The 2020 Week 22 Menu Plan will feature several requests from the ‘Ole Buckeye as well as new recipes that I have been eager to try.
Breakfast
Planning 2020 week 22 breakfasts was super easy. Whenever I make breakfast casseroles they last for several meals, and last week was no exception. I have enough of both the sausage casserole and the pancake to provide additional meals. Nothing new is planned for this week, but I will utilize new ingredients in the frittata. I am planning for it to be Greek with vegetables, oregano, dill and feta.
Lunch
The lunches planned for 2020 week 22 will look similar to week 21 simply because several of the planned lunches last week were shelved because we ate leftover dinners for lunch and I moved a dinner (cabbage and sausage) to lunchtime. The Zuppa Toscana remained in the freezer making it a great addition this week. There are two new offerings planned, both of which are plant based. A new split pea soup caught my eye and it is an easy slow cooker meal. I happened to catch a Katie Lee video on facebook. She was making lentil sloppy joes and they sounded really good. Since I am trying more and more plant based meals (at least once a day), both looked to be a great way to accomplish my goal.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Split Pea Soup
Dinner
The dinners planned for week 22 feature two of the ‘Ole Buckeye’s favorites…both Greek. In addition to his requests I have added a plant based pasta and the Harris Teeter Gourmet burgers that we love.
Million Dollar Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Hits and Misses
In keeping with the plant based meal goal, and knowing how much the ‘Ole Buckeye likes lentils, this “Absolute Best Lentil Soup” seemed to be a no-brainer. I am normally not a curry fan, but I decided to make this as directed the first time around. Even though I added more broth, this was more like a stoup (stew/soup). It was quite good, however the first lunch we had two servings. We learned a valuable lesson. This stoup is extremely filling…you just need to wait a little while. Once bowl is plenty for a hearty lunch. This is hearty, healthy and cook once/eat again. (Several agains)
Although I have made this soup in the past and it was a true crowd pleaser, I have not returned it to the menu because of my unrealistic fear of the Instant pot. Well, under the loose supervision of my daughter, I returned the pot to my countertop and made a go of it. This soup is so easy, quick and flavorful…there is no longer any reason to keep it from a frequent meal rotation. I was afraid it would not be enough for the three of us, but when served with a homemade froccacia and Caesar salad, it was perfect. By the way, I always use a hot Italian sausage in this soup to add some spice to our lives.
Sausage Parmesan Cream Cheese Soup
May I just say that for years I have made a Greek appetizer…baked feta with tomatoes and capers. I have taken it often to wine nights and family get togethers. It is always a hit. However, last year we went to Stella’s in Charleston, the sister of our favorite Greek restaurant in Richmond. Their baked feta included Kalamata olives. That led me to investigate other recipes. My new favorite is this baked feta with olives, however I continue to include capers in the recipe. Over the top delicious!
Baked Feta with Tomatoes and Olives
Memorial Day Dinner
I moved the planned grilled steaks from Sunday to Memorial Day mainly because of the weather. Virginia is having a cool and rainy spring, but Memorial Day promised sunshine and warmth. I have decided to do a separate blog about our dinner since it ended up being spectacular.
Food for Thought
Greens-Beans-Onions-Mushrooms-Berries-Seeds
“G-BOMBS” is an acronym that you can use to remember the best anti-cancer, health-promoting foods on the planet. These are the foods that you should eat every day, making up a significant proportion of your diet. They are extremely effective at preventing chronic disease, including cancer and promoting health and longevity.
Recap
I can’t say that I spent a lot of time and effort in the kitchen. For the most part the preparations were relatively easy and all of the meals flavorful, healthy and reappeared as cook once/eat again meals. Going forward I plan to make several meal requests as well as continuing to offer a plant based addition each day. Our journey continues as we continue to learn about healthy eating and how our choices effect out how our body functions. As we continue onward…Bon Appetit!
