Waffles are a great breakfast food, but if you don't add a little protein into the mix, they can leave you feeling hungry again much too early in the day. These waffles have 175 calories per serving, plus 19g of carbs, 8gg of protein, and 7g of fat. If you add in some yogurt or spread with some peanut (or other nut) butter, you can increase the protein further. Plus, they're delicious!
Protein Waffles
(14 servings)
1 very ripe medium banana
1 c. 2% milkfat cottage cheese
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. coconut oil
3/4 c. oat flour
1/2 c. hemp hearts
1 1/4 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
In a blender, combine all wet ingredients (listed before break). Add in half of dry ingredients, pulse a few times to incorporate, then add rest of dry ingredients and blend. Allow batter to rest about 5 minutes. Heat and grease waffle iron. Makes 7 round Belgian waffles (14 servings).
**If you don't have hemp seeds/hearts, increase oat flour to 1 1/4 c. total. Or substitute whole wheat flour for the oat flour. Omitting the hemp seeds will change the protein and fiber content. You must have 2 1/2 cups of dry flour for the batter.
Showing posts with label meat-free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meat-free. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
By Request! Green chile
Chile verde or green chile is something that is put on several different dishes in our former home state of Colorado. Having spent a few years there, I fell in love with the yummy, smoky flavor; I even learned how to make green chile from a friend's mother. This is a serious coupe all you chile verde lovers out there - the flavor of this is fantastic and only improves the second day! This recipe will make you a fair-sized batch, but it is no big trick to double or triple it and freeze in quart bags to have on hand at any time you want. It goes great on any Mexican fare you can think of, as well as eggs, steaks, chicken, pork chops - basically you name it and you can top it with green chile! ;) This is also great meat-free.
Green Chile (chile verde)
3 4 oz. cans Ortega fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 4 oz. can Ortega diced jalapenos (this makes a decently zesty chile sauce, but if you want, you can dial back the spiciness by adding just a Tablespoon or two of the can instead of the whole 4 ounces)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. ground beef/turkey/chicken or 1 can cooked chicken shredded optional
If using meat, cook meat thoroughly and drain if needed. In a large saucepan, combine chiles, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 c. of the broth well, then add starchy broth and remaining broth to pan. Stir in meat and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat simmer to desired consistency (I usually go about 10-15 minutes). If you allow to thicken too much, add water to thin.
Green Chile (chile verde)
3 4 oz. cans Ortega fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 4 oz. can Ortega diced jalapenos (this makes a decently zesty chile sauce, but if you want, you can dial back the spiciness by adding just a Tablespoon or two of the can instead of the whole 4 ounces)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. ground beef/turkey/chicken or 1 can cooked chicken shredded optional
If using meat, cook meat thoroughly and drain if needed. In a large saucepan, combine chiles, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 c. of the broth well, then add starchy broth and remaining broth to pan. Stir in meat and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat simmer to desired consistency (I usually go about 10-15 minutes). If you allow to thicken too much, add water to thin.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Poppy-seed pull apart loaf
One of my favorite taste memories as a kid is this delicious bread loaf my grandmother's best friend used to make and bring to get-togethers. Of course, as a child, I didn't like onions, so I tended to pick those out, but now, I love them! I hope this savory side brings a note of warmth and love to your meals, too.
1 (large) loaf French bread
1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp. prepared (Dijon) mustard
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4-1/2 cup minced onions
1-8 oz. package of sliced Swiss cheese
Begin by slicing a loaf of French bread, being careful to not slice all the way through. Mix butter, mustard, poppy seeds, and onion in a small bowl and place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in between each slice. Place half of a Swiss cheese slice in between the slices and wrap in foil. Bake on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
I also found a recipe using these same flavors in a quick bread. I have yet to try it, but I will post it here in case some of you get around to it before I do.
3 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/3 c. butter
1/3-1/2 c. onion, minced
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. prepared mustard
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Cube butter and add to processor bowl and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add onions, Swiss cheese, poppy seeds, eggs, milk, and mustard, and pulse until just combined. Spoon batter in a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If bread starts to brown too much, tent loosely with foil after 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
1 (large) loaf French bread
1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp. prepared (Dijon) mustard
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/4-1/2 cup minced onions
1-8 oz. package of sliced Swiss cheese
Begin by slicing a loaf of French bread, being careful to not slice all the way through. Mix butter, mustard, poppy seeds, and onion in a small bowl and place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in between each slice. Place half of a Swiss cheese slice in between the slices and wrap in foil. Bake on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
I also found a recipe using these same flavors in a quick bread. I have yet to try it, but I will post it here in case some of you get around to it before I do.
