Menu
Monday: Greek Scampi over Couscous with Asparagus
Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers, Oven Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
Wednesday: Red Lentil Soup, Warm Pitas and Cucumbers
Thursday: Fish Tacos
Friday: Pizza and Greek the Salad
Saturday: Quiche and Fruit Salad
Sunday: Roasted Ratatoulli over Grilled Baguette with Three Bean Salad and Brownies
Weekly Pantry Items
These are items that I assume you already have in your pantry that you will need for the week -just in case you just ran out of oregano, now you know you need it this week.
olive oil, redwine vinegar, tabasco, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, yeast, oregano, mustard seeds, cumin, ground ginger (or use fresh), red pepper flakes, fennel or anise seed and fresh garlic
Weekly Shopping List
kalmata olives
feta cheese
parmesan cheese
cheese (for pizza we use provolone)
plain yogurt
sour cream
eggs
puff pastry (I get in the sheets, it's so much easier)
edamame beans
1 lb firm white fish (I used cod)
1/2 lb shrimp
bag yellow onions
1 red onion
mushrooms (about 3 cups)
2 zuchinni
fruit
1 eggplant
2 peppers (whatever colour you prefer)
7 tomatoes
fresh basil
green beans (2 handfuls)
2 lemon
asparagus
3 advocados
lettus
broccoli
4 potatoes
mustard greens, swiss chard or spinach
lettus
2 cuccumbers
2 limes
cilantro
salsa
19 oz can black beans
19 oz can of white kidney beans
pizza sauce
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can coconut milk (I use light)
brown rice
11/4 cup red lentils
Masa (corn flour, usually you can find it in the Mexican section of the grocery store) orcorn or flour tortillas
bread crumbs
baguette
4 hamburger buns
Monday : Greek Scampi over Couscous with Asparagus
This recipe is from Mooosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day. I love the Moosewood cook books, my sister bought us two of them the Christmas after we bacame vegetarian and I have been collecting them ever since. In our house we rate our recipes 1 to 10, 1 being barely edible to 10 being what we would want for our birthday dinner. Hannah rated this recipe as a ten, although salad rolls did win out for her birthday meal.
Recipe
1/2 pound shrimp
2 garlic cloves, minced/pressed
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 tsp oregano (the actual recipe called for dill - we prefer it with oregano)
Shell and devine the shrimp, if necessary, rince them, and set aside. Have all the ingredients prepared and at hand before beginning to saute (this really takes no time at all)
Saute the garlic in the oil briefly, then add the shrimp. Cook on medium heat for a minute. Add the tomatoes, feta, lemon juice, and oregano. Stir so that the shrimp cook on both sides. When the shrimp are pink and the tomatoes and feta have made a sauce, it's ready. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I don't add salt as I find the feta salty enough) and serve at once.
To prepare the couscous mix 1 cup of couscous with 1 cup boiling water and let stand covered for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.
Wash the asparagus and break the ends off and steam.
Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers, Oven Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
This recipe actually comes from a recipe book put our by Pulse Canada and you can get the book online. We are always searching for a good veggie burger recipe. This one is easy and has a really good flavor to it. When I made it this week we didn't have any black beans and so I used Red Kidney beans, it was good but not as good as it was with the black beans.
Recipe
19 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion chopped
2 green onions chopped
1/2 tsp Tabasco (optional)
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
6 Tbsps salsa (divided)
4 hamburger buns
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt (we were out and used sour cream)
4 Romaine lettus leaves
1 advocado sliced (optional)
In a large bowl, coarsley mash beans with a potato masher ir fork. Add rice, onions, Tabasco, egg, bread crumbs and two tablespoons of salsa. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 and form into patties that are about 1 inch thick.
Preheat over to 350F (180C). In a pan (the recipe says in a non-stick pan) with a little oil,
cook burgers over medium heat fro 4-5 minutes each side, or until lightly browned. Transfer to an oven-safe tray and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine remaining salsa and yogurt. Serve with lettuce and avocado (if desired) as a codiment to your burger.
Cut potatoes into wedges and toss with olive oil and Montreal Steak Spice. Spread out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 450F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Wash and trim broccoli and steam.
Wednesday: Red Lentil Soup, Warm Pitas and Cucumbers
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| Funny, I know it's not red at all, but it is made with red lentils. |
Recipe
1 1/4 cups red lentils
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
11/2 tsp anise or fennel seeds
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground ginger, or 2 Tbsp grated peeled ginger root
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
4 cups rinsed, drained, and chopped fresh mustard greens, Swiss chard, or spinach
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
Rinse the lentils and drain. In a soup pot, bring 5 cups of water, the lentils, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, about 30 minutes.
