Salmon Burgers, Guacamole, Cauliflower and Squash Thursday

We had some yummy salmon burgers (I am always surprised at how much the boys eat when we have these), some grilled cauliflower and squash, and a huge bowl of guacamole with cilantro, onions, and jalapenos.

I made lunch for the boys, but neither of them touched it (with their sicknesses) so they'll be eating this for lunch tomorrow too (although the empanada will be exchanged with a Nutella sandwich).

Casa Columbia Wednesday

We were going to have some salmon burgers tonight, but someone gave us a gift certificate for Casa Columbia that expires on Friday, so we'll be eating there tonight. I've heard their food is super yummy for a pretty low price. I can't wait!!

The boys lunches looked like this : Left over sweet potato/black bean mix, tostada chips, fruit snacks, nut mix:

Potato and Veggie Soup Tuesday

I made some pretty yummy potato soup I found on allrecipes.com. I changed the recipe up just a little (I had cream of mushroom soup on hand, not cream of celery), I added some red and orange bell peppers chopped up small, an entire onion (instead of 1/4) and we added cheese to the top of our soup.. yum! We all munched down on it.



For lunch, the boys had this: Tortillas with Nutella inside (neither boy touched theirs), turkey rolls (barely eaten), cookie and yogurt pretzel (not touched by Chaz), and peas/crackers (not eaten). Turns out Chaz was sick at lunch, so that's why his food was still intact when he came home. Luckily, he ate two bowls of healthy soup for dinner. Oh- and two bowls of vanilla ice cream!

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Cauliflower and Basil Tacos

I made the same sweet potato tacos as before, however, this time I used cauliflower instead of corn (big mistake) and frozen veggies instead of fresh ones (biggest mistake ever). Everyone still ate them, but they were nowhere near as good as the time before. I spent so much more on these fancy frozen veggies from Whole Foods too. This is not the time for convenience foods, even though I want and need them so bad!!

For lunch, the boys really liked this one: Nutella and PB sandwich, black olives, grapes, veggie chips.

Oct. 27- Nov. 2 Menu

Monday- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Tuesday- Potato and Vegetable Soup and Salad
Wednesday- Salmon burgers with Avocado and Red Onions and grilled squash
Thursday- Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup
Friday- Eat out with Halloween Festivities or Bean and Cheese Tostadas (backup)
Saturday- Salmon Cakes with Cauliflower and Celery
Sunday- Grilled Salmon and Potatoes

Lunch:
Monday- Nutella/PB sandwich, grapes, olives, veggie chips
Tuesday- Turkey, tortilla, baked peas, cookie, yogurt
Wednesday- Sweet potatoes/Beans, tostada, fruit snacks, cranberry and mixed nuts
Thursday- Ramen, watermelon, veggie chips, edamame
Friday- Tuna, crackers, cauliflower, teddy grahams

Pesto Pizza with Black Olives Weekend

We finally ate the homemade pesto pizza with black olives and basil on Sunday. Saturday was a day of birthday parties, football games, and fun, so we ate mostly hot dogs, pizza, and stuff that's really not very good for us.

Wahoo's Fish Tacos Friday

I made a big batch of pesto from my huge basil plant the other day. I also made some homemade pizza crust and froze it. Tonight was supposed to be pizza night, but the kids' school's Halloween party lasted longer than we had expected. We grabbed some tacos from Wahoo's and ate there. Budget broken, but the tacos were yummy!!

Here is what the boys have for lunch: Meatballs, Peanut Butter Granola Bar, Juice Plus+ Gummies, Pretzels, Apple, Grapes. At least they're getting a few veggies in their JP+ gummie!!

Spaghetti/Meatballs with Whole Wheat Pasta Thursday

I love making spaghetti. It's so easy and so yummy and fulfilling. I just thawed some left over homemade zucchini pasta and added some Ikea meatballs (mainly for the boys). I topped some whole wheat pasta with the sauce and everyone gobbled it down.

