Week of High Protein, Low Carb Dinners for Jonathan

This was a lot of typing. There are most likely typos, and you'll want to double check the grocery list to make sure I didn't forget anything. The only accuracy I can guarantee is that of the recipes. There are two fish, two vegetarian, and 3 chicken dishes. Some take a bit longer than 30 minutes, but not in prep work, just in cook time. Some make great leftovers so you can make them when you have extra time. Let me know if you have any questions!

Menu Plan:
Sunday
- Zucchini-Wrapped Tilapia with Balsamic Butter Sauce with Wild Rice and sugar Snap Peas ***cook enough wild rice to have 1 cup left over***
Monday
- Grilled Butterflied Chicken Breasts atop Wilted Spinach and Fresh Mozzarella
Tuesday
- Lentil Salad or Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad (your choice – two recipes to choose from) ***save remaining ½ red pepper for Thursday***
Wednesday
- Stuffed Salmon and Autumn Salad with Balsamic Pear Syrup ***you will serve this salad again on Friday***
Thursday
- Chicken Fajitas with Red Pepper, Zucchini and Yellow Squash
Friday
- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and Autumn Salad with Balsamic Pear Syrup
Saturday
- Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

Shopping List:
Tilapia Fillets (2)
Salmon Fillet (1/2 to 1 lb)
Chicken Breasts (3)
Fresh Mozzarella (4 ounces)
Soft Goat Cheese (2 ounces) ***there is a lot of bad goat cheese out there, hunt out one that you like. Mom found a good one at Caputo’s, I like the one at Wal-Mart***
Feta Cheese (4 ounces)
Sour Cream
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Wild Rice Blend ***Costco has a great organic wild rice blend***
Couscous (1 cup) ***bulk aisle***
Petite French Green Lentils (1 cup) ***bulk aisle***
Barley (1/2 cup) ***bulk aisle***
Black Beans, canned (optional addition to Fajitas)
Evaporated Milk (1 can)
Chicken Stock (1 box)
Fresh Spinach
Frozen Spinach (16 ounces)
Sugar Snap Peas
Carrot (2 medium sized)
Green Onions (6)
Celery (1 stalk)
Italian Parsley (1 bunch)
Garlic
Lemon (2)
Arugula (4 cups)
Mixed Greens (enough for 4 servings)
Grape Tomatoes (2 1/2 cups)
Zucchini (2 small)
Yellow Squash (3 small)
Red Bell Pepper (1)
Onion (2 to 3 depending on size)
Portobello Mushrooms (2 large)
Button or White Mushrooms (6 oz)
Fresh Basil
Italian or Plain Breadcrumbs
Walnuts (1/2 cup) ***bulk aisle***
Pear or Apple juice (1/2 cup) ***try the baby aisle to buy a small bottle***
Dried Tart Cherries (1/4 cup) ***bulk aisle***
Honey or Maple Walnuts (1/4 c) ***bulk aisle***
Mild Bleu Cheese (can substitute goat cheese - 2 ounces)

Pantry Staples:
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Nutmeg
Thyme
Rosemary
Oregano
Cayenne Pepper
Dijon Mustard
Honey
Salsa

Zucchini-Wrapped Tilapia
(approximate time for fish from start to finish is 25 minutes. The rice will take longer so start it first so everything is ready about the same time.)
1 zucchini, trimmed
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 4 basil leaves
2 tilapia filets
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs butter
Wild Rice

Cook wild rice blend according to package directions. (For extra flavor, replace the water with chicken stock if desired.)
Simmer vinegar and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbs butter and set aside.
Shave zucchini lengthwise into very thin ribbons with a Y-shaped vegetable peeler.
Arrange 5 or 6 zucchini ribbons overlapping on a flat surface and top with a basil leaf.
Season fish with salt and pepper and place on top of basil and zucchini ribbons.
Top with another basil leaf (if desired) and wrap zucchini around the fish.
Heat 1 Tbs oil in a skillet and swirl to coat bottom, then arrange fish, seam sides down, in oil. Lightly brush the tops of the zucchini-wrapped fish with remaining oil.
Cover skillet and cook over medium heat, without turning, until barely cooked through, about 5 to 9 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish (fish will continue to cook from residual heat).
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook sugar snap peas until tender crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and plate alongside cooked wild rice blend. Transfer the fish to the plates and drizzle with the balsamic butter reduction.

