Weekly Menu Retrospective #77

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), Rhubarb Streusel Muffins (p. 97), peanut butter toast

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches 

Dinners:

Monday: Cornmeal-breaded herb and buttermilk chicken, spicy oven fried potatoes, green salad with homemade ranch dressing, Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake (p.224)

Tuesday: Chickpea and Barley Soup, cornbread (p. 212)

Wednesday: Barbecued pork ribs, green beans, potato salad

Thursday: Spinach, Bacon and Mozzarella Egg Puff (p. 181), carrot sticks 

Friday: Spaghetti with meat sauce

Saturday: Out at my niece's birthday party

Sunday:  Barbecued pork chops with spicy rub, corn on the cob, green beans, butter tart 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), canola oil, raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds (in bread)

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, spinach, peaches, corn, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, chicken, pork (chops and ribs) and ground beef (from VG Meats), milk, eggs, sour cream  

Local AND organic: sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves),  green beans, lettuce, green onions, herbs and cherry tomatoes from our backyard garden

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

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