If you have lots of plum tomatoes in your garden, or can find some well priced ones at your market, here’s an easy sauce recipe with tons of flavor. We have made it three times as our plum tomatoes ripened and it’s fairly quick. It tasted a little sweet our pizza and pasta dishes, even though there is no added sugar. Next year we are going to add in another plum tomato plant as they are so easy to process and the kids can easily help harvest them.
Sauce recipes that call for taking the skins off tomatoes before cooking always became such a hassle. In this recipe, the tomatoes are roasted slowly so the skins are much easier to peel off before processing. It’s not a lot of hands on time, you just need to give yourself about an hour and a half for cooking and prepping.
Cut plum tomatoes in half. Place tomatoes cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Add 1/4 cup chopped basil, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper to each tray. (Adjust to the number of trays you can make with your tomatoes.)
Drizzle olive oil or grapeseed oil over tomatoes.
Roast in oven for 30 minutes, then rotate if more than one tray is in the oven. Return to oven and cook for another 30 minutes.
Let cool slightly, then using tongs, peel off the skins.
Add tomatoes and herbs to a food processor and pulse a few times to desired consistency.
Label and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days, freeze, or can by cooking in a water bath for 40 minutes.
This week’s meal plan is a little different. I’ve partnered with The Fresh 20 on their fall campaign to #getfresh, empowering children to take charge of their health. Making the right food choices for your family, and especially children, is so beneficial to long-term health.
Here’s a little more info on the #getfresh campaign:
The Fresh 20 supports healthy eating habits as kids head back to school this year. They’re on a mission to find The Freshest Kids in America by asking kids the question, “How do you #getfresh?” Utilizing any social platform, parents can submit either a video or a photo of how their children #getfresh on health. The campaign offers children and their parents a unique opportunity to get creative with their fresh and healthy habits and to get kids involved in their own health decisions. Check out their site for #getfresh back to school ideas.
This week’s meal plan features some of the menu options from The Fresh 20’s meal planning service. I was given a complimentary membership so I could get a sense of the variety in their dinner plans each week. There is a classic menu, gluten-free and vegetarian options. Newly added menus are For One, Kosher and Dairy Free. (I remember nursing baby #2 and having to go Dairy Free…this menu would have been a lifesaver!) My favorite part of the menu plan is that there is usually one bigger meal made that is then re-made into a new dinner later that week. We usually just eat leftovers but I’m inspired to reuse my leftover and be a little more creative with them go forward.
Sunday~ Hubby’s BBQ Birthday bash (Hence the late post today!) We had amazing grass-fed rib eye steaks, local corn, potato salad, salad with roasted golden beets, apple pie with apples from Smolak Farms, and peanut butter brownies. I haven’t been so full in a long time!
Monday~ BBQ Chicken Thighs. New recipe I’m testing out from The Healthy Lunchbox ebook. I want to see if the kids like it for dinner before I send it along for lunch. Always a good idea to test out new foods at home before sending them along to school. There will be broccoli and some pasta on the side. I’ll be sharing more about the ebook in the coming weeks as it’s a great resource for any parent in charge of making lunches every day.
Tuesday~ Cumin Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Peach Chutney. (Fresh 20 menu item). These will be used again for a later meal. We will have salad on the side with our garden tomatoes that are ripening fast and furiously.
Wednesday~ Whole Chicken in slow cooker. I love one pot meals like this where I can throw in the potatoes and carrots too. The kids love egg noodles so I’ll serve the dinner over some yummy noodles.
Thursday~ Chopped Asian Slaw. (Fresh 20 menu) Uses the leftover pork tenderloin and a little of the peach chutney to create an entirely new meal. I’m already excited about having nearly all of dinner ready ahead of time. There are also tips in each week’s meal plan on what you can prep ahead of time. (cutting veggies, spice mixes, etc.)
Friday~ Pizza night with our homemade dough. I have found the dough a little stickier when making it on warmer days. I think I need to increase the amount of flour in it by a little.
If you want to learn more about The Fresh 20, you can learn more at their newly redesigned website. With a membership, you get 5 dinners planned out for you using only 20 ingredients. I think it’s a great option if you really want to start meal planning, but need a little structure to get going. There’s also a really cool Pin 2 Win event happening with the Fresh 20’s Pinterest board. Check out the details here.
Other big news on the cooking front this week here…we just signed up with 4 families for 1/2 a cow!! Can’t wait to see what we get.
What are you making this week?
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Sept-meal-plan-week-2.jpg13581106eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2013-09-09 08:33:342013-09-09 08:33:34Monday Meal Plan Sept 9 with The Fresh 20
Some of you know we are trying to incorporate more meatless meals into our weekly meal plan. Meatless Monday (or really any day) appeals to me for three big reasons:
It’s eco-friendly to eat less meat
It makes me use up some of our pantry staples
It’s frugal
Last week I decided to make Black Bean Tacos as our Meatless Monday meal. I figured my husband would be happy with something made with lots of flavor, but without the meat. Turns out the black bean tacos were pretty successful all around. The kids ate theirs entirely, the toppings made dinner fun and interactive, plus I got to clear through a jar of my dried black beans. (I made mine in the pressure cooker.)
