This Weeks Eats (with Major Love for Veggie Grill) 7.28.13

OK, so I lied about my next post being 'How to Survive Childrens Hospital for Five Days with Your Six Year Old.'  That one might take a while to pull together...  Rest assured that big brother is 100% back to his regularly scheduled programming of being in constant motion, a nonstop chatterbox, and is fighting like cats and dogs with his sister - yay.  Thanks so much for all the good juju and support y'all. 

Anyhoo, after two weeks of chaos with the week leading up to Ragnar and our subsequent hospital stay, it's time to get back into the routine - including meal planning and REAL food.  I am so very sick of sandwiches and, dare I say, Starbucks.  There are two inside Seattle Children's and I think my gold status should be secure for at least five more years.  I must give a big thumbs up to their Chicken BLT Salad Sandwich, though.  And I finally had the opportunity to try Veggie Grill!  There's one nearby at University Village and when my husband and I would do a 'changing of the guard' at the hospital, I'd take my daughter there and we'd grab lunch or dinner, depending upon the time of day.  I am by no means a vegetarian, but I can certainly appreciate a vegetarian meal.  My daughter loved her mac and cheese, sweet potato fries and pudding cup.  I tried the 'steak' tacos (awesome!), crispy chickin' plate with steamed kale and cauli-mashed potatoes (ermagherd, yummmm), and this fantastic salad - the Savory Kale Ceasar (I die).  It's got marinated kale, romaine hearts, chopped Tempeh Bacon, chunky avocado, cucumber, croutons, veggie Parmesan and I got grilled chickin' on top.  

www.veggiegrill.com

I never knew 'fake' meats could taste so delicious, even the 'bacon' was good.  Now, I'm not about to become a vegetarian, but I will certainly eat at this fine establishment every. chance. I. get.  I even tried to recreate this salad for dinner tonight with real bacon and chicken.  Pretty tasty, but I couldn't recreate Veggie Grill's kale, plus I do not have an unending supply of iced teas.  That was the kicker - I could happily float on a river of their self serve iced pomegranate green tea and ginger hibiscus tea; and my daughter was pretty stoked about the fresh strawberry lemonade.  I foresee many trips to the one that's opening soon on the Eastside in Bellevue.

So after all that, here's my not quite as exciting as Veggie Grill menu for the week.  But, man, I'm sure excited about it and having our routine back - PLUS it's my birthday this week, which means Saturday date night!

• Monday - Pizza
• Tuesday - Chicken with Artichoke, Tomatoes and Mozzarella
• Wednesday - Thai Ground Beef
• Thursday - Spicy Avocado and Chicken Enchiladas
• Friday - Baked Ziti (nice and easy since we froze a batch)
• Saturday - date night!  I've got a birthday to celebrate - last one before I turn FORTY.  Jaysus.
• Sunday - Ginger Sesame Chicken Salad

Linking up again with Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers (who has great vegetarian menus, by the way), as well as Rachel at In No Simple Language - be sure to check out all the great weekly menus!