. Zucchini bread, zucchini cake, zucchini crackers,…it’s all good. My kids would be so happy if I make their favorite – chocolate zucchini cupcakes!

In addition to produce preservation I have some baking on my kitchen list this week. My projects include:

• cherry pie
• teff crackers
• graham crackers (maybe)
• vanilla ice cream
• pumpkin yogurt
• zucchini bread
• jam (new recipe)
• granola (maybe)
• freeze beans

On The Menu

I have a feeling this week is going to be busier than I like. Hopefully I can still keep delicious meals on the table. Maybe I can do some cooking classes and get my son to help with meal prep.

Here is our real food meal plan for the week. What’s on your menu? Any fresh produce that you’re highlighting?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 1
B – pancakes, fruit | steak, avocado
L – roast beef, peas, pumpkin, seasoned rice
D – meatloaf, roasted purple cabbage, carrot fries, salad
prep: make cherry pie (make extra crust), grind flour, soak flour for teff crackers, prep smoothies
notes: 

Monday 2
B – yogurt, granola bar | squash cherry smoothies, muffins
D – tacos, beans, cauliflower
prep: skim cream, make ice cream, bake teff crackers, bake graham crackers, make gummies?
notes:

Tuesday 3
B – cereal, fruit | muffin, fruit | avocado, taco meat
D – beef and broccoli stir fry over rice
prep: prep smoothies
notes:

Wednesday 4
B – toast w/ sunbutter, spinach blueberry smoothies
D – pumpkin pasta w/ sausage (zucchini noodles), salad
prep: make pumpkin yogurt
notes:

Thursday 1
B –  yogurt, granola bar| pumpkin yogurt, blueberries
D – sloppy joes, squash
prep: prep smoothies
notes: eating separately

Friday 2
B – cereal, fruit | squash cherry smoothies, muffins
D – short ribs, mashed potatoes, broccoli
prep: 
notes: prep ahead

Saturday 3
B – TBD kids’ request
D – quiche, roasted zucchini, zucchini bread
prep: bake zucchini bread, make jam
notes:

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana, strawberry (pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado, raspberry (amaranth, tomato, orange)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on the holiday, spending time with family and all things cherry!

Happy 4th of July! Is it really July? I thought summer break just started.

We’ve been enjoying time with extended family out in the country. It’s beautiful! It makes me want to find our own little farm even more.

Cherries are here!

Cherry season has started in Michigan. I love this time of year. Cherries, followed closely by blueberries and peaches. I may be biased, but this really is an amazing place to live. Nothing beats fresh Michigan cherries, blueberries and peaches.

We’ll be cherry picking and then working on freezing most of our haul.

In the kitchen.

That will take up some of my time in the kitchen. My other projects include:

• graham crackers
• muffins
• cherry jam
• cherry cobbler
• rolls

Since my husband is on vacation we’ve got a few fun outings planned. Plus my oldest is seeing a new doctor. I’m really excited about it.

On the menu.

Meals are simple as always and as much prep ahead as possible. Hopefully I can get my kids in the kitchen with me for some of it. Here is this week’s real food meal plan.

What’s on your menu? Any fun holiday foods?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 2
B – yogurt, fruit, granola 
L – roast beef, mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower
D – grilled brats and hot dogs, roasted purple cabbage, pearsauce
prep:
notes: 

Monday 3
B – oatmeal bake, smoothies
D – grilled cheese, sauteed zucchini, blueberries
prep: prep smoothies
notes:

Tuesday 4
B – toast w/ sunbutter and peach jam, spinach blueberry smoothies
D – grilled burgers, salad w/ cherry honey mustard, cherry rhubarb jello, roasted potatoes
prep: make jello, soak millet
notes:

Wednesday 1
B – cereal, fruit | millet porridge, jello | salad
D – squash chicken soup, muffins, salad
prep: bake muffins, prep smoothies
notes:

Thursday 2
B – yogurt, granola bar | squash cherry smoothies, muffins
D – roast chicken legs, roasted cauliflower, seasoned rice
prep: soak flour for pancakes, soak teff, freeze cherries
notes: clean

Friday 3
B – cereal, fruit | teff porridge, fruit | avocado, chicken, rice
D – pancakes w/ cherry topping, sausage, beans, spinach
prep: bake cherry cobbler, make cherry jam
notes:

Saturday 4
B – pancakes, sausage, fruit
D – grilled steak, grilled zucchini, salad, rolls w/ peach and cherry jam
prep: bake rolls
notes:

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana, strawberry (pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on having fun and eating well. All while trying to stay cool!

