Real Food Menu for Week of 7.13.2020

July 13, 2020Foodavocado coconut and sweet potato brownies, bowl of doom, convert kale salad, Double Dark Chocolate Brownies, grilled peach quinoa salad, homemade balsamic vinaigrette, marinated 3 bean salad, middle eastern chicken kebabs, PBJ overnight oats, tahini dressingarthurized Leave a comment

Since I’ve been on the Mediterranean diet, I’ve been in a bit of a fruit and nuts rut where snacks are concerned. I’ve recently found za’atar spice, and this one is a game-changer! I want to sprinkle this Middle Eastern seasoning onto nearly everything. Delicious on fish and chicken, it would be equally at home in place of Italian seasoning in salads and savory side dishes. (Say that three times fast!) I found za’atar locally at Kroger. See how we’re seasoning and snacking with it below.

Breakfast:
PBJ Overnight Oats – An old standby, and perfect for hot (already!) summer mornings.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-pb-j-overnight-oats/

Lunch:
Convert Kale Salad – We mixed up a double batch of this favorite salad for Mark to enjoy at lunch. It’s been so hot here that a cool plate of salad and a sliver of watermelon are all he really wants mid-day.
http://belated-bloomer.blogspot.com/

Dinner:

Marinated Three Bean Salad – New Recipe! – Here’s a Mediterranean twist on the traditional three bean salad. If the dressing is too tart for your liking, add a touch of honey. Just a teaspoon should do.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/marinated-3-bean-salad/

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs – Oh my word! Sprinkle some za’atar on these babies! When we’re cooking for a crowd, we use bamboo skewers, but when it’s just the two of us, we use stainless.
https://mythreeseasons.com/middle-eastern-chicken-kebabs/
Basic Tahini Sauce
https://mythreeseasons.com/tahini-dressing/

Grilled Peach Quinoa Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette – New Recipe! The unusual flavor combos in this dish surprised us. I never would have paired peaches and kalamata olives together, but it works beautifully! Make a little extra dressing; it might just become a new favorite.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/healthy-grilled-peach-quinoa-salad/

Bowl of Doom – The name sounds ominous, but this dish is filled with all good things. Use whatever ground meat you have on hand, or go meatless for a vegetarian option. Packed with protein, it’s delicious any time of the day.
https://thedefineddish.com/bowl-of-doom-sweet-potato-and-bison-breakfast-hash/

Snacks:
Watermelon, Cucumber slices with hummus, Za’atar Snack – New! Take dipping bread in olive oil one step further with this flavorful snack. There’s no real recipe here, just dip crusty bread in good olive oil and then lightly dip in za’atar spice and eat.

Treat:
Avocado, Coconut and Sweet Potato Brownies – New Recipe – This one is a bit of a swing and a miss, but I thought I would share it anyway. While the flavor was good, the texture was just a bit…off. These remind me of that time I made a batch of fudge that just never quite set up. YMMV.
https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/delicious-avocado-coconut-sweet-potato-brownies/

If you’re looking for something closer to a conventional brownie, give these a whirl:

Double Dark Chocolate Brownies: We like Lily’s chocolate chips in this recipe. They’re becoming easier to find now, even Walmart carries them in the baking aisle.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-double-dark-chocolate-brownies/

Have a great week, everyone!

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Real Food Menu for Week of 7.6.2020

July 6, 2020Foodbroccoli and red cabbage salad with tangy peanut butter dressing, cherry tomato and white bean salad, convert kale salad, Fresh Corn Salad, hawaiian pineapple chicken, homemade trail mix, lemony avocado and tomato tuna salad, skinny chocolate fruit dip, stuffed bell peppers, sunset beach north carolinaarthurized Leave a comment

I took a little blogging break to visit with my family and the sea. To enjoy views like this…

…and this:

And find treasure like this:

It’s hotter than blue blazes in Virginia, and will be for the foreseeable future, so I’m officially declaring it Salad Week! Refreshing salads and prep ahead dinners are the order of the day.

Today’s menu is a bit of a departure from our usual breakfast/lunch/dinner format, but I hope you’ll forgive me. I’m still intermittent fasting until late afternoon, and Mark has been just as happy to have oatmeal and raisins for breakfast and leftovers for lunch.

