riddlelove: September 2013

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Weekly Menu Plan: First Week of October

Featured: Parmesan Zucchini Crisps & Warming Butternut Squash Soup

We didn't grow pumpkins this year. Instead, we tried our hand at butternut squash for the first time, and I'm so glad we did. We received a bumper crop of them that will last us through the winter and into spring, even if we enjoy one each week. I don't feel deprived of pumpkins at all. Wanna know why? Butternut squash can be used in any pumpkin recipe, exactly the same way. Ive been roasting them in the slow cooker at the beginning of the day that we will use them (use this method only substitute butternut squash for pumpkin). I actually prefer butternut squash because it's not as runny as pumpkins. Butternuts rule!

Monday:

To do: soak porridge

Breakfast: Paleo Spiced Pumpkin Granola

Lunch: Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Ants on a Log

Snack: Carrot Cake Smoothies

Dinner: Organic Chicken Sausage (from Costco) Marinated Tomatoes (using olive oil instead of canola) over a big bed of lettuce, topped with feta

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Porridge
Lunch: Nut Butter & Manuka Honey Sandwiches, Raw Cheese Slices, Carrot Sticks, Sprouted Pepitas
Snack: Cleansing Grape & Fig Smoothies
Dinner: Ratatouille, Slow-Cooked Short Ribs (skipping the flour part)

Wednesday:

To do: make cookie dough bites

Breakfast: Grain-Free Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins
Lunch: Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
Snack: Apple Pie Smoothies
Dinner: Mexican Beef & Potato Melt, Salad

Thursday:

Breakfast: Chocolate Breakfast Shake
Lunch: Turkey & Cheese Wrapped in Lettuce, Cookie Dough Bites, Sprouted Sunflower Seeds
Snack: Blueberry Bliss Smoothies
Dinner: Creamy Tomato Bisque, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Friday:

Breakfast: Cranberry Vanilla Qia over Raw Yogurt
Lunch: Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Hummus, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Snack: Nut Butter & Honey Popcorn
Dinner: Zucchini Gratin, Buttery Gluten-Free Biscuits, Salad

Saturday:

Breakfast: Easy, Cheese, Gluten-Free Ham & Potato Strata

Lunch: Quesorritos
Snack: Mexican Hot Chocolate
Dinner: Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Sunday:

Breakfast: Paleo Caramel Apple Spice Waffles
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Leftovers
(Sunday is my day off)

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Weekly Menu Plan ~ First Week of Autumn

Hot tea (and coffee too, of course), rainy days, turning leaves, sweaters, scarves, boots, and everything pumpkin. It's true. I am one of those autumn-lovers. With such a long, hot summer that we have here, the transition to fall always feels miraculous. It gets to the point where you start to wonder, will it ever cool down? One starts to doubt. But then it does, and all of us lovers of cool, crisp, and cozy dawn as many layers as possible and rejoice over a bowl of soup.

Monday:
To do: soak porridge
Breakfast: Paleo Breakfast Bread (sans stevia)
Lunch: Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches, Grapes, Hard-Boiled Eggs
Snack: Carrot Cake Smoothes
Dinner: Gluten-Free Turkey Pesto Pasta, Zucchini Gratin

Tuesday:
To do: start chicken stock after dinner
Breakfast: Porridge
Lunch: Nut Butter & Manuka Honey Sandwiches, Raw Cheese Slices, Carrot Sticks, Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
Snack: Cleansing Grape & Fig Smoothies
Dinner: Slow Cooker Herbed Lemon Chicken, Salad

Wednesday:
To do: make cookie dough bites
Breakfast: GF Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
Lunch: Olives, Tortila Chips, Raw Cheese, Pears
Snack: Apple Pie Smoothies
Dinner: Summer Veggie Skillet Pizza using pesto instead of tomato sauce

Thursday:
Breakfast: Chocolate Breakfast Shake
Lunch: Turkey & Cheese wrapped in Lettuce, cookie dough bites, Sprouted Sunflower Seeds
Snack: Blueberry Bliss Smoothies
Dinner: Caprese Salad over Zoodles (zucchini noodles made with a julienne peeler), Leftover Chicken

Friday:
Breakfast: Apple-Cinnamon Qia Cereal
Lunch: Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Hummus, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Snack: Nut Butter & Honey Popcorn
Dinner: Warming Butternut Squash Soup & Gluten-Free Biscuits

Saturday:
Breakfast: Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes (using butternut squash instead)
Lunch: Quesorritos
Snack: Pears & Walnuts
Dinner: Simple Taco Salad

Sunday:
Breakfast: Grain-Free Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Leftovers
(Sunday is my day off.)

