BBQ Pulled Sandwiches, Roasted Vegetable Pizza, and Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

Shopping List #15

I’ve been having some interesting talks with vegetarian Family Planners. I was wondering how many of you use meat-replacement products like soy crumbles or sausages, so I posed the question in a Facebook group that happens to have a cross-section of both subscribers and vegetarians. It turns out that a) almost none of the vegetarians in that group use those products, and b) some people felt these meal plans don’t provide enough vegetarian protein. As it happens, Substack (the newsletter platform I use) just started to offer commenting, so I’d love to start a conversation with you all about this.

Making meal plans that work for both meat-eaters and vegetarians takes a certain amount of sorcery, and the more I hear from users, the better my sorcery will be. If you’re vegetarian or just have strong feelings about plant-based proteins, please leave a comment on this post! Tell me what kinds of proteins you use, and if you’ve got any feedback about the vegetarian options in the newsletter in general, I’m all ears.

And now, on to next week.

Here’s the menu:

SUNDAY: Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken from Epicurious sets up the carnivores for two easy dinners this week. (Vegetarians, no worries: Your dinners are pretty easy, too!) Everyone will also roast a bunch of vegetables, for two other dinners.

MONDAY: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches use some of that chicken, along with prepared barbecue sauce and hamburger buns. Vegetarians, you’ll make Minimalist Baker’s Vegan “Pulled Pork” Sandwich, which magically transforms lentils and shredded carrots into something kinda meaty but still clearly plant-based. (As long as you’re cooking lentils, you’ll triple the amount and set aside two-thirds for Wednesday.) Serve either sandwich with Bon Appetit’s 5-Minute Vinegar Slaw and potato chips.

TUESDAY: Roasted Vegetable Frittata with creamy goat cheese and herbs from the Washington Post makes good use of those pre-roasted vegs. Serve it with a salad and a nice loaf of country bread.

WEDNESDAY: Mexican Chicken Lentil Soup from Gimme Some Oven has instructions for the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop, so you can cook it whichever way suits you. Meat-eaters will use some more of that shredded chicken. Vegetarians will leave out the chicken and use those cooked lentils with a little less broth and a few more vegetables. Serve it with whichever of the suggested toppings appeal to you: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeño slices, cheese, and fresh lime wedges. Bonus: This makes enough to pack into tomorrow’s lunch thermoses.

THURSDAY: Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza from Cooking Light uses up the remaining roasted vegetables. (And of course, if you’ve got picky eaters, you’ll have an option to make some plain.) Serve it with a salad, if you like, but the pizza itself has enough going on that I usually don’t bother—note that I’m not including salad fixings in the ingredients list.

FRIDAY: Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries from Eating Well feel indulgent but they’re secretly packed with healthy stuff like sweet potatoes, beans and corn, and avocado. Add shredded chicken if there’s any left, or use a full can of beans.

Here’s the shopping list:

Remember, an asterisk* indicates an ingredient for vegetarians only. If I don’t specify an amount for an ingredient, assume it’s not substantial. And note that I’m no longer adding salt and pepper to the shopping list unless a recipe calls for a particularly large quantity.

Produce

• 2 medium and 1 small onions (M, T, W)

• 2 medium red onions (T, Th)

• 1 small white onion (W)

• 2 heads garlic (M, W)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

• 1 bunch carrots* (M, W)

• 8 oz. crimini mushrooms (T, Th)

• 2 medium zucchini (T, Th)

• 2 yellow bell peppers (T, Th)

• 1 bunch scallions (M, W, F)

• 2 (8-oz.) packages coleslaw mix (M)

• 1 bunch rosemary or thyme (T)

• 1 bunch cilantro (W, F)

• 1 bunch basil (Th)

• 5 oz. salad greens (T)

• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (T, F)

• 1 cucumber (T)

• 2 avocados (W, F)

• 2 limes (W, F)

Pantry

• Bay leaves (M, W)

• 3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth (M, W)

• 2 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth* (W)

• Olive oil (M*, T, Th, F)

• Prepared barbecue sauce (M)

• Pickled jalapeno slices (M, W)

• 1 cup or 3* cups green lentils (M*, W)

• Coconut sugar or brown sugar* (M)

• White sugar (M)

• Paprika* (M)

• Garlic powder* (M)

• Celery seeds (M)

• Ground cumin (W)

• Crushed red pepper (Th)

• Red wine vinegar (M, T)

• 1 bag potato chips (M)

• 16 oz. salsa verde (W)

• 1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles (W)

• Cornmeal (Th)

• 1 (14-oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes* (W)

• 1/3 cup tomato sauce (Th)

• 1 (15-oz.) can black beans

Meat Counter

• 4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (M, W)

Dairy

• 7 large eggs (T)

• Low-fat milk (T)

• Sour cream or Greek yogurt (W, F)

• 1/3 cup soft goat cheese (chevre) or feta (T)

• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack (W, F)

• 4 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella (Th)

• 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta (Th)

• 1 lb. pizza dough (Th)

Bakery

• 4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls (M)

• 1 loaf country bread (T)

Freezer Case

• Corn kernels (W, F)

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Details on putting it all together are coming your way Saturday morning.

In the meanwhile, comment away on this post!

Debbie