This Week

The results of my grocery shopping today:

Aldi $24

not the mixer :)

Deals: tomatoes, bell peppers, onions

Hy-Vee $34

Deals: bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries, grapes

Some non-paleo splurges for the weekend (eating with friends) include the chips, string cheese, and frozen rolls.  I even bought deli roast beef, which is something I rarely do because it is so expensive (and processed).  I mean seriously, at $6 a pound, I might as well buy steak.  But if I am going to buy deli meat (for convenience sake), we like roast beef :)  The cake mixes were on sale and I can use them when I make treats for church or something.

Other stuff I like:

I want to try this salad dressing.

I like Megan's tip for using a cake pan when traveling with little children.

This rhubarb oatmeal pie looks not-too-complicated for me.

I am going to read this book soon.

Have a good weekend!

Menu Plan 6/13/11

Wow, it is past time to re-do my blog header for summer, huh?

I went to Costco last week for some staples such as olive oil, almonds, frozen vegetables, Kerrygold butter, etc.  I hope to go to Aldi early this week for some fruit (on sale: watermelon, grapes, cherries, strawberries, and blueberries).  I also might swing by Price Chopper.

Over the weekend, we had chicken and broccoli salad, hot dogs/hamburgers, etc.

Breakfasts:

Eggs, Homemade Turkey Sausage, Fruit

Smoothies

Banana Almond Pancakes

Milk

Lunches:

Leftovers from the previous evening

Dinners:

Hmm. I'm feeling anti-recipe this week.  Just want to keep it simple by throwing some meat and veggies in a pan to cook.  So, here's the selection.

Monday - Ground beef, onions, peppers, avocado, salad

Tuesday - Sticky chicken in the crock-pot, salad, leftovers for soup

Wednesday - Salmon burgers, peas, carrots

Thursday - Pesto chicken, zucchini

Friday - Uncured hot dogs, sweet potatoes, homemade coleslaw

Saturday - Out to eat

Sunday - Cashew chicken, green beans

Happy Sunday!

Menu Plan 6/6/11

Breakfasts:

Pumpkin Paleo Muffins

Eggs and Fruit

Coconut Milk Smoothies

Lunches:

Tuna Salad with Avocados

Various Chicken Salads

Fruit

Dinners:

Monday - Cashew Chicken Stir Fry (didn't have on Sunday)

Tuesday - Grilled Sausage and Veggies; Bible study dinner for me

Wednesday - Turkey Chili, Carrots & Celery

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad

Weekend: TBD

Drinks: the usual, real milk or water

Sometimes, especially in the summer, my daughter and I like to add in some True Lemon, to add a little flavor to the water.

I've found that our experience eating grain-free, legume-free, and (pasteurized) dairy-free seems to be similar to Katie's at Kitchen Stewardship - the stuff my family eats the best is just the normal meals, minus those certain items.  No fancy imitations or replacements.  Keeping the menu plan favorites, removing the unallowable items, and adding in more of the healthy, allowable foods is what works best for us.  It is really quite simple.  More thought and planning in regards to the shopping because we are eating more fresh food, but quite simple when it comes to the actual cooking.

P.S. I'm loving the ice cream maker!  We were at the lake over the weekend, and I made a batch of this chocolate stuff (super easy, way chocolatier and way richer than I predicted), and some standard vanilla (which was actually my favorite of the two, made with real cream and milk!)  Of course, ice cream is not exactly paleo (even homemade)... We had several "treats" this weekend on our excursion ;)

Have a great week!

Coconut Milk Smoothies

Hey!  A friend recently asked for my coconut milk smoothie recipe, and it made me realize I've never shared it here!  Thanks for the idea, Mon!  Hope you don't mind if I let others in on the concoction as well ;)

This is totally not a precise method, but it is what I do... It fills a whole blender pitcher and is a good amount for our family.  The coconut milk makes it pretty filling, for a smoothie.

Dump in the blender: 
1 can of coconut milk (I use the full fat stuff you can buy with the Asian food at Supertarget for like $1.50)
About 1/4 a can of frozen orange juice concentrate (helps cover up some of the coconut flavor)
Blend.

Then add:
Frozen banana chunks and blend.

Then add frozen strawberries, blending a few at a time. I usually have to stop and stir things around because the pitcher is pretty full. Sometimes I add some water to thin it out a little bit.

(I usually use about equal amounts bananas and strawberries, but you could use whatever you wanted obviously.)

That's it. Enjoy!  I'm sure blueberries and other fruit would be good, too!

Menu Plan 5/30/11

Notes on last week's meals: I didn't make pumpkin pancakes.  Instead, I made these paleo pumpkin muffins.  I doubled the recipe, made almond flour by grinding almonds in the blender, and substituted 1 cup of ground flax seed in place of 1 cup of almond flour.  I also didn't stick the almonds on top, that looked weird to me.  They were quite nutty and filling muffins.  They hit the spot spread with some Kerrygold butter! :)  We actually had them for a quick dinner one evening with some fresh blueberries, strawberries, and real milk.


Breakfasts:
Coconut Milk Smoothies
Eggs and Fruit
Milk

Lunches:

Leftovers from the previous evening's dinner
Fruit

Snacks:
Ants on a log (celery, almond butter, raisins)

Dinners:

Memorial Day - Stir Fry (new recipe attempt, I'll let you know how it turns out)

Tuesday - Salmon Burgers, Salad

Wednesday - Meat Sauce over Zucchini (a paleo spaghetti-ish dish), Salad

Thursday - Grilled Chicken with Broccoli, Bacon, & Cashew Salad

Friday - BBQ Meatballs*, Coleslaw

Saturday - Grilled Sausage, Peas & Carrots

Sunday - Chicken & Green Bean Stir Fry

*The sauce is far from paleo with all the sugar, but it is so good!  I may try to cut down the sugar a tad bit, we'll see.  I usually use half the sauce recipe anyways.

Tasty Ideas

Some semi-but-not-100%-healthy ideas for summer:

I want to make this coconut milk chocolate ice cream... seems so easy!

First I need an ice cream maker :)

What about these grain-free apple flax muffins?

Mmm, yummy fruit sorbet.

Magic sauce.  Sounds interesting.

My kids are so weird about meat.  Some days they avoid it, other days they eat it first thing of the meal.  It is hard to predict.  My 1 year old, who had been avoiding chicken, loved it in the meal I threw together last night.  Chicken, string beans, a little green onion, and seasonings (onion, garlic, salt, pepper) sauteed lightly in olive oil, and topped with cashews.  No soy sauce, because I am not a huge fan of the taste.  They even ate the nuts.  Wow.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  I think this was a good invention.

Menu Plan 5/16/11 and a Shopping List

Whew!  Back in town and getting organized for the week... Maybe things will be a little slower this week???  For dinner tonight, we had breakfast casserole (w/ spinach, no cheese) and I made some little pumpkin custard cupcakes things (not completely paleo with all the honey) using this pumpkin pie filling recipe.

I don't have a full menu planned, but here's what is down so far:

Breakfasts:

Banana Almond Pancakes

Coconut Milk Smoothies

Eggs and Fruit

Lunches:

BLT Salad with Chicken

Carrot-Apple Salad with Chicken

Waldorf Salad with Chicken

Dinners:

Monday - Pizza Chili (with leftover meat sauce from last week)

Tuesday - Taco Salad (might get adventurous and make some homemade salsa!)

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - (unrolled) Cabbage Rolls (I have a bunch of frozen shredded cabbage.)

Friday - Leftovers

Weekend - TBD after an end-of-the-week shopping trip

A couple non-paleo things I am going to make this week:

Feta Dip (for a pot-luck party)

Chocolate Cupcakes (from a mix on sale, for my husband to take to work)

I ran to Price Chopper tonight to get some strawberries so we'd have some fruit for tomorrow.  Also got some bacon on sale, some green onion, and some dried sage.  Spent $8.

