Tuesday, March 18, 2008

High Hopes



















Sometimes the meal elicits groans, especially when I’m trying to be “creative”. Sometimes the meal elicits praise, and that’s when I’m feeling guilty because it is junk. Sometimes the meal, like this one, elicits a quiet table, because they are just eating.

This is when I feel good.

A simple salad with nothing but romaine and a few carrot “buttons”.
Tilapia with a little olive oil, lemon juice and ground pepper.
A purple mix of beautiful Lundberg Jubilee brown rice.

And now, the unveiling of the 14 meal menu.
In an effort to reduce grocery shopping and meal-planning stress, I have come up with a two week rotation of meals that my family will really eat. I’m hoping that I will no longer flutter around the kitchen nervously when someone asks me what is for supper because until that moment I hadn’t given it any thought at all. I’m hoping it will ease my guilt over incomplete, unbalanced meals that happen sometimes here because I didn’t plan ahead. I’m hoping that it will still give me room to be creative when it comes to meals…by just substituting a “regular” with my inevitable “new recipe” (cue groans).

I’m hoping that it will save money, reduce greenhouse gases, and promote world peace.

I always was an optimist.

Week #1
Spaghetti
Macaroni and Cheese
Soup
"Chicken" Patty
Pizza
Tacos
Tuna Melt

Week #2
Baked Ziti or Lasagna
Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup
"Chicken" Nuggets
"Hamburgers"
Pizza
Pancakes or French Toast
Tilapia


...subject to change...

6 comments:

Lisa Y. said...

love the menu rotation idea. I think we do a similar thing...but I haven't become quite that organized. I guess my meals are more in a rut. Beautiful healthy meal in your picture. I'll be over on Taco night!

mrc-w said...

Looks delish!
That is a good idea, with the menu rotation. Jon makes a couple of really good dishes (lasagna, spaghetti, and chicken kabobs). I make good green bean casserole and greek salad. We need to get good at a few more things and then we can do a rotation too!

Unknown said...

i love your rotation - I may use it too. I'm making egg mc-muffins tonight (homemade) and we had smoothies the other night (Sunday nights are made for eating non-meal meals, don't you think?).

I can't believe your family didn't complain about the pictured meal - you have them trained well! I'm thinking there would be groaning and gnashing of teeth if I tried to serve the purple rice. And who knows what the kids would do? hee hee

Kelle said...

I love the way you Type A-ers think. Are you Type A? Maybe you're a mix. I wish I could do it, my life would be SOOO much easier but I would say I'm gunna and then would have cold sweats wanting to try something new. My blood pressure would rise on ziti night when the rebelious "B" would fight to mix it up. I want to keep learning though! Rub your A-ness on me! I need to find a middle ground!

Kulio said...

Nope, NOT type A. I'm type Z or something. Some people think I'm a type A because of all of my lists and my plans and my organizational tools. But they are all just desperate attempts to get my life in order. And this list is just some sort of guide so that there is SOMEthing on the table everynight. When I get that creative whim, I just skip the boring planned meal.... Molly you and Jon are perfect together - he makes the main dish, and you do the side!!!

kool kenna said...

"chicken"
"hamburgures" heh heh