Weekly Menu Retrospective #103

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.    

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92) with yogurt, Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (p. 114), "Pumpkin" Spice Oatmeal Muffins (variation of this recipe on p. 96 - I actually used pureed squash rather than pumpkin in place of the banana, it's more flavourful!)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza, scrambled eggs with toast and avocado

Dinners:

Monday: Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas and Carrots (p. 146)

Tuesday: Black Bean Chili (meatless version; p. 160), Cornbread (p. 212)

Wednesday: Smothered Meatballs (p. 143), mashed potatoes, peas and carrots

Thursday: Spinach and Parmesan Frittata, Build a Cucumber and Bean Salad (p. 209)

Friday: Spicy Pork Pocket Sandwiches, Easy Oven Fries (p. 194)

Saturday: Chickpea and Barley Soup

Sunday: Roast chicken, Honey-Orange Roasted Root Vegetables (p. 202), No-Bake Ancient Grain Snacking Squares

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), raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, puffed kamut, corn, bananas, oranges, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, cane sugar,  mustard, tamari, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, black pepper, parsley, paprika, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, zucchini (from the freezer), salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), milk, sour cream, Parmesan cheese 

Local AND organic: peanut butter, sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  popcorn, cornmeal, whole wheat flour

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my new "What's In My Pantry" board on Pinterest.  I will keep this board updated with current information on what products we use, where we're buying them, and how much we're paying. It's a work-in-progress, and you can find it HERE.

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

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