Here is what the boys ate for lunch today: Ramen, Stuffed Spinach Shell, Edamame on a stick, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Chews (aka- too much sugar) with their Juice Plus+ gummies added. I should also mention that they both devoured the entire meal:

Leftover Spinach Pasta Shells and Rolls Wednesday

Thanks to my mom, we enjoyed her stuffed spinach pasta shells again tonight! After tomorrow's lunch, they'll finally be gone :(

Here is what is packed for the kids' lunch: Edamame, Nachos (there will be cheese on the chips), Corn, Butter Cookies.

Garlic Tilapia, Salad and Couscous Tuesday

For the tilapia, I rubbed 2-3 tablespoons of garlic over them, drizzled olive oil on them, then sprinkled a chopped onion on top. It marinated in the fridge over night. Then for dinner tomorrow, I will dash a bit of cayenne on top, then bake at 350 for 20 minutes. This will be paired with a left over salad (from the weekend) and some lemon/pepper couscous.

The fish was a little too spicy for me (as well as was the couscous). Good thing I spared one piece of tilapia from the cayenne so the boys could have some!!

For lunch, the boys have this: Jello, Snap Peas, Egg Casserole, Baked Crackers

Lentil/Carrot/Rice Soup and Crackers Monday

I made a big batch of lentil soup tonight. The boys each devoured the soup and crackers. It was yummy. Here is the recipe that I got from the December 2004/January 2005 issue of Organicstyle.com:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger (you can freeze ginger root to keep it fresh longer)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 cups dried red lentils (I used brown)
2 cups vegetable broth (or you can use chicken broth if you're not vegetarian)
1 cup drained and chopped canned tomatoes (or chopped fresh cherry tomatoes)
1.5 cups cooked brown or white rice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, carrots, ginger, and cumin; saute 2 minutes. Add lentils, broth, and 5 cups water (I used 5 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups water). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are just tender- about 20 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and rice, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove about a quarter of the soup (about 2 cups) and puree in a blender (or you can use an immersion blender). Return to pot and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little oil before serving.

Here is what the boys had for lunch too: Left over fruit, carrots, tuna/cucumber wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, grapes, cheese crackers:

Oct. 20 - Oct. 26 Menu

Dinner:

Monday- Lentil and Rice Soup (marinate fish for tomorrow night and thaw spaghetti sauce)
Tuesday- Baked Tilapia in Garlic & Olive Oil, Salad - PTA Meeting (make big batch of pesto)
Wednesday- Stuffed Shells (L/O), rolls (make pizza crust for later)
Thursday- Spaghetti and Meatballs (save some meatballs for school lunch tomorrow)
Friday- Grilled Cheese & Tomato Basil Soup (unless we're still at the Halloween event)
Saturday- Eat Out? Fish Sticks? UT Game
Sunday- Pesto Pizza

Lunches:
Monday- Tuna Wrap (with grated cucumbers and cheese), grapes, fruit salad, carrots
Tuesday- Egg casserole, jello, snap peas, chips/crackers
Wednesday- Nachos, edamame, corn, cookie
Thursday- Shell Pasta, Ramen, fruit snacks, carrots
Friday- Meatballs, pretzels, granola bar, cauliflower and Parmesan

Spinach/Cheese Stuffed Shells Sunday

We're eating this yummy shells for dinner again tonight!

Spinach/Cheese Stuffed Shells Saturday

My mom made some yummy stuff shells from scratch. She didn't have a recipe so she made it up as went along. They were amazing!! The good thing is she made way too many and we'll have them for dinner and lunch a few more times this week! We also had some fruit and a yummy salad. Oh- and we didn't forget the wine either!!

Uncle Julio's Enchiladas Friday

My parents ordered some Uncle Julio's enchiladas and heated them up at the Bed and Breakfast. They were pretty good. They kind of got dried out by the time they were heated the second time. We also had rice and beans as well as carrots and snap peas.

