What's for Dinner {January 2018 edition}

It's that time of the month, where we need to talk about dinners.  School has been back for about a month and we have returned to our regular, non vacation routine around here.  So, let's get serious.  We need to eat and fixing dinners is kind of a thing.  Those people that depend on us are so much happier when we feed them. . . anyone with me?  We can't eat out every night. . . and trust me (we've been eating out a lot lately and I am sooo over it!). 

Also, I feel like I should talk about how our family deals with food.  We believe in balance and moderation, because have you seen how many chocolate chip cookie recipes are on my blog?  We do also have some dairy allergies and a soy allergy (it's in everything!!!), so we are super careful on ingredients and cook as much real food as possible.  So, you will find us eating salads, some whole 30 and paleo recipes, as well as carb filled dinners.  I'm also pretty realistic in the fact, I can't do it all!  So, some nights, we break open a bag of Trader Joe's orange chicken, some of their microwave steamed rice, heat up chicken nuggets for the kids and call it a night.  No judgment here.  

 So, here a few of the recipes that I tried in January that I will definitely be making again in the future.  I look back and January was kind of a blur.  We did Disney one week and party prep for two separate parties happened, so I did a lot of easy, go -to dinners  Also, don't forget to scroll down to the bottom for the links.

1.  Bacon Garlic Avocado Burger

This recipe was quite possible our new family favorite.  I am still thinking about it and I think we will have it for dinner again VERY soon!  This was super adaptable for everyone's likes and dislikes, so Jon (who is not of fan of mayo based things and avocados), was able to eat it without those things and still completely love them.  Ethan even devoured it, so completely kid friendly!  We went bunless and served with a side of sweet potato fries and no one went away hungry.  Honestly, if you really want to try something new. . . try this recipe!  They are amazing!

2.  Lemon Chicken

I've made this one a few times and it was time for it to make another appearance, because my lemon tree has gone a bit insane this year!  I like to substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce just in case Weston works up some bravery to try it (he's not a huge fan of chicken), and you really can't tell a difference!  It's a bit time consuming, but definitley worth it!  I always forget that I need to start dinner a bit earlier with this recipe or Damn Delicious' orange chicken (another amazing recipe!). 

If you have never made Chinese food yourself, I encourage you to try it.  There are some amazing recipes like this one on Pinterest that will give you that eating out feel without leaving the house! 

3.  Asian Salmon in foil

This was one of those recipes that I decided on very last minute with what we had in the fridge/freezer.  It was easy, I roasted some veggies at the same time in the same oven (cause we only have one) and it was another recipe that my oldest gobbled up.  Apparently he loves salmon now!  In fact, I picked up some salmon on my last Trader Joe's run and he got so excited that I was going to make this again.  I just love that he's turning into a foodie!  But, back to this recipe, I have never been disappointed with recipes from this blog.  So, when if I am undecided on what to do, I go with her recipes because they are just amazing! 

4.  Tomato Basil Bisque with Italian Meatballs

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I got so excited because I used to love a good tomato soup, but the majority of the recipes are filled with that wonderful ingredient, heavy whipping cream.  Super sad face, but then there was this recipe.  It was so wonderful and did not taste coconut-y at all and had wonderful texture!  The meatballs with amazing mixed in with the soup, too!  The hubby wasn't as big of a fan of this (it was just all right), but I loved it!  If you are looking for a delicious dairy free or if you are in the midst of doing a whole 30. . . check this one out!  It's wonderful!

Have you made anything that you think we should try?  Link me up to your favorite recipe from last month in the comments!  Let's inspire each other!

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