Menu Plan Monday - Week of 6/10-6/16

As you will see below, I list items that have been purchased locally or are Organic (some are both!)

Breakfast

Cereal, fruit
Organic plain yogurt with local strawberries and locally made granola
English muffin w/ peanut butter, banana
Jazzed up pizza (homemade whole wheat pitas w/ homemade local strawberry jam, local strawberries and bananas)   
Lunch

Whole wheat tortilla w/ hummus, turkey, local tomatoes and local spinach, carrot sticks, fruit
Whole wheat tortilla w/ Organic local black beans w/ combination of some or all of the following: salsa, Organic grass-fed cheddar cheese, local tomatoes and/or organic plain yogurt, fruit
Green salad w/ local hard boiled eggs, local tomatoes, carrots and honey mustard dressing
Homemade whole wheat pitas w/ falafel, cucumber sauce, lettuce, local cucumbers and local tomatoes, carrot sticks, fruit

Supper

Sunday - Local hamburgers, whole wheat buns, local asparagus, local green salad w/ local carrots, local cucumber and red peppers.

Monday - Homemade whole wheat pitas w/ falafel, cucumber sauce, lettuce, local cucumbers and local tomatoes or hummus, carrot sticks, fruit

Tuesday - Hot dog night at the pool, carrot sticks, pineapple, local strawberries and pretzel sticks.

Wednesday - Local black bean quesadillas w/ red peppers and local onions, cheddar cheese, salsa, Organic plain yogurt (in lieu of sour cream).

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Dinner out

Saturday - Homemade pizza w/ local italian sausage, local onions, red peppers and local Organic grass-fed mozzarella cheese.

I’m an Organizing Junkie is home to Menu Plan Monday.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Strawberry Freezer Jam

We purchased strawberries again today at our local farmer's market, however this is probably the last week for local berries in Central Ohio.  I thought I would share a post from last year, August 2011, on making homemade strawberry jam.

This post is originally from Saving Family Green in August 2011.

In July we ran out of homemade strawberry jam.  We had exhausted our supply of freezer jam we made from strawberries we picked from a local farm and jam my Aunt had made.  I purchased some strawberry jam from the grocery store, but it just wasn't the same.  We were lucky this past Saturday that one of the vendors at our local Farmer's Market had strawberries!  We used Ball Instant Fruit Pectin, Organic Turbinado and fresh local strawberries.

First, we cleaned and cut the strawberries.

Next, we placed the strawberries in the blender.

Then, we stirred together the pectin, sugar and strawberry puree.

The finished product!

Total cost:  We spent $20 for the entire container of strawberries (4 quarts), however we probably only used half the berries to make the jam, so probably $10-12 dollars worth.  The Ball Freezer containers were reused from last year, so $0 and the Ball Instant Fruit Pectin I found on Clearance at KMart for $0.90.  To purchase 6 (8 oz) jars of jam at our local Farmer's Market would have cost $4-5 each.

This is a very economical way to make jam, you will know exactly what is in it and it tastes great!

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 6/3-6/9

So it's been awhile for my family and actually writing down a menu plan.  A long time ago I explained how I roughly follow a "plan" each week in terms of what type of meat or theme I might have each evening for supper.  Breakfast and Lunch are usually day-by-day, but all our meals mostly come from our kitchen.

I've been inspired by Skinny Mom's Kitchen to begin writing down a menu plan each week.  (If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you should as it is really great!)

As you will see below, I list items that have been purchased locally or are Organic (some are both!)

Breakfast

Cereal, fruit
Organic plain yogurt with local strawberries and locally made granola
English muffin w/ peanut butter, banana
Homemade banana bread

Lunch

Whole wheat tortilla w/ hummus, local tomatoes and local spinach, carrot sticks, fruit
Whole wheat tortilla w/ Organic local black beans w/ combination of some or all of the following: salsa, Organic grass-fed cheddar cheese, local tomatoes and/or organic plain yogurt, fruit
Whole wheat tortilla w/ local bacon, local lettuce and local tomatoes, carrot sticks, fruit
Whole wheat tortilla w/ peanut butter, homemade strawberry jam, local strawberries and bananas, carrot sticks, local snap peas
Green salad w/ local tomatoes, carrots and honey mustard dressing

Supper

Sunday - Chicken kabobs w/ red peppers, local onions and local squash, brown rice, local asparagus and garlic bread.  Homemade strawberry shortcake w/ local strawberries.  (Recipe from Cook-a-Doodle-Doo.)

Monday - Spaghetti w/ Organic Tomato Sauce and Veggie "Meatballs", local green beans and garlic bread.

Tuesday - Hot dog night at the pool, carrot sticks, pineapple, local strawberries and pretzel sticks.

Wednesday - Tostadas w/ Crockpot refried beans, local grass-fed cheddar cheese, local tomatoes, guacamole, salsa and local lettuce.

Thursday -  Vegetable Stir-fry (local squash, local onions, red peppers, local spinach) w/ brown rice, pineapple.

Friday - Local italian sausage w/ onions and whole wheat bun or Veggie burger w/ whole wheat bun, local green beans and local green salad w/ carrots, local tomatoes and local snap peas.

Saturday - Homemade pizza w/ local italian sausage, local onions, red peppers and local Organic grass-fed mozzarella cheese.

I’m an Organizing Junkie is home to Menu Plan Monday.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet