Real Life Menu Planning

I made this dry-erase menu board a million and six years ago.

If you've been around my blog over the years, you've seen it in several different kitchens now. It's simply a piece of burlap sandwiched between the frame and glass of a picture frame. The tags and stickers are squished under the glass too, then I write on it with permanent marker (a Sharpie) which erases with window cleaner (or just white vinegar on a paper towel). Dry-erase markers work too, but they don't show up as well with the darker burlap behind.

So I'll write this menu on there and we'll mostly eat the things it says one week, and there it sits. Never updated. This one is from last fall.

This year I'm trying this.

I've heard so many good things about menu planning. It's the only way to stick to your grocery budget. You never buy extra. You have so much mind freedom because you know what's for dinner. It'll make you rich and thin and an amazing wife and mother.

So there I sit while I work with one of my boys on his schoolwork. He works, Mommy works. I troll Pinterest and get ideas and write up a list of what we'll eat and what we need. I take my list to the store and several items aren't there or are really expensive this week and I end up getting asparagus instead of green beans, or not making an additional stop to get the Greek yogurt, or the sweet potatoes look awful and I refuse to buy them...

Or my sweet husband goes and makes breakfast early one morning and uses one of my ingredients for a meal later in the week. I'm not going to complain about him making breakfast (one of my least favorite chores--I'm so not a morning person), so things get switched up and crossed out and I'm STILL scratching my head at 4 o'clock, wondering what I'm going to come up with for supper.

Does that ever happen to you? Do you menu plan? Does it work? Maybe it's me, but I feel on the weeks I really plan out the menu I end up spending MORE at the store instead of being creative with pantry items. Maybe that's part of the learning curve with menu planning.

Paleo breakfast cake + berries sweetened with Truvia (a stevia blend you can use like sugar).

This week I literally planned my menu after I went grocery shopping. It was a lot easier! I guess I shop for staples and if I see a great deal on something or an unusual item falls into my cart, I plan for that to be a meal later that week. I like the flexibility of deciding any particular day what we will eat that night.

So I guess I'm not much of a menu planner. Some days soup just doesn't sound good. Other days I don't feel like cooking. And some days I do! Or I see something on Pinterest that I want to make right away!

Tossed salad with tomato bruschetta and grilled chicken.

Here's my tip, or at least what works for me. I keep my cupboards stocked with staples. I try to keep our favorite condiments on hand, from BBQ sauce (we all put it on our eggs), to Greek yogurt to peanut butter. I try to keep everything on hand to make basics: a pasta meal, some variation of rice and beans, tacos, soup + bread. Yes, there's a little headache each day, but to me it's easier than planning a whole week at a time.

How do you plan meals? Do your meal planning attempts help? What tricks do you have?

Five Whole Foods Suppers

This whole foods thing is pretty cool. Since I last mentioned it, I've been pretty good about avoiding gluten and dairy, I've mostly not eaten eggs, and I completely haven't eaten corn, soy or peanuts. Sugar, on the other hand, is much harder to avoid, but I've done a lot better than I thought I would.

I actually did eat some gluten over the weekend, and you know what? By Sunday I felt terrible! I was so groggy and sleepy with a constant little headache. Weird, but I've read that can be what it's like for your body when you do eat gluten after avoiding it for awhile. It's back out of my diet and next time I'll remember the brain fog before choosing to eat a regular sandwich again!

I've been keeping tabs on which meals we really like and feel good after enjoying. Also which ones are easy, our kids like, and there might be leftovers for lunch the next day.

These Sesame Noodles with Wilted Garden Greens by Bev Cooks were surprisingly good! I didn't even have all of the ingredients, but I did have fresh Swiss chard from a neighbor and we enjoyed this recipe a lot! We used gluten-free noodles and will be making this again.

I found this recipe for Cauliflower Coconut Masala on the Roasted Root but it was actually created by Coffee & Quinoa, just so you know. It was easy and delicious! Our whole family loves Indian food, so it's nice to get it at home when you know exactly what goes into it and it costs a lot less.

I knew we liked cauliflower alfredo, but I wanted a vegan version as I'm avoiding dairy right now. Again, I didn't have all of the ingredients, but this Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo from Evolve Vegan was so very good! I left out the roasted onion and garlic as well as the rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes and just used some onion and garlic powder. This recipe is a keeper! I have to admit, I liked it better than the cauliflower alfredo with dairy milk and parmesan! Weird! We used half zucchini noodles and half gluten-free spaghetti.

