Meal Planning Again

I love how the blue shirt brings out the blue in her tongue and mustache. Thanks Aunt Gina!!

I actually planned our meals last week so I thought I would share what we ate. I recently bought Clean Eating magazine and there were several recipes in it I wanted to try. Of course, I won't be eating the meat or fish that's for the kids and hubby.

Monday- Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs, Roasted Red Potatoes, Baked Beans, Green Beans

Tuesday- Blackened Salmon and Havana Salad -My husband said the fish was a little spicy. He prefers this Salmon recipe. The Havana Salad was even better the next day for lunch.

Wednesday- Soba Noodle Salad with Flank Steak (My husband declared this one a keeper)

Thursday- Pizza made with whole wheat pizza crust

Friday- Dinner out with friends. Grandparents had the kids.

Saturday- Dinner out

Sunday- Ravioli Lasagna with Chard (This was good too)

Now if I could only do this every week.

Recipe Round Up

Since I have totally slacked off on posting a menu for the last several weeks, I thought I would try to make it up to you by posting some good recipes I have stumbled across lately and some old ones that I use all the time. I have to admit that I have not been planning our meals out since we got back from vacation in July. My husband has been doing a good portion of the grocery shopping and we have been winging it. It has definitely been less stressful for me, but the meals have been a little boring.

Here's some new recipes we have tried the last several weeks:

Granola- A couple of weeks ago we ran out of cereal so instead of running to the grocery store I whipped up this granola. It was really good and the kids gobbled it up too. The only problem was it did not last very long. It was gone the next day.

Baked Falafel Patties with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce- I thought these turned out really well. It took a little preperation and planning, but they came together pretty easily.

Yogurt- Yes, I made yogurt using this recipe. I want to make it one more time before I tell you about it.

Here are a couple tried and true recipes:

Pork Chops- This is my favorite way to cook pork chops. Of course, I don't eat them so I can't attest to how they taste, but they always get eaten. So I guess that is a good sign. It sure is easy.

Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs- This is the most requested dish by my husband and it is so easy. Every now and then we buy about 3.5 lbs of chicken thighs, make the sauce and freeze them in 2 batches. 6 thighs per bag. All you have to do is put them in the oven. Only drawback is it takes about 2 hours to cook. This recipe is from Fix, Freeze, Feast, which I love.

Menu Monday Sept. 7-11

I actually planned out our meals this week. So here's our menu.

Sunday- Crispy Yogurt Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Monday- Turkey Burgers with Brie and Grilled Apples, Sweet Potato Fries, Salad (Portabella Mushroom for me)

Tuesday- Black Bean Chowder and Spinach Enchiladas (maybe some cheese quesadillas for the kids)

Wednesday- Calzones

Thursday-Leftovers

Menu Monday July 27-July 31

Sunday- Sushi (We had Sushi last weekend and our son has been requesting it, eventhough he really just wants edamame.)
Monday- Shrimp, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Salad
Tuesday- Filet Mignon, Sauteed Portabello Mushrooms, and Zucchini Boats
Wednesday- Sweet Asian Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli
Thursday- Linguine and Salad

Menu Monday July 20-24

Sunday- Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs, Green Beans, Corn on the Cob
Monday- Taco Salad
Tuesday- Peanut Satay Chicken Skewers, Coconut Rice, and Steamed Broccoli
Wednesday- Manicotti and Spinach Salad with Strawberries
Thursday-Leftovers

Menu Monday June 29-July 3rd

Sunday- Pizza

Monday- Scallops and Pasta

Tuesday- Pesto Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Green Beans

Wednesday-Pork Chops, Rice, Broccoli

Thursday- Leftovers and Salad

Menu Monday June 22-26

I can't take credit for the photo above. My husband took it.

We had some kind of stomach bug last week so our meals consisted of grilled cheese, noodles with butter, and soup. So you will see some meals from last week making an appearance again this week.