I hope to get to Aldi early this week.  Here's my list, since I will likely be a slacker on the photos:

salad mix (sale) - 4

grape tomatoes (sale) - 4

mushrooms (sale) - 2

bell peppers (sale) - 2 pkgs.

red onions

olives

avocados or guacamole

feta cheese

bread or pitas for dip

apples

carrots - 2 lbs.

celery

bananas - 2 pkgs.

eggs - 2 dozen

ground turkey - 2 lbs.

nuts

raisins

cinnamon

diced tomatoes - 2

tomato sauce - 2

tomato paste

large ziplock baggies

diapers

Should be about $55.

This post shared at Musings of a Housewife, with other gluten-free menus!

Menu Plan 5/2/11

It is May 1 right now, so happy May Day!  Also, cilantro, tomatoes, avocados, lettuce, and limes are all on sale this week for Cinco de Mayo...Yum!  I took a break from posting about the grocery shopping this past week... it was a little hectic.

Breakfasts:

Quick Banana Pancakes (this recipe uses coconut oil instead of almond butter, I like them either way)

Eggs and Fruit

Coconut Milk Smoothies

Lunches:

Leftovers from dinner the night before
Chicken Vegetable Soup (for the weekend)

Dinners:

Monday - Chicken Taco Salad

Tuesday - BBQ Brisket, Mashed Cauliflower, Salad

Wednesday - Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce, Salad

Thursday - Salmon Burgers, Peas (my kids especially love this meal)

Friday - Out to eat :) to celebrate Mother's Day early!

Saturday - Fresh Grilled Sausages, Green Beans, Carrots

Sunday - Chicken, Broccoli, and Carrot Stir Fry

Snacks:
Apples & Almond Butter
Crispy Almonds & Walnuts with Raisins Snack Mix

It was a fun weekend, with lots of rich food, celebrating a graduation... donuts, Cheesecake Factory, cake pops... Mmmmm :)...

Here's to a good (and healthy) week ahead!

Menu Plan 4/25/11

Breakfasts:

Almond Banana Pancakes

Sausage (w/onion and cayenne) & Sweet Potato Hash
Fried Eggs
Fruit
Milk

Lunches:

Egg Salad over Lettuce x2

Chicken Salad #1 x2

Sherried Tomato Soup with Chicken
Fruit

Snacks:
Crispy Almonds & Walnuts with Raisins
Celery & Almond Butter

Dinners:

Monday - Cabbage Leaf Chicken Tacos

Tuesday - Homemade Salmon Burgers, Peas
Wednesday - Beanless Chili, Green Beans
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Leftovers

Weekend:

Eating with family to celebrate my little sister's graduation!  Making gluten-free cake pops! (experimenting with gf cake mix)

Sunday Brunch:

Breakfast Casserole (w/ bacon, spinach, and cheese)
Sweet Potato Homefries
Fruit Salad

Paleo-Friendly Chicken Salad

I've made 2 really good chicken salads this week, if I may say so myself.  Bear with me, I don't use measurements here.

#1 Salad

broccoli slaw mix or shredded cabbage (I used both)

chopped chicken

cooked bacon, crumbled

toasted/roasted almonds, chopped (I use crispy almonds.)

raisins

some paleo olive oil mayo (recipe found here)

some apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (I used both)

raw honey? (only if needed)

#2 Salad

apples, chopped (tossed in lemon juice)

chopped chicken

diced celery

raisins

toasted/roasted almonds, chopped

paleo olive oil mayo

Shovel them in your mouth with a fork or spoon, whichever you prefer :)

The breakdown of how to make a good, paleo-friendly chicken salad is as follows.

• The obvious: chicken, seasoned if desired, cooked and chopped.

