Menu Post #10

We got a job offer (!!!!!)! I am going to wait until the contract is signed before I tell you anymore about it, but needless to say, we are thrilled! It is a great opportunity and we think it is going to be a great thing for our family!

Because we knew we would be moving sometime this summer (At least, we hoped we would get a job to move for), we ended our CSA share, because it costs less when you buy a bunch of weeks at a time, and I didn't know how long we would be around to use them. This has meant shaking up my menu planning/grocery routine.

I decided to make one big change and go to our local farmer's market every weekend.  In an effort to make a greater contribution to my community, I buy at least a few of my vegetables and a treat for us to share each week.  I can't get all my vegetables there, because it would blow my budget out of the water, but I figure some contribution is better than none.  Plus it is like a little treat each time we go!

Even if I am only spending $5-$10 a week, I know I am directly helping someone in my area by supporting their business/family.  It makes me feel really good, and is helping me feel more like part of my community.  In the future, I hope to spend a greater portion of our spending budget on local products from small businesses or the farmer's market.

The initial idea of making shopping local a bigger part of my life came from this fabulous book that my mom sent me for Christmas.  The premise is that if you shop local, you invest more in your community, will feel more connected to your community, and your community will do more for you in return.  While my contribution might seem very insignificant (and it is), I feel like doing something that my small budget can afford is much better than nothing.

Do you shop local?  Go to the farmer's market regularly?  Is that something that even appeals to you?  Maybe you have some great ideas that I can start incorporating in my life. If you do, I would love to hear them!

Fabulous: 

Beet Soup:  One of my very favorite soups.  Thick, creamy and a lovely pink-red color!
Veggie Panini's with Cilantro Lime Dressing: WOW.  Just Wow. I used yellow squash and sweet potatoes, and it was terrific.
Asian Cabbage Salad: I keep making this one, and will post my adaptations in a few weeks.

Worth a Try:

Shredded Carrot and Chickpea Salad: This soup was surprisingly delicious, despite the fact that it was basically carrots and chickpeas.
Black Bean Tacos with Coleslaw: Easy and fast (unless you make your own tortillas like I did)
Coconut Lentil Curry: This made SO much, but it was delicious, so I didn't mind eating for lunch for like 5 days in a row.

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Menu Plan #10

I hope you had a good and restful weekend!  I have decided to revamp this post a little bit, and rather than putting a big description of what each dish is, just to sort them into categories and give you a brief summary of changes.

I always like having a little end of the week review.  It helps me remember what I liked, what to make again, and what I didn't like so much, and what changes could be made.

Let me know if this format is easier for you!  Happy Monday!

Fabulous: 
Chickpea Feta Salad - I can eat bowls and bowls of this.  It is delicious.  I use peanuts for the nut.
Carrot Quiche - An old favorite.  It is like eating a savory soufflé

Worth a Try
Bok Choy Noodles - I make it with Ramen noodles.  Easy and tasty.
Vegan Enchiladas - These were pretty good.  They tasted best when topped with a homemade ranch with chipotle powder swapped in for the dill.

Needs some work: 
Turnip Au Gratin - decent flavor but dripping in grease... half or quarter the butter next time!
Collard Greens Cobbler (based on this recipe) - probably okay, but I hardly remember it. I think I made some modifications and added bacon.  It was better with sausage or sweet potato.
Pizza with Cilantro Pesto - Not bad, but nothing life-changing. Better with a flaky salt on top (then again, so is everything).
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Weekly Menu Plan #9

This winter has been kind of bizarre.  We have had a roller coaster weather pattern that has topped out in the 80's and then promptly dropped to the teens for a week.  It has been very strange, and a little difficult to keep up with.

I usually try to make food based on what is seasonal, as well as what the weather is like (salads for hot days, soups for cold days), but I just can't keep up right now.  I will plan a gorgeous soup, and it will be 75 degrees, and we are all wishing for a picnic with sandwiches instead.

Are you snowed in?  I feel like all I am seeing is photos of freezing places on social media, and it is making me grateful that I live in a mostly warm place.

And now, on to the menu!

Vegetables to use up:

*Some of these were from my CSA box, and others were purchased at my grocery store.

Beets

Turnips

Sweet Potato

Spinach

Carrots

Bell Pepper

Zucchini

Onions

Avocado

Weekly Menu:

Rainbow Power Salad - This was fun to make (I used my spiralizer, because I love it), but I was not totally impressed with the flavors.  It was fine and super fresh, but not amazing. Granted, it might have been better had I been able to toss the veggie noodles with fresh basil... But I didn't, so maybe it was all my fault.