Sunday- Steak, Veggie Burger for me, Foil Wrapped Veggies, Corn on the Cob
Monday- Shrimp with Salad
Tuesday- Spinach Frittata
Wednesday- Basil-Balsamic Pork Chops, Broccolini, Couscous Thursday- Cheese Quesadillas and Pinto Beans

Menu Monday June 15-19

Sunday- Pizza and Salad

Monday- Salmon and Spring Panzenella

Tuesday- Apple Cranberry Pork Loin, Roasted Broccoli, Corn on the Cob

Wednesday-Frittata and Salad

Thursday- Cheese Quesadillas, Pinto Beans, and Rice

Menu Monday June 8-12

Here's this weeks menu:

Monday- Tilapia, Portabella Mushrooms (for me) Sweet Potato Fries, and Green Beans
Tuesday- Swimming Rama, Brown Rice, and Spinach
Wednesday- Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli (Macaroni & Cheese for the kids- It's my daughters birthday and this was her special dinner request)
Thursday- Salad

Menu Monday June 1-5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Little Guy!!!!

My last post may have been a little misleading. I am still going to post our weekly menu. I am not going to do the Menu review on Thursday anymore. So here's this week's menu:

Sunday- My husband is playing softball so I am leaving it up in the air. We can throw something together or grab something on the way home.

Monday-Breakfast- pancakes, fruit, bacon, and eggs. (It's my son's birthday. He is turning 2 and when I asked him what he wants for his birthday he said a "truck" and a "pancake".)

Tuesday-Carmelized Tofu with Shredded Brussell Sprouts

Wednesday- Sweet Asian Chicken with Shiritaki Noodles and Snow Peas

Thursday- Pizza

Menu Monday May 26-29

Monday (Memorial Day):Pesto Turkey Burgers (veggie burger for me), French Fries, and Green Beans

Tuesday: Garlic Soba Noodles

Wednesday: Basil-Balsamic Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Salad (spinach, mandarin oranges, pecans, feta cheese, with a raspberry vinagraitte dressing)

Thursday: Gourmet PB & A (adapted from a sandwich I like to order at Bread & Company. The sandwich consists of peanut butter, cinnamon cream cheese, and thin slices of apple)

Menu Monday May 18-22 Recipe Review

Monday: Margarita Pork Chops and Taco Salad

Quick, easy meal. I did not have any chips so I sliced up some flour tortillas into strips, sprayed them with some olive oil, sprinkled with salt and baked until golden brown. I also bought dry pinto beans with intentions of cooking them for the salad, but it didn't happen. I used a can of refried beans that had been sitting in the pantry for awhile instead . Not a bad meal.

Tuesday: Pasta with Wilted Spinach

This is my new favorite meal. This is the second time I have made it and I think it is very yummy. The dried apricots and pine nuts give it a very interesting taste. The meal seems light, but filling and satisfying at the same time.

Wednesday: Salmon, Portabello Mushrooms, Brown Rice, and Sugar Snap Peas

I ended up making a stir-fry adapted from Mark Bittman's Cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I used sugar snap peas, portabello mushrooms, carrots, and celery. I thought it turned out pretty well. I used a little too much soy sauce, but it had a good taste.

Thursday: Kashi Pizza

You just can't go wrong with pizza you just pop in the oven. I have to admit it is a huge relief to not have to do any preparation for dinner. I do prefer Amy's Pizza.

Menu Monday May 18-22

I know I am late getting this week's menu out. I was very disorganized last week and went to the store with no idea of what I was going to make. Shhhh....don't tell anyone. In case I have not mentioned it before. We usually eat out with family on Friday nights and eat out or throw something together on Saturday nights. This Sunday we went out after my husband's softball game. I guess you can tell I have been slacking a bit in the meal prepartion category. Well, here it is anyway.

Monday: Margarita Pork Chops and Taco Salad
Tuesday: Pasta with Wilted Spinach
Wednesday: Salmon, Portabello Mushrooms, Brown Rice, and Sugar Snap Peas
Thursday: Kashi Pizza

Menu Monday Recipe Review- May 11-15

We decided to eat Mexican food on Sunday night so everything was pushed back a night. Mexican food is my favorite and it was Mother's Day after all. So it was completely justified.

