Meal Planning

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Tofu Saagwala and Chaat Masala Salad

Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Tofu Salad Sandwiches and Cucumber Salad

Air Fryer Tofu with Rice and Bagged Salad

Dumplings with Dipping Sauce and Asian Chopped Salad

Healthy Doggie Cupcakes

I got the original recipe for these doggie birthday cakes from Allrecipes and modified it a bit for Oscar's particular dietary goals. Here is my version:

Ingredients

1 cup cooked sweet potato

2 egg whites

1/4 cup peanut butter (unsweetened and unsalted)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups ground oats

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2) Prepare your oats. I buy old-fashioned rolled oats and grind them in a food processor until they are about halfway between quick-cooking oats and flour (less than 30 seconds). This is what I do every time a baking recipe calls for oats so they aren't too chewy or dry. Set aside.

2) Mash the cooked sweet potatoes, either with a potato masher or an electric mixer (I did all of this manually). Then add the remaining wet ingredients (egg white through vanilla) and combine thoroughly.

3) Add baking soda and mix thoroughly. 

4) Add ground oats and combine thoroughly. Batter should be a clumpy texture, neither dry nor pourable.

5) Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners until filled to the top. My batch made seven.

5) Bake in preheated oven 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of one comes out clean.

6) Allow to cool for 10 minutes in tin and then remove to finish cooling on a rack (or plate or countertop).

While not wild with flavor (lack of salt will do that), I personally liked the finished product, as did Sameer. Sameer and/or I will finish off the batch for breakfasts this week. 

Meal Planning

Pepper Beans in Creamy Garlic Sauce with Crispy Chickpea Crumble

Tofu Saagwala

Indo Chinese Crispy Soy Curls and Chaat Masala Salad

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

Garlicky Korean Mac 'n Cheese with Gochujang

Red Chile Enchiladas

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 12 oz puck vegetarian Beyond or Impossible Meat
heaping 2 tbs diced onion
1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tbs 1 tsp tomato paste
2 tbs 1 tsp ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbs apple cider vinegar
heaping 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
a dash black pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
4 - 5 hamburger buns, for serving

Meal Planning

Sloppy Joes

Burgers & Nacho Fries

Spaghetti with Meatless Balls

Sausage/Egg/Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches

Meal Planning

To get us through the weekend. I think the only things I need to buy are a green bell pepper and a head of green cabbage.

Vegan Irish Sausages and Colcannon (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 164)

Chilli-Garlic Noodles

Taste of Lemont

No cooking necessary Saturday night.

Bubble and Squeak

Sunday night, to use up any leftover colcannon, potatoes, and cabbage, and the eggs in the fridge.

Meal Planning

Just for the first half of the week. I'll reassess on Wednesday and figure out the remainder.

Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Tofu Salad Sandwiches and Cucumber Salad

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Cucumber Salad

Meal Planning

Vegan Big Macs and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Cucumber Salad with Dill and Deviled Eggs 

Mediterranean Bowl

Veggie Summer Rolls

Vegan Garlicky Korean Mac and Cheese and Crispy Air Fried Black-Eyed Peas

Black Bean Quesaritos

Seven-Layer Tortilla Pie

Buffalo Tofu Salad

Meal Planning

Vegan Fried Chicken with Ranch and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Cucumber Salad with Dill and Deviled Eggs 

Taco Bell-Style Quesadillas and Black Beans

Pita Pizzas 

Because there is an open jar of sun-dried tomato pesto in the fridge.

Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Because I have soy curls in the pantry and broccoli florets in the freezer to use up. Plus it's a good source of protein, vegetation, and fiber.

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Cucumber Salad

Because my new bag of vital wheat gluten finally arrived in the mail, and I've got a bottle of barbecue sauce open in the fridge to use up. The ribs and the bean salad are both good sources of protein. And I've got another box of Rancho Gordo beans arriving soon.

Grilled Cheese and Soup

Because I want to buy a loaf of fresh bread and eat it. Tomorrow.

Veggie Summer Rolls

Because my basil plant is filling out nicely, and I've got rice paper wrappers in the pantry to use up.

Vegan Garlicky Korean Mac and Cheese 

Because I've got roasted garlic in the fridge to use up, plus broccoli in the freezer and noodles in the pantry.

