After four years of ongoing battle with my stomach I decided to do something that I know makes me feel better! Eat healthy! (It's such a shocker that this actually works...)
I've recently changed my eating habits to a modified Pescetarian palette. Pescetarians are similar to vegetarians in that they don't eat meat, but they do eat seafood. Seafood is something I love, but also seems to make me feel good and still give me some good protein, so there's no point in kicking it out of the diet all together.
I realized that if I don't plan ahead on meals, I'm likely to grab whatever is easy or run through a drive-thru, etc. and then I end up with non-pescetarian friendly items and feel quite sickly thanks to my ongoing gastritis. So this week I finally caved and decided to meal plan, menu, and grocery list for the rest of the month. And you know what? My little OCD heart has never felt happier. I look at my color coded calendar, pull out my printed recipes, and just breathe easy. I don't worry about what to cook Ethan for supper because my dry-erase board tells me what we have.
I started without much knowledge of how to do this other than I knew I wanted to start with what we had, and make a budget-friendly grocery list that I wouldn't have to shop for hours to accumulate everything.
So here's my first two weeks of menus:
I made a grocery list based on what we already had and what we would need, went shopping (knocked it out in under and hour and only spent $150 for everything). I also went ahead and printed all my recipes so now when I'm ready to make something I have it right in front of me and don't have to search Pinterest/AllRecipes/Epicurious for whatever I'm trying to find.
To find meals I just did a culmination of searching... I found some recipes from Pinterest, some just by searching "Pescetarian Meal Plans", and then I just pulled and pieced together from things we love (and things Ethan will eat since he is kindly joining me for the ride!) I did throw in some chicken for him along the way so he doesn't end up hating fish and all things related.
Some of the sites I found:
Confections of a Food Bride
Kitchen Treaty
An Edible Mosaic
Tenacious Lee
And I decided to start pinning all my definite recipe plans onto my
Meal Planning Pinterest board because I got sick of searching through all the millions of random recipes or pins I've pinned in my general cooking board. It's been so easy this week!
I've already modified some on the go, like this morning when I didn't feel like making a smoothie as we were running out the door, I just grabbed a granola bar and some milk for the win. I like knowing that I have everything I need, and I won't be returning to the grocery store (fingers crossed) until February!
Here's all the recipes I used for the main dishes:
SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, PASTA
INGREDIENTS
2
oz whole-grain angel-hair pasta (of an 8 oz. box)
2
teaspoons extra light olive oil
3/4
pound medium shrimp, shelled (tails intact)
1/2
teaspoon salt
1
tablespoon finely chopped black olives
1
tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1
clove garlic, finely chopped
1
cup fresh baby spinach
4
cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4
cup low-sodium chicken broth
2
tablespoons white wine
2
tablespoons lemon juice
1
tablespoon reduced-fat grated Parmesan
PREPARATION
For pasta
Cook pasta 1 minute less than directed on
package; set aside.
For shrimp
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high
heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Cook shrimp until pink, 5 to 6 minutes;
transfer to a plate.
For vegetables
Reduce heat to medium; add olives, parsley and
garlic. Cook until garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add spinach, tomatoes, broth, wine and lemon juice. Cover and cook until
tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in half of shrimp and half of pasta;
sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve. (Place remaining cooked shrimp and remaining
cooked pasta in separate resealable bags and refrigerate until Monday's lunch
and dinner, respectively.)
THE
SKINNY
468 calories per serving, 15.8 g fat (2.9 g saturated), 35.6 g
carbs, 2.6 g fiber, 42.7 g protein
BEGINNER ARTICHOKE PASTA
Ingredients
Coarse salt and ground pepper
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion , thinly sliced, lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and quartered lengthwise
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes , halved lengthwise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more serving
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Directions
In a large
pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package
directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile,
in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion and
garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until browned,
3 to 4 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Stir in
artichokes and cook until starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add olives and
half of the tomatoes; cook until tomatoes start to break down, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add pasta to skillet. Stir in remaining tomatoes, oil, cheese, and basil. Thin
with reserved pasta water if necessary to coat the spaghetti. Serve with
additional cheese.
Serves 4.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 498 calories, 13 g fat, 77 g
carbs, 18 g protein
PARMESAN TILAPIA
From
AllRecipes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets
Directions
1.
Preheat
your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2.
In a small
bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.
Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set
aside.
3.
Arrange
fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat
for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes.
Remove the fillets from the over and cover them with the Parmesan cheese
mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is
browned and fish flakes easily with fork. Be careful not to overcook the fish.
Nutritional information: 224 calories per serving
EGG SALAD
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 eggs
1/4 cup
light mayo
1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon
lemon juice
Salt to
taste
Pepper to
taste
Whole
wheat bread
Light mayo
for spreading
Avocado
slices
Spinach
leaves
Sliced
carrots
Directions for Egg Salad
Hard boil the eggs: Boil eggs in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain,
rinse under cold water and peel. Mash the eggs in a bowl with the mayo,
mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Directions for Sandwiches
Use whole wheat bread and toast if desired. Spread with light mayo
and egg salad. Arrange the spinach leaves, sliced carrots, sliced avocado and
combine the sandwich.
SALMON BISQUE
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
5 cups low-sodium fish, chicken, or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lb wild salmon fillets, cooked and flaked (see note above for
cooking information)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (for garnish)
SALMON COOKING
lightly coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet with olive oil; heat
the skillet over medium-high heat; season the salmon with salt and pepper and
add the salmon when the oil ripples; cook the fish until golden on both sides,
flipping once (about 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending how big your fillets
are); put a lid on the skillet, turn off the heat, and leave it for 3 minutes
to steam the inside of the fish.
