Dinner Planner: Week of May 2nd

I have a busy week ahead since it’s the start of a new month, which means I am introducing a new menu in my cooking classes. Last month’s Mexican menu was a huge success and I hope to post some or most of those recipes eventually. This Thursday is Cinco de Mayo and there are lots of great recipes you can make in honor of the holiday. Take a peek at my enchiladas post where I give lots of links to some great Mexican-inspired recipes.

I posted this video two years in a row and I still love it:

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Just to remind, Sunday is Mother’s Day! Go out and get those cards and maybe even plan to make a homemade breakfast for the special mom in your life. Mothers are without a doubt the hardest working people I know and even though I think we can all agree, these ladies deserve thanks and acknowledgement every day, don’t forget to show a little extra love on Sunday!

Here’s your dinner planner for this week:

Meatless Monday: Spring Vegetable Paella

Tuesday: Wheat berry salad with radish, carrot and lemon-tahini dressing (barley is great in this salad, too), baked fish sticks (I’m going to take cod or halibut and cut it into thick “sticks.” I used to make them like this recipe, but I’m going to try this method for getting them breaded and ready to be baked crispy. I will take out the parmesan and add a little lemon zest to the bread crumbs.)

Wednesday: Veggie and bean burrito bowls with cilantro-lime rice and Mexican sautéed greens

CINCO DE MAYO: Chicken enchiladas rojas, creamy cabbage and avocado slaw You can sub roasted veggies and black beans for the chicken in the enchiladas. Click here.

Friday: Chicken enchilada soup using last night’s leftovers (chop up leftovers and add to a pot with chicken broth and heat), big green salad with Mexican chopped salad dressing

Saturday: (Hubby’s pre-birthday) He wants pasta with Bolognese sauce (I take 3/4 pound of grass-fed ground beef and brown it in a skillet without any oil and break it up into small pieces. Drain excess fat if necessary. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.), steamed artichokes with garlic-aioli (I’m going to blend roasted garlic with Vegenaise and wing it), and an Italian chopped salad

Mother’s Day: I would like my kids to bring me a yogurt and granola and berry parfait with a turmeric latte in bed, please!

If you need to prep ahead, here’s what you can do:

Sunday

Prep (wash, dry, chop) veggies for paella

Soak and cook wheat berries

Make all salad dressings

Wash salad greens for Tuesday

Wash greens for Wednesday

Wash cilantro

Make stock for Friday (refrigerate, skim fat and freeze)

Make beans for bowls and Italian salad and freeze (unless you already have cooked beans in freezer or pantry)

Wednesday