This past weekend was quite the adventure.  We lost power during a storm Friday evening (and some large tree branches), needed to do branch clean up on Saturday, get my youngest to a roller skating birthday party (fortunately that area had power) and prepare some upcoming posts (without power and wifi) and assemble food for camp (still no power).  Fortunately, a local coffee shop had both wifi and power and magical coffee to power me through some work.  Thank you, coffee shop!  You saved my bacon!  We were able to run a generator for the fridge, freezer and pump, so everything was fine.  I feel bad for my son, though.  He has been on a canoe trip to the BWCA and has no idea he is coming home to a yard clean up and wood stacking project!

The girls and I will be at Girl Scout Day Camp this week, and I’ll need plenty of easy meals for the nights we will be home.  Thank goodness I have some simple things to pull from the freezer as I know I will be too wiped from all the camp fun to care what we eat.  🙂

My older daughter is part of the group of girls that will be helping run the camp, so she is staying over night most of the nights, so brought food for those nights (and treats, can’t forget those!) and her breakfasts.  Getting ready for camp for us always means packing our food.  We usually go to volunteer run day camp, so you never know who will be leading it or their knowledge of allergies.  I have found for the most part that when you check ahead, ask for the menu and inform them you will take care of bringing your own things, the leaders are pretty open to it.  The leaders have a lot to get ready, so taking care of your own food helps take one thing off their plate.  It also keeps you and your child safe (don’t have to worry about cross contamination) and it is a good lesson in planning for your child.  I usually get the menu as soon as I can, then go over it with my kids.  We decide what we can make ahead of time and freeze, what needs to be purchased closer to the time of camp, and what we can consolidate to make less work for us.  Brownies and cupcakes both on the menu?  Make a recipe of chocolate cupcakes or bake the cake in a pan and use it for both meals.  Give yourself a break, you don’t have to make everything on a camp menu, but be sure to make the things that are important for your camper and have something available for each snack and dessert even if they don’t perfectly match up.  The big thing my kids don’t want to miss out on at camp are s’mores, so I always am sure to pack s’more kits for them.  The rundown of our Girl Scout Camp menu will be up at Angela’s Kitchen on Saturday, so stop by then and see how we went to camp gluten and dairy free!

GF menu swap - apricot

Heather of Celiac Family is hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week.  The theme is Apricots.  I love apricots, especially apricot jam, which I use often on the weekends as a simple glaze on chicken or pork when making a quick meal.  Beside eating fresh and dried (a favorite snack) I use apricots in Orange Apricot Pork Chops, Chicken with Apricot Sauce, Apricot Quinoa Pilaf, Spicy Sweet Glazed Chicken, Fresh Apricot Thai Salad, No-Nut Granola Bars, Apricot Muffins with Almond Strussel, Gluten Free Crisp Granola Bars, Gluten & Dairy Free Hot Cross Buns, and Sweet and Spicy Chicken.   Do you serve apricots at your house?  What is your favorite way to fix them?

 

Freezer cooking plan for the week:  Nothing, baby!  We are pretty much using our freezer stash for our dinners this week.  Yay!

 

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The week’s breakfast options:  Apple & Cinnamon Muffins with nut butter or  Eggwiches, scrambled eggs with wilted greens and garlic, and various fruits.

 

This week’s lunch options:  We’ll be eating at camp.  Woo!

 

Slow Cooker gluten free diary free black bean salsa chicken

Gluten Free Dairy Free Orange Beef Lettuce Wraps

 

 

Printable grocery list for this weeks menus.

 

Monday:  Slow Cooker Black Bean Salsa Chicken (from the freezer) with tortilla chips and purchased guacamole

 

Tuesday:  Orange Beef Lettuce Wraps (from the freezer) with all the fixin’s (mung bean sprouts, diced cucumbers and Boston  lettuce leaves) with rice and sliced apricots

 

Wednesday:   Chicken & Veggie Nuggets (from the freezer) withRainbow Slaw and watermelon

 

Thursday:  The girls and I will be at camp for the overnight.  Daddy and son are on their own for dinner.  🙂  If you are following along with my dinner plan, make this a dinner night out, a left over night or pick out something fun to try (like Carrot Cake Pancakes) for dinner.

 

Friday:   Crockpot Salmon Pot Piewith a romaine salad topped with baby tomatoes and Thousand Island Dressing