However, I will say this was quite a learning experience and I think the more I attempt planning my meals, the more successful I will be.

A few of the things that thwarted my efforts were:

•Not having all of the ingredients in stock. While I was writing out my menu, I should have also been writing a grocery list. In the future I’ll try to have my plan written before Sunday so I can buy all of the ingredients for my menu when I go grocery shopping.

•Not making enough food for leftovers. Well, technically I did make extra food. However, my husband ate it for his lunch the next day. So going forward I will keep this is mind so that I’m not thinking dinner is in the fridge, when it isn’t.

•Not taking into consideration that we had plans for Friday and Saturday. I think my menu will always have a takeout or rotisserie chicken day. This will be for those days when there is a Parent Teacher Night, practices, Holiday parties or whatever is going on at the time. My goal is to write down a list of places that has quality takeout that I can buy when I truly have no time
to cook. I am not a fast food fan so I’m thinking that my favorite grocer’s (Wegmans) salad bar, the rotisserie chicken dinner special sold at Whole Foods and the Thai restaurant that we enjoy, will all be on that list.

So, hopefully my next Menu Planning attempt will be even better. Of course, this experience was not a failure by any meals. I did manage to adhere to the following menu on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday I switched it up and opted to serve a grilled chicken salad instead. I did this because I realized that Meatloaf takes too long to prepare the day of. However, later that night after the kids were in bed, I made the turkey meatloaf and it was served on Wednesday. On Thursday we did have the Quesadillas with various leftovers. On Friday & Saturday we had social events so I did not cook.

So all in all I think it went fairly well and I look forward to planning more often. Below are a few of the pictures I manage to snap of the dinners. Hope my experience helps you and I would love your feedback or ideas on how you plan out your weekly meals.

•Beef & Broccoli Stirfry
~~I used beef short ribs (which I cut into 1/2 inch cubes) for this dish because it cooks quickly and is quite tender.

•Grilled Chicken Salad
~~As you all know, I love making salads. They are quick, healthy and easy to make. Plus it’s a great way to add in lots of vegetables.

•Turkey Meatloaf
~~Making your meatloaf the night before allows all of the flavors to combine so that it’s perfect when you serve it the next day. It also makes it easier to cut.

So this week I’m going to try and plan for the week. Do you plan for the week? What’s on your dinner menu this week?

My Menu For The Week:

Sunday~ Shrimp Al forno with mashed sweet potatoes and spinach. Monday~ Beef & Brocolli with bean sprouts.
Tuesday~ Turkey meatloaf with mushrooms and yellow rice.
Wednesday~Hopefully leftovers with a garden salad.
Thursday~ Quesadillas with cheese and whatever is left in my refrigerator.
Friday~Naan Pizza and Salad.
Saturday~Turkey Meatballs & angel hair pasta.

I have high hopes for following through. I will update everyone and let you know how the week goes. I must say that by just writing down my plan I feel like I’m already ahead of the game. Sunday’s dinner plan was done earlier than usual because I had planned for it. I also took out the beef and the ground turkey for Tuesday and Wednesday’s dinner. This way both of those items will be defrosted when I choose to use them. So, cheers to starting off the week with a plan.

BTW, if you are one of my cherished subscribers please also consider liking my Facebook page www.facebook.com/pennylovesblog I also appreciate all of your shares and retweets. As always, Bon Appetit!

Today’s example is Ground Turkey. I often use ground turkey in lieu of ground beef. I find the 93 percent fat free (93/7) ground turkey to be as juicy and flavorful as the 80 percent fat free (80/20) ground beef. However, the turkey has less fat, cholesterol and calories. While, in my opinion, having all of the taste. I know there is also 93/7 ground beef but I find the 93/7 ground beef to rather dry for most of the recipes I use. I also just prefer the sweetness of the turkey.

