Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!
If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes, my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) IS NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble. I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.
Breakfasts:
Granola (p.92), Rice Pudding (p.231), French toast, banana blueberry muffins (subbed blueberries for chocolate chips in this recipe, p. 96)
Lunches:
sandwiches, leftovers, pizza
Dinners:
Monday: Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta (p. 147), leftover Chocolate Quinoa Cake
Tuesday: Cabbage and Beef Soup (p. 167)
Wednesday: Western Omelette Wraps (p.124), apple slices
Thursday: Chickpeas with Potatoes and Peas (p. 138), homemade naan bread, Double Chocolate Cookies from Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood
(these were very fudgy and yummy - will definitely become one of our staple cookies!)Friday: Pork with Apples, Onions and Cabbage (recipe coming this week!), rice
Saturday: Basic Bean Burritos (p.130) made with Whole Wheat and Flax Flour Tortillas (p.217), tossed salad
Sunday: Southwestern Beef and Pasta Soup (p.166), skillet cornbread (p. 212), apple crisp (p. 220)
In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:
Organic: coconut oil, coconut milk, sunflower oil, turbinado sugar (in coffee), brown sugar (in granola and apple crisp), raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), bananas, quinoa (in cake) and quinoa flour (in cookies), mango-orange juice, romaine lettuce
Local: apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, cucumbers (hothouse), milk, eggs, sour cream
Local AND organic: oats (in granola, muffins and apple crisp), milk (to make yogurt), popcorn, sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves)
For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.
(Disclaimer: The link to the Quinoa 365 book is an Amazon affiliate link)
Looks delicious! I like the idea of posting what actually happened last week - do you post the plan at the beginning of the week too?
ReplyDelete(here from MPM)
Steph, I usually have only a very loose plan of what the week's meals are going to be at the beginning of the week. I tend to solidify my plans for a given day's meals the day before based on a wide variety of factors (including the current energy level of the cook, lol). So all that to say, no, I don't do an "in advance" plan :) I suppose my meal planning style would horrify the hard-core plan in advance people, but it works for us!
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