Weekly Menu Plan

Last week, I decided to skip my normal grocery shopping trip in order to go to the library and plant nursery for spring seeds. We had some food left in the house, and my mom was coming, so I figured I could wing it for a day or two and then sneak out when she got there.

I ended up putting together a grocery list with a truly tiny amount (maybe 6 items?) of items to purchase, and it was all thanks to the huge amount of beans we had in our pantry.

I love beans and with my new instant pot (thanks, Janssen!), they are a cinch to whip up.

Here is what we ate:

Chickpea and Carrot Salad:  I make this almost every time my mom comes, and it is almost always a coincidence.  But it is a good one.  Quite easy to whip together, super tasty and really cheap.  I like to use peanuts, and only use cilantro half the time (and never use mint).

White bean and bacon soup: This was a new one, and it was GOOD!  I made a couple adaptations, and will post it later this week.

Pesto Pizza: Homemade pizza crust, store-bought pesto and cheese.  So easy, so yummy.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Cabbage Bowls:  When do I ever NOT make these?  I make them almost every week, because they are always a win, and so easy and healthy.  I have 3 or 4 variations of them on this website.

Hoisin Stir Fry: This is another go-to super easy meal of mine.  The sauce is so delicious.
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Weekly Menu Plan

It has certainly been a while since I posted one of these, so I decided since I have actually been cooking lately, I might as well.  My mom was here for 6 weeks (bless her!), and I did almost no cooking while she was here.  But now she is gone, so it is up to me.  I have done a lot of simple meals, and so far, I haven't felt too overwhelmed.

Honestly, it has been nice to be back in the kitchen, and making food for my family.  Well, until one or both of the twins starts crying.  So some days are better than others (and some days I want to call Adam to pick up food on his way home), but overall, the cooking is going okay!

Butternut Squash Soup - This had great reviews, but I was actually not a huge fan.  I have mixed feelings about butternut squash (I used to love it, and the last few years, my love has tapered off).  Overall, I didn't love it and will try a different recipe next time.  If you have a recipe you love, let me know.  I would love to try it.
Spring Pea and Quinoa Salad - This is one of my favorite salads.  We have been cutting back on meat again (after a pregnancy where meat seemed necessary to get the iron/protein for twins, plus having a freezer full of my in-laws meat to finish), so I splurged and bought some high quality bacon for us to put in it.  It was terrific.
Southwest Quinoa and Grilled Corn Salad - This was really good.  I would totally make this again.  Also, we really love bowls like this one, so it was right up our alley.  I also used frozen corn and cooked it in a skillet with cumin.
Lentil and French Onion Soup - I like the idea of onion soup, but it just had too many... onions... but really (Don't ask... mom brain/post pregnancy problems) Not sure if I will make this again. The flavor was great, but I just didn't love the texture and onions.  Lame, I know.
Black Bean Bowls - Fox requested these for his birthday this week.  I love that I can mix it all together for Adam and me, and Fox can eat all the things in little piles and dip them in ranch as he likes.  It is the perfect meal for us.  Cheap, vegetarian, delicious, customizable, and great for kids.
Leek, Bacon and Potato Quiche - I love quiche, and this one was delicious!  Good flavors, and somewhat easy. It was a liberal adaptation from this Smitten Kitchen tart.

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Weekly Menu Plan

I haven't posted one of these in a while.  Not because I haven't been cooking, but because I haven't been photographing my cooking adventures.  This house is really hard to take photos in, because the walls are sort of a green color, and makes everything a weird shade of yellow green, so I have had to play around until I finally found a place where I can take decent food photos.  

This is actually a mash of the last 3 weeks of cooking, because I didn't make everything on the list each week, but these were delicious and I enjoyed eating each one.  Hopefully this will give you some ideas of delicious things you can make with your family!  Some of them were really quick and easy.  

White Bean and Bacon Soup (vegetarian if you leave out the bacon) - I had made this in the past, and hadn't loved it, but then I made it again last week, and totally fell in love with it.  Even Fox ate it just fine (the bacon helped...).  

BBQ Chicken Salad (make some ahead of time) - I used a BBQ pulled pork on this, and it was delicious.  I love the dressing and having so many veggies in a meal.  

