Around the World

I was looking to bounce off the walls a bit this week - explore a bit with a number of different flavor profiles. And honestly, after several weeks of entertaining company, I wanted recipes I could throw together lickety-split. Aside from that, I can't really tell you how I ultimately arrived at this week's meal plan. Came to me in a fat girl's dream, I suppose.

So I picked a smattering of flavors from all over the world!

• Sunday: chicken enchiladas with guacamole (+lunch leftovers)
• Monday: Hawaiian turkey burgers and roasted broccoli (+lunch leftovers)
• Tuesday: spinach salad for small group
• Wednesday: spaghetti carbonara

I have to be honest. I make a pretty concerted effort to eat well during the week. But occasionally a woman has to satisfy her pasta craving needs. So no, the carbonara isn't the most figure flattering recipe you'll find here, but it's really good for the soul. 

• apples
• bananas
• raspberries - on sale for a dollar! you had better believe I put that in the salad, yes I did!
• avocados
• garlic
• broccoli 
• red peppers
• cucumbers
• grape tomatoes
• red onion
• spinach
• pineapple
• tortillas
• coffee
• cashews - can't have a husband short on nuts... for breakfast!
• chicken
• ground turkey
• crushed tomatoes
• cereal
• milk - found family sized boxes on super mega sale - score!
• eggs

Chicken Enchiladas

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Tex-Mex just as much as the next queso-guzzling white chick. But enchiladas drowning in cheese just didn't seem very appealing this go around. Instead I like to scale back the cheese intake and fill the tortillas full of chicken, black beans, and veggies. I like to think it's a fairly well balanced meal, so long as you keep your portion size in check! Really great dish to prepare in advance and reheat at a moments notice.

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

For a little tropical hat tip, I thought it might be fun to glaze a turkey burger with a bit of teriyaki sauce and pile high with pineapple, red onion, and avocado. If you happen to keep teriyaki sauce on hand, great. If not, I'll bet you have the ingredients on hand to whip up your own - well, supposing you actually keep a stocked pantry. Little pro tip - while I love a grilled burger, the turkey patty doesn't seem to hold up very well on the grill. In fact, my husband has from time to time lost our dinner to the grill grates. All that being said, I'd highly encourage you to cook these babies in a pan. You'll thank me later.

Spaghetti Carbonara

And finally, my crowning achievement this fine Fall week - spaghetti carbonara. In theory, this isn't a particularly complicated dish. Very few ingredients. Very little prep time. But it's taken me a few valiant attempts to finally hone in on the right egg to pasta ratio. This dish is a great for a speedy-quick weeknight meal, but frankly, makes for a pretty impressive meal for guests. It will not disappoint!

There we go. Around the world in three meals.

Total Grocery Cost: $88.68