Meal Plan Monday- April #3

This week's meal plan is full of easy dinners that both kids and adults can enjoy, thanks to plenty of non-recipe suggestions from this post over at Pick Any Two. Getting the kids involved with dinner prep is fun for all and teaches valuable life skills. Even the youngest kids can get involved sprinkling cheese, washing lettuce, and other small tasks. Most of this week's dinners can be prepared within a short window of time, so we'll have plenty of time to do other activities with our longer daylight hours.

Between daily walks and visits to the park, we've had plenty of time to enjoy the bountiful sunshine that we've be having here in Northern California. Later today, I'm headed to the first family barbeque of the season. I baked up a batch of delicious brownies loaded with chocolate and cherries (which I'll be sharing this week in a guest post) to bring. You do not want to miss the recipe! Also, my April Stitch Fix came in, and I'm aiming to get my monthly review out this week or early next week.

Monday
Roasted Vegetable and Pesto Quesadillas
Tomato Soup
Meatless Monday is a great way to get your kids to eat more vegetables. Mozzarella, roasted (instead of grilled) vegetables, pesto, and a bit of goat cheese steps up your average quesadilla. Dunk these in kid-friendly tomato soup to make a meal.

Tuesday
Bagel Pizzas
Plain mini bagels or whole wheat sandwich thins make the perfect kid-sized pizza crusts. Have the kids help you top them with sauce, cheese, and their favorite pizza toppings. For my kids, that mean pepperoni/olives and ham/pineapple. Serve with a fresh salad or vegetable sticks to round out the meal.

Wednesday
Carnitas Burrito Bowls
Remember the carnitas we made up last week? Turn it into burrito bowls with rice, black beans, corn, salsa, and whatever else you like to fill up a burrito with. For a low-carb option, replace the rice with a bed of greens, and double up on the black beans for added fiber and protein.

Thursday
Chili-rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, steamed vegetable
Pair a smoky, spicy rub with a sweet apricot glaze and I'm sold. I'm excited to try this new recipe for pork tenderloin, and see how it comes out. Serve roasted sweet potatoes alongside this pork to sop up any extra sauce.

Friday
Leftover Night/Clean out the fridge
Prepare for the weekend by cleaning out the fridge. Possibilities for this week: carnitas quesadillas, leftover pork tenderloin, pork and potato hash with a fried egg... we'll see what we have in the fridge by Friday.

Saturday
Family Day - Dinner Out
Spending time with the cousins out of town means I'm not cooking. Depending on plans and timing, we'll end up dining out somewhere local or ordering pizza when we get home.

Sunday
Pot Roast Dips with Horseradish Cream Sauce
I love French dip sandwiches, but roast beef can be expensive or take hours to make. I love the idea of slow-cooking a pot-roast all day, shredding it up, then piling it up on a roll. With melted cheese, horseradish cream sauce, and au jus for dipping, these sandwiches look divine!

Have a wonderful week!