The failure part is minor, yet significant. I am still nursing and it turns out my little guy really doesn’t want me to eat any bean dishes ….any.bean.dish. I felt so bad for my little Connor, and so bummed that I won’t be making this meal again for a while. Thought I would share it here and relive its glory until it comes back into the rotation next year.
How is it nearly the middle of August? I’m not quite ready for back to school fever and just want to enjoy my summer meal planning with easy dinners and ice cream for dessert. The week started off right with an impromptu BBQ with our neighbors. In addition to an heirloom tomato salad, I made an awesome dessert from Shutterbean, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake. Topped off with cream cheese frosting it really did hit the spot if you love cookies and cake!
Sunday~ BBQ with Heirloom Tomato Salad
Monday~ Steak Tips with Teriyaki dressing. (Making my own tips from “Flap Steak” I got at the farmer’s market.)
Tuesday~ In-laws visiting and I have two meetings at night to head out to so heading to the freezer for our favorite Honey Balsamic Drumsticks from my Wildtree stash.
Wednesday~ Meatless Wednesday anyone? Omelets with herbs, tomatoes and peppers from our garden. My quest for more meatless meals is going to be a bit more challenging as I won’t be able to eat any more bean dishes while I’m nursing. (poor little guy!) I asked my readers what they suggested and you can join in the conversation on Facebook here. Read about our success (and fail) in my Black Bean Taco post.
Thursday~ Clean Out Refrigerator Night
Friday~ Pizza Night. In addition to our usual pepperoni, I may try a new zucchini pizza
In case you missed it, Pinterest highlighted my Lunch Love board this weekend. I’m excited to share some healthy living tips with new readers and encourage them to get cooking in the kitchen with their kids. What are some of your kid’s favorite lunch box meals?
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/August-meal-plan-week-2.jpg13581106eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2013-08-11 21:36:052013-08-11 21:36:05Monday Meal Plan August 12th
When I think of summer I think of watermelon. Eating it as a child and spitting out the black seeds with the juice dripping down my arms. Now I enjoy it with my family, just without the seeds. In an effort to increase my fluids while nursing, and eat something healthy in the two minutes I have to make lunch, I am making lots of smoothies as the temperature heats up. My latest creation combines two favorite fruits, watermelon and mango. Plus I throw in a little chia seeds, a great super food that ups the protein level in this drink.
Our local farmers market opens in one week! I’m excited to start picking up some local produce and support our farmers and specialty food makers. The easiest way to get inspired at the market is to ask the farmer how they like to prepare what’s in season. Sometimes they have the tastiest, and easiest, recipes they can share with you. There are also lots of seasonal recipes on Pinterest, from salads to dessert options. I also have accumulated a little collection of cookbooks that help me come up with new ways to use vegetables and eat seasonally.
Vegetables Every Day~ this was a gift from my friend Christy. I love that it’s organized by vegetable so it’s a quick way to find new recipes. Have some swiss chard you don’t know what to do with? Just look it up for a bunch of new ways to prepare the leafy green. There’s also notes to see what other similar greens could work in the same recipe. I think it’s a great cookbook for getting inspired at the farmers market, or for those families participating in a CSA for the summer. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations of the produce included.
The Homesteader’s Kitchen~ this is a specialty cookbook that is beautiful to flip through and the recipes are a level above basic. There are some unique ingredients in some of the recipes which is a great way to spark up a conversation with your farmer.
Cooking from the farmer’s market~ this is a gorgeous collection of photos and recipes. It’s also organized by vegetables, but also includes fruit. There are recipes for all occasions, from breakfast to appetizers to Honeydew-Lime Ice Pops. The photographs are very detailed so if you are not sure if you brought home a green onion or a leek, you can verify it with this cookbook.
Do you visit your local farmers market? Or participate in a CSA?
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As I prepared my meal plan this week, I thought about how many places I buy my food. There is the local grocery store (which also does our home deliveries), Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Costco and the farmer’s market in our town opens up June 2nd. I got into this new habit of shopping after I became a stay-at-home-mom and wanted to get the best food at the best price. I don’t hit every store every week, but at least two a week. We spend a lot of our monthly budget on food, even with me traveling to all these different stores. As I think about life with three little ones four and under, I think I’ll have to make some adjustments.
I wonder what other moms are prioritizing when it comes to shopping locations. Is it price? Is it selection? Is it how fast you can get there and get home? Meal planning has helped me stay on top of what is actually in our freezer/refrigerator to decrease the amount of food wasted. Now I’m going to make sure my meal planning allows me to visit one big store each week, plus one local stop for additional produce for the weekend. When we started making smoothies our produce stash started diminishing awfully quick! If you have suggestions of how to streamline the grocery store process, I would love to read them in the comment section.
