Meal Plan for Feb. 1- 7

I haven't posted a meal plan in quite some time, but now that I am done with my cleanse, I thought I would pass along my plans for this week... maybe it will spark and idea for you as well!

Monday- Black Bean Soup (doubled to freeze 1/2 for later)

Tuesday- Spicy Eggplant over brown rice & a green side salad

Wednesday- Pinto Bean Tacos & Artichokes (random match, but that's what I have on hand!)

Thursday- Roasted Veggies & Linguini with Optional Chicken (NEW recipe!)

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Sunday- Superbowl party!!!!

Here's this weeks meal plan... and if you need a movie plan and want to stir up the way you feel about food and how it goes from the processing to your table--- check out the film "Food, INC." if you haven't seen it already. It will definitely get you thinking on what you buy and what you eat. (And if you're interested in some Grass Fed Beef and you live local, let me know, I have a great rancher that sells and drops off here from Tehachapi).

For now, the menu:

Monday: Steak Cob Salad

Tuesday: Dover Sol, Green Salad, Sweet Potatoes (the farming connections have hooked us up with a 40 pound box of sweet potatoes, so we have a lot of them to eat- Thanks Buddy!)

Wednesday- Firehouse Tortilla Soup **New Recipe**

Thursday- Turkey Chili, Asparagus and Cornbread

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Nov. 30- Dec. 5th

Hope you all had a wonderful and tasty Thanksgiving Dinner, now, back to the ol' stomp and grind...

Monday-Caesar Salad with Seasoned Chicken

Tuesday- Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, Swiss Chard, Brown Rice

Wednesday- Quinoa, Veggies & Shredded Chicken

Thursday- Mexican Lasagna

Friday- left overs plus White Bean Salad (to snack on & have for lunch)

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Nov. 22- 28

Here we go, nice and easy for this Thanksgiving week....

Sunday: heat up a frozen soup

Monday: Lime Chicken Tacos & Green Salad

Tuesday: Mixed Bean & Ground Turkey Soup

Wednesday: Gremolata Mahi Mahi & Baked Sweet Potatoes

Thursday: Thanksgiving Feast!!!

Friday: left over Turkey Dinner

Saturday: Black Bean Chili (Crock Pot)

Meal Plan for Nov. 15th- 22nd...

Here she is, this weeks meal set up. I am really trying hard to get more out of our meals, so I am doubling and freezing where I can to save me time.

Sunday- BBQ Marinated Flank Steak, Asparagus, Harvest Grains

Monday- Black Bean Soup (doubled, freeze half)

Tuesday- Big Green Salad with left over steak on top (maybe with a slice of Parmesan Toast if needed!)

Wednesday- Roasted Veggie Pasta with Chicken (doubled)

Thursday- Santa Fe Pizza

Friday- left over Pasta

Saturday- out

I will buy the big chunk of mozerella cheese and use half of it in the pasta dish and the other half on the pizza (but shred it all at once on Wednesday to save on time and clean up). Also, you can change up the beans on the Santa Fe to Pinto Beans if black beans twice in the same week is too much for you- you make the call!

Meal Plan for Sept. Nov. 2- Nov. 7

OK, a few fall dishes for this week's meal plan- 2 soups (one new, one an old favorite) and a embellished stir fry from my sister's blog and a tried and true- Pear Salad... since this is pear season!

Monday- Chicken, Almond & Veggies Stir Fry

Tuesday- Pear Salad with grilled chicken & Harvest Grains

Wednesday- Black Bean Soup

Thursday- Chicken Tortilla Soup (Crock Pot)

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Sept. 26th- 31st

So, I kinda got lazy with my meal plans, not knowing if anyone really gives a hoot about this part of the blog, but I did get an email asking where they went, so- here we go again.... if you DO give a hoot.

Monday- Santa Fe Salad with Chicken

Tuesday- Chicken, Marsala, & Tomato Sandwiches (crock pot) & Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday- Spaghetti & Crunchy Spinach Salad

Thursday- Spinach & Leek White Bean Soup

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Sept. 21st- 26th

So, the favor of the week is cilantro!!! 3 of the 4 recipes have cilantro in them-- so you could get away with one large bunch to use all week long! I tried this new recipe for Tex Mex Chicken Cesar Salad (thanks Lisa!) but I have to be honest- I kinda botched it because I was in a hurry, so I would like to try it again. Sooooooo, if you're feeling adventurous and you want some new and refreshing flavors, give this recipe a whirl and leave your tips and suggestions for all of us!

