Weekday Recipe Round Up! by Desiree Proveau

My weekday menu is not something I take lightly. You could say I'm obsessive compulsive about it, sure....but I prefer to say I'm delightfully efficient!  That's why, every Sunday morning before anyone else gets up, I come downstairs, make my breakfast, and sit down with my coffee to plan out our meals for the week.  I find inspiration from a variety of sources... The net, the paper, my family, my friends...I'm always on the hunt for ideas to add to my collection - and perhaps you are too, which is why I'm going to start sharing my weekday eats with you.  It's not going to be fancy, I'm no chef!  My favourite recipes are the ones that take the least amount of time, dishes, and money but are tasty and good for next day lunches.

Once I make up the menu I transpose it into ingredients and then I write it out again in order by aisle at the grocery store.... My husband James procures the food while I clean the house... I do the cooking, he does the dishes... A pretty good deal we've got going... : )

I HATE letting any food go to waste, so we only buy what we know we're going to use and by Sunday the fridge is bare...and if it's not, it's going into the next week's meals.

So without further ado....here is what was on the menu last week! Hopefully you'll find inspiration!

SUNDAY:
Chicken with Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes servied with Mashed Potatoes

This gem was inspired by a Jamie Oliver recipe and it's SO easy and SO good. Perfect for a Sunday feast

-Preheat the oven to 350

-Throw 2-3 chicken breasts, a bundle of trimmed asparagus, a quart of rinsed whole cherry tomatoes, a handful of fresh herbs of your choosing and a couple glugs of white wine and olive oil.

- Mix it up and cover tightly with tin foil and cook for about 45 minutes.

- Serve with mashed potatoes

Just the comforting dish I needed for a rainy fall Sunday night. Now it's time to cuddle up for an episode of Downton Abbey!

  

MONDAY:
Trout with Roasted Carrot and Arugula Salad

I always try to make something extra healthy on Mondays to make up for the weekend (where I survive mostly on wine and pizza) but this salad tastes like it should be bad for you...which makes it one of my favourites!  I found this recipe among many others on Miss Tracey Nolan.

Salad:

-Preheat the oven to 400 and roast your carrots for about 45 minutes or until they're nice and caramelized looking.

- Toast up a bag of pecan halves

- Mix the pecans and carrots with a bunch of arugula

- Toss with olive oil and WHITE balsamic vinegar (white balsamic is my new favourite dressing)

- Top with goat cheese

Fish:

-Lower the oven to 350

-Sprinkle the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper

-Cook on a baking sheet for 12 minutes or until it flakes apart

EAT THAT SH%$ and feel great about it!

TUESDAY:
Lemon Linguini

Pasta is one of my best friends...and this recipe will never betray me.

-Toast up some pine nuts and set aside

- Dice up a couple shallots and mince or crush up a few garlic cloves. I always do more than the recipe calls for.  TIP: Wear swimming goggles when dicing onions and you won't cry.

- measure out a heaping 1/4 cup of sliced sun-dried tomatoes

- Fry it all in about 1/4 cup of olive oil until cooked and then add 1/4 cup of lemon juice

- Meanwhile cook your linguini according to package directions, drain, add your spinach to the pot and then toss with the pasta and sauce.

Serve topped with pine nuts and parmesan cheese.  My mouth is watering.

WEDNESDAY:
Chana Masala

We have yoga on Wednesday evenings so we need to cook and eat fast...this is a quick one to whip up but after last weeks yoga session I've decided it's a bit heavy for pre work out... : ) A Canadian Living classic...

Gather up your ingredients:

3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp (30 mL) grated fresh ginger

2 tsp (10 mL) chili powder

2 tsp (10 mL) ground coriander

2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin

2 tsp (10 mL) garam masala

1/2 cup (125 mL) tomato paste

2 tsp (10 mL) packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

2 cans (19 oz/540 mL each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

In saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, coriander, cumin and garam masala; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in 1 cup water, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt and chickpeas, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. (recipe)

THURSDAY:
One Pot Coconut Curry

I know, two days of curry...not sure what I was thinking...but this is still a great recipe...

Get your ingredients together:

1 pound chicken strips

salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed and chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 large Granny Smith apple, cut into small chunks
Assorted toppingsRoasted cashews or peanuts, fresh mango chunks, toasted coconut, chopped scallions, raisins

 -Season the chicken with the salt; set aside. Over medium-high heat, warm the oil in a wide, shallow saucepan or small Dutch oven.
-Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, coriander, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, another minute or two.
-Add the broth and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Add the chicken and apple and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with rice and whatever toppings you like.

I throw planning to the wind on the weekends and try to be spontaneous so I never plan for Friday or Saturday which usually results in unhealthy choices, but hey, it's the weekend!

 

So there you have it!  A pretty good weekday round up! Stay tuned for next week when I'll tell you more about my culinary adventures that require very little skill, a low budget, and ingredients that are widely available... : )

Thanks for reading!

Oh ya, and if you have any recipes you think I should try please let me know!

Lots of love,

Desiree

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Desiree Proveau is a farmer's only daughter, now living in Toronto. In the midst of urban glitz and excess, she's incorporates the lessons she learned on her father's farm: to make due or mend, to never use anything just once, and to re-purpose what's no longer useful. She shares her designs, crafty lifestyle, and inspirations at The Farmer's Only Daughter.