This Burrito Bowl from A House in the Hills looks absolutely amazing. Ours were much more humble but even then, this is one of my all-time favorite foods. We used jasmine rice, black beans, salsa, non-dairy ranch dressing and a handful of corn chips on top for the boys. Yum!

We love lentils and tomato bruschetta, but until recently we'd never put them together. Again, the link to the Lentil Bruschetta Salad is what I based the recipe on, but mine was different. I made regular tomato bruschetta--roma tomatoes, minced garlic, basil and parsley (fresh is better but dried works), a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar and a shake of salt. Then I added a couple scoops of fresh cooked lentils and served it over--of all things--a baked potato. So good! In fact, we're having this for supper tonight.

Martha Stewart's team of elves usually gets things right, but sometimes they forget the humble home-maker doesn't have a team of elves to keep up with the kids and laundry and everything while she cooks all day. But this Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe is seriously easy! It has only 7 ingredients including the pumpkin, salt and broth! And it's vegan! The hardest part is cutting up and roasting the pumpkin. Not that I've tried it, but we have a pumpkin who's days are numbered! I'll let you know how it goes.

So, now you know more of what we're eating. Have you found any great recipes lately?

Whole Foods Suppers {Day 17}

For the record, I want to share some of my new favorite recipes and ideas for menu planning. I'm not great at sticking to a set menu for a week and would rather make sure I have most ingredients on hand and pick from a list the day of, depending on what sounds good, how much time/energy I have, and what the weather is.

I've come across some really yummy meal ideas lately! For right now, we eat mostly vegan, gluten-free, and I also don't eat sugar, corn, soy or peanuts. Just so you know. We don't normally restrict our diet quite that much, but for now that's where we are.

Please click on the links provided to Pin from the original source. Thanks!

Simple Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

We just ate this and the yummy smells are still in our house. In fact, since I found this recipe by Kelly Toups a few weeks ago we've eaten this meal every week. Simple, easy, so so good for you, and very satisfying too. Usually I do use the Greek yogurt topping but tonight I switched it up with a vegan version.


Butternut Squash Soup

This soup by Primal Palate is one on regular rotation in the fall and winter at our house. It's simple and so flavorful. I like to roast the squash whole earlier in the day. It's so much easier than peeling and chopping it! Another tip, if you're feeling generous, is to add a can of coconut milk. So good!


Spinach and Mushroom Quinoa

I tried this recipe from Julia's Album for the first time this week. Gary and I really liked it, but the boys--who love the other recipes here--aren't fans at all! I'll probably make it again because it's so easy and we always have these ingredients, but it'll be a side dish, not the main.


Indian Beans and Rice

We eat a lot of beans and rice and variations, like lentils and rice, or quinoa. No Meat Athlete has several variations if you follow the link above, and this Indian version is our favorite. So very simple, nutritious and flavorful! Sometimes I sub lentils for the garbanzos and it's also good.


Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Rice Bowl

Ok, so I haven't exactly tried this one from Back to Her Roots, but I do make something similar. I like to sauté peppers and onions, maybe a jalepeno and some mushrooms with chili powder and pile the veggies on top of rice and beans, then top it with lettuce, tomatoes and whatever other toppings you have. Always a winner!


Wild Rice Dressing

If you have rice already cooked, this is an excellent way to make a new meal or side dish from it. Sometimes I skip the baking step. It's a Thanksgiving recipe from BHG and is a wonderful vegan dish to bring to holiday meals.


Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes

This dish from A House in the Hills is another one that I make a variation of, and I should take the final step of adding the roasted tomatoes. Zucchini noodles are a great way to enjoy the feel of pasta when one can't eat pasta, and pesto is always a treat!


Stuffed Zucchini

This recipe is on my list that I want to try. It's from Clean Eating Mag and includes things like breadcrumbs, but I think the idea would be great with rice instead. We love grilled and roasted zucchini, so stuffing it with something yummy sounds delicious!


Szechuan Eggplant

Oh, this looks so yummy! I adore eggplant! I had it on my list to buy at the store, but the eggplant all looked terrible, so I had to put it off. This recipe is from Edible Garden and I can't wait to try it. I plan to serve it with rice noodles.

