Sometimes I get stuck in a rut with meals.  You might think from reading my blog that I cook creative and healthy meals every day without blinking an eye, but that’s just not reality.  There are plenty of times when I can’t think of anything interesting to make, or I don’t really feel like cooking, so I end up turning to convenience food that can be unhealthy and expensive.  This time of year is especially hard with the craziness of fall activities, when we’re all trying to get back into some semblance of routine after a laid-back summer.

It’s perfect timing for this awesome Get Cooking Challenge from Moulinex happening from September 15 to October 13 2014.  Sign up for the challenge at http://www.groupesebpromotions.ca/T-fal/MoulinexGetCookingChallenge/en/ to receive free tools for preparing healthy meals that will save you money (up to $400 a month!) and reduce waste. You’ll get weekly meal plans, custom grocery lists, and healthy recipes developed by a Registered Dietician. Plus, you’ll have weekly chances to win Moulinex appliances.

I got a Moulinex Convection Toaster Oven to try out, and it’s pretty fantastic! I didn’t have a toaster oven before, and now I don’t know why I didn’t get one earlier. It cooks food really fast without heating up the whole kitchen. So far I’ve used it for heating pita bread, garlic toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, and my favourite – pizza!

I also tried out one day of the challenge’s menu plan to give you an idea of what it’s like.

Breakfast Quinoa

No one wanted to try this breakfast except for me! Too bad for them, because it was so yummy.  I think I actually enjoy quinoa better as a sweet breakfast rather than a savoury dish.  Quinoa can sometimes be slightly bitter, so adding sweetness from the maple syrup and fruit helps to counteract that. I loved the smell of cinnamon as it cooked, too. It made a great breakfast that stuck with me most of the morning, and since no one else would touch it, I saved the leftovers in the fridge and heated it up for other breakfasts during the rest of the week.

Recipe from Moulinex Get Cooking Challenge

Banana Oat Bars

The kids were so in love with these bars! I thought they were great because they were so easy to put together and they had no added sugar in them. The boys have been asking me to make them again and again. They’re very similar to the Healthy Banana Oat Squares that I posted before, but I think I like this recipe better because the cranberries and almonds were delicious.

Recipe from Moulinex Get Cooking Challenge

Waldorf Salad

I wasn’t too sure what the kids would think about mixing tuna and fruit- actually, I wasn’t too sure what I would think about it either! It was surprisingly good. I scooped the mixture into whole wheat mini pita pockets and served them for a picnic in our yard for lunch.  The kids ate them up and had some more of the banana oat bars as well.

Recipe from Moulinex Get Cooking Challenge

Tahini Free Hummus with Bell Peppers

I can’t get enough hummus! My kids don’t love it as much as I do, but they did eat this version with no complaints. It’s pretty much the same as my usual Hummus recipe.  I like the flavor of cumin instead of tahini in hummus.

Recipe from Moulinex Get Cooking Challenge

Roasted Chicken with Roasted Veggies and Almonds

This was such a nice dinner. I only made one chicken, but the recipe calls for 3 chickens because the idea is that you’ll be using the leftover cooked chicken for other recipes later in the week. I used the leftovers to make chicken soup the next day.  The carrots ended up getting a little burnt, so the kids wouldn’t eat those, but they certainly loved the chicken and the asparagus.

Recipe from Moulinex Get Cooking Challenge

So what do you think? Do you want to try this challenge for yourself? I thought it was a great way to get out of my cooking rut and plan healthy meals again.

Visit www.moulinex.ca for all the details on this fun challenge.

Disclosure: I received a convection toaster oven from Moulinex for writing this post. All opinions are my own.