Caprese portobello pizzas, nicoise salad, zucchini noodle salad, smothered chicken, meatball greek salad and cheesy beef goulash and macaroni.
So many great recipes this week!! Now that it feels like summer might actually arrive some time before September, you'll see lighter meals with more salads on the menu each week, especially since my boy is so busy (and often not home for supper) these days. Many of these salads will be carb-less, but feel free to add your own on the side. That said, I do love a good potato salad, so I will definitely be featuring at least one of those in the next few weeks!
On the menu - June 9 - June 15, 2019:
Sunday Caprese Portobello Pizzas
It was just Mom & I for supper tonight. Since we've been trying to eat fewer carbs and a little lighter, this recipe fit the bill. It was scrumptious. Although the recipe says it serves 4, I halved the amount of arugula and we both ate two of the "pizzas". My portobello mushrooms definitely flattened and didn't look nearly as pretty as Gina's (Skinnytaste), but they tasted amazing. Don't skip the balsamic reduction glaze!
Monday Nicoise Salad
We loved this salad. I improvised a little using what I had on hand, but it still turned out to be delicious. I used cherry tomatoes instead of large ones and jarred olives instead of Nicoise. (To be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen those locally). I also cooked only two very small potatoes for Mom and I, but you could skip those altogether. (They do taste awesome with the vinaigrette, though!) Instead of the butter lettuce I used up the rest of the arugula from last night along with some leaf lettuce. Preparing this recipe was quick - under 30 minutes - so it was perfect for a weeknight meal.
This is another favourite summer salad of mine, although I rarely make it in a mason jar. I have to confess, to date I have never tried edamame, so I usually substitute chicken. Tonight I served Hayter's Onion & Parsley Turkey Burgers instead and they went really well with it; however, if you were looking for a great vegetarian salad, this could be it. I would never think of combining lemon juice with spinach, avocado, and Greek yogurt to make a dressing, but it works! I highly recommend that you don't skip the olives or the feta cheese. This salad is absolutely yummy and so light and fresh-tasting. It's also perfect for a Paleo or Keto diet, or for anyone trying to eat fewer carbs. Plus, don't you think it's the prettiest shade of green?
Wednesday 5-Ingredient Smothered Chicken with wild rice and roasted asparagus
I'm still working on emptying out my pantry (trust me - it could take awhile!), and I noticed that I had two jars of Alfredo sauce. I'm not sure why, since I haven't made anything that uses it in some time (plus I usually make my own!) Recently, I came across this recipe and it seemed perfect for using up one of those jars. Plus it was simple and used things I had on hand, which as you may know, I totally love. Sadly when I served this, I forgot to top it off with the bacon, but it was still excellent. I used 8 chicken thighs instead of 4 breasts, and there was ample sauce. I put my asparagus (topped with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and some Parmesan) in the oven at the same time, and it was perfectly tender-crisp when the chicken was finished cooking.
Thursday Mediterranean Meatball Greek Salad
This combination intrigued me. I am certain that the homemade meatballs in this recipe would take this salad over the top, and I know that a box of frozen meatballs isn't exactly considered "clean eating", but I had them, so I wanted to use them. I love Greek salad (especially without lettuce), and you could easily top this off with a good-quality store-bought Greek salad dressing if you didn't want to make your own. Or if you're like me and you have at least 6 different kinds of salad dressing in your fridge currently and you need to use them up! Tzatziki could be a nice addition to the meatballs as well, and if you're not on a Keto or Paleo diet, you could serve some toasted pitas on the side. So good! And also fast!
Friday Leftovers / eat out / takeout
Tonight I had the privilege of attending the Maitland Conservation Foundation 2019 Donors' Gala at Cowbell Brewing in Blyth, Ontario. It was a fantastic evening recognizing the amazing work that the Foundation is doing with their "Restoring the Maitland" Campaign. And of course, the food was excellent! My favourite part was the Lemon Pound Cake with strawberries and ice cream, but the maple-glazed salmon was pretty amazing, too.
Saturday American-Style Cheesy Beef Goulash and Macaroni with green salad
This recipe comes from Skinnytaste "One and Done". If you're looking for something different to make with pasta and ground beef, this was delicious and quick to prepare as well. Since I no longer have a pressure cooker, I simply cooked the pasta in the sauce for about 20 minutes or until the liquid was absorbed. A one pot wonder!
Σχόλια