Happy Monday! And Happy Birthday Week to me. I turn 28 on Saturday and I can't wait to start the next year of my life off by watching the Kentucky Derby, spending time with friends, and enjoying those julep cocktail variations I posted last week.
Is it just me or are Tara Lapinski and Johnny Weir just really random and annoying? I'm not sure why they are the spokespeople for the Derby now, but I truly love to hate watching them.
In all seriousness, though, 27 has been real. Each year, when I reflect back, I think I've learned and grown more than any year previous. But this year has definitely given me a new perspective on that. Believe it or not, I'm actually in the process of pulling myself out of a pretty low spot that I've been in for several months. Call it a funk, call it depression, call it seasonal affective disorder... whatever it was, is no longer welcome in my life and I've been making leaps and bounds, personally, to claw my way out. I've learned a lot this year about who I am and how I've changed over time -- parts of myself that are new and parts of myself that seem to have been lost. It's been eye-opening, all this introspection. I know this probably sounds a bit vague and I'm sorry about that. I'm not trying to be cryptic or mysterious. I wish I had some kind of insightful way to sum up all this rambling but I really don't. I'm still trying to figure it out, myself. I will say this, though. I am learning to be more comfortable in my own skin again, and that's a great feeling.
Anyway! On to the Meal Plan. This week's meal plan is a little different in that it's not so recipe-heavy. I have put together more of an outline of things I plan to incorporate into each meal, and have found a few Pinterest recipe that support some of the flavor profiles I'm going for, to give me ideas.
This is a conversation I was having with a friend over the weekend, and I think it's something important to briefly discuss here. I don't think it's imperative to always have a recipe. In fact, I would argue that you're much better off being able to come up with combinations on your own that turn into great meals, using your own brain and creativity and instincts. I want to challenge you this week to do just that. Use these ideas below as inspiration to feel free to mix things up in unique ways! Who knows, maybe you'll find a new favorite meal.
Also, I wanted to relay something a new friend mentioned over the weekend. If you're having trouble following these meal plans because, perhaps, you shop on a different day, feel free to stay a week behind and follow along that way! I am going to continue to try posting these on Sunday. This week was a little off because of all the work I've been doing to prepare for the Little Foodies 5-Day LIVE Training Series, which is starting next Monday.
Finally, something I want to quickly make note of on the Korean beef recipes: I will likely substitute the brown sugar called for in both recipes for honey AND will reduce the amount of sugar called for by at least half. I'm OK with the flavor coming out a little less sweet than what you would get at an Asian restaurant in order to make it healthier for my family.
As always, I started by taking inventory of my refrigerator and pantry. Here's what I already had:
Quinoa
Feta
3 Large Red onions
Package of arugula
Walnuts
3 lemons
Radishes
Texas caviar given to us by a neighbor
Strawberries and pineapple left over from a party on Saturday
Mint left over from the same party (we made mint juleps!)
And here's the meal plan! Underlined (linked) recipes will take you directly to the recipes I use. And, as always, you can find them on my Weekly Meal Plan Recipes board on Pinterest.
MONDAY
Ryan and kids are coming home late. Quick dinner, then Ryan has a meeting.
Dinner: Stovetop grilled chicken tenderloins, mint, pineapple and arugula salad
Dinner (kids): Grilled chicken strips, baby cucumbers, greek yogurt and apple slices (basically snack foods plus chicken)
TUESDAY
Ryan and I have yoga at 5:30, quick dinner, then I'm going out for drinks with a girlfriend
Dinner: Slow cooker bulgogi with blistered green beans, kimchi, and sauteed spinach. I'm making a double portion of the bulgogi and saving half of it for Friday's korean beef bowl!
WEDNESDAY
Yoga at 5:30
Dinner: Ottolenghi roasted red onion and goat cheese salad with walnut salsa (I meant to make this over the weekend for a party and didn't have time). We plan to eat this with fried eggs! Sort of a breakfast-for-dinner type of thing, but "fancier".
Dinner (kids): Scrambled eggs, goat cheese, and avocado
THURSDAY
Bible Study at 6:00
Dinner: Salad of baby spinach, feta cheese, toasted sliced almonds and strawberries
I'll probably make some kind of simple vinaigrette with balsamic, a little honey, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Dinner (kids): Small (lightly dressed) spinach salad, strawberries and almonds on the side
FRIDAY
Dinner: Quinoa and leftover bulgogi bowl with soft boiled eggs, cucumbers, and avocado
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