Grilled Butterflied Chicken Breasts with Spinach and Fresh Mozzarella
(approximate time from start to finish: 15 minutes)
1 chicken breast, butterflied and cut into two pieces
2 to 4 c fresh spinach
2 slices mozzarella
half a lemon
salt and pepper

Heat grill or grill pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and spray with a light coating of cooking spray. Grill until cooked through, turning once, squirting with lemon juice halfway through.
Meanwhile, lightly wilt spinach and dress with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper. Plate and top with fresh mozzarella. When chicken is cooked place on top of mozzarella and serve.

Lentil Salad
(approximate time from start to finish: 30 minutes)

1 c dried French green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 medium-sized carrot, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
½ red bell pepper, finely diced
½ c Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c olive oil

Bring 3 c water to a boil and add lentils, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until lentils are just tender. Drain and put in large bowl. Toss lentils with remaining ingredients, drizzle with olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. (serves 6) I like to serve this with whole wheat pita bread that has been brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, grilled and cut into wedges. I also like it topped with a bit of sour cream or plain yogurt.

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad
(approximate time from start to finish: 30 minutes)

1 c French green lentils, sorted and rinsed
3 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 c couscous
½ tsp salt
3 Tbs plus 2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with ¼ tsp salt
4 c arugula leaves, chopped
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
½ c feta cheese, crumbled

Bring 3 c water to a boil and add lentils, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until lentils are just tender. Drain and put in large bowl.
Pour 1 ¼ c boiling water over couscous in a bowl, stir in salt and cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in 2 tsp oil. Add to lentils.
Whisk together garlic paste, remaining 3 Tbs oil and remaining 2 Tbs vinegar in a small bowl. Stir dressing into lentils and couscous, then gently add the arugula, tomatoes, and feta.

Stuffed Salmon
(approximate time from start to finish: 45 minutes)
We had this dish at our friends’ home one night and were shocked by its goodness, even Bryant who hated walnuts loved this dish. I am including the original recipe, which serves 6, so just halve the ingredients for you and Amy.

1 ½ to 2 lb salmon fillet
1 Tbs olive oil
½ c minced onion
½ c chopped walnuts
2 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained
¼ c Italian breadcrumbs
Pinch of nutmeg
1 Tbs Dijon mustard mixed with 1 Tbs honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat baking pas with nonstick spray and set aside. Cut a slit down the side of the salmon almost all the way through but leaving one side intact. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat and sauté the onion for 3 minutes, add the walnuts for one minute spinach for 1 minute, and then add breadcrumbs and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cool 10 minutes in the fridge. Fill salmon pocket with stuffing and brush top of salmon with mustard honey mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Autumn Salad with Pear Balsamic Reduction
½ c apple juice or pear juice
½ c balsamic vinegar
¼ c dried tart cherries
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 c salad greens
¼ c honey roasted or maple walnuts
¼ c soft cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan combine the juice and vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Put the cherries in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot liquid over them. Set aside to soften for 30 minutes. Pour cherries and their soaking liquid through a sieve held over the original pan and set the cherries aside. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat and reduce to ¼ cup. It will be syrupy. Pour into a small bowl and whisk in oil. Combine the greens, walnuts, cherries, and cheese and drizzle with dressing. (serves 4)

Chicken Fajitas
(approximate time from start to finish: 20 minutes)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 yellow squash, cut into matchsticks
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
Salt, pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can black beans, optional
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Sour cream and salsa for serving

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan, add onions and chicken and cook until chicken is almost cooked through, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add remaining vegetables and sauté until tender crisp, seasoning with oregano and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir in black beans until heated through. Warm tortillas, fill with fajita mixture, top with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
(approximate time from start to finish: 45 minutes)
This dish originally served four. In the ingredients I only put down enough to serve 2, but I am including the original recipe because you can make these up to two days in advance, just individually wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
6 ounces button or white mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
1 c cooked wild rice
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tsp fine breadcrumbs, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbs oil. Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until translucent, stirring often. Stir in button mushrooms, garlic, and salt and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid is evaporated, stirring frequently. Stir in rice and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in goat cheese.

