2022 Vegan Storecupboard Challenge

leftatthetrafficlights

It's been a bad few weeks food wise - I've been eating a lot of rubbish again due to a variety of factors but I'm determined to get back on to the healthy eating wagon for the next month, particularly as I really need to lose some weight 🤦‍♀️

My plan is to eat 'buddha' bowls every day - leaves, grains, veg, pulses, fruit and a dressing of some description - other than Saturday when I'll have a miso soup with all the veg that remains. Breakfasts will be fruit either as it is or blitzed and my other meal will just be a big salad. 

I'll be alternating the grains between quinoa, short grain brown rice and buckwheat - the veg will change daily as will the pulses and dressings so it won't get boring! 

I've just prepared tonight's dinner - quinoa cooked in veg bouillon; swede, carrot and celeriac salad (I just blitz it into tiny pieces in the food processor); chickpeas cooked with onions and herbs; salad leaves;  pomegranate; chocolate mint and lime dressing. 

I haven't done much with my duo pot other than cannellini beans in sage and garlic and some chickpeas for the freezer but dh has used it quite a lot and loves it! It was definitely worth the investment and I'll be doing more with it as time moves on. 

I'm looking forward to eating better - I've had so much processed trash and wheat over the past few weeks I'm feeling sluggish and tired - I know it's all vegan but it's still not good for me! 

leftatthetrafficlights

It went to poo!! Having most of the week off last week led to some very unhealthy choices and now I feel bloated and uncomfortable again! 🤦‍♀️ 

However, meal plan for this week sorted -all veg is already in the fridge, the pulses and grains are in the cupboards, herbs in the garden and fruit is in the bowl so I'm all set! 😉😂 

This week its basically buddha bowls (was meant to do this last week but lost my way!) 

Sunday - salad leaves; short grain brown rice; roasted peppers; broad beans; beetroot and apple salad; houmous

Monday- salad leaves; buckwheat; steamed fennel and parsnips; puy lentils; tarragon and lemon dressing 

Tuesday- salad leaves; quinoa; baked marinated tofu; steamed broccoli and green beans; coriander and lime dressing

Wednesday- salad leaves; short grain brown rice; steamed cabbage and courgettes; cannellini beans cooked with sage; red grapefruit and blood orange dressing

Thursday- salad leaves; buckwheat; steamed squash and cauliflower; black beans; rosemary and lemon dressing 

Friday - salad leaves; quinoa; nut balls; steamed leeks and swede; chocolate mint and lime dressing 


Saturday- leftover veg and miso ramen

leftatthetrafficlights

Yesterday's food was lovely and tonight's is cooked and ready to be munched 😁 

I'm going to do another fridge and freezer inventory before next week's meal plan - it's become very disorganised and they're driving me nuts!! 🤦‍♀️ cupboards are still in order but I've used quite a bit since I last did the inventory so may need a quick reccie to just check where I am with stuff - suffice to say I'm still awash with lentils and buckwheat!! 😂 

It's been really nice thinking about meal planning again - it's surprising how much easier it makes life and if I can just get on top of portion control I'll be very happy! Mind you, I do like re-purposing leftovers so all is not lost 🤔😂

K9sandFelines

I've come over. Would you mind sharing all the salad dressings you've mentioned in your posts @leftatthetrafficlights ?
Particularly a chocolate mint one. I never know what to put on salads.
Is the buckwheat the groat variety? I have some in the cupboard 😊

leftatthetrafficlights

Hi @K9sandFelines! 

The chocolate mint one is literally chocolate mint (I grow it in the garden) and lime juice plus a touch of olive oil if you like a thicker dressing - if the lime is a bit tart, drop in a bit of sugar and whisk

Tarragon and lemon is chopped tarragon in lemon oil with a dash of rice wine vinegar 

Coriander and lime is chopped coriander, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil 

Red grapefruit and blood orange is a squeeze of the juice of both of those fruits with a splash of olive oil

Rosemary and lemon is finely chopped rosemary leaves and either lemon oil or lemon juice with olive oil 

With all of the herb dressings, I make them early in the day (or the night before) - that way the flavours really infuse by the time I use them but it's fine to do them whenever you want, the flavour of the oil just may not be as strong. You can make any of them with just the herbs and juice/vinegar if you try to avoid oil - I prefer them with a touch of oil as when they emulsify it adds a bit of body to them. 

Yes, it's buckwheat groats 😁 regardless of what I'm doing with them I always 'toast' them in a dry pan first - gives them a lovely depth of flavour! I made buckwheat pancakes a while back by toasting then grinding the groats - I filled them with a spicy tomato based sauce, rolled them and served with a dollop of vegan yoghurt on top - they were lovely!! 

K9sandFelines

leftatthetrafficlights said:

Hi @K9sandFelines! 

The chocolate mint one is literally chocolate mint (I grow it in the garden) and lime juice plus a touch of olive oil if you like a thicker dressing - if the lime is a bit tart, drop in a bit of sugar and whisk

Tarragon and lemon is chopped tarragon in lemon oil with a dash of rice wine vinegar 

Coriander and lime is chopped coriander, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil 

Red grapefruit and blood orange is a squeeze of the juice of both of those fruits with a splash of olive oil

Rosemary and lemon is finely chopped rosemary leaves and either lemon oil or lemon juice with olive oil 

With all of the herb dressings, I make them early in the day (or the night before) - that way the flavours really infuse by the time I use them but it's fine to do them whenever you want, the flavour of the oil just may not be as strong. You can make any of them with just the herbs and juice/vinegar if you try to avoid oil - I prefer them with a touch of oil as when they emulsify it adds a bit of body to them. 

Yes, it's buckwheat groats 😁 regardless of what I'm doing with them I always 'toast' them in a dry pan first - gives them a lovely depth of flavour! I made buckwheat pancakes a while back by toasting then grinding the groats - I filled them with a spicy tomato based sauce, rolled them and served with a dollop of vegan yoghurt on top - they were lovely!! 

Thanks for your effort listing the dressings. I've never heard of chocolate mint before, didn't even know it was thing!
I never know what to do with the groats. I bought them for a granola recipe initially, and nearly broke my teeth because she didn't state how they were to be cooked, it just said raw. So the second time, I boiled them first but then they were a bit too wet. Any ideas how I'd go about proceeding with that recipe without a dentist visit!? 

www.hazelandcacao.com/chocolate-buckwheat-superfood-granola/

leftatthetrafficlights

I've checked the recipe out and I think the author must have incredible gnashers!! 😳😂 

All I can think of is steaming the buckwheat first, hopefully that will soften it slightly  without making it wet but I'm not sure 🤔

TripleH

Maybe you soak the buckwheat and then let it sprout?

That or they use buckwheat before it's dried (assuming an American recipe).

Oh and home made beetroot humus is very nice (make humus and mix in grated beetroot).

K9sandFelines

leftatthetrafficlights said:

I've checked the recipe out and I think the author must have incredible gnashers!! 😳😂 

All I can think of is steaming the buckwheat first, hopefully that will soften it slightly  without making it wet but I'm not sure 🤔

I could try, thank you. My teeth wouldn't stand crunching through that again. 

K9sandFelines

TripleH said:

Maybe you soak the buckwheat and then let it sprout?

That or they use buckwheat before it's dried (assuming an American recipe).

Oh and home made beetroot humus is very nice (make humus and mix in grated beetroot).

Yes American. Maybe I should have messaged the author? No doubt they are on other social media.

Beetroot hummus is lovely, as is beetroot cake 😍😋