Meal planning, vegan style

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about food. Not like before when I was pregnant or single/poor grad student, but as a mom and as a wife. I don't want to spend much time in the kitchen and I also don't want to spend all of our money in food (though, that's where most of our money goes). I started meal planning to save money and to think more creatively in our menu... and I love it!

I know some people think they can't do it because they change their mind too much but I was like that and now I meal plan without putting a date to my planning, if that makes any sense? I just know what I'm going to be cooking for the rest of the week without being a plan freak. ;)

Here are some of my tips:

1) While making the plan, make your shopping list. Look for stuff that you already have and build your plan accordingly.

Example: if you have tortillas from that time you made tacos, include enchiladas in your meal plan. That's an item you don't have to buy. (You probably have the beans too).

2) Buy a recipe book or go to Pinterest.

While recipe books gives you specific ideas on what to cook, I find that in Pinterest you just type an ingredient and they give you tons of recipes! 

Example: You already have quinoa. Type "vegan quinoa recipes". Done.

3) Resist going to the store!

Work with what you have until you end up with nothing in the fridge. You could totally make a soup, or pizza, or pasta dish with all the random ingredients you have on hand BEFORE making a trip to the store. 

4) Soak and pre-cook your beans then freeze them.

 Pick a day and cook large batches of beans and store them, that way, in the future, you don't need to use canned beans.

5) Buy local and according to what's on sale! Make your meal plan around those items/produce.

Here its a list (of dinner ideas) I made a while ago inspired in cookbooks and Pinterest.

You can see there are a lot of common ingredients because I was trying to use up what I had left.

• Lentil and Sweet Potato Chunky Stew
• Black bean and potato burritos with rice and guacamole
• Veggie Stir fry over rice
• Spicy potatoes with peppers and onions + corn bread
• Bean chili + Corn bread
• Chick pea and cauliflower curry over cous cous
• Cashew and Spinach pesto pasta with steamed veggies
• Tofu and lentil lasagna
• Veggie teriyaki noodles

Buen provecho!

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