5 Weeknight Recipes You Need

Are all the kiddos back in school now? My Facebook feed filled up the past couple of days from all my West Coast friends sending their little ones back. We went back over two weeks ago as did many others.

With school back in, that means sports practice, dance practice, musical instrument practice, and everyone’s favorite HOMEWORK.

My daughter is in kindergarten and I kid you not, her homework page said ALGEBRA on it. I have nothing to say to this, mostly because I don’t know what to say to this.

To make life a bit easier and the transition smoother, I’ve teamed up with Cynthia from Whole Foods | Real Families to share with you 5 options for your weeknight dinners. We won’t tell on you if you make them on the weekend too.

For those willing the cooler weather to come, try this Creole Style Gumbo. Don’t be frightened by the words Creole and gumbo thinking it is super spicy. Check out the recipe and learn why and how this dish is not going to burn your palate.If you’re looking for a meatless option, particularly if you are a follower of Meatless Monday, this Barley, Spinach, and Mushroom dish might be the ticket. It’s vegetarian because of the parmesan cheese, and if omitted, it’s easily vegan. It’s hearty and full of flavor.Hankering for good old fashioned comfort food? Then look no further than this Creamy Chicken Quinoa and Broccoli Casserole dish. Eating whole foods means you are generally trying to eat a balanced and nutritious meal, however, that doesn’t mean from time to time it can’t be decadent. Cheese is a whole food and lends itself PERFECTLY to this classic comfort food.Not to let cheese be the only decadent item in this menu, sour cream makes it’s debut in this Chicken Paprika AKA Hungarian Chicken Paprikash. While obviously a ‘foreign’ entry, Americans have been enjoying this dish for decades. It’s a rather humble dish of onions, bell peppers, and chicken in a creamy sauce flavored with paprika.No weeknight menu would be complete without a slow cooker recipe. Applesauce Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker is one of those dishes that will feel like a warm blanket on a cool fall night and make you think of your fondest of childhood memories. Apples and pork go perfectly well or else we wouldn’t have Peter Brady forever in our heads with “pork chops and applesauce.”What are your family weeknight dishes? Do tacos make a weekly appearance or does pizza? How about the all time favorite meatloaf?

Thank you for sharing!