Meal Planning

Okay, I've finished cooking the entirety of last week's meal plan as of last night.  No going out or substitutions.  It's been an exhausting amount of baking.  I don't think I'll do this much baking next week, though I do want to try out the sourdough starter I made.  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I've reduced my almost daily trips to the grocery store to a single trip in the last week.  My cart was so heavy I could barely push it, and I bought less kale than I normally would in a week because having so much kale in my cart at one time made me self-conscious.  I don't want people to think I'm doing some kind of aspirational hoarding.  It was fine though, and I froze all my breakfast smoothie greens so they wouldn't wilt, and I still have enough for a couple more days, along with some frozen spinach just in case I run out. 

I'll mostly need produce on my next weekly shopping trip, which I'm not planning on taking until at least Tuesday because I want my fridge and fruit bowl to be sufficiently empty to hold another full week's worth of food.  Here is what I currently have to use up in terms of both produce and just plain leftovers:  okara and a food processed blend of the veg meant to go into the okara cakes (I really need to make those things soon), leftover idli and sambar, about a cup of vegetarian chik'n strips, some vegan remoulade, two avocados, about a cup of sliced carrots, one zucchini, some butter lettuce, some spring greens, some homemade Taco Bell spicy quesadilla sauce, two tomatoes, a head of red cabbage, at least a cup of half-and-half, an open can of chickpeas because I've been using the fluid in place of egg wash, a single potato-based hot dog bun, and some celery and carrots.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Spicy Taco Bell-Style Quesadillas and Red Cabbage Slaw and Vegetarian Refried Beans
This will use up the spicy quesadilla sauce, a tomato, the red cabbage, and the chik'n strips. 

Okara 'Crab' Cake Sandwiches
I could make another pair of whole wheat baguettes for these, plus serve them with any leftover red cabbage slaw and tomato and avocado and pickles? and slices of onion on top along with some of the fresh lettuce.  Any leftover remoulade could also go on these.  I could make more truffle fries to go with these too.  The single hot dog bun will become breadcrumbs for the okara cakes as it's the only bread in the house that hasn't been eaten yet and I used up the last of my Panko on zucchini cakes last week.

Penne alla Vodka
This came to mind because I bought one zucchini too many for the zucchini cakes last week (even after I doubled the recipe), so I can use it up here along with the carrot I sliced up, any sliced onion leftover in the fridge, the diced red bell pepper I found in the freezer and whatever broccoli and peas are in the freezer.  I have a box of whole wheat penne, some Tofurky Italian Sausages, and a jar of vodka sauce already too.

If the sourdough bread proofs properly and turns out right, I could slice it and make vegetarian turkey club sandwiches.  I think we have all the ingredients already.  I could also make fancy grilled cheeses.  We really need more tomatoes.  I would also want some kind of vegetable soup to go with sandwiches.  Vegan cream of broccoli (very healthy) or a tomato bisque (preferred by Simran)?


Brinner?
We have some vegetarian sausage patties in the freezer that I could make into McDonald's style breakfast sandwiches if I bought ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTS and also made buttermilk biscuits.  I guess it will depend on if there are eggs available at the store.  I could also make some pancakes (and freeze the leftovers, which Simran always loves for weekend breakfasts).  This does not seem like a good meal plan for health or effort, but I really love those little breakfast sandwiches. 

Saag Paneer and Vegan Methi Chicken Curry and Basmati Rice 
I'm not keen to make naan again immediately after my Week of Baking, but I could skip it this time, and the saag would use up some or all of the leftover half-and-half, and I already have diced paneer in my freezer.    

Creole Red Beans & Rice
This is a really easy, tasty, healthy dish.  I substitute brown basmati rice for the white.

General Tso's Chickpeas and Rice
This will use up my open can of chickpeas.  Lots of rice this week.

I want to also make sure to have ingredients on hand for spaghetti & meatless balls (I think we might already have everything) and pizza (we already have some mozzarella shredded up and ready to go from last time, so this mostly means making sure we have sliced black olives and a jar of pizza sauce).  I also want to make sure I have all the ingredients to make buffalo tofu salad.  I want to use up the last of my vegan cheese and vegan ranch dressing, and it'll help use up my salad greens.  Since I'm Panko-less till my next shopping excursion, I will try making the buffalo tofu breading from a combination of 1 part corn meal (something I had already started incorporating into the recipe) and 2 parts rolled oats put through the food processor.  It'll change the texture a bit, but it's a breading I've used on tofu before and I think it'll be fine.