Monday- Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

I finally used up my stash. This was the last one so my freezer is happier now. Good meal.

Tuesday- Greek Shrimp with Feta, Roasted Asparagus & Baked Sweet Potatoes

I liked that it was seafood, but had a different twist to it. There were no leftovers so I guess that was a good sign.

Wednesday- Spinach Frittata and fruit

This was my favorite meal of the week. The frittata turned out really well. Be sure to, as stated in the recipe, rub an ice cube over the handle of the skillet after it comes out of the oven. Like a big dummy, I grabbed it to move it out of the way and burned my thumb and finger. OUCH!

Thursday- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (baked potato for me), Macaroni & Cheese, and Steamed Broccoli

Hubby said the Teriyaki chicken isn't as good as the honey glazed ones. It was super easy. I just threw it in the oven. My kind of meal. I was going to have rice, but decided on mac & cheese at the last minute. Mainly to appease the kids.

For some reason (probably because I discovered scrapblog.com), I am way behind this week. I have not even started planning our meals for next week. So beware, it may be simple and not very thought out.

I will post more on scrapblog.com. I liked to scrapbook in a past life. So this is like the best of both worlds for me.

I would love to hear from you. If you have tried any of the recipes or meal plans I have posted, leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Suggestions and input are always welcome as well.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Menu Monday May 11-15

I know we have been having tons of salad lately. We have a bunch in the fridge and I do not want it to be wasted. I didn't cook anything from the freezer last week so I am making up for it this week.

Sunday- Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Monday- Greek Shrimp with Feta, Roasted Asparagus & Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday- Spinach Frittata and fruit

Wednesday- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (tofu for me), Brown Rice, and Steamed Broccoli

Thursday- leftovers

Monday Menu Recipe Review May 4-7

Sunday: Ribeye Steak (from Farmers Market), Portobello Mushrooms and Foil Wrapped Veggies- Everything was cooked on the grill. The veggies were my favorite part. Of course, I don't eat meat so I guess that is obvious.

Monday: (Cinco de Mayo) Fish Tacos with white sauce and all the fixins plus pinto beans
I put all the fixins (can you tell I am from the south?) in bowls and let the kids make their own tacos. They really enjoyed it. It was a bit messy, but good. The white sauce gave the tacos a subtle little kick. I mixed one part sour cream with 1 part mayo, half a lime, and some chopped up fresh cilantro. I love Mexican food so this was my favorite meal this week.

Tuesday: Pesto Burgers (the recipe calls for ground pork, but I use ground turkey instead), Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

This was a nice dinner. I ate a leftover portobello mushroom on a bun with some fresh lettuce from the farmer's Market and some Muenster cheese. It hit the spot.

Wednesday: Whole Wheat Ravioli and Sweet Italian Sausage, Caesar Salad

I decided to save the Sweet Italian Sausage for Thursday night. The ravioli was quick and easy.

Thursday: Calzones using Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough

The dough came together very well. I was a little skeptical since the directions made it sound so easy. The dough was sticky so I had to use a lot of flour on my hands, rolling surface, and rolling pin. I was nervous about making the calzones so I just went for pizzas. I made the kids 2 little pizzas and let them put the sauce and cheese on. I still had enough dough leftover for a good sized pizza. The crust was definitely dense, but had a nice whole wheat taste to it. I will use this recipe again. I would like to try making it ahead and having it ready in the fridge or maybe freezing some to see how it goes.

Menu Monday May 4-8

I guess by now you can see that there is a pattern to my menus. I am too methodical to just wing it. On Sunday we usually eat something that may have to cook a little longer or something grilled. I don't grill. We have fish on Mondays because I shop on Sunday and want to cook it early in the week. Tuesday's meal usually includes pork or chicken. Wednesday is pasta night and Thursday is leftovers or pizza. For now it works for us.

