Meal Planning

We're expecting three warm days this week (by which I mean over 75 degrees, warm enough we'll need to open the windows if not turn on the A/C) followed by three cool days (by which I mean no chance we'll need to use the A/C -- highs in the 60s or lower), so I'm planning three meals that use the whole oven on the cool days and three meals that don't for the warmer days. Next Monday I have another gum graft surgery, so I want to use up any crunchy foods before then because I'll be on a liquid/soft diet for a couple of weeks, and Sameer and Simran historically have eaten mostly prepared foods during that time. Here is what I have to use up: a couple kinds of lettuce, arugula, an heirloom tomato, some hot dog buns, a bag of shaved brussels sprouts, and some homemade ranch dressing. Here is what I'm making: 

Vegan Air-Fried Soy Curls with Homemade Ranch Dip and Baked Beans and Arugula Salad and Corn on the Cob

Veg Kielbasa with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potatoes and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

DIY Sandwiches and Leftover Sides

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

Tofu Pot Pie

Because I have tofu in the freezer, as well as frozen veg. I don't make this much after it gets hot outside since it involves a lot of oven baking, which heats up the house, and we all like this meal.

Plant-Based Meatballs (Delish Loves Disney, pg. 13)

I can eat these in the second week after my gum graft surgery, so I'll make them this Thursday or Friday when it's cool out and put them in a bag in the freezer for later.

French Onion Skillet Lasagna

To finish off the mushrooms from the meatless balls and the spinach from the green enchilada lasagna.

Loaded Nachos

Sunday night since it yields no leftovers and I'll be eating pretty lean for the next week (mostly blended soups, pureed sweet potato, homemade refried beans, and yogurt) so I might as well have a junk food dinner beforehand.

Meal Planning

My brain isn't functioning optimally for meal planning, so this is basic stuff I could think of that won't be too labor intensive. It's warm this week, mostly in the 70s, so I'm avoiding using the oven too heavily. We got the new toaster oven, but it also generates a lot of heat around it.

Hot Dogs and Baked Beans and Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Deviled Eggs

Wednesday in honor of May Day. And because we already have everything to make all of this.

 

Ravioli with Arugula & Pecorino 

It's easy and I like it. I'll make this Tuesday since Simran has voice lessons until 5pm and I need something quick to whip up.

Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

Thursday I guess. Because I have sour cream and some mushrooms to use up, and I haven't made this in ages.

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

Monday night because it requires the oven and Monday is the coolest weather.

Black Bean Quesaritos

Weekend junk food dinner. Because I think we still have nacho cheese in the fridge and potentially enough sour cream to make both the stroganoff and a fresh batch of the spicy quesadilla sauce.

Meal Planning

Vegetable Barley Soup and Vegetarian Reubens

Hot Dogs and Corn and Baked Beans and Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Super Salad with Garlic Caesar Dressing & Hemp Hearts (from The How Not to Die Cookbook, pg. 83)

Not a meal, but to serve with multiple meals.

Meal Planning

Open containers of things I have to use up: half a container of nonfat cottage cheese, a small jar of pesto sauce, a couple small jars of tomato-based sauces, lite sour cream, salsa, nonfat Greek yogurt, some small slices of sourdough bread, and a package of veg kielbasa. Here is what I'm making:

Pesto Alfredo Primavera Pasta

This will use up the pesto, and I can make the last of the sourdough bread into garlic bread.

Vegan Fried Chicken with ranch dip and Baked Beans and Various Veggie Sides

The ranch dip will use up the remaining nonfat Greek yogurt.

Spaghetti and Meatless Balls with Marinara and Veggie Side

To use up the tomato-based sauces.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

To use up the salsa in the fridge.

Black Bean Burgers on Pretzel Rolls with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Tater Tots

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches 

Meal Planning

Things I have to use up: baby spinach, salad greens/cucumber/grape tomatoes/homemade vinaigrette, roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, red cabbage, and corn tortillas. Here is what I'm making (possibly, I don't know):

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

I can use up the baby spinach and some of the corn tortillas on this and serve red cabbage slaw with it. And it's healthy.

Red Chile Enchiladas and Red Cabbage Slaw

I can maybe finish off the corn tortillas here and some more of the slaw.

Avocado Grilled Enchilada with Red Chile Pesto 

Red bell peppers and finish off the slaw.

Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread

Because it's easy, uses up beans, and will finish off my nonfat Greek yogurt.

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

Because it's easy and we all like it.

Black Bean Burgers

To finish off the mushrooms the pita bake will require me to buy.

Meal Planning

 Time for meal planning. Here is what I'm making:

Catalan Sauteed Polenta with Spinach & Butter Beans

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

[Edited 3/19/2024: I thought this was great. I ate it covered in pico de gallo (unpictured). I added black olives on top because Sim loves them and about a cup or two of spinach to the filling for the sake of using up some spinach and getting leafy greens in there, and I stand by both of those decisions. I can't imagine it changed the flavor much. I also made it oil free by cooking the tortillas and filling in a nonstick pan, which tends to improve the texture when sautéing things like squash.]

Seven-Layer Tortilla Pie

Soup & Sandwiches

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

I don't make this nearly as often as I list it on the meal plan, just because I want the reminder that I can make it quickly and without much effort. I do plan to make this dinner on Wednesday because we have lots of commitments that day and I won't have time to make much else.

I'd also like to make a salad to go with one or more dinners and try out this lemon vinaigrette recipe. 

Meal Planning

I haven't quite finished making everything from the last meal plan, but I need to go grocery shopping today, so I'm carrying it over to this week's meal plan and tacking on ideas at the end that could be easy to throw together. Here is what I'm making:

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

Baked Gobi Manchurian and Dal Lasooni and Rice

Adding this because I'll have cauliflower leftover from the caulipots. I'll make the dal lasooni from my massive bag of mung beans. [Edited 3/17/2024: I'm happy to report I effectively cooked rice and the dal in the same InstantPot. I included extra tomato sauce and water in the dal, and I used my new little stand thingy I bought for the InstantPot to hold up what basically looks like a stainless steel cake pan that I had filled with aged brown basmati rice and water. I just set it all to cook for 13 minutes (an appropriate amount for aged brown basmati) and let it steam quietly for a couple minutes after the pressure came down naturally because the rice was initially a bit too al dente for my taste, and then everything was great.]

My pot-in-pot setup tonight, with rice in a smaller tin and dal in the main compartment:

Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread

Because the cornbread will use up the last of my nonfat yogurt. 

Vegan Fried Chicken with ranch dip and Baked Beans and Various Veggie Sides

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

Penna alla Vodka with Veg Italian Sausage

Creole Red Beans & Brown Rice