As we come to finish the first month of the new year, I wanted to talk a little about meal planning as that has been one of my main (cooking) resolutions.
To sum it up, it’s harder than I thought.
I’m not sure if it’s because I am pregnant or I’m just a picky eater, but I have had a hard time sticking to my plan. There are nights where there is no way I can even imagine eating what was planned for that night (Thai Coconut Lentil Soup) or nights where I do make the planned meal (Shrimp) and either can’t eat any of it or can only eat a little bit, then I am in a bad mood the rest of the night. Does this happen to any other foodies? You spend all this time making dinner and it doesn’t taste very good and you’re mad at the time and energy you feel you just wasted?
This happened last night and after watching me pout for about 10 minutes, Manatee went on an emergency ice cream run, making me the quintessential pregnant woman.
For the record, these are individual sized containers and Manatee wanted to make sure I had an assortment of what I requested: ice cream with chunks, some type of chocolate involved, and cookie dough! Wait no, peanut butter cup!
He didn’t wait for me to decide but was gone in a blur. I think it’s the sweetest thing he has done for me thus far, especially considering he spent the afternoon at the movie theater watching Les Mis with me, aka he rolled his eyes and watched me sob for 2 [1/2] hours. Oh, and did I mention that there was an ice storm last night? And that Manatee (apparently) hates musicals?
Also for the record, I only ate one container of ice cream last night (the cookie dough). The rest will be saved in case of future emergencies.
So, back to meal planning. It’s been tough, but I’m not ready to give up. You may notice some less adventurous dishes in the next few weeks and I would love to hear more of your tips. Do you have “safe” dishes included every week? Back-up plans? What happens when a meal doesn’t turn out?
This Week’s Plan
Eggs and Hash: I am adapting a recipe from Everyday Paleo (thank you Sarah!) to make hash using a mix of potato and butternut squash cubes with red onions, mushrooms, prosciutto, and egg whites (Manatee won’t touch the yolks). Eggs are a safe food, as are potatoes. Squash is not, but I know it’s healthy and I’m willing to take the risk, especially if I can have my beloved potatoes.
Veggie packed BBQ: Our freezer is starting to fight back. I made a huge batch of this a few weeks ago and we are almost through our frozen portions.
Mini meatloaves: This is also thanks to Sarah and will be my first time combining ground beef and pork. I have never done a mixture of meats in meatloaf so I’m excited to try it.
Chunky Red Chili: This will be my #souplove post this weekend and the recipe is from The Intolerant Family Cookbook, a local Madison family who have created dairy-free and gluten-free recipes. I’m excited to try it!
Back-up Meal: I am going to start including back-up meals in my plan. This is in case my pregnancy gets the better of me and I can’t handle the thought of one of the aforementioned dishes. This week, my back-up meal is Sweet and Spicy Tofu. I always have the ingredients on hand and it’s a comfort food for me.
Croutons: Due to some experiments (cough…..huge mistakes….cough) in baking this weekend, I have 3 loaves of stale bread. I am going to make some homemade croutons to keep on hand and practice for my upcoming Raising the Salad Bar Class at Orange Tree Imports.
Juices: Since last week, I have become obsessed with juicing.
My current go-to juice is: 2 apples, 3 carrots, 2 oranges, and a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger. Yum!
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You may notice some changes on the blog in the next week or so. I am working with a designer on the blog layout and design. Have patience with us as we work through these changes. I am hoping to get you a more streamlined version of Badger Girl Learns to Cook.
What are some of your “safe” meals when planning or cooking for your family?
