This meal plan consists of just the Turner favorites! I eat the same thing every restaurant I go to. For the most part, I am pretty predictable. However, when it comes to my kitchen, my family would say I rarely make the same thing twice. I love experimenting and trying new things. I rarely follow a recipe, but instead use it as a guide. At the request of my husband years ago, I started compiling a list of meals we think are exceptional. This meal plan and the next one will consist of just tried and true favorites.
On a side note, we recently implemented family meetings. We hold these meetings on Sunday evenings most weeks. In this time, we eat a special treat. We work hard to create an atmosphere that our kids enjoy. In this time, we ask the kiddos their view of how the family is doing. Our job is just to listen. We model how to be respectful and we listen and learn. During these meetings we also talk about how we fail. They already know it, but it is important our kids know we are far from perfect- that we struggle just like they do. Our kids also talk about how they blew it. We talk about our need for Jesus. Our goal here is to set up an environment where our kids feel safe coming to us with anything: curiosities, struggles, mess ups, hurts, blessings, etc. We see these meetings as an opportunity to help lay the ground work to, Lord willing, walk them through any and everything. We also use this meeting to see if our kiddos are tracking and understanding what we are doing with them parenting wise. We ask them how they are doing and how others they bump shoulders with are doing. We talk about issues, chores, fun ideas, and we pray. Lastly, we ask them to help with the menu. They think it is awesome to be asked what foods we should eat. They truly get so excited. Each child gets to suggest a meal or part of a meal. After talking about all our favorite meals, I decided I needed to do a couple of meal plans devoted to only tried and true favorites. Thus, this meal plan is devoted to just favorites!
We tend to do things in threes or sevens mostly. Here is our reasoning: http://onesimplefamily.blogspot.com/2016/01/turner-philosophy-on-food-and-meal.html
On a side note, we recently implemented family meetings. We hold these meetings on Sunday evenings most weeks. In this time, we eat a special treat. We work hard to create an atmosphere that our kids enjoy. In this time, we ask the kiddos their view of how the family is doing. Our job is just to listen. We model how to be respectful and we listen and learn. During these meetings we also talk about how we fail. They already know it, but it is important our kids know we are far from perfect- that we struggle just like they do. Our kids also talk about how they blew it. We talk about our need for Jesus. Our goal here is to set up an environment where our kids feel safe coming to us with anything: curiosities, struggles, mess ups, hurts, blessings, etc. We see these meetings as an opportunity to help lay the ground work to, Lord willing, walk them through any and everything. We also use this meeting to see if our kiddos are tracking and understanding what we are doing with them parenting wise. We ask them how they are doing and how others they bump shoulders with are doing. We talk about issues, chores, fun ideas, and we pray. Lastly, we ask them to help with the menu. They think it is awesome to be asked what foods we should eat. They truly get so excited. Each child gets to suggest a meal or part of a meal. After talking about all our favorite meals, I decided I needed to do a couple of meal plans devoted to only tried and true favorites. Thus, this meal plan is devoted to just favorites!
We tend to do things in threes or sevens mostly. Here is our reasoning: http://onesimplefamily.blogspot.com/2016/01/turner-philosophy-on-food-and-meal.html
Breakfasts
Smoothies are such a great way to pack nutrition into yummy goodness.
CT Smoothie- every day
2 banannas
2 tbsp Very Green Trador Joes
2 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk Unsweetened
1 cup Simply Orange juice
1 cup frozen fruit
4 tsp fresh ginger root
5 tbsp anutra grain
Handful of spinach
Some ice cubs
*serves our whole family
Greek Yogurt Oatmeal Pancakes (3 breakfasts first week/ 3 breakfasts second week)
We discovered these about a year ago and since then have them 3x a week. They are AMAZING and FILLING. To feed our family, I have to double them! I make 3 batches(doubling each....so really 6 batches I guess) of dry ingredients and of wet ingredients and then the work is done for the week. When we want to eat them, all I have to do is mix a set of dry and wet put them on the griddle. If you want them to taste like cookies, use normal Greek yogurt. We use plain Greek yogurt mostly, but they are still amazing!
