Healthy eating can definitely be a challenge and people often wonder how can you be successful, especially with a family in doing so.  When I ask people why they don’t eat healthier they often say:

• I don’t have time
• I don’t know what to cook
• I need recipes with simple ingredients
• Healthy food is too expensive

Food rapidly becomes an area of stress in your life. And often when we experience stress we try to avoid it.  Quick and convenient starts becoming a priority over nutritious (and delicious!)

Do you want to know what my solution is to all of this is?

MEAL PLANNING

Meal planning, when done right, is a complete game changer.  Taking time out of your day to get organized with your food choices makes the rest of the week much more manageable. If you know what you are eating, the food is there and ready to go, your time in the kitchen will drop drastically.  When you have the exact list of foods you need to get through the week, you can get in and out of the grocery store in 15-20 minutes (time saved!)

You will stop over spending when you are simply buying just the things on your grocery list.

You will stop eating excessive junk food when you aren’t buying it and it’s no longer the most convenient thing to grab.

You’ll stop spending hours in the kitchen EVERY DAY.

You will feel confident about your food choices.

You will feel more energized because you are nourishing your body.

You will have time (and the energy) to play with your kids and go out with friends.

You will be nourishing your kids AND yourself (how many times have you saved the fruit for your small human but don’t consume it yourself?)

So to give you an inside look at my meal plans here is a tasty recipe to get your started.

Spaghetti Squash with Coconut Cream

• 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
• 1 ½ tsps Coconut Oil
• ½ Sweet Onion (finely diced)
• 3 Garlic (cloves, minced)
• ½ cup Canned Coconut Milk (you may want more depending on how creamy you like it)
• 2 cups Baby Spinach (chopped)
• 3 tbsp sundried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
• 8 ozs Chicken Breast (baked or grilled)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and carve out the seeds. Place the halves on a parchment paper lined baking sheet flesh side up. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook the squash in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
2. In the meantime, in a saucepan heat the coconut oil over medium-low heat. Sautee your finely diced onion until golden. Then add in minced garlic and stir until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add coconut milk and continue to stir until slightly thickened (5 – 6 minutes).
3. Remove your spaghetti squash from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Stand each half up vertically and scrape out the flesh using a fork. It should come out as string-like noodles.
4. In a mixing bowl, toss the spaghetti squash with the cream sauce. Add the baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, mix well. Plate and sprinkle with desired amount of red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper. Top with your strips of sliced oven baked chicken breast and enjoy!

Notes:
Hungry people? I would consider making extra or serving with a side salad.
Left over coconut milk? Toss in the fridge (or freezer) and use it to make your breakfast smoothie in the morning!
Short on time? Cook the squash and chicken the night before and just reheat.

Not interested in creating the plans yourself and looking to save more time? (Honestly, gathering the recipes and creating the plan itself is one of the biggest pains in the butt!)

I’ve got you covered!

If you want more delicious recipes like this but in meal plan format AND with a grocery list included check out my meal plan subscription.  All plans are whole food based with easily accessible ingredients that you should be able to find at your local grocery store. Click here to find more information on these done for you meal plans.