"I ate all of my fruit and ketchup"- Lola

While the kids rested on Saturday I planned my menu for the week.  I know that sounds crazy, but I enjoy planning and deciding what we will eat.  I made my grocery list and my sweet husband did the shopping Sunday while I took the kids to swim:) Typically I cook Sunday and my week is all set... but we had a family party Sunday and Monday night so I only made the energy bites, fruit roll ups, and spinach pancakes for the week.  I was able to cook everything else Tuesday and made the following for dinner and lunch for us for the rest of the week: rosemary and almond crusted chicken, beef and vegetable soup, creamy butternut squash and chicken casserole, fruit roll ups, spinach pancakes, and almond cranberry energy bites.  I used the thermos in Lola's lunch box this week for dinner left overs.

Lunch For Lola for the week:

Monday:
Turkey
Cheese
Strawberries
Mango Peach fruit roll up
Cranberry Almond energy bite

Tuesday:
Turkey
Cheese
Grapes
Pretzels
Energy bite

Wednesday:
Rosemary almond crusted chicken (cut small and used thermos) with ketchup
Apple
Grapes

Sooooo, Lola loved the chicken for dinner, but for lunch she said " I ate all of my fruit and ketchup!"  She forgot to check the thermos so she just ate ketchup with no chicken!  Hopefully she will get use to it:)

"Oh! I didn't know chicken was in there!"

Thursday:
Beef and vegetable soup
Cheese
Strawberries

Friday:
Creamy Chicken Casserole
Grapes
Strawberries


Rosemary Almond Crusted Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the oven rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, chop the almonds and rosemary until they resemble course crumbs. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then cook the shallot until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary almond mixture, panko bread crumbs, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. About 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
4. Set up your dredging station. Have 1 plate with the all purpose flour, another plate with the beaten eggs, and the 3rd plate with the toasted rosemary almond mixture. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then in the egg, then in the rosemary almond mixture. Press well to adhere the rosemary almond mixture to the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the parchment lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining chicken.
5. Bake the chicken in the oven until the internal temperature is 165 degrees, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

http://www.tasteslovely.com/rosemary-almond-crusted-chicken/ 

CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups cooked and pureed butternut squash
• ¼ cup organic heavy cream or coconut cream
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup thawed green peas
• Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
• 1 - 2 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar
• Optional: ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut for the topping

Instructions:

1. Put everything in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the peas are warmed through and everything is melty and creamy. Top with toasted coconut, if desired. (Coconut taste great it you toast lightly in a skillet before topping dish)

BEEF AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 whole carrots, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 30 ounces beef broth
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 15 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup ditalini pasta, uncooked (or any type of pasta or no pasta)

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef
2. Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except for the beans and pasta.
3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 30 minutes before serving stir in beans and pasta.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves before serving.

PEACH MANGO FRUIT ROLL UPS

Ingredients

• 1 mango
• 2 peaches
• 2-3 Tbs of honey
• parchment paper

Instructions 

• Blend fruit and honey until a smooth liquid
• Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread fruit liquid evenly.  Make sure the middle is not thicker than other areas.  
• Bake on 170 for 4-6 hours.
• Let cool then cut into strips using clean kitchen sheers. 

 CRANBERRY ALMOND ENERGY BITES

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup dried Cranberries
• 1 cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Honey 1/2 cup Nut butter
• 1/3 cup Almonds
• 1 tbsp Chia seeds
• 1/3 cup shredded Coconut
• 1 tbsp ground Flaxseed 

Instructions:

1. Bake oatmeal, almonds and coconut for 8-10 minutes at 350°, stirring after 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool.
2. Heat nut butter until runny add the baked mix along with flaxseed, honey, chia seeds and cranberries to the bowl. Form into 1.5" balls and refrigerate. Store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to one week or freezer for 3 months.