I’m sending this late on Thanksgiving—hopefully you’re sated but not in pain, and just starting to wonder what you’ll do once you go back to regular life. Where dinner’s concerned, no worries: I’ve got you covered, with an easy week packed with vegetables. It’ll almost make up for all that Thanksgiving starch.
Here’s the Menu:
MONDAY: Salt-and-Pepper Steak from Bon Appetit with One-Pan Ratatouille from MyRecipes, plus crusty bread. The steak is so simple it’s barely a recipe. That gives you plenty of time to focus on the classic French vegetable stew, which takes just a little more effort. Double both recipes to use later in the week. Vegetarians: Stir a can of white beans into the ratatouille, and top with feta.
TUESDAY: Sheet-Pan Vegetarian Fajitas from Stacie Billis (it’s in her family-focused cookbook, Make It Easy, which should be in your collection). Fajitas are perfect family fare, since everybody gets to assemble their own.
WEDNESDAY: Thai Beef Salad from AllRecipes uses Monday’s leftover steak, so all you’re doing tonight is assembling. Vegetarians: Swap in strips of tofu, and use vegetarian fish sauce.
THURSDAY: Ratatouille-Stuffed Shells from Cooking Light with a green salad turns Monday’s ratatouille into a casserole.
FRIDAY: Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Vegetables from TheKitchn is a favorite in my home—my kid loves the way the gnocchi come out browned and crispy, and you can use almost any vegetables you have on hand.
And the shopping list:
Remember, an asterisk* indicates an ingredient for vegetarians only.
Produce
2 medium onions
1 large red onion
1 head garlic
2 large sweet potatoes
1 lb. Asian eggplant
2.5 lb. red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers
1 green bell pepper
1 (12 oz.) bag baby bell peppers, or 2 more bell peppers
1 lb. zucchini
1 lb. yellow summer squash
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint
1 bunch scallions
1 stalk lemongrass (can’t find? Buy a lemon instead)
1 avocado
1 large head leaf lettuce
1 English cucumber
3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
10 limes
Pantry
Salt
Pepper
Ground cumin
Dry oregano
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
4 (14.5 oz.) or 2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
Salsa
1 (15 oz.) can white beans *
Asian fish sauce (regular or vegetarian)
Sweet chili sauce
White sugar
16 jumbo pasta shells
1 jar marinara sauce
1 lb. shelf-stable gnocchi (or fresh or frozen)
Meat Counter
3 lb. skirt steak
Dairy
4 oz. feta cheese *
1 lb. firm tofu *
4 oz. shredded Italian 5-cheese blend
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
Bakery
Crusty bread
8 flour tortillas
Watch your inbox on Saturday for the full plan.
Until then,
Debbie