Buffalo Tofu Salad

Because I love and miss this meal, and there is homemade ranch in the fridge right now. Plus it's a good source of protein. 

Meal Planning

Shakshuka

Vegan Fried Chicken with Ranch and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Broccoli

Mediterranean Bowl

Vegan Irish Sausages and Colcannon (The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 164)

Chilli-Garlic Noodles

Burgers

Crispy Air Fried Black-Eyed Peas

For a snack. Because I have way too many black-eyed peas in the pantry, and this would be a good dose of both fiber and protein.

Meal Planning

Things in the fridge I need to use up: arugula, lettuce, avocados, whole wheat tortillas. Here is what I'm making:

Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Veg Kielbasa & Sauerkraut and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad

Veg Big Macs and Arugula Salad

My birthday dinner.

Fresh Veggie Tacos and Refried Beans

This will use up the whole wheat tortillas, lettuce, and avocados. I'll make the beans from my hoard of dry beans. 

Shakshuka

Because I have eggs, and I can dice up and throw any leftover mushrooms or tomatoes from the tacos into this.

Meal Planning

Vegan Pad Thai

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Lemony Lima Bean Summer Salad and Broccoli

Mediterranean Bowl

Fresh Veggie Tacos

Meal Planning

Basically a repeat of last week because it's another hot week and I want to use up what I've already got.

DIY Sandwiches and Bagged Salad

Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

Because I have arugula to use up.

Fresh Veggie Tacos

California Wrap 

Quesadillas

Meal Planning

It's going to be too hot this week -- well into the 90s -- so I want to heat up the house with oven and stovetop use as little as possible. Here is what I'm making:

DIY Sandwiches and Bagged Salad

Because I already have bagged salad.

Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

Because I already have arugula and grape tomatoes.

Fresh Veggie Tacos

Veggie Summer Rolls

California Wrap and Cucumber Salad

Meal Planning

Leftovers

We went out to Cheesecake Factory last night for Father's Day, so tonight we're eating leftovers from that and Friday's falafel night.

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Red Bean and Arugula Salad with Mango Balsamic Dressing (The How Not to Diet Cookbook, pg. 55) and Seared French Beans with Caper Bagna Cauda and Deviled Eggs and Pasta Salad

Because I'm still trying to use up the bottle of barbecue sauce in the fridge, there is a bunch of arugula leftover from last week's tortellini with arugula, and I bought green beans and eggs last week that need to be used up. The pasta salad will be from the last of the uncooked cheese tortellini in the fridge -- I haven't decided if I'm going to find a recipe or just throw it together with some cut veg and bottled dressing from the fridge. I'm making way too much food Monday night with the intent of feeding off the leftovers for a couple days.

Vegetable Barley Soup and DIY Sandwiches

Tuesday will be very busy with appointments and Simran's voice lesson, but if I cut the vegetables ahead of time for the soup, this should be easy to pull off with the Instant Pot. 

Wednesday we'll probably do leftovers again to clear out the fridge in preparation for a short trip. If we can't finish the soup in two days, I might put it in the freezer.

Burgers & Bagged Salad

I could have this in the fridge ready to go when we get home Friday night.

Next week, to use up ingredients I already have:

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Hummus) with Fresh Pita Bread and Greek Salad

Pizza Moong Muffin 

I also want to make bran muffins again soon to use up the unsweetened applesauce in the fridge, and I have nonfat yogurt in the fridge that could become pancakes or something. I think we've finished off the pancakes from the freezer.

Meal Planning

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Easy Bean Salad and Summer Salad (The How Not to Diet Cookbook, pg. 37)

Vegetarian Chili 

Vegan Fried Chicken Salad with Ranch

Ravioli with Arugula and Pecorino

I have some tortellini in the fridge I plan to sub in for the ravioli.

Salad & Sandwiches

Because I have vegetarian turkey and ham slices in the fridge that need to be used.

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Hummus) with Fresh Pita Bread and Greek Salad

Other Salads I Want to Try:

Red Bean and Arugula Salad with Mango Balsamic Dressing (The How Not to Diet Cookbook, pg. 55)

Chopped Salad Bowl (The How Not to Diet Cookbook, pg 62)

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

Meal Planning

Easy Cheese & Bean Enchiladas

From some leftovers in the fridge and a giant can of enchilada sauce in my pantry.

Tofu Salad Sandwiches and Cucumber Salad

Because Tuesday is supposed to be hot, plus Simran has a voice lesson so I need something I can prep in advance.

Vegan Fried Chicken Salad with Ranch

Didn't end up making this last week.

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Easy Bean Salad and Fresh Veg Side

To use up the open BBQ sauce bottle in the fridge since we're going to have some cool days in the future.

Fettuccine Alfredo and Grilled Halloumi Bruschetta Salad

Simran is making dinner herself for the first time, so I told her to pick out a main and a salad to make, and this is what she chose.

 

Pizza Moong Muffin

To try for protein-laden breakfasts when it's cool enough to bake again.

Meal Planning

We just got back from Boston this week. I'm trying to increase my vegetable intake as well as protein. My MIL doesn't eat vegan "fake meat," so I'm trying to maximize how much of that I enjoy while she is visiting family.

Everything Salad

Hard boiled some eggs and cooked some zipper cream peas from the pantry to add to a base of Greek Salad and some cherry tomatoes and lettuce greens I had to use up.

Vegan Pad Thai

Fresh Veggie Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

Burgers & Bag Salad

Easy Saturday night stuff. I already have bag salad in the fridge that needs to be used.

Vegan Fried Chicken Salad with Ranch

I have lots of soy curls in the pantry, plus some homemade yogurt ranch already in the fridge. I can throw any sprouts leftover from the veggie tacos into the salad.

French Onion Skillet Lasagna 

Because I can throw any leftover mushrooms from the veggie tacos into this, and it'll also use up my box of lasagna noodles.

Vegan BBQ Ribs and Easy Bean Salad and Fresh Veg Side (made of whatever I've got or whatever looks good at the store -- probably a green salad and maybe corn on the cob)

I have lots of dried beans to utilize, plus fat free Italian dressing already in the fridge.

Bran Muffins

While it's cool enough to bake in the oven. I also want to try a batch made in the style of Mocha Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins  by omitting the Craisins and including instant coffee, overripe bananas in place of some of the applesauce, and cacao nibs that are currently taking up space in my pantry.

Meal Planning

Tofu Salad Sandwiches

Vegetable Lasagna

Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

Red Chile Enchiladas

Veg Big Macs & Fries

Bran Muffins

 I made these muffins last week to use up a bag of oat bran that was taking up space in my freezer. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/2 cup date sugar

• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 tbs ground flaxseed

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups bran (wheat and/or oat)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or substitute another whole grain flour)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup Craisins (or raisins or other dried fruit)

• 
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine wet ingredients (yogurt through vanilla extract). Combine dry ingredients (bran through salt). 

3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add Craisins and mix until combined.

4. Fill muffin liners in muffin tin and bake 15 to 20 minutes. 

Meal Planning

Ready-Made Frozen Indian Food and Dal Lasooni and Basmati Rice

Because I have the frozen meals taking up space in the freezer already, and I want to use up the can of tomato sauce I opened the last time I made the dal.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans 

Because it's quick and easy and Simran has her voice lesson Tuesday.

Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans

Wednesday, so I can have some spinach set aside for pita pizzas Saturday.

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Hummus) with Fresh Pita Bread and Greek Salad

Friday, because I want it. I'm going to make extra pitas for the purposes of pita pizza Saturday night.

Pita Pizzas

Saturday, because it's tasty and very easy.

Meal Planning

Garlicky Vegan Korean Mac 'n Cheese 

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Dal Bhaat Shaak Rotli with Dal Lasooni and Green Bean Shaak

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Hummus) with Fresh Pita Bread and Greek Salad

Meal Planning

Tofu Provencal and Brown Basmati Rice Pilaf and Shaved Brussel Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

Frozen Pizza and Bagged Salad and Birthday Cake!

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Garlic Soy Curls 

Air Fryer Tofu with Rice and Bagged Salad

Meal Planning

Garlicky Vegan Korean Mac 'n Cheese 

Tofu Salad Sandwiches

Red Beans & Rice

Ravioli with Arugula and Pecorino