Planning your weekly unprocessed dinner menu doesn't have to be an energy vampire. Create a go-to list that will make planning your week simple (and healthy!), so you can keep your focus on what matters most to you!
1. Rice & Beans
Sounds so basic, right? When done correctly, rice and beans is a delicious and filling meal. Its superpower is its versatility and in it's nutritional value. Read my love note to beans here.
We were introduced to rice and beans by our sweet and incredible nanny, who is originally from Colombia. She joined our family in 2015 when our first daughter was three months old. We did not feed our kids meat for their first few years, and our nanny made food for them at her home and brought it for their lunch (did I mention she was sweet and incredible!?).
I tasted her rice and beans, and they were delicious! Great texture and flavors and my kids ate every bite (a testament to their tastiness). I tried to make them with what time and patience I had available - canned beans warmed over in a small pot and some 90-second microwave rice. Not quite the same.
When I asked her secret, she shared she uses dried beans, soaks them overnight, and then lets them cook on low for a bit. I later found a Costa Rican cookbook and learned when to add salt (after they've soaked and simmered) and when to add diced onion, cilantro, etc.
I make beans almost weekly, and the kids eat them with plain white rice. Some kids like it topped with avocado and maybe a little bit of shredded cheese. The point is that each family member can eat them how they like them.
I've learned one of the most important things to remember when feeding kids: they need to have a say in what they eat. Forcing food is not the answer.
An added benefit of beans and rice is that I use them in other dishes throughout the week, like a hash or as fixings for tacos!
2. Tacos
Who doesn't love tacos, amirite? I unprocess this tasty dish by making my tortillas. It takes a bit of extra time, and it's worth it because store-bought tortillas are highly processed. I counted 12 ingredients in Mission Soft Taco Flour Tortillas, which cost $2.75 for ten tortillas. Meanwhile, homemade tortillas contain four: flour, baking powder, olive oil, and water which yield 16 tortillas. Worth it from a health and cost perspective.
The other reason this is a go-to meal is because I get to use as many unprocessed fixins I have in my refrigerator: freshly shredded cheese, lettuce or green cabbage for a crunch, tomatoes, avocado, white rice, and whatever beans I made that week. If I have plain yogurt on hand, I'll use that as a sour cream substitute (man, I love sour cream). If my meat-eating family is in town, I'll buy a couple of pounds of ground beef from the farmer's market from a nearby cattle ranch.
The last reason this is a go-to recipe is because everyone gets to have the taco they like. The youngest only likes cheese, the oldest only likes beans and cheese, and the middle likes everything in it. We're only limited by the number of tortillas I make.
3. Pasta & Creamy Tomato Sauce
I love pasta. So comforting, especially during the winter months. I found a delicious recipe for creamy tomato sauce that's a perfect base for whatever vegetable you'd like to add to it.
I keep the kids' meal simple - pasta and creamy tomato sauce. For the adults, consider adding roast eggplant and then add it to the sauce for flavor and to make it a bit more filling. If I don't have eggplant on hand, I roast Brussels sprouts.
4. Pizza
I won't live in a world without pizza, and this is my way of ensuring I'm not deprived of it. Find any recipe online, and you can't go wrong.
I make one or two cheese pizzas and another one or two with toppings for me, my husband, and middle child. I love green onions, olives, and peppers.
Another reason this is a go-to meal: leftovers make it to the youngest child's lunchbox the next day. (She's the only one willing to eat it cold.)
5. Salad with Roasted (Insert Vegetable of Choice)
Salads are a great go-to dinner. I always have the ingredients and feel good when I'm done. I dice up all veggies on hand and love adding green cabbage. Meanwhile, I roast veggies (usually butternut squash because I have enough in my freezer to last until 2025). Season them to your preference, and you've added nutrition and a filling factor that is a must for me when a salad is the main course.
For me, the key to a satisfying salad is the dressing. Consider making your own or find one that is locally made at your farmer's market. Store-bought dressings are highly-processed and are sneaky ways we consume unnecessary additives and sugars.
I hope this inspired you to create your go-to meal list! What meals will you put on yours? Share in the comments below!
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