Real Food Meal Plans For Two Aug 18th Meal Plan

Breakfast

Fresh Almond Bircher Muesli w/ Seasonal Berries and Greek Yogurt

Lunch

Zucchini Basil Soup

Dinners

Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Stacks

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops with Green Beans and Herbed Tomato Salad

Poached Salmon with Cantaloupe Basil Salsa and Almond Rice Pilaf

Dessert

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Merlot Stewed Plums

2

This menu plan and the ones that follow are based on the way my husband and I eat at home. I eat butter, I eat meat, I eat grains, I eat bread, I love my eggs, I eat cheese and I even eat bacon! But most of all, I love my veggies.

We believe that meals should always be an exciting and flavorful experience. There is no reason why eating at home shouldn’t render restaurant quality meals (if not better!)

That being said, I wouldn’t call these “family friendly” meals. These meals are for a more mature palette. We don’t have children ourselves and I wouldn’t even know where to begin to create kid friendly food. However, appeasing picky eaters was never my mother’s concern and I managed to not starve to death! In fact, I credit her lack of catering to our selective palettes as the reason I now enjoy such a varied diet. Thank you Mom!

The meals in this plan are based on two people. However, the recipes can easily be doubled for a larger family or entertaining. There may be leftovers from time to time, which will make great lunches or easy heat and serve dinners. There are bound to be a few loose ends (ingredients) and there are additional ideas and recipes to use them up as a bonus.

We typically eat red meat or chicken and seafood each once a week. The rest of our meals are vegetarian. Since that is a stretch for most people, I’ve only included 1 vegetarian dinner in my meal plans. The rest of the week is up to you, but if nothing else, you’ll be eating meatless at least once a week. Eating vegetarian helps us get more plant-based foods into our diet while still enjoying the pleasures of a good steak or seafood. Eating vegetarian helps reduce our overall food costs, but also allows us some wiggle room in our budget for grass fed, pastured and organic meats which tend to be more costly (but surprisingly not always!).

Because we live in Canada and move around a lot, what might be seasonal for me may not be seasonal to you. I find we’re often a month behind everyone else, sometimes a little more. The recipes are meant to be flexible. Please feel free to substitute what you have access too and what works for your budget. There are substitution suggestions mentioned in the notes following the recipes. Some suggestions are for more cost effective options, others to deal with different availability over North America. Maybe in your area, mizuna is easier to get than arugula, or maybe strawberries have already passed their peak and you’re well into raspberries. Use whatever you can get fresh and local when it’s available.

There will also be times that you’ll be introduced to new foods. We try and eat a variety of different fruits and vegetables as a way of getting a more varied set of nutrients into our diet. I encourage you to at least try them, even if they seem scary at first. Even if you don’t “like” the item, please try. The only sure way to start liking something is to keep trying it. Eventually you’ll develop a taste for it, and with it, reap the health rewards of a more varied diet.

Most Sincerely,

France Morissette

3

Breakfast and Lunches can be made ahead for stress free, no fuss meals. Just because it should be stress free, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be delicious. Every meal should be

a celebration of flavor and texture.

Make Ahead…

I recommend making a few things on Sunday. It helps set myself straight for the busy week but also makes it so there are no excuses for not eating a healthy meal at home.

One recipe that I would suggest making ahead is the Panna Cotta. It’s simple enough to make, but it takes 4-8 hours to set in the fridge. I’d definitely do this one on a Sunday. You’ll notice that the dessert should make about 6-8 servings. That’s enough dessert for 2 people for 3(4) nights (but in all honesty my husband and I have a little sweet after dinner almost every night, even if it’s just a small square of chocolate). On the nights we eat dessert, we reduce our dinner portions slightly to compensate. The meals in our meal plans are intended to be slightly smaller to allow for that little ‘treat’.

All the other recipes come together really quite easily, but I made a few suggestions in case you like to prep ahead.

Bircher muesli is one of the recipes that I always double for easy breakfast 2 days in a row. Please read through the recipes and decide if you would like to double any of the recipes. Make the adjustments to the grocery list as needed.

