Week 1 2015

This is my first personal blog post. So I guess I should start by introducing myself and my family. My husband Josh and I, are the proud Catholic parents of Zoe-6, Agnes-5, David-3, Roman-3, Jonah-1, and Therese-due to arrive in May 2015. We have Dara, our 3 year old rescue dog who is super sweet and patient with all these little "puppies" running after her. Our faith is paramount in our life. It is the reason behind everything we do. Although we are constantly falling and getting back up, our Catholic faith is our foundation, our guide, and our renewal each day.
It is our belief, that we are called to respect our bodies and our health so that we are ready to tackle each day and the challenges it brings for the greater glory of God. A huge part of that is nutrition and exercise. So I will be using this blog as a place to post my weekly meal plans with recipes and shopping lists. I may also blog on other important things going on in our life. I hope you enjoy!

2015 is the year for permanent healthy eating habits. So here is week 1 of my Paleo/clean eating meal plan. (The format is going to change... this doesn't look very pretty but Im out of time... new year starts TOMORROW!) Happy New Year!
 

Meal 1: Honey Mustard Crock Pot Spare Ribs         2TBS balsamic vinegar   2 TBS Worcestershire        1TBS Honey   1C broth   1 inch grated garlic                 2 TBS brwn mustard      1tsp hot sauce                         1 ½ lb spare ribs

Combine balsamic, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, hot sauce and broth in bowl. Place ribs in slow cooker and pour liquid on top. Cook low 6 hours. Sauce: combine ¼ c mustard, 2TBS water, 1 TBS honey, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp tom paste, 1 tsp coconut aminos, pinch of cayenne, and pepper to taste, in saucepan and simmer over low until reduced. Remove ribs from crock pot and baste with sauce. Serve with sauce for dipping

Meal 2: Salsbury Burgers      2lb ground beef                       ½ c minced onion           ½ c almond meal                    ¼ c minced fresh parsley   4 cloves garlic minced         Salt and Pepper               1TBS EVOO

Preheat oven to 400. Combine ground beef, onion, almond meal, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl. Shape into 6 equal patties. Place patties on baking sheet rubbed with oil. Bake 15 minutes or until done.

Meal 3: Tuscan Chicken Skillet                                     1lb boneless skinless chicken 1 diced onion                           1 clove minced garlic        12oz sliced mushroom      1tsp oregano                ½ tsp thyme              EVOO Salt and Pepper   ½ c sun dried tomato chopped 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes

Heat EVOO in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and brown 3 minutes each side. Remove and set aside. Add more EVOO if necessary. Add mushroom, onion, garlic, sun dried tomato for 5-8 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme and season with S and P. add chicken back to pan and cook 10-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Meal 4: Curry Shrimp Stir Fry                            3TBS coconut oil or EVOO     2lb peeled deveined shrimp                  1-2TBS curry powder            1tsp each S and P                  2c sliced onion                         1c sliced red bell pepper      1c chicken broth                     1c coconut milk

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle shrimp evenly with curry powder, salt and pepper. Add shrimp, onion and bell pepper to pan, cook 5 minutes. Add broth and milk and simmer 6 minutes or until thickened.

Meal 5: Bacon Tomato Bisque                               ½ lb bacon chopped                  1 onion chopped 2 TBS minced garlic          2 (28oz) cans whole peeled tomato                 14oz can chicken broth 14oz can coconut milk ½ -1c red wine  1 bay leaf

Heat large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. Transfer to paper towl lined plate reserving drippings in the pot. Add onion and garlic to pan. Cook 10 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes, broth, coconut milk, wine and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Puree in batches in a blender. Garnish with chopped bacon

Meal 6: Crock Pot Southwest Flank Steak          1.5lb flank steak                        1 onion chopped  3 cloves garlic minced                   16oz jar salsa  ½ tsp dried oregano               2 tsp chili powder  ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper          1 can black beans drained and rinsed                                                   1 sliced red and yellow bell pepper

Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use Write on bag: cook low 7 hours. Remove meat and slice into thin strips. Turn heat to high and add back beef and cook for additional 30 minutes with lid off to thicken sauce.

Meal 7: Greek Chicken Stew             2TBS EVOO          10-12 boneless skinless thighs   S and P to taste 1c chopped onion                  2 tsp minced garlic  1 TBS lemon juice            1 ½ tsp chopped fresh oregano                                       1c chicken broth ½ c chopped roasted red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Heat oil in large oven save pot over medium high heat, sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Cook chicken on one side for 3 minutes. Flip chicken and add onion, garlic, juice, and oregano; cook 5 minutes. Add broth and roasted bell pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and shred chicken with 2 forks before serving.

 

Shopping list

Meat:

2lbs shrimp (peeled and deveined)               ½ lb bacon (not turkey; nitrate free is best) 2lb ground beef                                                  1.5lb flank steak                                                 2 packs boneless skinless chick (2-3lb total) 1 1.5lb spare ribs

Nitrate free bacon is less processed and uncured, do not use turkey bacon. Turkey bacon is highly processed! You can find it at Whole foods. Walmart used to carry it but I haven’t seen it in a while.

Grassfed and or organic beef is best but if you buy it at the store it can be expensive. I buy my beef from a local rancher and butcher (I will give you the name and number if interested)
Free range organic chicken is best but again it is very expensive (I buy conventional chicken to save $). You can use boneless skinless breast or thighs for these recipes depending on what flavor you prefer.

Produce:

Ginger            6 onion              2 pods of garlic    12oz mushroom                3 bell pepper (red is sweetest)                           1 lemon or lemon juice                   parsley

Canned:

4 can chicken broth     2 can coconut milk (unsweetened full fat NOT LITE)                     2 cans (28oz) whole peeled tomato     1 can black beans   Can or jar roasted red pepper  can                      1can or jar sun dried tomato    15oz can fire roasted tomato  1small jar or tube tomato paste

I use a lot of chicken broth so I buy it in bulk at sams.                                                   Coconut milk can be found in the Asian food isles; it is imperative that you buy the unsweetened, full fat coconut milk.         Roasted red peppers are jarred but you can roast your own if you like.                             Sun dried tomatoes are usually with the Italian food section.

Staples (things you probably already have on hand and will use often; especially if you use this meal planning service):

Balsamic vinegar      Worcestershire sauce     Honey               brown or Dijon mustard     hot sauce                    apple cider vinegar     coconut aminos (this is equivalent to soy sauce but is soy free)                   EVOO (extra virgin olive oil; first cold press; not lite!!)     Red wine     almond flour/meal

Seasonings (again, you probably already have these on hand and will use often, especially if you are using this meal plan): curry powder     salt    pepper    oregano     chili powder     thyme     cayenne pepper

Honey; local raw honey is definitely preferred. You can buy local honey at most farmers markets or try Rouses, they have a lot of local products. Local honey helps with seasonal allergies.                                            Coconut aminos are the soy free version of soy sauce. Soy is highly allergenic (even if you don’t know it you may be allergic or sensitive to it). It is also very high in estrogens; and messing with hormones is not a good idea.                                            Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an excellent oil to use as long as it is EXTRA virgin, first cold press. This simply means it is not processed when made. Don’t get lite, the fat in EVOO is very good for you (in moderation of course)                                                                        Almond flour or almond meal can be found at Fresh Market, Whole foods, or any health food store. Or you can make your own by placing almonds in a food processor until it resembles flour. This is a great alternative to flour, is gluten free, has a low glycemic index and adds a good flavor to foods.                        All of these spices can be found at Walmart.