I really can’t believe this is the last week of June already. Why does summer always go so quickly? We’re trying to make the most of it with lots of nature walks, trips to the library and farmer’s market and of course ice cream.

Back to waiting.

One thing we are not doing this summer now is moving. We were very saddened and shocked last week when our house deal fell through. We’ve been waiting to close for TWO MONTHS now. But at the last minute the sellers backed out. Now we’re left with a basement full of packed boxes.

On the bright side the house has less clutter and we’ve been able to relax more.

We will wait on God’s perfect timing and just the right house. For now we’ll stay put because this is where He wants us. I’m not sure why, but I trust God has great plans.

In the kitchen.

I’m not doing too much extra work in the kitchen this week as we have a lot of errands to run. My projects include:

• render lard
• lunch meat
• pumpkin yogurt
• graham crackers

There are still a few days to get your copy of The Nourished Metabolism for 20% off using the code SUMMER20. One of the best books on health you’ll ever read.

On the menu.

Here is this week’s real food meal plan. Lots of easy, prep ahead meals. Then I have lots of time for summer fun with the kids.

What’s on your menu this week?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 3
B – cereal/granola, fruit | muffins, avocado, fruit
L – crockpot roast chicken, brussels sprouts, rice
D – grilled brats and hot dogs, grilled asparagus, chips
prep: prep smoothies, render lard, make lunch meat
notes: 

Monday 4
B – yogurt, granola bar | spinach blueberry smoothies
D – pumpkin sausage soup, crackers w/ cheese
prep: make pumpkin yogurt, soak oats, soak flour for graham crackers
notes:

Tuesday 1
B – oatmeal | pumpkin yogurt
D – pan fried cod, roasted purple cabbage, baked sweet potatoes
prep: prep smoothies, make graham crackers
notes:

Wednesday 2
B –  toast w/ sunbutter | squash cherry smoothies
D – chicken rice broccoli casserole, home canned peaches
prep:
notes:

Thursday 3
B – peach yogurt, granola | avocado, muffin, peaches, beef jerky
D – egg and sausage casserole, spinach, toast w/ strawberry jam
prep: prep smoothies
notes:

Friday 4
B – egg casserole | spinach blueberry smoothies
D – roast chicken, mashed potatoes, squash, salad
prep: 
notes:

Saturday 1
B – pancakes, bacon
D – crockpot pork chops, roasted zucchini, seasoned rice
prep: 
notes:

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana, strawberry (pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on packing, cleaning, having fun and not spending too much time in the kitchen!

Happy Father’s Day! I’m thankful for my wonderful husband, father and father-in-law. Such a blessing to be able to celebrate three God-fearing men.

We’re getting down to crunch time on packing and cleaning. I think we’ve got most of the major stuff done. But there is always more. Now we just need a closing date!! (don’t ask…we’re getting pretty annoyed by the whole thing).

Strawberries!!

Last week I let my youngest try strawberries for the first time. I had cut them out when she was very little because she reacted when I ate them. Amazingly she did just fine with them!! One more food to add to her rotation. I love it!

I also love that my husband picked 30 lbs. of fresh strawberries. Now we have a freezer full for the year ahead. I also made five jars of strawberry jam and a batch of strawberry fruit leather.

In the kitchen.

I’m going to do my best to keep us well fed and stay out of the kitchen this week. I really want to have as much time as possible to spend with my kids. I do have a few kitchen projects. They include: 

• chocolate banana ice cream
• pumpkin yogurt
• gluten free bread
• teff crackers
• gluten free muffins

Great stuff for you!

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On the menu.

