Meal Planning

We ate restaurant food for four days in a row last week because we were having new windows and doors installed, including in the kitchen, and the entire house was pretty much taken over for those four days.  So I still have some ingredients I meant to use last week and we'll do those meals this week instead.  We currently have the following to use up:  a pound of fresh spinach, three hot dog buns, lettuce, and a package of bacon-style tempeh.  My BFF, Jackie, is also coming to visit this upcoming weekend, so I have to plan those meals and dessert, but I think I will do that later in the week.  Here is what I'm making through Thursday:

Gnocchi with Spinach & White Beans
Tonight's dinner.  Already have all the ingredients.  This will use up most, if not all, of the fresh spinach.

Vegan Meatball Subs and Veggie Sides
To use up the last of the hot dog buns.  I already have all the ingredients.  I'll make a salad to use the lettuce.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie
This will be Wednesday.  It requires a bit of work, but it'll use up some of the vegetables from the freezer.  It's also less work now than I use potato flake from a box to make the topping.

Vegan Club Sandwiches and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
I'll make this Thursday to use up the tempeh bacon and any remaining lettuce.  I think I already have a bag of broccoli in the freezer and plenty of cans of white beans in the pantry for the soup.

While looking for what to make Wednesday, I ran across meals I think would work well for Friday (when Jackie arrives but I'm not sure what time) and Saturday (when we'll spend most of the afternoon out and I either need a meal that can be prepared in advance or ordered from a restaurant).  I'm thinking Grilled Enchiladas for Friday night and Black Bean Burgers (The How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 88) on pretzel rolls with chipotle mayo.  I'm considering rolling the burgers in Panko and lightly sauteeing them like they do at Cooper's Hawk Winery restaurant because I think it might make them even tastier since this is a "for company" meal I'm planning now.  I just need to come up with good sides that meet the same easy-to-prep-in-advance criteria.  Maybe Asparagus with Lemon-Caper Mayo with the burgers.  Maybe the corn dish from Vedge to go with the enchiladas, but made from a bag of frozen corn instead of corn on the cob since it'll be quicker and easier and corn is going out of season.  Maybe I'll make homemade ranch dip and crudites since I know she likes that.  It's also easy to make in advance.  I'm also planning to make for dessert Bourbon Pecan Pie and fresh Vanilla Ice Cream (some other vanilla ice cream recipes online have more positive reviews, but I want a recipe that has the rich custardy quality of the chocolate and cinnamon ice creams I make, and those both incorporate a ton of egg yolks like this one and involve cooking the base).