Using Up All Your Produce

The last time I made veggie summer rolls, I ended up with a lot of leftover vegetable matter (as usual), so I thought I'd post about how I reduce food waste by using that stuff up.

To make the summer rolls, I needed sliced up red bell pepper, carrots, cilantro, basil, cucumber, green onions, and lettuce. Not pictured: tofu and spring roll wrappers.

 

 

I made ten summer rolls because it's enough we'll all have our fill, but doesn't leave more leftovers than we can easily finish off the next day at lunch. Knowing this beforehand, I got out about ten lettuce leaves and picked twenty basil leaves off my basil plant. Basil and cilantro especially do not stay fresh for long after picking, so I made a point of using up all my lettuce, basil, cilantro, and green onions in this batch of summer rolls. Sometimes one summer roll has a bunch more herbs in it than the others because I didn't plan well enough early on. No one has ever complained about this because they are still delicious.

When I cleaned up, I had containers of (from left to right): thinly sliced red bell pepper, julienned carrots, about 7 oz. of diced firm tofu, and julienned cucumbers.

The goal is to use everything so it doesn't end up in the trash. Produce like this will usually keep for a few days in the fridge, but it's easy to forget what you've got, so it's best to have a plan for it all immediately. Ideally the same week's meal plan will have taken these leftover bits of produce into account (learning to do that is a big part of successful meal planning). Here is what I did this particular night:

• I put the tofu in the freezer where it currently remains. I'll get it out the next time I make stir-fry or similar. It keeps indefinitely in there, so there's no rush.
  
• I served the cucumber slices to Simran as a veggie side over the course of the next couple of days and ate some myself at lunch until they were gone. Took maybe two days.
  
• I used some of the carrots in the Korean BBQ Soy Curl Crunchwraps I made later in the week.
• I put the the remainder of the carrots and some of the red bell pepper into the Pasta Marinara with Spicy Italian Beanballs I made later in the week. This was not part of the recipe, but you can throw leftover cut vegetables into most pasta dishes and all it does is make them healthier.
  
• I diced up the last of the red bell pepper slices and put them in the freezer to use in either stir-fry or red beans & rice in the future. Or in a random pasta dish. Just plan on cooking any produce you put in the freezer because the freezing/thawing process changes the texture, and they won't taste as good in, say, a salad.

Meal Planning

I've used up all my bananas and have no meal plans left beyond today, so it's time for meal planning and some grocery shopping. Last meal plan lasted a bit longer than anticipated because we dined out a couple times and ate random leftovers / easy meals a couple of nights. Here is what I need to use up this week: some carrots, four roma tomatoes, a small amount of homemade refried beans, about 8 oz of red enchilada sauce, at least a container and a half of plain vegan cashew yogurt, and the better part of a loaf of marble rye. Here is what I'm making:

Naked Samosa Burgers (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 105) and Masoor Dal Tadka 

I haven't made this yet, so it's happening today.

 

 

Korean Eggplant Tacos with Kimchi Mayo (from Vedge, pg. 170)

It won't be particularly hot tomorrow (this recipe has a nice summer flavor but requires a hot oven), and I still have kimchi mayo taking up space in the fridge from the last time I made these. I also have an open package of corn tortillas in the fridge I could use on this. I'll only need to buy produce (eggplants, cilantro, scallions).

 

Saturday night we're planning to go out to dinner.

 

All of next week is supposed to be pretty hot, so I'll try to minimize stove/oven usage.

 

Veggie Summer Rolls

This will use up some of the carrots.

 

Fresh Veggie Tacos and Red Cabbage Slaw 

I started sprouting some broccoli seeds two days ago. The slaw will use up some of the vegan cashew yogurt.

 

Vegan Fried Chicken with Homemade Ranch Dip 

Not sure what else would go with this (steamed broccoli?), but it's tasty and the ranch dip will use up a fair amount of the vegan yogurt.

 

Jalapeno Popper Melts 

This will use up a significant portion of the bread, plus it requires very little heating. It'll also use up some if not all of the red bell pepper leftover after the summer rolls.

 

Vegan Garlicky Korean Mac and Cheese 

This one is just a maybe. Because it's easy and I still have roasted garlic in the fridge. It could potentially go alongside the vegan fried chicken.

