Meal Planning

This upcoming week is Christmas.  Sameer's cousin and his fiance are coming to stay for a few days starting Saturday, and I like to keep meal plans loose and changeable when we have company, so I'm planning some quick, easy, tasty meals that can also be put off until another day if we get takeout or go somewhere.  Here is what I'm making:

Seitan & Veggie Stir-fry

Black Bean Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries
We used the last of the black bean burgers in the freezer today, but I can easily make another batch this week and pop them in the freezer.

NY-Style Veggie Pizza and Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Waldorf and Caramel Cake
This will be Christmas dinner.  I tend to go fairly traditional for holidays, but since there's no particular reason, this year I'm just making whatever I want, and this is what I want.  We're all out of pizza dough, so I need to make a fresh batch for this.  I've never made this cake before, but I love caramel cake from boxed mix and wanted to try making the real deal.

Veggie Summer Rolls with Peanut Lime Sauce
I don't care if it's the wrong time of year.  I haven't had these things in months, and I love them.

Penne alla Vodka

Cinnamon Rolls
This isn't for dinner, but it's definitely something I want to make, probably right before our house guests arrive.  I haven't made them since shortly before Simran was born.  I always make double frosting.  It's so much that there is a solid layer on top of the cinnamon rolls, plus a container of extra in the fridge.

Healthy Whole-Grain Breakfasts

I'm making a list here of the new breakfast recipes I'm going to try so that I can find them again easily.  The vegan overnight oats aren't as appealing to Simran or to me now that it's so cold outside, and making a proper bowl of hot oatmeal takes at least five minutes, which is about four minutes longer than Simran will tolerate in the morning.  My criteria for a good breakfast are whole-grain, high-fiber, low-fat, and low- or no-sugar. 

At the moment I'm making a pot of make ahead steel cut oatmeal to heat up in the microwave tomorrow morning.  If it goes well, I could easily make this with different flavors, such as cinnamon-raisin, pumpkin, apple-spice, and pecan pie (which I imagine would have chopped pecans and Medjool dates with a hint of maple syrup).  There are other versions on the website too.  I like to use bananas and raisins as much as possible in this sort of thing since they are both naturally very sweet and can make added sweeteners unnecessary.  I also plan to try:

Basic Oatmeal Squares
Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothies (I think I've made this before for Simran's afternoon snack.  It was a pumpkin smoothie from ohsheglows.com anyway, and it was fantastic.)
Carrot Cake Oatmeal (I wonder how much of this could be made ahead, or if it could be done in the fashion of the make ahead steel cut oatmeal.  I've been wanting to try this recipe for a long time, but now that I've received a salad shooter that shreds vegetables automatically for Christmas, I'll actually bother.  I hate shredding carrots by hand.)
Whole-Grain Pancakes, possibly from Caldwell Esselstyn's book or similar, served with fresh fruit or warm fruit compote
I'd also like to experiment with more low-sugar quick breads.  I've made decent pumpkin bread and banana bread that are entirely whole-grain and relatively low-sugar -- about a third of the sugar of a regular quick bread recipe anyway.

When the weather turns warm again, I plan to try:
Green Monster (not sure if Simran will love or hate this)
I also want to experiment with making some whole-fruit sorbets maybe with ground rolled oats in them to add some bulk and staying power.  Though I might just want to make this into fruit smoothies in the fashion of the pumpkin gingerbread one since that might be even easier, both to make and to consume.
Side note: The next time I make vegan overnight oats, I plan to add the banana and any other fruit right before eating it.  I think it will look more appetizing since the chopped banana tends to brown in the fridge.  This would also make it into a more-edible version of Rip's Big Bowl, which is essentially oats and shredded wheat and fruit and non-dairy milk all thrown into a bowl.  I'd also like to try soaking the oats in almond milk overnight and just warming them up in the morning.  They require a bit of actual cooking when they haven't been soaking, so I wonder if I could circumvent the whole actual cooking process this way and still make hot oatmeal.  Worth a shot, I think. 

Meal Planning

One more week 'til Christmas, and my freezer and pantry are significantly less crowded.  Here is what I have to use up this week from the fridge:  a couple cups of baby spinach, a couple cups of cubed sweet potato, and about half a cup of chopped green bell pepper.  Here is what I'm making:

Thai Green Curry
This will use up the cubed sweet potato and chopped bell pepper.  I also have a small stockpile of tofu in the fridge from my last trip to Whole Foods (it costs 50% less than at Meijer since you can get store-brand tofu from Whole Foods), which this will dip into.  I hate buying fresh basil in winter, but I do have a coupon for fresh herbs, and I think that's almost all I need to buy for this.

Black Bean Burgers on Honey-Oat Buns and Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Leftover Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
I still have a bag of frozen black bean burgers in the freezer, so I'm making them again.  I'm making honey-oat buns for them this time because it's how the local restaurant serves them and will allow me to skip buying pretzel rolls.  I have about four organic sweet potatoes in the pantry from my last trip to Whole Foods, and the fries will use up one of them.  As the freezer has gotten emptier, I've found some small containers of frozen soup, so we'll eat those for our leafy green vegetable. 

Tofu Po'Boy Sandwiches on French Bread with Vegan Remoulade Sauce and Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
I have plenty of tofu and Cajun spice blend and fixins for these sandwiches.  They might even use up the pickle chips in the fridge.  The tomatoes and lettuce I need to buy will work for both these sandwiches and the black bean burgers, so I might be able to avoid any leftovers.

Pita Pizzas and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
The pita pizzas will use up some of the herbed feta in the fridge as well as most of the rest of the fresh baby spinach.  I think I already have a jar of sun-dried tomato pesto in the pantry.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Cinnamon Squash Chowder and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks and Leftover Pita Bread
I'm skipping the squash mac 'n cheeze I usually make with this meal since I'm making the squash chowder, which Simran actually likes better lately.

Stir-fried Veggies & Seitan with Brown Rice
I've been making this weekly for a little while now, and it's really good.  A much better recipe than I've made before -- with seasoned sesame oil and peanut oil and liquid aminos and honey and ginger and garlic pastes.  I need to actually write it down.

