Menu Plan Monday

Good morning, everyone! We are experiencing (literally) the calm AFTER the storm. Boston was spared much damage from Hurricane Irene yesterday, instead merely getting quite a bit of rain and a little wind. I am so thankful that our area was relatively unaffected. I encourage you to say a prayer/send positive thoughts to those who didn't fare so well- especially where there is flooding. Our friends in Western MA have had really bad weather luck this year, with tornadoes just a few weeks ago and now much flooding. (Sidenote: did you catch this? So funny!)

On to our menu for this week. I'd like to start by saying that you might have noticed that we're mainly eating vegetarian lately- I'm really glad to be back to healthy and conscious eating. Now that the heat has died down (fingers crossed!), we'll be back in the kitchen with tons of healthy and affordable recipes to share! 

(Quickie Chana Masala)

Breakfast:

• McCann's Irish Oatmeal, fresh fruit
• Kashi Go Lean with coconut milk
• Homemade wheat toast with Sunbutter and banana

Lunch:

• Microwaved sweet potato with toppings (black beans + salsa, steamed veggies)
• Lentil and sweet potato spinach salad 
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Dinners:

• Mushroom and sausage ragu over polenta (sub Gimme Lean "Sausage")
• Black bean and sweet potato quesadillas with homemade guacamole
• Chickpea tacos with pico de gallo (cook chickpeas with taco seasonings and mash slightly)
• Smoky black bean soup

• No-bake veggie lasagna (from my What I Love Wednesday post!)

What are you cooking up this week? Spill the beans (teehee) in the comments and link to your Menu Plan so that we can steal your great ideas ;) As always, linking up with Orgjunkie.com and Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday!

Good morning friends! Can you even believe that August is nearly over?! I most definitely cant- although waking up to low 60's this morning certainly helped me to be happy about the fall weather that's just around the corner! I am thankful for the gorgeous and warm weekend- we headed up to York, Maine to celebrate my "little" brother's 19th birthday! 

Here is what we have on the menu this week:


Breakfasts: 

• Steel cut oats (I started using the McCann's oats in a box- 3 minutes to cook!), with fruit and peanut butter
• Smoothies (although only at work- our blender broke!)
• Cereal/yogurt

Lunches:

• Lemon Pesto Pasta Salad (Make ahead)
• Chickpea Quinoa Salad (Make ahead)
• Baked sweet potato with veggies (for me!)

Dinners:

• Thai red curry and basmati rice

• Lasagna rollatini with sauteed zucchini
• Black bean and sweet potato quesadillas
• Whole wheat pizza with whatever toppings we have- I ususally put goat cheese and lots of veggies!
• Mexican Polenta Casserole

What are you most looking forward to whipping up this week? Let us know and link to your menu so we can visit!!!
As always, linked up with Orgjunkie.com- go check out the copious menu plans that are posted there weekly!!! 

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy drizzly Monday, friends! How was your weekend? Ours was pretty terriffic! Lots of friends, food and family- just the way we like it. Here's what we're cooking up this week: 

Breakfasts: 

• Steel cut oats (I started using the McCann's oats in a box- 3 minutes to cook!), with fruit and peanut butter
• Smoothies (although only at work- our blender broke!)
• Cereal/yogurt

Lunches:

• Mike's been wanting pasta salad, so I'm making a big batch (the dressing kind, not the mayo kind)
• Leftovers
• Baked sweet potato with veggies (for me!)

Dinners:

• Pulled pork carnitas for tacos with pico de gallo
• Chicken, broccoli and ziti with salad
• Lasagna rollatini with sauteed zucchini
• Black bean and sweet potato quesadillas
• Whole wheat pizza with whatever toppings we have- I ususally put goat cheese and lots of veggies!
• Greek salads (Mike will have his with chicken)

What are you making this week? Spill the beans- we love new ideas! As always, linked up with Orgjunkie.com- go check out the copious menu plans that are posted there weekly!!! 

Menu Plan Monday

Good morning friends! Sorry for the little hiatus- last week was chock full and, unfortuantely, the blog was the piece of the puzzle to get dropped. We have lots of awesome things on the schedule, though, so stay tuned! In the mean time, here's what we're cooking this week!!

Breakfasts: 

• Steel cut oats sweetened with a little bit of pure maple
• Whole wheat english muffin, toasted with some peanut butter + fruit salad

Lunches: 

• Sandwiches and leftovers for Mike, since he's in the office this week. 
• Quesadilla with mashed sweet potato and black beans. (Recipe this week!) 
• Low-carb wrap (I like Cedar's brand) with hummus and tons of veggies

Dinners:

Monday- Shepherd's pie with mashed sweet potato

Tuesday- Enchiladas with veggies, chicken and black beans

Wednesday- Slow cooker carnitas- pico de gallo and guacamole

Thursday- Calzones with whole wheat dough, pesto and chicken. Homemade marinara to dip!