This week I suggest making ahead:

-Zucchini Basil Soup: This one is nice to have on hand for easy lunches. This is a great one to make ahead, especially if you plan to serve it chilled. You’ll be happy to know it’s only a 10-minute commitment!

-Fresh Almond Bircher Muesli w/ Seasonal Berries and Greek Yogurt: Making the Bircher Muesli is always a nice idea. It really does need a full night of soaking in the fridge. I usually whip this one up on any given night while hubby is doing the dishes (or vice versa). It takes a couple of minutes and almost no mess. Berries and yogurt are added fresh to each bowl in the morning. -The Moroccan Spice paste: It can be made ahead of time if desired, just so it’s ready on the fly when you get home from work or if you choose to marinate the meat before heading out to work in the morning. In all honesty though, it only takes a couple of moments to put it together. What ever you choose to do will be fine.

4

1

Fresh Almond Bircher Muesli w/ Seasonal Berries and Greek Yogurt I recommend doubling the recipe to enjoy an easy breakfast a couple of days in a row. But it is just as easy to take 2 minutes to whip this up fresh every night. Serves 2 1 cup of rolled oats 2 cups of almond milk (nut milk or apple juice) ¼ cup chopped almonds 2 Tbsp ground flax (optional) 1 Tbsp of honey, maple syrup or agave ½ tsp cinnamon (optional) 1 cup blueberries or fruit of choice ½ cup of Greek yogurt Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Place in the fridge overnight covered. In the morning serve with blueberries or your favorite sliced fruit and a ¼ cup of Greek yogurt. Note: This fresh muesli takes a couple of minutes to put together and saves a lot of time in the morning. It only last 2 days or at max 3. This recipe works well with any seasonal fruit and an inexpensive option is always bananas. Notes: I love adding a grated apple to this in the winter months when less fresh fruit is available, but this breakfast makes more of an appearance in the summer when something cold is more rewarding then a hot breakfast. Adding 2 Tbsp of hemp seeds will add extra nutrition. If oats bother you, this works well with quinoa flakes too.

Breakfast:

This breakfast is in my top 10 favorites. Its simplicity and creaminess make it a winner every time and I love that it’s easy on the pocket book as well.

5

Lunch:

One of my favorite things is soup that can be made in 10 minutes. Now you might be thinking soup in the height of August is crazy but stay with me. Where I am it is not that hot, so I chose a soup that could be eaten, chilled, at room temperature or hot, depending on your situation. And you won’t have to slave over a stove for more than a couple of minutes.

Zucchini Basil Soup

4 medium zucchinis, grated 1 medium onion, chopped 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth juice of ½ lemon ½ cup chopped basil salt and pepper to taste ½ cup plain Greek yogurt to garnish In a medium sized pot, sautee the onions with olive oil until they begin to soften, approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the zucchini and the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and basil. Puree with an emulsion blender or regular countertop blender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve soup hot, cold or at room temperature with a dollop of yogurt.

6

Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Stacks

Depending on the crowd you may choose to serve these with pasta. However we enjoy these on their own.

Olive oil to brush onto vegetables 2 Portobello Mushrooms, cleaned and stem removed 1 eggplant, cut into ½ inch rounds 2 Beef Steak tomatoes, cut into ½ inch slices 1 large Ball of Buffalo Mozzarella or cheese of choice cut into ¼ inch slices 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices, length wise if small, or in rounds if very large ¼ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp finely chopped basil 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley 4 cups arugula (or spinach) ¼ cup basil leaves to garnish

The Grill Method:

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Brush the vegetable slices with oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables for 3-4 minutes per side or until charred, (except tomatoes take 30 seconds per side, the mushrooms take 4-5 per side). Once cooked, set veggies on a BBQ safe baking sheet. To assemble, place a Portobello mushroom on the base, than add 1 slice of eggplant and than a slice of cheese. Continue to layer with remaining grilled veggies and a final slice of cheese (2 slices of cheese per stack). Stacks should be about 4-5 inches high. If the stacks are unstable, secure by stabbing a BBQ skewer or rosemary sprig down the center. Place the stacks on a baking sheet and place it on the grill and close the lid. Cook until cheese starts to melt, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill. Place a veggie stack on a bed of arugula (about 2 cups each) and drizzle with herb dressing. Garnish with 2 Tbsp of basil leaves for each plate.

