Vegan Meal Plan Sunday 24 May 2009

Well, I didn’t cook a bit last week. So, this week will mostly be a repeat of this one.

Once Friday hits, I’m officially putting JumbleSpouse in to kitchen clean out mode. This is something only he can do…putting together amazing meals with what I have on hand in the kitchen. I’ll still go to the market once a week for essentials, but for the most part, he’s on his own with what’s already in the freezer, pantry and frig.

So, this will be my last meal plan post for a while because I have no idea what he’ll come up with each day, and then I have no idea when we’ll have a fully functioning kitchen again.

But, I can tell you after this past week full of his spontaneous creations, I’m looking soooo forward to it.

We’ll post any note-worthy recipes over at Vegan Pantry if you’d like to check that out over the upcoming weeks.

Buon Appetito

Vegan Meal Plan Sunday 17 May 2009

I am moving my meal plan posting to Sunday so that I can introduce a new Monday theme! I know you’re on the edge of your seat, so here’s a hint.

I’ll be picking up where De-Thinging Thursday left off, but with a twist. Now, tell me you can’t stand the wait .

I had a hard time planning this week and keeping it quick, easy and cheap (a perennial problem for me). This is the best I could do:

Burger Monday: Fantastic Falafel on Pita with Tomato & Sprouts

Souper Tuesday: Vegan Planet Tuscan White Bean Soup

Whatever Wednesday: Holy Cow!Thai Chickpea Curry

Carry Out Thursday

Picnic Friday: Veganomicon Cheater Baked Beans and Smokey Grilled Tempeh

Food & Wine Weekend: Two Vegan Boys Tofu Paneer

Leftover Sunday

Treat of the Week Enlightened Cooking Homemade Larabars

Tomorrow I’m an Organizing Junkie will post her weekly linky list of menus over at her place as usual.

Lazy Vegan Meal Plan Monday 10 May 2009

How was your Mother’s Day??

It rained and was cloudy here all day. Luscious!

The JumbleBoys made me Nom!Nom!Nom! French Toast Muffins for breakfast. Then JumbleDad took the little one out to the park for a few hours while I snuggled with the cats and read some Jane Austen.

When they returned, they helped clean up around the house a bit before setting off to the library with promises to bring back a sweet treat. I fantasized about life in Gregorian/Regency-period England, drank cheap red wine, ate chocolate, and soaked up the quiet while pondering this crazy thing called Motherhood.

But enough frivolity, on with the plan…

I’ve felt quite liberated, without feeling deprived of all my usual gourmet flourishes, in my new “I’m not cooking much” state. Not that I’m using that time to pack as I’d planned, however. Just enjoying the rest, having decent meals with little effort and a lot less clean up.

Burger Monday: Madeira-glazed portobello burgers, carrots & tater puffs (eeeew!)

Souper Tuesday: Grilled vegveeta (I think there will be vegveeta in my life weekly from here on out) sammiches with Imagine creamy tomato & basil soup (that’s right…soup in a box. Why not give it a go?)

Whatever Wednesday: Happy Vegan Face maple bourbon glazed tempeh, quinoa and roasted broccoli

Carry out Thursday: Chipotle black bean burritos

Pub Grub Friday: Hummus pizza (thanks for the brilliant inspiration HalfPintPixie)

Sari Saturday: Vegan Mania Chana Saag Aloo (thanks for the head’s up HPP)

Leftovers Sunday

For more menu plans, head over to I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Instant Vegan Meal Plan Monday 4 May 2009

And so it begins…

The plan is to spend May seriously job hunting and packing (with a side of crafting). This means that all the time I used to happily spend cooking and begrudgingly cleaning up afterward will now be devoted to other things.

Because I am totally impaired when it comes to throwing a meal together (quickly) based on what’s in the fridge/pantry, I resort to instant meals when short on time.

Here’s what I mean:

Monday: Fantastic Falafel on Pita with Tomato & Sprouts

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday:Vegan Libre Cashew “Cheese” and Spinach-stuffed Manicotti (dried) smothered in Whole Foods 365 Pasta Sauce, and maybe something green (but no guarantees)

Thursday: Thai carry out

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Vegan Pantry Sundried Tomato Pesto as pizza base on Whole Foods Whole Wheat Pizza Crust, topped with pine nuts and artichokes

Sunday: Two Vegan Boys Orange & Cranberry Granola with almond milk and/or Popcorn unless the JumbleBoys take me out to dinner

Treat of the Week: Even if we don’t go out on Mother’s Day, I’m hoping they’ll make me Nom!Nom!Nom! French Toast Muffins, and maybe we can have a picnic brunch someplace pretty.

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 26 April 2009

Instant Monday: Sweet potato, salsa and black bean quesadillas**

Instant Tuesday: Sweet potato, salsa and black bean quesadillas (because of Wednesday)

Wedding Anniversary Wednesday:

• Appetizer – Mock Salmon Pate to remind us of our 1999 Seattle engagement and wedding day brunch 9 years ago
• Main – Ravioli with Vodka Sauce to remind us of our first (13 hour!) date nearly 14 years ago
• Dessert – Affogato di Gelato (with Purely Decadent vanilla, espresso, chocolate chips and kahlua, too) to remind us of our Italian honeymoon
• Wine – A Washington State Merlot…probably Canoe Ridge if I can find it, but preferably L’Ecole No. 41 (which is nearly impossible to get here) to remind us of our engagement

Carry Out Thursday

Pub Grub Friday: Peas, Mac ‘n Vegveeta and at least one beer to celebrate JumbleSpouse’s last day of class!!

Food & Wine Weekend: Instant Patak’s Indian Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach

Sweet Treat of the Week: Strawberry Soup with Edible Flowers on Beltane

Head on over to Organizing Junkie for more weekly menus (and much more – stuff I really need to learn about – like how to get organized!)

