It’s been a rough few days. A couple sick days, a false labor scare, and not sleeping well do a number on trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. That being said I have been trying to make the right decisions about eating well. So far so good – got a few dishes prepped yesterday even made some delicious cookies!
While cooking, I realized why my Instant Pot hasn’t been working for quite some time. One of the pieces that hold the condensation collector on the back broke off so it hasn’t been forming a seal.. I’ve contacted Instant Pot company to see if they can help us get it fixed. We have only had this thing for about a year and a half so I hope they have some good customer service for such an expensive appliance, but I guess we will see. If our experience is not good – we will be looking to a different company for our replacement. Not sure how long that has been happening, but it’s been hit and miss to get a good seal for quite awhile now, so at least I know why. :'(
On a happier note, we’re less than a month from baby’s due date, so it’s fast approaching. Luckily we’ve gotten lots of food pre-made in the freezer (that’s what the enchiladas are for on this list), so we will not have to make food for at least a couple of weeks once we bring her home. I know we’ll be really tired, so planning ahead here is essential.
This week’s meal prep might look similar to last week in a few meals – but we still had some produce left so I figured we’d just make some of the same things to use up what we had in the fridge. I’m an advocate for minimal waste since food is a. expensive, and b. some people aren’t fortunate enough to have plentiful quantities so we should be thankful for what we have.
Hopefully you have a lot of this in your pantries already – we always have all the spices, oil, and dressings. The dates and coconut are almost always in the pantry as well since they’re perfect for granola bars, and for these cookies. We buy fish in bulk at Costco and use it occasionally so that’s usually always in the freezer for us, but if you’re not interested in bulk supply – check out your local grocery store for deals. Greek yogurt is a staple in my husband’s favorite morning smoothie, so we usually have that on hand. We also had a TON of shredded cheese left over from our baby bash so that was used up this week as well. Thank goodness. Planning for meal weeks like this makes a trip to the grocery store easier and can help you save money.
To make this week vegetarian, skip the fish! We’ve been eating fish once a week due to some research I’ve been reading for pregnancy. To make it meals vegan – skip the cheese and use a vegan yogurt for the enchiladas and skip the bread. There are several vegan tortilla brands out there, or if you’re feeling ambitious – make your own! 36 weeks pregnant, I’m not about that, but more power to you if you do!
Grocery list for the week is very similar to last week – we made roasted chickpeas and broccoli, aloo gobi, panko crusted tilapia and roasted broccoli, vegetarian spinach enchiladas, and three ingredient ‘samoa’ cookies. Snacks/breakfasts for the week include peanut butter toast (2 slices in the AM with a smoothie is a perfect breakfast), island smoothie, carrots and hummus, and clementines.
Grocery list for the week includes:
Fresh Produce
1 head cauliflower
4 crowns of broccoli
3 russet potatoes
10 cups spinach
1 bunch cilantro
2 onions
1 large tomato
1 lime
1 cup medjool dates (pitted or you can pit yourself)
Baby carrots
Clementines
Hummus (flavor of your choice)
Fish:
4 tilapia fillets (sub cod or other white fish if you cannot find tilapia)
Dairy
2-3 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Canned/Dry Goods
1 cup quinoa
1 can chickpeas
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans green enchilada sauce
1 can green chiles
8-10 tortillas
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
Minced Garlic
Ginger Paste
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 loaf of whole wheat bread
Natural nut butter
Spices
Cumin
Coriander
Chili Powder
Cayenne Powder (optional – for added heat)
Turmeric
Garam Masala
Amchur Powder
Olive Oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
1 tsp italian seasoning
Basil
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Recipes (I’ve modified most of these but you can follow the directions in the following links):
Samoa Cookies (coconut cooks perfect in 6 minutes, I omit coconut oil): https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/4-ingredient-samoas/
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpeas (swapped for balsamic vinegar, you can omit dijon mustard and it still tastes delicious! Season broccoli and chickpeas with olive oil and seasoned salt prior to baking) https://www.nourishedtheblog.com/roasted-broccoli-chickpea-quinoa-bowls/
Vegetarian Spinach Enchiladas (to reduce total cheese – don’t add inside shells but then top with cheese and sauce. Use the Greek Yogurt to make a bit lighter). https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/creamy-spinach-and-cheese-green-chile-enchiladas/
Aloo Gobi Instant Pot: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/instant-pot-aloo-gobi/
Panko Crusted Tilapia: http://cassclaycooking.com/panko-crusted-tilapia/
Roasted Broccoli: http://cassclaycooking.com/garlic-roasted-broccoli/
Island Coconut Water Smoothie: http://cassclaycooking.com/island-coconut-water-smoothie/
Let me know what you think of the week! If you tried any of my modifications, or if you have any suggestions.
-Cassie