Here is our real food meal plan for the week. I’m trying a couple new recipes (one my own creation, one not mine). I’m trying to get a little more variety in our diets. But it’s not easy with so many food restrictions.

What’s on your menu? Are you trying anything new this week?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day.

Sunday 4
B – scrambled eggs, toast w/ strawberry jam | banana, muffin, molasses tonic | crackers, sunbutter, blueberries
L – crockpot roast beef, roasted asparagus, spinach, seasoned rice
D – bbq beef on buns, salad w/ cucumbers, jello
prep: make pumpkin yogurt, freeze bananas
notes: 

Monday 1
B – yogurt, granola, strawberries | pumpkin yogurt w/ bananas and graham crackers
D – sloppy joes, squash, french fries
prep: roast squash, prep smoothies, make banana ice cream, soak oats, soak amaranth
notes:

Tuesday 2
B –  oatmeal| amaranth porridge, squash cherry smoothies
D – creamy broccoli chicken soup, crackers w/ cheese
prep: make squash cheese, soak flour for bread
notes:

Wednesday 3
B – cereal, fruit | leftover soup
D – crockpot ribs, roased zucchini, crockpot mashed potatoes
prep: bake bread, prep smoothies
notes:

Thursday 4
B – toast w/ sunbutter, fruit | spinach blueberry smoothies
D – crockpot hobo dinners, salad
prep:
notes:

Friday 1
B – yogurt, granola | pumpkin yogurt w/ graham crackers
D – stuffed cabbage “un-rolls” (tomato free adaptation)
prep: soak flour for crackers, soak flour for muffins
notes:

Saturday 2
B – fried egg, toast w/ strawberry jam | leftovers
D – grilled chicken burgers on lettuce leaves, roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts, chips
prep: bake teff crackers, bake muffins
notes:

Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana, strawberry (pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on kicking off summer break, having fun and getting the kids in the kitchen!

It’s finally here!! Summer break. We’ve all been waiting for it.

The kids are excited to start our “home school summer school” with a trip to the park to play and explore nature, a walk to the library to stock up on books (my oldest goes through about two 200 page chapter books a day!) and a walk to the farmer’s market for some fresh produce.

Soon we’ll have to do our annual strawberry picking. Then let the produce preservation begin!

We’ll start the Kids Cook Real Food course too. My goal is to have my oldest start helping with dinner most nights. It will be so fun!

What’s not so fun is two year molars. Just ask my toddler. I’m praying that the last one breaks through the gums today. Yesterday was pretty brutal with no nap, no nursing, very little eating and lots of screaming.

In the kitchen.

Last week I focused on house packing. Which means this week our cupboards are bare again. Time to do some baking! Here are my kitchen projects for the week:

• peach pie dessert (new recipe creation)
• teff crackers
• “Wheat Thin” crackers
• muffins
• breakfast cookies
• jello

Need some summer style?

Have you entered the prAna giveaway yet? I’d love to hear about your summer cravings!

Here is our real food meal plan for the week. My goal in the summer is to plan dinners that are prepared in advance so we have lots of time to play and explore. I also plan foods that my kids can help prepare.

What’s on your menu this week? Any grilling or exciting summer treats?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 1
B – strawberry yogurt, banana bread | pumpkin yogurt, blueberry muffins
L – crockpot meatloaf, baked potatoes, carrots
D – grilled steak, squash, lettuce salad, fruit salad
prep: grind flour, soak flour for teff crackers and sorghum crackers, prep smoothies
notes: 

Monday 2
B – cereal, fruit | squash cherry smoothies, banana bread
D – crockpot pork chops, roasted cauliflower, seasoned rice
prep: prep smoothies, bake teff crackers, bake sorghum crackers, soak flour for breakfast cookies
notes:

Tuesday 3
B – toast w/ sunbutter, fruit | muffins, gummies
D – crockpot roast chicken, roasted asparagus, roasted potato wedges
prep: bake breakfast cookies, prep smoothies
notes:

Wednesday 4
B – breakfast cookies, spinach blueberry smoothies
D – macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, salad
prep: soak flour for muffins
notes:

Thursday 1
B – yogurt, granola bar | pumpkin porridge
D – chicken vegetable soup, muffins
prep: bake muffins, soak flour for pancakes
notes:

Friday 2
B – cereal, fruit | muffins, fruit
D – pancakes, bacon, roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts
prep: 
notes:

Saturday 3
B – fried eggs, toast | pancakes, bacon
D – chicken, broccoli, rice bake, jello
prep: make jello
notes:

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on finishing the school year, packing and having some fun!

