Amazingly Delicious Pancakes {allergy-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, breakfast}

They're here! Finally, I'm publishing my hubby's amazing pancake recipe. These are a family favorite on the weekends around our house. He even included the specific ingredient brands we use and love for those who are interested. We served these for breakfast recently when we had overnight guests and everyone was surprised to learn they were allergy-friendly!! We top them with real maple syrup, fresh fruit, powdered sugar or jam, you name it, it's delish. Make a double batch and keep them in the fridge (or freezer) to enjoy throughout the week! Enjoy!


...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Vegetable Soup {Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Easy}

Full of tasty veggies and shredded rotisserie chicken, this soup is big on flavor, fiber and still quick and easy. Substitute in whatever veggies and beans you love or have in your pantry and make it your own. Love these vibrant colors! Serve this with Gluten-free Grain-free biscuits, Gluten-free cornbread or your favorite crusty French bread. Click over to typediabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Cauliflower Thyme Shepherd's Pie {Gluten-free, Low-Carb, Dairy-Free}

Here's a lower carbohydrate version of the more traditional Shepherd's Pie. Cauliflower steamed and blended to a deliciously smooth consistency is a great potato alternative. I bumped up the savory by using grass-fed ground beef and lots of aromatic seasonings. A great option for dinner any time of year, but especially on a chilly Fall or Winter evening. Click over to type2diabetes for the recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Sausage Breakfast Patties {gluten-free, breakfast}

I struggle with breakfast most days. My hubby typically makes breakfast for the kids or helps them make their own before he leaves for work. Awesome, I know! I'm usually just grabbing whatever is leftover, some cereal or a Greek yogurt. These sausage patties are an easy go-to and they are high in protein and big on flavor. Because you make them yourself and can control what's in them, they are a healthier alternative to store-bought patties. Make a big batch and freeze them. Click here for my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Artichoke Lemon Chicken Soup {Gluten-free, Dairy-free}

Happy Monday! I have a tasty soup to share today. This is perfect for any time of year, but I particularly love it when anyone in my house is feeling under the weather. The bright lemony flavor, zippy artichoke and savory chicken is a great combo. You can make this with or without the rice, depending on your preference. Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs {How-to}

My kids love hard boiled eggs and they are perfect for school lunch or snack! They help fill my boys up, which is sometimes hard to do. I make at least 6 at a time and store them in the fridge to grab when needed. Click over to read my article The Truth About Eggs and see my recipe for the perfect hard boiled egg. Spoiler alert: the recipe is super easy and foolproof! It's a winner for me. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

School Lunch Inspiration {Re-post}

     Some of you may already have started back to school but school starts next week for us and I'm having mixed emotions. I love summer. The warmth (especially appreciate this now that we live in a snowy winter climate), fun, laid back routines, lazy mornings, lazy afternoons, swimming, exploring, flip flops, shorts, evening walks by the lake, late night sunsets, lots of time with friends and lots of time with my boys... While I'm excited for them to start back to school, I'm dragging my feet a bit during these last days of summer.
   
     I've had several people ask me about school lunches so I thought this was a perfect time to repost these ideas. I wrote this back when we had just moved cross-country and were homeschooling. Here's to another new season! Let's start strong with our lunch game mamas and dads and make it great! I'll be a little more intentional with my grocery run this weekend as I meal plan for lunches and Our Weekly Menu. Planning ahead feels like more work up front but it REALLY pays off. Click over to see my kid-friendly lunch ideas and please share your lunch secrets! I'm always looking for new ideas too! Happy start of school friends. ...click here for the recipe!

Baked Pesto Chicken {Gluten-free, Chicken, Easy, Low-Carb}

This is an easy way to give chicken a new flavor. I used kale, but spinach leaves will work as well. It's great as a stand alone with roasted veggies or delicious sliced on top of a salad! Click over to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Our Weekly Menu {Gluten-Free} 8.21.16

Welcome to Our Weekly Menu! I haven't done one of these posts in forever. Never fear though, we've still been menu planning each week. Even if our little homemade board says, "leftovers, snacky dinner (aka: clean out the fridge) and take out" I still write something on there. I love the piece of mind it gives me to not stress over dinner at 5pm.