I often use 93/7 ground turkey for tacos, pasta sauce and even pizza toppings. Another thing I do is sneak in extra vegetables into my ground turkey. Sure you probably wouldn’t expect spinach in your burrito, taco or pasta sauce but…why not? Spinach takes on whatever flavor it’s paired with and it’s a superfood. Yes, spinach is a superfood! It’s high in protein, low calories, high in Vitamin A & J and a great source of folic acid. That’s just a few of spinach’s benefits and it taste good. When I make ground turkey I usually add in about 1/2 a bag of spinach.

Yes, half a bag of spinach sounds like a lot but it quickly cooks down. I also always add onions and peppers to my ground turkey mixture. I always try to make my food as colorful as possible. Colorful foods are usually high in nutrition. Of course, that’s excludes skittles. Lol.

I also like to sometimes put this mixture on top of beans and then add cheese on top. This is great as a dip with tortilla chips or just as a yummy entree.

This can be made early in the week and used later for whatever dish you prefer. So try it and let me know what you think. Bon Appetit!

Preheated oven to 425%

SALMON:
1lb salmon
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon *Basting Oil
1 Tablespoon mixed seasoning (pepper, salt, herb blend)
Parmesan Cheese

SAUCE:
1/3 Cup Broth
1/2 Tablespoon Flavored Butter
1 Pinch of your favorite seasonings

Take 1lb of fresh salmon and lightly seasoned it Wegmans basting oil, lemon & garlic seasonings & cracked pepper.

Then put 1TBS of Olive Oil in a skillet & once it was hot put the salmon in the skillet. Cooked the filets for 1.5 minutes on either side.

Take the salmon out of the pan & placed on a aluminum foil (feel free to use your favorite casserole dish or oven pan, I was in a hurry. Lol) sheet. Topped each filet with Parmesan cheese. I used enough to just cover each filet.

The filets were put into the 425 degree oven and cooked them until they were firm and flaked easily, between 10-12 minutes.

While the fish is cooking take 1/3 cup of chicken broth and added 1/2 tablespoon of shallot & garlic flavored butter. I also added a pinch of lemon pepper & Montreal steak seasonings. This was stirred & then microwaved for 30 seconds or until piping hot.

Once the salmon is done, pour the sauce on top and viola, this entree is done.

The salmon was served with quinoa and corn on the cob.

1 Lavash Wrap (can use tortilla wraps)
2 Tablespoons hummus
10 Spinach leaves
1/4 cup of shredded carrots
1/4 cup of long cut cucumber
1/4 cup of flavored feta

Place the wrap on a plate or wax paper. Spread the hummus evenly on the wrap. Lay the spinach leaves until they cover the hummus. Add the cucumbers and then the carrots. Finally spread the feta on top of the vegetables. Add another dollop of hummus & spread over everything.

Then carefully roll the wrap. Lightly press down upon the wrap so that all of the ingredients are packed together.
Then cut the wrap into 1 inch segments. Which will sort of resemble pinwheels.

This is great as a lunch entree, appetizer, snack or along with whatever you are serving for dinner. Bon Appetit!

Make no mistake, I have no qualms against meat. While, I don’t eat pork and red meat makes only rare appearances in my kitchen, I do enjoy a steady diet of turkey, chicken and seafood.

Especially, seafood! I could probably eat seafood everyday of the week. However, my preference for fresh seafood tends to exhaust my budget so I try to limit it to 2-3 times per week.

So back to vegetarian food. I like to use ideas from vegetarian cooking in my own recipes. Which, brings me to this salad. It started out being a strictly vegetarian, actually vegan, salad. It’s chock full of veggies, nuts, tofu and seeds. What you won’t find in the initial salad is cheese, meat, eggs, creamy dressings or anything that have originally had a face on it.

Of course being the carnivore that I am, I did end up adding 3 succulent shrimp. The point is the salad can be enjoyed either way and be just as delicious.

