September 27, 2013

Week 38 - From Freezer to Table

Printable Version of Meal Plan

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me!  Some people like to avoid their birthday, I on the other hand like to advertise it.  It's the one day of the year that's all about me... what's to avoid?  In fact I love my birthday so much I typically try to stretch it into a week.  So I've pretty much taken this week off.  We were out of town until Monday, Tuesday was my birthday and Wednesday I had a work function that provided breakfast and lunch.  So I thought what a great week to use some of the awesome food I've been stowing away in my newly cleaned and organized freezers.  As a result this was the ultimate easy week and my grocery bill was a grand total of $60!

Recipe Quick Links


Nut Free Nutella, Weelicious
Slow Cooker Honey Rosemary Chicken, Kojo Designs
Lacinato Kale Salad, Marin Mama Cooks
Coconut Curry Squash Soup, 52 Weeks of Meal Planning (Week 37)
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats, My Whole Food Life
Pumkin Spiced Latte, Farm Girl Gourmet
Whole Wheat Tea Biscuits, 100 Days of Real Food
Baked Apple Chips, Taste, Love & Nourish


Snack Highlights


Cinnamon Rolls - I made a batch of Whole Wheat Tea Biscuits and split the dough.  I used half to make cinnamon rolls.  I rolled out the dough into a rectangle (fairly thin) and spread melted butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a generous sprinkle of brown sugar.  I rolled that up lengthwise and cut into 1" rolls and bakes along side the tea biscuits.  yum.

Baked Apple Chips - I've been seeing this recipe everywhere lately.  I gave it a try this week and LOVED them!  Will attempt the bananas next time too.

Apple Chips


Week in Review


Monday was my Birthday eve and we were just back from a weekend away.  I was not even capable of defrosting anything... we had a Take and Bake pizza from Costco.

Tuesday was my special day!!!  I booked the day off of both work (I vowed last year I would never work on my birthday again) and cooking.

Happy Birthday!


Nut Free Nutella & Banana on Tortilla - I made this simple "faux"-tella with Almond Butter (so my version was not nut free) and spread it on a tortilla that I had frozen from last week with sliced banana.  Absolutely as delicious as it sounds.

Slow Cooker Honey Rosemary Chicken with Rice and Kale Salad - A couple of weeks ago my sister-in-law sent me a link to freezer slow cooker recipes.  I've seen this idea before but never really "got it".  When I include a slow cooker recipe in my weekly plan I simply prep it the night before... so I never saw the benefit of prepping farther ahead.  But the timing of seeing this link made the light bulb go off.  I knew I was going to be away this past weekend and it occurred to me that if I had some complete meals ready to go in the freezer I wouldn't have to get groceries the instant I got home.  A few other things I liked about these particular recipes... they use "real" ingredients, are mostly all recipes that have little or no additional steps the day of cooking, and can be left for 8 or more hours.  This recipe was good but because it met all the above criteria I'd rate it great.  I have one other recipe from this site waiting to be cooked and I plan to try more.  The rice was also from the freezer and I made the Kale Salad the night before to make this a completely effortless meal.  Marin loves this salad by the way (I skip the red pepper flakes for her), so don't be afraid to put it on the "kid-friendly" list.

Wednesday only Dave required lunch because I had a work event. We had just enough leftovers of the chicken - sweet!

Pork Chops, Brussel Sprouts & Coconut Curry Squash Soup -  I had bigger plans for this meal but got stuck in traffic so in the interest of time I modified the plan - same ingredients, different method of cooking.  I basically just cooked the pork chops & brussel spouts (trimmed & halved) and in a skillet with olive oil, a diced onion and seasoned with salt & pepper.  I also thawed a serving of Coconut Curry Squash Soup from last week.  I was pleasantly surprised with the results of this speedy meal.

Thursday was back to the old grind.  To get myself into the groove I treated myself with a Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats for breakfast.  Another fall hit!

Turkey, Cheese and Avocado Wraps - I used up the last of my tortillas for these wraps... will have to restock this weekend! I try to stay away from deli meats but once in a while I'll splurge on a package of the Naturals, just can't beat the convenience.  I rolled up the turkey with cheddar, slices of avocado, lettuce and a little mayo.  Really good... and quick.


Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas


Shepherd's Pie - Yet another toss together meal that turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself.  I browned the beef and added soya sauce, organic pasta sauce (awesome Costco buy by the way) and a little brown sugar.  The topping was sweet potato and parsnip mashed with milk and butter.  I assembled and baked it for a few minutes to get it heated through and a little crunchy on top.  So good!

