I don't do the once a week thing but I do try to cook something on the weekend that I can eat for lunch most of the week, like chili or whole wheat pizzas. This weekend I went to Trader Joe's and was tempted by the frozen veggie burritos and spanakopita, so I decided to make and freeze my own. So now my freezer is full of that, and I will eat a few of each every week until they're gone, but I will still cook other meals. I also just decided to start cooking half of my dog's meals (using the diet recommendations by Lew Olsen at b-naturals.com). So my freezer now has portions of chicken and beef and liver. I could probably be cooking more of that at a time so I don't have to do it every week. I need to make a blackberry cobbler and an apple pie to free up some freezer space. Melissa

I was in the restaurant business for 42 years. A large portion of our customers were regulars, many of which ate with us 5x per week. Our senior customers came in for a late lunch which was usually their main meal for the day. Most did so because it was cheaper to eat out than to cook for one or two, but more importantly they enjoyed the social aspect of it. Our regulars, whether young or old, normally chose healthy meals. When DH travels for business and I'm home alone, I often eat out because it's cheaper than preparing it myself. I eat very healthy. If I drive though, I generally get a salad or grilled sandwich, although sometimes the french fries call my name, especially at IN-and-Out Burger :)

Mushrooms are another good substitution for meat, especially portobellos. I made this lasagna a few years ago and I thought it was the bomb. Its great for mushroom and 'smokey flavor' lovers. Only complaint I have it is doesn't keep - turns to rubber the next day. Kids won't touch it :-(. I googled 'smoked mushroom lasagna' and snagged it off Dean and Deluca's site - but I'm sure it's elsewhere too - one of those recipes all over the net. Wild Mushroom Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella and Fresh Sage Austere, unsaucy, devoted singularly to the flavors of one ingredient- mushrooms Ingredients: 1 1/2 firmly packed cups dried porcini 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 cups very thinly sliced cultivated mushrooms (about 1 pound) 6 cups very thinly sliced wild mushrooms (about 1 1/4 pounds) 6 shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely minced (plus extra leaves for garnish) 1/2 cup heavy cream salt and freshly ground pepper to taste freshly grated nutmeg 9 sheets lasagna, each one about 10 inches by 2 inches, parboiled (see pages 160 and 161) 1 pound smoked mozzarella, shredded 3/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano plus extra for serving Directions: 1. Place the dried porcini in a bowl, and cover with about 2 cups of hot water. Soak for 30 minutes. 2. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a very large sautpan over moderately high heat. When the butter has melted and is just starting to brown slightly, add the sliced cultivated mushrooms. Make sure the pan is not crowded (if it is, do this in two batches). Sauté the mushrooms over high heat for 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown slightly. Remove and reserve. 3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan over moderately high heat. When the butter has melted and is just starting to brown slightly, add the sliced wild mushrooms. Make sure the pan is not crowded (if it is, do this in two batches). Also add the shallots, the garlic, and the minced sage. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat for 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown slightly. Return the sautéed cultivated mushrooms to the pan, and mix together well. Drain the porcini, and add to the pan, mixing well. Add the cream, and cook over high heat until the cream thickens slightly (about 30 seconds). Remove mixture from heat. Season with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. 4. Butter a lasagna pan that is roughly 9 inches by 11 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Place 3 parboiled lasagna strips on the bottom of the pan (they may overlap slightly). Cover with half of the mushroom mixture, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a quarter of the smoked mozzarella. Make sure everything is spread out evenly. Top with 3 more lasagna strips. Cover with the remaining half of the mushroom mixture, the remaining half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the second quarter of the smoked mozzarella (reserving half of the original amount). Make sure everything is spread out evenly. Top with the last 3 lasagna strips. Place whole leaves of sage over the lasagna in a decorative pattern. Top with the remaining smoked mozzarella, spreading it out evenly. 5. Cover the lasagna pan well with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 325 degrees oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, and place under the broiler until brown and bubbly on top, about 1 minute. Let rest 10 minutes, then cut into sections and place on plates. There will probably be a little creamy liquid at the bottom of the lasagna pan. Reduce briefly, if desired, and spoon a little over the lasagna portions. Sprinkle each portion with salt and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve. Note: This recipe, especially, is good with fresh lasagna noodles. It doesn't have as much goo in the middle as other lasagnas, and the fresh noodles help pull it together. You've probably never had a lasagna like this one: austere, unsaucy, devoted singularly to the flavors of one ingredient -- mushrooms. And do those flavors ever come through! The smoky mozzarella only serves to underline the earthy, woodsy autumnness of it all. Use the deepest-tasting wild mushrooms you can find (we've done this dish with everything from French chanterelles to Japanese mitsutake mushrooms). The key to success is slicing all of the mushrooms very thinly; the thinness of the cut is what gives the dish its delicacy. We like to use a mandoline or one of those less expensive plastic versions. Serves 6

George Stella is a tv chef from way back and he has numerous cookbooks...sometimes they are practically free when on special...He has websites and probably facebook..Here is a google page that has a bunch of his stuff and his recipes are just normal every day things... One thing I would suggest though is to actually buy a few of the low carb flours like almond flour and you might even try a baking mix. Never hurts to try and get your fare as normal as possible. Almond flour is not cheap but it's worth it or you can grind your own..I have about 6 or 7 different kinds of flour and like having them available for when I want them...Keep them in the freezer and they last forever...I'm not a big fan of soy flour but it's available too.... Here is a link that might be useful: Stella This post was edited by ruthieg__tx on Tue, Dec 30, 14 at 9:49