Maya's Menu - June 4th through the 8th

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My mom and I were talking about The Avocado and Me this morning, and she had a splendid idea! Every week, I put together a menu for my family's lunches and dinners. I plan out my own breakfasts, as well. From this menu, a shopping list is generated, and... voila! We've got a week full of healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners! Now, back to Mom's idea. What if I posted my weekly menu and links to the recipes I use? That way, I could create a database of sorts of tried and true Primal recipes, and provide my readers with inspiration. So here's my plan. Every weekend, I'll post the menu my family and I used for that week, Monday through Friday; this way, if there is a meal we didn't love or that didn't have the best instructions, I can provide some feedback! Please note that for this week, I made a point of sleeping in a lot. Because of this, I had brunch nearly every day, instead of separate breakfasts and lunches. Snacks are suggested for this week as well. So here it goes - the first Maya's Menu, for the week of June 4th through the 8th:
Monday
Brunch: Chia Pudding with almonds and coconut
Make the pudding the night before - mix 2 Tbsps chia seeds, 1 Tbsp monk fruit or erythritol, and a little bit less than 1/2 of a cup of almond milk. Stir together, and let bloom in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to eat, stir again, and add a handful of salted almonds and coconut flakes. For a special treat, try mixing in a spoonful of peanut butter or some Lily's chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Snack: 1/2 sliced bell pepper with baba ganoush as a dip

Dinner: Bulletproof Veggie Buddha Bowls (DOUBLE to serve four people)

For the cauliflower rice, I suggest roasting instead of sauteing. Heat an oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and roast with avocado oil for about thirty minutes. We also like adding sliced bell peppers or roasted cherry tomatoes. The latter can be made by roasting the tomatoes with garlic and avocado oil at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for ten minutes. We used sriracha for a sauce. Enjoy!
Buddha Bowl
Tuesday
Brunch: Almond Butter Cup smoothie
Blend together 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 cup water, ⅓ cup heavy cream, ice, 2 Tbsps almond butter, 2 Tbsps cocoa powder, 1-2 Tbsps monk fruit (add sweetener as needed).

Snack: 1/2 sliced bell pepper with baba ganoush as a dip

Dinner: Pizza chicken breasts with baked avocados and lemons
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place two chicken breasts on the pan. Smother with red tomato sauce - my favorite is Gia Russa Alla Vodka sauce.  Top with freshly sliced mozzarella and a handful of spinach. Add a little bit more sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of  165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wednesday
Brunch: Cinnamon Roll Waffle
This was absolutely delicious! I have a Warning Pro Professional Double Waffle Maker, and this recipe created too much batter for one waffle but not enough for two. Be careful not to overfill for waffle maker! I tried the cream cheese mixture the first time, but preferred these waffles with Fiber Syrup Gold. Add blackberries for something extra!

Snack: Kirkland Protein Bar, Brownie (gluten free, Paleo, sweetened with erythritol, 4 net carbs)

Dinner: Rotisserie chicken with steamed asparagus
Our local grocer sells house cooked rotisserie chickens, so we picked one of these up on the way home with a bundle of asparagus. We steamed the thin asparagus in the microwave for 3-5 minutes and then slathered it in Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter. An easy and delicious dinner for sure!

Thursday
Brunch: Tuna Cucumber boats with baba ganoush and Whisps
I have the recipe for Tuna Cucumber Boats elsewhere on my blog, but you essentially cut a cucumber into four "boats," hollow them out, and fill them with tuna salad. You can buy baba ganoush from your grocer, and Whisps are Parmesan cheese crackers that my family buys at Costco. You can buy or learn about Whisps here.

Snack: 1/4 cup salted almonds

Dinner: Vietnamese Turkey Meatball Bowls
Absolutely delicious. I really don't have any comments for this one, other than adding sriracha. Because spicy is the BEST! Also, Miracle Noodles are a good brand for shirataki noodles.
Friday
Brunch: Cinnamon Roll Waffle
See the link and comments for Wednesday's brunch. It was so amazing that I just had to have it twice, in one week! If you aren't feeling like waffles again, look for the cheesy arugula eggs on my blog. Those are delicious, and a good way to get in some veggies. Lox-ocado Bowls are also a good bet.

Snack: Cucumber slices with baba ganoush

Galette
Dinner: Paleo Burgers with the Works and a Summer Berry Galette
The burgers were phenomenal! I like my burgers on the medium rare side, so I took mine out of the pan before my family's. I suggest using only a pound of meat for 4 people, but if you've got 6, go ahead and use the complete recipe! I also got two beefsteak tomatoes, and everyone got half. We love tomatoes in this house. The Galette was as amazing as ever. I've made this once before, and it's turning into a sure favorite. I forgot the cream cheese this time, but it turned out fine. Oh, and make sure your berries aren't moldy so you don't have to go back to the store (insert palm to face here).



I hope you have enjoyed the first of Maya's Menus! Do you have any Primal recipes I should try? Please let me know in the comments below!

Carpe Diem,
- Maya

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash, Photo by Maya Epstein, Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash,  Photo by Kaufmann Mercantile on Unsplash,
Photo by Maya Epstein, 

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