Meal Planning

My mother-in-law has arrived, and it's time for more meal planning. It's also supposed to be in the 90s here all week, so I'm trying to avoid using the stove/oven much. I bought some okra from Patel Brothers yesterday, so I'll need to use that this week, but we've finished up most other things. We'll plan on eating leftovers Thursday since my MIL just has fruit and snacks on Thursdays. Here is what I'm making:

Dal Bhaat Shaak Rotli  with Dal Lasooni and Bhinda Nu Shaak 

Taco Tuesday with Vegan Mexican Corn Salad with Black Beans

It's supposed to be the hottest day this week, and Sim has voice lessons, so I'll make some black beans in the Instant Pot and have everything else be prepped ahead and served cold.

Creole Red Beans & Rice and Green Salad

Avocado Grilled Enchiladas with Red Chile Pesto and Red Cabbage Slaw

Air Fryer Tofu with Rice and Crunchy Asian Slaw

I'm probably saving this idea for later, but I'm including it as a just-in-case meal here:

Jalapeno Popper Melts

Meal Planning

It's our first week with Sameer's mom again, so meal planning is adjusted to her preferences. Here is what Sameer has planned for the first week:

Chana Masala with Basmati Rice and Kachumber Salad

Pav Bhaji

Indian Style Sandwiches with fresh Cilantro Chutney

Thursday will be leftovers while Sameer's mom eats fruit and snacks, and Friday we might get takeaway from Patel Brothers. It's supposed to be hot starting next weekend, so we'll have some InstantPot meals, like Red Beans & Rice.

Meal Planning

I've got a lot of random stuff to use up, and Sameer's mom is coming to stay in a week, so we're also eating things she doesn't eat before she gets here (e.g., mushrooms, veggie burgers). Here is what I've got to use up: shaved brussels sprouts, an heirloom tomato, six eggs, creme fraiche, lettuce, buttermilk, heavy cream, burger buns, microgreens, nonfat plain yogurt, and avocados. Here is what I'm going to make:

Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

I'm going to use creme fraiche in place of the sour cream, just to use it up.

Veggie Burgers and Fries and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

I made some vegan special sauce a la Big Mac awhile back, and I've still got that in my fridge. 

Nicoise Salad 

To use up the eggs.

Pancakes

To use up the buttermilk. I can just stash them all in the freezer for later. I also bought some frozen sliced strawberries to make into compote.

Buddha Bowl

I think this will just be for me, but I do have BROL, home baked tofu, and sauce that needs to be used up, plus the avocados, kimchi, and microgreens.

Buffalo Tofu Salad

I have some vegan blue cheese that I need to eat within the next few weeks, plus I can make ranch dressing from the nonfat plain yogurt. This is usually just a week of lunches for me, so maybe I'll do this after finishing off my buddha bowl ingredients.

Edited 8/16/24: I'm using up stuff from the fridge tonight, so lots of veggie sides:

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

Vegan Fried Chicken

Seared French Beans with Caper Bagna Cauda

Cucumber Salad

Patatas con Alioli

Meal Planning

Time for meal planning again. Sameer and Simran are going out of town starting next Sunday, so I'm planning until then. It's hot this week, so I'm avoiding the stove as much as possible. Here is what I have to use up: fresh green beans, nonfat plain yogurt, a tomato, a few red potatoes, most of one red onion, and some leftover homemade ranch dressing and about half the buffalo sauce from when I made buffalo cauliflower. Here is what I'm making:

Veggie Summer Rolls

This meal might be Tuesday, so I can prep it before Sim goes to voice and we can eat as soon as we get home.

California Wrap

This meal is just handy for using up the julienned vegetables from the spring rolls, and it's quick and easy to make. The cucumber dill sauce will use up some of the yogurt.

