FALL MENU PLANNING

All it takes is a week or two of cooler weather to put me in the mood for fall (and all the yummy food that comes along with it)! I love baking a batch of muffins for the week, or cooking up a big pot of soup to eat for a few nights with a crusty baguette. My doors are open, leaves are falling with every gust of wind, the smell of chicken, onions and garlic is coming from the kitchen... I'm warming up a cup of tea and watching the girls play in the dirt outside.

I've gotten very bad about planning out a weekly / monthly menu ever since I got pregnant with this little babe. Cooking was repulsive during the first trimester dealing with morning sickness, but now it's just laziness keeping me from planning and cooking dinners for the whole family. I've noticed that Madeline has gotten a little pickier and I think it's most definitely related to not having a "real dinner" every evening, and instead, making eggs or toast or pancakes for dinner and then cooking something else for Isaac to reheat when he gets home. So in an effort to change that and get back into my routine, here I am, sipping my tea, flipping through my favorite cookbooks and scrolling Pinterest for delicious fall meals that will get me excited to be back in the kitchen.

Here are some recipes, some new, some tried and true, inspiring my menu this season - maybe they'll inspire you too! xx

Kale & Wild Rice Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette from Camille Styles

I get tried of cooking a protein every single night and love coming across a main dish meal like this I can serve with a homemade muffin or a fresh loaf of bread.

Butternut Squash, Leek & Apple Soup from My New Roots

All the flavors of fall in one delicious, easy soup.

30 Minute Coq au Vin Meatballs with Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes from Half Baked Harvest

I made these twice last fall and can't wait to make them again. A good meal for company too - who doesn't love a good meatball cooked in wine?

The Perfect Picnic Pie from Green Kitchen Stories

Technically a spring or summer recipe but I wanted to include this because I love using it as base for fall greens. Chard, beet tops, kale, whatever is in the fridge can be tossed together with an onion and baked in this yummy gluten free crust. A favorite for all seasons in our house!

Chopped Salad with Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes & Apples from Sprouted Kitchen

Originally adapted from Ina Garten, and you know how I love Ina! I grill up a few Applegate sausages or chicken thighs to round it out a bit for Isaac.

Chicken & Rice Soup with Garlicky Chile Oil from Bon Appetit

Making this tonight actually! The red pepper warms your bones. Trader Joes has a red pepper infused oil called Chili Onion Crunch that I've used in this and it's dynamite.

No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon & Garlic from Bon Appetit

Everyone needs a good roast chicken recipe in their back pocket. This one is so simple, but incredibly flavorful!

Roasted Garlic & Kale Spaghetti Squash with Sun Dried Tomatoes from The Roasted Root

I'm not always a fan of treating spaghetti squash like pasta, but this recipe brings texture which is a game changer. I always look forward to pulling this one back out when spaghetti squash shows up in stores again.

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Chili from Camille Styles
I didn't grow up in a chili-eating household so I'm still trying to adopt a fondness for chili flavors... that said, this one doesn't bother me. It's super easy to pop everything in the slow cooker before a busy day out.