(3 breakfasts first week/ 3 breakfasts second week)
Ingredients: 2 c oats
1 c walnuts, crumbled
1/3 c maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c milk (I use coconut milk)
1 egg
3 TBSP butter, softened (or melted and cooled)
2 tsp. vanilla
berries to your heart's content! (I used about 2 cups total of blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
To do:
Combine all of the above ingredients into a buttered 9x9 pan, and bake away!
Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.
If you need to add moisture back in, you can add a little bit of milk or whipping cream to the top once you are done baking; however, I normally just shorten the baking time to ensure moistness. Delicious!1 c walnuts, crumbled
1/3 c maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c milk (I use coconut milk)
1 egg
3 TBSP butter, softened (or melted and cooled)
2 tsp. vanilla
berries to your heart's content! (I used about 2 cups total of blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
To do:
Combine all of the above ingredients into a buttered 9x9 pan, and bake away!
Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.
I prep three pans with all ingredients and put in the oven the morning of.
Crustless quiche by Catherine Elder (3 breakfasts first week/ 3 breakfasts second week)
5 large eggs
a few cups of spinach or kale through the food processor,
chopped onion and garlic...whatever veggies you feel like. I put them in raw....
½ cup coconut milk or other milk;
½ tsp baking powder;
Sea salt and pepper to taste
a few cups of spinach or kale through the food processor,
chopped onion and garlic...whatever veggies you feel like. I put them in raw....
½ cup coconut milk or other milk;
½ tsp baking powder;
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. coconut oil
I triple this and we eat this three days in a row.....I whisk the liquid and toppings together and place in 3 separate containers until ready to bake. The morning of I pull out one mixture and put it in a 9 inch round dish, top with mozzarella cheese, and put in the oven! 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
Lunches
Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa (1st week lunches)
I use two huge pots and triple this recipe. Each day we eat it, I put a little on the stove and warm until ready.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili (2nd week lunches)
Mercola website
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 whole green chili peppers, chopped (I omit)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons natural salt
- ½ teaspoon coriander (I omit when I don't have on hand)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf (I omit when don't have on hand)
- 4 cups bone broth or chicken stock
- 1.5 cups cooked cannellini or navy beans (I cook my own....just soak over night, rinse, bring to a boil in fresh water and simmer until they are soft, which takes anywhere from 2-4 hours...make sure beans are covered in water).
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
- To serve: shredded raw Monterey Jack cheese, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, raw sour cream, and hot sauce (I omit be/ we don't do spicy)
Method:
- Combine the chicken, onions, celery, garlic, cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf in a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Stir to make sure the spices coat everything, and nestle the chicken into the vegetables. Pour the chicken stock over top, covering the chicken and vegetables by an inch or so.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. (It's fine to cook for 8 hours on low, if needed, but the chicken tends to fall apart a bit more when you shred after cooking, rather than staying in pieces.)
- About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the lid of the slow cooker and add the beans and corn. Taste and add another ½ teaspoon of salt or other seasonings as desired. Add the lid back on and cook for the remaining time.
- Lift the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it into large, bite-sized pieces with two forks. Stir the chicken back into the chili and remove the bay leaf.
- Serve with shredded cheese, wedges of lime, chopped cilantro, and sour cream.
What I actually do: I normally cook lots of chickens at a time in various crock pots. From these chickens, I make homemade stock and have on hand. Thus, I normally cook mine on the stove in big pots. I start with the stock and add all the other ingredients and cook until veggies are soft. Lastly, I add my cooked shredded chicken. I use two huge pots and triple this recipe. Each day we eat it, I put a little on the stove and warm until ready.
Dinners
Homemade chicken noodle soup (3 meals)
My sister got me hooked on this meal years ago. It truly is like no other chicken noodle soup. It is nourishing and delicious! I triple this and warm as needed each night on the stove. I omit the chicken bouillon cubes. And I add 2 cups heavy whipping cream instead of 1/2 cup.
