Menu Plan Monday- Dec.31

After a blissful week of little cooking, back to my regular meal planning I go:

Monday : At a New Year’s eve wedding!

Tuesday : Quesadillas (using brown rice tortillas and beans), with homemade salsa and guac (recipes here )

Wednesday : Chunky Butternut Squash soup- absolutely delicious! (recipe below)

Thursday : Shepherd’s pie (my own non-recipe- make a batch of creamy mashed potatoes, and fry up some ground beef with a mix of veggies, such as carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peas, corn, asparagus, peppers, etc., and spices like Spike, salt and pepper, paprika, cumin and the like- put beef mixture on the bottom, mashed potatoes on top, and sprinkle some grated cheese and paprika, then bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes)

Friday : Chicken tender salad (based on Red Robin’s yummy dish- finely diced tomatoes, grated carrots and purple cabbage, diced eggs and cheese, with breaded chicken chunks over greens, and a honey mustard dressing), with homemade garlic bread

Saturday : Salmon fillets (baked with butter, lemon and dill), rice (a la Nourishing Traditions – simmered in homemade chicken broth), and steamed broccoli

Sunday : Beef stew (in the crockpot) and spelt biscuits

Here’s one of my favorite soup recipes of all time- healthy, simple and so tasty!

Chunky Butternut Squash Soup (courtesy of a friend, who got it from a friend, who got it from ?)

1 good sized butternut squash (two if they are small)
1 sweet potato or yam
1 onion (small-med)
4 cloves garlic (I often use a whole head, but that’s just me)

Prepare (halve and scoop seeds out of squash, peel sweet potato and onion, wrap garlic in foil) and place on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Put in a large soup pot. Add:
4 cups soup stock (preferably chicken, homemade is best, and no MSG allowed!)

Bring to a boil. Either blend in pot (using hand held blender) or take soup out to blend and then return to pot. Make it as smooth or chunky as you like- both taste great!

Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then add:
1/2 cup cream/milk/yogurt (they all work just fine- I use whatever I happen to have)
salt and pepper to taste

Do not boil once cream (or whatever) has been added. This easily serves our family of 3 (well, four, but Caden gets his squash pureed), with leftovers for another meal. Enjoy and feel nourished!

For more great menu plans, visit Menu Plan Mondays !