Ramen Cabbage Salad (vegetarian, vegan, 30 minute meal) - This is one of the cheapest meals you can make.  I keep a few Asian kitchen staples around (like sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce), so I can make this most anytime.  It is delicious and super easy.  And Fox loved dipping the noodles in the sauce.  

Broccoli Potato Soup (vegetarian, vegan) - Nice and hearty for a cold night.  

Pesto Pasta with Peppers and Onions (vegetarian, 30 minute meal) - I LOVE this dish.  It is so good and really filling.  The pesto in the sauce is a win for sure.  

Sundried tomato soup (vegetarian) - A classic in our house.  Serve it with toast, and everyone goes wild.  

Vegetable Lasagna (vegetarian) - Not the most amazing lasagna I have ever had, but it was pretty decent.  I love a good melted cheese on top.  

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Weekly Menu Plan

End of summer means loads of vegetables from the garden (thanks to my MIL), and we are loving having so much fresh produce.

We had a few months of off eating once we moved here, because there was so much going on, but I feel like I have gotten back into a good rhythm, and am enjoying cooking.  I do have to pull a bar stool up to the stove these days, because being on my feet for long periods of time is uncomfortable, and occasionally brings on some Braxton Hicks contractions.

I have been meaning to post a menu list for several weeks, and it just kept escaping me.  So here is some of what has come out of my kitchen this summer!  Happy cooking!

Roasted Veggie Pitas - They may not look as pretty as they could, but they taste amazing!  I serve them with ranch dressing.  Also, the chicken for this recipe was seriously incredible.
Vegan Corn Chowder - This is one of my all-time favorite soups.  It is quick, easy and gorgeous.  I left off the cilantro sauce this time, and it still tasted great.
Scrambled Eggs and Smoothies - Because some nights just have to be quick.
Black Bean Bowls - Healthy and filling.  You could always add some grilled steak or chicken, if you needed it a little bulkier.
Zucchini over Rice - This cashew sauce is life changing.
Lentil and Bacon Salad - Adam ate it without the bacon (he has been mostly vegetarian lately, but I think the bacon make this tasty salad).
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Menu Post #11

Every few months, I stumble upon a cookbook where I want to make everything inside it.  This is definitely how I felt about the "Oh She Glows Every Day" Cookbook.  Everything she mentioned looked incredible, and had me wishing for an endless supply of organic coconut milk and gallons of maple syrup.  

I made a few things out of here the last few weeks, and was really quite impressed.  Lots of healthy, tasty dinners and treats.  Fox really enjoyed most of what I tried, too, which always makes me feel good.  

I have been stuck in a bit of a rut, making the same things over and over again (black bean soup, anyone?) and it was nice to have a few new things to try!  Hope you are having a good Tuesday!  

Fabulous:

Potato, Bacon and Leek Warm Salad - So yummy, and really easy.  

Sweet Chipotle Tacos - This chipotle marinade is amazing!  Go easy on the chipotle powder, though.  Even Adam said it was kinda spicy this time.   

Black Bean Soup - Obviously an old favorite.  Fox has started requesting it weekly.  

Chickpea and Feta Salad - Another old favorite.  

Worth A Try

Vegetable and Cheese Soup - I made this non-vegan and added cheese.  I loved all the veggies. 

Thai Crunch Salad (the sauce was TO DIE FOR! Also from Oh She Glows Everyday) - The sauce was great (obviously), and the salad was good and fresh.
Kale, Quinoa and Chickpea Salad (From Oh She Glows Everyday) - Really quite good, and very healthy!

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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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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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Weekly Menu Plan #7

Happy Halloween!  This week has been a great one, and I loved getting our costumes ready for Halloween (did you see our family costume? I am kind of obsessed!), despite the fact that I had to practically chain myself to my sewing machine one afternoon in order to finish them!

Also, this week was full of video editing (check out my youtube channel if you missed the two new videos I posted! One of them has some of the cutest footage of Fox ever!), which is always a little crazy, because you have to filter through a ton of footage, and make lots of hard decisions about what to cut, and what music to use, and stuff, but I really enjoyed the process of making my last two videos, and have two more tutorials filmed, that are waiting to be edited!  I can't wait to share them with you!