While the lentils cook, warm the oil in a saucepan on medium, heat, add the black mustard seeds, and cover until they pop. Stir in the anise, red peppe flakes, ginger, and garlic and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the greens and the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are just wilted. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for a minute. Remove from the heat.
When the lentils are soft, stif in the greens and coconut milk mixture and add salt to taste.
Thursday: Fish Tacos
We usually make our own corn torrillas but we ran out of corn flour and I couldn't find it at the store when I was there. If you have a tortilla press I recommend making your own, they take a little extra time but are really worth it. I would also recommend using parchment on your press to keep the tortillas from sticking. I use whatever firm, white fish looks good at the store (you could use a variety of seafood, meat or beans if you are so inclined).
Recipe
Masa
water
salt
firm white fish (1lb)
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1-2 advocados
1 clove garlic (more if desired)
1/4 cup red onion, diced and sauted until almost crispy
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tomato, seeds removed and diced
1 red pepper cut in strips
1 yellow onion cut in lengths
Cut the fish fillets into bite size peices. Mix together first chili powder, cumin, lime juice and olive oil in an oven proof dish and then mix in the fish pieces, stir around until they are all coated. Let marinate for an hour and then and bake at 350F for 20 minutes (time will depend on the fish you chose).
If you are making the corn tortillas you want to make these first, just follow the directions on the package and wrap them in foil and keep them in a warm oven (do this for bought tortillas as well). There's really no recipe for these and you can make them a varriety of ways. In this one I bake the fish but, it is also, oh so very delicious if you batter it (dredge it through some egg and then flour) and lightly fry it.
Meanwhile, splash some olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until softened a bit and then add the pepper strips cooking until the onion is soft and the peppers are tender.
In a bowl mix together the chopped tomatoes, red onion and cumin with a dash of salt.
Peel the advocados, remove the pit, squish into a bowl and mash with a potatoe masher (Hannah loves to do this). Mix in the pressed garlic, cumin, sauted onion, seeded and diced tomato and then squeeze in the juice of half a lime. Taste, add salt or adjust the seasoning as needed (sometimes I find that I need to add more lime and often I like an other clove of garlic in there).
Once the fish is ready I set everything out in bowls with sour cream, wedges of lime and sometimes grated cheese (depending on my mood and how much cheese Harper, my 20 month old, has eaten that day - she's a cheese hound!). Everyone gets a tortilla and builds their own and then squeezes a little lime over top!
Friday: Pizza and Greek Salad
We have pizza most Fridays, which could be disappointing for you because that's what will usually be on the menu. Of course everyone has their own way of making pizza. We usually have the same kind; onion, olive, mushroom and cheese, sometimes I add artichoke hearts as well. There are many different tricks, a friend of mine said her husband puts roasted garlic on before anything (yum!), my parents often sprinkle fresh herbs over the top after they bake it. We cut our dough in half and do two long pizzas because we all prefer an edge piece. I've also recently started using parchment to cook the pizzas on and they crisp up nicely. No matter what we do, we all love pizza and the kids always help and eat lots!
Recipe
You can either make your own dough (there are a million recipes out there) or I often buy dough from the local bakery or italian market or even some pizza places. Here is a really quick and easy recipe for making the dough (I still prefer to buy it):
1/2 cup warm water
1 pkg (1Tbsp) dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Mix the warm water, sugar and yeast and let stand for 5 or 10 minutes until the yeast is activated. Stir in (I use my stand mixer) flour, salt and olive oil. Once it's all mixed in kneed for about 10 minutes until it feels stretchy - put back in bowl, cover and let rise for an hour in a warm place.
1 onion (red or yellow)
2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
1/4 - 1/2 cup olives pitted and sliced
2 cups grated cheese (we use provolone and parmesan)
1/2 can artichoke hearts
While dough is rising chop an onion and saute on very low heat until carmelized. Remove the onions and add a little olive oil to the pan and saute the mushrooms. Slice olives and artichoke hearts and grate cheese, grate more if you like. Preheat oven to 450F.
Once dough has risen punch down, kneed a little and then roll, stretch, yell at it (whatever works) to get it into a large oval and then cut in half. Line two cookie sheets with parchment and place each side on a sheet. Spread sauce, add toppings and sprinkle with cheese. Place pizzas in the oven and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes. In our house I like mine crispier and my husband, Dave, likes it less so, so it works to have one on the bottom rack and one on the top. If this isn't the case for you, bake on convection or rotate the pizzas halfway through.
