Dinner Meal Plan April 25th - April 30th

I am excited to try out a new salad dressing today... inspired by a Sunset Magazine (surprise) recipe and a friend... while we were discussing salad dressings, and how we get sick of them so quickly...
Here is the recipe that I'll test out on my lunch salads this week. This would also make a great topping on tortilla sandwiches.
Creamy Cucumber-Avocado Salad Dressing
Have a great week, friends!

Sunday: Broccoli rape sauteed with garlic and olive oil, over linguine. Sprinkle with parm cheese to serve

Monday: Vegetable Stir fry with brown rice

Tuesday: Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing
For added protein, throw a can of cannellini beans into the spinach mixture.

Wenesday: Giada's Lentil Soup

Thursday: Leftover soup and salad

Friday: Pizza night!

Meal Plan April 18th- April 23rd

Sunday: Today will be a great day to make smoothies for the kids' afternoon snack. I've tried so many smoothie recipes and as long as there is a banana and some fresh squeezed orange juice, it's great. Delicious organic strawberries from the farm will add the perfect sweetness today. And, I always put a few tablespoons of flax seed meal, as well as a handful of any type of raw greens, to add some extra fiber. The kids gladly help putting these things into the blender, and surprisingly have no objections! That's amazing for my kids!

This dinner recipe that I'm trying out tonight was sent to me from a good friend, Deirdre. Thanks so much, I love this collaboration!! This recipe looks great! I am going to add potatoes to the recipe, since we received a batch from the farm this week. (I also added cooked spaghetti to the soup- it was delicious!)
Thai Coconut Soup

Monday: Mixed greens salad with cannellini beans, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches

Tuesday: Vegetarian Reubens with Russian Dressing
with sweet potatoe fries (on baking sheet slice sweet potatoes, coat with olive oil drizzed on top, add sea salt and pepper, bake for at 400, for about 30-40 min)

Wednesday: BBQ with friends from out of town: Pasta with Cilantro Pesto, Grilled sausage and bbq chicken, Salad

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Pizza night! (Homemade pizza with leftover veges)

Meal Plan April 11- April 16

A week of holiday eating with family in town. Back to healthy eating this week, thank goodness!!
Keep in mind with my meal plan, that my husband and I eat salad for lunch about 3 days/week. We also don't count calories on salad dressing... we love the good stuff, and usually add dried cranberries, feta cheese and nuts as well.

Sunday: Spicy Greens and Red Lentil Soup and salad
This soup is delicious- give it a try! We also added cooked elbow pasta to the soup, to make a more hearty meal.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup dried, red lentils
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
6 cups vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
1/8 tsp salt
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds spicy greens (I used a mix of arugula and spinach — if you can find some mustard greens, those would work great too)
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 medium tomato, diced
lemon wedges

Sort the lentils — there may be tiny little non-lentils or pebbles in with the bunch. Place in a bowl and add cool water, stir with your fingers and pour out the starchy water. Repeat a few times.

Add the onions and carrots to a large stock pot with the olive oil. Sauté until soft and slightly golden in color.
Meanwhile, place drained lentils in another pan (I know — two pans — sorry!) and stir over medium heat until they are fairly dry. Sprinkle the cinnamon and cumin on the lentils and continue to roast for about five minutes. The lentils and spices will smell really good!

Carefully add water, garlic, chili flakes and salt to the carrots & onions, then add the roasted lentils and spices. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Wash greens and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces.

After the 20 minutes of simmering is up, stir in soy sauce, wine and tomato. Pile washed greens on top of soup and cover with a lid, cooking five more minutes. After cooking time stir wilted greens into soup and serve very hot with the lemon wedges.


Monday: Vegetable Stir Fry with Basmati rice or multi grain rice

Saute onion and garlic in 2 Tablespoons canola oil or sesame oil (or combination of the oils), first. Add other vegetables until cooked but still crisp. Last, add greens on top, and cover to wilt. Vegetable from this week's box incude, but not limited to:
Onion, Broccoli, Carrots, spinach leaves or other greens.
•1/2 cup of frozen edamame: peeled is easier
•Also add pinch of sea salt (optional)

Tuesday: Pasta with broccoli rape Boil brocccoli rape (cut into bitesize pieces prior to sauteing with olive oil and garlic. Put greens over pasta.

Wednesday: Grilled Asparagus and Salmon (Could also be baked/broiled)

Thursday: Leftover soup with salad

Friday: Pizza Night Homemade pizza with any leftover vegetables