Hi friends!
I’d like to try something new here. What do you think about me sharing our weekly dinner plans on the blog? Is that helpful and/or interesting? The past few months, I haven’t been in a good habit of planning out our dinners and it really caught up with me. I had the constant feeling of burnout whenever dinnertime rolled around and I had no clue and no plan. It led to a lot of “pancakes for dinner!” (which is fine and my kids love) or you know, oatmeal bowls.
But I am working on getting back into the groove and restart the habit of meal planning. I don’t meal plan for all meals (too stressful) but planning dinners is very helpful and the sweet spot for me.
So in an effort to hold myself to this, I’d like to share here. It’s my hope to stick to this every week, but if not, hey, it’s okay. We aren’t perfect. But if this seems like it would be helpful to you, please let me know. If there is more of a demand, I really will strive to do my best to share!
So for this week, here’s what’s on the menu.
Weekly Meal Plan
Monday: Creamy dill potato and corn chowder, because it is a rainy day and it feels like a hug in a bowl. Plus, it comes together so quickly. Soup nights are the best. I’ll probably make some garlic bread quickly in the oven to dip. (I always stash away extra end bread pieces in the freezer to use for this!)
Tuesday: Taco night! Tuesdays are almost always a Mexican-inspired dish but tacos have been our go-to lately. I know everyone is going to enjoy it and eat well. I have been making a lentil/impossible meat base the past few times. I don’t have a recipe for it, but honestly I just add some garlic and olive oil into a pan, throw in cooked lentils and 1-2 impossible patties. Add taco seasoning, a little tomato sauce/paste to thin and cook for about 20 minutes. Serve with lettuce, tomato, salsa, guac, vegan cheese shreds, cashew cream… *chefs kiss*
Wednesday: Pesto pasta – this recipe as the base but I have been adding in about 1/2 cup shelled edamame for an extra protein boost. It hardly affects the taste and I appreciate that little extra bit of nutrition.
Thursday: Vegan pot pie – loosely based on this recipe! I use a vegan GF crust from Wholly Wholesome (found at Whole Foods) and I usually add in butter beans for the protein. I also like to make it a little smokier so I use smoked paprika. Sometimes I also add in sweet potatoes. Super delicious and hearty.
Friday: Breakfast sandwiches for dinner! I like to do breakfast for dinner at least once a week, and by Friday I am losing steam so this is usually the day for it. We do either tofu, chickpea egg, or use Just Egg. This week is looking like tofu topped with vegan cheese and avocado. My husband likes spinach on his. Sometimes we like the Beyond breakfast sausage patties but I don’t have this week. Side of frozen tater tots in the air fryer and cara cara orange slices.
I don’t typically plan weekend meals because we either go out to eat or my husband cooks (yay for meeee!) I am very lucky to have him because he loves to make pizza from scratch for the kids, so pizza weekends are a thing in our home and that means I don’t have to do anything except provide a side salad or veggie (sometimes).
How do you guys handle meal planning? Do you also go easy on the weekends? I’d love to hear from you. Please shoot me a message over on Instagram. x
