Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  One new development in our eating habits is that Simran has started refusing to eat kale in walnut sauce -- previously one of her favorite foods and our primary source of leafy greens.  I'll have to experiment with some other leafy green vegetables this week.  I'm thinking things like broccoli that she can try to feed herself.  This past week we had takeout on more than one occasion (including tonight -- we're getting Indo-Chinese takeout again tonight because I love it so much and don't know how to make it better at home yet), so I have two meals leftover from last week that I didn't get around to making.  Aside from the ingredients specifically for those meals, I have the following in my fridge that needs to be used up:  fresh lemongrass (not sure that's going to happen), half a bag of organic spring greens, 1.5 sweet potatoes, 2 bunches green kale, and red/green/yellow bell peppers (about one half of each).  I should also have some leftover lite sour cream and ricotta from the vegetable crepes.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Thai Green Curry
We didn't end up making this dish last week, so I already have all the ingredients.

Tofu Scramble and Summer Vegetable Crepes
We didn't end up making this meal last week, so I already have all the ingredients.

Black Beans and Rice
This is a tasty, healthy meal that seems good for hot weather.  I'm considering just giving it to Simran on a plate to feed to herself.

Fabulous Burritos
This is another Esselstyn recipe, but it sounds good and easy and maybe a good way to use up leftover ingredients from the black beans and rice.  Burritos are an easy way to make a vegan meal that tastes good and isn't noticeably vegan.  I'll probably just be using this recipe as a base and making my own adjustments (e.g., making pico de gallo, seasoning the beans my own way, etc.).

Sweet-and-Sour Seitan with Vegetables and Brown Rice
Yet another Esselstyn recipe that is new to me.  I need to make a new double batch of seitan in order to make this, but I've been meaning to do that for weeks anyway.  This dish has broccoli in it, so we can cover the leafy greens without having to make kale.

Spinach Lasagna and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This dish will use up the leftover ricotta from the summer vegetable crepes, as well as the leftover mozzarella from last week's pizza.  I will have some leftover sweet potatoes from the Thai Green Curry, so I'm thinking of cubing them up with leftover bell peppers and onions and carrots and any other root vegetables in the fridge and roasting them in the oven with some rosemary and olive oil and lemon juice, much like the roasted root vegetables recipe I often make for holidays.  I should be able to cook them while the lasagna cooks too.

Junk Food Dinner!
I feel like, since about half the dishes this week are from Esselstyn, I should plan a junk food dinner so that we have something fun to look forward to next weekend while we're eating all our healthy stuff.  I'm thinking Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Fried Zucchini (still healthy, but even junk food dinner involves a green vegetable dish), and maybe Baked Potato Skins to use up the rest of the sour cream.  I'm not sure yet, but Simran will probably just get tastes of the unhealthy parts and eat healthier leftovers for her main course.