2-Week Menu Plan

I am putting together our family's menu for the next few weeks and thought I would post it here for my own reference and in case anyone else wanted some meal ideas.  Some of these recipes are mine and many of them came from other healthy blogs. I have made all of them and they have turned out great!  I have included the links to them if I got it elsewhere. To print your own weekly planner, see here.

WEEK ONE

• Monday: Greek Yogurt Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Oven-baked Green Beans

Notes: For the roasted potatoes, I just chop potatoes and combine them with a little olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and paprika.  I put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and lightly sprayed and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

• Tuesday: Homemade Meatballs over Zucchini Pasta, Fresh Fruit

Notes: I used a spiralizer to make the zucchini pasta.  After I spiralize it, I put it in a skillet over high heat with some oil and salt and whatever spices I have on hand.  I let it cook for about 5 minutes and then serve the meatballs over it.  I love my spiralizer!  See it here.

• Wednesday: Cauliflower Stir Fry, Apple Muffins (gluten, grain and dairy free)

Notes: For the apple muffins, instead of grating my apples, I just diced them.  I also added 1/4 cup of raisins.

• Thursday: Stuffed Peppers, Cooked Apples

Notes: I have several substitutions/additions for this recipe. I use 3 sweet potatoes, but I bake them instead of boiling them.  I also add 3 cooked chicken breasts to this.  I use a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh ones. I also add sauted fresh spinach to this as well.  You can't even taste it and it's a great way to get in some extra veggies.  I use 6 peppers for this recipe.

• Friday: Crockpot Vegetable Soup, Grain Free Dinner Rolls

Notes: I actually have not made these rolls yet, but everything I have made from this site is delicious, so I can't wait to try these!

WEEK TWO

• Monday: Feta Cheese Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Salad with strawberries and blueberries

Notes: I make a homemade salad dressing that consists of 2 oz. balsalmic vinegar, 6 oz. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. Honey

• Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies

• Wednesday: Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats, Fresh Fruit

• Thursday: Tomato and Feta Cheese Chicken Bake, Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole, Peas

Notes: I used a gf flour for the heatlhy sweet potato casserole, or you can just leave it out altogether.  

• Friday: Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Notes: I added 1 Tbsp of Almond Flour to the pizza crust to make it hold together a little better. I like to top my "pizza" with lots of veggies and some fruit: spinach, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, pineapple, etc.

SWEET TREATS:

Grain Free Cobbler (made with Coconut Flour)
Notes: This cobbler is so good!  I used 2 1/2 cups of frozen berries (raspberry, strawberry and blueberry blend with two chopped apples). It did take a lot longer for mine to cook- about 55 mintues instead of the 35 minutes that the recipe says.  This makes a great breakfast for the kids too!

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Grain-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge (made with coconut oil)

My Weekly Planner

See link to PDF download at bottom of page

It's so much easier for me to be productive when I have something written down each week.  And, it's so much easier to write something down when it's on cute paper!

I plan to use my weekly planner by putting it on a clipboard and hanging the clipboard on the wall where I can easily see it, make changes to it, etc.

Feel free to use my weekly planners for yourself too.  I made a Christmas one and a regular one. Hope it helps keep your week more organized!

For my weekly planner, I have included the following:

• Weekly Menu: It's so much easier to cook at home when I have already planned out our menu for the week!
• Memory Verse: I think it gets even harder to memorize with age, but I know it's so important to commit to memorizing more and more Bible verses.  
• Goals: I have this broken down into 4 sections:

1. Health: What goal do I have this week that can make me healthier (ex.Cut out sugar this week)?
2. Relationships: What is one relationship I want to strengthen this week?  This doesn't necessarily have to be an estranged relationship, but just a reminder to reach out to others.  Maybe you can reach out to a new co-worker or neighbor, etc.
3. New Habits: What new habit do I want to incorporate into my life?  This is just a great reminder to keep working on things.  An example might be to intentionally read a book to the kids for 30 minutes, etc.
4. Other: Any other goal you want to work on/accomplish (ex. pick out a paint color for the bathroom)

• Housework: Each day, list a household chore you want to accomplish.  Monday might be laundry and bathrooms, etc. 

• To Do: Write down daily schedules such as soccer practice, lunch appointments, etc.

• I am thankful for:This is just a reminder to be thankful.  It's hard to complain when you are cultivating a thankful heart.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Download the Weekly Planner here.

Download the Weekly Christmas Planner here.

Stuck in a Rut (See Free Chart Download)

Motherhood is wonderful in many ways, and I am so thankful that I get to spend much of my time with my children at home.  But, sometimes I feel like I do the same things every day…

Cook breakfast – get kids dressed – do the dishes – get lunch ready – fold the laundry -Get kids down for nap – wash some clothes – get dinner started – read books to the kids – eat dinner – do the dishes – get kids ready for bed

It feels like that’s all I do sometimes!  When we begin to feel overwhelmed by the mundane, it makes the time we have with our children seem not so special.  I don’t want to wish the time I do have with my children away because I am tired of doing the same things all the time. 

How do we overcome this attitude so we don’t miss out on the priceless treasure of having young children? 

I think we have to be more purposeful with our time.  We need to make a plan each week and each day so that we have a purpose.  If we don’t do this, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, where we feel like we have to do the same things everyday.  We lose our creativity and our joy.  Instead of teaching our children how to make the most of each day God has given us, we allow our circumstances to put a cloud over our day. It’s time to remind ourselves that we need to make the most of our time and use each day as an opportunity for growth – for ourselves and our children!

James- A Study Guide

Each week, I lead a home team at my house.  It is comprised of about 15 ladies, and I have really enjoyed getting to know all of them.  For the past five weeks, we have been studying the book of James.  I put together a little booklet of all of the lessons we have done each week, and I hope that they will be helpful to you as well.  

This study guide is here to help challenge you in your walk with the Lord as you read the book of James.  In this study guide, you will be asked to:

• Read your Bible each day 
• Memorize a verse each week 
• Record what God is teaching you 
• Answer questions that will help you better apply the Bible to your life

Download a copy of the study guide here.