It’s been a while, and there are lots of new folks to welcome, so I thought I’d check in. How are you doing? What food challenges are you facing these days? What’s working, and what isn’t?
Leave a comment and let me know! Or reply to this email if you’d rather keep things private.
Here’s the menu for next week:
SUNDAY: Optional Prep. Cook a large batch of brown or white short grain rice and divide it into two containers, then refrigerate.
MONDAY:
Falafel Sandwiches from Gimme Some Oven, with hummus if you like—and Israeli pickles, if you can find them. Most of the time I make the baked falafel recipe I featured in Plan #58, but sometimes I get a hankering for a really crunchy fried batch. These are pan-fried, not deep-fried—cooking them is like making chicken cutlets. Make sure you start early (or even on Sunday) since the mixture needs a couple hours in the fridge before you start balling it up. Serve with pita, salad vegetables, tahini, and if you like, hummus.
TUESDAY: Veggie Sushi Bowls from Cookie + Kate. One container of that rice goes into tonight’s dinner, where it gets jazzed up to replicate the flavor of sushi rice. Let everyone assemble their own bowls if you’ve got picky eaters. I’ve included the vegetables specified in the recipe in the shopping list, but you can use any vegs you like, of course.
WEDNESDAY:
Grilled Vegetables With Couscous and Yogurt Sauce from Food Network, with sausage if you feel like it. I like a simple grilled dish, don’t you? This one’s all about a variety of vegetables, tied together with a roasted red pepper yogurt sauce. Grill some extra vegetables for tomorrow and Friday. And if your family likes a heartier dinner, grill up some sausages, any kind—make enough to save a few links for Friday.
THURSDAY: Alton Brown’s Rice Shakshuka from The Kitchn, with grilled vegetables. This is more of a concept than a recipe, and it’s genius: You crisp up the second container of rice in a large pan, then make some holes and crack an egg in each. Sprinkle on a little furikake seasoning and serve with some of yesterday’s grilled vegetables.
FRIDAY: DIY Composed Salad from The New York Times. Here’s another not-a-recipe, this time a guide to building your own composed salad. (That’s a salad that isn’t tossed—each element is set out on a platter and dressing gets drizzled over top.) Everyone gets to pick what they want for their own salad, which makes this extremely friendly for picky eaters. You should have lots of bits and bobs left from the week, including raw vegetables, grilled vegetables, maybe some sausage, a few falafel balls, sliced almonds, and any remaining rice or couscous. Hard-boil a few eggs if you want, and don’t forget to pick up some good cheese. Note that the “recipe” gives you two choices for dressing, so I didn’t include ingredients in the shopping list—make sure you have what you need for the one you choose!
Here’s the shopping list:
Produce
1 bunch parsley (M, F)
1 bunch cilantro (M, F)
1 small bunch thyme OR rosemary OR oregano (W)
1 medium + 1 large red onion (M, W, Th, F)
8 cloves garlic (M, W, F)
1 large head lettuce (M, F)
2 tomatoes OR 1 pint grape tomatoes (M, F)
1 bunch carrots (T, F)
1 avocado (T)
1 English OR 2-3 Persian cucumber (T, F)
3 bell peppers (W, Th, F)
2 yellow squash (W, Th, F)
12 oz. shiitake mushrooms (W, Th, F)
1-2 lemons (M, F)
Prepared hummus, optional (M)
Pantry
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas (M, F)
All-purpose flour (M, F)
Sugar OR agave nectar (T)
Baking powder (M, F)
Ground cumin (M, F)
Sesame seeds, optional (T)
Vegetable oil (M, F)
Olive oil (W, Th)
Tahini (M, F)
Israeli pickles (M)
3 cups short brain brown OR white rice (T, Th)
Dried nori (M, F)
Rice vinegar (M, F)
Reduced-sodium soy sauce OR tamari (T)
Sriracha OR chili-garlic sauce (T)
Pickled ginger, optional (T, F)
Furikake seasoning (T, Th, F)
Mayonnaise (T)
1 (10-oz.) package couscous (W)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (W, F)
Olives OR capers OR preserved lemon OR cornichons (F)
Meat Counter
1 1/2 lbs. sausage, any kind, optional (W, F)
Dairy
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt (W)
12 eggs (Th, F)
Your favorite cheese (F)
Bakery
4-6 pita breads (M, F)
Freezer Case
Shelled edamame (T)
On Saturday, paying subscribers will get the details on how it all comes together.
Stay safe, enjoy the June weather, and don’t forget to get vaccinated.
Debbie
Rice shakshuka?? Mind blown! Can't wait to try it. (And just so you know, I first read "sprinkle on a little furikake seasoning" as "sprinkle on a little fruitcake seasoning" and my immediate thought was "that's kind of odd, but if Debbie says so, I'll do it!")