BISQUE COOKING
Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add
the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until starting to soften and brown in
spots, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic,
thyme, and bay leaves and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Turn
the heat up to high, add the wine, and cook until evaporated, about 3 to 5
minutes, stirring frequently. Add the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire
sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low
and simmer until veggies are very tender, about 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Turn off heat and cool slightly.
Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth (take
out the cap in the center of the lid and place a kitchen towel over the hole so
steam can escape as you puree the soup); puree the other half of the soup the
same way. Add the soup back to the saucepan along with the lemon juice
and heavy cream; cook a couple minutes over low heat until warm throughout,
stirring constantly (do not let it boil).
Transfer to serving bowls and top with the flaked salmon and
chives.
HARLEY PASTERNAK BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE
From Harley Pasternak, celebrity trainer
Ingredients
5 raw almonds
red apple
banana
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Place all
ingredients in a blender. (Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may
need to chop the apple and almonds into small pieces before blending.)
Blend on
medium-high for 30 seconds (or until desired consistency).
Makes one 16-ounce serving for a total of 382 calories.
EDAMAME CORN CHOWDER
Ingredients
3 slices bacon (4 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 medium onion, chopped
2
cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 red potato (6 ounces),
scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 can (15 ounces) creamed corn
1/2 cup half-and-half
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat
until browned and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon
to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add broth, potato, and Italian seasoning. Simmer until potato is just tender,
about 8 minutes.
Stir in edamame, creamed corn, and half-and-half;
season with salt and pepper. Simmer until edamame are tender, about 8 minutes.
Serve chowder sprinkled with crumbled bacon.
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES
(weight watchers)
Ingredients:
3 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
1/3 cup thin green onion slices
1/4 cup Light Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Pierce potatoes in several places with tip of sharp knife. Bake 1 to
1-1/4 hours or until tender. Immediately cut potatoes lengthwise in half; scoop
out centers, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells.
Beat potato pulp, broth, 1/2 cup cheese, onions, sour cream and mustard
with mixer until well blended. Spoon into shells; top with remaining cheese and
paprika.
Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.
Makes 6 Servings
Per Serving: 88 Calories; 1g Fat; 2.5g Protein; 17.3g Carbs; 2.3g Fiber
GARLICKY BAKED SHRIMP
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
1 lb. raw shrimp,
deveined and peeled (I pull the tails off beforehand too)
4 cloves garlic,
minced
2 Tbsp. white wine
salt and pepper
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.)
melted butter
1/2 cup Panko
bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. fresh
Italian-leaf parsley, chopped
half of a lemon
(optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine
the shrimp, garlic, and white wine. Stir to combine, then pour into a
baking dish. Spread out evenly, and then season with salt and pepper.
In another bowl,
use a fork to mix melted butter, Panko, and parsley until well combined.
With your fingers, sprinkle the mixture evenly in the baking dish over the
shrimp.
Transfer dish to
oven and bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.
CRISPY BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES
A fun way to serve
zucchini - as crispy zucchini fries!
Ingredients
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb zucchini, cut into
4-5-inch sticks
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 and
line a baking sheet with parchment (or whatever non-stick method you prefer).
Place flour in a large
zipper bag.
Whisk eggs with 2 Tbsp
water and place in a shallow dish.
Place Panko, salt,
pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish and mix to combine.
Place zucchini in the bag
with the flour and shake until well coated. Dip the zucchini into the egg and
then into the panko, turning to coat well.
Place breaded zucchini on
the baking sheet.
Bake 18-20 minutes, until
golden brown.
Serve with your favorite
dipping sauce (we like ranch... and barbecue sauce).
They're best the first
day, but to store leftovers, store in a single layer on a plate, wrapped with
ziploc. Reheat at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes, until heathed through.
Notes
Yields: 6 servings
(8 pieces)
Estimated time: 30
minutes
SUSAN’S CHEESY CHICKEN
SOUP
Ingredients
1 box Mexican
Velveeta Cheese
4 chicken breasts
1 package chicken
noodle soup starter
Directions
Boil chicken
breasts, dice
Mix water with
soup starter according to package
Add cubed cheese
and chicken to soup mix in crock pot
Cook about 5 hours
on low.
ARTICHOKE PESTO PIZZA
Ingredients
½ cup pesto basil
sauce
1 (12 inch)
pre-baked pizza crust
1 (6 oz.) jar
artichoke hearts, drained
½ cup shredded
white cheese (feta)
optional: 2 cups
cooked chicken breast strips
Directions
Preheat oven to
450 degrees. Spread pesto sauce over the pizza crust. Arrange artichoke hearts
and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese melts.
HOMEMADE PIZZA CRUST
Ingredients
1 ¾-2 c. flour
¾ c. water
½ pkg. active dry
yeast (1/2 tbsp.)
¼ tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions
Heat water to 115
degrees. Dissolve yeast in 1/8 cup of the warm water, set aside for 5 minutes
In a large bowl,
combine 1 cup flour, salt, olive oil and remaining water to make a soft dough.
Stir in dissolved yeast plus enough remaining flour to make a semi-stiff dough.
Turn onto floured
bread, knead until all remaining flour is absorbed and dough is smooth.
Place in greased
bowl; turning to grease top of dough.
Let rise until
doubled (about 40 minutes). When pressed with two fingers 1/4-inch deep, the
impressions should remain; if they spring back, dough hasn’t risen
sufficiently; let rise longer.
Punch down and
form into 12 inch circle, pressing indentations into the dough with fingers.
Add toppings. Bake
at 325 until bubbly