This weeks meals were less exciting than usual.  We got back from California on Sunday, and I had to go shopping to fill our empty fridge on Monday morning, so I fell back on some old favorites.  Thankfully they are all recipe I know and love, but they are not really new to share with you.  Here is what we had this week!

Menu:

Black Bean Soup - This is a no-brainer meal.  I love making this soup, because Fox and Adam are always thrilled when this shows up on the table, and it is super easy to make.

Butternut Squash Pie - This is the third time I have made it in the last 3 or 4 weeks, and it still isn't perfect... Bleh.  It is incredibly delicious, but I am having issues with the sauce separating in the oven.  I promise to post it when it is perfect!

Sundried Tomato Pesto Panini - I love a good sundried tomato pesto.  I will be posting the recipe I used in a week or so, so check back for that!  We just spread some pesto on, slapped a few slices of cheese on the bread and toasted it under the broiler.  I dipped mine in ranch, because I just can't help myself :)

Zucchini Gratin - I know posted this a few weeks ago here, but it was delicious, so I decided to make it again.  Besides, Analon just sent me this gorgeous au gratin dish, and I really wanted to try it out.  This seemed like a perfect dish to go in it.

Roasted Carrot Quiche - This might be my favorite quiche ever.  It is really so good.  If I could recommend any recipe to you on this blog, I would probably give you several, but this quiche would certainly be on that list!

Kale Rainbow Salad - I loved the dressing from this salad so much, that I adapted the sauce and put it on this vegan vegetable curry.  I have to say, I like the vegan curry recipe better than this salad.  That being said, the salad was tasty, and the sauce is to die for!

Cabbage and Corn Tacos - I love these tacos, and they are a great way to use up lots of left over cabbage. I often make them without the chicken these days.  You can add blackens or rice to beef them up.

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Weekly Menu Plan #6

We have really had a pretty great week.  Adam and I got to go out for our first date night in a quite a while this past weekend.  One of our friends has a daughter who wants to learn how to sew, so I am teaching her, and she is babysitting once a month for me!  It is really a pretty great trade-off.  It is fun to be able to pass on a life skill, and wonderful to be able to save myself the cost of a babysitter.

In other news, Fox is becoming more and more delightful all the time.  A few favorite moments from this week include Fox learning how to say "tasty," closely followed by the time he was yelling from his crib (post-nap) "I need tasty!"

He also has started squeezing my hand when we walk down the stairs together.  I started it a few weeks ago, and would squeeze his hand to remind him to keep walking, and he now tilts his little head up at me, gives me an impish look, and squeezes back.  It is totally darling.

He also recently discovered that his ikea cart is big enough for him to sit in, so we have spent a lot of time running up and down the hall pushing him in the cart.  Our neighbors downstairs probably hate it, but Fox is a huge fan.

I also made a fabulous batch of applesauce this week.  The apples were super cheap, so I bought like 4 pounds and turned them into a delicious chunky applesauce.  If you can promise you will ignore the horrible photo, you can see the recipe I used in this post.

It has been a good week.  I hope you are having a great week, too!

To Use Up:
Lemongrass stalks
Beets
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Spinach
Carrots
Red Pepper

Weekly Menu Plan: 
Coconut Curry (Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten Free) - I love a good curry, and this one was pretty decent, particularly since I just used curry powder instead of curry paste.
Butternut Squash Tart (Vegetarian) - This recipe is still a work in progress, but that just means I get to eat it a lot more often.  And it is delicious, so I am not complaining!  Hopefully I will get it just right the next time!
Cashew Corn Chowder (Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free) - I have posted about this one before, because it is one of my very favorites.  It has a large amount of tumeric in it, which is supposed to be great for you, and is vegan for all those vegan eaters (and non-vegan eaters.  Fox and Adam loved it!).
Beet Chickpea Wraps (Vegetarian) - There are a lot of parts, but each part is easy to prepare and delicious when put together.   I used spinach this time around, but it is better with arugula.
Peanut Stir Fry over Quinoa (Vegetarian) - I have mentioned this at least 3 or 4 times on this blog in the past.  It is SOOOO good.  The sauce is just marvelous.  And I like to eat it straight off the spoon.  Yum!
Spinach Sweet Potato Noodles with Cashew Cream Sauce (Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free) - I got to test out my new spiralizer for the first time.  It had a learning curve, but in the end, I was really happy with the result. This dish was delicious!
Carrot and Beet Soup (Vegetarian, Gluten-Free) - Another classic.  I keep making it because we keep getting beets in our CSA share, and I haven't had a lot of time to think outside the box lately, so we keep having beet soup!

