Weekly Menu Plan #25

Last week was a little off-kilter for us.  I didn't make everything on our menu.  The wonderfully ironic thing about menu planning is the flexibility it brings to the kitchen.  Because complimenting ingredients were gathered ahead of time to make meals, it's easy to shuffle things around and make simpler dishes if need be.  We did make the fresh pea soup after spending twenty sweet minutes shelling peas together.  I love the conversations that come up while doing simple, sensory-filled tasks together.  It slows us down and makes room for connection.  It's where the gold is.  And the soup?  It was delicious.  My girls asked for seconds.  I think being a part of the process made it taste better.

Monday:

To do: soak porridge

Breakfast:  Cinnamon Vanilla Baked Oatmeal

Lunch:  Egg Salad Sandwiches

Snack:  Raw Strawberry Cacao Kefir Smoothies

Dinner:  French Lentils with Roasted Roots, Caramelized Onions, & Thyme

Tuesday:
To do: Thaw stew meat & beef broth for Thursday night
Breakfast: soaked porridge & eggs
Lunch:  Nut Butter & Berry Wraps, Orange Slices
Snack:  Fried Mush
Dinner:  Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Kohlrabi Fries, & Salad

Wednesday:
To do: soak German Pancakes, thaw ground beef for Friday night
Breakfast:  Grain-Free Puffed Oven Pancakes
Lunch:  Grain-Free Pigs in a Blanket & Salad
Snack:  Raw Apple Pie Kefir Smoothies
Dinner:  Roasted Herb Chicken & Sautéed Asparagus & Snap Peas

Thursday:
To do:
Breakfast:  German Pancakes
Lunch:  Quesorritos
Snack:  Blueberry Bliss Kefir Smoothies 
Dinner:  Spicy Stewed Beef (modified) over grilled polenta, Salad, & Mousse au Chocolat

Friday:
To do: soak sourdough panckaes
Breakfast:  Eggs & Bacon from Pasture-Raised Pigs
Lunch:  Nibble Trays
Snack:  Cranberry Walnut Kefir Smoothies
Dinner:  Sour Cream Bake (using rice pasta) & Salad

Saturday:
To do: farmer's market
Breakfast: Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Lunch:  Hummus Flowers & Perfectly Frothy Raw Hot Chocolate
Snack:  Fresh Strawberries from Farmer's Market
Dinner:  Spinach Oven Omelette & Salad

Sunday:
To do:  Menu Plan
Breakfast:  Coconut Flour Crepes
Lunch:  Leftovers
Dinner:  Leftovers
(Sunday is my day off)

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fight Back Friday.

How I Got My Family to ENJOY Parsnips (and Spinach!) ~ Savory Cakes ~ A Recipe

Half the battle to achieve victory in food fights, I'm realizing, comes from leading by example and chilling out.  When I let my defenses down, miracles can happen. (ie: NOT giving in to I just spent all this time preparing something healthy and trying to make it taste good and I will freak out if it's received poorly.)  The other day, I experimented with the last of the parsnips.  The texture and presentation was feeling good.  I was going to enjoy this dish (and publicly express my enjoyment),  regardless as to what the family consensus becomes.

Oh my gosh.  I'm so excited about lunch!  These things are so good, you've gotta try them.

What are they?

"Parsnip Cakes" wasn't going to fly...

Savory Cakes!  And you get to put butter and salt on them.  See if you can finish yours before all the butter melts.

Adding butter is a big deal around here because we cook with so much of it, an extra dollop seems excessive, so a sliver of butter on top of these foreign cakes was all it took to get forks in everyone's hands.

Jeremy's reaction is always the first test for the kids.  His reaction is honest, I'll tell ya that much.  Once the kids saw him chowing down and after he gave them the reassuring "take a bite, kids.  They're actually really yummy," (my poor taste-testing family must feel like lab rats sometimes), they cautiously gave it a try... And cleaned their plates!  Elation!

I used leftover parsnip fries which sped up the preparation process, but if you, for some reason don't have any of those lying around in your fridge *smiley face*, I've included the roasting process for the parsnips below.

This is another Paleo, GAPS-friendly, and gluten-free dish that can be served as breakfast, lunch, or as a hearty snack.

