Menu: 20%

It’s hard to create habits as an adult and it’s even harder to break out of ruts and I think doing both at the same time has kind of been stressing me out over an entire lifetime but we’ll keep on trying so here’s a pretty decent menu for the week. (Also gosh, we went from zero to ALL OF THE FALL FOODS in record time I think).

Saturday leftovers
roasted salmon with couscous

Sunday eggs and toast
zucchini pancakes

Monday minestrone, bread, salad, fruit
pasta with vegetables

Tuesday empanadas, rice, salad, fruit
onion tart, salad

Wednesday chicken, mashed potatoes, fruit
minestrone, bread

Thursday loaded chickpea salad, carrots and hummus, boiled egg, fruit
empanadas, rice

Friday onion tart, salad, fruit
pizza

Things to Make

empanadas
minestrone
loaded chickpea salad
creamy orzo pasta
onion tart

Shopping List

chickpeas
canned tomatoes
white beans
mushroom
onions
zucchini
potatoes
apples
bananas
plums
cucumber
red onions
cherry tomatoes
bell pepper
sweet potatoes
salad
carrots
small pasta
goat cheese (or Gruyere)
milk
yogurt
cheddar
cat food
cereal
chicken thighs
salmon

Weekly Lunches: #16

Whew, only four this time because it was my birthday on Monday (I made Andrew buy lunch and then I made myself some miso udon for the occasion) but next week there should be five again barring any disasters…

Turkey lentil chili, bread, salad Curry, rice, carrots and hummus, apple Crab croquettes, rice with greens, roasted sweet potato, plums Vegetable bake with biscuits, salad, grapes

Menu: Guess Who’s Back

Trying and mostly failing to get back into the habit with another menu this week. I did actually make one last week but I’m glad I didn’t post it because I also didn’t really follow it…whoops.

Saturday eggs and toast
out @ Milan’s party

Sunday vegetable bake
out @ Greta’s party

Monday turkey and brie with cranberry chutney sandwich, salad, fruit
general tso’s cauliflower

Tuesday black bean, rice, and fajita vegetable burrito, salad, fruit
vegetable tortellini soup, bread, salad, fruit

Wednesday general tso’s cauliflower, rice, fruit
spaghetti and meatballs

Thursday vegetable tortellini soup, salad, bread, fruit
turkey and brie sandwiches

Friday spaghetti and meatballs, salad, fruit
pizza

Things to Make

vegetable tortellini soup
focaccia
general’s tsos cauliflower
turkey and brie with cranberry chutney sandwich
sweet potato and turkey meatballs
fajita burrito

Shopping List

olive oil
red sauce
tortillas
black beans
canned tomatoes
red pepper
zucchini
salad
cauliflower
apples
cranberries
fruit x 2
onions
carrots
spaghetti
couscous
baking powder
ginger
bread
brie
milk
eggs
turkey slices
ground turkey

Recipe: Honey and Apple Challah

A twist on classic challah for Rosh Hashanah or if you just want to impress your friends with what amounts to a very fluffy apple cake, this honey and apple challah is really good with a big cup of hot tea or coffee on a cold day. The honey gives it a nice sweetness without being overwhelming. I only used a single apple but I kind of wanted more apples in it, I might try using apple butter instead of regular butter for extra apple goodness next time.

Honey and Apple Challah

Weekly Lunches: #15

By the time you read this I’ll be in sunny, warm Montenegro on vacation! It’ll be at least two weeks of no bentos but recipes will still publish for those weeks so you probably won’t even notice the passage of time.

chicken noodle soup, bread, grapes, orange

carrot-zucchini pancakes, apple butter, syrup, yogurt with nuts and raisins, apple pasta with red sauce, salad, apple chicken tikka masala, rice, apple

Menu: Montenegro or Bust

This is the last week before we go on vacation for two whole weeks (yikes!) so this is a bit boring as far as menus go because everything needs to be eaten up at the end of the week so I want to make familiar food so I know exactly how much it makes (and most of it can be saved if there’s leftovers).

Saturday lentils with naan
out @ ???

Sunday quesadillas
chicken noodle soup

Monday stir fry noodles, chickpea salad, fruit
potato cakes with fried egg, salad

Tuesday zucchini pancakes, yogurt with fruit, apple
tikka masala, rice

Wednesday chicken noodle soup, bread, salad, fruit
stir fry noodles

Thursday potato cakes, fried egg, carrots and hummus, yogurt with fruit
leftovers

Friday tikka masala, rice, salad, fruit
eat leftovers (and clean out fridge for vacation!)

Things to Make

chicken noodle soup
tikka masala
potato cakes
zucchini pancakes
stir fry noodles

Shopping List

stir fry noodles
tomato sauce
sun dried tomato
onions
carrots
grapes
nectarines
salad
zucchini
pepper
rice
small pasta
lavash
black bread
feta
milk
cream
yogurt
cereal
cat food
chicken thighs

Recipe: Udon Noodles

Udon is shockingly easy to make and without any special tools. It’s less work intensive than making spaghetti and less fussy than any egg pasta and again, it needs nothing more than a rolling pin, 5 minutes of work, and a handful of pantry staples. Works great in a quick soup or dipped in soy sauce on a hot day.

Udon Noodles

Weekly Lunches: #14

I’m back on my game! Some new things and some old things too this week which is a good mix of colors and textures and recipes, hopefully I can deliver two more good weeks before two weeks of vacation (I’m so busy this time of year!) and then birthdays and holidays come up really quickly! Yikes!

Onion tart, salad, yogurt with nectarines Chicken with snowpeas, rice, carrots and hummus, apple Coconut vegetable curry, rice, nuts and chocolate, nectarine Bean burgers, salad, carrots and hummus, apple Samosa (potato and pea), spiced couscous, yogurt with plums

 

Menu: September!

Finally back with a new menu but only for two weeks before I take a break for two weeks to go on vacation so let’s make these next ones count.

Saturday bean burgers (leftovers)
samosa (round 2)

Sunday coconut vegetable curry (leftovers)
scrounge

Monday refried bean and cheese quesadillas, corn salad, salsa, sour cream, fruit
coconut lentils, stuffed naan

Tuesday zucchini pancakes, boiled egg, yogurt, fruit
lasagna

Wednesday coconut lentils, stuffed naan, fruit
bean and cheese quesadillas

Thursday one layer lasagna, salad, bread, fruit
leftovers

Friday chickpeas salad, boiled egg, fruit
pizza night!

Things to Make

coconut lentils
stuffed naan
one-layer lasagna
zucchini pancakes
chickpea salad

Shopping List

salsa
tortilla
olive oil
chickpeas
tinned tomato
red sauce
beans
corn
apples
grapes
plums
mushrooms
salad
onions
zucchini
carrots
cucumber
red onion
pepper
cherry tomatoes
avocado
lasagna
flour
lentils
goat cheese
mozzarella
parmesan
eggs
sour cream
ground turkey

Recipe: Cheddar and Chive Muffins

These muffins goes really well with simple soup or just as a snack on their own. They come out light and fluffy despite having a lot of cheese in them and he taste is exactly how’d you expect it. This is also a one bowl wonder so it takes all of 10 minutes to come together and makes a full dozen muffins.

Cheddar Chive Muffins