Only two more weeks of summer for us. I'm a little sad but also looking forward to the routine of school. We'll be out and about most of the day this Thursday, so a slow cooker meal is in order. If any night is going particularly crazy, you rest assured I'll be calling in that "once-a-week-take-out" card for my awesome hubby to pick up food on his way home from work. That's another perk to menu planning, you can always switch it around as needed.


SUNDAY: Lettuce-Wrap Burgers and Potato Chips at the lake. Whenever we're home and it's not storming, we head to our beach for dinner at the lake. It's one of my most favorite summer traditions!

MONDAY: Bruchetta Chicken with Spinach Salad and Garlic Bread

TUESDAY: Flank Steak Salad with Strawberry Watermelon Salsa

WEDNESDAY: Turkey Taco Lettuce Cups 

THURSDAY: Slow Cooker Mushroom Honey-Mustard Chicken with Steamed Broccoli

FRIDAY: take out! Yeah baby!

SATURDAY: Sushi night! Avocado-Cucumber and Chicken Teriyaki rolls

Check out all Our Weekly Menu posts for more ideas and inspiration.

Follow Wholesome Dinner Tonight on Pinterest where you can eat with your eyes!

...click here for the recipe!

Strawberry Almond Butter Toast {Easy Peasy}

This is hardly a recipe but more of an inspiration. As I try to cut back on my sugar intake I've been experimenting with adding fresh fruit to my toast instead of sugary jam or jelly. This is seriously so yummy and sweet. Delicious with more vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and way less sugar. Give it a try. Also super tasty with raspberries and blackberries! Click here to see the details. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Lettuce-Wrap Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries {Gluten-free, Beef, Grilling}

This is a two-for-one recipe! My hubby's deliciously simple grass-fed beef burgers wrapped in crisp lettuce AND sweet and savory, baked sweet potato fries! You can absolutely add your favorite bun or roll for the burger if you prefer, but crunchy lettuce is a really tasty compliment. Sometimes I just put my burger over a giant green salad and it's wonderful. Click here for Lettuce-Wrap Burgers and here for my Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Turkey Taco Lettuce Cups {Gluten-free, Low-carb}

Tacos are a favorite in our house! This is a fun and lighter way to enjoy all the delicious taco fillings in a crisp, crunchy lettuce cup. They taste great anytime, but I especially love them on a warm summer evening. The beauty of make-your-own tacos is everyone can customize their own! Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas {Gluten-free, Crock Pot}

It's Tuesday! That means you can make tonight TACO TUESDAY! Okay, so they are fajitas technically but they're served in a soft taco tortilla so basically the same as tacos. If you're looking for a new and delicious option that's a bargain, these tasty fajitas are perfect. I buy beef stew meat in bulk, portion it out and freeze it. Stew meat is lean and can be stringy and tough if not cooked properly. Fortunately, it lends itself perfectly to slow cooker preparation and comes out tender and full of flavor. Click over here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Taco Soup {Gluten-free, Dairy-free}

This is an easy recipe for a tasty dinner. I love the lean shredded chicken in this for something different. The kids love personalizing their toppings! Try topping this with fresh avocado slices, diced red onion, broken tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Delicious! Click over here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Easy Microwave Omlet {Gluten-free, Easy, Breakfast}

I have had some requests for EASY recipes, like microwave easy. This is a fun and quick way to whip up a hot and healthy breakfast if you're running short on time. You can use this same method for our Breakfast Egg Sandwich. I love to mix this up with all different mix-ins! Try sliced mushrooms with goat cheese or bell peppers and spinach, whatever you have on hand. Click here for my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing {Gluten-free}

