Summer is here and I love enjoying the fresh flavors of the season. Nothing says summertime more than a Greek salad filled with fresh summer vegetables like ripe homegrown tomatoes and refreshing cucumbers. This dish pairs well as a side or as a healthy bite all on its own. Try adding pasta or chunks of chicken to take this recipe to a whole new level.

​Ingredients: 
Cucumbers [diced into bite-sized chunks]
Tomatoes [diced]
Lettuce (I prefer Romaine)
Crumbled feta
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
Fresh Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons of Greek-style salad dressing 

Directions: 
Slice fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and arrange the feta cheese.  Arrange neatly on a plate like the pictures shown.  Sprinkle with feta cheese. Next sprinkle the chopped fresh herbs.  Drizzle a little EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) on top or your favorite Greek-style dressing.  Sprinkle a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste!

My pantry and freezers stay well-stocked and translate into our favorite go-to meals. Fall crisp, and cool weather inspires me to cook hearty meals such as soups, stews, and other yummy dishes simmering in the crockpot all day. If I can grow vegetables in our garden, we can enjoy the fruits of our labor or visit a local farmers market for fresh, local produce. Dedicating one night a week to a fun family movie night with a coordinating menu is a wonderful way to get the kids involved in menu planning.

​Once I have my list of meals, I have a calendar that I use and save each month as a reference for future meals. I make sure to match meals with specific dates based on what we have going on as a family. Planning a complicated dish that takes ages to cook would be best suited on a night when we have time to prepare it with family.
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Menu planning may seem like a lot of work, but it saves me loads of time and money! I am not wasting time staring at the shelves in my pantry trying to decide what to eat or camping out on Pinterest trying to get inspired. I love saving money by only buying what we need and about 90% is in bulk. One of the most important reasons we meal plan is to make sure we are making healthy food choices. We may eat out once or twice a month, but typically we have a plan, and the right ingredients at home, therefore, spending money outside of our home is unnecessary, which is excellent for our tummies, thighs and wallets.

Most importantly, menu planning is about finding what works for you and your family, balancing routine and freedom, healthy and comforting, affordable, and treating yourself. Let’s feed ourselves and our loved ones delicious, healthy, homemade food. Feel free to share your favorite recipes for another monthly menu.
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Happy menu planning, preparing, creating, and sharing!  To download my November menu, click on the calendar shown above. 

Have you noticed how condiments can take your meal from healthy to unhealthy? Whether it's the unnecessary addition of sugar or soybean oil, many include ingredients such as added oils that are missing from the beautiful marketing on the front of the bottle or jar! Oils like soybean, canola, and other "seed" oils are highly oxidized oils with highly inflammatory effects on the entire body. The best options are organic, cold, and expeller-pressed coconut or avocado oils. Unlike seed oils, these healthy oils really do come from vegetables! 

This fresh homemade mayonnaise has no sugar, artificial ingredients, or soy. It tastes so delicious you will never go back too store-bought again.

Yields about a Pint

​Ingredients:
1 Large Egg (room temperature)
1 1/2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Granulated garlic
Kosher salt to taste
1 cup Avocado Oil

Optional ingredients to add or omit:
Paprika
Dill
Chives
Parsley

Directions:

1. Start by layering each ingredient as listed into a mason jar (eggs must be on the bottom).
2. Add the egg, vinegar, pinch of salt, Dijon mustard, and garlic.
3. Using an emulsion blender, blend the mixture for about 5-6 seconds.
4. Slowly add the avocado oil and blend for about 25-30 seconds.

​Who is ready for some breakfast? My English Muffin Egg Breakfast Sandwiches are a convenient make-ahead meal for your family. Make-ahead sandwiches are always a good idea for any family that is on the go!  Breakfast, in our little homeschool, is the most important part of our day.  If my kids do not eat a well-balanced meal, filling their tummies full of good protein and carbs, they stay in the kitchen all day begging for food.

