Creating weekly menus is something I love doing! And as the cost of gas and food continues to increase, I think it is really important to be organized around meals and food shopping. It's yet one more way we can decrease the footprint we make on the earth and be responsible consumers.
With that in mind, here is this weeks' dinner menu, starting last night, with links as appropriate. You might notice that some days have more ambitious menus - when I created each days' menu, I took into account how much time I would have on that particular day for food prep and also thought about whether I needed leftovers for the next day. If and when I'm planning on being out of the house for a significant chunk of time, I like to leave the house with food in hand, so leftovers are always an important part of my weekly menu planning.
So, what are you eating this week? Inquiring minds want to know!
Sunday, April 27
Southern Fried Tofu with Golden Gravy
Kickass Coleslaw
recipe created by Ellen Allard
Zest and juice (about 4 tablespoons) from 2 fresh limes
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or more to taste)
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
6 cups shredded green cabbage
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro, stems and leaves
1 tablespoons black sesame seeds (optional)
Whisk together lime zest and juice, vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper, sugar and canola oil in a container. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside.
Combine cabbage, jalapeno pepper, red onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds and mix well. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings again. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more, stirring occasionally to distribute dressing.
Monday, April 28
Tinkyada Pasta with Basil Pesto
Green Salad with lots of veggies and Candied Walnuts
(I added about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the melted sugar, right before adding the walnuts, see linked recipe)
I've included the link for the Basil Pesto above - please visit and support Dr. Michael Greger's recipes. Plus he's funny, in a Food Network's Alton Brown kinda way. But I'm also including the recipe, as it isn't included in printable form at the linked site. Anyway, it is a delicious, unbelievably delicious version of pesto.
Basil Pesto
1 large bunch of basil leaves, washed
2 cloves garlic
12 oz. silken tofu (I used Mori-Nu)
1 cup toasted walnuts (toasted 350 degrees about 8 minutes - don't burn!)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (I use Kal)
1 tablespoon flaxseeds (or meal)
1 cup (or more as desired) arugula, washed
S&P
Throw everything into blender and whirl until mixed.
This stuff rocks! I served it over Tinkyada pasta - it is too good to be true. It tastes exactly like regular-with-parmesan cheese pesto, yet there ain't a bit of dairy in it.
Tuesday, April 29
Thai Red Curry with Vegetables and Tofu (recipe on jar label)
Jasmine Rice
Wednesday, April 30
Big Honkin' Salad with Kidney Beans and lots of veggies
Tahini Dressing
Hummus (I don't follow a recipe - I just dump chickpeas into the food processor, add tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper, a drizzle or two of olive oil, and then adjust as needed)
Teff Pita
Carrots with Miso Topping
Thursday, May 1
Tempeh Chili
Sweet Potatoes
Friday, May 2
Green Salad with Balsamic Dressing
Better With Cheddar Nachos
Long time lurker, first time commenter. I've been inspired by your posts on menu making and have been making menus for the past month... and I must say, it's made deciding what to eat each night much easier, and our veggies and stuff never go bad. Here's this weeks menu...
ReplyDelete-Chicken and Shitake Alfredo
-Warm Chicken Salad on Spinach
-Hamburgers and French fries
-Chicken and shitake stir-fry with Peas and Pea tendrils
-Crustless Quiche and Salad
-Chicken Fajitas with Crunchy lime cabbage and avocados
-Grilled Veggie Pizza Alfredo
Hamburgers are obviously the most ambitious, depending on the quality of our GF burger buns. We purchased some locally made buns to try, but I can't say I'm particularly excited about them.
Also, the Grilled Veggie Pizza Alfredo (made with chebe pizza dough) we've had before and is WONDERFUL. I highly recommend it. My GF hubby also has an aversion to veggies (although no allergy to them) and he very much enjoyed all the squash and grilled veggies on the pizza.
I've all the links to the recipes if anyone wants them.
Ellen, I almost posted my first weekly menu yesterday but work pooped me out! I'll do it this afternoon after work. I also find it much less stressful to plan and shop once on Sunday. We may have to run to the market once more during the week but for the most part, we have all of the ingredients. I hope you are feeling better! Colds can get you down! Love you.
ReplyDeleteHi Jyesika,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I would love to see your menu. Can you email me a link to the exact post? Thanks!
Dear Sis (Faye),
Yeah, I understand. Posting let alone planning a weekly menu is a lot of work, but well worth it in terms of saving time and money in the long run. Get home from work, grab a cup of tea, and call me and we'll talk through it, if you want!
I'm a huge fan of candied nuts. I'll have to try adding the balsamic--interesting. I usually add salt & plenty of cayenne pepper. Sometimes cumin & chile as well. And I'll be trying that pesto this summer when the basil is booming. Yum...
ReplyDeleteEllen,
ReplyDeleteI had never thought of that perspective before- menu planning goes green! I post my menu every week and actually check my own blog to stay organized. It is hard to be unhappy about being gluten free when you are sitting down to a planned delicious gluten free meal.