Hi and I hope it’s been a nice weekend. Mine has been very relaxed and restful, which has been great!
The weather in Charlotte is cuckoo right now and we’ve gone from early fall-like weather with low humidity and very cool evenings to warm weather with rain and crazy humidity. The change has done a number on my sinuses. I’d love to hear any natural remedies you might have for combating this! (I am so terrified of the neti pot.)
Here’s a quick look at what I ate last week, followed by this week’s (loose) meal plan. I reserve all rights to change it but I have a tentative plan!
BREAKFAST
Okay, first up…I know I brought this up in my Friday post but I seriously can’t get enough of this combo: homemade sourdough bread defrosted from the freezer that is warm but not toasted (I love it soft) with cashew butter, honey, sea salt and sliced banana. I sprinkled chia seeds on top of this one but that’s optional. I am craving this ALL.THE.TIME right now! You must try.
For the longest time I thought that sourdough with nut butter would be gross. It’s not at all! The sourdough bread and the nut butter with honey are an addictive combo together that totally works.
Two eggs scrambled in Kerrygold butter, a pumpkin muffin and grapes.
Plain greek yogurt mixed with pumpkin puree and a swirl of Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter. On top: banana, granola and sunflower seed butter. This is also a great combo for anyone looking for a fall-inspired breakfast.
Smoothie bowl with granola.
I’ve been stuck on the Purely Elizabeth brand of granola lately but I need to get back into making my own!
LUNCH
Massaged kale with quinoa, pistachios, avocado, salmon and Tessemae’s green goddess dressing.
Cedar’s spinach wrap with a Dr. Praeger’s California veggie burger, cheddar cheese, avocado hummus, avocado and arugula. Pressed in a skillet. Check out my pressed wrap tutorial in this post.
Kale + quinoa with avocado, pistachios, a veggie burger and Tessemae’s green goddess dressing.
I am also having a moment with veggie burgers. I bought three different brands at the store on Monday. They’re a great easy option to have on hand for lunch.
DINNER
Two dinners fed us four meals this week! First up was my shedherd’s pie with cauliflower topping. Tanner and I both adore this recipe. It’s super hearty and filling while also feeling pretty healthy and light. We ate this Monday and Tuesday night. On Tuesday’s I teach late and don’t get home until nearly 8 so I always try to have a slow cooker meal or leftovers on hand if possible.
Even though the shepherd’s pie is packed with veggies, I still like to serve a veggie on the side. We had leftover braised red cabbage the first night and leftover green beans the second night.
The second meal that fed us twice was this quick eggplant, chickpea and okra curry that I threw together. I sauteed diced eggplant, sliced orka and an onion together until they started to soften. Then I threw in a can of chick peas and added fresh garlic and ginger along with curry powder and garam masala. I cooked that together for 2-3 minutes until it was super aromatic and then added 14 ounces of canned tomatoes and a can of coconut milk. Season to taste with salt. I simmered the mixture together for about 20 minutes and then served it over rice with chopped cashews, cilantro and plain greek yogurt. It was delicious!
THIS WEEK’S MEAL PLAN
Sunday: Whole Foods rotisserie chicken with collard greens with onion and bacon and mashed sweet potatoes
Monday: Thai-style cod with steamed brown rice and sauteed spinach
Tuesday: Slow cooker bolognese sauce (recipe coming) over spaghetti squash
Wednesday: fig and chili glazed pork tenderloin with roasted brussels sprouts and roasted butternut squash
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: TBD or out
Saturday: TBD or out
Is there any meal or food combo that you’re totally stuck on right now?
What’s your current favorite salad dressing?
I like Dr. Praeger’s veggie burgers too. I usually put one on a bed of mixed greens with avocado and feta.
Yes, they are great on a salad!
I HIGHLY recommend trying a nasal rinse, they really do work. My allergies went crazy a few years ago when I moved to a rural neighborhood and I think the nasal rinse works better than pretty much any medicine I’ve tried (which is a lot). I use one by NeilMed, you can buy them anywhere. I use it in the morning before I take a shower and it really helps loosen everything up. The first couple times are weird, but you get used to it quickly.
I will check this out, thank you so much for the reassurance and the recommendation. <3
Don’t be afraid of the neti pot. I was scared of it for YEARS. It changes everything!
Hints for it to not be scary: turn your head sideways and take slow deep breaths through your mouth. Think yoga breathing! Good luck.
Thank you for the encouragement. I don’t know why it’s so terrifying.
I never know where I got this combo from or if it’s totally weird, but I mash up a Dr Praeger’s burger and cook into 2 egg whites (like an omelet) and put it in a wrap. I’m obsessed! And YES try the Neti Pot… it helped me to watch a video and rest head sideways on faucet each side. It works wonders!!
This is not weird and I kind of tried it for lunch today. I didn’t mash up the veggie burger but I did add a scrambled egg white to the wrap and YUM! Thank you for the inspiration!
What a great week of eats! I’ve been all about an oatmeal bowl lately with cinnamon, honey, seeds, coconut chips and fruit.
I was thisclose to making oatmeal this morning. I’ll have to do it soon! 🙂
Girl, I’m addicted to cashew butter. It’s like legal crack! 😉 I’m hooked to the Artisina and add a semi defrosted frozen banana to it with cinnamon on a rice square for a “desert”. Oh my!
Oh, the eggplant looks fab! Going to try.
And lastly, I use a nasal spray. My nose is very dry right now and that often helps. I’ve been scared of the neti pot too!
Yum yum and yum. I will have to try your combo. I’ll look into the nasal spray!
Your comment about being previously reluctant to top sourdough with nut butter made me laugh – I love (!) nut butters, mashed avocado, butter, even Nutella smeared on a thick slice of toasted sourdough. Toasted just enough for a crisp surface, but not enough to take away the chewiness inside…and the warmth from the toaster makes whatever topping I put on the bread a little melty…mmm, mmm! That always feels like such an indulgent treat to me.
But right now, I am super into waffles. I’m not sure why, and it’s not like I do anything special with them (Kodiak waffles with maple syrup and Applegate turkey sausages on the side)…but I’ve had them for dinner twice in the past week, and planning to have more in the week ahead.
Haha, I have now also come to love ALL toppings on sourdough. 🙂
I’ve never tried the Kodiak mix. I always see it at the store but now I’ll have to take the plunge. I can DEFINITELY appreciate a good waffle! 🙂
i love kerrygold butter! i could just eat it with a spoon. i’ve been using garlic expressions salad dressing recently…have you ever tried it?