What's For Dinner?

I have two very young, high-energy toddlers on very opposite nap schedules and I can't spend more than 15 minutes preparing dinner, but I also won't sacrifice nutrition for ease of preparation. I'm going to try and post our meal plan each week in order to pass along some good, easy recipes that I've stumbled across and also to show that it is possible to work a healthy diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and good fats into your budget and lifestyle. I try to use fresh, organic fruits and veggies whenever possible, but will supplement with frozen vegetables when it's more convenient. We eat cage-free eggs only, we drink organic milk that is vat-pasteurized and non-homogenized which preserves more of the nutrition (this is my budget-buster, but it's worth it for us personally), and I try to purchase organic cheese whenever I can. I also only buy whole grain bread that's free of HFCS, and we avoid trans-fats and artificial sweeteners like the plague. So, without further ado, here is this week's tried-and-true meal plan.

Wednesday- Homemade pizza (pre-made crust from Whole Foods, organic tomato sauce and shredded cheese, topped with onions, spinach and broccoli), salad

Thursday- Mostaccioli Alfredo, steamed broccoli

Friday- Black Bean Soup, gourmet grilled cheese

Saturday- Spaghetti w/ marinara, mixed veggies, salad

Sunday- Crock pot vegetarian chili w. sour cream and cheese (dump canned tomatoes, beans, spinach, chili seasoning, onion & green pepper- both sauteed until translucent- into your crock pot. Cook for 3-4 hours on a low setting.), corn bread

Monday- Jimmy John's takeout (mommy needs a night off!)

Tuesday- Spinach burritos, roasted sweet potatoes

For breakfast we usually eat various combinations of eggs, toast, cereal, bagels, and/or fruit.

Lunch options typically consist of dinner leftovers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, noodles, organic mac and cheese with tomatoes or mixed veggies, vegetables (raw or steamed), fruit and/or cheese.