Week 10

We just got back from our holiday marathon trip yesterday and after having to eat cheese and crackers for dinner last night I really need to get my act together. On the menu for this week, homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese, stir-fry with veg. chicken and peppers and rice, grilled salmon with baked sweet potatoes, falafel with avocado spread served with pitas.

Shopping List

- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, Small dice
- 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 Cups Veg Stock
- 1.5 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Basil Pesto

- Cheese

- Peppers

- Stirfry sauce

- Salmon

- Sweet potatoes

• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large egg white
• 1/4 cup mashed peeled avocado
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Week 9

I'm looking so forward to our Christmas plans that I'm having a hard time getting these past few weeks planned out. I seem to have it in my head that we don't need to buy anything because we'll be leaving soon. Well, after having to seriously scrounge for food last week, I'm hoping this one goes better. My plan is to have each dinner completely thought out, along with our other meals so that I can go to the store once (always a good thing) and not have too much food left here on Friday that will have to be thrown out. Wish me luck!!


Monday
Veg Enchaladas. Mix chosen veggies (we are using sweet potatoes, gold potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms) with southwest seasoning and olive oil and roast for an hour or until done. Assemble enchaladas with veg and cheese and black beans in tortillas and place in ovenproof dish. Pour a can of veg. green chili sauce over the enchaladas and then top with more cheese. Bake for 20-30 more minutes and enjoy!

Tuesday
Pizza. This is honestly Lincoln's favorite dinner. He's always asking for it and I'm happy to oblige. I make an easy pizza dough and we load it up with veggies, soy pepperoni, and cheese. I'll serve it with a salad or a soup for Scott and I.

Wednesday
Pasta. Scott bought tortalinni at Costco the other day. That with a red sauce, a side salad, and a warm whole wheat baguette should be a perfect, easy dinner.

Thursday
Crispy Gnocchi with Brussel Sprouts, Mushrooms, and toasted walnuts. Trader Joes makes the best frozen gnocchi, it's a regular in our freezer and I love this idea of turning a side dish into a whole meal.
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10843?section=

Shopping List
veggies for pizza
veg. pepperoni
tomato sauce
salad fixings
small baguette
tomato soup
frozen gnocchi
brussel sprouts
cremini mushrooms
southwest seasoning
sweet potatoe
yukon pototoe
carrots
green chili sauce
tortillas
jack cheese

Holiday Baking

Now that I'm not working full time, I have the joy of indulging in all of my holiday baking aspirations! Lucky for Scott and L but bad for our waistlines!!! Since I am also a sucker for the displays at Trader Joes and have been craving a warm, dense gingerbread, their gingerbread mix was the first thing I made in my December bake off.

It was prefect! Exactly what I was craving. Spicy, warm, dark and yummy. Just perfect. I suppose I really should find a recipe and make this from scratch, which I will, but not today!

Next on my to-do list a pistachio and cranberry biscotti. My mom and I used to make this at Christmas time when I was in high school. It's so delicious and colorful. I just need to find a good recipe because I can't remember where we got our old one from.

Week 7

Oh man, I have no plans for this week!! Help!! This might be a week that comes together one day at a time!

Monday

Leftover night! We still have some from Thanksgiving, as well as some other random things that I'm over, get them out of my fridge!!

Tuesday

Mac and Cheese! Scott makes the best with the horrible velveta, but it tastes soooooooooo good. I'm going to try to make my own version!

Wednesday

Who knows, maybe pasta. Maybe not, hopefully by the time Wednesday rolls around, I'll be a little more on top of it!!

Week 6

Yay! It's Thanksgiving week. I can't wait to celebrate with my dad and sister and her new husband. Doesn't get much better! It'll be an easy dinner week too, because of the holiday.
Monday
Pasta, something easy. Whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce with crumbles added to it. I'll add a salad and maybe some garlic bread.
Tuesday
Grilled fish, or roasted, not sure. Then we'll get in the holiday spirit with some garlic-y mashed potatoes and sauteed kale.

Week 5

This week should be fun because it ends with my dear husbands birthday!

Monday

We are now the proud owners of a GIANT bag of green beans, so you might see them appear a couple of times this week. For tonight, I'm going to defrost and cook a yummy stuffed salmon dish. I'll serve it with a side of steamed green beans with a lemon-y vinaigrette.

Tuesday

Stuffed peppers. We have more to use up from last weeks farmers market, so I'll try something new to stuff them with. Not sure yet, whatev's in the pantry!

Wednesday

Burger night at our house. I'll have a veg and Scott'll have meat. Maybe a side of green bean fries?? Maybe just crisp steamed green beans with something yummy to dip them in.

Thursday

Chili with cornbread. We make it full of beans and tomatoes and chili seasoning from the store. Easy, easy. Then, we use a box of old-fashioned cornbread and make the yummiest combo ever. Just add chopped jalapeno and cheddar cheese to the mix.

Friday

Stuffed shells with veggie crumbles instead of the turkey. Should be good, I'll let you know. I'll just add a green veg, maybe broccoli

Saturday (Scott's birthday!)

I'm going to make these delish sounding Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls to start the day. Dinner will be out at Scott's fav mexican place in Encinitas and then I'm going to make him a yummy birthday cake for after! Maybe this cake.

Sunday

For football Sunday we like something easy. Maybe pizza with homemade tomato soup.

Week 4

This week I'm trying to use up somethings I have in the fridge. No it's not necessarily a left-over week, just trying to use things up before they go bad :).

Monday

Take out Indian from Trader Joe's. I started Lincoln in gym class that gets out at 5:30 on Mondays. That combined with the broncos game on MNF meant that we needed something quick and easy.

Tuesday

Leftovers. I know, not exciting, but it has to happen :)

Wednesday

Salmon with couscous and a green veg. Wednesday is my shopping day so I'll have to see what looks good at the store.

Thursday

Individual Huevos Rancheros that I'm making with corn tortillas that I need to use. I love the individual presentation and how healthy they are (despite the cheese). I'll use store bought salsa to make it even easier.

Friday

Pasta, pasta. Something easy with a homemade red sauce, salad and bread. The perfect dinner for a Friday night!

Saturday

Yummy stuffed peppers, I'll probably add some beans for extra protein. Hmm, with a salad, this will be great.

Sunday

It's supposed to be warm this weekend, so I'm thinking an early Sunday dinner at the beach. I'm going to follow this menu (sans chicken obviously).

Have a great week veg fed families!! What are you making this week?