What I’m eating this week (Spaghetti Squash Pizzas and Italian Veggie Roll Ups)
Breakfast and lunch are my favorites. To tell ya the truth, I haven’t cooked dinner on the regular since March. It’s not that we eat out more. We don’t. It’s that we eat more “lunch” for dinner. Let me explain.
My once bustling family of 7, has (mostly) all grown up and moved out, and now we are a rather quiet family of 3. My husband works late a couple of nights per week, leaving me and my 13 year old son to our own devices. We often find that leftovers, or some quick lunch type food is plenty for dinner and I LOVE not having a week night mess in my kitchen. Thus, my weekly plan and meal prep include: a few choices for Breakfasts and Lunch, and 2 Dinners.
On the menu for my fam this week…
Breakfast Choices:
Boiled Eggs (prepared, peeled and ready to go)
Organic Pumpkin Oat Bread with 1 TB Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese or Pumpkin Butter (Tis’ the season)
Peach (fresh and whole)
Sausage (prepared and ready to reheat)
Avocado
Lunch Choices:
Spaghetti Squash (prepared and ready to go)
Spaghetti Squash Pizza*
Leftovers
Spicy Italian and Veggie Rolls Ups*
Cheese, Nuts, Prepared Veggie Tray
Dinner:
Homemade Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp
Steak and Ale Soup
Before this week started, after buying groceries, I cleaned my fridge, boiled a dozen eggs, roasted a spaghetti squash, cooked up some sausage, and prepped ingredients for dinners (both of which could be made in the crockpot). Most evenings, I come in from work and unpack my lunch box and immediately pack it for the next day. Eating simple, fresh meals is a priority, and having convenient, grab and go items is super important for me to stay on track.
In the spirit of sharing, here’s a few of this week’s simple recipes (and a couple of go-tos for me)!
Spaghetti Squash with Pizza Toppings*
(around 300 calories depending on your exact ingredients)
Ingredients per pizza:
1 cup spaghetti squash
1 T parmesan cheese (grated)
2 oz cheese (grated)
3-4 pepperoni slices
spinach, peppers, and other veggies
1/4 c pizza sauce
Salt, Pepper, Italian Spices
Preheat oven to 350. Spray glass pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix spaghetti squash, with parm and 1 oz of cheese. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian Spices. Form into a small round of “pizza” crust and bake for 10 minutes. Top with sauce, spinach (more salt), peppers, additional veggies, pepperoni and 1 oz cheese. Bake another 15 minutes. Very filling and tastes GREAT reheated!
Spicy Italian and Veggie Roll ups
(I make a version of this with every sandwich I love! You won’t even miss the bread!)
Ingredients:
Sandwich slices of the following: Sandwich Pepperoni, Cracked Pepper Mill Smoked Turkey, and Maple Glazed Honey Ham (I use Boar’s Head)
Spread of Choice (I love Cream Cheese, Pesto, or Hummus)
Green, Red and Yellow Peppers (cut into long strips)
Spinach
Pickles (optional)
Toothpicks
Start by laying out your largest slice of lunch meat. In my case, it’s almost always the ham. Then layer on a slice of turkey, and 2-3 slices of pepperoni. Top with your favorite spread, peppers, piles of spinach, and pickles. Roll it all up and secure with a toothpick. This is simple, fast and always yummy (without the fatigue that comes with a pile of carbs).
All of these ingredients can be combined and rearranged to make simple lunch time fare appropriately served at “dinner” time as well. I would love to know what hacks you’re using or what you’ve quit doing currently to manage meal times during quarantine.
Blessings,
Shanna