Weekly Menu

You know, one of these days I need to "clean up" my blog. However, I'm a sucker for requests ... so here it is, a sample of my weekly menu-

OK, not so weekly. Weekends are completely spontaneous (and often lazy), but I can give you a basic layout. Note: I stick to the KISS motto with breakfast and lunch. Toddlers in particular are more receptive to foods that Mom eats with them, so I eat what I prepare for him.

Breakfast:  hot cereal. Generally oatmeal made with milk and served with applesauce and sliced bananas. Occasionally brown rice farina, also made with milk; and served with a touch of honey or agave nectar, cinnamon, and raisins.

Lunch:  little E is a creature of habit. So, grilled cheese on whole-grain bread; served with sliced fruit and steamed baby carrots (he still struggles with swallowing raw carrots).

Dinner this week

Mon:  Chili bean soup (vegetarian) with corn bread (made with garbanzo bean flour – this was the best corn bread I’ve ever made!)

Tues:  Petite sirloin steaks sliced over green salad, and served with steamed corn on the cob and fruit salad.

Weds: Mexican gumbo. Essentially taking the leftover steak and slicing it over half a cup of brown rice blend; and then pouring a cup of the leftover soup over that combo. Top with shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Voila! A one-bowl meal that isn’t exactly a leftover repeat.

Thurs:  Sautéed kielbasa w/ peppers and onions, served up with rice linguini tossed with green peas, fresh chopped tomatoes, and tuscan seasonings. Sounds funny (the rice pasta part), but it was actually quite good. We had company, so no leftovers.

Fri:  was an errands day, so I requested a rotisserie chicken. Tossed together steamed mixed veggies and the rice mix in a 1:1 ratio. Chopped up a simple fruit salad on the side (apples, bananas, and strawberries).

Sat:  shredded half the rotisserie chicken; sliced the corn kernels from a con in “strips”; and sautéed peppers and onions to serve together with corn tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, and homemade guacamole (mashed avocado, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice). Served with another simple fruit salad.

Sun:  folks took us out to lunch after church. Did the leftover smorgasbord for supper.

Essentially I only made two meals that were time-consuming in terms of prep. The rest came together easily, and by finding two or more meals to make from each selection of ingredients, I was able to keep costs down while still intriguing palates