Week One Menus

My idea is to give six meal ideas every week and leave one day open, because even I can't follow a schedule every day of the week. I'll give the idea, grocery list and recipe or hints on making these meals. If you need any more information feel free to ask.

Day One: Pasta Bolognese (Pasta with meat sauce)

Groceries:

• Any dry or fresh pasta, unless you feel courageous and want to make your own. I like rigatoni best because the meat gets inside the holes. Yum (1 lb serves 4)
  

• Ground sirloin, pork, veal or some combination (1 lb serves 4)
• veggies- carrots, celery, eggplant, onions, squash, etc. (do veggies you like) (3 cups total at least)
• Garlic (2-4 cloves depending on preference)
• Tomato sauce (store bought, ill give a tomato sauce recipe some other day) (i think classico is much better than any other variety i've tried)
• 1 can chunk tomatoes

To make the sauce: Grate all the vegetables and cook on medium heat in saute pan with a little oil until soft. Remove from pan and cook meat. Add garlic at the last minute. Add canned tomatoes and sauce and let simmer for 20-30 minutes, the longer the better. Season with salt and pepper throughout and red pepper flakes add a nice spice. Simple dish, but healthier than your normal meat sauce.

Day Two: Grilled Chicken Tacos

Ingredients: Chicken (2 breasts per 3 people)
uncooked tortillas if possible (Costco has them)
3 limes
cumin & chili powder(try to find a chili powder with some texture to it)
tomatoes (i like vine ripened but sometimes they are super pricey)
cilantro (one of the cheapest herbs, its a hate or love kind of food)
green onions (just a few)
avocado (1 should be fine for 3 people)
lettuce ( i like green leaf or red leaf, its cheap and has flavor)

Marinate chicken in juice of 2 limes with 1/2 T cumin and chile powder for 1/2 hour. Grill and shred. Cut up tomatoes, cilantro, green onion and avocado and mix with lime juice. Cook tortillas and pile with chicken, lettuce and tomato/avocado mix.

Day Three: Chicken Pot Pie

1 chicken breast per person
1 onion, carrot, celery, 1 potato- chopped
rosemary, thyme
butter, flour, chicken broth
biscuit dough
corn (optional)

Saute chicken in butter and set aside to cool. Saute veggies in same pan, starting with potatoes so they cook through. Add flour to vegetables when cooked through, enough so it looks dry, let cook on medium for 1 minute while stirring. Add 1/2 cup broth per person and bring to a simmer to thicken. Add in chicken and corn. Pour in ramekins for personal pot pies or one bigger dish. Cover with Biscuit dough and bake at 350 until biscuit is browned.

Serve with a green salad to lighten up the meal.

Day Four: Lamburgers (unconventional spelling noted)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground lamb for 3 people (if you can't get ground lamb and don't have a grinder try beef)
• orange juice
  
• cumin
• plain yogurt
• 1 garlic head (yup the whole thing)
• pitas
• arugula

mix ground meat with 1/4 cup o.j., salt, pepper and cummin and form into patties. Cut top off garlic head and wrap in tin foil, put in oven for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Mix 1 cup yogurt, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 cup o.j., salt and pepper. Grill Patties and pitas. Smear yogurt inside pita, add arugula leaves and some of the roasted garlic that should squish out of the cooked garlic head. Add in patty. I promise it's delicious.

Day Five: Grilled Vegetable Calzone

Ingredients:
favorite pizza dough recipe, or store bought dough,
tomatoes, onions, eggplant, squash, peppers, etc
motzerella cheese
bread crumbs
tomato sauce
balsamic vinegar
1 egg

Marinate vegetables in balsamic vinegar for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper and grill. Cut up mozzarella and combine, add a cup of tomato sauce for 2 people. Fill calzones with mixture and seal. Crack an egg and brush the egg onto outside of calzone, then brush with bread crumbs. Bake at 375 until golden brown. Use extra sauce for dipping.

Day Six: Cucumber Salad and Fried Ham and Cheese

A really unhealthy sandwich (we'll just make it smaller) mixed with a yummy healthy salad.

Ingredients:
1 english cucumber per 2 people
2 tomatoes
1 shallot
rice wine vinegar
olive oil
lemon (zest and juice)

Mix lemon, 1/4 cup vinegar, chopped shallot, salt and pepper. Add olive oil and vegetables.

Sandwich Substitute ham for turkey.