Off-the-cuff meal plan

Hi there! Remember me? I feel like I've been out of touch for ages. We had a (successful) garage sale this weekend, and then I ran 12 miles on Sunday, so I'm pretty wiped out. I made this meal plan as I scratched out a shopping list, then met The H and the little guy at the store 9 miles into my run, helped them gather groceries, then left 'em at the checkout while I pounded out the last (painful) three. My legs are tired!

Here's what we're eating this week, more or less...

Sunday lunch - gluten free chocolate chip pancakes with fresh raspberries and Clementines, local co-op bacon. Amazing what can be pulled together when there is "no food" in the house! I made the 'cakes from scratch today using Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour, and hope to blog it tomorrow.

Sunday dinner - fast food

Monday - Quinoa and black bean stuffed peppers

Tuesday - Clean eating egg salad sandwiches

Wednesday - Cheetah! Co-op pickup night.

Thursday - Hmm... I had something written down but don't have my list with me, so I cannot remember what it is.

Friday - Burgers on the grill! I might make them sort of Mediterranean-inspired, and somehow incorporate feta and kalamatas, maybe with some grape tomatoes I have. Any recipes to share?

Lunches will be tuna for me, leftover lentil soup for The H, and whatever accumulates during the week. Nothing too set in stone...

What are you having?

My REAL menu

This week I had a pretty decent menu planned for myself and the little guy. It was designed to use things I had in the fridge, freezer, and pantry without too much spent at the grocery store or too much time in the kitchen. And then, The H's trip was canceled. That's a good thing! But it also means that our plans need to change. I cannot, in good conscience, serve Mr. Fish-and-Wheat Allergy a tuna melt on a multigrain sandwich thin. Nor can I make him eat another shapeless bean burger patty. He went out of his way to eat the two he had last week as it is.

So, as I puttered in the kitchen this morning doing other prep--making hummus, chopping organic celery and green onions, cleaning out the cheese/meat drawer and the freezer, boiling edamame--I thought about what I could pull together instead. Some of the dinner options I listed yesterday will become my lunches.

Here's what I came up with for dinner:

Monday - Gluten free pizza with pancetta, marinara sauce, sundried tomatoes, green onion, feta, and kalamata olives. I'd love to do a frittata and maintain the integrity of "Meatless Monday" but since we had brinner last night and went out for breakfast this morning, I cannot reasonably coerce my boys into eating one more egg or pancake this early in the week.

Meatless CrockPot Tuesday - Now we're talking! Black bean soup with green onion, frozen corn, chipotle chiles, crushed tomatoes (I love these), vegetable broth, lime, and cilantro with cheese and avocado for serving. Oh, and peach salsa with Trader Joe's soy-flax tortilla chips.

Wednesday - Chicken burgers with drunken peppers (using gluten free beer, of course) and roasted red potato "fries."

Thursday - Baked ziti-style rice pasta with spinach and meat sauce, using leftover cooked turkey from the lasagna I made on Saturday, marinara from Monday, and the end of the 40-lb tub of organic spinach that is lurking in the fridge. (It wasn't *that* much, but it did come from Coscto...)

Friday - Perhaps individual pizzas after the first day of our yard sale. The crust mix makes one large and two small (at least, that's what I MAKE it make) so I won't have to mess with making it fresh. Or, if I have time to get a few things at the store, we could have the Eat-Clean Egg Salad that I was going to make for me and the little guy.

Saturday - I'm tired just reading this. Let's go to the Cheetah.

Quickie Meal Plan

I haven't given this a ton of thought, but I need to get something on "paper" for my own mental well-being. The H is blasting off to Atlanta this week, leaving me and the little guy on our own for three dinners. My sister and I have also decided to have a yard sale this weekend, which throws another curve into the week. Here's what I came up with:

Sunday - Breakfast for dinner with the aforementioned sis, bro-in-law, and my parents

Monday - Leftover black bean burgers on sandwich thins

Tuesday - Eat-Clean egg salad from Tosca Reno's family cookbook

Wednesday - Tuna melts on sandwich thins with spinach and havarti

Thursday - Buffalo chicken meatloaf for The H and the little guy while I run with the ladies

Friday - Pizza! I'll make a few gluten free crusts this week so this will be easy to toss together

Saturday - Leftovers, or our favorite place, after the sale is over

I will augment each meal with fresh produce based on what I find on sale when I go shopping this afternoon.

