Meal Plan Monday

I have decided to try and document our meal plan for the week here. I am doing this for a few reasons. The first is that I have been struggling to come up with meal plans and need something to keep me on track. Second, I am hoping that this will provide a place for me to look back and recall some meal plan ideas for weeks in the future. Third, I am doing this because I am really hoping that some people will comment with great meal ideas of their own at some point. Last, I hope that others will get help with their meal planning.

This is the first week so bear with me while I get the hang of this it might be rough for a while while I get the kinks out.

Here is our planned week:

Day 1: Gypsy Stew (see below for recipe) with homemade no knead rustic bread

Day 2: To go Boxes: Hard boiled egg, cut veggies, hummus, dried fruit and nuts, turkey rolls, sliced apple, cheese stick/slices

Day 3: Chicken and Coconut Green beans

Day 4: Left Over Chicken and Green Beans

Day 5: Left Over Gypsy Stew

Day 6: Pork Carnitas, Salad with avocado, mango, lemon

Day 7: Left over Carnitas, make into tacos, serve with pineapple

Shopping List: (Complete even though I have some of these things)

32 oz broth (chicken or veggie)
2 sweet potatoes or enough squash for 4 cups cubed
1 bunch kale
1 can garbanzo beans
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 bell pepper
2 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 lb green beans
4 limes
2 lemons
whole pineapple
lettuce head
avocado (2)
mango
3 apples
zucchini
sweet whole peas
carrots
broccoli
2 onions
head of garlic
 1 can coconut milk
 tamari
2 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 inch ginger
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
3-4 pounds pork shoulder (with or without bone)
olive oil
Chicken breasts (1 lb)
1 dozen eggs
hummus (or make it, garbanzo beans, garlic, 1 lemon, tahini)
mixed dried fruit and nuts
cheese for slicing/cheese sticks
turkey (good quality lunch meat)
taco shells
salsa
bread flour (I am trying whole wheat)
active dry yeast
salt
Parmesan cheese

Recipes and other directions:

Start making the bread the day before you want to eat it and two hours before eating time to let it rise!!!

Gypsy Soup Recipe:

3 tbsp olive oil or ghee
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet potatoes (peeled) or enough squash, such as butternut (recommended), (peeled) for 3 cups cubed
1 bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrot, diced
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 inch ginger, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 can garbanzo beans
1 large can diced tomatoes
32 oz broth (chicken or veggie)
water
1-2 tamari (to season)
2-3 cups kale, ribs removed, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 


I recommend chopping the veggies ahead of time.

In a large soup pot add the olive oil, heat on medium, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Add the cubed squash or sweet potato, chopped celery, bell pepper, and carrots. All to soften stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add the spices, minced ginger, diced tomatoes and broth plus enough water to cover the veggies plus an inch. Add the garbanzo beans, season with a pinch of salt. Allow to simmer on low for 1-2 hours. About 20 minutes before eating add the kale and tamari. Other variations include adding a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Serve with bread and Parmesan cheese.

To Go Boxes: 

We have these great boxes from Ikea that are great for lunches or dinners to go. You can create sections in them with little dividers. I like to make these and the kids enjoy the choices. I usually add hard boiled eggs, sliced apples, hummus and veggies, dried fruit and nuts, cheese sticks, and rolled up turkey deli meat (a good quality one). We usually do this once a week when I go running and a friend watches the kids but we have to drive a ways to get there. So from now on I am just going to refer to boxes and then link back to this page :)

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg:
Place the egg into the pot, cover with cool water, 1 teaspoon salt, place on the burner on high heat, bring to a rolling boil, allow to continue to boil for  8 minutes. Remove from the heat dump the water, run cool water over the eggs,

Salad with Avocado, Mango, Lemon 

Clean the lettuce tear into small pieces and put into a salad bowl.  Peel the mango and slice it adding bite sized pieces to the salad. Squeeze the lemon juice on top as the dressing. 
(Alternative dressing, 1/4 c lemon juice, 1 tbsp grainy mustard, clove of garlic minced blend together very well. While whisking stream olive oil in about a 1/3 cup). 
 
Carnitas Left Over Tacos: 

Taco shells (corn or flour)
lettuce
avocado
salsa
Serve with Pineapple slices