Monday: Vegetable stew I used my French stew recipe and left out the meat and replaced the beef broth with vegetable stock.
Tuesday: Bean soup and tortillas
Wednesday: Mixed greens salad and baked potatoes
Thursday: Waffles, biscuits with gravy, and hash browns
Friday: Spinach raviolis and French bread
Saturday: Going out for my birthday!
Sunday Tomato-Basil Soup, salad, and bread
Looking for more recipes? Be sure to visit: Menu-Plan-Monday.
If you are looking for a balanced juice this one is it! Not too sweet but not bitter either.Process through juicer and serve.
This vegetable lasagna is the best I have ever had! I have used the recipe three times now and it is a hit every time. The original recipe does call for 2 sweet potatoes mashed and added to the second layer but I leave it out.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl. Add spices to the vegetable bowl and combine.
To assemble the vegetable lasagna :
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with sauce. This way the noodles cook in the oven, saving time and energy. Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles. Cover with a layer of noodles and another dressing of sauce. Add the spinach to the second layer of sauced noodles then cover with more veggies. Add another layer of sauce, the final layer of noodles, and a last topping of sauce. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.
Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Let lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 10 – 12 servings
This all-purpose dough complements both traditional and modern pizzas.Ingredients:
Brush a large bowl with the olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover with a warm damp kitchen towel and let rise again until almost doubled in size, about 20 minutes. Top and bake as directed in your pizza recipe. Makes 1 1/4 lb. dough, enough for a 12-inch thin-crust pizza or a 9-inch thick-crust pizza.Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with the remaining flour. Punch down the dough and, using your hand, begin to press it out gently into the desired shape. Then, place one hand in the center of the dough and, with the other hand, pull, lift and stretch the dough, gradually working your way all around the edge, until it is the desired thickness, about 1/4 inch thick for a crusty pizza base and 1/2 inch thick for a softer one. Flip the dough over from time to time as your work with it. (Or roll out the dough with a rolling pin.) The dough should be slightly thinner in the middle than at the edge. Lift the edge of the pizza to form a slight rim.
Did you enjoy your Easter? Do you have lots of leftovers? I do but not as many as in previous years. I tried to keep our menu simple even though Ray was coming over and bringing a friend from work. Since they normally eat camp food I knew they would appreciate a home cook meal but didn’t expect anything elaborate.
I will put a portion of the leftover ham in the freezer and use some of it in meals this week. I don’t want to over do it since it is not the healthiest of meats.
Monday: Chicken Fajita Tostadas
Tuesday: Bean and Bacon (leftover ham) soup and fresh rolls
Wednesday: Basic Sauteed Chicken, red potatoes and Brussels sprouts
Thursday: Salisbury Steak with Caramelized Onion Gravy
Friday: Breakfast waffles, eggs and fruit
Saturday: Grilled Chicken Ratatouille
Sunday Tomato-Basil Soup, salad and bread
Looking for more recipes? Be sure to visit the other sites I am linking up to: Menu-Plan-Monday, Homestead Revival Barn Hop and Monday Mania
Chile Verde
Ingredients:
8 oz dry pinto beans (1 1/4 cups)
1 lb chicken breasts (2 cups cooked)
1 can (4 oz) chopped Green chilies
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayene pepper
3 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese*
1 dozen corn tortillas*
1 (11 oz) jar salsa*
Rinse pinto beans, soak them in a cold water overnight, then drain. Cut chicken into 1” cubes; cook until no longer pink in small amount of water. Combine the chicken with the chilies and seasonings; refrigerate until needed. At the same time, combine beans, water, bouillon cubes, garlic, salt and onion in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if necessary. Combine chicken and spices with beans; simmer 10 min more.
Cool and freeze, in a 5 cup container, (or bag). Grate cheese, put in a 1 quart bag and attach it to the freezer container with the chili.
To serve: Thaw chili and cheese. Simmer chili 30 min, stirring occasionally. Top chili with salsa and grated cheese; serve on warmed corn tortillas.