RECIPE:

8oz Chopped Romaine

4oz Herb Roasted Tofu (any flavor will do, just pick a firm tofu from your favorite grocer)

4oz Edamame/Corn/Black Bean mixture (use whatever you have on hand. Kidney beans are great)

2oz Almonds/Sunflower/Pumpkin seed mixture (Use what ever nut mixture you already have)

4oz Shrimp (Omit for vegetarian version)

2oz Cubed Sharp Provolone (Omit for vegetarian version)

Top lettuce with ingredients and add your favorite dressing. I like a tangy balsamic. Enjoy!

I chose the ingredients based on items I had in my fridge & pantry. Feel free to substitute based on what you have.

So tonight I decided that “Darn gone it! I am going to somehow find time to workout, spend time with my girls and make a healthy dinner.” Now, all of this would need to be done after I got home from work (around 5pm) and before my girls went to bed (around 7:45pm).

Well, I worked out…. for a mere 30 minutes. I spent quality time with my girls….I count the time spent in the car. I also made a yummy healthy dinner and it only took about 20 minutes. Which leaves me 10 minutes to write this recipe post. Which, will then leave me just enough time for….uuummm my other half (wink). Whew, a woman’s work is never done.

So anyway, this is a recipe without many rules. Just veggies, shrimp, a little flavored oil and a dash of seasonings. Now, you will notice that I used the oven to make this dish. I know you are saying “What! It’s 90 degrees outside, I’m not turning only oven”.

Well, being able to throw food in the oven is a great way to cook dinner without standing over the stove. Thereby, giving you more time to do something else. Like, practicing sight word flash cards with a 5 year old who’s looking forward to starting Kindergarten in the fall. Or, playing dollies with an almost 2 year who likes to simply rip the clothes off of the dolls, put them back on and then start all over again.

I digress, let’s get back to the food. I love this recipe because it’s healthy, tasty and filling. In case you are wondering about the pine nuts, I used them because I like the crunch it gives to the recipe. You can also top this with a little shaved or grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. If you live near a Wegmans I would definitely recommend purchasing their Basting Oil. This oil is a great substitute for fresh herbs. I would prefer fresh herbs and the basting oil but if you don’t have the herbs this oil still gives you a great infusion of flavor in your recipe.

ROASTED SHRIMP AND VEGGIES

1 pound Shrimp (cleaned, deveined and shell off)
1 pound Vegetables (I used asparagus and zucchini)
2 tablespoons Wegmans Basting Oil (or you can use EVOO and just add an extra clove of fresh crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon of fresh or dry herbs)
2 cloves of fresh crushed Garlic
1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings (a blend of salt, pepper & italian herbs)
1/4 cup Pine Nuts (completely optional)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees

Place shrimp and cut vegetables in a bowl.
Mix in oil and seasonings.
Spread mixture in a aluminum foil lined pan.
Top with pine nuts.
Bake for 7- 10 minutes (depending on size) or until the shrimp turns pink and the flesh is opaque.
Stir the shrimp and vegetables so that all the flavors blend together and serve.

This dish is great by itself or for a heartier meal add in a side of pasta.

Sorry this is the only picture I have of this dish. It was consumed so fast I didn't have time to take pictures of it on the plate.

Just like a carpenter needs their tools, every cook should have their arsenal of kitchen favorites. This is one of mine. Look for a future post about all of my favorites.

Anyway, as usual I digress.  I said all of that to say, I didn’t get to cook dinner for 3 days. Monday didn’t matter as I had made plenty on Sunday. However, Tuesday and Wednesday I had to succumb to lures of Fast Food.

By Thursday I knew that I could not eat another greasy meal. I was already starting to feel bloated, lethargic and energy deprived. I wanted some real food that would tantalize and excite my tastebuds without making my esophagus feeling like a oily slip and slide.

So after looking through my recipes I decided I would make Salmon with a Mango-Kiwi salsa.  I served it with angel hair pasta in a marinara sauce and a simple salad topped with fresh mozzarella cheese and praline coated pecans.  It’s quick but satisfying to the palate.  The fruit salsa is a nice addition and really adds a nice summery touch to the salmon.  The salmon recipe is one that I got out of Cooking Light Magazine many years ago.  My version is slightly altered as I like to make it on the grill using cedar planks.  The cedar gives the fish a nice taste that compliments the fruit.  

Ingredients

• Salmon:
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dry italian herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon herbed sea salt (or regular salt)
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• Cedar Planks
• Relish:
• 1/2 cup diced peeled mango
• 1/2 cup cubed peeled kiwifruit
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Preparation

• Soak Cedar-Plank for about 30 min in water or according to directions.
• To prepare salmon, combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Marinate 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
• While fish marinates, heat grill to 400 degrees.
• Remove fish from bag, discarding marinade.  Place salmon filets on the cedar board.
• Place planked salmon on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily.
• While fish cooks, prepare the relish. Combine mango and the remaining ingredients. Serve over fish.

As for the pasta it was a simple Angel hair pasta with a fresh marinara sauce that I buy pre-made.  It’s just a tad more expensive than the jar sauce but I find it to be worth it when I’m pressed for time and just don’t feel like making my own sauce.  I also spiced it up by adding fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of herb olive oil and freshly shredded parmesan cheese.  Yummy, is the word for this pasta.  Plus my oldest daughter loves this pasta so I really enjoy seeing her eyes light up when it’s brought to the table.

The salad was just some romaine lettuce & spinach leaves which I chopped and then topped with coated pecans and fresh mozzarella cheese.  I like using the pecans because it gives a sweetness and crunchiness to the salad.  The cheese not only adds another level of flavor, it also gives the salad more texture.  Trust me if you throw plain lettuce on a plate, it will likely end up in the garbage disposal.  Well at least in my family.  A few simple toppings added and now another vegetable is being eaten at dinner.  Bon Appetit!

Mango, Kiwi and Cilantro, all chopped up ready to be mixed so the flavors can blend together.

Fresh Salmon soaking up all of the marinade.Cedar Plank Boards. Just finished soaking.

Cedar Plank Boards. Just finished soaking.

 

 

I love cooking salmon on cedar planks. Great flavor & it absorbs excess oil so you get firm, flaky salmon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMMM, al dente pasta with marina sauce, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese!

 

Final step was to add the salad and Voila! Dinner is done.

So, I had a busy day today and finally arrived home with a growling belly. There’s something you should know about me. When I’m really hungry I get frustrated. And, there’s no greater frustration than not having something satisfying and ready to eat.

Well, that was me today. I looked in the fridge and saw nothing that immediately called me out. Penny, Penny, eat me. That’s what I wanted to hear but I wasn’t hearing it.

I saw some spinach and shrimp hiding in the corner. I had made that for dinner yesterday and served it with rice. It was good yesterday but I just didn’t feel like eating it again today. There was also some leftover brushetta that I had used as a dip for my favorite blue corn chips. However, I really wasn’t in the mood for dipping. There was lunch meat and I always keep an assortment of cheeses (fresh mozzarella balls, cheddar, parmesan, etc). Again, not really hearing Penny, Penny, come eat me for dinner.

There was plenty of food in the fridge but nothing was really seducing my taste buds. Just when I was about to give up, I thought I would peep in the fridge. That’s when I noticed a single Garlic Naan Bread. For those who may not know, Naan Bread is Indian style Tandoori flat bread. While it’s usually served as a side item at many Indian recipes, I like to use it to make pizza.

That’s when it all hit me. Ohhhh, what if I took the fresh Mozzarella cheese balls and sliced it and placed it over the pizza. Then I decided to spread some of the Spinach and Shrimp on top of the Mozzarella. Shoot, while I’m cleaning the fridge, why not throw that Brushetta on top of everything. Finally, I topped it all off with a little Cheddar Cheese.

My little creation was then thrown in a 425 degree oven for about 10-15 mins until the pizza got a nice golden brown.

I had to hurry and snap the picture because it was pretty much devoured after that….Don’t judge me:)