Salmon Burgers Thursday

Yum! Salmon burgers from Costco are super yummy grilled on the charcoal grill!! They are good with something crunchy, and since we didn't have any lettuce on hand, we cut some wide onion rings and topped them on the burgers along with jalapenos (for the adults). The kids both ate their entire burgers and said, "YUM!!!" the whole time. 5 Stars!


Here is what the boys devoured for lunch today: Tuna, Crackers, Banana Pudding, Mandarin Oranges, and of course their veggie Juice Plus+

Tuna Melt Wednesday

Tonight's the last debate between Obama and McCain! We're having tuna melts! Yum!!

Here is what the kids will eat at school (leftover pasta, bunny grahams, IKEA biscuits, snap peas and JP+ gummies):

Red-Pepper Salmon Pasta Tuesday

I made a variation of this Red-Pepper Salmon Pasta tonight with our left over ginger salmon. Instead of the cilantro, I used basil (since I have a HUGE plant in the front yard), I omitted the jalapenos (for the boys), added a zucchini to the blend, and used both orange and red bell peppers (small ones from Costco). It turned out very yummy!!


This is what the boys went to school with today: left over sweet potato/corn/black bean stuff, black olives, 1/2 apple, goldfish/banana chips, and JP+ veggies.


I know the black olives will be gone for sure when these boxes get home!!

Caramelized Ginger Salmon, Salad, Sweet Potatoes/Corn/Black Bean Salad Monday

This was supposed to be our dinner last night and the salmon marinated over night so it was rather salty from the soy! This is our tried and true Caramelized Ginger Salmon (I used honey instead of brown sugar though) with the Rachel Ray Sweet Potato/Corn/Bean side leftover from the other night, as well as a plain side salad with homemade buttermilk ranch (runny, not thick!).



For lunch, the boys had this (it was their day off from school):

Oct. 13- 19th Menu

Monday- Ginger Caramelized Salmon, Salad, Sweet Potato Side Salad
Tuesday- Salmon with Zucchini and Corn Pasta
Wednesday- Tuna Melts
Thursday- Salmon Burgers (or Lentil/Rice Casserole)
Friday- Enchiladas (on vacation with Grandma and Papa)
Saturday- Spinach Quiche (still on vacation)
Sunday- Tostadas

LUNCH:
Monday- PBJ, Grapes, Watermelon, Nuts
Tuesday- Sweet Potato salad, Black Olives, Apple, Banana Chips/Goldfish, JP+ Gummies
Wednesday- Pasta, ABC Biscuits, Cucumber, Annie's Bunny Grahams, JP+ Gummis
Thursday- Tuna, Crackers, Orange Slices, Pudding, JP+ Gummis (Snack for Cooper's class- Popcorn, Apple Slices, or Pretzels)
Friday- Cheese Nachos, Muffin, Snap Peas, Cashews/Sunflower Seeds, Pretzels

East Side Pies Sunday

We really went off our menu this weekend. It's crazy that when dad's home, we can't ever seem to get home in time to make dinner. Either that or we're just plain tired of doing all we do on the weekends!!

Eat at Sister's House Saturday

It's always nice when my sister-in-law invites us over for BBQ. We had a nice super hot off the grill (shishkabobs, veggies, hotdogs, and all).

Sweet Potato, Corn, and Black Bean Tacos Friday

Yum! The tacos are so yummy!! I got the Taco Recipe out of Rachel Ray's magazine and made it today for the first time. I doubled (or tripled) the recipe so that I could bring it to a family who just had a baby (and are gluten-free). Both of my boys devoured a bowl of the mix (they didn't like the taco part).

The boys ate this un-healthy lunch today. Unfortunately, everything was eaten out of both boxes!! Oh well! It is Friday!!

Bean and Cheese Tostada PTA Thursday

Tonight is our once a week quick, budget meal of refried beans, cheese, jalapenos, hotsauce, and tostadas. Such an easy meal!!

Here is what the boys had for lunch today:

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta Wednesday

I made some homemade sauce again and popped those Ikea meatballs in at the end for the boys. It turned out nice on top of our whole wheat pasta from Costco.



