Weekly Menu Retrospective #92

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, check out 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) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! 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.   Cookbooks make great Christmas gifts :)

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (variation of this recipe on p. 96), leftover cornbread, leftover Coconut Milk & Millet Porridge, blueberry buttermilk pancakes

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza 

Dinners:

Monday: I was out at a potluck (I brought the Red Lentil Dal on p. 113), everyone else had leftover pizza for dinner!

Tuesday: Taco Platters

Wednesday: Black Bean Chili (meatless version, p. 160), cornbread (p. 212)

Thursday: Lemon & Garlic Chicken (p. 184), Roasted Root Vegetables (p. 202)

Friday: Pasta e Fagioli (p. 168)

Saturday: Classic Beef Burgers (p. 125), Easy Oven Fries (p. 194)

Sunday: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots and peas, selection of Christmas cookies

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 (in granola), coconut oil (in granola), coconut milk, canola oil, raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), bananas, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), tortilla chips, lentils, corn (in chili), mustard, parsley, orange peel, Fairytale tea

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, garlic, red peppers, salsa (home-canned), pickles (home-canned) ground beef, chicken legs and sausage (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk, eggs, sour cream 

Local AND organic: peanut butter, sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats (in granola), cornmeal, apple cider vinegar, millet, popcorn, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

(P.S. Want to join in on my Holiday Food Waste Challenge? All the details are here.)
  
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