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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Menu Plan: October 25 - October 31 Bean Challenge

This button was probably more appropriate to spring and summer, but it was so pretty and I wanted a change.

This week I am trying to make our dinners primarily out of beans and rice or other accompaniments. We are not trying to live as though we were in poverty this week, but to try to make the bulk of our dinners out of simple foods that are the basis of most cultures' diet, usually because of a limited budget for or access to meats. Aside from this, I am still trying to cook largely out of our freezer and pantry. In addition, my goal was to maintain our normal fasting days, so Wednesdays and Fridays will still be completely meatless, even though the rest of the days of the week will be largely based in non-meat protein. I will be trying to remake meals into other meals as much as possible in an attempt to do this as frugally as possible. I know of at least two people who will be joining me this week in this challenge.

If you are interested in trying this with us as well, please take a look at the guidelines and link to your post on Mr. Linky (found at the bottom of this post) or leave a comment in the comments. Please check back and share a little about your experience, challenges and successes, with this experiment. I will be trying this in various ways over the next few months, one week a month, both as an attempt to save on our budget and to have some solidarity with those who are not able to make as many choices about what they put in their mouths as we are.

I began by cooking up a large quantity of pinto beans. I will be using them for most of our meals this week, with one exception.What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. Starred recipes will follow separately.

Here is the list of foods from the freezer, fridge and pantry that I'm using this week. Anything from the freezer, pantry or fridge that was not bought specifically for this meal or this past week will be included in my lists.

Freezer:
Cooked Ground Beef
Chorizo
Bacon Ends
Roasted, Peeled & Sliced Poblanos
Green Beans
Blueberries
Pizza Dough (I made up enough for six pizzas a few weeks ago and froze the extras)

Fridge:
Eggs
Butter
Lard
Milk (& Cream from the Top)
Buttermilk
Yogurt
Feta
Cheddar
Pepper Jack
Queso Cotija
Celery
Carrots
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Jalapenos
Scallions
Chayocote Squash
Chard
Watermelon
Riesling Grape Juice
Corn Tortillas
Maple Syrup

Pantry:
All Herbs & Spices
Salts
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Limes
Olive Oil
Hard White Wheat Berries
Soft White Wheat Berries
Kamut Berries
Rolled Oats
Cracked Wheat
Pastry Flour
Corn Meal
Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Homemade Tortillas (yes, I made them finally!)
Coffee
Tea
Vanilla Extract
All Sugars
Honey
Raisins
Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce
Pears
Plums

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Comments:
Not blogging these days...so a comment here (although I suppose I could facebook it). I'm doing a bit of a mix of strategies, but I am primarily going to be making a pot or two of beans in the crockpot and then doing other things with them. Tonight is a seven bean mix that will be used tonight for soup (also have a pot of veggie stock going on the stove and I'll add chopped up vegetables and some leftover meat to it, I'll also probably make some rice to toss in at the end. I'm actually eating out with some girlfriends tonight, so I'll have some of the soup tomorrow for lunch. The rest of those beans and rice will be used in a beans and greens and rice dish later in the week. Tomorrow I'm making black beans for quesadillas one night and a chicken/bean/salsa crock pot thing with tortillas the next.Saturday will be chili with beans (either kidney or more likely a mix) and either some leftover stew beef in the freezer or ground turkey.
 
also, I tried to make tortillas but they were a disaster...tips?
 
Yes, please share some tortilla recipe and tips. My husband enjoyed his mother's homemade tortillas but never learned to make them.
Looks like you have a yummy week planned.
Have a great Halloween or Harvest Festival!
 
okay this is what I did so far:
Monday, seven bean soup. Leftover soup for lunch on Tuesday. Tuesday night: black beans and chicken with salsa in the crockpot, served with tortillas and broccoli. Wednesday: kids having leftovers from last night. J and I are having a mezze of sorts with homemade hummus (chickpeas count as beans, right?) roasted eggplant and peppers (from the reduced price grocery bin) and some greek yogurt with pitas which I need to make this afternoon.
 
You know I count chick peas! They are the legumes of my people. I was thinking of doing different ethnic themes each month I do this.

I've already had to change a meal plan this week, but I still used the beans. Tonight we had vegetables Jalfrezi with rice instead of the torteggas because we were unexpectedly low on eggs.
 
I will post the recipe for the tortillas soon, too.
 
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