Aprovechar

Today was my first day back at work after surgery, and my various friends were right in their prediction that it would be exhausting.  With a computer that had been reinstalled (but only partially, it turned out) due to a virus, a couple of fires to put out, a bit of professional misconduct by a co-worker toward my subordinate to deal with, and two weeks of work having stacked up, I definitely had my hands full.  I was exhausted after the first couple of hours, and toward the end of the day when one of my co-workers walked into my office and said, “I appreciate you being here, but I can tell by looking at you that you need to go home early and take care of yourself,” I knew she was right. When I found myself desiring the chocolate in my desk drawer not because I wanted chocolate but because I wanted energy, I threw in the towel and left a bit early.  I’m a reverse commuter. (How I wish I weren’t driving at all! Someday. . . .)  Generally, when everyone else is stuck in traffic leaving town, I’m skating by going the opposite way (into the heart of the city) to come home.  But major road construction has added potentially major delays into my afternoon commute.  Leaving half an hour early today meant I got to avoid most of that congestion, so it was a double blessing.  I was able to come home, lie on my bed with my laptop, make some changes (a bit overdue) to our July budget, and work on our meal plan for the week.  The rest of the evening will involve calm: a hot bath and catching up on some magazine-reading in bed.  Heavenly.

This week’s meal plan, as always, focuses on what is locally grown and produced.  All of the meals are free of gluten, dairy/casein, eggs, and soy.  This week, there’s a definite focus on healing, as well, and after some holiday meals of barbecue and such, I’m looking forward to some simple, healthy pleasures with a concentration on vegan meals.

Monday

Dinner: Margaret’s made and brought over a delicious risotto I could eat. (Bless her heart.)

Tuesday

Dinner: Local veggies and herbs (zucchini, pear tomatoes, onion, carrots, eggplant, garlic, rosemary, oregano) tossed with balsamic vinegar (and a bit of sea salt) and roasted, then tossed with pasta, tomato sauce, and toasted pine nuts.

To Do: Use local blackberries to start making blackberry vodka or blackberry gin.  Put coconut mix that’s in the refrigerator into the ice cream maker, and freeze ice cream. Make breakfasts and freeze. (Whew, some of that might need to wait till Wed.)

Wednesday

Dinner: Melissa’s walnut hummus on cabbage or lettuce leaves; grilled UFO squash. (Grill organic, grass-fed hotdogs with the squash for next day’s lunch.)

Thursday

Dinner: (Leftovers of) Amanda’s vegetarian chili with arepas (or corn chips, if I’m too tired to make arepas) and guacamole

Friday

Dinner:  Go out to eat at Bone Garden Cantina

Saturday

To Do: Shop at the farmer’s market

Breakfast:  Granola with fruit

Lunch: Grilled organic, free-range chicken breasts with fresh, local, organic vegetables from the market

Dinner:  Heirloom tomatoes with fresh lady peas and pickled beets; millet flatbread with herbs and olive oil

Sunday

Breakfast:  Homemade waffles with berries from the farmer’s market and bacon or sausage on the side

Lunch:  Grilled local, pastured burgers with grilled squash and grilled peppers

Dinner:  Salad with farmer’s market veggies, toasted nuts, and a homemade vinaigrette

As I always do, I’m submitting my meal plan to the Gluten-Free Menu Swap, which Cheryl at Gluten-Free & Healthy is hosting this week.