Back to school prep

It is that time of year again. Time to get my little girl ready for first grade. The school supplies are waiting in her Barbie back pack. The newest line of Gymboree is hanging in her closet. Her hair is cut into an easy to manage length. The only thing left to do is start planning lunches. As Hannah put it last year she "is a packer, NOT a buyer".

I am a list writer. So of course when I started thinking about back to school meals I made a couple of lists. Here is my back to school meal plan:

Breakfast
- Muffins (All of these recipes are from Gluten-free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam)
*chocolate banana
*cinnamon crumb
*tart apple spice
*pumpkin
*honey walnut
*banana pecan
- Eggs
- Almond flour pancakes
- Smoothies (All of these recipes are from Everyday Paleo: Embracing a Natural Diet &Lifestle to Increase Your Family's Health, Fitness, and Longevity by Sarah Fragoso)
*blueberry bonanza
*berry chocolate
*mango madness
- Paleo waffles

Lunch
- Entrees
- turkey/ham rollups
- pb&j yogurt
- grilled/roasted chicken with dip
- almond butter and banana coconut flour crepes

- Sides
- sliced veggies (carrot, cucumber, celery, etc.)
- fruit segments (apple slices, oranges, grapes, etc)
- trail mix (nuts, seeds, & dried fruit)
- great balls of dates (Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso)
- bugs in a boat (Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso)
- yogurt
- apple/pear sauce

Snacks
- Fruit slices
- Cheese slices
- Mini-muffins
- Trail mix
- Lara bar
- Apple/pear sauce
- Dried fruit (cantaloupe is the favorite right now)
- banana bread

Of course the bready/muffiny items are grain-free and home made.

What are you planning to put in your little one's lunch box?

Crockpot coconut chicken

I'm clearing out my pantry and freezer in preperation for a major kitchen renovation.  Major.  Walls will be knocked down and ceilings raised.  To get ready, I'm trying to use up everything in my pantry (the pantry will be demolished) and freezers.  Thankfully I have a second fridge/freezer in my laundry room so we can live for a few months without this appliance in the kitchen.  I need to be able to condense the two fridges into one though.  Another way I'm trying to prepare is to make a list of dinners that I can make in a crockpot on top of my washing machine.  The thought of dinner being cooked on top of the washing machine amuses me now, it might not be so funny in a few months.

This dinner takes care of both kitchen reno prep duties.  There are only three ingredients that were pulled from my pantry and freezer.

Crockpot Coconut Chicken
(serves 2 adults and 2 small children but could definitely be doubled)

3 chicken breasts
1 can of coconut milk
1 Tbs. garam marsala

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot.  Top with coconut milk and garam marsala.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.

The end result is a chicken breast that is incredibly tender and has a mild flavor.  Both of my kids gobble this up. I typically serve it with buttered broccoli.