Herb Dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, chopped parsley and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over veggie stacks and arugula.

Dinner one: Veggie stacks are nothing new but if you’ve never tried them, you’ll wonder what took you so long. It’s something so simple and satisfying, and it’s great for the BBQ or the oven. If you can’t find a good Buffalo Mozzarella use any of your favorite semi hard cheeses. I also enjoy these with Swiss or Smoked Gouda. A great dairy free option is to layer a hummus dip in the middle instead of cheese. They also make great party food so if you want to whip these up for guests just double the recipe accordingly!

7

The Oven Method:

Set oven to broil. Brush vegetable slices on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the veggies out on a baking sheet. Broil for approximately the same time as above (or 1 to 2 minutes longer) except the tomatoes, they will only be about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the oven. Assemble the stacks the same as above and turn the broiler off. Return the baking sheet with the stacks back into the oven. Allow the residual heat to melt the cheese, about 5 minutes. Serve on a bed of arugula and garnish with herb dressing and 2 Tbsp of basil leaves.

8

Dinner Two: These lamb chops have a lot of spice, but they are not spicy. Lamb is very rich and as a result I always try to serve it with plenty of fresh vegetables. In the winter this meal can be paired with roasted carrots and wild rice. I make the tomato salad before I start cooking the meat and cook the beans while the lamb is resting.

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops with Green Beans and Herbed Tomato Salad 2-3 lamb chops per person (or pork tenderloin substitution) Moroccan Spice Paste 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle (or ground cumin) 1 tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp each fresh ground pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, all spice 2 garlic cloves, minced dash of cayenne zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp olive oil Mix the ingredients together. Rub the paste into the meat and allow it to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. For lamb chops: Bbq on medium high heat 375 F, for 2.5 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare chops. They can also be done in a cast iron pan on medium high heat for the same amount of time. Remove from heat and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. Lightly tent with foil to keep warm. Note: This recipe is delicious with pork tenderloin. Brown the meat on all sides. Bake in the oven at 375 F until meat thermometer reads 155 to 160 F (appx 15 minutes, depending on size). Remove from oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

This recipe is also delightful with a rack of lamb for something a little fancier. A rack with 8 ribs makes a perfect light Sunday meal (2 ribs per person) with enough left over for an elegant midweek meal. Marinate and brown on both sides. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes or until thermometer is 130 to 135 F for medium rare. The meat will continue to cook one temperature grade more once removed from heat. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Herbed Tomato Salad

2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes ¼ cup chopped mint ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro juice of 1 lemon 1 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add the chopped herbs and toss with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Green Beans

2 handfuls of green beans 1/2 Tbsp butter or olive oil salt and pepper Trim and clean the beans. In a small pan, add 1 cup of water. Bring the water to a full boil. Add the beans and maintain a minimum of a simmer to retain the vibrancy of the color. Cover and continue to simmer until beans are cooked but still firm and bright green. About 5 minutes. Drain any extra water. Toss with butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

9

Dinner Three: This light meal screams summer and the only part that takes any real time is the rice. Start by getting the rice cooking and the whole meal can be on the table within 30 minutes. I recommend doubling the recipe as leftovers make a great salad the next day. Add 1 Tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice as a vinaigrette to the pilaf for a tasty rice salad.

Poached Salmon with Cantaloupe Basil Salsa and Almond Rice Pilaf

2 x 5-6 oz wild salmon steaks or skinned fillets

2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon, zest first and reserve for Rice Pilaf)

1 Tbsp salt

Bring 4 cups of water, lemon juice and salt to a boil in a large deep skillet with a lid. Add fish, cover and remove the skillet from the heat. Let stand until fish is just opaque in the center, approximately 6-8 minutes. Plate and serve with ½ cup of salsa on each.

