Meal Planning

Have you tried substituting spaghetti squash for pasta? It's actually pretty good. In keeping with the Paleo thang, I'm trying to like Pork Chops. A girl can only eat so much hamburger, turkey, and chicken. I think I'll ask Cory to cook the chops since my meat skills are quite lacking. And maybe he'll even cut them up for me too. Little known fact about me, I hate doing work when the plate hits the table. You should have the option of ordering things cut for you at a restuarant. Hence why I always order the stews and soups on menus-- cutting done before cooking.

Meal Planning

No real recipes, per se, this week. Oh I guess the tomatillo salsa has a recipe somewhere but basically I just roast some garlic and add that to a food processor with tomatillos, cilantro, and lime. Lots of recipes call for raw garlic but that gives me heartburn, hence the roasting.

Meal Planning

I made the Ropa Vieja on Sunday so that's ready to eat on Tuesday. You could probably make it in the crockpot too. Thursday's Stuffed Peppers will be Paleo so no breadcrumbs or rice. Maybe I'll use a little almond flour on top for some crunch.

Meal Planning

I just signed up for my gym's 3 month Paleo challenge. Today is Day 1. I won't bore you with the details but you'll notice that upcoming menus will be protein heavy and grain/dairy free. I'm ready to get back on track.

Meal Planning

This week is an easy meal planning week since we are headed to VA on Thursday to visit my sister and family. Woo-hoo! Nonetheless, I need to get back into meal planning so here's what's on deck.
Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Butternut Squash Hash with Chicken. That recipe looks good. I think I'll replace the onion with leeks. They are my latest obsession.
Wednesday- Leftovers. We'll need to clean out the fridge so it will be a smorgasbord.

Meal Planning

• The Korean beef is from Trader Joe's. It's yummy.


• Here is the recipe for Paleo "Pizza." I'll give it a whirl.

Paleo Pizza Crust:
1-1.5 lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp almond meal
1 egg
1 tsp basil
Steps:
Mix and spread in a pan or skillet about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 450 for 10 min.
Add your favorite toppings and cook for another 12-15 min.

• On Friday night, I may be going to a talk by Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet, so we'll leave that night TBD.

Meal Planning

On Saturday, we are headed to Philadelphia for a memorial service for my brother-in-law's mother that passed away last month. Maybe I'll score a Philly Cheese Steak.

The other day I heard Beatrice asking our nanny to read her the menu for the week. Afterwards she dictated the following grocery list:

I wish my lists were always that fun. I think she'll be 10 years old still calling Swedish Fish Sweet Fish (see Santa's beard.)

Meal Planning

Recipes:
Jerk Chicken Slow Cooker Soup
Green Chile Chili

Meal Planning

I made a delicious chicken pot pie last week (if I do say so myself) that oddly my children would not eat. Let's see if the Shepherd's Pie fairs better this week.

Meal Planning

I found this Days of the Week chalkboard at the Christmas Tree Shop. Its perfect for meal planning because I don't have to remind Cory every night what's on the menu (Read the G-D blog!)

I clearly need to work on my penmanship skills.

So tonight we'll eat Chicken Soup. My mom sent some as it's our tradition to eat this every Halloween. I think I am working on 25 years and counting (at least.)

Here is the recipe for the Butternut Squash Lasagna.

Here is the recipe for the Chicken Pot Pie. My friend Jessica made me a chicken pot pie when she came to visit us after I gave birth. Don't think I haven't thought about canceling Thursday's procedure just for another chance at that heavenly homemade pot pie.

Friday my mama will play Nurse Nightingale and bring us dinner since I'll be home recovering. She is really playing up this surgery. She lives for this shit. Yesterday we were over her house since we were without power. She had a big tree limb down in her backyard. I told her that my brother and Cory and I could move it. Just then my other brother showed up so now there were 3 men there to do it. He was in a rush so said he'd come back tomorrow to do it alone. I told my mom that it was fine, I could chip in and do it. My mother in typical overreacting Portuguese mother mode, violently screamed at my brother, "Your sister is having surgery this week. How dare you ask her to move trees right now." My brother and I busted out laughing. You would have thought my brother told me to get out there and move a tree just minutes after coming out of anaesthesia.

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Asian shrimp over greens. I just got this Roasted Seaweed Snack at Trader Joe's. I think it would be good atop the salad.
Wednesday- Wheat flatbreads (dough from Trader Joe's) with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil from the garden (the basil not the tomatoes-- yet) + salad.
Thursday- Out to dinner with the girls
Friday- Start to the 4th of July weekend!! Yay. I am in the mood for hamburgers, corn on the cob, steamers, and lobsters. We'll have a combination of some of those foods. You can keep your watermelon though. I hate watermelon but people insist on having it at BBQs. For the record, that does not f-ing count as dessert.

Meal Planning

Monday- Sandwich or something quick in the car as we drive to our niece's High School State Championship lacrosse game.
Tuesday- Kale soup (compliments of my mother-- she almost makes this as good as my grandmother did)
Wednesday- Spanikopita and salad
Thursday- Theo's 1st Birthday. Pizza party!!
Friday- "Forgotten Project Friday" girls night. We'll be dining on "Appetizers Around the World."

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Lentils, roasted beets, and paprika chickpeas over greens
Wednesday- Turkey meatloaf and mashed turnips
Thursday- Bean cakes and corn on the cob
Friday- We'll be doing last minute stuff to get ready for Theo's party so we'll probably just do leftovers.