So there you go, a few ideas for great meals that aren't too complicated, nor expensive, and certainly very good for your tastebuds and your tummy!

Whole Foods Breakfasts {Day 14}

Our family has been trying to eat fewer processed foods. There aren't a lot left that we we do eat and we don't at all feel like we're suffering!

Then I went and decided I wanted to do one of those elimination diet things to see what it is my body seems to be reacting to. So for three weeks I'm not eating gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, soy, peanuts or corn.

There went breakfast, right? Add to that list that we don't usually eat meat--definitely not typical breakfast meats--and it seemed like we'd be eating oatmeal every day. Boring!

I put the word out that I needed some ideas and spent a few hours searching Pinterest for things that mostly avoided the above list (some things are easy to sub or switch) and in the last week we've tried and enjoyed several new breakfasts! I'd like to share them with you, with my comments for whatever it's worth, and a few more I'd like to try so I don't forget.

Here goes!

Please click on the links and pin from the original sources to give credit where credit is due!

Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats in the Crockpot

This recipe by Food Doodles is easy to put together at night and enjoy waking up to the yummy smell in the morning! It does call for honey or maple syrup, but I'm deciding these natural sugars are ok in small amounts, so this is a definite win for our family. And so fun for fall!


Vanilla Raspberry Chia Pudding

I've been intrigued by this idea so finally tried it. I used this recipe by Not Enough Cinnamon and it was pretty good. I let the chia soak in almond milk, then blended everything because I don't like the tapioca lumpy texture. It set up ok but wasn't quite sweet enough. I also made a chocolate one and thought if I added a frozen banana it would be creamier and sweeter.

We ate this with granola on top and the boys liked it. I'll make it again, just with a tweak or two.


Flourless Banana Bread Muffins

These little muffins from Running with Spoons were so good! I subbed soaked chia seeds for the egg, as I've seen you can do that in baking, and they turned out pretty flat (like the picture) even though they puffed up nicely in the oven. The muffins were easy to mix in the blender, even though I was using slivered almonds instead of almond butter. I will for sure make these again, perhaps with more leavening or something.


Apple Pie Smoothie

We ate the banana muffins with this smoothie from Vegan Insanity. It was really good! I might have thrown in an extra banana or something, but other than that, it's sweet and creamy and quite tasty!


Easy Crockpot Applesauce

I used this recipe after our recent trip to the apple orchard. It hardly has any sugar and it's so sweet! It definitely tastes like a treat, and our house smelled so good all day! We ate this as dessert one evening, and as pancake topping twice now. Finding a good recipe for gluten/egg/dairy free pancakes is still a trial, but I'll find one!


Breakfast Potatoes

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it's on the short list! I love potatoes! I'll serve them with scrambled eggs for my family.


Cacao Coffee

I might just try this cacao coffee this afternoon. Roast cacao nibs and pulse in the coffee grinder to make grounds, then brew in your French press. Gotta try it, at least!

I also want to try more variations of grains in the crockpot. Rice, quinoa, oatmeal, steel cut oats... I'm glad that breakfasts aren't boring, I certainly don't feel limited with my self-imposed restrictions either!

Oh, just a note, I've been doing this elimination thing for less than a week and I feel great! I've cheated a little with maple syrup to sweeten oatmeal and pancakes, and a tablespoon of minimally processed date sugar in my decaf, but I'm encouraged! Hopefully in a couple weeks I can figure out what it is that my body has been trying to tell me to stop eating!

What's your favorite healthy breakfast?

Vine-Ripe Tomatoes {Recipe}

If you were to take a walk up the hill here at Weimar, you'd come to this certified organic garden with amazing views.

Not too far from that is a big greenhouse.

If you come in the middle of the day like we did, you might startle a deer or two out of their siesta.

Take a closer look at the greenhouse and you'll see that it's chock-full of tomatoes!

The students and their families are allowed to pick the tomatoes that aren't pretty enough for market.
 

For some reason, many of the tomatoes are split down the sides. I've heard that rain can make that happened, but I've been here for two months and it hasn't rained... 

The boys and I have loaded up on all the tomatoes we can eat several times! 

They can't go to the greenhouse without eating a warm, vine-ripe tomato or two!

I've been adding tomatoes to everything--salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes. I made salsa too. Today I wanted to show you the simple way I make bruschetta. 

