This weeks healthy menu: meal morphing edition

Curtis starts back to school and interning this week, so it's just going to be Coop and me at home all day. Needless to say, I won't have much free time, so meals are going to be simple, and I will be doing my best to make the most out of all ingredients. Also, I wanted to mention, we usually eat our leftovers throughout the week for lunch, but once a week, I clean out the fridge and freeze whatever meals are left. I am sort of making my own "tv dinners" so that Curtis always has lunch to take with him in a pinch.

Monday: BBQ pork ribs. The boneless country style ribs are on sale this week at my grocery store, so that is what I will be using. Place the ribs in the crock pot. Cover with your favorite gf bbq sauce (I believe Kraft is gf) and a little water, just enough to cover the meat. Cover and cook all day on low. The ribs will be so tender they fall apart. Will have it with brown rice and probably peas.

Tuesday: Chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and salad. Chicken breast cube steaks are also on sale this week, so that is what I will use, but you could use chicken cutlets or a chicken breast, butterflied and tenderized, otherwise it won't cook through before the outside is burned. In a bowl, mix one egg, some plain rice milk, and a splash of vinegar together. Then on a large paper plate pour out some flour (I have found that brown rice flour works well for breading, it gets very crispy, and is not at all gummy, but of course if your not GF, you can use all purpose wheat flour) season with salt and pepper. First run the chicken through the flour, then through the egg mixture, and then back through the flour again. In a large skillet, heat a light colored frying oil, such as canola. You can test to see if the oil is ready by sticking the end of a wooden spoon in it. If bubbles form around the spoon, it is good to go. Fry until golden brown and cooked through. I am going to whip up some mashed potatoes with chicken broth instead of milk. We will also have steamed corn on the cob and green salad.

Wednesday: Pulled pork sandwiches. This will be the first morphed meal. Take the left over pork ribs from Monday. Remove as much of the fat as possible. Shred the meat with 2 forks, then coat in bbq sauce and warm in a pan over low heat. Serve on buns with mustard and pickles. I'll have a kinnikinnick bun and Curtis will have a wheat bun. Will have potato chips and pinto beans.

Thursday: Tacos with corn and black bean dip. I'll probably use ground turkey for my taco meat. I will look and see if I can find a gf taco seasoning mix for the turkey. We will probably have corn tortillas (mission are gf) and hard tacos. Serve it up with your favorite toppings. We'll have lettuce, avocado, cheese for Curtis. The corn and black bean dip is delicious and simple. It is just one can of black beans, drained and rinsed, one can of sweet kernel corn, a little diced red onion, some cilantro, and some Rotel tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all together, eat with chips or on the tacos.

Friday: Grilled chicken, rice, and green salad. Grill up several chicken breasts on the George Foreman or the outdoor grill. You will want to make a couple extra for tomorrow's meal. Serve with brown rice and salad.

Saturday: Chicken tortilla soup. This is the second morphed meal. Take the extra grilled chicken and cut up into bite sized pieces. In a large pot mix a box of gf chicken stock (wal mart's great value brand is clearly marked gluten-free on the label), one can of fat free refried beans, and a can of rotel tomatoes. Once that is all well combined add in your chicken and the leftover corn and black bean dip from Thursday. Simmer for 30mins - 1hr. While that is simmering, cut the leftover corn tortillas into strips. Place on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking oil and bake at 400* until crispy. This won't take long at all so watch them close so they do not burn. Top the soup with the tortilla strips, some avocado slices and cheese if you can have it.

Sunday: Roast. Is there really a more perfect Sunday lunch after church. Cut up all you veggies (we will have potatoes, carrots, celery, onions) the night before. Then first thing Sunday morning put the roast and veggies in the crock pot on high. Cover with some water. It should be hot and ready when ever we get home from church. I think I might also make a pear and apple crisp. I'll post the recipe if I do.