Start Again

I've really been slipping in my eating habits again. Skipping meals, junk food, all that jazz... So I'm gonna start making weekly meal plans again to get myself on track, as well to help with weekly grocery shopping. I've been going every Sunday afternoon with my mom, so hopefully by planning my meals, I can make a list based on that, and therefore won't buy so much stuff that I have to figure out what to do with it by the end of the week/before it goes bad. And because I've been going through some recipe books tonight, I'm going to start with tomorrow, and through til next Saturday.

Also, I've started using my Crockpot, yay! Oh man, what a great device! I haven't yet cooked anything during a work day, because I'm gone for at least 10 hours because I commute by bus rather than car, and I don't trust my food not to burn. But, I did make oatmeal once (didn't care for it, I'd rather just cook it in a pot...), Quebecois Chicken, and something else that I'm completely blanking on at the moment... But I do intend to use it some more this week! =)

A note: when I say cereal and berries, it's more like a bowl of berries with a bit of cereal and milk. Usually it's a banana, 4-5 strawberries, a few blueberries, a few raspberries, and a few blackberries, but it really depends on which berries are available at the grocery store each week.

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Leftover chicken and rice

Saturday
Breakfast: French toast
Dinner: Spaghetti and home-made sauce

Sunday
Breakfast: Apple cinnamon oatmeal
Dinner: Stir-fry (recipe below)

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Honey Lentils
Will also make Zesty Spinach Soup for lunches throughout the week (recipe below)

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Sweet and Sour Chicken (recipe below)

Wednesday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Steak, seasoned potatoes, green beans, and mushrooms

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Leftovers

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal and berries
Dinner: Zucchini-Potato Pancakes (recipe below)

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes with any berries left from the week
Dinner: Leftovers


Stir-Fry
7 oz Chow Mein noodles
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
4 cups bean sprouts, washed and drained
1 tbsp soy sauce
2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
1/2 cup cooked chicken (optional)

Put noodles in 8 cups of lightly salted boiling water. Boil and 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not over cook. Drain and set aside.

Heat the wok or skillet over high heat. When smoke arises add vegetable oil. Cook onion until transparent. Add bean sprouts, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil; stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add noodles and meat to the mix in the wok. Continue to stir fry and mix thoroughly over medium high heat for 3 minutes.

Serve hot or cold.


Zesty Spinach Soup
This is from my "Cooking Light: Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals" book.
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 cups chopped onion (1 small)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup (1/2") diced potato
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (6oz) pkg fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and next 3 ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potato is very tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.

Place half of soup and 1/4 cup sour cream in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup and 1/4 sup sour cream.

Serve with a dollop of additional sour cream, if desired, and 1/4 tsp lemon rind.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)


Sweet and Sour Chicken
This is from my "Company's Coming: Practical Gourmet: Inviting Asian Flavours" book.
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, patted dry, cut into 1" pieces
3 cups cooking oil
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup thinly sliced red pepper
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/3 cup chopped green onion (1" pieces)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Add chicken and toss until coated.

Heat cooking oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shallow-fry for 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Combine next 5 ingredients and set aside.

Heat a wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add cooking oil. Add remaining 4 ingredients and stir fry for 2 minutes until red pepper is tender-crisp. Stir in vinegar mixture until thickened. Add chicken and stir until coated.

Serve with rice.
Yield: about 4 cups


Zucchini-Potato Pancakes
This is from my "Cooking Light: Fresh Food Fast: Weeknight Meals" book.
2 cups shredded potatoes
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 small)
1/4 cup panko crumbs
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; heavily coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/5 cup potato mixture into 2 (5") circles in pan. Cook 5 minutes; turn and cook 4 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove pancakes from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture.

Serve with sunny-side up egg, and salsa and sour cream, if desired.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pancake and 1 egg)