Produce
fresh lemon
2 fresh limes
small potatoes (optional for burgers)
corn on cob (optional side)
garlic clove
2 tomatoes
cucumber
red onion
red pepper
green bell pepper
cilantro (2 bunches sub for cilantro roots)
parsley (flat leaf)
Tarragon leaves
Broccoli
carrot
2 stalks lemon grass
fresh ginger (cut and freeze - see directions for Thai soup)
bean sprouts
green onion
asparagus
baby spinach
Pantry
extra virgin olive oil
Thai curry paste (This can be red or green or yellow, but it can be hot - I like green the best and use a lot less if your kids are sensitive
salt and freshly ground pepper
chicken broth
2 cans coconut milk
lime leaves (I got these at the Magic Wok store on Duckworth, but you can sub lime juice for a similar flavour)
fish sauce (Asian section)
crushed red pepper - optional if your kids are sensitive to spice
rice noodles
soy sauce
sesame oil
sesame seeds
brown sugar
Bread
pita bread
Ciabatta rolls or burger buns
Meat, Fish, and Dairy
Plain Greek yogurt
Parmesan Cheese
2 chicken breasts thinly sliced
ground chicken or sausage for burgers
butter
4 5 or 6 ounce cod fillets 1 inch thick
Bacon
Anchovy paste (dairy aisle usually near butter, cheese and eggs)
sun dried tomato pesto - usually in deli case
Provolone Cheese
Misc:
Parchment Paper sheets or pouches
Orange juice (4 tablespoons)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Menu for Junuary 4th ~ 8th
This week's menu is my attempt to will the weather gods to give us back what they cruelly teased us with in May. Summery, spicy, light are my key themes. By the way, I am collecting recipes on Pinterest and you can follow me there.
Monday ~ Chopped Salad with brown butter and yogurt
From Food and Wine, May 2007
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes - cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
warmed pita bread, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium serving bowl, whisk the lemon juice and mashed garlic with the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, and parsley. Season the chopped salad with salt and pepper and toss. Stir the yogurt and drizzle it over the top.
2. In a small skillet, cook the butter over moderately high heat, swirling the pan, until the butter is fragrant and the milk solids just turn brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately spoon the brown butter over the yogurt and sprinkle the crushed red pepper on top. Serve right away with warm pita.
NOTES:
Serves 4
Tuesday ~ Broccoli Pesto
Yes, more pesto! But hey, it's easy and it gets greens into your kid.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli (about 1 crown)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of a food processor combine the broccoli, parsley, garlic, and Parmesan and begin processing.
While the processor is running, add the olive oil in a thin stream and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Source: Adapted from the Lunch Lessons: Changing The Way America Feeds Its Child
Wednesday ~ Thai Coconut Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 14 ounce cans premium coconut milk
1 heaping Tablespoon Thai curry paste (This can be red or green or yellow, but it can be hot - I like green the best and use a lot less if your kids are sensitive about spice)
1 bunch cilantro roots, rinsed well
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1 carrot, shredded
4 or 5 lime leaves
2 stalks lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 limes zest and juice
a small knob frozen ginger
a handful bean sprouts
1 8 ounce package rice noodles
1 bunch cilantro leaves, rinsed well
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
a sprinkle or two salt or soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of just one of the cans into a large stockpot set over a medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.
Add the cilantro roots and chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the coconut juice from the first can and all the contents of the second can along with the chicken broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce and lime zest and juice. Grate the frozen ginger into the broth with a Microplane grater or standard box grater. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Stir in the bean sprouts. Add the rice noodles, gently pushing them beneath the surface of the broth. Turn off the heat and let stand until the noodles soften, about 5 minutes. Rice noodles don’t need to simmer like pasta to cook; they simply need to rehydrate in the hot liquid.
Stir in most of the cilantro leaves. Remove the lemon grass stalks. Taste and season with a touch more salt (or soy sauce) as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with the green onions and remaining cilantro leaves.
Thursday ~ Cod baked in Parchment and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Cod Baked in Parchment
This recipe calls for asparagus, skip it, because it is going to be used in the side dish. You can use sheet parchment or buy little ready made parchment pouches. The sheet parchment adds novelty for kids as they get to 'unwrap' supper. Baking a few olives or capers in with the fish would be nice too. You'll need to do the asparagus first and half way through the asparagus cook time add the fish to the oven for the last 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
4 15x15-inch squares parchment paper
4 5-to 6-ounce fish fillets (such as halibut or cod; each about 1 inch thick)
12 fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons orange juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place parchment squares on work surface. Generously butter half of each parchment square; top buttered half of each with 1 fish fillet. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; top each fillet with 3 tarragon leaves, then 1 piece of butter. Arrange asparagus around each fish fillet; pour 1 tablespoon orange juice over each. Fold parchment over fish and asparagus, folding and crimping edges tightly to seal and enclose filling completely. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing apart. do ahead Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill.
Bake fish packets 17 minutes. Slide packets onto plates and serve.
Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus
serves 4, is easily multiplied
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of asparagus, about 20-25 spears, stems removed
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together oils, brown sugar and garlic. Set aside.
Bunch together 5-6 asparagus spears and tightly wrap a piece of bacon around the bundle. Place on the wire rack seam-side down and repeat. Using a pastry brush, a spoon or even your hands (I did this…), brush the spears thoroughly with the oil/sugar mixture. Give each bundle a hefty sprinkle of sesame seeds. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Serve warm.
Friday ~ Burgers!
Remember these from a previous week's menu? Garlicky Spinach Sausage Burgers. I made my version with ground chicken and they were excellent. Add corn on the cob or a side salad and roast potatoes to make this meal complete.
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages (or a combination of both), casings removed
4 slices of provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried-tomato pesto
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, bring 1/4 inch of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute; drain and press out as much water as possible. Wipe out the skillet.
In the same skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach, season with salt and stir just until coated, about 10 seconds.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Using slightly moistened hands, form the sausage meat into four 4-inch patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Brush the burgers with oil and grill over moderate heat until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers. Top with the cheese and grill until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Spread the pesto on the rolls. Top with the burgers and spinach and serve.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday ~ Chopped Salad with brown butter and yogurt
From Food and Wine, May 2007
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes - cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
warmed pita bread, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium serving bowl, whisk the lemon juice and mashed garlic with the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, and parsley. Season the chopped salad with salt and pepper and toss. Stir the yogurt and drizzle it over the top.