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- I have a dentist appointment so it will probably be leftovers when I get home.
Wednesday- I am going out for drinks so we'll probably have a quick dinner before I leave. Our fridge is pretty full of leftovers so I think we'll do that again. Or if its still raining, maybe soup and sandwiches.
Thursday- We are going to lay the rest of the never-ending mulch once we put the kids down to bed so I think I'll throw this Jamaican Chicken Soup recipe in the crockpot before I go to work.
Friday- This will be the start of Memorial Day Weekend. Yay, the unofficial start to summer. I think we'll cook something on the grill. I am thinking steaks and grilled vegetables.

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Salmon Cakes with Trader Joe's Tomato-Less Salsa over greens
Wednesday- Work dinner
Thursday- Beets, Feta Cheese, and Lentils over Wilted Kale
Friday- Thai Chicken Skewers with Pineapple, Mango & Red Chile salsa

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Thai Chicken Soup *
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday-Black beans, egg white scramble, & corn salsa over grilled polenta cakes
Friday- Chicken Tikka Masala + Cauliflower Curry

* This recipe from SavoryGirl was delicious last time I made it. I didn't have some of the essential ingredients so I ended up substituting and it was still yummy!

Meal Planning

Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday- Lentil soup (I found a good recipe in Martha Stewart. If it comes out good, I'll post the recipe.)
Wednesday- Breakfast burrito
Thursday- Turkey Meatloaf and salad
Friday- Seafood Stew*

*Seafood Stew
Ingredients:
4 cups of vegetable broth
4 fl. oz white wine
1/2 c. of clam juice
2 cups of chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of diced tomatoes
2 cups of raw spinach
1 cup of chopped green or red pepper
16 oz. white fish, chopped into small pieces
12 large shrimp
3 sprigs of parsley or cilantro
salt and pepper to taste (do this at end b/c fish and clam juice will be salty)

Directions:
Saute the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and green pepper.
Add the vegetable broth, white wine, diced tomatoes, and clam juice.
Simmer for a couple of minutes. Add in the fish. Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add in the shrimp and spinach. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Top with cilantro or parsley.

Meal Planning

Monday: Nanny's
Tuesday: Asian Fish and Veggies in Parchment Paper
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Friday: Spinach Pie* (We didn't end up making this last Friday. Instead we had an impromptu date night to The Elephant Walk and to see Win-Win. It was a much needed night out for us.)

*Recipe (yields 12 Servings; For those on Weight Watchers, 1 serving=5 points) Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil


• 30 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to remove excess water


• 1 cup(s) onion(s), finely chopped


• 2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped


• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg


• 1 c. egg substitute


• 8 oz fat free feta cheese, crumbled


• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese


• 1/4 tsp table salt


• 1/4 tsp black pepper


• 1 pound(s) phyllo dough, frozen, thawed according to package directions

Instructions:

1. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.


2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.


3. Add spinach and onion and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir in parsley and nutmeg. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add egg substitute, cheeses and salt and pepper; mix well.


4. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in and up the sides of prepared pan; coat surface lightly with cooking spray. Top with 7 more sheets of phyllo, coating each layer with cooking spray. Spread spinach mixture over dough and top with 8 more sheets of dough, coating each layer with cooking spray. Roll the overhanging sides of dough into the edges of pan, forming a border.


5. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares, almost through to the bottom, but not quite or the filling will leak. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.


6. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting squares all the way through to the bottom.

Meal Planning

Monday: Nanny's.
Tuesday: Caribbean Crockpot Chicken*
Wednesday: Cory has basketball so I'll have leftovers or breakfast for dinner.
Thursday: Spaghetti squash with ground turkey meat sauce, kale, and steamed broccoli.
Friday: Spinach Pie (Greek Spanakopita)**

* I made it this morning. I threw in some chicken breasts, apricot preserves, pineapple, chili dried mango, chicken broth, onions, corn, and jalapenos. I think I'll serve it over lettuce or with couscous.

**Recipe (yields 12 Servings; For those on Weight Watchers, 1 serving=5 points) Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil


• 30 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to remove excess water


• 1 cup(s) onion(s), finely chopped


• 2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped


• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg


• 1 c. egg substitute


• 8 oz fat free feta cheese, crumbled


• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese


• 1/4 tsp table salt


• 1/4 tsp black pepper


• 1 pound(s) phyllo dough, frozen, thawed according to package directions

Instructions: Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.


2. Add spinach and onion and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir in parsley and nutmeg. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add egg substitute, cheeses and salt and pepper; mix well.


3. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in and up the sides of prepared pan; coat surface lightly with cooking spray. Top with 7 more sheets of phyllo, coating each layer with cooking spray. Spread spinach mixture over dough and top with 8 more sheets of dough, coating each layer with cooking spray. Roll the overhanging sides of dough into the edges of pan, forming a border.


4. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares, almost through to the bottom, but not quite or the filling will leak. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.


5. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting squares all the way through to the bottom.

Meal Planning

So I am getting off really easy this week. We are headed to DC on Thursday morning for a mini-cation. Wish us luck on our 8 hour car ride with 2 toddlers and a baby!
Monday- Nanny's
Tuesday-Thai Chicken Noodle Soup. I think I'll add some lemon grass and maybe replace the chicken with shrimp.
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- DC
Friday- DC