Menu Plan Monday: 7/25-7/31

It is the last week of July! You know what that means... the summer is cooling down and back to school preparations are heating up! We haven't even begun school shopping yet but we are going to enjoy this last bit of Summer for as long as possible. This week we have several special liturgical feasts and we are celebrating Christmas in July. No link up this week but writing out a weekly menu is one of several ways I keep myself accountable in my diet. If you check out how we celebrate the liturgical year you will see there is always a custom, tradition or play on words for the recipes and crafts we do. Well here is the game plan for the week.

Monday: Feast of Saint James
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Lunch: Garden Salad
Dinner: Gazpacho Pasta Salad

Tuesday: Feast of Saint Anne
Breakfast: Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie

Lunch:Three Bean Salad
Dinner: Chicken Nuggets and Fries (kids) Garden Salad for me!

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Lunch: Three Bean Salad
Dinner: Red Beans and Rice

Thursday:
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Lunch: Three Bean Salad
Dinner: Soup and Salad

Friday: Feast of Saint Martha
Breakfast: Egg, Sausage and Hash brown Casserole

Lunch: Garden Salad
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Tarragon
*** I will be making a similar version to this recipe but making it a little healthier so it follows my Clean eating diet a little better***

Saturday: 
Breakfast:Leftovers
Lunch: Deli Meat Sandwich
Dinner: Leftovers

Sunday: Christmas in July Celebration
Breakfast: Gingerbread Pancakes
Lunch: Spiral Ham, baked sweet potato and green beans
Dinner: Leftover Spiral Ham, baked sweet potato and green beans

Gazpacho Pasta Salad:

1 lb Rotini Pasta

3 Medium Ripe Tomatoes (diced)

1 Large Cucumber (diced)

1 Green Bell Pepper (minced)

2 Green Onions (chopped)

6 Fl oz Canned Tomato Juice

2 Cloves Garlic (chopped)

1/4 Cup Parsley

3 Tbsp Lime Juice

1 Tsp Tarragon

1 Tsp Basil

1 Tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Bring pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and put aside. Combine the pasta and the rest of the ingredients together and mix well. Chill for at least 2 hours and toss again prior to serving.

***If you wanted to make traditional Gazpacho you would mix all the ingredient together except the pasta and increase the tomato juice to 4 cups. Place ingredients into a food processor and blend until it is a think soup consistency. Chill for 2 hours and serve with croutons***

Gingerbread Pancakes:

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 Cups Almond Milk (Vanilla)

2 Eggs

1/8 Cup Brown Sugar

1/8 Cup Molasses (Unsulphured)

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 Tbsp All Spice

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

3 Tsp Ginger

Pinch of salt

Preheat griddle or pan to medium heat. Combine ingredients in a large bowl together and mix well. Ladle batter onto the griddle or pan. Wait for the batter to bubble and flip. Serve with butter and syrup.