2. In a small skillet, cook the butter over moderately high heat, swirling the pan, until the butter is fragrant and the milk solids just turn brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately spoon the brown butter over the yogurt and sprinkle the crushed red pepper on top. Serve right away with warm pita.
NOTES:
Serves 4
Tuesday ~ Broccoli Pesto
Yes, more pesto! But hey, it's easy and it gets greens into your kid.
8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 cups steamed and chopped broccoli (about 1 crown)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of a food processor combine the broccoli, parsley, garlic, and Parmesan and begin processing.
While the processor is running, add the olive oil in a thin stream and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Source: Adapted from the Lunch Lessons: Changing The Way America Feeds Its Child
Wednesday ~ Thai Coconut Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 14 ounce cans premium coconut milk
1 heaping Tablespoon Thai curry paste (This can be red or green or yellow, but it can be hot - I like green the best and use a lot less if your kids are sensitive about spice)
1 bunch cilantro roots, rinsed well
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1 carrot, shredded
4 or 5 lime leaves
2 stalks lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 limes zest and juice
a small knob frozen ginger
a handful bean sprouts
1 8 ounce package rice noodles
1 bunch cilantro leaves, rinsed well
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
a sprinkle or two salt or soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of just one of the cans into a large stockpot set over a medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.
Add the cilantro roots and chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the coconut juice from the first can and all the contents of the second can along with the chicken broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce and lime zest and juice. Grate the frozen ginger into the broth with a Microplane grater or standard box grater. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Stir in the bean sprouts. Add the rice noodles, gently pushing them beneath the surface of the broth. Turn off the heat and let stand until the noodles soften, about 5 minutes. Rice noodles don’t need to simmer like pasta to cook; they simply need to rehydrate in the hot liquid.
Stir in most of the cilantro leaves. Remove the lemon grass stalks. Taste and season with a touch more salt (or soy sauce) as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with the green onions and remaining cilantro leaves.
Thursday ~ Cod baked in Parchment and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Cod Baked in Parchment
This recipe calls for asparagus, skip it, because it is going to be used in the side dish. You can use sheet parchment or buy little ready made parchment pouches. The sheet parchment adds novelty for kids as they get to 'unwrap' supper. Baking a few olives or capers in with the fish would be nice too. You'll need to do the asparagus first and half way through the asparagus cook time add the fish to the oven for the last 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
4 15x15-inch squares parchment paper
4 5-to 6-ounce fish fillets (such as halibut or cod; each about 1 inch thick)
12 fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons orange juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place parchment squares on work surface. Generously butter half of each parchment square; top buttered half of each with 1 fish fillet. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; top each fillet with 3 tarragon leaves, then 1 piece of butter. Arrange asparagus around each fish fillet; pour 1 tablespoon orange juice over each. Fold parchment over fish and asparagus, folding and crimping edges tightly to seal and enclose filling completely. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing apart. do ahead Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill.
Bake fish packets 17 minutes. Slide packets onto plates and serve.
Bacon Wrapped Caramelized Sesame Asparagus
serves 4, is easily multiplied
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of asparagus, about 20-25 spears, stems removed
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together oils, brown sugar and garlic. Set aside.
Bunch together 5-6 asparagus spears and tightly wrap a piece of bacon around the bundle. Place on the wire rack seam-side down and repeat. Using a pastry brush, a spoon or even your hands (I did this…), brush the spears thoroughly with the oil/sugar mixture. Give each bundle a hefty sprinkle of sesame seeds. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Serve warm.
Friday ~ Burgers!
Remember these from a previous week's menu? Garlicky Spinach Sausage Burgers. I made my version with ground chicken and they were excellent. Add corn on the cob or a side salad and roast potatoes to make this meal complete.
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages (or a combination of both), casings removed
4 slices of provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried-tomato pesto
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, bring 1/4 inch of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute; drain and press out as much water as possible. Wipe out the skillet.
In the same skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach, season with salt and stir just until coated, about 10 seconds.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Using slightly moistened hands, form the sausage meat into four 4-inch patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Brush the burgers with oil and grill over moderate heat until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers. Top with the cheese and grill until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Spread the pesto on the rolls. Top with the burgers and spinach and serve.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Menu May 27 - June 1
I am sitting at my computer listening to my kids play in the sunshine (Batman and Robin are chasing Green Goblin through my garden). The hum of lawn mowers provides a summery backdrop to the mayhem in my yard, and I have a sun-shiny, happy kids, beautiful day buzz.
This weather also puts me in the mood for fresh, healthy food. I hope you enjoy the menu this week - and don't forget to comprimise where necessary to make this menu friendly for your family. We must not forget the purpose of this blog - making life easier for us super-people.
Monday: Chicken and Asparagus Crepes (from foodnetwork.com)
Divide the crepes among plates, top with the asparagus and sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan.
Tuesday: Broiled Salmon with a Creamy Dill Sause, served with Rice and Steamed Veggies
(from Janet and Greta Podleski, The Looneyspoons Collection)
Rice
6 boneless skinless salmon fillets (about 6oz each)
1/3 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh dill
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp each salt and fresh ground pepper
Vegtables (broccoil, carrott, sugar snap peas)
Prepare rice according to directions.
Chop vegtables and place steamer. Boil water and steam vegtablles. When cooked, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle salmon lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place salmon on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray (such as Pam). Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat source for about 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily but is still just slightly pink in the centrer.
While fish is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whick together sour cream, maple syrup, mustard, lemon juice, dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Remove salmon from oven, drizzle with sauce. Serve immediatly.
Wednesday: Butternut Squash Soup with Pears and Ginger
2 tsp olive oil or butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
2 cups peeled, chooped pears
1 cup peeled chopped carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground fresh pepper
3/4 cup light sour cream
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder and ground cumin. Mix well and cook for 30 more seconds.
Add broth, squash, pears, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until squash and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally.
Working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Soup will be very thick. Return soup to pot and stir in sour cream. Serve hot.
Thursday: Veggie Enchilada
Black Beans (1 Can, rinsed)
Salsa (1 bottle)
Frozen Corn (1/2 cup)
Avocado (2, chopped)
Flour Tortillas
Cheddar Cheese (1 Cup or to taste)
Sour Cream
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Combine black beans and salsa. Add frozen corn. Add chopped avocado. Wrap mixture in tortillas and place side by side in a baking dish. Spread grated cheese over top.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with sour cream and additional salsa (if you have it.)