Happy Friday!!  I started my day with a Pumkin Spiced Latte.  I do a modified version of this recipe from Farm Girl Gourmet.  Mine makes a single serving and takes a couple of shortcuts to make it easy to pull off in the morning.  And a tip for the pumpkin - I use canned pumpkin puree.  Last week after making the Pumpkin Buns I spooned the leftovers onto a cookie sheet into about 2T servings and put it in the freezer.  Once they were frozen I moved them to a freezer bag.  One "blob" is just right for both oats and lattes.



  • 2 cups milk (any % you choose)
  • 4 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup strong coffee or espresso
  • Read more at http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2012/11/pumpkin-spiced-latte.html#WC3b4uzEHjWBil1m.99
    Pumpkin Spiced Latte (Modified from Farm Girl Gourmet)

  • 2 cups milk (any % you choose)
  • 4 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup strong coffee or espresso
  • Read more at http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2012/11/pumpkin-spiced-latte.html#WC3b4uzEHjWBil1m.99
    1 Cup milk
    2 T pumpkin puree
    1 T maple syrup
    1/4 t vanilla (I recently switched to Kirkland brand and find it strong so I tend to go light)
    1/4 t pumpkin spice

    Combine all ingredients in a blender (I like to use the Magic Bullet for this recipe).  Pour into microwave safe mug and microwave on High for 1 1/2 mins (careful it doesn't foam up and overflow).  Slowly add espresso - I prepare a Tassimo espresso directly in the mug. Top with whipped cream (optional but recommended!)

    ** This is a recipe that you might have to play around with to adjust to taste.

    Supper, Use up Loose Ends - I have a few things that need to be consumed so we're having a supper surprise!  Grilled cheese?  Goat cheese omelettes?  Loaded Baked Potatoes?   We'll see what inspiration hits.

    Happy Weekend!

    Sandra




    September 20, 2013

    Week 37 - Back to School Series, Part 4: Double Duty Meals

    Printable Version of Meal Plan

    So if you've been hanging around here you know I often have leftovers for lunch. All of my lunches this week are based on leftovers from the night before... with a little twist to make them not just the same meal two days in a row. The thing I like most about this is that it really forces me to make lunches right after supper.  I mean when supper is done there's really no point in packaging up the leftovers just to take them out again later to repackage them into lunch is there?  Then I finish cleaning the kitchen and I'm done for the night!  Sweet!  I find this especially great in the fall when I want to get in my cozy clothes, curl up, watch new TV and knit.   

    Recipe Quick Links

    Apple Pie Overnight Oats, Oh She Glows
    Fish Tacos, Canadian Living
    Corn Tortillas, 100 Days of Real Food
    Sticky Chicken, Canadian Family
    Kale Salad, Marin Mama Cooks
    Potato Chips, Canadian Family
    Cold Chicken Noodle Salad, Canadian Living
    Re-fried Beans, 100 Days of Real Food
    Whole Wheat Tortillas, 100 Days of Real Food
    Pumpkin Buns, Today's Parent

     

    Week in Review

     

    Make Ahead Snack

    Pumpkin Buns - These "buns" I would actually consider more of a muffin.  They were quick and easy to make and turned out real moist and mild tasting.  I find a lot of pumpkin recipes call for cinnamon or pumpkin spice but these were just pumpkin and small amount of sugar, nothing too overpowering.  A nice little fall lunchbox treat!

    Pumpkin Bun

    Monday

    Apple Pie Overnight Oats - So you may have noticed I'm a bit of a fan of the overnight oats.  I'm also a big fan of Oh She Glows so when I saw this post for Apple Chia Jam Overnight Oats I had to try... it sure made my Monday morning!!  This was overnight oats meets the fall.  It was a bit like having apple pie for breakfast, hence I'm referring to this as "Apple Pie Overnight Oats".  I used homemade almond milk (another favorite Oh She Glow's recipe) but I used Steel Cut Oats instead of rolled oats.  I did finally try the rolled oats and as suspected I was not a fan of the texture.

