Weekly Menu Planning

I have taken to grilling up vegetables and chicken thighs at the beginning of the week.  Then I can make them into salads, sammies or what have you.  This week I will be grilling up the chicken, some asparagus and zucchini.  I am also trying to do one thing new each week that might become a habit.  It will probably actually be more like something new every few weeks.  It all started with the cooking of the chicken and vegetables.  Last week I didn't do that (although I did make a GREAT Banh Mi that we noshed on all week), but i missed being able to grab grilled asparagus when I "NEEDED" to eat.  This week I am going to try and do some sort of grain salad as the start of a new habit.  I found a blog I used to read all the time and she had an interesting Spanish Rice dish.  She has a huge rice maker so I will be downsizing but trying it nonetheless.  (Update:  Yes I tried it.  I think I will need to fine tune the amounts because my rice cooker is smaller.  It was "ok." )


Spanish Rice in Rice Cooker

When menu planning I do try and think what I have going on that week.  There is a Bible study and a mom's meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I want something I can put together quickly and clean up hopefully before I leave.

Nourish MD has a wonderful way to revamp your cooking slowly with baby steps.  That is where I got the idea to cook up the chicken thighs each week.  (They also have very affordable nutrition phone consults.)  I decided to make two of their recipes; Honey glazed Chicken from Real Simple and BBQ Chicken Salad from Real Salad.  Because I never quite follow a recipe, and I didn't have honey, I made a maple syrup and dijon slather for the chicken.  It turned out very well.  Still waiting to make the BBQ Salad.  You can find all of their e-cookbooks here. They often have combo specials on Facebook.  I would link you up but I am taking a vacation from Facebook for awhile.

As I write this I am noshing on some zucchini bread fresh from the oven.  I will post that later this week. Where does that leave us for food for the week?

Honey glazed chicken with vegetables and spanish rice
Grilled chicken on salads for lunches
BBQ Chicken salad
Burritos from chicken and spanish rice..add black beans and the fixins.
Steak and potatoes.

I am a fluid planner.... as you can see.  I think the word for that is flexible!

For fun I just googled Bible verses on food. I think I'll post one each week.  This one is well known.

Give us this day our daily bread,  Matthew 6:11

 

Fun Foody stuff

I do love me my Food Network and now The Cooking Channel.  We were watching the Food(ography) show on Cheap Eats.  Of course there was MD's on there..and the Automats!  That was very cool.  Andrew wondered why fast food won out over Automats...it's all about the customer preference.  Fancy Food Fast was referenced on the show.  He takes fast food and 'remakes' it into something very cool!  AJ said, "That is like Extreme Makeover: Fast Food Edition."  Love how he makes connections!

Here is a picture from his website.  This was made from Taco Bell.  I love how the top of his blog says, "Yea it's still bad for you.  But see how good it can look."

Food shows are a great way to spend time with your kid and even get them to branch out a bit in the food department.  They make them curious!  There is also a ton of math, geography, history, science etc...  Good Eats seems to be mostly off the air so we are going to have to find some new favorites.

What are yours?