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Weekly Menu Plan #4

This past summer I read a lot of fluffy books.  After a stressful pack up and move to Utah, I felt like I needed a non-fiction break (which is what I normally read), and when I found some fluffy teen novels in a box at my in-laws house, I naturally picked them up and ended up reading stuff like that just about all summer.  I felt pretty guilty about it, because it felt like a waste of time (and it was), but earlier this week, Adam and I were talking about reading, and he brought up how I read whatever I feel like reading, even if it is a re-read, or a fluffy book, and how he thought that was kind of cool. Suddenly, something that had felt like a bad thing seemed so 'free-spirited'.

Isn't so much of life how we frame it?  Do we have to feel guilty for re-reading books, especially if they bring us a lot of joy?  Do we have to feel guilty because we don't eat and instagram avocado toast everyday for lunch, or because we haven't sold our souls to Game of Thrones?  I say DON'T GIVE IN!  I certainly try to explore new things, and occasionally try out trendy stuff (depending on what it is), but I want to do the things I want to do, even if they aren't popular or instagrammable.

This week, I think you should do something because you want to.  Not because anyone else is doing it, and not because you feel obligated to do it.  Maybe a long walk in the park, or a screen-free night.  Or watch re-runs of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (I re-watched all of this show in college... it was great!).  Whatever it is, just know I will be cheering you on!

Now, onto the actual point of this post (sorry for that random, passionate intro), the menu!  We finished up our Hello-Fresh box this week, and it was okay.  I don't think I would make it a regular thing, because it is expensive, and the portions were kind of small (we almost always eat leftovers for lunch the next day), but it was fun to try out, and I was super grateful to have some free meals show up this week!  I also made a few new things, and a few old things.  Overall, a pretty successful week. However, my fridge is just about empty, and I can't wait to go shopping tomorrow so I can fill it back up!

Items to Use Up:  
Zucchini
Beets
Arugula
Butternut Squash
Cabbage
Eggplant
Red Pepper
Sweet Potato

Weekly Menu Plan: 

Pork Potstickers - Another recipe from Hello Fresh.  This one was pretty good, and probably my favorite of the three.  In fact, we still have about 20 of them in the freezer, and I am looking forward to cooking them up sometime this next week!  Yum! I have made homemade potstickers before, and blogged about them here if you want to check that out.

Adobe Chicken Tacos - Our last meal from Hello Fresh.  They definitely didn't have enough flavor.  They should have been great, but they were kind of meh.

Butternut Squash and Gouda Pie - This was a TERRIFIC dish.  Except the sauce separated in the oven, so I have to work on that, and once I fix that, I will post it here.  If you want to try it anyway, send me an email and I will send you the recipe as it is now.  It is sososo good!

Savory Pesto Crêpes - I love these so much.  The crêpe recipe would work for any savory or sweet crêpes.

Beet Soup - I make this whenever I have a lot of beets and not a lot of ideas.  It has appeared regularly since we started the CSA box.

Bacon Gouda Soup - YUM!  Not an original recipe, but a great one that I will be posting in the next week or so.

Eggplant Tomato Pasta (sauce was similar to this recipe, but I used basil and left out the sausage) - Surprisingly good, especially considering the fact that I don't like eggplant at all.  This was a mild way to eat it.  It got rid of the icky, spongy texture.

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Weekly Menu Plan #3

It has been an exhilarating week in my kitchen.  Adam made homemade pasta, I had a biscuit success (finally!), and I made a curry with okra that wasn't terrible! Hooray!

To Use Up: 
Carrots
Okra
Sweet Potato Greens
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potato
Green Pepper

WEEKLY MENU: 

Black Bean Stew with Pesto (adapted from Modern Sauces) and Rosemary Biscuits (from Green Market Baking Book) - The black bean soup was really great, and I plan on posting my adaptations soon.  It is a great fall soup.  If you can't wait until I post this recipe, try out this black bean soup recipe instead (it is my personal favorite).