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
I still have a fair amount of chopped delicata and butternut squash in my freezer, and I like this stew.  The last time I made it, I also made cheese & onion pasties, which was pretty much all Simran condescended to eat, so I'm making grilled cheese this time to go with the stew.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  I've been giving Simran leftover soup and/or crudites with homemade ranch dressing to round out pretty much every meal (turns out she'll eat pretty much whatever as long as she can feed it to herself from her little plate with her little utensils), so I'm not stressing so much about cooking veggie sides this week.  Here is what I'm making:

Tofu Pot Pie and Beets
I didn't end up making these today, so I'll do it tomorrow.

NY-Style Pizza and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
I have one more pizza crust in my freezer and a bit of whole-fat mozzarella, so I'm finishing them off with this pizza. 

Stuffed Tofurkys and Wild Rice Pilaf and Cinnamon Squash Chowder
I have two stuffed tofurkys in my freezer leftover from Thanksgiving, two small bags of wild rice in the pantry, and an entire delicata squash chopped up in my freezer for the cinnamon squash chowder.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Buffalo Hummus and Celery Sticks and Peas & Carrots
I have tofu in the fridge for this, and winter squash puree in the freezer for the mac 'n cheeze.

Stir-fried Veggies & Seitans
This will use up some more seitan from my freezer and random vegetables from my fridge and freezer, as well as the last of the brown rice noodles in the pantry.

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew
This is an easy, healthy, cheap winter meal that will use up some more of that delicata squash in my freezer, the spinach in my fridge, and the red lentils in my pantry.

Spinach Lasagna
This will use up some of the whole wheat lasagna noodles and marinara in the pantry, as well as the last of the mozzarella and some of the parmesan and spinach in the fridge and some of the seitan in the freezer.  I think I pretty much just have to buy cottage cheese for this one.

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com, and it's quite good and very healthy and very cheap to make.  I've adjusted the directions based on the easier, lazier way I make this.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (or ghee, if you don't care if it's vegan, or alternately skip the oil altogether)
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp good quality curry powder (or more to taste -- I like Badia's Jamaican style curry powder)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (I use low-sodium)
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 cups cooked butternut squash (I've also used pumpkin, or any sort of winter squash I have on hand -- if you don't want to bother cooking it in advance, add the squash when you add the lentils and cook until tender)
• 1 cup greens of choice
• Fresh grated ginger, to taste (optional)
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste (about 1/2 tsp salt, if using low-sodium broth)

Directions

1. In a large pot, add olive oil (if using -- or ghee, if using that) and chopped onion.  Sautee for about 5 minutes over low-medium heat.  [To avoid using oil, use a non-stick pot or simply let everything cook by boiling in the broth.]

2. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger (or ginger paste, as I use).  Cook another couple minutes.  Stir in curry powder and broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in cooked butternut squash and greens of choice. Cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and add some freshly grated ginger to taste.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Now that Thankgiving is over, my meal planning goal until Christmas will be to use up things I already have in my freezer and pantry so that I mostly just need to buy produce.  It's a good way to clean out the non- and less-perishables (and organize the newly cleared out pantry) without having to dig through lots of stuff.  Here is what I'm making this week:

New York Style Pizza and Kale in Walnut Sauce
I made a batch of New York style pizza dough last week, which yields three pizza doughs, and I still have leftover full-fat mozzarella, Parmesan, and chopped green bell pepper and onion from making pizza last week too.  This meal will use up a pizza dough, the chopped veggies, and most of that cheese, as well as some pizza sauce from the pantry.  I already have walnut sauce in the fridge for kale.

Loaded Nachos and Bean Salad and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
Sameer and I love loaded nachos with real cheese, and we have all the ingredients already (light sour cream leftover from Thanksgiving, salsa, cheese, tortilla chips, avocados for guacamole), so I'm going crazy this week and even serving them to Simran.  I figure if I make a couple of healthy side dishes it shouldn't be too bad.  

Veggie Paninis and Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Cinnamon Squash Chowder
The paninis will use up some of the sprouted whole grain bread in the freezer as well as any remaining tomatoes leftover from this past week's sandwiches.   I have a couple of leftover sweet potatoes from last week that will make the fries and chowder.  The chowder will also use up the delicata squash I already have on hand.

Tofu Quiche and Green Banana Power Blended Salad and Banana Bread
I have tons of ripe bananas that I don't want to fill my freezer with, so I'm making banana bread -- Simran loves snacking breads.  The tofu quiche and blended salad will only require me to buy some baby spinach.

Tofu Pot Pie and Beets
I love tofu pot pie.  The pie crust isn't particularly healthy, but everything else in it is, and this dish will use up a bunch of veggies from my fridge and freezer.  Pie crust -- as with most unhealthy baked things -- can be made from essentials that are always on hand in my pantry.

Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans
This dish should use up any remaining spinach from the night of the quiche.  I already have gnocchi, canned diced tomatoes, and white beans in the pantry.  This dish might use up the last of the mozzarella and Parmesan too.

Veggie & Seitan Stirfry over Brown Rice Noodles
I was looking through my freezer this morning and saw lots of homemade seitans from the last batch I made.  I already have the brown rice noodles in my pantry, and this will mostly use up veggies from my fridge and freezer -- and any canned water chestnuts and baby corn in the pantry too.

Tofu Pot Pie

I've been making and loving this recipe for years, so I was shocked to see I hadn't actually posted it here yet.  It's based on Alton Brown's Curry Chicken Pot Pie.

Ingredients
2 batches pie crust (one for bottom and one for top)

8 oz (about half a package) firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed

2 cups chopped vegetable mix (peas, carrots, green beans, corn -- can be fresh or frozen, just use whatever you've got)

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup milk (I often use soy or almond milk, which work fine.)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon curry powder (I use Badia brand -- the yellow Jamaican-style kind -- even when it means buying it in bulk on Amazon.)

1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Pre-cook one pie crust and set aside to cool -- can be several hours in advance or just before making filling.  Put remaining pie dough in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

3. In a saute pan, lightly brown the tofu (butter/oil optional).  Set aside tofu, add a tablespoon of butter to pan and sweat the onion and celery. In a second small saucepan, start to heat the broth and milk. Add another tablespoon of butter and all the remaining vegetables to the celery mix, and heat through, cooking out as much water as possible. Whisk the flour and curry into the milk and cook until thickened. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Add the tofu back in to the saute pan with the vegetables. Fill cooled pie crust with as much vegetable/tofu mixture as it can comfortably hold, then pour in milk mixture to fill in and top off (do not overfill or it can bubble over through the crust). Roll out remaining pie dough into a sheet and lay it across pot pie.  Pinch edges shut, trim off excess, and cut four 1-2 inch slits in the center of the crust to let out steam.  Place into the oven and cook until top of pie has browned lightly and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.  (You can use extra vegetable mixture, milk gravy, and dough to make tiny pot pies and freeze them for later.  Alternately, you can cook excess pie dough in ramekins and make them into little tarts for dessert.)

[ETA 2/22/20: I've changed how I make the gravy and wanted to make note.  I make a cup of broth with vegetable Better Than Bouillon then add corn starch instead of flour.  No milk.  Resulting concoction is very salty but more flavorful than most broths, so I compensate by under-salting the tofu/veg mixture and the finished product evens out.  Don't use all the gravy.  Put tofu/veg mixture in the pie crust first, then add gravy so that it fills in around it.  It shouldn't cover the veg entirely.]

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Here is what's currently in the fridge:  1 crown broccoli, some carrots, one bunch celery, an avocado, a few beets, two zucchini, a delicata squash, and several sweet potatoes.  This week is Thanksgiving, so that will be my main focus.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Thai Green Curry

Black Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
This will use up one of the sweet potatoes, some of the carrots, and the broccoli. 

New York-Style Pizza and Cinnamon Squash Chowder and Beets
I bought a brick of full-fat mozzarella last week for this and didn't end up making it.  I still have leftover butternut squash in the freezer, so I think I'll use that in place of the delicata.  The soup will also use up a lot of the carrots and celery in my fridge.

Thanksgiving 2013

Zucchini Cakes and Thanksgiving Leftovers
I have a feeling we'll still have leftovers after lunchtime Friday, so I'm just making zucchini cakes.  They'll use up the zucchini in my fridge.

Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
The Garden Pretzels will use up the pretzel bread, provolone, tomatoes, avocados, and some of the romaine bought for the black bean burgers.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I found this recipe for baked sweet potato fries on Instructables.com and everyone in the house loves it.

Ingredients

• one large sweet potato
• sea salt (coarse)
• freshly ground black pepper, chunky
• good quality olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Peel sweet potato (or not), cut off any skinny ends as necessary, cut it in half, and cut it into fries about 1/2 inch thick.  If you've just washed the sweet potato, make sure it is thoroughly dry or it won't brown properly.

3. Drizzle olive oil over fries and mix with your hands so that they are thoroughly but very lightly coated.  Place fries on a baking sheet, spaced so that they aren't on top of each other.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.

4. Cook for 15 minutes.  Turn over all the fries (this is easiest to do by hand), and cook for another 10 minutes.  They should be lightly blackened when they're done.  Serve with spicy ketchup, homemade ranch dip (Simran's favorite), or dipping sauce of your choice.

Cinnamon Squash Chowder

This recipe comes from OhSheGlows.com, where it is called Luxurious 7-Vegetable and "Cheese" Soup.  It does not taste like 7 vegetables or cheese to me, so I call it what I think it tastes like instead. I've tried it seasoned a couple different ways, but everyone in my family (baby included) found the cinnamon to be essential.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)

2-3 cups chopped sweet onion (from 1 large onion)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped celery (from 2-3 stalks)

1 heaping cup peeled and chopped carrots (from 2 small carrots)

6 packed cups broccoli florets (from 1 large bunch broccoli)

2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato (from 1 small sweet potato, about 320 g)

1.5-2 cups seeded and chopped Delicata squash (from 1 very small squash about 275 g) (I like to substitute butternut squash, or whatever squash needs using up)

6 cups vegetable broth

5 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Grab a very large pot (about 6.5 qt) with a lid and set aside.
2. Add the onion and garlic with the oil into the pot and saute over medium heat for a few minutes. Season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
3. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, and squash, one by one, as you chop them. Continue to saute over medium heat, stirring every once and a while so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
4. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary.
5. Remove lid and stir in the broth. Bring the soup to a low boil. Reduce heat to low/medium and cover with lid. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the squash and potato are fork tender.
6. Turn off heat and remove lid. Add in the nutritional yeast and cinnamon. Puree with an immersion blender (or let cool and blend in batches if necessary). Season with salt and pepper. 
7. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish and serve warm. 

[Edited 12/1/2013:  To make this a no-oil recipe, you can skip sauteing the vegetables and just boil them in the broth -- I made this in a rush last week and forgot to saute, and I couldn't tell the difference in flavor.  The essential point here is to make sure the squash and sweet potatoes are diced small enough that they will cook in a reasonable amount of time.  To that end, I boiled the soup about ten minutes with a lid on the pot, and everything turned out just fine.  Boiling much longer would have destroyed the broccoli though.]

Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving just includes the immediate family this year.  Simran was still eating baby food last year, but this year she has lots of teeth and lots of opinions on what is worthy of being eaten.  I really want to watch the parade and not spend too much time in the kitchen that day, so I chose dishes that could be made almost entirely ahead of time. 

I generally plot out when I'm going to make what, based on how far in advance each thing can be done, so I've added this part in parentheses next to each dish name.  Mostly I have a lot of chopping to do on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I find if I chop all the onions at once, all the celery at once, etc., it is faster than chopping for each dish individually, so I'll be doing that.  Come Thanksgiving day I will have five dishes that need to be cooked, so I also need to plot out when to put what in the oven so that everything is done cooking at the same time.  I only have one medium-sized oven so this also means compromising on the oven temperature.  I've plotted the oven's schedule for Thursday at the bottom, based on the fact that we eat at 5pm.

Here is what I'm going to make:

Stuffed Tofurkys (marinate tofu Monday and refrigerate, assemble everything and freeze Tuesday, cook Thursday)

Gravy (combine ingredients Wednesday and refrigerate, cook on Thursday)

Apple Pecan Cornbread Dressing (make cornbread on Tuesday, chop/assemble dry ingredients Wednesday, add wet ingredients & cook on Thursday)

Festive Fruited Yams (chop/assemble dry ingredients Wednesday, add wet ingredients & cook on Thursday)

French Bread (make on Wednesday)

Green Bean Casserole (chop/assemble on Tuesday and refrigerate, cook on Thursday)

Cranberry Waldorf Salad (chop/assemble dry ingredients on Wednesday and refrigerate, add sugar/cinnamon/yogurt on Thursday)

Candied Pears (make on Monday and refrigerate)

Thanksgiving Oven Schedule
3:15pm - Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3:30pm - Put Festive Fruited Yams in oven.
4:15pm - Put Stuffed Tofurkys in oven.
4:30pm - Put Green Bean Casserole and Apple Pecan Cornbread Dressing in oven.
4:35pm - Re-baste Stuffed Tofurkys and return to oven.  Cook gravy on stovetop and turn heat to low.
4:55pm - Check on all food and allow to cool on countertop.  Return anything needing more cooking time to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Stuffed Tofurky

This recipe is based very loosely on Tofu Turkey from AllRecipes and some reviewer comments and also other recipes for tofurky across the internet, as well as the ingredient lists on some frozen fake meat products.  Freezing makes for a meatier texture (sort of -- it's flaky like fish instead of crumbly like tofu), so make at least 24 hours in advance.  Makes three personal-sized tofurkys.

Ingredients
1 (16 oz.) package extra-firm tofu
1 tbs vegan chik'n soup seasoning 
1 cup prepared Stuffing, or stuffing of your choice
Baste:
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup apple butter
2 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Bragg liquid aminos

Directions

1. Break up tofu into a container with vegan chik'n soup seasoning and enough water to cover.  Seal and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.

2. Drain tofu and puree smooth in a food processor.  Line a sieve with a cheese cloth or clean tea towel and add tofu to drain.  Let drain for about half an hour.

3. Prepare stuffing (I prepare the dry ingredients for my entire batch of stuffing, then just add wet ingredients to the one cup intended for the tofurky and put the rest in the fridge for later).

4. Line molds with tofu.  Fill center of each with a spoonful of stuffing.  Top off with more tofu and smooth until stuffing is completely enclosed.  Cover with a sheet of wax paper and freeze entire mold.  (If you do not have individual-sized silicone molds -- which I highly recommend getting -- you can make a larger tofurky by lining your sieve with wax paper and using it as a mold.  Or a small loaf pan.)

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Whisk together sesame oil, cider, mustard, and Bragg liquid aminos.  Remove tofurkys from mold, place in a metal baking pan, and baste (I like a silicone brush for this).  Bake for 20 minutes.

6. Baste again and cook for an additional 20 minutes. 

Green Bean Casserole

I found this recipe on AllRecipes about a decade ago and have been making it for every holiday ever since.  It's really good.

Ingredients
2 tbs butter
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream (low-fat works fine)
3 (14.5 oz) cans French-style green beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers
2 tbs butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Add onion. Combine the salt, sugar, and sour cream, and add to skillet. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad

I've been making this recipe for holidays for nearly a decade now.  It's healthy and tasty, and I usually eat the leftovers for lunch and snacks until they're all gone.  I found the recipe on AllRecipes.com.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries (I've had best results by freezing cranberries, then quartering them.  Food processing releases juice and makes them sourer.)
1 cup chopped red apple
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbs white sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 (6 - 8 oz.) container vanilla low-fat yogurt

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine cranberries, apple, celery, grapes, raisins, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and yogurt. Toss to coat. Cover, and chill 2 hours. Stir just before serving.

Vegan Chik'n Soup Seasoning

I found this recipe for making chicken-style broth without the meat on Food.com.  I plan to use it to flavor tofu.  I replaced the garlic salt with garlic powder to make the saltiness easier to control.

Ingredients

1 cup nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
3 tablespoons parsley flakes (rubbed to a powder)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1/4 teaspoon savory

Directions

 

1.  Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

 

2. Use 1 tbs seasoning mix per 1 cup of liquid.

Apple Pecan Cornbread Dressing

I've been making this recipe for years, and I like it a lot.  I'm making a few changes for Thanksgiving this year.  First, I'm replacing the eggs with a mixture of flax meal and water.  I have no idea to what extent this will work, but since the finished product isn't a quiche texture or anything, I think it will be okay.  Second, since there is always too much of this dressing leftover to finish -- and I always avoid using much of the dry bread from the stuffing mix anyway -- I'm cutting out the pre-packaged stuffing mix altogether and replacing it with just the dried herbs the internet has led me to believe are normally contained in such things.  The original recipe comes from AllRecipes.com.  This year, again to avoid having to buy eggs, I'm using a vegan cornbread recipe from Post Punk Kitchen.  In the past I've typically used Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread recipe from AllRecipes.com, often replacing the buttermilk with watered down plain yogurt. 

Ingredients
1 (9x13 inch) pan cornbread, cooled and chopped (or better yet, left on the kitchen counter overnight to get a bit stale)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (replace with Earth Balance or similar vegan buttery spread to make vegan)
2 cups apple juice
3 tbs flax meal + 1/2 cup water (or low-sodium vegetable broth)

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 3 quart casserole dish.  

2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, and saute the celery and onion for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. 

3. In a large bowl, combine the cornbread, stuffing mix, parsley, ginger, and salt. Mix in the celery and onion mixture, chopped apple, chopped pecans, apple juice, and beaten flax meal mixture. Spoon dressing into prepared casserole dish. 

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through, and lightly browned on top.  (Check after 25 minutes since the original bake time is based on a larger dish.)

Gravy

I plan to serve this with stuffed tofurkys on Thanksgiving.  I found it on OhSheGlows.com, where it says it is an adaptation of an Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tbs tamari
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tbs cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tbs tahini
1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbs blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp agave nectar
2 tbs olive oil

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and puree until smooth.  In a pot on medium to high heat, add mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce to low and stir frequently to thicken.  Remove from heat and serve.  Add additional water, agave, or vinegar as needed to adjust to taste.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Here is what's currently in the fridge to use up:  a bunch and a half of lacinato kale, a lot of spinach (most of which will probably get used up in tonight's dinner), a handful of cremini mushrooms, and a lot of arugula.  The greens all have to go asap or they will have to be thrown out.  I want to make some easy stuff this week since so many of my meals lately have been severely time consuming.  However, I am also aware that one-dish dinners like penne alla vodka tend to mean making something else altogether for Simran when she refuses to eat it.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Peas & Carrots and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks

Veggie Meatball Subs and Curry Pumpkin Soup
I made veggie meatballs last week and, while Simran wouldn't eat them, I thought they were surprisingly good considering they are mostly lentils and vegetables and VERY healthy.  I threw the remainder in the freezer, and I plan to use them this week to make veggie meatball subs with fresh bread, marinara sauce, sliced provolone, and some baby spinach.  I'm hopeful that if the baby spinach is cut chiffonade and hidden under the veggie balls, and the veggie balls are under sauce and cheese, she might actually eat them, if only on accident.

Tofu Kiev and Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, & Kale Soup and either rice pilaf or some leftover starch from another dinner (e.g., pasta, bread, potato)
I still haven't made either of these dishes, despite their being on my menu plan for the last two weeks.  

Black Bean Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Rather than buy a new batch of Romaine hearts, I plan to use up some of the leftover arugula on the burgers.  They will also use up the provolone I will have to buy for the veggie meatball subs.  I already have the burgers in the freezer from the last time I made them.

Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, & Arugula and Beets and Cinnamon Squash Chowder
I've been craving a cheese pizza lately, and this one will use up my leftover mushrooms and arugula (Simran LOVES the arugula & stracchino pizzas from Whole Foods' freezer section, so I'm hopeful she'll eat this).  The cinnamon squash chowder is what I've decided to call Luxurious 7-Vegetable & "Cheese" soup now that I've tasted it.  It tastes like neither cheese nor vegetables, and I found the inclusion of cinnamon pretty essential to the flavor.  It's very mild and rather sweet, and it's fantastically healthy considering it even has broccoli hidden in it.  I will embrace any dish that sneaks more leafy greens into Simran's tummy.

Grilled Enchiladas and Spanish Rice and Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Smoky Butternut Squash Sauce with Pasta and Greens and Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips
This is a new-to-me recipe that I hope resembles winter squash mac 'n cheeze closely enough that Simran will eat it.  I plan to make it with kale and macaroni noodles I already have on hand, as well as whatever squash or pumpkin might need to be used up.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  On account of Sameer and I eating nachos one night after giving Simran something else altogether and putting her to bed, I didn't end up making the Tofu Kiev last week, so I'll try it this week instead.  Here is what is in my fridge that needs using up:  2-3 bunches kale, the better part of a pound of baby spinach, some carrots, a few celery sticks, one tomato, one heart of Romaine, and two crowns broccoli.  Here is what I'm making:

Tofu Kiev and Wild Rice Pilaf and Peas & Carrots and Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, & Kale Soup
This meal is getting carried over from last week, when I first intended to make it.  I already have all the ingredients on hand; plus it will use up one of the bunches of kale mentioned above.

Penne alla Vodka
This will use up the crowns of broccoli and a couple of the carrots.  I already have the pasta, sauce, and vegetarian Italian sausage on hand too.

Spaghetti Squash with Thick Chunky Tomato Sauce from Scratch and Fresh Bread
We all really liked the spaghetti squash the last time I made it (I think it was the first time any of us had had spaghetti squash), though Simran demanded marinara sauce before eating hers.  So this time I'm making a tomato sauce recipe from OhSheGlows.com and a side of fresh bread.  If I have any leftover vegan meatballs from making them today, I'll throw them in with the sauce too.

Tofu Po'Boy Sandwiches and Sweet Potato Fries
These sandwiches will use up the tomato and Romaine I have on hand, as well as the rest of the fresh French bread. 


Cheese & Onion Pasties and Baby Arugula Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette and Creamy Roasted Tomato, Garlic, & Onion Coconut Soup
I still have a largish block of good cheddar from making Welsh rarebit, and I don't want it to go to waste, so I'm making another of my favorites from Tea & Sympathy -- cheese & onion pasties.  Tea & Sympathy serves them with a small green salad, so I'll be doing the same.  Tomato soup seemed like another good cold-weather accompaniment that includes vegetables that Simran might actually eat.  Instead of the standard Heinz tomato soup Tea & Sympathy serves, I'm making my own with a recipe from OhSheGlows.com. 

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Peas & Carrots
This has become a regular weekly meal. 

Sun-dried Tomato Mushroom & Spinach Tofu Quiche and Green Banana Power Blended Salad
I haven't made this quiche in awhile, and the combination of the two dishes should use up my remaining spinach.

Cheese & Onion Pasties

I might be remembering wrong, but I think the cheese & onion pasties served at Tea & Sympathy had a creamier sort of cheese sauce than straight melted cheese would accomplish.  Since most recipes I've seen just have melted cheese inside, I've devised my own version to more closely resemble the cheese sauce of Welsh rarebit or a good macaroni and cheese recipe.  The short pastry recipe comes from Alton Brown's recipe for Pocket Pies.

Ingredients
for crust:

9 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 cups
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 ounces shortening, approximately 6 tablespoons
3/4 cup milk
1 egg mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons water

for filling:

1 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup diced onion (yellow or white)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

1. [Steps 1 & 2 can be done up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.]  Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add diced onions and sweat until translucent.

2. Whisk together evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and mustard.  Add to pan with butter and onions, add shredded cheese, and stir, continuing to cook over low heat until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool completely.

3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds and then pour into a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the shortening and knead it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly. Add the milk all at once and mix in with a spatula until it begins to come together. Lightly flour your hands and the countertop and turn the dough out onto the countertop. Knead the dough ball, folding over 10 to 20 times. Using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut into rounds using a 2 1/4-inch ring. Roll each round as thinly as possible or to 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the dough, brush the edges of half of the dough lightly with the egg wash, fold over and seal the edges together with the tines of a fork, dipping it into flour as needed. Gently press down to flatten and evenly distribute the filling. 

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place finished pies onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Vegan Po'Boy Sandwich

The recipe below is based on looking at lots of po'boy sandwich recipes on the internet, as well as the way the crispy breaded tofu strips are cooked.

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

2 tbs Kid-Friendly Creole Seasoning

1 tbs grated lime zest

lettuce

tomato

pickles

Remoulade sauce

French bread

Directions

1. Drain tofu, wrap with a clean tea towel or a couple of paper towels, and place a plate with weights such as canned goods on top.  Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, spices, and lime zest. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy.

5. Cut French bread into 6-inch sections and cut open.  Fill with the cooked tofu, Remoulade sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.  Serve immediately.

Kid-Friendly Creole Seasoning

This recipe comes from a reviewer of a Creole Seasoning Blend on AllRecipes.com.  Since I've made so many things that call for Creole seasoning lately, I'm making a batch of this so I don't have to worry about the level of heat I'm trying to feed Simran.  It's like normal Creole seasoning but with more spices, less pepper, and no cayenne at all.

