Meal #1
Side
APPLE RICE CASSEROLE
https://www.food.com/recipe/apple-rice-casserole-129257
READY IN: 1hr 5mins
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 small sweet apples, peeled and coarsely shredded
1⁄3 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly oil a 1-1/2 quart casserole or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
Mix well.
Spoon into prepared pan.
Cover tightly and bake 45 minutes.
Serve hot
Side
Cabbage and Green Bean Salad
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cabbage-and-green-bean-salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds green beans, split lengthwise
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
4 small garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
One 2 1/2 -pound head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
How to Make It
Step 1
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the green beans until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and refresh the beans under cold running water, then pat dry.
Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, olive oil, ginger, thyme, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the tomatoes and green beans. Add the dressing, toss to coat and serve.
Make Ahead
The green beans can be cooked and refrigerated for 1 day.
Main Dish
Mushroom Carbonara
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mushroom-carbonara
4 servings
Mushrooms take the place of the traditional cured pork in this vegetarian carbonara recipe—but fear not, the dish does not lack depth of flavor! A deep browning on the mushrooms, coupled with garlic and shallots, brings the humble button mushroom to a higher place.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1½ lb. crimini or button mushrooms
6 garlic cloves
2 medium shallots
1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems (about ½ bunch)
5 large egg yolks
1 large egg
4 oz. store-bought pre-grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
Fill a large pot with water and season well with a few big pinches of salt. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, do some veg prep! Tear off and discard stems of 1½ lb. crimini or button mushrooms, then tear them into quarters (or in halves if small). Transfer to a medium bowl. Lightly smash and peel 6 garlic cloves, then thinly slice. Peel and finely chop 2 medium shallots. (A small red onion will work fine in a pinch.) Coarsely chop 1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems. Whisk 5 large egg yolks, 1 large whole egg, 4 oz. store-bought pre-grated Parmesan (about 1¼ cups), and 1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper in another medium bowl; set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high for a good 3 minutes. You want to get the pan very hot since adding the mushrooms is going to lower the temperature of the surface of the pan. Toss mushrooms and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil once in pan to coat in oil. Cook, tossing once every 4–5 minutes (but mostly undisturbed), until mushrooms are mostly golden brown, 13–16 minutes. This will take some time and they will let out a lot of moisture before they start to brown, so stick with it! Once mushrooms have been cooking for about 10 minutes, drop 1 lb. orecchiette into boiling salted water and set a timer 2 minutes shy of al dente according to package directions. Back to those mushrooms! Once you’ve finished the browning process, reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, shallots, and 1½ tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until aromatics are softened but not browned, 30–60 seconds. When pasta is 2 minutes shy of al dente, scoop out 2 cups pasta cooking liquid, then drain pasta. Add pasta along with 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to mushroom mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to finish cooking the pasta and absorb liquid, about 2 minutes (this is why you’re cooking the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente; it allows for the flavors to meld as the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce). Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute. (Don't skip this step—if the pasta is too hot when you add the egg mixture, it will turn into scrambled eggs instead of a luxurious sauce.)Add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to reserved egg mixture and whisk to combine and loosen eggs. Gradually add egg mixture to pot, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed to loosen things up, until a very creamy, luscious sauce coats all noodles. Add parsley and stir again to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt. Divide pasta among bowls. Top with Parmesan and a few cranks of pepper.
Dessert
Peanut Butter Banana Brownies
https://tasty.co/recipe/peanut-butter-banana-brownies
Ingredients
for 8 servings
2 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder, plus 1 tablespoon
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup creamy peanut butter
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas. Add the sugar, ½ cup (115 g) of butter, and vanilla, and whisk until combined.
Add the flour, salt, and cocoa powder, and whisk until fully incorporated.
Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) baking tray.
Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder to dust every side of the baking tray.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Use a spoon to add dollops of peanut butter on top of the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the peanut butter into the brownie batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until center no longer jiggles when pan is shaken.
Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.
Enjoy!
Meal #2
Side
Green Beans and Arugula
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-beans-and-arugula-1222187
This dish is a welcome departure from run-of-the-mill sides. Lemon zest and golden garlic give wilted arugula and tender green beans multidimensional flavor.
Makes 6 side-dish servings
ACTIVE TIME
15 min
TOTAL TIME
25 min
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 lb arugula, tough stems discarded, and leaves chopped (6 cups)
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
PREPARATION
Cook beans in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add beans, arugula, zest, salt, and pepper and cook, tossing, until arugula is wilted, about 2 minutes.
Side
CABBAGE, APPLE AND RADISH COLE SLAW
INGREDIENTS
5 cups shredded cabbage, red or green
1 cup Granny Smith apple, cut into matchstick pieces
3/4 cup radish, cut into matchstick pieces
2 tbsp white onion, very finely diced
DRESSING
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1.5 tbsp water
1.5 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp celery seed
a shake of powdered mustard
a shake of salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine cabbage, apple, radish and onion in large mixing bowl.
In a small jar, add sugar, vinegar, water, oil, celery seed, powdered mustard, salt and pepper. Shake or stir until well combined.
Add dressing to cabbage mix, stir well. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill before serving.