Here’s our weekly nosh:

Convert Kale Salad – We’ve made this salad regularly for three years (Yep. I checked!) and haven’t tired of it yet. Prepare it the night before to give the dressing time to work it’s magic by softening the kale.
http://belated-bloomer.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-little-wrap-up-of-these-finals-days.html

Cherry Tomato and White Bean Salad – Such a simple but flavorful dish. On these hot nights, I’m just as happy with a cool, bean salad as I would be with a meat and three. As an added bonus, this salad goes together in minutes.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/cherry-tomato-white-bean-salad/

Lemony Cucumber and Tomato Tuna Salad – A perennial favorite. We sub English cucumbers for the avocado.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/eat-clean-lemony-avocado-tuna-salad/

Stuffed Bell Peppers – Because I’m no longer doing keto, I add a little pre-cooked brown rice to the filling. These freeze well, so make a few extra to keep on hand for one of those too-busy-to-cook evenings.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/stuffed-peppers-with-ground-beef-and-cheese

Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken – I like to prep the fruit and veggies ahead of time. Served with brown rice, this one is a crowd pleaser!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/sheet-pan-hawaiian-chicken-clean-eating/

Fresh Corn Salad

Servings: 8 servings
Time: 15-20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

This gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian salad is perfect for your summer cookouts. The dressing is simple, tangy and light.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh white corn (or frozen, thawed – approximately 24 oz.)
2 medium slicer tomatoes, chopped
1 large English cucumber, chopped
½ of one green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients.
Place the dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Cover, and shake vigorously to combine.
Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss to coat. Serve.

http://www.arthurizedhome.com

Broccoli and Red Cabbage Salad with Tangy Peanut Butter Dressing – It’s high time to bring back this little number. Dress this salad just before serving. Excess dressing is delicious served over shredded cabbage the next day.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/broccoli-red-cabbage-salad-tangy-pb-dressing/

Snacks: Homemade trail mix has been my go-to the past few weeks. No recipe needed for this healthy, portable snack. Just create a mixture of your favorite dried fruit and nuts. Lately I’ve been enjoying a mixture of walnuts, pecans and almonds with raisins, cranberries and apricots. Toss in some dried coconut if you like.

Treat:
Skinny Chocolate Fruit Dip – I made a huge batch of this (septupled the recipe!) and brought it to the beach. My nieces pounded it, then loudly demanded that I make more. Just kidding, they politely requested a second batch. They dipped apple slices, fresh strawberries and bananas in this magical confection. I substitute honey for the coconut sugar. If you’ve got a little Godiva liqueur on hand, try that instead of the vanilla. It’s dandy!
https://happihomemade.com/chocolate-fruit-dip/

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go water the garden for the second time today. Or is it the third? I’ve lost track!

Have a fresh and healthy week!

Real Food Menu for Week of 5.11.2020

May 11, 2020Foodconvert kale salad, lean bean meatballs with greens and rice, paleo almond flour biscuits, peanut butter cookies, quick and easy chicken salad, sheet pan steak fajitas, slow cooker cabbage roll souparthurized Leave a comment

We brought our plants indoors Friday evening in anticipation of frost or a freeze. I’ve got asparagus babies ready to go into the ground along with some milkweed for the butterflies; dianthus and petunias for the window boxes on the garage.

It really was too cold this weekend to work outside except for a few hours Sunday afternoon, so we’ll set those garden tasks aside for a few more days. You know you’re a real adult when the highlight of your weekend is freshening up the mailbox with new numbers and a coat of paint for the flag! #sadbuttrue

Here is this week’s menu:

Mark’s Breakfast:
Paleo Almond Flour Biscuits – An old favorite from my keto days.
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/paleo-almond-flour-biscuits-low-carb-gluten-free/

Lunch:
Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup – Simple, comfort food at its best!
https://www.veggiebalance.com/cabbage-roll-in-a-bowl-slow-cooker-recipe/

Convert Kale Salad – Hands down our favorite kale preparation. We’ve tried several different versions of kale salad but we keep coming back to this one.
http://belated-bloomer.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-little-wrap-up-of-these-finals-days.html

Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas – Gotta fix these occasionally to keep my Carnivore in Residence happy. Don’t be afraid of all those spices. They’re a really nice blend, without a lot of heat.
https://kirbiecravings.com/sheet-pan-steak-fajitas/

Quick and Easy Chicken Salad – We love this one. Make it even easier by using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/quick-easy-chicken-salad-recipe/

Lean Bean Meatballs with Greens and Rice – A new favorite dish!
https://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/lean-bean-meatballs-with-greens-n-rice/

Snacks:
Bananas, Apples, Popcorn – blah-ditty, blah.

Treat:
Peanut Butter Cookies – if you’re expecting the peanut butter sugar-bomb of traditional cookies, you might be surprised with these. To my palate, these little bites have a peanut butter/banana flavor with just a hint of sweetness.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/pb-cookies/

I hope your week is off to a smooth start! Make it a good one!

