Meal Planning - May 11 - 17, 2021

While I didn't do a whole lot of real cooking, buying a lot of easy to fix food, did a number on the budget (it's all so expensive!) and it wasn't entirely satisfying. Sometimes it takes a week of prepared food to remind myself why I cook. This week we're back to real food, and even though some of the meals have slightly pricier ingredients, my grocery bill was $60+ less than last week, and that was with buying some food for the freezer which was on sale. Cooking from actual ingredients is just the cheaper way to go.

Tuesday, May 11

Garlic chicken primavera
     My people love asparagus, so this seemed like a good way to have it at least one more time before it stops going on sale.
Garlic bread

Wednesday, May 12

Roast fish with white beans and green olives
     This is done in parchment paper, so stays very moist. We will also use kalamata olives because that is what I have in the refrigerator. I'll cook the beans earlier in the day so they'll be ready to use.
Salad

Thursday, May 13

Warm bacon dijon salad with goat cheese crostini
     I discovered more bacon in the freezer, so decided to serve this. It is actually a lentil dish that gets served over greens with the toasts on the side. This is the perfect way to serve goat cheese here because not everyone is a fan.

Friday, May 14

Red wine marinated steak with balsamic onions and slaw
     I try to do easy meals on Friday, and this is actually pretty easy, though it doesn't sound like it. The marinade for the stead is made ahead of time, so the steak is pretty much ready to grill whenever we are. The onions get roasted in the oven, which is easy, and the slaw just involves some slicing and adding a dressing.
Sourdough bread
     Happily I found a loaf for half price at the store today. It's in the freezer until Friday because I know bread on sale is hovering on the edge of viability.

Saturday, May 15

Kung-pao chicken
     Because I like it and it sounded good, though as much as I fiddle with it, I can never quite replicate the spicy chicken dish we had in a funny little farmhouse restaurant near a little visited section of the Great Wall.
Jasmine rice
Dumplings

Sundays, May 16

Meatball and roasted red pepper grain bowls
     We'll use millet for the grain portion in these. We love millet and it's easy to make. This is a dinner that has everything in one dish.

Monday, May 17

Baked ham
     I discovered a ham in the back of the freezer, too. 
Sweet potatoes
     Baked in the oven along with the ham
Salad

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