Meal Planning

Time for meal planning again. Next week is Thanksgiving, and Sim will be off from school. This week is still normal though. For this week, here is what I have to use up: part of a sliced red bell pepper, half a head of cauliflower in florets, some nonfat yogurt, and about a cup of baby spinach. Here is what I'm making:

Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

I used to love beef & broccoli when I ate meat (and also the vegan version at Grasshopper Cafe in Allston, MA), so I have high hopes for this recipe.

Vegetable Barley Soup & DIY Sandwiches

It's soup season, and I can use up random weird beans in this soup.

Black-Eyed Peas & Cornbread & Collard Greens & Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites

I have lots of black-eyed peas, including a fresh bag from my Rancho Gordo Bean box. I didn't make the Nashville hot cauliflower bites last week, so I want to do that asap. The cornbread will use up more of my yogurt. This will be a labor-intensive dinner compared with the others, but none of the dishes are particularly hard on their own, and I think it'll be good.

Chili Miso Pasta with Spicy Tofu Crumbles

I have no idea if this actually resembles the Chrissy Teigen spicy miso carbonara recipe I like to make vegetarian, but it sounds like it has some of the same flavors, so I'm looking forward to trying it. My version always gives me a stomachache because I still include egg yolks, so it would be great to have a vegan variety. If I recall correctly, I think I used shiitake mushrooms rather than cremini or white, so I might use them here as well. 

Seven-Layer Tortilla Pie

Beyond Burgers & Fries & Bagged Salad

Easy Saturday night dinner.

Meal Planning

Here is what I have to use up: about half a sliced red bell pepper, one avocado, half a dozen corn tortillas, half-and-half, heavy cream, and non-fat plain yogurt. I included some meals last week that I haven't made yet, so I'm copy/pasting them again to this week. Here is what I'm going to make:

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Probably Sunday night (tonight). I still have some leftover 2% milk in the fridge, and I can use it to make the mashed potato topping.

Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread

I think I need more TVP. I mostly like making this because it's a way to use up random beans from my Rancho Gordo Bean boxes. Also, everyone likes cornbread.

Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites

If there is even more leftover cauliflower. This is not a meal, but it could be a side, appetizer, or snack.

Green Enchilada Lasagna (I Can Cook Vegan, pg. 192)

Catalan Sauteed Polenta with Butter Beans

I'm anticipating Thursday will remain a dinner of leftovers for now. These dinners all require a decent amount of prep time and will probably yield some leftovers. I mostly just wanted to include mushrooms and a lot of vegan stuff and use up more of my Rancho Gordo beans.

Meal Planning

Sameer and his mom are both going out of town Tuesday, so most of the week will just be Sim and me. There are still two dinners with all of us though, and Sameer should be back for dinner Friday. I'm going to try to clean out the fridge, freezer, and pantry a bit in the lead up to Thanksgiving. I also want to make some dishes I haven't made in the last few months, like some mushroom- and fake-meat-based dishes. I'm going to do easy meals that don't create a bunch of leftovers while it's just Sim and me (mostly sandwiches probably). Here is what I'm planning to make the rest of the time:

Avocado Grilled Enchiladas with Red Chile Pesto and Bagged Salad

There was a good deal on bagged salad, so I bought three, which leaves me with two more to use up quickly. I think we'll do this meal tonight.

Air Fryer Tofu with Rice and Bagged Salad

Monday night.

After Sameer gets home:

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

Instant Pot Garlic Mushrooms and Caulipots and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce 

Because the vegan mushroom bourguignon will yield extra potatoes and cauliflower.

Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread

I think I need more TVP. I mostly like making this because it's a way to use up random beans from my Rancho Gordo Bean boxes. Also, everyone likes cornbread.

Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites

If there is even more leftover cauliflower.

Meal Planning

Red Beans & Rice 

Tonight (Sunday). I think last time I combined all the ingredients in the main Instant Pot insert and just cooked it on the rice setting, and everyone thought it was the best it had ever turned out. I think I also used white rice, which I'm out of, so I guess I'll use brown and just cook it longer.

Tostada Pizza

Monday because it'll be one of the cooler days.

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Hummus) and Greek Salad

Tuesday. I want to try to find some frozen pita bread at the grocery store for optimal freshness without my having to make them entirely myself. Whole Foods allegedly sells good ones.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans 

Wednesday.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Thursday night for a cozy post-trick-or-treat dinner for Simran.

Tuscan Kale Salad

This is my attempt at recreating the Tuscan kale salad from True Food Kitchen. The one at True Food Kitchen has breadcrumbs in it, which I don't include, but I think that's the primary difference. It's one of my favorite things to eat for lunch.

Ingredients

1/2 bunch Tuscan kale (also called lacinato or dinosaur kale)

Lemon Vinaigrette

1-2 tbs shaved Parmesan (I like Violife's vegan Parm.)

Directions

1) Remove woody kale stems and rip up the kale leaves. Rinse.

2) Pour boiling water over the kale; then drain and rinse with cold water immediately. (I doubt they cook the kale even this small amount at True Food Kitchen, but it makes it easy to digest and reduces the amount of dressing required to soften it up.) Let the leaves drain for a few minutes.

3) Dress with lemon vinaigrette and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Lemon Vinaigrette

 Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1-3 garlic cloves

1-2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1) Put garlic cloves in a food processor and run until minced. 

2) Put all remaining ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

3) Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

Meal Planning

Time for meal planning. Our neighbor gave us a few ripe red tomatoes and unripe green tomatoes from her garden, so I'm making plans for them.


Fried Green Tomatoes and Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

Taco Tuesday with Vegan Mexican Corn Salad with Black Beans

Dal Bhaat Shaak Rotli with Dal Lasooni and Green Bean Shaak

Garlicky Vegan Korean Mac 'n Cheese 

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans