Meal Planning

I find myself cooking a lot more lately. Ok...that's a bit misleading. What I meant to say is I find myself trying out new recipes a lot lately. I bought a copy of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry about a month or so ago, and the book and I have quickly become friends.

I have never done meal planning until recently. One night after dinner, I was sipping a glass of wine, sitting comfortably on the couch, waiting for my favourite TV show to start. The copy of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry was lying idly on the coffee table. I picked it up and started flipping through it.

The more I read, the more interested and excited I got. By the time my favourite TV show started (Private Practice), I had scribbled down at least 10 recipes that I was going to try out.

Last week was the first week I started meal planning and here was the menu:
Monday -- Thai Beau (Joe rated 9/10)
Tuesday -- The Soprawnos (Joe did not like it so much)
Wednesday -- Chop Soooo-ey
Thursday -- 8hr Turkey Stew (I could not find turkey breast so I substituted it with beef sirloin roast)
Friday -- Joe had the Venture's Meeting, so I was lazy and did not cook. I had a glass of wine and a slice of toast with tuma cheese.... :-)
Saturday -- Joe was out all day in Merrickville with the ventures, so I had Butternut Squash soup for dinner (I made the soup a week ago from scratch and I made a big batch that I froze most of it in ziploc bags)
Sunday -- Artic Char with baby mix greens

I found this recipe this month's Reder's Digest and I am going to try it today...

Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped ginger root
1 tbsp thai red curry paste (I have green curry paste at home so I am going use that instead)
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable stock or water
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup canned coconut milk

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and ginger and cook gently until fragrant and tender about 5-7 mins
2. Add curry paste and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add sweet potatoes and stir to coat well. Add stock or water and bring to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper if stock is unseasoned or if using water.
3. cook approx. 20 - 25 mins until sweet potatoes are very tender. Puree. If mixture is too thick, add additional stock or water.
4. Add coconut milk and cook 5 mins longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Serve soup in wide soup bowls. Drizzle decoratively with remaining coconut milk.

Makes 6-8 servings