Butternut Squash Stuffed Pasta with Parmesan Sauce - A surprising and delicious combination.  Also, homemade pasta always makes me feel like I am eating at a restaurant, except I am the one who gets to clean my disaster of a kitchen afterwards.

Black Beans and Rice Topped with Okra and Ranch Dressing - Surprisingly simple and delicious. These beans (throw a bay leaf in there with the beans while they cook), cooked brown rice, topped with this okra (actually, I just use salt and pepper) and this ranch dressing.
 

Okra, Sweet Potato and Pepper Curry over Quinoa (I used this base recipe with different veggies and Madras Curry Powder)- This was quite tasty.  Sadly the first day we made it, it was mostly cold by the time we got to eat it (we had a sick baby that night, who needed love, book reading and snuggles right as we sat down to eat dinner).

Sweet Potato Green Quiche (similar to this recipe) - This was kind of a failure.  I have used sweet potato greens in a few recipes, and haven't loved any of them.  I was hoping this would be the recipe, but it definitely was not.  I will add this to the list of things to work on.  For now, stick to spinach or kale for your quiches.

Italian Sausage and Broccoli Pasta:  A sweet friend gifted us a box of HelloFresh dinners, and this was the first.  It was pretty good, and I how light and fresh it tasted, despite being a pasta/sausage dish.  I did feel a little funny using this service, because I am a food blogger... but I have been curious about dinner subscription services, and I don't say no to free food.  And since Fox has been sick this week, it has actually been pretty nice to have the food all ready to go.

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Weekly Menu Plan #2

This past weekend, I spent almost 4 hours garage sale-ing.  This has never been my element (I am sort of afraid to talk to strangers/wander into their garage, I often think other people's junk is gross, etc.), but a few years ago, I went with a friend who is a pro garage-saler, and had fabulous luck, scoring some super awesome baby items!  It was quite encouraging, but then garage sale season ended, and I moved on with my life.  

But when we moved to Utah this summer, we sold our couch, and our new living room is a totally different shape than the old living room, so it was time for a little redesign that didn't cost thousands of dollars (furniture is expensive!).  Enter fall garage sale season.  

I was ready this time, with a specific list of things to get for our apartment (i.e. a baby booster seat, a coffee table, a lamp, and a chair), and was determined to discover some great finds.  I drove by probably 60 garage sales (it was a neighborhood-wide garage sale), and just before I decided to go home, I found a $10 coffee table and a $3 lamp!  Hallelujah!

They were both great pieces for the price (especially since I had been looking at this $90 Target lamp the day before), and after a minor modification to the coffee table (Adam sawed 3" off the legs), my two newest living room additions are great!  Garage sale-ing for the win!  After almost 3 weeks, this apartment is really starting to feel like a home.  All it needs now is a fresh batch of homemade croissants.

And with that brief reference to food, I will segway into the real reason for this post: My weekly menu post!  Here are all the delicious things I made in the last week; our menu, to inspire you to make all the seasonal food!  You can also check out my instagram for regular cooking inspiration.    

To Use Up: 

Beets

Zucchini

Bok Choy

Red Pepper

Snow Peas

Butternut Squash

Weekly Menu: 

Zucchini Parmesan Gratin - I made this once last year, and it was SO salty.  This time, I didn't salt the zucchini when I rung it out, and added salt when serving, and it was delicious!  It was kind of messy to make, but the end result was great!

Beet Soup - This will forever be one of my favorite soups.  I served it with a whole wheat bread.

Zucchini Parmesan Pizza - I love this one, too. Parmesan and zucchini go great together, obviously!

Bok Choy Ramen - I don't really like cooked greens, so I was pretty wary about this recipe, but it was delicious!  I used the super cheap ramen noodles (like the 16 cent package), and they were fine.  I also used water and added my own spices to make it taste better, and then I added carrot strips.  It was really good, and even the baby loved it.

Curry with Red Pepper and Snow Peas (similar to this recipe) - This is still a work in progress, but this week's edition was better than last week's.

Butternut Squash Bowls with Black Beans and Rice (similar idea to this) - This was lunch one day, and it was totally delicious.  Just butternut squash and onions roasted in the oven with garlic and cumin, topped combined with black beans, rice and ranch dressing.

Squash and Chickpea Salad - This was very good! I toasted the chickpeas, left out the cilantro (oops!) and added a drizzle of honey.  

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