4th of July Weekend Meal Planning

This is meal planning for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Independence Day Extravaganza with Fireworks), and Tuesday (July 4th holiday). The Canadian wildfires have blown unhealthy air into our area for the past few days, and I'm not sure when it will clear out (meaning no opening the windows or spending time outside), but it's also going to be hot. This could potentially cancel any July 3rd/4th festivities, but it shouldn't change our need for dinners that don't heat up the entire house. Sameer has plans to make a couple of side dishes, including "potatoes fondant" and macaroni and cheese. Here is what we're making:

Black Bean Quesaritos

Because I still have some of the spicy quesadilla sauce leftover in the fridge, and I can make more from the sour cream in the fridge. Probably Saturday because I hate cooking on Saturday and I can prep all the components in advance.

Veggie Dogs and Corn on the Cob and Baked Beans and Various Veggie Sides

4th of July. This could be a dinner we do twice since the veggie dogs are prepared food and the sides are random. Sameer could make his sides either day.

Quesadillas and Vegan Elote with Fresh Guacamole 

Because it's easy and tasty and I can make taco bell style quesadillas from the leftover spicy sour cream sauce. I'm going to buy some veg chik'n strips and tomatoes too to go all out.

Vegan Fried Chicken with ranch dip and Various Veggie Sides

Because I have almost an entire container of cashew yogurt with an expiration date of 7/5, and the ranch dip will take care of some of that. Maybe I'll set aside half of the yogurt to make into Spiced Spinach Tofu Stir-Fry. Any leftover sides from Veggie Dog night or the elote can go with this meal. This is also another opportunity for Sameer to make one of his side dishes.

My goal after the long weekend will be clearing out the fridge and freezer. They are both pretty packed at the moment.

Meal Planning

Things I have to use up: spinach, lettuce, baby carrots, 4 eggs, 5 burger buns, and 1 burger. It is hot this week, so I don't want to use the oven too much. It heats up the house. Here is what I'm making:

Sandwiches and Veggie Sides
To use up the leftover burger buns and burger.

Tikka Masala Pasta Salad

Thai Green Curry Noodle Stir Fry

Veggie Summer Rolls

Pistachio Fruit Fluff Salad

I've been wanting this dessert that I haven't made in years.

Date Rolos

I've been eating too much sugar and having these in my fridge is a good way to reduce that.

As of Friday I have to avoid fresh veg and other fibrous foods to prep for my colonoscopy, so we'll probably have sandwiches and frozen pizza over the weekend.

Meal Planning

We're back from Kansas City, so it's time to meal plan and grocery shop. Here is what I still have to use up: four tomatoes that went into the fridge so they wouldn't spoil and therefore will be best in cooked form rather than raw, several russet potatoes, a few mushrooms, a veggie dog, a small amount of leftover pizza dough, some leftover buttermilk and leftover sour cream, and half a gallon of skim milk. Here is what I'm making:

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Friday night dinner. Might make sides of stewed tomatoes and steamed mushrooms from the veg sitting in the fridge. Might make the tomato soup in the InstantPot this time and see how that goes. I don't recall if I've done that before with this recipe, but it seems like it should be easy enough.

Black Bean Quesaritos

Saturday night junk food dinner.

Lasagna and Garlic Knots

Sunday, when it'll be cooler and rainy outside. I'm going to make the leftover pizza dough into a few garlic knots. If I have leftover sourdough from grilled cheese night, I can make garlic bread too.

Spinach & Feta Pita Bake

Breakfast Burrito

Because I still have potatoes.

Veggie Dogs & Corn on the Cob & Green Salad

Easy hot weather meal. If there are any mushrooms leftover from the pita bake, I can steam them and serve them as a side (i.e., microwave them with water and eat them all myself because no one else will).