Menu Planning and Baking Update

Yesterday was… long! But I now have a jar of sourdough starter fermenting (or whatever it is that sourdough starter does?!?), 2 crusty loaves of honey whole wheat bread, 4 mini loaves of whole wheat banana bread (well, more like 3 1/2 since I served some at dinner last night), a dozen whole wheat sweet potato muffins, and 8 whole wheat tortillas. I’ll take pictures of my efforts and post them soon. Now to tackle the huge stack of dishes in my sink… Ugh!

Early this morning, I sat down and planned a menu based on food that I already had in the house. I may have to make a quick trip to the grocery store for some fresh fruit, but I was surprised (and impressed!) that I was able to plan over a week’s worth of menus without needing to buy an entire cartful of food. What a relief to know that I will be able to avoid the long pre-Thanksgiving lines next week. Here’s what I have planned:

Today, November 20th

Breakfast: sweet potato muffins, milk, bananas

Lunch: leftover white bean and swiss chard soup, fresh bread (for adults); leftover bean burrito and corn (for Heidi)

Supper: chicken and whole wheat dumplings, double chocolate pudding

Saturday, November 21st

Breakfast: scrambled egg and bacon breakfast burrito, pineapple smoothies

Lunch: leftovers

Supper: vegetarian spaghetti, tossed salad, garlic bread

Sunday, November 22nd

Breakfast: banana bread, milk

Lunch: roasted chicken and root vegetables, cornbread-sausage stuffing, leftover tossed salad

Supper: leftovers

Monday, November 23rd

Breakfast: oatmeal with PB, brown sugar and raisins, milk, bananas

Lunch: chicken salad sandwiches, celery, fruit

Supper: roasted butternut squash with penne pasta, green beans with bacon and onion

Tuesday, November 24th

Breakfast: sweet potato muffin, milk, fruit

Lunch: leftover pasta and green beans, fruit

Supper: Asian stirfry with marinated tofu, broccoli, edamame, and onion, steamed rice

Wednesday, November 25th

Breakfast: banana bread, milk, fruit

Lunch: leftover stirfry, rice

Supper: bean burritos, sage-infused corn, applesauce

Thursday, November 26th

Breakfast: pumpkin waffles, sausage, fruit

Lunch and Supper: Thanksgiving meals with our families

Friday, November 27th

Breakfast: oatmeal with raisins, milk

Lunch and Supper: Thanksgiving leftover creations!

I will pick up my first order of organic milk on Saturday, the 28th from a local farmer, and my first bulk foods order is due December 1st. I will blog more about my sources for milk and bulk foods later.

First Day of Pantry Makeover

Let me start by saying that I have always been health conscious. Sure, I have had occasional slips along the way (ie, like discovering 7-layer bars in the campus cafeteria my freshman year of college!), but fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have always been the foundation of my diet. Not that my weight has always reflected this. (Did I mention that I love 7-layer bars? Oh, and cheesecake? And basically any dessert with peanut butter and chocolate?)

Right now is one of those times. In January, we relocated to the Kansas City metro area. We had previously been living in a tiny community in mid-Missouri. With the real estate market being the mess that it is right now, we decided that we wanted to wait to purchase another home until our property in Tipton sold. We made this decision knowing that our house might be on the market for months. My in-laws generously offered to let us move in with them rent-free while we waited. They also insisted on paying for groceries, which was extremely kind of them. Unfortunately, I have little will power when it comes to junk food--which is why I never buy it--and there were always cookies or chips or ice cream... (well, I think you get the idea...) in the house.

Our home finally sold ten months later, and I am ten pounds heavier than I was in January. Ugh! Need to lose weight STAT! This is my first reason for wanting to make over my family's pantry. Another motivating factor? I have become much more aware of the importance of eating organically since the birth of my daughter in June 2008. As I stated before, I have always been a fruit and veggies fan but would have scoffed at the idea of paying double and triple the price for organic groceries 18 months ago. (I'll delve more into the details of my decision to switch in future posts.) Now, I cannot imagine knowingly feeding my child pesticide-laden produce or milk from cow's treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics. The problem, of course, is the price tag for organics.

We're on a tight budget. Like so many in this real estate market right now, we actually lost money with the sale of our home. What's worse is the overall cost of living is more expensive in Kansas City than in rural mid-Missouri. We really cannot afford to spend more on groceries than we have in the past, which I believed was $200 per month. So, you can imagine my shock when I realized our actual food expenses were double that amount in Tipton. The truth is I did spend around $200 per month... at the grocery store. But we also ate out much more than I realized, something that will change immediately with my pantry makeover.

Armed with the knowledge that I could spend $400 per month on groceries if necessary (but secretly hoping to spend less), I headed out to our local health food store. (I will blog more about this store and other organic food resources later.) I was excited as I embarked on my adventure. Surely I could easily feed my family wholesome, organic meals with $400 each month. What I left the store with: a few small sacks of high-priced groceries and the realization that I would need to drastically change the way I feed my family if we were going to stay within budget and avoid conventionally-grown foods.

And so Day 1 of our pantry makeover begins. First on my list: Baking... lots and lots of baking. Whole grain foods have always been a big part of our diets, but organic breads and cereals are expensive. My plan to save money? Buy in bulk, and bake from scratch. I dabbled in baking before having my daughter but relied heavily on store-bought breads and tortillas and Jiffy(R) mixes. This morning, I bookmarked online recipes for honey whole wheat bread, sourdough starter, whole wheat banana bread, tortillas, and sweet potato muffins. I do realize that this might be overly ambitious for my first day of baking, especially with a 1 year old in the house. Regardless of the outcome of my day, it will undoubtedly be an adventure. Care to join me? I'll post again soon.