Meal Planning

More cleaning out of the fridge/freezer/pantry! I went through quite a bit with last week's meals, but I've still got quite a bit more in the freezer and tons in the pantry as usual. Plus I've got another Rancho Gordo Bean box heading my way soon, which I think usually means a jar of spices and several pounds of dry beans. 

I currently have some corn tortillas in the fridge and some green onions, and I diced up my red bell pepper last week and stashed it in the freezer. I also bought a bag of shaved brussels sprouts because I like when I can find them pre-shaved and that only happens when I go to the Whole Foods a 20-minute drive away. I didn't end up doing brinner night yet, so I still have everything for that. I've also still got leftovers from last week's beef-less stew, kale with walnut sauce, garlicky Korean mac 'n cheese, and a serving or two of fat free cottage cheese. Tonight may or may not end up being a leftover night. Here is what I'm making this week: 

Brinner with Breakfast Burrito and Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Because I didn't make it last week. I already have everything I need.

Chilaquiles Casserole and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

To use up the corn tortillas from the fridge and the enchilada sauce in the pantry. It will also use up some of the corn from the freezer. It's not in the recipe, but I think I'll add my frozen diced red bell pepper too. I should just need a zucchini to make the chilaquiles. The soup can be for lunches or go with dinners throughout the rest of the week. There are other healthy soups I could make and will make another time, but this one has cruciferous greens and it's drinkable (and freezable/reheatable if necessary), so I'm going with broccoli again for now. And I already have everything I need to make the soup.

Nut-Crusted Tofu and Sweet Potatoes and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

I'm down to my last sweet potato, but other than that I have everything to make this meal.

Catalan Sauteed Polenta with Spinach & Butter Beans

This will use up some of the coarse corn meal and the can of butter beans in my pantry. I need to buy a new red bell pepper (my frozen one won't have the right texture for this, which is why I'm using it on the chilaquiles instead) and some spinach. I also need some pepper jack. We've used up most of our cheese.

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

I want to make this because it looks tasty and I keep thinking about soupy red curry noodles, but I'm going to have to make some substitutions to make it vegetarian. I'm also going to avoid buying anything new to make it, so who knows how close it'll taste to the original. My only goal is that it tastes good. I've got coconut milk, red curry paste, cilantro, and green onions. I've also got stir-fry vegetables in the freezer (I think) and a variety of noodles in the pantry. I'm going to use vegetable Better Than Bouillon instead of chicken broth, tofu instead of chicken, and I don't really know what fish sauce entails, but I've got two kinds of miso and multiple kinds of seaweed that I could try in this dish (I'll use whichever is the little one -- wakame? I don't remember). I'll just keep adjusting it until it tastes reasonably good, and worst case scenario I'll learn something.

Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal

To try for breakfast. Plus I have lots of overripe bananas to contribute to it.

Vegetable Barley Soup 

Probably won't happen until next week because two soups in one week is usually too much food to consume (and I'm already making two, technically), but I wanted to remember I have everything to make it.