When I took an instructor's course for Postpartum Nutrition, one of the skills I walked away with (and have used the most!) is meal planning. That means sitting down each week, planning out the dinners (and lunchables) so that we make the best use of time and money, we determine who's cooking which night, and of course, we get a bit of variety! From the week's menu (which is displayed on the family whiteboard so that ingredients aren't accidentally eaten) the shopping list is created, so nothing is forgetten... sometimes if I really like the plan I'll write it down and store it for future use.
I like the idea of patterns too. Friday is ALWAYS leftover homemade pizza night. I use the crock pot once a week. We try to do one non-meat-centric meal. And I always try to make 'planned-overs', where the leftovers from one night are recycled into a new meal the following night(s).
One of my very favourite planned-over meal plans is based on the delicious Maple Hill Specialty Chickens I receive from my food co-op at a HUGE savings. I love these birds - so tasty and non-medicated to boot! To cover 4 dinners (2 adults and 2 picky kids), a few lunches and still put something in the freezer, I modified a shorter meal plan that I read about in Bon Appetit that started with one chicken and stretched it out for a week...
Roast Chicken (in the crockpot) with Roasted Root Veggies and Gnocchi
Cheesy Chicken & Mushroom Lasagne
Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas with Baked Rice
Leek & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
Chicken, Kale & Chickpea Soup
Carmen loves to help with the chicken in the morning, putting it on the LOW setting all day in the crockpot - she is a whiz at dusting thyme, Pimenton de la Vera (thanks Auntie Meaghan!) and salt & pepper, then stuffing half an onion 'in the chicken's bum', according to her! A bit of water and VOILA! Done.
At about 5pm (before I head out to teach Prenatal Fitness Fusion!) she helps me peel parsnips that we are STILL finding in our garden, as well as yams and carrots. While the water for gnocchi is boiling, we set the veggies, seasoned with rosemary and olive oil, to roast at 425F for 20 mins. I've recently tried making my own ricotta gnocchi (inspired by Soule Mama), but you can buy it from the store and it's still pretty good!
Making pan gravy is a bit indulgent, but SO YUMMY! First, drain the juices from the crockpot into a liquid measuring cup - it's important that they are still hot. Put a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and let melt on medium heat. With a whisk, stir in about 3 tablespoons of flour so it's crumbly. Then continue stirring as you add the juices a teeny bit by bit, whisking the lumps out as you go. Eventually you'll have an empty measuring cup and a full pan of gravy!
After dinner that night, I pull the remaining meat off the bones and separate into two bigger piles for the lasagne and the enchiladas, and a tiny pile for the soup. I put the bones and skin and the roasted onion into a pot of water (about 10 cups) with a splash of white vinegar, and boil it for stock. I need 5 cups for the risotto and the rest for the soup.
The lasagne and risotto recipes are pulled from Epicurious, and they are FAB. I usually do some substitutions, using homo milk instead of cream, less salt, etc. to make them a bit healthier. I also skip the truffle oil in the risotto, and only sometimes have shiitakes on hand, so often just use white and crimini mushrooms. Still tastes great! The lasagne I put into two casserole dishes - one for dinner, and one for the freezer.
The enchiladas are simple. I get a stack of whole wheat tortillas and a can of black beans, a bit of shredded mozzarella, cheddar & jack cheese (if I have it) and fill each tortilla first with some beans, then cheese, then shredded roast chicken. Roll 'em up, stuff them in a casserole dish. In a saucepan, heat one can of tomato sauce (from my summer canning session!) and some chili powder, cumin & salt to taste. Pour this over the casserole, reserving a little bit. On top, a bit more shredded cheese. In a matching casserole, I put 3 cups of cooked brown rice mixed with the remaining sauce and covered with a bit more cheese. Cook them in the oven at the same time at 350F until things look bubbly and smell yummy. I like to serve them with shredded lettuce or spinach and a dollop of plain yogurt. Kids love 'em too.
Lastly, but certainly not least, the soup. This is by far my favourite way to use the prolific kale that grows year-round in our garden. Stock, chicken, chopped kale and a can of drained chickpeas. Throw it in the pot, add thyme & more Pimenton de la Vera (or not) salt & pepper... so yummy with fresh bread! Makes a great hearty lunch too.
Dinner at our house doesn't always look like this... for instance, tonight the girls and I shared a $10 frozen dim sum feast from Gah Lok on Fraser because I was too tired to do anything else! But it is nice when time is on my side, I have the energy, and my fridge is full of the ingredients I need!
In other news - this is what I have on my 3.75mm circulars right now! I'm doing the short-sleeved version in a similar green merino from the local Unwinding Yarns. So excited, although I've said a million times I don't like to knit THAT small...
Happy eating!
