Happy Monday friends! As I sit here freezing my butt off, I’m stoked to be sharing this week’s meal prep, links + love on my brand-spankin’ new website! While I’m still updating some things, I am loving the new format and layout of the site and hope you find it super easy to navigate, find recipes and other posts to feed your soul.
This post may contain affiliate links*
So, what do you think of my carving skills? Don’t laugh. This was the pumpkin I carved last year and in my mind’s eye it totally looked like this, Hahahaha. Whatever. What-ever!
We spent the weekend with family and friends, celebrating a 6th birthday and wishing my sister in law a glorious new chapter as she leaves us and heads back to NYC to start a new job. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh. We also made some super cute (very naughty) Ice Cream “Trick-or-Treat-Wiches” and OMG.
Other than that, I’ve got some delicious posts heading your way this week, and WE’ve got all sorts of Halloween festivities on the horizon – our town hosts a trick-or-treating event, where the kids get to dress up and collect candy from local businesses (it’s mayhem, but the kids love it) and being that my girl is a big kindergartner now, she has the Halloween Bash on Saturday. I’m just going to go hide in my closet and eat Trick-or-Treat-Wiches until it’s over 🙂
Links and love
- This list of terrifying Halloween movies which I will totally watch (while simultaneously rocking back and forth in the fetal position)
- My new website (visit the new home page layout here!)
- These first graders. HILARIOUS.
- These easy Halloween food ideas for your kiddos!
- I’m not super religious, but I do believe in miracles like this one.
- Jennifer Garner’s fake cooking show on Instagram. hahahaha. I love her.
- These easy-peasy, healthy homemade donuts the kiddo and I whipped up last weekend
- This kid’s baking set! Totally putting it on the kiddos Christmas list (which we have already started, PS)
- GPS tracking for kids. It’s life-changing.
- My Jade blue-blockers . They’ve lasted 2 years without breaking despite being stepped on AND they actually help my eyes.
Meal prep ideas for the week
We have so much going on this week, I’m planning a lot of very (very) simple meals and treats to minimize the time I have in the kitchen!
MONDAY (b) Bullet Proof Coffee (l) Simple salad (details below) (d) Buffalo Chicken Casserole (treat) homemade donuts
TUESDAY (b) keto chocolate muffins with cream cheese (l) Sausage + Veggies (d) Tacos with fresh salsa (treat) homemade donuts
WEDNESDAY (b) Bullet Proof Coffee (l) Tacos with fresh salsa leftovers (d) Buffalo Chicken Casserole (treat) keto chocolate muffins
THURSDAY (b) High Key Hot Cereal (l) simple salad (d) Sausage + Veggies (treat) keto chocolate muffins
FRIDAY (b) Bullet Proof Coffee (l) Charcuterie (details below) (d) Fathead BLT Pizza and a Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty IPA (sweetened with Monkfruit!)
SATURDAY Order some unbreaded chicken wings and serve them up with some roasted asparagus 🙂
SUNDAY Meal prep + plan!
Baking Tips
Sunday (Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Chocolate Muffins, and Homemade Donuts): Preheat your oven to 350 and make the batter for your donuts. Fill the donut pan and set to the side. Then, whip up the batter for yourchocolate muffins. Fill the muffin tins and bake (along with donuts) at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While they are baking, build your casserole (organic canned chicken breast will make this go SUPER fast). Muffins and donuts will be ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Once ready, set aside to cool and set the oven temp to 400. Place the casserole in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Once done, store in airtight containers for the week!
Monday (Salad and Sausage with Veggies): I work at home, so I usually make my salads when I’m ready to eat. But, if you are heading off to work, grab an airtight container and fill it with spinach, arugula (or broccoli), sliced almonds, cherry tomatoes, cheese (goat cheese, feta), about a tbsp of EVOO and some Everything But the Bagel Seasoning.
Add whatever else you love (the hubs usually adds chicken breast – you can always pick up a rotisserie chicken while grocery shopping to use for that this week instead of roasting chicken). You can do the sausage and veggies whenever is most convenient (dinnertime is usually easiest). I simply cut up the sausage and add that (with whatever veggies I’d like – broccoli, eggplant, zucchini) to a baking sheet with some EVOO and seasoning. Roast at 400 for 4o minutes and pack in airtight containers for the week!
Tuesday (Tacos) Super easy dish for Tuesday. Use store-bought fresh salsa or make your own with this simple recipe. I usually brown some turkey meat or grass-fed beef on the stovetop with a little Taco Seasoning (like this one to avoid any added sugar or weird preservatives). But, we have totally cheated by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken for easy peasy. Either way works! Pull out some sour cream, shredded cheese and build your tacos (we like these Grain-Free Taco shells!)
Wednesday You’re free from the kitchen! Yey!
Thursday (Salad): Prep another simple salad like you did on Monday and your job is done!
Friday (Charcuterie and Fathead BLT): We always make sure we have charcuterie style ingredients in the house so we can whip up a quick lunch if we don’t feel like prepping something else that takes longer to make. Suggested items to pick up at the grocery store: Nuts (macadamia, cashews, almonds), cheese (fresh mozzarella, sharp cheddar), mini pickles, grain-free crackers (we like Jills). You can always slice up a few berries if you want to add something sweet! Sometimes we throw in some mini cukes and guac too 🙂 When it’s time to make your Fathead BLT Pizza, just preheat your oven to 425, drop all of your ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Stir well, hit it up in the microwave for another 30 minutes, mix well and roll out. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While it’s baking, cook some bacon on the stovetop or if you don’t feel like cooking, you could purchase some of the pre-made stuff at the store. Remove from the oven when done, top with a little mayo, some sliced cherry toms, a little spinach, and your bacon. Pair with a delicious low carb, sugar-free beer (we love this one) or whatever you wish.
Kids school lunch and kids meal inspo
For school lunch ideas: Pizza roll-ups (multigrain wraps with sauce, pepperoni, and cheese), cucumbers and greek yogurt for dips, clementines, and chocolate bunny grams. Follow @kiddoandsoul on Instagram and check out my highlights to see what we’re packing each day (lots of ideas there!). And, make sure you subscribe to my email to get an email once the school safe lunch post goes live 🙂
Upcoming recipes
I have so many easy meal prep recipes coming to the blog this month! Stay tuned for…
- Almond Butter + Jelly Muffins – coming this week!
- Cauliflower Au Gratin + Rotisserie Chicken Casserole – coming this week!
- Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Raspberry and Chocolate Crumble Muffins
- Easy Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry Sauce Muffins
- Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Coconut encrusted Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- and…more!
This week’s giveaway (+last week’s winners)
Last week’s giveaway is over and the winner has been selected! Congrats Cheryl C! Check your inbox TOMORROW for the official notification and prize claim instructions 🙂 If you didn’t win, check this out –
This week’s giveaway is live and one lucky reader is going to get a $25 gift card to go to the movies! Gift cards are awesome for online shopping, but it’s chilly and there are tons of great movies to go see too. I’m encouraging one lucky reader to get a sitter and hit up the theatre for a little fun this month (popcorn optional, but I mean…you’re gonna get popcorn right?) Enter for your chance to win below. I’ll be announcing the lucky winner on Monday!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER GIVEAWAY. Ends at 11:59pm on 10/27/19. Open to legal residents of the 50 US, 18 years of age or older. Subject to official rules available in the rafflecopter entry form above. Void where prohibited.
*As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate or referral links. I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, which helps me continue on this fabulous journey of blogging! Full disclaimers avail. here.