 

Buffalo Tofu Salad

For some of my lunches. I'm hoping to make this tomorrow while it's cool and rainy outside. Also because I bought some vegan blue cheese at Whole Foods that I want to try, and it'll use up the ranch dressing I'm making from the cashew yogurt.

[Edited 6/12/2022: The Nuts for Cheese Super Blue fermented cashew cheese doesn't have the crumbly texture of dairy blue cheese, but the flavor -- within the context of this salad anyway, didn't try it plain -- was spot on. Highly recommend trying it. I hope the local Whole Foods keeps selling it because it's a great addition to the vegan version of this salad.]

Random Leftovers

I envision this using up the last of my corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, refried beans, and random veg. I could make some kind of microwave enchiladas or chilaquiles type thing. I just know I don't want to have any leftovers after next week because we have plans.

Meal Planning

Time for meal planning again. This time I'm aiming to get from today (Tuesday) through Sunday night. That means three whole food plant-based meals with no added oil/sugar/salt and three whatever I choose to make. Here is what I'm making:

Veggie Summer Rolls

Today because it's hot outside and this is a healthy, no-heat recipe.

 

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

 

Spiced Spinach Tofu Stir-Fry and Brown Basmati Rice 

 

Korean BBQ Soy Curl Crunchwrap 

 

Pasta Marinara with Spicy Italian Bean Balls (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 81)

I'm just making this with broth or water in place of oil and no salt. I'll add some assorted vegetables to the pasta. If I make the bean balls in advance, this should be fairly quick and easy.

 

Naked Samosa Burgers (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 105) and Masoor Dal Tadka 

I'm going to make this without oil or salt. Not sure how the tempering will go without oil in the dal dish but we'll see.

Meal Planning

Today is the end of my last meal plan, so I need to plan for the next several days. Here is what I've got to use up: homemade vegan ranch dip, 4 Roma tomatoes and some cherry tomatoes, a couple cups of baby spinach, a red bell pepper, four burger buns, variety of lettuces, and some julienned cucumbers and carrots leftover from the summer rolls. Here is what I'm making:

Pav Bhaji

This is tonight, just carry over from last week's meal plan. It'll use up some of the tomatoes (probably most of the cherry ones because they are the oldest and cooking them will hide that), 2-3 of the burger buns I've still got, and at least half of the red bell pepper in the fridge.

 

Vegan Fried Chicken with Homemade Ranch Dip and Baked Beans and Corn on the Cob and Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday. Aside from there being salt in the bouillon, the vegan fried chicken is all whole food / plant based. The corn on the cob and broccoli are just plain vegetables. The baked beans are from a can and contain at least sugar, and the ranch dip contains Vegannaise, but Sameer considers Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday "fast days" even though I've been cooking entire whole food / plant based meals with no oil or salt or sugar and it's what we've all been eating, so he can just skip those parts. Also there is a bunch of homemade vegan ranch dip in the fridge and I don't know what else to use it up on.

Spiced Spinach Tofu Stir-Fry and Brown Basmati Rice

I'll need more spinach for this, but it'll use up what I've got plus some of the naan I've got in the freezer.

Black Bean Burgers and Green Salad

Thursday Healthy Dinner. I still have the homemade black bean burgers and some whole grain buns in the freezer. This will use up most of the lettuce, a tomato, and some avocado from my fridge. I can throw the julienned carrots and cucumbers into the lettuce to make green salad. I also have some homemade garlicky caesar dressing from The How Not to Die Cookbook and some homemade ranch too. 

Homemade Pizza and Seared French Beans with Caper Bagna Cauda and Garlic Sauteed Spinach

It'll be a cool, rainy day, so I don't mind heating up the oven for hours, and I have a pizza dough taking up space in the freezer. The spinach will only happen if I have spinach leftover to use up after Wednesday's spiced spinach tofu stir-fry.

 

Saturday we're going to a cookout over dinnertime, so I assume we'll just eat there. If I'm wrong, we'll get takeout or something. I'll figure out Sunday later. Might end up being another Creole red beans & rice night, though I'm getting sick of having that every week.