Real Food Menu for Week of 12.8.2019

December 9, 2019meal prepblueberry coconut chia pudding, convert kale salad, hearty stuffed bell pepper soup, maple vanilla baked pears, one pan balsamic chicken and veggies, simple pumpkin soup, sukuma wiki, turkey herbed stuffing-style riced cauliflowerarthurized Leave a comment

Oh, y’all. We are in the throes of it now. Christmas decorating, shopping, gift wrapping and cooking has begun in earnest. And I love all of it!

On Friday evening, we attended my company Christmas dinner at the historic Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. The hotel absolutely sparkled from top to bottom with all the Christmas trees decorated by community groups. We’ll go back and stroll through one evening when it’s not as crowded. It’s a fun, local tradition and definitely worthwhile!

Here’s what’s cookin’ this week:

Breakfast:
Blueberry Coconut Chia Pudding –
https://kirbiecravings.com/blueberry-coconut-chia-pudding/

Lunch:
Hearty Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup – Hello, old friend! We’re subbing ground turkey for the beef in this recipe. The brown rice and ground meat make this a filling lunch.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-stuffed-bell-pepper-soup/

Dinner:

One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies – Take some help from the store and use baby carrots. Ain’t no shame in that game!
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/one-pan-balsamic-chicken-veggies/

Sukuma Wiki: A wintertime favorite dish. Again, lightening it up a little by subbing ground turkey for ground beef.
https://thedomesticman.com/2013/07/02/sukuma-wiki-kenyan-braised-collard-greens-and-ground-beef/

Simple Pumpkin Soup

Servings: 4 servings
Time: 15-20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Gluten-free, dairy-free and delicious, comfort food

Ingredients

½ c. onion, diced
2 T. olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tsp. salt
1 T. maple syrup
¼ tsp. nutmeg
pinch of cayenne (or to taste)
¼ tsp. ground pepper
2.5 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
1 (13.5 oz.) can coconut milk
Garnish with pepitas, if desired

Directions

Dice the onions and gently brown with olive oil in a large saute pan.
Add pumpkin puree, salt, maple syrup, nutmeg cayenne and ground pepper.
Slowly add chicken broth and coconut milk. Heat through, but do not bring to a boil. Garnish as desired and serve.

http://www.arthurizedhome.com

Turkey Herbed Stuffing-Style Riced Cauliflower – Here’s a nice, light dinner or serve as a side dish with a piece of grilled chicken. For extra flavor, I like to add a tablespoon of poultry seasoning in addition to the other herbs.
https://cleanfoodcrush.com/cauliflower-stuffing/

Convert Kale Salad – We’re definitely getting our greens this week. It’s called ‘convert’ because people who think they don’t like kale, try it and convert. I usually sub in pecans for the pine nuts. Don’t skip the step of massaging the kale! Make this a day ahead, so the kale softens in the dressing. This is a good salad for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
http://belated-bloomer.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-little-wrap-up-of-these-finals-days.html

Snacks:
Bananas, Mangoes, Avocados, Cukes, Celery and Almond Butter, Popcorn
Same ol’, same ol’.

Treat:
Maple Vanilla Baked Pears – This year’s crop of pears have been so sweet they haven’t needed jazzing up. If your pears could use a little something extra, try this recipe. So good!
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/simple-maple-vanilla-baked-pears/

Have a fantastic week!

Meal Prep for the Week of 3.3.2019

March 6, 2019meal prepcheesy cauliflower muffin, chicken bacon skillet, chicken sausage kale and red potato soup, chicken tikka masala, coconut snowballs, convert kale salad, crock pot italian chicken soup, southwest chicken and rice bowls, strawberries and cream overnight oats, superhero muffinarthurized 2 Comments

Here’s what we prepped on Sunday:

Breakfast:
Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats (my husband can’t get enough of these!) We add blueberries when we have them on hand.

Lunch: Crockpot Italian Chicken Soup and Superhero Muffin, Convert Kale Salad or Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin

Crockpot Italian Chicken Soup – this is a favorite soup and very versatile. Use whatever frozen veggies you have on hand.

Dinners:
Chicken Sausage, Kale and Red Potato Soup
SW Chicken and Rice Bowls – like Chipotle, only you don’t have to stand in that line!
Meatballs, Marinara and Zoodles
Chicken Tikka Masala
Roast Chicken with Carrots and Bacon – can you tell that chicken was on sale last week?! We’re practically clucking!

Snacks: Cucumbers and Sweet Peppers with Dill Dip
Apples, Grapes, Bananas and Oranges

Treat: Coconut Snowballs