Meal #1
Side
Easy Skillet Kale with Lemon & Garlic
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-kale-261979
Serves 4 to 6
PREP TIME5 minutes
COOK TIME6 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 large bunches kale, any variety (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 small lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Use your hands to pull the kale leaves from their stems. Coarsely chop the leaves. Rinse them, but do not dry.
Heat the oil in large, wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let the garlic brown).
Add the kale a few handfuls at a time, stirring after each addition so that it starts to wilt, until all of the kale is added. Stir in the salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and serve.
Side
Red Leaf Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
https://ourzestylife.com/red-leaf-salad-with-lemon-vinaigrette/
This Red Leaf Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is fresh, light and delicious. It is a simple salad that comes together quickly. I add the dressing right on the salad, in the bowl, no pre-mixing required!
Ingredients
Salad
1 head red leaf lettuce
1/2 long English cucumber
4-5 radishes one small bunch
1-2 cups grape tomatoes
1 green onion
1/4-1/2 cup fresh dill including for garnish, tear from stalk, or chop if preferred
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
3 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin (or other vegetable oil)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
Instructions
Wash and dry all produce. Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces. Chop cucumber, slice radishes, halve grape tomatoes and chop green onion. Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl.
In the order listed, add ingredients directly onto the salad. Toss salad. Taste and adjust to desired flavor by adding more lemon vinaigrette dressing ingredients as needed.
Notes
Adding a tiny extra pinch of sugar will take the “bite” of the vinegar and lemon juice. I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more as needed.
If you prefer more control over the amount of dressing, you may mix the dressing in a bowl or jar, adjust to taste and add to the salad.
Main Dish
https://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/easy-quesadilla-recipe-with-peppers-and-onions/
Veggie Quesadilla Recipe
1 Tbsp oil, or unsalted butter
2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 small yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 12 in flour tortillas
3 cups cheese, shredded, (such as cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mexican blend)
cooking spray, or butter
Place large skillet over medium heat then add oil or butter. When oil is hot or butter has melted, add sliced bell peppers, sliced onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook veggies for about 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and peppers are crisp tender. You may cook the veggies longer if you prefer them a bit softer. Transfer veggie mixture to a bowl then set aside.
Wipe out the skillet then return to medium-low heat. Allow a few seconds to pass so the skillet can return to temperature then lightly coat with cooking spray. Alternatively, you can also brush a very light amount of butter onto the bottom of the pan. Place a tortilla into the skillet then immediately add ½ cup of shredded cheese to cover one half of the tortilla. Spread roughly 1/6th of the veggie mixture on top of the cheese then fold the uncovered half of tortilla on top of the veggies and cheese.
Press down on the quesadilla with a spatula to force cheese and veggies into contact with heat and seal top and bottom together with the filling. Let tortilla to cook on the first side for about 2–3 minutes (depending on temperature), until golden brown and crispy.
Flip quesadilla then cook for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the opposite side. If the tortilla becomes too brown before the cheese melts, lower the temperature. The objective is for the cheese to be completely melted and gooey at the same time the tortilla becomes golden and crispy. Generally, if you have the patience for it, lower heat is better.
Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board, cut into wedges then serve with plenty of salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Enjoy!
Dessert
BAKED OATMEAL WITH BLUEBERRIES AND BANANAS
https://www.skinnytaste.com/baked-oatmeal-with-blueberries-and/
PREP TIME:10 mins
COOK TIME:35 mins
TOTAL TIME:45 mins
YIELD:6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
2 medium ripe bananas, (the riper the better) sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup honey, or agave
1 cup uncooked quick oats*
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup fat free milk, or any milk you desire
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
*check labels for gluten-free
SPONSORED BY LUVSDIAPE
Watch to learn more
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a 8 x 8" or 9 x 9" ceramic baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the bottom of the ceramic dish. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the bananas, 1/4 tsp of the cinnamon, 1 tbsp of the honey and cover with foil.
Bake 15 minutes, until the bananas get soft.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of nuts, baking powder, remaining cinnamon, and salt; stir together.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining honey, milk, egg, and vanilla extract.
Remove the bananas from the oven, then pour the oat mixture over the bananas and blueberries.
Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and walnuts over the the top.
Bake the oatmeal for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.
Meal #2
Side
Pineapple Alfalfa Drink
Dick was zapped by the cold bug, so I thought this would be a perfect day to ease him back to health with an alfalfa sprout concoction. I have set out to expand my use of sprouts, that are bursting forth in three jars on my kitchen counter, beyond a sandwich and salad topping. With this beverage, I have crossed the starting line. What a tasty way to enjoy nutrition at its peak!
https://www.whiteleycreek.com/queen_of_the_meadow_bloom/2009/03/pineapple-alfalafa-drink.html
2 cups pineapple juice, chilled
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 frozen banana, sliced
Put all ingredients in blender and whirl for 10 seconds.
Makes 2 large or 4 small juice glass servings.
Note: I added a few additional sprouts on top for garnish, but the entire 1 cup in the recipe is blended in. This is not meant to have a smooth texture, so don't overblend.
Side
EASY LEMON HERB PASTA
https://www.lifeasastrawberry.com/easy-lemon-herb-pasta/#recipe
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
A quick and easy lemon herb pasta for busy weeknights.
INGREDIENTS
2 large lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (see recipe notes)
1/2 lb. spaghetti
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the spaghetti in very salty water until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, zest the lemons with a microplane – being careful to avoid the bitter white pith under the skin – and place lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
Juice each lemon and add lemon juice to the mixing bowl with the lemon zest. Make sure to remove any seeds.