Stir Fry in a wrap or on a bed of rice (3 meals)
1 lb round steak or deer meat
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2tbsp sugar
4 tbsp. coconut oil
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
bell peppers
Mix soy sauce, sugar, oil, garlic, and onions in a large bowl and set aside.
Cut steak or venison into strips and add to bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours. Cook in wok or frying pan until done.
Mix soy sauce, sugar, oil, garlic, and onions in a large bowl and set aside.
Cut steak or venison into strips and add to bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours. Cook in wok or frying pan until done.
Note: Many a time, I will buy the meat, chop it up, and marinate while in freezer, so when I pull it out, all I have to do is put it in the wok.
I serve in a wrap with guacamole and cheese.
I serve in a wrap with guacamole and cheese.
I prep three meals completely and cook fresh the night of.
Lentil burritos (3 dinners)
I cook the lentils separately. While they are simmering I sautée zucchini, peppers, onions and garlic. Season all with cumin, salt, & pepper. I add cilantro too when on hand. I mix the lentils and veggies all together. Serve on tortillas with sour cream, homemade salsa, homemade guacamole and cheese. They are so yummy that I fooled a high school student who is allergic to healthy!
Salsa
2 tomatoes or more to taste, 1 can mild rotel- drained, large 32 oz can crushed tomatoes, 6 stalks green onions, 1/2 onion or 1 onion depending on how spicy you like it, lime juice or juice of one lime, 1 bunch cilantro, and salt.
Put all ingredients in food processor.
Delicious!
*I cook the whole thing meaning the lentils and veggies at one time, and then each night I pull out what I need, place in a tortilla with cheese and fry in a pan so the lentils and cheese melt together. I then top with other toppings.
Chicken and Guacamole (3 dinners)
2 cups cooked chicken (make ahead is easiest)
1/4 cup green onions
1/4 cup cilantro ...
1 cup black beans
3/4 cup corn
1/2 ts cumin
1/2 ts salt
brown rice to serve 6 (cooked)
2 cups cooked chicken (make ahead is easiest)
1/4 cup green onions
1/4 cup cilantro ...
1 cup black beans
3/4 cup corn
1/2 ts cumin
1/2 ts salt
brown rice to serve 6 (cooked)
sauce: 2 tbsp. olive oil, juice of two limes, 1/2 ts. cumin, 4 TBSP honey (mix all ingredients together)
Mix chicken, green onions, cilantro, beans, corn, cumin, and salt together and then mix with sauce. Serve over rice.
Top with homemade guacamole. Delicious!
recipe from: Jennifer Brooks
Mix chicken, green onions, cilantro, beans, corn, cumin, and salt together and then mix with sauce. Serve over rice.
Top with homemade guacamole. Delicious!
recipe from: Jennifer Brooks
I make the whole thing at once with the exception of the guacamole and pull out what I need each night. It is yummy cold or hot.
Tomato Basil Soup and macaroni (3 dinners)
Tomato Basil Soup and macaroni (3 dinners)
The author of this food blog is a dear friend of mine and I utilize her blog often!
*I do everything here except instead of using water and bullion cubes, I use homemade chicken stock and add fresh tomatoes to the recipe.
Best and easiest macaroni ever: *I do everything here except instead of using water and bullion cubes, I use homemade chicken stock and add fresh tomatoes to the recipe.
16 oz cheese- cheddar or a mix of cheeses
1 can evaporated milk or make your own which tastes even better. To produce 1 cup of evaporated milk, simmer 2 1/4 cups of whole milk down until it becomes 1 cup.
16 oz noodles
Directions: Greese pan with coconut oil. layer noodles and cheese...I like to do multiple layers, salt a little if desired, top with evaporated milk and a few pats of butter...bake in oven on 375 for 30-45 minutes. If noodles start to brown, but evaporated milk is still not soaked into noodles, cover with foil and continue cooking.
Pizza Night (1 night each week) *add in basil, oregano, Italian seasoning to dough
top dough with sauce, mozzarella cheese, and toppings http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pizza-dough-recipe.html
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