Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution is catching on like wildfire, bringing much needed national attention to a big bruise, our school meals. He is showing what the future of America is eating and why it is now being said that this generation of children will die before their parents. Scary! We have to make a difference. We have to understand what is in that pizza, bag of chips, french fries, and why it is causing so much harm to our bodies. There is a food movement happening around us. People are beginning to understand that factories and cheap food from corporations who only care about bottom dollars is bad for us. People are beginning to look around and see that these foods are killing us, our children, and they are standing up. Standing up against processed, fast foods, and modified foods. This week’s menu will allow for your children to get in the kitchen, a place where many families considered the hearth of their home, and get excited about making dinner with you! It’s bonding, it’s healthy, and it’s creating lifetime good habits!
Have a picky eater? Try a checklist! This is something I do with my kid. It is a large index card that is blocked off into 28 boxes and hangs on the fridge. Every time he tries something new he gets a checkmark and I write the food underneath the check. This allows me to not only track what he tries, but allows him to see all the foods he has eaten! He loves it. Whenever he starts to hesitate at trying something, I remind him he’ll get a checkmark and he chews and swallows it up. Sometimes loving it (as he did the eggplant jam that is in this week’s menu) and sometimes hating it as he did with steamed broccoli. I have him come with me to the farmer’s market and grocery store and have him look around the produce to see if there is something he is interested in trying for a checkmark (last time he chose the broccoli and the eggplant). It’s great fun for both of us and takes the routine out of dinner. What happens when he fills up that index card? There is a big star on the last square where he can chose to go out to lunch with mom or dad or get more seeds for his garden (something he loves to do is grow plants) or go to the local farm. There is no need to reward with a toy, find some quality family time that would be a reward for everyone!
I hope this week finds you enjoying making dinner as I do (almost) every night with my sous chef.
Remember, they may love that junk food, but if it’s not in the house they will learn not to miss it.

Menu
Sunday Sesame-Parmesan Chicken Breasts
                  and Smashed Broccoli Potatoes
Monday Mediterranean Monday!
                 Eggplant Jam, Avocado Hummus, & Carrot Salad
Tuesday Taco Tuesday!
Wednesday Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries*
Thursday Smashed Broccoli Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Friday Grilled Chicken with Sesame Noodles
Saturday Pasta Alfredo

*Don’t tell Jamie Oliver that the word “Fries” got into this menu, but for this one he may just approve!

Recipe steps in bold are steps that kids can do while being watched or helped, my 3 year old can do them and remember your kids can measure out all of the ingredients.

Grocery List
Produce
4 Idaho potatoes
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes
2 head broccoli
1 garlic bulb
1 medium eggplant
2 red bell peppers
2 red onion
2 avocados
2 lemons
4 carrots
1 small piece fresh ginger
6 scallions
1/8 cup Kalamata olives
Herbs
flat leaf parsley
mint
dill
rosemary
Meat
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (great opportunity to go to a local farm!)
1 pound white fish (cod, halibut, or sole)
1 pound ground bison or ground turkey
Dairy
3 large eggs
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
4 slices of cheese of choice (or use leftover other cheese)
8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
2 sticks unsalted butter
2/3 cup heavy cream
Staples
Kosher salt*
freshly ground pepper*
1 cup vegetable stock*
bread crumbs*
sesame seeds*
extra virgin olive oil*
all-purpose flour*
tomato paste*
smoked paprika*
cumin*
chili powder*
tahini
white wine vinegar*
rice wine vinegar*
sesame oil*
hot sauce*
vegetable oil*
low sodium soy sauce*
sugar*
light brown sugar*
Misc
1 small container Greek yogurt
1 jar mild salsa
flour tortillas
pita chips
1 can Kidney beans
quick oats
1 pound Asian noodles
12 oz egg Fettuccine
1 small bag frozen peas
*have been on past grocery lists, if you have followed along just check par levels

Recipes
Sunday
Sesame-Parmesan Chicken Breasts and Smashed Broccoli Potatoes
Smashed Broccoli Potatoes
4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut in 2 inch cubes
1 head broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1 cup low sodium vegetable stock
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, LIGHTLY salt the water, reduce the heat a bit, and cook. About 6 minutes into cooking add the broccoli, and cook for about 6 more minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Drain the the cooked broccoli and potatoes and return to the pot. Mash the broccoli and potatoes together, slowly adding the vegetable stock to give them desired mash. Add in shredded Parmesan cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
***Save leftover smashed potatoes for dinner later in the week***
Sesame-Parmesan Chicken Breasts
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (2 slices of sandwich bread in a food processor until coarsely ground –OR- I like Ian’s Panko Bread Crumbs)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (organic, free range! chickens- even better go visit a local farm for your meat!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Pat dry the chicken breasts.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Lay out 3 large plates.
Plate 1: Combine flour, salt, and pepper mixing with a flat fork
Plate 2: Crack 2 eggs. Scramble using fork
Plate 3: Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, sesame seeds, garlic together on a plate, mixing with a fork.
Taking one breast at a time cover in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, covering completely, then onto the bread crumb plate. Cover the breast with bread crumb mixture. Then place on oiled 9×13 baking dish and repeat until all breasts are done.
Bake until crumbs are golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 18-22 minutes.
Serve with smashed potatoes!

Monday
Mediterranean Monday!
Eggplant Jam, Hummus, & Carrot Salad
Eggplant Jam
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put eggplant, bell peppers, red onion on large rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl mix garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over veggies, then mix using your hands so veggies are well coated. Roast for 45 minutes, until the veggies are lightly browned and soft, toss once during cooking. Cool slightly.
Place veggies in food processor, add tomato paste and smoked paprika, and pulse a few times to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Avocado Hummus
2 ripe avocados, split, seeded, and scooped
1/4 cup tahini
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (one lemon)
1/4 cup olive oil
and salt to taste
Blend avocados, tahini, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy like sour cream. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on top of avocado so that no air gets in to turn it brown.

Carrot Salad
1 large clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups peeled, grated carrots (3 carrots)
pinch of sugar
4 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/8 cup chopped kalamata olives

In a small glass mixing bowl let the garlic sit with the lemon juice, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and the sugar for about 5 minutes to soften the sharpness of the raw garlic.
Slowly whisk in the yogurt and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, pine nuts, and herbs. Stir in yogurt dressing and season with salt and pepper. Let this stand for about 10 minutes to let the flavors marry.
Right before serving mix in olives and feta cheese.
Serve all three dishes with a side of pita chips! Enjoy
***Save leftovers for dinner later in the week!***

Tuesday
Taco Tuesday
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or sole)
1 cup mild salsa
4 flour tortillas
Toppings:
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
Leftover avocado dip from Monday
Leftover eggplant dip from Monday

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets and cook until the flesh is firm and opaque. Add the salsa to the pan and stir, breaking up the fish into large chunks.
Spoon the fish filling into the tortillas and serve with platter of toppings

Wednesday
Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup uncooked quick oats
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 slices cheese
4 whole grain hamburger buns, toasted
Green leaf lettuce
Any leftover spreads from Monday night’s dinner

Combine beans, onion, oats, egg, chili powder and salt in food processor. Pulse until the mixture is chunky, but before it becomes smooth.
Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Spoon bean mixture into four round patties in skillet, spreading mixture with back of spoon to even out.
Cook burgers, without turning, 4 minutes; turn carefully with spatula. Place 1 cheese slice on each patty. Cook 4-5 minutes. Place burgers on buns with lettuce and serve with desired condiments.

Sweet Potato Fries
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch wide fries
vegetable oil
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500°F.
Grease large baking sheet with vegetable oil.
Toss sweet potatoes, with 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. 

Thursday
Smashed Broccoli Potato Shepherd’s Pie

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 pound ground bison or turkey
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup frozen peas
leftover broccoli smashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot, and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes, then add the peas.
Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.
Spread mashed potatoes over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork.
Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Friday
Grilled Chicken with Sesame Noodles
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons hot sauce
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup tahini
salt
1 pound Asian noodles
6 scallions, thinly sliced

Bring 4 quarts water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, whisk garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar, and oil in small bowl. Toss chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic mixture in bowl. Puree the remaining garlic mixture and tahini in blender until smooth.
Add 1 tablespoon salt and noodles to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain well. Toss noodles, peanut sauce, and scallions in large bowl.
Grill chicken breasts over high heat until cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Slice chicken and serve with noodles

Saturday
Pasta Alfredo

12 oz dried egg fettuccine
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (4 oz) plus additional for sprinkling
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 head broccoli, trimmed, steamed, florets cut in 1 inch pieces

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart gratin dish over low heat. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, reserved cooking water, cream, remaining 3 tablespoons butter (thinly sliced), salt, and pepper and toss to combine well. Mix in steamed broccoli. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately.