So I apologize to Josie's fans (Dad) but this is another food-related post.
Also, you'll notice that our actual week already differs slightly from the plan. My meal plans are generally a guide that is easily switched around, depending on how the day goes. Today was a snow day and Charlie was home so I made a meal that was more involved versus something that was going to be easier to throw together.
Sunday- Shrimp, Black Bean and Pineapple Foil Packets, brown rice
So I made these last night and it was a bit of a fail. Now I will say that I don't think it's the recipe's fault- I think it was mine. The shrimp had a very unpleasant texture. I think it's because I mixed the shrimp and pineapple, black bean mixture (which contained the acidic pineapple and lime juices) together and then put it in the fridge for a few hours while we were at church for our Financial Peace class. I always try and make a dish that can quickly be heated up when we get home after this class because it's from 4:30 to 6:30- right over dinner. So I wouldn't say this is a bad recipe- just don't do what I did. Acid, particularly lemon or lime juice is used in ceviche to "cook" seafood and I'm pretty sure that's what happened to the texture of the shrimp. This recipe also involved a good amount of chopping which, when combined with the unforgettable shrimp texture...has put this on the "not anytime soon" list for us.
Monday- Pizza with Cauliflower Crust, salad
I know what you're thinking. Why would you ruin pizza like this? Well, I've made a similar version in miniature for Josie before and we all thought it was good, so when I stumbled upon a new recipe for the crust I figured I'd try it out.
I made this tonight and it was another mixed result. We all ate it and thought it was pretty good (though not really able to hold it like a regular piece of pizza as the author claims) but it was a pain to rice, bake and squeeze the excess water out of the cauliflower, all before even making it into the crust. I also added just a wee bit too much cheese (though I am of the mindset that there is basically no such thing as too much cheese) so it was pouring over the edges as you see in the picture. All in all it was decent, I was happy we were getting more veggies in but this wouldn't be in the regular rotation. Also, should you decide to undertake this recipe, baking cauliflower smells atrocious. You have been warned.
Tuesday- Three Cheese Baked Penne with homemade bread, (salad and dessert provided by friends who are coming over for dinner)
This is a family favorite. Made many times before. The secret is the goat cheese...makes the pasta so creamy!
Wednesday- Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Salmon with Farro and Ginger Sesame Green Beans
New to us recipe from one of my favorite bloggers. Looks easy, quick and delicious. I've started cooking farro in the last year and I love the texture- it's a whole grain similar to brown rice but has a chewy, plump texture. That description sounds weird. Moving on....
Thursday- Mexican Sweet Potato Skins, Sauteed Kale
You may notice I'm a tad addicted to trying new recipes. I get very very bored with the same old recipes so I'm always trying something new. This one is new but includes many of our favorite foods. I mean, how can you go wrong with mexican?! To saute the kale I just use some coconut oil, saute kale till tender, add some minced garlic, salt, pepper.
Friday-Pineapple Fried Rice
This is our favorite fried rice recipe. I often make it with tofu instead of shrimp. This time I'll be subbing pineapple for the shrimp, throwing in all leftover veggies and possibly adding another egg (or any leftover salmon) to boast the protein content. I also always sub coconut oil for vegetable oil. (if you care why, this is a good explanation).
Lunches
Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing
This was GOOD! Both Charlie and I really liked it and I'm looking forward to having for lunch tomorrow. Josie ate a bit though didn't wolf it down. I bought a package of pre-shredded cabbage at Wegmans and if I was really on my game I would have bought a package of pre-shredded carrots too (and if I didn't already have two bags of whole carrots in my veggie drawer). If you use the pre-shredded stuff this will come together much quicker. The cabbage was a good buy for me at $1.50 and would produce less waste if I didn't use the whole package than buying a whole head.
These type of dishes are my favorite way to consume veggies. There are a ton in this recipe but it's very flavorful thanks to a healthy sauce so you don't feel like you're just chomping down on a big plate of veggies. I have a few recipes like this in my repertoire for when I feel like we need to up our intake.
Another one of my favorite bloggers to read. Another new to me recipe. Another recipe with tons of veggies in a very consumable format. The roasted chickpeas are really what sold me. I really like roasted chickpeas.
Black Bean and Avocado Brownies
I've made these before and they're good. If you're expecting a Ghirardelli brownie, you will be disappointed but I think they're a great healthier treat. Josie helped me make them today so she earned herself an after dinner treat. She loved it, which is not surprising as it is chocolate and she is my daughter.
24 Hour Power Muffins
I've been reading for a while now about the benefits of soaking grains and legumes (the blogger has a link to an article on her site if you're interested) and I had some kefir just sitting in the fridge begging to be used so I gave these a go. They're good- I did a blueberry almond version (subbed almond extract for vanilla) and used white whole wheat flour. I'm still a tad weirded out by letting a dairy product sit out for 24 hours and I don't have the kind of time/advanced planning to soak all my grains for this amount of time so I don't see this becoming a regular habit. I did like that this recipe made a large amount of muffins and now my freezer is stocked for a bit.
Whew! That was long winded. Hope you find at least one recipe that looks good to you!
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