I think the hardest challenge people face when attempting to live a full Paleo lifestyle is coming up with what to eat. It's the biggest and most frequent excuse. Sorry to bust your bubble -- but there's no need to concern yourself with THAT. I will admit that at first there might be a bit more planning than what you're used to just because real food has to be cooked, and you can't rely on any kind of boxed item or fast food joint on the way home from work. Meals don't have to be so involved; however, everyone can say that they have had a piece of meat and a salad for a meal before. So boom, there ya go. Simple as that. That will get old you say? Nonsense. Another very common excuse, but lousy nonetheless. That's what spices are for. Some spices will make it have a Mexican flare, go more with curry for an Indian taste, use cinnamon on cuts like lamb...there are so many combinations of spice, meat, and vegetable that "Paleo dishes are boring" is the excuse I hate most. There are salads, endless vegetables, endless cuts, soups, stir-fries, throw some nuts around, fry things up, bake 'em, slow cook 'em, broil 'em, grill 'em, wrap stuff up like asparagus spears or hell wrap pieces of meat around other pieces of meat!! I don't care...but don't dare say that Paleo eating gets old, because YOU'RE OLD! haha
Anyway, yes, I am quite the planner. I do come up with weekly menus to help keep us on track. There are several benefits to doing this. One, my work schedule is not a set one. I work different shifts constantly. So, having a weekly menu helps me plan ahead so I make dinners that are reasonable on nights I'm working late and more involved/experimental dinners on days I'm off or get home early. Secondly, having a planned menu helps in having a specific grocery list which can help you save money and stay clear of all the mumbo-jumbo crapness found in the middle of the aisles. Stick to the perimeter of the store. Every week you'll need produce, meat, and eggs. Those are always on the outside. The only time you need to go in the middle of the store is to get products such as tomato sauce, chicken broth, and oils. Oh, and if you have a dumb Crit like me...every once and a while you'll have to venture your way into the kitty litter and cat food aisle. She's such a fat butt. My cat does not eat Paleo, by the way. In fact, her cat food lists all sorts of corn products and such...yeah, and she's obese. Poor thing.
So one of the items I wanted to have on this blog were lists of my weekly menus to possibly help those people that just like to follow guidelines or be told, "here, eat this." :) Jason and I have a pretty good schedule down; here's how it works for us. Breakfast usually consists of eggs and some sort of meat whether it be bacon or breakfast sausage. Often times we will eat leftover meat from the night before, but typically eggs are always involved. Every once in a blue moon I will make some sort of pancake concoction, but rarely. I do have a plan for some pretty amazing pancakes coming up though...I've been dreaming about them, but that won't happen for another 10 days or so. Speaking of dreams, I have to tell ya'll this one real quick. So I'm a donut lover...I foam at the mouth over those damn things. They are my ultimate weakness of all baked goods and I shield my face when I walk by the bakery section at the store (which is also on the perimeter dang it!) Anyway, so ya'll know Garfield the cat? Well, you recall how he eats lasagne? He THROWS it into his throat. Damn cat doesn't even chew. Well, in my dream I was hovered over a box of donuts...oooh all kinds...sprinkled ones, glazed ones, blueberry cake donuts which are the best, and I was just grabbing, tossing 'em back with that pill-taking motion (you know the one, where you throw your neck back like you're going to swallow it better that way lol). Yeah man...it was a great dream.
Oh that's right, I was getting to something... so yeah, that's what breakfast typically looks like. Lunch is almost always leftovers from whatever dinner was with the exception of our side/vegetable. Usually we have meat left but eat all of the side. So lunch is usually the leftover meat/main entree along with a salad.
Dinners are where I get all crazy and my kitchen becomes my lab. So most of what you see on here, along with what is listed for our weekly "menu" will be dinner items.
Weekly Menu for 2/26 thru 3/3
Sunday: Braised Lamb Shanks with Roasted Beet & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Monday: Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Pesto Cod with Sauteed Zucchini, Onions, and Peppers
Tuesday: Puerto Rican Beef with Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Wednesday: Beef Liver & Onion Meatballs over Sauteed Cabbage
Thursday: Spiced Pork Shoulder with Carrots & Turnips
Friday: Braised Short Ribs with Fancy Pear Salad
Saturday: Flank Steak with Citrus Marinade and Side Salad
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