Main Dish
GARLIC MUSHROOM QUINOA
https://damndelicious.net/2014/05/02/garlic-mushroom-quinoa/
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 10 MINUTES
cook time: 25 MINUTES
total time: 35 MINUTES
An easy, healthy side dish that you’ll want to make with every single meal!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
SHOP THIS RECIPE
DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in quinoa until well combined.
Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, if desired.
Dessert
Lemon Crumb Muffins
Supremely moist Lemon Crumb Muffins topped with Sweet Lemon Glaze!
https://bakerbynature.com/lemon-crumb-muffins/
prep 18 mins
cook 22 mins
inactive 10 mins
total 50 mins
yield 1 dozen muffins
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (not packed)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into tiny pieces
For the Lemon Muffins:
2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cup of confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole milk, more if needed to achieve desired consistency
Instructions
For the Crumb Topping:
In a large bowl combine the granulated sugar, flour, and butter; using two forks or a pastry cutter, combine ingredients until the mixture is very crumbly and resembles a coarse meal. The crumbs should be pea-sized. Place mixture in the fridge or freezer until needed.
For the Lemon Muffins:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and lemon extract; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.
Add in the egg and egg yolks and continue beating until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low; alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in the lemon juice, stirring just until combined. Be sure not to over mix here.
Divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin tins. Top each muffin cup with 2 tablespoons of crumb topping.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, or with a just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool muffins 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
For the Lemon Glaze:
In a small bowl combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon extract, lemon juice, and milk; whisk until smooth, adding more milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over the muffins right before serving.
Meal 3
Side
Arugula and Radish Salad
https://www.marthastewart.com/314629/arugula-and-radish-salad
10 mins
Servings: 8
Martha Stewart
Ingredients
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 bunches arugula (1 1/4 pounds total; thick stems removed), washed well and dried
1 bunch radishes (8 ounces), sliced
Directions
Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together mustard and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in oil. (To store, refrigerate, up to 1 day.) Add arugula and radishes to bowl and toss to coat. Serve salad immediately.
Side
Spiralized Apple Salad with Citrus Dressing
https://www.jessicagavin.com/spiralized-apple-salad-with-citrus-dressing/?utm_content=buffere3d61&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=budgetbytesbuffer
Healthy spiralized apple salad made in only 15 minutes! A refreshing salad topped with oranges, pecans, cheddar cheese, cranberries, sunflower and chia seeds.
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 394kcal
Author: Jessica Gavin
Citrus Dressing-
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus zest
2 tablespoons orange juice, plus zest
1 1/2 teaspoons honey, or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper, as needed
Apple Salad-
1 large red apple, (honey crisp, pink lady, gala)
1 large granny smith apple
1 large orange, (peeled and segments removed)
2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1/2 cup diced)
1/3 cup pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon chia seeds, (optional)
Instructions
Add all citrus dressing ingredients together in a jar or blender.
Shake until well combined, or blend for about 10 seconds.
Taste and add pepper as needed. Set aside.
Spiralize all the apples. I used the "D" setting on my Inspiralizer (or noodles) and yielded about 6 cups total of spiralized apples.
Add to a large bowl or separate into smaller bowls based on how you will serve.
Top apples with orange segments, cheese, pecans, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and chia seeds.
Whisk or shake the dressing right before adding to the salad if it separated. Drizzle citrus dressing on top.
Note: If you don’t have a spiralizer you can grate or use a vege peeler for the apples. Also, you can substitute your favorite nuts and/ or dried fruits.
Main Course
Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
https://ohmyveggies.com/vegetarian-stuffed-cabbage-casserole/
This hearty vegetarian version of stuffed cabbage casserole is packed with protein and vegetables.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 large servings
Ingredients
12 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (approximately 2 small cabbages)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) ounce can tomato sauce
6 ounces tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups cooked brown lentils*
1 cup cooked brown rice**
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese (or a combination of mozzarella and parmesan)
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes, until slightly tender. I prefer it to have a little crunch, but you can cook it longer if a softer texture is desired. Drain the cabbage in a colander, rinse with cold water and set aside.
In the same large pot, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, until the mushrooms have released their juices.
Stir in the dried herbs, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, then bring to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the lentils and brown rice.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, then lightly grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Use a paper towel to blot the cabbage to make sure it’s dry, then distribute half of it along the bottom of the dish and top with half of the sauce. Layer the remaining cabbage on top and finish with the remaining sauce. Top with cheese.
Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you would like to freeze the leftovers, allow it to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven at 350º for 20-30 minutes before serving.
*3/4 cup dry lentils yields approximately 2 cups cooked **1/2 cup dry rice yields approximately 1 cup cooked. I like to use Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice in this recipe to save time.
Dessert
CABBAGE THAT TASTES LIKE DESSERT!
https://www.food.com/recipe/cabbage-that-tastes-like-dessert-96588
READY IN: 1hr
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 head cabbage, chopped
2 cups apples, peeled, sliced
1⁄3 cup sugar
1 cup breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine, melted
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
Lightly grease a casserole dish big enough to hold the cabbage& apples.
Place the cabbage on the bottom of the casserole and place the apples on top in a layer.
Sprinkle with the sugar.
Mix the crumbs& butter together and pat this on top of the casserole.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon.
Bake covered in a 350F oven for 30 minutes and uncovered for apprx 15 minutes or until golden.