This Week’s Menu

This week is kind of different because 1.) B is doing Atkins (gross), and 2.) my momma’s coming to town! We usually do a lot of eating out when my parents come to visit, so I wanted to make sure the house was stock so we wouldn’t have to. So Monday I planned meals for just me, and then Wednesday and Thursday I’m cooking for all three of us.

Monday: Dijon Chicken with pan sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts with pecans

Tuesday: Seared bay scallops with sautéed spinach and cheese and lemon-topped butternut squash

Wednesday: Pan-grilled chicken with red grapes and shallots (yum! this is one of my favorites!)

Thursday: Cabbage, red potatoes and Bratwursts (a crock pot recipe that we really liked)

Friday: Dinner at my sister’s house

Saturday: Dinner our with friends

Sunday: Pizza Night (Brett’s turn)

For breakfast this week I’m doing strawberries (they were on sale), yogurt and granola. For lunch I’ve been doing baby carrots with hummus, and apples with peanut butter. I didn’t think it would be enough food, but it really keeps me full until dinner. Sometimes I’m not even hungry when I get home from work, which is awesome because it’s so healthy!

I’ve never been a huge hummus fan, mostly because it’s so expensive to buy pre-made. This week, however, I decided to give making it myself a try. It turned out pretty good! I think next time I’ll do a flavored hummus.

This recipe makes a ton (ok, 56 ounces) so make sure you have plenty of storage on hand if you do the whole recipe. I put half in a yogurt container and half in a pickle jar and froze the pickle jar.

Traditional Hummus

Ingredients:

2 C. dry Chickpeas (AKA Garbanzo beans)
OR
4 15 oz. Cans Chickpeas
3 Cloves garlic
¾ C. Tahini
½ C. Lemon juice
¼ T Cayenne Pepper
½ C. Water (+ more if it’s too thick)
Sea Salt to taste

Directions:

1.) If you’re using dry beans, do what you would normally do to cook the beans. Soak, don’t soak, whatever, cook them.
2.) Chop the garlic and combine in a food processor with the beans. Pulse until fairly combined.
3.) Add in the tahini, lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper and sea salt. Pulse.
4.) Keep pulsing and adding in either lemon juice or water (depending on how sour you like yours) until the mixture is smooth and tastes right. I think I ended up doing more like ¾ cup lemon juice and about a tablespoon of salt. But just try it until you like it.
5.) Voila! This is the cheapest hummus you’ll ever eat. Enjoy!