Menu Plan: Summer (July 7-13)

**There is now a photo album on the RH Facebook page just for food photos. If you like to see a photo of a dish to judge whether you want to try it or not, then follow the link to view the album. (I tend to like recipes & cookbooks that include lots of photos). Let's be honest, some dishes are just too pretty to not take a picture! ;) **

Strategies

• Tip: write your grocery list and the date in a little notebook each week/month. This way you can easily see how much and how frequently you purchase items. You can then use that information to determine the value of purchasing in bulk for your family's needs. If you don't use the entirety of a bulk purchase before it goes bad, then it would have been wiser to buy the smaller quantity even though it would have been at a higher unit price. Below is a copy of our list for this week:

Click image to view larger

OUR MENU PLAN FOR THIS WEEK

*Note: I include links to the recipes if they are available online. Some recipes are from cookbooks we have at home, and while I can't share the recipe I can direct you to the source. Other dishes or meals are created by myself or my husband, and we can do our best to explain how to recreate it. If you'd like additional information on any of the meals or our menu planning, then please feel free to contact me. :) 

Breakfasts

- strawberry & kiwi smoothie 

- granola cereal, banana

- whole wheat pancakes with a fresh blueberry syrup

(repeat all to keep it simple!)

Lunches

- Spanakopita (leftover from last week)

- repeat bbq meal

- Radicchio & blue cheese salad

- Pot roast, potatoes & carrots

- Black bean & rice wraps (using homemade tortillas)

Dinners

- Pulled pork bbq, baked beans, cole slaw

- Portobello mushrooms stuffed with mustard greens, bulgar, and dates

- Shrimp kabobs, polenta

- Veggie calzones (same as veggie pizza)

- Pot roast turnovers

Snacks

- multi-grain crackers with cheddar cheese slices 

- apples

- grapes

- yogurt with peaches & toasted walnuts

- almonds

- hard-boiled egg

Weekly Menu Planning Sheet

*Note: Reviving Homemaking is not affiliated with any of the sites or companies included in the links, and was not asked to include or recommend them or their recipes in this post. (I simply like what they have to offer!)

What's on your family's menu plan this week?

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How To Prepare a Starfruit

    Through the practice of shipping produce around the world for grocery store sale, a large variety of fruits and vegetables are available at nearly any time of the year. I'm always intrigued by the unusual pieces of fruits and vegetables. On occasion, it's fun to pick up a new item and learn how to use it. My most recent discovery has been the starfruit. 

     The starfruit is grown in tropical regions of the world. It's an oblong and waxy fruit that when cut resembles a star, thus the name. You want to select one that is predominately yellow with perhaps a small amount of green lingering. The rims will also begin to brown a bit. An overripe starfruit will begin to have brown spots and feel less firm. The best comparison for selecting a starfruit is to reference a banana. A banana is initially firm and green, then softens and turns yellow. Finally, it becomes very soft and brown. A starfruit is similar. Unlike a banana, however, the starfruit will not get sweeter as it ripens. It will, in fact, become rather bland and so it's best to find or use one at the peak of ripeness. 

To Prepare a Starfruit:

Wash the fruit. Then, cut the top and bottom off (you can eat these bits). 

If you'd like you can trim the rims of the starfruit. A knife is sufficient, but a vegetable peeler also works well. 

Finally, slice starfruit into 1/2'' pieces or whatever size desired. Remove the seeds. The star shape is pretty neat, eh?

          I used the starfruit to make a garnish for a fish meal. A secondary use would be in smoothies. 

Have you tried any new fruits or vegetables lately?

Source for information on the starfruit 

Linked up at: Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife, Christian Mommy Blogger, A Mama's Story, The Alabaster Jar, The Modest Mom Blog, The Better Mom, Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife

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Join Reviving Homemaking on Facebook!

Visit the Reviving Homemaking Etsy Shop!

Follow Reviving Homemaking on Pinterest!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-Question for YOU!-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What is something you wish you had learned to do before getting married or having children? Why?

(Your name (first name + last initial) and comment may be used in the upcoming Reviving Homemaking ebook. If you wish for your name to not be included, then please simply use "anonymous" or "guest." Thank you for your input!)