Spring has truly arrived!

Know how I know? The little guy and I went to the FARMERS MARKET on Wednesday!

I was happy to see "my" egg person again, selling large and jumbo dozens for $0.50 less than I get them from the local food co-op. When we run out mid-week and co-op pickup night is a few weeks off, this is a great way to supplement.

We also picked up a bunch of fresh asparagus, some of which I roasted for lunch with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper (but forgot to take a picture of), some gifts for Mother's Day, and a cute little basil plant.

My attempt at basil-from-seeds did not, shall we say, go well.

The new plant will get repotted in fresh soil and take up residence in a pot--eventually with some other herbs--on my back porch, where I can move it into the sun or out of the rain as needed. The old one, that has been "growing" since January (I know! I'm not very green-thumby), will get pitched into the garden.

Oh, and since it was "ten o' clock snack time" the little guy and I shared a delightfully gooey fresh pecan cinnamon roll. We've been fortunate to have access to local food throughout the winter, thanks to the co-op, but I love market season and I'm glad it's back!

Sweaty Band vs. Bondi Band

When I run, I usually wear an old blue Champion C9 wicking cap that I got on clearance at Target 800 years ago. For real, his thing has been part of me since at least 2005. To say I am attached to it would be an understatement. It's even been to Italy with me.

Alas, all good things must end, and our relationship lately has been less than stellar. My hair, shorter now than when I got The Hat, gets my hair shower-wet when I wear it, which is not conducive to doing anything in public post-run. The hair behind my ears sticks out like Pippi Longstocking braids after a few miles. My forehead has been breaking out. I don't like washing it (go ahead, "EWWW!" out loud, everyone does) because it never fits the same afterwards, and because I run so often, it never has time to fully dry in between. And, here's a runner's superstition for you, I think it's kind of bad luck. (Also, bad hygiene. But I digress.) SO I have been looking for alternatives to The Hat.

My hair is too short for a ponytail, so that idea is out. I don't want to fuss with a barrette. My next thought was "headband." But what kind? There are so many out there. The skinny ones made by ponytail-elastic people boing right off the back of my head and don't hold my hair down the way I'd like. I asked some friends what they liked and paid attention when other runners reviewed certain bands.

The first two I compared are a Sweaty Band and a Bondi Band. Sweaty on top, Bondi on bottom.

Sweaty Band (which you can get for $7 + shipping by choosing the "mystery grab bag" option rather than a specific print for $18) is made of ribbon backed with velvet. They claim it doesn't slip... and guess what? They didn't lie! This puppy stayed put through two of my mid-week runs totaling 9 miles.

I like that the back of the band, underneath the hair, is thin like a ponytail elastic. That thoughtful design keeps the band from bunching up my short hair.

One drawback to a Sweaty Band is that it does not wick sweat off your face during a workout. I didn't have as big a problem as I thought I would with this, since it was quite windy during my two runs and that helped me evaporate. I do recall swiping some trickles away, but it wasn't often. It might've been more of an issue if I was running indoors without a breeze. The fabric doesn't taper to the elastic part until it is well behind the ears, so things were kind of tight once I put on my sunglasses and over-the-ear headphones.

Tonight I tried my new Bondi Band ($8), which is made of a wicking fabric and meant to be worn lower on the head, or flipped/tucked up for a different look.

They claim to be "no slip, no drip." And yep, true to their word, like the other one.

The fabric is much thinner than I was picturing after looking at the website. It tapers at the back, but does not have an elastic like the Sweaty Band, so it sticks out more and makes my hair do the same. Not terribly so.