Fill each Portobello with about 1/3 c filling and top with tomato halves. Place portobello mushrooms on baking sheet, drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle each with 1 tsp breadcrumbs. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden.

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup
(approximate time from start to finish: 45 minutes)
This is less of a precise recipe and more of a suggestion. Adjust to suit your taste.

1 chicken breast, shredded and cooked (you can grill extra chicken or cook extra when you make fajitas, or chop and cook before making the soup)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 box chicken stock
1 can evaporated milk
¼ to ½ c barley
Salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary to taste

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and add onion and carrot and sauté until onion is translucent. Add garlic for 1 minute and then add remaining vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 box good chicken stock, cubed or shredded chicken, and barley. When barley is cooked add 1 can evaporated milk and season to taste with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Simmer until ready to eat. (This is good the first day, but amazing the second day and consequently a great make ahead dish.)

Recipes for Melissa & then some

Melissa - I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to post these recipes! Hopefully it isn't too late. This scone recipe is one that I've adapted from the American Heart Association Cookbook on page 515. The original recipe calls for pineapple juice but my mom substituted orange juice one day and that was the beginning of our mutual love for this great recipe. It can be easily adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Some of our favorite combinations include lemon poppy seed, orange poppy seed, and orange lavender. Feel free to play around with the flavor combinations. The original recipe also calls for 1/2 c dried cranberries which I always omit, but you can add them or any other dried fruit that sounds tasty.

Scones
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbs poppy seeds (optional, sometimes I substitute 1/2 tsp lavender buds or orange zest)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs butter
1/2 c dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 c orange juice
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly. Stir in cranberries (if using) and make a well in the center of mixture. Pour in juice and egg and stir until just combined. Don't over mix!

With floured hands divide the dough in half. Shape into 2 balls and place on baking sheet 4 to inches apart. Flatten each into a 6-inch disk. Cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, but do not separate.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for at least 5 minutes on a cooling rack.

***I like to drizzle these with a simple icing made with powdered sugar and orange juice. Sometimes I mix lavender buds with the sugar in my coffee grinder. Sometimes I add orange or lemon zest. Play around with the flavors. These are delicious and easy.

You also asked for a recipe for white bread. I am assuming you want the normal white loaf sandwich bread, and this is the only recipe I've tried. Bryant & I are in love with this bread, it is delicious. Again, this only makes one loaf. There is a basic white bread recipe in the American Heart Association cookbook (pg 463) but I haven't tried it yet, and it makes two loaves. This recipe is from the Wednesday Chef blog.

Maple White Bread (Makes 1 large loaf)
1 cup milk (whole milk is best, but any kind will do)
1/4 cup maple syrup (use real maple syrup, not the fake stuff)
4 tablespoons sweet butter (unsalted)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 teaspoon sugar or maple sugar
1 egg beaten
4 cups (approximately) unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Place milk, maple syrup, butter and salt in a saucepan and scald. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water along with the sugar. Set aside for five minutes until the mixture becomes frothy. Transfer the milk mixture to a large bowl, stir in the yeast mixture and then stir in the egg.
3. Stir in two cups of the flour. Then add more flour about one-half cup at a time until a ball of dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for about eight minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn the dough to oil on all sides, cover lightly and set aside to rise until doubled, about an hour.
4. Punch down dough, turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for another minute or so. Roll dough into a rectangle about nine by 12 inches, then roll tightly, jellyroll fashion, starting from the narrow side. Pinch the seam and ends closed. Fit the dough seam side down into a greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch baking pan.
5. Cover and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in the oven and bake about 45 minutes, until well browned. Remove from pan and allow to cool freely on a rack before slicing.

