I just menu planned an entire month-i need a pat on the back...

[nutmeggmama]

Ok, this may be the normal way of life for most people, but I am not a meal planner. I LOVE to cook, and enjoy the whole process, except maybe cleaning... we have been studying our ecological footprints in sunday school at church, and about how meat requires so many more resources than grains etc etc...
anyway, we decided that I would just stop buying meat. :shrug we would still eat it, and also use up what we have (like, 20 pounds of ground buffalo in our big freezer) but then just stop. its finally not a problem to eric anymore to not eat meat. :cool in fact, the longer we have gone between eating it, the less he says he enjoys it. :P we are not going to stop eating fish, since we live in alaska, and fresh wild salmon is obviously meant to be a staple to the people here. If we end up with a moose or caribou, i think we would eat that too, perhaps. but at this point, all of my meals are veggie, which has me so fired up to cook. its just so much easier to cook when the planning is already done. why didnt i do this before? the thing that stinks is that noah is allergic to rice, potatos, oats, peas, peanuts, chicken, pork, and beef. the meat is not a problem, nor is the peanuts. however, i think we will have to go back to eating rice and potatoes.
Anyway, can i share? please? :)

Sun-pasta
Mon-veggies
Tues-aisan-ish
Wed-itailan-ish
Thurs-fishy
Fri-soup and bread
Sat-mexi

Week one:
spaghetti and salad
sweet potato and black bean burritos
everyday lentils and rice with chapatis
pizza
teriyaki salmon
potato corn chowder with blueberry muffings
enchiladas
Week two:
roasted garlic and veggie pasta
cumin roasted root vegetables
stir fry with Hal's special sauce
eggplant parmesan
shrimp scampi
curried carrot soup
tacos
Week three:
pesto pasta
squash bread pudding
yellow curry
baked ziti
veggie and salmon packets
maple parsnip soup
cheesy bean bake with tortillas etc
Week four:
mac and cheese
zucchini pie
veggie lo mein
spinach and chard lasagna
halibut
butternut bisque with ginger
tostadas or indian tacos
Week five:
pasta with faux alfredo
moussaka
red lentil coconut curry
calzones
lemon pepper salmon
veggie chili
taco bean salad with chips

And if something is really out of season, or too expensive, i feel like there are enough choices on paper to switch without overwhelming me. not to mention things we like and eat that just arent on the list. [like sammys, and breakfast for dinner etc]

What im confused about is why we kept thinking we couldnt live without meat. Its utterly confusing... :grin

[greenemama]

:jump2 :congrats :jump2

you completely rock, meggan. i'm so burned out on planning/cooking/clean-up that it's not funny. i'm feeling a bit inspired now, considering your post and the latest martha stewart living just slid down my mailbox. :grin

:highfive

[lumpofclay]

:highfive

When I first read your subject, I was thinking, "I'm only giving her a pat on the back if she posts her menu." :poke Imagine my happiness when your post loaded, complete with your menu! :mrgreen :tu :rockon You totally rock!

Wanna post recipes for the following meals?
everyday lentils and rice with chapatis
teriyaki salmon
cumin roasted root vegetables
veggie and salmon packets
veggie lo mein
tostadas or indian tacos
moussaka (:blush I don't even know what this is, but it sounds interesting.)

:highfive

[Close2MyHeart]

:woohoo :clap :clap

I know how you feel... I just did the same thing last week!!!

[mamaKristin]

Some of those things sound SOOOO yummy. I have such a hard time coming up with non-meat meals that aren't just pasta.

[nutmeggmama]

Wanna post recipes for the following meals?
everyday lentils and rice with chapatis
teriyaki salmon
cumin roasted root vegetables
veggie and salmon packets
veggie lo mein
tostadas or indian tacos
moussaka (embarassed I don't even know what this is, but it sounds interesting.)

Ok, I'll start, but im such a non-exact cooker, so ask if you have questions, ok?

Lentils and Rice with Chapatis (the recipes are adapted from Extending the Table, a cookbook commissioned by the mennonite cental committee)

First mix the chapatis:

2 cups ww flour
1 pinches salt
a pat of butter melted, or spoonful of oil
stir in about 3/4 c water. mix by hand till smooth, uniform, and softened. this will take about 15 mins, and it hurts my unexperienced wrists by the end. cover with damp cloth, let rest about an hour.