3 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/3 c. butter
1/3-1/2 c. onion, minced
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. prepared mustard
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Cube butter and add to processor bowl and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add onions, Swiss cheese, poppy seeds, eggs, milk, and mustard, and pulse until just combined. Spoon batter in a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If bread starts to brown too much, tent loosely with foil after 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Grandma Jessie's potatoes
This recipe is very simple and yet very delicious. The leftovers are great reheated as is, or put into a quick frittata. If you wanted to shortcut this recipe, you could use some chunky frozen hashbrowns. I usually cook one medium potato per person, so we'll do this as a four-serving recipe. This recipe is special to me because it is one of the recipes from my husband's family, something he grew up eating. It is also one of the first recipes my mother-in-law shared with me. Grandma Jessie was actually my husband's great-grandmother, so this is a true heirloom recipe.
4 medium potatoes, peeled and largely diced
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp. (olive) oil
1-2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
Place potatoes into a saucepan and cover with cold water; cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and remove lid - allow to cook for 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and place into a baking dish. Cube butter and sprinkle over potatoes. Drizzle with oil; bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Toss with parsley flakes and serve hot.
Note: to infuse some extra flavor into the potatoes, use cold chicken stock instead of cold water to cook the potatoes. This is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
4 medium potatoes, peeled and largely diced
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp. (olive) oil
1-2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
Place potatoes into a saucepan and cover with cold water; cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and remove lid - allow to cook for 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and place into a baking dish. Cube butter and sprinkle over potatoes. Drizzle with oil; bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Toss with parsley flakes and serve hot.
Note: to infuse some extra flavor into the potatoes, use cold chicken stock instead of cold water to cook the potatoes. This is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Easy risotto
Creamy risotto depends on using a starchy rice and STIRRING your brains out - not adding cream or milk. Also, this recipe works as a great base, so feel free to add your favorite mushroom or freshly grated cheese to add even more flavor.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
Half a medium onion, diced
1 1/2 c. arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4-5 c. (low sodium) chicken broth (can substitute one cup of dry white wine (sauvignon blanc) for one cup of broth)
In a large skillet with lid, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat; in a large saucepan, heat chicken broth. Once butter is melted, add onion and still until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir well to coat rice with fat; stir often over 10 minutes to toast rice. When rice smells toasted and grains are solidly white, add in garlic, salt and pepper and stir well. Add one cup of hot broth to pan and stir well - liquid should start to appear cloudy (this is the starch seeping out of the rice, this is what makes risotto creamy). Stir until liquid is cooked out of pan and add another 1/2 c. liquid to pan, continuing to stir until liquid is cooked off. Repeat process until 4 c. liquid have been used. Test risotto to see if rice is completely cooked - if not, continue process. Serve hot as a side dish to your favorite entree.
Note: it takes me about an hour to make this at our altitude, but it will probably take much less time (about 20-30 minutes) at sea level.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
Half a medium onion, diced
1 1/2 c. arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4-5 c. (low sodium) chicken broth (can substitute one cup of dry white wine (sauvignon blanc) for one cup of broth)
In a large skillet with lid, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat; in a large saucepan, heat chicken broth. Once butter is melted, add onion and still until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir well to coat rice with fat; stir often over 10 minutes to toast rice. When rice smells toasted and grains are solidly white, add in garlic, salt and pepper and stir well. Add one cup of hot broth to pan and stir well - liquid should start to appear cloudy (this is the starch seeping out of the rice, this is what makes risotto creamy). Stir until liquid is cooked out of pan and add another 1/2 c. liquid to pan, continuing to stir until liquid is cooked off. Repeat process until 4 c. liquid have been used. Test risotto to see if rice is completely cooked - if not, continue process. Serve hot as a side dish to your favorite entree.
Note: it takes me about an hour to make this at our altitude, but it will probably take much less time (about 20-30 minutes) at sea level.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Easy and tasty vegetables
I watch a lot of Food Network. It is family friendly (no swearing, no violence), educational (if you can't watch an hour of Food Network and learn something, you weren't really paying attention), and inspirational (they make some things, like souffle look so easy!). As a self-confessed picky eater, I have to say that Food Network has definitely inspired me to be more adventurous when it comes to my vegetables.
The biggest tip I've learned from those tv chefs: roasting concentrates the sugars in the vegetables and brings out the natural flavors. Roasting is easy and requires very little skill or prep and virtually no active cooking. The only skill point you need to make sure you pay attention to is that you must make sure when chopping up the vegetables that the pieces are the same size, or else you will have some pieces underdone and some pieces burnt.