Savory Cakes

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes, Makes 10-12 cakes

• 5 parsnips, thickly sliced & roasted
• 1 handfull spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, expeller-pressed coconut oil, or bacon grease for frying

**If your parsnips are raw, bake in 400º oven for 20 minutes, allow to cool slightly, then proceed with recipe.**

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until it's doughy.  You might need to turn it off and push the spinach leaves down towards the blades, then turn it back on to get it all to incorporate.  Use your hands to form balls and flatten into cakes, about 1/3 inch thick.
2. Melt fat of choice in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.  Cook cakes about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned and crispy.  Serve warm with butter, a dollop of creme fråiche, or simply salt & pepper as garnishes.

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Simple Lives Thursday.

An Invitation ~ Dress a Table with Me

"Dinnertime!"

...

"Let's eat!"

...

"COME TO THE TABLE!"

Are there vegetables?

"WHO CARES?!  GET OVER HERE AND LEAVE YOUR WHINE OVER THERE!"

Schoolwork, crafts, and mail are pushed aside to make room for the bowls.  Four kids drag themselves to the table,  shove food down their faces in record time and flop off their chairs with stuffed mouths to continue the activity that was so rudely disrupted by the untimely meal. Crumbs are left scattered all over the table, chairs, and floor.  Well that's a fine kettle of fish I grumble to myself as I either sweep up or dream of sweeping up while I nurse a hungry baby, also spilling food as I try to eat and nurse at the same time.  This little fiasco may or may not happen most every day.

As it may be apparent by the entries in this blog, I love food.  I love to eat.  I love connecting with people over good food.  How on earth can I impart this love to my children and continue to serve nourishing dishes?  Why have I allowed my kids to be so sloppy, grumpy, and picky? and how can I correct this?  Well, French Kids Eat Everything inspired me to try something new that just might help solve this issue.  The French dress their table for every meal.  Even childrens' tables.  I wondered what would happen if I dressed my table, cloth napkins and all?  Thus began a new experiment.  

As the baby napped, I slipped outside to join the children, scissors in hand.  

"What are you doing, mama?"

"I am clipping things to decorate our table with."

They followed and watched.

As much as I enjoy it, flower arrangement isn't a natural talent.  I returned inside, filled a mason jar with water and plunged the ends of all the foliage collected.  Smoothing out a table runner with my hands, I could feel the French's disapproval of my still-wrinkly runner, but it was almost snack time and I needed to commence this new experiment.  The flower-filled mason jar was centered on the table with two little vegetable wax candles on either side.  Cloth napkins were set out, spoons placed on top (no, not a complete setting.  Spoons were all we needed).

I called the children to table and their eyes lit up.

"Oooh!  Are those the flowers you picked?  They're so pretty!  Look at the table!"  

Captivated by the appearance of the table, wrinkly runner and all, they sat down without asking if there was vegetables in a voice that threatens a protest.

"Cloth napkins!"  The girls squealed.  "How princessy!"

"Boys put napkins in their shirts and girls put 'em on their laps"  Our son instructed.

Wow.  I didn't realize they already knew such refineries.  Now was my chance.

"Let's keep this table looking nice.  Eat over your bowls and keep your food and spoons over them, too.  I'd like to see how neat you can all eat."

There was a sweetness, a pleasantness that graced the table during snack time.  It seemed the dressed-up table evoked kind, quiet conversation.  Everyone seemed to want to preserve the beauty of the atmosphere the new table ushered in.  Snacks were finished, faces were wiped, and to my utter surprise, there were no crumbs to be found on the table, chairs, or floor.  It was a French-inspired miracle!

Now, I don't assume the pretty table has solved every issue and bad habit that rears it's head at mealtime, but it was definitely a start.  Besides, it's just plain lovely to sit at a table that's been spruced up a bit.  It adds value to the time we spend together as a family and friends when we gather around the table to share a meal.  I aspire to continue this new tradition.

I spent the night looking for simple, pleasing table settings I could get inspiration from and started a new board on Pinterest dedicated just to dressing tables.  Much to my dismay, tables only seem to be set for weddings and fancy parties.  I only found a handful of simple table-dressing ideas, and most were for nice outdoor parties.

This is where the invitation comes in.  I think it might be fun to share ideas with each other