WW: 33 weeks (last week)

Weekly Meal Plan

We are on the GFCF diet, but luckily many things can be made GFCF just by making a few substitutions or omissions. 

Breakfast is usually the same: Blueberry banana pancakes for Jackson, Honey Chex cereal for me, and a fruit smoothie for both of us. 

Lunch ideas: 

egg salad 

BBQ Chicken smashed potato bowl

veggies & hummus 

leftover chili

Dinner: 

Monday- Spaghetti & turkey meatballs - using gluten free pasta, no garlic bread :(

Tuesday- Turkey Chili

Wednesday- Pork Chops in Mango Salsa (crockpot recipe) w/ spinach side salad 

Thursday- Anniversary dinner at Longhorn! :)

Friday- Fried chicken fingers (fried w/Bob Red Mill's Gluten Free flour), mashed potatoes 

Dessert ideas: 

Bananas foster (in crockpot, using juice instead of brandy) over GF waffles 

Flourless fudge cookies 

I made this apple dessert last week and ate a bowl of it almost every night. With tofu ice cream on top which sounds gross but turns out to be kind of delicious :) 

Happy Father's Day!

To my wonderful husband, who is an amazing father!

Watermelon Berry Smoothie

Did I mention we have been on a huge smoothie kick lately? I love that I can get so many different types of fruit and even veggies into one and Jackson will not only drink it but think it's a dessert!  I almost always put a small handful of spinach into any fruit smoothie that I make- it adds protein, Vitamins A & K, folic acid and much more! There's a reason they call it a super food! Plus if there is enough other stuff in the smoothie, then you truly cannot taste the spinach.

Here's one we've been drinking a lot of lately, partly because I am also obsessed with watermelon right now!

Watermelon Berry Smoothie

makes 1 smoothie

4 oz fruit juice (I use Odwalla's Strawberry C Monster OR 4 oz apple juice + 1/4 cup frozen strawberries)
4 oz water
1 small handful of spinach (usually 4-5 leaves with stems off)
around  3/4 cup of fresh seedless watermelon
1/4 cup of frozen raspberries

It is so good and so good for you! Plus I hide Jackson's powdered multivitamin and strawberry flavored DHA inside of his!

Jackson is 3!

Even though it feels like we have celebrated Jackson's birthday several times already, today is the actual day he turns 3!

He is such a big boy now.  He has improved so much over the last year. He can finally communicate with us through sign language.  He loves watching other children and is trying more and more to actually play with them.  His favorite foods are blueberry pancakes, bananas, and peanut butter sandwiches.  He loves fruit smoothies of any kind.

He loves the water- whether it's the ocean, the water park, or even the just splashing around in the sink or the dog's water bowl! He loves letters, numbers, and puzzles. I think he has an analytical mind. He is starting some pretend play though.  He likes to give his babies something to drink and brush their teeth.

He's the sweetest boy.  He loves hugs and kisses and cuddles. I can't wait to see him love on his baby sister!

Happy Birthday Jackson!!

WW: Yo Gabba Gabba Birthday Party!

BBQ Chicken Smashed Potato Bowl

Have you ever gone to a BBQ restaurant and had a loaded baked potato? I mean one that is REALLY loaded with chicken or pork? (Is this a Southern thing?) Yeah, this is like the quick and cheap, but still delicious and satisfying version of that.  This recipe is perfect for using up leftover chicken.

BBQ Chicken Smashed Potato Bowl

individual serving

Take 2-3 red potatoes and cut them up into about 2-3 pieces each.  Put them into a pot of boiling water and let them boil for 15-20 minutes or until soft.  (I leave the skins on, but that's up to you). 

Drain the potatoes. Put them in a bowl and smash them up. Add salt, pepper and butter to taste.  (I use Earth Balance's dairy free/soy free butter substitute).

Take out your leftover chicken (or pork) and heat it up.  Pretty much any kind of chicken except fried should work.  Pull off or cut up the amount you want and put it on top of the potatoes.

Add BBQ sauce to taste.


This is what I had for lunch today.  It was amazing. I didn't take a picture because I was starving. Sorry!


This post is linked to:
Tuesdays at the Table
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
What's Cooking Wednesday
Gluten Free Wednesday
What's On the Menu Wednesday
Real Food Wednesday

Jackson's Fish themed birthday party

Jackson had 2 birthday parties this year :) When we were visiting family in Alabama 2 weeks ago, his Nana threw him a fish themed birthday party.  He really loves fish!

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Wheat Grass Smoothie

Jackson officially started the GFCF diet on Monday.  He's been doing okay, except that he is all of a sudden not wanting his peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwiches. I want to blame it on the GF bread, but he was eating GFCF grilled cheeses before the diet officially started, so I don't know what the deal is. 

Since he has been on the diet, his speech therapist has already told us that he is more vocal and his ABA therapist said that he has been interacting with the other kids more often. I don't know if that is necessarily due to the diet (does it even work that fast?) but I will definitely  monitor his progress.

After reading the Autism Book by Dr. Sears, I have decided to also go on the GFCF diet through the rest of my pregnancy and while breastfeeding. I plan to keep Jillian GFCF until after her 2nd birthday as well.  I don't know that there is any proof that this will help prevent her from getting autism, but it can't hurt. 

Anyway, we have been addicted to smoothies lately! Jackson and I have had one of these every afternoon after his nap.  It is GFCF and the "chocolate" flavor comes from chocolate Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood Powder which is made from wheatgrass and is full of antioxidants that you can't get from a multivitamin. It is pretty good- it does have a slight aftertaste but I don't mind it and Jackson hasn't seemed to notice it yet. 

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Wheat Grass Smoothie

makes one 8 oz smoothie

Ingredients:

6 oz almond milk (or any milk/milk substitute)
1/2 frozen banana (or 1/2 fresh banana + 2 ice cubes)
2 scoops of chocolate Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood 
1-2 tbsps peanut butter (I use Smart Balance with Omega-3)

Blend well and drink immediately! It's delicious!!