Weekly Meal Plan

10/22/09 - 10/29/09

Dinners:
1. Lentil Soup
2. Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Stew (from freezer) over rice
3. Curry Chicken (from freezer) with green onions, raisins, peanuts, apples, & pineapple
4. Butternut Squash Ravioli
5. Pesto Vegetable Lasagna
6. Dinner at favorite restaurant for Anniversary #9 (Woohoo!)

Lunches:
1. Butternut Ravioli, sliced egg, fruit, pumpkin muffin
2. Bean & spinach burrito, fruit, pumpkin muffin
Snacks for Gracie's lunch: Curry roasted chickpeas, veggie chips, fruit

Breakfasts: Soaked Oatmeal, Left-over oatmeal fried with egg & sausage, Five Grain Porridge (soaked)
Snacks: Banana bread, yogurt, granola

There are two meals this week in which my freezer will be my sou chef. I'd noticed that I've been good about stocking away food into the freezer. Not so much about eating from the freezer. Kind of like money going into the savings account, but never coming out for that trip to the Caribbean. And what could be more relaxing after a hard day's work, than taking out a meal that you had already prepared? Other than a tropical cruise, of course.

So I made concerted effort to use something from the freezer. Which also means I need to have more meals planned, since the amounts stored are less than what I usually cook. The curry is just the sauce, which I will then combine with the chicken that I've already cooked. It's from a book called "Nourishing Traditions," which deserves a blog entry all to itself, it's so revolutionary. It was like when I read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.

The Sweet Potato & Peanut Stew is one of those dishes that people crinkle their nose at. "Peanut butter? Sweet potatoes? Really?" But my husband loves this meal. Really. It's one of his favorites. It's out of the "Joy of Cooking."

I will attempt, once again, to make Ravioli. Apparently, this is my Mt. Everest of cooking. Wish me luck! Also making an appearance for the first time: Five Grain Porridge (which my fingers want to spell "pooridge," somewhat double entendre-y) and Pesto Vegetable Lasagna. The Five Grain Porridge is another recipe from "Nourishing Traditions." We've loved the soaked oatmeal, but I have yet to try and foist "pooridge" on my family. One word: millet. Well, plus four other grains, but still. I fear that they will rise up one day against my anti-cereal dictum and go out and buy Frosted Flakes, like normal people. I'll let you know how that one flies.

The menu looks a little more daunting than usual, with regard to the number of items on it. I'll let you know how it goes!