My Summer Diet: The List. Week 1

Grocery List:

**Prices according to Harris Teeter website, only priced what will be completely used this week, the other stuff will be used in the weeks to come as well.

• 1 red grapefruit $0.78
• 1 red apple       $1.00
• 1 beet               $4.00 (most stores sell in bunches, so save for next week)             
• 1 sweet potato  $0.87
• 1 yellow apple   $1.00
• 1 yellow squash $1.00
• 1 avocado         $1.27 (2 count bag)
• 1 eggplant         $2.00
• 1 red onion       $1.16
• 1 cucumber      $0.99
• garlic clove       $0.50
• 1 sweet onion   $1.16
• choice of tomato
• carrots
• russet potatoes
• celery
• arugula
• spinach
• frozen blackberries 
• frozen blueberries
• bag of lemons (for drinking in your water as well)
• peanut butter (natural)
• Parmesan cheese
• pinto beans
• 3 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste
• green chili peppers
• refried beans
• can of pumpkin
• whole wheat, water mix pancake mix
• whole wheat pasta noodles
• quinoa
• whole rolled oats
• whole grain artisan bread
• almond milk, if you want for flavor, not necessary
• 96/4 ground beef
• meats of choice, remember 2 nights you need to eat fish

NOTE: Most of these ingredients will be used in week 2 or later on in week 1, so since this is the first week it will be the longest list. Please freeze and refrigerate appropriately.

>>Keep everything to 1 serving size<<

Monday

Breakfast: Red grapefruit + red apple cinnamon oatmeal*. 

Lunch: Beet quinoa salad*

Dinner: Your choice of tomato with your choice of meat.

*Signifies recipe at bottom

Tuesday

Breakfast: Pumpkin oatmeal*

Lunch: Pasta Fagoli*

Dinner: Baked Sweet potato with choice of meat.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Yellow apple slices with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Lunch: Lemon quinoa salad*

Dinner: Incorporate yellow squash with choice of meat.

Thursday

Breakfast: Avocado spread on toast (Whole grain artisan bread)

Lunch: Arugula and spinach salad (Incorporate extra vegetables from the week, like tomato, carrot, onion)

Dinner: Meat with your choice of greens, I would recommend more spinach just a different way.

Friday

Breakfast: Blueberry pancakes* 

Lunch: Vegetable quinoa salad*

Dinner: Eggplant parmigiana* made with meatsauce.

Saturday

Breakfast: Blackberry oatmeal*

Lunch: Refried beans*

Dinner: Russet potatoes prepared how you like plus a meat of choice.

Sunday

Breakfast: Potato and white onion hashbrowns, cooked in very little olive or canola oil.

Lunch: Roasted galic spaghetti*

Dinner: Leftover vegetable medley or leftover pasta fagoli (stir fry) plus choice of meat.

*Recipes

1. Red apple cinnamon oatmeal. Prepare 1 serving of oatmeal with water using the stove top, adding half of the red apple, cut into small chunks, into the bowling water and oatmeal. Cook until the oats and apple are cooked all the way through. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, plus no more than 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Flavor with 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk if desired.
2. Beet quinoa salad. (This makes 1 serving, if you want to make more than one and save the other half for your green salad day you can, as this also has greens in it). Prepare this the night before to save time!                     
   • 1/3 cup of sliced beets (Steam until tender, about 7-10 minutes)
   • 3 tablespoons quinoa (cook with water until tender and water is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes)
   • 1/3 cup water
   • 1 tablespoon olive oil (whisk following ingredients, until star, to create dressing)
   • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
   • 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
   • 1 clove garlic, crushed
   • 1/8 teaspoon salt
   • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper *
   • 1/4 cup red onions, sliced (Mix with beets and qunioa)
   • 1/2 ounce arugula, chopped (small hand full) - Place salad on top of arugula and serve
3. Pumpkin Oatmeal. Prepare 1 serving of oatmeal with water, using stove top or microwave. When fully cooked add 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin (refrigerate the rest in a new air tight container) and cinnamon. You may add walnuts or almond milk for flavor addition.
4. Pasta Fagoli. (This makes more than 1 serving, a serving size is 1.5 cups). Prepare this the night before to save time!     Chop or dice 1 potato, 1 cup of carrots, half of the white onion, half of the red onion, 1.5 cups of celery, and a few pieces of fresh garlic. Add all of the chopped vegetables to a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cook until the are softening. Add can of diced tomatoes and the can of pinto beans. Cook until evenly heated and all the vegetables are softened. Flavor with basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt. (To your liking).  Freeze extras in 1 serving sizes so you can grab and reheat easily. This is a mixture of colors, so you can eat this for lunch on a red, green, white, or brown day if you don't have time to prepare the other! 
5. Lemon quinoa salad. Prepare the night before for best results. (1 serving size)
• 3 tablespoons quinoa (cook with water until tender and water is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes)
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (whisk together with the following, until star)
• 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dill
• 1/8 clove garlic crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley*
• 1/2 cucumber sliced into half moons
• 1/8 cup of white onions, diced
6. Blueberry pancakes. Whole wheat pancake mix, mix with water. Add desired amount of drefrosted blueberries to your pancakes. (Great thing about only add water mix, you can make just 1 serving!). Use canola oil spray for the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (tiny amount).
7. Vegetable quinoa salad. Dice red onion, cucumber, carrots, celery, and other vegetable you choose. Eat no more than 1.5 cups of total vegetables. Mix with cooked quinoa, prepared the same as early that week. Pour on 1-2 tablespoons of a vinaigrette of choice.
8. Eggplant parmigiana. Slice your eggplant into the desired thickness. Soak them in water. Brown 96/4 ground beef with remaining red onion. Pour in can of diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, a sprinkle of sugar, salt and pepper. Grill your eggplant either on a grill or on the oven racks. Place grilled eggplant into a pan, cover with sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake. Eat! **Freeze extra sauce**
9. Blackberry oatmeal. Prepare oatmeal as usual. In a saucepan place desired blackberries (1/4 cup) with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of water, cook until broken down. Mix with oatmeal. Flavor with almond milk if desired.
10. Refried Beans. Eat refried beans with avocado, carrots, green chili peppers, and diced tomatoes. (Read labels to create 1 serving size). **Fridge what you do not use from beans, peppers, and tomatoes**
11. Roasted garlic spaghetti.  Roast garlic in the oven with a tiny bit of olive oil. Turn on a sauce pan, heat the rest of your diced tomatoes, add basil and oregano and roasted garlic. Boil whole wheat pasta. Mix and enjoy. Add an arugula or spinach salad for a nice balance crunch!