Tips for Homemade Weeknight Meals

If you've been following my blog- you know that I'm a big fan of cooking from scratch.  We don't eat many processed foods and eat mainly organic, vegetarian and a non GMO diet.  As anyone who eats a "special" diet will tell you, this can be tricky.  Especially when you are gone all day, or have to eat an early dinner or you will be arriving home late and hungry.  Below are a few things I try to keep in mind when planning dinner- especially on those busy weeknights!

• Cooked in one pot.
• Cheap to make.
• Healthy, minimum of processed foods & made without GMO's.
• No meat or very small amounts of meat.  Meat is NOT the focus of the meal.
• Quick to prepare.
• Can easily be reheated to consume at a later time.
• Filling.
• Enjoyed by all.

I also use my crock pot at least once per week and keep my freezer stockpile full of yummy, healthy, homemade meals.  We do not eat out during the week- at all.  There's no takeout, no trips to the fast food drive thru- nothing.  And on the weekends, I try my best to keep our meals out to just one.  Everyone is entitled to a break from the kitchen- and let's face it, eating at home all the time can get boring!  But that means that we are eating all but one meal at home every single week.  Whew!  That's a lot of time in the kitchen!

I also keep in mind what our activities are during the week.  If we are spending lots of time in the car travelling to sports, lessons and classes- then I need easy lunches or snacks that can be eaten in the car.  If my husband will be working early mornings and won't have time for a hot breakfast before work, then I try to bake some muffins or his favorite, pumpkin bread, so he can easily eat this on the road.

And let's not forget the importance of maintaining health.  For example, this weekend we went to the movies and actually purchased movie theater popcorn.  Yum!  However, the downside is that this can wreak havoc on a clean diet.  So I balanced this unhealthy treat with green smoothies for all!

The key here is planning.

Every Mom needs a
 few "cheats"!

And I will totally admit to having a few "cheats" in my pantry and fridge!  Annie's macaroni and cheese and Amy's frozen veggie burgers are our favorites!  But I try to keep these processed foods to a minimum!


Now- your probably wondering how my 8 year old son does with a diet like this.  Well- he's pretty much grown up eating this way, so it's normal for him.  However, he is like many other kids his age and does occasionally balk at some of the things on his dinner plate.  Lentil Loaf anyone?

The reality is this- I'm a busy Mom.  I simply don't have time for meals that require extraordinary amounts of time to prepare.  I also have a normal kid who just wants to eat normal food.  And let's not forget to add money into the mix!  I just don't have a shit ton of money laying around to devote to all these strange "health" foods that I see so many of my favorite bloggers writing about.  Oh- and my husband.  He loves, loves, loves his red meat and potatoes.  So I can't prepare foods that are too "crazy" or he won't eat them.  As you can see, this is a delicate balance.

Here's a list of our favorite homemade meals.  Most of them fall into the guidelines above to make it super easy to prepare during the weekdays.  You won't find weird ingredients that require a super secret detective mission in order to locate.  These are normal items that every single grocery store stocks.  Many meals contain our favorite meat substitutes- lentils, beans, quinoa and barley.  If you are just starting out on your organic, vegetarian journey- I suggest you start with these great substitutions! They are very easy to prepare and the price is right! By the way, I do NOT recommend meat substitutes or many of the "vegetarian" items on the market today.  Most of these products contain soy protein isolate which is very bad for you.  Just say no!

Someday soon I hope to update this blog with all the recipes!  But for now, I hope this list will provide you with some great inspiration.  Enjoy!

Lentil Chili

Lentil Chili
Minestrone Soup
Bean Burritos
Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Cilantro
Macaroni & Cheese
Cheese Enchiladas
Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Black Bean Soup
Chicken and Dumplings
Taco Salad Bar with beans (no meat)
Red Beans & Rice
Black Bean & Cheese Taquitos
Baked Potato Soup
Lentil & Barley "Meatloaf" Muffins
Betty Crocker Chili
Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

Pinto Bean Tacos
Baked Potato Bar
Black Beans & Quinoa Chili
Tator Tot Casserole
Veggie Fajitas
Lentil Stew
Enchilada Casserole
Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Veggie Barley Soup
French Bread Veggie Pizzas
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Black Bean Chili
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Nachos with beans (no meat)