This is one of those technique things, so I'm not going to label it as a recipe.
Start by washing and peeling (if desired) your vegetables. If it is something large, like potatoes, squash, or eggplant, break it down into 1/2 cubes. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly drizzle your veggies with olive oil*, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and any other seasonings. The key to this is to remember that the vegetable is going to be the star, so you don't want to over season it; if you pick anything other than just the salt and pepper, thyme is a great choice.
Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in a 350 degree oven for 20-45 minutes, depending on your vegetable; at the least, check them at 20 minutes and shake them around some. You will know they are done when they smell fragrant, are browned around the edges, and begin to look a little wrinkly.
*Extra Virgin Olive oil has a burn point of 350 degrees. If you want to roast at a higher temperature, you will need to use a different oil.
The biggest tip I've learned from those tv chefs: roasting concentrates the sugars in the vegetables and brings out the natural flavors. Roasting is easy and requires very little skill or prep and virtually no active cooking. The only skill point you need to make sure you pay attention to is that you must make sure when chopping up the vegetables that the pieces are the same size, or else you will have some pieces underdone and some pieces burnt.
This is one of those technique things, so I'm not going to label it as a recipe.
Start by washing and peeling (if desired) your vegetables. If it is something large, like potatoes, squash, or eggplant, break it down into 1/2 cubes. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly drizzle your veggies with olive oil*, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and any other seasonings. The key to this is to remember that the vegetable is going to be the star, so you don't want to over season it; if you pick anything other than just the salt and pepper, thyme is a great choice.
Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in a 350 degree oven for 20-45 minutes, depending on your vegetable; at the least, check them at 20 minutes and shake them around some. You will know they are done when they smell fragrant, are browned around the edges, and begin to look a little wrinkly.
*Extra Virgin Olive oil has a burn point of 350 degrees. If you want to roast at a higher temperature, you will need to use a different oil.
Broccoli cheese soup
I love broccoli cheese soup. In fact, I love Panera's broccoli cheese soup so much that I would eat it weekly if I could. No joke. This recipe is so delicious (and easy!) that it definitely rivals Panera's. And in the bread bowls that my grocery store sells, it's even got the same feeling as eating some Panera soup. Eat on and enjoy!
4 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 c. cream (or whole milk)
4 oz. shredded aged cheddar cheese
1 c. water
1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. onion, minced
1/4 c. carrot, finely shredded
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 c. broccoli florets
In a large saucepan, bring broth, cream, cheddar, water, flour, onion, carrot, and pepper to a boil. (For best results, whisk together flour and water in a separate bowl, then add to pot.) Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir in broccoli florets. Allow to simmer 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Makes 4 servings.
*Note: I also stirred in a hefty dash of white pepper and a parmesan cheese rind I had (the very tough part at the wide end of a wedge). Even without, though, it's delicious
4 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 c. cream (or whole milk)
4 oz. shredded aged cheddar cheese
1 c. water
1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. onion, minced
1/4 c. carrot, finely shredded
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 c. broccoli florets
In a large saucepan, bring broth, cream, cheddar, water, flour, onion, carrot, and pepper to a boil. (For best results, whisk together flour and water in a separate bowl, then add to pot.) Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir in broccoli florets. Allow to simmer 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Makes 4 servings.
*Note: I also stirred in a hefty dash of white pepper and a parmesan cheese rind I had (the very tough part at the wide end of a wedge). Even without, though, it's delicious
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Macaroni and Cheese
I made this for our toddler, so I omitted salt and pepper from the cooking process. Also, since I used Parmesan, you would need significantly less salt, as it is a very salty cheese. I used 1 1/2 c. cheddar, 1 1/2 c. Parmesan, and 1 c. cubed American.
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
1 c. milk (plus additional, if needed)
1/4-1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. (dijon) mustard
4 c. cheese
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (optional)
Cook macaroni 3-5 minutes shy of al dente. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350ยบ. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat; whisk in flour. Continue whisking until roux turns a golden brown (this is important, otherwise your mac and cheese will taste like flour); slowly whisk in milk, continuing to whisk to break up lumps. When mixture is smooth, add in sour cream, dijon, and salt and pepper. Using a spoon, stir in cheese and continue stirring until mixture is smooth and melty - you may need to add more milk to create a thick sauce. Drain pasta completely and transfer to baking dish; pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle top of pasta with breadcrumbs (if you want a crunchy top) and season lightly with thyme. Bake for at least 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
To reheat, moisten slightly with chicken broth or milk and microwave in 45 second intervals until desired temperature is reached.
