Monday, May 14, 2012

Weekly Menu Retrospective #67


Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,
check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.

Breakfasts:
Granola (p.92), Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (p. 114), , Rhubarb Streusel Muffins, blueberry buttermilk pancakes, peanut butter toast

Lunches: 
leftovers, pizza, grilled cheese, salad, sandwiches  

Dinners:

Monday: Make-It-Your-Way Potato Hash (p. 140)

Tuesday: Pad Thai and roasted asparagus

Wednesday: Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Lentil Soup (p. 162), Cornbread (p. 212)

Thursday: Lemon and Garlic Chicken (p. 184), Easy Oven Fries, tossed salad topped with leftover roasted asparagus

Friday: Turkey and Vegetable Coconut Curry (a variation of this recipe, p. 136)

Saturday: Pineapple and Bacon Baked Beans (a variation of Apple and Bacon Baked Beans, p. 177)

Sunday: Barbecued pork chops with spicy rub, potato salad, asparagus with lemon butter, Pineapple Coconut Cake (p. 225)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut, sunflower oil, brown sugar (in granola), cane sugar (in coffee/tea),  raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), bananas, navy beans (used to make baked beans)

Local: apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers (hothouse), red peppers (hothouse), strawberries (in smoothies - from last year's pick-your-own expedition), rhubarb (still using up last year's freezer supply!), milk, eggs, sour cream 

Local AND organic:
oats (in granola), sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves)

(Unfortunately, the asparagus was not local - it was advertised to be, but when he got to the store it was from the U.S. - apparently the Ontario crop had suffered frost damage, but there is supposed to be local stuff this coming week!)

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts with Thumbnails