Friday- Veggie burgers (we're obsessed with the Vegetable Masala ones from Trader Joe's) and salad

Saturday- leftovers

Sunday- Salad wraps (veggies + lettuce + chickpeas + hummus + tabouli for me, plus chicken for Mike)

Linking up with Orgjunkie.com and Menu Plan Monday! Head on over there for lots of great menu plans!!

Menu Plan Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was s-t-e-a-m-y! It's been consistently in the 90's for the past week or so! Phew- looking forward to seeing the mercury drop a little bit, that's for sure! Here's what we have on the menu this week:

Breakfasts: 

• Steel cut oats sweetened with a little bit of pure maple
• Whole wheat english muffin, toasted with some peanut butter + fruit salad

Lunches: (same as last week, but they definitely worked well and kept me full and happy)

• Baked sweet potato with black beans and fresh pico de gallo.
• Dr. McDougalls soups (the tortilla is my favorite!)- they're cheap, too. 
• Low-carb wrap (I like Cedar's brand) with hummus and tons of veggies

Dinners:

Monday- Green salad with chicken (for Mike) and chickpeas (for me!)

Tuesday- Grilled whole wheat pizza with veggies and sugar-free BBQ sauce (plus cheese for Mike)

Wednesday- Slow cooker barley risotto with a big green salad

Thursday- Taco Thursday! Black bean for me, chicken for Mike

Friday- Whole wheat angel hair pasta tossed with veggies and herbs 

Saturday- leftovers

Sunday- Salad wraps (veggies + lettuce + chickpeas + hummus + tabouli for me, plus chicken for Mike)

Linking up with Orgjunkie.com and Menu Plan Monday! Head on over there for lots of great menu plans!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Monday, friends! I'm back to work after a lovely 2 weeks vacation! How was your weekend? We are enjoying some gorgeous weather here in Boston, so we look advantage and spent as much time outside as possible. Love!

I want to talk with you about our menu this week. You might have noticed that we're posting quite a few vegetarian meals...well it's because we're going without meat for the month of July. I'm actually trying to follow the Dr. McDougall plan of eating as much as possible- meat free, dairy free and oil free. Now, I'm still using oil to cook, but I'm trying to more aware of how much I use. I switched out half and half for unsweetened almond milk. I'm still going to have a little bit of cheese, but not ever day. So far, so good- but what in the heck are we eating???

Breakfasts: 

• Fruit smoothies with whey powder
• Steel cut oats sweetened with a little bit of pure maple

Lunches:

• Baked sweet potato with black beans and fresh pico de gallo (mmmm)
• Dr. McDougalls soups (the tortilla is my favorite!)- they're cheap, too. 
• Low-carb wrap (I like Cedar's brand) with hummus and tons of veggies

Dinners:

Monday- Black bean tacos with fresh pico de gallo 

Tuesday- Trader Joe's veggie burgers, quinoa garden salad

Wednesday- Vegetarian stuffed peppers

Thursday- Whole wheat pasta, spinach, zucchini, marinara sauce

Friday- Whole wheat quesadillas- mashed sweet potato, black bean, pico de gallo

Saturday- leftovers

Sunday- Grilled sandwiches (roasted red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, some pepper jack cheese on sprouted grain bread)

Linking up with Orgjunkie.com and Menu Plan Monday! Head on over there for lots of great menu plans!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Monday, y'all! How was your weekend?? We visited with family, celebrated my gorgeous mom's birthday and enjoyed the sunshine. 

Happy birthday, Mom!

Here's what we have on tap for this week's menu! As always, we're linking up with Menu Plan Monday over at the ever-fab Orgjunkie.com. Go check out the menu planning awesomeness!

Monday: Whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce and veggies (we'll use summer squash, mushrooms and zucchini). 

Tuesday: My birthday!! Out to eat- probably Mexican..

Wednesday: Chana masala, slow cooker dhal makhni, Trader Joe's naan

Thursday: Chipotle bean enchiladas, brown rice

Friday: Grilled veggie pizza with homemade bbq sauce, salad

Breakfasts: 

• McCann's Irish oatmeal with almond milk and blueberries
• Whole wheat pancakes with blueberries (mmm)
• Whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and banana
• Fruit smoothie with greens and protein powder

Lunches:

• Microwave sweet potato with black beans and pico de gallo
• Whole wheat wraps- turkey and tuna for Mike, hummus and veggie for Ally
• Veggie burger wraps (we have been eating the Trader Joe's veggie burgers- yum!)

