For all my talk about meat, I have to admit that I haven’t been eating it nearly as much as I did a year ago. This is both good and bad. Though the bad reason is unknown to anyone else but myself. Specifically, I’m convinced that my stomach digests meat well and I remember eating local, whole foods and feeling better than I do these days. I’m starting to think that I need to eat more meat but not too much, hopefully a sustainable amount.
That said, I have enjoyed eating more vegetarian meals. Every so often I read another study on meat consumption and climate change. Sadly I don’t have a link to this particularly reading, but I remember a study that found eating meat 3 times a week was sustainable (given the meat was raised Joel Salatin-style.) And so I want to eat meat by this number. As a meat eater I think its very reasonable to consume animals 3 times a week – it provides a good balance for the weekly menus. Though for some reason unbeknownst to me, we have eaten meat less than 3 times a week lately, more like once or twice.
Things are gonna’ change around here! Well, actually, at least this coming week they will. It so happens that we are leaving Portland to visit my family in VA for a week. Not knowing what we’ll consumer there, I want to enjoy some of that luscious lamb we purchased from Afton Field farm. I suppose, whether or not we eat meat in VA, I want to enjoy some of the good stuff we have now.
And so, without further ado, next week’s menu (starting tomorrow):
- Lamb chops with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy
- Cuisines of the World potluck – Morocco
- Butternut squash soup with ginger and roasted cauliflower
- Lamb (shepherd’s) pie with sauteed kale
Okay. Let me explain why there appears to be so few meals this week. Unlike our normal lives, this week we actually have lots of plans! (yay for socializing) Three of our nights we’ll be eating out and on Sunday we will host the next Cuisines of the World potluck. I am really excited about it because I picked the country, and we are going to Morocco! I’m thinking spices galore, slowly stewed meats and lentils, maybe some mint tea and savory pastries. Although I have no idea what others are bringing, I can share my intentions with you. Again, using one of our Afton farm meats, I will brine and roast a chicken rubbed in Moroccan spices. As you might expect, I will post pictures and comments on the evening later next week. It shall be a glorious feast!
Overall I think it will be an awesome week. Ending with a Hanukah party and a week-long vacation with my folks. I’m sure everyone has lots of exciting plans for the holiday season. Lucky for us, we are getting an early start this year.
But don’t you worry, Good Man Eats will continue to write, write, write.
Related posts:
- Where have all the simple meals gone? (weekly menu 12)
- Freezer Madness and the Long Winter Ahead
- Kale, how I love thee (weekly menu 5)
- Between the Holidays (weekly menu 14)
- Hearty Food Returns (weekly menu 18)
Tags: afton field farm, Chicken, Joel Salatin, lamb, Soup, weekly menu
I just got finished making my weekly menu and found myself looking through your blog again (I am planning on making that mushroom gravy you mentioned. Yum!).
That said, I have been using a resource for menu planning called The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin. His story of how healthy, whole, sustainable, organic food literally saved his life. He uses recipes primarily from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and The Lazy Person’s Whole Food Cookbook by Stephen Byrnes. I have the Sally Fallon cookbook and have not used it as much as I’d like.
Anywho, thought you might find this an interesting source to look into.
Happy cooking & eating!