It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for.

The last week of school!! The end of activities! And Lord willing we will finally be closing on our new house by the end of this week or early next week.

Summer fun.

It will really feel like summer because our local farmer’s market opens this week. So we can take our weekly walks there to get fresh produce and stop in the library to stock up on new books for the week. Such fun.

I was busy, busy in the kitchen last week. Hopefully that means this week won’t be so busy. So far I only have a few kitchen projects. I just might even get to take a nice break today and get my Sunday rest. Here is what’s on the agenda.

• beef jerky
• gummies
• gf tortillas
• pumpkin yogurt

Last call for KCRF.

I’m super excited for school to be out so we can jump back into the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse! I really want to teach my kids to cook this summer to empower them to take control of their own health and food choices.

Tomorrow is the LAST day to register for the course. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to teach your kids a life skill and spend quality time together.

Be on the lookout for a fun post and giveaway on the blog this week!

On the menu.

Here is our real food meal plan for the week. I’m trying as always to keep it simple so I can spend lots of time with my kids and keep working on packing! What’s on your menu this week?

 

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 2
B – quiche, scones, fruit, yogurt | scones, fruit
L – crockpot beef roast, mashed potatoes, broccoli, applesauce
D – leftovers
prep: soak amaranth
notes: family over

Monday 3
B – yogurt, granola bar | amaranth porridge
D – cp ribs, roasted asparagus, rice
prep: prep smoothies, make beef jerky
notes: early dinner

Tuesday 4
B – toast w/ sunbutter, fruit | spinach blueberry smoothies
D –  pan fried cod, salad w/ cucumbers, french fries
prep: make pumpkin yogurt, make gummies
notes:

Wednesday 1
B – yogurt, granola | pumpkin yogurt
D – roasted chicken legs, roasted cabbage, baked potatoes
prep: make tortillas, prep smoothies
notes:

Thursday 2
B – cereal, fruit | squash cherry smoothies
D – tacos, broccoli, fruit
prep: boil eggs
notes: early dinner

Friday 3
B – hard boiled egg, toast |gummies, graham crackers w/ sunbutter
D – out to eat | zucchini noodles in pumpkin sauce, sausage
prep: soak teff, prep smoothies
notes: 

Saturday 4
B – fried eggs, toast | teff porridge, spinach blueberry smoothies
D – party
prep: 
notes:

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on the end of year activities, family visiting and more packing.

This is it. The final push before the end of the school year and end of activities. I’m trying to prepare myself mentally today for one last crazy week before we can relax a little. We have dance class, dance rehearsal and dance recital, piano, t-ball and family visiting. Plus orthodontist, grocery shopping and cleaning. Did I mention our cupboards are bare and I need to restock just about all of our homemade snacks, etc.?

It’s going to be one of “those” weeks.

In the kitchen.

So I have to be organized. Here is what I have planned for kitchen projects.

• gluten free bread (recipe coming soon)
• homemade lunch meat
• soaked teff crackers
• soaked graham crackers (2 batches)
• pumpkin yogurt
• muffins (2 batches)
• pie crust (for quiche)
• scones (3 batches)
• beef jerky
• rhubarb crisp (2 batches)

Cooking with kids.

One thing I’m looking forward to after all the busyness is over is having time to get my kids in the kitchen (this is NOT the week for that). We have been going through the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse (so fun!!), and my kids are anxious to practice more skills.

You can get in on this fun too!! Check out the free knife skills videos today. Then tomorrow the one week window for sign up begins. It is the perfect summer project. By fall your kids will be packing their own lunches and helping make dinner.

