Meal Planning

We just got home from a week-long road trip, so by design the fridge is pretty bare. Here is what I do have: a big container of leftover Black Bean Soup with Quinoa & Kale in the freezer, components for Vegetable Manchow Soup in the freezer because I didn't get around to making it yet, a green bell pepper, plain cashew yogurt, celery and carrots, avocados that I hope the fridge has kept fresh, enough milder chilli-garlic paste to make chilli-garlic noodles one more time, corn tortillas, and roasted garlic. Here is what I plan to make in the coming days (including several "using up leftovers" dinner ideas):

Vegan Mushroom Bourguinon with Potato Cauliflower Mash

I was planning to buy and need to use up lots of potatoes because of this, but I just discovered two potatoes in the pantry, so I've reconfigured this entire meal planning list to put the potato-based (and green cabbage-based) items closer to the bottom because I'll make them later, after I buy more potatoes and cabbage. It will make less sense this way if you're reading it for the first time, but it makes sense to me since I wrote it.

 

Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites 

To use up the rest of the cauliflower that I didn't need for the previous recipe. I don't usually love cauliflower, but I do love this recipe. I can also make vegan ranch dip from my unsweetened cashew yogurt to go with it. I can serve this alongside one of the other dinners.

 

Garlicky Vegan Korean Mac 'n Cheese 

To utilize the roasted garlic, as well as the elbow macaroni in the pantry and the vegan cheddar in the fridge. 

 

Korean Eggplant Tacos with Kimchi Mayo (Vedge, pg. 170) and Red Cabbage Slaw

This will use up some of my corn tortillas. I also have kimchi and Vegannaise to make into kimchi mayo.  

 

DIY Tacos

To use up any remaining corn tortillas and red cabbage slaw. I just need to buy Gardein fish filets for mine and make sure to have lettuce, cheese, and beans for Sameer and Sim.

 

Spiced Spinach Tofu Stir-Fry and Brown Basmati Rice

To use up cashew yogurt. Might be able to put this one off for another week or two as the yogurt has a best by date from later this month. Any extra greens from the bourginon could be washed and go in the freezer until I can throw them into this. I made this with 50% kale once and no one even noticed.

 

Garlic Bread Sandwiches & Leftover Black Bean Soup

To use up the soup. It would also utilize leftover burger buns if I make the pav bhaji.

Creole Red Beans & Brown Rice

I don't expect to make this meal this upcoming week, but it's good to remember I can make it whenever needed with what I have on hand.

Chilli-Garlic Noodles

To finish off the chilli-garlic paste and the green bell pepper. If I can make this from the shredded cabbage I tossed in the freezer before our trip (I'm not yet sure how well it survived), I can skip the manchow soup until the next time I have a head of green cabbage. The other components of the soup can stay in the freezer till then. [Edited 1/7/23: Cabbage does not freeze and thaw well. I tossed what I had saved. I'm putting this dinner off until next week when I've finished off the red cabbage I'm buying today and the black bean soup I just started thawing so I don't have two heads of cabbage or two containers of soup at one time because that is TOO MUCH. I can make chilli-garlic noodles, the veg manchow soup, and Irish sausages and colcannon again to use up the green cabbage when it happens.]

Breakfast Burritos with Vegan Breakfast Sausage and Pancakes 

The pancakes would use up some of the cashew yogurt, and the burritos could utilize any leftover potatoes from the bourguinon.

 

Pav Bhaji  

To use up extra potatoes. May or may not happen in the immediate future.