Wash and chop 5-6 of those vine-ripe tomatoes. Add a teaspoon of salt, a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a large handful of fresh basil, also chopped. Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic, then stir it all up.

Enjoy as a topping on crusty Italian bread.

Tonight we ate the crusty bread and bruschetta with homemade tomato soup! This recipe is so easy, and a great way to use up a bunch of those tomatoes. Here's how:

Chop up an onion, several stalks of celery and a couple carrots. Saute them in olive oil until tender. Meanwhile, clean and take the tops off about 10 large tomatoes. When the veggies are soft, blend them in a high-speed blender with the tomatoes. You might need to work in batches. You also can add vegetable broth (I use water with a vegan "chicken" seasoning powder) to make the blending easier. Return the pureed mix to the pot and add about 4 cups of vegetable broth if you haven't already. Simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Have you enjoyed any vine-ripe tomatoes lately?

Good Eats VII

Oh man! What a week this has been! I plan to do an update post soon (in all my spare time--ha!), so let's just skip all that and get to the food!

Friday: Mac and "cheese", salad with imitation baco bits and ranch, crusty bread with olive oil/vinegar dip. This cheese sauce is super easy to make: blend a cup of cashews with two cups of water, a teaspoon each of salt and onion powder, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and either half of a red bell pepper or a small can of tomato paste. It's ready to eat right out of the blender, so I just added it to the pan of cooked, rinsed and drained macaroni. Easy and delicious!

We also had peach crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. I know, it doesn't make sense to have vegan cheese with real dairy ice cream. Can you say "idiosyncrasy"? The ice cream is definitely a treat, not a regular feature.  The crisp was made with Betty Crocker's apple crisp recipe and I just subbed the peaches. Yum!

Saturday: We were at a friend's house and they pulled out a real popcorn popper! My boys loved watching it! They had little bags to put the popcorn in too, and taught us a really yummy topping: peanut butter M&Ms! We also ate oranges, apples and some dried fruit.

Sunday: This Ultimate Veggie Fried Rice dish is one of my favorites ever! I got the recipe in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. Basically it's whatever leftover rice you have sauteed with onion, celery, carrots and herbs de Provence. I keep an herbs de Provence spice blend (from Target) on hand just for this recipe. I usually add beans of some kind for more protein but this was the night before Town Day and I didn't have any. In self defense, we had eaten a late lunch with plenty of protein and even white rice has lots of protein in it. And we usually don't eat white rice. I had cleaned out some cupboards and was trying to use up the last of a bag. :)

Monday: On Town Day I usually grab something easy while we're at the store because we don't get home until late and we're all tired and hungry! See, we have one car right now (preparing for a huge life change, remember?) and we live 45 miles from town. For the last couple months we've been dropping my husband off at work and staying in town all day until he's ready to come home at 4 PM. The boys and I do our budget grocery shopping, run any random errands (this week it was Target for something Walmart doesn't carry and the post office for stamps), Taco Bell and the splash pad.

Anyway, we ate vegetarian BLTs and corn on the cob. The veggie "bacon" we use is Morning Star Farms found in the freezer, usually with a bunch of other vegetarian things. I'm not sure what it's called, but you can tell by the picture that it's imitation bacon.

Tuesday: We had burritos with yummy deliciousness! I made a version of Cowboy Caviar--beans, corn, tomatoes, sweet peppers, jalepenos, leftover rice, lime juice.... Usually onion, but I really really don't like raw onions. The burritos also had more of that cashew cheese, salsa, ranch, lettuce and some corn chips for crunch. It was so so good!

And then we stopped eating for the week!

Not really, but I don't have pictures of the last two nights. On Wednesday my husband was in town late for a meeting, so the boys and I ate more sandwiches and leftover mac and "cheese". On Thursday I had a doctor's appointment and grabbed Subway sandwiches on the way home. Subway is a great place for veggie sandwiches, by the way. Load up on those veggies, make sure the cheese and bread are toasted and you're in for a treat!

So there you have it! I'm linking up with Becky again this week. Love this party!





I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a break from listing our suppers for awhile as we transition. My husband is off work and we need to be out of the house by next Friday. My mother in law will be here to help with the boys, then we'll be on vacation for a couple weeks as we make our way out to California for my husband's school. More details to follow!

What did you eat this week?