Weekly Menu - October 30th

On my fridge, I have a list of about 15 meals that are my all time favorites. And for months, we would rotate through the same ol' thang. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every one of those meals, but I didn't really have a reason to start searching for new recipes. This weekly menu blog has been the push I needed to get out of my comfort zone and try new things! I hope in some small way, it has been helpful to you as well.

There are a couple recipes this week that I can't wait to try, and some that are staples around here (creamy salsa chicken...it is to die for). I challenge you to choose one this week, plan ahead, and try something new!

Balsamic Chicken and Veggies - a one pan meal. Easy as pie.

Roasted Buddha Bowl - I am dying to try this one. Roasted veggies, grains and a yummy dressing? Perfection!

Coconut Curry Tacos - Another that I am excited for. Curry soups are my jam, but curry tacos caught my attention...

Slow Cooker Creamy Salsa Chicken - My friend Seri gave me this recipe about a year ago. I have made it a zillion times since, and it is delicious every time. We tried it with pork today and let me tell you, it was heaven. With some rice and a warm tortilla??? mmmm)

Flatbread Pizza with Spinach, Onions, and Feta - Another favorite. Except fun fact, I hate feta cheese. So I always substitute with gouda or mozzarella.

Pumpkin Bars & Cookies

I have made two different pumpkin goodies this past week, and both are DELICIOUS.  Several people have asked for both recipes, so I thought I would put them in a post together!  I will have more pumpkin items coming, but for now make sure to check out the pumpkin bars recipe here and the pumpkin cookies recipe here.

Enjoy!

Cashew n' Oat Granola

This really is the easiest granola recipe - I know it by heart.  I timed it today to make sure I wasn't exaggerating, and it literally takes five minutes to put together.  If you love coconut, and if you love cashews, then you will LOVE this.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup cashews
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In large bowl, mix together oats, cashews, almonds, coconut and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil and salt. Top the dry ingredients with the syrup mixture and stir until evenly coated.

Pour onto 1 large, or 2 medium sheet pans, and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes (stirring halfway through).

When finished, immediately pull out pans and take a spatula to stir around the granola so it won't stick to the pan as it cools - let cool for 5-10 minutes.  Break up into chunks and keep in an air-tight container or zip-locked back.

Adapted from this recipe.

Weekly Menu - October 23rd

I entered the weekend just finishing a clean eating group, and I think I made up for it in one day.  All four sisters and my mom are spending the weekend together in Houston and are living it up!  But last night, after way too much sushi, we drove over to The Cheesecake Factory for the sole purpose of purchasing six different desserts to take home and try.  It has been so fun don't get me wrong, but I'll be ready to rein it in when we get back to normal life this week.

For this week's menu, I have a variety of some favorite dinners. A new slow cooker, a quick pasta, easy salad...I love them all! Pick one, try a couple!  It's so easy to scroll through and jot down the ingredients for the next grocery run.  I try to choose recipes that aren't very time consuming, or that include a million different ingredients.  

Orzo Veggie and Basil Salad

Sesame Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Gyros

Garlic Herb Chicken Salad

Cashew Chicken Quinoa Bake

If you try one you like, don't forget to share using #laurensweeklymenu!  We love seeing what people are loving.

Salmon Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Slaw

These Salmon Tacos are from the menu this week, and are DELICIOUS.  There are classic winning combos out in the world (chocolate/PB, tacos/soda), and cilantro-lime is one of them.

I wanted to share one of my favorite finds that has to do with this meal.  Costco carries Salmon burgers, and they are a cinch to bake when you need to make dinner in a hurry.  I threw a couple on a pan, and baked them for 9 minutes each side, then shredded up for the tacos.  That being said, they weren't as flavorful as you would get using the recipe, but definitely a time saver.

Also, we missed out on the Aioli sauce.  We sadly didn't have any sriracha sauce, so we had to forego that yummy addition.  Next time!! And lately, we have been using warm naan bread as our taco shells, and we are going to have a hard time going back to the original "regular" taco shells.

Even with those changes, this meal has definitely risen to the top of our favorites list.  You can find the recipe here.

