If I only do one post this year

If you're reading this post, you certainly are a patient friend. I mean, I havent posted since April. Sigh. Its not for lack of ideas or new recipes or fun topics...in fact, Ive written about 500 posts in my head. Its just sitting down to document that I struggle to find the time to do. But, its a new year, so why not try again. I know Im risking losing my few readers forever if I slack off again. All I can promise is that I'll try. If all I do is put up a link for a recipe we liked, I figure at least its something. And at least I'll remember what I've cooked!

So, to provide a little inspiration for you, Im starting my year of posts with menu planning.Its one of the few things Im consistent at, and one of the things folks ask me about the most. If you come over, you'll see that little pad of paper above on my fridge. On Sundays I plan meals for the week, and jot down the things we have going on. I take a quick assessment of the fridge: produce we need to eat, things we need, etc....and then I make our meal list. Here's the general criteria for our meals:

1. Variety. In general, we eat each of the following proteins once a week: beef, poultry, fish, legumes (beans mostly), eggs (several times a week) I also try to vary our side dishes and veggies, making them in different ways to keep the fam interested (who would want steamed veggies every day?) I also have to balance cost. So if we have an expensive meal one night (wild salmon), then you can bet another night will be rice and beans (so healthy, so cheap!)

2. Ease. While I have been known to make something extravagant on a random Tuesday night, in general, I need to make things that can be made and cooked within an hour. Most things I prep during nap time and then I do the final assembly right before dinner.

3. Healthy. We dont eat perfectly, but it is important to me that our family eats well. I do keep some prepared sauces on hand and my kids are very familiar with boxed mac n cheese, but most of what we eat is home prepared. I try to introduce new foods to my kids whenever I can, and Im always amazed at what they will try!


How do I decide what to cook?

It goes something like this:
1. Make my assessment of what we have or need to use up. Instead of deciding what I want to make and then shopping for it, I keep a well stocked pantry and then cook based on what fresh things are available to me that week. If the cauliflower looks great at the farmers market, I buy it, and then plan meals with it. If we have extra eggs, that week in addition to eggs in the morning a couple of days, I might make a quiche. I only buy chicken once a month, so once its gone, its gone. I only shop for staples about once per month, and the fresh stuff we pick up once a week.

2. Keeping in mind a different main protein for each day, I think about how to use the ingredients we have creatively. While I have a ginormous stack of cookbooks and cycle favorite recipes fairly often, I also try new things every week. Lets say I have lots of cous cous and mushrooms I need to use up. A google search ensues and within a minute, I have a tasty recipe for that day. If we like it, I print it and we use it again sometime. If not, its forgotten!

3. Food is important, people are more important. This means that I plan around our family and engagements we have the best I can. The evenings I work, I plan something I can prepare ahead of time for AJ or give him a very basic recipe that can be made quick. We have friends for dinner at least once a week, so I consider what meals are easier for larger crowds. If we have somewhere to be in the evening, we might just have soup and tuna melts for dinner to decrease stress.

I dont generally plan breakfasts or lunches. Breakfasts are always a cycle of oatmeal, eggs, smoothies, and cold cereal. Weekends we make big breakfasts like pancakes or waffles.
Lunch is the place I get stuck....maybe thats a resolution for this year: simple yet interesting lunches.

I might from time to time post our weekly meals...just to give you new ideas. I mean, if you want.

Here's what on the menu this week:

Sunday (usually left overs or something I can cook in 5 minutes): Tortellini and salad
Monday: Salmon cakes and roasted cauliflower
Tuesday: Broccoli and cheese quiche
Wednesday: Stir fry with tofu and coconut sauce
Thursday: Beef chili and corn bread
Friday: (as every other) homemade pizza
Saturday: left chili


Any meal planning tips you want to share?