Cantaloupe Basil Salsa

½ cantaloupe (see recipe notes for substitutions)

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 cup seeded diced cucumber

1 Tbsp of chopped fresh jalapeno, seeds removed

1 Tbsp of chopped shallot (sub in 1 green onion)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

salt and pepper to taste

Seed, peel and cube the cantaloupe into small pieces and place in a medium sized bowl. Add basil, chopped jalapeno, green onion and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Notes: Watermelon and other varieties of melon work well with basil, as do peaches and pineapple.

Almond Brown Rice Pilaf 1 onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 cup sprouted brown rice (see recipe notes for substituting rice) 1 ½ cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth) ½ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup almonds, chopped 1 tsp lemon zest Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the rice and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add the chopped parley, almonds and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Substitute any rice you like, if sprouted rice sounds a bit scary. Adjust the amount of broth to correspond with the rice you are using. Sprouted brown rice takes less liquid to cook than your typical white rice. If you have the time, wild rice or Lund’s blends would be lovely substitutions.

10

Sweet Treat Of The Week: The beauty of Panna Cotta is that not only is it easy to make ahead, but it’s great for entertaining and perfectly portioned. Typically made with heavy cream, buttermilk and crème fraiche (30-40% milk fat), this is a much lighter version with all the taste.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Merlot Stewed Plums 1 Tbsp unflavored powder gelatin 1 cup half and half (10%) 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or sucanat or turbinado) pinch of salt 2 tsp vanilla 1 ½ cups buttermilk 1 cup sour cream (14%) In a small bowl, place a ¼ cup of water and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soften for 10 minutes. In a pot, bring the milk, sugar and vanilla to a simmer. Add gelatin and stir until it has dissolved. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Whisk in buttermilk and sour cream. Divide mixture amongst 6-8 ramekins, jars or glasses. Allow to cool for a minimum of 4 hours. Panna Cotta will keep for 5 -7 days refrigerated.

Merlot Stewed Plums 2 cups of pitted, halved plums, (about 3 cups with pits) (Italian plums work great here) 3 Tbsp of honey, maple syrup or agave ½ tsp cinnamon 1 star anis (optional) 2/3 cup merlot (or water for those who avoid alcohol) Put all the ingredients together in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Chill and serve with Panna Cotta. Recipe Notes: If plums are not available, consider using peaches or nectarines(or yellow plums) with a white wine, like a Riesling (or water). Pears and apples work well here too with both red and white wine. Blackberries make a luxurious substitution and if you have access to them wild (like we used to), they are also free!

11

Cantaloupe Salsa

Serve with organic unsalted tortilla chips or make this yummy chilled cantaloupe soup.

-Cantaloupe Gazpacho Soup: For every cup of salsa, add ¼ cup plain Greek style yogurt. Blend until creamy and serve chilled.

Cantaloupe

-Chilled Cantaloupe Melon Soup: great for lunch or served as a starter as part of an elegant 3 course dinner. In a blender, puree 1/2 cantaloupe, 2 Tbsp lemon juice,1 Tbsp fresh mint,1 Tbsp honey, ¼ cup plain Greek Yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh mint and finely diced cucumber.

Brown Rice Pilaf

Mushroom and Spinach Brown Rice Pilaf: For every cup of pilaf, sautee 1 cup of sliced mushrooms in ½ tbsp of butter until tender. Add pilaf, 2 cups fresh spinach and peas (optional) and 1 Tbsp of water and cook until heated through. Garnish with1-2 Tbsp of grated Parmesan and serve with a lemon wedge.

Tomatoes and Basil

-Roasted Feta and Tomato Salad: Combine leftover tomatoes and torn basil leaves to make a flavorful salad. Set oven to broil. Cut 2 slices of feta to ¼ inch thick, per person. Place feta slices on a baking sheet and broil until just starting to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Slice leftover tomatoes and make a bed on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and chopped fresh basil. Top with 2 slices of grilled feta.

Extra Grilled Veggies

-Grilled Vegetable Sandwich: Toast 2 pieces of bread. Brush the slices with olive oil (1 side only) and rub with a raw garlic clove. Add a piece of your favorite cheese to one slice of bread (optional, put bread under a broiler or in a toasted oven until cheese melts)then add grilled vegetables. Top with second piece of bread. This would be especially delicious with with some herb sauce (see below) as a sandwich spread.

