Weekly Menu (12/8/13-12/14/13)

This week in our Bountiful Basket (which we share with my brother and his family) we got:

• lettuce
• carrots
• potatoes
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• green chilis
• bell peppers
• mango
• apples
• bananas
• grapefruit

We also have clementines, cucumbers, and celery.

The kids are in school now so breakfasts will consist of their choice of:

• cereal
• muffins (banana chocolate chip, blueberry, pumpkin chocolate chip, or double chocolate zucchini muffins)
• scrambled eggs and toast
• hot cocoa
• etc.

 lunches will consist of:

• Sandwiches (Peanut Butter and Jelly or Ham)
• or Pizza Flatbreads (Schar crispbread topped with cheese and pepperoni)
• or Crackers, veggies, and hummus
• chips or crackers
• fruit (usually apples or bananas)
• milk

Sunday:

• breakfast:  smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: carrots and almond butter
• dinner:
• Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
• GF Pasta
• maybe some grilled chicken cut up in pieces
• Roasted Broccoli
• Green Salad

Monday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with peppers
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apple slices with peanut butter
• dinner:
• chicken nuggets
• oven fries
• carrot and celery sticks with almond butter

Tuesday:

• breakfast:  smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apple slices and peanut butter
• dinner:
• grilled ham and cheese (we use Daiya cheese shreds) sandwiches
• tomato soup (We like the Imagine brand)
• clementines

Wednesday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with peppers
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: cashews and dried cranberries
• dinner:
• Navajo Tacos
• clementines

Thursday:

• breakfast:  grapefruit
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apple slices and peanut butter
• dinner:
• crispy waffles
• bacon
• hashbrowns

Friday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with veggies
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: cashews and dried cranberries
• dinner:
• Calzones
• green salad

Saturday: 

• breakfast:  smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: veggie slices
• dinner: 
• We'll be in Salt Lake looking at the lights on Temple Square, so we'll either find somewhere to eat there or have something simple like crepes when we get back to my Mother-in-law's.

Creamy Dairy-free White Hot Chocolate

Okay, it's officially winter temperatures outside now (it has been for a while, but this week it isn't even going to hit 32F), so it's time for some hot drinks.  I have plenty of hot cocoa and hot chocolate options (Hot Cocoa, Hot Cocoa (just add water), and Spiced Pumpkin Hot Chocolate), as well as a chocolate soup, but nothing in the white chocolate department.  So, this recipe remedies that, enjoy!

Creamy White Hot Chocolate
1 cup dairy-free milk
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons shaved cocoa butter (~0.2oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Scald the dairy-free milk in a small saucepan with the honey.  Remove from heat and add in the cocoa butter and vanilla and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until it is well emulsified (if you don't blend it the cocoa butter will separate from the milk).

This post was shared on 5-Ingredient Mondays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, Whole Food Fridays, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Weekly Menu (12/01/13-12/07/13)

There was no Bountiful Basket, but we have:

• lettuce
• carrots
• celery
• apples
• grapes
• cantaloupe
• cucumbers
• clementines
• potatoes
• onions
• plus more, once I get to the store

The kids are in school now so breakfasts will consist of their choice of:

• cereal
• muffins (banana chocolate chip, blueberry, pumpkin chocolate chip, or double chocolate zucchini muffins)
• scrambled eggs and toast
• hot cocoa
• etc.

 lunches will consist of:

• Sandwiches (Peanut Butter and Jelly or Ham)
• or Pizza Flatbreads (Schar crispbread topped with cheese and pepperoni)
• or Crackers, veggies, and hummus
• chips or crackers
• fruit (usually apples or bananas)
• milk

Sunday: (We are still visiting my sister, and are headed back today)

• breakfast:  ham, potatoes, muffins
• lunch: nothing, breakfast was more of a brunch
• snack: muffins
• dinner:
• sandwiches

Monday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with veggies
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: carrots and celery with almond butter
• dinner:
• tacos with homemade tortillas
• sliced cantaloupe

Tuesday:

• breakfast:  green smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apple slices and peanut butter
• dinner:
• coconut shrimp
• oven fries
• carrot sticks

Wednesday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with veggies
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: cashews and dried cranberries
• dinner:
• Indian spiced chicken kebabs
• basmati rice
• Saag Aloo

Thursday:

• breakfast:  green smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apple slices and peanut butter
• dinner:
• crepes
• filled with peanut butter, fruit, ham and eggs, etc.

Friday:

• breakfast: scrambled eggs with veggies
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: cashews and dried cranberries
• dinner:
• Pizza
• green salad

Saturday: 

• breakfast:  green smoothie
• lunch: leftovers
• snack: apples and cashews
• dinner: It's my work party...the boys will have sandwiches or hot dogs and clementines

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Are you still needing some help for Thanksgiving?  Well, here's a fantastically simple and delicious cranberry sauce.  Honestly, I never touched the stuff until the past year or so, but I love the rich, tart sauce combined with savory meats...it really is a perfect match.

My favorite way to eat cranberry sauce is actually not with turkey, I know strange.  My favorite way is sandwiched between french toast and a ham steak...seriously, if you have leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, give this a try, it's AMAZING!

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
12 oz Fresh Cranberries
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Directions
Combine the cranberries, honey, and pomegranate juice in a sauce pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook, while stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or once the cranberries have burst and the mixture thickens into a sauce.  You can serve it warm or at room temp.  It keeps well in the fridge, so it can definitely be made ahead of time.

This post was shared on 5-Ingredient Mondays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, Whole Food Fridays, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Thanksgiving Roundup

Thanksgiving is this week, are you ready?  Here are some ideas, just in case you are still not sure what to do.


Main Dish
I haven't put any of my own turkey or ham recipes up, but there's plenty out there to choose from. A couple basic recipes that I use are:

Traditional Holiday Turkey (just use gf flour)
Honey brine for Turkey

Side Dishes

Bacon and Turnips

Green Beans and Mushroom Saute

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Sweet Potato Casserole

Grandma Tolman's Sausage Stuffing

Grandma Potatoes

Dinner Rolls

Sorghum Millet Rolls

Teff Bread or Rolls (just scoop into muffin tins and bake at 400F for 20-25min)

Seeded Teff Pull Apart Rolls

Desserts

Pies:

Banana Cream Pie

Caramel Apple Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

Coconut Cream Pie

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream

Raspberry Cream Pie

Razzleberry Pie

Pumpkin Pie

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Pie

Other Desserts:

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pumpkin Citrus Frosting

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Hazelnut Cake with Spiced Yogurt Frosting

Raspberry Peach Crisp

Ways to use leftovers

Barbecue Turkey Recipe

Chicken Salad (using the Turkey)

Enchilada Casserole

Turkey and Green Chili Gorditas (or use homemade flour tortillas and make soft tacos)

Mashed Potato Cakes

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Turkey Noodle Soup