Welcome to the Mindful Menus - A Menu Planning Blog Roll to inspire health through real food! 
 
It is my hope that this blog roll will inspire others to health through menu planning and to introduce you to the joys of menu planning.  Yes, there are joys!  If you are new to menu planning, I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Don't forget to keep checking back as menu plans are added. 

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OK Menu Planners - It's the first of February - We are four weeks into The Mindful Menus Challenge - Awesome!  Keep it up! 

I have an intense desire want to know: How is menu planning going for you?  Any tips you'd like to share?  Any struggles you are having?  I would love to hear your experiences over the last month.  If you are lacking motivation in your planning, check out this post I recently wrote.

Last week was an unusually busy week, but it was an easy week in that I didn't have to cook two nights since we were out of town.  It was a great time had by all - celebrating my oldest brother's early retirement party and my mom's birthday!  I love my Minnesota peeps!  

Since we ended up staying through Friday, I didn't get to last week's Spinach Chickpea Curry, so it's on again this week.

So, here's the menu plan for the week:

Monday - Spinach Chickpea Curry - vegetarian.  This curry boasts fragrant spices like cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, chickpeas, canned tomatoes - which I am fine with this time of year, spinach, fresh cilantro and coconut milk - It makes the house smell soooooo yummy... brown basmati rice. 
 
Tuesday -  Sautéed Mixed Greens - I bought rainbow chard, red chard and purple kale at Whole Foods Market yesterday - and grilled garlic-basil chicken sausages... smashed potatoes... sautéed apples.

Wednesday - Super Luscious Lasagna - vegetarian.  That pic was from 2009 when I made it last.  It has spinach, mushrooms, a béchamel sauce and a marinara sauce... simply divine.  I have not made any lasagna this winter yet and I'm so looking forward to it and leftovers!  Homemade caesar salad on the side.

Thursday - DH requested White Chicken Chili... with tortilla chips, salsa, shredded raw jack cheese, plain yogurt or sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro... avocado-orange pomegranate tex-mex salad.

Friday - It's Friday... you know what that means - POW (Pizza of the Week) Night!  Tonight will be homemade pizza - haven't decided the kind yet... One of them will be cheese though.      

I really don't do a lot of baking.  I enjoy making artisan bread, but I leave the sweet baking to my daughter.  This week she is making chewy granola bars using coconut oil instead of butter and vegetable oil.  I love coconut oil and I appreciate its incredible health benefits.  I have used it to make banana bread with good results, so she'll be trying it in the bars.  We'll let you know how they turn out.  Please check out her fledgling baking blog Life is a Sweet One - a brilliant blog name too... don't you think?     

Until next time... Eat REAL, Eat WELL- Cheers!  

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Menu Planners: Please join me by linking your healthy menu plan via Mr. Linky on Sunday evenings.  I usually have my menu plan up by 9pm...  If you're not ready until Monday evening... No worries, just please do it!

A few "rules" for joining in Mindful Menus...

*Please post only menu plans that are healthy and focused on REAL food.

*You must link back to the blog roll so that everyone can explore all the menu plans available.  This is such a great way to get new menu ideas, new recipes and meet other like-minded people.  To link back, please grab a Mindful Menus button (in the sidebar on the right) for your post. 

*If you link up and are on Twitter, please let me know by comment with your twitter name or tweet to me @chivetalker.  I would love to tweet a thanks to you for joining in and I want to add you to my Menu Planners List.

Thanks again... I LOVE having you!!!