    Squash Soup - I'm sure this was inspired by a recipe I saw at one point but I wouldn't remember where.  I made a batch of this soup on the weekend instead of the curry I had been intending to make.  I wanted to use up leftover squash and also stock my freezer with some soup for easy lunch options in the weeks ahead.  I roasted the squash first and I have to say it looked and tasted so delicious coming out of the oven it almost didn't make it in the soup.  I'll estimate it was 2lbs of diced squash.  While the squash was roasting I heated some oil in a large pot and sauteed a chopped onion and 2 chopped apples with curry powder (~1T), garam masala(~1t) and cumin (~1t).  When the onion was translucent I added chicken broth (~2 cups) and the squash and simmered until all the veggies were super soft.  Then I pureed the soup using a hand blender and stirred in a can of coconut milk.  Yummy!

    Fish Tacos - I actually tried a slightly different version than the one I'm linking here but this one is still my fave.  The recipe I followed used green apple in the salsa instead of mango, which given the time of year you might prefer.  I also made corn tortillas which pretty much have to be made fresh, but they are super easy to make and if you have the time are definitely worth the effort!!


    Corn Tortillas



    Tuesday

    Fish Lettuce Roll-ups - The extra fish and apple salsa were rolled up in lettuce leaves for lunch.  My original plan was to use rice wrappers but I went with the lettuce leaves thinking they'd be easier to work with.   In the end they didn't stay together that well so I'd recommend the rice wrappers for a more portable lunch.  I mixed sour cream with a little regular jarred salsa for dipping.  Messy but good.

    Sticky Chicken w/ Kale Salad and Potato Chips - Loved, loved and loved.  This chicken was super easy to make and really tasty.  A winner!  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and marinated them the night before.  I put 2 extra pieces on without the marinade to use in tomorrow's lunch.  And this kale salad is old news around here but I happened to find a different variety of kale I wanted to try.  Around here you usually find "curly" kale but I finally found the variety that has a flatter darker leaf.  It was a bit better, although I wouldn't turn down a bowl made with the curly kale either.  I also made potato chips which were a big hit with Marin!  I skipped the rosemary but that does sound delicious.  I don't have a mandolin slicer (hmmm.... perhaps Santa is listening again??) but was able to slice the potatoes thin enough with a sharp knife.

    Wednesday

    Cold Chicken Noodle Salad - Meh.  Didn't love this.  My last few attempts at salad with vermicelli noodles have not been overly successful.  The noodles are always too chewy.  Perhaps the package was open too long?  Anyone know the secret to cooking vermicelli?

    Steak, Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Salad -  Stretching grilling season out as long as I can!!  It was a beautiful day so we did the steak and a mix of peppers on the grill.  That was layered on top of lettuce with cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

    Thursday

    Goat Cheese and Grilled Veggie Omelettes - Goat cheese and grilled veggies automatically make me think of omelettes.  The veggies were leftover from supper so this was a really quick lunch to prepare.   Not sure why I've never thought to pack omelettes for lunch before??  I had it with a Pumpkin Bun and Coffee. 

    Re-fried Beans on Whole Wheat Tortillas with Cheese, Sour Cream and Guacamole - I made the tortillas the night before and I have to say I'm still blown away that I can make tortillas.  Watching them puff up in the pan is one of the most exciting things ever.  Fresh, warm, chewy tortillas topped with homemade re-fried beans and the fixin's...  I really can't think of anything better.  Except for maybe fresh, warm, chewy tortillas topped with.... well pretty much anything.  And it was on the table within 10 minutes of walking in the door.  AND instead of having to threaten time-outs and no dessert to get Marin to eat, she literally inhaled this and asked for more.  This meal scores a 10 out of 10 in my books!

    This is around the time I start to get excited!

    The finished product.  Don't they look delicious!?

    All loaded up!

    I wasn't the only one super excited about this meal.

    Friday

    Layered Nacho Dip - It's the first thing to go at a pot-luck so why not make a meal out of it??  Use re-fried beans as a base layer and it's a filling (and fun!) lunch.  I served it with a baggie of Blue Corn Tortillas chips.

    Grilled Apple & Cheese Sandwiches with Ginger Lime Thyme Jelly - Easy and delicious.

    Hello weekend!

    Sandra

    September 13, 2013

    Week 36 - Back to School Series, Part 3: Fast Fix Suppers

    Printable Version of Meal Plan

    This turned out to be one of my favorite weeks so far.  The food was good but mostly meal prep just had a nice flow to it.  There was no rushing in the door and feeling frazzled trying to get a meal put together AND we managed to eat at a decent time each night (ie. before 6pm).  That was really one of the main goals of my meal planning resolution.  Then most nights I'd spend about an hour in the kitchen, cleaning up from supper, packing lunches and doing any advanced prep I could do for the next night's supper.  It all made me feel pretty in control!