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
1 c. milk (plus additional, if needed)
1/4-1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. (dijon) mustard
4 c. cheese
Breadcrumbs (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (optional)
Cook macaroni 3-5 minutes shy of al dente. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350ยบ. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat; whisk in flour. Continue whisking until roux turns a golden brown (this is important, otherwise your mac and cheese will taste like flour); slowly whisk in milk, continuing to whisk to break up lumps. When mixture is smooth, add in sour cream, dijon, and salt and pepper. Using a spoon, stir in cheese and continue stirring until mixture is smooth and melty - you may need to add more milk to create a thick sauce. Drain pasta completely and transfer to baking dish; pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle top of pasta with breadcrumbs (if you want a crunchy top) and season lightly with thyme. Bake for at least 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
To reheat, moisten slightly with chicken broth or milk and microwave in 45 second intervals until desired temperature is reached.
Friday, September 23, 2011
First menu sampling
Well, I promised you all that I would share some of my menus, in addition to recipes and experiences. A little more on the experiences later. But for now, I wanted to share with you some sample menus. I'm not tacking any recipes onto this one, but if you're interested in having a recipe for a particular meal/dish, just let me know and I'll be sure to post it as soon as I can, rather than just whenever I come across it in my binder.
(I run my menus from Monday to Sunday)
Monday: meatloaf and green beans
Tuesday: pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes
Wednesday: spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, salad
Thursday: fish and fries
Friday: pizza (I did tell you that we mostly do pizza on Fridays!)
Saturday: sandwiches
Sunday: macaroni and cheese and leftovers
Note: when I do a porkloin, I usually buy the biggest one I can find because I know my husband likes to take some for lunch and I usually like to re-purpose some of the meat into carnitas (pork tacos) or pork fried rice, or use it to add a twist to gallo pinto (pronounced guy-o peent-o), which is one of my most favorite easy recipes ever.
Monday: chicken and broccoli
Tuesday: pelmeni, Polish sausage and peppers
Wednesday: porkchops, corn, and couscous
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: pizza
Saturday: fish and fries
Sunday: (out to dinner)
Note: I was pregnant from when these two menus were done and I love, love, loved fish and fries. So it showed up on our menus a lot. God bless my husband for not complaining! Plus, it helps that the meals weren't repeated too closely together ;) Also, pelmeni is a Russian meat and chive dumpling, traditionally boiled in beef broth and served with a heavily dilled sour cream sauce. I buy them frozen from a Euro deli here in town. If I ever find a recipe for them, I'll post it, but frankly, I'm too lazy to make my own from scratch when the ones I can buy are so darn tasty!
Monday: hamburgers, baked beans, coleslaw
Tuesday: sweet and sour hamballs and rice
Wednesday: salmon and zucchini gratin, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: stuffed chicken, couscous, peppers
Friday: porkchops, cheesy baked faro, peas
Saturday: steak, baked potatoes, corn, salad
Sunday: pizza
Note: faro is pearled barley. This is a really hearty recipe (one I will for sure be posting) and it is delicious the first time and even more so as leftovers. It is a healthier option than just plain old macaroni and cheese, but is close enough that you could fool some picky eaters with it. Hamballs are made with a savory pork loaf that I have only been able to find in Michigan where I grew up. They are delicious and scrumptious and I was seriously bummed when I moved to Colorado and discovered that pork loaves are not available everywhere. Thankfully, my parents drive out a few times a year to see us and always bring out pork loaves with them.
And one last menu on this entry, for good measure. If you have a large freezer, you could shop for the bulk of this entire menu sampler and just get your produce weekly...
Monday: gallo pinto
Tuesday: pierogi, pelmeni, Polish sausage, peppers
Wednesday: ham, sweet potatoes, zucchini gratin
Thursday: salmon/rice/green bean packets
Friday: lasagna, salad
Saturday: pizza
Sunday: linguine alfredo, salad
Note: for the pierogi, I just buy the box of the Mrs. T's frozen pierogi from my grocery store. Also, anytime you see peppers on my menu, I'm just julienne-ing them (slicing them into thin strips) and carmelizing them in just a bit of oil - they add a sweet dash to any meal and are a great way to get extra nutrients into your diet. A well-rounded diet, any nutritionist will tell you, will consist of a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables. I tend to favor the red, orange, and yellow peppers as they are sweeter. I always remove the ribs and seeds so they are easier to eat (those stupid seeds stick in your teeth!) and you don't have as much heat as you do just pure flavor. Nine times out of ten, if you see alfredo in my menu, it's just a jarred sauce. Lastly, the fish packets? Super duper easy prep and clean up. I will for sure post a recipe of them. Promise.