Friday: Spelt Pancakes with Sausage and Fruit Salad
Breakfast Sausage
Fruit Salad
Maple Syrup
Whole Spelt Flour (2 Cups) *you can get this in the health food section of your store, or at Bulk Barn.
Sugar (2 Tbsp)
Baking Powder (1 Tbsp)
Salt (3/4 Tsp)
Milk (1 3/4 Cups)
Unsalted Butter, melted (2 Tbsp)
Vanilla (2 Tsp)
Fry Sausage until cooked though. Set aside.
Melt Butter. Put all pancake ingredients in your blender and blitz. Heat non-stick frying pan or griddle, brush lightly with oil and ladle pancakes onto hot surface. When bubbles appear, flip. Serve with maple syrup, sausage and fruit salad.
(from Janet and Greta Podleski, The Looneyspoons Collection)
This weather also puts me in the mood for fresh, healthy food. I hope you enjoy the menu this week - and don't forget to comprimise where necessary to make this menu friendly for your family. We must not forget the purpose of this blog - making life easier for us super-people.
Monday: Chicken and Asparagus Crepes (from foodnetwork.com)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
- 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives or mint)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 store-bought crepes (about 9 inches each)
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish. Combine the chicken, ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan, 3 tablespoons herbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup filling across the lower half of each crepe; roll up to enclose the filling. Place the crepes, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until the filling is hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until it softens, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest and the remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the crepes among plates, top with the asparagus and sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan.
Tuesday: Broiled Salmon with a Creamy Dill Sause, served with Rice and Steamed Veggies
(from Janet and Greta Podleski, The Looneyspoons Collection)
Rice
6 boneless skinless salmon fillets (about 6oz each)
1/3 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh dill
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp each salt and fresh ground pepper
Vegtables (broccoil, carrott, sugar snap peas)
Prepare rice according to directions.
Chop vegtables and place steamer. Boil water and steam vegtablles. When cooked, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle salmon lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place salmon on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray (such as Pam). Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat source for about 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily but is still just slightly pink in the centrer.
While fish is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whick together sour cream, maple syrup, mustard, lemon juice, dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Remove salmon from oven, drizzle with sauce. Serve immediatly.
Wednesday: Butternut Squash Soup with Pears and Ginger
2 tsp olive oil or butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
2 cups peeled, chooped pears
1 cup peeled chopped carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground fresh pepper
3/4 cup light sour cream
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder and ground cumin. Mix well and cook for 30 more seconds.
Add broth, squash, pears, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until squash and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally.
Working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Soup will be very thick. Return soup to pot and stir in sour cream. Serve hot.
Thursday: Veggie Enchilada
Black Beans (1 Can, rinsed)
Salsa (1 bottle)
Frozen Corn (1/2 cup)
Avocado (2, chopped)
Flour Tortillas
Cheddar Cheese (1 Cup or to taste)
Sour Cream
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Combine black beans and salsa. Add frozen corn. Add chopped avocado. Wrap mixture in tortillas and place side by side in a baking dish. Spread grated cheese over top.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with sour cream and additional salsa (if you have it.)
Friday: Spelt Pancakes with Sausage and Fruit Salad
Breakfast Sausage
Fruit Salad
Maple Syrup
Whole Spelt Flour (2 Cups) *you can get this in the health food section of your store, or at Bulk Barn.
Sugar (2 Tbsp)
Baking Powder (1 Tbsp)
Salt (3/4 Tsp)
Milk (1 3/4 Cups)
Unsalted Butter, melted (2 Tbsp)
Vanilla (2 Tsp)
Fry Sausage until cooked though. Set aside.
Melt Butter. Put all pancake ingredients in your blender and blitz. Heat non-stick frying pan or griddle, brush lightly with oil and ladle pancakes onto hot surface. When bubbles appear, flip. Serve with maple syrup, sausage and fruit salad.
(from Janet and Greta Podleski, The Looneyspoons Collection)
Shopping List May 28 - June 1
Produce
Fresh dill
crepes (prepared - in produce aisle)
shallot
asparagus
lemon (2) broccoli
carrot
sugar snap peas
onion
garlic
ginger
butternut squash
pears (2)
avocados (2)
fruit for salad
Bakery
Tortilla
Meat
Rotisserie Chicken
6 boneless skinless salmon fillets
Breakfast sausage
Dairy
unsalted butter
ricotta cheese
Parmesan
cheddar
milk
sour cream (large tub)
Pantry
kosher salt
fresh pepper
low-sodium chicken broth (3 containers)
100% pure maple syrup
Dijon mustard
rice
olive oil
curry powder
cumin
1 can black beans
1 bottle salsa
whole spelt flour
sugar
baking powder
vanilla
Frozen
Corn
Fresh dill
crepes (prepared - in produce aisle)
shallot
asparagus
lemon (2) broccoli
carrot
sugar snap peas
onion
garlic
ginger
butternut squash
pears (2)
avocados (2)
fruit for salad
Bakery
Tortilla
Meat
Rotisserie Chicken
6 boneless skinless salmon fillets
Breakfast sausage
Dairy
unsalted butter
ricotta cheese
Parmesan
cheddar
milk
sour cream (large tub)
Pantry
kosher salt
fresh pepper
low-sodium chicken broth (3 containers)
100% pure maple syrup
Dijon mustard
rice
olive oil
curry powder
cumin
1 can black beans
1 bottle salsa
whole spelt flour
sugar
baking powder
vanilla
Frozen
Corn
Friday, May 18, 2012
May 21 - 25th Meal Plan and Shopping List
A stomach bug derailed my meal plan activities last week, but summer-like weather has inspired my menu for this week. This could be the easiest menu I have ever done and has a nice balance of ready-made and from scratch ,as well as healthy and not-so healthy, but all very delicicous recipes.
Victoria Day Monday BBQ Party
A perfect day for a BBQ. I love the slider options at the grocery stores these days. Mini burgers and those cute little buns make great kid meals. My husband and I like them too. We look for the lower fat and sodium versions. We usually serve them with roasted potatoes and grilled corn on the cob which my 3 yo loves. We make it fun with pig and dog shaped corn holders that I bought last year. I usually fry onions and mushrooms to top the adult burgers too. This is an easy meal, very little clean up, and offers lots of choices. The main ingredients are burgers, buns, corn, little potatoes and your condiments. If you haven't grilled corn before, you can do it husk on or off. If the husk is on it will turn black and that is ok. If it is off, put the corn on the top rack. 15 minutes should do it either way. Here's a link to give you some detail.