Snacks:

• Cut up carrots and cucumbers, Annie's Cow Girl Ranch
• Homemade trail mix
• Homemade granola bars
• Fruit salad

What are you cooking this week? Leave us a link to your menu so we can check it out! Have a great week!!!!

Menu Plan Monday (On Tuesday)

Hey there! Happy Memorial Day! We had a little 4 day weekend, in which Mike went out of town for a bachelor party and I stayed home to garden, cook and paint furniture. Woooo. You know you're a blogger when your reaction to your hubs skipping town is "YEAH! Now I can paint that desk". Oh, and it was gorgeous so I hung out here for a bit:

Anyway, here's our menu for the week. I'm leaving off Monday because...all we ate for dinner were chips and fresh pico de gallo. Which is not a bad thing. Yum. 


Tuesday: Slow cooker pulled pork, garlic green beans, sweet potato fries 
Wednesday: Grilled chicken fajitas, black bean salad
Thursday: Balsamic-honey pork chops, roasted broccoli, whole wheat couscous salad

Friday: Grilled pizza, tomato and avocado salad


Breakfasts: 
Steel cut oatmeal with peanut butter and banana

• Trader Joe's vanilla nonfat yogurt, fruit, spinach and protein powder smoothie
• Whole wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter and banana
• Scrambled eggs with tomato, avocado and jalapeño

Lunches: 

• Grilled burger and salad
• Low-carb wraps with turkey, veggies and hummus
• Green salad with grilled chicken breast and veggies (leftover from fajitas)
• Black bean salad with turkey breast and cheese on bagel thin (I love these things!!)

Did you cook out on Memorial Day? Picnic? What'd you make?? Spill the details in our comment section! Have a great week!


Linking up (as always!) with OrgJunkie.com Menu Plan Monday!!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy MPM, everyone! We had a super great weekend- lots of enjoying the gorgeous weather. Alas, we're back to overcast and drizzle this morning. I'm definitely getting my money's worth out of these guys:

Here is what we have on the menu for this coming week: 

Monday- Turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes + cauliflower, garlic spinach
Tuesday-Roasted pork tenderloin, barley risotto with squash
Wednesday-Grilled chicken, baked sweet potato, roasted broccoli
Thursday-Slow cooker pork tacos, pico de gallo, black beans
Friday-Turkey shepherd's pie (already in the freezer!)
Saturday- Leftovers
Sunday- Roasted chicken, carrots and brussels sprouts


A tip for the week is to look for sales on family packs of whatever meat you like to eat. We found a great price (about $5 for 3 lbs!) on boneless pork chops and were able to freeze three portions. 


As always, we're linking up with OrgJunkie.com- check out Menu Plan Monday for tons and tons of fabulous menu ideas. You won't be sorry!!!

What are you cooking this week? We love hearing about your menus- leave us a comment and let us know!!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Howdy! Hope you all had an awesome weekend- and happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! We had an awesome day yesterday celebrating out Moms- we had the whole family over (minus our Dads, oddly enough) and cooked up a big lunch for everyone. We enjoyed the good weather by taking a walk over to Piers Park, a local park right on the Boston Harbor. It's where we got out engagement pictures taken. Gorgeousness! 

So onto the menu planning! I realized that after grocery shopping for food to make Mother's Day lunch, I completely overlooked actually buying what we need for the week! Back to the store I go. Sad, sad me. 


We're linking up with the fab Orgjunkie.com- go check out the oodles of inspiration over at the MPM link up! You won't be sorry. Unless you're hungry. Then you probably will be. 

Monday: Whole wheat pizza crust, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, onions and goat cheese. Mmm

Tuesday: Turkey meatloaf, mashed cauliflower, arugula salad with apples and feta

Wednesday: Veggie enchiladas

Thursday: Slow cooker garlic pork, barley risotto, roasted broccoli

Friday: Out of town! No cooking dinner for us! 

Menu Plan Monday!

Good morning! First things first...

This is our life. Also: what I wish I was snuggling with right now. Anyway. 

Happy Monday! Here's what we've got cookin' this week:

Monday: Cilantro crusted cod, whole wheat couscous and summer squash 

Tuesday: Mike's Shepherd's Pie

Wednesday: Greek Salad with chicken

Thursday: Happy Cinco de Mayo!- Pork tenderloin tacos 

Friday: French onion soup and arugula salad

I don't know about you, but I'm REALLY looking forward to dinner this week! Oh, and so is this guy: 

Linked up, as always, with Orgjunkie!

Menu Plan Monday! (On Tuesday!)

Hi again! We ended up with a terrifically busy Monday and I completely forgot to share with you our weekly menu! Luckily for you, Orgjunkie has tons of menus ready to go for your browsing pleasure. Hop on over there to see what goodies are waiting to inspire you! 

orgjunkie.com

Monday: Dinner out- whoops!


