MENU PLAN November Week 2
The PCOS Diva Menu Plans are back on track! It has been quite a crazy few weeks I finally got to the grocery store on Friday to replenish my fridge after losing everything to the 6-day blackout caused by the Halloween nor’easter. (One of the reasons I haven’t posted menu plans in a while) Friday was the day I went out to restock my empty fridge. While at the grocery store, I was excited to see beautiful, huge ripe pomegranates on display. Have I told you how much I love them? (I think I have) . Next to the bin of 2 for $4 poms, I found a cool looking de-seeder gadget for $4. I thought I would give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked with very little mess. It really takes the fear out of trying pomegranates. The cool thing about pomegranate is that although they have a pleasant sweetness they are actually categorized as bitter and astringent.
In Ayurvedic medicine there are six rasas, or types of taste, they are.
- madhura–sweet
- amla– sour
- lavana–salty
- katu–hot
- tikta–bitter
- kashai–astringent
Pomegranates are one of the few astringent flavors. The six tastes should be balanced in the diet for optimum health and nutrition. (I would love to dive in deep to this concept in a future post!) But for the purposes of this Menu Plan, pomegranate even though it tastes slightly sweet and sour on the tongue, it is both astringent and bitter. In our Standard American Diets we don’t often encounter bitter foods besides chocolate and coffee. If you have never tried pomegranate, I encourage you to do so. The seeds are edible, watery and have an extremely refreshing and pleasant flavor. I will include some recipes in this week’s menu plan.
MEATLESS MONDAY Avocado, Grapefruit and Pomegranate Salad Blackened Black Bean Burgers
TUESDAY Shrimp and Guacamole Tostadas Southwestern Slaw
WEDNESDAY Holiday Cranberry Pomegranate Chicken Salad Golden Winter Soup Serve the chicken salad on a bed of greens. I will make a few changes to the soup – I’ll substitute sweet potato for 1 cup of the russet potato and I will only use 1/3 cup of organic half and half.
THURSDAY Harvest Minestrone Serve with some Bob’s Red Mill gluten free cornbread.
FRIDAY Chicken and Carrots with Wine Sauce and steamed broccoli. Make this in a slow cooker – the garlic will really mellow. I love to use Udi’s gluten free whole grain hot dog rolls as a gluten-free french bread.
Amy, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your wonderful work! I’ve been using your weekly menu for 3 months, and as a workin mom of a toddler, this is just wonderful, all that I asked for! Some of the receipes are really delicious, like the stuffed accorn squash!!!!!! They were to die for! I feel much better having the breakfast you suggest, cleaning my kitchen cabinet, and just watching what I buy and eat. Wonderful, thank you so much, God bless you, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Keep the good work!