This week at a glance.

So since we're still getting our stuff together i'll make this a somewhat long and detailed post about ingredients and meals that we will be preparing this week to give you somewhat of an idea of what we're actually doing.

I've made the decision that i'm not going to start using "substitutes" just yet. I've only had a handful of tofu experiences and most of them left something to be desired. I'm not very versed in the world of substitution so to prevent initial crash-and-burn.

To get my meal plans together I bought the new Martha Stewart book "Meatless" which is actually really awesome. It has humongous pictures and is really basic in the world of cooking. Most recipes don't require a million ingredients and many are simple enough to be a weeknight meal.

This week is as follows:

Polenta with poached eggs and marinated artichokes -
Artichoke hearts, EVOO, red-wine vinegar, flat-leaf parsley, red pepper flakes, S&P, skim milk, polenta, parmesean cheese, eggs.

White cheddar corn chowder -
EVOO, onion, celery, coriander, cumin, cayenne, dry white wine, potatoes, vegetable stock, skim milk, fresh/frozen corn, S&P, white cheddar cheese.

Broccoli and pasta casserole - Made this last night, very yum; even better warmed up as leftovers!
Bread crumbs, head of broccoli, S&P, spiral pasta, EVOO, onion, flour, ground mustard, ricotta cheese, parmesean.

Roasted eggplant Caprese salad -
EVOO, eggplant, S&P, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar.

Pasta with roasted cauliflower and lemon zest -
Head of cauliflower, red onion, capers, EVOO, S&P, pasta of choice, flat-leaf parsley, lemon.

Obviously some of these ingredients are negligible like S&P, flour and EVOO that are always in my pantry. I just wanted to stress that nothing i'm using is unusual or hard to find.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a big staple in our lunches, Gary still eats a lunch meat sandwich most days but many of these recipes are made large enough to provide substantial leftovers.

Breakfasts have been primarily eggs and toast, whole grain cereals with almond milk, or just some good-ol' coffee (a bad habit of mine, ooph!)

Snacks are all over the place, some healthier than others. A few cracker items, root veggie chips, hummus and veggies.

The biggest hurdle i've hit so far is fact that Gary is not able to eat quite a few foods including beans, peas or some gords as they give him awful acid indigestion. This isn't a major problem thus far, and hopefully by adjusting our diet this problem with correct itself or at least lessen.

In the meantime, happy eating :)