Hello! Notice something new around here? Last week I said goodbye to Random Recycling and hello to emilyaroach as my new domain name. Over the past seven years the focus here has shifted from talking about eco-friendly ideas to one that speaks more about family nutrition. My goal is to keep delivering great meal plan ideas for all of you, develop simple recipes your kids will enjoy and share tools that can help you make healthy choices at home.

Hopefully all goes well this week as the nuts and bolts behind the blog are tweaked and updated. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you will start to receive content in an updated format. (I’ll share a link to subscribe once all is ready to go!) As a marketing nerd, it’s been fun learning about all the new technology offered to deliver content. I even sent out my first survey and it’s been awesome to read the responses. I’ll keep it open for a couple more days and I would love to have your input too: click here for survey.

As the weather took a dramatic turn towards spring this week, I was fixated on salads in my meal planning. I had noted four different salad recipes that look amazing so I’ll start testing them out. Large, chopped salads are fantastic meals with kids as it’s a great way to introduce new produce to picky eaters. Kids may not pick cucumbers for their salad the first time they see them, but getting them in front of them counts in the exposure column. Over time, suddenly out of the corner of your eye you notice them trying a vegetable they once questioned…I’ve been there. And it’s awesome to witness.

Here are the recipes I think you will enjoy trying out this week. And one other note, last week I mentioned I was going to try my favorite chicken nugget recipe with chopped pecans instead of breadcrumbs. It was a winner so I updated the recipe post and also made it printer-friendly (how hadn’t I noticed that before?!)

Dinner (V=vegan, P= Paleo, GF= Gluten Free)

• Veggie Paella (V)- healthy, meatless meal with bright flavors. Saffron is the key ingredient, but also on the pricier side. You can try a 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric in it’s place for a similar flavor. Need more protein? Add in some shrimp to the meal. (recipe). For kids, you can also deconstruct the meal and offer plain shrimp with peas. Always also offer the full meal too.
• Sheet Pan Salmon- we made this again last week and I was impressed with how tender the salmon came out, and how much my daughter ate. (recipe)
• Grilled Chicken BLTs (P, GF)- fun twist on grilled chicken. Skip the bread and thinly slice the chicken to create “buns” for this classic sandwich. (recipe)
• Strawberry Chicken Salad – inspired by the cover of the latest Cooking Light magazine this salad just screams summer to me. Mixing fruit in a salad is a helpful way to get kids interested in their greens. They may pick out their strawberries but hopefully a spinach leaf gets tasted too!

Lunch

• Update your tuna salad by substituting Greek yogurt for the traditional mayonnaise. You get the same texture plus the benefits of probiotics.
• Quesadillas with banana, almond butter and dark chocolate chips- a little sweet treat.

Breakfast

• Superfood Breakfast Smoothie Bowl- if you follow me on Instagram, you may have heard my story about the smoothie bowl. I’m determined to create a great base so everyone can customize their own bowl with lots of healthy toppings. (recipe)
• Spinach Feta Artichoke Bake- hearty and healthy recipe for dinner or a brunch. (recipe)

Thanks for stopping by this week! Which healthy recipe will you add to your meal plan? 

For more inspiration, see years of past dinner plans here, my Pinterest collection here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of weekly meal plans.

Happy April…snow? What’s this white stuff outside my window? I’m going to push it out of my mind and instead think of spring salads and farmers markets opening in the coming weeks. Although we are traveling this week, I wanted to share some recipes that caught my eye recently.

Well Plated’s slow cooker Moroccan chicken. This looks amazing.

Sundried tomato creamy chicken. This is paleo and Whole30 approved.

We just ordered a spiralizer! I cannot wait to test it out with this recipe for Chicken Caprese Zoodles.

Very curious to make Quinoa Bread based on a friend’s recommendation. Here’s a comparable recipe to try it out yourself.

Till next week…happy cooking in your kitchen.

p.s. Watch for a new name on the blog in the days ahead! 

For more inspiration, see three years of past dinner plan here, my Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of weekly meal plans. 

March is ending with a lion’s roar it seems. With all the snow in the forecast this week it looks like winter isn’t quite ready to let go. There will be some cozy dinner meals this week to help everyone forget it’s supposed to be spring. Easter brunch and dinner is being planned and I am very excited for my Dad to visit our new home. Sadly I think the snow will shock his system after being in Florida all winter.

As you prepare for a holiday feast, it’s really helpful to clear out your refrigerator and freezer space. Knowing we have a large ham and vegetables to prepare, I’m creating our meal plan this week by shopping the fridge first. Leftover chicken will be used for chicken salad lettuce wraps. Extra fruits will go into smoothies for snacks. You’ll be happy when you have some breathing room in your fridge for leftovers.

Here’s what’s cooking this week in our kitchen…slow cooker frenzy happening!

Dinner

• Quinoa Enchilada slow cooker– healthy vegetarian dinner with loads of protein and flavor. For the kids I strain it and put it in tortilla roll-ups.
• Harvest Chicken Salad– over salad or in lettuce wraps using up leftover chicken
• White Bean and Kielbasa cassoulet– another slow cooker dish planned for the day we have 5-8” of snow in the forecast
• Our favorite meatball recipe by the kid’s request. This recipe has always been so well received. We will serve it with roasted asparagus and brown rice rotini.
• For Good Friday, we will make Maple Cider Baked Beans. It’s from the Brown Eggs and Jam Jars cookbook and I was inspired to make it after our trip to Mapletown this past weekend. (see my Instagram to take a peek!) You can find similar recipes by searching on Pinterest.

Lunch

• This will be a big leftover week as we clear out the fridge. I have even started packing a lunch for Jim and we use the Planetbox stainless steel option which transports great. That box is indestructible.

Breakfast

• I cannot wait to make these Granola Muffins. Such a great idea for a breakfast on the go, snack or lunch box treat. Take a look at all these great breakfast ideas in this past month’s Runner’s World magazine. The apple waffles are also calling my name.
• Chia seed pudding- an old favorite has returned after a friend tracked down white chia seeds for me in a tiny organic shop. This recipe is best made with coconut milk and then add your favorite toppings. The kids liked it and some asked for seconds. (image above from Simple Bites)

Have a wonderful Easter weekend. I’ll be heading to Whole Foods to find a few dye free jelly beans for the kids and chocolate eggs to hide!

For more inspiration, see three years of past dinner plan here, my Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of weekly meal plans. Some affiliate links are included.