Weekly Menu Retrospective #118

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. 
 
This was a really crazy week for us - those short weeks after a long weekend always seem to be really intense! Our schedule was totally packed with sports and volunteering squeezed into just about every spare minute, and I was even on TV on Thanksgiving Monday.  

Needless to say, we kept meals simple this week, but it just goes to show that you can still cook all your meals from scratch even when life gets beyond hectic : 

Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), oatmeal, Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins (sub pumpkin for banana in this recipe, p. 96), French toast, Blueberry Clafouti (p. 223)

Lunches: 
leftovers, sandwiches, pizza, Toad-in-the-Hole (p. 180)

Dinners:

Monday:  "Turkey Overs" (Thanksgiving dinner leftovers)

Tuesday: Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry (sub chickpeas for chicken in this recipe, p. 136)

Wednesday: Western Omelette Wraps (p. 124), Creamy Cucumber Salad (p. 205)

Thursday: Taco Platters

Friday: Spicy Peanut and Tomato Soup  (p. 163), cornbread (p. 212)
  
Saturday: Alfredo Pasta with Spicy Pork and Peas

Sunday:   Black Bean Chili (p. 160), leftover cornbread

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, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds, tortilla chips, blueberries, corn, lemons, coffee (locally roasted and delivered by bike!), cornstarch, mustard, tamari, oregano, black pepper, parsley, Fairytale tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm, oatstraw

Local: potatoes, onions, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, squash, apples, salsa (home-canned), ground beef (from VG Meats), honey (unpasteurized), sour cream, milk

Local AND organic:  cranberries, oats, milk (used to make yogurt), eggs (not "certified organic", but real free range and fed organic feed), apple cider vinegar,  whole wheat flour, cornmeal, *fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, oregano), *green onions

*from our backyard veggie garden or produce cooperative

Want to know more about the specific food products I use and where I buy them? Check out my "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.  

SOUTHERN ONTARIO READERS: Tired of figuring out what to make for dinner? Want ALL the best weekly deals, plus menu plans and grocery lists based on what's on sale and in season? I just launched a new weekly budget menu plan service, featuring the best weekly deals and seasonal foods in Southern Ontario. I have a free sample available that you can read here! It's super-affordably priced, too - more details are here.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking