The 2023 week 18 menu plan is complete.
Breakfast
I have planned variety for breakfast. Even though I seldom have breakfast, the ‘Ole Buckeye will have a variety of options. Normally he supplements with fruit and yogurt.
Berry Delicious Omega Smoothie Bowl
Strawberries and Cream Smoothie Bowl
Lunch
We are having lots of new salads for lunch and incorporation a wide variety of salad ingredients.
Sun Dried Tomato and Almond Quinoa Salad
Tomato Basil Soup (Vegan Version)
Dinner
The dinner plans are loosely based. We have soccer games with easy meals after the games. We plan to have dinner with our granddaughter on Cinco de Mayo but her plans may change. If a meal is prepared it will be an old family favorite recipe of chicken enchiladas. Gourmet burgers are on sale at Harris Teeter so at some point over the weekend I hope the weather provides for grilling. The only truly new recipe is the “no meat” balls. Menus are planned but the day of execution may vary.
Spaghetti and Vegan “No Meat” Balls
Hits and Misses
I have a habit of trying new offerings for breakfast…some are successful…others not so much. However this baked oatmeal is a winner. Packed with flavor, the ‘Ole Buckeye gave it high praise.
Blueberry, Apple Walnut Baked Oatmeal
We have learned to love the texture of Farro and I am always looking for new recipes utilizing this grain. I must say that this salad is excellent. The first day I served it just after the cooled farro was added and we had it room temperature which I might prefer to chilled. This salad could be proudly served to guests regardless of dietary preferences.
Normally I would not include a soup with potato as an option for us, but this recipe caught my eye and had so many nutritious elements that I decided to give it a try. It was very good and could be made without potatoes and added chickpeas as an alternative.
I don’t usually cook on Monday evening because it is “house cleaning” day. Normally I plan leftovers. This recipe looked fairly easy, which it was. In addition it was very good. Yet another great cook once/eat again meal. I served it over chickpea pasta.
Family Dinner
Bobby Flay’s meatloaf is a family favorite so I decided it would be perfect for our family dinner together.
I have a great recipe for scalloped cabbage that is also a family favorite but I looked for a healthier version. This recipe looked promising but it was labor intense. The sauce definitely did not set up properly and there was sooo much sauce. Unfortunately there are left overs of a not so successful side. Maybe I can revitalize it for seconds.
Vegan Southwestern Scalloped Cabbage
Great flavors in a healthy salad with this new find. I can imagine having it with a variety of meals.
Since it was a family dinner and I had lots of mushrooms, I decided to include yet another family favorite side. These mushrooms are great with a steak, but they were especially good with the balsamic glazed meatloaf.
Recap
It’s funny how doing this blog has totally organized my life. Without planning menus, not only are meals up for grabs, but I don’t have the ingredients I need. Now trips to the grocery are limited and I don’t panic at 5 PM. Even if no one ever reads my journey…this space keeps me on the journey. Bon Appetit!
