Menu Planning...the great Sunday Morning Adventure.

After yoga and a short puzzle of Sudoku, I'm ready to sit down and make some serious decisions. I usually need a grapefruit, cup of coffee, and a mug full of water for this task.

The week's menu is something that is frequently and occasionally, a heatedly debated topic in my house. My husband, B, is not vegan, although he puts up with and even enjoys (from time to time) my inventive creations. When asked to participate in the weekly-menu-planning-tradition, he frequently requests "big meat" or "something good." The "big meat" is translatable, but the "something good?" I like to think that what I've planned to prepare IS something good. I take the time to pour over my cookbooks/various websites, write out a list, and then go to Wegman's. "Of course I think it's something good." Why would I take so much time to plan, prepare, and make something that is "fair to midland?"

So far, my list contains a ton of spices I need to replenish and only two meals worth of food! I'm all out of inspiration. We're going to have Curried Potato and Spinach Soup from the Candle Cafe Cookbook. When making soups for dinner, I have to make sure they are hearty enough so I don't hear, "I'm going to KFC" an hour later. Also, I'm planning on making a dish that I refer to as New Hampshire Black Beans. Our friends, Caleb and Nikki made this for us when we were visiting them in New Hampshire and I fell in love. The heat of the dish is provided by pepperoncini and cherry peppers which is mellowed by fresh orange juice. We eat this dish with tortilla chips and guacamole.

I'm planning on the staples: Silk yogurt, bananas, apples, oranges, salad goodies. But other than that, I'm tapped out! This is partially because it's about to be spring and I'm not feeling the hearty-filling winter dishes I have been making. The lack of inspiriation also comes from the "I'm on a diet" thing. I'm completely content to eat baked potatoes and steamed veggies for dinner every night. B isn't down with this idea. We'll see how the cooking spirit moves me later in the week.