My menu plan is now sponsored by the great people over at Better Batter Flour.  The menus will also be published at Start Gluten Free, an online resource made to welcome people into the gluten free living community and help them not feel overwhelmed by new dietary restrictions.  I am thrilled to be a small part of this vibrant community!  Stop by and say “Hi!”

 

So, I checked my garden notes from last year, and had noted my rhubarb was sprouting just one year ago, but this year I am looking out at snow blowing across my yard.  Sigh…  Oh well, the good thing about it being the looooooongest Spring ever is that the maple sap has been flowing like crazy!  Last Spring I didn’t get one speck of sap, but this year it looks like I may be getting over 3 gallons of finished maple syrup.  Amazing!  I guess I can accept a bit of slush for lots and lots of syrup.  🙂

 

I am thrilled to be hosting the Gluten Free Menu Swap this week!  If you would like to follow along with the theme, it is rhubarb.    I love, love, love rhubarb and I am fortunate enough to have rhubarb plants that were planted by my grandparents.  But, it does not get served as often as I would like.  Why, do you ask?  My darling husband doesn’t care for rhubarb.  And when I say he doesn’t care for it, I mean he hates it with the burning passion of a thousand suns.  He shuns any type of cooked fruit, but rhubarb has the distinction of the top of the list leaving all others behind.  Sigh…  What’s a girl to do?  Serve it anyway!  Hey, it means more muffins for me!  🙂  Besides making rhubarb sauce to top dairy free vanilla ice cream, I use rhubarb in Strawberry Rhubarb Raspberry Crumble, Strawberry Rhubarb Bread, Rhubarb Strussel Muffins,Strawberry Rhubarb Salad Dressing, Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie (why, yes, I do like strawberry with my rhubarb), freezing it up as a Rhubarb & Strawberry Smoothie Mix, Cinnamon Rhubarb Jam, dairy free Rhubarb Ice “Cream”  And it looks like I picked it as the theme a couple of years ago.    How do you feel about rhubarb?  Do you love it or hate it?

 

Freezer cooking plan for the week:  Sweet Potato Chili, Cheddar Bay Biscuit Clones (made dairy free) and White Bean Spinach Ragout are making their way to my freezer this week.  The bean dish is going into my freezer packaged up as lunch sized servings, easy to grab and go.  I like it heated or at room temp.

In honor of my amazing maple syrup harvest, I am pulling together a breakfast freezer menu for everyone.  If you have any ideas of items you would like to see on a breakfast freezer menu, leave a comment below!  Thanks!

 

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The week’s breakfast options:  Roasted Vegetable Medley  (I found this on Vegetarian Mama’s Gluten Free Fridays.  You need to check her site out!) or Coffeecake in a mug with poached eggs and various fruits.

The week’s lunch options:  Turkey & broccoli sprouts on GF Bavarian Pretzel Sandwich Rolls(I decided to make extra last week, so have some rolls in the freezer.  Yay!), sunbutter on Noah Rollsand various fruits and veggie sticks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Printable grocery list for this week’s dinner menu.

 

 

Monday:  Sweet Potato Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Clones (done dairy free)

For the freezer:   Make double batches of  both Sweet Potato Chili and the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Clones.  Serve one batch at dinner and package the rest in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible, label and freeze.

 

Tuesday:  Moonlight Beef Fajitas with Gluten Free Flour Tortillas with all the fixings (guacamole, salsa and fresh cilantro) and pineapple

 

Wednesday:  Chicken Sausage Broccolini Quinoa with apple slices

 

Thursday:  Almond Crusted Fish Sticks with White Bean Spinach Ragout and steamed green beans

For the freezer:   Make a double batch of  White Bean Spinach Ragout.  Allow the second batch to cool while you eat dinner, then put into a lunch sized portions in freezer safe containers.  Remove as much air as possible, label and freeze.

 

Friday:  Supreme Pizza (from the freezer) with spinach salad topped with strawberries and Strawberry Rhubarb Salad Dressing

 

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What will be on everyone else’s plate?
Heather of Celiac Family is not too fond of rhubarb, maybe because she doesn’t have it too often.  Maybe we can all persuader her of its deliciousness!  This week she is serving up Sandwiches and Tropical Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing, Mexican Chicken Bowls with Cilantro Rice (one of my favorite recipes of hers) and Avocado Salsa (also a favorite!), Grilled Steaks with Red Potato and Green Bean Salad, Easy Garlic Shrimp Pasta with Broccoli, Pizza served with a Strawberry Spinach Salad, Indian Chicken with Quinoa, and a leftovers night.  Delicious, as always, Heather!
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Kimberlee at The Peaceful Mom has a great menu that includes Mango Salsa Chicken (yum!), Taco Cups with Black Bean and Corn Salsa, BBQ Pepper Jack Bacon Burgers with Kettle Chips and Tomato Cucumber Salad, Ham & Spinach Pasta, Bacon Wrapped Chicken (recipe coming soon!) with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans, pancakes and sausage, and Chicken Enchiladas with rice and Mexican Corn.  Sounds great, Kimberlee!
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Melissa at Mom’s Plans is eating from the freezer this week – you know I love that!  Freezer cooking is my jam!  🙂  This week she is cooking up Tuna Noodle Casserole, Baby Back Ribs with Homemade French Fries and Beets, Chicken Fried Rice with green beans, Taco Soup, Chicken Rice Soup, Slow Cooker Chili, and Italian Chili with Mixed Vegetables.  Yum!  Sounds like perfect food for the Spring weather that isn’t so Spring-like around here…
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Need more menu planning inspiration?  Head over  for Menu Plan Monday at Organized Junkie.