    One thing about this week though was that we had a few unexpected things come up.  For one, I had planned on packing lunch for Dave all week but he ended up only needing lunch two days.  Also, Wednesday night the kitchen was pretty much off limits while the new dishwasher went in.  So I juggled things around a bit.  I left the menu as it was intended and instead of the my typical food review I'm summarizing what to do each evening to help you breeze through the week!

    Recipe Quick Links


    Pizza Lunchable, 100 Days of Real Food
    One Pot Pasta, Marin Mama Cooks
    Chickpea & Butternut Squash Curry, Best Recipes Ever
    Naan, Budget Bytes
    Colorburst Chicken Salad, Chatelaine
    Southwest Beans on Toast, Chatelaine
    Whole Grain Fruit Bars, Weelicious
    Whole Wheat Tea Biscuits, 100 Days of Real Food


    Week in Review


     Sunday Evening

    • Prepare lunch (Pizza Lunchable) -- Cut the pita into triangles, spoon the pizza sauce into a small container,  shred and package cheese and wrap the pepperettes.  This would be a prime lunch for divided containers!
    • No prep required for Monday supper... enjoy a relaxing Sunday evening before the craziness of the week begins!

    Monday Evening



    Scallops & Arugula Salad

    • Make Supper (Scallops & Arugula Salad).  Saute the scallops in butter & garlic with a twig of thyme.  While that's cooking, wash the arugula, drizzle with olive oil & lemon and toss.  Top the salad with Parmesan, salt and pepper.  Done!
      • Note:  My backup plan for supper was Salmon that I would have simply baked with lemon, salt & pepper.  Fish cooks fast and doesn't require a lot of fuss, so a good choice for a quick meal!
    • Prepare lunch (Tuna Salad Sandwiches) - Make the sandwich and whatever snacks and sides you'd like.  Veggies & Dip go great with a Tuna Sandwich.
    • Prep for Tuesday Supper (One Pot Pasta).  While you have cutting boards out for lunch prep, also slice red onions, halve cherry tomatoes and slice garlic for Tuesday supper.   This will save 5-10 minutes when you get home.

    Tuesday Evening



    One Pot Pasta

    • Make Supper (One Pot Pasta).  Toss all the veggies you chopped the night before in a pan with the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to boil and set timer for 9 minutes.  Toss the pasta while it's cooking.  That's it!  Supper's ready!  Goes well with garlic bread!
    • Make Lunch (Chickpea & Butternut Squash Curry & Naan).  This is the one meal on the menu this week that requires a bit of time.  I actually pushed this off to the weekend because of our lunch requirements changing.  I plan to modify this recipe a bit, roasting the squash and making it on the stove top instead of the slow-cooker.  The Naan is also optional, but I did make this on Thursday night and it's similar in effort to making pizza dough.  This dish would pair well with basmati rice.  If you're looking for a quicker and/or nut-free recipe I'd suggest Lentils and Rice as a substitute.  This recipe requires very little effort and makes enough for at least two days.
    • No prep required for Wednesday supper... unless you have take chicken out of the freezer.  This is by design in case you are going to go with a more involved mid-week lunch.

    Wednesday Evening

    • Make Supper (Colorburst Chicken Salad).  Heat a skillet and coat with a small amount of oil (I use coconut oil).  I use boneless skinless chicken breasts and slice them in half to make cutlets so that they fry faster.  While the chicken is cooking prepare the salad.  Note: I made substitutes for the things I didn't have (eg. Peppers instead of Beets & Radish, Pomelo instead of Orange).
    • Lunch is already packed!  See wasn't that worth the extra effort the night before??
    • Prep for Thursday Supper (Slow Cooker Pot Roast).  Fill a container or Ziploc bag with the veggies.  I added potatoes, mini carrots, turnip (I bought it pre-cut), celery, onion and a couple of bay leaves. 

     

    Thursday Morning

    • Prep the Slow Cooker.  Place veggies in the slow cooker and top with the roast.  Pour in about 1 cup of beef broth and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and turn on low.

