Meal Planning

Three days this week are supposed to be over 80 degrees, so I want some dinners that don't require the stove/oven. I didn't make everything on last week's meal plan, so some of that might repeat here. Here is what I have to use up: one egg, open jar of marinara, open jar of pizza sauce, about a cup of fresh white mushrooms, about a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt, about 1/2 cup of sour cream, lettuce, and a few avocados. Here is what I'm making:

Black Bean Quesaritos

I can use up the remaining sour cream on this, as well as the container of chipotle salsa and open jar of nacho cheese in the fridge. I think I just need big flour tortillas to have all the ingredients.

Fresh Veggie Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

Because it's easy and I love it and it doesn't involve heating up the house at all. I could use up the last of the mushrooms and most of the avocados on this meal. And some of the lettuce.

Pasta and Greek Salad

I will use up the sauces in the fridge, plus the small amount of heavy cream in there and maybe an open cream cheese to make a sort of vodka sauce. Then throw in whatever veg I want to use up from the fridge and freezer and maybe some soy curls from the pantry (or make and steam veg pepperoni in the Instant Pot to slice up and throw in if I'm feeling ambitious), along with whatever dried pasta I want to use up. Sim loved the Greek salad last week, and I have another container of fat free feta, so I'll make it again this week. I just need cucumbers and tomatoes to make this meal.

Falafel (plus Red Sauce)

Later in the week when it's cooler out since it involves baking in the oven. I might try making the falafel in the new toaster oven on its air fryer mode. It's smaller, but it would be quicker and might turn out really well. I'll have to figure out cooking times, etc. The sauce would probably use up the last of the yogurt in the fridge too.

California Wrap

Because it calls for the same sauce as the falafel. I didn't end up making this OR the falafel last week. I'll hold off on buying ingredients for these wraps until I've made the falafel.

Green Enchilada Lasagna

When it gets cooler out maybe.

Meal Planning

Two weeks have passed since my connective tissue graft surgery. Everything went well, and now I can eat normally again. Here is what I'm making (I might be going overboard with the planning, but as long as I only buy enough ingredients for the first couple nights, it's fine):

Vegan Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw and Black Beans and Elote

I want to eat all this tonight. I got some small heirloom black beans from my latest Rancho Gordo Bean box, so I'm using those.

Fresh Veggie Tacos with Fresh Guacamole and Leftover Sides

Any leftover red cabbage slaw, black beans, or elote can go with this.

Black Bean Burgers and Greek Salad

Shakshuka and Leftover Greek Salad

If I have mushrooms leftover from the veggie tacos and eggs still in the fridge. 

Falafel (plus Red Sauce)

Because it's a nice sandwich but also requires heating up the oven, and it's not supposed to be particularly hot this week.

Vegan Seafood Salad

If I have leftover pita pockets from the falafel.

California Wrap

Because it calls for the same sauce as the falafel.

Meal Planning after Connective Tissue Surgery

I'm getting my stitches out tomorrow. I've been eating foods that require no chewing and can't get stuck in stitches for the last week. After the stitches are out, I am graduating to soft foods that can require some light chewing. This is what we're making:

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches

I'll just eat more drinkable foods this night.

Takeout Pizza

Simran is singing at a local restaurant for a fundraiser Tuesday night, so we'll get a pizza while we're there. I'll have drinkable soup, etc.

Indian Butter Tofu and Rice

I might use this recipe for the sauce instead. It's InstantPot and easy.

Spaghetti & Meatless Balls (Delish Loves Disney)

Malai Kofta and Rice

McDonald's Style Breakfast Sandwiches

Last week Sameer made the following for Simran while I mostly ate Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup, cream of wheat, scrambled eggs, whipped sweet potatoes, homemade refried beans with whipped avocado, cottage cheese, green smoothies (no straw! because surgery), and yogurt:

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches

Vegetable Lasagna

Boxed Mac 'n Cheese and Morningstar Buffalo Wings

Prepared foods.

Veggie Dogs & French Fries

Duchess Potatoes

I was able to eat this. They supplemented with veggie dogs while I had other soft foods.

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