Tuesday: Grilled chicken breast, sauteed zucchini and quinoa


Wednesday: Whole wheat spaghetti, marinara, spinach and mushrooms 


Thursday: Turkey burgers with no bun, salad 


Friday: Baked cod with lemon, carrot-brown rice risotto, spinach

What are you cooking this week, menu planners? Are you doing any freezer cooking? Craving springy veggies and fruit? 

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Monday!! It's bright and beautiful in Boston- a perfect day for the Boston Marathon! Since I'm home from work today, I'm planning a little marathon of my own- getting some cooking and cleaning done while it's nice enough to have the windows flung open. Then, outside for some gardening! Ahh I love days off! 

So, as always, I'm linking up to Orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday. Go check it out- lots of awesome recipes and menu planning goodness! 

My goal for this week's menu is to use up the stuff that's hanging around in our freezer. Lots of veggies and a few random frozen goodies. Should be a good challenge! Here goes: 


Monday: Fish tacos (using some frozen cod), cabbage slaw and guacamole


Tuesday: Grilled chicken breast, garlic asparagus and some brown rice


Wednesday: Slow cooker chicken soup 


Thursday: BBQ chicken on the grill, sauteed spinach, whole wheat couscous


Friday: Whole wheat pizza with leftover chicken and veggies


That's it for us! Hopefully it will use up all of the yumminess hanging out  in our freezer. Then we can head out West (Western MA) to pick up an order of locally grown meat! What are you cookin' this week, good lookin'? 

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Monday! We are feeling refreshed after a wonderful weekend full of sunshine. Very productive, but lots of time to relax. How was your weekend?

We are, of course, linking up with the fabulous Orgjunkie.com for Menu Plan Monday! Head over there for lots of menu inspiration!!!

Monday: Roasted pork tenderloin, black bean and tomato quinoa


Tuesday: Tilapia fish tacos, cabbage slaw (to use up some tilapia and tacos in our freezer)


Wednesday: Slow cooker chicken lettuce wraps


Thursday: Chicken salad with cranberries, feta cheese and homemade balsamic vinaigrette


Friday: Slow cooker chicken fajitas, pico de gallo and guacamole


So, friends- what's on your menu! Drop us a line if you're visiting from Orgjunkie's MPM and let us know which is your blog! Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday!

Good morning! Hope that you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did! We're definitely ready to meet this week head-on, and that includes starting off with another exciting installation of Menu Plan Monday! 

A certain feline member of our family enjoying the sunshine!!

As always, we're linking up with the fabulous Orgjunkie.com, so head on over and check out all of the menu plans that are being posted. Tons and tons of awesome menu-planning inspiration!

Monday: Cottage pie (from our meal swap), asparagus with lemon zest


Tuesday: Out for dinner with family


Wednesday: Pork green chili, rice and beans (from our meal swap)


Thursday: Slow Cooker pot roast, roasted garlic broccoli


Friday: Dijon chicken breasts, quinoa with veggies


That's it for us! What are you planning for this lovely first week of April? Anything springy popping up on your menus??orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday!

Happy Monday, everyone! We're back atcha with another Menu Plan Monday- this time, a little different. We're going to skip the grocery shopping this week and focus on a major pantry cleanout in preparation for the spring! And, as always, we're linking up with the fabulous Orgjunkie's MPM! Go check out the zillions of awesomely inspiring menus!

Monday: Cumin spiced chickpea salad with quinoa

Tuesday: Vegetable lasagna from February's dinner co-op and a salad

Wednesday: Chana masala, basmati rice and slow cooker lentils

Thursday: Slow cooker minestrone soup (half for the freezer)

Friday: Black bean tacos with feta and slaw

What's cookin' in your kitchen this week? Do tell! 

Menu Plan Monday!

Hi All- We're back with another edition of Menu Plan Monday. As always, we're linking up with our friends at Orgjunkie.com! Go check them out to find all sorts of menu planning awesomeness. 

Monday: Pork tenderloin with mushroom gravy (we're not going to stuff it), whole wheat couscous, roasted broccoli


Tuesday: Feta-spinach stuffed chicken breast, brown rice and green peas (frozen from Trader Joe's)


Wednesday: St. Patrick's Eve dinner party! Corned beef (in the slow cooker!), and cabbage, shepherd's pie and Guinness chocolate cupcakes with Bailey's frosting.  

Thursday: Slow cooker BBQ chicken (we have drumsticks and thighs in the freezer), sweet potato fries

Friday: Leftovers 


Saturday: Slow cooker Minestrone soup, homemade whole wheat bread (try this- it's amazing!)

                    This is a stack of recipes I've cut out of magazines and need to file!


What are you cooking this week?? Any springy recipes? We're dying for some fresh produce from the farmer's market! Mmmm pea shoots.