While the pizza cooks, wash lettus, chop up a tomato and half a cuccumber. Add a little feta if you like and drizzle with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar and sprinkle some oregano, salt and pepper and toss!
On a side note, I had leftover artichoke hearts and olives and added them to our tuna melts for lunch the next day - delicious!
Saturday: Quiche and Fruit Salad
Egg pie! Egg pie! Egg pie! Harper, my 20 month old, loves quiche and runs around the house with her arms over her head yelling egg pie when we have it. It's worth making it just to watch her! I find quiche so easy and it keeps as leftovers really well. It would also be good with a spring salad but we usually like to have fruit with it for something different.
Recipe
1 onion
1 small to mediun zuchinni
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 sheet of puff pastry
1/3 cup of feta cheese
6 eggs beaten
Preheat oven to 350F.
Saute onions in a little olive oil. While the onions begin to soften chop the mushrooms and zuchinni and add to the pan and saute until soft. Spread the puff pastry out in a pie plate and then add the sauted veggies. Crumble the feta cheese over the veggies and then pour the eggs on top. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite fruit.
Sunday: Roasted Ratatouille over Grilled Baguette with Three Bean Salad and Brownies
What is it about Sunday dinner? Is it the company? The fact that it always comes with wine and dessert? I think, honestly, a combination of it all. We always have Sunday dinner with my Mom and Dad. We have recently moved down the street from them and see them often during the week, but if we miss seeing them for Sunday dinner, I miss them. We have a tradition of walking down the street to their place for Sunday dinner, Hannah and Dave usually race ahead and Harper and I lollygag behind, holding hands and walking at the pace of a one and a half year old. When we arrive, we take off all our winter clothing, usually my Dad has a fire (wood burning) lit in the fireplace and my grandma and aunt are often sitting at the pinicila around a plate of crackers and cheese with a glass of red wine. We all stand around sipping wine, not the kids, and talking about the week. There is something about the meal though. Sunday dinner needs to be more substantial, eventhough we have usually filled up on crackers and cheese beforehand, and comforting. When Dave and I decided to become vegetarians three and half years ago my Mom was not super pleased, what would she make for Sunday dinner? I understand this, it had always been roast chicken with veggies, mashed potatoes, salad, bread and gravy or a roast of somesort. Food that really stuck to your ribs so that you could go all week without eating if you had to. There is really something about gathering as a family around the table and eating a certain type of meal while visiting with eachother and, of course, drinking red wine. I would like to end this by saying that it's not the food that makes Sunday dinner it's the company...but that's simply not true. It's both. I told my parents to simply make the same meals and I would bring the main or protein alternative for us. This never occured, as with everything else in my life they fully supported and respected our decision and began to cook vegetarian Sunday dinner meals, and not just any meals but, substantial, comforting Sunday dinner meals. I think it took some getting use to but they are fine with the change...although, my mom does get very excited when there are others who join us because it's enough people to cook a roast (or chicken) as well some fish!
So Sunday dinner will not always make it to the meal plan. Sometimes we have Sunday dinner at our place, but mostly we go to my mom and dad's. I will be happy to share what they make but will not have a recipe for you to follow. Although for the next few Sundays they will be away and we will be left to fend for ourselves.
Recipes
This recipe is also from Mooosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day, I know I use them a lot!
Roasted Ratatouille
1 zuchinni
1 eggplant
3 onions
2 peppers
2 tomatoes
6 gloves of garlic
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 cup of fresh basil
Preheat oven to 450F. Chop all the veggies into one inch pieces and put in a roasting pan. Roughly chop the garlic and add to the roaster. Pour the olive oil over the veggies and mix in coating all the veggies. Put the roaster in the middle of the oven and roast for 10 minutes, stir up the veggies and roast for another 25 minutes.
Three Bean Salad
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed
2 handfuls of green beans
1 cup of shelled edamame beans
The juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
olive oil
Wash, trim and cut the green beans into two or three pieces. I then steam them for a very short time, to soften them a bit for Harper, you could blanch them or leave them raw. Steam the edamame beans. Put all the beans in a bowl together, mix in lemon juice, a good glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Baguett (we use multigrain)
clove of garlic
olive oil
Cut baguett lengthwise, rub with garlic and drizzle with olive oil. If it's warm enough grill on the BBQ outside, if it's -40, broil in the oven until toasty!
Once the Ratatouille is ready take it out of the oven, mix in the basil and top with some parmesan cheese. I like my ratouille on top of my toast, the kids like it on the side and Dave does a little of both!
Make your favorite brownies for dessert!
