Chicken with Artichokes and Angel Hair. This had some good flavors and the girls were particularly fond of the artichoke and the capers, but while it did taste good, we didn’t love it enough to think that we wanted to eat this again soon. We used whole wheat angel hair and instead of butter, we use smart balance.

Roasted Cauliflower Risotto. This is my first time making and trying risotto. I liked it, but it was okay. The girls ate it the first night, but they didn’t want much of it for lunch. I put slightly more cauliflower than it calls for and I like that it’s full of it. For the rice, I used arborio, which we had left over from  when I bought some for the paella. To limit the amount of fat in the dish, I didn’t put the cheese in the risotto but sprinkled it on each bowl based on how much each person wanted. I also left out the almonds because True is allergic. We’ve got a big pot full left, so I have a feeling we’ll be eating this for a few days.

Cod with Herbed White Wine Lemon Sauce. This was served along with the risotto and they went well together. The girls loved this! I’m pretty sure my girls could be pescatarians one day, except True is allergic to shellfish. It was nice and lemony and I used smart balance instead of butter, and for the herbs, I used parsley and dill.

Week 12/17 – 12/21
Monday: Scallion Meatballs with Soy Ginger Glaze
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza night

One week left and then it’s Christmas! I won’t be doing any Christmas cooking as special occasion cooking is usually up to Ben. This weekly family meal planning started up because I wanted to challenge myself to cook. Ben used to come home from work and I would say, “So what are you making for dinner?” Ben is the natural chef in our home and I need to have directions in front of me to make a good dish. I’m learning a lot and am so thankful that I am able to make these yummy, and healthy meals for my children.

I am especially so thankful for the time we spend eating together at the dinner table. My heart aches for the families in Newton, Connecticut, who will no longer be able to do that with their children. It’s all quite sad.