Monday- Tex Mex Chicken Caesar Salad

Tuesday- Lime Chicken Tacos

Wednesday- BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (Crock Pot) & Green Salad

Thursday- BBQ Pork Tenderloin, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Zucchini on the BBQ

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Sept. 14th- 19th

Here's what's on tap this week in our household :)

It will require some new posts with new recipes, so stay tuned!

Monday- Taco Salad

Tuesday- BBQ Chicken Pizza

Wednesday-Baked Dover Sol, Snappin' Snap Peas, Brown Rice Medley

Thursday- 3o minute marinade chicken, orzo pasta salad

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

*** Don't forget to check out the 100th post and enter a comment to enter the giveaway... just for fun!!!!

More Recipes...

So, I was browsing my sister's blog the other day and noticed that she finally updated and put some of her yummiest recipes on there, and you need to check them out! She is a fabulous cook and it very health concious AND very knowledgeable about nutrition. You will really enjoy some of her insights and recipes, we have some the same- probably because we have similar taste buds and most definitely because we swap the good recipes back and forth!

Enjoy and check out some recipes like these:

• Rosemary Garlic Chicken
• Spanish Potato Omlete
• Brown Rice Stuffing
• Italian Fusilli

...and many more good ones where those came from!!!

Meal Plan for Sept. 7th- 12th

So, we are mixing it up a bit, I got "out of sink" (literally, my sink is out of commission this week, so it will be a miracle if I make meals all week!) but here's what I am planning on:

Monday- Strawberry Salad & Sweet Potato Fries

Tuesday- BBQ Chicken Breast, Legs, & Wings, Green Salad, Corn on the Cob

Wednesday- Gremolata Mahi Mahi, Green Salad, and Harvest Grains

Thursday- Black Bean Burritos & Cucumber Salad

Friday-left overs

Saturday- out

When I make my salad on Monday, I will chop enough lettuce for Tuesday and Wednesday as well to cut down on the prep time. To store it so that it stays fresh and crisp, I make sure it is as dry as possible (I use a salad spinner) and then I but it in a ziplock bag with a paper towel in the bottom to absorb any mosture. When I chop veggies for Tuesday's salad, I will chop enough for Wednesday's as well.... you see how this goes--- thinking ahead each day can save you time and effort!

Meal Plan for Aug.31- 5th

So, this week's plan is going to be a little different than normal due to some things we have going on in the evenings, but switch around the days to work it for you!

Monday- Baked Penne Pasta

Tuesday- Left Over Pasta

Wednesday- On the BBQ-Steak, Grilled Veggies, Portabella Mushrooms

Thursday- Pear Salad with French Bread

Friday- Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Saturday- out!

**I will use the same veggies in the pasta as I will on the grill (like the mushrooms, onions, red bell peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash) so keep that in mind while shopping. 

Meal Plan for Aug. 23- 29th

So, you can probably tell the weekends when I am out of town- I forget to post and my meal plan is always late!!! Especially when I am not thinking of cooking at ALL like this past weekend when I was spoiled by my parents awesome cooking. Check back here this week to sample some of their yummy recipes, you will LOVE them!

I am having 2 salads this week, trying to squeeze in the best of the seasonal produce before fall comes! 

Sunday- oops! already missed it!

Monday- California Salad with Parmesan Toast

Tuesday- Marsala Chicken (with a side of pasta for the hubby), simple asparagus

Wednesday- Strawberry Salad with Firestone Fries

Thursday- Beer Burritos in the Crock pot with Veggie Sticks

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Meal Plan for Aug. 16th- 22nd

Here is what's on tap this week, I will be adding more recipes as the week progresses:

Sunday: Santa Fe Chicken Salad

Monday: My Husband's Birthday Choice: BBQ chicken, green salad, fruit salad, & french bread with homemade Mango Sorbet!