Here's this weeks menu:

Sunday: Ribeye Steak (from Farmers Market), Portobello Mushrooms and Foil Wrapped Veggies

Monday: (Cinco de Mayo) Fish Tacos with white sauce and all the fixins plus pinto beans

Tuesday: Pesto Burgers (the recipe calls for ground pork, but I use ground turkey instead), Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday: Whole Wheat Ravioli and Sweet Italian Sausage, Caesar Salad

Thursday: Calzones using Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough

Menu Monday Recipe Review Apr.27-May 1

Miller's enjoying Monday nights meal.

This week went pretty well. I have to admit it was a pretty lazy cooking week for me, which is not a bad thing.

Saturday: Cottage Cheese Egg Muffins
I planned to make these last week, but didn't get around to it until Saturday. Personally, I REALLY liked these. The kids wouldn't eat them, but that left more for me. I had one as a mid-morning snack each day this week and it hit the spot.

Sunday: Chicken Thighs, Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
The kids loved the ribs. I made veggie burgers for me. They were really good. I halved the recipe and still had enough for lunch this week.

Monday: Balsamic Glazed Salmon, Corn on the Cob, Broccolini
I ended up making some macaroni and cheese too, which was gobbled up by the kids.

Tuesday: Fettucine Alfredo (This is one of the only meals my daughter will eat so we have it a lot) and Caesar Salad
Good easy meal. The sauce is not spectacular, but better for you than kind in a jar.

Wednesday: Swimming Rama, Rice, and Spinach
This was by far the easiest meal and yummy too. The Swimming Rama (coconut curry chicken and tofu for me) was already cooked. It was thawed in the fridge and warmed in a pan. I used frozen brown rice from Whole Foods, which tastes better to me than when I make it from scratch. I sauteed the spinach with some garlic for about 2 minutes just enough to wilt it some.

Thursday: Pizza and leftover salad
Well, I decided to take the kids to the library when I picked them up from daycare. A movie was due and it seemed like a fun thing to do. The pizza dough from the fridge was past the sell by date by about 2 months. So no calzones...Anyway, I picked up frozen pizza from Whole Foods.

Menu Monday April 27- May 1st

I have some herbs coming up in my garden. Look at the Borage above.

I am bringing out some stuff from the freezer this week and trying to use some food we have had around for awhile so beware.

Sunday: Chicken Thighs, Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday: Balsamic Glazed Salmon, Corn on the Cob, Broccolini

Tuesday: Fettucine Alfredo (This is one of the only meals my daughter will eat so we have it a lot) and Caesar Salad

Wednesday: Swimming Rama, Rice, and Spinach

Thursday: Calzones and leftover salad

Menu Monday April 20-24 Recipe Review

Above are our coffee ground fossils that we did on Earth Day.

I did pretty well sticking to the menu this week. We had so many leftovers though. So I scratched breakfast for tonight and had leftovers instead. We will just have a really nice breakfast Saturday morning. I am really excited about trying those Cottage Cheese Egg Muffins.

Sunday- Rotisserie Chicken (store bought), Sherry Potatoes, and Steamed Broccoli

The Sherry Potatoes were interesting. I am not sure they will make it into my normal routine.

Monday- Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, Portobello Mushrooms, and Salad
I bought an herbal salad mix at Publix and it was really good. It had parsley and cilantro in it. It was just enough to give it a little flavor. I added feta cheese, pecans, apples, and a raspberry vinagraitte. The Tilapia is always good this way and the mushrooms were yummy too.

Tuesday- Basil-Balsamic Chops, Polenta, and Roasted Asparagus
I was going for creamy polenta, but it came out pretty thick. I put the leftovers in a pan covered it with tomato sauce and topped with parmesan cheese. Then I baked it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes It is better this way in my opinion.

Wednesday- Parmesan Pasta with Chicken & Rosemary (using leftover chicken from Sunday) and garlic bread
This turned out pretty good. No complaints.

Thursday- Leftovers (polenta and pasta)