Meal Planning

One of my favorite things about Sunday afternoons is when I have the time to sit down and create a meal plan for the week. I make a shopping list as I go, and when I'm done I rewrite the list and organize it according to area of the grocery store. I pick up everything I need for meals and when I get home I try to clean out the fridge, wash the produce like fruit that we might snack on, and even cut up some of the veggies to make meals easier later in the week.

I love to cook but working full-time and trying to make it to after-work commitments like exercising, volunteering, or happy hour with friends leaves about zero time to go to the store on the day of. Making the meal plan in advance also gives me a chance to think about what we have going on the next week and just kind of get prepared for the week. When I travel it throws off my Sunday and we end up scrounging around in the pantry and eating out all week.

Next weekend the Farmer's Market opens and I'm planning to go down every Saturday morning possible... this will change up my Sunday schedule but my plan is to shop for farm-fresh veggies and organic meat at the market and fill in the holes and plan the menus on Sunday.

So that's my philosophy on managing my kitchen! We always get the basics: coffee, milk, eggs, cereal, sandwich bread, peanut or almond butter, and Bonne Mamam strawberry preserves. I like to keep Amy's Organic Kitchen soups in the pantry, too. Those things get us through a LOT of unplanned hunger strikes!

Here was the menu from this week.

Monday:Indian-Spiced Broiled Wild Salmon (Cooking Light)
Indian-Spiced Okra (Cooking Light)
Whole wheat couscous with slivered almonds, olive oil, and parsley


Tuesday:Parmesan and Eggplant Souffle (Cooking Light)

Wednesday:
Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak (Cooking Light)
Sauteed red bell peppers, red onions, and yellow squash
Whole wheat soba noodles with sesame oil and soy sauceThursday:
We both ate Mexican food out with friends

Friday:
Mudbug Madness downtown at Festival Plaza!
Saturday:
We went blackberry picking in the morning and also picked up some freshly picked squash, zucchini, and tomatoes at the farm. Dinner was AWESOME!
Grilled chicken with Apple BBQ Sauce (locally made, picked up at the farmers market last year)
Grilled tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar
Sauteed squash and zucchini with fresh basil and oregano topped with fresh grated parmesan
Blackberry crisp (Earthbound Farms cookbook)

We're about to get on the road to Sulphur Springs, TX to meet up with our newly married friends S&J. Hope you are all having a fantastic Memorial Day weekend!