Tuesday: Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, Asparagus, Brown Rice

Wednesday: Taco Soup (crock pot)

Thursday: left overs

Friday: Marinated Flank Steaks, Snappin' Snap Peas, Roasted Red Potatoes

Saturday: out

Meal Plan Aug.9- 15

Sunday: BBQ'd Burgers, Corn on the Cob, Watermelon

Monday: Chicken Cesar Salad with Bread sticks

Tuesday: Lime Shrimp

Wednesday: French Dip Sandwiches

Thursday:  Baked Penne Pasta

Friday: left overs

Saturday: out

I am going to do my quick marinate on the chicken tenders that I use in the Cesar Salad and BBQ those at the same time as I BBQ my burgers, prepping two meals at once= saving time and energy for me! (Then you can reheat your chicken for the salad on Monday night, or just chop it and serve it cold over the lettuce- you decide!) The lime chicken and the French Dip are new recipes that I will post this week. And the Baked Penne Pasta is a good, ol' classic around here!

I did a poll (which not too many people replied on) but it looks like people prefer to make their own shopping lists, so I will not be including one anymore! It's probably easier to make one individually depending on what is and is not already in your kitchen! Happy Planning!

Meal Plan Aug.2-Aug.8

Okay, so one of my favorite blogs makes mention of ways to simplify your life, and one of those ways is to simplify your meal plan. So here is my attempt at that. The recommendation was to make a plan for each day of the week and carry that out, week after week. Like this:

Sunday: BBQ

Monday: Main Dish Salad

Tuesday: Chicken or Fish

Wednesday: Crock pot

Thursday: Pasta/Pizza/Soup

Friday: Left overs

Saturday: out

So, here I go at attempting to simplify my life by sticking to my plan within my meal plan!

Sunday: BBQ Steak, Grilled Bell Peppers & Onions, Wild Rice

Monday: Steak Cobb Salad

Tuesday: Salmon, Brown Rice, Snappin' Snap Peas

Wednesday: BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, Confetti Coleslaw, Fruit Salad

Thursday: BBQ Chicken Pizza (CPK Style), Green Veggie Salad

Friday: Left overs

Saturday: out

Meal Plan July 26th- Aug.1

Here's this weeks meal plan, I know we eat a lot of chicken, I am going to work on eating less meat and trying to incorporate more beans & lentils (good for you, good for the pocket book!) so have patience with me until then. I also have a husband who eats a TON and we both eat left overs for lunch the next day, so this is literally my shopping list, no other lunch foods are added (if you were thinking "that's a lot of food for one week!"). I am also going to try to work on lowering my grocery purchases and saving some money in the food budget (by incorporating less expensive, but still nutritious recipes- a lot of them are stew & soups- so we might need to wait until it cools down! So look for that this fall!) If you want, you can split 1 package of chicken breasts between the baked chicken and the lime tacos and add a can of black beans to the lime tacos to "beef" it up!

Meal Plan

Sunday- BBQ Chicken Legs, BBQ Squash, Cucumber Salad

Monday- Lime Chicken Soft Tacos & Watermelon Wedges (I am going to try this in the crock pot, I will let you know how it goes!)

Tuesday- Spaghetti and Artichokes

Wednesday- Stuffed Bell Peppers and Green Salad

Thursday- Baked Chicken Breasts, Sweet Potato Fries, Corn on the Cob, Watermelon

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Shopping List

1-2 packages chicken legs

2 packages chicken

2 lb. ground turkey

brown rice noodles

brown rice

2 cans diced tomatoes

tomato sauce

Parmesan

oregano

parsley* (to sprinkle in spaghetti)

squash

cucumber

red onion

yellow onion

4 green bell peppers

2 tomatoes

sweet potatoes

tortillas

limes

jack cheese

cilantro

lettuce

sour cream*

guacamole *

green onions *

black beans * (for lime tacos, instead of so much chicken!)

corn on the cob

artichokes

watermelon (or whatever fresh fruit is in your house)

s & p

red wine (for spaghetti)

Worcester's Sauce

garlic powder

red wine vinegar

balsamic vinegar

sugar

garlic

olive oil

* items are optional

Meal Plan July 19th- 25th

Here's another Meal Plan for July 19th - 25th

Sunday: Taco Salad

Monday: left overs with Taco Meat (you choose your families favorite Tacos, Burritos, or Enchiladas)

Tuesday: Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, Snappin' Snap Peas, Brown Rice

Wednesday: Garden Pasta Salad with Chicken

Thursday: Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce over Pasta & Green Salad, 

Friday: left overs

Saturday: dinner out!

