Weekly Menu

I am slowly getting my house back in order after "resting and just doing enough to get by" for most of February, March, and April.  Weekly menu planning is one of those things that I have begun again.  I really, really like to buy groceries only once a week, and in order to do that, I have to make out a weekly menu.  I still have to stop by Kroger in between weekly trips for fresh produce, but having my meals planned out for the week is such a time saver.

I have been trying some new recipes, so I am going to post them if my family likes them.  It is easy for me to pull up my blog on my laptop when I am cooking.

Sunday:  leftovers, cereal, homemade bread
Monday: black beans and rice, salad
Tuesday:  polenta pizza, salad
Wednesday:  bean-oatmeal burgers, oven fries
Thursday:  black beans with mango salsa over rice, salad
Friday:  confetti salad

Our lunches this week will be leftovers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or wraps, homemade guacamole and chips, salsa and chips, and raw veggies and hummus or salad dressing.

Snacks will include fruit, guacamole and salsa, popcorn, banana muffins, homemade chocolate chip cookies, brownies, homemade banana ice cream, and cereal.

Breakfasts will be oatmeal, peanut butter toast, pancakes, or cereal.

I am back to making homemade bread twice a week plus I am cooking almost everything that we are eating from scratch.  I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen (which is one reason why my computer time has been so limited), but I feel good knowing that after several weeks of just feeding my family "whatever" and relying on the kindness of my wonderful friends who have brought us such delicious dinners, I am now back in my kitchen!

Banana Muffins

makes 24 muffins

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups oat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

6 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup sugar or pure maple syrup or honey (I use organic sugar)

1 Tbs. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup warm water

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups almond milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin tins with paper cups.  Mix first five ingredients in large bowl.  Blend bananas with remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix gently.  Spoon into muffin cups.  I use an ice cream scooper for this.  Bake for 16 minutes.

Please visit OrgJunkie.com for more menu inspiration.