Southern Ontario Menu Plan for September 2-8

Meal-planning is an important part of our week.  It allows us to be more prepared and relaxed with regards to our nightly meals and reduces stress.  It also makes eating locally much easier because we take the time to figure out what seasonal foods are available and how we can use them.  If you live in a similar climate (we’re in Southern Ontario, which is a pretty classic upper-midwest climate) then you should sign up for email updates or check out the facebook page or twitter feed and compare what you’re eating with us!

This is it, the first week of school.  The first ever week of school for any child of ours!  My Young Assistant is quite young, only three years old, but he is starting junior kindergarten.  Here in Kitchener most of the schools are now all-day-every-day even for the junior kindergarten kiddos.  If you’re in the states, junior kindergarten is for all kids who will turn four during the calendar year.  Since my Young Assistant turns four this fall he’s one of the younger ones in his grade.  Luckily he knows 3 other kids who are in his class!

Does this guy look school ready?

We’re still trying to figure out what we’re going to put in his lunches since his favorite lunch is PB&J sandwhich and there’s no peanut butter allowed at the school!!  Hmmm, hummus?  Our just jam sandwich?  I’m sure if I search engine it I can find plenty of ideas but sometimes you don’t want ideas, you just want the solution to be in your head already!

He does like making new friends…

However, I really don’t need to complain, it doesn’t do anyone any good.  Back to the point, we’re excited for him and nervous too, but he seems very excited and ready.  I think he’s going to have a great time.  He’ll only be going Tuesday through Thursday (our decision) so we’ll still get to do our cooking together on Mondays and Fridays.

Well, we think he’s ready.

There are several new recipes that we are trying this week, and once again it’s a vegetarian meal plan.  As I’ve said before we mostly eat vegetarian, but not entirely.  When we eat meat we pretty much only buy local which helps us to get a better sense of where the meat is coming from and how it has been raised.  That said, when I plan meals I plan them vegetarian and every so often switch up the plan and add meat.  So, here’s another week of locavore meals:

Monday	Garden Minestrone Soup Fresh loaf of bread
Tuesday	Tortilla Española Cooked Carrots
Wednesday	Indian Potato Salad Dal
Thursday	Zucchini Mac
Friday	Ontario Veggie Curry   Soaked Grain Chapatis Leftover Dal from Tuesday
Saturday	Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa) Soaked Grain Tortillas Fresh Salsa of Course (Maybe some Pleaple de Gallo?)
Sunday	Leftovers.

Linking up at: Menu Plan Monday