Healthy and Easy Menu Plan and Goals

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We are going from a weekend of weather right at 70 degrees to it dropping to the low 40s for a high tomorrow! The leaves are just beginning to change colors and it’s the perfect time for all things pumpkin!

Healthy and Easy menu plan for our family of 4 - including 2 young kids!

Little brother wants to do whatever sister does. They enjoyed one last trip to the part before the cold comes.

Shaun had to work Saturday and I took the kids to the Veteran’s Day Parade. My little guy was in awe of the planes flying overhead. Every time they flew over he’d look up, point, and say “wow”. My daughter was most interested in the candy that was thrown. That evening I hung out with some friends and tackled products for the craft show coming up.

Healthy and Easy menu plan for our family of 4 - including 2 young kids!

This is the second time I’ve made a pumpkin smoothie. Neither have been hits, so I think I’m done attempting. I’ll enjoy my pumpkin in other forms. 🙂 The kids aren’t fans either.Easy and healthy menu plan for our family of 4 - incuding 2 young kids!

Topped with freshly grated nutmeg. Mmmmm. So good.

Breakfasts:

  • Pumpkin Smoothie
  • Leftover Swedish Pancakes
  • Eggs and Hash browns

Lunches:

  • Swedish Pancakes
  • Alfredo (this is what I’ve been wanting to eat since we finished up our Whole30)
  • Salads for Shaun and myself and leftovers, bean tostadas, or sweet potatoes for the kids.

Suppers:

  • Veggie Corn Chowder from the (affiliate link) 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook
  • Quesadillas
  • Bible Study (bring a pumpkin dessert of some kind)
  • Bean Tostadas
  • Homemade ham and cheese pockets – Shaun’s going to be gone.
  • Leftovers
  • Mexican Soup

Goals:

  • Continue with craft show stuff! I got more of my earring and ponytail holder stuff knocked out this week and really need to get to work on posters and signs this week. There’s about 10 days left to get it all done.
  • Exercise: Walk and 20 minute pilates workouts.
  • Blog: write two more posts and work on subscriber freebie.
  • Clear off dining room table and kitchen counters.
  • Do Bible study and work on scripture memory each day.
  • Work on gift list.

Linking up to Menu Plan Monday

Oat Flour Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries and Chocolate Chips

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Delicious and healthy oat flour pumpkin muffins with cranberries and chocolate chips! So good and wheat free and refined sugar free. Great way to start your morning.

I love all things pumpkin. Well, except for pumpkin pie. But everything else, bring it on!

I have a Pinterest board all things pumpkin that I occasionally like to drool over. There are even some healthy recipes on it. For the most part, though, when pumpkin recipes come along they are loaded with sugar and not exactly health food. Those are good for desserts or a special occasion breakfast, but day to day, I hate to admit it, they probably shouldn’t be a part of my diet. (So sad.)

In an effort to get pumpkin into my day (and have a make ahead meal for breakfast) I put together these yummy oat flour pumpkin muffins with cranberries and chocolate chips.

That’s right, there’s no wheat in them at all and they have unrefined sweeteners (and not too much of it). I suppose, if you really wanted to, you could leave out the chocolate chips (or cranberries if you are my daughter. She thinks she doesn’t like them. Good thing my boy will eat them for her.) and they’ll be even healthier. Do so at your own risk. The chocolate is a yummy addition.

These can be made gluten and dairy free is you use appropriate milk, chocolate chips, and oats!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
 
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • ⅓ cup milk (or dairy free milk)
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup cranberries, cut in half
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for a dark coated pan)
  2. Combine oat flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices in a small bowls
  3. In another bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, oil, honey, coconut sugar, and milk. Mix well until smooth.
  4. Gently stir oat mixture into the wet ingredients.
  5. Fold in chocolate chips and cranberries.
  6. Put batter into 12 greased muffin tins.
  7. Bake for 18 minutes.
Notes
- I make my own oat flour using old fashioned rolled oats and blend them in the blender until a powder.
- If you omit the chocolate chips, increase sweeteners.
- I cut the amount of both sweeteners in half when making for our family!
- Can use 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices.

 

Delicious and healthy oat flour pumpkin muffins with cranberries and chocolate chips! So good and wheat free and refined sugar free. Great way to start your morning.
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Whole30 Soup Recipes

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I love soups. They are easy and reheat great (in fact, a lot of times the leftovers are even better). Soups were one of my staples when we tackled our first Whole30. Especially for those crazy weeks. I know I can get a couple of suppers and even a lunch or two out of one pot.

Yum! Great list of soups that are ALL Whole30 approved. Need to check this out for my menu plan this week!