Ingredients
2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs dried oregano
2 tbs dried basil
1 tbs dried thyme
1/2 tbs black pepper
1/2 tbs white pepper
5 tbs paprika
1 1/2 tbs Kosher salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.  Store in a sealed container.

Vegan Remoulade Sauce

I found the non-vegan version of this recipe on Food.com.  I chose this one because I knew I could find all the ingredients at the grocery store and wouldn't have to try to find "Creole mustard" or figure out what exactly "chili sauce" meant.  I'm using this sauce on vegan po'boy sandwiches.

Ingredients

1 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 stalk finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

 

1. Whisk all ingredients together.

 

2. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Lazy Chipotle Mayo

I'm not sure how complicated this recipe was when I started making it, but I'm pretty sure it at least had fresh lime juice in it.  Now I just make the laziest version possible, and I don't think Sameer has ever been able to tell the difference.  We use it as a spread on black bean burgers, and it makes the entire sandwich.

Ingredients
1-2 chipotles in adobo, from can (typically found in the Latin-American section of the grocery store's "international" aisle -- please note this calls for 1-2 actual chiles, NOT entire cans of them)
1 cup mayonnaise (substitute vegan mayo to make vegan)
garlic salt, to taste
juice of 1 lime

Directions

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend.  Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Here is what's currently in the fridge to use up:  a couple romaine lettuce hearts, half a cup of pumpkin puree, about a cup of cubed sweet potato, about half a pound of baby spinach, a couple of peeled carrots, one bunch of green kale, and a crown of broccoli.  Here's what I'm planning to make:

Red Lentil and Squash Curry Stew
I didn't get around to this one last week, so I'm making it tomorrow night.  I'll add the pumpkin puree and cubed sweet potato in addition to whatever butternut squash is in the freezer.  It'll use up the green kale in the fridge too.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks and Peas & Carrots
This meal went over well with everyone last week, so I'm making it again.

Veggie Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Lime Sauce and Green Banana Power Blended Salad
I plan to use up the last of the spring rolls skins with this recipe.  I figure I should put away the cold summer dishes like this one for awhile since it's getting all autumnal outside, but I do love this dish so much.  The green banana salad should use up the last of the spinach in the fridge too.

Black Bean Burgers and Curry Pumpkin Soup and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip
I'm making these burgers the tasty way -- served on pretzel rolls with sliced provolone and homemade chipotle mayo, among other things.  The ranch dip will finish off the broccoli and probably any baby carrots currently in the fridge.  The curry pumpkin soup is a favorite of both Simran's and mine.  We eat ALL the leftovers, and that's not something she will do with many other dishes.

Tofu Kiev and Wild Rice Pilaf and Peas & Carrots and Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, & Kale Soup
I've wanted for a long time to find a really good stuffed tofu turkey recipe, and none of the ones I've tried have passed muster.  I saw single-serving stuffed tofu made by Gardein in the freezer section the other day and it got me thinking.  Since the crispy breaded tofu strips have been such a success, and because I used to LOVE Chicken Kiev from the freezer section before I went vegetarian, I thought I'd try making a vegetarian Chicken Kiev with tofu instead of meat.  It will give me a chance to try out hollowing out the tofu in a mold and filling it and using another basting/breadcrumb mixture without having to make a proper stuffing for the inside that may or may not heat through properly.  Plus, I figure even tofu cooked poorly can't be that bad when it's filled with herbed garlic butter.  I'm trying to keep the rest of the meal simple and relatively healthy on account of the effort and butter involved in the Tofu Kiev.

Spaghetti Marinara with Vegan Meatballs and Kale with Walnut Sauce
The vegan meatballs recipe is new to me.  It sounds healthy and good, so hopefully it will be worth what looks like a sizable amount of effort.

Pita Pizzas and Kale with Walnut Sauce
We haven't had pita pizzas in ages, but I'm getting sick of the Easy Healthy Veggie Pizzas, so I thought this would be a decent, reasonably healthy meal to make again.

The Best Black Bean Burgers

This is my third or fourth stab at a black bean burger recipe.  I've made so many changes since the last one that I thought I'd start over with a new post instead of amending the recipe again.  I'm still making adjustments on this until I master the spices and grains necessary to make it the right taste and consistency.  It always tastes good on a pretzel roll with chipotle mayo and avocado though.  And red onion and lettuce and tomato.  And provolone. 

Ingredients
2 (16 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup dried black beans, cooked in a slow cooker)
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup Old-Fashioned rolled oats
2 tbs flaxseed meal
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 tsp hot sauce

Directions

1. [The first 5 steps can be done in advance.]  Run old-fashioned rolled oats through a food processor until at least half of it resembles flour.  Add chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt.  Pulse a few more times to combine, and set the mixture aside.

2. Run onion, green bell pepper, and garlic through food processor.  Set aside and stir in hot sauce and flaxseed meal.  Let sit for 10 minutes while the flaxseed meal gets a little gooey so it can bind everything together.

3. Put (well drained) black beans in food processor and pulse a few times until most of the beans have been broken down, but not completely smooth. 

4. Move beans to a large bowl, add vegetable mixture, and incorporate.  Then add spiced oat mixture and stir until everything is incorporated.  Then add cooked brown rice, small amounts at a time, until mixture is the right consistency to mold into burgers.

5. Mold into 8-10 small patties.  If freezing for later, place patties between sheets of wax paper, stack, and seal in a plastic container or ziploc bag.

6. When ready to cook the burgers, preheat oven to 375 degrees, place patties on a baking sheet (a few sprays of Pam first help to make them flippable), and bake about 15 minutes.  Turn burgers over and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Buffalo Hummus

This recipe comes from a cook book called No Meat Athlete by Matt Frazier, but I found it on OhSheGlows.com.  I made some pretty substantial changes when I made it in order to make it both low-fat and mild enough Simran could enjoy it too.  I swapped out the standard chickpeas and tahini for white beans, since white beans create a rather comparable level of creaminess and I generally avoid tahini on account of its fat content.  Aside from the salt, the recipe below is so low-fat and healthy that it meets even Caldwell Esselstyn's 'prevent and reverse heart disease' standards. 

Everyone in the house liked it, and we ate all of it immediately.  It is good as a dip for celery sticks, pita chips, and crispy breaded tofu strips, and I'm pretty sure it would be good as a sandwich spread too.  It's very simple and only takes a few minutes to throw together.  If you like spicy wings with Buffalo sauce, I suggest you try the spicing from the original recipe linked above, which calls for much more hot sauce and cayenne pepper as well -- mine is much milder.

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed, but set the bean water aside in case you need to add it back in (Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy beans will work)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 dashes Frank's Red Hot sauce (add more if you aren't serving it to a baby)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine and then scrape down the sides.  With motor running, add bean water slowly until you reach desired consistency.

2. Add more salt, lemon juice, or hot sauce, to taste.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Since I didn't end up cooking a few nights last week, there were a few meals I didn't end up making that I'm carrying over to this week.  The breaded tofu strips etc. will be today.  They should leave some nice leftovers that Simran might actually eat for lunch tomorrow.  Here is what is currently in my fridge (not including the ingredients that will get used up when I finish making meals originally intended for last week):  some Italian parsley, a sweet potato and a half, a crown of broccoli, and a couple containers of tofu of varied firmness.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks and Green Peas
I used up the fresh spinach I had, so I'm just making a side of peas to have something green with this tonight.  And maybe the crown of broccoli to go with the celery and hummus.

Spicy Vegetable Curry

Tofu Scramble and Green Banana Power Blended Salad and some kind of healthy muffins or oat-based pancakes

Easy Healthy Veggie Pizza and Beets & Beet Greens

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew
I wanted to focus on more bean and lentil meals this week since so many things I've made lately feature tofu for their protein.  This is a tasty meal we've had before.  It will use up whatever squash or sweet potato or pumpkin I have leftover in my fridge.

Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash with Black Bean Guacamole
I've never made spaghetti squash before, but other people swear by it, and this recipe looked okay and inexpensive to make.

Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potato and Collard Greens with Almonds
This recipe will use up any remaining sweet potato on hand.  I'll serve it alongside the whole grain sandwich rolls currently in my freezer.

Spaghetti Marinara with Veggie Meatballs & Ground Seitan
I'm just making whole wheat spaghetti and serving it with a jar of marinara that has some ground, seasoned seitan and the last of the frozen veggie meatballs from Trader Joe's and some chopped spinach in it.  This will be quick and easy for a night when I don't want to do anything.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Here is what I currently have in the fridge to use up:  a bag of baby spinach, some carrots, half a red onion, a crown of broccoli, an avocado, more than half a dozen eggs, two Roma tomatoes, and a red bell pepper.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Tofu Scramble and Green Banana Power Blended Salad and Banana Spice Muffins
We didn't end up making the tofu scramble and blended salad planned for last week.  We did finish off the zucchini-raisin muffins in the freezer though, so I'm going to use some of the enormous amount of frozen bananas on hand (I seriously have at least a dozen ripe bananas in my freezer) to make banana spice muffins.  It will be a healthy, vegan, oil-free version of a banana bread recipe I used to make often.  I find that if you take the muffin cups off any leftover muffins, put the muffins in a ziploc bag, and stash them in the freezer, you can put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds and have an easy snack whenever, especially for Simran.

Welsh Rarebit and Watercress Salad and Luxurious 7-Vegetable and "Cheese" Soup
I don't think Simran will eat fresh watercress -- she avoids most green vegetables these days, especially raw ones -- so I'm also making this soup that contains hidden broccoli.  Welsh rarebit isn't in the least bit healthy, but I like it and have some eggs in the fridge that need to be used up, and I don't know the next time I'll have eggs on hand to make this dish since I rarely ever buy them anymore.  I plan to make fresh baguettes for the Welsh rarebit.  I'd like to try an oil-free vinaigrette on the watercress -- something with a champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard base.  If it tastes weird, I figure I'll add small amounts of oil until it doesn't.

Rigatoni Alla Anthony
This is my favorite dish from a restaurant in our town.  It's just pasta with artichoke hearts, spinach, tomato, and onions.  I figure it should be pretty easy to replicate and make slightly healthier (whole grain pasta, reduce oil, etc.) at the same time.  I'm thinking of adding a can of white beans too.  Maybe.  I plan to serve any leftover baguette on the side of this dish, either just plain or -- if I'm feeling ambitious or the bread is feeling stale -- as crostini with an artichoke/olive tapenade (another recipe rip-off from the restaurant).
Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips with Buffalo Hummus & celery sticks and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze
Last time I made the crispy breaded tofu strips, they were rather bland, though Simran liked them.  I saw this recipe for buffalo hummus, flavored like spicy wings, so I figured it might make an interesting dip, alongside some celery sticks.  In order to avoid having to make a separate green vegetable, I'm going to throw some ribbons of spinach in the mac 'n cheeze.

Curry Pumpkin Soup and Tasty Breaded Seitans (No Oil!) and Collard Greens with Almonds
We all loved the vegan version of this soup with coconut milk so much that I'm eager to make it again.  Even Simran ate the leftovers until they were gone, and she usually hates leftovers.  I'm making my breaded seitan recipe in the style of the crispy breaded tofu strips -- baking without any pan frying.  I think they'll cook up okay, and they should make for easier finger food for Simran since they won't be all oily like they usually are.

Spicy Vegetable Curry
This is an easy dish that will use up some of the carrots in the fridge.  I have a small amount of curry base leftover in my freezer from making vegetarian korma that I might add too, just to get rid of it.

Easy Healthy Veggie Pizza and Beets and Beet Greens
I have a few whole grain tortillas in the fridge that promise to go bad in another week, so I'm using them up making vegan tortilla pizzas.  Any fresh greens I have leftover will go on top.

Vegan Overnight Oats

I discovered this recipe for vegan overnight oats on OhSheGlows.com a couple months ago, and now I eat it every morning.  Before I found this recipe, I had been trying to get used to eating GrapeNuts with fruit and soy milk every morning because there are very few other breakfast cereals without sugar or undesirable additives.  But I just don't like GrapeNuts that much.  Fortunately, I love this cold oatmeal, which is cheap, easy, and healthy, and since I make it before bed, all I have to do in the morning is pull it out of the refrigerator and get a spoon.