During my 3 mile run, I wore this down over my forehead and didn't have to stop once to swipe sweat. I almost forgot it was on. And actually, I had a really fast run! :) The lightweight fabric was great. Its thin profile behind my ears meant I could comfortably wear headphones and sunglasses without any crowding.

Both bands were comfortable. The one I choose to wear on any given day will depend what kind of run I have planned and where. There are some bands I've yet to try (Prana, lululemon, Old Navy) so this review is not exhaustive by any means, but I'm quite happy to have alternatives to The Hat!

Cherry Chocolate Smoothie

Today, instead of my usual post-run chocolate protein shake, my "second breakfast" was the Cherry Chocolate Smoothie from the two-week meal plan in the March/April 2010 issue of Clean Eating Magazine. What a nice change! It was refreshing, pretty, and incredibly tasty. Also very filling! It reminded me of strawberry cheesecake. It was so dessert-like that had to remind myself that it really *is* designed for clean eating. I've never claimed to be a big fan of fast-food ice cream to begin with, but I'm going to go so far as to say this was better than a Wendy's Frosty.

Cherry Chocolate Smoothie

from Clean Eating Magazine

serves 2, or 1 really hungry person

instructions written by Kate

8oz low-fat milk

4 frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen cherries

1/4 cup chocolate protein powder

4 ice cubes

1. Pour milk into blender and add protein powder. Begin blending on low speed.

2. When liquid forms a vortex, increase speed and slowly add frozen fruit. Allow to fully incorporate between additions.

3. Continue blending until your desired consistency is reached, and smoothie is a pleasant pink color. Pour into two glasses and enjoy--with a straw or without.

I use three ice cubes, and it was plenty thick. I had half immediately after my 5-mile run, and put the other one in the fridge to enjoy later. An hour after I made it, it was still delightfully cold and creamy. This would be an excellent summery dessert alternative.

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

This recipe, from the March/April 2010 Clean Eating Magazine (are you noticing a theme this week? This issue is fantastic!), is written for the stovetop, but since tonight is our running group night, I modified it to work in the slow cooker. I also cut it in half, not wanting a zillion portions of soup around to haunt me and The H for months, especially if it didn't turn out well. The original recipe follows.

Lentil Soup

from Clean Eating Magazine

serves 16

Ingredients:

2 cups dried green (French/Puy) lentils

3 quarts vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic, about 2 cloves

1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned or homemade)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp crumbled oregano

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons

Instructions:

1. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and pick through to remove any bits of stone or dirt. Drain well.

2. Place lentils in soup pot with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30min or until lentils are no longer hard in the center.

3. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato sauce, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue simmering another 30min or until lentils are tender.

4. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature and store covered for up to five days in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Since I adapted this for the slow cooker, I just piled everything into the crock at once, and cooked it on low for about 6 hours. We did not use the lemon juice. I kept the quantities of veggies the same, for the most part, and used 6 cups of stock/broth.

This was my first experience with French/Puy/green lentils. I found them at my local health food store. They taste the same as regular old (brown?) lentils. In fact, I even tossed in about 1/4 cup regular lentils that I found in the pantry. It wasn't enough to do anything else with but they went perfectly in this soup.

The end result could've used some more pepper, but that's my fault and not the recipe's, since there is no quantity listed. When serving, we grated some fresh Parmesan into our bowls. We ended up with enough soup for dinner, plus three leftover portions. The H will have one for lunch, and I froze the other two for later.

On the side, we had a fresh spinach salad (spinach, strawberries, crumbled local nitrate-free bacon, mushrooms, goat cheese, pine nuts, HFCS-free Ranch dressing) on the side. If we hadn't done this--if I had muffins or fresh bread to go along with the soup--I would have wilted some spinach into the soup before serving.

Nutrition information for an 8-oz serving:

Calories - 120

Total fat - 2.5g

Saturated fat - 0g

Carbs - 0g

Fiber - 4g

Sugars - 3g

Protein - 8g

Sodium - 450mg

Cholesterol - 0mg