Holiday treats.

If you need a quick, allergen friendly treat for your holiday check out these simple fruit slushies!! My kids go crazy for them.

Here is our real food meal plan for the week. We need dinner early almost every single night. And I don’t have a lot of time for prep or clean up. So I did my best to keep things super simple. Then hosting on the weekend.

What’s on your menu this week?

 

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 3
B – cereal, fruit | muffin, sausage | toast w/ sunbutter | leftovers
L – crockpot roast chicken, rice, broccoli
D – sandwiches, grilled asparagus, spinach, blueberries
prep: bake bread, make lunch meat, grind flour, soak flour, prep smoothies
notes: 

Monday 4
B – yogurt, granola bar | blueberry spinach smoothies
D – grilled burgers, roasted potato wedges, roasted purple cabbage
prep: bake teff crackers, soaked graham crackers, make pumpkin yogurt
notes:

Tuesday 1
B – english muffin w/ sunbutter | pumpkin yogurt
D – squash and sausage soup, muffins
prep: bake muffins, roast squash
notes: ready any time

Wednesday 2
B – parfaits | leftovers
D – sloppy joes, brussels sprouts, pearsauce
prep: make pie crust, make scones, make beef jerky
notes: early dinner

Thursday 3
B – cereal, fruit | fruit, molasses tonic
D – pork meatballs, roasted zucchini, quinoa or noodles
prep: soak teff
notes: early dinner

Friday 4
B – yogurt, granola bar | teff porridge
D – sunbutter sandwiches, cucumbers w/ dip, chips/crackers
prep: clean, chop veggies
notes: early/easy clean up dinner

Saturday 1
B – fried eggs, toast | pumpkin yogurt
L – ham and cheese quiche, bacon, roasted cauliflower, scones, fresh fruit
D – chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad, lettuce salad, veggies w/ dip, jello, chips
prep: make jello, make rhubarb crisp
notes: prep ahead dinner/family over

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, orange, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on end-of-year activities, enjoying the nice weather and making more dietary adjustments.

Two activities done for the year. Only about five more to go. I really love this time of year. When we go from busy, busy to lots of down time. The kids really enjoy it too.

We’re already anxious for trips to the park, library and farmer’s market. Lots of time outside and picnics on the deck. And packing, of course. That is a full time job right now…that I’ve hardly made a dent in. I just keep picking away at it.

We do have one exciting event that is (hopefully!!!) coming up this week…closing on our new house! Once we get through that this whole moving thing might actually feel real.

More allergies.

I think we made a big discovery for my son last week. I’m pretty sure he is allergic to latex. I’ve been suspicious for over six months now. But daily reactions when we had balloons in the house confirmed it for me.

Since then I’ve been doing lots of research (and feeling very overwhelmed!!) to figure out next steps to keep him safe. I still have to talk to the allergist as well. I’m trying to start simple with removing a food more cross-reactive foods (tomatoes, melons) and buy some latex free underwear. Lord willing that will help stop his constant itching.

As if we needed a new challenge when it comes to what we eat. Maybe I should create a meal planning service for people with allergies. I’m quite skilled at it. Any takers?

As always I’ll be busy in the kitchen keeping up with my kids’ ever-increasing (yay!!) appetites. Here are my projects for the week:

• Miracle Whip
• tartar sauce
• grind flour
• amaranth bars
• muffins

And of course cleaning/packing every chance I get.

Kids in the kitchen.

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse is opening again!! My kids and I started it back in January. It is so cool! They have learned so much and are so excited to help me in the kitchen whenever possible.

Check out these FREE knife skills videos to get a glimpse of what the course is like.

Stay tuned as I have a couple new blog posts coming this week. And don’t forget to read last week’s post about getting kids on board with a rotation diet so you can get your FREE download.

Now on to this week’s real food meal plan (with even more limitations). I’m still committed to serving my family real, nutrient dense food. No matter what allergies we have to deal with.