    Thursday Evening

    • Make Supper (Slow Cooker Pot Roast) - Turn off the slow cooker.  Dinner's ready!!  Seriously, there's nothing better.
      • Optionally you could make gravy.  I prefer to pour a little juice from the slow cooker over my plate... mainly because that's easier.
    • Make Lunch (Beef & Cheddar Wraps).  Use the leftover beef to make wraps for lunch.  I shredded the beef and mixed it with a little prepared horseradish.  Then I spread the inside of a Pita with mustard and filled with the beef, cheddar, lettuce and peppers. 
    • No prep required for Friday Supper.  By the end of the week I'm running out of steam...

    Friday Evening


    Southwest Beans on Toast with Tex Mex Salad

    • Make Supper (Southwest Beans on Toast) - Make the salad and set aside.  The last time I made this recipe I simple heated the beans in a skillet with a small amount of oil and a sprinkle of Mexican Spice Blend.  Keep that warm and make the garlic bread. 
      • Confession... this is not what I made for supper.  I was so excited to try the Naan I did Mexican Style Naan Pizza (Naan topped with salsa, avocado, black beans, tomato and cheddar).  And it was really good!!


    Wasn't that easy?

    Also, I've updated my Favorites page, added an Index to the top and jazzed it up a bit with some pics. Check it out!

    Sandra

    September 06, 2013

    Week 35 - Back to School Series, Part 2: Healthy Lunchbox

    Printable Version of Meal Plan

    Whenever I talk to Mom's about back to school I commonly hear about two things - the crazy school supply list and the dreaded packing of lunches.  I've said it before and I'll probably say it again... I look forward to packing Marin school lunches.  I know, I know... file it away so you can say "I told you so" but the way I see it is that whether I'm packing it the night before or making it the day of, ya gotta eat!  And I pack a lunch for Dave and I every day so what's one more?

    The Inspiration

    Here's some great links I've come across while doing my "research" this week:

    100 Days of Real Food, 10 Recipes to Freeze for School Lunches
    100 Days of Real Food, 21 Ways to Plan Ahead for School Lunches
    Top Lunch Tips from Weelicious
    Weelicious School Lunches on Pinterest
    Canadian Family, 15 School Lunches They'll Love
    Kraft What's Cooking, Simple Lunch-Box Ideas

    And very exciting news... the Weelicious Lunches Cookbook is out!  I love the original Weelicious Cookbook (highly recommend it and not just for wee ones!) and can't wait to get my hands on this one!

    And don't forgot to follow 100 Days of Real Food for daily lunch inspiration.

    Recipe Quick Links

    Overnight Oats, Kath Eats
    Tex Mex Rice Cakes, Weelicious
    Sticky Honey Sesame Chicken, Canadian Living
    Fish Sticks, Attach of the Hungry Monster
    Sushi Bowl, 101 Cookbooks
    Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, Women's Health
    Dinner Dippers, Canadian Living
    Whole Grain Fruit Filled Bars, Weelicious (via Two Peas in Their Pod)
    Hummus, Carrot and Avocado Wraps, Weelicious (via ewg.org)


    Lunch Snack Ideas

    For me the bigger challenge with lunches is the snacks.  I always pack our main lunch the night before, but I rarely prepare the snacks ahead of time.  Instead I just grab 2-3 things on my way out the door.  Some mornings end up being rushed and that just doesn't end up happening.  As a result we're either starving when we get home or grabbing unhealthy (and expensive) snacks during the day.  Individually wrapped granola bars, pretzels, etc... are fantastically convenient but I have to say since I've become more of an ingredient reader I'm finding them less appetizing.  I'm continually irked by how many (seemingly healthy) things have artificial color!!

    Here's a few of our favorite snacks to have on hand.  Sometimes you just need some fresh ideas!

    Cheddar Crackers - surprisingly simple and delicious!
     
    Muffins - Blueberry, Banana, Pumpkin, Zucchini.... the possibilities are endless!!  Tip - I almost always replace the oil with apple sauce and can never tell the difference.

    Homemade Pop Tarts - can be frozen and definitely a welcome lunchbox treat!

    Granola Coins - nut free and super quick and easy to make!  A perfect granola bar replacement.

    Apple Sandwich - use a seed butter to make this a nut-free treat

    Fruit cut into fun shapes using cookie cutters.

    Nature's Bakery Fig Bars - one of the things I do buy (at Costco) in single serve packs.

    and a few more ideas...

    Whole Grain Fruit Bars - This was a Weelicious Lunches sneak peak that I found and tried and they are pretty easy to make and very tasty.  I made the mistake of pressing down a little too much on my top layer and as a result squeezed out most of the jam... but even the jamless ones are good.

