Happy Monday!
I’m checking in with another glimpse at my weekly batch cooking and menu planning. This week’s plan is simpler than last week’s, mostly because I’ll be eating at home on fewer evenings (I’m traveling to D.C. on Saturday night for my cousin’s baby shower, and on Thursday I’m eating out). The same will be true of the following week; I’ll have my first two midterms, which will mean very simple dinners and hopefully some freezer leftovers.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Even the busiest weeks–the ones that involve social commitments, traveling, or more work than usual–run more smoothly when you do a little planning. The planning may mean committing to a night of takeout or a frozen meal to give yourself a break from cooking, but that’s a plan nonetheless!
This week, my focus is on having adequate lunch staples ready to go, using freezer leftovers on Friday, and on creating two dinner recipes to carry me from tonight into Wednesday. Here’s what’s on the lineup.
Batch Cooking Staples:
•Quinoa (I’ve made this my batch-cooking grain three weeks in a row, which means I’m overdue for variety! It’s just so darn quick and easy…)
•Black beans
•Great northern beans
•Roasted carrot hummus (one of my favorites!)
•Creamy orange walnut dressing (very healthy and flavorful, and it’s been a while since I made it)
Recipes:
•Easy tahini soba noodle salad (recipe will be on the blog Tuesday)
•Golden butternut squash and chickpea curry (if the recipe turns out well, it’ll be on the blog on Thursday)
And here’s the weekly dinner plan:
Sunday: Leftovers from last week’s polenta casserole / salad
Monday: Easy tahini soba noodle salad / steamed or roasted broccoli with creamy orange walnut dressing
Tuesday: Golden butternut squash and chickpea curry over brown rice / salad with creamy orange walnut dressing
Wednesday (dinner on campus): Curry leftovers over rice / spiralized zucchini and carrot with roasted carrot hummus
Thursday: Dinner with Melissa
Friday: Defrosted roasted tomato basil soup with rice / toast / salad with simple lemon vinaigrette
Saturday: Dinner in D.C.
Should be a tasty five days, and I’m excited to be focusing in on root vegetables and fall flavors. I can’t wait to share the tahini soba salad and the curry with you.
In the meantime, I wish you a very happy start to a new week!
xo
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Hi Gena, I recently discovered your blog, and I love it! I’m actually pretty much on the same path you are–a little older than a typical student, working my way towards the RD. (And plant-based, too!) In the last month I’ve begun meal planning again myself; so much easier on my body–and budget–than eating out all the time. I love seeing what you’re eating, and look forward to hearing more about your journey as an #RD2be! 🙂
Ah, Lee, I love connecting with other dietitians-to-be! Thanks so much for commenting and saying hi 🙂 I’m glad you found the blog!
I love these posts!
But, can i ask a dumb question…?? Where are the quinoa/black beans/ great northern beans you batch cooked? Breakfast and lunches…?
Yup! I don’t post all of my breakfasts and lunches, but each week a batch of beans gets made for lunch bowls 🙂
HI Gena,
Even though I don’t need to plan my meals ahead to this extent, I am thoroughly enjoying these posts. It’s always good to get ideas for what can be made ahead or frozen, and also just to see what others like to batch cook. Thanks! xo
love these kind of posts!!! they are so useful 😀
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Sounds like a great plan! I’m also a fan of recipes that can be cooked ahead of time and then freeze in serving portions. I think this is one of the keys in a successful meal planning 😉
Love the meal planning posts. Question: when you are batch freezing soups or curries, do you store them in individual servings in containers? In freezer bags? Do you defrost the night before or let it thaw naturally throughout the morning?
I’m finding that glass containers take up a lot of room in the freezer and are quite heavy to tote around, now that I have a longer commute.
Made your tomato rice soup yesterday and it was delicious! Another keeper.
Oh, so glad the soup was a hit!
I tend to store most stuff in freezer bags in 2 serving portions or single portions. That said, if I’m storing something that I know that I’ll eat with Steven (and eat a lot of), I’ll freeze in bigger quantities. I usually let stuff thaw naturally through the day, and when I come home, it’s ready to eat 🙂
I know what you mean re: glass containers for commuting — it’s one reason I love the Eco Lunchbox tin box for school!
Thank you!