What is on your menu this week?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Sunday 4
B – yogurt, granola bar | spinach blueberry smoothie
L – cp pork chops, spinach, beans, quinoa
D – baked cod, chips, salad
prep: make mayo/tartar sauce, grind flour, boil eggs
notes: 

Monday 1
B – hard boiled egg, toast | pumpkin yogurt, fruit
D – honey herb chicken, roasted purple cabbage, baked potatoes
prep: soak oats, prep smoothies, soak amaranth
notes:

Tuesday 2
B – oatmeal | squash cherry smoothie
D – cp hobo dinners, applesauce
prep: soak quinoa, make bars
notes: ready any time

Wednesday 3
B – hard boiled egg, toast | clementine, amaranth bar | leftovers
D – zucchini noodles w/ pumpkin sauce, quinoa salad
prep: make quinoa salad, soak flour for muffins, soak teff for porridge, prep smoothie
notes: early dinner

Thursday 4
B – cereal, fruit | teff porridge | spinach blueberry smoothie
D – pumpkin sausage soup, muffins
prep: bake muffins, soak flour for pancakes, soak millet
notes: early dinner

Friday 1
B – yogurt, granola, fruit | millet porridge | leftover soup
D – pancakes, bacon, squash, peas, fresh fruit
prep: 
notes:

Saturday 2
B – pancakes, bacon
D – grilled hot dogs & brats, roasted cauliflower & brussels sprouts, chips
prep: 
notes: kids help prep dinner

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, orange, amaranth, raspberry
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda focus on playing catch up and starting to pack the house!

Birthday season is officially over! We had a super fun party for my son yesterday with family. There was a crazy amount of baking, cleaning and overall preparation that went into it. I’m ready to have a little down time.

I told my son I was going to take today as my make-up Mother’s Day since last Sunday I was in the kitchen all day baking. He said I should take a nap at the same time as he does (and his little sister) and nap for the rest of the day. That sounds like an excellent plan.

We will see. I do have a deadline looming for a recipe that I have yet to start. At least today should be MUCH more relaxing than every day of last week.

Now that I’m done with baking mania and activities it’s time to start focusing on packing the house! It will be a while before we move, but we are starting to pack the non-essentials.

In the kitchen.

My kitchen projects this week are mostly just the day-to-day meal preparations. The list includes:

• strawberry lemonade (new recipe)
• muffins
• pumpkin yogurt
• bagels or bagels

Our rhubarb and asparagus are really growing! I should try to think up some ways to use the rhubarb this week. I have cherries on hand. Maybe I’ll whip up a batch of cherry rhubarb jello!

Most of the meals this week are pretty simple. I’m still enjoying lots of party leftovers tonight so I don’t have to do much cooking.

After a chaotic week I am ready to get us back fully on track with our rotation diet. We slacked a little with a busy week and a bare fridge. Tomorrow I’m sharing some tips on how to get your kids on board with a rotation diet. You don’t want to miss it!

Here is this week’s real food meal plan. What’s on your menu this week?

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. 

Sunday 1
B – banana bread, fruit | misc. leftovers
L – crockpot pork ribs, carrots, mashed potatoes
D – party leftovers
prep: make strawberry lemonade, prep smoothies
notes: 

Monday 2
B – cereal, fruit | squash cherry smoothies
D – taco bowls/taco salads, broccoli
prep: soak flour for muffins
notes:

Tuesday 3
B – banana bread, fruit | muffins, grapes
D – split pea soup, muffins
prep: bake muffins, prep smoothies
notes: ready any time

Wednesday 4
B – english muffin w/ sunbutter, fruit | blueberry spinach smoothies, muffins
D – spaghetti w/ meatballs, salad w/ cucumber
prep: make pumpkin yogurt
notes:

Thursday 1
B – yogurt, granola | pumpkin yogurt, fruit
D – crockpot roast chicken, squash, baked potato wedges
prep: soak flour, prep smoothies
notes: early dinner

Friday 2
B – cereal, fruit | squash cherry smoothies | leftovers
D – sausage, roasted cauliflower, bagels or bagels
prep: make bagels or bagels
notes: bring preschool snack

Saturday 3
B – leftovers
D – pan seared cod, roasted asparagus, french fries
prep: 
notes: kids help prep dinner

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, watermelon, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, tomato, orange, amaranth, raspberry (avocado)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

This week’s real food meal plan and agenda is all about birthday party preparations. Time to start baking!