    Apple Sauce - another thing I sometimes buy pre-packed.  Just beware of ingredients because some have added sugar and artificial color.  PC Brand Just Apples is... just apples!!  It's also really easy to make and great way to use up old-ish apples.

    Popcorn Snack Mix - In place of popcorn you can use a puffed cereal such as Puffed Rice or Puffed Kamut (or as Marin calls it "Puffy Popcorn") and whatever add-ins you like such as chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, rainsins and pretzels.

    Yogurt & Berries - I put frozen berries in a single serve container, top with plain yogurt and maple syrup or honey to sweeten.  The berries thaw by the time I eat it.  I was actually never a yogurt fan until I started eating it this way.

    Fruit - We each take at least one piece of fruit a day.  I always core and slice my apples and pears (with a corer/slicer tool).  I wrap in Saran, either fit it all back together including the core or I remove the core and replace it with a spoonful of peanut butter.

    Cheese & Crackers - Cheddar and Triscuits are our standard choices in this category.  I love cheese strings for the grab and go convenience.

    Smoothie Pops - I've been making smoothies and freezing them in popsicle molds.  It's been a great after daycare treat to have on hand!

    Check out my favorites tab for even more ideas!

    Week in Review

    Monday

    We were actually just getting back from the cottage on Monday so we didn't make either meal on the menu.  But since this was a themed week I though I'd throw in a couple of ideas.  Another Weelicious Lunches sneak peak too!

    Tuesday

    Lunch - Tex Mex Rice Cakes.  If you've gotten this far you now know I'm a huge Weelicious fan.  I've made these many times... love them!  I actually used quinoa in place of the rice this week and I reheat them at lunch but they could most definately be eaten cold.  You could round out this lunch with some veggies and dip.  One of my favorite dips is Ranch... you can premix the spices and then just stir them in with some sour cream and mayo when you're ready or prepare the dip to store in the fridge for a few days.


    Tex Mex Rice Cakes
     

    Supper - Sticky Honey Sesame Chicken.  Remember when I was looking for the perfect Honey Garlic sauce for meatballs a few months ago?  Found it!  The recipe calls for drumsticks, I used boneless skinless breasts instead and I think meatballs would work great too. 


    Wednesday

    Lunch - Quesadillas.  The idea was to use up leftover chicken in the quesadillas... but there were no leftovers.  That's what happens when you find a tasty recipe!  So they became cheese quesadillas with some orange pepper and onions.  I used packaged tortillas that were in the freezer - from before I found out I was capable of making tortillas!!  I reheat these at work but would happily eat them cold as well.  I mixed sour cream and salsa for dipping.

    Supper - Fish Sticks w/ Sweet Potato Fries.  I first made this recipe in Week 7 and it was a huge hit but I've been so busy trying new recipes I haven't had a chance to make it since.  Happy to report we still like it.  I pre-cut the sweet potato into sticks the night before, boiled them for a few minutes and then tossed them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 450 until they were nice a crisp! 

    Thursday

    Lunch - Sushi Bowls.  I love sushi but admittedly it's a bit of work.  This sushi bowl recipe was much easier to put together.  I loosely followed the recipe because the orange I bought for the sauce was rotten in the middle.... grrr!  I made the Asian Sesame Dressing from my salad dressing cheat sheet instead and replaced the avocado with orange pepper and mango because that's what I had.  Dave email'd at lunch to say the rice tasted like sushi... I'm not sure if he liked it but at least he recognized it.  I'm going to call it a success.

    Sushi Bowl
     

    Supper - Dinner Dipper with Veggies and Crackers.  Another find from the September issue of Canadian Living!  Well it was a find for me because I liked all three dips.  Marin and Dave both ate but were less enthused.  Seriously... I have a kid who will eat fish and kale with no problems but turned her nose up at a pink dip that was sweet enough to almost be considered dessert!!  It makes no sense.

    Dip Trio
     

    Friday

    Lunch - Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.  This was ok... the sauce was less creamy and more clumpy than I had hoped but the taste was good.  You would never know there was squash hidden in there so a good way to sneak in some vitamins if you happen to be the sneaky type.

    Supper  - Steak and Salad. Have to get some grilling in while we still can!


    I realized at the end of this week that I might be in a lunch rut... Patties, Quesadillas... not exactly new to me.  Going to review my links above and see if I can switch things up in the next few weeks.

    What are you packing for lunches and snacks??

    Sandra