I tend to make soups without using a recipe, but I did some digging around on the internet and found a bunch of recipes that are Whole30 approved and look tasty and fairly simple.

Whether you are in the middle of a Whole30, trying to eat real food, or just trying to feed your family you’ll find recipes in this list of Whole30 soup recipes that will make the tummies in your house happy (especially as this cooler fall weather is arriving).

For more Whole30 meal suggestions, be sure to check out my list of 20 Whole30 Breakfast Ideas!

 

Whole30 Soup Recipes



What are your favorite soup recipes? Any that are Whole30 Approved? I still have some more posts coming up with Whole30 meal ideas and tips for if you ever decide to take on the challenge. Also don’t forget to check out the list of 20 yummy and healthy recipes ideas:

20 Whole30 breakfast ideas and recipes! Great resource for healthy breakfasts - the hardest for me to come up with recipes for. (My FAVORTIE breakfast casserole is on this list)

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Easy and Healthy Menu Plan and Goals

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I think it is safe to say that the lingering days of summer are gone and fall has arrived. We spent the early part of last week still seeing 70s and 80s but by the weekend the highs were in the 50s and 60s. Time to bring out the scarves, long sleeve shirts, blankets to snuggle on the couch with, and hot tea to drink!

Easy and Healthy Menu Plan for our family of 4 including 2 little kids!

Some yummy Pumpkin Ice Cream with Chewy Gingersnaps

For some reason this past week has been exhausting. The little guy had a few long nights, Shaun had to work Saturday, and all the regular things that happen on Sundays have me ready for a nap. 🙂 The next craft show is coming up in less than three weeks so I have to make time to start tackling those projects.

Easy and Healthy Menu Plan for our family of 4 including 2 little kids!

My little cat and alligator/dragon thing walking to church

The beginning of our menu is going to be all about using up what we have in the fridge as I still need to hit the grocery stores.

Easy and Healthy Menu Plan for our family of 4 including 2 little kids!

Black Bean Soup Topped with Salsa and Sour Cream (or yogurt if that’s what you have)

Suppers:

  • Chicken Chow Mein over brown rice x 2
  • Small Groups
  • Baked Chicken and roasted butternut squash x 2
  • Nachos
  • Homemade Pizza

Lunches:

  • Pumpkin Waffles
  • Leftovers Black Bean Soup
  • Salads and leftover soup for me and Shaun and leftovers, bean tostadas, or sweet potatoes for the kids.

Breakfasts:

Goals:

  • Craft show items and putting together signage for the booth – got some work done but need to do more.
  • Work on a subscriber freebie – yep, didn’t happen last week.
  • Write 2 more posts – got this done last week and hope to do it again!
  • Exercise – 20 minute pilates workouts and walking hopefully.
  • Review Bible verses and start a new one
  • Read a couple more chapters in (aff link) When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself

Linking up to Menu Plan Monday

 

Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash

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Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

Last month, during our Whole30 I cooked spaghetti squash for my first time. We’ve since made it on several different occasions with the recipes having varying levels of success.

Let me tell you, this recipe for Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash is my favorite! Black beans, cumin, paprika. So many tasty flavors combined together and when you add melted cheese it’s only going to get better. Even my 17 months old who never eats ate this up!

This dish can easily be vegetarian or have chicken added in (or add the meat to just half of it). Either way, it’s good! (My husband would tell you with meat is always better.)

You also have the option of using the spaghetti squash shell as your serving dish or putting it in a baking dish. One less dish to do is always nice. 🙂

Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

If you are like me and are looking for a good first recipe to introduce spaghetti squash to your family or if you are a spaghetti squash veteran and wanting to try something new, this recipe needs to be on your menu. Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash is going to be my new standby during squash season.

Download the free menu planning template and guide to make your life easier and save money!

4.8 from 5 reviews
Print
Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1½ cups black beans
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken - optional
  • 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Oil
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
  1. Carefully cut spaghetti squash in half. Scrape out the seeds and stringy insides. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on a pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle it. Turn squash over and use a fork to scrape across the squash short ways to make the spaghetti.
Everything Else
  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil or coconut oil.
  2. Add onions and jalapeno and saute a few minutes. Add garlic, bell pepper, salt, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Saute around 5 more minutes.
  3. Add corn and black beans (and chicken if using) and saute until heated through.
  4. Add spaghetti squash strands to skillet and carefully stir and toss everything together. Adjust salt and seasonings if needed.
  5. Transfer mixture into both halves of the squash or into an 8x11 glass baking dish.
  6. Sprinkle with cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Super yummy and easy Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash! My FAVORITE spaghetti squash recipe - must make while it's squash season. (Can be vegetarian too!!!)

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