Last week's menu

I recently shared a list of books that have revolutionized my health. Now I want to start sharing the occasional weekly menu to show you how we eat after reading (and being inspired by) those books.

When I first started making meal changes for my health I had a hard time figuring out what to eat. Eventually I realized that habits are everything and created a simple framework for us so I never have to wonder what I'll cook. If it's Monday I'm making chili. If it's Wednesday I'm making pasta. Etc. There's variety within the theme (pasta can be various shapes and topped with various sauces and veggies, for example). 

This week we deviated from our menu a bit because of Mother's Day (Sandwich Sunday and pasta Wednesday were swapped) and a birthday. I hope this will help even one person figure out a simple meal routine that nourishes their temple and makes them feel great! 

Sunday- cherry-berry green smoothie // Mother's Day brunch at a health-focused restaurant where I had potato-veggie breakfast bowl // timing was off because of brunch so I had a mandarin orange + a strawberry in the afternoon // baked ziti with broccoli + mushrooms + crushed Brazil nuts & walnuts // dessert was Tastes Like a Frozen Snickers Bar Pie from this cookbook 

Monday- cherry-berry green smoothie. + overnight oats // salad + lasagna soup (I make it slightly different) (+ bean-topped baked potato for my growing kids) // chili sin carne from this cookbook, served with cashew sour cream + crackers (with a side of green beans for me) + half a Brazil nut each

Tuesday- cherry-berry green smoothie + carrot cake oatmeal // salad + vegetable soup (garlic, onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, black beans, seasoning) (plus bean-topped baked potato/sweet potato for my growing kids) // burrito bowls... Base of rice + quinoa + riced cauliflower with "refried" pinto beans and a variety of toppings- cashew cream, salsa, red onion, green onion, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, mushrooms, avocado + a few walnuts since we didn't have any omega3s on our lunch salads

Wednesday- cherry-berry green smoothie + banana bread // salad + sore throat soup (I use brown rice stelline pasta and always add black pepper + cayenne. One of my kids likes peas added to this, the rest like canned garbanzo beans added) (+ bean-topped baked potato/sweet potato for my growing kids // breastfeeding makes me ravenous and there were no satisfying beans in my lunch so I ended up having a mint Only Bar snack in the afternoon // Black bean burgers (topped with a cashew cream-salsa sauce, Microgreens, and red onions) + fruits of choice (I had the best mandarin orange ever)

Thursday- cherry-berry green smoothie + carrot cake oats // salad + vegetable soup mentioned Tuesday (+ fruit for my growing kids) // leftovers + steamed broccoli + half a Brazil nut + a few walnuts

Friday- cherry-berry green smoothie + baked oatmeal // salad + taco soup (black beans + pinto beans + rice-quinoa-riced cauliflower mixture + salsa mixed into a blended up soup base. Base - boiled garlic, onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes, ancho pepper, seasonings) + baked sweet potato for two of my kids) // hashbrown tacos (hashbrowns + kidney beans + mushrooms + onions + salsa)  + hot mango // We normally have a dessert on Fridays but we skipped it since the next day was a birthday

Saturday (birthday)- tropical green smoothie + raspberry pancakes // my version of this lasagna soup + bday celebration platter (olives + various raw veggies with hummus) // broccoli rice with salad + great northern beans // strawberry chocolate "cheesecake" from this cookbook as the birthday dessert

Snacks: I don't snack much but my kids have fruit/veggie focused snacks... Veggies with hummus (or hummus veggie wraps), apples with nut butter/dessert hummus, chia seed pudding with berries, fruit by itself, etc

Supplements: we currently only take B12 + Brazil nuts a few times a week.