Then, add at least:

• 1 sweet item (dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, cherries, fresh red grapes, crushed pineapple, etc.)
• 1 crunchy item (apple, celery, nuts)
• 1 savory, salty-ish item (bacon, nuts, etc.)
• 1 neutral vegetable item (cabbage, broccoli slaw, celery, carrot?, etc.) 

That last one is optional, but helps stretch the salad.

• Stir in just enough paleo olive oil mayo to coat.

As you can see, some items can count in more than one category, so you don't always need 4 ingredients plus chicken and mayo.  For example, you can make a great salad with only chicken, grapes (sweet), nuts (crunchy + savory), and mayo.

Another way to stretch the salad (since we are not eating it by way of a sandwich here) would be to serve it over lettuce.

The combinations can be as unique as you wish.  Enjoy!

The only one in our house who won't eat these salads is my 20 month old, who doesn't like the crunchiness.  He prefers his chicken smothered in guacamole :)

Menu Plan 4/18/11

So, 30 Days of Paleo should be over sometime this week, but we are going all the way until Easter... Because we are hard core.  Not really.  But sorta.

Breakfasts:

Almond Banana Pancakes

Eggs and/or Homemade Turkey Sausage (add dried onion and cayenne)

Fruit

Lunches:

Broccoli & Cabbage Slaw (with chicken, bacon, raisins, almonds, mayo)

Waldorf Salad (with chicken)

Chicken, Nuts, Fruit

Notice a theme?  It is just easy to think, "Chicken for lunch, other meat for dinner."

Taco Salad (lettuce, homemade taco meat, tomatoes, guac)

Dinners:

Monday - Hamburger Soup (with ground turkey; omit grains, add more veggies), Salad

Tuesday - Homemade Salmon Burgers, Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes

Wednesday - Salsa Verde Pork, Salad, Carrots, and Guacamole (didn't get to this last week)

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Meatballs with Sauce (new experiment) Sweet Potatoes, Salad, Peas

Saturday - Leftovers, Green Beans

Easter Sunday - Chicken Dive-in!, Salad... Our Paleo challenge is "officially" over, so I wonder if I will make a dessert? :) ...Taking suggestions for chocolate and/or peanut butter recipes that don't involve beans or grains!  Perhaps something like these?

For anyone wondering:
I don't miss bread.  Or really many baked goods, for that matter.  I do occasionally miss chocolate, homemade popcorn, pizza, and ice cream.  Oh, and a bowl of crunchy granola for breakfast.  I couldn't do this without the support of my husband.  Yay for teamwork :)  We have yet to decide the eating plan after our 30 day challenge is over.

Menu Plan 4/11/11

Last week, I made the mayonnaise recipe found here.  The stick blender came in very handy.  By itself, the mayo tasted very olive oil-y, but it was great mixed with canned salmon and in a chicken salad with apples, raisins, and crispy almonds.  I will be using the recipe again.  Here is the plan for the coming week...


Breakfasts:

Eggs

Almond Banana Pancakes

Homemade Turkey Sausage

Fruit (Bananas, Grapes, Oranges)

Milk

Lunches:

M-T - Chopped Chicken Salad

W-Th - Grilled Chicken Salad
F - Sa - Chicken Tortilla Soup (my own version)
Su - Leftovers

Dinners:

Monday - Tuna & Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes, Green Beans
Tuesday - Paleo Salisbury Steak, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans
Wednesday - Paleo Lasagna with Zucchini and Spinach (my own creation), Salad
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Homemade Salmon Burgers, Peas, Baked Apples
Saturday - Salsa Verde Pork, Carrots and Guacamole, Salad
Sunday - Leftovers

Snacks:Apples & Almond Butter, Crispy Nuts and Raisins

Non-Paleo, but Grain-free Dessert for Bible Study:

Black Bean Brownies (I promised my husband I am not going to taste any... this is going to be torture!)

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

No, this is not Paleo.  No, I have not made it.  No, I have not eaten it.

But, I have a thing for rhubarb, and I SOOOO want to make this Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.  I have rhubarb in the freezer right now...

