Pinot Noir and Prayers: Menu Plan Monday: Clean Eating Challenge 6/27- 7/3

I am so sorry I have been missing in action for awhile. This summer has been pretty crazy!

I think in honor of Menu Plan Monday we should have a Clean Eating Challenge! My friend Heather, who is super motivational, came up with the idea. She is also the one who started our Vegan for a Week Challenge not too long ago. I have to be honest. I have been FAILING with a lot of the things I wanted to accomplish this summer. These failures include (but are not limited to) keeping up with a healthy diet, exercise and keeping up with some educational activities for the boys. I think this Clean Eating Challenge will be a great way to get reorganized. I hope you decide to join me!

This challenge will only run Monday-Friday so here is my plan for the week. The recipes I used are included below.

Monday:

Breakfast: Berry Banana Crockpot Oatmeal

Lunch: Three Bean Salad

Dinner: Leftover Chicken and Vegetable Quinoa (Sunday's Dinner)

Tuesday: Hubby's Birthday!

Breakfast: Leftover Berry Banana Crockpot Oatmeal

Lunch: Grilled Sausage with Three Bean Salad and Fresh fruit

Dinner: Ground Turkey with Lime and Black Bean Quinoa

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Peanut Putter Banana Overnight Oats

Lunch: Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich

Dinner: Ground Turkey Vegetable Stir fry and brown rice

Thursday:

Breakfast: Peanut Putter Banana Overnight Oats

Lunch: Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich

Dinner: Hawaiian Chicken and Quinoa

Friday:

Breakfast: Peanut Putter Banana Overnight Oats

Lunch: Garden Salad with Boiled eggs

Dinner: Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

**END OF CHALLENGE BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOU KEEP UP THE CLEAN EATING**

Saturday:

Breakfast: Biscuits with Turkey Sausage gravy

Lunch: Soup and sandwiches

Dinner: Leftover Surprise.

Create something new from what is leftover from our dinner recipes

Sunday:

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Parmasean Chicken Pasta

Recipes:

Berry Banana Crockpot Oatmeal

2 cups oats

4 cups almond milk

2 cups fresh berries (I am using strawberries, blackberries and raspberries)

2 bananas sliced

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together inside a crockpot and set on low for 6-8 hours

Serve or place in container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Hawaiian Chicken and Quinoa

2 large chicken breast

2 cups pineapple

1 large green pepper diced

1 large sweet onion diced

1/2 cup water or low sodium chicken broth

Add all ingredients except quinoa in the crockpot and cook on high 2-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken breast and shred, then return to the crockpot.

Cook quinoa (you can also use rice) separately and then serve Hawaiian Chicken on top.

Ground Turkey with Lime and Black Bean Quinoa

1-1.5 lb of ground turkey

2 cups black beans

2 cups corn

1 large onion diced

1 cup diced tomato

1 cup green pepper diced

1 cup spinach

1 lime (squeezed for juice)

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic

pepper to taste

Brown ground turkey, drain and return to pan. Add onion, green pepper and all seasonings and sauté for 5-10 minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients (including the juice from one lime) and let simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. While browning the Ground turkey, prepare quinoa (according to instructions on package). After quinoa is prepared, add while turkey and vegetables are simmering and mix well. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich

1 can tuna drained

1 avocado

1/4 cup red onion diced

1/4 cup green pepper diced

1/4 cup cucumber diced

1 lime (squeezed for juice)

pepper to taste

leaf lettuce

tomato sliced

wheat bread

Mash avocado to a creamy consistency and mix in tuna, onion, green pepper, cucumber and lime juice. Toast wheat bread and place leaf lettuce then avocado tuna mixture and top with 1-2 tomato slices. Sprinkle with pepper and top with second piece of toasted bread and Enjoy.

If you are interested in my Three Bean Salad or Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats recipes check out my Vegan for a Week post. I changed it up bit and eliminated the apple and sweet seasonings and added diced yellow and red peppers with olive oil, lemon and Italian seasoning for this batch! Yummy!