Here is what the boys had for lunch. Unfortunately, it wasn't as popular as I had hoped (although they both loved the salmon cake- I guess that had all 4 food groups in it)!

National Night Out Potluck and Debate Tuesday

Tonight's the National Night Out (at least in Texas it is-- haha--the rest of the nation does this in August---hot!!). So, I'll bring some fruit salad and plates. Hopefully we'll get our fill of sausages and hamburgers tonight!! We hope to make it home early enough to get the kids to bed and listen to the presidential debate!!

Here is what I sent with the boys for lunch:

Salmon Cakes, Salad, and Green Beans Monday

For dinner, I made the usual salmon cakes (you can search my blog for the recipe), as well as a salad, and some yummy Italian green beans (cooked in water, then added to olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, a dash of sugar, chopped onion, and a few mint leaves).



For lunch, the boys trucked off with these goodies:

Oct. 6- Oct. 12 Menu

Monday- Salmon Cakes with Salad and Green Beans (cook chicken for lunches today)
Tuesday- Picnic at National Night Out (bringing fruit salad and plates) (cook eggs for lunches)
Wednesday- Angel Hair Pasta and Meatballs (homemade sauce)
Thursday- Bean and Cheese Tostadas (PTA meeting) (cook Mac and Cheese for lunches)
Friday- Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Corn Tacos (make lentil/rice casserole for food tree)
Saturday- Salmon Filet with Couscous and Salad
Sunday- Tuna Melts with Salad

Lunch:
Monday- Hot dogs, Rice (or couscous), Grapes, Green Beans
Tuesday- Chicken, Salad, Apple Slices, Pretzels
Wednesday- PBJ, Popcorn, Egg, Salted Cucumber
Thursday- Tuna, Crackers, Orange, Snack Mix
Friday- Mac and Cheese, Bacon, Corn, Grapes

Egg Fried Rice and Squash Casserole Sunday

Yes, we had Egg Fried Vegetable Rice today. It was super yummy and the boys loved it. I'm trying to figure out how to make it be gluten free (basically need to figure out how to make it without soy sauce or chicken broth/seasoning).



For lunch, we cooked up some pasta and added our homemade pesto, tuna, and basil to it. We all munched down good on this one!!

Salmon Burgers and Purple Potatoes Saturday

We had the most amazing salmon burgers from Costco today! Dad grilled them up, we topped them with some condiments- lettuce, onions, etc. He also roasted the Whole Foods purple potatoes that have been in the closet for a while. The boys devoured the meal and asked for more. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture tonight! I was too hungry to even think about it!

Takeout Pizza Friday

I know I had egg fried rice on the menu, but tonight was just not working out for me to be chopping veggies in the kitchen (and we weren't home long enough to sit while the rice was cooking). So I definitely blew my budget, but the East Side Pies Pesto and Mozzarella cheese pizza was sooooo good!! We all shared a garden salad before the pizza arrived too (even Chaz ate salad!!)

At least I was able to send my boys to school with some healthy food!!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta Thursday

Tonight's the VP debate!! We're eating spaghetti and Palin balls and watching the debate with our friends. The homemade sauce was made with tomatoes, zucchini, celery, onions, basil, fennel, oregano, garlic, and some tomato sauce. We'll be serving it on whole wheat pasta. Yum!


Here is what the boys had for lunch:

Homemade Pesto Cheese Pizza Wednesday

I have a homemade crust in the freezer. I also will be making homemade pesto from my huge basil plant. We added some cheese and some tomatoes, fresh basil, and some capers for the adults.

I made the pesto by throwing in about 3-4 cups of basil, about 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, some olive oil, walnuts, almonds, and a scoop full of diced garlic (although I could have added a couple of cloves if I had fresh). I felt like it still needed a little salt, so I dashed in some garlic salt at the end. Turned out nice!


For lunch, this is what the boys had (Ramen back by popular demand--although next time I'm going to cook it in vegetable or chicken broth- minus the packet-o-salt that usually comes with it):