Meal Planning

Sameer is going out of town for work this week, so since I have to cook actual meals for Simran anyway (previously I'd eat elaborate sandwiches all week, or possibly just fresh baked cookies one night), we're having Week of a Thousand Mushrooms.  God willing she will like mushrooms more than Sameer does. 

We ended up not making a couple of meals from last week's meal plan yet, so those will appear again.  Here is what is currently in my fridge needing to be used up:  over a pound of fresh baby spinach, eight smallish portobello mushrooms, a red bell pepper, about a cup of non-fat plain yogurt, about a quarter of a red cabbage shredded, a couple chopped carrots and a couple carrots julienne, one bunch cilantro, one bunch parsley, two cucumbers, about a cup of ricotta, one bunch romaine, four mini pita pockets, one avocado, a small amount of diced red onion, and three Roma tomatoes.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Falafel with Flavor Sauce and Cucumber Salad
I didn't end up making this last week, so we'll have it tonight.  It will use up the yogurt, cucumbers, some tomatoes, the romaine lettuce, and the pita pockets.  Flavor sauce is just my version of the yogurt sauce that goes on falafel -- it will also be the dressing for my cucumber salad.  If there are any cherry tomatoes ripe for the picking on the deck this afternoon, I will throw them in the salad too.

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wraps and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Another one that didn't end up happening last week.  We'll have it tomorrow.  It will use up the avocado, julienne carrots, shredded red cabbage, and diced red onion.

Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese and Wild Rice Pilaf and Green Salad
Another meal that didn't happen last week.  I already have all the ingredients, and it will use up the portobellos and some of the spinach in the fridge.

Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff and Kale in Walnut Sauce and Pureed Winter Squash
I love this dish (grew up eating the beef variety as a child), but I never make it anymore because Sameer doesn't like it.  I have a couple half-finished bags of dried egg noodles in the pantry that this will finally finish off, as well as some dried shiitake mushrooms that I think will work well in this dish to add flavor and texture.  The winter squash is just a frozen, boil-in-bag thing that I know Simran will eat.  The kale should use up most, if not all, of the walnut sauce I made the other day.

Savory Spinach Mushroom Cheese Crepes
My final mushroom meal of the week.  I have ready-made crepes leftover from last week's summer vegetable crepes, and this dish will use up some more of the fresh spinach as well.  I might make a side of scrambled eggs to go with the crepes, and maybe some Morningstar veg bacon.  If I have any hashbrowns or homefries in the freezer, I'll cook those too.

Penne alla Vodka
This is a quick, easy dish Simran will consent to eat.  It will use up the red bell pepper and chopped carrots in the fridge too.

Spinach Lasagna
This will use up the last of the ricotta from last week's summer vegetable crepes.  It will also use up any remaining fresh spinach, as well as some frozen spinach too, I'm guessing.  I will also be able to finish off any open jars of pasta or pizza sauce and any remaining chopped onions in the fridge.