Making these ahead and popping them in the freezer also makes them a handy and healthy grab and go breakfast. After you have baked the sandwiches allow them to cool. Individually wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag.  When you are ready to grab your sandwich from the freezer, remove the tin foil and wrap the sandwich in a paper towel, pop it in your microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until desired warmth.  ​

Nothing says comfort food like Salisbury steaks! This is my family favorite version of the ever-popular TV Dinner classic from the Hungry Man, and putting my homemade twist on a bland and boring dish.  My recipe leaves out store bought soup mixes but includes a yummy gravy that is delicious served over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash. This is the perfect easy winter meal that is inexpensive, tasty, family and kid-approved.

​Ingredients
Patties
1 lb Lean Grass-Fed Ground Beef
1/3 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
2 tsp Ketchup
1 tsp Mustard (I use yellow mustard)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dried Minced Onion
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil or avocado oil
 
Gravy
2 tbsp of Brown Gravy Mix
2 cups hot Water
1 tsp Ketchup
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 
Directions:

1. In a large bowl add the ground beef and all of the patty ingredients and combine using your hands until it is all well-incorporated.
2. Form the beef mixture into hamburger patties, set aside on a plate or cutting board.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook patties on both sides until no longer pink. (about 4 minutes per side)
5. Lower temperature to low.
6. Whisk together brown gravy mix and water until well-blended.
7. Whisk in ketchup and Worcestershire and pour over patties in skillet.
8. Allow to simmer until gravy warms and thickens.

 
Optional: I also recommend sautéing onions in butter before cooking the patties for a nice addition to this meal.

We are heading to my parents' house for dinner on Christmas night.  The menu and shopping list are made and thank goodness I have the easy meals to prepare this year!  The menu typically does not change a whole lot each year. My dad prepares the prime rib roast, mom handles the gravy and green beans, my sister brings the salad and desserts, and I prepare the mashed potatoes. This year was a little different because I usually buy the store bought frozen dinner yeast rolls, but I wanted to make homemade yeast rolls for the first time and also incorporate my oldest child into the fun for a little home economics lesson. 

This past week we learned about our senses and how different things feel, smell, and touch. So what better way to incorporate all of our senses than to make homemade yeast rolls which were already needed for our Christmas dinner. We made the dough together once we got all of the ingredients out and measured each. She helped knead the dough as well. It rolled so many activities into one, science, motor skills, and sensory to name a few. She has always said she's the baker, I'm the mixer and daddy is the fixer.  I highly recommend making this with your children and as a little added tip - clean up as you go! 

Here are some of the learning activities involved in this activity:

• following directions
  
• reading a recipe (words have meaning)
  
• sequencing (first we do this, then that)
  
• fine motor skills (scooping, stirring, pouring)
  
• observation skills (what happens when we mix in the flour?)
  
• life skills (preparing food, cleaning kitchen, doing dishes)

If you make this recipe a head of time and your dough balls are frozen, simply pull them out the day of and they will thaw and rise while the last minute stuff gets done. 

Ingredients: 
1 cup boiling water
2 TBSP oil (avocado or canola)
1/4 cup of unsalted butter plus melted butter or brushing the tops of rolls before baking 
3 TBSP granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast (not instant or rapid rise)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp kosher salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
2. Add the sugar, oil, egg, salt, and half of the flour and mix until just combined.
3. Add one more cup of flour and mix until the flour is combined again.
4. Add between 1/2 of a cup to 1 whole cup of the remaining flour as needed until the dough comes together and is soft but not gooey. 
5. Spray the top with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Allow dough to rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled.
7. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times until the dough is slightly smooth.
8. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
9. Deflate the dough by gently pushing your fist in the center and folding the sides over. On a clean un-floured surface, pat the dough out into a rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. 
10. Allow to rise about one hour more until doubled again.
11. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes and brush melted butter over the tops when you take them out of the oven.
12. Serve hot.

Let’s talk about boiled peanuts a true 𝒮𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓃 delicacy! I used to cook boiled peanuts all day in my crockpot, but you can cut your cooking time down substantially in a pressure cooker. My 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬 recipe is delicious, the peanuts come out tender, and it is so easy to make!  Boiled peanuts are the perfect summertime snack. If you have never had the pleasure of eating a boiled peanut, you need to try this recipe. It’s kid-friendly and southern mom approved!  Now that I know how fast and easy it is to make my life is just about complete.