If you google grilled corn on the cob you will find lots of options, even some delicious ones where you pull back the husk, put the butter in and fold the husk back up and wrap in foil. YUM.
Tuesday - Shrimp Saganaki
Here is an easy seafood recipe that we love. Although it seems strange to me, a lot of kids seem to like shrimp, so this is one you can adapt for your kids, or at least serve them the shrimp and crusty bread in a different way if you don't think they will go for the actual recipe.
Wednesday - Sneaky Pesto
I don't know how you feel about pesto two weeks in a row, but this recipe is slightly different and is a way to get greens into your kids if they will try it. I am hoping I can find good basil. I could eat pesto every second day so I am always looking for new ways to do it.
Thursday- Cobb Salad
This salad is known as an "American Classic" it could also be called 'Kitchen Sink Salad' there is something in it for everyone and it is a salad that eats like a meal. Read the ingredients and adjust for your family's tastes and what you can get at the grocery store. My husband loves this.
Friday - Wing Night!
Chicken Wings and Iceberg Lettuce Wedges with dressing of your choice
If you want to go with frozen wings, there are lots of options these days to suit all tastes and diets (except vegetarian of course!) You can also make your own. Here's a recipe if you choose that route, but for me? Frozen wings are easier especially on a Friday. I chose iceberg lettuce as the side because kids love it and it is about as easy a way to do a side salad as is possible. You can add raw carrots and celery to this to make it like a real wing night. We did this one night and it was fun to pretend we had out own wing restaurant. We had ranch, sour cream and blue cheese dips and the grown ups had beer. Extra Bacon from the Cobb Salad would go really well with the ice berg lettuce wedges... chop and sprinkle on top.
Shopping List
I did the shopping list by recipe so you can pick and choose which ones you want to make and mix and match with your own menu. If you like this format let us know.
BBQ Party:
Sliders
Buns
Corn on the Cob
Small potatoes
Condiments and toppings for burgers (your choice)
Saganaki
olive oil and canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 plum tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds), coarsely chopped
red pepper
1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp
pitted kalamata olives
fresh dill
Greek feta cheese, crumbled
Crusty bread
Pesto
linguine pasta
2 medium avocados
3 cups baby arugula leaves
basil leaves
lime juice (from 2 large limes)
garlic
Parmesan (4 ounces)
sliced almonds
Cobb Salad
bunch of watercress
fresh chives
head of boston lettuce
head of romaine
3 ripe avocados
small bunch of curly endive
tomato
2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts (you could sub a precooked roast chicken)
olive oil
red-wine vinegar
grated roquefort (this is blue cheese, so switch it if your kids are not gourmands - I don't think mine would eat this!)
large egg
lean bacon
dijon-style mustard
Wing Night!
Frozen wings or chicken wings and your choice of sauce
Ice berg lettuce
Your choice of creamy dressing and or dip for the vegetables
Carrots
Celery
Beer :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Victoria Day Monday BBQ Party
A perfect day for a BBQ. I love the slider options at the grocery stores these days. Mini burgers and those cute little buns make great kid meals. My husband and I like them too. We look for the lower fat and sodium versions. We usually serve them with roasted potatoes and grilled corn on the cob which my 3 yo loves. We make it fun with pig and dog shaped corn holders that I bought last year. I usually fry onions and mushrooms to top the adult burgers too. This is an easy meal, very little clean up, and offers lots of choices. The main ingredients are burgers, buns, corn, little potatoes and your condiments. If you haven't grilled corn before, you can do it husk on or off. If the husk is on it will turn black and that is ok. If it is off, put the corn on the top rack. 15 minutes should do it either way. Here's a link to give you some detail.
If you google grilled corn on the cob you will find lots of options, even some delicious ones where you pull back the husk, put the butter in and fold the husk back up and wrap in foil. YUM.
Tuesday - Shrimp Saganaki
Here is an easy seafood recipe that we love. Although it seems strange to me, a lot of kids seem to like shrimp, so this is one you can adapt for your kids, or at least serve them the shrimp and crusty bread in a different way if you don't think they will go for the actual recipe.
Wednesday - Sneaky Pesto
I don't know how you feel about pesto two weeks in a row, but this recipe is slightly different and is a way to get greens into your kids if they will try it. I am hoping I can find good basil. I could eat pesto every second day so I am always looking for new ways to do it.
Thursday- Cobb Salad
This salad is known as an "American Classic" it could also be called 'Kitchen Sink Salad' there is something in it for everyone and it is a salad that eats like a meal. Read the ingredients and adjust for your family's tastes and what you can get at the grocery store. My husband loves this.
Friday - Wing Night!
Chicken Wings and Iceberg Lettuce Wedges with dressing of your choice
If you want to go with frozen wings, there are lots of options these days to suit all tastes and diets (except vegetarian of course!) You can also make your own. Here's a recipe if you choose that route, but for me? Frozen wings are easier especially on a Friday. I chose iceberg lettuce as the side because kids love it and it is about as easy a way to do a side salad as is possible. You can add raw carrots and celery to this to make it like a real wing night. We did this one night and it was fun to pretend we had out own wing restaurant. We had ranch, sour cream and blue cheese dips and the grown ups had beer. Extra Bacon from the Cobb Salad would go really well with the ice berg lettuce wedges... chop and sprinkle on top.
Shopping List
I did the shopping list by recipe so you can pick and choose which ones you want to make and mix and match with your own menu. If you like this format let us know.
BBQ Party:
Sliders
Buns
Corn on the Cob
Small potatoes
Condiments and toppings for burgers (your choice)
Saganaki
olive oil and canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 plum tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds), coarsely chopped
red pepper
1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp
pitted kalamata olives
fresh dill
Greek feta cheese, crumbled
Crusty bread
Pesto
linguine pasta
2 medium avocados
3 cups baby arugula leaves
basil leaves
lime juice (from 2 large limes)
garlic
Parmesan (4 ounces)
sliced almonds
Cobb Salad
bunch of watercress
fresh chives
head of boston lettuce
head of romaine
3 ripe avocados
small bunch of curly endive
tomato
2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts (you could sub a precooked roast chicken)
olive oil
red-wine vinegar
grated roquefort (this is blue cheese, so switch it if your kids are not gourmands - I don't think mine would eat this!)
large egg
lean bacon
dijon-style mustard
Wing Night!
