Menu Plan and Snow Pea Chopped Salad

At last, summer has really, truly arrived - here in DC, the days are muggy and  the nights are thundery.

We brought in summer last weekend with a potluck barbecue with some of our best friends up in Baltimore.  After looking at our produce box on Wednesday, I'd planned to do a sauteed snowpea and carrot medley (we got SO MANY SNOWPEAS!), but I wasn't thrilled with taking a warm dish so far away and not at all sure how it'd taste cold.

But, Saturday morning found me gamely snipping the ends off the snow peas, absently snacking on them as I went.  After about the 10th delicious crisp snowpea, it dawned on me that these things did not need cooking, at all.

And so, I pulled out a few more veggies and turned my dish into a chopped salad.  This was put together based entirely on what I found in the fridge, but of course I was mentally doing all sorts of variations I'd do if I'd actually planned it - so those suggestions are included, as well.

Summer Snowpea Chopped Salad

2 cups snowpeas, ends snipped, chopped into 1/2" inch pieces
1-2 zucchinis, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
1-2 cucumbers, chopped
1 container grape tomatoes

1/3 cup vinaigrette or Italian dressing

Mix in a bowl with a lid, add  vinaigrette.  Put on lid, and shake to mix.

Additions: add feta cheese cubes, sliced or whole olives, orange or tangerine sections (chopped), fresh herbs, lettuce, corn, fresh mushroom slices etc.  The key is to keep it fast and use what you have on hand.

We kept back a bit for the next day, and it was delicious chilled and marinated overnight. Everything stayed crisp and bright.  Definitely, a keeper!

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My menu planning this week is pretty simple.  First priority - the produce box!  At last, we got more than just greens (although there are still plenty of those):

Two varieties of lettuce, some kale, more beets and beet greens, some yellow squash, peaches (yay!), raspberries (yay!), a cucumber and some fresh basil.

Those raspberries were so fresh and ripe, they were eaten for breakfast this morning - no way would they keep long enough to actually use them in something.

Because our produce is delivered on Wednesdays, I do my meal planning from Thursday - Wednesday. Here's my plan for the week (June 26 - July 2):

Thursday, July 26

Baked Chicken Thighs

Butter-Sauteed  Veggie Blend with Basil
(snow peas, zucchini, summer squash, celery)

Friday, July 27

Shrimp Tom Kha Gai Soup
Rice
Salad

Saturday, July 28

Bourbon BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Peaches

Greens

Cole Slaw

Sunday, July 29

Leftovers

(make soup today for the next week's lunches)

Monday, July 30

Quiche with Greens and Cheese

Roasted Roots Medley

Tuesday, July 1

Trivia Night 

(eat out or order out if canceled)

Wednesday

Use up produce in a one pot meal or casserole. 

(to be determined when I sort out what needs to be used up)

That's it - trying to keep things simple.  Lunches are leftovers, soup made for that purpose, or cold items - salads, tuna, cottage cheese, etc.  Our breakfasts are still iffy - eaten when we have something readily at hand or if there is time to cook, and often skipped.

Good Tips Tuesday

Shared with:
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