Vegan Storecupboard Challenge Winter 25 - Winter 26

leftatthetrafficlights

Didn't get round to making the buckwheat 🤦‍♀️ The rest was lovely though - I had a rocket, blueberries, strawberries, black grapes and pomegranate salad with mine and drizzled it with date and fig balsamic 😋 

Brie

OH keeps declaring we eat too much meat but doesn't suggest an alternative other than fish and chips.  I'd be happy with a veg sauce on pasta or veg in risotto but he doesn't seem to think of that.  In fact he doesn't really want veg with his dinner just meat and potatoes.  I often make a salad to go with my dinner and offer to make some for him but 80% of the time he says no.  Not seeing a solution as we both need to eat more veg and to eat more healthily.  Maybe we need to declare us meat free for an entire week and see how we get on.

leftatthetrafficlights

Brie said:

OH keeps declaring we eat too much meat but doesn't suggest an alternative other than fish and chips.  I'd be happy with a veg sauce on pasta or veg in risotto but he doesn't seem to think of that.  In fact he doesn't really want veg with his dinner just meat and potatoes.  I often make a salad to go with my dinner and offer to make some for him but 80% of the time he says no.  Not seeing a solution as we both need to eat more veg and to eat more healthily.  Maybe we need to declare us meat free for an entire week and see how we get on.

It's worth a try @Brie but it may be better to start small and build up - 'Meat Free Monday' for instance for a couple of weeks, then add a taco night where its blackbeans (or some other type of bean) in a chilli sauce, wholegrain tortillas, salsa, guacamole or avocado slices. You could substitute quinoa or buckwheat pancakes for the tortillas if you want to make it even healthier 😉. You could add in an international night where you pick a dish that is easy to adapt etc...

If he's a meat and potatoes person, perhaps start off with a gardeners pie - either green or brown/dark speckled lentils with onions/ carrots/peas/veg added and cooked in a 'beef' style stock (oxo do vegan cubes as do massel and a variety of other suppliers) and topped with mash - its very reminiscent of 'shepherd's' pie so may meet with approval 🤞😉 I'm originally from the north-east of england and we used to have a dish of 'mince and tatties' - dark speckled lentils are an excellent substitute for the mince in that dish 😋 You can also use mushroom and walnut mince in any dish that asks for mince - it's perfect for bolognese and chilli as well as for gardeners pies. The other 'mince' option is grated/crumbled tofu - easy to flavour and packets can be stored for a long time in the fridge (or freezer) for last minute meals 😁 Hopefully it will get easier as time goes on and you'll be able to introduce more adventurous stuff as taste buds change! 🤞😉 

We're having leftovers tonight - I'm part way through next weeks menu so will post that tomorrow when its completed 😁

ETA: I'm documenting all my grocery purchases in January and will post the month's outcome at the beginning of February - it's easier to do just one post with that information in! 😉

leftatthetrafficlights

Completed menu plan earlier than planned! 🙌 

Lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday, dinners only during the week as dh makes stuff at the weekend for his lunches....

Saturday:
Lunch:Roasted butternut and spaghetti squash soup with carrots, galangal and fennel seeds served with a rosemary and sea salt focaccia. 

Dinner: Banana blossom, tomato, courgette, squash and basil pasta sauce served with salad, wholewheat pasta and the remaining focaccia. (The excess pasta sauce will be saved for Sunday's dinner)

Sunday: 
Lunch: Leftover soup and pasta

Dinner: Black bean and smoked tofu quinoa wraps with leftover pasta sauce and cashew cream. Salad

Monday:
Dinner: Leftovers lasagne (remaining wrap filling, pasta sauce, squash etc) with cashew cream 'cheese' sauce 

Tuesday:
Dinner: Mixed grains with a chickpea, preserved lemons, apricots and sultana tagine, brussel sprouts with orange and ginger

Wednesday:
Dinner: Stuffed red cabbage rolls (using leftover grains) with steamed broccoli served on a bed of hommous 

Thursday:
Dinner: Mediterranean potato hash (cubed new potatoes, onions, garlic cloves, olives, rosemary, sage, oregano) with roasted tomatoes, lemon butter beans and salad 

Friday:
Dinner: Leftovers or berebere lentils and rice


Everything I need is already in the house other than salad stuff (I have some but not enough for a week) so hopefully a very low spend week 🤞

leftatthetrafficlights

'Lunch' (which turned out to be dinner!) Butternut and spaghetti sqash soup with carrots, galangal and fennel seeds served with hm rosemary and sea salt focaccia 😋 

Brie

I'm assuming the focaccia is easy and worth the effort??

leftatthetrafficlights

@Brie - it's dead easy - chuck all ingredients into a bowl, mix, leave covered for 7-9 hours before turning out onto a baking sheet,  drizzle with olive oil, squish fingers into dough to make dimples, sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary then cook - doesn't get much simpler!! 

We had the banana blossom pasta sauce - with pasta one day and quinoa wraps yesterday. I'm not sure about today as we may have lasagne tomorrow 🤔 who knows.....🤷‍♀️😂

leftatthetrafficlights

Been forgetting to update here! 🙄🤦‍♀️😂 

Oh well, I'll do better from today 😉 

The last two days we've had dark speckled lentil casserole with sliced potatoes, mushy peas, broccoli, cauliflower and spaghetti squash 😋 good dollop of mint sauce and yum is the best descriptor!! 😁 



Tonight we're having mixed grains with barberries, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds; cavolo nero with rosemary and lemon; chickpeas in a coriander dressing; beetroot and apple salad; rocket, strawberries, blueberries, black grapes and balsamic salad. Piccie will be put up later! 😁