Frozen wings or chicken wings and your choice of sauce
Ice berg lettuce
Your choice of creamy dressing and or dip for the vegetables
Carrots
Celery
Beer :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Menu May 14 to 18
Happy Mother's Day! Hope all you Mom's get spoiled rotten out there. Perhaps someone is planning to cook for you on Sunday (fingers crossed!)
Hope you all enjoyed the veggie week Erika planned for us. It is great to get more veggies into our diets whenever we can and I love to learn to recipes to help do this. All that being said - meat is back this week. I have planned a night or two without meat I have to admit, but as per normal with my menus, meat plays a starring role most nights. I know in my heart of hearts I can never be a vegetarian. I love meat. Nothing better than a roast on a Sunday, a steak on the barbecue or the best burger in the world. Of course, we need to limit, so I do and enjoy a veggie meal done right (like they were last week.) But meat can never be gone forever for me. I am a neanderthal at heart.
Spring is here and I have tried to lighten up the menu this week as the sun shines longer and the warmth begins. Hope you enjoy.
Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken with Butter Bean, Tomato and Onion Salad
For the chicken:
8 chicken thighs
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp clear honey
salt and ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan.
Mix together the mustard and the honey, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste and brush the mixture all over the chicken thighs.
Cook for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken with the pan juices occasionally, until cooked through. (To check the chicken is cooked through, skewer it with a sharp knife; the juices should run clear.)
For the salad:
2 14oz cans lima beans, rinsed and drained
4 Plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp herb-infused olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.
Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for 20 minutes before serving.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow
Tuesday: Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Basil Pesto
I like to serve this pasta with pan-fried scallops, however, if you are not into scallops, it is just as good without.
2 large red bell peppers
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper
Preheat broiler. Halve red, yellow and orange peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Place peppers cut-side down on non-slick baking sheet. Broil until blistered and charred. Transfer to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel off skins. Set 1 red pepper half aside. Cut remaining peppers into thin strips.
In food processor, puree reserved red pepper half, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt until smooth.
Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot. Add pepper strips and basil puree. Toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
*From The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet and Greta Podleski
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Rice and Savory Summer Vegetables
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup sundried tomato and oregano dressing (divided)
1 zucchini cut into chunks
1 red pepper cut into chunks
1 cup chopped asparagus
1/2 red onion cut into chunks
Rice
Prepare rice according to package.
Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat. Brush the chicken with 2 tbsp of the dressing. Let stand 10 minutes.
Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tbsp of dressing. Place in grill basket (if you do not have a grill basket, you can get a disposable aluminum tray and poke holes in the bottom.)
Grill chicken until cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender, about 20 minutes.
*From What's Cooking Magazine
Thursday:Avocado Soup with Crusty Bread
Crusty Bread, sliced
2 large ripe avocados
1 1/4 cups sour cream
4 cups chicken stock
small bunch fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 lime
ground black pepper
Cut the avocados in half, remove the peel and lift out the stones. Chop the flesh coarsely and place in a food processor with 4 tbsp sour cream. Process until smooth.
Heat the chicken stock in a pan. When it is hot, but still below simmering point, stir in the rest of the sour cream.
Gradually stir the avocado mixture into the hot stock. Heat but do not let the mixture reach boiling point.
Cut lime in half. Squeeze generous amount into soup. Chop the cilantro. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each portion with chopped cilantro and black pepper. Serve immediately with bread.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow
Friday: Chicken-Cheddar BBQ Burgers with Spicy Coleslaw and Fries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 small red cabbage, halved, cored, then thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 lb sharp cheddar cut into four inch dice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Hamburger rolls
Frozen fries
Prepare frozen fries as described on package.
For the spicy coleslaw:
In a bowl combine the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the sliced cabbage red bell peppers and half the green onions, stir to coat and reserve the slaw for topping the burgers.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, bbq sauce, cheddar dice, reserved green onion, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Score the meat with your hand to mark fur equal portions. Form each portion into a 1 inch thick patty. Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle olive oil over the patties and place them in skillet. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until patties are firm to the touch and cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking, toast the buns. Transfer the burgers to the bottoms of the buns, pile some coleslaw on top and the replace top of bun. Serve with fries.
* From 365: No Repeats by Rachel Ray
Hope you all enjoyed the veggie week Erika planned for us. It is great to get more veggies into our diets whenever we can and I love to learn to recipes to help do this. All that being said - meat is back this week. I have planned a night or two without meat I have to admit, but as per normal with my menus, meat plays a starring role most nights. I know in my heart of hearts I can never be a vegetarian. I love meat. Nothing better than a roast on a Sunday, a steak on the barbecue or the best burger in the world. Of course, we need to limit, so I do and enjoy a veggie meal done right (like they were last week.) But meat can never be gone forever for me. I am a neanderthal at heart.
Spring is here and I have tried to lighten up the menu this week as the sun shines longer and the warmth begins. Hope you enjoy.
Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken with Butter Bean, Tomato and Onion Salad
For the chicken:
8 chicken thighs
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp clear honey
salt and ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan.
Mix together the mustard and the honey, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste and brush the mixture all over the chicken thighs.
Cook for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken with the pan juices occasionally, until cooked through. (To check the chicken is cooked through, skewer it with a sharp knife; the juices should run clear.)
For the salad:
2 14oz cans lima beans, rinsed and drained
4 Plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp herb-infused olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.
Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for 20 minutes before serving.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow
Tuesday: Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Basil Pesto
I like to serve this pasta with pan-fried scallops, however, if you are not into scallops, it is just as good without.
2 large red bell peppers
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper
Preheat broiler. Halve red, yellow and orange peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Place peppers cut-side down on non-slick baking sheet. Broil until blistered and charred. Transfer to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel off skins. Set 1 red pepper half aside. Cut remaining peppers into thin strips.
In food processor, puree reserved red pepper half, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt until smooth.
Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot. Add pepper strips and basil puree. Toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
*From The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet and Greta Podleski
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Rice and Savory Summer Vegetables
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup sundried tomato and oregano dressing (divided)
1 zucchini cut into chunks
1 red pepper cut into chunks
1 cup chopped asparagus
1/2 red onion cut into chunks
Rice
Prepare rice according to package.
Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat. Brush the chicken with 2 tbsp of the dressing. Let stand 10 minutes.
Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tbsp of dressing. Place in grill basket (if you do not have a grill basket, you can get a disposable aluminum tray and poke holes in the bottom.)
Grill chicken until cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender, about 20 minutes.
*From What's Cooking Magazine
Thursday:Avocado Soup with Crusty Bread
Crusty Bread, sliced
2 large ripe avocados
1 1/4 cups sour cream
4 cups chicken stock
small bunch fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 lime
ground black pepper
Cut the avocados in half, remove the peel and lift out the stones. Chop the flesh coarsely and place in a food processor with 4 tbsp sour cream. Process until smooth.
Heat the chicken stock in a pan. When it is hot, but still below simmering point, stir in the rest of the sour cream.
Gradually stir the avocado mixture into the hot stock. Heat but do not let the mixture reach boiling point.
Cut lime in half. Squeeze generous amount into soup. Chop the cilantro. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each portion with chopped cilantro and black pepper. Serve immediately with bread.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow
Friday: Chicken-Cheddar BBQ Burgers with Spicy Coleslaw and Fries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 small red cabbage, halved, cored, then thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 lb sharp cheddar cut into four inch dice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Hamburger rolls
Frozen fries
Prepare frozen fries as described on package.
For the spicy coleslaw:
In a bowl combine the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the sliced cabbage red bell peppers and half the green onions, stir to coat and reserve the slaw for topping the burgers.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, bbq sauce, cheddar dice, reserved green onion, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Score the meat with your hand to mark fur equal portions. Form each portion into a 1 inch thick patty. Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle olive oil over the patties and place them in skillet. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until patties are firm to the touch and cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking, toast the buns. Transfer the burgers to the bottoms of the buns, pile some coleslaw on top and the replace top of bun. Serve with fries.
* From 365: No Repeats by Rachel Ray
Shopping List May 14-18
Produce:
4 plum tomatoes
2 red onions
4 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
fresh basil
garlic
1 zucchini
1 bunch asparagus
2 large avocados
cilantro (coriander)
2 limes
1 bunch parsley
1 Small red cabbage
6 green onion
Bakery:
Crusty Bread
Large hamburger buns
Meat:
8 chicken thighs
1 package scallops (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 lb ground chicken
Dairy:
Parmesan cheese
Sharp Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Pantry:
Wholegrain mustard
Clear honey
Salt
Pepper
2 14oz cans Lima beans
herb-infused olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo)
Sundried tomato and oregano dressing
rice
Chicken stock (4 cups)
Mayonnaise
Hot sauce (like Tabasco)
BBQ sauce
Frozen:
Fries
4 plum tomatoes
2 red onions
4 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
fresh basil
garlic
1 zucchini
1 bunch asparagus
2 large avocados
cilantro (coriander)
2 limes
1 bunch parsley
1 Small red cabbage
6 green onion
Bakery:
Crusty Bread
Large hamburger buns
Meat:
8 chicken thighs
1 package scallops (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 lb ground chicken
Dairy:
Parmesan cheese
Sharp Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Pantry:
Wholegrain mustard
Clear honey
Salt
Pepper
2 14oz cans Lima beans
herb-infused olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo)
Sundried tomato and oregano dressing
rice
Chicken stock (4 cups)
Mayonnaise
Hot sauce (like Tabasco)
BBQ sauce
Frozen:
Fries
Friday, May 4, 2012
Menu Plan May 7th-11th
I love to cook and I love to eat and I like to try new things, but I am not disciplined enough to follow to many food rules. I tend to like the grey area better than the black or the white (unless it is a turtleneck sweater, then I am all about the black). All this is to say that while I am pretty sure that I will never become a vegan, I do love good vegan and vegetarian food. One of my favourite restaurants in fact is The Sprout.
I appreciate the expertise of vegan cooks and their ability to bring so much flavour, diversity and fun to vegetables and to use so many ingredients that are so outside of my comfort zone like tofu, tempeh, TVP and their ability to turn chick peas into burgers. I also love how being a vegan or vegetarian seems to come with a talent for clever turn of phrase. Just check out the Sprout menu and you will see what I mean (see Give Peas a Chance Burger.)
Lately I have been watching a lot of TED Talks about food on Netflix. It's a great way to spend 20 minutes instead of channel surfing. The two that made the biggest impression lately are from two of my favourite food writers: Mark Bittman and Michael Pollan. Both were extolling the virtues of getting more plants into our diets, both for health and for the sake of the planet. Apparently raising livestock is one of the largest contributors to climate change!
Anyway, all this got me thinking and I bought a vegan cookbook this week. The recipes reminded me of The Sprout's and the pictures were gorgeous. It is called Refresh and is from the award-winning Fresh restaurants. Last week I tried the house salad dressing on a variation of their Mega Life Salad and it was truly the most awesome salad I have ever eaten. This week I am going to share a couple of the recipes with you... and a few other vegetarian dishes too. I hope you'll give this vegetarian week a try with me.
A final note, my approach to getting my kid to try new things is to make sure that I offer him what we are having, but put at least one thing on his plate that I know he will eat. If he is in a good mood he will try pretty much anything, but if he is tired he won't try anything new. I try not to sweat it and keep putting new things in front of him. A friend of mine lets her kid pick out a vegetable at the grocery store each week to add to stir fry, which she loves. They cut the vegetables large and the deal is she has to try it, but if she doesn't like it she can pick it all out. The big thing is no pressure.
The Shopping List is now posted below.
Monday ~ Mega Life Salad (sort of)
My variation on the Fresh Mega Life Salad and my son's favourite, Avocado Sandwiches (optional)
The original salad has marinated tofu and steamed spinach and a bunch of sprouts that St. John's grocery stores rarely carry and when they do they are often icky so I adapted this recipe to make it simpler and it uses easier to get ingredients. This is a main course salad so assume 4 cups of greens per adult person. Judge for yourself how much your kids will eat.
I have added the avocado sandwich as an option for kids who turn up their nose at the salad. You will have to determine how much of each of the other ingredients to add based on the size of your family, but I would be generous as this is a truly delicious salad.
Dressing:
This was the killer dressing that really made this salad special and I will be using it A LOT.
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp tamari
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 clove garlic
1 cup sunflower oil
(The original recipe calls for part flax oil, which I forgot to buy, but it was still fantastic with just sunflower oil.)
Mix all the ingredients in a blender except the oil and then add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. This will make a lot of dressing which is good because you will want more and can use it for side salads or lunches.
Salad:
Toss mixed lettuce greens with salad dressing.
Thinly slice English cucumber and lay on salad
Slice the avocado in thin wedges and place on salad
Put matchstick or grated carrots on top
Add grated raw beet
Garnish with a handful (or more) of sunflower seeds.
For the Avocado sandwich:
Your kid's favourite bread - toasted or not.
Avocado mashed with mayo and spread on the bread.
That is pretty much it.
Now, if you want to be sneaky you can use a food processor and put some peas or edamame or spinach into the avocado before spreading. Or, if your kid will eat other vegetables like lettuce and tomatoes you can really make this sandwich sing.
Tuesday - Simple Rice Bowl/ Green Goddess Combo
In the ReFresh cookbook they say kids love the Simple Rice Bowl, so what I have done is a combo version where you can serve your kids the simple version if you don't think they will give the green Goddess a try. You could try calling it Green Monster...:)
Basically these recipes start with the same base: Make the brown basmati rice and put it in bowls. Add a variety of toppings and sauces. Serve.
The Simple Rice Bowl is topped with 2 tbsp Tahini Sauce per bowl (Instructions below), and 2 tsp tamari per bowl , and grated or matchstick carrots, chopped parsley and a lemon wedge. You can determine the veg amounts yourself, but a quarter cup of carrots and 1/4 cup of parsley sounds about right to me. I'd consider adding corn or peas too if you think your kids might like it better that way.
The Green Goddess is topped with steamed broccoli florets, torn bok choy, torn green kale and torn swiss chard. You can also add toasted sunflower seeds, torn nori, and white pickled ginger like they serve with sushi. Nori is the seaweed that you see sushi wrapped in. Both are available at grocery stores these days. The Green Goddess uses the Tahini Sauce and also a Simple Sauce.
In some ways these recipes are a variation on stir fry, so you can treat it that way if you want or if you think you will have better success with your children that way.
Directions for Green Goddess:
Steam the broccoli and greens until tender. (1 head broccoli, 1 head bok choy, 1 head each of greens)
Put rice in rice bowl and drizzle 2 Tbsp Tahini Sauce on top and place nori on rice. (2 sheets of nori torn)
Arrange greens and broccoli around bowl
Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds on top. (1/3 cup)
Drizzle 2 Tbsp Simple Sauce on top of vegetables.
Garnish with pickled ginger. Repeat for each serving.
For the two sauces:
Simple Sauce:
Put in saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Tahini Sauce
Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and then add water and tahini until smooth.
Wednesday - Gad zukes! Zucchini Latkes
Zucchini are a pretty innocuous and versatile vegetable. They have no strong flavour to turn kids off and they can be turned into boats and shredded and fried into a wicked little vegetarian alternative to a fish cake. Well, not really, fish cakes are awesome, but these little zucchini latkes are a savoury treat. Top with Greek Style Yogurt or sour cream or Serve with a side salad or if you want meat these can be served with sausage and or bacon and crusty bread. . Something about them makes me think brunch food. If you decide to try the boats recipe above or add bacon or sausage - you will have to add the ingredients to your shopping list.
The recipe is here
NOTE: Sub the Matzo meal with soda cracker crumbs if you can't find Matzo meal.
Thursday - Thai one on.
You will want to modify this recipe if your kids are heat sensitive - this recipe has a jalepeno that I know my kid won't eat, but the noodles will make it more appealing to him. I haven't made this exact recipe before, but have made similar ones and I trust Food and Wine as a source, many of my go-to recipes come from this magazine.
Friday - Enchiladas!
Who doesn't love Mexican?
Vegetable Enchiladas from a reliable family recipe source, Martha Stewart.
I appreciate the expertise of vegan cooks and their ability to bring so much flavour, diversity and fun to vegetables and to use so many ingredients that are so outside of my comfort zone like tofu, tempeh, TVP and their ability to turn chick peas into burgers. I also love how being a vegan or vegetarian seems to come with a talent for clever turn of phrase. Just check out the Sprout menu and you will see what I mean (see Give Peas a Chance Burger.)
Lately I have been watching a lot of TED Talks about food on Netflix. It's a great way to spend 20 minutes instead of channel surfing. The two that made the biggest impression lately are from two of my favourite food writers: Mark Bittman and Michael Pollan. Both were extolling the virtues of getting more plants into our diets, both for health and for the sake of the planet. Apparently raising livestock is one of the largest contributors to climate change!
Anyway, all this got me thinking and I bought a vegan cookbook this week. The recipes reminded me of The Sprout's and the pictures were gorgeous. It is called Refresh and is from the award-winning Fresh restaurants. Last week I tried the house salad dressing on a variation of their Mega Life Salad and it was truly the most awesome salad I have ever eaten. This week I am going to share a couple of the recipes with you... and a few other vegetarian dishes too. I hope you'll give this vegetarian week a try with me.
A final note, my approach to getting my kid to try new things is to make sure that I offer him what we are having, but put at least one thing on his plate that I know he will eat. If he is in a good mood he will try pretty much anything, but if he is tired he won't try anything new. I try not to sweat it and keep putting new things in front of him. A friend of mine lets her kid pick out a vegetable at the grocery store each week to add to stir fry, which she loves. They cut the vegetables large and the deal is she has to try it, but if she doesn't like it she can pick it all out. The big thing is no pressure.
The Shopping List is now posted below.
Monday ~ Mega Life Salad (sort of)
My variation on the Fresh Mega Life Salad and my son's favourite, Avocado Sandwiches (optional)
The original salad has marinated tofu and steamed spinach and a bunch of sprouts that St. John's grocery stores rarely carry and when they do they are often icky so I adapted this recipe to make it simpler and it uses easier to get ingredients. This is a main course salad so assume 4 cups of greens per adult person. Judge for yourself how much your kids will eat.
I have added the avocado sandwich as an option for kids who turn up their nose at the salad. You will have to determine how much of each of the other ingredients to add based on the size of your family, but I would be generous as this is a truly delicious salad.
Dressing:
This was the killer dressing that really made this salad special and I will be using it A LOT.
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp tamari
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 clove garlic
1 cup sunflower oil
(The original recipe calls for part flax oil, which I forgot to buy, but it was still fantastic with just sunflower oil.)