To make your dinners easier this week, you can double your taco meet on Sunday so that you have some for Sunday nights meal as well as Monday nights. You can also cook enough pasta on Wednesday night to have some for your Thursday night as well! If you want left overs for lunch or the weekend, double the Garden Pasta Salad recipe and it will last you a while! 

Shopping List

• Romaine
• Black Beans
• Kidney Beans
• 2 lbs. ground turkey or beef
• Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• handful of tortilla chips (optional for Taco Salad)
• tomatoes, I like roma (for taco salad & pasta salad)
• avocado
• 3 bell peppers (for taco salad, green salad, & pasta salad)
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• s & p
• garlic powder
• mahi mahi steaks
• honey 
• soy sauce
• ginger (in a jar or fresh)
• 3 clove garlic
• brown rice
• snap peas
• lemon
• mint (left over from last week??)
• 2 red onions
• chicken breast (for 2 dishes, Balsamic Chicken & Pasta Salad)
• sun dried tomatoes (in a jar in oil)
• chicken broth
• 2 bags pasta (cork screw or bow-tie)
• can of olives (sliced or halved)
• celery or cucumber (depending on your taste buds preference)
• shredded carrots (left over from last week?)
• parmesan cheese (shredded)
• basil (optional)

You can use your left over veggies from the week (from taco salad & the pasta salad) to make your "green salad" on Thursday! Also, don't forget to include any other ingredients you might need for Tuesday's meal- tortillas or enchilad sauce????? for "your choice" left over taco meat night!

Meal Plan Sample

Here would be a sample Meal Plan for your week...

Meal Plan

• Sunday- Turkey Chili and Artichokes (*optional: cornbread or baked potatoes)
• Monday- Chinese Chicken Salad with Firestone Fries
• Tuesday- Thai Chicken Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Wednesday- Chicken Tortilla Soup (Crock Pot) 
• Thursday- Turkey Breasts, Green Salad, Red Potato Mashers
• Friday- left overs!!!
• Saturday- out!!

Meal Plan July 5th- 11th

Here is this weeks Meal Plan- change the days around to suit your family. I plan around our schedule and make adjustments for evening plans, meals out, and late work nights for my husband. I will give you 5 meals for 7 days, I figure between leftovers and a night out, it should cover you, improvise where you need to! Also, see the "Shopping List" on the side column to print off an easy to use Grocery List for items you will need to make the following meals.

• Sunday: Strawberry Salad (garlic bread/bread rolls optional)
• Monday: Gremolata Mahi Mahi, Asparagus, & Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Legs w/BBQ Sauce, Corn on the Cob, Artichokes
• Wednesday: Tostada Pizza & Fruit Salad
• Thursday: Salsa Chicken Burritos (Crock pot) & Green Salad
• Friday: left overs 
• Saturday: dinner out

I am working on getting my shopping list to post in  Word Doc for easy printing, but for now, you will have to cut and paste this into your own Word Doc for printing purposes. (If you know how to do this and can help me out, email me- thanks!)

This Weeks Shopping List

 ( I will list the items, you decide the quanity depending on how many people you are feeding. An * indicates an optional item, see recipes for clarification)

• Romaine
• Strawberries
• Candies Pecans
• Feta Cheese *
• Bundle of Parsley 
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Bread Sticks/Rolls
• Mahi Mahi Steaks
• Fresh Lemon
• Butter
• Bread Crumbs
• Sweet Potatoes
• Asparagus
• Parmesan Cheese *
• 4-5 Chicken Breast (3 for Salsa Chicken, 1-2 for Strawberry Salad)
• Large Jar of Salsa
• Tortillas
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Tortilla Chips
• Sour Cream
• 2 Green Onions
• Black Beans *
• Avocado *
• Pizza Dough (or Boboli)
• Chicken Legs
• BBQ Sauce
• Corn on the Cob
• Artichokes
• Fruit Salad Items *
• S & P
• Garlic Powder
• Olive oil
• foil 
• parchment paper