The Weekly Spread: the Dietitian's Weekly Meal Plan

I've had a few requests for my family's weekly menu, so I'm going to try to post them here once a week. Click the links for the recipes. If you make something off of this list, send me an email to let me know how you liked it (or didn't!).

Monday (pic above): Garden Minestrone Soup + baguette + fresh garden grapes, nectarines and cucumbers

Tuesday: One pot mac + cheese + fresh garden grapes!

(I pureed a big bag of cauliflower into the cheese sauce, used less cheese, and whole wheat penne noodles)

Wednesday: Stir fry (garden veggies + tofu) + brown rice + melons from my garden!

Thursday: rice and bean salad with tortillas + mango smoothie

Friday: Hummus, Tabouleh and Tzatziki on naan bread + fresh garden grapes (we are taking this camping, it's great make-ahead camping food.

Saturday: Clam Vermicelli (I only cook it for like 30 minutes+ I use fresh basil!!) + fresh garden salad w/cucumbers + you guessed it....fresh garden grapes (or a melon if there is a ripe one in the garden)

Sunday: Easy Bean Burritos (tortillas, refried beans, cheese) + garden peppers and fruit on the side

Have a great week!

PS Are you wondering what I cook for breakfast and lunch?

Breakfast: oatmeal, everyday for everyone. Here's my recipe

Lunch: leftovers, everyday for everyone (except the kids who take school lunch)

If there aren't any leftovers, then tuna sandwiches, cottage cheese and crackers, or a quick soup from garden vegetables (like this one)

A recipe that screams "SUMMER!"

Do you hate cooking when it's hot? Me too!

To prevent myself from eating cheese tortillas for every meal, I make a big bowl of my favorite summer salad. This recipe just screams "summer" to me, it's full of summer veggies and is very refreshing. You can find the recipe HERE.

I usually make Rice and Bean Salad on Saturday and then we eat it for 5 days until it is gone. This recipe is easy, healthy and versatile. It's good as a main dish, side dish, or inside a tortilla/burrito. I even like it for breakfast!

It's also perfect to pack into a lunch. I put it in old sour cream containers with an ice pack and take it on picnics or vacations.

If you want to try out this recipe, JOIN US for cooking class! Sign ups close Wednesday, August 18th, so ask your Family Advocate for help signing up today!

It's summer: the oven is off limits!

My house is HOT. Our air conditioning doesn't work well, and by noon it's usually 80+ degrees inside the house. So the oven is off limits for meal prep from June to September.

One of my go-to-no-oven summer meals (other than watermelon) is curry. It's fast, easy, and accommodates any kind of veggie I have growing in the garden. Right now I make it with peas, onions, chard, cauliflower and cabbage. In a month I'll be adding eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes and green beans. It's a healthy hot meal that doesn't heat up the house.

You can find the recipe by clicking this link. The recipe you'll find there is made using ingredients that are inexpensive at the store year round, but you should use whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Spices are expensive when you first buy them, but they will last for many many recipes. To cut costs, I buy spices in bulk at Winco or Sprouts. Here's some other curry recipes to try that you might like more than my version! Have a fun and HOT summer day!

Cauliflower Curry from Budget Bytes

https://www.budgetbytes.com/easy-cauliflower-and-chickpea-masala/

Curry Recipes from Vibrant Soul (look under the soups and stews tab)

https://www.vibrantsoulful.com/recipes.html

Red Lentil Curry from Allrecipes

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16641/red-lentil-curry/

P.S. This is the recipe for cooking class this month. If you missed the cooking class sign up, be sure to watch for next month's sign up list. We will be making hummus and tzatziki, another favorite summer meal!