Vegetarian Thai Pizza - I love the original pizza, but this was quite a good vegetarian version.  I used thinly sliced sweet potato, zucchini, carrot pieces and cilantro leaves.  I faked the sauce (because I only had curry powder), and it was truly magnificent.

Black Bean Mexican Bowls - This is my favorite meal of late.  It is filling, healthy and just dang delicious.  I am planning on posting this one really soon.

Red Pepper and Chickpea Curry - This is a tasty one. I used onions, left out the sugar snap peas (they are SO expensive!) and used curry powder, but it was delicious.

Asian Veggies and Noodles with peanut sauce - This was quite tasty, but I wish I had used this peanut sauce instead.  It is a little more flavorful.  Also, we have church at 2PM now (which means we don't get out until 5), so quick meals have become my favorite.  This meal took about 25 minutes, which was perfect.  

Carrot Soup with Focaccia Bread - This soup is about as simple as they get, and it is delicious!  Dip a little homemade focaccia bread in it, and you are in business!  

Have you been making anything fun lately? 

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Weekly Menu Plan #9

It has been a while since I have posted one of these menu plans.  Truthfully, it is because there were many days in December where I felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants, and dinner was an afterthought that barely made it to the table.

And, with it getting dark so early these days, photographing dinner doesn't happen most days, so the menu plans were a set of guidelines that sometimes were followed, but not always.  At any rate, this week, I have done much better about preparing meals that I bought ingredients for, and using up the vegetables in the fridge.

Here are a few things we ate this week:

Kale Almond Pesto and Cheese Pizza - This was a great way to use up Kale and Fox ate a ton of it.
Salmon w/ Brown Butter Dressing and Rice - We had this for Fox's birthday (he has been a big fish fan, lately), and it was delicious.  I think next time I will double the sauce.
Black Bean Soup - I know this is on here again, but it is a family favorite.  It shows up at least once a month.
Lemon Parmesan Cod - This was a big disappointment.  I thought it was going to be great, and it was very medium.  If you are looking for a better fish recipe, see the above salmon recipe, or this super easy halibut recipe that knocked the socks off of all of us, it was so good.
Butternut Squash Soup - This was a new one for me.  I actually used half in half instead of coconut milk, but it still was pretty tasty.  A little too spicy for Fox, but I liked it.
Sweet Potato Peanut Stew - This is easy, I almost always have the ingredients for it, and it is a crowd pleaser.  So tasty, and nice and filling.

I also made these Saturday night pancakes from Janssen's blog.  They are SOOOO good!

*Also, if you are looking at this menu and wondering why it has fish on it twice, since I proclaim myself to be mostly vegetarian, it is because some friends had extra fish from their Alaska fishing trip and gave it to us.  I am not normally a huge fish person, but I have enjoyed trying new recipes with it, and everyone has enjoyed having fish the last few weeks.  
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Menu Plan #8

Meal planning the last few weeks has been stressful and fuzzy.  I guess it has something to do with the rapidly approaching holidays, the crazy election and subsequent events, deadlines for blog posts and cooking with a toddler, but somehow, I could hardly remember making any food this week, because I was making so much food.  Does that make sense?

Anyway, I made a number of delicious dishes this week.  Some will be coming to the blog, others were the work of an evening, and may never show their face again.

Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad - This is an old classic in our house and one of my favorite ways to use up dill when I have a huge bunch of it (which I did this week).

Broccoli Cheddar Soup - This is a very hearty and healthy feeling broccoli cheddar soup.  No velveeta here, and I added spinach and peeled broccoli stalk for to try to keep my "No Waste November" going.

Arugula Pesto Pizza - I love Arugula, and this was quite a tasty pizza.  I subbed in a peppers for the tomatoes and thought it was a nice change.

Curried Root Vegetable Pot Pie - This was delicious.  I loved the sauce, but need to make more of it next time, and adjust the ratios accordingly.  Then I will share it.  It was a perfect winter's night meal. Plus it was pretty, which is why the photos from that meal are monopolizing this post.  

Corn and Kale Chowder - A last-minute rushed meal for a night when I had already done an insane amount of cooking for my book club.  It actually turned out okay, which was a relief.  I didn't write down the recipe, but it was some milk, onions, kale, corn, sweet potatoes and spices.  

Pear, Onion, Balsamic Pizza - This was delicious!  I used pear, caramelized onion, feta, mozzarella and dijon mustard and topped it with balsamic reductions.  Wow.  It was yummy!

A few other things I made this week:

Salty Honey Pie - Oh my yum!  It felt like a pie that came from the 1950's.  It was rich, sweet and delicious.  

Arugula Almond Salad - I love this one. 

Homemade Rolls - I am not sure I will ever find a roll recipe that I like more than this one.  They are SOOO good.  

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