Meal Plans are Back!

In an effort to post more frequently and help out friends who have recently joined Urban Acres (co-op style produce we've been getting for over a year now), I will be posting meals plans that utilize our lovely and fresh local organic produce. The meals plans are *mostly* Paleo and will typically include 5-6 days of the week as our weekend plans change frequently. I'd love to hear feedback on what you've tried, particularly if it's a new vegetable for you!

Produce	Recipe
Mustard Greens	Mustard Greens with Bacon
Beet Greens	Buttered Beets and Green with Dijon
Beets	Buttered Beets and Green with Dijon
Kale	Green Smoothie (Blendtec)
Lettuce	Salad
Broccoli	Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli
Daikon Radish	Spicy Radish Salad
Apples	Snacks
Oranges	Snacks
Grapefruit	Snacks
Celery	Snacks

Breakdown for the week:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Breakfast	Eggs & Veggies	Eggs & Veggies	Eggs & Veggies	Eggs & Veggies	Eggs & Veggies
Snack	Carrots & Hummus	Carrots & Hummus	Carrots & Hummus	Carrots & Hummus	Carrots & Hummus
Lunch	Quinoa and Veggies	Quinoa and Veggies	Quinoa and Veggies	Quinoa and Veggies	Quinoa and Veggies
Snack	Almonds & Fruit	Almonds & Fruit	Almonds & Fruit	Almonds & Fruit	Almonds & Fruit
Dinner	Goat with Rice and Salad	Goat with Rice and Salad	Goat with Rice and Mustard Greens	Roasted Chicken with Beets	Roasted Chicken with Beets

As you may have noticed, we are creatures of habit and eat much of the same foods on a daily basis. This is mainly do to the ease created in knowing what we are going to prepare when life is hectic and lunches need to be made. 

Also, you may have noticed the Goat recipe included in this week's plan. Well, long story short, our dear neighbors often gift us with yummy food which occasionally means Ziploc bags of goat meat. Since we have over 7 pounds of goat meat in our freezer currently, I am preparing a crock pot dish this week that utilizes some of the meat. 

Lastly, the "veggies" we eat for breakfast and lunches are typically from a bag of organic frozen vegetables from Costco, mixed or stir-fry.

Chipotle Pork Chops and Orange Roasted Veggies

Chipotle Pork Chops and Orange Roasted Veggies--adapted from here. 

• 2-4 medium beets, sliced
  
• 6 crowns broccoli florets
  
• 4-8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 orange
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 4 pork chops
  
• 1 tsp. chipolte powder (or smoked paprika)
• 1 tsp. rubbed sage
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the broccoli and garlic cloves with a bit of olive oil (about a tablespoon) and spread them out on one half of a baking sheet.  Then toss the sliced beets with another tablespoon of oil and lay them flat on the other half of the baking sheet.  This is just to keep them from staining the other veggies pink. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, and cook for another 10-15 minutes.  They should be fork-tender and golden.

Sprinkle the each chop with ~ 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder, a pinch of rubbed sage, and some salt and black pepper to taste. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the chops in it – spice side down and turn the heat down to medium.  While the chops are cooking, repeat the spice process, sprinkling chipotle powder, sage, salt and pepper on the exposed side.

Let the chops sizzle for about 5 minutes, cover and let them cook for another 5.  Flip the chops, cover for 5 minutes, and remove the lid for the final 5  to let things crisp up.  Be sure to cut into the pork to make sure it is cooked through – no pink.  If you are using thicker chops, you you should add cooking time.When the chops are cooked through and golden brown, the veggies should also be ready.

Place the veggies in a large bowl, altogether, and squeeze fresh orange juice and a touch of salt over the top.  Toss and serve with the chops.

Chocolatey Beet Cupcakes (4 Points+)

Okay these may sound weird but don't knock it before you've tried it!!  Everyone that has tasted these loves them!  These are incredibly moist and delicious and are actually one of the best not super sweet chocolate cupcakes I've made.  The original recipe had a lot more butter and more sugar so I cut it down by using canned pumpkin.  What a great way to sneak in veggies and whole grains!  These can be made into a bundt cake instead of cupcakes but the Points+ is increased.

1/2 cup butter, softened, divided

1 cups packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
2 cups pureed cooked beets (canned are fine, you will need 2 cans)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar. Add canned pumpkin.  Add eggs; mix well. Melt chocolate with remaining butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Blend chocolate mixture, beets and vanilla into the creamed mixture (mixture will appear separated). Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. 

For Cupcakes: Fill 24 muffin tins 3/4 full and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Check them after 13 or so minutes to make sure they aren't drying out.  Also, silicon pans take longer to cook than dark nonstick pans.  Cool completely. 

For a Bundt Cake: Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. 

Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar. 

I have no idea how much these cost right now, hopefully I'll post later.  Anyways, each cupcake is 4 Points+ values.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Beets and Fingerling Potatoes (8 Points+)

Well I've taken a 3 month blogging hiatus but now I'm back!  The recipes that I'll now be posting will, for the most part, include the co-op style LOCAL ORGANIC produce we get every other week through Urban Acres.  They are not all my own creations but may include borrowed posts of favorite recipes that utilize new and exciting produce.  First up, Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Beets and Fingerling Potatoes (my own creation).  This recipe utilizes both the fingerling potatoes and the beets from our produce share.  We pick up 15 lbs of produce every other week for $30 so all the recipes are calculated for $2 per pound of produce.  Enjoy!
 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

2T olive oil, divided

rosemary

salt and pepper

1 lb fingerling potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lb beets, bulbs only, washed (do not cut or peel)

    --I used 3 large beets and guessed they were around 1 lb

Marinate chicken in 1 T olive oil and season with rosemary, salt and pepper for 30 minutes (or longer if time allows).  

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a roasting pan with olive oil spray and put cut potatoes into the pan.  Hold each beet in your hand over the pan full of potatoes, and, one at a time, pour 1 tsp of olive oil over the beet.  Roll the beet around in your hand until it is coated.  This allows the olive oil to drizzle over the potatoes.  Once all of the beets are coated, toss the potatoes, by hand, until they are all lightly coated with olive oil. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes, or until the beets are easily cut through with a knife.

In the meantime, grill the chicken in a grill pan (or you can cook them in a regular skillet) until cooked through.

Each serving is 8 Points+ values and includes 3oz of cooked meat, 1 1/2 beets, and a quarter of the potatoes.  This meal was approximately $2.50 per serving.