Monday: Chicken Noodle Soup, bread, and salad. There is a nasty virus going around our church, and since many of my friends work in Children’s Ministry (a hotbed of viral fun) I know two families who are sick. I’m making a tankard of chicken noodle soup today for our family and for two others, and even though everyone under this roof is blessedly healthy soup just sounds good! For each pot of soup you need one box of gluten free chicken stock, three chicken thighs (bone-in is fine), three carrots, four stalks celery, one small minced onion, two cloves of garlic, salt, poultry seasoning, and 1/2 package of gluten free noodles (we like Tinkyana pasta, the type with the fun shapes is cheerful and fun). You put the stock in a large pot, add the chicken, garlic and onion and boil until the chicken is cooked through. Take out the chicken and pull it off the bone, chopping it into small pieces. Return the chicken to the pot and discard the bones. Add the sliced carrot and celery and the seasonings and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Then add the noodles and cook until they are done (I usually add them, wait five minutes, then turn off the pot and let them sit another 10 or so).

Tuesday: Meatloaf burgers and home fries, salad. Meatloaf burgers are a good way to save money and stretch your hamburger meat. I add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice to one pound ground beef and stir well. Add 3 eggs and one package of Lipton Onion Soup mix (gluten free! Yea!). Mix well, then form into patties and cook on the stove top until done throughout. Serve on gluten free buns or wrapped in a lettuce leaf, or just serve the patty like a slice of meatloaf! For the fries, I cut up about 1 potato each and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 450 until crisp and brown.

Wednesday: Tacos. I mix a pound of ground beef with a can of drained, rinsed black beans (there’s the meat-stretching bit again!). Add 1/2 cup salsa, 3 tsp. chili powder, and some garlic salt and cook until done. Serve with corn taco shells, or rice tortillas with avocado, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, and whatever else you like!

Thursday: Beef Stir Fry and Ham Fried Rice. Make a big pot of rice, and take out 2/3 of the rice for ham fried rice. Throw in ham, lots of peas, and a chopped onion and drizzle olive oil over it all. When it is hot, add 2 or 3 beaten eggs mixed with soy sauce and stir well. Let the rice get browned and the egg cook through. The stir fry will just be sliced beef, water chestnuts, a bag of oriental vegetables (check the label for gluten!) and a sauce of soy sauce, beef or chicken broth, a bit of ginger and some garlic. Check your soy sauce for gluten, most brands DO have gluten! Serve the stir fry with the rice you reserved.

Friday: Cassoulet and braised Brussels sprouts. For Cassoulet, click here and see Thursday’s entry. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and braise them in chicken broth and garlic until browned and tender.

Saturday: Steak with baked potato, beats and kale.

Sunday: Burritos. Refried beans mixed with cooked rice, avocado, lettuce, tomato, salsa, non-dairy sour cream, lettuce, olives, and whatever else sounds good. I like to use a rice tortilla, put the beans on top and cook it in a pan until the tortilla is crisp. Then I add the toppings and fold it in half. Yum!

Enjoy!