To read the original post go to http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2009/02/maple-white-bread.html

I have taken a cooking hiatus this past month because I was sick for half of it and out of town for the other half. Last Saturday I cooked dinner for 40 people. It was a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a great learning experience. I will share my recipes and experience soon. I am finally getting back into the swing of things now that I am feeling better, and one thing that really helped me this week was prepping all of my produce in one day. On Monday I went grocery shopping and bought yellow squash, zucchini, onion, yams, corn, and carrots. I diced the squash, yams, zucchini, and onion and put in separate containers in the fridge. I removed the kernels from the corn and shredded the carrots and gave each of them their own containers. Then I cooked a big batch of brown rice (which turned out perfect for once thank to this great advice) and separated it into 1 cup servings. Cooking has been a breeze. I've made vegetarian burritos by sauteing all of the veggies with the rice and black beans, then folding them up in a whole wheat tortilla and serving with sour cream. I made egg fried rice by again sauteing the veggies (except for the corn), adding rice and then 3 lightly beaten eggs. Dessert has been fresh fruit including strawberries, figs, and black grapes. Tonight I am cooking for friends and planning on making ricotta ravioli with a reduced chicken stock sauce, crostini with pesto and thinly sliced tomatoes, and a special dessert that I saved from an old day planner - poached pears filled with a sweet mascarpone mixture and topped with toasted almonds and crushed amaretti cookies. It should be good. I will try to take photos before devouring the food.

Grocery Shopping 101 - For Jonathan

When Bryant was in grad school and we were living on my meager income we budgeted $50/week for food, so our current budget of $100/week for the two of us seems a bit excessive, but Jonathan is convinced that this is actually not that much money. When you take into consideration how well we eat, how much we eat, and the fact that all of our products are organic or local, the amount we spend on food doesn't seem too excessive. I was worrying one day about this amount and Bryant said that he would rather spend more money for good food then less money for sub par food. Jonathan asked that I post how I shop and menu plan, so I've decided to give you a copy of what I purchase, how much I spend, and what I make for 2 weeks. If there are any recipes that you want please let me know.

There are several factors to keep in consideration that differentiate my food planning from the norm:
- we only eat meat 3 to 5 times a month
- I make everything from scratch, including bread
- our menus are based around what produce is in season, and what other products are on sale
- Bryant almost always takes his lunch to work instead of buying lunch, and our lunches are also almost always leftovers from dinner (we love leftovers, almost everything tastes better the second day)
- we eat a lot of random grains, and buy them in the bulk section

I've done our shopping by planning out a weeks worth of meals, but find that by Wednesday I no longer want to eat what I've planned. As I've become a more creative and confident cook I've been able to be less rigid in my grocery shopping. Now I basically start in the produce section and stock up on what's in season (which is also usually what is on sale), head over to the bulk grains to replenish what I've used the previous week, pick up cheese, milk, and eggs, and any other remaining items I think I'll use to make meals based on the produce I've decided to purchase. I haven't had to buy meat because I have chicken that I roasted and shredded in my freezer, as well as halibut and salmon that our good friend caught in Alaska last summer.

These are the staple items I consider necessary to be able to cook good meals:
Good extra virgin olive oil
Good Balsamic vinegar (for all you SLC dwellers, go to Caputo's and buy the Balsamic Modena, it is cheap and amazing)
Butter
Milk
Eggs
Cheese - both goat and cow's milk
Flour - all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, and 00 (for pasta)
Polenta
Cornmeal
Quinoa
Barley
Oats - rolled and steel-cut
Couscous
Sugar - white and brown
Honey
Pure Maple Syrup (I use Coombs Family Farms Organic Grade B maple syrup and buy it in bulk on amazon.com)
Almond Butter
Jam
Spices (too many to list)
Pure vanilla extract
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Fresh garlic
Fresh onions
Black beans
Chicken Stock
Good canned tomatoes
Canned artichoke hearts

There you have it, my idea of pantry staples. I also grow my own basil, mint, rosemary, parsley, lavender, and arugula in our window boxes. More often then not I spend more than $100 the first week and then compensate during the second week. It depends on what I need to buy, like if I am out of olive oil or am stocking up on cheese. Here is week 1 - receipt and menus. I am not going to type out organic or local next to every product, because they all fall into one of those categories.

