I’m a little nervous to put this in writing, but: My mom seems to be better. She’s gone more than two weeks without a fever, and this morning I FaceTimed with her and she was alert and dressed, like her old self (with dementia, of course, so we didn’t exactly have a heart-to-heart). Anyway, right now things are OK in my world. I hope you can say the same.
Here’s next week’s menu and shopping list:
MONDAY: Cold Sesame Noodles with chicken or tofu and whatever fresh vegetables you have, using Epicurious’ Kid-Friendly Peanut Sauce. This version of the sauce comes completely from the pantry—no fresh ginger or garlic. Make enough pasta to use on Thursday.
TUESDAY:
Photo courtesy Martha Stewart Living
Chicken or Bean Tortilla Soup from Martha Stewart with chips & salsa. It’s Cinco de Mayo, so why not go with something Mexican inspired and pantry-based?
WEDNESDAY: Warm Chickpea Bowls with Lemony Yogurt from Bon Appetit with bread. The don’t-make-if-you-don’t-have ingredients here: chickpeas, yogurt, lemon. Pretty much everything else is flexible.
Photo courtesy New York Times
THURSDAY: Pasta Frittata from The New York Times with fresh or frozen vegetables. This is my absolute favorite way to use leftover pasta. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest your kids will be happy, too.
FRIDAY: Applesauce Waffles from Food Network with bacon and frozen fruit. Waffles without eggs or milk? Hell yeah. These babies are 100% pantry-based. Breakfast for dinner FTW.
Here’s the “shopping” list:
Use this to help you figure out which recipes you can make, and how you might adapt them. Remember that * marks an ingredient for vegetarians.
Produce
Raw vegetables like carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, celery (M)
5 cloves garlic (Tu, W)
About 3/4 lb. cauliflower, broccoli, or your favorite root vegetable (W)
1 medium fennel bulb or celery (W)
1 small chile (such as serrano, Fresno, or jalapeno), optional (W)
1 bunch parsley or other tender herb like cilantro or dill (W)
1 lime (Tu)
1-2 lemons (W)
1 package tofu, any type* (M)
Pantry
1 lb. long pasta, like linguine, fettucine, or spaghetti (M, Th)
1 cup creamy peanut butter, ideally natural (M)
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar (M)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (M)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (M)
1 tablespoon honey (M)
Olive oil (Tu, Th)
Virgin coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil (W, F)
Chili powder (Tu)
Ground coriander (W)
Ground cumin (W)
Toasted sesame seeds (W)
Cinnamon, optional (F)
2 (14.5-oz.) cans tomatoes, ideally diced in juice (Tu)
2 (15-oz.) cans black beans (Tu)
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (W)
14-16 oz. reduced-sodium chicken broth (Tu)
1 large can corn kernels OR frozen (Tu)
1 bag tortilla chips (Tu)
Salsa, any kind (Tu)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (F)
2 teaspoons baking powder (F)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (F)
1/3 cup brown sugar (F)
Powdered sugar, optional (F)
1 teaspoon vanilla (F)
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (F)
1/2 cup applesauce (F)
Maple syrup (F)
Meat Counter
Chicken—boneless & skinless, bone-in, whatever you’ve got. You want enough to accent two meals, so 3-4 pieces total (M, Tu)
1 package bacon, optional (Th, F)
Dairy
Butter, optional (Th)
6 eggs (Th)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Th)
Freezer
10 oz. corn kernels OR 1 large can (Tu)
1 package of your favorite frozen vegetables (Th)
1 package of your favorite frozen fruit (F)
Bakery
Pita or crusty bread (W)
That’s all for now. Stay safe, be kind, and wash your hands.
Debbie