Can you imagine how many meals we must cook and prepare in a lifetime as a mother? We couldn’t count. Whether you love it or not, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of loving it. What a terrible way to live—to be miserable every time you prepare another meal! We may as well get on the band wagon and do it with all our might. Enjoy it. See it as a creative project. And make every meal a love affair.
I love to prepare meals for my family, even though it takes a big chunk out of every day. I love it because not only do I get to eat the lovely meal I prepare, but I know I am going to bless everyone who sits around my table. I like to make food they will enjoy. I like to sit down to a table that is set beautifully, with a tablecloth and attractively prepared food. I love the fact that we will relax, talk together, and then enjoy a good feed from God’s Word for our souls and spirit before we leave the table.
Shall I tell you what I cooked the last two nights?
MENU FOR MONDAY NIGHT
That sounds very organized, doesn’t it? But I don’t write a menu. Nor do I prepare a menu for the week. I have been preparing meals for so many years that I can get up to the kitchen and decide what I am going to do.
I usually try to get into the kitchen by about 5.00 pm and we usually don’t sit down until 6.30 am. So, meal preparation takes time. I’ve also got to go out to the garden to gather my harvest.
1. LONG BEANS from my GARDEN. This year I planted a packet of beans (and didn’t really know what they were). I was pleasantly surprised to see these wonderful long beans growing. I let one grow and it measured 2’ 8”! How’s that for a bean? And they have no strings and are so delicious. I steamed them and added butter at the end.
2. SWEET POTATO LEAVES from my GARDEN. Did you know you can eat the sweet potato leaves? I didn’t know until our Liberian children came to live with us. We always grow sweet potatoes to eat the harvest, but now we also use the leaves during the year. I cook onions, garlic, jalapeño, and tomatoes (out of my GARDEN) together. Then add the sweet potato leaves which I whiz up in the food processor. I cook them all in LOADS of red palm oil, adding Nutritional Yeast at the end. They are so delicious. One of my favorite dishes.
3. PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS. I pre-cooked the mushrooms and then filled them with hot salsa and grated cheese and grilled them in the oven. Delicious.
4. SWEET RED PEPPERS sliced, from my GARDEN, which we ate with HUMMUS and PESTO. I picked loads of fresh basil from my GARDEN. What joy. I make my pesto by throwing some nuts in the food processor (either almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts). Then a few cloves of garlic, followed by Parmesan cheese. I then add loads of basil with olive oil to get the right consistency.
5. GREEN SALAD.
MENU FOR TUESDAY NIGHT
1. EGG PLANT LASAGNA. I always make my lasagna with egg plant as I don’t like the starchy lasagna noodles. I prepared a sauce of ground venison (we eat more venison than any other meat as that is what we have in the freezer) and a tomato sauce of my own making. I place the meat sauce in the casserole dish, add the sliced egg plant (one of my favorite vegetables), a layer of cream sauce with eggs and cottage cheese and flavorings, then cheese, and then do each layer again with cheese on top.
2. MASHED FOTATOES (TRIM HEALTHY MAMA). They are made with cauliflower of course. I steam the cauliflower and then whiz it up in the food processor. Don’t you love it with lots of butter and salt and pepper? Nicer than mashed potatoes.
3. SLICED MUSHROOMS sautéed.
4. And same as last night, GREEN SALAD, HUMMUS, PESTO, and SLICED SWEET RED POTATOES.
What are you making for supper tonight?
Or would you like to come to my place for supper? I’ve yet to decide what I’ll do for tonight
Love from Nancy
P.S. I forgot to take a picture of either of these meals. This picture is of my sweet potato leaves growing in the garden.