Week 4 Menu

I have decided to post my menu for the week so that I stick to them and commit. I have had to shop once a week since having my son, Cooper, because coming home at 7 o'clock with a 2 year old doesn't allow me to dwell over what we are going to have for dinner and there is nothing worse than "what do you want" conversation with a spouse. I am not going to lie. Planning a week ahead is a pain in the a** but it's a commitment, and my husband doesn't argue. He's just happy to have dinner. And most nights he really enjoys it. :)

I am starting with week 4 because I started this journal after I started switching my diet around.
For now I am linking to all the direct sources of the recipes I have found. Thank goodness for Pinterest. There are lots of amazing people pinning information and recipes for Paleo.

WEEK 4:

Breakfasts:

My mornings put the "fast" in Breakfast. I don't eat until I get into work - which is 9am. I have a small glass of almond milk to put something in my stomach and out the door we go. I pack for the week if I can and bring food on the train in a small cooler.

• Strawberries - I pre-slice them if I have time and into a sandwich bag (enough for the week or at least a few days.
• Blueberries- same thing
• Grapes - in a bag they go.
• Cherry Vanilla Power Bars - a recipe from Elana's Pantry. A-MAZ-ING can make ahead, keep in the fridge and slice them up as needed. (Also goes into the cooler.)
• Trying a new recipe this week Paleo Lemon Coconut Breakfast Bars from Cheeriolala The recipe says it freezes well so I am going to make a double batch and freeze for another week when I have less time to cook ahead - which feels like every week. 

Lunches/Snacks:

Always a challenge. I do the opposite of what everyone tells you to during lunch time - I stay in the office. I am lucky to have a fridge and kitchen in my office suite and I find that if I go for a walk when I am hungry I am tempted to bend my diet. I do get out for a walk, but I go later in the day after I have eaten. Again I pack all the below and grab what I feel like from the fridge. I kind of graze through the day on the below so somedays I have lunch others might be a series of snacks.

• Cherry tomatoes
• Sliced turkey - I get a whole, natural turkey breast from Costco every week and all three of us eat a part of it.
• Hardboiled eggs - easy to cut up over spinach or lettuce and I use some of this amazing dressing to make a kind of deconstructed egg salad.
• Mixed nuts. They save me at some point every day. I buy the giant tub of Kirkland mixed nuts from Costco.
• Might eat one of my breakfast bars if I have any left.
• My other treat is salami. I know that's processed right? I try to find the best for me brand and keep some slices on hand. Sometimes I just need a slice of something salty and honestly fatty. This is where I am Paleo-ish. :)

Dinners:

This week I have a separate post on my dinners for Memorial Day Weekend. Not going to repeat it here for times sake. Starting with Tuesday's dinner.

• Chicken and Pineapple Skewers from Paleo Leap another new recipe to try. I think I will serve with grilled yellow squash and zucchini.
• Paleo Shepard's Pie from Ditch the Wheat. Plan on doubling this recipe to stick one in the freezer - and I will skip the sweet potato and use cauliflower mash instead as the topping. Stuff is addicting!
• Balsamic Steak Rolls another recipe from Paleo Leap. I made this 2 weeks ago, it was easy and looked like I spent a lot more time on it than I did. Score in my book. I have the leftover skirt steak in the freezer from the first time I made it. Score again.
• Baked Cabbage Casserole for Friday. Another meal I have made already and loved.

Week 4 here I come.