Ingredients:
2 pounds raw peanuts
1/3 cup salt 
Water to cover

Instructions: 

1. Place peanuts in Instant Pot.
2. Add water to cover the peanuts.
3. Place the Instant Pot steamer rack on top of the peanuts and gently push the peanuts down. You can keep this rack in the Instant Pot during cooking to help weigh them down.
4. Place lid on Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing position.
5. Set to Manual Pressure for 90 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off let it natural release for 30 minutes. Then open the valve to release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.

Side Notes: 

• I keep the peanuts in the pressure cooker for another hour and stir every 30 minutes.
• Bag them in quart bags and place them in your freezer! 

These perfectly moist Healthy Homemade Blueberry Muffins are a fun way to bring smiles to your breakfast table. This recipe is my healthy way to serve a less fattening, calorie-rich breakfast to my kiddos. What I love about this recipe is you can use fresh or frozen blueberries or feel free to use other fruit instead like blackberries!

A fun alternative to this recipe is adding a few drops of Lemon essential oil. The added lemon oil gives them that lemony zest and makes them even healthier. I make sure to drink lemon oil in my water daily to detox my body and create an alkaline PH. It is so important for us all to create an alkaline PH in our body because cancer can grow in a body that has an acidic PH, not an Alkaline PH. Lemon oil is the easiest way to achieve alkalinity.

If you have leftover muffins simply put them on a cookie sheet and place it in your freezer for about 30 minutes. Take them out and put them in a freezer bag and store in your freezer. You can take them out and wrap a paper towel around them and set it to defrost for a few seconds in the microwave. How is that for a healthy, quick breakfast or a tasty treat anytime you want!

For Blueberry Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Coconut Oil, melted
​1/3 cup Milk
2 large eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries-fresh or frozen(thawed
1–2 tablespoon flour
sugar for sprinkling

Optional:
3 drops of Certified Organic Lemon essential oil (I use Revive Organic essential oils) or Lemon extract

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees and spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners.

2. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar and then add the yogurt, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the essential oil or lemon extract here as well.

4. Using a wooden spoon, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together being sure not to mix it too much.

5. In a small bowl sprinkle blueberries with 1-2 tablespoon flour and toss them until all blueberries are coated with thin layer of flour and then fold them really gently in the batter.

6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about 2/3 of each cup. Sprinkle the blueberries generously with granulated sugar.

7. Place them in the oven and bake about 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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8. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

​Sometimes, life gets busy and stressful it can be tempting to fall back on bad habits such as eating unhealthy, highly processed, convenience foods. Boiled eggs are always my go-to breakfast when I'm looking to plan healthy, protein-packed morning meals. It is fast to prepare and cook, and there are only two pots to clean up!

Ingredients:
12 eggs
1 cup of water

Directions:
Place a trivet in the bottom of the pot.
Add 1 cup of water.
Add 12 eggs onto the trivet.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot and set the pressure release valve to SEALING.
Cook using the Manual setting for 5 minutes. This will give you a soft middle.
When the timer goes off, release the pressure, fill a bowl with ice water, and place the eggs in the bowl to stop the cooking process.  Peel the eggs and place them in an air-tight container in your refrigerator and enjoy! 

Dessert for Breakfast? Waking up to the smell of warm cinnamon and apple Crockpot Steel-Cut Oats is a yummy addition to your morning make-ahead meal lineup. Cook a batch, refrigerate the leftovers, and reheat the oats in a bowl. You can freeze it into portions using a muffin tin and place it in a freezer-safe bag. 

2 Apples peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chia seed
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water

Coat the crockpot with cooking spray. Do NOT skip this step to avoid cleaning hard-dried steel-cut oats from inside your crockpot. 
Add all the ingredients to the crockpot, stir, and set it on low for 8 hours.
Your home will smell cozy when you wake up to the delicious smell of apples and cinnamon. Optional toppings: raisins, dates, pecans, walnuts, butter, or milk