Honey (24 oz) $4.25
Thai Kitchen Light Coconut Milk (2 cans) $3.98
Creamy Almond Butter $6.79
Whole San Marzano Tomatoes $2.99
Ballard ID Jersey Gem (cheese) $7.36
Ballard ID White Cheddar $5.39
Ballard ID Feta $3.77
Montchevre (goat cheese) $6.98
Milk (1 gallon) $5.99
Wallaby Vanilla Yogurt $3.29
Aldens Blackberry Ice Cream $4.95
Aldens Vanilla Ice Cream $4.95
Duck Eggs (1 dozen) $4.99
Red onion (1) $0.19
Yellow onion (1) $0.33
Red leaf lettuce (1 bunch) $1.99
Fennel (1 bulb) $1.29
Leeks (2) $3.32
Artichokes (2) $3.38
Baby Artichokes (.98 lbs) $3.08
Garnet yam (1) $1.39
Bananas (1.85 lbs) $1.83
Lemon (1) $0.63
Strawberries (1 pint) $3.99
Raisin (.52 lbs) $2.89
Pinenuts (.12 lbs) $2.82
Raw macadamia nuts (.15 lbs) $2.47
Walnuts (.26 lbs) $2.68
Yeast $1.24
Red Hot Blues (chips) $3.39
Lemon Pepper $2.13
00 Flour $4.44
Total spent: $109.87 (including a rough tax estimate)
*this means I only have $90.13 for the next weeks groceries

I didn't have any idea when I went shopping what I wanted to make except for some homemade Popsicles I'd been wanting to try, hence the coconut milk purchase. I also had some leftover white chocolate chips from several months ago, which is why I bought the macadamia nuts. Bryant requested chips, yogurt, and cheese. Here's what we ate:

Breakfasts:
Steel-cut oats with brown sugar and cinnamon
White Chocolate Macadamia pancakes with caramelized banana maple syrup
Eggs & Challah toast
Pumpkin chocolate pancakes

Dinners (leftovers for lunch):
Challah French Toast
Roasted zucchini stuffed with chicken, spinach, garlic, onion, and goat cheese
Pizza with pesto, chicken, artichokes, and goat cheese
Calzones with spinach, onion, garlic, tomato, and goat cheese
Black bean nachos
Honey-Balsamic glazed salmon with roasted yam and grilled artichoke
Risotto with baby artichokes and leeks

Desserts:
Fresh strawberries
Ice Cream
Homemade Popsicles with coconut milk, banana, strawberries, and agave

During this week I used up some leftover spinach (fresh and frozen), cucumber, salsa, sour cream, the white chocolate chips, some unsweetened chocolate, canned pumpkin, frozen chicken, and salmon. From my pantry came the remaining ingredients that aren't on my shopping list. We were invited over to dinner once and had the same people over to our home for dinner another night and I wanted to make a dessert using the remaining can of coconut milk, so I used some of our 'fun money' budget and bought frozen strawberries, whipping cream, and lady fingers. (Yes, I am a very meticulous about our budget.) This week I made Challah for the first time and it was a huge success, our new favorite bread because it makes the best toast and french toast. So that's week one. I'm heading to the farmer's market in an hour or so to get our produce for this week. We are making a birthday cake for a friend on Saturday which will have to be taken into consideration, but we are also going to a picnic for Bryant's work on Saturday and having dinner at our friends' birthday party that evening, so it will all even out. I still have fennel, cheese, some eggs, and milk as well as a lot of ice cream left over from this past week. We also have pumpkin chocolate pancakes and calzones in the freezer to be used. I hope this is what you want Jonathan. Stay tuned for week two.