Weekend Meals

Tacos

Taco shells
Cuban black beans (mine were frozen from when my mom made them, but you can buy them canned)
1-2 tomatoes (diced)
1-2 avocados (made into guacamole)
3-4 leaves lettuce (sliced into "shreds")
1/4-1/2 pound shredded cheddar
1 package chick-un
1/2 onion
salsa

I cooked the onion and the chick-un in a pan together, but they weren't anything special and I would just leave them out in the future. Then you just pile each ingredient into your taco shell... so fast and easy and fresh!

Spiral Casserole

1 package whole wheat spiral noodles (cooked per directions and drained)
3/4 pound cheddar cheese
2 veggie sausages
2-3 roasted red peppers (mine were from a jar)
1 small package goat cheese

This dish was inspired my macaroni and cheese, but it has a western twist. I often make my mac and cheese as just that: macaroni and cheese. No other ingredients. This is unusual, as most recipes add a lot of cream, but I feel it is the heart and soul of the dish, and when served hot the cheese melts and you really don't miss the cream (when cold, it is much stiffer).

I decided to add a little kick to the dish. The sausages and peppers gave a little spice, while the goat cheese gave it some tang (and a little more creaminess).

It's pretty easy - just mix all the ingredients together in a very large bowl, then pour into a casserole dish. You can bake extra to get a crispy top, or you can just eat it as it is.

Noodle casserole is great - I froze 2 servings, had 2 servings for lunch this week.

Friday: Finally Fresh Food

This week was pretty bad. I either had plans or got home so late every night that I didn't end up cooking ALL WEEK! I hate it when that happens. Monday I worked late. Tuesday I went to a kickoff party and basically ate dinner, but went ahead and went out to dinner afterward as well. Wednesday I got together with my family, but we ordered sushi to go. Thursday night I had a civic event (ballot counter at a speech contest), and ate pizza there. And then it was Friday.

Fresh Salad with Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil
As usual, the best ingredients make the best salad. Mixed greens are served with fresh mini-mozzarella, cut up fresh basil leaves (from my potted garden), heirloom cherry tomatoes, and served with aged balsamic, highest quality olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper, and a hint of agave nectar. Divine!

Artichokes
Last time I made artichokes they were undercooked. I wanted to avoid that, but I was also in a hurry. I decided to use the pressure cooker. I put in about an inch of water, dropped in the two perfectly round and aptly named "Globe Artichokes," brought to a "tsk tsk tsk," and then let it cool off until the lock released. They were overdone. Next time I will do the fast release method and see how they turn out. They were edible, but mushy. I served them with melted Earth Balance - fake butter mostly made from vegetable oils, so it still melts nicely. In fact, it is saltier than butter, so I think it makes a better dipping sauce.

Couscous Pilaf
This mix comes from Trader Joe's ready to cook. It has large couscous, orzo, mini garbanzos, and dark quinoa. It's fast and tasty, with a nice texture. I cooked mine with chick-un boulliuon (For ten minutes as package directs). When it was done I added cranberries and pistachios. I served it with an Italian soy-sauge. Delish!

Wednesday: Pasta & Greens

I made some butternut squash pasta the other day that was delicious, and all I did was add red sauce! I still had about half the box left, and I thought I could make it even better by getting healthy-gourmet with the toppings.

1/2 box butternut squash & parmesan raviolis (dry)
1/2 pound blue cheese
1 small bunch dinosaur kale
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
A few tablespoons of water

Boil the ravioli according to instructions (ie: boil for 15 minutes).

Put the butter in a pan, heat it, chop the kale quickly, and add it to the pan with the garlic and water. Cook for the same 15 minutes (or a little longer, until soft). Add the blue cheese and melt.

Strain the pasta, then add to the pan with the kale and mix it all together.

Marshall really liked this version, but I actually preferred the red sauce! I thought the blue cheese overpowered the squash...
It took about 20-25 minutes total, and I had a large serving leftover.

Wednesday: Green for St. Patty's Day - pasta & bath

I spent a lonely St. Patrick's Day at home this year. While this is my second favorite holiday (after Halloween - both involve dressing up, one in costumes, the other in my favorite color), it was a strange week, and all my plans fell through, and I went home to relax by myself. I didn't really feel like cooking all that much, to be honest. But I didn't want to go out to eat, and I thought I could try to be a little festive by eating something green. On top of that, green is one of the most important food groups, and since I wasn't cooking a lot this week, I felt low in chlorophyll.

I decided to do a quasi-home-cooked meal. This is the kind of meal where most ingredients are packaged in some way, but you prepare it yourself. I don't prefer to eat this way, but I console myself by knowing that partially pre-packaged meals are still better than a totally packaged meal.

Green Pasta

1 package refrigerated butternut squash ravioli
1 half of 1 small bunch broccolini (flowering broccoli stalks; broccoli is fine, too)
1 large spoonful pesto

Boil the pasta according to package directions. In the mean time, chop the broccolini or broccoli. After paste is done, drain, and the put in a frying pan with some olive oil and the broccolini. Cook until broccolini is wilted and raviolis are browned. Add the pesto and stir until melted. Serve hot!

This dish is really easy, but it balances a pre-made pasta with a fresh ingredient and a homemade ingredient.

Green Bath

I also wanted to take a bath, but our custom concrete bathtub does come with the limitation of oil and salt causing discoloration. I wanted to do seomthing in celebration of St. Patty's... I decided to take a green bath!

1 large handful green tea in a hot bath



Survey says: Marshall wasn't home. I thought it was good, but not great. Although I have to admit that I made it again the next day without the broccolini and it was even better. I think the broccolini overpowered the pesto some, and would be good with a smaller amount of it.
Total Time: 15 minutes
Leftovers: Pasta only, a 2nd serving