Saute' in some olive oil:
1 onion diced
1 pepper diced (i used red or yellow, green is fine)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods (way cheaper at indian grocers)
4 cloves

Add and stirfry 5 mins:
1 c basmati rice
1/2 c lentils

Add:
2 med potatoes, peeled and cubed
half a head of cauliflower, chopped
tsp salt
tbsp sugar (palm sugar works great, but reg sugar is fine)
3.5 cups of water
1 can coconut milk

bring to a boil, and cover on low, till rice and lentils are tender. will be thick but not too soupy.

for chapatis, roll dough out into a log, and cut into 10 equal peices. roll each out in to a circle about 4-5 inches across. the dough is much tougher than bread dough. heat frying pan med-high, cook dough one at a time, turning twice, till they are speckled with some brown, and cooked. keep wrapped in towel, or in a covered dish to keep warm and moist.
use chapatis to scoop up the lentils and rice. it tastes much better than using a spoon, though i couldnt tell you why. its much more fun for the whole family to not use utensils.

Teriyaki Salmon

um, no recipe. just mr yoshidas special sauce, at least until i find a recipe i like as much. :O
i do use some rock salt, brownsugar, and braggs and ginger occassionally.
broil.

Cumin Roasted Root Veggies

use whatever is handy, and fresh, and you like.

Mix:
one butternut squash, peeled and diced
one sweet potato, peeled and diced
one large white potato, peeled and diced
4 parsnips, peeled and quartered (think carrot sticks)
4 carrots, same as above
one sweet onion, cut in 8ths
4 shallots, peeled, and halved (double the onion, omit shallot to save a little money)

add olive oil (1/4 cup maybe?) to coat lightly, and sprinkle with 1 TBSP of cumin seeds (availible in the mexican food section of the store, if not in your bulk spice section) lay in 9x13 pan, salt and pepper to taste.
Roast till tender at 450, about 30 mins.
Time is appx. i just keep an eye out.

Veggie and Salmon Packets

place salmon fillets on individual peices of parchment or aluminum foil. add a pat of butter, or drip of olive oil every 2 inches of fish. salt and pepper.
add slices of zucchini, onion, carrot, snap peas, baby bok choy, what ever is fresh in the garden or market. add a slice or two of lemon for each fillet, and fold up sides together, and fold over, to make a packet of fish. leave a little room for steam. grill [foil, not parchment] or bake at 450 for about 20 mins. watch out for steam when opening packets.

Veggie Lo Mein will be an experiment.

Indian Tacos are refried beans (mollie katzens refritos), salsa, lettuce, tomatos, sour cream on a delicious, unhealthy concoction called fry bread. its bread dough, fried in fat. tostadas are the same thing on a tortilla, minus deep fried bread dough. i *think* it may be an alaskan thing. they sell them as fundraisers and at carnivals and stuff.

moussaka is a type of greek meaty tomatoy thing. usually made with lamb, i just omit that step.
its time intensive, but eric loves it...i could take it or leave it. put tomato sauce on bottom of pan.
fry/brown potato slices, till almost cooked, and golden. lay slices on bottom of 9x13, top with tomato sauce. add a layer of floured and browned eggplant. add some more tomato sauce. make a white sauce, pour on top, add mozzerella on top, and bake for 25 min 350. (the lamb is mixed with tomato sauce.

i wouldnt recommend moussaka. but i will eat it.
:mrgreen

[Irene]

wow good for you!!! Im the opposite ofyou, I like to plan, but hate to cook! :lol Im still waiting for the day when my dh decides to be okay with out meat, or like salmon ;) that sounds so healthy and yummy! :yum

[lumpofclay]

Thanks!! :heart :heart :heart I really appreciate it! :tu

[ShangriLewis]

Indian tacos can also be served with chili instead of refried beans. I just had fry bread that was more like fried scones. Oh my was it every good.

I just wanted to add that the movie Smoke Signals based on the writings of Sherman Alexie is a great introduction to the meaning of fry bread!

[Singingmom]

:woohoo I love how you have Sun-pasta, Mon-veggies, etc. I'm printing this out for inspiration! :highfive

[Ellyane]

this is great! I have SUCH a hard time planning veggie meals.

[PurpleButterfly]

You rock, mama! I was also so glad to see your menu, and love the weekday theme idea! :grin I am snagging ideas and inspiration for a grocery list (dh is going :heart) and menu planning right now! :rockon

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind sharing recipes/general ingredients for (it's okay if not, :hug I don't want to discourage you from sharing future menus! :wink ):

curried carrot soup
squash bread pudding
maple parsnip soup
zucchini pie
butternut bisque with ginger

My mouth is watering over your menu!!! :yum :yum

[JessicaB]

I need to get there where I am planning the menu shopping for it and cooking it I am sure it will save money and time wasted thinking about what is for dinner in the end.