WEEKLY MENU - October 17th

After 48 hours of laying in bed, drinking soda and nibbling on crackers, I am finally able to think about food.  I am loving the menu this week. The Carrot Ginger Soup is out of this world, I already declared my love for the Salmon tacos, and the rest are just as yummy.  Quick and easy is the theme this week!

Carrot Ginger Soup

Salmon Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Slaw

Honey Garlic Chicken

Peanut Chicken Salad

Orange Beef and Veggie Stir-fry

I would love your feedback, in the comments below or on Instagram!  If you do post, don't forget to take a picture and use #laurensweeklymenu to let us know what you tried and loved :)

Korean Beef

I am not the biggest red meat eater.  But boy, do I love this meal.

On days I actually think ahead and let some meat thaw, this is by far one of the quickest, tastiest meals in the bunch.  We serve in lettuce wraps with a little rice (brown or rice, or a quinoa mix!), and top with cucumbers.  The recipe doesn't call for that, but we think it adds something a little extra.

Sometimes when I am lazy I leave out the sesame oil, and it still tastes divine.  Definitely add this one to the rotation!

You can find it here

Week 5 - October 10th

I am so excited about this blog idea! This will hopefully make everyone's life a lot easier. Whenever I post the recipes on Facebook, I never know if it will be seen by the people who actually care to use it, so it's nice to have it in one spot. Nice and organized.

All of my recipes have either been previously tried by me, or are ones that I will try in the future. I choose healthy meals, but meals that don't take forever because...aint nobody got time for that. So the recipes I find are doable, fairly quick, and don't involve a million weird ingredients that you never have on hand. Again, I want this to be simple for everyone!

 1. Copycat PF Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Bakerette

 2. Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Fingers - Sallys Baking Addiction

 3. Thai Chicken Crunch Wraps - Mels Kitchen Cafe

 4. Stuffed Bell Peppers - Foodie Crush

5. Easy Baked Lemon Garlic Tilapia - Allrecipes

Happy cooking! And make sure to tag your pictures on instagram using #laurensweeklymenu so we can see what people are loving!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Ohhhhhh my goodness. I had a feeling this soup would be good. But I underestimated just HOW good. If you want a meal with very little mess, cleanup or effort - add this to your menu (from Week 4).

 It was the perfect blend of creamy and spicy. The butternut squash flavor didn't overpower anything, and the kick was perfect. This is my new favorite soup. With some dipped naan, there's not much better.

 My sweet neighbors brought over the yummy side we paired it with above. It is called "Dahi Puri", a classic indian dish. She is from Gujarat, India, and has lived in the United States since she finished school and married her husband. It has been such a joy to be her neighbor, and I have been lucky enough to learn how to make several of her classic Indian dishes and desserts. Someday when my kids are older, I want to have an "international night" every week, and feature a new kind of meal from around the world. There will be no picky eaters in my home! {wishful thinking}

Costco Favorites

I have had people ask what my staples are at Costco - so I decided to pull out everything in my pantry that I always have on hand. This doesn't include the fresh or frozen items I love to buy, but these items are crucial for easy healthy meals and snacks!
•
Coconut oil
Extra virgin Olive oil
Organic maple syrup
Small bags of assorted nuts
Quinoa
Rice/quinoa blend
Lentil trio
Canned chicken/tuna
Pistachios
Chicken stock base
Protein pancakes
Chia Seeds

Meditterranean Chicken Tacos

Had the Mediterranean Chicken Tacos from this weeks #laurensweeklymenu and they were INCREDIBLE. Made it in less than 30 minutes from beginning to end 🙌🏼

Week 4 - October 3rd

After general conference weekend, my heart was filled with so many wonderful messages. I also filled my body with tons of treats 😆.
•
I am so ready to kickoff a new week with a new healthy menu, full of new dinner ideas. There is a fall classic, and some personal favorites.
•
- Mediterranean Chicken Tacos - The Almond Eater
http://thealmondeater.com/2016/08/mediterranean-chicken-tacos/
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup - Minimalist Baker
http://minimalistbaker.com/curried-butternut-squash-soup/
- Orange Chicken Casserole - Fit Foodie Finds
http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2016/09/skinny-orange-chicken-casserole/
- Slow Cooker Tomatillo Pork - Mels Kitchen Cafe
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-tomatillo-pork/
- Thai Chicken Salad - The Roasted Root
http://www.theroastedroot.net/thai-chicken-chopped-kale-salad/
•
Don't forget to tag #laurensweeklymenu on instagram with any of the dinners you try! I can't believe it's October, this fall is already flying by 🍂