I’m not sure how it’s possible, but my sweet “baby” boy turns five tomorrow! It seems like he was just born. He sure brings a lot of energy and excitement to our family. We are all looking forward to celebrating this week with a family birthday party.

I can’t forget to mention Happy Mother’s Day to my own mother and all of the wonderful moms in my life. Keep up the good work!

In the kitchen.

An allergy free birthday party means lots of prep work, on top of an already busy week (we only have one morning at home all week!). So pardon me if I seem a bit frazzled this week. It’s because I am.

I better keep this short and sweet. No time to waste. Here is my long list of kitchen projects for this week:

• gluten free cake (experimenting)
• wheat cake
• gluten free cereal
• frosting
• gluten free bread
• gluten free muffins
• gummies
• gluten free crackers
• hummus
• veggie dip
• salad dressing
• coconut milk ice cream
• granola
• pumpkin yogurt
• lemonade

On the blog.

This week is Allergy Awareness Week. I’ve got a super delicious recipe coming tomorrow to help celebrate!

In case you haven’t heard of it I want to mention the #mykidmadethis challenge from Kitchen Stewardship. Lots of fun prized just for getting your kids in the kitchen. Sounds good to me!

On the menu.

Here is this week’s real food meal plan. I had to go the ultra super easy route with meals so I can get everything else done. Lots of crockpot meals.

How about you? What are you eating this week? Make it fun and nutritious!

ROTATION: Each day starts with dinner and goes through lunch the next day. Foods in () are things yet to be tried.

Day 1: squash, cabbage, banana (strawberry, pineapple)
Day 1: squash, cabbage, carrot, tapioca, strawberry (cassava)
Day 2: corn, grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado (amaranth, tomato, orange, watermelon, raspberry)
Day 2: grapes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, tomato, orange, amaranth, raspberry (avocado)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter (kiwi, quinoa)
Day 3: teff, eggplant, zucchini, blueberries, asparagus, spinach, sunbutter, sorghum, quinoa
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, split peas, rice (millet, egg, dairy)
Day 4: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, cherries, olives, peppers, onion, coconut, millet (egg)

Sunday 2
B – yogurt, granola bar | cm yogurt, bread w/ coconut oil | pumpkin, pork
L – cp pork chops, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower
D – bacon wrapped dates, crackers w/ cheese, broccoli, oranges, salad
prep: make gummies, bake cakes, boil eggs, make granola
notes: Mother’s Day

Monday 3
B – hard boiled egg, toast | bacon wrapped dates, oranges | cauliflower, pork
D – ham noodle bake, peas | spinach, ham
prep: bake cereal, soak flour for crackers, prep smoothies
notes: bring preschool snack, early dinner

Tuesday 4
B – toast w/ sunbutter | blueberry spinach smoothies
D – split pea soup, crackers w/ cheese, muffins
prep: bake crackers, make pumpkin yogurt, bake muffins
notes: ready any time

Wednesday 1
B – yogurt, granola | pumpkin yogurt
D – cp 7 layer dinner, applesauce
prep: bake bread, prep smoothies
notes: bring preschool snack

Thursday 2
B – hard boiled egg, toast | squash cherry smoothies
D – cp meatballs, rice, roasted cauliflower
prep: make cm ice cream
notes: early dinner

Friday 3
B – english muffin w/ sunbutter, fruit | leftovers
D – pizza, roasted zucchini
prep: clean, make frosting, decorate cakes, make hummus, make salad dressing, chop veggies and fruit, make lemonade
notes: bring preschool snack

Saturday 4
B – cereal, fruit
L (party) – grilled hot dogs and brats, roasted cauliflower, veggies + dip, fresh fruit, chips + salsa, baked beans, lettuce salad, crackers, cake, ice cream
D – leftovers
prep: make veggie dip, roast veggies, make frozen lemonade
notes: birthday party