Anyone want me to make it for them?????

Menu Plan 4/4/11

I think I'm a little more comfortable with the prep and cooking this week, so I'll go back to my regular format...  Sticking with normal stuff I know we like, just omitting the grains, legumes, sugar, and cheese and adding in more veggies.

Breakfasts:

Paleo Pancakes

Spinach Oven Omelet (haven't tried it, yet)

Scrambled or Fried Eggs

Chicken-Apple Sausages

Fruit (pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, apples, or bananas)

Lunches:

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Chicken, Almonds, Grapes x2
Grilled Chicken Salad x2

Taco Salad x2

Fruit & Nuts or Carrots & Guacamole on the side

Dinners:

Monday - Veggie-packed Shepherd's Pie (no starches or dairy)

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Meatballs (going to experiment) and Roasted Vegetables

Thursday - Nitrate-free Hot Dogs and Green Beans (no buns)

Friday - Homemade Salmon Burgers and Peas (no buns)

Saturday - Chicken Stir Fry with Broccoli

Sunday - Leftovers

Salads one the side with dinner, too.  Olive oil & balsamic vinegar for dressing.

I might try to make some homemade mayo for the first time this week.  As soon as we get some more farm fresh eggs.  My husband and I both think the Costco eggs are watery and tasteless.  And homemade mayo contains raw egg, which I feel safest doing with a farm fresh one, not a factory one.

I've thought for a while that eating this way (Paleo-style) is probably good for you, but I never really wanted to do it until after I read Rob's book.  So, if you are intrigued, I'd encourage you to read the book, too, and see what you think. 

Menu Plan 3/28/11

OK, here is my creative menu plan.  Or uncreative, depending how you see it.  It is a lot harder to come up with these grain, dairy, and legume free meals, but I am getting better... I am more excited about the menu this week.

Breakfasts:
Spinach Oven Omelet (no cheese or cooked milk)

Eggs (with nitrate-free bacon or sausage, bell peppers, and/or sun-dried tomatoes)

Paleo Pancakes
Fruit

Lunches and Dinners:

Monday - 

Chopped Chicken Salad

Beef Burgers, Green Beans

Tuesday - 

Salmon Burgers, Peas & Carrots

Pork Loin & Roasted Veggies

Wednesday -

Chopped Chicken Salad

Leftovers

Thursday - 

Taco Salad (use chimichanga filling minus the sour cream)

Turkeyburger Soup

Friday - 

Turkeyburger Soup

Nitrate-free Hot Dogs & Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday - 

Meaty Sauce over Spaghetti Squash

Crock-pot Sticky Chicken, Broccoli

Sunday - 

Meaty Sauce over Spaghetti Squash

Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Sides:
Real Milk

Pineapple

Cantaloupe

Strawberries

Oranges

Bananas
Carrots & Guacamole

Apples & Almond Butter

Crispy Almonds

Fruit and Nut Snack Mix

Happy eating, everyone!

Menu Plan 3/7/11

Last week, we enjoyed some orange juliuses for a fun snack one day.  It had been awhile since I'd had one of those.

Here's the meal plan for this coming week...

Breakfasts:
Baked Soaked Oatmeal
Granola with Blueberries and Milk
Eggs and Toast

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
String Cheese
Crispy Almonds
Carrots and Ranch (double the spices)
Apples

Dinners:
Monday - Cheeseburger Macaroni, Broccoli
Tuesday - Waffles (new recipe experiment) with Syrup
Wednesday - Black Bean Burritos, Lime Rice, Fruit
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Tuna Cheesies, Sauteed Vegetables
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Gourmet Garlic Chicken Pizza

Menu Plan 2/28/11

Last week I went to Costco (not a big shopping) and Super-Target twice (diapers, clementines, peanut butter, hair products, etc.) so our monthly total is about $355.  That leaves enough money for our monthly grass-fed beef order, and some to put towards our coconut oil.  Not quite my goal (I wanted to have the full amount for our coconut oil) but not bad.  I ended up spending more on diapers than I had planned because I bought a $20 box at Target since they come out to about 13-14 cents a diaper that way.  It is a box of 144 so hopefully I can stretch that through April since we use cloth at home.  I think I will be doing some major food shopping early this week for the first half of March.