Parley, Basil and Cilantro (and yogurt)

This sauce is super versatile and will keep in the fridge for a week. It can be folded into plain Greek yogurt or blended with goat cheese for a flavorful dip. Use it as a marinade for chicken or drizzle herb sauce over steaks, grilled fish or pasta for an explosion of flavor. Pour into an ice cube trays, freeze and place the herb pucks in a freezer bag for easy single servings of sauce (or dip)

Herbed Olive Oil Sauce: In a blender or food processor, blend the leftover herbs, 1 small crushed garlic clove (optional) with equal parts lemon juice and olive oil until a little runny. You can even throw in leftover jalapeno, shallot and arugula if you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using up the loose ends…

12

Leftovers to save for next week!

Buttermilk

This is a perfect excuse to make your favorite buttermilk pancakes; however, the leftover buttermilk will be used for next week’s soup recipe!

Vegetable or Chicken Broth

There should be 2 ½ cups remaining if you purchased the broth that comes in 1 liter tetra packs. This can be used for the lentil recipe next week. If you make your own, you’ll most likely have some leftover, whether you thawed some from frozen or opened a jar.

13

Vegetables Pantry Staples

Zucchinis 5 medium

Arugula (or spinach) 4 cups

Lemons 5

Portobello mushrooms 2

Green beans 2 large handfuls

Cucumber 1 English or equivalent

Eggplant 1 small or medium

Cherry or grape tomatoes 2 cups, 1 pint (or equivalent in chopped regular or heirloom tomatoes)

2 Beef steak tomatoes or other large tomato

Onions 2

Shallot 1 small (or 1 green onion)

Jalapeno 1

Head garlic 1

Cilantro 1 bunch

Mint 1 bunch

Parsley 1 large bunch

Basil 1 bunch (you’ll need 1 ½ cup of leaves worth)

I also recommend buying salad greens, a bell pepper and other fruits and veggies you enjoy on a salad to have as a starter salad before your meal or as a healthy lunch.

1 cup Olive oil

5 ½ cups Vegetable or chicken broth

(homemade or store bought)

1 cup Sprouted brown rice(or rice of choice)

2 cups Almond milk(or nut milk or apple juice)

1 cup Rolled oats(or sub in quinoa flakes)

½ cup Raw almonds(or other seeds or nut)

1 ½ tsp cinnamon,

1 tsp each cumin seeds (or sub in ground cumin), ground coriander, and chili powder,

¼ tsp each turmeric, allspice

Dash of cayenne,

1 star anis (optional)

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar,

Apprx 1/3 cup honey, maple syrup or agave,)

2 tsp real vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut (palm) sugar, (sucanat, turbinado or dry sweetener of choice)

1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin,

2 Tbsp ground flax , (optional)

2 Tbsp hemp seeds, (optional)

Dairy and Eggs Fruits 250 ml/1 cup 10% cream or half and half

250ml/1 cup Plain full fat Greek yogurt (6-10%)

Buffallo Mozzarella, enough for 4 thick slices (or semi hard white cheese of choice)

250 ml/1 cup Sour cream (14%)

375 ml/1 ½ cups Buttermilk (buy a 1 liter to use the remaining next week)

Butter (optional)

Blueberries, 1 cup (or substitute other seasonal fruit)

Cantaloupe 1 (or other melon, peaches or pineapple)

Plums (Italian or other), 2 cups worth of pitted & halved, about 3 -4 cups whole; substitutions are blackberries, pears or apples. If using peaches, nectarine or apricots for the dessert, use white wine in the Panna Cotta recipe.

Meat Extras 4-6 lamb chops (enough for 2 people) or 1 small pork tenderloin.

2 x 5-6 oz pieces of wild salmon (steaks), other fish options are Pacific Halibut, Striped Bass, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Black Cod/Sablefish or Lingcod.

1 bottle of merlot (2/3 cup for cooking and the rest for drinking), or substitute good old water.

-Use red wine for plums, blackberries, apples and pears; white wine (like a riesling) for peaches, nectarines, apricots and even pears or appples.