Fresh Veggie Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

Broccoli Salad and Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower with Ranch Dip and Seared French Beans with Caper Bagna Cauda

I'll make this early in the week, maybe tonight, because it requires the stove and will also probably yield a decent amount of leftovers. The green beans I'm only making because I have the better part of a bagful leftover from a meal last week. 

Breakfast Burrito and Pancakes

This will use up the potatoes. I've also been wanting pancakes with strawberry compote, so I'll make some more of that from a bag of frozen strawberries. If I make a new batch of pancakes, that will use up the last of the nonfat yogurt.

Meal Planning

Time for meal planning. It's July and hot outside, but we're supposed to get a couple cooler days this week. Here is what I have to use up: some little red potatoes, veggie hot dogs, four eggs, a head of cauliflower, and some sliced bell peppers. Here is what I'm making: 

Nicoise Salad 

This will use up the red potatoes and eggs.

Tofu Salad Sandwiches

If I can get fresh sourdough bread and microgreens from the farmer's marker Tuesday, this would be a good Tuesday night dinner.

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Veggie Dogs

Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

Red Beans & Rice 

To use up the bell pepper in my fridge and freezer.

Meal Planning

We've basically finished last week's meal plan, but we've got lots of random leftovers, so I think it's going to be leftover night for dinner. Last week's meal plan did use up a lot of random ingredients though. Here is what I'm planning to cook this week:

Red Curry Tempeh Summer Rolls with Manchurian Sauce

July 3rd/4th: Hot dogs, deviled eggs, Easy Bean Salad, Patatas con Alioli, Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce 

This is too many dishes for three people in one day, but maybe we'll do some on the 3rd (when our town is having their Independence Day Extravaganza and fireworks) and their leftovers plus the rest on the 4th (actual holiday), maybe with homemade black bean burgers or Beyond burgers on the non-hot dog day.

Tofu Salad Sandwiches

I haven't found baked tofu in the "savory" flavor I normally use, but I did find a truffle and sea salt variety, so I'm going to try it here and see how it turns out.

Zucchini Noodles with Haloumi and Pesto

I bought haloumi on a whim after we were served it so often in London, so I need to actually make it into something. Plus, I haven't used my vegetable spiralizer in a while.

Vegan Pasta Salad

I might not make this dish this week, but I'm putting it here so it stays on my radar.

Meal Planning

I've got a lot of random little things in the fridge to use up: arugula, spinach, sliced white mushrooms, an heirloom tomato, pesto mayo, spicy red sauce for falafels, a mixture of radicchio and iceberg lettuce, mozzarella pearls, a package of feta, microgreens, nonfat Greek yogurt, a cucumber, cooked chickpeas and an avocado. It's not going to be quite as hot this week (mostly highs in the 80s, some lower, one or two days higher), so I won't be concentrating as hard to avoiding using the stove. Sameer is planning to implement alternate day fasting this week, so I'm not sure how exactly this will go since cooking on nights when he doesn't eat can yield way too many leftovers. Here is what I'm making:

Falafel (plus Red Sauce and Hummus) and Greek Salad

The yogurt sauce will use up the nonfat Greek yogurt and cucumber. We can use up the last of the red sauce I made last time. I can make hummus from the already cooked chickpeas in the fridge and Greek salad from the feta. I just need to cook more chickpeas and buy more cucumbers, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, pita bread, and parsley. I air-fried the falafel in the Breville last time and it turned out really well.

Brinner with Omelets and Pancakes

I have a bunch of pancakes and some veggie sausages in the freezer. I just need to buy some eggs for this dinner, and the omelets will use up some cheese and random veg from the fridge. This one involves turning the stovetop on for a few minutes, so I'll do it on a cooler night.

Garden Pretzel Sandwiches and Easy Bean Salad

Ravioli with Arugula & Pecorino and Italian Chopped Salad

I already have a shallot and arugula, and I can also throw my fresh spinach in here. I just need the cheese ravioli.

California Wrap

Because we all like it and it finishes off the yogurt sauce from the falafel.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans