Meal Planning Lineup #15: 30+ Recipes Which Don't Come From A Box

Making any meal to some is not easy. Maybe you grew up in a house where meals where made out of a box or found at a local restaurant. You might of grown up in a house where the TV was the center of your day and not gathering at the table. 


Following any recipe is not hard, it just takes time. Time away from the computer, TV, iPhone and work. Yes making your own meals is harder than stopping by McDonalds or Applebees. You have to make an effort but the end result is so rewarding. I love making our meals because I know exactly what I am getting. Yes, 3 out of 10 times it does not turn out right. Darn recipes sometimes need a little tweaking, but at least I made it. What do you enjoy about making your own meals? What do you struggle with? Maybe I can help get you on your way to home prepared, delicious, nutrient dense and enjoyable meals. 


This week I have found over 30 meals which keep to the tradition of healthy, unprocessed ingredients. I am loving the snack and treats section. Plus I have included four Helpful Links which might make your heart race with excitement. You can find those below the recipes. 




Meal #1 

Tasty Trials

Coconut Curry Turkey Pitas

&

The Perfect Pantry

Greek Pasta Salad with 

Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Meal #2

Oh She Glows

Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

&

The Cooking Photographer

Oven Roasted Garlic Brussells Sprouts

Meal #3

Wishful Chef

Corn and Potato Soup

Meal #4

The Taste of Koko

Herbed Salmon

 &

The CopyCat Cook

Herbed Potato Salad

Meal #5

Meghan Telpner

Mediterranean Fish Dish

Ezra Pound Cake

Red Beans & Rice Salad

Worth Trying


Drinks {3}

Raw Food Recipes

The Chlorophyll Bomb

101 Cookbooks

Grapefruit, Lime and Ginger Juice

For The Love of Food

Kale and Pear Smoothie w/ Herbs

Breakfast {5}

Joy the Baker

Spinach and Potato Breakfast Hash

Lauren's Latest

Whole Wheat Waffles

The CopyCat Cook

Baked Banana Breakfast Pudding

101 Cookbooks

Toasted Four Grain Cereal

Family Fresh Cooking

Chocolate Bread Pudding Breakfast Cake

(Gluten Free)

Lunch {2}

For The Love of Food

Raw Broccoli Crunch Salad

Joy the Baker

Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl

Dinner {3}

Jess Thomson

Kale and Pasta

Gooseberry Mooseberry

Norwegian Fish Cakes

Snacks/Treats {5}

The Kitchen Addiction

Homemade Oreo Cookies

(there is 1 c sugar in this and powdered sugar for cream. If anyone would like to share in comments some alternatives to these ingredients please do so. I would use applesauce for the sugar but I have not researched a good alternative, other than tofu for the powdered sugar)

Raw Food Recipes

Orange Maple Walnut Granola

Food Doodles

Coconut Cream Filled Chocolates

Burpees in the Kitchen

Chai Spiced Banana Oat Cookies

Cooking Classy

Healthy Cookies -Applesauce, cranberries, carrots etc)

For The Love of Food 

Cranberry Pecan Power Bars

Sides {3}

The Rawtarian

Raw Flax Meal Crackers

For The Love of Food

Raw Zucchini Sushi Rolls

Miss Anthropist's Kitchen

Spinach Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

Misc {2}

Vegalicious Recipes

Amazing Apple Dip for Veggies

The Two Bite Club

Pizza Sauce

Helpful Links {4}
1. The Alkaline Sisters: Ginger & Hemp Dressing and the benefits of Salad
2. The CopyCat Cook: 6 Ways to Eat Raw without going broke
3. 101 Cookbooks: Build a Natural Foods Pantry
4. Meghan Telpner: Homemade Sunscreen 


On to find more recipe for you to enjoy and share with your friends. Have a wonderful week. Spend time away from the computer, iPhone, TV, work, and enjoy making memories with your friends and family. 