**Vegan Dad has an awesome variation on my simple version (here)

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 19 April 2009

I’ve been providing meals for our neighbor for over a month now. She’s not vegan, but was happy to eat whatever we had planned each night, and for the most part raved about everything. But last week’s Vegan Planet Marjoram-Scented Artichoke & Chickpea Stew was the last straw.

She called me – all excited – wanting to know more about the recipe, where it came from, whose it was, etc. She said that she’d become a convert and wanted to get the cookbook . So, in her honor, every recipe this week will be from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet.

Burger Monday: Three Nut Burgers (pg. 461)

Souper Tuesday: Thyme-Scented Wild Mushroom Bisque (pg. 84)

Whatever Wednesday: Tempeh and Red Bean Jambalaya with Chipotle Chiles (pg. 311)

Carry Out Thursday

Pub Grub Friday: Hummus (minus the harissa), Veggies, Olives and Pita for dipping (pg. 48)

Food & Wine Weekend: Mediterranean Bean Ragout (pg. 291)

Treat of the Week: Chocolatey Peanut Butter Brownies (pg. 508)

If you’re not yet a convert, and want a wider variety of meal options, head on over to Organizing Junkie for more weekly menus.

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 12 April 2009

Manhattan Monday: Using leftover Hickory Smoked Veggie “Meat” from our amazing encounter with Two Vegan Boys Philly Cheez Steaks over the weekend. Wow! Just wow. Make them as soon as you can. And Dreena’s Vegveeta supremely rocked, too (and I don’t even like fake cheese). S’pose I’ll need a green. How about the ultra-original, roasted broccoli?

Souper Tuesday: Vegan Planet Marjoram-Scented Artichoke & Chickpea Stew (page 303)

Wing-It Vegan Wednesday: Gourmet cooking on the road? In hotel rooms? Not this JumbleChef, but the lovely River can pull it off in style! So, I’ll be trying her Brown Rice Patties with a side of Orangette Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Crema

Carry Out Thursday

Pub Grub Friday: Vegan Dad Sweet & Sticky Wingz with a side of beer and maybe chips (if we’re feeling crazy)

Springy Saturday: Great Cooking Every Day Bow Ties with Grilled Asparagus, Morels and Spring Peas

Treat of the Week: To celebrate JumbleSpouse’s wildly successful Thesis defense on Friday, we’ll have Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World Tiramisu cupcakes. Congratulations in advance, Sweet One!

For more plans, head on over to Organizing Junkie!

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 5 April 2009

Burger Monday: Happy Vegan Face Smoky ‘n Spicy Lentil Potato Quinoa Burgers with baby carrots

Souper Tuesday: Vegan Planet Thai-Style Coconut Soup (recipe on page 77)

Whatever Wednesday: The Uncheese Cookbook Fabuloso Kale Casserole

Carry Out Thursday

Pub Grub Friday: Two Vegan Boys Philly Cheez Steaks with a side of fries and Vive Le Vegan Vegveeta Cheez Sauce

Food & Wine Weekend Vegan Planet Ravioli without Borders (recipe on page 255) with Vegan Pantry Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Passover Treat of the Week: Bittersweet Matzah Toffee

Easter Treat of the Week: Bittersweet “Jumbleberry Jam” Lemon Bundt Cake because my tree overfloweth…

But, don’t just take my plan for it…head over to Organizing Junkie for more weekly menu fun!

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 15 March 2009

Stir-Fry Sunday: Maple Grilled Tempeh with Quinoa, Portobellas and Broccoli

Burger Monday:Eat Drink & Be Vegan Chickpea Sensation Patties, Baked Potatoes and Veg Pantry Roasted Broccoli

Souper St. Paddy’s Tuesday Vegan Dad Irish Stew with Fat Free Vegan Irish Sausages

Leftover Wednesday

Carry out Thursday: Thai so there will be leftovers!

Leftover Friday

Solo Saturday: JumbleSpouse will be on his own for the next week. There’s stuff in the freezer and I’ll stock up on bread, peanut butter and jam .

Baked Treat of the Week: Didn’t get those Full Meal Muffins made last week, so we’ll try again this week as we’ll need them for travelin’ food. JumbleSon and I leave for New Mexico on Saturday morning. Yippee!

Vegan Meal Plan Monday 8 March 2009

Need to move my shopping day back to Friday, me thinks. So, that means my meal plan will go from Sunday to Saturday for a while. We’ll see how it goes. I’m also cooking for my neighbor, Molly, for the next week or two. So there may not be many leftovers for lunch…must make some eggless salad for sandwiches to get us through the week.

Stir-fry Sunday: Vegan Express Bok Choy, Edamama, Cashew and Orange Rice

Burger Monday: Falafel in Pita Pockets with tomato, sprouts & Tasty Vegan Yogurt Sauce

SouPurim Tuesday (rock on, Esther!): Post Punk Kitchen French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme with Earth Vegan Whole Wheat Eggless Challah (if JumbleSpouse is up for helping with the bread making)

Leftover Wednesday: The soup makes 8 servings, so hopefully there will be enough for 2 households over 2 nights!

Carry Out Thursday

Pub Grub Friday: Black Bean Nachos w/Chipotle Salsa (using Vegan Lunchbox Nacho Cheez Dip)

Serious Meal Saturday: Two Vegan Boys Asparagus Portobello Risotto

Baked treats of the week: Smooed Food Full Meal Muffins w/Carrots instead of zucchini and Coconut & Lime’s Vegan Hamantaschen. And, taking Miri’s advice, I’ll be filling them with chocolate!

Don’t forget to head on over to Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas!