People generally fall into two categories, those who like to make a list and those who prefer not to.  I love to make a list, so planning my weekly meals is actually something that I look forward to.

My list is not complicated, in fact it is hand written each week and stuck to the fridge.  I am not picky as to when any meal might be cooked or even who cooks it, the list is there to let us know what is on the menu each week .

Flexibility is key in any meal plan or menu.  What I have discovered is that when you create a grocery list form your menu you save at the store and have less waste each week.  According to a US study in Aug 2012, the average American household will throw out 25% of food and beverage that they have purchased!  That is hard earned $$ being thrown out each week, I don’t know about you but that is a big number for me.

My goal here is not to turn all of you non list makers into a list lover but to offer food for thought (pun intended:-)

The main categories for our weekly menu:

• School lunches x5
• Lunches for us x2 or 3
• Dinner
• Snacks
• Weekend breakfasts

That is it.

Even a looser version of this can be helpful.  My mother was a fantastic cook but she did not enjoy cooking.  She saw it as a means to an end, somethings he had to do and for a lot of people the feeling is shared.  Especially if cooking is a task or a chore then trying to figure out on the fly “what’s for dinner” can become a frustrating part of your day, making the family meal even harder to achieve.

Give this a try:

• Pick 2 or 3 evenings you want to have a family meal together and start there

Every week I will be posting our dinner selections with a few recipes.

Here is what is happening this week:

• Broccoli quinoa burritos – garlic, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, cashew cream sauce all wrapped up in a lovely toasted tortilla
• Leek and Bean Cassoulet – Leeks, carrots, potatoes, peas, thyme and white beans cooked in a lovely creamy sauce toped with biscuits
• Enchilada Casserole – Sautéed onions, garlic, mushrooms and potatoes mixed in with pinto beans act as the filling in this Mexican type lasagne, layered with soft tortillas, a robust red sauce and topped with a  lovely cashew cream sauce
• Cesar Salad – A family favourite, we have veganized the classic cesar!  This dinner salad is bathed in a creamy classic cesar dressing, with croutons and sprinkled with lemon zest, served with roused veggies
• Veggie Curry – The key to a good curry is it’s heat and creaminess.  Sautéed veggies in a delicate, creamy curry tomato based sauce, made creamy by the inclusion of cashews

A few things you may have noticed in the menu:

• Looks time consuming and complicated ….. nope all of the recipes aside from the Enchilada casserole require some prep but will have you at the table within 30 minutes
• You use cashews a lot, what is up with that ….. good question, cashews are incredibly versatile and when soaked and blended up can create everything from a white sauce, sour cream or even whipped cream.  It does not take much to create a rich creaminess that will not blow your diet.  In most of the recipes I mentioned above for the entire recipe you would only need 1/2c to 1c 

Broccoli Quinoa Burrito:

Prep ahead tips – this can make getting dinner on the table easy and quick!

Quinoa can be made a few days in advance, I like to cook mine with vegetable broth for extra flavour.  Rinse your quinoa first using  fine mesh sieve, the actual grain has a bitter coating (this is to protect itself from being eaten by birds in the fields).  Left un-rinsed it can affect the taste of your dish.

1 cup of quinoa will give you about 3 cups cooked

For 1 cup of quinoa use about 2 cups of liquid. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Fluff with a  fork and set aside or place in fridge once cooled for a few days in a tightly sealed container.

Cashew Cheese:

(Make ahead and keep in fridge for a few days in an airtight container)

3/4c raw cashews (not roasted) soaked about 3-4 hours or overnight if you have time

1 clove garlic

1/2c unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk

1/4c nutritional yeast (seriously yummy stuff, your local health food store will have this)

1-1/2t dijon mustard

1t white wine vinegar or lemon juice

1/4t onion powder

1/2t sea salt

• Combine all of the cashew cheese ingredients in a blender or processor and process until thick and smooth.  You may need to scrape down the sides of your blender a few times to achieve a smooth sauce.

For the Burrito:

2-3 cups of cooked quinoa

1t extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic minced, pressed or chopped

1-1/2c diced sweet onion

2c diced broccoli florets

3-4T chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes

4 soft tortillas, gluten free or flour or replace with large lettuce leaves

• In a large wok or skillet on med-high, heat the oil and cook the onions with a pinch of salt until translucent and almost browned, about 5-8 minutes
• add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds more until just fragrant
• Add the broccoli and sun dried tomatoes, sauté over med-high heat until tender, about 10  -15 minutes
• Add the cooked quinoa and cheese sauce and stir to combine with the veggies, cook until heated through about 5-8 minutes
• Spoon the mixture into the tortillas or lettuce leaves and serve, we love to give the wrapped burritos a quick hit on the sauté pan to brown on all sides

See you at the table!

*Study conducted by the National Resources Defence Council

*This Broccoli Quinoa Burrito was adapted from the Oh She Glows cookbook.