PIONEER DAY here in UTAH: Menu plan for this fun week!

Happy Pioneer Day Y'all.  Yes, this is a Utah Holiday.  One where we celebrate our heritage, BBQ and watch little kids dress like Pioneers and decorate their bikes.

Here is our menu for this week. We are still concentrating on the wonderful bounties out of the garden and orchard.

This week I have banana peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, fresh green beans, carrots, swiss chard,kale, zucchini and yellow squash spilling out of my garden.  Onions too, and dill, oregano, basil and chives.

My plums are delish, I am buying some peaches and watermelon from the stand down the street. adding some grapes, apples and spinach, yukon gold potatoes and that is the produce for the week.

buy some corn tortillas, whole wheat pasta, hamburger and chicken breasts. Italian sausage and chicken broth. coconut milk or almond milk. (If you don't have frozen fruit in your freezer, buy a few bags. Always have lettuce on hand. Romaine is a good buy and has more nutrients than iceburg.

*TIP:I will take fruit from the week that is very ripe, or that I bought too much and chop and lay on a cookie sheet to flash freeze it: good fruit for this: Grapes, nectarines, bananas, peaches, berries, pears, plums, pineapple.

MONDAY:

Breakfast: Smoothie with 1 c spinach, coconut milk and 2 cups frozen fruit. I like to add chia seeds and a few almonds.

Lunch: Big salad with tomatoes, can of tuna, onion, cucumber with vinigrette.

Afternoon snack: frozen grapes.  this is a yummy, fresh treat.

Dinner: Beef Stew: In the morning, add stew meat, 2 c chopped carrots, 2 stalks celery chopped WITH leaves, 6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed and one chopped onion. stir together in crock pot and add one packet of brown gravy ( can beef broth for those of you who are gluten free) 4 smashed garlic cubes. One can of tomato soup and one can of cream of chicken soup. salt and pepper and steak seasoning. A generous squirt or two of Worcestershire.  add one cup of water.  Let it cook on low all day while you are at work, or 4-6 hours on high, until the smell in your home is heavenly and the meat is tender.  serve with:

Corn Muffins:

1 c cornmeal
1 c white whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 cup of almond or coconut milk
1/2 c melted butter
1/2 cup honey

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
• In a medium bowl add dry ingredients; corn meal, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together
• In a large bowl add wet ingredients; eggs, milk, melted butter, honey and whisk just until wet and combined
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix to combine.
• Fill muffin cups ¾ of the way full with corn mixture.
• Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

You can also cook this in a dutch oven as well as the Beef Stew!

TUESDAY: 

Breakfast: Two hard boiled eggs, 1/2 cup of watermelon

Lunch: leftover Beef stew and a plum

Afternoon snack: 8 almonds

Dinner: grilled chicken, zucchini strips, yellow squash, all tossed with romaine and parmesan cheese in a big grilled salad. Dress with your favorite dressing and add a cup of fresh peaches sprinkled with cinnamon.

WEDNESDAY: 

Breakfast: Smoothie with banana, spinach, almond, berries and almond milk

Lunch: chop salad: chop cucumber, banana pepper, tomato, carrot small with basil and vinigrette, add two string cheese and an apple

Dinner: brown one pound of hamburger with chili powder, salt pepper, cumin and a bit of red pepper flakes and 1/2 onion chopped in.

put on table with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pico, avocado chunks and corn tortillas for an easy and delicious taco bar. I also put our greek plain yogurt because it tastes like sour cream.

serve a slice of watermelon for dessert.

THURSDAY: 

Breakfast: two eggs scrambled with chopped banana pepper, spinach, splash of milk and onion.  Can add cheese.  banana

Lunch: Leftover tacos and a plum

Dinner: LEFTOVER NIGHT: finish up what you have in the fridge

FRIDAY:

Breakfast: yogurt with one cup fruit, 2 T. oat bran

Lunch: Humus with slices red peppers, carrots, celery and snap peas, apple

Dinner: Grilled mesquite chicken, roasted potato chunks - cube your yukon gold potatoes, chop 1/2 onion and  toss with olive oil and mesquite seasoning and sprinkle with a touch of parmesan cheese. put in a double tinfoil and seal and cook on the grill with your chicken.  I would put on the grill about 15 minutes before the chicken.  Toss a huge tomato, romaine, cucumber and spinach salad and eat outside on your back porch. You deserve it!

SATURDAY:

Breakfast:We are usually hiking on Saturday morning with our club (come join us!)  but I eat a banana for energy prior.  After, I will have some home made granola and coconut milk.

Lunch: chicken and plum stir fry: chop chicken, splash of soy sauce.1/2 onion and one garlic, smashed, a knob of fresh ginger crated. Salt and pepper, then saute' in olive oil.  add chopped fresh green plums and took just until tender. Serve on a bed of rice with a side of fresh green beans.

Dinner: whole wheat pasta tossed with grilled zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes and onion, then topped with a simple marinara and melted mozzarella cheese.  

Chop all leftover fruit into a tasty fruit salad and drizzle with a t. honey, squeeze of lemon and chopped mint.

SUNDAY: 

Breakfast: Banana Pancakes with pure maple syrup and berries

Lunch: Hummus and veggie roll-ups in romaine leaves, cup of fresh peaches with a splash of coconut milk

Dinner: Zupa Toscano Soup:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. Hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 large yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1 bunch  kale, leaves stripped and chopped
• 3/4 c. heavy cream or Almond or coconut milk
• 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• 1/4 freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate to drain.
2. Add onion to pot and let cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender, 23 to 25 minutes.
3. Stir in kale and let cook until leaves are tender and bright green, 3 minutes, then stir in heavy cream, sausage, and bacon and simmer 5 minutes more.
4. Season with pepper, garnish with Parm, and serve.