Week 3 - September 26th

I am really loving this #laurensweeklymenu thing. I have stumbled upon the most amazing recipes and blogs, and am so excited week after week to post yummy things!
•
1. Coconut Curry Soup - Mels Kitchen Cafe
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/coconut-curry-soup/

2. Slow Cooker Flank Steak Fajitas - 100 Days of Real Food
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/12/19/recipe-slow-cooker-flank-steak-fajitas/

3. Zippy Orzo Salad - Pinch of Yum
http://pinchofyum.com/zippy-orzo-summer-salad

4. Fire Roasted Tomato and Feta Pasta - A Couple Cooks
http://www.acouplecooks.com/fire-roasted-tomato-and-feta-pasta/

5. Spinach Ranch Pizza - Naturally Ellahttp://naturallyella.com/spinach-ranch-pizza/
•
What do you think you'll try this week? Trust me, you can't go wrong 😉.
•
(Don't forget to take a picture and share on instagram using #laurensweeklymenu !)

Curried Lentil Soup

One of the meals from this weeks#laurensweeklymenu - and it's a keeper! Surprisingly filling, and extremely tasty. Top it off with a little dipped naan bread and 👌🏼 (Monday's Recipe).

Week 2 - Sept 19th

And just like that, Sunday is almost over. Are you ready for another week?
•
Last week was rough, with kids trading off being sick and late nights for Ryan. I'm excited to reconnect with friends and get out of the house!!
•
As promised, here is another DELICIOUS weekly menu for #laurensweeklymenu. Pick a couple, jot down the ingredients, and add them to your weekly grocery list 🙌🏼 these ones are gooooood.
•
1. Spiced Lentil Soup - Oh She Glowshttp://ohsheglows.com/2016/04/03/glowing-spiced-lentil-soup/
2. Korean Beef - Mels Kitchen Cafe http://www.melskitchencafe.com/korean-beef/
3. Chicken Salad - Our Best Biteshttp://ourbestbites.com/2014/01/skinny-chicken-salad/
4. Crispy Chicken Carnitas - Gimme Some Ovenhttp://www.gimmesomeoven.com/slow-cooker-crispy-chicken-carnitas/
5. Tortellini with Pesto and Roasted Veggies - Cooking Classy http://www.cookingclassy.com/2016/04/tortellini-with-pesto-roasted-veggies/
•
Happy eating! Don't forget to take a picture of the one (or two...or three...) you try, and tag so we can see how you liked it!

Yumm Cups

YUMM Cups - they live up to the name. One of the delicious dinners from #laurensweeklymenu ! Did you try any? Don't forget to post and tag! (Quick tip - if you don't have time for the YUMM sauce, top with some salsa or cilantro lime dressing 😋)

Week 1 - September 12th

I'm excited about this.

Who HATES to meal plan? It's getting harder and harder to find the extra time to search out yummy, healthy meals.

So I've decided to make a post every Sunday evening that includes 5 healthy dinners for the week, to hopefully help inspire you or help in some small way.

Sometimes it will reflect a specific meal regimen or program I'm following, other times it will just be a delicious recipe suggestion.

I hope you are as excited about this as I am! I'll be using the hashtag #laurensweeklymenu so we can all reference these, add to, make suggestions etc. If you make one of them, please post so we can all see how you liked it!

It's going to be so fun!!! Here is weekly menu numero uno:

Mon: YUMM CUPS
http://www.copymethat.com/r/50HjDfW/the-original-yumm-bowl-recipe-from-cafe-/

Tues: ANGEL HAIR WITH ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES
http://www.skinnytaste.com/angel-hair-with-zucchini-and-tomatoes-5/

****staple***Wed: CASHEW CHICKEN WRAPS
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cashew-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

THURS: MAPLE DIJON SALMON
http://www.parsleyandpepper.com/maple-dijon-salmon/

FRI: HONEY LEMON CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BOWLS
http://damndelicious.net/2016/06/14/honey-lemon-chicken-broccoli-bowls/