One thing I was looking forward to this weekend was curling up with Nigel Slater.
I was looking forward to going through Tender with a Post-It pad, marking off recipes to try, specifically ones for winter/spring veggies. Asparagus, broccoli, carrots...
This is a regular thing for me, curling up with cookbooks.
I do it for three reasons. First, I love this sort of thing. Cookbooks are right up there on my favorite reading lists. That's just me. Secondly, I'm always looking for new, simple recipes. And third, reading recipes inspires my menus for the coming week.
Yep, I'm that person: The woman who plans dinner menus.
And you should be, too. Hear me out...
When I'm really on it, I plan my dinners on Sunday for the whole week ahead. Sometimes getting started is awfully intimidating, like homework (in way it is quite literally homework, isn't it?) but as I get into it, it flows together & the best part is that it is a huge burden off my shoulders during the week because I already know what I'm cooking each day. I hate trying to figure out what to make moments before I need to start making it. Also, planning ahead means I can grocery shop for a few (or all!) the meals at once and be done with it.
I've discovered a few tricks that make the meal planning process easier.
1) Planning ahead to have a dinner out (either at a restaurant or at a friend's house or simply taking burritos to the park/beach) breaks up the cooking (and planning). (Look, that's one day done!)
2) If I know a particular day of the week is going to be hectic, I can plan to have enough left-overs the night before to make that night easy -- or if you already know you tend to have left-overs that will need to be eaten, plan in a left-over-eating day. (There, that's two days done -- only 5 to go!)
3) Looking through the fridge in advance of planning can turn up some ingredients that need to get used up -- and thus inspire a meal or a side dish. For example, I have half a jar of tomato sauce from making chilli last week, which I'll use it up in a pizza this week. Alternatively, if you don't want to use up a particular ingredient, move it to the freezer to preserve it. Also, check the freezer for items to utilize (which will keep the grocery bill happily a little slimmer this week!).
4) Assigning certain food categories to days of the week can make planning less mind-boggling. For example: Monday/Pasta, Tuesday/Fish, Wednesday/Soup, etc.
5) Set up a Pinterest to keep track of recipes you come across during the week -- aren't all those food photos so inspiring?! My favorite online sources for recipes are Eating Well, 101 Cookbooks, Cozy Kitchen, Smitten Kitchen, and Sunset.
6) Curl up with a cookbook & a pad of Post-Its (preferably when you are not specifically looking for something to make in the next few minutes for dinner) and browse. Mark pages and then later, when you need inspiration for the week's menu, you need only pick up a cookbook and flip open to one of your Post-Its.
Another reason I plan my meals out is to ensure that over the week I'm eating as many anticancer foods as possible. For example, I know I should eat items from the cabbage family three times during the week,10g of mushrooms a day, plus aliums, herbs, red & orange fruits and vegetables, green tea, etc. Talk about mind-boggling!
So, to keep it all simple(r), as I choose recipes for the week, I read the recipe and add ingredients to my shopping list and I also check off the anticancer foods. Then, when my menus are set, I can go back through and sprinkle in anticancer-specific side dishes to cover any foods I still need.
I keep this list in my cupboard for quick reference. My kiddo loves me to read it to her for some reason!
Here is a link to my quick & dirty Anticancer Food Weekly Checklist.
April, did you see Bruce's recent recipe? Cabbage family (kale), mushrooms, aliums, and orange veggies, plus it tastes yummy!
http://www.seasonaleating.net/2013/03/mushroom-kale-carrot-stir-fry.html
Posted by: Robin | 03/18/2013 at 11:41 AM
I can't survive without a dinner list! Though I only officially plan 3 for the week. The other nights are leftovers and new meals I can make from leftovers; ie, I cook extra chicken so I already have cooked chicken to throw in pasta or tacos the next night.
I also write a list of meal options that I know I have ingredients for on a white board. Then, if I get down to last minute, I can just pick one or the fam can decide what they want. Great post!
Posted by: Leah Mastilock | 03/20/2013 at 10:41 AM