Add olive oil and shredded parmesan cheese to bowl and stir to combine.
When pasta is al dente, save a ladle-full of pasta water and place it in a separate small bowl.
Drain pasta.
Add hot drained pasta to your lemon-oil-cheese mixture. Toss to combine until cheese has melted and pasta is evenly coated. If it needs a little more moisture, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Taste pasta and season to taste with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
Reserve a tablespoon or so of chopped herbs for garnish.
Toss remaining parsley and basil with the pasta until herbs are evenly distributed.
Serve immediately and top with reserved herbs for garnish
Main Dish
Fast and Easy Vegetable Sauté
https://foodal.com/recipes/veggies/broccoli-cherry-tomato-italian-kale-and-onion-saute/
Servings
Prep Time
4 servings
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 head broccoli chopped
1 bunch kale chopped
1 medium zucchini chopped
1/2-pint cherry tomatoes halved
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat.
Add the onions and cook until softened, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not browned.
Add the broccoli, kale, and zucchini. Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the cherry tomato halves and cook for another two minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve while still warm.
Dessert
Blueberry Shortcake
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blueberry_shortcake/
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
Berries
5 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 pinch cinnamon
Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
7/8 cup (1 cup minus 2 Tbsp) heavy whipping cream
1 large egg*
1 tsp vanilla extract
Heavy cream for whipping
*The egg is optional. Including the egg will result in a less crumbly shortcake biscuit, but either way, with or without egg, is good.
METHOD
1 Simmer blueberries, sugar, lemon, cinnamon: Place blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cinnamon into a medium saucepan. Heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is just barely coming to a simmer.
Use a potato masher to mash some of the berries to help release their juices. Remove from heat and let come to room temp.
2 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3 Stir flour with dry ingredients, work in butter: In a large bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the small cubes of butter, and use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, with pea-sized pieces of butter still intact.
4 Mix in wet ingredients: In a small bowl mix the egg, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Stir with a fork just until the dough barely comes together. Do not over mix or your biscuits will be tough.
5 Form dough into rounds: Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a large pancake shape, about 3/4 to 1-inch thick.
Using a pastry round (or the lightly floured ridges of drinking glasses) cut into biscuit forms and place 1 1/2-inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
You can also cut the biscuits into squares if that's easier. The the dough is too soft to work with, put it in the refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes first.
5 Bake the biscuits: Put the biscuits in the 425°F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until they have risen and are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking rack.
6 Serve the berries spooned over biscuits that have been broken open, and top with whipped cream
Meal #3
Side
Apple Blueberry Lemon Smoothie
https://watchlearneat.com/meatless-monday-apple-blueberry-lemon-smoothie/
Ingredients
1 Red Delicious apple (cored and chopped)
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water
8 ice cubes
Instructions
Add chopped apple, blueberries, lemon juice, water and ice to a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Enjoy.
Side
GREEN BEANS WITH PEPPERS
https://www.italianfoodforever.com/2012/01/green-beans-with-peppers/
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 20 MINUTES
total time: 35 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Green Beans
1 Sweet Red Pepper
1 Sweet Yellow Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Finely Sliced
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hot Red Pepper Flakes
Cracked Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
Sea Salt
Zest From 1 Lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Trim the beans on each end, and then core the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes, and slice thinly.
Cook the beans and pepper strips in salted boiling water until tender crisp.
Drain, and drop the vegetables in a bowl of ice water and let sit for 10 minutes.
Drain beans and dry well.
In a wide bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Add the garlic and cook just until sizzling, then add the beans and peppers.
Cook for a minute or two unto the beans are flavored with the oil mixture and are warm.
Add the lemon zest and fresh thyme and toss to mix well.
Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Top of Form
Main Dish
Most Excellent Sandwich
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/75762/most-excellent-sandwich/
Prep:
10 mins
Cook:
10 mins
Total:
20 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 open face sandwiches
Ingredients
4
Ingredients
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 (5 ounce) package alfalfa sprouts
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spread cream cheese onto each slice of bread, and set cheese side up on the cookie sheet. Place the tomato slices over the cream cheese. Top with alfalfa sprouts, then a generous sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cheese is melted, and sandwiches are warm.
Dessert
FUNFETTI APPLE FRITTERS
https://studiodiy.com/funfetti-fied-funfetti-apple-fritters/
(Makes about 20 Fritters)
3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 rounded tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 apples, peeled and grated 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles Vegetable oil for frying
For the glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar 7 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Rainbow sprinkles
1. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 2. Whisk together the milk, vanilla, eggs, and 4 tablespoons oil. 3. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet. Fold in the apples till well incorporated. 4. Very gently, fold in the rainbow sprinkles. Careful not to over mix. 5. Heat 1 inch of oil in a heavy skillet to 350 degrees. (If you don’t have an oil thermometer or electric deep fryer, use the popcorn kernel trick to test the oil. Place 1 unpopped kernel of popcorn in the oil. Turn on heat. Wait till kernel pops. Popcorn pops around 350-360 degrees) 6. Drop about 1/4 cup sized mounds of batter into the hot oil. Do about 3 at a time. Brown well on both sides. You want a nice dark brown color on the outside to ensure the inside is cooked through. Once browned, remove and place on paper towels to drain. Let cool slightly before glazing. 7. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. 8. Place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet to catch the excess glaze. Dip each fritter into the glaze and place on cooling rack to set. Top each fritter with some more rainbow sprinkles.