Meal Planning Monster

I'm not a big planner.  Schedules are both comforting and confining.  I hate having everything planned out with no room to wiggle around.  However, when it comes to meal planning, I'm ALL OVER IT.  I love it.  I look forward to it every week.  It's what I do on the train to and from work, what I'm doing while El is picking at a snack after school.  You'd think my online stalker relationship with Smitten Kitchen and The Healthy Home Economist is bordering unhealthy.  I'm sure I'm already flagged for suspicious activity. I just can't help it.  And with the season of abundant produce upon us, who can blame me, really?  Everything is blooming and vibrant and EDIBLE.

My work schedule doesn't allow me to cook dinner at the appropriate dinner-time.  I work in the evenings, mainly from 2-7.  Which means careful planning is mandatory if I don't want my family to end up at Goodfellas three days a week.  However, I do allow for eating out twice a week- it's just what we do.  We love to eat.  We love to explore.  We love to get out, together.  So, we budget for it and we go.  Two less dinners I have to plan.  Usually our going out nights are Tuesdays and Fridays.  Tuesdays because our local bar does a 5 dollar burger night- in which you can get fries OR a salad included....hooray! And, Fridays, because it's payday.  Hello.  But the other nights? I make dinner ahead of time, mainly in the morning while El's at school so things are ready to eat when I get home.

A few things I try to do every week, on Tuesday am and Friday am (I use those as prep days because there's no pressure to make dinner since we'll be out that night) is chop the veg for the week.  Anything for salads, greens that need to be cleaned and prepped, and make a big pot of rice and two different kinds of beans. Sometimes I'll make salsa if I have odds and ends of tomatoes and cilantro and limes lying around (I always do).

The rice stretches all week long (I use white, basmati in case you were curious and here's why) in salads, with rice and beans for lunches, under a curry, to make veggie burgers, you name it.  The two different types of beans are for several reasons.  One being, beans are CHEAP.  Can I get an amen.  And full of protein.  CHEAP and nutritious? Yes please.  ANNNNNND, my kid adores them.

I make white beans (navy or cannellini, whichever's on sale) with shallots, carrots, celery, garlic a little white wine, stock and rosemary and she hoovers it like she's never eaten before.  It's fantastic.  And great with lamb as a side, in case you were wondering.  I also generally make a big pot of cuban black beans, or red beans- something fragrant and spicy and a pot of french lentils for wilted spinach salads with a lemon-dijon dressing I put on everything.  I mean everything.

With all the veg chopped ( delivered by Door to Door Organics, thank you very much.  Holy time saver, Batman) and rice and beans to choose from made, all I have to do when I get home is throw a piece of fish in the oven or poach an egg or on the very rare occasion we cook red meat at home, toss a steak on the grill.

Sometimes I wish I could just meal plan for other people.  Is that a thing? For now, hope this is helpful for a few working Mamas like myself who are just trying to get by without feeding our kids something they have to unwrap. Here's a little recipe we'll be having tonight for dinner.

Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets, Oranges and Melted Leeks

1 cup french green lentils, cooked

2 beets, roasted and sliced thinly

2 valencia oranges, segmented

1 leek

1 cup fennel, sliced thinly and raw

1 handful fresh dill

1 knob of goat cheese, or sprinkle of feta (optional for the vegans/dairy-free folk)

Sautee the leek, thinly sliced in ghee or EVOO until wilted and set aside.

Toss all ingredients together, with vinagrette.  Will keep in fridge for 2-3 days.

Lemon-Dijon Vinagrette

juice from 2 lemons

1 TBS Maille Dijon Mustard

1 TSP honey

1 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 Cup EVOO

S&P, to taste