As nearly every week I have spent a couple hours today making my meals for the week. Pictured above are Mexican Pasta and Old Fashion Meatloaf which I will alternate for lunch and dinner every day this week. For breakfast I have made hard boiled eggs and I which I will eat with toasted english muffins.
The meals can all be switched up a bit or added to so that every meal is different and doesn't become boring. With the pasta I will make basil corn muffins one day add some fruit or simple lettuce salad another. For the meatloaf I can make sammies, add another veggie and/or replace the mashed potatoes with rolls or salad. I can also make patties out of the mashed potatoes and fried them for a simple potato pancake.
For breakfast I will use the eggs and muffins as a breakfast sammie, eat the egg seperately with fruit and/or yogurt on the side. I may put peanut butter, banana and granola on the muffin or simply make some instant oatmeal, cream of wheat or grits.
Simple yet healthy comfort meals that are easy and simple to make ahead and enjoy all week long.
Mexican Pasta:
Ingredients:
Ground Beef (1 1/2 pounds or more, can of course remove totally or use ground turkey or sausage for different flavor profiles or to make it just a bit healthier.)
Can of corn, refried beens, tomatoes (I prefer the ones with chilies, use what you like), black olives, 1/3 of a box of any 1 lb pox of pasta (I used mini piccolini this time), medium Picante Sauce (use hot or mild as you prefer) and a few dashes of hot sauce (I used Cholula's Chili Lime) and one packet of original taco mix.
Saute the ground beef till thoroughly cooked (I add salt and pepper to taste at this step). Remove from heat and drain on a paper plate with paper towels. Pour grease into a can and place back on the burner, return beef to the skillet and add the packet of taco seasoning, can of tomatoes, corn and picante sauce. Stir to mix thoroughly and let simmer.
When you put the beef on to cook start your water to boil (remember to add salt and oil to the water), once it comes to a hard boil add your pasta and stir. Watch closely, stirring occasionally until pasta is al dente (apx. 11 mins). Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add half the meat mixture and stir to coat the pasta and set aside. Add the beans to the rest of the meat mixture along with chopped black olives and heat till the beans are slightly runny. Add contents of skillet to the pasta and stir to mix. MMMMM!!! Ready to eat and enjoy.
Old Fashion Meatloaf
For my meatloaf I mix a third of a pound of lean ground beef and one roll of spicy breakfast sausage with 1 large egg, a 1/4 cup of instant oats, 2 table spoons of Worcestershire Sauce and a 1/2 to one teaspoon of hot sauce. Mix well but gently. Form into a large pattie and put into a round cake pan and slather with ketchup. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 45 mins. (I fine at this lower heat there will be less grease and it will be more tender).
Mash potatoes the way you like them and serve with veggie of your choice.