Meal Planning

I've made everything labeled Friday through Tuesday (today) from last week's meal plan. I'm going to stop by the grocery store tomorrow morning to get everything I'll need until next Monday at least. We'll have a couple hot days and several cool ones. Here is what I have to use up: about 1.5 cups of red and green bell pepper, half a red onion, and six russet potatoes. I also have some random carrots and celery, but they won't go bad anytime soon. Here is what I'm making:

Louisiana-Style Soy Curls (The How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 137) and Collard Greens with Almonds

From last week's meal plan. I'm making this tonight. The broth for the soy curl dish is simmering on the stove right now (good thing I planned this one for a chilly day). I also made more kid-friendly Creole seasoning, minus the salt, because the recipe calls for salt-free Creole seasoning and I don't think the normal store-bought kind I have is salt-free.

 

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

Wednesday. A reasonably cool day, and this meal only requires a little oven time.

 

Veggie Summer Rolls

Thursday, a Healthy Day. It's going to be hot, and these require no heating.

 

Black Bean Quesaritos

Friday because I've still got nacho cheese and just enough sour cream in the fridge to make more Taco Bell chipotle sauce. Plus it's going to be hot Friday, and this dish doesn't require much stove time. 

Five Guys-Style Veggie & Cheese Sandwiches and Baked Truffle Fries

Saturday night. It's going to be cool and rainy. This is a tasty junk food meal that'll use up some onion, green bell pepper, all the mushrooms leftover from the spinach & feta pita bake, and all the potatoes that aren't being set aside for pav bhaji. It'll also use up some of the hamburger buns I'll be buying for pav bhaji.

Creole Red Beans & Rice 

Sunday, a Healthy Day. No-oil version because I don't think I'll ever bother using oil in this recipe again. This will use up some of the bell pepper and onion on hand (I have a whole other cup of diced leftover bell pepper in the freezer, in addition to the diced peppers in the fridge).

 

Pav Bhaji

Monday. Another cool day. This will use up the last of the onion and bell peppers and potatoes. The last time I made it, I realized I was out of pav bhaji masala and substituted a chunky chaat masala I had on hand. Sameer and Simran agreed it was much better pav bhaji than ever before, so I'm going to keep using the chaat masala.

I'll have a fair amount of spinach leftover from Wedneday's spinach & feta pita bake. I was thinking of making Spiced Spinach Tofu Stir-Fry and Brown Basmati Rice with it, maybe on the next Wednesday. If the spinach looks like it's threatening to wilt before then, I can put it in a bag in the freezer. I have to figure out Tuesday's Healthy Dinner. I still have homemade Black Bean Burgers and whole grain flourless burger buns in the freezer if I can't think of anything else. I want to come up with some more green light dinners that I really enjoy.

Meal Planning

Time to meal plan again. I made everything from last week's meal plan except the stir-fry. We ended up having various leftovers instead that night. It's Friday, it's hot outside, and I need a meal plan to get me from tonight through at least Tuesday night (taking on less than a week at a time definitely makes it easier to avoid food waste, and I go shopping pretty regularly now -- I'm no longer stretching up to 2 weeks between shopping trips like I did at the beginning of the pandemic, before I was vaccinated or had KF94 masks). Here's what I'm making:

Avocado Grilled Enchiladas with Red Chile Pesto and Red Cabbage Slaw

Tonight. It involves some cooking on the stove top, but not too much (it's nearly 90 outside today, and I'm trying not to overwork my A/C).

 

Jalapeno Popper Melts 

Saturday because it's easy, it involves minimal actual heating of anything (still pretty hot out, though less so), and it'll use up my sourdough bread that needs to go. Also we all like it, which is important on a weekend dinner because it makes it easier to avoid the temptation of scrapping the meal plan and ordering in.

 

Tofu & Veggie Stir-fry with Brown Rice 

Sunday (Healthy Day). No oil.

Vegan Fried Chicken with Homemade Ranch Dip and Vegan Elote

Monday. I'm not sure if these things go together, but I needed something with vegetables to serve with the vegan fried chicken, and it all tastes good.

 

Louisiana-Style Soy Curls (The How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 137) and Collard Greens with Almonds

This will be Tuesday (a Healthy Day). I've never had the soy curl recipe before, but I like spicy, saucy soy curls, and I like the collards. 