Breakfasts:
Baked Soaked Oatmeal
Cranberry Vanilla Muffins
Eggs & English Muffins

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
String Cheese
Mini Sweet Peppers (in a bag from Costco, these are amazing)
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Chinese Chicken Salad (going to experiment on some msg-free dressing)
Wednesday - Cheese Tortellini Soup & Toasted Pesto Chicken Sandwiches on Ciabatta Bread
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Beef & Bean Soft Tacos, Creamy Crockpot Corn (have to make a batch of this anyways...)
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Homemade Pizza (PW's crust)

It has really been helping me these past few weeks to be almost out of sugar and butter!  When I can't make baked goods, I can't eat them :)  I found a fruit and nut mix at Costco that we really like - kind of like Larabars, but not in a bar.  So that has been a good, crunchy snack.

Have a great week!

This Week

I got my hair cut today... it was overdue!  I should change my profile picture... because I have been growing it out for a year and so it looks much different now, even with the recent trim.

We are loving these oven potatoes.  Sometimes I cook them longer than called for, though.  The leftovers (if there are any!) are excellent warmed up in the skillet with eggs the next day for breakfast.  They get a little crispy that way :)

This idea for a fair way of trading babysitting is brilliant!  Why haven't I thought of this before?  Except sometimes once the kids are in bed, it is easier and just as nice to stay home and relax together... but of course it would be good and fun to be scheduled to "go out" together, too...

I want to try these Sundried Tomato and Sausage Egg Cupcakes.  A protein-rich, grain-free breakfast that can be premade for "grab 'n' go"!

This unmessy sandpaper craft looks cool.

OK, gotta go!

Tuesday Brain Dump

I am the meanest mom.  I just put all my daughter's toys on top of the fridge indefinitely.  Long story short - she was NOT a "big girl" today.

I made this gourmet garlic chicken pizza (a Papa Murphy's copycat recipe) on Sunday night because we had already eaten everything on the menu plan and I didn't want regular pizza.  Fortunately, I had the makings for ranch dressing (double the spices) as well as sundried tomatoes (subbed for fresh) in the fridge, and the cooked chicken, chopped green onion, and mozzarella were in the freezer.  It hit the spot.  I loved it and am already looking forward to making it again.  I used up all our jarred garlic on the potatoes last night, though, so I need to get some more.  I don't know if garlic powder would cut it.

I am trying not to make desserts that hang around the house.  Like right now, I have the munchies, but I am going to go get a glass of real milk instead... We'll see how well that goes.

I have not tried these, but this seems like an AWESOME price for new cloth diapers.  Amanda likes them.  I kind of wish I needed to order some more cloth diapers... makes me a little sad :(

I just realized that all these "paragraphs" start with "I".  Oh well, it is my brain dump session after all.  And I guess I didn't have as much to say as I thought... So... so long for now.

Menu Plan 2/14/11

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day :)

I made cinnamon rolls on Saturday for a Valentine treat since this Monday is a typical weekday schedule, no lazy morning.

No crazy rants this week (hopefully).

Breakfasts:
Eggs and Cinnamon Raisin Toast
Homemade Granola with Milk
Smoothies

Lunches:
Leftovers or PB&J Sandwiches
Carrots
Yogurt
Apples

Dinners:
Monday - Sliders, Oven Fries
Tuesday - Beef, Bean, & Brown Rice Burritoes
Wednesday - Spinach Stuffed Shells, Broccoli
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Nitrate-free Hot Dogs, Peas, Potatoes
Saturday - French Toast - I love this from when I was a kid and haven't made it in forever.
Sunday - Homemade Italian Sausage Pizza