Weekly Menu (11/11/12-11/17/12)

This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:

• celery
• carrots
• lettuce
• corn on the cob
• tomatoes
• potatoes
• oranges
• bananas
• pineapple
• baby watermelon

I also got the Italian pack add-on which contained:

• mushrooms
• eggplant
• zucchini
• green peppers
• onions
• garlic
• herbs

I also have lemons, cucumbers, strawberries, and grapes to supplement the basket.

This week for breakfast:

Sunday: We are having my parents over for a light brunch before church, which will be banana nut bread (I'm working on a new recipe, because I like to do that...) and fruit (pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, and grapes)

For the Kids:

• Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• scrambled eggs
• one-eyed sandwiches
• fresh fruit
• cereal for the kids

For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

• scrambled eggs (with mushrooms and tomatoes added in...mmmm)
• fresh fruit
• baked oatmeal
• granola

This week for school lunches:

• PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
• fresh fruit (grapes and strawberries)
• chips or crackers
• milk

This week for dinner:

Sunday: 

• Chicken Unparmesan (my portion will be minus cornflake crumbs..only almond meal)
• Pasta (we like Jovial Pasta)
• Ratatouille (I really, really love Julia Child's recipe...if you don't have it, go find it, it's amazing and puts all others to shame)
• corn on the cob for my family

Monday:

• Chili  (I thicken ours with a roux made from millet flour and canola oil)
• baked potatoes
• orange slices

Tuesday: 

• tamales for the family, leftovers for me
• green salad
• carrot and celery sticks  

Wednesday: My hubby and I are going to a church dinner, so the dinner below is for the boys:

• Chicken Nuggets
• carrot and celery sticks
• grapes

Thursday:

• waffles
• bacon
• bananas

Friday:

• Tomato soup (We use Imagine Brand)
• Grilled ham and cheese (we use Daiya) sandwiches
• Green Salad and carrot sticks

Saturday: 

• Pizza
• green salad
• whatever fruit we have left

Asian Turkey Wraps

I made this weeks ago, and misplaced the scrap paper I used to write down what I did....I do that more often than you know.  Yesterday I found the paper, so here's the recipe (before I lose it again). :)  This filling is great for spring rolls (what I did), lettuce wraps, in tortillas, eaten out of the bowl (I also did that), or served over rice.  So, it's very verstile and very easy.  

Here's the yummy filling before I rolled it up in my spring roll paper (i.e. rice paper).

All rolled up...you can eat it like this, or stick in on a very well greased pan and bake it to crisp it up a little.

Mine after the baking process...they were amazing! This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Whole Food Fridays, Gluten Free Fridays, and Allergy Friendly Fridays.

Asian Turkey Wraps

3 cups shredded napa cabbage

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup finely diced celery

1/3 cup finely diced carrot

2 tablespoons green onions

4-5oz ground turkey

1 tablespoon gluten-free reduced sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

~8 sheets of rice paper or lettuce if you want to make lettuce wraps

Directions

Salt the cabbage with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside for at least 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture.

Heat oil over medium high. Stir fry vegetables for about 5 minutes, then add in turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Stir in soy sauce and heat through.

Place ~2-3 tablespoons of filling into each sheet of rice paper and roll up.  You can eat it like this or fry or bake the wraps.  If baking heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray your baking sheet with oil and brush the wraps with oil as well (they will stick if you don't liberally cover them with oil). Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning them (carefully) halfway through.

Brutus Monster Truck Cake

Today is my little one's birthday. Now, if you've been following my blog for long, you'll know that I go all out for birthday cakes.  My boys can ask for anything and I'll do my best to recreate it in cake form. To see my past creations, you can go to my Cake Ideas page. And please note that I've never had a cake decorating class, so I'm not an expert cake decorator, just a mom trying to make my kids' birthday specatular.

My little one asked for a Brutus Monster Truck cake this year, and he's been asking for it since his brother's birthday in January...so, for almost a year he has patiently waited for his turn to have a monster truck cake. (I made my older son a Gravedigger cake for his birthday in January).

And here it is...

Happy 5th Birthday to my baby!



Weekly Menu (11/4/12-11/10/12)

So, I didn't get a basket today.  I totally forgot to sign up for one, it's the first time in a long time I haven't gotten one.  But I do have produce still from last weeks basket and have supplemented from the grocery store, as well...so our produce for the week is:

• broccoli
• butter lettuce
• cucumbers
• carrots
• beets
• tomatoes
• acorn squash
• butternut squash
• zucchini
• onions
• garlic
• pomegranates
• pears
• apples 
• bananas
• lemons

This week for breakfast:
For the Kids:

• Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• scrambled eggs
• toast 
• fresh fruit
• cereal for the kids
• Hot Chocolate for those especially cold mornings

For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

• fresh fruit
• baked oatmeal
• leftovers (yes, I eat leftovers for breakfast, lately)

This week for school lunches:

• PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
• My son has just discovered a love for pomegranates...so I'll be putting pomegranate seeds in his lunch daily. :)  Or applesauce or mandarin oranges
• chips or crackers
• milk

This week for dinner:

Sunday:

• Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp
• Roasted or Mashed Potatoes
• Acorn Squash
• Salad topped with Pomegranate seeds   

Monday:

• Corn Dogs and leftovers 
• Squash Fries 
• sliced pears

Tuesday: 

• tomato soup (I buy the Imagine brand for quick dinners)
• grilled ham and cheese (daiya) sandwiches
• green salad and carrot sticks
• pomegranate seeds

Wednesday: Happy 5th Birthday to my son! 

• Pizza Pie Cafe (his choice for dinner and we have a coupon for 2 free kid's buffets, yay!) 
• Birthday cake...I'm getting anxiety about it, hopefully it'll turn out well.  It's another monster truck cake (remember my Gravedigger one for my older son?)...my little one wants Brutus, so wish me luck!

Thursday:

• pancakes
• bacon 
• hashbrowns
• bananas

Friday:

• Hamburgers with Udi's buns
• Baked potatoes
• Green Salad and carrot sticks
• sliced apples

Saturday: 

• Pizzadillas (pizza quesadillas) using homemade tortillas (I forgot how stinkin good these tortillas are!)
• salad
• apple slices

Quinoa Pilaf

I have people tell me all the time that they tried quinoa once, but they thought it was gross, or too bland for their liking, etc., and they haven't had it since.  Quinoa, like anything else, has to be cooked right to taste right...and you have to make sure you rinse it off first, to remove the bitterness from the hulls. 

I'm adding this recipe to show how simple it is to add amazing flavors to a bland dish...this works for rice, millet, amaranth...well, any grain you are cooking.  So, take an extra 3 minutes and dice up some veggies to add with your quinoa and it will change the dish entirely.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday, Whole Food Fridays, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Quinoa Pilaf
1 tablespoon olive, coconut, or canola oil
a pinch of whole cumin seeds (I average about 8 seeds, I would guess)
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them toast for a couple of seconds.  Add in the garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for a 1-2 minutes. Add in the quinoa and stir to coat it in the oil and veggies.  Add in the water and salt.  Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and most of the water is absorbed.