American and Bolivian Cooking with a Spanglish Touch {Multicultural Meal Plan Mondays}

Confession, when I first got married I did not know how to cook at all, not even an egg.  I fed my husband Stir Fry for over a year and he would grill steaks on weekends.  Ok, I said it, I am free now. I learned to cook over the last 10 years and living with mom has really taught me the secrets of American cooking.  I do not have a Bolivian restaurant nearby so I had to learn to master Bolivian cooking to satisfy mis antojos, and of course to teach my children their heritage.

Also, my husband is highly sensitive to food preservatives and artificial ingredients, so I leaned the good way, from scratch. I do not make English muffins, noodles and soft taco shells. Someday I will have the gadgets and the ability to make these.

I love making my food at home. I garden and preserve for the winter. I found that planning ahead, cooking ahead and eating leftovers can really free you a lot.

I used to cook 3 square meals, because my gringo wanted a big breakfast and a big supper (like a good gringo) and I wanted a big lunch (like a good Bolivian). Finally we found our equilibrium point in which we have a big breakfast and a big supper, but I still have my big lunch (leftovers).

Things that I make weekly are bread, chocolate milk or juice popsicles, some sort of sweet bread (zucchini or pumpkin) or cookies.

	Breakfast	Lunch	Supper
Monday	Scramble Eggs Toast, Juice and Fruit.	Pizza made from English muffins and homemade sauce, salad.	Quinoa Soup with Cheese Sandwiches and Salad
Tuesday	Waffles, Yogurt, Fruit and Hot Drink.	Quinoa Soup with Toasts.	Pastel de Fideo con Queso (Mac and Cheese) with Green Beans and Apple Sauce.
Wednesday	Oats, Toast, Juice  and Fruit	Tuna Sandwiches and Chips	Grilled Chicken with Arroz con Queso and Salad.
Thursday	Pancakes with yogurt Fruit and Hot Drink	Chicken Sandwiches from left over Chicken  or PBJ’s	Hamburguers, French Fries and Salad
Friday (Co-op Day)	Cereal, toast and Fruit	Co-op day so we pack Avocado, hard boil eggs and bread.  Chips or pretzels and fruit.	Breakfast for Supper, French Toast

Notes:
About Drinks,

• Breakfast drinks, are either Milk, Juice or Pero (Hot Beverage from Barley) and Coffee for the adults.
• Lunch Drinks vary depending on the dessert: Milk with PBJ’s, Water if there is desserts or Fruit Juice (usually grape),
• Supper Drinks are usually Cold Cinnamon Tea, Water or Fruit Juice.

Desserts are usually fruit, ice cream, or cookies.

I have learned to have snacks handy, like nuts, fruit, cheese and crackers.  I try to stay away from artificial ingredients products.

About Salads.
I learned that salads besides being healthy raw food, bring color and life to a meal.  I usually have a mix of vegetables such as lettuce, onions, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, olives, etc.