The second goal is to give my readers an assortment of quick and easy vegetarian weeknight menus, pedestrian meals, upon which Padma Lakshmi would frown. (how's my outstanding grammar, eh??)
I heart pedestrian meals. That's what I'm actually going to make after a day of work. I don't have time to dilly dally in front of an oven. We are all trying to wedge more stuff into our day: Chores, Playdates, Exercising, Reading, Redecorating/remodeling, Botox Appointments, Procreating, etc. While Facebook moves to the forefront of your priorities, something has to take a backseat, but not a good satisfying meal.
Don't Stress About Dinner!
- Keep pantry staples on hand.
- Use store-bought help when appropriate and if your budget permits.
- Menu plan: Take 15 mins every Saturday morning to plan at least 3 dinners for the week.
- Use the leftover ingredients to be creative and spontaneous for the rest of the week.
- Get inspiration from blogs, magazines, and favorite places to eat.
- Involve your kids in deciding the menu.
- Use help from the tools and appliances that you own (crockpot, blender, toaster oven, etc).
- Have Food Bars to make things easier and fun! You lay out the groundworks and everyone chooses their add-ons. (Mini Pizza bar, Tostada bar, Noodle bowl bar, Fajita bar, Tortilla Soup bar, Chili bar...)
WARNING: Objects listed below may be tastier than they appear.
Mediterranean Vegan-but-i-didn't-know-it Dinner
Vegan Spanakopita (Spinach-Feta Pie)
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Streetside Mediterranean Dinner
Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine
Storebought 5-minute Pinenut Couscous
Tzaziki (Plain Greek Yogurt with Mint, Dill, Garlic, Salt,etc )
Autumn Mediterranean Dinner
Chickpea & Spinach Soup by Nicola Graimes Cookbook
Puff Pastry Savory Mediterranean Tarts
Peach-Apricot Custard with Honey & Walnuts Fakeout
T.G.I.F Mediterranean dinner
Quinoa Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
Roasted Eggplant Dip with Garlic Toasts
Winter Mediterranean Dinner
Harira (Moroccan Lentil Soup)
Date Cake by Nicola Graimes Cookbook
Spanish Barrio Dinner
Mark Bittman's Tomato-Egg Paella
Grilled Watermelon with Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Vietnamese Dormatory Dinner
Store-bought spring rolls with peanut sauce
Vegetarian Vietnamese Pho
You-got-nuthin-on-me,-PFChang's dinner
Tofu Fillets with Jade Pesto
Jasmine Rice
Szechuan Eggplant with Scallions by Nicola Graimes Cookbook
First Attempt Chinese Dinner
Vegetable Lo Mein
Szechuan Green Beans
Asian Culture Police Dinner
Romaine Salad with Peanut Dressing
Hot and Sweet Tofu with Red Pepper, Onion, and Basil (use tofu and omit fish sauce)
Mango Sticky Rice
Asian for Tots Dinner
Sesame Crusted Tofu & Broccoli with Peanut Sauce
Egg Drop Soup
Fig Flowers
Jeera Rice (add Cumin seeds in the rice cooker)
Cucumber Mint Raita
Sort-of-Indian-But-Not-Really Dinner
Eggplant Curry in a Hurry
Jasmine Rice
Falooda
I-Used-to-Hate-Cauliflower Dinner
Cauliflower & Peas Curry from Mangoes and Curry Leaves
Basmati Rice
Papaddum with Cachumber
Indian Home Cookin' Dinner
Kala Chana (Black Chickpea Curry)
Whole Wheat Roti
Kadhi (Yogurt Soup)
Indian-Staple-II Dinner
Rajma Daal
Peas Pullao (Rice with Sweet Green Peas)
Watermelon with Rosewater and Mint
Indian Iron Man Dinner
Kale-Saag Paneer
Rice Cooker Brown Rice
Neepa's Pomegranate Raita
Patio Sunset Dinner
Cauliflower and Broccoli Gratin from Nicola Graimes Cookbook
Herb & Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche
Get-in-ma-Bell-eh Dinner
Greek Salad
Homemade Pizza Bar
Browned Butter Pizzookie
Drinking-on-a-Weeknight Tex-Mex Dinner
Margarita or Mojito
Chips & Salsa
(Sweet) Potato and Spinach Chipotle Enchiladas
Tex Mex Grill Dinner
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips with
Strawberry Gazpacho Salsa
Portobello & Veggie Fajitas
The Great Outdoors Dinner
Texas Jalapeno Sweet Corn Chowder
Zion Beans & Rice
Rapidamente Dinner
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Bar
Pineapple Slices with Ground Cinnamon and Allspice
Afuera Tex-Mex
Grown-up Guac (Tableside) and Chips
3-Pepper Quasi-dilla (half tofu, half cheese)
Incognito Vegetables Dinner
Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
Sneaky Mac n' Cheese
Vegetarian Southwest Country Dinner
Sweet Mexican Cornbread using much less sugar& butter than stated
Vegetarian Bean Chili
Loveme Feedme Dinner
Chick'n Noodle Soup
TLC (Tender Loving Care)
OTC (Over-the-Counter) Medicine
I have to say the "The Great Outdoors Dinner" is the one that intrigues me the mosta nd I can't wait to try it as it gets a little cooler outside. Your concept of creating a menu once a week is so smart, been rtying to do that myself lately. We'll see how long it lasts though... Great blog addition!
ReplyDeleteLove you Amee.. and love the chili!
ReplyDeleteI'm still a fan of the Browned Butter Pizzooki :-) Thanks to you, this is my go-to dessert!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Hope to try to paella soon, I've been looking for a veggie recipe. Also, the link to Vegan Spanakopita appears to be broken..
ReplyDeleteThanks! Only a good friend would tell me if I have spinach in my teeth or if my blog link is broken! I fixed it!
DeleteI'm with you on avoiding unnecessary trips to the store, so I loved loved loved the faux fennel. I can't always find it at my rural lake house, but celery, yep, no problem. All your recipes are wonderful, but I'm so partial to this one. And I know what you mean - people ask me what I eat every day all the time (I'm a nutritionist) and I guess they think I'm deprived (or depraved?) since I simply say if God made it, I eat it - if it came in a box or package, I don't. It's not 100% true, but sometimes ya just get tired of explaining what REAL food is all about! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for adding some wonderfully unusual recipes to my collection!
Susan
Greek Salad and Pizza Bar sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteJamieRippy@gmail.com
Love the blog!
ReplyDeleteI posted to win a free book! I love your recipes! Especially when you make them for me! on Introducing Weeknight Menus and a GIVEAWAY!
ReplyDeleteOur go-to weeknight meal is either taco salad, spring rolls or falafels... 2 out of the 3 only require one pot!
ReplyDeleteI hope to win a free cookbook or two!
ReplyDelete