I am feeling well again, as easily as I felt sick. This body of mine is a mystery.
Last night I made my weekly menu. For the first time in months, literally, I will be making nine meals at home (I plan Monday-Sunday, including lunch on Saturday and Sunday). Oh, how a social calendar can dwindle when the days get shorter. My menu looks like this (all recipes, as usual, come from The American Heart Association cookbooks, of which I have two):
Monday- French-style braised sole with quinoa and green beans
Tuesday- Chicken and Potato Casserole with mushroom sauce, spinach salad
Wednesday- Grilled steak and zucchini with mashed potatoes
Thursday- Baked Crab Maryland, spinach salad
Friday- Chicken fajitas with spanish rice and beans
Saturday- (lunch) turkey and swiss paninis with apple and broccoli salad (dinner) spinach-stuffed veggie pizza
Sunday- (lunch) leftover pizza (I've made this before and it is thick like pie: impossible to eat in one meal) (dinner) spaghetti with homemade meat sauce, garlic bread and spinach salad
To best serve my menu, my body, and my community, I got up at 7:00 this morning to hit the St. Paul farmer's market. I like the SP one the most, because it is easy to park, easy to maneuver, and easy to leave. And it's right next to Black Dog cafe, where I like to get a treat and coffee. Armed with two shopping bags (I couldn't possibly need more...), I began to shop. My bounty included:
9 Red potatoes
green beans
8 fat carrots
7 small and 4 large onions, both white and red
6 green peppers
8 Haralson apples
2 huge bunches of spinach (one kept fresh, one blanched and frozen)
1 bunch of parsley (some fresh for this week, the rest frozen into ice cube trays)
1 very large zucchini
4 heads of broccoli (I do not need this much, but it looked so lovely and keeps well)
1 dozen brown eggs
I barely made it to the car, especially since I had coffee in one hand! I have said it on facebook before, but I will say it again here: don't buy more than you can carry! Alas, I never remember. Perhaps I should stop going to the market alone?
In addition to the fresh, local goodness of it all, I love this as well: all of the above for $28. Can't beat that with a stick. I will supplement the rest of my menu plans with a trip to the supermarket this afternoon. Whole Foods for bulk (I am out of flour and sugar, both needed this week); and good ol' SuperTarget for the rest.
I hope you enjoy your eating week as much as I will mine :-).
3 comments:
Love your menu planning (and sharing of the menu). I am always interested how people handle life's tasks and love learning new tricks. We plan weekly meals as well. Since we are not home until after 8 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, I pre-make our M-W meals. This week: Monday- grilled chicken ceaser salads (chicken grilled last night)
Tuesday- spicy tomato/bean soup (great mix from a vendor at the MN State Fair) with chicken and beef (made in crockpot on Sunday with some already frozen for a future quick fix meal)
Wednesday- fajitas (marinated and grilled meat last night)
I would love to join/follow a blog with meal-planning ideas.
PS- I blanched things this weekend as well...kind of a pain...why can't veggies just be frozen normally? I did not blanch my zucchini or sweat potatoes because I read somewhere it wasn't necessary...we shall see. I did blanch brussel (sp?) sprouts and green beans and did a round of freezer corn. Love this time of the year!
I love your menus! I need to be better about this. My schedule is so crazy, which is all the more reason why I should plan my menus!I often get home and just search for something to eat, or stop and get something on my way home. There is a new farmers market opening in Arlington on Friday and I am excited to go check it out. I'll let you know what my Bounty is!
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