Summary of processes: soak 1/2 lb pinto beans overnight: chop 2 cups cooked chicken; 2/3 cup chopped onion; grate 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
Freeze in: 5 cup container (or Ziploc bag) and 1 quart bag
Serve with: Fresh tortillas
Makes 5 servings
Monday ~ Minestrone recipe below
Tuesday ~ Homemade chicken strips, green beans and mac-n-cheese (I’ll post my chicken strip recipe soon)
Wednesday ~ Breakfast: Waffles, eggs and fruit
Thursday ~ Black Bean Tacos and rice
Friday ~ French bread pizza and salad
Saturday ~ Salmon (still looking for a recipe, any suggestions?)
Sunday ~ Mostaccioli with roasted tomato and garlic (didn’t make it last week)
Minestrone
You can tell by my photo that I do not worry too much about the shape of my bread. I use to fuss over it, for the most part, I form it and let it do what it will. With the French bread I think it lends to the rustic taste not to be smooth and perfect.
This recipe comes from a book I cannot recommend highly enough, it is called America’s Best Bread Machine Baking Recipes. It is by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt. I have tried almost all the recipes in it and have never been disappointed!
Batarde/ French Bread
makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs granulated sugar
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1. Measure ingredients into baking pan in the order recommended by the manufacture. Insert pan into oven chamber and select DOUGH CYCLE. I put the ingredients into my Bosh mixer and knead with the dough hook until the dough is mixed well and tacky but not sticky and wet. Usually for 3-4min on 2.
2. Remove dough to a lightly floured surface; cover with a large bowl and let rest 10 – 15 minutes
3. Form dough into a 14″ loaf, tapering both ends. Place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30-45 minutes or until double in size.
4. Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
The first meal plan of 2012! I started the new year juicing and eating mainly raw foods. I did slip twice but overall I stuck to the plan.
My schedule at work is now fairly consistent which has made meal planning easier. To make things easier on me I am using some premade meals on the nights I work. I hope to buy some smaller pans so that I can freeze up some quick meals but for now Sams is taking care of it for me.
Eating healthy was hard on the days I worked nine and ten hour shifts. I often found myself ordering a to-go salad from Chili’s since they are in the same parking lot as JoAnn’s. The cost and inconsistent quality aggravated me so two weeks ago I bought some cool salad and soup containers. Now I can make my own salad!
Monday
breakfast~ Mock V8 Juice
lunch~ tomato soup and veggies
dinner~ black bean tacos and rice
Tuesday
breakfast~ Apple, pear, spinach and carrot Juice (my favorite
lunch~ salad with boiled eggs and grilled chicken
dinner~ Cilantro Lime Chicken Cacciatore
Wednesday
breakfast~ Juice
lunch~ Pitas and fruit
dinner~ Angel Hair with cherry tomatoes and basil and salad
breakfast~ Crepes
lunch~ quesadillas
dinner~ Spicy Southwest Chicken soup. Recipe from Food Network
Friday
breakfast~ fruit smoothie
lunch~ Salad
dinner~ Weight Watchers zero point soup
Saturday
breakfast~ fruit
lunch~ salad, fruit and grilled chicken
dinner~ Guiltless chicken Parmesan and tossed salad
Sunday
breakfast~ Oatmeal
lunch~ Left-overs ( I work all day)
dinner~ Ratatouille Stew and French Bread
Looking for more recipes? Be sure to visit the other sites I am linking up to: Menu-Plan-Monday, Homestead Revival Barn Ho and Monday Mania
I have made this recipe four times now and it has come out delicious each time. The last three times I have increased the broth and decreased the milk; no one noticed.
I like my broccoli soup chunky so I don’t blend all of it. Leftovers freeze and reheat without any problems.
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Gently sauté onion, garlic and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2-3 batches, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve.
Serves 6.
Per Serving: Calories 88, Calories from Fat 16. Total Fat 1.8g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 83mg, Carbohydrate 13g, Fiber 3.1g, Protein 4.9g