Summer is off to a roaring start in our household. Less than a week after school ended, Brian and I headed to Maine to visit with my parents for 7 days. On the way home, we stopped by my nephew’s first birthday party. Since then we’ve been recovering from vacation (I still haven’t unpacked) and spent time gearing up for the activities of summer. July is looking awfully full, with company and day trips, plus part time work for both Brian and I. In my spare time, I’m trying to work on some of the projects that I neglected during my first trimester of napping. The more ready we can be for this baby before going back to school, the better off we’ll be.
At the same time, I’m really trying to relax and enjoy this last child-free summer. I’m taking in my usual course of reality competition shows (The Great British Baking Show, Master Chef, American Ninja Warrior), walks around the neighborhood and free, local events. Summer always flies by and I want to embrace all it has to offer.
All this change in routine means that my menu planning is a little out of the routine as well. This week’s “plan” contains the pick ups and meal selections from the last 3 weeks, skipping over the food we brought to my parents and randomly ate in ways I no longer recall and the nights we haven’t been at home. Will next week’s menu look more like a single week of meals? We’ll see.
The Pick Ups (x 3!)
This set of pick ups was a really good series. There’s a good variety of options in season now and we made the most of the awesome, but brief, strawberry season. I didn’t do a thing with any of them but eat them plain or occasionally with whipped cream. They never lasted long.
We did two pick ups this past week because we missed a pick up while on vacation and returned home to a produce-less refrigerator. I was thrilled to get summer squash and zucchini for the first time this year, as a well as our first tomorrow on Friday. Just like the strawberries, that tomato didn’t last long. We ate most of it plain with dinner on Saturday night. I am so looking forward to more tomatoes in the next couple months.
garlic scapes, Hakeuri turnips, lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, collard greens, strawberries
chard, lettuce, flowers (free for the taking!), kale, strawberries, summer squash, zucchini, snow peas, radishes, basil (free for the taking!), scallions, snap peas
collard greens, beets, chard, strawberries, lettuce, Hakeuri turnips, snap peas, tomato, zucchini
The Plan (both past and future)
cheese pizza on Whole Wheat Food Processor Pizza Crust + kale chips
Soft Polenta with Roasted Smoky Chickpeas, Grape Tomatoes, Chard and Creamy Basil Sauce (from Great Bowls of Food by Robin Asbell)
chef’s salad with eggs, chickpeas, turnips, radishes, etc
Pizza Waffles (without pepperoni, from Shutterbean) + kale chips
cold noodle salad with snow peas, scallions and black beans (recipe in development) + green salad
zucchini/summer squash galette with fresh basil (adapted from Serious Eats) + salad and sliced tomato
Spicy Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad + collard greens (recipe coming soon!)
Chickpea Shawarma Dip (Minimalist Baker) with veggies to dip – turnips, radishes, store-bought carrots and cucumber and pita chips
Zucchini-Potato Frittata (The Kitchn) + salad
Thai Noodle Bowls with Almond Butter Tofu (Minimalist Baker) the addition of chard
What are you cooking this week?