On the menu this week…
Sunday~ Homemade Waldorf Chicken Salad for Daddy, Hot Dogs for the Kids. Mom’s off duty and heading to Rice Barn for a spicy dinner and a meet-up with local bloggers for some pre-summer catch-up.
Monday~ Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries
Tuesday~ Date night after the Magic Beans Drool Baby Expo in Boston
Saturday~ Pizza night is bumped to Saturday in case we get together with friends and need to make a bigger dinner. Did you catch my recipe post last week for our homemade pizza dough? I tried it with some whole wheat bread flour, but wouldn’t do it again. A little whole wheat is fine but it’s much better with mostly white bread flour.
Homemade Waldorf Chicken Salad for Sunday night
What’s on your menu this week? Any great grocery shopping tips to share?
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
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How many of you eat pizza at home at least once a week? Do you tend to make it yourself or buy it? If you are a regular reader here, you know we have pizza every Friday night on our weekly meal plan. For a long time, we made our pizzas at home using the dough from Trader Joe’s. It’s cheap and fairly easy to roll out ourselves. When I got my bread machine this year, I decided to come up with a pizza dough recipe that will make two pizzas. It’s a great way to save some money and the kids like to help out with this easy project.
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Pizza-Dough-Bread-Machine-Recipe.jpg21413045eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2013-05-13 21:00:322019-01-03 22:06:25Homemade Pizza Dough With A Bread Machine
Happy Cinco de Mayo on this Sunday night. We enjoyed not one, but two, Mexican themed dinners with friends this weekend. Both were delicious and it was wonderful to relax with great company. This week’s meal plan is pretty streamlined as we try to clear through what we have and I start making freezer meals for when the baby arrives.
I’m testing out some recipes from the Mama and Baby Love From Your Freezer to Your Family: Slow Cooker Freezer Recipes eCookbook. I met Stephanie the author at Blissdom and she was kind enough to send me a copy to review. She recognizes how handy it is for moms to have some freezer meals packed away for those days when you are not up for making a big dinner. When the new baby arrives I know I’ll be happy I have a few of these recipes tucked away so we can still eat healthy, even when I’m too tired to cook. The recipes use real food ingredients so it totally works for our family.
On the menu this week…
Sunday~ Cinco de Mayo dinner
Monday~ Chicken Soup using leftovers from last week’s chicken.
Tuesday~ Burgers, Salad
Wednesday~ CORN (Clean Out Refrigerator Night)
Thursday~ Eggs for dinner
Friday~ Pizza night
Saturday~ Weekend away
Sunday is Mother’s Day…hoping to be up at the beach for the day. May need to plan for a BBQ early dinner.
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
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I pulled together our list of green smoothies your kids will love. My kid’s favorite snack lately is a smoothie, always with a dose of greens. My two year old runs into the kitchen saying “moothie” until I make him one. Smoothies are a great way to sneak additional vegetables and fruits into your kids diet, and your own if needed. We usually make one large smoothie and split it up between the three of us in the afternoon. Both kids like the green smoothies and I’ll share today some super simple recipes that are kid-approved.
The good news is both kids drink green smoothies. The bad news is they often want them before I get dinner on the table so I find it can affect how much they eat when we sit at the table. I’m slowly trying to find a balance between offering them healthy vegetable-filled snacks and not take away from eating vegetables on the plate. The fiber isn’t lost when you make a smoothie, but I do think it’s important for kids to continue to experience the different textures of cooked or raw vegetables on their dinner plate.
We are using the Blendtec blender that I received as part of a Stonyfield yogurt campaign. The blender really is amazing and I think I’ll always have one of these high speed blenders from now on. We are using the Wildside Blendtec Blender.
There are a few key ingredients I use when I make smoothies for us:
Spinach
Coconut Milk
Yogurt
Frozen Fruit
Bananas
Oranges
Melon
Chia seeds (optional)
I generally never add any sweetener (like honey or agave) as I don’t want to give the kids a taste of a sweeter option. If something tastes too “green” I can soften the taste with the addition of more citrus or an apple. Yes, there is still sugar in the fruit but there are also a ton of vitamins that are beneficial.
Wondering how we serve our smoothies? I use our pint size mason jars and these glass smoothie straws (only one has broken in 3 years of using glass straws with the little kids). JJ loves his blue one and Madison has pink! If we are on the go, I also serve the smoothie in our favorite reusable squeeze pouch.
Here are just a few of our favorite recipes. Combine in the order listed and blend well.
If the kids are not into anything green, you can also try my Paleo Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe. Happy blending! I hope these green smoothies your kids will love helps make getting more vegetables into them a lot easier for you.
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(only one has broken in 3 years of using glass straws with the little kids). JJ loves his blue one and Madison has pink! If we are on the go, I also serve the smoothie in 
