5 Meals to Make this Week #13

Thirteen! Lean and green!

At the risk of harping, I’m still feeling some of the effects of “vegan week”, namely that neither of us has wanted to drink lately. And you know, that’s significant if you know me. 😉  In fact, we’ve been feeling pretty healthy and have been incorporating more vegetarian — not necessarily vegan — recipes into our weekly meals. So this week’s meal plan is more of that, plus a few cold suppers because it’s HOT, y’all!

Get last week’s meal plan here if you missed it!

salmon sweet potato croquettes

Salmon-Sweet Potato Croquettes and Coconut Zoodles

Simple salmon croquettes (or “patties” if you’re not trying to sound fancy) are bumped up with some mashed sweet potato, yielding a super-orange super food. The mix can be made a couple hours before so at dinner time, you just need to shape and fry. Use canned salmon or fresh cooked salmon, whichever your pleasure. Serve these with some cool, coconut zucchini noodles (aka zoodles) for a balanced, easy, healthy dinner. The zoodle salad can be made a couple hours ahead of time, too!

Use the remaining fresh herbs in the next day’s lentil salad!

Carrot turmeric soup - add fresh turmeric rhizomes or dried turmeric to this simple carrot soup for a peppery bite, a golden color, and anti-inflammatory benefits! Hilahcooking.com

Carrot Turmeric Soup and Lentil Salad

This soup is a new one from our vegan experiment and you guys, it’s so good! And it was a chance meeting of some fresh turmeric rhizomes that led me to this place. Awww, how sweet! If you don’t have fresh turmeric, use dried or just omit. Still a good, carroty soup. Serve it with a side of lentil salad — toss in some extra lettuce greens if you like — and make extra lentil salad to pack for lunch later!

Leftover soup is good served cold, too! Drink some for breakfast.

California Chicken Salad

By now, the rock-hard avocado you bought on Sunday is probably ripening, so make California chicken salad! It’s a meal in a salad bowl: chicken, homemade poppyseed dressing, avocado, mango, and butter lettuce. If you have leftover dressing, it’s delicious on fresh fruit for a simple dessert later.

Cut extra jicama into sticks for snacking and dipping!

Buy and poach extra chicken for chicken enchilada casserole later!

Greek Pasta Salad

Still one of my favorite pasta salads, this one with olives and feta cheese and vegetables stands on its own two feet as an entree. It’s also a great way to use summer’s goddang bounty: fresh green beans, sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes. If you really need some meat, though, this would be excellent partnered with grilled lamb steaks (or use the same recipe with beef).

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Always a great thing to end the week on: a casserole. They’re easy and fast and everything you need is in one pan. Especially fast if you did what I said earlier and cooked some extra chicken when you made chicken salad! Buy a jar of green salsa to make your life even easier. Add spinach or zucchini for more vegetable power or bite the bullet and dirty another pan for sauteed kale with garlic.

Snack! 

Jalapeño Ranch Dip

‘Member those jicama sticks I made you cut up earlier? This is a perfect dip for those. It’s also a fine dip for chips, taquitos, or salad. Not that you’d literally dip a salad, but you know what I mean.

 

 

 

4 Comments

  1. Jensen Bell on August 10, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    ??? I was thinking about advice on seafood in my diet this week… And it’s like magic… A meal plan arrives! So glad I get the newsletter! ??

    • Hilah on August 10, 2017 at 2:12 pm

      Ahh! Synchronicity!

      • Leonard Dickey on August 11, 2017 at 10:59 pm

        You are standing tall riding the seventh wave of resurging American nourishment!

        • Hilah on August 12, 2017 at 6:05 am

          Haha! Leonard you crack me up 😉

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