I hope these four sample menus give you a clearer idea of how I rotate some of my favorite meals in with others so I don't bore my husband to tears with our dinners and also keep our diets better rounded than they used to be. Also, I should mention that when I grocery shop, if I can, I buy the bulk of our food for two weeks, so that I don't have to do a complete grocery trip every week. So I will menu-plan for two weeks, and buy the meat portion of eat meal at that time. Then for the second week, I just have to buy our produce for the week and some other odds and ends. It doesn't always work out that way, but when I plan ahead like that, we waste far less money throwing out produce that has gone bad before we can use it. Happy planning!
(I run my menus from Monday to Sunday)
Monday: meatloaf and green beans
Tuesday: pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes
Wednesday: spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, salad
Thursday: fish and fries
Friday: pizza (I did tell you that we mostly do pizza on Fridays!)
Saturday: sandwiches
Sunday: macaroni and cheese and leftovers
Note: when I do a porkloin, I usually buy the biggest one I can find because I know my husband likes to take some for lunch and I usually like to re-purpose some of the meat into carnitas (pork tacos) or pork fried rice, or use it to add a twist to gallo pinto (pronounced guy-o peent-o), which is one of my most favorite easy recipes ever.
Monday: chicken and broccoli
Tuesday: pelmeni, Polish sausage and peppers
Wednesday: porkchops, corn, and couscous
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: pizza
Saturday: fish and fries
Sunday: (out to dinner)
Note: I was pregnant from when these two menus were done and I love, love, loved fish and fries. So it showed up on our menus a lot. God bless my husband for not complaining! Plus, it helps that the meals weren't repeated too closely together ;) Also, pelmeni is a Russian meat and chive dumpling, traditionally boiled in beef broth and served with a heavily dilled sour cream sauce. I buy them frozen from a Euro deli here in town. If I ever find a recipe for them, I'll post it, but frankly, I'm too lazy to make my own from scratch when the ones I can buy are so darn tasty!
Monday: hamburgers, baked beans, coleslaw
Tuesday: sweet and sour hamballs and rice
Wednesday: salmon and zucchini gratin, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: stuffed chicken, couscous, peppers
Friday: porkchops, cheesy baked faro, peas
Saturday: steak, baked potatoes, corn, salad
Sunday: pizza
Note: faro is pearled barley. This is a really hearty recipe (one I will for sure be posting) and it is delicious the first time and even more so as leftovers. It is a healthier option than just plain old macaroni and cheese, but is close enough that you could fool some picky eaters with it. Hamballs are made with a savory pork loaf that I have only been able to find in Michigan where I grew up. They are delicious and scrumptious and I was seriously bummed when I moved to Colorado and discovered that pork loaves are not available everywhere. Thankfully, my parents drive out a few times a year to see us and always bring out pork loaves with them.
And one last menu on this entry, for good measure. If you have a large freezer, you could shop for the bulk of this entire menu sampler and just get your produce weekly...
Monday: gallo pinto
Tuesday: pierogi, pelmeni, Polish sausage, peppers
Wednesday: ham, sweet potatoes, zucchini gratin
Thursday: salmon/rice/green bean packets
Friday: lasagna, salad
Saturday: pizza
Sunday: linguine alfredo, salad
Note: for the pierogi, I just buy the box of the Mrs. T's frozen pierogi from my grocery store. Also, anytime you see peppers on my menu, I'm just julienne-ing them (slicing them into thin strips) and carmelizing them in just a bit of oil - they add a sweet dash to any meal and are a great way to get extra nutrients into your diet. A well-rounded diet, any nutritionist will tell you, will consist of a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables. I tend to favor the red, orange, and yellow peppers as they are sweeter. I always remove the ribs and seeds so they are easier to eat (those stupid seeds stick in your teeth!) and you don't have as much heat as you do just pure flavor. Nine times out of ten, if you see alfredo in my menu, it's just a jarred sauce. Lastly, the fish packets? Super duper easy prep and clean up. I will for sure post a recipe of them. Promise.
I hope these four sample menus give you a clearer idea of how I rotate some of my favorite meals in with others so I don't bore my husband to tears with our dinners and also keep our diets better rounded than they used to be. Also, I should mention that when I grocery shop, if I can, I buy the bulk of our food for two weeks, so that I don't have to do a complete grocery trip every week. So I will menu-plan for two weeks, and buy the meat portion of eat meal at that time. Then for the second week, I just have to buy our produce for the week and some other odds and ends. It doesn't always work out that way, but when I plan ahead like that, we waste far less money throwing out produce that has gone bad before we can use it. Happy planning!
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