It took Simran a couple of weeks of showing an interest in this breakfast and then refusing to taste it before she finally ate a bite.  Now she chases her baby oatmeal with a solid third of my breakfast every morning (I eat really fast so that she can't take more than that, or she might eat it all).  It should be easy to transition her from baby oatmeal to grown-up oatmeal now.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (the cheapest ones I've seen are in the bulk bins at Whole Foods)
• 1 banana, peeled/quartered/chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional -- I often omit this ingredient, though it does add something to the flavor)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.  Stir well before eating.

Meal Planning

Sameer is going to NYC again this week, so Simran and I are having another week of sandwiches.  Currently in the fridge I have about a cup and a half of cubed sweet potato, 8 oz. of cremini mushrooms, and a bag of baby spinach to use up.  I also seriously need to clear out the contents of the freezer.  The thing is packed full, mostly with homemade stuff in plastic containers.  Here is what I'm making this week:

Chunky Ratatouille Sauce over Barley and Collard Greens with Almonds
I'm not sure what Simran will think of this recipe, but it will use up the cremini mushrooms as well as some celery still in my fridge.  The ratatouille recipe is a new one from Neal Barnard's The Cancer Survivor's Guide.

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip

Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches and Crudites with Homemade Ranch Dip

Vegetarian Turkey Club and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

New York-Style Veggie Pizza and Kale in Walnut Sauce
This will use up the walnut sauce in the fridge, as well as one of the homemade pizza doughs in my freezer.

Thai Green Curry
This dish will use up my leftover sweet potato.

Tofu Scramble and Green Banana Power Blended Salad and leftover Zucchini Raisin Muffins from the freezer

Vegetarian Turkey Club

This is a surprisingly low-calorie sandwich for how filling it is.  It's one of the first things I made to replace a beloved meat dish when I went vegetarian many years ago.  You can make the entire thing vegan by using vegan mayonnaise.

Ingredients
2 slices bread (I like 100% whole wheat)
1 serving (usually 4 slices) vegetarian turkey slices (I like Tofurky and Smart Deli brands best)
2-3 slices vegetarian bacon (Morningstar brand, from the freezer section)
2 leaves romaine lettuce
3-4 small slices of tomato
1 tbs mayonnaise

Directions

1. Toast the bread.  Microwave the bacon according to package directions.

2. Apply mayonnaise to one slice of toasted bread.  Pile on remaining ingredients, top with remaining slice of toast, and serve warm.

Chunky Ratatouille Sauce

This recipe comes from Neal Barnard's The Cancer Survivor's Guide.  Serve over pasta shells, brown rice, or your favorite whole grain.  I'm trying it over pearl barley tonight, since I have an enormous amount in my pantry. 

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup red wine or vegetable broth
2 small onions, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

1. Soak the eggplant chunks in salted water for 10 minutes.  Drain, rinse, and drain again.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of the wine in a nonstick skillet.  Add the onions, celery, and garlic, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally and adding more wine if the vegetables start to stick.

3. When the onions and celery are soft, add the eggplant and 1/4 cup of the water. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft. Add more water as needed to keep the mixture from drying out.

4. Stir in the mushrooms, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 cup of wine and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Chunky Ratatouille Sauce will keep for up to 4 days.

Brie & Arugula Sandwich

This is my knock-off of a sandwich served at French Roast restaurant in NYC's West Village, where Sameer and I used to brunch.  The only difference is that the restaurant uses an herbed butter where I prefer Dijon mustard.

Ingredients
1 baguette
brie
baby arugula
tomato
Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Slice baguette into thirds (it looks fancier if you do it on the diagonal) and then cut each piece into top and bottom halves.

2.  Fill each sandwich with a thick layer (about 1 cm) of sliced brie, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and a handful of baby arugula.  Apply Dijon mustard, close sandwich, and serve.

White Bean Sandwich Spread

I invented this recipe for use on vegan paninis and other sandwiches that would benefit from something creamy and cheese-like.  It is based loosely on Esselstyn's simple no-tahini hummus, the fact that tahini-based hummus is usually much creamier and nicer tasting than that, and my love for blending white beans into other things.

Ingredients
1 15-oz can white beans (great northern, cannellini, or navy -- I can't tell the difference), drained and rinsed
1 tbs nutritional yeast
zest of one lemon
1 garlic clove
1 tbs Bragg Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium tamari)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbs low-sodium vegetable broth (or as needed)

Directions

1. Put all ingredients except vegetable broth in a food processor and blend.  Add low-sodium vegetable broth as necessary until a creamy, hummus-like consistency is achieved (for me, this took 2 tbs).  Serve on sandwiches or as a dip with crackers, crudites, or pita chips.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Since Simran and I ate exclusively fancy sandwiches while Sameer was out of town last week, we're detoxing with some healthier meals this week, including a few new dishes from a library book I checked out called The Cancer Survivor's Guide by Neal Barnard MD.  I have the following things in the fridge that need to be used up:  a couple cups of baby arugula, 2 avocados, a red and a green bell pepper, and a couple hearts of romaine.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Paninis and Curry Pumpkin Soup

Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Baked Tofu and Collard Greens with Almonds

Vegan Enchiladas with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

Make-Your-Own Burritos and Spanish Rice

Mushroom Stroganoff and Kale in Walnut Sauce

Summer Rolls and Green Banana Power Blended Salad

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Festive Fruited Yams and Green Banana Power Blended Salad

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com while looking for a breaded fake-meat dish that doesn't call for oil (though this one does call for greasing the baking sheet).  I'm guessing if this works out, I can use the same breading mixture on seitan, or even just cook my tasty breaded seitans in the oven without frying them first in the skillet.  This recipe is meant to resemble chicken fingers and closely resembles the tofu strips I made for po'boy sandwiches a few weeks ago.  

Ingredients

1 package firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.

[Edited 10/11/2013:  I used Panko for the breadcrumbs, and these were really good and crispy.  They also retained their crust better than any of the pan-fried breaded seitan or tofu I've ever made.  I reduced the cayenne to just a dash since it's hard to say how a toddler will take "a kick of heat," and they turned out surprisingly bland, based on how many other spices were in there.  I tried them with spicy mustard and ketchup and got the impression they would probably be at their best (at least the way I seasoned them, with very little cayenne) with either honey mustard dipping sauce or some sort of chipotle aioli.]
[Edited 11/10/2013: I alter the spices every time I make this dish in an attempt to perfect it.  It's still not there yet, but I changed the recipe above to reflect the best version I've had so far.]