The weekly menu

We have two video monitors and there’s nothing more delightful than pushing the “scan” button while they are both asleep in their cribs and seeing peaceful sleeping babes.  Am I weird for wanting to get cameras for other places in the house?  I guess I just mean the toy room.  We can have up to 4 cameras per monitor so it kinda seems fun…that way while I’m in the kitchen cooking dinner and P is keeping himself occupied in the toy room with V I don’t have to wonder if the silence is good silence or bad silence.  It’s usually good silence – he’s a reader.  Anyway.  Random thoughts.  Let’s get cooking.

I don’t have the energy to post in detail about last weekend but suffice it to say, I had an amazing low key Mother’s Day.  For the third year in a row we went to Muir Woods.  I spent the day soaking up the family time and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

My girlfriend came to see us over the weekend too, and we had a toddler birthday party.  But of course I was enjoying myself and living in the moment so much that I hardly took pictures (plus it was a pool party so obviously I had my hands full with that…no room for a camera).

Look how V passed out on her.  Comfy?

My adorable breakfast date (all four of us went to Crepeville before setting off to Muir Woods).

I got the Midtown Benedict because I can’t NOT get it.  Every time.  And I polished every square inch of the plate too (hashtag crazybreastfeedingappetite).  Kyle got the same thing, and even though I fed P before we went and brought him food, I still ordered a fruit plate for him.  Which ended up being massively massive, but consumed in total by the end of the day.

More food highlights from the weekend…the salmon ABLT from Nugget (aka the best sando in all of Davis) and our menu chalkboard with no clear plan for the week but a good reminder about life stuffs.

OK!  Dinners for the week!

On Saturday Kyle grilled us pork chops and corn and I made a blueberry balsamic reduction to serve over the pork and some quinoa.

Delish.  First time having a pork chop for me and P…success all around.  The blueberry compote had ~1 cup of blueberries which I cooked until they burst, then added ~ 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, ~ 1 tbsp honey, ~ 1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil, and a pinch of salt.  Simmered until it reduced a lot more and tasted good.

Sunday was Mother’s Day so we got home pretty late from Muir Woods but I quickly threw together a rice bowl with salmon (microwaved) and chard sautéed in miso butter.  I’m all about the hippie bowls right now (grain + green + protein + sauce).

While the wild rice did it’s thing in the rice cooker and the salmon cooked in the microwave (short on time – you do what you have to), I grabbed chard from our garden and fed P.

I gave him some raw greens before cooking it in the miso butter (he can’t have soy), plus wild rice (mashed with avocado) and fish.

After he went down I assembled it all together for our meal.

Yum.  Paired together, miso and butter work it.

Monday night we have school so I get home right at dinner time, which means advance dinner prep is the name of the game.

Heyyyyy tacos!

This was the meal I had planned on making for Cinco de Mayo.  FYI, I found out a few days later this pulled pork from Costco that I mentioned last week has sodium nitrate in it, which as it turns out, is used for way gross things.  Like fertilizer?!?!  Ew.  I rescind my recommendation.  Costco, c’mon.

Anyway, let’s pretend I didn’t just tell you that.  Here’s what I made with it before I found that out.

Left: Slaw made with green cabbage, pineapple, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Right: Pulled pork mixed with fajita spice blend (store bought)

On top of warm corn tortillas.  Mmmm…

Tuesday night we celebrated National Hummus Day with this meal.  I used the extra grilled chicken thighs from the weekend.

Wednesday was market and I don’t have a pic of my food but I do have this birthday party pic with our friends.  So sweet. 🙂

Kyle left for Austin on Thursday (bachelor party) and will be gone until Monday so I was on my own for food for the rest of the week.  Cue zucchini fest!!!!  Spiralizer out for the season!

I sautéed the zoodles in olive oil and salt (and paired them with roasted chicken).  That’s all freshly picked veggies need.  Freshly picked from down the street…only days ago…along with SO MANY TURNIPS!

I have been looking up turnip recipes like whoa.  This is happening.

Can I juice the greens of the turnips even if they are all thorny and prickly and stuff?  Or use them in some other way?  Ideas??

In the meantime, I used the zucchini to make this…

HEAVENLY!

Back to the weekly menu.

Friday was sushi night because I promised my sister I’d treat her for coming to help me while Kyle was out of town.  I can’t do Saturday morning swimming with two kids all by myself.  Plus, Auntie Bee is awesome.  We like hanging out with her without any qualifications.