Weekly Menu - Week 7

For a while, I thought that I had a routine. The early morning is always the same because I need to make sure my daughter is ready to leave our apartment by 7.25 am to go to school. So that's a routine in a way.   I also have activities to get my son and I out of the house every morning.  Some are paid activity ( Music Class or Swimming) that can not be moved around; others are just free: it can just well be a stroll to a playground a little bit further away so that I get to walk more myself or a playdate with other children. However, I try not to make grocery/a trip to a store THE activity of the morning. If I go to a playground close to the supermarket, I swing by it on my way to/back from the playground. It's a better and more efficient use of our time. In the evening, we also have a routine: bath, dinner, bed time story.  However, when I was describing this past week to one of my friends, I just realized that I don't have much of a routine and I like it this way actually. A friend of mine from California was on a work assignment in Philadelphia this week. He texted me on Wednesday morning and we managed to get dinner together (while my husband was working from home). I also made myself available for a friend of mine who needed to be discharged from the hospital one morning. I also managed to have a spontaneous coffee with another friend before taking my son to Music class another morning. And even the children' bedtime routine got disrupted one evening because the weather was too nice, not to go out to the playground...  So, if some people think that SAHM have more of a routine life than WAOM, think twice. Yes, my morning, my early afternoons and bedtime are pretty much the same everyday. However, when it comes to the rest of the time, it's really not routine-like. And I honestly love it. What is the price to pay for this spontaneity or last-minute change of plans? Efficiency, and paradoxically a little bit of planning. More importantly, the ability to let go... The ability to accept not to have everything "as planned" or "as perfect" and be OK with it! It's the same with my daily cooking. I had planned to make Quiche aux Poireaux (Leeks Quiche) for my children the evening the weather was so nice out. I had made the dough in advance, I had steamed the leeks ahead of time... but it was still too late when we came home to finish the Quiche and have my children in bed early enough to avoid a whole meltdown. So, I made an emergency dinner: revisited tuna salad with fresh bread, plain yogurt and fresh fruits. Easy. Simple. Relatively healthy. Did I feel guilty? Not one second because they had such a great time at the playground. So yes, plan ahead but more importantly, enjoy life with your family! Bonne Cuisine!

Weekly Menu - Week 7

	Day	Suggested Menu
	Monday	Roasted Pork with Pumpkin and Garlic Heads Homemade Plain Yogurt with dark brown Sugar Fresh Fruits
	Tuesday	Brown Rice and Beans with Green Salad Homemade Plain Yogurt with Chestnut Spread Fresh Fruits
	Wednesday	Grilled Salmon with Leeks Fondue Apple Blackberry Crumble
	Thursday	Creamy Mushrooms with Polenta Croutons Homemade Plain Yogurt with Honey Fresh Fruits
	Friday	Pasta with Cauliflower Petits Pots de Crème

Game Plan:

Sunday Evening:

• You want to make the Pork Roast on Sunday so that you only have to heat it up on Monday evening. Because pumpkin might not be available, you can always use Butternut or Acorn Squash instead. You could also add potatoes (with skin on) to add starch to the dish.
• If you are making your own yogurts, make a batch for the week on Sunday evening. You could boil the milk before starting the roast so that by the time your roast is in the oven, your milk is down to the perfect temperature to finish making the yogurts.

Monday Evening:

• Can you believe that the only thing you have to make tonight is to re-heat the pork roast?
• Because you have time, make the Brown Rice and Beans for Tuesday. It's great re-heated. If you only want to make one thing, cook the brown rice. It would save you time on Tuesday.

Tuesday Evening:

• If you have not made the Brown rice on Monday, you have to make the brown rice and beans. The brown rice takes a while to cook. It gives you time to prep the veggies.
• While you are at it, cook the leeks for Wednesday. It will save you time.
• If you are feeling zealous, you could make the Apple Blackberry Crumble for Wednesday evening.

Wednesday Evening:

• If you have not made the Apple Blackberry Crumble and/or the Leeks fondue, you have to make both.
• Start by making the crumble dough. You can let it rest a few minutes while you prepare the leeks. 
• Once the leeks are in the pan, pre-heat your oven.
• Finish the crumble and bake it in the oven.
• As soon as they are out of the oven, place the salmon on top of the leeks and in the oven to cook the salmon.

Thursday Evening:

• You have to make the Polenta Croutons and the creamy mushrooms. Start by the Croutons. While they cool down in the fridge, you can prepare the mushrooms.
• You want to take advantage of your heated oven and make the Pots de Creme for Friday evening. They will have plenty of time to cool in the fridge overnight.

Friday Evening:

• You only have to cook the Cauliflower Pasta. So, take it easy. It's Friday. Enjoy!