It's all about the dressing here. The zippy and sweet strawberry balsamic dressing is amazing with the grilled pork. I love this dish for a warm day as it's light and delicious. Our kids loved this as well! Grill the pork to lock in the juices and keep is moist and tender. Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps {Gluten-free, Dairy-free, easy}

Looking for a quick and easy lunch idea? Check this out. This is a unique play on tuna salad as it doesn't have any mayo!! *gasp* That said, make this recipe your own and add mayo if you prefer. :)
I think the fun trick here is to try your tuna salad in a crunchy and light lettuce wrap. Click over here for my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Sesame Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Cauliflower "Rice" {Gluten-free, Slow Cooker}

This is a yummy sweet and savory dish full of flavor. I happen to love this cauliflower "rice" with it, so yummy and soaks up the sauce. Swap out for any veggies you love or have on hand. Best of all this is a great way to use an inexpensive cut of beef by cooking it low and slow with an amazingly tender result. Click here for my recipe! Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup with Quinoa {Gluten-free}

Happy Monday! Apparently I'm on a butternut squash kick lately. What can I say, I love it and I love buying produce that's in season. It often tastes better and is more affordable. This soup reminds me a bit of the classic Chicken and Rice Soup but with a protein-packed scoop of quinoa instead.

Butternut squash can be tricky to cut. I typically slice some off the bottom so it can sit level on the cutting board. Then I peel it with a good quality vegetable peeler. Finally, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out insides and cut into cubes. Sometimes I buy butternut squash already cubed in the produce section if I'm pressed for time. Click here to see my recipe. ...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Sausage with Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa {Gluten-free}

Again with the roasted winter squash. It's just so good I can't stop making it. Plus, my kiddos love it. This chicken sausage is from Trader Joe's and it's casing-free. It has great flavor and goes really well with the nutty quinoa and sweet squash. This is a hearty meal that's full of satisfying protein! Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Mushroom Honey-Mustard Chicken {Slow-cooker}

Sometimes you just need a Slow cooker meal on a Wednesday, at least I do! Halfway through the week and weeknight events means I need to do my dinner prep and cooking earlier in the day so that dinner is ready when we are ready to eat! This is super easy and delicious! Sub out the flour for Tapioca starch to make this gluten-free. It goes great with our Gluten-free biscuits too. MMmmmm. Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables {Gluten-free}

Hello readers! As you may have guessed, we've had a busy couple of weeks. We've been celebrating birthdays and packing all kinds of fun into our weeknights. I've started working more hours (still from home). As things start to settle in, I will get more posts up for you all! This recipe is perfect for a cold winter evening meal. I just love roasted veggies, their flavor is really enhanced by roasting! I also love that this whole meal cooks together in the oven in ONE dish! Yeah! Click over here to see my full recipe. Enjoy!

...click here for the recipe!

Turkey Butternut Squash Chili {Gluten-free}

I just love butternut squash. It's similar to pumpkin and can easily cross the line between sweet or savory. This chili is made more delicious with the addition of butternut squash. See my note about the easiest way to prepare and store Chipotle in Adobo! It's really inexpensive and easy to add and bumps the smokey flavor way up. Yum! Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs {Crock Pot}

Plan ahead to par bake the meatballs in the oven to lock in their juices then let your slow cooker simmer away for some delicious, tender and flavorful meatballs. Serve over pasta or simply with some fresh steamed broccoli. Use gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free. Click here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Easy Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Cups

Happy New Year! I'm back after a wonderful break. We traveled out of state to see family and are now back home enjoying some down days before school and work start up again. This recipe is an ode to my high school years. My sister and I used to love to order take-out from a quirky little place and I loved their Moo Shu Chicken! I've reinvented it here and lightened it up with fresh crunchy lettuce cups instead of crepes. Click here to see my recipe. Blessings to you all for a healthy and happy New Year!

*To make this recipe gluten-free, choose GF Hoisin sauce ...click here for the recipe!