Meal Plans Week of 6-6-10

Wow, Sunday already?  Last week just flew by.  I have a feeling the whole month is going to fly by.  Nothing too major going on this week.  But plenty of projects at home as always.  Today is church.  I think Rebeca and I will be in the fellowship room this morning during the service.  After her fall on Friday (when she bit through her lip) I don't want her being too rough yet and not fully supervised.  So no nursery for today.  Tomorrow is grocery day, and I have a nursery cmt new member dinner.  I'm bringing dessert, so I'll probably make that today.  Tuesday is farmer's market and class.  Thursday is class.  That's about it I think.  Hopefully Rebecca and I can get to the library to stock up on books this week too.

Well, not even a week into June and so far so good on my food goals!  I'm doing a lot better than I thought I would on the veggie/fruit thing.  I have eaten veggies for breakfast the last 3 days :)  I had steamed broccoli for breakfast today!  Considering just a few months ago I wouldn't eat anything besides cereal for breakfast I'd say that's pretty good :)  I've also been making more veggies for dinner lately, like making 2 instead of 1.  Get more variety and a larger quantity.  I'm finally making progress on the seafood too.  We had salmon for dinner last night.  Yum!  And the best part was that Justin and Rebecca loved it!  I never make salmon because Justin has always said he didn't like it.  But I guess he does...he just needed to try some good salmon.  And Rebecca sure didn't need any convincing :)  My other experiments/kitchen work last week...sprouted wheat berries, sprouted flour, sprouted graham crackers, sprouted apple cinnamon raisin bagels (check out the bagel post for my updated methods), dried apples, strawberries, pineapple and honey dew, fermented punch (so good!  I have another batch on the counter right now.) and sourdough pancakes.

Rebecca and I made our first trip to the farmer's market last week.  As expected there wasn't a lot there since it's so early in the season.  But it was still fun to go and to get some good, fresh produce.  I got a beefsteak tomato, asparagus, rhubarb and onions.

My other shopping trip was yesterday.  I've been searching for a while for a place to buy decent seafood.  It seems non-existent in West MI.  After calling a couple places and getting no answer I decided to try Heffron Farms again.  I went there once last year (when I was just starting to look into better quality meat).  But I didn't go back because I thought they were too expensive.  My opinions about what's expensive and what's reasonable for good food have sure changed!  I will definitely be going back there more often!  They carry all of the Mooville products...cheaper than Harvest Health and the co-op!  HH had Mooville butter for $5.99 at one point.  It's always $3.75 at HF.  And the creamline milk is only $4.09 there instead of $4.59.  Plus they have a huge selection of good quality meat, including some seafood.  Not a huge selection of seafood, but it's still good stuff.  I got a couple wild Alaskan salmon fillets just to try them (make sure Justin liked them:).  And I got a box of cod fillets.  I'm excited to try those this week.  I would still like to find somewhere to buy decent shrimp.  But at least this is a start.  I don't think Rebecca will ever mind going to HF.  It's a very small store.  And they have a little play area for kids with a Little People farm.  She was crying when we left because she wanted to keep playing.  It was so nice to be able to browse without trying to keep her from touching things, run around, etc.  The other thing I found yesterday is that HF is right next to a store called Warren Nutrition.  They have organic/natural supplements, etc. and some specialty food items.  I didn't have a chance to go in since Rebecca needed a diaper change, but I'm anxious to check them out the next time I go to HF.

I'm working on my co-op order for June right now.  It's fun to do on-line food shopping :)

So on to this week.  I will be ordering my kefir grains this week (once we finish adding things to our Amazon order :).  Whenever that comes I'll start working on my kefir (this week or next week).  Today I have to make dessert for my nursery cmt dinner.  I'm making strawberry rhubarb crunch (a great in-season dessert:).  I'm cooking a whole chicken today and then planning to make some bone broth with the bones.  I hope it turns out.  Then I can use that in my meals this week.  Bone broth is supposed to be so nutritious and so great for your tummy.  I'm excited.  I'm also making some more sprouted wheat flour so I can make bread later this week.  I used up the last of my granola this morning.  Hopefully I can make another batch this week.  I'm planning to start stocking up on fresh veggies and steaming a bunch early in the week to use as snacks and in breakfasts/lunches.  If the food is ready and available it's much easier to achieve my goals.  And I do much better with steamed veggies than raw.  At least for now.  It's a lot easier on my tummy (even though I do love fresh veggies).  I'm going to cook a batch of sprouted black beans to use in brownies and bean paste.  I have a bunch of homemade cream cheese, so I'm still trying to figure out what to do with that.  I might try making some if it into flavored cream cheese.  I have a few other potential food projects this week (as you'll see in my meal plans), but we'll see how the week goes.  They aren't critical.

I have been doing more research on digestive healing this week.  I have come across a ton of good info.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to post more about some of it if I try it/as I research more.  Gives me lots of hope.

I'm happy to say I've been doing a little better the last few days.  I'm hopeful that I'm past the worst of the adjustment phase and that I'm moving on to the healing part.  I know this will be a long process still, but I'll take any little baby step.

Here's what's on the menu this week.  Just as a side note when you see fruits and veggies in the breakfast plans it means veggies for me and fruit for Justin usually.  Sorry about the lack of recipe links, but Rebecca has been an early riser lately and I'm trying to get this done ASAP.  Maybe I'll add them later.
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S (church, make chicken broth, make strawberry rhubarb crunch, make granola, sprout wheat berries)
  B - yogurt, granola, steamed broccoli (me), whole wheat toast w/ pb, fresh cherries and honey dew (Justin)
  L - roast whole chicken, beans, brown rice
  D - leftover salmon and veggies (me), pizza soup (from freezer) and garlic bread (Justin)

M (dry wheat berries, Meijer, grind flour, nursery cmt dinner)
  B - chewy granola bar, fresh fruit/diced avocado
  D - pizza at church (me), hot dogs or something from freezer (Justin)

T (chop, steam and roast veggies, cook sprouted black beans, farmer's market, make brownies, make fermented black bean paste, make sprouted wheat vanilla wafers, class)
  B - sweet potato and raw cheddar egg puffs, toast/avocado, steamed broccoli and mushrooms
  D - chicken broth with leftover chicken and veggies

W (make sprouted wheat bread, chop veggies for dinner, roast veggies for breakfast/snack/lunch, feed sd starter)
  B - scrambled eggs over asparagus, summer squash and mushrooms, toast
  D - baked cod, roasted cauliflower, roasted brussels sprouts, baked sweet potato

Th (make honey nut cream cheese, freeze strawberries, library, class)
  B - sprouted whole wheat toast w/ homemade cream cheese and peanut butter, fruit/veggies
  D - chicken broth with leftover cod and veggies

F (chop veggies, soak lentils, pick up beef, clean, start kefir)
  B - cereal w/ crispy walnuts, flax seed and dried fruit
  D - lentil soup, sprouted whole wheat bread, cheese assortment

S (make kefir, make chocolate chips? crackers?)
  B - sourdough toast w/ butter, leftover lentil soup
  D - grilled steak, steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, sweet potato fries