If you would create something,
you must be something.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Namaste


Linda Jacobson
The Helpful Sister

Week #2

Recipe Lineup #2 for the week of November 19-25

With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I am planning for my family some recipes that will be on the lighter and fun side. Plus, for some reason I am wanting to mimic some of my favorites from some local restaurants in town (and talented blogger Kristin from Iowa Girl Eats). You will see the pattern. This is our FIRST Thanksgiving just us four, so I am trying out some new recipes to see what might work within our own tradition and taste buds.

Meal #1

Homemade Chipolte Burrito Bowl

This recipe is easy to follow and involves some chopping but I think it will be super yummy. I have not tried this recipe yet but I have ate at Chipolte. I will be using a rotisserie chicken. Might but it in the crock pot for a while to gain some flavor.

Meal #2

P.F Chang's Lettuce Wraps

This will be third time making this dish and oh it is so delicious. I have made a few changes. 

• Ground Turkey instead of chicken (1 lb just does not feed 2 adults and 2 small kids, 1.5+ will get you some lunch leftovers)
• Celery instead of water chestnuts (never been a fan)
• Grama's Sweet Chili Sauce (Whole Foods or Amazon) instead of Chili Garlic Sauce
•  Raw Cashews (Trader Joes) instead of Peanuts (only because we always have cashews and never peanuts)
• Bragg's Liquid Amino's instead of Soy Sauce. 

SALAD: Root Veggie Slaw with Orange Cumin Dressing (Living Foods)

This sounds refreshing and a great mix for Autumn. I am going to look at just using my Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar instead of the Sherry. Anyone used Sherry Vinegar before? Can you do without?

Meal #3

Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

I am going to make this in my crock pot and low and see what happens. I am going to pair this with some homemade garlic bread (my own recipe) and a salad. Sounds different and it is going to warm us up, it gets down right chili in Vegas. I will be using, as you might of guessed ground turkey. Yes, it is right before Thanksgiving but ground turkey is nothing like a roasted big bird. 

Helpful Sister Garlic Bread (optional)

1 loaf of bread

Half or 1 stick of butter

1-3 tbsp Olive Oil

1-3 cloves of garlic (depending on your love of garlic)

Basil

Heat over to 350. Get out baking sheet and cover with foil. 

1 fresh loaf of french bread or your favorite type of bread. Cut to whatever size you prefer. Melt butter on stove or microwave, add in olive oil (eye ball it or by your taste)  Take oil off stove. Dice up garlic, and basil and add to oil. Spread on bread. Bake until bread is warm. If you want it more browned on top, then turn on broiler to low and watch it like a hawk. 

SALAD: GLUTEN FREE (Living Food)

Pomegranate Salad

A light and wonderful salad, I am hoping. I always see the darn pomegranates and wish I could use them. I stay clear of them, because they take time to get the fruit out. I am opting for the containers of fruit this time. Saving time is what it is all about. 

Meal #4 

Thanksgiving Ideas (Martha really has some great ones)

Dry-Brined Roasted Broad Breasted White Turkey (Say that 5x fast)

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples

Cranberry Pear Ginger Chutney

Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes 

Quinoa Skillet Bread 

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cranberry Cream Cheese Diphold

Fresh Cherry Crumble or Crisp

MUST TRY RECIPES:

Breakfast: 

Buttermilk Pancakes with Vanilla Pudding Sauce

(I take the sugar out of the pancake recipe)

Snacks:

Coconut Apricot Bites

Chocolate Granola Bars

Lunch:

Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt

Anytime: 

Green Smoothie with Kale and Green Apple

Salad:

Maple Roasted Pumpkin and Chicken Salad 

Week #2 is in the books. Happy Thanksgiving week or really year. What are you most grateful or thankful for? Will you be sharing your home this holiday or getting to help out at someone else's? What ever you make or where ever you go, enjoy the moments you share with those you are surrounded by. Memories are what last the most (as I remember my amazing Grandmother) 

Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to you and your family.

Remember you can share your thoughts on the recipes, what you liked, did not like on the Helpful Recipe Facebook Group. 

Namaste,

The Helpfulsister