 

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

Wednesday tentatively. It's supposed to be reasonably cool outside that day, so I won't feel bad using the oven. I don't think I'll buy the ingredients for this yet. I'll probably go shopping again next Wednesday morning.

Meal Planning

Time for meal planning. I'm baking the pie crust for tonight's tofu pot pie right now. Sameer has been having trouble with his intermittent fasting (either he's just too hungry to function or it's the problem he's had before of being so cold and hungry he can't sleep at night), so he's decided to just eat "green light" foods on what were previously fast days. This means whole, plant-based (no animal products) foods with no added salt, sugar, or oil. To aid in this goal, my goal is to cook green light dinners on those days, which will be a bit of a challenge since those were previously lazy dinner days for me, but it's good for all our health (not to mention my weight), and I have two cookbooks full of exclusively recipes that qualify (The How Not to Die Cookbook and The How Not to Diet Cookbook) for when I need help coming up with what to make. I think my Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook and most of The No Meat Athlete Cookbook also fit these criteria.

For last night's green light dinner, I just made Creole Red Beans & Rice again because I already had the ingredients, this time omitting the oil and salt. The flavor barely even changed (I admittedly use a lot of hot sauce). The oil really adds nothing, so I will be omitting it going forward (my rice pot isn't non-stick, so I just used a couple tablespoons of water in place of the oil to cook the veg and garlic powder). 

It's been a nice cool spring, but in a few days the temperature is supposed to jump into the 80s, so I want to plan some meals that involve little to no heating for those days. I still have some celery, carrots, grape tomatoes, and another rogue green bell pepper I just discovered in my fridge. Here is what I'm planning to make:

Idli-Sambar

The next two days are supposed to be chilly and rainy still, so I'm making this tomorrow. It's one of Sameer's healthy days. The idli contains white rice simply because I've never seen brown idli rice and I'm not confident enough yet with idli to try a new recipe (I was bad at idli for a long time). The entire rest of the meal is lentils and vegetables though, so I personally think it's close enough. I can also try to use up the last of the cashew yogurt on top of my soup. I can also dump all the fresh veg I need to use up into the sambar.

I just now put the urad dal and idli rice to soak so it'll be ready to blend into batter tonight (it has to ferment, so this one takes some planning). The ice cream maker core is already in the freezer, so I can make mango sorbet from my last can of unsweetened kesar mango too.

 

Baked Potato Skins and  Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce and Various Veggie Sides

Friday night. It's going to still be cold, so it'll be a good day to spend baking potatoes. Also it'll be a good way to use up some of the potatoes I'll have leftover after making sambar.

 

Black Bean Quesaritos

I want to make these again Saturday. They are such delicious junk food, I have leftover homemade "Taco Bell chipotle sauce" from last time, and they're really quick to assemble once I have the rice and beans cooked, and that is my top priority on a Saturday night.

Tofu & Veggie Stir-fry with Brown Rice

Sunday is the last reasonably cool day, so I'll make this then. It's a Healthy Day. I've made this recipe completely oil free in the past by sauteing everything in a small amount of water and then sort of simmering it all in the sauce of water, Bragg's liquid aminos, and corn starch. Sameer had said it was better than when I cooked it in oil (the tofu seemed to absorb a lot more flavor from the other ingredients), so I'll just do that.

Vegan Garlicky Korean Mac and Cheese and Veggie Sides? 

Monday. Because I still have all that garlic I roasted.

Veggie Summer Rolls

I'll make this Tuesday when it's supposed to be 87 degrees because it involves no heating of anything. There is some sesame oil in the sauce, but again, I personally think this qualifies as a Healthy Day meal.

 

Fresh Veggie Tacos and Red Cabbage Slaw 

Wednesday because it's no-cook and delicious, and Wednesday is another projected 87 degree day. I just started soaking some broccoli seeds in the hope that I'll have fresh sprouts by then. 

They sprouted right in time! One week from soaking.

 

Fresh Guacamole

Black Bean Burgers

I'm going to try to find whole grain buns for these and serve them on a Sameer Healthy Day. I used to get Ezekiel brand sprouted grain flourless buns from the freezer section, but I haven't seen them in awhile. I already have the burgers pre-made in the freezer, and I can heat them using just the toaster oven (it'll still be in the 80s).