I’ve had y’all working a lot on Sundays. (That “y’all” was a nod to Paula. I’m too much of a New Yorker to get away with saying it myself.) But this weekend is the Super Bowl, and even though my immediate family will probably be watching an episode or two of “Steven Universe,” I imagine most of you won’t want to be cooking that day. Next week’s meal plan is so simple, so easy, you don’t need to do a thing ahead of time.
Here’s the menu:
MONDAY: Mango-Chutney Chicken (or Tofu) with Roasted Carrots and Zucchini from Epicurious was written with picky eaters in mind—it offers three levels of seasoning for you to choose from. The shopping list includes what you’ll need if you decide to go whole hog, so take a look before you hit the grocery store in case you want to skip something. Double the recipe to use on Thursday, and serve with naan.
TUESDAY: Moroccan Vegetarian Stew from Taste of Home builds a cozy, filling bowl from winter squash, root and other vegetables, chickpeas, and warm spices. This recipe serves eight, so you’ll have leftovers to repurpose on Friday. Cook a double-batch of rice and refrigerate the rest for Thursday.
WEDNESDAY: Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita Grill from Cooking Light is a giant, colorful dinner salad. Grill an extra bell pepper for tomorrow.
THURSDAY: Chicken (or Tofu) Fried Rice uses Monday’s protein, carrot, and zucchini, yesterday’s pepper, and Tuesday’s rice, plus a few more goodies. It’s a no-recipe required night.
FRIDAY: Moroccan Shakshuka is another no-recipe dinner, which I’ll walk you through in Saturday’s newsletter. You’ll use Tuesday’s leftover stew as a base for baked eggs, topped with feta, served with toasted pita for dunking in the runny yolks.
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
3 lb. carrots (M, T, F)
3 medium and 2 small zucchini (M, T, F)
1 bunch cilantro or parsley (M)
1 bunch oregano (W)
1 bunch scallions (Th)
1 large onion (T, F)
1 small butternut squash (T, F)
2 medium potatoes (T, F)
3 plum tomatoes (T, F)
2 large red bell peppers (W, Th)
1 head romaine lettuce (W)
1 large English cucumber (W)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (W)
1 orange (M)
1 lemon (W)
2 packages firm or extra-firm tofu* (M, Th)
Pantry
Vegetable oil (M, Th)
Olive oil (T, W, F)
Mild or medium-heat mango chutney (M)
Ground cumin (M, T, F)
Ground cinnamon (M, T, F)
Curry powder (M)
Ground coriander (T, F)
Ground allspice (T, F)
Cayenne pepper (T, F)
Garlic powder (W)
1/2 lb. roasted, salted cashews (M)
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (T, F)
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted cannellini beans (W)
White rice (T, Th)
White wine vinegar (W)
Dijon mustard (W)
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives (W)
Soy sauce (Th)
Sesame oil (Th)
Sriracha or garlic chili sauce, optional (Th)
Meat Counter
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 lb.) (M)
Dairy
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt (M)
2 oz. feta cheese (about 1/2 cup crumbled) (W, F)
1 dozen eggs (Th, F)
Bakery
4 naan (M)
8 whole wheat pita (W, F)
Freezer
Peas (Th)
Details coming your way Saturday.
Until then,
Debbie
PS Here’s a reminder: You can always find previous meal plans at The Family Plan.