Menu Plan Monday and Brown Rice Stuffing Recipe

Last week we tried a Brown Rice Stuffing recipe that was super delicious! I baked it in a casserole dish with chicken pieces on top. The stuffing turned out extra moist. Definitely a keeper! One thing we do miss eating since we changed the way we eat is stuffing--especially Stovetop! Brown Rice Stuffing would be a great addition to a holiday meal. The recipe is below.

**For weight loss and general health, we eat a diet low in grains but higher in protein, healthy fats, vegetables and fruit.  For the most part, we avoid wheat, corn, refined sugar, starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes and most processed foods. It is a work in progress--our diet isn't always perfect and we are far from eating all organic but we have both lost a good bit of weight since changing to eating this way in March of 2011 and we feel great! And for the record, we do eat a lot of brown rice and eggs and we're ok with that!**

This week's menu:  


Breakfast

• Scrambled eggs, turkey sausage links (2x)
• Scrambled eggs, chicken (1x)
• Scrambled eggs (3x)
• Egg muffins with ham or bacon (1x)

Lunch 

• Vegetable soup. A recipe I got from FlyLady years ago and make often! Makes a big pot and serves us for 4-5 meals!
• Spinach salad with leftover Israeli Spice Chicken.
• Leftovers (2x).
• Spinach salad with eggs, ham and cheese.
• Packed lunch.

Snacks

• Clementines (2x).
• Yogurt with apple butter.
• Bananas with almond or peanut butter (2x).
• Peanut butter banana smoothie.

Supper--planning for 5 this week.

• Chicken drumsticks rubbed with Israeli Spice Rub and baked like this, homemade cream of broccoli soup
• Ham (crockpot if it fits, otherwise baked in oven), sauteed green beans with mushrooms and bacon
• Hot dogs (nitrate-free), coleslaw, sweet potato fries
• Breadless ham and cheese melts (we're making this up as we go, folks!), steamed broccoli
• Leftovers-probably ham.

What's on your menu this week? 

Brown Rice Stuffing
Adapted from  At Home In The Kitchen--Mennonite, Hutterite and Amish-Style Cooking.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup sliced mushrooms-- I used Baby Bellas.
Handful of chopped dried cranberries--optional

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in skillet; add onions, celery and mushrooms. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Add cranberries. Combine with cooked rice. Stir in parsley and salt.

I spread this in a 9 x 13 pan with raw chicken pieces on top and baked at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Stuffing can also be baked separately in a casserole dish for the same time and temperature.



**This post is part of Menu Plan Monday!