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Weekly Menu Plan: Mid September

I will be honest with you. Because we are moving this week (move number five out of six since May), This plan will probably be followed until Wednesday. I have hopes to make as much as possible that is listed below, but at some point the kitchen does have to be packed and we will likely succumb to something packaged from Trader Joe's. I'm hoping to make as much as possible for the entire week tomorrow and Tuesday and live off of whatever has been prepared in that time.

My apologies for the late post. I had the privilege of sharing at our church's "To Your Health" class this morning and then pumped out a post for Abundant Harvest Organic's blog to be published later this week. Oh and my husband is on tour. And we are packing again. Weeeeeee!

Monday:

To do: soak porridge

Breakfast: Eggs & Avocado Slices

Lunch: Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches, Plums, Almonds

Snack: Very Cherry Smoothies

Dinner: Slow Cooker Tri Tip with Butternut Squash (halved & seeded), Zucchini Gratin, Salad

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Porridge

Lunch: Nut Butter & Manuka Honey Sandwiches, Raw Cheese Slices, Carrot Sticks, Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds

Snack: Blueberry Bliss Smoothies

Dinner: Slow Cooker Herbed Lemon Chicken, Olive-Fig Tapenade with Sweet Pepper Slices

Wednesday:

Breakfast: GF Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal

Lunch: Olives, Tortilla Chips, Raw Cheese Slices, Grapes

Snack: Strawberry Cacao Smoothies

Dinner: Leftover Chicken over Quinoa & Truffled Cauliflower Mash

Thursday:

Breakfast: Chocolate Breakfast Shakes

Lunch: Turkey & Cheese Lettuce Wraps, Cookie Dough Bites, Sprouted Sunflower Seeds

Snack: Cleansing Grape & Fig Smoothies

Dinner: Caprese Salad over Zoodles (zucchini made out of noodles using a julienne peeler), Organic Chicken Sausage (from Costco)

Friday:

Breakfast: Cranberry Vanilla Qia Cereal

Lunch: Ham & Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks & Hummus, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Snack: Nut Butter & Honey Popcorn

Dinner: Kale Sausage Soup & Salad

Saturday:

Breakfast: Bacon & Spinach Oven Omelette

Lunch: Hamburgers & Potato Wedges

Snack: Grapes & Cheese

Dinner: Eating Out (moving day)

Sunday:

Breakfast: Grain-Free Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Leftovers

(Sunday is my day off)

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Weekly Menu Plan ~ Welcome, September

This week's plan is merely a suggestion. After moving last week and preparing to do so again in two weeks, I would of course love to make everything from scratch, but am prepared to let go of that dream if life demands something else. It's a wild, crazy season and I cannot wait for the dust to settle. To be back in my very own kitchen seems almost foreign. In the meantime, my mom's kitchen is practically equipped the same, so there is no sacrifice there, just in available time between packing, cleaning, and maintaining connection with the children, husband, and folks. And continuing the fall garden planting. Beloved autumn is just around the corner and I can almost taste it! Can you? Happy September!

Monday: Labor Day!

Breakfast: Spinach Bacon Oven Omelette

Lunch: Raw Zucchini Noodle Pesto Pasta

Snack: Very Cherry Smoothies

Dinner: Hamburger Salad, Potato Wedges, Summer Salad, Watermelon

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Porridge & Eggs

Lunch: Nut Butter & Manuka Honey Sandwiches, Raw Cheese Slices, Grapes

Snack: Strawberry Cacao Smoothies

Dinner: Spaghetti Squash & Homemade Sauce, eggplant hummus, Bell Pepper Slices

Wednesday:

To do: make Cookie Dough Bites