Mix all the ingredients in a blender except the oil and then add oil in a thin stream until emulsified. This will make a lot of dressing which is good because you will want more and can use it for side salads or lunches.
Salad:
Toss mixed lettuce greens with salad dressing.
Thinly slice English cucumber and lay on salad
Slice the avocado in thin wedges and place on salad
Put matchstick or grated carrots on top
Add grated raw beet
Garnish with a handful (or more) of sunflower seeds.
For the Avocado sandwich:
Your kid's favourite bread - toasted or not.
Avocado mashed with mayo and spread on the bread.
That is pretty much it.
Now, if you want to be sneaky you can use a food processor and put some peas or edamame or spinach into the avocado before spreading. Or, if your kid will eat other vegetables like lettuce and tomatoes you can really make this sandwich sing.
Tuesday - Simple Rice Bowl/ Green Goddess Combo
In the ReFresh cookbook they say kids love the Simple Rice Bowl, so what I have done is a combo version where you can serve your kids the simple version if you don't think they will give the green Goddess a try. You could try calling it Green Monster...:)
Basically these recipes start with the same base: Make the brown basmati rice and put it in bowls. Add a variety of toppings and sauces. Serve.
The Simple Rice Bowl is topped with 2 tbsp Tahini Sauce per bowl (Instructions below), and 2 tsp tamari per bowl , and grated or matchstick carrots, chopped parsley and a lemon wedge. You can determine the veg amounts yourself, but a quarter cup of carrots and 1/4 cup of parsley sounds about right to me. I'd consider adding corn or peas too if you think your kids might like it better that way.
The Green Goddess is topped with steamed broccoli florets, torn bok choy, torn green kale and torn swiss chard. You can also add toasted sunflower seeds, torn nori, and white pickled ginger like they serve with sushi. Nori is the seaweed that you see sushi wrapped in. Both are available at grocery stores these days. The Green Goddess uses the Tahini Sauce and also a Simple Sauce.
In some ways these recipes are a variation on stir fry, so you can treat it that way if you want or if you think you will have better success with your children that way.
Directions for Green Goddess:
Steam the broccoli and greens until tender. (1 head broccoli, 1 head bok choy, 1 head each of greens)
Put rice in rice bowl and drizzle 2 Tbsp Tahini Sauce on top and place nori on rice. (2 sheets of nori torn)
Arrange greens and broccoli around bowl
Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds on top. (1/3 cup)
Drizzle 2 Tbsp Simple Sauce on top of vegetables.
Garnish with pickled ginger. Repeat for each serving.
For the two sauces:
Simple Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tamari
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 1/2 inch ginger root
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
Put in saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Tahini Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup tahini (sesame butter - available in health food section of Sobey's and Dominion - used in making hummous too!)
Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and then add water and tahini until smooth.
Wednesday - Gad zukes! Zucchini Latkes
Zucchini are a pretty innocuous and versatile vegetable. They have no strong flavour to turn kids off and they can be turned into boats and shredded and fried into a wicked little vegetarian alternative to a fish cake. Well, not really, fish cakes are awesome, but these little zucchini latkes are a savoury treat. Top with Greek Style Yogurt or sour cream or Serve with a side salad or if you want meat these can be served with sausage and or bacon and crusty bread. . Something about them makes me think brunch food. If you decide to try the boats recipe above or add bacon or sausage - you will have to add the ingredients to your shopping list.
The recipe is here
NOTE: Sub the Matzo meal with soda cracker crumbs if you can't find Matzo meal.
Thursday - Thai one on.
You will want to modify this recipe if your kids are heat sensitive - this recipe has a jalepeno that I know my kid won't eat, but the noodles will make it more appealing to him. I haven't made this exact recipe before, but have made similar ones and I trust Food and Wine as a source, many of my go-to recipes come from this magazine.
Friday - Enchiladas!
Who doesn't love Mexican?
Vegetable Enchiladas from a reliable family recipe source, Martha Stewart.
May 7 Shopping list
Please be sure to read through the recipes first. There are some ideas for additions and substitutions that are not on this list. Also - you might want to double check the ingredients. I had a long day and not sure I can see straight :)
Shopping list:
Pantry items
olive oil
cumin
flour
tomato paste
vegetable broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
vegetable oil
turmeric
soy sauce
cider vinegar
sugar
sea salt
pepper
mustard powder
garlic
sunflower oil
Tamari sauce (soy sauce section or sushi section)
Dairy / Deli
3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
Tofu (firm)
Sour cream or greek yogurt
eggs
Produce Fresh and Frozen
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
onions
Avocado (4)
1 pound medium zucchini
potato (1 baking potato)
ginger
basil leaves
garlic
jalapeno (optional)
shitake mushrooms (if you can't find them use regular or portobello)
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Swiss Chard
parsley
Mixed Lettuce Greens
English Cucumber
beet
Kale
1 bunch whole carrots (for ease you can also buy a bag of precut matchstick carrots)
lime
lemons or lemon juice
Cans/bottles
1 bottle Tahini
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can plum tomatoes
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
sesame oil
Dry Goods
16 corn tortillas (6-inch) ( i don't love corn tortillas so I am going to sub flour)
1/2 cup matzo meal (soda cracker crumbs can substitute
Nori (dry seaweed from sushi counter)
Sunflower seeds
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Shopping list:
Pantry items
olive oil
cumin
flour
tomato paste
vegetable broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
vegetable oil
turmeric
soy sauce
cider vinegar
sugar
sea salt
pepper
mustard powder
garlic
sunflower oil
Tamari sauce (soy sauce section or sushi section)
Dairy / Deli
3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
Tofu (firm)
Sour cream or greek yogurt
eggs
Produce Fresh and Frozen
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
onions
Avocado (4)
1 pound medium zucchini
potato (1 baking potato)
ginger
basil leaves
garlic
jalapeno (optional)
shitake mushrooms (if you can't find them use regular or portobello)
Broccoli
Bok Choy
Swiss Chard
parsley
Mixed Lettuce Greens
English Cucumber
beet
Kale
1 bunch whole carrots (for ease you can also buy a bag of precut matchstick carrots)
lime
lemons or lemon juice
Cans/bottles
1 bottle Tahini
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can plum tomatoes
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
sesame oil
Dry Goods
16 corn tortillas (6-inch) ( i don't love corn tortillas so I am going to sub flour)
1/2 cup matzo meal (soda cracker crumbs can substitute
Nori (dry seaweed from sushi counter)
Sunflower seeds
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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