Hidden Agenda Meals: bruschetta chicken pasta salad, roasted lemon garlic parmesan asparagus and oatmeal chocolate chip coconut cookies.

I never thought I’d be sneaky in preparing meals but now that I’m a mom I have to be smart in my preparations. Getting my family to eat healthy is a priority but sometimes takes some creativity. I’ll add fresh ingredients into dishes or make substitutions to create a healthier option to a regular meal.

This bruschetta chicken pasta salad is one that I love to make. I can toss in fresh tomatoes and spinach and my children don’t make a fuss. It’s part of the meal, not an extra meal item made to keep them healthy. Plus the recipe is so simple, an easy throw together meal!

I love finding easy side dishes. I grew up with the mindset that a meal isn’t complete unless it contains food from every food group. Vegetables are the hardest to vary in the dinner planning arena. But this simple roasted lemon garlic parmesan asparagus will be something you make over and over again.

Growing up I had one cookie recipe that I made all of the time! Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They were delicious in every way, especially the dough. It was a treat that everyone in my family loved and I was always willing to make them.

Little did anyone know that I had a hidden agenda behind making them though. My mom was amazing and had a little breakfast schedule each weekday. Cold cereal, eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, etc. I ate most breakfasts but I strongly disliked eating oatmeal. So anytime I could make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I’d take it. The cookies took up 4 cups of my moms morning meal and the more cookies I made the less oatmeal I would have to eat.

Whatever your agenda, this meal will make everyone happy!

Click here for this week’s shopping list.

Menu:

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta Salad

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies